Disclaimer: not mine, J.K.Rowling's. Say it with me now.

Ok, I've actually made an interesting decision. This story is on the same thread as my other fic 'As Thunder Rolls'. There will be a tie in from time to time, and maybe a few things that will explain some things in the other story and vice versa. Nothing drastic though, as this is, fundamentally, an entirely separate fic. But anyway, just thought you should all know.

Detention

Lily trailed dreamily through the corridors of Hogwarts. She was thinking of how it would feel to grow up, to have everything she ever wanted, to be someone to be reckoned with.

She walked abruptly into an obstacle.

The Gryffindor looked up into the dark eyes of Severus Snape. "Oh, it's you," she observed, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Watch where you're going Mudblood," he hissed, characteristic of his house.

Lily narrowed her eyes feeling anger tingle through her veins. "Better than soulless," she snapped in retort, feeling the comforting weight of her wand in her right-hand pocket.

He snorted vindictively. "Little girl, you have no idea," the Slytherin replied menacingly, looking down on Lily.

The redhead puffed herself up indignantly, rising to her full height. A fire sparked in her green pupils, making him want to take a step backwards. "Haven't you got some small animals to torture? Or some dark magic to learn? Because, y'know, I thought that name calling was so below Slytherin scum." She grinned at her own contradiction in terms.

Severus observed in amazement that when she smiled her whole demeanour drastically changed. What was her name again? He only knew she was muggleborn. "You're in my way," he announced coldly.

"Well stamp your foot and throw a tantrum," Lily shot back condescendingly, somehow succeeding in making him feel inferior and immature. She swept past him and back up the hallway, leaving him to wonder why exactly he'd never noticed her before.

Lily finally arrived at the Divination room, still fuming from her encounter with the Slytherin bigot.

"You're late," announced Professor Mason.

"Yes, sorry," apologised Lily quietly, placing her bag down on a nearby desk. Sirius was already sitting on one of the couches strewn around the room looking very smug and arrogant. As ever.

"You have been sent to me to serve detention, so maybe you will learn something whilst you are here," instructed the teacher matter-of-factly. She was very different to previous Divination professors they had had – this one could actually hold an entire conversation without looking 'misty'.

Lily nodded, even though the teacher couldn't actually see her. "You are to polish the crystal balls, tend to the tea leaves and make sure that the tarot cards are properly ordered and in the right-coloured silk. I will be in my office if you need me." The professor swept away and vanished into the corner of the classroom, where Lily could scarcely distinguish a door between the clouds of vapour that always resided in the Divination tower.

Now she was alone with Sirius. Fabulous.

Lily went straight to work to avoid having to look, or in any other way have contact, with the cocky Gryffindor.

Had my fill of chauvinists for today thank you.

She polished the first crystal ball carefully, watching as it went a very violent red colour in her hands. She pursed her lips; she didn't need a crystal ball to tell her she was incensed.

"So, um," started Sirius, airily suggestive as ever. "What's your name again?"

It's not like I fell off the map, I'm in his house for god's sake.

She straightened up and looked him in the eye. "Out of your league I believe covers it."

"Well Miss Out-of-my-league, why haven't I seen you around much? You're in Gryffindor aren't you?" He thought about it for a few moments. "We share D.A.D.A with the Hufflepuffs though. You're not one of them, are you?"

"You say it like some kind of disease. Hufflepuffs are people too," she retorted derisively.

"But you can't be one of them," asserted Sirius.

"And why would that be?" Lily asked, failing to keep the curiosity out of her voice. She still didn't look up from the polishing of her now red-swirling-purple crystal ball though.

"You're too pretty," he replied simply.

Lily snorted, finally stopping her scrubbing to watch him absently unroll a pack of Tarot Cards from the luxurious black silk. "You know nothing about me," she replied calmly.

"Sure I do," asserted the black-haired Gryffindor. "I know you're in my year and in Gryffindor."

"Wow," marvelled Lily mockingly. "That's amazing, did you figure it all out on your own?" She put the crystal ball down and it immediately reverted to a serene light yellow haze, she threw it a glare for good measure.

Sirius was quite taken aback, usually girls would either roll over and do what ever he wanted or they ran away. They generally didn't stick around to bad mouth him. "Do you know who I am?" he asked inquisitively.

"Course I do, Mr-I'm-Sirius-almighty-Black-you should-fall-at-my-feet-and-worship-me. It's kind of difficult to miss," she bit, picking up another crystal ball that instantly went a furious, tempestuous, blood red.

"Fine," said Sirius evenly, eyeing the colour of the ball in her hands a bit worriedly. "So please tell me your name? I know it begins with 'L', I remember you from second year. Where did you go last year?"

"I was here you moron. Just because you can't see past your ego, doesn't mean people don't exist." Lily fixed him with a glower that firmly said 'push me further and you'll regret it'.

For the first time in his life, Sirius Black backed down. He was quite partial to all his limbs, preferably intact, and this girl looked like she could do some damage.

The rest of the two hours passed in silence with only the fumes and the crackling of the fire to soften it at all.

Finally they were dismissed and walked a little way apart back to Gryffindor tower. Sirius muttered the password ('Peskipiksi') and opened the portrait for Lily unthinkingly.

She gave his a strange look before climbing through. Just before she disappeared up the staircase to the girls dormitories she turned and said two words to him.

"Lily Evans."

And was gone.

Well thanks go to my two reviewers this time! :)

Poky – salute much appreciated!

Victoria27 – thank you kindly for your review all the same, a big platinum star for reviewing all of my stories!! :)

Xx Susannah xx