The magic we call love

“James would you stop pacing around? You are making me nervous” complained Peter in a low voice, not wanting to upset his friend even more.
“Sorry Pete. Is just that” apologized James as he ran his hand thought his messy dark curls “this year has to be perfect. You know how it went last year…”
“And the year before that” added smugly Remus.
“Oh!” exclaimed Sirius sitting up from Remus lap and looking at the sandy haired boy “Don't forget the year before that year, also”
“Ouch! James!” grumbled Sirius when James threw a pillow at his head. He had resumed his pacing around the boy's dorm room.
“I would’ve thrown it at Moony, Pads, but he scares me more than you do” laughed James finally sitting down on his bed. “Besides, you I can take” added with a wicked smile.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah”
“Bring it on, Potter” said Sirius launching himself on top of James.
Peter yelped as he got out of the way. Remus merely shook his head amused while the other two boys started wrestling on the floor.
“Ha! I told you I could take you” said James triumphantly once he had pinned down Sirius to the floor.
“Moony!” Sirius complained with a pout trying to look over to his boyfriend.
“You know there’s a reason you need to attend quidditch practice. If I can take down my beater what use do you have for the team” mocked James.
“Moony!” repeated Sirius, this time louder.
Remus gave a sight and closed his book. When Moony closed his book you knew you had his attention. He had barely stood up when James jump up the floor and backed away to his bed with a mischievous smile. Just like a kid that has been annoying his parents and getting into trouble was exactly what he wanted. Sirius stood up and put himself in front of Remus.
“You should go to practice more often you know” said Remus resting his chin on Sirius's shoulder.
“Ha!”
“Moony! You are supposed to be on my side!” said Sirius faking the greatest indignation, “Don't you like me just the way I am”
Remus nuzzled his nose to the shorter boy's neck, hiding his face from the other two boys present. We whispered something neither James nor Peter could hear, but Sirius blushed furiously.
“Besides” said Remus straightening up again “there are no sides here. We are helping Prongs”
“Oh yeah” said Sirius looking at Remus sheepishly.
“Look at the bright side, James” interceded Peter. “This year you have an advantage you hadn't had the previous years’”
“Really?! What is it?!” asked James beaming at his friends.
“This year she actually said yes. Ouch!” said Sirius as Remus elbowed him, but James simply smiled at the teasing. He knew he would tease Sirius as much eventually. “Well is true. She agreed to go out with him. He can't possibly gift her something so awful that make her ganna break up with him, can't he? Ouch! Moony!”
“Well, you've got a point there, Pads”
“Damn right I do so stop elbowing me, James is enjoying all this attention.”
In the end the four boys spent the whole afternoon narrowing down their options. Really it wasn't that hard; although James had lots of good ideas but he had already used a few of them. For example, he couldn't serenade Lily, he had done that last year and now that they were dating she deserved something ever bigger, besides Lily had hated the little cupids following her around all day long. He couldn't prepare her a romantic dinner by candlelight, he had done that fourth year. Well, maybe he could still use that idea given that Lily hadn't even gone out to the lake shore, therefore she never really saw it.
“Perhaps you could set up something in the library?” suggested Peter. “Like a picnic. I'm sure if Remus ask madam Pince, she'll say yes”.
“Done that.” Answered in a bored tone James.
“Third year”. Added Sirius.
“Why don't you buy her something?” asked Remus, who was probably the least romantic of them all.
“I can't. I bought her something on our second year.” He said with distress written all over his face. He defenitely was reliving that scene, “She said I was a materialistic prick and that I couldn't buy her love with expensive gifts”
“Well honestly Prongs, who buys someone an entire greenhouse?!”
“Oi, s´not my fault. Moony said muggles had them and Lily loves flowers.”
“I said some muggle families own them but is family property, and they can afford them if the family is really wealthy, if not they are public places.” clarified Remus while running his fingers through Sirius hair.
Sirius turned his head around and bit Remus leg softly. The other boy gave a little jump and smacked the raven haired boy lightly in the head. Sirius just laughed.
“Why don't you buy her something small then?” pitched Sirius, not really paying attention any more.
“Yes, that's it!” said James excited.
“It is?” asked Peter, looking kind of disappointed.
“Well, not all of it, but I have the perfect gift for her. I'll just need to owl mom, and then we move to part two.” James was in plotting mode and as soon as Sirius sat up with a wicked grin there was nothing that could stop the marauders.
“Part two?” asked Remus cautiously, “I mean, obviously I'll help as much as I can but some of us are also planning things.”
Sirius snapped back his head to Remus with his mouth opened.
“You are planning something for me Moons?” he said.
Remus simply shrugged, his cheeks faintly crimson coloured.
“That's alright mate, I will just need help with a few charms, and then you are free to continue wooing my brother” assured James.
And true to his word, James did needed little help. He prepared mostly everything. He talked to Dumbledore and wrote to his mother that same evening. Furthermore, he sneak with Peter to the kitchens to talk to the elves. And he spent the next week searching with Moony on the library some useful charm and then practising with Sirius. And it was the previously mentioned, who helped him set up everything on the Great Hall and on the Quidditch stadium.
Saturday morning and James was a handful of nervousness. He and Sirius had woken up early and were going over every little detail on the great hall. When the clock stroked seven o´clock, a few students began to arrive. You could see the confusion on their faces as the great hall was adorned with the usual Valentine's ornaments, however Sirius and James had changed every house banner, and now it could be seen a beautiful magical creature in each of them – since Lily felt so fascinated for the wizard world-.
“Okay, Pads, we have five minutes until Mary and Marlene take down Lily from the common room.”
“Right, I'll send Pete and Moony the signal.” Said Sirius, rushing to the entrance of the Great Hall.
He took out his wand and from the tip of it a shining blueish light poured out. Soon enough, in front of Sirius were two wolves looking expectantly at him. He blushed a little. He always blushed thinking about this.
“Tell Peter to start setting Lily's place” he said, addressing one of the wolves. Then he turned to the other one, “Tell Moony to cast the spell in exactly five minutes, okay? Go!” he commanded, and the patronuses disappeared in different directions. “And tell Moony I love him!” screamed at the last minute.
He could have sworn he saw the wolf nod lightly. Then he returned to inside the hall.
“All set James”
“Great, Marls should arrive soon.”
And as if he had summoned her, Marlene crossed the doors running with her face flushed.
“Mary and Lily are behind me!” she said as soon as she regained her breath, “we saw your patronus Sirius, so she knows something's up”
“Don't worry, Marls.” assured James, “I'm sure she was already suspicious.”
Not a moment later, the doors opened once again. Mary was covering Lily's eyes with her hands. James gave Sirius a nod.
“Orchideous!” said Sirius softly, aiming at the great hall roof.
“Meteolojinx” said James, aiming at the flowers Sirius had just produced.
Mary uncovered Lily's eyes. She stood frozen with her mouth opened. There was rain inside the great hall, and it wouldn't have been so peculiar, expect for the fact the instead of raindrops there were lily flowers pouring down.
“My lady” said James, standing in front of him and doing a comic bow. He was so fucking nervous, but he played it nonchalant. “Can I escort you to your seat?”
“Oh my god! James!” screamed Lily, jumping towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck, peppering his face with kisses.
The students that were already eating were either protecting their food from the flowers with a bitter mood or watching the scene unfold with fond eyes. Everybody at Hogwarts had witness year after year of James's attempts to woo Lily. It was early in the morning - James had made sure of that - he knew Lily didn't like a lot of attention, but still deserve a great surprise.
Sirius, Marlene and Mary seemed to have disappeared to the background as at this moment the only persons in the world that existed were Lily Evans and James Potter. Looking at each other like they owned the world. With a grin only the fools or the crazy can bear. Maybe they were both, but oh, how lucky they were at that very moment.
“I take it you liked it?” said James in between kisses.
“I'd loved it. Thanks, Jamie” she said, still not letting go.
“Wait there’s more.” Said James, all the nervousness was gone, and he had returned to his inflated-ego-self.
“There’s more?” asked Lily in disbelieve. “James, you shouldn't have.”
“For my sun, my light, my greatest love I'd do anything” he responded dramatically while conducting Lily to her usual seat on the table. Lily rolled her eyes but smiled anyway because she knew he meant it.
The second they arrived to Lily's place, a white porcelain plate appeared. James made a mental note to congratulate Pete later for his timing. On top of the plate there was a beautiful flower crown which levitated and set itself on top of Lily's head. Then a vanilla cake appeared and there was a fairy skating on top of it writing I love you with green icing. Lily crunched herself down to the level of the table to admire the fairy. She was oh so fascinated by all the magic she had discovered in the world since she was eleven years old.
“James, this is… simply amazing”
James pressed a kiss on her fiery red hair and wait for Lily to straighten herself up again. Once she had done that, James whispered in her ear.
“Go take a look outside the window”
Lily rushed to the window, and she could barely hold her tears back. In the quidditch stadium, it was snowing. A full on Christmas-snowy-day type of thing. There was a little figure on the horizon waving, who couldn't be other than Remus Lupin. Lily felt her heart warm with joy. James had gifted her another day of winter, her favourite season. He had gifted her with all the magic he had grown up with, something he considered so mundane was fascinating to Lily.
“Oh, James, this is all so beautiful. Can we go outside to with the snow?” asked Lily eagerly. But the rain of flowers hadn't stopped yet.
“Sure Lils whatever you wish for.” James had the fondest of the smiles. “Oh, but I have to return for lunch to help Sirius with something.”
“Of course you do. I'm surprised you asked me to be your valentine. I was planning on asking Remus because I thought you and Sirius would spend the day together” joked Lily, punching James's arm lightly.
“Lils?” called James, “Before we go there, this little gift I bought for you.”
Lily stared at James in disbelieve. This man had just done the gift of the year and there was more?!
James handed Lily a little box. He was towering her, sheltering for the curious looks everyone was aiming at them. Little knew this was an important gift. And despite being on the Great Hall with students arriving it, somehow felt very intimate with James so close to her. She undid carefully the elegant bow and opened the box. Inside there was a necklace with what seemed to be a crystal lily. Without a word, Lily handed it to James and turned around. The second the flower touched her neck, it bloomed. Lily turned to face James with wide eyes. James has a shit eating smile on his face as well.
“It blooms when you are truly happy.” He explained.
“Jamie, with you in my life, how can't I be?" She laughed.
Lily brushed her hand along James's cheek. James tilted his head towards Lily´s touch and closed his eyes. He was sure he'd never grow tired of kissing Lily. His soul bubble with anticipation every time, and when lips met in the middle, it was like a peace James had never known he'd been seeking all along. After that, both of the lovebirds headed to the quidditch pitch to enjoy a morning of snow fights and building snowmen. Later they would be joined by their friends because love is meant to be shared.