Before it Began
By. SkyQuill
Summary
James knew he was in love at first sight, but what would it take for Lily to love him back? Read their story leading up to their deaths and discover the dangers they faced and the loves and friendships they shared.
Disclaimer
I do not own most of the characters and places or anything else that may seem familiar. J.K. Rowling has the exclusive claim to this as well as the general plot that formed this fanfic.
Chapter 14: Call of the Wolf
Autumn passed in a colorful blur and winter arrived bringing with it icy winds and heavy snow. Lily was really being kept on her toes now for besides working for the Order (which had suddenly become more frequent as Voldemort steadily gained even more power) and auror training, she had to worry about security measures.
New charms and protection jinxes were being advertised and recommended on a daily basis. The girls had all been doing as much as they could to make themselves less of a target and their flat as safe as possible.
Callidora had gone to great lengths to get her father, who worked for the ministry, to come and place an anti-apparating charm on their place.
"We don't want to make it any easier for the death eaters you know." she told Lily and Cadence quietly as they offered their hospitality to Mr. Prewett as he placed the spell. Lily had to agree. Attacks seemed to have doubled in the last couple of months. Callidora's dad for example had lost two of his cousins the other day to death eaters (Incidentally, Gideon and Fabion Prewett were also in the Order of the Phoenix.) Besides that, the girls were finding it hard to find time to spend with their boyfriends(Callidora and Remus had begun to go out) but anyhow...
Lily was hardly surprised when Alice and Frank arrived at the front door late one evening, announcing to her that another urgent Order meeting was being called for immediatly. (Fortunately, Callidora was at a late Quiddtich practice and Cadence was visiting her parents.)
"And the worst part is Dumbledore can't come because we have reasons to suspect that their using this latest attack as a diversion while another group attacks Hogwarts." Frank informed Lily as she hurried to get her cloak. After scribbling a note to Calli' and Cadence, Lily followed the Longbottoms out of the door breathlessly and quickly tapped the lock behind her.
"Ready?" Alice asked as they reached the bottom of the old stairs. With a nod, Lily apparated.
James was waiting for them on the corner of the street where Headquarters were located.
"Lily! C'mon, they're waiting..." he said distractedly taking her hand and leading her towards a shabby old buillding. Only members were able to see it therefore making in safe from outdiers or enemies. James led her inside the building, Alice and Frank behind them.
They were greeted by a very small crowd. Only Marlene McKinnon, Elphias Doge and the marauders were there.
"Where is everybody?" Lily asked eyeing the small group apprehensively. She did not fancy taking on a lot of death eaters, or whatever it is they had to do with their miniscule number. Alice seemed to be thinking along the same lines for her mouth was hanging open as she counted everyone.
"Well Dumbledore's obviously at Hogwarts and we sent Dorcas and Emmeline to help him. Unfortunately, we were unable to get a hold of any of the others." the wizard, Elphis Doge wheezed. James blinked.
"Well shouldn't we wait until more people join us?"
"No. We have to go now! We think they're planning on attacking a muggle born witch and wizard just outside of Hogsmeade!" Marlene cried.
"Alright then, we should set off at once." Lily said quietly. It was true she had a bad feeling about their odds but they couldn't just leave their fellow wizards to face the enemy by themselves. James put a comforting arm around her waist. Lily smiled at him weakly. Remus( who was looking very woe-begone) nodded,
"Let's go." With that everyone followed him to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder. One by one they stepped into the sooty grate and departed. For some reason, Peter looked extremely nervous when his turn came. He was chewing his nails in a way that resembled a small rodent and he kept shooting furtive glances at the others. Stepping over the hearth rug Peter entered the fireplace and muttered something under his breath.
"Did you hear what he said? I think he said the name wrong..." Sirius asked frowning as Peter was whisked away by the emerald flames. They were supposed to be flooing to the Three Broomsticks.
"I dunno," James said indifferently, "You know Wormtail, he's not that bright, he probably forgot where we were going and landed himself at the Leaky Cauldron instead." Sirius looked pacified and he too was soon gone. The Longbottoms left next and next moment it was their turn. James offered Lily the fireplace first and she whirled away in the green flames.
Lily stepped of the Three Broomsticks' fireplace with a small cough. Upon straightening up, she saw that Madam Rosmerta had come downstairs to see what the commotion was. She was still clad in her night dress and looked quite frightened.
"Dumbledore said you might be popping in. Everything okay?" she was asking Elphis Doge. Lily didn't hear the answer for just then James came flying out of the fireplace.
"Hello!" he said brightly, adjusting his glasses. Nobody answered but they quietly proceeded out the doors, leaving behind a very anxious land lady behind. Remus and Elphias led the way, talking in low, serious whispers.
"Lucky it's a cloudy night..."
"You've taken your potion?"
"Yes, of course..."
They led them up the dusty roads of Hogsmeade, past the shops and to the Shrieking Shack. Lily winced as she looked at the trees beyond, the memory of the battle there in June stabbed at her like a knife.
"It's not too far from here." Remus whispered, breaking her from her thoughts, "Are you okay Lily?" Lily nodded mutely. She knew she must be quite pale from nervousness. The group walked in silence for another quarter of a mile, following an old winding road past the shack
"We should probably all disallusion ourselves." James suggested when they had reached the spot. A small stone cottage sat on the long grass directly ahead of them. Lily tapped the top of her head and murmured the enchantment. She was suddenly doused with the feeling of an egg being cracked on top of her head. Everyone copied her.
"Should we wait outside or barge right in?" Sirius asked, eyeing the small residence of the two muggle-bornes with great trepidition.
"Go right in I suppose, but we best be on our guard." Marlene McKinnon whispered back to him. "Everyone with me?" There was a gradual assent of agreement.
Lily walked up the stone cobbled pathway as quietly as she could. Just beside her walked James and before her was Alice and Frank. There was an unbearable atmosphere of tension around the group. Everyone stopped before the door looking quite uncertain.
"Should we, er knock?" Frank asked breaking the tense silence.
"No, we want the element of surprise." Remus whispered back, "We can always explain to the couple if they aren't already, well, er..." He let his voice trail off anxiously and to make up for his unfinished sentence he tapped the lock and muttered, "Alohomora!"
Holding her wand aloft, Lily stepped in warily. Fortunately everything seemed to be in order. A startled looking witch and wizard emerged from the kitchen looking around nervously.
"Hello?" the man called. They all quickly undid their dissalusinment charms.
"Mr. Yerwut?" Alice asked uncertainly, "We've recieved a tip off that death eaters are going to attempt to attack you tonight. We're here to stop them. But firstly we need to make sure it is really you... Umm Elphis you know the Yerwuts right?" Elphias noddedd ignoring the couples panic stricken faces,
"What is your dearest ambition?" he croaked, his wand still ready for use.
"But we've been keeping it a secret!" Mrs. Yerwut wailed, "Can't you ask another question?"
"You'd better answer it or we attack!" James snarled suspiciously. Mr. Yerwut gave his wife an encouraging nod.
"Okay, okay. We've been dreaming of opening our very own branch of apothecaries." She said reluctantly. A scowl painted her blonde framed face.
"It's them." Elphis announced confidently.
"Nice to meet you." Lily said holding out her hand. The others followed suit.
"So have you noticed anything suspicious tonight?" Sirius asked as Mr. Yerwut released his hand.
"No, we've just been up waiting up. There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight you know!" Mrs. Yerwut answered, she seemed to have warmed up to them considerably.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to watch it tonight." Frank replied gently, "Like we've said the death eaters..."
"Oh right." Mrs. Yerwut said looking crest fallen. "Well I guess you'll need to be staying then? To keep watch?" Lily watched her intently, she couldn't understand why Mrs. Yerwut wasn't showing much fear. If it was her, she'd be terrified.
"Yes that's right." James replied.
"Alright, can I offer you all to a drink then?" Mr. Yerwut asked. Siirus opened his mouth to accept but Remus cut across him sharply,
"Ye-"
"No thanks. We'll need to station ourselves at every entrance and keep guard. I trust you have an anti-apparating spell on your household?" Mr. Yerwut nodded.
"Well lets split up then." Marlene suggested. "Remus you and Peter can take guard against the front windows-" Remus jumped,
"Umm no, i'll take the back door thanks." James and Sirius exchanged a meaningful look and Lily felt something click in. It's the full moon!
"Okay" Marlene continued looking harried, "Lily and I will take the windows then. James, you and Sirius should wait upstairs and Elphias, Alice and Frank can do the front door." Everyone hastned off to their stations without further complaint. Lily and Marlene took the front windows in the sitting room and were soon joined by the Yerwuts.
"So you're all aurors then?" Mr. Yerwut asked, eyeing them with mistrust. "And how do we know that you aren't he death eaters?" Lily who had been peering anxiously throught he blinds looked up irritably.
"If we were, don't you think you'd already be dead?" she spat. Mr. Yerwut fell silent. Minutes later their watch was interrupted again.
"What is it this time?" Lily snapped whirling around.
"Nothing, nothing. I was just saying it's such an inconvient night for this to happen. I mean, that meteor shower was supposed to be really good. We bought new lunascopes and everything." Mrs. Yerwut sighed, not looking remotely abashed and Lily's outburst.
"And how do you expect to watch it with all this cloud?" Marlene replied imperiously before Lily could retort.
"Oh but didn't you hear? It's supposed to clear up around now!" Mrs. Yerwut exclaimed, completely oblivious to Lily and her husband who were now staring daggers at one another. Rolling her eyes, Lily turned back to look out the window. All thoughts erased from her mind as she concentrated on doing her duty.
Two mintues passed, three minutes, five minutes, ten minutes... Fifteen minutes of silence has fallen while the women watched out the window. The yard was suspiciously empty. Lily was just adjusting her position when she heard the door creak open. She whirled around with alarm, drawing her wand and just about screamed when she saw Mrs. Yerwut standing at the front door, lunascope in hand. Alice, Frank and Elphias were unconcious behind her, it looked as though she had stunned them.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING?"... Lily raged. Marlene joined in too, looking irate.
"WE"RE GIVING UP OUR REST TO PROTECT YOU..." But Mrs. Yerwut seemed unaffected by their yells. She didn't even look up when James, Sirius, Remus and Peter abandoned their posts and hurried to where she stood looking alarmed.
"What happened?" Remus asked in alarm as he skidded to a halt nearly knocking Mrs. Yerwut off her feet. Mr. Yerwut remained on the couch, a look of amusement spread lazily across his face. None of them took any notice to Sirius who was now reviving the others.
"WE WERE JUST TRYING TO FIND THAT OUT!" Lily hollared, still glaring at the ignorant woman. How dare she? We're putting our necks on the line...
Lily would have went on yelling but at that moment she felt and odd draughty feeling brush past her legs. She looked down confused.
"Hey come back here!" Sirius yelled. Her head snapping back up, Lily saw the Mrs. Yerwut, the foolish witch, had taken off at a run into the yard, distantly yelling about wanting to see the shower. She was soon out of firing range before they could think to stun her.
"C'mon!" James shouted leaping up The others, including the ones who had been stunned followed right on his tail.
"Mad old woman, "Sirius muttered as they tore back down the cobbled path his head flicking from side to side as he watched for death eaters.
"Oh no not again!" Lily heard Marlene scream from behind them. Looking back, Lily saw Mr. Yerwut streaking off in the opposite direction. Marlene, Peter, Alice, Frank and Elphias changed direction and tore after him instead. Lily remained with Remus, Sirius and James.
Finally they caught up with Mrs. Yerwut. James and Sirius each took one of her arms firmly.
"Wow!" she breathed, wearing a blank expression as she stared up at the sky. Following her gaze Lily looked up and it took a moment to realize what she was seeing. The clouds were now parting and behind them revealed a large, glowing, completely full moon.
"Merlin No!" James breathed from somewhere beside her. Almost in slow motion they turned to look at Remus.
"Have you taken your potion?" Sirius asked, plainly horrorstruck. Remus stepped back, trying to avoid falling into the moonlight.
"Y-yes!"
"Alright then, you'll be fine. Although it'll be just as painful, right?" Sirius asked. Lily shot him a reproachful look. Remus turned to go back in the house but it was too late. The moonlight finally cast him out of shadow. His limbs began shaking violently and Lily felt a stab of pity. She took a few steps back and held James tightly as the transformation began. Mrs. Yerwut, was staring at Remus with a dazed look. Lily didn't have the emotion to spare for her or wonder about her lack of shock.
"It's okay Lily,"James crooned into her ear as he held her tight in an embrace, "The Wolfsbane potion was invented in July and ever since Remus has been taking it. It'll be hard on him but he won't be violent." Lily could only nod, imagining the terror poor Remus had to face every full moon. Suddenly a thought struck her. Ignoring Remus howls of pain as his feet began to elongate she looked up at James.
"How come he didn't morph before this?"
"The potion also refrains the victim from transforming unless he is subjected to moonlight." he replied calmly, though his face was twisted with revulsion, "C'mon we should get Moony inside." Lily let go of him and watched as James and Sirius now approached the hunched figure of a tall werewolf. Lily watched blankly as James approached him, she had completely forgotten about why they were there and about Mrs. Yerwut.
Suddenly the werewolf snarled at Sirius. Both men recoiled.
"Moony?" James said uncertainly, "Your potion..." But the wolf made no sign that he even recognized James was speaking. With another blodd-curdling growl, it lunged. James dodged just in time but not before the werewolf spun around again. Reflecting hazily on the information she had learned years ago about the werewolf responding only to the call of it's own kind, Lily did her best imitation of a howl.
"AWOOOOOOOOOOO!" Remus, now the werewolf, turned in confusion. He had been about an inch from sinking his cursed fangs into James. Snarling and foaming at the mouth he ran towards Lily who turned on her heel and ran as fast as she could, wishing that the houses in Hogsmeade didn't have Anti-apparating charms on their yards as well.
Just as a loud growl prickled at the hairs on the back of her neck the heavy pawsteps softened. Swinging around, Lily felt her jaw drop. Distracting Remus was a magnificently antlered stag and a large, bear like dog.
"James? Sirius?" Lily called, her confusion mounting as adreneline pounded through her veins, "Where'd you go? And where are they from?" Lily watched, frozen to the ground as the werewolf, centimetres in front of her growled threateningly at the two animals. The dog let out a deafening back and leapt at Remus. Lily didn't know what to do, should she stop it from hurting Remus or let it save her? And where did James and Sirius go? How could they just desert her?
In her panic-striken shaky confusion, she didn't notice that the stag had just transformed into a man. And not just any man,
"JAMES!" she shrieked, "What! Who? How?" James ran towards her hurriedly,
"Lily i'll explain later...Get yourself away from here, go and find the others. Take Mrs. Yerwut, and be careful okay? Watch out for death eaters!" James said firmly. Lily opened her mouth to protest but just then the black dog let out a loud yelp. Without further ado James turned back around and transformed into a stag. Mouth still hanging open it took a moment for LIly to remember James' words. Grudgingly she tore back towards Mrs. Yerwut who was humming bizarrley under her breath.
"C'mon you stupid woman." she grumbled seizing her arm. Looking back on the surreal scene behind her, (The silvery werewolf being held in check by the stag, or James, and the black dog she assumed must be Sirius.) Lily dimly wondered why Mrs. Yerwut wasn't putting up a fight as she had earlier.
Lily half-dragged Mrs. Yerwut back to the house. Closing the door softly behind her she felt with a pang of horror, someone's ragged breathing on her neck. Slowly she turned and looked through the two holes of a mask into steely grey eyes.
A/N: I wanted to leave you all on a bit of a cliffhanger. Sorry if this chapters a bit confusing, the next one will make it clearer. I know the whole werewolf/wolfsbane potion thing is a bit confusing but J.K. Rowling didn't go into detail so I felt the liberaty to invent. Well, I hope you all enjoy! Please review!