DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are mine… still.

AUTHORS NOTE: Chapter seven, wahoo! Yeah, so I haven't uploaded in like, ages, mainly because I've had no ideas, but also because it feels like nobody actually likes my writing sometimes. So PLEASE guys, review! Tell me what you like, or what you dislike. Heck, even drop by with an anonymous review; I don't care as long as somebody is actually reviewing! Also, yes, I am aware that I don't completely stick to the facts at times, but this is MY fanfiction, and I can do with it as I please! Thanks guys, and don't forget to leave a review!

The years went by, and Neville and Harry grew up.

Snape never wrote to Lily after that letter, the letter she never replied to. Lily hadn't wanted to face her past again, Snape hadn't tried to push Lily too hard to be friends again and lose her more in the process.

Neville grew up knowing that he was different, that he was a Longbottom and not a Potter, but he hadn't found out exactly what that meant yet. He would soon though, when the time was right.

James and Lily found that the time went past quickly now – they'd stopped worrying about whether Voldemort would return or not, and they felt blessed to have such sweet children as Harry and Neville, who had great times racing around the garden on toy brooms, pretending to be wizards and holding torches, shouting 'Lumos!' and 'Nox!' as they flicked the torches on and off.

Neville was like their own child, and Lily was so happy that Neville and Harry were best friends. Of course, the Potter family had their rough times, every family did. It was easy to get past those times though; all Lily ever needed to do to get Harry and Neville happy was give them ice cream. In fact, ice cream often worked if James was in a bad mood. Ice cream worked for everything.

The time continued to pass by, and soon Lily found that the boys were both 8 years old, and Harry had just cast his first spell. That was the moment where Lily felt relieved that both boys only knew spells such as Lumos and Nox, for Neville became immensely jealous of Harry, and began chasing Harry all around their house, screaming and throwing things whilst Harry yelled "Haha! I'm a real wizard now!" after which he began shouting out Lumos as though it was a spell that could hurt Neville.

Ice cream didn't make that fight better. And it was almost a whole week later when Neville cast his first spell. Then it was Neville's turn to laugh, as it turned out he was a stronger wizard than Harry.

Lily and James would watch in amusement as Harry would sulk, sad that he wasn't the special one, the 'real wizard' anymore.

But both boys soon forgave each other, especially when James and Lily went and bought them a copy of "Beginner Spells for Beginner Wizards," and they found that they each had different strengths and weaknesses.

And they soon found out that even though Harry and Neville were the same age, Harry was a born teacher and loved to help out Neville whenever he was stuck on a spell. And it turned out Neville was a great student, and loved to learn, even when it was Harry teaching him.

Lily still wished that Frank and Alice weren't dead, that Neville still had his real parents. But she knew that she would have hated it more if it had been her and James who died – it wasn't that she was scared of death, but more that she was terrified of the thought of Harry growing up an orphan, and she knew that she never wanted to ever lose Harry or James.

Why had this all happened? What could possibly have caused Voldemort to become so cruel, so evil? She didn't deserve any of this – none of them did.

Darkness, death, that's what Lily's life became. The young girl who saw the beauty and wonder in magic was gone, replaced by the woman who knew all of the malice magic could hold. She wanted to go back to her childhood again, be that same carefree child again, but that would never happen now.

Though she was only 29 years old now, she felt like an old woman. She'd been at Hogwarts when Voldemort had risen, and 21 when Frank and Alice died. And she was scared, hoping that what Dumbledore thought was wrong, that Voldemort would never come back again. She didn't want that darkness back again, never wanted Harry to see such fear, or Neville having to fight for them all. And Lily knew that one day she'd have to tell Neville the truth…

…..

"Lily! James!" Alice yelled, running across the room, a big smile on her face, arms extended. She gave them both a huge hug, asking them all about what they'd been doing since they'd all left Hogwarts, yet didn't seem to be able to stop talking long enough for them to actually answer. This was the Alice they knew so well, and it seemed as if the break she'd had overseas had done her good, and there was a fresh glow in her cheeks and her eyes sparkled mischievously again.

"So," Alice said. "I hear you two are getting married soon!" Lily blushed and smiled up at James, who was nodding, a huge grin on his face. "I'm so happy for you two," she continued, and then she gave a small giggle and flushed bright red as a man across the room winked at her.

"Who's that, Ali?" Lily asked, punching her playfully in the arm.

"Frank Longbottom," Alice replied, trying not to blush redder than she already was.

"Oh, and who is Frank?" James teased.

"Just some guy," Alice muttered. "We both were overseas on holiday at the same time, but it turns out he works as an Auror too!"

"He isn't 'just some guy' though Ali, is he? You're in loovveee!" Lily practically sang, a gleeful smile spreading across her face.

"Yeah," Alice said, looking down at her feet sadly. "I'm too scared to tell him though."

"Just go tell him," Lily sighed. "He likes you, I can tell!"
"Yes Alice, don't string him along like Lily did to me!"

Alice laughed and took a deep breath. "All right, I'm going to go over there right now and tell him!"

Then she spun around and walked towards Frank briskly, before she could change her mind, and Lily and James watched as she went over there, hoping that they had been right, that Frank liked her.

Alice and Frank talked for a couple of minutes, and then as she told him her feelings, his eyes grew wide and a smile appeared on his face, and they embraced. Not long after, Alice came skipping over, a huge smile on her face, an equally happy Frank following her.

"This is Frank," she said, gazing up at him dreamily. "Frank, this is Lily Evans and James Potter."

"Ah, so you're the two who convinced this lovely girl to come tell me her feelings?" he said, smiling warmly as they nodded. "Thank you so much. I was too scared to tell her how I felt because I didn't know she liked me too."

Alice grasped Frank's hand and leaned against his shoulder. "Thank you," she said to both James and Lily, and then they all fell silent and the mood became a bit more sombre as Dumbledore began the meeting.