Chapter 1
"I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell." Lily first thought was, as she would recount later, something she remembered from a book. But, oh, it perfectly summarized the situation they were in, didn't it?
Every morning she woke with a feeling of dread. Not knowing what situation would present itself, Which one of her loved ones she would lose. She hated it. Every second of it. The only reason that made her want to get up from bed every morning, was her husband. She knew she was incredibly lucky she had someone to wake up to, someone who told her lame jokes, someone who made up cheesy romantic poem just to make her laugh, someone who loved her through it all.
But war has its effect on everyone. Even James Potter, who radiated hope and joy. James tried everything he could to make their life comfortable and she loved him for it .Sometimes, while sitting by the fire basking in the warmth, Lily could pretend they were still at school, Carefree and without the threat of death looming above their heads. But reality came crashing back, whenever they felt the ease of normality creep into their lives.
Increasingly, Dumbledore's patronus revealed only grief, that Lily had started to consider the ethereal phoenix, an omen of sorrow and death. Today was no such exception. She could still hear the faint voice of Dumbledore echoing.
Meeting scheduled on Friday the 14th in the Prewetts Household. There was an attack. Death Eaters. The McKinnons have fallen.
Lily felt as though ice cold water had been dumped on her. And as quickly as that, She couldn't feel anything around her. Distinctly she heard James make a wounded noise. She tried to move towards him. But she couldn't. She felt her own mind starting to collapse. She could only think of one thing. One person. Marlene. Marlene. Mar- she was dead. Marlene was dead. Overconfident and full of life, she was dead.
All her memories of Marlene seemed to crash in at once. Marlene defending her on the train to Hogwarts. Marlene reassuring her that she is not different from others at school. Marlene helping her paint her nails for the first time. Marlene defending her against prejudiced bigots. Marlene dancing with joy when Dorcas asked her out on a date. Marlene confessing to Lily that she was going to propose to Dorcas. Marlene at Lily's wedding as her bridesmaid and proclaiming tearfully in front of everyone, how even though she knew James longer, Lily was her sister.
Marlene flipping her the bird. Marlene crying. Marlene laughing. Marlene smiling. Marleneliving. She felt her heart breaking with every thought.
It finally settled in. Marlene was dead. Gone. Never coming back. And Lily finally broke.