Chapter 30: Joining the Ranks

A/N: I couldn't post last night, which was when I wanted to post chapter twenty nine. So I'm posting both chapter twenty nine and thirty. Thanks for the reviews! My birthday's June 25th please leave a review for a present!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Joining the Ranks


My watch read one and my face stared at the stars that were shining brilliantly over the lake amongst the Hogwarts ground. I had entended to come up here, think and maybe even cry. But what I thought would be a rain- storm of tears, ending up being one. What I expected was for my tears to match the number of stars in the sky, but there was just one. I thought that I could just get away from my troubles and think about my life.

I was thinking about my family, my friends, my future, James and his family... but mostly James' brother... I had looked in James' trunk for the cloak so I could go off without being spotted. But what I had found was his brother's wand; a picture engraved with the name 'Harry Potter' sat underneath the wand. I blinked back the one and only tear I had shed and went off to come here. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

I looked behind me hearing the Thud's become louder up the Astronomy tower's creaky stairs. I quickly pulled the cloak off of the table and over me. When the figure—figures, I realized—came close enough I immediately knew who was there: Snape and Avery. They were talking, without much thought of keeping their voices down.

"Brilliant plan," Avery stated. "Muggles won't know what hit them."

"And it'll teach Evans to keep to her own business."

"Avenge Potter... he'll want to come attack us," snickered Avery. "Then... we'll kill him too!" I closed my eyes as I saw that they were changing out of their robes.

"We'll run it past Malfoy, shall we?"

"Better than Crabbe, Goyle or Petti—"Snape had hit Avery so that he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered.

"You must be hearing things. So... like I said, we shouldn't go to those three blokes... or McNair... or Nott... Malfoy would be best—"

"Or the Lestranges—"

"Imagine us telling Goyle that we've thought to attack the Mudblood Evans' family." My jaw dropped as the two boys snickered then Snape made his voice go low and he mimicked this Goyle fellow.

"Uh... duuuuuuuuuhhhh."

Avery cracked up loudly before leading Snape back down stairs. When I walked towards the stairs I stepped on a Slytherin tie—it was bloodstained. Besides the fact that I was horrified, I stifled back my vomit as I ran down the stairs. It was a good ten minute walk to Dumbledore's office from here. I had to run quietly. Once I reached the bottom of the stairs I noticed that the two boys were gone. I took off as fast as I could, running towards Dumbledore's office holding the cloak around me and before I knew it, I was at his office.

"Chocolate frogs," I stuttered out, climbing up the stairs that appeared. Dumbledore was pacing around his office quietly and muttered come in as I knocked on the door. Pulling off the cloak I slammed the bloodstained tie on his desk.

"I can give you names."

"Excuse me, Miss Evans?"

"I was sitting up in the Astronomy tower a little bit earlier tonight. I threw on James' cloak when I heard two boys coming up the stairs. Snape and Avery were changing and I noticed this bloodstained tie they left behind. They were planning on attacking a Muggle-born family. They were going to tell Malfoy or something—"

"What family?" he asked sitting down.

"M-mine," I stuttered out. Dumbledore looked up at me, nodding a small but sad nod. "They were naming a bunch of people while I listened: Crabbe, Goyle, Lestranges... umm.... Nott... McNair..."

"Anyone else?" he asked.

"Another... it started with a P... but I couldn't hear it... Snape cut off Avery so I didn't catch the name."

"Did you follow them up?" he asked.

"No... I was up in the tower thinking about... James' brother."

Dumbledore looked up quickly. "Harry? I see.... The family, unfortunately enough has never been the same without him."

I sat down nodding... "I never knew."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "There's nothing any of us can do, Lily. Please go up and get some sleep. We can talk about the Order this afternoon."

I nodded, throwing the cloak on and walking towards the door.


I woke up the next morning, running late for classes as James seemed to think I was already gone. I sighed picking up my belongings and wandered towards the Great Hall. I ate a quick breakfast before standing up and going towards my first class: D.A.D.A. But as I walked I ran into a little first year.

"The Headmaster is looking for you," she stated. "He's in his office waiting for you."

"Thank you," I replied quietly, making my way to Dumbledore's office. "Chocolate frogs."

I walked into the office to find in full with people. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk waiting for me to come, by the looks of him. I stuttered out some noises before speaking.

"Sir, what's going on?"

"Just wanted to talk to you all about the Order," he said, welcoming me into the class. There before me was James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, John, Amelia, Edgar and Dorcas.

"You're late," stated Sirius. "The meeting started two hours ago."

"I know why she was late, Mr. Black," affirmed the elderly professor, beckoning me to sit down.

"You're all joining the Order?" I asked hesitantly.

"We are," said Sirius pointing towards the Marauders. "Got nothing to lose."

"Except me," huffed Dorcas from across the group.

"You're joining it too," replied Sirius.

"And with every intention of coming out alive so I can continue to be your girlfriend."

"When did I say you weren't?" asked Sirius smartly.

"When you said you had nothing to lose!"

"I meant I had no family to lose," he said quickly.

"That's not what you said—"

"It's what I meant—"

"No, it definitely wasn't!" Dorcas screamed defiantly.

I stared at them, then looked at James. He was looking at Dumbledore, who was staring at the couple, for once having an unreadable expression on his face.

"We'll talk after the meeting."

"No, we'll talk now!"

"No we won't!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Could you please be quiet? I have a headache," begged Amelia. "At least someone's letting you join."

"I'm not going to stand by and watch you put yourself in danger," said Edgar.

"Why don't you let her? I'll look after her," promised John.

"Why would it matter if people looked after her?" asked Edgar.

"If she doesn't join I'm not—"

"She's right here!" yelled Amelia, obviously forgetting her headache.

"I guess... I'm joining," said Marlene on the opposing side of James. So far we had James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, myself, Marlene, Dorcas, and Edgar.

"I'm not letting her join!" said Edgar. "And that's final."

"Fine!" yelled Amelia, standing up and running out of the room. John looked hesitant but ended up following her out; avoiding Dumbledore's gaze all the way.

"We're not finished," snapped Dorcas. "Sorry.... Sorry Professor—"

"By all means, continue what you started."

"Look, Dor, I have nothing against you joining, okay? And I am afraid to lose you, is that what you want to hear?"

"You said you have nothing to lose!" she yelled.

"Well I have my whole world to lose! But I'd rather lose it to make you live a longer life!" he insisted. "I don't want you to feel any pain, okay? I'd die for anyone in this room. And I mean to."

I stared at the floor as Sirius stood up and walked towards Dorcas, kneeling down beside her. "I love you, Dor."

Dorcas looked at him then looked away. He tilted her head and kissed her. She pulled away and stood up. "You don't believe in love, from what I've heard."

"What are you talking about?" he asked quietly.

"Lily told me that you don't believe in love or marriage... you just want lust, Sirius Black!"

Sirius eyes averted to me. "Lily!"

I looked at him meaningfully. "I'm sorry..."

"So you believe Lily, do you?"

"You pulled one over on her—or tried to—and she heard you lot talking about marriage!"

"I didn't mean—I was just—I...."

"You don't have an excuse, Sirius, because you weren't lying. That was really your opinion and you're really telling me the truth by saying the only thing you are in love with is lust!"

Sirius sighed loudly. "You have no idea who I love. I love James, Remus, Peter, Lily, you—"

"You're not in love with them!" Dorcas insisted as Sirius stood up to his normal height. "You don't want to marry James, like Lily does. You don't fancy them—you don't want to—"

"That's not what I mean," he said loudly. "I love you all but I'm in love with you, Dorcas. There's a difference, I know. I know."

"That doesn't prove that what you said earlier isn't your opinion!"

"What did I say earlier!"

"'Marriage is like sharing a last name with your snog buddy!'"

"Lily!" yelled Sirius turning to look at me.

"I'm sorry!" I repeated. "I didn't mean to cause this—"

"Well you did!" yelled Sirius.

"Whoa, mate, calm down," began James.

"Taking her side! I thought you were my best friend! I thought you cared about me above anyone!"

"Sirius," James said again.

"You know what? I don't care. Sorry, Professor." Sirius grabbed his bag from the chair he had occupied. "I don't need a girlfriend, and I don't need a best friend."

I looked around the room as Sirius strode over to the door and slammed it shut as he left. I held my head in my hands, sitting down in the furthest chair away from the group. Dumbledore cleared his throat nervously, as I quickly heard soft sobs come from Dorcas. My heart broke as she ran out of the room sobbing whole-heartedly, slamming the door behind her. James was staring at the floor; glaring at the floor, more like.

"I suppose we'll discuss this later on. Rest of the day off to you all... go on and get all this teenage drama sorted out," Dumbledore said before sitting down again. "Good luck."

I was the first person out of the room and I waited for them all. "Edgar?"

"I've got to go talk to Amelia," he said rushing off without another word.

"We better check on Dorcas and Sirius... come on, Peter. Leave you to James, shall we Lil?"

I nodded as Remus and Peter made their way down the hall. James came next and Marlene a bit after. I entwined my hand with James' as he continued to glare at nothing in particular.

"I suppose I better go... maybe I'll... umm... go do something else, bye."

"Marlene, you don't have to go," I said quietly.

"Um... but I've got... to do something... important... sorry, bye!"

She ran down the hall without another word, and left me to pick of the broken piece of James Potter all by myself.

"I won't pretend to know what you're going through," I said as we made our way down to the grounds. "But I want to be there for you."

James didn't speak at all as we made our way towards our destination. I thought of what I should say, but none of it ever sounded right, so I completely forgot the idea all together. When we reached the grounds I found myself unable to make an excuse for James not to talk.

"I'm sorry for what I did earlier... You should be up there with Sirius making things—"

He cut me off with a kiss. I kissed back for the soul purpose that he was showing some sort of life, and that we weren't fighting. Delaying the inevitable, some would say. I'd have to agree. I ran my hand through his hair and ended up pulling it when he kissed harder.

"Ow!" he said letting go of me and holding his head.

"Oh... I'm sorry, James." I sat on the grounds, laying backwards and facing the sky. "I heard some things yesterday," I said more to myself then him. "Voldemort and his Death Eaters are planning to attack my family... the whole lot will be there... even the ones that go here."

"What?" asked James, sitting down next to me.

"Oh... it's nothing... just..."

"Can we go upstairs... I... I want to talk so Sirius," said James. I nodded standing up as he pulled me towards the common room, walking unusually quickly. When he walked inside, pulling me after, we both stopped dead when we saw Dorcas running up the stairs and Sirius kissing Marlene, who looked hesitant about kissing back.

"Get off of her!" yelled James, releasing my hand.

Sirius looked up, breaking away from the kiss momentarily. "What?"

"Stop kissing my girlfriend!"

James said it so quickly that I didn't even realize what he had said; neither apparently did he. "Exgirlfriend? I offered.

"My ex—?" he turned back to look at me. I crossed my arms expectantly. "Oh, Lily."