Life After Graduation

It was late November, and Lily was busy compiling a list for their Thanksgiving get together. England obviously does not celebrate Thanksgiving, but her mother had lived in America for a few years, and decided to keep the tradition going in their family, and Lily decided to keep the tradition alive in her own. Of course all their friends were game, a big dinner, drinks, and fun, so they had a list of about twenty people, which was the Order, and their families.

James’ mother arrived around four that afternoon so they could go shopping for everything they would need. Lily had all the decorations that her mother used to do, so all they really needed to do was add to that collection and get the food. Tomorrow was the big day, and there was a lot to do.

“Ready mum?” Lily asked with a smile as she piled on her sweater and cloak. It as flurrying outside, and even though they would just apparate, the stores were still chilly.

“Of course,” Matilda said as she watched Lily grab her list and purse. “What time do you want me here tomorrow?”

“Whenever you would like to come I will be up around six to cook, and all the other guests will be arriving around noon,” she replied checking for her wand before grabbing her mother-in-law’s shoulder and apparating them to the store.

“I’ll come around eight then to help you. If my son is still like he used to be, he will just sit on the couch and poke around for food while you are cooking,” Matilda joked as they grabbed a buggy.

“Yeah, he still does that,” Lily said remembering Christmas dinner the year before.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The food was expensive, since she had to buy for so many people, but it was not as bad as she thought it would be, and Matilda had offered to bring desserts herself. They arrived home around six that evening, and Lily was in the door first.

“James?” She called moving aside to let her mother in-law-in, “love are you home?” Lily called out once again as she pushed into the kitchen throwing down the heavy turkey onto the table. There was no response, and Lily just shrugged.

“Probably went out with Sirius after work,” she replied to her mother, who was unloading items into the icebox. “Shall we get started on all the side dishes?”

“Sounds good, though you are going to have to give me the recipe for most of them, some of this stuff I have never heard of,” Matilda replied with a laugh.

“Be right back then, I am just going to change,” Lily said before slipping into the bedroom to grab her mothers’ old cookbook, and old clothes since it more than likely would be messy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

James had been agitated at work the whole day and he and Sirius kept glancing at one another throughout it. The time seemed to tick menacingly slow, and of course all the work they had for the day was paper work.

“Can’t we kip out of here early?” Sirius asked James in a hiss as they sat at lunch waiting for Remus.

“No we can’t you know that,” James replied looking over his shoulder to see Remus almost done in the lunch line. “He already suspects something is up, leaving would make it worse.”

“It bothers me to know that slimy git, is just lounging about while we are stuck here, counting down the minutes…he has no idea what’s coming…” Sirius said trailing off as Remus took a seat next to James.

They had not confided in Remus about their scheme because they knew he would resist them the whole way, and eventually tell Lily. Having Remus around was like having a second mother, useful, but downright annoying at times.

“What’s going on with you two today” Remus asked eying his two first before digging into his sandwich watching them.

“What do you mean?” James asked quietly, not making eye contact with Remus for fear of giving it away, though it was probably obvious now anyways.

“What do you mean what do I mean?” Remus asked them dropping his sandwich on his plate. “You two have been meeting almost every day, locking yourselves in Sirius’ room, hushing whenever someone comes around, and now you two look like your teetering on the edge.”

“We are secretly trying to find you a mate to help with your furry problem,” Sirius teased, and avoided a chip thrown at his head.

“Lily has asked me what you two have been doing,” Remus added, waiting for James to jump all over the bait.

“What did you tell her?” James asked matching his eyes.

“That she should be worried,” Remus said trailing it out, and watched James pale a bit. “That you are leaving her for Sirius that is,” he finished, knowing he wasn’t going to get it out of them, he had been trying for three weeks now.

“Piss off Moony,” James said with a smirk before finishing his lunch. Four hours left until they could leave and finish out what they had been planning and researching for over a month now. He hoped it would be rather quick before Lily realized that he was gone. She said she’d be home around six, the time he got off of work.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You ready?” Sirius asked James quietly as they slinked upon a very old, decrepit building. There were not many windows left, and what were left were dingy and broken. Ivory grew up the sides, and weaved in and out of the holes in the building. There was only one light on, though it was dime, and flickered, and obvious candle.

“You have no idea,” James said quietly as they finally moved out of the woods. They had been staking out Snapes’ new house, if that is what you want to call it, for over a week looking for the best way in, which would be the basement door.

As James stare at the house, all he could think about was everything Severus had done to Lily, and to himself. Revenge, and adrenaline pulsed through his veins, and his breath quickened as they crossed the front lawn.

They both knew the plan inside and out, but Sirius still repeated it. “Once inside, and we have him cornered, I will keep watch,” he breathed barely audible. “And you are to call if you need help.”

“He is the one who is going to need help,” James said as they slipped into the already propped open door. Every footfall seemed to scream, ‘here I am’, but there was no movement from above where Snape was.

The living room had shredded couches, smashed tables, and cobwebs strung about lazily, as if the spiders didn’t even want to be there. They passed by a bathroom, and mold was clearly visible climbing the cracked tile walls and tub. “Told you he never showered,” Sirius said joking. Honestly, the look in James eyes, it seemed like he was out for the kill. Sirius had never seen his friend this angry, of give off this much hatred in his life. He didn’t even laugh at the shower joke, like he normally did. They heard a door open, and as silently as they could, they dove behind an over turned couch.

“What is he doing?” James asked after they had been there for a good fifteen minutes. His shoulder was aching, and his leg was going numb from Sirius’ foot under it.

“No idea,” Sirius replied. They had decided to wait till Snape was settled again, the element of surprise was always best. Another ten minutes went by, and Severus was back where he started sitting in a chair in some room.

On the second landing, audible scribbles were heard behind a closed door. James nearly jumped out of his skin when the chair scraped along the floor and footsteps neared the door. He flattened himself against the wall, and held his breath looking at Sirius, who had done the same but the footsteps faded away one again, and James heard Severus settle in a chair.

James checked his watch, he was already a half hour late, and he knew Lily would start to get worried, but he wasn’t going to back out at this pivotal moment.

“Sure you’re ready?” Sirius hissed, but the look James gave him, gave the answer.

James raised his wand, and without a word, it blasted the door off its hinges, and Severus gave a loud outcry of surprise.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily looked at the clock, James was a half-hour late. That was unlike him to not let her know, and she began to get worried, but not too much just yet.

“Well, dinner is ready…it can’t wait any longer,” she said pulling plates down from the cabinet. “I will have to heat James’ up later.”

“He probably just got stuck at work dear,” Matilda said grabbing something from the fridge to drink. “Don’t worry, you know James, once he starts something he won’t finish until he is done.”

“I know, I just wish he could have sent me an owl or something,” Lily said setting the table.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bloody hell,” Snape screamed, his hand flying up to his face where sticky warmth began to flow from the gash. The door had splintered, and Severus had felt the brunt of it. His wand was instantly in his hand, and he coughed a bit looking around in the dust and smoke for who had destroyed the door.

“You scared Sevvy?” James taunted, his eyes focused on the man’s face.

“Who’s there?” Severus called, his eyes trying to find where the voice came from. He wasn’t keen on casting a spell yet in case it was just death eaters messing with him. The last thing he wanted was the wrath of Bellatrix for harming her pompous husband.

“How’s it feel to be completely helpless? In the dark, not knowing someone is stalking you, planning on taking you, torturing you, killing you,” Sirius asked. He had managed to move across the room, his wand aimed at the man’s face.

“I—“ Severus spluttered turning around there was no way these were death eaters, the act would have ended long ago. “Crucio!” He screamed, his wand unknowingly pointed at James.

“Expelliarmus!” James yelled a second quicker, and the wand flew to his hand. The dust was starting to settle, but James cloak hood was over his head, so Severus couldn’t see his face.

“Ah ah ah,” James teased throwing the wand to Sirius. “That’s not very fair now is it?”

“Who the hell are you!” Severus asked backing up, panic beginning to wash over him. Had the Order found him? It couldn’t be them, they would have apprehended him by now.

“Still haven’t guessed?” Sirius asked twirling the wand between his fingers.

“We are here to repay a debt,” James said quietly. “You remember don’t you? That night, you took Lily, my wife, and gave her no fighting chance?”

“P-Potter?” Snape said his voice shaking a bit. “I-I let her go you pompous brat, she is alive, I let her go!” He protested.

“Aw how cute he is trying to bargain,” Sirius said before looking over his shoulder out the window, no one was coming for Severus’ rescue.

“I never said we weren’t letting you go,” James replied in an eerily calm voice. “We just need to settle this once and for all.”

“I told her that was it, I wouldn’t do it ag…” he tried by James cut him off.

“I have heard that too many times!” James bellowed causing even Sirius to jump. “You said you would leave her alone after you called her a mudblood, you said you would leave her alone after she turned you down for the dance, you said you would leave her alone after you nearly killed me. I don’t believe you anymore, so now I am going to make sure you leave her alone!”

Severus made a run for the door, but he wasn’t fast enough, he let out a loud umph as something connected with his stomach, and he crashed into the wall. “Shit,” he yelled his hand going to the back of his head.

“There’s no running,” James said glaring down at the man on the floor. “We are going to end this, man to man, no help, no magic.”

Sirius took the cue, and walked outside the door, well where the door was, and stood guard, though he mostly watched the fight.

“Get up,” James said watching the man struggle.

“Lily wouldn’t want this,” Severus tried to argue.

“What Lily doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” James replied removing his cloak.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bells in the clock in the living room rang seven times. James was an hour late. “Mum…would you mind if I…”

“Go ahead dear,” Matilda replied beginning to worry herself. James was never this late without sending word. “I will wait here for him okay? I am sure he just went out for a drink with his friends and lost track of time,” she replied trying to be reassuring.

“Thanks mum, and you will let me know?”

“As soon as he walks in the door, I will even smack him for you,” Matilda replied with a small smile.

The first place Lily could think of was Remus and Sirius’ and she stepped out of the door and apparated there. She could hear something inside, and she banged on the door rather loudly and heard feet coming to the door.

“Hey Lily,” Remus said as he opened the door, stepping aside to let her in.

“Hi Remus…have you seen James?” She asked looking around the apartment.

“No…he didn’t go home?” He asked, suddenly knowing he should have trailed his two friends. They could be reckless sometimes.

“No…is Sirius here? Maybe he knows where he is,” Lily asked still standing near the door.

“No…he didn’t come back after work either. We all left together, but they went off by themselves, didn’t say where they were going,” Remus replied starting to feel nervous as well. “Maybe they went out?”

“Yeah…but James never sent me word,” Lily replied feeling ever more nervous butterflies erupt in her stomach, making her feel nauseous.

“Let me get my coat, we can go check the pubs, you know them, when they get carried away,” Remus said going quickly to the closet.

“Yeah…” Lily said quietly, it was a nice thought, but she knew they weren’t at a bar, something told her it was something else.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Severus stood up at his full height, and was nearly level with James as they stared at one another. Anger began to bubble up in him, he had no right to do what he was doing. Surely she had told him the threat he had told her. “I don’t want anything to do with you, or your…your mudblood wife,” he spat.

“Excuse me?” James shot his fists curling and uncurling. “I thought you learned your lesson last time you said that,” he remarked. His legs were shaking with adrenaline, and before he knew it, he had lunged the few feet in-between him and Snape, and they collided loudly with the floor.

“Fucking prat!” Severus yelled as he struggled to get up off the floor from under James. There was a loud crack, and he heard James yell and back up a bit. With a satisfied smirk Severus rolled out from under James, and wiped the blood of his elbow that was, no doubt, from James’ now broken nose.

James nursed his nose for a moment before going back after Severus, his right hand connecting with his jaw, and his left catching him under the chin. Severus had no fighting chance without his wand. “Sucks playing fair doesn’t it?” James asked, as he threw Severus across the room.

James was strong but not that strong, it was the adrenaline rush that was going through him that gave him the energy and strength to do that. Severus collided with his writing desk, causing ink wells to explode, and parchment to fly.

His head smacked head against the wall once again, and white stars popped in front of his eyes and he rolled over on the ground groaning. “You’re going to regret this,” he muttered struggling to get up. At least James had the decency to not knock him while he was down.

“I doubt it,” James replied as he mopped up the blood still flowing from his nose.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Three pubs, and still no sign of them,” Lily said as her and Remus walked around the places Sirius and James frequented. It was now seven thirty, he was an hour and a half late.

“Sure he couldn’t be home already?” Remus asked as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets. It was a cold day, and the clouds were threatening more snow.

“Mum’s there waiting for him,” Lily said. “She said she would send word as soon as he arrived.”

“Well…there is nowhere else I can think they could be, so I guess let’s go wait at your house. I can send word to the Order if you want…” he said grabbing Lily’s shoulder to apparate them back to her house.

When the door clicked open, Matilda rushed out to see if it was James, as looked disappointed when Lily and Remus walked through the door.

“Still nothing mum?” Lily asked stripping off her coat.

“No…” Matilda said.

“I’ll be right back,” Remus said slipping outside to send word to other Order members, to see if they had seen them, and to keep an eye out for them.

“I’m sure he is alright,” Matilda said as Remus came back in the kitchen door, causing a cold gust of wind to follow, making the fire flicker.

“Everyone knows,” Remus said quietly as he sat down in a kitchen chair. “I think I should tell you something,” he ventured.

“Like what?” Lily asked raising an eyebrow as she held her now cold cup of tea.

“Well, I have no idea where they are, but I know they were up to something. They constantly locked themselves in Sirius’ room, and were always talking secretively, and when I came over they would hush,” Remus said, though he knew Lily knew most of this. “But today they were on edge, it seemed whatever they were planning was happening today.”

“I hope they didn’t get themselves in deeper than expected,” Lily said staring at the kitchen clock, and the living room bell rang out letting them know it was quarter to eight.

“Let’s cook, get our minds off it,” Matilda suggested getting up from the table to gather some ingredients. “Come Remus, you can help to,” she said smiling. “I promise I won’t let you mess up too bad,” she teased.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

James and Severus were tussling on the floor, destroying everything in their path. It was a pretty uneven fight, the advantage on James, though Snape wasn’t going down too easily.

“Stop…STOP!” Sirius yelled as he ran toward the window. There were dark shapes making their way across the lawn.

James instantly let go of Severus and stood up to look out the window. His head was pounding, his shoulder felt out of place, and it pulsated, but his nose had stopped bleeding. “We need to go,” James said grabbing his wand from Sirius. With a quick flick, he bound Snape with invisible ropes, and hung him upside down floating in the middle of the room, and threw his wand on the floor below him.

“Don’t make us have to come back,” Sirius snapped before James grabbed his cloak and they ran out the room, and down the back stairs. They heard the front door open, as they dashed out the back, and Severus screaming for help.

“Lily is going to kill me,” James said checking his watch after they had apparated down the street from their place. It was eight, he was planning on being home no later than six thirty. As he walked down the sidewalk he stumbled a bit, and Sirius caught his shoulder.

“You alright?” He asked supporting James.

“Yeah…he put up more of a fight then I thought he would,” James said with a smirk, though he didn’t shake Sirius off. They neared the front door and James swung it open, and there was a great shuffle of feet. “Looks like she called in the cavalry,” he muttered, though he couldn’t blame her, he had been gone for over two hours, and going missing in these times was always dangerous.

Lily was the first to hear it since she was closest to the kitchen door and she dashed out to see the two men in the doorway. James’ face was bloody, and he was leaning on Sirius for support. “What happened? James are you alright? Sirius?” She asked moving out of the way as James went and sat on the couch.

“I’m fine love,” he said looking at his mother half way across the room, and Remus frowning at him in the kitchen doorway.

“Here,” Lily said running off to the kitchen, and returned with some potions for him to drink, and an icepack for his nose. “What happened…why are you smiling?” She asked him becoming frustrated.

“I ran into an old friend,” James said quietly.

“More like you went hunting for him,” Remus replied knowing instantly what had been happening for the past month. “You are a real prat James.”

“You’re just upset you missed out,” Sirius joked before collapsing on the couch.

“What are you talking about?” Lily asked looking between the three men, who said nothing. “If you don’t tell me, I will get Peter over here, who will spill the beans in two seconds,” she threatened.

“They went after Severus,” Remus said.

“Aw piss off Moony,” James said resting his head on the back of the chair. He had already figured out his whole story for Lily, but Remus had ruined it. The last thing he wanted was for her to know what really happened, at least now anyways.

“You what?!” Lily asked instantly standing up, quickly and knocking over a potion by her feet, causing the thick brown substance to ooze onto the carpet. “You are the most arrogant man I have ever met James Potter!” She yelled throwing the extra ice pack she had hard at his stomach.

“Lils…” he said watching her head to the bedroom.

“Don’t James, just don’t,” she hissed before slamming her bedroom door.

“You’ve really done it this time,” Sirius said looking at the bedroom door, and cringed as a dresser draw slammed shut.

“Why did you do it James?” His mother asked him quietly.

“He has hurt Lily too many times, he needed to learn his lesson,” James said quietly.

“You are just like your father,” Matilda said quietly. “Always so rash, jumping into things that are far too dangerous. Now tell me, what would you have done if he knew about this? If he had others there to help him? It has happened before, plenty of Order members have been ambushed, you have been there yourself before what were you thinking?”

To that James had no answer, instead he stared at the fire, and placed an ice pack on his shoulder.

“I thought so,” Matilda said before going to the bedroom that Lily had shut herself in, and closed the door behind her.

“You are such a spoiled sport,” James said quietly to Remus who had crossed the room and sat in an arm chair.

“What were you planning on telling her? You accidently found where Severus lived? Or that you fell down the stairs? She’s not stupid James,” Remus said looking over his shoulder as Lily opened the door and threw a pillow and some blankets out into the hallway before shutting it again.

“Damn it,” James said looking at his bedding. Lily had only kicked him out of the room once before, and that was after they had been arguing for two days straight, so he knew she had to be mad.

“I don’t understand why she is so upset? We are both alive, and almost unscathed,” Sirius said looking at James then to Remus.

“Do I have to explain everything to you?” Remus asked exasperated. “Yes you are alright for now, but what happens when the death eaters find out what happened?”

“Severus won’t want to hurt Lily,” James said. “Which means he won’t come after me either. Plus he knows he is no match for me, nor Sirius.”

“He won’t but what says the rest of them won’t come after you? You have seriously offended them James, making yourselves a bigger target. What about your mother? Who says they won’t go after her? You are so smart, yet so stupid at times,” Remus said before getting up and disappearing into the kitchen. The back door clicked open, and there was soft pop indicating Remus had apparated.

The bedroom door opened and James could hear Lily’s muffled goodbyes to his mother, and planning the time she would arrive tomorrow. As his mother crossed the room, and went out the front door, she didn’t say a word to James.

“I should probably go too…better sooner than later to deal with Remus’ lectures,” Sirius said standing up. “Do you need anything? Because I don’t think Lily is going to help you tonight.”

“I’m fine,” James said, his triumphant mood long faded.

“Right…see you tomorrow. Do try not to kill one another before then,” Sirius said before stepping out the front door to leave.

James stared at the fire thinking about everything that had just happened, and the reality of it all had set it. He had just put them all in a bigger danger. It wasn’t just a war between good and bad, it was personal now. The clock tolled nine, which pulled him out of his thoughts, and the bedroom door opened. He looked at Lily as she stormed out, kicking his pillow a few feet, and disappear into the kitchen. His stomach was growling but he didn’t dare go near her at the moment. Pots and pans were slamming about as Lily cooked the muggle way, and she was obviously being louder than needed.

When things quieted down a bit, James ventured into the kitchen, taking a deep breath as he walked through the doorway limping a bit. Lily didn’t even turn around as he went to the fridge to grab a drink, and some leftovers.

“Lily can we ta…” he began as he grabbed a glass.

“Save it,” Lily replied going to the pantry to dig around for something.

James didn’t bother to try again, instead he went back to the living room and ate his dinner tossing his used plate and trash onto the coffee table. Lily went back to the bedroom an hour later, and James made his makeshift bed on the couch.

It took him a while to get to sleep because he was sore all over, and could not get comfortable. Finally, around one that morning he fell asleep with the cat keeping him company on his feet.

Lily laid awake longer then James did staring at the wall. Every little noise made her jump and her stomach was uneasy from the stress of the whole day. She tried to read, but found herself re-reading the same paragraph over and over, unable to keep one train of thought. Around two she threw the sheets off her and wandered out of the bedroom quietly.

The fire had died down, giving off little light, but she could see James scrunched up on the couch, one arm dragging along the floor, and most of the blankets off of him. Sighing, she went over and gently put the blanket back over him, and ran a finger down his face, which was freezing to the touch.

She turned back around, and grabbed her wand out of the bedroom to bring the fire back to life before going back to look at James. Honestly she was mad at him for what he had done, but she also felt amazing, wanted and loved. He was willing to risk his life to make sure that she was safe, and she felt bad for being angry, but she was scared about what the retaliation would be.

Lily moved her hand to brush the hair out of his face, and remove his glasses which were askew on his face. James stirred a bit, causing Lily to jump because her nerves were so on edge, and she dropped the glasses.

“Lils?” He asked opening his eyes to see only dark blurs. “Everything okay?” James mumbled, his voice groggy. He moved a bit and let out a groan as his shoulder made a loud pop. “Ow fuck,” he said, though his voice was a bit slowed from sleep.

“Everything’s fine,” Lily said quietly putting his glasses on his face once again. “I just can’t sleep,” she mumbled looking at him. “I’m scared.”

“Of what?” James asked sitting up a bit, accidently kicking the cat who mewed angrily and ran off.

“About what is going to come next,” she said quietly a few tears in her eyes.

“I know, I’m sorry about what I did but you have to understand…” he replied before gently grabbing her arm and tugging on it to bring her up to the couch to sit with him.

“No I understand, and it’s…alright…” Lily said quietly. “I know why you did it, and I have a feeling it would have happened sooner or later. It’s just, things are so dangerous, and crazy, and I don’t want to lose you. People are going missing every day; Benji was just killed two weeks ago… I can’t lose…” she said before James pulled her tight against him, and her last words were muffled.

“I’m here,” James said quietly kissing the side of her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise I won’t do something like this again.” He said feeling horrible as he held her he felt her shake with sobs. “Please calm down,” he whispered rubbing her back.

“I-I’m fine just over reacting,” she said wiping her eyes. “Just over tired, and stressed about tomorrow…well later,” Lily said looking at the clock before looking at James.

“Come on let’s get you to bed,” James said helping her up off the couch, and leading her back to the bedroom. He pulled back the sheets for her, and tucked her in gently.

“You get some sleep love,” he said quietly kissing her forehead.

“Where are you going?” Lily asked him raising an eyebrow.

“Back out to the dog house,” James joked looking over his shoulder at the dim living room, then back to her.

“Stay with me” she said quietly patting his side of the bed.

“I thought you’d never ask,” he said quietly grabbing the extra pillow out of the closet, and climbing into bed with her. Before he could move, Lily had already snuggled up against him, her skin warm against his.

“I’m sorry,” Lily mumbled as she kissed a spot on his chest.

“Don’t be, it was reckless of me, I understand,” James said rubbing her back.

“I love you,” she mumbled her eyes feeling heavy with sleep now that she was relaxed.

“I love you too, goodnight,” James said shutting his eyes, reveling in the softness of his bed over the couch.