Lily Evans and the Elf-nymph Necklace

by Sohara von Salienta

Lily finds out she's a witch, goes to Hogwarts, the usual--but in her first year, she also finds something dear to Tom Riddle. They quickly become friends, but when war breaks out in the Alendoren Cove and Lily could be a useful ally...

65. Engagement

After what seemed like ages later, beautiful, heavenly centuries later, he stepped inches back and cupped her chin in his hand.

"Lil?"

"Yes?"  Her eyes were fireworks in itself, he thought.

"Why'd you really tell Tom no?"

Lily had never been afraid of anything—well, hardly ever, and she wasn't now. 

"You," she said unwaveringly, without glancing away, almost testing his gaze for a response.

He didn't know he'd been holding his breath till he let it out; it was the answer he'd been desperately hoping she'd give the first time he asked her.  And he was wishing as hard as he could that she was serious, and if she wasn't, then—Oh, bloody hell, he thought, and slipped his hand into his pocket.

"Lil…I want you to tell me something…"

"You know, you're the only one that calls me that," she smiled shyly.

He tightened his hold around her waist, bringing something out of his pocket with his other hand.  He took her hand in his, and she felt him slip something cold onto her left hand.

Lily brought her hand up to her eyes—it was a ring, a white-gold with a black pearl set in the center.  Eyes flaming with something she couldn't describe, she looked back up at James, who was grinning lopsidedly.

"I remember your saying back in fourth year that you wanted one like this…"

"James, that was three years ago!—You remembered that?"  Her voice was almost awed.

"Yeah…well, do you want to keep it?"  He almost couldn't face her; [i]what if she says no?[/i] was echoing in his mind, revolving round and round and making him sick with worry…

She smiled; must have known what he was thinking.  "Of course I will; you didn't think I said no to Tom because I'm such a kind person at heart, did you?"

He didn't answer; not in words, anyway.  Bending down, he kissed her again.

Students had started to spill onto the lawns, but they didn't hear the small-talk and the rustling of dress robes.  The others were mostly concerned with themselves; only Remus had come out for a real purpose.  He hadn't any idea where James had gone; one minute he was there, the other he wasn't—and then, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw two silhouettes standing out against the fountain, the water of which was literally filled with light.  Remus grinned and retreated to the Great Hall.

Back in the garden, James pulled apart again.  "So, name the day."
Lily bit her lip, smiling.  "It's the twenty-fourth now, isn't it?"

"It is," he confirmed.  "Go on."
"June thirtieth," she said determinedly.
"Why then?" he asked, grinning.  "Anything special happen that day?"
"No…"  Her voice trailed off.  "It's Midsummer Night's Eve, that's all."  She looked quickly up at him.  "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course I don't!"  He took both her hands in his own and touched her ring.  "Your wish is my command, that's all."

Lily leaned her head on his shoulder, staring into the dusky sky.  "I've got a feeling I'm going to be tremendously happy for at least the next month," she smiled.

"I do, too," James confirmed.  "After what I've put you through, I'm making it my business to make sure you stay happy."

After a short pause, something else struck his mind, and he immediately blurted it out.  "What about your father—and that Richard kid?"
Lily laughed.  "I don't care.  I couldn't care about anything else right now…I don't ever intend to return to my father's house.  And Richard…he's no one special.  I don't, to be honest, like him terribly; I think I just turned to him because he was the only one I could talk to in the Muggle world."  She shot a glance at him.  "You don't have to worry about my eloping with him."

James flushed.  "I didn't think you would.  I just wanted to know, that's all."

She laughed gaily again.  "You did suspect.  No; you don't have to worry."

He hugged her.  "You!  You're too smart for my own good.  So, how're we going to break this to the rest of Hogwarts?"

They were both sitting on the edge of the fountain; her head was on his shoulder, one of his hands was on her ring, and the other was resting on her waist.  They didn't say much; they had no real need to.  It was a beautiful evening; the sky was drawn over with dusky blue clouds, and through rifts in the clouds, bits of dark blue sky painted with stars shone through, and the fairies sitting on tree branches twinkled merrily.

They both were startled when Remus, this time accompanied by Peter, walked back from inside the Great Hall.

"Is it safe now?"

They couldn't help it; they burst out laughing, and Remus simply looked at them with the most obviously false disapproving look he could summon up.  He was delighted for them; after all, James had been going nuts about her for ages, and now, for the first time in months, he was really happy.

Remus eyed Lily's ring.  "Very nice."

She blushed—it was the only time he could remember her doing that.  "Thanks."

"So," Remus grinned, "when's the wedding?"

James punched him lightly in the arm.  "June thirtieth."

"June thirtieth."  Peter repeated, nodding, as if he completely understood the reason for that date, and then he turned to James.  "June thirtieth?"

"Sure.  Midsummer Night's Eve."
"Very nice pick!  But," Remus added slyly, "I'll bet you asked her why on earth she picked that date first time she told you."
"Hey!  How'd you know—er—how'd you know I asked her that?"

Remus started to laugh.  "Lily, I'll pray for you!"

Back in the Great Hall, Sirius was moodily gulping down another bottle of butterbeer.  Remus said he'd go look for James, and right after Remus had left, Sirius noted Lily was missing.  Remus had returned, with an odd grin on his face, saying he found James, and about ten minutes afterwards, he'd gone back outside with Peter, and he wasn't back yet. 

Sirius slammed the empty bottle down on the table, causing several first years to glare his way; he pushed his chair back and headed outside, looking for his friends.

He found them talking next to the fountain, and Lily was there, too.  His eyes lit up as he moved towards them, then he froze.

James was hugging her, and she was letting him.  She had a ring on her left hand he could have sworn she didn't have on earlier that evening…Sirius closed his eyes.

"Oh, God…" he whispered.  "I'm dreaming…this is a nightmare!"

He opened his eyes, and they were still standing there, though Remus had spotted him.  He waved to Sirius.

"C'mon over here, Padfoot, congratulate the happy couple!"

The happy couple.

As casually as he could manage it, Sirius jogged over to them.  "Hey—is there something her you guys haven't told me?"
James lifted Lily's hand and almost thrust it into Sirius' face.  "Look!  She said yes!"

Sirius managed a grin.  Only looking at Lily, he replied.

"I hope you'll be very happy."

She smiled at him.  Never before had he seen her so delighted, so…so truly ecstatic…Her very eyes were a dark green with bliss.  He wasn't about to take this away from her.

"So," he laughed, hugging both Lily and James at the same time, "have you forgotten all about Snape?  He'll be devastated!"

James let out a hoot, and Lily looked oddly thoughtful.  "Do you really think he will?"

Remus stared at her in astonishment.  "Lily, he's been batty-eyed about you for years!  Don't tell me you haven't noticed!"

Lily blushed.  "I told him no…after he'd asked me to be his girlfriend, and I figured we'd both forgotten about it."

James kissed the top of her head.  "You're a very wanted lady, you know that?"

Peter grinned.  "And James is an extremely envied guy!"

"No kidding," Sirius sighed.

James looked quickly up at his friend's face.  "Hey, Padfoot, you okay?"

"Sure!"  Sirius stared at him, eyes open.  "I'm going to get to be best man at a wedding!  Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Best man?"  Lily was skeptical.  "You've already arranged this?"
"Men have their own special language, dear," Remus informed her.  "You don't want to know."

"Sure, I'll be your best man!"  Sirius nudged her.  "Don't worry, I won't ruin your happy day."

"I'm sure you won't!"

"I won't!" he protested.  "Well, you don't mind rabbit blood substituted for flour in the wedding cake, do you?"

"Sirius," James said warningly.

"Or having your skirt ripped off as someone steps on it?"

"Sirius," James repeated.

"Or having your ring coated with honey?"

"SIRIUS!"  This came from all four at once, and the entire student population stared in their direction.

That night, at around one in the morning, Lily and James were sitting together on a sofa, still receiving grinning congratulations from all the Gryffindors, and Eva was kneeling near Lily's feet, raving with an unrepressable smile on her face.

"I don't believe it.  I don't believe it!  You're getting married!  Married!  You, the one that never got kissed till tonight, never ever wanted to marry, settle down, anything—you got proposed to before me!  Before Vanessa, before Lora, before Serena, for Pete's sake!"

Lily half-laughed.  "Eva, Sirius is our best man; you know that, right?"

"How couldn't I know it?" Eva grinned.  "He's been raving about it ever since you four yelled at him outside!"

"Well, in that case, I'm inviting you to be my maid of honor."

A large smile spread around Eva's face and crossed itself in the back, finally stopping at her ears.  "Really?  Lily!  Lily!  Thank you so much!!!"  She jumped up and grabbed her friend around the neck, hugging her.  "I'm going to be in a wedding!"

Suddenly, Lily noticed that James' arm around her had stiffened.  "What?" she asked him nervously.

He nodded to a figure that had just climbed in the portrait hole.  "Speak of the devil."

Lily turned her gaze to where he was looking, and her eyebrows rose.  "Devil is right!"

Serena stepped forward, her eyes ice blue.  "So.  You're getting married?"  Her question was directed at James, who rose to his feet. The entire common room fell silent.

"Yes."

"To the Evans kid?"

"Yes."

"The one that attacked me in third year and that you passionately hated?  That one?"

"That one," he confirmed.

Lily was still holding his hand; she squeezed it encouragingly, and she felt him relax.

"You know what you're doing?  She'll have you murdered soon.  She's some sort of devil girl, with her Muggle ancestry and temper and sword—Are you under the Imperius Curse?"  She tossed her head.

"I am not, and no, she won't."

"How do you know?  She attacked me in third year, remember?"

James twirled Lily's ring with his hand, and she stood up, placing her other hand on his shoulder.

"Cissa, I'm marrying Lily.  That's all there is to it."

Serena simply stood there, almost open-mouthed, but she had too much pride for that.  "What?  You mean—that's it?  No apology, no nothing?"
"Apology for what?"

"You—you—"  She was almost spitting with rage.  "You idiot!  You led me on all this while, making me think—"

"I never made you think anything.  I've never heard of a rule that makes a person marry their first girlfriend, and I don't intend to hold by the one you just formed.  I didn't agree to it."
"You don't agree to that?  You held me in Hogsmeade underneath the table!"

Lily knew that Serena hadn't meant it the way it came out, but she nevertheless fell back onto the couch, laughing almost hysterically.  It was infectious, and most of the Gryffindors joined in, even James, who was fighting a smile lurking at the corners of his mouth.  In the middle of the laughter, Serena was trying to yell, "I meant he held my hand!  Not held me!  Held my hand!"

When everything else failed, she stepped forward, lifted her hand, and hit James across the face.  A greater tumult broke out as Lily immediately dashed to her feet; it took all four of the Marauders and Eva to hold her back.

"Hey!  Don't you dare!  Let me go, you prats!  Get back here, you--you mindless wife of a slug—let me go!  James, for the love of Peeves, let me go!"

They managed to pull her back onto the couch, and Sirius was still repeating what she'd called Serena. 

"Mindless wife of a slug.  Lily, where on earth did you come up with that one?"

She gave up seconds later, though, since the portrait was closed.  Exhausted, both with laughter and with trying to hold her back, the boys collapsed into their previous seats.

Lily had turned James' face towards the light.  "If she gave you a bruise that'll show up on our wedding day, you're inviting her to our wedding and I'm showing up with a dagger."  She ran her hand over his cheek.  "Nasty red mark.  I'd like to rip her hair out."

 Sirius snorted.  "Lily, it's about time you let fly!  You know, you've been wanting to say that since at least third year.  Congratulations!"

"Thank you," she accepted coolly.  "Engagement does odd things to people."

"It does," Sirius agreed.  "Mindless wife of a slug," he repeated, with a blissful grin on his face.

"Oh, shut up," Lily said, good humour restored, as she smacked him on the back of the head.

The next morning, Lily had finished packing, and she had just come out of Professor McGonagall's office; she had told her teacher that she wasn't going to be teaching next year.  Lily was smiling to herself; Professor McGonagall had congratulated her on her ring, and she hardly heard the footsteps behind her.

"Lily!  Lily!"

"Hm?  Oh, Severus, hi!"

He stopped next to her.  "Hello."  His eyes were almost magnetically drawn to her ring.  "I guess I wanted to see that for myself."

She turned a bit red.  "Severus—"

"Don't bother," he sighed.  "You've been extremely fair and aboveboard; you told me what you felt.  Still…"

She didn't say anything.

He sighed.  "Never mind.  Congratulations."

Lily smiled at him and took his hand.  "Severus, come to my wedding."

His head snapped towards her.  "You mean that?"

"Just because I'm the bride of a Gryffindor," she replied, "doesn't mean I can't invite one of my best friends to the wedding."

A real smile lit up his face.  "Lily, you're really something."

"No, you are," she contradicted.  "Not may people would accept an invitation to their—well, I didn't think you'd accept," she finished a bit clumsily.

"Hey," he mumbled, "I'll get to see you there.  It works out."

She smiled at him.  "Thanks, Severus…"

He hugged her.  "I hope you'll be very happy."

Those words rang a bell…someone else had said that last night, almost bitterly…but for the moment she couldn't remember who.

"Oh, don't worry," she laughed; "you'll get—Severus?"  His face was hard as stone, unreadable to most, but she could sense something.  "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he replied resentfully. 

"Liar," she retorted.  "Tell me."

He looked up and down the hallway, then pulled her into an empty classroom, shutting the door.  Taking a deep breath, he rolled up his left sleeve.

"There.  Look and be amused."

Lily stifled a gasp.  There was the Dark Mark—the one she remembered converting to paper—branded into his forearm.  Black but red in some parts, she could feel him wince as she touched it.

"Severus, why?"

He let his sleeve fall again.  "I didn't know you'd abandoned Lord Voldemort, that's why."

Tears formed in her eyes.  "Severus—you didn't—you—"

"Oh, I know full well what an idiot I am.  Spare me," he shot at her bitterly.

"Severus, if I'd known what you'd been thinking of—I had no idea—"

"No, you couldn't have."  He cut her off mercilessly.  "You couldn't have.  Well, I'm bonded to him now, aren't I?  To have and to hold forevermore?"

"Severus," she sighed.  "I've not got the best temper in the world, as you well know, and I've got my wand within easy reach.  Please don't be a pillock."

He sighed.  "Right, right.  I'm sorry.  You're getting married in five days; you've got a right to be happy."  Severus took a deep breath, then expelled it quickly.  "I'll be at the wedding.  But they'll throw me out."

"No, they won't," she said firmly.  "It's my wedding, too, not just James', and I've got a right to invite whoever I please."

He grinned.  "Marriage definitely won't soften you.  You're still the most stubborn, tempestuous, and hardhearted person at Hogwarts.  I could almost pity Potter."

She laughed.  "He knows I'm not easy to live with!"

"He'd better," Severus mumbled.  "He's in for some difficult years."

He watched the door close behind her, and then dropped his head into his clenched fists.  "Severus, if there's an idiot greater than you out there in the world, he needs to show himself and be shot…"

When Lily walked back to the common room, James was there to meet her.  She smiled absently when he came over, though her brow was furrowed and her eyes were worried.

"Lil?  What—did something happen?  Are you all right?"

She frowned.   "I need to talk to you."
"Sure."  He pulled her upstairs, into the currently empty dormitory he'd lived in for seven years.  Placing her next to him on the windowseat, he took her hand.

"Go on."
Lily sighed.  "James, it's Severus."
"What about him?"  James suddenly looked worried.  "Were you just talking to him—did he say anything…"

She shrugged his arm off of her shoulders and leaned against the wall.  "Yes.  I just saw him when I was leaving Professor McGonagall's office."  She looked straight into his eyes.  "James, he's a Death Eater."

James let out a short laugh.  "Well, that shows how smart he is!"  He quickly stopped, however, at the look on her face.  "There's something else, isn't there?"

She didn't bother to nod.  "He joined because of me.  After the last Quidditch game, he told me he'd pretty much figured out that I was Tom's 'little mascot'.  I confirmed that, but didn't tell him I'd cast Tom off—I am a fool," she sighed, hitting her head sharply against the stone.

"Hey—don't hurt yourself," he worried, putting a hand behind her head.  "It's not your fault.  You couldn't have known what was in his head, and you can't do a thing about it.  It was a misunderstanding—and he could have told you."

She smiled weakly at him, standing up.  "Thanks."

"For what?"

Lily took his hands and placed them around her waist.  "Talking to me."

He rested his chin on her head.  "There's nothing I'd rather want to do."

She sighed.  "James, you owled your parents this morning?"

"Yep," he nodded.  "They're not picking us up, and we've got their full approval."  He smiled at her.  "Mum likes you a lot."

She flushed.  "I'm glad.  I'd hate for her not to—and I didn't really think she'd remember me."
"Not remember you?  You've got to be joking!  She ranted at me for at least twelve hours about hospitality and things of that sort when I threw you out the summer of sixth year!  'Course she remembers you!"

"Oh."  Lily grinned.  "How badly did she hurt you?"

He groaned.  "I was grounded for a month, which meant I couldn't leave my room."

"Really?"  Her eyebrow went up.  "But you had guests; didn't you?"

"Yeah, but Mum knew they could amuse themselves without me."  He sighed.  "They did, too."

Lily smiled.  "Well, that's what you get for throwing me out!"  She lightly elbowed him in the side, but her face grew more serious.

"I haven't told Father or Petunia yet, but I hope they'll not be too disappointed.  They don't really want me to marry a wizard—don't take that as an offence!"  She place a finger on his lips.  "They want me to marry a Muggle, preferably one that will help my father's business get back on its feet.  So—well, you see."

He grinned at her. "I see.  And if he doesn't let you—"

"James!"  She folded her arms.  "You are NOT attacking my father with one of the Unforgivable Curses!"

"I didn't intend to!" he defended himself.  "I was planning to use those I made up!"

She let out a groan.  "My father is doomed."

A half hour later, they had boarded the Hogwarts Express for the last time.  The seventh years had received certificates officially stating that they were permitted to use magic outside of school, and they, especially the Marauders, were lording that over the younger students.

The Marauders and Lily managed to get a compartment to themselves, and they immediately accosted the couple about wedding plans.  James poked Lily in the side.

"She's responsible for everything.  I want her to have a wedding the way she wants it."

"And he wants to get out of planning," Lily said slyly, causing them to start laughing.  "It's not going to be anything huge.  I'm only inviting a few people…and I won't have it in a church.  That's final."

Remus shook his head.  "Lily, James' mother's a Roman Catholic…"

"Yes," she nodded, "and I'm not."

Sighing, Remus grinned.  "James, this'll be one interesting wedding."

"Knock it off, Remus!" James yawned.  "Anyone up for Gobstones?"

Several hours later, the train pulled into King's Cross.  Nervous and a bit worried, James lugged both his and Lily's trunk onto the platform.  As she helped him load them onto a trolley, she caught sight of his face.

"You're worried?"

He shrugged.  "Sort of.  I don't really know your father."

"Doesn't matter.  He's scared of magic, so the only thing you'll have to do if he looks like he wants to tear your arms out is fumble for your wand."  She smiled mischievously, and James laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind!"

He pushed the trolley through the barrier, just behind Lily.  When they emerged, Lily spotted her father at once.

"James, over there."

James looked over to where a tall man, a bit plump, with mousy-brown hair was standing, twiddling his thumbs.  Next to him, Petunia was standing; a girl with lots of neck and dirty blonde hair pulled back from her face.  Her arm was through another man's; Lily immediately recognized him as Vernon Dursley. 

James had only seen Petunia before, so he didn't know the man, but he was just the same as the day he'd run into the Evans' mailbox after running out of their house; burly, almost no neck, and the beginnings of a rather thick moustache.

Lily's father stepped forward.  "Hullo.  Have a nice year?"

She didn't answer.  "Dad, there's someone I want you to meet."  Ignoring Mr. Evans' disapproving glance, she pulled James forward.  "This is James Potter."

Mr. Evans nodded curtly.  "Hello."  He turned back to his daughter.  "Let your friend go back to his parents.  We're going home."

Lily didn't lose her composure.  "He isn't my friend."

"He's not?"  Mr. Evans was disconcerted.  "Well, what, then?"

"He's my fiancé."

"Fiancé?"  Mr. Evans spluttered, while Petunia was eyeing James with something very close to loathing.  "You—you're getting married?"

He cast a quick look around, noticing the people that were staring at them.  "Er—well, shall we discuss this at home?"
He didn't wait for an answer; simply turned curtly around and left the station.  James pulled Lily's shirt sleeve.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that didn't seem like a 'Oh, hi, I'm so pleased to meet my daughter's future husband' greeting."

Lily rolled her eyes.  "I didn't exactly expect that kind of welcome, so this isn't too bad.  Come on; this way—we can't Apparate yet."

"I know that!"  James was indignant.  "I'm getting my license any time now, though!"

She rolled her eyes.  "Just follow my father."

He obeyed her, and they trailed her father, sister, and co. to the car outside.  Mr. Evans decided to have a large problem with James sitting next to Lily, and at first, he wanted Petunia to sit in the front seat.  Petunia refused, as she was currently not intending to leave Vernon's side, so Lily got shunted to the front and James was wedged into the few inches between Vernon's bulk and the car door. 

They finally got home, and all of them were herded into the living room by Mr. Evans.  He himself took the largest chair, cleared his throat, ran his hand over his now balding head, and spoke in what was intended to be an intimidating voice. 

"So.  This is my little girl's fiancé?"

"Yes."  Lily wasn't losing her cool one bit; she wasn't letting her father wreck the rest of her existence by pulling them apart, and she really didn't see how he proposed to do that.

"I thought it is the usual procedure to ask the father for his daughter's hand before asking the lady herself, isn't that right?"

"No."

"You have no manners," he spat at James, who hadn't said a word.  Lily had said "no."

"I'm assuming you don't have a job?"
James spoke.  "I have a prospect as an Auror at the Ministry of Magic.  Sir," he added."

Mr. Evans frowned, clearly trying to mask the fact that half of that sentence had gone straight over his head.  "Auror?"
"Yes.  Sir," James replied; "I'm anticipating a job as part of the newly formed team fighting Lord Voldemort."

Lily poked James in the side.  "He doesn't know what an Auror is or who Lord Voldemort is.  He's a Muggle."

"Oh," James mumbled.  "Sorry."

"I insist on your including me in your interesting conversation!" Mr. Evans glared.  "What was that, young man?"

James sighed, a bit fed up with the overprotective father act.  "I fight bad guys."

Petunia tried not to snort, but she ended up spraying something from inside her nose all over the coffee table, then laughed when James scooted away.

Mr. Evans turned to Lily.  "So, I assume you still intend to marry someone without a speck of manners or a job?"

"Dad," Lily frowned; "his parents are some of the richest families in England.  He doesn't need a job."

"Don't use that tone with me, young lady!"

"Ah," Lily observed dryly.  "I have advanced to the position of 'young lady' from 'little girl' in a matter of minutes.  How exciting.  If this continues, I might be the Queen of the Universe before the day ends."

There was a rather ugly vein in Mr. Evans' neck that was popping interestingly, though it didn't seem prudent to point this out.  Lily didn't point it out; she turned to James.

"I'd suggest you leave the room for a second—Petunia, get him a drink of something."

Petunia didn't budge.

"Petunia, my pocket has my wand in it, and I am currently a licensed witch with a bad temper.  Go get James something to drink."

Petunia jumped up, looking for all the world as if she'd just sat down on a darning needle and it had taken a quarter of an hour to realize how far it had punctured her backside.  She pulled Vernon out of the living room with her, and they shut the door with a muffled crash.

Lily turned to her father.  "Proceed."

"I will not have this!  You have learned nothing at that—that Pigpimples place but to turn toads into toothpicks and to be unutterably rude to your elders!  Now, I tell you now—" his voice got extremely soft and dangerous—"that you are to start living a normal life from now on, without this—" he waved his hand towards the kitchen in disgust—"this wizard.  Is that understood?"
"Er—no."

His eyes narrowed.  "I will not have you associating with trash like that!"
"Dad," Lily said calmly, "if you're insisting on calling him that, then I am also 'trash like that'."

"If you continue to associate with those abnormal people, yes, you are!"

She held up a hand.  "I was under the impression that you approved of my schooling at Hogwarts."
"I held no approval for it.  Your mother liked the idea."

"So you go by whatever women say, is that it?"

"Lily Evans," her father glared, "your mouth is growing faster than the rest of you.  I am your father, your guardian, and until you are of age, I am empowered to control you.  You are not marrying this young—this wizard—you are not leaving this house without my permission, and you are marrying someone sensible.  Sensible meaning someone I approve of."

If there was anything that infuriated Lily, it was someone trying to control her completely, and that was exactly what he was intending to do.  She rose to her feet.

"I am not—"

"No talking back to me, miss!" Mr. Evans roared, also standing up.  "You are not having anything else to do with that abnormal community, even if it means my snapping your wand in half!  I will not stand for that!"

Her hair was starting to wave wildly around her face.  "I'm not taking orders from you any more!  I knew I should have stayed away—I wouldn't have come back this summer if it hadn't been for the engagement!  I was going to stay on as a teacher at Hogwarts, and I'd have lived there till I got a better position!  I hate this Muggle world, and I can safely say I'm terribly embarrassed to be related to some!"

"DON'T YOU TALK LIKE THAT TO ME, YOUNG LADY!"  He was inches from her face, practically spitting at her.  "YOU ARE GOING TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW, AND I AM NOT TO HEAR OF THIS NONSENSE AGAIN!"

"Fine."  Lily's fury had outwardly evaporated with that shouted order, and she stepped back.  "Fine."

Leaving a baffled Mr. Evans in the living room, she moved towards the door, which swung open of her own accord; the only sign of the anger and frustration inside her. 

"James!"

He looked up, extremely relieved to see her.  "Yes?"

"Come here!"

She pointed towards the front door.  "Get our trunks, your broom, and your cloak."

James vanished out of sight, and Mr. Evans appeared in the kitchen.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOUNG LADY?"

"Going to my room," she glared.  "My hotel room.  In a bridal suite.  Have fun missing me."

Lily swung around and slammed the front door behind her, seating herself on James' broom; he'd already tied their trunks to it and performed an anti-gravity spell on them.  Tersely, she pointed to the cloak, which he quickly flung over both her and himself; that done, they rose into the air.

A few minutes into their flight, Lily poked James in the back.

"I don't like your broom."

He laughed.  "There's not much I can do about that."

"I want a flying carpet!" she complained.  "Those don't hurt your backsides!"

He took her hand.  "Look, I'm sorry about what happened back at your house."

"Former house," she spat.

"Yeah…well, I'm sorry it didn't go well."

She sighed and leaned against his back.  "It's not your fault.  I shouldn't have lost my temper."

James steered the broom straight into a cloud, smiling when Lily let out a shout of ecstatic laughter as the blast of wet droplets clashed into her cheeks and eyes.

"Hey…Lily?"

"Hum?"

"Where're we going now?—is my house all right?"

"You don't have a house, James, you have a mansion.  You have several mansions.  You do not call such a construction a house."

"My house it is, then," he grinned.

He landed in the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron; from there they proceeded to the fireplace.  They would have landed in front of the pub, but even Muggles would have noticed if a broom, two trunks, and two teenagers appeared out of nowhere.

James led Lily inside, taking a pinch of Floo powder from a small dish on the mantelpiece.  Throwing two Knuts into a jar and the powder into the fireplace, he shouted, "La Versailles!"

Both of them stepped into the green, roaring flames together, carrying their trunks with one hand and holding the other's hand with their free one. Coughing soot out of their lungs, they landed in the Hall of Mirrors in James' mansion.

Lily had been here before, but that didn't prevent her eyes opening as wide as they could go to drink in her surroundings.  James had to poke her in the side to make her pay attention.

"Huh?"

He smiled.  "Mum and Dad's offices are this way.  Coming?  Mum'll probably be in hers right now."

Lily nodded.  "I'd like to see your mother again."  She rolled her eyes.  "Can't get much worse than my father, now, can it?"

"No," James agreed, "it can't.  Come on—Mum's got the Marie Antoinette room as her office…"

He led her through a series of stunning chambers until they got to the room that was a replica of the last Queen of France's.  It was like and yet unlike the one in France; the large bed wasn't in the room, though its canopy was; it had been replaced by a beautiful carved wooden desk inlaid with gold; the gold railing stopped at the sides of the desk.  Bookshelves lined the walls, and the ceiling had the same beautiful painting on it that Lily remembered from the French palace.

These were only details that Lily noticed later; her eyes were drawn to the lady sitting behind the desk and finishing what looked like a letter.  It was Mrs. Potter; her robes were a pale lavender-blue, and her eyes, intensified through the reading glasses she wore, were the same stunning violet-blue.  Her robes swung around her gently as she removed her glasses and rose to greet the couple.

"James, dear!  I'm so happy you're home—and Lily."  She eyed the auburn-headed girl approvingly.  "You're simply lovely, dear.  I know you two will be extremely happy."  She shot a sly glance at her son.  "After all the family dinners he's taken up raving about you, you'd better be!"

"Hey!"  James flushed dark red.  "I did not!"

Mrs. Potter winked.  "Of course; you wouldn't have dreamed of it." 

He opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him with a warning glance.

"I'd like to say something to both of you.  I know you two do intend to get married right away, and I'm supporting that.  When I was getting married to your father, James, my parents dictated my entire wedding—and I absolutely hated it."

Lily thought she knew where this was going, and a large smile was starting to creep over her face.

"Therefore, I'm not getting mixed up in your wedding.  Lily—I'm not handing you a budget, and I'm making Fred finance your honeymoon."

"Wow."  Lily's eyebrows rose.  "We're getting a honeymoon?"

"Of course!"  Mrs. Potter looked surprised that Lily had asked.  "I wouldn't dream of your not having one!  Mine and Fred's lasted for two years."  She frowned.  "His mother insisted.  It was the 'thing' to do at that time."  Her face cleared.  "I'm not making you do anything, though—this is your time together, and I'm giving you full reign to enjoy it."
Lily took James' arm.  "I like your mother!"

"Mercenary little brat."  He kissed her head.  "I do, too, though, come to that."

Mrs. Potter smiled, hugging both of them.  "I love both of you, you know that?"  She let go and looked both of them in the eyes.  "Now, where are you two planning to have your wedding?"

James turned to Lily.  "That's right.  Where are we planning to have our wedding?"
Lily's mischievous smile started to blossom, and James' stomach dropped. 

"Elven Point, Madagascar."

"Elven Point?"
"Yes," Lily almost sighed.  "It's beautiful—it's a hilltop overlooking the sea—with leafy trees and wild, blooming flowers, and with a heart-of-the ocean blue sky…"

She snapped back to reality.  "Does anyone mind?"

James hugged her.  "You're planning all our social events from now on.  I don't think anyone else would have thought of Madagascar—out of curiosity, why did you pick that place?"

She smiled, tossing her hair over her shoulder.  "It sounded like a magic formula—just the name did, and I-well." Lily shrugged.  "I think the name's beautiful."

Mrs. Potter picked up a sheet of parchment and a quill.  "James, if I'd had such a creative husband, I'd be happier than I am now, which is saying a lot…"  She dipped the quill in the ink.  "Will you be leaving right away and making plans from there?"

"I thought we might take a ship there," James flashed at his mother, "if no one minds."

Lily's eyes widened, almost glowing.  "We really could do that?"

He laughed.  "If it'll make you happy, of course we could!"

Mrs. Potter hugged Lily.  "Remember—no budget!"

Lily's smile turned mischievous.  "I'm going to have fun!"

They left the office and walked slowly towards the Grecian family wing of the house.  It was only when they came to their room surrounded by the beautiful stone columns and Lily had seated herself on one of the cushioned divans that she asked James something that had been nagging at her for some time.

"James?"
"Yes?"  He was sitting across from her, having just unearthed a tray of grapes and roasted songbirds.

"Who do you think's going to be giving me away?"

James shrugged.  "Whoever you want—Remus, maybe, or my father—I'd suggest Sirius, but he's already my best man.  Who do you think?"
Lily dropped her head, fiddling with a piece of thread on her shirt.  "I was thinking maybe Severus."

"What?"  James almost spit out a mouthful of food.  "Snape?"

"Yes."  Lily ran her fingers through her hair.  "Severus."

James took a handful of his own hair in his fist, yanking on it.  "Lily, I don't want him at my wedding, much less have him walk you down the aisle!"

Lily dropped her skein of auburn.  "James, unless you want me to elope with him, I strongly suggest you let me have him give me away."

"Urgh."  James grumbled.  "He'd better be giving you away with no plans of taking you back, is all I'm saying."

Lily smiled with an obvious sense of superiority, taking James' hand.  "Don't worry.  I wouldn't let him do that."
James looked up.  "That's nice to hear."  He reached over and pulled her onto the floor and his lap.  "Especially nice to hear, coming from the object of all male affections."
"All male affections?"  Lily raised her eyebrows skeptically.  "As much as I'd like to believe that, I am not that wonderful a person."

"Yes, you are!"  James protested.  "You're beautiful and funny and smart and brave and talented and creative and—"

"Oh, please," Lily interrupted, rolling onto the floor and onto her stomach.  "Don't make me hurl."

"You are!  I don't see why you chose me—you could have any one you chose to, really!"

"James," Lily said dryly, "I think the encounter with my father just proved you wrong."

"Eh."  James twisted his mouth at the memory of it.  "Eh, well.  He's your father.  That would be just wrong." 

"Shut up!" Lily grinned, slapping him on the arm.  "It's not too late to change my mind, now," she warned.

"Okay, okay."  James caught her wrist, grinning slyly.  "I'll trade it for an occupation I like better." 

He leaned down and kissed her, catching her severely off her guard.

Only a few hours later, the two of them were getting ready for the ship that was to take them to Madagascar.  It was small; only about fifteen passengers would fit on it, after all—it was exclusively for the wedding guests.  Enchanted so that it would steer without a captain or crew, it was built in the style of what Lily could only imagine as the Chronicles of Narnia's Dawn Treader—with a beautifully carven figurehead at the prow and a deep, silky, indigo sail.  There were no rower's benches, however, and below deck was filled with about twenty rooms—fifteen being cabins, one a dining hall and several sitting rooms. 

It was a beautiful ship; her wood was smooth teak, and she shimmered in the sunlight with an iridescent glimmer. 

Lily herself had been presented with a beautiful pair of robes by Mrs. Potter—they were indigo silk, matching the sail.  There were two long, wide strips of indigo silk fastened at each shoulder; from there they hung to her knees, leaving her arms free.  A belt of the same material, knotted into a cord, tied around her waist in front, and a small veil hung down her back, fastened to her hair several inches above her ears; it didn't encumber her face or cover the crown of her head.  She felt like an other-world fairy as she hugged Mr. and Mrs. Potter goodbye, and, taking James' arm, ascended the gangplank.

He looked nice, too, she thought.  His robes were dark blue, the color of his eyes, and he reminded her of a mermish king—at least somewhat.  It was the blue that made Lily think of the ocean, the blue of his eyes and his robes…

The wind was blowing softly when they stepped onto the deck, alone for those few seconds.  Then their friends followed; naturally, Sirius, Peter, and Remus, and Lora, Eva, Vanessa, and Amanda.  Frank Longbottom was also joining them.  Lily hadn't allowed James to make Severus Apparate, so he and Lucius were coming, too—though Lily had had to bury her face in James' shoulder to keep from laughing publicly at Lucius' escort.  He was the only one that had brought one—Serena was hanging on his arm.

"She doesn't lose any time, does she?" Eva had mumbled in Lily's ear.  "First James, now Malfoy…"

Lily had tugged James' sleeve.  "I don't want her to be at my wedding!" she had hissed loudly.  "I will not!"

James grinned evilly at her.  "You had to have Snape, didn't you?  Live with the consequences, my dear!"

Lily groaned.  "Sometimes I wonder why I'm marrying you."

He draped his arm around her waist.  "Because you can't resist my irresistible personage!"

"Irresistible," she laughed.  "I'll believe that when I see it!"

"When you see it?"  His eyebrows rose.  "You're the one that's standing here, letting me hug you and wearing my ring!"

She wrinkled her nose.  "True."

"So, are you disappointed?" he taunted.  "Want to find someone completely irresistible instead of this handsome, Quidditch-playing, muscular, intelligent person in front of you that's absolutely obsessed with your every movement?"

Lily ruffled his hair, which, in all honesty, didn't need to be ruffled.  "You!  Modest, are we?"

"Don't need to be; you're modest enough for the both of us."  He kissed her quickly, then turned her around, his hands still around her waist, so that her back was against his chest and her head next to his. 

"I'm guessing we'd better pay attention to them, right?"  He was nodding at the rest of the guests and his parents, who were all on deck.

Sirius came jogging over.  "James!  Long time no see, old bean!"

"Damn straight!"  James pulled Sirius into a one-armed hug.  "All of about several hours!"

Sirius stepped back, staring quizzically at the two.  "Happy bride and groom, eh?"

"Sirius!"  Lily's face flushed.  "We're not married yet!"

Sirius simply grinned at them.  "I'm sure Snape'll be delighted to come along on this trip, won't he?"

"Oh, wait till you hear this."  James pulled Sirius aside.  "Lily invited him to walk her down the aisle!"

"What?"

"I know!  Only about five minutes after I said okay, she could, she owls him—and he had to come on this cruise ship, too, didn't he?"  James mock-glared at Lily, who tossed her hair and veil in his face.

"I'll have you know that I invited him expressly for the purpose of eloping with him five minutes before the ceremony.  Do lighten up about that!"

Sirius pulled her hair teasingly.  "But now his best friend's brought your little enemy, hasn't he?"

Lily sighed.  She flicked the ends of her sleeves in Sirius face and turned back to James.

"Please let me order her off the ship!  Please!"

"Oh, no!" James grinned.  "I get to have my amusement, too!"

Lora and the Doylen twins joined them.  "All one big, happy family, are we?"

James put an arm around Lily.  "Very nicely put!"

Suddenly, Lily twisted away, facing the prow, an ecstatic glow in her eyes.  "Look—we're launching!"

Eva clamped a hand over her mouth.  "What say I go down below?  I don't have my sea legs yet…"

"I'll join you," Frank declared.  "I'd better find out where my cabin is, anyway."

"Good idea," Peter chorused.  "I'll come, too!"

Within moments, the entire deck was empty, except for the two honored guests, who stood resting against the railing, the wind blowing in their faces, and the dusky, red-streaked sunset covering the ocean's waves and their figures.

James pulled a lock of hair away from her ear.  "Happy?"

"Terribly," she sighed.
They were silent again as they watched the sun set to their right.  They were leaning against the railing; his arm was around her waist, and the indigo silk from her robes was flickering around the carven wooden columns supporting the banister.  Once, the prow dipped so far down into the sea that a clash of seawater hit the hull, sending a few salty droplets into their faces.

They were out of sight of land in minutes, and they were facing the open sea while the sun was still setting.  Quickly, the gold faded into scarlet, the scarlet into indigo, and the indigo into a dusky blueish purple that tinted the sea a lovely deep blue.  Their ship was alone in the ocean; no boats of any other kind, no airplanes disturbed the quiet.  Lily sighed and let her head fall against James' shoulder.

"I wish this could last forever."

"So do I," James whispered.

A cough from behind them made James turn around sharply; Lily took no notice of it; her eyes were fastened on the horizon.

"What do you want?"
Lily heard Severus' voice from a distance.  "I just want to talk to Lily, that's all."
Irritably, James let go of Lily.  "You couldn't have waited, could you?  At least till we're at dinner or something—God, did you have to butt in?"

"Hey, I said absolutely nothing to you to make you mad!"

"Yeah, you did!  Just you presence within one hundred miles of me makes me livid!"

Lily was getting annoyed herself.  "James," she interrupted, "shut up!"

James turned to her in surprise.  "What did you just say?"

"You're being a prat.  Severus wanted to talk to me, and he's waited about an hour.  Don't be so oversensitive."  She turned to Severus.  "Wait for me.  I'll be inside in a minute."
James slammed his hand against the figurehead.  "No.  Talk to him out here.  I'm going inside."  Angry about something he couldn't pin down, he stormed off of the deck and slammed the door to the lower floors.