Disclaimer: Nothing familiar belongs to me (sucks, huh?).
Chapter 5: A New Friend and a Secret Keeper
Lily fled to her room, wrapped herself in her favorite purple quilt (a gift made by her mother) and began to cry. She knew it was not a good idea; crying made her face look as red as her hair, but she couldn't help herself. Petunia always had that effect on Lily. Even though she knew it was useless, a small part of Lily always wanted to believe that some day Petunia would forgive her for becoming a witch. After almost a whole summer of constant abuse, Lily's patience was wearing thin. What Petunia said had hurt.
As she sobbed, curled up on her bed and leaning her head against the intricately carved wooden headboard, Lily heard a soft knock on the door.
"Evans?"
"Go...away, Potter," she said through her sobs.
There was no response, so Lily assumed that James had gone back down stairs. She closed her eyes and continued to sob. When she felt someone else's weight on the bed she jumped and looked up. When she saw James sitting next to her, staring at the floor, she turned away, covering her face with a thick curtain of her red hair.
"I'm not just gonna leave you here to cry," he said sadly, shifting closer to her on the bed.
The sincerity in his voice surprised Lily, causing her to choke on the scathing comment that was about to shoot out of her mouth.
When she did not respond, James continued carefully, "I heard what your sister said in the kitchen. That was pretty harsh."
"You heard? I - I'm sorry...she insulted...you," came Lily's muffled voice.
"I don't care what she said about me. I'm worried about you - please don't cry, Lily," James said earnestly. As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could shove them back in. 'Crap, crap, crap,' he thought as Lily turned to look at him. Of course James cared about how Lily felt, but he didn't want her to know how much he cared, and he certainly didn't want to call her Lily yet, at least not aloud.
"What did you say?" Lily asked, eyes wide and face still wet with tears.
"Well, um, I mean, quit cry, Evans. Don't be such a wimp," James struggled, trying desperately to back pedal.
"What do know about it, Potter? I can do whatever I want. You're the one who barged into my room, unwelcome by the way, and now you want to tell me what I should be doing?" Lily spat. James could see her face contorting in anger. He knew he had to do something to stop her before she got warmed up and really started yelling.
"Of course you can cry if you want to. It's just that I don't like to see you sad," James said, switching back to the sensitive approach. He gently took her hand off the quilt where it was resting. Lily pulled her hand back and turned away again, tsking under her breath, but she did not respond. James was relieved that she had at least stopped yelling.
After a few seconds of silence, James began to look around her room. James new more about muggles than most wizards, but he was still fascinated with some of the strange things they used to compensate for lack of magical abilities.
Lily sat quietly, taking deep breaths to calm her ragged breathing. She was quite confused by Potter's behavior. 'Why did he call me Lily?' she wondered. 'And why in the world is he being so nice?' Lily watched James as he stood up and wandered around the room, looking at pictures and poking her stuffed animals. She smiled as he picked up the hair dryer and started playing with it.
"What is this thing for?" James asked, just as his finger found the power switch. A blast of hot air hit him square in the face causing him to recoil in surprise and drop the apparatus on the floor.
Lily laughed as she bent down to pick the hair dryer up and turned it off.
"It's a hair dryer, Potter," she said, still laughing, as she demonstrated how to use it. Lily leaned over to hand it back to him, but saw that James was staring at her, as if in shock.
"Potter?"
"Oh, um, yeah, so that must take forever," he said finally. In his head, he was screaming, 'She laughed. I can't believe she laughed! This is the first time I have ever heard her laugh in my presence. Ok, sure, so it was because I'm a complete idiot, but at least she laughed.' James was so pleased with the recent development that he snatched the hair dryer back and began pointing it around the room, turning on the air occasionally, like he had seen muggle men do in the movies.
"Okay, James Bond. It's not a gun," Lily said with a snicker.
'There it was again; her beautiful laugh!' "Bond? Umm, last time I checked, my last name was Potter," he said, looking very puzzled.
"No. James Bond. Muggle movie reference," Lily replied. "He's a spy on muggle movies," she finished, looking slightly embarrassed.
The room was silent for a moment as James looked at Lily, who was playing with the corner of her quilt. She was no longer crying, which made James feel very relieved. Her face was still very red, and wet with tears. James decided he better say something quick before he succumbed to the urge to wipe away her tears.
"Evans?"
"Hmm?" she answered, somewhat distractedly.
"How 'bout being friends this year?" He kept talking, rapidly and earnestly, when Lily looked at him skeptically, " I mean, if we are going to be working together as Heads, wouldn't it be a lot easier if we got along? You know how much I enjoy your tirades, but they might make it hard for us to get much work done."
He just couldn't keep the little bit of sarcasm out of his last statement. But to his surprise, Lily gave him a small smirk.
"Potter, you know I wouldn't go on those tirades if you weren't such an arrogant prat all the time. What do you exp - "
James cut her off, saying, "I know, but I'll try not to be. I'll even stop asking you out, if it'll mean that you'll stop being snappy all the time." He had no real intention of discontinuing the offers for dates completely, but he thought if he just toned them down a bit, she'd be happy. Remus had already told him that he needed to stop making suggestive comments to her because she really didn't seem receptive.
Lily looked at him intently, as if she was gauging his sincerity. "I guess your right," she said finally, sounding defeated. "I will make an effort to be your ... friend."
"Brilliant, Evans!" James said cheerfully, as he picked her up off the bed and pulled her into a tight hug. "We're gonna have a great year, I can - "
"Potter, put me down!" Lily growled. "I said friends, meaning acquaintance with whom I work to complete my duties as Head Girl. There was nothing in that statement that implied that touching, of any form, is acceptable."
Lily immediately regretted this statement. She hadn't meant to be harsh, and she could tell that it disappointed James. He set her down, backed away slowly and sank to the floor.
The room was silent for a few second, Lily feeling guilty, and James feeling disappointed. Lily struggled desperately to think of a topic that might cheer James up.
"I'm...I'm sorry about your mum." She immediately wished she hadn't spoken. 'Brilliant, Evans! That will really lighten the mood.'
"Oh, um, it's okay. I'm getting use to it," James lied. He looked away.
Lily, shocked by her own actions, sat on the floor next to him and put her hand on his knee. "How did she die?"
"Well, umm, you see... she was in an accident," James said, clearly trying to avoid the topic.
"Oh," was all Lily could think to say. She wondered what sort of accident; since the Potters were wizards he didn't mean a car accident. But, she knew that there were plenty of different ways to have magical accidents.
"It gets easier," she said quietly, "though not for a long time."
James looked questioningly at her, and Lily smiled sadly. "My mum died between our third and fourth years. That's why I do all the cooking and stuff around here."
"I'm sorry," James said, taking her hand, which was still on his knee. To his surprise, she did not pull away.
"It's alright. It did get easier, and my dad and I are much closer now," Lily replied, trying to sound relaxed.
"If you ever need to talk..." she continued, but trailed off. James nodded and let go of her hand. He began to idly use the hair dryer to blow a dust bunny around in a circle on the floor. Both teens were deep in thought. Finally, Lily realized that they had been sitting in silence for too long.
"Alright, 007, I guess we should go back downstairs," she said finally, standing up.
"007?"
"Nevermind," she replied with a smile as she opened the door, waiting for him to leave her room.
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"Excellent timing, James," Henry Potter said as Lily and James returned to the dining room. "I hope my son wasn't bothering you, Ms. Evans," he continued as he noticed her face, still red from crying.
"Oh, no. I'm fine," Lily replied, looking embarrassed.
"Well, sit down, Lily Flower. Henry was just about to tell me why he wanted to meet today, but he said you and James should be here too," her father said, nudging her regular chair at the table with his foot.
Lily nodded, taking her seat, and looking expectantly at Mr. Potter. When James had settled himself as well, his father began to speak in his calm and confident voice that had impressed Lily earlier.
"Well, actually, this is going to be much easier now that I know you have some experience with wizards. I thought I was going to have to explain everything, but this worked out perfect," he began, smiling at Lily, who returned his smile enthusiastically.
"Lily, have you told your father anything about current events in the wizarding world?" he asked, giving her a significant look. She knew he was asking if she had told her father about Voldemort.
"Well, umm, a....little," she said uncomfortably. She wasn't about to tell her father that all muggleborn witches and wizards could be in danger. What if he didn't let her go back to Hogwarts?
Her father gave Henry Potter a tight smile, "You mean about this He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fellow? I've read a bit about him." Seeing the look of surprise on Lily's face he said defensively, "Well, what did you expect? You leave all those Daily Prophets in your room, and I want to know what's going on in this world of yours."
Lily smiled at her father lovingly. She was strangely reassured by his attempts to protect her, despite the fact that he could not participate in this part of her life. He smiled back and patted her hand affectionately.
"So you know that he has been killing many muggleborns, as well as the Aurors that protect the magical community?" Henry continued gravely.
"Yes, but what does this have to do with you?" Harold Evans asked. Lily however, was starting to have suspicions about the "accident" that killed James' mother. It would make sense, she reasoned, as the Potter family had been Aurors for generations. They were famous in the wizarding world for their dedication to the protection of all wizards and muggles. In fact, a Potter had been vital in the defeat of every dark wizard that had gained power in the last four centuries.
"Mr. Potter, are you an Auror?" she asked sadly. Lily saw James, who had previously been staring sadly at his lap, snap his head up and look intently at his father.
"You are quite astute, Lily," the older man told her with a sad smile. The look on his face told Lily that James was not expecting his father to admit his real profession. "I am in business with your father as a cover for my work as an Auror in muggle London. My wife was killed this summer by Voldemort's Death Eaters who were looking for me."
"Dad and I weren't even there to protect her," James added bitterly. Lily could see unshed tears welling up in his eyes.
Lily, looking absolutely horrified, quickly asked, "But why wasn't it in the Prophet? I've been reading all summer, and I never read about your mother." She directed this question at James, and was surprised to find that she had taken hold of his hand across the table.
"I'm an Unspeakable, Lily, so my wife's death was covered up to protect my work for the Ministry," Henry Potter answered for his son. Seeing Harold Evans' confusion, he explained, "An Unspeakable means that only a few people at the Ministry of Magic know of my assignment. I report directly to the Minister of Magic."
Harold Evans was shaken by all the information he had gained in the last few minutes. He didn't even know what to say, so he was relieved that his daughter seemed to know all the right questions to ask.
"That means you're not safe. You have to go into hiding, if Death Eaters have already been to your house once," Lily said frantically, turning her huge and solemn eyes toward Henry Potter. She unconsciously squeezed James' hand, which caused him to smile slightly.
"Not exactly. We aren't going into hiding, but we have added to the security measures around our house. In fact, that is why I asked to speak to your father," Henry said, looking across the table at Harold.
Lily thought for a moment and everyone else was silent. James was looking curiously at his father, and Lily could tell that he didn't know what his father intended to ask. 'What kind of protection can my father provide?' she wondered. 'He's a muggle.' Then suddenly, Lily understood.
"You need a Secret Keeper," she stated with certainty. This was the only thing her father could possibly help with, as the Secret Keeper was not required to have any magical ability.
"Yes," Henry Potter answered simply.
As Mr. Potter explained the concept of a Secret Keeper to her father, Lily sat quietly, contemplating this development. If her father agreed to be Secret Keeper for the Potters, he would be in serious danger. Although, she admitted to herself, her family was probably in danger anyways, simply because of her magical abilities. Many families of muggleborns had been killed throughout this summer. She knew he would agree; she had inherited her Gryffindor loyalty and bravery from her father. She removed her hand from James' and twirled a red curl around her finger. Thinking of her father here, alone, with no way to defend himself against the Death Eaters that might find him was making Lily slightly ill.
Seeing her pale face, James said quietly, "Don't worry, Lily. Dumbledore would help protect your family. They'd still be safe, I'm sure." He didn't sound very sure, however.
Lily gave him a short nod and a grim smile. She turned to her father, who looked up and made eye contact with her, eyebrows raised hesitantly. A look passed between them, and Lily knew he was going to accept the responsibility, but was hoping she would support his decision. She sat indecisively for a moment, her pulse racing and stomach churning with the thought of this added worry. But she knew what she had to do; she was too much like her father. Finally, Lily gave him a small nod before turning away and bursting into tears.
"I'll do it," her father said firmly.
Two and a half hours later, the process had been explained to Harold Evans and finally completed. The Fidelius Charm, extremely complicated even for a skilled wizard like Henry Potter, was especially difficult for James, who was required to participate, as he would also be protected. After much practice and assistance from Lily, a particularly talented Charms student, James had finally been able to perform the charm.
Lily lay awake in bed that night, thoughts of this emotional night swarming through her mind. The actions of Voldemort had affected her life before, but never to such a personal extent. She wondered if she would be able to concentrate on her studies at Hogwarts when she knew that her father was in danger at home without any magical protection. She silently prayed for his security. Despite their new "friendship," James Potter's continuing safety would be small comfort if she lost her father.
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Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed the fourth chapter! Your positive comments have really made me feel good about this story! Thanks especially to Elizabeth Radcliffe, wow! Your review was awesome for my self esteem. I hope you all like this chapter too! Thanks again!
Chapter 5: A New Friend and a Secret Keeper
Lily fled to her room, wrapped herself in her favorite purple quilt (a gift made by her mother) and began to cry. She knew it was not a good idea; crying made her face look as red as her hair, but she couldn't help herself. Petunia always had that effect on Lily. Even though she knew it was useless, a small part of Lily always wanted to believe that some day Petunia would forgive her for becoming a witch. After almost a whole summer of constant abuse, Lily's patience was wearing thin. What Petunia said had hurt.
As she sobbed, curled up on her bed and leaning her head against the intricately carved wooden headboard, Lily heard a soft knock on the door.
"Evans?"
"Go...away, Potter," she said through her sobs.
There was no response, so Lily assumed that James had gone back down stairs. She closed her eyes and continued to sob. When she felt someone else's weight on the bed she jumped and looked up. When she saw James sitting next to her, staring at the floor, she turned away, covering her face with a thick curtain of her red hair.
"I'm not just gonna leave you here to cry," he said sadly, shifting closer to her on the bed.
The sincerity in his voice surprised Lily, causing her to choke on the scathing comment that was about to shoot out of her mouth.
When she did not respond, James continued carefully, "I heard what your sister said in the kitchen. That was pretty harsh."
"You heard? I - I'm sorry...she insulted...you," came Lily's muffled voice.
"I don't care what she said about me. I'm worried about you - please don't cry, Lily," James said earnestly. As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could shove them back in. 'Crap, crap, crap,' he thought as Lily turned to look at him. Of course James cared about how Lily felt, but he didn't want her to know how much he cared, and he certainly didn't want to call her Lily yet, at least not aloud.
"What did you say?" Lily asked, eyes wide and face still wet with tears.
"Well, um, I mean, quit cry, Evans. Don't be such a wimp," James struggled, trying desperately to back pedal.
"What do know about it, Potter? I can do whatever I want. You're the one who barged into my room, unwelcome by the way, and now you want to tell me what I should be doing?" Lily spat. James could see her face contorting in anger. He knew he had to do something to stop her before she got warmed up and really started yelling.
"Of course you can cry if you want to. It's just that I don't like to see you sad," James said, switching back to the sensitive approach. He gently took her hand off the quilt where it was resting. Lily pulled her hand back and turned away again, tsking under her breath, but she did not respond. James was relieved that she had at least stopped yelling.
After a few seconds of silence, James began to look around her room. James new more about muggles than most wizards, but he was still fascinated with some of the strange things they used to compensate for lack of magical abilities.
Lily sat quietly, taking deep breaths to calm her ragged breathing. She was quite confused by Potter's behavior. 'Why did he call me Lily?' she wondered. 'And why in the world is he being so nice?' Lily watched James as he stood up and wandered around the room, looking at pictures and poking her stuffed animals. She smiled as he picked up the hair dryer and started playing with it.
"What is this thing for?" James asked, just as his finger found the power switch. A blast of hot air hit him square in the face causing him to recoil in surprise and drop the apparatus on the floor.
Lily laughed as she bent down to pick the hair dryer up and turned it off.
"It's a hair dryer, Potter," she said, still laughing, as she demonstrated how to use it. Lily leaned over to hand it back to him, but saw that James was staring at her, as if in shock.
"Potter?"
"Oh, um, yeah, so that must take forever," he said finally. In his head, he was screaming, 'She laughed. I can't believe she laughed! This is the first time I have ever heard her laugh in my presence. Ok, sure, so it was because I'm a complete idiot, but at least she laughed.' James was so pleased with the recent development that he snatched the hair dryer back and began pointing it around the room, turning on the air occasionally, like he had seen muggle men do in the movies.
"Okay, James Bond. It's not a gun," Lily said with a snicker.
'There it was again; her beautiful laugh!' "Bond? Umm, last time I checked, my last name was Potter," he said, looking very puzzled.
"No. James Bond. Muggle movie reference," Lily replied. "He's a spy on muggle movies," she finished, looking slightly embarrassed.
The room was silent for a moment as James looked at Lily, who was playing with the corner of her quilt. She was no longer crying, which made James feel very relieved. Her face was still very red, and wet with tears. James decided he better say something quick before he succumbed to the urge to wipe away her tears.
"Evans?"
"Hmm?" she answered, somewhat distractedly.
"How 'bout being friends this year?" He kept talking, rapidly and earnestly, when Lily looked at him skeptically, " I mean, if we are going to be working together as Heads, wouldn't it be a lot easier if we got along? You know how much I enjoy your tirades, but they might make it hard for us to get much work done."
He just couldn't keep the little bit of sarcasm out of his last statement. But to his surprise, Lily gave him a small smirk.
"Potter, you know I wouldn't go on those tirades if you weren't such an arrogant prat all the time. What do you exp - "
James cut her off, saying, "I know, but I'll try not to be. I'll even stop asking you out, if it'll mean that you'll stop being snappy all the time." He had no real intention of discontinuing the offers for dates completely, but he thought if he just toned them down a bit, she'd be happy. Remus had already told him that he needed to stop making suggestive comments to her because she really didn't seem receptive.
Lily looked at him intently, as if she was gauging his sincerity. "I guess your right," she said finally, sounding defeated. "I will make an effort to be your ... friend."
"Brilliant, Evans!" James said cheerfully, as he picked her up off the bed and pulled her into a tight hug. "We're gonna have a great year, I can - "
"Potter, put me down!" Lily growled. "I said friends, meaning acquaintance with whom I work to complete my duties as Head Girl. There was nothing in that statement that implied that touching, of any form, is acceptable."
Lily immediately regretted this statement. She hadn't meant to be harsh, and she could tell that it disappointed James. He set her down, backed away slowly and sank to the floor.
The room was silent for a few second, Lily feeling guilty, and James feeling disappointed. Lily struggled desperately to think of a topic that might cheer James up.
"I'm...I'm sorry about your mum." She immediately wished she hadn't spoken. 'Brilliant, Evans! That will really lighten the mood.'
"Oh, um, it's okay. I'm getting use to it," James lied. He looked away.
Lily, shocked by her own actions, sat on the floor next to him and put her hand on his knee. "How did she die?"
"Well, umm, you see... she was in an accident," James said, clearly trying to avoid the topic.
"Oh," was all Lily could think to say. She wondered what sort of accident; since the Potters were wizards he didn't mean a car accident. But, she knew that there were plenty of different ways to have magical accidents.
"It gets easier," she said quietly, "though not for a long time."
James looked questioningly at her, and Lily smiled sadly. "My mum died between our third and fourth years. That's why I do all the cooking and stuff around here."
"I'm sorry," James said, taking her hand, which was still on his knee. To his surprise, she did not pull away.
"It's alright. It did get easier, and my dad and I are much closer now," Lily replied, trying to sound relaxed.
"If you ever need to talk..." she continued, but trailed off. James nodded and let go of her hand. He began to idly use the hair dryer to blow a dust bunny around in a circle on the floor. Both teens were deep in thought. Finally, Lily realized that they had been sitting in silence for too long.
"Alright, 007, I guess we should go back downstairs," she said finally, standing up.
"007?"
"Nevermind," she replied with a smile as she opened the door, waiting for him to leave her room.
::::::::::::::::
"Excellent timing, James," Henry Potter said as Lily and James returned to the dining room. "I hope my son wasn't bothering you, Ms. Evans," he continued as he noticed her face, still red from crying.
"Oh, no. I'm fine," Lily replied, looking embarrassed.
"Well, sit down, Lily Flower. Henry was just about to tell me why he wanted to meet today, but he said you and James should be here too," her father said, nudging her regular chair at the table with his foot.
Lily nodded, taking her seat, and looking expectantly at Mr. Potter. When James had settled himself as well, his father began to speak in his calm and confident voice that had impressed Lily earlier.
"Well, actually, this is going to be much easier now that I know you have some experience with wizards. I thought I was going to have to explain everything, but this worked out perfect," he began, smiling at Lily, who returned his smile enthusiastically.
"Lily, have you told your father anything about current events in the wizarding world?" he asked, giving her a significant look. She knew he was asking if she had told her father about Voldemort.
"Well, umm, a....little," she said uncomfortably. She wasn't about to tell her father that all muggleborn witches and wizards could be in danger. What if he didn't let her go back to Hogwarts?
Her father gave Henry Potter a tight smile, "You mean about this He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fellow? I've read a bit about him." Seeing the look of surprise on Lily's face he said defensively, "Well, what did you expect? You leave all those Daily Prophets in your room, and I want to know what's going on in this world of yours."
Lily smiled at her father lovingly. She was strangely reassured by his attempts to protect her, despite the fact that he could not participate in this part of her life. He smiled back and patted her hand affectionately.
"So you know that he has been killing many muggleborns, as well as the Aurors that protect the magical community?" Henry continued gravely.
"Yes, but what does this have to do with you?" Harold Evans asked. Lily however, was starting to have suspicions about the "accident" that killed James' mother. It would make sense, she reasoned, as the Potter family had been Aurors for generations. They were famous in the wizarding world for their dedication to the protection of all wizards and muggles. In fact, a Potter had been vital in the defeat of every dark wizard that had gained power in the last four centuries.
"Mr. Potter, are you an Auror?" she asked sadly. Lily saw James, who had previously been staring sadly at his lap, snap his head up and look intently at his father.
"You are quite astute, Lily," the older man told her with a sad smile. The look on his face told Lily that James was not expecting his father to admit his real profession. "I am in business with your father as a cover for my work as an Auror in muggle London. My wife was killed this summer by Voldemort's Death Eaters who were looking for me."
"Dad and I weren't even there to protect her," James added bitterly. Lily could see unshed tears welling up in his eyes.
Lily, looking absolutely horrified, quickly asked, "But why wasn't it in the Prophet? I've been reading all summer, and I never read about your mother." She directed this question at James, and was surprised to find that she had taken hold of his hand across the table.
"I'm an Unspeakable, Lily, so my wife's death was covered up to protect my work for the Ministry," Henry Potter answered for his son. Seeing Harold Evans' confusion, he explained, "An Unspeakable means that only a few people at the Ministry of Magic know of my assignment. I report directly to the Minister of Magic."
Harold Evans was shaken by all the information he had gained in the last few minutes. He didn't even know what to say, so he was relieved that his daughter seemed to know all the right questions to ask.
"That means you're not safe. You have to go into hiding, if Death Eaters have already been to your house once," Lily said frantically, turning her huge and solemn eyes toward Henry Potter. She unconsciously squeezed James' hand, which caused him to smile slightly.
"Not exactly. We aren't going into hiding, but we have added to the security measures around our house. In fact, that is why I asked to speak to your father," Henry said, looking across the table at Harold.
Lily thought for a moment and everyone else was silent. James was looking curiously at his father, and Lily could tell that he didn't know what his father intended to ask. 'What kind of protection can my father provide?' she wondered. 'He's a muggle.' Then suddenly, Lily understood.
"You need a Secret Keeper," she stated with certainty. This was the only thing her father could possibly help with, as the Secret Keeper was not required to have any magical ability.
"Yes," Henry Potter answered simply.
As Mr. Potter explained the concept of a Secret Keeper to her father, Lily sat quietly, contemplating this development. If her father agreed to be Secret Keeper for the Potters, he would be in serious danger. Although, she admitted to herself, her family was probably in danger anyways, simply because of her magical abilities. Many families of muggleborns had been killed throughout this summer. She knew he would agree; she had inherited her Gryffindor loyalty and bravery from her father. She removed her hand from James' and twirled a red curl around her finger. Thinking of her father here, alone, with no way to defend himself against the Death Eaters that might find him was making Lily slightly ill.
Seeing her pale face, James said quietly, "Don't worry, Lily. Dumbledore would help protect your family. They'd still be safe, I'm sure." He didn't sound very sure, however.
Lily gave him a short nod and a grim smile. She turned to her father, who looked up and made eye contact with her, eyebrows raised hesitantly. A look passed between them, and Lily knew he was going to accept the responsibility, but was hoping she would support his decision. She sat indecisively for a moment, her pulse racing and stomach churning with the thought of this added worry. But she knew what she had to do; she was too much like her father. Finally, Lily gave him a small nod before turning away and bursting into tears.
"I'll do it," her father said firmly.
Two and a half hours later, the process had been explained to Harold Evans and finally completed. The Fidelius Charm, extremely complicated even for a skilled wizard like Henry Potter, was especially difficult for James, who was required to participate, as he would also be protected. After much practice and assistance from Lily, a particularly talented Charms student, James had finally been able to perform the charm.
Lily lay awake in bed that night, thoughts of this emotional night swarming through her mind. The actions of Voldemort had affected her life before, but never to such a personal extent. She wondered if she would be able to concentrate on her studies at Hogwarts when she knew that her father was in danger at home without any magical protection. She silently prayed for his security. Despite their new "friendship," James Potter's continuing safety would be small comfort if she lost her father.
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Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed the fourth chapter! Your positive comments have really made me feel good about this story! Thanks especially to Elizabeth Radcliffe, wow! Your review was awesome for my self esteem. I hope you all like this chapter too! Thanks again!