Chapter 20: When One Door Closes, Another One Opens
A great number of the wizarding community mourned the loss of the Potters. Harry and Amelia Potter were respected purebloods and many were at a loss to know why an evil wizard wanted them dead.
The funeral for the Potters was held the day following Hufflepuff’s Quidditch defeat. James was allowed to bring one companion along with him and chose Sirius. Sirius had taken the news nearly as bad as James. He had been, after all, the Potters’ surrogate son. When they returned, James was an absolute wreck and nearly fell into Lily’s waiting arms.
As the weeks passed, there were more attacks on both wizards and Muggles and other students at Hogwarts lost friends and family. Much sadness and hopelessness filled the castle, but it was accompanied by an outrage and determination to stop the chaos. Some of the students were withdrawn from the school by their parents, even though Dumbledore insisted it was one of the safest places to be.
The combined fear of Voldemort and the fact that the Dark Lord was a frequent topic of conversation caused many people to start referring to Voldemoret as “You-Know-Who” and “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” Most newspapers had discontinued using the name Voldemort and had started using these names instead.
The evening before Easter break, Lily found herself on the poufy red couch in the Gryffindor common room, a protective arm around the shoulders of James. Alexis and Sirius were snuggled together in an armchair and Remus lounged in another chair. Peter was sprawled on the floor warming his hands next to the blazing fire and Joanne sat on the other side of Lily. Alexis kept shooting Lily and James knowing and smug looks that infuriated Lily.
Truth be told, Lily wasn’t quite sure what she and James were. It was clearly understood that he was forgiven for the events at the Yule Ball. But it was never said whether they were friends, or something more. There hadn’t been time for clarification. James’ only source of comfort after his parents’ death had been Lily, and she knew she’d do everything in her power to take away his pain.
Joanne and Peter would be leaving the following day to spend the break with their families. Very few students were staying at the castle due to the increased need to be close to loved ones during Voldemort’s reign of terror. Lily, Alexis, and Remus were remaining at Hogwarts for James and Sirius’ sake.
“Are your parents taking you anywhere, Jo?” Alexis asked, breaking the silence. Joanne shook her head.
“No, just a quiet week at home. They’ve always been a bit wary of the wizarding world-being Muggles, you know. And with this You-Know-Who person-,”
“Voldemort.” James glared into the fire. Joanne and Alexis flinched and Peter gave a squeak at the name. “His name is Vol-de-mort. It’s just a name!”
Lily moved her hand in a comforting motion up and down his arm and he visibly relaxed. Joanne cleared her throat and, although a bit shaken, continued.
“Well, uh, I’ll owl you all of course and keep you posted on whatever.”
“I’m going to France,” Peter piped up.
“Really? You’ll have to bring us back souvenirs,” James said in a strained, cheery voice.
“Um….I’ll do my best,” Peter squirmed.
Alexis picked up a pamphlet from a nearby table titled So You Want to be in the Department of Transportation.
“Anyone thought about career options?” she asked. Pamphlets of this kind had been popping up all over the common room for the past week. Remus plucked a pamphlet up from a pile.
“Anyone fancy becoming a banker at Gringotts?” he chuckled.
“Oh yeah, I really want to work with goblins,” snorted Sirius.
“And you have to ride those sickening carts around all day,” Lily complained.
“Or you could become a field worker for the Department of Transportaion,” Alexis said sarcastically. “You get to use the Floo and travel by Portkey non-stop!”
“James, Sirius, what about Quidditch? You’re probably good enough to get into some sort of league,” Joanne suggested.
“I was considering becoming an Auror,” James announced.
Uneasy glances were passed around the room. It was clear they were thinking the same thing: because of the death of his parents, James may become an Auror as a way to seek revenge on Voldemort.
“I think that’s a great idea,” smiled Lily, giving his arm a gentle squeeze.
“Thanks, Lily,” he beamed, and a blush crept into her cheeks.
“But…don’t you think that’s a bit, well, drastic?” Alexis said carefully, not wanting to upset him. James shook his head.
“I want to help -help stop what Voldemort is doing,” he clarified. Peter squealed again when James said ‘Voldemort’ but otherwise there was a thoughtful silence.
“He’s right,” Sirius added, and all eyes turned to him. “Someone’s got to stop that monster.”
The following day, after seeing Joanne and Peter off, James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Alexis sat down in the Great Hall for breakfast. Just as Lily was spooning some eggs onto her plate, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Hey, Tiger Lily.”
Lily looked up into the face of Brighton Borrail.
“Hey, Bri,” she sighed.
“So you’re staying over break too,” he grinned. “Not too many of us, you know.” Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“Bri, can I speak to you outside for a moment?” Lily asked.
“Anything for Miss Evans,” he said, extending a hand to help her stand. She took it grudgingly and followed him into the Entrance Hall.
“What was it you wanted to talk about? Or was it something that didn’t involve words,” Bri smirked.
“I don’t know what you think we are, Bri,” Lily began, her eyes narrowed, “but I feel like you used Joanne to get to know me. I also don’t appreciate you hitting on me all the time and, frankly, I’d like you to keep your distance.”
Bri looked as though he’d been slapped across the face. Then his expression changed into one of fury. “This is about Potter, isn’t it?” he spat. “Well I’ll tell you something, Lily. Potter couldn’t give you half the things I can. I’m the one you’ll want. I’m the one you’ll be happy with.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Lily said, equally as fierce. “I am through with you.”
In the shadows of the Entrance Hall, James smiled for the first time in weeks.
A man draped in black, billowing robes crept through the darkness of the night. Around him were others in similar attire looking through the slits in their masks identical to his own. The boy could hardly believe what he was about to do. The first attack had been horrible, but each one had gotten easier after that. Still, he hadn’t known any of those victims. That was the difference in this attack.
As Severus Snape approached a two-story house surrounded by a thicket of trees, he couldn’t help but tremble.
Lily and Remus sat playing chess in the Gryffindor common room. Sirius and Alexis had disappeared hours ago and James was sitting on a sofa near the fire.
“Bishop to B8,” commanded Remus. His bishop glided across the board and violently smashed Lily’s last rook into pieces.
“Checkmate,” grinned Remus. “You did almost have me there with the knight and the queen,” he said while helping her to put the rest of the chess set away.
“Mark my words Mr. Lupin,” Lily winked playfully. “I’ll beat you one of these days.”
“Well I’m knackered,” Remus announced as he stood and helped Lily up. “Good game Lily. ‘Night, Prongs.”
“Good night Moony,” replied James. Lily watched Remus’ retreating back vanish up the stairs before joining James on the sofa. His eyes seemed very far away as she watched them stare into the fire. Though James was rapidly returning to his old, playful self, there was a new determination and seriousness that was becoming more apparent as the days went by.
“James, what are you thinking about?” Lily asked, curiosity suddenly getting the better of her. James turned to look into her eyes with his warm hazel ones.
“You.”
Lily was taken aback and remained in slight shock until he turned his full body towards her and took one of her hands in his.
“Lily, without you I’m not sure if I could have gotten through this,” he explained, his thumb stroking her hand lightly. “Spending this time with you has been like the perfect dream. When I wake up every morning, I’m surprised to realize this is reality. You’ve been the only bright spot in the time I needed someone most.” James cleared his throat.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you,” he finished, slightly embarrassed. Lily’s astonishment had only grown and her green eyes sparkled.
“You can always come to me,” she breathed.
“That wasn’t so before. Glad to see you’ve changed your mind,” James joked and Lily laughed, remembering the night he locked her in the hidden chamber.
“I wanted to ask you something,” James said, his tone serious again.
“Lily...would you be my girlfriend?”
Lily’s initial reflex was the word “no.” After all, that had been her response to this question for the past seven years. But then she thought of the newer James-the one that had caught her off guard this year. She thought of the way she had to stop herself from laughing at his jokes, his talent for anything magical, and his undying need to please her. The answer was clear and simple.
“Yes.”
A smile lit up James’ face and he looked the happiest she’d seen him since his parent’s death. A warm, happy feeling filled Lily’s stomach with the knowledge that she caused that smile. Before she knew it, James’ arms were around her and she instinctively hugged him back. When they pulled apart, James started to chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” inquired Lily. He replied,
“I was just wondering how many hours it will take for all of Hogwarts to know that Lily Evans said yes to James Potter.”
It was breakfast the following morning that Alexis first realized that something odd was going on with her best friend. Alexis had returned from her “walk” with Sirius to find Lily sleeping in their dormitory. Now in the Great Hall, Alexis noticed a glow about Lily she hadn’t seen before. James kept whispering things in her ear that made her giggle and blush. James and Lily had grown close to inseperable after James’ parents died. But this…this was new.
As she pondered these activities, Alexis observed Lily sliding closer to James as both of them slid their hands under the table.
“What’s going on?” asked Remus, eyeing James and Lily suspiciously and seeming to read Alexis’ thoughts.
James and Lily grinned simultaneously.
“Lily has finally come to her senses,” James continued to smile stupidly.
“Huh?” Sirius eyed his friends.
“She’s decided I’m no longer a prat,” clarified James.
“Oh no, you’re still a prat,” Lily smirked.
“Fine,” James said, a mischievous glint in his eyes that no one had seen for a long time.
“But I’m your prat.”
It seemed everyone caught on at that same moment.
Alexis rushed over to Lily and gave her a quick squeeze before sitting back down beside Sirius.
“How long do you think it’ll take the entire school to find out the Head Boy and Girl are finally together?” Sirius smirked.
“I’d give it two hours,” Remus said, “four at the most.”
“That is, once everyone gets back,” Lily added, glancing around the room. Only a few students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had stayed at the school over the break. Even some of the teachers had gone home to visit family. James looked over at the staff table. Professor Slughorn had left for his aunt’s house the night before. Sinistra had been gone for two days at her sisters’ home. The next vacant seat James saw was Dumbledore’s and-
James did a double take. Why would Dumbledore’s seat be empty? Surely the Headmaster hadn’t left too? James glanced down the rest of the staff table. McGonagall was also absent.
“Hey guys,” James said, “Where do you reckon Dumbledore and McGonagall are?”
“Maybe sneaking off for a little private time,” Sirius suggested, mischief written all over his face. Alexis giggled but stopped abruptly when McGonagall entered the Great Hall and started heading over to the Gryffindor table. She stopped in front of James.
“You five, please come with me to my office,” she commanded, her lips pressed into a very thin line and her expression agitated with a hint of worry.
As he followed McGonagall up to the office he knew only too well, James sidled up to Sirius.
“You didn’t pull anything without letting me in on it, did you?” he whispered.
“Haven’t had the time,” Sirius shrugged.
“Moony?” James asked, knowing Remus had overheard his question. He shook his head.
Puzzled and not knowing what else to do, James slowed his strides to walk beside Lily. He gently slipped his hand into hers, a new gesture that he found quite pleasurable. When they arrived at McGonagall’s office, the Professor ushered them in silently before following and taking a seat behind her wooden desk.
“Professor Dumbledore wished for me to inform you…to inform you about an attack,” she began hesitantly, her tone of voice becoming less harsh. Instantly the mood of the room changed from one of curiosity to fear and foreboding. Lily’s grip on James’ hand tightened considerably as she thought of the safety of her famliy.
“Who Professor?” Alexis trembled.
“I’m afraid it’s Miss Joanne Connely,” McGonagall replied, her expression changing to a rare sympathetic one. Remus took ahold of the arm of the chair he was standing beside and swayed on his feet. Sirius vacated his set and Remus collapsed into it.
“Is she…?” Lily breathed.
“She is in the Hospital Wing recovering from a severe cutting curse and blood loss,” answered McGonagall.
“And her parents?” James asked while putting his arm around Lily’s shaking shoulders.
“Mr. and Mrs. Connelly were not home at the time of the attack. They’re with Joanne right now.” McGonagall said.
“Can we see her?” Alexis asked. McGonagall nodded in response. The students stood and exited McGonagall’s office in a rush, Remus in the lead.
A/N: So what did you think? Thanks to my beta songbook99 for betaing this in between studying for finals! I was a little unsure of this chapter because it’s actually two put together and there was also an attack in the last chapter. I think it came out well but let me know what you think, good or bad, in a review. I feel that I’ve compensated for killing James’ parents by finally getting James and Lily together (!). I hope you’re satisfied and don’t think that I’ve dragged out their feuds for too long. I’ll try to have the next chapter up sooner.
Miss Radcliffe~
Loathing or Love? by Miss Radcliffe
Chapter Notes: A/N: And finally here’s chapter 20! Sorry I wasn’t as quick to get it up as I usually am. I had a huge show that just ended and I was staying up until 1 AM to do homework for a week! I’m very happy with your responses to the last chapter. I’m going for a realistic story and reality isn’t always happiness and rainbows. This chapter is mostly aftermath.
Enjoy!
Miss Radcliffe