Chapter 6
Rating: good quality fun for the whole family.
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Harry Potter or any of the characters are in any of the five books, they all belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner bros. and scholastic etc.
Lily didn't see James until the end of the day at the great hall having dinner. She made Sarah and Hannah sit as far away from him as possible, in fear of retaliation. Both Sarah and Lily had asked Hannah to explain her earlier words, but she just sat there, grinning broadly at them and providing them no answers.
"I don't like Troy," Sarah muttered as she looked at the Ravenclaw table where Troy was sitting.
Lily was unsure as to what Hannah had said. It was obvious, of course, whom she had been referring to, but she just didn't want to accept that interpretation. Instead, she looked over at Sirius, who was like always next to James. He had been looking in her direction and had quickly looked away as if to hide his actions. Lily grinned. She really did enjoy being around him. He was funny and nice and good-looking. She realized most of the girls in her year had a thing for Sirius. Just as many girls had a thing for James as well. She didn't like to think they were alike at all. She was perfectly fine thinking of James as an enemy. As someone who was only ever cocky and inconsiderate. She refused to let herself think of him as a normal person, with feelings and who had obviously some good features as to have Sirius defend him so unwaveringly.
"Earth to Lily! Lils, are you done or do you want to stay here staring at your dinner for a little bit longer?" Sarah asked smiling.
"Hmm?" Lily said trying to take in what Sarah had said. "Oh, right. I'm done. Yeah, let's go to the common room."
They headed towards the common room, but halfway there, Lily was held back by Sirius Black. "I need to talk to you," he said nervously. She smiled at her friends and they just grinned and left, walking back in hushed and excited voices.
"So, I would watch out for James. He's not exactly happy about having had a second skin," he said smiling as he said it. He let out a slight chuckle. "I wanted to know to talk with you about-- about classes."
She looked at him confused. He looked nervous again. He ran his hand over his silk-smooth hair, allowing Lily to have a good view of his eyes. He was very nervous indeed.
"About classes?" she asked skeptically. "What about classes?"
"Well, I noticed you and I had the same classes today." he said rather quickly. "I guess I was just wondering what career you were going for."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not quite sure," she said in a soft voice. She wanted to calm him down. Tell him he needn't be so nervous. "I don't want to be a healer, I don't want to work in Muggle studies, and I definitely don't want to be cooped up behind a desk and do paperwork all day. I guess I just want to be involved in something exciting. Maybe I'll become an Auror. I mean, I love the idea of it. Although, I have to say, I do have to work extremely hard to be good at all in my Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. So maybe that wouldn't work out."
"I could help you if you wanted. In Defense Against the Dark Arts I mean. I've done pretty well in most of the classes; it's by far my best subject. I was kind of leaning towards being an Auror myself. I know what you mean about being behind a desk, doing nothing but paperwork. There's nothing I hate more than being cooped up. I don't think I could handle a life of entrapment. I must be a bit claustrophobic."
He smiled at her as he said it. He looked up and down the halls as though expecting someone to come out at any minute. He was notably more relaxed than earlier but still edgy.
"Are you expecting someone?" she asked curiously looking down the halls as well.
"Yeah, my second arm." he muttered annoyed. He looked back at her and smiled, "I just don't want to accidentally run into James right now. I'm sure he'll be wondering where I went off to."
She gave him a confused look.
"Well, you don't like him, do you?" he inquired curiously.
"Not particularly, no," she said scornfully.
He was looking for any signs that she wasn't being truthful. When he didn't find any, his curiosity got the best of him. He needed to ask.
"Lily, why do you dislike him so much? I mean, it really does look like you hate him, but I don't think he's ever done anything to you," he said earnestly.
"I don't hate him. I mean, not really. I think you'd have to be Snape to know what hate really is," she said teasingly. Turning a bit more seriously, she said looking right at Sirius, "He has no sense of what he does to people. I mean, think about it. How do you think it feels to be ridiculed in front of the whole school? To be laughed at, to be whispered about, to have people not be near you because they heard something about you or just because they don't want to be teased at because they know other people will laugh if they knew they were with you. It's really horrible Sirius. It can really lead some people to do horrible things. I-I lost a friend like that. She couldn't handle the pressure of school and she-she killed herself."
Her tone had dropped to a soft and grave voice. It wasn't the type of Lily he was used to seeing. He was afraid to ask if they were the ones responsible. If it had been one of the people they had picked on and they had been too self-involved to notice them gone.
"Was she a friend from here?" Sirius asked bleakly.
"No. A friend from Muggle school. I mean, I did have friends before coming here, you know?" she said giving him a soft smile, "She was very much lonely when I left my old school to come here. People picked on her and well. I really just don't like talking about what happened. She meant a great deal to me and I know it might not be the same for some people as it was for her, but what if it does?"
"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I never would've guessed---"
"It's okay, but now you know why. I used to think you were just like James, up until last year," she said giving him a soft look.
"Because I helped you with those Slytherins," he stated somberly, "You know, James isn't how you think he is at all."
"No, sometimes he's worse. I don't want to think that he's like those people in my old school, but all I have to do is look at how he treats people he doesn't like," she said heatedly. Her face managed a slight scowl.
"You see it that way because he's only ever that person when he sees you're in the room. He does it to show off," he said in a profound manner. Watching her face turn a bigger scowl he added, "Mind you, it's not a good way to show off, but it's the only one that's ever worked. To tell you the truth, he just really likes you."
She started walking back towards the common rooms in deep thought so that Sirius was scared to ask what she was thinking. She finally stopped at the stairs turned to him and asked in as a neutral voice she could muster, "Why do you want me to change my mind about him?"
He thought about his answer for a good while before he gave it to her. He considered telling her that it was because James had told him to do it. He quickly disregarded that response. He considered telling her it was because he, Sirius Black, liked Lily and wanted her not to hate his best friend. He wished he could say that, but stayed quiet. At last, he noticed her frowning at his silence. He would say the first thing that came to his mind.
"Because I know what James is like. In all honesty, he's my best friend and the way you see him is not the way he is at all. He's a great friend and he's stuck with me in my best and worst," he said honestly, "You two could hit it off as friends, is all I'm saying."
He smiled at her. She hesitantly took his answer as the truth. She was sure that James had still told Sirius to talk to her for him. She didn't mind talking to Sirius at all; she just wished it wasn't under false pretenses.
They walked to the common room in silence, only ever saying a couple of things to each other. Sirius was processing the conversation. He still hadn't thought about what he'd say to James. He seemed to be the main topic of their conversations. He wasn't too sure he liked it. He looked at Lily from the corner of his eyes. He had thought about it the other night; thought about the possibilities he had with her. Yet, on another hand, he knew how James felt. He had liked Lily since their fourth year. He couldn't really understand why, after all, James had never shared more than two kind words with Lily. How had James seen so quickly, what Sirius after four months' worth of conversations had only begun to see? But that was the thing with James, he seemed to recognize the value in a person, even if they themselves had yet to find it. This only made Sirius feel guiltier about everything. He couldn't explore his chances with Lily, not after all James had done for him.
Lily, on the other hand, thought that maybe telling Sirius about her friend Jamie had been a mistake. She didn't really talk about Jamie, but felt that under the circumstances, it would teach Sirius a thing or two. Even if he did tell James, maybe it would have a positive effect on him. Maybe then he'd realize what he did to people.
When they reached the common room, which was almost empty, Lily turned to Sirius and said in a whisper, "Just for the record, I don't think you are a bully. Not anymore."
She gave him a small smile before she walked up the stairs to her dormitory. Sirius watched her leave and turned to walk up to his own dormitory. Once he opened the door, he was greeted by James, who gave him a smile and asked, "Where were you? You disappeared midway through dinner."
"No where. I was just walking around."
Rating: good quality fun for the whole family.
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Harry Potter or any of the characters are in any of the five books, they all belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner bros. and scholastic etc.
Lily didn't see James until the end of the day at the great hall having dinner. She made Sarah and Hannah sit as far away from him as possible, in fear of retaliation. Both Sarah and Lily had asked Hannah to explain her earlier words, but she just sat there, grinning broadly at them and providing them no answers.
"I don't like Troy," Sarah muttered as she looked at the Ravenclaw table where Troy was sitting.
Lily was unsure as to what Hannah had said. It was obvious, of course, whom she had been referring to, but she just didn't want to accept that interpretation. Instead, she looked over at Sirius, who was like always next to James. He had been looking in her direction and had quickly looked away as if to hide his actions. Lily grinned. She really did enjoy being around him. He was funny and nice and good-looking. She realized most of the girls in her year had a thing for Sirius. Just as many girls had a thing for James as well. She didn't like to think they were alike at all. She was perfectly fine thinking of James as an enemy. As someone who was only ever cocky and inconsiderate. She refused to let herself think of him as a normal person, with feelings and who had obviously some good features as to have Sirius defend him so unwaveringly.
"Earth to Lily! Lils, are you done or do you want to stay here staring at your dinner for a little bit longer?" Sarah asked smiling.
"Hmm?" Lily said trying to take in what Sarah had said. "Oh, right. I'm done. Yeah, let's go to the common room."
They headed towards the common room, but halfway there, Lily was held back by Sirius Black. "I need to talk to you," he said nervously. She smiled at her friends and they just grinned and left, walking back in hushed and excited voices.
"So, I would watch out for James. He's not exactly happy about having had a second skin," he said smiling as he said it. He let out a slight chuckle. "I wanted to know to talk with you about-- about classes."
She looked at him confused. He looked nervous again. He ran his hand over his silk-smooth hair, allowing Lily to have a good view of his eyes. He was very nervous indeed.
"About classes?" she asked skeptically. "What about classes?"
"Well, I noticed you and I had the same classes today." he said rather quickly. "I guess I was just wondering what career you were going for."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not quite sure," she said in a soft voice. She wanted to calm him down. Tell him he needn't be so nervous. "I don't want to be a healer, I don't want to work in Muggle studies, and I definitely don't want to be cooped up behind a desk and do paperwork all day. I guess I just want to be involved in something exciting. Maybe I'll become an Auror. I mean, I love the idea of it. Although, I have to say, I do have to work extremely hard to be good at all in my Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. So maybe that wouldn't work out."
"I could help you if you wanted. In Defense Against the Dark Arts I mean. I've done pretty well in most of the classes; it's by far my best subject. I was kind of leaning towards being an Auror myself. I know what you mean about being behind a desk, doing nothing but paperwork. There's nothing I hate more than being cooped up. I don't think I could handle a life of entrapment. I must be a bit claustrophobic."
He smiled at her as he said it. He looked up and down the halls as though expecting someone to come out at any minute. He was notably more relaxed than earlier but still edgy.
"Are you expecting someone?" she asked curiously looking down the halls as well.
"Yeah, my second arm." he muttered annoyed. He looked back at her and smiled, "I just don't want to accidentally run into James right now. I'm sure he'll be wondering where I went off to."
She gave him a confused look.
"Well, you don't like him, do you?" he inquired curiously.
"Not particularly, no," she said scornfully.
He was looking for any signs that she wasn't being truthful. When he didn't find any, his curiosity got the best of him. He needed to ask.
"Lily, why do you dislike him so much? I mean, it really does look like you hate him, but I don't think he's ever done anything to you," he said earnestly.
"I don't hate him. I mean, not really. I think you'd have to be Snape to know what hate really is," she said teasingly. Turning a bit more seriously, she said looking right at Sirius, "He has no sense of what he does to people. I mean, think about it. How do you think it feels to be ridiculed in front of the whole school? To be laughed at, to be whispered about, to have people not be near you because they heard something about you or just because they don't want to be teased at because they know other people will laugh if they knew they were with you. It's really horrible Sirius. It can really lead some people to do horrible things. I-I lost a friend like that. She couldn't handle the pressure of school and she-she killed herself."
Her tone had dropped to a soft and grave voice. It wasn't the type of Lily he was used to seeing. He was afraid to ask if they were the ones responsible. If it had been one of the people they had picked on and they had been too self-involved to notice them gone.
"Was she a friend from here?" Sirius asked bleakly.
"No. A friend from Muggle school. I mean, I did have friends before coming here, you know?" she said giving him a soft smile, "She was very much lonely when I left my old school to come here. People picked on her and well. I really just don't like talking about what happened. She meant a great deal to me and I know it might not be the same for some people as it was for her, but what if it does?"
"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I never would've guessed---"
"It's okay, but now you know why. I used to think you were just like James, up until last year," she said giving him a soft look.
"Because I helped you with those Slytherins," he stated somberly, "You know, James isn't how you think he is at all."
"No, sometimes he's worse. I don't want to think that he's like those people in my old school, but all I have to do is look at how he treats people he doesn't like," she said heatedly. Her face managed a slight scowl.
"You see it that way because he's only ever that person when he sees you're in the room. He does it to show off," he said in a profound manner. Watching her face turn a bigger scowl he added, "Mind you, it's not a good way to show off, but it's the only one that's ever worked. To tell you the truth, he just really likes you."
She started walking back towards the common rooms in deep thought so that Sirius was scared to ask what she was thinking. She finally stopped at the stairs turned to him and asked in as a neutral voice she could muster, "Why do you want me to change my mind about him?"
He thought about his answer for a good while before he gave it to her. He considered telling her that it was because James had told him to do it. He quickly disregarded that response. He considered telling her it was because he, Sirius Black, liked Lily and wanted her not to hate his best friend. He wished he could say that, but stayed quiet. At last, he noticed her frowning at his silence. He would say the first thing that came to his mind.
"Because I know what James is like. In all honesty, he's my best friend and the way you see him is not the way he is at all. He's a great friend and he's stuck with me in my best and worst," he said honestly, "You two could hit it off as friends, is all I'm saying."
He smiled at her. She hesitantly took his answer as the truth. She was sure that James had still told Sirius to talk to her for him. She didn't mind talking to Sirius at all; she just wished it wasn't under false pretenses.
They walked to the common room in silence, only ever saying a couple of things to each other. Sirius was processing the conversation. He still hadn't thought about what he'd say to James. He seemed to be the main topic of their conversations. He wasn't too sure he liked it. He looked at Lily from the corner of his eyes. He had thought about it the other night; thought about the possibilities he had with her. Yet, on another hand, he knew how James felt. He had liked Lily since their fourth year. He couldn't really understand why, after all, James had never shared more than two kind words with Lily. How had James seen so quickly, what Sirius after four months' worth of conversations had only begun to see? But that was the thing with James, he seemed to recognize the value in a person, even if they themselves had yet to find it. This only made Sirius feel guiltier about everything. He couldn't explore his chances with Lily, not after all James had done for him.
Lily, on the other hand, thought that maybe telling Sirius about her friend Jamie had been a mistake. She didn't really talk about Jamie, but felt that under the circumstances, it would teach Sirius a thing or two. Even if he did tell James, maybe it would have a positive effect on him. Maybe then he'd realize what he did to people.
When they reached the common room, which was almost empty, Lily turned to Sirius and said in a whisper, "Just for the record, I don't think you are a bully. Not anymore."
She gave him a small smile before she walked up the stairs to her dormitory. Sirius watched her leave and turned to walk up to his own dormitory. Once he opened the door, he was greeted by James, who gave him a smile and asked, "Where were you? You disappeared midway through dinner."
"No where. I was just walking around."