How It All Happened

Lily was studying furiously for the NEWT's... she had never in her life, not even for the Owl?s studied so hard. She was just glad James wasn't being an annoying git like Sirius bothering her about how she was working too much. She was Head Girl and she needed top grades. Why couldn't they understand? Well Remus understood, he was being sensible, studying properly. But she was tired; she was tired of studying endlessly. And that's why she was in a horrible mood.

”Lily, which dress do you think Sirius would like better for the party?” Celestina was holding up two different kinds of dress robes, one blue and one green. Lily thought for a moment, party? What party? She couldn't remember a party... Celestina seemed to understand what was going on inside her head so she explained.

”There's going to be a party in the Great Hall after the Bye, Bye Feast, only seventh years invited, but seventh years are allowed to bring younger dates... the announcement was just pinned up down stairs in the common room, we're supposed to wear dress robes if we have them, if we don't we wear normal school robes.” Celestina said excitedly, she was obviously, well excited and Lily couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach were probably there due to excitement rather than some prank or other.

”I don't remember having noticed one of these parties when I was younger...” she thought out loud, and no matter how she wracked her brain trying to find a mention of this party thing from when she was younger, the information didn't exist.

”Well, me either, but who cares? Now, which dress?” Celestina was getting impatient.

”I care, and I like the blue ones for you, they match your eyes... I didn't bring any dress robes, they weren't on the list” Lily said worriedly

”Oh, you can borrow my green ones! They aren't like your eyes, but you'd probably look good in them anyway” Celestina said and smiled. “Try it on, I don't know if it fits, we aren't the same size...”

She looked at the open Transfiguration textbook on her lap and then at the pretty dress robe. She grimaced. “Not now, I have to study! We have a huge Transfiguration test tomorrow and I'm not any good at it” she finally said and went back to reading with a frown on her face.

”Get James to help you later, this is important!” Celestina squealed.

”James is going to help me, and no, studying is more important than silly robes.? Lily said stubbornly.

”What ever... I'm gonna ask Grace what she's wearing, can you believe she told me her brother is specializing in Obliviating?” Celestina said in a gossipy tone.

”I don't have time to gossip Celestina! I need to concentrate!” she growled.

”Okay, bye” Celestina waved and bounded off, probably looking for Grace. Her eyes fell on the text in front of her.

Arnold the Animagus, one of the most famous Animagi in the wizard world was the one who actually came up with the art of Animagi, he was fascinated with wolves of all shapes and sizes and did indeed transfigure into the form of a wolf...

Boring, Lily thought and turned to her notes. After going over three pages of her tiny neat handwriting she gave a huge yawn and went downstairs to find James and Sirius both sleeping in the same sofa, their heads resting against each other's head. It was really quite funny, and if she hadn't been both tired and frustrated she would have giggled. Instead she pushed Sirius's head out of the way so James's head lost balance and his glasses fell off. She bent down and picked the glasses up while James rubbed his eyes sleepily. She handed him his glasses and he yawned as a thank you.

”James, you promised you'd help me with the actual Transfiguration.” she said and crossed her arms across her chest.

”Well let?s get started then” James gave her a grin and pulled her down on the sofa next to him, he gave her a peck on the cheek and she rolled her eyes.

”I need help with the cross species transfiguration mostly, but I think I've got the hang of turning dead objects to live things...” she trailed off as she noticed James was falling asleep on her shoulder. If it had been a normal night she'd have smiled, kissed him on his forehead and gone to bed herself. But no. Not now, she had to study. And if she had to study, he was gonna help her. So she shook him and he dropped his glasses again. He bent down and picked them up and came up chuckling a bit.

”As I was saying... I need you to help me...” he cut her off

”With the cross species transfiguration, I know I know. Okay, We'll use my quill.” James picked his quill up of the table and waved his wand muttering familiar - dead object to alive being - words. The quill turned into a colorful parrot. She had always been a bit jealous of James's ability to Transfigure things so easily, but she had always outdone him in Charms, even if he wasn't bad at them at all, she was the best in her year at Charms and she was proud of it, Charms also happened to be her favorite subject, she really liked the funny little teacher.

”Lily?” James said and snapped his fingers in front of her face. She looked up and frowned.

”What?” she asked irritably.

”You're cute when you're frustrated, and I asked you to transfigure the parrot into another kind of bird, you can choose which sort of bird!” James gave her a hug, which she appreciated. She really felt rather bad about snapping at him, she loved him and there didn't go a day by without her thanking god James felt the same about her, well at least he said he did, and she trusted him. He always told her everything now. And she was thankful for that. How many girls could say they had such wonderful boyfriends? Not many. She kissed him on the lips and when they broke apart he looked surprised, but happy.

”What was that for?” James's eyes were shining and she could just feel the love oozing out of him. It was a very good feeling, and she didn't have the words to tell him how she felt.

”It was for... being so patient with me, I know you've had a really hard time, since your folks died, and I've been so self centered, always just thinking of myself... and I, it was for, loving me...” she trailed off, feeling stupid. She looked at her lap, not daring to look at James, he'd just laugh at her. James put a finger under her chin and caught her in another kiss. James didn't think she was stupid! She thought happily.

”All right you two, if that's what you think studying is, what do you think a test is?” Sirius, who had woken up beside them (Lily had completely forgotten he existed until he spoke) said, smirking and almost radiating mirth.

James blushed scarlet, she had no idea why. Must be some guy thing between the two... she thought back to Sirius's words and replayed them in her mind... if that's what you think studying is, what do you think a test is? She didn't get it. James had to be embarrassed because Sirius had caught them kissing like that... but it hadn't bothered him like this, before... odd.

”Sirius, go to bed” she ordered. Thinking of all the studying she needed to get done, even if she had practiced loads that day and many previous days, she still just needed to practice a bit more...

”Whom with?” Sirius asked jokingly.

She rolled her eyes and James went even redder if possible. Sirius seemed to be using every ounce of strength he had left not to laugh at them. She glared at him, he decided to leave, but not before he bowed in a very silly manner. She sighed and looked at James whose skin was slowly turning back to its normal color.

”I just don't understand him anymore” she shook her head and he shrugged, when they finished their study session it was three AM in the morning.

*

The next weeks at Hogwarts were oddly quiet; the only noises heard were made by either Peeves, or Sirius who wasn't taking the NEWT's very seriously. If she nagged, he'd just say, 'I want to get my NEWT's for what I'm actually good at, if I'm bad at something, why try to get a NEWT in it so people will think I'm good?' It was getting very annoying when he kept saying that, she just wanted him to do well, as she knew from James that he wanted to be an Auror, James wanted to go be an Auror as well despite all the offers he was receiving to play Quidditch for England. He said he didn't want to be fooling around on a broom when there was a serious dark wizard problem. But she knew he just wanted to get revenge. He hadn't cried. He hadn't grieved properly for his parents. He was just being a typical male. Boys aren't supposed to cry or show any weak emotions... that seemed t be the boy's code for being male everywhere in the world, it was frustrating but in a way she was glad. It would be very odd if boys kept bursting into tears all around her. She snickered at the idea.

”What's funny?” Remus, who was sitting across from her eating toast for breakfast - like her - asked and spread some more jam on the slice of toast he was trying to eat. But as he had had his Potion test, along with the rest of them, the previous day and his Potion had mysteriously exploded burning his hand pretty badly, well you'd be clumsy as well if you had huge bandages on your hand! As an answer for his question she poked her head a few times and rolled her eyes. He smiled and let out a laughing noise before cursing as he dropped the third piece of toast on the floor. This incident almost set her giggle off but she managed to hold it back by thinking of Professor Nott in his knickers. She suddenly lost her appetite and got up to leave. They had their History of Magic NEWT today and she was going to try and cram some extra information into her head just in case she had missed something. Maybe Professor Binns had said something important that one time she had fallen asleep in his class? She quickened her step.

”Lily? Lily!” the voice was hesitant at first but then it seemed to be sure... she looked around and saw Sirius's dad coming towards her.

”Mr. Black!” she exclaimed, surprised to see the older man. She had visited James over the summer and James was living with the Blacks, she and her sister were living at her grandmother's place. Her grandfather had passed away when she was nine. And her grandmother wasn't going to be around for long either; she just wished her gran would see a doctor. Lily suspected she had Alzheimer... but she couldn't be sure.

”Lily, do you know where Sirius might be?” he asked her, he looked excited, but more tired then she remembered him being.

”Well I - I'm just about to go to my History of Magic NEWT, Sirius is in the same class, he'll be there.” she said feeling a bit unsure of herself.

”Thank you Lily, you know it's his birthday today... and I promised him... he promised him he'd get something special for his eighteenth birthday a long time ago” Mr. Black was beaming and she didn't know what to make of all this. She forgot all about cramming, it was too late for that right now. She looked at her wristwatch when they were almost at the classroom, they were just in time, and she had about a minute to spare. Most of the kids were already inside the open classroom. She slipped into her seat near the front of the room and waited patiently. Mr. Black had told her he'd wait outside the classroom, she had warned him though. It was a four-hour test. When they said Nastily Exhausting Wizard Tests they meant what they said! But he said he'd be fine so she decided not to worry, he was an adult, and he?d take care of himself. Professor Binns made his 'exciting' entrance and started handing out test sheets and cheating proof quills.

Four hours later

Lily's hand was cramping. She had probably written more things down in these last four hours than she had in her entire life! She'd better get that History of Magic NEWT or she'd throw a tantrum or something. She looked over at Sirius who was practically bouncing with happiness because -she presumed - of what his father was saying. Then Sirius took the tiny wrapped box his father handed him and ran outside like a black flash of color. James came over to her grinning like an idiot, but a cute idiot... she smiled at him. One more Newt to go and they'd be free from Hogwarts. Leaving Hogwarts. What would happen to her? She had decided to try to get a job at the Ministry, preferably in the Committee of Experimental Magic... she wanted to be able to invent and try new Charms, she just hoped she wouldn't get stuck taking care of raid work... what some wizards would experiment with, honestly! She had been looking through the Daily Prophet...

”Can you believe this?” James said, yanking her out of her reverie.

”Believe what?” she said distractedly thinking of the Charms NEWT which she would be taking the next day.

”Haven't you been listening at all?” James said looking amused.

”Sorry sweetie” she apologized.

”Anyway, Sirius's dad just gave him a motorcycle!” he said a huge grin on his face.

”But that's dangerous!” She said, horrified, Sirius on two feet was dangerous enough to the environment.

”I know! Isn't it cool?” James said happily.

”Well...” she couldn't bring herself to wipe the grin off his face, he looked so happy for his friend. And all of a sudden she had a memory flash. It was Sirius, she had asked him why he didn't try out for the Quidditch team like James and he had answered... something about brooms being to small... how odd.

”Can it fly?” she found herself asking.

”That's the best part! It's been in his family for ages” James said. Why was James so happy if his friend was getting the present? Oh no?

”You are not trying that motorcycle out mister Potter!” she said to him sternly, like she'd let the guy she loved drive an old motorcycle somewhere in the clouds! No way.

”Ow, Lily...” He gave her the puppy dog look. She couldn't stand the puppy dog look, but if he got hurt? She wouldn't be able to live without him... their fight last year had been bad enough!

”James, please... what if something were to happen while you were flying on an ancient motorcycle high up in the clouds?” she said, still in the scolding tone, she couldn't tell him just how she felt... he'd laugh! But still, he hadn't laughed when they had been studying for the Transfiguration NEWT? ?which she remembered fondly. She had done very well at; McGonagall had even smiled at her!

”Nothing would happen...” James whined but he obviously dropped the subject. For that she was glad, James understood her worry, he knew her as well as she did. They told each other everything. She was willing to open her arms to James even with all the flaws he had, to her he was perfect, even with his unruly hair and lopsided grin... she smiled at him and gave him a hug, he hugged her back. She really loved his hugs, they were so warm and she always felt so protected. She wish she could tell him how it felt with words, but words always seemed to fail her when it came to expressing her emotions. She looked into his eyes and she knew he understood, he always understood.

*

Lily skipped out of the Charms classroom, feeling that she could almost fly. Her Newt's were over! She stopped dead. Her Newt's were over. Only a week left of Hogwarts... she'd go where? Do what? She had to wait for her NEWT results so she could apply for a job at the Ministry of Magic. And wizard test always took so long to go over... she remembered when she had gotten her OWL letter the summer after her fifth year, it had been the middle of July... she had received twelve Owl's. Just like James. The graduation ceremony would happen in a week, before the feast... then they would eat their last ever meal at Hogwarts and then there would be a party and the next day they would... go. She couldn't believe it. It was just too odd. She thought back to all the years she had spent, happy and sad, angry and jealous... all these emotions all these years... gone. Never to come back the same way. She could always return to Hogwarts of course, but it wouldn't be the same. Her student years were over. Gone. She had to turn into an adult with all the responsibilities and difficulties and everything. What if she wouldn't be able to do it? What if she'd end up on the street? Alone... he sister would be better off then her and? no. She couldn't think that way. She had to find James, he'd comfort her... she quickened her step and soon arrived at the portrait hole. She looked around the common room, she didn't see James anywhere... he had finished the Charms test before her... maybe he was in the dorm room? She walked up the stairs hoping no boy would see her, but it was rather quiet, so she thought most of the boys were probably taking tests somewhere. When she got to the seventh year boy dorm she stopped, she could hear voices...

”Padfoot, I'm gonna do it” James's voice stated.

”Well, it's not that uncommon is it? I mean lots of people do it right after the party” Sirius voice sounded serious for once.

”Oh, and I thought I was being original” James's voice was sarcastic.

”Maybe I'll ask Celestina” Sirius seemed to ponder out loud

”Really?” James asked, sounding amazed.

”I don't know” Sirius sighed.

She put a hand to her mouth, were Sirius and James talking about what she thought they were? But maybe she wasn't ready for that yet. Maybe... she was probably wrong. They couldn't be talking about that... she and James hadn't even talked about that yet. He knew she wasn't ready, didn't he? She didn't know what to do. She was probably over reacting. She wasn't supposed to be listening to this conversation... she'd just pretend it never happened. And then she'd just see what happens.

*

”Lily?”

Lily looked up to see Celestina standing there, looking very pretty in her blue dress robes, but also very nervous.

”What is it?” Lily asked and smiled trying to make Celestina less nervous.

”I'm scared” Celestina said, her voice hoarse.

”Don't be, we'll be fine. We'll get great jobs earn loads of money meet the husbands of our dreams and have toddlers running around our mansions in no time!” Lily didn't believe half of what she had just said, but she didn't want to seem too scared herself. In truth, she was probably more afraid then Celestina could ever be.

”That's not what I mean, I'm scared of doing you know what...” she trailed off looking embarrassed.

”Well, if you're scared you don't have to do that...” Lily felt a little awkward talking about that, as she had been trying to avoid thinking of it.

”I can't just say no? he'll dump me!” Celestina sounded like she'd start going into hysterics sometime soon.

”If he dumps you for not being ready to do something like that, then he isn't worth it.” She said trying to convince herself the same.

”But... I know you're right, my brain knows... but what I feel... it's just so messed up” Celestina watched her hands like they were the most fascinating things in the world.

”Well, we don't have time to dwell on this, let's go to the Great Hall, the band should be here.” She sounded more confident than she felt.

”The Drums and Dragons are a brilliant band!” Celestina was obviously changing the subject, but Lily; in this case, she was glad.

”Really, I've never heard them play, I wish I had a Wireless...” Lily had often dreamed of a Wizards radio, she had absolutely no connection to the magical world at her Grandmother's place in it drove her mad.

”Me too, it does get annoying, having to tell you everything that happens over the summer” Celestina said jumping out of the way of a large pillow aimed at her head.

”Hey! No messing with the hair!” Celestina said jokingly.

Lily laughed and got off the bed. She looked at her reflection one more time and remembered standing in front of that very mirror in her fifth year, after receiving her very first kiss.

”Come on” Celestina sounded impatient.

Lily nodded put on her smile and walked behind Celestina down the staircase, through the portrait hole, down to the Entrance Hall and into the Great Hall where the two girls met with their boyfriends. The whole way was walked in silence. It wasn't the normal comfortable silence Lily was used to between herself and Celestina, but a tense nervous silence. Lily felt something huge was about to happen and it had nothing to do with after nerves of having stood in front of all the seventh years reading her speech...

”Hi Lily, you two are a bit late the band's already here!” James said, never once taking his eyes of her.

”I know that... tell me, how do I look?” She was dying for his opinion, she knew that wasn't very feminist of her, but she had been preparing for hours...

”Well, I would have told you right away... but I'm still blinded by your beauty... I can't see a thing!” He said with a grin. She beamed, how could he do that... her nerves were almost none existent. Almost. She felt him take her hand in his. Dumbledore stood up to speak and she didn't hear a word he said. All she was doing was feeling the warmth of James's hand around her own hand. Everyone clapped and she reluctantly did so as well. Music started playing and she allowed James to lead her onto the dance floor. She danced and danced, her shoes were killing her but she danced some more, ignoring the pain... it didn't matter. She was dancing with James, drowning in his eyes letting the feeling of fulfillment consume her. She didn't care about anything. Who cares about a job at the ministry or if she failed the NEWT's? She was in James arms and she felt wonderful. But why were they stopping? She forced herself back to reality and heard James ask her to come outside with him. She nodded and they walked into a garden she had never seen before, but she hardly noticed it. James was very quiet; he seemed to be thinking about something. Suddenly he stopped and sat her down on a bench. He didn't sit; he remained standing looking into her eyes. She felt mesmerized by his gaze.

”Lily, I don't really know how to say this, but please hear me out” he looked at her for response. She nodded wondering what he was about to say.

”The first time I met you in that Muggle bookshop, I knew this moment would come” He looked extremely nervous, but she was patient. Whatever it was this was taking him a lot of effort and she was scared she'd say the wrong thing and he wouldn't dare continue.

”You are... you are the most beautiful girl on the planet” she blushed and thanked god for the dim light. “And you will never know, the feeling I got when you said you loved me for the first time” He took a deep breath. She knew that the point was about to come, the point where she'd have to react. But she felt numb. He got down on one knee and looked into her eyes. The green eyes in question were filling with tears.

”Lily Evens, I love you, more then you'll ever know. Will you be my wife?” He pulled a tiny bow out of his robe pocket and held it out for her.

She couldn't control her tears anymore, letting them roll freely down her cheeks, she threw her arms around him and managed to gasp out a simple, “yes!” If she hadn't been crying on his shoulder, she would have noticed the bigger than huge smile on James's face. When she had stopped thanking god she had a spell on her mascara so it wouldn't run all over the place, she looked at James, he smiled and handed her a handkerchief. She dried the tears and he opened the box. There was a beautiful ruby on the golden band and he pulled the ring out of the box and took her shaking hand. He put the ring on her finger and kissed her, she kissed back and soon they would be in a lot of trouble if Nott were to catch them. When James's hands started do things, she got scared. She pulled away and hoped to god he'd understand.

”Can we save that for out wedding night...? please, I really want it to be special.” She said putting on her best pleading look. James was looking at his hands with a shocked expression.

”I know, yes... I don't know what came over me, sorry” he smiled weakly, still looking surprised.

”That's okay, you're still just a teenager...” The both laughed awkwardly. She looked at her ring. It must have cost a fortune! Where'd he get something that expensive?

”James, where'd you get the ring?” She asked out loud. He smiled.

”Well, you know my birthday isn't until August. Well anyway, this is a family engagement ring; it's supposed to be really precious. Well, back to the point. When my parents... passed away, I was only fifteen, I wasn't exactly mature enough to handle a lot of money. My family is a very old wizard family and we aren't poor, although we aren't rolling in money either. The money was sealed up, so I could only use it when I turned eighteen, I'm getting the key to my volt on my birthday. And I've... er been planning to ask you to marry me for a while so, I asked Mr. Black to do some stuff for me. Sell the house in Helga's Hollow and buy a new one close by... in Godric's Hollow, and he got this ring from the volt for you...” James spoke nervously, like he was afraid that if he spoke to quickly everything would disappear and he'd wake up or something, or maybe that was how she felt. This was a dream come true, it was all so unreal. James had wanted to marry her for a long time, she probably would have been a bit angry that he had just assumed she'd say yes, but she had seen how nervous he'd been, he hadn't been sure... but was she? Getting married at seventeen was a big step. All of a sudden she remembered Mr. Black's visit to Hogwarts... She had thought James had been a little too happy for Sirius. James had probably received the ring from Mr. Black that very day! Oh, she should have realized. But not now. Now she was gonna go inside with James, show here ring off and dance with her fiancée... wow, that sounded weird. Even inside her own head...

Note: Please R&R