Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the world they live in, that is property JK Rowling. I also do not own the lyrics, it's a brilliant song that I did not write. That is property of Blue Oyster Cult. The picture is a photo Warner Brothers used in the movies: it is their property.

A/N: James and Lily are my OTP, and I've been trying to do them justice for a long time. I think I accomplished that here. Written for: (skip to the story)

Test your limits comp: rnd 6: JamesLily and the song used as inspiration is on the top and bottom (Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult); wand wood comp: rowan: write your OTP; delirium comp: easy: "Find the things that matter, and hold on to them, and fight for them, and refuse to let them go."; spells comp: geminio: something in the Marauders' era; divergent comp: "We are not the same. But we are, somehow, one."; favorite songs inspiration challenge: Beatles: all you need is love; create your mandala comp: use as many prompts as possible of increasing difficulty in one story; prompts: zigzag- "existence"/"colorful"/"serene"/"Mother Earth"/"destiny"/'karma"/write an intense relationship, labyrinthine- write a line about trust/write a scene which surrounds compassion/"inner peace"/write about someone being dedicated/the meaning of pure (I put this in where I was talking about Lily's love for James), serpentine- "what is the meaning of life without you?"/"mystic";

All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain... we can be like they are
Come on baby... don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand... don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly... don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man...

Then They Started To Fly

"James?" The voice was quiet, and he wouldn't have heard it if his attention wasn't solely focused on her, if his existence didn't revolve around hers. Lily's head was on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck, her wavy ruby hair he loved so much curling against his back.

"Lily?" he echoed quietly, before pressing a kiss to her hair. She visibly softened, sighing, before looking up at him. They had a boat to themselves, and he moved his hands from where they were tightly entwined with hers to wrap his arms around her while she met his gaze. The sun was setting on the serene Black Lake, creating a colorful sky, and those emerald eyes of hers sparkled as it sank below mother Earth. He saw so much in those eyes: they were mystic, and beautiful.

"I- I can't believe that's it, you know?" she said finally. "Seven years...they're over. Hogwarts is...it's Hogwarts. I love that castle."

"I think everyone loves the castle." He laughed a little.

Lily shook her head, but smiled. "No, no! That's not what I meant. This is my life, James. My sister... she hates me," her voice broke only slightly, but James caught it, and he pulled her closer. "My parents are wonderful, but when am I ever going to get to see them? And now it's all so real, you know? I'm never going to get to see my friends." She wrapped her hands around his arms a little, as if that would help her with what she was trying to say. "We're all going our separate ways, and there's this goddamn war coming. Who- who knows what's going to happen? I hate this. This not knowing. What if we-"

He cut her off with a kiss, cupping her neck with one hand and pulling her completely to him with the other. He pulled away after a moment, leaving her breathless, and saying immediately. "Don't think like that. Ever. We aren't going anywhere, okay? Trust me on that. I love you. Don't ever think differently. You, Lily Evans, are my destiny. What is the meaning of life without you? Nothing is ever going to change that. Not mates, not distance, and certainly not that suprematist bastard," he practically spat that last word.

"And I love you," she said, her voice steadily rising now. James could hear the mixed emotions in it: the love she had for him(which was clear and unadulterated, and he thanked Godric for that everyday), the panic of the inevitable, the anger at those that made their life awful, and under all of it- the fear. The fact that she had no idea what was going to happen to them in this new world, and he knew what she was going to say, what she had tried to get out this whole time, before she said it. "But James, we're not at Hogwarts anymore. Don't you get that? We were safe in that castle. Carefree. At home. In love. We could easily escape everything that was going on in the real world. But now we're in the real world. Doesn't that- doesn't that scare you?"

"Not if I have you," he told her immediately, without a trace of insincerity, and she smiled brilliantly, but only for a moment. She had that look about her: that frown that he had vowed with his life to always take away if it crossed her face.

"What if it's not enough? What if we're not strong enough for this? I don't- I can't..." she whispered, her voice finally completely breaking, tears coming to her eyes. The sun was below the horizon now, and the stars were just beginning to brighten. Nothing made James feel worse than when Lily Evans was beneath the stars and not happy. Her teary eyes glowed in the moonlight, and James cupped her face with his hands, gently brushed them away, and kissed her softly.

"Lily," he said quietly, waiting for her to stop crying. He held her to him, comforting her the best way he knew how. "Lils." Lily looked up at him, then, eyes dry but face scared. He kissed her forehead, taking away the worried creases there. "You," he whispered against her skin, "are the strongest person I know. Voldemort should shiver in the face of you. And then there's me, of course," he put on a slightly arrogant tone, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. It worked: she smiled slightly. "And you and me- that's unbeatable. Nothing is going to come between us because I love you and for some godforsaken reason which basically makes me the luckiest bloke alive, you love me too. And if that arsehole thinks he is going to come between us, if he thinks he's going to come along and ruin my perfect state of inner peace with you, karma's a bitch, and he's got another thing coming-"

He didn't even finish before she reached up to kiss him, smiling against his lips and wrapping her arms around him as far as they could go.

"You're right," she whispered, pulling away for not even a moment.

"I know," he smirked a little as she Lily hit him lightly. "Now we have some celebrating to do, I think?"

Tom at the Leaky waved hello as James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Marlene, and Mary all shuffled in, gathering seats at the bar. They all requested firewhiskies; after seven years, they felt is quite well-earned.

And a toast was in order, of course.

"To Godric Gryffindor," piped up Marlene, raising her glass in celebration. Sirius laughed and wrapped an arm around her, crying,

"To the Marauders!" raising his glass even higher, for extra effect.

"To no more exams!" yelled Peter, excited.

"To graduating," Remus agreed, grinning.

They all laughed. "I'll definitely toast to that," added James, raising his own.

"To kicking Voldemort's arse," Mary put in firmly.

Glasses clinked together, and the friends drank in celebration.

Just before they finished, Lily sang out: "To us."

James leaned down to kiss her cheek, whispering the same in her ear. "To us," they all echoed.

Eventually, the time trickled away with laughter and conversation and celebration. Goodbyes were exchanged; no one put any weight in them, really. Who needs loaded goodbyes at a time like this. They left the Cauldron together, and the friends apparated home, one by one. Finally, only James and Lily remained, lit by the moon in the sky.

"I love you, James." Lily's words were firm, and they echoed in the crisp summer air. James didn't think he would ever tire of hearing them. He kissed her swiftly.

"Who would've thought? I love you too."

And she ran to him... then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodbye... she had become like they are
She had taken his hand... she had become like they are
Come on baby... don't fear the reaper

I'm actually so ridiculously proud of that. Feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!