Catch My Fall
Chapter 6-Birthday Wishes
"So now, the four of you have escaped the presence of Voldemort three times?" Professor Albus Dumbledore asked.
Sitting in his office at Hogwarts, James, Lily, Alice, and Frank had gone to inform Dumbledore of their narrow escape.
"Correct," James muttered.
Everyone was still quite shaken up after Halle's funeral, which had been a week before.
"It seems to me that you all have become targets," Dumbledore mused. "For what reason, I am unsure. The only assumption I can make is that you are all strong and well connected. You all have a good relationship with me, you're all in the Order, and you're all of valuable service to the Ministry. Alice heals the injured wizards, including Aurors, Frank is a top Auror already, and Lily and James, you happen to be very promising advocates in training as Aurors."
"You think that is the reason we're all targeted?" Frank asked.
"Also, the four of you know just about everyone in the wizarding world. At your loss, a major decline in performance would occur. Look at this death of Mrs. Black. She knew many, making us all vulnerable to her death. Voldemort knows where we are weak," the aged professor explained.
"Our hearts," Lily murmured.
"Precisely, Lily," Dumbledore acknowledged. "Our ability to love differs us from his clan. That is what makes us so perceptive to his terror. We know that the ones we love are constantly at risk."
"Does that mean our friends are in danger?" Alice quietly asked.
James' ears perked to his question. He hadn't thought of that. Would the Marauders be in danger? Would Lily be in danger?
"Sadly," Dumbledore slowly said. "Yes. The best you all can do at this moment is just keep a sharp eye and a steady heart. I'm continually on the case as to Voldemort's next move. I'm afraid to say that it is hard to prevent deaths from occurring as the Order is highly disadvantaged. Our wizards have extraordinary skill, no doubt, but there is not enough of us willing to fight against him."
"Is it true that you taught him, Professor?" James questioned.
"Yes," Dumbledore said, softly. "If I had known then what his talent would be used for.."
He shook his head. The memories were clearly paining him. Teaching someone as evil as Tom Riddle had to be a burden.
"Please do take care of yourselves," he called, as the four of them made to leave. "Oh, and good
luck!"
Aside from the news of Halle's death and the danger their friends were in, Lily and James had much larger problems to face. Marriage was a new and unfamiliar thing to them. They had been very close at Hogwarts, yet, there was no way of preparing one's self for the harsh realities of living with another.
New flaws began to appear before their eyes. After long days of vividly draining training, the two of them were extremely irritable.
"Do you want me to cook?" James asked, plopping onto the couch.
"No, I can do it," Lily replied, resting her head on his chest.
"You're tired," he provided. "I'll do it."
"No, sit down," Lily snapped. "We can order in."
"Good idea," James sighed.
"Have you talked to Sirius yet?" Lily asked.
James traced his fingers along her hand, loving the feel of her skin.
"No," he replied. "He went back to work this week. I don't know how he can stand to live in that house still."
"I have a feeling that he'll move into a flat in sure time," Lily predicted. "Halle loved that house. I suppose he doesn't know who is honorable enough to buy it."
"What about Katy? Have you warned her?" James asked.
"No," Lily said. "I don't want to worry her. She looks out for herself anyways though. All Aurors do. I suppose we all have to be a little paranoid to have the nerve to do this job."
"I suppose you're right," James yawned. "Remus has been up to his ears in work as well. He's researching methods of curing lycanthropy. So far, he's had no such luck. The Ministry is allowing him to do that, seeing as it is a certain defensive related topic."
"That's good," Lily said. "I hope he finds a cure. Poor Remus."
"We're not even there to help him anymore," James reflected. "Our lives are so hectic."
"What about Peter?" Lily questioned. "How's he been?"
"Haven't seen him," James said. "He's always been so secretive though."
"That's just Peter," Lily figured.
"We haven't even fought today," James declared. "It must be a good day."
"We're just tired," Lily teased. "We'll get back to it tomorrow."
James leaned down and kissed his wife on the lips. He looked around their furnished house. It brought back memories of
his parents. It was sad, but happy all the same. He was glad to be able to keep a piece of them around.
"More paperwork," Katy grumbled. "Why did we get stuck with Mad Eye? Frank seems like more fun."
"James says they do drills," Lily groaned. "I wish we did drills."
"No," Katy complained. "We get stuck with this nastily exhausting paperwork. This is almost as bad as History of Magic. Are you sure that Moody isn't channeling Professor Binns' spirit?"
"That would explain a lot," Lily muttered.
"Work, work, work," Mad Eye mock-cheerfully called, bringing in another pile of papers.
"You've got to be kidding me," Katy protested.
"Do I look like I have a sense of humor, Jones?" Moody questioned, his eye focused on Katy's equally intimidating pair.
"Yes," she tried, hopefully.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he called, walking out of the office.
"Now I know why they call him mad," she claimed. "So, Lily, what are you doing for the big nineteen?"
Katy had brought up a good point; tomorrow was Lily's nineteenth birthday. How could she have forgotten? Well, the stress, the death of one of her best friends, the demanding Auror training. Those were some reasonable excuses.
"I haven't thought about it," Lily truthfully replied.
"We're full of comedians in this office," Katy laughed. She saw the serious look on Lily's face and stopped. "You really did forget your own birthday?"
Lily nodded.
"You're almost nineteen and yet you've had more put in front of you than most wizards. I guess you don't have time to think of such things," Katy sympathized in a small, quiet voice.
The two of them sat silent for the rest of the time duration at work.
"Evans! Nineteen now, ay?" Moody asked, clapping Lily on the back.
"It's Potter now," Lily said, lifting up her left hand and showing her ring.
"Oh yeah," Moody said, scratching his head. "Didn't I go to that wedding?"
Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. Frank and Alice had stopped by to wish her a happy birthday. She even saw Remus for a moment. He had given her a watch that detected dark wizards within a mile. She had kissed him on the cheek in thanks.
Even poor Sirius stopped by. He had hugged her and given her an album Halle had made. It contained pictures of Hogwarts; their friendship from day one. Both of them had gone a bit teary eyed. Lily smiled, thanking him.
She wondered if James had remembered? He, after all, held the same stress she did. She barely remembered until Katy told her.
He probably forgot.
She walked into the house and saw a brief light. It appeared to be in the kitchen, but seeing as the lights were all out, she couldn't be sure.
Is James setting things on fire again?
She headed into the kitchen and switched on the light. A small birthday cake with one candle was sitting on the table. It read, Happy Birthday Lily! She smiled. He had baked for her; something that she hadn't imagined possible.
A single red rose was sitting next to the cake. It reminded her of the night they had gotten engaged. Two hands covered her eyes from behind. She smiled, taking in his scent.
"Happy birthday," he whispered into her ear.
"I thought you had forgotten," she breathed.
"How could I forget? I love you," he said, taking his hands off her eyes. She turned to him, feeling a tear of happiness creep into her eyes.
"I almost forgot myself," she admitted.
He held out a slim box and let her take it.
She opened it and found a slim, silver bracelet with engravings.
It read,
Forever yours.
She smiled.
"I love it." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him daintily on the lips.
"And I love you," she continued.
"Even when I get on your nerves?" he questioned slyly.
"Even more then. You're the only man I can love for his imperfect nature," she confessed.
"Happy Birthday, Lily," he said, sweeping her into his arms.
A/N: Short, I know. I have plans. I just need some time to pass before I reach that point. I'm figuring that Lily was about 21 when she had Harry; 22 when she died. That's what I'm figuring. This is her first year of training, so by that time, she'll be done. So, when the prophecy is made, she'll be 20. That'll be next year. So, I still have a year to kill. I may just skip forward in time soon. Please review.