Chapter Nine

Lily sat on the edge on Remus's bed, wringing her hands and worrying. Her emerald eyes were shining with unshed tears and she wished that she wouldn't have sent Sirius for a potion so she could have a shoulder to cry on. Again. She felt a bit ashamed of herself and turned her thoughts to the events of the day. She had felt herself drawn to the most unlikely people lately; the shy Remus, the show-off James, the haughty Sirius. Yet somehow, they didn't seem as foreign as they had before. She had given them a chance, and they had proven themselves worthy. She had an itching feeling that they had a secret... a secret that had been tantalizingly hinted at... a secret passage...

But just then Remus gave a small shudder and opened his eyes. He seemed embarrassed, and Lily realized that he had assumed that she was in the dark about his condition. She tried reassuring him, and he protested, but Sirius returned through the trapdoor before they got a chance to really talk about it. Lily watched, relieved, as Remus drank the potion Sirius had fetched and started to regain his color. They talked for a while, Lily feeling herself warming up considerably to Sirius and actually being glad that they had become friends. Lily sat with one leg draped over the edge of Remus's four-poster, leaning back with one elbow near his pillow, stroking his hair in a motherly fashion. Sirius was at the other end of the bed, legs bent, arms casually wrapped around his denim-clad knees. His grey eyes were twinkling as he talked about some of the recent pranks he had pulled with James and Remus the Prefect. Remus denied every word he said, and their bickering made Lily toss back her head and laugh.

They were joined soon after this by James, Peter, and Frank, who started up a pillow fight when she accepted the playful challenge in James's laughing hazel eyes. Lily enjoyed herself thoroughly, fending off Potter and Longbottom as Peter ducked the pillows aimed at him by Sirius. Remus stayed in bed, but was sitting up, pointing at the crisp white pillows with his wand; causing a few of them to bounce continually off James's head. Finally, Lily admitted defeat, waving a now-empty pillowcase above her head while hiding behind the laughing form of Sirius as a sign of surrender. They all (except Remus) fell upon the feather-strewn rug and laughed heartily. Only when their laughter died down slightly did Lily realize that it was past ten o' clock on a school night and she was lying on the floor, covered in feathers from head to foot, laughing her head off in a room full of boys.

She leapt to her feet, tripping over Peter's bewitched soccer ball, said goodnight to the room at large, and walked as quickly as she could from the room; thoughts of what McGonagall would have to say about this filling her mind. She sprinted down the staircase, the boys' laughter following her until she reached the still-noisy common room. A group of second-years turned to stare at her, eyes widening in shock. Lily looked behind her and spied the trail of downy white feathers she had left in her wake. Her gaze fell to her clothes, and she burst out in a fit of giggles at the sight of her feather-covered self. What a spectacle she must be! Still laughing like a maniac, she ascended the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

Lily awoke early the next morning to Lion; who was apparently trying to eat a feather that had been lying next to her ear on the pillow. It wasn't going too well, but Lily left him at it (as he seemed determined). She rose out of bed quietly, leaned on her windowsill and gazed out at the first rays of the May sunshine spilling across the grounds. She breathed in deeply and dressed, pulling on her school uniform regretfully. She left the top button of her blouse undone and loosened her tie. She didn't bother tucking in her shirttails as she glanced in the mirror, ran her fingers through her thick red hair, slipped into her worn leather shoes, and left the room for breakfast. She grabbed her robe on the way out and slid her Prefect badge into her pocket as she shut the door softly behind her so as not to wake the other girls, all of whom were still sleeping. Lily had always been an early riser.

The common room was clean and lit with the sunshine, which gathered in golden pools on the worn armchairs and the empty grate. Lily skipped softly to the portrait hole, and entered the Great Hall within a matter of minutes. She strolled down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, blinking in the sudden sunlight pouring down relentlessly from the bewitched ceiling. She spotted a tousle-headed Sirius in the middle of the table, leaning backwards towards the Ravenclaw table, a cup of coffee in hand, talking casually with Sarah. Lily sat next to him, poured a glass of orange juice and reached across him to grab the schedule he had had propped against a large bowl of fruit.

"'Morning," said Sarah brightly to Lily, "Siri has been telling me about the interesting time you all had last night involving feathers..." She gave a wicked grin as Lily punched Sirius jokingly. He held up his hands in surrender.

"We've got Care of Magical Creatures first," she stated, "good thing, too. It's a lovely day."

Sirius nodded by way of reply, and hailed Remus; who had just appeared in the doors to the Great Hall. He seemed better than last night, though he still looked a bit off-color. The morning post owls appeared as Remus sat, absently stirring his porridge. Lily looked around hopefully for her tawny, and spotted him swooping down to perch on the edge of the fruit bowl. She smiled and stroked its beak, untying the letter from his leg. It took off again after taking a bit of pancake off of Sirius's plate, who was too absorbed in conversation with Sarah to notice anyway.

Remus inclined his head at the parchment in her hand. "Letter from home?" he asked wistfully. Lily nodded, saying "Yes, I suppose its mum again to nag me about being sure to study for the tests, you know."

"Aren't your parents Muggles?" Remus asked interestedly.

"Yes, but I've told them all about Hogwarts... I wish they could see it, they'd adore it, I know they would."

"What about your sister? Petunia, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Lily, her eyes hardening. "She's horrid, I tell you. Jealous, I think. Of me coming here... she goes to St. Mary's School for Girls and whenever I come home for the holidays she sneers at me and puts spiders in my bed." She laughed bitterly. "Let's talk of something else, shall we?"

After breakfast the fifth-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws strolled out onto the sunny grounds toward the edge of the forest where Professor Kettleburn waited with a large tray of Bowtruckles. Lily hung back with Sarah, chatting quietly as the slightly dotty Professor fed wood lice to the fierce little creatures. After the lesson, Lily copied down the homework and headed back up to the castle; walking a little behind the rest of the group. She watched as Sirius drew Sarah into an alcove along the castle wall. A laughing Sarah leaned up against the cool stone, one leg bent back with her foot resting on the wall. Sirius stood, relaxed, in front of her, leaning with one palm on the mossy stone beside her head, the other gently tilting her chin up. His black hair spilled into his grey eyes as they met her blue ones. Lily sighed wistfully as he leaned in and kissed her, her hands around his neck. She chuckled to herself and decided not to wait for them.

She ran a little ways to catch up with Remus and James, who were walking with their heads together, talking in hushed voices. Lily frowned at their behavior and fell into step beside them, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. They looked up at her and dropped their suspicious manner, James complaining good-naturedly about his career advice session that clashed with Quidditch practice. Their deep discussion regarding future career options was interrupted when Severus Snape passed them in the corridor, shot a filthy look at Lily, and made to keep walking. James, however, threw out a hand and stopped him.

"Hey, Snivelly," he said, sneering. Lily glared at James, but he ignored her.

"I don't like the way you look at Evans, Snape. I think you should watch your step."

Snape spat at his feet, pushed past him, and set off down the corridor again; James glaring after him with clenched fists. Remus kept his eyes on the floor, a slight frown line between his eyes.

"You know, you should get off his case, Potter," spat Lily, controlling her temper with effort, "It's not his fault he's horrible. You don't have to be such a bully."

She shot him a withering glance and stalked off down the hall to History of Magic, taking a seat at the very front where James was least likely to join her. Had she looked back at the door, she would have seen James gaping at her soundlessly and, astonished, turn to Remus for some kind of explanation.