I have an awesome writer's block right now. Got an idea for what's coming after... but dunno how to continue where I left off! Ahhhhh! Anyway, enjoy this. I still got 70 pages to go before I run out of story. '

Thanks for all your reviews and encouragement!

Chapter 19

It was one particularly perfect day, perfect for riding.

"Do you still want to see my baby?" I asked grinning.

We walked down the path towards the stables. The sun shone hot and bright and bluebirds chirped. A typical cheerful day. I was wearing a white collared shirt with thin pink stripes and a pair of pants. I had my hair tied up in a ponytail mainly because it was so hot. Sirius and James followed behind muttering to one another things I couldn't hear.

We turned around the corner of the manor towards the fields behind. I headed towards the fence, which bordered up a field that Sapphire always loved to graze at. And sure enough, he was standing in the middle of it, with his head close to the ground, nibbling at the fresh dewy grass.

"It's a horse!" wheezed Sirius almost illegibly.

I unlatched the gate and Sapphire looked up. With a loud neigh, he shook his bangs away from his eyes and galloped towards us. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. It felt so good to feel his soft hair against my cheek again. Sirius and James approached him somewhat fearfully, I could see, but warmed up soon enough.

"His name is Sapphire," I told them as I withdrew a carrot from my robe and held it out for Sapphire to eat.

"Can I ride him?" Asked James eagerly.

"Just another way to impress Lily eh?" Asked Sirius, laughing.

"The only thing chicks dig more then men who rides broomsticks... are men who can ride both a broomstick and a horse..." pointed James.

"Uh... well, sure you can ride him... I'll just get all the equipment or it'll be extremely uncomfortable," I put on a pained look on my face. "...you know where..."

After I had fitted Sapphire with the proper riding equipment, James eagerly heaved himself up confidently and settled himself on the saddle.

"So, how do I steer this thing?" he asked taking hold of the reins.

"First of all, he's not a thing," I said disapprovingly. "He's a stallion. And you move the reins right and left. When the reins touch Sapphire's right neck, he knows he's supposed to go right, so you have to move the reins to your left. Understand?"

"I think so..." muttered James, pulling the reins from one side to the other. "How do I make him move?"

"Nudge him with your feet a little bit," I told him.

"Go James!" cheered Sirius waving a fist in the air.

Sapphire took off like a rocket and we heard James give out a small shout of surprise. Sapphire galloped around the borders of the enclosure, James hanging on tight. I doubt he was even steering at all. Sapphire galloped past as twice more and James pulled hard on the reins pulling Sapphire's head back too high. Sapphire rose onto his hind legs and James fell off him, with a shout, landing on his rear on the grass.

We rushed over towards him, laughing, and Sirius held out a hand, which James grasped and pulled himself up.

"I still prefer broomsticks..." He groaned rubbing his back. "Stop making fun of me... it isn't funny!"

"Okay, so horses aren't for me... hey, your dad owns a broomstick company, don't you have any broomsticks?" Asked James eagerly.

I grinned. "Obviously! C'mon."

I waved goodbye to Sapphire and we headed towards the iron gate at the manor's east wing. I unlatched the lock and opened the gate with a rusty creak of metal. I walked a short distance forward and opened a large oak door.

We entered the room and the torches on the wall immediately burst into flames with a sound like a sudden rush of wind, illuminating the room with its reddish glow.

I heard James say wow under his breath as his eyes swept across the room. We descended the steps into the grand room. James rushed forwards to the middle of the room and gaped. Perched on curved hooks on the walls are models upon models of Nimbus line broomsticks. The more precious ones were kept in glass, hovering slightly from the crystalline walls. These were old models from as early as the 1500s, the last of its kind.

James walked over to a brand new, grand one with a polished mahogany handle and handpicked quality twigs.

"The Nimbus 77?" He whispered, fingering the handle delicately.

We walked towards him where he stared open-mouthed at it. "What about it?" I asked simply, shrugging.

James turned towards me, eyebrows knitted. "W-what about it?"

I gave a half-shrug and gave him a look.

"What do you mean, what about it?" Asked James incredulously. "This model isn't even out yet!"

"Really?" I mused. I really didn't care much about broomsticks.

James slapped his forehead. "I can't believe you actually don't- never mind. This is awesome, c'mon Sirius, look at this..."

"Do you think I can get a discount on this broom when it comes out?" Asked Sirius quietly while James picked up the broom from its hook and balanced it on his hands.

"Nah, don't worry, I'm sure dad can give you one," I said.

"James maybe... I don't think he likes me much," he said downheartedly. "But I think he wants to adopt James though..."

"What?" I asked. I sort of, unwillingly agreed with what Sirius had said, and I knew Sirius could see it in my face. He shrugged sadly as though it was nothing.

"Awesome broom isn't it James?" He said jovially, a smile suddenly appearing on his face, drowning the frown he had worn earlier.

Sirius rushed forwards to admire the broom with his best friend. And I understood. The smile was just a mask he puts on when he wanted to hide his true feelings. I nodded when they asked if they could take it out for a ride.

As James was zooming behind the manor with an ecstatic grin plastered on his face, Sirius and I sat on the grass and watched him in silence as he did loops, corkscrews and sharp dives. Sirius explained he was a Gryffindor team player and Quidditch captain as well. No wonder he could fly so well, as though he was on wings.

James zoomed dangerously to the ground near us, so close that he reached out a hand and flicked my ponytail, laughing as he turned upside down and streaked in the other direction.

"What did you say about father not liking you?" I asked, eager to know more.

"Well, can't you see it?" Asked Sirius, dropping his voice and lying down on his back on the grass with his hands folded under his head. He sighed and looked at the forget-me-not blue sky that shone bright with cottony clouds drifting leisurely across.

"See what?"

"The way he looks at me... the way he talks about me... I think he knows my parents," he added darkly. "And they've obviously saying what an ungrateful traitor I was..."

I didn't know what to say, so I kept quiet. I sighed.

"My parents hate me..." he muttered.

"No they don't," I reasoned.

"Regulus brings honour to the family, why can't you or why can't you be more like Regulus? Purebloods this, pureblood that..." he muttered with a disgusted look on his face.

"Were they..." I hesitated wondering if I should ask or not. But my curiosity got the better of me. "Were they Death Eaters?"

Sirius didn't seem shocked or slightly perturbed by what I had said. He shook his head casually and said, "No, no. Never were. But they thought that Voldemort had the right idea about everything."

"Oh," I muttered. There was an awkward silence between us until James touched back down on the ground, looking elated and breathless.

"That was great!" He wheezed with a large grin on his face. "Sirius! You really got to try it, man. Amazing precision and acceleration speed, really smooth."

"Awesome, or as the muggles say it," Sirius laughed jumping to his feet. "Groovy!"

Sirius took the broom from James and kicked off. He wasn't as skilled a flier as James, but good nonetheless. Better than I'll ever be. I'm just the average flyer, I don't do spins, loops or dives. I just enjoy the simple pleasures of flying through the air, feeling the wind upon my face and enjoying the view.