Changing Perceptions

A James and Lily Fan-Fiction

Part Seven--Spring

James paced outside the headmaster's office, nervous and worried that he was going to be expelled or something. He'd almost finished his seventh year and, regardless of the fact that school was not his top priority, having come this far and not finishing would be disastrous. Lily, for one, would be irate and probably never speak to him again. Of course, with his charms, he was sure he'd be able to convince her to change her mind. He was talented that way; she never stayed mad at him for long.

He glanced at his watch again and groaned. Professor Dumbledore's previous appointment was going long and James had Quidditch practice in an hour. He sank to the floor and laid his head on his knees to think about more pleasant things.

A smile flashed across his face as he thought of Lily. Since her birthday in January, things had intensified between them considerably. They spent most of their waking hours, as well as a good portion of their sleeping hours, together. They had worked through things in January regarding the argument they'd had. And, despite his reluctance, he told her all the details about Narcissa. It wasn't easy or pleasant, but he also told her about Teresa. Lily was horrified that he'd been involved with a twenty-year-old when he was fifteen, but she couldn't deny that he'd learned some very useful things.

He was startled from his thoughts by the reappearing stairs and shocked by whom he saw. Lily.

"What are you doing here?" he stammered. Dumbledore must've found out they've been having sex and was chucking them both out of school. Fortunately, she was smiling.

"Don't worry, love," she said as she brushed the hair out of his eyes. "We'll talk when you finish with him." She leaned over and kissed him. Without another word, Lily left him standing there next to the gargoyle.

"Are you going in or are you just going to stand there all night?" the gargoyle mumbled.

"Er, yeah. Sorry," he answered and stepped onto the stairs, slowly climbing until he reached the door.

"Come in, James," Professor Dumbledore announced before James crossed the threshold. "Sit." He pointed toward a chair by the desk and sat down in his own.

Anxiously, James went to the chair and sat down nervously.

"I want to emphasize that this conversation is to remain confidential. Please do not discuss this meeting with anyone I do not mention by name," Dumbledore stated, placing his hands together in an inverted 'v.'

"Okay." Nerves were building inside him and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I assume you are aware of Lord Voldemort and his quest for power?"

"Yes, sir." James shivered at the use of the name.

"Good, good. Now, what are your plans after Hogwarts?"

That was unexpected, James thought.

"Well, with my situation at home, I have family responsibilities to handle with a couple foundations and charities," he answered. "Other than that, I really don't need to work."

Dumbledore nodded. "I see. The charities—are they run by your family or are they merely board positions?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at James curiously.

"Er, they're mostly board positions. But, pardon me sir, but what does that have to do with You-Know-Who and my career?" Dumbledore's line of questioning was beginning to irritate him.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Don't worry, James. All will be explained." He paused and smiled, sort of. "I have a job offer for you."

"A…a job offer?" James squeaked in reply.

"I am part of an organization called the Order of the Phoenix, a group of witches, wizards and Squibs dedicated to overthrowing Voldemort's regime, since the Ministry appears unable to do so."

"Like…the the Muggle French resistance?"

Dumbledore smiled completely this time. "I see you've been paying attention in Muggle Studies."

James blushed at the comment. Lily was the one who made sure he paid attention. With a tutor like her, why wouldn't he?

Dumbledore continued, "We are looking for young people, such as yourself, to join us. You are extremely skilled in Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts. These talents are proving extremely useful in our quest."

"What…what would I be doing?"

"You and the others would work with Frank and Alice Longbottom, working to deplete his ranks."

"Wait a minute," James began, sitting forward and placing his elbows on his knees, "they're…they're Aurors." Frank and Alice had left Hogwarts two years earlier; they were both Gryffindors.

"Yes, we do have Aurors in our organization. The Longbottoms are…dissatisfied with the way the Ministry is handling Voldemort and his followers."

"Death Eaters."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes. As far as the Order, you would be working in very dangerous circumstances. You would be advised to resign your board positions prior to joining us. It would also be prudent for you to write a will and set up a trust with Gringotts in order to protect your assets and holdings. To prepare, in case you don't…survive."

"Lily," James whispered.

Over the past few months, she had become more important to him and he had even thought of marrying her eventually. Dumbledore's proposition, while intriguing and worthwhile, was a bit too serious for him.

"Ah, yes, Miss Evans," the headmaster said softly. "You two are close, are you not?"

"Y—yes, sir."

"And I assume you saw her leave my office?"

James began to panic, his eyes widening at the realisation that she'd been given the same offer.

"Her? You asked her to join?"

"Yes, I did. She was extremely excited and pleased at the prospect." Dumbledore stood and crossed the room to stand before the window. "Her talents in Charms and Potions would be quite helpful."

"That's not fair, sir," James yelped, his heartbeat increasing and perspiration forming on his brow. "You're using her to get to me and I won't let you do that to me. Or to her!" James shot out of the chair and stomped over to the door.

"Stop!" Dumbledore bellowed, giving James no choice but to turn around. "Do you love her, James Potter?"

"More than anything," he said, just loud enough for the headmaster to hear.

"And that is our greatest weapon. We fight because we love our fellow man and the world we have been given. Those who seek to steal this from us are incapable of love. They are selfish and abuse their powers for their own personal gain. James, we are faced with an evil we have not seen in years. Voldemort is far more dangerous, far more evil than anyone could have imagined.

"That is why Frank and Alice married before finishing their training. They know and understand that using their love for one another makes them a thousand times stronger than fighting alone. You and Lily are no different. Your powers complement each other and the bond of love between you will only intensify them."

James, despite himself, he felt tears form in his eyes. The idea of Lily going off to fight without him and possibly dying, was the most devastating thought he'd ever had. At the same time, he was angry that his and Lily's relationship was being used for Dumbledore's gain.

"I won't do it. I won't let you use us like that. I don't know what you said to Frank and Alice, but it won't work with me," James shouted, his nostrils flaring in anger. "I'll convince her to say 'no' if it's the last thing I do!"

James sat atop the Astronomy Tower, sulking. He'd skipped dinner after his meeting with Dumbledore and came up here after Quidditch practise. There was a lot for him to think about since that afternoon. Part of him was thrilled at the offer to work for the Order of the Phoenix: tracking down Death Eaters, defending his way of life, making the future safe for those to come. That was exactly what he wanted to do, especially after his father's remarks about werewolves that morning several months ago. It was the sort of thing that would make his mother proud.

Then Dumbledore had to go and bring Lily into it. James knew he was being chauvinistic, but it just wasn't something she should have to do. Battling on the front lines was something wizards were supposed to do. They were supposed to protect their witches and make the world safe for them, not the other way around. In his mind, it wasn't chauvinistic; it was chivalrous.

He shivered at the breeze and looked up in the sky. Stars were just beginning to come out and Venus shone brightly in the eastern sky. The stars reminded him of a piece of jewellery inside a little box he had placed in his school trunk at the end of the Christmas holidays. He'd found it in his parents' Gringotts vault inside a wooden box labelled with his name. When he opened it, there was a letter from his mother.

Dear James,

I wanted to give this to you when you finished Hogwarts, but if you're reading this, it's obvious I can't. Whether I'm dead or at St. Dymphna's, you are meant to have the items in here.

You've always been such a charming boy and the girls love you. I know you've had girlfriends, despite you not wanting to tell me about them. One day, there will be a young lady that you can't live without, who will make your heart fly like an eagle on the wind. Marry her, James. Trust your heart and it will never fail you.

I know your father doesn't talk about such things, but whomever you choose, we will love her. Her bloodline doesn't matter to me, but Cornelius doesn't agree. He has some silly ideas that have been floating around for years. I didn't let him talk about it around you. Like I said, trust your heart.

Whenever you think the time is right, give her this ring, my darling. It was your great-great-grandmother Abbott's ring and was made especially for her in South Africa.

No matter where I am when you read this, please know that I love you and I thank Merlin that I was your mother. I have no regrets, except that I am not there to see you marry her.

All my love forever and ever,

Mummy

At the time, all James knew was that he loved Lily, but marriage never entered his mind. He thought they were too young and he wanted her to have the career she'd always dreamed of. But now, as war was becoming reality outside these ancient stone walls, he wanted to seize the moment and take advantage of every moment he could have with her. He needed her in his life for as long as possible, whether it would be three years, thirty years, or eighty-two years.

"James."

He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled wanly. Normally, he would flash his crooked grin that would turn her resolve to mush and she'd snog him on the spot. But now, it just wasn't in him. His brain hurt from thinking so much.

"Hey."

He slid down the battlement and settled himself down on the cold, stone floor. With his head cocked in her direction, he patted the surface next to him and she sat down.

"You've been gone a long time," she said softly, linking her fingers with his.

"Mmm hmm."

"Sirius and Peter went looking for you in the Forest."

"Oh."

"Remus went to the Shrieking Shack."

"Uh huh."

"I looked everywhere else," she told him. "If you weren't up here, I was going to wake McGonagall."

"'s a good thing you found me. Old bird needs her beauty sleep."

Lily snorted. "So are you going to tell me why you're up here or not?"

James took a deep breath as he continued to stare off into the night.

"Dumbledore. Before you say anything, I know I have no right to tell you what to do, but I wish you wouldn't."

She made a sound in protest, but he cut her off.

"Let me finish." He still stared at the dark sky. "He told me his theory about love and that it's our, the Order's, greatest weapon. If you were to…If I lost you, Lily, I don't know what I'd do. I don't want to see you put in that position." He turned to her and said, "I love you too much to let you put yourself in that much danger."

Their eyes locked for a few moments before she shook her head.

"You can't make that decision for me. I'm of age and I want to do something worthwhile. You know that."

He turned to face her fully and took her hands in his.

"Of course I do," he said plaintively. "But there are so many other things you could do. You got more OWLs than anyone I know and you're well on your way to earning a sickeningly large amount of NEWTs. You can have your pick of Ministry positions."

She looked down into her lap and shook her head.

"No, I can't. I've tried applying for jobs, but I've been turned down."

His jaw dropped in surprise.

"WHAT? That's just stupid. You're brilliant, Lil."

"Doesn't seem to matter for some people," she said almost too softly to hear.

"What do you mean?" He took her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze.

She took a deep breath and withdrew her wand. "Accio rejection letters!"

James' mouth fell open. Did she say rejection letters?

"Lily…"

He was interrupted by several letters flapping toward him, fluttering to the stone floor of the tower. He bent down alongside Lily, stopping her hands when she began to pick them up.

"Here, read this one," she said blandly, handing him a letter. "It's rather succinct and much like the others."

He took the parchment from her and scanned the letter. His mouth gaped open at phrases such as '…not interested…', '…maintain Pure-blood control…', '…not fitting Ministry protocol.' The list went on and on.

"They…they can't do that!" he screeched.

"Well, they did. I'm not fit for a job in the Ministry and I can't even appeal the decisions." She sat back silently, crossed her arms and sighed heavily. "I can't do anything else."

"Don't say that!" He grabbed her face and turned it toward his, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You have so much talent, such awesome magical power. You could do so much, Lily."

She placed her hands over his. "I know what I want to do. I want to work with Dumbledore. That's what I feel is my destiny, James." She tilted her head to the side at his furrowed brow. "I'm not doing this to settle. This is everything that I've wanted to do in one job. Isn't that what you want, too? You always said you wanted to do something different than what was expected of you. You wanted to do something for people like Remus and me. This is your chance. Our chance." Her eyes pleaded with him to understand her point of view.

He exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding and realised that she was right. It was just the thing he was thinking of when his father had insulted Remus, albeit unknowingly. If he did this with her, he would be there to try and protect her; they could work together and set the world right.

"Okay," he whispered. "If that's what you want, then I'll do it."

Her face brightened as joy filled her and she literally beamed at him. Her arms went round his neck and she pulled him to her, kissing him firmly and enthusiastically. His thinking muddied and all thought of trying to talk rationally with her about the dangers of the prospect of their future employment flew right off the Astronomy Tower.

-

Sirius handed James the bottle of Firewhisky with a chuckle. "So is Evans all prim and proper in the sack, too?"

James snorted and spat the liquor into Sirius' face. "Merlin, no! 'm no' sayin' any more," he answered with a drunken slur.

"Come on, Prongs, jus' a li'l information," pleaded Peter, taking the bottle from James. "She's got a great arse."

James turned to Peter and glared at him. "Yer lookin' at my bird's ass? Keep yer eyes to y'self." He made to poke Peter in the chest but fell over onto the ground of the Forbidden Forest.

"Jus' wanna have some new material for dreams, tha's all," added Peter before taking a swig of Firewhisky and passing it along to Remus.

"She is a good kisser," piped in Remus, with a teasing smile, earning him stares from all three of his friends. He straightened his jumper and merely looked at his friends. "Well, she is!"

"Did you feel her up? Touch her cunt?" Sirius asked gleefully as James felt his temper begin to rise.

"Or did you go down on her?" Peter asked, all too eagerly for James' taste.

James merely watched and listened as his three friends went on to banter about Remus' possible sexual exploits with Lily. Finally, he'd had enough and stood up, kicking the bottle away from their gathering.

"SHUT. THE FUCK. UP!" It was suddenly very quiet and all three of them turned to look at him with shocked expressions on their faces. "That's my woman! My girl and I'm gonna marry her!"

With a huff, he spun around, transformed into Prongs and took off into the forest. Trees were blurs as he ran and nearly ran into one a time or two. Even though deer didn't cry, the tears threatened to break through. He kept running.

Prongs ran down a hill and rushed past a trio of centaurs. They were irritated but recognised him and went back to their discussion. As he neared the edge of the forest, he slowed to a trot and carefully left the sanctity of the trees. He could see Hagrid's hut on his left and made his way over to the trough, where he knew he would find something to eat. As a deer, James really had no preference for specific things; he ate what deer ate. He found some kernels of corn and began eating.

He didn't come to Hagrid's often, but when he did, he preferred to be alone, away from his friends. On a few occasions, Hagrid came out and talked to him; James wasn't sure if the big man knew he wasn't a real deer or not. James would answer by either nodding or shaking his head. A sliver of light came from the hut and James looked up. Hagrid had spotted him.

"There ye are, Buck," Hagrid said gruffly. "Hadn't seen ye in a while." When he neared Prongs, he held out a hand, which was sniffed in greeting. "Ye been a'right?"

Prongs nodded his head up and down.

"Find yerself a lady friend yet?"

Another series of nods.

"Any littl'uns?"

This time, Prongs shook his head side to side.

"Don' worry. Nature has a way of working things out fer all her creatures." Hagrid reached out a hand and scratched him between the antlers. It really was an itchy spot, one James could never get to when he rubbed the antlers against a tree. "Jus' keep on lovin' her, an' it'll all work out in the end."

Truer words, James realised, were never spoken by giant or man. If Hagrid only knew to whom he was really speaking with, James was sure the words wouldn't have been said at all. Everyone knew that Hagrid preferred animals to humans and if anyone ever tried to convince James that he was a gruff, unfeeling brute, they'd have to face his wand.

With a swift exhale, Prongs bowed his head and took off running toward the castle, feeling much better. His friends were drunk and only acting like blokes who didn't know how to handle alcohol. But he was going to make one thing abundantly clear: no one spoke about Lily like that ever again.

It was true, what he said about marrying her. While they hadn't really had the specific conversation, James was sure it would come up soon. He was going to her house for Easter, which happened to be the day before his birthday this year. He was bound and determined to ask her father for permission to marry her. That is, after James begged for the man's forgiveness at acting like a randy thirteen-year-old the last time they met, of course.

About twenty minutes outside London, James squeezed her hand and kissed the top of her head. Even though he would never admit it to her, he was extremely nervous about seeing her parents, especially her father again. Their first introduction was less than ideal and James knew he had to mend that particular fence above anything else.

"Let me guess … you're nervous," she teased him. "I remember feeling the same way in December."

He groaned in answer and lay his head back. "Yeah, well, my mum didn't find us groping each other the first time you met her."

With a chuckle, she answered, "True. I also wasn't the one who said I got my looks from my father." He groaned again, this time bending forward and holding his head in his hands.

"He hates me," he mumbled into his hands.

"No," she reassured him. "He actually said you were rather funny." She shook her head at the memory of James' sputtering and inane attempts to impress her father.

"Don't lie to me, Lil. I saw the look on his face."

"Well, after you left, I found him and Mum in the kitchen. He was trying desperately not to laugh as he told her about what happened. Of course," she said as she ran a hand through his hair, "once he noticed me, he cleared his throat, turned on his fatherly tone and began to remind me of the proper way to behave with a young man."

He lifted his head and smirked at her before launching himself into her and holding her close.

"And you listened to him very well, didn't you?" He nuzzled her neck and kissed her lightly, causing all sorts of reactions in her that she really didn't want only a few minutes before seeing her parents.

"Shut up," she said flatly. "Come on. We have to help everyone off the train." She rose from her seat and headed toward the compartment door.

"You know," he said smoothly, "one would think that after two round trips on the train, the ickle firsties should be able to get onto the platform and find their parents by themselves."

James pulled her backwards into him and began nuzzling her neck again, sending his hands roaming over her front. Her head fell back against her will and she moaned. Despite herself, she found herself reacting to his touch. Her heart rate sped up and her hips moved erotically of their own volition. Dear Merlin, how could he do this to her?

"James…" she whispered huskily.

"Just a little, Lily. Once I get to your house, your dad will keep me away from you. I know he will." His hands cupped her breasts, massaging their weight in his hands and making her knees turn to jelly.

"N…no," Lily whimpered. "Stop, James." With a deep breath, she took a deep breath and stepped away from him. "We have a job to do."

She really would have enjoyed a little dalliance on the train with him, but she was honour-bound to look after the other students, no matter what James could do with his hands. And his lips. And his mouth, his body and his…This was going to be hell. Taking a deep breath, she slid open the door of the compartment and stepped into the corridor. She knew, or rather felt, that James wouldn't be following her out just yet. She chuckled quietly to herself and strolled toward one of the exits with a whistle.

Once all the students had exited the train at the station, Lily and James were able to gather up their things and make their way to the platform to meet her parents. Once they were through the barrier, Lily groaned. Instead of her parents, the sour faces of her sister and brother-in-law greeted her and James.

"Where're Mum and Dad?" she asked harshly.

"Home. Dad had a spill at work and broke his leg," Petunia said as she turned around swiftly. Their mother didn't drive, so that explained why she wasn't there.

"Why didn't anyone tell me he got hurt?" Lily reached out, grabbed her sister by the shoulder and spun her around. "Did anyone even think of letting me know about this before now?"

Petunia hissed, "Mother didn't want to bother you. Now kindly let me go!"

Lily had a few choice words for her sister ready on her lips, but the look that Vernon was giving her was more than a bit scary. Instead, she took a breath.

"Petunia, Vernon, this is my boyfriend, James Potter." It felt odd referring to him like that in front of her sister. Petunia never referred to Vernon as a boyfriend and Lily had never had anyone to introduce as such in her years at Hogwarts.

"Pleased to meet you," James said cordially and extended his hand to Vernon.

Vernon looked at James' hand and appeared as if he would break out in warts if he were to touch him.

"Potter," he huffed. "Let's go. Traffic's a mess." He placed his wife's hand on his arm and together, they began to stroll out of the station, leaving James and Lily behind with two trolleys and very shocked faces.

"Is he always such an arse?" James asked as he pushed his trolley after them.

"No. Actually, he was rather well-behaved. He must like you," she teased and ran past him to follow her sister.

"Lily. James. In the study. Now," came her father's gruff voice as soon as the dishes were placed in the dishwasher.

James audibly swallowed and it appeared as if he'd gone a bit green. Lily had to stifle a giggle when she realised he looked rather fetching in green and discreetly hugged him.

"He's a softy, love," she purred into his ear.

James rolled his eyes and looked visibly ill as the two of them followed him into the study, the 'scene of the crime,' as it were. James and Lily sat on the very sofa where they were caught mid-snog and the fact was not lost on either of them. He turned sheepishly toward her and flashed a quick smile at her while she felt a blush rising on her cheeks.

"A few ground rules," her father announced as he sat opposite them in a recliner, placing his crutches on the floor. "I know you two are seeing each other and as Lily's mother has told me, that you are quote…in love." His eyes never left James, indicating that this lecture was primarily for James.

"Y-yes, sir. I…I'm in love with your daughter," James admitted with a squeaky voice.

"Do you treat her the way you said you'd been raised?" He raised an eyebrow, which made Lily feel her stomach drop and all the blood rush out of her face.

"Dad…" she begged, which earned her a raised finger, George Evans' signal for 'not now.' Lily hated the fact that her father was going to use James' words against him.

"Sir?" James looked curiously at her father and then at Lily.

She gave him a look that she hoped would remind him of that day, but of course, deep down, James was completely unable to decipher her subtle reminder.

"Do you bring her flowers? Do you hold the door open for her?"

Realisation swept across James' face and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Lily could only watch, the power of speech temporarily eluding her.

"Ah, I see you recall our last conversation," he pointed out. "Do you remember the last thing you told me?"

Lily would have preferred if the world had just swallowed her up whole rather than have James answer that question. As she glanced over at him, she noticed that he, too, knew exactly what her father was speaking of.

"I remember."

"Are you, James? Are you, as you put it, 'keeping your pecker in your pants'?"

Please lie, please lie, please lie, Lily silently pleaded with him.

He shook his head and looked at the floor in shame. "No, sir. Sorry, sir. It won't happen again, sir. Ever, sir."

Lily was ready to swat James on the head when she caught sight of her father's chin trembling as he valiantly tried to hold in a laugh. She really thought she would kill her father at that moment.

"Well, James," he said, clearing his throat and most likely, getting rid of his laughter, "I wouldn't say you won't do it ever again. Just not here. In my house. Where I live."

James raised his head and took in the older man's stern look and Lily's wide eyes.

"Of course, sir. Whatever you say, sir," he replied hurriedly. Obviously, he couldn't wait to get out of the room.

"Very good." He reached for his crutches but James sprang up and retrieved them for him instead. "Thank you, James. Now, did Astrid tell you you're staying in the room right above ours and that the floors squeak?"

"Mum, where's James?" Lily asked her mother Easter evening.

"What, dear?" She looked up from the book she'd been reading. "Did you need something?"

Lily sat on the sofa next to her mother and sighed heavily. She wanted to talk to James about going out the next night for his birthday but he was no where to be found.

"James. D'you know where he is?"

Her mother smiled dreamily. "Mmm. He's out with your father." She was eerily…cheerful.

Lily began to panic. Her father and James were together by choice? Was that good or bad?

"You're kidding, right?" When her mother didn't answer, Lily spoke a bit louder. "Mum! What's going on? What'd Daddy do to him?"

Astrid chuckled again. "What makes you think that your father would want to harm the poor boy?"

Was her mother being deliberately obtuse? Lily wondered.

"Dad doesn't exactly like him. Remember?" She stood up and walked over to the window, searching the street for them.

"He doesn't hate him, love. He thinks he's…unique."

"Unique? In a good way or a bad way?" Lily shrieked.

"Lily, the fact that he agreed to your bringing him home should tell you something."

Lily smiled briefly to herself. After the first day, things had gone remarkably well. Her father had given them a wide berth, while keeping a watchful eye on them; however, he did forget that they were able to Apparate. Lily was better at it than James was; she was quieter, so she snuck up to his room once. He was too scared to trick her father more than that.

"For a smart girl, you're not very intuitive, dear," her mother said.

Lily spun around and crinkled her brow. "And what's that supposed to mean?" She watched her mother shake her head and cross the room to join Lily at the window.

"James wanted to talk to George about you. The two of you, to be more precise." She leaned over, gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek and hummed Wagner's Wedding March as she left the room, leaving Lily staring out the window with a happy tear trailing down her cheek.

"And then what'd you say?" Sirius asked over the rim of his glass of ale. Lily and James met the other Marauders at a local pub near Lily's house to celebrate James' birthday. The conversation had taken a quick turn to James' experience at the Evans' home.

"I said I'd never have sex again." James laid his head on the table with a 'thunk,' causing his friends and Lily to burst out in laughter.

"No effing way!" screeched Peter as he wiped the ale from his mouth.

"It was rather pathetic, boys," Lily said. "But Dad was trying very hard to not laugh."

James' head popped up.

"No! He was laughing at me?" he asked indignantly. "And…and you only Apparated into my room ONCE? Oh bloody hell!" His head fell back to the table.

Laughter erupted once more at the table and Lily rose from her seat. "Excuse me, boys, while I use the loo."

James watched her as she crossed the pub and disappeared from sight. He turned back to his friends.

"I talked to her dad."

Remus raised an eyebrow. Sirius stopped mid-drink while Peter furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"I asked for his blessing. You know, to marry her," he said hesitantly. "He said yeah."

His three friends were silent again and continued to stare at him.

"Isn't anyone going to say anything?" His eyes darted over his friends, dreadfully worried that his friends would be angry.

"Wow," mumbled Peter.

"Congrats, mate," chimed Remus.

James waited impatiently for Sirius to say something.

Sirius rose from his seat and lifted his glass. "Attention, attention, everyone!" he shouted, causing James to slide down his chair a bit. "Just want to let everyone know that my mate, James, finally has the woman of his dreams and that all other women in the world are now able to walk safely without him there to pester them. To James!"

"To James!" the patrons of the pub joined in.

When the voices died down, James turned to Sirius and said, "Thanks. It means a lot."

"Be happy. Be disgustingly happy for a very long time."

The two of them shared an awkward smile and went back to their drinks. A few minutes later, Lily returned and resumed her place next to James, kissing his cheek as she sat down.

"She's a looker, James!" came a shout from one of the patrons.

Lily spun around, trying to find out who shouted at her.

"What is going on?" Her eyes darted from one Marauder to the other, but no one said anything. "James?"

"Er, well, Sirius made a toast and kind of—"

"I told the bar he was in love, Evans. Anything wrong with that?" Sirius interrupted.

Even in the dim light of the pub, James could tell she was blushing; he always loved it when she did that.

"Absolutely not," she answered, kissing James deeply while their friends and the strangers around them cheered.

James' head hurt and the words on the parchment were blurry. He had a cramp in his hand and he lost all feeling in his arse about an hour ago. With a sigh, he looked up and glanced around the Great Hall. It was set up pretty much the same as when he'd taken his OWLs. His eyes stopped at his friends, all of them hunched over, shaking a leg and writing furiously. Finally, he looked up the rows to Lily. Even as she took her final exam at Hogwarts, she was still cool, calm and collected. This was the day she'd prepared so long for and all the long hours of studying would pay off in a few hours.

As he looked down at his own parchment, he scowled. He'd only written seven paragraphs about the theory behind inanimate transfiguration. He knew it, but part of him just didn't care. There was more to life than exams and theory. He was eager to put it all into practise.

He'd found out a few weeks ago that Sirius, Remus and Peter had also taken a position with the Order. Remus would be working on gathering intelligence, Sirius would be helping Lily and a few others come up with potions that could do things he only dreamed of (some of which, in the right hands, could really make for some interesting jokes). Peter, James realised, went along with it all simply because his friends did. He wasn't really skilled in any one particular area and that made James curious as to what Peter's role would be. Sighing heavily, he turned his attention back to his parchment and began hurriedly scratching down everything he could remember in the last five minutes allotted for the exam. It wasn't his best work, but it would have to do.

"Quills down! Accio parchments," said Professor Flitwick excitedly. The parchments flew through the air and landed neatly in a stack on the table next to the professor.

James chuckled as he remembered how, in fifth-year, the parchments flew into the little man and a couple students helped him off the floor. Students around him began to stand, gathering their things and talking excitedly. They were finished with exams and all they had to do the remaining fortnight was torture the underclassmen, drink, fuck and laze about.

"Hey, Prongs," shouted Sirius. "You're coming to the party we've got planned at the lake, aren't you? You know, the traditional seventh-year party?"

James groaned. He'd never been to one before, but the stories made it out to be one huge celebration of debauchery. In the past, he'd heard of orgies, drugs (both Muggle and wizard), skinny dipping in the Black Lake and numerous kinds of liquor and other assorted beverages. Funny, though, up until now, he was really looking forward to attending that particular party.

"Er, yeah, for a little bit, I think. I wanna spend time with Lily," James said offhandedly.

"Understandable." Sirius slapped him on the back and pushed him forward to where Lily was standing.

"How'd it go?" James asked her, putting an arm around her and kissing her softly on the cheek.

"Good, good," she answered brightly. "Are…are we going to the party tonight?" They began walking into the Entrance Hall with the crowd of students.

"For a bit."

They continued to walk in silence, hands linked, back toward the common room. However, as they were turning toward the Gryffindor portrait hole, James stopped short and pulled Lily out of the corridor and away from the crowd. His heart began racing as the outcome of his abrupt decision came to mind.

"What is it?" she asked curiously, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I…I have a couple things I need to do before the party tonight." He began making plans internally and making up a list of things he would need. "We'll go, I promise, but I need to take care of a few things, okay?"

"Is it your mum? Is she all right?" She places a hand tenderly on his shoulder. "You can tell me."

He removed her hand and entwined his fingers with hers.

"She's fine. It's…it's a surprise, that's all. I'll see you at seven." He leaned forward and kissed her swiftly before turning around and racing up the stairs to the seventh floor. A smile broke across his face. His life was going to change tonight and he couldn't wait.

"Where are we going, James?" she asked while he tugged her by the hand up stairs and down corridors until they were on the seventh floor next to the tapestry of Barney the Barmy and his ballet-dancing trolls.

After only an hour at the end-of-the year party, James had pulled her away on the pretence that it was time for her surprise. At the time, she was rather annoyed with him, but now, she was thrilled at the prospect of being alone with him.

He dropped her hands, began pacing and muttering to himself. All of a sudden, a large door appeared where there was once a stone wall.

"What the hell?" she said incredulously, getting a chuckle from James in return.

"Language, Evans," James chided with a quick kiss. He reached for the door handle and swung it open. "Ladies first."

Her eyes widened at her first glimpse of the room. It was very large, almost cavernous, with a pair of gigantic chandeliers handing from the cathedral-like ceiling. A large fireplace took up nearly the entire wall to her right and a comfortable sofa stood in front of it along with a coffee table filled with fruits, chocolates and Butterbeer. To her left was the most romantic bed she'd ever seen with bright brass posters draped in what looked like white silk. She took a few steps toward it and reached out to touch the fabric of the curtains.

"It's fairy made. The silk," came his voice from behind her, followed by his strong arms around her waist. He nuzzled her neck, just below her ear.

"Wh—where are we?" She turned and met those eyes that could pull her in like a magnet.

"It's Hogwarts' secret room. Don't ask how I know about it." He reached out and brushed back her hair, making her shiver at his touch.

"It's beautiful," she whispered huskily. "Why is there a secret room here in the castle?" Her eyes drifted around the room, taking in every detail.

"It's not always like this," he explained. "It has different functions, based on what someone needs. Some call it the Come and Go Room, some call it the Room of Requirement, while others call it the Room of Hidden Things." He took her hand and led her away from the bed and toward the sofa. "I wanted something romantic."

Lily snorted. "You're not a romantic, my love. In fact, the only time you're even remotely romantic is when we—James, what is going on?"

"Can't get anything past you, can I? Here I thought I was being devious," he answered with a smile and pulled her down into his lap.

He leaned forward and kissed her soundly, running his tongue along her lips before she granted him entry into her mouth. Lily moaned and ran her fingers through his hair, mussing it up more than usual.

"James," she murmured as she pulled away, "you're always up to something."

"You can feel that?" he replied cheekily, earning him a swat on the shoulder. "Hey, be nice!"

"What's going on? You've been quiet all day and you're making me nervous," she told him softly, placing a hand on his cheek. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all. I do, however, have something to talk to you about."

"Sounds serious. Do I need to get off your lap?" She wiggled her behind and made him groan at the contact.

James squeezed her tightly.

"Never. And I think this is the most serious thing I've ever thought about."

Taking her face in his hands, he looked her in the eyes, causing her to shiver again.

"Oh God, James," she whispered as an idea crossed her mind.

"I love you, Lily." She nodded in answer. "And—and I hope you love me."

"You know I do."

"I never want to be away from you ever again, even for a day." He paused and turned away, sniffing. "I had a conversation with your dad and asked him something."

Her stomach began churning as adrenaline gushed through her body, making her breathing increase. She hoped she wouldn't hyperventilate.

"You did?" Her mouth was dry and she almost felt like she would pass out. Breathe, she had to remind herself.

"I asked him if he thought I was good enough for you. And he said he'd never seen you happier."

"He's right," she answered softly. "You're amazing and you make me feel wonderfully delirious." She began playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "I hope I make you feel the same way."

"More than you can imagine. And I want to keep making you happy, to keep telling you how much you mean to me."

He held her close as he leaned back against the cushions of the sofa, her body pressed against his. The seriousness of the moment was lost as he began stroking the sides of her body, tickling her lightly. The tickling led to slow caresses that turned rather heated quickly. Abruptly, he pulled away and took a deep breath as he looked at the floor.

"Are you alright?" Lily stroked his back, hoping to calm him down. At her touch, he turned to her; he looked green. "You don't look so good."

He jumped off the sofa and began pacing with his hands jammed inside his jeans pocket.

"No! I'm not good at all! I can't even do this right!" He leaned onto the mantle and reached for something behind a clock. "I asked your dad…I asked him if it would…I wanted him to know—Damn it!"

In three strides, he was back at the sofa, on his knees in front of her. He looked sad and lost; she couldn't help but put her hands on his cheeks and slide onto the floor next to him.

"Breathe, James. What's wrong? What did you talk to Dad about?" She was 97.9999% sure she knew what was coming.

"We talked about you. And me. Together."

"Yeah? That was nice of you," she said with a smile.

"Well, after his chat with us that first day, I thought it was rather pleasant," he deadpanned.

"True."

"So, I asked him…about this." He lifted his arm from the floor and showed her a small box.

Nothing in her wildest dreams could have prepared her for this moment. Silently, James placed it in her hand and nodded slightly, indicating that she should open it. Her heart beat wildly inside her chest and one hand went to the top while the other went to the bottom. Lily pried open the box, nearly hyperventilating again and she gasped when she saw the ring. There was a large stone surrounded by several small, pink gems. The sparkle of it took her breath away and she started shaking.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God…" she repeated over and over, while James chuckled.

"I asked him if I could marry you, Lily," he said breathily. "He told me that I'd have to ask you. So here I am. Asking. Will you marry me, Lily?"

"James," she whispered, launching herself at him and fastening her mouth onto his in a deep kiss. She pulled away abruptly, realising that she hadn't answered him. "Of course I will."

"Oh, thank Merlin," he moaned and pulled her in for another kiss.

This time, it was a slow, lingering kiss that tantalized her to the core, causing the shivers to return. She would never get enough of kissing him and now, she had decades ahead of her to do just that. Their life together would be a long and happy one and she was sure that every day spent with him would be a miracle.