Chapter 39
Lily and James were set to leave for the restaurant that evening at 7:30. Lily was lying on her bed playing with Pippin as Claudia, Michelle and Sophie rummaged through all of their wardrobes so that they could find the right outfit for Lily.
"I don't understand what the fuss is all about. Why can't I wear the dress I wore to the New Years Eve party?" Lily asked as she teased Pippin with a teddy bear. Claudia looked at her as if she had four heads.
"And you being the fashion guru you are." Claudia said with a shake of her head. Michelle and Sophie chuckled, as Lily looked on bewildered. "There are going to be photographers there because of it being the opening night." Claudia explained. Lily looked horrified and she sprang up from her bed, which gave poor Pippin quite a shock.
"Photographers? Nobody told me there was going to be photographers. I have to get ready. I need a facial, a pedicure, and a manicure. Oh my god, I need my hair done!" Lily exclaimed. The three girls chuckled.
"Lily we've been telling you that for ages but you were just too busy dreaming about captain Quidditch." Sophie joked.
"Now Lily calm." Michelle chuckled as she watched Lily grow quite frantic. "When we pick out the dress we will know what colour to do your nails and then we can do your hair." Michelle said reassuringly. Lily took a deep breath and nodded. There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Claudia shouted. The door opened and James poked his head inside. Lily smiled at seeing her boyfriend. He smiled as he seen her.
"Hey babe." James said to her as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Hey. What's up?" Lily asked.
"I need to talk to Sophie." James said. Sophie looked at him.
"What's wrong?" She asked. James looked around him to see that the other three girls were watching intently.
"Umm I need to talk to you in private." James said. Sophie nodded. James turned to Lily. "I will meet you in the common room at half seven, okay?" James smiled at her. Lily smiled back. "Love you." He said before kissing her and leaving.
"Wonder what that's all about?" Claudia pondered as she continued looking through the wardrobe. Lily shrugged. "We have like no clothes." Claudia said. Michelle chuckled as she seen the mass of clothes that surrounded them on the floor.
"I have an idea." Lily said suddenly.
Meanwhile Sophie and James were walking down one of Hogwarts' many corridors. James didn't know how to come out and ask Sophie this, he felt awkward about telling anyone this. But Sophie was one of Lily's best friends and if Lily could trust her then so could he.
"Okay here is the deal. Lily told me that she wanted her first time to be perfect. And... I-I need your help in making it perfect." James blurted out. Sophie smiled.
"Well James you came to the right person. I am great at planning spur of the moment things." Sophie said excitedly.
"Yeah Kent told me you would be the best person to go to." James smiled. He noticed a chain around Sophie's neck that had a gold ring band on it. It looked like the type of rings you get when you were married. "You know Sophie rings are usually made to be worn on fingers." James chuckled. Sophie blushed and hid the chain.
That evening James waited in the common room. He was sitting on a chair watching the chess match between Sirius and Remus. It was getting quiet intense. James laughed as one of Remus' knights battered Sirius' pawn. Suddenly he felt everything go in slow motion as he looked towards the girls' staircase. Standing at the bottom was an Angel. Lily was wearing mint green dress robes that had a high collar. Her hair was piled up with her emerald green butterfly clip holding it all together. Underneath her dress robes she wore a long silk mint green dress. James stood up with a smile on his face. His own midnight blue dress robes looking very nice on him. He was also wearing his glasses, which Lily was very pleased about. His hair had gel in it to look as if his hair had been made to look messy.
"You look stunning Lily." James said to her. Lily blushed as he walked towards her.
"You look very handsome, James." Lily said. James shrugged.
"Are you ready?" He asked. Lily nodded and took his outstretched arm. The two then left the common room.
"What time do you think they will be back at tonight?" Claudia said as she read through her Witch Weekly.
"They won't." Sophie said as she snuggled closer to Kent. Five pairs of eyes looked at her as she smiled.
"Explain." Remus said, his forehead creased. Kent held Sophie tighter to him as she looked from Michelle and Claudia to Sirius, Peter and Remus.
"Well um Remus uh you know that James loves Lily loads and that uh he would do uh anything to umm making her happy, right?" Sophie stuttered. Remus nodded his head as the others looked on bewildered. "Well um James asked me to umm help him to umm..." Sophie paused as she looked at Remus. "Well Lily umm told him that umm she was..."
"Soph you're making no sense." Claudia said as she watched her friend try to explain this.
"James and Lily have decided to sleep together and James wanted to make it perfect." Sophie said very fast. The others didn't quite catch it however but Remus did. He nodded his head looked back at the chess board.
"Say that again, didn't quite catch it." Michelle said. Sophie looked at Remus.
"Are you pissed at him?" She asked him. Michelle, Claudia, Peter and Michelle looked from Sophie to Remus. Remus sighed as he looked at Sophie.
"Truthfully ... Yes. But it's their decision. And I'm glad though that James wants to make it special for her because she deserves it." Remus said. The others caught on. Claudia smiled and stood up and went and sat on Remus's knee.
"That's really sweet of you." Claudia said. Remus sighed and put his arms around her waist.
"Yeah well I'm just looking out for her." Remus said modestly. Claudia grinned and bent down and whispered into her boyfriends ear. Remus grinned and the pair stood up. "Claudia, I believe the stars are looking mighty beautiful this evening. Care to go for a walk to the Astronomy tower?" Remus asked with a grin as he held out his arm. Claudia grinned.
"Why yes Remus, that would be the sensible place to go as it is the best place to see the stars." Claudia said as she took his arm. They pair then left the common room.
"There'll be a lot of star gazing going on I'm sure." Sirius chuckled. Michelle put her head down on Sirius's lap. Sirius ran his fingers through her hair. "You okay?" He asked concernedly.
"I have a sore stomach, nothing to worry about." Michelle said. Sirius stopped running his hands through her hair.
"Are you sure? I'll take you up to the hospital wing if you want." He offered worriedly. Michelle smiled and took his hand and kissed it.
"I'm fine, baby." Michelle said. Sirius smiled warmly at her.
Lily and James made there way down to a horseless carriage, which was to take them to Hogsmeade.
"James I can't believe you actually got permission for us to go." Lily said with a grin.
"Well I kind of had to exchange our end of year privilege in order to allow us to go." James said with a shrug.
"James I couldn't have asked for a better Head girl and boy outing." Lily said as she kissed him sweetly on the lips. When the carriage got to the restaurant the door magically swung open. James stepped out first and helped Lily out. Suddenly there was a flashing of bright white light. Lily looked at James and he gave her a reassuring smile as he wrapped her arm around his. He led her towards the entrance of the restaurant as some of the photographers called out to them.
"I didn't know you were this popular." Lily chuckled quietly to James. He grinned.
"It's just because I have someone beautiful on my arm." James said. Inside the restaurant an elegant woman greeted them. She was wearing gold robes and her fair blonde hair was feathered round her face. She was wearing so much make up it looked as if it would crack every time she smiled.
"James!" She smiled in astonishment. James grinned at the woman and kissed her cheek.
"It's great seeing you again, Crystal." James said.
"How are your parents?" Crystal asked looking James over. Lily felt odd as the woman hadn't even glanced at her. Not that she was seeking attention but it was rude that the woman hadn't greeted her. Maybe she was in too much shock seeing James.
"They're fine. They decided to go on holiday for their 25th anniversary." James said.
"That is wonderful." Crystal said, her eyes then travelled over Lily and she grinned. "And who is this?" She finally asked.
"Crystal this Lily Evans, Lily this is Crystal, the owner of the restaurant." James introduced. Crystal smiled and kissed Lily's cheek.
"It is lovely to meet you Lily." Crystal said.
"And you." Lily replied. Crystal then nodded at a waiter and he came over.
"Oliver please show Mr Potter and his guest to their table." Crystal said. The tall balding man nodded and led the way towards a table. Lily was so amazed at the beautiful restaurant that she hadn't even noticed James tip the waiter. James being the gentleman he was took Lily's chair before sat down in his own.
"James this place is amazing." Lily said. James chuckled.
"I'm glad you like it. I'm sorry about the photographers they always seem to be at these events." James said with a shake of his head. Oliver, the waiter handed the pair there menus then walked off. James looked his over as did Lily. When the waiter came back again Lily and James ordered their food as well as a bottle of wine.
"James raised an eyebrow and smirked. He then looked at Lily's hand and noticed that she was wearing her silver claddah ring that he had bought her for valentine's day two weeks ago. "It fits alright then?" James said as he lifted up her hand.
"It's perfect." Lily replied looking happily at James. James took the ring of her finger and examined it.
"Eve helped me pick it out. She said something about it being an Irish thing and that you were part Irish." James said as he put it on her finger. Lily grinned then looked at the ring.
"I'm amazed she even knew that. I thought she was like you; unable to hold her attention on one thing for more than five seconds." Lily chuckled. James grinned.
"I take offence." James said. "Only two things can hold my attention longer than that." James said as he leaned across the table, Lily grinned as she did the same. "Quidditch and pranking." James said with a smirk. Lily sat back and gave him a mock glare as James also sat back.
"You don't think about me?" Lily asked. James grinned and bit his lip and looked at the table.
"I'm not allowed to think about you for that long." James said. Lily looked at him quizzically as a small smile played on her lips.
"And why not?" Lily asked. James leaned forward again.
"Because there are thoughts that go threw my mind, which would make Sirius blush." James chuckled. Lily chuckled also and rolled her eyes.
"I dug that hole for myself, didn't I?" Lily said with a smile. James let out a sigh and nodded his head. Just then the waiter came with their starters. Once Lily and James finished with their main meal and was waiting for their desert a portly looking man came up to the table. The top of his head was bald with tufts of grey along the side. Along his rosy cheeks a slight grey beard grew. He was wearing a pair of black robes and at his side a familiar woman stood. It was Heather Whitten one of the women James's mother had introduced Lily too at the New Year's Eve party. James stood up and shook the mans hand.
"Professor Tobin it is nice to see you again." James said, he then turned to Mrs Whitten and kissed her on the cheek. "Mrs Whitten you are looking as lovely as ever." James greeted. "This is Lily Evans. Lily this is Caspians' mentor, Professor Tobin." James introduced. The man took Lily's hand and kissed it. "And you remember Mrs Whitten from the New Years Eve Party." James said.
"Of course." Lily smiled as the woman kissed her cheek.
"Lily your robes are simply divine. Did you design these yourself?" Mrs Whitten asked. Lily blushed and nodded.
"Just something I threw together this afternoon." Lily said as she thought about the various dress robes she had taken apart to create this, and also the amount of time it took her to charm them to be the lovely mint green.
"It is so beautiful. My Niece is looking for a wedding dress designer. You don't mind if I give her your name, do you?" Mrs Whitten asked.
"Of course not." Lily said as she blushed.
"Wonderful. You know she loves those kinds of dresses." Mrs Whitten said. Professor Tobin rolled his eyes at James.
"What is it with Ladies and fashion?" He joked. James chuckled. Mrs Whitten raised an eyebrow at Professor Tobin. "Anyway what are you two doing out of Hogwarts?" Professor Tobin asked trying to divert the conversation. Mrs Whitten 'hmphed' and crossed her arms.
"Celebrating." James said as he give Lily a warm smile and took her hand. Mrs Whitten raised an eyebrow but James didn't catch on to the conclusions the woman was creating in her mind. "Have you been in touch with Caspian lately?" James asked.
"Yes. He is coming to England in a few weeks. Don't know why though?" Professor Tobin said. "Anyway Mrs Whitten and I must get going. It was nice meeting you Lily." He said. Lily nodded. When the pair left Lily and James sat down just as the waiter came with their deserts.
"So Caspian is coming to England. Wonder if Eve knows?" Lily asked casually as she took a bit of her cheesecake. James shrugged.
"She probably does. They have been writing to each other a lot." James said.
"Well she hasn't mentioned it. So maybe she doesn't know." Lily said. James brightened up a bit at this.
"Yeah maybe they're not as close as I thought." James said. Lily rolled her eyes at James. He could be so naive.
After the meal had ended and many other people had come over to speak with James the pair left the restaurant. Lily was snuggled up to James in the carriage on the way home.
"James I had a wonderful evening." Lily said as she smiled up at him. James smiled and kissed her forehead. "I don't want it to end." Lily said. James pulled and from her causing Lily to look at him curiously.
"Well it doesn't have too. I have one more surprise for you." James said. Lily's eyes lit up.
"You do? You really didn't have to." Lily said. "But what is it?" Lily asked excitedly. James chuckled.
"I can't tell you, it's a surprise. I just hope you like it." James said. Lily grinned and kissed him.
"I'm sure I will." She said as she put her head against his chest. When they reached the castle James led Lily up many corridors and stairs until they were standing beside a tapestry. James walked up and down it three times and then a door appeared. He then led Lily into the room. Lily gasped as she looked around the room. It was being lit up by about a hundred candles all over the room. There was a large king size four poster bed with red rose petals all over it. Lily turned to James.
"Before you say anything I just want to tell you that I'm not expecting anything to happen. I just want to show you that this place is always here for you when ever you are ready. You told me last night that you wanted your first time to be special and Sophie helped me out in making it special for you. We can just go to sleep if you want. I didn't want this night to end either so as long as you're in my arms I don't care about anything else." James said seriously. Lily smiled at him then pulled him into a passionate kiss. James obliged and wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Lily pulled away from him and looked into his eyes.
"Make love to me." Lily said. James nodded then kissed her again.
The next morning Lily and James were late for breakfast. As they walked into the hall it was practically full. James and Lily walked in hand in hand.
"So I was thinking perhaps a meeting with the Prefects next Friday. What do you think?" Lily asked as they walked towards their friends unaware of the stares they were getting.
"Do I have to be there?" James asked with raised eyebrows.
"Yes, James." Lily said. James sighed and sat down in a seat, Lily beside him.
"Fine." James said downcast. Lily grinned.
"Good." Lily said as she piled her plate. She stopped, however, as she noticed her friends staring at her and James. "What?" She asked curiously.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Sirius asked looking right at James. James raised an eyebrow.
"Tell you what?" James asked.
"What you did." Peter said as if it were obvious. James looked at Lily alarmed.
"How did you guys know that?" James asked looking back to his friend.
"Everyone knows." Michelle chuckled.
"So Lily how'd he do it?" Sophie asked excitedly. Lily looked at James.
"First of all how does everyone know?" Lily asked.
"Well it's splashed all over the front page of the Daily Prophet." Claudia said as she held up the paper.
"WHAT?!" James and Lily screamed at the same time. Lily snatched the paper out of her hands and read the headline.
James Potter to Wed
Lily and James looked at each other then busted out laughing. Their friends looked at them curiously.
"What's so funny?" Peter asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched the pair.
"We thought you guys -" James said as he laughed. He couldn't finish the sentence it was that funny.
"-meant something else." Lily finished blushing furiously.
"So are you guys engaged?" Sirius asked curiously. James and Lily shook their heads as the stifled their laughter.
"We aren't." Lily said. "Do you really think I'd marry this idiot." Lily said as she wiped her tears away from her face.
"But there's a picture of James putting a ring on your finger." Sophie said putting to the paper.
"I was looking at the ring I had gotten Lily for Valentine's day." James said as he lifted up Lily's hand to show the ring.
"Oh." Sophie said.
"Thank god." Sirius said dramatically. "Thought you were going to pull a Kent on us and have another Hogwarts white wedding." Sirius said. James chuckled and shook his head.
"So let me read this article." James said as he went to grab the paper. Remus however pulled it out of his way.
"You don't want to do that. It's the usual rubbish." Remus said. James looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows.
"What are you guys hiding?" James asked. Lily who had read through the article looked at James curiously.
"James?" Lily asked. James turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Who's Thomas?" She asked curiously. James's face went pale as he stared at her. James took the paper that Lily had been reading and read it.
James Potter, son of the Minister of Magic, proposed to his short time muggle girlfriend, Lily Evans, last night at Hogsmeads newest restaurant, Il Fascino di Magia.
Various people within the restaurant witnessed the spectacle. James and his new fiancée have said to be very much in love with one another. A source close to the pair told theDaily Prophet "Lily and James used to fight constantly but it was obvious the pair were made for each other."
The pair had started dating when they attended Hogwarts Valentine ball, two weeks ago. No statement has been made from the Potter home as James's parents, the Minister of Magic, Michael Potter, and his wife, Jane is currently on vacation.
An eyewitness at the restaurant noticed that the pair had seemed very happy all evening, "James claimed that he and Lily were celebrating something very special."
James rolled his eyes and threw the paper down on the table.
"I told you not too read it." Remus said with a smile.
That night Lily was sitting in her dormitory alone as she caught up with some homework then wasn't due in until the end of the week. As she finished of her homework the door opened and Claudia, Sophie and Michelle walked in. They all then sat on Claudia's bed and stared at Lily. Lily looked up from her parchment and looked at the girls oddly.
"What?" She asked curiously.
"Spill." Claudia said excitedly. Lily pretended not to understand, but she knew it was about what happened last night.
"We want to know everything that happened last night. Right down to what kind of underwear James wears. Boxers or Briefs?" Sophie asked giddily. The girls laughed as Lily looked on blushing.
"Boxers." Lily said quietly. The three girls shrieked with laughter. There were three pairs of feet pounding up the stairs that could be heard. Their door swung open to show Remus, Sirius and Kent in the doorway.
"What happened?" Kent asked worriedly. Lily glared at her friends as they tried to stifle their laughter. But they were all picturing James in a pair of boxers - even though their boyfriends were standing in the doorway. Lily got of the bed and stepped towards the door.
"Nothing. Just a funny joke." Lily said.
"Oh what is it?" Sirius asked. The three girls started laughing again.
"Nothing I ever want you to know." Lily said with a grin. Sirius looked at her oddly. "Now go. We are about to have a girly chat." Lily said. The three boys looked at each other.
"Okay we're going." Remus said.
"Wait, where's James?" Lily asked. The boys smirked at her.
"Can't live without him huh? Looking for a repeat of what happened last night?" Sirius asked with a grin. Lily's mouth dropped and stared at him. Remus smacked him upside the head.
"What? What makes you think that?" Lily asked. Sirius looked at the Kent and Remus for help. He didn't want to tell her that Sophie had told.
"James didn't sleep in his bed last night." Remus said. Lily looked at him. Remus gave her a small smile.
"Oh well umm where is he now?" Lily asked with a small smile.
"He's with Eve. Telling her that you guys aren't engaged." Sirius said. Lily nodded her head then the boys left. Lily walked back into the room and put a sound proofing spell on the door.
"So is our little Lilykins still a virgin?" Michelle asked the eagerly awaited question.
Lily looked at her friends. Her best friends. They had always been there for her. Always. When her Grandmother had died. When James used to pester the hell out of her. When James still pesters the hell out of her. When she found out her parents were separating - well when she finally told her friends. No matter what they had been there. And she would always be there for them. No matter what! It was like a marriage - through richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Little did she know though that one harbored a huge secret and that the group of four would soon become a lot smaller. She also didn't know that this would be one of the last times she and her friends would be together - as a group!
Lily looked at her friends and smiled. "Last night, James and I made love." Lily said as a blush crept onto her face. The three girls grinned and cheered.
"Don't stop there. Like I said, we want to know everything!" Sophie said. Lily told her friends mostly everything. She didn't exactly want to go into lengthy detail about her sex life. That was private and only between her and James.