A/N: Hey! Once again, sincere apologies for the late reply. I got distracted by Marleon fanfictions. Anyhoo! Thanks for all reviewers, but I'd really appreciate some more c;

Chapter 19
Or,
Of Rain, Memories and Disbelief

A storm threatened the skies just above the Muggle town Cokeworth (despite it being a Muggle town, witches and wizards did live there in hiding, it was a safe town); the sky was jet black, the air ice cold and the rain fell thick and fast onto the ground. The weatherman, a short and plump man who had always been wrong about the weather since he got the job, had finally been correct about one thing: The Muggles of Cokeworth should stay inside. Of course, the Muggles of Cokeworth didn't know what was behind the storm; it had been snowing not long ago, but the storm was random, out of the blue- not even the short and plump weatherman had an incline about it, not like he would.

A black figure, a hooded black figure, strolled casually down the street in Cokeworth, evidently not affected by the storm that was raging around them. This figure was joined by two more figures, which had seemingly manifested out of thin air. The strolled together, heads close as if they were discussing a secret. A young boy, around the age of three or four, had been running around in the rain outside, splashing his way through the muddy puddles in bright green wellingtons, and, noticing the presence of the three adults, he turned to face them with a silly grin plastered on his face.

"Splash!" The boy cheered, clapping his hands at the three adults, stomping his little feet in the puddle.

A flash of light brightened the town for a moment. For a few seconds, Cokeworth was illuminated by a sharp green light- so sharp it was almost white- but, the light was gone quickly, and all that was left was the dark skies and the cold wind and the rain that fell thick and fast.

And the body of the three year old boy, the silly grin still stretched across his face; His bright green wellingtons still covered in mud.

"Ew. I hate the snow." Grace Potter muttered as she tried (and failed) not to get her dress wet.

"Why are you wearing that silly dress anyway?" James inquired; he, unlike his sister, was jumping through the snow, throwing snowballs off Sirius who was running away.

"It's the party today."

"Party?"

Grace rolled her eyes at her brother, "Yeah, the new year party. You know, the one Mum plans all year, every year. The one you forget about every year."

"Oh," James replied blankly, "Oi Padfoot, time to get the Mischief out; we're attending a party tonight!"

"I'll owl Moony and Wormtail." Sirius replied, dancing his way into the house, to be greeted by Elizabeth Potter, wearing a stern expression, "Is it alright if Remus and Peter come along?"

"Of course it is Sirius dear, I was just wondering where James' father has disappeared too."

"Not in his study?"

She shook her head and sighed.

"Don't worry Mrs P; he's probably just out doing things with the Aurors."

She nodded, staying silent and disappeared out of the doors which Sirius had just bounced through. James came in carrying Grace, "What's up with Mum?"

"Your dad has gone somewhere." Sirius replied.

"Probably work." Grace said, hopping out her brothers arms and heading up the spiral staircase to change her dress (for the fourth time that day).

"You reckon there has been an attack somewhere?" Sirius asked James as they made their way upstairs themselves.

He shook his head, "Nah, if there had already been an attack, he would have told Mum. And she'd have gone with him. More likely thing is that they're trying to stop an attack."

"Shit."

"I know." He sighed and dived onto his bed, "Hey, you reckon I should ask Lily to this party tonight?"

Sirius shrugged, "Yeah, why not. McKinnon will be here, won't she?"

"Yeah she will be, why?"

"Just wondering if she'll be inviting people too?"

"She's bringing Isabelle and Emmeline Vance, I think."

Sirius only smirked in response. James' protest of why Sirius was so happy about the girls coming was interrupted by the sound of Mrs Potter's shrill shriek coming from downstairs. Both boys bounded off the bed and ran to the stairs, hovering so they could listen but not be seen. James, after an afterthought, ran and got his cloak and draped it over the pair.

"What happened, Harold?"

"Lizzy, calm down."

"HAROLD!"

Mr Potter had his hands up in surrender, he may fight off Death Eaters for a living, but Elizabeth Potter was scary, "There was an attack in a Muggle village, Death Eaters all over the town. We had to go and try to stop them killing."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"Liz, I had to go straight away. They had already started murdering people."

She sighed, she knew she was being irrational; her husband was an Auror, he had to drop everything at command, "How many died?"

"Thirteen as of now, we didn't get to check the entire village. We need more help. "

"Thirteen?" Sirius hissed at James who was watching, eyes wide.

"James, Sirius, come out from under that cloak and come down here." Mrs Potter shouted up the stairs, her voice empty. The boys did as they were asked.

"Your mother and I have to go out of town for now. The party has been cancelled, but feel free to still invite your friends over. We don't know who has been hurt, yet."

"You mean there is a chance our friends could have been hurt?" James gasped.

"No, James, he doesn't." Elizabeth replied, "He just wants you safe, your friends safe, and here is probably the safest place there is. Apart from Hogwarts." James nodded, thankful of this news, and turned away to get some ink to owl everybody.

"If you don't mind me asked, Mr and Mrs Potter, but where has the attack took place?" Sirius asked.

"Cokeworth Town." Mr Potter replied grimly.

James whisked around so quickly, the ink pot fell from his hand and smashed to the floor, "Where?"

"Cokeworth, James. Why? What's wrong?"

Sirius, who had just recognised the fear splashed across James' face, was the one to reply, "Lily."

The entire sky was still black, blacker than before, blacker than it had ever been. The rain hadn't stopped, the wind hadn't warmed up. The only difference was there were more bodies in the streets, in their homes- or what was left of them- Nearly everybody was dead.

Lily Evans had lived in Cokeworth all her life and she loved it. She loved the neighbours next door and across the street, who always gave her cakes as a child when Petunia was being particularly bratty. She loved the flowers that graced their grass, everybody had some flowers, daisies and pansies normally, but her neighbours had planted lilies too. She and Petunia used to make daisy chains in a little park near Spinners End, especially in the summer when they could recline and bask in the sun; they were Lily's favourite days.

But now, as she stood outside her house in an Aurors arms, she didn't feel like she was at home at all.

She'd been upstairs helping Petunia pack her bag (Petunia was going to stay with Vernon for a few days) when she noticed the sky turn completely black. It wasn't like when a normal storm was coming, when the sky would gradually darken bit by bit, the sky over Cokeworth had just gone black. Of course, she didn't think too much of it then, but when she saw the darkness illuminated by a flash of green, she knew exactly what was happening.

But she didn't act fast enough.

She'd paused, wondering what she could say to her Muggle parents who knew nothing about the chaos that was outside. Her parents, who wouldn't know what to do and couldn't get in the car outside and drive away, who were sitting downstairs snuggled up on the sofa.

"Tuney…You have to hide." She had said, grabbing her wand off her nightstand. What she was going to do with it, she didn't know. She was still hoping that these people, the Death Eaters, would leave her house be.

"Hide? Whatever for?" Petunia had responded, frowning.

"Tuney just do it!" She snapped. Petunia hadn't listened, the stubborn bloody girl. She'd ran downstairs in a huff and stormed into the living room of the Evans' house.

"Mum, Dad, Lily is being horrible. She has her wand too." The older girl whined as Lily came diving down the stairs, her wand grasped tightly in her right hand.

"Lily, put that thing away!" Mr Evans had said immediately, but Lily cut him off.

"Dad, I can't. You don't understand, Death Eaters, they're here. We could all die. I need to use my wand."

"You can't use magic outside of Hogwarts." Her sister said smugly.

"Death Eaters?" Mrs Evans laughed, "Honey, you've been reading too much fiction."

"I haven't!" She snapped, and then she took a deep breath, "Mum, I haven't. There is a dark wizard who is trying to put an end to all Muggles and Muggleborns, people like you, people like me! His people, his followers, the Death Eaters, they're here. We have to go. We have to hide. Now!"

"Lily, you can't be serious?" Her father asked, looking worried at his daughter who was now pacing backwards and forwards in an attempt to think.

Lily took another deep breath, she was thinking about her family, alive and happy on a holiday in Spain. She was thinking about Alice, Hestia, Marlene, Isabelle, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, all together at Hogwarts, laughing at silly pranks and jokes. She thought of James' lips pressed against hers, his hands tangled in her hair, as they kissed in London just a few days ago. Then a pure white Doe burst from her wand and Lily, commanding it to get help from the Aurors, sent it away into thin air.

"What was that?" Petunia gasped, looking horrified.

"A patronus, I'm getting us help."

But it was too late. The door was being broken down by a Death Eater. Lily screamed, grabbing Petunia and shoving her into the cupboard. She cast a quick spell to keep it locked, then she looked panicked toward her parents, who were rambling at the Death Eater.

Lily raised her wand and cast a spell simultaneously as the Death Eater did. She was trying to save her parents. Her sweet, loving innocent parents, who were confused as to why this strange man was in their house, her parents, who had never looked so scared before. Her parents had looked death directly in the eye and hadn't known it.

But Lily did. The curse she sent, stupefy, had worked. She sighed with relief, and then screamed in horror.

Her parents were dead.

Petunia's shriek filled the deadly silence, "Lily! Lily let me out of here!"

"No. Stay quiet. It's not safe."

"It's not safe for you either." A cold voice came from the doorway and Lily turned. If I'm going to die, I'm going to face it. Like my parents. Her wand was still drawn, she knew it was a long shot she was going to make it out of this alive, but she was going to give it a good shot. You're a witch, Lily. You can do this. Just stall him. The Aurors are on their way. You can do this.

And the next thing she knew, she was lying in a heap on the floor, her house falling to pieces around her.

"Lily? Lily Evans, isn't it?" The Auror was saying. She was a young woman with tanned skin and freckles. Lily nodded at her question, "Come on, Lily. You need to get away from here."

"My sister…"

"Your sister is fine, Lily love. She's shocked, but otherwise unharmed, you saved her life locking her in that cupboard."

"My parents…" Lily said weakly. She hadn't cried, not yet; she felt empty, lost from the world.

The Aurors jaw tightened, "I'm sorry, Lily. We have to go in now. You have to go to St Mungo's."

"No. I need to see them. One last time."

"Lily I don't know about that."

"Please?" She pleaded.

"Let her, Clarissa." A gruff, male voice said and the Auror, Clarissa, immediately let Lily go. Lily ran to the gate of her house and looked on; there was no roof, no glass in the windows, no flowers in the garden. Nothing. Nothing but a black mist hovering about her house.

She stepped toward the house and saw her father's body first; he had his arms wrapped around Louise as if he were trying to protect her. They both had their eyes open, wide, shocked and confused as to what was happening. If only I acted faster…

She ran to her parents and wrapped her arms around their bodies; her tiny arms were covered in dust, blood and bruises but she didn't care, she didn't care. She wanted her mother back, in the kitchen making her pancakes with syrup; she wanted her father back, making Christmas cookies with her. Bursting into sobs, Lily was dragged away from her family and all she could think was: I hate magic.

Mr and Mrs Potter had arrived in Cokeworth, followed by James and Sirius who had refused to stay behind. Alfie Potter was already at the scene, he'd been the one to find Lily in her house beneath a pile of rubble.

"Alfie!" Mrs Potter yelled, happy to see her son alive and in one piece, "Oh dear lord, what happened here?"

"Death Eaters," He growled, "Killed most of the people in this neighbourhood."

"Lily!" James was shouting, "Lily!"

"James, shut up." His father snapped, "Emotions cannot get in the way here. You must stay quiet."

James made a noise of protest, but Sirius slapped his shoulder, "He's right, mate." He said in a low tone, "Lily will be fine, she'll be fine."

"What if she isn't, Sirius?"

"She will be." Sirius insisted; he wasn't so sure himself that she was okay, judging by the state of the houses as they passed, but he knew James enough to know what kind of comfort he needed.

"Alfie, do you know anything about the Evans' family?" Sirius asked quietly.

"The two girls are alive."

"The parents?" Sirius asked hopefully, but he knew the answer.

Alfie only shook his head and pointed to the Aurors which were carrying their bodies, another one carrying a screaming Lily behind them.

James' heart sank; she looked so broken, so small and fragile. He ran to her, demanding that the Auror let her down. Lily, upon noticing who it was, only cried more and flung her arms around the boy.

"James! They're dead! Tell them I have to go with them! Tell them!"

James nearly broke down himself, "I can't Lils. I can't."

"Then I hate you too!" She screamed, kicking and flailing her arms, "I hate you too!"

James scooped her up properly, a hand around her neck, a hand beneath her knees, "You're gonna come home with Sirius and I, alright? Alice will come round, so will Izzy, Marley, Remus; we're all here for you."

"I just want my parents, James."

"I know. And if I could get them back for you, I would." He kissed her cheek softly and she curled her tiny hands around his shirt, silently crying, feeling safe in his arms.

A/N: I know I promised Jily action but you'll get more next chapter *pinky swear*