blooming.

Marlene took a seat next to Lily, comforted in the fact that their previous meeting at her house hadn’t tainted the woman’s idea of her. She was honestly surprised to see LIly here, with a drink in her hands that certainly wasn’t water, after being horrified at what happened at the Black’s gala. But she smiled through the confusion, saying, “It’s nice to see you too, Lily.” She didn’t know the woman well just yet, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she should keep trying. Lily seemed like a good soul, something that seemed to be in short supply around New York nowadays. 

She couldn’t remember if she’d seen Lily at the Boulevardier before, as she had been spending quite a bit more time there lately. “I didn’t think that this would be your scene. You do know that most of the drinks here have alcohol in them, right?” she teased, though her smile only grew. She wanted to keep their conversation light, with no mention of investigations or cops or anything of the sort. The less she knew about the woman’s job, the better, or so she figured. 

At Marlene’s joke, Lily felt the corner of her mouth tilting up a bit. Looking back now, her reaction had been quite dramatic. She couldn’t blame Marlene for wanting to poke a little fun at it. “I used to come here all the time just to try and interrogate people.” It was an attempt at a joke, though Lily’s tone fell a little flat. Too much in her mind was off for things to be right. “I don’t really mind anymore,” she took a sip of the drink in front of her pointedly. 

Lily sighed, torn between wanting to spill her guts and to continue keep her mouth closed for eternity. She and Marlene weren’t friends exactly, but Marlene did seem like the closest thing to a friend Lily had who wouldn’t freak out at the words Lily wanted to say. If she kept it bottled up any longer, she was sure she was going to explode. 

“I need to tell you something. Can you keep a secret?” Lily was beginning to feel a bit giggly; she welcomed the change from how she was feeling earlier. “I quit my job today.” 

date: july 24th, 1925. location: union square park. status: open.

The moon was brighter, higher in the sky, than he would have cared for tonight. Hanging low, illuminating every blade of grass that he crunched beneath his boot while the smell of stale bread hung in the air. He checked his watch. Nearly two a.m. “God damnit,” he muttered beneath his breath, anger flaring at the thought of being ditched. They were supposed to meet him here at one. Not two. Not quarter to two. Not half past. Just one. Still, Frank leaned against a tree, cigarette hanging limply from his hand, appearing to be no more than a straggler–home after a late night of drinking, maybe the wife was still awake, kids asleep if he had’em–but Frank knew he couldn’t hang around much longer. 

The Longbottom didn’t make it a habit of disappearing very often. Not when he was needed. Not when there were more important things at stake. Still, prison had turned him into something of a ghost–often caught pacing like a ghost over grass and concrete and pavement until he wore his shoe print into the ground, deep into the earth, where even the worms couldn’t get to. A month was long. A month was what he needed. A month was his prescription and God forbid he get addicted because more than once he thought about taking his car West, farther than Appalachia, until the mountains of the Rockies loomed ahead and the water smelled crisp and the treachery of New York City was left in the exhaust of his muffler…

Frank heard the footsteps approaching, the figure outlined in shadows and starlight and secrecies. “You’re late,” he said, taking another drag of his cigarette so the smoke would coat his lungs in a stinging glory. Frank kept his head down, eyes on his toes and the red scuff mark on the leather of his boot. “That’ll cost ya.”

When Lily had reached out to Frank asking for a meeting, she’d been surprised at him saying yes. He was one of many she felt the need to speak to after everything; he was just one of many she’d wronged on a quest she could never win. If she ever was going to feel better about the things that had happened, making right with people like Frank seemed like a necessary step. 

“Sorry,” Lily mumbled, a bit alarmed. She’d expected him to be late, of all things. Cost her what exactly? Lily decided to ignore his statement and move on. “It’s a bit hard to get around town this time of night.” She pulled her coat tighter to her chest; it was warm, approaching mid summer quickly, but still, she had chills up her spine. More than anything, she wished she still had the gun she’d had to turn in a couple weeks ago. There was something unsettling about the city at night, especially since she’d learned the things she knew now. 

“Thank you for meeting me, Frank.” Lily continued after taking a breath, beginning to walk down the path, expecting him to follow. She felt like she needed to pace in order to keep herself calm. “I need to tell you that I’m sorry, for everything I said and accused you of before. I was wrong.” 

date: june 26th, 1925. location: edgar’s apartment. status: closed to @officerrevans​

he would be lying if he said he didn’t have ulterior motives in inviting lily to his apartment. showing off his cooking skills was one thing, but there was, fortunately or unfortunately, a reason he wanted her here. also deliberate were his files strewn on the table, as unorganized as ever, specifically ones he’d spent the last few months collecting on the new york city mobs.

but of course, this wasn’t something that he could do on his own, which was precisely why he needed lily’s help.

at the sound of light footsteps, he turned from the pot for one moment, a small, almost polite smile appearing at his lips. “you made it,” he greeted her, walking up to her with a hand extended.

Lily had been surprised by Edgar’s invitation for dinner. Although he listened to her when many others wouldn’t, they were far from close, and there were very few connected to the precinct she’d seen since she quit her job. Still, she’d said yes. Lily couldn’t help but be curious of what he had to say to her, and she still had yet to find another job and couldn’t pass up a free dinner. 

Her first couple knocks at the door had gone unanswered, so Lily turned the doorknob, finding the door open to her surprise. She entered the apartment quietly, following the noise to the kitchen. When Edgar finally turned around, Lily smiled, reaching out to shake his hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the files strewn across the table. Some of them caught her eye, but she forced herself to look away and to the man in front of her. That wasn’t why she was here; it wasn’t what she focused on at all anymore.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Lily laughed gently, surprised to find it genuine. “You really should lock your front door, Ed. You never know who could walk in.” 

date: after lily quits her job location: the boulevardier availability: closed to @officerrevans

There was no chance of mistaking the flash of red hair at the end of the bar. Her eyes fell on the woman, sitting alone with a drink in front of her. A sad sight, sure, but also a curious one. Hadn’t their last conversation revealed that Lily was a cop? Judging by the near breakdown the woman had after she discovered she had been drinking, Marlene was surprised to see her in the thick of it all. 

A glance at the clock showed she had plenty of time before Mary took the stage; that meant she had plenty of time to approach Lily once more. After leaving her home in such a rush, Marlene did wonder if there was anything else to say. If there wasn’t, it did just seem like Lily needed the company. Taking her half empty glass, it didn’t take her long to reach the end of the bar and stand at the woman’s side. “Is this seat taken?” she asked, gesturing to the empty seat beside her. She wasn’t sure if the woman would want anything to do with her anymore, but there was no harm in trying, right?

Lily was usually to still be at the precinct now, pouring over files even though most of her peers had gone home, or perhaps writing up reports that others had been too lazy to complete properly. Now, she was sitting at a bar alone, with no intention of investigation and nowhere else to go. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in this situation; she wasn’t sure if it had ever happened before at all. 

“Not at all,” Lily smiled at Marlene when she approached, moving her to drink to the side to allow the woman the space to sit. Her drink was delicious, but far from doing what she wanted it to do. Her initial elation after quitting her job had passed quickly into sadness; she’d give anything to feel nothing at all now. After years of prohibition, Lily couldn’t believe that she actually wanted a drink. At least company could be somewhat of a distraction. 

“It is good to see you Marlene.” Her tone was as genuine as Lily could manage, as cheerful as she thought possible. 

To Captain Shacklebolt and whomever it may concern,  Please accept this letter as a notice that I will be resigning, effective immediately.  Thank you for the opportunity to serve as an officer of the law. All of my life, it has been my dream to follow in my father’s footsteps. But, I have found recently that this dream is not meant to be my reality. I cannot pretend that what I hope to be true is the reality of the world anymore. I cannot bear it any longer. I do not know how you, or anyone else here, can.  Please mail my final paycheck to my home and discard any possessions I leave. I will not be returning. 

Sincerely,

Officer Lily M. Evans.

Lily’s hand shook as she placed the letter, a piece of paper she’d read a hundred times and rewrote half a dozen, on the desk in front of her. She’d come in bright and early to do this, before Kingsley or most of the other officers were in. When she cleaned out of her desk earlier, she’d managed to ignore the looks of the secretaries and straggling few who were around, and even taken the time to give a few choice words to Severus Snape when he’d tried to help her. That, at least, had felt good. This, on the other hand, felt like the opposite. 

Gently, she placed her gun, ID, and badge down on the captain’s desk next to the letter. Her eyes traced upwards to a picture of Kingsley and her father. Their smiles felt like glares, peering deep into her soul. She wondered if they were just as disappointed in her as she was disappointed in them. 

With one final look, Lily turned to exit the captain’s office, making a beeline right for her desk in the middle of the pen. More people were beginning to trickle into the office, and she gave them no mind as she picked up her purse and the box that contained the contents of her desk. On top of the stack of objects in the box, one stood out. A picture of her and Kingsley, on the day she’d made officer. She picked it up out of the box and put it back on her desk, leaving it for someone else to put in the trash later. 

Once upon a time, being an officer had been one of the few things she believed in. Lily had missed countless opportunities for this one, for the chance to save the world in a way her father never could. Find out the truth about who her father really was: an informant for the Death Eaters, helping to continue the spread of fear in the city, putting the lives of countless innocents at risk, had destroyed all of that. No longer did she want anything to do with upholding the law; part of her no longer believed that any of it was truly good. 

It terrified her, really. Lily didn’t know what she wanted now at all. When everything you’ve worked for ends up being a web of impossible to untangle lies and deceit, what was one supposed to do? What was there left to even believe in? There was no saving the city. There was no ending the wars. There was no setting the world free. 

time: post or mid-kidnapping(?) closed: @officerrevans

​Kingsley frowned down at the roast chicken, dark eyes considering its composition, the flavours within – in short, whether it was good enough for the guests that would arrive any minute. It was around this time every year, the time he’d started as a police officer, that he found his thoughts drawn to the Evans family. To Lily, yes, but also to her father. It was the anniversary of when they’d met, when Bill had taken Kingsley under his wing, shown him the beauty and the danger of New York. It was thanks to Bill that Kingsley had made the city his home, thanks to his guidance that he’d been as successful as he had, and it was with this in mind – out of a sense of gratitude, rather than the all too present guilt, that every year he’d invited Lily, Petunia, and  Dorothy to dinner. Looking down at the chicken once more, he decided it was cooked properly, placing it on the counter before giving another prod at the potatoes that still baked in the oven. A knock at the door drew his attention away from the food, and he turned, long strides bringing him to the door, where Percy sat, tailed curled around him, curious about the noise. He opened it, careful not to let the attendant cat out, and smiled at the sight in front of him.

Dinner on this day had once been a tradition Lily looked forward to, despite the terrible circumstances the day had come about for. It was a celebration of her father, toasts with a man she’d grown to consider a parental figure. This year, though, a bubbling sense of dread loomed over the date circled on her mother’s calendar. In the past couple weeks, Lily had hardly been home or to work, creeping in and out at the oddest hours she could manage, hoping to avoid the faces of anyone familiar. Knowing the truth about who her father was changed her, and it changed her opinion quickly about those she considered closest to her. 

But, she also knew she couldn’t hide forever, not with everything else happening in the city. Which is why, on the night before the dinner, Lily had surprised her mother with train tickets to head down and see Petunia for the week. There were things she needed to ask Kingsley, things she couldn’t speak about in the police station or a public cafe. Things only the date of her father’s death could make her brave enough to ask about. 

When the door opened in front of her, though, her bravery quickly crumbled into fear. Behind his smile, Lily couldn’t help but imagine something more evil; it had turned out most people around her were evil in some way, after all. What if he did know about her father? What if he was guilty of the same crimes?

“Evening,” Lily managed to stammer out, faking a smile. “‘S just me this year.” 

status: closed to @sun-swallowedme

Lily hadn’t been able to slow her breathing for hours; the past day had felt like weeks, as if the shattered illusion of her life was making the earth turn slower. She hadn’t wanted to believe it, and maybe part of her was fighting to still believe that everything Bellatrix had said was a lie, but the facts were stacking up to be indisputable. There were pictures, evidence. How else could Bellatrix had known those things? Lily liked to live in a world filled with facts and evidence. Betraying that now to believe the lie that had kept her motivated for years was wrong. 

And yet, here she was. 

She hadn’t been able to go home. After Bellatrix had left, Lily had sat in the tea shop alone for hours, staring at the documents in her hands with tears in her eyes, as if she’d blink and they’d suddenly disappear. She’d taken to wandering the streets after that, taking unknown turns in such a careless way, as if she was inviting danger towards her. Maybe, just maybe, that was better than facing the alternative: the truth. Well after dark, she hailed a cab. Lily couldn’t go home to her mother. What would she say? Lily had always been a terrible liar, and now, it seemed, their safety depended on that. Minnie? Kingsley? People she trusted, sure, but now, she didn’t know if their lies matched her fathers. 

Lily realized suddenly that there was only one person in the city she was sure had never lied to her. It was something she couldn’t believe she was thinking, nor could she understand why she believed it. He was a thief. A criminal. But, he didn’t hurt people. He’d promised her that. She’d told him she didn’t believe him then, but when she handed the address to the driver, something that had been written down at the station and shoved into her notebook, she knew that deep down, she really did. 

There were thousands of people in the city, and yet here Lily Evans was, on James Potter’s doorstep on the verge of tears, clutching her coat too close to her body. She felt idiotic standing here now. What would she even say? What would he say? Would he tell her to go away when he saw her like this? 

She took one final breath before knocking on the door, once slowly, then another time louder when it wasn’t opened immediately. “James!” Lily called out, knowing she must look insane to the neighbors but not particularly caring. Her primary focus was on keeping herself from crying. “Potter, open the damn door before I--” Lily was cut off by the door opening, and suddenly he was there in front of her. 

“Hi,” Lily said, her breath hitching. Seeing him now, having made the decision to tell him everything if he would listen, was different. Tears stung her eyes as she realized what exactly she’d be saying to him now. They were things she didn’t even want to say to herself. “Can I...” she motioned towards him. “Can I come in? I want--no. I need to talk. To you.” 

“Quiet certainly isn’t the word I’d use, but they are rather adorable,” Minnie preened. For all she blustered to Kingsley about him pulling his share of the weight to find the new kittens homes, she was rather fond of them already. It was hard not to be, with how cute they were. “Hm, that’s a shame, but please do that for me, Lily. I can’t keep them all,” she told the younger woman sadly. 

Lily’s posture, her whole demeanor was off and putting Minnie on edge as a result. Something was wrong, and she knew it. “Lily,” she started, still leaning back in her chair, “I’m saying this not as a supervising officer, but as someone with a stake in your well being: you can talk to me, about anything.”

Lily glanced back at the office door, still slightly ajar. Although it was doubtful that anyone would be listening to their conversation, anyone could dare to walk in at any moment. Even here, with Minnie, Lily knew she had to be careful. 

Everything that was running through her mind that she had vowed not to intrust with anyone was now begging to come out. Maybe it was because she wanted to just say them, or maybe it was because she knew Minnie would listen. Now, it was only a matter of trust. Deep down, she knew she had to trust Minnie. If she couldn’t trust her anymore, then what was the point? Could she trust anyone at all? Could she trust even herself? 

“I...” she started, squinting her eyes closed to stop the forming tears from coming out. She couldn’t look at Minerva, and could only hope she wouldn’t cut her off. Her voice was quiet, and her eyes kept darting to the open door. “I’ve... found things out this week, Minnie. Things about this city that I never even knew were possible before, and I just.... I just don’t know what to do about it.” 

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, her smile still in tact. Lily’s question didn’t surprise her, not after what she had heard. Still, she sat up and tilted her head. “Right to the point, hm?” She chuckled softly, taking a sip from her tea as she offered Lily a seat. Poor thing looked frightened and confused, but what would the truth do for her? When did the truth do anything but debilitate those who weren’t expecting it?

“I do apologize for Regulus. What he lacks in tact he makes up for in heart, I suppose.” It’d be his damn heart that’d drag the Death Eaters down to hell, and Bellatrix had always told herself she would be satisfied where she was, but how could she be when all the cracks him and his father before him were starting to show? Young and foolish and worst of all- confused. Just like Lily in a sense, she supposed.

“As for what I want from you, dear, is nothing really.” She stirred her spoon, watching her sugar cube dissolve, her voice coated with honey. “It would be entirely disrespectful to ignore you, however, considering where you come from. And if our fathers were once close friends, who’s to say we can’t be?”

A pause. She looked up, a smile still on her face. 

“Did he ever mention that to you?” She sat back, straighter, her hair falling into place. “I knew him before he died as well, of course I was younger then. I see a lot of him in you. In time maybe I could see more. It seems like we all follow our father’s footsteps eventually. How peculiar.” 

She took another sip. “The tea is lovely, by the way. You should have some.”

She wasn’t sure if she was hearing the words correctly, and she couldn’t stop blinking, letting them echo in her head. If she had learned anything over the past couple weeks, it was that the people she once fully trusted were far from worthy of it. Lily had come to find out that she’d been lied to and manipulated in ways she could have never imagined, and by Bellatrix more than anyone. There was no reason for this to be anything but another twisted lie. But, she took a look at Bellatrix’s face and somehow she knew in her gut that this wasn’t one. 

In a split second, Lily felt a rush of emotions through her. Shock, anger, disbelief, then denial. 

No, she didn’t believe Bellatrix. She couldn’t. 

“What are you talking about?” When she spoke again, her voice felt broken. On what planet would Lily’s father know Orion Black, let alone be his friend? If Bellatrix saw anything, it must have been part of an investigation. It was impossible. “Our fathers weren’t friends. They didn’t know each other, let alone...” 

Her voice trailed off as she realized what Bellatrix was insinuating. What her father was. How he must have known Orion Black. More disbelief sank in, followed by a pull in her gut. She felt like she was going to be sick. 

“You’re lying,” Lily decided. “You’re lying. This is just another one of your tricks. There’s no way that my... no.” She didn’t want to hear any more, and yet she didn’t make a move to leave. “Stop lying to me, Bellatrix.”  

Minnie watched Lily carefully as she spoke, nothing the way the young woman seemed flustered. It wasn’t like her to get so mixed up over little things like this. “I’m doing quite alright,” Minnie said finally, her gaze still firmly on Lily as she considered her options. “I’m unsure of what Sybill had planned for the weekend-mine was rather quiet, I’m afraid. Well,” she paused, “my cat did give birth on Friday, so that was rather exciting. You don’t happen to know of anyone looking to acquire a kitten, do you?”

She leaned back in her seat, posture casual while her intent was anything but. “And how are you, Lily? What’s going on with you?”

“New kittens don’t sound too quiet. Congratulations,” Lily smiled, holding her hands tightly in her lap. “Acquire one?” Lily tilted her head. She tried to look like it was something she was really considering, although she felt distant from the conversation, thinking of any way to get out of it fast. “I would say us, but I’m not sure my mother would be too happy with me if I brought home another cat. I’d be happy to ask around for you, though.” 

“What do you mean?” Her voice raised slightly in pitch, and she stiffened in her seat. “Just the usual with me. Work, home, sleep, work more.” She pointed to the folder she’d just handed to Minnie. “All of these cases are starting to stack up. I’m just doing all I can to help solve them.” 

It wasn’t that he didn’t realize that him and Lily were on opposite sides of the law, that there was something that kept them separated. But he had hoped that through their interactions and the investigation into him that he was sure she was doing that she had at least come to understand that at the heart of it, he wasn’t a bad guy.

“I’m not confirming that I’ve ever broken the law, Officer,” he said, using her title as a subtle reminder  that there were consequences to him doing just that, even in the relative safety of the Boulevardier. “But if I did? It’s not like what you’re accusing me of has ever led to anyone getting hurt,” he replied, doing his best not to think about the incident with Marlene as he said that. “Consequences or no, I have my limit to what lines i might hypothetically be willing to cross.”

He rolled his eyes at Lily-because in his head it was never Officer Evans, only ever Lily-but there was no heat to it. James offered up a smirk that was more smile than anything, softer than he usually allowed himself to be in public. “No, that was never how I’ve gone about it when I’ve picked up women in the past,” he admitted. “Because nothing I said was line. You’re all that I’ve said and more, Officer.” James shifted in his seat, leaning just the slightest bit more towards her. “Everything I’ve said you? It’s always the truth. I don’t bullshit, not with you.”

Lily shut her mouth quite quickly. She knew she was wrong the moment the words left her mouth, but hearing him confirm it and spit it back at her really made it sink in. She tilted her head to the side, considering his words. In the back of her head, she’d always assumed that his crimes hurt people the same most did. But, that was before she knew other things, things about the ways people really hurt in the city behind closed doors. So, what? Him being not as bad as others didn’t seem like a reason for her to trust him. And yet...

“You’re right,” she managed out, although saying the words was painful. Never in a million years did she ever think she would say that to him. “You aren’t the worst. That doesn’t mean you’re a saint. Just because you don’t physically harm people doesn’t mean you don’t hurt people.” A stretch, sure, but she couldn’t stand to just let him be right. 

“Does that mean you’re proposing, Potter?” Lily was reflecting in the back of her mind, remembering a time she chased him through the streets, just hoping for a shred of evidence to actually lead to a conviction. Now, she was borderline flirting with him in a bar she once swore she hated. “If so, I have to be honest. I wouldn’t marry you if it was a choice between you and a giant squid. Let alone just because you call me smart and beautiful in a sleazy place like this.” 

“The truth, right,” she shook her head, but there was a smile still on her face. She was enjoying this, as much as she wished she wasn’t. “Give me one reason I should actually trust you. Just one.” 

Bellatrix had heard of the altercation between Lily and Regulus, one that had made her scowl in disapproval. Having Lily as her friend would throw her off their scent, but what was the point? Her own father was working on the Black payroll, it’d be a matter of time before the woman would follow into his footsteps.

They all followed their parents, one way or another.

Still, she agreed to meet with her. God knew if Lily took a file, and what it held. The trepidation made her drum her fingertips against the countertop, yet there was only one staff member. Should things come to it, Bella could handle this. She could handle it a lot better than her cousin- it came with experience. 

“You’re welcome, darling.” She smiled warmly (a rare one for her) and raised an eyebrow. “Was there something on your mind?”

There was still a chance for Lily to make it out unscathed. She eyed the door, open and wide beside them. It wouldn’t be difficult for her to come up with a reason to have to leave: perhaps she forgot an appointment, or saw something concerning in the street that immediately required her attention. But, more than the fear of what lay ahead of her, Lily knew there would be massive regret hanging over her if she didn’t go through with this. The past weeks of turmoil had taught her nothing but that. 

“Yes,” Lily finally said, her gaze falling back onto Bellatrix and the sweet, warm smile on her face. Now or never. “There was, actually, I...” Lily broke off her sentence, feeling the emotions rushing to her voice and face. She hadn’t wanted it to be like this, for her to show up upset or angry. It would be hard to help, though.

“It feels awkward to say, but I spoke to Regulus recently,” she stuttered through the sentence, “He told me things and... well, he opened my eyes to a lot of things I did not know before. Things I could have never imagined to be true.” 

“I just... I guess I need to know,” The point, Lily, the point. There was no need for her to sit longer with the woman across from her and discuss crimes Lily knew she could never arrest her for. “Why me? Why’d you pick me out, of all of the officers here? What did you want from me?” 

“you can say what you like about minnie,” sybill said dramatically. “but anyone with a personal vendetta against my knick knacks is no fan of mine.” there was a bit of annoyance to the joking tone, but sybill held nothing against the woman. they were… annoying at times, they could admit it. “while a precinct should be safe in theory,” sybill frowned, grabbing the cards off the table. “i think it might not be the most comforting or risk free place to hold a job. i’d feel that way too, if i were in your shoes.”

“She just likes things to be organized, that’s all.” Lily couldn’t blame them for their frustration though. “I can’t hold that against her.” She frowned when she saw them starting to pack up. When this conversation was over, it was back to the precinct. Back to everything she was hoping to avoid. “I guess I can’t do anything I want to do without a little risk,” she mumbled, “But I don’t want to lose everything.”

Giving the woman just a nod before leaving to get water, Marlene wondered how exactly she had found herself in this situation. Under no circumstances would she consider befriending a cop, but now that she was here, she felt a little bad for the woman. Of course, she couldn’t exactly give Lily too much information, but there was no point in hiding the Death Eaters’ deeds from her, right? 

Soon, she pressed a glass of water into the woman’s hands and sat beside her, leaving plenty of space. There wasn’t much time for Marlene to speak in between questions, but Marlene merely shrugged. “I’ve obviously never experienced anything, well, bad. I have heard…things, however,” she said, unsure of how much details she could give. “They’re not good people, Lily,” she said, her words softer. She was sure there were others that lived in blissful ignorance of the horrors that the Death Eaters were known for, and she wondered if would have been better for both her and Lily if she had stayed quiet. However, she wasn’t sure what power Lily would have exercised over her. Did she have anything on her, other than the beverage that Lily herself consumed at the party?

For a few minutes, Lily said nothing, letting Marlene’s words sink in. She stared at the glass of water in her hands, watching it swirl around and around. There were too many thoughts in her head for her to say any words properly. Everything she knew now felt like a lie; how was she supposed to deal with that? Slowly, Lily took a sip of the water. the cool of it sliding down her throat a different feeling to everything else.

“Right,” she finally said, looking up at Marlene. “Right, I... Thank you Marlene.” Slowly, Lily stood up, placing the half drank glass back on the table. “I should be going, I... I’m sorry, Marlene. For lying and... all of this. I should just... be going.”

“I can’t help but disagree with you, but regardless,” James said, leaning in close to the police officer across the table from him, “I’ll enjoy the effort of trying to persuade you.” And he would-it was hard not to enjoy any of the time he spent with her. There was something about her that kept him coming back, finding excuses to talk to her, to linger in places she might show up, to learn tidbits of information from those who would let it slip. He was captivated by her, though he couldn’t explain why. 

“You and I both know that’s not true,” he said, his tone suddenly serious as he took her words to heart. He knew he did things that were bad, that he broke the laws and had betrayed his morals, but James found it hard to have him compared to the worst this city had to offer. He wasn’t perfect, far from it, but he tried, mostly, to be a good person. Fuck, this had all started as a way to help Remus, hadn’t it? “I’m a lot of things, and I’ll admit to that, but there are people in this city, in this club  that are far worse than I could ever be.”

He knew Lily had no knowledge of his mother, that she thought his words were nothing more than a joke, but he was only partly kidding. James laughed, a warm, light sound, shaking his head at her, “Oh, Lily, you have no idea. You’re just the kind of girl my mother wants me to marry-whip smart, beautiful, and has enough back bone to call me on my shit? The whole package, far as she’s concerned.” And as far as he was concerned as well, though he kept that thought to himself.

Lily froze when his tone suddenly got more serious, when he seemed to be calling her out rather playing... whatever it was they were playing at. His words hit her in a way she hadn’t expected them to. Of course, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, it was quickly becoming apparent to her that he was telling the truth. Once upon a time, she may have thought he was the worst person that had ever walked the streets. Now, she had learned more. Now, Lily maybe even thought to herself that he could be good; it was a thought she’d never admit out loud, the kind of thought she kept locked in the back of her mind. She wasn’t the kind of idiot girl to fall for a charming smile. Least of all his. Still, she knew that this was more than that. 

“Right,” she mumbled instead, gaze locked on the ground. What else could she say? You’re right and I’m wrong: congratulations? Suddenly, new thoughts came into her head in a flash. This wasn’t the time to back down from what she believed in, least of all in his presence. “I... you still break the law. You’re accountable for that. Don’t you know there are consequences? Do you even care about them?” 

“Officer Evans,” she reminded him sternly, resisting the smile pulling at her lips at the sound of his laugh. Light, kind, genuine. Was it all a trick? The way her stomach was flipping at his compliments felt like a trick. “Is that how you pick up every woman you see at a bar? Flirt, tell them your mother would love them, list all of the reasons they’re just perfect for you to marry,” This was easy. Normal. But, it felt different. “Because it doesn’t seem to be working.” She nodded to his hand, ring absent from his finger. “I don’t hear wedding bells.”