© Ariana Veelagrace and Clara Maplewood

(A/N): Hello! Thanks for all of my reviews!! I LOVE them! They are really appreciated!! Please no flaming, but criticism IS accepted! :O)



Disclaimer: I haven't done one of these in a long time. Well, here it goes; I only own Juno, Eurydice, and the plot. J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter characters.

Lily

Chapter 32





Lily had slipped back into the exhausted, pained sleep in James's arms while he took the slow trip to the Hospital Wing. Peter followed closely in his wake, though James was oblivious to all else but the fragile, red-haired girl hugged limply against his body.

When they arrived at their destination, Madame Pomfrey nearly had a coronary.

"My goodness! What happened to her? Did she fall down the dungeon steps? Did she get in a fight?" She never gave them time to answer, only took Lily gently from James and put her in a bed, administering healing potions and bandages all over. Peter stayed by the door,
fighting a smile.

Madame Pomfrey retreated into her office after giving Lily a sleeping potion ("It helps the healing potions to take effect"). James made sure that the stern matron wasn't looking,then walked slowly to Lily's bed. Her face was as white as marble, with bluish bruises standing out against her fiery hair. He drew a shaky breath and bent his head down. With a quiet, soft kiss, he rose and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Lily." At the door, Peter could not resist the triumphant smile from snaking across his face.



Lily's swollen eyes opened only to see a sleeping boy in the chair beside her bed. She recognized him immediately as James, and smiled painfully. James' eyelids twitched until they revealed his eyes.

"Madame Pomfrey? She's up!"

"Ohhh, How's my little patient doing?" She cooed.

"Horrible." Lily grumbled.

"I wasn't expecting you two days in a row! I might have to assign you a permanent bed if you make this a habit."





(Hidden in the shadows of the Forbidden Forest)

"Where is she?!?" The cloaked figure shrieked.

"Oh-Master...I tried. B-but I-"

"Did you at least get the dagger?!?" The shrilling voice echoed through the shadows.

"I-i t-"

"Where is she now?"

"With the boy, My Lord. The boy brought her to the Hospital Wing before I could prevent it."

"No matter, I have all the information that I need. Wormtail, I want you to make sure that they stay close together."

"Why?"

"It's much easier to kill two birds with one stone."






"What happened?" Lily asked while touching her hand gently to her head.

"Well, Madame Pomfrey gave you a bunch of potions, and bandaged you up pretty good...."

"No, James, How did I get in the Hospital Wing?"

"I found you in the common room and decided to bring you up here. Don't you remember?"

She squinted and looked like she was thinking very hard. "No...I don't."

"Well...that's what happened." James was still confused. "But, Lily? Do you remember what happened that made you pass out in the first place?"

Lily's mind was still foggy. She remembered the scene, but only anonymous punches and kicks remained. There was no memory of who it was, until she remembered that insanely grinning face....

With a cry, she remembered what had happened in vivid detail. He had been asking her a question, a question about the dagger. But, at the dance, he said "I know where he put the dagger." Lily sat bolt upright so quickly that her head swam. "James, did you move the dagger?"

"Um...yes, I did. Why?" He was starting to look a little scared.

"Where is it?"

Now he definitely looked scared. "Never mind, you need rest."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to go after whoever it was, don't worry! I just need to know where it is!"

"Why do you need it?"

"Just tell--" Her voice faded when the Infirmary door opened and in walked Peter. "Never mind," she whispered.