James and Lily Potter: Second year

Chapter 19: summer of second year

Lily was wearing a wedding dress and beaming all over. Her face was bright red and flushed, and in her hands were a bouquet of roses and wildflowers.

The minister had asked her, "Do you, Lily Evans, take this man to be your husband?"

Lily had answered with a strong, "I do."

"And do you, James Potter, take his woman as your wife?"

"I do."

James had lifted her veil up and kissed her lips. The guests were cheering, but Lily barely noticed anything. Her eyes were only for the man in front of her...James Potter.

Lily woke up, her eyes wide. She had the same dream for the past three weeks since she had been staying with the Potters. Her face was always shining proudly, and she saw James' handsome face positively beaming down at everyone in sight. She even once saw Sirius, supposedly the best man, chasing around a mad dog who had stolen his wand. Arabella was also there as the maid-of-honour, where she had burst into tears after Lily and James pronounced their death vows. It was sort of funny, really, the dream. Lily wondered if James had a similar one.

"Lils?" It was Arabella's sleepy voice, and she heard a distinct yawn from her best friend. "You awake again?"

"Go back to sleep, Bells, I'm fine," muttered Lily, rubbing her eyes.

"But—" Arabella was almost wide-awake now.

"Belle," said Lily sternly, causing Arabella to open her eyes widely.

"Belle?" she questioned.

Lily grinned. "It's nice, isn't it? I was getting sick of 'Bella' and 'Bells', so I came up with 'Belle'. Like it?"

"Whatever." Then with a final yawn, Arabella's head propped back down on her pillow and she was immediately fast asleep again.

Lily sighed. Ah, how she and Sirius spoke the same language. Sirius, too, loved to sleep all day and night as well. But James...she needed to see James. Yet she scolded herself for thinking so.

He needs his sleep, she thought to herself. Just like you do. Now...go back to sleep before you wake up anyone else in the house.

Arabella was supposed to have her own room, since there were about twenty rooms in the Potter mansion, but Bella had refused to part with her best friend and insisted on sharing a room with Lily. Lily had groaned at the thought of a snoring Bella, but gave in at the end.

James Potter. She was supposed to marry the moron after Hogwarts. Lily hadn't told her parents about it yet. She knew her mum would rejoice and throw a party, her dad would smile silently to himself, and Petunia would look horrified at the prospect of having a boy who hasn't brushed his hair in years as a brother-in-law.

And Lily, well, Lily wasn't sure what she would be like. When she had found out that James Potter was to be her future husband, and that she'd have a kid and die, sacrificing herself for the baby, it was a huge shock indeed. Lily supposed she didn't hate James so much as she did in her first year, but she didn't like him, either. She supposed the word "dislike" would fit in her feelings for James.

Who knew or cared what he thought. Sure, James was athletic and popular, and sort of cute, but Lily didn't care. She thought that Remus was wonderful, but he was only a brother to her. After all, if Jennifer found out that she liked Remus, the girl would probably tear her up into pieces. Jenny loved Remus to death, and Lily wanted to live a few years longer.

There was a knock on the door and Lily jumped out of the comfortable bed she was snuggled in. Arabella gave a loud grunt in the bed across from her, and Lily rolled her eyes.