I am so sorry for my lack of updating. I know what I want to do and where I want to go with this story . . . I just haven't had the inspiration to write it. But then I watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on DVD and re-read Order of the Phoenix, and finally got off my lazy butt and wrote this chapter. It's shorter than I usually write, but the exciting part's next chapter.

Thanks to Ruth3, chibi minamoto, and WolfCub2668 for their reviews! Enjoy!

Lily fell on her bed, face first, utterly exhausted.

It has been a couple weeks since the beginning of Auror training, and Lily found she could only summon the energy to get up out of bed every morning, focus all her energy on training, then trudge her way back home and fall onto the soft comfort of her bed.

I've really got to learn how to Apparate, she thought for the millionth time.

Lily realized tiredly that she hasn't really spent time with her family, friends, or James, other than in class. But then, vigorous Auror training doesn't technically count as a date.

And something has been bothering her. The Dark Wizard detectors have been going crazy the entire time . . . it wasn't just that one day.

Something was there.

Lily had a sinking suspicion she knew who it was too. There was this one girl who wore dark red lipstick and heavy eyeliner. She was what Muggles referred to as a Goth. Her dyed black hair was rough and unkempt, her expression always in a deep scowl. Lily honestly had no idea why she was even accepted in the first place.

She smiled as she heard James's mock scolding voice in her head, telling her not to worry, that the Professors are trained in what they do.

With that thought in her mind, she drifted off to sleep.

The next day, James didn't come to training. Lily thought he looked a bit sickly yesterday, so she wasn't too worried. He probably just had the flu or something.

She was talking to Thomas's girlfriend, Cordelia, when someone rudely pushed past her. Lily turned around to protest, but froze her tongue when she saw it was the gothic girl. The girl's cold blue eyes stared at Lily with such intensity, she had to look away. Smirking with satisfaction, the girl walked on.

"Do you know who that is?" Lily whispered to Cordelia.

"Uh . . . I think her name's Bridget," She answered. "She was in my group a few times. Why?"

Lily shuddered. "I dunno . . . she just gives me the creeps,"

Cordelia nodded. "But don't judge a book by its cover,"

Rolling her eyes, Lily retorted, "Did you make that up all by yourself?"

Cordelia grinned. "Yep."

That may be true, Lily thought, but I still think she's creepy.

The Professors were acting strange today. They were whispering anxiously in groups, often glancing back at the sea of students.

Something felt very wrong.

The next day, James was back. But there were heavy black bags under his eyes, and his eyes were red and swollen. He appeared utterly exhausted, and today, any remnant of his usual self-mocking arrogance was completely deflated.

"Hey," Lily started. But when she saw the state of his appearance, she felt instantly concerned. "What happened?"

James said nothing, just sat down heavily.

"What?"

"My . . . my family's gone . . ." James's voice caught somewhere in his throat. Maybe he shouldn't have come. But what else could he do? Sit at home and do nothing? He wouldn't be able to stand that.

Lily sat down next to him and put her arms around his shoulders, feeling a wave of nausea and confusion but knew James was the one that needed her now. "Do you want to go home?"

"No," he shook his head, "I just . . . can't sit there at home . . ."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lily asked gently. But she had to admit, she was curious. What did he mean by his family? One family member . . . or truly all of them? Oh god, she hoped not. Lily had met the Potters before a few times when she went to their house for dinner. They were kind, good people.

James wasn't sure if he could say it. If he said it, it meant it was true. "Death Eaters went to my parent's house . . . they murdered all of them. My mom . . . my dad . . . my sister. . ." Tears began welling up in his eyes. He willed them not to fall, and he tried to blink them away, just as he wished that he could blink this whole damn mess away.

"Oh my god," Lily gasped. She was at a loss for words. What could she possibly say to help James?

"I . . . I only survived because I moved out in an apartment with Sirius!" James hissed.

Lily understood at the moment. James was not only dealing with the loss of his family, but guilt that he couldn't be there to help them.

"It's not your fault," Lily reassured him, "You couldn't possibly have known."

"I should have been there . . ."

Lily turned his face towards her. "If you were there," she said slowly, "you would be dead too. Would they want you wishing that you had died along with them?"

James looked slightly shocked. He released himself of Lily's grip and just sat there, eyes glassy, staring ahead at nothing.

It hurt Lily to see him that closed off. She could feel the wall he had formed between them. But she still felt that she needed to say what she did. It was just so hard. Lily could have said something like she can't imagine what he must be going through, but it'll be okay.

Except she did. She knew exactly how he was feeling at that moment. It was how she felt when she saw Celia murdered. The difference between their experiences was that James was wishing he was there, while Lily actually was there. She watched the entire thing unfold, and couldn't do a dang thing.

So she waited.

Finally, James turned around, this time his face contorted in anger and hatred. "I'll kill them. I'll kill them all!"

Lily nodded grimly. "That's why we're here. Because of Celia, and now because of your family."

James merely nodded, his face falling back into defeat, but there was determination in his eyes, which comforted Lily. She just hoped he wouldn't go crazy with revenge.

"How's Sirius doing?"

"Fine," James muttered in a way Lily knew Sirius was not fine.

"What's he doing?" Lily asked.

James sighed. "He had to leave for a story for the Daily Prophet. He did all he could but . . ."

"He had to go," Lily supplied.

"Yeah," he grunted, "It's his first real job so . . ."

Lily wrapped her arms around James. He didn't push her away. They stayed there, completely still, until the teachers called for the class to separate into their groups.

"Hey Lily? Do you want to come over to my apartment later?"

Leaning her head on James's shoulder, they sat in silence. Usually James's apartment seemed to vibrate with energy. But not tonight. Tonight, the walls were somber, respectfully quiet in James's mourning. Everything was still, the clock on his wall ticking its way slowly to every minute, as if trying to slow the progress of time.

James was past the point of shock. During Auror training, he numbly made his way from lesson to lesson, ignoring the concerned looks teachers and students alike threw at him.

His heart felt like it was going to fall out of his chest. Every time he walked, his legs felt jelly-like, as if it would collapse underneath him any moment. Everyone was gone. Lily, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were his only family left.

Remus and Peter had both dropped by, not even having to use their voices to express their sadness. The looks in their eyes were loud enough for James, echoing off the walls into his head. After a tightly squeezing James's hand, they left, much to his relief. They were good friends. They knew that he wanted quiet, and two less pitying souls.

He truly had never appreciated Lily as much as he did in that moment. She stayed quiet and close to him, giving him comfort.

Finally, with great effort, he turned around to face her.

"Why'd they have to die? It's not like they were doing anything publicly against him . . ." James asked, practically spitting with hatred when mentioning You-Know-Who.

Lily interlocked her fingers with his. She paused for a moment, carefully choosing her words, but trying to be sincere at the same time, "I don't know. There must be a reason, but it's a reason only You-Know-Who knows."

"I hate him. I hated him before but now . . . it hurts, Lily, it really hurts."

She embraced him, stroking his dark hair gently as he sobbed on her shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, now, I promise," Lily told him firmly. She had heard some of this before, at Auror training, but then his words then were restrained and only scratched the surface of what he was feeling. Now, he was opening up and his walls were down; she let him talk, this would help him heal, if that's even possible.

Not everyone will become an Auror. But Lily knew both she and James would, and when the time came, they will avenge those who lost their lives to the abomination.

Voldemort touched the imbedded tattoo on his follower's right arm. He felt the man's wince of pain; saw the gritting of his teeth, though he didn't really see it. His lips curled happily at the thought of the pain the others were feeling, the sharp burning and call to arms.

Soon, Death Eaters apparated in, one by one. Their dark hoods were lowered, masks beneath that hiding their identities. But Voldemort knew each of them. He could feel them.

Most of all, he could smell fear. No matter how long a follower has worked for him, he could still feel their fear in his presence.

"I will take half of you to stop certain people from stopping us before they can get to the point of gaining that authority and power," Voldemort began.

He felt confusion at his vagueness. What simple minded fools. Who else could he be talking about?

"Who has the courage for this task?" He asked.

The smell of fear spiked up even higher.

Everyone stepped forward. Good. If anybody stayed behind, they were cowards. To be a Death Eater, cowardice is not tolerated.

The task would not come for a few months, but it was a big one. They will be ready, and with the help of a man on the inside, it will be successful.