ALWAYS

Ashes

A few hours later Lily and James were getting dressed for the funeral. Everything was in place. Remus and Peter had taken care of everything.
Lily had just finished combing her hair and turned to around to look at James struggling with his tie and with one irritated grunt he threw the tie on the ground and sat on the bed, putting his head in his hands in frustration.

Lily smiled sadly at the sight and walked up to James. Knelt down in-front of him and gently pulled his hands away from his face to reveal his hazel eyes filled with tears. Lily smiled at James as she wiped away the one tear that had managed to escape his eyes and stood up as she pulled him up too.

" I know that this is hard for you James. But Dorea and Charlus were at peace when they died. I am sure of that. You were in a happy marriage, Sirius was getting over Marlene's death and I was pregnant when they died. We were the perfect family before they left us. And they looked so happy when they gave us the teddy yesterday. So for them, please don't beat yourself up about them."she said caressing his cheek gently with her hand. James nodded like a toddler when he heard Lily. She was right and James knew it. He gave her a sad smile and Lily leaned against his chest, giving him a much needed hug. She broke away after a minute and bent down to pick up the tie that had so harshly been thrown on the ground. She tied the tie onto his neck and straightened his black suit. "There you go. Always had trouble with the tie" she chuckled at James who gave her a mocking frown.

James, Lily and Sirius made their way through the garden where the burial was taking place. They had decided unanimously that Charlus and Dorea would want to be buried right here, in Potter Manor where they had built so many memories. Where James was born, where Charlus and Dorea lived with their children happily and where Charlus used to live with his parents. Hence, it was fitting that they would be buried here. They solemnly nodded at everyone who was there paying their condolences. They stood by their bodies as people placed flowers and bouquets on their coffin. Lily had just finished talking to one of Dorea's and Charlus's work friends. She walked back to join Sirius and James. She looked at Sirius who was looking down at his hand, his fingers gently feeling a ring. It was the ring Charlus and Dorea had gotten for Sirius's birthday. Lily grabbed his arm and leaned against his shoulder, placing her hand on his suit, covering his suit pocket. He looked down at her, before placing his hand over hers. "You okay?" he asked her. "mmhmm. You ?" she asked. "I've been better" he answered. Sirius was about to ask her something else when James interrupted. "Guys, it's time". The trio looked at each other and then walked to Dorea's flowerbed. Beside the flowerbed were two graves with a headstone above each. They lowered the bodies and covered them with sand. Everyone lingered around for a bit before leaving. 

James, Lily and Sirius stayed looking at the headstones for a few more moments. They read:

Charlus Potter - Loving husband and a devoted father

Dorea Potter - Beloved wife and  the perfect mother

They looked back one last time before heading back inside. They sat in the kitchen for some time. Lily went back to their bedroom a few minutes later. She heard the door open and shut and the house got quite all of a sudden. No chatter. She couldn't hear anyone. James and Sirius had gone out. She sat down on the bed and tears flowed down her face. Charlus and Dorea were dead. The couple who so kindly had stepped in to their parents shoes were gone too. A few moments later she pulled herself together and got up. She decided to take a bath. As she got dressed, and was combing her hair, she looked at the mirror to find Lucious Malfoy standing against the doorway.

 She pulled her wand out immediately. "How dare you come into my house you bast-" she growled, but was met with a petrification spell that she dodged. She had so much anger in her that she sent spell after spell at Lucious and he couldn't outmatch her. A few minutes later they were joined by more death eaters. She didn't mind killing all of them. But she was outnumbered and within the blink of an eye a fire had surrounded Lily. Through the smoke she could see the death eaters slip away. She grunted in anger before she muttered an incantation and the fire parted for her. She knew she couldn't hold it out much longer. She rushed to the wardrobe and grabbed the teddy bear that Charlus and Dorea had given them. She grabbed the camera and a few albums from the desk and stashed them in the tote bag she had found. She scrambled to get to Sirius's room. She grabbed the ring Sirius was going to give Marlene, and a few of Sirius's albums. She turned around to leave to see that her spell was no longer parting the fire for her but was growing and spreading all across the house. She didn't know what to do. She took a step back and met with the window. 

"Lily!" she heard faint shouts. James. He was outside. She looked outside to see James being held back by Sirius. She looked at his face, grief stricken at the thought of losing his wife and his baby along with her. She closed her eyes and tried apparating but the death eaters had put up a blocking spell. She looked outside the window again, where James was struggling to break free and run inside, but Sirius holding back and trying to calm him down telling him he would die if he would go inside. 

Lily took a deep breath before she lunged out the window, the tote bag in one hand and her wand in another. She caste a cushioning spell and landed on the ground, light as a feather. She opened her eyes to find James and Sirius look at her with shock, unable to believe that Lily had survived the fire. James stopped struggling to break free from Sirius's grip as he stared at Lily. Sirius too smiled as he saw her standing in front of them, alive. He slowly loosened his grip on James. 

Lily dropped the tote bag and ran towards James. James took only a step forward when he felt Lily's weight against his body, her arms wrapped around his neck. He hugged her back, his arms encircling her waist. He kissed her on the head. "You're okay? You're okay?" he asked as he broke away and cupped her face with his hands. "I'm okay" she nodded smiling at him, unable to believe her luck. They hugged again and a few minutes later Lily and Sirius too were hugging each other. They watched as the house burned down, their memories along with it. 

"Blinky. Oh my god James Blinky" said Lily as she looked at James. James and Sirius looked at each other, sadness in his eyes. James shook his head gently before he pulled her close. Lily rested her head against his side, her hand on his chest. James's arm gripped her waist gently, not wanting to let go after the days events. So many deaths were taking place around them. It wasn't right. 

The trio turned around slowly and walked away from the house. They apparated to Frank and Alice's house. They informed them Lily's encounter with the death eaters and the tragedy that had struck their house. They were gracious enough to let the trio stay. 

That night Sirius, James and Lily went to bed all thinking about the same thing. Charlus and Dorea, their house and Blinky. All three who had always protected them from whatever harm came their way. Always.