James & Lily - Seventh Year Heaven
A fanfiction by Lightheart_62442
"Don't tell me you're in trouble already, Potter," said Lily Evans as she followed James Potter down the hallway towards the Headmaster's office.
It was the first day of their final year at Hogwarts. Very soon they would be witnessing the last sorting ceremony of their school careers.
"No, as it happens, I'm not," replied James, overplaying his indignation. "I'm here by special request."
"Well, so am I. So I suppose we can go up together. Did McGonagall give you the password?"
"Chocolate Frog!" announced James and the spiral staircase leading up to the Headmaster's eyrie-like office started to turn slowly.
James knocked at the door and they heard the voice of Professor Albus Dumbledore requesting they enter.
"Ah! James, Lily, thank you for coming. I hope you both had a pleasant train journey, although I must say Madam Pomfrey might have to treat a few of the first years for seasickness - there's quite a gale blowing outside."
He indicated chairs for them to sit in and he sat in his own favourite squashy armchair to face them.
"I trust you both received your letters?"
"Yes, thank you," they both replied and Lily gave James an inquiring look to see if his letter was anything similar to hers.
"It took only a moment's deliberation to decide to appoint you Head Girl, Lily. You have taken on the responsibilities of prefect consistently and seriously over the past two years. I congratulate you and may I say I believe you will be an excellent ambassador amongst our prefects and senior students."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. I'll do my best," she replied.
He turned to James and, with a twinkle as he looked at him over his half- moon spectacles, ignored the look of astonishment on Lily's face as she anticipated what he was going to say to him.
"James, the decision to appoint you Head Boy was a little more demanding. I know that you have not been a prefect in previous years, and Lily I would ask for your co-operation to instruct James on the finer points that he may need to catch up on, as I suspect his knowledge of being a Prefect has been gained largely by being on the receiving end. However, your behaviour at the end of last year was an exceptional demonstration of the qualities it takes to be Head Boy at Hogwarts. Whilst the circumstances might have been a little, shall we say, out of the ordinary, I believe that you have the attitude that will be suited to the responsibilities of Head Boy and I am delighted to appoint you to the position."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," said James. "I won't let you down."
"Well," said Professor Dumbledore. "It is time for us to go down to the Great Hall where, I believe, a large number of first years are feeling in more than one respect, rather green."
James and Lily left Professor Dumbledore's office and on the way down the stairs Lily couldn't contain herself any more.
"And just what were those exceptional circumstances that contributed to your sense of responsibility for once, instead of your usually over- inflated ego?"
"No," said James, starting down the corridor shaking his head and putting his hands in the air to deflect any more requests.
"Oh, come on, Potter," implored Lily. "You heard what Dumbledore said, if you want me to instruct you on the finer points of being a prefect you're going to have to tell me."
James stopped and turned to face her with the trace of a grin in his eyes.
"You know, Evans, I've been asking you to go out with me for ever and day and you've always said "No". If you want to know what it was that impressed Dumbledore so much, meet me in the library after the sorting ceremony and I'll tell you."
"OK," said Lily and she opened her mouth to tell him that it was only because the Headmaster had obviously thought so much of him, but he cut across her and said:
"Fine - I'll see you there. Come on - we're running late. Don't want to mess up our first duties as Head Boy and Girl, do we?" And he turned and ran down the marble steps towards the Great Hall, murmuring to himself "Knew you'd see sense one day."
Chapter Two
It was the first evening of the school year and so there was hardly anyone in the library when James arrived. He wandered down the long stretches of bookshelves, his eyes sweeping over the titles with barely a flicker of interest. The lamps in the Restricted Section were extinguished and that area of the library was locked off and extremely dark.
After a few minutes the door creaked open and Lily entered, holding the door to allow two Ravenclaw third years to leave. She went to one of the long benches and sat down. James walked over and sat opposite her.
"Well," she said. "I'm here. But you had better forget the idea that this is any kind of a date."
"Listen," said James. "If we're going to do this job properly, we're going to have to work together. If you're willing to give it a go - no more name calling, no more backbiting. We're both in the same house but we're going to have to be dealing with students from all houses - no favouritism. Well, not too openly, anyway. What do you say? Give me a fresh start?"
Lily looked at him intensely. She had a way of examining people's eyes and making them feel she was looking straight through them.
"Alright then," she said at last. "I never thought I'd hear you say anything quite like that, but yes - if you're willing then so am I. Besides, in reality I'd much rather have you as Head Boy. From the look on Severus Snape's face I rather think he was expecting to receive the letter you got."
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed James. "Sorry, Evans, I mean, Lily. It's because of old Snivelly that I got the job!"
"What?" said Lily. "Is this what Dumbledore was talking about earlier?"
"Yes," said James. "There was a certain incident at the end of last year which started out as a joke but which got a bit too serious and I had to take some drastic action to stop Snivellus doing something really stupid which nearly cost him his life."
Lily stared at him, horrified.
"Lily," said James. "If I'm going to tell you this - all of this - you're going to have to trust me and me you. Can I trust you not to tell anyone?"
Lily looked at him. For years James had been a wicked combination of brilliant student and class clown. He was almost intolerably good at Quidditch and his little gang of four were popular, other students being willing to cover up many of their misdemeanours. Often his behaviour alongside Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew landed them into trouble with the teachers and it was usually James and Sirius who ended up in detention. Lily's regard for him had previously been double-edged. On the one hand he could be very funny and entertaining. On the other, she felt he badly needed to grow up and she had always refused his imploring to go out with him because she didn't want him to feel that he'd won out over her. Now he was looking at her in a new way. She hadn't seen this side of him before and she knew he was deadly serious.
"You can trust me," she said.
James smiled at her. Then he looked down at his hands on the table and seemed to struggle slightly with the start of his story. "Well, it starts really with Remus," he said.
"What about Remus?"
"Well you must have noticed that we all, sort of, disappear once a month?"
"You all sort of disappear all the time," said Lily. "Then you all sort of reappear somewhere you shouldn't be. Then you all sort of end up in detention."
"Yes, I know that," said James, grimacing. "But this is different. Every full moon the three of us have to go and help Remus. Can you guess why?"
"No ..unless.. you're not serious? Remus isn't a ...is he? A werewolf?"
"Sshh!" said James waving his hand at her. "Not so loud!"
"James, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's nobody here!"
James looked around him. "You can never be too sure," he said. "But yes. He's a werewolf. He kept coming up with lame excuses as to why he had to disappear once a month. But it was too regular. We all twigged after a while and ever since we've been helping him get through his transformations as best we can. You know, support him. Because I can tell you, he can be very scary and it's absolute torture for him."
"But how on earth do you manage that without being bitten yourselves?" Lily asked, incredulous.
"By transforming ourselves. We're all animagi."
"What!" cried Lily. "Does Dumbledore know? Surely that's illegal - not that I'd put it past you. How did you manage that? It's incredibly difficult and very dangerous!"
"It took us three whole years to work out how to do it," said James. "But we had to. Remus was tearing himself to bits. Sirius and I transform into very large animals which at least gives us an even chance against him. Peter had a lot more trouble. Sirius and I had to give him an enormous amount of help and even now the best he can manage is a rat. And no, Dumbledore doesn't know and he mustn't know. If he knew that three unregistered animagi were running around Hogwarts there'd be all hell to pay from the Ministry."
Lily stared at him for some time. This was a lot to take in.
"So how does old Snivelly come into it?" she asked
"Well," said James, "you know how it is. He's got a nose just too long for his own good. He's always following us around, trying to report us to teachers or prefects. It would make his day - his year - if any one of us were expelled. It got to a stage there where we could hardly turn around without him sneering some sort of remark about how he knew what we were up to. Of course, he had no idea. He just wanted to make us worried. Anyway, finally, Sirius had a gutful of him. One night at the end of last year when Remus was about to transform we went to where we usually go to allow Remus to do it safely. There's a secret passage under the Whomping Willow which goes to Hogsmeade and comes out in the Shrieking Shack. Remus goes there and spends his transformation time yelling and screaming in the Shack, much to the horror of the residents of Hogsmeade who haven't a clue what's going on. This particular night Sirius saw Snape following Remus and Madam Pomfrey going down to the Willow. Madam Pomfrey has been a real help through all of this. Patches us all up afterwards good as new. Sirius told Snape how to immobilise the Willow so you can get down into the passage. Of course, the idiot took the bait and went into the passageway, not knowing that Remus was about to transform. When I found out what Sirius had done, I had to go and rescue Snivelly before he got bitten or, worse, killed outright."
Lily was open mouthed. "But you all hate Snape," she said. "I mean, none of us like him - he's awful to us all. But at least you're not muggle born - you don't get called 'filthy mudblood' all the time."
"I know," said James. "And don't think it didn't cross my mind to leave him there. But I couldn't do it. The trouble is now old Snivellus knows what Remus is and he couldn't help running to Dumbledore to report everything he saw. It was the disappointment of his life to find out that Dumbledore already knew and what made it worse was that now he owes me his life. If he thinks that I've been made Head Boy over his head, it'll give him even more reason to hate us all - and me in particular."
Lily got up from her seat and walked around the table to one of the bookshelves. She was obviously wrestling with all that he'd told her.
"Are you OK with all of this?" James asked.
"Am I OK with it? Oh James, this is a lot to take in all at once." She paced up and down a few times and then sat down opposite him again.
"How long has Dumbledore known about Remus?"
"From the beginning. He doesn't have prejudices like that. He just sees people for what they are in their hearts. As long as Remus transforms safely once a month, the rest of the time he's happy to treat him the same as anybody else."
Lily stared at him. Finally she said "I've always thought Remus very kind."
"I'm kind too," said James, smiling at her.
She laughed at him "Oh yes, sure you are. You're really kind all the times you hex and jinx people and let off fireworks under their desks and dungbombs in the corridors."
James screwed up his eyes and ran his hand through his already messy hair.
"But don't worry," said Lily more softly. "I can see there's another side to you that I'll need to get to know a bit better. If we're to carry off this Head Boy and Girl thing, I mean."
"Oh, yes. Sure," said James. "Head Boy and Girl thing." He looked at her thoughtfully. "When's our next Hogsmeade weekend?"
"The end of the month," said Lily.
"Can't I take you there sooner than that?" asked James. "Would you come for a coffee with me on Saturday afternoon?"
"How are we going to do that - through your secret passageway under the Willow?"
"No, not that secret passageway," said James. "There are others, you know."
"Of course there are," said Lily. "Silly me! Fancy thinking you only knew of one. OK, then. Saturday afternoon it is."
James's face broke into a broad smile. "Great," he said. "And thank you. For listening, and for keeping this a secret. And I promise I won't tell anyone about Saturday afternoon. Not even Sirius."
Lily smiled at him. "Come on," she said. "It's late. We'd better be getting back".
Chapter Three
"How long have you been on that diet?" asked Lily of her best friend, Daisy McGrath.
"All summer," said Daisy, chomping off the top of a carrot. "I've lost three pounds."
"Three pounds?" asked Lily, disbelievingly. "After all the summer holidays? Well, I'm glad you're taking it seriously then."
"Yeah, well, I know it ought to be more," said Daisy, making a face. "But you can't survive the summer heat without a few ice creams and cold sodas. You know how it is."
"And I suppose you're teaming this up with a good exercise routine?" Lily was still more than dubious about Daisy's intentions. "If you're really serious about this then you need to have regular exercise. Playing chess might be considered a sport by some, but it won't help your fitness levels. What you need to do is start the day with a good strong walk, some isometric exercises, that sort of thing."
"Can't do that on my own," said Daisy, starting on a celery stick. "Would you come with me. You know, four times round the Quidditch pitch at 6.30 tomorrow morning?"
Lily grimaced. 6.30 in the morning at any time of year at Hogwarts meant being freezing cold and at best, damp from dew.
"Why do you want to lose weight anyway?" asked Lily, grasping at straws. "You're not so overweight."
"No, but I want to stay in shape."
"There isn't anyone you want to tell me about is there?" Lily was suspicious.
"No, no. No - really there isn't," as Daisy caught Lily's expression.
"Not one of the awesome foursome by any chance? Sirius maybe?"
"Pigs might fly without magic!" countered Daisy with a look of distaste, which might have been because this was the sixth carrot she was eating.
"Well you'd be better off eating better food and exercising more rather than trying to exist on this stuff," continued Lily looking dismally at the small collection of celery and carrot sticks that Daisy had in a paper bag. "I mean to say, there's nothing wrong with it but on its own you're going to get bored within three days. And don't forget we're going to be summoning patronuses this term in Defence Against the Dark Arts. If you want to be any sort of an Auror it won't look too good if the best patronus you can muster is a nice little fat fluffy number with long floppy ears. Scare off loads of Dementors with that.."
Daisy folded the top of the paper bag over and stuffed it into her pocket.
"Have you spoken to James Potter yet?" she asked Lily.
"What about?"
"About being Head Boy. Did you tell to pull his head in or you'd be delighted to knock him into the next Headless Hunt - Sir Nick'd love that."
"Sure I did," lied Lily. But the smile on her face told Daisy that Lily wasn't telling all. "Actually he was quite sweet about it. It's different if you get him away from all the others."
"Oooohh!" said Daisy. "Do I detect a softening of your position here?"
"No you do not!" Lily shot back. "James Potter is no closer to target in his sordid little quest than he ever has been." She tried to sound as convincing as she could.
"That's my girl!" said Daisy. "Right then. I think it's double Potions isn't it?"
Chapter Four
James and Lily met at 3.30 that Saturday afternoon in the Gryffindor Common Room. James started a firm but clear conversation about checking up on some fourth year Hufflepuff and Slytherin girls having an argument outside one of the girls' bathrooms on the third floor and would Lily come and help him sort it out? It was a cold and windy afternoon and most of the students were indoors, either in the Common Room or wandering to or from the library. There was a wizard chess tournament going on in one corner of the Common Room and groups of people were gathered talking, reading or catching up on homework. Anybody who overheard James talking with Lily wouldn't have given it another thought.
They climbed through the portrait hole and set off for the third floor, Lily had a quick look in the bathroom, which was empty and they continued on to the fourth floor. James led Lily to a large mirror on the wall and, checking nobody was looking and that Peeves wasn't around, he touched it with his wand and ushered Lily through the gap behind it into the tunnel.
"Lumos," he said and the light from his wand lit the way down the tunnel. It was quite a long way through to Hogsmeade but eventually a glimmer of light showed they had reach the exit at an opening at the base of a tree just behind Madam Puddifoot's Tea House. James checked to see if anyone was nearby and then took Lily's hand to help her through the opening. He led her to the street and they turned the corner and entered the tea house, finding a table towards the back. James held out a seat for Lily and then took a chair for himself which faced the door. They ordered coffees and started talking.
Lily asked James about being part of a true wizarding family. James told her about growing up in the Potter household and how things had changed at home recently now that Sirius Black had left his family and moved in with them until he was able to support himself. James saw Sirius as the brother he'd never had.
"But what went wrong - Sirius' family is a really old wizarding family isn't it?" asked Lily.
"Yes, but they're all Slytherin types. They're all into the pure blood mentality - including his brother Regulus. They all support.."and he lowered his voice to a whisper... "Voldemort. Sirius couldn't stand it any more. So he left and came to my parents for help."
James asked Lily about her family, so she told him about her parents and how surprised they were when they got the letter from Hogwarts inviting her to attend. And about her elder sister, Petunia, who couldn't get used to the idea of magic at all. Her parents thought it a curiosity, nothing more than a party trick but were happy to go along with the idea of having a witch in the family for the novelty value.
"Somehow," she said, "I think they're hoping I'll grow out of it and after Hogwarts I'll go back to being what they consider normal. But I don't. I can't make up my mind whether I want to be an Auror or a Healer. It just depends on my NEWTs."
"I'm going to have a go at being an Auror," said James. "I've spoken to Professor McGonagall about it and she thinks I shouldn't have any trouble getting the NEWTs as long as I put my head down this year."
"In which case we shouldn't be here," said Lily with a wry grin. "you should be back in the library, swatting."
"Aw, come on, Lily. Lighten up!" said James, picking up her hand from where it rested on the table and running his thumb up and down her index finger. "All work and no play makes James a very dull Head Boy."
"In all the years I've known you," said Lily, "the last description of you I could think of would be 'dull'."
The door of the café opened, sounding a little bell. Then the bell sounded again and the door shut. Nobody came in.
James put his hand over his eyes. "Oh, no," he said.
Lily looked at him and smiled. "You'd better go and ask him to join us."
"How'd you know?"
"James, there's a mirror on the wall behind you. I saw Sirius come in, see us and go out. If I'm not mistaken, he's sitting on the ground outside the door wondering if he can believe his eyes!"
"I swear I didn't say anything to him," said James.
"I know you didn't. The look on Sirius' face gave it all away. He mightn't like this, but I can read him like a book."
James got up and went to the door. Lily was right. Sirius was sitting on the ground with his back up against the shop front.
"What, in the name of Merlin, are you doing here?" asked James.
"I'm sorry, mate, if you'd have told me I'd have kept out of the way," said Sirius.
James held out his hand and pulled Sirius to his feet. "You'd better come in and say hello. We're nearly out of here anyway. And who, may I ask, have you come to see?"
"Oh, nobody in particular," said Sirius innocently. But as James went back inside the café he caught sight of a pretty young witch behind the counter who was loading a fresh batch of cream cakes into the display.
Sirius looked at Lily and said, "I'm really sorry, Lily. I had no idea you two were here."
"It doesn't matter, Sirius," said Lily smiling at him. "We were going to go shortly anyway - James was just telling me how much work he has to do. Besides, we wouldn't dream of crowding your action, would we James?"
James paid for the coffees and they left Sirius in the tea house. James took hold of Lily's hand as they headed back to the entrance at the base of the tree. There were grey clouds gusting across the sky and they were spotted with icy drops of rain.
"I hope this rain blows over," said Lily. "I'm supposed to be helping Daisy with a new exercise routine which involves early morning walks around the Quidditch pitch."
"I'll see you there," said James. "Gryffindors have got the pitch for early practise tomorrow." He paused as they got to the rear of the tree. "Thank you for being such a good sport," he said.
Lily laughed. "I don't know who was more shocked - him or you!"
They climbed down into the passageway. "Lumos," said James igniting the light at the end of his wand.
They walked hand in hand towards the castle.
Before going back through the gap behind the mirror, James stopped. He was still holding Lily's hand.
"Can I see you again soon?" he asked. "I mean, not as part of school. Like this. Just you and me? And, don't worry, Sirius will play the part. If I tell him, he'll make sure he steers the others out of the way too."
"I'd like that," said Lily, smiling at him in the wandlight. James brought her hand around his waist and stepped up closer to her. He had waited for this moment for two years - nothing would spoil it now. He put his face close to hers, searching her beautiful green eyes with his. Then he kissed her with a softness that belied the strength of his true feelings.
Chapter Five
James woke with a start as Sirius climbed over his bed to get to his own.
"You asleep?" asked Sirius, his voice disembodied in the blackness.
"Yes," answered James. "Whassa time?"
"Quarter to three."
"What!" exclaimed James trying to stifle the sound to a whisper. "Have you only just got back?"
"Yep. And don't worry, nobody saw me." Sirius lit a lamp next to his bed.
"Well, thanks for telling me that," yawned James. "I've got Quidditch practise in three and a half hours. I was worried I might have missed the start. How'd you go, anyway?"
"Are you kidding?" said Sirius, pulling his shirt off over his head. "It's a quarter to three - how d'you think I went!"
"Oh, I don't think I want to know," groaned James, pulling his pillow over his face.
"I wouldn't tell you anyway," laughed Sirius, raising his arm as he caught sight of a pillow flying at him from across the room.
"Shut up and go to sleep," said Remus Lupin, who was also laughing. "We've heard enough of your stories. All a lot of hot air, if you ask me."
"Oh, it was hot alright," said Sirius, chucking the pillow back at Remus.
"Nooooo!!!" came a muffled cry from under James' pillow. "I don't want to know! You come in, wake me up in the middle of the night just to tell me you're not going to tell me anything. Go away!"
"Well I have got something to tell you," said Sirius.
"I already know what it is and I don't want to hear about it!!" came the muffled voice.
"No you don't," said Sirius. "I was just coming through the castle and I saw Snivelly Snape coming down from the owlery."
James sat up and stared at Sirius who was straightening up the T-shirt he'd just pulled on.
"What's Snivellus doing sending owls at this time of night?" he asked.
"No idea. I didn't see any owls leaving so I don't know if he sent one or if he just went up there."
"That'd be right. The only intelligent beast that's prepared to keep him company. And I know Apollo would have flown right to the top to stay out of the way. With any luck he shat on him." Said James referring to his own owl.
"I wonder how often he does this?" asked Remus.
"I might have to take a trip up there with the invisibility cloak and just take a look," said James. "Nobody goes up to the owlery in the middle of the night unless they're up to no good. It might take a few nights to work it out, but we could take it in turns.
Chapter Six
In the morning, Lily pulled a reluctant Daisy outside to start their exercise routine. The wind had died and the rain had gone, but it was still grey and dismal.
"This is going to do us the world of good," said Lily breezily.
"I'm pleased you think so," said Daisy with a heavy air of gloom. "They say it gets better as you get going."
They crossed the grounds and headed towards the Quidditch pitch where they started walking with more energy.
After doing two rounds of the pitch, several figures on broomsticks flew towards them and set down in the middle of the ground.
"Hi," called James to Lily. "How's it going?"
"Fantastic! It's great to be alive!"
Daisy stared after Lily, mouthing the words she'd just heard Lily say.
She puffed up beside her and they continued walking side by side.
"The trouble with those boys," said Daisy, "is that you put them into a Quidditch uniform and give them a broomstick and all of a sudden they're God's gift to women."
"I know," said Lily. "It's revolting."
"It's all a performance," said Daisy.
"Nothing genuine about it at all," said Lily.
"Just gives them huge egos," said Daisy.
"And vast heads. Paralysingly boring," said Lily.
"More boring than watching grass grow," agreed Daisy. "Stultifyingly uninteresting."
"Completely brain dead," said Lily.
They puffed on for another twenty yards.
"When are you meeting him?" asked Daisy.
"9.30 tonight behind the greenhouses."
"That's my girl."
Chapter Seven
Over the following nights, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter took turns at going up to the owlery and hiding under the invisibility cloak. For a few nights they had no success and only succeeded in giving themselves stiff legs and extreme fatigue.
On the Thursday night it was James' turn again and he set off to the owlery under his invisibility cloak. After several hours of nodding off to sleep and waking up extremely uncomfortable, James was just about to give it a miss and go back to the dormitory when the door of the owlery opened and Severus Snape came in.
James held his breath and tried to stay as still as possible. He was hiding in a spot which was away from anywhere that people usual stood and was reasonably certain Snape wouldn't trip over him. Nevertheless he had his wand out just in case. All the owls were either sleeping or were quiet. Snape's entry disturbed a few and a couple of brown owls launched up to higher perches.
Snape took two containers from his pockets and set them down on the ground. He took a mouse from one of them. It wriggled and struggled as he held it by the tail and then he dipped it into some violet liquid in the other container. Then he looked around him. He was obviously looking for a particular bird and eventually in the gloom he found it. He moved over closer to where Apollo, James' owl was perched with his head under his wing.
"Ssshhh," said Snape, stroking Apollo's feathers. "Nothing to worry about, just a special little snack." Apollo looked at the mouse. James was willing him not to take it, but Apollo seemed to be interested in a marinated midnight feast and snapped the mouse from Snape's hand, throwing it down his throat. James couldn't believe his eyes as Apollo started to glow an iridescent purple. "Now," said Snape, "the next journey you're given you are to divert to the Malfoy house before you get to your destination. Mr. Malfoy is a friend. He will give you further instructions. Do not go straight to the destination given to you by James Potter. When you return, also divert to the Malfoy house. Do not go straight to the destination given to you by the Potters."
Snape stayed for a second, stroking the feathers of the handsome owl one last time. Then he turned and left the owlery.
James heard Snape's footsteps disappear down the stairway. He was shaking with rage. How dare Snivellus interfere with anyone's owls, let alone his own. But why? He thought for a while. Why would Snape want to divert mail from James to his parents? To the Malfoys of all people. He couldn't understand. Then it hit him. It wasn't his family mail that Snape wanted to divert. He knew that sometimes his father sent notes to Dumbledore using Apollo. That could be the information that Malfoy would be after.
James conjured up some parchment and a quill. He wrote a letter to his father warning him that Apollo might be 'unreliable' as an owl due to interference and if he wanted to send any sensitive information to either him or to Dumbledore then he should use another owl. He folded the note and fastened it to a school owl, sending it off to his parents.
Then he sat down and wrote another note to his father.
"Dear Mum and Dad,
"Thanks for the biscuits, they were great. They didn't last long once Peter Pettigrew found them, but the ones I got were delicious.
"There's been all sorts of problems here which I'm trying to sort out as Head Boy. Some idiot third year made up a potion which turns out was a mixture of Veritaserum and a Love Potion - both of which are highly restricted. We're not sure if they were trying to make one or the other, but somehow it got confused and there's the most awful mess. Somebody dropped it into a drink which Severus Snape drank one dinner time and now he's running around kissing all the girls and telling them what he calls "Special Secrets". It's quite chaotic. We've had to have him strapped to a bed in the hospital wing and poor Madam Pomfrey's quite beside herself trying to get him to shut up. Hopefully it will wear off soon.
Your loving son,
James
P.S. One of the things he keeps saying is that old Grandfather Malfoy was guardian of the goblin gold that Grindelwald stole during the wizard wars fifty years ago. After Grindelwald was defeated, they just kept it. Do you know anything about this - or is it his usual drivel? If it's true, I wouldn't want to be Malfoy turning up at Gringott's."
Chapter Eight
"I can't believe it," said Lily as she and James sat on Professor Sprout's garden seat at the back of one of the greenhouses. James had his arm around Lily's shoulders and he gently kissed the top of her head. Outside there was a bright flash of lightening, but it was so dark James couldn't see any storm clouds.
"The thing that worries me," said James, "is what Malfoy is doing with the information. My guess is that he's a filtering point for Voldemort. The trouble with the dark side is that they've got plenty of money. The Malfoys in particular are loaded and he's sure to be funding a lot of Voldemort's little activities. As far as I know, old Snivellus doesn't have much of a family and I don't know how much money he's got. I suspect not much. I'm wondering if Malfoy's paying Snape's school fees in return for services rendered."
"Well," said Lily, "that means that Snape might be being forced to act for Malfoy in order to stay at school. But you'd think that if Snape were hard up he could appeal to Dumbledore. I hardly think that if Malfoy suddenly stopped paying school fees that Dumbledore would let him go under so close to the end of his time here. Especially as he's been a prefect for the past two years."
"Don't remind me," said James. "But Snape couldn't go to Dumbledore because he'd have to admit that he's been passing information to Malfoy all this time. And we wouldn't have found out now if Sirius had some sort of control over his love life."
They sat for a minute in silent thought.
James looked at the sky. The moon was rising and would be full in a few days time. Silvery light shone through the glass panes of the greenhouse and sparkled on the flowering pots of golden rod and burdock lined up in rows on the greenhouse racks.
"We'd better be getting back soon," Lily said. "There's only so much library work I tell people I'm doing before it looks suspicious. Daisy's caught on, you know. She doesn't believe a thing I tell her and before long she'll crack under the strain. Phaedra Findlay can be pretty intimidating when she thinks there's a secret being buried somewhere."
James stood and pulled Lily to her feet also. He held her close and kissed her. "Well I don't mind letting people know. How about you? 'Bout time we were official?"
"Sure," smiled Lily. "But I don't know how McGonagall's going to cope with it."
"Oh, she'll be OK," said James. "She'll probably put an Imperturbable charm on the girls' dormitory and spend a few uncomfortable nights in an armchair between the staircases before she's happy the girls are safe in their own beds."
"James, you're impossible!" cried Lily, giving him a playful punch. "Poor McGonagall!"
They walked back towards the Main Entrance hand in hand when James caught sight of Sirius beckoning to him from behind a column.
"Lily, you go on. I'll catch you up. There's just something I've got to do."
He watched her climb the steps and disappear up towards Gryffindor tower.
Then he moved quickly over to where Sirius had been standing.
"What's up," James asked Sirius.
"He's been watching you," said Sirius.
"Who? Snivelly?" Sirius nodded.
"I saw him through the window as Lily was crossing the grounds towards the greenhouses," said Sirius. "He followed her all the way and then he disappeared behind the shed where Professor Sprout keeps all her pots and spades and things."
"So what did you do?"
"I stunned him," said Sirius. "He's still out cold behind the shed."
"So that was the lightening I saw," said James. "I thought it was a storm coming up."
They hurried back towards the greenhouses and went to inspect the back of the potting shed.
"Lumos," said James, furiously and the wandlight showed an unconscious figure lying on the ground.
James slapped Snape around the face.
"Come on, wakey, wakey," he said angrily. His rage over Apollo was still simmering and now it was even more personal. How dare Snape follow Lily? How dare he spy on them like that!
Snape groaned and started to move. He opened his eyes and when he saw both James and Sirius standing over him with wands out he moved very quickly to his feet.
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will be very interested to know about the three of you prowling around the grounds after hours," said Snape poisonously. "Head Boy and Head Girl roaming around the greenhouses in secret when they're supposed to be inside the castle. Doesn't look very good, does it Potter?"
James felt the enormous wave of anger sweeping through him even more forcefully.
"You leave Evans alone, Snivellus! She's done nothing to hurt you!"
"And as for you, Black," said Snape. "When the Headmaster hears about your stunning spell it might be the last straw for your school career."
"Nothing you can say makes me scared of you Snivellus," said Sirius. "You're nothing but a filthy toerag, worse than a house elf."
Snape went to reach for his wand but the others were already pointing theirs at him threateningly.
"And what about Evans then Potter?" sneered Snape. "A nice little diversion for you - can't keep away from those pretty, green eyes?"
James was white with rage.
"You're right, Snivellus, you're absolutely right. They are pretty green eyes, but they look only at me - do you understand?" His voice was cold and hissing with anger. "If there's one thing that you are going to get through your nasty, calculating, evil mind is that Lily Evans has eyes only for me and to prove it." and he waved his wand straight at Snape "you'll never be able to look at her eyes without seeing my face, without thinking of me first!" And a flash of red light and sparks issued from his wand as the hex hit Snape square between the eyes. He hit the ground, groaning.
"Come on Sirius," said James. "Leave this filth to moulder in his own dirt." And he tipped a container of compost straight over Snape as he lay on the ground.
Chapter Nine
The following Sunday morning Daisy and Lily rose early for their morning walk. As Lily looked out at the weather she saw it was bright and clear and the birds were singing in the sunlight, the flowers in the flower beds stretching themselves up into the warm rays.
Daisy was half way through the portrait hole when Lily said "I'll catch you up, I've just forgotten my hair ribbon."
Daisy made her way downstairs and out through the main entrance. Suddenly she stopped. At the bottom of the steps Severus Snape was face to face with Sirius Black and he had his wand pointing menacingly at Sirius' chest.
"I've got you this time, Black!" hissed Snape. "Caught you coming back from the Willow - a nice little night out on the tiles!"
Daisy moved down the steps towards them.
"There you are Sirius," she said brightly. "Did you do those circuits of the Willow like I told you?"
Sirius looked at her, speechless for a moment, and said "Sure, but Snape here's got some funny idea.."
"He's been out all night," spat Snape. "And I've got him this time."
"Oh Severus, shut up, you're making yourself look an idiot!" said Daisy. "Sirius is joining Lily and me on our fitness routine, aren't you?" She looked at Sirius meaningfully. "I only just saw him in the Common Room but I had to ...go back for my hair ribbon. You really mustn't be so obsessive, Severus. It's not good for you."
Lily's steps could be heard coming up to join them.
"OK, Lily?" asked Daisy. "Sirius beat me down here. I didn't think he'd come with us this morning after I defeated him three times at chess last night but he's as true as his word and he only just got here ahead of me."
Lily looked between Daisy and Sirius for a brief moment and then smiled, saying, "Great! It's nice to see you out in the open air for a change Sirius. This will be fun!" She turned to Snape. "Hello Severus, you're up early. Fancy a few laps of the Quidditch pitch with us?"
Snape looked at Lily and she was slightly alarmed at the expression of pure loathing he gave her before he put his wand in his pocket and turned on his heel.
About the same time, James woke up to prepare for early morning Quidditch practise. He turned himself over in bed and opened his eyes. Looking over towards Sirius' bed he saw the curtains open and a bed which had obviously not been slept in.
"Shit!" he exclaimed, jumping out of bed. "Remus! Peter! Wake up!" He shook Remus and threw a pillow at Peter. "Come on! Wake up - we've got to look for Sirius. He's not been here all night."
The others pulled themselves out of bed and hurriedly dressed.
"Where'd he go?" asked Remus.
"Hogsmeade, of course," said James. He probably fell asleep there and hasn't got back. We need to find him before a teacher does - or worse, Snape if he's on his usual prowl."
They headed off through the portrait hole ("Steady on, don't rush," said the Fat Lady trying to stop her cup of tea spilling) and down to the fourth floor. They were running as quietly as possible down the corridor towards the mirror when Remus stopped by a window.
"James!" he called. "James, stop - look!"
James and Peter returned to where Remus was standing at the window. They looked out towards the Quidditch pitch and saw Sirius running around the pitch with Daisy and Lily right behind him. Daisy had her wand out and was pointing it at him.
"Oh, my... what's he ... Oh, you beautiful girls!" James got out, shaking with laughter. Remus and Peter were convulsed too and they all leaned against the window laughing until they could catch their breath.
"Come on," said James, wiping his eyes. "I think the Head Girl has this one under control. I'd better get ready for Quidditch practise and I'll do a few low passes just to check he's OK."
Chapter Ten
"Feeling better for your run?" asked James as Sirius sat down next to him in the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Shut up," growled Sirius. "I've got a terrible headache."
James laughed and piled some toast onto his plate.
"So how come you were so late - need I ask?"
"We fell asleep," said Sirius quietly. "And the conditions weren't - how shall I put it - entirely comfortable and I must have fallen out of bed and hit my head on a table. Don't know how long I was out for, but when I came to it was dawn. I came out through the passageway under the Willow and was just at the steps when Snape sneaked round the corner. Thank God Daisy McGrath turned up - I owe her one. She and Lily saved my life."
James was trying to smother his laughter and Remus and Peter were shaking with silent convulsions.
"But they didn't let you off, did they?" laughed Remus.
"No. Four times round that pitch they made me do, then forty-five press ups before Lily took pity on me."
Later in Transfiguration, Sirius was feeling really unwell. His head hurt, he was tired and his transfiguration spells weren't working properly. Professor McGonagall wandered up beside him.
"Having a little trouble today are we, Black?" she enquired almost too sweetly.
"I'm sorry, Professor I don't feel well - got a headache."
James, Peter and Remus stifled a laugh.
"Well, that's most unfortunate," said McGonagall.
"Yes," said Peter, giggling, "he fell out of bed and hit - ow!" Remus had kicked Peter's leg to shut him up.
McGonagall looked at Peter and then back to Sirius.
"Well, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have a draught for the pain," she said. "Class, you can continue practising. Black, you come with me."
Sirius followed Professor McGonagall out of the classroom. She shut the door behind him and turned on him, her wand hissing little red and gold sparks.
"Fifty points from Gryffindore, Black!"
"Wha..."
"And you can come to my office for detention every night for a week!"
"But .."
"And I don't want to hear any arguments or complaints. If it weren't for the fact that I was so thoroughly entertained by your punishment at the hands of the Head Girl this morning, you would find me asking some very difficult questions about exactly whose bed it was you fell out of!"
"Yes, Professor," said Sirius, lowering his eyes.
"Go up to Madam Pomfrey and get some ice on that lump on your head and she can check you for concussion. Then get back here as quickly as possible."
Sirius turned and hurried off to Madam Pomfrey feeling he had been let off very lightly.
Chapter Eleven It was a beautiful May afternoon when Professor Dumbledore called James and Lily to his office.
"I wanted to speak to you about your careers after Hogwarts," he said. "you would have to be two of the most talented students I have ever had the pleasure of seeing through Hogwarts and I wanted to talk to you about your aspirations."
James looked at Lily and back to Dumbledore.
"I've always hoped to be an Auror," said James. "I know there's a big need for aurors at the moment with Voldemort gathering strength both here and abroad. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to track him down and get rid of him and his kind."
"You have the talent and the determination in abundance," said Dumbledore. "It would be my pleasure to see you follow that path and I hope that I personally might be able to use your talents to assist me in my work against him. It will be difficult and dangerous, but if you're willing to take it on, I will do my best to advise you in the process."
"I can barely wait!" said James.
"Lily, you have very special talents," said Dumbledore. "Whatever you decide to do, I know you will do it with all your heart. I hope that you might also consider joining me in the battle against dark forces?"
"Thank you," she said. "I would be honoured and especially if it means working besides you and James." Dumbledore looked at her. She was sitting very upright and was looking at James' face.
"Wonderful," said Dumbledore quietly. "Now, as you only have a short time left here at Hogwarts, I thought I'd show you a part of the grounds that not many people get to see. It's the Headmaster's private garden. It's hidden from view of all the windows except my private apartment. Most people don't know it exists and as such it remains a tranquil haven from the hustle and bustle of school. Will you join me?"
James and Lily rose to their feet and followed Dumbledore down a passageway which led outside of the castle. A tall stone wall stood opposite them with a large wooden gate with an iron ring holding the latch. Dumbledore opened the gate and they passed through. Lily gasped.
"Oh! This is beautiful!" she exclaimed.
Twelve garden beds were arranged around a central temple built of stone with fluted columns supporting the domed roof. The gardens were a riot of colour as shrubs were arranged to flower in patterns of stars and moons. Bees buzzed from flower to flower and butterflies flitted around. One settled on Lily's shoulder. James took Lily's hand and they walked down the path towards the shallow steps of the temple. Inside the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the Universe with comets passing through groups of stars and planets shining brightly, their moons orbiting in a carousel of diamond light. They walked up the steps and stared in awe at the enchanted Universe above them. When James looked back at the garden he saw that Dumbledore had gone.
He put his arms around Lily and held her close.
"I'm not looking forward to graduation," he said.
"Why not?" Lily was puzzled.
"Because I don't want to leave here and be away from you," he said. "Lily, you know I love you with all my heart. I don't just want to work with you. I want to share everything with you. I want to hear your voice in the mornings and the evenings - I want to spend my days and my nights with you. Live a long and happy life, have children." Lily was trembling ever so gently and tears started to well in her eyes. He drew his arms around her, holding her even closer to him. "Lily, the universe above us isn't big enough to contain my love for you. Will you marry me?"
She looked at him with a heart alive with the birdsong, the bees and the songs of the flowers and replied "Of course I will!"
They kissed and held each other for a long time, the power of the garden embracing them with heady scents and insect calls and the soft wings of butterflies as stars shot through galaxies above their heads.
Chapter Twelve
"Why so sad, Lily?" asked Professor McGonagall quietly as she sat down on the bench next to Lily. The sun was strong for early summer, but a cool breeze wafted around them carrying the sound of birdsong from the Forest over the lake to where they sat. A pair of swans glided by, dipping their heads under the water from time to time.
Lily turned her head towards Professor McGonagall. Her eyes were shining and wet and she dabbed at her nose with a handkerchief.
"Professor McGonagall, I've been at Hogwarts for seven wonderful years and you and Professor Dumbledore have been like family to me. It's not easy coming from a muggle family, there are things my parents and sister just don't understand. Now that I'm at the end of my time here they expect me to go back to the muggle world. My parents are hoping that I'll go to work in London and marry some stockbroker and somehow make money by divination of the share market."
Professor McGonagall sighed sympathetically. "This does sometimes happen dear," she said. "You would not be the first muggle-born who has been torn between our two worlds."
"But I don't want that!" cried Lily. "I couldn't imagine anything worse. My sister has married a chap who's already in middle management of a company which makes drills and according to my parents that's fine because he's "got prospects". She'll end up living in some suburban estate with a manicured garden and attend monthly committee meetings of the Women's Institute and the Parents & Friends hoping to make contacts with people of influence. It's awful! Like a living death!" Her handkerchief was screwed into a ball in her hand and she was crumpling a letter which Professor McGonagall assumed had arrived from Lily's parents and was the cause of all her grief.
Lily gazed across the lake. A fish jumped into the air and fell back into the water with a splash. Rings of water sparkled across the surface of the lake in widening circles that marked the spot.
"Has James asked you to marry him?" asked Professor McGonagall, guessing the root of the problem.
Lily's jaw dropped and she looked at Professor McGonagall. "Well, umm, yes . yes he has actually."
"And your family is less than enthusiastic?"
Lily's eyes turned to her lap and her shoulders shook for a moment. Professor McGonagall sidled up to her and put a comforting arm around her.
"Now, now," she said softly. "There comes a time in all our lives where we have to make choices and we make those choices based on the acknowledgement of our inner-most selves. It's always difficult when you are in the knowledge that the choice you make will close a door on one part of your life for ever. But if I were to give you any advice at all, it would be to stay true to yourself. It is your life that you are living, nobody else's. Always do what will make your spirits soar and your soul sing."
"Thank you," said Lily, tearing up the letter. "I have never had any doubt that I want to marry James and we want the wedding to be as soon as possible after graduation. It just would have been so much nicer if my family could have supported my decision."
"I know, dear," said Professor McGonagall. "But this calls for celebration - or is it a secret?"
Lily smiled at her and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. "It's still a secret," she said.
"So that means that Sirius, Remus and Peter know as well as Daisy McGrath and Phaedra Findlay, and if she knows you might as well include the whole of Gryffindor," said Professor McGonagall. They laughed together and Lily tidied some strands of hair that were blowing across her face.
"Professor McGonagall," started Lily, "can I ask you something?"
"Of course, dear."
"Well, as I said before, you and Professor Dumbledore have been like family to me for the past seven years. James is going to ask Professor Dumbledore to conduct the ceremony under his powers as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. As my family will not be attending, and you have been my Head of House for seven years, would you do me the honour of giving me away?"
"Oh . my dear!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall. "I would be absolutely delighted!"
Chapter Thirteen
The day of the wedding was clear and warm. Most of the guests had arrived the day before and spent the night in the guest houses and hotel of Hogsmeade. About half an hour before the scheduled commencement of the ceremony, they started to filter into the Headmaster's private garden.
Lily and Daisy had spent the entire previous day charming decorations around the garden. The columns at the front of the temple now had coils of white and silver clematis spiralling up them. Garlands of lilies and roses bound with broad silver and gold ribbon looped around the walls and massive vases of white, silver and gold lilies stood sentinel on either side of the steps.
The garden beds were a riot of flowering shrubs. Charmed gold and silver butterflies flitted between the blooms and several pairs of white doves were launching from the dovecote to peck on the newly mown lawn below.
The guests assembled themselves into seats which had been placed facing the front steps of the temple. Each seat had on it a sheet of paper with the order of the ceremony printed on it in gold lettering. As the guests read, a golden cherub printed onto the corner of each page played a tiny harp.
Lily and Daisy had arranged to dress in a room inside the castle close to the entrance to the garden. This was a private lounge usually used by Professor Dumbledore for informal meetings and entertaining visiting parents. The girls had never been there before and Lily thought how light and airy a room it was with its colourful paintings of flowers and rural scenes, pastel-coloured curtains and a fireplace stacked with logs ready for lighting against the next cold blast from the north. There was plenty of room for them to spread out and a long mirror had been conjured for them in the corner.
When they were dressed, they made final adjustments to each other's hair and make up and put on lipstick. There was a knock at the door and Professor McGonagall entered saying "Don't worry, it's only me!"
Lily gasped. "Professor McGonagall! You look wonderful!" And she did. She was wearing a long dress of dusky pink with deep rose robes over the top. Her pointed hat was in similar deep rose with pale pink flowers pinned to the band.
"My dear Lily," said Professor McGonagall. "If there's any day when you must call me 'Minerva', today is it. And thank you very much. I don't normally wear this colour, but I must say it is quite becoming."
Daisy was also staring at her former Head of House who, with her hair swept up more softly than usual and with some make up suddenly looked much younger than they were accustomed to seeing her.
"Now, let me take a look at you."
Lily got up from her chair and stood closer to the fireplace. Her white dress was made of silk. The bodice was not too low cut and was shaped into her waist before flaring out and falling softly into folds to the floor. The skirt was embroidered with lilies trailing over the its length and the back extended into a train. The long sleeves held close to just below the elbow and then extended softly from her wrists to a long point which extended towards the floor. Around her neck was a beautiful silver necklace with a silver pendant of a stag and doe standing side by side. "James gave me this," said Lily, turning the pendant so she could see it in the mirror.
Professor McGonagall put her hand to her mouth and her lips trembled slightly as she said "You look magnificent. James is a lucky, lucky man."
"Oh, don't worry," said Daisy, looking awestruck at Lily. Daisy was also looking very pretty in a pale pink dress with matching pink robes. She had her curly, blonde hair piled neatly onto the top of her head and secured with a clasp featuring two pink lilies. "James has chased Lily for so long - I think he knows exactly how lucky he is!"
There was a soft tap at the door and Daisy went to answer it. It was Professor Dumbledore and Daisy looked at Lily who beckoned her to let him in.
"Oh, my .. " said Dumbledore, looking at Lily. "Words are not enough to express how you look. Your forte has always been charms, Lily. But I think this is your best effort yet!" He spent several seconds looking at her before he softly caught his breath and said "Well, I think everyone is ready now, so if you will just give me two minutes to make my way around to my position.."
"Professor Dumbledore," said Lily, walking quickly up to him. "Thank you for everything!" And she stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.
Dumbledore smiled at her and held her hand for a moment. "You know, it has always been my greatest pleasure," he said gently.
After giving Dumbledore his requested couple of minutes, Lily pinned a corsage of pink lilies and tiny white rosebuds to Minerva McGonagall's robes. Daisy picked up her bouquet of pink lilies and gave Lily her bouquet of white lilies and trailing ivy and the three of them left the castle and made their way to the gate in the garden wall. Remus Lupin stood in the gateway indicating the direction to a couple of latecomers. He caught sight of the wedding party and turned to watch them walking towards him with a huge smile. He indicated to them to stop and wait for a second while he checked everything was ready for them. Then he turned and said to Lily "They're ready for you. You look amazing!"
Daisy helped sweep Lily's veil over her head and straightened it in front over her face. Then they entered the garden and stood at the end of the pathway leading up to the temple. Everyone stood and turned to watch and there were gasps and murmurs of appreciation. Out of nowhere music of flutes and harps played softly. The gold and silver butterflies flitted overhead, occasionally settling on people's shoulders. The scent of jasmine and gardenia filled the air and white and pink rose petals fell out of the sky in front of their feet. Professor McGonagall extended her right hand and Lily placed her left on top of it and slowly they made their way down the pathway, followed by Daisy who occasionally stooped to straighten Lily's train.
Waiting for them at the steps of the temple were James and, beside him, Sirius. They looked stunning in formal white shirts, white bow ties and black dress robes which had a border of black silk ribbon running around the edges. They both had white rosebuds pinned to their robes. James' hair looked like he'd spent hours taming it into some sort of order for once whereas Sirius' flopped in its usual wavy elegance over his forehead.
Over to one side Peter Pettigrew was taking photographs. Professor Dumbledore stood at the top of the steps in his magnificent dark blue velvet robes embroidered with stars and planets.
The music filled the air until they reached the steps and Minerva McGonagall passed Lily's hand to James who looked at her face smiling at him through the veil and whispered "I adore you" as they turned to face Professor Dumbledore.
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced Professor Dumbledore. "There are many responsibilities attached to the position of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, but I must say this would have to be the most pleasurable. We are gathered here together to witness the joining in marriage of these two wonderful young people who have made the excellent choice of spending the rest of their lives together."
Dumbledore spoke for two or three minutes before asking Lily and James to exchange their marriage vows. Sirius delved into his pocket and took out a golden ring which he placed into James' hand.
"May this ring represent the never ending circle of love that I feel for you," he said to Lily as he placed it on her finger.
"By the powers vested in me," announced Professor Dumbledore, "I declare you Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride." And James took the bottom of Lily's veil and swept it over her head. He smiled into her beaming face and circled his arms around her before tenderly kissing her lips.
Loud applause broke out amongst the guests with a few cheers and whistles. James looked at Lily and said softly "I love you so much. You look so beautiful. This is the happiest day of my life."
Chapter Fourteen
Following the ceremony, the wedding party led the way back to the castle where Peter Pettigrew took photographs on the front steps. Then they made their way into the Great Hall which had been transformed from its usual scholarly appearance by magnificent gold and silver hangings bearing the names "James" and "Lily" draping down from the enchanted ceiling above. Hundreds of gold and silver candles twinkled over them and the room was filled with vast vases of flowers, some of which were hanging in mid-air. A small orchestra was playing in one corner.
The tables were covered in golden platters of food and the large jugs of pumpkin juice that normally were available during school time were replaced by large crystal carafes of water or pumpkin juice and bottles of Champagne. Everyone laughed and chatted as they ate. There were some speeches which James had made sure were going to be short, however Sirius did manage to tell everyone how he had spent two years trying to convince James to take Lily out but he wouldn't listen - which nobody believed.
The orchestra struck up a waltz and James stood and led his bride by the hand to the dance floor. She picked up the corner of her train which dropped in soft folds as he slowly swept her around the floor. Sirius stood up and took a rose out the vase on the table. He went over to Daisy and, bowing slightly towards her he kissed the rose and presented it to her. Daisy was so overcome, she blushed vividly and suddenly didn't know where to look. Accepting the rose, she stood up and Sirius took her by the hand and led her onto the dance floor. He hadn't completed two rounds of the floor before Remus Lupin tapped him on the shoulder to cut in. Graciously, Sirius stepped aside to allow Remus to dance with Daisy and he headed off in the direction of Phaedra Findlay. As they danced close together, Lily suddenly realised from the looks on their faces that this probably wasn't the first dance Remus had had with Daisy or at least, wasn't the first time he'd held her close. Lily smiled an astonished smile at James and said to him "Did you know about this?"
"What - Remus and Daisy?" said James, nonchalantly. "Oh yes, it's old news."
"I don't believe it! And just how long have you known?"
"Oh, about an hour and a half. I caught them behind one of the rose bushes sneaking a quick kiss."
"I knew it - she's had a secret all year! Well, that's my girl!"
A fanfiction by Lightheart_62442
"Don't tell me you're in trouble already, Potter," said Lily Evans as she followed James Potter down the hallway towards the Headmaster's office.
It was the first day of their final year at Hogwarts. Very soon they would be witnessing the last sorting ceremony of their school careers.
"No, as it happens, I'm not," replied James, overplaying his indignation. "I'm here by special request."
"Well, so am I. So I suppose we can go up together. Did McGonagall give you the password?"
"Chocolate Frog!" announced James and the spiral staircase leading up to the Headmaster's eyrie-like office started to turn slowly.
James knocked at the door and they heard the voice of Professor Albus Dumbledore requesting they enter.
"Ah! James, Lily, thank you for coming. I hope you both had a pleasant train journey, although I must say Madam Pomfrey might have to treat a few of the first years for seasickness - there's quite a gale blowing outside."
He indicated chairs for them to sit in and he sat in his own favourite squashy armchair to face them.
"I trust you both received your letters?"
"Yes, thank you," they both replied and Lily gave James an inquiring look to see if his letter was anything similar to hers.
"It took only a moment's deliberation to decide to appoint you Head Girl, Lily. You have taken on the responsibilities of prefect consistently and seriously over the past two years. I congratulate you and may I say I believe you will be an excellent ambassador amongst our prefects and senior students."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. I'll do my best," she replied.
He turned to James and, with a twinkle as he looked at him over his half- moon spectacles, ignored the look of astonishment on Lily's face as she anticipated what he was going to say to him.
"James, the decision to appoint you Head Boy was a little more demanding. I know that you have not been a prefect in previous years, and Lily I would ask for your co-operation to instruct James on the finer points that he may need to catch up on, as I suspect his knowledge of being a Prefect has been gained largely by being on the receiving end. However, your behaviour at the end of last year was an exceptional demonstration of the qualities it takes to be Head Boy at Hogwarts. Whilst the circumstances might have been a little, shall we say, out of the ordinary, I believe that you have the attitude that will be suited to the responsibilities of Head Boy and I am delighted to appoint you to the position."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," said James. "I won't let you down."
"Well," said Professor Dumbledore. "It is time for us to go down to the Great Hall where, I believe, a large number of first years are feeling in more than one respect, rather green."
James and Lily left Professor Dumbledore's office and on the way down the stairs Lily couldn't contain herself any more.
"And just what were those exceptional circumstances that contributed to your sense of responsibility for once, instead of your usually over- inflated ego?"
"No," said James, starting down the corridor shaking his head and putting his hands in the air to deflect any more requests.
"Oh, come on, Potter," implored Lily. "You heard what Dumbledore said, if you want me to instruct you on the finer points of being a prefect you're going to have to tell me."
James stopped and turned to face her with the trace of a grin in his eyes.
"You know, Evans, I've been asking you to go out with me for ever and day and you've always said "No". If you want to know what it was that impressed Dumbledore so much, meet me in the library after the sorting ceremony and I'll tell you."
"OK," said Lily and she opened her mouth to tell him that it was only because the Headmaster had obviously thought so much of him, but he cut across her and said:
"Fine - I'll see you there. Come on - we're running late. Don't want to mess up our first duties as Head Boy and Girl, do we?" And he turned and ran down the marble steps towards the Great Hall, murmuring to himself "Knew you'd see sense one day."
Chapter Two
It was the first evening of the school year and so there was hardly anyone in the library when James arrived. He wandered down the long stretches of bookshelves, his eyes sweeping over the titles with barely a flicker of interest. The lamps in the Restricted Section were extinguished and that area of the library was locked off and extremely dark.
After a few minutes the door creaked open and Lily entered, holding the door to allow two Ravenclaw third years to leave. She went to one of the long benches and sat down. James walked over and sat opposite her.
"Well," she said. "I'm here. But you had better forget the idea that this is any kind of a date."
"Listen," said James. "If we're going to do this job properly, we're going to have to work together. If you're willing to give it a go - no more name calling, no more backbiting. We're both in the same house but we're going to have to be dealing with students from all houses - no favouritism. Well, not too openly, anyway. What do you say? Give me a fresh start?"
Lily looked at him intensely. She had a way of examining people's eyes and making them feel she was looking straight through them.
"Alright then," she said at last. "I never thought I'd hear you say anything quite like that, but yes - if you're willing then so am I. Besides, in reality I'd much rather have you as Head Boy. From the look on Severus Snape's face I rather think he was expecting to receive the letter you got."
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed James. "Sorry, Evans, I mean, Lily. It's because of old Snivelly that I got the job!"
"What?" said Lily. "Is this what Dumbledore was talking about earlier?"
"Yes," said James. "There was a certain incident at the end of last year which started out as a joke but which got a bit too serious and I had to take some drastic action to stop Snivellus doing something really stupid which nearly cost him his life."
Lily stared at him, horrified.
"Lily," said James. "If I'm going to tell you this - all of this - you're going to have to trust me and me you. Can I trust you not to tell anyone?"
Lily looked at him. For years James had been a wicked combination of brilliant student and class clown. He was almost intolerably good at Quidditch and his little gang of four were popular, other students being willing to cover up many of their misdemeanours. Often his behaviour alongside Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew landed them into trouble with the teachers and it was usually James and Sirius who ended up in detention. Lily's regard for him had previously been double-edged. On the one hand he could be very funny and entertaining. On the other, she felt he badly needed to grow up and she had always refused his imploring to go out with him because she didn't want him to feel that he'd won out over her. Now he was looking at her in a new way. She hadn't seen this side of him before and she knew he was deadly serious.
"You can trust me," she said.
James smiled at her. Then he looked down at his hands on the table and seemed to struggle slightly with the start of his story. "Well, it starts really with Remus," he said.
"What about Remus?"
"Well you must have noticed that we all, sort of, disappear once a month?"
"You all sort of disappear all the time," said Lily. "Then you all sort of reappear somewhere you shouldn't be. Then you all sort of end up in detention."
"Yes, I know that," said James, grimacing. "But this is different. Every full moon the three of us have to go and help Remus. Can you guess why?"
"No ..unless.. you're not serious? Remus isn't a ...is he? A werewolf?"
"Sshh!" said James waving his hand at her. "Not so loud!"
"James, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's nobody here!"
James looked around him. "You can never be too sure," he said. "But yes. He's a werewolf. He kept coming up with lame excuses as to why he had to disappear once a month. But it was too regular. We all twigged after a while and ever since we've been helping him get through his transformations as best we can. You know, support him. Because I can tell you, he can be very scary and it's absolute torture for him."
"But how on earth do you manage that without being bitten yourselves?" Lily asked, incredulous.
"By transforming ourselves. We're all animagi."
"What!" cried Lily. "Does Dumbledore know? Surely that's illegal - not that I'd put it past you. How did you manage that? It's incredibly difficult and very dangerous!"
"It took us three whole years to work out how to do it," said James. "But we had to. Remus was tearing himself to bits. Sirius and I transform into very large animals which at least gives us an even chance against him. Peter had a lot more trouble. Sirius and I had to give him an enormous amount of help and even now the best he can manage is a rat. And no, Dumbledore doesn't know and he mustn't know. If he knew that three unregistered animagi were running around Hogwarts there'd be all hell to pay from the Ministry."
Lily stared at him for some time. This was a lot to take in.
"So how does old Snivelly come into it?" she asked
"Well," said James, "you know how it is. He's got a nose just too long for his own good. He's always following us around, trying to report us to teachers or prefects. It would make his day - his year - if any one of us were expelled. It got to a stage there where we could hardly turn around without him sneering some sort of remark about how he knew what we were up to. Of course, he had no idea. He just wanted to make us worried. Anyway, finally, Sirius had a gutful of him. One night at the end of last year when Remus was about to transform we went to where we usually go to allow Remus to do it safely. There's a secret passage under the Whomping Willow which goes to Hogsmeade and comes out in the Shrieking Shack. Remus goes there and spends his transformation time yelling and screaming in the Shack, much to the horror of the residents of Hogsmeade who haven't a clue what's going on. This particular night Sirius saw Snape following Remus and Madam Pomfrey going down to the Willow. Madam Pomfrey has been a real help through all of this. Patches us all up afterwards good as new. Sirius told Snape how to immobilise the Willow so you can get down into the passage. Of course, the idiot took the bait and went into the passageway, not knowing that Remus was about to transform. When I found out what Sirius had done, I had to go and rescue Snivelly before he got bitten or, worse, killed outright."
Lily was open mouthed. "But you all hate Snape," she said. "I mean, none of us like him - he's awful to us all. But at least you're not muggle born - you don't get called 'filthy mudblood' all the time."
"I know," said James. "And don't think it didn't cross my mind to leave him there. But I couldn't do it. The trouble is now old Snivellus knows what Remus is and he couldn't help running to Dumbledore to report everything he saw. It was the disappointment of his life to find out that Dumbledore already knew and what made it worse was that now he owes me his life. If he thinks that I've been made Head Boy over his head, it'll give him even more reason to hate us all - and me in particular."
Lily got up from her seat and walked around the table to one of the bookshelves. She was obviously wrestling with all that he'd told her.
"Are you OK with all of this?" James asked.
"Am I OK with it? Oh James, this is a lot to take in all at once." She paced up and down a few times and then sat down opposite him again.
"How long has Dumbledore known about Remus?"
"From the beginning. He doesn't have prejudices like that. He just sees people for what they are in their hearts. As long as Remus transforms safely once a month, the rest of the time he's happy to treat him the same as anybody else."
Lily stared at him. Finally she said "I've always thought Remus very kind."
"I'm kind too," said James, smiling at her.
She laughed at him "Oh yes, sure you are. You're really kind all the times you hex and jinx people and let off fireworks under their desks and dungbombs in the corridors."
James screwed up his eyes and ran his hand through his already messy hair.
"But don't worry," said Lily more softly. "I can see there's another side to you that I'll need to get to know a bit better. If we're to carry off this Head Boy and Girl thing, I mean."
"Oh, yes. Sure," said James. "Head Boy and Girl thing." He looked at her thoughtfully. "When's our next Hogsmeade weekend?"
"The end of the month," said Lily.
"Can't I take you there sooner than that?" asked James. "Would you come for a coffee with me on Saturday afternoon?"
"How are we going to do that - through your secret passageway under the Willow?"
"No, not that secret passageway," said James. "There are others, you know."
"Of course there are," said Lily. "Silly me! Fancy thinking you only knew of one. OK, then. Saturday afternoon it is."
James's face broke into a broad smile. "Great," he said. "And thank you. For listening, and for keeping this a secret. And I promise I won't tell anyone about Saturday afternoon. Not even Sirius."
Lily smiled at him. "Come on," she said. "It's late. We'd better be getting back".
Chapter Three
"How long have you been on that diet?" asked Lily of her best friend, Daisy McGrath.
"All summer," said Daisy, chomping off the top of a carrot. "I've lost three pounds."
"Three pounds?" asked Lily, disbelievingly. "After all the summer holidays? Well, I'm glad you're taking it seriously then."
"Yeah, well, I know it ought to be more," said Daisy, making a face. "But you can't survive the summer heat without a few ice creams and cold sodas. You know how it is."
"And I suppose you're teaming this up with a good exercise routine?" Lily was still more than dubious about Daisy's intentions. "If you're really serious about this then you need to have regular exercise. Playing chess might be considered a sport by some, but it won't help your fitness levels. What you need to do is start the day with a good strong walk, some isometric exercises, that sort of thing."
"Can't do that on my own," said Daisy, starting on a celery stick. "Would you come with me. You know, four times round the Quidditch pitch at 6.30 tomorrow morning?"
Lily grimaced. 6.30 in the morning at any time of year at Hogwarts meant being freezing cold and at best, damp from dew.
"Why do you want to lose weight anyway?" asked Lily, grasping at straws. "You're not so overweight."
"No, but I want to stay in shape."
"There isn't anyone you want to tell me about is there?" Lily was suspicious.
"No, no. No - really there isn't," as Daisy caught Lily's expression.
"Not one of the awesome foursome by any chance? Sirius maybe?"
"Pigs might fly without magic!" countered Daisy with a look of distaste, which might have been because this was the sixth carrot she was eating.
"Well you'd be better off eating better food and exercising more rather than trying to exist on this stuff," continued Lily looking dismally at the small collection of celery and carrot sticks that Daisy had in a paper bag. "I mean to say, there's nothing wrong with it but on its own you're going to get bored within three days. And don't forget we're going to be summoning patronuses this term in Defence Against the Dark Arts. If you want to be any sort of an Auror it won't look too good if the best patronus you can muster is a nice little fat fluffy number with long floppy ears. Scare off loads of Dementors with that.."
Daisy folded the top of the paper bag over and stuffed it into her pocket.
"Have you spoken to James Potter yet?" she asked Lily.
"What about?"
"About being Head Boy. Did you tell to pull his head in or you'd be delighted to knock him into the next Headless Hunt - Sir Nick'd love that."
"Sure I did," lied Lily. But the smile on her face told Daisy that Lily wasn't telling all. "Actually he was quite sweet about it. It's different if you get him away from all the others."
"Oooohh!" said Daisy. "Do I detect a softening of your position here?"
"No you do not!" Lily shot back. "James Potter is no closer to target in his sordid little quest than he ever has been." She tried to sound as convincing as she could.
"That's my girl!" said Daisy. "Right then. I think it's double Potions isn't it?"
Chapter Four
James and Lily met at 3.30 that Saturday afternoon in the Gryffindor Common Room. James started a firm but clear conversation about checking up on some fourth year Hufflepuff and Slytherin girls having an argument outside one of the girls' bathrooms on the third floor and would Lily come and help him sort it out? It was a cold and windy afternoon and most of the students were indoors, either in the Common Room or wandering to or from the library. There was a wizard chess tournament going on in one corner of the Common Room and groups of people were gathered talking, reading or catching up on homework. Anybody who overheard James talking with Lily wouldn't have given it another thought.
They climbed through the portrait hole and set off for the third floor, Lily had a quick look in the bathroom, which was empty and they continued on to the fourth floor. James led Lily to a large mirror on the wall and, checking nobody was looking and that Peeves wasn't around, he touched it with his wand and ushered Lily through the gap behind it into the tunnel.
"Lumos," he said and the light from his wand lit the way down the tunnel. It was quite a long way through to Hogsmeade but eventually a glimmer of light showed they had reach the exit at an opening at the base of a tree just behind Madam Puddifoot's Tea House. James checked to see if anyone was nearby and then took Lily's hand to help her through the opening. He led her to the street and they turned the corner and entered the tea house, finding a table towards the back. James held out a seat for Lily and then took a chair for himself which faced the door. They ordered coffees and started talking.
Lily asked James about being part of a true wizarding family. James told her about growing up in the Potter household and how things had changed at home recently now that Sirius Black had left his family and moved in with them until he was able to support himself. James saw Sirius as the brother he'd never had.
"But what went wrong - Sirius' family is a really old wizarding family isn't it?" asked Lily.
"Yes, but they're all Slytherin types. They're all into the pure blood mentality - including his brother Regulus. They all support.."and he lowered his voice to a whisper... "Voldemort. Sirius couldn't stand it any more. So he left and came to my parents for help."
James asked Lily about her family, so she told him about her parents and how surprised they were when they got the letter from Hogwarts inviting her to attend. And about her elder sister, Petunia, who couldn't get used to the idea of magic at all. Her parents thought it a curiosity, nothing more than a party trick but were happy to go along with the idea of having a witch in the family for the novelty value.
"Somehow," she said, "I think they're hoping I'll grow out of it and after Hogwarts I'll go back to being what they consider normal. But I don't. I can't make up my mind whether I want to be an Auror or a Healer. It just depends on my NEWTs."
"I'm going to have a go at being an Auror," said James. "I've spoken to Professor McGonagall about it and she thinks I shouldn't have any trouble getting the NEWTs as long as I put my head down this year."
"In which case we shouldn't be here," said Lily with a wry grin. "you should be back in the library, swatting."
"Aw, come on, Lily. Lighten up!" said James, picking up her hand from where it rested on the table and running his thumb up and down her index finger. "All work and no play makes James a very dull Head Boy."
"In all the years I've known you," said Lily, "the last description of you I could think of would be 'dull'."
The door of the café opened, sounding a little bell. Then the bell sounded again and the door shut. Nobody came in.
James put his hand over his eyes. "Oh, no," he said.
Lily looked at him and smiled. "You'd better go and ask him to join us."
"How'd you know?"
"James, there's a mirror on the wall behind you. I saw Sirius come in, see us and go out. If I'm not mistaken, he's sitting on the ground outside the door wondering if he can believe his eyes!"
"I swear I didn't say anything to him," said James.
"I know you didn't. The look on Sirius' face gave it all away. He mightn't like this, but I can read him like a book."
James got up and went to the door. Lily was right. Sirius was sitting on the ground with his back up against the shop front.
"What, in the name of Merlin, are you doing here?" asked James.
"I'm sorry, mate, if you'd have told me I'd have kept out of the way," said Sirius.
James held out his hand and pulled Sirius to his feet. "You'd better come in and say hello. We're nearly out of here anyway. And who, may I ask, have you come to see?"
"Oh, nobody in particular," said Sirius innocently. But as James went back inside the café he caught sight of a pretty young witch behind the counter who was loading a fresh batch of cream cakes into the display.
Sirius looked at Lily and said, "I'm really sorry, Lily. I had no idea you two were here."
"It doesn't matter, Sirius," said Lily smiling at him. "We were going to go shortly anyway - James was just telling me how much work he has to do. Besides, we wouldn't dream of crowding your action, would we James?"
James paid for the coffees and they left Sirius in the tea house. James took hold of Lily's hand as they headed back to the entrance at the base of the tree. There were grey clouds gusting across the sky and they were spotted with icy drops of rain.
"I hope this rain blows over," said Lily. "I'm supposed to be helping Daisy with a new exercise routine which involves early morning walks around the Quidditch pitch."
"I'll see you there," said James. "Gryffindors have got the pitch for early practise tomorrow." He paused as they got to the rear of the tree. "Thank you for being such a good sport," he said.
Lily laughed. "I don't know who was more shocked - him or you!"
They climbed down into the passageway. "Lumos," said James igniting the light at the end of his wand.
They walked hand in hand towards the castle.
Before going back through the gap behind the mirror, James stopped. He was still holding Lily's hand.
"Can I see you again soon?" he asked. "I mean, not as part of school. Like this. Just you and me? And, don't worry, Sirius will play the part. If I tell him, he'll make sure he steers the others out of the way too."
"I'd like that," said Lily, smiling at him in the wandlight. James brought her hand around his waist and stepped up closer to her. He had waited for this moment for two years - nothing would spoil it now. He put his face close to hers, searching her beautiful green eyes with his. Then he kissed her with a softness that belied the strength of his true feelings.
Chapter Five
James woke with a start as Sirius climbed over his bed to get to his own.
"You asleep?" asked Sirius, his voice disembodied in the blackness.
"Yes," answered James. "Whassa time?"
"Quarter to three."
"What!" exclaimed James trying to stifle the sound to a whisper. "Have you only just got back?"
"Yep. And don't worry, nobody saw me." Sirius lit a lamp next to his bed.
"Well, thanks for telling me that," yawned James. "I've got Quidditch practise in three and a half hours. I was worried I might have missed the start. How'd you go, anyway?"
"Are you kidding?" said Sirius, pulling his shirt off over his head. "It's a quarter to three - how d'you think I went!"
"Oh, I don't think I want to know," groaned James, pulling his pillow over his face.
"I wouldn't tell you anyway," laughed Sirius, raising his arm as he caught sight of a pillow flying at him from across the room.
"Shut up and go to sleep," said Remus Lupin, who was also laughing. "We've heard enough of your stories. All a lot of hot air, if you ask me."
"Oh, it was hot alright," said Sirius, chucking the pillow back at Remus.
"Nooooo!!!" came a muffled cry from under James' pillow. "I don't want to know! You come in, wake me up in the middle of the night just to tell me you're not going to tell me anything. Go away!"
"Well I have got something to tell you," said Sirius.
"I already know what it is and I don't want to hear about it!!" came the muffled voice.
"No you don't," said Sirius. "I was just coming through the castle and I saw Snivelly Snape coming down from the owlery."
James sat up and stared at Sirius who was straightening up the T-shirt he'd just pulled on.
"What's Snivellus doing sending owls at this time of night?" he asked.
"No idea. I didn't see any owls leaving so I don't know if he sent one or if he just went up there."
"That'd be right. The only intelligent beast that's prepared to keep him company. And I know Apollo would have flown right to the top to stay out of the way. With any luck he shat on him." Said James referring to his own owl.
"I wonder how often he does this?" asked Remus.
"I might have to take a trip up there with the invisibility cloak and just take a look," said James. "Nobody goes up to the owlery in the middle of the night unless they're up to no good. It might take a few nights to work it out, but we could take it in turns.
Chapter Six
In the morning, Lily pulled a reluctant Daisy outside to start their exercise routine. The wind had died and the rain had gone, but it was still grey and dismal.
"This is going to do us the world of good," said Lily breezily.
"I'm pleased you think so," said Daisy with a heavy air of gloom. "They say it gets better as you get going."
They crossed the grounds and headed towards the Quidditch pitch where they started walking with more energy.
After doing two rounds of the pitch, several figures on broomsticks flew towards them and set down in the middle of the ground.
"Hi," called James to Lily. "How's it going?"
"Fantastic! It's great to be alive!"
Daisy stared after Lily, mouthing the words she'd just heard Lily say.
She puffed up beside her and they continued walking side by side.
"The trouble with those boys," said Daisy, "is that you put them into a Quidditch uniform and give them a broomstick and all of a sudden they're God's gift to women."
"I know," said Lily. "It's revolting."
"It's all a performance," said Daisy.
"Nothing genuine about it at all," said Lily.
"Just gives them huge egos," said Daisy.
"And vast heads. Paralysingly boring," said Lily.
"More boring than watching grass grow," agreed Daisy. "Stultifyingly uninteresting."
"Completely brain dead," said Lily.
They puffed on for another twenty yards.
"When are you meeting him?" asked Daisy.
"9.30 tonight behind the greenhouses."
"That's my girl."
Chapter Seven
Over the following nights, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter took turns at going up to the owlery and hiding under the invisibility cloak. For a few nights they had no success and only succeeded in giving themselves stiff legs and extreme fatigue.
On the Thursday night it was James' turn again and he set off to the owlery under his invisibility cloak. After several hours of nodding off to sleep and waking up extremely uncomfortable, James was just about to give it a miss and go back to the dormitory when the door of the owlery opened and Severus Snape came in.
James held his breath and tried to stay as still as possible. He was hiding in a spot which was away from anywhere that people usual stood and was reasonably certain Snape wouldn't trip over him. Nevertheless he had his wand out just in case. All the owls were either sleeping or were quiet. Snape's entry disturbed a few and a couple of brown owls launched up to higher perches.
Snape took two containers from his pockets and set them down on the ground. He took a mouse from one of them. It wriggled and struggled as he held it by the tail and then he dipped it into some violet liquid in the other container. Then he looked around him. He was obviously looking for a particular bird and eventually in the gloom he found it. He moved over closer to where Apollo, James' owl was perched with his head under his wing.
"Ssshhh," said Snape, stroking Apollo's feathers. "Nothing to worry about, just a special little snack." Apollo looked at the mouse. James was willing him not to take it, but Apollo seemed to be interested in a marinated midnight feast and snapped the mouse from Snape's hand, throwing it down his throat. James couldn't believe his eyes as Apollo started to glow an iridescent purple. "Now," said Snape, "the next journey you're given you are to divert to the Malfoy house before you get to your destination. Mr. Malfoy is a friend. He will give you further instructions. Do not go straight to the destination given to you by James Potter. When you return, also divert to the Malfoy house. Do not go straight to the destination given to you by the Potters."
Snape stayed for a second, stroking the feathers of the handsome owl one last time. Then he turned and left the owlery.
James heard Snape's footsteps disappear down the stairway. He was shaking with rage. How dare Snivellus interfere with anyone's owls, let alone his own. But why? He thought for a while. Why would Snape want to divert mail from James to his parents? To the Malfoys of all people. He couldn't understand. Then it hit him. It wasn't his family mail that Snape wanted to divert. He knew that sometimes his father sent notes to Dumbledore using Apollo. That could be the information that Malfoy would be after.
James conjured up some parchment and a quill. He wrote a letter to his father warning him that Apollo might be 'unreliable' as an owl due to interference and if he wanted to send any sensitive information to either him or to Dumbledore then he should use another owl. He folded the note and fastened it to a school owl, sending it off to his parents.
Then he sat down and wrote another note to his father.
"Dear Mum and Dad,
"Thanks for the biscuits, they were great. They didn't last long once Peter Pettigrew found them, but the ones I got were delicious.
"There's been all sorts of problems here which I'm trying to sort out as Head Boy. Some idiot third year made up a potion which turns out was a mixture of Veritaserum and a Love Potion - both of which are highly restricted. We're not sure if they were trying to make one or the other, but somehow it got confused and there's the most awful mess. Somebody dropped it into a drink which Severus Snape drank one dinner time and now he's running around kissing all the girls and telling them what he calls "Special Secrets". It's quite chaotic. We've had to have him strapped to a bed in the hospital wing and poor Madam Pomfrey's quite beside herself trying to get him to shut up. Hopefully it will wear off soon.
Your loving son,
James
P.S. One of the things he keeps saying is that old Grandfather Malfoy was guardian of the goblin gold that Grindelwald stole during the wizard wars fifty years ago. After Grindelwald was defeated, they just kept it. Do you know anything about this - or is it his usual drivel? If it's true, I wouldn't want to be Malfoy turning up at Gringott's."
Chapter Eight
"I can't believe it," said Lily as she and James sat on Professor Sprout's garden seat at the back of one of the greenhouses. James had his arm around Lily's shoulders and he gently kissed the top of her head. Outside there was a bright flash of lightening, but it was so dark James couldn't see any storm clouds.
"The thing that worries me," said James, "is what Malfoy is doing with the information. My guess is that he's a filtering point for Voldemort. The trouble with the dark side is that they've got plenty of money. The Malfoys in particular are loaded and he's sure to be funding a lot of Voldemort's little activities. As far as I know, old Snivellus doesn't have much of a family and I don't know how much money he's got. I suspect not much. I'm wondering if Malfoy's paying Snape's school fees in return for services rendered."
"Well," said Lily, "that means that Snape might be being forced to act for Malfoy in order to stay at school. But you'd think that if Snape were hard up he could appeal to Dumbledore. I hardly think that if Malfoy suddenly stopped paying school fees that Dumbledore would let him go under so close to the end of his time here. Especially as he's been a prefect for the past two years."
"Don't remind me," said James. "But Snape couldn't go to Dumbledore because he'd have to admit that he's been passing information to Malfoy all this time. And we wouldn't have found out now if Sirius had some sort of control over his love life."
They sat for a minute in silent thought.
James looked at the sky. The moon was rising and would be full in a few days time. Silvery light shone through the glass panes of the greenhouse and sparkled on the flowering pots of golden rod and burdock lined up in rows on the greenhouse racks.
"We'd better be getting back soon," Lily said. "There's only so much library work I tell people I'm doing before it looks suspicious. Daisy's caught on, you know. She doesn't believe a thing I tell her and before long she'll crack under the strain. Phaedra Findlay can be pretty intimidating when she thinks there's a secret being buried somewhere."
James stood and pulled Lily to her feet also. He held her close and kissed her. "Well I don't mind letting people know. How about you? 'Bout time we were official?"
"Sure," smiled Lily. "But I don't know how McGonagall's going to cope with it."
"Oh, she'll be OK," said James. "She'll probably put an Imperturbable charm on the girls' dormitory and spend a few uncomfortable nights in an armchair between the staircases before she's happy the girls are safe in their own beds."
"James, you're impossible!" cried Lily, giving him a playful punch. "Poor McGonagall!"
They walked back towards the Main Entrance hand in hand when James caught sight of Sirius beckoning to him from behind a column.
"Lily, you go on. I'll catch you up. There's just something I've got to do."
He watched her climb the steps and disappear up towards Gryffindor tower.
Then he moved quickly over to where Sirius had been standing.
"What's up," James asked Sirius.
"He's been watching you," said Sirius.
"Who? Snivelly?" Sirius nodded.
"I saw him through the window as Lily was crossing the grounds towards the greenhouses," said Sirius. "He followed her all the way and then he disappeared behind the shed where Professor Sprout keeps all her pots and spades and things."
"So what did you do?"
"I stunned him," said Sirius. "He's still out cold behind the shed."
"So that was the lightening I saw," said James. "I thought it was a storm coming up."
They hurried back towards the greenhouses and went to inspect the back of the potting shed.
"Lumos," said James, furiously and the wandlight showed an unconscious figure lying on the ground.
James slapped Snape around the face.
"Come on, wakey, wakey," he said angrily. His rage over Apollo was still simmering and now it was even more personal. How dare Snape follow Lily? How dare he spy on them like that!
Snape groaned and started to move. He opened his eyes and when he saw both James and Sirius standing over him with wands out he moved very quickly to his feet.
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will be very interested to know about the three of you prowling around the grounds after hours," said Snape poisonously. "Head Boy and Head Girl roaming around the greenhouses in secret when they're supposed to be inside the castle. Doesn't look very good, does it Potter?"
James felt the enormous wave of anger sweeping through him even more forcefully.
"You leave Evans alone, Snivellus! She's done nothing to hurt you!"
"And as for you, Black," said Snape. "When the Headmaster hears about your stunning spell it might be the last straw for your school career."
"Nothing you can say makes me scared of you Snivellus," said Sirius. "You're nothing but a filthy toerag, worse than a house elf."
Snape went to reach for his wand but the others were already pointing theirs at him threateningly.
"And what about Evans then Potter?" sneered Snape. "A nice little diversion for you - can't keep away from those pretty, green eyes?"
James was white with rage.
"You're right, Snivellus, you're absolutely right. They are pretty green eyes, but they look only at me - do you understand?" His voice was cold and hissing with anger. "If there's one thing that you are going to get through your nasty, calculating, evil mind is that Lily Evans has eyes only for me and to prove it." and he waved his wand straight at Snape "you'll never be able to look at her eyes without seeing my face, without thinking of me first!" And a flash of red light and sparks issued from his wand as the hex hit Snape square between the eyes. He hit the ground, groaning.
"Come on Sirius," said James. "Leave this filth to moulder in his own dirt." And he tipped a container of compost straight over Snape as he lay on the ground.
Chapter Nine
The following Sunday morning Daisy and Lily rose early for their morning walk. As Lily looked out at the weather she saw it was bright and clear and the birds were singing in the sunlight, the flowers in the flower beds stretching themselves up into the warm rays.
Daisy was half way through the portrait hole when Lily said "I'll catch you up, I've just forgotten my hair ribbon."
Daisy made her way downstairs and out through the main entrance. Suddenly she stopped. At the bottom of the steps Severus Snape was face to face with Sirius Black and he had his wand pointing menacingly at Sirius' chest.
"I've got you this time, Black!" hissed Snape. "Caught you coming back from the Willow - a nice little night out on the tiles!"
Daisy moved down the steps towards them.
"There you are Sirius," she said brightly. "Did you do those circuits of the Willow like I told you?"
Sirius looked at her, speechless for a moment, and said "Sure, but Snape here's got some funny idea.."
"He's been out all night," spat Snape. "And I've got him this time."
"Oh Severus, shut up, you're making yourself look an idiot!" said Daisy. "Sirius is joining Lily and me on our fitness routine, aren't you?" She looked at Sirius meaningfully. "I only just saw him in the Common Room but I had to ...go back for my hair ribbon. You really mustn't be so obsessive, Severus. It's not good for you."
Lily's steps could be heard coming up to join them.
"OK, Lily?" asked Daisy. "Sirius beat me down here. I didn't think he'd come with us this morning after I defeated him three times at chess last night but he's as true as his word and he only just got here ahead of me."
Lily looked between Daisy and Sirius for a brief moment and then smiled, saying, "Great! It's nice to see you out in the open air for a change Sirius. This will be fun!" She turned to Snape. "Hello Severus, you're up early. Fancy a few laps of the Quidditch pitch with us?"
Snape looked at Lily and she was slightly alarmed at the expression of pure loathing he gave her before he put his wand in his pocket and turned on his heel.
About the same time, James woke up to prepare for early morning Quidditch practise. He turned himself over in bed and opened his eyes. Looking over towards Sirius' bed he saw the curtains open and a bed which had obviously not been slept in.
"Shit!" he exclaimed, jumping out of bed. "Remus! Peter! Wake up!" He shook Remus and threw a pillow at Peter. "Come on! Wake up - we've got to look for Sirius. He's not been here all night."
The others pulled themselves out of bed and hurriedly dressed.
"Where'd he go?" asked Remus.
"Hogsmeade, of course," said James. He probably fell asleep there and hasn't got back. We need to find him before a teacher does - or worse, Snape if he's on his usual prowl."
They headed off through the portrait hole ("Steady on, don't rush," said the Fat Lady trying to stop her cup of tea spilling) and down to the fourth floor. They were running as quietly as possible down the corridor towards the mirror when Remus stopped by a window.
"James!" he called. "James, stop - look!"
James and Peter returned to where Remus was standing at the window. They looked out towards the Quidditch pitch and saw Sirius running around the pitch with Daisy and Lily right behind him. Daisy had her wand out and was pointing it at him.
"Oh, my... what's he ... Oh, you beautiful girls!" James got out, shaking with laughter. Remus and Peter were convulsed too and they all leaned against the window laughing until they could catch their breath.
"Come on," said James, wiping his eyes. "I think the Head Girl has this one under control. I'd better get ready for Quidditch practise and I'll do a few low passes just to check he's OK."
Chapter Ten
"Feeling better for your run?" asked James as Sirius sat down next to him in the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Shut up," growled Sirius. "I've got a terrible headache."
James laughed and piled some toast onto his plate.
"So how come you were so late - need I ask?"
"We fell asleep," said Sirius quietly. "And the conditions weren't - how shall I put it - entirely comfortable and I must have fallen out of bed and hit my head on a table. Don't know how long I was out for, but when I came to it was dawn. I came out through the passageway under the Willow and was just at the steps when Snape sneaked round the corner. Thank God Daisy McGrath turned up - I owe her one. She and Lily saved my life."
James was trying to smother his laughter and Remus and Peter were shaking with silent convulsions.
"But they didn't let you off, did they?" laughed Remus.
"No. Four times round that pitch they made me do, then forty-five press ups before Lily took pity on me."
Later in Transfiguration, Sirius was feeling really unwell. His head hurt, he was tired and his transfiguration spells weren't working properly. Professor McGonagall wandered up beside him.
"Having a little trouble today are we, Black?" she enquired almost too sweetly.
"I'm sorry, Professor I don't feel well - got a headache."
James, Peter and Remus stifled a laugh.
"Well, that's most unfortunate," said McGonagall.
"Yes," said Peter, giggling, "he fell out of bed and hit - ow!" Remus had kicked Peter's leg to shut him up.
McGonagall looked at Peter and then back to Sirius.
"Well, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have a draught for the pain," she said. "Class, you can continue practising. Black, you come with me."
Sirius followed Professor McGonagall out of the classroom. She shut the door behind him and turned on him, her wand hissing little red and gold sparks.
"Fifty points from Gryffindore, Black!"
"Wha..."
"And you can come to my office for detention every night for a week!"
"But .."
"And I don't want to hear any arguments or complaints. If it weren't for the fact that I was so thoroughly entertained by your punishment at the hands of the Head Girl this morning, you would find me asking some very difficult questions about exactly whose bed it was you fell out of!"
"Yes, Professor," said Sirius, lowering his eyes.
"Go up to Madam Pomfrey and get some ice on that lump on your head and she can check you for concussion. Then get back here as quickly as possible."
Sirius turned and hurried off to Madam Pomfrey feeling he had been let off very lightly.
Chapter Eleven It was a beautiful May afternoon when Professor Dumbledore called James and Lily to his office.
"I wanted to speak to you about your careers after Hogwarts," he said. "you would have to be two of the most talented students I have ever had the pleasure of seeing through Hogwarts and I wanted to talk to you about your aspirations."
James looked at Lily and back to Dumbledore.
"I've always hoped to be an Auror," said James. "I know there's a big need for aurors at the moment with Voldemort gathering strength both here and abroad. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to track him down and get rid of him and his kind."
"You have the talent and the determination in abundance," said Dumbledore. "It would be my pleasure to see you follow that path and I hope that I personally might be able to use your talents to assist me in my work against him. It will be difficult and dangerous, but if you're willing to take it on, I will do my best to advise you in the process."
"I can barely wait!" said James.
"Lily, you have very special talents," said Dumbledore. "Whatever you decide to do, I know you will do it with all your heart. I hope that you might also consider joining me in the battle against dark forces?"
"Thank you," she said. "I would be honoured and especially if it means working besides you and James." Dumbledore looked at her. She was sitting very upright and was looking at James' face.
"Wonderful," said Dumbledore quietly. "Now, as you only have a short time left here at Hogwarts, I thought I'd show you a part of the grounds that not many people get to see. It's the Headmaster's private garden. It's hidden from view of all the windows except my private apartment. Most people don't know it exists and as such it remains a tranquil haven from the hustle and bustle of school. Will you join me?"
James and Lily rose to their feet and followed Dumbledore down a passageway which led outside of the castle. A tall stone wall stood opposite them with a large wooden gate with an iron ring holding the latch. Dumbledore opened the gate and they passed through. Lily gasped.
"Oh! This is beautiful!" she exclaimed.
Twelve garden beds were arranged around a central temple built of stone with fluted columns supporting the domed roof. The gardens were a riot of colour as shrubs were arranged to flower in patterns of stars and moons. Bees buzzed from flower to flower and butterflies flitted around. One settled on Lily's shoulder. James took Lily's hand and they walked down the path towards the shallow steps of the temple. Inside the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the Universe with comets passing through groups of stars and planets shining brightly, their moons orbiting in a carousel of diamond light. They walked up the steps and stared in awe at the enchanted Universe above them. When James looked back at the garden he saw that Dumbledore had gone.
He put his arms around Lily and held her close.
"I'm not looking forward to graduation," he said.
"Why not?" Lily was puzzled.
"Because I don't want to leave here and be away from you," he said. "Lily, you know I love you with all my heart. I don't just want to work with you. I want to share everything with you. I want to hear your voice in the mornings and the evenings - I want to spend my days and my nights with you. Live a long and happy life, have children." Lily was trembling ever so gently and tears started to well in her eyes. He drew his arms around her, holding her even closer to him. "Lily, the universe above us isn't big enough to contain my love for you. Will you marry me?"
She looked at him with a heart alive with the birdsong, the bees and the songs of the flowers and replied "Of course I will!"
They kissed and held each other for a long time, the power of the garden embracing them with heady scents and insect calls and the soft wings of butterflies as stars shot through galaxies above their heads.
Chapter Twelve
"Why so sad, Lily?" asked Professor McGonagall quietly as she sat down on the bench next to Lily. The sun was strong for early summer, but a cool breeze wafted around them carrying the sound of birdsong from the Forest over the lake to where they sat. A pair of swans glided by, dipping their heads under the water from time to time.
Lily turned her head towards Professor McGonagall. Her eyes were shining and wet and she dabbed at her nose with a handkerchief.
"Professor McGonagall, I've been at Hogwarts for seven wonderful years and you and Professor Dumbledore have been like family to me. It's not easy coming from a muggle family, there are things my parents and sister just don't understand. Now that I'm at the end of my time here they expect me to go back to the muggle world. My parents are hoping that I'll go to work in London and marry some stockbroker and somehow make money by divination of the share market."
Professor McGonagall sighed sympathetically. "This does sometimes happen dear," she said. "You would not be the first muggle-born who has been torn between our two worlds."
"But I don't want that!" cried Lily. "I couldn't imagine anything worse. My sister has married a chap who's already in middle management of a company which makes drills and according to my parents that's fine because he's "got prospects". She'll end up living in some suburban estate with a manicured garden and attend monthly committee meetings of the Women's Institute and the Parents & Friends hoping to make contacts with people of influence. It's awful! Like a living death!" Her handkerchief was screwed into a ball in her hand and she was crumpling a letter which Professor McGonagall assumed had arrived from Lily's parents and was the cause of all her grief.
Lily gazed across the lake. A fish jumped into the air and fell back into the water with a splash. Rings of water sparkled across the surface of the lake in widening circles that marked the spot.
"Has James asked you to marry him?" asked Professor McGonagall, guessing the root of the problem.
Lily's jaw dropped and she looked at Professor McGonagall. "Well, umm, yes . yes he has actually."
"And your family is less than enthusiastic?"
Lily's eyes turned to her lap and her shoulders shook for a moment. Professor McGonagall sidled up to her and put a comforting arm around her.
"Now, now," she said softly. "There comes a time in all our lives where we have to make choices and we make those choices based on the acknowledgement of our inner-most selves. It's always difficult when you are in the knowledge that the choice you make will close a door on one part of your life for ever. But if I were to give you any advice at all, it would be to stay true to yourself. It is your life that you are living, nobody else's. Always do what will make your spirits soar and your soul sing."
"Thank you," said Lily, tearing up the letter. "I have never had any doubt that I want to marry James and we want the wedding to be as soon as possible after graduation. It just would have been so much nicer if my family could have supported my decision."
"I know, dear," said Professor McGonagall. "But this calls for celebration - or is it a secret?"
Lily smiled at her and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. "It's still a secret," she said.
"So that means that Sirius, Remus and Peter know as well as Daisy McGrath and Phaedra Findlay, and if she knows you might as well include the whole of Gryffindor," said Professor McGonagall. They laughed together and Lily tidied some strands of hair that were blowing across her face.
"Professor McGonagall," started Lily, "can I ask you something?"
"Of course, dear."
"Well, as I said before, you and Professor Dumbledore have been like family to me for the past seven years. James is going to ask Professor Dumbledore to conduct the ceremony under his powers as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. As my family will not be attending, and you have been my Head of House for seven years, would you do me the honour of giving me away?"
"Oh . my dear!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall. "I would be absolutely delighted!"
Chapter Thirteen
The day of the wedding was clear and warm. Most of the guests had arrived the day before and spent the night in the guest houses and hotel of Hogsmeade. About half an hour before the scheduled commencement of the ceremony, they started to filter into the Headmaster's private garden.
Lily and Daisy had spent the entire previous day charming decorations around the garden. The columns at the front of the temple now had coils of white and silver clematis spiralling up them. Garlands of lilies and roses bound with broad silver and gold ribbon looped around the walls and massive vases of white, silver and gold lilies stood sentinel on either side of the steps.
The garden beds were a riot of flowering shrubs. Charmed gold and silver butterflies flitted between the blooms and several pairs of white doves were launching from the dovecote to peck on the newly mown lawn below.
The guests assembled themselves into seats which had been placed facing the front steps of the temple. Each seat had on it a sheet of paper with the order of the ceremony printed on it in gold lettering. As the guests read, a golden cherub printed onto the corner of each page played a tiny harp.
Lily and Daisy had arranged to dress in a room inside the castle close to the entrance to the garden. This was a private lounge usually used by Professor Dumbledore for informal meetings and entertaining visiting parents. The girls had never been there before and Lily thought how light and airy a room it was with its colourful paintings of flowers and rural scenes, pastel-coloured curtains and a fireplace stacked with logs ready for lighting against the next cold blast from the north. There was plenty of room for them to spread out and a long mirror had been conjured for them in the corner.
When they were dressed, they made final adjustments to each other's hair and make up and put on lipstick. There was a knock at the door and Professor McGonagall entered saying "Don't worry, it's only me!"
Lily gasped. "Professor McGonagall! You look wonderful!" And she did. She was wearing a long dress of dusky pink with deep rose robes over the top. Her pointed hat was in similar deep rose with pale pink flowers pinned to the band.
"My dear Lily," said Professor McGonagall. "If there's any day when you must call me 'Minerva', today is it. And thank you very much. I don't normally wear this colour, but I must say it is quite becoming."
Daisy was also staring at her former Head of House who, with her hair swept up more softly than usual and with some make up suddenly looked much younger than they were accustomed to seeing her.
"Now, let me take a look at you."
Lily got up from her chair and stood closer to the fireplace. Her white dress was made of silk. The bodice was not too low cut and was shaped into her waist before flaring out and falling softly into folds to the floor. The skirt was embroidered with lilies trailing over the its length and the back extended into a train. The long sleeves held close to just below the elbow and then extended softly from her wrists to a long point which extended towards the floor. Around her neck was a beautiful silver necklace with a silver pendant of a stag and doe standing side by side. "James gave me this," said Lily, turning the pendant so she could see it in the mirror.
Professor McGonagall put her hand to her mouth and her lips trembled slightly as she said "You look magnificent. James is a lucky, lucky man."
"Oh, don't worry," said Daisy, looking awestruck at Lily. Daisy was also looking very pretty in a pale pink dress with matching pink robes. She had her curly, blonde hair piled neatly onto the top of her head and secured with a clasp featuring two pink lilies. "James has chased Lily for so long - I think he knows exactly how lucky he is!"
There was a soft tap at the door and Daisy went to answer it. It was Professor Dumbledore and Daisy looked at Lily who beckoned her to let him in.
"Oh, my .. " said Dumbledore, looking at Lily. "Words are not enough to express how you look. Your forte has always been charms, Lily. But I think this is your best effort yet!" He spent several seconds looking at her before he softly caught his breath and said "Well, I think everyone is ready now, so if you will just give me two minutes to make my way around to my position.."
"Professor Dumbledore," said Lily, walking quickly up to him. "Thank you for everything!" And she stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.
Dumbledore smiled at her and held her hand for a moment. "You know, it has always been my greatest pleasure," he said gently.
After giving Dumbledore his requested couple of minutes, Lily pinned a corsage of pink lilies and tiny white rosebuds to Minerva McGonagall's robes. Daisy picked up her bouquet of pink lilies and gave Lily her bouquet of white lilies and trailing ivy and the three of them left the castle and made their way to the gate in the garden wall. Remus Lupin stood in the gateway indicating the direction to a couple of latecomers. He caught sight of the wedding party and turned to watch them walking towards him with a huge smile. He indicated to them to stop and wait for a second while he checked everything was ready for them. Then he turned and said to Lily "They're ready for you. You look amazing!"
Daisy helped sweep Lily's veil over her head and straightened it in front over her face. Then they entered the garden and stood at the end of the pathway leading up to the temple. Everyone stood and turned to watch and there were gasps and murmurs of appreciation. Out of nowhere music of flutes and harps played softly. The gold and silver butterflies flitted overhead, occasionally settling on people's shoulders. The scent of jasmine and gardenia filled the air and white and pink rose petals fell out of the sky in front of their feet. Professor McGonagall extended her right hand and Lily placed her left on top of it and slowly they made their way down the pathway, followed by Daisy who occasionally stooped to straighten Lily's train.
Waiting for them at the steps of the temple were James and, beside him, Sirius. They looked stunning in formal white shirts, white bow ties and black dress robes which had a border of black silk ribbon running around the edges. They both had white rosebuds pinned to their robes. James' hair looked like he'd spent hours taming it into some sort of order for once whereas Sirius' flopped in its usual wavy elegance over his forehead.
Over to one side Peter Pettigrew was taking photographs. Professor Dumbledore stood at the top of the steps in his magnificent dark blue velvet robes embroidered with stars and planets.
The music filled the air until they reached the steps and Minerva McGonagall passed Lily's hand to James who looked at her face smiling at him through the veil and whispered "I adore you" as they turned to face Professor Dumbledore.
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced Professor Dumbledore. "There are many responsibilities attached to the position of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, but I must say this would have to be the most pleasurable. We are gathered here together to witness the joining in marriage of these two wonderful young people who have made the excellent choice of spending the rest of their lives together."
Dumbledore spoke for two or three minutes before asking Lily and James to exchange their marriage vows. Sirius delved into his pocket and took out a golden ring which he placed into James' hand.
"May this ring represent the never ending circle of love that I feel for you," he said to Lily as he placed it on her finger.
"By the powers vested in me," announced Professor Dumbledore, "I declare you Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride." And James took the bottom of Lily's veil and swept it over her head. He smiled into her beaming face and circled his arms around her before tenderly kissing her lips.
Loud applause broke out amongst the guests with a few cheers and whistles. James looked at Lily and said softly "I love you so much. You look so beautiful. This is the happiest day of my life."
Chapter Fourteen
Following the ceremony, the wedding party led the way back to the castle where Peter Pettigrew took photographs on the front steps. Then they made their way into the Great Hall which had been transformed from its usual scholarly appearance by magnificent gold and silver hangings bearing the names "James" and "Lily" draping down from the enchanted ceiling above. Hundreds of gold and silver candles twinkled over them and the room was filled with vast vases of flowers, some of which were hanging in mid-air. A small orchestra was playing in one corner.
The tables were covered in golden platters of food and the large jugs of pumpkin juice that normally were available during school time were replaced by large crystal carafes of water or pumpkin juice and bottles of Champagne. Everyone laughed and chatted as they ate. There were some speeches which James had made sure were going to be short, however Sirius did manage to tell everyone how he had spent two years trying to convince James to take Lily out but he wouldn't listen - which nobody believed.
The orchestra struck up a waltz and James stood and led his bride by the hand to the dance floor. She picked up the corner of her train which dropped in soft folds as he slowly swept her around the floor. Sirius stood up and took a rose out the vase on the table. He went over to Daisy and, bowing slightly towards her he kissed the rose and presented it to her. Daisy was so overcome, she blushed vividly and suddenly didn't know where to look. Accepting the rose, she stood up and Sirius took her by the hand and led her onto the dance floor. He hadn't completed two rounds of the floor before Remus Lupin tapped him on the shoulder to cut in. Graciously, Sirius stepped aside to allow Remus to dance with Daisy and he headed off in the direction of Phaedra Findlay. As they danced close together, Lily suddenly realised from the looks on their faces that this probably wasn't the first dance Remus had had with Daisy or at least, wasn't the first time he'd held her close. Lily smiled an astonished smile at James and said to him "Did you know about this?"
"What - Remus and Daisy?" said James, nonchalantly. "Oh yes, it's old news."
"I don't believe it! And just how long have you known?"
"Oh, about an hour and a half. I caught them behind one of the rose bushes sneaking a quick kiss."
"I knew it - she's had a secret all year! Well, that's my girl!"