September 1914.

War had just been declared in Britain. Over night posters appeared of Lord Kitchener appealing for men to join the war effort.

"James I strictly forbid you to join up," said James' mother crossly.

"But mum, I want to do my bit, they need a hundred thousand men and I want to be one of them," James begged.

"No James, you're only seventeen," said Dorothy Potter crossly.

"But mum…"

"No James and that's the last of it," said Dorothy stiffly.

James threw himself down on the sofa and stared into the fire. One way or another he was going to join up, no matter what it took.

Lily Evans was appalled at the thought of war. She felt it was senseless waste of men's lives. But she felt she had to do something to help the war effort.

"Mar, I think I'm going to join St John's ambulance and go to France and be an ambulance driver and first aider," said Lily thoughtfully.

"Are you stark raving bonkers Lils?" asked Marlene disgustedly.

"No Mar, I'm not," said Lily heatedly.

"Oh and what is your dear old ma going to say?"

Lily wrinkled her nose. She knew her mother would never agree to letting her go. But she felt like she needed to be doing something, anything that was constructive.

"I'll find a way Mar," said Lily determinedly.

"Good luck to yer Lils."

November 1914.

James was in basic training. He felt like all his life now consisted of was the clump of boots and drill.

"Private Potter!" yelled the drill Sergeant loudly.

"Sir?" replied James saluting smartly.

"Stand still whilst on parade," bawled the drill Sergeant.

"Sir, yes sir," bawled James back.

Lily meanwhile was at the Cokeworth St John's ambulance station practicing first aid. She was also being given training to drive a Wolseley ambulance.

"Very good Miss Evans, you sure have improved in just a week," said her instructor praising her heartily.

"Thank you Ma'am," said Lily with a grin.

"Right hop off."

"Thank you Ma'am."

As soon as Lily got home, her mother went on the attack.

"What's this you've been doing training in first aid and ambulance driving?" fumed Daisy Evans.

Lily sighed. She knew this would happen sooner or later, she'd just rather hoped it would be later.

"Mum, who told you?" grimaced Lily.

"Never you mind who told me! Tell me the truth," stormed Daisy at her daughter.

Again Lily sighed and swallowed.

"It's true mum, I'm training to go to France," Lily admitted determinedly.

"You're not going Lily! You are not of age," fumed Daisy.

"Do you really think anyone is going to care? I want to do my bit to help out," shouted Lily.

"Don't you raise your voice to me young lady," snapped Daisy.

"Don't you see mum, there's going to be wounded men who will need medical help, they're going to need a lot of hands to help," Lily pleaded.

Daisy sat down heavily. She knew Lily was right, they would need help, there would be an awful lot of wounded men that would need taking from the front lines. But what if her daughter was killed? She was all she had left in the world.

"By the time I go abroad I will be of age," said Lily gently.

Again Daisy knew her daughter was right. She knew that Lily wasn't the type to sit idly by and twiddle her thumbs, Lily was far to adventurous to stay in Blighty. Daisy let go a sigh, straightened her back and looked at her daughter.

"Right then, in that case I shall let you go on the condition that you be very careful and you write to me often," said Daisy.

Lily smiled at her mother and gave her a jubilant hug and left to pop next door to see Marlene. Daisy slumped in her seat and cried.

(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)

February 1916.

Lily had been in the thick of things for just over two years now. When she first landed she'd been horrified by the wounds and sickening smells of men left for dead on the barbed wire.

Her very first time out in the field she'd thrown up everywhere, one solider had, had his ribcage shot to pieces and there was a gaping great hole in his stomach. Lily had cried and cried for the first two weeks, until her partner in crime had slapped Lily to shut her up.

"I'm sorry I had to do that love but I need you to calm down crying ain't going to help those poor souls any, now dry yer face and perk up and I'll take yer to the estaminet in town."

"I'm sorry Ethel, I don't mean to be melancholy, I just didn't expect.."

"I know love," waved Ethel.

Lily had given her a weak smile and washed her face and had gone out.

She was now stationed in Ypres. The fighting was fierce in this sector. Lily and Ethel had been pulling fallen men out of the front lines for just over a month here. Lily was hardened to the wounds now, she quickly loaded the ambulances with dead or dying men. The women had one rule; make love to them, but don't fall in love for they're all dead men. Lily hadn't actually given herself to anyone yet, she was going to wait till after the war, that is, if the end ever came.

James had been in the trenches for two years. So far he'd been lucky and only sustained a few nicks. He knew he wasn't impervious and he'd get nobbled one day. James glimpsed movement out of his right eye and quickly turned his head. He saw his commanding officer coming towards him.

"Potter?"

"Sir?"

"Everything alright?" asked Major Benjamin Fenwick sardonically.

"All quiet on the Western front sir," replied James.

"No complaints? Makes a change," replied Benjamin.

"Well if you could arrange some Blighty leave, I'd be most grateful," said James earnestly.

"Don't make me laugh Potter, I might just split my sides," said the Major.

"Yes sir," said James.

"What I came to tell you was you're in line for a promotion to Sergeant."

James grimaced. As pleased as he was about the promotion, he'd not long ago been promoted from Lance Corporal. It was due to the high rate of deaths everyday that he'd been promoted so quickly.

"Thank you sir," said James courteously.

"I can give you some leave in town, but that's the best I can do," said the Major on closer inspection of his young Lance Corporal.

James grinned. He was exuberant at the thought of some rest. Though he was in need of a good bath and another delousing before hitting the estaminets. He hoped maybe he would meet his fate.

Lily and Ethel had been into Calais to pick up another Wolseley. The previous one had been shot to pieces during the battle. The journey so far had been quiet. But as dawn broke the shooting started.

"Oh bloody hell," hissed Ethel.

'Crump' went a shell and exploded. It threw up tons of dirt from the road, and caused a fan of heat to surround the slow moving ambulance. Lily gripped her seat for dear life and said a silent fervent prayer that they wouldn't be hit.

"Nasty," muttered Lily.

"Light me a cig would yer love?" asked Ethel.

Lily drew fags out of the packet in her pocket and lit them, she kept one in her mouth and she placed the other in Ethel's mouth for her. Tobacco was their one solace in this crazy war. Ethel took a deep drag and blew the smoke out of her nostrils.

Once she was done she threw the butt out of the window. As she did the shelling and shooting stopped.

"Well that was brief but horrible," said Lily casually.

"T'was that love, God what I wouldn't give for some Blighty leave," moaned Ethel.

"Same here, my mother is complaining about the fact I haven't been home in six months," Lily grimaced.

"Shall be go into town tonight?" asked Ethel conversationally.

"Yeah, might as well, better make the most of it before the next push starts."

Ethel looked at Lily. She knew what Lily was saying was true. A flap could come at any given time in any given sector and they would have to pack up and go.

They arrived at Ypres corps command post at noon. The ambulance was marked and dirty, not that Lily or Ethel cared at this precise moment. They jumped out of the ambulance and stretched their limbs and lit a fag apiece.

Two solider's strode past, both dressed in fatigues, barrage caps and trench coats. The dark haired bloke took a good look at the two women smoking and grinned. He catcalled.

"Oi red, meet you for a drink later?" shouted James.

Lily looked over at the man who had just shouted at her, she was about to shout a nasty retort, but realised that in fact the bloke in question was actually really very good looking.

"Okay solider I'll meet you here at seven," shouted Lily back.

"Great!" said the Sergeant and gave her a winning smile.

After the two men had walked by Ethel spoke to Lily.

"Be careful, that one has a mischievous look about him," said Ethel cautiously.

"I can take care of myself ta," said Lily hotly.

This was true. One bloke thought he would try his luck in Albert, and Lily had swung her fist and connected. The whole estaminet had erupted. The Corporal in question had slunk off, humiliated.

"Just be careful love, and remember; make love to them, but don't fall in love for they're all.."

"Dead men, yes I know Ethel, I maybe only twenty but I'm not a child," snapped Lily.

"No need to be like that love is there?" said Ethel in a hurt voice.

"Sorry, I'm just tired," said Lily contritely.

"That's okay love, water off a ducks back."

At that moment the area Commandant showed up. Lily and Ethel both saluted smartly.

"Anything to report?" asked Commandant Mary McDonald.

"All quiet till we hit Steenvooorde, about ten minutes of shelling and shooting," replied Ethel promptly.

Commandant McDonald grimaced, she felt sorry for these two. They'd been in the thick of things for two years.

"Say would you gals like some Blighty leave?" asked the Commandant.

"Ever so Ma'am," replied Lily gleefully.

"I will see what I can do for you both."

The Commandant inspected the ambulance and deemed it fine and moved on.

"Blighty leave! Yes!" said Lily punching the air.

(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)

Later that evening and Lily was out of her uniform and in a passable dress. Ethel was still in her uniform. They linked arms and made their way from their billet to Corps Command. There he was with his back to them smoking.

"Hey," said Lily, James spun round.

"Hey red," grinned James.

Lily smiled back, her green eyes twinkling in the dim light.

"Hi I'm Lily, Lily Evans," said Lily primly.

"Hey Lily, I'm James, Sergeant James Potter," replied James in kind.

"Nice to meet you," said Lily.

"Shall we?" asked James proffering his left arm.

"Lead on kind sir," said Lily in an upper class twang.

James grinned and led her towards a popular estaminet in town. Inside it was warm and cozy and almost completely packed. The air was heavy with a fug from clay pipes and cigarettes. But the atmosphere was cheerful.

"Take a seat Lily, what would you like to drink?" asked James in a gentlemanly manner.

"Wine please, red," grinned Lily.

James grinned back. As James pushed his way through the crowd and body plopped into the chair beside Lily.

"Hey good lookin' fancy a good time?" slurred the solider.

"Not on your life mister, besides I have a date," replied Lily disdainfully.

"Ah come on red, come and have a roll on the hay with me," he slurred on determinedly.

"Get lost," said Lily coolly.

The solider lunged for Lily and missed. She'd already rose to her feet and scrunched up her fist and swung hard. The solider went sprawling. He crashed through the table which collapsed beneath him. Lily placed her foot on the mans chest and her hands on her hips. Everyone erupted with laughter.

James had watched Lily in action from the side lines. A huge grin had spread across his face as he watched his date spark out one of his comrades. James knew he would have to write the man in question up in the morning. The Redcaps entered and removed the man. James got a bottle of red and rejoined Lily at a different table.

"That was some display," smirked James.

"I'm sorry you had to see that James," said Lily on a sigh.

"I think it was bloody brilliant," laughed James.

This action caused Lily's heart to flip and a blush to sweep her cheeks.

"Hey what's with the blush?" asked James teasingly.

"Stop it," muttered Lily as the heat grew in her face.

James stopped talking and filled two glasses with a deep, rich Rioja. Lily picked up her glass and buried her face behind it. Once she was certain her blush had subsided Lily lowered her glass and took a sip.

"So tell me about yourself?" questioned James.

So Lily gave him her life story. He sat enraptured. He kept missing parts due to staring at her eyes, which were the brightest green he'd ever seen.

It took him a moment to realise that Lily had stopped talking.

"James?" asked Lily placing a hand on his arm.

"Sorry, it's your eyes," replied James shaking himself.

"My eyes? What's wrong with them?" asked Lily hurriedly.

"Nothing, they're perfect, in fact I've never seen such green eyes in all my twenty years," said James dreamily.

Lily felt herself starting to blush again.

"Oh shush!" said Lily quickly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you blush again," said James.

Lily closed her eyes and willed her blush to disappear. Thankfully a diversion happened. Some produced a mouth organ and began playing. The whole estaminet started singing.

Sometime later and both Lily and James were tipsy. They stumbled out into the fresh air and started giggling and vying their way back to Lily's billet. Once it was reached Lily invited James up to her room.

"As much as I would love too Lily, I'll not take advantage of you, it's not fair," said James gently through the alcoholic haze.

"Please James, I want this, I want you, I'm still a virgin," Lily whispered.

"That as the case maybe Lil, I could get you pregnant and then be killed, I couldn't ruin your life like that," said James.

"Pompous prig," muttered Lily.

"Goodnight Miss Evans," said James and gently kissed her cheek.

James strode away whistling.

June 1916.

A push was coming. The town was growing ever quieter as men deployed out by cattle train. Rumour had it they were heading for the Somme. The Somme it was.

James had already left a month ago. Lily had no idea where he'd gone as he was gone when she awoke. She'd received a post card from him marked 'Somewhere in France'. James had been a perfect gentleman and not touched her in a way her mother would have turned grey over, in fact the most he'd done was hold her hand and kissed her cheek in the three months they'd been together.

"This battle is going to bloody, mark my words," said Ethel darkly.

Lily couldn't help but agree.

Bullets and shells tore bodies apart, it buried men alive in collapsed trenches, it left dead men hanging on the barbed wire because the stretcher bearers couldn't reach them. The smell of death and decay filled the nostrils of the men in the trenches. They were under constant fire from the other side, when they did manage to be moved to a support trench they managed a few hours sleep, but would often awake to find a huge rat nestled up to them.

Lily and Ethel worked hard, they were bloody and grimy. They had also been moved to the Somme sector. For the first time since winter 1915, Lily and Ethel found themselves under fire. They threw themselves flat to the ground in a bid to escape the bullets whizzing through the air.

"Oh my God!" screamed Lily.

A bullet had ricocheted and blown Ethel's brains out. Bile rose in Lily's throat at the sight of her fallen comrade. Lily made it to shelter where she sat and sobbed.

James was hit, he felt a hole rip right through his shoulder. James cursed loudly.

"What's up Sarge?" yelled Major Hopkirk. (He'd replaced Maj. Benjamin Fenwick as he was killed in the last scuffle in Ypres).

"I'm shot that's bloody what!" yelled James as he ground his teeth in pain.

"Get to the first aid station Sergeant."

"Thanks sir."

James began to move, when he heard it. A piercing whistle that grew louder and louder. James threw himself flat in the trench and everything went dark.

Once the shooting had stopped Lily moved from her hiding place. As she headed back to the ambulance, she saw a figure approaching. It was male and he was carrying his tin lid in his left hand and his rifle in his right. Lily recognised him as James' comrade, Corporal Sirius Black.

"Sirius!" yelled Lily and began to run towards him.

As she approached she saw his was filthy and he had a head wound.

"Oh my God Sirius! Here get in the back of the ambulance," commanded Lily.

"Lily; James is dead."

Lily stopped dead. She swung round to face Sirius. Lily had paled, really paled. She didn't even seem to be breathing.

"Tell me it's not true," Lily whispered painfully.

"I'm sorry Lily I wish I could," grimaced Sirius as tears brimmed.

"No, no, no, he can't be dead, he just can't be," sobbed Lily.

Lily and Sirius collapsed together to the ground.

Lily was given two weeks leave. But she didn't go home, she went to Dorset to see James' family. She knocked on the door nervously, a slim upright woman answered.

"Yes? How can I help you?" she asked in polished tones.

"Hello, is it possible to speak to Mrs Potter please?" asked Lily politely.

"Who are you?" asked the lady suspiciously.

"I'm Lily, Lily Evans, I knew your son James," said Lily with a catch in her voice.

"Oh my dear!" said the lady throwing the door wide open. "Come in, come in."

Lily stepped inside. The house was impossibly grand and big. Lily didn't know where to look first. At last the woman introduced herself.

"I'm Mrs Dorothy Potter my dear," she announced.

"I wish I was here under better circumstances Mrs Potter," said Lily grimly.

"Whatever do you mean my dear?" asked Dorothy in confusion.

"I'm here because…"

But she was cut off from the rest of the speech. Lily thought she'd heard James' voice shouting.

"I'm here because…"

Again another shout, this time a figure appeared. It was James! Lily flew at James and threw herself on him.

"Oh James! James!" Lily sobbed.

"Lily what are you doing here?" asked James incredulously.

"I saw Sirius, he told me you were dead," Lily choked out between sobs.

"I very nearly was as well, a trench collapsed on me, but they were able to dig me out just in time, another minute and I would have suffocated."

"Oh James! I was upset at the thought of you dead," confided Lily.

"Oh Lils," he put his good arm around her slender body and held her.

(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)(JL)

James wasn't ever sent back to France. He was medically discharged from the Army. Lily decided she'd had enough, especially after seeing Ethel killed. They would both have their ghosts that they would need to lay.

November 11 1918.

On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, on the eleventh hour the guns fell silent. The armistice was signed and the war came to an end. A million men lost their lives in the four years the war raged.

Out there in France, a million men are buried beneath a million white crosses, they sacrificed their lives to keep us safe. Never forget.