-Chapter Eight: Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder-
-By Natali-
-In another time and place…-
"I'm a romantic at heart," Aphrodite smiled, chewing elegantly on a grape. "Yes, James, I'll help you. Artemis, of course, won't be pleased."
"I don't want you to get into trouble."
"Why should I care? I hate Artemis to the marrow of her dull bones," Aphrodite snarled. Her siren's smile was returned promptly. "But besides that, she'll be happy to know that I'm finally doing my job. You two have been apart for enough time."
James scowled at her. "You never told me she was abusing LSD."
"You never asked." Aphrodite gestured for one of her maids to pick up the empty bowl, and stood, gliding over to James. "Too bad you're a mortal. Damn, you're gorgeous." One of the maids brought out apple pie and set it down on the table where the grapes had been.
James growled. "Shut up. You're one backstabbing guardian, you know that? I can't wait until the day when I can turn my back on your and never have to hear from you again."
"You love me, James, and you know that is the undisguised truth," she shrugged.
"I've got a question for you. Do you remember awhile ago when you got mad at me and said that she would leave the house we live at now-and never come back? Was it true?"
"I've never lied, have I?"
"Not to this day, yet."
"Then there is your answer."
James frowned and messed up his already messy black hair. "I need advice."
"Obviously. Humans are as dumb as a prostitute is easy." She gave an unladylike snort and examined her fingernails. "But perhaps for once you are being smart and are asking for my advice on love?"
"I am," he admitted sullenly. "I have officially lost all my pride."
"As well you should," Aphrodite beamed, stepping closer to the mirror hanging on her wall. "You know, you are the first mortal to come up into the heavens for a long time, James. Nini is not a place you should inhabit."
"Yet I'm here."
"Yes. Why? Why is it that you're here, but no other wizard or witch is?" Aphrodite pouted at her spectacular reflection. "I don't know, and I don't like contemplating on things of which I don't know the answer. I'll ask Demeter, if anything, but now, you will be content with just me, and nothing more." She paused, angling her head this way and that, as if to find to best angle. "Do you know the secret of being beautiful, James?"
"Is this relevant?" he sighed, but didn't wait to be answered. "No, I don't know the secret. If anything, I'd guess it was confidence."
"Nope, not quite, though that does have a good amount to do with it." She fell silent, running her hands idly through her hair.
"Are you going to tell me then?"
"Yes, I will. But do you truly want to know?"
"I do." He was consumed with a sudden desire to know the secret of beauty.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." She turned to him. "What do you see, when you look at me? But really look at me, James."
James blushed. "No, because now I think it's a trick."
"Come on, James. Look at me, and tell me what it is you see. I already know you'll tell me-I've seen the future." She smiled prettily, enchanting him. Even James Potter couldn't resist her smile, not when she used it like that.
"You've got long, waist length red hair, the color of the richest, finest wine on earth," James replied. "And your eyes are green-deep, soul-wrenching green. And every time you move a certain way, I can see the cluster of freckles that dot your hip bone."
"That's lust," Aphrodite smiled. "Would you like to know what I really look like? To myself, at least? I am nothing. I do not see anything. I am black and white, and my outline is fuzzy. I cannot even see if my nose is straight. Isn't it odd, that a `goddess' rumored to be so beautiful, can find her self `ugly', to what other people think it should be?"
"Whatever floats your boat, Aphrodite."
"You think Lily is the most beautiful person on earth?"
"I do."
"Does she look exactly like you see me?"
"No."
"Let's see if you've been paying attention. Why not? Why doesn't she look just like me?"
James smiled. "Because, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I wouldn't want her to be perfect, physically or otherwise. But you, since you are-in theory-perfect, then I can allow myself to see you as such. I once heard Demeter describe you as a blonde, which shocked me to my toes. And then I remembered that I used to think you were a blonde too, when you used to appear in my dreams, not in the present."
"You did use to see me as a blonde."
"What happened to change that?"
Aphrodite smiled. "I threw your first redhead into your path. She was your kindergarten teacher and your first adult crush. Do you remember her? Tall, long legs, fiery hair. It was brighter than Lily's however."
He smiled, looking deliciously sinful in that moment. "Actually, I do."
"Your preference then changed to red heads, without your knowledge. And so, here I am."
"Why does your appearance change for every person?"
"Because no two people are the same," Aphrodite replied. "And because, if my appearance didn't change, I could not be called the goddess of beauty." Silence hung in the air, before she opened her mouth once more. "Have you thought about it, James? Have you figured out why you're here but no other mortal is?"
"No," he lied. "I'll see you some other time."
I'm the world's savior. That's why I'm here. I'm here because I'm more powerful than any other warlock of my time or prior, save those select few. And when I rise to conquer, I will, and be damn proud of it.
He'd almost reached the exit, when she called him back.
"James! You said that you wanted some advice...?"
He stopped, then turned. "Do you have any to offer?"
"Just a bit. If you love her, then show it."
His lips twisted. "I thought you were supposed to warn me against immorality?"
"Ah, but remember," she said wickedly. "Things are not always as they appear. As I recall, you said I was red-haired with freckles on my hip bone. In reality, I know those are not true. You must look farther than the outside to find the truth, for truth is not a shallow thing-it is a deep, dark thing that few think of to use daily and regularly. Ponder it."
Without another word, she waved her hand and he found himself back home, back in front of his bed...
...Back in reality.
*~*
-Present…-
Lily stepped through the heavy wooden doors into the dark lair of Victor-the thorn in her side.
"Come so soon?" a voice sneered. Her eyes followed its direction, spotting a tall gangly man with dark hair streaked with gray standing in a corner. "Whatever you'd like, my dear."
"Save it," she said bluntly, tossing a bag onto the table beside her. Her arch nemesis stepped forward from the darkness and glanced at it.
"What is it?"
"A bribe."
"I don't want it."
"I had to try."
"How much is it?"
"That's only the first payment-10,000 galleons every month. The purest silver in the world, directly from southern Africa."
"For how long?"
"Until you die to rot in hell."
"It's not enough."
"I can't give anymore."
"I want you."
Lily scowled. "Why? I'll hate you forever."
Victor smiled coldly, his glance running appreciatively over her body. "Yes, but I could always give you a love potion."
Lily's eyes widened as she realized he was right. "I will never step foot in this house as your lover, servant, or anything else of yours. I will enter as my own person to tell you where you can shove your love potion, and how hard."
Victor's smile faltered for an instant, but it returned promptly. "I love the feisty ones."
Lily bit her tongue to keep herself from giving him the pleasure of allowing him to know that he'd gotten to her. "Fine. I'll be leaving now." Without waiting for an answer, she disapperated.
Victor leaned back in his chair, grinning cheekily.
"Ah, victory is so sweet."
*~*
I hate you, Dad, Lily thought, scribbling absentmindedly on a piece of paper. She debated whether or not to try to assassinate Victor, but thought it would come to naught and would just waste time. She only had a little time left.
I could fall in love with James Potter.
Lily, when has your heart done what your mind's told it? Your mind wants to hate your father, but your heart can't do that. How should this be any different?
I need more time.
Lily sat up resolutely, drumming her pencil furiously on the desk, unknowingly beating a mark into it.
My first project as a Careo-Virga will be to castrate all of the men and tie them up. Women should rule the world.
Then Lily smiled softly, setting down her pencil.
On second thought, maybe I won't castrate every guy… James has his uses yet. But I think I'll still tie him up…
"What are you smiling so devilishly about?"
Lily whipped her head around. James was leaning against the door frame, looking so completely… masculine that it made her want him just looking at him.
"Oh… Just thinking about a few things I'd like to do," she shrugged. "Did you need something?"
"You," James replied.
Lily smiled. "Yes, well, I know that. We all know that all men lust after me and need me to keep them in line."
James still didn't smile, and Lily felt like he was undressing her. It wasn't necessarily an uncomfortable feeling, only-well she wished it was actually happening, and he wasn't just thinking it.
James pursed his lips together before stepping into her room and locking the door behind him. His back was still to her, and Lily contemplated what exactly he thought he was doing.
She took out her wand and muttered, "Silencio." He turned his head just enough so that he could see her. She smiled wickedly. "That was to encourage you."
"Lils, it's just…" He sighed, propping his head up against the door. "I want to, I really do, but… you've never…"
"And it's time that I did," she said simply, standing and walking over to him. Lily slid her hands around his back, until she was hugging him fully from behind. Her breasts felt hot pressed up against his back, and there was a pain in between her legs she needed to relieve, only she didn't exactly know how.
James shut his eyes tightly, struggling to slow himself down. Aphrodite had said this was what he needed to do, but he didn't want to rush it either. Aphrodite did half the things she did for some entertainment. What if her favorite daytime soap opera had been canceled today and she just needed a diversion?
He was about to protest, to tell his fiery beauty that he shouldn't have come to take advantage of her, when he felt her tongue sliding on the tender pulse point on his neck. No man could've resisted her then, and James was nothing if not a man.
"God, Lils, don't do this to me," he groaned, not turning to her. "I can't hold myself back if you're going to act like that."
Lily turned him around and stretched up against him, brushing her lips across his. "Then let go."
*~*
"Mmm, oh Sirius," Mel moaned as his hands rubbed her breasts. "That feels so incredibly awesome."
He snickered, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses along her neck. "I know what you like."
"You know what I like even more," she gasped. "Sirius, please, I can barely breathe…"
He snickered once again, nipping her chin playfully. "You know that I like to take things slow, Mel." As if to illustrate his point, he slowly-painstakingly slow, in Mel's opinion-dragged his hand over her body, finally coming to rest at the juncture of her thighs. His fingers deftly slid under the band of her sexy hot pink knickers and sifted through the curls they found there.
"I hate you," Mel murmured hoarsely. "You have too much patience."
"Practice makes perfect," Sirius shrugged, still working magic on her with his fingers. "And we both know I've had a lot of practice."
Mel shot up and shoved off of her. He landed with a thump on the floor.
"What was that for?" he asked, irritated and rubbing his arse. "That's going to leave a bruise! You know how delicate I am."
She hurriedly did up her blouse and rebuttoned her pants. "Oh, I suppose you've never had that done to you, have you, Sirius old pal? God forbid that for the first time in all your high and mighty career as the man-whore that you've now become, some woman throw you off of her and refuse to fuck you. I'm so sorry. But don't worry, because it will never happen again." She jumped off the bed and headed for the door. "And that, you arsehole, is a promise!"
She threw open the wooden door and slammed it shut.
"Jenny!" she cried out, walking loudly through the house. "Jenny, I need to talk to you! You will not believe what this git did now!"
Jenny popped her head out of her room. "What? Who did what?"
"Sirius!" Mel exclaimed, pushing Jenny aside to acquire entrance into her room. She put a Silencing Charm on the room and then proceeded to sit down angrily on Jenny's bed. "He just finished saying-twice, I might add-how much experience he's had with women."
Jenny looked at Mel oddly. "What's so odd about that? You know he's been with scores of girls. He's just beginning to settle down with you."
"First off, I don't need to be reminded," Mel snapped. "Secondly, we were fooling around."
Jenny's jaw dropped, and then she burst out laughing. "He did not?!"
"He did," Mel said, her voice breaking. She covered her face with her hands. "My gosh, I cannot believe he did that. It's not as if I don't think about it every time we shag. No, now he has to mention it." She sniffled, then wiped away a tear. "I'm not nearly as good or as pretty as some of the others have been, you know. It makes me feel inferior."
"Don't lower yourself," Jenny snorted. "You're five times as much as at least 99% of those empty headed bitches he's played around with. You know that, Mel."
"He's just after me for my body. And my daddy's money," Mel said sadly. "The really pathetic part is that I don't honestly care."
"Mel, Sirius comes from a rich family!"
"Yes, but he's been disowned, Jenny. He has been since he was sixteen," Mel sighed. "Sirius is used to living a certain way, and while he's been living without the comforts of having more money than one could know what to do with, he's bound to get frustrated."
"If that's true-that he just wants you for your money-then he's an idiot." Jenny added then, "But if you believe that's true, then I'm not sure who's more the idiot."
Mel laughed through her tears.
"You don't see how he looks at you," Jenny said, hugging her best mate.
Mel shrugged. "I think I'm going to go away for awhile. Not now, but sometime soon. In a few weeks maybe."
"You know he'll follow you."
"That's what I was afraid of."
*~*
James picked up Lily, crushing her lips heavily against his. He took the few steps to the bed and lay her down gently, not once breaking the contact.
Finally, after seven years of dreaming, wanting, and waiting, she's going to be mine. Mine and no one else's. There's no going back, he thought.
She just doesn't know it yet.
*~*
A/N: Alright guys, yes, I know. I'm late. It's Sunday morning (1:41 am), but I've been a bit busy this week with school. And I had a party today. So let's be honest. Party, post, party, post, party… eh, the scales tip towards the party. And what a party it was!! Really, really fun. I adore party boats.
Anyway, I added that Victor part in. Guess what?! This is the last chapter I've got written!! Know what that means??
THE STORY SHALL CONTINUE!
I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, and I hope it's living up to expectations. *wink*. Love to all, peace and total sexiness-but no sex till marriage!!
Love,
Natali K. A.
PS: I mentioned pie, Apple Pie!
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