Chapter 21

Terms had ended the rainy day before, so the fifth and seventh years had a lot of time to themselves. Lily had spent most of the morning drawing beneath the shade of a willow by the lake. She had arrived at dawn, for she had wanted to watch the golden sun climb in the sky, which was now perfectly blue and cloudless; it reminded Lily of autumn day that she, Claire, and Dylan had spent by the azure lake. They had been so young, or at least it seemed that way. Tears came to her eyes at the thought of the beginning of the year, for it reminded her that her last moments of Hogwarts were coming to an end. And Lily was not one to accept change.

She turned to a fresh page. The blindingly white paper reminded her of life. It was easy enough to obtain, but it was blank waiting for colors and shapes to be added. It needed talent to evolve and become something. Lily thought of what she wanted to draw on her paper, what she wanted to mark her life with. She bit her lip thoughtfully and then began to draw her three best friends. Lily bent down in concentration, her red curls were pulled back from her face and her green eyes lighted up as she sketched three faces. All three were beautiful, in their own way, and all three looked ageless. Their faces portrayed their 11 year old self, yet kept their 17 year old maturity.

Lily thought back over the school year and realized how much people change. Lily had fallen in love with James, although she was not entirely sure if it was love. She just knew that she had fallen, and the only time she felt secure was in his arms. And Dylan had overcome everything she had ever known for Remus, who in turn had become increasingly more social. Sirius had calmed down quite a bit, and Claire had begun her journey back to the real world, leaving behind her sorrows.

Lily smiled as she looked down at her two best friends. She loved them more than life itself.

Dylan woke up late, after fitful nightmares. She had dreamed that Remus had turned into a werewolf. He chased after her for hours. And Dylan had run through a dark forest screaming for help, but she watched Lily and Claire on the sidelines laughing at her torn white dress. She woke just before Remus touched her. Fear was the only emotion that she had felt. When eyes open Dylan realized that she was drenched in cold sweat, and that her legs were tangled between the red sheets of her bed.

"Dill, are you okay?" Claire said from across the room. She was already dressed in black pants and a tight blue shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Oh yeah, it was just a bad dream," Dylan said rubbing her head.

"Did you just wake up?"

"Yeah," she said standing up.

"Moron, what time did you go to bed?" Claire inquired, while bending down to find a pair of shoes.

"Umm, like 2 or 3," she said, "I was reading."

"You're turning into a Lily, reading and what not. Anyways you had better hurry and get ready. We have to go hang out with Lily today. Remember?"

"What?"

"We promised that we would spend all day together," she said.

"Oh yeah, I remember, just give me a second," Dylan said crossing over to the bathroom. "Where is Lily anyway?"

"I think she got up really early and went to the lake," Claire screamed across the hall.

"Big dumb Lily, I suppose she forgot to eat. Let's stop and get her something."

"Okay, but you have to hurry," Claire said.

Dylan emerged with her hair slightly spiked. She ran over and picked a pair of green baggy pants and a black tank top. Hastily putting the clothes on she called, "You have to give me some time, though; I have to talk to someone."

"Who?"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough," Dylan said. "Now let's go."

"Wow, that's the fastest I've ever seen anyone get ready. I think I shall call you speedy," Claire said with the utmost sincerity.

"Shut up you prick," Dylan said with a laugh and punched her arm.

The two made their way down to the Great Hall. It was alive with students who had woken up late and were now eating brunch. The voices mixed and mingled creating music that Dylan never tired off. The colors of the students' regular clothes created a mosaic of amazing shades that were highlighted or shadowed with sunlight, which poured through the high windows. She entered with a smile, putting the image into her memory.

"Dill?" Claire said.

"What?"

"I'm going to go grab some toast and marmalade for Lily; you go and talk to whoever you have to." "Okay, I'll be back in a second," Dylan said walking off.

She scanned the sea of children looking for a boy with black hair and grey eyes. She spotted him sitting amongst his friends in Ravenclaw. Dylan stomped off towards him.

"Hey Sean, can I talk to you?"

"Sure babe," he said getting up.

Dylan winced she hated it when he called her babe. "Umm, I think we should see other people."

"What?" he said.

Dylan watched his jaw drop and her stomach clenched. "I just don't think that we have a very good relationship."

"Oh...well...umm...whatever," he mumbled turning back to the table.

"Look, you're a cool guy, but..." she said grabbing his arm, but then she trailed off.

"But you like Remus," he finished for her, his grey eyes light up with anger.

"I guess," she said with a shrug.

"You guess? You're ending our relationship on a fucking guess?" he screamed.

People started to turn and look at them. An eerie silence fell over the hall. Dylan looked at his eyes and said quietly, "It's better to end something on a guess, then to continue it knowing it would never work." The coldness in her voice was not meant to be hidden. "Goodbye Sean," she said and walked out.

"Bitch," he screamed after her.

Dylan just laughed and turned only to give him the finger. Bloody Prick, she thought.

Claire watched the whole scene in awe, and then quickly scooped up some toast and ran off after Dylan.

"That was bloody amazing Dill," she said when she caught up with the brunette.

Dylan just laughed, "It was time to get rid of the asshole anyways."

The two walked down toward the lake and found Lily hunched over her notebook under a willow tree. They snuck up behind her and looked at the drawing. It was of them. They hesitated before speaking.

But finally Claire found words, "It's beautiful Lily. You always did know how to capture our emotions."

"Thanks," Lily said. "You know I really love it here."

"We all do," Dylan said quietly.

They spent the rest of the day beneath the willow remembering the long seven years that had marked their lives. With laughter and tears the memories came flooding into their minds as quickly as a river flows after rainfall.

Deep in the Forbidden Forest, the Marauders roamed freely. Hidden from the sun everything was covered in shadow, in the way dew covers the grass at dawn. Tree branches grew out from the great thick trunks creating a canopy of emerald green leaves. Grass and wildflowers covered the dark flower beneath the canopy. But the bright colors of the blossoms would not be overcome by the darkness. Birds sung in the wood, their voices carried across the sky creating music fit for Mozart. And squirrels danced about the forest floor in search of food. It was a scene that brought peace to all.

"Hey Padfoot?" James said breaking the silence.

"What Prongs?" Sirius asked him rather sleepily. They had all been lying across the grass beneath the oak and maple trees. The stillness of the wood had put him in a doze.

"I really am going to miss it here," he replied.

"Me too," Remus said entering the conversation.

"It's weird to think it's almost over," Sirius said. "I mean I can remember almost every day of every year clearly."

"Yeah, remember that one time we turned Snape's black robes hot pink," Remus said.

"Yep, and Lily almost killed me," James said with a smile. "She really hated me."

"Well you were a prick," Sirius said.

"Well all were, except for maybe Wormtail, he was too caught up in what we were doing," Moony said.

"Hey whatever happened to Peter?" Sirius asked.

"He just kind of disappeared. It's really sad. But I think we outgrew him," Remus said. "I mean he was just like a little kid that looked up to us."

"I suppose, but it's still sad," Prongs said quietly. "But I'm glad we stayed friends, I mean who else could I have discovered the kitchens with?"

"No one, only Sirius would tickle a painting," Moony chuckled.

"Hey, you better be happy I did."

"Yeah, or else we would have never tasted éclairs," James said. "And those were damn good."

The conversation continued on this way, remembering past events that marked the years of their life. The day slowly came to end though, and as the stars came out shimmering brightly above the trees, the three realized that they had to head back to the castle. They stood slowly savoring the night air. And as they walked back fireflies danced around them reminding them of their childhood.

The last two weeks sped by in a haze of brightly colored days. When Lily looked back on it she could barely distinguish the days, but Lily was not there yet, instead she sat straight and tall waiting for Dumbledore to begin his graduation ceremony. Beside her sat her parents smiling with pride. Petunia had unfortunately been unable to attend. Lily smirked, Good, she thought. For once in her life, her sister could not spoil her life. But deep down she missed Petunia's presence and so hidden in her robes was a picture that was yellowed and torn, but it reminded Lily of a time when her sister actually loved her.

"Ladies and Gentleman, your children have spent seven long years at this esteemed school. They had studied together, they have failed and overcome many things together, and they have grown up within these walls. I present to you this class of talented children, though I doubt I should say children for they have matured beyond their years," Dumbledore said in his most serious voice, but even from afar Lily could see his blue eyes twinkling beneath his half mooned spectacles.

Lily's mother reached out and squeezed her hand. "To this day I still can't believe you were talented enough to be a witch," she whispered. "I guess I have always underestimated you. But I couldn't be prouder."

"Hush dear," Lily's father said quietly.

Dumbledore continued on but Lily could scarcely hear him. She was thinking about her speech which was required of her, because she was Head Girl. The moment was fast approaching and Lily could feel her stomach tensing.

"And now I give you our Head Girl Lily Evans, I'm quite sure she has something to say," Dumbledore said smiling. He beckoned her.

Lily stood shaking, never before had she been nervous. She slowly made her way up to the podium in the Great Hall and when she finally arrived at it, she looked over the sea of people. She could see the smiling faces of her friends, the jealous looks, and the scowls of the Slytherins. But she could not care less. She focused in on her father and began quietly, "I arrived at this school scared out of my mind. Ironically, though, I was sorted into Gryffindor, the house of courage. It took many years, but eventually I found my bravery. And with it came friends that I could not live without, and knowledge I could not do without. I think I speak for everyone, when I say that these years were our golden years, no matter how full they were of petty angst. And now it all comes to an end, and I for one will be sad to see it go. But I want to leave you with these words because they signify so much of our life when we leave, "The fear of today is the mystery of tomorrow."

Applause broke out from across the room. Even some of the haughty Slytherins brought their hands together for Lily. As she walked down, smile plastered on her face, James stood and began to make his way up for his speech.

"And now I give you our Head Boy, James Potter," Dumbledore said loudly over the clapping.

"Wow, talk about a hard act to follow," he said running a hand through his hair. "I never really thought I'd be here, I mean I'm sure all of you know my history. But I suppose since I'm hear I better say a few words, although my speech doesn't even compare to Lily's."

"Get on with it," Sirius said rather loudly.

"Anyways, these seven years have taught us just more then Unforgivable Curses, Polyjuice Potions, and Transfigurations. This school has taught us how to live, how to understand, how to use our magic that is deep within all of us. And with that knowledge is the secret of how to survive in the world of magic. We must find out the mystery of tomorrow, which holds us all under lock and key in fear."

Many of the faces were in shock; they had never thought that Marauder, Prank Extraordinaire would ever be able to give such a speech. But as he shuffled his feet and hurried back to his spot between his mother and father, James could hear clapping faintly growing louder. He turned and saw Lily behind him, grinning. She was clapping for him. And slowly applause broke out in the hall.

"And so concludes this class' last year of Hogwarts. They have been by far the best, and I will hope that one day I will have the opportunity to teach another of their quality," Dumbledore said and put his hands together.

The students spent the rest of their last night feasting with their parents and dancing with their friends. In the air sadness hung, but the sweet joy of tomorrow's mystery hid the bitterness. The Great Hall was alive with color, despite the sadness. And the music drifted throughout the school. The graduates stayed up until 3, having already packed the previous night, but they say their parents home on the train.

As Claire danced with her friends she found regret in her heart. She knew what it was. It was something so big, that her heart would explode if it was not quieted. So Claire stood up, flipping her black hair out of her sea blue eyes. She walked over across the room to where Sirius danced slowly with a blonde girl.

"Sirius," she said and tapped his shoulder.

"What do you want Claire?" he said in a cold tone, looking up at her.

"I well....well...I," she stumbled over her words as a child stumbles across her first steps.

"What?" he said, beginning to get frustrated.

She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him close to her. And then something overcame her and she kissed him. At first his lips didn't know what to do, but then they found their old passion deep within his heart behind a wall that only Claire could break down. And he kissed her back intensely.

"Sirius!" the blonde said angrily. "I'm your girlfriend, you can't just snog someone else in front of me."

Sirius ignored her and deepened their kiss and pulled her closer. Claire reached up and brushed her fingers lightly across his tanned chin. Her hands found her way to his hair, and she entangled her delicate fingers within the darkness.

They pulled away for air and she whispered, "I'm so sorry Sirius, I've always loved you."

He stood for a moment, and then pulled her closer, "I love you too."

They held one another in a tight embrace dancing slowly across the floor. Claire knew that the year was almost over, and they probably would not ever have a relationship, but it felt amazing just to be in his arms. And so she shut out all other thoughts.

The next dawned early on Lily. But she pulled herself out of bed and trudged down to the train in Hogsmede. As she walked, Lily absorbed everything about her from the shinning sun's reflection in the lake, to the way a single leaf floated down to the ground in the breeze. As she came to the train she turned to look upon Hogwarts for the last time. It stood in all it's finery in the blazing morning's sun. The stone looked old and aged with knowledge and its towers extended upwards into the azure sky. The windows reflected the orange light and green vines grew up the walls. Lily would never be able to forget the image of her school, which was now imprinted in her mind forever.

She stepped into the train and took a deep breath, leaving everything behind her. In that school, memories would be forever embedded, each corridor held its own secret, each classroom its own lesson, and each study room its own story. Lily loved it with a passion that was indefinable. She could not bring herself to take another step.

But from behind her James whispered, "It's not really over Lily, you'll always remember it."

Lily turned and looked at him. She finally knew that she loved him. She always would. She would love his unruly jet black hair, his crooked glasses, his smell, his embrace, and his beautiful blue eyes that gazed at her lovingly.In his eyes she could see her reflection. In the blue she saw a girl with curly red hair and fierce green eyes, that were somewhat lessoned in fear. It was then that she realized that the most important lesson was one she had always known, in the wind she could hear her mother's whisper, "Sometimes Lily darling, people are perfect in their imperfections."

The End.

Authors Note: I loved writing this. I can see how much my writing has developed after the first chapters.

I want to thank every single one of my reviewers. I could not have written this without you.

There could be a sequel. If so I'll let you know.

Once again thank you.