Happy Halloween!
Last night I wrote a drabble consisting mostly of James and Lily happily bickering before the Halloween feast, but I didn't like having to cut it down to 500 words and there was more I wanted to say. So I expanded it.
Here's to you, Lily and James, for daring to find love and happiness, and for daring to stand for the right at the expense of your lives. Your sacrifice was worth it.
In the face of what they dealt with my story almost seems frivolous and cliched, but I like to think they didn't talk about the War constantly, and in Lily's case something else is certainly on her mind.
Lily Evans was in high spirits; her day was going surprisingly well. First she'd mastered a difficult Charm, then brewed an excellent Potion (if she said so herself). Her homework had gone so smoothly that she felt on top of her classes for the first time in . . . since seventh year started, actually. She had the Halloween Feast to look forward to, one of her favorites. And now, she was rounding it off with a delightful banter with James Potter.
"Leopards don't change their spots, Potter," she said gaily. "I know you know what Sirius is plotting!"
"I'm Head Boy, Lily!' he retorted. "And regardless of what you may have seen Sirius will never forgive me and there's no way he's letting me in on anything that might besmirch my reputation."
"What reputation? You sneaked out after hours as recently as, when was it, last night?"
"Why, Miss Evans," James said, his voice deepening. "I'm flattered you noticed."
Lily knew she was blushing, but she shrugged it off. "You and Sirius aren't quite as sneaky as you think you are. Sometimes you forget to check armchairs for dozing damsels working on their end-of-month reports for McGonagall."
"That's what I like about you, Lily," Sirius said, joining their conversation. "You can work in your sleep and make all of us look lazy."
Lily smirked. "Sirius, what are you planning for tonight? Don't try to tell me you're not planning anything."
He paused, apparently thinking hard. "I'm planning to go to the feast. Then I'll probably ... well, I'll eventually head to bed after that."
She glanced at James, whose eyebrows were raised. "It's the pause after the 'probably' I'm interested in," she remarked.
"Don't you two Heads worry your little heads about it," Sirius said. "Ha, Heads and heads. I'm seriously funny, guys, and I'll be here all week!" He wandered off, still chuckling at himself.
"I think we'll find out soon enough," James said. "Shall we do as he suggests and not worry?"
"Far as I can tell, he was only talking about me. Your head is far too big to be called 'little'." She ruffled his hair. "And it's not because your hair is standing straight up."
"Stop it!" James said, whacking her hand away. "Though you do have a lovely little head," he added.
Lily blushed again. "I think I'm going to go down to the feast now," she said quickly.
"I'll accompany you."
"Don't you want to go with your friends?"
"Nah, I'll meet them there." Lily pretended not to see the frantic hand-waving he did so Peter would change his trajectory and accepted James' escort to the Great Hall.
Lily always enjoyed the way Hogwarts decorated for holidays. She marveled at the intricately carved pumpkins and smiled at the bats near the ceiling. A waxing moon shone brightly on the empty dishes waiting to be filled when the feast began and she felt a thrill of anticipation. It had only been since she came to Hogwarts that Halloween had become a holiday to take note of and Lily had found she liked it even better than Christmas: a truly wizard celebration.
James knocked her elbow when he sat down, but instead of pulling away Lily found herself enjoying the contact. She turned to him. "James," she murmured.
"Yeah?" He dropped the fork he'd been playing with; it clanged against his plate.
"Does Sirius really hold it against you? Being Head Boy?"
He considered, furrowing his brow. "We're still striking the balance," he said finally. "There are things we still want to do, mayhem to create, but we now have to think about how damaging something is since I'm supposed to be the example and all."
Lily shook her head, smiling a little. "Well, we're two months in and you haven't been removed from office yet."
"I'm not sure I've even been in detention!" James exclaimed in a surprised tone of voice.
"Congratulations," Lily said drily. She scooted closer to him and he went very still. "I guess my real question is: Would Sirius tell you if he were planning something for Halloween?"
James glanced sidelong at her. "I think so," he said. Lily smiled, satisfied. "Why are you so curious?"
"I'm Head Girl," she reminded him. "If I'm going to have to manage some chaos I really like some forewarning."
"Which is why it's so fun to keep you guessing," Sirius said, dropping into a seat across from her. Peter and Remus settled on either side of him. "Let's just focus on enjoying the feast, shall we?"
"No one would miss the feast," Peter agreed happily.
"Unless they wanted to set up some large-scale mayhem outside the Great Hall. No one would catch him because, as you said, Wormtail, everyone comes to the feast."
Lily glared at Sirius, who added quickly, "I'm staying right here!"
Remus soon turned the topic to the chances of Dumbledore mentioning unity in his Halloween speech, and Sirius had them all laughing at his imitation of Hagrid giving the Halloween speech instead.
"I'm having a really good day," Lily mused, "and we haven't even eaten yet!"
James stopped laughing at Sirius -- now impersonating Slughorn -- and gave her his attention. "I am, too," he said, and they smiled at each other.
After a moment, Lily reached out and squeezed his arm. "Happy Halloween," she said, because she couldn't think of a good way to articulate her realization that she could imagine spending every Halloween with him, every day with him, the rest of her life, and that while she would miss Hogwarts she would miss having him around more. So she left it at that and turned back to her still-empty plate.
"Happy Halloween, Lily," James replied, so softly she almost couldn't hear it over Sirius' loud laughter. But she could feel his hand, tentatively patting hers for just a moment before it withdrew, leaving tingles in its wake. "Thanks."
"For what?" she couldn't help asking, angling her head toward his again.
He shrugged, clearly embarrassed and at a loss. "Oh, you know."
And she did.
Here's to you, Lily and James, for daring to find love and happiness, and for daring to stand for the right at the expense of your lives. Your sacrifice was worth it.
In the face of what they dealt with my story almost seems frivolous and cliched, but I like to think they didn't talk about the War constantly, and in Lily's case something else is certainly on her mind.
Lily Evans was in high spirits; her day was going surprisingly well. First she'd mastered a difficult Charm, then brewed an excellent Potion (if she said so herself). Her homework had gone so smoothly that she felt on top of her classes for the first time in . . . since seventh year started, actually. She had the Halloween Feast to look forward to, one of her favorites. And now, she was rounding it off with a delightful banter with James Potter.
"Leopards don't change their spots, Potter," she said gaily. "I know you know what Sirius is plotting!"
"I'm Head Boy, Lily!' he retorted. "And regardless of what you may have seen Sirius will never forgive me and there's no way he's letting me in on anything that might besmirch my reputation."
"What reputation? You sneaked out after hours as recently as, when was it, last night?"
"Why, Miss Evans," James said, his voice deepening. "I'm flattered you noticed."
Lily knew she was blushing, but she shrugged it off. "You and Sirius aren't quite as sneaky as you think you are. Sometimes you forget to check armchairs for dozing damsels working on their end-of-month reports for McGonagall."
"That's what I like about you, Lily," Sirius said, joining their conversation. "You can work in your sleep and make all of us look lazy."
Lily smirked. "Sirius, what are you planning for tonight? Don't try to tell me you're not planning anything."
He paused, apparently thinking hard. "I'm planning to go to the feast. Then I'll probably ... well, I'll eventually head to bed after that."
She glanced at James, whose eyebrows were raised. "It's the pause after the 'probably' I'm interested in," she remarked.
"Don't you two Heads worry your little heads about it," Sirius said. "Ha, Heads and heads. I'm seriously funny, guys, and I'll be here all week!" He wandered off, still chuckling at himself.
"I think we'll find out soon enough," James said. "Shall we do as he suggests and not worry?"
"Far as I can tell, he was only talking about me. Your head is far too big to be called 'little'." She ruffled his hair. "And it's not because your hair is standing straight up."
"Stop it!" James said, whacking her hand away. "Though you do have a lovely little head," he added.
Lily blushed again. "I think I'm going to go down to the feast now," she said quickly.
"I'll accompany you."
"Don't you want to go with your friends?"
"Nah, I'll meet them there." Lily pretended not to see the frantic hand-waving he did so Peter would change his trajectory and accepted James' escort to the Great Hall.
Lily always enjoyed the way Hogwarts decorated for holidays. She marveled at the intricately carved pumpkins and smiled at the bats near the ceiling. A waxing moon shone brightly on the empty dishes waiting to be filled when the feast began and she felt a thrill of anticipation. It had only been since she came to Hogwarts that Halloween had become a holiday to take note of and Lily had found she liked it even better than Christmas: a truly wizard celebration.
James knocked her elbow when he sat down, but instead of pulling away Lily found herself enjoying the contact. She turned to him. "James," she murmured.
"Yeah?" He dropped the fork he'd been playing with; it clanged against his plate.
"Does Sirius really hold it against you? Being Head Boy?"
He considered, furrowing his brow. "We're still striking the balance," he said finally. "There are things we still want to do, mayhem to create, but we now have to think about how damaging something is since I'm supposed to be the example and all."
Lily shook her head, smiling a little. "Well, we're two months in and you haven't been removed from office yet."
"I'm not sure I've even been in detention!" James exclaimed in a surprised tone of voice.
"Congratulations," Lily said drily. She scooted closer to him and he went very still. "I guess my real question is: Would Sirius tell you if he were planning something for Halloween?"
James glanced sidelong at her. "I think so," he said. Lily smiled, satisfied. "Why are you so curious?"
"I'm Head Girl," she reminded him. "If I'm going to have to manage some chaos I really like some forewarning."
"Which is why it's so fun to keep you guessing," Sirius said, dropping into a seat across from her. Peter and Remus settled on either side of him. "Let's just focus on enjoying the feast, shall we?"
"No one would miss the feast," Peter agreed happily.
"Unless they wanted to set up some large-scale mayhem outside the Great Hall. No one would catch him because, as you said, Wormtail, everyone comes to the feast."
Lily glared at Sirius, who added quickly, "I'm staying right here!"
Remus soon turned the topic to the chances of Dumbledore mentioning unity in his Halloween speech, and Sirius had them all laughing at his imitation of Hagrid giving the Halloween speech instead.
"I'm having a really good day," Lily mused, "and we haven't even eaten yet!"
James stopped laughing at Sirius -- now impersonating Slughorn -- and gave her his attention. "I am, too," he said, and they smiled at each other.
After a moment, Lily reached out and squeezed his arm. "Happy Halloween," she said, because she couldn't think of a good way to articulate her realization that she could imagine spending every Halloween with him, every day with him, the rest of her life, and that while she would miss Hogwarts she would miss having him around more. So she left it at that and turned back to her still-empty plate.
"Happy Halloween, Lily," James replied, so softly she almost couldn't hear it over Sirius' loud laughter. But she could feel his hand, tentatively patting hers for just a moment before it withdrew, leaving tingles in its wake. "Thanks."
"For what?" she couldn't help asking, angling her head toward his again.
He shrugged, clearly embarrassed and at a loss. "Oh, you know."
And she did.