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

Results from last chapter's reviews:

Is Mr. Evans turning over a new leaf?

12 said yes12 said no

Should Lily know about her dad?

14 said yes9 said no

One would think that Remus, Sirius, and Peter were champion catcallers and wolf whistlers from the symphony that erupted when Lily appeared at the top of the Potter staircase that evening at the start of the Gala. She rolled her eyes at their antics and proceeded down the stairs with a coy smile and blush that James would have found incredibly attractive had he been there.

"Where's James?" asked Lily as she joined her friends in the foyer. She looked around as if she expected him to jump out and surprise her.

"Haven't seen him yet," said Peter shrugging.

"We thought he was with you," supplied Sirius.

"You always think he's with me," retorted Lily.

"He usually is," Remus pointed out.

"Who usually is what?" asked James with a wide smile that didn't match his eyes as he quickly walked down the staircase. "You look lovely," he told his girlfriend and then quickly kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," said Lily as she scrutinized her boyfriend. His bowtie was sloppy, so she untied it and retied it for him. "Much better."

"Thanks," said James as he refused to meet Lily's eyes. "Let's go into the ballroom and get something to drink."

Within minutes other Hogwarts graduates and their parents began arriving and the Marauders and Lily were separated as they started to mingle and make small talk. Remus was unable to find James for nearly a half hour, but James wasn't able to avoid him forever.

"So what's going on?" asked Remus as he finally cornered James and handed him a glass of champagne.

James downed the alcohol in a very ungentlemanly fashion and handed the empty flute back to his friend. "No idea what you're talking about."

"So for no reason you won't look at Lily, and haven't spent any time with her?" asked Remus with that damned perceptive look and sarcastic tone of his.

"That pretty much sums it up," agreed James as he attempted to leave.

"Be straight with me here Prongs, what's going on?" said Remus seriously as he blocked James's path.

"For some crazy reason, my mother decided it would be a good idea to invite Lily's parents here. She did it months ago, but with these recent… issues. I think she was hoping for some sort of magical reconciliation," said James in a low tone as he ran his hand through his hair.

"And you're worried they'll show up?" continued Remus.

"Yes."

"They won't," stated Remus firmly. "Both of them hate magic and Clarice hates Lily. There's no way they'd come to a place that has both."

"Clarice needs Lily for her own selfish goals; she's not going to give her up so easily," said James darkly.

"Here's what we'll do," said Remus, as always the man with the plan. "We'll round up Padfoot and Wormtail and divide up the manor into patrols. If anyone sees Mr. or Mrs. Evans he'll just transfigure them into small rodents, capture them and release them into the woods."

James chuckled and then muttered, "Not funny Moony."

"Personally I think that it would be hilarious, but if you prefer we could simply tie them up and leave them in a closet until the party is over and Lily has gone to bed."

"This is serious Moony."

Remus laughed. "Lighten up James! They are going to show up and if they do we'll handle it. Besides, Lily's a big girl and she dealt with them for years. So stop being such a girl and enjoy the party; it is in your honor after all."

"You've had too much to drink," laughed James.

"Not so! I'm merely buzzed," announced Remus.

"What did you drink? The party only started thirty minutes ago."

"I did a couple of shots with Padfoot and had a glass of champagne or two…" Remus trailed off.

"I think you should stick to water for a while then mate," advised James as he surveyed his unusually exuberant mate.

"Probably," agreed Remus, who even in his semi-inebriated state, was a sensible person.

"Thanks for finding me Moony."

"Anytime Prongs anytime," promised Remus as he clapped James on the back. "Except right now because Laura is looking hot in that dress. See you later Prongs!"

James shook his head and continued mingling.

Approximately twenty minutes later, Mrs. Potter got everyone's attention.

"Thank you all for coming," she began. "Christopher and I would just like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the graduates, and to announce that dinner is now being served. Would the parents and other honored guests please enter the Golden Hall through the doors to my left. New graduates, there is a special surprise awaiting you in the Southern Dining Hall. After dinner we will all reconvene here for dancing. Bon appetite!"

As always the Golden Hall, the locale for the famous Christmas Eve banquets, looked extraordinary; it was decked out in the four house colors harmoniously intertwined. However, it was the Southern Dining Hall, although a smaller and less grand room, that stole the show. Mrs. Potter and her team of house elves had arranged the room to look just as the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

The new graduates gasped as they entered the hall, startled by the accuracy of the décor. Why, even the staff table was there and it looked as if their professors were sitting at it! The teenagers were even more astonished when it turned out that it wasn't a mirage, but really their teachers!

"Welcome graduates!" called Dumbledore as he rose to greet the class of 1978. "It is wonderful to see you all again. I hope that you enjoy another last meal together."

Dumbledore clapped once and magically the tables were filled with sumptuous entrees and side dishes. All of the class's favorites were there: meatloaf, roasted turkey, chicken, and ham, tuna casserole, mashed potatoes, cornbread, a variety of vegetables, cranberry jelly, and several others.

Because there were only approximately ten students per house, and even less representing the Slytherins, the tables were relatively small and close together so that conversations among all of them, including the staff table, were common.

As expected, after the dinner foods were cleared from the tables, a vast assortment of delicious desserts appeared. No one thought they could eat another bite, but someone everyone found stomach space and dug in with enthusiasm.

All-in-all the dinner was marvelous and thoroughly enjoyed by all. The highlight was when James challenged the faculty to a Quidditch match.

After some heated whispering between the two of them, James and Sirius split up and began whispering with the other houses. Eventually the mischievous pair approached the staff table with beaming smiles.

"Professor Dumbledore, on behalf of my fellow former classmates, I would like to extend a challenge to you and your staff of a Quidditch game at 9:00 this evening," declared James in his usual charming way.

"I suppose I will have to deliberate with my teammates Captain Potter," replied Dumbledore with a smile.

Five minutes of furious whispering later, Dumbledore emerged from the huddle and announced, "We accept your challenge."

James sprang to his feet and said, "Excellent. We will see you on the pitch. Please give a team roster to Sirius by eight."

"My team, please meet me on the pitch at eight," and with that Captain Potter grabbed a cupcake and left to begin strategizing and ordering the house elves to complete all the necessary tasks in preparation for the game.

"Hey Moony, want to be the announcer?" asked Sirius.

"Sure," answered Remus.

"Great!" said Sirius boisterously as he scribbled something on a piece of parchment and then moved on to his next victim.

Soon everyone was finished with dessert, and the hall drained back into the Grand Ballroom. The adults soon followed and the band struck up a lovely waltz not five minutes after. James appeared at Lily's side just as the first few notes began to waft throughout the room.

Lily had to smile as she beheld her boyfriend; he was just so euphoric that bliss seemed to ooze from his every pore. There were only four things that could bring that spark to his eye, that spring to his step, that grin to his face: transfiguration successes, pranking triumphs, Lily, and Quidditch. Lily hoped it was only a combination of the last two.

As Lily placed her gloved hand in his she felt a surge of his happiness enter her heart. She could not imagine anywhere else she would want to be at that or any other moment. As James expertly twirled her around the dance floor, his steps changing to reflect each new song, the minutes just flew by. She didn't even hear the music; she was dancing to the rhythm of James's heartbeat.

For a half hour the duo dipped, twirled, spun, and sidestepped, but finally James suggested they sit one song out. Lily agreed and sat down at a nearby table while James went to fetch them some drinks. Then disaster struck; its name was Clarice.

At first no one noticed the entrance of the Clarice and Petunia. Although Clarice looked like an escaped lunatic because her hair was in complete disarray, and her make-up resembled the efforts of a three year old, she didn't immediately attract any attention. However, throwing a priceless vase onto the middle of the dance floor where it shattered with a crash loud enough to be heard over the music and small talk, certainly did the trick. In synchrony all heads snapped up and found the source of the disturbance. Once the band had halted and she also had their undivided attention Clarice began her performance.

"Whore!" she screamed as she pointed a spindly finger at a white faced Lily.

As Clarice crushed the vase shards under her pumps while striding purposefully across the dance floor toward her victim, Lily rose and went to meet her at the center.

"Skank! Slut! Wench!" Clarice decried as she began to circle Lily like a boa constrictor wrapping itself around its prey. Her voice was sharp and grating, and everyone winced as each syllable scraped across their ear drums. "Harlot! Liar! Tramp! Floozy! Tart! Trollop!"

As soon as the vase had hit the dance floor Mr. Potter, his auror instincts telling him to fear the worst, had found his wife's side. Once it was obvious that a death eater attack was not imminent he relaxed and curiously watched the scene. As James moved toward Lily acting as her night in shining armor, Christopher caught his sleeve and restrained him.

"She can handle this," Christopher assured him as he placed a firm shoulder on his son's shoulder.

"He's right," agreed Harry as he and Eileen joined the trio. "Let her face her fears."

Although it pained him and went against everything his gut was telling him, James listened to his elders and remained a spectator to Lily's hell.

As Clarice paused to take a ragged breath, her chest heaving, Lily calmly asked, "Anything else you would like to say, or are you just going to continue to spout expletives like a talking thesaurus?"

Enraged, Clarice let out a maddened yell that sounded somewhat like a gorilla that has found out its banana has been stolen. She stormed over to the edge of the dance floor where the Potter's were standing; she recognized James from drawings of Daisy's she had confiscated and logically concluded that the couple next to him were his parents.

"Did you know that your precious son has been dating this slut?" she literally spat at Christopher and Marilyn.

James tensed, but his dad's firm hand restraining him from saying anything.

"You already used that one!" called Lily lightly.

"I'm afraid you must be mistaken madam," said Christopher politely. "My son's girlfriend is a lovely young woman."

"She is a cheating whore!" insisted Clarice. "I personally witnessed her go out with several men while she was allegedly 'dating' your son!"

"That is a matter between the two of them, and obviously if there ever was such an issue they resolved it. My wife and I side with our son and trust his judgment."

Clarice spluttered for a moment, but then collected herself enough to make another go at embarrassing her step-daughter. "She is a bad influence on him!"

Half of the ballroom's occupants scoffed at this claim. Uptight Evans a bad influence on the king of mischief and pranking? Hardly.

"Excuse me? I would be willing to argue the opposite," asserted Marilyn. "Lily has only had a positive affect on the lives of not just James, but my entire family."

"Hm. I had expected better from your son, but now that I know that he regularly encourages girls to sneak out of their houses at night, and then snogs them half-naked in the woods- and not just under the awful influences of the nymphomaniac harlot over there- I have a much different opinion," cackled the crazed divorcee.

Both Lily and James blushed furiously but didn't comment. Harry glanced over at his nephew with his eyebrows raised in surprise and pride and wearing a quirky smile on his lips that James knew meant he was going to hear more about this later. Marilyn and Christopher were startled, but only briefly showed any sign that they were affected by the madwoman's words.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I checked kissing is what teenaged couples do," stated Marilyn condescendingly. "And the exact details of their physical relationship are their own business."

"That tart is corrupting your son and you don't even care!" accused Clarice.

"Madam," said Christopher tiredly. "I think it's time that you left my house; I have grown tired of you insulting my family." As he said 'family' he met Lily's gaze and gave her a reassuring smile that meant she was included in the term.

Clarice screeched in frustration. She wanted to ruin Lily's life like Lily had ruined her comfortable life as Mrs. Evans. In a last desperate move, Clarice stalked back to where she had left Lily standing on the dance floor. She raised her hand as if to slap her across the face, but Lily grabbed her wrist before her palm made contact.

"No," said Lily in a frigid voice. "You may have tried to convince me that I'm a worthless piece of property that can be bought and sold, but you failed. I have meet far too many kind and loving people who have shown me that I am a person worth loving to believe your lies any longer." As she uttered these words, she meet the gaze of each person who had helped her realize her own self-worth: Sirius, Alice, Marlene, Remus, Peter, Dumbledore and her other teachers, the Potters… her gaze finally rested on James. "It's over Clarice; you lose."

Clarice wrenched her wrist free and shrieked again. Then she began power-walking off the dance floor. "Come Petunia!" she barked.

Throughout the whole ordeal Petunia had been standing awkwardly on the dance floor just inside of the circle of wizards that had formed around Clarice and Lily. The whole time she had been staring out into space, wishing she wasn't there, and wringing her hands nervously, deathly afraid that someone would touch her or cast a spell on her. As Clarice called her name, she snapped to attention and looked up at her ex-step-mother. Then she looked behind the crazy woman to see her baby sister, standing independent, victorious on the dance floor, her loved ones forming a wall of support behind her.

"You don't have to go with her Petunia," Lily called softly to her. "Move out. You are a strong and able woman. Make mum proud of you."

"Go to hell Clarice," said Petunia quietly but defiantly.

Clarice emitted her patented squeal of fury and ran from the ballroom as fast as her heels allowed her.

Lily sashayed over to her older sister and hugged her. The crowd ooohed appropriately. Mrs. Potter signaled the band and the music picked up where it left off. House elves swept the porcelain away and people filled in the gap on the dance floor; life resumed.

Lily led Petunia out of the house, keeping a supporting arm around the waist of her sobbing sister. No words were exchanged on the long walk; none were necessary.

"Good-bye Petunia," said Lily solemnly as they reached the gate to the Potter residence.

"How am I going to get home?" she wailed.

"It doesn't matter how; it only matters that you will," said Lily with a sad and wise smile.

"What-" Petunia was cut off abruptly because Lily have covertly pulled out her wand and stunned Petunia before she even realized what was happening. It was a struggle, but Lily managed to catch her sister and apparate with her before she hit the ground. She levitated her across the grounds, through the house and to her bed without seeing a single soul.

"Good-bye Petunia," she reiterated as she tucked her sister in.

Within a minute she was nothing more than a falcon-shaped silhouette against the moon. Once she was outside the anti-apparation wards she went home. She flew back to Potter Manor and rejoined the party.

As predicted, James, who had been on the lookout for the red-head's return, found her only moments later, glass of champagne in hand.

"I'm fine," she said as she sipping the champagne delicately.

"Of course you are," said James smiling but not really believing her.

"I know that you're expecting me to have some sort of breakdown or something, but it's not going to happen. Now go rally your troops Captain; it's nearly eight."

"You're sure?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes," she said and then kissed him on the cheek and gave him a little shove in the right direction.

"Ok. I'll see you at the game?"

"There's no place I would rather be," she assured him. "Good luck!"

"Don't need it," he declared in his usual pompous and self-assured manner.

With that he was gone, weaving in and out of dancers and small talkers, tapping his teammates on the shoulder and giving them whispered orders.

"Hello Lily," said Dumbledore serenely as he watched her watch James.

"Hello Albus," replied Lily as she turned to face him. Unlike her classmates, she easily fell into calling her old headmaster by his first name. "How are you?"

"I must confess, I'm a bit nervous about the upcoming match. I know that my chasers are solid, but it's been quite some time since Minerva last served as a Beater…" joked the wizened professor.

Lily laughed daintily. "It should be a good match I think."

"Yes, and a much needed source of laughter for many of the Ministry officials here. Things are much too dark these days."

"I know four men who fight the darkness every day," said Lily wistfully.

"They would say yes if I asked them to join," he told her matter-of-factly.

Lily looked at him with a look of terror. "Oh Albus you can't! They're still too young, too stupid! They'll get themselves killed with their eagerness."

"We need dedicated and talented members like them," stated Albus.

"Please, Albus, wait a year, just a year. They're too young!" Lily pleaded.

"And you aren't?"

"I'm different. Firstly I'll be away for the most part, working behind the scenes, unlike them who would insist to be in the heat of battle! And secondly you have been preparing me for this for years; taking a Defense Against the Dark Arts class doesn't. A year from now they'll be better, stronger, and hopefully more sensible."

"Lily," sighed Dumbledore. "We need them now."

"They'll be no good to you if they are killed two months after joining. It would be better if you waited a year and they were able to keep themselves alive for years," reasoned Lily.

"I'll consider it," agreed Albus at last. "Now I must strategize with my team. Excuse me."

Lily didn't miss the fact that her mentor's voice was not as carefree at the end of their conversation as it was at the start. Good. She had given him something to think about. Unfortunately she had also given herself a lot to think about. How was she supposed to keep her eye on those four boys, those somewhat innocent and totally unprepared boys who thought they were men, if she was thousands of kilometers away? How could she possibly help them to get ready for the Order and battle?

Lily's depressing thoughts were broken by the arrival of her two best mates.

"Lily darling you look smashing!" cried Marlene even more enthusiastically than usual.

Alice smiled tranquilly as she sipped her champagne. "She's had a bit too much to drink."

"I noticed," Lily laughed as Marlene launched her into her arms for an awkward hug. "Better keep her away from Remus; who knows what will happen!"

"So are you excited for the match?" asked Alice conversationally.

"Very," said Lily truthfully as she allowed thoughts of the match to take precedence in her mind. "I think we're probably going to win, but the Professors should give a good fight."

"Have you seen the roster yet? Sirius is being very protective of it. I didn't even get a peak!" pouted Alice.

"Even using your feminine wiles?" joked Lily.

"Yes!" whined Alice. "You have to teach me that sexy pout that gets men to do whatever you want."

"I'll show you!" Marlene perked up and pushed away from Lily. "It's like this!"

The face that Marlene made was by no means sexy and hardly a pout. Her eyes were crossed, her nose wrinkled, her eyebrows tensed, and her lips took on the look of a fish as she sucked in her cheeks.

"Yes that's it exactly Marly," Lily assured her with a laugh as she went back to supporting her tipsy friend.

"Come on Marly, how about we sit down for awhile," suggested Alice as she took Marlene off of Lily's hands. "We'll see you at the match."

Lily laughed and spun on her heel when she suddenly bumped into something solid.

"I'm so sorry!" said the man nervously as he watched Lily look at the spreading stain that resulted from him spilling his red wine all over her dress. "My fault! All my fault! So sorry!"

Lily shrugged. "It's all right; I never really liked this dress anyway."

"Are you sure?" stammered the man with the light brown hair and kind brown eyes.

"Quite sure," Lily assured him. "I'm Lily Evans."

"Frank Longbottom," he replied as he shook her outstretched hand.

"So what do you do Frank?" Lily politely inquired.

"I'm an Auror, well in training, third year in September, really excited about it, can't wait," he mumbled.

Lily smiled. She made him nervous. How cute! "Were you a Hufflepuff at Hogwarts? You seem vaguely familiar."

"Yes," he said proudly. "I was a Hufflepuff prefect for three years."

"Oh I remember now," said Lily as it all clicked. "You were a seventh year when I was a fifth year. I was a Gryffindor prefect that year!"

It all clicked for Frank too and he suddenly felt much more at ease. "You're that girl James Potter was in love with!"

Lily laughed. "I'm so glad that that is how I'll be remembered by everyone older than me."

"Did you ever go out with him?" asked Frank curiously.

"No offense Frank, but do you live in a cave?"

"No, just the Auror barracks, which is pretty much the same thing," he joked. "Why?"

"I was pretty sure that the entire world knew that we were dating. I was here with him for the Christmas Eve Party."

"I was stuck in auror training. They work us to the bone!" He interrupted her groaning. "The first Potter party I ever missed in my entire life and it was the only interesting one?"

"And even if you missed that, I can't believe that you missed my step-mother rantng about how I've corrupted poor innocent James Potter with my slutty ways."

Frank guffawed. Lily decided that she really liked his laugh; it was blunt, honest, and uncontrolled. If Frank thought something was funny then hell, he was going to laugh and he didn't care what anyone else thought.

"Honestly, I think that woman is mental," continued Lily.

"I would have to agree," said Frank. "How is James anyway?"

"He's good. Really do you not get out much? I can't believe that you didn't hear he was going into the auror program in September. You men really need some gossiping training."

"I just got back from a term in abroad training, I may have missed a few things," he said smiling.

"Well he and my best friend Alice Green will be joining your crew of socially stunted trainees in September."

"I'll be sure to watch out for them," promised Frank.

"Will you make sure that James doesn't get into trouble? After all Sirius Black is also joining him."

"Ah. That I have heard of, quite controversial."

"I would trust him with my life," stated Lily firmly.

"If Dumbledore trusts him, so do I," insisted Frank.

"I know we only just met, but I would really appreciate it if I could ask you a favor…"

Frank caught on and said, "I'll do whatever I can for all three of your friends. I remember James and Sirius from Hogwarts, good blokes, and I always help a lady in need."

Lily beamed. "Thank you Frank."

"Don't mention it," he said dismissively. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to speak with my professor. When James decided to move the party outside to the Quidditch Pitch, he somewhat threw a wrench in our security plans."

"The more you're around James, the more you start to realize he throws wrenches in a lot of plans."

"I'll see you around Lily," said Frank as he waved and disappeared into the crowd.

Lily was relieved. She liked the former Hufflepuff and she knew he would keep his word and watch out for her friends.

Lily continued to smile and make small talk, but neither her heart nor her mind were in it. Her heart was on a Quidditch Pitch and her mind was watching him.

A/N. You all managed to impress me once again! You're reviews are so long and well thought out that I am totally inspired to keep updating! Thank you all so much! Here are some questions for you!

How do you feel about the character of Frank? Any thoughts on his future in the story?

Any bets on the outcome of the Quidditch game?

What are your opinions on the conversation between Dumbledore and Lily? Which one do you agree with?

What do you think of the actions of Clarice and Petunia in this chapter? How do you feel about the Potters' response to the two women?

Do you think Lily really is okay, or is a breakdown in her near future?

Wow! That's a lot of questions; feel free to answer some, all or none of them!