Chapter 4:
"WHAT?!" James literally shrieked. His parents could hear it echoing off in some misplaced Pensieve. "You mean…you only approved of…Lily?"
"Yes," his mother said firmly. "She has self-respect, she has brains, and she comes from a good – no – very good family."
"You're only saying that so that Father can get his business done with Mr. Evans easier," James pouted.
"Lily is the perfect girl for this family," Juliet Potter stated firmly. "She is the perfect wife for you."
"And she will be my daughter-in-law," James Sr. said firmly. "I like her. She's very clever. Sweet, yet clever."
"She looks beautiful," Juliet added. "She's very…ah…what do you people say? Sexy?"
"Mother!" James sounded horrified.
"Juliet!" James Sr. sounded outraged.
"I'm sorry," Juliet apologized. "But she is gorgeous. She has Prethil's eyes."
"And a twig's figure," James cut in.
James Sr. looked possibly even more appalled at his son than at his wife.
"Her figure?!" he asked incredulously. "You mean…all this time…you brought all those…just because of their figures?"
"Well, it's not just that," James said off-handedly. "But Lily?! She's too…too innocent!"
"The women in the Potter family are meant to be innocent! Look at your mother! She has no wild thoughts to think of!"
"And no life either," James muttered.
"I beg your pardon, James Potter?" his father demanded.
James' temper was running short.
"I don't want to marry Lily! She and I just don't match!"
"You made a perfect couple in Hogwarts," Juliet said.
"But she was so…so possessive! Like, when I told her that I was going to the Three Broomsticks with Elizabeth Ramirez, she got suspicious and followed us!"
"And then she caught you two snogging," Juliet said sternly. "And she had every right to follow you. You were dating her at the time. She was dating you at the time. She was in love with you! She got nervous and she followed, and good for her, she saw that you weren't being true to her after all!"
"She was too innocent," James repeated. "We never even snogged! Not even once! All she kept saying was that she wanted to wait, she wanted to wait, she wanted to be patient…I got tired of waiting!"
"We'll talk to Tyler and Prethil about this," Juliet said to James Sr. "They'll accept, no doubt! This is truly a perfect opportunity!"
"But Mother – " James protested as the doorbell rung.
"Not another word out of you," his mother said quietly, and crossed to the door.
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"Tyler! Prethil! And oh, Petunia and Lily! You never told me you were bringing the girls," Juliet said.
"Oh, but we had no choice, Petunia's engagement took place yesterday to that fine man, but now he says the marriage will have to take place a little late and we couldn't leave our two little angels at home," Tyler Evans said brightly.
"Yes, and especially such beautiful girls too. God knows what happens to girls who roam alone these days," Juliet said with a sigh. "But do come in! Right this way please!"
James tried not to watch the blonde and the redhead enter the room. Lily's sister, Petunia, was probably the mirror image of a feminine version of her father, with the pale eyes and blonde hair. Lily, on the other hand, was a completely different story, with her vibrant red hair and petite size standing out against the towering, yet darkened forms of her parents and sister. Prethil Evans' eyes were mirrored in Lily's face, yet the creamy fairness of her skin only added yet another dazzle to her dazzling emerald-coloured eyes. Her vibrant red hair fell softly onto her shoulders, and her full pink lips were graced by a mere caress of lip-gloss, whilst a trace of eyeliner added mystery to the simple beauty of Lily Evans.
Okay, James reasoned to himself, so she's beautiful…but still, beauty isn't everything…
"I hope you are well, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter," he could hear her saying. "I can't seem to see Bobbin anywhere around here."
"Oh," Juliet's voice replied fondly, "Bobbin's doing the laundry at the moment. James insists we don't work him too hard."
"Excuse me," came Petunia's voice, clouded with confusion, "who is this Bobbin?"
"He's the house-elf here, Petty," Lily explained. "House-elves come with really rich manors and stuff – no doubt you could tell – and they do all the housework, and they're magically bound to their owners."
"Wow," Petunia said, "I really wish I could have one to do all the housework around Vernon's house. But then again, I don't suppose he'd like it much, would he?"
"Oh yes," Juliet's eyes widened. "How did your engagement go?"
Petunia proudly extended a hand that had a finger adorned with a ring set with a huge, sparkling diamond.
"Fine," she sang.
James groaned before they brought the subject to another person's engagement.
"Oh, and where is James?" Juliet asked as they made their way to the dining room. Petunia noticed that the placid smile on her younger sister's face had suddenly frozen on her face – her eyes had suddenly become worried.
Petunia reached out a comforting hand and squeezed Lily's white one. "You okay?"
"Fine," Lily replied in a voice none too assuring.
Petunia frowned. Lily certainly didn't sound fine, she sounded like she'd swallowed a bottle full of helium gas.
"Lil! You sure you're fine?" Petunia asked, not entirely convinced.
"Oh yes," Lily replied in that oddly unnatural, high-pitched voice, her smile too wide, but effectively masking her very nervous eyes, and trembling hands.
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"You really must tell him," the man behind the desk said. "He'll be so happy to realise that he's becoming a father."
"Are you sure there will be no complications, doctor?" she asked nervously.
"Definitely not," the doctor smiled. "Just wait nine months and you'll see for yourself. But remember, stay healthy, and try to remain cheerful. This might help the child's outlook on life – people find it auspicious for some reason…"
Lily shuffled nervously. She felt very odd – like she'd gained some extra weight around her middle.
Suddenly, something twitched within her. In shock, Lily put her hand gently on her stomach, and felt it growing slightly, as a frail life force thrived there. Was she expecting?
She caught sight of a sparkling diamond ring on her ring finger. So she was married, and was expecting her first child.
"Go now," the doctor said. "Go tell him."
"I will," Lily smiled at him. "Thank you doctor."
She left the office, all the while smiling happily. She and her husband were about to become parents! She wasn't sure if the child would be a girl or a boy, but all the same, a new joy filled Lily's heart. She couldn't wait to tell him!
But just as she rounded the corner to where her house was, she could hear voices…a girl's, and a boy's.
"Lily'll be back anytime soon," a male voice was saying.
Lily paused. Why did it sound so familiar?
"Then let her," another voice said – female, yet unfamiliar. "You can keep your wife under control, can't you? Besides, I'd love to stay here with you a little bit longer."
"So would I, but my wife will go crazy if she saw me with you," the male voice said again.
Lily felt anger heating in her blood for some reason…she didn't know why…
"Look, just go from here!" the male voice shouted. "Lily won't like it…it's obvious that you're expecting!"
Lily stood there, numbness taking over. Was that – her husband – over there?
"Yes…" the girl said. "She should never know I'm expecting your child…"
The world could have stopped there for Lily. Her husband…was openly having an affair…with another woman…
Fury overtook her, and she ignored the hot tears spilling over the brim of her eyes. All she knew was that in three giant strides she had faced the man and his illicit girlfriend. She choked.
It was James Potter.
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"Lily!" Petunia hissed. "Are you okay?!"
Lily blinked back to life. She realized that she was sitting at the Potters' dining room table, and she most certainly was not pregnant, and, most importantly, not James Potter's wife. Yet…it had felt so real! Was it another clairvoyant vision? Lily had been disturbed by those ever since she'd left Hogwarts – or, more specifically – ever since she'd left James with another disgusting girlfriend.
Lily could feel her anger ebb, and hastily wiped away the tears sliding down her cheeks, mind swirling over this new vision.
"Are you okay, dear?" Juliet asked Lily anxiously. "You looked very ill there."
Lily noticed that everyone's eyes were upon her – well, she corrected herself – all except one pair of eyes. The remaining pair was staring at his plate. Three guesses who.
"I – I'm fine," Lily stammered. "I think that soup was too spicy for me…I – I – may I be excused for a moment, please?" she asked shakily.
James Sr. nodded, and Lily pushed herself from the table. This time, she could feel only one pair of eyes staring at her in confusion. Another three guesses who.
Lily avoided his gaze. She needed to think.
"Er – can I come along with Lily? In case she faints again?"
"Of course Petunia dear," Juliet smiled at the elder Evans girl.
"Inseparable!" Prethil Evans chimed.
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"Are you okay?" Petunia asked anxiously once they were out of earshot. "I could tell from the start that you weren't feeling well at all."
"You're right," Lily said wearily. "Oh, what am I going to do?"
"Meaning?" Petunia asked bluntly.
"Every time I see him, my knees go weak. I feel so vulnerable…" Lily trailed off, looking desperately at her elder sister's face.
"Oh…you mean that James bloke," Petunia said.
"Yeah, him," Lily said dully. "Him who kind of dumped me in front of the entire restaurant him!"
"Oh Lil," Petunia said sympathetically.
"What am I going to do?" Lily said, tears forming in her eyes again. "I'm so obviously not over him yet!"
"Him?"
"Him who doesn't look at me twice!"
"Oh…"
"And…I got disturbed by another vision again!" Lily said, clapping a hand to here forehead. "I'm really scared…I think I might turn out to be a clairvoyant or something!"
"What did you see?" Petunia asked anxiously.
"Oh, Petty, it was horrible," Lily groaned. "I had this vision that I was married, and was expecting this – this kid and I was coming back from the doctor and then…I caught my so-called husband having an affair with this other girl…" Lily looked at the floor. "It was awful!"
"Who was the creep?" Petunia demanded angrily.
Lily looked up hesitantly. "That – that doesn't really matt – "
"Oh yes it does," Petunia said. "Who?"
Lily took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Who?"
Lily looked about nervously, and said, in a voice, barely more than a whisper, let out the words, "James Potter."
Petunia's eyes widened. Lily bit her lip as more tears brimmed over her eyes.
Petunia suddenly wrapped Lily in an embrace.
"Don't worry, Lil," she said soothingly to her little sister. "Nothing'll happen to you. Maybe it's just a fluke – nothing's going to happen to you."
"Oh Petunia!" Lily cried in her sister's shoulder. "I don't want you to go away! I don't want you to get married! I don't have anyone else!"
"I know," Petunia said, stroking her sister's soft red hair. "I won't leave you. Any time you need me, call me, and I won't ever hesitate to help you."
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Lily and Petunia returned to their spots at the dining room table. Juliet smiled at Lily. "Feeling better?"
Lily smiled weakly. "Yes ma'am."
Juliet looked at her fondly.
It was almost dessert when James Sr. made his announcement.
"Tyler," he said.
Tyler Evans looked up. "Yes?"
James Sr. looked a little bashful as he continued. "Look here, Tyler. We're friends, right? I mean, both in business and in real life…I mean, look at this, the whole family pretty much is bonded with friendship…look at Juliet and Prethil!"
Tyler just smiled. Lily noticed that James had suddenly buried his head in his hands.
"…and – and I was just thinking…what if we were to join these two families together?"
There was a pin-drop silence. Tyler's grin slightly wavered.
"What would that mean?" Prethil asked, slightly confused.
"What it means, Prethil," Juliet recovered for her husband, "is that what if we asked – proposed your youngest daughter's hand in marriage for our son?"
Lily felt as though a bucket of ice-cold water had hit her on the head and sent its contents scurrying down her stomach. Almost instinctively, she knew what that vision had meant…
…it was a warning…
Numbness took over where the icy coldness had been. Lily couldn't think. She couldn't speak. She could do nothing. Except sit there and look – well – stunned.
Petunia's mouth dropped slightly before she remembered her manners and hitched it back up. She chanced a glance at her little sister, and did not like what she saw…Lily looked as though she had been Petrified, and her face was pale and drawn at this suggestion. Especially in the light of that vision Lily'd had not even half an hour ago.
Petunia felt like protesting at this unfairness directed at her younger sister. After all, Lily was a human too! So she might have a bit of magic in her, but still! Was it fair to use her as some sort of – treaty?
Petunia was positive her parents wouldn't agree. Yes. That was it. They'd never send their beloved Lily to some stranger's door. Not after he'd caused her so much grief before. They knew better. They would never agree. Not ever. Lily wasn't a business agreement! Nor was she a friendship pact! She was a human being!
Prethil Evans' mouth started to form an answer. Petunia was positive it would say 'no'.
"Why, what a splendid idea!" she said. "Tyler! Can you believe what an excellent idea this is?"
"Why yes," Tyler agreed. "It certainly is."
"So do you agree?" James Sr. asked Tyler and Prethil Evans.
They both nodded brightly.
"James and Lily…they make such a beautiful couple…what do you say, Lily dear? You agree, don't you?" Juliet asked Lily.
Petunia shot Lily an urgent look with her eyes. Don't say it Lil. This is your one chance to escape the creep. Come on, you can do it –
Lily felt numb. Juliet's question echoed painfully through her brain, and, it seemed ages waiting for a response.
Finally, more due to the force of gravity being stronger than her resolve, Lily's head inclined slightly.
"As you wish," she said weakly, in a voice just shy of sounding strangled.
"Well, there you have it!" Juliet said to the Evans'. "James and Lily are getting married. Now, we'll have to make preparations and such, so…"
Lily's mind shut out Juliet Potter's rambling voice. She could barely stop her eyes watering, and, she could hardly believe that she had just agreed to marry James Potter…one step closer to that nightmare becoming reality…
She couldn't stand the pressure anymore. She stood up and left the room, curtains of soft red hair hiding her face from view.
"Felt shy," Tyler Evans explained.
Petunia watched Lily go sympathetically. A sudden rage erupted within her heart.
How could her parents treat their daughter so unjustly?! How?! How dare they use Lily as some sort of business deal?! How? Was it possible? Could it be possible to say, "oh, I'll promise you a quarter of our company's enterprises, a new computer system, oh, and, let's just throw in my daughter's hand in marriage for the heck of it" ?
Lily may not have the resolve to stand up and fight, but Petunia swore she would, for the sake of Lily's happiness.
After all, Lily had a heart too, right?
And couldn't it shatter, just like anyone else's?
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Disclaimer: I own…Haro and Sameer, Emily, Juliet and James Sr., and Tyler and Prethil. The rest belong to the ever-talented, J.K. Rowling.