Title: Oh The Memories
It was past 11 o'clock when Lily and James were finally able to settle down next to their six best friends. Why they had to go around, greeting family members they've never even heard of was past them.
What they thought would turn out to be several months of simple planning, turned out to be four months of living hell. But, the day had finally arrived and James and Lily were to be married the next day.
Sarah, Alice, Becca, Remus, Sirius, and Peter had been friends with Lily and James since their first year, and were all to be Bridesmaids and Groomsmen, with the exception of Becca and Sirius who were to be the Maid of Honor and Best Man.
They were all sitting in a corner and jumped in glee in having their chance to talk to the soon to be bride and groom.
"Mmmm, relaxation is true bliss," James commented from his spot on the couch. He was currently resting his head on Lily's lap. "To tell you the truth, I didn't even know half of those people."
"I know. Tomorrow can't come fast enough!" Lily exclaimed. "Hah, I never thought I'd be the lucky girl to marry the James Potter."
"Oh but you are Lilikins, you are." Sirius commented, from his seat next to Becca.
"Kudos to Lily and James for coming so far. Trust me, you weren't the only one surprised Lily. We thought you guys would never make up. You both were always so arrogant." commented Alice.
Becca exclaimed, "Like at that party we threw for the both of them! Remember… the Head Boy and Girl party! Everyone knew they were Heads except for Lily and James themselves! It was so brilliant. Lily had just read her Head Girl letter…
" Oh Bloody Hell! Oh my gosh! Becca! Sarah! Alice! I've been made Head Bleeding Girl!" Lily exclaimed, lifting her eyes for the first time from her Hogwarts letter. "I don't believe this!"
"I do. It was obvious you would get it Lily. Don't be so daft!" Alice laughed. "Congrats!"
"Congratulations Lily. You make us proud." Becca said, smiling at the shocked look on Lily's face.
"Yeah, congratulations Lily!" Sarah said.
The girls had all flooed over to Lily's house once they'd received their Hogwarts letters.
"I wonder who the Head Boy is." Lily whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
"I have a guess." Becca had a sly smile playing on her lips.
"Who?"
"James Potter, that's who!" Becca rolled her eyes.
"Oh god. If he's Head Boy, I don't know how I'll manage." Lily sighed.
"You know… I think we should have a party. You know, to congratulate Lily on becoming Head Girl!" Sarah smiled.
"That's a bloody brilliant idea! Oh we should start planning it now!" Becca agreed.
"No girls! No! It would be too embarrassing and I don't want all the attention to be on me!" Lily exclaimed.
"Oh come on Lily!"
"NO!"
Sirius and Becca were walking through Hogsmeade hand in hand. They were on their way to the Three Broomsticks.
"Guess what?" Becca asked.
"You caught Peter and Sarah snogging? Or better Yet, James and Lily snogging?!" Sirius had a hopeful smile on his face.
"Hah! No, Lily's Head Girl!"
Sirius had stopped dead in his tracks. He turned and faced Becca wit a smile that would have caused even Professor McGonagall to blush.
"What?" Becca asked, bashfully.
"James is head Boy."
"No! Are you serious?!"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am Sirius. But I am being serious about James being Head Boy!"
They had reached the Three Broomsticks and were walking through a maze of tables to an empty one in the back corner.
"Lily wouldn't let us plan a party for her. You know, to congratulate her on becoming Head Girl." Becca complained.
"Same with James."
"I thought he would like the attention?"
"Yeah well he's already surprised enough of becoming Head Boy, he said he didn't want a party because he needed time to let everything sink in."
"Well, we could always plan a party for the both of them without them knowing."
"You mean like a surprise party?"
"Something like that."
"I love the way your mind works. I'm all ears."
"Hey Lily! There's a party at Remus's tonight. Sirius said it was more of a party to celebrate our last year together." Becca said, flooing over to Lily's house with Sarah and Alice in tow.
"Oh really? What time is it at?"
"Well actually its in 20 minutes so hurry up and get dressed!"
Lily scurried off to her bedroom. She didn't believe one word Becca had said. Honestly, who would have a party celebrating their last year before school and not after? Obviously it had to do something with her making Head Girl. Then again this was Remus. He was always very sensitive, and maybe he really did want to celebrate their last year together.
15 minutes later, Lily descended the stairs.
"All ready?" Alice asked.
"Yup. Lets do it."
They decided it would be rude to just apparate into Remus's home, so they apparated into his front yard. As they trudged up to the front door, they heard someone apparate next to them. Looking over, they saw James walking to their little group.
"Hey Becca, Alice, Sarah… Lily." James looked Lily up and down, taking in her hunter green dress that matched her eyes so well. This simple act of curiosity was one of the many looks James did, and always made Lily blush.
"After you ladies." James ushered them into the house.
Becca was in the lead, followed by Alice, then Sarah, and finally Lily.
"You look beautiful Lily." James whispered as they walked through the door.
"Potter-." What Lily was going to say was cut off when everyone in the room yelled "SURPRISE!"
"Finally our Head Girl and Head Boy have arrived! James and Lily, please be so kind as to make your way over to the center of the room!" Sirius laughed at both of the surprised Heads.
"Oh Boy." James muttered before leaving to go over to where Sirius was standing in the middles of the room.
Lily stared.
And stared.
And stared at James' retreating back.
He was Head Boy.
"… It was so funny!" Becca finished, now resting her head on Sirius's shoulder.
"You both had a look on your face, similar to as if you had just seen Professor McGonagall actually laughing. It was priceless." Sarah said smiling.
"I can't believe you guys actually did that after I specifically aske-." Lily's words were cut off with a kiss from James.
"I remember what you wore that night. You looked beautiful." James said, kissing her nose and then her lips once more.
Sarah started, "Ooh, what about the train ride going back to Hogwarts. That was a… fun experience. I was so sure you two were going to bite each other's heads off. I remember we were to have a Prefects meeting before we arrived at Hogwarts…
James was making his way t the Prefects compartment at the end of the train He would never admit it, but he was actually very nervous. He and Sirius were always the more outspoken ones out of the group, but this whole leadership responsibility was nerve racking.
As he opened the compartment door, his eyes landed on a sea of red that was splayed across one of the couches in the back corner. Lily. She seemed to be sleeping with the Heads orders from McGonagall lying in her hand. He set his stuff down next to hers on the table and went over to get the instructions. He gently pried open her hand and took the orders back over to where his stuff was and looked them over.
A few minutes later, he heard Lily waking up and turned to greet her.
"Hello Lily."
"Hello Potter. Did you just get here?" she asked, looking around the still empty compartment.
"About 10 minutes ago. You've already read these over?" Seeing her nod, he continued. " Well, you were a Prefect, how do these meeting go exactly?"
" Well, once all the Prefects have arrived, we talk about what is expected from a Prefect and how much authority one has. Then the Heads give out the next Prefect meeting date. Then, any questions that are asked are answered. That's pretty much it." She came and sat down next to him, to his surprise. He was about to comment on their close proximity when the door opened and Remus walked in.
"Hello James. Hello there Lily."
"Hi Moony."
"Hello Remus. You're early. Most Prefects don't arrive 'till five minutes after we've left Kings Cross."
"Yeah well, I couldn't find Sirius or Peter, so I decided to come here instead. I knew you two would be here. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Remus finished, eyeing the to of them.
"Nothing Important." Lily piped in.
The three of them continued small talk until all the Prefects had arrived. When Sarah came, Lily went over to greet her and they talked about their summer holidays until Lily had to go back to James so they could start the meeting. Seeing that James was unsure of what to say, Lily decided to take charge.
"Er- hello. I'm Lily Evans, new Head Girl. This is James Potter, Head Boy. Anyways, as Prefects, I'm sure most of you know how much authority one has. As a Prefect, you are only allowed to take away a certain amount oh House points. When you catch someone walking in the halls after hours, you double the year they're in, and that's how many points you take away. For example, a second year would get 4 points taken away. You may take away more points if the crime is more serious. We only ask you to be fair. You are NOT allowed to suspend or give out detentions. When we arrive at Hogwarts, please attend to your Heads of Houses and they will give you further instructions. There is a list of the patrolling schedule for the train. Now, are there any questions?" Seeing that no one raised his or her hand, Lily continued. "Right, well I believe that's all. Everyone report to your patrolling areas and I'll see you at the next meeting." She smiled, and waved, signaling them all to leave. As she was putting her things away, she noticed James watching her. "What?"
"I've underestimated you Lily Evans."
"How so?"
"The way you handled the crowd just then was impressing, I admit. You sure do know how to take a bull by the horns."
Lily laughed. "And I you. Since when did you know if any muggle sayings? Very impressive." She smiled. "Well I better go find my friends. See you later."
"Goodbye Lily."
Lily stopped with her hand on the door and turned to face him.
"Goodbye James."
"Aw! She called him James!" Alice exclaimed.
"I must have done something right." James smiled sheepishly at Lily.
"I wonder if James ever did anything else that one could consider flattering," Remus put in. "We never really knew what was going on between you two when you both had that Heads Room all to yourselves."
Alice laughed. "Yes! I remember when Lily came running to me, telling me she would be staying right next door to James Potter! She was so scandalized! As I recall, Lily was asked, by Professor Dumbledore, if he could speak with her and James…
Lily was making her way over to Professor McGonagall when Professor Dumbledore came up to her with James in tow.
"Hello Professor." she said.
"Hello Miss Evans. Now that I've found the both of you, would you be so kind as to have a word in my office after the Welcoming Feast?" Dumbledore asked both Lily and James.
"Of course." James said.
"Certainly Professor. May I ask what about?"
"We'll discuss that matter in my office. Now, why don't you two make your way over to Gryffindor table and I'll see you in a while. Until then…" Dumbledore left without another word and made his way up to the Staff table.
The Welcoming was as enjoyable as usual. Both groups of friends were sitting next to one another. Lily and James ended up sitting side by side, not noticing the glances their friends were passing to ach other.
Finally, the Feast was over. Lily and James made their way over to the Entrance hall and up the stairs to the Headmasters office. They stopped short in front of the twisting gargoyle, neither sure of what the password was.
"Do you know what it is?" James asked.
"Well, it's usually some sort of muggle candy. Lets just start naming them." Lily said.
"I don't know of any muggle candies." James admitted.
Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm muggle born. No need to get your knickers in a twist. Lemon Dew Drops! Snickers! Milky Way! Chocolate Kisses!"
The gargoyle sprang to life, surprising both of them.
"Do the chocolates actually… kiss you?" James asked, honestly confused.
"W-what? Of course not!" Lily said, flustered, thinking of the words "James" and "kiss" in the same sentence.
"It was just a question! No need to get your knickers in a twist!" he smiled, using her exact words.
"Uh whatever!" Lily started to climb the stairs, leading up to Dumbledore's office. She turned around and noticed James still smiling. Boys.
They approached the grand doors, and with a shaky hand, Lily knocked.
"Come in."
Lily and James both walked into the room and settled themselves in the two chairs facing Dumbledore. Seeing that he had their attention, Dumbledore started.
"Good evening. I wanted to speak with you both about your sleeping arrangements…"
"We've been sleeping in our separate dormitories, sir." James said.
"I should hope so." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "As I was saying before… You will no longer be sleeping in Gryffindor tower. Head Boy and Head Girl have their own tower. There's a common room, and two wings, one for Head Boy and the other for Head Girl. Do not worry; you will still have access to the Gryffindor tower. Now, do either of you two have questions?" Neither one did. "Very well, Professor McGonagall is waiting outside my office. She is to lead you to the Heads tower. She will supply you with the password and answers to any further questions. Goodnight to you both."
"Goodnight sir." they said in unison.
Jut as Dumbledore said, Professor McGonagall was waiting for them outside.
"Good evening. I will be showing you to your new home. Please follow me." McGonagall said, leading the way.
The Heads tower was closer to the staff wing and much further away from any other house in the school. The entrance was a painting of a boy and girl laughing while eating popsicles. Lily thought it was rather cute and James had to disguise his laugh as a cough.
"Hippogriff."
Professor McGonagall entered the room, leading into a lounging area that looked a lot like the Gryffindor common room.
"We adjust the colors of the rooms so they look ore like your house colors. Thankfully you are both in Gryffindor, so we wont have to combine colors." said McGonagall, with what James thought was a smirk. "Right well, I must be off. Do either of you have any questions?"
"I do. Do we have our own bathroom?"
"There is a bathroom in the tower, yes. But, you both will be sharing It." she said.
Lily turned to James in shock. She would have to be sharing a BATHROOM with a… BOY?!
"If that is all, goodnight to both of you." she started towards the door but then stopped and turned around. "Don't forget, the password is Hippogriff." With that said, she left the room.
"Well this is going to be fun." Lily said, rolling her eyes.
"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm a very neat person. Like you said before, you underestimate me." James said defensively.
But Lily wasn't listening. She was looking at a large board that was hanging on the wall. It seemed to have notices on it. There were dates and schedules posted.
"I guess we put notices up there and they appear in the common rooms in the different houses." Lily looked at him, shocked. "What? I was only guessing!"
"Well, you were right, surprisingly enough." she looked around the room. "I'm going to explore."
"Alright. I'll join you."
They looked around the study area, rummaging through the different books. Lily wanted to stay longer but James forced the exploration onward. They finally reached the bathroom. It was fairly large, equipped with marble counter tops, a shower, a bathtub, and two towels. Thankfully there were two sinks, but they were right next to each other. There was a separate little room where the toilet was sitting.
They closed the door and went searching for their bedrooms. There were two separate staircases, one leading to a boys room and the other leading to a girls. They both walked up the boy's staircase, to James's surprise.
"What, trying to familiarize yourself with my room? Thinking of coming back?" he smiled and winked at her.
"No." Lily blushed. "I just wanted to compare the two different rooms!" she said defensively.
"Sure."
James's stuff was already in his room when they opened the door. They estimated it to be the same size as their normal dormitories, but it seemed much more luxurious with only one queen sized bed inside.
"Ooh comfy." James commented. He was currently lying on his bed. "Lets go check out your room."
"James, I don't think you'll be able to get up the stairs!" Lily called. It was too late. James was already making his way toward her staircase. Lily just watched from the bottom of the boys staircase, waiting for James to come sliding down.
And waited.
And waited.
To Lily's surprise, he never slid down. She walked over to her staircase and looked up and saw hat her door was opened.
"JAMES!"
She ran up her staircase and was, met with a sight that made her laugh out loud. James was lying on her bed with a look of pure concentration on his face.
"Your bed's softer than mine." he commented, and then smiled while sliding of her bed.
"Get out James! I can't believe you have access to my room!" she yelled, but laughed at the same time.
"You have access to mine!" he said.
"Yes, but a girls room is private!" he rolled his eyes at her response. "It is!"
"Sure."
"GET OUT JAMES!"
"Fine." he walked over until he was standing right in front of her. "Would you like me to tuck you in?" he winked at her.
"James! GET OUT!" she yelled, blushing.
"Ha-ha. Goodnight Lily." he stared at her, a look that said he was thinking of something. He then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Once he pulled back, he lingered next to her for a split second, Lily could feel his breath on her skin, and without another word, he left the room.
Lily stared at her closed door. Had James just… kissed her? She went over to her vanity to get ready for bed, not noticing she was still touching her cheek.
"So that's what you two were doing! Exploring each others rooms and giving goodnight kisses!" Sirius laughed.
"There are a lot of things that you six don't know about Lily and I." James said.
"JAMES!" Lily exclaimed.
James just laughed and kissed her on the cheek.
Peter began, "I remember their first patrol together. James came and visited us in the boy's dormitory. He woke us all up just to tell us his wonderful night with Lily…
"Lily, hurry up! Our patrol starts in…" James glanced at his watch, "… 30 seconds!"
He walked over into the study area of the Heads common room and saw Lily with at least 8 Charms books around her, forming a wall.
"Alright. I'm coming." she glanced once more at her paper, and with a nod of approval at her paper, put it away.
James held the door open for her and they started their 2 hour patrol.
James gave her a quizzical look.
"Was that the Charms essay due on Friday?" he asked.
"Yes." she purposely didn't meet his eyes.
"I thought you finished it on Monday, the day it as assigned." he rolled his eyes.
"I did… I was just adding a few… details." she said, knowing that a blush was forming.
"Lily. You. Are. Pathetic! Plus, I'm sure what you wrote before was fine."
"And like you haven't already finished our Transfiguration essay due on Thursday!" she shot back.
"I have."
"Add anything after you finished it?"
"Nope. I feel completely reliable on my first try thank you very much!" he smiled at her scowl.
"Oh, and by the way…" Lily started.
"Yes?"
"I'm not pathetic. Your shoe lace is untied." James looked down. "Hah! Who's the pathetic one now?" she smiled.
There was a moment of silence, both Heads mending their wounded egos, until Lily broke the silence.
"James, can I ask you something?"
"I suppose."
"How did Remus feel when you became Head Boy?"
"I honestly don't know. When I first found out, I was sure he was crushed. Remus is apart of pranking group, yes, but he's so much more, more… Remus. He's reliable, witty, generous, responsible, and very diplomatic. I was sure if Head Boy were to be one of the four of us, it would be him. Why it wasn't, I'm not sure…"
"I think you're a great Head Boy, James." Lily's eyes widened after she realized she had just said that out loud.
"Thanks." he smiled. "I confronted Remus and told him I was sorry it wasn't him and that it should have been. He said he was fine and that Head Boy was much too big a responsibility for him. He was honestly happy for me, but I could se that faint shadow pass over his eyes. If I could give Head Boy to him, I think I would. I'm not cut out for this like he is." he finished, frowning.
"James," she stopped walking, and turned him to face her. "I agree…" his frown deepened. "…I agree that Remus is reliable, witty, generous, responsible, and very diplomatic. You are just as much of those things as he is, and so much more. Out of your group of friends, you and Sirius are more out going, yes. But, You James, you are the leader of the group. You take control and you follow through. I don't admire what you do but I admire how you do it. You're smart, kind and loyal. But most of all, you're determined. That's what Dumbledore saw in you James! Your determination out shown everything else, in all the other students in our year. That's why Remus isn't Head Boy." she looked down. "Being Head Girl would be different if you weren't Head Boy."
"Wha-a?"
"I…", what Lily had planned to say as cut off when they heard someone yelling. They turned the corner and saw Snape. He had caught a second year Hufflepuff out in the halls.
"Snape! What are you doing?! This isn't even your patrolling night!" Lily exclaimed. "You can't punish a student when you're in just as much trouble as they are!"
"I knew you two were patrolling tonight and we all know that patrolling doesn't get done with you two," Lily blushed. "So I decided to…help." he eyed the Hufflepuff.
"10 points from Slytherin! Get back to your common room Snape! NOW!" Lily yelled.
Snape scowled at the both of them, shoved the second year, and then walked away with his chest held high.
"As for you! 4 points from Hufflepuff!" Lily said to the scared second year. Her anger slowly melted away. "Now go on back to your common room." she said, not as harsh as before. The Hufflepuff scurried away, leaving Lily and James alone in the hall.
"Lily…"
"James, about before…" she paused. "Let's just finished this patrol. I'm tired."
"Yeah. Me too." he sighed.
As they were making their way through the empty halls, things were very quiet. Unusually quiet. James was about to comment on this when they passed a classroom, giggles coming from underneath the door.
Lily and James nodded to one another, and very quietly, James shoved open the door. Inside were a boy and girl on top of one of the vacant tables, snogging. And snogging. And snogging. Had they not noticed James and Lily appear through the door? Lily's eyes widened even more when she saw that they were Gryffindors.
"EXCUSE ME!" the boy and girl jumped apart. "I know snogging's fun, but at least acknowledge your Head Boy and Girl! Thank-you!" James shook his head. "I have never been more ashamed. And two Gryffindors! 20 points!" the boy and girl scowled. "EACH!"
" Oh come on! We're in the same house! We're family! Yeah Gryffindor!" the younger boy exclaimed.
"You are no family of mine." James spat. "Get to your common room. NOW!" the boy and girl left the empty classroom with their heads hung low. Lily and James walked out of the classroom, James still shaking his head.
While disappointment was flowing through his head, excitement was flowing through hers.
She knew James would take so many points from any house, especially Slytherin, but she didn't think he would take so many from hi own. She wasn't convinced his ego could take it. 'Or maybe his ego isn't as big as you think', she thought. 'Maybe he isn't like what you thought he was. After all, you do underestimate him.' Lily was confused about many things, but she was positive of what she had to do…now.
"James?"
Ashe turned around, he was met with arms wrapping around his neck and Lily's soft lips pressing firmly against his. His arms automatically went down around her waist. He was so happy, he didn't realize he was holding Lily off the ground.
Lily reclaimed her lips and smiled t him. "James, will you be my boyfriend?"
They walked back to their common room, hand in hand, with silly smiles on their faces.
"Lilikins! You beat James to it! I didn't know you asked him out first!" Sirius laughed.
"Don't be mean! James is just a bit… shy." Lily smiled while playing with James's hair.
"I am not shy! I just didn't want to force you into anything. I had it all under control." James said.
"Psshh. Like how you had your first date under control? You came running to me, asking me if I'd help you plan a picture perfect day for Lilikins. It was rather pathetic." Sirius rubbed his chin. "If I remember correctly, we were walking to Divination. The one class Lily doesn't have with us…
Word had spread that Lily and James were dating. Wherever they went, wolf whistles would be heard, as well as "ooohs" and "awws". Even when they sat next to one another in classes, teachers would cast them surprised glances.
At the moment, Lily was lying on a couch in front of the fire in the Heads common room, with her feet propped up on the armrest. James was posting the first Hogsmeade weekend reminder on the notice board. Once James had asked Lily to the outing, he had started to plan, or at least he started to think about what they would do, and how he would make it perfect. Minutes turned into hours, and James still hadn't thought of anything. He didn't know whether they should first get something to eat at the Three Broomsticks or go get sweets from Honeydukes. This was his first date. He wasn't exactly able to plan from experience.
Once Lily and James had gone to bed, in their separate dormitories, James tossed and turned, unable to go to sleep. The Hogsmeade trip was the only thought in his head. After several hours had passed, James finally admit to himself that he needed help. But who could help him?
Who was someone that hand gone on plenty of dates, and knew how to have a good time? Then it hit him; James knew he had to speak to Sirius.
James, Sirius, and Becca were on their way to Divination when James brought up the Hogsmeade weekend.
"Hey Padfoot?"
"Yeah?" Sirius was busy tickling Becca, who was trying to dodge his grasps but was unsuccessful.
"Can you do me a favor?" James asked.
This got Sirius's attention. "Yeah, sure anything. What is it?"
"Will you help me plan my date with Lily? I know you've been on plenty of dates to Hogsmeade, and I just thought that maybe you could give me some advice?" James asked, a hopeful expression on his face.
"Ha-ha." Seeing the serious expression on James's face, he sobered up quickly. "You're really asking for my help aren't you?" James nodded. "Of course I'll help you Prongs! We'll start planning tonight if you want. Just pop by Gryffindor tower once our classes have finished. I'm here for you mate." James smiled, and the three of them made their way into Divination.
"Are you ready?"
The day had finally arrived and James has a nervous wreck. He was leaning against Lily's doorframe and was waiting for her while she was digging through a basket, looking for a necklace. She finally found the one she was searching for and had a victorious smile on her face.
"Will you help me?" she asked James, setting the necklace in his hand.
He nodded and clasped the necklace around her neck. He brushed her hair aside and kissed the nape of her neck, causing shivers to run down her spine. She turned around and gave him a gentle kiss, and pulled back before anything got to serious, fearing they wouldn't be able to stop.
"Let's go." she smiled at his pout.
They made their way to the Entrance hall and met up with their friends.
"So, should we meet at the Three Broomsticks in say… 2 hours?" Sirius asked the group. They all nodded in agreement and went their own way.
"Where are we going?" Lily asked James, as they made their way towards the little town, hand in hand.
"Well I was thinking maybe we could just walk around and do some window shopping. You could point out some things that tickle your fancy so I can get them for you for Christmas." James smiled, and squeezed her hand.
"Are you trying to spoil me Potter?" She asked, but couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"Anything for you Lily." he smiled and surprised her with a kiss. "Come on."
He led her down the street, stopping every once in a while to glance into the store windows. They passed by several different clothing stores and bookstores, but nothing caught her eye. She was going to announce that they should go to Honeydukes, when they passed by a Jewelry store and she saw the most beautiful necklace. It was an emerald stone that hung on a gold chain. She didn't want James to notice her glancing at the necklace, but unfortunately he heard her gasp. He followed her gaze until he landed upon the emerald necklace.
He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned in and whispered to her ear, "When I look at that necklace, I see your eyes."
She leaned into his chest, and they both just stood there staring at the necklace. Lily fell more and more in love with the emerald every second she looked at it, and as James continued to stare, he saw more and more of the eyes that he loved to get lost in.
"It's yours." He said.
"James! I can't let you get such an expensive gift!" she exclaimed, turning around to face him, but still wrapped in his arms.
"But I want to. You know how much you love that necklace. Don't deny it." He said, smiling.
"I do. But James its so…fancy and expensive looking!" She said, turning to glance once more at the necklace.
"I said I would get you anything that tickled your fancy, and I think we both know that you are doubling over in laughter from how much this is tickling." He said. His tone showed that there was no room for an argument.
"Fine." She sighed. "What would you like for Christmas?"
"Nothing. Just you." He smiled and lowered his head to kiss her. She dodged his kiss and crossed her arms.
"James. If you are going to get me something so… exquisite for Christmas, I insist on getting you something as well." She said, matching his tone of finality.
"Lily, honestly, I don't need anything." Seeing that she wasn't going to change her mind, he started naming some Quidditch supplies that he needed for his broom, and some books on Quidditch and famous Quidditch players.
She rolled her eyes as he continued, seeing that he'd enjoy anything to do with Quidditch.
"Okay, I get it. Anything to do with Quidditch. Well at least its something." She grabbed his hand again, and moved away from the Jewelry store, thinking of a new subject to talk about. She glanced down the street and saw students running in and out of Honeydukes. Her taste buds told her that she could go for a chocolate frog. "Hey, do you want to go down to Honeydukes?"
"Sure. I could go for a sugar quill."
They made their way down the street, and into the sweet store that children died to get candy from. They walked around the store, selecting several different choices that they could share while walking around. Once they had made their final decisions, they walked up to the cash register to pay for their goods. Lily was pulling out sickles but James was already receiving his change from the clerk. She frowned. She didn't want James to keep spoiling her like this. Once they got to the Three Broomsticks, she promised herself that she would pay for their drinks.
"Well, I think its time to head to the Three Broomsticks. Any last minute places we need to go to that we forgot about?" James asked.
"Nope. Let's go."
As they walked into the Three Broomsticks, they saw Remus, Alice, Sirius, and Becca all sitting at a table in the far back corner.
"Hey guys." James and Lily greeted their friends, and sat down.
"Hey Prongs. So what have you two been up to?" Sirius asked. He saw the Honeydukes bag lying on the ground next to Lily's chair. He started to lower himself ever so slightly, hoping that no one would see him and his quest to get the candy. He was centimeters away when Lily slapped his hand away.
"Sirius! That's our candy!" She said, lifting the bad into her lap.
"Aww, come one Lilikins! Can I please have one chocolate frog?" He asked, using those puppy dog eyes of his.
She gave in. "Fine." She placed the bag in the middle of the table, and both Sirius and Becca dove in, grabbing what they could.
Remus, Alice, James, and Lily all rolled their eyes and started to talk about what they did earlier in the day. James and Lily didn't mention the necklace they saw.
Finally, Peter and Sarah arrived. After 2 hours and several rounds of Butterbeer, they decided to head back to the castle.
Once they arrived at the castle, Lily and James both said farewell to their friends and made their way to the Heads tower. They walked as slow as they could, took the long corridors, and even stopped to admire the paintings, not wanting the night to end. Unfortunately, they did get back to the tower, and were reminded of their early classes the next morning.
"Today was wonderful James." Lily said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." He smiled, and kissed her brow.
"I don't want the night to end. I just want to stay in the common room and be in your presence." She sighed, leaning her head against his chest.
"I know, Lily. I know. I hate having the Hogsmeade weekend on Sundays ever since Quidditch practice is now held on Saturdays." he looked down at her. "I think we should probably get to bed. We have morning classes tomorrow."
"Alright."
They walked hand in hand over to the departing staircases and stared into one another's eyes for what felt like decades, but was really only a few seconds.
"Goonight Lily."
"Goodnight James."
With that said, they shared one last kiss, that was soon turning into a snog, until Lily pulled away and smiled up at James. She kissed him one last time on the cheek and then walked up her staircase, to her bedroom where she was certain she would have pleasant dreams of her James.
"…I remember that you two left without your Honeydukes bag, so Becca and I took it." Sirius smiled.
"Things were starting to get serious between you two, around that time, I take it?" Remus asked.
Lily and James were too caught up in one another that they didn't realize that Remus was asking them a question. Becca nudged Lily in the arm to get her attention.
Remus continued, "Ever since Lily and James became a thing, Lily and I have become closer friends. I remember that we would always go and study in the Library together, and you and James would come by Gryffindor tower to pick Sarah and me up for our meetings. I also remember that you started to question me about where I went for a couple of days every month. I knew that you didn't believe me when I said I went to go visit my sick mother, you were always too smart for you own good." he smiled. " I also remember that you were so curious to find out, that one time you followed us. I can never forget the memory of you putting your life in danger like that. I remember it was the day before my transformation…
Lily and James were sitting side by side in their common room, glancing over one another's shoulder, checking to see if they both have just as much information as the other on their Potions essay. Lily set down her quill, and was wondering how she was going to ask James the question that's been on her mind for several days now.
"James?"
"Yes Lily?"
"Where does Remus go every month? I mean, I know he says he goes to his mothers house, but it just doesn't seem right." She frowned.
James tensed up. "Lil, what are you talking about? She's really sick and Remus can't stand not checking in on her every once in a while. I feel bad for him." He stared at the crackling fire, not daring to look her in the eyes.
"No, I do believe him James. It just feels like he is hiding something from us, is all." She glanced at the old grandfather clock, noticing it was already 12:30. "I think I'm going to bed. Its rather late and I think we're going to need all the energy we can get for Potions tomorrow with the Slytherins." She shuddered.
"Alright. I think I'll get to bed as well. I just want to check over this essay real fast. Goodnight." He smiled and gave her a quick kiss before returning to his essay.
"Goodnight."
The next day passed by rather quickly. Potions was filled with the same old Slytherins causing the same old trouble. Lily had to restrain James from throwing his cauldron across the room at Snape's head. She had told him that he's not worth the trouble and to just ignore him and James muttered something under his breath that sounded something like "I'll get him later".
Once classes were all over, James, Lily, Sirius, Becca, and Remus all went down to the lake and sat down underneath the oak tree. Spring was just around the corner, and it was nice not to have to wear over sized jackets and earmuffs.
"Where are Alice, Peter, and Sarah?" Sirius asked.
"Alice is off with that Longbottom fellow, and Peter and Sarah are off doing god knows what." James said, smiling.
"Good for them." Becca commented from her spot against the tree. Sirius was resting his head in her lap, while she twirled her finger through is silky hair.
"Remus, are you off to your mums again tonight?" Lily asked.
"Afraid so. It doesn't seem like she's getting any better any time soon. I wish I wouldn't have to miss so much school and so many Prefect meetings." He sighed.
"Oh no worries, there isn't a meeting until next Thursday." James said. "So I wonder when the next Hogsmeade weekend is. I hope its soon, I'm running out on my chocolate stash." He gave Sirius a pointed look and Sirius just smiled in return.
They all just sat there, enjoying the gentle breeze that passed by every few seconds. Dinner was finally approaching and they all trudged up to the castle, listening to Sirius's symphony of stomach growls.
Once dinner was over, they all made their way to Gryffindor tower. Even Lily and James, who wanted to hang out with their friends for a little while.
Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus all sat by the fire, enjoying a game of exploding snap, while the Lily, Becca, and Sarah all sat at a table and talked about the Graduation Ball that was only a few weeks away. They all looked up at the clock as it chimed 9 o'clock. Remus started to get up and gather his belongings and at the same time, Professor McGonagall made her way into the common room to retrieve Remus. He said his goodbyes and then left the common room. James, Sirius, and Peter all said that they wanted to go up to their dormitory to discuss some "pranks". Sarah and Becca both rolled her eyes, but Lily's brow furrowed in confusion.
'Why would they plan without Remus?' She thought to herself. 'They must be up to something.'
"Well I'm rather tired. I have muggle studies early tomorrow morning." Becca said, lifting herself out of the chair. "Don't know why I ever decided to take that class. All we ever do is sleep while our teacher goes on and on about bloody radios. Total bullocks. No offense Lily." She said, stretching out her arms. "Goodnight."
"I think I'll be getting to bed as well." Sarah said. "Will you be alright Lily?"
"Oh yeah. I'll just wait for James down here. He probably won't be much longer."
"Alright. Goodnight Lily." Sarah said as she and Becca made their way up the girl's staircase.
Lily just sat in the common room, all alone. She moved from her spot at the table over to the couch that lay in front of the fire. She sat there for a couple of minutes until she heard whispers coming from the portrait hole. She sat up and looked around the empty common room. Was she just imagining those voices? Her thoughts were answered when she heard a sneeze coming from out in the corridor. She slowly got up and made her way through the portrait hole down the corridor where she continued to hear faint whispers. She knew it was James under his invisibility cloak. If she continued to follow him, then maybe she would find out where Remus really was. All she had to do was not get caught. So, she continued to follow them out of the castle, onto the school grounds, all the way out to the Whomping Willow. She hid behind a tree and noticed that the willows branches froze. She saw an opening at the stump of the tree. She ran as fast as she could, hoping that she could get to the opening before it shut. She had to leap through the air and put her wand in the crack to prevent the door from closing. She brushed the dirt off her clothing and made her way through the tunnel. She heard voices up ahead and willed herself not to cough or sneeze. When she finally got to the end of the tunnel, she was met with a scene that made her gasp. Over in a far corner she saw…Remus? He was transforming into a…a… a werewolf! His limbs were shaking and you could here cracks and tears as his body started to form into the picture of a werewolf. Before she knew it, she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and pull her back down the tunnel, out the opening, and back up to the castle. Her eyes were full of tears and she wasn't able to see who had dragged her out of the tunnel in the knick of time.
"Lily! What were you doing down there?!"
Was that…James? As Lily looked up, she saw James standing right before her with a look of annoyance and concern written across his face. He saw the scared look that passed her eyes and wrapped her in his arms, letting her sob into his chest.
"What happened to Remus? Why is he like that? Why were there other animals in there as well? Tell me what's going on James! No more lies! I want to know the truth!" She pushed away from him and held his gaze.
"I'm sorry Lily that you had to find out this way. It would have been much more easier to take in if it was Remus himself that told you. Lily, I cannot tell you what is wrong with Remus. It's not my place to tell. But I can tell you that that dog and rat are Sirius and Peter. We go with Remus when he transforms so he won't be alone."
"What about his mother? Is she really sick?"
"No. She is not sick. At least the last time that I checked, she wasn't." He reached out to hold her. "When Remus gets back, he'll explain everything to you if he wishes. But I cannot, I'm sorry Lily."
"No, I understand. I just… I just want to go to bed. My head hurts, a lot. I think I hit it on the wall when we were rushing out of that tunnel."
"Alright. Lets get you to bed." He escorted her back to their tower, helped her up the stairs, and tucked her in. "Goodnight Lily."
"Goodnight James."
When Remus finally returned, James cornered him in the Gryffindor common room.
"Lily knows." James whispered.
"What do you mean 'She knows'? How is that possible?" Remus asked.
"She followed us when we were going to meet you and she saw you transform."
"Oh god. Did I…"
"No, no. I got her out of there in time. Lily's fine. She just bumped her head when we were running out. I didn't tell her anything because I didn't think that it was my place to tell. She really wants to know the truth Moony. She understands if you don't wish to speak to her about it, but she really wants to know the truth one way or another."
"Alright. Where can we meet to discuss this without any disruptions?" Remus rubbed his forehead.
"Why don't you come back to the Heads common room with Lily and I after dinner and we can discuss it then?" James wondered.
"Alright. Until then…" Remus walked off to go finish his Charms essay.
Lily, James, and Remus all made their way into the Heads common room and settled themselves in the chairs by the fireplace. Lily and James sat down on the couch next to one another while Remus sat across from them.
Lily squeezed James's hand and James turned and nodded at Remus. Remus took a deep breath and began, "Alright, well if you haven't figured it out already, which I'm sure you have," he smiled at Lily. "I'm a werewolf." He paused. "I was 9 when it happened. Dad and I loved to go out hunting in the woods that were only a few minutes away from our house. You see, my dad was a muggle and he never really believed in all of those stories my mum told about werewolves and vampires. Nothing could keep him away from hunting. So when I turned 9, my dad promised me he would take me hunting that weekend. When the day finally arrived, I was so excited that I didn't register my mother's warnings. All I did was think about my great kill and how my dad would be so proud." He smiled. "He told me that the dear liked to run along the edge of the woods, surprisingly enough. Hours passed, and the moon was coming out. My dad started to walk over to our car, with our kill in tow, not noticing that I was tying my shoelace. As I started to get up, I heard growling behind me." Lily gasped. "I turned and saw the biggest looking beast I had ever seen. It was a werewolf of course. I started to yell for my dad, but the wolf had already finished its task. It bit me on my right calf. My dad came rushing over but the wolf had already returned to the woods. They rushed me to St. Mungo's but they couldn't do anything." He shook his head, sighing. "So ever since, I've been transforming once a month. Before Hogwarts, I would transform in this cellar we have at my house. My dad put cushioning all along the walls so I wouldn't hurt myself." Lily had tears running down her cheeks.
"Where do you transform now?" She asked, quietly.
"In the Shrieking Shack. Dumbledore had it built for me so I could transform there. I couldn't thank Dumbledore enough for what he has done for my family and me. Most people would object to having a werewolf go to their children's school. I agree with them sometimes, especially when I transform. I'm nothing but a monster." He looked up and met Lily's gaze. "I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore. Your safety is what matters most." He looked down.
Lily got up and kneeled down in front of Remus, placing her hands on both sides of his face. "Remus, you listen to me. No matter what happens or what has happened, I will always be here for you. Those people, who don't want you coming to this school, don't know the same Remus that I do. They only know of the werewolf that comes once a month. But the real Remus is always going to have a place in my heart. This little incident," he rolled his eyes. "Okay, rather large incident isn't going to change the way I feel about you. I will always be here for you. I love you Remus. You can't get read of me that easily." She smiled at him, and leaned in to hug him.
They stayed there for a couple of minutes, feeding off of one another's strength. Finally, they broke apart and just smiled at one another.
"Well I think I should be getting back to Gryffindor tower. I'll see you two tomorrow morning. Goodnight." Remus said, brushing at the remaining tears running down Lily's face.
"Goodnight Remus." Lily said.
"Goodnight Moony." James said from his spot over on the other couch.
Remus got up and walked over to the door, only to stop in his tracks and face them.
"I guess I should probably tell the others also, right? They'll figure it out sooner or later."
"Only if you want." Lily said.
"Yeah. I think that would be the right thing to do." With that, he left their common room.
James and Lily just stared at one another and soon fell asleep in each other's arms on the couch. The only sound was the faint crackling of the still burning fire.
Everyone just sat there, staring at nothing. All the girls had tears flowing down their faces. Even James and Sirius had to struggle to hold back their tears.
"I want to thank everyone for coming this far and having to put up with such a burden I am." Remus said, picking at invisible lint on his shirt.
"Remus, don't be silly. You know very well that you aren't a burden. You didn't ask for this. And I hope you've realized that we aren't going anywhere, so you better get used to us being around." Becca said.
"Yeah, Moony. You know we love you." Sirius said, clapping Remus on his back.
"I think we need a happier topic. This is a wedding rehearsal. We're supposed to be getting sloshed and running around doing things we'll regret later on." Sirius laughed.
"Right Sirius." Lily laughed, rolling her eyes. "Hmm, oh! I remember how excited we all were for the Graduation ball. There wasn't enough time in the world to get ready for it, even though we were told 3 weeks prior." Lily laughed. "It was the afternoon before the celebration and Becca was trying to curl my hair and also do Sarah's nails at the same time. She was always keeping us all in order…
"Will you hold still please?!" Becca screeched. "I can't curl your hair when you keep twitching!"
"Well, stop burning the side of my face! I told you that I- ow!" Lily started to rub the spot that had just gotten burned. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."
"Oh yes it is and you are going to look fantastic. This would be going by sooner if you would keep still!" Becca shouted but was laughing at the same time.
"Here, just let me do it. I can paint my nails and you can get Lily's hair done faster." Sarah said, taking the nail polish from Becca and started to apply the paint herself.
"Why don't you just use your wand instead of actually painting them yourself?" Lily asked Sarah.
"…That's a good idea." Sarah said.
"You guys are hopeless." Alice said, while zipping up her dress.
Around 15 minutes later, all 4 girls made their way down the staircase, only to be meted with their dates.
Lily walked over to James, Becca to Sirius, Sarah to Peter, and Alice and Remus both left to go find their dates. Lily smiled at the hungry expression on James's face. "Not now Potter. Control yourself." She smiled seductively and kissed him. She looked over and saw that Becca and Sirius were in their own snogging session as well. "Alright love birds, lets go party!" Lily laughed, tugging on Becca's elbow.
They left the common room and made their way to the Great Hall. Once they walked in they were met with loud music and seventh years that were already on the dance floor. Lily grabbed James's arm and led him onto the floor. Once they found their spot, the song switched to a slow dance. James wrapped one arm around her waist and the other held her hand. Lily rested her hand on his shoulder and couldn't help herself but smile up at him.
"You look lovely tonight, Lily." Lily wore green dress robes that wrapped around her feminine figure. She also wore the necklace that both of them happened upon on their first Hogsmeade date. James had gotten it for her for Christmas, like he promised.
"You look rather handsome yourself, surprisingly enough." She laughed at his state of shock. "Just kidding."
They continued to dance on the dance floor until Professor Dumbledore announced that food would be served in a few moments. Everyone made their way over to the circular tables and discussion flew throughout the Great Hall.
Professor Dumbledore made his way up the podium and waited for everyone's attention. When he knew they were listening, he began, "First off, I would like to take a moment to congratulate the graduating 7th years." Applause and cheers rang through the halls and a few minutes later, died down. "Secondly, I would like to thank Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick for decorating the hall and making all the arrangements." Students cheered again. "And now, I would like to thank 2 special people that have been most helpful and have done nothing but help our school into becoming a better and easier learning environment. Lily Evans and James Potter, please stand." Lily and James stood up, blushing at the sudden attention. James looked over and saw Sirius whistling and Becca beating her hands on the table. Finally, the applause ran out and they took their seats. "Once again, thank-you for such a marvelous year. I hope everyone here has had 7 enjoyable and hard working years. And now, the feast." We raised his glass as if to give a toast and food suddenly appeared on the different tables.
A little while later, people started to dance again and some left to go be alone with their dates. James stood up and offered his hand to Lily. "Would you like to take a walk?" He asked.
"Sure, why not?" She smiled up at him and took his hand.
They walked over to one of the balconies and stood facing one another, hand in hand.
"I'm going to miss this school." Lily whispered against his chest.
"We'll come and visit, don't worry." James said kissing her head.
She looked up at him. He had just said, "we'll". Does that mean that he wants to have a future with her? She smiled. "James? Where do we go from here?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, furrowing his brow.
"I mean, what will we do now, outside of school. You talked about becoming an Auror and I wanted to work at the Ministry. But what about… us? Where do we stand?" She asked.
"Well maybe we could… move into a flat together. You know, just the two of us." He suggested bashfully.
"Really?! You really mean it?" Lily exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
"I mean, only if you want to. I don't want to force you into anything." He said reassuringly.
"Of course I want to! I've been thinking the same thing!"
"I love you, Lily."
She looked up at him and saw in his eyes that what he said was genuine.
"I love you too, James."
He leaned down and captured her lips. They broke apart and he rested his forehead against hers. This was only the beginning of their new life.
"It was so incredibly… romantic." Lily sighed against James shoulder. "It was the first moment in our relationship that I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." She said looking at James.
"I know. I felt the same way." He smiled. "There was only one other time where I was just as happy." He paused.
"And that, Lilikins, is when you said yes." Sirius smiled.
"Yes. I was so happy, I could shout it off rooftops." James smiled. "And I'll have you know, that I was so afraid that you would say no, that I almost backed out of it. But Remus told me that I needed to calm down and just do it. And so I did…
"Hey Lily! Would you like to go out tonight? Go around town?" James called from inside the shower.
Lily popped her head in the bathroom so James could make out her words easier.
"Uhh, sure. What's the occasion?" She asked.
"Oh nothing. I just thought maybe we could use the fun." He popped his head out of the shower and winked at her. "I thought maybe we could leave in about half an hour? Is that alright with you?"
"Half an hour?! Move over, I'm coming in."! She yelled.
About 15 minutes later, both Lily and James were drying off. Lily had a faint blush that went from her cheeks and down her chest. Lily walked over to her wardrobe and rummaged through her clothing, landing on the same green dress she wore to the Head Boy and Head Girl party two years ago. 'I wonder if it still fits?' She thought to herself. She slipped on the dress and surprisingly enough it still fit.
"You look nice." James commented wrapping his arms around her waist, eyeing Lily as if she were a piece of meat. "Very…scrumptious." He smiled at her scowl.
"James Potter, you need to learn to keep your hands to yourself! And quit trying to fluff me up, it isn't working." She tried so very hard but couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"You know you love it." He kissed her neck.
"No, no. We need to go. We can't do this all day." She commented, sliding away from him and while putting on her shoes.
"Fine. But later…you're all mine." He purred.
"Sure." She laughed. "Lets Go!"
Lily was making her way over to the fireplace to floo when James stopped her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"We're not flooing. We're driving."
"What exactly do you have in mind today, Mr. Potter?" She asked, eyeing him quizzically.
"I thought maybe we could go do some muggle things. Like, go to the Cinema and out to a nice Italian restaurant." He smiled at her suspicious look.
"Alright." She said slowly.
They drove for about 30 minutes until they reached the cinema. They parked the car and walked up to the ticket booth.
"What did you have in mind?" Lily asked.
"I feel like a…romance. Two tickets to The Lovers Square, please." James said into the ticket booth. Lily just stared at him.
About two hours later, they came out of the theater, hand in hand. Lily was drinking from the leftover Coke they had bought. She didn't really like the movie, but James was going on and on about it's good qualities that she didn't want to hurt his feelings.
"The usual Italian restaurant we usually go to, right?" He asked her.
"Yes. Papa Cheese." She said.
And so they drove for another 15 minutes until they got to the restaurant, and Lily gave the valet her keys. Once they were inside, they were seated right away. That's what Lily loved about this place. The great service.
"Would you like something to drink while you look at your menus?" The waiter asked.
"Can we see your wine list?" James asked.
"Of course." The waiter handed James the wine list and the two of them discussed the different choices while Lily looked around at the art painted on the walls and ceiling. It reminded her of the Great Hall at Hogwarts and how the ceiling would always change.
Once the waiter had returned with their wine, James looked at Lily before taking a sip and bent down onto one knee. Lily gasped.
James took her hands. "Lily, ever since 5th year, I've had this raging passion in my chest that just wanted to brake loose whenever you were around. I didn't realize what it was until the party that our friends threw for us. When I laid my eyes on you after that long summer, I realized that I would never be able to loose that raging passion ever again. I promised my self that you would be the one that I grew old with and had my children with." He paused and looked deep into her eyes. "Ever since we moved in together, I loved the feeling of waking up and seeing you next to me. I never want to loose that feeling Lily. I love you." He took a deep breath. "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"
At this point, Lily had tears streaming down her face. "Yes!" She exclaimed.
He laughed and hugged her. They didn't break apart until minutes later when James realized he still had the ring in his hand. He moved away from her so he could place the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. Just like them...
James once again had his head resting in Lily's lap and she was looking down on him with a smile splayed across her face. Words were not needed at the moment. James could feel Lily's love radiating onto him and she could feel his. Life was simply perfect, like the ring on Lily's finger.
The memories that Lily and James shared once will never be forgotten.
Fin
