I have been so dreadfully busy that I haven't breathed in a month. Apologies, my friends, I give you my sincere apologies. It was this sick day off of school that I had a chance to write.
"This," Sirius said, "is by far the stupidest you've acted in a long, long time."
Remus adjusted his collar for the millionth time that night in the mirror in the dormitory, and the ball hadn't even started.
James confidently walked in front of him, fixed his wrinkled collar, and gave him a reassuring clap on the shoulder. Remus was adorned in new, midnight blue dress robes that James had bought for him, which Remus sheepishly accepted. James did not boast of his wealth, nor did he greedily cling to it. He gave to whoever truly needed, or whenever he could help. They were the best clothes Remus had ever worn.
"You'll do great, Moony," he grinned. "Why, if I hadn't had Lily, I might've asked you."
Remus punched his arm, and Sirius jumped up from behind Remus and had him in a headlock. James ruffled Remus's hair.
"I just had my hair the way I wanted it!" Remus shoved them off, sprung up and jumped in front of the mirror again.
Sirius and James exchanged a glance and rolled their eyes.
"Ready, mates?" Sirius asked, looking stunning in a black dress robe with a deep red shirt underneath. Alice would be absolutely stunned the whole night.
"Do I have to go?" Whined Peter. "No one would even go with me."
Sirius walked over and looped an arm around Peter's shoulders. "I'm sure there'll be a lonely girl you can lasso!" Peter looked at the floor, not convinced.
"Oh, cheer up!" James said exasperatedly. "This is a once in a lifetime thing!"
"Yeah, I guess." Peter muttered, still solemn.
James adjusted the cuffs on his robes, Sirius gave him a confirmation nod, and he strode out the door.
When James reached the bottom of the stairs, entering the Common Room, his jaw dropped all the way through the Earth and out the other side.
There was a girl, on the other side of the room, that floated above reality. Her wavy read curls were pinned up, so it only a few strands hit her face, and just tickled the nape of her neck. Her green eyes sparkled – no, glowed, with some powder on her eyelids. She wore make up, though not enough to cover her freckles, and it was stunning. Two little emeralds lit up on her ears and made a ring around her neck.
He gown was almost as magnificent as the person wearing it. It was tight fitting along the torso and her hips, until it flowed gracefully down the floor. She looked taller, James decided. She must've been wearing heels.
There was a certain glow, when internal beauty collided with external beauty and a strange angel was born. James took a moment to thank every star in the sky that he had the chance to witness such a perfect and glorious collision.
"Evans?" Sirius said, pushing his way around a gaping James. "Madame Prefect Head Girl Top of Her Class Snob Tattle Tail EVANS?"
James punched him in the arm and pushed him out of the way. Sirius rubbed his arm, still starring in shock at the transformed beauty in front of them.
Lily's lips curved up in a humored smile. James wanted a camera, to freeze the way she looked and keep it forever. Happy, beautiful, and alive.
"You don't looked half bad, Potter," She nodded, scanning over his attire. Her strands over hair swayed over her face.
James blinked. "You look pretty nice, yourself." Still absorbing the initial shock, he extended his arm. "Shall we?"
Lily nodded and took his arm, smiling. "We shall."
James walked out of the Common Room, his glasses slightly askew and a bemused smile plastered on his face.
Lily couldn't decide who was happier, Remus or Adelaide.
Adelaide wore an icy blue dress that matched her eyes. It was artistically designed. It swooped very low down her back, with long sleeves that fanned out at the wrists. It gave off a soft glow, and never stopped clutching her perfect figure. Her black hair was a straight, glossy black curtain that fell gracefully down her back. She looked simple, yet elegant. Kind, yet beautiful.
Remus had on a very dark blue, (and indeed striking) set of dress robes. The two blues collided and fit together like wind and water, night and day, fire and ice.
More beautiful, though, were the smiles stuck on their faces. Their eyes never left each other. Their smiles never faded. They were in their own world, a world that they would begrudgingly have to leave tonight, a world that would continue on into their dreams.
The Great Hall looked simply magnificent. The clear night sky was perpetuated on the ceiling, and the floor was made to look like black ice, as if the Black Lake had frozen over. The walls had vines curling around them, with beautiful, exotic flowers everywhere, courtesy of the green house.
It was then James gently put his hand on the small of her back, and a rush of warmth filled her.
"Aren't they perfect?" James bent down, and whispered in her ear. "I haven't seen Remus that happy in years."
Lily nodded, not turning around. "I have to say, I'm a little jealous."
James spun in front of her, with a crooked smile. "Green with envy, are we Evans?" Lily felt her hand finger her dress. She looked down, a little worried that she looked over the top, or that the color was wrong, or that he didn't like it.
James extended his hand to her, as if to lead her to the dance floor. She took his hand, and they assumed the ballroom waltz position. Lily jumped a little when he put his hand on her waist, but she didn't pull away.
If Lily ever had the courage to get on a broom and fly, she decided that this would be what flying felt like. A strange way of hovering over the floor, gliding over the ground.
"My father taught me to dance," James smiled, his eyes never leaving her. "He said it might come in handy some day."
Lily laughed. "Your father was a smart man."
James's hazel eyes twinkle. "I thank God every night for him."
The danced through song after song, though they were so rushed on each other's adrenaline, it was not until they started playing a faster song that they realized how tired they were.
James released Lily and they both sighed, exhausted. James rubbed his hands together.
"I'll go get us drinks?" He suggested, pointing to the refreshments table. Lily nodded, still smiling. James smiled as well. He turned to go, but quickly he turned back.
He leaned forward, just a little, like he was going to tell a secret. Lily instinctively leaned forward as well.
"You know," James said, with a crooked grin. "I'm not jealous of them at all. Not one bit." And with that, he jogged over to the table.
Lily pursed her lips, repressing a look of a ridiculous amount of happiness that spread over her face. She ran a hand through her hair, and felt, for once, that she couldn't have a care in the world. She forgot about the Order and her parents and her future. It was blissful.
She was about to call after James, to tell him not to spike her drink, but she heard a strange whisper behind her.
"Imperio."
Severus awkwardly shuffled, trying to dance, though he never learned how. Damn, James Potter. He made it look so easy. The look of Lily's glazed eyes killed him inside, though he had to do it.
"Dance with me," he ordered, and Lily's feet began to move. He place on hand on her waist, and grasped her hand with the other.
"Listen," he muttered. "I know you can hear me."
Lily was unresponsive, but Severus had been under the curse before. She could hear him, through the haze of the Unforgivable Curse, she would hear, and listen.
"I didn't want to do this, but you gave me no choice," he said quietly, not wanting to cause attention. "The Dark Lord is recruiting, straight from Hogwarts, and they want you." He looked imploringly at Lily, knowing she wouldn't respond. "Despite your – er – birth status, you're so gifted that they want you!"
They continued dancing. Severus knew he didn't have much time before Potter returned. "Lily, we need you. I need you!" He said desperately. "We could be safe! Don't be an idiot, think of what you need to do! I'm trying to help you Lily! The other Slytherins want to recruit you as well, but they don't care how they do it! Lily, they want to hurt you, I'm trying to help!" His eyes turned soft. "Forgive me, Lily. For this and for everything else. But consider it. I don't want you hurt, but if you don't join know, there's nothing I can do to stop it."
That last part was not a command, just a plea. A plea for a heart he had shattered, but was trying so hard to mend.
As the song ended, he wove his wand. The clear lining over Lily's eyes disappeared. She pushed back from Severus, and looked him up and down.
When Severus saw the soft, broken look in her eyes, he knew it was all over.
"Sev?" She whispered, her voice cracking. "Sev, how could you?" Her eyes began leaking with the chinks in her armor. The amount of shock had broken her defense. "Those are Unforgivable Curses, Sev." She tried to steady her voice by clenching her fists, though it did nothing. "Why would you do that to me, Sev? I – I…"
She looked around and quickly swiped away her tears. She took in a deep breath, and looked firmly at Severus.
"Don't ever talk to me again, Sev. Don't look at me. I'm done with you." She flipped to go, but turned back.
"Why don't you have some courage, Sev?" She hissed through gritted teeth. "Stop hiding behind the Dark Lord, stop hiding behind your Death Eater friends, it's pathetic. Stop using curses and hexes to get your way. It's disgusting and pitiful." Her hair shook in her face, and her jewelry clinked as it shook. "For God's Sake, have a little courage. For once in your life Sev, be brave."
With that, she spun around and left him in the middle of the dance floor.
Severus watched her go. He felt pieces of his heart, shattered, cutting the inside of his chest. These cuts would never be healed.
And that was the last time he ever heard her call him 'Sev'.
Aww. I always feel sympathetic towards Snape, because the most unfeeling character in the whole book has the most unconditional love for another.
I also thought that this would be a good explanation of Snape's Gryffindor-like courage that he has in Harry's year. I thought Lily's little monologue would be his inspiration to grow and affect him in his later years.
I ALSO thought that he would associate this inspiration with her eyes, and whenever he saw Harry's eyes, it would give him the courage he needed to keep fighting by remembering Lily's words, and ultimately, the courage to face death at the end.
I always cry when he's dying and he says "You have your mother's eyes." AH. IS IT SO HARD TO ASK FOR MAGIC, HOGWARTS, BEAUTY, AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE? Then again, J. K. Rowling does write fiction...
Review, por favor?