Life After Graduation

Lily was sitting on the couch of Remus and Sirius’ shared flat. Neither of them could afford a place on their own, but Sirius did not have a home now that his parents had officially kicked him out, and Remus wanted to get out of his house since his parents hardly had enough money to pay the bills with the two of them including his brother never mind himself.

The Order liked to have meetings at a different place each time so it would be harder to track them. It was two days before Christmas and frankly Lily thought that they were just wasting their time. The Prewett brothers were busy entertaining others with jokes, Molly and Arthur Weasley had not come since they were visiting family with their three older boys and the one year old twins, James Sirius and Peter were goofing off, and she and Remus were having their own conversation. It was hard to keep everyone focused with Christmas just around the corner.

“Everyone listen!” A voice boomed over the group and everyone fell silent turning their attention to Dumbledore who had just entered the apartment and was standing in the middle of the room.

James popped his head up after being deep in conversation with Sirius, and he saw the serious look on Dumbledore’s face. Feeling a bit alarmed he moved behind the couch where Lily sat and rested his hands on the cushion, Sirius and Peter had joined him as well on either side.

“We have a very strong lead,” he said then paused as people began to talk again but they immediately stopped when he raised his hand to silence them, “that we are going to act on tonight.”

Lily turned to look at James, her face turning as white as the snow outside. This would be her first time going to an ambush compared to James who had been out a couple of times, and she was nervous.

“You’ll be fine,” she heard Remus whisper to her. He had been working out on the field now for the Order for about a month now, so he had the most experience of all the new people. “Just make sure you remember your training.”

Lily nodded and she felt James rub her shoulder reassuringly as Dumbledore explained everything that he had gathered. There were death eaters out on the move tonight targeting a few wizarding families that had spoken out publicly against him, and they were going to intervene, the families had already been warned, and most of them had gone into hiding, but the death eaters did not know that yet.

A half hour later everyone was ready to leave. Lily had changed the color of her clothes from the bright green shirt and black pants to total white, and everyone else followed suit, it would be easier to blend in with the landscape. Grasping James’ hand hard the group headed out into the wintery night. Lily felt she stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of the group because of her bright red hair, but she would have to live with it because they ran into what they were looking for.

The group began to disburse and Lily stayed toward the back since it was her first time. The woods were vast, and she ducked behind the woods watching as other Order members encircled the Death Eaters. There were about ten of them and fifteen Order members, though just because you out numbered the enemy did not mean you were going to win. Suddenly there was a flash of red as the door of the house in front of them flew off its hinges, causing Lily to jump. She looked to her right to see James creeping forward, a look of determination on his face. He lived for this, and Lily knew that this was definitely his calling, though she was starting to doubt if it was her own because she was so nervous.

“Relax,” she heard a familiar reassuring voice whisper into her ear. She turned around to see Remus right behind her, his wand trained on the closest person to them. “I won’t leave you,” he said smiling as he dared a glance down at her. James had asked all of the Marauders to watch out for her if he was unable to.

Lily grasped Remus’ hand which rested on her shoulder as if to say thank you before standing up fully, suddenly sparks were flying every which way and she saw James dash forward cornering a death eater for his own. Not being able to watch she ran out with Remus as they tag teamed against Bellatrix Black.

“Oh how cute, little Potter’s girlfriend has decided to fight,” she said in a shrill voice. “To bad a mudblood like you does not have what it takes to defeat me.”

James glanced over his shoulder for a brief second when he heard Bellatrix since he was not that far away to see Lily and Remus dueling together. Dodging another spell he went back to work trying to keep them within ear shot.

Lily’s eyes flashed with anger and she shot another spell Bellatrix’s way, her nervous drained out by her adrenaline rush. Luck had it she had gash the girl’s arm and she could already see blood dripping onto the snow. “I don’t have what it takes huh?” Lily said with a sneer as Remus shot another spell in Bellatrix’s direction.

“You are going to regret spilling pureblood,” Bellatrix hissed before aiming straight for Lily’s throat hitting her intended target.

Lily fell to the ground, her screaming unheard, as she grabbed at her throat gasping for air. It felt as if someone had their hands on her throat and their grip was slowly getting tighter. Sliding on her back a few inches Lily was able to gain her composure as she half ran half dragged herself into the woods, her throat nearly closed now.

Collapsing on the ground by a snow covered log Lily began to panic her vision beginning to tunnel, she pointed her wand at her throat but no spells were coming to mind. Then she heard someone approach her and she immediately felt relief.

“Are you al’righ?” Lily heard a man ask with an Irish accent and she recognized who it was immediately.

Breathing heavily Lily finally spluttered out “now I am,“ to Michael Flannigan as her hands brushed over her throat. It was a suffocation spell, and Lily knew that if he had not helped her in time it would have killed her within a few minutes.

Ten minutes later the Order watched as the death eaters, the cowards they were, retreat and Lily re-emerged from the woods to find James who was frantically looking for her.

“There you are!” He said running over to her, his hands resting on both of her cheeks, the panic evident in his face. “Are you alright? I saw what happened but I couldn’t get away,” he breathed as he looked over her face.

“I’m fine, Michael found and saved me, and Remus was also there to back me up,” Lily said smiling at James, her hands grabbing his.

“Thank God,” he said sounding relived before kissing her hard on the lips. “You did leave quiet a mark on Bellatrix though, there is a good amount of blood on the ground,” James said lowering his hands as he pointed toward the ground only a few feet away.

“Yeah but she got me pretty good as well,” Lily said with a sigh. She felt as if all her training had been a waste of time, her first time in a real duel she had almost been killed.

“Still! Bellatrix is a formidable enemy you were brilliant,” James said trying to cheer her up as other Order members appeared from behind the house and out of the woods as well.

After a short meeting the Order members went their separate ways, and Lily and James went back to their flat. Lily was still a bit shaken up after what had happened, so James offered to make dinner and to clean up afterwards.

“First time is always the worst time, it will get better love I promise,” James said as he held her close to him as they lay in bed.

“How can it get better James? Every time we go out there it is a battle for life and death and you don’t know if you are going home,” Lily said quietly as she held onto him tightly, silent tears falling.

“Shh love,” he replied rubbing her arm and back lightly unsure of what else to say until she had stopped crying and drifted off to sleep.