Running the brush softly through her hair Lily Evans sat at the vanity in her bedroom, her eyes occasionally wandering to the white satin dress in the corner. Every hour drew her closer to the moment she would say, "I do" and become Mrs. James Potter. She knew James loved her but she also knew that hadn't been the reason he had proposed. Just two months previous she'd told him that she was pregnant and the look on his face and his excitement as he reached for the phone to call and inform Sirius broke her heart. She couldn't tell him that she didn't love him the way she ought to or that the child she carried wasn't his. No, instead she had accepted his proposal and had gone that same night sobbing into the arms of her lover. Laying down the brush her fingers grazed the tiny emerald that hung about her neck on the thin silver chain.
"Wear this at your wedding for me." He'd told her on their last night together as he'd slid it around her neck. "Promise me something my Lily.... remember me as I am right now and always know that I love you." The tears in his dark eyes had struck her heart like a tiny dagger as she whispered that she would.Staring into the mirror she smiled over her shoulder at her mother. The strangeness of seeing herself in white, let alone in a dress, hadn't smoothed over yet as her mother still spilled with tears.
"Oh my angel you make such a beautiful bride. I've always wondered when this day would come and now it's finally here and I just don't know what to do with myself." Her mother gave a nervous giggle as she stood trying to finish the buttons on the back of her dress.
As her father finally came in to get her he gave her much the same smile as her mother had just given her, although decidedly much dryer. Standing at the end of the aisle her eyes immediately began to search for those dark ones. Why wasn't he here? Noticing the strange looks she was receiving from several of the guests she corrected herself and directed her gaze towards James.
The ceremony went by much faster than she had expected and as she stepped into the dining hall she noticed a dark figure seated in the far back corner. The tears stung at her eyes as she realized it was he and her hand went instinctively to her neck to see that his necklace still hung there. She forced a smile as James sat her down at the head table and she began to make small conversations with her maid of honor and James.
"Is there something wrong baby?" James leaned over whispering concernedly in her ear.
"No nothings wrong. I'm just a little tired, didn't get much sleep last night." Lily gave him a smile and a small kiss on the cheek.
"And now," Sirius said rising raising his glass high in the air, "a toast! To the two most wonderful people I've ever known. May they live forever in the glory of each other love! Who wants to see them dance? Huh?" A loud applause and a chant of encouragements from the guests brought the lights down and a soft song began to play.
James stood smiling down at her as he gave her his arm and led her out onto the dance floor. Pulling her closely they danced together, but her heart kept wishing that he were someone else. She caught a wisp of black cloak turning the corner to leave as the dance stopped and she and James parted.
The tears threatened her eyes once more as she whispered softly into the air, "Goodbye, Severus."