Good Sunday, everyone!!! Hope it's a good one! Here is out chapter two! If you feel strongly about some character here, just think "character development" and trust the process.

PS: with Twitter being banned in Brazil, I've created an account on BlueSky (psc-07) and I've returned to Tumblr (maraudersinparadise). Feel free to reach me whenever! Good bye!

Despite the crazy hours and heavy workload, one thing Lily had to admit: when she wasn't on duty, she wasn't called. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been called on a day she shouldn't have gone to the Ministry.

So Moody's familiar owl waking her up on Saturday morning made her jump up and grab her wand at once.

Ms. Evans,

I need you to come to the Ministry as soon as possible. I've got a case I need you to take.

A.M.

Trying not to imagine that something really bad was actually happening, Lily got ready in 15 minutes (thanking every sacred figure in existence for having washed some clothes on the previous day) and, taking a toast and a Thermos with coffee, disapparated to the Ministry.

Soon she saw Mood on her desk, sporting a sullen expression. Lily sighed and sipped her coffee. It would be a long day.

"Good morning, sir," she greeted, making Moody turn to her.

"Miss Evans, thanks for coming so quickly," he replied, quickly eyeing the breakfast in her hand.

"I imagine it's a case of high complexity…?" she said, trying to get something. Moody pointed to the food.

"Finish eating, Evans. I'll update you."

"No files?" she asked, sitting on her desk and trying to eat as fast as possible.

"No, not yet," Moody sighed, "listen carefully, Evans. You'll take this case, whether you'd like to or not."

Lily eyed him slightly surprised. Then narrowed her eyes.

"It's some bloody celebrity, isn't it?" she suspected. Moody's mouth lifted at the corners (she knew her aversion to celebrities was funny to her boss).

"Yes, it is. A bit. An 18 year-old-boy called Jack Allyson was found dead today, at 3 in the morning at the Quidditch World Cup Training Centre, in France."

"But these things are so easy to enter!" she cried out, her mind split between the shock of an 18 year-old-kid murdered and the difficulty of finding the killer. "Wait a minute, I thought this involved a celebrity?"

"That's the point, Evans. This year, safety's been increased. There're what they call credentials, and they charmed them so one can only enter the Centre if they possess a credential, registering every single person who enters the Centre," Moody explained. Lily finished her toast with puzzlement on her face.

"So we just need to look who entered and arrest them. What's the big deal? And how does a celebrity gets- oh, I see," Lily said, "of course. The usual protectionism."

"It's not just about not arresting a celebrity, Evans. England's coach found the boy's body, and he called me. I also wanted to arrest our prime suspect, but the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports called on a few favours, and I decided we should look into it."

Lily had to hold back an eye roll.

"Is this why I'm at the Ministry at 7 a.m. on a Saturday?"

"Yes. If you could join me, they're in my office."

Lily sighed and stood, cleaning the toast crumbles from her desk with a flick of her wand and sipping more coffee. Moody's office was the farthest, and also the best hidden.

She was already picturing all the work she would have with this case, trying to get away from the press. Why did Moody still pick her, who hated these things so much?

Really, she pondered, it can't get any worse.

But she realized she was completely mistaken as she entered the office and recognized the mop of dark hair sitting in front of her, shaking his legs and messing his hair even more, as she had seen vividly so many times for seven long years.

"Why am I not surprised to see you're in trouble, Potter?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Potter stopped all his movement altogether and slowly turned around, reconnaissance spreading through his eyes until all of his face turned into a surprised mask. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, until a familiar bark-laugh interrupted.

"Prongs, look who's investigating you!" Sirius Black exclaimed, "what an irony, Evans. It's a pleasure to see after so long," he said, standing up and offering his hand. Lily forced a smile and shook the stretched hand.

"Pity I can't return the feeling, Black," Lily replied, seeing a third chair occupied by a shy Peter Pettigrew, certainly shaking with apprehension, "hello there, Peter."

"Evans?" Potter cried out, standing and turning to Moody, "I thought you'd said you'd use the best you had on your department, Moody," he accused. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Mind your tone, boy," Moody snapped, "I'm doing you a favour. If it were up to me, you'd be on Azkaban by now and I wouldn't need to listen to Evans complain about working with you for the next month."

Black, for some reason, considered the warning to be hilarious, and laughed again.

"Black, I don't think you've quite understood the severity of the situation you and your friends are in," Moody completed.

"With all due respect, sir," Potter spoke again, "but if Evans is the responsible for my case, you'd better save your time and simply throw me on Azkaban. She never gave it a second thought before pointing fingers at me."

Lily narrowed her eyes and glared at Potter, feeling the rush of anger colour her face.

"Now you listen carefully, Potter," Lily said, in a whisper so lethal even Sirius's chuckles quieted down, "we're not at Hogwarts anymore. You're no longer my peer, or Head Boy. I'm an Auror, I demand respect, and I will not tolerate you talking to me like that, or about me in front of me, are we clear?"

The room was quiet while Lily glared angrily at Potter. Sirius gaped.

"Did she always have that badarse aura or this happened after getting in the Ministry?" Peter asked Sirius. Moody chuckled.

"Always had, Pettigrew. A huge problem for me, too. Well, at least I don't need to introduce you," Mood said, "Evans, this is England's Coach, Cattermole. This is the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, Clearwater, and that's Puddlemore United's president, Robins. Gentlemen, this is Lily Evans, the best Auror I've got to offer."

Lily hid her surprise on listening to Moody's compliment by greeting the newly introduced men. Then she turned to Moody.

"Just another case or are we gracing Potter with some sort of privilege?"

"We are gracing him," Moody replied, not bothered by the girl's irony, "it won't be possible to drown everything while we investigate, but press won't know who's responsible for the case, nor our suspects," he turned to Potter, "I've only got one more thing to say before I leave you to Evans… I'm doing all of this because I owe a personal favour to Clearwater. Don't fool yourself. To me, you're guilty until Evans proves you innocent."

Moody indicated the exit to Cattermole, Clearwater and Robins, leaving Lily in the office with Potter, Black and Pettigrew.

"And just to make another thing clear, Potter," Evans said, taking Moody's desk and sitting to face the boys, "I will not accuse you of nothing I've got no proof of. We're not at Hogwarts anymore, and you won't simply write lines here," Potter glared at her, "but I do hope you understand that your situation is not that good. Therefore, sit down so we can talk and see if you can convince me you're innocent this time."

He did as she asked.

"So a kid was found dead on the… Training Centre, and your credential was the only one registered since yesterday. Where were you last night until you got home this morning?" Lily questioned, turning on a device that caught the boys' attention, "I hope you don't mind, it's just a recorder. Makes it easier for me to write the reports later."

"Moony, Wormtail Padfoot and I were having some fun in a forest nearby," Potter replied. Lily rolled her eyes.

"You all in a forest, how cliché is that?" then Lily noticed a quarter of the party was missing, "where's Remus?" she asked.

Potter and Black remained unaffected, but Peter wiggled a bit on the chair.

"He wasn't feeling well by the end and went home. We dropped him, then Peter, then we went home," Potter continued. Remus sick…? But it had been a full moon… Lily hid a smile.

"So you're saying the three of you were with Remus the whole night?"

"Exactly."

"Frolicking about in the woods underneath the moonlight?" she kept asking. Potter ran a hand through his hair.

"We like to do stuff like that. It's why Moony isn't feeling very well. You know how he is, not the healthiest bloke," Potter explained, shrugging. Lily raised her eyebrows.

"You know, I disagree. I think Remus is extremely healthy. I already expected him not to feel well, considering the fact he's a werewolf and it was a full moon last night."

Potter stared at Lily while Black frowned and Peter wiggled on his chair again.

"Moony is a what?" Black cried out. Lily rolled her eyes.

"You know?"

"Of course I know, Potter. Who do you think covered Remus's rounds in fifth and sixth years?"

"Who else knows?" he asked.

"Just me and Marlene."

"Listen here, Evans…"

"No, Potter, you listen here. I don't think you've quite understood that you're the only suspect on a murder case, and that the first alibi you've given is completely bollocks. In case it hasn't gotten into your ginormous head, I'll say it again: you're not at Hogwarts anymore! Making some people laugh with a few curses won't get you out of Azkaban, McGonagall will not stop you from being found guilty so Gryffindor can win a bloody game. This is real life. And here, you either prove to me you didn't do it, or you'll rot without a single happy thought far away from everyone you love."

Lily finished her little speech standing, leaning forward on the table. Amazing how even after so long, she still lost her mind with James Potter. How she still flushed so intensely that her face now resembled her hair.

"Believe me, Evans, I do know this is real life. I completely understand my situation. And I'll tell you what I told your boss: I didn't kill Jack. Jack was a good kid. I was introducing him to Robins. I was out with my friends, and I haven't been to the Training Centre since Thursday. And I do know you're an auror, and that you've still got some sort of… childish grudge against me, but I'm too old to listen to your lectures."

Potter had stood too, raising a finger to Lily. Apparently, he was affected by her presence just as much as she was.

At that point, Moody entered the office. Lily got herself back together and sat again.

"You may check my alibi if you'd like, Miss Evans," Potter said with a mockery, ironic tone, "it'd be my pleasure to show you the forest we were in."

"Write it down. We're finished for today. I don't think I need to warn you not to leave the country until the end of the investigation. I'll be in touch in case I need something.

"You must be kidding me, Evans," Potter cried out, "I've got to be in France on Monday!"

"I'm sure France's got amazing forests, but…"

"Forests?" he asked again, "are we living in the same universe? I need to go to the World Cup."

"Well, I'm sorry…" Lily started, but a look from Moody silenced her.

"Potter, you shall go to France. But only where your delegation is," Potter had a small smirk on his lips, provoking Lily. Moody turned to the girl, "according to Clearwater, your name is on Potter's guest list. You'll be going as a guest and will keep the investigation from there. You can use other Aurors that happen to be there for safety, with the excuse that you're simply chatting with a mate."

"Evans's on my list?" Potter asked, frowning.

"Moony asked to add her, remember? Her and McKinnon," Black answered.

"And make no mistake, Potter, this is the only reason you're not being arrested: the fact Evans can go with you and make sure you won't evade while she investigates. The three of you are free to go for now, but Evans can contact you at any given time. Do not be cute and try to dodge her, yeah?"

Potter glared at Lily angrily once more, handed her a piece of parchment and left in a huff, followed by Peter and Black, who winked at Lily and waved to Moody.

The girl stood up, closed the door and sat on the chair previously occupied by Potter, while Moody sat on his chair.

"Go one, spit it out, Evans," Moody said.

"I don't reckon this will work very well, sir," Lily replied, calmer than her boss expected, "First because I hate working with celebrities. Second, because I've never been able to stand Potter. Third, I hate Quidditch. And fourth, he's clearly guilty!" And fifth, she added in her mind, I want to watch the FIFA Football World Cup.

"I also thought him to be guilty when I first heard the story, but I really owed it to Clearwater. I've been talking to those three. Potter always uses two nights a month to fool around with his mates, since he got signed for Puddlemore, and he always warns them in advance. He isn't bothered by the team or press, unless it's game night. It was one of these last night."

"Still sounds suspicious to me."

"To me too, but his mates swore on their mother's graves that they were all together. Black's worked here in the Ministry, so his word must be accounted for. You as an excellent potioneer yourself understand how much we esteem Fleamont Potter. And I've just spoken with Dumbledore via floo and he advised me to actually investigate."

Lily sighed.

"Besides… and this is the real reason I'm being so thorough and careful, Jack Allyson's mother is Millicent Bagnold."

"What?!" Lily exclaimed in surprise. The kid was the Minister for Magic's son?

"Exactly. Bagnold is her maiden name, and she already had a political career before getting married, so she publicly kept the name. However, her son got the father's name. She's aware and supported my decision. She trusts you, Evans. And… she's received threats for political reasons."

Lily took all that in silence. So in addition to having to work with a celebrity, she would investigate the murder of the Minister's son, which could have been the outcomes of a political dispute – and she would have to attend the Quidditch World Cup and deal with James Potter.

"Sir, I fully comprehend the importance of this case… but…"

"Lily," Moody said, making her look up. He almost never called her for her first name, "you're the perfect person for this case. Even if you hadn't been on the bloody list. You're the perfect person to work with celebrities, because you don't get star-struck. There's a reason you get all the celebrity cases.

"I reckoned it was because you loved to annoy me," Lily grumbled, "or maybe because I'm the best…" she started, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Yeah, yeah… something like that. Don't…" Moody sighed and stared at Lily with both eyes. She hated when he did that, "don't make any… wrong decisions, and don't misjudge anything because of your… previous feelings for Potter…"

"Don't worry, Sir. I won't ruin this case."

At least she hoped so.

James didn't know exactly what he was feeling. Anger, for one. Also frustration, and pain for Jack's loss.

At the moment, he was focusing on anger.

And his anger was focused on Lily Evans.

He would be lying if he said he didn't remember Evans. The red-haired girl had been his peer for seven years, had been Head Girl while he was Head Boy, had been a Gryffindor like himself.

And, most importantly, he'd been completely in love with the girl.

Lily Evans had always intrigued James, even when he still thought girls were 'yuck'. She wasn't impressed by his jokes or his pranks – hell, how many times had she defended someone he'd been trying to curse?!

When he entered the team, she didn't find it remarkable at all – 'what, do you really think I'll worship the ground you walk on because you know how to keep yourself on a broom and throw some balls in the air? When you finally manage to tame your hair, you let me know. Then I'll be truly amazed'.

This remark caused immense indignation in James – and that was the first and only occasion he used his father's famous potion.

Even as they grew older, Lily Evans was no fonder of James – Moony had told him that she didn't give a damn about popularity, and that everything James did to get her attention was futile. He realized how right his mate was when she called James "arrogant, bullying toerag" at the end of fifth year.

He'd imagined, when they finished seventh year, that he could have a friendly relationship with Evans, as they shook hands on Platform 9 . It wasn't what happened: Lily never tried to talk to him, and denied whenever he asked her out.

He focused on his career, and never heard of her again – except when he occasionally saw her name on the paper. But the passion he once had felt was gone.

The shock of seeing Lily entering the office after Moody having said that the best Auror he had would take his case was big (not because he doubted Lily's potential, having being colleagues for so long; he just didn't expect her being this successful already) but it didn't stop him from also noticing that Lily still was beautiful, even more now with the power aura that she carried around.

Of course this thought didn't last much – apparently, she still held a grudge against him after all those years, and a laughing Sirius was no help at all.

The fact remained that he was the main suspect in a murder case, and the person in charge of freeing him from Azkaban basically hated him.

"She won't be unfair, Prongs," Remus had affirmed when James, Sirius and Peter went over his place to tell what was happening, "Lily always knew how to discern between right and wrong."

"Then did she seem so eager to send me straight to the Dementors, even before starting to investigate?"

Remus laughed.

"First because you look extremely guilty, and you know that. Second, she never completely forgave you for all the work that you left for her to do in seventh year. And third because she hates celebrities, and she hates cases that involve celebrities or when her name's on the papers," Remus explained. Sirius frowned.

"I know what her deal with Prongs is, but why celebrities too?" he asked.

"Basically celebrities interfere with her cases. And she doesn't like when they are treated in a different manner, and she's never liked the attention. And she hates Quidditch. Merlin she must be hating this case so much."

"Why did it have to be her?" James grumbled. Remus raised his eyebrows.

"She's the best Auror there is, after Moody, of course. If someone can get you out of it, it's Lily."

"But she hates me…" James said, deflating.

Sirius laughed, joined by Remus.

"Merlin, Prongs! Looks like we're back to fifth year and she just called you arrogant…"

"But we're not, and I'm about to have my arse dropped to Azkaban, so please, could you both stop laughing?"

The four of them went quiet. James took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He hadn't slept for almost 30 hours and he needed to rest. But he couldn't.

"James, I'll talk to Lily," Remus said after some time. Sirius nodded, but James denied.

"She knows about the Furry Little Problem, Moony. We can't keep this alibi, albeit true, without spilling the beans about being Animagi."

"So let's tell her," Sirius said, shrugging, "you're going to Azkaban anyway. Maybe it's less time if it's only illegal magic."

"No, Padfoot. Me going to Azkaban doesn't mean you and Wormtail have got to go too."

"We could tell her you were only ensuring my safety for the transformation, which isn't a lie."

James nodded.

"Yes, it's our best choice. I'm not gonna lie if I can avoid it," James sighed and put his glasses back on, "when were you planning to tell me you're taking McKinnon and her to the Cup, Moony?"

"I handed you a list with names, Prongs," Remus replied, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, well. A warning would've been nice."

"I had no idea you were still mates with her," Wormtail said to Remus, who shrugged.

"I'll never forget everything she did for me back at Hogwarts. And she's fun to be around when she's not working."

"Well, I think it's a huge betrayal on your part, Moony," Sirius said, "being friends with her and not mentioning once how hot she's turned out to be.

James threw an angry glare at Sirius, and when Sirius laughed, he threw a pillow.

"C'mon, Prongs! Only you're allowed to notice it, are you?"

"I didn't notice such a thing," James grumbled, "I was too busy worrying about not going to Azkaban."

"Cut the bullshit, Prongs," Sirius replied, "after 4 years of not seeing Lily, are you trying to convince us you didn't notice that she's way prettier than most of the women you get involved with? And that she's a beautiful woman now, not the girl who argued with you day and night?"

"And much more intimidating, too," Peter opined in an undertone.

"I might have noticed it a bit, but she's investigating me, Sirius. I'm not thinking about this sort of stuff now. I've got to focus on not being arrested. And I'm not sure we were in the same office, but we still argue.

"Oh, I was," Sirius said with a huge smirk, "this Cup will be simply amazing."

Instead of going home, Lily decided to start gathering the information she had for the case. Moody gave her the letters the Minister had received as a threat, the file for the threat case, and James Potter's file.

She knew the wizarding world lived in a moment of great political tension. When Bagnold assumed office as Minister for Magic, one of the candidates, who publicly presented himself as Lord Voldemort, didn't take it very well. He wanted the power no matter what, and it caused some troubles for Aurors at the time.

There were rumors that he was acting on the low lately, influencing important people, recruiting youngsters and corrupting people inside the Ministry. Although Lily wasn't on the squad that investigated internal affairs and political issues, she knew the backstage.

So she decided to also get Lord Voldemort's file.

The file, however, wasn't labeled with this name, which made Lily waste her whole morning on the Ministry searching for it, and not being able to find the paperwork.

"Lily Evans, what in Merlin's name are you doing here today?" a voice called. She turned and sighed in relief as she saw Marlene bringing her a Butterbeer.

"Case. Moody called me. I've been here since 7 in the morning. Listen, do you know for some reason the real name of that Lord Voldemort's bloke? I've got to find his file," Lily asked, swinging the cold Butterbeer.

"Tom Riddle. I was the scrivener of his trial. What's going on? What's this case?

"Marls, I'm not sure I can tell you… Moody's asked for secrecy," Lily explained, the second part with just a touch of irritation. Marlene grinned.

"There's someone famous there, ain't there? 'S alright, don't tell me," the brunette said, raising both hands. Then her face fell, "does this mean you won't make it to the Cup?"

"What?" Lily cried in response, blushing slightly, "hm, actually, yeah, I'll make it after all."

"What about this case?"

"Well…"

"Oh, yeah, of course. Secrecy. Alright, lips closed, Pretty Red."

"Aha!" Lily cried out, fishing out a thick file, "got it! Now I can go home."

"Plans for tonight?" Marlene asked as they left the Ministry.

"Actually, yes. Besides reading all of this, I'm visiting Benjy on St. Mungo's. He's finally lucid, and has already asked for someone to tell him about the last case three times. As I've finished the report, I'll put him out of his misery.

"You should work less, Lil," Marlene told her, "I suppose my warning will do no good, so… give me the gold you've spared for clothing. We need to take some new stuff for the World Cup. For what Remus said, there'll be tons of parties."

Lily sighed and complained, but did as her friend asked. She considered asking for reimbursement, but she knew Moody would simply laugh at her. It was just another case, after all.

"Don't you dare buying anything inadequate, you hear me, McKinnon? I still have got a reputation to maintain!" Lily threatened while they separated.

Marlene laughed and winked.

Just another case.