January 4th 1979
Lily's eyes fluttered open, she grasped and tried to move but she was confined by golden ropes. A small grunt fell out from her lips, the place she was in seemed unfamiliar, it was downright horrid is what it was. The house smelled clean, too clean, the type of clean one would excess upon after committing a series of murders and needed them covered.
An image of Carrow hitting Lily with a curse came spinning back into her mind. Everything had gone black after that curse. Lily bit her lip and then immediately started wriggling. She knew the ropes were magical, she wasn't an idiot. She also knew what sort of things happened to muggle borns that were captured by death eater scum.
Her mind flashed to James and Sirius who would likely be kicking up a storm at Lily being missing. She groaned, if they tracked her the prats would likely come alone, maddened by the need to save her and coming in 'guns blazing' and be ambushed and killed within minutes. Her Jamie was rather reckless as for Sirius, reckless would be an understatement.
Lily needed to get herself out of this, she was no 'damsel' but James and Sirius' involvement was sure to only cause distress. She looked down her jeans were sliced in several places, with the curse and dried soaked and clotted around her legs. Her arms were the same and her cropped green top revealed newly healed scars on her stomach.
She couldn't see her neck but she swore she could feel scars there too. They were healed though? She was healed? Someone helped her. She desperately started looking around her environment. The room was long and the ceilings were high. She could already tell she was in the home of someone who had quite a bit of money. So thankfully this was not some strange capture by her ex friend Severus Snape.
"Save your breath," she had said
Maybe a spy? Maybe someone secret to the resistance? Then why would she be bound by these ropes? She huffed out a breath glancing around the room. There were certainly a lot of green, moss green velvet curtains and olive green walls. Some type of tapestry too, Lily's otherwise perfect vision was a little blurry at the moment due to whatever curse she had suffered under. There was too much green but it was also exquisite?
The windows for instance were large and overlooked the street in front of the house. Her vision may be slightly impaired at the moment but she knew she was without a doubt in London. A chill ran up her back, could it be? No. If it was though she needed to leave and she needed to leave now.
She looked from the large fireplace to the cabinets that contained snakeskins, bloods and merlin knows what else. She started coughing and struggling, before closing her eyes and trying to access her magic 'Keep calm Evans' a familiar voice said in her mind. She cleared her mind trying to reach a state of relaxation speaking with her magic and only magic, tapping into the large pool of it that flowed within her. Wandless wasn't something was could always do, she had been giving a bit off lessons though.
"I'm growing rather bored now, because you can and will do it," The perfected curls bounced in her memory,
"Would you learn patience," she had snapped,
"Will you learn to follow instructions?"
"I am perfectly capable, ask Slughorn."
"This is not potions Evans,"
The ropes dissolved and she stood up wonkley steadying herself off an armchair. She coughed loudly to her dismay, she did not want to alert anyone else she was awake. She took deep breaths wondering if she was strong enough to apparate out of here. She wondered how everyone else was doing. She had a vague memory of Marlene falling to the ground. Dorcas wouldn't let anything happen to Marlene though, she was close by right? Lily pushed them thoughts from her mind. She needed to get out of here. She wouldn't be of any use to anyone if she was stuck in some posh dimwits house.
Lily concentrated in holding herself up with the help of the arm chair, her vision becoming clearer and blurring up seconds later. Her eyes fell to the tapestry, in a clearer a moment she seen the words appear as a quick as they left 'The Most Noble and Ancient house of Black," she sucked in a breath 'shit'
"Hello sweetheart," a cold and very much familiar voice said, causing the same pool of emotions in her stomach that it always did.
"Regulus Black as I live and breathe," she managed. He gave her a smile, she was expecting a sneer. It was a smile though, it was inviting. She wanted to smile back, she wanted to run over and wrap her arms around him and sink into him.
"Happy birthday," she choked out because how could she forget.
"You remembered," he stated plainly, "I don't suppose I get a birthday kiss darling?" he leaned up against the wall, grey eyes sparkling so much they'd put every star in the sky to shame. Perfect black curls falling into his face momentarily before he pushed them out.
"I'll give you a birthday kiss alright," Lily sneered suddenly angry. He just smiled, he was enjoying this. "I'll give you-I'll fucking ugh," Regulus looked far too happy for someone who was being threatened. She went to storm forward to strangle him but after two steps she felt herself hitting the ground for a second time, once again everything went black.
September 1st 1972
Lily flicked her plait behind her shoulder as she listened to Severus talk about potions theory. Lily felt slightly disappointed because her mum (who Lily adored) was not as good at plaiting hair as her sister Petunia was. Tuney could do fancy plaits that started way up Lily's head she called them french, she learned how to do them via a fashion magazine.
She told Lily a week ago she would teach her how to do them. Lily was really excited, the two had been eating plums in the garden as Lily pretended to be interested in the neighbourhood gossip so that Petunia would talk to her. She missed her sister, she missed her a lot. Petunia was always mad at her these days. She knew why.
"Yeah so Mrs Hubert seems to be all but too interested in the uni lads who've been fixing up her garden this summer… we all think shes," Petunia stopped and gathered herself for a moment while Lily wrinkled her nose, "Kissing," Petunia said carefully, "Hm yeah, kissing one them,"
"But she's so old," Lily gasped.
"Old people kiss people too Lily! And she's not that old is she?"
"She's at least ten years older than those boys that are gross Tuney!" Lily shook her head.
"I don't know. I heard a man other in Rebecca's street is marrying someone in her early twenties and i'm pretty sure he is like pushing fifty,"
"That brings me back to .. GROSS!" Lily looked horrified but Petunia smiled triumphantly as if her gossip had the effect she desired.
"He has money though Lily, you are too young to know about these things. We women need to get ahead somehow."
"I'm going to get ahead my own way. I don't need a rich man." Lily declared proudly,
"Suppose you can just magic up money," her sister's face fell,
"No, it doesn't work like that," Lily explained gently. Petunia looked angry as she flicked the stone of her plum into the garden she went to get up.
"Wait," Lily said desperately, "Tell me then, about the man who's marrying the younger women, how did they even meet?" Lily honestly thought this was gross but she was trying anything to get Petunia to stay and talk to her. It worked. Petunia sat back down and talked with her for hours. Promised to show her how to do the fancy plaits and everything.
That didn't happen though and she refused to do Lily's hair this morning aka day Hogwarts started back even though she had done it that night and the day after. Lily sighed,
"Are you even listening?" Severus tutted clicking his fingers in her face,
"Ugh rude," Lily grabbed his fingers.
"Ouch, get off me," Severus groaned trying to pull free but Lily had a strong hold on his fingers and was grinning triumphantly. She was giggling as he tried to wriggle away, "Unhand me vile women," he joked as the door to the carriage flew open and she turned round.
"Oh, am I interrupting something?" said a cold voice from a very young and small human with eyes too big for the face and a freckle covered nose. Lily unhaned Severus who stuck his tongue out at her which she did also in return.
"No, you aren't interrupting anything," Lily smiled politely, "Are you ok though?" Lily asked softly when she noticed the tears around the younger child's eyes.
"I am perfectly well," the younger child said stiffly,
"Why don't you join us?" Lily asked cheerfully and Severus shot her a warning look which she ignored, "You can sit over there across from us no one is sitting there," she explained happily. The 1st year child walked to the empty seat with a raised chin and sat down rather delicately and stared right at them with giant judging eyes. Severus stifled a laugh and Lily elbowed him.
"I am Lily Evans," she held out her hand, "This is Sev," she nodded her head in Severus' direction and the young child took her hand reluctantly and shook it and then batted Severus' away who scoffed, Lily's lips twitched.
"Regulus Black," the young one explained, who was now taking out a white tissue and cleaning his hand where Lily's hand had been, "Sorry you are lovely, it's just you look poor," Regulus said ever so casually. Severus' mouth fell open and Lily bit her lip to stop from smiling,
"You are Sirius' brother then? Or maybe his cousin?"
"Both technically," Regulus disposed of the tissue by dissolving into thin air. Lily arched an eyebrow impressed,
"Sorry what both? You and Black are what?" Severus questioned. Regulus sighed,
"Sirius Black is my brother," Regulus rolled his eyes.
"Well this explains it, I am sure you will be equally delightful to your darling brother," Severus groaned, Regulus glared at him. If looks could kill Lily wouldn't want to be Severus Snape that's for sure. Severus turned to Lily and went back to potions theory, Regulus glared at him the whole time until Severus excused himself to go to the bathroom.
"So, why were you crying Regulus Black?" Lily asked softly not really knowing what else to say,
"I was not," Regulus stated plainly,
"You were too!" Lily countred,
"You must be mistaken, members of the most noble and ancient house of Black, do not cry. Last time I checked I was Regulus Black, so that is quite impossible," Regulus smiled but it was not friendly.
"Is that so?" Lily arched an eyebrow remember Sirius dissolving into tears with Remus ate the last piece of bacon on Sirius' plate.
"It is, mother has made that quite plain," Regulus nodded,
"I don't know anything about your mother," Lily admitted, "But you are eleven years old, cry if you feel like it," Lily said softly, Regulus regarded her for moment then shook his head.
"You girl, are you in Slytherin?" Regulus demanded,
"Lily," is all she said, Regulus scoffed,
"My dearest darling, Lily, are you in Slytherin?"
"I will tell you when you tell me why you were upset," Lily gazed at the first year.
"My brother, he was so happy when he returned from school, spent all summer telling me about how he made these great friends. How he couldn't wait for September to come so I could meet then and how I would fit right and in and how we'd all be right pals," Regulus' face was rather sour,
"And?" Lily pressed on,
"I met them and Sirius all but ignored me for what I do believe to be precisely half the journey before I fled here, Sirius didn't look near me once, the gormless looking one with glasses kept smiling at me though he never thought to try include me in their senseless conversations. None of them did they just kept laughing and joking and boasting about summer, I was invisible. Sirius forgot about me though I was right beside him,"
"That's a shame, it's not nice when a sibling just forgets about you. I know all about that alright," Lily nodded,
"Not not nice at all,"
"Well I promise to include you,"
"You mean if I stay in this compartment, for the rest of the duration at the castle?"
"And beyond that, from this moment on," Lily promised.
"From this moment on," Regulus nodded, taking her in…
From this moment, life has begun from this moment on
January 4th 1979
Regulus flicked their wand and placed Lily on the sofa gently. They rechecked her wounds letting their eyes follow her body, she was fine. She needed rest, perhaps a pick me up potion. They ran a check and she seemed fine as they predicted. They let their long pale spidery fingers run through her deep auburn locks.
She stirred slightly and they shhh'd her gently stroking her hair. 'Rest my love' they thought, smiling down at her, her skin almost as pale as theirs but not quite. She seemed to have more freckles since they last saw each other they furrowed their brows, this was winter when Lily's freckles would often fade ever so slightly. It really had been too long.
Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine
Regulus' brain repeated in cycle, they were caught up with their plot. Revenge, taking down Voldemort. They slid into their mother's perfect plan for them. It was all too easy, but it cost them everything. It would be worth it though, when they gathered enough information and gained enough power to destroy he who seeked to never be destroyed, it would be them who would see the joy turn to ash in that creature's mouth. He was more human than creature these days that Tom Riddle.
Reality handsome some time ago as Regulus had discovered, oh how Regulus had been discovering, consumed by what had been going on obsessed by destruction with the downfall they were seeking. People always said they were the best seeker, the Slytherin team had in years during their time in Hogwarts after all.
Lily would be safe once muggle borns were no longer a target so all Regulus had to do was keep up this 'death eater' pretence a little longer. Lily did know the real reason he took the mark, which cost them her as they knew it would. They had a plan though. They knew they would have to say goodbye to their flower. It would result in her safety though so there was no question it had to be done.
Regulus ran their finger up and down the bump on her nose while smiling. Regulus would do this is even if it killed them, Regulus would keep her and the rest of the muggle born's safe or they'd fucking die trying. Lily's emerald eyes fluttered open, the green blazing into the grey as it often did, creating the perfect storm.
"Fuck you," she murmured.
"Yes, I know how much you enjoy that darling," he cooed, she struck him. It stung quite a bit for how weakened she was they felt proud of her grabbing her hand and pressing kissing to the palm that had just struck them.
"Asshole," she choked out, then just lay watching him kiss her hand repeatedly.
"How are you feeling?" they asked softly,
"About as bad as I look I reckon,"
"Well you know you always look wondrous to me Evans," Regulus smiled playfully.
"Yes, well I feel more along the lines of microwaved shit," Lily coughed,
"And microwave is that horrible muggle contraption that makes abysmal meals, correct?"
"Oh they aren't that bad," Lily countered looking up at him, her face more familiar looking now that it was no longer twisted in hate nor was it in an unconscious state.
Around the same time in the order meetings
"I'll set England on fire, I'll burn it all to the fucking ground if someone doesn't retrive her so help me Merlin," James Potter was shouting to a very unimpressed Albus Dumbledore.
"We must remain calm Mr Potter," Albus sighed,
"I swear I'll feed you to whatever scummy death eater took her before ripping them apart, we need to fucking find her!"
"Pettigrew and Black are currently trying to track her," Dumbledore said calmly.
"And a fat lot of good that's doing!" James took off his glasses and wiped his forehead.
"Oi!" Sirius called over,
"Sorry mate, you know I love and appreciate you, but you two have been at that for over an hour, yeah? And were closer," James groaned.
"I'll find her prongs yeah? I swear over Moony's cock," James groaned. "What? Isn't that a sure guarantee I'll get her? Wouldn't want Rem's cock to fall off fuck sake, I'd be fucked,"
"Or more you wouldn't be," Peter chuckled,
"Which turns out is actually much worse. look Prongs, I'm going to get her yeah? I won't rest," Sirius promised.
"I've fucked up everything else, I can't lose her too," James signed putting back on his glasses and looking out the window eyes locked on the brightest star in the Leo constellation.