Lily was picking through the bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans she had bought moments earlier as her and Sirius walked through Hogsmeade. Sirius had told his friends to go on without him, "Never leave a man behind!" James had shouted before being dragged away by Remus.
Lily looked up at Sirius, "I think one of my main problems with you is that you act like you own the place when you walk in somewhere."
"Not really." Sirius said shrugging, "That's James. I mean I get the attention but I've never went out of my way for it."
Lily
looked skeptical, "What about all the jokes you make in class, all
the pranks?"
"I like to make people laugh. I'm not saying
I don't like some attention, I do, don't get me wrong, but I'm
not like James. He thinks he deserves it."
"Is it true you live with James parents now?" Lily asked suddenly, following Sirius as he made a turn.
"Yeah it's true. You ask a lot of questions." He made his way to a grassy area and laid back in the grass.
Lily sat down beside him. "Well you said I had you figured all wrong, so I'm trying to get to know you."
"Don't get me wrong. I like you a lot better when you're not making fun of me."
"You must not have minded too much, you did ask me to come here with you.
"Look. It's a motorcycle!" Sirius exclaimed, a childlike quality in his voice.
"Where?" Lily asked looking around.
"Up there." Sirius said pointing to the clouds.
"I guess. I think it looks like a rabbit."
"Definitely a motorcycle, maybe a motorcycle with a rabbit head. I've always wanted a motorcycle, when I get out of school and get a job I'm going to get one."
"Why you're a wizard."
"Because they're awesome! Just cause I'm a wizard doesn't mean I can't have a motorcycle."
Lily laughed. "I suppose your right."
Sirius nodded pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one. He raised his eyebrows as Lily motioned for him to give her one. "You smoke?"
"Occasionally. Though I'll pass if you're going to heckle me on it."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Sirius said, though his eyes sparkled as though that's exactly what he had been thinking of doing. He handed her the one he had light and got out another one. "So what does the great Lily Evans want to do once she graduates?'
Lily laid back in the grass. "I think I'm going to become an Auror. What about you? Going to start a motorcyle company?"
Sirius laughed exhaling smoke. "That's a brilliant idea but no."
"What then?"
"You'll laugh."
"I won't. Cross my heart." Lily said making an 'x' over her chest.
Sirius took a drag and exhaled slowly, biding his time, then finally spoke. "I think…well I want to open a school for wizard children. The young ones before they go to Hogwarts."
Lily looked at him, "I don't think that's stupid at all. I wouldn't have expected it from you but it's a really good idea."
"Yeah," Sirius nodded, "I actually got the idea from my aunt Andromeda. She always watches people's children and she mentioned it to me once. She's my favorite aunt, even if the rest of the family hates her."
"Why do they hate her?"
"She married a muggleborn. He's a great guy though. My family, they're just all about appearances."
"I guess they'd hate me then."
"Yeah. Their loss though." Sirius shrugged.
Lily was chewing on the end of her pen, daydreaming, as Professor Bright came into the Defense Against the Dark Arts room followed by five students who looked a little shaken. "Don't worry about it Mr. Pettigrew. You did brilliant." He said as Peter sat down in his chair trembling. "Okay the next group will be Evans, Black, Marrow, Weathers and Longbottom."
The five students got up with trepidation, following Bright through the door at the left of the room. "Make a line." Professor Bright said making his way to a large truck.
The other four students lined up after Lily, who looked behind her trying to conceal her fear.
"You'll do great." Sirius said with a weak smile.
Lily nodded gulping as she made her way forward. Professor Bright was smiling. "Don't forget, act quickly. Again the spell is Riddikulus."
Lily nodded again and Professor Bright opened the trunk. In front of her appeared an older couple and a girl who looked to be in her late teens, the man who was balding had hair the color of Lily's though it was lined with grey. Lily looked at her parents and sister and swallowed hard.
The woman then spoke her voice cold, "You aren't welcome here Lily. We don't want you, not the way you are."
The young girl laughed.
Lily was shaking but managed to control herself, she thought of the first funny thing she could think of, Sirius talking about his love of motorcycles as they made their way back from Hogsmeade "Riddikulus." She said her voice as strong as she could muster. The boggart people turned into cartoonish versions of themselves, causing the other four students and the professor to laugh. "Riddickulus." Lily said again and it disappeared.
"Well done. Very nice Ms. Evans." Professor Bright said patting her on the back. "Mr. Black, your turn."
Sirius was pale as he walked forward. As Bright opened the trunk Sirius trembled. Out of the trunk appeared another Sirius and Voldemort. Several of the students let out a gasp.
Voldemort turned to Boggart Sirius an evil grin on her face. "I knew you would one day join." He laid his wand on Sirius' arm and the dark mark appeared. The boggart Sirius smiled. The real Sirius ran from the room.
Lily watched him run, "Professor may I—"
"Go ahead Lily. Make sure he's okay. He's excused from class for the rest of the day." Bright said rounding on the boggart which turned into a giant troll.
Lily ran to catch up to Sirius. "Wait." She yelled after him but he was still running. "Sirius! Hold on! Please!"
Finally he stopped, leaning against a wall, his face was completely pale. "What?" He asked harshly as Lily caught up.
"I wanted to make sure you're okay." She said catching her breath, she hadn't thought of anything to say to him and was unsure now. "You're not…you won't be a Death Eater."
Sirius looked at her, his eyes dark. "Why not? My family is. What's to stop me."
"You aren't the rest of your family! What about Andromeda. You told me about her yesterday, she isn't like that."
"But the rest of them are." Sirius said coldly. "People turn out like their family."
Lily looked in his eyes, "Sirius Black, the rest of my family is a bunch of muggles and I can turn rats into tea kettles!"
Sirius let a smile creep onto his lips and some of the color returned to his face. "I guess you're right."
"I know I'm right." Lily said smiling at him. "Besides you'd be a horrible Death Eater, you couldn't even defeat a boggart."
Sirius laughed, "Yeah, especially with you planning to be an Auror, you're the scariest person I know."
"You're a stupid prat." Lily said laughing. "Professor Bright said you're excused from class."
"Brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed, "Want to go to Hogsmead?" Sirius asked.
"It's not a Hogsmead day." Lily said confused.
"You forget who you're dealing with Ms. Evans."