Author's Note: This chapter is early! Despite my nervousness about sharing this, I pushed through to get it done before I go on holidays next week. Hopefully this chapter should be a little more eventful and a little bit longer too. I'm slowly getting back into the hang of writing for this fandom and I hope things aren't too unbelievable or too dark so early on... Anyway, I still don't have a beta reader so if you spot any mistakes, please tell me. Otherwise the next chapter should be out in mid to late November, thanks again for reading and please leave a review?

Time was slowing down, Lily was sure of it. In fact, she was quite certain 10 o'clock seemed a lot further away now than it had the last time she had checked just a few seconds ago, and with each impatient glance, it was steadily creeping further and further away. It was a ridiculous thought of course. Not even magic could make time slow backwards (as far as she knew), and yet letting herself believe the improbable was a far better alternative than admitting to herself that she, Lily Evans, was feeling anxious about James Potter's arrival.

Lily still wasn't entirely convinced that his letter had been genuine. Regret at agreeing to meet James Potter—and at her own house no less—had crept into her system almost as soon as the owl had soared out of sight, and she had been working herself into a state ever since. Lily clearly hadn't been thinking when she had responded to his owl before she had even woken up properly and now there was every chance that she was about to fall victim to some hideous prank, and it would be entirely her own fault.

A soft whoosh and a flash of green light interrupted Lily from her thoughts and she tossed aside the book she had been attempting to read just in time to spot a very familiar figure clambering out of the fireplace. She didn't know what surprised her more: the fact that James Potter was actually on time or that he was wearing Muggle jeans and a t-shirt, which made him look so completely normal that Lily suspected even her sister wouldn't pick him for a wizard—at least until she noticed the wand sticking out of his pocket, that is.

James' expression was curious as he glanced around her parent's living room, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips once he spotted Lily and her discarded book. "Evans," he greeted casually with a nod of his head in her direction. "Alright summer so far?"

"So far," Lily agreed cautiously, smoothing out her skirt as she considered him from her relatively safe position on the sofa. "I'm not entirely convinced it's going to stay that way though."

James merely grinned at her response, though upon catching sight of the impatient look spreading across Lily's face, he seemed to change his mind and held his hands up in surrender. "Relax, Evans. I'm not here to jinx you, if that's what you're thinking."

"Well then you had better start explaining," Lily replied, leaning back into the sofa as she folded her arms across her chest. "Because I still don't believe that you need help. I've thought about it quite a lot since your owl and I just can't think of anything serious enough for you to ask for help in the first place, let alone for mine."

James' grin seemed to wither under her gaze and it was only when it faded fully from his face that Lily began to notice that something wasn't quite right. There were bags under James' eyes, hidden partially by the frames of his glasses, which is why she hadn't spotted them earlier, and despite his jokes and easy smiles, something about him just seemed… flat. Even his hair didn't seem as ruffled as normal, which Lily grudgingly decided was a good enough indication on its own that something was indeed very wrong with James Potter.

"What's happen?" Lily asked before she could stop herself, thoughts of a war that seemed so far away from Cokeworth creeping unwittingly into the back of her mind as soon as the question had left her lips. "What's wrong?"

"Not here," James muttered, his attention shifting briefly to something behind her before landing back on her face. Puzzled, Lily glanced over her shoulder as she rose from the sofa and frowned at the sight of her older sister standing in the living room doorway, sewing bag in hand and a stunned expression on her face.

"Tuney—"

"Does mum know you had a—a—one of your lot coming over?" Petunia interrupted coolly, quickly covering up her shock at finding a wizard in the house with her usual stern exterior.

"Mum knows perfectly well who and what my friends are, Tuney," Lily replied softly, mentally pleading with her sister to not make a scene. "And anyway, he's not staying. Pott—er—I mean—James is just here to pick me up."

Petunia regarded her sister with a frown. "I didn't hear the doorbell," she said after a moment, her knuckles practically turning white around the handles of her sewing bag.

"Well you wouldn't, Tuney," Lily said patiently. "He didn't come through the front door, he came the magical way." She inwardly cringed at the way Petunia flinched at her words but didn't let her discomfort show on her face. It was bad enough that Severus knew how awful her sister could be and he was her best friend. Lily could only imagine the rumours and elitist rubbish that would follow her around school once Potter let it slip that her Muggle sister was a complete troll.

Lily was so caught up in her thoughts that a gentle touch on her arm caused her to jump, and she lifted her gaze to find James suddenly standing beside her, an odd look on his face. "Come on, Evans," he said loudly, his tone not at all matching his expression. "We haven't got all day, yeah?"

"Er… right," Lily said slowly, shaking off her confusion. "I suppose we should be off." With a final glance at her sister, Lily turned to follow James back over to the fireplace from which he'd arrived.

"Ladies first," James said with a grin, no trace at all of the odd look or his previous tiredness left on his face as he flourished his hands at the fireplace in a mock half-bow. Lily hesitated. She had never travelled by Floo Powder before and as loathe as she was to admit that to James Potter, it seemed all the worse having to admit it to James Potter in front of Petunia.

"Maybe you had better go first," she said quietly, glancing nervously over her shoulder at her sister who was still lingering in the doorway, clearly waiting to spot them doing something that would get Lily in trouble. "I've never used the Floo Network before… I'm not sure my sister will take it very well. You'd better go first so I can calm her down before I leave…"

Thankfully James seemed to take her explanation in stride and he nodded. "Alright," he agreed, procuring a little glass vial full of green sand-like powder from his pocket as he spoke. "The trick is to speak clearly. Don't mumble or you'll end up popping out somewhere stupid like ol' Sluggie's living room—not that he wouldn't be thrilled to see you though, Evans, but I don't really fancy seeing teachers outside of school myself and I'd have to leave you there to teach you a lesson."

A smile twitched at the corner of Lily's mouth, with only caused James to grin even more broadly at her as he tipped some of the green powder from the vial into his hand before passing the little bottle over to her. "Sure you've got all that, Evans?"

"Got it," Lily said firmly, trying desperately to contain her amusement at his words. "No mumbling and no rescues. Honestly, Potter. What kind of Gryffindor are you?"

"Apparently a very bad one if you're to be listened to. Good thing you're not in charge of sorting then, hey Evans?" With a final grin, James stepped over the grate and into the fireplace, tossing the handful of green powder into the coals as he went. Lily heard Petunia gasp from behind her as flames the same colour as the powder leapt to life at James' feet but paid her sister no mind. She was far too used to Petunia's irrational outbursts around magic to care. Besides, Lily needed to know where to go lest she be stuck with her sister's shrieking for the rest of the afternoon.

"Potter Manor!" James announced to the fireplace and in a flash of green flames, was gone.

The brazen display of magic in the living room was more than enough for Petunia. "I'm telling mum!" she all but screeched from the doorway, apparently far too terrified to actually step into the room to scold her sister properly. "You're not supposed to do magic outside of school, Lily! She's going to confiscate that stupid stick of yours for good and you won't ever go back to that freak school of yours! Does she even know you're going to a boy's house? Lily? Lily! Lily Evans, don't you ignore me!"

But Lily had had enough. With a sad smile and a small wave at her sister, she followed James' lead and stepped into the fireplace, tossing the remainder of the little vial of powder at her feet. For a moment she was afraid the flames would overcome her but they simply lapped harmlessly at her ankles. Petunia was yelling in earnest now, clearly too upset to worry about what the neighbour's would think, but Lily couldn't hear her over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. All she had to do was speak clearly. Everything else could wait until later. Just a few simple words and she would be free from Cokeworth and her sister for the rest of the afternoon.

"Potter Manor," Lily said firmly, and then Petunia's shrieks and the living room spun away in a flash of green flames.

Lily stumbled out of a completely different fireplace a few short but nauseating minutes later and straight into James Potter, who had apparently been more prepared for her sudden arrival than she had. His arms caught her firmly around the middle before she could greet the plush-looking carpet with her face, and for once in the entire time that she had known him Lily Evans was almost grateful for his presence. Almost.

"Alright, Evans?" he asked, releasing her once she had regained her footing. "I hurled the first time I had to travel by Floo. Make sure to tell me if you're thinking of it. Mum'll positively murder me if I make a mess of the rug again. It's her favourite. Dunno why she keeps it by the main fireplace if she's so worried about it to be honest but that's mothers for you."

"I'm fine," Lily said breathlessly once her stomach stopped rolling and her vision returned to normal. Floo Powder was definitely not her preferred method of magical transportation. "Now, tell me why exactly I'm here or I'm hopping straight back into that fireplace." The threat sounded weak even to her ears but it seemed to have the desired effect on James. Almost instantly he seemed to droop and his hands flew to the back of his head in a familiar gesture.

"Er… right," he began slowly, casting a nervous glance at the nearby stairwell. "I honestly do need your help, Evans, but it's a bit of a long story and I'd rather not tell it standing in the middle of the foyer. Come into the kitchen and I'll explain." Without another word, James turned on his heel and hurried from the room, giving Lily no choice but to follow.

Stepping through the door after James was like stepping into another world and for a moment Lily was stunned at the sight of the opulent dining room that spread out before her. Everything from the huge dinner table to the matching chairs and the ceiling-cabinets filled to bursting with gleaming silverware were all carved from dark, polished wood. The room was trimmed with heavy, red velvet curtains that reminded her of the Gryffindor common room and another plush rug similar to the one she had nearly fallen onto in the foyer. It was utterly perfect—so much so that she doubted even Petunia would have had something to say—and so very, very different from her own home that Lily was almost embarrassed. She had always suspected James Potter came from a well-off family but this… this seemed almost too much to be real.

"Evans?" James called from another doorway Lily hadn't even noticed in her staring, a puzzled look on his face as he glanced at her still lingering in the entrance to the dining room. "Coming? The kitchen's through here. I think mum's just put on tea too, if you'd like…"

"Oh," Lily muttered, embarrassed at having been caught staring. "Yes, tea would be good…" She pointedly ignored James' gaze as she hurried across the dining room as carefully as possible and followed him into the kitchen, which was just and grand and just as lovely as the previous room had been; only it seemed much brighter and welcoming. The curtains—delicate ivory lace this time—had been drawn and the summer sunshine was streaming through the open windows, which gave way to a view of the lovely gardens beyond. There was another polished table to one side of the room and an older witch behind the marble counter setting scones onto a plate as a house elf bustled about at her side preparing tea.

"Mum?" James said, causing the older witch to look up with a smile. "This is Lily Evans. She's come to see if she can help with Sirius…"

"Sirius—?" Lily began, though she was cut off as James' mother rounded the counter to greet her.

"Lovely to meet you, Lily," said Mrs Potter with another warm smile as she took Lily's hand in her own. "I've heard so much about you from my boys. I'm glad you've come, though judging by your expression just now I take it James hasn't told you the full story?"

"No," Lily agreed, hoping she didn't look as stunned as she felt. She spared a glance over Mrs Potter's shoulder at James, who had the gall to look sheepishly back at her, his fingers tugging at his hair nervously. "He hasn't told me anything, really. Just that he needed my help with something."

"Well, it's all a bit delicate, I suppose," Mrs Potter said softly, releasing Lily's hand from her own. "But since he's dragged you all the way here, it seems only fair that the explanations come from him too. I'll leave you two to talk. Pippy's left some tea and scones on the counter for you both. I'll be in the garden if you need anything. Please, make yourself at home Lily, dear. Any friends of my boys are more than welcome in this house."

"Thanks mum," James called as his mother disappeared through the back door, before turning his attention back to Lily. "I suppose I should explain…"

"How much do you know about Sirius' family?" James asked once they were both seated at the kitchen table, the nearly forgotten tea now a barrier between them, though Lily wasn't sure the delicate floral cups were enough to stop her from attempting to hit Potter again if he didn't cough up an explanation and fast. It had already taken him several minutes and just as many failed blows to the head—his Quidditch reflexes be damned—to get her to stop shouting, and now that she was mostly calm, Lily was mortified that his mother may have heard her unimpressed outburst. She had rather sheepishly taken a seat at the table once James had pointed this fact out to her, promptly ending whatever argument she had been trying to make about his ability to completely infuriate her.

"Not a lot," Lily admitted, absentmindedly stirring her tea. "I know he has a younger brother in Slytherin—Regulus I think his name is. Severus told me."

"Yeah," James said, his expression darkening at the mention of her former friend's name, though much to her surprise he said nothing further on the matter. "Well, Regulus is where this all starts. You see, Sirius and his brother come from one of the oldest and biggest pureblood families around: the 'Noble and Most Ancient House of Black', if you're to believe the rubbish his mother comes out with."

Lily scoffed, and much to her surprise James nodded in agreement. "I know," he continued, "it's completely ridiculous but that's how a lot of the old pureblood families are. Status and purity is all that matters to most of them and the Blacks are some of the worst. They're not on the wrong side of the war, if you know what I mean, but from what Sirius has told me, they're not completely opposed to the idea either."

"But Sirius isn't like that…"

"No," James replied with a bitter smile. "No, he's not. And that's where the trouble started. Sirius has been on the wrong side of his family ever since the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor, and it's been getting worse every year. Last year his brother started associating himself with certain Slytherins in our year—you know the ones…"

Lily nodded and took a sip of her now cold tea to sooth her suddenly dry throat. "Mulciber," she said softly, unable to help but think of Severus as she spoke. "Avery… Rosier…"

"The very same," James said darkly, pausing to frown into his own teacup. "Anyway, from what I can tell, it must have all come to a head the other day… Sirius has run away from home before after fighting with Regulus and his parents but something is different this time He won't say what happened but he turned up on the doorstep late on Wednesday night—right before I sent you that owl—soaking wet and covered in blood…"

Lily jumped as James' fist hit the table, causing the cups to rattle from the force of it. He picked up his tea and swallowed the cool liquid in one gulp before shoving the cup aside, his expression bleaker than Lily had ever seen it.

"Mum thinks," he continued through gritted teeth, "—she used to be a Healer at St Mungo's—and she thinks that… that they—his family—used the Cruciatus Curse on him but he won't tell her—or me—anything."

Lily was silent as she let his words sink in. They had learnt about the Cruciatus Curse, along with the other Unforgivable Curses, in their fourth year at Dumbledore's insistence. They had been horrible just to read about and it made Lily feel ill to think that one of her classmate's parents had not only used the curse, but on their own son. Her troubles seemed so insignificant in comparison.

"And where do I come into this?" Lily asked softly as James buried his face in his hands, the gesture pushing his glasses awkwardly up his forehead. "How can I help?"

"I thought," James began, his voice muffled from behind his hands and he lowered them to continue. "I thought—and it sounds stupid now—but I thought you might be able to relate to him enough to get him to talk to you about what happened, since he won't talk to me."

"Relate?" Lily was puzzled. "How in Merlin's name am I supposed to relate to him, my family are all Muggles."

"Exactly," James sighed, his voice heavy. "I though since you're a witch in a Muggle family, you might be able to relate just enough to get him to talk. You're different from the Muggles, he's different from all of his rotten family… and I'm desperate, Evans. He's locked himself inside his room and won't say a word to anyone. Pippy—she's the house elf—has been bringing back untouched plates of food from his room since Wednesday and as far as I know he hasn't let mum heal him any further than what she managed when he passed out on the doorstep."

Lily bit her lip and let out a long sigh. "I'll try," she said hesitantly after a moment. "I don't know if me being a Muggleborn is enough for him to see any kind of similarity in our situations, but I'll try."

The look James gave her was completely unreadable. "Thanks Lily," he said, and she didn't doubt for a second that he meant it.