The next morning Lily awoke with a smile on her face, and then she remembered that she was going to be seeing her parents later that day, and slowly the smile faded.
Grumbling Lily got out of bed and prepared for the day ahead, she knew it wouldn’t be her best.
She walked down to the kitchen once she was washed and changed, exchanged a quick kiss with James and sat down for some toast.
“How are you feeling?” James asked her.
“I’ll be fine.” Lily said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
James nodded.
“You know if you want you can come back here,” Harold said Lily smiled at the offer.
“Thanks Mr. Potter, but really, I don’t want to impose much,” Lily replied, grateful for the offer.
“Hush now Lily, you’re no trouble, in actual fact we quite like having you around,” Anne said sitting down beside the red head.
“And please it’s Harold and Anne, not Mr. or Mrs. Potter.” Harold added with a smile.
Just then Sirius came stumbling into the kitchen, reaching for as much toast as he could then swallowing it without chewing properly, Lily laughed at the display.
“Sirius really.” Anne scowled, though there was an obvious motherly love behind it.
Emma came stumbling in only seconds later and sat down on the other side of Lily.
“Hey Em’s, do you want some pumpkin juice?” James asked smiling at his bleary eyed little sister. Emma nodded her head then slumped forward against the breakfast bar.
Lily smiled at Emma’s cuteness and finished off her breakfast.
“I’m going to go now before they leave for work or something of the sort.” Lily said getting up; James came forwards and led her to the living room.
“This will take you to any fireplace, muggle or wizard.” James said smiling down at Lily.
“Thanks James.” Lily said softly, she brushed her lips against James soft lips and walked into the fireplace, yelling ‘Evans Mansion’ On her way.
She fell onto the floor in the living room, looking around she wasn’t surprised to find the room deserted.
“Father!” Lily called as she walked into the hallway.
Everything was silent, it was unusual seeing as generally there was someone bustling up and down the hallways, no, something was wrong.
Lily walked into the kitchen, she gasped at the sight before her. Steven and the three cooks were lying on the floor, eyes peeled open with terror, they were unmoving. Silent. Dead.
She heard running and instantly she hid, the footsteps were closing in on the kitchen.
Lily crouched down in the dank cupboard which she had squeezed herself into, she gripped her wand tightly, prepared for whatever was to come. Lily held her breath as the footsteps came to a stop just before her hiding place.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the footsteps walked away.
‘Merlin, what do I do now?!’ Lily thought to herself, did she risk leaving the kitchen, or did she remain and hope that sooner or later that whoever had killed the cooks and Steven will leave?
‘What of Father and Mother?’ Lily thought furiously, hoping desperately that they had left early for work. She knew however deep down in her heart that they would be in the house somewhere, anywhere.
The silence was deafening, compressing. Lily panicked. Knowing too well that if she were caught she would too be dead.
A tear leaked from Lily’s eye, falling down her cheek, followed quickly by more.
She knew these people, she grew up with them. How could anyone kill them? In that instant she realized the horrible truth. She knew who had done it. It hadn’t occurred to her before but now. She had no reason to, not until now.
She didn’t fear him like others did.
Lily Evans did not fear Lord Voldemort.
Lily pushed the cupboard door open and stepped out; she looked around the kitchen, avoiding the four dead bodies. She silently went back into the hallway; she looked into the living room just in time to see the fireplace erupt with emerald flames, and to her total shock James Potter stood and cleaned himself off.
He looked around the elegant room and spotted Lily just outside the door; he opened his mouth to speak but stopped when Lily placed a finger to her Lips, indicating for him to be silent.
James walked towards Lily.
“Someone is here. I need to get to my parents!” Lily whispered, before James had a chance to say anything Lily was making her way towards the ball room.
She looked into the room through the partially open doors. She was distraught to find she was right.
In the centre of the room stood a man, but he was not a man, his skin was a horrid shade of green grey, and his eyes were little more then red slits, he was foul to look at, and yet she could not remove her eyes form him, he barking out orders to the many cloaked men and women.
There must have been a minimum of fifty cloaked people.
They moved slightly, giving Lily a chance to see her parents, they were being bound by magical ropes, Rose was crying silently, Christopher however looked fierce.
“Tell us where your daughter is your filthy muggle!” Voldemort screeched at Christopher.
“I wouldn’t ever hand my daughter to you!” Christopher roared. Lily’s heart broke.
“Lily we need to get help for them.” James hissed having seen everything for himself.
But it was too late, they were spotted.
“MASTER!” A woman shrieked, Voldemort looked up and saw the two teenagers through the small opening.
Before either James or Lily had a chance to react they were stunned.
What felt like seconds later Lily opened her eyes to see Voldemort’s grey face leering down at her, his snake like nose flared and his blood red eyes narrowed.
“The Mudblood is awake.” Voldemort announced to his followers.
Lily looked around; James was still lying on the floor bound much like her parents were.
Lily however was free to stand, and she did, proud and elegant she stood up and raised her head.
“Now Mudblood, do you know why you’re here?” Voldemort sneered at Lily.
“Because you’re a sick, perverted, lunatic!” Lily snapped.
“Be careful Mudblood, you wouldn’t want one of your loved ones here getting hurt, now would you.” Voldemort drawled, pointing his wand at James, Christopher and Rose almost lazily.
Lily allowed for fear to show on her face, Voldemort laughed as he saw this.
“Love, your biggest weakness.” Voldemort drawled.
Lily gripped her wand tightly, her knuckles going white.
Without a split second thought Lily pointed her wand at James.
“Finite Incantatem!” Lily yelled. Instantly the ropes holding James disappeared, and he picked up his wand and shot a spell at one of the death eaters.
Swiftly Lily sent stunning spell after stunning spell at the Deatheaters, narrowly missing unforgivables being thrown at her.
“ENOUGH!” Voldemort roared.
He faced Lily and James, his eyes flashing dangerously.
“You want to duel, then let it be me you duel.” Voldemort said, his voice laced with malice.
Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at the two teenagers. And then it begun, James and Lily protected each other while the other sent a spell or curse at Voldemort, they were holding up well. James sent a disarming spell which caught him, but it wasn’t powerful enough, and the battle continued, they must have been at it for more then twenty minutes when Voldemort yelled the words Lily and James had been dreading.
“Adava Kedavra!” The green light soared through the air, but it didn’t hit James or Lily, no it hit Rose.
“NO MUM!” Lily screamed. “DADDY!” She screamed as a second yet of green light shot through the air.
It was too late, they were gone.
Lily shot another curse at Voldemort, but her aim wasn’t that good due to the tears blurring her vision.
Just as she collapsed to the floor, unable to fight, masses of pop’s echoed around the room and suddenly it seemed so crowded, then another around of pops and Voldemort and his followers were gone.
Lily crawled towards the dead bodies of her parents; she pulled them towards her and cried. Screams and tears flowed from her body.
“I love you!” Lily screamed. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you! I really wanted to.” Lily cried. The Aurors who had apperated in watched the scene sorrowfully.
James’ heart broke as he watched Lily scream over the body of her dead parents. He walked to her.
“Lily.” He said softly, his own eyes welling.
“I didn’t get to tell them. I didn’t tell them.” Lily cried.
“Lily they know.” James said, he kneeled down behind her and waited patiently for her.
The Aurors left to search the house for other bodies or Deatheaters, all but Harold. Anne was at his side, tears running down her face as she watched the sixteen year old mourn her parents.
When James didn’t send an owl home immediately Anne had began to worry, James had said he would owl immediately, they gave him ten minutes, but the owl never came, Harold asked around and got together a team of people to come to the Evans Mansion, but they were too late.
James pulled Lily back towards him and held her body against his.
“Lily we need to leave.” James whispered into her ear, Lily tried to stand but couldn’t manage it, she was reluctant to leave but also she just couldn’t get the strength.
James picked Lily up bridal style and carried her towards the fireplace and took Lily back to his home.
Sirius was pacing around the Living room wondering what the hell was happening; he jumped when the fireplace erupted with emerald flames.
James didn’t say a word to Sirius when he walked in, instead he walked past his best friend and went straight up to his room. He went up the stairs and pushed the door open, he closed the door behind him and went and sat on his bed.
Lily was still crying.
He laid her down on his bed and lay down beside her, holding her shaking body to his.
“They know Lily they really do.” James whispered to her softly.
He kept repeating the same sentence for hours until the sky grew dark and moon rose.
He looked down at Lily she had calmed down to a stage where she was hiccupping.
James leant over to his bed side table and grabbed a bottle of water he handed it to Lily who drank from it gratefully, her throat was sore, and her eyes tired.
James saw this when he looked into her eyes.
“Sleep Lily, I’ll stay awake for you.” James said softly, kissing Lily’s forehead.
“I can’t.” Lily croaked.
“Why.”
“I keep seeing them. I should have saved them.” Lily said, whimpering slightly.
“It wasn’t your fault; there was nothing either of us could do.” James said softly.
Lily nodded and rested her head in the warm spot between James neck and shoulder.
Soon her breathing became soft and even. She was asleep, dreaming of, James hoped, anything but the day they had just had.
James drifted off eventually. He awoke the next morning to hear Lily whimpering quietly.
He arched his neck awkwardly and saw she was still dreaming.
James sighed. He wished he could just protect Lily from all the bad memories, but he knew better then that.
Only a short while later Lily awoke, she sat up and walked out of James’ room without a word. James got up and watched her as she walked into her room.
Quickly James walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, slightly surprised to find Dumbledore sitting with his father and mother.
“Morning, mum, dad, Dumbledore.” James said in way of greeting.
“Morning sweetie.” Anne said kissing her son on the cheek.
“How is Lily?” Harold asked worried.
“She’s upset, to say the least.” James said as he made himself a cup of coffee. Lily came down seconds later, dressed in tracksuit bottoms and baggy jumper.
Anne got up immediately and engulfed Lily into a hug. Lily returned it gratefully.
“Lily dear. We’re sorry.” Harold said resting a comforting hand on Lily’s shoulder then pulling her into a hug.
Lily smiled then walked to James and took his coffee off of him and took a gulp. James smiled at her.
“How are you feeling?” Dumbledore asked her gently.
“I’ve had better days.” Lily said, she tried to sound as if she were alright, she failed.
“Lily, I would like for you to know this. You and James are a pair of the rare few who have faced Voldemort in a duel and survived to tell the tale. I am proud of you for that.” Dumbledore said.
“Thanks, sir. But really I am finding it a little hard to care.” Lily said honestly. James wrapped an arm around her shoulders in comfort. And Dumbledore nodded.
“Understandable.” Dumbledore said.
Lily nodded then put the coffee cup down. She looked expectantly at the three adults.
“Continue...” Lily said when it became obvious that they were hesitant.
“It’s nothing really dear.” Anne said, but Lily wasn’t convinced.
“Petunia wasn’t in the house was she?” Lily asked after a long pause.
“No she wasn’t.” Harold said with a sigh.
Lily looked at the faces of the three adults studying them all carefully. Tears leaked from her emerald eyes. She knew all to well what they were holding back.
“She blames me.” Lily said quietly, her voice cracking.
“I’m sorry Lily.” Anne said softly.
James pulled Lily to him, and held her, comforting her. How he wished she didn’t have to go through this. ‘And her sister, how could her own sister blame her. It wasn’t right. Then of course Petunia hates Lily.’ James thought to himself.
Lily shook her heard and put on a brave face.
“When’s the funeral?”
“It’s tomorrow. The will reading will be after that.” Harold said sighing.
Lily pulled away from James and walked out of the kitchen silently. James sighed frustrated; he ran a hand through his hair and over his face.
“James watch over her, there’s something’s you won’t understand but are of great importance.” Dumbledore said cryptically his eyes twinkling with hidden meanings.
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