She stood in a hallway of what felt like an old Victorian house. She looked around and noted the lack of pictures, as if the family or person had just moved in. Then she heard the crack of a door being exploded and walked to the entranceway.
There stood a man, wand upraised against a black-cloaked figure. She tried to yell, to warn the man to run instead of fight, but she could not emit a sound. The two figures dueled for a moment before the blacked cloaked man issued the Avada Kedavra.
She silently screamed as the black haired man fell and the cloaked figure moved upstairs. She raced over to the fallen figure and fell to her knees. For the first time in the prophecy she saw the males face.
"No. No, no, no. It can't be you. No it can't be you James." She whispered the words, her head shaking as she stared at his lifeless body. A hand laid itself on her shoulder and she glanced back to see Salazar, his emerald eyes kind, "You and your mate will be sacrificed but not all is lost.
Fight with your honor and fight with a cause or all will be lost." He disappeared as she heard a child cry and a man scream.
Lily knew things were coming to an end. Her seventh year was dwindling down and she knew when she left she was going to have to disappear. She would miss James. She hated to admit it but that night they had shared had made her feel as if she wasn't alone in the world.
She had no doubt as to whom her soul mate was now since her dream/premonition but she would not drag him into her troubles. Visions could be changed; she had changed many before realizing that they just affected another part in an indirect way.
She didn't want James to die, but knew even if she denied him as her soul mate that he would just die another way. It was after classes and Lily leaned up against the wall a little ways from the entrance hall. She didn't want him to die because she knew that even if she were dead her soul would ache.
A tear slipped from her closed eyes. Gods she didn't want him to die. Damn the Fates! A callused hand brushed away the tear and her eyes snapped open. James stood there, concern darkening his hazel eyes, "what's wrong Lily?"
She shook her head and fell back on what had allowed her to survive for the past 17 years. Live in the now and take the future as it came. "Nothing. Come on, let's go get some food before Sirius eats it all."
She started drawing up plans. It was the middle of May and she couldn't afford to misstep her escape by even a hair. So she drew up the plans, called some contacts, pulled a few strings, and formulated her plan.
Voldemort was going to do something at graduation and she needed to stop it along with getting herself out of there. She knew he wouldn't be stupid enough to go himself but that didn't mean that it wouldn't be as deadly or as costly.
Sitting back in her chair she stared at the map she had created. She needed more detailed, with more passages that could be accessed in a fix. A second later she slapped her head at her stupidity.
She didn't need to make another map that was more detailed when there already was one. Going on instinct Lily left the Head Common room and went to the Gryffindor one. Going up the male staircase she opened the door.
The three (sorry to say that Michael Jackson and Peter broke up. It was so sad! Now Peter is depressed and vows vengeance! So he goes to the one person that will take up his cause, The Dark Lord! So what if a few lives get taken, no biggie as long as Jackson pays!)
Marauders were sitting in the middle of the room bent over something, Sirius only in his underwear, really skimpy gold ones that barely covered the necessities. Looking up when Lily walked right on in as if she owned the place Sirius squeaked and raced into the bathroom, slamming the door.
Remus looked up in amusement and exasperation, "you could have knocked." She shrugged, and then looked towards the bathroom door, "I will next time. Anyway, I need to copy the Marauders Map." She was met with shocked stares from Remus and James.
Sirius came out clad in a pair of low rising shorts, an equally shocked look on his face. James then rose and felt her forehead, "are you alright? I could have sworn you asked to copy a illegal magical item that should be confiscated."
Lily sent him a withering look that he met with a grin. She turned and looked at the three and sighed. It would be easier if she had help. She sat down in a spot that used to occupy the now missing Peter Pettigrew and looked at them all, "look, Voldemort is planning something for graduation.
He's not going to be stupid enough to come here himself but all hell is going to break out then. I'm going to place an advancement charm to make sure no one's killed. I have a route out but I need a backup.
I may know many passages in this school that you do not but I don't have the time to explore them all to see if they've caved in, been cursed, occupied, known of, etc… So I need the Marauders Map so I have a back up.
I'm going to have to disappear. Voldemort is going to be after me the moment I leave the protection of Hogwarts. I have a place to go and something's to set up but I have to ensure no one is killed here first."
The three seemed to ponder what she said for a while then looked up, "you are going to include us in on this are you not?" Remus asked, deadly serious. Lily shrugged, "I have no choice do I? I need your resources and your help wouldn't be shunned either.
But I first have to ask, what are you all willing to risk? If you help me and are found out you are signing your own death pact. This could mean your family," she looked at James, "your secret," she looked at Remus, "or your soul." She looked at Sirius, "if you help me then you could lose all of those. I have one thing left to lose and that is my life but are you all willing to risk this?"
They had paled at the scenario she had proposed but thought about it. Nodding slowly they returned their eyes to her, blue, black, and hazel. She took a breath, "then there is something yall will need to help me with. It's a secret organization called the Order of the Phoenix…"
James waited for patrols to be over. When he and Lily entered the common room he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "I'm coming with you." She turned, "no. Your needed here-" "you saw me in the prophecy didn't you? That's why you're so keen on keeping me at a distance, to keep me alive."
She looked away but he had seen the answer in her eyes, "I'm going to die one way or another Lily, let me die protecting you." She stared sightlessly ahead of her for a while. James had begun to think she had not heard when she sighed, "you're right but dammit James this is more than your family, your own death, it could mean your soul!
This means no after life, no Fields of Asphodel, no heaven, whatever you want to call it. You will cease to exist James, that is the fate I face. If you come with me you bear that fate as well."
James looked at her. Her eyes for once showed emotion, despair. If he had any doubt about the prophecy they evaporated at the distress in her eyes. He lowered his head and kissed her, feeling her relax degree by degree in his arms.
She was made for him and he knew no other would ever do. He lifted his head, "I don't care Lily. As long as I'm with you for as long as I live I will be happy." She sighed and let her head rest on his shoulder, "alright.
We'll tell Sirius and Remus tomorrow and they will inform Dumbledore after all of this. But dammit James I wish you weren't so damn stubborn." He chuckled as he led her to her dorm, "now where would that leave me if I weren't Tiger Lily?"
She sighed as he closed the door behind them, "alive." He shook his head, "life would be worthless without you. I would rather die than live a life like that. Come on, you need to sleep." He drew her robes and such off and joined her in the bed.
She curled into him and he tightened his arm around her. As long as he had her he didn't give a damn if the world went up in flames around them. Then again, it might just do that when this all came to an end.
One more chapter after this!
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Chrys