Hi guys! Sorry about the super long time in between updates for this chapter. School has been so crazy for me the past two weeks. Not to mention I had an intense bout of writer's block, but thankfully that's all cleared up.
The reviews for last chapter were beyond amazing. I'd love it if you guys kept 'em coming!
I hope you're liking the story, it's really all coming together for me now!
Also, a reminder that I do not own any rights to anything.
Enjoy!
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"Does anyone know the correct amount of Doxy eggs to add to the solution?" Slughorn asked the class with a warm smile. Immediately a hand shot up, frantically. It was Lily Evans of course, no one in the class would've expected different. She was the master Potioneer.
"You need three eggs from a Doxy, but four if the color is still too light of a blue." She said excitedly. Slughorn beamed.
"Correct, Ms. Evans! Ten points for remembering the extra step!" Lily looked down at her notes, scribbling more instructions. She wore a small smile from the compliment. Behind her though, she heard snickering. Immediately her temper flared and she began to focus solely on Slughorn's words, but she couldn't block out the whispers behind her.
"Looks like a bloody owl flapping her hand up there-"
"Shove it Sirius, you're just jealous because you couldn't remember."
"Oh, but she just has to remember the extra step? As if none of us knew she was a genius already."
"Again, shall I say Jealous?"
There were more snickers from the back table, and Lily knew where this was going. Potter and Black would rile each other up, pull some stupid prank, and she would be caught in the cross-fire. James's antics to try and get her attention always left her in some form of a pickle, whether that meant teeth turned purple, robes smoking, ears five2 times their normal size. It was quite annoying, and she made it clear to him she thought just that, but he never stopped, did he? She thought that maybe he'd change, since their day they spent together last year. She still looked upon that day fondly, when she cheered him up and he took her on a wild goose chase through the castle. It was things like that that made her think maybe James Potter wasn't that big of a jerk.
Her thoughts were interrupted by something wet and sticky hitting the back of her head with a loud SPLAT! She whipped her head around, to see James looking shocked and guilty, holding a spoon dripping with Doxy eggs, Sirius roaring with laughter behind him.
"POTTER! You disgusting prick." She seethed, preparing to give him a sound yelling. But her rant could never be finished, as her goo-covered hair was beginning to sizzle from the eggs. Slughorn, quite shocked, told her to go to the Hospital Wing straight away. She had to run out of the room, Sirius and them still in hysterics, as her hair was being sizzled off. Her head was beginning to sting as well. It was humiliating.
"Was it that Potter boy again?" Madame Pomfrey asked in greeting. It seemed Lily was always being sent to her. She nodded sourly. The lecture Slughorn was giving was so interesting too! Now she'd never now how to properly brew Smoking Solutions. Madame Pomfrey chuckled fondly, dabbing Lily's head with the anecdote.
"That boy will be the death of me. Seems like some things never change, do they Miss Evans?" Lily thought of the day last year, and how she'd given James the benefit of the doubt, and he constantly proved her wrong.
"No I guess they never do." She agreed.
Lily woke up, shaken. She'd completely forgotten about that day in fourth year. It wasn't anything special to her at all, as James had done much more memorable pranks toward her. Thinking of James, she stretched out, searching for his warmth. They'd taken to trading off beds, much to their roommates' annoyances. Tonight she was in his bed, and the two had fallen asleep late after talking for hours. Dumbledore had just offered them positions in an organization called The Order of the Phoenix for when they graduated. It was months away, but he wanted to begin their trainings if they accepted as soon as possible. And of course they accepted. Lily had never seen the expression on James's face as he signed pledged his membership. She admired his ability to find courage in the most terrifying situations. She herself was scared shitless, but signed anyway. This whole cause was bigger than her, but she wanted to do as much as she could to do some good in the world.
She curled her fingers around his pillow, breathing in his scent. But her fingers felt nothing, just the other side of the bed. Her eyes flew open. Where was he? Never this year had she woken up without him next to her. Had something happened to him?
"James?" She whispered, to no response. Mind swirling with thoughts of Voldemort and the Order, she began to panic.
"James?!" She shrieked, ripping open the hangings around his bed. The boys' room was dark and still, save from some disgruntled rolling around from Sirius and Peter. Lily began to throw her clothes on loudly. Suddenly, the bathroom door flew open, light pouring out of it. James was silhouetted against the light, towel around his waist and toothbrush in his mouth. Lily felt relief crash around her, and let out the breath she was holding painfully in her chest.
"Lils? 'ut's 'wong?" He asked, mouth full of toothpaste. She looked at the clock, 6am.
"You never get up this early." She said simply. Looking confused, James spat out his toothpaste and gestured over to his Quidditch gear.
"First game of the year's at noon, Lily. Did you forget?" He asked. Of course, he'd want to get up early to prepare for the match. Feeling immensely stupid, Lily fell back into James's bed.
"No of course not. I just never wake up without you next to me." She explained. "I thought something happened."
James came over by her, stroking her hair. He smiled at her as if she wasn't crazy, and didn't have bed head and morning breath, even though all of those things were most certainly true.
"Nothing's gonna happen to me, Lils, I promise." He kissed her forehead. Suddenly Remus piped up from his bed.
"Lily, next time you wake me up this early, James better be dying. Now both of you shut it!"
The two snickered together, knowing how terribly crabby Remus gets when he is woken up.
"Remus, don't be a monster!" James teased, and got a pillow thrown at his head. Lily groaned at the terrible pun, and James went back into the bathroom to get ready.
Lily lay in the dark, thoughts swirling in her mind. Why was she so bloody terrified this morning? It wasn't as if he could've been in actual danger. They were safe in the castle, under the protection of powerful enchantments, not to mention Dumbledore. And it wasn't as if she thought he needed to be looked after. James was a skilled fighter and quick on his toes. Hell, she went to bed once a month knowing he would spend half the night running around with a werewolf before collapsing exhaustedly next to her in bed. She never lost sleep over that, because she knew James was smart and could take care of himself. Now she was tossing and turning, worry and nerves swirling in her gut. She'd never doubted James, yet his unexpected absence this morning had made her lose her mind with fear. It must have been because of their conversation from the night before. Or something...
For some reason her dream kept bothering her as well. Why'd she remember that day in fourth year? There was no reason for her to remember it, it had been almost identical to every other day that year. James was a prat, and she got pissed at him. That was the cycle back then. Everyone used to say Lily hated James during that time, and she almost agreed with them. Almost. There was always a part of her that knew he wasn't all bad, and he truly meant well. That didn't stop the two from fighting every other day, but she'd always known deep down that he was a good person, wrapped in an ego and general prattishness. Luckily for her, he'd grown out of that, and into the amazing person he is today. Then it hit her. That was the day she'd almost given up on James. Madame Pomfrey, and most of the school, thought that he'd never change, they would never change. And in that moment, head stinging, slime oozing in her hair, she believed them.
And oh, how he'd proven her wrong. Time and time again, she was reminded of how lovely he was. What if she had really given up on him, would things be the way they were today? Would she have missed out on the most amazing experience of her life? What if in some time, they weren't together. No, Lily thought with a strong finality, she would have fallen in love with him in that time too. She couldn't picture any time that would end with them apart.
Her body shook with this realization. She knew what she needed to do. Leaping out of bed, mind going a million miles a minute, she put her clothes on. Her brain was working at top speed, until it came to a halt. How would she pull this off by the end of the day? She looked around at the Marauders, snoring soundly. She grinned. If anyone could help her with this impossible scheme, it was them.
"Remus!" She whispered, shaking him in urgency.
"What the hell Lily? I had just fallen back asleep. This better be important." He growled. He looked up at her, eyes twinkling with merriment and mischief, much like James's do when he's come up with an incredible idea.
"Oh," She said, "it is."
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Lily walked down to the field at eleven thirty, a bundle of nerves. Accompanied by packs of students, laughing and chattering excitedly, she remembered how much she loved watching Quidditch. Cheering on Mary and James like a maniac was one of her favorite things to do. Of course she'd filled Mary in, as to prepare her for what would happen, but James was still completely clueless as to her plan. She looked down at her feet, adorned with James's lucky Quidditch socks. The Snitches and broomsticks were zooming around, up and down her ankles and shins. She prayed to the Sock gods that they would too give her luck, for what she was about to do. Sirius, always the attentive one, sensed her quiet anxiousness. He slung an arm around her knowingly.
"Lils, the whole plan's set in place. All we have to do is wait for your signal. Honestly, it's one of the most well-designed schemes any of the Marauders have come up with." He chuckled.
"So I'm a Marauder now too?" She teased. Sirius turned serious.
"Of course. Its an honor above no other." They laughed, but then Lily went back to her brooding.
"Everything will work out." He soothed, ruffling her fiery hair fondly. She looked up at him, green eyes large and hopeful.
"You know it's not the plan I'm worried about." She said, voice barely above a whisper.
"I know. Trust me Lils, when I say, you won't be disappointed."
They walked quietly from then, arm in arm. Behind her Remus and Peter were corralling the other students they'd gotten to help Lily. The game was against Ravenclaw, but all the Gryffindors and many Hufflepuffs had agreed to help Lily out. They were decked out in crimson and yellow, faces painted. Some Slytherins even joined, a small group Sirius had deemed "the good ones." It seemed everyone loved James Potter, as he was a legend around school, and were more than willing to help Lily out. People kept running up to her, wishing her luck and congratulating her on a job well done. It had helped her nerves at first, but now she felt a lump in her throat about the size of a plum she couldn't seem to swallow.
They entered the stadium, and found their seats. Lily was sure to sit down by the front, as to get the best view of the players. Her friends all sat next to her, the dozens of students they'd gotten to help sat behind. Before the players got onto the field, Lily and her friends helped organize the kids, putting them into the correct spaces in the stadium. Lily grinned. It was a sea of maroon and gold. Ravenclaws looked over curiously, as there was never such a large support for one house, and usually it was split fifty-fifty. Thanks to Lily and her friends, the stands were overwhelmingly full of Gryffindor fans. And not just casual fans at that, Lily had convinced the helpers to go all out, bedecking themselves in the flashiest of clothing supporting the lions. It was incredible to see, and Lily felt some of her nerves fade away. James would love it.
The commentator was a boy she tutored from Hufflepuff, Calvin Fawley. He gave her a wave and a wink, which she returned. She'd told him his cue, and knew she wouldn't let her down. It felt like a million years and one minute to her all at once, but finally the players shot out of each side of the stadium, taking laps around to warm up. Lily's section roared when the Gryffindor players reached their end. James looked at them all, dumbfounded. All the players (besides Mary of course) seemed shocked and elated at the high turnout. James took a moment to fly over to Lily at the stands.
"Come on Potter, it's not time to chat with your girlfriend!" His teammate Holly Wood exclaimed.
"Oh shove it Wood, I'm the captain!" He teased. Then he looked at Lily. Joy was written all over his face.
"You did this didn't you?" He asked, grinning.
"Just wanted to show you how many fans you really have." She replied easily. James leaned over his broom and planted a kiss on her mouth. Then he waved and took off, a noticeable confidence boost in his demeanor.
"He loves it!" Remus called over to her, laughing, "and he doesn't even know the best part yet!"
It was true. Lily had known James would catch on a bit, but saved the real plan for later.
The captains walked to the center of the field and shook hands. Madame Kwick released the balls, and the game began. Players zoomed back and fourth in the air. Lily was captivated by James, as he zipped through the air, passing and catching the Quaffel from other teammates. He was a truly magnificent flier, and looked more graceful in the air than he was ever capable of being on land. Each time he flew past the Gryffindor side would cheer wildly. It seemed to only improve his game.
The score was 90-30, Gryffindor winning. So far there was only one Snitch sighting. Lily's heart almost burst when the Ravenclaw Seeker started zooming after it, as Mary was on the other side of the field. But they'd lost it around the goal posts, thank Merlin. Almost all of the plan hinged on a Gryffindor win. Lily, along with the other students in her section, had been cheering like lunatics, and each time Gryffindor scored it would get louder. James had a bemused happiness on his face each time he heard them.
Suddenly, Mary took a sharp loop upwards in the air. The crowd took in a collective gasp. If she squinted, Lily could make out the gold glint of the Snitch in the air about five meters away from her. The score was now 70-200. If the Ravenclaw Seeker caught the Snitch, they would still win. Luckily, Mary was ahead, but not by much. People shrieked and cheered as they simultaneously dived. A well-aimed Bludger from Gryffindor broke the two apart though, and suddenly Mary was right by Lily's section, hand outstretched. She saw her hand close over the winged ball, and then almost went deaf. The cheers were so loud she couldn't hear Calvin's commentating, but knew it was a Gryffindor win. Sirius's voice spoke into her left ear.
"Last chance to turn back Evans." He teased. Lily felt raw adrenalin rushing painfully through her arms and legs. In that moment, it would have been easy to back out. James would never know. But, she thought back to this morning, when she just knew what she had to do. She loved James more than she'd ever known it was possible to love something. Even when he made her want to rip her hair out, she loved him. She stood up tall, body shaking with nerves. Calvin looked over at her expectantly, and she gave him the signal, a flick from her left hand above her head. He nodded in recognition, and she turned around, half scared to face what would happen, half to direct the students. Hundreds of eyes looked upon her, as her volunteers prepared. Their faces had different degrees of elation, but they were all happy. A sudden rush of affection for Hogwarts and its students filled Lily. She beamed as Calvin's voice floated over the cheering stands to her.
"Congrats Gryffindor, congrats indeed." Calvin's voice boomed jovially. "Before the celebrations commence, will everyone please direct their attention to the south end of the stadium? There is a special message for one of the players."
Lily swallowed and took a leap into the unknown. She shouted loudly enough for the whole stadium to hear.
"NOW!"
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James Potter didn't remember learning how to fly. It wasn't like some symbolic moment when he picked up a broomstick as a kid, and suddenly the world made sense. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as James couldn't remember a time where he didn't know how to fly. Some of his earliest haziest memories were him zipping around his back garden on a small toy broom his dad had gotten for him. He remembered his eighth birthday, when he got a hand-me-down Starburst from his uncle. He'd ridden it for hours, not even coming down to sleep, eat, or go to the bathroom. His parents looked on with fondness, and his dad had began to teach him to play Quidditch. It was obvious that Chaser was the best position for him, and he cherished the days he'd spent racing his dad around the back, with an old beat-up Quaffel from when he was in school. When James made the team third year, his parents had been so thrilled. When he got Captain in sixth year, it was only his mom. But he still felt his dad with him when he played, flying as fast as he could around the pitch, passing and scoring with his team.
When he started dating Lily, the best thing was to see her cheering her heart out for him over on the sidelines. Her presence seemed to fill the hole his dad's absence left when he was flying. She always had the goofiest grin on her face when he scored a goal, smile full of teeth. Today was the most amazing surprise, her showing up with at least three times more people dressed to support Gryffindor as usual. It made his heart do backflips that she went to all that trouble just to support him. She was truly amazing.
One would think, that during an match, his mind would be solely on the ball. But he'd discovered he played better when he was out of his own head, and let his body do the work. Often he'd let his mind wander, and usually they ended up on Lily. Today they were positively stuck there.
He had made the final score just minutes before the Snitch was caught. He loved the rush he got when he outwitted the Keeper, and managed to get the Quaffel into the hoops. Not to mention the huge crowd cheering him on was quite the ego boost. He was almost sad when Mary caught the Snitch, as he loved playing and now it was over. But that sadness was soon replaced with elation. As the captain, Gryffindor's incredible performance could be partially contributed to the plays he'd made and practices he'd ran with his team. He let out a loud whoop as Mary circled over to him, Snitch in hand. She had the most peculiar expression on as she stared at him, but he had no idea why. Then he heard Fawley's announcement, and started to feel like something was going on that he wasn't a part of. He looked over at the stands, where Lily was standing in front. No one else was standing, which was quite odd.
Then the lights began to pop up. At first James thought it was a trick of his eyes, but no. Slowly, each person's wand began to come alight with pinwheels of sparks. Some were red, others bright and fiery, kind of like Lily's hair. It was beautiful, as more and more wands became aglow with sparks. He took a second to look at Lily's face, now aglow. There was the most curious expression burning in her deep green eyes. He looked back up, taking in the entire stadium. His breath caught.
The yellow and red sparks were spelling something out. As more and more students put their wands into the air, the more clear the message became.
JAMES, WILL YOU MARRY ME?
It was as if the world stopped. He couldn't feel his fingers or feet. It was as if light and heat was pouring out and surrounding his body. Lily looked aglow from the sparks flying around her face.
For the first time he could ever remember, James forgot how to fly.
In shock, he slipped off the front, green field rushing quickly to meet him. It was almost as nice of a green as Lily's eyes were.