Disclaimer: This is the final chapter of The Fashion Choices of Miss Evans and I still own nothing. These characters and their settings still belong to Jo Rowling and there's nothing I can do about it.
Dedication: To everyone who's read and reviewed this story! Ophelia-Dumbledore, Stella Blue, ilovetom88, Gerru, glaz, MilliKilo, Briana Marie, Frankie Beeblebrox, DOJ, songbreeze, soccerchic89, rehaired, Dan-Radcliffes-Girl, Hekate101, Loraliant Aneglisa Snape, Annmarie Aspasia, dancincheerchik, siriusforeva, Faerie Lover, Gwendolyn James, ashley48506, Starreader1, madame-knight, Professor D. S. Silvers, Skuggis, Ratica, gryffspopgurl, FreckledIrishMaiden, Moonlight on the Water, Ives, Harryandginnyforever, feline-go-meow, PeRkieGuRL, ash vault rose garden, Fey the Rabid Clown Killer, Lil Bazza, UIY, animalluvr75, Susan D, prettyfoot, , Artemis Moonsong, Muse, Sparky, je, fredlubber, Angeline, Marina, , DLster, Cinammon, Elle30, kluvhp, Hi Im Crazy, marauders3, Creative Deficit, sarah, Rider-of-Rohan23, Sakura, duva, JewelValentine, saxistwriterchick, HyperOnCookies, Angel Enchantress, Dangerkitteh13, Melissa Black13, Manny2003, GryffindorGoddess28, J.E.A.R.K.Potter, tigerlily98, Leha, Queen of Zan, ron-lover-for-life, Eunice, flying fuzzy logic, clyana, madboutu, allie, squidluvr4eva, Unstable Element, Swishy Willow Wand, FlamezFlyer, Rowan BlackPanther, HYPERdingdong39, Kath Southburg, L, kiwibob, Bella, Toria, rOk stA, BrokenSkye, aihjah, maria, SnufflestheInsane, Horseluver, crazy4padfoot, Book lover, From the Silent Planet, Amy Lampion, Nianko, s, holly-evans, curiousdragon, popppincorn, lily hostetler, glaz, Iavala, icriedwhensiriusdied, prongs is mine, aquariusbaby205. (I hope I didn't miss anyone, if I did, I'm sorry! Bold reviewed since first chapter, Italics reviewed last chapter)
Author's Note: This is the final chapter of the story that was supposed to end 11 chapters ago. I hope you've all enjoyed it as much as I have. I've got 3 other Harry Potter works in progress on this site and several more that I'm going to start posting when I get to the end of Switched, so I hope you'll stay tuned and keep reading.
Chapter 12: Forgiveness
Lily woke up and got ready for her day, wondering if Remus had come up with anything to help her, and hoping that James had come back. She wouldn't put it past him to fly into Hogsmeade or the Forest and stay there all night. She sighed. Worrying about him. That wasn't a good sign. She was never supposed to let herself care about him this much. But it was too late now, much too late.
She went down the common room and started pacing, waiting for Remus. She almost considered going back up to his dormitory and getting him, but the thought of catching Remus or one of the other boys in the process of getting dress stopped her. She blushed. That would certainly be awkward. So instead, she waited in the common room, pacing to and fro.
Remus however was not the first to come down. Alice came first and Lily told her to go along to breakfast, saying she'd catch up. Next was Frank, Lily sent him along after Alice. Sirius came next, giving her the cold shoulder. James trudged along slowly soon after, ignoring both Sirius and Lily. Peter ran down breathlessly after, calling for them both to wait. Finally, Remus came.
"I thought you'd never get down here. Did you come up with anything?" asked Lily impatiently.
"Gee, thanks for saying hi first," he said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, but I just really wish this was all over."
Remus saw the pain in her face. "I know, Lillers. I know. And I've got an idea."
"You do?"
"Do you remember all the things you've said when you turned James down for dates?"
"Mostly."
"Good. Because for this to work, you're going to have to remember as much as you can."
Lily wasn't sure she liked the grin on Remus's face at all, in fact she wasn't sure she didn't like it, but it was too late to change anything. Damage had been done and now it was time to pay the price.
"Make a list during History of Magic and go down the hallway and turn left. There's a small staircase, The top half of the little sphere lifts up and you can put the list in there. On your way to lunch go back there and I'll have a note waiting for you."
"How am I suppose to make the list without being caught?"
Remus sighed. "It's History of Magic. You're supposed to spend the whole class period writing. Just pretend you're doing notes."
"Alright. And you're sure this plan is going to work?" she asked, nervously.
"It should. I don't see why it shouldn't. But there's always risk involved. Do you care enough about James that you're willing to take that risk?"
"What risk?"
"School-wide humiliation and a broken heart. The same risks he's been taking for you for years."
"I'll do it," she said, with as much certainty as she could manage.
"Good, that's the spirit. That's my girl." He gave her a hug and pecked her friendlily on the cheek. "Or rather, James's girl if we can do anything about it," he said slyly. "Come on, let's go get you some breakfast."
She smiled gratefully at him.
The two of them walked down to breakfast at the Gryffindor table. Sirius was sitting alone, sulking. James sat as far from him at the other end of the table stared moodily at his bowl of oatmeal. Peter was sitting with some fifth years he knew, obviously not wanting to get in the way of James and Sirius's fight. Alice and Frank were eating together, smiling at one another as usual and shooting spiteful glares and Sirius and James. Remus and Lily chose to sit together at the Hufflepuff table. Remus muttered, "I don't like the tensions over there. C'mon. Nobody'll miss us." So they passed breakfast talking to the Hufflepuff Prefects, knowing they could always use "Prefect business" as their excuse.
Lily sat in her first class, making her list. Had she really said she'd rather do all these things than kiss or go out with James Potter? It didn't seem possible…but she had. She'd let a few bad experiences with him ruin her feelings for him forever. Okay, so it was more than "a few" bad experiences, and her opinion had finally changed, but she still found it hard to believe she'd been so closed-minded towards him. Feeling ashamed, she finished her list.
She folded the note up into as small a square as it would go and stuck it in her pocket. She started taking notes for the rest of class.
As soon as the bell rang, she hurried to the spot Remus had told her. Sure enough, the top of the banister post lifted up, and she hid the note in there.
Ten minutes later, Remus came and picked it up on the way to his second class. He eyed the list. He'd forgotten about some of this. No matter. It was still workable. Hopefully. He scribbled a reply, with some directions on it and left it there for her to find on her way to lunch. He hustled off to his next class, working on the more detailed parts of his plan and for once ignoring his schoolwork.
Lily was distracted throughout her second period charms class, wondering just what Remus had planned. She couldn't take it anymore and asked to be excused to the bathroom. When she came back, the note from Remus was sitting in her pocket.
When Professor Flitwick was distracted (a feather-stuffed cushion had exploded in his face), Lily took out the note and read it.
Be free at 5 o'clock to meet me by the lake. Everyone should arrive around 5:15 or so. I'm getting out of class early by faking sick. Get that expression off your face, Lily. I know it's there. If it weren't important, I wouldn't do it. Anyway, I'll get us both some lunch from the kitchen. As soon as lunch starts, meet me in the spare classroom on the fourth floor at the end of the left wing. You should be able to find it easily enough. The door handle is blue. I'll give you more information when you get there.
Always yours,
Re
Lily fumed. He knew she was going to bad about skipping class and he was going to do it anyway! The nerve of that boy. But she couldn't really complain. He was helping her. That was the important thing. They just had to make things right with James again. They just had to. She waited for class to end. Normally, she loved charms. It was her easiest class. She was a natural at it. But today, she couldn't wait to get out of there and find out what Remus's plan was. She was half-tempted to fake being ill and get out early, but she still retained the morals to sit still in class and wait for the bell like everyone else.
As soon as the bell rang, she told Alice that she had to finish her Potions essay in the library and wouldn't be able to make it down to lunch.
"Are you sure? You ought to grab a bite to eat first."
"I'll stop by and get something from the kitchens, don't worry." It was only half a lie. She was going to eat food from the kitchen.
"Alright then. I'll see you later."
"Bye, Alice." Lily made her way to the room on the fourth floor as quickly as she could. True to his word, Remus was waiting in the room with the blue door handle and he had food with him.
"Hey, Remus. I got your note."
"Hi, Lily. Let's eat while I go over everything today."
Lily started to eat hungrily; she was afraid that whatever Remus might have to tell her about the plan might take her appetite away. The sandwiches were really quite delicious. "What's this called?"
"A Monte-Cristo. Basically turkey, ham, and cheese in a French toast sandwich."
"So what exactly do you have planned?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"Just about everyone has heard you say, at some point or another, to James that you'd rather kiss Snape or go out with the giant squid than go anywhere near him."
"Right. Those were first two things on the list I made."
"How would you feel about eating you words?"
Lily winced. That did not sound fun, not to mention the fact that it was an overused cliché. "You mean…kiss…Snape? I don't hate him or everything, no matter how horrible he is, but to kiss someone with that many hygiene problems…" She looked like she might throw up.
"I'm sure we can work something out. I'm going to get started on this list and arrange for a bunch of people to be at the lake tonight, including James and Sirius."
"What am I supposed to do to help? What's my part?"
"Find something that'll put this over the top. Something that'll make your little performance out there go the extra mile. Do you have anything in mind?"
She thought back to an argument before Christmas break. "Yeah. I think I do."
About five hours later, Lily was standing along the edge of the lake with a black cloak around her and clasped tight, nervous. She was standing underneath a tree and concealed by a screen to conceal her "props" for her little performance. Remus was also concealed behind the screen. "I'm nervous, Re. I don't know if I can do this."
"Of course you can, Lillers. You'll be fine. Do you care about James?"
"Yes."
"Do you think you love him? Or might love him? Or might someday love him?"
"Yes."
"Then that's all that matters. Go get 'em, tiger." He gave her a hug.
"Thanks, Re."
He used a Sonorus Charm on Lily. "Get out there now. Remember what I told you to say." He gave her a little a little shove and she stumbled out from behind the screen and walked up the steps of the podium Remus had arranged from her.
"Hello, everyone. I know there's been a lot of rumors circulating about me and James Potter. Well, I'm here to set them all straight. I said that I would rather go out with the Giant Squid than go out with James Potter." She turned to look over her should and shouted, "SQUID, will you go out with me?"
A giant tentacle raised above the water, waving, then a shot of ink released under the surface.
"I'll take that as a no. I said I'd rather set my hair on fire than go out with James Potter." She took a few tendrils of hair out from her bun and Remus handed her a lit match. The hair started to burn with an awful smell. Remus handed her a jar of water and she put the fire out. "I said I'd rather get hit in the stomach with a Quaffle than kiss James Potter." Remus threw a red ball at her stomach.
The list and the antics went on for about half an hour, until she finally got to her last "I said". "And, I said I'd rather kiss Severus Snape than even look at James Potter."
Remus came out from behind the screen completely this time (instead of just a hand or an arm), wearing a mask he hastily made that afternoon. It had lots of black hair made out of yarn, a hooked nose, and yellow-ish skin.
Lily kissed the paper mask and pushed Remus off the steps and back behind the screen.
"Now that I've done everything I said I'd do rather than date or kiss James Potter, I only have one thing left to say." Her face was beginning to turn really red. "James Potter, will you go out with me?"
Remus ran into the crowd and pulled James out (he'd made sure that James was standing in the front) and pushed him up towards Lily.
He jabbed James in the stomach. "Answer her."
James stared at her. She was wearing a tight pair of jeans and the top he'd help and asked her if she'd wear it with him on a date.
"Well?" she asked, fidgeting nervously.
"I will if you wear that," he managed to blurt out, rather accidentally.
"Deal." She leaned forward and kissed him in front of everyone.
In the crowd, Sirius muttered, "I can't believe this."
"What?" demanded Alice.
"Her. Again."
"What? Do you think she's going to break his heart again?" asked Frank.
"No. But I'm going to lose my best friend all over again. And I think I'm losing him for good this time. He looks so happy," Sirius said, glumly. But a spark appeared in his eyes. "It doesn't matter though. I'm happy for him." He turned to Peter, "Come on Pettigrew, let's leave those two lovebirds up there alone and go into the village for a butterbeer. You two wanna come along?" he asked Alice and Frank grudgingly.
"Why not?" asked Alice, with a grin.
"If you can get us there," Frank said.
"Alright. Oi! Remus! You coming?"
"Yeah, Sirius. I'm coming. I don't want to be stuck with those two," Remus said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Lily and James, still up at the podium together.
The crowd of other students was dispersing as Sirius, Peter, Remus, Alice, and Frank made their way to Hogsmeade together. Lily and James, oblivious to everyone else, stayed together on the podium, kissing and just looking in each other's eyes.
THE END!
Upcoming stories:
Can I Keep Him? A story about Neville
Inseperable—A story about Lily and James and not being able to leave each other's side (not by choice!)
Why I'm Quitting the Canons—1-shot about Harry being fed up with being a celebrity.
Work Cut Out For Her—A story about the tough babysitter who manages to watch all 7 Weasley children at once. Featuring Percy with broken glasses, Bill with a major crush, and Ron's teddy bear.