Chapter 21: The Old Pranksters

The bells of laughter rang through the Potter household. All of them sat in the living room and watched James and Sirius play crack snaps. It was just as if nothing had happened. They were their own little family and the world on the inside of the house was perfect.

The outside was another story.

The Death Eaters were constantly trying to break the shield and to Lily's growing worry, had no success. Heather and Daniel added spells everyday to make sure that they truly wouldn't get into the house. You could almost read the worry on Heather's face and she watched James or any of the kids. She was desperate to keep anything from happening to any of them.

"Who wants drinks?" she offered standing up and looking directly and Lily. They all raised their hands and she took her cue to follow Heather to the kitchen.

"James talks very highly of you, you know," she broke the silence turning to Lily and grinning.

"Yeah I do," Lily answered turning a deep shade of red and looking at her feet, "he tells me all the time too."

"You wouldn't even need to introduce yourselves to us we already know so much about you," she smiled, beaming.

Lily smiled back. She couldn't believe that Potter talked to his parents about her whole life story practically. Who didn't know her life story? It seemed like whole world did!

"I just want you to know that you are always welcome here. Whether you are just traveling through or just need to talk our door is always open to you." She sat down and motioned for Lily to as well.

"Thank you," she smiled faintly, "I don't really feel like I belong anywhere else but Hogwarts anymore now that my parents are…"

She couldn't say it.

"I understand," Heather said and put a reassuring hand on Lily's, "but you need to stay strong. This will get better and we need to fight back. Plus I know my son adores you so much. Do you feel the same?"

"I…um…well," Heather laugh at Lily's stutter.

"It's ok, don't be shy. We can talk later. Will you help me?"

As Lily entered the living room with his mom and their drinks James caught her eye. He winked at her and she scowled back like usual. His mom looked between them and then returned the wink to her son who looked horrified for a second before jinxing Sirius again.

A cold wind blew in causing everyone to silence.

"Heather, Daniel, a word," It was Dumbledore.

They looked at each other and got up, leaving the kids alone in the living room, the laughter gone.

"I wonder why he's here?" Natalie piped up after a few moments of silence.

"Well there's only one way to find out!" Sirius jumped up and put his ear to the door. His eyes got wide and then he scowled but didn't make eye contact with any of his friends.

"What do you hear Padfoot?" James demanded.

"I hear…," suddenly the kitchen door opened knocking Sirius head over heels. Laughter erupted in the entire living room. James fell to the floor clutching his stomach.

Heather's head poked out and she scowled at Sirius. "Lily? Will you come in here please?"

All eyes immediately shot to her. She got off the couch and walked slowly to the kitchen.

Lily entered the kitchen and her eyes immediately went to a beat up, bruised, and bleeding Severus. She was speechless. She didn't think that anyone else was allowed in the house besides the Potters and her friends so she was told not to talk at all.

"Lord Voldemort did this to him when Severus told him of his relationship with you and how he didn't murder you sooner. He also did it because he directed the Death Eaters away from this safe house to another. That's why you haven't seen them in a while." Dumbledore watched Lily for her reaction.

She stood there silently listening to everything they had to say.

"He also has done something completely awful," Dumbledore almost whispered, "He told the dark lord of your parents and where they live. He gave away their lives."

Lily gasped he hands going to straight to her mouth even though it was a painful movement. All the adults were watching her but her eyes were on Severus. All those years of James torturing him and her defending their friendship were for nothing. She knew he couldn't see her right now because his eyes were so swollen, but a flood of tears were falling down her cheeks. She always stood up for him and was a good friend to him even when the marauders had their way.

Now she was completely betrayed.

"Lily…I..,"

"NO!" she screamed back at him so loudly Heather jumped. Lily turned and ran completely out of the kitchen. All of her friends were on their feet and running into it but she just pushed through them and ran up the stairs. She kept running until she could run no more which was all the way up in the attic. She found a cold corner by the window and collapsed into the dust, tears streaming down her face; sobbing.

It was silent until they heard Lily scream "NO!" so loudly they all jumped.

James immediately got up and ran to the kitchen door but Lily pushed him out of the way and bolted up the stairs. As the door swung shut he saw Snivelus sitting in there.

"You didn't!" James yelled running at him but Sirius and Remus chased him, holding him back, "What'd you do to her!"

"James, please remain calm," Dumbledore answered his hand raised, "We have the situation under control."

"No you don't! She just lost her parents and now you brought him here to hurt her more, why would you do that?"

"James, enough," Heather scolded her eyes closed. He stopped fighting and stomped out of the kitchen.

Lily didn't know how long she laid there until a warm embrace picked her up and held her.

"It's ok," the voice soothed.

Her heart skipped a beat.

James.

She looked up at him and he looked down at her worried. He pushed her wet hair out of her face and smiled weakly.

"What happened?"

Tears were still running down her face even though the sobbing had stopped, "He told Voldemort where my parents were. He killed them."

James sat there listening silently and just watched her. He didn't want to intrude or say anything that would upset her but his blood was boiling.

He's so stupid, Severus, always jealous of me and what I have. Lily has been through so much, why tell her this now?

"It's alright I'm here for you, just forget about old Snively. He won't ever hurt you again and if he does, I'll be there like always," he rested his head on her red locks.

Lily awoke the next morning to find her and James entwined together and the air freezing cold. Her hair had frozen since she had kept crying and James embrace was a tight warm vice that she didn't want to leave.