AN/ Hey guys. Sorry its been a while. My laptop was going weired and wouldn't let me log on. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and will also enjoy this one. R &R :)

Engagement Party

"Are you sure your up to this Lils?" James asked for the what must have been the fortieth time that day. It was three days after the attack on the Shopping Centre but James had not stopped worrying that seeing Voldermort and attacking him had done something to Lily.

Lily turned and glared at James, "I'm fine. I told you that yesterday and it is the same today. Now stop fussing."

Lily turned back to the mirror and picking up her hair brush continued to run it through her hair. James watched her from where he was across the room. Seeing his reflection Lily sighed, "I really am fine James."

James pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and grabbed his coat, "Okay, I'll believe you on that, now are you coming?"

"I'm not ready yet."

"You've done all your make-up. What else do you need to do?"

Lily turned to face him, "You James Potter will never understand girls."

"I'm a boy Lils, so I'm not meant to."

Lily laughed, "True. Have you seen my bag?"

"Here." James handed the small green clutch bag to Lily and then took her arm, leading her out of the room.

"How many people do you think your mum's invited?" Lily asked as they made their way down the spiral staircase, to the ballroom of the Potter's mansion.

"Over a hundred I should think."

"Oh great." Lily groaned, "You know that's the one reason why I wouldn't marry you."

"But you are marrying me and we will be expected to attend all my mum's parties."

"Shall we call it off?" Lily asked.

James looked at her then saw the smile on her face and grinned, "No. It won't be that bad. Promise."

They reached the bottom of the stairs and found Sirius waiting for them. He looked Lily up and down, "Wow, maybe I went for the wrong girl Prongs. Can we swap?"

"Hands off Padfoot. Where's Goldie anyway?"

"In the ballroom somewhere."

"So what are you doing out here?" Lily asked.

"I was waiting for you, but I'm bored so I'll go back in now." Sirius opened the door and disappeared.

"Is it me or since leaving Hogwarts has he become even more stupid?" Lily questioned.

"Looks like it doesn't it." James laughed, "But what did you expect Lils? Its Sirius. Are you ready?"

James rested his hand on the door handle, and waited till Lily nodded.

"We'd better get it over with." she plastered a smile on her face, as James opened the door. They were met with cheers and yells, as people ran towards them. For a while Lily and James lost sight of each other as Jane grabbed Lily from the crowds and steered her round the room introducing her to all her friends. Eventually Lily managed to slip away from Jane and mak

e her way back to James. Before she got there Marigold, Alice and Mary grabbed her.

"Lily!" Marigold yelled over the music. She seemed to been dealing with Elliot's death very well and was preparing to come back home, now that Elliot's funeral had passed, "Did you know Jane's invited almost everyone from our year that went to Hogwarts?"

"Really? Like everyone?"

"Not everyone. I mean she wouldn't invite the Slytherins."

"Wait does that mean Dennis Hodgeson's here as well?"

Alice nodded, "Yeah he's somewhere round here. Are you hungry? I need some food."

Lily laughed, "Food table's by Jane and I am not going back over there. She'll drag me to meet some kind of aunt that James has never even heard of."

"Surly your mum would do the same to James if she has a party. Oh by the way are you having another party for your Muggle friends and relatives?" Marigold handed Lily a glass of wine.

"No," Lily shook her head, "Jane and my Mum organised this party together and all my parents friends and family are here to. So no magic." Lily lowered her voice for the last sentence.

"Oh right. You might want to tell that to Sirius. He doesn't know that."

"James should have told him." Lily waved a hand.

"Who are your bridesmaids going to be?" Mary asked.

Lily stared at her, "Do you really have to ask that? You, Alice, Amy and Megan will be the bridesmaids."

"What about me?" Marigold demanded.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Oh my God Mari. I think being with Sirius has made you stupid. Your the Maid of Honour."

Marigold's face lit up, "YAY! I have to tell Sirius."

She disappeared and Lily turned to her other two friends, "She is so like Sirius."

"Which is why their together." Alice linked arms with Lily, "Now come on, I need food."

She steered Lily over to the food table, ignoring Lily protests. Luckily Jane was no longer in sight and Lily spotted Megan through the crowds standing with her parents. James appeared suddenly and wrapped his arms around Lily.

"Hey Lily-Petal. Did you miss me?"

Lily grinned, turning away from Megan, "Of course I did." she kissed him. "Having fun?"

"I'd have more if we were in my room," he paused, "with the door locked."

"James Potter, your a naughty boy. I don't think I like what your thinking about."

"Aww you love it Lils, your just unhappy that we can't be up there right now."

"Whatever Potter. Give me another kiss."

James did and there was a yell, "Prongs! Your not going to spend the entire party kissing Lily-Petal, you've got to do some dancing as well."

"There's dancing?" Marigold appeared next to Sirius. "Black, come one you owe me a dance. You coming Lily?"

Lily nodded, "Sure, come on James." Lily grabbed James' hand and dragged him over to where couples were dancing.

"Do we have to?" James asked as Lily placed his hand firmly on her waist.

"Yes James we do. Stop complaining, you love dancing."

"No I don-"

"Shut it Potter." Lily grinned, "Your gonna have to get used to it, cause there's going to be an awful lot of dancing at our wedding."

"Great." James spun Lily round and into Sirius' arms.

"Lily-Petal!" he grinned.
"Hey Sirius."

"Do you think Prongs would be angry with me if we went to a cupboard." Sirius asked, looking thoughtful.

"You and Mari?"

"No you and me."

Lily stared at him, "Sirius Black I am going to marry James and I do not intend to cheat on him with you."

"Ahh, but Prongs doesn't mind. See he's dancing with Goldie."

Lily looked to over to James and Marigold, then turned her attention back to Sirius, "That's because your dancing with me." she stopped dancing and placed both her hands on his shoulder, "Sirius I know this is hard for you, but James can't always be with you. If you loved him you should have told him before we got engaged."

Sirius laughed, "Would you let me see Prongs when your married?"

"I'll have to think about it."

"Pleaseeee?"

"Aww are you getting desperate?" Lily grinned. Sirius opened his mouth ready to answer when Adam's voice cut through the noise.

"Can I have you attention please?" the ballroom fell silent and everyone turned to look at him. He was standing on a small stage that had been set up. "Thank you. Now I'm sure you all know why your here tonight, but just in case you've forgotten I'd like James and Lily to come up here please."

Adam looked straight at them and people started to turn. James grabbed Lily's hand and started to walk towards his father.

"I hate this James." Lily muttered under her breath.

James grinned, "I feel the same way."

When they reached Adam he started talking again, "I hope you will all join me in congratulating Lily and James on their engagement and we hope that you will have a long happy life together." he raised a glass and a cheer went up from the crowd. Sirius ran towards them and picked Lily up, "Time to get wet Lily-Petal!"

"WHAT! No Sirius put me down!" Lily screamed as Sirius ran with her out of the ballroom. Some of the guests ran out after them, including the old Gryffindors and Megan. They got round the corner of the house just in time to see Sirius throw Lily into the fountain. Lily emerged from the water dripping wet and spluttering.

"BLACK YOU IDIOT!" the yell didn't come from Lily but from Marigold. She elbowed her way to the front of the group gathered round the fountain and stormed over to her boyfriend. "That dress cost a lot of money and you've just ruined it. I spent ages trying to find it and you just-"

She stopped as James caught her round the waist and she too found herself in the fountain. She glared at James "Potter you are going to regret that."

James grinned, "I highly doubt it Goldie."

Alice suddenly grabbed hold of Megan's arm, seeing that Lily was getting ready to draw her wand, "Come on Megan. Its cold and if we stay out here we'll run the risk of getting wet."

"Good idea." Megan backed away and the two girl disappeared round back round the corner.

"Oh you are." Lily hadn't noticed anything and she pointed her wand at James and he was splashed with water.

"Lily that suit cost a fortune!" James gasped.

"Ha now you know what it feels like." Marigold clambered out of the fountain and with a flick of her wand dried herself. "Right Black now its your turn."

"Only if you can catch me Goldie." Sirius grinned and ran off across the lawn. Taking off her shoes Marigold followed him.

"Are you okay Lily?"

Lily looked up. She was still in the fountain and was waiting for James, but the voice didn't belong to James as she had first thought, it belonged to Dennis Hodgeson.

"Are you okay?" He repeated holding his hand out to her.

Lily took it, and he pulled her up, "Thanks."

"Here let me help." He pulled out his wand and dried her off.

Lily smiled, "Thanks again."

"So how have you been?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

"I've been good. Um what about-"

"Lily!" James ran up to her. "Marigold's got Sirius backed up against a tree and I think she's on the verge of attacking him. Oh hello Hodgeson."

Dennis nodded towards James, and Lily turned to him, "Well I'm not going to rescue him, especially after he threw me in there. Go help him if you want, but I'm going no where near him."

"How about we just leave him to fend for himself?" James smiled. "Besides, I think we've been here long enough, and to be honest I can't wait till we get back to yours."

"You know what I think I'll stay here just to annoy you."

James groaned, "Oh come on Lils, if we don't go now who knows what my parents will make us do."

"You can go but I'm going to stay. There are people here who we haven't seen since we left Hogwarts."

"Your serious?"

"No James I'm Lily. Sirius is being held hostage by Marigold."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes I do and I am serious." She stepped closer, "Jami I want to stay, just a bit longer."

"But we're on duty tomorrow night."

"I know but I won't be much longer, and I promise that when we get home I'll let you do whatever you want."

A spark appeared in James' eye, "Whatever I want?"

"Yep whatever you want."

"Okay, we'll stay another hour."

"Good." She turned back to Dennis, "Where are you working?"

Dennis smiled, "I'm in the Ministry."

"Oh and what's it like?"

They moved off leaving James alone by the fountain. The crowd had wondered over to watch Marigold and Sirius. James ran a hand through his hair and resettled his glasses on his nose. His eyes followed Lily and Dennis as they walked across the grass and into the house. He sighed fighting down the urge to follow Lily. He didn't trust Dennis and didn't like Lily being with him, but he knew that Lily would get annoyed if he got to protective.

"Hey Prongs, your going to get cold if you don't dry off."

James looked up and saw Remus, he smiled, "Hey Moony. I don't really care about getting cold, I can always dry myself off."

"Still, you can never be too careful. If you catch a cold you'll never hear the end of it from Lily. Remember what she and Marigold were like when Sirius got one just after we left Hogwarts?"

James grinned, remembering how Lily and Marigold had fussed around Sirius and wouldn't let him outside. They'd forced him to go to a Muggle doctor and made him wrap up in a ski jacket to go there, even though it was the summer. "Yeah good point. I think-"

Remus waved his wand and James was dry, "Save your breath."

"Thanks."

"Welcome. You coming back inside?"

"Sure." James got to his feet, "I need a drink."

"Fire Whiskey?"

"You know me to well Moony." James grinned and he and Remus returned to the house.


"Where are we going?" Lily came to a stop, in the corridor by Jane and Adam's office.

Dennis smiled, "I thought you were going to take me on a tour."

"I never said that." Lily unhooked her arm from his. "I'm going back to the ballroom."

"Aww come on Lily." Dennis grabbed her. "I want to know my way round."

"Why?" Lily asked. "You'll probably never come here again."

"Still, I want to know how Potter lives."

Lily tried to pull away but his grip was to firm, "Get off me Dennis."

"No. What are you doing with someone like James Potter?" He asked backing her up against a wall.

"I'm with him because I love him."

"Ha love? Lily, Potter doesn't love you, he never has loved you. He only wanted to be with you because he could never get you. But I love you and I want to be with you."

"Dennis stop." she pushed at him, and the boy grabbed her arms.

"Come on Lily, stop that."

"Get away from me!" Lily pushed harder and tried to duck away but failed as Dennis' arm flew up trapping her again. He bought his face closer and hesitated inches from her lips for a second before he kissed her. Lily hit him over the head, and shoved him away.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" She stared at him.

Dennis smiled, "Oh come on Lily. You like me better than James Potter, I know that. Remember what you said on the train last year?"

"Then you'll know that it wasn't true." Lily retorted. He took a step towards her, and Lily pulled out her wand, "Keep away from me."

"Lily come on I-"

"Don't take one step closer, or I'll hex you."

"Ha you would never do something like-"

"Pertrificus Totalus!" Dennis froze and Lily took a step closer, "That's where your wrong. I'm not goody goody Lily Evans any more. Lets hope Jane and Adam don't find you here otherwise you might not walk again."

With that threat Lily stormed off. James saw her enter the ballroom and went to her. She threw herself into his arms.

"Lils what's wrong?"

"Do you love me?"

"What?" James held Lily away from him so that he could see her. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you love me?" Lily repeated.

"Of course I do Lils. Why would you ask something like that?"

"Den-" Lily stopped, and took a breath, "Hodgeson said that at Hogwarts you were only after me because you never got me."

"That bastard." James pulled Lily back to him, "Its not true. I loved you the first time I ever saw you on the Hogwarts Express and if I didn't love you would I have proposed? Lily, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Why don't you understand that?"

Lily looked up into his eyes, "I do understand James. But after what Hodgeson said I just had to be sure."

"Sure that I loved you? Lily, I've been telling you that since you took that spell for me and because of one word from a boy who you barely know, you doubt everything I've ever told you. Why?"

"I don't know why James, it just planted a seed of doubt in my mind and I needed to get it out." She put her hands on his face, "And you did. Thank you."

James sighed, "Sometimes I don't get you, but that's also why I love you."

Lily smiled into James' chest, "Can we go now? I don't want to stay here and I have to tell you something."

James nodded, and kissed her head, "Okay. Lets go say goodbye to our parents, then we can go."

Lily nodded and let James lead her round the room. She hardly paid attention to Jane and Adam, and her own parents, she felt as if she was in a dream. She was trying to steel herself to tell James what Dennis had done, but she was only prepared to do it after they had left the mansion. Just as she'd expected James was furious when Lily told him about the kiss, and Lily almost called Sirius for help.

"Is that why you asked if I loved you?" James asked once he'd finally calmed down.

"No," Lily pushed herself up and turned to face him, "it wasn't because of that. He kissed me after he said all of that stuff."

"Then why did you ask?"

"I don't know. I guess there was just something about the way he said it that got to me. I don't know why I just did." Lily shrugged.

"Well how about we forget about that." James pulled her back to him, "Because we left the party for a reason and we haven't got round to doing that yet."

Lily smiled, "I like that idea. I love you James Potter."