A/N: Okay, so I know it's night which means it's kind of late for my usual update, but I was busy today at the beach with a few friends, and then I had to write this one too :) I actually liked this chapter a lot. It wasn't supposed to be in my original plans, yet it seemed to fit so much better than what I originally had in mind, so it's better :) And thanks to all my reviewers! Fellytones and cookies to all of you!

Disclaimer: If I owned something, I wouldn't be posting on fanfiction.

Lily was on Prefect duty that night; wandering around the halls. Pointless. Pointless, pointless work. Ever since some dingbat decided to play with mud bombs in the corridors (no doubt Potter and Black) the Prefects would take turns patrolling Hogwarts to make sure nothing else happened. She sighed. She could be doing so much better things; like studying for her O.W.L.s. Speaking of owls, she wondered if Satyr had found Dad yet…

And then Lily heard a noise. She jumped. It was a crack, as if someone were apparating into Hogwarts… but that wasn't possible, you couldn't apparate into Hogwarts… she took her wand out and tapped herself with it a few times. "Velieris," she muttered, and instantly she became hidden from whoever it was.

Because Lily did not want to barge in immediately. No. She wanted to find out what the troublemakers- most likely Potter and his gang, again- were up to before she assigned them detention. She listened in, intently.

"It's a pity he died without any information," a male's voice said. "I think that the Dark Lord was growing quite impatient with him. They had him for a week and he refused to talk. Stupid Muggle."

Another male's voice chimed in.

"Well, we should finish off the Dark Lord's orders. I mean, all he really wanted was information about her. But if we kill her before anything bad happens… I suppose if we do that, we might get a little reward from him." The male smiled, exposing shiny white teeth.

Lily, still hidden, gasped. This was not Potter. Instead, it was two boys- Regulus Black, Sirius's younger brother, and Bartholomew Alcourt. She tried to digest what they were saying. And then it hit her. But before she made any assumption, she listened on.

"What was the name of that girl?" asked Regulus.

"Lily Evans, I believe. There was some prophecy about her being the 'mother to Voldemort's downfall' or something like that. Mother fucker, I think, but we've got the Dark Lord's orders and I know she's somewhere in this hall, she's a prefect, get your wand ready, she's probably hearing us now-"

Lily could not help herself; she gasped, and at the same time her spell seemed to have worn off. Regulus and Bartholomew approached her, their dark faces concealed by a mop of brown hair.

"How long have you been listening, mudblood?" asked Bart, scratching Lily fiercely on her face. "Did you find out about your dear dad? Hmm? Precious little mudblood's precious father is dead." The duo cackled evilly.

Lily could not believe what she had just heard, and what she had just felt. It was like Bart had claws that penetrated through her skin and poisoned her. She felt an overwhelming pain take over her body, and she moaned sadly in pain.

"Don't like that, eh, mudblood?" came Regulus. Lily moaned in pain once again. The duo were only third-years, yet they seemed to be so powerful in the dark arts. She hadn't rememberd Sirius ever saying Regulus was intelligent; in fact, it was the very opposite. She tried to scream for help, she tried to move to get her wand, but nothing seemed to happen. Oh, why didn't they teach nonverbal spells to fifth years, she thought, her entire face numbing, she was going to die… there was no way she could live…

And then she saw something near her. It was a boy- it was. A boy who was of average height, with the greatest posture she had ever seen and… what else did she see? Messy black hair?

James Potter to the rescue?

"Sectumsepra," Potter hissed at Bart, who was instantly terrorized. He then performed another spell I had never heard of that froze Bart seemingly in time. Regulus ran off free.

Potter then neared her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, scooping Lily up off the floor. It was then that she noticed she had been shaking, blood spiralling down her body. He tried to wipe it off with his Hogwarts robes but the blood kept on pouring, and he raced to the Hospital Wing. Nearby one of the doors, Sirius ran from outside and offered Potter a hand.

"Here, lemme take her," Sirius said, as he grabbed part of Lily and delicately the duo hoisted her up. "Do you think you can walk?"

Lily whimpered. And then with that, she passed out.

xXx

"Lily? Lily, can you hear me?" came a feminine voice; the first that Lily had heard in a long time. She blinked a few times; trying to take in the scenery that she had been thrown into. It wasn't the Hospital Wing… and it wasn't anywhere in Hogwarts… giving up, she tried to recall the last events she could. She'd been on duty. And there was pain. And, naturally, there had been Potter.

"Alice," she mumbled weakly, trying to pick herself up, but failed, and instead grabbed her friend's delicate hand. "This is St. Mungo's isn't it?" She had heard of St. Mungo's; that hospital where witches and wizards went to when something truly terrible had happened. She must be there. Alice nodded.

"You've been asleep for nearly two weeks," Alice informed her, "we all thought you were dead. Like- well, best save that for later."

Lily sighed.

"I missed Christmas?" she asked, sadly. Lily loved Christmas. She loved going home to see Petunia, and mum, and… dad. Before Alice answered, she bombarded her with a new question that had made it's way into her thoughts and claimed ultimate importance.

"What ever happened to Dad?"

Alice sighed, looking upset. Lily could tell she did not want to be the one to answer this question. "Do you want me to get the Healer? I'll be back soon-" Alice attempted to leave the room looking for the Healer when Lily grabbed the edge of her skirt.

"You know I'm doing just fine right now," she snapped. "What happened to Dad? Don't tell me that they were right…" For Lily had just remembered what Bart and Regulus had said about her dad being dead. Alice stopped walking, and just stood.

"I guess there's no point beating around the mimbus mimbletonia…" Alice began to say, "unless you're really sure you don't want me to get the healer, I know she's quite nice…" Lily stared at her friend, as if questioning her knowledge of her. "Fine," Alice answered. "Satyr found him- only it was just a body. He instantly flew to your mum to show her, who was disturbed and appalled and might I add, quite distressed. Yet the next day they heard that you had been knocked unconscious from Dumbledore, so they've been at St. Mungo's ever since, hoping on your return- everyday but today, when they finally decided to bury your Dad. It's December twentieth."

Lily sighed. She had known her Dad's fate.

"It was Voldemort," Lily told her knowingly, repeating what she had heard from the two evil Slytherins her last night conscious. "Voldemort killed him. I swear- I'll kill him. I will be the last thing he ever sees." She pledged, feeling strength pulsate through her body.

Soon the Healer strolled in, giving Lily a complete check up. She questioned her a lot about what happened, but Regulus and Bartholomew were detained in Azkaban at the moment awaiting trial, so nothing else could be done. "I guess you're free to go home," the healer told her. She departed; leaving Lily alone in the room, for Alice had left.

And it was at that point that Lily cried. She cried for her father- Colm Evans, being murdered like she had almost been murdered. Never again would she hug him. Never again would he come home; sprawl across on his chair with the paper and a mug of hot cocoa. Never again. And Lily cried for her pain; for missing her father's funeral, for not thanking Potter for rescuing her…

The healer came in again, as Lily quickly wiped her tears away with the bed sheets. She knew her eyes must still be puffy and red; but she couldn't help it, and, after all, the Healer must understand.

"I've got a portkey, here, that takes you home to be with Mrs. Evans and your sister," she said, handing Lily an old tin can. Lily picked it up. She wanted to go home, to lie in bed, to cry some more before she could be seen in public again…

And then she was at the Evans's manor. And despite the fact that no other Evans family member was present, a few pairs of eyes glittered at her.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Please review! Today's magical item is... -drumroll- a magic cookie dispenser for all of your cookies! So act now! Review! Thanks!