Part 1: Setting the stage

Chapter I

Lily's breakout

You hold the answer deep within your own mind [...] Nothing is ever really forgotten

The day was dark and the air, heavy and still. The overcast sky and the constant rain seem to drown every sound, save for the static like patter of the droplets on every exposed surface. Charing Cross was packed, all huddled in their coats, as to stave off the cold, all clutching their umbrellas, as to keep as dry as possible.

Save for one hooded figure, diminutive in stature. The crimson cloak fluttered about as she walked fleet-footed like a doe. She darted inside what looked like an old abandoned and derelict dive.

'Damn…' she thought as she pulled the hood closer to her pale face, 'these Muggles go about their day, oblivious to the war that was taking place under their noses.'

For being the oldest pub in London, The Leaky Cauldron had seen better days. Once thriving, now, the only patrons were an ancient crone who survived through centuries and who couldn't be bothered about petty squabbles of, roaches and rats.

She passed the tables and walked out the back door, coming face to face with the bare brick wall. After tapping a couple of bricks, the wall parted in the archway that was the entrance to Diagon Alley.

Her eyes fell on the partly ripped front page of the Daily Prophet, which showed an emerald green snake slithering out of a ghostly skull, on a dark stormy sky, with title Death Eaters Attacks Continue, Wizarding World paralyzed with Fear. The picture stood a stark contrast to the dark wet cobblestones and muddy puddles.

Diagon Alley itself looked drained, the colors bleached and lifeless. Most of the shops' windows were boarded up. No one on the streets, save a lonely scurrying rat, who looked faintly familiar. she did not want to linger in the rain for too long. Unlike her previous visits, this was strictly business. Should she take longer than needed and it could spell her death. Which was not especially unusual nowadays.

Her attention was diverted by the sound of two low voices, coming out of Knockturn Alley.

"Sonny, did ya hear what happened to the Whithorns? Almost nuttin' left of their house… nor them, for that matter. Dayum…" a scruffy old man said with a growl.

"Shit! Forgot, pops, you weren't there… I don't envy you." a younger man said. He looked like he had been in a fight, clothes disheveled, claw marks and dust on his face. "I always said I'd do anything to work with the Dark Lord himself, but… after last night raid… I wish I would have missed it. I've seen torture, but not like this. And that smell?"

"Don't tell me ya turnin' yella now? Dipped yer toe in the pond and already got cold feet?" the old man asked.

"No! I mean, you've told me stories about Fenrir, but I didn't know he could be so turned on by a drop of blood. Nor what he does to children…" the young one drifted off.

"Yeah, the man's a legend! Ye should pay attention when yer with him, there's a lot ye can learn from 'im."

"But.. what happened… that's just… just down right sick! You know I ain't fond of Mudbloods, but hell, I was in the same House with their eldest son, he was a proud Slytherin, his parents were proud of him for getting a job with the Ministry…"

"Ye said it yerself, them were Mudbloods, ye damn fool! And this is a damn war! Everything goes! Haven't ye learned anything from me"

"Torture, I get, even murder when necessary… but raping a 10 year old girl in front of her family and tearing her to pieces afterwards? How can you justify that? Fuck this, Pops, I'm out! I'm sure Dumbledore will be interested in the things I have to say!" the young one said as he started walking away.

"Don't ye dare!" said the old man as he started to change. The eyes glowed a sick yellow and fur started sprouting in patches… He leapt at his cub's throat and both crashed loudly in a trash bin.

She had heard enough. She quickened her step towards her destination, almost tripping on another damned rat, who, no doubt was seeking refuge from the dreadful weather.

In times of peace, the white of Gringotts' building was a beacon of prosperity, however, in present day, it was more a beacon of safety. She knew she was safe the moment she touched the gilded door handle, remembering what was always said about this place - the only place safer than Gringotts is Hogwarts.

She pulled down her hood. Her pale face was framed by a flurry of thick red hair, which stood only to compliment her emerald green eyes.

"So good to see you again, Ms. Evans! Or should I say Mrs. Potter? I do believe a congratulations is in order."

"Thank you. Did not know you to be that courteous, Xan. Age must be getting to you. However, it's nice seeing you remember me, considering I haven't been here in a long while. And didn't I tell you a thousand times to call me Lily?"

"Of course, of course. Though, did I not request the same courtesy, that you not call me by that short name? My name is Xanthos Goldpan and you are not my equal in age."

"You are always the same refreshing golden ray of patience" said Lily. "As much as I would love to stay and catch up with you, old friend, I am in quite a hurry. Could you please take me me to the Potter family vault. James did give me his permission."

"Do you have the key?" Xan asked.

"I do. Here you go."

"Right this way, then" the old goblin replied and led her to the creaky cart train that led deep into the underbelly of Gringotts, where the vaults were located.

There was a time when she would have asked to go on that ride again, but, alas, she was no longer the innocent 11 year old that first entered Gringotts without a clue on what she was supposed to be doing. Xan seemed unchanged tough, even after 10 years - a grumpy looking goblin, with a very amiable demeanor, for his old age.

Lily walked into the Potter family vault, leaving her goblin escort outside. Normally she would have taken some galleons and just walk out. However, considering the current status quo in the world, she needed to have a backup plan. She went straight to the back to the piles of jewels and filled a moleskin bag.

'Jewels should work just as fine in the Muggle world' she thought to herself. Sticking from under one of the piles was a marble hand. She ignored the sight and continued her endeavor. The Potters were an old family, they were bound to have some statues and other odd treasures in their vault. As she filled the bag with rubies and emeralds, diamonds and sapphires, she heard a weird sound. For a second, she thought she heard something being dragged across the granite floor of the vault.

'Impossible' she thought. Xan was supposed to wait outside, as was the goblin custom. Whipping out her wand with a curse on her lips, she surveyed the space around her. She did not see anyone. She then remembered something James said the only time they were here together, shortly after their engagement. He told her there used to be a guardian golem in the family vault, yet no one has seen it for generations. Back then, she dismissed it as just another flamboyant story of his.

The gritting sound of stone rubbing on stone was heard again. It was coming from the piles of jewels. She walked carefully, wand at the ready. Where the marble hand used to be not 2 minutes before, was now an ornate gauntlet with a teardrop-shaped gem mounted on the back of the hand.

'Well, I think I found part of the golem James mentioned.' Lily mused as she resheathed her wand and turned to the door of the vault to go on her merry way. With the door no more than 3 meters away, she thought of her darling baby boy and the prophecy that supposedly pegged him as some sort of Chosen One. "Dumbledore and his stupid prophecies," she muttered. 'One seer spouts utter nonsense about a possible future that involves He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the slightest chance to defeat him, and the old coot thinks it is certainly, without a shadow of a doubt, referring to my family' she thought.

Her musings were cut short as something wrapped around her throat, making her unable to utter a sound. The door to the vault also shutting, made her think of a trap. Something then pierced her right hand and wrist, while metallic wire started to envelop her. Her final thoughts before succumbing to unconsciousness were about her son and loving husband.

Lily found herself floating in a grey limbo, unbound, but immobile. Before her was a figure clad in dark grey armor, with their face shrouded in shadow. It circled her slowly, raising a gauntleted hand to its hidden face, as if deep in thought.

"You are bound in servitude, little one," the figure said with a woman's voice, as casual as if talking about the weather. Lily was startled, taken aback by the overly casual tone of voice. She was even more curious about what the figure said.

'Bound? Bound to what' she asked herself. The woman circled her once more, her movements very much a predator's, however less than threatening. It showed a cautious curiosity. A slight tilt in the head and the probing eyeless stare made Lily think she was reading her mind.

"Bound in servitude to a man who stole your allegiance from one more deserving." The casual tone made Lily forget the sarcastic retort she was cooking up.

"My allegiance to Professor Albus Dumbledore is of my own free will. So is my husband's James. We both joined Order of the Phoenix at Professor Dumbledore's request. Someone needs to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Lily replied. The woman laughed. a laughter that unnerved the young mother. The unseen eyes of the one in front of her seemed to pierce into her soul. As if reading her mind, the strange woman stopped laughing and the unseen face turned towards Lily.

"Alas, it is not Albus Dumbledore I speak of, but your husband," the woman said with scorn in her voice. "He is the heir of the one who betrayed and killed my mistress and imprisoned me in this treasure vault. And he is the one who, by bounding you to himself, imprisoned you as well, little one." Lily was speechless.

"You must be crazy, lady! James did not compel me into anything I didn't want to do." she retorted with barely contained rage. She struggled to get free, but it was all in vain. She continued to float in limbo, unable to move even an inch. The woman closed in and extended her hand towards Lily's forehead.

"Allow me to prove you wrong. With your permission, I shall bring forth the memory of the day you lost your freedom - December 31st 1974. You might not even remember what really happened, but I can sense the shroud that envelops the truth of it. And I can lift it. I believe it will be… quite illuminating to you."

New Year 's Eve 1974. She was trying to remember, but the day was as unremarkable as any other. She had spent it with Petunia and her mom at a skating rink before coming home to a quiet dinner. Not an intimate New Years party with her parents, Severus and his mother Eileen. It never bothered her until now.

But the seed was planted. The mention of 'bound will' and 'shrouded truth' sparked her curiosity. The Gryffindor in her gathered up the courage and said

"Do it." The woman touched her forehead, and Lily found herself transported into the past.

- Flashback -

December 31st, 1974

Lily spent the last day of 1974 out and about the city with her sister, Petunia, and their mother. She always loved the hustle and bustle of her city. It was a good change of pace, compared to her cozy and somewhat predictable life at Hogwarts as it was during the rest of the year.

"No, Petunia. I'm afraid I can't tell you where the entrance to the Magical London is. And you couldn't go on your own, regardless," Lily said with a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"But… Why?" Petunia asked, rolling her eyes.

"You know I love you, Tuney, but we've had this discussion a thousand times already! To Muggles like you and mom, it will not look like anything else other than a run down place. That is, unless I go with you."

"Then let's go. I want you to take me there now!"

"Girls, must you always fight about this right now?" their mother asked. "Petunia, it is almost 7 PM, we don't have time right now. Lily's guests should arrive soon."

"Yeah, take her side, why don't you?" Petunia said, angry at her mother.

"Tuney, Tuney, sometimes, I wish you'd talk less and listen to me before snapping at me. I am not taking any sides," their mother said and turned to her other daughter. "Lily, I want you to promise me that, before you go back, you'll take her window shopping through Dia-Diagonally, or what ever that place is called."

"But, Mo-om! It could be dangerous for her to come in contact with that place. Especially with Voldemort and his goons running around terrorizing everybody," Lily said, somewhat reluctantly. She didn't want to worry her mother too much, choosing to keep her in the dark about what Voldemort really meant to the wizarding world.

"No buts about it, young lady. From what you told me, whatshisname is no more than a hooligan. I am sure there are magic policemen that can keep you safe for a short visit," their mother said, oblivious to her daughter's awkwardness regarding the subject.

"Hmph… Fine!" said Lily, trying her best to keep her tone from betraying her cautiousness. "Oh, and mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"It's Diagon Alley, not 'Dia-Diagonally'. Will you get it right this life time?" added Lily, sticking her tongue out.

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say. It's time we got home. It would be rude to have guests arrive before us," mom said, hailing a cab.

The ride was a fairly quick one, the cab dropping them off in front of their house in less than half an hour. Their home was everything that you would expect, a quaint suburb house, fully decorated for the winter festivities. Her father had the new Beatles disc playing on the record player. Her guests arrived 10 minutes later.

"So glad you could make it," said Lily, giving a warm hug to the always-awkward Severus Snape and a big smile to his mother Eileen.

"Please, do come in" Mrs. Evans chimed in,

"Thank you for having us over. Severus rarely speaks of other people, but he can't stop talking about young Ms Lily Evans," replied Mrs. Snape. "My son makes you something of a prodigy, my dear," she said, turning to Lily. The girl blushed. Sensing that, Severus intervened before his mother could continue.

"Mother, please. Can't you see you are embarrassing her? Not to mention me?"

An uneasy quiet settled in. Sensing the tension, Tuney chirped in:

"Anybody want anything to drink?"

"Yes, a cup of tea would do nicely." Mrs Evans said. "Step into the living room, please. Tuney, put the kettle on, dear."

"Severus, can I have a word with you?" Lily asked on a low voice, while everybody else was making their way to the other room. She took his hand and dragged him to her room. "Are you alright? I told you, they won't bite. So relax a little."

"I know, Lily. I know. But look," the boy said, as he pulled out the crumpled front page of the Daily Prophet. "He started attacking Muggle born wizards and their families…"

"So that is why you're worried. I think this is a safer place than you'd know. I doubt I am even a blip on his radar. Will you just relax already?"

"Fine, don't say I didn't warn you," replied Severus. "But what is that at the window?"

"Is that… an owl? Who would send one at this hour and on this day of all times?" Lily opened the window and a small tawny owl flew in, carrying an even smaller box. It landed on Lily's desk, with a little hoot. It looked pleased with itself.

"Hello, little guy. Where do you come from?" Severus asked as he reached for the package. The owl screeched and tried to bite his fingers.

"I think it is meant for me…" Lily said. The owl hooted and nodded. She untied the string from its leg and read the note written on simple parchment paper. It had only three words: 'To Lily Evans'. No address, no sender, nothing else. Lily was a bit apprehensive. She opened the box and found a bauble with what looked like a replica of her own house enveloped in a swirling mist. "What the hell is this?"

"Don't touch it!" Severus seemed to voice her own concern.

When he saw Lily reaching for the bauble, he quickly grabbed her shoulder. Both felt like they were pulled by a hook from behind their navels - a damn portkey. They both looked around and found themselves in the same place they were when Lily picked up the bauble. The only difference - the lights were off. She tried turning them on, flipping the switch several times, with no luck.

"What the hell happened?" Lily asked, but before Severus could respond, they heard a faintly familiar voice spoke through the darkness.

"Well, well, well. Slimeball, nice of you to join us. However, you really shouldn't be here. You will be dealt with later."

Tendrils shot out of the darkness, enveloped Severus and dragged him out of the room. Lily tried to chase after him, but when she stepped into the hallway, no one was there. The entire house was as dark and as silent as her own room. A scream pierced the darkness. She ran towards the source of the sound, her wand at the ready.

'Screw the Statute of Secrecy', she thought to herself.

Her father laid folded on himself at the bottom of the stairs, his head at an awkward angle. The wall behind him was drenched in blood, eerily shining a red glimmer through the gloom. Lily walked toward him, only to see a huge gash from navel to his throat, his guts slipping through the cut. His eyes were still open, emotionless. She fell to her knees, knowing no spell could bring her father back from this. But she couldn't grieve for long.

"Nooooo! Please, don't! Tuney, RUN!" she heard her mother's pleading cry from the living room. Lily tried to race to save her mother, bumping into the dresser that was in the hallway.

"Moooooom! Nooooo!" Petunia screamed. Lily reached the living room, only to see her mother torn to pieces. No one else was there. She heard the same faintly familiar voice coming from somewhere inside the room.

"Might be a bit too late for her, little flower. I did warn her not to scream." The disembodied voice seemed nonchalant. Lily stepped up with no regard for her own life, wand raised, with Severus' special cutting curse on her lips.

"Expelliarmus." Her wand flew out of her hand and ended up levitating a few feet from her mother's head. "Immobulus." Her hands snapped to her sides. She couldn't move an inch. "Silencio." She couldn't utter a word. Only then did the invisible assailant removed his cloak.

"Hello, my sweet Lilyflower." Her jaw dropped. James Potter was just standing there, with a sickly sweet smile on his lips. "I did warn you, we would have words before the winter break was over. But where are my manners. Please do take a seat." She felt herself levitated towards an armchair. "Want anything to drink? Eat? No? Fair enough, I would be sick to my stomach if I would see my family. Ah, but you still have your lovely sister. Tuney, was it?" Lily's eyes fell on her sister, her body bound by thick ropes.

"Now, let's get to the business at hand," James said with his nonchalant smile still on his lips, pulling out a parchment. "I want you! And you shall be mine! And this agreement will seal it. Don't look at me like that. That rage is unbecoming of a lady, my sweet. Continue and your sister will feel the full brunt of that rage. So, what do you say, my sweet?" With a flick of his wand, Lily's voice was hers again.

"You maniac! This? This is your 'marriage proposal'? By attacking my family?" She looked disgusted. "You must have taken too many bludgers to the head, Potter." James didn't wait for the rest of Lily's reply, before pointing his wand to Petunia.

"Crucio!" His smile disappeared. Petunia was writhing on the floor, screaming her lungs out in excruciating pain.

"TUNEY, NO!" James lifted his wand and the screams subsided.

"I doubt she'll last long."

"You're insane!" Lily spat in his face.

"Then sign! And all will be OK. I can bring them back. I can make all this go away," James said, his sick smile back on his face.

"NO!" James pointed his wand back to Petunia.

"Crucio!" Petunia's screams pierced her entire being.

"Tuney… Nooooo!" James lifted his wand and replied, as though tired of this argument.

"Look Lilyflower. I don't want to force an Unbreakable Vow out of you, nor to use the Imperius curse on you. But I will if you don't do it on your own accept. All this carnage will disappear, you will not remember a thing. All you need to do is to bind yourself to me. Just sign!"

"Fine… Give me the damn parchment!"

"Mobilicorpus." James freed her and handed the parchment alongside a dark quill, but no ink. "I find it fitting you to sign with your own blood." Lily held the parchment in front of her. Reading it, her face contorting into utter disgust.

"Hell No!" she said tearing up the parchment. "This is no 'marriage contract', this is outright slavery."

"In that case, say goodbye to your sister! Avada…"

"WAIT! Who would have thought Gryffindor's poster boy would stoop so low as to resort to the Unforgivables in order to get someone to marry him… I'll do it…" she said with a resigned sigh. "Repair the parchment, I'll sign."

"No, no, no, my sweet. I'm afraid that ship has sailed. The Imperius is an imperfect curse, I have no trust in it, knowing your strength of will. I would rather have some sort of assurance that you will not break this. The Unbreakable Vow it is."

"No…" Lily didn't even have the power to fight this insanity.

"Think of your sister."

"Do it…"

Several minutes later, she found herself free to move, but bound to a man she didn't love.

"One more thing. I have a small confession to make," said James, with his nonchalant smile on his face once again. "You are in a pocket dimension, housed within the bauble you received just seconds ago. This was all an illusion of what would happen if you were to break your vow. It's not only you that will expire, but your entire family."

"You bastard!" Lily lunged at him.

"Obliviate! I think this should do it. You are still bound to me, even if you don't know why," he said. "Time for you to get back to the New Year Festivities. Have fun, my sweet! See you at school!" James raised his wand and her visage shattered.

Lily found herself back in her room, the tiny bauble broken on the floor. She felt someone's hand on her shoulder. Terrified, she turned, raising her wand ready to attack whoever was touching her.

"Are… are you OK?" Severus asked. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. Sorry about the bauble, didn't mean to break it."

"Don't worry. It's OK." She didn't even know why she was so jumpy. "Too bad about the bauble, it looked pretty enough." Petunia barged into the room.

"What are you two lovebirds doing here, all alone?"

"Nothing!" both replied at the same time. Lily felt somewhat sick at that implication.

"Mom and dad want you both down for dinner. Or else."

"Fine. Be there in a second."

The dinner went without a hitch, neither Lily nor Severus remembering anything about what happened just seconds previously.

- End Flashback -

Lily was feeling a little nauseous, but she was unsure why. Was it because of James basically coerced her into entering into a marriage contract? Or was it due to the sudden return to reality? She did have a pretty strong stomach for gruesome stuff, but flying was never her strong suit, so she figured it would be the latter.

In the grey empty limbo, Lily found herself able to move again. The woman was now kneeling in front of her, her gauntleted hand extended. Lily took the proffered hand and rose to her feet.

"How did you do that? How can I know this is the truth?" Lily asked getting more alarmed by the minute.

"I could sense it in the fabric of your being. However potent it might have proved to be so far, it still an amateur's work. And you know it to be true. You can feel it, don't you?" the woman said calmly.

"Yes… but why couldn't I remember it like that? Of course… damn memory curses. Still, if that's what happened, how come Severus never brought that particular New Year up? Why did he not fight for our friendship?"

"Alas, I couldn't see the threads of his past. From what you witnessed, his memory could have been erased as well."

"Why would you show this to me?" Lily wanted to know.

"I showed you the truth about your past because you have been chosen."

"Chosen? What for? Not another non-sensical prophecy, because I am already fed up with Dumbledore's…" The woman cut her rant short.

"Chosen as my bondmate. Your will is your own. What say you?"

"Bondmate? Who the hell are you?" Lily pushed the woman's hand away and tried to scoot back.

"I have no name of my own, young one," the shadow-faced woman replied. "I am a Witchblade, and you are to be my new wielder."

"Witchblade? I thought there was only one! And it was lost after Joan of Arc" Lily replied.

The woman's face came into view for the first time. Lily looked with surprise upon her own face, her eyes - a glowing yellow, her sclera - a piercing black. She then realised what the limbo is - not a physical place, but her mindscape.

"What do I gain from bonding with you?" Lily asked her armoured double. The woman smiled and took her hand once again, lifting her to her feet.

"With me at your side, you'll surpass a giant's strength, a striking snake's speed. You'll be immune to any outside influence. Your wounds will heal in the blink of an eye. Should you call on my full form, you will be virtually invincible." Lily stared into the eyes of her double, a manifestation of the Witchblade most likely, and after a few seconds declared:

"I'm going to rip out James' throat and feed it to him!" The double's face broke into a wide grin.

"You and I will get along famously, little one."

As she rose from the floor of the Potter vault, Lily noticed a bracelet with the tear-shaped gem on her right wrist. The jewel flashed red once and then the bracelet turned transparent.

The door to the vault opened and Xan entered with an even older goblin.

"Mrs. Potter, my name is Styx. I am Chief of Security for Gringotts London. What happened here? The vault sealed itself for a couple of minutes and we couldn't enter." Lily gave the goblin a bow.

"Chief of Security Styx, my apologies. I appear to have tripped one of the wards when I was taking some gems. I am sorry to have alarmed you."

'Where did that come from? Why do I know goblin etiquette?' Lily asked herself.

"Because I am reading his mind and passing the appropriate information to you" said the voice of the Witchblade inside Lily's head. The goblin looked at her for a few seconds, then asked:

"Would you like to have the gems converted to any sort of currency?"

"There will be no need. Thank you for your assistance, that will be all for now."

As the older goblin walked out, Lily turned to a desk at the front of the vault, feeling there was something of importance there. She then opened a drawer, pulled out a roll of parchment that was under a notice-me-not charm and pocketed it. 'An amateur through and through…'

"Time for James Potter's day of reckoning," the voice of the Witchblade said, coldly.

"You got that right" Lily muttered, as she pulled her hood so her face disappeared in the shadowy folds of her cloak.

Authors' note: This is something that has been fermenting around in the plot bunny lair that is my mind ever since I've read "Maybe I'm amazed" by Alethea27. Her Mr Evans made a valid point by saying that a self absorbed bully can do some pretty despicable things to always get what they want. While her James is an immature bully and bigot, he's not hateable. To bring the point of 'who knows what he can think to do to get his girl', I'm going to work from the most dangerous words in the human languages, what if, and hit the James-and-Lily-true-love malarkey with a 50cal explosive round. And i mean: what kind of stupid damsel in distress out of Sandra Brown or Danielle Steel chooses the bully of her BFF as her partner, knowing at least partly that James was targeting Severus SPECIFICALLY? The fact that he thought he had the right to decide who the Gryffs befriended and hang out with, does not mean he actually HAS the right to do so or enforce it. The guy got away with conspiracy to commit murder because Dumbles FORCED the injured party to shut up. In my head, that makes a man escalate his unlawful endeavours...