Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter or Harry Potter related copyrights.

Hey everybody! It's been a rough couple of weeks for me; that is why I haven't updated, not because I didn't get as many reviews as I asked for. In case anyone was wondering I only got 38 reviews for last chapter- 12 short of the 50 I had proposed. I just want to make it clear one last time that the quotas I set are merely challenges for you readers and when you meet them I reward you with a chapter. My updating is not solely dependent upon your reviewing.

On a lighter note: thank you all very much for reviewing! I really appreciate your feedback and it made my dreary days much better. It also inspired me to continue writing even though the hard drive of my computer crashed and I lost much of my motivation.

I would also like to respond to one reviewer: Severus did not die by the killing curse; Nagini killed him.

Also you all seem to be under the delusion that Lily and James must be killed off in this story; all I'm saying is that it is a semi-AU story and thus I can do whatever I want.

Enjoy!

"Where are we?" asked James as he gazed around in awe. Lily had apparated the two of them into a small patch of woods and once they emerged it was clear that they were not at Lily's house.

"Buckingham Palace," answered Lily as she led James through the royal gardens toward the palace. "My family is staying here while my dad does some legal stuff for the Queen."

"Oh," replied James in shock.

The rest of the short walk went by in silence. Lily was deep in thought as she navigated the many corridors of the palace, and James was unsure what to say so he refrained from speaking.

Lily stopped at a door and led James inside. "I'm just going to change my clothes and take a quick shower before we go to see my dad. If you want you can shower too. After me," Lily added when James' eyebrows shot up in surprise.

James grinned and chuckled at Lily's minor slip-up.

"I'll be out shortly; make yourself comfortable," she said as she finished gathering her clothing.

James nodded and proceeded to look around after Lily closed the door to her bathroom.

A half hour later Lily emerged from the loo to find James immersed in the book that had been on her nightstand.

"What do you think?" she asked as she crept up behind him.

James started but then replied, "Very interesting and kind of scary."

"It's a masterpiece," said Lily in awe. "It says a lot about muggle culture, and even more about wizarding society."

"How do you figure?"

"Do you want to get into a lengthy discussion about 1984 or do you want to meet my dad?" questioned Lily hoping James would opt for the first suggestion.

"I'm not letting you off the hook that easily; let's go meet your dad."

"Why don't you shower first; there's sand in your hair."

"I'll go shower but you're still not getting off the hook."

Twenty minutes later Lily and James were strolling down the passages of Buckingham Palace in complete silence. Both teenagers were incredibly anxious about the coming meeting.

"My dad is probably in the office he uses when he's here," said Lily quietly as she knocked on the large wooden doors.

"Come in!" someone called jovially from within.

"Are you ready for this?" Lily asked James, her eyes roving over his face looking for any sign of indecision. She found none.

"Are you?" James fired back.

Lily didn't answer but opened the door.

"Maggie!" called Albert Evans from behind his enormous cluttered desk. "What kept you?"

James looked over at Lily very confused.

Lily strode farther into the room leaving James behind.

"Why do you look so cross mo cuishle?" asked Albert as he saw the frown on the face of the approaching woman. "I know I haven't spent much time with you or the girls lately, but this case is the big one. It could pay for Daisy's medical bills, and Hogwarts for Lily, and Petunia could take dance lessons again, and we could help Violet and Benjy with their mortgage! Can you just be a little more patient?!"

"Dad," said Lily slowly as she walked toward her father. "It's me, Lily. Momma, Maggie, isn't here. She died years ago."

James wanted to reach out to his girlfriend as her voice cracked, but his feet remained rooted to the floor.

"Maggie?!" cried Albert as he cast his eyes wildly around the room. "Where are you?"

"She's not here!" yelled Lily as she tried to calm her hysterical father by grabbing his shoulders. "She's dead!"

"No! No! She can't be dead! She was right here! I saw her!"

"No you didn't," Lily told him sternly. "It's me Lily. You've been drinking and you thought you saw her, but you didn't. It's just me."

"I don't believe you!" cried Albert brokenly. "She's here; I know she is." Then he crumpled and slumped out of his chair and into his daughter's arms. "I saw her; I did. She was here. I saw her," he repeated incessantly as he sobbed.

Lily rocked him back and forth and muttered, "You only thought you did. She's not here, and she's not coming. She died a long time ago."

As his sobs subsided Lily helped her father up and led him to a nearby couch. She pried his glass out of his hands and had him lie down. Almost instantly he fell into a drunken slumber. James then watched Lily bustle around the room with an air of practiced efficiency. She gathered up all of the alcohol and locked it back up in the cabinet and pocketed the key. Then she tidied the things that had fallen off the desk or had been knocked over by Mr. Evans while he was drinking. Next she drew all of the drapes and took the telephone off of the hook. Finally Lily motioned for James to follow her out of the room.

"Do you want to talk?" James asked as he tried to catch Lily's eye.

"Now do you see why I didn't want you to meet my family?" Lily asked, her voice terrifyingly calm.

"Lily," said James pleadingly.

"Not here," she mumbled. "Not here."

James waited as Lily dragged him through many corridors so fast he was totally disoriented and couldn't remember how they made it outside. Once they were outside Lily slipped out of her shoes and broke out into a full run her hand still attached to James'.

Many minutes later Lily stumbled and fell to the ground dragging James down with her.

"Ouch," she muttered. Then she began weeping shamelessly as she curled up into the fetal position.

Silently James picked her up off of the grass still wet with the morning dew and carried her to a secluded weeping willow tree hoping that the long branches would give them some privacy. He sat down with his back against the rough bark and held Lily in his strong arms letting her cry.

She cried for a long time. After awhile she stopped, but she didn't say anything. James didn't say anything either. For nearly an hour they stayed like that, not moving, not speaking, just being.

"My dad is an alcoholic. He has been since my mother and sister died. It's not so bad anymore; Clarice keeps him in line most of the time. But on certain days he can't help it. Today was my mom's birthday. Unlike most men my dad has an uncanny ability to remember important dates; he has never once forgotten a birthday, anniversary, or holiday. He has always had a great memory for dates and events; he was a history major at the university before he went to law school. Anyways, he has probably been drinking since the early hours this morning because he is also a workaholic. He can't help that either.

"His two addictions insured that he only had to spend minimal time at home, and the time that he was home he spent drunk or hungover. I can't tell you how many times I have had to clean up after him; wipe up vomit, hide his booze, help him into bed, repair whatever he knocks over, apologize to the people he offends when he is drunk out of his mind… Within a couple of weeks after my mother's death Petunia started drinking too. I was twelve frickin years old and I was the adult of the house!

"I was the one who made sure that Daisy ate her vegetables, took her medicine, and was in bed on time every night. I shopped, cooked, cleaned, and did the budget. During the school year I sent constant letters back home to Tony and my other friends making sure that everything was running smoothly. I worried all the time! No twelve year old should have to handle that; I'm seventeen and I still can't handle it!"

"It's okay… what am I saying? It's not okay and it never will be. But someday your life will be okay Lily; I promise," James whispered to the vulnerable redhead.

-----

"Good morning Chris," Harry greeted his older brother with an enormous grin.

"Morning," Christopher replied. He was in such a good mood that it didn't even bother him that his brother called him by his hated childhood nickname.

"So I met Lily this morning," said Harry conversationally as he handed his brother a cup of coffee.

Christopher choked on the hot liquid and spluttered, "Lily Evans?! Why was she here? How did she even know we were here? What did she want? Did she see James? What did James say? Does he even know?"

"Slow down Chris," said Harry chuckling. "What's with the third degree?"

"They broke up!"

"And now they're back together," said Harry as if he was talking to a four year old.

"No!" shouted Christopher angrily as he banged his fist on the dining room table.

"What is wrong with you? She seemed like a wonderful girl to me and James really likes her."

"He's in love with her," Christopher spat.

"I am failing to see the problem."

"She's a muggleborn."

"And?"

"Do you believe that history repeats itself because it certainly appears that way right now. Do you remember Eleanor?"

Harry's eyes widened in recognition and his face became serious. "He's not you Chris; he won't make the same mistakes."

"Damn right he won't; I won't let him," stated Christopher firmly.

"That's what Father said about you," Harry pointed out. "As much as he isn't you, James is still stubborn and pigheaded like you."

"I will succeed where Father failed."

"This is the last thing I'm going to say on the subject; don't try to control James's life or he'll resent you just like you resented our parents."

"He'll thank me in the end," Christopher told himself.

-----

"James, can I have a word with you?" Christopher inquired after dinner that night.

"Sure dad, what's up?" asked James.

"Let's go sit in the study." At this Marilyn looked at her husband suspiciously and James's friends gave their best mate sympathetic glances.

James silently followed his father to his study, but his thoughts were anything but silent. His imagination ran wild as he thought up all of the possible reasons his father could have for wanting to talk to him alone.

"James, I have to have a serious talk with you," announced Christopher once and James were settled in armchairs in the study.

"I really don't need another sex talk dad," said James uncomfortably. "I think the first four drove the message home."

Ignoring his son's outburst Christopher continued, "It's about Lily."

"What about Lily?" asked James defensively.

"I know this is hard to hear James, but after Hogwarts you can't see her anymore," said Christopher as he leaned forward in his chair, bracing himself for the ranting and raging that was sure to follow.

"This is because she's a muggleborn isn't it?!" shouted James as he jumped out of his seat and began pacing.

Christopher sat back in his chair and simply said, "Yes."

"But you and mom always taught me not to discriminate against people for any reason!"

"Yes we did, but that doesn't apply to this situation. You're a Potter and you have certain responsibilities. Marrying a nice pureblood girl is one of those responsibilities."

James was outraged. "You don't know me! You have never known me! Because if you did then you wouldn't say stuff like this! I love Lily! I'm not going to break up with her because of your stupid and old-fashioned pureblood nonsense!"

Christopher laughed mirthlessly. "You think I don't know you?! You are dead wrong. I know you because I was in this same situation when I was a little older than you. The only difference was that my father didn't stop me when he should have. He underestimated me; I will not underestimate you."

James paused in his pacing and asked, "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?"

Christopher sighed and then began his long tale. "For most of seventh year I dated a muggleborn girl named Eleanor Grierson. I brought her to the annual Christmas Eve party and she met my parents. Trying to show that they weren't as prejudiced as other pureblood families they didn't make a big scene because they didn't really think that we would last. Even though they didn't say it, my parents thought we wouldn't last because she wasn't as good as me and I would soon get bored.

"Unfortunately for them I never broke up with her. By the time N.E.W.T.s rolled around I was convinced I was in love with Eleanor. I was dreaming of settling down with her and starting a family in a cottage in Hogsmeade. I knew I would have to bequeath the mansion and everything that went with it to my brother, but I didn't care because I thought I was in love."

"I am in love!" yelled James defiantly.

"Let me finish," said Christopher calmly. "After graduation my parents forbid me to see Eleanor anymore because it was obvious that our relationship was going too far. But they were too late to stop me. I started sneaking out to see her. I think I sneaked out just about every night that summer, and once I decided to ignore that rule I threw the rest of my parents' rules out the window. The week before I started Auror training Eleanor told me that she was pregnant."

"What?!" James was shocked. He couldn't even imagine his rule-abiding, straight-laced father purposefully eating with the wrong fork never mind fathering a child out of wedlock.

Christopher plowed on. "Of course I then planned on marrying her. But first we decided to tell our parents about our mistake. We went to see your grandparents first. They were absolutely furious, yet they didn't yell as much as I had thought they would. I didn't find out how truly angry they were until later. The day before we were going to elope Eleanor went missing. After I spent the whole day looking for her my mother told me that she and my father had hidden her away. She ensured me that Eleanor and the baby would be well taken care of but I could never see either of them and no one was ever going to know that they existed.

"I searched for her every chance I got, but I was starting auror training at the time so I didn't have many opportunities. My parents tried to make me forget Eleanor and marry a nice pureblood girl, but I pined after her for years. Finally I met your mother. She wasn't like the other pureblood girls; she wasn't from one of the old money families so she wasn't as snobby and prissy. She reminded me a lot of Eleanor, so I married her even though I wasn't in love with her.

"About two years after we were married I told your mother about Eleanor. She didn't speak to me for a month and then she went on a trip. I was afraid she wasn't going to come back. But she did, and she brought Eleanor and my daughter. Marilyn had looked through all of my mother's old records and finally tracked down Eleanor. She decided that she couldn't bear to be second in my heart so she gave me an ultimatum; I could pick Eleanor and leave her, or I could find closure with Eleanor and finally truly commit myself to her.

"I talked with Eleanor for a long time. She had accepted what had happened to her and she was happy. I realized that I was pining after the memory of Eleanor and nothing more. So we parted and I fell in love with your mother."

"But what happened to your daughter? My half-sister?"

"She's about fifteen years older than you are. Since I met her I have kept in contact with her through letters and I visit her once a year on her birthday. She has a family of her own in France now."

"What's her name?" asked James.

"Elizabeth Samantha Grierson Bienvenue. You can't tell anyone she exists; our family has kept her a secret since we knew about her and it's best for everyone if it remains that way. She is the reason I have given you four sex lectures; I know the consequences I lectured you about first hand.

"I'm not trying to ruin your life James," said Christopher tiredly. "I'm trying to protect you from the years of heartbreak I suffered because you and I both know that you have to end your relationship with Lily at some point. It might as well be when you leave school; you'll be parting ways anyway so it will be a nice clean break."

"And if I refuse?" asked James rebelliously.

"You don't have that option James; you are the only heir. It's up to you to carry on the family name and bloodline."

"I didn't ask to be the heir! I don't want it, any of it! I'd rather live in a cottage in Hogsmeade with Lily than Potter Mansion with some pureblood girl I have to learn to love."

"You say that now James, but when you're older you'll realize that I was right and you'll be glad I did this to you."

"Glad?" scoffed James. "Not bloody likely."

Christopher watched as his son stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him. He wasn't surprised; he distinctly remembered doing the same thing many years previous.

-----

James spent the rest of the night fuming. Flying, swimming, and joking around with his mates all failed to calm him down. That night he had nightmares of being an auror and arriving on the scene of an attack to find Lily's tortured corpse because he wasn't there to protect her.

Around noon the following day Lily arrived as she had promised so that James could really meet her father.

James made a big show of kissing her very passionately when he greeted her on the beach because he knew his father would be watching.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked him.

James genuinely smiled and replied, "Now I am." Then he kissed the side of her head and finally felt his anger begin to ebb. "Let's go."

A few minutes later James was being introduced to Mr. Evans.

"Dad, this is my boyfriend James Potter; James, this is my dad Albert Evans," said Lily.

"Nice to meet you sir," said James warmly as he shook Albert's hand.

"You have a nice firm handshake," commented Albert. "I admire that."

"Thank you sir," replied James.

"Now James, Lily tells me that the two of you have been dating behind my back since November," began Albert as he stirred his tea.

"I guess we have."

"I see. This morning Lily also confessed that your parents have known about the two of you from the beginning."

"Yes sir."

"Yet you didn't think to ask me for my permission to date my daughter," said Mr. Evans as he eyed James suspiciously.

James was now wishing he hadn't been so adamant about meeting Mr. Evans. "Umm… no."

"I see. How are your grades?"

"They're pretty good, not as high as Lily's of course, but really good," said James nervously.

"I see," commented Mr. Evans in a bored tone. "Do you play any sports?"

"I'm the captain of my house's Quidditch team," said James proudly.

"How… wonderful." Mr. Evans was still unimpressed. "What do your parents do?"

"My dad is sort of like a police officer and my mom doesn't work."

"And what do you plan to do after school?"

"I'm going to go into training to become an auror like my dad."

"I see."

"Dad, this third degree is not necessary," interrupted Lily.

"It most certainly is necessary!" thundered Albert. "You have been dating this boy for six months and you didn't even tell me so there must be something about him you are trying to hide!"

"You are the only one who didn't know! Petunia, Daisy, Jess, and Mary all know! For heaven's sake even Clarice knows! You just don't pay attention! You don't ever listen to me!" yelled Lily.

"I do too!" protested Albert. "We spent hours together driving to London all those times!"

"But did you ever listen to what I was saying?! The answer is no! I know that because if you had been listening you would have remembered me ranting about this boy named James Potter who annoyed the ever-living daylights out of me and you wouldn't have been clueless as to who he is now!" retorted Lily.

"Don't you raise your voice to me young lady! Parents don't have to listen to their children, but children must listen to and obey their parents! It is obvious that you're lacking in this discipline since your mother and I made it clear that we didn't want you dating any wizards!" shouted Albert.

"My mother?" spat Lily in that dangerously low and quiet voice of hers. "That hag is not my mother."

"You will show her respect!" roared Albert.

"Mom always taught me that respect is earned and all that cow has earned from me is hatred and bitter resentment," Lily stated violently.

"Lillian Marissa Evans I did not raise you to be so rude and callous!"

"No Dad, you didn't raise me at all! I raised myself after mom died!"

Albert rapidly turned on James. "This is entirely your fault! I knew nothing good would come from her associating with you violent and despicable wizards! You corrupted my sweet little girl!"

James wanted to snort at Albert's description of Lily as "sweet" and "little" but he restrained himself. Lily didn't bother to contain herself.

"Did you even notice I was missing for two weeks last summer? Your sweet little girl spent fourteen days sleeping on park benches and in doorways in the biggest and most dangerous cities in Europe. Did you know your sweet little girl can put a man flat on his back in under a minute or that she likes to drive at 130 kilometers an hour? Did you even know that she learned how to drive?" questioned Lily as she focused her burning gaze on her biological father.

Albert met his defiant daughter's gaze evenly. "You need to leave the room and cool down Lily. I want to talk to James alone."

"But dad…"

"No excuses! Go now Lily!" ordered Albert. "Now!"

Lily gave James a remorseful look but she was already in enough trouble so she didn't protest further.

"She's just like her mother," sighed Albert as he ran a hand through his thinning blond hair. "Temperamental and hotheaded."

"I know," said James simply.

"I'm a straight-shooter James and I'm not going to going to spare your feelings."

"Umm… okay," said James nervously.

"Have you had sex with my daughter?" asked Albert in the lawyer tone that won him hundreds of cases in the past. He wasn't asking his daughter's boyfriend questions, he was interrogating a suspect.

"No!" said James vehemently. He had had enough of being wrongly accused to last for a lifetime.

Albert looked at James intently for a moment and then when he realized James was telling the truth he continued, "Do you and my daughter fight often?"

James reflected for a moment. He wasn't sure what the right answer was so he just gave the truthful one. "Yeah, I'd say so. Mostly about stupid stuff."

"I see. Do you love her?"

James didn't pause for even a millisecond before answering that question. "Yes, very much so."

"I feared as much," said Albert tiredly. He took off his glasses and rubbed his face before continuing. "This relationship has gone too far already. Clarice was right in taking Lily out of school. Ever since she started there she hasn't been her usual self, and as I ponder it, she has been even less her sweet self since she began dating you. I am going to ask you to stop seeing my daughter."

"With all due respect sir, I refuse," said James bluntly.

"I may have asked you to stop seeing Lily but don't delude yourself into thinking that I was giving you a choice in the matter. You will not continue to date my daughter," stated Albert firmly.

"If you think you can stop me then you're wrong, and if you think you can stop Lily then you know ever less about her than I thought," commented James civilly as he stood up. "I'm glad I met you Mr. Evans."

Albert shook James' outstretched hand out of courtesy, but his tone revealed his true feelings about the situation. "I wish I could reciprocate the feeling."

"Still glad you met my dad?" asked Lily dryly as James joined her in the hallway. She was leaning up against the wall opposite the office double doors with her arms crossed over her chest and a grimace on her face.

"Not exactly," admitted James.

"Did he tell you that you can't date me any more?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to listen to him?"

"It's more likely that Sirius is gay," joked James.

"Well in that case I feel as if I have nothing to worry about!" laughed Lily. "Come on; let's go do something fun in London."

"Lead the way," said James agreeably.

"James?" asked Lily as she stood up straight and walked over to her waiting boyfriend.

"Yeah?"

"Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Not recently."

"Well I do," said Lily softly as she gazed deep into his hazel eyes. Then she stood up on her toes and kissed him lightly.

The star crossed lovers smiled serenely and walked off toward London. Little did they know that their fathers were not the only obstacles in the path of their relationship.

So for this chapter I'm not setting any quota at all. I want to see if people review regardless. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!