"It's probably just a coincidence," she said to herself. Her feet took her back downstairs to continue unpacking. As for James, he put in job applications at Madame Malkin's, Ollivander's, Gringotts, Flourish and Blotts and even the quidditch shop. By the end of it all, he was quite diminished. He took a break at the Ice Cream shop. He looked in the sky and saw that the sun was setting. He moped home, hoping for that fateful call tomorrow. He walked in the door to see Lily piled in a heap on the floor. She looked up, stumbled to her feet and ran to hug him.

"What's the matter, Lilybell?"

"This is the house! The house in the dreams! James! It's going to happen!"

"No! It's not. It all just seems similar to you,"

"No James! It's real! I'm so scared," she sobbed into his chest.

"Don't be. Voldemort is in hiding. I'm sure it'll be that way for years to come."

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"Master, they still fear you," a rat faced boy squeaked. "Still, they all think that you are hiding. They are scared but not terrified…" The chair that the boy was talking to turned ever so slowly to reveal a cloaked man. When he spoke, most listened. When he stood, some bowed. He was a ruler to some, villain to others. He was Lord Voldemort.

"Wait, Wormtail. Slowly gather all who remains loyal. The people will no longer be scared. They will be horrified."

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"Surprise!" everyone yelled as James and Lily walked in the door from their dinner out. There were gifts strung over the once bare floor. There was a large banner that read "Happy Housewarming!"

Lily, who was just starting to plan "her" housewarming, scanned the crowd for Petunia or her mother. She was sad but had a sudden burst of relief. Like something she was carrying had just fallen away. It wasn't the relief that she didn't have to plan her housewarming party but because she was able to be herself and not have to be on the edge of her seat, waiting for her mother to burst out in rage. James, on the other hand, was delighted. Lily was happy. What she didn't have to know is that he had panned the entire thing and spent this month's paycheck on dinner. Her green eyes sparkled with tears. James gave her a hug. Lily was speechless. She sat down, still in awe.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out, seeming as it was the only thing she could think to say.

"Well, Jamesypoo called us all up and said you needed some cheering up so we figured we'd throw your housewarming," Sirius explained

"We called your mom but she hung up on us," Remus said.

"Oh, it's alright. I'd rather they not come,"

"Well, let's get the party started!"

"Where's Peter?"

"Oh, he couldn't make it."

The party raged on for hours. Finally, everyone went home, one by one. Lily and James refused to open the gifts until tomorrow, James's birthday. Lily tossed and turned beside James as she slept. She was itching to get at the gifts. Slowly, morning rose from the sky and she was still awake. She felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. James woke up slowly. He looked over to Lily slowly and smiled.

"Happy birthday, baby," she whispered. She hoisted herself from the mattress on the floor and she lumbered down the stairs to make James some breakfast.

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"Master, we have most of the inner circle of followers. We have the Blacks, Malfoys, Crabbes, and Goyles… Everyone.

"Excellent," the voice boomed. "Let the festivities begin!"

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"First gift is from Sirius!"

"Ha! It's a Chudley Cannons mug!" Gifts after gifts they opened. Can openers, silverware, plates, cups, pillows, gift certificates, and even money! Lily was so excited. She finally was able to open the gifts.

"James, now that we're kind of 'on our feet' and living almost independently, I figured that maybe we could talk about something."

"Sure, Lilybell, anything,"
"What do you say we get married this year?"

"Wow! That's pretty soon. Can we pull that off?"

"Well, the wedding is going to be small, right?"

"Maybe… Let's just make a mock list to get an idea,"

"Alright, well there's Sirius, Remus, Peter, your mom, my mom, Petunia, Tanya and Remus's girlfriend,"

"I think that might be it,"

"Me to," The doorbell rang just at that moment.

"Sirius?"

"Hello! Wuddya say we go out for a birthday drink? Just me, you, Lily and Tanya?"

"Tanya? I thought she moved to France," James recalled.

"Sure she did but she missed me so much, she came back!"

"That's great! Why don't you two come back around seven and we'll be ready to go?"

"Alrighty-o. See you at seven." Sirius spun on his heel and ran back to his motorbike.

"Hey Lilybell! Sirius and Tanya asked us our for drinks in the Leaky Cauldron around seven,"

"Tanya?"
"Yeah, she moved back,"

"Sounds great," she said, adjusting the last tea towel in place. "BY the way, which do you think we need to save for more, a bed frame or dining table?"

"Bed frame. I hate sleeping on the floor. It feels so… unsafe,"

"True enough," It took Lily from the time Sirius invited them until about six thirty for her to get ready. As she sat down on the couch, James put his arm around her. Things began to heat up quickly. They lost track of time and the doorbell rang just as James's shirt hit the floor. Lily began a giggle fit. James hastily put his shirt back on and answered the door.

"Hey Sirius,"

"Am I interrupting anything, Jamesypoo?"

"What gave it away?"

"Well, for one, you have lipstick all over your face and two, your shirt's on inside out," This put Lily into an even bigger fit of laughter.

"Come on, come on. Let's not wait for the grass to grow. Tanya's waiting on the bike." The ride to the Leaky Cauldron was smooth and inside, the old bar was buzzing. As they walked by, everyone stared at James and Lily. James wondered why. He caught a glimpse f himself in a mirror hanging from the wall. Although they were both eighteen, they looked a mere fourteen or fifteen.

"Why are they staring?" Lily breathed in his ear.

"We look like we're twelve years old," James responded.

"This is horrible," she smiled wearily to a group of hooded wizards. "James," Lily whispered. "James, they're death eaters,"

"Ignore them, love,"

Sirius came up to them with their drinks.

"Sirius, there's death eaters here." He looked to Lily and saw that she was uneasy.

"Jamesypoo, we have to leave now,"

"Why?"
"No time. I'll explain when we get back to your house." They left their drinks and headed back for home. Sirius was the last to enter the house. He dead bolted the door and chained.

"What's the matter, Sirius?" Sirius searched around and looked out the window.

"Okay… death eaters are searching for me."