A/N: Alright. This is the last chapter. cowers on the floor But there will be a continuation of this story next semester. As soon as I get back in to the swing of things with school, I'll post on this story one more time to let you know when the new story is up. Thank you so much for reading this story and for all of your critiques. And thanks ever so much to my lovely reviewers. Reviews make me smile.
Disclaimer: It's still not mine. Just like Deathly Hallows isn't mine.
Chapter 12
The rest of Lily's last semester at Hogwarts was better than she could have dreamed. It seemed as though everything in her teenage life was getting sorted out as it came to a close. The seventh year's Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (NEWTs) were upon them at last.
Lily, James, Remus, Alanna, Alina, and even Sirius could be seen sitting together at a large square table in the library, quizzing each other endlessly on Astronomy, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. When the library closed at nine o'clock, James and Lily would head back to their common room, and the others back to theirs.
The evening before the exams were to start; Lily flopped down on one of the couches in the common room. "I think we've found out why they're called NEWTs, don't you?" Lily groaned.
"Oh, come on, Lily show a little optimism here!"
"How can you be so sanguine?! These tests will effect what you do for the rest of your life!" Lily said, now sitting bolt upright on the couch.
"You'll do fine! I'll prove it to you! What is a Nudu, where does it come from, and what classification has it been given by the Ministry of Magic?"
Lily smiled. "The Nudu is a giant leopard who moves silently, and whose breath causes diseases horrible enough to eradicate entire villages. It comes from East Africa, and the Ministry of Magic has classified it as 'known wizard killer/ impossible to train or domesticate'."
"See? You'll do fine! You didn't even have to make a conjecture on that one! And you're great at Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Arithmancy, not to mention Muggle Studies! I think that you have the most exams of us all, and I'll bet you're the best prepared for every single one of them."
"You're sweet, James, but can't I be nervous?"
"Of course you can, sweetheart," James said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "But you need to remember that you know what you're doing. You're the brightest witch in our year."
"James," Lily said, relaxing into his hug, "What are we going to do after the exams are done?"
"Don't you remember? Dumbledore told us we could choose an end-of-year event."
"Like what?"
"Oh, a dance, a special trip for just seventh years…something along those lines."
"What do you think about a graduation? Something formal to actually send us off in front of the whole school? When I was still in muggle school, I used to dream about walking across the stage in a cap and gown, and getting a diploma, maybe being valedictorian and getting to say a speech."
"You mean like an actual muggle graduation?"
"Yeah, but we could have special effects and everything that they don't have at muggle graduations so that it's even more special."
"I think it's an awesome idea! Let's go tell Dumbledore the minute we finish with our exams," said James, grinning.
Lily closed her eyes contentedly, forgetting the looming exams momentarily. "I love you, James," she said.
"I love you too, Lilikins," James said, hugging her tightly.
The next two weeks was a blur for Lily and James. They, like the fifth years, who were taking their Ordinary Wizarding Levels (OWLs), sat their written exams in the mornings, and then had their practical exams in the afternoon. Lily hardly ate during that time, she was so busy studying. It was only when James took away her books and replaced them with food that Lily ate, and then promptly demanded her books back.
When the exams were finally over (they were even more nastily exhausting than Lily had thought they would be), Lily and James dragged themselves up to Dumbledore's office.
"Root beer float," Lily muttered to the stone gargoyle guarding the moving spiral staircase that led to the circular office above.
"Ah," said the aged professor as the head boy and girl entered his office. "To what do I owe this honor, to have my two heads come and visit me so soon after the NEWTs have concluded?"
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," James said. "Lily and I have been talking about what we want to do for our class."
"And you have decided…"
"We have decided that it would be fun to have a magical muggle-type graduation," Lily supplied, looking hopeful.
"A graduation ceremony…we've never had one here at Hogwarts before. Where were you planning on holding it?"
"Well, we haven't decided on much yet, because we haven't had much time to talk," James said quickly.
"Of course. You do realize that you have approximately two weeks to plan this, do you not?"
"We do, professor, and we'll get it done now that the exams are over with."
"I'm sure you will. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to call upon me."
"Thank you, professor," the two said, and they left the office.
"So where do you want to do this?" Lily asked.
"I don't know. You're the expert on muggle graduations, Lils."
"How about the Quidditch field. We could have the graduating class on the field in chairs and the audience, including family and friends, in the stands."
"Okay…and where are we going to get said chairs?"
"James. You just took your NEWTs. We can conjure them!"
"Right. Don't they usually have a stage?"
"That can be conjured as well," Lily reminded him.
"Are you going to have traditional caps and gowns?"
"I think so…what do you think?"
"I think that black sounds really hot. We'd melt!"
"Who says they have to be black?"
"Isn't that traditional?"
"I think that's more traditional for colleges. I've seen a lot of schools use their school colors before."
"But Lily, we have eight school colors!"
"So? There are 39 people in our class, if you think about it…five girls in each Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, four boys in Gryffindor, and five boys in each Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. That's 39. So what if the girls wore the flashier of the two colors, like gold, silver, black, and bronze, and the guys wore the others…red, green, yellow, and blue, each representing their house. Oh, and just a random thought, but I think that Dumbledore should be the main orator."
"That sounds cool…"
Lily and James worked tirelessly to get everything in order for the graduation. They conjured chairs for the staff and student, a stage and chairs for the school governors, a stage for the diplomas, hired a photographer to take pictures of everyone, had the class vote on a class song, sent out invitations, and every other little detail that there was to be done.
The morning of graduation arrived, and Lily donned her golden gown and cap (with a red tassel) and reported to the chamber off the Entrance Hall as planned. Once all of the seventh years were there, however reluctantly, they all walked into the Great Hall to have breakfast before they 'graduated'. When everyone was finally done and on the field, the graduation ceremony began.
When it was time for Lily to make her speech as valedictorian of the class, she walked up to the podium set upon the stage and thanked the wizened professor.
"When we crossed the lake nearly eight years ago, we had no idea what awaited us within these beautiful grounds. We were all enamored by this castle, with its secret passageways and moving staircases. We were a single body of students, none with any advantage to any other.
Then the sorting hat sang its song, and divided us into four houses because of our affinities to certain qualities. When we were divided, old prejudices came into our daily lives, even to those of us who are pacifists. We stood to defend our heritage, our houses, and our friends.
As we became older, we forgot our younger selves, became obsessed with some things, and careless with others. Slowly but surely, our talents developed and set each of us apart, so different from when we came here, so young and small.
We have held up the integrity of this school for seven years, and I, for one, wish we could hold it up for longer. But our time here is over, and so, one last time, regardless of magical backgrounds, house, or even the deity you may worship, I wish each and every one of you life long prosperity, peace, and happiness."
The Quidditch pitch erupted with applause as Lily returned to her seat next to James.
"Did you really mean all of that?" James whispered as Dumbledore began calling names to receive diplomas.
"Most of it…I had to be nice, James!"
"Lily Evans!" called Dumbledore's voice. Lily rose and walked back on stage, to applause from the audience. As soon as she reached center stage, however, the whole pitch seemed to dim, and images began flashing around the field.
There was Lily, in first year, with her hand raised in Professor McGonagall's class, clearly bursting to answer a question that no one else knew.
There was Lily, in second year, pointing her wand at a boy with messy black hair, shouting at him as Alanna and Alina shrieked about their new-courtesy-of-James-Potter blue hair.
Another picture flashed up, and it was of Lily in fifth year, smiling broadly with her brand new Prefect's badge pinned to the front of her robes.
Pictures kept flashing up, each of a different pastime that had Lily in it. When it was finally over, Lily looked around for James; sure that he was the culprit. She couldn't find him, so she turned, and Dumbledore passed her her diploma, eyes twinkling brightly.
"You knew," she whispered to him accusatorially as she prepared to finish walking across the stage.
However, Lily didn't get too far, for at that moment, a boy in a red cap and gown with messy black hair appeared, seemingly out of midair. He tossed his invisibility cloak to the side, and reached into his pocket.
"Lily Evans," James said. "I've been telling you for years that I love you, and my thoughts have never wavered. Our time together this year has brought about a strong friendship, and, forgive me if I assume too much, stronger feelings than that." James bent down onto one knee and pulled a red velveteen ring box out of his pocket. Opening it slowly, he said, "Lily Evans, love of my life, will you marry me?"
A/N: Dun dun dun!! And so the question was popped…and the answer will be… … … … … … …in the next story. Ha ha!! So you've read…so review! (Even if you've never reviewed this story (or any other story) before!) It makes you feel all warm (and fuzzy) inside! And it gives me the get-up-and-go (which I don't have much of at the moment) to write another story sooner…or post a few one-shots, or (yes, glowing-ice) update my story that's on hiatus. So please, please review!! (My Auto-Reviews follow) Love y'all to death!!
NOO!! IT'S NOT OVER!! NO!!
I HATE YOU!
I'm glad you're not gonna update this piece of &#$ again.
Whaddya mean, 'complete'? I REFUSE to accept it. Give me an answer to that question. NOW!
Good story.
Start the new one soon.
Never write again! Ha ha!! You suck!
You're weird.