Archive of Our Own

“Lily! We’re leaving now!” Her father’s voice echoes against the castle walls and Lily hides her face under a pillow to block the words out. Maybe if she pretends not to hear him, he will leave her alone. 

“Lily!” he tries again. She grabs the duvet and covers herself with it, closing her eyes and imagines a stress free summer here in her own room. Just her and a good book or two. She could invite Mary and Dorcas and they could take afternoon strolls in the garden. Or maybe they could host a tea party underneath the starlit sky. 

The doors burst open and the duvet is ripped away from her. The loss makes her shiver and she looks up as hands clasp her arms and pull her to her feet.

“I don’t want to” she whines, as the guard (Robert or Roberto, she wasn’t sure which one) leads her away from the comfort of her bed and her room. Her father stands at the bottom of the stairs, looking pleased at her arrival. Lily wants to roll her eyes but withholds. It won’t help her right now. 

The sun blinds her as they step outside, the guard being careful not to bruise her skin. At least he was being thoughtful, Lily thinks as she is let go of in front of the horse-drawn carriage. She looks up at the guard, considering her chances. She might be able to outrun him. She’s done it before with other guards. He seems to read her mind because he shakes his head and takes a step closer. 

Sighing, she gives up and climbs into the carriage. Her father follows a minute later, happily humming a song from her childhood. Easy for him to be happy, she thinks as the carriage starts to move and her home grows smaller and smaller with distance. 

For as long as Lily can remember, she has spent every summer at the Potters. It was all thanks to a deal (or as she liked to call it, a fruitless love matching scheme) between her father and Queen Euphemia Potter. The both of them had the brilliant idea to matchmake their children, so that they could unite their kingdoms. Two kingdoms, double the prosperity. However, the Queen’s son, James Potter, heir to the throne and her future husband was in her eyes an arrogant prick. 

Him and his friends always found ways to prank her and humiliate her, claiming it was only jokes. But Lily wouldn’t have it. She did her worst back, hiding frogs in their rooms and spreading lies among the servants that James Potter still slept with his teddy. One summer the boys had built a treehouse, but refused to let her in as they claimed “no girls were allowed”. James tried to cheat in chess, she still ended up winning despite that. James claimed she was flirting with the guards, she told him she was only being friendly. The fact that she did it to spite him was nothing she felt the need to tell him. 

One would think that their parents would realize that the deal was failing. They were constantly bantering, telling on each other, chasing each other through the garden. Bones were broken and had to be mended (James’ arm after Lily trashed their treehouse and he ended up falling out of it) and there had been countless bruises (both on James and Lily from various fist fights). Nothing that screamed love and wedding bells in the future. But their parents insisted and each summer they were forced together. Pushed to occupy the same space as if one day they would realize they were actually in love. 

As if she would ever be drawn to arrogance and that stupid grin. She couldn’t wait to wipe it off his face. 

It had been exactly 608 days since she last saw James Potter. A whole year and 8 months since she last had to look upon his stupid face. It had been a gift from the gods last summer when her father announced that they wouldn’t be able to stay with the Potters. He had gone on to tell her about politics and why it was important he stayed put with the current situation, but she didn’t care. He could have given her any reason and she would still be as pleased. It had been a great summer and she took every opportunity to spend time with her friends, swim, gossip and work on her hobbies. Not a single time did she stop to think about James Potter and his friends. 

As Lily leaves the carriage and steps foot onto the gravel road outside of the Potter castle, she knows her luck has run out. Her father walks ahead of her, eager to see the Queen again. If there was one thing Lily actually liked about James Potter it would be his lovely mother. She was warm, kind and understanding and everything that Lily hoped her own mother had been. She had died giving birth to her. Her father rarely spoke of her, too saddened by her tragic death. So in a way, she considered Euphemia Potter to be the most important mother figure in her life. Although she hated spending the summers with James, she did enjoy having tea with his mother and her royal friends. 

“Oh my darling” the Queen embraces Lily, always ignoring proper etiquette when it comes to hugs. She smelled of roses and lemon tea, just how she remembered her. 

“James won't be joining us just yet, I'm afraid he's busy with his studies for another hour or so.” 

Lily, who wouldn't mind if he choked on his own textbook, just smiles. 

 ~

“They're here” Sirius announces, hanging his whole upper body through the window to get a better view. 

“How long has it been again?” Remus asks, not looking up from his essay. He was way ahead of James already, something the prince tries not to stress about. Why their teacher decided to give them homework this close to summer break was a mystery to all of them. 

“608 days” Peter answers, joining Sirius by the window. With the taller boy in the way, he only manages to see trees. With a huff, he settles back in his seat by the table. 

“608 days of fun” James sighs. “Guess that ends now boys.” 

“If I remember correctly, Lily was quite fun to have around.” Remus shrugs. James squints at him while Sirius looks amused.

“Fun to make fun of, you mean?” James frowns. 

“I'm with Remus on this one.” Peter adds. “Sorry mate.”

“What's wrong with her anyway?” Sirius asks, leaning his back against the wall next to the open window. 

“Do I need to remind you of the time she destroyed our tree house? Or the time she hid frogs in our rooms?” 

“Actually she never left any in my room.” Remus says. 

“Or the time she told everyone that I still slept with Mr Teddy?” 

“Well that was true.” Sirius adds, with a shrug. 

“That's besides the point!” James groans, clearly frustrated by the way the conversation is turning.

“The point is that I don't want to marry her and I won't let my mother or anyone else force me into it.”

“Okay, okay. We hear you.” Sirius says, holding his hands up. He takes a few steps towards James and places his hands on top of his shoulders once they're face to face. 

“I'm just saying, maybe she's changed. At least give her a chance.”

James isn't sure he can. 

~

Lily looks down at the dress she's wearing. It's simple, yet elegant. Far too beautiful to waste on a man like James Potter. Frowning, she takes in her appearance in the mirror. If her father would see her he'd tell her to stop frowning. But he isn’t meaning she'll frown as much as she likes. 

Deciding not to linger in the small room any longer, she opens the door and joins her father and his attendant in the connected room. Both look eager to see her, complimenting her on her dress. Lily can’t seem to focus on them, too busy with her own thoughts in her head. 

Classical music is playing from the other side of the doors. The doors separating her from her future. From James Potter. Oh how she wants to run away from it all. Run and never look back. 

Her father gives her an encouraging nod and she reluctantly opens the door, revealing the grand staircase on the other side. The ballroom looks exactly like she remembers it. She had been there before, many times. They used to slide down the handrailing, racing to see who would win. Closing her eyes, she swears she can still hear the laughter etched in the old walls. The moment is interrupted by the slam of a door and approaching footsteps. 

Lily opens her eyes and blinks at the man in front of her, trying to make sense of what she's seeing. 

The lanky little boy she thought she'd meet is now replaced by a tall, athletic man. Masking her surprise, she catches him gaping at her with his mouth open. Serves him right. 

She knows she is beautiful with her long, ginger hair and bright eyes. 

“Potter” she curtsies, deciding to be graceful for now. 

“Evans” he bows, clearly a bit shaken. She takes the opportunity to really look at him. He's handsome, far more than she ever thought possible. He has new glasses and he's grown his hair out a bit, the curls messy. She barely recognizes him anymore. 

The musicians, hiding away in the corner of the room, begin playing a slow waltz. James offers her his hand and she takes it, letting him pull her closer as they dance. They have danced before, when forced to. But never like this. Had his arms always been this strong? And his voice….he doesn’t sound the same anymore. 

And they way he’s looking at her.

James had looked at her in many different ways over the years. Mostly with annoyance, frustration, even hatred at some points. On a few rare occasions he had spared her a genuine smile, but he had for certain never looked at her like this. As if she was the most beautiful person in the room. The realization makes her weak in the knees. 

Confused, she is led across the room. He never steps on her toes, and she never steps on his. They fit together like a perfect symphony. Back when they were younger they always ended up stepping on each other’s feet while dancing. She must admit that she had done it purposefully, but to think that he had as well? James is still looking at her and although she can still see the boyish look in his eyes, the rest of his face has matured. She should have expected it, but for some reason she had never pictured James as anything other than an annoying, arrogant little prick. 

James stills as the song comes to an end and Lily meets his gaze. There’s something unspoken between them, something she can’t put her finger on. He must feel it too, because a moment later he’s kissing her. Memories of their past rush through her brain as she answers the kiss, tasting him for the first time. The frogs running down the hallway, a bandaged James glaring at her in the library, her running into the woods after being chased. 

“Arrange the marriage!” James declares as they part. It’s only then that Lily notices the staff and both of their parents in the room. An angry blush warms her face as she looks around the room, battling the inner turmoil inside. 

The musicians begin playing again and their parents erupt into laughter and cheers, all while his words actually sink in. Lily freezes. 

“Wait!” she says, causing the music to stop abruptly. Her father gives her a warning look while the Queen looks confused. 

“What? You’re all I ever wanted. You’re beautiful.” James says, gesturing towards her. He sounds sincere, but the compliment leaves an ugly taste in her mouth. 

“Thank you. But what else?” She replies, giving him the chance to prove to her that he’s matured. To show her that he’s not that lanky, arrogant little prince anymore. 

James takes a step back, clearly both confused and uncomfortable. If the situation was different, she would have enjoyed the fact that she got him off balance. But not now. 

“What else?” 

“Is beauty all that matters to you?” Lily adds, hearing her father groan in protest from the other side of the room. 

“James, what else?” His mother encourages, her smile ever so loving and warm. James shrinks even more, fully at loss for once in his life. 

“I…uh…” he looks around the room, seeking guidance but is met with nothing. “What else is there?” 

Lily frowns. If she sought proof that he was still a boy, this is it. A boy who knows nothing of true love, of what it means to truly love someone for who they are. How ironic that she for a second thought he might have changed. 

His mother begins to cry as Lily backs away, overwhelmed with all the eyes on them. James looks lost, the same way he had looked when they were seven and he had lost Mr. Teddy for a few days. The bear had been found, but Lily doesn’t think their love will be. If anything, James just crushed it once and for all. 

To think that it wasn’t the pranks, the mean comments, the agony of all those summers that finally put a nail in the coffin but James’ inability to see beyond beauty. It hurts.

Sure, she wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of marrying James Potter, but it had still been her destiny. They had been tied together since birth and somewhere at the back of her mind she had always hoped that maybe, just maybe they could have a happy ending after all. That maybe they would overcome all of that. She didn’t hate him, she never truly had. 

But maybe she should. 

~

James watches the carriage roll away down the road with a sinking feeling in his chest. He doesn’t know how to comfort his mother, softly sobbing next to him. He’s not sure what happened, the last hour a complete blur. 

He had gone into the ballroom, expecting to see the girl with the missing front tooth and loud voice. Instead, he found an elegant woman with soft curls cascading down her back. The green in her dress highlighted the color of her eyes. He had stared, unsure what was happening inside him as he tried to connect the Lily he knew to the Lily he saw in front of him. 

And the kiss…he would be lying if he said he hadn’t kissed anyone else before. But this had been different. Maybe it was the history they shared, the strong feelings of annoyance and anger that blended together to cause such an intense moment. Or maybe it was the feeling of her lips against his, so soft and tender that he wasn’t sure what to think. She had never been that sweet with him, always putting up a fight whenever they were forced to spend time together. 

He almost couldn’t believe it when he told everyone to continue with the wedding. He had never imagined that he would want to go through with it, but something had changed when he saw her. Maybe the absence had been good to them, maybe the heart truly does grow fonder with distance. Even in a situation like theirs. 

Now however, as he watches her disappear out of sight he doesn’t feel the same as all the years before. He used to watch their carriage with a sense of triumph and success, happy to finally be rid of her again and to regain some peace within his own home. But now he just feels bad. 

Sure, he wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of marrying Lily Evans, but it had still been his destiny. He had still known that he would do it for the country. That was his duty as the future king. 

Instead he had let everyone down. 

~

“She asked “what else?” and you said “what else is there?” Sirius cites, while James settles down at the end of the table. “I’m sorry, you know I love you man, but this is something else.” 

Sirius pats him on the back while James covers his face with his hands and groans. 

“I would love to comfort you, mate, but you really messed this one up.” Remus says, studying the chess board between him and Peter. James grunts in reply, feeling sorry for himself. 

“I know” the words muffled behind his hands. 

“I thought you didn’t want to marry her in the first place?” Peter chimes in, making a move against Remus. 

“I do. I mean I didn’t. But then I saw her and I just couldn’t think of anything else. I don’t even understand it myself.” 

The friends share a look over James’ head, not that the prince would notice either way as he is still hiding behind his hands. 

“Have you considered the possibility that maybe, just maybe, you never disliked her at all?” Remus wonders, taking Peter’s queen. Peter gives him an annoyed look. 

“Of course I disliked her.” James says, looking up. “I just don’t know when I stopped.” 

“Oh man.” Sirius says. “You have really done it now.” 

“I know it was stupid.” James protests. “I panicked, I didn’t know what else to say!” He rises to his feet and begins pacing around the room. Sirius watches him with his arms crossed. 

“Think James! There must be something else besides her beauty?” Sirius encourages. 

“Of course there is.” James frowns. “She’s….and you know. And when she…” he cuts off, not able to find the right words. “I don’t know how to explain it.” 

“She’s clever and witty.” Remus tries to help. 

“She has a nice smile.” Peter adds. James doesn’t seem to hear either of them, his gaze focused far away. 

“I know! I’ll prove my love to her!” James declares, suddenly back in high spirits. Sirius watches him with an amused smile. Remus wins the game of chess, much to Peter’s dismay. 

“This will be good…” Sirius mumbles beneath his breath, as James begins pacing again. 

~

Lily sighs, trying to fight off the brewing headache. Her father sits beside her in the carriage, both of them tired and longing for their own beds. 

“I just don’t understand it, Lily. What else did you want him to say?” He looks tired and Lily can’t help but feel a bit guilty. She had let him down, even if she did it for herself. 

“I’m sorry father.” she says. “I just have to know that he loves me for me. Not just for my beauty. Don’t you see? You must have loved my mother for reasons beyond her beauty, didn’t you?” 

If anything, the mention of her mother only causes him to look more worn down. They rarely spoke of her, as her death still haunted him even after all these years. 

“Of course I did. Your mother was much more than just her beauty.” 

“That’s exactly what I mean.” Lily says, staring out at the window. It had gotten dark a few hours ago and the trees are impossible to distinguish from each other. She estimates that they have a few more hours to go before they reach home. 

Lily almost falls forward as the carriage comes to an abrupt stop. She looks over at her father, who frowns but goes to check what is going on. Lily stays put, closing her eyes again. She doesn’t see the scared look on her father’s face. She doesn’t see the way the man on the road transforms. She doesn’t see anything until it’s too late. 

The main door opens abruptly, the sound of the rain intensified as a soldier comes into view. James and his friends stop halfway up the stairs, forgetting all about heading to sleep at the sight of him. The soldier ends up falling to the floor and James rushes to his side. He recognises the man as one of King Evans’ soldiers. 

“What happened? Is Lily okay?” He hears the panic in his own voice. 

The soldier coughs, blood oozing out of his mouth. 

“We…were attacked. It was a great animal.” he coughs again, the blood staining James’ tunic. He doesn’t seem to notice. 

“Lily!” James doesn’t think, just acts on instinct. He is at the door in seconds. “Take care of him!” he shouts behind him as he runs into the rain. 

“James, wait!” Sirius calls after him but it’s too late. James is already gone. 

He saddles a horse as quickly as he can and gallops in the direction he had seen the carriage leave hours ago. The rain makes the ground slippery and he prays that the horse will remain steady on its feet. Thunder strikes above him but he urges the horse to continue, the rain soaking his clothes and making it hard to see. 

He doesn’t know how long he’s riding until he sees it. The carriage lying on its side with both horses gone. He dismounts and runs towards it as soon as his feet hit the ground. 

“Lily?” he calls out, trying to locate her in the dark. But the carriage is empty. 

“Lily!” he shouts louder, trying to be heard over the rain and the roaring thunder. Something glistens in a puddle of water and James bends down, picking Lily’s necklace up. A beautiful gold chain that he had seen her wear before. He tightens his grip around it as he spots King Evans a few meters ahead, lying down on his back. 

“James” the King groans, clearly in pain. James can’t see where he is injured.

“Who did this?” he asks, panic in his voice as he bends down next to the king. The king wheezes. 

“It all happened so fast. A great animal..:” 

“Where is Lily?” 

“Lily…” James doesn’t know if the king is crying or if it’s just the rain running down his cheeks. “James, you need to listen to me. It is not what it seems.” 

“It is not what it seems.” he grabs James by the shoulder, looking into his eyes. 

“I don’t understand. What is? And where is Lily?” The king doesn’t make any sense to him and James is growing both impatient and scared. 

“Lily is…” the king wheezes again and this time James is certain that he is crying. He sobs as he utters the words. “Lily is gone.” 

Thunder roars again as the king wheezes for the last time, his lungs drawing his last breath next to James. James is soaked to the bone, but unable to feel the cold as he shouts into the dark night. 

No one answers his call. 

~

Lily wishes she could scream at him, but her current form makes her unable to. Sure, she could squawk at him but it would sound amusing rather than angry. Besides, she doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction. 

“Oh don’t pout, dear Lily. The spell doesn’t even last the whole day.” Voldemort says, as Bellatrix throws bread crumbs at her. They float on the surface next to her, as Lily refuses to eat. 

“As soon as the moon comes up, you’ll transform. Every night.” he laughs, watching as she returns to her human form. Lily glares at him as she steps onto dry land. 

“Of course, in order for it to work you need to be on the lake.” he explains, gesturing towards the lake behind her. Bellatrix laughs beside him. She had an awfully high-pitched sound that could scare even the bravest of children. Lily already hated her. 

“Oh don’t look at me like that.” Voldemort frowns. “This sort of thing doesn’t give me any pleasure. Okay, maybe a tiny bit. But you know what I really want, Lily. Your father’s kingdom.” 

Lily crosses her arms in front of her. “Take it then!” she exclaims. “You have the power” 

Voldemort shakes his head with a small chuckle. “Already tried that. You see, Lily, once you steal something you have to keep fighting to keep it. It’s tiring, truly exhausting.” he sighs. 

“That’s why I need you! If I marry the only living heir to the throne, the kingdom is automatically mine. And we could rule…together! Doesn’t it sound grand?” 

“Never! I’ll never marry you!” Lily cries out, running away. 

“Where are you going?” Voldemort calls after her. He begins to chuckle. “As soon as the moonlight leaves the lake, you’ll turn back into a swan.” The chuckle grows into a big laugh, and Bellatrix joins in as Lily runs as far away as she can. Their laughter echoes against the trees and Lily doesn’t get far before she collapses on the ground and cries. 

~

“I’m not sure about this.” Peter frowns, watching James from a distance. The prince is gesturing with his hands, explaining to the staff how the game will go. 

Sirius pats Peter on the shoulder. “It will be fine. Besides, it keeps him occupied for a bit. I don’t know how much more pacing I can put up with.” 

“He believes it so strongly.” Peter says, as James begin walking in their direction. “That she’s out there I mean.” he lowers his voice a bit, he doesn’t want James to hear them. 

Sirius nods. Although they had searched everywhere for Lily, they hadn’t been able to find her. The whole kingdom had agreed that it was true, that she was gone for good. But not James. James refused to give up. If he wasn’t out searching, he was putting up flyers and researching wild animals. 

They all tried to assist to the best of their abilities, but it was hard to cheer him on when they weren’t sure what to believe. 

“Ready to lose?” James winks at Sirius as he joins the two of them. Sirius smiles at him and pokes him with his bow. 

“I should ask you the same.” 

James smiles, correcting his glasses. “You sure you don’t want to join?” he turns to Peter, who shakes his head. 

“I’ll keep Remus company.” he nods towards the little table where their friend is currently reading. 

“I still can’t believe you got them to agree.” Sirius chuckles, watching as the musicians dress up as different animals. The costumes are cheap and quick, but funny to look at. James laughs. 

“It wasn’t without protest. But I promised I’d compensate them for their efforts.” 

Once everyone’s ready, Peter initiates the game. Both James and Sirius hit a target right away, the soft arrow leaving a colorful mark on the musician's clothes. Blue for James and orange for Sirius. Remus glances up from his book as Peter joins him. 

“Did you find anything useful?” he asks, but Remus shakes his head. 

“Nothing useful to James’ cause. But an interesting read.” They both watch the two archers for a while. James’ mother, the queen, and her friends are also following the spectacle. Or rather, trying to enjoy their tea despite it. She had tried to tell James multiple times to give up the fruitless hunt for Lily, but to no avail. He wouldn’t listen. 

“He won’t give up, will he?” Peter asks, even though he knows the answer. James had always been stubborn once he put his mind to something. Rarely one to change his mind once something was set. 

Remus smiles a bit. “He won’t. The same way he didn’t abandon the idea that Lily was annoying. He claims he doesn’t remember when that changed, but I do. He was just too stubborn to realize that what he was feeling wasn’t hate at all, but admiration.”

“I hope he finds her. So that he can prove it to her.” Peter says, watching as James jumps up and down after his victory. 

“I hope so too.” Remus agrees. 

~

“So, let me get this straight” Pandora says, pacing in front of Lily and Marlene. They’re gathered by the little lake, far away from Voldemort and his assistant’s prying eyes. Pandora, who insists that she is in fact a princess underneath her froggy appearance and Marlene, who is a normal turtle. 

“You must kiss the man you love AND he must make a vow of everlasting love while also proving it to the world?” 

“Sounds about right.” Lily agrees. Marlene sighs. 

“That really is a curse” Pandora huffs. 

“Oh, Lily!” The voice interrupts their moment of calm. Each time she hears it it sends shivers down her spine. Her friends hide behind a bush while she rises to her feet. Voldemort walks towards her, holding a bouquet of flowers. 

“How’s my lovely bride?” 

“I’ll never be yours.” Lily scoffs, crossing her arms in front of her chest. 

Voldemort looks amused, tilting his head as he watches her. 

“You know Lily, we can continue doing this for as long as you want. You can hope that your “little prince” will save you, but at the end of the day he’ll never be able to find you here. One day you’re going to tire of waiting and agree to my proposal.”

“You’re a lunatic. I’ll wait for as long as I live!” Lily raises her voice while Voldemort begins to laugh. She stills, looking in the direction he’s pointing. The moon is slowly disappearing from view and her heart sinks. She steps into the water and lets the curse turn her back into a swan. 

Voldemort’s laugh echoes in her ears as she swims further away from him. 

~

“Oh this is my best idea so far!” The queen claps her hands in excitement, watching as her attendant carries a sack of letters down the stairs. 

“Hosting a ball to cheer James up is certainly a nice idea” Sirius says, hoping the queen doesn’t pick up on his sarcasm. He could count on his fingers the amount of times James had been looking forward to a ball. 

“Oh no, Sirius dear. The ball is just a disguise for the real mission. I’m going to make him fall in love with one of these lovely women!” 

Sirius hides his frown behind a mask of surprise. “You’re going to match him with one of the women attending the ball?” 

“Isn’t it brilliant? He’s still struggling with Lily’s death and I thought this would help.” 

“We don’t know for certain that she is dead.” Sirius mumbles, but the queen is too focused on instructing the servants to hear it. This was going to be a disaster. 

He finds James with his nose buried in the library, next to Remus. Peter is nowhere to be found, but that is to be expected at this time of the day. He had a pretty established nap schedule. 

“Oh Sirius! I’ve figured it out!” he exclaims with excitement as his best friend comes into view. He holds a ripped page from a book in his hands. It portrays a little mouse. 

“Figured what out exactly?” Sirius replies, while James dangles the page in front of him like an excited child. Remus looks amused, but doesn’t spoil the surprise. 

“It is not what it seems! Sirius! It is not what it seems because the great animal is not a great animal at all! It can transform!” 

Sirius blinks, wondering if James has officially lost his mind. 

“That’s great, mate. But doesn’t that make it even harder to find her?”

“I’ll figure that out too! I’ll head out right now.” He places the page back inside the book and closes it, rushing down the stairs. 

“Are you coming?” He calls up at him and Sirius gives Remus a shrug, before he follows along. 

They barely make it out of the library before they’re stopped by the queen. She brightens at the sight of her son. 

“Oh James! Did Sirius tell you the news already? “ she wonders, smiling brightly.

“No he didn’t. But I also have wonderful news, mother!” he replies. “I’m heading out now to find the great animal!” 

Her smile falters. 

“But you’ll be back tomorrow night right? I’m hosting a ball in your honor.” 

“A ball?” James echoes. “No, don’t pout Mom” he frowns, watching as her lip begins to wobble. “I’ll do my best to be there, but that means I have to leave now!” he explains, kisses her on the cheek and leaves the room. 

Sirius smiles apologetically before following.

~

“What if it doesn’t work?” Lily sighs, keeping an eye out for Voldemort. 

“It will!” Pandora encourages. “You’ll find James in no time. Just fly like we planned and you’ll be able to make it back on time.” 

She had lost count of the days and the amount of proposals she had gotten. While he had claimed that he could go on forever like this, she knew that he was turning more impatient with each rejection. The same way that she grew more tired of constantly transforming and being held against her will. 

However tired she got, she would never agree to marry him. 

Which meant she had to find James. 

She takes off, soaring through the sky while her friends’ cheers grow fainter with distance. Soon she can only hear other birds and the wind in her ears. She keeps a steady pace, flying just above the treeline. 

Pandora had been able to sneak into the castle and find a map, which had given them an idea of where they were. The kingdom was not that far away, the lake was just well hidden. All she had to do was fly to James, make him follow her and then transform in front of him. Easy. 

She makes a slight turn to the left when she spots someone moving among the trees. Curious, she dives to get a better view. It’s darker in the forest than above and she can see the figure more clearly now. It’s Sirius. Lily’s heart skips a beat at the familiar face, her heart aching at the sight of him. She quickly realizes that he’s not about to welcome her with open arms, how bow aimed right at her. She moves out of the way as the first arrow flies towards her and pierces a tree. 

She wants to scream at him not to shoot, to explain, but all that comes out is an upset bird squeak. 

“James!” he calls out as Lily flies higher. “I think I’ve got it!” 

Her heart skips another beat at the mention of him. He’s here. Moments later he comes into view and Lily almost stops right there. He looks determined, his eyes focused on her as she flies around them in a circle. 

“It’s not what it seems.” he mumbles to himself and Lily isn’t sure what he means. For a second she thinks he won’t aim at her, but then he does. His arrow almost goes through her foot and she cries out in surprise, turning to fly in the same direction she came from. She’s hurt with betrayal, while she knows that he couldn’t possibly tell it is her. 

James is fast, much faster than she remembered and she has a hard time staying out of his aim. Somewhere along the way, Sirius is left behind. 

Lily breathes out in relief as the lake comes into view. She’ll make it after all. James pants behind her but she doesn’t have time to look at him. She lands on the water, letting it cool her down after the flight. She moves to find James by the edge of the lake, his bow raised and pointed at her. He’s breathing heavily from the sprint, his bow steady despite it. Lily panics, why isn’t the moon hurrying up? She’s only half visible and time is running out. If she doesn’t transform soon she’ll be shot and all this will be for nothing. 

“Take me instead!” Pandora calls out, jumping at James who misses the shot in surprise. He curses and turns to fire at the frog instead, when a light behind him catches his attention. The moon is finally full, the moonlight blinding as it hits Lily’s body. She feels the familiar sensation and breathes in as she looks like herself once again. 

James stares at her, his jaw on the ground. 

“Lily?” he whispers, not believing his eyes. 

“It’s me” Lily says, leaving the water. 

“I don’t- how?” Normally she would have laughed at his shocked expression, but not now. She throws herself in his arms, wanting to hold him and never let go. She had dreamed of this moment every day since she was captured, dreamed that she would be found and rescued. 

“It was Voldemort. He killed my father.” She frowns, tears burning in her eyes at the thought of her dad. She missed him every day. “And he cursed me. James, he wants my kingdom!” she cries out, as James cradles her face in his warm hands. She melts against his touch, wondering why she ever disliked the man in front of her. 

“I’m here now. Oh, Lily, I can't believe it. All this time…you were here. No one believed me when I said you were still alive.” 

Lily looks into his eyes and sees her own longing reflected in them. 

“I’ll fix this. I’ll kill Voldemort myself.” he lowers his hands. 

“No! You can’t! He’s too powerful!” Lily pleads, reaching for his hands. “Just break the curse and we’ll weaken him together.” 

“Tell me how to break the curse” he says. 

“You must make a vow of everlasting love and prove it to the world. It needs to be sealed with a kiss.” 

“Prove it to the world…” he mutters. “My mother’s ball! It’s tomorrow! If you attend, I’ll swear it to the whole room.” he declares, eyes shining with hope. For the first time in a long time, Lily feels it too. 

“I’ll be there” she promises. James brightens, reaching for something in his pocket. It’s her golden necklace. He hands it to her. 

“Oh, James” she murmurs, holding onto it tightly. “Thank you.” 

“Lily!” Voldemort’s voice calls out, causing both of them to freeze. 

“Is that him?” James asks, brows furrowed as he reaches for his bow on his back. Lily puts her hand on his chest to stop him. 

“You have to go.” She urges, hoping he'll see the urgency in her eyes. He softens under her touch, but stays put. 

“James please” Lily pleads. “I'll see you tomorrow” she pushes him slightly and he finally obeys. 

“Tomorrow” James agrees, taking a step back. Lily's hand falls to her side and she misses his warmth already. She watches him go until he's no longer in sight. 

“Oh Lily.” Voldemort says as he comes into view. “I thought I heard voices?” He walks around her in a circle, trying to find the truth in her eyes. 

“Voices? Maybe you're imagining things.” She scoffs. Voldemort smiles. 

“No no, dear. I'm perfectly sane.” He stops in front of her. “It almost sounded like…a man.”

Lily hopes he doesn't see her shoulders tense or hear her heart skip a beat. If he would find James…she doesn't know what he would do. Would he kill him? Would he torture him first? She can't risk it.

To keep James safe, she does something she never thought she would. 

“That voice was just me! I've decided to agree to your proposal.” 

Voldemort grins, his teeth on display. Lily feels disgusted. 

“Oh my, Lily! You've made me a happy man” he claps his hands together and laughs. “I promise I'll dress up for you on our wedding day.” 

Lily couldn't care less. She gives him a fake smile, hoping it reaches her eyes. 

Voldemort takes an arrow from the pocket of his robe. 

“Also, dear, you wouldn't happen to know who this belongs to?” He gives her a wicked smile, waving the arrow in the air. 

“Come to the ball and I'll make a vow of everlasting love.” He mimics James' voice, laughing at her horrified expression. 

“You're truly insane if you thought I was going to marry you. ” Lily spits out, anger flowing in her veins. She wishes she could push him down a cliff. “I'm going to marry prince James!” 

Voldemort chuckles. “Adorable. There is however a tiny detail you're forgetting.” He spots the gold chain in her hand and yanks it from her. He holds it up to inspect it. 

“Tomorrow night, there is no moon. ” He laughs, satisfied as she falls to her knees. What was she going to do?

~

“He’s acting strange” Sirius points out to Remus, the two of them stood next to the dessert table. The ballroom is filled with servants, each one carrying out a different task. Some were placing desserts and sweets onto the tables, some were pouring drinks while others dusted things that most likely didn’t need dusting or spent time lighting candles.

James had been cheerful ever since he returned from their little forest run and he’s now busy arguing with one of the chefs about tonight’s appetizers. Sirius is fairly sure he heard him mention that he needs the menu to suit a swan. 

“He is.” Remus agrees, following the prince with his eyes. He seemed excited. Neither him nor Sirius could remember the last time they had seen him like this. James finishes his discussion with the orchestra and comes over to them. 

“Have you seen Pete?” he wonders, looking around the room as if the fourth member of their little gang is hiding there somewhere. 

“He’s probably still napping. Although if he is, he’s overdoing it.” Sirius says. “I’ll check on him.” James gives him a thankful nod and turns to his mother the same moment that Sirius leaves through the doors. 

“Dance with me, Mom” He says, reaching for her hands. She yelps in surprise, but the sound is quickly replaced with a soft chuckle. 

“Oh, James. What has gotten into you?” she gracefully follows his lead, the two gliding across the floor while the orchestra warms up by playing a slow waltz. 

“Can’t a man be happy he’s getting married?” he winks at her expression, the surprise visible all over her face. 

“James? Oh, darling I can’t believe it!” she exclaims. “You must tell me who it is!” she demands, as James twirls her around. He gives her a secretive smile. 

“You will see soon.” 

His mother is not pleased with the answer, but lets it be. As the music comes to an end, they part and James sees Sirius heading towards them. He looks shaken. 

“Peter’s gone!” 

~

Lily doesn’t think it can get any worse. Voldemort knows about the ball and James’ plan to break the curse. There’s no moon tonight, meaning she’s stuck as a swan. On top of all that, he’s locked her in the side tower. The walls are high but the space small, barely enough for her to stretch her wings. Voldemort stands by the entrance at the top of the wall. His pale skin glistens and he gives her a grin. 

“Don’t pout, Lily.” he says. “I know it’s not the most fancy place you’ve been, but I’ve brought you something to cheer you up.” Lily follows his gaze and spots Bellatrix, holding a familiar boy captive. Peter. Her heart sinks, the same way it did when she saw James’s arrow in Voldemort’s hand. 

“Since you couldn’t attend the ball, I’ve brought the ball to you. Or at least, a dance partner.” he chuckles, gesturing for Bellatrix to step closer to the edge. Peter cries out, pleading for them to let him go, but they don’t listen. She pushes him into the water and Lily swims out of the way, not to get hit. He goes under the surface and Lily dives after, tugging at his shirt to bring him back above the water. 

Peter inhales sharply as they break through the surface, oxygen once again flowing to his lungs. Lily still has a grip on his shirt and tugs him to the wall, where a pair of metal rings hang. Peter shakes from the cold, but grabs hold of the rings to keep himself afloat. 

“If you don’t mind, princess, we have a ball to attend!” Voldemort announces, and Bellatrix’s laugh echoes against the wall as they disappear out of sight. 

Lily looks at Peter and feels sorry for him. He didn’t do anything to deserve captivity here with her. Neither can she tell him what she knows. What a mess. For a long time, nothing happens. Peter cries quietly while Lily tries to find a way out. She tries to get out the same way Peter got in, but the door is locked. 

When she’s about to give up, she spots a familiar frog in the water. 

“Pandora!” she exclaims, relieved to find her friend. “How did you-”

“It was Marlene’s idea actually. We’ve been able to remove some stones so you should be able to get out. I’m not sure about him though.” she nods towards Peter. Lily decides to give him a chance. She swims towards him and he opens his eyes as she bites onto his shirt and pulls. 

“Hey! What are you doing! Leave me alone!” he begins waving his arms in protest and Lily has to dodge unless she wants to get hit. He seems too terrified and confused to understand what she means. She decides to leave him. 

Both her and Pandora dive down and peek out through the hole in the wall. Marlene comes into view, swimming ahead of two alligators chasing her. Pandora waits until the alligators have gone past and then heads out, followed by Lily. 

Marlene is with them moments later and the three make it safely onto the ground. Lily feels lightheaded, but knows she has to keep going. She has to stop Voldemort. 

~

His mother was famous for her grand balls and they were considered by many to be one of societies’ greater pleasures. It was an honor to be invited and judging by the crowd, she had not spared anyone that honor tonight. James is certain he’s never even seen half of these women! 

He had been forced to sit through presentation after presentation. Woman after woman greeting him, kissing his hand with eyes sparkling with hopes of marriage. Too bad he was already planning on marrying someone else. 

Lily was late, they only had a few presentations left to go through and he was turning antsy. What if she wasn’t able to get away? He glances over at Sirius, who’s stood to his right. Remus is to his left. The only one still missing, besides Lily, is Peter. No one has been able to find him and James isn’t sure what to think. Peter wasn’t one to stray, nor was he a big fan of the outdoors. To think that he would have wandered away seems highly unlikely. 

His mother initiates the final round of applause as the last princess enters the dance floor and he feels his heart sink. It aches with worry. Where is she? 

He turns to Sirius to voice his concerns, but is interrupted by the door opening. The crowd stills, curious heads turned in the newcomer’s direction. Once Lily steps onto the first step of stairs leading down to the dance floor, the murmurs increase with confusion and speculation. James takes pride in knowing that it really is her. 

Lily looks stunning in her gown, although he had imagined she would be wearing green, he doesn’t mind the black. It contrasts her hair nicely, the bright locks almost the shade of fire. He leaves his friends behind and heads to the bottom of the stairs, offering his hand to her once she ascends. She smiles at him. The gold necklace he had returned to her glistens around her neck. 

“You made it.” he says, leading her to the dance floor. 

“Nothing could keep me away.” she replies, unbothered by the curious looks around them. Everyone is gossiping and not exactly quietly either. James doesn’t care. He is just happy she’s actually here. He leads her across the floor, blending in with the other couples. Lily is beautiful, but he can’t help but feel as if something is different. She seems different. 

“Is something wrong?” he asks. “You feel…different.” he really isn’t sure what it is, but the feeling lingers. She gives him a small smile. 

“Nothing is wrong. Besides, everything will be perfect after tonight.” she promises as he twirls her. Her words comfort him a bit and he decides that he’s most likely just making it up. He steers them towards the musicians, asking them to stop the music after the dance for an announcement. 

Lily courtesies while he bows at the end of the dance and he takes her hand in his, leading her to the center of the room. 

“Ladies and gentlemen” he addresses the crowd. “Mother” he sends her a smile. He can tell she’s going through several different emotions, shock the most evident one. 

“I know the past Lily and I share. It’s not an understatement to say that we’ve never really gotten along.” The crowd lets out a small laugh, knowing fully well that it is true. “But we were children back then. She was more mature than I ever was, I am man enough to admit that now.” he smiles at her. 

“Which is why today, I stand in front of you to make a vow to break all other vows. A vow of everlasting love and to present to you, the future Queen!” The room erupts with cheers and applause. James’ mother grabs hold of her attendant and dances with him, while Sirius and Remus hug. 

James is about to kiss Lily when the lights go out and the doors fly open, revealing a dark figure at the entrance. James pushes Lily behind him as he stares. 

The man is laughing, looking extremely pleased with himself as he walks onto the dance floor. The nobles around them move away, staying close to the walls as the guards stand by. 

“Hi there, prince.” He laughs out the word. “What a nice speech you gave there. Too bad the vow was pledged to the wrong girl.” 

“Who are you?” James demands. “What do you mean? This is Lily. She is my bride.” 

“No, Lily is mine!” 

The realization dawns on James right there and then. “It’s you. You have no power here! I made a vow of everlasting love!” 

Voldemort can’t seem to stop laughing, the sound sending chills through the room. 

“You made a vow alright” he holds his hand out towards Lily, sending sparks of magic in her direction. 

“A vow of everlasting death!” 

Lily falls to the ground and James cries out, rushing to her side while the crowd stares in disbelief. James lifts her body up, only to be met with another woman’s face. She laughs maniacally at him and he drops her.

“Now, Lily will die. You really should have left her to me” Voldemort sighs, gesturing to one of the big windows. A white swan is flying away and James knows it is her. She must have seen the whole thing. He feels sick to his stomach. 

~

Lily cries as she flies towards the lake, her whole body aching. Not just her heart but her wings and lungs too. To think that James was supposed to say those words to her . She doesn’t know how long she has but she knows she doesn’t want to die here. She needs to see her friends one last time. She flies faster than she thought possible despite the pain. 

Her mind feels foggy and she thinks about her father. At least she would be reunited with him. She can’t think of James, it hurts too much to think of him. Of his stupid arrogant smile and the way he told her he loved her. Even though it wasn’t her, but another woman, those words were hers. And she never got to tell him that she loved him too. 

Her wings touch the surface of the water as she descends, barely able to remain in the air long enough. She collapses on the ground, slipping into unconsciousness while Marlene and Pandora cry next to her. 

James finds her like that, lying on her back in the green grass. Her eyes are closed and although she looks peaceful, James feels anything but. He lifts her gently, holding her to his chest as he whispers to her. 

“I’m so sorry Lily. Forgive me.” Tears run down his face as he continues to hold her, searching for her pulse. His hands shake too much to find it. 

“James?” she murmurs and James tilts her head to look at her. She blinks at him slowly, as if her eyelids are heavy. 

“I’m here. You’ll be okay.” he says, trying to convince both of them. 

“I feel so weak” she whispers, barely able to get the words out.

“I made those vows to you . I don’t care what he says, I know it in my heart. I don’t want anyone else. You’re stubborn, too much sometimes. You are funny and you bring light to the room when you enter. You are so fierce and you never put up with my shit. There’s so much I adore about you and I can’t, I can’t lose you now when I’ve just realized all of this.” 

He looks broken and Lily feels his pain on top of her own. 

“I know…James. I love you too.” she closes her eyes and goes limp in his arms. He holds her for a moment longer until he’s filled with rage. He rises to his feet as he calls out for Voldemort to show himself. 

“I made those vows to her! You hear me?” 

“No need to shout, boy.” Voldemort scoffs, coming into the light. 

“You can’t let her die!” he shouts, walking up to Voldemort. He probably should feel scared, seeing he doesn’t fully know what the man is capable of, but all he can think about is Lily. He will do anything to get her back. 

Voldemort looks amused as James grabs hold of his coat and tugs. 

“That is quite the threat” he chuckles.

“Save her!” James orders, almost pulling Voldemort off his feet. 

“Only if you defeat me” Voldemort challenges, magic sparks rising from his hands as he stares James down. James doesn’t back down. Not now, not ever. The sparks grow and Voldemort transforms into something inhuman. A great animal, a big bat with sharp teeth and dark wings. The creature screams at him and James understands King Evan’s last words. 

It is not what it seems. 

The creature roars once more as it charges towards him and James draws his sword, striking at him. The creature takes a small hit, seemingly annoyed as he tries to bite James in half. James dodges and rolls to the side, careful to steer the fight away from Lily and her lifeless body. The creature manages to bite down on his sword the second time he strikes and it breaks into a million pieces. James ends up on his back, stones digging into his skin as the creature snaps at him and pins him down with his giant claws. 

James manages to throw some mud in its face, distracting it long enough to roll away. He gets to his feet and grabs a nearby stone, throwing it at the creature’s head. It hits and the creature roars out in anger. He grabs James by the shoulders and takes off into the sky. He looks down as they lift higher and higher, his lower body dangling freely in the air. He tries to escape but the claws won’t budge. He cries out as the creature actually drops him, panic rising as he falls fast towards the ground. Just as he thinks he’s going to hit the grass, the creature grabs hold of him again and hurls him into a nearby tree. James coughs out, the impact making his head spin. He falls to the ground, breaking some twigs in the process. He ends up face down on the ground, aching all over as he thinks about Lily. He would join her sooner than he thought. 

He hears squeaking next to him and lifts his head to find a frog. It looks peculiar, as if it is talking to him. James doesn’t understand but notices his bow on the ground. 

“James!” Peter’s voice rings out and James doesn’t have time to question why or how his friend is here, but he is thankful nevertheless. At least he won’t die alone. He sits up, looking in the direction the voice was coming from and suddenly Peter is there with an arrow. He must have left both the bow and the arrow behind when he came to find Lily. 

“You can do it. It’s just like practice!” Peter urges, handing him the arrow. James grabs it, draws and aims. The creature dives towards them in high speed but James is focused. The arrow flies through the air, piercing the creature through the heart. The next moments are all a blur of screaming and a loud thud once it hits the ground. The body sparks and evaporates into thin air while James breathes out. He turns to Peter to question him, but he has passed out on the ground. James checks his pulse and deducts that he’s okay. 

He rushes over to Lily, lifting her limp body to his chest. He tries to calm his breathing but his heart won’t stop racing. The adrenaline rush is insane, almost making him lightheaded as he pleads over and over for her to wake. 

“James?” she whispers, slowly coming back to life in front of his eyes. James can’t believe it, breaking out into a sob. Everything would be okay now. 

~

“Lily, it is time!” Sirius knocks gently on her door, before entering. Lily sits in front of her mirror, making the final adjustments to her appearance. Her wedding gown is traditionally white, with lace details and a pretty veil decorated with lace flowers. 

“You look handsome” Lily smiles at him, as he holds his arm out for her to take. 

“And you look beautiful. James is going to faint.” 

“I’m planning on it.” Lily laughs. 

To think that she would go from chasing James Potter around the castle to chasing a future with him , was overwhelming and still new. But she wouldn’t change it for the world. 

The ceremony is held in the ballroom, the same room where they share so much history. It feels poetic to start the new chapter of their story there among family. Lily aches for her father and wishes he would have been able to see them exchange their vows. She knows he would have danced a celebratory dance with Euphemia, while loudly declaring that it was their hard work that led them here. Lily would have let him have his moment. 

James looks dashing, even more so during the actual ceremony. She can’t wrap her mind around the fact that he is now her husband. He spins her around the floor, as if they’ve never done anything besides dance in perfect sync. Although Lily knows their story is nothing like that. She hopes the future contains a little less pranks and a lot more love than their childhood years did. 

Well, pranks would probably always be a part of their daily lives, she thinks as she watches Peter and Sirius spike the punch at the nearby drink table. Some things never changed. 

And sometimes, everything did.