It was two weeks until Christmas. Professor McGonagall asked both Lily and
James to stay during Christmas vacation to see to that all necessary tasks
of planning the Winter Ball in January would be completed.
"No, she asked you to stay," a shocked Martha said during dinner one night. "But I thought I was going to stay with you after Christmas when my parents are visiting my brother in South Africa. Who am I going to stay with now?"
"Sorry, duty calls," said Lily who was not at all unhappy to stay, in fact, she was looking forward to spending more time with James. "Professor McGonagall insisted we stay."
"Well, at least you could be more sad about it," said Charlene with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Martha, you come at stay with me."
Lily blushed at Charlene's comment. She thought about her and James' date in the snow. She thought about all the afternoons they spent sweeping the grounds. She thought of all the nights they sat in front of big fireplace in the Gryffindor common room planning the Winter Ball. She thought about how her heart beats faster whenever he's near her. She thought about all the times he's tugged a strand of hair behind her ears.
"Earth to Lily.Earth to Lily." Martha waved her fingers right in front of Lily's eyes.
"What? What is it?" asked Lily, trying her best to hide her embarrassment.
"Did you hear anything we just said?" asked Martha. "You had that faraway look in your eyes again."
"Maybe she was thinking about you know who?" teased Emily.
"No, I was just thinking about the exam we are having tomorrow in Potions," said Lily seriously, trying to convince everyone.
"Sure, then why were you smiling the whole time like an idiot?" asked Charlene innocently.
"You guys are the worst. I'm not going to take part in this conversation anymore," said Lily as she stood up from the table. "I'm going to the library to study now. I'll see you all later."
The other three girls giggled and murmured their good-byes. They know Lily wasn't mad, besides, they know they've got her where James was concerned.
"Lily, what are you doing here?" asked a surprised James when Lily ran into him in the Library.
"I was looking for some place quiet to study," half-lied Lily. "I didn't know you were going to be here." In fact, I knew you were going to be here, but I am looking for a place to study.
"Well, you've found the perfect spot," said James as he moved over one seat. "Sit."
Lily didn't have to be told twice. As she sat down, she saw something hiding under James' jacket. "Is that a record player?"
"Shh, don't say it so loud," James put his hands over Lily's mouth. "You'll get me in trouble, and my friend Sirius."
"Where did you get it?" asked Lily curiously. "I don't think we are allowed such things in school, are we?"
"Well, actually, Sirius and I stole if from an Professor's office," James whispered while making sure no one around them was listening.
"Stole from Professor? How?" Lily wasn't sure what to ask.
"Want to give it a try?" asked James. Before Lily could answer, James had already grabbed his stuff and was walking out.
"Wait for me," Lily hurried to grab all her books.
It was an unusually cold December night, and the wind was hollering away. They sat down on the ground. Lily looked up at the stars while James played with the record player. Suddenly, a haunting romantic melody came out the quiet night. Lily closed her eyes.
"What's it called?" asked Lily.
"First time," replied James looking at Lily. "Do you like it?"
"Yes."
"Lily, open your eyes, I want to show you something."
"What?"
"Look there, see that really bright star?" pointed James at the sky.
"You mean the North Star?"
"Yeah, I like calling it Polaris. It's my favorite star. My mom told me after my dad died that if I ever get lost, all I had to do was follow Polaris, and my dad will make sure I will find the way."
Lily didn't know what to say so all she did was to look at him. She could see that sadness in his eyes now, the sadness of a little boy who's still grieving over the death of his dad. She put her hand over his.
"Hey, your hands are freezing," said Lily, surprised. "Here, you take one my mittens."
"No, Lily, it's okay," James pushed the mitten away. "
"Your hands feel like ice."
"Lily, it's pink," said James, quite seriously.
"It's warm!" insisted Lily who wouldn't take no for an answer. Finally James accepted.
They both laughed after he put Lily's soft pink mitten one.
"What are you doing for New Year's eve?" asked James.
"Nothing, why?"
"Let's meet here. At midnight, I have something I have to tell you," said James as he packed up all their stuff.
"Why can't you tell me now?" asked Lily who also stood up.
"Come on, it's late. We don't want Professor McGonagall to catch us out here and with a record player, no less," said James ignoring Lily's question.
They walked quietly back to the school, each in their own thoughts.
"Lily," called out James just as they were about to go in the Gryffindor common room. "Your mittens."
"Keep it. You can give it to me on New Year's eve, maybe you'll need it then," asked Lily before she disappeared into the common room.
Lily looked at her watch. 11:45pm. She should probably start get going now if she was going to be on time for the date with James. She put on her warmest sweater and robes, and scarf and that one pink mitten.
It was quiet in the common room since everyone had already left for vacation. Lily quietly slipped out. She hasn't seen James at breakfast, lunch or dinner today. Come to think about it, she hasn't seen him yesterday all day either.
"I hope he remembered our date," said Lily to herself.
So she waited, and waited and waited and waited. She waited until it was light outside. James never showed. With tears at the corner of her eyes, Lily walked back into the castle.
"Miss Evans, what are you doing out so early in this freezing weather?"
Lily looked up. It was Professor McGonagall. She quickly wiped the tears off her eyes, "Professor, I was waiting for someone, and he didn't show."
Professor McGonagall's mouth opened as if she was going to say something, but it quickly closed again.
"Professor, have you seen James lately?" Lily couldn't help herself but ask. Maybe he has some sort of family emergency.
"Miss Evans, you are freezing cold all over," Professor McGonagall quickly said ignoring Lily's question. "Why don't you come in for a hot shower and nice breakfast and come to my office afterwards?"
After the shower and breakfast, Lily ran to Professor McGonagall's office to get some news on James. She forgot to knock before she entered, and she ran straight into Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Oh, Headmaster, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you."
"Miss Evans, it's quite all right, I'm sure you didn't see me," Professor Dumbledore said kindly. "Why don't you take a seat, Lily?"
"Okay," replied Lily, a bit surprised that Dumbledore used her first name.
"I believe Professor McGonagall has something to tell you," said Dumbledore in a grave voice.
"I don't know how to say this, Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall actually looked uncomfortable. Lily braced herself for the bad news. "James, he's dead."
Time suddenly stopped. Lily didn't know how long she sat there staring into empty space, or when Dumbledore left, patting her on the shoulder. Finally, she came out of her daze, she saw a worried Professor McGonagall looking at her.
"How did he die, Professor?" asked Lily in a choked up voice.
"Voldemort."
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, and one by one, they dropped down her cheeks, unto her robes, and some even touching the floor.
Lily wiped the tears away. She can't cry. She refused to cry. She refused to think. She refused to exist.
"Does his family know?"
"His mom wants to keep everything quiet. There is going to be no service," said Professor McGonagall, still with a worried expression on her face. "Are you alright, Lily?'
"I'm fine," with those words Lily ran out of the room. She ran out of the castle. She ran and ran, until she collapsed unto the ground.
. Let's meet here. At midnight, I have something I have to tell you .when you die, you can chose to become someone's shadow so you never has to leave them. I want to be your shadow
"No, she asked you to stay," a shocked Martha said during dinner one night. "But I thought I was going to stay with you after Christmas when my parents are visiting my brother in South Africa. Who am I going to stay with now?"
"Sorry, duty calls," said Lily who was not at all unhappy to stay, in fact, she was looking forward to spending more time with James. "Professor McGonagall insisted we stay."
"Well, at least you could be more sad about it," said Charlene with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Martha, you come at stay with me."
Lily blushed at Charlene's comment. She thought about her and James' date in the snow. She thought about all the afternoons they spent sweeping the grounds. She thought of all the nights they sat in front of big fireplace in the Gryffindor common room planning the Winter Ball. She thought about how her heart beats faster whenever he's near her. She thought about all the times he's tugged a strand of hair behind her ears.
"Earth to Lily.Earth to Lily." Martha waved her fingers right in front of Lily's eyes.
"What? What is it?" asked Lily, trying her best to hide her embarrassment.
"Did you hear anything we just said?" asked Martha. "You had that faraway look in your eyes again."
"Maybe she was thinking about you know who?" teased Emily.
"No, I was just thinking about the exam we are having tomorrow in Potions," said Lily seriously, trying to convince everyone.
"Sure, then why were you smiling the whole time like an idiot?" asked Charlene innocently.
"You guys are the worst. I'm not going to take part in this conversation anymore," said Lily as she stood up from the table. "I'm going to the library to study now. I'll see you all later."
The other three girls giggled and murmured their good-byes. They know Lily wasn't mad, besides, they know they've got her where James was concerned.
"Lily, what are you doing here?" asked a surprised James when Lily ran into him in the Library.
"I was looking for some place quiet to study," half-lied Lily. "I didn't know you were going to be here." In fact, I knew you were going to be here, but I am looking for a place to study.
"Well, you've found the perfect spot," said James as he moved over one seat. "Sit."
Lily didn't have to be told twice. As she sat down, she saw something hiding under James' jacket. "Is that a record player?"
"Shh, don't say it so loud," James put his hands over Lily's mouth. "You'll get me in trouble, and my friend Sirius."
"Where did you get it?" asked Lily curiously. "I don't think we are allowed such things in school, are we?"
"Well, actually, Sirius and I stole if from an Professor's office," James whispered while making sure no one around them was listening.
"Stole from Professor? How?" Lily wasn't sure what to ask.
"Want to give it a try?" asked James. Before Lily could answer, James had already grabbed his stuff and was walking out.
"Wait for me," Lily hurried to grab all her books.
It was an unusually cold December night, and the wind was hollering away. They sat down on the ground. Lily looked up at the stars while James played with the record player. Suddenly, a haunting romantic melody came out the quiet night. Lily closed her eyes.
"What's it called?" asked Lily.
"First time," replied James looking at Lily. "Do you like it?"
"Yes."
"Lily, open your eyes, I want to show you something."
"What?"
"Look there, see that really bright star?" pointed James at the sky.
"You mean the North Star?"
"Yeah, I like calling it Polaris. It's my favorite star. My mom told me after my dad died that if I ever get lost, all I had to do was follow Polaris, and my dad will make sure I will find the way."
Lily didn't know what to say so all she did was to look at him. She could see that sadness in his eyes now, the sadness of a little boy who's still grieving over the death of his dad. She put her hand over his.
"Hey, your hands are freezing," said Lily, surprised. "Here, you take one my mittens."
"No, Lily, it's okay," James pushed the mitten away. "
"Your hands feel like ice."
"Lily, it's pink," said James, quite seriously.
"It's warm!" insisted Lily who wouldn't take no for an answer. Finally James accepted.
They both laughed after he put Lily's soft pink mitten one.
"What are you doing for New Year's eve?" asked James.
"Nothing, why?"
"Let's meet here. At midnight, I have something I have to tell you," said James as he packed up all their stuff.
"Why can't you tell me now?" asked Lily who also stood up.
"Come on, it's late. We don't want Professor McGonagall to catch us out here and with a record player, no less," said James ignoring Lily's question.
They walked quietly back to the school, each in their own thoughts.
"Lily," called out James just as they were about to go in the Gryffindor common room. "Your mittens."
"Keep it. You can give it to me on New Year's eve, maybe you'll need it then," asked Lily before she disappeared into the common room.
Lily looked at her watch. 11:45pm. She should probably start get going now if she was going to be on time for the date with James. She put on her warmest sweater and robes, and scarf and that one pink mitten.
It was quiet in the common room since everyone had already left for vacation. Lily quietly slipped out. She hasn't seen James at breakfast, lunch or dinner today. Come to think about it, she hasn't seen him yesterday all day either.
"I hope he remembered our date," said Lily to herself.
So she waited, and waited and waited and waited. She waited until it was light outside. James never showed. With tears at the corner of her eyes, Lily walked back into the castle.
"Miss Evans, what are you doing out so early in this freezing weather?"
Lily looked up. It was Professor McGonagall. She quickly wiped the tears off her eyes, "Professor, I was waiting for someone, and he didn't show."
Professor McGonagall's mouth opened as if she was going to say something, but it quickly closed again.
"Professor, have you seen James lately?" Lily couldn't help herself but ask. Maybe he has some sort of family emergency.
"Miss Evans, you are freezing cold all over," Professor McGonagall quickly said ignoring Lily's question. "Why don't you come in for a hot shower and nice breakfast and come to my office afterwards?"
After the shower and breakfast, Lily ran to Professor McGonagall's office to get some news on James. She forgot to knock before she entered, and she ran straight into Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Oh, Headmaster, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you."
"Miss Evans, it's quite all right, I'm sure you didn't see me," Professor Dumbledore said kindly. "Why don't you take a seat, Lily?"
"Okay," replied Lily, a bit surprised that Dumbledore used her first name.
"I believe Professor McGonagall has something to tell you," said Dumbledore in a grave voice.
"I don't know how to say this, Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall actually looked uncomfortable. Lily braced herself for the bad news. "James, he's dead."
Time suddenly stopped. Lily didn't know how long she sat there staring into empty space, or when Dumbledore left, patting her on the shoulder. Finally, she came out of her daze, she saw a worried Professor McGonagall looking at her.
"How did he die, Professor?" asked Lily in a choked up voice.
"Voldemort."
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, and one by one, they dropped down her cheeks, unto her robes, and some even touching the floor.
Lily wiped the tears away. She can't cry. She refused to cry. She refused to think. She refused to exist.
"Does his family know?"
"His mom wants to keep everything quiet. There is going to be no service," said Professor McGonagall, still with a worried expression on her face. "Are you alright, Lily?'
"I'm fine," with those words Lily ran out of the room. She ran out of the castle. She ran and ran, until she collapsed unto the ground.
. Let's meet here. At midnight, I have something I have to tell you .when you die, you can chose to become someone's shadow so you never has to leave them. I want to be your shadow