A vow to save

The Whomping Willow was frozen.

Four boys were halfway down a passage way to a "haunted" shrieking shack.

One girl was waking up her two best friends to do something that was totally not her.

Dumbledore was returning to Hogwarts crying, dreading the news he had to deliver to his Headboy.

Snape was looking at a scrying potion and laughing as he saw the Dark Mark being shot into the air over a house of a classmate.

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"Where is James Potter?" Lily paused as she heard Dumbledore's question. She had run into him on their way and instead of getting scolded she had been asked this strange question. "I-I don't know sir" she stammered out. "Aimee, Sarah report back to the Dormitories, Lily as Headgirl you have a right to know what happened, please come with me." it wasn't a question. Lily sped up to keep up with the pace Dumbledore asked. He pulled something out of his pocket and stared at it for a second. He changed his course towards the door. "Lily, it is my sad duty to say that there was another attack tonight. Mrs. and Mr. Potter now lie dead in their house, murdered by Lord Voldermort. Wait here" With that he disappeared. A few minutes later he reappeared with the Marauders in tow. James and Sirius were crying, tears falling freely down their faces. Remus looked on the verge of tears. Peter was the only that looked even halfway normal, and that wasn't saying something. James whispered something and the other three Marauders followed in Dumbledore's footsteps back to the Hogwarts.

Lily spoke for the first time, "Why" she said in a soft tone, indicating the other Marauders leaving. "Lily," James started, still crying, Lily was taken back by the use of her first name, "You were my enemy this morning, tomorrow you probably still hate me, but right now I need someone who didn't know my parents. I don't want someone telling me how sorry they are. The others have their own grief to deal with. Please tell me that for one night we can be like strangers who have just met. Please. I need that for one night. To act like nothing ever happened tonight." by that point he had stopped crying but still looked pathetic. "Where to stranger" Lily said in a quiet voice. There wasn't much she could of said. She still hated Potter but he was human. And she couldn't imagine anything worse to happen to him. "Hogsmede" "What? How are we supposed to get there?" "Watch and learn" James set off to the Whomping Willow for the second time that night.

30 minutes later they were in Hog's Head drinking butterbeers. Like James had said they were acting like nothing had happened that night. Like it was just another regular night. James was retelling some of the various pranks he had pulled over the years. "So then we were caught red-handed by Slughorn on the way back, we had chicken feathers everywhere, so Padfoot, Sirius sorry, invented some story about how Hadgrid had asked to help with tending to his new creature, the Monster Chicken. And Slughorn totally bought it. He just waved us on. It was one of the best pranks that we have ever pulled." Lily burst out laughing. "Why do you call Sirius, Padfoot and Peter, Wormtail." "What no asking why I call Remus, Moony?" James joked. I already know that, Lily thought. "Well I guess it is just because that is the animal they most resemble. I mean haven't you seen how much Peter looks like a mouse, or a rat." "Never really thought about it that way, so how do you resemble a stag." "Have you seen my Quidditch ability, I fly like they run" James said with a smirk. Same old Potter, Lily thought. "By the way why don't you try out for Quidditch, or is it the one thing you aren't good at?" James asked. "Maybe I will" Lily said cockily.

An hour later they were ready to leave. They headed back to the castle. "Thanks" James said "Don't mention it, it was actually kind of fun." Lily replied. They both headed back up to the dormitories. When James reached his Sirius was the only one who was still awake. He walked up to James and gave him a big hug. The both sat down and started crying. They didn't speak, they didn't need to. Reality finally hit James and everything he didn't want to say an hour ago came out in tears now. He and Padfoot vowed to fight Voldermort till their last breath. James made a separate vow. Voldermort would never again take someone that James loved again as long as James was alive.

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The next day Lily walked into the Great Hall. James was standing there talking to the other Marauders. "Go out with me Evans and I'll take my responsibilities better" "Not in your wildest dreams" Lily replied. Lily smiled to herself, Potter was still the jerk Lily had always known him to be. But maybe she would try out for Quidditch anyway.

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It was the first day of classes. Fortunately for James he had transfiguration first, his best subject, and Lily's worst. Actually she was only fourth in the class but that was pretty bad for her especially since there was only 7 people in the class. "Potter what is the indication for transfiguring a rock into a photo." "Photoparus" James replied correctly. "And would you like to demonstrate" "Yes ma'am Professor, I would like to very much" "And quit the backtalk" None of the teachers knew what had happened last night and of the seven people that did, none of them were telling. James raised his wand and transfigured his rock. The photo was of his mom and dad. He quickly transfigured it again before anyone other then Sirius who was sitting right next to him saw. This time it was a photo of James on a broom with the words Lily will you go out with me underneath. Lily quickly raised her own wand and transfigured her rock into a photo. No written on a huge anvil falling onto James quickly appeared in her photo. "Aw, Lily your broke my heart as well as apparently my head and every other part of my body" The class laughed and James spoke again. "Padfoot old chap, why do you think I have such problems getting a lady." "Probably because you have no chivalry, let me try. Lily dearest, my friend James here would like to take you on a moonlit walk on the beach. What do you say, give him a chance." With that Lily decided to wave her wand again, this time both James and Sirius were both struck mute. The entire class burst out laughing particularly Remus. "Well it didn't look like I needed a mountain of chocolate, did I Remus." "Guess not Lily." "That's enough the both of you. Can we resume class now." "Yes Professor" "At your leisure, Professor"

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Note by author

Sorry it was so grim at the beginning but I tried to end it funny. I went and saw the Da Vinci Code and hate to disagree with you Cassie93 but I hated it, the book was way better. I just kept waiting for it to end. One person I know fell asleep for the first half.

Review, Review, Review

Pretty, pretty please.

I'll update when I get at least two more reviews.