rockstar-101: You are absolutely my favorite person alive. And I have to say thanks for pretty much the best compliment ever:-D

Untamed Loner: First, I want to say, recommendations? Cool! Second, I'm glad that you're enjoying my story… YAY!

There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. - Laurence Robert Binyon

Every dragon gives birth to a St. George who slays it. – Kahlil Gibran

Chapter Fifteen

James and Lily had just gotten by Mr. Filch when they heard their names being called. They turned to find Sirius running through the Entrance Hall. "You're not allowed in Hogsmead." Filch sneered.

"Thanks, I was aware of that actually." Sirius said. "Lily, I need to ask you something, er, privately." James looked at the pair of them curiously as they stepped away. "I need you to keep James in Hogsmead until five thirty."

"Sure," Lily replied, "shouldn't be a problem. I'll see you then."

"Wait, I, er, actually have to ask you something." Sirius said. Lily raised an eyebrow, "Er, what's Emily's favorite food?"

"Emily's favorite food?" Lily repeated. "Why?"

"I, er, sort of asked her on a date."

Lily grinned, "It's about bloody time."

It was Sirius' turn to raise his eyebrows, "Do you really want to go there?"

Lily snickered, shook her head, "No, I suppose not. Anyway," she said waving a hand, "Emily really likes roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding."

"Roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding; got it. Thanks. Have fun in Hogsmead." Sirius said before trotting back up the stairs.

Lily shook her head and walked back to James, and in doing so she caught a glimpse of Mordred Burke and Regulus Black in a heated argument. "Think we should break it up?" Lily asked inclining her head towards the two.

James looked over, "Nah, they deserve whatever they get. So, what did Sirius want to ask you that he couldn't ask me?"

Lily looked over her shoulder at the two arguing Slytherins before walking out the door with James. "Wow, it's cold." She muttered as soon as they stepped outside. "He wanted to know what Emily's favorite food was. Apparently he asked her out."

"Did he really now?" James asked with a devilish glint in his eye. "I wonder why he didn't tell me."

Lily looked over at James and giggled, "Yeah, I wonder why. You know that you'd take the mickey out of him for it."

James grinned down at her and threw his arm over her shoulder, "Yeah, and I'm still going to when we get back later. He's going to deserve it to, after all the shit he said to me about you. And that went on for years." Lily giggled again. "Bloody wanker." James said affectionately.

Lily rested her head on James' shoulder, "So, what do you want to do first?"

"I dunno, want to head into Honeydukes?"

"Sure, I haven't been there in ages. Hey, you think that they'll be giving out free fudge?"

James shrugged, "Dunno, they usually do on Halloween, but it's still a couple of days before."

"I hope they are. Anyway, you want to head to the Three broomsticks after, we can warm up and such."

"Sounds like a plan. So, Lily."

Lily raised her eyebrow, "So, James."

James smiled, "Want to give me any hints as to what you got me for my birthday?"

Lily grinned up at him, "I was supposed to get you something?" She asked feigning surprise. James pinched her lightly, "Hey!" She giggled smacking him playfully.

"You know, Lily, despite what Slughorn said I never thought that you were a particularly cheeky person, but I've begun to change my mind since last year."

They walked into Honeydukes and took simultaneous, deep breaths. "I love the way it smells in here." Lily said.

"Me too, it reminds me of when I was little, my mum used to make candy and such so the house always used to smell like this. That's actually how she got me into cooking in the first place."

Lily looked over at him, "That's very sweet."

"Yeah, that's me, sweet."

Lily kissed him quickly, "You are."

An hour later, each carrying a bag bulging with sweets, Lily and James fought their way through the crowd of student to get to the street. "You know, I think the only thing that I don't like about Honeydukes is the fact that it's always just about filled to bursting."

James looked down at his watch, it was one thirty, "I'd be surprised if the Three Broomsticks isn't the same right now."

Lily glanced at her own watch, sighed, "Yeah. Do you want to go somewhere else before we head there then?"

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea; if we try to head into The Three Broomsticks right now we'll be lucky if we can move a pinky."

Lily laughed, started walking slowly towards the Shrieking Shack, "You know it's not nearly as interesting when you know that it's not really haunted." She said in a low voice.

"No, it's not, is it? Here," James said, "there's some other shops over this way. I think there's a coffee shop." He said walking a little off High Street.

"Really?" Lily said surprised. "I didn't know that. I don't think I've ever really come over here."

"I have, but I've never really gone into any of the shops. Sirius told me about the coffee shop."

"Madam Puddifoot's, of course. I don't know why I didn't realize it was over here."

James raised his eyebrow, "You know it then?"

"I've heard other girls talking about it." She replied.

They walked into the shop and, barely in the door, stopped dead. Lily blinked, looked at the frilly curtains on the windows, the equally frilly table cloths, the lurid pink walls, "Oh, my god."

"Can I help you?" A middle aged woman asked.

Lily and James looked at each other, "Er, no, thanks." James said in a choked voice. The woman gave them a stern look as they ducked out the door. The door had barely closed when they burst into laughter.

James clutched at his side, "Merlin, I can't breathe."

Lily leaned on James for support, wiped tears out of her eyes with a gloved hand, "Let's never do that again."

James grinned, "Definitely not." He agreed. "I say that we head down to The Three Broomsticks, it might be over crowded, but it's not…"

"Tacky." Lily laughed. "And," she giggled harder. Took a deep breath, tried again, "Bloody hell, it looks like my sisters room when she lived at home." James grinned, pulled Lily close and kissed her.

"LILY!" A voice squealed from behind them.

Both Lily and James turned, to see Emily sprinting towards them. Dorcas, Gideon, and Alice all rolled their eyes, but they were smiling. "Hey James, I need to borrow Lily for a second. I know you're on a date, but Lily, you have to come with me for a second." Emily said quickly, grabbing Lily's arm and dragging her a few meters away.

James walked slowly over to his friends, "Was that about her and Sirius?"

"Yeah, she's about as bad as Lily was with you." Dorcas said.

James raised his eyebrow interestedly, was about to ask a question, but was interrupted by Alice, "Please, nothing is that bad. Walking around with that smile, singing in the bathroom; Merlin help us if Emily is that bad." She said laughing.

"Singing in the bathroom?" James asked, "I don't think I've ever heard Lily sing."

Dorcas and Alice looked at one another, "Count yourself lucky then." They giggled.

"Em, what's this all about?" Lily asked.

"Sirius asked me out." She sighed.

Lily grinned at her, "I knew you fancied him."

"We're going to do something tomorrow, since tonight's James' party." Emily said. "I can't wait to see what he's got planned."

Lily grinned again, "I think it might have something to do with having dinner with him."

"How do you know that?" Emily squealed again.

"Just before James and I left he asked me what your favorite food was."

Emily grinned, "I'm so excited; you have no idea." She raised her eyebrows, looked over to James, "Or maybe you do."

Lily hugged Emily tightly, "I'm so happy for you. You have to tell me exactly how it happened."

"Well, yeah. Tonight after the party, we'll have a whole big girl night."

"Perfect, and thanks to James I know where the kitchen is, so we can head down there later, and get whatever we want. Then tomorrow you have to tell me all about the date when you get back." Lily replied.

"Of course." Emily said grinning as they walked back to their friends.

"Ready now?" Alice asked.

"Yep. James here's your girlfriend back. Have a good time on the rest of your date." Emily said. Then turning to Gideon and Dorcas, "Alice and I'll meet you back here in an hour and a half so that we can switch."

Lily and James looked at each other, "Er, what?"

Gideon, Dorcas, Alice, and Emily all laughed at the looks on James and Lily's faces, "We're getting our Christmas shopping out of the way since you two didn't plan any other Hogsmead days before then." Gideon said.

"Plus, you know how Dorcas is with presents; we have to make sure she can't spy on anyone buying her presents."

Lily shook her head as Dorcas grinned sheepishly, "You're ridiculous." She laughed.

Dorcas shrugged, "I like presents." She responded. "Oh, that reminds me; have you two seen Remus and Peter."

James looked over to Lily, who shrugged at him. "We haven't seen them, why?"

Alice rolled her eyes again, "They're shopping for presents too, aren't they?"

Dorcas grinned, "Maybe."

Lily snickered, rolled her eyes, "Well, you have fun. We'll see you guys later."

"So, Dorcas is that person in your dorm." James asked.

"Yeah. Don't tell me, Sirius is the one in yours."

James grinned, "Surprisingly, no, it's Remus."

"Really?" Lily asked. "Huh, I wouldn't have thought it. Remus always seemed like the one who'd be able to hold out for presents." She shrugged, "It's bloody annoying, isn't it? I had to buy Dorcas' Christmas gifts, wrap them, and hide them two months early last year. Even then she found them a bit early. I ended up chasing her 'round the castle. Well, before I was stopped by McGonagall and Slughorn, anyway."

James grinned, "Yeah, I remember. That was the day that we officially became friends."

Lily smiled back, "Yeah. You know, I should get her something extra this year for that." She said absently.

They walked into the Three Broomsticks, which was packed with students, "Er, why don't you try and find a table and I'll get the drinks." James said looking around the crowded pub. "Butterbeer?"

"Yeah, thanks."

By the time James made his way over to her, Lily had stretched out in a quiet booth in the corner, "How'd you manage to get this table?"

Lily grinned, "I may have charmed a group of fourth year Ravenclaws. They all suddenly remembered that they had to do a big potions essay."

James chuckled, "I think that I'm a bad influence on you; charming people so that you can get a table. But, good thinking, no one will question a bunch of Ravenclaws going back early to finish homework."

Lily took a sip of her Butterbeer, "I really do love this stuff. And don't make fun of Ravenclaws; I'll have you know that the Sorting Hat seriously considered putting me in Ravenclaw."

James raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Lily shrugged, "Yeah, but it decided at the last minute that I belonged in Gryffindor instead; though if you ask Slughorn, I belong in Slytherin." She shook her head, "Yeah, only if I wanted to sleep with my eyes open every night."

James nodded in agreement, "I don't think that you would've done well in Slytherin, apart from the fact a good chunk of them hate Muggle-borns. You don't really have the qualities for Slytherin, well at least not predominately."

"Thanks." Lily said slowly, scrunching up her face. "I think."

"No, it was a compliment."

"Okay."

"No, think about it, you're cunning; look what you did to get a table here, and you're obviously ambitious, but you don't, I dunno, don't let it take over, I guess. And Slughorn thinks that pretty much all of the students he favors belong in his house, he likes to have them all close to him. I think that's why he came up with the Slug Club, because the Sorting Hat doesn't cooperate and put everyone he likes into Slytherin."

"You know, I never really thought about it, but that does make a lot of sense, actually."

"Yeah, every now and again I have a good idea."

Lily grinned, "Once in awhile." She agreed. James stuck his tongue out at her as she continued, "Did the Sorting Hat consider you for any of the other houses? I seem to remember it being over pretty quickly for you."

"It was. No, it pretty much sat on my head for a second before deciding to put me into Gryffindor. Both my parents were in Gryffindor, and nearly everyone on my dad's side of the family has been as well."

"That sort of thing seems to run in families, doesn't it?" Lily said.

"Usually." James agreed. "But not always, I mean, look at Sirius. Mostly everyone in his family's been in Slytherin, there's been a couple of Ravenclaws, like his cousin, Andromeda, but he was the first Black ever to be put into Gryffindor."

Lily glanced over James shoulder and saw Regulus Black and Isolde Rosier sitting at a table sipping on their own Butterbeers, "It's weird how some people are so unlike the rest of their families."

"Yeah." James shook his head, "So, where do you want to go after this?"

"I dunno, maybe just look around some of the shops; see if I see anything for anyone for Christmas."

James shrugged, "Can we go to Zonko's?"

Lily smirked, "Yeah, we can go to Zonko's if you want."

"Cool, so, you almost ready?" James asked draining the rest of his Butterbeer.

Lily finished her own Butterbeer, stood up adjusted her cloak and pulled her scarf tightly around her. "Yeah, let's go."

James shoved his hands into his pockets as they stepped outside, "I knew it was going to be cold this year."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah. You've latent seer powers that you can use to predict the weather. They'll come in handy if you ever want a spot on the muggle news."

James smiled, "Don't knock my…" He stopped short, looked down at Lily whose brow was furrowed, "Did you hear that?"

"It sounded like someone screaming." They had only taken a few steps towards the scream when they saw nine black clad figures; eight of them were masked, the ninth, the one in the center, turned their insides to ice. "Oh, my god." Lily whispered. "Voldemort."

James grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the alley beside The Three Broomsticks as a flash of green light and a cold laughter filled the air.

"Death Eaters! T-there are Death Eaters coming!" Yelled a short brown haired boy before he fell to the ground with a flash of green.

"Oh god! Run!" Shouted Gideon, grabbing Dorcas' hand and ducking under a flash of light. The command was hardly necessary; the teenagers who had been occupying the street were running in every direction.

"We've got to get back!" Called a blonde boy. "Someone one get professor!"

"Quick get inside, everyone hurry, get into a building!" Shouted Alice, running for the door to Honeydukes, followed closely by several shorter children.

"Avada Kedavra." Said the stocky figure in a black robe and mask, laughing slightly as Emily dropped in a flash of green light. "Filthy mudblood. Come out, come out little kiddies. There's no Dumbledore here to protect you now." He said to the now deserted street of Hogsmead.

In the alleyway between two buildings Lily and James were crouched down behind several trash cans. "Merlin, we've got to do something. They're going to start going into the stores, everyone'll be trapped in there." Whispered Lily.

James nodded gravely. "I think they've already killed…"

He broke off as the teens heard a loud crash from the mouth of the alley, they both tried to press themselves into the wall. "I know someone's in back here. If you come out it'll be quick I promise." Giggled a woman's voice. "If not, well, I suppose more fun for me then."

Get Dumbledore mouthed James. Lily shook her head furiously, "I won't go back without you." She hissed.

James took a deep breath and waved his wand; a ghostly white stag erupted from the end. "Tell Dumbledore there's Death Eaters. Hurry!" He whispered.

"There you are. Crucio!" James plummeted to the ground and screamed.

Lily jumped up, wand raised, "Petrificus Totalus!" She yelled, the black clad figure suddenly froze and fell back. "James, James, are you alright?" She asked, helping him off the ground.

"Been better, let's go before they find us, Lily." He murmured. Both teens snuck behind the building and stopped for a moment. "You can still go back, go find a teacher."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "I am not leaving you here alone."

"Had to try."

"Yeah, any chance you'll go?" She asked. It was James's turn to raise an eyebrow, "Didn't think so. Okay, so what do we do?"

James closed his eyes and took a deep breath; there was more screaming coming from the street. "We're going to have to sneak around and try to take them by surprise."

Lily nodded, then taking a deep breath of her own pulled his head down to hers and pressed her lips roughly to his. "Just in case, er, you know." She said solemnly.

"Everything's going to be fine, I promise." His voice shook at the end, and they both knew he lied.

They both put their backs to the wall and crept along the side; James poked his head around the corner, "Alright, Lil, on the count of three. Just stop them however you can, all we have to do is hold them off until Dumbledore gets here. One, two, three!"

Both jumped out and shouted, "Stupefy!" at the same time. Two black robed figures fell to the ground. The other six turned, surprised, and began to send spells back.

It wasn't long before James and Lily had been separated, "Crucio!" Lily fell, screaming, to the ground.

"Stupefy!" Shouted Gideon, while the Dorcas helped Lily to her feet.

"Okay?" She asked.

"Fine, Gideon go help James, he's surrounded by four of them." Lily said desperately.

"On it."

"Lookie, lookie, what do I have here?" Said the woman who had cornered Lily and James in the alley. "It's the mudblood and her filthy half-blood friend." Then without giving the girls a chance to respond she waved her wand. The girls went flying through the air. Lily hit the brick wall to The Three Broomsticks, as she fought to keep conscious she saw Dorcas raise her wand to the Death Eater, and then nothing as the blackness overtook her.

She woke to the sound of a cold, high pitched laughter. "They're all down Potter, all your little friends. Dead most likely." Voldemort said dismissively. Lily glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw that both Gideon and Dorcas were lying on the ground, Dorcas in what looked horribly like a pool of blood. "I'll give you a choice: join me, or die like the reset of them."

"No, never." James said, defiantly raising his chin. "You'll have to kill me." Lily saw that he was bleeding profusely from a gash on his arm, and his nose looked to be broken.

"You had your chance, say hello to all of your little friends," Voldemort said. Lily raised her wand and had a wooden trash can floating slightly in the air, she used her wand to move it in front of James at the same time the Voldemort said, "Avada Kedavra." The trash can exploded and she saw James fall before passing out again.

"Lily, Merlin Lily, you've got to wake up. Please." James pleaded. Lily's eyes fluttered, "Oh thank Merlin. Wake up baby, come on."

"James!" Lily cried bolting upright and hugging him. "Uh, definitely should not have done that." She said closing her eyes and paling.

"Yeah, you've got a concussion. They didn't want to do anything until you were awake." James replied.

"Lovely." She muttered. Then her eyes widened in fear, "Oh god, Gideon, Dorcas? Are they alright? What about everyone else, is everyone okay?" Lily asked in a rush.

James looked into Lily's eyes, the tears he was fighting still managing to leak out. "Gideon and Dorcas are fine, but, Merlin Lily, Emily; they got her with Avada Kedavra."

"No." Lily moaned. "How bad? How many others?" Lily asked, tears already streaming down her face.

"It's bad Lil, at least six dead; I don't know how many hurt, a lot." He replied.

"I need, I need to see, James."

"Alright, here, I'll help you up."

The sight of the usually cheery Hogsmead stole her breath. The street was covered in glass and tinged horribly red, the buildings themselves had missing bricks, and large black craters in the walls. There were students crying in groups looking around helplessly. Teachers with bleak looks on their faces were leading students back up to the school.

In the middle of the street Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore spoke in hushed tones, both looking grave. "I think that's the last." Professor McGonagall said in a choked voice gesturing to the seven bodies that now lined the street.

Lily sobbed, there, in the middle was a once pretty girl with brown hair. "Emily." Her face broke and her knees buckled, "Oh, god. No, no, no."

James caught her before she hit the ground; he pressed her face to his neck as she sobbed, "I know, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." James murmured into her hair as he slowly lowered to sit on the ground. Both Dumbledore and McGonagall turned at the sound of their voices.

James watched as the bodies disappeared with a wave of Dumbledore's hand. McGonagall and Dumbledore walked to them, "Miss Evans, you need to drink this." McGonagall said gently, holding out a vial of purple liquid. "Miss Evans." McGonagall said again when Lily hadn't moved.

James held out his hand, "I'll take it professor." He said taking the vial. "Lily." James said pulling Lily away from him slightly. He brushed her hair out of her face, his hand resting at the back of her head, his eyes locked on her bloodshot ones, "Lil, you need to take this." Lily sniffed, ran a hand under her runny nose, and quickly drank the contents of the vial.

"Miss Evans, are you hurt any where?" McGonagall asked.

Lily's lower lip trembled violently, "My head." She mumbled through her tears.

McGonagall's eyes filled, but she held back the tears. "I know." She said softly, "That is to be expected."

"No, the back."

James narrowed his eyes, pulled his hand away from the back of Lily's head, "Professors!" James said worriedly held out his bloody hand.

McGonagall's eyes widened in shock as Dumbledore bent down to Lily. He gently moved Lily's hair out of the way to tap his wand softly where a deep cut was seeping blood. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" Lily didn't answer; she just stared blankly over Dumbledore's shoulder, at the place where the bodies had been. "Lily." Dumbledore said softly. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Lily shook her head. "I hate him." Lily said in a tight voice, her face was hard as stone, "I hate him, and I swear to god, I don't care what I have to do, I'm going to stop him or I am going to die trying."

"Miss Evans," McGonagall started.

Lily interrupted her, "She was my friend." She cried, "My best friend. And she was killed because she didn't have the right blood, because she was in the wrong spot at the wrong time, because for years people have been too afraid to stand up to him; people who've been too afraid that they're going to be next, so it's their fault as much as his. He may've killed Emily, but they stood by and let it happened. I'm not going to be one of those people, not anymore; I'm not going to stand by while Voldemort kills other innocent people, just to prove that he can, that he's powerful. "

Dumbledore's eyes went cold and flat, and James knew why Voldemort and the Death Eaters had fled when they found out Dumbledore was near. "Minerva, take them back to the castle. The students should be gathered in the Great Hall. I'll be there soon, try to calm them as much as you can until I get there."

McGonagall nodded, "Alright. Come on then." She said to Lily and James.

James stood, helped Lily to her feet, "Your arm? Your nose?" Lily asked as James wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'll have a scar on my arm, but nothing big."

"Okay." Lily said in a hollow voice. "Professor, who else was," Her voice broke. Lily closed her eyes, swallowed, and her voice went hollow again, "Who else was killed."

McGonagall's lips tightened, "Michael Edwards," James shut his eyes remembering the fourth year boy from he'd seen in the common room recently. "Circe Toothill, Richard Cunningham, and Adam Dickinson from Hufflepuff." McGonagall continued, "Millicent McMillan from Ravenclaw, and Isolde Rosier from Slytherin."

McGonagall led them into the Great Hall where most of the school was already gathered. "It seems Dumbledore has already sent word to the school." She said to herself.

"Professor McGonagall!" Hagrid called across the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall walked over to Hagrid as a shout of "LILY! JAMES!" came across the hall. Dorcas pushed herself through the other students, "Thank Merlin, you're alright, we didn't know. They've said people have died, and we thought…" She shook her head launched herself at James and Lily hugging them tightly. Alice and Marlie followed suit, as did the Remus, Gideon, Peter, and Sirius.

"Do you know where Emily is? We haven't seen her yet." Sirius asked looking around at the students still filing into the Great Hall.

Lily turned herself into James and began to sob again; James wrapped his arm around her again. Dorcas' eyes widened, as tears started to fall down her cheeks. Marlie began to shake violently. Gideon pulled her into his arms as she started to sob, his own eyes watering. Alice started murmuring, "Not again, not again." Over and over again. Peter looking incredibly frightened squeezed her arm in comfort.

Sirius shook his head, "No, Merlin, no. Tell me that she's just hurt, not that she's not. She can't be. Emily's only seventeen years old. We were supposed to go on our first date tomorrow night, I planned a dinner." Sirius said bleakly.

The girls cried harder, Remus, his face a picture of sorrow, looked at Sirius, "I'm so sorry, Padfoot." No one noticed it was the first time Remus had spoken to Sirius in nearly seven months.

"How many people?" Alice choked out. "There've been rumors of fifteen."

"Seven students: Mick Edwards, three Hufflepuffs, a Ravenclaw, and a Slytherin." James muttered, stroking Lily's hair. "I don't know how many villagers, if any."

"How could people do this?" Marlie asked.

"Voldemort's a sick bastard." Gideon said viciously.

The Great Hall was filled with people, students and teachers alike, looking around blankly, tears falling from their eyes, devastated looks on their faces. When Dumbledore walked into the room the only sounds that could be heard were the sobs of the students.

"Today is a dark day in Hogwarts history." Dumbledore said. "A day of extreme loss, extreme sorrow. Today Voldemort," there was a collective shudder at the name, "and his followers chose to attack the people of Hogsmead, the children of this school. Today we lost seven boys and girls for no other reason then they were there."

"There is nothing that I can say to ease the hurt, the grief for those of you who were there, for those of you who were not. I can offer the cold comfort that this will not happen again; Voldemort will not lay a hand on another student in this school while I am the Headmaster."

"You all need to grieve, but remember you mustn't let yourselves be overcome with grief, seek comfort in others. The only true way Voldemort is going to be defeated is through unity not division; by people who are willing to stand for what is right, not by standing idly by. When you question what you should do, how you should act, remember those seven students who were lost today, the many more who nearly joined them, and let that help you to decide."

A/N: Okay, so, I've been dreading writing this chapter from the very beginning, and was sorely tempted to make all this happen later, but I've had when everything happens planned out from the beginning, but still, I was tempted. I've actually had this chapter written for a while, but while I was typing it up I found the story had other plans… plans that would not let me be until I finished writing them, which is why this chapter is up so quickly. Anyway, let me know what you think of it.