Fanfic Gurl from Ff.net-  Okay…I’m very glad you were enough into my story to read it for a whole day, and I’m sorry you’re disappointed that I took out the thank you section.  But I can’t please everyone, and the Thank You section took me longer to write than the chapters!  If you leave your e-mail address when you review, I can thank you personally, which is what I’m doing with everyone else.

B/A/N – Leave your E-mail addresses when you review!! PLEASE!! Otherwise I can’t thank you, and I love responding to my reviewers!! Song used in this chapter was “Here with Me” by Michelle Branch. 

Chappie 50: Relationships and Voldemort

James sat in shock after finishing Lily’s letter.  He wasn’t entirely sure how to respond.  Lily had stayed away from him the whole year and she chose to acknowledge his existence only to expect him to forgive her?  That was rather audacious, James mused. Maybe I should talk with her and become friends first…I don’t see myself trusting her after this, and we need to build back that trust before I can start another relationship with her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, Lily was nervously pacing in her room. 

“What if he doesn’t like the letter?  What if he says no to even talking to me?  I don’t think I’d blame him, I cut it off way too suddenly, and anger would be very understandable…” Lily said to herself, trailing off at the end of the sentence.

She finally stopped pacing in front of the mirror, and closely examined her reflection.

It's been a long, long time since I looked into the mirror
I guess that I was blind
Now my reflection's getting clearer
Now that you're gone things will never be the same again

 

“I really miss him, don’t I?” she mused aloud. 

While she stood in front of the mirror, musing, Petunia stopped in front of the doorway with an ugly sneer plastered onto her face.

“What, talking to yourself now?  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised…where’s that little freak boyfriend of yours anyway, he spent all last bloody summer here!”

Lily’s eyes fell to the floor.  “Uh, we’re…not together anymore, Petunia.”

“What did he do, dump you?” she asked snidely.

“Actually, it was the other way around,” Lily answered softly.  Petunia left the doorway, and Lily resumed musing in front of her mirror.

There's not a minute that goes by every hour of every day
You're such a part of me
But I just pulled away
Well, I'm not the same girl you used to know
I wish I said the words I never showed

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Coughing was heard from Lily’s fireplace as James dusted himself off.  He had connected her Muggle house to the Floo network using a personal favor from the Ministry friends of his father.  The entire Ministry was very sympathetic to James and they were more than willing to help out when he needed a small favor.

Lily’s father, Hayden, was sitting calmly at the kitchen table sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.  His eyes darted up for a split second, before returning to their reading. 

“Good morning, James,” he said without looking up.

“Good morning, sir…how are you doing?” James inquired politely. 

“Hayden, please, James…and I’m doing well.  Please, sit down, have you eaten any breakfast?” he asked, finally looking up. 

“No, sir- Hayden.”

“Well, here’s a plate, Charisse cooked something up for Lily put I don’t think she’s coming down...she’s been acting quite oddly lately,” Hayden finished with an arched eyebrow.

“Has she?” James asked softly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lily looked with disappointment in the mirror.  He hasn’t written back yet, it’s been almost a whole day…Maybe he’s on vacation! But no, Hermia came back looking satisfied, she obviously found him, wherever he is…maybe he just doesn’t want to see me.  Why should I be surprised?

Lily’s negative thoughts continued and she felt a tear drip down her cheek.

“I’m hopeless,” she muttered to herself as tears softly continued.

I know you had to go away
I died just a little, and I feel it now
You're the one I need
I believe that I would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me
Here with me

“Why are you crying?” a voice asked softly from the doorway.

Without looking as to its owner, Lily continued to cry, head in her hands.  “I’m hopeless…I expect James to come back after all I’ve done to him…I’ve hurt him countless times, and he depends on me so much for support, especially with his parents gone.  I felt so special, being his solace, and I went and screwed it all up.  I’ve lost him, and…and…he probably hates me…”

She trailed off sadly at the end of her sentence.

Footsteps crossed her bedroom and gently wrapped around her.  The scent was very familiar to Lily, minty with a bit of pine.

“I don’t hate you, Lily.”

You know that silence is loud when all you hear is your heart
And I wanted so badly just to be a part

 of something strong and true
But I was scared and left it all behind

“J-James?” Lily blubbered through her tears.  “How did you get here?”

James’ glasses glinted off the window and he smiled.  “People at the Ministry owe me a few favors, that’s all.”

Lily nodded.  She really had no idea what to say…she hadn’t expected him to surprise her like this, it was totally unexpected, and she had hoped when he would see her that she would know what she wanted to say.  But right now…she didn’t know at all.

I know you had to go away
I died just a little, and I feel it now
You're the one I need

James looked up at her.  Her face was very odd right now, her eyes were swollen from crying, her cheeks red, and her head in her hands.  Her facial expression was even more interesting, her mouth was open in shock, and her eyes were going through emotions at a mile a minute.  Confusion, fright, comfort…

I believe that I would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me
Here with me

“I got your letter,” James said, deciding that he might as well speak first, as Lily didn’t seem to be willing to say anything.

Lily simply nodded, because, judging by his presence, that much was obvious.

“I liked it,” he said softly.  Lily smiled as he continued. 

“I liked it a lot, actually.  I’m glad you care and you’re feeling remorse for what you did.  I’m glad you want us together again…that’s good and comforting to know.”

Lily ventured a smile at James, which he returned.

“However,” James began, and Lily’s smile faltered.  “I’m not willing to rush into a relationship with you after all that has happened.  How about we just tentatively date and become better friends, and have the option to see other people for awhile?  I don’t want to rush into this if I’m not ready.”

Lily’s smile returned in its full potential and she stood up to give James a hug.  “Thank you,” she murmured into his shoulder.  “Thank you so much.”

And I'm asking
And I'm wanting you to come back to me
Please?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*The next week*

Lily rubbed the shampoo through her hair as she stood in the shower, singing.  “And it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind,” she belted out over the water droplets.  James and Lily were doing better, their friendship was recovering a little, day by day.  “Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in…” Lily continued, as she rinsed out the shampoo and moved on to conditioner. Meanwhile, two owls were impatiently pecking at Lily’s bedroom window, which Lily could not hear over the shower water.  She finished up with her hair and exited the shower, wrapping a towel around herself as she continued to her bedroom, still singing.  “And I would have liked to have known you but I was just a kid, your candle burned out long before your legend ever did…” she sang softly as she entered her bedroom, finally noticing the owls.  One was very familiar indeed, it was Lysander, and the other was a rather regal looking bird carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, and opened the window to let in the birds.  She decided to open the Hogwarts letter first, and she was extremely pleased to find a letter inside informing her of her Head Girl position in the coming school year along with her list of necessary school supplies. 

Lily moved on to Lysander’s letter, and opened it eagerly.

Lily-

Did you get a letter? Are you next year’s Head Girl? I just got mine, Head Boy! Meet me in Diagon, I’ll connect your house to the Floo network (there’s extra powder in the bottom of this envelope), and we can meet in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch!

-James

Lily smiled and got dressed quickly, and then took the envelope to the fireplace.  She scattered the powder into the fireplace, stepped in, and shouted, “Diagon Alley!”

Lily soon found herself among the familiar rows of shops and bustling amounts of people, and made her way towards the Leaky Cauldron with excitement visible on her youthful face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Peter, I always thought you were useless besides your connections,” the cold voice hissed.  “But now, I must admit, this plan of yours is the best yet.”

“Thank you, sir,” Peter murmured, kissing the tall man’s feet in reverence.

“It seems to be foolproof, the Head Boy and Girl, before they’ve even taken up their positions…” Voldemort continued.  “But you are a fool, so we will see how much damage you do.”

Peter’s nose wrinkled in dissatisfaction at the name, but he quickly hid it before his Lord reprimanded him severely. “Sir, I do not think anyone would believe that Lord V-Vo-Voldemort the G-Great…would attack so publicly.  I think it gives the correct el-element of sur-surprise.”

Lord Voldemort’s bright red snakelike slits curled evilly.  “I believe you might be right, Peter.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lily found James waiting when she arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, sipping an iced pumpkin juice, with another drink waiting for Lily.

“Hi Lily!” he greeted her amiably.  She smiled and sat down.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, and both asked in unison, “So what did you want to talk to me about?”

Their eyes widened in unison, and two moments later, they had their wands out, looking around in suspicion.

Sure enough, the door flew off the Leaky Cauldron, and in the doorway stood the formidable figure of Lord Voldemort.

Voldemort was hissing “Avada Kedavra” over and over again, so many dead lay in the wake of Voldemort as he made his way over to Lily and James.

Lily looked at James with wide eyes and terror written all over her face.  “What the hell do we do?” she hissed at James.

James motioned with his eyes toward the back door, indicating that if they kept him busy long enough, they might be able to make a run for it.

James began to crawl, and motioned for Lily to do the same.  Luckily, they were in a booth in the back of the bar, and Voldemort had not yet reached them in his determination to kill all that he passed. 

They successfully got out the back door, and Lily let out the breath she had been holding.

James looked at her fearfully.  “I wouldn’t breathe just yet, Lils, we’re not out of Diagon quite yet.”

Lily looked at him with fear written all over her eyes.  “What the hell do we do?  We used up all our Floo powder, and we just locked ourselves out of the Muggle exit out of Diagon Alley!”

James considered these two statements and nodded.  “Yes, that’s true.  But I know a different exit, one he won’t expect us to go down.”

Quickly James tapped the bricks and the two disappeared into Diagon Alley, as they heard Voldemort crash open the back door of the Leaky Cauldron.

“He’s right on our tails, Lil! Give me your hand!” James took Lily’s outstretched hand and he led her up towards Gringott’s Wizarding Bank, and then took a left, bringing them straight into Knockturn Alley. 

“James, I really hope you have good reason for us to be here…” Lily whispered fearfully. 

“Don’t worry, Lily.  I know what I’m doing,” James said confidently, before his mind answered, I think I know what I’m doing…

“Well, James, where do we go?” she asked impatiently.

“Um…in here! This is the place, Dad took me here once when I was little, we accidentally got off at the wrong grate…at least that’s what he told me, but now I know that he actually did business here…” James trailed off sadly, pulling Lily into a dusty old shop called Borgin and Burkes.

Lily looked rather disgusted upon seeing the merchandise in this little shop, but James pulled her along insistently towards the fireplace.

“Can I help you?” a distinctly eerie voice drawled from the counter.

James fervently shook his head, and dragged Lily closer to the fireplace.

“James,” Lily said insistently.  “Don’t be rude…this man might be able to help us.”

James’ eyes widened, and he shook his head urgently.

“Don’t be silly,” she scolded.  Turning to Mr. Borgin, she said, “Sir, we need some help getting out of here.  Would you mind if we used your fireplace, it’s an emergency.”

Borgin leaned in towards Lily lazily.  “What kind of emergency, missy?”

Lily paled slightly, and responded, “Voldemort is here…in Diagon Alley.”

James’ eyes widened.  Why is she telling him this? We could have just grabbed some of his Floo powder and used his fireplace without asking, but now that he knows Voldemort is here and he’s AFTER us, he probably won’t want to help us anymore.

Mr. Borgin’s mouth curved into a sadistic smile.  “Is he?  And is he after you, then?”

Lily nodded curtly, gripping the back pocket of her jeans where she kept her wand.

Borgin moved even closer to Lily, and whispered.  “If he’s after you, missy…you are not leaving.”

Lily’s hand slid into her pocket to grip her wand.  Her hand shaking, she pulled out her wand just as Borgin attempted to draw his.   Lily was quicker, and screamed, “Stupefy!” before Borgin could take her and James.  While Borgin was stunned, Lily dragged James to the fireplace, and smashed the jar on top of the fireplace to the ground to grab some of the Floo Powder inside.  Taking a fistful, she threw it in the flames, pulled James in by the hand, and screamed, “Lily’s Place!” just as Borgin awoke and the door was blasted open.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Panting, Lily and James made their way out of Lily’s dusty fireplace, and flopped ungracefully on the sofas. 

James shook his head.  How do we manage to get ourselves into these situations? It’s ridiculous.  First we’re dealing with our own petty lives and issues with relationships, and then we’re running from Voldemort!

Lily sighed.  “Well that was…interesting, wasn’t it?”

James chuckled lightly.  “Yes, I guess you could definitely say that.”

Lily smiled.  “So, what do you want to do?  You can stay here and we can hang out if you don’t want to go back to the Blacks’ right away.”

James smiled in return.  “I’d like that. How about I make us lunch since we never really got to eat, and we’ll figure out where to go from there.”

Lily grinned.  “Sounds great.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*