A Frightful Engagement

James had been feeling much better after a few days of rest. Lily had been helping him around the apartment and for the first few days he couldn't even walk. Lily then thought that he should just get crutches, which were used by Muggles when they had injured legs. Lily had to teach James how to use them which meant a lot of falling over on his part. Aurors had also come by to talk to Lily and James about what had happened that night on Halloween. There were about ten disappearances that night and four were found dead in the square.

Lily was also starting to have terrible nightmares. It had only been about a week since it happened. Lily had gone to bed late that night and she was having a hard time falling asleep. Once she did she entered a familiar dark dream, but there was something different about this dream. It felt so real.

Lily was walking down the halls of Hogwarts with Mary and Alice. She remembered this was during her fifth year at Hogwarts, the year was almost over and they were walking back from the Great Hall to go outside. They were all laughing at something one of them said, when suddenly everything went dark, this wasn't part of her memory; she wasn't even in the halls of Hogwarts anymore. She was in a forest, it could have been the forbidden forest but she wasn't sure, she had never gone that far in. She looked around and saw she was completely alone, and then she remembered, she had gone out this far with Severus, once during the beginning of their fifth year.

But this time Severus wasn't with her, someone else was. It was someone who had his back to her, the cloak was long and black, she didn't need to see his face to know it was Voldemort, she could feel it. He turned to face Lily, smiling at her. She tried to turn and run but she couldn't get away fast enough, when she was able to finally able to run, it wasn't very fast. Suddenly he appeared right in front of her, the shock caused her to fall backward. She tried to crawl away but he wrapped his cold, thin fingers sound her throat. He lifted her so high of the ground her feet couldn't touch the ground.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die." Voldemort hissed. Suddenly her threw her away from him and she was thrown into one of the large trees. She quickly looked up and saw Voldemort's dark red eyes flying at her. Suddenly Lily felt herself being shaken and she thought someone was calling her name.

"Lily! Lily! Wake up!" Lily's eye snapped open and her body shot up. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, she saw she was in her room and James still had a tight grip on her shoulders. Once she realized there wasn't a reason to be scared she let her head rest on James' chest. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and began stroking her hair. "What did you dream about?" James asked her.

"Remember how I told you he…he invaded my memories and…he was there? I've been having nightmares like that since...since it happened, he was in my head and I couldn't get him out! Everything I look back I see him there and I can't get him out." Suddenly she burst into tears. She buried her face in James' chest and he pulled her even closer to him. "I want him out! I hate feeling so weak!"

"Shhh, you're not weak, you're anything but Lily." James said soothingly. "You are one of the strongest, bravest, most amazing people I know." Lily pulled away and smiled up at his beautiful hazel eyes. She tilted her head and pressed her lips lightly on his. "He wouldn't be able to hurt you Lily, as long as I'm around I won't let him." The both laid back down into bed and fell asleep in each other's arms.

Lily awoke the next morning feeling much better; she turned over on to her side and saw James wasn't there. She walked out to the living room expecting to see James and Sirius to be sitting on the couch or hearing them in the kitchen but the flat was silent. She walked into every room and saw that every room was empty; there was no note, nothing. She tried no to panic. They probably just went to the store. Lily sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, she kept away from the news so she turned on some Muggle TV show, she wasn't really sure what was going on not only because she had never really watch TV but also her mind was elsewhere. She kept thinking as to where James could possibly be, it was only 10am so he must have gotten up early and so he should be back soon. Soon minutes turned to hours and before Lily knew it, it was about 7:30pm and it was dark out. Lily was starting to get scared. They didn't have a phone to try and call someone, all the owls were out, she had no way to get hold of anyone. She quickly wrote out a letter to Alice so she could try and keep her mind on something else.

Alice

I'm worried and I'm not sure if I really need to be. James has been gone all day, but I'm sure he's fine, I'm not one of those girlfriends that needs to know where there boyfriend is all the time, thats not me. Anyway how have you been, how's Frank? I think we are all waiting for you two to just get married already. But yah, I wonder where

Lily stopped writing and crumpled up the paper she was writing. She threw it over her shoulder; she knew it didn't even make it near the trash bin. She ran her fingers through her, pushing it out of her eyes. Where could he be, if he was at his parents he would have told her, or his mum would have owled her, telling her to come over. Lily started going through the flat again looking to see if there was a note or something from him. Lily wasn't too worried about Sirius, he would often be out late and they would have no idea where he was but if he really needed help he would owl them, but James didn't. He would always let Lily know where he was and an estaminet as to when he would be back. Was she getting to clingy?

Lily was franticly walking around the flat with her wand out, she didn't know what to do, she wanted to leave and go find them, but what if they came back and she was gone. She thought about going back to sleep but she was too nervous to sleep. Suddenly she heard someone trying to unlock the door to the flat. Lily stood back and drew her wand. Whoever it was fiddled with the lock for a moment before it finally swung open. Without thinking Lily flicked her wand, casting the first spell that came to her head.

"Petrificum Totalous!" Lily shouted.

"Ahh!" The person quickly jumped to the side dropping a small box in from their hand. It took Lily a moment to realize the person was James. Lily quickly ran over to him and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Oh my god! You're safe!" Lily felt James awkwardly wrap his arms around her.

"Its okay, its okay, I'm fine, why…are…are you crying? Lily what's wrong?" Lily looked up at him but she was still tightly gripping his forearms.

"You weren't here and I had no idea where you were or if something happened to you! I was so scared!" Lily once again started cry and buried her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry, I…I didn't think I needed to."

"Where were you!" Lily cried breaking away from him. "Where did you have to go where you were gone ALL day and you didn't feel the need to tell me where you were! Did you go with Sirius to some bar, did you meet someone, is that it!" Lily wasn't entirely sure what she was saying, she just for some reason starting feel angry.

"No I wasn't I was…I was out, getting…something." James said.

"Getting what?" Lily said throwing her arms in the air in frustration.

"I can't tell you." James said quietly.

"What, do you not trust me? Is that it? What are you hiding James, I thought we were going to be honest with each other! What are you hiding from me?"

"I'm not hiding anything, I just…it's something I can't tell you right now."

"Why?"

"Can't we just drop it?" James said raising his voice.

"No we can't, where were you!"

"Getting you this!" James pulled out a small box and held it up to her. "I got this for you today, Sirius helped me pick it out. I didn't think it would take me all day, but I couldn't decide." James smiled as he opened up the box and smiled as he looked down at it. "I finally found one I was about to and pay when I saw this one, and it just screamed you. Its simple, but elegant and absolutely beautiful. Now, this defiantly isn't how I planned on doing this, I was hoping to take you a nice restaurant and hide it in your drink or something."

"What?"

"I saw it on a Muggle show, anyway, I guess with us things don't always go as planned but they somehow just work out, I mean I never ever really though you would go out with me, but I kept trying, I never planned that you agree to share this place with me but you did, and now I'm just hoping this is the one plan that works." James slowly walked over to Lily and got down on one knee. He turned the box and Lily's hand flew to her mouth. It was a ring, a small gold ring with a small but beautiful diamond on it. "Lily Evans, I have been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. Then I feel even more in love with you when I really got to know you. Then, after your sisters wedding, I had to deal with the fact that I possibly might have to live without you, I've known for a long time that I've wanted to spend my entire life with you but, after that, its all I've been able to think about, so well…" James pulled the ring out of the box and held it up to her. "Lily Evens, will you marry me." Lily stared at him with her mouth open, she couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe. She quickly started nodded at him while the biggest smile spread across her face.

"Yes, yes, yes! Yes!" Lily held out her left hand as James slipped the ring onto her finger. She flung her arms around him and they both feel to the floor laughing. Lily was smiling so hard she felt her face might explode, she wasn't sure if she had ever felt so happy. She quickly rolled off of him and sat up and stared at her left hand, the hand that now had a ring on it, an engagement ring from James! Lily screamed and flung her arms around him again. "I love you so much!" She cried. "I can't believe it, I'm engaged, to you! This is…I've never felt this good!"

"You feel good, I'm literally marrying the girl of my dreams, how many blokes can say that?" James said with a giant grin. Suddenly the door of there flat opened and a very confused Sirius looking down at them.

"Ummm, do you two need me to leave?" Sirius said with a smile. Lily brushed a stand of hair out of her face and when she did Sirius eyes suddenly lit up, he looked over at James. "You asked, already?". Sirius gaped.

"Ummm, well yah." James said. His hadn't shot to his hair and started making it sticking it up in all direction. His face was turning as red as a tomato, Lily was about to laugh but she was sure she looked just as red and ridiculous. James quickly got to his feet and then helped up Lily.

"Blimy, I thought you'd be able to wait a bit longer."

"Yah, I didn't really have a choose there." James said as he placed an arm around Lily.

"OHH FINALLY!" Sirius quickly ran over and tightly hugged both of them. Suddenly there was a loud crack in the kitchen.

"What did I say about appara—Ohh hello Remus!" Lily said, she ran over and hugged him. She pulled away and smiled at him. Remus smiled back but she could tell he was a little confused.

"What's the occasion?" Remus asked looked at over at James and Sirius.

"Well Lily and I sort of…well…."

"Oh goodness, you can really drone on can't you?" Lily said, Lily smiled at Remus and held up her left hand. At first Remus was a little confused but then he broke into a large smile.

"James had mentioned it but I didn't know he was going to ask you so soon." Lily turned back to face James.

"How many people did you tell?" Lily asked. "Was I really the last one to find out about this?"

"I only told Remus, Sirius, Peter, and my parents."

"Speaking of Peter, where is he?" Lily said walking over to stand by James. "I haven't seen him a while."

"Same with us, we've only had drinks with him at Hogsmead like once or twice over the past few weeks. We keep owling him but he's always busy." Sirius walked over towards the couch and sat down. "Ohh Moony, do you want to be a dear and get me some food from the kitchen?"

"I'm the guest, shouldn't you be getting me something."

"Ahh but I'm already sitting down."

"Well so am I."

"No your—" Like a flash of light Remus jumped over the couch and quickly sat down next to Sirius. Remus looked over and smiled at Sirius. "You're an…arrogant toerag."

"I feel like I've heard that insult before." James said as he pulled Lily closer to him. Suddenly there were two loud cracks in the kitchen, which caused Lily to jump. She quickly turned her head, she looked and saw Alice and Mary running into the living room. Once they saw everyone, they quickly tried to hide the smiles on their faces.

"Oh, hello Lily, James, anything new happening?" Alice said with a seemingly innocent smile. Lily turned to look at the boys.

"How many people did you tell?"

"Well, Frank hear from Sirius and he told me and then I told Mary, so I'm sure almost everyone knows by now." Alice said with a smile. Alice and Mary both ran over and quickly hugged Lily and James. "We're so happy for you, we knew this would happen eventually, we just weren't sure when. I mean I've known since we were in like what, our third year?" Lily stood there with James' arm around her looking at all of her friends feeling like not even a dementor could make her feel unhappy.