Hello all. Here is my entry for round one of Fanfiction's Next Top Writer at HPFC! The prompts were: Use at least 3 characters from the Order of the Phoenix; use the words astute, perseverance, and faith; use the phrase heading for a huge collision; and using the phrase fishing in the pond of selfishness, in loneliness and darkness. So I did a little fic about six months before the day when Lily and James Potter die. :) Enjoy it!

January 31, 1981

Part One: Astute

It's the last day of the month. The last day of the first month of the New Year. A time for renewal and beginnings.

Albus Dumbledore thinks that every beginning is a time for hope.

Many of the Order of the Phoenix disagree.

Most of the Order thinks that there is no hope anymore. Most of them think that there's no room for hope anymore.

Albus knows that they've lost their taste for it.

For most people, excess causes a bloody, metallic taste to be left in the mouth. Or maybe that's just the body count.

Most of them think that hope is naivety, but Albus knows the truth. Hope is wisdom – the truly astute are those who can hope, even in the midst of a bloodbath. It's the secret to his wisdom.

He knows something terrible is going to happen. Dumbledore knows that within six short months, either the Longbottoms or the Potters will be gone.

All that remains is to protect the boy.

Neville, or Harry.

All the necessary measures have been taken. The Secret Keepers have been set in place. Severus has been feeding Albus information about the movements of the Death Eaters.

He knows the entire Order is heading for a huge collision.

He knows everyone is heading for a huge collision. But…

For the good of them all, sacrifices have to be made.

He wonders what forces chose the Potters and the Longbottoms. He wonders what made Sybill's prophecy come to be. Magic, after all, is as inexplicable as anything else.

Part Two: Perseverance

Severus Snape leaves the Death Eater meeting, and once he is a sufficient distance away, he apparates to the faraway moor hill, where he always feeds information to Dumbledore.

Part of him hates that he's the spy – the mole. Part of him hates that although he appears to be on both sides, really, he's on neither. He's on his own side – a lonely fate indeed. He answers to no one – and yet, he has no one to ask him any questions. No one to be curious, no one to be interested, no one to care. And yet he has to persevere, because somehow he believes that this just might save her. Save Lily.

Somehow…somehow…somehow all this pain will work out for the better. Because somehow, all this pain will save Lily from death, death at the hands of a man without a heart.

A man without a heart that Severus used to work for – a man he practically sold his soul to.

Severus used to be fishing in the pond of selfishness, in loneliness and darkness. And now, he's doing the exact same thing – just on another side. He's still motivated by only one thing – a certain form of selfishness that wants to save Lily. A kind of selfless selfishness.

Severus knows he will never escape loneliness or darkness – it's part of him. He was born into it and he will probably die in it. For being a spy just means neither side trusts him fully. He's in a kind of limbo – no-man's-land, caught in the middle.

And yet he must persevere. He must persevere, because if he doesn't, who knows what will happen to Lily.

Part Three: Faith

Lily and James sit with their little son Harry, in their tiny living room. James stands and paces a few times, antsy and restless.

Lily knows he feels cooped up. Lily knows he can't stand being inside this tiny house all day long. But he puts on a brave face, for her and Harry.

She's the kind who can see through brave faces.

She knows he just does it because he loves her. And she's lucky to have someone like him.

He has the faith that someday things are going to settle down and they'll be able to get out of this place. She has the faith that they'll be able to work together and tough this all out.

Little does she know what lies ahead for them.

Little does he know what lies ahead for them.

But what does it matter?

They're together now – they have faith, they have each other, they have Harry. It doesn't matter if their fate is sealed. It doesn't matter if they have one day left or a hundred. It matters that they're together, with Harry.

July 31, 1981

There's only a few hours left. But it doesn't matter that tonight, the world will end for three people. Two faithful people will leave the world, and one man's will fall apart. A tiny baby will save the world, just as an old, astute man predicted.

Two faithful people will die together, and an empty man's perseverance will be all for nothing. He will be left alone, fishing in the pond of selfishness, in loneliness and darkness.

So what did you think? Please read and review - it'd mean a lot to me. Please give me constructive criticisms! I wants them! *precioussssss* Just kidding XD Flames will be used to torch marshmallows, so flame away if that pleases you. :) I just want your feedback!

Love always,

Lily