~~First Day of Christmas Break~~

Lily was back to her healthy self. She was back to being the top student. She still was obsessing about becoming an animagus but she allowed Remus to help her so it wasn't as stressful. She forced herself to eat every meal even if she wasn't that hungry. She never wanted to be like that again. She spent a lot of time hanging out with her roommates. She had forgiven James and Sirius so she spent time with them as well. They all decided to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas break, except Emma whose parents wouldn't let her.

They soon found out they were the only Gryffindors staying and were grateful. They turned the common room into a giant bedroom/ party room. That was all they did the first night of break. They listened to music on a wizard radio and played all sorts of games. They set up sleeping bags around the biggest fireplace and talked late into the night. It was the happiest Lily had been in so long. She didn't know how much things were going to change.

The days before Christmas were a lot of fun. They went out in the snow and had snowball fights. They went ice-skating on the lake. James, Sirius, and Remus surprised the girls with hot chocolate and materials for smores. They used the fireplaces to cook the marshmallows and ended up throwing them at each other rather than eating them, making quite a mess.

~~Christmas Eve~~

The group was excitedly talking in the common room. It was almost midnight.

"Guys, can we go to bed. It's almost Christmas but I actually want to get some sleep" Lily said as she yawned.

Everyone agreed and lay down to sleep. Lily instantly drifted off, not feeling the ring burn on her finger.

~~Christmas Day~~

Lily was awoken by a pillow being smashed into her face. She opened her eyes and saw Jess running away, Lily got up and grabbed her pillow then raced after her.

Soon enough everyone was awake and joining in on the pillow fight. A good 30 minutes later they collapsed on the floor.

"Happy Christmas everyone."

"Happy Christmas." They said in unison.

"Who's ready for presents?" Sirius asked.

Everyone ran over to their sleeping bags. They all had a pile of presents at the end of it. Lily was the slowest one. She wasn't feeling well so she slowly sat down and started opening the gifts.

Her parents had sent her some clothes.  James and Sirius gave her a large selection of sweets.  Remus gave her a small black book.  It gave her a small black book. It had no title but when Lily opened it she recognized it as instructions for animagus. She smiled gratefully and hid the book in her pillowcase. Mags gave her a new diary. They decided to make it tradition so Lily got her one too. The one she received was a beautiful emerald leather. Jess had given her a book of magical creatures. She had noticed Lily doing all sorts of reading on different animals and thought she might like it. Jack gave her a beautiful golden quill that was rather large but was charmed to write in calligraphy. After finishing her pile Lily realized something.

"Hey-did you guys get anything from Emma?" She asked.

Everyone shook their head. Lily got a chill up her spine. She was feeling dizzy again. Her finger was burning. Before she realized what she was doing, she turned the ring and looked directly into the rose. She passed out.

"Oh my god! Lily!"

**Dream**

Lily didn't want to open her eyes. She knew where she was. She knew she would end up being in pain and watching someone die. Lily sighed and opened her eyes. She gasped. Her eyes shot around her quickly. Everything was different. The sky was no longer blue but a stormy gray. Lily thought she heard thunder rolling. The grass wasn't soft and green anymore. It was brown and snapped when Lily put her hand through it. The beautiful flowers were wilted and dead petals littered the ground. Lily looked towards the archway. She couldn't see he center rose. Lily got up and ran through the archway. The sky didn't go black.  Everything stayed the same. Lily looked forward and saw the rose faintly glowing. Petals were on the ground. Lily didn't understand what had happened. Why was everything so glum? She started to yell.

"Kerrie! Kerrie where are you?"

A few minutes later Kerrie came running into the clearing.

"Oh Lily! Thank goodness you're here. Where have you been? You haven't come in ages. This is all your fault."

Lily was completely puzzled now. What was her fault?

"Kerrie what is going on?"

"The rose is dying."

"That's my fault?"

"Well…no…but I need your help."

Lily, still confused, allowed herself to be led to a bench. Kerrie walked away for a minute and returned with a glass case.

"Lily, take this case. It has the only good petal left in the garden. You must plant the center strip of the rose and take very good care of it. Take the other two halves of the petal after you have done that and bring it back to me. Hurry we don't have much time."

Lily felt her hand lightly touching the petal and the white light came streaming towards her.

Lily was now sitting on a chair in someone's house. She heard voices and went towards them.

"What do you want?" an all too familiar voice said. Lily knew who it was. She knew what was about to happen.

"I want your friends." A cold voice said. Without another word the man raised his wand and a shot of green light came from it.

Lily screamed out, "EMMA!"

Everything went into slow motion for about three seconds. In that time, Emma looked directly at Lily and mouthed her name. Then everything shot forward again. Lily felt severe pain and was brought back to reality. This time, remaining conscience.

"Lily are you okay?"

Lily's eyes couldn't get focused. Her head was going around in circles (not literally). She knew she was going to be sick. She ran to the nearest bathroom and slammed the door. Everyone chased after her. From their side of the door they could hear gagging. Lily came out a few minutes later and pushed through her friends.

"Lily where are you going?" Jack asked.

Lily didn't answer but went straight out of the portrait hole.

"You guys stay here. I'll follow her." Remus said and ran out of the portrait hole chasing Lily.

"Lily wait up!"

Lily stopped not to wait for Remus, but because she was feeling nauseous again. All she could think of was watching Emma die. It sent a shiver down her spine. Remus caught up with her and faced her. He was shocked. Lily's eyes were red. Not just from crying, as he noticed her tear-streaked face, but around her emerald color was a ring of bright red. It was downright scary.

"Lily what's going on?

"I have to find Dumbledore." She whispered. It seemed her voice was caught in her throat.

"I'll take you there." Remus grabbed Lily's wrist and brought her to a gargoyle. He muttered something Lily couldn't hear and the gargoyle jumped aside. Lily was led onto a moving staircase. In short time they arrived at a door. Lily just stood there so Remus knocked.

"Come in."

Remus pushed Lily inside then walked in and closed the door.

"Ah Ms. Evans, Mr. Lupin. What can I do for you?"

Lily took her gaze off of Dumbledore and stared at her feet staying silent.

"Er-Lily passed out in the common room. She woke up about ten minutes later and ran to the bathroom and got sick. Then she said she had to talk to you." Remus said.

"Well thank you Remus for a summary but I think it is Lily who should do the talking."

Lily looked up from her feet and sighed. She pulled out a case from her pajama pocket, "There's a lot to tell professor."

"Proceed then."

Lily started with the first dream she had and meeting Kerrie. She showed Dumbledore the ring. She told him about the rose. She told him how she had seen Jack's mother being killed. Lily was starting to feel relieved that she had finally been able to tell someone. She moved on to how the ring had taken all the energy out of her at the Leaky Cauldron from ignoring going to the garden. Then she got to the most recent dream. She hesitated.