A/N – This chapter is the end of the Marauders and Lily's schooling. No more Hogwarts. Well… I won't say that for certain, but it definitely is the last chapter of them attending Hogwarts as students.
Also, incase you've forgotten:
Thoughts will be in italics.
Notes and Letters will be in bold.
Lily wakes the next morning and rolls over, wishing to go back into the dream she was having. James had gotten his wish and she had indeed been dreaming very naughty things about him. At the thought of what he had been doing to her moments before she woke, she wants to run up to his dormitory right then. This is ridiculous! She tells herself. We went nearly eighteen years without having sex. We can wait a few short weeks.
"I'm surprised that you stayed in here." Beth says as Lily gets out of bed and starts getting ready for the day.
"Why?"
"We thought you'd be staying up in James' dorm every night now that you're engaged and all." Mary says pulling her curtains back.
"It's our last week. I want to spend it with you guys. Besides, the bride shouldn't sleep with the groom until the wedding night."
Mary snorts. "A little late for that, don't you think?"
"You know what I mean!" Lily counters.
When all three girls are ready they head down to the common room together to see James waiting with Sirius. "Morning, love." He says and gives her a kiss on the forehead.
"Morning." She says taking his hand and they walk down to the Great Hall.
After breakfast she, James, Sirius and Remus walk down to the dungeons for their second to last Potions lesson. Lily is slightly nervous. This will be the first time they're in close proximity to any of the Slytherins since the engagement. She takes her seat next to James at their usual table and tries to ignore her classmate's stares. Especially a certain greasy haired boy, whose eyes are digging holes in the side of her head.
"Did you hear the blood traitor is marrying the Mudblood?" Mulciber says loud enough for them to hear.
Lily pretends like she can't hear them and places a hand on James' arm to keep him in his seat. She looks up and sees that Sirius and Remus have both half risen. "Sit down, they aren't worth it." She tells them.
"Oh look, the Mudblood's got control over all The Marauders. Wonder if she uses a spell on them." Rosier laughs.
Lily can feel James shaking with rage next to her but she just moves her hand to his knee, giving him a warning look. Sirius opens his mouth to retort but Slughorn enters the dungeon then.
"Good Morning class. Welcome to your penultimate Potions lesson! I know you're all just as sad as I am that you're leaving. So, I think that we should brew some Pepperup Potions today. Now I know you are all thinking that this is severely below your level, but Madam Pomfrey informed me that she's running low, and I thought we could help her out."
"More like you didn't want to do it yourself so you're making us." Sirius corrects under his breath.
Lily laughs. "I'm going to miss him using everyone for his own gain." James says and chuckles.
"Me too." Remus agrees.
Lily lets James go and collect their cauldrons and she begins to set up the ingredients at their table. She hears Slughorn laughing jovially and she looks up.
"James, my boy, I hear good things are in store for Hogwarts most notorious couple." He says and she sees James smile at the term. "Better get used to all this work. Once you're married, you'll be her slave." He tells James wisely.
James chuckles. "That doesn't seem so bad, Sir." He says and Lily knows his mind has gone to a dirty place.
"Ah, well, I must admit I'm not surprised. I've always thought you two would end up together. Congratulations."
Lily smiles as James thanks their professor. She's determinately not looking in Snape's direction, but can still feel his eyes on her.
James kisses her forehead when he returns to their table. "I'm excited that everyone, well everyone important, seems to be happy for us." She tells him and he grins down at her.
"Me too. It's good to know that I wasn't the only one who thought that we were destined for each other." He tells her and she pushes him playfully.
At the end of the lesson Lily bottles up her correctly brewed potion into small vials and James carries them up to Slughorn's desk for her. She hears Sirius snicker loudly and she looks up to see James and Sirius face to face with Snape and Avery. Remus too looks round.
"Don't worry, Lily. They aren't dim enough to start a fight in the middle of a classroom." He assures her under his breath.
"I'm more worried about what will happen when they turn around to head back to the table." She admits. Snape never plays fair and James always does. But as she thinks this she watches James and Sirius back away from their foes slowly.
"Never turn your back on your enemy. It's rule number one in a war. James learned that the hard way last year." Remus tells her as James and Sirius sit back down.
"Well, no one really thought Selwyn was a real enemy, did we?" Sirius says. Lily blushes at this, still feeling for guilty for James getting hurt over a year ago.
"I did." James says bitterly.
"So, what did they say?" Lily asks a tad too casually.
"Just more of what they were saying earlier." Sirius shrugs.
"Well I'm proud of you both for walking away." She tells them.
The bell rings then and the four of them make their way up to the Great Hall for lunch.
Oscar floats down to them while they are eating and Lily smiles knowing it will be her mother's reply. "Aren't you going to open it?" James asks her.
"No, I don't want to be distracted in Charms. I'll open it at dinner." She tells him and he nods.
Lily's worried about going to Charms and seeing her favorite professor. She wonders how he'll feel about her getting married so young. He's always been so supportive of her ambition to be a Healer. He wrote such a wonder letter of recommendation explaining how responsible and independent she is. She wonders if he still feels that way knowing that she has rescinded her application and is now getting married.
Lily and James sit at their usual table and listen to Flitwick tell them how very proud he's of each one of them. "You may use this lesson to ask me anything that you have not asked in the last seven years." He smiles around at them and almost everyone begins to talk, breaking off into groups.
"Ah, Lily and James." Flitwick says coming over to their desk. "I was so excited to hear your news."
"Thank you, Professor." James says, smiling down at him.
"I'm particularly proud of both of you. You both are so talented. It just makes sense that you came together. Do you know I made a bet with Professor Sprout back in your fourth year that the two of you would end up getting married. I can't wait to collect my twenty galleons." Lily and James laugh as the tiny professor walks away from them.
"Was I the only one who didn't know how perfect we are for each other?" Lily asks James and he smirks.
"Looks like it."
She chuckles and then links hands with her future husband. "Well, at least I know now."
"Hey James, I just wanted to say it was fun trying to outscore you, even though you beat me every time." Alexander Jones, Ravenclaw's top Chaser says, coming over to talk to James.
"Thanks Alex. You gave me a run for my money a few times at least." Lily tunes the boys out as they reminisce over their Quidditch matches together and she looks around the room.
Prim catches her eye and waves. Lily smiles as she and Annie make their way over to her and James' table.
"Alright, well, congratulations to both of you. I hope to see you around." Alex says waving as he walks back to his table.
"I don't think I ever heard him speak before today." Lily tells James and he chuckles.
"He doesn't say much, but he's a good guy." James assures her.
"Congratulations!" Annie says when she reaches their table.
"I'm so excited for you." Prim adds.
"Let's see the ring." Annie gushes.
Lily holds out her hand for them and they squeal delightedly.
"Oh James, it's perfect. How did you pick it out?" Annie asks.
"It was fate." He tells them wisely and Lily chuckles at him.
"Will you give Albert some pointers on how to pick out jewelry, James?" Prim asks and Lily laughs again at his expression.
"Is that how I'm known now, the bloke who is good at picking out jewelry?"
The girls laugh at him but then move on to Beth and Mary's table. "You can go chat with them if you'd like." James tells her.
Lily smiles wide and kisses him on the cheek and follows them over and spends the rest of the lesson gossiping with her friends. It's sad for her to think that this might be one of the last times that the five of them are together. When the bell rings Lily heads back over to James and grabs his hand.
"You alright, love?" He asks her.
"Yes. Just sad is all." He nods and kisses her temple before walking her down to the Great Hall.
During dinner Lily pulls out the letter from her mother and smiles at the name on the envelope.
To the future Mrs. James Potter
"Look at this." Lily says, showing it to James. He grins widely at it.
"I like that too." He whispers in her ear.
"Me too." She agrees and opens up the letter.
Lily,
I'm over at Martha's house right now and we received your letter. We think it is a wonderful idea for the two of you to get married in the gazebo. We also think it's smashing that you want to get married this summer.
We looked at our schedules and found the perfect day. How does July eighth sound? It's a Saturday and it better sound good because we have already hand written about fifty invitations. All that we really need from you and James is a guest list. Is there any of your old friends you would like to invite. I believe I still have all their addresses.
I rang Petunia last night to tell her you want her to be your matron of honor, she wrote something up for you. I told her I wouldn't read it, just pass it along. Martha took me to the wizarding Post Office today so I could send it off to you. It's amazing in there, all sorts of different owls.
Well, anyway, make sure to get us your guest list as soon as possible.
Love,
Mum
Lily looks at the letter astonished. July eighth. That's less than a month away. Lily turns to James and smiles. I hope he remembers that he suggested getting married this summer.
"What do you think of July eighth?" She asks him.
He seems confused for a second and then he smiles. "I think it sounds like the perfect day to marry you."
Lily smiles, glad he understood. "Good because our mums have already made out the invitations." She says handing him the letter.
"This July?" Mary asks stunned.
"Yes, we didn't want a long engagement and we wanted to get married in the summer, so it just seems right to do it now." She says and James nods.
"Fifty? How many people are they planning to invite?" James asks staring at the letter. Lily laughs.
"Let's go up to the common room and put together our guest list before patrol." James nods and she leads him up to Gryffindor Tower.
She pulls out a new scroll and the quill he had bought her. She writes down all five of their friends names. She then writes down Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick and Slughorn, she follows that with Prim and Annie then the Gryffindor Quidditch team, all with a plus one.
"This isn't going to be the small wedding I was hoping for will it?" James asks staring at the growing list of names.
"Well, not all these people will be invited to the actual wedding, just the reception. The wedding will be the small garden wedding we want. Everyone else will come later." She explains to him.
"That sounds good then."
After adding a few more of their Hogwarts friends, Hagrid, Madam Rosmerta, Madam Pomfrey, and Remus' dad Lily sets down her quill. "Should we put Peter's mum on the list?" She asks James.
"Nah, she doesn't like me much and Wormy won't have any fun if she's there." He says.
"Alright, then I think we're done."
"You don't want to invite any one from the Muggle world?" James asks her and she shakes her head.
"I was thinking about that last night. I want have all the wizarding traditions at our wedding, just like the Muggle ones, and if I invite Muggles we can't have that. Besides I didn't have many friends when I was a kid and the ones I did, I wouldn't want to invite."
James nods. "So, just your mum, dad and Petunia from the Muggle world?"
"Don't forget Vernon." Lily says and James makes a face.
"I was hoping you'd forget about him." He says and Lily laughs. "What about your uncle from the States? His family will be invited, right?"
Lily rarely ever thinks about her extended family, not that she has much. Her mother's brother married a woman from America and they moved shortly after Lily was born. She's seen pictures over the years, but has never seen any of them in person before. They live in Ohio and, as far as Lily knows, are alive and well. From the sound of his phone calls and letters Ohio is a dreadfully boring place so she's never had any inclination to visit.
"I'm sure my mum will invite them, but I doubt they'll come, especially on such short notice. Petunia's wedding was planned months and months in advance and they didn't even come to hers."
James nods. "Well, then I don't see why we can't have all the wizarding traditions you want along with the Muggle ones."
Lily beams at him. "You're the best husband-to-be a girl could ask for." She tells him. James gives her a kiss before returning to the letter.
"I'm just telling them about our small wedding idea with the large reception afterwards. I think my mum will like that, this way she can invite all she wants of her friends." Lily smiles as he seals the letter and sits back in his chair.
"You want me to send this right now, don't you?" He asks looking over to see her staring at the scroll.
"It's just, the quicker we get it to them, the sooner we'll get a response."
James chuckles and picks up the letter. "I'll be back." He tells her and she watches him leave the common room.
He really is the perfect man.
James returns from the Owlery nearly a half hour later. He spots Lily sitting on a secluded couch in the corner flipping through a magazine, he walks over and plops himself down next to her.
"I sent it with Oscar, should be delivered to your mum by the morning." He tells her.
"Thank you." She says and she gives him a kiss.
"What have you got there?" He asks pointing to the magazine.
"I'm looking for bridesmaids dresses. What do you think of these?" She asks him pointing to a picture.
This really isn't James' area of expertise. "Those look lovely." He says. She smiles at him.
"I think these are the ones I'll try to get. Only they'll be green and this sash here will be champagne colored, like the tuxes." James just nods and smiles and agrees with her. "Are you alright with wearing a champagne colored tux? I just think black will be too hot in the summer." She explains.
"As long as I don't have to wear pink, I'm fine." He tells her with a smile. He truly could care less what he's wearing when they get married, but he knows it matters to her, so he lets her continue to gush over all the details.
Thankfully Mary and Sirius come over and join them. Sirius pulls James into a game of chess while Mary exclaims over Lily's decisions the way only a woman could.
"Women." Sirius scoffs and James chuckles. "Speaking of women, I have a hot date."
"How can you have a date?" Lily asks looking at James' watch. "It's nearly 10:30." She tells him.
Sirius just stands and wriggles his eyebrows at her and grabs Mary's hand, dragging her from the common room.
"Do you think we should try and stop them? It's after curfew." Lily says looking concerned.
"Nah, it won't do any good, besides it'd be a little hypocritical of us to say that they shouldn't be sneaking out after curfew." He reminds her.
"Good point." She says and then looks down. "I want to choose the flower arrangements next, but that magazine is still up in my dormitory. Wait right here." She tells him and James laughs and leans back against the couch again.
A tap comes at the window next to James' head and he gets up to let the tiny owl in. "Who are you after?" James asks as it drops a letter at his feet, giving him a small nip and flying right back out the window. James picks up the small envelope and smiles at the address line.
This is for Lily and that dreadful man.
James sits back down on the couch waiting for Lily. He'll let her open the letter from her sister. When Lily reappears in the common room it's just in time for them to patrol. "We better get going. I couldn't find the magazine I wanted. I think I let Beth borrow it."
When they're out in the corridor James hands her the letter. "This came for us when you were up in your dorm." He tells her.
She flips the envelope over curiously and snorts. "Dreadful. HA! She's so backwards."
James chuckles and watches her face as she opens the letter and reads. Her lips seem to get thinner and thinner the further down she goes and he can see tears in her eyes.
"Lily? Are you ok?" He asks her. She just hands him the page and starts to cry. James tucks the paper into his robes and wraps his arms around her.
"Well, at least she'll be coming to the wedding. But only because my mum is making her, she refuses to be in it." She tells him. James isn't the least bit surprised by this. Petunia and her husband hate him and what he is, what Lily is.
Lily just glares out the window as James strokes her hair gently. "She has a lot of nerve saying that we shouldn't get married. Who does she think she is?" She rants. James pulls back from her and cups her face in his hands.
"Lily, I don't care what Petunia and her arse of a husband think. We are perfect for each other and whether your sister approves or not, I will marry you on the eighth of July."
Lily smiles at him. "I know. You're right of course. I don't know why her words affect me so much." She says and James wipes a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
"It's because she's your sister, love." She just nods and he pulls her into his chest and stokes her hair again.
He hates seeing her like this. It breaks his heart a little bit to know that there is nothing he can do. I've had enough of Petunia's prejudices. I will not let her make Lily cry like this again. She needs to be told that this attitude will not be tolerated any longer. James can understand that Lily's parents can't choose sides in this feud and how they can't tell Petunia to stop acting like a child. They can't, but James can.
"How about after we finish patrolling we go down and get some hot chocolate?" He suggests and he feels Lily nod into his chest.
"That sounds good." She says. James conjures a hanky from thin air and hands it to her. He wraps his arm around her waist and leads her down the corridor.
James is formulating a plot in his head as they walk. Technically Petunia had addressed the letter to him as well, so he's just being courteous by replying. Although, he knows his words will be far from courteous.
Once they are finished with their hot chocolate James walks Lily back to the common room and kisses her good night at the bottom of the girl's staircase. He waits until he can no longer hear her feet climbing the stairs until he pulls out Petunia's letter to read it.
Dear Lily,
It begins, no mention of James.
Mum called to tell me that you are engaged. I was initially very excited for you before I realized that it would be to that messy, impertinent lay-about that you brought to dinner over Easter. I must confess that I am not at all pleased by this decision.
Vernon and I will attend your wedding, not because we give our blessing, but because mum has threatened to write us out of the will if we don't come. I refuse to be a party to this travesty and will not be the Matron of Honor to something I disapprove of so deeply.
Not only do I condemn this engagement but I urge you to reconsider it. That boy can't give you the happy normal life that you deserve. It occurred to me last night that he may have you in some sort of trance. If he does Lily, it's not real. You don't have to marry him.
You need to give up these freak games you are playing and come back home. You are more than welcome to stay with Vernon and I until you are back on your feet. We can even set you up with his newest client. He is quite good-looking and very successful, and I can't stress this enough, normal.
I am hoping that you will think hard over my words and not go through with what I am sure will be the biggest mistake of your life.
Cordially,
Mrs. Vernon Dursley
James can hardly read the signature because the paper is moving so violently. He realizes then that he is shaking with anger. He's glad that he hadn't read this in front of Lily because he's furious. How dare she? James' mind is in a blind fury as he takes a blank piece of parchment from the table in front of him. He dips his quill in ink and starts to write.
Dear Petunia,
I'm sorry to inform you that I don't have Lily under and sort of spell that makes her want to marry me, unless you think that true love counts, for it is more magical of a feeling than any wand could give me.
I have tried for a long time to understand why you hate me, Petunia. Why you hate what Lily and I are so desperately. Then it occurred to me. You don't have a problem with me at all. You have a problem with jealously.
You've never been able to accept the fact that Lily is spectacular and extraordinarily special. And it just kills you that she found her true soul mate when you had to settle for someone who is about as exciting as a slug. I may not understand why you have held this grudge for so many years Petunia, but at least I finally understand where the true anger is coming from.
Despite all of your hurtful words and petty attitude Lily still wants you to be her Matron of Honor. Personally I don't feel like you even deserve an invitation for the way you've treated her, but that is just one of the millions of things I love about Lily. She's forgiving.
So, if you could stop being a jealous bitch for five seconds and talk your pompous arse of a husband around, you'll see how wrong you've been and will come stand by your sister's side on the happiest day of our lives.
Cordially,
James Potter, your soon-to-be brother-in-law
James sits back and rereads his letter. He had been harsh and rather hurtful but he doesn't care. She deserves it for all the pain she's put Lily through and he's actually quite hurt that she tried her hardest to convince Lily to ditch him.
James folds up the letter and put it in his robes and heads to bed. He will send it out tomorrow morning.
-L-3-J-
James walks down to breakfast with Remus the next morning. He knows he couldn't wait for Lily or he'd miss the post owls. When they are seated James pulls out the letter and addresses it to: Petunia Dursley and her boring, power-hungry husband.
"A letter to Lily's sister? What on earth for?" Remus asks looking at the envelope confused.
"She wrote Lily a rather rude letter last night and I just wanted to write back and put her in her place." James says, reaching for the pumpkin juice.
"Does Lily know you wrote that letter?" Remus asks as two owls descend upon them. One of them drops the Daily Prophet in front of James and the other is Hamlet. James unties the letter from his mother quickly and replaces it with his letter to Petunia.
"No and she doesn't need to either. This is between Petunia and I now." James says.
Remus just shakes his head as he opens James' paper.
"Morning." Lily says, kissing his cheek and taking the seat next to him.
James smiles at her. "Morning, love."
"Who's that from?" She asks pointing to the scroll next to his plate.
"Oh. My mum, it's probably for you. I didn't look at it yet." He tells her and hands her the scroll.
"Ah, she found the flower shop I wanted." Lily says happily as she reads the letter. "And she says my mum found the perfect dress store in London. She made an appointment for us next Monday."
"Us?" James asks confused. "I thought I wasn't allowed to see you in the dress before the wedding." He asks.
"Not you and I, us. Mary, Beth, our mums and I, us." She explains.
"Right." He says returning to his breakfast.
"So, I suppose there is nothing left for us to do." Lily smiles.
"Not at the moment."
-L-3-J-
The next few days pass in a blur. Before James knows it, he is hugging his mother out front of Hogsmeade Station as she congratulates him on graduating. He gives Mrs. Evans a hug next and then shakes hands with Mr. Evans.
"Congratulations Lily!" He hears his mother saying as she pulls her into a hug.
"Thank you so much." Lily says. "How are you feeling?"
"Oh I am fine dear, nothing to worry about here. I am just so proud of all three of you." His mother says pulling him, Sirius and Lily into a large, many armed hug.
The scarlet steam engine blows its whistle to let them know it is time to board the train for the last time. James grabs ahold of Lily's hand. They call goodbyes to their parents promising to see them soon. James' mother planned a large graduation party at Potter Manor for all of James' friends and their families.
He boards the train with Lily and his friends and the seven of them make themselves comfortable in The Marauder Compartment.
"We should commemorate this somehow." Sirius says. Standing up and taking his wand out. "May this compartment be forever knows as The Marauder Compartment to generations to come." He says and carves the word Marauders into the inside of the door.
"Should we dock him points for vandalism?" James asks Lily teasingly. She smiles back at him.
"Nah, it's only fair that The Marauders go down in history."
The others laugh and Sirius steps back to admire his work. Remus holds up a large flask.
"To my fellow Gryffindor's. You six have been more like family to me than most of my family. I'll miss seeing you all everyday more than I can ever say." He says and takes a swig before passing the flask onto Beth who is sitting on his left. She takes a swig and passes it on.
They all take a drink from the flask, toasting each other, toasting their friendship, toasting the last day of this chapter in their lives.
"I say we keep in touch after this is all said and done." Mary says. "I mean I know we'll all be seeing a lot of each other until after the wedding, but I mean after that. I don't want to lose touch with you guys." She explains.
"Me either." Lily agrees.
They decide on doing weekly teas, each of them taking turns to host it at their own flats. They spend the rest of the journey laughing and joking about all their memories over the years. When the train pulls to a stop and the conductor is heard announcing that they have arrived James looks over at Lily to see tears in her eyes. He pulls her close and smiles.
"I can't believe it's really over." She whispers into his chest.
"It'll be all right, love. You'll see." He says soothingly.
"Besides just think, we won't ever have to take another of Sluggy's exams ever again." Sirius says happily. Lily chuckles.
"I'll see you all at the Potter's in a few hours?" Lily asks as she hugs her friends once more.
"Course." Mary says happily and she and Beth leave the train together.
"We're heading over right now, Lily, so please stop crying!" Peter says exasperatedly.
James smacks him on the back of the head and he leads the way off the train so they can disapparate the Potter Manor.
-L-3-J-
The party lasts late into the night, but is a very enjoyable affair.
Beth and Barry arrived with her family. Her older brother and his wife chatting merrily in the corner with friends and her little brother constantly hounding James for Quidditch tips.
Mary's parents spent most of the night with James' and Lily's parents, laughing the night away while sip down several bottles of brandy.
Halfway through the evening Remus' father disappears with Peter's mother an neither are seen for several hours.
James and Sirius begin to tease the boys about what their parents are doing in a guest room upstairs. Eventually Lily has to break them up, much to Mary's displeasure as she was betting on who would be the winner if it came to using wands.
When Enid Pettigrew and John Lupin return to the party both are distantly ruffled and rather pleased looking. Peter's mum comes over and drags him away, saying they simply must get home.
Peter shoots a very rude hand gesture over his shoulder at Sirius and James who are still laughing riotously at the fact that Peter's mum had just been shagged by Remus' dad.
"Well, I suppose we should send her invitation now." Lily says pensively. This statement causes James and Sirius to go into another fit of laughter.
A/N – I just want to say sorry to any Ohioans out there who are upset with me saying it's a dreadfully boring place. But you have to admit, to a witch living in a large castle about to marry James Potter, it would sound dreadfully boring to you as well. :-)
Thoughts and feedback and lovely reviews are always appreciated.