Epilogue
"Now, I have always known that James and Lily here would get married. I've known it since right after James's first conversation with her. As soon as she was out of earshot, he told me that she was a holy terror, and that he hoped he never had to deal with her again. Can you start a potential marriage better then that? In fact, Peter and I placed a bet on it right there. I'm still waiting for him to pay me." Sirius joked, drawing a laugh out of everyone in the room.
Lily groaned, putting her head in her hands. She knew that it had been a bad idea to let Sirius be the best man, but had James listened? No, he had not. And now, during Sirius's toast, they were all going to have to pay for that lapse in judgment.
The six months since Lily had been rescued had been hectic, to say the least. They had had to plan this wedding, convince Moody that he shouldn't murder James for going to rescue her, decide on what was going to happen after the wedding, etc. But Lily didn't mind. She was going to marry James, and that was all that mattered. Of course, she might be murdering Sirius too, if he continued in this fashion. And he did.
"Of course, their story only gets better. James decided that ignoring her was too boring, and so he, Remus, Peter and I all began to prank our favorite red-head. It was a futile effort from the start, but then James here decided that he wanted to go out with her in our fourth year. Now, the first time that he ever asked her out, she said that the idea of ever dating him seemed as appealing as eating a two month old baloney sandwich with rotten tomatoes, spoiled mustard, dipped in a clumping glass of milk, and describing him as having the intelligence of a hyper pink poodle in a hair salon, and the attention span of a goldfish fetus. Lily did always have a way with words.
"Anyway, after three long years in which we had to listen to James moan over Lily, she finally agreed to go out with him, and I had proof that she was insane." He paused here for another audience laugh, and then, grinning in a way that only he could do, he went on. "Now, after about 4 months of them going out, Lily dumped him. And lord, was that a horrible time for the rest of us. We had to deal with him, moaning and wallowing in self pity, and refusing to do anything. SO please, Lily, don't do something like that again, for the sake of our sanities. Well, Remus's sanity, anyway. I sold mine to someone for my devilish charm.
"Now, Lily is a wonderful person. Smart, funny, strong, beautiful, the list goes on and on. In fact, if Prongs here wouldn't kill me, I'd probably marry her myself. But, alas, she doesn't love me. And James would hang, draw, and quarter me. Even so, after watching you guys, I know that there is hope for true love to prosper in the world. So here's to you." He raised his glass, "To Lily and James," The guests repeated him, and Sirius finally sat down, to then be elbowed hard by Lily.
Finally, the dinner part of the evening was over, and so James led Lily out onto the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple.
It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside,
I'm not one of those who can easily hide.
I don't have much money, but boy if I did,
I'd buy a big house where we both could live
"I still don't understand why you had to let Sirius be best man," Lily muttered softly to James, pressed up against him as they slowly swirled around the dance floor. "You knew he was going to have to make a fool of us during his toast, and yet you did it anyway."
"Hey, I thought it was amusing," James protested, voice the same volume as Lily's. "Sirius is great for making toasts." However, seeing Lily's glare, he backed down. "Oh course, next time I'll be sure to listen to you."
"Good," was all that Lily would say, and they continued to rotate in silence.
If I was a sculptor, but then again, no,
but a man who makes potions in the traveling show,
I know it's not much, but this I can do.
My gift is my song, and this one's for you.
"James," she suddenly asked. "What would we do if one of us died? After all, the war is going to affect us both so much, the odds aren't good for us both making it out alive."
"Lily, don't worry. Everything will turn out okay," James tried to reassure her, but he couldn't deny to himself that the same thoughts had run through his mind once or twice. He couldn't live without Lily, not after he had tried twice, and failed both times.
"But what if it does happen?" she persisted.
"Lily, I would die before I let anything happen to you. And nothing, not even death, can part true love, now can it?"
"I suppose you're right." Lily admitted. "If you do ever die, though, I wish to die at the same time as you. I couldn't face a world without you. A hundred seasons of loneliness would do me in. I love you, James."
"I would hope so, since you just married me." James joked, and then, seeing the growing annoyed look on Lily's face, he continued seriously, "And we have the rest of our lives to prove that love to each other."
And so, twirling in the dim light, Lily and James Potter made a vow, a vow that neither man nor death could break. And they lived, and loved, for the rest of their days, and beyond.
The End
Ack, the last part was pure cheese. I'm sorry. I'm horrible at ending things.
Now, even though you can't beg me for updates anymore, you can still tell me what you think of this story by reviewing. I'll love you if you do.
Now, to answer last chapter's reviewers-
Prongsie-Jamesie- Yes, you get a moony of your very own. And you're welcome.
halfblood princess and Summer- Thank you.
Mika Rieu-I might do some pretty mean things to Lily and James (just look at Murphy's Law), but I'm scared to actually kill Lily, cause you guys would murder me, and I like living.
DramaQn621- Thanks. I did too.
Harrys 1 Fan- I feel very special.
EmeraldEyedEvans- Along with three hour choreographing rehearsals.
SweetSouthernGal- I can't deny that.
PinkyTheSnowman- yeah, I have to say that you have.
Stella Blu- Well, James can't suddenly out of the blue stop trusting Moony.
Toodles for the last time, at least on this story,
Sally