Defence Against the Dark Arts Assignment 2 – Prompt from lesson- (colour) White
Gringotts Wizarding Prompt Bank-
"At the still point, there the dance is." "Four Quartets
"She was lost in her longing to understand." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera
"I would always rather be happy than dignified." Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
"I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life." – Ian McEwan, Atonement
Quotes: 100 Great Literature Prompts
James Potter/Lily Potter
Task 2
It was an accident, I swear. I didn't mean to spill the red wine onto her dress. Her white dress. I swear I didn't. I wouldn't try to jeopardise our future relationship so early on.
"James Potter, how could you?" She shrieked at me, fury evident on her petite features. Her face was a deeper shade of red than her hair. Her eyes shone a greener green, full of passion and anger, than I had ever seen.
"Lily, I didn't mean to, it was an accident!" She was lost in her longing to understand, not even noticing the defining features of a set-up prank weren't present on my face.
"Of course it isn't," she snorted "It never is!" Her voice was full of the hatred I hated to see. Even though I became used to it over the years, it never stopped hurting.
"Lily, please stop! We can get the stain out," I pleaded with her, wanting her to stop shouting.
"I was going to wear this tonight to dinner. I can't now it's ruined. I couldn't be seen in public like this! I would lose my dignity!" She told me, tears welling up in her eyes, tears of anger at me and sadness at the stain.
"I would always rather be happy than dignified!" I told her, not truly understanding the over-reaction.
"You wouldn't understand! You're not a girl!"
"Your right, I don't understand! Why are you acting like this, its only wine?" I asked, desperate for an answer.
"This was my favourite dress. My mother gave me this dress the day before she died!" Tears had started to fall freely now. I had no idea her mother gave the dress before she was killed in the car crash. I had never forgotten the look on her face as she received the news her mother was dead. Shock washed over her already pale features, soon to be replaced by deep sadness and pure horror. Her sparkling eyes sparkled more brightly than I had ever seen them before but not in a way anyone should want. Not ever.
"Lily, I'm sorry, I didn't realise, I'm so sorry…" My mumbling didn't go unnoticed, not noticed by me at first. Lily stilled, not saying anything, hardly moving. Her eyes softened. Her hands fell to her sides. Her lips parted. At the still point, there the dance is. Raw emotion flooded her features. Tears flowed down her face, sending shock waves through me, hurt and troubled by her sudden outbreak of tears.
"Lily, what's the matter? Lily?" I asked frantically.
"You meant everything, didn't you?" She asked, confusion evident on her face.
"Meant what?" I was confused. What did she mean?
"You do love me, don't you? Asking me out wasn't ever a joke or prank, was it?" She asked accusingly.
"Lily…." I trailed off.
"Did you?" Her glare was enough to send a grown man into tears.
"I did. It was never a joke. As cliché as it sounds, I truly love you. I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life." I told her, it truly did come from my heart. She was the only person I had ever let in the deep, letting her see the true me exposed.
"You do?" What I thought was sorrow filled her face. Why did my heart seem to break at this sight? The sight of the woman who never believed that I loved her? Why, because, I love her.
"Yes, Lily Maria Rosaline Evans, I do," I whispered to her, using her full name.
"Well, James Charleus Thomas Potter, I'm sorry that I never believed you all the years. I'm sorry that I blew you off. I'm sorry I was so cruel to you when all you wanted was something I hardly knew. The true me." She had known started sobbing. I walked over to her and offered her my shoulder to lean on. She cried out her pain, her sorrow, her disappointment in herself. She cried away any unwanted emotions.
Then the thought struck me. Why had I not thought of this before?
"Labe Mundi!" I cast the charm on the unsuspecting Lily. She gasped as the stain slowly started to withdraw its presence on the dress. Without warning she flung herself at me, overjoyed at the prospect of having her dress back.
"Thank you James!" She gushed, happiest I had seen her all day.
"It was nothing," I murmured into her hair. It smelt like blueberries. The date had got off on a rocky start but the future was looking brighter.