Sirius POV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I dragged James, already unconcious, up the steps to Lilys house.

Yes, Lily Evans, the girl who hated us almost all of her Hogwarts career, and is now Jamess girlfriend and a good mate of mine as well. Finally. I hated to come to her house like this, (her parents didnt know about the war yet and now she would most certainly have to explain,) but she was the only Order member we could get to, and shes a trained Healer, even if she cant work due to some unmentionable circumstances. Order stuff, the usual. I dropped James on the stoop and tried to reach the doorbell, but I couldnt stand. I settled for just banging on the door as hard as I could. Considered using James head, (it is unusually hard,) but then realized that probably wouldnt help his current state. I hit the door once or twice, and then I saw black. Lily POV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I was downstairs having a cup of hot chocolate, which I often did late at night when I couldnt sleep when I heard a thump on the door. I passed it off nervously as paranoia, what comes of obsessing over wars and murders in the middle of the night. But it was so hard, with Marlenes death, and I couldnt help but worry James would be next. But there it was again! I drew my wand (I dont feel safe without it next to me at all times, even when Im sleeping I keep it under my pillow.) and approached the door cautiously, ready to spring into action if Death Eaters had tracked me down. I thought I had done the protective spells correctly, but one never knows. I opened it slowly, expecting the worst, but what I saw was much worse than that. I screamed. On my doorstep was James, and Sirius next to him, both bloody and unconcious. The wounds on the surface were bad, but if my suspicion was correct, the hexes and curses used on them would have caused much greater damage. Then I heard feet behind me on the stairs, my parents and Tuney had heard me scream and come rushing down, my dad with a gun in his hand. It was almost laughable. Like a gun could do anything I couldnt do by just waving my waand and muttering a curse. Mum gasped as she saw the two bloody, broken, unconcious boys on the doorstep. Do you know them Lily? Whether you do or not, youll help them right? Arent you a docotor? Yes mum, of course Ill help them. Im not a doctor, Im a healer, theres a difference. And yes, I do know them. Thats Sirius Black, I said, pointing to the one with the shaggy black hair, And the other one is James, my boyfriend. My voice broke, I was fighting back tears. Weeping wont save James and Sirius. I immediately went into buisness mode. Tuney, clear off the dining room table and spread a plastic sheet over it. Im going to levitate them in here. She pouted, but went off to do it. I hope she understood that now was not the time for childish bickering. Wingardium Leviosa. I muttered the spell under my breath, and lifted Sirius first, he was slumped on top of James. After they were both on the dining room table, almost like an operating table, I began healing their surface wounds with my wand, and again dispatched Tuney to get me a couple of

warm washclothes. She was still pouting, but I suppose she understood the magnitude of the situation because for the first time in almost 8 years she didnt argue when I asked her to do something. Mum and Dad still seemed to be in shock at having two bloody, unconcious teenage boys on their dining room table. Mum. MUM! I practically shouted. You in there? I need you to help me get some of the blood off of Sirius, Ill do James. Mum had been trained as a nurse, even if she couldnt help with the magic, she could at least do a few things that healing and nursing had in common. Yes, OK dear, but you owe your father and I an explanation as to why these boys are in such a state. I get the feeling you know more than youre letting on. Tuney, could you go get my potions kit out of the bottom left drawer and get the cauldron next to the desk as well please. This is where I draw the line!! Ive been running and fetching things for you, but I wont touch that stuff! Its not natural! Petunia, this is a matter of life and death! And you wont go get a box full of ingredients and what is basically an iron bucket! If its so important why dont you go get it yourself?!?! I wont leave his side. I said quietly. I wont. My worst fear had come true, and I wont leave his side again. Pet huffed and marched up the stairs to my room and came back a minute later with the things Id asked for. Honestly, all that fuss over going to fetch something from my room. Mum continued to bathe their faces and wounds with warm water, while I mixed a blood-replenishing potion and other potions that would take care of the nastier curses that seemed to have been placed upon them, especially James. I also made a Draught of Dreamless Sleep, they would probably need it later. Once they had drunk the potions, (we had to force feed them, seeing as they were still unconcious,) we all sat down in the chairs around the kitchen table. I still kept hold of Jamess hand. I knew I would be right there when he woke up. Yes, he would wake up. I was sure of it! He had to! I began crying softly. Sweetheart, I know this is difficult for you, but you have to tell us whats going on. You know exacly why these boys are like this. Mum said, almost pleadingly. Who cares? Petunia said. Why does it even matter? They probably got themselves involved in some drunken brawl and crawled here. I have more important things to worry about, my dress for my wedding to Vernon is an absolute mess! The dressmaker did the opposite thing of the design THAT I DESIGNED MYSELF. And then she had the nerve to tell me that she was only trying to make it look halfway decent! And the lady doing the floral arrangements, dont even get me started. And the cake! Terrible! People these da I cut her off. I couldnt take it anymore. You think youve got it bad! Oh, poor Petunia, her dress is messed up! That really puts my life in the right light, doesnt it! I mean, what is it that my best friend was just murdered last week! Petunias

flowers arent right! Its no big deal that the man I love is laying here on the table, possibly dying, the baker wrote the wrong name on Petunias cake! I paused to take a breath. And its no big deal that me, and my boyfriend, and all of our friends, all of the people we care about, are in danger of being brutally murdered every day! Our lives, our fighting for a world where our children wont go to sleep every night wondering whether or not theyll be ALIVE tomorrow, oh thats nothing compared to poor Petunias sufferings for her wedding! That really snaps my sufferings into perspective, doesnt it! I finally stopped shouting, breathing heavily. My whole family was staring at me, open mouthed. Dearie, could please you explain? Mum was always so polite, in fact almost to the point where it could be annoying, like now. Wihtout the shouting please, Lils. Dad spoke up for the first time. Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning. You must know, just like any other people not all wizards are good. But there was one wizard who went bad, much much worse than the rest of them. In fact, he is the most dangerous dark wizard of all time. His name is Lord Voldemort, and his goal is not only to take over our world, but to rid it of all muggleborns. But Dumbledore, you remember Dumbledore right? He is probably the MOST powerful wizard of all time, in fact, many say he was the only one Voldemort ever feared. He founded a society to fight him, and James and I joined as soon as we graduated from Hogwarts. We couldnt just stand by and watch him take over, even if it possibly cost us our lives. James and Sirius were going on a mission tonight, I cant tell you what, it would be too dangerous, for you as well as us. But part of what makes You-Know-Who so terrifying is his followers, the Death Eaters. Dont laugh at the name, theyre almost as bad as Him, and they outnumber us twenty to one. I do not mean to scare you, thats the reason I kept the war from you all this time, but since Im telling you I might as well be real with you. I dont know for sure, seeing as theyre unconcious, but I am certain they were attacked. Im the closest one to where they were, as well as being at least a partially trained Healer, even if I could never finish the program due to the war. But its no use telling me not to be a part of it anymore. Like I said, Ill do anything to make sure my future children can go to sleep at night, not worrying about whether or not theyll be alive tomorrow. They all seemed to be in shock, just staring at me. But then Sirius began to stir. I jumped up and ran around to give him a hug. Whoa, Lil, kinda sore still. Oops, sorry. What happend? Was it a Death Eater attack? Dont worry, I told my parents everything. I wouldve had to soon anyway. Course it was a death eater attack, what else would it be? We werent even on an official mission, just in Knockturn Alley picking up a few things for Dumbledore. No one else was around though, were the only casualties. All the sudden James was moving, attempting to sit up, but apparently unable to do so. Prongs here got hit the worst, though I spose you could tell that.

I helped him sit up gently, and he began to blink even against the dim light. Where am I? Then he turned to look at me. Lily? Lily! There are Death Eaters! You need to get out of here! Quick! Shh, its alright the Death Eaters are gone, see, youre at my house, Sirius managed to drag you here after your fight, and then proceeded to pass out on my doorstep. Hes awake now too. Hows it going mate? Sirius joked. Oh Im absolutely corking. James said sarcastically. I sat there with my arms around him, content that he was, for the moment at least, alive and relatively fine. I knew that there would be more close calls, there was bound to be in a war, but as long as he was with me I would be just fine.