"She tried to w-what?" Lily screeched into the telephone. They'd just won a very important match against Puddlemere United, the team Oliver had joined. The boy was standing right beside her, not in the best mood after losing but that didn't seem to matter when he saw the look on Lily's white face.
"I'm coming home. Right now." she gulped, setting down the receiver and looking at Oliver's worried face. "Mum..." she choked. "She just tried to jump off a building this morning. I- I need to go to London as soon as possible." she breathed.
"I'll come with you." Oliver said firmly, not waiting for a response as he rushed inside to get their bags.
_____
"Dad I have no other choice. You can't keep living like this anymore." Lily cried. "It'll help both of you."
"Are you sure? We won't remember a thing?"
"You won't." Lily held the man's hand, squeezing it. "I promise. It'll just go away."
They both looked at her mother, who sat on the chair opposite to them, looking at nothing in particular as she muttered inaudible things under her breath.
"Will you remember?" Connor Smith asked, biting back a sob.
Lily nodded. "But I'll be fine. I have been fine for the last six months since I graduated, right? I'll be okay." she kissed his cheek.
The man nodded, slowly walking next to his mess of a wife. "Do it now."
Lily wiped away her tears, shaking her head as she readied herself for what she was about to do. She pointed her wand at them and closed her eyes before whispering.
"Obliviate."
There was silence.
"Lily dear, what're you doing here?" Olivia Smith asked.
Her daughter burst into tears.
"Lil what's wrong?" Connor Smith frowned, rushing over to her. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine." she said, smiling through her tears as she hugged him and her mum. "I've just missed you guys terribly, that's all."
"Aw we've missed you too. But we just met before you left for your match yesterday, remember? How was it?" her mother asked cheerfully. It was such a stark contrast against the person who had been sitting in the armchair, Lily almost couldn't believe it was real.
"We won." she grinned, wiping away her tears. "Livvie's here too." she said, motioning upstairs, where the boy had been sitting, trying to see if the name sparked any memory in the two.
"That's lovely. Will you both be staying for dinner?" Olivia asked.
"No, just stopping by. I had to pick up some work stuff." she smiled, pulling away from the hug. "I'll meet you during the weekend." she waved, skipping up the steps.
"Carrots, what-" he turned to her, showing an empty photograph. Lily remembered it was a photo of her and her brother. Only now, he wasn't a part of it. "I was just looking at it and he- he vanished."
"Let's go." Lily said quietly. "I need to tell you and Perce something."
_____
Lily had worked her way into a routine since the night her parents' memory had been obliviated. A lot had changed since then. For one, they'd moved into their old house back in Wiltshire, and as a result of their obliviation, no muggle knew that Oliver Smith existed, and that he was her brother. With the Quidditch season gone, she would help at the shelters her mother used to visit in between practices, and weekends were reserved for the Burrow and spending time with Percy and the rest of the Weasleys.
It was a lazy Saturday afternoon at the Burrow as Lily and Percy lied down by the banks of the river flowing next to it. Lily had always loved the place. She loved that it was amidst nature, and that it was so far away from anyof the towns. She could practice Quidditch all day without worrying about any muggles noticing.
"You remember the Yule Ball we went to in our fourth year?" Percy asked, playing with Lily's hair.
"Hard to forget." the girl chuckled, "I must say, not the best memories. Why?"
"I just remembered how absolutely breathtaking you looked." he grinned adorably, kissing the top of her head. "Green really is your colour."
"Yet you didn't even ask me to go with you." Lily scoffed jokingly.
"Only because I thought you were going with someone else. I'm still jealous of Higgs for that night you know."
"Don't you think I would've told you and Livvie as soon as I agreed to go with someone? Dummy." she playfully hit his head and Percy narrowed his eyes, pouting slightly.
"I am not a dummy."
"Right. You're quite smart." Lily admitted.
Percy grinned.
"And pompous."
"Hey!" he frowned.
"And I love you more than anything." she squeezed his hand, looking up at him with an adoring gaze.
"Not possible, because I love you more than anything." he brought their knotted hands together and kissed her knuckles. "You have no idea how much."
"If you say so." Lily smirked in a playful tone. "How's work at the Ministry?" she asked, closing her eyes against Percy's chest, listening to his heartbeat as he held her in a close embrace, her fiery red hair falling all over him.
"Stressful." the man heaved a sigh. "Ever since Harry started spreading those hideous rumours, the press won't leave the Ministry alone."
"Perce, maybe your family has a point." Lily said, a small frown etched upon her face as she opened her eyes and propped herself on her elbows. "I'm happy you got such a huge promotion and all, but don't you think it's too soon for anyone working in the Ministry? We're barely twenty. And Crouch still thinks your name is Weatherby."
Percy sat up and Lily followed. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm just saying - think about it." she said understandingly. "At the Quidditch World Cup finals, wasn't there a Death Eater attack? We all saw the symbol in the sky. And Harry came back with that other Hogwarts Champion's dead body. You really think he'd kill someone?"
"I believe the Minister. And if the Minister says that Harry is spreading lies, he's spreading lies." he pursed his lips into a line.
"He's scared Perce, don't you see? Your dad is right. It's just a ploy to keep tabs on them through you, and inevitably Dumbledore. You're smart. You must know that."
"Are we really going to argue over this right now?."
"I'm not arguing, I'm trying to have a mature conversation with you." Lily said calmly.
"And I'm going to maturely walk away from this 'mature' conversation." he said stiffly, walking inside the Burrow. Lily followed him with a sigh, deciding to talk to him about it later that night.
Unfortunately, that time never came.
Because that night, there was absolute havoc at the Burrow after dinner. Words were said, a couple of plates were broken, objects were thrown across the room and the redheads' faces had all gone red. It ended with Percy storming to his room before declaring that he was leaving for good. Lily was torn between the two sides. Nevertheless, she followed him.
"You're leaving for London? Just because you got into a fight with your family? Don't you think that's a little extreme?"
Percy stood up. "My family made their choice to go against the Ministry. I'm going to stay loyal to it. They're all traitors for supporting Dumbledore. And honestly, it hurts to know that you think I'm not qualified for my current position in the Ministry." he frowned, neatly floating his clothes and other necessities into a suitcase which looked like it had an extension charm on it.
"Perce..." Lily said, standing up as well, "I'm not saying you aren't capable of your job. I know you are. You're capable of doing so much more." she whispered, holding his face in her hands. "I just- I can't shake the feeling that there's something fishy going on there."
"In that case, feel free to keep your feelings to yourself." he scowled, pulling out his wand, Lily already knew what was going to happen and sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow." and with that, he vanished into thin air.
Lily frowned, a single tear rolling down her eye as she closed her hands into gentle fists, tired as she headed back downstairs. Molly Weasley, who sat in the middle of the mess, holding her head in her hands with a look of despair on her face, looked up as she heard Lily come down. Arthur Weasley too had stormed out of the house. The children were all in their rooms, not knowing what to say.
"He left for London. I'm sorry I couldn't keep him here. I tried. I really did." Lily sighed sadly, sitting down next to her before pulling the woman into her arms. "I'm so sorry Mrs.Weasley. Sorry I couldn't convince him to stay. He - his mind is set." she gulped.
Molly nodded, tears streaking down her cheeks. "I know I'm not supposed to have favourites, but Percy really is perfect. Did you know he's the only one whose first word was 'mama'?" she asked with a pathetic sigh. "And now he's gone. He left. Without even a goodbye." she rubbed her eyes stubbornly, breaking away.
Lily took a deep breath before picking up broken pieces of a china dish. "I'll keep you updated about his whereabouts if you want. Maybe even talk him into writing to you? I'll try." she smiled sadly, proceeding to tidying up the place.
Molly didn't look exactly cheerful but she nodded in understanding, wrapping an arm around her side. "Maybe it's better that way. And it's not your job to do those." she nudged the redhead.
Lily cracked a smile. "Rubbish. I like helping around. It makes me feel useful. Besides, you always work so hard, especially around Christmas. I wouldn't feel nice watching you do it all."
"I'm going to miss this helping around." Molly pouted giving the girl a loving smile. "I don't know how Percy landed you, but I'm glad he did."
Lily blushed. "What do you mean you're going to miss my helping around? I'm not going to stop visiting just because Percy isn't here anymore. I promise I'll drop by at least twice a week." she grinned. "You can't get rid of me this easily."
"You know, I thought no girl in the whole world would be good enough for my Percy." Molly took her face in her hands. "But I think I might have been wrong. You're even better."
_____
"Charlie!" Lily said lividly, "I came as soon as you called. What's wrong?"
"It's dad. He... he got attacked by a snake last night. Apparently Harry saw a vision... and that's how they found him." he said confusedly. "Mum's at St. Mungo's with him right now. Dumbledore let the younger ones come back early... I didn't know who else to call..."
"Are Sirius and Remus in?" she asked, dropping her Quidditch bag on the floor as she felt a pit form in her stomach.
Charlie nodded. "Tonks too."
Shortly after Percy had left the Burrow, the Weasleys had taken in Sirius Black. Lily was quite shocked when she found him casually walking around their kitchen one day, and had pulled her wand out and ready to strike him. The man had just glanced at her once and then called out for Molly Weasley. After constant reassurance from both the parent Weasleys that the man had been convicted wrongly, Lily had become used to his presence. Her old DADA professor also dropped by along with Nymphadora Tonks and Severus Snape, her father. She had watched the Order of the Phoenix reform at 12 Grimmauld Place. And the fact that they all trusted her not to tell Percy without even saying it aloud made her heart warm, even though she hated skirting around the truth whenever Percy would complain about Dumbledore forming an army and whatnot.
Tonks did a good job of keeping the younger lot entertained with her metamorphmagnus abilities, which Lily was in awe of. As she prepared a cup of tea to give to Remus, she saw him looking at the woman fool around with Ginny with a small smile.
"You know, she really does fancy you." Lily smirked handing him the cup.
He looked up, like a deer caught in headlights. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh please. We both know you like her back." she scoffed, standing beside him as they watched the pink haired woman turn her ears into an elf-like shape.
"She's too young."
"Goblin piss." Lily looked at him with a scowl. "I am still a Legilimens you know. Remus you're not not good enough for her. You're not impure or anything! You're probably the smartest wizard I know. It sucks that you got bit but that doesn't stop you from having what you want. You need to stop thinking you don't deserve love." her scowl turned into a frown. "You deserve a happy ending and so much more."
Remus sighed, cracking a smile. "I don't know what's more pathetic. Taking dating advice from an ex student of mine, or falling for someone as young as Tonks."
Lily gasped, slapping his arm. "You taught me only for a year Remus. And even that was when I was in my last year. I was practically an adult. Now stop being such a wuss and go talk to Tonks." she teased.
"Sure, Evans." he snorted, before his eyes widened.
"Evans?" Lily asked with a confused smile.
"I'm sorry, you just reminded me of an old friend of mine, Lily Evans. Harry's mom." he said apologetically. "You look just like her. Red hair, green eyes... bright smile."
"Oh. That's okay." she grinned, and then something seemed to click in her head and her smile disappeared. "Remus... what was Harry's dad's name?" she asked, her tone rising slightly.
"James. Although we called him Prongs. Why?"
"No reason." she said, leaning off the counter as her throat ran dry. "I- I think I'll be leaving now. Tell Mr. Weasley I'm sorry I can't join for Christmas, but I promised my mum and dad I'd come home for the holidays. They've barely seen me this year..." she cleared her throat. "Percy's joining us. He's probably already ready to leave." she shook her head sorrowfully.
Remus just nodded. "I think me, Sirius and Charlie can handle a few kids. Although I have a feeling the twins are going to be harder to control."
A small laugh left her lips before she grabbed her bag and wand. "Bye Remus."
But Lily didn't head home right away. Instead, she apparated straight to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from Sirius Black's childhood home. Severus Snape's office to be exact.
"She's my mother, isn't she?" was the first thing that came out of her mouth in her fit of anger.
The man looked up alarmed before he flicked out his wand and locked the door, putting a muffling charm on it. "You shouldn't be here."
"Yeah I know. You told me it isn't 'safe' anymore. Well I'm a grown adult now and I need answers." she said fiercely. "I know my mother's name is Lily Evans, and I also know that she happens to be Harry Potter's mother." her eyes widened, determined.
That was the first time she'd seen her father look so shocked. "How-"
"It doesn't matter." she snapped. "I don't care whether I was an accident, or what, but I deserved to know that I have a half brother. Especially after what happened with Oliver." her voice trembled. "I mean, Harry was always like a younger brother to me, ever since he joined the team, and I could see the sadness in his eyes every time someone said he played like his father. If anything, he deserves to know more than me. He grew up not having anybody there for him." her eyes watered. "Not until Sirius at least."
"I don't know how you found out. You were never meant to." the man in black pinched his forehead. "You can't tell Harry, or anyone. Lily - she was quite clear about keeping you away." he said regretfully, referring to her mother.
Lillian Ariana Smith's heart broke as she processed the news. "You mean-"
"He can't know anything Lily. I'm sorry."
She took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. She closed her eyes as a few remaining tears squeezed out. She exhaled and opened her eyes, an indifferent look in them. "Fine, I won't say a thing." she said decidedly. "And you won't have to tell me not to visit you anymore. I won't have a reason to. Bye dad." she said, before disapparating outside her home.
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