"All I Ask of You"
By the Crystalline Temptress
A/N: Ugh. I edited this one, and I realized . . . it sucked. Sucks.
Well, here's an attempt on a songfic. It's to a Broadway song from The Phantom of the Opera, entitled All I Ask of You. I adapted it to fit Lily Evans and James Potter. Probably clichéd, but no matter.
This is rated PG due to some sexual reference. What is placed inside isn't very explicit, anyway.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, the wonderful goddess J.K. Rowling does.
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"Do I look okay?"
James Potter was a nervous wreck. He kept on fidgeting needlessly, wringing the hemline of his tuxedo in anxiousness. If he wasn't mutilating his suit, he was circling the lavishly decorated room at a pace that would surely outdo Quidditch players on the field.
"Yes, you look absolutely fine," Sirius Black laughed and patted his friend on the back. It was meant to be a genial pat, but the force of it nearly sent James headfirst into the dresser beside the doors leading outside.
"Watch it, Sirius. We wouldn't want to wreck the furniture, now would we?" Remus Lupin remarked mildly, although his eyes glimmered with mischief.
"Can't you guys be serious for once?" James demanded, smoothing his normally unruly hair back into place. "It's my wedding day, and if I know you," He glanced at his best man, Sirius, "you'll ruin it by attesting to my marriage when the priest calls for it."
"There goes my plan," Sirius stage-whispered to Remus, eliciting laughs from his companions.
James, Remus and Lupin were three friends who had just graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after seven years of education in the magnificent, prominent school. They had caused quite enough trouble and good-natured chaos (if ever there was such a term) in their time, prowling the corridors during the wee hours of the morning, acting as marauder-ish as they could possibly be. Perhaps that was how they had earned the nickname of the "Marauders," or maybe it was just because the name sounded mysterious and intriguing.
"Do you suppose Peter is coming?" Remus piped up curiously.
"Don't really care." Sirius shrugged. "He didn't say anything about it."
James sighed. "I can't believe he's going to miss this. It's just not logical. We marauders were known for our unwavering loyalty to one another." His chocolate brown eyes shone with disappointment.
"Well, we're growing older." Remus' expression had evidently shifted into one of sadness. "And Peter's been different since the rise of Voldemort."
"You don't reckon that the prat is collaborating with Voldemort, do you?" Sirius demanded sharply, earning a look of hesitance from Remus and a negation from James.
"Probably he's just been shocked." James reasoned carefully. "After all, he's almost a squib, and everyone knows how much Voldemort hates those so called 'mudbloods.'" Both of his comrades had trouble hiding their smiles at his remark about Peter Pettigrew being a squib.
"Anyway, enough of this," Remus interrupted. "It's James' wedding day, and we shouldn't be breaking the festive atmosphere by continuing this nonsense talk about Voldemort." He glanced warningly at Sirius.
"That's right." Sirius nodded soberly in great contrast to his normal, wild persona. But soon enough, the rigid demeanor melted back into his usual aura. "Think about your honeymoon night, James." He grinned roguishly, elbowing the embarrassed groom.
"Sirius!" James protested, blushing scarlet.
"That's right. . . . Lily on satin sheets, her auburn hair spread upon the pillow, reaching out to you, begging you. . . ." Sirius made exaggeratedly loud smacking noises by kissing the back of his hand.
"Sirius!" James repeated, seeming to glow a fiery crimson.
Sirius paid him no heed, before sinking to the floor in a ridiculous swooning fit. "Oh . . . Lily . . . I should've claimed you for myself when I had the chance!" His last statement was met by Remus' smart decision to cast a silencing spell upon him.
"Silencio!" Remus said as he pulled out his wand.
There was a rush of white light, and Sirius was reduced to mouthing like a goldfish, but no words slipped past his lips.
Remus grinned. "Just had to, or he would've continued until you guys had to stand beside the altar."
James smiled at him in relief. "Thanks. At least now I won't have to deal with the nightmares of thinking that maybe Lily would've wanted to marry him instead." He jabbed a thumb at the mute Sirius on the floor.
Bells chimed outside, beckoning to the men to exit their waiting room. James paled visibly, his tan seeming to seep out as his blood pooled at his feet.
"Let's go. I'm going to sit in the front row, don't worry." Remus assured James, who looked frightened of the idea of being deserted. "Resistuere!" He pointed his wand at Sirius, who instantly started sprouting curses.
James ignored his swearing best man and walked to the side of the altar, his nerves weighing on him more heavily then they would've usually.
No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you
Let me be your freedom
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here, with you beside you
To guard you and to guide you
Lily Evans itched to brush her hair, but she didn't dare to in fear of ruining her hairstyle. It had been painstakingly hard to shape up, considering that her tresses were incredibly stubborn and limp. It had taken quite an amount of gel spells and magical blow-drying to get into a knotted high ponytail at the crown of her head, with the rest of the locks spilling smoothly down her back in an impression of a burgundy waterfall flowing smoothly down the side of a mountain. The mane had been in bright contrast to her pristine white gown in its resplendent beauty of glitter and splendor. The dress had showed a bit of collarbone, before tightening to show a slender waist and tapering into a liberal amount of skirt and petticoats.
"I hate this." She muttered darkly, pulling on her silken gloves.
"Humor, Lily dear, and excitement are necessary in situations like these. Sarcasm and self-consciousness are not." Rose Evans smiled benignly at her restless daughter. "It's your wedding day, and you're still so brusque. Relax. Don't hide behind that mask of abrasiveness and tomboyish instincts that you usually depend on. You're a lady about to spend a lifetime with the man she loves. Act like it." Her mother laughed lightly and hugged her.
Lily's emerald green eyes shone with unshed tears of gratefulness. "Thanks, mum," she whispered, her voice hoarse from holding her emotions bottled up, since she didn't want to ruin her make-up that she and her mother had taken hours to perfect.
"Now, now," Rose shushed gently. "Wait until the reception to cry," she joked, and they both chuckled heartily.
The joyful ringing of the church bells sounded from the outside. Lily instantly looked horrified once again. Rose shook her head and smiled. "Come on, daughter. Let's go meet dad, so he can walk you down the aisle." And she whisked her grown child off.
"She's here!" Sirius hissed into James' ear. James glanced up from his sweating hands, feeling his jaw drop. Lily, his soon to be bride, was looking lovely. She was the visage of a goddess, beaming in a pure white gown trailing on the floor and shimmering around her like water running over diamonds. The veil hid her face partly from view, but through the sheer material, he could see her bright green eyes darting about. Their gazes met, glowing and smoldering with love and anticipation. Immediately his nervousness abated.
Lily felt her heart clench in her ribcage as she took the first step upon the carpeted aisle. James looked so handsome in his tuxedo, and she must've looked awkward in her flowing dress, like an overdressed churchgoer.
She took a moment to admire the ambiance. The cathedral was impressive, the surroundings lit by the beams of sunlight playing upon the stained windows, aided by the softly lit chandeliers.
She snuck a glance at her soon-to-be groom. He had been staring at her. She felt a smile curve her lips as she maintained his gaze. This was what they were supposed to be doing. Her trepidation ebbed away with every stride she made towards James.
Say you love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you
Forget the world outside. Let them remain in the sacred space they were suspended in. Voldemort no longer mattered. Peter's absence was a pity, but nothing to have lingered on. If their wedding could've lasted forever, he would've opted for it.
Although later definitely holds its prospects of excitement, James thought with a slight smirk as he remembered Sirius' words.
Lily reached his side, and she smiled at him rather apprehensively through her translucent veil. She reached out and took his hand in hers, and they faced the priest together.
The wedding was sweetly thorough, with a fulfilling homily and good words of advice from the minister. Finally, the best part--the vows.
"Do you, James Potter, take Lily Evans as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold . . ."
"I do." He glanced at her, biting his lip as her grip upon him tightened somewhat.
"Do you, Lily Evans, take James Potter . . ."
"I do." She grinned at him, pretending to exhale with relief as the words passed her lips, refreshing him like a brook in a dry and arid land.
Forget their days at Hogwarts. The present was much, much more appealing. Forget the scorn from the Slytherins, forget the insecurities, forget everything . . . just focus on today, the present . . . the future.
Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, no one will find you
Your fears are far behind you
All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me,
To hold me and to hide me
"You may now kiss the bride."
James shakily lifted the lace partly obscuring her porcelain face and pushed it back behind her hair. She grinned at him, and he grinned back, taking her waist in his grasp and pulling her up his height. Bending down, he captured her lips in a kiss conveying throes of passion, desire, longing and love. The couple was deaf to the cheering that roared throughout the church; all that mattered was that they were there, joined in matrimony, and expressing their unfaltering devotion to one another.
Then say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
And the newly wed pair smiled at each other and walked back down the aisle.
"So, how many more months to go?" Sirius chortled as he eyed Lily's burgeoning belly. "How many more till James becomes daddy?" he crooned in the most artificially sweet manner.
Lily's eyes darkened in mock aggravation as she pretended to scowl at him. "It's not just his son, you know," she scolded, rubbing her bulging tummy lightly. "It's ours."
Her gaze softened as she drifted off. James and Sirius exchanged glances. "Well, I guess it won't be long now," James shrugged, absently fingering his untidy jet-black hair. "I'll have to start practicing to wake up on obscene hours. . . ."
"Good, because I won't," Lily declared jokingly, earning a laugh from Sirius and a groan from James.
Say you need me with you
Here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
That's all I ask of you
"Lily! Take Harry and run! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" James bellowed, gesturing madly at the door leading to the outside of their house.
"No! I won't leave you!" Lily exclaimed fervidly, holding a sleeping baby boy to her bosom protectively as she rushed to the side of her husband.
"He'll kill us all!" James yelled, shaking his head furiously. "You have to go Lily! GO!"
They were interrupted as the doors broke down, trod underfoot several hooded figures. Death Eaters.
"Stay away from us!" James warned, brandishing his wand at them.
"Leave him to me." A cold voice hissed. A man strode into their living room. He was pale, tall and intimidating, radiating evil. Lily's eyes widened as she focused upon the emotionless face of Voldemort.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" He bellowed. A rush of green light enfolded James, and wordlessly he hit the floor with a thud, eyes wide and unseeing in death. Lily stifled a sob as her better half collapsed to the floor.
Then say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Voldemort advanced upon her, wearing one of the most mirthless and cruel smiles she had ever seen.
"No, please!" she pleaded, falling to her knees in her haste to escape.
Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry's head. Lily jerked back.
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she begged.
"Stand aside, you silly girl. . . ." Voldemort stated, the calm in his voice belying the crazed glint in his coal black eyes. "Stand aside now," he ordered.
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead. . . ." Lily sobbed, tears spilling down her cheeks as she strove to protect her son.
Share each day with me,
Each night, each morning
"Very well then." Voldemort raised his wand and thrust it forward in the cry of a spell. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Lily had one thought before her life passed before her eyes.
James, help me watch over our boy. . . .
Say you love me
You know I do
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me,
That's all I ask of you
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Well, that's about it. Thank goodness it's over. I just needed to write something dripping with sentiment before I tackled my more . . . mature . . . fanfics. This was a break for me.
I rather had the song have the effect of irony in the end of the fic, because of the lines "anywhere you go, let me go too," further adding to the dramatics of their death.
Nothing was new in the scenes of their death, I just quoted from the third book. But some of the things that happened were just adlibbed by me.
Comments would be lovely.