As Lily drew her final few breaths she felt a huge surge of warmth and happiness spark through her body and in that moment she knew everything would be alright eventually.
She knew one day she'd dance in the moonlight with James again and the stars would light up the empty street, their dance floor, the shadows twirling along with them.
The twirling of a spoon in a mug as a slim young man wearing a knitted jumper stirred in sugar cubes with a small smile on his face. The fire next to them licked with heat and then joy flooded over Lily as she stared into the warm friendly eyes of her long time friend Remus Lupin.
Someone was missing. She glanced behind Remus trying to find James but nobody else was present. Lily felt lost, the brief amount of happiness subsiding. A sob escaped her lips, brain scattered, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, the scratchy woollen jumper pressed against her cheek.
"It's okay Evans"
The voice didn't belong to Remus. It was deeper and gruff, Remus had never called her Evans. Lily pulled away, the headache she sported was rapidly growing.
Lily felt him brush back her hair and through bleary eyes Lily peered at Sirius, his hair was tied neatly up in a ponytail and the cheeky smile he wore with pride ever present. Together they sat in silence letting it wash away the dregs of chaos. Sirius was still gripping her hand, the warmth and human touch luring her into a sense of security as her eyes drifted slowly shut.
Instead of falling into a deep un-disturbed sleep that Lily desperately wanted, Lily found herself tucked between Marlene and Mary. All three of them snuggled together, a red Gryffindor blanket gently draped over them. Lily felt herself tearing up again as she watched Mary tip her head back with laughter and hysteria started to bubble inside of Lily, she felt as though this was the last time they’d all be curled up together, the last time they’d see each other. Lily knew if she blinked this bliss moment would slip through her fingers.
Lily fell.
Pain darted up her back as she lay there on the uneven cobbled floor catching her breath. Wincing as she sat up slightly Lily noticed a slightly round man huddled in the corner.
The figure wasn't moving much but a groan notified Lily that the person was in fact alive.
Lily tried to whisper a feeble hello but the words got caught in her throat and only a small sound from the back of her throat notified the other person of her presence.
Lily watched as the figure uncurled himself slowly, he moved like he carried the weight of the world on his hunched shoulders. His hair shone with an oily substance illuminated by a tiny slither of light peering out through windows.
Only when the figure had fully unfurled did Lily recognise the pale mottled face. The face of her dear friend Peter Pettigrew. Rushing towards him she gripped him tightly in a bear hug. Instead of hugging her back like Peter usually did, he kept his hands stiffly by his sides. Lily pulled back with a searching gaze checking Peter for injuries.
Slowly she lifted Peter's hand and linked her slim fingers with his icy ones.
"Peter who hurt you" she murmured with dry lips. Peter's face seemed to pale and his eyes flooded with puddle like tears.
"No. who hurt you Lily?” Peter’s eyes moved wildly, "Was it me?"
Lily didn't understand, she wasn't hurt, Lily was here to help Peter. But that didn't make sense, she had no clue what she was doing. No memories led up to this event. Lily knew was smart but she couldn’t make sense of anything. Nothing came together, There was just nothing.
"Peter?" Frustration seeped into her voice.
In response Peter shoved her away. She expected to hit the floor but instead she felt nothing, she drowned in darkness for what seemed like eternity before she landed in firm arms.
They both spun together again for one last time. An array of warm reds merging with unruly black, pale and caramel tones which entwined as one.
Eventually breathless and with hands linked tightly together they fell into the flowery field of Elysium.