The one where Professor Binns is unhappy
Author's note:There are some bits in the first part that isn't very suited for younger viewers. It'll go straight over their heads, however.
Lily sat in her History of Magic class, her quill drawing delicate lines on the inside of her book. James sat on her left, Sirius on her right. They were both sending her rather inappropriate notes that would make her die of shame if read out. This is, of course, exactly what Professor Binns intended to do.
'Lily Evans,' his droopy voice said over the classroom. Her fingers stopped moving the quill back and forth and she looked up at the ghost. 'I will not have notes passed in my glass. Five points from Gryffindor and please read out the offending letters.'
She stood, her hand clutching the scraps of parchments. Lily cleared her throat, keenly aware of everyone waking from their dream-like state that overtook many a student as they entered Professor Binns' class. Scanning the note, she made up a lie. "Do you want to practice Quidditch later? No, too windy." Lily thought that was a lot cleaner than the original note: 'Lils, wanna have a snog-fest with me?'
'The others, too, Miss Evans.'
He was probably making up for all the times she fell asleep in his classes. "Remember to bring money on the next Hogsmeade trip for a present for Peter. OK, remind me to give him birthday punches." (translation: Remember to slip into Hogsmeade with Cloak and Map to buy more ingredients for Lils potions. OK, remember to let me take a go, just kidding James!')
She paused again. Binns nodded for her to go again. This time Lily made it up for fun. "Isn't Professor Binns looking exceptionally sexy today? I thought I saw him flirt on a Ravenclaw last week. Damn, Sirius, I have competition. Well, James, maybe he'll like your nice firm--,' Lily was cut off by the laughter from the class, including Sirius and James. Professor Binns was looking like he's swallowed a horse.
'Sit back down, Miss Evans. You will have a detention tonight at six.'
She sat back down, Sirius clapping slowly. 'We've created a monster, James.'
James placed an arm around her. 'Isn't she perfect?' He planted a kiss on her forehead and they turned back to the dictating that Binns was giving...at a hundred miles an hour.
Lily poured over the text in front of her. She wrote down point after point, fascinated. There was a spell she could use to bring Hermione into Annabel's body! She'd love to talk to Hermione again, tell her how happy she was with James and her friends. There were so many rules that one had to memorize for the spell to work. She sighed.
Her head shot up as she felt fingers brush the base of her neck. She turned around to see nothing there. Lily knew that meant almost nothing. She reached forward and pinched the Invisibility Cloak off James. He had a big bouquet of red roses in his arms.
'Hey, Lils. I was wondering if you could join me for a walk.' He said, handing the flowers to her.
'Yeah, sure, James. These roses are gorgeous!' She used a shrinking charm on them and slipped them in her pocket. James took her hand and put the Cloak around her for the security. He wanted utter privacy for their stroll.
Lily gasped as she saw a blanket laid out for them on the soft grass by the lake, surrounded by candles. James led her down there and she took the flowers out again, plumping them out to their original size.
'Stars, Lily, you look so beautiful.' He breathed. 'I've thought that from the moment you came up to me in the Common Room. You've only grown in loveliness since then,' he paused to caress her cheek, 'I'm so glad you've let me become a part of your life for such a temporary basis, but I want more, Lily. I want to be sickeningly happy with you, a picket fence and a child. I want to teach that child to play Quidditch, Wizards Chess and how to bamboozle the teachers.' He pointed his wand at the sky and great, big golden letters appeared. He spoke the words aloud.
'Lily Evans, will you marry me?'
Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded. 'Oh, I love you, James.' Lily embraced him and let the tears run down her cheeks.
'I love you too, Lily.'
He opened the box to the ring and grinned. He had indulged in their Gryffindor side and bought a ring of gold that had a modest diamond in the middle with two square rubies either side. Lily laughed as he slipped it on to her finger, hugging him again. 'I cannot wait until I am Mrs. James Potter.'
Somehow, he thought that it would ruin the mood if he said, "Neither can I."
Sirius drank his whiskey, grinning as Remus and James followed suit.
'I can't believe it, James. You're getting married.' Padfoot said, wiping a fake tear from his eye.
'Just imagine him bouncing a little kid on his knee...'Remus shook his head at all his. 'You and Lily had better have load of kids so that both Sirius and I can become god-fathers.'
'I hope we do. I want a huge family!' James grinned. 'I don't think Lily will want to know how much pain I'm going to put her through.'
Peter walked in the door at this very moment. He was even more jittery than usual. 'James, Sirius, you've got to uh, go to the platform.'
They nodded and began walking to the Great Hall. Thankfully, Dumbledore had been only too eager to help for their wedding ceremony. Remus left them to take his seat near the front in the audience. His presence wasn't needed at the wedding, and he felt relief at that. His heart ached terribly for Lily; it would have put him in a bad mood.
Lily, however, had two attendants. She had been unable to choose between Janet and Alexia and had settled on both. They all looked stunning, especially Lily. The dress code was Muggle, but the wedding would be purely wizard.
Dumbledore spoke as Lily reached her way to the platform. Sirius, Alexis and Janet retreated into the background. 'The recognition of a soul mate is sometimes a very rare thing. Today, Lily Evans and James Potter will bond to each other, swearing their love and truth. Sirius.'
Sirius stepped forward, in his hand a blade that looked horrendously sharp. Lily had only ever gone to one other wedding, when she had been four. Her mother told her that she fainted and had not allowed her to go to anymore after that point. Dumbledore picked up the knife and murmured a spell over it before handing it to James.
'Lily, if you love and trust James you will allow him to cut you without fear.' Dumbledore said softly.
She nodded and held out her wrist. James took it up in his warm fingers and pressed the metal to her skin, slicing it open. Lily bit her lip against the hot-cold pain that blossomed on her wrist. He handed the knife to her.
'James, if you love and trust Lily you will allow her to cut you without fear.'
James gave her a smile and a nod. She cut his wrist, handing the knife back to Dumbledore.
'Please hold hands, your wrists together.' Albus took a length of white ribbon from Alexis, who looked like she was more nervous than the bride was.
The moment her blood touched James' she felt an increased awareness of him. All of his memories were hers, and she did not doubt that he currently knew everything about her too. She gasped, her mind spinning with the dreams and hopes that James had never told anyone.
James' own experience varied from Lily's joyful exploration of his mind. He only saw death and horror where he went. Grimly, he accepted the knowledge and waited for Dumbledore to finish tying their hands together.
'Thus you are tied and thus you are bound.' Dumbledore said, bringing their entwined hands up for all to see. 'May you live a long and happy life together and may you find each other in the next life. You may kiss the bride.'
James lifted the veil and gave Lily a loving kiss. They looked at each other then grinned. Married. It was a strange thought, to be bound to someone for the rest of your life. Lily thought it sounded quite pleasurable.
She felt the ribbon unravel itself and slip it's way into her pocket in a ticklish manner. Lily looked at her wrist and noted a small scar. Instead of being angry, she felt it was a sign of her commitment to James.
'Now, my beautiful wife, do you think you can go through a reception?' His eyes were laughing.
'Knowing Sirius it'll probably blow up.'
James leant down and kissed her, making a mental note to talk to her about what he had seen in her head.
Author's Second Note: Ok, so the wedding is after they graduated. I'll mention anything funny that happened in that year in passing. Thanks to my reviewers, you rock my world!
Iselin: The phoenix idea came because Lily/Ginny has flaming red hair and started her life again as Lily Evans. I thought that applied to the whole situation. Alexia name came from an Ancient Roman site and the idea for her was just that Peter needed someone who wasn't going to intimidate him while he talked. Just needed a kindred spirit. I sort of got her looks from Morgan le Faye, I think she's called. Very dark and Mysterious...Ok, the whole Annabel looking like Hermione thing is really what I believe. My mum is all into spiritual stuff so obviously I'm a believer too. And finally, I'm doing my darndest to put loads of twist in there. It's just a shame I don't have a head for time travel.
Chocolate Muse: Being an insomniac is rather underrated I think.