Disclaimer... these characters belong to JKR.

She had heard it on the wireless. It had been speaking about Muggleborn rights and the importance of fighting back against the Death Eaters.

It was Asami Jun, the woman they were here to protect.

"We have to find Moody," Lily whispered urgently as they hurried out of the alcove.

James was pale and shaken, and Lily knew how he felt. Betrayal would always shock you, no matter how many times it happened.

"No time," James replied. "It's 7:55 already – we have to stop Asami."

As they passed the chocolate fountain, Lily pulled Alice out of the crowd.

"Change of plans," Lily told the younger woman. "Asami's a collaborator – she's helping them plan the attack."

Alice frowned, but seemed to take it in stride.

"The Floo lines are shut down, yeah?"

"If Asami's working with them, we can't assume anything's secure."

"I'll start shutting them down manually," Alice said, and sprinted away.

Lily had always loved this. The moment before a battle – seeing every possible outcome in your head before you made a move to begin. It was like chess.

And she had always been excellent at chess.

"If she wants it to seem like a full blown attack, rather than an assassination, I think they'll try to storm in, rather than infiltrate," Lily said as she scanned the crowd, wand in hand.

"You're most definitely not Bulgarian," someone said.

Lily yelped, spinning around, and Henry Goldstein caught her arm.

"I am not sure vhat you mean," James blustered, and Henry grinned.

"Drop the act. Who are you?"

"We're here to protect you," Lily said, opting for honestly. She wasn't sure she trusted Henry – they couldn't be sure how far Asami's reach stretched – but he seemed mostly curious, not accusative.

"I thought that was what the Aurors were for," Henry said lightly, letting his eyes wander over James and Lily.

"Let's just say we're extra security."

"Who do you work for?"

He still seemed mildly detached, his face calm, but his eyes sharp and focused.

"An organization committed to stopping Voldemort," James blurted out, and then slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Calm down, you didn't tell him anything important."

James let his hand fall.

"I'm sorry," Lily told Henry. "But we really can't tell you anything more, and we're in a bit of a hurry, so if you'd just excuse us-"

Henry moved to block her as she stepped away.

"Can I do anything?" he asked her, looking her in the eyes, unblinking.

"Just – keep people away from the fireplaces, yeah?" Lily said, before seizing James by his elbow and plunging into the crowd.

"All we can do is wait," James said, once they were situated in an alcove with a good view of the party. "There's not enough time to evacuate – and we don't even have the advantage anymore, now that Asami's working with them."

Lily shuddered. People would die tonight, she was sure, and she was powerless. She could see green curses flying, and remembered the awesome power of the light at her fingertips. Never again, she promised herself.

"Could I have everyone's attention, please!"

The person talking had cast the Sonoros charm, and his voice echoed off the high arched ceiling, bouncing and refracting until it was impossible to tell where it had come from.

"I'd like to introduce Asami Jun – the new Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards!"

There was a polite smattering of applause, and Asami Jun waved as she mounted the low stage.

She was a petite witch, doll like and delicate in a fluttery printed silk dress that made her look like a butterfly. She smiled widely at the crowd, and Lily understood.

There was something calming in her smile, and something inviting and something hopeful. She was charming and lovely, and she had the Confederation wrapped around her little finger. She was insidious and dangerous and she had led these people to a slaughter and they had gone willingly.

"Good evening!" she called, and her voice was low and sweet, in a direct contrast to the sharply intelligent voice that Lily and James had heard earlier.

As she took a breath to speak, there was a high shrieking noise, and then a dazzling explosion of blackness.

People cried out in confusion, and Lily felt around blindly, feeling for James.

"Help!"

It was Asami.

"Someone, please, help me! They've got me!"

"Fuck," Lily said, rubbing her eyes as the darkness cleared.

All around the room, masked Death Eaters held wands to the throats of panicked looking Confederation members.

Up on stage, Asami Jun was being held at wandpoint by a tall Death Eater. She was a good actor, and for a moment, Lily almost, almost wondered if perhaps they had made a mistake, if they had heard wrong, if they had misunderstood.

But then Asami nodded slightly to the Death Eater holding her and the doubt evaporated.

And then Lily met James' eyes, and she was filled with horror. His head was forced up at an awkward angle, the wand tip digging into his throat. The Death Eater wasn't wearing a mask, and Lily recognized her. It was Bellatrix Black, the worst of Sirius' cousins.

James closed his eyes and Lily's heart broke. He thought he was dead. He thought he was helping, letting her do what she needed to do, knowing he wouldn't survive. They had chosen to fight, knowing it was unlikely that they would both survive. James thought that day had come. James thought he was freeing her. James thought this was the only way. Lily wanted to run to him. She didn't.

Instead, she aimed her wand at Asami on the stage, and Stunned her calmly. She slumped to the stage, and chaos ensued.

Confederation members wrenched free, some being cursed in the process, and Order members came swarming out from behind drapes and from under tables. Lily almost laughed as she saw Alice levitate the chocolate fountain and drop it on three confused Death Eaters.

Spells and cursed flew and Lily lurched forwards as she saw Sirius drop, hit by a green bolt. The screams and bangs turned fuzzy, and it felt like someone had hit her over the head.

She was aware of herself screaming as she saw James sprint forward, arms held out like he could catch his friend.

A Death Eater stepped in front of her and Lily cursed him without noticing, stepping over his prone body. She could see Death Eaters and Confederation members and more than a few Aurors and Order members falling, and she recalled herself.

Sirius would never forgive her stopping in the midst of battle to mourn him, and so she pulled herself up and started pushing her way towards the stage, to where a Death Eater was crouched over Asami's limp body, casting spells. Lily started to run, hurtling towards the Death Eater and bowling him out of the way and then Stunning him once he was down.

She yanked Asami, who was limply stirring up into standing and pressed a wand to her neck.

"Stop!" Lily screamed. She was counting on Asami being counted as a powerful pawn by the Death Eaters, but she realized her mistake as she saw a bolt of green light flying towards them.

Lily ducked instinctively before realizing it wasn't for her. It hit Asami right in the throat, and she suddenly went completely limp in her arms.

Lily dropped her, and ran into the crowd, no time to mourn her failed gambit.

It was a long battle. It was a bloody one. It was a heartbreaking one, that Lily felt more and more every second as she conjured sheets over bodies and healed minor injuries.

Sirius had been hit by a curse that had caused fairly serious internal bleeding, but a medi-wizard had taken one look at him, passed him a potion, clapped him on the shoulder, and moved on.

James and Remus hadn't left his side. Neither had Peter, once he arrived for the clean-up and to help the Aurors arrange transport for the captured Death Eaters.

Henry Goldstein was among the dead, and Lily felt a stab of icy regret through her heart, before promising herself that she would find his family and tell them how he had tried to help them.

After most of the damage was cleaned up, James found her sitting on the edge of the Fountain of Magical Brethren. There was a tear in her robes, and she picked at it absently as he wrapped an arm around her.

"You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Lily said, vaguely uncomfortable to realize it was true. "Are you?"

"I think so."

"I think I have to tell," Lily told him.

He spun to face her, hazel eyes wide and panicked behind his rectangular spectacles.

"No," James said fiercely. "No, I won't let you. You can't, Lily. Azkaban. For life. They'll never find out. Gideon will never tell, you know that. You don't have to be afraid."

"I'm not," Lily said, struggling to articulate what she wanted to say. "Just… James, I'm nineteen years old, and I've killed someone. On purpose. It wasn't in battle, when you blast someone into the way of a curse. It wasn't because I had no choice. I could have Stunned her. I killed her because I panicked and it was the only option I saw in the moment, and that's no excuse – James please – you should understand-"

"I understand." James said quietly. "That doesn't mean I'll let you do this, Lily."

He looked around then, strangely, as if checking for anyone watching.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, and then kissed her, and she heard him whisper, "Obliviate."

Lily's eyes went wide and panicked, and her heart was hammering, and then James pulled away from the kiss and smiled at her.

"You sure you're alright?" James said, stroking her cheek.

Lily smiled back.

The battle had been bloody and hard, but they were both ok.

"I think so," Lily said, and kissed him again.

A.N. Wow, wow, wow, everyone displays some fairly dubious morals in this chapter. The reason the Order didn't immediately warn the Confederation about the attack is Dumbledore's fault - I mean, he definitely still sort of believes in 'the Greater Good' and I think the Order's work would probably reflect this.

James and Lily - they're not idealistic teenagers anymore. They've been fighting this war for a couple of years, and they're not perfect people, and their relationship isn't perfect, and there will be some lapses in judgement. Such as wiping your spouse's memory so she doesn't remember committing murder and wanting to turn herself in. Or committing murder in the first place. Anyways, I just wanted to showcase the fact that even through they love each other very much, they have a lot of issues.

And thank you so much for reading! It'd be great if you let me know what you thought!