A/N: You know, I really would appreciate it if you guys would read the prequel because I like writing it and I really would like more reviews for it, so please, please review it. Oh, and this chapter just came to me because there is a storm on progress outside my bedroom window, so, yeah. Oh, and if you're one of the people who caught me screw up on the last chapter where I accidentally wrote Claire instead of Tanya...sorry, but if you didn't catch it, don't look for it, I'm embarassed enough about that as it is.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter but the stuff you don't recognize, okay?

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The rest of break was amazing at the Potters' house. The food was delicious and they followed every tradition. They sang Christmas carols for Lily and opened one present each on Christmas Eve for Claire. For Sirius, they strung garland throughout the house, and Tanya asked that they call Santa "Papa Noel" (that is a true tradition from Spain, just a little add in there), and James asked that they made a fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce for dessert on Christmas Day. James parents had the entire tree decorated on Christmas Eve. The gifts were amazing. James was given a new broomstick from his parents, the fastest one yet: A Silver Arrow, and Lily had given him a servicing kit for it. Sirius had bought him a moving figurine of a stag that actually walked around and snorted, and Remus bought him a new scarf. James had given Lily a book of love poems and a few novels and guides to complex spells, needless to say that Lily loved them. Tanya had given her some muggle movies and Claire bought her a moving phoenix figurine that actually burst into flame and was reborn once a month. Her parents had bought her some candy to take with her back to Hogwarts. And it went on like that, a wonderful day and New Year's eve was even better. When the countdown was over, Lily was able to lay a huge kiss on James's lips and they were laughing as they kissed. It was one of the cutest things that could have ever happened. The ride back from London to school was tiring and Lily slept most of the way, on James's shoulder of course. The temperature had begun to rise earlier than usual and it was already in the high forties when they got back to school.

It was the first day back, Sunday, classes started the next day and Lily was sitting in the common room curled up by the fire. The snow was beginning to melt with the rain that was pouring down outside the common room window. Lily was the only one still awake, most of them went to bed early after the long train ride from London, and she watched the rain. No one knew about this, no one knew that Lily loved watching storms, especially thunderstorms. She heard the crash outside and turned in the chair to see out the window. A flash of lightning followed the jolt and her heart skipped a beat and a shiver slithered down the length of her spine. It reminded her of being with James, that's why she loved it so much. She stood up and sat on the windowsill, just looking out at the sky. It was dark, of course because it was so late, and clouds covered every inch of it. Raindrops were sliding down the window as another jolt of thunder and a clap of lightning shook her and made her jump.

"What are you doing down here so late?" came a voice from behind her. She turned around to see Sirius there.

"Just watching the storm," she said, looking back out the window.

"You like thunder and lightning storms?" he asked skeptically. She nodded, still looking out the window. "Me too, they seem like a great way to think."

"What did you come here to think about then?" she asked softly, turning around to face him. He was standing behind her, hands in his pockets and looking meditative.

"Claire, mostly. About what life will be like when…" he stopped. No one could ever bring himself or herself to say what her fate would be anymore, it hurt too much.

"Yeah, that's sometimes what I think about," said Lily softly, still looking at Sirius. "Usually I come to think about me though…about what I want to do with my life when I'm out of school. I really want to be a healer, actually, but I don't know if I'm smart enough."

"Lils, you're the brightest in our year," he said, his tone assuring. "Plus, after seeing what you did to help James that night Moony tore him to pieces, you seem like you would be a good healer."

"But those were Muggle methods, Sirius," she said softly and yet sadly.

"You are the best at potions I have ever met, maybe…maybe you should work at St. Mungo's in the center for Potion and Plant Poisoning." She looked at him thoughtfully.

"Wow, you've gotten really good at cheering people up, Sirius," she said thoughtfully, standing up and giving him a friendly hug.

"No problem, Lils." He let go of her.

"And on the upside, I might be able to keep the same thing that happened to Claire from happening to other people." Small tears filled the corners of her eyes and she shook her head angrily. She didn't want to think about that.

"Yeah. Look, maybe you should be alone to watch the storm, I'm tired anyway, see you in the morning, Lils." He went up the staircase, looking back at Lily once, small tears in the corners of his own eyes. Lily wiped the tears from her face with the sleeve of her sweater and looked back out the window.

"You know, we have classes tomorrow," came a different voice about five minutes later. She turned around and James was there.

"I know," she said with a small smile. "So, why are you up?"

"Because Sirius said you were awake and something was bothering you." She turned to look at him, a flash of lightning revealed moist lines down her face from a few fresh tears. "Hey, hey," he said, placing his arms around her shoulders and cradling her close to him, she buried her face in his chest, automatically losing it (See, when people try to comfort me, I do the same thing, I just get worse). "What's this about?"

"I…what am I going to do? Claire…she's…like four months," were the only words James could understand through her sobs.

"Okay, okay," he said, stroking her hair with one hand and the other wrapped protectively around her, holding her to him. "Calm down. What if she saw you like this? You need to make the most of the time we have left, okay?" He saw her nod the smallest amount.

"Where would I be without her…she was the first person in this place who ever was nice to me?" asked Lily, tears still streaming down her face.

"You still will have Tanya and me and Sirius and Remus," he said softly. "And, if all else fails, there's Peter." Lily let out a small laugh, her smile crinkling her nose a bit.

"James, I love you so much, don't ever leave me," she whispered to him.

"I know, I promise…I won't ever let anything happen to you again. I would have to die first," he said softly. "I love you, Lily. Nothing can change that. Come on, I think it's time you got some rest." He stood up, pulling her up with ease by the hand.

"I know what I want to do," she said when she was standing.

"What?" he asked, sounding confused.

"After school, I know what I want to do," she said calmly.

"And what's that?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers as she smiled at him through her teary eyes.

"I'm gonna be a healer in the Potion and Plant Poisoning center," she said softly. "I wanna help people, James, and I think I can stop the same thing from happening to people that happened to Claire."

"I think that's a great idea," he said slowly. He kissed her goodnight and she went up to her dorm. As she walked past a sleeping Claire, she couldn't help a single tear finding its way down her cheek. She limbed into her bed and tried to clear her head of everything that had found its way in. She wanted to go sleep; she wanted a fresh start in the morning. So, why couldn't sleep find her, why was it being so elusive tonight.

Lily woke up tired and weak. When she wasn't at breakfast, James went to look for her. She was curled up in her pajamas on the common room couch. Her face was pink and she was shivering, but the fire was burning and crackling loudly. She coughed a loud and raspy cough that echoed through the common room.

"What's wrong?" asked James, sounding concerned. She looked up at him, dark circles framing her beautiful eyes. He went to sit next to her, placing his hand on her forehead. She was extremely hot and her face was sweating furiously.

"Lils, you have a fever," she said quietly. She shivered and coughed again. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the hospital wing where Madam Pompfrey had healed her within a few minutes and she was fine.

"You had me worried there, kid," said James as they walked to first period class.

"She said it was too much exposure to the cold over break, you wouldn't have any idea why would you?" she asked sarcastically, punching him in the arm lightly.

"Of course not," he lied, placing his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her on the cheek and they entered Defense Against the Dark Arts. He sat in his normal seat in the back with Remus, Sirius, and Peter. Claire, Tanya, and Lily were in the row in front of them. Lily was writing hr notes when something hit her in the head, a small piece of paper fell onto her notebook. She turned around, James twiddling his thumbs innocently with a guilty expression on his face and not looking at her. She turned around and unfolded the paper. Claire and Tanya each had one too.

I hope you're ready for another Christmas present, be waiting by the window in the common room at eight, okay? She turned around and looked at him, he winked and she smiled. She looked to Claire and Tanya and theirs said the same thing. They shared a suspicious look and then looked at the boys who were pretending to listen to the lecture from the teacher. Lily kept asking James to just tell her what was going on, but he refused. She even went so far as to ask Sirius and Remus to tell her, but nothing. By the end of the day, she was aggravated. The boys weren't at dinner and they weren't in the common room afterwards.

"What is going on?" asked Claire, sounding extremely suspicious.

"I don't know, Remus wouldn't tell me a thing, said Tanya, equally angry.

"Why can't they just tell us?" asked Lily nervously. They looked up at the clock…it had just struck seven.

"Isn't there…oh my gosh, Quidditch practice," said Claire angrily. "Why wouldn't they tell me?"

"I don't know…maybe because you're getting sicker day by day," said Lily jokingly, but inwardly crying.

"Well…argh, you just don't do something like that, I can still play in the games and we haven't had practice for months, that's ridiculous!" she shouted angrily. Lily went up to the common room and grabbed a few things. She got Claire's book "Quidditch Through The Ages," her own novel, and Tanya's letters that were sitting on her bed.

"Look, let's try and keep ourselves busy until eight," said Lily, handing her friends what they owned. Lily read the book silently while Claire tried to concentrate on the history of her favorite sport and Tanya read the letters she had received from home. They kept looking up at the clock, anxiety filling their eyes. When the clock struck eight, they ran to the window, Claire grabbing a pillow to throw at someone. Lily flung open the window and was shocked by what she saw.

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A/N: Haha, I am the evil cliffhanger lady, I know. Read and Review please, I'll get the next chapter out before next weekend, I promise!