"Why does Dumbledore want to see us today?" Lily asked her husband curiously.
James sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, but it didn't seem like good news. He looked really grim." Dumbledore had fire-called him that morning and had insisted on a meeting right then. James, however, had convinced him to wait until that afternoon because Lily had still been sleeping. Dumbledore hadn't been happy, but he had agreed on Lily's behalf.
Lily frowned. "Well, I'm ready, and we really shouldn't keep him waiting much longer. It'll take forever to get to Hogwarts, you know it's not safe for me to Apparate. And so does he! Can he not come here, James?"
"Apparently not," James said, frowning. I asked him to, but he said that 'Spies are everywhere.' Well, I knew that, but really, what would they want to spy on us for. We haven't been to work for ages and know nothing about what the Auror office is doing!"
"Alright, so how are we going to get there?" Lily asked, resigned. She truly loved the castle, but she was also exhausted. Plus, she really needed to prepare for her baby shower the next day. She had already invited her three best friends, though none had responded yet. She was beginning to wonder if they were still her best friends. Had Sirius, Remus, and Peter taken the place of Alice, Kate, and Shandra?
"Well, the Knight Bus seemed to be the best option. Sorry, Lil, but it's either the bus or brooms, and Hogwarts is a long ways from here!"
"Oh, damn, I really do hate that thing." Lily moaned. "Let's get this over with, then."
They went outside and James signaled the big purple bus. Lily groaned as she stepped aboard and sat down in one of the chairs. James sat beside her and grasped her hand. Half an hour later, neither of them feeling their best, Lily and James descended into the peaceful village of Hogsmeade. Slowly, they walked towards the beautiful castle visible over the many shops lining the street. Finally reaching the entrance, they were surprised to see Albus waiting anxiously for them.
Lily, forgetting her anger at the man for making them travel all this way, hurried to hug him. He hugged her more fiercely than he ever had, completely startling her. "Oh, Albus, it really has been too long! What have you been doing?"
He smiled and grabbed James is a quick embrace. "Oh, you know, finding new teachers. I have found one, though I'm not sure how I feel about her at the moment... Anyway, let's get to my office before I say anything more."
They followed the Headmaster to his office and quickly seated themselves in the two chairs awaiting them. "So, what's so important, Albus?" James asked, getting straight to the point. "Surely it couldn't have waited until tomorrow at the shower!"
"Actually, it couldn't wait, James. If I wasn't worried so about Lily, I would have made you come this morning! However, your friends Alice and Frank came instead."
Lily suddenly became frightened. "Albus, please, no..." James and Albus looked at her. James confused, Dumbledore sad. "No, not the baby! NO!"
James was instantly on his feet and then kneeling in front of her. "Lily, why do you think it's about the baby?"
Lily looked at Dumbledore, and James turned as well. "Dumbledore, I know Alice and Frank are having a baby. Please, tell me that our babies are not in danger." She pleaded with her eyes, which became tear-filled seconds later.
"I'm afraid it is, Lily dear. Harry and Neville are in the greatest of danger. I'm afraid that a baby shower tomorrow could never happen." Dumbledore said, sadly. "You two must go into hiding, immediately. Frank and Alice have already done so."
"Hiding?" James asked. "When have you ever known me to hide from anything, Professor?" James asked, though his eyes were fearful.
"I expect you to hide for not only your sake, but for Harry's and Lily's, James." The Headmaster answered matter-of-factly. "As I know you will." James nodded in defeat.
"What are we hiding from, then?"
"I mentioned that I was looking for new teachers. A Sibyll Trelawney has just been hired for Divination, against my better judgement. I was about to tell her that I didn't think she would be suitable when she began to speak in a different manner. She revealed a prophecy, and Lord Voldemort has learned of it."
Dumbledore stood and brought his Pensieve and poked it with his wand. A skinny, bespectacled witch rose out of it and began to speak in a harsh and cold tone.
"THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES...BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM, BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES...AND THE DARK LORD WILL MARK HIM AS HIS EQUAL, BUT HE WILL HAVE POWER THE DARK LORD KNOWS NOT... AND EITHER MUST DIE AT THE HAND OF THE OTHER FOR NEITHER CAN LIVE WHILE THE OTHER SURVIVES... THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD WILL BE BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES..."
Lily crumbled and began to sob uncontrollably. She knew, she wasn't sure how, but she knew that it was going to be her son, not Alice and Frank's, that the prophecy spoke of. James, also feeling this, held his wife as she cried, his eyes glossy. Over her head, he spoke to Albus. "What should we do, Albus?"
The Professor told them of Secret-Keepers and being invisible to anyone as long as they didnt know the location. James insisted on Sirius immediately. "He is also Harry's Godfather, if anything happens to Lily or I, Harry is to go straight to Sirius, no one else. Sirius will have complete guardianship over Harry."
"Dumbledore, James - James is right," Lily said shakily. "Sirius is Harry's Godfather. He has already agreed. I know what family we have left. My sister. I never, never want my son to step foot in that house, or even down their street. If he lives his entire life never meeting Petunia, I would be happy."
Dumbledore looked shocked. "Very well, then I think you should tell your friends of this new development and cancel the shower. The charm should be performed soon, and it has to be by one of you. Lily? You were always excellent at Charms..."
Lily nodded. "Yes, we will do as you suggest. We had better get on with this, now. Thank you, Albus. What would have happened without you?"
He nodded and embraced them both fiercely. They hurried off and boarded the Knight Bus once more. This time, Lily didn't have a single complaint. She just wanted to be home, to be safe. Then she realized she was no longer safe anywhere. She and her family were in mortal danger. She marched straight into their house, and right to the fireplace. She threw some floor powder into the fireplace.
"SIRIUS BLACK!"
His face appeared immediately.
"Get over here, right this moment!"
He was suddenly right in front of her, and scared. "Lily! What happened?"
"Sirius, I have a very large favor to ask of you." James came pelting in. Sirius looked at the pair and paled.
"James, you've been crying! Lily - so have you! What's wrong?" Sirius said, scared so badly he was glad he had gone to the bathroom recently.
"Cancel the shower, please, James. I will speak with Sirius."
"No, we will both talk to Sirius, and then I will cancel the shower." James would not leave this to her. Lily nodded.
Fifteen minutes later, Sirius was also in tears, causing both James and Lily to break down again. "Sirius, will you be the Secret-Keeper?"
Sirius sighed. "I don't think this is the best idea. If Harry is supposed to come to me, if Voldemort kills me to find out where you are, then comes here, and Harry survives, how am I supposed to take Harry?"
Lily groaned. "He's right, James. Who then?"
"Peter?" Sirius asked, hesitantly. "I mean, there is no way Voldemort would think you would use him!"
After discussing the issue for two hours, they finally agreed. They then summoned Peter and Remus. The trio then told the story and asked Peter, who agreed without hesitation. When the charm had been performed, Peter told Sirius and Remus, who had suddenly realized they didn't know where Lily and James were, only to have them reappear two seconds later. Lily then pulled Remus aside.
"Remus, are you alright?"
"Fine, why do you ask?"
"Well, I thought you might be upset that we chose Peter instead of you," Lily replied, watching his reaction. He stiffened and looked away.
"Really?"
"Yes, really. We didn't want Voldemort to come after you, so we decided Peter wouldn't be suspected." Lily said. Remus nodded.
"That makes sense, I suppose. Please be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you guys!"
"Neither do I, Moony, neither do I."
Thanx for all the reviews! I absolutely love all that I hear from everyone!
Jinxeh - Glad you like it! Sorry I'm so slow at updating...
JElly Bean - James and Lily are around 25. They are completely trained Aurors and Harry is not quite born yet, he's coming though!
aerohead 1980 - Thank you for all of your reviews. I am so happy you like it!
Please send suggestions. I'm not sure how far I want this one to go. Do you guys want Lily and James to survive? Or for Harry to go to Sirius? Let me know!