Old Scars Future Hearts (JILY)

Chapter 18

Victoria goes unnoticed as she watched all the happy couples from within the tea shop. She can't wait for them to find out about all the fun she had while they've been busy playing house. She sips her tea and smirks as the wolf flinches at the female's touch. Oh how her plan is moving along swiftly. It won't be long before the so-called Marauders are fractured and isolated. So much easier to pick off that way. So much more devastating for the Potter's boy.

As the afternoon grows late, James and Lily find themselves wandering back to Hogwarts by themselves, gossiping about their friends.

"You can't match up all of my friends with yours." Lily said, rolling her eyes. Her hand was clasped loosely in his and he swung their arms gently as they walked.

"Why not?"

"Because it's not fair to pair up my perfectly normal friends with you delinquents." Before his hand could even reach his heart in mock hurt, she shoved him into the oncoming hedge. "Don't act like you're actually insulted." He recovered quickly and pulled her into his arms.

"You love me and my delinquent friends."

"Hmm." She said, noncommittal. She was walking backwards now, her arms around his neck as they stumbled up to the castle. She peered up into his warm hazel eyes, wondering how they'd gotten here. When was it that she had become so comfortable in his arms? When did being in his arms become the best part of her day? When did she feel so safe and secure here? Why did she crave his hands on her body?

September Lily would tell you she felt nothing towards Potter.

November Lily would tell you James felt like home.

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" James asked, his eyes searching hers as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Nothing." She shrugged, turning to skip ahead. "Just eager to get back." She said, with a smirk over her shoulder. He eyes darkened and his gaze lingered on the floral skirt she was wearing and the way it brushed across her thighs as she skipped. Eventually he snapped out of it and raced back to the castle with her.

As they near the heads dorms a feeling of unease washed over Lily, goosebumps prickling her skin.They slowed their steps and James pulled her close to his side. The air was full of dark, heavy magic. It was oppressive and has Lily wanting to turn around and return to the happy little bubble they had just been in. Before they could utter the password to the portrait, Dumbledore exited, a carefully calm expression on his face.

"Is everything okay sir?" James asked, pushing Lily slightly behind him.

"There's been an incident. Please go and wait in my office."

James' brow furrowed as he tried to peer past Dumbledore's shoulder. "An incident? Like a prank?" He forced a laugh. "Who would dare prank me?"

"No. Not a prank." Before James could fall flat on his face trying to see what was going on, the portrait flung further open, Mcgonagall striding out, giving James and Lily the perfect view straight into their dormitory.

"What the fuck?" James exclaimed as Lily barged her way in.

"Language!" Mcgonagall scolded. Lily stood in the centre of their cozy living area, face expressionless as she took in the destruction. It was a mess. Everything was destroyed.The sofa was upturned and it's cushions slashed, fluff spilling out and floating all over the room. The windows were smashed, glass littering the floor. All the books had been pulled off the shelves and ripped to pieces. The walls were sprayed red, with what Lily hoped was paint.

Lily continued to do a slow circle of the room but James's sole focus was on one thing. A messily drawn symbol over the fireplace. Lily eventually stopped and stared at it too.

"Is that...tar?" Lily asked, taking a step closer to get a better look but Jame's hand shot out, pushing her back behind him.

"This is the symbol, isn't it?" James whispered.

"What symbol?" Lily asked, looking to her professors for answers.

"The Dark Wizard my parents have been assigned to capture." James supplied, when it was clear the professors weren't. "He has a symbol now, he's putting on all of his followers. It's that isn't it?" He pressed, an animalistic urge to protect what was his had him pulling Lily close. When she slipped his hand in hers he felt her trembling.

"It is." Dumbledore said quietly, his gaze pensive as he studied his two most promising students.

"Albus!" Mcgonagall shrieked. "Don't scare the children."

"I won't lie to them." He said, in that unnervingly calm tone, that had James prickling. He was pretty sure all adults did was lie to them. "But you are always safe at Hogwarts."

"It doesn't seem like it." James spat.

"You will reside in the normal Gryffindor dorm until a full investigation has taken place and everything has been fully cleaned up. Your parents have been notified." James was pulling Lily back through the portrait and storming down the halls before Dumbledore had finished speaking. The dark magic clung to him, almost suffocating. It left him feeling uneasy and desperate to get Lily away from there. He want to go back to half an hour ago. To their happy little bubble as they'd stumbled back from Hogsmede. But reality had to come crashing down around them. It was clearly weighing on Lily too, she was silent and walked stiffly beside them.

The Gryffindor common room was mostly empty when they walked through the portrait. None of their friends were there, James hoped they were just up in their dorms and not still lingering down in Hogsmeade. They really needed their friends right now, Lily's hand still shook in his. He gently pulled her into a private corner and cupped her face.

"It's going to be okay. I'm going to sort this all out, I promise. You're safe with me." She flicked his hands away, irritated, and he reared back confused.

"I'm not some cry baby scaredy cat James!"

"I-" His brows furrowed as he tried to figure her out.

"I'm fucking angry!"

"Angry?"

"Yes angry! Someone has come in a destroyed my favourite place in the world. My safe place. A place that was ours. And to it is ruined. So yeah, I'm fucking angry, and I want to find the person that did that and make them bleed. Dark wizard or not, I will end them." Her emerald eyes glowed and she stared up at him, her fists clenching at her sides, her anger and passion burned a hole straight to his heart.

He stepped forward, reaching out he gently ran his thumb along her bottom lip, firmly holding her chin so her gaze never left his. He smirked down at her, his eyes hard with determination "I will deliver them to you on a platter, my little doe."