Thanks for your reviews! Here's the next chapter! It switches a lot from view to view, but this is an awesome chapter!! LOTS of things happen! (Notice how this cycle works: You review, I write, you're happy, you review, I'm happy, I write!!)

Everyone was seated at the table for dinner, including Remus and Narcissa (she was at the Gryffindor table). There was a solemn silence. No one ate.

Cissa started crying on Remus' shoulder again. She'd told him while they were both in the Hospital Wing (it was private; no one else had heard what they did or how Remus took it). She fell into his lap as he put his head in his hands and rested it on the table.

I was so sad that I gave James a big hug.

Kemmy started crying as well.

"This is just bullshit," said Sirius. "Let's go."

We all walked in silence to the Head Dorm.

"There has to be a way around this," said James.

"I don't think there is," said Peter.

"Of course there is," I said. "Don't be so pessimistic."

"No, Lily, he's right. My life has been threatened if I don't go along with this," sobbed Narcissa.

"But-"

"It's fine," she said. "I'll just say goodbye and start my life as a Malfoy."

We all grimaced.

"Just let me get on with my life. It'll be easier if you don't talk to me again."

"Wait, Cissa-"

"Goodbye, guys."

She gave us each a hug in turn. We were all crying by the end, even Peter.

I squeezed her extra hard. "You'll always be my best friend," I choked out.l

She got to Remus and gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

"I'll love you forever, Remus Lupin. You're a piece of me now. You'll be in my heart. I'll remember you."

Remus numbly hugged her for the last time.

"It was great knowing you all," she whispered as she walked out.

We just stared after her.

I had just lost my best friend. It was finally sinking in.

James and I quietly walked to Dumbledore's office, quickly putting on fake smiles so he wouldn't notice that anything was wrong.

"Welcome," he said. "Have a seat."

"So, the ball," I said.

"Yes, he said. "There's not much to tell except that you are in charge of everything- music, food, decorations. Arrange it all. You have no budget, so just come to me with the final bill. Keep it appropriate. Any questions?"

"Nope," said James as we turned to leave.

"But please," the Headmaster said, "you do know not to go on a shopping spree, right?"

We laughed and walked out.

The happy feelings only lasted that far. We became depressed again the next minute.

"I'm going to bed right away," I said. "Tomorrow's Saturday. Let me sleep in."

"All righty," said James.

I gave him a hug, whispered goodnight, and left to my room for another restless, nightmare-filled dream.

(Peter's POV)

An owl dropped a letter onto my bed.

I shrugged and opened it.

Peter Pettigrew,

We have never spoken before. This is Lord Voldemort, and I'm proposing a deal to you because you know James Potter well. Actually, it's a one-sided deal. You do this, or I kill you. If you're up to it, send this owl back straight away.

I dropped the letter and nearly fainted. Betray James? Or die? I didn't want to die! I was only 17! Decisions, decisions, decisions… I had no choice.

Okay, I wrote back shakily. What do you want me to do?

Terribly afraid and feeling quite guilty, I slowly climbed into bed for a night that held no sleep for me.

(Lily's POV again)

Saturday and Sunday rolled along, and everyone pretty much stayed in bed.

Monday came, and I felt a sting of hurt when I saw Cissa walk into the Great Hall linked to Lucius Malfoy. Her face held a blank look. Her new life obviously wasn't suiting her at all. The Narcissa I remembered wasn't there at all. The old Cissa, bubbling with energy, always flirtacious. What remained was a formerly good-looking girl who now looked pale (well, at least paler than usual) and who clearly hadn't taken care of herself over the weekend. The sight brought tears to my eyes.

I looked around me and saw that the others had been watching me.

"It'll be okay," whispered James, taking me into his arms.

He could say that, but I didn't know if it would ever be okay.

(Scene change to Malfoy Manor)

"Darius Malfoy," said Voldemort. "One of my faithful Death Eaters."

"I'm privileged," nodded Darius.

"They tell me you have a son, Lucius, who could be useful to me. He goes to school with James Potter."

"Correct."

"You see, I must eliminate the Potters from this world. Though they are pureblood, they pose a great threat to me."

"What can Lucius do?"

"I need you and Lucius to get rid of James's parents. As soon as possible," said Voldemort in a biting tone. "I'm currently working on a plan to kill James. I'm just hoping that he doesn't have a child with this Lily Evans mudblood I've heard about. That'll be another Potter to deal with."

Darius gave a dry laugh.

"I'll be sure that Lucius and I do something," said Darius.

"Thank you," said Voldemort.

(Scene change to Dumbledore's office)

"Divination teacher," said Dumbledore as he wrote to the 'Help Wanted' section of the Daily Prophet. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Send resume to Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts."

He sealed the letter and flew it away in an owl's beak.

(James's POV)

The week before the ball, I noticed a significant change in Lucius' attitude toward me. He was no longer just an asshole, but something so much worse that words can't even explain. He'd curse me randomly in the halls and worm his way out of trouble, somehow get his hands on my homework before class and destroy it, and other things like that.

I hated him. Poor, poor Narcissa…

Then, the day of the ball, during lunch, a lone owl flew into the Great Hall. It was important when it was the only one coming, or if it didn't come at breakfast. Whoever received that was very unfortunate.

I was entertaining myself thinking about what bad news that owl could be bringing until it plopped into my pumpkin juice goblet. Uh-oh.

Well, maybe it was a good surprise, or a letter from my parents, or some last-minute details about the ball, or a love letter from Lily, or just from Sirius or Remus or Peter… anything but what the envelope contained.

James,

It seems that I've been delivering only too many of these letters lately. The first one was to Lily. It is now your unfortunate turn to learn that your parents were murdered. Murdered, no less, by Lord Voldemort.

Voldemort… Voldemort… Voldemort… Voldemort… it echoed in my mind endlessly… I didn't even read the rest of the letter… I started getting dizzy, and the last thing I knew was Lily holding my hand and asking, "What's wrong?"

It was a perfect day. Sunny, 80 degrees, not a trace of clouds, a light breeze running through the air. I was 14, Stephanie was 8. We were at the wizarding zoo.

"James, honey, why don't you take your sister to go see the unicorns?" asked Patricia Potter, my mother.

"But mum, I want to go see the Kneazles!" I protested.

"James, just go to the unicorns first, and then you can do whatever you want," said Andrew Potter, my father.

"Yeah, unicorns!" cried out Stephanie. "Please, James, please please please!"

"Fine, Steph," I acquiesced. "Just for you."

She grinned at me. I was proud to be her big brother.

"Thanks, James," said my mum fondly.

I smiled at her and walked, hand-in-hand, to the unicorns with Stephanie.

I awoke in the Hospital Wing a few hours later.

A/N: There ya go! I told you that you would like it! Next chapter up at most in a week. Review please!