...Winding Path...

By Zetta
CHARACTERS: James Potter, Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sybil Trelawney, Taura Sinastra, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, and more!
RATING: PG-13
SPOILERS: Up to GoF (Book 4). This is PRE-OOTP!!! All the characters are different, but especially Sybil (who is still spelled Sybill in the books but not in this story because I'm kinda stupid.) If you don't like it, don't read, and don't bother reviewing to tell me that it's not up to OotP standards, because I KNOW THAT ALREADY!!
SUMMARY: A wedding, a break-up, a baby, and a painful fight.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Getting closer and closer to the end... And it's getting harder to write.... I'm trying really hard to finish it though, so wish me luck!

slight edit 11-25. The dividers didn't show up for some reason.

Chapter Twelve

James remembered the day that David had married. He remembered the big grin that David had flashed him, and the way he'd smiled at his wife. His parents had smiled at each other and held hands. His sister had stood next to him and watched the preparations for the wedding, getting ready to take their places- James as Best Man and his sister as the Flower Girl.

His own wedding day would be different.

They had a civil ceremony, held in a small office building with Sirius and Taura as their witnesses, and Remus and Peter along for the entertainment and support.

Lily didn't wear a wedding dress, though she did wear a white sundress. Taura had brought flowers for them- a small bouquet for Lily and a smaller one for herself and boutonnière for James and Sirius.

The ceremony took half an hour including the time it took to sign the papers for the Wizard and Muggle worlds, and then the newly married couple took their wedding party out for a small reception, where they were joined by much of the staff of the school, some of the Aurors and their wives and girlfriends, and Lily's sister and brother-in-law.

Outside of the little hall, the October wind blew and blustered, and James again compared it to his brother's wedding, which had been on a perfect spring day.

James looked over at his new bride and let himself forget what he had been thinking about. She was smiling at him, clearly very happy, a wedding ring- no, his wedding ring on her finger. That was what mattered. She was what mattered.

Around them, their friends celebrated happily.

Many drank too much, enjoying the celebration. These days, celebrations were rare, and meant to be enjoyed.

Others, like Moody and the Prewitts, did not drink at all, looking around as though Death Eaters would jump out of the closet at any time.

Sirius was seated at James's side, flirting with one of Lily's friends, a girl she'd roomed with when they were at Hogwarts, and Remus was sitting with Taura. They looked a little tense, James noted, but didn't focus on it too long because Lily was whispering something in his ear.

He glanced at the clock and quite agreed- it was time for them to get out of there.

He glanced around the room for a moment and had to grin.

There wasn't a person in the room who didn't know what they were going to go do, and he caught the smirk Sirius sent him when he looked at his watch.

"Have fun," Sirius murmured when James turned to say good night. His best friend looked amused still. "If I ever get married, to hell with this after party stuff," Sirius said. "We'll hit the sack and face the world after. If we survive."

James laughed. "Well, this is just in case we don't, you know?"

"You aren't gonna get that lucky," Sirius said. "But if you do, I'll take real good care of your wife after."

"Jerk," James muttered, clapping him on the back as he stood.

Sirius grinned. "You wouldn't have me any other way."

They had been back from their honeymoon to a little village in Scotland for a week when Taura up to Lily's classroom in tears, just catching her before she headed down to use the Floo to go home for the day.

"What happened?" Lily asked, hurrying over to her. "Are you all right?"

Taura shook her head and hugged her, the tears still falling. "Remus broke up with me!" she cried. "He-he said that it wasn't working between us. He wanted to be free again."

Lily was shocked. She hadn't seen it coming any more than Taura had. "Oh, honey," she murmured, leading her over to sit on the couch. "It'll be all right..."

"I really liked him though," Taura said. "Even with his health being the way it is."

Lily didn't say anything to that. Privately, she had questioned how comfortable Taura really had been with Remus's monthly "sickness", but she hadn't thought it bad enough that they would break up.

Remus and Taura had been seeing each other for longer than she and James had- and she and James were married, Lily realized, shaking her head slightly at the strangeness of the world.

"I should have seen it," Taura cried. "He's been gone so much lately. And he never talks about where he goes. He probably has another girlfriend."

Lily didn't believe that for a second, but knew better than to argue with Taura. "Why don't you come home with me and James tonight?" she offered quietly. "We can talk about it and you can get a change of scenery."

Taura nodded slightly, here eyes red from crying, and Lily took her home.

Remus wasn't in his apartment, James discovered a while later, and went over to talk to Sirius while waiting for him to show up again.

"He broke up with her?" Sirius said, sitting on the couch and frowning. "Why?"

"Something about how it wasn't working between them," James answered with a sigh.

"I know he wasn't happy with how she handled the full moon thing, but he was talking just last week about how things were going with them. Except for the fight before the wedding."

"The fight?" James wondered.

"Something about meeting her parents, I think," answered Sirius. "She wanted him to, he didn't."

"Maybe he's still all messed up from when his parents were killed," James said.

"Or maybe he found a new girlfriend and didn't tell us," Sirius said, not looking convinced. "My question is, where is he tonight? He said he was working a day job now, and he hasn't said anything about having other plans."

"Does he tell you everything?" James asked, teasing a little.

Sirius wasn't kidding. "He used to."

Their eyes met for a moment. "It's not the same as when we were in school," said James.

"I know that better than you, Prongs," Sirius said, a little sadly. "Of all of us, you've changed the most. Good changes mostly, but it makes it awful difficult for your three best mates to visit you at all hours of the night when you've got a wife in bed next to you."

James sighed. "You know damn well you can come over any time, Padfoot. Lily knows you're my brother, and she thinks of you as hers too. I admit, I might be a bit grumpier if you get me out of bed at two in the morning, but you're always welcome to. Things haven't changed so much that you now need an invitation."

Sirius snorted. "You'll regret that offer when I come over next week at three in the morning."

James sighed. "You're probably right. Anyway- I'm going to go look for Remus again. Hopefully he'll be there and I can stay away from home for a while. Taura's in the middle of throwing an 'I loathe men' party."

Sirius nodded slightly. "Which reminds me- has Lily heard from Sybil yet?"

James scowled. "Not since the wedding invitation. Did I tell you about it?" Sirius shook his head. "Lily invited her to the ceremony. Sybil sent back a reply saying that she wouldn't come and support this "Marriage of Death", and said that until Lily ended her relationship with me, she would not speak to her again, and on and on about what she saw in her dreams."

"Crackpot bitch," Sirius growled. "I ought to go down to the school and hex her."

James nodded grimly. "Quite. Lily was more upset over that than I've ever seen her. If I ever run into her again..."

Sirius laughed. "Look out Sybil."

"Exactly."

James still hadn't seen Remus over two months later, as fall changed to winter. He had exchanged a few brief letters with his friend, and found out that Remus had found a new job in Romania- Remus didn't say what the job was, but he would not be back until the spring, with the exception of Christmas and a few days surrounding it.

The Potters held a Christmas party for their friends, inviting them to stay the night on Christmas Eve and open presents on Christmas morning.

Lily had been in a good mood for the week before Christmas, and James finally found out why on Christmas morning, after they'd opened all the gifts.

Lily leaned over. "Guess what," she said, her eyes twinkling.

"What?"

"You're going to be a daddy."

Everyone was happy for them when they found out, especially Sirius, who said that he had no plans to have his own kids, and so he would have to spoil theirs rotten.

He was to be named Godfather. Taura was invited to be Godmother, but she declined, much to Lily's surprise. She didn't explain why until after Christmas, and then it was only to say that if something happened, she didn't think she could raise a child- even with Sirius Black helping. Lily wasn't too happy with her for it, but there was nothing she could do.

The new year began with a major snowstorm, and then school resumed and Lily returned to work. James informed her that he would have to go on assignment sometime soon, and for a full week, he wouldn't be able to contact her.

And so, when an owl flew into her classroom right in the middle of a lesson on the basics of electricity, Lily knew who it was from and stepped out of the classroom to open it.

Lily, it read.

I'm leaving today for that thing I told you about. I will talk to you in a week.
For better or for worse, know that I love you. I will see you in a week, and we'll get to work on planning James Jr.'s bedroom.
All my love, James

She felt a shiver go through her as she refolded the letter and stuffed it in her pocket, trying hard not to cry. She stayed in the hall for a few moments longer to compose herself, and then returned to the classroom, any interest in teaching her students lost, but forced to do so anyway.

After they left, she went down to the Great Hall and quietly told Dumbledore that she would be staying in the castle for the week that James was gone.

Since James had been sent away partially on Order business, Dumbledore was not surprised, and assured her that as soon as word reached him of how James was doing, he would tell her.

In one sense, Lily was relieved Dumbledore didn't offer her false assurance that James would be safe.

In another, she knew that meant the danger was great- and James was very much at risk.

Lily walked slowly down the halls on her way to her classroom again.

Sybil was on her way down the stairs.

For a moment, their eyes met.

"Syb," Lily said quietly.

Sybil looked away, her expression hardening, and swept away, ignoring Lily's call of her name.

Lily returned to her room and felt very alone.

"Won't you join us for the end of the year feast?" Dumbledore asked.

James and Lily, on their way out of the school, exchanged looks. "It's up to you," Lily said.

A short while later, they were seated at the end of the table. James had been waylaid on his way in by students who remembered him from the previous year. He was startled to find that some of them wanted him back.

Then again, he thought with amusement, looking at the dull looking woman who was the current Defense teacher, he couldn't really blame them for that, could he?

Supper was almost over when Lily's grip on James's arm tightened noticeably. He followed her gaze and saw her watching Sybil, who had suddenly jerked her head up straight, and was staring at nothing, the oddest expression on her face.

Dumbledore turned away from his conversation, also looking at her, and the whole staff table was alerted to the oddity as heads began to turn.

"The one born with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. . . . Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies . . . and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not . . . and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. . . . The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. . . ."

And then, anti-climactically, she went back to normal. Suspicion clouded her face. "What do you want?" she demanded cantankerously.

Lily was as white as a ghost, and James found himself holding her hand tightly, the words echoing in his mind.

The healers had laughed. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. You'll have your first child at the end of the seventh month," they'd said.

As it died.

Lily started to get up, but James held her back. "Lily, wait," he murmured.

It was not entirely well known outside of their friends that Lily was due at the end of July, and immediately after this, he didn't want anyone to make connections, if it could be helped.

Dumbledore pulled Sybil aside and McGonagall took his place at the podium.

Students had heard bits of it and were staring up with awe and interest and frightened fascination.

The staff was mostly silent as they waited, impatiently, for dinner to conclude.

As soon as it had, James pulled Lily into a side room and explained why he hadn't wanted her to get up. She nodded, looking upset and worried, and they rejoined the staff, who were gathering in the staff room after the students had returned to their classrooms for the last time, assuming Dumbledore would have orders for them.

Sybil did not attend.

Dumbledore was distracted and ran a quick meeting, then dismissed them, saying only that there was nothing that could be done about it and that they should not bother Sybil about it.

Then it was over.

The next morning, the staff escorted the students down to the station.

James, having stayed in Lily's room over night, walked with them.

But even with him and most of the staff there, when the Death Eaters arrived, they were overwhelmed.

When the dust settled, the students were terrified and crying and hiding, and there were two professors and three residents of Hogsmeade dead, and over twenty wounded witches, wizards, and children.

Lily wiped sweat and tears from her eyes as she glanced again at Corwin Falkner, the Ancient Runes professor who had been struck by the killing curse.

The Aurors were there in full force, but she found James easily enough. The relief on his face when he saw her was obvious, and for a few moments, they spoke only to each other, assuring themselves that they were both all right, and the baby was as well.

Then the Aurors asked them to help gather up the students.

It was still another hour before Lily realized that Sybil Trelawney was missing.

Thank you all, again, for reading. I hope you've enjoyed this so far and are not going to kill me for taking, oh, seven months between updates. It may be way more than that before the next one, I don't really know. Why the space between updates? Mostly because I've lost a lot of interest in HP. Not that I love the books any less, but I've found myself reading other things too. Currently, I'm stuck in Star Wars and, of all things, The Princess Diaries, which are surprisingly excellent. That's probably the biggest reason for the delay, but also because I'm kind of more than sick of this story, and because school is extremely demanding lately.

In other news- a few people have asked me to look over some of their stories and check them out. I'm really sorry, but I'm not even reading my friends' stories in the HP verse, much less stories by people who are only reviewing to say "reed mi stuf 2". Permit me a bit of ego here when I say that when I get a review for my story, it's a major downer when all they have to say is that 'ur stori iz gr8. reed myne.' And perhaps it's because of that downer that I feel that I won't even read look at their stories. Sorry for being like that, but it's just something that really bothers me. But right now, it's mostly because of that whole I'm-not-really-into-HP right now thing, so don't feel too bad.

Oh yeah! Guess what! I read another fic in which Sybil is Lily's best friend! It wasn't on this site, but I'm kind of excited because it's an odd enough idea that I'm hopeful that I was the influence. :o) Yay!

Reader Responses
KLLRS, ffaddix, Kelso, vamperfly, lightyearsaway- Thanks!
Hollow Nightmare- Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to share your opinion- I really appreciate it. :o) Thanks!
laeli- Right here! And only a month and a half since you reviewed it. :o)
MischeviousAngel- Glad you're enjoying. lol. Thanks for reading.
shelly- This story is PRE- OotP, meaning that it was started before OotP and therefore there are a lot of things that aren't canon, including Narcissa's last name.
Winky27- Thanks for writing and sharing. I'm glad you don't think it's too fast. lol.
Opals of Automn/Got Harry?- Aww, I liked "Got Harry?" It was cute! sigh, but I understand... As always, thank you so much for reviewing. You're one of those reviewers that I adore having. :o) To be honest, as I've said, I haven't read any HP fiction in a while, but I have a hard time believing that someone who is so thoughtful and speaks so well in their reviews could have a fic that's anything less than wonderful. It's your story, you know how it will play out (maybe) and make your decisions based on what you feel is appropriate. And have confidence!!! (I have absolutely no confidence, btw, so don't be fooled.) :o)
Coffee Shopper- Ooh, coffee. :o) I'm so glad you're enjoying this. And I'm honored that it's one of the best you've read. (But you must not have read very many at that time, eh? :o)
Grimm Sister- Thanks for the help. :o) And of course, thanks for reading.
Lamina Court- Another of my favorite reviewers. :o) Wow. You're the second person whose told me a story about a short engagement/dating and a long marriage... I'll keep that in mind for when I get hitched. :o) grin I'm not so big on long descriptions and stuff. I like to keep it short. I'd rather be telling than showing, to be honest, but I'm trying hard to find a compromise with the two. I'll keep that in mind though. Thanks. :o) (And I'll try for more Remus, but given the part he plays, it's unlikely. feels guilty Sorry!)
LJstagflower4e- Thanks for reading and reviewing! So glad you're enjoying!
Tracey- I updated! I think I e-mailed you a reply telling you I wasn't. Um... changed my mind?

As for next time.... I do have part of the next chapter written, but I make no promises about getting it out, or how long it will take. I'm working up the nerve to start posting Star Wars fanfic, and that's really got my attention right now. I hope I'll finish this up, but as always, no promises.

(Reminder to myself: Never post long fics until they're completely done, or you'll never finish it...)