Being Minnie's Daughter

Chapter 62

James' POV

"Mum," I mutter quietly, walking into the kitchen to pour myself another cup of tea. She is sitting down at the table with her head in her hands. I drag out another chair and lower myself next to her.

"Mum, are you okay?"

She lifts her head up and looks at me with cautious eyes. "I'm alright darling, it is you I should be worrying about. You lost your good friend today."

I sigh, "I know mum but you don't need two of your sons crying today."

"Sirius," Mum croaks, "He has gone through so much. He shouldn't have to go through more devastation."

I tap my fingers on the table, the awful habit I picked up from Mum. "He's strong, he can make it through it."

Mum chuckles, "For now yes, but how much more can he take before he loses it? If he lost you? If he lost Remus?"

"He won't lose us mum."

Mum turns quickly and grabs onto my hands, squeezing them hard. "A war is starting Jamsie, there is no point in trying to deny it. You must protect each other, stick amongst yourselves to keep one another safe."

Footsteps echo on the hardwood floors as Remus enters the kitchen. "She is right you know," Remus says softly, "We were sent to the McKinnons to try to save Marlene and they wanted to lure out Mack. They are after her."

Mum turns pale, "The Dumbledore and McGonagall blood. Her magic is very powerful."

Remus leans back against the wall, "What if they keep targeting us until they get to her?"

I shake my head, "They won't get her. We are stronger together."

Remus turns his head to look at me quickly. "Did you tell Lily yet?"

I open my mouth, then shut it slowly. I shake my head.

"Go." Mum says quickly pointing to the doorway. "There is no one better to tell her than you."

"Remus should really go," I protest, "She likes him better."

Mum stands up and pulls me to standing, "Nonsense, a girl would rather hear the news from her boyfriend than just a friend."

She leads me out of the room while Remus pushes against my back.

"But I'm not her boyfriend."

"Then tell her that Marlene is gone and you are her soulmate and you will protect her more than anything," Remus chuckles. "Muggle girls love a knight in shining armor."
Mum turns around to look at Remus, "How do you know that?"

Remus shrugs, "Mack likes to inform me about any and every book she reads."

I brush them off and step away. "Fine I will go see Lily, you two go do whatever old women do."

Remus shrugs and follows my mother off towards the library while I dash up the stairs. As I tuck into my room, I grab a spare shirt and out of my closet and my snitch. I close my eyes and imagine the park Lily told me about, right down the street from her house. Well, not me but Remus, in case any of us needed to get to her. Remus took us there so both Sirius and I would be able to find her house if needed. I toss the invisibility cloak over my head and disapparate to the park.

In the park, I walk slowly over to behind some trees and take off the invisibility cloak so no one notices me appearing in midair. I exit the small patch of trees and take a right down the road until I reach a small blue house with a white fence surrounding it. As I open the gate, I tuck the invisibility cloak and my wand into my back pocket of my pants. I jog lightly up to the door and press the small doorbell button to the right of the door.

Ding Dong

Footsteps stomp across the inside floor loudly as a person comes to open the door.

The door wrenches open to show a tall woman with a slender neck glaring down at me.

"Who are you?"

I clear my throat, "I am James Potter, I'm a friend of Lily's from school."

The woman turns up her nose and marches over to the staircase. "FREAK! One of your freaky friends is here," she screams as she stomps up the stairs.

An older redhead woman walks up to the door more gently. "Please excuse my daughter Petunia," she says softly, opening the door widely, "Do come in."

I step up into the house as Mrs. Evans shuts the door behind me. I hold out my hand. "Thank you, Mrs. Evans, I am James Potter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you James."

I glance up the stairs and see Lily is still missing. "I am not sure what Lily has told you about me," I say softly as we walk towards the living room where her father is sitting. "In the Wizarding World, there is a way to find out who your soulmate is and Lily is my soulmate. I have been enchanted by her since first year but she unfortunately calls me a –"

Footsteps rush down the stairs as a flash of red hair flips over the bannister. "James, what on Earth are you doing here?" She asks quickly rushing to my side, oblivious to what I was telling her parents.

I reach out and grab her hands softly before pushing her over to the couch. She sits slowly and I crouch down in front of her.

"I have so bad news Lily," I say gently. "Sirius was sent a Patronus message this morning that the Death Eaters were attacking the McKinnons."
Lily freezes, eyes wide open.

"We showed up to fight against them." I rub my hand against the back of my neck. "Marlene was murdered not even a minute after we arrived."

Lily gasps, tears instantly flooding her face. I prepare myself for her to shut down, run upstairs, anything, anything except for her to toss her arms around me, knocking me onto my arse.

I hit the ground and instantly wrap by arms around Lily, pulling her closely to my chest as she sobs. Tears escape my eyes as I look up to her parents.

"Marlene was in our year in Gryffindor with us," I whisper to them, unsure if they ever met Marlene.

Mrs. Evans hand covers her mouth as Mr. Evans moves to sit next to her. "Oh Lily," she says softly. "I am so sorry."

Lily doesn't answer, instead cries harder.

"My mother offered for Lily to stay at our house until the funeral. My mother is an Auror, one of the Dark Wizard catchers," I explain quickly. "She feels it may be best for Lily to stay at a wizarding household before traveling to the funeral than come from here alone."

"Your mother is a wizard police officer?" Her father asks confused, looking down at me.

"James –" Lily croaks, "Is a pure blood. He doesn't know what a police officer is."

I shake my head and pull Lily closer. "If police officers catch bad guys, then yes. My father is one as well."

"If that is what they suggest," Mrs. Evans interjects looking up at her husband. "Then she will go with you. I do not want risking my daughter's life."

I nod, "I will protect her with my life."