James threw on his coat and grabbed a small box from inside his bedside table drawer before he wrenched open the front door, praying that now he had sobered up, Lily wouldn't smell the firewhisky on him. James ran as fast as he could down the corridor of his apartment, pounding down the stairs two by two until he reached the main door. Without stopping, James placed one hand on the handle and pulled the door open, running straight out onto the street. The cold night air hit him suddenly and hard like a tonne of bricks, but he didn't stop. Breathing heavily, he ran down the dark and deserted street, the cold night air stinging his face and tearing at his throat.

James rounded the corner and smacked into something hard.

"OW!" came a voice from above him, "PRONGS YOU IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" James blinked several times as he lay sprawled across the frosty concrete floor. Two blurry figures loomed over him and for a split second, the slightly dazed James couldn't figure out who they were. He reached out and fumbled around for his glasses until he placed them back on the bridge of his nose and gazed up at his two best friends.

"Sirius! Remus!" James panted, "I need to get to Lily!" Remus took hold of James' hand and heaved him onto his feet as Sirius stood, slightly hunched over, massaging his chest.

"Yea, well good for you," He said, his voice strained, "I need to get to a hospital; I think you cracked a rib."

"Well you shouldn't be lurking in dark corners should you?" James said, beginning to take off again now that he was back on his feet, "Why are you here anyway?"
"Oh charming," Sirius said, following him, "You try and do a friend a favour..."
"A favour?" James asked looking confused.

"We came to see if you were ok after...after tonight," Remus said tentatively.

"Oh...yea I'm fine," James said, quickening the pace, "I just need to get to Lily."

"But James-"Remus began but James interrupted.

"Look Remus, I can't let her go. All three of us know what really happened that night, and if she won't listen, I'm going to have to pin her down until she does," James said, panting once more as he broke into a run, "I just can't live without her; I can't let her disappear to the other side of the world."

"But James-!"

"Remus I know it's crazy at this time of night, but nothing you do is going to stop me!"
"But-!"
But James didn't wait to hear what he had to say next; as soon as he reached the dark and deserted children's park across the road, he disapparated with a loud bang. James' feet hit the ground hard and he stumbled as he instantly began to run again, stopping only when he reached Lily's apartment door. He stood, panting and clutching his side as he eyed the door before him, the door he had always loved passing through so much, the door that belonged to the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world, the woman he was so desperately in love with. When he had caught his breath, James bit his lip anxiously. How was he going to tell her; what could he say to make her listen? Gathering every last bit of courage left in him, James rapped on the door, running through his speech in his head as he did it.

'Lily it's not what you think, I swear...'

'Lily, I love you...you can't leave me here...'

'Do you really want to end it?'

'Won't you miss me?'

'Do you seriously not love me anymore?'

Suddenly the door opened and James held his breath. A young man opened the door; his hair was a curly blonde and his eyes a dark brown, he couldn't have been more than eighteen. James' heart almost stopped in his chest. Was he with Lily? Was this why she was leaving, to be with this blonde Australian college student?

"Hello?" The boy asked, confused, his accent clearly English and James heart beat slowed a little.

"I...erm...is Lily there?" James asked, not quite sure what to expect.

"Lily?" The boy blinked, "Do you mean Miss Evans?"

Miss Evans?

"Err...yea I guess..." James said slowly.

"Oh, she doesn't live here anymore," The boy said and James heart sank horribly, "She moved out a couple of weeks ago."

"Do...do you know where she is now?" James asked and the boy frowned in concentration.

"I think she said she was going to Australia...two weeks after the moving date actually," He said and James started to panic; could she possibly have intended to leave tonight, the night she had only just revealed her departure?

"Oh...th-thanks," James said and he swivelled round to leave.

"Wait..." The boy said and James turned to face him again. The boy leant behind the door and dragged a large box out from behind it.

"Aren't...aren't you the guy in these photos?"He asked and James went pale. Rushing over to the box he grabbed a handful of the photos only to find his ink and paper twin printed on each and every one. Some were with the marauders, some with the order, but in almost all of them...it was them; Lily and James, happy like they should have been. They were holding each other, they were dancing, they were playing around, they were posing...they were kissing...

"Where...where did you get...?" James began but found that he couldn't finish.

"She left them here," The boy shrugged, "I hadn't figured out what to do with them yet." James felt the pain hit him like a wall of water, hard and devastating before drowning him slowly, making it almost too hard to breathe.

"I'll-I'll get back to you on that one," James said before he took off once again down the corridor, leaving the boy looking astounded in the doorway.

He wrenched open the building's front door and entered the dark and frosty street once more, his eyes stinging and his heart breaking. Lily had left all of her photos...their photos. She wanted to forget him, to forget that they had ever happened. How could she do that? Was it possible that her hatred for him had destroyed everything that she had ever felt for him? Remus and Sirius stood, leant against the wall of the building and James took a few slow steps towards them.

"She came back after you left to say her goodbyes...to the party I mean," Remus said slowly, "She said that she was leaving tonight; we knew that she wouldn't be here."

"Sorry mate..." Sirius said sympathetically.

"Did she say where she was going?" James asked, his voice breaking a little.

"She didn't exactly...but surely she'd go to the nearest airport?" Remus replied.

"Oh God...an airport?" Sirius asked, "I don't know how those things work."

"Me neither..." James said dejectedly.

"Yea...but I do," Remus smiled, "We'll just have to be really fast if you ever hope to reach Lily in time."

***

The three boys appeared with a bang in a deserted and rather grimy alleyway, Remus clutching onto both of their arms. It was almost pitched-black with an extreme lack of streetlamps and dirty water ran through it in small, yellowing streams.

"Where are we?" James asked as Sirius kicked a rat away from him, looking disgusted.

"The airport is only a few streets down," Remus explained, "There would be too many muggles to apparate anywhere closer...this way." Remus hurried off down one side of the alleyway, shortly followed by the other two until they appeared in a rather run down looking street with houses painted a peeling dirty white. Rubbish was strewn across the mouldy green grass and dim streetlamps flashed on an off beneath frames of jagged and broken plastic. To the left of them was a sign reading 'Spinners End'.

"Wow, what a dump," Sirius said, kicking a coke can, "Do all muggles live like this?"

"The name seems familiar..." James frowned.

"No," Remus answered, "Not all of them...but-"
"ARRRGH!"

There was a blinding flash of white and Remus felt James collapse to his right. In an instant reaction, Sirius whirled round and shot a curse straight at the shadowy figure behind them. The figure ducked and James scrambled to his feet, pulling out his wand. The shadow stepped out into the dim flashing light of the streetlamp to reveal pale, sallow skin and two narrow black eyes, half concealed by long, greasy black curtains.

"Snivellus?" Sirius asked, "What in the name of Merlin-?"
"I knew this place sounded familiar!" James said suddenly, "Lily told me that this was where-"

But James was cut short as Severus shot another curse in his direction.

"Give up Potter!" He yelled, just as James ducked, "She doesn't want you, she hates you; she's realized just how much of an arrogant git you are!"
"What do you gain out of her leaving?" James yelled back, "She's leaving the country, not to be with you!"

"I don't care as long as you don't get your hands on her!" Severus snarled, "I always knew you were an arrogant prat James Potter, but I never thought you'd be stupid enough to give up a girl like Lily Evans, especially for a girl like Alice Prewett. You never did deserve her. And now look...she's getting on a plane...wishing that she had listened to me."

"She hates you just as much as she hates me at the moment, Snivellus!" James retorted, "The only difference is that she hates me over a misunderstanding; you're a filthy, greasy little Deatheater and she'll never forgive you for that!" Severus shot another curse at James but this time Remus got there before him. In an instant, the curse rebounded off of Remus' shield and hit Severus straight in the stomach, causing him to somersault backwards through the air. Clutching his stomach, Severus stood, breathing heavily.

"She was supposed to be mine!" He bellowed at James, "If I can't have her, I'm not going to let you-!"

"She would never have wanted you anyway, Snivellus!" James interrupted, "Lily Evans hates people like you! She deserves so much more than a killer like you! What could you ever offer her apart from a life of danger and hurt?"
"It doesn't matter now!" Severus grinned spitefully, "You're too late; her flight leaves in ten minutes and there's no way you'll be able to get through!" James felt all the colour drain from his face; this was exactly what Severus had wanted, to keep him there long enough until it was too late.
"No..." James said quietly and the anger boiled away inside of him as Severus' grin spread further. In a fit of rage, James charged towards Severus but Sirius got in his way.

"SIRIUS WHAT ARE YOU-?" James began but Sirius pointed him in the other direction and pushed him forwards.

"There's no time for this!" He explained, "You go chase down Evans with Remus and I'll handle the snake!" Leaving him with no chance of answering back, Remus grabbed hold of James and darted down Spinners End, leaving Sirius battling Severus.

***

Remus and James ran into the airport, ignoring the looks they were getting for their strange dress sense from the muggles.

"Remus, where do we go?" James yelled as the pelted through the crowds of aggravated and delayed tourists and holiday makers.

"If we go to the front desk, I'm sure they'll make an announcement," He replied, never slowing.

"What good will that do?" James asked, "We need to hunt her down!"

"James she's probably boarding!" Remus answered, "We won't get through the gate without a ticket."
"Well then I'll buy a ticket!" James said, clearly inexperienced.

"There's no time for that!" Remus said, "And anyway, you'll be very lucky to get a ticket ten minutes before the plane leaves! They'll probably stick you on the next flight and we don't know which part of Australia she's heading to!" James moaned; at this moment in time their mission seemed impossible. Remus slammed into the front desk, much to the annoyance of the people waiting in the queue.

"We need you to make an announcement!" He said, panting to the woman behind the desk.

"Oh...erm...there is a queue I'm afraid," She said, clearly confused by his robes, "If you would kindly w-"
"We can't wait!" James yelled, "We need to stop someone getting on an air...yo...plane..."

"Aeroplane," Remus corrected.

"Oh I don't care!" James said as the woman gave him a very disturbed look, "Can't you just-?"
"What is the emergency?" The woman sighed.

"I just said-!" James said completely outraged.

"Why do you need to stop this person getting on the plane?" The woman said coolly.

"Why do you need to know that?" James said angrily.

"I'm sorry sir but if you're going to be-"
Suddenly James jumped over the desk and grabbed whatever looked closest to a microphone and pressed the green button.

"Sir you can't do that!" The woman's voice erupted throughout the speakers of the airport.

"Can Lily Evans just please not get on the...airyplane and come to the front desk please?" James' voice said through the speakers, "Someone really needs to speak to you!"

"Security!" The woman called and Remus swallowed hard.

"James let's get out of here!" He said.

"No Remus I can't just-!" James said through the speakers once more but stopped as soon as Remus gave him a 'this isn't over; I have another plan' look. Sighing, James jumped over the front desk once more and pushed through the confused crowd of muggles in the queue. A few security guards emerged from around the corner and Remus grabbed hold of James' arm and ran in the other direction.

"What are we going to do?" James asked desperately.

"James, you were right; we're going to have to hunt her down," Remus said nervously,"I just hope we don't get arrested before we get the chance to."

***

Remus pulled James towards the flight attendant; surely they'd let James through if he just explained the situation.

"OK here's the thing..." he began as the flight attendant eyed him, clearly unimpressed, "Our friend is on that plane and we need to stop her getting on and make the biggest mistake of her life. We don't have tickets and I know you're not supposed to let us through, but if you would just let us go through we would really-"

"Look mate, I'm sorry but no can do," He shrugged.

"What?" James asked, his world falling apart, "Why not? Look you can check us!" James took off his robe and shook it violently, the small box he had taken before falling out of one of the pockets, before throwing it back on.

"See? Nothing!" He said desperately, "I need to get through...no seriously I need to get through (for the attendant had given him a sceptical look) and if you don't let me get through my life will officially be over! The love of my life is on that plane and if you don't let me get through I will never see her again! I don't know where she's going or if she'll ever come back and I'm certain that if you let me through that wouldn't have to happen!"

"How unfortunate," The attendant said robotically, "And guess what? It's even more unfortunate because you're not getting through."

"Fine then..." James said, his heart accelerating; he knew what he had to do, "I would say that I'm sorry for having to do this but in this case...I'm not."
"Are you threatening me sir?" The attendant asked, "Do I need to call security?"
"I guess you do..." James pulled out his wand and Remus' eyes widened.

"James don-!"

"A stick?"
"STUPIFY!"

The attendant went as stiff as a board before he collapsed unconscious on the floor.

"James!" Remus gasped, "How are we going to explain-!"
"You punched him!" Said an onlooker, "You knocked him out! Security!"

"James you go stop the plane; I'll try and take care of this lot!" Remus said, pulling out his wand, "OBLIVIATE!"

James didn't turn to see if Remus' memory eraser had worked, for more security guards emerged either side of him; instead he ran straight on through the metal detectors, causing more uproar. He ran through the crowed of panicking tourists straight through the doors onto the runway, Lily's plane straight ahead. Knowing that it would be too risky using his wand now, James ran faster as he heard the security guards pursue behind him. To his excitement and sheer luck, the ramp was still down; he could get onto the plane. He ran up the steps two by two just as the security guards caught up and grabbed hold of him, knocking him onto the plane floor.

"NO WAIT! I'LL GET OFF IF YOU JUST LET ME SEE-!" He yelled as he struggled to get them off of him, a couple of airhostesses screaming above him.

"JAMES?" came a voice further down the plane, the most beautiful voice he had ever heard.

"LILY?" James yelled, struggling to get a glimpse of her flaming red hair, her green eyes, her pale skin...

The security guards heaved him onto his feet, his glasses were cracked but he didn't care; he could see her, standing in the aisle of the plane looking very shocked. Now was his moment...

"LILY!" he yelled as the security guards carried him towards the door again, "LILY YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME, I NEVER WANTED ALICE PREWETT! NEVER! I WANT YOU AND THAT'S ALL I'VE EVER WANTED! SO MUCH SO THAT I HAVE...OH PLEASE JUST LET ME GET SOMETING OUT OF MY PCOKET!"

"No way mate," One of the security guards said beginning to drag him down the steps.

"OH MERLIN IT'S A RING OK? AN ENGAGEMENT RING!"

Lily gasped and the security guards stopped, stunned.

"Carry on..." One of them said looking rather amused, "We might as well see where this is going before we put him in a cell."

"Lily..." James said quietly now that he wasn't going to be dragged away before he got the chance to say what he had to say, "Alice and I were sneaking around because I needed her help picking out an engagement ring alright? I don't know what girls like...you know I'm hopeless; look how long it took for us to finally get together."
"Well what about the kiss...back in the apartment?" Lily asked, tears of confusion spilling from her eyes.

"I was running through the proposal with Alice," James explained, "I wanted it to be perfect, a surprise, so I needed to get a girls opinion on it. I made the apartment exactly what I would have on the day and we went through it like...like a role-play I guess. The kiss was a joke, like...a melodramatic version of what would hopefully be what you would do to me when I proposed. She was playing you. We were both so excited about the proposal that when it came to the 'Insert snog here' part we decided to have...if anything a comic book...cartoon style...melodramatic snog...but then you showed up and we couldn't explain ourselves; the surprise would have been ruined. I guess it doesn't matter now, you leaving really did mess up the plan."

The security guards' walkie-talkies crackled and one of them unhooked it from his jacket.

"Yea...we're on our way," He answered, "Come on mate, we've got to go."
"But I-!" James tried, but the security guards dragged him through the door, Lily's stunned face disappearing behind it.

"LILY I LOVE YOU!" He yelled as he was dragged down the steps and out of the plane, "PLEASE DON'T GO! IT'S ALL JUST ONE BIG MISTAKE! IT WASN'T REAL! YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!"

Moments later James was dragged back into the airport with Remus nowhere to be found; he was alone in a muggle airport, his heart torn into pieces, because, as the security guards threw handcuffs around his wrists he watched the plane to Australia disappear, with Lily Evans leaving forever. It was over.

***

James sat in a muggle prison cell, motionless. The sky was streaked with a pale blue and yellow as the sun began to rise on the horizon. He didn't have his wand, he didn't have the ring...and he didn't have his Lily. James sighed and buried his head in his knees as he hugged them closer to him. His eyes stung with tiredness and tears as he finally let them close; he'd do anything for a firewhisky right about now. James bit his lip; what had happened to Sirius and Remus? Was Sirius hurt after taking care of Severus? Was Remus in a cell too? James slowly let himself fall back so that his heavy head fell onto the thin pillow on the bed he had perched himself on ever since he had arrived.

How did this happen? One minute he was with the girl of his dreams, happy...soon to be engaged, and now...after one huge messy misunderstanding, it was all over. James buried his face in his pillow and curled up into a ball. If he was going to cry, he might as well use it to get some sleep.

***

With a loud creak, the cell door flung open and James awoke with a start. One of the security guards from yesterday's antics stood in the doorway.

"We've checked through your stuff...." He explained as James sat up, "Nothing we can arrest you for, you're free to go...but consider this a caution for the next time you punch a guy in the face and run through an airport."

"I'll try not to do it again," James said with a small smile as he stood from his bed; his eyes were heavy and stung with tiredness and the tears he had shed.

"Just go to the front desk and they'll give you your stuff back...although I don't understand why you want that stick..."

"Err...it's been passed down through my family for years," James lied, to which the security guard decided not to answer. James passed slowly through the door and walked towards the front desk where he picked up his wand and the ring, encased in individual plastic bags. Stuffing them into his pocket, James exited the airport and entered the street. The sky was a grey haze, small droplets of rain cascading onto the muggles racing around outside trying to catch their flight, to escape the English weather. James pulled his coat tighter around his body and strode back towards the alleyway they had apparated in the night before...when there was still hope. James reached inside his pocket, feeling the ring in the palm of his hand; he wouldn't need it anymore, but he just couldn't bring himself to even think about getting rid of it. James hastily swallowed the lump in his throat; not here.

"James?"
James turned to see Remus and a slightly battered Sirius walking towards him.

"James...I'm so so-"Remus began but James interrupted him.

"It doesn't matter now," He said hastily; he didn't think he could handle talking about Lily right now, "Are you alright?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle," Sirius smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I erased the memories of the people who might have seen anything..." Remus said delicately, "The ministry won't be coming after you any time soon."
"Thanks..."James said, not quite sure what else he could say. The three walked in silence back to the alleyway, Spinners End looked even worse in the day, highlighting things less obvious under the cover of darkness. More glass than usual was scattered across the pavement sparkling with droplets of rain; Sirius and Severus must have really gone for it last night. James sighed and turned to face the other two behind him.

"I'm erm...I'm gonna go home and erm...think about things..." He said quietly with a lump in his throat; he wanted more than anything to just be alone.

"Alright mate," Sirius smiled encouragingly.

"You know where we are if you need us..." Remus said sympathetically and within an instant the two had disapparated, leaving James alone in the alleyway before he too left Spinners End behind.

***

It was late at night and James Potter sat in his apartment alone. He had returned to Lily's apartment before he had come home, relieving the pretty boy of the photos she had left behind and had resorted to flicking through them for something to do. James placed his most recent handful of photos amongst those on the coffee table and grabbed another miserably. It had been exactly thirty eight hours since Lily Evans had left the country...left him, and James was having serious withdrawal symptoms. James removed a small indigo box from within his pocket and flipped it open. There, amongst the silk that lay within, was the ring he could not bring himself to dispose of. James could not help but feel that this ring was a piece of Lily Evans, the piece that got left behind and if he disposed of it, it would be the end. He just wasn't ready for that. James bit his lip and stared at the half empty bottle of firewhisky that stood on the coffee table in front of him; he would not let himself resort to drink, but he couldn't help but wish that he had something to numb the pain just a little bit; he had already had a couple of glasses.

Throwing the handful of photos he had just picked up aside, James sighed and leant back on the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had tried sleeping it off, but every time he'd closed his eyes all he could see was her face. It wouldn't have been so bad if her expression was constantly happy beneath his lids; more than often her smile had turned into the expression of shock and hurt that he had seen splashed across her face when she had spotted him and Alice alone in the apartment.

James stared at the bottle in front of him; surely one more glass wouldn't hurt? Maybe he'd even get some sleep. Just as James wrapped his fingers around the neck of the bottle there was a sharp knock on the door. Groaning internally, James stood, still clutching the bottle; Remus and Sirius would be sure to join him for a drink. James rested his head against the door before he opened it; he needed to get himself together, he didn't want Remus and Sirius to go all sympathetic and concerned on him. James wrenched open the door and attempted to smile at the figure standing in the doorway.

James suddenly stopped in his tracks, the bottle of firewhisky slipping from his fingers and shattering on the floor, for there she stood at his door. Her hair was a red messy tangle, wet and frizzing from the English weather. Her skin was pale and her makeup had smudged, running a little here and there around the eyes. Two large suitcases were in her white, trembling, hands as she looked up at him with her big green eyes, the both of them completely oblivious to the firewhisky bottle scattered across the floor.

"You're...you're here..." James stammered stupidly after a few moments of silence; the shock had completely destroyed all hope of anything logical escaping his lips.

"They wouldn't let me off the plane..." She explained her voice wobbling, tears filling her eyes, "They said I'd be delaying everyone cos I needed to get my suitcase off of the plane. I got the next flight back..."
"Oh..." James said his mind still blank.

"Yea..." She said quietly, their eyes glued to each other, their bodies motionless. Eventually Lily's eyes lingered, focusing on the shattered bottle of firewhisky.

"You're drinking?" She said her voice a whisper.

"N-not a lot..." James said, his eyes still fixed on her.

"James I-" Lily began but she was suddenly interrupted as James' lips crashed into hers. A sharp noise erupted from her throat before she threw her arms around his neck. James pulled on her shirt, crushing their bodies together before he lifted her into his arms, taking her into the apartment, and lay her down on the sofa, his lips opening and closing fiercely against hers, relishing the taste of her mouth.

"Mmmm...James...my...mm-bags..." Lily groaned in-between kisses. Grumbling, James hurried over to her suitcases, dragging them inside before slamming the door shut, ignoring the fact that he'd stepped on the glass in the doorway. He hurried back over to the sofa before her took her head in his hands, his lips gently caressing hers before he pulled her onto his lap.

"James...you're...bleeding..." Lily moaned between kisses.

"I...don't...care..." James whispered his voice full of lust as he entangled his fingers into her hair. He gently pulled on her hair, forcing her head to fall back, allowing James to press soft kisses against her throat. Lily shuddered as she felt his hot breath against her skin. She lifted her head once more and pressed her lips desperately to his; she had missed him so much, his warmth, his voice, his touch...

Her tongue explored his mouth, desperately trying to taste every last bit of it, the taste she loved and missed. How could she possibly have ever hoped to forget James Potter when she craved for him like this?

"Lily," James said, pulling away much to her disappointment, "Do you remember what I said on the plane?"

"Oh James forget it; I believe you," She said, hurriedly pressing her lips to his, but James held her shoulders and pulled her back. Lily groaned, restless; she wasn't done kissing him yet.

"Lily..." James said, fumbling around the back of the couch before he pulled out an indigo box, "Will you marry me?" Suddenly, all the irritation she had felt towards him for stopping the kissing disappeared. All the air in the world was not nearly enough to keep her breathing. Her eyes had become so full of tears that she couldn't see the man sitting in front of her. Hastily rubbing her tears away for fear of missing a single second with James Potter, Lily smiled and nodded; even if she could say anything at this moment in time, she couldn't say yes nearly enough. Placing the ring around her finger, she threw her arms around him, kissing him as passionately as before.

"Did I ever tell you that I love you James?" Lily asked, causing James to grin.

"Once or twice," He smirked.

"Well I'm going to say it again anyway."
"Somehow I just knew you would," He smiled, before he pressed his lips to hers, "And guess what? I'm going to say it back."

***

Lily rested her head against James' shoulder as he stepped on the end of her white dress, causing her to stumble a little.

"Sorry," He whispered as several onlookers sniggered, "I told you our first dance would be a disaster."

"It just makes it even more memorable," Lily giggled, pressing her lips to his, causing the sniggering onlookers to whoop and cheer.

"You know, I liked your name to begin with...but I think Mrs James Potter sounds much nicer don't you think?"

"Actually I prefer Mrs Lily Potter..." Lily smirked.

"Yea, it's alright I guess...I still think Mrs James Potter would have been awesome," James shrugged.

"It will be Miss Lily Evans again if you even so much as introduce me as that," Lily smirked.

"Ok...ok...fine..." James sighed, pretending to look dejected.

The music stopped and the dance ended with applause from the teary and whooping audience as the bride and groom joined the guests. Lily kissed her father on the cheek before he wrapped his arms around her and her mother wailed into her hanky. James embraced his parents before his father ruffled his hair.

"I don't like your hair tamed; you need the mess..." He explained when James looked puzzled, "Face it son, without your hair you're nothing."

After violently messing his dads hair in return, James moved on to greet Lily's parents. Mrs Evans threw her arms around him, sobbing violently into his shoulder.

"I-I'm so p-proud to have you as my s-son in l-law!" She bellowed, "Y-you're s-such a b-beautiful couple!"

Lily's father rolled his eyes at James over his wife's shoulder before she finally let go.

"Well done son..." Mr Evans said seriously, patting James on the back, "But if you ever make my daughter move so far away again...or kiss her best friend, I will personally hunt you down and kill you. Understood?"

"Yes sir," James gulped and Mr Evans burst out laughing.

"Don't wet yourself kid, you'll spoil the tux," He grinned and James laughed nervously.

"Good one..." He chuckled anxiously.

"Yea...but seriously...don't do it." Mr Evans linked arms with his wife and strolled over to the buffet table, accompanied by James' parents.

"Your dad almost made me ruin my outfit," James said quietly to Lily as she stood beside him.

"Don't worry...he likes to play around with his daughters' husbands."

"Specky!" Came a voice from behind him and both Lily and James turned to face none other than Syrie. Her long dark hair hug in loose curls and she was dressed in a short, bottle green dress. James swallowed hard; he might regret inviting Syrie.

"Hi," James said edgily, "Lily this is erm...Syrie...she's..."

"An old friend of the family," Syrie smiled, before it became obvious that James was struggling for something to say, "I've heard so much about you; I'm glad things worked out."

Thanks," Lily said turning to James with a small frown, "I've never really heard all that much about you."

"Oh we used to be neighbours when we were kids but I moved away; we only met up again a few months ago," Syrie said, smiling at James, hinting for him to play along.

"Yea...we have so much to catch up on," James smiled and Lily smiled in return.

"Well then I better leave you to it; I'm being summoned by my maid of honour," She said as Alice waved at them, clutching a camera in her hand.

"You're a quick thinker," James whispered when she had left.

"Well one of us had to be," She smirked, "She's beautiful..."

"Yea she is..." James smiled.

"I hope you know how lucky you are."

"You have no idea..."

"Prongs!" Came a voice from behind them and they both turned to face a laughing Sirius Black.

"I just forced a load of firewhisky down Remus' throat! You have to come s-!" He chuckled before coming to a stop in front of Syrie, "H-hello..."

James chuckled; for the first time in his life, he had seen Sirius blush.

"Heya bashful," Syrie grinned.

"Syrie this is erm...Sirius my best man," James said, trying not to laugh, "Sirius, this is Syrie, an old friend of the family."

"What were you so excited about?" Syrie grinned; James noted the flirtatious change in her body language as she spoke.

"I...can't remember," Sirius said looking puzzled.

"Well...my arm has magical powers...maybe if you took hold of it you'd be able to remember," Syrie chuckled.

"Well I'm not going to say no to that!" said Sirius looking surprised, taking her arm. James grinned as Sirius took Syrie to a table in the corner, looking over his shoulder with an expression that read 'Why have we not met before?' and 'She's SO HOT!' at the same time. James shot Sirius a 'puppy dog' look whilst drawing a heart in the air with both index fingers to which Sirius blushed and shot him a scornful look.

"If I see another camera I'm going to explode," Lily groaned, slipping into his arms with her back to him, "I see Sirius has pulled already..."

"Mmmm..." James said, resting his head on her shoulder, "You should have seen him before, he was like a tomato."
"Really?" Lily laughed, "I wish I'd seen that."

"Mmm...Maybe Sirius will be saying those four little words soon."

"I doubt it! He'll be getting on my sister next!"

"Ok, THAT, is more unbelievable that Sirius proposing."

"True. What was I thinking?" Lily chuckled, "Who do you reckon would win that fight? Vernon or Sirius?"

"It depends...no-one could survive a body slam from that man," James chuckled, causing Lily to burst out laughing, "But Sirius could pack a punch...and he has magic."

"James?" Lily said when she had stopped laughing.
"Mmm?"
"Remember when I said that I loved you?"

"Vaguely," James grinned.
"I didn't mean it you know. I married you for your hair; your dad's right, you're nothing without it."
"Oh really?" James said, raising an eyebrow.

"Mmm...Oh, and the tonnes of money you'll be rolling in as a professional Quidditch player. That's the only reason I came back you know."

"Really?" James grinned, whirling her round to face him, their bodies pressed against each other, "And there I was thinking that you were so desperate to kiss me that night cos you missed me and you were so desperately in love with me that you couldn't get enough."
"Hmph! Please! This is Lily Evans you're talking to Potter!" Lily smirked.

"Actually, I think you'll find that it's Mrs James Potter," James grinned.

"Ok, just for that, we're getting a divorce and I'm going back to Evans."

"Not a chance," James said, before he pressed his lips to hers once more. His Lily was back and this time, she really was his Lily.

Authors note: OK that took me aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages to write! So many exams, but now they're finally over! Thanks for waiting and PLEASE review! This chapter is the longest I've ever written but I was so determined to cut it down and make it a short story that all the vital last bits have been crammed into this one. ENJOY AND ONCE AGAIN PLEAAAAAAAAAASE REVIEW! THANKS FOR READING! xxxxxx