Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that are familiar to you. They are owned by J.K Rowling, and this fan fiction is written solely for entertainment…but don't you wish?!

Chapter 25: Progression

I had so much on my mind. Here's a list:

Lily

Kelsey and me

Cecily

Classes

Quidditch (James would kill me is he knew it was so low on the list, but there's more to life than Quidditch, my friends.)

Firstly, Lily was becoming a problem. The days passing with her were hell. She was jumpy, spasmodic, cranky every once in a while and terrified. The few times I saw her being herself was the times she spent with James, but even then she was different. (And James noticed.) It was even worse with Snape in a few of our classes. He'd been saying a lot worse now according to Lily. Alice, Kelsey and I are continuously trying to convince her into telling James. I just didn't understand what kept her from telling him! Oh right, she didn't want to depend on him and bring him into it. Okay, seriously. If I was Lily, I'd tell James in a heartbeat but noooo… Miss Independent has to keep it from him. Of course, I can see the point Lily is coming from. James would probably kill Snape with his bare hands if he found out. Lily tells us not to get involved with this for our own sakes but being the great friends we are, of course we butt into it. Alice even wrote Cecily (who is still with family) and told her what was going on. First thing Cecily asks: Has she told James?

I tell you! It what needs to be done! When two people love each other like Lily and James do, you go to them for help when you need them the most! It's practically a law.

Speaking of HELP, this is where number two comes in. Kelsey. Sirius was right. This has gone too far and I had to tell her or TALK to her. She was my best friend! SO, why is it so hard to speak to her? I needed some major emotional support. I couldn't talk to Lily…not right now anyways. Of course not Kelsey…and Alice wouldn't hurt a fly and had never been in my situation (although I did ask her)…Cecily wasn't here…So, what do I do? Talk to Sirius Black.

Not that talking to Sirius is easy. I had come to know him very well in the past year and a half but this is SIRIUS BLACK. I read about this guy in books for YEARS! It's like meeting Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp or something. It's nerve-racking. I would get the guts to go up to him…and then turn around. Luckily, Sirius got to me first.

"Hey." I heard him behind me. I (who had been sitting under the shade of a tree in the courtyard doing homework) turned around.

"Hey."

It was at this moment that Kelsey walked by. Sirius and I turned but Kelsey kept walking without even caring to look at us.

"Have you talked to Kelsey?" Sirius asked although knowing the answer. I looked away from him.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I…I don't know. She's just…" I couldn't find the words to explain it to him. I turned and looked at Kelsey, who was talking with Remus and Alice, and shook my head. "I don't know what to do."

Sirius was quiet for a moment and to hide my awkwardness, I looked back down at my parchments.

"Want to go for a walk?" he asked.

"Yes." I said a bit too instantly. Sirius smirked and held out his hand. I took it and he pulled me to my feet. Flinging my book bag over my shoulder, I walked beside him as we began to wander across the grounds.

"Have to said a word to her at all?" he asked,

"I said hi yesterday." I said brightly, this itself being an accomplishment. Sirius gave me a look.

"Fine, what do I say?" I said, stopping to look at him directly.

"Oh I don't know…I'm sorry?" he said, drenched in sarcasm.

"That won't do anything. 'Hey, Kelsey! I'm sorry for practically ruining your life and making it a living, lonely hell. Forgive me?' Yeah, Sirius, that's sincere."

"Don't be daft, Caroline. You know what I mean. You have to add to it-really mean it. You do want to make up, right?"

"Of course I do."

"Then tell her WHY you're apologizing. Make it come from here." He said, jabbing at the upper left side of my chest. I continued to walk again.

"She won't listen to me anyways."

"And you know this for a fact?"

"Sirius, YOU know this for a fact. You saw it back there! She won't even look at me!"

"That's because YOU won't look at her."

I was about to interrupt until he suddenly covered his hand over my mouth. I considered sticking my tongue out like you're supposed to do so he would let go, but the look in his eyes made me fall silent.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe she's thinking the exact same thing you are?"

I was about to protest and say yes, I have but had I really? Had I ever thought of what Kelsey felt? Sirius was looking straight at me waiting for an answer. My silence must have givin him the assumption that he was right.

"No." he echoed my invisible words. I didn't say anything.

"You know what you need?" he asked. I looked up at him. He walked in front of me, but turned so he was facing me and walking backwards.

"What?"

"You need to de-stress."

"Sirius-"

"I'm not kidding. Yell it all out right now. Scream it. In fact, hit me if you want to."

I rolled my eyes and laughed loudly.

"Okay, we're getting somewhere. Scream."

"Sirius, I'm not going to scream-"

"Scream! As loud as you can."

"No!"

"Caroline, trust me. I'll scream with you."

"I really don't—"

"Caroline!"

Without saying another word, I grinned and then bent foreword and SCREAMED as loud as possible. I mean, I SCREAMED. Sirius smiled wildly and then joined in so we were both two incredibly loud voices splitting across the grounds. Mid-scream, we both burst out into laughter at how absolutely ridiculous we must have seemed. After we had both regained our regular breathing cycle, Sirius put a friendly hand on my back and grinned.

"Feel any better?"

"Actually, I feel loads better."

"Good. Now that that's done. Mind telling me what ELSE is on your mind?"

I thought for a second. I decided to skip Lily for certain reasons, of course, Kelsey and I were already talked about…I didn't feel like talking about Cecily. It always got quiet and uncomfortable and it was in the Daily Prophet every day…okay, classes. Truthfully, my grades were dropping drastically. I was barely getting at Acceptable in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I NEEDED those NEWTS. You can't get into Auror training without nearly ALL Outstandings.

"I don't know if I'm going to pass the semester…or the year if you go that far." I said.

"Why not?"

"I'm not like you and James, Sirius. You get Outstandings without even trying. I try and…I swear I'm failing."

Sirius didn't say anything. It was almost like he was waiting for something. I suddenly felt like I was going to vomit: I just spilled.

"And then if I don't get ALL Outstandings or at least above Exceeds Expectations, I'll never get out this school and get into Auror training which I'm trying to work so hard for because after Cecily's parents died, I feel I have this job to help people especially with Voldemort all high and mighty. If I don't pass, I'll be that freaky, lonely woman on the streets begging for Knuts so I can buy bread or something and I'll never move on and get married and have kids and I'll stay at this school forever….without a life."

I closed my eyes and exhaled my first breath.

Sirius raised his eyebrows and blinked.

"Do you want help?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Like with classes. I mean, Charms and DADA I can live with, but if it's Transfiguration, I'm there!"

I smiled.

"That's nice but…I don't need help."

Sirius arched an eyebrow and gave me a quizzical look.

"Fine, you can just ask Whipple or Fillpot."

"No!" I exclaimed abruptly, "I mean…I hate asking teachers for help. It has to do with pride or something stupid like that."

"Oh, trust me. Pride I'm familiar with. But I'm serious. I will help you if you want."

I hesitated.

"Look, we won't call it tutoring so you don't feel stupid. I'm just merely helping you pass so you don't become that freaky, lonely woman begging for Knuts." He joked with a grin. I laughed.

"Um…yeah, okay. Sure!" It sounded like fun. It was Sirius's turn to smile.

"Alright, check that dilemma off. What's next?"

Quidditch wasn't a DILEMMA, but it was definitely on my mind.

"Is your back well enough for Quidditch?" I asked. Sirius nodded.

"Oh yeah, it was just….really REALLY painful."

"I can imagine."

"I'm sorry about your leg by the way. I didn't mean for my bat to swing out like that."

I shrugged it off.

"No, it's fine. Madame Pomfrey healed it pretty quickly."

"Good."

"Do we still have a chance of winning the Cup?"

Sirius grinned excitedly.

"Absolutely! We're going to beat Slytherin AND Hufflepuff to the ground. There's no doubt in my mind that the Cup is ours!" He exclaimed. I arched an eyebrow.

"Do you have any idea how much you sounded like James just then?"

Sirius laughed.

"Let's just say I share his passionfor Quidditch."

I grinned.

"Still going to Hogsmeade with Kelsey?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Do I really have a choice?"

Sirius smiled and shook his head.

"Probably not."

Suddenly, the bell rang from the castle, making us both turn our heads.

"Well," Sirius began. "If things with you and Kelsey go as you want it to, I'm here if you need company." He said.

"What about P-"

"As much as Peter is a very good friend of mine, sometimes I just want to get away."

Knowing the truth about the "future of Peter", I highly agreed.

"Besides, I'm in practically in all of your classes; you're my other half in Quidditch and we're going to go into Auror training together (he said this with a reassuring look) and I hardly know that much about you. Even after seven years as same-year-Gryffindors."

I wish I could say the same thing about Sirius but I knew more about him than he thought. Although, there was a lot more to him than I seemed and I didn't know much about YOUNG Sirius. Only FUGITIVE Sirius. I smiled.

"IF things go as planned." I reminded him. "But, yeah. I could use the company."

Sirius smiled.

"Good."

"PADFOOT!"

We both turned at James's voice to where he was standing with Lily.

"Where the bloody have you been?" he asked.

"I was with Caroline."

James arched an eyebrow coyly at Sirius.

"Hate to break it up but McGonagall's going to skin me alive if I'm late again. If I remember correctly, she said the same thing to you."

Sirius rolled his eyes and grinned.

"I'm coming."

He turned back to me.

"Well, I'll see you later."

James kissed Lily (quite passionately in fact) goodbye and hurried off with Sirius. I came up to Lily's side and we both walked into the castle together. From the look on Lily's face, James's kiss seemed to have taken her breath away.

"Are you alright?" I asked with a smile. She looked her normal self for at this time and she looked at me with light-hearted smile.

"That was a good kiss." She whispered, her chest rising. I smirked and elbowed her in the rib but then lowered my head slowly.

"Hate to burst your bubble Lily, but have you said anything to James?"

"No."

"Lily…"

"Look, I know you're concerned. Actually, I'm flattered you actually care about me that much but James doesn't need to know. This is between me and Snape and it doesn't involve James."

"He's going to find out sooner or later. You realize that? He's smart. He knows you too well for you to try and hide it from him."

"I'm trying not to think about that. You KNOW what he'd do if he found out." Lily said. "I don't want him to get expelled."

I smirked.

"Lily, it's a miracle he hasn't been expelled in the past seven years…"

Lily smiled affectionately.

"That's true."

"Miss Lefave." Came a stern voice from behind me. It was Professor McGonagall. Lily gave me a wary glance wondering if I knew what McGonagall wanted. I shrugged in response.

"I'll see you later." Lily said and walked off to class. I turned to Professor McGonagall nervously, having never been alone speaking to her before.

"Miss Lefave, I'm afraid your grades are becoming much to low if you want to keep up to become an Auror. I know you are aware that they will not except anyone having pretty much lower than Outstanding."

I sighed.

"I know Professor…Sirius is going to help me. I really want to become an Auror, it's just harder work than I expected.

The hardness in Professor McGonagall's face lessened.

"I understand that Miss McKinnon's tragedy was hard and I understand that Quidditch is time-consuming but it won't cut it when you leave in June. I'll give you some slack this time but if your grades don't come up, I'm afraid it will be nearly impossible for you to have a chance of becoming an Auror."

"Okay."

McGonagall gave me a single nod and turned on her heel.

"Oh, and Miss Lefave?

I looked up.

"Let's win that Quidditch Cup this year. From what Mr. Potter tells me, you have quite a potential."

I smiled.

And for the first time ever, Professor McGonagall's thin lips curved briefly and left.

It was very late when Lily and James returned from patrolling after a cocky fourth year decided he had the right to walk around after hours because he was convinced he'd be Prefect next year and that The Head Boy and Girl couldn't boss him around. He was quite wrong after James was through with him and Lily teased James the entire night saying how that boy was just like him (James did not find this as amusing at Lily). The two of them were so exhausted when they returned to the Common Room, James collapsed onto the couch, pulling Lily down with him.

"James, if you're so tired, a bed is just up those stairs…" Lily said, smiling. James had closed his eyes and shook his head.

"It's too far away." He said deeply. Lily giggled softly.

"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow." Lily said, yawning. James creased his brow, but his eyes remained closed.

"No...Stay here with me." He said, tightening his grip around her waist, pulling her closer so that she was lying closely next to him. Lily smiled and rested her head in the crook of his neck. She felt very protected lying in James's arms and for an instant, her worries of Snape slipped away….for an instant…

She was standing in her house, but suddenly, the roof shattered and the walls crumbled around her to ruins. There was an eerie mist hovering around the rubble and Lily looked around for any sign of life. Walking into what used to be the living room; she clapped her hands over to her mouth and screamed in agony. Her parents' bodies lay in odd positions, their eyes wide and afraid. Dead. Her mother's eyes were glazed and her mouth hung open with a look of horror. Her father lay with the same expression. Petunia was standing in the middle, very much alive.

"This is your fault." She growled. "Because of YOU, they're dead."

Lily tried to shake her head but Petunia took no notice. High above the house, the Dark Mark- an awful skeletal head with a snake slithering through it- illuminated her parents and Petunia's faces and then there was a high, bone-chilling laugh. A green light engulfed Lily's sight and then blackened…

Lily gasped, jerking her head up. She was sweating, but her face was mixed with horrified tears. Her breathing was rabid and her heart was pounding so fast, she couldn't even hear herself breath. Her vision was blurred momentarily and then she suddenly realized she was in the Common Room. She was about to sit up until she felt someone next to her. It was James. She had completely forgotten she had fallen asleep with him on the couch. Her breathing went back to normal and smiled in relief, glad to see him again. His arm was still around her waist, it being the only thing helping her from falling off the couch. She sighed, brushing a strand of his black hair out of his closed eyes. Caroline was right. She couldn't go on without telling him…but how? She check James's wristwatch. If was only about 3:00. No wonder she was tired and weary. Lily curled warmly into James's chest, fiddling with his shirt buttons. She didn't know if she would go back to sleep after that dream. Finally, sleep consumed her once again and she fell asleep, her head on James's chest, his breath tickling her hair and his heart beating next to her ear soothingly.

James woke up, the sunlight streaking into the large room. The opened his eyes only to blink painfully and close them again. He had forgotten to take his glasses off and the adjustment gave him a sudden headache. He felt the weight over his left arm and he smiled down at Lily who was curled up against his chest. He moved his neck and groaned inwardly. He had the worst crick in his neck and down his back. He tried to move without waking Lily and cursed to himself when he felt Lily stir. Lily moved her head, her arm rising to rub her forehead from the sudden sunlight. She felt James move and curse above and she looked up into his face and smiled.

"Good Morning…" she crooned in her usual morning voice.

"I didn't mean to wake you. If you're still tired then go back to sleep. Sorry…" he said quickly, his voice hoarse and then grinned. "But Good Morning anyways."

Lily laughed.

"It's okay, I'm awake.

James smiled again and nodded. He slid out from underneath her and turned on his side, so he was lying next to her. Lily ran a hand through her hair and turned on her side as well so she could look at him. When she looked up, he was already staring at her, with a look of disbelief on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"God, you're beautiful." He whispered, shaking his head. Lily smiled and scoffed softly.

"I never realized how pathetic you look in the morning, James." She teased, tugging down on a strand of his hair. He laughed and reached up and took her hand that was brushing down his hair.

"It won't do any good." He said. Lily shrugged.

"I kind of like it now. It's pretty sexy."

James gave her a surprised look.

"Really?"

Lily laughed and leaned in and kissed him.

"Don't go telling people that." She said, running a hand down his jaw.

"Are you kidding? I should write that down…"

Lily laughed and kissed him again deeply. James pulled her closer so she couldn't pull away and deepened the kiss, turning it into the passionate kiss he had wanted. Lily breathed blissfully and began to run a hand under his shirt, fingering the buttons provocatively. James pulled back a bit, their noses still touching.

"You keep that up and we'll go a bit farther than you want too…" he growled deeply. Lily giggled pulling him back to her lips again, running a hand up and down his chest.

"You would just love that, wouldn't you?" she murmured, brushing her lips against his. James scoffed.

"You certainly have a low opinion of me, don't you?"

Lily smiled.

"None lower."

"I think my self security just dropped drastically, Lily Evans." James whispered hoarsely with a grin. Lily eyed him coolly and with one swift movement, she lifted herself on her right arm so she was above James and seductively lowered her head towards his lips. Their lips met passionately and James's hand moved to the back of her neck, running his fingers through her hair. She had never kissed him like this before and quite frankly, he completely forgot he was in the Common Room. Even at Hogwarts. He felt like he was on his broomstick, soaring higher than he ever had before. When they very reluctantly drew apart, James was trying to keep himself breathing normally. Lily had taken the opportunity to literally vacuum the oxygen out of his lungs. James exhaled deeply and looked up at her, grinning. Lily threw her head back and laughed at his haughty expression.

"How's you're self security now? Rose a bit?"

"Just a tad."

Lily smiled.

"Good. I think you underestimated me there from the look on your face." She joked.

James laughed.

"I never did."

They smiled at each other for a long moment, speechless.

"Well, I'm glad you're back to your old self," James said.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, I mean, you've been acting a bit odd lately."

Lily suddenly remembered what Caroline had said yesterday. He couldn't possibly know…maybe he did and was waiting for the moment. No, he wouldn't wait…maybe he'd seen Snape confront her and he was now asking her about it for the first time. Her thoughts trailed to Snape again. Why wouldn't he just stop? Couldn't he just leave her be?

"It just won't stop…" Lily whispered. James's eyebrows rose.

"What?"

Lily jerked out of her thoughts. Oh god, she had said it out loud!

"I mean—"

"What won't stop?"

Lily shook her head.

"Nothing, Nevermind."

Lily quickly got up and checked a clock.

"I'd better get ready for class. I'll see you later."

"Lily, wait!" James exclaimed, reaching out to grab her arm but missing.

"Merlin, I'm going to be late. I'll see you soon, James. Bye!"

"Lily! What's wr—"

But Lily had already left. Now, James KNEW something was wrong and he wasn't resting until he found out.

I sat across from Kelsey at breakfast, glancing every few seconds trying to figure out what to say. I had taken Sirius's advise and now I was trying to succeed. Alice had stayed up doing homework and had slept in, so it was just me and Kelsey.

"H-Hey Kelsey?"

Kelsey looked up from her textbook.

"Look...I—" I was stuttering now and Kelsey was waiting.

"How-How are classes going?" I mentally scolded myself. Not exactly the way I wanted that to start out. Kelsey raised an eyebrow.

"They're good."

"Good…good." I mumbled. "So…you're still going to become a Healer?"

Kelsey looked up again.

"Yeah, I think that it's something I want to do now."

"Yeah, it sounds exciting."

"Well, I think Auror training is a bit more exciting if you ask me." She said, smirking. I managed a half-smile. I was making some progress. Wait until I tell Sirius.

"It's really hard though. I'll probably never make it. It takes a while."

"Apparently, according to OOTP." Kelsey replied, using the acronym for Order of the Phoenix so no one would know.

It was silent for a couple minutes. Apologize, damn it. Apologize!

"Um, Kelsey?"

Again, Kelsey looked up at me.

"I'm—I'm sorry." I said quickly and quietly.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Kelsey closed her book and was looking at me intently.

"For being a really big git lately. I know you were spending the day with Remus. I would have too if he was my boyfriend…and I'm sorry for thinking you don't care about Cecily's parents and everyone You-Know-Who has and will kill. I was just frustrated…I didn't mean anything."

Kelsey's cold laden eyes softened and she smiled at me slightly for the first time in days.

"Did Sirius write that out for you or do you really mean that?"

"Oh, no, no, no. I came up with that on my own. And I meant every word…"

Kelsey sighed slightly.

"I'm sorry too actually. I've never fought with a friend in my entire life. Especially you."

"So…are we okay?"

Kelsey's smiled faded a bit.

"Caroline, I'm not saying I'm completely made up with you. I mean, you did ignore me but…let's just not go too far with this whole fight or we'll never speak again."

"Alright."

Kelsey checked her watch.

"I need to go brush my teeth. I'll see you later." Kelsey got up and left the Great Hall. I exhaled triumphantly. I think this is the start of a fresh beginning.

A/N: Alright, sorry it took me so long. Things just keep getting in the way. So, things are looking up for Kelsey and Caroline. But not so good for Lily, eh? Well, I'm very proud of that Lily and James fluff in this chapter. I'm getting so much better at writing those kinds of things. YAY! See more of it in the future. James is finding out more by the second but will he discover by chapter 26? We'll see…