A/N: Many thanks for all reviews, they do help me write! The next 'big thing' that happens will probably take place away from Hogwarts. gasp No, they haven't graduated yet but I felt rather inspired by London while I was strolling along the Thames today.
TO: Ember marie. I really appreciate you honest reviews and don't think they are harsh at all. I hope that I will show considerable improvement with the upcoming chapters! XXx
- - -
James arrived back at the common room and found himself in front of a sight that had proven to be a nuisance far too many times already. The stairs.
"Lily!" he shouted up the stairs. "LILY!" he shouted louder, aware that he was probably waking up a lot of late sleepers. He ducked as a small cauldron was thrown down the stairs at him.
"You have got to find a different way of getting your girlfriend's attention Potter!" the owner of the cauldron shouted.
"Sorry! Hey! Could you just get Lily down for me please!"
"Sod off Potter!"
"I guess not then!" James sighed already moving back to make room for a run up. With a few stretches to limber up he started to run.
"Oh no you don't Potter!" James screeched to a stop surprised at being shouted at from someone behind.
"What is it with people nowadays? Is it the new thing to call me by my surname? Whatever happened to 'James'?" he demanded as he turned to see who it was. It was bad enough having Lily calling him Potter, at least she only did it when she was angry with him. "Professor!" he said quite taken aback by seeing McGonagall. "Uh, Hi!" he added sheepishly at having snapped at her without meaning to.
"Step one foot on those steps and you will finish off the rest of your last year in detention." She warned her voice low and threatening.
James quickly straightened himself up and pasted an incredulous look on his face. "Me? Up those stairs? Nah uh! I was just...running. Morning jog, keeps the heart healthy." The lie he gave didn't matter because it had been obvious what he was trying to do but nonetheless, giving an answer was better than no answer.
"I suspect you were looking for Lily."
James felt inclined to offer a sarcastic answer but decided now was not the best of times. "Yes I was." He admitted.
"You won't find her in her room." The Professor said, her voice changing ever so slightly. The corners of her pale face pinching.
"I need to find her. The morning paper...there's something she needs to know." James explained feeling his hot antagonistic inclination dissipate and the sadness seep back.
She nodded, I know. "The Headmaster and I...we've informed her of...the tragedy."
"...I see."
"She's not in the castle at the moment, she requested to see her sister. I expect her to return back to the school in a few hours." McGonagall turned to go but she paused at the door. "These are dark times James, and there's no doubt that they will get darker yet." She said without turning and then swiftly left.
James stood alone in the common room, left with nothing but her echo of Dumbledore's ominous words. They ricocheted in his mind; throwing themselves from wall to wall until they stabbed deep into a niche. Already, he knew it was beginning its growth; a festering malignant tumor that he would carry for the rest of his life. Darker yet.
- - -
The Officer respectfully left Lily to grieve by herself although he never took his eyes off her for a few seconds. In all his twenty years of working for the Ministry he had seen more times than he could count the damage of losing a loved one could do to a person. All forms of rational thought becomes something of a memory and life itself becomes all but the faintest smudge that would float away with one careless breath.
Seven metres of space he stood away from her. She had seven metres to grieve in and he had seven metres to cover before he would reach if she were to do something he had to prevent. In most circumstance it was seven metres too much and all the while he was constantly aware that any second that she could decide that she had had enough she could throw herself over the bridge and plunge into the icy water below.
This Lily Evans however showed no inclination to do such a thing. She sat at the base of railing leaning her back against it. She had fallen to that position after disposing of her wand and hadn't moved since.
Life didn't stop to see her fallen on the concrete floor of the bridge; busy Londoners continued to stride past oblivious to her presence. Locked in her seven metres worth of space Lily too ignored them and the busy traffic lost in her own solitude.
The Officer knew the routine well, first came the shock then came the denial, then the hysterics. Grief came in many forms but it usually preferred to manifest itself in that general order. He waited, expecting the girl to start crying at any minute but an hour slipped by, followed by a second and it was fast approaching the third and still there was no sign of the last stage of grief. Rubbing his stiff joints he ambled up to the girl and he laid a hand on her unresponsive shoulder.
"Dumbledore will be expecting you back safely at the school soon." He said. She nodded vaguely.
"Okay, just give me a minute. I need to clean up at the Ladies'." She said. Her control over speech was perfect although her expression remained strangely neutral.
"Sure." He answered although he was very unsure at her reaction. "There are some public toilets just at beyond the stairs. She nodded politely and stood up giving her robe two exacting swipes to smooth down the creases.
"I'll be right back." She promised although she had no intention of keeping it. With no reason to prevent her from leaving his sight the Officer stepped aside.
Lily walked slowly off the bridge however she did not go straight ahead to where he had pointed but she ducked down the stairs. Her measured steps gave way to a quick patter of her heels as she took the stairs two at a time and jumped off the last three. Alongside the meandering river she ran, past the London Aquarium and the famous theaters she ran until she thought her lungs might collapse and her vision blurred.
Chest heaving she doubled over by a heavily graffiti covered wall unsure whether the physical or emotional pain hurt more. The area was infamously known to be populated with young teens testing out their skills on skateboards but today it was thankfully empty.
Knowing that the Officer would be searching for her soon she spurred her legs to work and she entered a narrow alley that stank of urine and was further decorated more by swollen letters sprayed painted from cans. Still, not matter how unpleasant her unfamiliar surrounding was it was a much better refuge than the large comfort of the huge castle that had been the core of her 'freakishness' for so many years now. At that moment she would gladly chop years off her life in exchange for her not to return to it and be a witch.
With that thought she ventured deeper into the dingy alley that seemed dark even though it had yet to be noon. She heard voices coming from an offshoot ahead and contemplated choosing another alley to hide in before she heard something that made her freeze.
"...the Dark Lord will be very pleased. Well done Tether." Came a voice.
"I will do whatever the Lord asks of me." A monotone voice answered.
Lily recognized neither voice but she did recognize two names. First and foremost she recognized "Dark Lord" with a gut-wrenching reminder. Secondly the name "Tether" was highly familiar.
Tether. Tether. Tether. Tether. David Tether!
David Tether was a young man who graduated from Hogwarts the year Lily arrived for her first year. He was a top student and had won many prizes some of which were still displayed in the trophy room. After his graduation he had joined the Ministry of Magic and had quickly been promoted to Head of Public Relations and Personnel department.
One peak around the corner confirmed that her suspicions had been correct. He had changed little since she had last seen him. Same mousy brown hair and slanted eyes on a lanky body. Her heart began to pick up speed again. What was he doing here? Her internal sirens were going off but she felt compelled to ease closer and listen.
"Do you wish to be part of the raid? The Lord has yet to choose when but I expect it will be very soon." The first voice cackled. "That old fool thinks his antique school is impenetrable. Hogwarts is nothing but a stepping stone for our Lord, I'll tell you that!"
"I cannot be part of the raid." Tether said. "It would look too suspicious. My roles lies within the Ministry- WHO'S THERE?!"
Lily jumped. She was certain she had not made any noises. A split second later she realized that she was not the only one spying on the plotting twosome but another was nearby and it was he who had made the noise. It was too late; she had taken a step back and had kicked back an empty can. The rust tin clattered loudly across the narrow alley.
Panicked, Lily backed off and was running. Feet pounded behind her and she picked up speed until suddenly something - a spell hit her from behind and she pitched forward into the deep dark of unconsciousness.
- - -
As the day wore on anxiousness drove James' bad mood into the depths of the worst black clouds. A lot of hours had passed and Lily still hadn't returned. He went through each lesson paying little attention and by early evening he was at McGonagall's office door knocking apprehensively.
"Come in."
James entered the orderly office. "Professor. Lily still hasn't returned yet."
"No James, she hasn't."
He stood in front of her desk waiting expectantly for an explanation but she just stared back at him.
"Is she okay?" He asked feeling that his question was rhetorical.
She held is gaze for a few seconds longer. "I don't know James, I'm sorry." Her truthful answer surprised James; uncertainty was not something Head of Gryffindor showed often. "She ran away from the assigned Officer. The Headmaster has arranged for a search. We can only wait." She said with emphasis on 'wait'.
Stunned, James left her office a few minutes later. He went straight to the Common Room where he knew Sirius, Remus and Peter were waiting for him.
"Any news?" Remus asked hopefully.
James shook his head. "She ran away."
"She what?" Sirius choked on his sweet. Remus slapped him on the back a few times until his coughing subsided. "Not good."
A/N: I'm not quite happy with this chapter but I do like the next one that I'm working on!
