Looking at none other than Lily Evans, I smirked.
"Well, Evans. Why not go out with me?"
"You want a reason?" She responded, obviously very irritated.
"Of course, Lily-Flower."
"Okay. You're arrogant. You're a bully. Oh, and, you always single out my best friend!" She finished, yelling the last part. "Oh, on second thought, do not call me 'Lily-Flower."
"Course not, Lily-Pad." I replied.
"Don't call me Lily-Pad either!" With that, she stormed off angrily, her red hair flying.
Three years later, Lily and I were in seventh year, and I was getting ready for our date. That's right, she finally said yes. A fact that Sirius had immense trouble believing, though I knew he was only joking. Since then, we had started to get more serious. Today, we will have been together for 5 months, and, as a result, I was taking her out somewhere nice.
When I was finished, I went down to the common room to await Lily's arrival. I only had to wait about ten minutes, when I heard footsteps descending the staircase. Looking up, I saw Lily, her fiery tresses pinned back in a twisty thing that I didn't know the name of, her emerald green eyes rimmed with a light grey eyeliner, and a shimmery pink lip gloss.
"You look amazing." I told her and she smiled.
"I could say the same about you."
"Let's go, I've got something I want to show you. But you have to close your eyes. Don't look at me like that! It's necessary! The place that I'm taking you to has to be an absolute secret." Sighing, she closed her eyes and allowed him to lead her.
"James Henry Potter, if you lead me into a wall, so help me, I will take my wand and curse you so badly you may never reproduce!" She threatened.
"Don't worry, Lil. There is no way I would do that. Especially since you're my girlfriend." I reassured her, thoroughly freaked out by what she had said.
...
"And... okay. Now, open." I said. I'd taken her to a secret room I had found while pacing the seventh floor corridor, trying to figure out something for out date. While I'd thought about telling the other marauders, I had ultimately decided against it. I wanted this to be special; just for Lily and I.
There was a table in the center, with two chairs. Really, I hadn't needed to add anything extra, but had anyways. There was a bouquet of red roses in the vase, but, the prettiest and most obvious flower there, was a lone lily, standing tall above the others.
"I love it, James."
"I figured you might." I replied, to which she laughed.
"I should've known you'd say something like that."
"Yes, yes you should have." I smirked. "Now, may I have this dance?"
"Sure, so long as you don't step on me." I rolled my eyes.
"One time. One time, and I'm labeled as the foot-stepper!"
Laughing, I saw the orange-red glint of the flames in her emerald eyes, and the rose petals mixed into her hair. They were red.
"I do." Were the last words I heard.
I saw rather than heard the pastor say, "You may now kiss the bride."
I saw two things before my eyes closed. Lily leaning into me. And the blood red of the sunset in the background.
Lily was laughing as Harry flew around on his toy broom, Sirius was teasing Harry, and Remus snapped the picture. I smiled and made a vow. These were the people I love. And I was going to protect them.
What I didn't notice, however, was the glint of red that flashed by the window.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" I shouted as the door was blasted off of it's hinges. I heard Lily's footsteps as she rushed up the staircase to Harry. I didn't have a plan. I didn't have any idea as of what to do. Heck, I didn't even have my wand. But I stood at the ready to protect my family.
The last thing I heard were the words, "Avada Kadavra!"
The last thing I saw was a pair of eyes. They were red. Yet so unlike Lily's hair. So unlike roses. So unlike a sunset.
They were red...