Yet The Snow Falls
The Autumn breeze; Cool and Crisp,
Brings swirling leaves of golden hue.
Littering the soft floor and leaving the bare limbs to sway.
The autumn was Lily Evans favourite season, she loved the way the trees shed their leaves and the red gold color of the foliage that covered the grounds of the school. She sat on the window seat in her own room in the heads dormitory, clad in only her green night-dress and a pair of embroidered green slippers, and was gazing outside with a dreamy look in her eyes. The forbidden forests' trees were almost bare and she could see the leaves strewn upon the paths and the surface of the lake. She silently stood and moved to her dresser that was situated in the opposite corner of the room and got dressed for the day in a pair of black, skinny leg jeans and a light green shirt. Over the top she pulled on a light, black jumper and slipped her feet into a pair of trainers. She sighed and stared at her reflection.
Her long red hair fell down her back in messy curls and her sparkling green eyes were heavy with sleep. She pushed a long red strand out of her eyes and sighed once more. Today was a special day for Lily and already she was worried. A clock struck nine somewhere in the castle and she slipped out of her bedroom and crossed the common room to another door. She gently pushed it open and peered into the room inside it. Inside, it was almost identical to her own room with red and gold painted walls and a large four poster bed. Clothes were strewn everywhere on the floor and the bed was unmade. No one was inside and Lily knew that no one had been in this room for more than twenty four hours. Her eyes flashed with sadness and she closed the door with a soft click.
She arrived at the great hall a few minutes later and sat down at the Gryffindor table in between two boys. The one on her left had sandy brown hair and yellow-brown eyes, the one to her right had long, straight, black hair and steely grey eyes. Both of them were tall and lean with athletic builds though the brown haired boy was looking extremely pale and ill.
'Morning Siri, Morning Remus.' Lily said dully.
'Morning' they replied as they ate their breakfast. Lily did not eat; she just stared at her empty plate with a miserable look on her tired face. Suddenly she stood and Sirius and Remus turned to face her once more.
'I'm going for a walk.' They both nodded, faces showing no expression. She turned to leave the hall when a hand grasped her wrist. Lily looked around to see Remus staring at her with concern etched into his brow.
'Lily, he's fine. You know that, right?' Lily pursed her lips and nodded slowly.
'I just need to go for a walk.'
'Take care of yourself.' Lily's eyes widened slightly, she had never heard Sirius speak with so much concern to her before. She nodded mutely again and walked out of the hall and into the cool autumn air.
A lone figure stands; waiting,
Watching, as the falling forms brush softly her skin.
Lily walked along one of the many gravel paths that lined the expansive grounds and just walked along with her hands jammed into her pockets. Her eyes focused on the ground in front of her and glazed over in thought. She passed the lake and paused under the shade of a large beach tree. She looked up from the path and across the large expanse of glittering green water. She could make out the separate leaves that floated past and once or twice she saw one of the Giant Squid's tentacles lazily trailing past her. She sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot today. Lily looked over at the beach tree. It brought back so many memories of the past six and a bit years; some good, some not so good. She gazed fondly at a fallen log where she usually sat and smiled. Then looked down at the path again and trailed onwards, into the forbidden forest.
She had been here many times over the years, alone and with her friends. But most of all she came here to think and to be with one other person. Lily traveled along the path which was barely visible under the covering of autumn leaves. She kicked at them and watched as they floated out in front of her. At last she reached her final destination. The clearing was a small place; a small stream ran from one end to the other, disappearing on either side. The light of the autumn sun could be felt here and lit up the area even though the rest of the forest was in a permanent twilight. Lily thought that it was beautiful; she could feel the good vibrations coming from all around her and soaked them up. She looked out into the trees and watched the leaves as they were tossed in the wind.
And as she waits, time stands still.
Lily stood for hours in the same spot and looked desperately into the trees; she was waiting, waiting for him to come back to her but she never noticed the fact that the light was going. Nor the fact that she had started to shiver in the light breeze.
Yet the leaves still descend; yet the days still fade,
And she watched, fascinated, as the autumn leaves fell to the floor and marveled at the way that their colors shone in the rays of the dying sun. This was why she loved autumn. This was why she felt herself fascinated by the dying season. She loved that in death it made everything seem so beautiful. Lily remembered the last time that she had watched the leaves fall like this and she smiled. Lily smiled a smile that seemed to radiate with love, love that was so pure that it made the world seem even more beautiful with that one simple smile.
She stands; never faltering, her heart never wavering.
And the leaves still circle as she waits.
Lily stopped smiling and once again focused on the leaves, she knew that he would keep his promise; she knew he would never let her down. And she hoped that by watching the leaves fall he would know that she was waiting.
The light is fading now as the day is nearing end,
The last golden leaf now falls;
The sky had grown darker; the sun was almost under the horizon. All of the leaves had fallen now. Each one rested in its own place on the ground and Lily felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She looked back at the tree tops and saw something that gave her hope. One single leaf clung to the moving branches of the skeleton like trees; it seemed to be clinging on by a single thread, as if threatening to tear at any moment. As she gazed upon her beautiful leaf, her hope resting in it, the last gust of autumn breeze rustled along the path. And in an instant, it was gone; falling through the air in a series of twirls.
Soon to become one of the many that means nothing,
Yet, one that means so much.
She could feel her heart braking now. She could feel it as a force grabbed at her chest and tore it through; like a flimsy piece of tissue paper in the hands of a child. Lily was broken and she didn't think she could be mended. But she still watches as it falls slowly to the ground.
Before its fronds brush the floor the cruel wind comes;
It snatches the twirling beacon and pulls it away;
With it goes her heart.
Just as it falls in front of her a new wind comes before her; so cold and so cruel. It chills her to the core and she feels her insides freeze. Lily felt empty. Like a part of her had been stolen. Like she was missing something important. Like she was no longer whole.
Yet the wind still blows, yet she remains;
And the wind still cries as she waits.
Lily stood in the deathly silence. She was alone here. She had nowhere to go from here but to the places that held memories that she wished forgotten now so that she didn't have to bear the pain. She would give him more time. She knew that he would come back for her. He promised.
The light is gone now, the darkness has come.
The shadows loom and the night is endless.
The sun had now truly set. Not even the slightest hint of what was once there remained. The chill of the night air was filling Lily's body and she watched the ground as the sliver of moon filtered through the sky; making the shadows of the once friendly trees daunting.
The lone figure stands; a tear in her eye,
Slowly creeping down her face.
Sadness filled her. He was not coming. She felt the tears come. She tried to hold them in, yet one slipped past her guard. She could feel it burning a long, hot, trail down her cheek but she left it to fall.
Her eyes rest high in the sky;
In the clouds that banish the stars.
Lily no longer wished to look through the dark trees. They made her shiver; and not from the cold either. So Lily looked to the sky. It was grey tonight, a storm was sure to come. The heavy clouds hid away the usually bright stars but the moon had managed to show through, in between the cracks. She sighed once again at the night and put a hand to her face to wipe away the salty water trail.
And as she watches, a new beacon falls and begins its lonely decent.
Sad eyes and lone shape trace a path in the night;
She didn't know how long she watched the clouds, just like the leaves, but Lily kept her focus. Suddenly she saw something. A single flake of powder white snow had fallen. Lily smiled at it and watched it as it fell from the sky and down towards the ground.
It ends its decent and a small fleck of white rests softly on her nose.
And soon, the snowflake landed squarely on the tip of her nose. Her nose had gone quit pink from her time out side and she shivered pleasantly at its touch. Lily let out a small laugh as she looked to the grey heavens above once more and saw that the sky was now filled with falling flakes. And she stood and watched the first snow of winter.
Yet the snow falls; yet the darkness remains.
She saw each flake and as they reached her, Lily, started to dance. She flung her arms out and her head back and basked in the gloriousness of the pure flecks. She stuck her tounge out and caught a single speck on it and let it melt into pure water in her mouth. The deep black sky now filled with light.
The winter chill, cold and clear;
Lily shivered in her light coat and could feel the water seeping through her shoes. She could feel the winter wind pulling at her hair and sending tingles through her spine.
Brings the snow that falls through the sky;
the snow was still falling and Lily was still watching in wonder. Her whole body was coated wit a thin layer of white and it flecked through the curls of her bright red hair. Her green eyes were sparkling and alive. She felt like a child once more and longed to go and play in the snow like one.
That covers the ground in a deathly white frost
The whole of Hogwarts was now white. A pure white that seemed to make every thing glow with white light. It seemed like heaven on earth. The lake was even starting to freeze over and the Giant Squid's tentacles were waving in the air; catching what they could for fun.
The lone figure remains still; no longer lone; no longer waiting.
As Lily stood, she could hear something moving towards her. There was a rustling in the leaves and the snap of broken twigs. Whoever it was was running quite fast and they seemed to be coming towards her. Lily felt her heart start to beat faster in her chest as she stared with hopeful eyes through the trees. She could see him now. He was tall with a lean body. His hair was an unruly jet black and his hazel eyes were filled with emotion; sadness, longing, hope and one emotion that stood out above the rest, love.
'Lily!' he called to her. Lily found herself speechless as she stared at him. He ran into the clearing and stopped when he saw her. They stood in silence for what seemed like hours. When the man suddenly took a few slow steps towards her and stopped when they were just inches apart. He gave her a slow smile but she did not respond. She just stood there and stared. He frowned slightly.
'James…' she whispered.
'Hey Lil.' He whispered back.
'James...' she whispered again. This time her eyes were flooding with tears that were threatening to break loose at any moment.
Lily threw her arms around him and started sobbing into his cloak. James slowly moved his arms around her and held her close, never wanting to let go. He whispered calming words into her ears and gently kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him and her crying stopped.
'I thought you weren't coming.' She managed to choke out 'I thought you were hurt.'
'I'm not hurt. And why would I not come? I promised.' She looked deep into his eyes and felt herself falling into his soul.
'I love you James.' she whispered.
'Love you too Lil.' Lily reached up and placed her hand gently onto his cheek. She stood on her tiptoes and closed the distance between their faces. And when their lips met, a slight shock coursed through their bodies, and they knew that they wanted to be together forever. The kiss was filled with Passion and Love; like they had put every single happy feeling into the one thing. When they broke apart Lily looked up at her Boyfriend. James was looking over her shoulder, into the forest.
'The snow looks pretty tonight.' He said. Lily turned around and James wrapped his arms around her slender form.
'Mmm… It does.' Yet another Flake of snow fell onto her nose and a pleasant shiver went down her spine.
'Are you cold?' James asked her in a concerned voice.
'No, Just happy.'
'Love you Lily.' James sounded nervous now, he was shaking slightly and was a little bit stiff.
'Love you too, James.' he relaxed slightly when she said this; slightly, but not much.
'Lily…'
'Yes James…' Lily was curious now. She turned around to face him and he removed his hands from her waist. He looked at the ground and nudged it with the toe of his shoe. 'What is it James? You look nervous as hell!' he grinned slightly at this statement. His gaze flicked from the ground to her eyes.
'You know that I really love you Lil?' she looked at him curiously.
'Yes…'
'And you know that I will always protect you, no matter what?'
'Yes…'
'You know that I would die for you.' This was more a statement than a question.
'Where are you going with this James?' Lily was getting nervous now. James put his hand in his pocket and seemed to be fumbling with something. His gaze flicked around the clearing before resting on her again.
Lily,' he pulled his hand out of pocket, with it came a small box. He knelt down on the ground and took her small hand in his. Lily's eyes widened in surprise as she realized his intentions. 'Marry me?' he flicked open the box and revealed the ring that lay inside. It was two white gold bands that wound around each other delicately. Resting on them was a large Emerald surrounded on either side by two small diamonds. Lily stared at it for a while and James was getting even more nervous. 'Lily?'
Lily looked up at him and he couldn't read the expression in her eyes. He stood up, a little hurt, and closed the box.
'It's okay if you don't want to.' James felt like crying now, something that he had not done in years. Lily shook her head. 'It's okay then, just-just forget about it.' He went to put the box back into his pocket. Lily grabbed his wrist and shook her head. She took the ring box off him and opened it closer to her face. She looked at it once more and James couldn't stand the silence; he wanted to run away from that place and never come back. Lily looked back into his eyes once more and he saw that there were small tears forming in the corners. She gently removed the ring from where it nestled into the silk lining and gently slipped it onto her fourth finger. James realized what she was doing and smiled. Lily dropped the box where it fell into the snow at her feet. She threw her arms around his neck once again and kissed him fiercely.
'Yes James,' she said when they broke apart 'Yes.'
And as they stand, hands entwined; time stands still.
Lily held onto James hand. Her little one fitting so well into his large one. She was happy now. She felt as though she needed nothing else in the world other than him. James was feeling the same way about her and the both of them were smiling blissfully. They were looking at the sky again, staring at the falling snow, wanting to stay there forever.
'Love you James.'
'Love you Lily.'
Yet the snow still falls; yet the night still remains,
And they stand; never faltering, hearts never wavering.
And the snow still falls as they stand.
Lily and James knew that their future was uncertain in these times, but there was one thing that they knew for sure; no matter what happened, they would love each other forever, no matter what.
Yet the snow still falls as they fade.
