Chapter Eight: Of Sisters and Freaks

*The night was cool and breezy when Lily landed on the sidewalk of her old street. Just standing on the corner by the bus stop brought back memories of her childhood- her fist day of school, her last day of school, the first time Petunia was ever nice to her, the numerous times her sister had been mean to her… it all came rushing back to her so suddenly that she felt overwhelmed and dizzy. Home.

Giving the full moon a sad smile as she watched it just glinting over the horizon in the east, she turned around and headed towards the setting sun of the west. Up the long, unpaved driveway she trudged, wishing that her parents, God rest their souls, had paved it.

She passed her mailbox, and then walked through the white picket fence that stood at attention around her house. Lily could hear the familiar around of gulls screeching and waves crashing on the rocks off the cliffs behind her home, and the salty air made her feel warmer and more comfortable than she had in years. And then she stood at the door.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked ever so gently. Then harder, and then she waited in silence for an answer. Soon she could hear shuffling, and knew either her sister or Vernon, or both, were about to answer the door.

“Who is it?” Petunia’s voice called.

“It’s me Petunia, Lily.” The door flung open.

“Lily?” A gasp rose.

“Yes.” The redhead nodded vigorously and smiled slightly at her sister, who had stayed almost exactly the same as when she had last seen her.

“What in blazes is she doing here?” Vernon snuffed from behind.

“I’ve come for a visit. I missed home and thought I would stay for a bit.” Lily answered. For a moment there was a pause. A long, drawn out, silent pause that gave Lily the chills. She knew her sister and Vernon were looking at each other, talking with their eyes.

“Well, you might as well come in.” Vernon finally sighed and rolled his eyes.

“But don’t expect us to be carrying your suitcases up, or making up a bed for you. You’re on your own.” Petunia warned her.

“Thank you so much Petunia, Vernon. You’ll never know how much this means to me.”

“Yes, well, we’ll have none of that witchcraft nonsense you freaks do in those cities of yours.” Petunia told her venomously as she stepped inside and began tearing off her robes.

“Believe me, I think witchcraft is just as weird, strange, and freakish as the next person over. In fact, that’s part of the reason I came home, I could stand those people any longer. I’d much rather be home, here, learning normal things with normal people.” Lily spat. Actually, her own hatred for witches and wizards surprised her. But when she thought about it, it was true. She was here to get away from those freaks, to be normal.

“Well, that’s the fist sensible thing you’ve said in your entire life.” Petunia smugly grinned. Then she scowled. “But freaks like you can’t be sensible all the time I suppose.”

“No, I suppose not. If you don’t mind, I’ve had a rather long day. I would like to go to sleep.”

“Fine. Take your old room, and don’t be making too much noise.”

“And in the morning?”

“I’ll not have my Petunia making your breakfast!” Vernon grumbled.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I just wanted to know what time to be up by so as not to disturb you. I’m going to have to go job searching tomorrow.”

“Be up and out of the house by seven thirty, that’s a decent time.” Vernon snapped. Lily nodded, quite used to his curt manner with her.

“Fine then. Goodnight.” She nodded, then began walking up the familiar stairs and into the room she had once called her own.

Everything was exactly as she had left it. Nothing had changed- her bed was still covered in black sheets, her walls were sill a navy blue with silver moldings, there were still glow in the dark stars on her ceiling, and her carpet was the same silvery gray it had always been. Lily frowned.

This… this was not normal. This was the room of a witch. As soon as she found a job and had earned some muggle money- no, as soon as she had earned normal money- she would redecorate. White and yellow? Flowers? Maybe a few non-moving pictures on the wall? Yes. That would be the normal room she was looking for.

Sighing deeply, Lily quickly pulled out her wand and waved it at the tiny chest she had brought with her. A few muttered words later, the tiny chest became larger, and she half smirked. Quickly she unpacked all of her muggle clothing, her two of her only three muggle pictures, one of Sirius and Arabella, the other of Hagrid, Peter, and Remus. She left the third, one of herself and James, in the trunk. Then with a decisive nod to herself, she slammed the trunk shut, wand inside, and locked it. Putting the key underneath her mattress, she promised herself it was the last time she would ever pick up her wand.

Then she slumped down onto her cold mattress and rested her head against the pillow. One tear fell, then another, and still another as a slow flood poured down her porcelain cheeks. James…

>>>)(<<<

“Where is she?” James pounded on the door of Lily and Arabella’s apartment. No answer. This time he wasn’t going to wait. He had very conveniently misplaced his key to the apartment, but that made little difference to him.

“Alhomora.” He whispered at the lock. The enchanted door instantly opened for him and he burst inside. Silence. Wait, no. He could hear a few scraping noises coming from the back of the apartment. Oh no! What if Lily had been jumped by a Death-Eater? What if she was in trouble and needed help?

“Lily!” he cried out as he ran towards the noise. “Lily!” As James drew closer, he found the noise grew louder, and their were screams and groans echoing throughout the apartment. He was too late! She was hurt! “Lily!” He yelled once more. Bursting into Arabella’s room, he stopped, his wand poised to do battle, robes swirling around him, and froze. Then he let fly a loud string of curses and turned out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

He had… just… He was scarred for life! Good God he had never hoped to see anything that horrifying! He wanted to throw up. Feeling queasy, James made his way slowly to their living room couch and flopped down on it, bring his hand up and running it through his hair.

Moments later, Sirius came bounding out of the corridor James had just left, a huge grin on his face. “Prongs. Wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.”

“Obviously.” James growled. “Since when are you and Ara back together?”

“Since tonight.”

“So you had to have sex with her right after you got back together? Here? In this apartment? Do you know how twisted you are?”

“Yup. Ara’s pretty embarrassed you walked in like that, so she sent me out here to find out what your problem is?”

“I was looking for Lily. I made a horrible mistake tonight…”

“So we heard.” James looked at him sharply.

“Lily told you?”

“As she was packing to leave actually.”

“Leave? She left? Left where? I need to find her! I need to talk to her! Right now!” James felt a frantic feeling arise in his stomach. His heart began to pound, and he felt overheated and sick. He hadn’t felt this way since… since…the first time he had realized her loved her.

“James! Shouldn’t you be in class?” Hagrid asked the air as he looked for James.

“No. I should be right here.” Hagrid looked towards his bed, where James’ voice had come from. Then James appeared, and Lily was lying on the bed, still and quiet. Her face was tear streaked, and a frown played on her soft, full lips. Sleep had taken pity on the poor, hurt soul.

“What happened?” Hagrid asked worriedly.

“Double potions with Slytherin. Malfoy and Snape ganged up on her and said a few nasty things- particularly that she was a freakish bitch.” James spat, so angry with Snape and Malfoy that he wanted to break their necks. He wanted to hurt anyone who ever even thought about hurting his Lily.

Only this time, his anger wasn’t directed at Snape, or Malfoy. It was directed at himself. How could he have done this? To Lily?

Simple. He knew how. He had been so busy worrying about capturing Voldemort that he had forgotten about everything but him. Even Lily, the woman he loved! James ran his hands nervously through his hair and took his glasses off. Laying them on the coffee table in front of him, he glared long and hard at Sirius.

“Where did she go Si?” He calmly repeated.

“I don’t know.” Sirius told him.

“You’re lying. Lily isn’t the kind of girl that just takes off and doesn’t even say goodbye to her dearest friends. She cares far too much to do something like that.”

“You know something James? You’re right. I do know where she went. But I’m not going to tell you. Do you know why I’m not going to tell you? You don’t deserve to know. I told you. I warned you, I really did! I told you you were neglecting her! I told you to take her out, to pay more attention to her! And you completely ignored my advice. Well, this time James, I think Lily has a damned good reason to run away.”

“Bull! Sirius Black, you tell me where my fiancée is right this second, or I’m going to know your head off!” James growled darkly.

“Really? You could go ahead and try. But I’m not going to tell you where your ex- fiancée is. And neither is Ara.”

“This isn’t a game Sirius! This is not Hogwarts anymore! This is reality! Lily could be hurt, she could be in trouble somewhere out there in the world, and if you don’t tell me where she is, how am I supposed to keep her safe?”

“You’re right James, this isn’t Hogwarts anymore. And I think Lily realizes that too. But I feel pretty confident in knowing wherever she is in this reality; she’ll be safe. She’s tangoed with a lot worse than you give her credit for! Nine Death-Eaters James! And how many have you taken on at one time? Fifteen or so? She’s pretty good if you ask me. Leave her alone.”

“Now you listen here you pompous, arrogant, no good loser of a mutt! You tell me where my fiancée is…”

“Pompous and arrogant mean the same thing Prongsie dearest. And ex-fiancée, if you didn’t catch that.”

“What do you mean ex?” James sneered.

“I mean what I say. You don’t honestly expect a girl whom you’ve ignored and used for the last year or so to still want to marry you after she picks up and leaves, do you? No. James, face it. You’ve lost one of the greatest women in the world because of your thoughtless stupidity.”

“No! Don’t say that! I haven’t lost her! Lily… she’s my Lily…” James cried in horror. Sirius’ words had hit him like a ton of bricks. He had lost her for good then? No. Wherever she was, however long it took him, he was going to find her. He would find her and beg for her apologies. Beg for her to take him back. Beg for her to love him again. God he already missed her!

Just then an owl flew through the window. It was an ordinary barn owl; neither boy recognized the markings on the bird. Quickly Sirius untied the message and paid the bird. Then he unwrapped the note. Scanning the address, he realized it was for James.

“It’s for you.” He said unceremoniously. James hastily took the letter and ripped it open. Scrolling down it with his eyes, they narrowed, and finally he groaned and rolled his eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Apparently the Ministry’s had a Dark Mark sighting, and they need an auror on site in less than twenty minutes.”

“And Lily?” Sirius prodded him.

“Well…” James was at a crossroads. On one hand there was this letter. It was his work, his job, what he lived for. He needed to avenge his parent’s death, Lily’s parent’s deaths, he needed to protect people, and most importantly, protect Lily. That was why he was an auror. To above all protect the woman he loved.

His memory flashed in his mind, and he thought of his first and only case with Mad Eye Moody. He and Mad Eye had come across none other than Voldemort in his terrifying form. They had been lucky to escape with their lives. But before they had, Voldemort had threatened he would hunt down their loved ones and kill them slowly if they continued to hunt him.

To James this had meant Lily was constantly a prospective target to the Dark side. And with Voldemort always one step ahead of him, how would he ever be able to protect Lily unless he worked day and night to find and stop the threat?

So he had this letter telling him he needed to do his job. But he also had his missing love. Lily had gone out on her own, left him, taking everything with her. Including his heart. He didn’t know where she was, when or if she’d be back, if she was safe, or if she still loved him. Now he had to choose, between this letter, or finding the love of his life. James looked over the letter again.

“Prongs? I asked you a question. What about Lily?” Sirius prodded him. James gave a slight nod, and his narrowed eyes drooped in defeat.

“Lily can take care of herself for one night. I’ll search for her in the morning once she’s calmed down. Right now, though, I need to apparate right away.”

“Bad choice Prongs… bad choice.” Sirius shook his head in disappointment.

“Sorry I’m not perfect Sirius, I’m not you after all.”

“You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to get your priorities in order… and it seems to me that every time you’ve almost got it, you loose it.”

“Thanks for your vote of confidence.”

“Any time.”

“I have to get going.”

“Sure, sure, I understand. I understand about as well as Lily did. Be careful James. You wouldn’t want to repeat what happened to Lily with me, now would you?”

“Never.”

“And by the way James. If you had said Lily was more important?” James was waving his wand for the apparation spell. “I would have told you where she was. Oh well.” Sirius shrugged.

“What!” James yelled as he apparated. But it was too late… he had lost. *

~~~Sorry this has taken me so long… I’m now an official High school Graduate! Yeah! Everyone may commence cheering! Lol. I should be getting back into the swing soon though, so stay tuned! Much love, Vixen~~~