They had lost close people that year, but the Order still made for a Christmas feast at the Headquarters. As the Order worked so hard almost everyday, the few days of revelry were highly cherished.
After a cheerful feast, the people sat around in groups, chatting. Lily was talking with her oldest friends Marlene and Alice; the Marauders were fooling around as usual.
Hestia sat alone beside the window, her eyes drifting as if she was trying to spot something over the horizon. The only other silent person in the room was Frank. He went over to join Hestia. A year had gone by since Edgar's death, but the time hadn't reduced the loss.
As the night drew to an end, and people were preparing to leave, Frank called for attention.
"We-Alice and I-we have an announcement to make," said Frank, clearing his throat. "Alice is pregnant. We're expecting the child towards the end of July."
There was a sudden hush in the room.
"Longbottom, you do realize the danger you're placing your child in, don't you?" asked Moody gruffly.
"Yes," said Alice in a small voice.
"Well, that's a coincidence, then," said James, laughing nervously. "Lily's pregnant, too, and our child is also due in end-July."
The silence seemed to intensify.
"That's great! A little Prongs!" cried Sirius, so enthusiastically that everyone in the room began to smile again, the tension having broken.
Both Lily and Alice looked rather white.
"It's not too bad," said Remus in his calm voice. "We are sure we can provide foolproof protection to Lily and Alice and their kids. Can't we, Mad-Eye?"
"When the time comes, yes," admitted Moody.
"And you two are going to get cute little babies," said Marlene, sounding thrilled.
"We'll all support you. Don't worry!" said Hestia warmly.
"Congrats, James!" cried Peter.
James and Lily smiled at each other, and Frank took Alice's hand as all the people present there stood up and offered their best wishes.
Maybe everything would turn out all right after all.
--------------------
This optimistic view vanished when Dumbledore called James and Lily to his office at Hogwarts in mid-January.
"A prophecy has been made about you and your unborn child," said the Headmaster, wasting no words.
"What?"
"Sybil Trelawny-our new Divination teacher-she has made a prophecy-" Dumbledore took out his Pensieve, and a drippy looking woman's image came and recited...
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
There was a silence in the room.
"The two of you have defied Voldemort three times. You are expecting your child in end-July, isn't it?" said Dumbledore.
James nodded in a trance. Lily's hand was grasping his fingers very hard.
"Couldn't it also mean Frank and Alice?" asked James suddenly.
"Indeed it could," said Dumbledore gravely. "But Voldemort thinks it is you."
"What? How do you know, sir?" asked Lily.
"A source close to me told me, Lily."
"One of them must die at the hand of the other...how can the child defeat the Dark Lord?" murmured Lily.
"Don't forget Lily, he will have some power that Voldemort doesn't know of."
"What power could a child possibly have?" cried Lily, her feeling of dread rising.
"We don't know that either," said Dumbledore. "But your son could be our only hope, James, Lily."
The couple was silent.
"Your son might finally put an end to this war."
"Lily must go into hiding, then," said James.
"What? No, I won't!" protested Lily.
"You have to," said Dumbledore. "It is vital that you and your son are protected from Voldemort."
Lily still looked mutinous, but she could not help agreeing with them.
"I suggest that you continue to live in Godric Hollow. We will place special enchantments on it to protect it. You must not venture out at all, Lily," said Dumbledore.
Lily and James agreed.
Accordingly, from January 1980, Lily entered hiding.
YOU ARE READING
The Ghosts of the Past (The Marauders' Story)
Fanfiction"We're friends. We're the Marauders. We stick together, remember?" "Yes, Moony. I remember." One of them was mischievous and brave and had the perfect life. Another of them was reckless and loyal and desperate to leave behind his family name. The th...
