Witches and wizards disappear all the time. In fact, if you're a witch or a wizard who can't disappear, it's very likely that you're not a very competent one. Between apparition and floo powder and vanishing cabinets, disappearing is practically a hobby for the modern witch and wizard.

But even in a world of magic, some disappearances are too mysterious to be explained. When a witch or wizard apparates, they have a destination. They can be followed; they leave tracks.

Some disappearances are to be expected. Magic is a risky business, even when there isn't a war brewing. When there is the threat of war… well, when you disappear, you may find people don't look too hard, especially if your disappearance isn't through space, but through time.

War was heavy in the air in August 1978. Lily could feel it weighing upon her, but in this quaint muggle town in Scotland, life went on.

"Smile, Lily!"

Lily quirked the corners of her mouth up in what she hoped was a smile, rather than a grimace. The camera flashed. As she blinked away the brightness, her father lowered the camera, beaming.

"That's our beautiful graduate!" he said.

"Enough pictures," her mother said. "We're going to annoy the locals."

Petunia raised her chin. "You need one of me, first."

Lily obligingly moved back to her parents as Petunia took her spot, right in the middle of the picturesque street. After some thought, Petunia moved her left hand to rest against her face, turning her cheek slightly so that her hand was more visible. From beside Lily, her mother sighed.

"So pretty!" Lily said. "It's a lovely ring, Petunia."

At first, all of them had gushed about the engagement ring, but after several days of a vacation filled with not-so-subtle hints to admire it, Lily was the only one still willing to indulge Petunia.

Petunia's face twisted into feigned surprise. "Oh… I always forget that I'm wearing it, but you're right, it will be in that picture, won't it?"

In a way, Lily thought, it was easy to be jealous of her. Petunia, who was tall and blonde. Petunia, who was marrying a respectable man with a good job. Petunia, who wouldn't have to leave to fight in a war after this last family vacation.

"Your school is in Scotland, isn't it?" Lily's father asked her.

Her mother gasped. "Are we close? Could we go see it?"

Lily hid a smile, genuine this time. "Erm, no. I'm afraid it has some precautions against…"

"Sightseers?" her father said with a wink.

Her mother frowned. "You mean… oh. How fascinating."

If her mother had been a witch, Lily knew she would go into Ravenclaw. Her mother's thirst for knowledge was unparalleled, and Lily could easily picture her mother as a scholar, writing on the theory of magic, if such a branch of study existed.

"Why are we talking about school?" Petunia interrupted. "Lily's already graduated, and can't we talk about something normal?"

As she spoke, she fiddled with her ring anxiously. Their parents exchanged a look.

Lily cast around for a subject change. "Tell us how you met Vernon again. It's such a cute story…"

She trailed off. Down the cobblestoned street, she could have sworn she saw two familiar faces, but that was impossible. What would they be doing in a muggle town in Scotland?

"You don't sound interested," Petunia was saying irritably.

"What?" her father asked, following Lily's gaze.

"Let's go into that shop," Lily said, taking Petunia by the arm and pulling her towards a rather uninteresting-looking antique shop.

"Why would we go into there?" Petunia said. "It looks like rubbish in there-"

Lily ignored her. The bell over the door tinkled as they walked into the brightly lit shop. A large clock ticked loudly to her right, next to a large, gilt-framed mirror. Lily took in her pale reflection.

She hadn't seen James Potter since before graduation. He had mysteriously disappeared along with his friends right before the ceremony, and Lily had been surprised to find she missed him there. She was certain that his presence would have brought a sense of fun to an otherwise stiff and formal occasion. Missing him soon turned to irritation; did he think himself too cool to come to his own graduation? Had he gotten expelled days before finishing school because of one of his stupid pranks? Only later did she find out the real reason he had missed the ceremony, a reason that replaced her irritation with guilt.

Many times, she had tried to write him a letter, but she hadn't known what to say. Every word she wrote felt empty, unable to properly convey the real sadness she felt for him. It was true that her relationship with James Potter was complicated, and had only recently approached anything close to civility. Still, whatever rocky history they shared, she would never have wished for him to lose his parents.

If that was him on the street, how could she face him? She had sent him no condolences, and she still wasn't sure what to say.

It must have been someone who looked like him, she told herself. There was no way he would be in this muggle town at the same time as her. She couldn't be that unlucky.

For a few minutes, Lily busied herself with looking at postcards.

"Nice, aren't they?" her mother said.

Lily didn't tell her mother that she preferred ones with pictures that moved. Instead, she nodded her agreement and placed the picture of a castle much like Hogwarts back on the shelf.

"Can we go yet?" Petunia asked, smiling between clenched teeth.

Lily took a deep breath and followed her family out the door, just as James Potter walked by.

He did a double take, then pulled Sirius to a stop. "Evans?"

She meant to say something eloquent, something involving condolences.

Instead, she said, "What are you doing here?"

She felt her face flush.

"Oh." He looked taken aback. "A… vacation, I suppose."

"I didn't think this was a popular holiday destination for people like us."

Petunia elbowed her, looking around nervously. "Lily."

James seemed to notice her family for the first time. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Evans, and Petunia."

"I'm sorry," Lily said. "I'm being so rude. Mom, Dad, Petunia… this is James Potter and Sirius Black."

To Lily's complete humiliation, her mother said, "I've heard a lot about you both. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," James said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Ah, yes," her father said. "You were head boy, weren't you?"

James nodded. "That's right."

"Look," Lily said quickly. "I heard about… I'm so sorry about…"

James grimaced. "Don't. Please. I… I actually came here to get away from all that."

An awkward silence fell between them.

"Nice to meet you," Sirius said. "We'll be off, then."

"No," her mother said. "You should join us for dinner."

Petunia looked horrified.

"Yes," her father agreed. "We're just staying at the bed and breakfast down the street. Meet us there at six?"

James and Sirius exchanged a look. Based on Sirius's carefully blank expression, Lily was sure that they were about to politely decline.

"We'd love to," James said. "Thank you."

Lily's heart sank.