Hi everyone! Wow, it's good to be back. I am sorry for the long break and really thankful to you all for being so patient. **Love and Kisses** to all of you. Hope you will like this chapter...

Chapter Fourteen –

"I want you to assassinate Harry Potter…"

There was a complete silence after that utterance and Lord Parkinson started fidgeting uncomfortably under the impassive gaze of the assassins. The silence was abruptly broken by the cruel laughter of their leader.

Lord Parkinson concealed a wince.

The laughter stopped as abruptly it had started; the leader levelling Lord Parkinson with an unreadable look. "You want us to assassinate the Boy-Who-Lived… the Saviour of the Light… a national hero?" he asked in a low, silky voice.

Lord Parkinson was unable to conceal his wince this time. He cleared his throat nervously. "I beg your pardon. 'Assassinate' is incorrect. Harry Potter must die… an accidental death. We, the dark families, must not come under any suspicion."

The leader quirked a brow at the implications of the statement and drawled, "Hmm… how interesting. An accidental death; can you afford it?"

Lord Parkinson bristled at the insolent question but hid his ire and replied, "You do not have to worry about money."

The leader smirked. "Well then... we agree."

xXxXxXxXxXx

The day of Lily's funeral…

"Potter."

James looked up from the photograph he had been staring at for the past half an hour with a vacant expression on his face. He blinked a few times before focusing on Severus standing right in front of him.

Huh… how did he get here? "Snape?"

Severus did not reply as the photograph had snared his attention. He stared transfixed as Lily danced around a small garden joyously with a giggling Harry clutched in her arms. With great difficulty he tore his eyes away from the photograph and brought his emotions under control. "It's time for us to leave Potter. Everyone is waiting for you downstairs."

James lowered his eyes nervously and whispered, "I… I don't think I can." His shoulders tensed as he waited for Severus' most assured rebuke. He waited... and nearly jumped in surprise when a warm hand gently landed on his shoulders.

James glanced at the elegant fingers resting on his shoulders and then reluctantly raised his eyes to meet their owner. None of them spoke for a moment.

"Lily would never approve you missing her funeral, Potter," Severus muttered drily.

For a second James seemed stunned at the sheer impudence of that statement. But then a startled laugh escaped his throat. Next he knew he was nearly choking with laughter. And so he was honestly perplexed when after a while he found himself sobbing his heart out in Severus' arms.

Damn, I am crying all over this man… again!

xXxXxXxXxXx

Godric's Hollow…

Clutching Draco tighter in her arms, Narcissa looked up towards the dark clouds obscuring the sky. From somewhere far away came the rumbling sound of thunder. The atmosphere was as sombre as the reason for which they were gathered in the small cemetery of Godric's Hollow… Lily's funeral.

James had been adamant that Godric's Hollow would be Lily's final resting place. His decision had surprised them all as for ages Potters had been buried in the Potter Manor. Nevertheless they had all acquiesced without any objection. Later that night, Narcissa remembered asking him why. He had struggled to put his feelings into words…

"Potter Manor is only… err… mine. Godric's Hollow is mine too… but it also belongs to Harry, Sirius, Remus and… Snape. I am not the only one who loved her…"

A loud rumble brought Narcissa out of her reflections. Pulling her wand out, she casted a water repelling charm over Draco while out of the corner of her eyes watched Lucius do the same for Harry, who was busy yanking on Lucius' hair. Lucius grimaced and then gently tickled Harry's stomach till he started to giggle and let go of his hair.

Narcissa smiled and then looked at Draco who was unnaturally quiet in her arms. She wondered if the Veela in him had caught the solemnity of the occasion.

~!``!~

The final goodbye to Lily was a small ceremony in which only a few of her beloved people had gathered. Severus stood next to James, Remus and Sirius and behind them stood Narcissa and Lucius with the babies. At the rear was the Hogwarts staff, some sporting a sad look and some openly sobbing.

"It shouldn' haf happened ter Lily," Hagrid burst out sobbing. "No, I tell yeh…"

Dumbledore who was conducting the ceremony sighed wearily and said, "You are right, my boy. This shouldn't have happened. But this moment is not for such bitterness. This moment is to put this extraordinary woman to rest. James, Severus, Remus and Lupin, you four were closest to her. So come forward and put her casket into the ground."

~!``!~

The thunder rumbled louder this time and the dark clouds began with their heavy downpour. Severus clenched his teeth and battled away the pain in his chest before it could overwhelm him. He barely noticed the rain drenching him. Instead, he watched James walk to the casket and kneel in front of it. He watched him murmur something which was lost in the booming noise of thunder…

~!``!~

"My love," James murmured, "your Sev told me that you do not want me to stand at your grave and weep; so I won't weep today. But I will say thank you. Thank you for saving Harry… our son." James paused to caress the casket. "Do you remember the day I proposed to you? I promised that if you ever leave me, I will follow wherever you go…" Lightening cracked across the sky.

James smiled and continued, "Don't worry. You will have to make do without my company for a while as our son needs me. I promise that I will do my best to bring him up and to keep him safe. And I promise to tell him all about you…" With that he slowly rose to his feet to make way for Severus.

"Remember, I love you! Goodbye… for now."

~!``!~

Severus watched James walk away but suddenly found himself rooted to the spot. Remus gave him a slight push which ultimately got him moving. Once he was in front of Lily's casket, he mimicked James' pose and cleared his throat. "Well, you should know that I am very annoyed with you. No, furious would be more apt. How dare you do this to us? To me? And coercing me into promising to look after them? … Ridiculous!" Severus stopped to glare at the casket. But then his eyes softened and filled with love and grief. Love… which he always had hidden; had been forced to hide.

"Did you not know that I would have looked after them even if you did not extract that promise from me? Did you not know that I would have laid down my life to protect them? I would have. And I will. Goodbye Princess…"

~!``!~

James, Severus, Remus, Sirius and Dumbledore together lowered the casket into the ground and covered it with earth. The wind by now had taken up speed and the heavy downpour continued.

"Amore…," James whispered and raised his wand. A pure golden light streamed out of it and encased the headstone, engraving the words forever in it.

"Amicitia…," Severus added after James and raised his own wand.

"Et honorem…," Remus and Sirius joined in.

"Cum luce...," Dumbledore murmured and pointed his own wand.

~!``!~

Lucius fought to maintain his composure and turned to look at Narcissa and Draco… his entire world. He was beyond grateful that they were all well and together. A sharp tug on his hair made him wince and look down at Harry. Lucius smiled and rectified his error, "Yes, yes, now it includes you too brat."

~!``!~

"Alright everyone," Remus called out, "we have to head to Diagon Alley now. It's time to face the reporters."

"Bloody vultures," Sirius grumbled, making Remus smile. Narcissa nodded her head agreeing with her cousin and said, "I am sorry, but this was the only way I could stop them from disrupting the funeral. I had to promise them an open interview later on."

James gently took Narcissa's hand in his and said, "Thank you, for giving Lily this beautiful farewell. We'll deal with the media. Take Harry and Draco and go back to the manor. It won't be safe for them to be out there."

Narcissa nodded reluctantly. She wanted to be there with them but Harry and Draco's safety came first.

"Potter;" Professor McGonagall came forward with a determined expression, "tell those snot faced idiots to mind their own business. And don't worry about Narcissa and the babies; I will stay with them until you all return. Headmaster, you and the rest of the staff proceed to Hogwarts. I will join you all later on. "

James smiled in gratitude and then prepared to apparate to Diagon Alley.

xXxXxXxXxXx

"Lord Potter how are you feeling right now?"

"Lord Potter where is your son Harry Potter?"

"Lord Potter, why did you not bury Lady Potter in the Potter Manor?"

"Lord Potter if you will please …"

"Lord Potter…"

James winced at the loud cacophony which erupted as soon as he apparated into the Diagon Alley; the sound grating on his nerves. For a moment he was tempted to turn tail and run. Perhaps a younger James Potter would have done so, not giving a damn about the consequences. But no longer did that naïve, arrogant, carefree James Potter exist. He had died right along with Lily.

So taking a deep breath he steadied himself and resolutely moved forward.

~!``!~

Severus growled low in his throat when a reporter from the Daily Prophet asked James how he felt about Lily's death for the third time. He wondered how the bastard would feel about a well placed boil eruption hex or something even more painful.

Lucius promptly interrupted the tactless reporter with a scathing remark. Good, Severus thought.

Suddenly Remus grabbed his arms and pointed towards something in the crowd moving towards them at a great speed. It was cat, a familiar tabby cat…

"What's Professor McGonagall doing here? She went with Narcissa and the babies…" Remus muttered.

Severus frowned but before he could put forward an assumption, the tabby cat had reached them and morphed into the lady in question. "Hmph… what a crowd! Even as a cat I had difficulty in reaching here," Professor McGonagall said in her stern voice. But her eyes softened as they landed on James who was yet to notice her.

"Professor McGonagall, what are you doing here?" Remus asked, puzzled.

Meanwhile, Severus' instincts went on full alert. And if there was one thing Severus had learned in all his years with an abusive father and an insane Dark Lord, it was to trust his instincts.

Professor McGonagall sighed, "I am sorry that I could not be present for the funeral. It's pretty strange actually. The portkey I had been given to reach the funeral transported me to France instead. I came back as soon as I… Snape? Lupin?..."

… to be continued.

Amore (latin) - With love ; Amicitia (latin) - With friendship ; Et honorem (latin) - With honour ; Cum luce (latin) - With light.

So, did you all like this chapter? I'll be waiting to hear from you all!:)

Thank you my Guest reviewers. Cherrie-san, it's one of my favourite poems and I am glad you liked it. As for being hit by a baby rattle... **ouch** I too know how that feels.:P