James felt Lily pull away. He couldn't stop thinking about Lily's warm and soft lips. And he wanted to go back to her, and kiss her again. He wanted to feel her soft waves of hair and her lithe body pressed against his in a fiery passion. James whales to bring his lips to hers again and feel the spark that lit in his heart.

A small part of him asked himself, what was he doing? He was dating Marlene Mckinnon, not Lily Evans.

James had to admit that his relationship with Marlene felt so one sided, as whenever she came to the coffee shop, all they'd done was take pictures and kiss. He'd been hanging out with Sirius more than his own girlfriend. They'd barely spoken since they started dating. He hadn't even taken Marlene out on a date!

It had been about a month since they started, and the spark James used to feel was gone without another trace. Extinguished like a small flame. Sure, he still smiled when he saw her, but he didn't feel as if he could really talk to her. They had casual conversations, but James didn't think he could tell her everything. She gave him a feeling, but not the one he wanted—no—needed in a significant other. There were so many things he wanted in a girl, he knew it was going to be impossible to find the perfect one.

James's palm lingered on Lily's cheek, cradling it gently. She smiled at him. Then her expression turned into one of fear and distraught.

"James we can't do this," she looked at her trembling hands, "You—you've got Marlene and I—I have Severus."
"I know," he sighed, "I know."

James didn't know what to do. He thought of Marlene and her pretty green eyes and blond curls. James found something in his heart reaching for Marlene, wanting her perfection. But he looked at the lady in his arms, with bright mint eyes and a red waves of hair.

Where Marlene hesitated, he jumped in too quickly. Where he was loud, she was quiet. Where he was oblivious, she saw and understood everything.

Could their opposite personalities become a way they could be together?

The next day, after a dinner with his parents,  James was working in the shop and saw Lily and Snape walk in.

James glanced at Lily, who stood uncomfortably next to Severus, who gripped her arm tightly. Lily was looking straight ahead, emotionless while Snape grasped her too protectively.

James needed to save her from her abusive relationship. Lily may not know that her relationship with her boyfriend wasn't healthy, but James knew and he would do everything in his power to help her.

~oOo~

A figure stood lingering in the shadows, a finger on the trigger. The cloak he wore kept him blew in the wind. He studied the pair of people leaving the coffee shop, as the taller of the two turned around to lock the door. He heard giggles coming from them. The figure's grip on his weapon grew tighter as he looked at them more closely.

The shorter of the two was female, with dark hair and the tips of her hair dyed a strange color. She was tan, a tan that seemed natural. He couldn't see the woman's eyes, how he would have loved to see the fear shining in her eyes as he pulled the trigger.

The figure studied the other. He knew who this one was. Amber hair with pale skin and a lanky body. Useless, utterly useless. He wanted to see the eyes of these people, who he'd watched from the shadows for a while now.

They would serve as wonderful slaves and servants, the figure thought, they possess all of the characteristics.

He nearly pulled the trigger on the girl, who made a silly face. But he wouldn't do that.

Oh how lovely the girl was. The figure knew his master wouldn't appreciate if he saw someone of her color and didn't harm her on site. But he couldn't help but stare.

His master wanted to cleanse the world, beginning with New York, one of the most populated places in the United States. Exiling these wouldn't be sufficient, death would be the price to pay for what they had done so long ago. His master felt the same way.

The figure lowered his weapon, looking at the lady and man. He saw the love shining in the man's eyes. The figure ogled the pretty girl. They were laughing, grinning without notice of him in the shadows. Maybe if he did well, his master would be merciful and let him keep the girl. And whenever she was, the man would follow, willingly.

The figure hadn't realized how much he'd been staring at the girl. What a pretty face, and it would be a shame to see those eyes lifeless. The figure hesitated as he raised his gun. Could he really hurt these innocent people, about his age?

Two shots is all it takes, he thought, two shots.

Two chances to please his master. Yet two lives to take. His pale hands trembled as he gripped the gun tightly in his hand. He studied the people again. He saw the love shining in the man's eyes as the girl laughed her beautiful laugh. The man was clearly in love with her, if she loved him in return, the figure didn't know or thought he would ever know.

The girl pulled out her phone and pair of earbuds. The figure saw her grin as she handed am earbud to the man, who blushed a light pink at their fingers lingering as they touched.

The figure lifted his weapon once more. I must do this, he told himself, for the good of society.

A frigid air blew across the part of the town. The figure has sensed that snow would fall lightly, but turned out to be incorrect. The pair of people didn't see, to be cold, but reveling in the warmth of each other, even though they didn't know it. The figure's heart beat with guilty and every thump hurt with a heaviness as he lifted his weapon, quickly pulling the trigger.

Two shots rang in the cold air.