At the beginning II The Christmas Ball It was a quarter past nine. Fifteen minutes later, the ball would start. Lily, dressed in her best robe, was sitting alone on her bed in the dormitory. She had not spoken to Potter ever since that day they met on the corridor. Where or when were they supposed to meet? Then, she thought terribly. What if he forgot she was his dance partner? What if he was only playing a joke on her? So, she would go to the ball alone, looking stupid and laughable. Most of the Ravenclaws seemed to have left the common room. She decided to take a look. She entered the common room and opened the portrait. But she could not find Potter's distinct messy hair. Dropping her head, feeling both betrayed and disappointed, she turned and decided to study Charms. 'Lily!' Her heart stopped beating. Taking a deep breath, she turned slowly and saw a familiar face smiling warmly at her. He had bright brown eyes, straight nose and perfect teeth. The James Potter, but without the messy hair and glasses. 'Potter?' She asked in disbelief. 'Call me James,' the attractive man offered her his arm. James had been standing outside the Ravenclaw common room for nearly an hour, with girls bothering him every single minute. Just when he thought maybe Lily was not going to turn up, her face appeared under the portrait, eyes searching around...for me. He smiled at himself. She looked surprised to see him, or was she surprised to see how greatly his look had changed? On their way to the great hall, he noticed many guys had their eyes on her. Yes indeed, she was gorgeous. Dressing in a white silk robe. Her long red hair was loosen and fell to her waist. Her green eyes stared at the floor, blinking all the time. She was biting her soft lips nervously. Under the candle lights in the corridor, her face looked just like a peach, as if one kiss could already puncture it. Finally, they arrived at the hall. It looked as splendid as ever. The usual five long tables were replaced by numerous small round ones. From the ceiling, they could see there was a snow storm outside. The ball had not started yet. They were standing with the crowd of Hogwarts students all dressed in their best, talking excitedly. Lily noticed that many girls were staring at James, admiring him. 'Is THAT James Potter?' She could hear they crying frequently through the crowd. They looked likely to faint when they saw him. She suddenly felt small she was in front of him. She breathed deeply and turned to face James. And was flattered to see that he was looking at her all the time. She could not help to think how cute he was without his glasses and with his new hair style. What has he done to his hair? She wondered. 'You look very beautiful tonight,' he said after they had been looking at each other for a long time. 'Thank you,' she muttered, quickly turned her head away from him and blushed to the ears. Thankfully, Professor Dumbledore appeared at the front table and announced the beginning of the ball. 'Evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, there'll be no houses. Please have a seat.' Was it her imagination that the headmaster seemed to beam particularly at them? 'Christmas,' he said after everyone had settled down.'is a time for feasts, for parties, for holidays and most of all, for you to express your love to others.' The students laughed. 'Love, besides those between opposite sexes, can also exist between your friends, your families and all the people around you. 'Love is invisible. You cannot see it, smell it, or taste it. But you can feel it by your heart. And just like air, you'll need it to survive. 'Many people have spent their whole lives looking for wealth, ignoring all the people around them. Though they may have satisfied the desire of their bodies, they can never be contented in their hearts. Because they have nothing but loneiness to fill them. And eventually, they will end up leading a miserable life. 'The only way to gain love, strange it may sound, is to give. And that's what Christmas spirit is: to send love to the others and bring peace to the world. So now, I wish you a merry Christmas and I love you all.' Professor Dumbledore finished and sat down. The whole hall erupted with applause. The band on the stage began to play music. Many people stood up and went to dance. 'C'mon, let's dance.' James carried her hand and led her into the pool. 13. Cinderella's story For a long time, they did not speak and just danced in silence. James tried to break the ice,' Is there a girl called Cindirilla in your world?' She laughed, 'Do you mean Cinderella?' 'I guess so.' 'Yes, she's from a tale.' 'Tell me about it.' She told him the story. 'Once upon a time, there was a girl called Cinderella. Her mother died when she was very young. Several years later, her father married another beautiful woman. She was a widow, and already had two daughters. But Cinderella still lived happily with her new family. 'Unfortunately, her father died soon after his new marriage. And her life changed totally. She became a maid or rather, a slave. They ordered her around all day, made her sleep in the kitchen and took everything from her--her clothes, her jewelries, her happiness, hope and future.... 'The prince led her into the pool. ''What's your name?' He asked. ''Sorry, I cannot answer you this question. Please forgive my rudeness, your highness,' Cinderella whispered. But the lonely smile on her beautiful face made him like her more. She must've some unknown past that created the sadness in her eyes. Yet, she still looked like an innocent flower, not a bit contaminated by the pain. The prince thought. ''Where does the sadness in your eyes come from? Tell me. Let me comfort you, let me share with you...' he asked her. ''We shouldn't be talking about this tonight. Why can't we just think about something more cheerful? We can just dance and dance....' Cinderella felt sad when she knew she could only answered the prince in this way. ''Mysterious girl, do tell me where you're from. No matter it's deep down in the sea, or high up in the mountains. Just any place where you're there. I'll follow you, and stay with you.'' ''I live in a place which is very, very far away from here.'' ''But you still come here, to see me. Don't you have any feelings towards me?'' Her head drooped. You want to know how I feel? My head is aching whenever I look at you. My heart is bleeding whenever I think about you. I feel sorry for my own fate. No matter how deep my love is, we will never be together. Because of who I actually am. She thought sadly. ''Tonight will be our only and last time we are together. I will leave and we will never see each other again.'' ''How sad it will be. But, can't we just change this fate?'' ''This can only be a dream. One that we should quickly forget. And I--I will pretend meeting you as a dream.'' ''If this is a dream, I hope that it'll never wake up,'' the prince said, hugging her tightly. She buried her head into his chest. The crowd and the noise seemed to float away from them. They were left in their own world. Both of them were enjoying this precious moment. Just then, the clock started to struck. Cinderella ran away. The prince tried to caught her, but failed. On the stairs left only one of her glass slippers. He picked it up carefully, and whispered under his breath--' 13. Lily's struggle 'I love you.' 'Yes, this is what he said.' Lily raised her head. James was looking at her seriously. 'I love you, Lily Evans.' Somehow, the story overlapped with the reality. She stared into his eyes, lost and confused. Did James Potter, probably the most adorable guy in Hogwarts, just claimed in love with her? 'Well...let's forget the Cinderella thing and come back to dance, okay?' She tried to ignore it. But he did not let go. 'I love you, probably even more that the prince loved Cinderella. I have never felt the same way about other girls before.' What can I do? We have no future. Even if his love is true, it won't last for more than a month when he finds another girl. He's so popular, and I'm--I'm so unwanted. She thought sadly, remembering the way the others treated her. He removed the strand of hair in front of her eyes, waiting for her answer. She opened her mouth to speak, but dropped her head immediately. No! Lily. Don't answer him. You must be sensible. You have no tomorrow with James. Just think of how the others will treat you, Lily, how the girls will treat you after you two are together. You've spent your past six years seeking for quietness and peace. Six miserable years. You mustn't betray yourself just because the guy in front of you, who will probably damp you in no time. You cannot bear the pain anymore. Just let go before it's too late. Tears came out. She closed her eyes to absorb them back. At that time, the clock in the hall started to strike, indicating the end of the ball. Lily pulled apart from James. He looked at her head. Slowly, it raised up. His heart sank when he recognised the same coldness present in her eyes. 'Potter, the only reason that I decided to dance with you is because you are famous. Nothing more. Please don't confuse this with other things.' He watched her left, and was rooted at the spot. His mind full of nothing. So, he did not notice his friends looking at him with worried eyes, nor did he hear the girls giggling and whispering behind him, nor did he aware of the fact that his hair was starting to stick up in every direction. Lily rushed to her dormitory and threw herself onto the bed. This was so close, so close to betray her sense and lost to her own sensibilities. She congratulated herself on making the correct decision. Or was it? She felt even more terrible now than she had ever been. It was much more intolerable that having people discussing about her and pointing at her behind her back, saying she's a freak. Had she really done the right thing? Lily! All you want are peace and quietness in Hogwarts. These have always been what you've been trying to achieve over these years. Besides, the right path is always hard to take. So stop regretting and get a life! She changed into her night gown and forced herself to sleep. But she could not sleep no matter how hard she tried. Her mind was full of James--his face, his smile, his eyes. She sighed. How long will it take to forget him? 14. The song Lily sprang up from her bed. The sound, the same sound that had led her to the mirror. She heard it again. Looking around, she saw all her roommates were deeply in sleep without anything to bother their mind. Could any others hear it, too? She found her watch. It was already two. She slipped out of her bed and put on her slippers and cloak. The common room was deserted. It seemed that no one except herself had heard the music. The music. She stopped and listened. It was different from last time. The melody was different. It was just like--like a song a mother sang to her child. James did not have any memory of what happened to him after Lily had left him in the hall. He only knew that he had pretended to sleep when his friends came into the dormitory. He was sleepless. His heart ached. Nobody could hurt him more deeply than Lily. But, he did not blame her. His mind just filled with questions, why.... Then, he heard music. Weird music. It sort of make him feel weird as well. It brought funny effect to his body mechanism. He could feel the flow of the blood inside his body was slowing down, and see goosebumps starting to appear on his skin. But when he listened carefully to the music, he was lost in his memories. This is so familiar. He closed his eyes. The same melody. It was just like the song his mother used to sing to him to put him to sleep. When he was still a kid, he was always afraid of the moaning wind outside his window in winter nights. And his mother would light a fire in his room and sang this song to him. Mother? Could it be her? He got his glasses and rushed out of his dormitory, didn¡¦t even bother to get his invisibility cloak. Burning fire Blowing wind Things I almost remember And a song Someone sings Once upon a December Someone holds me safe and warm Snow flakes fly through the silver storm Face which smiling gracefully Across my memory Far away Long ago Glowing dim as an ember Things my heart Used to know Things it yearns to remember Soon you'll be Here with me Once upon a December Lily arrived at the hall. It was quite dark inside. Only a few candle lights flickered in the distant. She slowly walked into it, trying to trace out the thing that made the music, but failed. The sound was echoing around the hall. She stopped abruptly. In the center of the hall, there was a mirror. One that she would immediately recognize, the Mirror of Erised. What was it doing here? How did it get down from above? Could it be the thing that give out the music all the time? She dragged herself towards it. Just as she stood in front of the mirror, expecting the familiar strange reflection, the music stopped and she heard footsteps behind her. Startled, she turned around extremely slowly and saw a figure standing beside the door, looking at her. It was James Potter. 15. The truth Lily¡¦s eyes widened. She had realized everything at that instant. She had found out the mystery of her reflection in this mirror. She had found out what her deepest most desire was. Professor Dumbledore¡¦s words floated into her mind It was invisible, it couldn't be seen, smelled or tasted and could only be felt, by heart. That's why she never saw it in the mirror. She turned back slowly. What I thought I had always wanted isn¡¦t those stupid peace and quietness. She thought as she smiled at her reflection in the mirror. It is love. James arrived at the hall and found one person he had least expected to see. Lily. What was she doing in here? Why did the music stopped? Could she be the one who sang it? But how could she know the song? He walked towards her with curious steps. He stood behind her, reached her hand and pulled her towards him She was smiling. What happened? He looked behind her and saw the Mirror of Erised. What happened? And then she threw herself into his arms. He was startled, but hugged her back. Lily pulled herself away from him. She wiped her tears so as to get a better look at the boy. She didn¡¦t trust his love to her because she had long forgotten what trust was. But now¡K When your eyes say it That's when I know that it's true I feel it I feel the love coming through I know it I know that you truly care for me Cause it's there to see When your eyes say it She had found herself lost in his eyes every time she looked into them. She knew the reason now. Because it reminded her so deeply of the thing that she had wanted so much without knowing. It reminded her so deeply of her dead parents. Because only them had looked at her in that way before. With love in their eyes. At the time, the snow storm stopped and the moon came out. The silver moonlight poured into the hall and lied on her, making her look more beautiful than ever. She finally opened her mouth and said,¨ Sorry if I hurt you.¨ 'It's okay, okay.' 'I--I love you' He was speechless for a few seconds. Then, he moved towards her lips. They kissed. It was a long, passionate kiss. They were both breathless after it. He pulled her into him again and hugged her more tightly than ever. His head on her head. He buried his nose into her hair. For two hours, he had thought that he could never smell the perfume again. But now, they were together. What a teaser fate was. He raised his head and stared into their reflection in the mirror. But there was somebody else there. His mother. She was beaming at him. He smiled back. Then, she disappeared. Goodbye, mom. He didn¡¦t care about the mysteries and what Lily had seen in the mirror anymore. Because he would make her the happiest woman in the world. Epilogue-- At the beginning 'So, how did the story end?' 'He found her, and they lived together happily ever after.' 'In fact, when you told me Cinderella's story, I found myself so much alike with her.' 'Isn't it more appropriate if I'm Cinderella and you're the prince?' 'That means guys can't be Cinderella. You do have sexual discrimination, don't you?' They laughed. Up on one of the Christmas trees, were another two living things present inside the hall besides the couple down there.(Though one of them theoretically couldn't be considered as one.) An old man with long white beard in red robe and a crimson bird the size of a swan were sitting on the treetop. 'Ah, another happy ending,¨ the old man exclaimed softly. 'Oh, it reminds me that I need to tell Hagrid to bring the mirror back to where it was tomorrow. I suppose it will not be used again for a long time ,¨ he told the bird. 'Well, guess it's time for a cup of cocoa and a good sleep. Come on, don't look at me like this, Fawkes. It's okay for you to hang here as a bird. But the feather light charm makes me feel weird. Besides, I'm not young and get only one life to waste,¨ the old man looked at the bird. Then, he tapped on the wall with his wand. A hole big enough for a man appeared. He crawled inside and said,¡¨ Night.¡¨ The bird watched him left. Then, it raised its head and sang with its weird voice. Surprisingly, this time, beautiful music came out. James and Lily heard the sound again. But neither of them cared to know where it was from. 'Shall we dance, Cinderella?' 'My pleasure, your highness.' We were strangers, starting out on a journey Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing At the beginning with you No one told me, I was going to find you Unexpected, what you did to my heart When I lost hope, you were there to remind me This is the start And life becomes a road that I wanna keep going Love becomes a river that I wanna keep flowing Life becomes a road, now and forever, a wonderful journey I'll be there when the world stops turning I'll be there when the storm is through In the end, I wanna be standing At the beginning, will you We were strangers, on a crazy adventure Never dreaming,, how our dreams will come true Now here we stand, unafraid of the future At the beginning with you Knew there was somebody somewhere A new love in the dark Now I know my dream will live on I've been waiting so long Nothing's gonna tear us apart Because life is a road that I wanna keep going Love is a river that I wanna keep flowing Life is a road, now and forever, a wonderful journey I'll be there when the world stops turning I'll be there when the story is through In the end, I wanna be standing At the beginning with you Nothing can tear us apart. Nothing will. Three years later, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-" "Careful, James!" The end. Or was it the beginning? Tell me what u think!