#withering-lilyevans

Time: The evening of February 14th Location: Hospital ward at the Potter Estate Starter: @withering-lilyevans​

Emmeline clucked her tongue as she fidgeted with the pillows on the bed she’d just remade. They’d all been fine to begin with, but on a night like tonight, everything needed to be perfectly in order. Someone could be back needing immediately medical attention from an unknown charm or trap any moment. She hated these nights. It was when she was needed most, but it was also when she felt the most useless.

“Any change on the map?” she asked distantly as she glanced back toward Lily. Emmeline didn’t fully understand the magic that had made the map or how such young wizards had achieved it, but she hated to ask too many questions, especially about something that made her fear just a little bit less, a little more smooth. That map gave them precious seconds of warning to prepare for the worse.

Date: Early morning, February 15, 1982 Location: A personal hell Starter: @withering-lilyevans​

Sirius hadn’t yet slept. He was drifting around the Potter Estate, caught off guard and overwhelmed wherever he looked. Every corner reminded him of sitting and scheming with James as teens or talking through the stresses of his new responsibilities as an adult. Every new room Sirius entered seemed to slam into him all over again that it was done, that he wouldn’t get any more of those moments with James. Tears kept prickling at his eyes, but Sirius would clench his fists and hold onto his anger instead. He couldn’t cry, not yet. He hadn’t earned the right yet. He hadn’t been there when James needed him. He hadn’t been able to do anything good with his night. Once again, he wasn’t where he needed to be during an Order mission; he’s been where he was supposed to be, but he hadn’t done anything good. He’d been there, but what was the point? Sirius had failed.

As he drifted into the kitchen, Sirius felt his body and mind seize when he saw Lily with her head draped on the table. There was a plate in front of her, but the sandwich on it was untouched.

James never left her along during hardship. James was always there for her. James wasn’t there anymore. Sirius would have to try.

He walked up behind her quietly and placed his hands against her shoulders, rubbing up and down her arms. “Hey,” Sirius said quietly. He couldn’t ask how she was feeling. He knew what awful swirling was going on inside her because he felt it too. James Potter had been a magnetic force--a fierce sun wonderful to orbit. What were they supposed to do now that they were left with nothing but the black hole of his absence?

LOCATION: McKinnon Farm DATE: December 22nd 1981  STATUS: closed | @withering-lilyevans

That morning, the Inner Circle had gathered to discuss Lily Evans in light of what had happened at the Nott Manor. Moody had been Lily’s harsher critic. James her stronger defender. Everyone had voiced their opinion, some more at length than others. In the end, a decision had been taken and it had fallen on Caradoc to deliver it to Lily in person.

Normally, he would’ve suggested for someone like Edgar to do it, but Edgar was busy with what James had to tell them after the meeting. And if the choice had to be between himself and Potter, then Caradoc didn’t mind to be the one to do it.

If anything, it finally gave him a chance to talk with Lily Evans and see if she was a strong-headed as her boyfriend. And if the occasion arose, he could extend his offer of helping with the Dissendium Task Force to her, too.

After leaving James, he travelled to the McKinnon Farm to find her, weathering the unhappy looks of the McKinnons after what had happened to Alaric. At least, they hadn’t withdrawn their support. Not yet.And he was going to thread lightly while here.

“Miss Evans,” he called, when reaching the place a young McKinnon had directed him to when he had asked about Lily, “can we talk?”

Date: 15 February 1982

Location: The Potter Estate - The Sitting Room | Early Evening

Status: Closed Starter with @withering-lilyevans

As Severus prepared the dittany and other healing potions, he sat in a large armchair as they bubbled in their cauldrons, brewing for hours on end. In that time, Snape tried to collect his thoughts, recounting all that had come to pass the night before. While many were adding to the chaos - shouting and crying, not making any sense, others were begging for help with their injuries. To which, Severus took the time to mend and heal, wanting to prove himself to his comrades. And in that flurry of disarray, the news of James Potter broke out.

There was a fleeting, unforgivable moment of weakness he had when the news of his death hit Snape’s ears. Memories of being bullied relentlessly in school and a jealousy he held made it hard for him to cast away any bias. For one, brief moment, there was a sense of relief. Horrible, Severus knew - and brushed it away as quickly as he could; guilty that he had even felt that way in the slightest. After all they’d been through, and with Snape joining the Order, all he wanted was to bury those thoughts and leave them long forgotten. Especially now that he wanted to actually redeem himself for the cause; rekindle his friendship with Lily Evans. Holding a grudge or dredging up the past would have made it much more difficult. And now...

Severus gulped, he couldn’t dwell on it. He had to put on a face of indifference - no matter how complicated his own emotions were, swimming around his mind, consuming his thoughts. Luckily, once the potions were finished, he was able to bring them to Emmeline at The Potter Estate. That was able to occupy his thoughts for a good while, fulfilling his desire to do some good in the wake of all this mourning. Which...Severus turned to look inside the Sitting Room on his way out, stopping in his tracks at the sight of familiar red hair. He could swear his heart was beating loud enough for her to notice, but she didn’t. He supposed that he could turn and go, take the opportunity to let Lily heal on her own. Besides, why would she ever want to see him after what had happened? But Severus knew she was hurting...

Loyal to a fault, Severus knew he had to be there for his friend. In silence, if that was what she wanted. Even so, just to be there, present, for her - and provide whatever she may need or ask for. His own heart ached knowing how painful this all was for her, no matter how small and hardened it had become over the years. Taking a deep breath, Severus stepped into the room. There was no use in asking how she was doing. Instead, he knocked on the door to let her know someone else was in the room as he stepped up a couple of feet behind from where she was sitting, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for your loss...” Severus’ voice was calm, but quiet, not knowing how this would turn out.

Date: January 8th, 1982

Location: Marlene’s Cottage in the McKinnon Ranch

@withering-lilyevans​

No immediate tasks for the force, no mission assignments for the Order, not even any pressing matters to take care of in the ranch. It had been so long since Marlene had spent time with one of her closest friends. Marlene historically never had many friends of the female variety. The witches she could feel close to could all be counted on one hand - and half of them were related by blood. Her friendship with Lily Evans was one she cherished, ever since they started in the Order together. However, lately with everything going on around them, their friendship felt tested every day. And like the war - it felt as if they were losing.

And so - this night became a product of plan to slow down and catch up. Marlene’s feminine instincts might not have been as strong as others, but her intentions always came from the heart. She held high expectations for her friends -  but even higher expectations for herself. So she planned to make this night a memorable, cheerful feeling to hold onto for the time to come. 

Marlene walked into her common room with a pot of tea; cozy blankets and snacks already placed in the center for a relaxing night in. Once she placed down the kettle next to the girls’ two favorite mugs, Marlene took her wand and spoke “Incendio!” as she simultaneously directed it to the fireplace. Everything was ready. Now, Marlene only needed to wait for Lily to arrive for the night’s festivities. 

Time passed and boredom began to settle in. Marlene grabbed her popcorn and began whipping up pieces in the air to see if she could catch it in her mouth. At first, it was just to pass the time, but as what usually tends to happen in her life, Marlene became aggressively competitive to prove to herself she could get it - and even played up the difficulty level just to see if she could outsmart herself.

Date: January 20, 1982 Location: McKinnon Farms Starter: @withering-lilyevans​

Sirius sighed dramatically as he folded another towel. “Honestly Lily, can’t this stuff be done by magic?” His own was, but Sirius also didn’t necessarily fold the unimportant stuff. Instead he’d just send it straight from the dryer to the pile of towels in the cupboard. He supposed not everyone was fine with that kind of organization system. Some might argue it wasn’t one, although when everything was where it should be, Sirius disagreed.

Still, Lily had asked him for a little help, and he hadn’t been able to say no. He knew things had been weird for months now. If she was reaching out, that was hopefully a sign that things were still going better for her and James, but Sirius knew better than to ask either of them directly. That was asking to get in trouble one way or another. He glanced at her as he placed the towel on top of the pile and picked up another. “You really are doing a little of everything right now, aren’t you?” he said, keeping his voice conversational. He didn’t know yet if Lily had something she wanted to talk about in particular or if she had just wanted company. he was down with either.

The plan was simple enough, in its essence. Join the Order of the Phoenix, gain their trust, learn their secrets, and destroy them. Unfortunately, Annalise was still stuck on step one.

There were a few known and suspected Order members whom she might approach, but figuring out the right way to approach one of them had been tricky. Asking too many questions, pushing too hard, it was undeniably risky. Given that someone in their ranks had murdered her sister, Annalise knew there would be at least some suspicion around her joining, so she needed to find a way into their numbers that would draw as little attention as possible.

James Potter’s death, then, made for a perfect opportunity.

She’d been in the year above Potter and his friends at school. Though she’d not known them well, she did know them in passing at least. And they would be grieving— just like Annalise herself still was. It would be the most natural thing in the world to approach someone close to him, and offer her sympathies.

It was with that in mind that she found herself in Hogsmeade on her morning off, brushing a light dusting of snow from her cloak as she made her way into the apothecary. She’d only been to the shop a handful of times since she’d finished Hogwarts— the apothecary in Diagon Alley was much more convenient. But Lily Evans didn’t work in Diagon Alley.

Annalise immediately spotted the girl— it was hard to miss her, with that hair. She was in the middle of helping another customer, so Anna spent a moment browsing. Her mother had mentioned a few days ago that her nephew had a cold, so she picked up a couple of bottles of Pepper-up Potion, as well as a few other things she’d been needing to buy. As the bell over the door chimed, signalling the other customer’s departure, she made her way up to the desk.

“Evans,” she greeted with a smile, before allowing it to falter— the expression of someone pleased to see an old acquaintance, before remembering her recent tragedy. Her features slipped into sympathy as she leaned forward against the counter. “I heard about what happened, I’m so sorry. How are you holding up?”

(Sorry, Snape. It was a good cheap shot setup.)

Caradoc had assured Sirius that Snivelus’ poisoning would be treated as seriously as it was. Some might consider poison a strong term for a memory wipe potion, but considering he had planned to manipulate her into running away together, Sirius didn’t think any punishment would be enough.

Emmeline and Bran had assured Sirius that Lily would wake up and that eventually she should start to regain on her own, but anything that he could give her now would be helpful if they could slowly ease into it. Bran had told him in no uncertain terms that if he overwhelmed Lily and she panicked, he would be out on his ass. 

“Hey,” he said, shifting forward to grab Lily’s hand as she woke up. She’d been awake earlier, but Emmeline hadn’t let him in. She’d insisted on explaining a basic version of the story herself and giving Lily time to process. “Hey, Lily. How are you feeling?

His hand on hers seemed to startle her, but Lily didn’t pull away. She studied their hands and then looked up at him. All at once, a smile burst across her face, and she squeezed his hand.

“Do you... Do you remember me?” he asked, hardly daring to breathe. “I’m Sirius. Do you remember?” He should slow down, not ask so many times, but the idea that she was somehow okay was too good to believe.

Lily leaned toward him and cupped his face on one side. “Of course I do.” 

He let that breath out and leaned forward to press his forehead against hers. Only a moment or two passed before Lily closed the distance and kissed him on the lips.

Sirius jerked back so quickly that he nearly fell off his chair. “What the hell?” he sputtered. “You said you remembered!”

Her face was sheer panic as she shot back, “You held my hand and talked all gentle. I assumed you were my boyfriend!”

Sirius grimaced. He couldn’t mention James yet. He’d been told specifically not to throw that kind of trauma with her before she had her bearings back. “I am a friend,” he said carefully. “I’m a boy. I am definitely not your boyfriend.”

“Then what kind of friend are you?” She grabbed one of her pillows and tossed it at him.