A/N: Seriously, how many chapters are we into this story? I shouldn't need to say it.
"Alice?" Frank murmured into the darkness. "Yes, Frank, who else would it be?" Alice said, rolling her eyes and grinning. Even though they were being held captive and they would probably die very soon, she was glad that she was here with Frank. She really did care about him, and she knew he loved her more than anything. "Alice, we need to escape. We need to get out of here soon." Alice's mind went into full-on Auror mode, "What do you suggest Longbottom?"
James apparated outside of Sirius's flat in Diagon Alley before work. He strode into his kitchen and began rummaging around for food. You see, his own kitchen was empty because Alice had always done the grocery shopping and after she died, people had brought him enough casseroles to last over a month. Lily had promised to bring him some groceries later today. But now, James had no food and he was hungry.
He opened up one of the cupboards, where was Sirius's butterbeer? In fact, where was Sirius? Just then, Sirius apparated directly on top of him. James fell to the ground, with Sirius sitting on top of him, looking around wildly. "Padfoot," James wheezed, "Gerroff me." Sirius looked down at James, laughed, and stood up. "Where were you?" James asked. Sirius grinned wickedly, "Out with a beautiful girl named Charity something or other." James laughed, "All night? Seriously Padfoot, could you move any faster?"
Sirius snorted, "You should talk. What about you and Lily?" James stiffened, after that night, he had expected everything to change; but it hadn't. It wasn't like that night had never happened though, those few hours would be embedded in both of their memory's forever. Things just didn't change much. Maybe everything was the same because their entire friendship was based on change, James really didn't know.
"Padfoot," he said seriously, "My fiancé just died and Lily was her best friend. Nothing is going on, you know that. I'm not ready to be involved with anyone. It's too soon for both of us, we can't just forget as easily as you may have." Sirius clamped a hand on James's shoulder, "Whoa. Relax Prongs. I was just playing around. I know that you and Evans are just friends. Calm down. I'm your best mate, in case you forgot."
The plan was ready. It was to be simple, quick, and easy. But they would need some assistance. "Why hadn't I thought of that weeks ago?" Alice groaned, clearly disappointed with herself, "Its so obvious." "Its alright, love," Frank tried to console her, "You didn't grow up with any, so you wouldn't think that they would be able to help. Even wizards that did have them may not think of it." Alice smirked, "Are you trying to say that your brilliant?"
"If you say so," Frank teased back. Alice smiled and then became serious again, "But will it work, he lives with your parents, doesn't he? So will he still come?" Frank nodded determinedly, "Of course it will work. We'll just have to wait until Snape comes down here for the last time tonight. And then we'll act, got it?" Alice nodded fervently. Frank leaned back against the wall, "Good. Its going to work, Alice, I know it is."
Just like Frank said they would, they waited until Snape came downstairs. Alice tried desperately to act normal, but she was fidgety. As soon she heard the door close, Frank was by her side. "Ready?" he whispered to her, taking and squeezing her hand. She squeezed his hand back, "Ready." Frank cleared his throat and called out, "Gily, I need you." There was a crack, and Alice saw a house elf appeared before her. "Master Frank! Where has Master Frank been? Mistress Longbottom has been very worried about Master Frank, indeed! How can Gily assist Master Frank?"
"Gily," Frank directed, "I need you to help us escape. Can you do Side-Along-Apparition with both of us?" Gily shook his head and explained sadly, "Mistress Longbottom ordered Gily to never do Side-Along with Master Frank again, not after Master Frank asked Gily to help Master Frank sneak out of Master Frank's Great-Great-Great aunt's birthday tea when Master Frank was thirteen. Mistress Longbottom said no more Side-Along after that." Alice bent down to the elf's height and said, "But did she say anything about me? What if you helped me escape and I grabbed on to Frank as we left?" Gily thought for a moment, "Mistress Longbottom said nothing about Miss, but Mistress Longbottoms said no appartition for Master Frank ever." Alice thought for a minute, but Frank spoke up, "Gily, disregard any rules that my mother has set down for you for fifteen minutes. When your family first started working for mine, the son overruled the mother."
Gily bobbed his head up and down , "Master Frank is right! Master Frank is a smart smart boy!" Alice grinned, "Alright Gily. Ready?" Gily grasped her hand and she grabbed Frank's. "Let's go, Gily," Frank said. And with a lurch, the two people and the house elf were gone. A moment later, they could feel the crisp, cool air of muggle London. Alice, sighed, relieved, they were free; it was done.
It was done. Lily stood up, brushed off her hands, and looked around. The room looked much bigger now that it was empty. It had taken so much time and determination. After the night when Frank went missing, it became some sort of unspoken agreement to finish clearing out her room. They needed this. But Lily and James had finished nevertheless. "You realize that it isn't her room anymore?" Lily turned, she hadn't seen James walk back into the room, and the tone of his voice startled her, "We can't call it Alice's room now, because it isn't. This room can be anything I want it to be. It's not hers anymore. All her stuff's gone; she's gone. Everything is gone,"
James finally looked up and realized that he was wrong. Because someone was still here. Someone had always been here. Someone who had helped him clean out Alice's room, who had helped him close that chapter of his life. All of Alice's things were packed away, out of sight…out of mind. He was free now, he could do anything, he could be with anyone … or someone.
Because someone was still here. Someone had always been here and now he could be here too. He was free, but was he ready? Right now he didn't care.
Lily didn't see James coming towards her at first. She looked up and he was there. Her breath caught in her throat. "James," she managed to whisper, "Are you sure?"
But James looked as if he hadn't even heard her. Slowly, he leaned towards her until his lips were on hers. Lily wasn't sure how or why, but somehow her arms had found their way around his neck and she was kissing him back.
And then, there was a low chuckle.
Lily and James broke apart and whirled to face the door, where none other than Sirius Black was leaning casually against the doorframe. This time, it was Lily who greeted him, "Sirius, how are you?" Sirius nodded and looked towards his best mate, amusement flickering in his eyes. "I came to remind James that it's the full moon, the marauder's night. But I see that he's made other plans," Sirius trailed off.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Lily said good-naturedly, "I have to leave anyways. I hope you two have fun tonight. Say hello to Remus for me. I haven't seen him in such a long time. Peter, too." And with that, she walked out the door. Sirius grinned mischievously at James and said mockingly, "Too soon to get involved with anyone, eh mate?"
Lily wasn't lying; she did have somewhere she had to be. Walking down the street, she watched and waited for them. Finally, she heard what she was looking for. Keeping close to the shadows, she pulled her wand out. When she was sure of whom it was, and that this person was alone; she emerged from the darkness.
"Regulus," she said smoothly, greeting the cloaked figure, "I trust you know why I'm here?" Regulus nodded. "Good. Let's get down to business. What do you want to do? You have to make a choice." Lily paused and said in a softer tone, "You could choose good."
Regulus shook his head. "I have chosen," he said gruffly. Then, out of nowhere, two deatheaters flew at Lily. She stupefied them both at lightening speed. "You!" she bellowed, pointing her wand threateningly at him, "I trusted you! I tried to help you!" She stupefied him before he could respond.
"Then you were a fool," a voice said behind her. Knowing already who it was, she wheeled around to face him. She was nose-to-nose with Lord Voldemort. "No one has ever stood this close to me and lived," he whispered, "and I dare say that filth like you won't be the first."
" The only filth here sits before me," Lily snarled, "Though I dare say it's a close battle between you and Regulus." His eyes flashed dangerously, "You dare mock me when death is staring you in the face?" "Is that not the theory of your own followers, the deatheaters?" She took a step toward him, if she was going to die tonight, she would die looking him in the eye. But then, she had a sudden burst of inspiration. Quickly, she shot a spell at him, he blocked it, just as she expected him to, but it gave her enough time to escape.
"I know you said that no one had ever spat in your face and lived, but," she spat at him, "I just did." She heard a howl of rage escape his lips right before she disapparated and landed with a thud in Hogsmeade
A/N: There you go, my apologies for not having it out sooner, but I had debate tournaments the last two weekends and a ton of homework during the week and writer's block. Thanks for reading, you know what to do now. Oh, yeah, and special thanks to Nymphie07 for reviewing. (check out their stuff, its good.) Anyway, next chapter will be up much sooner than this one.