20 June: Marauders Dorms.
Last two weeks has been a headache for the seventh years. The NEWTs finally came to an end and the next 10 days is just to enjoy their time at Hogwarts for the last time. The NEWT results will come in next few days and the applications will be sent out to their dream jobs.
Josette is surprisingly excited for this auror training and can't wait to work beside Moody. Though she has to think about her living, she can't stay with Mia and Monty forever. And tonight's the big night. James is going to ask Lily to marry him, finally!!
Tonight is the ball for seventh years which Lily requested to Dumbledore about and he agreed. The Great Hall is transformed completely, decorated with fairies flying around illuminating the room, food and drinks tables around the corner, a elegant dance floor and music.
Tonight's the best night for the proposal and James is not going to let it go waste. But he is very nervous about it and Lily is worried why he's all acting strange. Josette convinced her it's because of the NEWTS result and nothing else and looks like she believed her.
James tugged on his dress robes, doing up the blue bow tie at his neck. He stared into the mirror. His hair was neat - neater than he had probably ever been. "I look utterly stupid." James murmured, and he reached to loosen the bow tie a bit, turning to look at the others.
Sirius was laying across his bed, already ready for the night. His white t-shirt tight around his arms, leather jacket laying in wait at the foot of his bed. His hair was already in place, a thick mane. Peter and Remus too had already finished getting ready. Peter had a suit coat on. He'd never ended up with a date - nor had Remus.
James ran his hand through his hair, messing up the Sleekeazy's work and tossing it about a few times, swinging his head up and down till it looked windblown, as though he'd just stepped off the Quidditch pitch, and stared into the mirror for a moment, adjusting his glasses, which had gone all askew in the violent shaking of his head. "Much better."
"Merlin's beard you're ridiculous, you looked grand before." Sirius announced.
James said, "Thanks but no." He turned around "Are you lot ready?"
"Been waiting on you two." Peter replied.
Sirius stood up grabbing his leather jacket and swinging it about his shoulders, popping the collar as the group left the room.
Downstairs, it was an absolute frenzy. The boys were all clustered about the portrait hole in their dress robes, poking at each other's neckties, straightening them out and muttering nervously. The marauders went over to stand by Frank, waiting for the girls to come downstairs. "This is the best part." Frank whispered "When you see them all gussied up for the first time. I swear. Wait 'til you see your Lily, James, it'll take your breath away." He winked and nudged James with a grin.
"Can't wait." James answered.
When the girls started coming down finally, Frank was right about most of them. Alice was the first one to come down along with Marlene. They walked towards the boys. "You look beautiful." Frank said and kissed his girlfriend's cheek who blushed in return. They linked arms as they walked into the great hall. Marlene and Peter walked together with Remus trailing behind them. James and Sirius were the only one waiting.
"What taking them so-" Sirius stopped mid sentence as the girls descended the stairs and the two stood awestruck by the view.
Someone had swept Lily's hair up into a chignon bun, laced with white ribbons. She wore a short mint green dress. It was sleeveless and with flower patterns all over the fabric. James found his eyes guiltily lingering on the low neckline of the dress... A great lump rose up in his throat and he had to forcibly tear his eyes away from her. She just looked perfect and he doesn't want to mess up this perfect night.
"You.. look amazing." Sirius gushed his eyes never leaving Josette.
They all headed through the portrait hole, down to the Great Hall. In the entrance hall, Severus Snape stood by the foot of the grand staircase, wearing all black - black robes, black shirt, black tie. His black hair was cleaned and slicked back not like usual just flying in the wind. "Bloody hell, Severus Snape took a shower." Sirius murmured, seeing him "With shampoo and everything. The world must've come to an end."
"Shut it, Pads" Josette murmured, overhearing the comment and Then hurried on ahead to where he stood. "Sev!"
Severus looked up and smiled. He held out a hand to her as she neared and she took it and he gently kissed the top of her hand, like he'd seen done in the films she and Meredith had taken him to the cinema. "You look gorgeous." He commented
"Thank you." Josette smiled "Got a date??"
"Do you really think someone would want me as their date." Severus rolled his eyes "Anyway I didn't wanted to come either but you are a hell of a blackmailing queen."
Josette just grinned in return "Well, I will get back to my date. Enjoy the night, Sev." She kissed his cheek and walked back towards her boyfriend.
The Great Hall was just as gorgeous as Hagrid had promised. Josette and Sirius walked into the dance floor, their hands intertwined just as James and Lily's. They wasted no time and started swaying to the music.
James nervousness was clearly seen on his face. "You alright??" Lily asked, looking at his distress.
"I'm fine...I'm fine." He nodded his head.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lily looked around the room happily.
"It is." James smiled as he saw hers.
"I love you so much, James." Lily said out of nowhere.
"I love you too, Lily." He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Then why are you acting like this??" Lily made a sad face.
"Like what??"
"You're distant, you don't spend as much as time with me like we used to and you and the boys are always talking in hushed voices, keeping secrets." Lily mumbled "You are going to break up with me, aren't you??"
James shook his head, laughing. "Oi, for such a brilliant witch you sure can be dense, you know."
Lily narrowed her eyes and James laughed again. "I planned it at the end of the night." he said, staring into her eyes for a moment "but I can't wait any longer."
"What-"
"Lily." James cut her off, holding up one finger while he dug around in his pants pocket with his other hand. "Lily Evans, love of my life, my better half, you bring light to this dark world. You make everything better. I've chased you for a good five years, and now that I've got you I never want to let you go." He kneeled down in front of her on one knee taking her hand in his. Everyone else stopped dancing and looked at scene smiling.
Lily just stood there, staring at him, her lips parted in a soft 'O'.
James went on. "I live for you, and I'd die for you without thought. I'll love you for as long as I live, and I'll continue to love you for eternity and long past when I'm gone. There will be no time in which I am not fully, completely, catastrophically in love with you."
He finally got whatever he was fumbling for, and he brought his hand forward. Between his thumb and index finger a ring was clutched. James smiled up at Lily, who was now crying, happy tears of course. James had tears in his eyes as well, though he tried to blink them away.
"Will you marry me, Lily?" he finished.
A moment of silence stretched out between them, Lily standing there, frozen, staring at James, and James was staring right back.
Without warning, Lily launched herself at James.
"Yes, yes, of course yes you bloody git!" she shouted, her arms wrapping around his neck, her lips crushed against his. Everyone clapped and cheered at the successful proposal. It didn't escape Josette's eyes how Dumbledore slipped five galleons to Professor McGonagall, they bet on their students, Josette chuckled.
The couple broke apart and James slid the ring into Lily's finger and everyone again cheered and congratulated the couple. Severus stood in shock as he watched the whole scene and hastily walked out if the Hall.
Josette wanted to go behind him but Sirius grabbed her hand "Come on, I have a surprise for you." He whispered in her ear.
"What surprise??" She whispered back.
"It won't be a surprise if I tell you, will it??" He chuckled and took her hand leading them out of the hall.
Across the hall, Remus and Peter stood watching as James danced with Lily and Sirius and Josette slipped away. Remus was quickly getting bored. Several girls had come over and asked him to dance with them, but he'd turned them all down.
Peter looked cross the third time he'd done it "Why don't you dance with them? If had girls asking me to dance, I'd certainly do it."
"Alright, well the next one that comes over I'll tell her to dance with you instead." Remus replied. He found himself a chair at one of the tables that surrounded the dance floor and sank down into it, crossing his legs over a second chair, watching everyone dancing. Peter sat next to him, keeping an eye on the refreshments table as though he was watching a lover with jealousy. True to his word, when another girl came by to ask Remus if he'd like to dance, he declined, then thumbed at Peter, "This one here's free though."
The girl blushed "Oh... no... that's okay. Thank you, though." She ducked away quickly.
Peter looked profoundly hurt.
"Ah bugger them, Pete." Remus said "They just don't know what they're missing." Peter mumbled something, then got up and walked away, headed for the refreshments table. Remus frowned after him, feeling bad.
He sat at the table, picking at one of the rips in the denim that covered his thighs, staring down, wondering how long he had to sit there before it would be appropriate to go back up stairs, when suddenly the chair Peter had been sitting in was occupied by none other than Albus Dumbledore.
Remus looked at the headmaster for a long moment.
"A rather fantastic party, wouldn't you say, Mr. Lupin?" Dumbledore asked.
"Magnificent." Remus replied.
"I've always rather enjoyed watching the unfolding of young love that happens at these sorts of events." Dumbledore said, smiling about at all the students.
Dumbledore sighed, staring out over the dance floor for a long moment. Then he turned to look at the boy. "Who are you here with, Mr. Lupin? Surely a boy as popular as yourself has procured a date?"
"No sir, unless you count Peter, which I don't." Remus glanced over his shoulder to see Peter at the table, pouring a second cup of punch for himself. "If I did, he'd be cheating on me with that cookie." he laughed, nodding to Peter's plate, which was covered with several pieces of cookies.
Dumbledore chucked and leaned back in the chair a moment. Out on the dance floor, James and Lily were spinning about to the music. Dumbledore's eyes followed them as they moved. "I remember when I was young and attended Hogwarts myself." Dumbledore murmured "In my fifth year, I took a young lady to the Yule Ball. We were a horrible match, nothing about us worked together. I'd really only taken her because of the politics of the dance. Everyone had to go with somebody, or you were sort of left feeling out of place. I remember trying to dance with her and our moves were all out of sync..." Dumbledore shook his head and chuckled. "I'm not a terrible dancer, but with her I was abysmal. And when she broke up with me, she said, 'Albus, life is too short to spend with the wrong person.'" He paused "Time ought not be wasted that would've been better spent in love." Dumbledore concluded.
Remus looked over at him. "I was in love, how did that turn out for me, huh??" He scoffed.
"It's not the end." Dumbledore smiled "You have big life ahead and cutting out to everyone will make it more difficult." He nodded towards a Ravenclaw girl who was looking at them. "You see that young lady, go for it, asked her for a dance. Enjoy your evening, Mr. Lupin."
"You too, sir." he answered as he watched Dumbledore getting up and wandered away, mingling with the crowd until he'd found Professor McGonagall and asked her for a dance, to which she'd agreed.
Remus sat here, rubbing his chin. Peter came back a moment later, "I got you some cookies. And a punch." he put two cups and a large platter of the cookies down on the table.
"I'm going to take a raincheck, Wormtail." Remus said, standing up.
"Where are you going?" Peter asked.
Remus straightened his coat "There's some better ways to spend my time is all. I'll see you later." And with that, Remus swiftly walked towards that Ravenclaw.
~☆~
"Sirius, what is this??" Josette asked as Sirius handed her a quill. Both walked out of the hall to the end of the corridor.
"A portkey." He shrugged.
"Making portkeys are illegal, Pads. You will get in trouble." Josette said.
"And I'm an unregistered animagus, tell me about it." He chuckled and held on to the quill as it was about to get activated. They started to get suck into it, the space around them started to spin.
They landed swiftly on a hard floor. Josette looked around to see that they were standing in a balcony of a house unknown to her. Sirius had decorated the small space with bule fairy lights and some candles. There was a peaceful sound of waves crashing in front of house as cool breeze hit them.
"Where are we??" Josette asked and turned around to met her boyfriend's eyes. Sirius stood in front of her with a small box in his hand. Josette grinned surprised "What is this??"
"Open and find out." Sirius handed her the box.
Josette opened it and inside was a silver key "And where does this goes??"
"This house, our house." He smiled.
"Oh my God!!" Josette stood shocked as a grin itself plastered on her face.
"Jo, you've been my girlfriend for almost 2 years now and I want to take our relationship to the next step. Well, technically you have been living under one roof but it was not ours, this is. So, Mortis Heladottir, would you like to move in with me??" Sirius asked, his eyes shining with hope and excitement.
"First: Don't call me that." Josette shook her head, referring to the 'Heladottir' in his sentence. "Second: Of course, I'll move in with you." She threw herself into his arms and he picked her up, spinning around with happiness.
"Come on, I want to see the house." Josette excited opened the door to the room. Sirius smiled and followed her to which was their bedroom. But it was not decorated or anything, it was just an empty room with white walls and floorboards, a door which they came through; leading to the balcony, and another one leading out of the room. Two windows on each side of balcony's door.
"I thought, you would like to decorate it the way you want so, I just left it the way it is." Sirius said.
"Don't worry, this will look beautiful in no time." Josette smiled widely. "Where are we exactly??"
"Lysing Hail, Wiltshire." Sirius replied. It is a small wizarding town, well hidden from the muggle world, located near a beach on a hilly side which can be seen from their house. "And James is one house away from us. We decided to get a house together. Lily always said how she would love to live by a beach and I thought you would love it as well so...." he trailed of.
"That's amazing." She grinned happily. "One thing's remaining." She closed her eyes focusing on her powers. A violet wave came from her and spread further covering the house and then disappeared.
"What did you do??" Sirius asked.
"Cloaking spell, don't want anyone tracking us." She shrugged.
"Why??" He asked.
"Ferðamenn, death eaters." Josette shrugged. "Idony told me, I'm the only one they are talking about in Knockturn Alley for past few months. I'm quite famous there." She chuckled. "Wouldn't be surprised if someone comes out of nowhere and fires a killing curse."
"Are you sure you want to become an Auror?? From what you're telling me, it's even dangerous for you to walk on the streets." Sirius was worried about her, she's talking about 'death' like it's her old friend.
"What do you expect me to do?? Stay hidden in a house? I finally found something I want to do and I'm not backing down." Josette said sternly.
"What about your safety??" Sirius asked.
"I'm capable of taking care of myself." Josette replied. Sirius still looked unsure. "See, that's why I don't tell you anything and then you say I keep secrets. Meredith always supports me-" Josette stopped mid sentence, her heart ached as she corrected herself "She always supported me no matter what and I want you to do that as well."
"I'm sorry. You can tell me anything you want, I won't try to make you go against it. I promise." He said "But I'll constantly stay by your side and then you can't complain."
"I would never." Josette smiled and pulled him into a kiss. "Now show me the rest of the house." Sirius smiled and both ran out of the room. Rest of the time they spent exploring the house and returned back to Hogwarts late at night.
The Ball was over but party wasn't. The Marauders dorm was ready of James and Lily's engagement party. They spent all night talking and laughing and drinking. Surprisingly it was not only Lily who got engaged but Alice as well. Frank did it in private, he's doesn't like much attention.
Marlene was drunk and crying because she's the only one without a boyfriend but by the next morning she's going to forget everything. The two couples shade few happy tears and Peter was drowning in sweets.
Remus turned down the Ravenclaw when she asked him on a date. He just wanted to enjoy the night not get himself a girlfriend. Sirius and Josette shared the news and everyone was happy. Lily doesn't know yet that they are neighbors, James wants to tell her himself so that's a surprise for her. But overall today was a very special day for every one of them.