Jily

Chapter 24

Lily's POV

We all returned to Hogwarts together within the next week.

It was a strange thing. It was almost as if everything around us was exactly the same before the death of James' parents, except for us. It was like everybody else was in their own little world while the six of us survived in our miserable bubble. Everything around us moved in a fast speed while we were moving in slow motion. But it was alright, because the six of us were together.

Over the past month or so while we had all been going through the struggles of finding our footing after the traumatic deaths of James' parents, we had truly discovered how important we all were to one another. If we were not all there for each other, I am positive that not everybody would have survived. We need each other. We are a family. I never really realized how important that was until now.

From the second that we had arrived, each of us had known that we would not be able to cope with our surroundings without some sort of distraction. Remus, Peter, and I took to the productive act of studying. Before we had left for the funeral, Remus and I studied very much compared to other students, but now we study almost excessively. We are probably years beyond our current spell textbook for I have already memorized all of the technique and such behind each spell.

Sirius and Marlene had taken to meeting up in secret down in the kitchens and other parts of the castle. I am not completely sure what they do, but I'm not sure that I even want to know. Still, I'm concerned for the two of them. I have noticed that they have started skipping class on a couple of occasions. Normally, Marlene would keep Sirius in line, away from skipping class and severe misbehavior, but in Marlene's wounded state, she could very well be just as bad as Sirius. The other day, when I was hanging out with James in his dorm room, we found two practically empty bottles of firewhiskey underneath Sirius' bed. I'm pretty sure that all of us are concerned for him.

Sirius had taken the death of the Potters really hard. To him, it wasn't just like losing family, it was like losing hope. The Potters had offered Sirius the only escape from his tyrannical family that he had ever had a chance. When he was accepted into the Potters' home, he was a more cheerful, better person. He did not have to constantly worry about his awful family and their abusive hatred toward him.

Remus, Peter, and I tried our best to look after Sirius and Marlene. It was difficult, though. Hogwarts is a really large place with many nooks and crannies and great places for hiding when you don't want to be found. Plus, Sirius probably knows Hogwarts' secrets better than anybody. Still, Sirius needed protection just as much as Marlene and James, even though he was not blood related to the Potters.

James seemed to be doing ever so slightly better than before the funeral. He seemed to have finally allowed the fact that his parents were gone to sink in a little more. The idea had truly started to take hold inside of him, rooting its way deeply into his mind, trying to get him to understand.

Unlike Sirius and Marlene, James had devoted his time to uncovering the secrets behind his parents' deaths. People had refused to reveal details of their death to him and it had started to really take its toll on him. He needed to know. He needed closure.

You never really expected James to find much, maybe the name of disease or virus that had caught up to them and unfortunately ended their lives. But what he found truly shocked you. You understood why people had not told any of the six of you of their death.

His parents were killed gruesomely by Death Eaters. When James discovered the truth behind his parents' deaths, he vowed to avenge their deaths any way he could. A hot, burning rage filled him, and it drove him nearly to madness.

I was so glad that I had the everlasting help of Remus and Peter. I knew that I could count on them. The two of them, they are dependable and unswayable people. They would help me no matter what. They would never stop helping, and they would never turn their backs on the other five of us.

We all needed each other. We were a family. And family is important. Especially during dark times where you never know what is going to happen next, like now.