Emerald Eyes
Chapter 36 (!!): The Grand Finale (two years late. Oops.)
If Lily was intimidated by the glares and whispers she received, then she couldn't imagine how Mary was faring. Although Mary had the dignity not to show her face in public for a long time, it didn't keep the gossip from flying. In a matter of hours everyone in school was informed of Mary's scandal, sometimes elaborating and other times underplaying it. It was safe to say that many of her acquaintances and friends began second-guessing their relationship. James and Mary always looked like a content and trusting couple- how did they end like this?
Both party's parents were informed even after the pregnancy was revealed untrue. Mary received a mortifying howler in the mail from her angry guardians, ensuring that those not informed were now. Despite all Mary had done, Lily couldn't help feeling sorry for the girl when she scurried through the halls, trying to remain unseen. She hadn't spoken to Lily or James since the revelation.
James' parents wrote a long scolding letter giving a brief, written form of "the talk", as if he hadn't known before how babies were made. Still, his parents felt like it was their fault their seventeen year old had "done the dirty", and spent about another page informing him that sex was not a crucial part of relationships and that he should save those things for marriage.
Too late.
As for Leah, she was currently in and out of seeing a Muggle psychologist in London. Physically she was stable, but emotionally she was teetering. With all the stress in her life, she decided to break it off with Remus for good despite the fact the two were still in love. However, both were wise enough to leave their relationship platonic during such a stressful part of their lives.
Sirius was Sirius. Peter was Peter. Teachers still loaded them with studying.
Except for her drama with James and Mary, nothing had changed, yet everything seemed drastically different. Everything shed its pessimistic shadow and the things that once felt so stressful suddenly didn't mean all that much. James' formal addition in Lily's life cued a realization that not everything was as complicated as it seems.
Of course, that didn't stop her from worrying excessively about the test that would determine the rest of her life- NEWTs.
"What happens if I fail and never go anywhere in life?" Lily asked desperately, sitting stiff and nervous on the Head Dorm couch on the morning of the test.
James, who was fishing around for one of his shoes, paused to place a kiss on her head.
"You're not going to fail," he assured her.
Desperately, she turned to him, "Are you suuure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Now help me look for my shoe, will you?"
Lily reluctantly stood and began searching for James' lost footwear.
"Which ones are they?" She asked as she peered under the couch.
"The white ones with the white laces."
"Oh, those? They're in my room."
James stopped looking and turned to her with a quizzical expression. "In your room? Why the hell are they there?"
"I don't know, you took them off there," she smirked with amusement, folding her arms over her chest and walking over to him.
"Well, that would explain why they're nowhere to be seen," he sighed in annoyance and stood to face Lily.
They locked eyes and James snaked an arm around her waist.
"Let's go out to dinner after NEWTs," James suggested, looking intently into her eyes. He'd always loved her eyes, but had grown even fonder of them as their relationship grew. Those shining orbs lingered in his dreams, brightened his day, and expressed more than her pinkish lips ever could with words. He felt like a whipped sap, but it was true.
"After NEWTs? You know Sirius will probably want to hijack all the alcohol within a fifty mile radius and consume it all. He'd be terribly disappointed if you couldn't help," Lily replied.
James shrugged, "They can wait. Plus, we haven't been out in a while with all the studying." He grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly and pleaded, "Pleeease? Pretty please?"
She grinned and gave a dramatic sigh before replying, "Very well, I suppose I can find time in my busy schedule."
"Good to know you still love me."
"Of course. Now, we really should get down to breakfast so we can go over last minute notes."
"You'll be fiiine," James insisted.
"Oh, I know, I know, but you can never be too prepared."
"Yes you can, and you're about to cross that line."
Lily rolled her eyes and tugged at his arm. "Shut up and walk me to breakfast."
"So now I'm your slave?" James inquired, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he lowered his face closer to hers.
"Boyfriend, slave. The two words are pretty much exchangeable." She grinned, and as if to make up for it, gave him a quick but soft kiss.
He grinned. "Hey, why aren't you my slave?"
"Because I wear the pants in this relationship, that's why."
"Oh do you?" James asked curiously. His hands teasingly dropped from her face to her hips, where her jeans rested casually. When his fingers teased the button of her jeans, she simply raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I do wear the pants in this relationship. And, as your owner, I demand you to stop trying to take off said pants and escort me to breakfast," Lily demanded, folding her arms over her chest with a pointed yet amused look on her face.
James let out a loud laughter and instead hooked a finger through her belt loop and kissed her quickly.
Still grinning, he grabbed her hand and walked her to breakfast, chatting about anything but NEWTS. At breakfast Lily's nerves began to rise again, as NEWTs was the only subject being talked about. Even her friends, who she hoped would share the same perspective as James, were going over notes like crazy. Their first test was History of Magic- a nice, boring, and grueling way to kick off the testing.
Lily poked at her food, James telling her to eat but her stomach telling her otherwise. Everywhere student's voices were frantic as the reviewed, asked last-minute questions, and cursed themselves for not studying more. Lily took a deep breath, convincing herself that she did all the studying she could have. Deep down she knew she had.
The bell rang and suddenly every seventh year went quiet. Remus, Lily, James, Peter, and Sirius walked together towards the dungeons where their tests would be given. Leah, who already took NEWTs (but had been sworn to secrecy by spells), took the day off of school.
Sirius sighed loudly, "Mates, promise you'll still talk to me if I fail this, alright?"
"Sirius, you and the rest of us know that you're not going to fail, so give it a rest, alright?"
Sirius shrugged, "Whatever. I don't care if I do well on this or not- I'm just going to take it and see what happens, right?"
"Right," answered Remus. They approached the mouth of the dungeon and took a deep breath, peering inside the dimly lit room as if afraid to step in. Endless rows of desks were stretched for an eternity along the room, looking bleak, sharp, and intimidating.
"Ready?" Lily asked
"Not really."
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The tests were visits from hell.
Lily walked out of her Divination tests, the last of NEWTs, quiet and solemn. Hands shaking and eyes heavy, all she wanted to do was go and crawl under her covers and sleep. Her mind raced back to all the information she'd stored in her mind and hadn't used in the test, and back to all the questions she had no clue how to answer. She may be one of the smartest in her grade, but what if she had gotten a little too arrogant in thinking she would pass all right? In fact, she was now trying to think of other enjoyable jobs that wouldn't require good NEWT grades. Lily supposed working at an ice cream parlor wouldn't require too much former education, and free ice cream wouldn't be too bad either. Hooker, maybe? Stripper? Drug dealer?
She walked out of the classroom alone, completely forgetting about her friends until she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and into a huge hug. Lily jumped, startled, and whipped around to see who attacked her. Sirius' large round eyes stared back at her, sparkling joyfully. Lily couldn't help but smile- Sirius always managed to cheer her up.
"Why are you so happy?" Lily inquired, failing to keep the laughter out of her voice.
"Lily! Don't you understand?" Sirius cried out in pure excitement, gripping onto Lily's arms and shaking her. His wild grin made Lily a bit unsure, what on Earth could make him so happy right now?
"Understand what?"
"THAT WAS THE LAST TEST WE'LL EVER TAKE IN HOGWARTS!" He shouted with excitement. Behind him, Lily saw the rest of her friends walking out of the dungeon wearing a grin identical to Sirius'.
"You will never have to walk into another classroom again afraid to fail a test, or have to spend hours studying for something you know you'll pass anyway! Lily, it's over! This is the end! Hogwarts is over," Sirius ended his energetic speech in a low voice, but with just as much enthusiasm.
Lily smiled a bit, letting reality sink in. "That was the last test. We're never coming back here again." She looked Sirius in the eye, "We're graduating."
Sirius grinned, "You bet we are. Aren't you excited?"
She hesitated before answering, "Yeah, kind of." Was she excited? Did she really want to leave?
Before she could elaborate, James, Peter, and Remus arrived, their eyes lit up
"CONGRADULATIONS!" James yelled, pulling Sirius and Lily into a simulations hug. "WE'RE DONE!"
"And I am so ready to burn all my books. Who wants to make a bonfire?" Remus asked with a smirk.
"Me- you don't know how much I had to resist not to rip up my Potions book last night," Lily grinned, now feeling much more light-hearted. "How do you think you guys did?"
"A subject to bring up another time, Lily darling," James said, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Right now we will just focus on the fact that school is almost over, a reasonable cause to celebrate."
"Any plans?" Peter inquired.
"Oh Wormtail, must you ask? I've already planned a party at the common room- all houses, all night, great food." Sirius responded, then looked at Lily and James pointedly. "You will be there, right?"
Lily and James shared a glance. Lily gave him an easy look, which James was able to interpret within a second.
"Yeah, we'll go."
"You will? Grand! Beautiful! I'm going to need a few hands to help me put up the decorations, but I promise you it's only a bit of assistance I need…."
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Hours later, Lily and James were laughing with a group of slightly drunk but completely elated people. Sirius made sure every seventh year was aware of the party in their common room, which had been going on for about three hours without slowing down. The Professors obviously knew what was going on, but kindly overlooked it like they did every year.
Lily and Leah were currently giggling as Remus recalled a story of the two of them in second year, vividly telling a group of people they hardly knew about their klutzy preteen moments. A long time ago those embarrassing moments were mortifying, but now they were positively hilarious.
"Remus, you make it seem like we were the only awkward second years in the whole school," Leah laughed.
A red head boy from Ravenclaw piped in, "I recall a little Remus Lupin having bad luck with his pants in Quiditch training, does anyone else?"
Remus blushed crimson and the rest of the seventh years exploded in laughter, knowing exactly what moment they were referring too.
"I made sure the seams of my pants were all intact for a year after that," Remus muttered.
Lily grinned, resting her head on Leah's shoulder as she chatted with her classmates. It was true that more than half of the people in this room were never her friends or even acquaintances before this year. It was a shame, really; they were wonderful people. There was no use regretting it now, but Lily wished she could have more time to properly get to know them.
Lily was sitting with some kids around a dimming bonfire, and from across the circle, she caught James' eye and sent him an affectionate smile. The sudden urge to kiss him pulsed through her veins, but self-restraint kept her in her seat. Instead, she zoned out to the pleasurable laughter of her classmates and the familiar voices of her most loved friends. Lily almost dosed off, but was shaken from sleep by James' voice in her ear.
"Has my honey muffin sweetie pie darling cakes fallen asleep?" He cooed.
Lily's eyes flashed open and she swatted at his face. She looked around and realized that everyone was gone, including Leah, and she was sprawled over the couch. James was leaning on the ground, head dangling over hers.
"No, I'm not sleeping," she yawned.
"Good, because we're playing truth or dare and we'd be devastated if you didn't play."
Lily sighed, "Well, okay, but only because it's the last few moments I'll get to embarrass myself in front of everyone."
James helped her up and hand in hand led her towards the seventh year boy's dorms.
Lily laughed, "Okay, did you just make this up so you could get me alone in your bed?"
"No, we just decided not to play in the common room."
"How is everyone going to fit?"
"Most of them went back now. You've been 'not asleep' for a while."
"No way," Lily cried in disappointment. "Did I miss anything?"
"Honestly, no. But if you don't hurry your arse up then we may."
They ran up the stairs and burst into the dorms, where about thirteen people were somehow crowded into the room. Lily knew most of them pretty well, and greeted them warmly as she sat next to Remus on Sirius' bed.
"Finally, Lily rises from her sleep and we can begin our wonderful game! We were just trying to determine who gets to go first before you so kindly joined us."
"Wait, before we decide that, shouldn't we have rules?" Lisa suggested.
Sirius rolled his eyes, "And the fun in that is what?" Lisa glared and Sirius gave in with a sigh. "Alright, the pretty lady here demands we have rules, so any ideas?"
"Nothing that will kill us," Peter suggested.
"Obviously."
"How about if you're taken you can't do anything besides a peck on someone else?" Frank spoke up, and Alice, his girlfriend, grinned approvingly.
"Good, good. Anything else?"
"You get one chicken."
"One? How about two!"
"One sounds good to me," Sirius confirmed. "I think that's enough rules."
"I think so too," James agreed. "Are we ready?"
"Yes, and I'll start." Sirius smirked, scanning the room for his victim. His eyes landed on Lily and he broke into a rogue grin. "You look slightly tired there Lils. How about something to wake you up? Truth or Dare?"
Lily groaned, "Truth."
"Wussy. Alright...hmm...its gotta be something good. How abouuuut….hmm. The question everyone has been dying to know. Have you and James made sweet love yet?"
Lily couldn't help but laugh upon looking at everyone's curious faces and James' red embarrassed one. Grinning, she asked, "You know my sex life or lack thereof is completely my business, right Siri?"
"Oh come on, tell us!" Jeff, a Hufflepuff, implored.
She rolled her eyes, "Alright, well, no, we haven't shagged."
Some people around the room "Awwed" in disappointment.
"I remember when James used to brag about his abilities to get into a girls pants at tip top speed," Remus teased.
"Shut up," James mumbled and tried to hide his smile.
Lily laughed, "It's okay darling. Would it help if you were the next victim for Truth or Dare?"
"Not really," he smirked.
"Fine then, how about you Robbie? Truth or Dare?" Lily asked, turning to a Hufflepuff boy.
"I live in the wild side, I'll take a dare," he slurred, obviously drunk.
"Oh, taking a dare now are we? Well then…how about you run around the common room twice naked?"
Robbie blinked, "Are you serious?"
"Dead serious. Come on, you're drunk enough, aren't you?"
He ignored her last comment and sighed, "Fiiiiine, fine, I'll do it."
And he did without shame. The group gathered at the doorway, laughing when he tripped over a couch and patting him on the back when he re-entered the room. For the rest of the night he only wore his boxers, claiming he had felt so liberated it would be a sin to put on some clothes.
The rest of the night went by like this, with laughter, nakedness, revelations and generally fun times. Never had Lily felt so connected in time with a group of people she hardly knew. At this moment they shared so many commonalities it was impossible not to feel a sense of unity between them. They were all about to graduate and step out in to the shaky world they had observed from afar for so long. They were about to leave friends, memories, and a warm home that held safety and comfort for a darker world without boundaries. But that didn't matter right now, and they simply wanted to pretend it never would. They were just a group of children wanting to laugh, smile and love without worrying about the rest of their lives.
Eventually the night wore itself out and, although they did not want to sleep, sleep came for them. A few left to their respective dormitories and the remaining nine or ten decided to pile on the floor or a bed. By four thirty in the morning almost everyone was sound asleep, grateful the next day was a Saturday.
Lily lay next to Leah and James, to no one's surprise. She was completely exhausted, but in a way that made her feel completely relieved and alive. Smiling to herself, she grabbed Leah and James' hand and squeezed them both tightly as she tried to sink into sleep. Leah squeezed back, but her James was deep asleep.
Giggling, Lily turned towards Leah and whispered, "I love you from the very deep bottom of my heart."
"Love you from the bottom of my toes to my head," a drunk Leah giggled back.
After a moment of silence, Lily whispered, "Thank you for being my friend."
And she meant it from the bottom of her heart. Without Leah, her seven years would have been nothing worth remembering. Lily lay there as the night whispered outside her window and the soft breathing of her friends filled up the room like a song. She could feel her body warmth mingling with the warmth of the people around her, and that's when she realized that it's the people who you surround yourself with that make your life what it is. She had never been more grateful in her entire life for having people who cared for her.
"Thank you for being mine. I couldn't ask for anyone better." Leah smiled at Lily through the dark, her brown hair reflected by the moon peaking through the window.
Her heart full and satisfied, as if it had just eaten its favorite meal, Lily grinned and closed her eyes.
"Night, I love you."
"Sleep tight. Love you too."
Lily's mind fluttered into sleep, and although the next day she couldn't remember what she'd dreamt about, Lily was sure it was the best dream she'd ever had.
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This was it. This was it. This was it.
Lily inhaled deeply, closing here eyes as she heard the students chattering with excitement. She was standing inside a little booth to the side of the stage where she was practicing the speech she'd made, despite the fact she'd practiced it a thousand times before.
It was the day of graduation and Lily was dressed in a flowing white summer dress. The sky was a bright, cloudless blue and the sun was shining merrily; the perfect weather for the most eventful day of her life. Seven years led up to this moment, walking across that stage, shaking Dumbledore's hands, and knowing that the rest of her life was at her fingertips. The only reason she wasn't crying was because she'd already bawled her eyes out earlier this morning. She didn't want this adventure to end.
Returning her concentration back to her speech, she began to recite, "Dear teachers, parents, and fellow classmates, thank-"
"Still practicing that damned speech?" A voice said from behind her.
Lily turned around to see her grinning boyfriend slip into the tent. James looked handsome in a dark suit and yellow tie, his hair just as messy as ever. He was wearing a brilliant smile, and unlike Lily, was overjoyed to be graduating.
"Hi," she grinned, the butterflies at the bottom of her stomach fluttering into flight. They always did whenever James was around.
"Hello love," he said, and kissed her softly on the lips. He grabbed her tiny hand in his and asked, "How are you?"
She sighed, "The usual. I don't see how you can be so happy."
James shrugged, sat down on one of the chairs, and grabbed the pitcher of water to pour himself a drink. "I've accepted that this stage of my life is over with. I lived it to the best of my abilities, I don't regret a single thing, and I know what ever I do next will be just as exciting. I know I'll be okay because I have my friends, and I have you, and I have faith in myself."
Lily smiled, "Is that part of your speech?"
He grinned back, "Somewhat. But I thought it up!"
"It's a good thought," she told him.
"Hey, you and Leah wanna go on an all-night extravaganza later tonight? The Marauders are going on a tour of Hogwarts to end it all, and tomorrow morning after breakfast we're pulling the biggest prank yet. How about it?" He asked , a childish gleam back in his eye.
"Of course," she replied, but before she could continue, Dumbledore poked his head into their tent. He was wearing a fine, silk hat, matching purple robes, and a dazzling sparkle in his eye to top it all off.
"Ready Miss Evans?" He asked her, giving her a warm smile.
She sighed nervously, "I suppose so."
Dumbledore gave her a wink before popping out of the tent, and Lily turned to face James, who was now standing.
"You will be bloody brilliant. Dumbledore chose you to do the speech for a reason, babe," he told her after placing a kiss on her forehead.
Her head sunk into his chest. "You'll be great too, everyone will love it."
"How do you know, you haven't even heard it yet!"
Lily laughed as she snaked her arms around his waist, "So? Everyone loves you and that's enough for them."
"You flatter me. Now go on and deliver your speech and stop trying to stall by snogging me!" he said playfully.
Lily giggled and stood on her tiptoes to give him a few lingering kisses before finally pulling away.
"You're right, I have to go. Wish me luck!" She said as she cautiously exited the tent and walked up to the podium, where she nervously gazed at all the students, teachers, and parents gathered before her. It would have been nice to have family here, but she didn't dare dwell on that thought long. She glanced towards the tent and saw James, who gave her a thumbs-up upon catching her eye, and was suddenly filled with confidence. In the crowd she found Sirius, with his handsome hair, Remus, with his wise, kind eyes, Peter, with his eager smile, and Leah with her dazzling, laughter-filled eyes.
Love poured into her heart as she stared at the kids around her-even the ones she'd never known or spoken to, and even the ones she disliked. They'd done this together. They'd been together since the first day of first year, and here they were, on the last day of seventh year.
Lily grinned, and with fullness in her heart and soul, began her speech.
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"This is where I had my very first kiss."
The six kids were standing in front of an ugly portrait of a grungy looking wizard, who was muttering curses under his breath as Sirius stood in front of it.
"It was with Anne Roxby, and she was a third year, and it was pretty damn hot. This spot is very important to me because without a first kiss I would have never had a second kiss, and without all those kisses I would never have had sex, and sex is very important to me," said a grinning Sirius Black.
His friends laughed and Remus, who was holding 'Zonko's Permanent Marking Pen', handed it to Sirius.
"Mark it!" He said, and Sirius eagerly took the pen and scribbled his name under the portrait. "TADA!" He exclaimed, and everyone cheered.
They'd been doing this for an hour already. After three amazing speeches, thirty-two names, hundreds of crying parents, and a delicious graduation feast, the kids were let loose for their last night at Hogwarts. There were a few crazy parties going on, which the six planned to attend later, but right now they were roaming their beloved castle for the last time. They went through every corridor, talking about the memories they had in each one, and whenever they felt compelled too, wrote a message on walls and objects. Their markings would probably never come off, and Lily felt reassured that even after she was gone from the castle, her name would be written in hundreds of nooks and crannies throughout the entire school. They even wrote messages such as 'THE MARAUDERS PLUS TWO WERE HERE' through some of the hidden passages, and in hopes that a certain caretaker might find it, 'FILCH CAN SUCK MY DICK'.
And so they continued, making sure to laugh loudly and often as it was the last time they'd be able to hear their laughter ringing down the corridors. They made sure to commit every detail of their castle to memory so that they could have a mental recollection for whenever they got homesick. At about eleven they finally gave up their loitering and went to join the parties the seventh years were throwing, and once again indulged in a sleepless night of laughter and fun. The next morning came all too soon, and with only a few hours of sleep on their backs they still managed to find enough energy to make it through their last morning.
This was it, this was it.
The Marauders refused to tell Lily and Leah what their graduation prank was going to be, and while Lily pretended to whine about their secrecy, she was happy that there was going to be one last surprise. James seemed to know this too, and only smirked secretively when she asked him what the prank would be.
It was bigger, weirder, and crazier than Lily could have imagined, but it was so them that she wasn't surprised at all. Just as breakfast was about to finish, she saw Sirius discretely wave his wand, and Lily eagerly dropped her food onto her plate because she knew that had to be the big prank they had been whispering about for weeks. A second later there was a resonating bang and the air was suddenly alight with multicolored fireworks blasting energetically over the students' heads. There were so many exploding fireworks at once that you could hardly hear the excited shrieks and laughter of the students, and for about three minutes straight the sky overhead was a battlefield of glitter and stardust. The fireworks stopped erupting and the students began to clap, and while the teachers did not join in even they were holding back amused laughter. And then, once the fireworks disappeared and the students figured the show was over, Sirius swished his wand again and the entire Great Hall burst into radiant, neon colors. The tables were neon green, the walls were a bizarre shade of orange, and even the floor tiles were bright pink and yellow. The sky above them, which usually reflected the weather outside, was now a swirling mix of different colors that flowed and twisted like a lava lamp. The students began to chatter and laugh even more now, and looked around at awe at the castle and then towards the Marauders, who were grinning not-so-innocently from their seats. They'd made their impact.
After about thirty seconds of letting this new radiantly colored Great Hall sink in, there was another burst of light and above their heads large, bold letters appeared and arranged themselves into a message. The air-borne letters read:
"BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR MARAUDERS, THE BEST AND MOST HANDSOME PRANKSTERS THAT HOGWARTS HAS EVER SEEN. WE LOVE YOU ALL, AND THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH US, ESPECIALLY YOU, MINEVERA (CAN WE CALL YOU THAT NOW)? IT'S BEEN FUN, HOGWARTS. PLEASE REMEMBER US FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES. WITH LOVE AND AFFECTION, JAMES POTTER, SIRIUS BLACK, REMUS LUPIN, AND PETTER PETTIGREW.
P.S. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE WALLS BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL COLOR UNTIL THE SECOND DAY OF NEXT YEAR'S CLASSES, SO DON'T EVEN TRY. WE WOULD LIKE THE NEXT GENERATION TO KNOW HOW WONDERFUL WE WERE."
Glitter began to fall from the roof as the letters zoomed backwards and implanted themselves on the wall behind where the professors and Dumbledore sat. Sparkles of yellow and silver covered the students and teachers, and the room was alight with buzz and laughter once again. Even the teachers were laughing now, because as much as they hated to admit it, the Maruaders would be sorley missed. The four boys, with the broadest grins on their faces, finally stood and took their bow. The students clapped their heroes on energetically. Even if the Marauders hadn't written their legacy on the Great Hall's wall, everyone still would have remembered for the next seven years about "those crazy Marauders, and hey, remember their end-of-the-year prank?" They won their infamy, secured their legacy, and hoped that none of the people in that room ever forgot them. None of them ever did.
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Lily wasn't sure whether she cried or laughed the most that day, although she did a great deal of both. The end of Hogwarts was sad, but she was so, so happy, and she couldn't have asked for a better way to send it off. After hugs to her professors (who insisted she visit next year) and hugs to her friends (who assured her they would keep in touch), they got on the train left that beautiful, sparkling castle for a home that didn't feel much like home at all. They arrived hours later on the platform worn out and hardly able to grasp the concept that they had graduated. They were free to do whatever they wanted in the world now; their life was theirs. It always had been, but now their hands were gripped firmly on the reigns and they were more than aware of all the power they possessed.
James held her hand tightly throughout the entire ordeal. When she felt tears welling up in her eyes he kissed her cheek and stroked her hair, and whenever she laughed it made his grin widen to see her happy. Lily felt her love for him multiply with that one day alone, and she wondered if it was even possible to love anyone anymore than she already loved James. It took all her restraint for not to blurt "I love you" out whenever they locked eyes, and she would have if it had been the right moment.
They unboarded the train with a melancholy sigh, and the six gathered outside the train with nostalgic smiles spread across their faces. They looked at one another, at first not saying anything and letting silence do the communicating. Finally, Sirius broke the silence, although he struggled to find the words to express all he was feeling.
"Well, onto our next adventure," he grinned. Lily couldn't decide whether to smile or cry; his words were so true and beautiful and poignant.
"It was a pretty decent adventure," James played along, wearing a grin that matched Sirius'.
"I say we hit up a bar at Hogsmade next."
"Think it'll be more fun?"
"It may be," Sirius shrugged playfully. "We can try."
"How about this? Let's go to our houses, drop our shit off, and meet in two hours at the Leaky Cauldron." Remus suggested.
"Better idea: how about we screw Hogsmade, screw the Leaky Caudlron, and hit up a bar in London?"
"London sounds good," Leah agreed.
"Where in London?"
"Oh, I don't know. Ok, how about we meet at Leah's house in two hours and we'll decide where to go from there?"
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
"Done."
"Alright."
"Great!" Sirius clapped is hands. "Make it quick, folks. Just drop your shit off and put on some sexy clothes."
They began to walk towards the platform exit as a group, talking excitedly amongst themselves about plans for the night.
"Hey Leah," Lily called, diverting the brunette's attention from an energetic conversation with Sirius.
"Yes, darling?"
"Am I going to your place?"
Leah sent James a nervous glance and responded dumbly, "Uh…"
Next to her James interrupted, "Actually, about that…"
Lily stopped walking and turned to James with confusion. "What? What's going on?" She turned around to glance at Leah, only to realize that Leah had left through the platform wall the moment she'd turned her back. The sneaky bitch.
"James?" She said again, her eyebrows raised inquisitively. In the distance she heard the trains whistle bellowing and she was only vaguely aware of the few families clambering around the couple.
"Lily," he said, confidence seeping back into his voice as he took her elegant hands in his warm ones. James gave her a smile that sent her stomach into giddy flip-flops, and she wondered if that feeling would ever stop. She hoped it wouldn't.
"I…I meant to tell you earlier but I didn't know how, or when would be the right time or whatever," he rambled. Lily found it endearing and only increased her smile. "I bought a flat."
"You what?" She exclaimed excitedly, her emerald eyes shining. "Oh, that's so great! I'm so happy for you!"
"Yeah, and I want you to live with me," he said in a quick gust of nervous breath.
Her eyes widened. "What?"
"I want you to live with me. In my flat, well, our flat if you decide to move in. You don't have to if your uncomfortable with it, I totally understand if you are. I mean Merlin, we haven't even dated for half a year, but-"
"James," Lily interrupted, her voice soft with affection. "Of course I'll move in with you."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a lingering kiss on his parted lips. "You stupid boy, how do you think I could have ever said no?"
James Potter flashed her his infamous, bad boy smirk. "Well, I never pick up my towels from the bathroom floor…"
"An annoying habit I'm sure I'll deal with."
"I sing in the shower."
"I know, love. It's disastrous."
"I can't cook."
"Are you trying to convince me not to move in?" She giggled, and kissed him again.
"No, I just want to make sure you're actually okay with this. Are you?"
"I admit I'm probably a little crazy for moving in with my boyfriend of less than three months, but I love you and I'd probably spend most of my days and nights in your flat anyway," she grinned.
"You love me?" He said in shock, a smile playing at his lips.
Lily's grin vanished and she looked nervous for a moment, but eventually recovered and said slowly, "That kind of slipped out, but…I do. I love you. You don't have to say it back, but I figure it was time you knew anyway."
James grinned doggedly and planted a series of kisses on her pinkish lips, holding her slightly longer each time.
"This is the best day of my life," he whispered into her ear. "My beautiful girlfriend is moving in with me AND it turns out she loves me. Who knew?" He kissed her neck tenderly while she laughed and then withdrew to look in her the eye.
"For the record, I love you. Horribly. I don't think it's healthy, but I suppose its something I'm willing to put up with if you manage to put up with me leaving wet towels on the floor."
Lily laughed and leaned in to kiss him again, relishing the taste of his lips and knowing that James was all hers. James kissed her back fully, her face framed between his hands.
"We're making out in Platform 9 ¾ ," Lily giggled, pulling away slightly.
"Look around, love, how many people do you see here?" He smirked. Lily looked around and, to her surprise, realized the only person on the side of the platform besides them was a disgruntled looking mother and a stubborn twelve year old boy.
"I'm sure we can think of a more convenient place to continue this," she suggested, raising an eyebrow playfully.
"Your place or mine?" He grinned.
"Oh, Mr. Potter, you are hilarious," Lily said with a dry smirk. "Show me this new place we're living in."
She picked up her trunk and James picked up his, and together they ambled out of the Platform with silly smiles on their faces. Lily paused briefly before crossing over the wall, tossing a look over her shoulder to the shining red train with plummets of steam pouring out of its top. It looked the same as it did in first year when Lily had clambered onto the gleaming train wide-eyed and hungry for world she did not know. And here she was, on a day she never thought would come, holding hands with the boy she never thought she'd fall in love with. Isn't it funny where life takes you? One moment you think you have your life all planned out…and the next your snogging James Potter on Platform 9 ¾, and you wouldn't trade it for the world.
"Come on, love," James called, tugging at her hand. He offered her a smile and repeated the words Sirius had said earlier. "Onto the next adventure."
And many adventures did follow, and as Lily found out, life after Hogwarts was not as difficult as she thought it'd be. There was so much to enjoy; her job in the Ministry as an Auror and the late nights at pubs with Leah and the boys who still called themselves the Marauders. There was the Order, and there was the passion in their struggle to win a war they'd been watching from afar all their lives. And of course, there was every moment with James, who had immersed himself so deeply into her heart that there was never a question, even through fights and tears, that she could never love anyone else more than she loved him.
And yet she was proven wrong with the birth of her son. James and Harry; they were the reason she woke up in the morning, and the reason she was able to smile in world full of hate. They were the two people she would gladly, willingly, happily die for in an instant.
It's not to say life was easy, because it never had been and it never would be. And yet their struggle was worth it, and while every sleepless night and every life lost hurt, the splashes of darkness could never outshine the moments of radiant happiness. Those memories are what kept them going. In a dark night when blood seemed to spill in vain, they just remembered the smile of a loved one or the laughter of a friend and they could feel again what they were fighting for. Lily had so much of these moments floating in heart that she wanted to wrap the world's fragile heart in her abundant love. She hoped that somehow she would be able to protect all she loved from harm; to save the world from hate and greed and every horrible thing that tried to touch it.
One day she did just that, but that story is all about a boy who lived...
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A/N:
AND THAT'S THE END!
Oh God, two years. I know. I know. Don't even look at me like that, I am sooo ashamed. To be honest, I had every intention of ending at that last chapter even though that wasn't the official ending or anything. However, I'm so astounded and happy and elated and greatful that people still read and review this that I felt like a nasty bitch and had to write a proper ending up. I hate not having closure, so hopefully this gave it to you. I typed this mega fast so sorry for any mistakes. I hope you liked it.
Thank you EVERYONE who read this, even if you never reviewed or anything, thank you anyway. I really appreciate it and it makes writing all the more enjoyable. It makes me so happy to know that people read my writing Reading back to the beginning of this story I realize how much I've matured in both writing style and a million other things, so sorry you had to put up with rusty writing. Once again, thank you a million times for every review and every read. They really make my day, and I say that honestly.
Let me know how I did. I'd love to hear from you! Haha and just p.s., if you have criticism on any of the previous chapters let me just tell you I definitely know they weren't the best. Criticize anyway, I just thought I'd FYI.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDDDD:
I'm writing another story! I already have 100 pages written and I think it's so much better than this one, haha. The plot is better and the writing style is, if I do say so myself, quite improved. I'll post the first chapter within the next month or so. Here's the summary, for those of you who are interested:
Lily Evans lives life at the top of the social circle, and as Hogwarts' esteemed Head Girl, is respected, intelligent, and popular among all. She's charismatic, friendly, and has the world waiting at her finger tips, ready to give her all the success she could dream of. Sure, her life is full of shallow gossip, social hierarchy, and hours of torturous studying, but honest to God, everything is great!
That is, until she sleeps with James Potter.
Ironically, they detest each other, but as Lily claims, "It just sort of happened." Fair enough. But what starts off as a casual 'no strings attached' shag or two ends up being more than Lily bargained for. For better or worse, James has introduced her to a few things she needed more of: thrill, adventure, and a detention record. Oh yeah, and a couple of Death Eaters, but since when has that killed anyone?
It may sound stupid but I'm quite proud of it. As the summary hints, its more mature, but not in the overdramatic annoying emo-my-life-sucks kind of way. If you are the least bit interested I encourage you to add me to your author alert so that you'll see when it comes up. Just saying
And I take my final bow. Thank you readers, once again, you have made my life! Have a wonderful, fantastic day.