In this installment of the story, we will see more of Lily and the Order of the Phoenix and lots of other stuff. If anyone has any comments please tell me in a review. A lot of questions will be answered in this chapter. So enjoy the ride.
Lily waited at the back of the meeting room that Dumbledore had led her to, and her wait had begun. The Order of the Phoenix was about to assemble in almost its whole entirety, something that only happened about once a year. Slowly there were people trickling in, and they all followed the same pattern. They would walk in, notice her, and then politely ignore her, and all of the while they would talk of nothing of importance. At least they had the sense to do that, maybe there was some hope.
So far no one had recognized her, which was a really good thing. Some of them looked familiar, but she couldn't put any names with the face. Almost everyone was younger then thirty, with very few exceptions. Everyone was rather subdued; there was not one person who talked above a whisper. You could tell by their eyes and the worn lines on their faces that they had seen more then anybody should have. Of course that could be seen in the faces of every witch and wizard in England, but it seemed much more pronounced in these people.
Dumbledore came and sat by her, and said in a quite voice, "James, Remus, and a few of the others are going to be doing sentry duty, and keep a few of our operations tended to tonight." Lily's felt her body let out a tenseness that she hadn't even known that she had. Dumbledore continued "You are still going to have to teach them, I just felt it would be prudent for you to instruct them at a different time. There is no need for you to answer their questions and infringe on everyone else's time." His eyes seemed to twinkle at Lily.
Lily looked accusingly at him "You are enjoying my agony, aren't you?"
"Lily, everyone has to face their past, and it's how we react to it that will change our future. I am merely giving you the chance to face that past away from most prying eyes." Dumbledore said seriously
Dumbledore stood and started walking to the front of the room. As he did this, Sirius entered the room. When he saw Lily he visibly stiffened and moved to a seat as far a way from her as he could. Lily sighed. This was not going to be fun.
Dumbledore reached the front of the room and a hush fell over the room. Everyone was sure that something bad had happened. Unfortunately that was the case.
"I am sorry to lay this burden on you, I know you all carry more on your shoulders then anyone should every have to. Certain information has recently come to our possession that will change everything we have been doing." At this a mutter swept through all the members of the Order of the Phoenix.
"There is no way to put this delicately, so I am not even going to try. Instead I am going to have Ms. Evens come up and tell you the information she has brought to my attention.
Lily slowly got up and walked up the aisle, all eyes on her. As she faced the room she took a deep breath and just plowed in "We really don't have a lot of time to prepare for what Voldemort has planned for us. As we speak he is committing a different type of atrocity then we have seen thus far. I am not going to go into details, because most of them are sickening and things that you just don't need to hear." Lily had to pause to gather her thoughts before she went on.
"Basically he is amassing an army of werewolves, vampires, and demons, and he plans to bring them to England and kill muggles, muggleborn, and those that stand in his way." At this the whole room was filled with an outburst of conversations.
As soon as there was a lull, Lily raised her voice and started again. "I have come to help with this fight, and I have some knowledge that will help us. With this knowledge we at least have a chance to combat the evil forces that we will encounter."
At this Lily was interrupted by a voice from the crowd, "What do you mean by demons? I didn't know there were such things, how do we know we can trust you?"
Lily replied, "When I first learned about the Wizarding world it was all very foreign to me. I had been raised in the muggle world, where things are very different. But I was not unaware of Magic. My family has been using a different form of it for thousands of years." At this the murmurs in the audience started once again.
Lily continued "I had been aware that there was a different world from the time that I could walk. The other world that I was aware of was a very different one then the world that you know. According to Wizarding and muggle myth the ancient gods left the earth. Did you ever think where they left to? There are several different planes that exist besides the one that we are on. Our plane just happens to be the one that is in the middle. There are seven upper planes, and seven lower planes. The higher planes are heavens and the lower planes are the hell planes. Those on the upper planes, aren't very concerned with us, and largely remain a mystery."
Dumbledore slipped a glass of water into her hand and she took a long gulp. Holding the glass also helped her so her hands would stop shaking. She could kill Demons, but talking in front of people terrified her.
Lily determinedly pushed on. "The lower planes are a different story, they aren't the most pleasant of places and everyone wants to get here where it's more pleasant. Some of them get here by ways that are acceptable, and are generally good people. The ones that we call Demons get here in a very different way. They have to kill someone one their plane and perform certain obscene rituals. But the process doesn't stop there. On this plane someone has to kill a human and perform these same rituals. The strongest Demon, who has performed the rituals correctly, will then infuse itself into the dead body. Once it has done three tasks for the necromancer on this plane, then it is free to do what it wants, which is usually mischief."
Lily took another long drink of water.
"Dumbledore has asked me to help you prepare for this army. There are several things that I can teach you that will help keep you safe, and give you the means to kill the blasted creatures."
Sirius stood up and said, "I don't mean to put a damper on things, but we only have about 65 total members in the Order that are still alive, that isn't going to do much against an army. Especially when most of that army is made up of monsters that will go crazy at the smell of our blood."
"Sirius brings up a good point. As we speak I have friends from Egypt that have volunteered to join us in our fight. They are a tribe of wizards that deal with dark creatures all the time, they will be helpful. I also hope that we can all come up with good strategies to make this a battle that will not last long. But first I need everyone to be aware that this is very dangerous, and the things that I am teaching you should not be taking lightly."
"How are we supposed to fight against Demons? Their bodies are already dead." A young girl questioned.
"That is what I am going to teach you." Lily said, her face set in a determined mask. "First of all I need to know how many of you are Auror's."
About ten people raised their hands. "You are going to have to help me. Everyone is going to need to know the basics of swordplay. Everyone will need to have a sword, a dagger, a set of bow and arrows, and any other weapons that they can use. Demons can be sent back to their plane by iron. I suggest putting iron on the hilt, and as a line down the flat part of the blade. I also suggest putting pure silver etchings along the blade. Pure silver will kill werewolves, or wound them badly enough so that they are incapacitated. Every arrow should have either an iron or a silver tip. Vampires just need a stake through the heart, sunlight, or holy water to finish them off. If any of you know how to use a muggle gun we will be using silver bullets"
"How are we supposed to fight with weapons? All they will need to do is shout the killing curse at us and we will be dead." Another question came from the gathered group.
"That is a part or our strategy, they will be expecting us to fight with magic, not outdated weapons, and we hope to be able to put them off guard with our arrows. They will be so busy taking care of them that they will not be able to fight as well as they could have."
At this point Dumbledore interrupted, "I have provided everyone with the equipment needed, it is in the dressing rooms, if everyone would like to go and change."
As everyone left to go get their stuff Lily sighed, no matter what she taught them, she would be sending most of them to their deaths.
Dumbledore removed the chairs, and placed a thick, purple padding along the walls, floor, and ceiling. Everyone started filing in the room. All of them looked rather uncomfortable in their new equipment.
They were all wearing leather pants and shirts. There were steel plates inserted into the leather along the torso, shins, and thighs, to add protection. No one looked like they were at ease with their weapons; one girl had even gone as far as to hold her sword at arms length.
As soon as everyone had arrived back Lily started, "I want the all Aurors, and anyone else who has the proper training to come up here with me. Everyone else please get into groups of three, and one of us will come and join you, today we will be learning the basic holds and movements."
After the groups had been formed Lily looked towards her group of those that knew what they were doing. There were only thirteen of them. She had to suppress a sigh; this was going to be so much work.
Sirius was among those who know what they were doing, Lily wasn't that surprised because she had taught him herself.
"All right, I want everyone to choose a group and teach them how to hold their weapons. Teach them safety, and some of the basic moves. At the end of every session I want progress reports on everyone, work around schedules so you are meeting three times a week. I don't care what time, just get it done." Lily said, and the group slowly split up and headed to different groups.
"Lily, I think that you should take that group," said Sirius, pointing over to the corner, his eyes daring her with a glint that Lily knew from experience was maliciousness.
"Alright I will," said Lily as she marched over to what would now be her group. Sirius lack obviously didn't think that she could handle it, well she would show him.
The three of them looked up at her as she neared them. There was apprehension in all of their eyes. "Why don't you introduce yourselves?" Lily asked, trying to look comforting. How were you supposed to look at someone comfortingly anyways?
A short man in his mid-thirties answered first. "Well I am Sturgis Podmore, I work in the Ministry."
The next man spoke up. "I am Arthur Weasley, I also work in the Ministry"
Lily interrupted, "Weasley? I think that my daughter is at your house right now. Is your wife Molly?"
"Why yes. Isn't the world a small place?" he replied with a chuckle.
The last in the group was a very pretty dark haired woman. "I am Emmaline West, I am a healer at St. Mungo's."
"Do I know you?" Lily asked with puzzlement in her voice.
"Well now that I think of it you are rather familiar." Emmeline replied.
Lily brightened, "I know, it was at Beauxbatons, it would have been the beginning of your fifth year. It was the hospital wing; you had had a potion blow up your face. I was the one with amnesia. Our beds were next to each other. We had that big party when you looked like a normal person."
"Oh yes I remember that!" said Emmeline said satisfaction on her face, "I knew I knew you. I got my face back; did you ever get your memory back?" She asked.
"Yes I did" said Lily lightly, which contradicted the look of pain in her eyes. "Well I guess we better get started," Lily said quickly, trying to change the subject. "I want everyone to stretch out; we are going to have an intense workout today."
As she lead her small group in warm-ups she asked, "Do any of you have any idea how to use a gun, dagger, sword, or bow?"
Arthur grunted as he tried to touch his toes, "Well my brothers and I used to play with swords…but I don't know if we did anything right. We also liked this muggle BB gun we found; and we tried to hit things with it. I was pretty good, but that was twenty years ago."
Lily sighed, "Then I guess we will have to start from the beginning."
James POV
James sat in Emmeline's kitchen eating a piece of leftover chicken and some mashed potatoes. He wasn't too worried yet it was only one o'clock, but he had been relieved from watch at twelve o'clock. The meeting had been out for an hour and she still wasn't back.
James stuffed more chicken in his mouth and drummed his fingers on the table. If he had been living in a different time then this it might have been alright, but with Voldemort on the loose, doing all sorts of mischief you could never be to careful.
'It's okay James; she probably had an emergency at St. Mungo's.' James thought trying to sooth his nerves. He got up and went over to the sink to clean up his mess.
"James, is that you?" Emmelines voice floated in from the hall. "Sorry I am late; I knew we said we would go out for dinner tonight. I don't know if I can move though. Wait until you see what this woman has us doing. Its torture, no matter how much they say it's good for you, you can't hide the fact that it's torture. I thought she would go easy on me because as Amnesia-girl she was really nice. I was so wrong." Rambled Emmeline as she walked into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry honey –"James cut off as he turned around. He couldn't think, it felt as if his mind had just turned off.
"Umm, umm I have to go…I have to go... ah… get some ah, well, strawberry jam and dill pickles," said James as he ran out the door. He just kept running down the street.
When he finally ran so far his legs cramped and he could go no further, he stopped for breath. He was standing in the middle of a quiet park, and he collapsed onto the merry-go-round. As he looked up at the stars his mind decided to start working again. This was not a good thing.
When he had seen Emmeline in that leather outfit, he had just flipped. They had looked a lot like the leathers that Lily used to wear, and was wearing on the last night he had seen her, the night she had died. And she was holding a sword, Emmeline didn't hold swords, she healed people. Swords and healers were completely contradictory, hadn't anyone ever told her that? It should be in the healer's handbook or something.
As he lay there the quietness seemed to envelope him, and then came the memories in a cascade he could not stop.
----Flashback----
James sat in the hospital wing underneath his invisibility cloak sitting between the beds of Remus Lupin and Lily Evens. They had been in the hospital wing for five days, and although all of their physical wounds had been healed; neither of them had woken up.
To James the confusing part of the whole mystery was the symbol of the moon on Lilys cheek that started glowing at night. They had found that same symbol burned into Remus's chest exactly over his heart.
James looked at Lily with guilt, 'Good going Potter, the first time you are anywhere near the girl for one month, nine days, and ten hours, she ends up in the hospital wing. She has broken ribs, cuts all over her body, and is totally unconscious. Not to mention the fact that she probably knows about Remus being a werewolf and about me being an Animagus. Life as I know it could be drastically changed when she wakes up. If she wakes up'
James continued to sit there contemplating how his life sucked, and eventually he drifted off to sleep, his head falling to one side.
James was rudely awakened sometime later as he heard a crash coming from somewhere on the other side of the hospital wing.
"Mark, what are you doing?" Came a woman's fierce whisper.
James slowly stood up; making sure that his clock covered him completely. If they did anything to harm Lily or Remus he would be ready to attack.
"Sorry dear, this double sight is giving me a headache- there she is Susan." The man broke off his voice turning ragged.
"Does she still have her soul Mark? I couldn't bear to have another one of my girls die this year. If she has lost her soul, just kill her quickly, I can't watch."
James watched with growing bewilderment as the tall, well built man knelt down next to Lily's bed. He started putting a circle of an herb around her. James recognized it as mugwort from his potions class. The man then started muttering in a language that James couldn't understand.
After a moment the man let out a breath, "She isn't in her body, but she is still connected to it. We will have her for a while longer."
The woman let out a sob that she had been holding in. "Well where is she? I want to yell at my little girl for making me go through this."
At this point Madam Fletcher burst into the room with Professor Dumbledore on her heels. "I told you Professor; there are some muggles in my hospital wing! I told you that I wasn't imagining things again"
"Thank you for alerting me, I will take care of it" replied Professor Dumbledore.
At this obvious dismissal Madam Fletcher walked out of the room noticeably miffed at not being party to what would no doubt be great piece of gossip.
"You are Lily Evens parents." said Dumbledore with a slight smile on his face. "Since you are muggles, I am rather confused as to you got into the castle. Would you care to enlighten me?" He asked in a voice that was kind, but had a distinct underlying edge to it.
Lily's parents gave each other a look, and at seeing the reluctant expressions on their faces, Dumbledore interjected, "I assume that it has something to do with your being Guardians." As they looked at him in complete shock he smiled and said, "I keep a very close tab on the goings on of my students. When I started noticing what Lily was getting up to, I decided to investigate. Although it has been mostly forgotten, Wizards and Guardians used to work together, once I found what I was looking for it was easy to find further information."
After they had digested this information Lily's mother started to speak. "Well about five days ago we felt a…well for a lack of a better term, an explosion from this direction. We felt someone using up all of there own life energy, and a great deal of the energy around them. It completely threw off the balance in this hemisphere and it actually knocked us both unconscious. We knew that Lily was the only Guardian in Scotland. It was imperative that we find her because whatever she was trying to do required so much energy that she could have drained and used up her soul. We needed to come and make sure that didn't happen. Once a body looses its soul other creatures can take it over and use it to their own devices."
At this point Lily's father took over. "We knew that Hogwarts was right next to the Forest of the Moon so we decided that it was our duty to come and take care of Lily. Once we reached the Forest it was simply a matter of logic. We found the castle and using a Sight spell we were able to pinpoint where Lily was. I am in the middle of trying to find her soul"
Dumbledore seemed to be taking all of this in stride, there was a calm expression on his face, but James was very confused.
Dumbledore added to his confusion by saying, "Please continue, I will leave the matter up to you and your expertise." Since when did anyone know more then Dumbledore?
Lily's father had his arms bent and his palms facing towards Lily. After concentrating for a moment, a symbol on his cheek that James had not noticed before gave a flare and the cabinet at the end of the room lit up as well. Lily's mother rushed up to the cabinet and when she couldn't open it punched right through it.
James looked in shock. That had been an oak medicine cabinet and she just punched through it like it was made of paper. She then drew out the sword that James had seen in Lily's hand. Approaching Lily with the sword she gently rubbed the pommel stone against the glowing symbol on Lily's cheek. At this she thrust the sword into Lily's abdomen.
James yelled and ran towards Lily, "What the hell you think you are doing? Are you psycho?"
James then felt his lower body freeze, and he was unable to move.
"Mister Potter I have full trust in these people. Please do not do anything rash." Dumbledore said, his voice conveying that he meant business.
James looked at Lily helplessly. She wasn't moving and there was a sword in her stomach that was causing copious amounts of blood to spurt everywhere. Why wasn't anyone else having a problem with this?
With a sudden jerk Lily sat up, eyes wide open and breath ragged. She looked at her mother in confusion. "What are you doing here mom? You are a muggle, you shouldn't go around breaking rules and then expect me to follow them," Lily said with a grin.
James let out a rather strangled sound. Here this girl was sitting up, having a conversation with her mother about rules when there was a sword sticking out of her back. And he still found her attractive, maybe the problem was with him and maybe he should be admitted to St. Mungos.
Lily looked up at what sounded like a drowning cat. As her eyes met with James the memory of what had happened spilt over her. She looked at the sword in her abdomen as if noticing it for the first time. With a swift yank she pulled it out and wiped the blood on a clean spot of her blanket. Keeping the sword by her side Lily lay down, her face white from the blood loss.
"I want an explanation," she said returning her gaze towards James.
Her mother, mistaking who Lily was talking to, answered. "You caused us a lot of grief young lady. First Violet and now this, we told you to be careful. Your soul got stuck and we had to free it. You silly girl." With that she broke down into sobs.
Mark put a comforting arm around her and spoke to Dumbledore, "We had better be going, our "rule breaking" could have some effect on the magic that is protecting the school. I expect Lily to write a letter to her mother apologizing." Turning his attention to Lily he continued, "We expect to hear from you regularly and for you to be on your best behavior from now on. Because of your actions you have lost the right to hunt. When you come home we will speak more on this." With that he walked out of the room with Lily's mother.
All was quiet in the hospital wing for a few moments as Lily sat frowning into the distance. Looking at the wound in her stomach she picked up her sword and put the pommel against it. Closing her eyes and muttering under her breath James watched in awe as the wound seemed to close up and the blood stopped flowing.
Lily sat up and swung her legs over the side, her sword still in hand.
"Young lady I feel that it would be best if you got back in bed," Said Dumbledore in a voice that allowed for no nonsense. Lily looked up at him as though she wanted to protest, but at seeing the look in his eye laid back down and pulled the covers up.
"We will have to talk in depth later, but right now the most important thing you need to know is that Remus is here at this school with my blessing. I would like you to keep his secret and trust that you will keep this nights events to yourself." Dumbledore said.
Lily looked as if she wanted to say something, but after glancing at James she changed her mind. "Yes Professor" She said looking down.
James thought she looked contrite until he saw the gleam in her eyes. A look that he somehow knew was going to cause him trouble.
"James if you will come with me we will let Miss Evans sleep." Dumbledore said as he took a hold of James arm.
James turned back and the last thing he saw before Dumbledore locked the infirmary door was of Lily looking at him with a calculating look in her eyes. He was in so much trouble.
---End Flashback--------
James lay on the marry-go-round slowly turning it with his feet until he was rocked into an uneasy sleep.