Author: A
Summary: Lily and James have been dead for years, and Remus is now a teacher at Hogwarts, but seeing the student couples strikes a nerve as he takes a look at his outlook on life.
Genre(s): General, Romance
Rating: G
Word Count: 750 words
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, for if I did, I'd be rich. Ms. J.K. Rowling has ownership of all the characters you recognize, as does Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros., and everyone else I don't know. All the characters you don't know I own, as well as the plot.
Author's Note(s): I wrote this (once again) for a WC on the HP.com boards, and I've gotten a lot of my friends to say they liked it, so I decided to submit it here. I enjoy this story, but that might just be because I love writing about Remus and his love and desire of Lily. ^_^
I step out solemnly into the summer sun. The rays of it feel good upon my face. The laughter of the children rings in my ears as I head down to the old tree at the edge of the Hogwarts lake.
I sit down upon the grass underneath the tree I had been under so many times before, as a young man. I remember my friends and I, watching the other students and thinking of ways to make them laugh the next day. I also remember watching her from afar.
She was the most beautiful girl in school, and everyone knew it. Her elegant crimson hair flew down to her mid-section, and her emerald eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Everything about Lily was flawless, and everyone loved her. I myself was no exception.
In the days and weeks that I watched her, I fell in love with the school beauty. She was charming and smart; kind-hearted and funny. I saw her as an angel, an angel that would show me the light of world, the kindness and the beauty. But that had never worked out. I close my eyes and reminisce.
The snow falls gracefully upon the ground. Snowflakes get caught in her mane of fiery hair, and her cheeks glow a rosy colour. She has an aura of light around her in the pure white snow.
We walk past the students having snowball fights. She pulls her cloak closer to her as we head to a bench underneath a willow tree in the distance. My own two feet crunch the snow harshly; she seems to glide effortlessly upon the earth. We stop at the tree and I brush off the snow for her to sit down.
"It's very beautiful today," Lily speaks, taking a deep breath. I nod and we stare at the setting sun in silence.
"I really like being out here with you, Remus," she says, looking at me with those gems she calls eyes. I feel my cheeks getting redder, but I hope she thinks it's just because it's getting colder.
"I-I really l-like being here with you, Lily," I respond with a stutter. She smiles and laughs a little to herself. Lily rests her head on my shoulder and we watch the sun set against the white foreground. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply.
A crunching of snow tells me that someone is headed towards us. I open my eyes and spot James standing directly in front of me, blocking the sun from my view.
"Hey Moony," he nods off to me. I tell him hello as he looks at Lily. "And hello my beautiful Lily flower."
Lily giggles and sits upright, kissing James on the cheek. She hugs him lovingly and smiles back at me. "I'll see you at dinner, all right Remus?"
"Yeah, see you at dinner," I say rather sheepishly. Lily stands up and smiles, before heading off back inside with James. I watch the two of them as they whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears.
I stay outside until the sun is gone, and all is dark. The moon is only a sliver tonight, and the snow becomes cast with an icy glow from it. I stare out at the darkness, the thing I hate the most and am yet the fondest of, before I head back inside.
I stare at the students that are outside now. Some are sitting with the friends, others studying, still others are giggling with their lovers. I stare at a young man and a young woman whom are sitting under another tree, whispering to each other and giggling. The young man looks much like myself when I was younger; and the girl has wispy red hair. Lily.
I stare at what seems like a sign, the young man who looks like me and the young woman who looks like Lily. I have not believed in a God in many, many years, but I do not believe that I see them for no reason at all, especially on today.
I wait for the sun to set completely before I head inside. The moon is gone tonight, and that in itself is a very good birthday present. The earth is dark, and the only light is coming from inside the great castle in the distance.
I stare at the darkness. It is my friend, and it is how I see the world.
If only I had a Lily flower to brighten it for me.