Part One The Spark

Hope is a fire; it is born from a spark

Chapter One Where the Heart Lies

(Bennie and the Jets)

Her memories of England were nostalgic memories wrapped in the warm embrace of childhood. She could remember the gentle beating of the ever-present rain. She could hear the dulcet notes of children playing. She could feel the gentle kiss of family.

She hadn't thought of England in a longtime. Her dreams contained desolate memories of her childhood, yet they never contained the homely memories of England.

When she first came to the picturesque countryside of southern France, memories of England exploded behind her eyelids. She could see the elegant manor house that she once called home. She could feel caress her childhood. She could feel the lies of her childhood piercing her heart.

With time, these memories seemed to fade to only distant dreams. With time she was able to grab hold of the sharp blade of her loss embedded in her chest and pull it out. With time she was able to heal.

Soon, her reminiscences disappeared into sweet nothings of a time long forgotten. She was able to live a life without her blood haunting her.

She never fully understood her family's view on blood. Why was the blood of her parents and ancestors holy in comparison to the blood of those not kissed magic? Yes she was a witch. Lily Marie Gastor was a witch. Magic raced through her veins and soared into her mind. She descended from the purest of purebloods. And that brought her revulsion.

Her father could trace his heritage all the way back to Merlin, the most affable wizard of all. Her father had gone to Greece to study ancient spells. There he had met her mother, the rose to the garden of purebloods. Her mother could trace her family tree back to Circe, the most powerful witch of ancient Greece.

Her parents' story was thought to be one of the most romantic tales of pureblood love; the dashing Englishman who whisked away the Grecian princess to a happily ever after. Yet to her it was just a sordid attempt to keep the pureblood line running.

It had been years since she had even thought of her parents. It had been months since the faces of her brothers haunted her sleep. Yet today of all days, her mind led her to think of her lost family.

Lily was standing in her bedroom at Auclair Manor. The Auclairs were an old, French pureblood family that held some relations to the Rosiers of England. Mousier Auclair, Darcy, had been Lily's father's closest companion, attending Hogwarts with pureblood connections, until a misfortune severed the two brothers.

William Gastor had always been a stubborn man. Even when he banished his only daughter he did so with the grace of a mule. He sent her to the one man who would always owe him, Darcy Auclair. He knew that his fallen brother would protect his daughter. Darcy Auclair had married a schoolmate of the two boys, Rosaline Whitewood. They had one child, a son of whom was one of Lily's closest friends in her exile.

"Lils an owl arrived for my father. It had the Gastor crest on it. He said for you to join him in the study in 20 minutes," stated the nonchalant Benedict Auclair. Benedict Darcy Auclair, or Benjy as Lily had called him since youth, was a dark free soul. He had dark chestnut hair that was cropped close to his face. After years of Quidditch for the school team, his gangly body turned into one of a man. This was clear to Lily, as she curiously eyed his frame. He was draped upon the doorframe of Lily's room, and soon ambled to her bed. Benjy had the build of Adonis, with an aristocrat nose that led to his sculpture worthy lips. His eyebrows were perfect crescents, and his high cheekbones emphasized his beauty. His expressive blue eyes, a family trait of the Auclairs, revealed his every thought, as he lay on her covers.

Lily had known him since the time that both had worn nappies across large grassy yards of English manors,a time before his parents moved to the lovely hills of southern France. When Lily's brothers had abandoned her for a pick up game of Quidditch, Benjy stood by her side. He was there to see her fall from the graces of high society, and to pick her up from the remains of her demise.

She had attended Beauxabatons with him for the last two of her years of magical learning. Before attending Beauxabatons, Lily's parents had requested her to attend a school for wizardry in the heart of Athens. It was the school that her mother attended. It was there, Lily lost her childhood, and it was there she fell.

After her descend from grace, her parent uprooted her from the dulcet villa of her grandparents and sent her straight to France. Unlike when she attended the Athenian School for Sorcery, her parents did not ask for her to return home during holidays. This broke her heart.

Lily spent months hoping and praying for a letter of welcome, even one with just news of her family. Yet as those moths turned to years, she gave up hope. Benjy had been there to hold her as she cried the last time for her family. He was her darling, and she his angel.

"Lils did you even hear me," Benjy questioned. He sat on her bed in all of his godly glory. Benjy quirked one of his eyebrows at her in curiosity. Lily blushed and turned from her window. She stared at the endless expanse of snow, daydreaming of lost memories and the fallen.

"No, I'm sorry, I just feel a bit lost. I've had nightmares lately. But don't worry Benjy; I'm sure it was just the alien walls of my dormitory. Now that we are back from Beauxabatons, I'm sure I will be better," Lily confessed. But she was lying.

Since before the time of her banishment, she was by nightmares. Ones filled with the gruesome demise of her loved ones, others filled with horrific scenes of death and fatality. When she lived back at Gastor Manor, her brothers would hear her screams of pain, as their rooms were close to each other, and run to the rescue. Each would take turns for waking her and comforting her, until Morpheus claimed her again.

Her parents always knew to look in her room first if a brother was missing at morning. They often found said brother sleeping in Lily's bed. Yet this nightly ritual ended when she was first banished to Greece.

Her brothers would still speak to her and write to her. But that ended with her second and final banishment to France. Now, she could hardly remember their faces.

Lily hoped that Benjy didn't look closely at her. With the assistance of make up, she was able to cover the large bruises under her eyes to some extent. But after an entire day of travel, the powder must have faded.

" Lils you know you can always talk to me," Benjy admitted. His eyes met hers and she saw the honesty in them.

"Benjy, of course I know that. And you can talk to me too," she answered. His face relaxed a bit and his usual jovial nature returned.

" Lils, we need to leave now. Its been 20 minutes and it is not best to keep Mousier temperance waiting," Benjy stated. Lily blushed at the mention of her childhood nickname for Darcy Auclair.

"Benjy! You said you wouldn't bring that up," Lily screeched. Benjy only laughed at her embarrassment. He grabbed her hand and tugged her out of her room laughing.

" I didn't make any promises Lils," Benjy admitted. His fingers ran across her palms in a platonic way.

Unlike, Lily, Benjy had maintained a healthy relationship with her family. He was invited to spend the summers with them but declined, only for his parents to force him to go. Lily's summers were often spent with her grandmother. Yet, after the untimely death of her grandfather, the event that had preceded her fall, Lily was no longer allowed to enter the villa that had been her home. After being banished to France, Lily began to spend her summers going to work with Mr. Auclair.

Mr. Auclair worked as the head of the department of Magical Law enforcement at the French ministry of Magic. Lily had spent her last summer running through the antechamber of the ministry doing small tasks for the Auror department. That was until last year, during the attack on the ministry.

In England, pureblood were shallow pompous people. They believed in blood purity. A man by the name of Tom Riddle took the name Lord Voldemort and began his campaign to wipe out all impure blood in England. He led the death eaters, who were the most enthusiastic of his supporters. Her parents supported the beliefs of the death eaters with a reverence, much to her disgust.

While the blood mania had swept across main island of England for almost a decade, it had yet to reach France, until the attack on the French ministry last summer.

Lily had been present at the darkest moment in French history. Unlike the English aurors, the French aurors had not been trained to fight the forces of the death eaters. When the death eaters infiltrated the ministry with ease, the people of France were shocked. No one was ready for the disaster that had occurred that day, including a fourteen-year-old Lily. Thinking of the day made her nauseous and she began to see spots, before a blinding white light sent her into oblivion.

Flashback

Lily could remember the antechamber of the French ministry that day. The high glass roof that gave an amazing view to the clear sky of a Parisian midday. She stood in the middle of the chamber looking at all the figures around her.

Robed wizard and witches hustled thought the large room, each on their own mission. They skirted around the large statue in the center of the room. The statue contained a wizard and witch crossing wands, surrounded by magical creatures like Veela and Satyrs. On all sides of the room were floo stations and elevators to different floors of the ministry. After three years of spending her summers here, she had a strong sense of familiarity, and even comfort in the ministry.

She had been sent by the head of the Auror department, Mousier Debargue on a top secret mission; retrieving a box of Chinese take out for the tired aurors. Lily could remember her excitement to do so. The task may have seemed diminutive, but it came with a great reward.

The previous two years were Lily had assisted in the Department of Mysteries at the request of her professors at Beauxabatons. She had spent hours a day as a scribe writing nonsensical notes for the head of the prophecy room for her first year.

The second year however, the ministry had decided to use her family linage to their advancement. She was stationed in the Library of the Ministry, writing the family trees for the English and Greek purebloods. After her completion of doing so, the French Ministry boasted of having the largest and most accurate pureblood family tree. Lily found this revolting and almost refused to return for the third year until she found out what she would be doing.

At the recommendation of the headmistress of Beauxabatons, Lily was skyrocketed to her dream job, the Auror department. After her banishment, Lily vowed one thing, to protect the muggles and muggleborns being victimized by Voldemort. When offered the chance to work with the esteemed French aurors, Lily leaped at it.

For the first weeks, she was sent to retrieve lunch for the hardworking aurors, and she did so eagerly. But this did not satisfy her. She yearned to practice spells and learn to defend others from danger, and to Mousier Debargue this was clear. He gave her an option. In exchange for retrieving his lunch, he would teach her the basic of auror training.

Ever since then, Lily's life had been filled with secret lessons that made her day. Yet as the weeks past by, the growing threat of Voldemort was preoccupying Mousier Debargue. The name brought shivers to Lily's back, yet she did not hesitate to say the evil tyrant's name. There was no point in fearing something a trivial as a name. Lily broke from her chain of thoughts when a jet of black streamed in front of her face.

She looked up and saw the antechamber of the ministry crowded by robed figures. Their presence gave her shivers, as she immediately knew what they were, death eaters. But it couldn't be, death eaters were a long-lost memory of her time before her fall. Yet as one of the robed figures sent a stream of green at nearby women, she knew in her heart that they were in her salvation, destroying it.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins, as she knew what she had to do, she has to protect the unsuspecting members of the French ministry, it was her blood telling her to do so.

Lily leaped from her hidden spot behind the statue of the wizard and witch. She held her wand in one hand and bolted into the battlefield, with bravery and courage coursing through her veins.

She looked at her surroundings in shock. The death eaters had marched from floor to floor and captured all the ministry workers who had not been able to escape. Her beloved aurors lay on the floor either stunned or dead. One of the death eaters had a stunned Mousier Debargue in his hands and seemed to be threatening him. Another was shooting spell after spell at her father-like Mousier Auclair. Anger shot from her heart. How dare those pompous monsters march into her sacred ground and kill.

Before Lily knew what she was doing, she shot spell after spell at the cloaked figures. All of the death eaters turned around and looked at their besieger in surprise.

" Look at that, it's a little girl. I wonder what she's doing in the ministry," exclaimed a masked figure.

" Stopping pureblood trash like you from killing everyone," Lily shot back. The death eaters stared at her in astonishment and one finally grabbed her.

Lily screeched and squirmed like an animal. She thrashed about in the death eater's large hold. But he did not let go.

" Let go of me you foul brute," lily demanded. The other death eaters were distracted from the ministry employees, and had their attention on Lily.

Lily finally sent a sift kick at her captor's groin, causing him to fall to the ground in pain and let go of her. Lily grabbed her wand and began to shoot spell and hexes at the crowd of death eaters.

" Oi! How does this puny little girl know the bat bogey hex," said one of the death eaters. The ministry employees watched in amazement, until finally one death eater jinxed Lily. She almost fell to the ground, before a death eater grabbed her.

" Who are you? Is there some secret youth group for the bloody aurors!" questioned her captor. He shook her and his mask fell off.

Lily gasped, she knew this person. Memories long forgotten ran through her mind like fireworks. She could remember this man holding her at night until she stopped crying. She could remember the tears she shed when seeing him leave for Hogwarts. She could remember his distant embrace when she had been banished, and his cool accusatory glare when she fell from high society.

" Jules, what are you doing in that robe." She beseeched. Her heart was breaking, and cracking before her very eyes. Her captor eyed her and shook her.

" How do you know me," he demanded. Lily met his eyes, and met a pair of golden eyes, the trademark of the Gastor family.

" Jules why are you hurting me? You promised to be there for me," Lily cried. Tears streamed down her face as the man holding her remained cold. She gazed into his eyes, and he saw hers. Emerald green eyes, he knew only one girl with those eyes. A girl he had long-lost, and loved.

" Lily is that you," he questioned with realization. Lily nodded, and he kept her down and reached to embrace her. The death eaters around them stood stunned.

" No! Don't touch me! I'm not the Lily you knew! You are a monster. Julius William Gastor out of all of us, I never though you would be something so dark ad cruel. I never thought you would stand for something as vile as Lord Voldemort! Better yet, you abandoned me when I didn't. Don't try to hug me! We are not and never will be family again," Lily shouted to him.

Julius' eyes went from a warm sunshine to a fiery storm. He let go of the girl in front of him, and stood up.

" You're the traitor Lily. Don't think I can't see that Auror department label on your shirt. You left us. Do you know how mother cried for months? How father does not allow any of us to say your name. How Pericles still goes to the Quidditch pitch on your birthday every year? How Lucian cringes every time he walks by your room. How Cassius spent the first year of your betrayal writing letters to you that made even father cry as he was forced to burn them? How Jason still goes to your room every night to comfort you, but you're not there? How I lost my childhood? No you don't! Your selfishness and idiocy almost counteracts the blood running through your –" He bawled back at Lily. Death eaters and ministry employees stood watching the two.

For a while Lily stood shocked, but the last comment awoke her. Even when he tried to be a brother, it was overshadowed by his bigotry.

" Shut up! You know Julius; I'd rather be a muggleborns than suffer through memories. In fact here," Lily screamed. She yanked the necklace from my neck, and pulled a ring from it.

"Take it and leave. Tell mother to stop being such a coward. Tell father that he is a monster. Tell Pericles that he could have done more. Tell Lucian and Cassius that they were the reasons I got banished. Tell Jason that I couldn't care less about his sob story. And to you dear brother, I will tell you to grow up! You let bigotry and prejudices rip me out of your family. I give you my Gastor Family ring, and renounce myself. Good riddance," Lily finished.

Julius held the ring in his hand and stared at Lily. He opened his mouth to angrily yell something at her, but before he could he looked around him, and smirked.

"Well little sister, I shall tell you one last thing. I tell your brothers and parent your sob story. I hope you are aware that every last one of them holds the dark mark upon their arm, and bears in with pride. But know one thing; you can't renounce being a pureblood, its in your veins, and even if you are a disgusting blood traitor, the purebloods still have control over you. Farewell for now Lily," Julius coolly finished. He sent a spell at the glass pane ceiling, causing the glass to shatter; everyone bended over to cover him or herself, from the falling shards of glass. When it was deemed safe, Lily looked up and saw that Julius had disappeared. On the ground lay her ring. She picked it up and stood up.

Lily looked around her, overcome by the sight before her. While she was fighting with Julius, some of the employees awoke, including Mousier Debargue, and snuck up on the death eaters. They over powered the soldiers of Voldemort and had all the death eaters lying on the ground, paralyzed within minutes. Mousier Auclair ran to her and embraced her. He murmured words in French and barked orders to those around them. Lily stood in his embrace, pale and shocked, clutching the ring. Wizards stared at the girl in shock, whispering about a girl who was able to handle thirty rogue death eaters for over ten minutes alone. They spoke of her gift in magic and praised her.

Yet Lily was not aware. All she knew was that even if her blood had control over her, like Julius had said, she would no longer let it do so. From this day forth she was no longer a Gastor. She was a nameless girl named Lily, and for now that was okay.

Flashback ends

Lily broke from her trance in memory lane to find a pair of cerulean eyes staring down at her.

"Oh Merlin! Lils you scared us! You fainted when we were walking down to my father's office, and started to convulse," Benjy exclaimed. While Benjy was babbling, she was aware that someone had moved her into her room.

"That's enough son, I believe that Lily is rested now and can talk to me privately," Mousier Auclair interrupted. Benjy quirked and eyebrow curiously, but still left. Mousier Auclair never cared for illness to interrupt his day, so his disregard of lily's state of being was a norm.

He stood up and walked over to her window. Lily stared at his back and waited for him to gather his thoughts.

" I know you have just returned from school and would probably like a rest, but that is not the case. Today, only an hour after your return for the winter holidays, I received a letter. It was from your brother, I believe his name is Julius," Mousier Auclair started. At the mention of Julius, Lily was reminded of her earlier remembrance of the attack on the ministry.

" I am so sorry little flower," Mousier Auclair started. He sat by Lily's side and held her hand. Mousier Auclair didn't remind her of her cherished Benjy. Darcy Auclair may have been an older clone of Benjy, down to the soulful blue eyes, but the two had completely different personalities.

Benjy had been the sex god of Beauxabatons, and did not care to break a girl's heart. The only girl he admitted to care for was Lily, and this brought hordes of jealous fan girls onto her. Lily could recall one time when a girl attempted to call Him Lily's nickname. Within the next week, the girl had left Beauxabatons and was never to be seen again. Benjy was always warm and open and kind to her, but to the world he held an icy disposal that was not one to temper with.

Darcy Auclair on the other hand was an open book. He mastered the art of sympathy of care in his youth and used both to his advantage. He was a man who loved to love people in all essence. That was why Lily had grown so attached to him. For unlike her own father, Darcy Auclair showed pride in the mere fact of breathing the same air as Lily, let alone being her father figure.

" Yesterday evening, my closest companion since youth, your father, and my beloved friend, whom I regarded as a sister, your mother, passed away," Mousier Auclair finished.

Tears glistened in his eyes. Lily reached out to embrace him, and he embraced her back.

"I'm so sorry ," he whispered. " Your brother has sent a letter for you. I will leave it on your side table. read it when you are up to it," Mousier Auclair stated. He then reached into his pocket and pulled a sealed envelope from it. He gently place it on her side table. Lily watched him numbly. Feelings seemed to have left her. She was surrounded by a void no one could cross.

" Read the letter and then we will talk," Mousier Auclair prompted. He promptly stood up, and left a kiss on Lily's forehead. Without another word, he left the room. out the window into the endless expanse white. Without her awareness her shaky hands reached for the envelope and ripped it open.

A letter with the Gastor crest on it fell out. Lily reached for it and cautiously opened it.

Lily pressed her head against the cool window of train. She slumped against the comfort that the frigid British countryside had to offer.

It had been over three years since Lily had seen the scenic countryside of England. It had been five years since she laid her eyes upon the full glory of an English winter. When she first arrived in the ministry at the International Floo Station, she was stunned by the changes in her childhood home.

Before her banishment, Lily would often go to work with her father; a high-ranking Wizengamot member. She could remember fuzzy-edged scenes of sunny days holding her father's hand. Memories burst from her mind in a series of fireworks. The office her father worked in, which was decorated in awards and family pictures. The sweet taste of Florean Fortesque's double chocolate ice cream. Standing shyly next to her father as he introduced her to members of the Wizengamot and other high ranked purebloods. The walls of the Ministry of Magic were her home away from home, so when she returned to an alien world she was shocked.

When she had last been in the Ministry, it was an overwhelming beehive of productivity. Witches and wizards hurried thorough the antechamber. Baskets containing notes shot through the air, sometimes dropping some. Posters for the election for Minister of Magic adorned the walls. And right in the center, a statue of equality stood.

The statue stood in the middle of a large fountain, were Lily had often begged her father to take her. On top of the fountain stood four beings. A wizard stood crossing his wand with the wand of a witch. A centaur and goblin stood before them, to symbolize magical equality. Those were Lily's faded memories of the Ministry.

Yet instead of being greeted by a familiar scene on her return, she was greeted with a strange world.

The Ministry no longer had its walls adorned with posters of magical pride and election ballots. Instead, slander towards muggles and muggleborns covered the walls. Brochures for how to protect one's house from a death eater attack were stationed through out the room. Paper airplanes shot through the air, as messages to other departments. The witches and wizards did not stop to say hello to a fellow Ministry employee, instead they looked towards the ground and ignored others.

Worst of all, stood the newly erected statue in the middle of the room. Long gone was the symbol of peace and equality, in its place stood one of bigotry. The statue was still positioned over the fountain. Yet the Centaur and goblin had disappeared. In there place were two wizards. The four magical beings pointed their wands towards a sigh that read, Long Live the Ministry.

Bile crept up Lily's throat at the mere thought of her memory of the new Ministry, as she shivered against the window of the train. After seeing the "new and improved" ministry, she bolted from the building. Lily then hailed the night bus, and took a dangerous and swift ride to Kings Cross station.

Unlike the Ministry, Kings Cross had remained the same boring station from the memories of her youth, when she had seen her brothers off to Hogwarts.

The thought of her brothers brought the bitter reminder of why Lily was traveling across the memory revoking planes of England instead of playing Quidditch with Benjy at the Auclair Manor.

Flashback

Lily sat in her bed clutching a crisp white letter with shaky hands. She took a few deep breaths and gently opened the letter. Immediately, her eyes leaped to the Gastor crest at the top of the page. Unlike other pureblood crests, the Gastor crest held no pompous works of art on it.

When a pureblood family was deemed pure enough to enter the society of the seventy or so pure families, it had to create a crest. This crest would be the symbol of purity for generation to come. Some, such as the Black Family, took this instruction quite heavily. Usually the crest had something to do with the family's origins. The Rosier crest had a series of Primrose, as the Rosiers had talent mainly in regards to Herbalogy.

The origins of the Gastor Family had a large impact on its crest. The Gastor Family was one of the holy seven, the seven pureblood families that could trace its origins, and purity, to the dark ages. Its creation was formed from an alliance between the Castor and Goste pureblood families, taking a variation of the two names; Gastor.

Since the two families were affiliated with the constellations, the Gastor crest was a night sky, with a constellation creating an enchanting "G." When Lily's mum married her father, the crest was alter to show the union between the two families. A Lilium stargazer was entwined around the "G" to show her parent's union.

This crest of the night and nature stared back at Lily's eyes. She averted her eyes from the elegant crest and began to read the letter.

Lily,

Yesterday evening, the 21st of December, our parents passed away. Father has ailed from Dragon's pox for over a year, and was emitted to St. Mungo's a week ago. Pericles and I took time off from work to be with him. Lucian, Cassius, and Jason left from Hogwarts a week before their winter holidays started to see him. Mother stood by his bedside everyday.

Sadly, she did not take proper safety precautions and contracted a more deadly form of father's Dragon Pox five days ago. She passed away at dusk, and he at midnight. Before father died, he informed me that he would want you to see him one last time. Sadly it was too late to retrieve you from France. I can only hope to make it up to him by inviting you to his funeral. We are holding it on the 23rd of December in the Godric Hallow cemetery, at midday. I would prefer if you could come to the Manor house and for all of us to go together, to present an untied front.

After the funeral is the reading of the will, you should stay for that, even though you may not receive anything. I ask that you leave England after the day of the funeral, to continue your, shall I say, stay in France.

Respond back with your plans,

Julius William Gastor

Lily read the letter twice, her anger growing each time. The nerve of that arse, she thought to herself. Lily leaped from her bed and down the stairs. Her heart was racing, and fury coarsened through her veins. Her thoughts were leaping from one place to another. Abruptly she stopped when she had a realization.

Her father may have ended her banishment from England for one day, but he was no longer her guardian. If he wasn't then who was? Was it Julius or Mousier Auclair? She raced into her father-like figure's office with lightening speed.

Lily pushed the door open, to the surprise of the room's residents. Mousier Auclair stood with Benjy looking at a piece of parchment on his desk. Both looked up at Lily, and Benjy immediately covered the parchment with a stack of books. A light blush sprinkled his face.

" Lily, are you sure it is a good decision to leave your bedroom? Here I will take you up," Benjy stated. He moved towards her, but Lily interrupted his path.

" Benjy I'm fine, I do not need you to mother hen me," Lily answered. Benjy stood back with shock. Lily was never sarcastic when speaking to him.

" Uncle Darcy," Lily addressed Mousier Auclair with his title. " I read my brother's letter. I have decided to attend my parents' funeral tomorrow evening. I will pack my belongings and leave before midday. I do not know if I am going to return to France though. You have been more of a father to me than my own, and I would like to thank you for that. I would also like to thank you for taking me in right after the death of Aunt Rosaline. You have given me guidance and experience I will never forget. I will attempt to transfer to Hogwarts, before the holiday break ends. I have one last question for you though, do you know whom gets custody of me," Lily avowed.

Mousier Auclair stared at her in shock and sorrow. He had grown to love this broken-hearted girl like a daughter, and would truly miss her. She reminded her of his lost Rosaline, who was almost as spirited as the young women standing before him.

" Lily, I respect your decision. I will truly miss you, its been a comfort to have you stay after Rosaline's death," Mousier Auclair started. Benjy flinched at the mention of his mother death, as it was a sore topic.

Rosaline Whitewood had been a charming Ravenclaw pureblood who attending Hogwarts with Darcy Auclair and William Gastor. During the trio's fifth year, she began dating Darcy Auclair and the two married, with the approval of the pureblood society, a year after they graduated from Hogwarts. The two newly weds spent years traveling the world before settling in England. It was there, they gave birth to Benjamin Darcy Auclair, their one and only son. They moved to France after Mousier Auclair's appointment as the head of the French Department of Magical Law Enforcement

A month before Lily started to live with the Auclairs, Rosaline Auclair was shopping in Wizardry Paris, when a wizard shot the killing curse at her. The reasons for why were never discovered, but that did not console the hearts of Benjy and Darcy.

" I'm sorry to say that I am not able to attend the funeral, as is Benjy, so you will have to make your journey alone. Lily you will succeed in Hogwarts, and be sure to write to us. I do not know who gets custody for you, as your mother kept that in your father's will," Mousier Auclair responded.

Abruptly he grabbed his arm in pain. He crotched to the ground and Lily leapt towards him.

"Uncle Darcy, are you alright," she questioned. She leaned for ward to look at his robed hand, but Benjy jumped up from his spot by the door and grabbed her hand. Mousier Auclair sent him a look of gratitude.

" I apologize for my bones dear, they are not what they used to be. I have to go into work today. Benjy will take you to the international floo room in the ministry. Be sure to right to us darling. And remember know that you are a young pureblood woman who must stand her ground in England. The Pureblood Elitists are much more courageous in England, so watch your tongue and your actions. I love you dear, and your parents would be proud of you," Mousier Auclair stated.

He stood up, grabbed his wand and set a kiss on Lily's forehead. Then he walked briskly from the room. Lily watched him leave and pushed her emotions away from her, she was on a mission and emotions got in the way of business.

" Benjy I am going to pack. I will be down in precisely ten minutes, and then we can leave," Lily said as she glided out of the room. Benjy looked after her with a forlorn expression but did not say anything.

She swiftly walked up the steps, trying to memorize every bit of the manor as possible. When she reached her room, Lily went into autopilot shooting spells to pack all of her belongings into suitcases. How convenient for purebloods able to practice magic in their homes, when muggles could not, she thought to herself. When she was done, Lily walked over to her desk and wrote a short letter to Julius stating that she would be attending the funeral and would arrive at the manor before dusk that day.

Lily grabbed the letter and walked over to her window. She opened it and the fresh December morning snow hit her in the face. She brushed it off and whistled. Within seconds a bolt of fiery red shot from the sky. Lily smiled for the first time since she received the news of her parents' death. Lily always held a certain fondness for her owl, Hestia.

Hestia had been a gift from her mother before Lily had been banished to Greece. Hestia was a lithe owl capable of traveling the long commute from Greece to England and France to England. Her feathers were a mix of brilliant red and a golden orange. Hestia tended to stand out against the pale blue or onyx hue of the night sky. Lily used Hestia to write to her brothers before she was sent to France. After her dispatch to Beauxabatons, Hestia was used to communicate with her close friends in Greece.

Hestia hooted in joy at the site of seeing Lily. Lily ran her fingers over Hestia's flaming feathers.

" How do you feel about a change of scenery Hestia," Lily questioned Hestia. Hestia hooted, and Lily smiled again. She tied the letter to Hestia's leg and gave Hestia one last command.

" Take this letter to Julius, he's at the manor. You remember where that is right? Good, now go and stay in the owlery there," Lily murmured to the chaste bird.

Hestia gave one last hoot and flew into the dawn sky. Lily leaned against the window frame and watched Hestia disappear into the sky. Clouds streaked over the early morning sky and rays of gold peaked through. Snow shone on the French woods surrounding the Manor. If there were one thing Lily was sure to miss about France other than Benjy, it would be the view.

" Lils you ready to go," Benjy questioned from his stance by the door of Lily's room. He watched her with guarded eyes, tracing her outline.

" Yeah let's go," Lily answered. She turned around and pointed her wand at her suitcases, muttering a spell. The suitcases swirled together and transformed into a bracelet. Lily leaned down and placed the band over her arm.

" You've got to teach me how to do that," Benjy stated. Lily looked over to him with a smirk.

" May be one day," Lily responded. She grabbed his hand and walked out of her room without a glance back. The duo walked down the stairs and into the Auclair parlor. They stood in front of the fireplace.

" Lily I'll owl your broomstick to you before the break," Benjy said interrupting the silence. Lily looked at him curiously.

" Benjy it's the middle of the year, the Quidditch team probably do not need players," Lily answered.

" They'll make an exception for you, you are the great Lily Marie Gastor, sister of the Gastor brothers, daughter of the Pureblood power coupl-" Benjy started. His voice dwindled as he realized what he was saying. He looked at Lily with shame.

Lily didn't look at him; instead she stared at the fire lost in thought. She finally broke the silence when she said, " But what if I wasn't some pureblood poster child? What if I didn't have my brothers or my blood? What if I was just some muggleborn," Lily mused aloud. Thought spun through her head as she reached a decision.

" Benjy you are a genius," Lily crowed. Benjy stared at her in confusion, not following her train of idea.

" I already knew that, but why are you so keen to point it out now," Benjy questioned. He eyed Lily warily.

" What do you think of a little experiment? If I pretend to be muggleborn then know one will know who I really am? My brothers have practically disowned me, so they couldn't care much. All I need is to forge the papers and alter a few records," Lily theorized.

Benjy turned white as she said her plan. " Lily, I think it's a good idea but not for this time. People are persecuting muggleborns. It may not be safe. I don't want you to get hurt," Benjy told her.

Lily stared at him in shock. Did he not think she was brave enough? Did her beloved Benjy think of her as weak and cowardly?

" Benjy I'm doing this with or without your permission. I can't believe that you don't think that I am strong enough to handle this," Lily growled.

" Lily I can't give you my blessing. I don't support your plan; frankly it's a bit conceited. Why are you even going to Hogwarts first of all? You hate your family, and you are trying to prove some petty point to them! This isn't you," Benjy shot back.

" Its not your decision to make. And I have to do this, there's something fishy about Julius' story. I just have to figure out what it is," Lily sharply answered.

" Lily that my point! You are leaving behind your home, your leaving me to follow some trail that might not even be true! Lily this isn't the right thing to do," Benjy responded.

" You know you can leave. I am going to England and I will go to Hogwarts and I will find out what is happening and there is nothing you can do," Lily finished.

Lily walked to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder. She turned around and looked a Benjy's defeated frame.

" Ministry of Magic," Lily shouted. She threw the floo powder into the fireplace and jumped into the flames. Her good-bye was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't say anything.

The last thing she saw was the cerulean of Benjy's anguished eyes.

Flashback ends

Tears formed in her eyes as she blinked furiously. Lily had a mission and could not risk getting distracted by Benjy's pettiness.

The English countryside blurred behind the glass of the window. Snowflakes leaped through the sky and danced with the wind. The trees raised their gnarled limbs to the sun in a symbol of surrender. Lily was an alien to this world.

Over three years ago was she forced to leave England, and now she was back. Yet the memories of her childhood seemed like lies when she looked at the gorgeous countryside flash by.

The sun sat low in the sky, as a reminder of the long train ride Lily was on. Last she heard was the conductor saying they had just past Nottingham several hours ago.

Lily leaned out of her seat and looked around in her compartment. An elderly couple sat by a window snoozing off in the corner. A young muggle woman sat in her seat reading some sort of gossip magazine. Lily craned her neck saw a man two rows in front of her.

He was writing a paper and seemed to be frustrated with the passage. He had red hair, but not as red as Lily's and looked to be a few years older that her. His was more of a strawberry blonde. It grew in shaggy curls that touched the tip of his eyebrows. A pair of thin reading glasses covered his eyes. He was hunched over in his seat, as attempt to fit his gangly body. He scowled at the paper and muttered a few words under his breathe.

Lily picked up a few of the words, and giggled at his frustration. The man must have had keen ears as he lifted his head and looked Lily straight in the eye. His eyes were a soulful gray that appeared to have a storm waging in them. Lily blushed a deep red and looked down.

She turned to the window in embarrassment and stared at the passing fields. A light tap broke her out of her thoughts, and she turned towards it. The man she was caught staring stood before her. Lily blushed and he spoke, interrupting the silence.

" Do you mind if I sit here," he prompted. His vowels rolled in a smooth tune, indicating a mild welsh accent.

" No not at all," Lily answered. He then smiled and moved into the seat next to Lily's.. The sat for a few seconds before Lily broke the silence.

" I'm sorry but do you happen to know where exactly are we," Lily questioned.

" I believe that we passed Sheffield about a half hour ago," he responded.

" Oh thanks," Lily answered. She could feel his eyes staring at her and blushed again.

" I'm sorry, it's just that you have a very interesting accent," he said.

" I've just come to England from France for the first time in three years,' Lily stated with a shrug.

" No. You speak with a faint accent, but there's something else," he mused.

" I lived in Greece before France," Lily answered.

" Ahh a fellow islander then. I knew your voice reminded me of home," he responded with a smile.

" I'm sorry but you have a welsh accent," Lily pointed out.

" My parents moved us to Wales for my sister and my education, since they both grew up there," he answered.

" Interesting. So what is a Greek Welsh boy like you doing on a train to Manchester," Lily queried.

" Well this Greek Welsh boy is going to visit his sister who attends Uni in Manchester," he quipped.

" Where do you go to school," Lily questioned curiously.

" Just some typical everyday college in Wales," he answered. " So what is a Greek French girl like you doing on a train to Manchester," he questioned, attempting to change the subject.

" My family home is in Manchester, well on the outskirts," Lily replied. The Gastor Manor was separated from Manchester by a large wood, as were most pureblood manors.

" Any siblings, Frenchy, " He enquired.

" Five brothers," Lily responded nonchalantly.

" Well that sure is a lot. My family's just my parents, Helen, and I. But we're a close bunch," he responded. He went off on a tangent stories from his childhood.

" I'm sorry for rambling, what's your family like," he questioned embarrassed.

" My family is more of the Gastors and then there's Lily hidden from society," Lily mused drily.

" I'm sorry," he responded.

" It's okay. I've embraced my outsider role," Lily replied. There was an awkward silence, as the two looked anywhere but at each other.

" So your last name's Gator, what your first," the boy questioned as trying to break the silence.

" Lily, what's your name," Lily questioned.

" Harland Evans," He resounded.

" That an interesting na-" Lily started. Before she could finish the train abruptly stopped.

She and Harland slammed into the seat in front of them. Lily groaned and stood up slowly. She looked outside of the window and saw swirls of black steak the sky. One, by one they came shooting into the ground, turning into robed men. Death eaters, Lily thought to herself. A shiver crept up her back.

Lily turned from the window and grabbed Harland. She pulled him up and looked around the compartment. The elderly couple was helping each other up and the muggle woman was picking her magazine from the ground.

Lily knew she had to act quickly to save these muggles. She looked at what she was wearing, a pair of fitted jeans, a green sweater, and combat boots. A red liquid drenched her pants, and she looked at where it was coming from.

" Holy shit! Harland your head's bleeding," Lily yelped. Harland touch his face gingerly and winced.

" That's not important, Lily what going on? Did you see those men outside," Harland questioned. Lily ignored him and reached down into her boot, grabbing her wand.

A rod of willow encasing a single unicorn mane hair, instead of the typical tail hair, emerged from her boot. Lily pointed it at Harland and murmured a few spells, immediately the wound began to heal.

" Is that a wand? What are you," Harland questioned touching his healed forehead. Lily looked out the window and saw the death eaters marching in unison towards the train.

"We don't have time for this. Harland I'm a witch, and those men out there are wizards. But they are bad really bad, they hate muggles and are about to kill everyone in the train if I don't do something," Lily told him. Harland's eyes opened in surprise. Yet they soon relaxed and he faced Lily determinedly.

" Harland I need you to get every person in this compartment off of the train and run. Don't stop running until you reach a village or a city just keep running," Lily ordered.

" What about the other compartments, there's five on this train," Harland questioned.

" I'll take care off the people in those, hurry before it's too late," Lily responded. Harland gave her one last look before running towards the muggle woman.

" Reducto," Lily cried. She shot her wand at the window and it burst into pieces. She jumped out of it and tumbled on the snow-covered tracks. Lily stood up and felt cuts form from the glass she fell on. Blood covered her clothing and skin, but she didn't care. Lily looked up and saw that almost fifty yards in front of her stood all the train passengers in a giant mob. Around then death eaters stood in a circle taunting them.

Lily raced towards them, skidding across the snow-covered plain. Her blood fell on the pure white snow. When she was a few yards away, a death eater pointed to her and yelled. Soon bolts of spells shot through the air towards Lily.

" Protego," Lily screamed. The spells bounced off her shield charm and hit their castors.

" Hey! Look's like she's a witch," one of the death eater shouted. Lily didn't pay attention to him as she sent a spell at the muggles. The crowd shot into the air surrounded by an enlarged bubblehead charm. Lily flicked her wand at the bubble and sent it flying across the plain.

The death eaters shouted and one shot a spell at the bubble. It burst into pieces and the muggles fell on the plain. The death eaters marched towards them sending neon spells after the muggles. Lily paled; she could recognize the sickly green of the killing curse from anywhere.

Muggles began to fall, and crowded together. Lily ran towards them shooting hexes and jinxes towards the death eaters. None of the death eaters fought back, they brushed Lily's swift spells aside and continued to massacre the muggles. Lily finally reached the muggles, Before the death eaters came, there were about seventy aboard the train, now only thirty remained, standing in piles of their fellow passengers.

She stood in front of them and pointed her wand at the death eaters.

" Don't come any closer," Lily yelled.

" Little girl, stand down," One yelled. He moved to the front of the crowd, and stood before Lily, He grabbed the blackness of his mask and pulled the swirls of gas from his face. Lily gasped when she saw his face.

" I know you," Lily murmured. He heard her and smirked.

" Of course you do, I am Abraxas Malfoy, who wouldn't know me," he said smugly. The other death eaters found this amusing, and laughed.

" Are the Gastors among you," Lily demanded. Abraxas looked at her in disgust.

" It looks like we have a mudblood. The entire pureblood society knows that the Gastors have been given time to mourn after their loss. Now boys what shall we do with this dirty mudblood." Abraxas cackled. The other death eater shouted suggestions of what to do to Lily.

Before they could say anything, a group of death eaters apparated into the plain, carrying a group of muggles.

" Oi Malfoy! Look what we found. A group of piggish muggles thought that they could escape the power and might of wizards, let's have at em," a death eater shouted. They pushed the muggles into the other group. Lily saw the gleam of Harland's eyes.

" I told you to run Harland," Lily shouted. Before he could respond, Abraxas interrupted.

" Oh is that your little boyfriend? Look at this, a mudblood and her bastard muggle lover. Do you let him and his friends wh-" Abraxas started. Harland jumped on him and punched him.

" Don't speak to her that way," he shouted. A few death eaters ran forth and pulled Harland off of Abraxas.

" Look at this disobedient muggle! I will have to teach him a lesson. One of you restrain this mudblood and bring her to me. The rest of you finish these muggles off," Abraxas shouted. A death eater grabbed Lily and carried her protesting body over to Abraxas. Lily could hear the shout of Avada Kedevra fill the air.

Suddenly, Lily was shoved on the ground. The death eater holding her shot the stunning spell at her, and held her up. Lily was forced to look at the putrid scene in front of her.

Abraxas Malfoy stood over Harland with an evil gleam in his eye.

" Crucio," he shouted. The spell twisted through the air with speed and hit Harland in the chest. He screamed with pain and convulsed on the ground.

Lily was not able to do anything. No one would save them. They were doomed. Harland's tortured screams filled the air.

Suddenly Lily heard the pop of apparitions and saw men enter the field. More death eaters Lily thought. But she was wrong.

Golden robed men and women swiftly ran through the plain. Spells leaped from their wands towards the death eaters.

" Aurors," Abraxas Malfoy whispered. He looked at the muggle before him and smirked.

" Avada Kedevra," he shouted. A green light swarmed from his wand and pounced on Harland. His tortured screams ended and his eyes became glassy.

Lily screamed, finally freeing herself rom the stunning spell. She grabbed her wand from the ground and shot a jinx at Abraxas and the death eater holding her.

They fell to the ground and Lily looked up. All of the original muggles were in piles of corpses. The remaining death eaters saw their fallen leader and apparated out of the field. The aurors ran towards Lily and the corpses.

" You there! Are you okay," one shouted. Lily looked at the robed wizard and saw him walk towards her. She suddenly felt dizzy and began to sway. The man ran towards her.

" Whoa there. Lets get you sitting. There is that better? I'm Bishop Shacklebolt can you tell me your name miss," the auror questioned. He was crouching over Lily who was sitting on the cold snow. But she didn't care; all she cared about was how horrible it was to be a pureblood.

" Its Lily, Lily Evans," She whispered. Lily thought it was right to honor Harland's bravery with this tribute. From this day forth she was no longer Lily Gastor, the reluctant pureblood, she was Lily Evans the proud muggleborn. Mr. Shacklebolt smiled lightly.

" Well Miss. Evans, we at the auror department would like to thank you for taking care of two suspected death eaters. Those men you jinxed, they are Abraxas Malfoy and Cygnus Black, two suspected death eaters, With your help those men are going to go somewhere they can never harm muggles again," Bishop told Lily.

" Oi Shacklebolt! The area has been cleared of our presence; we took the bodies to the ministries. They will be given to the families through the muggle government. The profit wants a word with the girl,"

An auror shouted. She walked over to Lily and Bishop. The auror had long black hair and gray eyes. She had an aristocratic grace and beauty. For some reason, she reminded Lily of the Black family.

" Hey there. I would personally like to thank you for dealing with my bastard of a father, may the Black family end up in hell," the auror informed Lily.

" Oh I almost forgot, I'm Andromeda Black, disgrace to the Black Family. Blood traitor and proud," the women told Lily. Lily gaped at her. She had heard of Andromeda Black, she had even met her. The women standing in front of her was her brother ex girlfriend, who broke his heart when she abandoned their arranged marriage to run off with a muggleborn Hufflepuff. Julius was still heart-broken over Andromeda from what Lily could assume.

" It's an honor to meet you Auror Black," Lily answered Andromeda twisted her face in revulsion.

" Its Auror Tonks now. After marrying Ted I ditched the Toujas Pur crap," Andromeda told Lily.

" So Lily what do you think of being an auror," Andromeda voiced. Bishop chuckled.

" Andy, stop trying to influence our young. If Miss. Evans ever wants to pursue a career in Magical Law Enforcement, I'll be the first to recommend her to Moody," Bishop stated.

Lily let the two aurors banter on, as she looked around her. The aurors managed to get rid of the bodies and any sign that the plain had been touched by magic. The sun was beginning to set and Lily remembered that she told Julius that she would arrive before sunset.

" Shit," she muttered. The aurors looked at her.

" Miss Evans do you have somewhere you need to go," Bishop questioned. Lily blushed and looked at him.

" I was supposed to meet someone in the Manchester Train Station," Lily responded.

" I'm sure that Tonks here would be more than willing to apparate you to Manchester," he told her. Lily smiled shyly.

" Only if it's not too much of an issue," Lily told Auror Tonks.

" Looky here. We've got the first well-mannered teen in existence. I'm telling you Shacklebolt she's gonna be the biggest thing to hit the auror department since Moody," Auror Tonks crowed.

Lily blushed. She never thought about her future since she always assumed that she would end up being a pureblood housewife. Before a pureblood girl goes to Hogwarts, she had their first entrance in pureblood society. She would meet her betrothed, who had been decided when she was born.

Lily was banished to Greece before she had her entrance to society. She often pitied her betrothed since he never found out who his future wife would be.

" Hey Lily its time to go," Auror Tonks said. Lily grabbed Auror Tonks' outstretched hand.

" It was an honor to meet you auror Shacklebolt. Thank you for saving me when I couldn't even save myself and the muggles," Lily said.

" Lily not even s fully trained auror could have saved those muggles from that large of a death eater group. Don't blame yourself for this," Auror Shacklebolt stated. Lily looked at him in gratitude.

" Thank you. You've changed my view on the world," Lily voiced.

Auror Shacklebolt nodded at her. Andromeda Tonks then apparated with Lily to Manchester, leaving Auror Shacklebolt bearing the weight of the war in a fresh field of snow.

Lily's world spun as she felt the pressure of apparition on her back. She was standing in Manchester Train Station. Muggles hustled from train to train. The station was taking the brute of holiday travels. Harland's tortured face flashed by Lily's mind and she grimaced.

" Lily I'm sorry but I need to get home to my daughter. She's ill and Ted's not the best doctor," Andromeda said.

" It's fine, I can see myself to my home. Thanks for your help Auror Tonks," Lily told Andromeda.

" None of this Auror nonsense. Call me Andy. Lily I want you to remember to watch your back, times of war are hard ones. You never know who's gonna betray you," Andromeda stated. She then apparated from the station leaving Lily alone in a room full of people she didn't know.

Lily sighed and walked to the train station parking lot. She went to the back and tapped a wall with her wand. The Gastor crest glowed on the wall and a broomstick fell from the ceiling. Lily grabbed it. She went outside the station and jumped on it.

Lily glided into the orange sky. She had almost forgotten how much she loved to fly. It was accelerating to feel the wind brush against her face. Lily twisted her broom and leaned down, accelerating it.

Lily flew over the small suburban homes of the citizens of Manchester. She looked down and saw a familiar wood under her. Lily started to lower her broom as a pointed roof came into her view.

Gastor Manor, was built centuries ago, but with magic seemed freshly built. It was a large manor with a baby blue shingled roof and cream walls. Nestled in wood, it was secluded from the muggle view. A narrow drive led into the manor, and displayed the elegant front yard. Behind the house Lily could see the garden and patio leading to the pool and Quidditch pitch in the distance.

Lily then flew straight towards the earth. Right before making contact with the ground, she turned her broom and stopped it. Lily jumped from it and carried it to the door of the house.

A bout of nervousness broke through her chest. But she pushed it down. Lily was not scared; she was ready. She then pressed the gleaming doorbell, and heard the light notes echo from inside the house. She heard a pop and the door opened.

Before her stood Julius, hair more tousled than ever. His golden eyes bore straight at her. He stood straight and confident. More importantly he reeked of Gastor genetics.

Tousled blonde curls erupted from his head and glided to the tips of his ears. His straight nose and thick lips pointed towards his liquid gold eyes. High cheekbones completed the face. His body was muscled yet lean from years of Quidditch. A golden glow set off his tan face.

" Well if it isn't my little rebellious sister, returning to her throne," he drawled with a smirk.

Lily crossed her eyes and glared. She broke eye contact and attempted to push past him into the house. But he didn't let her.

" How about a hug Marie," he questioned with open arms. Lily looked at him in surprise. His usage of her childhood nickname seemed a tad off.

" Are you drunk," she questioned. He crossed his arms and smirked.

" No how have you been, no jumping into a hug, what happen to the little girl who used to greet me at platform every year," He demanded.

" She grew up after seeing her brother massacre a group of innocent people for fun," Lily replied. This through him off, Lily shoved him from the door and entered the house.

The interior was the same classic elegance that hinted of her mother's taste. The though of her mother brought a sour notion to her head. But before she could do anything Julius interrupted her.

" Poppy will take you to your room. Freshen up, we are having a family dinner in an hour," Julius ordered. He took her arm and led her to the staircase in the center of the room.

" Julius we need to talk. Where are Pericles, Lucian, Cassius, and Jason? When will the will be read," Lily questioned.

"All in time Marie," Julius enunciated. He then turned from her. But Lily was getting angry.

" Do you even care that our parents died a day ago? No you are just as heartless as Voldemort," Lily yelled. Julius turned and something flashed in his eyes. He grabbed Lily and held her against him.

" You hypocrite. Don't you dare act like some self-righteous angel! You haven't seen mum or father in years! So get off of your damn high horse. And don't you dare used the Dark Lord's name derogatorily," he spoke darkly.

Lily nodded her head and he released her. Julius clapped his hands, and a house elf apparated into the room.

" Poppy be a dear and take Lily to her room," Julius commanded.

" Yes master Julius! Poppy would be happy to take Mistress Lily to her room," Poppy yelped. Julius waved to Lily and walked off into the manor.

" Poppy this isn't really necessary, I do remember where my room is," Lily said.

" No no! Poppy must do as instructed so off we go," Poppy stated. Lily sighed and followed the house elf up the stairs.

The hallways remained the same as they had been for year. Every few rooms a portrait adorned the wall of a family member. Lily could feel the shocked stares of her deceased family as she walked through the halls.

" Here we are," Poppy said. The house elf opened the door and left with a pop. Lily entered her room and saw that the room was bare. A huge canopy bed stood in the middle, devoid of sheets. The walls were painted the light dusty gold that had always been there. The baby blue carpet was soft on Lily's tired feet.

The room adjourned to a bathroom and a walk in closet. Lily tapped her bracelet with her wand and her belongings flew out into their proper spots. Books stacked themselves in the wall lined with built-in bookshelves. Clothing flew into the armoires folded, and on hangers in the closet. Her toiletries shot into the restroom as her personal belongings did into her desk. Pictures of her friends and family stuck themselves to the wall of her desk. Lily looked around her feeling somewhat at home.

Lily walked into the restroom and took a shower. She washed her hair twice trying to get the smell of corpses from it. When she felt sufficiently clean, Lily wrapped herself in her towel and left her restroom. She traipsed over to her closet and grabbed a set of clothing that would keep her brothers off her back.

Lily slid into her bra and underwear and threw a pair of denim leggings and a fitted shirt. She grabbed her wand and dried her hair with it. Lily walked over to the full mirror and stared at herself.

Unlike her brothers whose bodies screamed Gastor, Lily's had the hidden elegance and beauty of her family. She stood 5'6 ft. tall. In comparison to her brothers she looked like a doll instead of an average height. Her hair was a rich crimson that curled into graceful, tamable curls naturally, which reached her mid back.

Lily's skin was a fair shade that she inherited from her father. It had a light shine to it making it look like the moon's gentle glow in comparison to her brothers' sunny shine. Her eyes were a large soulful shape, which all the Gastors had. But instead of her father's golden irises, she had her Irish grandmother's expressive emerald-green eyes. Thick lashes of cerise surrounded them and high cheekbones enhanced them.

Her nose was the standard aristocrat pureblood nose and her mouth was the cherry red fullness of her mother's. Lily had a lithe body, with curves in the right places. Her legs were long and creamy leading to lady-like small feet. Lily was thought to be gorgeous but she didn't see it. Lily saw the Gastor ring on her mirror image's neck and looked away.

Lily walked to her desk and grabbed her wand. She slid it into the pocket of her jeans and left her bedroom. She walked down the stairs and into the informal dining room.

The Gastor Dining room was a large spacious room that could fit over fifty seated people. It was that reason Lily's mum deemed it wrong for a family. She converted a smaller, yet large room into an informal dining room for family meals.

Julius sat at her father's seat at the head of the table. On his right sat Pericles and his left Lucian. Cassius sat beside Pericles with his nose buried in a book, and Jason toyed with a snitch beside Lucian. All of them were whispering to each other quietly. Lily was an alien to the scene before her.

Pericles looked up from the discussion and felt Lily's eyes on him. He looked towards her with a soft smile. Pericles slipped from the table and strode over to her. He grabbed her and threw her in a huge bear hug.

" Oh my little petal you're all grown up," he murmured into her hair. The others looked up and saw the embracing siblings. Pericles released her and the minute he did a bolt of gold flashed towards her.

" Lily dinner's been dreadfully boring without your stories," Jason told her as he swung her in the air. Lily blushed; this was not the greeting she was expecting. She was ready for an awkward dinner of silence not one of joy.

" Jace why don't you try to share Lily with the rest of us," Lucian drawled annoyed at his younger brother's antics. Jason blushed and released Lily. Lucian and Cassius got up and embraced her at the same time.

" We have to have a game of Quidditch! Julius murmured from his spot. He got up and strode over to the crowd surrounded his sister.

" Ben told us that you've been the little Quidditch star at Beaxabatons Lils," Cassius smirked. Lily blushed. She was overwhelmed by the sentimentality of her brothers.

" You are still a little midget," mused an observing Lucian. Lily scowled and glared him.

" It's not my fault you lot are a bunch of giants," Lily quipped. They looked shocked but laughed.

" Oh Marie you're still the little spitfire we remember," Julius laughed. A pop filled the air and the boys looked over at the table. Dinner sat on the table hot and ready. The boys ushered Lily towards the table and sat her down at the circular table. While eating, the boys snuck glances at Lily to make sure that she was real.

Lily listened to them banter of old memories and stories. She stared at them trying to absorb everything she missed for the last five years.

Pericles' gentle professional fatherly behavior proved that he had matured from the jokester teen of his past. Unlike the other Gastors, he had more of wheat colored head of hair. His build was lean and tall. His golden eyes were the replicate of the other Gastors, but his had more a gentle edge to them.

Lucian lounged in his seat in a similar way to Julius. He was an exact replica of Julius, except that he had the round edges of youth. Lucian seemed to have broken out of his shy childhood shell, and embraced whom he was.

Cassius had turned into a bookworm in Lily's absence. His hair was cropped short and emphasized the sharp edges of his body. He was almost a foot taller than when Lily had last seen him. Unlike the other Gastors, Cassius had more of a tan from days spent outside in his youth. He listened to the others, but when he voiced his opinion everybody seemed to gravitate towards him.

Jason had a huge smirk stretched across his face. He had grown almost a foot and a half. His hair was shaggy and straight unlike the rest of the Gastors. His skin had a lighter glow than the others, more like Lily's. Jason had a smile that made the world seem like a brighter place.

" I feel horribly rude, but Benjy doesn't keep me informed on you lot, he prefers to tell me about his conquests," Lily mused.

" That sounds like Ben," Jason responded. The boys and Lily laughed; it was good to be a family again. The reminder of their parents' death faded into the background with the presence of their Lily, because no matter where she was she was the glue that held them together.

" And right in the middle of the game, Lucian decides that he was capable of catching the bludger with his hands. That bludger did not like that. It shot across the stadium with Lucian hanging on for dear life. If only we had ta-" Cassuis said. He grabbed his arm at the same time as the other Gastor brothers. They all made eye contact.

" Lily we have some business about the funeral to attend to. You must be tired so you should go off to sleep," Julius ordered. The other brothers nodded their heads and stood up.

" No its fine, I should come and aid," Lily stated standing with them. They stared at her with strained smiles.

" Lily its no trouble stay here," Pericles calmly commanded. The others looked at him thankfully. Lily frowned and argued.

" You boys have dealt with mum and father's death a lone, let me help," Lily insisted. The boys made eye contact.

" Oh screw it. She's going to find out anyways. Lily our family has aligned itself with the Dark Lord. We believe in his cause. We have all pledged ourselves as death eaters, and have the dark mark," Jason revealed. Lily turned pale and took a step from them.

" You are joking? Are you serious," Lily questioned. Jason lifted his sleeve and showed Lily his writhing dark mark. The others did the same. Lily went from shocked to furious.

" You bigoted arses! You should be ashamed. You are all being disgrace and shame to the Gastor family name. Mum and Father would be asham-" Lily began.

" Lily this is who we are! Mum and Father supported us; Father was a death eater Lils! We need filthy mudbloods to see that purebloods are better and they are just lowlife pigs," Julius responded. The others nodded their heads in agreement.

Lily's heart tore in two when she heard Julius' comment. How could her brothers be so bigoted and prejudiced? She was ashamed.

" Well if that how you feel then you won' t be upset when I say that I am not longer a member of this family. I will stay for the break and the funeral then never return. I've already transferred all of my school records to the muggle name Lily Evans. I plan on attending Hogwarts the minute this break is over and there is nothing you can do about it! If you do tell anyone my true identity, I will go straight to the aurors with your names as death eaters. They will lift your sleeves and its off to Azkaban for the lot of you," Lily ranted. The Gastor brothers watched her with displeasure creeping up their throats.

" Lily we will finish talking when we return from our meeting," Pericles said. The boys in unison turned to black smoke apparating out of the room. Lily was alone with a freshly healed heart that had been sliced open.

The morning sun shone through the curtains of the canopy and on Lily. She groaned and turned over, slamming her pillow over her head. Lily was lying in her bed tangled in the blankets. Her hair lay in a tangle of fiery curls above her head.

Lily rose from her head reluctantly, feeling the burn of a night without sleep. She looked towards her window and saw the sun sitting low in the sky. Lily slid off her bed and went over to her window. She stared at the snow-covered grounds lost in thought.

Lily looked over to her clock. It was 11 AM. She had forty minutes before the funeral would begin. Lily sprinted to her bathroom and threw her pajamas off. She took a quick shower and bolted from the room. Lily ran to her closet and applied her make up in record time. She grabbed the black robes she wore to Mrs. Auclair's funeral and slinked into it. Lily paused when she saw her reflection. If her plan worked then the robes needed to be a bit longer. Lily shot a spell at her robe and it stretched down to below her knees.

" It's a bit to take in. My parents just died and my kid sister returned home after being banished for five years. And to top that off, I 'm a bloody death eater," a voice drawled from the door. Lily turned around in shock, instinctively her arm stretched out for her wand that wasn't by her side.

" Merlin's sweet pants, Pericles don't do that," Lily commanded. She clutched her chest and walked over to her side table where her wand was. Pericles wore a smirk and walked into her room and examined it.

" Whose this," Pericles said pointed to a framed picture. Lily walked over to him and looked at the picture. It brought a light smile to her face.

" That's Selena Kingsmill, she and I went to school in Athens together," Lily said. She stared at the picture with a light smile. It was taken the previous summer after the death eater massacre at the ministry. After the event, Monsieur Auclair sent Lily to Greece to stay with her mother's best friend Apolline Kingsmill. Her daughter, Selena, was Lily's closest friend after Benjy. Lily and Selena spent the remaining two weeks of summer break touring the isles around Greece.

In the picture, Lily was lightly tanned with healthy glow. She wore a green sundress and had an arm over Selena's shoulder. Selena had her head back thrown in laugher from a joke Lily had told. Selena was a few inches taller than Lily and bore a Greek tan. Her hair was a deep chestnut that reached her waist. Her blue eyes twinkled in joy.

Lily was jealous of the perfect poise and looks Selena had, but didn't let it get in the way of their friendship. The two girls were once inseparable, and Lily was relying on their friendship to let her through the wedding. She could faintly remember the letter she sent to her friend pleading her case. Lily hoped that Hestia could arrive before the funeral started.

" Is she a pureblood," Pericles questioned. Lily frowned but answered his question.

" Yes she is," Lily responded. She watched Pericles' face for any changes.

" Interesting. Well the reason Julius sent me here, Lily, we don't want any of your muggle nonsense at the funeral. It will be your first appearance in society so don't make a fool of yourself," Pericles said. Fury raced through Lily's veins, but before she could say anything, she heard a scrape against the window.

" Oh Hestia you are my savior," Lily murmured as she walked over to the window. She opened it and stroked Hestia's feathers. Lily reached down to Hestia's leg and pulled the small box from it.

Pericles stood watching her curiously. Lily ignored him and walked over to her desk.

She opened the box with one hand and a drawer in her desk with the other. She pulled a vial from the drawer and smiled as she read the label. Polyjuice potion, Lily thought as she read the label. She closed the drawer and opened the box, inside was a single hair of chestnut hair, and a note.

Lily picked up the note and read it. She smiled as she read it and placed it on her desk. Lily grabbed the strand of hair and placed it inside of the vial. Immediately, the potion changed from a murky brown to a light blue. Lily smiled and faced Pericles.

" You are forgetting that Lily Gastor does not exist," Lily informed Pericles.

" How do you plan to pull that off? The funeral begins in ten minutes and you are still Lily Gastor," Pericles scoffed.

" Like this," Lily responded. She opened the vial and drank its contents. Lily felt her hair growing and her body stretching. She closed her eyes and let the brief bout of dizziness fade. The Polyjuice was a special type that lasted for twelve hours, instead of the usual one-hour. Lily looked down at her potion supplies; she only had three more of the long term Polyjuice potion.

" Sometimes it annoys me how you always seem to have a plan," Pericles scoffed at her. Lily smiled and looked at her reflection. She was no longer a short redhead. She had long brunette hair and sapphire eyes. Her mourning robes reached the tip of her knees and had a scooped neck. They were plain black with no additions to it. Lily walked to her closet and grabbed an ebony cloak and a pair of black heels.

" I'm ready to go Mr. Gastor," Lily announced. Pericles stood up from his perch against her desk and looked at her.

" So your plan is to go to our parents' funeral as Selena Kingsmill, a girl who has met our parents maybe once," Pericles queried.

" Of course, it took you a bit of time to catch on though," Lily replied. She snuck her wand into her purse and let Pericles lead her from the room. They walked to the outside of the house and she side-along-apparated with him to the cemetery.

She felt the familiar tug at her navel and spun from existence.

The most esteemed pureblood cemetery resided in the small town of Godric's Hallow, the home of Godric Gryffindor. The sacred 30 families all had designated space, in accordance to how pure their family was. Godric Gryffindor's male line had died out; but it was extant in the female line in the Potter family, the only pureblood living in Godric's Hallow. Lily had heard of the Potter family from her elder brothers several times.

The Potters were one of the holy seven. They could trace their roots to the famous Peverell brother, Ignotus and Godric Gryffindor. Charlus Potter was the patriarch of the esteemed family. Dorea Potter was a pureblood witch who originated in the Black family, whom married Charlus. Lastly was their son, James Charlus Potter. Lily had heard Jason make some references to him in his tales of Hogwarts.

Lily quickly brushed away the thoughts of some arrogant pureblood boy and looked up. The sun sat in the winter sky surrounded by swirling clouds. Snow covered almost every surface, except for the pathway she trudged on.

She and Pericles landed outside of the Godric Hallow Cemetery and were walking through it in silence. Names on the tombstones popped out as she looked around. Crabbes and Abbots and Goyles blended together as she kept her eye on the mass of black clothed people in front of her.

She could make out their faint voices and bodies in the distance, as the deeper one got into the cemetery, the closer they got to the holy seven. Within the cemetery resided a much more luxury one. Lily approached the entrance to it and read the gilded sign. Originally the holy seven started out as the holy ten, but two of the families had died out; the Peverells and the Gaunts and one was for mixing with muggle blood several centuries ago, the Weasley family.

The crests of the families stood boldly in the heart of the sign. The holy seven was comprised of the Potter, Gastor, Black, Malfoy, Rosier, Prewitt, and McKinnon families. The families were ranked in order of purity, with the missing Gaunts and Peverells close to the top five.

The sign brought shivers of disgust to Lily. Luckily for her, Pericles mistook these for chills and ignored them.

" You shouldn't have worn such a flimsy outfit," he mumbled. Lily smirked and didn't reply. Instead she sped up and ambled into the cemetery of the holy seven. In here, the tombs were more elaborate and elegant than the ones within the outside. Each tomb held its family emblem on its engraved walls. Lily shook with disgust, even in death these souls were forced to pledge themselves to the views of purebloods.

As Lily and Pericles approached the mass of purebloods, some turned towards them. Lily felt a blush crawl up her throat and faced forward. Whispers of who she was entered the group. Pericles tightened his grip on her hand when they heard a comment about the new girl being a mudblood. Lily frowned but let Pericles hold her hand.

They quickened their pace as Pericles approached the Gastor brothers. They stood in front of freshly dug graves with the caskets near by. Lily could make out the deep notes of Julius' voice as she watched him shake hands with an elderly pureblood.

" Lily you can't join us at the front, it wouldn't look right as you are not a Gastor, well at least for as long as you look like Selena Kingsmill," Pericles murmured in her ear. Lily nodded and walked away from him. She walked over to the sole empty seat in the second row of the seats.

" If everyone could please get seated, the ceremony will start soon," Julius announced. Lily saw her brothers march towards the front of the seats. They sat humbly and showed outward signs of sadness. Lily scoffed at this, only the night before they were they laughing and exchanging jokes.

" Is it not thought to be rude to laugh at the family of the dead," a voice drawled from Lily's left. She jumped up and saw a boy lounging beside her.

His silver eyes pierced her cerulean ones and Lily turned towards him in shock. His deep ebony hair cascaded to his chin in a series of curls. Skin that held the tell-tale sign of sun exposure shone lightly in the sun's rays. His eyes were stormy gray orbs of tumultuous expressions gave away who he was. His overly exaggerated aristocrat nose and jawline indicated that he was a pureblood, but so was everyone else at the funeral. Yet it was his eyes that had been childhood bedtime stories of all pureblood children.

The ancient and most noble house of Black had one trait that deemed them recognizable. Other than their standard beauty, found in most purebloods, their eyes gave them away. Liquid silver pools of turbulent storms were the standard Black trait. Centuries ago, the heir to the Blacks was struck by an unrecognizable curse, for it had been delivered from the heavens themselves.

A bolt of lightening struck the handsome man and left him permanently scared. His eyes had been a glorious shade of ebony, but after the bolt of lightening struck him, his eyes became the hue of the storm that had delivered the bolt to him. Along wit the change in eye color, which became present in the descendants of the Black heir was the curse. The heirs were either emotional deprived or overly emotional. Lily wondered which of the two was the young man in front of her.

" It is also considered rude to stare," the man mused. Lily blushed and words shot from her mouth.

" It's also considered rude to stare a girl's body in such a veracious way, Mr. Black," Lily fired back at him. The brooding man sat up from his lounging place and leaned towards Lily.

" Well I was never one for social norms, and how do you know who I am," he answered. Lily smiled wryly and glanced around her. She saw younger purebloods assisting their elder relatives into seats, while blathering on about their connections with the Gastors. The funeral wouldn't begin for at least another ten minutes so Lily opted to continue her conversation with the man beside her.

" Your eyes gave you away," Lily announced. He smirked and nodded ruefully.

" It always is isn't it? Look at the Malfoys, with their steel eyes: the Rosiers baby blue eyes, the earthly coffee eyes of the Prewitts, the electric blue eyes of the Mkinnons, even the heavenly gold of the Gastors, gives each one of them away," he sung. Lily looked at him in shock; she expected him to be a cold and emotionally deprived black, not the emotional poetic man before him.

" Shocked are you? Yes even a Black is capable of emotion," he scoffed at her. Lily blushed a crimson red and looked away. But unluckily for her, the man beside her was not willing to let her leave their conversation.

" You never did tell me your name. Your eyes, they don't look very familiar. Yet you have the facial structure of a pureblood. So do care to enlighten me," he drawled.

" I'm Selena Kingsmill, my mum was friends with Mrs. Gastor. They went to school together. She was my godmother," Lily voiced. The boy turned towards her and replied to her.

" A Greek Pureblood, how exotic. I'm Sirius Black, Ms. Kingsmill at your service. My family isn't particularly close with the Gastors. Well, except for me, I'm mates with the youngest one, Jason," Sirius stated. He glanced around the cemetery, and his eyes sparkled when he caught sight of someone.

"Oi! Bella come here," Sirius shouted across Lily. Lily looked at him bewildered. Within minutes, a young witch appeared before them. She had heavy-lidded eyes that gave her an eternal bored expression. Her hair was a deep midnight black. Her stormy silver eyes gave away her heritage; she was a Black. She was tall and poised, yet she stared down Sirius with an annoyed expression.

" Sirius what do you want," she questioned. Lily shifted in her seat, catching the attention of the witch in front of Sirius.

" Oh Bella no family sentimentality? Where's the love," Sirius voiced with a smirk. The witch, Bella, appeared annoyed and made a move to go away.

" Sirius, I don't have time for your games," she said. " I'm recruiting now, I think I got the Shafiqs on board," the witch whispered in an excited voice. Lily eyed her curiously but let the two continue their conversation.

" I just wanted to know if you have seen your father recently, Uncle Cygnus is not one to turn down the free pureblood mingling of a funeral," Sirius voiced.

" No I haven't. I expect that he is with my mum. I mean he is Cygnus Black III, he would not dare to upset the Gastors," Bella mused. Lily gasped when she heard the father of the witch before her. Lily remembered his brooding stare as she stunned him, she remembered Bishop saying that he a suspected death eater.

" Oh Sirius you didn't tell me you had a lady friend over. Hello my name is Bellatrix Black," the witch excitedly stated.

" Hello I'm Selena Kingsmill," Lily muttered. Bellatrix looked puzzled for a minute.

" I'm sorry but I don't recognize that name," Bella apologized. Lily could see that she was trying to figure out if Lily was a pureblood.

" My family is an ancient pureblood family from Greece. My mum went to school with the late Mrs. Gastor, she was my godmother," Lily responded stiffly. She saw Bellatrix's eyes sparkle with interest.

" How fascinating, it was grand meeting you but I am afraid I must take my leave, my fiancé is calling me over, Sirius will you walk me over," Bella indicated.

" Same here," Lily stated. She watched Bella grab Sirius and pull him off. Lily heard something from their whisperings.

Lily watched him leave. Jason had mentioned a Sirius Black in the letters he sent to her while she lived in Greece. But the joking, mischievous gangly boy of his letters did not sit next to Lily. A man hardened by war sat by her side, a man who chose to play it off with an easy laugh, that is.

" Sorry about that, my cousin, Bella, is a tad excited about our, lets say heritage," Sirius muttered as he sat back down.

Before Lily could respond, she was interrupted by the voice of Julius. She turned from Sirius and saw that Pericles was watching her with a wry smirk. Lily stuck her tongue at him, while Sirius watched the exchange. Pericles winked at her and turned towards the coffins.

" My parents had this type of love that I don't think I will ever get the chance to have," Julius started. His eyes flashed with pain, as Lily remembered about Andromeda Black. She wondered it Bellatrix or Sirius were related to her. Sirius stiffened next to her and crossed his arms, faintly brushing hers.

" My father would do anything for my mum. My mum left her home, and everything she knew in exchange for love. Their love gave something for my siblings and I to strive for. My father was the type of man to stand for his beliefs, which he did. He taught me to do the same. My mother taught me to hold my head with pride and take the world head on. I don't know how I will live without them, their death is the ending of my childhood, my innocence," Julius uttered. Purebloods sat in their seats some sniffling with the idea of sweet Julius Gastor having to bear adulthood.

When Julius finished, each of her brothers went up. After them, some of her parents' friends spoke of memories with the two. Lily realized that she didn't know the man and woman these people spoke of.

Lily knew of a man who would hold her softly and whisper the names of the constellations to her. She knew of a man who would twist her into the air when he came home. She knew the man who balanced her on her first broom ride and let her soar into the stars. She knew a man named Dad, not the alien William Gastor these people spoke of.

She knew a woman who traced words in a book aloud to Lily's curious mind. Lily knew the woman who kissed her good night every night and whispered words of love in Greek. Lily knew a woman who smiled lovingly at her daughter picking her first owl. She knew a woman named mum, not the strange and foreign Delphina Gastor.

But they were the cold parents who glared down at her as she was banished. They were the distant and shameful couple that gave her up after her fall from their graces.

Tears watered in Lily's eyes unbeknownst to her. Sirius Black noticed and took one of his arms from himself, and gently laid it on Lily's shoulder. Lily was thankful for the embrace, it reminded her of her brothers' hugs.

Sirius's tapping at her shoulder broke her from her thoughts. Lily looked up and saw that the wizards were gathering around the coffins. The lids remained shut, at the request of the couple before their deaths. Lily nodded a thank you at Sirius as he strode away from her. She stood and walked towards the coffins.

Her brothers each took their wands and lowered the coffins into the grave, a pureblood tradition. Once they were in the hole, purebloods lined up to throw powered gold into the holes, a Gastor tradition.

Lily joined the line and grabbed a handful of powder from the basket, as she approached the holes butterflies seemed to swarm inside of her stomach. Lily pressed them away, and took each step with finality.

When she reached the holes, Lily gently poured powder into each, she refused to let the tears come and they did not. After her hands were empty, except for the light sparkle of gold on her hands, Lily didn't think of her parents as she stood before their graves, she thought about the golden sparkle in her father's eyes. She thought about the turquoise hue of her mother's warm eyes. She thought of a man and woman who were dead, and it didn't matter why.

But then the reality of the world crashed on her and she walked away from their graves, leaving her warm memories of a time when life seemed perfect behind.

Lily sat in her own house, unable to flee to her room. It was her fault why she could not go to her room. She still looked like Selena, and Lily wouldn't give Selena gossip for sneaking away in the Gastor Manor.

Lily sat in a seat inside of the Gastor Parlor. After the last ceremony, the entirety of the English purebloods had gone to the Gastor Manor for a quiet lunch and a meeting.

Lily looked up as she saw that most of the purebloods had gone into the formal dining room. She stood and followed their trail. The dining room was furnished with the Gastor's china and at least fifty purebloods descending from the élite holy seven, and a few other families thought of as the closer, but lower, rank.

The seats were labeled for who would sit where, but Lily ignored the labels and looked for her brothers. She saw Cassius speaking to a young man, and she went up to him.

" Cass, do you know where my seat is," she questioned. Cassius turned in surprise, but relaxed when he saw his sister's disguise.

" Pericles saved you a seat up in the front," he stated with a light smile. The person he was speaking to eyed Lily curiously.

"Cassius aren't you going to introduce me to your friend here," he said. Lily looked up at the person for the first time. The man next to Cassius had clean slate blond hair and blue eyes. He had the same build that Cassius had, tall and muscular.

" This is my mother's goddaughter Selena Kingsmill. Selena this is Evan Rosier, he is Lucian's girlfriend's brother," Cassius announced. Lily could see the easy French traits common in the Rosier family. Evan had the standard sky blue eyes and light blond hair. Yet something stood out about him. He had a light glow that gave him away.

" You are part Veela aren't you," Lily said. Evan looked shocked. He tugged on his wand self-consciously.

" Yes my grandmother was a Veela," he responded. Lily nodded and looked away as she heard Julius announcing for everyone to take his or her seat.

" It was grand meeting you," Evan said lightly. Lily gave him a light smile and followed Cassius to their seats. Julius sat at the front seat, with Pericles and Lucian flanking him. Following him were Cassius and Jason. On Jason's right was an empty seat. Lily walked over to it and sat in it. Jason was lounging in his seat, talking to a wizard sitting two seats down. Lily sighed and saw that her brothers were occupied. Lucian caught her glance and sent a comforting smile back.

" Excuse me miss but what is your relation to the Gastors? Most of the people here haven't seen you before, are you from a different descent," a nosy witch pointed at Lily. She sat over ten seats away from Lily, but many of the people there stared at Lily in curiosity. Lily blushed but held her ground.

" I'm not from around here. My mother and Mrs. Gastor were schoolmates, Mrs. Gastor was my godmother," Lily murmured. The people around her looked at her in surprise.

A pureblood's godparents were considered as their parents most trusted companions. Lily's godfather was Mousier Auclair and the late Madame Auclair was her godmother.

" Interesting, what is your name young one," a middle age wizard voiced. Lily glanced at him and answered.

" Kingsmill, Selena Kingsmill," Lily responded. She saw the witches and wizards smile greedily with the idea of having a new set of genes for the pureblood families. Lily shivered with revulsion and looked away.

Luckily for her, the house elves had just finished preparing the lunch. Lily grabbed the ornate salad bowl and severed herself. She ate quietly and let the conversations around her continue. Lily looked around her and saw a pair of stormy silver eyes. She smiled and made contact with them. The owner sent a smile back at her. Lily never expected to be saved from boredom by Sirius Black.

He motioned towards the wizard sitting next to him. The wizard was a round man consuming everything in sight. Lily giggled when she saw Sirius mimic an elephant.

Jason looked over at her, startled at the sight sound of Lily's laugh. He looked at what Lily was laughing at.

" I see you have met Sirius," he mused. Lily looked at him startled. Sirius watched the two of them curiously.

" Yeah I sat near Sirius at the funeral," Lily answered. Jason nodded. He looked conflicted.

" Just be careful around Sirius. He is a bit of a man whore, but a lovable one," Jason stated uncomfortably.

"I can take care of myself Jace, I've done it for five years," Lily answered flippantly. Jason looked at her as though she had punched him in the gut. Pain and suffering burned in his eyes. Yet as quickly as the pain came, it faded away.

"Lils you need to know that I never wanted you to go. But it was for the better," Jason uttered.

" Jace, we aren't family, we haven't been a family for five years. Now if you will excuse me, I'm feeling suffocated by the amount of bigotry in this room," Lily croaked. She abruptly turned from him and walked from the room.

Lily saw that Sirius Black was following her so she sped up. Lily ran through the house and eventually reached the entrance.

"Hey where are you going," Sirius questioned from across the entrance hall. Lily's hand was on the doorknob and she silently cursed.

" I can only take so much of pureblood gatherings before I break," Lily answered. She turned and saw that Sirius had run up to her.

" Why don' we take a walk then," Sirius suggested. Lily nodded her head and opened the door of the house. They walked out into the winter midday without a look back.

"So what's it like at Hogwarts," Lily questioned Sirius. They were sitting in a park in Manchester. The Sun had settled low in the sky and snow shone on every surface. After leaving the Gastor Manor, the two had walked into the woods and eventually reached Manchester. They were sitting in a small park on the fringes of the city.

" Its great. Blimey I could not imagine a life not there. There's something special about it. Its got this glow, it could make anyone feel at home," Sirius responded. Lily nodded and looked up at the dusk sky.

" Its dusk. My godmum used to tell me this story. You know the one about the three Peverell brothers? Right so my godmum told me that Dusk was when death greeted the third brother with an embrace for a friend," Lily mused.

" I never understood what that meant, I swear my godmum was just blathering some pureblood nonsense to me half the time," Lily chuckled. Sirius turned to her and had a question on the tip of his tongue.

" Were you particularly close to the Gastors, "Sirius asked. Lily looked up to the sky and responded.

" I once was when I was younger, but then something happened a few years ago. My mum is too ill to make the journey here, so I volunteered," Lily answered. A twinge of pity entered her heart as she thought of poor Mrs. Kingsmill, suffering from a terminal illness.

" Do you know about Jason's sister by any chance," Sirius questioned. Lily looked at him startled, did he know who she was.

" You see, I know that Jason had this sister, cause he and his brothers used to talk about her all the time. But right before we went to Hogwarts he stopped. Same with the other brothers. I think last year we were playing truth or dare with some Veristaserum we knicked from ol' sluggy and we finally asked him about his sister. He told us that she was gone and wasn't coming back. It made us assume that she was dead," Sirius mused.

" I'm sorry I did not know that they even had a sister," Lily lied. Sirius nodded.

" Its fine I guess it is not even my business," Sirius answered. The two sat in silence for a long time. Lily thought about the lies that were spinning into her life. Sirius thought about his responsibilities and what he owed to the world he lived in.

"Are you going back to Greece after the funeral," Sirius questioned.

"Yes, I am leaving before midnight," Lily answered. Suddenly, before he could say anything else, Sirius clutched his arm in pain.

" Holy Fuck," he muttered. He glanced at Lily and grabbed a mirror from his hand.

" Prongs! Prongs are you there," he shouted at it. Lily looked at him, was he drunk?

" Padfoot you felt it too? We have to go, tell me where you are, I'll apparate there and we can go," a voice shouted from the mirror.

" We have a problem, I'm in muggle Manchester, in a small park close to Jason's house," Sirius shouted.

" Why are you in bloody muggle Manchester! The dark lord is not going to be patient Padfoot," the voice shouted back. Lily took a deep breath. Realization hit her like a bullet.

" This always happens, god damnit! Whenever I meet a pureblood that seems okay, they've got to flash their bloody dark mark! Sirius you're a bloody death eater aren't you," Lily yelled at Sirius. She grabbed her wand and pointed it at him.

" Padfoot, who's that? Please tell me you are not on a date," the voice clamored from the mirror.

" Oh Merlin shut up for a second Prongs," Sirius shouted. He looked at Lily's wand and held his hands in the air. Lily looked at the mirror and saw a pair of hazel orbs, the second she looked at them they blurred from the mirror.

" Expelliarmus," Sirius shouted. Lily's wand flew into his hand. He grabbed his wand and pointed it at Lily.

" Selena calm down," He commanded. Lily scoffed. She couldn't do anything with him holding both of their wands, so she did the one thing she could.

" Sirius, I can't see. The world's spinning I thi-" Lily started. She pretended to fall into the ground in a faint. While her eyes were closed, Lily heard Sirius running up to her. She opened her eyes and met a pair of silver ones. Sirius was hovering above her. Lily pulled her knee up and shoved it up and into Sirius.

" Holy Merlin! Oh fucking hell," Sirius shouted suddenly. He clutched his groin and fell to the ground. Lily stood up and grabbed her wand from where he had dropped it.

She grabbed Sirius's sleeve and pulled it up. Lily's eyes net the writhing shape of the dark mark. She immediately stood and ran from the park.

Lily stood breathless when she reached the Gastor Manor. She hadn't stopped running ever since she fled the park. Lily leaned against one of the pillars that lined the house. The sun had disappeared from view, and the moon sat low in the sky. She brushed her hands through her hair and saw crimson.

The Polyjuice potion must have worn off Lily thought. She quickly braided her hair into a French braid and let it sit by her neck. She craned her neck towards the window and listened.

Lily could tell from the silence inside the house, that the purebloods had left after the late lunch. She thought about which ones were attending the death eater meeting and frowned.

She was so confused. England had not changed but she had. Lily wasn't the resilient girl who was banished for standing her ground. Lily was different. She understood that to support her cause, she would need to take a stand, but in a different way.

Lily stared at the night sky. The names of the stars on the tip of her tongue and the moon's light making her skin shine. Lily got up and walked over to the large door. She knew that only a Gastor could open the doors to the house and did so.

Lily closed the door behind her and looked around the house. She didn't hear anyone and the house was eerily pristine.

"Poppy," Lily called out. Immediately she heard a pop, and a house elf appeared before her. Poppy was wearing a red tea cozy and a pair of homemade shoes.

"Poppy is here! What does Miss. Lily want," the house elf announced. Lily smiled indulgently and answered.

"If it is not too much trouble, could you tell me where my brothers are," Lily questioned. Poppy looked conflicted for a moment but answered.

" The young masters ended the gathering when some of the men grabbed their arms, they told Poppy they would be back before tomorrow morning.

" Thank you Poppy that will be all," Lily answered. Lily heard a pop and Poppy left. She then walked up to her room and found Hestia waiting impatiently by her window. Lily ambled towards the window and opened it.

" Don't be so touchy Hest," Lily murmured. She untied the string from Hestia's leg and pulled an envelope from her and the daily profit. Lily walked to her desk and opened one. Two letters fell out, both with the Hogwarts crest. Lily picked the first one up.

The crest of Hogwarts stood out on the heading of the letter. Lily traced the crest and wondered why they were sending her a letter.

Dear Miss. Evans,

We at Hogwarts are pleased to see that you are interested in attending our school. Mousier Auclair, a member of the Beauxabatons Education Board has informed us that your family has recently moved to England. Beauxabatons has sent us your transcript and we are thoroughly impressed. We hope that you will reply back informing us if you will attend our school.

Sincerely,

The Hogwarts Board of Education.

Lily stared at the letter in shock, how did Uncle Darcy know her new name, she thought. She picked up the other letter and read it.

Dear Miss. Evans,

My name in Albus Dumbledore, I am the current headmaster of Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry. I have been informed of your interest on attending our school and would be interested in meeting you. If you can, please meet me in Hogsmeade, at the Hog's Head tomorrow at 3 pm.

I look forward to meeting you,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards

Lily dropped the letter in shock. Her parents and brothers told her stories about the esteemed Albus Dumbledore. She remembered hearing about his battle with Gellert Grindelwald and his wisdom. But most importantly, Lily heard about his open heart and mind.

Lily grabbed a quill and scroll. She scrawled a quick reply to Dumbledore and tied it to Hestia leg. Lily opened the window and sent Hestia off with her future. She then went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, trying to wash the pressure of the past day from her shoulders.

Lily returned to her room and saw that she forgot the Daily Profit on her desk. She grabbed it and flounced on her bed. The headline stood out from the top of the paper, she continued to read the article below it.

DEATH EATERS CONTINUE MUGGLE HATE ACTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Yesterday at noon, a group of almost twenty death eaters massacred a group of seventy muggles. The muggles were traveling aboard a train on its way to Manchester, and around noon the travelers felt the train stopping. A young muggleborn witch was aboard the train and assisted a few muggles aboard her train car get away. She then promptly continued to valiantly attempt to take the death eaters head on. Auror sources say that she subdued the death eaters for almost fifteen minutes. When the Aurors arrived, they saw the death eaters swiftly shooting killing curses at a remaining group of about thirty muggles. " They fell like pins," a junior auror source informed us. When the aurors reached the death eaters, the death eaters promptly apparated away. The young muggleborn witch managed to stun two of the death eaters, Abraxas Malfoy and Cygnus Black III. Both are waiting for the Wizengamot verdict. When reporters questioned the aurors on who the girl was, the aurors refused to answer. " She's been through a lot, poor Lils," Auror Tonks told us. Whoever Lily is, we at the Daily Profit recommend to keep an eye on her. (Cont. pg. 6)

Lily groaned with annoyance and took a glance at who wrote the article. The name Rita Skeeter popped out at her. For some reason, Lily felt like that name would give her trouble in the future. She them slid under her covers and fell into a tumultuous sleep.

Lily viewed at the picturesque village surrounding her. Small bungalows sat next to each other. The shops had vintage signs with free sample sitting on the doorsteps. Lily ambled through the snowed frosted village admiring the afternoon sky.

The sun sat high in the sky, surrounding by puffy clouds. Snow fell in light showers down on earth. Lily heard the crunch of her boots hitting the snow. She glanced at a clock outside of a shop; it was a quarter to three. Lily came down to the village via floo, around twelve. She finished her Christmas shopping and explored the shops in the village. Lily decided that it was better to be early than late. She walked down the cobblestone-paved street towards the Hog's Head.

When Lily asked the villagers about the Hog's Head they looked at her as if she were crazy. " It's where magical creatures go for a traipse into normal society," one told her. Lily stood before a stone building with a rusting sign. She opened the door and heard the hinges squeak with protest. She walked into the pub with her figures crossed.

The pub had the standard booths and center bar. Yet the Hog's Head was a bit run down. The windows had a thorough layer of grease and the seats were sloppily cleaned. The mugs had stains on them, and the floorboards squeaked when walked on.

" Oi you there, what business do you have here," the barman yelled across the pub. Lily blushed but stood her ground.

" I have an appointment with Professor Dumbledore at 3," Lily responded. The bar man nodded and indicated for Lily to sit. Lily slid into a decent booth and idly twirled her wand.

Lily knew that purebloods tended to pay off the employees of the magical law enforcement department so their children could perform magic on their own. Lily wasn't sure if Julius had done that for her, but if yesterday's incident in the park had any purpose, it would be that Julius had done so.

Lily sighed and massaged her temples. Her brothers hadn't returned from their meeting until today morning. Lucian came to Lily's room to inform her that the Malfoys were hosting the annual pureblood Christmas ball tomorrow, which had a masquerade theme this year so Lily could attend without breaking her cover. Lily had not even realized that today was Christmas Eve and made an excuse to go to Hogsmeade for Christmas shopping.

Lily's fingers tapped against the table in frustration. Even when she was not longer a pureblood she still had to go to these trivial events. Lily despised the traditions the purebloods held. They were only done to make others feel inferior, Lily thought to herself.

" Miss. Evans," a voice said, interrupting Lily's internal ranting. Lily blushed and looked up. A wizard in dark blue robes stood before her. He stood tall and proud with a smile on his face. His eyes twinkled with intellect behind his spectacles. His hand encased a glorious wand. Lily immediately recognized who this man was, even though she never saw him before.

" Professor Dumbledore, its an honor to meet you," Lily stated. Dumbledore eyed her with a light smile and sat across from her.

" Its an honor to meet you too Miss. Evans. I have heard a lot about you, not only from my friends but from a recent article," Dumbledore proclaimed. Lily felt her skin flush with embarrassment.

" I never knew that people spoke about me," Lily muttered. Dumbledore appraised her with a gentle look in his eye.

" Ahh well that will change soon. Darcy Auclair was one of my brightest transfiguration students, I was proud to hear of his appointment in the French Ministry. He spoke of you with a certain admiration," Dumbledore responded.

" Oh, well I used to be close with his family, especially his son, Benedict. He fully supported my family's decision to move here," Lily answered. Her chest ached with the thought of the lie she told.

" Lily I want to know if you do attend Hogwarts things may seem a bit more difficult there. Unlike in France, bigotry is high in demand for England," Dumbledore stated.

" Yes, I know about Voldemort, but that doesn't change my mind about attending Hogwarts. In fact, it makes me want to go to Hogwarts even more. I need to show those standing against muggleborns, that where you come from doesn't make a difference," Lily expressed.

" I notice that you prefer to call the boy I knew to be Tom Riddle, by his new name. Most people avoid doing so," Dumbledore mused.

" I don't see a purpose in fearing a name, its like indulging him," Lily mused. Dumbledore watched Lily with precise eyes.

" Miss. Evans, I am proud to say that on January second, you will be welcomed to board the train to Hogwarts. I am sorry but I must take my leave now, if you ever need to stop by my office know that I always enjoy a good sugar quill," Dumbledore stated. He rose from the booth and held his hand out towards Lily. Lily shook it with a smile on her face, and watched as the wizard apparated away.

Lily rose from the booth, and walked out of the shop. She ambled through the streets of Hogsmeade in a dazed state. A flash of red caught her attention. Lily looked at the store. It was a Quidditch supply store called Splint witches. In the display box sat a broom.

The broom sat on a pedestal painting like the night sky. It expelled raw talent and control. It was lightweight, but could bear the pressure of its owner. Lily's eyes gleamed as she imagined riding that broom.

" It's a bloody great broom! The newest model released by Nimbus, the Nimbus 1500," a voice excitedly yelled next to Lily. Lily looked to her side, and saw a man decked in Puddlemere United merchandise. He eyed the broom and sighed.

" But only a king could afford that broom! Hasn't even hit the market yet, the store here, its owner is siblings with one of the top guys at Nimbus. They got a shipment of about three of these brooms. I would die to get one," the man sighed. He walked away but Lily didn't notice.

She thought about her Moontrimmer back in France, she had it for over ten years; it had been her first broom to ever fly, and the one that got her the seeker spot on Beauxabatons team. Maybe it was time to try something new though.

Lily opened the door of Splint Witches, thanking her earlier move to take 2000 galleons from the Manor. Julius would never notice though, he's got piles of them scattered everywhere.

Immediately a wave of joy hit her. She could see the team merchandise and the Quidditch Equipment from where she stood. Lily saw a poster of Julius near the chaser equipment. Lily wondered how Julius was able to get a position on the team over seven years ago, and quickly become its captain. She brushed those thought from her head. Lily walked over to the counter where a cashier stood.

" Excuse me Peter," Lily questioned, reading the bored cashier's name tag. The cashier looked up and placed a fake smile on his face.

" That broom outside, in the display, how much is it," Lily asked. The cashier looked over to the display box and scoffed.

" Too much for a girl like you to afford," the cashier answered. Lily raised her eyebrows and pulled a sack from her expandable bracelet.

" Are you sure it's too much for me," Lily questioned placing the sack of galleons on the table. The cashier's eyes widened as he called his manager over. A large man arrived and the cashier pointed at the sack wordless. The manager saw the sack and his eyes ogled the money. Lily watched the two with a rueful look in her eye.

" Excuse me Miss what will you be buying today, " the man started graciously.

" The broom on the window display. I believe it is a Nimbus 1500," Lily answered.

" That's a great choice. We had three of them today morning, and two of them were bought, I guess the third will be as well. The broom hits the market in September," the manager squeaked.

"Peter go and retrieve the broom for the girl," the manager barked. Lily watched Peter slap a pair of gloves on and rush over to the display box.

" The broom's never been touched by a person before, it's handcrafted, but the builders wore gloves while manufacturing it," the manager boomed.

Lily nodded and watched Peter place the broom in a broom case; he brought it over and lay it carefully on the table.

" Miss the broom's price is 1800 galleons," the manager stated.

" That's fine, here, and keep the change, consider it a Christmas bonus," Lily murmured. She tossed the bag of Galleons towards the manager; he ran his hands through the gold coins. Lily gently grabbed the broom and walked outside. She saw that a crowd appeared and was watching her.

Lily removed the casing around the broom and studied it. It was made from a deep chestnut wood, which was recently polished. The tail twigs were made from a rich hazel wood and shone with glory. Lily gently placed her fingers around the broom grasping it in her hand.

Immediately it vibrated acknowledging its first owner. Lily glided her fingers over the broom and felt it apprise her. She smiled and leaped onit.

The broom shot into the sky at Lily's command. This was so much better than riding the cheap Silver Arrows the Gastors had conveniently place around Manchester.

Lily's heart race as she spun in the sky. She could feel people watching her, and for once she reveled in it.

Lily was flying on her broom watching the sunset. Oranges mixed with vibrant pinks in the sky next to her. After flying home from Hogsmeade, she raced up to her room, dumping everything she bought in Hogsmeade there and sliding into her Quidditch gear.

Lily ran outside to the Gastor Quidditch pitch and slid into it. The Pitch had a charm preventing snow from covering it. It was almost the size of a professional pitch, and was a Christmas present to the Gastor children when Lily was three.

She remembered hazy recollections of watching Julius, Pericles, and Lucian fly on their brooms. When she was five, her father snuck her to the pitch on her birthday, and gave her the Moontrimmer, which had started everything.

Lily grabbed her Nimbus and glided her fingers against the wood, this was going to be the first time she rode something other than her Moontrimmer, which was back in Beauxabatons, on her family pitch.

Lily took a deep breath and leaped on the broom. She soared into the sky and felt the wind against her braided hair.

Lily smiled remembering the apprehension she had to ride the Nimbus. Now she sat poised on her broom catching her breath. Lily saw a figure on the pitch, and hid behind one of the posts.

The person had a broom in his hands and leaped on it. Lily recognized his golden laugh and sped towards him. He held a quaffle in his hands. He threw it towards the middle hoop in the pitch.

Lily raced towards the quaffle and grabbed it, altering its path. The boy looked surprise and flew towards Lily.

" Well look at this, little Lily's finally got some skill," Julius taunted with a smirk. Lily growled and raced towards the opposite set of hoops. Julius sped after her.

Lily leaned against her Nimbus coaxing it forward. When she got a good view, Lily shot the quaffle into the rings. It soared into the one on the right. She turned and faced Julius.

" I dunno Julius, maybe you never had any," Lily taunted. Julius laughed and responded back.

" Lily, which one of us is currently playing for Puddlemere United and the National Quidditch team? I think that would be me," Julius answered. He looked at his watch.

" We should head in, it's almost time for Christmas Eve dinner," Julius suggested. Lily nodded and shot down towards the ground. She leaped from her broom and summoned the quaffle from behind the rings. Julius languidly flew down and watched her close all the equipment.

" What position do you usually play," Julius questioned. Lily looked at him in surprise. Julius was locking the door to the pitch and the two walked down the path to the Manor.

" I played seeker for one of the teams at Beauxabatons," Lily answered. Julius nodded thoughtfully.

"Lily, Benedict sent a letter to Jason," Julius started. " He told him about your plans to go to Hogwarts, I just don't think that's a great idea. You've been doing so well at Beauxabatons, and in England people feel differently about political issues," Julius stated.

" Julius I'm not ten anymore, I know about the prejudice towards muggleborns. You don't want me to go to Hogwarts, because if I do then I could embarrass the family. I already have, that muggleborn witch in the daily profit, that's me! I got two loyal death eaters arrested and I am not ashamed. Julius, I was already accepted to Hogwarts and I am going. Don't worry about me embarrassing the Gastor name, I won't be one for long," Lily snarled at him.

She jumped on her broom and flew away. Lily could ear Julius shouting for her to get back. Lily flew near her bedroom window and opened it. She climbed inside and went to the bathroom.

Lily took a shower trying to get everything from her. She felt suffocated. Tear sprang in her eyes but she refused to let them fall, Lily had not cried since the day she was sent to France.

Lily exited the shower and shoved a pair of yoga pants and an Appleby Arrow's shirt on. She let her hair down in wet curls. Lily walked over to the door and debated whether she should go down to dinner.

Its not fair to punish the others for Julius's idiocy, Lily thought. She sighed and left her room, walking to the informal dining room.

She slid into the seat next to Jason and noticed that Julius was not at the table.

" Where's Julius," Lily questioned. The others looked up from their food and Cassius answered her.

" He's got some Christmas Eve Quidditch Ball with his team," Cassius replied. Lily nodded and served herself.

" While you were at Hogsmeade, Julius, Lucian, and I attended the reading of the will," Pericles said. Lily looked up in surprise.

" So what happened," Lily questioned. Pericles gave Lucian a look and he nodded.

" Since Julius, Pericles, and I are of age we don't need a legal guardian. We decided that it would be best for Pericles and Julius to each take custody of one you," Lucian answered.

" But then one of us is left," Jason pointed out. Lily felt a burst of excitement surge through her, that person could be her. If it were then she would be free.

" No, since Julius is off-season now, he volunteered to take two of you, since Cassius will be turning 17 in two months. I have custody of Lily and Julius has custody of Jason and Cassius," Pericles announced. Lily felt a small pop of disappointment, but remembered that it was better Pericles than Julius.

" We all have rights to the Manor and country house in Scotland. Julius and I have control of the Bank account at Gringotts, and Lucian will get control when he graduates. You each get an allowance per month. All of the international properties were divided evenly between us, except for one," Pericles stated.

" Mum requested that her family villa in Greece goes to Lily along with access to the family jewelry," Pericles finished. Lily was stunned, she didn't consider that her mother would remember her love for the Mediterranean house in Greece.

" Did they say anything on my banishment," Lily questioned. Pericles pulled something from his pocket and handed it to Lily.

" No they didn't, but Father left a letter for you with the will," Pericles said. Lily took it from his hands.

" I'm going to my room, to read it," Lily muttered. She fled from the room and felt eyes bored on her back, some of pity and some of envy.

The envelope lay on Lily's desk unopened. It bore the golden Gastor crest and was a creamy white. It was addressed to Lily Marie Gastor, but Lily felt like it wasn't for her. Lily had not spoken to the man who wrote the letter in five years, yet the letter still mattered to her.

She wasn't scared. If the letter forbade her rom staying in England she would ignore it. If it gave her father's blessing it still would not matter. Lily did not need the opinion of William Gastor to choose her fate.

Why should she let a letter decide her fate? Whatever was in that letter would not change her decision to go to Hogwarts, so it didn't matter if she opened it or not. Lily

took the letter and tapped her bracelet. She pressed it against the bracelet and felt it go into the charm hanging from the bracelet where it would stay until Lily cared to open it.

R&R

-Rin Blake