Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but if I did, I would continue writing for ever and ever because I love it so much.
Quick Summary: Lily and James meet at Hogwarts, fall in love (eventually) with many complications along the way. They agree to join the Order of the Phoenix and join the fight to defeat Voldemort. Meanwhile, they become engaged and start to plan their wedding. While helping Alice with her own wedding plans, Lily is kidnapped by Dolohov, and is held captive for months believing that James had betrayed her and is now torturing her continuously (this is actually a death eater using Polyjuice Potion). When Lily is held captive, she meets an American witch named Jo who helps her cope with the hardships she endures, while telling her of the great love she has with a wizard named Dean. When Lily and Jo are finally rescued/kind of escape, Jo dies in a huge explosion, after getting to see Dean one last time. Lily is traumatized by this and the fact that "James" has been torturing her, so she is transferred to St. Mungo's immediately where she is treated to help her understand that it was not James after all. With the help of her friends and her sister Petunia, Lily finally starts to realize that what had happened while she was captive was not the truth.
Lily's P.O.V.
"Ok, so are you all ready Miss Lily?" the healer asked me, staring at me with eyes filled only with concern.
"Yes sir, I think I am." I replied, smiling widely. Today was the day. I was leaving this hospital. No more horrid food. No more long hours by myself. I knew Dean was waiting for me in the waiting room downstairs. I was staying with him until after the funeral tomorrow, or however long either of us needed.
"It was a pleasure healing you then Miss Lily." he said with a smile.
"Thank you very much sir." I responded and smiled once again, giving him a quick hug before turning and walking out that red door forever.
Walking downstairs, I had a spring in my step. Finally, I was free of that hospital, of myself. My wand in my back pocket felt wonderful and I finally felt like my real self. As I reached the elevator, I took a deep breath, running my fingers quickly through my hair. This would be a rough night. Dean was probably still grieving completely. And to be completely honest, with all the events going on, Jo hadn't been in my mind lately. But with her funeral tomorrow, all the memories that we shared rushed back to me. All those talks we had, staying up way after lights out. Sharing our dreams, our passions, our favorite ice cream flavors. If we had met in any other circumstances, we probably would have been great friends.
I had just made it down the elevator when I saw Dean. He was sitting in a stiff hospital chair, his back rim rod straight, looking very uncomfortable. I smiled slightly and walked over to him, pausing before him. He looked up at my approach and, recognizing me, stood up abruptly. He pulled me into a hug before I even had time to react. He was much bigger than me, swallowing me in his arms, but I knew that it was needed, and I hugged him back, thankful for the closeness. He withdrew after awhile in our embrace.
He cleared his throat. "Hi Lily. It's nice to see you're better." he rumpled his hair awkwardly.
"Hello Dean. It's nice to see you too. Thank you for agreeing with this. I wasn't sure I was ready to spend the night with James or any of my friends for that matter. Not that you aren't my friend." I added quickly.
"I know what you mean. Staying with a stranger after something like this…It's understandable." he said. "Well would you like to go? We can go through the Floo Network."
"Sure. But just to prove you wrong, I do indeed know you. You're not a stranger at all. Jo talked about you constantly. You're all I heard about for weeks on end. She really loved you, you know." I smiled at him and took his hand.
"Thanks Lily." he gave a sad smile. "You know, we always use to play this game with each other. Who knew the other best, you know? I wonder if she ever told you about it."
"Oh trust me, she did. Not trying to be creepy, but I can bet you about a million galleons I know you better than you know me."
He smiled and gave her an inquisitive look. "What's my favorite ice cream flavor."
"Easy. Rocky Road." I responded.
"Fine, what about favorite song?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
"Imagine, John Lennon. Which I think is a great choice." I answered, smiling now.
"How did you know that? He's a Muggle artist!" he said, shocked.
"And I use to live in a house full of Muggles. The Beatles are actually a very popular band." I said.
"Well we will have to continue this quiz later. We're here." There were rows upon rows of fireplaces in front of us. "Ok, step into the fire and say Number 11, Pinecreek Ridge. It will take you where you need. I'll be right behind you."
I stepped forward into the fire, feeling a slight tickling feeling, and said strongly, "Number 11, Pinecreek Ridge." I felt myself spinning round and round and then I was shot upward, going past fireplaces whizzing by before finally slowing down and coming to a graceful landing in Dean's house. Or maybe I should have called it a library. I looked around me and everywhere my eyes set place on there were books. I turned around when I heard Dean speak.
"Yeah, probably should have warned you. I kind of like books." he muttered.
"Kind of? Merlin! What are these organized by?" I asked excited.
"Uhm.. They're alphabetized by author." he said.
"This is incredible!" I exclaimed.
"Thanks." he said and then shrugged. "The guest room is this way. This place use to belong to my parents, before they passed."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." I said quietly.
"It's ok, it happened a long time ago." he said. I followed him down a winding hallway until I reached a simple room that was crème and beige colored. There were books covering every surface in this room too. He moved three stacks off from the bed apologizing as he did so. "The bathrooms down the hall to the left, there are extra toothbrushes in there and your friend Emma dropped off your outfit for the morning, it's in the bathroom. Feel free to shower in the morning, I've got my own in my own room."
"Ok, thanks a lot Dean. I really appreciate it." I said and smiled at him.
"You're welcome Lily. I'll be in my room if you need me. It's the room down to the right, last door. I'm going to head off to sleep since we have an early morning ahead of us. Will you wake up or do I need to wake you?" he asked.
"Oh, I'll be fine." I hurriedly responded.
"Ok, night Lily." he smiled at me before heading off to the right, off to his room. I sat down on the bed lightly. I looked around at the books all around me, picking one up at random. The title said, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway. It was a very small book, so I decided to read it that night before sleep. Maybe it would take my mind off of things.
I quickly got engrossed into the book, about an old man who catches a huge fish that drags him around until finally he manages to kill it, but then before coming back to shore, sharks eat most of the huge carcass and he is left with nothing.
It was around one in the morning when I finished the book, and I set it down with a frown. It had been kind of depressing. I went to the bathroom, finding it easily, and brushed my teeth thoroughly. I looked at my reflection and frowned again. I had still lost weight, and it didn't look natural. I'd always had skin covering my bones, a nice layer, but now you could see most of my ribs, and my wrists still looked way too skinny. The healers said it would take a while before I would get back to my weight, but I hated being this skinny. It was unnatural. I turned and walked out the door. I could hear Dean lightly snoring from his room down the hall.
I walked back to my room and got underneath the covers. Hopefully tomorrow wouldn't be too sad, and I would get through it easily. Petunia's wedding was only in a couple days, and after the funeral I would be moving in with James again. I didn't know how I felt about that however, and I laid in bed pondering that for awhile. Of course I knew James again, and I still loved him but part of me was still unwilling to trust him. The Healers said that it was understandable why I would have trouble trusting him right away, and not to rush things. But I was ready to start my life with James. Get married. I looked down at the wedding ring around my finger and remembered the day he had knelt down on his knee to ask me. I laid there thinking about the memories, and realized that that had been the last time I'd seen Mary alive, and I cried myself to sleep.
I woke up to a small beeping in my head and quickly grabbed my wand to silence the mental alarm clock. I got up slowly, yawning and stretching. I could hear the shower running in Dean's bathroom and walked over to mine. I turned on the water and undressed, ignoring the girl in the mirror. I took a short shower, not wanting to take any hot water from Dean, whose shower was still running when I stepped out of mine.
Once again I stared at that girl in the mirror. She was not me, and me not her. I had never been vain, never really caring one way or the other what I chose to look like, but this was ridiculous. Frowning, I turned to see the dress hanging on the back of the bathroom door that Emma had left for me. I quickly threw it over myself, hating the way it hung loosely at the waist and at my breasts. I dried my hair with my wand and letting out a big breath, opened the door to the hallway, not ready to leave, but not wanting to stay any longer.
Dean was done quickly after me, and we had a quick breakfast of toast before realizing we could not really prolong the moment any longer, and with that, we stood up and moved to the center of the room, having to dissapparate because the cemetery couldn't be reached by Floo powder, ready to take the trip to a day that would be filled with sadness and grief.
After the usual feeling of being squeezed through a painfully tight tube, all the air came back into my lungs and I sucked it in with a huge gulp. Dean released my hand quickly and we began to walk briskly towards the small collection surrounding a headstone. Because Jo was American, I didn't know if this funeral would be anything similar to Mary's. I remembered that Jo had told me her father had died, kidnapped like herself, but I saw a small blond women, no older than I, staring down at the casket who had to be Jo's sister. I walked over to her quietly.
"Hi, I'm Lily. I don't know if you know who I-"
"Of course I know you. You were the one with her. Weren't you? I'm her sister, Tessa." she held out her hand and I took it, surprised to find a strong grip holding my own hand.
"Hello Dean, always nice to see you." she said, turning towards Dean, who leaned down to hug her. "I think the service is just about to start. Lily, would you like to say a few words when I'm done?"
"I'd like that, thank you." I said, and she nodded, giving me a sad smile before going over to talk to a short man in a black jacket. They exchanged a few words and he nodded before pulling out his wand, pointing it at his throat, and saying, "Sonorous."
We all looked towards the man and he cleared his throat. He made a short speech of how death takes people from us too early, and how although it was unfair, it had been Joanna's time, and that she was in a better place. When he was done speaking, Tessa took his place.
"I miss my sister. For a long time I thought she was dead. The people that held her captive had publicized the death of both of my parents, and I had just assumed that Joanna was along with them. I had never felt more alone in my whole entire life. My world seemed to stop. I was never good at being alone. Even though I was the eldest in the family, Joanna was usually the one who comforted me." she stopped now, swallowing back tears. "And now she can't. Before her death, my sister was kept in captivity for over four months. When I received news from Dumbledore that a rescue party was being sent to try to rescue her, I couldn't breath, couldn't move. I had not known she was still alive. And there it was, hope, blooming in me like a spring flower."
She paused her speech and her eyes met mine. "Even though she is dead now, the hope that I felt is not gone. Because of Jo, I know that this war can be won, and her death will not have been in vain. Because of her, I have hope. And when there is hope, anything is possible. Thank you."
She walked quickly back to her seat, accepting pats on the back from some ten people, all distant relatives or friends of Jo's. She nodded at me, so I stood up and walked quickly to the front. I hadn't prepared anything, and was slightly nervous but then I thought of Jo, and the way she had made me laugh that first terrible night in that place, and I knew I could speak.
"I don't think I have ever met someone like Jo. In a way, she was the sister I never got to have. One that I could talk to. Discuss completely meaningless things with, and yet have a completely serious conversation the next second. If not for her, I would have been dead a long time ago. That place, well, it would have destroyed me. I had long since given up hope of being rescued. And even though Jo didn't believe it either, we had each other, and in that place, we needed it."
I paused and looked at Dean, who seemed to be holding back tears. "She loved you. Very much. And I know that she wouldn't want you to mourn her, but to be happy that you got to spend the time with her that you did. I don't know why the Fates chose her instead of me to not escape that place. Most of the time I wish the roles had been reversed. Jo was good. And pure, and deserved the best of life. But it was taken from her, all too soon. She loved though. And her love was true. Without her, I wouldn't be here. And I hope that she is truly in a better place. One where she can be happy and just be herself. I'm so sorry for what happened to her. She didn't deserve it."
Tears were pouring down my face at this point. "Thank you." I said. And although I had not gotten to say all that I had wanted, I could not continue. I went and sat next to Tessa, who grabbed my hand squeezing it tightly. The short man asked Dean if he would like to speak, but he shook his head, lips pressed firmly together, and I guessed that if he tried to speak, he would break down completely. So instead I stood up, walked over to him, grabbed his hand, and we walked silently over to the casket. Tessa joined us on my other side, and together, we watched Jo lower slowly into the ground.
I could not stop the tears from falling down my face, and they splashed to the ground below. I would give anything to talk to her one last time. To say thank you. But I couldn't, so instead, I stood there, staring down at the cold dark hole, and watched my friend go deeper and deeper down into the depths of the earth, and cried.
Later that Day
After many tears had been shed, and many stories exchanged, it was time for me to travel to James house. I was with Dean and Tessa and we were at Dean's house and I was packing up my small collection of items I had had at the hospital.
"Thank you for letting me stay with you. I appreciate it greatly." I said to Dean, preparing to leave.
"Of course. You are welcome here anytime, remember that." He said gruffly, and embraced me. "Just one more question. This one I doubt you'll know. What's my favorite book?"
I looked at him with surprise, and raised my eyebrows. "Let's see." I paused. "you know, I don't know that one."
"Good." he said with a grin.
"Now that's not fair! Please tell me!" I said, my voice raising slightly.
"Fine, it's A Tale of Two Cities. I'm into classics." he said, shrugging. I couldn't help but think how odd it was. A man such of his size, loving classic novels.
"Good choice." I said, smiling, and with one more embrace, I turned on the spot, thinking of Godric's Hollow and James' face.
I know it's short, and not that much detailed, but I figured I better include a quick summary and filler chapter, and I needed to include the ending of Jo. Don't worry though, next chapter will be out very soon, and it will be filled with romance, mystery, and a certain person that you have not met yet, but I think you will like to here a part of his story, or at least how I'm writing it. Reviews are always welcome, thanks for staying with this story!