Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of this story, which belong to J.K. Rowling, nor the song Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman
Cinderella
She spins and she sways
To whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world
On my shoulders
Lily Evans was a beautiful girl. Growing up in the midst of London, she spent hours a day in the Ballet studio, practicing every move with utter precision. She would return home of an evening, and return to the room in their townhouse designed especially for her use as a rehearsal space.
It was her refuge. She had always been a peculiar sort of girl, her looks, brains and talent always looked over by the strange happenings that surrounded her. The room, and the pure love and affection she received from her father as she danced around it was the best thing in her life.
Her Father would always sit in the room for half an hour or so, watching his daughter spin and sway to whichever song he had coming from his radio. She was so light, carefree; beautifully youthful in comparison to his gloomy, heavy shoulders. She was his source of joy of an afternoon, her utter being so much better than everyday life with all its pressures. His beauty – his Cinderella.
It's been a long day
And there's still work to do
She's pulling at me
Saying "Dad I need you.
There's a ball at the Castle
And I've been invited
And I need to practice my dancing.
Oh Please, Daddy Please?"
One afternoon he arrived home, walking into her rehearsal room, and she pulled at his arm straight away.
"Daddy, I need you!" she said, deeming herself his most important task of the evening. It didn't make a difference – she was so utterly special to him, to everyone, that it was anyone's delight to have her important to them.
"Of course Lily," Mister Evans said, a smile gracing his face. His work was never done, despite how tediously long a day like this one was, he would always have work left to do.
"Daddy, I'm a witch!" she exclaimed, beaming with excitement. "I'm going to a school for witches and Wizards – it's called Hogwarts!"
"That's wonderful, Tiger Lily," he said, using his nickname for her. She squealed in excitement and jumped into his arms. He spun her around, holding her tightly. He didn't want her to leave, of course, but this was what Lily wanted – therefore she would get it.
"Dance with me Daddy," she ordered. "Come on, I need to practice. Please, Daddy, Please?" She asked as an afterthought. It didn't matter – he had swept her up into his arms anyway.
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
Cause I know something the Prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song,
Cause all to soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh Please, Daddy Please
She had returned home for Easter of her final year, the last returning home tradition of her seven year schooling in witchcraft. He had gone to work of course, and came home straight after; his wife had brought her back from the Station already. He looked downstairs, wanting to surprise her, so he was silent. She was not there, but perhaps she was in her room, or even better, making up with her sister, Petunia. He moved through the rooms, looking for his precious daughter, to no avail. A plethora of empty rooms awaited him; the only occupied one was Petunia, on the phone to her boyfriend, no doubt.
There was one more room left in the house – the converted attic. But that had lain empty for years. Whenever there had been a wish to use the room, for storage or a guest room he remained adamant – this was Lily's. But Lily never had want of it anymore. She was enticed by her magic, years of dance switched for years of spells.
He heard music and did not believe it possible. This was no longer what Lily did – it would have been far more likely for her to be owling the boyfriend she spoke so highly of at Christmas and in her letters. But she was there – the light footsteps could be heard through the ceiling. He walked up the stairs and stood at their top, watching his younger daughter spin around in a green dress, appearing to be practicing an elegant waltz. She stopped as the song did, and he applauded.
"Daddy!" She exclaimed. "I've missed you so much!" she threw herself at him, and they embraced tightly.
"I've missed you too Tiger Lily." She looked up at him and smiled. They let each other go, and she spun around on the polished wood floor.
"Do you like my dress Daddy? It's for our prom. I'm going with James – you'd like him so much. He's like the Prince I imagined when I was little, he's really nice, you have to meet him sometime," she was gushing, completely excited.
"If you like him Lily, he'd have to be the nicest boy in the world," Mister Evans said, and Lily's face lit up brightly. "And your dress is beautiful dear."
Lily spun around again, throwing her head back in joy. It reminded him so much of her Ballet days, where a simple routine would make her smile like the cat that got the cream.
"You must dance with me," she said. "Dad, the prom is just one week away and I need to practice my dancing." He appeared hesitant, and her face was earnest. "Oh please Daddy, please?"
He nodded, and they started to sweep around the room. No matter how hesitant he was due to his increasing age, he would always dance with his Lily. It was too important to even miss one song – to lose one opportunity. He knew that his Cinderella, just like the first one, would have to leave when the clock struck midnight. And when it did, she would be gone.
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
Cause I know something the Prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song,
Cause all to soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone
Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing telling us all they had planned
She says, Dad the wedding's still six months away
But I need to practice my dancing
Oh please, Daddy please
They hadn't seen each other in a while, over three months, and she had not been in contact as much since Easter. He knew that she was going to have to become independent as soon as she left school – a house like theirs was no place for a witch like her. But he knew of the increasing imbalance in her world – knew of the dangers that someone like her faced as an adult. In her last letter she had insisted upon arriving home on her own – not wanting to put them in danger as well. She said large congregations of witches and wizards would attract too much attention, and people like them were in greater danger. She said it was her last responsibility as Head Girl to make sure that all the students were safe and on their way back home, that she would be fine.
He was nervous though. She had always been one of the last ones off the train, and they had always been home for several hours by now. He supposed that she was independent enough now – it was probably one last hurrah with her school friends, but it was his fatherly duty to be anxious. His wife patted his shoulder, reminding him not to be harsh when she arrived, the overbearing father act would not sit well with their beautiful, fiery daughter.
There was a knock on the door and he bounded up to get it. He opened it to the smiling face of his daughter, her bag being carried by the man he presumed had to be James.
"Hello Lily," he said, smiling back at her beaming grin.
"Daddy!" She said, rushing in and hugging him. "This is James, daddy."
"Hello James," he nodded curtly. Lily hit his arm softly. He frowned slightly at her, it was his right to be frank with the man stealing his daughter away.
"Mister Evans, sir," James said, shaking his hand. He supposed that the boys' manners had to count for something, so he relaxed his grip slightly. James beamed at him, and Mister Evans approved of this boy. He had a firm handshake.
"Mummy," Lily cried from behind them both. They both watched their Cinderella hug her mother, Mister Evans with fatherly adoration, James with the enamoured smile of a youth in love.
"Lily dear," Misses Evans said hugging her daughter. "I suppose this is the boy I've heard so much about."
Lily and James gave identical sheepish grins, "James Potter ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you, he said, kissing her hand. Lily whacked him on the shoulder.
"Stop sucking up," she whispered. He just smiled in return and kissed her on the cheek.
"Mummy, Daddy, we have an announcement," Lily said. "James and I are getting married," she said, once again beaming from ear to ear.
"That's wonderful darling," said Misses Evans, who swept Lily into a hug, then James. The mother and Daughter went to get some tea, leaving the men standing awkwardly.
"I know I'm supposed to ask your permission first," James said in a rather nervous tone, "But I just couldn't wait, you know? I love her so much; I couldn't pass up the opportunity."
"It's okay son," Mister Evans replied. "If I know my Lily at all, she would only ever accept the proposal of a man she knew I would like, and a man that she was deeply in love with," he offered a small smile at his future son-in-law, who returned the smile. Their partners returned with the tea, and they all sat in the drawing room, Lily chattering eagerly about her wedding. It was to be held in December, just before Christmas.
Mister Evans watched his daughter, who was so happy talk about everything the couple had planned for their day. She was simply glowing with excitement and love.
That night, once James had left, Mister Evans found Lily in the attic.
"Dad, the wedding's still six months away, but I need to practice my dancing," she said. "I'm moving in with James for a while, into his family's house in the country. I might not be able to visit very often." At the sad look on Mister Evans' face, Lily once again started pleading with her father. "Dance with me, oh please, Daddy, please?"
So for the last time in the room in the attic Mister Evans succumbed to his daughters pleading wish. He couldn't refuse her, and this would be the last time in the room for either of them. He still would not let anyone touch it, he wanted to remember his daughter forever. So for the last time, he turned on the music and they spun around simply waltzing to the elegant tune. He danced with his Cinderella, who swayed in his arms.
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
Cause I know something the Prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song,
Cause all to soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone