Disclaimer: Lily, James, Dumbledore, the tufty-haired man and anyone else you recognize belong to JK Rowling. The lyrics to “I’ll Cover You” belong to Jonathan Larson, one of the greatest composers in history.

A/N- I’m putting this at the beginning, because I feel it is very important. “I’ll Cover You” is not a gay song simply because one of the characters in the musical who sings it is a drag queen. It is actually a very romantic song.

Live in my house, I'll be your shelter
Just pay me back,
With one thousand kisses
Be my lover - I'll cover you

Open your door, I'll be your tenant
Don't got much baggage, to lay at your feet
But sweet kisses I've got to spare
I'll be there and I'll cover you

“So, today’s your big day, huh, Prongs?” a dashingly handsome young man, clad in an unbuttoned and elegant black tux jokingly asked his best friend, giving him a reassuring pat on the back.

“I can’t make it lie flat!” James Potter yelled in an exasperated voice, trying hopelessly for the thousandth time to smooth his shaggy black hair, which seemed to have a life of its own. He gazed in the gold-edged, shining mirror in the small, elaborately decorated and crystal-clean room off the side of the main of the hall impressive, huge cathedral.

“Don’t worry, Prongs, Lily loves you anyway. It doesn’t matter if your hair looks like a bomb blew up in it, she’s still going to marry you,” Sirius Black retorted quickly.

“Way to be blunt, Padfoot,” the pal, young man named Remus Lupin, who sat up poker-straight in a hard, shining, carved wooden chair said, laughing softly. The short, round man sitting across the room, who was called Peter Pettigrew, chortled loudly.

“Guys, I’m nervous. What if she doesn’t show?” James asked, suddenly overwhelmed by insecurity.

“Lily loves you, Prongs,” Peter said simply. “Why wouldn’t she come? If I were her…”

“We all know you’re in love with James, Wormtail. You’re not making him feel any better,” Sirius responded nastily.

“If only she knew how much I loved her,” James said wistfully, sighing and running his large, masculine hands through his untamed hair.

“She knows, Prongs,” Remus said, “and she loves you back. That’s why she’s marrying you.”


Meanwhile, Lily Evans sat in a pristine, white, slowly moving horse drawn carriage on the road the cathedral towered over as her friends and family members chattered over her. “Monica, I’m really scared,” she finally admitted to her feisty red-haired friend who was pretending to be preoccupied with rearranging Lily’s flowing silk dress, while actually surveying Lily’s face with a concerned look.

“Why?” Monica Prewett asked. “You’re just getting married.”

“I know,” Lily said slowly, trying to put into words the jittery feelings bouncing around inside her. “It’s just… what if things don’t turn out right? Weddings are big deals.”

“Is she having second thoughts over there?” Lily’s overweight, loud, elderly Aunt Elsa, one of the bridesmaids, bellowed from the other side of the carriage. Albus Dumbledore, Lily’s former headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and closest confidante, whom Lily had chosen to give her away because her father had succumbed to cancer years previously, glanced at Lily with a concerned look on his face.

“No, not second thoughts!” Lily exclaimed. “Just, nerves, I guess. I love James, really, I do. He’s my entire life. I’m just, scared, I guess.”

“Welcome to the world of fear, Lily,” Monica said. “It’s real life, actual reality.”


The loud, resounding chords of “Here Comes the Bride” played, as James stood at the head of the aisle, just as they had a million times in his mind. A blurry mass of people, people he knew and loved in one life but barely recognized in this nervous daze, beamed at him. The radiant colored light shining in from the dazzling sun hitting the magnificent stained glass windows of the ancient, beautiful cathedral created a scene of beauty James had never experienced.

The first and only thing James and Lily had ever truly, honestly squabbled over after they had reversed their roles as bickering enemies to become a couple was whether they should have a church wedding or not. James had been most against having a church wedding, having never attending a church service in his entire life, but Lily, raised in a Muggle family, had promised him church weddings were a beautiful thing. He had to admit there was some serenity as he watched cute little Nymphadora Tonks, Sirius’s cousin’s daughter who Lily often babysat, strolled down the aisle, tossing white lilies. As he saw the maid of honor, Lily’s best friend Monica, enter in a ray of light flooding from the heavy, intricately carved double doors, her baby blue dress shimmering, James admitted that his bride was right, not for the first time.

James barely paid attention as the bridesmaids, whom were either friends or cousins of Lily, entered, each a lovely sight on their own. James felt a tiny prick of sadness as he realized Lily’s elder sister, Petunia, was not among them. Lily and Petunia didn’t always have the best sisterly relationship, as Petunia was jealous of Lily for being magical and the apple of their parents’ eyes, but Lily had still taken up quill and written to Petunia immediately after James proposed, asking her to be her maid-of-honor. Petunia wrote a short letter back a month later. James hadn’t been able to wrestle the letter away from Lily’s tight grasp before she tossed it in the fire, but whatever the message said, it had made Lily cry for nearly an hour straight. While James didn’t exactly miss having such a crab in the family, he had hoped, for Lily’s sake, that Petunia would make an unexpected stop at the cathedral. He hated Petunia, but he was willing to sacrifice his comfort, to do anything, for Lily.

Suddenly, with the loudest thunder of the wedding music yet, Lily entered through the double doors, looking absolutely magical, on the arm of the elderly wizard Albus Dumbledore, who was clad in star-spangled purple robes. She seemed to flow down the aisle, her full snow-white satin gown covered with white lace and embroidered with scores of tiny, intricately sewn, glittering seed-like beads following in her wake. Under her simple lace veil, James could see her straight red hair had been pulled off her neck in an amazing bun of some sort that seemed to defy gravity. Her green eyes, accented by beautifully blended eyeshadow, glittered and glowed.

What really took James’s breath away about his wife-to-be’s beauty was, however, the way she carried herself as she walked down the aisle. Full of poise and bursting with a confidence James only knew her to possess in private romps in dark corners, her emerald eyes were locked on James the entire time she traveled down the stone-paved aisle. Her skin seemed alive with some radiant glow James could only call pure, unadulterated happiness. Her bright, full smile seemed completely real as she floated to him on a wave of sunshine, like in a dream. James didn’t have much room in his head to think about himself right now, but somewhere outside his overpowering bubble of love and happiness, he felt he must have been glowing the same way. This glow was joy.

Once she reached the aisle, Lily gave Dumbledore a kiss on his wizened cheek and stood opposite James. Subconsciously, she reached out and grasped his hands, much to the dislike of the tufty-haired man in simple white robes officiating the wedding. In a place called real lif,e far away from the love and joy she was feeling, soaking in James’s hazel eyes that oozed adoration, Lily knew the man’s name, his purpose, his reason, but here, she knew nothing, a slave to James’s piercing eyes and loving stare. She gave his hand a squeeze.

The tufty-haired officiator, who was a head shorter than Lily and a million times shorter than James, opened the large book he was grasping and began to read. Lily, who had only argued to have her wedding in a church because of the beauty of the cathedral she had attended in her youth, locked her eyes on James as her mind began to wander.

He’s so handsome, Lily thought, sighing contently as the little man rambled on about “providing and commitment.” She tried to master the desire to run her small, delicate hands along his toned muscles, bulging out of the arms of his regal tuxedo. I don’t think I’m ever going to have to worry about him not being able to provide for me, Lily thought, adding with a slight, barely-concealed grin, because I’m going to be able to provide for him and myself.

James tried to hold in a chuckle as he watched a nauseated expression grow on his bride’s face as the officiator took a deep breath before launching in on an explanation of how a man should provide for a woman. “Sexist git,” he mouthed at Lily, who had to feign a sneeze to hide her laughter. But love isn’t about physical providing, he found himself thinking. I need to provide for her, emotionally. That’s love. He wanted to tell Lily about his profound thoughts, for he knew she would be most proud of the fact he was actually thinking, but didn’t want to endure the wrath of the tufty-haired man, now shooting the handsome groom death glares over his golden-edged bible.

Finally, the applause of the crowd brought James out of the reverie he had fallen into as he stared into the depths of Lily’s exotic eyes, imagining married life. To his immense joy, he realized the man had finished his reading. When the bride and groom simply stood there, staring at each other with relief etched in their faces, he grabbed them both by the elbows in a surprisingly firm grip and practically dragged them over to the edge of the altar, where the maid of honor, the best man, and Albus Dumbledore sat next to two uncomfortable-looking wooden chairs. The man promptly disappeared into the back of the cathedral.

Dumbledore rose as, next to his vacant chair, Lily sat down. After muttering to Lily, “When I die, kindly arrange that this man does not speak at my funeral,” he swiftly made his way over to the center of the altar, where the tufty-haired man had stood. He cleared his throat, and then said, “Good afternoon.” Immediately, the room sat up as nearly everyone inside the cathedral, even little Nymphadora Tonks, drew to rapt attention.

“I really was honored when James and Lily asked me to speak at their wedding,” Dumbledore said cordially, glancing at the bride and groom with the customary twinkle in his sparkling, blue eyes. “I must say, if I could go back to when Lily and James were at school, I would have very much been in doubt the wedding of these promising young people would have happened at all. I could ramble on for ages about all the fights and disagreements Lily and James had during their schooldays, but let’s just narrow it down to some finer points.” He chuckled and glanced at Sirius, whose normally pale face had darkened to a deep red in attempts to conceal his laughter.

“I think starting at the moment when Lily and James first got of the Hogwarts Express would be a fine place to begin,” Dumbledore continued. “In my younger and fitter days, I found it customary to join the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid, in escorting the first years across the lake to the shores of the castle. James and Lily, by mere chance, were on the same little boat. If I remember correctly, it was a terrible, stormy day, and about halfway across the lake, James was swept out to the lake. If it weren’t for the Giant Squid’s quick thinking and if you would pardon me, my own prodigious skill at magic, young Mr. Potter may not be here today.” James rolled his eyes at this statement, though Lily trembled slightly as she remembered the awful fear she had experienced when she realized the boy she had been talking to moments before was flailing and drowning in the dismal, black lake.

“Fortunately, James got out all right,” Dumbledore continued, “though he was chilled to the bone. Neither Hagrid nor I had any really warm outer-clothing on us, but Lily was carrying a heavy, water-proof coat on her, which James accepted with a humble gratefulness. I remember thinking how remarkable it was that such a young girl of age eleven could be so kind and a young boy could be so humble. From that moment on, I knew James and Lily were special young people indeed.”

Lily laughed, and called out, “Professor, I think you forgot the part where James spilled gravy all over my coat at the feast!”

“That was Sirius who knocked it over!” James retorted, in a mock-furious manner.

“It was not; you spilled it on purpose, James!” Sirius said quickly.

“No, indeed I remember, Lily,” Dumbledore said, chuckling. “And, you see, ladies and gentlemen, the argument continues to this day.”

Dumbledore took a deep breath, and continued, “This was only one of the many arguments that lasted throughout the years. I noticed, all the time, though, underneath the very rough exteriors, Lily and James had an attachment and concern for each other that only could be described as the budding signs of love. Though anyone who witnessed Lily’s reaction to James’s asking her out on a date,” here Dumbledore winced before continuing, “would automatically assume they would never get together one watching Lily’s reaction after James took a rather nasty fall in Quidditch the next day would assume James was the boy she had a mad crush for. Don’t deny it, Lily!” Dumbledore exclaimed as Lily’s face reddened.

“James, James, after all your years of trying to get Lily to so as much give you a look not embroiled in hatred, is this worth it?” James nodded quickly. “Yes, it is,” Dumbledore answered for him. “And, Lily, after breaking James’s heart for years, is this wedding, this love, worth swallowing your pride and giving the hapless lover a chance?” Lily barely even looked up before Dumbledore answered for her, “It is.”

I think they meant it
When they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are my love,
On life - be my life
Just slip me on I'll be your blanket
Wherever - whatever - I'll be your coat

Dumbledore took a deep breath before continuing. “This is worth everything for the two young people who stand before me now. This is true love. You may be able to rent true love, but you most definitely cannot buy it.” Here, James and Lily shared a secret smile and the tiniest of hand-squeezes. The only reason she had agreed to go out with James in the first place was because James, the sole heir of the vast Potter fortune, had offered to pay her the prime sum of fifteen Galleons for every hour she spent in his presence without insulting him. Desperate for money to send home to help her mother pay the increasing medical bills for her father’s treatment of his lung cancer, Lily had gone on long dates with him. After the dates, James would help her write to Gringotts bank to exchange the Galleons for Muggle money, and then lovingly wrap up the money and carefully send it, on the leg of his own owl, to Lily’s mum. Through those outings, Lily had accidentally let herself fall in love with the kind, considerate young man she once thought of as an immature bully.

“Don’t attempt to correct me,” Dumbledore said, noticing the glance the two young lovers shared, “I know the precise details of how you two got together. I assure you, money or not, Lily, you would have fallen for the handsome boy that sits before you now anyway.” He cleared his throat.

“These are dark times,” Dumbledore continued. A shudder seemed to go through the room. “We, that is, many of us here present, are currently working as hard as possible to make sure Lord Voldemort and his dark followers do not extinguish the light of goodness. It is not an easy task. Several times, we have already been betrayed by those who we thought were on our side. I hate to bring such dark thoughts on such a joyous occasion, but I would not be surprised if there was a traitor among us as I speak.” On the other side of Sirius, who sat next to James, Peter Pettigrew shifted awkwardly in his seat. “Yet today is not a day of sadness or sorrow,” Dumbledore continued. “Today is a day to celebrate the love of Lily and James. May their love always last, and may it never be betrayed.” Amid storms of applause, he resumed his seat.

Lily suddenly felt a firm grasp on her elbow. With a shock of surprise traveling down her spine in a haze of nervousness, she spun around, only to see the tufty-haired man standing behind her. He had taken James by the elbow as well and was now dragging them to the altar. He once again levitated his thick prayer-book to float open before him, and cleared his throat before reading, “Ladies and gentlemen, we will now bind these two young people in marriage. James and Lily, please grasp hands.”

Lily felt jitterbugs dancing in her stomach as James’s large hand enveloped hers. Little shockwaves emitted from the entwined hands into Lily’s arms, tickling her down to her toes, as they always did when they held hands. Her face involuntarily cracked into a small, gentle smile, and as she saw the expression on James’s face, she knew he felt the same way. She gave his hand the slightest squeeze before the tufty-haired man opened his thin lips and began to speak in that same dry voice.

“James Potter and Lily Evans, in marriage you are giving up your lives as single people and committing yourselves to a life together,” the man said. After taking a breath, he asked, “Lily, do you promise to watch over and protect James forever and to remain faithful to him, through sickness and health, rich or poor, for better or worse?”

Lily paused for a second. Even now, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to give up single life and its rewarding freedoms for a man, as sweet, kind, and handsome a man James was. James glanced at her with the expression he had always given her during their tenure at Hogwarts as he pleaded with her to give him a shot; it was a look similar to one of a naughty puppy begging for forgiveness. All at once, Lily knew who loved her and who would continue to love her all her life, and she knew who she loved. With a huge smile, she said in a surprisingly confident voice, “I do.”

You'll be my king,
And I'll be your castle

“James, do you promise to watch over and protect Lily always and to remain faithful to her, through sickness and health, rich or poor, for better or worse?”

Inside James’s mind, the words seemed to be bouncing around. He knew he wanted to watch over Lily forever, but was he strong enough to? Lily gave him a piercing look, telling him, “Say something, you big-headed git!” She can probably take care of herself, James thought, silently laughing. At that moment, he knew who he wanted to commit himself with forever. “I do,” he declared in a resounding voice.

No you'll be my queen,
And I'll be your moat

“James, do you take Lily as your wife forevermore?”

James barely missed a beat. “I do,” he declared, his heart bursting with joy.

I think they meant it
When they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are my love,
On life - all my life
I've longed to discover
Something as true as this is

Suddenly remembering what he was supposed to do, James somehow managed to pull a thin, gold band from his pocket with fumbling, shaking fingers.

It looked like a normal ring. In the inside, “Lily and James” was etched in miniscule letters, looking like scratches in the perfect, infinite shining gold. Glimmering in the sunlight streaming into the chapel, it seemed to be winking at Lily. “Go ahead, make a big deal out of me,” Lily thought it was taunting her, “but I’m just a ring.” Lily suddenly thought about what it meant. On one hand, it was like a dogtag, Lily thought, chaining me to James for the rest of my life. On the other hand, it shows the world that I’m loved.

Lily put her hand forth with a wide smile on her face. She felt the beginning of fireworks as she felt the smooth ring glide onto her fingers. Lily felt it glow for a second and then, suddenly, it seemed to become one with her slim, long finger.

“Lily Evans, do you take James as your husband forevermore?”

“I do,” Lily declared. She found another ring, identical to the last detail, in the tiny pocket in her elaborate dress, made especially for the purpose. Smiling, she grasped James’s hand in one hand and held the ring, winking at the joyful couple, in the other hand. With a gentle glide, the ring slipped onto his finger.

“You may kiss the bride,” the tufty-haired man said, amid a storm of applause.

All his life, James would not believe the feelings that went bursting through him as he kissed his wife. Like at their very first kiss, little bolts of lightening seemed to strike the couple down, rooting them to where they were in a burst of warm joy and desire. A storm of happiness seemed to fire into Lily through their embrace. Lily wanted to curl up in his arms forever. She felt so safe in his arms, so protected, so loved. “James, promise me that you’ll protect me forever?” she whispered in his ears withdrawing at last from the fierce kiss.

“Only if you promise to stay by me forever,” James replied, a smile wide on his face.

“I promise,” Lily said, a stubborn tear of joy running down her face. “I’ll cover you.”

So with a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you
With a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you
When you're worn
Out and tired
When your heart has expired

If you're cold and you're lonely
You've got one nickel only
With a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you
With a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you

Oh lover I'll cover you, yeahhhhh
Oh lover I'll cover you.

A/N- Did anyone recognize the tufty-haired man? He was the speaker at Dumbledore’s funeral. Major thanks to my beta songbook99! Anyway, thanks for getting all the way through this one. It was a long one. If you’ve made it all the way, please review!