James stood in front of the room of Ministry workers. He was so close to sacking each and everyone except Dwight and Jenny. April stood by the door like a guard of some kind. She looked rather serious though the effect was spoilt by her attempts at not to laugh. Jenny was biting her lip as she tried not to laugh either. James didn't understand why they were laughing, they were here on a serious matter.
"Will you please tell us what is the meaning of calling a meeting so late at night?" demanded a witch with fuzzy brown hair and rather pale tight skin.
"I've had reports that some people in this room are not as reliable as they seem!" James said. "I got an owl this morning telling me that there is corruption in this room. So as a result, no one is leaving until they've been checked by April." James said seriously. A few people turned to look at April, who was finally controlling her silent laughter. James watched his inferiors. There were a few people who weren't looking at April. One was looking at the files on the table. Dwight seemed awfully fixated on Jenny, while Jenny was giving a smile. James looked at a few others. There was another wizard looking at Jenny. This was the head of Law Enforcement, he was looking at Jenny in a way that reminded James of a predator.
"April." James said, not taking his eyes off the head of Law enforcement.
"Minister." April said standing to attention.
"I would like you to start with Mr. Potford." James said. "Dwight guard the door while April searches him." Dwight got up reluctantly and went to the door. He got out his wand and watched as April went to the wizard with a smirk.
"I hope you're not hiding anything." April said almost cockily. "Stand up." Potford looked at April sceptically.
"Listen to her." James said, "Stand up." James got out his wand and waved it so the chair slid out from under Potford. He scrambled to his feet and before he knew it he was staring into April's eyes. April stared intently into Potford's brown eyes. Image after image flashed by her eyes. He appeared to be clean until April began to see memories of a dark house, cloaked figures, Lord Voldemort. April closed her eyes quickly and looked at Potford and smirked. Potford panicked and got out his wand and pointed it at April. April was quicker and disarmed Potford while James conjured some silver ropes.
"Death Eater." Jenny said as she got up. "Well, this is going to be a long night." She muttered as she walked to the door. She leant against the wall next to Dwight.
"Does anyone want to own up to any corruption at all?" James asked, "Or do you want to be sent to Azkaban?"
"You still haven't been able to get the prison back." Umbridge hissed at James.
"Oh, you are naive Umbridge." James said, "While you lot were stuck up in your comfy offices the Aurors have been working nearly overtime to get Azkaban back."
"With better guards." April said a little begrudgingly.
"Anyone want to own up?" James asked. "There are three top aurors in this room." James said. The room remained silent. James had no doubt that Fudges old advisors would be somewhat difficult. James really didn't want to have to do this but he didn't trust a single person that he hadn't grown up with or worked with for over ten years. He didn't want to let these people out until he was sure they were completely clean of any corruption. The first thing he wanted to do was get rid of Umbridge. She was power hungry and mad, in James' opinion, and a danger to James' 'rule' over the ministry, as April had kindly put it.
"April." James said sitting down. He let April take charge. A few people were looking at her hesitantly. It was clear that they hadn't believed that she was back, even after so many months.
"Alright, stand in a line, and meet my eyes when I ask you to." April said. The advisors got up with a little protest.
"Don't you think this is the wrong way to go about things?" Umbridge said to James. "Aren't you supposed to be trying to cleanse the country?"
"Things start at the heart of the country, flush out the problems in the ministry and we can work better at our aims." James said. "Dwight, Jenny!" Dwight and Jenny turned to look at him. "Please keep an eye on everything." James said.
"What are you doing?" Jenny asked.
"Nature calls." James said.
"Ah." Jenny said. She opened the door for James.
"Do you want any guard or anything?" Dwight asked.
"The loo is just down the hall." James said, he glanced at April, who was searching the next advisor. Dwight nodded and turned to Jenny. Jenny gave him a smile and leant against the wall. James left the room and went through the silent halls of the minister's offices. He put his hand on the loo handle when he thought he heard the slightest whisper that sounded out of place. He turned around and looked down the hall. It was brightly lit but he couldn't see anything or anyone. He closed his eyes for a moment and felt his bones and body changing shape. When he opened his eyes again it was at a different eye level. He felt his head feel slightly heavier then it had been earlier. He was now Prongs. He stepped out further into the hallway and moved his ears around to be able to hear better. He was probably being paranoid but he thought he'd heard someone. He moved his ears behind him and heard it, a slow and steady breathing. He turned his head and saw a cloaked wizard.
"Good evening Prongs." Came a quiet weak voice. James saw a flash of silver and instantly kicked backwards with his hind legs. He turned and as he did turned back into a human.
"Wormtail." James said holding his wand out at arms length. Wormtail staggered to his feet. "How did you get in here?"
"I have my contacts." He said, "Give me Jenny and I won't kill you." James started laughing.
"Kill me? Ha! Are you trying to make me laugh? You can no more kill me then impress me." James said. Wormtail threw his hood back and got out his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!" He shouted. James rolled to the side and put his hand against the wall.
"Expelliarmus!" James said, Wormtail lost his wand but a few spells were being fired at James from behind him. He crawled backwards to avoid the spells.
"Give her up Potter." Came the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange. James got to his feet and bumped into someone behind him. He turned quickly to see April behind him.
"Oh crap." April muttered. The lights flickered and switched off.
"Jenny! Get out!" James shouted.
"Crucio!"
"Expelliarmus"
"Stupefy!" There was a crossfire of spells and curses between April, James and the Death Eaters. April and James had managed to knock out a few Death Eaters but they could hear some fighting coming from the conference room.
"Imperio!" April shouted at one of the Death Eaters. James looked at her shocked in the midst of the fight. Her expression was like stone, it scared James, she looked so serious and determined.
"Crucio!" shouted Kiana Darcy. The spell nearly hit James' shoulder. He rolled forwards and hit her legs with a Jelly legs jinx and stunned her. He turned to stun another Death Eater when they felt a cold chill coming over them. James faltered and stayed on his knees. He felt a horrible chill creeping over his neck and back. His hair was beginning to stick on end and he felt all his happiness drain out of him.
"Dementors." He heard Wormtail say.
"What are they doing here?" Lucius Malfoy demanded. "Retreat!" The three remaining Death Eaters fled from the hallway. There were four Death Eaters unconscious on the floor. April and James turned and came face to face with the Dementors.
Dwight and Jenny were knocked to the floor as a few Death Eaters got into the room. Jenny propped herself up and held her wand tightly.
"How the hell do they all get into the ministry!" She said. Dwight helped her to her feet and fired spells at the Death Eaters. He tried to protect everyone in the room, but even with Jenny's help he was unable to prevent a few deaths in the room, as Minister's advisors were a little too slow on the uptake. Dwight pulled Jenny towards him as he saw a jet of green light shooting towards her. She started in surprise and pressed herself against Dwight.
"Get the Order." Dwight whispered into her ear before he turned to fight some of the remaining Death Eaters. Jenny closed her eyes and apparated out of the ministry, knowing full well it would be difficult to apparate back in. She opened her eyes and found herself in the kitchen, in the middle of an order meeting. The people around the table looked up. Dumbledore looked straight at her.
"How did the meeting go Jenny?" Dumbledore, looking at Jenny.
"What!" Lily said standing up.
"Attack at the ministry." Jenny said quickly. Moody slammed his fist on the table making everyone jump.
"Does no one listen? Constant vigilance!" Moody said.
"What's happened?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"Um, Death Eater attacks, some of the advisors have been hurt. April went after James, because he-"
"What happened to James?" Lily asked urgently.
"Forget James, what about April?!" Sirius said standing up and looking at Jenny.
"I don't know! James went to the loo and they attacked!" Jenny said.
"Is he ok?" Lily asked.
"I don't know."
"BE QUIET!" Dumbledore shouted. The three adults went silent and looked at Dumbledore. "Jenny, you will stay here. I will take some of you to the ministry and we will see what has happened." Jenny, Lily and Sirius were all about to protest when Dumbledore gave them all a look that silenced the three of them again. "Moody, Arthur, Bill and Tonks, please come with me to the ministry. The meeting is dismissed, you will be contacted for the next meeting." Dumbledore and the members he had chosen to go with him disapparated from the room. Sirius, Lily and Jenny all looked at each other curiously. Lily looked worried whereas Sirius looked vaguely pale as if they were both scared that April and James would be killed. Molly stood up first.
"Well, I'll get dinner ready, we might as well eat something." Molly muttered. Jenny went to Lily and hugged her tightly. Lily rested her head on Jenny's shoulder as she crossed her arms. The order members started disapparating out of the room, giving their excuses. One of the last to leave was Snape. Lily was glaring at him like there was no tomorrow. Jenny had felt Lily pressing herself slightly closer to her.
"Well, lets hope they get out ok." Snape said dryly in a sarcastic tone. Sirius took a step forwards but Jenny put a hand out to stop him.
"What would you know about hope?" Lily asked.
"Plenty." Snape said. "Well, it would be no great loss losing Potter and Black." Snape said casually. At this Molly even turned to look at him.
"Why you-" Sirius started to move forward again to hurt Snape but Jenny stopped him again. Snape snickered to himself, he seemed to be quite enjoying himself.
"That's right Chang Restrain him. You could always help them out if they lose their spouses, who knows, you could even set them up with new partners. After all, you know a lot about moving on, Dwight Turpin, quite a catch. Certainly better then that creature you were-" Snape didn't get to finish as Jenny punched Snape square on the nose. Sirius burst out in a grin while Lily's jaw dropped in surprise.
"Don't you ever say anything about Remus!" Jenny said. She turned and stormed out of the room. She nearly crashed into Orion and the Black twins right outside the door. She simply nudged them out of the way and continued to her room. Orion looked at Kaylee and Jessie and then turned back to look into the kitchen.
"She got you!" Sirius said happily. Snape glared at him and disapparated out of the house. Lily stood in amused shock.
"Did she actually do that? Has Jenny every lashed out at anyone?" Lily asked, shaking her head as if to clear it.
"No, she's the calm one" Sirius said, making air commas with his fingers.
"Who's Dwight Turpin?" Kaylee said to Orion. Orion shrugged and went into the kitchen.
"So when's dinner ready?" He asked.
"About half an hour." Molly said. Orion nodded and turned to Sirius and Lily.
"Who's Dwight Turpin?" Orion asked. Lily and Sirius looked at each other for a moment.
"Um, Jenny's boyfriend." Sirius said.
"Jenny has a boyfriend!" Kaylee said in disgust. "What about Uncle Remus?!"
"Yeah, we thought the same thing." Lily muttered. She sat down on a chair and crossed her arms on the table.
"What's wrong?" Jessie said quietly. Lily looked at Jessie curiously. Jessie gave her a weak smile.
"Um, I'm just worried." Lily said.
"Why?" Orion asked, "Mum and James have been on missions before!" Sirius looked at Orion.
"How much did you hear?" Sirius asked, crossing his arms.
"Nothing." Kaylee and Orion said together.
"Actually we heard everything." Jessie said. Orion looked at Jessie.
"Why are you suddenly talking?" Orion asked, slightly annoyed. Jessie smiled
"I like my voice." Jessie said with a grin. Orion looked at her curiously.
"Very well, you two are grounded!" Sirius said, pointing to Kaylee and Orion.
"What about Jessie!" Kaylee asked with a pout.
"She told the truth." Sirius said. Kaylee grumbled at her twin sister. Orion let out a frustrated shout and left the room. He stood at the top of the stairs waiting for Kaylee. Kaylee joined him.
"Keep control of your twin sister!" Orion said.
"Normally she's so quiet." Kaylee said.
"I know, why is she speaking now?" Orion asked. Kaylee shrugged. Orion was about to speak again when Ginny passed with Hermione. She gave Orion and Kaylee a smile.
"Hey." She said. Orion just stared while Kaylee gave them a smile back. Ginny looked away uncertainly before turning to Hermione to talk. Kaylee looked back at Orion.
"That was rude!" Kaylee said.
"Yeah, well." Orion said. "She's horrible." Kaylee rolled her eyes and went to Rhia's bedroom, where she decided to pester her older sister. Orion turned and head towards the room he shared with Bo.
Bo watched as Orion slumped on his bed.
"You ok?" Bo asked. Orion mumbled back. "Right, I'll take that as a no. You want to talk about it?" Orion shook his head. Bo nodded and got up. "Is mum back?" Orion nodded. "I'll see you in a bit," Bo said. Orion shrugged. Bo rolled his eyes and left the room. He hummed a tune he'd heard Rhia singing with Emma earlier that day as he came to Rhia and Emma's room.
"GET OUT!" Rhia screamed as she threw her younger sister out of her room. Rhia looked at Bo for a moment then back at Kaylee. Kaylee grinned and stood up.
"But I love you." Kaylee said to Rhia.
"We don't love you!" Emma said from inside the room. Rhia chuckled slightly. Kaylee pretended to be upset. Bo rolled his eyes and carried on walking but tripped over Kaylee as she decided to try and get past Rhia at the same time. Rhia put her hand to her mouth.
"Oh Merlin!" She said. She pulled Kaylee away from Bo then helped Bo to his feet. "Are you ok?" She glanced at Kaylee for a moment as she darted into the room.
"Yeah, fine. I just wanted to talk to Mum." Bo said. He looked at his trousers and sighed as he noticed a hole in his jeans. "Great." He muttered. Rhia bit her lip.
"Um…sorry." She said.
"It's ok, it wasn't your fault." Bo said. "You might want to talk to Orion, he's a bit upset."
"Oh, yeah, that. Ginny turned him down." Rhia said. Bo nodded, suddenly understanding.
"Right. I'll talk to him later." Bo said.
"Could you, that would be brilliant." Rhia said. She gave Bo a brief hug before returning to her quest to get her sister out of her room. Bo continued downstairs to the kitchen. He couldn't see his mum in the room.
"I don't understand him. I mean, is it like a Black trait?" Ginny said to Hermione, who looked very interested in what Ginny was saying.
"Um, Sirius." Bo said. Sirius looked up at him. "Where's Mum?"
"Room. She hit Snape after he insulted your dad." Sirius said with a grin.
"It really wasn't that funny." Lily said, sipping a hot drink.
"You should really stop drinking so much coffee." Sirius said. Lily shrugged.
"No harm in it." Lily said. The door opened again and Jenny walked into the kitchen.
"He's gone now, right?" Jenny asked.
"All gone." Sirius said with a grin. Bo turned to look at his mum.
"Mum, can we talk." He said. Jenny smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, sure. Um…not in here though." Jenny said. Bo smiled and nodded. They went to the drawing room. Jenny sat in a chair and looked at Bo. He looked at her for a moment before trying to think of what to say.
"What did you want to say?" Jenny asked. "Sit down." Bo sat down but got up again and started pacing.
"Ok, I know that you've sort of explained this to me but I still don't understand. Why are you dating this Dwight guy? Don't you love Dad anymore? I know he's you know, not alive any more but I thought that you might still love him and you would stay single. It hasn't even been a year since dad died and well, you've already moved on!" Bo said, he turned to look at his mum rather concerned. Jenny looked into his eyes and saw the worry in them. She stood up and took her son's hands.
"I do still love your father, very very much." Jenny said. "But things just happen. I will always love your father and I will love you much more then I can ever care for Dwight. You know what Rebounds are don't you?" Jenny said. Bo nodded. "Well, as Lily said, Dwight is a sort of rebound but he's also helping me get over Remus' death."
"Does he know about me?" Bo asked.
"Yes he does."
"Does he know what I am?" Bo asked. Jenny sighed.
"You are a human." Jenny said.
"I'm a werewolf." Bo said, "Does he know I'm a werewolf?" Jenny shook her head.
"No." She said. She let go of his hands and sighed. "Are you ok with me seeing Dwight?"
"Not really." Bo said quietly. "I don't like it but I suppose I can try and see if he's ok." Jenny smiled at Bo and touched his face.
"Thanks Bo." She said.
"You are my mum." Bo said. Jenny smiled and nodded.
"But I don't have to see him if you don't want me to." Jenny said.
"No, no. It's fine. Just let me see if he can match up to dad." Bo said.
"No one can match up to your dad." Jenny said. Bo grinned and nodded.
"I know-" There was a knock at the door and the door opened. Bo turned to see that man who had tried to give his mum flowers, obviously Dwight. Bo felt a slight sense of Anger building inside of him.
"Jenny, you got out ok!" He said, he started for Jenny but Bo stood in the way. Dwight had a bit of a cut running down his face and it was bleeding slowly. "Um…Bo?" He asked. Jenny rolled her eyes and put her hand on Bo's arm.
"It'll be ok, remember what we talked about?" Jenny said. Bo nodded and started out of the room, he didn't take his eyes off of Dwight until he'd gone down the stairs. Bo went down to the kitchen, where Lily was cleaning a fairly large cut on James' chest. April looked a little flustered and her robes were slightly torn.
"-Stupid Dementors, stupid Fudge-" She was mumbling as she tried to wriggle free of Sirius' attempts to clean a tiny cut on her forehead.
"Sirius, just sit down." James said as he watched his best friend flitting around April. Bo sat down and looked at the adults.
"What happened?" Bo asked.
"Attack at the ministry." James said. He winced slightly as Lily dabbed his forehead.
"Most of the Minister's advisors are in St. Mungos, one or two are dead" said April. Sirius settled next to her.
"Who's dead?" Bo asked. James hissed in pain again as Lily tried to heal up his cut.
"Lily!" James snapped.
"I'm sorry but I'm trying to heal you!" Lily said.
"I'm fine, really!" James said. Lily gave him an annoyed look and put her wand away.
"Fine!" Lily muttered angrily. Bo looked at Lily and James confused.
"Um…what's going on?" Bo whispered to Hermione and Ginny, who were sitting near him.
"She's annoyed James got hurt." Ginny whispered back.
"Who died?" Hermione asked.
"Um, I can only confirm Umbridge." April said.
"YAY!" Ginny said but quickly went quiet at her mum's look. "I mean, that's very bad. Terrible, great loss" Ginny said, smiling at the table.
"Ginny!" Molly said harshly.
"Sorry." Ginny said, covering up her mouth. Bo tried hard not to smile either, he glanced at Hermione who looked rather shocked.
"How did the Death Eaters get into the ministry?" Hermione asked.
"Well, someone let them in, and the guards were all killed." Said Dumbledore gently as he apparated into the room. "I am glad to see that everyone is safe. James, I would see to it that your wound is properly taken care of."
"That's what I said, but does he listen? No!" Lily snapped.
"Lily!" James said despairingly.
"Don't you 'Lily' me, James. You haven't been hurt since the stuff at Harry's birth, you expect me to take this lightly!" Lily snapped. "I hate this, ever since that thing at the department of mysteries all I can think about between work and family is that what happened sixteen years ago is going to happen again, despite all the work the order is doing! We're not doing enough, Harry is distracted, Jenny is a Death Eater, Peter is a traitor and Remus is dead! I can't help feel that we're going to fail. None of us will win. Not Voldemort, not us and I don't want to seem selfish but I want out. Just like last time. I want out and have nothing to do with this!" Lily said, she was breathing quite deeply.
"You don't mean that." April said.
"I mean every word. Here." Lily got her wand out of her robes and threw it on the table. "Get rid of it, I never want to see it again." James reached for Lily's hand but she pulled her hand away and left the kitchen.
"Lily!" James said getting up but wincing as he opened up part of his wound again. Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and forced James to sit down.
"I'll talk to her." Dumbledore said, "Maybe she will listen, after all, it was you getting wounded that tipped her over the edge" Dumbledore left the kitchen gracefully after picking up Lily's wand. All the teenagers were stunned to silence, even the ones that were listening outside the room.
Dumbledore wasn't able to find Lily in Grimmauld place. He searched Godric's Hollow and then as a last resort took a chance at somewhere he didn't think he'd find her. He found himself in the graveyard with graves that were beginning to look worse for wear. In the middle of the graveyard was a small church. Dumbledore didn't head for a church but to a small fenced off area in the graveyard. The gate was swinging slightly in the wind. Dumbledore stopped at the gate and looked at Lily's figure as she stood in front of two graves that looked uncared for. She knelt on the floor and sighed. Dumbledore approached her and put his hand on her shoulder. He looked at the grave that had the names of Lily's parents on them.
"Lily." He said gently.
"I can't do it any more." She muttered. "I don't want to do it anymore." Dumbledore carefully sat on the snow next to Lily.
"What would they say if they knew what your decision was?" Dumbledore asked. "Your parents were incredibly keen to have you go to Hogwarts, I remember Lily because it was me who introduced you to magic." Lily bowed her head.
"I know." Lily said.
"And look what this has gotten you. A loving husband, friends who care, two wonderful children, even though Emma is a bit of a handful, I admit." Dumbledore said with a smile. Lily continued to look forlorn and tired.
"But it's bought nothing but trouble. So many people are dead, so many others are hurt. My son is part of a prophecy that could mean his death." Lily said, she wiped her eyes with her hand. Dumbledore sighed.
"Lily, I know you want to give up magic and you want to quite the order but as a friend, I cannot allow you to do this. I will stop asking you to order meetings but I cannot allow you to leave. You know when you were eighteen it was a life long commitment and no matter how big the danger-"
"I was stupid at eighteen." Lily said, "I did many stupid things."
"But look what happiness it has brought you. I know you have lived through some very bad times but if we lost you, Lily, it would be devastating. It was one thing losing Remus but your death would affect Harry more then anything. You are his mother, and one of the core members of your group of friends. A death of one person, as popular and powerful as you has great knock on effects. The running of the ministry would be affected, the future of wizard kind would be in danger. If you gave up your wand, Lily, you would be the first person that would die." Dumbledore said. Lily took a shaky breath and let out a sob. She leant against Dumbledore and started crying. Dumbledore put an arm around her as he let Lily let out her emotions in a flood of tears.
"Fine, I want out of the order. James as well." Lily said, "I hate the idea that he could be hurt at any moment."
"That is his choice Lily." Dumbledore said. He got out Lily's wand and handed it to her. Lily looked at it sceptically and took it back. She felt a feeling of warmth as she touched her wand. It was still the one she'd had since she was eleven. The one she'd bought with Dumbledore.
"If my entire family isn't out of the order, Albus, I won't come back to the magic world." Lily said threateningly. For the first time Lily saw a look of fear in Dumbledore's eyes. He looked at her but she didn't break eye contact with him. Dumbledore looked away first.
"I'm sorry Lily, that is just something you will have to take up with James. As I said before, you knew that the Order was a life time commitment." Dumbledore said.
"So I'll be the first to leave without turning." Lily said standing up and leaving Dumbledore alone in the cemetery.
A/N:-Dare i be the bearer of bad news? why not. I'm afraid i'm going to have to leave this at that point for a while i'm afraid. I really need a break from Fan Fiction cause i need a break for a while for creative distance as my frend likes to put it. Basically, my mind is so filled with other stuff right now i can't actually concentrate on Harry Potter. I'm not sure when i'll update again, or even when i'll write more of this story, because to be honest, all these chapters were written in November. I haven't actucally written anything for hte past 2 months. I'm REALLY sorry, like REALLY REALLY sorry but i'm just having a few personal issues at the moment. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, i do have another that ready to be put on but i dunno when i'll put tht one up. I really hate to leave it at this point but hey! it's a cool place to stop for a while. Tell me what you think of this chapter, I kinda liked the last scene.