Just one last update for a while... I really need to sleep. It's half five in the morning... lol.
Thanks to Jannice Sace for her review of the last chapter and thanks to all future reviewers as I have only really just put it up...
Chapter 50:
Lily practically ran out of potions and into the Great Hall. There on the Gryffindor table lay a yellow rose. She ran over to it and red the note.
A Yellow Rose symbolises Friendship. Nothing says "I care" like a yellow rose. The yellow rose is unassuming, charming and sweet. The yellow rose like your smile is genuine and sincere. It tells you that my affection for you is warm and sunny. That you bring joy and pleasure to me just with your presence.
Lily grinned. She was content with her roses. She now had twelve beautiful roses, each a different colour. The other second years sat with Lily. There were several popping sounds as the Hogwart's house-elves materialised. They surrounded Lily. The smallest of the elves looked up at the thirteen year old girl; "we is here to sing you happy birthday miss."
"Oh," Lily whispered.
"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Miss Lily, Happy Birthday to you."
The whole room burst into applause at the elves' song. Another elf walked forward with a gold rose, "we is got to give you this rose, Miss."
Lily took the rose, thanking the elf. She read the note attached to the rose quickly.
A Gold Rose symbolises that you are familiar to me. I am content with you. I know that our love if given the chance will mature with age, secure in the knowledge of its strengths. My love for you could one day be steadfast and unwavering.
Lily hoped for another rose in transfiguration. However, it did not come. Instead she received a proclamation of love from Potter. He stood on the table before class began; "Oh Lilykins, I have loved you more than a day now… and I really think you ought to give us a shot. Oh Lilykins, Oh Lilykins, I'd be good for you, you know. I'd make you smile and laugh and you might even loosen up a wee bit and hell it doesn't even matter that you're a muggle-born and I'm a pure-blood. My dad is all for the mixing up of our family tree. We wouldn't even have to elope."
Lily slapped him across the face and told him to stop making a fool of himself. Unfortunately Professor McGonagall walked into the classroom at the wrong moment and gave them both detention.
Lily marched out of the classroom at the end of the lesson towards the Great Hall for Frog Choir practice. There waiting for her was a beautiful peach rose. Lily took a deep calming breath.
A Peach Rose symbolises Modesty, Sincerity and Genuineness. You, like this rose, are charming and delicate. You have a simple elegance and a breath-taking beauty. You are popular amongst friends and much to my disdain amongst boys. You are loved by all for your modesty and innocence. You are bashful and reserved. This rose not only signifies your sincerity but the earnestness of my gesture towards you. I am thankful for you and I appreciate the role you play in my life. The peach rose is a sociable rose just like my dearest popular Lily.
The new rose calmed Lily until she was no longer angry. She quickly joined the gathering group as they practiced a new song.
At dinner there was a rose waiting for her.
An Orange Rose symbolises Fascination, Passion and Desire. This rose tells you that I am totally besotted and completely bewitched by you. It speaks of a burning fire, an all consuming fire of passion and desire. It signifies the intensity of my want, my need for you. The orange rose is proud. It tells you that I'm honoured to be associated with you. The orange rose, as brilliant as the blazing evening sky, seeks to convey powerful emotions.
She ate her dinner quietly, thinking over her huge collection of roses. After dinner, the Gryffindors took her up to the common room to give her their sat on the sofa and waited patiently although she doubted that any present could equal her roses. Remus was the first to offer her a gift; she knew before she opened it that it was a book. The Tales of Beedle the Bard. "I thought you needed to get to grips with wizarding fairy tales instead of those nonsense stories you talk about; beauty and the beast, cinderella and sleeping beauty…"
"Thanks Remus," Lily smiled.
Sirius offered her his present next, "mine's the best."
"Ok… The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle… I don't know quite what to say to that…"
"It's a comic book we all read as kids. You'll love it."
"Well, thanks…"
Frank offered her his gift, "it nothing much."
Inside the wrapping was a miniature life like dragon. "I love it."
"You had teddies – well we had those too – but we also had toys that breathe fire. He's not real of course and you don't need to feed him but he's sure entertaining."
"Thanks Frank," Lily smiled.
Peter gave his gift less happily. Lily opened it and found a huge bag of chocolate quills. "Thanks Peter… I love these."
"Yeah me too," Peter sighed.
Everyone laughed.
James was the last to hand over his gift – except James had two gifts: one for now and one for later. James handed Lily the first gift. It was huge. "Here you go Evans."
"Thanks Potter," Lily replied coldly. She unwrapped it to find the biggest basket of candy and chocolate she had ever seen. "Wow."
"I got It from Honeydukes mostly but I also got my mum to go to a muggle shop to get your favourite muggle sweets."
Lily looked at the sweets, "their all my favourites?"
"Yes," James replied quietly.
"How did you know?" Lily whispered.
"How could I not?" James countered. Their eyes met and for the briefest moment something passed between them but it was fleeting and was gone in the flash of a moment.
"Right, time to go upstairs," Alice dragged Lily to her feet.
The boys quickly set out the common room for the party before changing out of their school robes. They organised the other students into hiding places and waited for Lily to return down the stairs. When she finally did, everyone jumped out of the hiding places and screamed surprised. The sound of their screams went unheard as the marauders let off several fireworks. "Happy Birthday Lily!" Everyone congratulated her on being a whole year older. Tom came up to her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, "I have a present for you. Can I give it to you later?"
"Yeah, I'd like that," Lily replied.
James saw Lily and Tom's conversation and jumped up, "Oi Evans, I've got something for you."
"Potter, what is it? Can't it wait?" Lily replied impatiently.
Tom whispered in her ear, "I'd gladly murder him… later perhaps?"
"Yeah later…" Lily smiled at him before turning angry eyes onto Potter, "What?"
"I have another present for you," James said. He gave her a little box. He cast a spell on it to make it grow. "I shrunk it to fit it in my pocket."
Lily sighed, "Potter you've already given me enough."
"I wanted to give you this," James told her.
Lily opened it and found a little silver trinket box. She opened it and the most beautiful sounding music filled her ears. "It's…"
"It plays exactly what you want it to play… or what you need it to play. I guess it kind of reflects your mood… sometimes anyway. Other times it expresses something more than your mood. Its more the deepest emotions of your heart. Anyway it reminded me of you and I thought you'd like it."
"I love it, James," Lily said quietly, saying his first name for the first time.
"Good. Take care of it. It was my mothers." He said before walking away. James frowned. Something had changed. He couldn't quite pinpoint it but something was different. He sat in the corner and tried to work it out but it wouldn't come to him. Only when he saw the little first year girl move towards Lily with the black rose did he know what it was… I like her… I bloody like Lily Evans! Shit! I need to stop her getting that rose.
James went to grab the rose before she could take it but Lily grabbed it seconds before he could take it. Her eyebrow was raised. She didn't understand. Her eyes fell on the note and she began to read;
A Black Rose symbolises Farewell, Sorrow and Death. The black rose is mystical and tells us that we will never be because you could never love me. This rose symbolises my loss and the death of our love. It represents change and a new season – perhaps one filled with hope and joy. However, this I doubt. For me the black rose tells a story of tragedy in its dark beautiful petals. This rose is our end. JP.
Lily read the note and felt a tear fall down her cheek. She ran through the common room and up the stairs. She knew he had followed her and because he was so close behind her he hadn't fallen down the stairs. She knew that he would expect her to hear him out but she just wanted to cry.
I feel really horrible for making Lily cry... :(
Anyway I'll update in a few hours... love ya guys... keep the reviews coming! :)