Hogwarts had an unusual hush over it ever since Voldermort had invaded. A select few of the population actually knew what the hell had gone on. Lily herself had been silent, and by silent I mean she had not said a word since her and James had left her cottage.
When James had said her name he had just looked at her. She had seen the fear, horror, and revulsion in his gaze when he had looked at her. It had hurt her more than any emotional wound ever had.
James was the only one who knew, other than Leo, Tear, and Tom. She had told him he could do with the information what he wished to. Lily just wanted it to end. What she wanted was for Christmas break to come so Hogwarts wouldn't be so crowded.
Astronomy Tower
December 25
Midnight
Lily watched the snowfall from the sky with a kind of detached wonder. Christmas had always been a hard time for her since the only memory she had of her father was the day he died and she had used that Killing Curse counter charm.
She would not even tell James that. They had not spoken a word since returning to Hogwarts and she almost hoped it stayed that way. He had broken her heart, she mused as she stared at the black sky.
She had thought that she had protected it but she had been wrong. He had broken it when she saw the revulsion in his gaze. She could have handled the horror, even the fear, but not the revulsion.
She looked down sharply to see two birds flying towards her. The first she saw was Tom's traditional bird, a falcon, while the other was a white owl. They both landed and dropped their purchases.
Tear and Leo stirred beside her but she stroked their pelts to calm them to sleep again. She first opened up the white owl's package and was surprised to see a mirror. But the mirror was different/beautiful.
It was framed with silver molding, and encased with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds while the silver curved around them in an exotic pattern. But the mirror itself looked like it was made from frozen teardrops.
When Lily looked into it she didn't see herself, clad in a full white skirt and emerald wrap around top but standing in a wooded forest near a path. She wore ragged clothes and her hair was nappy.
She saw many scars she kept hidden from the world in bold display but there was a smile on her face and in her eyes as she turned to walk down the path. Her clothes changed from ratty to perfect and her hair was combed and washed in full curls down her back.
Lily closed her eyes to the image and when she opened them she saw only her own reflection. She pulled the small card out from the back and opened it. A soft smile came to her face when she read it.
No matter what you have been through or whose blood runs in your veins you're still Lily Evans, who paved a way for herself, by herself. But sometimes it's ok to lean.
James
She wouldn't cry. She refused to. But James' apology touched something that he had awakened when he had walked into that dingy bar. She wouldn't take it yet, though. She hadn't survived in this world of danger and betrayal without being cautious of who she trusted and when.
Not why, when. Some people could be trusted at certain times but not at others. She needed to make sure that James was sincere and what the hell she felt for him. She set the mirror down beside tear and stroked the falcon.
He nipped her on the wrist in an affectionate gesture while she untied the package. She pulled open a small box and gasped. Inside was an ankle bracelet of pure silver. On it were four gems, a ruby, emerald, sapphire, and topaz.
But it wasn't the gems and purity that stunned her, it was the power. She reached inside the box and pulled out a note. She unfolded it to find her cousin's neat scrawl.
Lily,
I fear I am going mad so I cannot predict what will happen to you. Please, take this bracelet for Voldermort wishes for it desperately. It was forged by Godric Gryffindor and spelled by all of the founders. The bracelet is spelled by the founders, for what no one knows. Please, guard this with your life, cousin, for I fear I have lost my sanity and Voldermort has an obsession with the founders and their artifacts. Please cousin keep it safe and may one day we meet again, you and I.
With love,
Tom Riddle
Lily stared at the bracelet in her hand in a mixture of fascination and horror. A bonder. She recognized the power but it was so much more than the pitiful ones she had felt before. What the hell did it bind to? Gold? Jewels? The secrets of Hogwarts?
Slowly she clasped the bracelet on her right ankle. She felt a rush of power swarm through her and closed her eyes. When she opened them she was looking at four figures.
Two men and two women. The one clad in a yellow top and straight skirt was kind of on the weighty side with gold eyes, golden hair, and a kind face. The woman next to her was skinny, tall with blue-black raven locks.
She had a raven's face that gave the look of severity and midnight blue eyes that were, surprisingly kind. The man next to her was tall, with dark brown hair, mahogany more like it, muscled frame that bespoke of outdoorsman, and kind brown eyes slashed with gold. The last was what you might call slippery.
He wasn't as tall as the man before him but he radiated power. Black hair was shaggy and had the illusion of greasy. A sharp nose with sharp, angular features spoke of the devil. But his eyes were pure hard emerald and were looking at her with a shrewd stare. She knew who they were but was too stunned to say anything.
The tall man stepped forward, "Lily Evans, you were the Bond of Hogwarts as you were meant to. Since you are a student in my own house I ask you this; do you take on the task so many others have failed and will break the curse we have placed on Hogwarts?"
Lily shook herself out of her stunned demeanor and answered guardedly/puzzled. "What do you mean curse?" The greasy man stepped forward, a look of amused respect in his eyes.
When he spoke it sounded somewhat like a hiss and she realized that he was speaking in Parseltongue. She was related to Tom, who was one himself so she could understand him perfectly, "the curse we placed when we fought, then separated. The curse your cousin now carries."
Her eyes widened, "what do you mean?" She whispered. The portly woman stepped forward now and said in a sad tone, "Godric and Salazar are polar opposites and thus treated each other like so.
When they dueled that last time and Salazar left a curse was placed upon the school. One of the same was to inherit their misplaced hatred and use it to destroy Hogwarts. Your cousin is heir to Salazar and is thus the bearer, where you, despite your power, are not."
Lily looked from one to another and said slowly, "So your saying I'm to somehow break this chain cycle right?" The skinny woman nodded and spoke, her voice whispery, "yes but you are not the bearer.
Tis' to soon. But your bloodline will be. You may be cousin to the dark one but you are in Gryffindor. As will your child, no matter what may occur." Godric again asked her, "Will you pave the way for the Gryffindor heir to destroy this curse?"
Lily gulped. Her son or daughter would be that paver, if she ever found her soul mate. But she would give them hope. She nodded. Satisfied Godric stepped back among the ranks.
She thought they were going to disappear but Salazar stepped forward first, "take this warning as you like but heed it. We will be here to assist both you and your child but you and your mate will be sacrificed. Not all will be lost though. Do not remove the bracelet at all costs. It is your key."
He straightened and looked down at her but said this time in Parseltongue so the others would not understand, "Fight with your honor and fight with a cause, for if you should lose them then everything dear to you will be lost." He stepped back and the founders created a circle. She saw what had brought them together.
The friendship and trust. She closed her eyes and a flash of light illuminated the air. She opened her eyes and smiled. Leo and Tear were confused and bristled as if for an attack. She just laughed and picked up the mirror.
She then called to the panthers and went inside, never once noticing the cold since it was about 8 degrees Fahrenheit.
ReviewChrys signing off