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Hopelessly Addicted
Chapter 13
"What can I do?"
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Shut up, just shut up, shut up…
We try to take it slow, but we're still losing control
And we tried to make it work, but it still isn't the worst
And I'm crazy for trying to be your lady
I think I'm going crazy…
Black Eyed Peas, "Shut up"
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Evil bunnies.
Innocent-looking, seemingly harmless white rabbits breaking through the defences of Godric's Hollow… then transforming suddenly into menacing Death Eaters… and killing everyone.
Little carrots that in truth were camouflaged wands… Dark Marks tattooed on little furry paws…
No, Death Eaters wouldn't think of transfiguring themselves into rabbits to take over the house. No… They wouldn't. No way.
Or would they?
Lily buried her head in her hands. Oh, Merlin… She was going insane!
How could she stop little bunnies from entering the house?
Why on earth was she worrying about bunnies?
It was the lack of sleep - that had to be it. There was no other explanation for the strange paranoia that had overcome her in the past few hours. Her head was swimming with the most fantastic and unlikely scenarios Death Eaters could plan to get past Godric's Hollow's defences.
Lily stared at her brainstorming sheet of paper with dismay. The idea of rabbits invading the house didn't seem so odd when compared to the others: so far, she had had already fretted over the possibility of Death Eaters flooding the area and invading the house as whales, the possible use of glamour spells to make the dark wizards look like food and attack the Minister as he tried to eat, and the employment of hot air balloons to perpetrate a surprise invasion.
Honestly, she had never been this… creative before. Yes, it was probably the combination of the lack of sleep with the accumulated stress of her day at the French Ministry.
Lily had never imagined that she would have to spend such a long period of time in the same room as James Potter, Alain Delacour, Julia Rutilia, Sirius Black, and Kate Malshirn. It was a wonder, really, that she had survived with a reasonable amount of sanity.
'What if they cast a spell on several amoebas, creating hundreds of Portkeys to a secret lair of sorts, and put them in the water Neveu will use?'
Lily read that sentence over a few times before she surrendered to the abundant evidence. Yes, they had managed not to kill each other; she had left the Ministry with no significant injuries… but sane? Not so much.
Well, it was partly James' fault. He didn't need anyone's help to drive her crazy… And of course she loved it. In fact, she even made matters worse by teasing him as well.
But Alain… Alain drove her crazy as well, and not in a good way. Just a few minutes ago, he had Apparated in her apartment, visibly seething. Luckily, Lily had managed to barricade herself in her office and avoid a confrontation.
Oh, what a royal bore! Yes, of course he'd freaked out after seeing Lily and James working together with way more familiarity than Alain would have liked. His worries, after all, were perfectly justified. But that didn't mean that she had the necessary patience to deal with him.
Lily should have guessed that this would happen… Alain would no longer be a complacent, tolerant spectator. He already knew something was afoot, and he would want to fight for her.
She sighed, mindlessly staring out the window. There was no other way now.
Lily was going to have to dump Alain. And not only because of James… she just couldn't take it anymore. He was simply too dull for her.
Oh, no… What if James thought she was breaking up with Alain because she wanted to begin a serious relationship with him? She didn't, she really didn't! Did he know that? If he didn't, she would make sure to tell him that in no uncertain terms soon enough.
She just had to lead Alain on for a couple more days. That wouldn't be too hard… Would it? Well, that depended solely on him.
But, for some reason, Lily didn't think he was inclined to behaving very gently these days.
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What do I do to make you want me? What have I got to do to be heard?
What do I say when it's all over, and sorry seems to be the hardest word?
It's sad, so sad… It's a sad situation, and it's getting more and more absurd
It's sad, so sad… Why can't we talk it over?
Elton John, "Sorry seems to be the hardest word"
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Lily heard a slight noise coming from behind her and turned. Alain had just slid in the room, quietly closing the door behind him and leaning against it. She looked at him, not bothering to hide her annoyance.
"I know you're busy," he said at once. "But this won't take long, I promise."
She stood and walked to stand in front of her desk, facing him. "All right."
"I don't know what's going on," Alain continued, frowning. "And, to be honest, I'm not quite sure I want to know. You and this Potter guy obviously have a huge history together. So, if I'm interfering with something, if I'm in way over my head, please tell me so. If you want me to leave you alone… please, just say it. I love you more than anything, Lily, and I want to be by your side… But I don't want things to go on like - like this."
Lily cringed inwardly. What now? It wasn't like she hadn't been expecting that little speech. But she couldn't just tell him point-blank that she didn't love him anymore. That was way too cruel!
So what to do, what to do?
"If you're just doing that meaningless flirting thing you do, then that's fine. But I'm not sure that's what's happening… I want to be with you through thick and thin, no matter what, but we have to trust each other. So please, can you just be honest and tell me? Do you still love me, Lily? Or do the past two years mean nothing whatsoever to you?"
Lily stared at the floor, taking a deep breath. All right. It was now or never. She had to be sharp and cool about the whole thing. 'It's nothing personal, just… I just can't stand you, that's all.'
Brilliant. Bloody brilliant.
Her gaze met Alain's. Instantly, she felt her resolve starting to crumble. He had that puppy-dog, pleading look about him… Oh, Merlin. She wouldn't be capable of doing this. No way. She wasn't that heartless.
His blue eyes seemed to beg her for any crumbs of love and attention… In a flash, she remembered what it felt like to be like that: completely lovesick. Oh, this situation wasn't Alain's fault! He was actually behaving very uncharacteristically - he wouldn't have lowered himself to this if he didn't love her.
But she couldn't lie and tell him she loved him.
What to do?
Lily took a deep breath, and stepped forward. Alain quizzically looked up at her, but didn't have time to say anything before the long-lost feeling of her lips on his overwhelmed him.
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Last night before you fell asleep, you whispered something to me
Was it just a dream? I'm gonna listen to you close
'Cause your goodnight kiss felt like a ghost…
What are you trying to say to me? What are you trying to say?
Everybody's searching for intimacy…
The Corrs, "Intimacy"
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Lily felt oddly detached from the whole situation. It was as if she were watching someone who looked a lot like her make out with her boyfriend. Sex with Alain had never been spectacular - far from it. But she had never been this distant, this cold…
Oh, he hadn't noticed anything was wrong! Lily was pretty good at faking being pleased with his shallow kisses, his awkward caresses… Merlin, they'd been together for two years, and he still didn't know her at all!
But then again, she'd never let him get to know her. Lily had never made an effort to improve his moves or anything... Of course she could have taught him quite a bit - a woman who had slept with the likes of James Potter and Benjamin Fenwick certainly had quite a few tricks under her belt. A huge grin spread over her face, but Alain didn't notice.
He kissed her almost reverently, and muttered "I love you," with such intensity that Lily actually began wondering just how far he'd go to fight for her.
With a sigh, she let her mind wander and toyed with the possibility of doing what Alain wanted: what if she did go back to France? Could she leave James behind, could she forget all that had happened? Above all, could she forget what hadn't happened?
He began undressing, and Lily cringed inwardly. She had successfully avoided Alain for the past few weeks - she just wasn't sure she'd be able to fake excitement as effectively anymore…
'What if I don't want to?' a tiny rebel voice cried inside her. 'What if I'm tired of all this theatre?'
Fighting back a grimace, she watched Alain. Oh, what was she doing here? Why had she wasted two years of her life with this dolt?
He was excited - that was obvious. But Lily wasn't… She was nowhere in the vicinity of 'excited'. All she wanted now was to be with James, to have his arms around her and feel his lips against her skin…
Oh, great. The very thought of James provoked in her a greater response than anything Alain had done so far.
When Alain kissed her, she tried to remember what James' kisses were like; when Alain touched her, it was James' caresses she longed for; when Alain held her, it was the safety of James' embraces she craved…
Crap.
Lily absent-mindedly let her robes slide to the ground, and lay in bed, waiting. Alain soon joined her, after performing the infertility charm. Well, he'd thankfully decided to stay on top… Excellent. Pretending wouldn't be too hard.
Lily forced herself to moan when he brusquely touched her; she closed her eyes tightly when he penetrated her with a lot less tact than she would have hoped… Her body moved almost involuntarily under his, trying to find a slightly better position, and he groaned.
Ah, Merlin, she needed James…
A faint noise - a voice - coming from the living room attracted her attention. She opened her eyes and frowned, trying to focus. Oh, who cared about what Alain would think? She knew that voice…
Was he really here? Or was it just her wishful thinking?
"James!" Lily exclaimed with giddiness she didn't even try to conceal.
That one word had on Alain the instant mood-killing efficiency of an ice-cold shower.
"What - what did you call me?" he asked stupidly.
Alain didn't know whether to feel furious, stunned or miserable, so he allowed a mixture of the three feelings to engulf him. How could she have done this to him? They were in bed together, for Merlin's sake! How could she?
"No, no," she laughed. "James is here. I heard his voice in the living room."
Lily disentangled her body from Alain's (not a hard task), and started looking for some clothes. She barely had time to put on some robes before she heard James opening the door.
"Petrificus totalus."
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Truth or dare, this life ain't apparently fair
A love with no glare is a crystal stare
We share something so rare… But who cares? You care
Baby, I'm not always there when you call, but I'm always on time
And I gave you my all… now, baby, be mine…
Ashanti & Ja Rule, "Always on time"
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Lily's grin broadened when James entered the room, his wand still pointed at Alain's petrified body on the bed.
"Hey," he said, smiling. "Sorry for interrupting."
She threw her head back and laughed with pure delight. "It's all right. Alain didn't like it much, though."
"I'm sure he didn't," James replied, chuckling. He then looked at his wife's boyfriend with open scorn. "Merlin, he's - tiny."
Lily rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully.
"What? I mean… I don't mean it in a bad way or anything, it's just… Well, Wormtail's told me they sell some potions down at Knockturn Alley for men who - er - aren't well endowed…"
She shook her head, scowling. "I can't believe we're discussing this. Please, James."
"No wonder you had so many affairs," he mused, ignoring her interruption. "You've been faking it with him for two years?"
Lily wasn't quite sure whether she should answer truthfully, so she chose a neutral response, "Well… He does what he can."
James grimaced sympathetically. "When was the last time you had sex with him?"
Lily gaped at him. How dare he act so plainly overprotective? He had absolutely no right to question her like this! "It's - none of your business, James!"
He gave her a look.
"Um… a while ago. I just haven't had time to stay with him these days," she answered at once, not quite knowing why she was doing it.
"Poor guy."
"Anyway, what are you doing here? How did you know where I live anyway?"
"Oh… Leylann told me your address. And I came to ask you to go to Godric's Hollow a bit earlier. It's a bit past 3 AM now. Do you think you can get ready before four o'clock?"
"Sure."
"Okay, then," James said, glancing at Alain with a grin. "Have fun explaining this."
"Thanks, darling," she replied sarcastically. "You make my life so much easier!"
"You're welcome, sweetie. See you in a few minutes."
"Bye."
James Disapparated. Lily sighed, staring at the spot where he'd stood just a few seconds ago. He had a point - what was she going to tell Alain? And how was he going to react?
Well, one thing was certain: she didn't have time to deal with him. She had to get ready in a hurry and, if possible, still work a little bit more.
One more sleepless night… Who cared?
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Are your secrets where you left them? Cause now your ghosts are mine as well
I think it's time I met them and I think it's time you tell
You should've told me when you met me all these things I should know
I should have asked, we should have talked about this so long ago
It's not fair, it's not fair… Don't leave me here
How's this happening to me? It feels so lonely here…
Gwen Stefani, "Danger Zone"
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"Okay, let me see if I got this straight," Alain said, rubbing his temple with a grimace. "Potter just Apparates in out of nowhere, Petrifies me, starts bossing you around, and you're fine with it?"
"Alain -"
"No, no, wait a minute. What is it with you two? I honestly need to know. Go on, tell me."
Lily frowned and looked away. Where to start? For some reason, she thought 'I loved James like I have never loved another man after him… And now that I met him again, I just can't wait to be back with him - even if that means just an affair…' wouldn't get a very good response.
"We dated for a while, we broke up and now we're working together. That's all."
Alain shook his head. "What about your wedding?"
Lily grinned. She hadn't really thought about that since that afternoon… It just didn't seem like such a big deal to her. But of course she could understand why Alain was freaking out about it. "There was no… wedding. I mean, there was, but we didn't know we were getting married. And come on, Alain! Before going to London, I hadn't seen him for, what, six years!"
"You should've stayed in Paris!" he replied aggressively. "Nothing good came out of your new job."
"Quite on the contrary! Working in London is very fulfilling! Don't you get it? Succeeding in Paris wasn't a challenge - and I thrive on challenges. There, James will never stop pushing me, always wanting each scenario to be better than the last… It's great!"
"James, James, James! For Merlin's sake, can't you stop talking about him?"
"You asked!" she wailed.
"Well… just promise me you'll divorce him soon. Promise me you're not falling for him again."
"I have absolutely no intentions of falling in love with him once more - he broke my heart last time, Alain. Knowing that he's a great Auror doesn't change the fact that I wouldn't want to get romantically involved with him ever again."
He sighed with obvious relief.
Romantically involved. No, she definitely didn't want that. But that certainly didn't mean she had anything against just getting involved with James. No love in the picture or anything - just shagging. It wasn't that complicated.
And the marriage thing… well, they would deal with that eventually. It wasn't like either of them was worrying about getting married again any time soon! There was no need to hurry with the divorce.
Well, perhaps James had been thinking about proposing to Julia… she was, after all, the most perfect wife he could find. He didn't love her, but that didn't really matter…
Was he thinking of getting married?
Lily's stomach jolted unpleasantly, and she felt her eyes glaze over angrily at the thought. He couldn't! Not now, not now that she'd finally come back to him…
Oh, Jules had better not dare try to keep Lily's husband away from her!
All of a sudden, Lily realised what was happening. Why on earth was she thinking like that? She had no right to own James in any way, after all… She was acting just like him…
Oh, whatever. She had every right to think about him like that now… More so than Julia herself, actually.
He's my husband, Rutilia… Mess with the best, die like the rest.
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None of this was planned; take me by the hand
Just don't try and understand…
Can't forgive, sorry to say! You don't know you're guilty anyway…
Isn't it funny how we don't speak the language of love?
Robbie Williams, "Misundersood"
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"Come back to Paris," Alain pleaded for the fourth time in the past couple of minutes.
"I can't," Lily repeated for the fourth time. "I have a job in London, and I absolutely adore it. I can't work in the French ministry again."
"But, honey -"
"No!"
"Why would you want to work with him? You two argue all the time! It's not like you get any work done!"
"Oh, you couldn't be more mistaken. We do argue, but our arguments are productive. Give up, Alain - I won't leave London, not even for all the gold in France."
He sighed.
Lily checked her watch and was startled to see that she was almost late. Damn Alain and the awful timing of all his relationship talks!
"I have to go have a shower… I'll talk to you later."
"All right."
Alain watched her leave with a pained expression. Was she being truthful? It made no sense at all! Why would she want to remain in London?
She liked working with her husband. She liked it. No matter what she said about Potter, that was the truth.
But would all that familiarity and chemistry lead to a reconciliation?
Well, no matter what, Alain would put up quite a fight. James wasn't going to defeat him so easily.
May the best Frenchman win.
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There's only so much I can take, and I've just got to let it go
And, who knows, I might feel better if I don't try and I don't hope
What can I do to make you love me? What can I do to make you care?
What can I say to make you feel this? What can I do to get you there?
No more waiting, no more aching…
The Corrs, "What can I do"
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James checked his watch. Ten past four. Where on earth was Lily? It wasn't like her to be this late…
Oh, maybe that damned boyfriend of hers was giving her a hard time. Well, there was really only one thing to do…
James Apparated to Lily's building and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, Mr. Boring himself came to answer.
"M. Delacour," James greeted civilly.
"Mr. Potter," Alain replied. Oh, the nerve of this guy! How dare he come back to Lily's house? What made him think he was welcome there?
"I need to speak to Lily."
"I'm afraid she's not available."
James frowned. "I'm afraid I'll have to talk to her anyway."
"She is not available."
Alain tried to stand in James' way, but was speedily shoved aside.
James entered the living room and threw him an impatient look. What an insolent, dreary watch-dog! How could he possibly think that he would prevent James from entering his own wife's house?
Oh, Merlin… Adapting to this whole marriage thing had been way too easy. He had no trouble at all thinking of Lily as his wife.
Maybe that meant something…
"Where is she?"
"She's - in the shower. She might not take too long."
James didn't dignify that with a reply, and hurried to the bathroom. He knocked two times, said "Lil" loud and clear, and entered.
Alain watched the scene, stupefied. No, this was too much. How could Potter, this guy who had dated Lily a few years ago, and hadn't seen her since then, just - just come out of nowhere and take over her life like this?
And how could she just let him?
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Too high, can't come down; it's in the air, and it's all around (…)
With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride - you're toxic
I'm slipping under, with a taste of poison paradise
I'm addicted to you… Don't you know that you're toxic?
Britney Spears, "Toxic"
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"Hey."
Lily didn't even bother turning off the water to look at James. "Hello."
"You're late."
"I know."
"Was it Delacour?" he spat scornfully.
She grinned, and couldn't help but wonder if James would dislike Alain that much if he weren't her boyfriend. "Yes. I'll be done soon, though. Don't worry."
"Why don't you just dump him, Lily?"
She was silent.
"He's not right for you," James said, stepping closer to the shower. "And you know it."
"Yes."
He pushed open the curtain that separated them, and surveyed her with a grin.
"You're getting wet," she muttered. Several drops of water were sprinkling on his robes, but he didn't seem to mind. James' gaze remained fixed on hers, and his face grew closer every second…
Oh, there we go again.
After a few minutes, James had practically entered the shower as well. She had had shampoo on her hair, and soap on her skin, so his upper body was covered in foam.
"You're all wet," she pointed out, laughing softly.
"Who cares?"
"Well, Alain obviously will."
"Screw Alain."
"No, thanks."
He leaned his cheek against hers affectionately, and she closed her eyes.
"We'll have to survive being closely watched 24/7 in a house for almost a week. Do you reckon we'll make it?" he muttered to her ear.
"I'm… not sure," she said, frowning with mock worry. "It will certainly be very hard."
"Yeah, it will."
Lily absent-mindedly started playing with the foam on his neck, smiling gently. "Why did you come?"
"Do you actually think I had any intentions other than interrupting your shower to snog?"
"Perhaps."
"Well, I wanted to remind you you're late."
"I see."
"And also, I wanted to talk to you about Rita Skeeter."
"What about her?"
James leaned his head on her shoulder, running his hands through her back and pulling her closer to an embrace. Lily encircled his neck and closed her eyes. "I hate Jacques Neveu so very much. I'm so tired… I'm afraid I'll end up treating him with no courtesy at all - his visit has put us all into so much pressure!"
"I know… I haven't slept properly in a few days either."
"Yeah. Hopefully we'll get some sleep tonight."
"Not likely - he probably has tons of meetings scheduled."
"True."
"But anyway - what about Skeeter?"
"Oh. Er, the thing is… what are we going to tell her? I mean, she'll obviously write her own version of things, not what we tell her, but our versions have to be accurate, at least."
"Hm, well… There isn't much to say. We can tell the truth, she'll twist it anyway."
"Or we could… spice up the truth a little. Just a little - nothing too radical."
She grinned. "What's on your mind?"
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I wish there was a chance for you and me
I wish you couldn't find a place to be away from here
This is pathetic, it's sardonic; it's sadistic, and psychotic
Tango's not for three, was never meant to be (…)
Objection! I'm tired of this triangle - got dizzy dancing tango…
Shakira, "Objection"
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"Good morning!"
James smiled at Julia. "Good morning."
She was already ready for work, wearing wizard robes. Her silky brown head was braided, and she'd already applied the necessary make-up. Julia surely seemed fine - perhaps she'd already put the previous day's confusion behind her.
"The French Minister is arriving today, right?"
"Yes."
"So that means you'll live in whatever-it's-called, that little village -"
"Godric's Hollow," James replied at once. The place where the Snitch had been invented. But of course Julia had no way of knowing that… she abhorred Quidditch.
"Yes, that. You'll be living there for about a week, right?"
"Exactly."
The unspoken words couldn't have been clearer: with Lily. James was going to spend one week living with his wife… and there was nothing Julia could do to prevent it.
"And next Sunday is your birthday."
"Yes - Neveu will be gone by then, and we'll have that party we'd been talking about here."
"We can't have that on Sunday…"
"Why not?"
"I just received a letter… I'll be sent on a mission all weekend."
"Oh, that's a pity," James said, trying his best to convey some type of regret. That was quite a feat, considering that he was doing a series of mental celebratory dances. "But we can't postpone it… Sirius' birthday is next Tuesday, and mine is on Sunday. We've already called quite a few people."
That was, of course, a complete lie. They hadn't called anyone yet - but they sure were going to start doing so soon - today.
"Don't worry, Jules," he said softly. "We'll go out some other day, just a few of us, to celebrate my birthday."
"But - but -" she whined, "you'll spend your birthday with Lily!"
Yes, he was… But he obviously couldn't admit that to her. "Jules, you're my girlfriend, and everyone knows that - even Lily."
"She's your wife, and everyone knows that too! They all think you're cheating on her when you're with me!"
"Not everyone thinks that."
"Most people do!"
He sighed. "I still don't know how Rita Skeeter will choose to portray us - but that does not depend on what we actually tell her. You know it as well as I… That woman loves making up things."
"Yes, but that doesn't change the actual facts: you're married and I'm your girlfriend."
"And I spent six years away from my wife, and I've been with you for almost a year."
"Well, yes, but…"
"That's that, Jules. There's no more to it."
She pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Promise me you'll divorce her."
"I will, I swear."
"When?"
"I don't know yet. We have to let the dust settle first, you know."
"Okay."
Before he could say another word, she kissed him quickly and left.
James was left alone, pensive, in his apartment kitchen. So Julia wasn't going to be there… Yes, he and Lily would be alone on his birthday party.
It was definitely just a matter of time now.
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Mr. Jones and me look into the future, stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you… Uh, I don't think so; she's looking at me."
Standing in the spotlight, I bought myself a grey guitar
When everybody loves me, I will never be lonely…
I want to be a lion; everyone wants to pass as cats
We all want to be big, big stars, but we've got different reasons for that…
Counting Crows, "Mr. Jones"
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"Good morning, Prongs!"
"Good morning, Padfoot."
James sighed, and focusing on pouring the boiling water in his cup. "Tea?"
"Sure." Sirius replied, making himself some eggs and eyeing James with curiosity. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just tired."
"Have you seen Lily today?"
James grinned.
"Ah, but of course. How silly of me to think that you could possibly eat breakfast before looking at your wife's face."
His grin broadened. "You know, I'm actually getting used to that."
"I'm not surprised. Your relationship was always in this whole other level… You probably wouldn't have too many problems if you moved in together."
"Not that I'm planning on doing that any time soon."
"Well, I'd hope so! You'd better inform me if you start thinking about that."
"Come on, Padfoot - we definitely aren't thinking about anything serious."
"Yeah, I thought so - until yesterday! And then all of a sudden you're married, and you're visiting her every morning…"
"That doesn't mean anything! Plus, her boyfriend was there."
Sirius chuckled. "Really? I'm quite sure he's not too fond of you."
"Are you kidding? Would you like it if some guy entered the bathroom while your girlfriend was in the shower - and remained there for a long time?"
"My reaction would depend on the girl - I'd probably punch him senseless if I actually cared about the chick."
"Yeah, but Delacour's too big a coward to do that. So he just glared and glared."
"What time did you get there?"
"At around 3 AM. They were actually in bed together… And, Merlin's beard, the guy's - smaller than Peter."
Sirius grimaced. "Poor Lily."
"She seemed quite relieved when I interrupted them."
"I don't doubt it."
Leylann entered the kitchen, also ready for work. She wore long, white Healer robes, and her hair was tied up in a tight bun.
"Good morning, boys," she greeted, getting some tea for herself.
"Good morning."
"Mow-ee," Sirius said, spitting a few crumbs of eggs.
"Don't speak with your mouth full," Leylann said automatically. "So, what were you taking about?"
"Prongs walked in on Lily and Alain this morning," Sirius explained, after swallowing. "And is apparently under the impression that she has been faking it with her boyfriend for the past couple of years."
Leylann frowned.
"Has she ever mentioned that to you?"
She smiled condescendingly. Boys. They knew so little about… everything! "Has it occurred to you, James, that Lily might have cast a spell on Alain to make you feel more confident?"
He seemed confused. "No. Why should I be more confident?"
She shrugged. "Perhaps because Alain's back in the fight… Are you feeling insecure? Maybe she wanted you to know you still have a chance, so she cast a spell on him."
That seemed to leave James quite shaken. "That's actually a good point. I - er - really hadn't thought about it."
"I'm sure you hadn't."
"Anyway… Padfoot, I told Julia we're having the party this Sunday, and she's not coming. So it's up to you - can you make all the arrangements? I have way too much to do with this whole Neveu thing… I really can't handle organising a party."
"Sure, no problem."
"All right then. I have to go back… Goodbye, you two."
"Bye."
James Disapparated, and Sirius turned to face Leylann. "Can you be in charge of inviting people? I'll handle the rest."
"Sure. Just a note - my boyfriend's sleeping over for the rest of the week, so please don't show up unannounced."
"No problem. Oh, Leylann, tell me something… Are you sure Lily's never mentioned anything about Alain's skills? I mean, I was under the impression that girls always told each other everything."
She grinned mischievously. "Oh, yeah, of course she did."
"And?"
"James is entirely right. She's been faking it for two years."
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Don't like to feel out of control, so we make our plans ten times a day
And when things don't go our way, we break down - don't you break down
Listen to me: it's just a ride - no need to run, no need to hide
It'll take you round and round; sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down
It's just a ride; don't be scared, don't hide your eyes…
Jem, "Just a Ride"
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"Hey! Welcome, Dom. Everyone, you've met Dominic Bonacieux - he'll stay with us for the next few days."
The Aurors nodded hello, and quickly resumed their activities. Everybody was in a major hurry - Neveu was arriving soon, and they had to make sure all the security measures were functioning properly.
"Amelia, would you mind showing him around, and giving him the rough overview?" James asked.
She raised her hand, asking him to wait, and tapped a specific brick with the tip of her wand. A significant part of the wall exploded, showering everyone with little debris. Amelia scowled, and with a charm cleaned the surroundings.
"We've got another tracker, you guys," she announced grimly. "They're still trying to figure out what charms we're using."
"I think it's time for another sweep," James suggested. "Dom, you'd better learn how to do this. Amelia, please take him."
"Yes, sir," she acquiesced, beckoning Dominic and leaving the room.
Dorcas turned to face James. "When is Lily going to finish that interview?"
He shrugged. It had been almost an hour since he'd left his wife alone with Rita Skeeter. The team needed Lily's help, but James had been adamant - he wanted her to talk to the Prophet journalist. No one knew just what the couple was up to, but one thing was certain: the fairly simple and uninteresting truth was not what they were about to divulge.
"Who's going to pick up Neveu in Paris after all, Chief?"
"If Lily's done in the next few minutes, I'll go with Amelia and her, like we'd originally planned. If not, you'll replace her. Each of the others will be in one of the Apparition spots, and in the scheduled time we'll meet here."
"Is this really going to work?" Marlene wondered, frowning. "Everything looks so perfect, so according to the plan… Things aren't usually that right."
"Well, considering the mission itself hasn't even started…"
"True, but there have been no hurdles yet."
"There will be, don't worry - and we'll be ready for them. Fate might interpret the absurd amount of backup plans as a challenge, so we might face many unforeseen difficulties… But really, we all know this house like the back of our hands, and we'll have no trouble improvising."
"I hope so."
"James!" Lily called, descending the stairs in a hurry. "Change of plans!"
He threw Marlene a look, and she smiled.
"Neveu is in Strasbourg, not Paris," Lily said, brandishing a letter that bore the official logo of the French Ministry. "And only two people are allowed to enter their present security facility."
"What facility?" James asked, confused. "I can't remember anything of that sort in Strasbourg."
"Me neither."
"Are you done with Skeeter?"
"Yeah. You have to give her permission to Apparate."
James turned to Marlene, who nodded.
"I'm on it," she said at once, standing and entering one of the rooms. After a few seconds, she yelled, "Fifteen seconds window starting in three - two - one!"
Lily hurried to call Skeeter. She Disapparated, silently pondering that these people were definitely too paranoid… There was something afoot here - and she would find out what it was soon enough.
Lily came downstairs, and handed James the letter. It didn't contain much information… What on earth was happening? Why the sudden change of plans?
He nodded towards the door leading outside, and Lily mutely followed him. "We need to ask Dom, maybe he knows more about this."
They walked around the house till they found Amelia and Dominic, testing different hexes and watching them bounce against the wall.
"Dom, do you know why Neveu is in Strasbourg?"
He turned to look at them. "Oh, yeah. Chief Delacour called all the strategists to work at 5 AM this morning and told us he wanted to build an impenetrable fortress of sorts, reutilizing this old tunnel, where the Neveu would have a meeting with the Belgian Minister."
"And did you manage to do it?"
"Yes - there were about twenty of us frantically working on a space less than half as big as this house for three hours or so… Of course we managed to do it! We actually based the design on PE47."
Lily frowned. "I know I should remember what that is, but I don't."
"It's the strategy you two created for the Chief Aurors' meeting last month, I think."
"Oh, that."
"Yeah. Except that we made the necessary adaptations for the place in question, and we added a few security precautions. It's a very, very tight scheme - its greatest flaw is that it's almost impossible for anyone to enter."
"How practical."
"Isn't it?" Dom asked with a grin. "We thought so too, but Chief Delacour said we couldn't take any risks. The place will be absolutely crowded with French Aurors."
"I see."
"Well," James said, facing Lily, "I think we should go check it out."
"Yes, we should. Come on, Amelia - we have to go."
"Oh, no, one of you will have to stay behind," Dom pointed out, frowning. "Only three foreigners are allowed inside, and the Belgian Minister is already there."
"What do you mean, 'only three foreigners'? That makes no sense - there are quite a few non-French Aurors working there! Why would you do that?"
"The Chief wanted us to allow only two, but Ryder complained that he wouldn't get to even see the place properly, and neither would any of the other foreigners… So three it was. The deal was that they would just pass by, or else none of you would manage to enter."
"That's awful! Why would -"
"The Chief says all Death Eaters are British, and because of that he wanted no Englishmen working in that place."
Lily gaped. "What?"
Dominic lifted his hands defensively. "That's what he said!"
"But… That's - that's -"
"Let's go and tell him that," James interrupted her. "There's nothing Dom can't do about it."
"True. Bye, guys."
"Bye."
Lily and James hurried to enter the house again. Dominic and Amelia stared after them.
"I wouldn't want to be Alain Delacour right now, despite all the money, popularity and good looks."
"Are you kidding me? They're going to smash him to pieces if they find the slightest mistake in that security scheme."
"I don't think they will… It's their own flawless work with just a few modifications, checked for mistakes a thousand times."
"They'll manage to find a flaw - they always do."
Dominic made a face. "I guess so - they're the masters. I feel bad for Chief Delacour, though… He's not a bad guy."
"I'm sure he isn't. It's just… Well, he's standing between Lily and James. Nothing personal, but he doesn't stand a chance."
"Oh, I don't doubt that."
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Pay the grocer, you fix the toaster
You kiss that host goodbye, then you break a window
Burn the soufflé, scream the lullaby (…)
I believe in love - now, who knows where or when?
But it's coming around again…
Carly Simon, "Coming Around Again"
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"Lily! James! There's someone coming!"
The couple had been about to Disapparate when someone yelled the warning. They hurried to one of the rooms - every chamber had surveillance monitors -, and observed with suspicion the woman approaching the house.
She seemed to be somewhere around her mid-fifties, and was carrying a dodgy-looking basket. Lily's mind started reeling with the different possibilities - perhaps the lady was a disguised Death Eater… or perhaps she was a diversion of sorts…
"The scan indicates no magical items at all," Marlene said, puzzled. "Apparently not carrying a wand. That's good, but not entirely void of risk."
"I'll meet her," Lily volunteered, going to the living room. "You guys hide in different points of the living room for backup."
"All right."
"Be careful," James muttered, squeezing her hand warmly.
She smiled. "I will."
Lily opened the door, and examined the plump woman with distrust.
"Hello! Mrs. Potter, is it?"
She blinked, confused. "Yes. May I help you?"
"Hello! My name is Gail O'Connell," she replied happily. "Mrs. Baker told me you were moving in with your husband, and I thought I'd come and welcome you to Godric's Hollow."
Lily grinned at last. "Thank you."
"Well, please transmit my welcome wishes to your -"
"No, not at all, just wait a second," she said, entering the house and dragging a surprised James to the doorway. "Honey, this is Mrs. O'Connell. Mrs. O'Connell, this is my husband, James Potter."
"Nice to meet you, ma'am."
"Likewise. Oh, Rose Baker told me you two made a lovely couple, and she was absolutely right! Very lovely indeed."
James smiled warmly.
"Well, I must be on my way… It was wonderful to meet you two, and please count on me if you need anything."
"Thank you, Mrs. O'Connell. Please count on our help if you need anything as well."
"Here - I made some cookies, I thought you might like them," she said, handing them the basket.
"Thank you!"
Gail O'Connell walked away slowly - James noticed that some kind of injury or arthritis made her right leg slightly limp -, and the couple stared after her.
"Legit?" Lily asked, cocking her head to the side.
"I think so."
"Yeah, me too. Did you happen to have that Sneakoscope of yours in your pocket?"
"Yes, but I silenced it… It kept making that irritating noise whenever Skeeter was around! It didn't find anything wrong with Mrs. O'Connell, though."
"Good."
"You know, darling," he said with a joyous twinkle in his eye, wrapping his arm around her waist. "I think we're beginning to make friends in our new neighbourhood. Isn't that great?"
She laughed. "Have some cookies, sweetheart. If you like them, I'll ask her for the recipe later."
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I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
I don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
Every step that I take is another mistake to you…
Linkin Park, "Numb"
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"I have a bad feeling about this," Lily muttered to James while they made their way through the series of scans and magical barriers leading to the French Ministry's current office in Strasbourg under the close watch of several Aurors.
"I know… It's like a fundamental flaw is right in front of our faces and we can't see it."
"Perhaps," a distant voice said loudly through a speaker of sorts on the wall, "it's just that, for once, someone has done a better job than you. It's probably not a very good feeling."
"Hello, M. Delacour," James said tiredly. "I didn't realise you were watching us personally. What an honour."
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Alain said contemptuously in French, his voice echoing in the stony hallway. "M. Neveu is now talking to the Belgian Minister, but he won't be long. Meanwhile, you're both welcome to look around our facility - and, if impossible tasks amuse you, you can even try to find some flaws in our scheme."
"With pleasure," Lily replied, frowning. She'd already seen a flaw, and it was obvious… she just didn't know what it was.
"There is something wrong," James mumbled, staring at the surroundings.
"Well, someone could enter through -"
"Yes, of course. If someone used a Confusing charm strong enough -"
"Yeah. But that's still not it."
"No, that's not it."
Lily frowned. "Wait… there are…"
"What?"
She looked around, and seemed even more worried. "There are way too many people in here."
James sighed with relief. "Yes, exactly! If they -"
"Oh, Merlin…" she moaned, "The French don't have enough Aurors to maintain this! Other places are certainly unprotected!"
"But why -"
"M. Delacour!"
The couple turned to look at Sophie Bonacieux, who had just run in from the screening hallway.
She looked positively shaken: her hair was in disarray, and she was all dirty. Sophie was tightly clutching her wand, and seemed immensely relieved to see Lily and James.
Alain showed up out of nowhere, coming from one of the side corridors. "What happened, Mlle. Bonacieux?"
"The Ministry is under attack," she announced, panting. "I was alone with Ryder - we tried - too many dark wizards - I sent him ahead to warn you of what was happening… What, he hasn't arrived yet?"
"An English guy tried to break through our defences," a French Auror said, "we Stupefied him… We didn't have time to see who it was."
"Are you out of your mind?" Lily yelled at Alain, who was stupidly frozen in place. "How - dare - you do this? Establishing this place was an absurdly - arrogant - crazy - absurd -"
"Lily!" James intervened quickly. "We have work to do - you'll yell at him later."
She nodded, glaring at Alain. "I need permission to Apparate out of here!" she exclaimed, looking at the Aurors surrounding them. "Anyone?"
"That's not possible. You're going to have to get the proper form, and -"
"I don't have time for bureaucracy! It's an emergency!"
"I'm sorry…"
James stared hard at the surroundings. There had to be a weak link they could explore somewhere… but where?
"If anyone can find a way out, you can," Sophie said calmly, with unshaken, child-like faith in the two Chief Aurors. "Just… please, hurry."
"When we leave," Lily told her in a hurried whisper, "try to contact your brother. Write to him, saying what happened, and ask him to take Neveu to England, should James and I not return."
"But - of course you'll -"
Lily silenced her with an imperative gestured.
"I don't know…" James said all of a sudden, looking at her pointedly. "Transfigure me into an animal, Lily. Let me see what I can do."
She waved her wand and muttered some nonsensical gibberish, and James transformed into his Animagus form. The stag pranced around the facility for a couple of minutes, testing the hexes protecting the wall and the entrance corridor against his antlers.
Finally, a little hurt, he returned to where Lily stood, and transformed back into his normal self. "I got it," he announced with a small smile. "They read our strategy wrong - or perhaps we didn't indicate our initial plan properly… But there's one crucial spell missing. An actual attack will short-circuit the whole thing."
Lily frowned. "You mean -"
James pointed his wand up, and took a deep breath. Like most Aurors, he had a healthy horror of using the Unforgivables, but at times they were necessary. "Crucio!"
A red jet of light spurted from the tip of his wand, and hit the ceiling. Immediately, coloured sparks started lighting in several parts of the room, and suddenly everything went dark.
"We can Disapparate now," he said with satisfaction. "Sylvie, Apparate to the nearest place where you can send an owl post. Oh, and then come back to take control of Neveu's security."
"Yes, sir."
"You mean," Alain managed to say, still looking clueless and overall disoriented, "you mean you're going to face the attackers alone? You think you'll manage to defeat them, just the two of you?"
"Certainly," Lily replied. "Welcome to the British Ministry."
James reached for Lily's hand, and they Disapparated together.
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