AN: Leave me some constructive criticism! I know I need it.

meforyou: Thanks for the review! Here it is!

Kella: It's called a 'typo.' Ever heard of it? Most English speaking people have. Retaliated means to return like for like—in that case it was that Remus was returning Meghen's kiss.

can'tburnme: lol sorry to freak you out

James led Lily to the ballroom. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jon and Hanalyn dancing closely. He whispered something into her ear and she laughed. James shook his head. He didn't know what to think anymore.

"Want to dance?" Lily blurted. James turned back towards her.

"More than anything," He replied and took hold of her hand with his left. He slipped his other arm around her waist and she placed her free hand on his shoulder. They moved slowly yet surely to the music.

If someone had told Lily a few months ago that she would be dancing with James Potter, she would have put him or her in an insanity hospital. But here she was, safe in his arms.

At that moment, something hit one of the side windows. The glass shattered and Lily shrieked along with most of the guests at the ball. It was silent for a few tense seconds before the next window was smashed as well. Then it was total chaos as everyone tried to find somewhere safe.

Bridget and Sirius were clasping hands tightly, not wanting to be separated. "Don't let go!" Bridget cried.

"Not on my life!" Sirius shouted back over the frantic cries of those surrounding them.

"Over here, quickly!" James pushed them to a wall where Lily was already waiting.

"I'm going to find Meghen and Remus. Stay here!" James ordered as he darted through the crowd.

"You're not going without me, James," Lily said, stubbornly following him.

"No! I think this is Death Eaters. You have to stay safe."

"You should too! But we have to find Meghen and Remus, and I'm going whether you like it or not," Lily persisted.

"Nothing good will come of this," James muttered.

Lily couldn't hear him over all the noise in the room, but assumed he had reluctantly agreed.

"Meghen!" Lily called. "Remus!"

"It's too crowded and loud in here for them to hear anything. We'll just have to sort through the people. Stay away from the windows," James instructed.

Guests began to leave through the large doors. But only a very small amount. The rest were running through the ballroom trying to find family or friends, similarly to James and Lily.

A fourth window shattered. James had been right about the Death Eater theory. Wizards and witches clad in dark robes and dark masks started to pour in through the empty window spaces.

"Lily! Go find Bridget and Sirius and get out! I'll be able to find Meghen and Remus," James shouted.

"I can't leave you alone!" Lily cried.

"If we're all going to survive this, it's the only way," James said gravely.

Lily saw his point and leaped over upturned tables to find the place where they had left Bridget and Sirius. No one was there.

Lily turned back to where she had left James, but of course he was no longer there either.

She was alone in the midst of a Death Eater attack.

Sirius and Bridget heard another window break. "We have to help them find Meghen and Remus!" Sirius yelled, even though she was right next to him.

"I agree! They'll never find them in this mess," Bridget shouted back.

"Stay here, in case they come back. D'you have your wand?" Sirius asked.

Bridget gave a curt nod. "Be careful, Sirius." She threw her arms around him and gave him a quick kiss. It was short, yet sweet.

Sirius left quickly then and Bridget waited for an agonizing amount of time, or so it seemed. Then she spotted Remus and Meghen over by one of the windows. Meghen was lying motionless on Remus's lap and Bridget sprinted over to warn them that if the next window broke, the glass would be all over them.

"What happened? We have to get away from the window," Bridget shouted to Remus.

"A few pieces of the last one hit Meghen. I can't move her alone without pushing the glass deeper and if I removed it magically, I couldn't heal the open wounds. I don't know any healing spells. The glass is stopping her blood from flowing more than it already is," Remus explained anxiously.

"I'll help. We shouldn't levitate her—if we knock into anyone and the spell is broken, then she'll crash to the ground," Bridget pointed out nervously. "One, two, three, lift!"

They were able to move her farther from the window before Remus saw the last window break and Death Eaters begin to stream into the hall. Curses were flying everywhere and a few came dangerously close to Meghen's unconscious form.

"We should move her farther back," Remus stated the obvious. "Or find a way to get her out."

"James!" Lily called, deflecting a curse.

"You must be the mudblood that charmed the Potter boy. I've heard all about you." A Death Eater approached Lily and gave a merciless laugh. "I wonder how determined you are in fighting off what you don't want," the voice slithered. "Imperio!"

Lily felt happy, despite a sense of foreboding that urged her it was wrong and false. It seemed as if she was in a dream, a delightful dream. "Walk forward."

Lily did as she was told without a care in the world. It made her feel even more at peace.

She came out of her dream-like state rather suddenly and conscious thought began to flow back into Lily. She saw Sirius stun the Death Eater and put forward a hand to her.

"You al'righ?" Sirius asked dazedly.

"Fine. Thanks for that," Lily said gratefully. "Where did you leave Bridget? Did you guys see Meghen, Remus, or James?"

"Yes! Protego!" Sirius shouted as a spell was fired at him. "I know where everyone is except James. I thought he was with you."

"He was, but he decided to send me looking for you," Lily admitted.

"No matter. We'll find him," Sirius assured. "This way."

But Lily saw James across the room on his knees. She left Sirius and dashed to where James and his parents were kneeling over James's brother.

"You'll be fine Jon," James pleaded.

"We have to get out of here now!" Mr. Potter exclaimed.

"Go. I'll be alright on my own," Jon managed a slight smile.

"Jon!"

Hanalyn rushed over to her fiancé. "What happened?" she asked concernedly.

"Curse. Get out, now, before they get you too," Jon urged.

She laughed, coldly and cruelly. "But Jon, dear, I am one of them."

It happened all too quickly. Hanalyn whipped out her wand and her scream of, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" was heard throughout the hall.

There was a flash of eerie green light and Jon was still on the floor.

"NO!" James shouted and without thought, he punched Hanalyn hard in the gut. She doubled over but was still laughing.

"Your brother was all too easy to fool, boy. It's a pity the dark lord wants you to stay alive. It would have been much more amusing to finish you off. I guess living without any family members will be more painful than death. Avada Kedavra!"

The green rush seemed to be in slow motion for James. He saw Hanalyn through it all, laughing. When it was over she was gone.

"Mum! Dad!" James sobbed, hugging their dead bodies. "Come back," he whispered.

He hardly took notice of Lily putting a hand on his shoulder and crying silently as well.

It was at that moment that James decided he would avenge his family's deaths, even if it put him in Azkaban. Hanalyn wouldn't live long, and James couldn't care less that she had Voldemort on her side. Voldemort, for one reason or another, had decided to spare James.

Lily saw the look of determination in his eyes and couldn't help but worry that James would go off and do something stupid. Something incredibly stupid.