A/N:Ok, readers, the a/n is at the beginning because this chapter ends suddenly and cliffhangery. Yes, I just made that word up. Anyway, this chapter will confuse you greatly, and I apologize in advance. All will be explained, I promise! And it may seem incredibly random.. Because it is. Everything in this chapter is significant. Read. Review. Yell at me. Hah.

OH, and to my reviewers: I love you guys so much. I don't do individual shout-outs, but I think I might next chapter because you guys deserve it. So if you have any questions or something to say, go for it, this is your chance. Heh. Like I said, all will be explained. Next update could come at any time- CONSTANT VIGILANCE! Oh, and I'm gonna change my rating to R, for language and just in case. I don't know if I can put sex in - my friends read this! Hahaha but we'll see.

I have a popsicle, squee.

-Ria

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"Ew."

Coming back from Quidditch, James had stepped in dog... mess. 'Probably Sirius, the prat,' he thought. 'He always thought it was funny when people stepped in shit. Bloody dog.'

He was making his way back up to the castle, deep in thought. He and Lily had spoken about the Order, in private of course, many times. They were still undecided, but considering. He was looking to the sky, where the sun was setting, when he saw Lily, walking silently into the forest.

"Lily?" he called, but she didn't answer him. 'Odd,' he thought.

He followed her swiftly, but she broke into a run. After a while he was straining to see her through the trees, her long hair flying around, her emerald cloak billowing behind her. She would not answer his calls, and it was dusk;Soon they wouldn't be able to see. He had the fleeting thought to go for help, but decided against it; he might lose her altogether.

James was running now, cursing the stiff jeans he had changed into after practice. Lily was leading him into the deeper parts of the forest now, and damn near scaring the hell out of him.

"James!" somebody suddenly yelled. James turned around and saw Dumbledore, standing against a tree, calm as could be, as if he hugged trees in deadly forests everyday.

"Professor," he said, stopping, his impatience growing."Pardon my french, but what the hell is going on here?" He gripped his wand and glared at his headmaster like it wasDumbledore's fault his girlfriend was running crazy through the woods.

"James," Dumbledore said excitedly. "It's time."

James gave him a sarcastic look. "Oh, is it? Your water broke, professor? Allow me to grab your bag and drive you to the hospital, how far apart are the contractions?" James had had it. Why couldn't he and Lily just be happy?

Sirius ran up, panting and sweating. James gaped in amazement. "What, is it meet randomly in the Dark Forest night and everyone forgot to tell me?!" He threw up his hands in a kind of defeat and glared at Sirius. Oh, damn Sirius, who could have countless girlfriends without having to worry aboutthem being 300 year old dead witches. Well, in spirit, anyway.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. "I saw you on the map and followed you out here, though I have no idea why."

"Shh," Dumbledore urged gently. He then stuck his wand into the air and something silver shot out of it. "They'll be here soon. Then we can see. We can finally see." The old man was practically dancing on the spot.

James rubbed the spot between his eyes; Oh, he had a headache. "Please, Professor, can we just find Lily and go back for dinner?"

"No." James turned around and came face-to-chin with his father, who had appeared out of nowhere. "We have to wait, James."

James could only sputter. "What the flobberworm is going on?" he finally managed.

Kathy (-where had she come from?-) gave him a sympathetic look and ruffled his hair. "Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, James, do you know what today's date is? March 15th, a date that has been mentioned in history for it's rotten luck. It is the day of Ides during which Caesar was killed, so the date is even known by muggles. It is a rotten day. It was, also, Lyla Dubaer's birthday." James blinked at him, wondering why they were standing in the middle of the forest and where all of those people - for now there were about 30 of them- had come from. He would have found the situation less odd if he were drinking tea with a Mad Hatter, a character from one of those muggle movies Sirius was so fond of.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "I was watching Lily very closely at dinner tonight when she went stiff and excused herself. I knew the date, and what would happen. Lily is 17. On Lyla's 17th birthday, she was walking through this forest when she heard a yell." As Dumbledore spoke, there was a rustle in the bushes and Lily walked past. James waved, but then realized that she couldn't see him; she was only about 30 feet from him, but she was also 300 years away. Dumbledore talked as Lily continued. "She turned and saw herself being surrounded by followers of Slytherin. And then a miracle happened." Hooded figured surrounded Lily now, arriving as quietly as his own parents and all of the other people.

James went to run to her, but his father held him fast under the arms. "DAD!" he yelled. "What are you doing? Come on!"

Matt shook his head at him sadly. "That isn't Lily, James. She's in a different world." He was right- Lily's eyes were dim and unseeing. She was fighting the hooded creatures, but it was as if she knew where they would be before they got there; she knew the movements they would make. It was like she was reliving a memory. James joltingly realized that she was.

He stopped struggling for his dad to let him go when he saw what was coming: Unicorns. About 30 unicorns. He turned to look at Dumbledore, who had a triumphant look on his face. Sirius was struggling against Fabian Prewitt, as he too was trying to get to Lily. Everybody else was staring in an awe.

The unicorns seemed to walk straight through the hooded figures and surround Lily, who had been struck and fallen to the ground. A sudden song flew overhead, filling James with hope and amazement; Phoenixes were also flying in now. James could no longer see Lily behind the animals.

'I'm dreaming,' he thought.

Suddenly, Lily began to rise up as though pulled by an invisible force. She was unconscious, her eyes closed now, but she was glowing. And now, she was no longer in her school robes but a long, white lace dress. It had long sleeves that came to triangles on her hands and a low, v-collar. Her hair had come out of her ponytail and came to the back of her knees in red curls. She was Lyla Dubaer.

"And then it happened," Dumbledore whispered. Lyla opened her eyes slowly.

Her face was more mature, as if it had seen much more. It was the face of a wise witch, of a 17 year old pushed into adulthood. She looked around knowingly, and then frowned at the cloaked figures. Her body began to vibrate, and a bright light pulsated from it. The light spread like sunlight and the cloaked figures were struck down. The only people to be hurt were the cloaked, dark wizards. Lyla made sure of that.

She checked that the rest were unharmed, and then she turned her wise gaze to James. She was still glowing internally, and still floating. Smiling serenely at James, she whispered, "My love, it's been so long." Her voice was strong and a bit deeper than Lily's. It sounded like it was coming from somewhere deep inside.Lyla nodded. "I knew we'd make it."

And then the glow went out and she fell to the ground.