Disclaimer: Do I really still have to do this?
A/N: Sorry this took so long to put up, but in my defense, I have been busy with school and debate tournaments and what-not, and am not a super hero like panther73110 or a girl that read my fic. (many thanks by the way for the reviews)
Lily stood up and brushed the snow off of her pants. She looked around nervously, until her eyes found what she was looking for. She turned towards it and started to run. Past the Three Broomsticks, past Zonko's, and past all the shops and their shopkeepers locking them up for the night. Lily raced past it all towards the large castle looming overhead, towards the man who had all the answers, and who could hopefully answer all of her questions.
She burst into his office without knocking. "Dumbledore!" Lily cried, gasping for air, "Dumbledore, I need to speak to you." Dumbledore yawned, and then put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Come, my dear, sit down, and lets see what I can do for you." Lily nodded and started to explain what had just happened.
Lily felt like she had talked for hours. She wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore, her mouth just kept moving on its own accord. Finally she stopped. She drew in a breath and asked the question that had been on her mind for a while, but she had never had an opportune moment to ask it. "Dumbledore?" she whispered hesitantly, "Why did he kill Alice? Why her? She's a pureblood, and she alone isn't a big threat, so…why her?" If Dumbledore could look any older than he already did, it was at that moment that it showed. "I wish I didn't have to tell you this Lily, but I don't see how I can't not tell you. He sighed, "I recently hired a new Divination teacher." Lily nodded, how really understanding what this had to do with anything. Dumbledore continued, "She one of many Seers in her family. I used to think her a phony, until that interview. She made a real prediction during that interview." Lily was still not sure where this was going, "What did she predict?" Dumbledore stood up, just then, and walked over to his Pensive. Pointing his wand to his temple and extracting a thin, silvery memory, "Perhaps it is better if I just show you." Lily nodded as she looked into the Pensive.
They were in a room over the Hog's Head, watching Dumbledore speak to a young woman, Dumbledore smiled politely and stood up, preparing to leave, when all of a sudden the woman's eyes glazed over and she gasped for air and spoke, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…" The Dumbledore that was interviewing the woman turned and stared at her, and the Dumbledore with Lily knew that in just a few moments, a certain Death Eater would burst into the room. Lily however, did not know this, and Dumbledore felt that Lily didn't need to know this. So before it happened, he put his hand on Lily's shoulder and whispered, "That's all we need to see."
And then Lily was back in Dumbledore's office, sitting on the floor. Dumbledore looked down at her and said, "A Death Eater overheard the prophecy, and immediately informed his master of what he had heard. Only Alice and James Potter fit the description. It made perfect sense, didn't it? Alice and James were in love, they were living together, they would eventually have kids, and Voldemort knew he must act." But they weren't in love, Lily thought, Alice was in love with Frank, it wouldn't of happened. And now it can't happen…
Lily's face paled, and her words came out shakily, "Dumbledore, no, you see, I-I…" Dumbledore nodded gravely, "Yes, Ms. Evans, you too have thrice defied him; though I believe only you, I, and Voldemort know about that." Lily was silent. "Its funny how things turn out," Dumbledore said suddenly, "If our friend Tom Riddle had ignored the Prophecy, or if his Death Eater had never heard it, well, it sounds like there would have been nothing for him to worry about. But by trying to eliminate all chances of defeat, he actually increased the inevitability of it. You see, now there are even more of you that have defied him." Lily looked up. Dumbledore counted off with his fingers, "You; your friend, Alice; Mr. Potter; and Mr. Longbottom."
While all this was going on, Alice and Frank were still in muggle London. "Frank," Alice said, "We can't go home, we can't go to our friends' houses, because we are supposed to be dead. We can't just go waltzing in when we ourselves aren't even sure why we're alive. Where are we supposed to go until we figure out what is going on?" She knew the answer before it even escaped her lips. Frank turned to her and smiled, "Why, to Dumbledore, of course. If anyone can help us, its him." Alice nodded and was about to Disapparate when Frank pulled out his wand, "Wait." He then performed two Disillusionment charms. "So we aren't seen," he explained. Alice smiled, glad that he had been so careful and thought of important details like this. And then they Disapparated.
Lily was walking over the Hogwarts' grounds and thinking. And thinking. And thinking. She had crossed the threshold between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, but she kept walking. The sun was just beginning to rise. Lily yawned. She needed to go home and sleep. Distantly, there were two simultaneous cracks of someone Apparating. But Lily was simply too tired and had far too much on her mind to notice. In fact, she didn't even notice that she had Disapparated, to James's house, and by the time she realized where she was, she was too exhausted to go home. She peeked into James's bedroom, he wasn't home. So Lily just fell asleep on James's couch, hoping that she would wake up tomorrow and this entire day would have just been a bad dream.
Just minutes after Lily had left Dumbledore's office, Frank and Alice walked in. If Dumbledore was at all surprised to see them, he kept his cool. "Ah, Alice, good to see you amongst the living. And you as well, Mr. Longbottom. What can I do for you?" Frank took a step forward, "We have some questions, professor, and we were hoping you could answer them." Dumbledore nodded, "I'll do what I can to explain."
Alice sat stiffly while Dumbledore told them everything. The Prophecy, how at first it was only she and James, and how she was the one chosen to die, what happened that night when Frank had defied Voldemort, making him the third. "I've told you everything I know, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said quietly. He was lying. Albus Dumbledore was not quite sure why, but he felt that Miss Evans's story should remaining her own story to tell. Glancing back and forth between Alice's white face and Frank's passive one, he decided to leave them alone. With a small nod and apologetic smile, he quietly excused himself from the room.
Frank bent down so he was eyelevel with Alice, because she was sitting down, and said quietly, "Alice? Are you alright?" Alice blinked, trying to contain the tears that were threatening to spill over. "No, Frank," she snapped, "I'm not alright, dammit. I get news like that and you think that I am alright?" The tears were streaming down her face now. "I can't have children," she declared, "There is absolutely no way that I am going to even think about bringing a child into the world if he is going to be hunt down and marked for dead before he is even born!" Alice felt so in over her head right then. Why was Frank so calm? Did everyone know what was going on already, or was she just weak? She heaved a sob. Frank put his arms around her and pulled her close as she continued to sob. Finally, she whispered, "I'm just so scared." Frank pulled away just enough to look her in the eye. "It's okay to be scared," he told her, "But we aren't going to let fear run our lives. No one said we have to have children, if we do, we do, and we'll get through whatever happens as a family. Regardless of what happens, Alice, we are going to get through it, and we're going to get through it together. Remember that."
When James got home, early that morning, he almost walked past the couch. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone lying there. He stood over her, it was Lily. He smiled as he looked at her pale but serene face; it was such a contrast to her fiery red hair. He moved her over slightly, so there was room on the couch for him too. Lily stirred, and her head was on his chest. James was surprised to find that he didn't mind so much, in fact, he enjoyed it. That was the last thing James remembered before he, too, fell asleep.
A/N: Comments, Questions, Complaints, an Suggestions are all appreciated, so click the review button!