Beyond the Lake

Chapter Nine

***

James Potter had thought that the best day in his life had been the day Lily Evans went out with him, but he found he was wrong. Lily Evans was going to be Lily Potter, his wife. God only knew when, but details weren't important. For the moment, he had to be the luckiest guy on earth.

As soon as he reached his dormitory, Sirius began to question him. To be a jerk, he made him guess for a bit, but later gave him a small, not very detailed summary of what had happened near Hogwarts' lake that night. Just telling someone else made it seem more definite, although there was still a part of him that believed it had all been a dream, a wonderful, perfect dream...

His last Quidditch game at Hogwarts was won as a 410 to 270 loss for Slytherin. Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, and miraculously, considering the Marauders, the House Cup, too.

Graduation came quickly, and so did the realization that it would be harder to leave Hogwarts than he'd imagined. But the Marauders ignored this, and they pulled their last prank on Filch, although it was really meant to ensure that some unsuspecting student would find the Marauder's Map by putting it in the most likely place a student would look. Filch's "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous" drawer would be perfect for the job. And, of course, there was their memorable last night as Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, during which they visited their favorite places one last time. The year had ended quickly; every seventh year felt the same. The train ride home was the last time they might see another person for years, maybe forever.

"James," said Lily on the train. "How are we supposed to be engaged while you're living in the wizarding world and I'm stuck with Muggles?"

"Could you live with me at Godric's Hollow?"

"I don't see why not, but I'll have to sell my parents' house. Petunia is living with some Muggle, Vernon Dursley, I think, and leaving me to sell it. But that may take awhile."

"It doesn't matter, we can easily Apparate to plan the wedding, and after that, everything will be simple. I hope."

"Current events may change that, dear, especially if you still have your heart set on being an Auror."

"Of course I do! And they need them more than ever," he pointed out.

"That's what worries me."

***

She couldn't believe this was her last train ride home from Hogwarts, she couldn't believe she was all over, and she found it shocking that she was going to marry James Potter. It wasn't that she found it bad, it was just strange. Just nine months ago she had hated everything about him, wanted nothing to do with him, and now she would be seeing him everyday for the rest of her life. But she couldn't say she regretted the decision.

Of course, the wedding might have to wait, unless they wanted to be married while she was trying to be a Gringotts Curse Breaker and he was training to be an Auror. If only they could be married over this summer, even the next...

"What're you so preoccupied about?" she asked. "Not the wedding?"

"What else? This needs to be planned. I mean, no offense, but you proposed at the worst possible time."

"We could make it a long engagement," he suggested.

"I don't want to wait for years. Who knows what will have happened by then?"

"Then make up your mind."
"Don't you care?"

"Lily, I just want to marry you. I don't need a huge party for it or anything fancy. I have a house, I will have income, as will you, and everything will work out in the end."

"I wish," she said, leaning into him as the train came to a halt.

"We're back."

"Come see me whenever you want. I love you."

"Same here, and I love you, too."

***