"Come on, Lily, please?" Becca's voice begged as she practically jumped about with her excitement, her eyes were bright, her smile big, and Lily couldn't help but laugh. "Please, look it's you and me, we're seventeen, and we can look after ourselves, come on, I really want to go look at it!"

Lily rolled her eyes sighing; she put her hands on her hips and looked sternly at her friend.

It was the summer before their seventh year at Hogwarts and the newest broom out yet had just been released, Becca was determined to buy it for James, they had been together since the end of fifth year, so for just over a year now, and as a present for their anniversary and his congratulations for getting Head Boy she wanted desperately to get him the newest broom out.

"Ok, just for a little while, you know it's not safe out," Lily said finally giving into her friends wishes, she couldn't help but smile as Becca giggled and squealed excitedly. "Come on then, let's go to The Leaky Cauldron, and head out form there."

The pair erupted into the pub through the fireplace within minutes, Becca excitedly jumped form the emerald flames out into the dusty old pub, a few people turned at their sudden appearance, but it was common place for people to use the floo network to get to Diagon Alley.

Arm in arm they moved through the street, towards the quidditch store, Becca froze just by the window, her jaw fell to the floor as her eyes fell upon the display in the window. A slim-line broom sat in the window, the displayed named it the Nimbus 1700, it was sleek and shiny, and Lily knew enough about Broomstick to know it was one of the top brooms around, it had just been put into the professional quidditch league.

"He'll love it Becca," Lily said looking at the item before her, it came with a hefty price tag, but Becca came from money, it wouldn't be too hard for her to afford it. "Come on then."

They were inside the store, a clerk helping them with the purchase when the screaming started, Lily and Becca froze as people begun running up the street, the ground shook, and explosions made the building shake, smoke started billowing from the building around them.

"We've got to go!" Lily yelled to Becca, as she gripped the broom in her had, her eyes wide with fear, Lily grabbed her wrist, running towards the door, she pulled it open just as a blast sent her and Becca flying backwards. Her back smashed against the far wall, knocking the breathe from her lungs, she dropped about ten foot to the floor, feeling something crack in her chest as she landed, she screamed painfully. Looking up she saw Becca, lying on the floor groaning, blood pouring down her face from a nasty gash.

"Lily!" Becca called, she rolled over, and crawled towards her friend. "Shit, Lily you need a hospital!" Becca pulled her wand from her pocket, carefully pulling herself to her knees, peering out of the smashed windows, she could see people robed in black, wearing skull masks, and all too familiar sight these days. "We need to get out, can you move?"

Lily nodded dumbly, Becca pulled on her arm, and Lily let out a scream, the two girls looked around, no one else was moving in the building, Becca peered down at her friend there was a broken shelf piercing her skin. Blood was dripping down her t-shirt and she was getting paler by the second.

Becca half carried her towards the back door, she was reaching for the door handle when the Deatheaters entered the building, they quickly descended on the two young girls.

"It's Rebecca Bagnold, isn't her Aunt currently running for Minister for Magic, how interesting… And a mudblood…" A Voice cackled form behind a mask, Becca closed her eyes. Tears escaping from beneath her eyelids. "The mudblood is practically dead; she's no fun, but the other one…"

"No time for play," A voice broke across the room, the energy in the room shot up, and the sickening sound of a silky voice sent icy fear to her very core. "Bagnold, let's make a statement…"

"Cruciatus Curse?" A Deatheater asked eagerly, Lily blinked up at him, he was smiling, she could barely focused as her eyesight darkened, Becca sobbed quietly, one of them had stood on her wand, it was snapped in half and unusable, Lily's was no where to be found.

"No… Who remember the entrail expelling curse? My sweet you've always done as I asked so well, perhaps you would like…?" His words were so easy, bringing Lily back to consciousness, as she gripped Becca's hand in her own, praying for help.

The person practically squealed as she turned on the two young girls pointing her wand at Becca, Lily looked right into her dark eyes, seeing nothing but evil as she eyed the brunette, her mouth moved, and in less than a second, Lily felt something splatter across her face, warm and thick. She closed her eyes, not daring to look.

James hadn't ever forgiven himself for her death, and Lily had never stopped feeling the tickle of blood that had run down her face, Becca's blood.

When she did finally open her eyes once more she was in St Mungo's, Remus was sitting with her, he explained that Becca had died, both knew it had not been a quick or painless death, but it was too late to save her by the time help arrived. Lily was second from death, they'd barely saved her, she had only just about recovered in time to get back to Hogwarts.

She was angry at him, it was December, they were close to going home for the holidays he'd lost his badge, and was close to loosing his life. They pretended to not notice, but he was taking pills, downing them with drink, he was beyond help.

There was a banging on the portrait that distracted her form her thoughts, and the homework she was meant to be doing. She got up quickly, it must have been one in the morning, she opened the portrait, gasping at what she found.

"HELP! HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" Below the portrait lay slumped James, he was pale and twitching, unconscious. Beside him lay two bottles, one a firewhiskey bottle, the other was a pill bottle.

"What the fuck have you done this time James, you stupid, stupid boy."