Chapter 5- Back to The Potter's

Lily had spent weeks throwing herself into work. There wasn't a waking moment when she wasn't busy planning the wedding, or getting things sorted in her house, or studying for mediwitch exams coming up. She was getting caught up in the later at least. She only had one family member to worry about now, and she wasn't going to let what happened to her father happen to Petunia. It was this new determination that was getting Lily caught up in her classes, even ahead in some manner. "James, I'm going to order dinner tonight," Lily shouted, hearing a pop from the living room.

"I'll be sure to let him know," Remus said walking in and making Lily jump slightly. "What are you doing here?" he asked with concern.

"I'm making the seating arrangement," Lily answered. She was distant; distracted by the paper in front of her. Walls had been placed around her heart since Josh's death, ones that she didn't want pulled down.

"No, here," Remus said, sitting next to Lily. "Why haven't you accepted Kyla's invitations to live with them, or us even? We can make some sort of an extra room."

"I need to stay here," Lily said, her eyes remaining on the paper in front of her.

"No you don't."

Lily looked up at Remus. This was the first time someone hadn't treated the situation with extreme delicacy. "I do, Remus. This is my parents' house. You just expect me to leave it?"

"Sell it, yes." Lily stared at him in disbelief. "You can't live in the past. It's eating you up. James is worried and so are the rest of us. You have to stop doing this to yourself."

"Like you would understand," Lily snapped, finally finding the words. "I watched both my parents die in this house." Her voice was starting to rise in volume and pitch as Lily stood and began to pace back and forth in the room. "I've lived here all my life. I-I used to help Mum in the backyard with her garden. Petunia and I used to pull my mattress into her room to have a sleep over. Dad used to make us pancakes on our birthday and turn our milk green on St. Patrick's Day, in that kitchen Remus! And now you're saying I have to forget about it? I have to forget it all and leave? Why?"

"Lily, everyone at the Order agrees it isn't safe for you here. The Deatheaters already know where you are."

"James has been staying here with me, and I can take care of myself."

"You're not letting us help you."

"I don't want it!" Lily screamed. "I don't want help! I don't want to leave!" Lily sat against the wall and started to cry. "I can't leave," she added in a whisper.

Remus sat down next to Lily—on the floor this time—and rubbed her back comfortingly. "Don't do this," Remus said, his brows furrowed in concern. "James doesn't know what to do. You've always been so strong and I think he's scared."

Lily scoffed lightly. "James has never been scared."

"He is now," Remus said. "I think James is scared to lose you."

Lily thought about this for a moment. She looked around at the room. There was a painting off to her left in the foyer; a Berthe Marisot print of a woman with black hair overlooking a bassinet with a sheer curtain surrounding it. Violet had once said she would always watch over her little girls like that. Violet had even made a point of saying so when Lily was homesick. I'm watching over you in your sleep, she had said in a letter. "I'll need some help finishing up some packing," she said quietly.

"Okay," said Remus with a small and encouraging smile.

"I'll go stay with Kyla. She seems hungry for company."

"You have no idea. Kyla gave Sirius all this food the last time he went there just so she could talk to him while he was getting it together."

Remus helped Lily up and she led him to her room, where she started to pack things gently into her suitcase. "I'll still have to come back and set things in order," she told him.

"We'll all help with that, though," Remus told her.

Once Lily had all her things ready, she zipped up her suitcase and allowed Remus to carry it for her. He said they could apparate, but Lily wanted to take Josh's car. "Have to keep some Muggle things," Lily said with a forced grin.

"Okay," Remus said, taking a deep gulp to prepare himself for the automobile. The only other thing like this that he'd experienced was Sirius's motorbike, which didn't always seem the most appropriate method of travel. After ten minutes of Lily's driving, however, Remus was able to relax. "So January 12th is coming up rather quickly. Are you worried at all?"

Lily took a deep breath. "Not about the wedding," Lily said. "I'm hoping Petunia will come. I've already had to ask Samantha to be my Maid of Honor instead."

"Really?" Remus asked. "Well, that will work better for Sirius at least."

"Yes, I guess," Lily said. She was silent for a few moments as Remus discovered the radio and she thought. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what?"

"Well, I probably won't have any family there," Lily started off with. "Petunia and Vernon probably aren't coming and… and there's no one to give me away. Could you?"

Remus looked at Lily. "Really? You want me to give you away?"

Lily nodded silently. She blushed slightly before continuing quickly. "I know we're not related, but it would mean a lot to me to have someone there to—"

"Of course I will," Remus interrupted. He looked out the window where other cars were zooming by going the opposite direction. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Yeah," Lily said. "Sort of."

Three hours later they arrived at the Potter home. Kyla was so glad that Lily was going to come stay with them that she declared to have a dinner party that night and told Remus to go back to the flat and tell them all to come. Remus—not about to argue with a home-cooked meal—left right away to get the other guys. "How have you been doing?" Kyla asked as she got out some meat to grill.

"Okay," Lily said honestly.

"It's been hard on all of us." Kyla changed her course of action as the teapot whistled a pronounced completion. "Why don't you have a seat and we can have some tea before dinner?"

Lily did so, allowing Kyla to serve her. Lily thought about how lucky she was to have James, not just because of him, but because Lily had grown so close to Kyla and Michael. Lily smiled slightly, thinking of what James's reaction would be if she told him she was marrying him for his family. Her thoughts were interrupted by Kyla. "Is there anything we can do to help? Would you like me to help you sort things?"

Lily gulped and nodded, though her attention stayed on the table cloth. "I'd appreciate that."

"It's too bad you haven't seen James when he's been over here lately. Quite humorous," Kyla said. She stirred two teaspoons of sugar into her tea, looking down at it and smiling.

"How so?" Lily asked, intrigued at what Kyla might mean.

"Nothing big. It's just," Kyla paused as she laughed lightly then looked up at Lily, "every time he starts talking about you—worried as he is and such—and somehow would find some new determination to get you out of your parents' house. 'I'm not leaving Lily there another night. She's coming to stay here and I'll drag her if I need to.'" Lily laughed as Kyla made an over exaggerated mockery of James. "Then he would leave to go and get you. James obviously never came back here with you. I would ask him why and he would mumble something about not wanting to push you into anything before packing a bag to join you there."

"Remus obviously had more gall than he did," Lily pointed out.

"Remus always has when it comes to the welfare of his friends," Kyla said. "He's never been one to beat around the bush. James sometimes lacks the confidence to put what's best for you over the fact that you may get upset."

Lily lips curved up and looked pensively into her tea. "I guess I shouldn't be so stubborn either."

"Oh, posh," Kyla said waving that idea away. "It's the woman's job to be stubborn. If we weren't stubborn nothing would get done right."

Lily laughed at this. "My mum wasn't too stubborn, actually. I wish I were a bit more like her."

"I'll bet you're more like her than you know."

Lily looked down again and swallowed. Just as she opened her mouth to comment, the two women heard three pops and a loud voice ask, "where's the grub?"

"Not ready yet," Kyla informed Sirius as she stood and rolled her eyes. "You can come set the table though."

"Anytime Mrs. P," Sirius said and went into the kitchen to grab plates.

James pulled up a chair next to Lily, looking at her cautiously. "Are you okay?" Lily nodded with a slightly forced smile. James returned the gesture and took hold of Lily's hand. "Good," he added simply and watched as Kyla taught Sirius how to set silverware properly. Remus finished three settings of his own while Sirius was still trying to figure out his first.

"Just takes some common sense," Remus said.

"Yeah? Well," Sirius tried to think of a good come back. "Maybe I don't have that."

"I'd say," Lily said, rolling her eyes comically.

"Like you would understand, Evans," Sirius said, sitting down and pouting pathetically. "It's not like you ever got less than an 'O' in anything."

"That was because I studied."

"Studying is for wankers." Lily hit him lightly on the arm before standing up to help Kyla in the kitchen.

When Michael came home, he started to joust playfully with the boys against Kyla and Lily. It wasn't until Kyla threatened to send the dinner to Mungo's as a donation that the boys stopped and became very quiet.

"So you're staying with us for a while then?" Michael asked Lily.

"If it's still okay with you. I won't be a bother, I promise."

"You could never be a bother," Kyla stated incredulously while levitating out the green bowl filled with mashed potatoes.

"Stay as long as you'd like," Michael added.

"Oh that reminds me," James said, getting some asparagus. "I needed to ask you if—"

"No," Michael said.

"But I just wanted—"

"No."

"Dad, you're not even letting me—"

"No."

"You treat Lily better than you treat me!"

"Yep," Michael said. "Now pass the bread please, and let's eat."

A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, so just be grateful that I've posted after so long!

Leoking: Of course your opinion is worth something! Don't stop reviewing (even though I know you're very busy, so I won't hold it against you if you don't get around to it). I'll give you credit on the 'look at each other for a minute' bit, because I think you're right. I need to go back and change that to move a bit faster, but healing isn't Lily's only talent. In the books, Lily has a wand good for charms and James's for transfiguration. It's not that Lily lacks in either healing or defense but more that she lacks a bit of confidence when it comes to facing someone like Voldemort when her family is in danger. Besides that, Lily had to be the one that stayed because it was her father, though I will fix a few things eventually that make it read more as I imagined it. I tend to use the word 'minute' too loosely.

Katkit: You've probably written that a hundred times, but keep it up ;) I love knowing it.

Lothriel: Don't worry, James's parents will probably be gone by the end of this story too. The reason being that Harry has to go to The Dursley's for a reason. At the very least, Lily can't have any close relatives left, and I'm pretty sure Harry's other grandparents wouldn't just sit there and let him live with Muggles, so unfortunately they're probably going to die. I'm glad you like this story and I'd love to see reviews from you on others!

Mell Minamoto: Oh I'm so glad you like it! I don't know how you read at 1am period, but I'm glad you do.

Josephine Sawyer: Changed the Chaser thing and I'm working on the Vol-de-mort bit, though I've noticed that I tend to do that naturally, but I've been trying to catch myself at the very least. Of course, you'll have to deal with The Catcher in the Rye (did you wince?) because it makes the parallel I wanted and at least I'm not forcing you to read it right?

Gia: SHHHHHH! Don't give away my dastardly plot to kill off more main characters! Yes, I was planning that, though I've become rather endeared to Kyla and Michael, which might make it hard to do so.

Slytherin Girl Gryffindor Girl: Oh, that's a relief… yeah, having a job can effect your life in that way, can't it?

Moony-Padfoot-Prongs3eva: Thanks a bunch!

SnapeLuver666: I really like writing the 'Josh messes with James" as well…

Cilverblood: You read my mind on the Remus thing, by the way! I had to let him be a part of the wedding party, though I'm sure he'd have been one of the groomsmen otherwise.

Anglgrlie: I'm sure it wasn't completely unflawed, but thank you anyway! I do try…