The class stopped in the middle of the field.
"Now," instructed Professor McGonagall, "You will all have forty-five minutes to help your partners prepare for my short flying test to see that you are all capable of simple flying."
Lily and Sirius made their way to the broom shed. Sirius picked out a few brooms and laid them on the ground.
"Now the first thing you must do is learn how to control your broom." Sirius said looking down at the broom in front of him.
"Up!" he commanded, and the broom whizzed up to meet his awaiting hand.
Lily nodded nervously, "Up," she whispered.
"Come on Lily, don't be afraid, command that broom!" Sirius encouraged her, "Take control!"
"Up!" she cried. The broom soared up into her trembling hand.
"Just throw your one leg over," Lily followed suit, "Now just grip your handle tightly." Sirius explained, "No, no put your hands closer together, yea that's it, there you go!" He smiled his cute broad grin.
Lily was sitting comfortably on her broom, her feet planted firmly on the ground.
"Now, you just want to push off lightly and let your broom go up a bit, then push down on the handle so that your broom is parallel with the ground, and you will hover." Sirius told her. Lily closed her eyes. She pushed off with one foot and let her self rise slowly. The handle of her broom vibrated wanting to gain speed, but she fought it and urged her broom handle down making it level with the ground.
"Good!" replied Sirius, she was hovering just about his head, "Now to come back down, just lean forward and ease your broom handle towards the ground, and when you get close enough to the ground plant your feet safely on the ground again,"
Lily leaned forward, and shakily pushed her broom handle towards the ground, the broom obeyed and soon she was back safely on the ground.
"Lily that was amazing, see your a fine flyer," Sirius cheered.
"It was only a few feet Black," she muttered.
"Well that's okay, this time I want you to push off with both your feet and let yourself go a bit higher okay?" he suggested.
"I'm terrified of heights," she cried.
"It's okay Lily, I'll make sure your safe, I'll watch from the ground and call out any instructions, you will be fine!" He told her.
'You're okay,' she told herself as she mounted her broom once again and pushed off with both feet. The climb upwards was much faster this time, and Lily could feel a cool breeze in her face. She liked the feeling and sound of the wind rushing past her ears and through her long hair.
"Lily, I think that is high enough!" A far of voice called.
Lily looked towards the ground. Sirius was but a small speck on the emerald green field.
"OH MY GOD!" she shrieked. She was way too high.
"Lily you're fine!" Sirius called, "Just level out your broom handle and hover there!"
"Sirius!" Lily shouted as she continued getting higher and gaining speed, "I'm way to high!"
"Just hold on!" he instructed, "Level out that broom!"
She tried to hold on, but her hands had began to sweat, they were slipping, she glanced around her terrified, the ground was so far away, she could barely make out Sirius. She was slipping. She was going to fall. She let out a terrified scream as her hands began slipping apart.
In an instant Sirius had shot up on his broom so he was beside her.
"Lily hold on, its okay!" he pleaded.
"Oh god!" she cried still rising. The trees were beginning to look smaller as she continued to climb.
Suddenly just as her hands were about to slip off she felt weight land on the broom behind her. In seconds Sirius's warm arms were around her gripping the handle. He leaned forward pushing into her so that the broom began to become level with the ground. He let out a sigh of relief as the broom hovered on the spot. Lily looked around, absolutely terrified and her mind recapped what had just happened. She turned around and flung her arms around Sirius burying her head in his chest. She knew that she shouldn't be so bold, but she felt like she needed to hold on to something that she knew was safe. She felt that if she hung onto him she wouldn't fall.
"I was so scared," She sobbed, and her anguish poured out onto his robes.
"Lily," he said looking into her eyes, "Its okay, I'm here now, you are safe."
"I lost control, I thought i was going to fall," She gasped between sobs.
"You are fine," He comforted her, and she buried her head in his chest once more as he guided the broom towards the ground. It was a long way down, and Lily's beautiful hair was blowing all about them. She felt safe and warm in Sirius's arms.
"Here we are," he said as they approached the ground, "Safe and sound." he whispered.
Lily got off the broom shakily.
"I told you I am a bad flyer..." she said, her hands still trembling.
"Sirius Black!" a harassed looking Professor McGonagall barked.
"Ma'am?" Sirius inquired looking past Lily.
"That was a very dangerous stunt you pulled up their. I asked you to teach Evans, not to show off, five points from Gryffindor."
"But Professor," Lily began but she was interrupted by McGonagall.
"Where is your broom Black?" She questioned fiercely. She looked murderous behind her square glasses.
"I..." Sirius began. Lily hadn't thought about what had happened to Sirius's broom. He had jumped off of it to keep her safe.
"A lost broom, over a stupid stunt, I am afraid this merits a detention Black."
"But Professor, he wasn't -" again Lily was interrupted.
"If I were you Miss Evans I would keep my mouth shut, Mr. Black is in enough trouble as it is,"
"But Professor, you have to-" Lily insisted.
"He broke school rules Evans, so leave it alone," Professor McGonagall replied furiously, "And obviously, from what i saw of your flying you can't pass my flying test. I will find a suitible coach for you, as you are one of my best students. You have to be able to fly a broom before you can learn to navigate a pair of your own wings. I must go and arrange use of the quidditch pitch. I will send word with a school owl, to tell you of your lesson."
Lily turned to Sirius, gave him a withering look and began to head towards the school for dinner. Sirius made an attempt to follow,
"Stay behind Black, we must arrange your detention."
Dinner was a grand occasion; nobody asked Lily about last nights events. She was discussing an essay topic for History of Magic with Alice while enjoying a large goblet of Butter beer, when James and his gang walked up. Lily groaned, but looked for Sirius.
"So," hissed James, "I hear you were getting back at us for hiking up your skirt yesterday by landing Sirius a detention."
"I tired to defend him..." Lily said quietly, she had been feeling really bad about Sirius's detention.
"Detention?" Alice asked aloud, looking confused. Lily hadn't mentioned the flying lesson to her friend.
"Yea, Sirius got a nice detention because Lily is a retard when it comes to a broom." James muttered.
"What?" Alice said looking offended that her friend hadn't bothered to tell her.
"I didn't mean to okay?" Lily said buttering a piece of bread.
"What's wrong Lily are you made because you finally aren't good at something?" James shot at her.
"No, just annoyed because you think your the best at everything." she shot back, taking another sip of Butter beer.
"Maybe you're just mad because for once books and revising didn't help you out!"
"Go to hell Potter!" Lily said slamming her Goblet down so hard it spilt all over the table.
"I'll see you there!" James growled.
"James..." Remus mumbled uncertainly.
"I'm going!" James glared at him, and the boys walked away.
"You were flying with Sirius?!" Alice shrieked, "Did anything happen?"
"No, I just am a horrible flier, and he tried to help me, but he lost his broom, so he got in trouble."
"He is so good looking."
Lily let out a sigh and got up, "I am heading to the common room, i need to start writing my essay.
Lily had picked her favorite table in the common room to sit at. It was by the large windows with the maroon curtains. She chewed on the end of her quill thoughtfully and looked out the window at the field she had recently been in. As scary as that episode was, she was remembering how warm Sirius's arms were, how mysterious and deep his eyes were, and how she had been amazed at his concern. She couldn't stop thinking about the muscles in his chest that she had buried her head against, or they way he kept comforting her. Laughter interrupted her thoughts.
James, Remus and Peter were sitting in their corner.
"The greatest was that look on that old Hags face when Moony just ran out in front of her growling, good thing Padfoot was their to keep him in line," James howled, punching Remus's shoulder.
Lily shook her head; they were always talkin about these characters. There was Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail. She figured it was a bunch of codes, for some new mischievous thing they were doing. She settled back down and dipped her quill in the ink pot waiting for the first line of her essay to pop into her head. She was interrupted by a small tawny owl swooping down in front of her. He landed on her parchment and stuck out his foot. She untied the small note and before she could praise him, the owl was gone.
You are to arrive out on the quidditch pitch promptly at
7 pm this evening to receive a lesson in flying. Mr. James
Potter will be instructing you, as he is the best flier in the
school. Please thank him, as he was willing to give up his
spare time to coach you.
Good luck,
Professor McGonagall
No way! She was not going to take a flying lesson with Potter. Not in a million years. She folded the note up quickly and glance at her watch. It was ten minutes to seven. She couldn't believe the nerve of him. How many times was he going to invade her life?
"Are you ready yet?" a deep voice entered her thoughts.
She looked up at Potter, who was holding two brooms and grinning devilishly.
"Now," instructed Professor McGonagall, "You will all have forty-five minutes to help your partners prepare for my short flying test to see that you are all capable of simple flying."
Lily and Sirius made their way to the broom shed. Sirius picked out a few brooms and laid them on the ground.
"Now the first thing you must do is learn how to control your broom." Sirius said looking down at the broom in front of him.
"Up!" he commanded, and the broom whizzed up to meet his awaiting hand.
Lily nodded nervously, "Up," she whispered.
"Come on Lily, don't be afraid, command that broom!" Sirius encouraged her, "Take control!"
"Up!" she cried. The broom soared up into her trembling hand.
"Just throw your one leg over," Lily followed suit, "Now just grip your handle tightly." Sirius explained, "No, no put your hands closer together, yea that's it, there you go!" He smiled his cute broad grin.
Lily was sitting comfortably on her broom, her feet planted firmly on the ground.
"Now, you just want to push off lightly and let your broom go up a bit, then push down on the handle so that your broom is parallel with the ground, and you will hover." Sirius told her. Lily closed her eyes. She pushed off with one foot and let her self rise slowly. The handle of her broom vibrated wanting to gain speed, but she fought it and urged her broom handle down making it level with the ground.
"Good!" replied Sirius, she was hovering just about his head, "Now to come back down, just lean forward and ease your broom handle towards the ground, and when you get close enough to the ground plant your feet safely on the ground again,"
Lily leaned forward, and shakily pushed her broom handle towards the ground, the broom obeyed and soon she was back safely on the ground.
"Lily that was amazing, see your a fine flyer," Sirius cheered.
"It was only a few feet Black," she muttered.
"Well that's okay, this time I want you to push off with both your feet and let yourself go a bit higher okay?" he suggested.
"I'm terrified of heights," she cried.
"It's okay Lily, I'll make sure your safe, I'll watch from the ground and call out any instructions, you will be fine!" He told her.
'You're okay,' she told herself as she mounted her broom once again and pushed off with both feet. The climb upwards was much faster this time, and Lily could feel a cool breeze in her face. She liked the feeling and sound of the wind rushing past her ears and through her long hair.
"Lily, I think that is high enough!" A far of voice called.
Lily looked towards the ground. Sirius was but a small speck on the emerald green field.
"OH MY GOD!" she shrieked. She was way too high.
"Lily you're fine!" Sirius called, "Just level out your broom handle and hover there!"
"Sirius!" Lily shouted as she continued getting higher and gaining speed, "I'm way to high!"
"Just hold on!" he instructed, "Level out that broom!"
She tried to hold on, but her hands had began to sweat, they were slipping, she glanced around her terrified, the ground was so far away, she could barely make out Sirius. She was slipping. She was going to fall. She let out a terrified scream as her hands began slipping apart.
In an instant Sirius had shot up on his broom so he was beside her.
"Lily hold on, its okay!" he pleaded.
"Oh god!" she cried still rising. The trees were beginning to look smaller as she continued to climb.
Suddenly just as her hands were about to slip off she felt weight land on the broom behind her. In seconds Sirius's warm arms were around her gripping the handle. He leaned forward pushing into her so that the broom began to become level with the ground. He let out a sigh of relief as the broom hovered on the spot. Lily looked around, absolutely terrified and her mind recapped what had just happened. She turned around and flung her arms around Sirius burying her head in his chest. She knew that she shouldn't be so bold, but she felt like she needed to hold on to something that she knew was safe. She felt that if she hung onto him she wouldn't fall.
"I was so scared," She sobbed, and her anguish poured out onto his robes.
"Lily," he said looking into her eyes, "Its okay, I'm here now, you are safe."
"I lost control, I thought i was going to fall," She gasped between sobs.
"You are fine," He comforted her, and she buried her head in his chest once more as he guided the broom towards the ground. It was a long way down, and Lily's beautiful hair was blowing all about them. She felt safe and warm in Sirius's arms.
"Here we are," he said as they approached the ground, "Safe and sound." he whispered.
Lily got off the broom shakily.
"I told you I am a bad flyer..." she said, her hands still trembling.
"Sirius Black!" a harassed looking Professor McGonagall barked.
"Ma'am?" Sirius inquired looking past Lily.
"That was a very dangerous stunt you pulled up their. I asked you to teach Evans, not to show off, five points from Gryffindor."
"But Professor," Lily began but she was interrupted by McGonagall.
"Where is your broom Black?" She questioned fiercely. She looked murderous behind her square glasses.
"I..." Sirius began. Lily hadn't thought about what had happened to Sirius's broom. He had jumped off of it to keep her safe.
"A lost broom, over a stupid stunt, I am afraid this merits a detention Black."
"But Professor, he wasn't -" again Lily was interrupted.
"If I were you Miss Evans I would keep my mouth shut, Mr. Black is in enough trouble as it is,"
"But Professor, you have to-" Lily insisted.
"He broke school rules Evans, so leave it alone," Professor McGonagall replied furiously, "And obviously, from what i saw of your flying you can't pass my flying test. I will find a suitible coach for you, as you are one of my best students. You have to be able to fly a broom before you can learn to navigate a pair of your own wings. I must go and arrange use of the quidditch pitch. I will send word with a school owl, to tell you of your lesson."
Lily turned to Sirius, gave him a withering look and began to head towards the school for dinner. Sirius made an attempt to follow,
"Stay behind Black, we must arrange your detention."
Dinner was a grand occasion; nobody asked Lily about last nights events. She was discussing an essay topic for History of Magic with Alice while enjoying a large goblet of Butter beer, when James and his gang walked up. Lily groaned, but looked for Sirius.
"So," hissed James, "I hear you were getting back at us for hiking up your skirt yesterday by landing Sirius a detention."
"I tired to defend him..." Lily said quietly, she had been feeling really bad about Sirius's detention.
"Detention?" Alice asked aloud, looking confused. Lily hadn't mentioned the flying lesson to her friend.
"Yea, Sirius got a nice detention because Lily is a retard when it comes to a broom." James muttered.
"What?" Alice said looking offended that her friend hadn't bothered to tell her.
"I didn't mean to okay?" Lily said buttering a piece of bread.
"What's wrong Lily are you made because you finally aren't good at something?" James shot at her.
"No, just annoyed because you think your the best at everything." she shot back, taking another sip of Butter beer.
"Maybe you're just mad because for once books and revising didn't help you out!"
"Go to hell Potter!" Lily said slamming her Goblet down so hard it spilt all over the table.
"I'll see you there!" James growled.
"James..." Remus mumbled uncertainly.
"I'm going!" James glared at him, and the boys walked away.
"You were flying with Sirius?!" Alice shrieked, "Did anything happen?"
"No, I just am a horrible flier, and he tried to help me, but he lost his broom, so he got in trouble."
"He is so good looking."
Lily let out a sigh and got up, "I am heading to the common room, i need to start writing my essay.
Lily had picked her favorite table in the common room to sit at. It was by the large windows with the maroon curtains. She chewed on the end of her quill thoughtfully and looked out the window at the field she had recently been in. As scary as that episode was, she was remembering how warm Sirius's arms were, how mysterious and deep his eyes were, and how she had been amazed at his concern. She couldn't stop thinking about the muscles in his chest that she had buried her head against, or they way he kept comforting her. Laughter interrupted her thoughts.
James, Remus and Peter were sitting in their corner.
"The greatest was that look on that old Hags face when Moony just ran out in front of her growling, good thing Padfoot was their to keep him in line," James howled, punching Remus's shoulder.
Lily shook her head; they were always talkin about these characters. There was Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail. She figured it was a bunch of codes, for some new mischievous thing they were doing. She settled back down and dipped her quill in the ink pot waiting for the first line of her essay to pop into her head. She was interrupted by a small tawny owl swooping down in front of her. He landed on her parchment and stuck out his foot. She untied the small note and before she could praise him, the owl was gone.
You are to arrive out on the quidditch pitch promptly at
7 pm this evening to receive a lesson in flying. Mr. James
Potter will be instructing you, as he is the best flier in the
school. Please thank him, as he was willing to give up his
spare time to coach you.
Good luck,
Professor McGonagall
No way! She was not going to take a flying lesson with Potter. Not in a million years. She folded the note up quickly and glance at her watch. It was ten minutes to seven. She couldn't believe the nerve of him. How many times was he going to invade her life?
"Are you ready yet?" a deep voice entered her thoughts.
She looked up at Potter, who was holding two brooms and grinning devilishly.