LILY WANTED TO avoid Fleur completely after the older girl witnessed her being sick in her bathroom on the day they arrived, but seeing as it was her and Bill's house, it was almost impossible. When Fleur entered to kitchen to prepare a meal, Lily was sure to be on the opposite side of the house. Of course, Fleur wasn't oblivious; she knew Lily was praying that she wouldn't bring it up, but there were things the girl had to do, decision she had to make...
An entire week had passed since the lot of them arrived at Shell Cottage and every morning, Harry could be found kneeling in front of Dobby's makeshift grave which he dug in a flowerbed. Dobby would have liked that. Bill and Fleur had just set down a platter of replenishing sandwiches on the dining table and Ron, Hermione and Luna dug in gratefully. Lily looked at the group only when the fresh bandages on Hermione's arm caught her eye; she set her jaw and returned to gazing out of the window in her brother's direction.
Ron took notice and with a mouthful of his ham and cheese sandwich, "He's still out there?"
Lily nodded solemnly, "I think he's mourning everyone when he goes out there. It's not like we can take a moment of silence when we're traveling and dodging Deatheaters."
She shut her eyes and held the windowpane as a wave of nausea washed over her. As Fleur suggested everyone take their sandwiches outside on the beautiful day, Bill walked over to Lily with a steaming mug in his hands. He gave her a meaningful look and offered it to her, "Drink this. It'll help."
Fleur told him. A sense of dread filled Lily as she took the mug, thanked him and sipped the scalding liquid down. It had a strong gingery taste to it that made her want to gag, but as she downed the third sip, her nausea eased away.
"Better?" he asked.
She nodded, inhaled nervously. She could keep avoiding the topic, as time would literally beat her to the chase. "Fleur, can I borrow you for a few minutes?"
In the doorway where the sun was beaming down and glittering against her light blonde hair, the older girl definitely looked half-veela. She was very beautiful. Lily smirked when she noticed Ron no longer drooled at the sight of her; no, he had his eyes on someone else now. Fleur nodded and smiled at her husband before she led Lily into the study and shut the door.
"Muffiato." muttered Lily as she waved her hand. Fleur gestured for her to sit down and as they joined each other on the couch, Lily's unbothered facade fell.
"I didn't piece it together, you know. Not until you suggested that it may not be been nerves that made me sick..." she stared at her hands in her lap, "God, I'm so stupid."
"You're not." Fleur placed a delicate hand on top of hers and offered her a small smile. "You've have been through a lot. I can understand."
Lily raked a hand through her hair and looked into Fleur's blue eyes, "How can I be pregnant? As if I don't already have a million things to worry about."
Fleur noticed Lily's look of anguish, "Zis is not a burden, Lily. It's a gift."
"Considering the circumstances, it's not a gift at all. We're in the midst of a war and whether I want to accept it or not, Harry and I are at the head of it." She stared at the vase of poppies sitting on the desk to the right. She wanted a calm life like this more than anything... "And there's so much I'm responsible for, so much that I have to do. I left Fred in the Burrow because I know I won't be making it out of this war and even if I do, I won't be the girl he fell in love with once upon a time."
And this, after everything, was Lily's greatest fear.
"You have not seen zee way he looks at you when you turn your back. He looks at you like you are his entire world." said Fleur, "He is madly in love with you and to stop feeling a love like zat means losing himself."
"I can't settle down with him until this war is over and the threat is gone." Even if she was to consider it, Lily didn't want to raised a child in the cruel world she was living in now.
"Think about it," said Fleur, "And talk to Fred. He should know."
Fleur smiled, stood and exited the room, leaving Lily to her thoughts. The sunlight poured through the windows opposite her, showering her with warm golden rays that made her hair resemble fire. Before she could talk herself out of it, Lily grabbed parchment and a quill from the desk across the room and sat down. This was not the way she would have liked to do this, but...
Dear Fred,...
*****
It was hours later, when day turned to night, when there came a knocking on the front door. Fleur was in the kitchen when she heard it and she froze; they weren't expecting anyone. She made to slip out of the room to fetch Bill, but Lily walked through the archway with her wand at the ready. Harry and Ron descended the stairs seconds after Bill slipped into the kitchen and ushered his wife and Lily into the living room. He pressed a finger up to his lips and opened the door. Relief washed over him as he found himself face to face with a beaming Remus Lupin.
"Remus," Fleur sighed in relief as she and Lily emerged from the living room, "Thank heavens. You gave us a fright."
"So sorry about that Fleur," but clearly he wasn't sorry. He was bouncing on his heels as he entered the house, practically bursting to tell the new. "Tonk's had her baby! It's a boy! I have a son!"
Everyone broke out into cheers and smiles. Bill brought out a bottle of firewhiskey and handed everyone a glass, but Fleur and Lily politely declined. Harry raised an eyebrow because his sister never refused a nice glass of the golden liquid. Remus pulled both the the Potters into a jubilant hug and when he pulled away, they couldn't help but notice he looked twenty years younger. The dark circles under his eyes and pale pallor seemed to have faded away.
He gave Lily a meaningful look, "Thank you, Lily. If it wasn't for you, I would've made the biggest mistake of my life."
"But those horrible things I said–" everyone was listening on in confusion but neither Remus nor Lily cared to elaborate.
Remus shook his head. Nothing could upset him now. "All is forgiven. I understand why you said them." and then he set his glass down and looks at them with hopeful eyes, "Do you want to meet him?"
"Yeah!" replied the Potters. They followed him out of the house and down the steps onto the sand so they were a good distance away from the house to Apparated. Bill and Ron walked out onto the front porch.
"Bring the kids home by midnight, Remus." Ron joked, "I won't have them out any later than that!"
Lily showed Ron a very rude gesture just before Remus Disapparated, making Lily feel as though she was being squeeze through a tube. When they Apparated in front the house, Lily suppressed an oncoming wave of nausea and proceeded to follow Remus as the man practically ran up the path to the front door. He held the door open for them and as Harry shut it behind them, they greeted Andromeda Tonks in the forte. Harry greeted the woman warmly and followed Remus upstairs.
Lily turned to Andromeda and it was with a grave expression that she said, "I'm so sorry about your husband, Mrs. Tonks."
Ted Tonks was promptly murdered by Deatheaters after they found him camping in the woods. He had been on the run for months, insisting that he would not register himself as a Muggle-born wizard as he would not be labeled or controlled.
Andromeda gave her a wry smile, "He would have been so happy to meet the baby...I like to think that he's in a better place now."
Lily nodded and offered her another sympathetic smile as the woman blinked back tears. There were no words that Lily could fathom that would comfort Andromeda – what could possibly comfort a person who lost their best friend and lover, especially to such a horrible fate? Before the silence could continue any longer, Andromeda cleared her throaty and put on another smile.
"And please, call me Andromeda or whatever you like." she said, "We're family now."
Lily nodded and followed her directions as she set off in pursuit of Tonk's bedroom. Tonks was laying in bed, watching groggily as Remus showed their son to an awkward and uncomfortable-looking Harry. At the sight of her, Tonks smiled and beckoned Lily inside. In Remus' arms, a little arm wriggled free of the bundle and reached out. Lily's mouth was slightly open as she drew closer and caught sight of the handsome little face of the newborn baby boy in a knitted bundle.
Remus noticed her awed look and smiled, "Would you like to hold him?"
Lily lifted her arms as if to accept, but hesitated, "I don't want to do anything wrong. What if I hold him wrong or something? I'd better not–"
"–I'll show you." Remus gentler transferred the baby boy from his arms to hers and she held him cautiously as Remus fixed her hold. He stepped back and sat on Tonk's beside, planting a kiss on her forehead as they watched the godmother and godson.
"What's his name?" inquired Harry.
"Edward Remus Lupin, after Tonks' father." replied Lupin, giving his wife a bittersweet smile.
"And we'll call him Teddy for short." Tonk chimed in.
Harry stood over his sister and baby Teddy as she swayed him back and forth, playing with his little hand. Already, as he squinted under the light, Lily could see his cognac-colored eyes and she smiled as he goggled up at her. His hair was a light brown that shimmered in the light but as she admired him, it turned a turquoise color that made Lily gasp.
"What just–?"
"He's a Metamorphagus, like Tonks." Remus seemed even happier as he said this, if possible, "That means–"
"–He didn't inherit the werewolf gene." Harry grinned. They were very happy to hear that they wouldn't have to deal with a toddler werewolf once every full moon. He wouldn't have to follow in his father's footsteps and use the Shrieking Shack below the Whomping Willow tree as his getaway every month once he was of Hogwarts age. He was normal – well, as normal as a wizard Metamorphagus baby with turquoise hair could be.
As Teddy's hair changed again, this time into a grass green, she laughed melodically. Who knew that a baby could bring about laughter and jubilance during a war? Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe her pregnancy was fate telling her that a new baby could spread happiness and laughter in their families. Lily always hated the terms fate and destiny, refusing to believe that a greater and higher force governed the lives of all living in the world, but as she gazed down at her godson, she couldn't help but think that maybe believing in fate isn't such a bad thing. But to believe in fate meant to believe in prophecies, and if hers came true, that was an entirely different catastrophe waiting to happen.
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The Potters ended up returning the next morning as they couldn't bear to set their godson down. When they walked through the door with animated pictures of Teddy and showed them off pridefully, Ron marched into the kitchen and grounded them for a week for returning past their given curfew. After a little while, the boys went outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunlight, Lily found Hermione alone and let her in on her little secret. Hermione was beyond happy to hear the news and provided Lily with a shoulder to cry on as she explained her situation with Fred. She didn't get to tell Hermione the most exciting part – even this early on, Lily was almost sure she was having a boy – because Harry and Ron returned with expressions on their faces that told the girls they were planning something.
"We need to talk." said Ron.
And so they sat down and dove into a conversation regarding Bellatrix and her reaction upon seeing the Sword of Gryffindor. With a shaking voice, Hermione recalled her encounter with Bellatrix – pointedly leaving out the parts about her torture – and explained out Bellatrix was more frightened than scared as she tried to get answers out of her, as if she were good to get in trouble. And Bellatrix only feared one person, the same person she admired above all.
"So we think Bellatrix had the sword in her vault at Gringotts?" Harry fixed his glasses.
Lily shook her head, "No, she must have a fake, a replica. It's nearly impossible to break into a Gringotts vault and the Lestranges are one the more prominent pureblood families left. Her vault would be the hardest to get into."
They stared at her and Ron quirked an eyebrow, "You sure know a lot about it. Planning in breaking in, were you?"
She rolled her eyes, "I remember a goblin saying that the wealthiest families had their vaults on the lowest level of the underground." she twirled her wand absentmindedly in her hand, "Besides, the Sword of Gryffindor was locked up in a showcase in the Headmaster's office at school. If we have the real sword, that must mean whoever put it in that lake is also responsible for leaving a fake in the Lestrange vault."
"And you think Snape's responsible." Harry set his jaw indignantly as he read between the lines of her words.
"Honestly, I'm not sure what I believe about him anymore," to say his name was too painful, "But if it was somehow beneficial to him, then why not?"
Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement and Harry begrudgingly joined in. Looking to change to subject, he said, "So, if a fake sword is in that vault, that means You-Know-Who knows that it's capable of destroying Horcruxes. That could meant that–"
"–there's a Horcrux in there as well." Lily joined in. Hermione and Ron exchanged inconspicuous grins as they watched Harry and Lily go back and forth, putting their minds together as they used to. It was nice to see them back at it again, finishing each other's sentences and scheming.
"Well, then I say we talk to Griphook." said Ron. Griphook was a goblin on the run that Bill and Fleur rescued from death at the hands of a Snatcher. He was currently staying in the attic in the room beside Mr. Ollivander, much to Fleur's chagrin.
And so as a quartet, they made their way upstairs – with the sword in Harry's hands – and walked down the hall. Griphook, with his pointed nose and ears and black eyes, noticed them looming in the doorway and begrudgingly bade them entrance. As Lily sat down on the bed and crossed her arms, she regarded the goblin with mixed intimidation and discomfort as his black eyes stared into hers.
"Would you mind taking a look at this?" inquired Harry, holding up the sword. Griphook beckoned him closer and took the sword into his hands. As he appraised it silently, the teenagers remained in an awkward silence.
"Only a goblin would recognize that this is the true Sword of Gryffindor."
Lily licked her dry lips and looked him right in the eyes, "You were still working in Gringotts when this sword was put into the Lestrange vault, I presume. Do you know who put it there?"
She was hoping the goblin would say the name of the man she guessed it to be. Severus Snape was the only other soul to had access to the magnificent Gryffindor heirloom and there was no doubt in Lily's mind that Dumbledore put enchantments on the case in which it was displayed in. And no one got past any of Dumbledore's enchantments unless he let them do so. As the crystal phial in the pocket warmed her thigh by minute, she didn't realize an odd kind of hope had blossomed within her.
"A Hogwarts Professor." replied Griphook as he ran two long long fingers along the flat of the blade, "As I understand it, he's now Headmaster."
"Snape." said Ron and Harry in unison.
"He put a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault...." Harry was hoping Griphook knew more than he let on, but Lily vaguely remembered a warning Hagrid had given her when she first discovered she was a witch. Never cross a goblin, and never trust them if you can help it. "Why?"
He looked up from the sword at last, but Hermione noticed his grip tighten around he hilt. "There are more than a few curious things
in the vaults at Gringotts."
"And in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault as well?" pushed Ron as he fiddled with the hem of his pants. The goblins clearly unnerved him as well.
"Perhaps."
"We need to get into Gringotts," Harry spoke confidently, leaning forward in his chair to look into Griphook's opaque eyes, "Into one of the vaults."
Griphook regarded him humorlessly, "It is impossible."
"Alone, yes." Harry agreed, "But with you, no."
"Why should I help you?" By the conspicuous look on his wrinkled face, they could tell he was looking for some sort of payment for his sacrifice.
Harry glanced at his sister, "We have gold, lots of it–"
"–I've no interest in gold." There was a glint in his eyes that told Lily exactly what he was looking for in return.
"Alright, Griphook. You may have my friends wrapped around your horribly manicured finger, but I don't play games." Lily deadpanned. The others exchanged weary glances. "So cut the bullshit. You've been holding that sword as if your life depended on it."
Griphook didn't seem angered by her bluntness. In fact, he grinned, showing his sharp teeth. "Yes, the sword. That is my price."
"We'll have to discuss it." said Harry and they promptly left the room, taking the sword with them.
Ron chuckled, "You went at him in there."
"Sorry, but I wanted to get out of there." Lily shivered as they descended the wooden staircase, "His eyes creeped me out."
Bill called Ron into the kitchen before they could stop to discuss their bargain with Griphook. Hermione winked at Lily and followed after him, leaving the siblings to themselves. Harry moved to enter the living room, but Lily stopped him, "Hey, um, can we talk?"
He seemed confused, but nodded, "Yeah."
He followed her outside, off of the porch and down the beach. They walked side by side in silence and as much as Harry wanted to question his sister about why they were walking so far to talk, he refrained from doing so as he saw the troubled expression on her face. He knew how to read her and it was clear to him that whatever she wanted to say to him, it was very hard for her to form words – and that was a precedent because Lily Potter always had something to say.
They sat down by the water, close enough so that the salty waves tickled their toes as they caressed the sandy shore. There was a baleful beat as they listened to the waves and he almost broke the silence, but Lily finally spoke and when she did, everything came out in a string of words he barely understood. But he heard the words pregnant and scared and he put two and two together.
"Y-You're what?..." She inhaled deeply and slowed down with her words as she nervously relayed the entire story to him, starting from the day she left Hogwarts to present day. When she finished, Harry was left speechless and she just when she though he was going to burst out with shouts of anger and profanities, he surprised her by pulling her into a much-needed hug.
"You're not mad?"
"No, I'm not mad. I'm going to be an uncle, for Merlin's sake!" he grinned, pulling away, "Besides, Mum had us when she was like...what....twenty?"
Lily nodded. Her brother's approval made her feel a hundred times better and after she told him that she suspected the baby to be a boy, his grin became even wider. And then, she began to draw in the sand with a piece of driftwood, "I think I like the name Michael..."
"That's a nice name." he nodded, but he knew she was trying to avoid the other topic she had also brought up. "So, about Snape...."
"I know you loathe him, Harry, I know you do. I mean, there's no changing that fact that he killed Dumbledore. He turned on me and he turned on Draco, but...." she sighed and tossed the driftwood behind her as she turned to face him, "I'm going to be haunted by the thoughts of what could have been if I don't get the answers I need....and I do need them, Harry."
Harry tossed a shell into the water and glanced at her, "I don't like it – bloody hell, I hate it, but I understand. You were always close with him. I've been selfish about the whole thing and I'm sorry. I was wrong to do that to you."
"Proud Harry Potter admits he was wrong," Lily chuckled, "I never thought I'd see the day."
He chuckled and nudged her playfully. They laughed quietly together and stared at the horizon. Once again, the day was sunny and the waves were a bright blue-green. They just realized, as their toes dug into the sand, that this was their first time at the beach in their lives.
"It's a shame." she said, digging her toes absentmindedly in the sand as a big grin broke out on her face, "I really wanted to break into Gringotts with you lot. It was going to be fun."
"I don't think fun is a proper word for it." he chuckled at her, "Dangerous or mad would be a better fit."
It was a rare and happy sight to see Harry and Lily Potter bonding by the shore, shoulder to shoulder as they admired the horizon. They were two young adults raised on the standards of heroism set for them since they became the Boy and Girl Who Lived; but as they let the fissures of their hearts widen and all of their hidden emotions streamed out, it was clear to them now that even if they won this war, it would be at a personal loss. After all, the heroes don't get the rewards, they pay the price.
"Sometimes I wonder what our lives would have been like if mum and dad hadn't died...." she spoke quietly.
"What do you imagine it to be like?"
"Mum would have taught me how to do my makeup and how to cook. She would have yelled as I stomped upstairs, demanding I change out of whatever inappropriate clothing I had on. You and Dad would've practiced Quidditch in the yard. He would have told you all about his antics during his Hogwarts days..." she smiled to herself.
"...and Sirius would've come over every night for dinner, insisting that you were the brains of our little family," Harry joined in, "And there'd be horrible family drama during the holidays that would make us wish we weren't related to any of them..."
Lily shook her head, "I'd never wish that. But while I like to imagine what could have been, I wouldn't trade what we have today for the world. We might not have met the Weasleys or Hermione or anyone else and I can't imagine a life without them."
Harry nodded in agreement and took his sister by the hand, standing. Tears were pooling in his eyes as he looked at the beautiful woman his sister had become. She had changed so much since the day he met her at Kings Cross Station; she now had the curves and pretty face of a young woman, her brilliant mind was infected with troubles of war, her spirit saddened by the exhaustion of fighting against evil for so long, her heart of gold loved more than could be requited by most. It seemed as thought the only thing to remain the same within Lily Potter after years of wear and tear were her eyes – not because they were her mother's eyes, but because you could see the raw beauty within them and in a world wear every wears a mask to uphold a facade of perfection, it was a privilege to see a soul.
"We've been through so much together...I can't imagine not going on without you." he said. After all, they had agreed that it was best for her to make a difference in the shadows, away from the action.
"Why does it feel like you're saying goodbye?" her voice wavered, "You know I don't like goodbyes."
"–Why are you saying goodbye?" Harry and Lily turned to find Ron and Hermione strolling down the sloping beach toward them. Ron had a clueless expression on his face, but Hermione understood perfectly well. After they explained the situation to him, he grumbled something about behind the last one to know everything.
"I need you three to know that I will never really leave you. If you ever need me, whether it be because you're in mortal danger or you just want me to beat the shit out of someone, I'll be there. You know how to call me," she raised her arm to reveal her red and orange Phoenix feather insignia. Hermione was crying and Ron chuckled as he tried to blink back his own tears. Harry clapped him on the shoulder.
"It has been a privilege to be a part of this team."
"Yeah," Ron smiled, "We are a team, aren't we?"
"Damn straight." she laughed and the four of them stood facing each other, smiling bittersweetly in a silence that was not at all comfortable. Lily hugged each other them and when she pulled away, she started back put towards the house, "I'd best be going. Harry, if you get to see him again, give Teddy a kiss for me."
"I will. And Lily?" he said as she turned away, "Stay safe."
And Lily knew that in those words, he was saying I love you. Harry Potter wasn't the most affectionate person, but she knew him and she knew not to look back because if she did, she would see him crying and she could not bear it if that's how she left things.
"I will, big brother."
It was only a few minutes later when Lily bid Bill and Fleur farewell, thanking them for their hospitality and understanding. She sung her bag over her shoulder, walked off of the porch and found her best friends still standing where she left them. Ron caught sight of her leaving and nudged them; she raised her hand in a wave and they waved back. Then Lily turned and walked past the garden where Dobby's grace lay, past the cottage and the rocks dividing the beach. With every step she took, the crystal phial in the pocket of her jeans heated up and when the heat became too much, she withdrew it. She looked at the cork at the top and observed the word now emblazoned on it.
EVERYTHING.
And Lily Potter closed her fingers around the phial, knowing what she had to do. She was ready, the phial would now open. With this in mind, she Disapparated, but she did not hear Bill chasing after her, shouting as he held up a letter in his hands. With a sigh as he watched her disappear, he looked down at the letter addressed to him and recognized his younger brother's penmanship at once. He unsealed it, unfolded the parchment within it and sighed as the words sunk in with him. The letter wasn't meant for him, but he already knew that.
Lily, I am coming to get
you. Don't leave the cottage.
I'll be there soon. We're going
to do this together. I love you.
-Fred
It just didn't come fast enough...
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Lily had walked for hours upon hours, taking a long route through small Muggle villages, figuring she would be unlikely to run into Deatheaters there. Her feet ached from walking, her eyes watered as they fought to stay open and her heart ached with the harsh truth that she wouldn't be seeing Harry, Hermione or the Weasleys for a long while. She almost decided to find a Muggle motel to stay in when whispers tickled her ears. An eerie aura fell on the road and as the burning hatred of another swelled inside of her, she knew the Dark Lord was trying to communicate with her. She ran off of the road and hid herself in a dark space between to houses. This way, he wouldn't be able to locate her as she stood in the darkness.
"My dear Tom," she spoke sarcastically as she felt him open the door that blocked his mind from hers, "You must love the sound of my voice to be entering my mind at this ungodly hour of the night. Seriously, this i–"
"SILENCE, stupid girl!...." she shut up as an image of George flashed in her mind; he was as white as milk and he must've had more bruises than freckles. And on his head, there was a deep gash where it had been bashed in as they moved him from the cellar of the Malfoy
Manor to who knew where. "You're friend will not last much longer."
There was no longer confidence or sarcasm in Lily's voice; when she closed her eyes and replied, her voice was laced with fear, "What do you want from me?"
"You know exactly what I desire, Lily Potter." he hissed in her head as she pressed her back to the brick wall behind her and slid to the ground. "You have twenty-four hours. After that, I will make you watch as I torture him to insanity, as I make him feel nothing but agony before I kill him like I did your filthy Muggle mother!"
Of course, in the eyes of the Dark Lord, death was too easy of an escape for a friend of the Potters. He was right; she knew exactly what he wanted. As quickly as he entered her mind, he was gone, leaving Lily crying in that dark space as she predicted what was to come....
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Lily pulled her traveling cloak closer to her figure as she weaved in and out of the shadows, drawing closer to the wards surrounding Hogsmeade village. It was in her peripheral line of view that she saw two masked Deatheaters trailing her; she rolled her eyes at their conspicuousness. As she approached the metal gates to the village, she came face to face with two more Deatheaters and put down her hood.
"I am here to deliver intel on the whereabouts of four mudbloods on the run to Headmaster Snape." The foul word slipped easily off of her tongue; she could not risk her cover being blown. She glanced at the bars of the shiny gates to see chin-length blonde hair, grey eyes and a sharply-featured staring back at herself. Her stash of Weasley Three products always came in handy – and the boys always had phials of Polyjuice Potion on hand.
The first Deatheater, a stern looking woman with white hair and dark eyes surveyed her for a moment. Then, in a surreptitious tone, "What is the password?"
"Sanguinis Pura," she responded smoothly, "Pure blood."
"You're a little young to be a Deatheater, are you not?" asked the second, a man with blue hair and green eyes.
"You're a little old to dye your hair that color, are you not?" Lily deadpanned. The woman laughed and bade her entrance, seemingly convinced of her authenticity after that remark. As the man muttered something along the lines of hexing her for insulting him, Lily wales down the Main Street of Hogsmeade. The last time she walked down this road, it was with Severus as they were on their way to the Three Broomsticks to get Lily her first glasses of Firewhiskey. It was a shame she was now walking through it in these circumstances....
She reached the Three Broomsticks, nodding in acknowledgement at a passing Deatheater in the street, who was most likely going to take over a shift at the gate. As he passed, she put up her hood as she saw her blonde hair turning auburn once more. Cursing herself, she drew up her hood; her hour was up and the effects were wearing off. Now she just had to hope all of this trouble wasn't in vain.
Lily raised her hand to knock on the door, but it was opened by someone on the inside. Staring at this man was like taking a trip to the past; Aberforth Dumbledore was the spitting imagine of his late brother, Albus. With silver hair and a beard reaching his navel in length, an aged face and tall build, he could have been Albus's twin – if not for his eyes, which were a defeated blue, as if all of the light had been snuffed out of them.
"Lily Potter," his voice was deeper than his brother's, "I knew I'd be seeing you soon enough. Keep your hood up."
He opened the door wide enough for Lily to slip inside. After checking to see if the street was clear, he shut the door behind him and locked it. She followed him to the back of the pub, passing a strange masked figure and a hag along the way. Once he entered, he shut this door as well, but it was Lily who casted a silencing charm about the room.
"Muffiato."
He regarded her with a sort of gruff curiousity, Lily knew right away that Aberforth would be nothing like his brother. "I've never heard that one before."
"My godfather invented it." and she paused mid sentence as she realized what she just said. Maybe she was more convinced of Snape's innocence than she thought...
Lily looked around to find herself in a small room; the shutters on the windows were shut tight so only a few oil lamps lit the space. A small table with three chairs filled the corner and the other side had a cabinet stocked with liquors of all sorts.
"I was sorry to hear about your friend, the red-haired one." said Aberforth as he grabbed a goblet and helped himself to a selection of liquors after Lily politely declined, "He was idiotically brave to run headfirst into a group of Deatheaters."
"His name is George Weasley."
"I don't remember names, Miss Potter." the man gulped the dark liquor thirsting, "Remembering names means caring and it is unwise to care about anyone in a war."
"Then what's the point?"
"Pardon me?"
She dropped her hood and stared at him incredulously, "What's the point of fighting in a war, or rooting for a side, if you don't allow yourself to care? Caring means you have something to lose and if you have something to lose, that means you have something to fight for."
"You seem to mistake me for my brother–" he replied crossly.
"And you seem to have mistaken me for my brother. I was not as close to Dumbledore as Harry. I am no fool, Mr. Dumbledore, I can read a person just by looking into their eyes." she bit back with the same tone.
"I take no part in the burdens of war." he huffed, pouring himself more liquor.
"If that was true, you wouldn't have opened your door for me tonight."
"What is it that you want from me, Miss Potter?"
"I would appreciate it if you'd let me through the secret passageway connecting your pub to the Hogwarts Room of Requirement." she unpinned her cloak, shrunk it and stuffed it into her bag.
He grunted, "You know where it leads to?"
"I am my father's daughter and I am one-third of the Weasley Three." Present tense, thought Lily. "I know about the bowels of that castle than You-Know-Who and dare I say, your brother."
He pondered this for a moment and nodded, taking a large gulp of the remaining liquid in his goblet before he approached a large portrait hanging on the opposite wall. The portrait depicted a young girl, no older than fourteen, with dark blonde hair and shadowed blue eyes. She acknowledged Aberforth silently as the man spoke softly to her, "If you would kindly reveal the way, my dear."
The girl nodded and as she walked out of the frame, the portrait swung forth to reveal the dark stone passageway she was seeking.
Lily glanced at the empty painting and then at Aberforth who surveyed her closely, "She was your sister, wasn't she? Ariana...?"
His lips formed a thin line and he nodded once. She chose her next words very carefully, "Regulus and Sirius Black, Scarlett Raynott, James and Lily Potter, Cedric Diggory, Sloane Riley, Albus Dumbledore and Dobby, a free elf. Those are the names I keep with me as I fight in this war, Mr. Dumbledore, because they gave their lives to help us all move a few steps closer to winning this war against the evil that seeks to diminish us. I give them meaning."
"There will always be a war between good and evil, Miss Potter." Daggers are not sharp enough to match the look in his eyes then. "Even if, on a slim chance, we win this war. What will you do when a new evil arises and starts the cycle all over again?"
She matched his stare as wispy balls of lights left her fingers and traveled into the dark tunnel, "I'll burn that bridge when I get to it."
With those last words, Lily climbed into the passageway and followed the path to wherever it meant to take her....
▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂
Neville Longbottom was fast asleep in his sleeping bag in the Room of Requirments, along with dozens of people form other houses – Ravenclaws, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and even some from Slytherin – who had rebeled against the barbaric ways of the new regulations and punishments. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn, Sprout and Madame Pomfrey did their very best to help the students steer clear of trouble from the Deatheaters that held other teaching positions in the school. Deatheater Rictor Calumny was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and he favored a more hand-on approach to teaching, which included using two of the Unforgivables on seconds years. Amycus and Alecto Carrow were in charge of punishments, which happened to be worse that D.A.D.A classes. Neville was victim to their punishments many times since the start of the year as he, Luna, Ginny and any other brave soul took the place of the younger years if they were to be punished.
Neville had received a pretty brutal beating tonight which left him with a black eye, a few bruises here and there, and a slight limp in his left leg. He couldn't get properly treated in the hospital wing because students were not permitted to do anything between classes or during, and to do it afterwards meant risking getting caught by the Carrows as they search for younglings to torment for fun.
He was having a particularly nice dream about a rabbit wearing his grandmother's falcon-stuffed hat when a pair of cold hands brushed gently upon his face, sending a shiver down his spine. He groggily opened his eyes and looked up in the darkness to see the thin figure of Lily Potter looming over him. He jolted upright and almost awoke the entire room of sleeping teenagers in his shock of seeing her.
"Rule number four: always sleep with one eye open. However, I think that's actually impossible for you at the moment," she grabbed his shellshocked face and examined his swollen, bruised eye, "Who did that to you?"
"Amycus Carrow. They enjoy beatin' on the young ones. I took the place of three first years today." whispered Neville, "Lily, what're you doing here? You might get caught!"
"Have you met me? I don't get caught unless I want to be caught." The day at Malfoy Manor surfaced in her mind and she mentally cursed herself. Okay, so it happened once, big deal. "Besides, I have something I need to do. I just wanted to see you first."
She reached into her bag, pulled out a small bottle and unscrewed the lid. She took the dropper and held it out to him, "Open," confusedly, he obeyed and she dropped a single drop of the bitter liquid on his tongue. He screwed his face up in disgust at its taste, but no sooner than the taste fade away did his eye open, his bruises disappear and his leg stop aching.
"Thanks," he said as she handed him to bottle.
"Is this lot trustworthy?" she questioned him. He nodded and she stood up.
"ALRIGHT, WAKEY-WAKEY! GET UP, GET UP!" Lily shouted. Some students shot up immediately at her unexpected yelling. Others awoke groggily and sat up and some fell off of their hammocks. There were excited whispers as they all spotted Lily standing beside Neville. Ginny, Luna and Seamus were the first to join them. Soon enough, everyone was wide awake and eager to listen.
"I'm going to give it to you straight: my plans for tonight do not involve rescuing you lot from the reign of the Deatheaters. You'll have to stick this out a little longer."
At this, many kids groaned and their shoulder slackened as this clearly wasn't what they wished to hear.
"I need all of you that have injuries to join together on the right, where Neville will be aiding to you." ordered Lily and a good half of the large group shifted over to the right as Neville uncapped the dropper again. "The rest of you, move to the left, if you please. It's time you all got some real beds."
The remaining lot shifted over to the left with the help of Ginny and Luna. Lily waved her hands and the hammocks and sleeping bags disappeared. With another wave, she conjured up dozens of bunk beds with thick grey duvets and a feathered pillow each – all of them were lined up in rows beside each other. Many of the younger kids gaped in awe, whispering to each other about their excitement to learn seventh year magic. With a small smile, she snapped her fingers and conjured up a wooden table against the far right wall. Lily opened her bag and at least a dozen shrunken Daily Prophet and Quibbler newspapers flew out, returned to their normal sizes and dropped down messily on the table.
A chorus of thank you's erupted from the students as they raced over to choose their beds. Lily turned to Ginny and grinned, "The boys and I always said we'd let you in on our legacy. It's time to take on that role. In the left wing of the school in the dungeons, there's a painting with a bowl of fruit. Tickle the pear and it'll open into the kitchens where the house-elves will gladly send you food."
"I don't know how we survived without you." she hugged her. The hug lasted longer than it usually would. Lily knew that Ginny felt alone and deserted here at Hogwarts all by herself without Ron or Harry or August.
"I'm sorry I can't do more."
"This is awesome, Lily." said Neville meaningfully, "We can really work with this now. Thank you."
Lily smiled at him and exchanged one last hug with her friends and uttered words of encouragement to them before she weaved through the bunk beds and made her way for the door on the other side of the room. Her hand just touched the cold handle when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. She turned to see a young girl with curly blonde hair and fiery blue eyes; third year Sage Riley was a wreck. Losing her sister had really taken its toll on her: her eyes seemed forever tear stained and swollen from ages of crying, her complexion was pale and her eyes didn't twinkle with the sarcasm the Riley sisters were known to have.
"Sage–"
"There're two guards on either side of the corridor leading out of here and one outside of Professor McGonagall's office, in case she thinks of sneaking out to see us." said Sage, refusing to meet Lily's pitiful gaze, "Don't get caught."
"Thank you." she replied with a frown. Sage nodded, spared her one last glance and slipped through a group of fourth years, settling down into a bunk in the corner. As everyone was preoccupied with their new luxuries, Lily casted a Disillusionment charm on herself and left the Room of Requirement and its new occupants behind. Just as Sage had warned her, the Carrows were pacing on either side of the corridor she emerged into. She stealthily slipped past Amycus Carrow as he bit his gnarly fingernails and dodged another Deatheater sitting outside of McGonagall's office door.
What had Hogwarts become?
It was only when she reached the stone gargoyle did Lily stop walking and observe her surroundings. There wasn't a single Deatheater in plain sight nor any enchantments or spells to keep someone out. As Lily uttered the last known password to the Headmaster's office – which, to her surprise, still worked – she couldn't help but think that maybe Severus wanted someone to enter his office. Maybe he was expecting someone....
She stepped onto the ascending staircase and let it take her up until she reached the office. Somehow, even the grand oak doors leading into the office were dull to her. Lily didn't bother knocking nor did she make a big entrance. She opened one of the doors quietly and slipped inside. She didn't know what she expected to see, really. Maybe she thought she would see him he pacing the office, plotting some new act of betrayal. Or maybe he would have been behind that large desk, contemplating the many responsibilities he now had after murdering Dumbledore and becoming the Dark Lord's right hand man. Lily
didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved to see that the large office was empty.
The gadgets and trinkets that once ticked, dinged and whizzed about were no longer occupying the shelves. Instead, the shelves were coated with a thin layer of dust and all that remained on one of them was a weathered, drab-looking pointed hat; the Sorting Hat. Curiosity consumed Lily and she pulled it down, placing it atop her head.
"Ahh, Miss Potter. Once again you allow me into your head....but why?" spoke the Hat, "You doubt my decision of placing you in Gryffindor?"
"No, actually. I doubt your expertise regarding the placement of another student that once went here." she responded aloud, "Severus Snape."
"Ahh, yes, the lad. He was particularly easy to place. Slytherin through and through."
With a scowl at the Hat's arrogance, Lily yanked the hat off of her head and hastily placed it back on its shelf. She turned toward the wardrobe hidden behind the closet doors, opened them and extracted the Pensieve. As it hovered in midair, she admired the swirling, glittering blue pool of magic and slowly took the crystal phial from her pocket. This was it. Dumbledore left this tiny object to her in his will, saying within it held the answers to all of her questions, even if she hadn't thought to ask them yet.
The stopper popped off easily in her hands and suddenly, she found herself frightened by the power this little phial held. These memories could mean her reconciliation with Severus, or the severing of all ties. They could mean the truth behind her prophecy and behind her and Harry's prophecy. This phial would decide everything. With a shaky hand, she tilted the phial teasingly as the memories threatened to pour out. What if the phial was wrong and she wasn't ready? What if she saw something in these memories that she couldn't handle? What if s– Another hand steadied her own trembling one and she looked up to see Severus Snape standing right beside her with teary eyes. They didn't break their gaze and neither of them moved a muscle except for those hands; he helped her pour the memories into the Pensieve and suddenly she cared not about what happened in the real world now. She bowed down into the Pensieve and fell into another reality, a reality with the greenest of grass and the bluest of skies, twenty-seven years into the past....