Chapter 19: Mysterious Green Eyes

Lily fell down on the grass, smiling. The wind picked up her hair as she popped her eyes opened and looked up at the stars. It was a beautiful evening and even though her parents were in another world she felt safe her at Hogwarts with her friends. No not friends, they were now her family. It was almost comforting in a sort of way to know that they would always be there for her.

The twinkling lights of the castle reflected of her shimmering eyes. Almost every window was lit up, indicating dedicated students and professors; something that Lily usually is. But, tonight was different. The air was almost heavenly and had called her out the window when she had cracked it open ten minutes ago. She jumped out on her Malcentus and floated to the ground in complete heaven; a place she hadn't been for a long time. It was their little secret. Alice and Natalie were fast asleep and there was no one there to question what she was doing. It was inner peace, a time she needed greatly.

Because where would she go from here?

The world was getting worse. Voldemort, or whatever you want to call him, was killing left and right and we all began to feel helpless. Dumbledore had cast more charms each day around the castle to protect the student and that where Lily felt truly safe. There was no other house or home that she belonged in. Maybe she could live here?

A smile blossomed on her lips as the wind carried some of her red hair across her face. The silence was sweet and loving tonight that she only wanted to share it with her broom. Looking across the lake she smiled and was suddenly fast asleep.

4:00 in the morning.

Alice shot up wide awake.

Something's up.

She looked around for something out of place…

A soft tap cause Lily to awaken with a scream.

"Silence," the dark shadow echoed covering her mouth with his hand. She shivered in the cold wind wondering who would be out at this hour and be covering her screams.

"You don't know me," the voice echoed as if reading her mind, "and frankly, you probably do not ever want to." A deep laughed escaped his hood.

"If I don't know you why are you here?" Lily answered confidently sitting up.

He shuffled his feet and moved closer to her, grabbing her neck and lifting her above his head, "I figured you had every right to know how your parents died. How they screamed for you as I tortured them and how their last words that escaped their mouth were about you, you filthy mud-blood."

She dropped to the ground, gasping for air and clutching her throat. A few silent tears streaked down her face as she horrendously listened to this tale. Why was the figure here? Why was he or she interrupting her heaven outside?

"And now that I have found you, you will be coming with me whether you like it or not," he held out his arm and wrinkly hand appeared.

Cautiously, Lily's heart thumped out of her chest and she reached for his hand. When they touched she let out a blood curdling scream and they disappeared into the night.

James Potter awoke to a familiar high pitched scream. He had been dreaming and sweat trickled down his naked torso.

What just happened?

He looked around and saw Sirius crumpled up in his sheets and Remus snoring until he finally relaxed.

But that scream…I swear…

He laid down onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. Finally calm again he drifted back into a slumber.

Lily's scream continued throughout the port key till when they hit the hard ground of a dirt clod graveyard. Her head slammed onto a small gravestone and that warm trickle rushed down her face again.

I really need to learn how to stop this from happening.

She went to reach for her wand but her captor was quicker and had better balance at the time.

"I don't think so Miss Evans," he laughed evilly, taking her wand from her hand. Suddenly more cloaked figures joined the open area. Lily turned onto her back so the blood could fall to the back of her head instead of into her eyes.

What was I thinking? This always happens and now no one knows where I am.

"Welcome," a haunting voice greeted them, the world still spinning for Lily. The cloaked figures came to Lily and bound her arms and legs together, leaving her helpless on the ground.

"We have quite a show for you, Lily," the new figure spoke; he created a large green circle in the air and the other figures moved aside. A picture began to form and Lily saw figures writhing in pain.

No…

She immediately recognized them as her parents. Screams erupted as sound to the video but their lips didn't match. They were being tortured and Lily's heart broke to see this sight in real life. The cloaked figures began to laugh and almost dance around in a mesmerized way as if in a trance because of her pain.

Tears streamed from her eyes and her heart felt like it was about to be ripped from her chest. Suddenly, a bright blue light shattered the image and scattered the cloaked figures. It was then that Lily realized that the screams she heard were coming from her mouth. Her head fell back against the grass as people rushed by her bleeding head. They were all cloaked so she couldn't tell what was going on. All she could hear was the screams of her mother and father as they were tortured to death by Lord Voldemort.

"Lily…" a voice cooed over her, blurry. They stroked her head and then everything went black.

The cold air suddenly rushed in at a painful pace.

"Woah stop and lay back down Lily," a kind voice slowly pushed her back down to a hard kitchen table.

"No! Let me go," Lily fought back, but the woman was stronger.

"Lily, you are safe. You are no longer with those men, look at me," She looked up at the woman addressing her. She had a pale face with long dark hair, it had a little wave to it. She had bright green eyes that matched a pair I knew perfectly and a smile that enchanted all the girls at Hogwarts.

"I'm Heather Potter, James' mother," she grinned back, then looking over her shoulder. A tall man the spitting image of James, yet older, came around and wrapped his arm around Heather.

"And this is Daniel," she smiled up at him and he looked me over.

"How are you feeling Lily?" He smiled at her his head cocked to one side. He was the perfect image of his son. Lily was awestruck that they could almost be twins. Even the same thin round glasses circled their identical golden eyes. That smirk on his face was also the same as James and he was even standing the same way his trouble making prat of son would. He looked down at his shoes avoiding Lily's wide eyed glare.

"Let me take a look at you," he looked up, and began to walk over. Lily tensed, her heart began to race and his eyebrows furrowed just like his sons. He slightly touched her chin and moved her head to the side revealing the giant bruise that encased her neck. It stretched from her shoulder across her neck and around the back. There were several cuts around it and on her face which Heather had healed as much as she could. There was a large gash on her forehead she had to bandage the old fashioned way which caused Lily to think it was the new fashion. She also had splinted and bandaged her left wrist in fear that it had broken.

"Hmm," he said after a moment of silence. When he removed his hand, Lily still felt the cold chill of his fingers and wanted them to return to her skin, "Do you remember anything?"

She looked up at him, her face red from her previous thoughts, "I only remember seeing my parents in pain." Heather and Daniel glanced at each other than Heather met my eyes, her face completely blank. She turned and went to window to look as if to see if they were being listened to in way.

Lily took in her surroundings. She was in a quaint kitchen and sitting on the small square kitchen table. Heather was by the stove now brewing something that resembled Muggle tea. While Daniel continued to study Lily's every move. Suddenly, someone appeared out of thin air.

"Albus!" Heather screeched, dropping one of the tea cups. It immediately returned to her hands completely not broken.

"Heather," he answered his face showing a wear and tear of the recent events, "are the shields up?"

"Yes," Daniel answered, nodding to him.

"Good."

"Miss Evans?" Lily turned to her headmaster wincing and grabbing her neck. Heather jumped forward to help her, but Dumbledore put a hand up stopping her. He moved right in front of Lily, almost floating, and his eyes searched her. He noticed the tear marks, the large bruise, the splint, and the cuts that were all over her body. The silence stretched on as the three of them waited for Dumbledore to speak.

"Tell me everything," he said quietly.

"All I remember is seeing my parents in pain," she answered, voice shaking, "then everything going completely black because I was in pain too. I remember thinking that I was about to die and that it wouldn't be worth it to live anymore I was in so much pain. I remember hearing voices and screams. One voice was so cold it caused me to shake. But the room was so dark and I just wanted to die. I was begging them to just kill me and end it before I could take anymore…" she choked on her words tears streaming down her face. Heather stepped forward wiping them and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Conceal her," Albus said plainly. Daniel nodded in silence as the headmaster walked out the door and disappeared. Daniel put several charms on her so she literally was invisible to anyone who wasn't a Potter or allowed to see her. She felt a sense of calm come over her as he stood there performing the difficult spells.

"Alright," Heather came forward again when he stopped, "I think you should rest. Why don't you go upstairs and find a room?"

Lily nodded silently and left them in the kitchen next to each other whispering.

Lily had never seen Potter's house and realized how extremely complicated it was. The stairs led this way and that and every door she opened was a room she didn't want. After what seemed like seven flights, she finally found a room with a bed. It was a little dusty and a light shade of green but she didn't care. She left the door open and fell on the bed, screeching a little and her neck hit the pillow.

How did this happen? Why am I still alive? She thought. She went back to those terrifying moments and saw her parents tortured faces, the black room, and heard her thoughts: Just kill me now! What else do you want from me? Silent tears kept streaming down her face, wetting the pillow.

"Hey Evans," James was suddenly in the room and she jumped up, yelling and grabbing her neck. When she opened her eyes he was sitting on the bed watching her features to see if she was still in any pain.

"Hi," she whispered, her voice so hoarse from being almost choked to death.

"You don't look so great…"

"I don't feel so great. But your parents healed me the best they could."

"You met them?" his eyes sparked with interest as he watched for her reaction.

"Yeah, they were really nice," she blushed and looked down thinking about his father's hand on her face, "where have you been?"

He turned away, almost as if to see if anyone was listening, "I was getting Sirius, Remus, Peter, Natalie, Alice, and Frank. Dumbledore insisted that they all were brought here and hid just like you are. He felt that since Voldemort went after you and your family, he might try to go after your friends and more loved ones." Lily nodded in agreement and tried not to show her weakness about how much it hurt to do so. She looked up at James and his expression had completely changed to one of pain and sadness. He reached his hand up causing her breath to catch and touched the badly bruised skin ever so gently. She tensed, but it felt almost calming, cold to the touch. She closed her eyes, her heart beating fast, and breathed deeply.

"I thought you were gone…" he whispered tracing her cuts and putting his hand on his cheek, "I got there to see your parents and you on the ground and didn't know how to react or what to do. Voldemort was just disappearing and I just didn't know how to react."

She opened her eyes and caught his gaze. His face had transformed from concerned to rage. It was as if someone had completely betrayed him and he had just found out about it.

"What do we do now?" she asked, scared, but feeling safe with him in the room.

"We wait," he answered.

Seeing her friends again was the biggest joy ever. Alice and Natalie were both crying and enveloped her into gentle hugs. Remus smiled and put a hand on her shoulder then his eyes traveling to something behind her. James shadow stood in the door his eyes on Lily and how she was moving. He noticed that she had a little bit of a limp as well as she sat down next to Remus and Natalie.

"How's she mate?" Sirius appeared next to him, leaning against the wall.

"Alive," James answered, his voice raw. He looked down as his eyes welled up with tears.

"Well we're all together now so come in," he put his arm around his best mate and brought him forward. They sat down across from Lily as James' gaze never left her form.

"I'm so glad you are ok," Alice breathed out, putting a hand on Lily's leg, "and I'm glad we are together."

Silence engulfed them as they all looked at the floor thinking. Lily looked up and met James' gaze and gave him a small smile to reassure him a little but it didn't seem to work.

"It's bad out there," Sirius piped up, breaking the silence, "and it's only getting worse."

"What are we going to do?" Natalie said, her voice shaking.

"Survive," James answered, his gaze not wavering from Lily as she met his determined eyes.

A/N: Sorry for such a long wait! I was stuck at which way I wanted the story to go. I hope you like it.