A brisk wind blew through the halls of Hogwarts, reminding everyone that they were well and truly into the term. September had quickly turned to October, and the first week of the month was rainy and dull. The novelty of returning to school having faded, the only excitement the sixth years had throughout October was four weeks of learning how to apparate in order to receive their Apparition License at the end of the month.

Sirius had been looking forward to these lessons since he was very young. The ability to disappear from his family home would have been greatly appreciated a little earlier on in life, but at least now, with the Potters, he no longer felt the oppressive weight of his parents stifling him. Now, that's not to say he hadn't tried to apparate before, having raided the Black family library for any information of how to use apparition as transportation. All he was left with was a splinched ankle, and had to spend a month at St Mungos drinking Skele-Gro and applying Essence of Dittany. Sirius shuddered at the memory. His parents had barely visited him in hospital, and even when he was back at home they didn't speak to him for a further three months, apparently monumentally disappointed in their oldest son and heir.

Hopefully he would be able to make some happier memories apparating this time around, Sirius thought and he looked to his left where his best friends stood. James and Peter were engaged in a spirited conversation about the quality of dinner the night before, with Peter arguing it was the best meal they'd had since being back at Hogwarts this year, but James insisting that the Shepheard's Pie last week was far superior. Remus, taking the high road as usual, stood back and watched as both boys gesticulated wildly with both hands, chuckling to himself every now and again as one of his friends referred to the "incredible mash" or "banging pudding". Sirius watched them all with a sentimental grin, before catching a certain red-haired girl watching them in much the same way, with a small, secret smile on her lips.

Lily eyes suddenly flitted to his, and then, embarrassed, back down to the ground, and Sirius watched her as she turned back to Alice and Marlene, who were chatting behind her. He made a mental note to keep an eye on that one, and make sure she would be true to her promise she had made him the other night.

Lily gave her friends a brief smile as she turned back to them, her mind churning with reproach at Sirius having caught her watching James. She truly didn't mean to be observing him, since she had made up her mind to make good on her promise to Sirius. She was resolved to back off from James a little, at the very least so she had a chance to sort out all of the clutter in her mind which seemed to be growing exponentially larger by the minute. The last thing she wanted was for James to get hurt because she didn't know her own mind, and Lily couldn't trust herself not to hurt him if she continued the way they had been.

'Just focus on the present, Lily, you can worry about everything else later.' She told herself mentally, looking forward to the apparition lesson they were about to receive, and honestly just too mentally exhausted to psycho-analyse herself right now.

Apparently Dumbledore had contracted out some members of the Department of Magical Transportation to teach them to apparate, and the two men from DMT standing at the front of the classroom appeared vaguely bored and disinterested in the teenagers surrounding them, and though they acknowledged McGonagall's call of "Settle down everyone, Mr Proove and Mr Swire will begin the lesson shortly.", they began the lesson with a tone of indifference that made Lily want to fall asleep right then and there.

Their explanation of the process and benefits of apparition, as well as the dangers, was a recap for Lily, as she had already read most of the books in the library on apparition back to front at least twice. Once Lily had arrived at Hogwarts she found apparition to be a most interesting topic of research, as she detested flying on a broomstick and had never used a portkey or floo powder. It seemed wonderfully convenient if she could master it, and Lily thought it would no doubt come in handy if one ever needed to make a quick getaway.

The mandatory safety briefing having been completed, the men from DMT took turns in apparating around the classroom, each movement characterised by an audible 'crack'. The sixth years watched on in awe, having never seen anyone apparate inside of Hogwarts. The complicated charms on the castle prevented anyone from apparating on Hogwarts grounds, but the spells were temporarily disabled to allow for them to learn (or at least that's how McGonagall had explained it to them, when she warned them that they were only allowed to apparate in the allocated time of these lessons whilst on school grounds).

The class repeated the 'Three Ds': Destination, Determination, Deliberation, back to the instructors three times before being given the go-ahead to attempt to apparate themselves. For the entirety of the lesson, the cacophony of children spinning on their heels in the hope of ending up on the other side of the room filled the space (and a notable absence of 'cracks'), with the students making very little progress.

Lily forced herself to focus and keep her eyes off James, the class reminding her too much of their Patronus class last week. She could feel the icy glare of Sirius every time she glanced up and happened to catch James' eye, and then he would smile at her in that wide, open grin of his that never failed to make her smile back. But then she would catch herself and return her mind to the task at hand.

The lesson ended in much the same way it had started, with McGonagall settling everyone down, as some corners of the room had descended into laughter and clearly were no longer attempting to work on apparating. They all left the classroom and headed to the Great Hall for lunch, chattering excitedly about their first lesson, eager for next week, as McGonagall began recasting the charms over the classroom.

Later on in the week, Herbology class rolled around again, and for Lily and James, that meant being in close proximity to each other. Their progress on the Fire Bush Project had been going smoothly, and with only one week until the final project was due, they were making the final touches on their assignment and editing each others' writing. Lily was trying to keep her distance emotionally, Sirius' words always echoing in the back of her mind, but it was becoming increasingly difficult when James' personality and smile were so magnetic, and he always knew how to make her laugh, and he listened when she talked and they made such a great team. Lily knew she couldn't, and shouldn't, lead James on, but she couldn't very well ignore him when they were doing a project together.

James had been noticing some hesitancy from Lily for the past week. She would flinch a little when their knees touched when sitting next to each other at their desk and she would avert her eyes down at her work every time he met her gaze and smiled. Maybe he was coming on a bit too strong. He didn't want his enthusiasm to push her away, not when they were getting along so well as friends. James was resolved to tone down his overt infatuation, and hope that they could return to their regularly scheduled bordering-on-flirting banter soon without any odd tension.

To James' mind, their Herbology project was going brilliantly. They made a better team together than either of them had initially expected, and all their research was done, so all that was left to do was to complete some last minute edits and write out the final draft on some parchment. Lily was definitely bringing out the studious side James Potter, and he had to admit that he didn't hate it, especially not when she was around.

As Herbology finished, their last class for the day, James and Lily gathered their things and exited the class into the hallway together, when a slimy, greasy excuse for a human being, otherwise known as Severus Snape, approached Lily from around the corner.

"Can I talk to you?" Snape said stiffly to Lily, refusing to look at James.

Lily looked up at James apologetically, saying in a resigned tone; "You go on without me. I'll see you at dinner."

Lily knew she would have to face her former best friend eventually, but truthfully she was hoping any conversation with him could be postponed indefinitely and scheduled for never o'clock.

She followed Snape around the corner he emerged from, neither of them wanting to have this conversation in public.

Snape had been waiting outside the herbology class, waiting for Lily as the other students filed out. The last person he expected her to emerge with was James Potter, and his shock unfortunately dictated the first words that came out of his mouth.

"What do you think you're doing panting after Potter? I thought you hated him?" Snap spat, immediately regretting the aggressive tone with which he began their conversation which was supposed to be an apology and attempt at reconciliation.

"You don't get to care what company I keep anymore, Severus." Lily said, staring into his dark eyes with no apprehension or fear. She had learned to let go of his friendship in the months since their confrontation, which was in fact the last time they had spoken.

Her friendships with Alice and Marlene, and newfound kinship in James, Sirius, Remus and Peter seemed to allow her to come into herself, and she doubted she had felt this happy in a long time, if ever. She enjoyed having the blissful freedom of not worrying what Snape would think of her choices or her behaviour or her friends, and relished in the fact that they had not bumped into each other earlier; though now Snape was clearly seeking her out.

"Listen, Lily, I'm sorry, alright? I shouldn't have said… what I said…" he began.

"Oh, so now you're too scared to say it? Come on, Sev, call me a filthy mudblood, you know you want to." Lily barked back, previously ready to pacify Severus but immediately riled by his attack on her friends, challenge in her eyes.

"Lily, please let me say I'm sorry. We've been friends for how long? I don't want that to all go down the drain because I said something stupid because Potter and Black were baiting me." he pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice now.

"Don't you dare blame them." Lily said, becoming angrier and angrier with every word Snape said. "And we're not friends any more. You took care of that. I don't know why you never realised that your views towards muggle-borns weren't cancelled out because you were friends with me. Hell, I don't know why I never realised that the way you treated me was the exception to the rule. Even if that day at the lake had never happened, I don't think I could stand by while you're completely vile to the other muggle-borns of this school and while you continue to associate with people whose parents hunt and kill muggle-borns. For all I know, that's what you do too."

Snape began to try to defend himself "Lily, I-" but Lily was having none of it.

"No, Severus, I think you've said quite enough to me. Consider yourself free of me, of the burden my mudblood friendship must have been to you. If you're wise, you won't approach me again, and do yourself a favour and DON'T insult my friends."

And with that, Lily turned on her heel and strode down the corridor, panting with the emotional exertion it took to sever all ties with a friend she had known as long as Snape. As she wheeled round the corner, tears just beginning to stream down her face, she ran smack bang into the solid chest of James Potter.

"Hey, Evans. I was just-" he began sheepishly, before noticing her expression and pulling her into his arms. She positively melted into his embrace, exhausted from all of the emotions of the confrontation. He slowly brought her to a bench which flanked the corridor and they sat as Lily composed herself. Wiping her eyes and sniffling a little, she brought her eyes up to his, as if suddenly registering his presence.

"What are you doing here? Were you eavesdropping, Potter?" she said, suddenly accusing.

"Well, yes, but only because I don't trust Snape. I just wanted to be close by in case you needed anything or if he turned violent. But you were perfectly capable on your own, as always." he finished, smiling softly down at her and using his own hand to wipe away some of her tears.

"Thanks." she said feebly, feeling very lucky and more grateful than ever to have James in her life. How could she ever stay away from him?

"Anytime, Evans." James said, his grin becoming infectious to Lily. "Now, how about we go grab some dinner? You'll feel better once you have some food in your stomach.". Lily smiled an ever-grateful smile at him, and shakily stood to her feet. They walked to the dining hall together, James' solid and strong arm around her shoulders holding her up.

The two of them walked into the Great Hall together, James' arm still wrapped around Lily, her eyes lightly bloodshot and her face mostly cleared of tear streaks. They were talking lightly as they walked down the aisle to where their friends sat, all of them looking up as James and Lily approached. Their faces clouded with confusion, then concern at Lily's bloodshot eyes, but as the two of them sat in the empty space on the bench opposite Sirius and Marlene, Sirius poked a finger at Lily and said "I need to talk to you."

Based on Sirius' darkened expression, Lily bet that she knew what this conversation would be about, and nodded silently as she rose, ignoring James' perplexed expression about what Sirius and Lily, who he knew were "alliances" but otherwise not friends, could have to discuss so urgently.

Lily followed Sirius out of the hall into the corridor, when he suddenly turned around and demanded "Well, I see you and James are all cuddly. What the fuck was that, Evans? I thought we had a deal?"

"We're just friends, Sirius, I promise not trying to lead him on."

"Well you're doing a pretty fucking poor job of it! I thought you were going to stay away from him?"

"I-" she started, unsure of how to express the muddlement in her mind. "I'm trying, alright? It's just- Snape accosted me after Herbology- and I was crying… and James just happened to be there. He was comforting me, that's all. You, of all people, should know that he would want to comfort me. He- He was just being a good friend." She told him, still floundering, but with desperation in her eyes, pleading with Sirius to believe that she didn't find herself in this situation intentionally.

Sirius ran his hands through his hair, smoothing his black locks in irritation.

"Evans, I just don't know if I can trust you. I know you're not trying to give James the wrong impression or anything, but-"

They both turned their heads as another body emerged from the Great Hall. Remus.

"What's going on here?" Remus asked them nonchalantly, ever the peacekeeper. The two of them stayed silent and looked away sheepishly, but Remus wasn't about to let them off the hook that easily.

"Let me guess, you-" he pointed at Sirius "want her-" pointed at Lily "to take a step back from James out of fear that she's going to hurt him?"

Lily and Sirius both stayed silent, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that Remus had seen through them so quickly. For two people who were so often at odds with each other, they really shared many of the same characteristics, Remus thought. They were both proud, wildly intelligent, and had a habit of doing rash things whenever they got worked up or overly emotional about something.

"Lily, do you mind if I have a word with Sirius here?" Remus asked calmly. "We won't be long."

Lily nodded and shot an apologetic glance back at Sirius as she walked back into the Great Hall, before stopping and turning back to the two boys.

"I really didn't mean to, just so you know… I promise I'll try harder from now on." Lily gave them both a soft smile as she continued on her way.

As soon as Lily was out of earshot, Sirius began to ask Remus "What is this about-", only to receive a cuff across the back of the head from their usually quietest friend.

"Ow!" Sirius yelped. "What was that for?"

"What do you think you mean, going around telling her things like that?" Remus asked, only a hint of accusation lacing his voice, his tone still as calm and collected as his face.

"I'm just looking out for old Prongsy! You know how he feels about her, and I know for a fact that she does NOT feel the same way about him. None of us want a repeat of the summer, Moony. I hated seeing Prongs all mopey because of that girl. He wasn't himself. I was only trying to stop her from hurting him."

"That's where you're wrong, Padfoot" Remus explained softly.

"How do you figure?"

"What you don't see is that Lily is slowly but surely opening up her heart to our good friend." Remus said slowly, trying to make Sirius understand. "I saw them in the library together the other day, laughing together, and I know I saw her look at him the same way as he looks at her."

Sirius made a faux-gagging noise as he said "You mean all dopey and moony-eyed?"

"I wouldn't have phrased it that way, but yes. That's the way she looked at him." Remus said, resolute in his conviction. He could see what Sirius couldn't; the friendship blossoming before their very eyes.

Sirius grumbled, and said "I don't like it."

"Just trust me on this okay, Padfoot? Give them both time." Remus spoke calmly, knowing the best ways to pacify his hot-tempered friend when he was worked up about something.

"Okay… But if I even get an inkling that she's toying with him-"

"Padfoot, she's not."

"But if she was-"

"Fine, if she was toying with him, you would be justified in having a stern word with her. She's not, but if she was, you could speak to her. There are other ways to start a conversation other than jumping down someone's throat, though…" Remus muttered that last part under his breath, beginning to make his way back to dinner.

"You'll have to speak up Moony, I like to be able to hear it when people insult me" Sirius said good-naturedly as he slung his arm over his taller friend's shoulder, pulling his neck down so he could ruffle Remus' hair as the two of them returned to where the rest of their friends were waiting.

Later that night, James lay in bed, mulling over the events of the day. He couldn't think about Lily's conversation with Snape without his hands clenching into fists. How dare that little slimeball talk to her in that way, especially after all he's done is hurt her? He thought Lily chewed him out rather well though, so hopefully Snape wouldn't come bothering her any time soon.

He hadn't realised how much Lily had been re-evaluating her relationship with Snape. James was infinitely proud of her, for setting her own boundaries and standing up to Snape, but he couldn't hide that he had been slightly surprised to hear her shut him down so quickly and so completely. Lily was one of the most forgiving people he had ever met, with the biggest heart in the world. She'd forgiven Snape so many times before, as he'd heard from Marlene and Alice, and he truly thought that this time would be no different. But nevertheless, he was immeasurably glad with her decision, even though he could never shake his regret about the events that lead to it.

James also considered the way she had accepted his embrace as he comforted her, thinking about how right it felt to have her in his arms, warm and safe, and how she didn't flinch or push him away or yell like she would have done a few short months ago. He smiled to himself. Who would've guessed?

He also puzzled over Sirius and Lily's interactions at dinner. He wondered what Sirius had pulled Lily out of the hall to discuss, that they couldn't wait or at least have the conversation in front of the rest of them. Remus followed them out almost immediately after, recognition in his eyes, and Lily returned to the table by herself, returning his questioning gaze with a soft smile and a subtle shake of the head. Perhaps he would never know what they discussed…

And with that last, frustrating, thought, sleep pulled him under.