For this chapter's dedication we're gonna do two: one for witchasm thank you for replying, you have a beautiful account! And secondly to fantasticmrprongs I know you've already had a dt but you've asked twice and basically own this book by this point. Thanks for sticking with me.
♥️♥️♥️

Shadows creep across the pavement, consuming everything in their path, even the pools of amber light that the lampposts emit. Puddles of rainwater dot across the street, some reflected the orange light, making the water appear more like whiskey. They too are swaddled in shadows.

The shadows spread further across the pavement until they approach a house, perhaps hers, perhaps another's. Houses around here tend to look similar. The window of the house is open, a curtain flapping in the wind, inviting the shadows with a misplaced, merry flourish.

All she can do is scream as she watches the shadow reach the open window. It's possible she does not even have a body, only eyes with which to observe the sinister being bathe it's surroundings in darkness.

A figure stands on the pavement, in the dark, his shadow casting ugly projections onto the concrete, growing arms and legs, fangs and teeth. The figure stands behind the only remaining light, seemingly perfectly peaceful, or perhaps poised...

A smile creeps onto the figure's face and it becomes obvious who it is.

Lucifer grins.

(2nd May 1978)

Lily woke with a start. The sheets of her bed were damp with sweat and her hair felt matted against her head. Normally when Lily dreamt like this, the memory would subside soon after she opened her eyes; the details would blur and would all just become a whisper in the back of her mind.

But that day it was different. That day, every single baleful detail was printed on her mind like a tattoo. Dark and sinister.

Lily breathed a heaving sigh, long and arduous. The sun had already risen by the time she'd awoken, and the clock by her bedside told Lily she had overslept.

"Fuck," she muttered to herself as she pulled herself out her bed. The curtains weren't fully closed as so the light was enough for Lily to make her way over to the far away shelf and pick a vinyl (Blue by Joni Mitchell) and place it on the player.

She left it playing several minutes later as she crossed the hall to the shower, and could hear it humming vaguely as she washed her hair.

Listening to the constant reassurance of the running water, with the backing distant sounds of Joni Mitchell drove Lily to think about her dream, ever since she was young, she had always had a strange fascination with things like dreams.

Dreams were a strange sort of secret that one keeps either with themselves or from themselves. A dream can curse or cure, and Lily had been cursed by dreams for a very long time. Dreaming had got her nowhere. Dreaming of Hogwarts, dreaming of magic.

Albus Dumbledore had once told her –the only time they had met– 'you can give a man everything you own, but you cannot give him your dreams.' It had been a long time since she'd met Professor Dumbledore, and she had continued to dream of magic in secret. But today she would prove him wrong...

♥ ♥ ♥

(2nd May 1978 continued)

"Lily come through here and see this!"

Lily followed her father's voice into the kitchen where he was reading the paper by the kitchen table. The front page was facing her already, but when Martin saw her, he slid the paper across the table for her to read.

ANOTHER GOES MISSING IN COKEWORTH: SUPERINTENDENT GRAYSON RESIGNS

Last night, Friday, a new missing person is added to the ever growing list of children disappearing the past six and a half years.

CID detective Gary Tibley has commented on the case, calling it a 'horrific story that only continues to unfold.'
Sources have suggested that Tibley and other officers in charge of these cases are due to resign within the coming days, following Superintendent Richard Grayson's resignation this morning.

Mr Grayson has been...

Lily looked up at her father, a horror stricken expression painted on her face.
"In Cokeworth?"

"Word on the street is that it's the Crawford's little girl."

Lily's heart dropped, "the Crawfords? As in Lucinda Crawford?"

Martin nodded. The Crawfords were the Evans' neighbours, and Lucinda was only about six or seven. Lily would see her sometimes, running along with her friends in the garden next to theirs. Her red hair waving in the wind, tied up in little blue ribbons, the same way Lily used to wear hers. It was striking really, how similar Lily was to Lucinda, or had been.

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind and a chill nearly stopped her heart.

Why were they so similar? Could it have been a message? And, was it possible, Lily shivered, that Lucifer had something to do with it?

All of a sudden, her dream came back to mind. The shadows, creeping into a house just like her's; only it wasn't. It was the Crawford's. And then there was Lucifer, smiling in the dim amber light...

(2nd May 1978)

James did not see The Daily Prophet's headline that morning. It was one of his only superstitions.
Many sportsmen and women are well known for their superstitions. Gwendolyn Morgan, for example –keeper for the Holyhead Harpies in the 60s– always mounted her broom on her left foot and kicked up from her right. It was how she mounted her broom in her first match for Ireland. Just about every quidditch player James could name suffered this affliction in one form or another. Marlene's stepfather, Stephen, said that it was undeniably worse in muggle sport. James felt sorry for football players.

But James had never been known to be terribly spiritual. Poetic? Perhaps when the mood struck. Philosophical? Perhaps when he was drunk. But spirituality had never overly appealed to James; minus one tiny superstition. When he was in fourth year, he'd been too nervous to concentrate enough in order to read the Prophet that morning. It had been his first ever final, and they'd won. Breaking a streak that had gradually been becoming a curse over the Gryffindor team. After that day, Gryffindor had become the team to beat, and James had never even glanced at The Daily Prophet before a game.

It was rather unfortunate that the headline was causing a great deal of distress to the breakfast table around him.
Marlene, seated to his right, helpfully cast a bubblehead charm over them both and Sirius in order to block out the noise but they could still see the frowning faces around them.

"It'll be something celebrity," Marlene reassured the two boys, her voice muffled by the charm but she was the only thing the boys could hear.

"I heard there's a new columnist that came from Witch Weakly." Sirius offered with a nod of acknowledgment towards Marlene.

"Perfect. If it was that important the game would be cancelled."

James smiled at the other two, "if they cancelled the game then someone would have to have died."

"Not fucking funny."

"They would tell us," Marlene reasoned, "if someone had really died then Remus or Peter would get us out this charm."

"It wouldn't take much," Sirius smirked, "usually Esme does this charm, she's much better at it than you. This, my dear, is barely a bubble."

"Shut up, Padfoot, I'll beat you with that beater's bat of yours."

"I won't let you."

"I'll borrow Hestia's."

James shook his head, "no bickering before the game, ladies."

Sirius and Marlene fell silent, mumbling every so often like children that had been caught dissenting. James chuckled to himself, at least morale is up.

♣ ♣ ♣

(2nd May 1978 continued)

The crowd was deafening James' ears as he zipped through the air, staying tight to Zoë Richardson's left side, their other chaser McAuley Sallanger directly below James.

"And it's Richardson with the quaffle– passes to Potter– Potter goes right!– straight into Slytherin's Sinclair! Holy shit James!"

The voice of Remus Lupin had returned to the stadium due to popular demand, and a petition signed by nearly the entire school (started anonymously and submitted with a small paw print where the sender's name was supposed to go).

James felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder and the Quaffle fell from his arms. He swore before rerouting, whistling to his chasers their next play.

"Potter disarmed by Smith's bludger, an absolute filthy move if you ask me—" there was a pause, "but of course you didn't ask me. I'm just the commentator. Anyway, it's Sinclair with the Quaffle– Wister– passes to Watt– back to Sinclair– disarmed legally and rather spectacularly by Jones! Go on girl!"

James caught the Quaffle, winking at Hestia before heading to the goals.

"Go on James! Potter goes for the goals— a fantastic dive! How did he do that! Oh stop glaring at me, Sirius, I'm not going to marry the bloke!"

The Slytherin keeper Nick Fellow was eyeing James with a superior look. James ignored him and bulleted directly towards the centre goal, and Fellow.

"What the— HOLY MERLIN WHAT A GOAL! I take it back, Sirius, I am marrying him!"

The crowed roared as James punched the air, taking the moment to keep an eye on Marlene and Regulus. Neither seemed to be particularly interesting as far as snitches were concerned, but then again, that was the plan for Marlene. They were trying something risky but Marlene was positive it was going to work. He learned to trust her, sending a curt nod her way before grabbing the Quaffle and racing away.

"Potter– passes to Sallanger– back to Potter– Richardson– Sallanger–"
There was a roar and Remus stopped mid commentary.
"It looks like Black's seen the snitch! McKinnon doesn't seem fazed? MARLS HE'S SEEN THE BLOODY SNITCH!"

Still Marlene didn't move, and James used it as an excuse to race towards a perfectly open goal and score in the shock.

Only then did Marlene begin her bid for the snitch.

"Good girl, Marls! Finally! McKinnon dives at an impressive speed– but she's– FUCKING HELL MARLS ABORT MISSION! HOLY SHIT SHIT SHIT!"

Remus' language was coarse but not misplaced. Marlene was plummeting directly towards Regulus who was flying so close to the ground his emerald robes were skimming the grass.

The crowd seemed to hold its breath as Marlene continued to plummet towards the ground. Regulus didn't seem to be backing down either, instead he stood his ground and outstretched his hand.

"BLACK REACHES OUT! MCKINNON STILL— WHAT!"

At the last second, Regulus rolled out the way of Marlene, narrowly avoiding a crash, but it would seem she had already anticipated he would roll and pulled herself horizontal at the last second.

"YES! YES! GO ON GIRL!"

The crowd burst into awestruck applause as Marlene took the lead in the battle for the snitch. James watched, grinning as Regulus swore to himself.

"Neck and neck as the seekers pass the Ravenclaw stands– they disappear from sight– and it's... ITS MCKINNON WITH THE SNITCH!"

James burst into laughter, "YES!"

He looked to his side to see Sirius and Hestia flying loop-the-loops with each other, Zoë and McAuley are already making their way over to Charles their keeper.

Marlene came racing towards him and Sirius.
"It worked! It actually worked!"

James beamed at her, "I told you! That was the best I've ever seen you fly!"

If James hadn't known better, he might say she was crying, "thanks Captain."

Remus was rattling off this years top statistics as required for the end of year match.
"—and of course your top goal scorer this year, for the third year running, is of course JAMES BLOODY POTTER! Beating second place, Ravenclaw's Erica Warrenshire by a huge margin of twelve goals! Finally, most catches this year goes to Regulus Black. Got lucky I guess—" a pause, "–pardon me. A pure display of talent and not of course hustling any other seeker. Well done little Reg."
James looked up to see Sirius rolling his eyes, a smile still on his face.

"That concludes the commentary this year, thank you all for reinstating me to cover this final match. Especially you, Sirius. Don't act daft, I know it was you."

James didn't think he'd ever seen Sirius blush the way he did then.

♣ ♣ ♣

(2nd May 1978 continued)

The masses of students slowly subsided as the Gryffindor's made their way to a surely brewing party in the common room.
James, Remus and Peter slipped off from the crowds to get some firewiskey stashed in the Head's common room.

"What was bothering you boys this morning?" James asked conversationally as they climbed the stairs. His back was to the other two and so he didn't catch the look they shared.

"Why don't we go to the party first? It's not worth ruining you time," Remus assured.

"That's only made my curiosity worse."

Peter shrugged before whispering to Remus, "he needs to know."

"Know what, Wormtail?"

Peter didn't reply right away.

"Pete?"

They were entering the Head's common room just as Peter sucked in a breath to explain, however his breath was wasted as Marlene had left a copy of the Prophet on the table, still tied so she couldn't see it before the game. James reached forward and tugged the string, once again missing the look the other two boys shared, this one of a grave concern.

AUROR FLEAMONT POTTER RESIGNS AFTER ANOTHER MISSING PERSON IN COKEWORTH

The headline was all he needed to read.

"No."

"He said it's been coming for a while, right?" Peter offered, flashing a weak smile.

"He could hardly have stayed in office following a missing person in his own county, could he?"

James shook his head, but the boys were more than surprised to learn he didn't look upset at all– he looked terrified.
He didn't speak for a long while and Remus was verging on concern when James blinked, tearing his eyes away from the article.
"I've got somewhere to be."

"But the party—"

"—I'm going to check on my dad. I wondered why he didn't come to see the game."

"I'm sure he's fine, Prongs."

"And it's not like the position is going to waste. Millard McQuade is perfectly capable of handling the job."

"—I want to check if he's okay."

With that, James left the room and came back seconds later with three bottles of firewiskey, his invisibility cloak, his wand, and a two way mirror.

"Alright, mate."

James nodded at them, "enjoy the party lads," he said, handing them the bottles, "and tell Hestia congratulations. I've recommended her for Captain next year."
He was gone without another word.

(2nd May 1978)

He appeared at her window, his face flushed with a terrible fear and his hazel eyes shining, when he saw her, sitting in her bedroom, he looked as though he might combust.

She hurried over to her window and let him tumble through. He barely had his two feet on the ground when he pulled her into a hug so fierce she came off the ground.

"Someone went missing," his whispered as though he hardly believed the words that left his lips, slightly parted against her ear.

Only then did Lily understand the intensity to which James was holding her to his chest, stroking her hair as if reassuring himself she stood in front of him, unharmed. He thought it was her.

"It wasn't me," she reassured him gently, hugging him back, reaching up to play with the curls at the back of his neck, "it wasn't me."

"Lily you have no idea— I saw the newspaper and I— they didn't release a name and I thought maybe— you were— Lily—" he spoke in panicked, rushed and broken sentences, as if his thoughts came to him all at once and he had trouble ordering them.
"Someone was missing, Lily." Was his final whisper and she nearly missed it, the uncharacteristic quietness of his voice throwing her off base while also pulling her heart to the point of physical pain in her chest. This love she felt, this love for him, it hurt. A beautiful, euphoric pain, at the mere prospect of being alive, that the poor girl taken last night wasn't her. That she was here, with James. The beauty of it was profane.

It felt impossible to tell how long they stood there that way, just simply holding each other. Safe. Together. It seemed so natural that neither wished to part with one another, and so when Lily finally did pull way, it felt as though James had taken a small part of her soul with him. It was then, in that moment, that she knew the point of no return had long since left the station. This –whatever this feeling was that made her heart swell, flutter, and ache– was a forever affliction. This love, perhaps, was forever.

It was terrifying. It was thrilling.

"James?"

James Potter looked at her expectantly, as though she had taken every star from the sky to count for herself, and nodded.

"Will you take me on an adventure?"

'Adventure' was perhaps a exaggerated way of describing the halcyon days they had spent together. That particular day, they walked down to the stream, followed it along to the town, and further still until they reached the park. Every so often, one of them would stop to pick a flower; to partake in a ridiculous competition or bet; to admire the world around them; or simply to experience the deliciousness of the crisp evening air around them, and the delight that new life held. Something between them was different, it was clear from the very first second Lily saw him, standing on her window ledge with a look in his eye that was near crazed with worry, then with a look of relief like no other, almost so that she couldn't call such a look 'relief' at all. It was something else.

They reached the park in a contented quiet. Now, Lily mused must be her chance. Her chance to tell him what she perhaps should have done a long time ago. The little golden necklace pulsed a little good luck and she suppressed a smile.

"James? Can we sit here? Just for a second. I want to tell you something."

"You sound like you're about the break up with me."

"We're not together?" She replied jokingly.

James shrugged, "so you can see why I was confused."

This caused Lily to laugh something yellow and feverish, but she continued to pull James towards a bench. Once they were sitting, however, she appeared to be at a loss for words.
Where does one begin? She questioned, when they are about to tell another the only secret they've kept their whole life. One that is so unbelievable it makes flying cars seem amateur?

Lily breathed a sigh before turning on the bench to see a pair of hazel eyes watching her with a great love and intensity that it nearly blinded her.
"I've not been completely honest with you, James," she began.

He didn't seem shocked, though Lily hadn't told him anything yet. She decided shock would come later...

"When we first met, I didn't like being who I was. I didn't like being the kid that was a little weird in primary school, the girl that's now a busybody and a know-it-all. I thought that maybe meeting Marlene's friends would allow me to be introduced as a different person. All it did was give me another place to hide. The truth is, James, that my name isn't Lily Simpson at all. It's—"

"—Lily Evans."

A beat of silence. A beat in which oceans could crash, and rivers could flow, and waterfalls could tumble. The air around them tasted pink and sweet, like the sweets at the back of the sweet shop, the ones nobody notices hidden behind the other jars but taste even better when discovered.

Lily Evans stared at the boy before her with a strange sort of wonder. He appeared to be perfectly calm in that moment, a stark contrast to the timorous wreck he'd been earlier in the day.

"How did you know?"

To her distain, James shook his head.
"You're not finished, are you? Why don't you tell me the rest of your story and then I'll tell you mine."

Startled and rather misplaced, Lily picked up her story from where it left off.
"My name... it, it gave me a chance to imagine that perhaps I was someone else, but the fact of the matter is, I didn't think I was anyone to begin with. I'd been hiding it for so long I'd forgotten who I was hiding.
But it was you, James, that brought me back. Being here, like this, with you, it brought me back.
"I've been hiding in lies for such a long time I've scarcely known what the truth is. So I'm going to tell you it now. No matter the consequence."

Once again, Lily lifted her eyes to lock with James. He only met her with a perfectly encouraging hazel gaze.
"Can I show you something?" She whispered, her lips so close to his that she felt the way his breath caught in his throat. She hasn't noticed the way she'd been gravitating towards him until it was too late.

James nodded, only once, not breaking eye contact with her until she turned away to pick up a single daisy from the ground underfoot.
Then, with extreme attentiveness, Lily began to make the flower dance in her palm, the petals waving open and closed as if it were blinking, or breathing. Magic pulsed quietly in the air between them, subtle enough to go unnoticed, but she felt it thrumming around her ears.

"This, this little trick is something I used to do ever since I was a child. My sister was terrified of what I could do, she called me a freak, but one day, when I was eleven, an old man came to our house and told me I was a witch. We'd gotten a letter, inviting me to learn about magic, just like my old friend Severus said I would; but my mother refused to let me go. There was a great war in that world, and I don't think she wanted to accept that any such thing could really happen, despite having seen it for herself. It was after that day she began to drink. So Albus Dumbledore –that was his name– left me behind, with the only request to hide my magic from those around me.
So began the lies.
"I used to keep the letter I was given in my jewellery box, but I did away with it last year, figured I didn't need it.
"I know what you'll say, James. You'll call me dafter than my drunk mother, maybe you think I've lost my mind, but I swear to you it's the god's honest truth. I've always been a bit of a dreamer James, but it was Dumbledore himself that said to me, 'you can give a man everything you own, but you cannot give him your dreams.' So secretly I still dream about Hogwarts. I wonder if perhaps I'd fit in there, or maybe it would still be the same, maybe I'd still hide." She took a breath, it seemed to be the first one she'd taken in a while, "please just... please believe me."

As she talked, the flower in her hand still swayed and danced a waltz to the wind's tune. James watched it curiously, but tore his eyes away to see Lily staring at him expectantly; her brilliant green eyes gleamed at him like emeralds, or whatever diamond existed that was prettier.
Only then did Lily fully realise he was still perfectly tranquil, almost as if he had no reaction at all. The air was still sweet as it curled around them, aided by the soft music of the wind.

"Okay," James said, "my turn."
Carefully, he pulled the daisy from her hand and held it gently between his fingers.

"You asked how I knew your name was Lily Evans? I've known since last July. I found out that day when we all played a stupid game of hide-and-seek, or whatever it was, by the river. You were wearing a white sundress and a straw hat that would droop over one of your eyes, and you held onto it while you ran."

Lily tilted her head to the side and James smiled, "I'm making no sense," he answered her silent question, "I'll just show you what I mean."

Before she could ask what he meant, James lifted the daisy to his lips, his usually deft, steady, hand shaking slightly and placed a gentle kiss to the daisy's petals.
Before her eyes, Lily watched as the innocent little daisy transformed into a yellow carnation. She'd told him once that they were her favourite flower– aside from daisies.
He blew a short, gentle breath on the carnation and it began to change, multiplying until he held a little bouquet of flowers in his hand. Irises, small sunflowers, pansies, and larger daises than those he'd begun with.
Every flower she had listed, that day he'd asked her favourite flowers. He remembered them all.

The magic around them swelled like the crescendo of an opera.
"I knew you were magical because I am too. It's not really a fancy boarding school I attend– it's Hogwarts. I knew your name was Lily Evans the second I saw the colour of the wildflowers change as you ran across them that day in summer.
"Ever since I was eleven I used to imagine what Lily Evans must be doing, the first ever muggleborn not to attend Hogwarts. I wondered if you knew anything about magic, if you even got your letter at all, I used to wonder what sort of witch she might have been, what she might have done, what she would be like. Then I met you. Completely by accident, there you were. Every answer to every question I'd asked myself," James smiled, the corners of his lips turning up, he was beautiful when he smiled.
"Let me tell you something: the real Lily Evans is much better than every version of my imagination."

It seemed so impossible. Every word that left his mouth, it was the last one she'd expected. He offered her the bouquet of flowers and she clasped them in both hands. They were all sorts of different colours but the magic they came from made them celestially pretty.
"This whole time you knew?"

"I wanted you to tell me. That way you'd face it yourself." James sighed, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck, making Lily smile.
"Remember that night, on New Year's Eve? You told me that we should wait until we were the right people? Do you think—" the wind stopped in the beat before James finished his sentence. Lily wondered if everything stopped.
"Do you think maybe this is it? Maybe we are who we thought we should be?"

Many poets had attempted to describe the way Lily felt in that exact moment. Thousands of writers, and philosophers, and to some extent scientists, had endeavoured to describe and explain the feeling that ran through Lily's blood when she looked at James.

"Can I show you something else?" She breathed, and James nodded so minutely one would hardly notice, though Lily was so enthralled by him that it was difficult not to.

She stood up, taking an unsteady breath before closing her eyes. Happy memories usually did it. But this time it was different, because no memories were happier than the moment she was living in, and so she only sought to imagine James' quietly calm face, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched her. She imagined the flower's petals flourish as he kissed them gently; how he'd remembered her favourite flower.

She felt the blue wisps leave her body and slowly began opening her eyes. The first thing she saw was her magical doe, prancing around the grass, chasing her tail and other loose blue wisps that fluttered down like something in between a butterfly and snowfall. Gentle, breezing, kind.

It was moments later that Lily noticed her doe was not alone. All of a sudden, she blinked and beside the doe stood another blue mystic creature. A stag pranced over and bowed to the doe before nuzzling her neck, and encouraging her to canter around with him.

Lily tore herself away from the sight to see James grinning, standing up now too, only a few paces away and holding a thin stick of mahogany that must have been his wand.

"A patronus charm," he whispered.

"A what?"

"That's what you've produced. All on your own, almost by accident... Lily Evans I think you must be the most magical thing I've even seen."

She could have kissed him then but the stag and the doe were still dancing together.

"Do you know what it means when two people have complimentary patronus forms?"

Lily shook her head just as both began to disappear, they were too focused on each other to notice. Cautiously, she took a step closer to James and he took her hand, guiding them both back to sit on the park bench.

"Maybe it's a story for another time."

"James—"

"—Can I ask you something?"

"I— of course."

He sighed, taking both her hands in his and forcing her to look nowhere but in his eyes. They sparkled beneath his wire rimmed rectangle glasses, a fantastic sort of hazel, though the trees made them look golden in the evening light.

"Would you believe me if I said I love you?"

Lily hoped there were angels in heaven.

"Would you believe me," he said again, "If I told you I'm revered by you; if I told you that anything in the world that I can give you is yours. That I am yours. I think perhaps I always have been. Perhaps you've been here all this time, and I've been everywhere else, waiting to love you. But now I'm here and I swear I do. I love you, more than I know I should."

"James," the word was like a prayer on her lips, lips closer to his than she'd dreamed of but not nearly close enough.

"What is it, shortcake?"

"Please kiss me."

Lily felt him grinning just as much as she saw before he dipped his head and kissed her.

Honey filled her from every pore and she'd never known magic like it. Kissing James, and meaning it this time, felt like everything she'd ever felt at once. It was the only real magic she had ever needed, than she ever will need.

She had kissed him twice previously, but neither of those kisses had been anything like this. The beauty of them somehow dulled to this sensation, she could feel herself tingling everywhere. Their other kisses had been hesitant, lost, fuelled by something other than this one. This kiss ran on love of the purest and most powerful form. There was everything in it. Everything.

She threaded her fingers in the raven curls of James' hair and he smiled against her lips, one of his hands cupped her cheek while the other reached up, pulling one of her hands from his hair and clasping it firmly, as if she might melt away.

They kissed unhurriedly, as if they had all the time in the world, and all the kisses in the future.

Perhaps, Lily thought, there was a slight chance that they did have them.

When they pulled away she was a little breathless, mostly she felt as though she was dreaming and the ghost of James' lips on her's really was just make believe.

"I believe you," she whispered, their foreheads touching.

"Really?"

"I believe you and I think love you too."

"You think? You're killing me here."

She laughed in a breath, still with hardly any left.
"I know. I love you too."

Hearing the words leave her mouth, remembering how they sounded when she said them to Dorcas, was an entirely different experience in front of James. It was nerve wracking, it was soul shattering, it was wonderful.

She hadn't realised her eyes were closed for longer than a few beats until she opened them to see James watching her with a gleam in his eyes. It was look she'd seen him wear sometimes, in certain lights, and only now did she realise it was love that she saw– that she'd been seeing.

Lily kissed him again. This time gentler, slower, barely a touch of her lips to his, yet still it stole her breath. When she pulled back she broke away further, still holding onto his hand but she could see his whole face now, watching her with that newly discovered love.

"Alright, Evans?"

Her laugh was nearly delirious with happiness, bright and glowing like a summer solstice. Nothing had ever sounded so sweet.

"Yeah," Lily chuckled, not bothering to suppress her smile when she saw her laughter spread to him, "yeah I'm better. Please don't call me anything else ever again."

"But Evans, what's wrong with Shortstop?"

"And Shortcake, and Midget Gem, and Jelly Tot, and Tinker Bell, and all the other ridiculous ones!"

"I like them."

"Me too, but I prefer Evans."

"Why?"

"Because it means so much more now."

It might have been the light as it graced them with an irredentist purple abendrot, but Lily swore James' eyes were shining.
"That it does."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I love you. Lily Evans."

"See? I love that."

When James laughed the world felt lighter.
"Lily Evans."

She was giggling when he began pressing feather light kisses on her cheeks and nose.
"Evans, Evans, Evans," James whispered on her neck, leaving tingles to spread across her skin.

In that moment. That very second, Lily had never loved anything more.
"I love you James Potter."

He stopped kissing her to watch her face, as if trying to catch her in a lie.
"Say it again."

"You first."

"Merlin, Godric and Agrippa, Evans, I love you— I am haunted by you. Everything I feel is done by you."

Delirium was wrapping itself round Lily's happiness but she couldn't bring herself to care. She had no idea what the first bit meant, but the 'I love you's were addictive.

"Never stop."

"I won't, love, not ever."

So she kissed him again, and the world faded away, leaving them in peace and magic.

(2nd May 1978 continued)

James didn't think he'd ever tire of kissing Lily Evans. Every so often, as they walked back to her house in the evening light, he would lean over and place a kiss to the corner of her mouth, of her cheek. She had called them 'stolen kisses' but James didn't think he believed in that term. 'Stolen kisses' implied that there were a limited number for him to steal, and he did not care to know what would happen once he'd stolen his last.

He was so consumed by her that he didn't notice they'd stopped walking, her garden gate before them.
"Oh," he breathed.

"This is me."

"It is."

Something about that night was magical. Everything about it, perhaps. All that was completely certain was that neither wanted it to end.

"Do you want to come inside?"

The words hung in the air, thick and heavy but never did they sound so sweet.
James laughed, an air of nervousness flashing across his face, "sure."

The green paint of the front door was peeling at the corners, and it opened on to the hallway, a staircase and the living room.
Lily took his hand and led him into the living room, stopping in front of the couch and motioning for him to sit.

"I've never actually been in your house anywhere but your bedroom," he said, a small chuckle to accompany the words.

"We've done things almost in reverse."

They giggled as Lily fell into a space beside him on the couch, sinking into the pillows and closer to him. He kissed her nose and she laughed harder, pure delight in her eyes.

"Don't be so loud, won't your parents hear us?"

"My family aren't in."

"And you've invited me inside? Lily Evans you are a minx! I like to be wined and dined before any impropriety takes place!"

Lily pushed his arm playfully, "shut up, you big bastard!"

In reply James gasped, "dear lady!"

"Stop talking like an old film!"

At the mention, James' eyes lit up, "we should watch an old film!"

"I've never heard an idea better."

James couldn't quite believe she was real as he observed her, an hour later. They were sitting together, curled on her couch, watching Singing in the Rain on her muggle tv which was much bigger than the tiny one he'd nicked from a car boot sale years ago. He realised that muggle appliances really did work best in muggle households as the picture was much better. Though he didn't watch much of the film– he'd seen it before anyway. He was too occupied watching Lily herself. She was as pretty as an old movie; elegant, stylish, heartfelt and beautiful. There was nothing about Lily Evans that James did not love, and he wished she knew.

"I love you," he whispered into her hair just as Fred Astaire walked out into the rain, an umbrella at his side.

"So you said."

"No, Lily, I do. I really, really, do."

They sat in silence for a moment, a song beginning to unfold on the screen before them.
"I love you. I can't believe I get to say it."

James definitely thought he was dreaming. And Dumbledore was right, he could give a person everything he owned, but he would sooner die than offer up his dreams, because they always included her. They fell asleep on the couch together and he dreamed further. Only of her.

♣ ♣ ♣

(3rd May 1978 continued)

It had rained in the night. The cobbled streets were glittering with the aftershocks of rain when James arrived on them.
It was early in the morning, so much so that he'd nearly beat the sun to rise.

Hogsmede had a peculiar feeling in the air surrounding it but James didn't seem to notice until he caught wind of two voices around the corner from where he stood. They came from an alleyway next to the passage back to the castle.

"It goes unprotected. If he's right, we can make a move as the sun goes down tonight."

"And if he's wrong?" The second voice asked. Both were male, though the first sounded slightly more gruff than the other.

"Then we prepare anyway, and wait for the papers."

"The protection will move, let's assume it does. We need to be quick before that changes."

There was a shifting sound, boots hitting the cobbles and James pressed himself against the nearest wall.

"Let's go. We shouldn't talk about it here."

The sound of two sets of boots grew louder and James took his chance to make an escape to the secret passageway. Once inside he watched as the figures passed. They were both hooded in travelling robes, both tall, and maybe it was the lowness of the light so early, but James swore they didn't cast a shadow as they walked...

♣ ♣ ♣

(3rd May 1978 continued)

He slept for a few hours at best, the sun woke him with a start. With Lily he'd slept peacefully, but after his encounter with the hooded figures, his curiosity was crippling him.

He hadn't bothered to assess the damage of the Gryffindor Common Room in the wake of their quidditch win –a win he'd hardly thought about since yesterday– but he assumed, or rather prayed, that Remus and the sixth year prefects had taken care of it, he hardly imagined Marlene would be sober enough to take part in such mundane activities.

He pulled himself out of bed and dressed quickly, it was a Sunday so he didn't expect to see so many senior Gryffindors at breakfast anytime before ten, but to his surprise he was stopped and congratulated by no less than six students.

Hestia Jones was the last, nearly skipping across to his seat next to Remus, she'd clearly been in possession of Pepper Up Potion, or she hadn't drank, but when he saw her delighted expression he assumed Sirius had passed on his message.

"Potter, I just wanted to thank you for recommending me. I know it's usually a bad idea to make seventh years a first time captain but I hope you can give me some pointers next year?"

James grinned, standing up to hug her with one arm, "of course, I'll keep in touch. Besides it was an easy choice, it was you or one of the fourth years. Zoë isn't interested in captaincy, and she wouldn't do half the job you will."

"I think," Hestia chuckled, "that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Well I'm not your captain anymore am I?"

"Suppose not. Thank you, mate," she said sincerely before taking her leave with a polite nod to Remus.

"She's a dear," Remis remarked as James sat back down.

"That she is, Moony. Deserves everything that's coming to her, I presume."

"Wonder why she couldn't catch you at the party?"

James knew Remus' tricks by now. He was veiling the question as a statement.
"I wasn't there."

"I know."

"I'm not telling you where I was."
What had happened with Lily felt too precious to explain just yet. It was something for only the two of them, at least for now.
Remus however, was ever the observer and smirked rather uncharacteristically.

As if there to restore balance, Sirius arrived, looking worse for wear, with Jasmine Sempere and Lucas McKinnon. Both aurors were in full uniform, and it didn't take James long to deduce they had something to tell them.

"Morning ladies," Sirius grumbled, reaching across the table for the coffee pot.

Jazzy took a seat next to him, Lucas on her left.
"Marlene not here yet?"

"I think she was still sleeping when I left this morning."

Lucas nodded, "well congratulations, captian. You lot played a good game."

James nodded towards Sirius, "I'm not sure Princess over here agrees that it was worth the fuss."

Sirius all but snarled back.
"Fuck off, Prongs. If you were there then you'd look the same."

"If I was there then you would know where I keep my Pepper Up Potion."

Sirius had opened his mouth to retort but Jazzy held up a hand to silence him.
"We need to relay a message. McQuade is here. He wants to speak with you, sometime after dinner. He'll be busy with us most of the day but you should be able to find him in Lucas' old office. He moved into mine for convenience last week."

James ignored the opportunity to insinuate there was another reason for the move but decided against it. If Millard wanted to talk to him then it was likely about his father, and his father's job.
Instead he nodded curtly, "tell him I'll see him then."

Lucas nodded, "we'll see you, boys later. In the mean time, maybe get Black some sort of remedy. His hair is beginning to lose its shine."

He left with Jazzy just as Sirius threw a boiled egg as his head, and missed.

♣ ♣ ♣

(3rd May 1978 continued)

Millard McQuade had made acquaintance with the office space in the short time he had occupied it.
James noticed there was a generous amount of parchment spread across the desks and some rolls still waited to be uncovered, their string concealing their secrets.

McQuade beckoned James in when he first knocked and he noticed that Jasmine was also perched on one of the bookshelves, waiting for him to arrive. She wore her auror uniform and an expression of extreme concern. James mirrored this look as he faced Millard.

"How's my father?"

"Resigned."

"I know," James sighed, taking a seat irritably, "but what happened?"

Millard sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses.
"Well, it would be more accurate to say that he was forced out."

Jasmine took this moment to step forward, she walked until she reached the desk and braced her arms on it instead, leaning across to better see James.

"What say you?" He asked, regarding the worry in her eyes and the crease in her forehead.

"Me and Lucas have been working on a theory for a long time. I think it's time we told it to you."

"What does this have to do with—"

Millard hushed him, "let her tell you."

Reluctantly, James ceased his line of questioning and, with a pointed look towards McQuade, he returned his attention to Jasmine.

"We believe that Mary's attack was –how would you put it delicately?– practise. We believe that Mary was part of a group of muggleborn candidates for certain students to practise powerful memory charms."

James was perplexed by this, rubbing the back of his neck he said, "like some kind of... sick sport?"

"Almost," Millard interjected his silver hair looked slightly rumpled after the day's toils. "We believe– or rather Miss Sempere believes– that these students are some sort of apprentice."

"—to snatchers," Jazzy finished. "I think these students have been targeting muggleborns as practise for snatching. It's been known for some time that snatchers are a special rank of Death Eater; Lucas and I have been investigating the possibility that this activity is a way of initiation to the higher ranks post-graduation."

"You'll know, James, that protecting muggleborns in Hogwarts can be nearly impossible, with numbers and resources, which is why so many muggleborns go missing around the country. Even in our protected areas children go missing, and with your father gone, losing his protection is something the department can scarcely afford. I know that—"

"—wait!" James cried, all but reaching over the table and clamping a hand over Millard's mouth.

Suddenly it all made sense.

Moving to Cokeworth for retirement was not a completely random choice of location. They had moved for Fleamont to be closer to Lily Evans, aka the first muggleborn to be in danger, his father has moved them to protect Lily from snatchers.. James' eyes went wide, he must have known it was her all along.

However if Fleamont was there to protect Lily, then his resignation will put her in grave danger.

The voices in Hogsmede.

"It goes unprotected. If he's right, we can make a move as the sun goes down tonight."

They were snatchers, and they were talking about Lily.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, more to himself, as he abruptly stood up and rushed towards the door, "I've got somewhere to be."

When he left the office he saw that darkness had descended over the hills, leaving Lily vulnerable to attack. Before he knew it, his legs were taking him towards his dorm room, where he took his two way mirror and his cloak before thundering back down towards the secret passageway.

"Shit shit shit!"

As he ran, there was a searing pain somewhere across his collarbone, a heat that rose almost from nowhere. He recognised it right away.
"Fuck!"
Many months ago, James had gifted Lily a necklace shaped like a golden snitch, he kept its sister charm around his neck at all times. Both necklaces were charmed to burn hot when the wearer of the snitch was in danger.

He sprinted towards Hogsmede under the cover of darkness, a small burn forming against his chest but it only spurred him on.

"I'm coming, Lily."

Merlin he hoped he wasn't too late...

The shadows crawled across the street, sneaking along back alleys and through windows.
A gap in the stones and the shadows were in.

They were in pores, gaps, holes, everywhere. The shadows crept a sinister line across the darkened street. None of the lamps were working and she assumed it wasn't an accident.

Like times previous, the shadows reached the window. It must have been hers this time. The window was open.

On the ground was a silhouette, smiling up at the window.

Lucifer.

A necklace. Searing pain. Burning. Lily woke with a start to a soft tapping on her window...

oooohhhh exciting stuff! the final chapters are approaching and it's getting some action going!

Sorry it's been so long, I've been pretty busy and I didn't want to rush this one otherwise the rest of the story wouldn't make sense. Anyway, hope you liked it!

Love to all,

Abbi♥️