He didn't like to say her name. He tried not to address her as Lily. He tried to address her as nothing at all – "How was Transfiguration?" "Did you get much homework in Charms?" "What are you doing for Christmas?"

"I love you…"

With her name scrawled on a rock next to Potter's he found it nearly impossible to say her name. James and…. She's dead. She's gone. She married Potter. He killed her.

Lily – Lily

He killed Lily.

He didn't know why as a teenage boy he had found her name so taboo. It would have been pleasant to remember how the currents and undulations of the constants and vowels felt like coming off his tongue. It would have nice to remember the sound of Lily Evens in his own voice rather than Lily Potter whispered by so many others.

Lily – Lily

Her name was Lily.