Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Just to clear it up.
Papilio means butterfly in Latin.
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"James, I'm fine."
"No, you're not! Madam Pomfrey said that the curse hasn't gone-"
"Maybe, but I'm stable, and I can walk, and I'm fine, and if I have to stay here a minute longer, I will explode. So I can, and am going down to breakfast in the Great Hall, James."

"Argghhh!" He takes a deep breath and steps back, running his hand through his hair. "Why do you have to be so…so stubborn!?"
"James," I speak again in a gentler voice, my hand on his arm. "James, it's okay. Really."
"It's just…why? I don't understand…"
"I know you don't, but I have to get up. I have to move around and show that it hasn't affected me. Otherwise, they win."

He huffs, and then scans me quickly, taking in my crumpled hospital gown and messy hair.
"You're going to want to shower first, aren't you?"
"Maybe…"
"Ok, I'll wait outside."
"No, James, you can just go down to breakfast."
"Sure, I'll leave my cursed girlfriend to have a shower alone after spending a week in the Hospital Wing. Who do you take me for? Snivellus?"

I tense up slightly at the mention of my old friend's name, but James is too busy incessantly questioning Madam Pomfrey to notice.
"So you're sure that she'll be fine?"
"Mr Potter, I assure you that Miss Evans is in no immediate danger. Now please stop bothering me, I have other patients to attend to."
"But-"

The Healer walks off, leaving James frustrated, rolling his eyes.
"Ok, are you ready to go?"
"Yep. Ready."
"Are you still sure that you want to do this?"
"YES. I am ABSOLUTELY sure. Now, may you grab my bag?"
My boyfriend picks up my bag and gestures towards the door.
"After you then, mi 'lady."

I take a deep breath, brace myself for the pain that's sure to come as soon as I stand up, and grit my teeth, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and pushing myself to standing. Instantly I sway, biting my lip as a dull ache spreads through my lower back. James frowns as he supports me, and I nod when I'm ready to go.

I'm fine until I get to the stairs.
Fiddling around with the hem of my hospital gown, I try to think of the best way to get down without hurting myself, but I can't think of anything, so I'll just have to try to do it the normal way.
"I can do this. I can do this," I mutter to myself as I take a deep breath, lowering my foot onto the first step. A ripping pain tears through me, so frustrated and in pain, I start to cry.
"Lily? It's okay…sshhh…do you want to go back upstairs?"
"No, it's just it hurts. I'm alright," I clench my fists, and James takes my hand, unfolding it. He slings my bag over his shoulder and steps down so that he's in front of me, hands outstretched.
"Come on. I'll help you,"

I lean forwards and hold his hands tightly, and very carefully he steps backwards, hands looped around my wrists so I'm lifted down to the next stair. Smiling, we get to the bottom of the stairs, and he lets go of one hand, so I can walk again.

Occasionally I find it difficult to get up the stairs and I'm struggling with the portrait hole when James picks me up and carries me across.
"Just like at the start of the year," I remember out loud, smiling slightly, and James chuckles.

After getting up the stairs, I walk slowly into the bathroom, and undress. Showering slowly and carefully, I dry myself and pull on my school robes, occasionally hissing in pain. Pushing open the door, I peer around the edge of it, shoes in my hands, laces dangling.
"James?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind…ummm…?"
"What do you want me to do, Lils?"
"Could you do my shoes? It really hurts when I bend over, and-"
"Of course I'll do your shoes, Lily. Come over here."

Sitting down on the bed, James kneels down to do my shoes, and kisses me on the forehead when he's done. "Are you ready to go downstairs now?"
"Uh-huh. At least, I think so."
"Good."

After twenty minutes of me refusing to let him help me, we finally arrive at the Great Hall, and I walk in, breathing deeply. As I approach the Gryffindor table, Alice squeals, Remus smiles, Peter's eyes widen and Professor McGonagall has tears in her eyes. Next to Remus, Sirius winks at me.

Sitting down, I'm immediately bombarded with questions, and James interrupts them.
"How are you feeling?"
"What's it like being cursed?"
"Did Madam Pomfrey really let you out?"
"OK, let her breathe, guys. Merlin."

I'm patiently trying to explain to Peter what a Weeping Angel is when the post arrives.
"Ooooh! Mail!" Alice squeals, holding her arm out for her family owl, Errol, to land on it.
"Are you having something delivered?" Remus looks bewildered.
"No, but my sister's getting engaged, and I want to know if they've set a date for the wedding yet."
"Really? It's Molly, isn't it? Who's she engaged to?" I ask her as I pour cereal into my bowl.
"Arthur. Arthur…something…umm…Arthur…Weasley! That's it. Arthur Weasley."
"That's sounds nice. Molly Weasley. Isn't she expecting a baby?"
"Yeah, she's eight months pregnant with a boy. Due on the 13th of December."

My owl, Papilio, comes flying into the Hall, and I look up at it, confused.
"That's weird. I wasn't expecting mail."
James' owl flies in close behind mine, and I'm too busy watching James tear open his letter to notice that my owl has landed, so she nips me on the finger.
"Ouch! Sorry, sorry, thanks Papilio." I hand her the bacon rinds from James' plate, and he hoots affectionately, before flying off, her wings hitting my head as she flies off.

Pulling open the envelope, I pull out the letter, not really concentrating.
"Oh Merlin."
"What is it, James?"
"My dad got sent off on a raid, apparently a Muggle couple were killed in somewhere called Spinner's End."
"Isn't that near where your parents live, Lily? Lily?"
Alice is talking, but I can't answer.

I just stare, transfixed, at the letter in front of me.

To Miss Lily Evans,
I regret to inform you that in the early hours of this morning your parents Mr Anthony Evans and Mrs Eileena Evans were found dead in their home. They were murdered with the Killing Curse which, as you know, leaves no trace. We have been led to believe that they were killed by a group calling themselves the Death Eaters.
I am sorry for your loss.
Yours sincerely,
Dolores Umbridge

I'm just numb.
At the bottom there's a handwritten note, obviously written in a hurry.

Your fault. Freak.

A/N: Hello! I hope you guys are not as depressed as I am about Lily's parents dying…
Anyway, the next chapter will continue after the events of the first chapter, if that makes sense, so you might want to go back and read the first chapter before reading on.
Au revoir,
She-who-loves-fanfiction xx