Hi! So here's a brand new chapter ready to be read! I hope you like it! My editor is on top of things this week and this (yes, THIS!) is the editing copy. Bravo! So please enjoy!

-Jill

Rating: M for Mature. Just wrote a scene…pretty M rated if you know what I mean (sorry folks, not in this chapter…)

Disclaimer: I am not that luck or good to come up with such a wonderful world. Ms Rowling must have rubbed her lucky rabbit's foot the day she came up with this doozy.

Of Trouble in Paradise

Carter was a new name in the wizarding world. Barely two generations old; the name was known to very few. However, those who knew, knew it well, and either treated it with the highest respect, or spat at the mention of it.

Jim Carter was a brilliant wizard in his time. A Hogwarts Prefect and Beater on the Hufflepuff Qudditich team. He met a girl, Amy Welsh, in his fifth year, and it was love at first sight.

After Hogwarts, the two got married. Amy had a successful job at Gringrotts and Jim, well no one quite knew what he did. He said he worked at the Qudditich supply store, but everyone knew that you did not live the way they did off of a supply store budget. But no one questioned him, not even Amy. The day came when Jim retired. The day after that, they were murdered.

James recognized the house, or what was left of it, as soon as he arrived. The people that used to live here were as good as parents to him. He gave orders to his team and then set off to search through some of the rubble with Steve Darvy.

"Geoff said that you two talked at Flourish and Blotts."

James smiled slightly and nodded as he kicked through what was once a couch.

"Well, you seemed to scare him straight."

James smile grew. This boy reminded him a lot of himself.

"Thanks Potter."

James nodded and then headed up the crumbling stairs. He turned into the first bedroom on the right. Jane's room was unrecognizable. He sifted through the remains, but there was nothing worth saving.

They closed down the area after they had collected what they needed, and headed back to the Ministry.

"Neighbours said they saw a skull with a snake through its mouth floating above the burning house. They said it disappeared just before we showed up."

"Others say that they saw a group with black cloaks arrive at the house a few moments before they saw green lights coming out of the windows."

James took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose.

"They gave us the same descriptions that other witnesses have given us in the last five attacks. And we have already confirmed that this group are using the Unforgivables."

"None of the other houses were burnt."

"No."

"Could it be a new trend? A new group of killers?"

"No, I don't think so."

They were silent for a while.

"All of the attacks seem to be on Ministry workers except the last one. It might be a new trend or new killers."

"No, Mr. Carter worked for the Ministry, he was an Illegal Trafficking spy. And a good one at that."

"Whoever it is who are attacking them has killed some of the best people this Ministry has ever seen."

"The Millers and the Emmets, the two next best Aurors under Moody."

"May Rune was the Head of the Department of Mysteries."

"Janet Cato and Robert Yestin both had a huge influence in the Wizengamot."

"And now a Ministry spy."

"Who's next?"

James' team looked at him.

"Potter, you're up there with Moody. It could be you."

James laughed, hiding the sinking feeling in his chest.

"Everyone from the Ministry is important. If any of the information that anyone in this building knows gets into the wrong hands, we are done for."

The newly appointed Chief of Muggle Attacks knocked politely on the door.

"James, Moody wants us in a meeting."

James nodded and left his team.

There were several key attacks that had gotten James his fifteen minutes of fame. The Perrys, who were the first muggles attacked by wizards, and quite gruesomely so. The Etans, the parents of the Editor of the Daily Prophet. And then the Lamars, the Muggle Prime Minister.

After these, the press died down on James. The attacks became non-existent and James ended up doing paperwork all day, everyday.

A week ago, James had been promoted. Chief of Aurors: Attacks on Wizards. To put it bluntly, he was second in command to Moody. This only after Miller and Emmet were murdered.

After the meeting, Moody pulled James aside.

"I assume that you figured out the pattern of the attacks."

"I have some idea."

"Good, then you'll understand why you won't be able to come to work for a couple of weeks."

"Excuse me?"

"It's just until we get more information on them. You'll be called in if there is another attack."

"But Alastor, you're at a higher risk than I am."

"I know, and that's why I can't come to work either. It's a small sacrifice."

"But if we leave we're sitting ducks! We'll be outside the protection of the Ministry."

Moody sighed griping James shoulder.

"Potter, we're sitting ducks in the Ministry. They have no better protection here than you have on your own home. Now go home to your pretty little girlfriend. She'll be happy to have a maid home during the day."

James glared and Moody left, his shoulders shaking from his silent laughter.

"Frank! What a lovely surprise!" Lily rushed to give Frank a hug.

"You should have written Lils, Alice was driving me nuts. Thinking that I could use some sort of Ministry reason to take her to Rome."

Lily laughed. "I was busy down there, but I did write."

"Sure, once a month."

"Sorry, but I didn't have the carefree, slacking lifestyle that an Auror has."

Lily went to the door and turned the Open sign to Closed. They landed in the Leaky Cauldron drinking to the past.

"You know about James' new someone, then?"

Lily nodded as her refill appeared on the table.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Why should it?"

"Sirius told me he was going to propose to her."

"You mean he hasn't done that yet?"

"You knew?"

"I was there when he was considering it."

"And you did…?"

"I poured coffee on him."

"That all?"

"Well he was already bound and gagged. I couldn't do much more."

Frank laughed. "So you two are done?"

"Why does everyone keep asking that?"

"Dunno. It's hard for us, you were the golden couple. To see you two apart, it's just hard to adjust."

"You had three years to adjust while I was away."

"That doesn't mean we did. He didn't."

"Could have fooled me."

"He never even considered going out with her until you came back."

"Wow Frank, you sure know how to make a girl feel special."

He laughed. "Alice thinks so as well."

They sat in silence drinking.

"I wish I could have been at the wedding."

"We know you wanted to."

"I was working."

"We know."

"Is she still upset at me?"

Frank paused, swirling the drink in his cup. He looked up smiling.

"She was, but she understood why you couldn't be there."

"Think I could drop by and visit?"

Frank smiled taking Lily's hand.

"Alice would love that."

It had been two days since Lily had come to visit her. Two days ago she wasn't afraid for her job; actually, it was quite the opposite. Jane had never been so sure of herself and her job when Lily arrived in her office. She should have guessed it was going downhill when Lily started telling her how to do her job. She was going to do what Lily had said, but she had a few other things to check out first. It would have gotten done, and now Mathew couldn't stop smiling. He thought of having the chance to offer Miss. Lily Evans a job as such a great honour. Every time he looked at her he sneered. As if he was mocking her, an 'as soon as Lily accepts the job, you are gone' look.

James didn't know of this. She never told him that Lily actually decided to show up. He had been asking, but she never said she did. She didn't want to tell James, that because of him convincing Lily, there was a possibility of her losing her job. And she didn't need to give him another reason to speak to Lily. Ever since she came back he had been acting differently. Not completely different, just an old different. He was acting the same way that he did after Lily left. For an entire year he was like a lost, little puppy. Just wandering around, living his life to a mediocre extent. It depressed her and he was doing it again.

Something had to be done about this Lily. She was not only messing up Jane's life, but James' as well.

"Did Lily stop by today?"

Jane sighed and turned back to the stove. "No."

"Damn girl, she swore to me."

"Well, she's obviously not very good at keeping promises, so let's just drop it."

"What about your job?"

"It's fine," Jane lied. "There's a big case and Thomas seems to have forgotten about Lily for now."

"But when he remembers …"

"Just drop it James, please."

James was taken back. He thought that Jane had wanted Lily to come to her work and now she was acting like it was no big deal.

"I know you, Jane, something is wrong."

Jane blew strands of hair out of her face and went back to making dinner. "Nothing is wrong James. I told you there's a big case, it's stressful."

"Sorry luv. Why don't you go lie down and I'll finish supper." James came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, talking into the curve of her neck.

Jane nodded handing James her spoon and shuffled off into the bedroom. He watched her go, the guilt building up inside him. He had told the ministry not to bother sending a letter about her parents to her; he said that he would tell Jane personally. Every time he tried to she was either much too happy, and he didn't want to spoil her mood, or like now, much too sad. The girl was an emotional roller coaster today.

James didn't believe for one second that the case was stressing her out. He also knew that Thomas did not forget about Lily, her boss never forgot anything. James would have to do something soon if she was going to keep her job.

He turned off the stove and figured now was as good a time as any to tell her about her parents. He figured that it would be an excellent way to get Thomas on their side and get some sympathy out of him. Plus, Jane's older brother was coming over tomorrow for funeral details.

He knocked lightly on the door and opened it to see Jane staring out the window above her writing desk. He quietly crossed the room; he placed a hand on her shoulder and held out the letter that the Ministry had insisted that he give her.

She looked up into James face and slowly opened the letter. She skimmed the print and tears welled up in her eyes as she placed the letter on the desk. She stood and hugged James. He whispered words of comfort into her ear, but she never listened. Jane's life was slowly falling apart.

It had been a week since Lily had visited Jane and thankfully James had not tried to contact her. She thought that, knowing James, he would come thank her or ask her for another favour, but there was nothing. Actually now that she looked back, she hadn't heard anything from any of the Marauders. Usually Pete would stop by on his lunch break, and she would go out for coffee with Remus once or twice and also have to fend Sirius off with a stick in a regular week. But she had heard nothing of them since that night. Just as she was approaching the idea that something terrible had happened to them, she was distracted by the bell signalling a costumer. She came out of the back room and was quite shocked to see whom she would be serving.

"Mr Mathews?"

"Hello Miss Evans. I was hoping I would catch you."

Thomas Mathews looked a bit strung out. Like he had been to hell and back in one week.

"What can I do for you?"

"I know that you turned down my job offer and I am fine with that, but the firm is in a bit of a bind right now."

Lily poured tea into two cups and handed one to Thomas. He took it with a shaky hand.

"What kind of bind, Mr Mathews?"

"Well, Miss Carter has taken a leave of absence for the next couple of weeks to take care of her parents' funeral, so I am without a lawyer to take over her case. I would take it, but I have my own to look after."

Funeral? Had that been Jane's parents that had been murdered last week? It must have been, the name did sound familiar. That must have been why she hadn't heard from any of the guys, they must be with her. Poor thing, on the brink of losing her job (Lily saw that look too) and then losing her parents.

It would just be a temporary thing, and she could get Remus to look after the shop.

"I will only help you on the condition that you promise me that this is only temporary, and that you will secure Jane's job at the firm."

Thomas opened his mouth in protest, but realized he would be arguing with one of the best wizarding lawyers, and thought better of it.

"Alright Miss Evans, you have a deal. You'll finish the case that Jane started and then your temporary term will be finished and you can return to this…quaint…little shop." He held out his hand.

"No stings attached. Once I'm done, I'm done."

"Of course."

Lily shook his hand.

Lily had tidied up Jane's office. She had placed all of Jane's belonging on the set of couches in the corner and managed to give the room a clean sweep before any employees saw the mess. After a hard morning of dusting, stacking and filing, Lily sat down, exhausted, at her temporary desk.

As she was closing her eyes for a brief moment of relaxation, someone rudely barged into the room. Lily slowly opened an eye and noticed that this man was not yet aware of her presence and looked as if he had no idea that anyone could possibly be in this space. He went humming over to the filing cabinet, opened it and ran a finger down the names. Absolutely shocked at what was going on, Lily quickly decided to open her other eye and stop the intruder. Jane may have let random people into her office, but Jane was no longer here.

"Excuse me sir, but those are private files and none of your business."

Unphased, he continued searching through the names. "I do believe it is my business, Miss, as I know the owner of this office very well."

"What does that have to do with the fact that you are looking through personal files?"

"The owner of this office needs them."

"Them? As in plural?"

"No, just one."

"I see. That still does not satisfy my curiosity as to why you are here."

The man opened the next drawer and groaned when he saw the masses of paper work.

"I'm sure Miss Carter does not appreciate the maid sitting and snooping around her office."

"I was not snooping!"

"Look," the man spoke without turning his head. "If you can help me find this file, I won't get you fired for trespassing."

Lily smirked. "And what file are you looking for?"

"I don't know the name. The one with the Muggle and the Ministry worker. It was the case Jane was working on."

The man ran a hand through his hair. Lily stopped smiling, but then a small grin tugged on the corner of her mouth once she had a moment.

"Did you ever think to ask Jane for the name?"

"No, she's been too… she just told me to come and pick it up."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"I never considered it paradise in the first place."

"Never was paradise, James? And to think you were going to marry her."

James' finger stopped running over the spines of the files, and he angled his head to catch a glimpse of Lily.

"What are you doing here?"

"Working, until you showed up."

"Working? This is Jane's job."

"Yes, I know, but she can't do her job when she has taken a leave of absence."

James shut the cabinet door and turned to face Lily.

"So why am I here?"

"I was going to ask you the same question."

"You're filling in for her?"

"Smart boy."

James glared as Lily crossed her legs and continued to smile.

"Why are you so smug?"

"Dunno, I guess it's just that kind of day."

"A smug day?"

"Yes."

"That's fickle."

"The smugness?"

"Yes."

Lily laughed. "You never really answered my question."

James shuffled his feet and then glanced up to meet Lily's eyes.

"The funeral was this morning; Jane needed something to get her mind off of it."

"Ahh, Jamesie, you're such a good boyfriend"

"Your sarcasm stings, Miss Evans."

"As it should. Now if you don't mind, I have a case to work on."

"What am I suppose to tell Jane? She will murder you when she finds out you're replacing her."

Lily jumped off her desk and walked over to James.

"Just tell her that thanks to me, she has a job."