Legacy of Love

The One Who Knows

Time it was I had a dream, and you're that dream come true

If I had the world to give, I'd give it all to you

I'll take you to the mountains, I will take you to the sea

I'll show you how this life became a miracle to me

Lily's heart leaped as she saw him coming down the stairs to the common room. They had been dating for months, but the sight of her boyfriend, Quidditch prodigy James Potter, still excited her.

James smiled when he spotted Lily and started towards her. People said hello as he passed. James seemed to own the place, but Lily knew better than to fall for his confident exterior. She had seen a completely different side of him.

"Hi, Lily," he said, sitting down on the couch next to her. The voice he used around her was sweet and almost timid.

"Hi, James," she greeted him in return. The smile she gave him was full of warmth. Then again, everything about Lily was full of warmth.

They sat talking for a long time about nothing in particular. Conversation came easily by the merrily burning fire. Lily didn't think she had ever been so happy.

You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done you'll be the one who knows

There was a mild uproar by the portrait hole. Two boys came crashing into the common room and headed straight for James and Lily.

So much for our quiet evening of conversation, Lily thought. James's friends had arrived.

"James, you clodpole!" said Sirius in a booming voice. "Where did you disappear to? I thought we had plans tonight. Make a little mischief perhaps?"

"But don't you see, Sirius, my good man?" Remus put in, matching his voice to Sirius's. "James had a date with the lovely Miss Evans that he neglected to tell us about!" He winked at Lily to show he was only joking.

"Did you, old boy?" Sirius practically shouted, clapping James on the back. "Well, then that's a different matter."

"A horse of a different color, to be sure," Remus agreed.

"Now make room, you two," commanded Sirius. Without giving them time to obey, he shoved James aside to make room for himself on the couch. Remus promptly made himself comfortable on the other side next to Lily.

Lily decided it was time she got in on the act. "So exactly what sort of mischief were you planning on making tonight? I can't even guess."

"I didn't hear a word about mischief-making," James said pompously.

"Ha!" cried Sirius. "A likely story!"

Remus nudged Lily in the side. "No big plans, Lil. Just a few harmless pranks on Snape. Maybe a quick trip to Hogsmeade for some butterbeer."

"You'll all get yourselves expelled one of these days!" Lily scolded.

"You worry too much about us," scoffed Sirius, standing up.

"Yeah," Remus agreed. "You should definitely have children some day."

Lily refused to look at James for fear she would blush. "I think I will someday."

Remus looked from her to James with a twinkle in his eye.

All the things you treasure most will be the hardest won

I will watch you struggle long before the answers come

But I won't make it harder, I'll be there to cheer you on

I'll shine the light that guides you down the road you're walking on

It was the next day, and Lily was sitting alone in the common room. She wished James was there to sit with her, but he was off somewhere with his friends. Lily liked Sirius and Remus a lot, although she resented the amount of time he spent with them.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Remus came slowly through the portrait hole. He looked about as downcast as she felt.

Glancing up, Remus's eyes fell on Lily. As misery always loves company, he went to sit next to her.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked him. "I thought you all had run off after dinner."

Remus shrugged passively. "It's James and Sirius who did the running off. I don't know where. They tried to play it off, but something secretive is going on."

Lily couldn't hide her look of surprise. "I thought the three of you told each other pretty much everything."

"Pretty much, but not all," replied Remus bitterly. "Oh, we have plenty of secrets as a group, but some things are just kept between best friends."

"I guess James and Sirius are pretty close," Lily admitted.

Remus nodded. "Inseparable."

Lily felt terrible for not noticing Remus's problem before. "I'm so sorry, Remus. I should have known they were leaving you out." Then, in a weak attempt to cheer him up, she added, "There's always Peter."

"Peter is a louse."

"Yes, I guess you're right."

"Anyway," Remus continued, "enough about me. I'll live. How are things going with you and James?"

Lily giggled involuntarily. "They're going good. I can still hardly believe we're dating."

"And it's about time too!" exclaimed Remus. "I'd had just about enough of you two smiling shyly at each other during every ruddy lesson! That is, after you gave up hating each other."

Now it was Lily's turn to shrug. "I never really knew why he wanted to date me. You know, as I'm Muggle-born and all."

Remus gave her a strange look. "You really thought James would care about that?"

"I don't know." She stared at the ground and fiddled with her sleeve uncomfortably. "You never can tell."

"If you say so," mumbled Remus darkly.

You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done you'll be the one who knows

Lily kept her odd conversation with Remus to herself for the rest of the day, but the next day she could stand it no longer. Being a person partial to talking things out, she decided to ask James about it at the first opportunity.

Her chance came that evening after most people had returned from dinner in the Great Hall. James snuck up behind her and whispered, "Boo."

She whirled around and flashed him a huge smile. "James! I've been wanting to talk to you."

He looked surprised but not displeased by this suggestion. "All right. I only have a few minutes though. Extra Quidditch practice tonight."

They sank down to the floor for lack of a better place. The common room was packed that early in the evening. Lily mentally prepared herself to say what she wanted to say.

"It's kind of silly, I guess," she began airily. "It's just something that Remus said the other day that got me wondering. Did you ever think about how I'm Muggle-born before you asked me out?"

James's eyes widened, and he glanced nervously from side to side. "I'm a little confused. What did Remus say to you?"

Lily scowled, thinking he'd rather avoided her question. "Oh, I don't know. Something about when we first started dating."

"And so, right, that made you wonder if I thought about how, er, how you're Muggle-born?" he stammered, genuinely puzzled.

"Why are you avoiding the question?" Lily cried, her emotions finally escaping her.

"I'm not avoiding the question!" James stood up suddenly. "I have to go to practice. Will you wait up for me? We can finish talking then." With one last pleading look, he exited the room.

"You'll probably be out late," she said to his departing back. "And you still haven't answered my question!"

Before the mountains call to you, before you leave this home

I want to teach your heart to trust, as I will teach my own

But sometimes I will ask the moon where it shined upon you last

And shake my head and laugh and say it all went by so fast

"So you did wait for me."

Lily hadn't heard James come in, but she didn't bother turning from her place by the fire. It was the same couch they sat at just days before. She had been so happy then.

"Are you surprised?" she asked him as he sat down a respectable distance away from her.

James shook his head, smiling tentatively. "Not really. I had a feeling you'd be here."

Facing him at last, Lily said, "Can we figure out what happened before you left for practice?"

This time James nodded. "It was on my mind the entire time. I played pretty horribly on account of it. I still don't quite understand what Remus said to bring this on, but I think I've figured out the rest."

"It wasn't Remus's fault," admitted Lily. "I thought back to what was said, and I'm the one that brought up being Muggle-born."

"I see." With those two little words, she knew he understood everything. Then James said softly, "I know all you want is the answer to your question. Well, it's yes and no."

Lily rolled her eyes. "That sure clears things up."

James laughed but kept going. "I thought about it for a split second, but it didn't affect my decision. Being Muggle-born is part of who you are, and I live who you are very much." He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Lily was once again blissfully happy. It felt like the beginning of many happy times to come. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but some time in the future and Remus's words about children came to mind.

She gave James's hand a squeeze in return and said, "Sometimes you get it right."

You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done you'll be the one who knows