Limerence | A James & Lily Story

Ready or Not

    The air is thick and muggy the day we graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sky is a perfect blue, not a cloud in sight. The water of the lake ripples as the giant squid lounges about lazily in the warm sunlight. 

     Lily shifts absentmindedly next to me settling in closer to my side, eyes trained on Professor Dumbledore. I look to my other side to see Sirius' eyes roaming distractedly over the grounds, and I see the sadness buried in the depth of the greyness. A twist in my gut lets me know that the sadness is there for me too. 

     "Now," Professor Dumbledore says. "We will hear from our Head Girl, Miss Lily Evans."

      I clap my hands together as hard as I can because proudness is basically radiating from me, and Sirius whistles next to me to embarrass her. Lily takes her place on stage and runs her bright green eyes over the people in the audience. Her nostrils flare and her chin slightly quivers- her tale that she is about to cry. Just when I think she will burst into tears, she takes a deep breath to begin her speech.

     "I wrote this speech about a thousand times because I didn't know what I wanted to say or what I wanted my message to convey. After going over it again and again, I landed on- change is inevitable. As a person who hates change, I can honestly say it can be a good thing...sometimes. For example, I am muggle born. If you had told me ten years ago, that I would be graduating from a magic school at eighteen years old, I would have told you you were a crazy person." The crowd chuckles.

    "However, I got my letter at age eleven, and I have never been happier. Being introduced into this world, my world, has taught me to embrace change. In these past seven years, so many things have happened. I've learned to brew potions. I've lost friends. I've become a prefect and eventually Head Girl. But what's crazy is looking back at this year at all of the ways my life has changed in less than three hundred and sixty-five days. I've fallen in love. I've been kidnapped and tortured. I lost my parents. I've witnessed pain and hurt, but I've also experienced happiness in its purest form. I've laughed with friends and broken rules- yes, I can admit to that now, Professor McGonagall, you can't do anything to me now.

     Change is inevitable. It may not always be good, but that's life. We may always want things to stay the change for fear of discomfort or forgetting, but life goes on. Books end. Leaves fall. Children grow. It's the sad cycle of life, but that's what makes life so special and so fleeting. Change doesn't have to be a bad thing, and goodbyes don't have to be forever. Hopefully, I live a long life and can look back on all the changes in my life, and I can know that I faced life with love and happiness and strength. That I said goodbye when needed, and I embraced change with a humble attitude. Thank you."

     Lily ducks at the applause that greets the end of her speech and walks shyly back to her seat. Marlene squeals, pulling her best friend in for a hug. "Good job!"

    Lily laughs at Marlene's theatrics. I lean closer towards her, so only she can hear me, "So, you fell in love, huh?"

     "Zip it, Potter," she replies, suppressing a smile. I give her a wink.

     "And now, we will hear from our Head boy, Mr. James Potter." Show time.

     I stand, feeling an eruption of nerves in the pit of my stomach, but I ignore the stage fright and walk slowly to the stage. I steady myself behind the podium, looking out at the crowd of faces looking at me expectantly. I make eye contact with my mum, whom gives me an encouraging nod, and I can't help but smile. I take a breath just as Lily did.

     "Go, Prongs!" Sirius shouts, breaking the silence. Why did I pick him as my best friend? I glance up to see a few people shaking with laughter; a grin tugs on my lips as well.