1. Graduation

Saying Goodbye

The last day of school… I, Lily Marie Evans, will graduate from Hogwarts today and I will never come back. What if I never see my friends again? What if I never see James again? I'm not ready to be on my own… what if I mess up? All these questions were running through my head as I got up and put my robes on. I can remember how sick I felt the whole day and how I never wanted it to come. After graduation I had nowhere to go. My parents were dead and I would never lower myself to live with my horrid sister Petunia.

After I finished dressing I went up to James' room and knocked on the door. “James, are you in there?” I asked. I heard some shuffling and the door opened a crack. “Hey Lily. Umm did you need something?” I stared at him oddly and replied, “Not really. I just wanted to talk.” He slid out of his room and closed the door suspiciously. I figured his friends were in his room and they were planning something moronic to do later. Oh well… let them have their fun. We walked over to the common room and sat down. “Lily what's wrong? Are you ok? Everything's going to be fine,” he told me and I smiled slightly. I leaned into his shoulder and poured out my soul. After I finished he took me by the shoulders and looked me in the eye. I can remember every word he said, because it filled me with butterflies worse than I had ever felt. “Lily, don't be scared. You are the top of our year and you are the most skilled witch I have ever met. Don't worry about where you are going to go, because you can live with me. Even if you don't come back to Hogwarts, it will always be in your heart, so don't fret. And… Lily I love you.” I looked up at him and my teary eyes lit up. I pulled him to me, and kissed him more passionately than I thought possible. After what felt like hours, I pulled away, and hugged him. While my mouth was right next to his ear, I whispered, “I love you too James Potter.” We stayed like that for a while, but finally I realized that our graduation was going to start in an hour. I smiled at him, and told him that I had better go get ready. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and I walked back up to my room.

Lying across my bed were the robes that I would be wearing later. I sighed and put them on. I sat down by my mirror and smoothed out the wrinkles in the satin material. By the time I was done getting ready, my hair had been put into a fancy up do, my makeup had been perfected and I was pacing around in my room. A knock on the door interrupted my pacing, and I walked over to it. “Lily it's me, are you ready to go?” I opened the door to see James standing there in his scarlet robes and his messy hair with his hand out. I smiled and took his hand, and we walked down to the great hall.

All of the seventh year students were gathered around the doors and we walked over to Remus and Sirius. I noticed that they all shared a secret glance, and I knew for sure that they were going to do something stupid. I placed the thought away and joined in with the talk. Remus was talking about how he couldn't believe school was finally over. I suddenly felt a wave of sorrow spill through me, and I gave all of the guys hugs and kisses on the cheek. Ever since this year the Marauders had become my best friends, and I was so glad that they were James' best friends, because that meant I would still see them all of the time. I could hear the music starting in the background, so we all lined up and walk in pair-by-pair. Once we were all seated, Dumbledore walked over to the podium and called the head students to the front. I slowly stood up, and walked to the front. In my hand was the speech that I had written last night. I looked out to all of the other students and folded my speech up and put it away.

“My time at Hogwarts was amazing. I look at each of your faces and a different memory pops into my head, whether it be just studying or hanging out after classes. It makes me sad to look upon all of your faces and know that I will never see some of you ever again after today. It also makes me sad to look upon some of your faces and know that I will have to see you everyday until I die.” This got a few chuckles out of the students. I smiled to myself, and winked at James.

“When I look back on my past seven years here at Hogwarts, I see a series of fights, yelling, tears, joys, bliss, and jet black hair. I'm heartbroken to say our time here is over, and we must going and make our lives in this dark and cold world. I have nothing but faith in us all, and so I will end my portion of this ceremony with a cliché, we did it!” Everyone clapped, and I made my way back to my seat.

The headmaster called James up to the front to give his speech, but I wasn't listening. Again, I was near tears, and I just couldn't focus on his talking. I couldn't get my mind off of the fact that I would never be here again. Ever. In three weeks I would be starting a job in the department of experimental charms at the ministry. In a month James and Sirius would start auror training. In a few days, my life would begin and I would be on my own. That's not true, I told myself, James will never leave you.

I faintly heard applause and I looked up to see James walking over toward me. He sat down, and clasped onto my hand. Dumbledore finished the ceremony, and we all left to mingle with our friends, and cry about leaving. Right before most people started to go back to their dormitories we heard a girl shriek in disgust. Running across the great hall in all of his naked glory was Sirius Black. I sighed and shook my head… Idiots…

Later, James and I were sitting on the floor in front of the fire, talking about all the times he asked me out, and everything that popped into our heads about growing up here in this magnificent place. My head was lying on his shoulder, and his hands were playing with my auburn hair. Eventually, the conversation died out, and we just sat there together like the picture of perfection. As I drifted to sleep in James's arms, I felt all of my fears leave me, because no matter what, I would never be alone. I had great friends, and the love of the greatest man I had ever met. Nothing could hurt me as long as they were safe and by my side, fighting to the end.

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