A Bronte, a Buck, and a Bride-to-be

Whispery bits of early morning light trickled in through the half-opened window of the Gryffindor common room. Lily Evans relished in her early morning private time, when everyone else was asleep, and the common room was deserted. At this time in the morning, there was no sign of life save the occasional snore from the seventh-year boy's dormitory directly above her. It was 6:00 in the morning, late enough for Lily to have achieved a good night's sleep, but early enough to avoid the pre-class rush of students.

Lily, firm in her morning ritual, rose at 5:45 am sharp, padded down the spiral staircase, and sank into the overlarge armchair by the fireplace. Here, she would spend her usual hour with Charlotte Bronte before the day began. Although her ritual was as usual, this particular day was not. It was the 23rd of June – classes were over, exams were finished, and the only students left in the school were the seventh years – the rest had left on the train back to Kings Cross Station the night before. This, the 23rd of June, was Lily's last full day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – her home-away-from-home for the past seven years.

This day, unbeknownst to Lily, would also turn out to be the most unusual, but the most wonderful, day of her life.

Lily snuggled further into the armchair, and opened to Chapter 10 of Jane Eyre (which she had read five times before). As soon as she had read the familiar passage, "When the typhus fever had fulfilled its mission of devastation at Lowood, it gradually disappeared from thence. . ." she heard a loud, distracting pounding noise coming from the stairs above. As the pounding increased, she immediately recognized it – footfalls. Heavy, sleepy footfalls – James' footfalls.

Lily looked at her watch. It hasn't been that long since I got up, she thought. Only 6:15. "Merlin's Beard!" Lily couldn't imagine what James was doing up so early. James, if given the chance, would sleep until noon every day. For James Potter to rise anytime before 7:00 required either an early class, preparations for a Quidditch match, some dire, desperate, emergency – or worse, one of James and his Maurader friends' devious, mischievous plots. Lily opted for the latter.

As classes were ended, and Quidditch season over, there was no palpable reason for James to be out of bed. Lily couldn't help but wonder – no -- worry. She got up from the chair, momentarily abandoned her old friend, Jane, onto the table in front of her, and crossed the room to the spiral staircase.

"James?" Lily whispered up the staircase. "James, is that you?"

"Uh, yeah." James replied, stifling a yawn. He appeared at the foot of the staircase, dressed in Muggle clothes – comfortable clothes. He wore a pair of raggedy denim cut-off shorts, beat-up hirachi sandals, and a maroon t-shirt with "Seeker" printed in gold Cooper-block writing across his chest.

James Potter was tall and lanky, but at the same time, he was pleasingly fit and muscular. As the Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, he toned his physique to be strong -- yet compact, sleek, and aerodynamic -- perfect for chasing after the elusive and speedy Golden Snitch. James had what Muggles would call a "swimmer's body." Instead of moving through water, however, his specialty was flying through the air on a broomstick at breakneck speeds.

James stretched heartily, systematically flexing each and every one of his upper body muscles – mainly for Lily's benefit. "I'm up, to…er… get some early, you know, breakfast." He grinned, cocking his head jauntily to the side. As he did so his large brown eyes twinkled from behind his round glasses. "Last day you know, graduation tomorrow and all," James added cheerfully, now scritching his hand through his mass tangle of untidy black hair. "Lots to do today," he sang, "lots to do."

Lily was not convinced. "James, love, you're never up this ungodly early if you can help it." She narrowed her shining green eyes into slits, and tossed back her long, auburn hair. "What in Merlin's name are you up to? What gives?"

James' eyes twinkled yet again. He entered the common room, and planted a firm, deep kiss on Lily's mouth -- ending with a loud "mwah" as he pushed past her. "Just never you mind, Lilywhite Lily. Just never you mind." He grinned "that grin" again -- that insufferable, Quidditch-star, coolness-of-cool grin that Lily found so admirably, and lovingly – infuriating! It was this grin that gave Lily the first clue that James Potter was up to no good. James bounded energetically across the common room and exited through the portrait hole with a flourish. As the portrait hole closed, Lily could hear James sing – quite, as usual, out of tune. "I love my Lilywhite Lily -- she gonna take you thru the tunnel of niiiiight! My Lilywhite Lily, she gonna leeeeaaad you riiiight!"

Lily shuddered. "Ach, I hate that ruddy song. And its Lilywhite Lilith, not Lily!" She laughed, and closed the portrait hole behind James – but not after sneaking a look down the corridor, where she saw James dancing – literally, dancing – down the stairs toward the entrance hall. "Bloody idiot," she mumbled. "Bloody, ever-loving idiot. He's up to something, that one, and I intend to find out what."

About an hour later, after reading "John was gone for the surgeon" in Jane Eyre, Lily bathed, dressed, met up with the rest of her seventh-year Gryffindor dormitory mates, and headed down the stairs and into the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Whatcher got planned today, Lils?" asked Alice McKinnon, a sandy-haired, blue-eyed girl with a round, friendly face and matching figure. "Frankie and me's headin' to Hogsmeade for one last shop-round through Honeydukes! I've got to get loads of those Whizbang Fizzers to take home on the train with me tomorrow, and the Longbottoms asked Frank to bring home some Bertie Botts' Beans. Don't know how I'll possibly live without those Fizzers myself! Gotta stock up!" Alice smiled, relishing the thought of her favorite treat.

"Dunno for me," said Lily. "James is up to something, as usual, I think, but we didn't discuss any plans or anything. He'll probably spend the day on the Quidditch pitch I'd imagine." She sighed with slight disappointment. "Oh well, after breakfast, if James doesn't show up, I'll probably just go out by our tree and read some more, maybe take a swim – you know, just pass my day in peace."

"Oy, speaking of passing in peace," said Narcissa Black, a Slytherin girl who, by way of her close friendship with Lily, often sat with the Gryffindor girls during meals at their table, "here comes my daft lunk of a cousin, now."

"Hello, my lovely, lovely ladies!" The boy beamed, flashing a white, gleaming smile, and opened his arms in a mock-welcoming gesture. While James was handsome, his best friend -- Narcissa's cousin, Sirius Black -- was what is known as devastatingly handsome. Problem is, Lily thought, this Gryffindor knew it.

Sirius Black's features appeared chiseled out of pure marble – deep, gray eyes, a perfect jawline, pouty lips, and a nose so straight one could ski jump off it. His hair was black, like James', but instead of spiky and unkempt, his was straight, shiny, and lay in just that perfectly jaunty way across his forehead and into his eyes. Like James, Sirius was dressed in Muggle sport clothes – shorts, trainers, and a t-shirt.

"Darling Alice from Wonderland, Lilywhite Lily…" Sirius' syrupy smile turned into a sneer when he saw his Slytherin cousin. "Nar-silly-git-sa," he spat. Sirius straddled the bench next to Lily, leaned over the table, and helped himself to some bacon off Narcissa's plate. "Slumming again, Silly-git? Why don't you run back to your Malfoy crush boy over there. I'm sure you'd love to spend the day snogging him -- if he'd ever notice you," he drawled.

"Sod off and die, Sirius," Narcissa retorted. "Just because you are a slimy womanizer doesn't give you the right to…." Sirius' false-innocent, blinking-eyed, sarcasm-dripping look stopped Narcissa dead in her tracks, flustering her. "Oh, come off it. Sirius." More look, this time adding sad puppy-dog eyes. "Ooooh, I HATE you!" Narcissa screamed. She gathered her breakfast plate, grunted a terse, "See you," to Lily and Alice, and sulked back to the Slytherin table.

"Now, that was uncalled for, Black." Lily chided Sirius. "You know, with You-Know-Who rising in power, your cousin may be all you're going to have left someday – why don't you treat her with a little more respect?"

"Ah, Lils," sighed Sirius. "You and me. We've been mates for seven years now, haven't you figured it out yet?" No we haven't, Lily thought, but she let Sirius prattle on anyways. "She's my cousin, for Merlin's sake. We've been needling at each other like that all our lives. However," Sirius' face suddenly looked grim, "I can't help it if she fancies that toerag Lucius Malfoy."

Sirius sighed. "Honestly, though, Lils, I do love her, my cousin. It's just that – well, I know that uppity blondie's not really interested in her. I see it constantly, don't think I don't watch out for her. I'd hate to see her hurt. That Malfoy git just uses her and hangs around her because of our name – our family line." He sighed again. "You know there are times I wish Prongs and I were really brothers – and not just friend brothers, catch me? Sometimes I wish I was a Potter, or a Lupin, or even a Pettigrew -- and not a Black."

Lily's hardened features began to melt. She knew what it meant to Sirius to have James and his parents, the Potters, in his life. She knew how much Sirius relished in spending his summers with James' family. It's the happiest she's ever seen him. Lily also understood from Sirius and Narcissa what it was like to grow up in the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black – a long line of dark, aristocratic witches and wizards. The name offered high aspirations and great expectations, but very little affection.

"Anyways," he continued, "if she ever ends up with that Malfoy wanker I'll eat Potter's sweaty Quidditch jumper -- and then I'll kill Malfoy."

"Speaking of James," Lily broke the awkward silence that followed. "You seen him today?"

"Nope," barked Sirius. "Prongsy was up and gone by the time I got my sorry arse out of bed. I half expected to hear him still snoring, but when I got up, his fourposter was empty." Sirius ran a hand through his hair, having caught the eye of a pretty blonde Ravenclaw girl sitting at the table behind him. Lily poked him in the ribs with her elbow. "Oh, yeah, James. Nope. Thought I'd catch him down 'ere and we'd go out for some Quidditch, but no show, eh?" Sirius rose to his feet. "'Scuse me, ladies, Lily, Alice..." He smiled, turning his attention again to the pretty Ravenclaw girl. "I have a date with destiny."

Strange, Lily thought. James and Sirius were practically attached at the hip. For James to go off somewhere, especially today, without so much as a word to Sirius was bizarre, indeed. Lily turned to Alice. "Where the bloody hell can he be?" Alice merely shrugged and stuffed another piece of toast into her mouth.

With still no sign of James, Lily decided to go with her plan. She would spend the day outside under the shade of her favorite tree by the lake – with naught company but the sun, a cold pitcher of pumpkin juice, and Charlotte Bronte. After breakfast, she went back to the common room, gathered her book, blanket, sunglasses, and hat, and sauntered out onto the lawn.

A few hours later, James' friend, Remus Lupin, joined Lily under the tree. As Lily did not show up in the Great Hall for lunch, Remus brought her a turkey sandwich, a raisin scone, and some cheese. "Thanks, Moony," she said, as she nibbled on the end of the scone.

"We missed you at lunch today, Lily," Remus sat down gingerly – almost painfully -- and helped himself to a glass of Lily's pumpkin juice.

"Moony," Lily asked, "are you okay?" Remus appeared exceptionally weak today, and he had a new, vicious-looking scratch running the length of his left arm. "Rough night last night?"

"Full moon nights are always difficult, you know that." Remus said tonelessly. "But, I made it through just fine," He smiled weakly. "Thank you, Lily, for asking."

Given Remus' tone, Lily thought it best to change the subject. "Have you seen James today?"

"No, Lily, I haven't," Remus replied. "In fact, I haven't seen him all day. I suppose he's off with Sirius or Peter somewhere, or maybe he's meeting with Professor Dumbledore about Auror stuff, or playing Quidditch, maybe?" Remus saw the crestfallen look in Lily's eyes. He knew immediately the thing to cheer her up. Remus reached in his back jeans pocket and brandished a small, tattery, leather-bound book. "Lord Byron, today?" Lily smiled and nodded.

As was their usual routine on warm, lazy weekends and afternoons, Lily closed her eyes and leaned against the tree as Remus read – no, performed – poetry for her. This time, Remus read cantos from Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.

Harold, Lily thought, I like that name, Harold – Harry. As Remus read the stanzas, Lily daydreamed of a life side by side with James. She daydreamed of a future child she and James would someday have – whom she now decided she would call "Harry." Harry, she thought, would be just as handsome, dashing, and daring as James, but he'd for sure have her wit, cleverness, and her striking green eyes.

She opened her eyes and watched her friend read. Even though Lily loved James, she had a separate, different kind of love for Remus. Because of his condition, he was always sickly looking -- thin and pasty, with sunken eyes, and a scruffy shock of blonde hair hiding a set of rather abnormally pointy ears. Despite all this, Remus was beautiful, Lily thought. Not to mention he was brilliantly smart, kind-hearted to a fault, and incredibly clever. Despite his condition, he would make a fine catch for a kind, understanding woman someday. Just not today.

After their poetry reading, Remus, tired and weary, excused himself. As Lily watched Remus walk, hunched over his books, back to the castle, she felt her own sweet and dreamy tiredness overcome her. She placed her lunch plate down on the tartan blanket, set her head against the tree, and fell asleep, dreaming of James and her someday-son, Harry.

Wet. Wet on her feet. Rough. What the bloody hell is that, she thought. There it was again. Wet. Rough. Like a cat's tongue. A giant cat's tongue! Licking? Yuck, what, something is licking my foot! Lily opened her eyes, and gasped – then screamed.

The first thing she saw was a great pair of symmetrical antlers. Her father, she thought, would have called this a "ten-pointer." As she continued to eye the beast, she saw a large, pointed face, wide, pointy ears, ruddy tan and white hair, and a large, dark-brown leathery nose. Then she saw a pair of woeful, deep brown eyes. "Ah," she quavered, kicking out with her legs and rushing to her feet. "A buck!" Despite her screams and scrambling, the beast did not startle, did not scare, and did not run. Most uncharacteristically, the great deer stayed perfectly still.

The animal simply lay before her, its head atop its folded up front legs, and its eyes staring, seemingly full of hope, directly into her eyes. Lily stretched out her hand tentatively toward the stag's nose, and it raised its head slightly, allowing Lily to stroke between the antlers. Lily could have sworn that she saw the great beast smile. She looked around to see if anyone was watching. The lawn was deserted.

"What are you doing here, shouldn't you be in the forest?" Lily asked, but the stag remained still, its eyes continuing to bore into her own. It was obvious to Lily that this beast wanted something of her. "What," she said sleepily, "what are you wanting, there? I don't have any food to give you. Nothing that you can eat at least. I don't think deer eat turkey sandwiches!"

The stag lifted its head, revealing a piece of curled parchment. It bowed its head, and pushed the parchment forward with its nose, leaving a great wet mark on the paper. "You want me to read this, eh?" She picked up the parchment, and uncurled it. Upon the paper, she saw, in a script she did not recognize:

"Do you trust James Potter?"

What kind of question is that, Lily thought, do I trust James? She eyed the stag again. It continued to stare at her. "Am I supposed to give you an answer?"

The stag pushed another piece of parchment toward her. When she opened it, she read, in the same script, simply, "Yes."

This, Lily thought, was growing stranger by the minute. "Ok," she said, looking around suspiciously for James. "I'll play along. Yes, Mr. Stag, of course – I --" her tone changed from playful to serious. "I trust James with my life."

A third time, the stag nudged a piece of parchment toward her. This one said, "Then, climb on my back, hold onto my antlers, and you will see James shortly." She eyed the stag again wearily, and then read on. "Don't worry. I'll let nothing happen to you while you are with me. Trust me just as you would trust James."

She looked at the stag again. "I knew that boy was up to something today, and you're just part of it, aren't' you?" She laughed again. "Okay, James." She yelled. "I'm playing along. Here I come!" As Lily mounted the back of the stag, she could have sworn it cocked its head to the side just like James habitually did – just like he did that very morning.

The great stag accepted Lily onto its back quickly and easily. To Lily's surprise, she felt a comfort and security with the stag – even without a saddle -- that she had never felt on any horse or any other beast she had ever ridden – and Lily Evans was an accomplished equestrian. She felt compelled, drawn, to bow her head down to the stag's and wrap her arms around its warm neck. "Okay, Stag. Take me to James," she sighed.

Lily rode the stag, not knowing or caring where they were going. If she were to ride any longer, she thought, she could just fall asleep on the stag's back. The sensation was wonderful and strange at the same time – as if there was an unquestionable and permanent connection between herself and the great beast beneath her. When the stag finally stopped walking, Lily lifted her head and looked around. The stag had brought her to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, just behind the gamekeeper, Hagrid's hut.

The stag lowered its front legs and bowed its head, signaling for Lily to dismount, which she did. Lily saw that the earth in the clearing was covered by a small woolen blanket, ringed with white flowers – lilies. Lily breathed in the perfume from the flowers and smiled.

The stag walked behind a small grove of trees, and emerged again, carrying a small crimson and gold envelope in its mouth. It loped up beside Lily, bowed, and presented her with the note. "Another letter, eh?" She asked, now looking around in earnest for James. "Uh, where's James?"

The stag cocked its head to the side again, and nudged at the envelope in her hand. "You want me to open it, huh?" She could have sworn the stag nodded. Lily slowly, nervously, opened the envelope and extracted the letter. As the stag continued to watch her with doleful eyes, she sat down on the blanket, and read the note aloud.

My Dearest Lily –

First, because I know you love it so, I give you some poetry. I know its something you normally share with Remus – who has the admirable brains for it. Frankly, I wish I had the penchant for it that he does, so I can share more of it with you.

Silly, right? And quite uncharacteristic of me, I know -- but the moment calls for it. Poetry. You'll probably have a good laugh at this, but I've waited a long time to give this to you. So, here it goes.

You landed in my life, like a new and brighter light,

That made all my past seem in shadow.

I always used to believe that beauty was skin deep,

But I need a new word to describe you.

The days before you came, were really all the same,

A grayness I used to call freedom.

Endless nights out with the boys,

The boasting and the noise,

To think that I ever believed them.

I don't care what they think, you're all I believe in.

I carry you here, and there's something of you

In everything that I love.

Okay, enough poetry and sappiness, but its from the heart. Get it, though? It's saying that before you -- I was an insufferable prat and a git to top all gits. I'm sorry for that. I was only trying in my own daft way to impress you. I'm glad now that it didn't work. I'm glad that you love me for who I am and not the hotshot I tried (and failed) to be.

Know this, Lily Evans -- I love you so much that when I think on it, and close my eyes, I feel like, for a moment in time, I can fly. Wait, I can fly. On a broomstick. Quite well, too at that. Ha ha.

Oh, leave it to James Potter to interject sarcasm and ruin such a beautiful moment. Sorry, I couldn't help myself, but that's what you love about me, right?

Right, then. On to business. I imagine you're wondering about the stag standing in front of you. I also imagine that he's probably prancing around with nervousness right about now.

Lily looked up from the letter. Indeed, the stag was kicking and pawing at the ground, seeming full of nervous energy. She continued reading the letter.

Now that you see that he actually is dancing around like a great idiot, I have to tell you that this particular buck deer is something -- very, well, personal to me. Let me explain.

You recently learned that Remus is a werewolf. Well, Sirius, Peter and I, two years ago, found out for ourselves. We tried to find some way that we could ground him – keep him from being so self-destructive during the full moon each month. Peter had an incredible idea – to keep him company during these times.

As ourselves -- James, Sirius, and Peter -- it was impossible to keep Remus company. We couldn't get anywhere near him without being ripped to shreds. But as, well – animals - we could. We could be with him and help him through the transformations, speak with him, control him, and bring him back to Hogwarts the next morning in one piece. So, Lily -- Peter, Sirius and I studied and learned how to become animagi.

Explains a lot doesn't it, Lils? The long times we spent in the library our fifth year, our disappearances on Hogsmeade weekends, and our nicknames – Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. I know you've always wondered why we had such silly monikers for each other. Now you will know.

Moony is Remus – the werewolf. But you knew that already. Wormtail is Peter, who became a rat (fitting, eh?). Padfoot is Sirius, who learned to turn into a dog. And, well, that leaves me -- Prongs.

Have you put two and two together yet, love? Prongs…antlers…a stag. You're looking at Prongs right now. Prongs woke you from your nap, Prongs gave you those notes, and Prongs brought you here to the Forbidden Forest.

Lily looked up from the parchment, gasped, and stared hard at the stag in front of her. "Prongs…James?" Her voice was tremulous. "James, is that you?" The stag nodded for certain this time. Lily stood and raised her hand to touch the stag. Instead of allowing her to touch him, Prongs produced a small, gold box from between his teeth and presented this to Lily. After Lily took the box, the stag prodded her to continue reading the letter. "James, I…." He shook his large head and pushed at the letter again.

So, now you know. And now you have that little box in your hand. Bet you're just dying to know what's in it, aren't you? There's a sealing charm on that box, and I am the only one who can open it.

Lily, I love you with everything that I am, and I always will. I wanted you to see Prongs here -- because I wanted you to know everything about me. No secrets anymore. Nothing kept from each other. I can only pray that you can forgive me for not telling you sooner. It was for Remus' protection, you understand. Now that you know, I hope you can accept it and love me like you always have, especially at this very moment.

Please stay here for just a second, sit down, and wait for me to come back. I want this moment to be perfect, I want to do this properly, and I want to do it as my proper self.

I love you, Lily Evans. Wait for me. I'll be right back.

Vivo per voi,

James

Lily looked up from the letter. She could feel tears welling up and stinging her eyes. Despite her confusion and shock over Prongs, she knew -- she knew that the moment she had been waiting for over a year was finally about to come true. As soon as she looked up, the great stag bounded off behind a grove of trees. Lily tried to follow after it. "James! Come back!" She yelled into the now growing darkness.

As suddenly as the stag had left, James appeared from behind the same grove of trees. "Hiya, Lily." James said, taking a pair of shorts from behind a tree and putting them on. "Alright, then?" Lily continued to gawk, nonplussed. "James, I never knew… Prongs….it makes sense!" she stammered. "How did you…" She stared at him for a moment, then laughed. "James! You still have antlers!"

James reached up a hand and fingered the remaining antlers. "Oops. Blast, I make that mistake all the time." Before Lily's eyes, the antlers shrunk in size and seemed to absorb back into James' skull. "Woulda had trouble getting my shirt on with those, there. Better?"

James grinned – that grin. "You okay?" He asked, searching her eyes. Satisfied that there were no ill feelings, James took Lily's hand and led her out of the forest and back onto the Hogwarts grounds. "I mean, I know it's a bit of a shock…"

"No, actually," said Lily. "It wasn't." James was incredulous. "No, really! I think becoming animagi was the sweetest thing you and Sirius and Peter could ever have done for Remus. He's lucky, very lucky, to have friends like you. I'm proud of you for it. I know that took a lot of effort to do. I hear its painful at first, and it's something that sticks with you for the rest of your life."

James blushed. "I'll admit it, after the first couple of times, after it stopped hurting so bloody much, it was fun…" He smiled and winked. "It's amazing the mischief we could get away with in our animal forms! Peter would tell us all about the sights he saw when he snuck into your girls' dormitor --" Before James could finish, Lily clocked him hard on the shoulder. "Ow, it wasn't me, it was Peter! Could you imagine a great buck plodding around in the dormitories? I'm too big!"

They continued laughing as they walked across the Hogwarts grounds. Before Lily knew it, James had led her to a large boulder at the front of the great lake. "Lake view or castle view?" He asked.

"What?" Lily was flummoxed.

"I said, lake view or castle view?" James smiled, and took Lily's face in his hands. "I want you to remember this moment for the rest of your life, Lily, and I thought you should choose the backdrop."

Lily blinked rapidly, and her hands flew to her mouth. "Frankly, James, the way I'm feeling now I could give a crap." James laughed heartily, and Lily flushed anew. "I mean, James, I think all I'm going to remember is you, aren't I? And," she said slyly, "I'll remember what's in this box."

"Okay," James grinned, cocking his head to the side, "I'll pick." He positioned her on the rock so that she had an excellent panoramic view of both the castle and the lake. "How's that?"

"James, right now, anything's perfect."

Lily could feel the joyful tears stinging her eyes as James lowered himself to one knee before her. She shook her hands with pure excitement, and again covered her mouth, hiding the immense grin forming on her lips. She felt breathless, twitchy, and tingly with anticipation. James took out his wand, tapped the box twice, and it opened with a "pop." Lily gasped again, sobbing anew.

He slowly turned the box around and presented it to Lily. Within the box, she saw a dazzling silver ring, hosting a brilliant, perfectly faceted, square diamond; surrounded by one ruby and one topaz – Gryffindor colors. Lily let out a long breath. "James, its beautiful."

"It was my gran's." James explained. "She and my grandpa were Gryffindors, too. Mum gave it to me last summer when I er… I told her I wanted to… er… that I was going to…" Lily gasped. James coughed, cleared his throat, and scratched his head. Lily could swear she saw tears welling in his eyes. "Lily, I…" he stammered. "Lily, I mean…er…ah, damn and blast." He started again, breathing deeply, then smiling. "Lily, I should very much like….to….give you this ring."

He blew out his breath, relieved that he finally got that part out. "And, in return, Lily Evans, I should very much like it if you would…er…" Another sigh, and a plaintive look. "I can do this. I know I can. Just give me a minute." Lily took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply and passionately. "That'll do it." James smiled, smacking his lips. He began again with new confidence. "And in return, Lily Evans, I should very much like it if you would be my wife. Marry me, Lily. Please."

Lily shuddered with a happy giggle. "Are you finished then?" she joked.

James looked abashed. "Er, yeah. So, um…what do you say?"

"I don't know what to say, James!" She blurt out.

"Say yes, damn you. Say yes!" James laughed, taking her left hand with joking forcefulness, "or I should have to force this ring on your hand!"

"Yes, then yes!" Lily shouted a bit louder than she meant to, but kept shouting. "Yes, James Potter! I will marry you! I will, I will, I will!"

With that, James gently slid the ring onto Lily's finger, rose up on his knees and hugged her as he had never done before. As James made his way to Lily's lips for a kiss, he felt himself being wrenched backwards away from her. Offended, he turned around to see Sirius, Peter, and Remus, who had grabbed him by the arms, and who were now dragging him unceremoniously toward the lake.

"It's a Black family tradition," said Sirius.

James kicked and struggled. "Geroff me, Sirius!"

"And a Lupin one too," Remus interjected.

James struggled some more. "Moony, you great brainy anorak, let me go!"

"Yeah, and Pettigrew," said Peter.

"Wormtail, you little rat, I'll get you for this!" James squirmed even more and barked out grunts of indignant protest.

Sirius continued, "that a wizard who is stupid enough to ask a witch to marry him must be dumped headlong into the drink." Remus, Peter, and Sirius reached the lakeshore with James in tow. "So, Prongsy, here you go." They lifted the still-fighting James under the armpits and threw him head over heels into the lake.

"Aargh!" James rose out of the lake, sputtering and stammering. "Bloody hell! MOONY! I'm going to hex you into oblivion for that!" Lily could not help but laugh uncontrollably. "PADFOOT! You slimy cur!" James bellowed, shaking water off his hands. "Yuck!" James pulled seaweed and muck out of his hair and off of shoulders, and took off his glasses. As he came out of the water, he rushed at Sirius, grabbed his shirt, and began to clean his glasses on it.

"Geroff me!" said Sirius. "Aw, you ruined a perfectly good shirt, mate!" Sirius smiled and pointed at Lily. "And you. You, young lady. You ruined a perfectly good Maurader! Merlin's Beard, the second most eligible bachelor at Hogwarts is now no longer eligible!" Sirius winked, shaking his head in mock sympathy. "Too bad, that. Witches everywhere will wail with sorrow. James can't be in the running for Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. Shame of shames. But hey, there's a glimmer of hope here. They still have me." Sirius presented an exaggeration of his most charming smile. Lily thought he came off looking like he was just sprung from the insane ward at St. Mungo's.

Sirius rushed at Lily and lifted her up in a tight bear hug. "Welcome to the family, Lils!" Remus and Peter followed suit, hugging Lily and giving their congratulations. Sirius spoke again. "Prongsy, mate. You're a right mess. You'd better get back inside and change before you start to stink."

"Yeah, thanks, Padfoot. Thanks a lot."

"Anytime, mate. Anytime."

The five friends walked back toward Hogwarts castle. James and Lily were hand-in-hand. "Mauraders," James began, stopping dead in his tracks. Moony, Wormtail, and Padfoot stopped next to him. "I'd really like it if you three would be beside me when I wed this lovely girl."

"I'd be honored," replied Remus.

"Me too!" said Peter.

"Sirius, would you be my best man?"

Sirius' mouth broke into the biggest, happiest, most sincere grin Lily had ever seen cross his face. Like James moments earlier, she could have sworn she saw tears in Sirius' handsome gray eyes, and saw Sirius' chin quiver ever so slightly. "Wouldn't have it any other way, Prongsy, and I'd be right pissed if you didn't ask me that question."

Satisfied, James led his best friends and his bride-to-be the rest of the way back to the castle. The group walked through the oak front doors together, and grouped up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady in the portrait, seeing James and Lily, held her handkerchief up to her mouth and stifled a sob.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh my dears! My beautiful dears!" She cried. "Such wonderful, wonderful news – James and Lily. Lily and James. Oh, oh such wonderful news!"

James and Lily looked at each other, nonplussed. James spoke. "Wow, Missus. News sure travels fast round here don't it?"

"One of the portraits downstairs heard you talking when you came in – rushed up here and told me all about it! And, James Potter, to ask Sirius Black to be your best man! Such good friends you are. It warms the cockles of my heart, it does."

"Thanks, Missus," said Lily. "But, James here is sopping wet and needs to change." Lily gave the password, "mandragora," and the Fat Lady began to swing her portrait open to let them inside.

"Best of luck to you two charming kids. I will miss you."

As the portrait swung open the rest of the way, a large gaggle of seventh years from every house – Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff -- poured out of the hole, and brought them inside congratulating them, hugging them, and wishing them well. As James and Lily entered the portrait hole, they were slapped on the back, butterbeers forced into their hands, and were offered handfuls of scones and treacle tarts.

Once the noise settled down, and the crowd disbursed, James and Lily saw Professor Dumbledore sitting on the window seat. "I understand, James and Lily, that congratulations are in order."

James said it again, "Blimey, Professor, news does travel fast here."

"I imagine," mused Professor Dumbledore, "that your friends gathered here deserve to congratulate you in the proper way. I only came by for a moment to offer my own congratulations, and tell you that I wish you two only the best."

Lily and James looked at each other momentarily. Each knew what the other was thinking. Lily was the first to speak. "Professor, James and I, we would be most appreciative if you would marry us. I mean, you can, right? Being in the Wizengamot and all."

Professor Dumbledore smiled benignly and nodded his head. He looked up at them over his half-moon spectacles. "I can, and I would be more than honored." He rose from the window seat, crossed over to the couple, and hugged them, planting blessing-like kisses on their heads. "But I must go now so that you and your friends can celebrate without the eyes of a teacher in the room. I shall see you tomorrow morning, you two. Do not forget your Head Boy and Girl duties tomorrow in your reverie tonight." With that, Professor Dumbledore swept from the room, and the portrait hole closed behind him.

As soon as Professor Dumbledore left, the crowd around them began to chant, "Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!" They tapped pencils, spoons, wands (carefully) or whatever they could find against their butterbeer bottles and juice goblets. James and Lily obliged them, kissing sweetly, lovingly and passionately. When it seemed that they would not ever stop kissing, Sirius grabbed a bottle of butterbeer, and unceremoniously dumped it over James and Lily's heads.

James and Lily just kept on kissing, and did not stop even when the second, third and fourth bottles of butterbeer were poured over their heads – in turn by Remus, Peter, and Narcissa. By the time they finally finished kissing, the couple was drenched, sopping wet, very sticky, and Sirius was right – James was getting rather smelly from his dunk in the lake – but frankly, they didn't care a whit.

Wet, smelly, and sticky doesn't matter, thought Lily, when I have James for the rest of my life – and I will have Harry someday. Like Jane had her Edward Fairfax Rochester, I have James Potter. Except, she thought, James hasn't been blinded, and there's no fire, no crazy woman in the attic, and no creepy suitor like St. John Rivers. Oh well. She reached up, kissed James again and the crowd around them whooped anew.

Author's Note: Credit where credit's due. Lilywhite Lilith -- Lyrics by Peter Gabriel and Genesis. No One Can -- Lyrics by Steve Hogarth and Marillion. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.