Happiness

I breathed deeply, the exams where finished. The tests that would decide my life from here were finally over.

The hot July air was still. The chattering of students floated to my ears on the breeze, as I walked calmly over to the group of boys, relaxing under the shade of the willow tree that grow next to the Hogwarts lake, I heard my boyfriend sigh, "No more N.E.W.Ts," while ruffling his gorgeous locks happily as he lay on his back.

"Yer Prongs," replied Sirius Black happily, "Only the results to worry about now."

"I thought that last test was easy," commented Remus Lupin, jumping down from the branch he had been sitting on in the tree.

"Easy? Moony have you gone mad?" stated James in a shocked voice.

"No, I agree with Remus," I stated, laughing, as I approached, "I didn't need to spend all that time revising those goblin rebellions at all."

There was a short pause. Fairly soon I had all four boys staring in my direction.

"Lily!" cried James standing up, "will you sit with us?"

The smallest of the group sat up, "Why does she need to sit with us, I thought you wanted to ask her in private?" came the squeaky voice of Wormtail.

I saw James give Peter Pettigrew a whivering look. The short, fat boy shut up immediately, sensing that he was in dangerous waters.

"Ask me what?" I asked, looking to each of the group in turn.

"Nothing," replied James, all to quickly, averting his hazel eyes from my green ones.

I shot my boyfriend another questioning look, but sat with the marauders anyway.

A week after the day by the lake, I had decided what I would do.

A loud chorus of "hey Prongs" met my ears as I walked down from my dormitories to find the rest of the gang sat on the seats in the common room. I sauntered confidently over to them. Ruffling my hair at a group of girls that where following my every move. I flashed them a quick smile before jumping into a seat by Padfoot.

I quickly scanned the common room. My plan was swirling round my head but I could not tell anyone if she was in the room.

"Does anyone know where Lily is?" I whispered quietly.

The boys shook their heads.

"Haven't seen her since earlier," stated Moony, "she isn't in Griffindor tower that's for sure."

I nodded in thanks, ruffling my hair nervously, "good because I need to explain something…"

I looked at the clock. It was 10:45 in the morning. Deciding it would take me about 15 minutes to get to the headmasters office I placed my books back on the self and left the library.

As I walked down the seemingly endless corridors I wondered what Professor Dumbledore wished to talk to me about. I had not done anything wrong. Nor I had done anything of real merit and my exams could not have been marked yet, so it could not be about them.

Before I had come up with any reason at all as to why Dumbledore had requested my presence at his office at 11am exactly, I had reached the stone gargoyle. I quickly muttered the password before sweeping some stray red hair behind my ear. My green eyes watched as the stone creature moved out of the way to let me pass.

After climbing up the stairs cautiously I reached the solid oak door that lay between me and the office. After knocking a few times I was called into the room.

The door opened for me and inside I saw that my headmaster had a visitor.

"Lily, good morning" greeted Dumbledore, "please let me introduce you to the minister, William Longbottom, he is Mister Longbottom's grandfather."

"Pleased to meet you Mr Longbottom," I replied, holding out my hand.

He reached out an old battered hand and shook it, "Charmed, please call me William, miss Evans."

"Then call me Lily, please," I offered.

"Of course, Lily."

I nodded, pleased I was now on first name terms with the Minister of Magic.

Looking at him intently I saw that his beard, not nearly as grand as Dumbledore's, was neatly trimmed and the same colour as his grey hair. His brown eyes looked trusting, his dark purple robes where nice on the eye. Though, however happy he seemed to be, he looked exhausted from the war that was being fought between the dark and the light. A war that, though not effecting the day to day life in the castle, would surround my life in the immediate future, I only had just less than 24 hours left being protected by the great castle walls.

"Now, Lily, are you wondering why you have been called to my office today?" asked my headmaster.

I turned to face the old man, "Yes professor, I am."

He smiled and preceded to explain, the minister had sent him a letter that morning requesting a meeting with him. After finishing his explanation he turned to the minister,

"Yes Miss Evans, you see my Senior Undersecretary retired last week and so my junior was promoted. However, that still leaves a problem of the fact we have a job open. Due to the fact I wanted some new and fresh ideas in the ministry, especially considering the times, I contacted Dumbledore asking if he had anyone he would recommend, the name that interested me most was yours."

I looked at him shocked, I was nothing special. Going straight to Junior Undersecretary to the Minister is a huge career step for anyone, let alone someone fresh out of Hogwarts.

I listened carefully as he preceded to explain all my qualities that made me such a good candidate for the job. I was Head girl, so used to responsibility, I was a muggleborn, so could offer useful information that could improve the concealment of the magical world as well as improve contact with the muggle government. The fact that my grades where spotless was the point he finished off with.

"So, for these reasons, Miss Evans, the Ministry and my self would like to offer you the position, what do you say?" he questioned, looking straight into my excited green eyes.

"I would love to! I accept!" I replied excitedly. No sane person could turn down such a job.

The minister nodded, pleased with my answer, " I shall contact my office and give you written information at dinner that I will need you to read before you start."

I nodded, "Thank you."

He nodded before we both turned to Dumbledore. Once again the old man's eyes where twinkling brightly.

"You are dismissed, Miss Evans, I have things I wish to discuss with the minister," explained Dumbledore.

"Yes professor, I shall see you both later," I replied shaking the minister's hand when both of us stood. I nodded and, after letting go of his hand, left the room, nearly bouncing with excitement.

I had just finished explaining my plan to the rest of the gang when there was a loud squeal of excitement coming from the direction of the portrait hole. We all turned to see the love of my life positively bouncing into the common room.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Sirius, laughing.

"Minister…Job…Undersecretary!" was all that we were able to make out from her series of excited bursts.

"Love…slow down, we can't understand you," I instructed, trying not to laugh.

After settling her down onto a seat she told us about what she had been up to in the last half an hour.

After pulling out from a 'well done' kiss I whispered, "Lily, babe, I'm so proud of you."

She smiled warmly and laughed happily.

"I can't believe it," she whispered.

After we all agreed that we could believe it, my girlfriend still looked unconvinced. We just burst out into fits of laughter once again.

Dinner came far to quickly for me that night. As one of my friends plaited my long red hair, my green eyes stared at my reflection.

"I can't believe it's nearly over," I whispered.

"Yes, I know, it's so wired…"

When we eventually reached the great hall I left my friends to sit together while I went to find James. After placing myself down next to him he smiled.

"I would make a speech, however it would be a crime to let the dinner go cold. Tuck in!" Exclaimed the happy voice of the headmaster.

Food appeared silently onto the plates and we began to eat.

I hardly touched anything on my plate. Lily, seeing that this was unusual for me, looked at me worriedly. I just told her not to worry. However much I attempted to eat, the square shaped object in my pocket kept reminding me of what I would be doing in the next few minutes. My stomach was doing back flips. What if she said no?

Finally the pudding was eventually cleared away. Then the usual 'do not do magic over the holidays' speeches were made for the 1st to 5th years, followed by the speech that I had been waiting for all afternoon; ever since I had left the headmasters office earlier that day.

"Everyone, now that we have all fed and watered I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the seventh years. You have been a pride to the school and we are very sorry to see you go. However, before I send you all to bed Mr Potter would like to ask a certain young lady something," Dumbledore finished, smiling.

Lily gave me a confused look. I just smiled at her warmly and walked, slowly, up to the front of the hall. When I arrived at the front I turned round slowly and began the speech I had been practising the whole afternoon while staring into her eyes, my hazel ones shining with love.

"There has always been one girl in my life, I been with others but, no offence, my feelings where never as strong as they are towards a certain lady in this hall, so, with you as my witnesses I ask," I paused, lowering myself down on one knee and finally withdrawing the box from my pocket, "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"

I sat, dumbstruck. Had he really just asked me to marry him? I could feel hundreds of eyes trained on me. The hall suddenly seemed very small. I looked at James, he was on one knee, looking worriedly into my eyes.

"Yes, James potter, of course I will marry you," I exclaimed, happily, to the hall.

I stood up slowly and walked gracefully to where my future husband kneeled.

I beamed as I watched my beautiful fiancée walk slowly to the front of the hall, to me. I could feel the stares of every student and staff member looking at the both of us. Remembering our past. Remembering when we had come to Hogwarts in first year: Lily, a shy muggleborn witch who had little idea about the magical world. Me, a confident pureblood already having gained a small band of friends on the train.

Second year: Lily, a smart young witch, brilliant at everything she did. Me, a trouble maker and prime suspicion if anything happened.

Third year: Lily, brilliant, beautiful and talented. Me, worlds best prankster with the flickering of love coming to light for the young red head.

Fourth year: Lily, a witch adamant she would have nothing to do with me, a person who stuck up for everyone. Me, Griffindor Seeker, a bully, my favourite sport, other than Quidditch, torturing Slitherines.

Firth year: Lily, perfect OWL results, Prefect, a witch who constantly told me to deflate my huge ego. Me, Prefect, my love growing huge and trying, but constantly failing, my quest to make her my girlfriend.

Sixth year: Lily, spotless grades but small spots of love for me now visible in her eyes. Me, proud owner of a slightly smaller ego and Quidditch captain.

Seventh year: Lily, Head girl, at last answering 'Yes' to my age old question 'will you go out with me?', junior undersecretary to the minister of magic and now my fiancée. Me, the happiest man on earth, Quidditch cup winner and the future husband of the most wonderful woman on the planet.

I stared, lovingly, into his beaming face. As he slipped a beautiful emerald ring onto my finger he brought his lips up to mine and I experienced the most amazing kiss I had ever had.

I had completely forgotten that there where other people in the room until I heard a series of claps coming from the staff table. I, however, was to happy to care and the kiss continued as the sea of clapping became larger and louder.

When we eventually pulled apart I followed James' gaze to the headmaster.

I watched Dumbledore smile broadly as the clapping died down.

Following his hand with my eyes I saw him raise a glass high into the air before he exclaimed to the hall, "To the future Mr and Mrs Potter!"