Disclaimer: I own many things, including a new computer, but Harry Potter is not one of them. Sorry for any confusing.
This chapter is brought to you by Microsoft Word 2007, an excellent program which I strongly recommend for my fellow writers. Adaptable spell check and a grammar check that, while not without a few flaws, will catch most common word mistakes; both are features that will greatly benefit any writer, beginner or seasoned. It's also helpful for completing study courses and research.
Lily once more found herself hovering in a doorway watching the room's only occupant. Dorea Potter y Black was a formidable woman who Lily would always want on her side in a fight. She wore her pitch black hair in styled curls that artfully fell over one shoulder. Never had Lily seen the witch with a single curl out of place. Heavily hooded eyes of cornflower blue were focused on the tea service in front of her. Thin, long-fingered hands were folded neatly in her lap, resting just so upon the rich fabric of her dress. The redhead likened the image she made unto to the Queen. It did not help her nerves any.
"Well," Lady Potter said finally, still not turning to face the doorway that Lily was occupying, "I see that you continue with that degenerate behavior of lurking in doorways while people await your arrival." Lily felt her face flush with embarrassed shame and a pearl of anger at the dismissive tone. Facing down James' mother was always a bit of a trial in patience. Nothing Lily did could ever melt the woman's heart towards her. Harry, though- -oh, the infant clearly had his grandmother wrapped around his tiny fingers. Besides one comment immediately after Harry's birth, Dorea never made any deranging comments about muggles or muggleborns around Harry. Still she managed to make her displeasure with her son's choice known to at least Lily. If James knew that it still went on, he never mentioned it to Lily or let it bother him. Lily's thoughts were interrupted by Dorea standing with a dignified huff of effort. Her handsome face was blank except for a thinning of her full lips as she finally turned towards her son's wife.
"Since you will not join me for tea, I will immediately get to the crux of the matter. I suspect you of behavior unbecoming of a member of this family." Dorea held up one hand, effectively silencing any protest to the contrary that Lily might have made had she not been confused as to what the older witch was referring. "I will not having your useless denials. You made vows of fidelity to my son. I do not know what this means to the muggles that raised you, however in the magical world, this means that you will give yourself to your husband only. Your despicable shenanigans with my grandnephew will cease as of now. Let me be blunt: if it continues, I will inform James and Charlus and let them handle it as they see fit. Divorce is not impossible, Miss Evans, and neither is your loss of visitation with my grandson. Your muggle blood counts against you in court for either of those things."
"I don't know what to say, Lady Potter," Lily began, her tone shocked. The outrage would come, she knew it like a well-worn shoe, but at the moment Lily couldn't get over the fact that her mother-in-law thought she was sleeping with Sirius behind James' back. Is that what it looked like from the outside? Sirius had been helping her with the runes for a while now, but surely they hadn't been spending that much time together…alone… hmm. Maybe there was something to this accusation? Lily crossed about half the distance to the matriarch and lifted on hand in a gesture of pleading for understanding. "Let me assure you that nothing untoward has happened between Sirius and me. He has just been helping me with a project concerning the protection of Harry. I was not aware of how it might appear- -"
"Nonsense," Dorea interrupted, biting off the word with an unladylike amount of force. Her eyes darkened to more of a light cobalt in her anger and her lips had almost disappeared they were so thin. Not even when James had announced that he was going to marry her had Lily seen the woman so angry. "If you were anywhere near as intelligent as my son alleges that you are then you had to be perfectly aware of what your behavior might look like to an outsider observer. You are, of course, denying it now that you have been caught. I've half a mind to take this directly to Charlus. You have obviously muddled my James' mind with your loose muggle ways. Well, no more, Miss Evans. Do you hear me? I will not have this going on for any longer in my house and in my family. You will moderate your behavior into acceptable parameters and cease this tawdry project that you have going on with my nephew. Protection of Harry, my right foot! How dare you use my grandson's welfare as an excuse! No more, Miss Evans. No more."
"Mrs. Potter," Lily corrected through ground teeth. Her temper and magic flared at the insult that was the use of her maiden name. She felt a wisp of a breeze twirl up from the floor to lift her hair into a fiery aura around her head. Dorea did not look impressed at Lily's accidental display of magic and only let the tiny bit of her own magic loose in response. "I am a married woman with a child. I will not be referred to as a single woman as if I were the harlot you accuse me of being. That complaint aside, I will not refrain from taking any course of action that will preserve my son's life. He is my child and I will do as I feel is necessary to assure that he grows up into adulthood. We find ourselves at a crossroads, Lady Potter, as that means my continued close association with Sirius. Why don't we accept where we are and let the matter drop before you embarrass yourself?"
"You mean before I disgrace you- -"
"Lily always means what she says," James interrupted from behind Lily. Both witches turned their attention from their standoff to the Potter scion. James stood just inside the room, a reassuring sight in his auror robes. His expression was neutral with a touch of mischief to it. Lily knew that he was as serious as he ever truly got. Not a step behind him was the head of the Potter family, Charlus himself. Charlus had no hint of what he thought of finding his wife and daughter-in-law arguing again. Lily couldn't help the wince. Charlus did not like the tension between the two women, claiming that it gave him a fit of humors. Lily's previous anger wavered like a candle in a breeze at the thought of letting down the man who had welcomed her into the family without reservation. "One of the reasons I love her so much."
James crossed to the chair his mother had vacated at the start of her tirade. His father followed and settled into the chair before James could. The two men shared a brief look before they turned back to the women. Charlus crossed his legs at the ankles, stretching them out under the table in a picture of relaxation. James' hands gripped the back of the chair, his only show of anger. He grinned jovially at his mother after winking at Lily. When he spoke, it was as if Sirius had just told an excellent joke at which he was trying hard not to laugh.
"So, would you like to share what is going on?"
"Your mother," Lily said, giving the words an intention that they clearly were never meant to have, "believes that I am having an affair with your best friend." Lily did not miss the huge grin that flashed across James' face as he drew in a breath. Even knowing it was coming, she could not hold back the groan his bad joke caused.
"Are you fucking serious?"
"James!" his mother squawked outraged.
"What? It's what you're accusing her of, isn't it?"
"Yes, James, I am serious- -"
"No, you're not. You look nothing like him."
"James," Lily scolded. James grinned at her unabashedly before addressing his still outraged mother.
"Please, Mother, if Lily were going to have an affair, she'd have better sense than to choose Sirius." He gave a disarming smile to his mother. It was a good thing he did because it took the sting out his next words. "I trust both of them implicitly. If on the off-chance that my trust is misplaced and they are fucking like bunnies behind my back, I would not care. I might even ask to join them!"
With those famous last words, he stormed from the room. Lily only hesitated a moment before she followed him. The look of shocked dismay on Dorea's face was a pleasant memory that Lily would keep close to her heart. They had not gone twenty paces before they heard Dorea call out a sharp "James Charlus" which did not slow James' furious pace down one whit. Lily could barely keep up with him as they weaved through the Potter family manor.
Abruptly, he stopped, pivoting on his toes and heel. The sudden stop caused Lily to bump into his chest. Immediately, his arms came up to balance her. His hands cupped her face, turning it upwards to meet his questing lips. One hand moved from soft cheek to even softer hair. James pulled his hand back, taking the tangled lock with it. In that one smooth move, the kiss turned into a desperate demand instead of a reassurance. With their bodies flushed against each other as they were, Lily could feel his interest pressed against her stomach. A little moan of wanton need escaped her as James nipped her bottom lip before pulling away. Lily could only look at him with lust-glazed eyes. What had they been doing before that kiss again?
"Lily, I know you are up to something and that Sirius is helping," James said in a murmur as he rested his forehead against hers. He rubbed his nose against her smaller one with affection. "I don't know what it is, but I trust you. You must have a reason for not telling me and I'll honor your wisdom on the matter. Just know this, my heart's flame: I will support you, no matter what happens. You are my life, my soul, my everything. You have given me a fine son and I hope someday you will give me more children to love." He stroked her cheek in an absent soothing gesture. His fingertips traced the tears that Lily wasn't even aware of that she had begun to shed. "Whatever you think is right, we'll do…together."
And Lily told him…everything.
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Harry looked up from his book as Kreacher popped back into the room with the crown-thingy that he had seen in the Room of Lost Things at Hogwarts. Without him having to signal her, Hermione was already moving forward to take the item from the house elf. Scrutinizing it, she cross-referenced it with the image in Hogwarts, a History. Finally, her eyes met Harry's across the room and nodded. Harry didn't need to nod to confirm that it was Ravenclaw's Diadem. He could feel the dark energy rolling off of it in tiny, almost imperceptible waves. Well, at least he knew that hanging around with two horcruxes had its fringe benefits. Maybe he could hone that into something similar to the sense that Dumbledore had exhibited in the cave? Sensing people's magic could be very useful down the road. Pushing these thoughts aside for the moment, Harry stood, commanding attention of his two friends and the house elf. He held up the book he had been reading, the Black Grimoire that Kreacher had so thoughtfully brought to the kitchen yesterday morning.
"I believe that I know how to destroy the Horcruxes," Harry announced without preamble. Inside he was trembling despite his calm exterior. He was certain that Hermione knew by the slightly thoughtful frown she wore. Ron's scowl was another story. Harry had no idea what could have caused it. Fortunately, Ron was kind enough to open his mouth and let them know what he was thinking.
"You want to use dark arts to get rid of You-Know-Who? How does that make us any better than him?"
Harry looked askance at Hermione. She was staring at Ron with a look of shocked dismay on her face. 'Okay, I'm not the only one who thinks he completely missed the point here,' Harry thought bitterly. He turned back to his friend. Dense though he was, Ron deserved an explanation. Harry felt his expression harden slightly into a mask of neutrality. In response to his desperate need, his magic wrapped tightly around him. He lifted his chin, a solider holding his head high as he had decided after his talk about the prophecy with Dumbledore last spring.
"I will do whatever it takes to rid the world of Voldemort forever, Ron," Harry said firmly, no trace of his trepidation or very real fear evident in his voice. Across the room, Hermione echoed his words and tone.
"Whatever it takes."
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Author's Note: Thank you for all the story and author alerts and to those who have favorite this story or myself. Double thanks to those who have followed that up with reviewing!
Now I have switched to my Wednesday update…just in time for the story to begin its conclusion. The main reason that I had to wait was I got busy this weekend with helping my players with last minute character builds and then I had game on Sunday. Yay for chaos? I guess…
So would anyone be interesting in knowing the soundtrack I'm using to write this story after I'm done? Just curious, you know.
Well, I'm off on one final note: yes, I know that the Lexicon said that Dorea was supposed to die before Harry was born. But she wanted a say in this story and well, she's kind of intimidating…would you turn her down?
Edited 03/11/12: Little things have been changed. A reviewer commented that I was unclear how Harry was able to sense the Horcrux inside the diadem. Writer error- -I thought he had exhibited the ability to sense dark magic in canon. After reviewing the Chamber scene in Book 2 and the Cave scene in Book 6, I find myself mistaken (it must be fanon). But Harry does know that such a sense exists and I know that one can learn to sense the energy of things, particularly if the items are "drenched" in energy as I imagine a horcrux would be. I also know that hanging around such items can affect your ability to perceive such items. I'm also guilty of thinking that because I know these things that everybody does. It's a common assumption, but we all know what happens when we assume, right? [winks and grins] So hopefully it's more clear now.