You Were too Young to Die

Chapter 1

JUSTE AVANT

Lily opened her eyes. The day infiltrated into the room by the openings placed on the shutters. She threw a glance at the alarm clock. Seven past two. She had even the time to fall asleep again. She got closer to James, snuggled up to him and closed her eyes.

These last months had been a dream. She had left on honeymoon with James. They lived together, slept in the same bed.

On s'est réveillés en avance

Pour pas rater la première danse

Celle où tout est encore fragile

The only shadow in their happiness was the Dark Lord ... Because of him, she was every day afraid for James, was afraid that he wouldn't return, was afraid that he left his life in a mission ... She fell asleep again.

***

The telephone rang. She woke up in start, ready to jump up outside the bed. James was faster. Having kissed her on the forehead and advised her to go back to bed, he picked up the receiver. She tried to listen about what it was.

On ne sait rien de ces urgences

Qui nous font perdre la cadence

Qui font les rêves difficiles

" Now ? "

" ... "

" In the afternoon, then ? You believe that the situation becomes urgent in this point? "

" ... "

" All right. I shall say to her. Bye. "

She heard a click then James reappeared. He whiped up the blankets and went back to bed next to her. He caressed her hair. Lily asked:

" Who was speaking ? "

" Dumbledore. He says that the situation gets worse and that it is necessary to form an alliance to counter-attack... "

" Which one? "

" Hogwarts's graduates, McGonagall, Arabella, Flitwick and then Dumbledore naturally. "

" What does it mean ? "

" That he waits for us this afternoon to explain us his plan. He has contacted Sirius, Remus, Peter and the Longbottom... All the graduates in fact. "

Lily had a sigh:

" And me who thought of spending a quiet Sunday with you ... "

" I am so sorry ... "

She smiled to him then kissed him:

" OK, you are forgiven. I prefer a mission for Dumbledore to a mission for the ministry anyway... Every time you leave, I fear for you ... There, at least, I would be with you ... "

On est debout

Au bord d'un drôle de monde qui appareille

Pour aller où

Vers quelles batailles, vers quels nouveaux réveils

***

Lily knocked on at Dumbledore's office. Somebody shouted her to enter. She threw a glance to James, took her inspiration and got in. All those James had named were already in front of the headmaster. They greeted the young couple on his entrance. Dumbledore stood up and shook James and Lily's hands indicating them a seat. He cleard his throat :

" Now we are all present, I am going to expose you the mission for which you were summoned. Certain spies at my expense discovered that a muggle family of London was the Death Eaters' new target. "

He continued :

" I count on you to annihilate their plan and picked up the culprits. The attack should take place tomorrow in the evening ... And if my information is exact, the Death Eaters could be rather influential. "

Lily asked :

" Sorry to interrupt you professor, but why is it not the ministry who takes care of that ? "

" Lily, I don't wish Bartemus Croupton puts the hand on those Death Eaters before me... He would be capable of making them kiss by a Dementor before having made them speak. "

" Certainly. But instead of organizing small separate groups of actions we shall manage to overcome Voldemort... "

" I know Lily, but I consider that Bartemus Croupton does nothing to annihilate the Dark Lord Who agrees to take charge of this operation ? "

Lily was the first to raised the hand, followed by James, Sirius, Remus, Franck and Alison. Only Peter refused. Sirius grumbled :

" You run away Peter ? "

Peter stuttered that he should look after his mother. Lily surprised the glance which Dumbledore put on Wormtail. She read funny things in it : pity, maybe a little of contempt.

***

Laisse ta main dans la mienne

Laisse ton coeur se serrer

Combien reste de temps juste avant

Que le vent nous entraîne

Que tout vienne à changer

On y va, on y est, juste avant...

Combien reste de temps, juste avant.

Lily heaved a sigh of satisfaction sitting down on the sofa of her lounge. James took place next to her, leaving the armchair for Sirius and the pouffe for Remus. She unfolded a big paper on the coffee table :

" It is the plan of the district of London that interests us... "

She pointed the finger at a street :

" There, it is the Muggles' house that should be attacked. I placed a spell on the villa to prevent the Death Eaters landing in the garden, nor in the house. "

James declared :

" Franck and Alison take responsability for the surveillance until tomorrow in the evening. I foresaw that we all will go on the spot tomorrow, we will settle in strategic places to picked up the Death Eaters. Normally, if everything well happen and if there is no leaks, they will be into our hands tomorrow. "

" Will somebody keep a radio link with Dumbledore ? " Remus asked.

Lily answered :

" I took charge of it. He will be warned if it turns badly. "

" And you, Lil, what will you do if the Death Eaters come ? Will you be safe ? " Sirius questioned.

" You take me for whom Padfoot ? I will do what you will do ! It is me who will take care of verifying if they have no informers ! "

" Calm down Lil, I wanted to know if you risked nothing ! "

" No more than you anyway... There is already Croupton who considers that I am not capable of being Auror ! "

James spent an arm around his wife's shoulder to reassure her :

" Calm down Lil ! Sirius said that to joke ! You know that he does not underestimate you ! What would we do without you ? You wouldn't be there to make us laugh... A touch of femininity in this mission would be missing if you didn't come... It would be missing your art to embarrass the enemy by your unexpected attacks... "

Qui dansera encore sous la pluie

Pour faire sourire les gens assis

Sortir les loups de leurs abris

Faire pâlir ces types énervés

Qui hurlent très fort leurs idées

A des tas de gens prêts à marcher

" I am sorry to have become enraged... We are in November and it is raining ... It is can be because of that... "

***

" Take it... James blew to Lily by tightening her his Invisibility Cloak. I prefer whether it is you who have it. "

She seized it then kissed her husband :

" Pay attention, she said, if you need me, I am near the entrance which looks onto the garden. Sirius is on the roof and Remus watches three or four approachable windows. "

" Yes, I know darling. Pay attention too ... If I lost you, I... "

" Don't speak about misfortune! I shall always be there near you to like what nobody likes, to pay attention on the details which make the life so beautiful... "

Qui prendra le temps

D'aimer les choses trop simples pour en parler

On est tellement

A se demander où tout va basculer

He went away in the shadow, getting back to the front door. She shivered. It was cold and she didn't feel well. It arrived to her several times by the way. She haven't wanted to say it to James not to worry him. She watched for the slightest noise. Everything was quiet for the moment. The house was silent. The Muggles was slept.

Suddenly, she perceived a noise of boughs broken in the heart of the garden.

She held her breath, her heart beating wildly.

The noise repeated.

She took out her wand.

Three shadows took out copses. Three shadows wrapped with a dark cape.

She got up, became covered with the Invisibility Cloak and approached three silhouettes, checking her fear. Of a trembling hand, she pointed her wand at the first shape and with a voice she tried hard to clear :

" Stupefix ! "

The first shadow fell. Both others jumped. Too late. She had already annihilated them. She waited for some moment, her heart always beating, imposed them the spell again. When she was completely sure that no other Death Eaters was going to appear, she relieved and took her walkie-talkie. She established the contact then said with a trembling voice :

" James? Come with the others ! "

Not waiting for the answer, she cut the communication and dropped the cloak on the ground. She sweated. Her headache started again. She sat down on the grass, one eye put on the three Death Eaters, the other looking forward to the arrival of the three others. Some seconds later, which appeared hours to her, James ran up towards her and squeezed her into his arms :

" Oh Lily! They did not hurt you wasn't it ? Are you alright ? "

Plus loin est-ce qu'il y aura des oranges

Des enfants, des jupes blanches,

Des jardins comme tu les dessinais

Et du temps, du temps pour aimer

She laughed :

" Alright Jamsie ! I have hurt them, they didn't hurt ma at all ! "

He looked at the three men, spread on the earth.

Sirius joined them, accompanied with Remus. Padfoot took Lily by the shoulder :

" Bravo ! I am really sorry to have thought that you would not be capable of annihilating them ! "

" Oh you know, that wasn't very difficult for me but they gave me a scare ! I even had no courage to raise their mask ! "

James, him, took care to do it. He tore the three cowls and had a shout of surprise :

" Oh ! Crabbe, Goyle and Rosebush ! "

" Such a very succesful raid, Remus commented. "

Lily took her walkie-talkie and contacted Dumbledore :

" Everything is OK Professor! We had taken them ... We wait for you. "

She switched off the machine and announced to the others Albus Dumbledore's imminent arrival. Sirius took charge of fastening the three prisoners to a big tree.