Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters you recognize; they are all products of J k. Rowling.

Chapter 7: Ben's Visit

Lily walked away from the door and went into the storage room.

"What is it Lily?" Ben now looking concerned came to her side asked.

"Ben your friends and parents don't know about MI-5 do they?"

"No, Why?"

"Well doesn't it bother you that you are not being honest with them?"

"Yes but I'm only protecting them. You know the dangers of telling them."

"Is that why you have always said no to James when he asks you out, because you are afraid he will find out?"

Lily paused. Lily looked up at Ben.

"Yes I care about him too much, plus he is an animagus and he could possibly follow me if he becomes too suspicious."

"He wouldn't do that if he cared and trusted you."

"Maybe so, but I'm not sure." Ben sat down next to Lily and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen to me. You are doing him a favor of not telling him and you are protecting him. I have been watching him . . ."

"What do you mean you've been watching him!"

"Lily James is a major target for Voldemort. Langston told me to check up on him and take a look at his records."

"He doesn't have any records!" Lily exclaimed now getting angry.

"Lily calm down, I know he doesn't have criminal records. I meant family records . . . "

"Why, what for?" Ben looked at Lily as if he was about to say something horrible.

"What?"

"Lily did you know that James was adopted?"

"No, he was? I always thought he was the Potters son."

"No his parents died when he was only a year old . . . by Voldemort."

Lily looked up in disbelief. She couldn't believe it, how come he never said anything? Everyone thought he was a Potter, son of well known Aurors in the ministry.

"The Potters took him in, his mother; Mrs. Potter was his father's sister.

"But I also found out who his parents were."

"Who were they?"

"Believe it or not, but his father was the son of Thomas Riddle, His fathers name was James Riddle."

"If James's father was Voldemort's son that means James is . . . Ah!"

"Yes he's Voldemort's Grandson."

"Oh my god." Lily got up and turned to face Ben who was looking at her.

"Lily I have to go I'll see you later." Ben kissed Lily on the cheek and left.

Lily walked to the common room door and entered quietly. She went over to James and pulled a blanket over him. James's eyes suddenly began to twitch and he looked up to see Lily beside him.

"Hullo, where were you I stayed to wait for you but I guess I dosed off." James muttered in a tired tone.

"I was with Dumbledore, we aparated to France to talk with my teacher." Lily lied

"Oh is everything alright?" James asked now sitting him self in an upright position to see lily better. Lily looked away not sure of what to say next, she wanted to ask him about his parents and everything about where her bruises came from but didn't know how. She wanted to tell him how she felt. Tell him that she was sorry for his parent death.

"Wait what if he doesn't know about his parents and Voldemort?" Lily thought to herself.

"Are you okay?" James asked as he put a hand on lily's shoulder.

"Fine, um I wanted . . . never mind I'll let you get back to sleep."

"What is it lily?" James pulled Lily's chin towards him gently and looked into her soft, tired looking, emerald eyes.

"Well I wanted to . . . tell you how I really got those bruises." Lily looked up at James, who she could tell was filled with concern. She couldn't ask him about his parents flatly for he might not even know he was adopted.

"I, I, I was beaten up at my school in France, by these stupid girls."

"Oh my gosh"

"Unfortunately I got in to a bit of a row." Lily said. James pulled Lily into a hug. Lily's heart swelled. She then hugged him back. They sat there for what seemed like hours they soon broke apart. Lily stared at James and James at Lily.

James leaned in close to Lily and Lily moved closer to him until their lips met. Lily couldn't believe what was happening. She grabbed onto James's shoulder and he pulled her in closer to him and the kiss became more passionate.

Lily soon broke away and got up. "Crap why did I do that." Lily thought beating herself up inside.

"I'm sorry I should get to bed its very late." James also got up from the sofa and followed her. He grabbed her arm.

"Lily don't be sorry I liked it."

"James look you don't want me as your girl friend, I'm not . . ."

"I'm sorry." Lily began once again to walk away.

"You are not what Lily?" James asked softly as she turned away. Lily turned to face him.

"Uh . . . I'm not who you want to be with, I'm not . . . good enough, I'm not who you think I' am." Lily looked at James who had a shocked look upon his face. Lily went to her room. James stood there in pure shock.

"I can't believe she just said that, she doesn't think she's good enough for me." James thought to himself

"What am I going to do to show her that I don't care if she's good enough for me?"

"This calls for Moony." James then headed up stairs.

James got up and pulled on his school robes and headed to the Gryffindor common room in hopes he would find Remus up. To his luck he spotted Remus sitting by the fire reading.

"Hey James what are you doing up this early?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Is there anything wrong mate?"

"Sort of well, okay. This morning I awoken by Lily, remember I stayed up to wait for her?"

"Yes."

"Well I was awoken by her this morning and well . . ."

"Where was she?"

"She was in France with Dumbledore."

"But we, well we kissed."

"Oh well that's good right?"

"Yeah but she pulled away and said I didn't want her as my girlfriend."

"Why?"
"She said she wasn't who I thought she was and she thinks she's not good enough for me. I don't know how to show her different."

"Well was she upset when you kissed her?"

"No I don't think so, but she was a bit passive as if she wanted to ask me something but didn't."

"Well I think you need to talk to her."

"Why was she with Dumbledore?"

"It had something to do with her muggle school."

"Muggle School? I know she's at university but she has been seeing Dumbledore quite a bit. Maybe it's something else but I don't think she would lie to us, she's not like that."

"I guess."

"Hello Jamsy!"

"So did you wait forever for Evans and then have a little quiet time with her?"

"Sort of "James muttered.

"What's wrong Prongs did she reject you again?"

"I'm not sure." James looked up at Sirius and walked to stand next to the fire.

"Uh Lily apparently thinks she's not good enough for James and that she is not who he thinks she is." Remus said now explaining James's situation.

"Really?" What do you mean not who you think she is?"

"I don't know!"

"Hey guys what's up?" Suddenly Emily and Alicia came down the stairs

"James is a bit down because Lily doesn't think she's good enough for him." Remus said now turning to Emily.

"She said that?" Alicia exclaimed shocked that her friend would say that.

"Yeah, I mean I' v teased her in the past but I would never think she wasn't good enough for me." James exclaimed turning to see his friends.

"Well maybe we'll see her at breakfast." They all made their way to the Great Hall.

It had been ten minutes into breakfast when a tall brown haired boy with brown robes walked into the Great hall. Everyone looked up at him.

"Who is that?" Ashley Heart said down the table now seeing how handsome he was.

It was Ben. He saw the boy who he saw the previous night, James, and walked up to him in a brisk walk.

"Hello, um you may not know me but my name is Benjamin Croft, I'm a friend of Lily's . . ." He took out his hand to shake James's. He shook his hand quick and pulled away quickly

"Yeah she told us about you." James replied in a cool tone, for he was meeting the "mysterious Ben"

"Yes do you happen to know where I might find Lily I'm not familiar with this school and one of the ghosts outside misguided me into a class room?"

"Um . . ." Just then Lily walked into the great hall. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"Lily . . ." Ben strode over to Lily and pulled her by the arm outside.

James looked and everyone else to make sure he wasn't mistaken when he saw him pull Lily outside.

"Ah, Ben what . . ."

"Sorry." Ben let go of Lily's arm

"Denmark is off." Ben said as he pushed a button on his watch.

"What why?"

"The party is being relocated to Germany." Ben unfolded his sleeve to reveal the dark mark.

"Oh okay so we will go to . . . what is that? . . ." Just then Bellatrix Black, Severus Snape, and the rest of the Slytherin gang walked up to them.

"Who's your new friend Lily?" Bellatrix exclaimed.

"Bug off . . ." Lily began.

"Excuse me we are having a conversation do you mind?" Ben said. Just then James and the marauders came out of the Hall. Bellatrix looked down to see Ben's arm and a smile came upon her mouth.

"Black, step away from them!" James yelled. The slytherins turned to face the marauders.

"Is there a place where we could talk?" Ben asked now turning to Lily.

"What is your name?" Bellatrix asked now turning back to Ben. Ben turned to her.

He looked back at Lily then again to Bellatrix.

"Ben Croft." He pulled out his hand to kiss Bellatrix's politely yet quickly.

Bellatrix blushed.

"Love your tattoo." Ben looked at her with an annoyed look.

"Thank you and what is your name?"

"Bellatrix Black, but you can call me Bell." Lily looked over to see Sirius roll his eyes.

"Well Ms. Black it is nice meeting you but I have some arrangements to settle with Lily, so if you don't mind I'd appreciate it if you would give us some space."

"Oh well I guess if you want to talk to mud blood." Bellatrix said now looking over to Lily.

"What did you call her?"

"Oh I mean Evans"

"What school do you go to?"

Ben turned to Lily and started to speak German to her.

"Is she always this rude?"

"Yes always." Lily replied in German.

"Damn."

"Don't have go at her Ben"

"I won't."

"What's wrong with the dark mark?"

"Lily this is real but I have the other one on but because the party is in Germany and on another day it will go away before the party and Ledford only had two, because they are hard to make."

"When did you get the real one?" Lily asked now a bit angry that he didn't tell her.

"I was recruited at Durmstrang in the middle of the night by some of the guys, but my allegiance is with Dumbledore."

Ben turned back to Bellatrix who had a confused look upon her face.

"I go to Durmstrang in Bulgaria."

"That's cool I notice you have the dark mark upon your arm."

"Do you?"

"I'm surprised you are talking to a mud blood seeing as where your loyalty lies.

"What is that supposed to mean Ms. Black?"

"Those who have the Dark mark are loyal . . ."

"Loyal to whom Ms. Black, the Dark Lord?

"Yes."

"Well that maybe true but my loyalty does not lie with him."

"Then why do you have. . . "

"When I was twelve I was taken into captivity where Death Eaters branded me with it." Lily looked away as she knew that Black had touched a soft spot.

"Lily I'll see you at Rockwell, take a right this time." Ben turned around and walked a few feet and turned around.

"Oh Lily, my levels are a bit too high to bother with the bug but Space man with take care of you." Lily looked a bit confused but then realized what he meant.

Ben walked outside to the castle grounds.

"Wait! . . ." Lily ran after him as did every one else. She made her way outside to find Ben getting in to a bright red Mini cooper. Ben turned around.

"What?"

"Your levels are high, how high?"

"They are high enough, where I could burn you."

"But you shook Black's hand."

"Yes it took about all my strength not to get hot, which is why I did it quickly."

"Oh, you won't be going to . . ." Ben covered her lips with his key fob.

"I'll be on radio silent I'll come tomorrow to give you the tattoo."

"What about your medication?"

"I ran out while we were in Paris. I'll be fine for . . ." Ben bent down and whispered in to her ear "The Party."

Ben leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll see you later Lily." With that he got into his car and gestured her to move aside. He turned the ignition on and rolled out. He drove a few feet away and then the car lifted off the ground and soared into the sky. Lily looked up and watched it disappear. Students nearby also stopped to see it fly away.

"Wow where did he get that?" Sirius exclaimed.

Lily turned around to face the others.

"We should go. We have class.