TW: Death, Gore, Suicidal Thoughts
If this makes you uncomfortable, stop reading after the second set of ellipses, I will summarize it at the end of the chapter.

• • • • •

December 31st, 1980

As awful as this year had begun to seem in the past months, it wasn't all that bad. James and I welcomed our son into the world, and Julian is five months old tomorrow. Even though some awful shit went down, at least we have Julian.

It's a lot easier to deal with when you're surrounded by your loving friends and family.

James and I decided to host a New Year's Eve party at our house this year.

Lily, Marlene, Remus, Sirius, Jolie, Regulus, Dorcas, and Mary showed up. Mary brought her new boyfriend, Laurent, a French wizard that she went while working at the Ministry.

It still felt weird not having Alice and Frank with us.

Julian was asleep in his crib upstairs, the baby monitor on so that James or I could hear if he started crying anytime soon. I will admit, it is much harder to host a party with a baby, especially when you have no one to babysit since all of our friends are at the party, and all of his grandparents are either dead or an alcoholic.

There was less than an hour until the new year.

Sirius was playing Queen's newest vinyl on my record player, the volume all the way up.

I had a glass of champagne in my hand as I sat talking with Marlene and Jolie.

"I really think that 1981 is going to be the year of Marlene, I'm feeling good about it," Marlene explained, sipping on her cocktail.

Jolie laughed, "I cannot wait to see what happens in the test of Marlene."

"Please tell me you're not going to be a dictator or something," I plead, a sarcastic tone in my voice.

Marlene smirked, "I could totally overthrow an entire country's government if I wanted, but it honestly seems like too much work and not enough reward."

"Fair enough," Jolie replied, taking a large sip of her drink.

Sirius was dancing around the room with a glass of bourbon in his hand.

He was a few glasses in and was in his happy drunk stage.

A pair of arms wrapped around me from behind and James leaned in to kiss the crook of my neck.

"Bonjour, ma chérie," James whispered into my ear.

I smiled and turned around, pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

Jolie raised her eyebrow, "What's it like to be married?"

James and I exchanged a quick look with each other.

"Marriage is just a piece of paper if you don't actually work at your marriage and show that you love them every single day," James replied, his voice completely sincere. "Daph and I aren't together because we're married, we're together because we love each other and want to be with each other until death.

I nodded in agreement.

"When you're married, you always know without a doubt who is going to be by your side no matter what. 'Through think and thin'," I suggested. "I know that I'll be with James when I take my last breath, and I know that he'll always be by my side."

Jolie was listening intently as we talked, her hands holding her glass champagne.

She exhaled loudly, "That sounds nice."

"I can't wait to legally be able to get married, but why'd you ask?" Marlene asked.

Jolie shrugged, "No reason in particular, I was just wondering. Anyways," Jolie got up from the couch, "I'm going to go dance with Reg."

As soon as Jolie was out of earshot, Marlene, James, and I all turned to look at each other.

"That was bullshit," Marlene uttered, taking a sip of her Polish vodka.

I nodded, "That girl wants to get married, I know marriage fever when I see it."

"Wait," James exclaimed, "Is Regulus on the same page?"

Marlene furrowed her brows, "I'd like to think so, I haven't seen him so much as glance at another girl since they got together."

"That's true," I agreed, "He only has eyes for her."

The three of us settled back into silence, the party continuing on around us.

Marlene huffed, "Well I'm going to get another drink."

The blonde got up from the couch and made her way to the kitchen, leaving James and I.

"How are you, love?" James asked softly.

I grinned, "I'm good, I feel good. I think this year is going to be a good one.

"Me too," James agreed.

There was the clinking of glass as someone grabbed the attention of the room.

All of us gathered in the living room, watching as Regulus stood in front of the fireplace, Jolie right beside him.

"It's almost midnight, so I wanted to say something before we ring in the new year," Regulus announced.

He turned to Jolie, taking her hand in his.

"Jo, I love you. I love everything about you," Regulus began. "I have loved you since 1977, and I want to keep loving you for the rest of our lives."

Jolie's hand went over her mouth.

"I know that you're probably going to bitch at me later for doing this in front of all of our friends," Regulus said, "But I'm going to do it anyway."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box as he got down onto one knee.

"Jolie Angelica Chance," Regulus stated, "Will you marry me?"

She stared at him stunned for a second before responding.

"Of course I will, you idiot!" Jolie exclaimed.

Regulus got up from his knee as Jolie pulled him into a kiss.

"10... 9... 8..."

People watched the clock as it counted down into the new year, Regulus and Jolie completely oblivious.

"7... 6... 5..."

James pulled me off of the couch, pulling me close to him by my waist.

"4... 3... 2... 1..."

Our lips let as the clock struck midnight, signaling a fresh start.

• • • • •

June 16th, 1981

My feet landed softly against the sidewalk outside of Lily and Marlene's flat. After James left to go on a mission with Sirius, I decided to apparate to their apartment building to see them.

It had been too long.

Regulus and Jolie were watching Julian for the day. They both wanted more practice with babies to see if they could actually handle having one of their own — not now, but eventually.

My black Converse were silent on the stone steps as I went up the stairwell to the second floor, where their apartment is. I reached their door, which was painted black with a metal 204 screwed in.

I reached my hand up to knock on the door, but drew my hand back when I realized that the door was already cracked open.

Pushing open the door slightly, I was met with a loud creak that echoed throughout the silent apartment.

"Hello? Lily? Marlene?" I called, my unsteady voice breaking through the veil of silence that covered the apartment.

When there was no response, I took a step into the entryway and began to look around.

I looked up at the lights, which were still on, my shoes squeaking against the floor.

"Your front door was open!" I yelled, "You might want to lock it-"

My feet slipped out from underneath me, sending me crashing onto the hardwood floor. I landed harshly on my butt after I attempted to catch myself with my hands.

"Fuck," I muttered, biting my lip.

I felt a warm liquid seeping through denim fabric of my white jeans.

Why is the floor wet?

I looked down at my hands to examine them. They were covered in the liquid too.

My heart dropped to my stomach as I looked at my hands, which were covered in scarlet blood.

The warm blood had already seeped through my pants as I began to process what was happening.

The floor of the living room was spotted with puddles of blood — not water.

I was sitting in a pool of someone else's blood.

"What the-," I muttered, beginning to feel sick to my stomach, my heart pounding insanely fast in my chest.

It was getting hard to breathe as I pulled myself up from the floor and out of the puddle of blood.

Every step that I took towards the kitchen made my heart race even faster in my chest. In fact, the whole world felt like it was caving in around me with every step I took across the blood covered living room of two of my best friends.

The only sounds heard were the sound of my shoes against the floor and my uneven breaths.

My hand met the cold surface of the door into the kitchen, and I hesitated to take a deep breath before pushing through the door.

As soon as I saw what awaited me in the kitchen, I fell to my knees, my whole body giving out of me.

My hands flew to my mouth.

I had forgot about the blood on my hands until the warm liquid met my face.

Jerking my hands back, I stared at them as I hyperventilated.

Before losing all control over my thoughts, I willed all of my strength to cast a Patronus charm. I screamed out as I used every bit of power I had to cast one of the most difficult spells nonverbally.

The wispy blue outline of a vixen appeared in front of me.

I watched as it disappeared through the walls to go get help.

Out of the side of my peripheral vision I got another glimpse at the sight in the kitchen.

Lily and Marlene.

They laid still, their bodies pale at the loss of blood.

I crawled a bit closer to them to get a better look.

The word 'mudblood' was etched into each of their forearms, the blood pooled at the incision.

A sob racked through my body, which had no more strength.

I was weak.

I could have helped them.

I should have helped them.

I didn't help them.

Just like my siblings.

I glanced back up at their lifeless bodies through my tears.

While they may have lost blood, it wasn't what killed them.

The two lovers laid side by side, their pale, lifeless hands still intertwined as their eyes remained open, staring at one another.

I felt frozen, numb.

Wiping my hands on my jeans, I reached out towards Lily.

Her green eyes were open, her hair scattered around her on the kitchen tile.

I reached up and gently closed her eyes while tears fell dearly from mine.

Turning towards Marlene, I felt out another choked sob as I closed her eyes.

I had used all of my strength. I was extremely weak, and on the verge of unconsciousness.

I had to stay awake. I had to stay with them.

But my eyes felt so heavy.

I heard three sets of rushed footsteps coming from somewhere in the apartment.

Maybe they came back for me. Maybe I should just let them kill me. Maybe I deserve to be dead.

James flashed through my eyes, along with our son, our friends, our family.

I let out another sob. I was on my knees, my head bowed, tears streaming down my cheeks.

The kitchen door swung open, and I didn't even bother to look up.

I remained frozen in place until someone kneeled down in front of me.

"Daphne-, Daphne!"

I was met with a familiar pair of hazel eyes as James tilted my chin up to look at him.

I snapped back into reality.

"Holy shit-," Sirius muttered.

Remus choked, "I think I'm going to be sick."

"I found them like that," I choked through a sob, "I closed their eyes. I think they would've appreciated that."

The world was turning black around me, my vision starting to tunnel.

The last thing I saw before my vision went black was Lily and Marlene, their hands intertwined, even in death.

• • • • •

SUMMARY:
Daphne goes to visit Lily and Marlene, their front door is unlocked. She finds them dead in the kitchen with their hands intertwined. Daphne sends a Patronus for help, and James, Sirius, and Remus show up right before she passes out.