A/N: Here you guys go! So it looks like the favorite Loony Toon/Muppet characters are Bugs Bunny and Miss Piggy. My favorite from the Muppets was always Kermit. And I liked Elmer Fudd. Next Poll: What's your favorite name JKR has used? So read and review, and have a good weekend, everyone!

Chapter Ten: A Disagreement Among Friends

Monday morning, Lily found herself in her new office, or rather, a tiny cubicle on the outskirts of Amelia Bones' office. On her desk, a number of stuffed gigantic folders were waiting for her. Lily sighed and put her bag down before pulling off her cloak.

She hadn't been seated five minutes when a knock came to her cubicle wall. She turned from the notes she was making on the Carrow case to see Owen Scruggs smiling down at her.

"So you're the junior intern." he stated politely.

Lily gave him a small smile. "Yes."

Owen nodded and looked at the stack of papers on Lily's desk.

"I remember those days. Seems like only yesterday…" He smiled again. "I'm the senior intern for Bones now."

Lily nodded. "She told me."

If Owen was disappointed by not being able to boast on his own success he didn't show it. "I imagine she would."

A few silent moments passed and Lily looked back down at her work, willing him to leave.

Owen let out a sigh and rapped on the cubicle wall with his knuckles. "I guess I'll be off. I was just checking up on you. If you need anything, I'm just a few cubicles away."

Lily nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." He grinned at her once more before leaving. Lily sighed and got back to work. She was feeling more irritable then she usually would on a Monday morning. Allison hadn't yet replied to her letter.

She hadn't said anything more than an invitation. An invitation for Allison and herself to have dinner together or something, just to visit, or to see Ellie before she left for Hogwarts.

She felt that Allison had been almost hiding from her the last week or so, but then again, both Allison and herself had been so busy lately. What with new jobs and boyfriends and all.

A few hours passed before Lily decided she needed a coffee break.

Meanwhile, James was sitting in a large room with the other nine Elites.

Mad-Eye Moody was standing in the front of the room, looking as severe as ever.

"Today." he started. "We will be pairing you off. The person you are paired with will be your partner for the rest of the program. If your partner is to fall in battle and to die, then you shall fight on, and we will pair off the living when we can."

James had to bite his tongue from asking if that was at all likely, they were just in a classroom after all. But he knew that's just how Moody was. Overly cautious. Overly dramatic.

He took the time to look around the room at his possible partners. One he thought he recognized from the Order meeting the other night. She was of average height, muscular, and had bobbed brown hair. James found her features severe, but slightly charming, as she did have dimpled cheeks and a kind face.

Moody began listing off partners and James only looked up when his name was called. "Potter and Meadowes."

The girl James had noticed smiled wistfully at Moody before trotting over to where James stood, she extended her hand, and looked up at James, her fierce brown eyes staring him dead in the eye.

James shook her hand and then smiled his winning, ear to ear grin.

"Hullo, I'm Dorcas Meadowes." her eyes suddenly became more kindly, and she smiled, showing off her dimples.

"James Potter. Pleasure to meet you, finally. We have been training for a few days after all." James replied. "You look familiar, surely you didn't just get out of Hogwarts?" James hoped she hadn't, he should have known her if that was the case.

Dorcas shook her head. "No, I graduated five years ago. I've been doing odd-end jobs for Dumbledore for a few years and I decided to apply for the Auror Program, and I got this."

James nodded. "You still look familiar."

Before James could enquire any further, Moody spoke up again.

"Become acquainted with your partner. Often, they will be the only thing that stands between your life and death. But don't become too personally attached, for they can fall as fast as they can stand."

James couldn't help but chuckle as Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"Moody is a brilliant man, but slightly off his rocker. Dumbledore holds him in the utmost respect." she said.

"So does my father."

Dorcas' eyes brightened. "I knew it! You are Sam Potter's son. He's a brilliant Auror himself, but I daresay they work him too hard."

"You know my father?" James asked energetically.

Dorcas nodded. "Yes, I've done some small tasks for him, as well as plenty of other Aurors. On Dumbledore's orders, mostly."

Again, before James could reply, Moody interrupted them.

"Now, today we will be practicing how to defend yourself, and your partner if need be, from the three Unforgivable curses."

James sighed. He was sure to get an excruciating workout.

It wasn't until Lily returned from her lunch break that she received a response from Allison. Lily excitedly tore it open and began to read.

Lily,

It's nice to hear from you! Yes, I'd love to meet up with you sometime. How about Tuesday night? Dinner at my place and then maybe we could go out for a drink. How's the new job going, by the way? I hope this isn't interrupting your work. Well, write me back a time that's good for you. Have a good day!

Love,

Allison

Lily folded Allison's carefree note and put it in her desk drawer. She sounded so pleasant, like nothing wicked was happening in the world. With a final sigh, Lily went back to reading through the mass folders, which, she was glad to say, making rapid pace through. The cases she was studying were absolutely intriguing and it didn't take her long before she became absorbed in the files before it was time to go home.

"James, you didn't have to walk me to Allison's. She only lives a few blocks away." Lily insisted as she and James reached Allison's flat building Tuesday evening.

James gave her his goofy grin and kissed her full on the lips. "Yes I did…this time of evening; you never know what's going on these days. And you know the precautions. No apparation in Muggle villages…"

His tone was joking but his words were full of seriousness. Lily kissed him back. "Well thank-you. But you went completely out of your way."

"No I didn't." James argued lightly. "Not for you."

"You rushed from training to your flat to change your clothes to make me think that you weren't in a rush, and then you rushed over to my flat so we could then rush over here!"

"You're right." James said. "I did go out of my way. Now appreciate me." He grinned at her and she smiled helplessly at him before turning and pressing the button that let her up to Allison's.

Before she could get through the door, however, James pulled her around and kissed her again.

When they broke away, Lily just grinned at him. "I'll see you later tonight, James. Now go get something to eat. You've got to be starving."

"I am starving. Go to dinner with me?" James said with pleading eyes, loosing the effect as he burst into laughter at Lily's face.

"Go away, Potter!"

"I am, I am…" she heard James mumble as she made her way through the door.

Lily sighed again before hearing Allison's voice come on to the intercom-type device.

"Yes?" her voice greeted.

"Allison? It's Lily." Lily replied, feeling slightly silly talking to a wall.

"Lily!" Allison exclaimed. "Come right up!"

Lily smiled to herself as the doors opened and she climbed up the stairs to Allison's flat.

Allison was waiting for Lily by her door and rushed to Lily and pulled her in a fierce hug. When she finally let go, Allison was beaming up at her, blonde hair flailing about her head wildly.

"How have you been?"

Lily smiled. "Good, how about yourself?"

Allison grinned. "Great! Come in, the pasta is ready."

She then ushered Lily in, still beaming, and then led Lily into the kitchen, where the impressive smells of Allison's good cooking emitted into the whole apartment making Lily's stomach, which was still tight with nerves for the pending conversation with Allison, lurch with hunger.

Allison began dishing the noodles followed by a meaty sauce onto two plates and Lily looked around the flat. There were pictures of Allison and Jacob together, Jacob and Ellie, the rest of Jacob's family, some of Allison's, and then a picture of Allison, Lily, and Ellie together in their fourth year. Lily grinned as she saw the picture, her hair was done in braids and it was clear that Allison had just done her makeup, as Lily typically didn't wear too much of it, and she had eye shadow flowing from her eyelid to her temples. Allison and Ellie were laughing, hitting each other with pillows, and her fourteen-year-old self was trying to make peace.

"Ready!" Allison exclaimed, grinning at Lily.

Lily smiled and took a seat.

The meal progressed slowly with Allison talking in a bubbly, happy voice about Jacob, and then asking Lily about her job, and then James, then the other Marauders, all of which Lily answered with a polite smile. Finally, Lily managed to ask Allison about her job at The Daily Prophet.

"Oh it's going brilliantly!" Allison replied ecstatically. "They actually published a story of mine a few days ago."

Lily nodded and took a sip of her water. Now was the time.

"Yeah, I saw that."

Allison seemed to become even more excited and continued to talk. "Did you really? How did you like it? The writing, it was a short piece, but I did my best…"

Lily's expression became serious as she looked into Allison's eyes, ceasing her chatter.

"The writing was great, Allison, but you don't really believe what you wrote do you?" Lily winced inwardly as she heard her words. She knew instantly this was not going to end well, but it had to be said.

Allison cleared her throat almost nervously before looking at the ground and then back at Lily, her eyes set. "Yes, I do. The Ministry says so, I mean, Barty Crouch, they say he's going to be Minister someday! I have to believe it. The Ministry and the Prophet stand behind it."

Lily took another sip of her drink before talking again. "Allison, surely you know that there's more Death Eaters than that, surely you know the Ministry isn't exactly on top of everything! Remember what Dumbledore said? Remember his invitation? To the Order? The group that's organized because the Ministry obviously isn't on top of everything!"

Her last few words had an almost desperate quake to them, and Allison looked away.

"So that's what this is about. You're mad that Jake and I haven't signed our lives away to an organization that's deliberately interfering with the Ministry's work." Allison then looked directly into Lily's green eyes, her blue ones piercing into Lily's soul. Lily felt herself loosing the battle, she felt herself grow less confident. It was one thing to argue heatedly with an enemy, it was an entirely different thing to verbally battle with one of your best friends, a girl Lily had roomed with for seven years. But Allison kept talking, and Lily's anger soon took over all doubt.

"And that organization! It's a death wish! Do you want to die, Lily? The Ministry has everything under control! There's no reason for us to risk our lives to this…this cause, when we would be better served just going on with our normal lives! He-Who-…"

Lily standing up and facing her friend cut her off abruptly. "No reason, Allison? No reason? You aren't stupid! I can't believe you're believing all this…this Ministry propaganda bullshit! Can't you see that whatever the hell they're doing—if they're doing anything—isn't working? Can't you see that? The rare number of deaths and disappearances that the paper does report is still shocking! You can't see the world tumbling down around us? Are you mad?" Lily took a breath and she stared at Allison, who, not used to being at the receiving end of the wrath of Lily Evans, was practically in shock. Lily felt her face and knew it was absolutely scorching from her rage. She settled her voice to a calmer tone and started talking once more. "And as for the Order, Allison. The Order is going to stop Voldemort. If it means sacrificing my life to stop Voldemort, I'll do it. Because that's how much it's worth."

She then turned to grab her bag with every intention of storming out on her friend.

"Lily. We're so young. We just aren't ready." Allison's voice trembled and Lily was forced to stop and turn around and look at her. "This is so much. I don't want to see you lose your life, Lily. Please, Lily. Think it through."

Lily let out a long sigh and shook her head. "My mind is about as made up as yours, Allison. I hope you'll see differently. I hope both you and Jacob will join…"

Allison then stood up. "You don't know what you're getting into, Lily!" she exclaimed.

Lily raised her eyebrows. "And you do?"

"Yes, I do! My cousins, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, they're in the Order…they tell me what they've been through, not everything, but still…they practically have a close encounter with death every time they take a turn down an alleyway. I know I'm not ready for it! I don't think we're old enough!"

Lily listened to Allison's words for a moment. She had forgotten Allison was related to Gideon and Fabian, two top Aurors that both James and Sirius had a great deal of respect for.

"I've made up my mind." Lily said with finality. She then picked up her purse and headed for the door. "I'll owl you later, Allison."

Allison merely waved her off and began clearing the not-so empty plates without a word.

Lily shook her head and began to walk towards her flat against the dreary rain that had just begun to fall, not feeling at all better.

When she had returned, James had been waiting for her at her flat. Charlotte and Sirius had helped him prepare a dinner for himself, and they were in a heated game of Exploding Snap when she interrupted them.

James could tell by her red cheeks, puffy eyes, and sopping wet hair that things had not gone well.

He pulled her into a gentle hug and, when she released, dried her hair with the tip of his wand.

"What happened?" James asked quietly as he led her into the sitting room and to the sofa. Charlotte returned with a mug of tea for Lily, and she and Sirius took their game into the kitchen, sensing that Lily and James needed to be alone, but eavesdropping all the same.

Lily held in any tears and smiled weakly at James before describing the events of the evening.

Special thanks to…shawn-small58, sharp-tongued, IAMSOAP, Stephanie xoxoxo, Star Child, complicated123, WhiteCamellia, official cheeky devil, heather-gernenz, chikichiki, glowing-ice, blvd, Jude Harrison, hoolihoopgrl131, Kaean, Forest Unicorn, and Zippy-Wings. Thanks for reviewing and continued to read!

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And of course, extra special thanks to my beta!