Lily didn't know what to do.

Her day had started out good: transfiguration had been easy and lunch was delicious as always. Marlene had leftover Honeydukes chocolate from their recent Hogsmeade visit and Lily had been allowed to eat some. Her day had been as perfect as days at Hogwarts could be, in fact, until Professor Dumbledore pulled her aside and ruined her day, and quite possibly the next few weeks, with his news.

As soon as the words had left Dumbledore's mouth, Lily ran. She ran out of his office and didn't bother to think about where she was going, she just wanted to get away from there. Salty tears snaked down her face as she thundered through hallways and up stairs, trying to hold back a sob. Students in the corridors watched her in fascination and worry, but quickly went back to their everyday activities with no clue as to how drastically Lily's life had just changed. Lily fumbled for one last door before ripping it open and stepping through it, closing her eyes.

Although she had missed dinner, Lily had never felt less hungry. She opened her eyes and glanced around the astronomy tower before sighing. Her chest began to ache as the sob she held back threatened to come loose.

Lily attempted to wipe a tear off of her cheek, but it really did no good as her already wet sleeve just smeared her face, leaving it tingling from the cold. The wind rustled around her and she glanced up at the stars, longing to be there with them rather than down on Earth, feeling pain. The tile of the astronomy tower floor felt cold to the touch, and Lily wished that she'd worn more than just her school robes. She shivered, knowing that she should go inside but unable to because the ache in her chest hurt too much for her to move.

Lily sat there for what could have been minutes, but could have been hours. The concept of time felt both lost on her and constricting as she vaguely remembered curfew and the fact that she was out of her dorm past it. McGonagall would understand, she told herself, wiping another tear. She sniffled and felt more tears threaten to leak out, but did her best to hold them in. She would stay strong.

Just when Lily had almost dozed off, the sound of the astronomy tower doors being thrown open made her jump. Startled, she turned and watched the figure that marched angrily through them, seeming to not notice her. The figure paced, raking his hands through his hair and muttering to himself angrily. Finally, he stormed over to the edge of the tower and stared over the edge. He looked wishfully at the stars, just as Lily had done, before returning his attention to the ground far below them. He stood, unmoving, before leaning out over the edge. Lily began to worry as he kept leaning farther and farther over, before finally he seemed to make up his mind and move away from the ledge. Taking a deep breath, the figure moved forward again, and seemed to try and climb onto it.

"Stop!" Lily couldn't help herself from crying out. If she ended up watching a student commit suicide after the day that she'd had, Lily might just follow him.

The figure turned around suddenly, as if surprised by her presence. Lily stood up shakily as she seemed to recognize who it was, and the realization filled her with dread.

"Si- Sirius?"

His eyes widened as he realized what she had seen. His voice sounded grovely, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time, and it shook, as if he were holding back tears. "Lily. I- Oh, Merlin, Lily, I- Are you crying?"

As Sirius moved closer to her, Lily wiped her eyes again and pulled her cloak closer to her body. He came more into view and she saw his face, possibly more tear-stained than Lily's. His usually sculptured face was almost unrecognizable in sorrow: his eyelids drooped and his eyes were dark. His hair was splattered across his forehead in what seemed to be sweat and his posture was hunched. His expression was one of utter hopelessness.

"Are you?" She deflected, sniffling again. She and Sirius held eye-contact for a while, both holding back tears, before she sighed and scooted over. Her little corner of the astronomy tower became theirs as he plopped down beside her, resting his arms on his knees and his forehead in his hands.

"Do- do you want to talk about it?" Lily's voice shook with defeat as she turned to the boy sitting beside her.

"No." He stated. His voice was void of emotion. "Do you?"

"No."

They both sat there for minutes more, the sky getting darker as the night continued on. Lily continued to gaze at the stars.

"Hey, aren't you named after a star?"

Sirius's mouth lifted upwards, the ghost of a smile on his saddened face. "Yeah, I am. The dog star. It's the brightest star in the sky."

Lily pondered on that. Sirius didn't look like he was named after the brightest star in the sky: in fact, in that moment he looked worn and beaten and old. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

The hint of a smile on Sirius's face disappeared and he looked down at his feet. "No," he repeated, shifting uncomfortably. Lily sniffled again.

"Dumbledore talked to me today," she admitted. He looked up at her quizzically, as if asking her to continue. He tilted his head in confusion, much like a dog. "He told me the attacks have gotten worse and they went for my family and my dad- he's dead. My mum and sister would be too if they'd been home."

Sirius's face shifted from curiosity to loathing as he processed what she said. "I'm sorry." His voice sounded frail, as if it were his fault.

"Why?" She asked carefully. Sirius chuckled darkly.

"My mum and dad- they're death eaters. They're in with the guy behind the attacks, he calls himself Voldemort. And my- my little brother, Regulus. He's in with them too." At this, his voice cracked and he moved his arm, glancing at his bare forearm. "He joined them."

Lily looked at Sirius for a couple seconds, processing what he'd said. "He did?"

"Yeah. Got the dark mark and everything. I thought he could be saved, but apparently I was wrong. And my mum- she hates me because I'm not like him. I'm different."

"You don't know that she hates you. She's your mum."

"She hates me." Sirius chuckled darkly again. "And I know it cause she- she beats me." He glanced up at her before quickly looking back down, as if he were afraid of her reaction.

Lily's eyes widened in fright for the boy beside her. As she looked at Sirius Black, sitting beside her, she felt pity. This boy had grown up in a house full of people who hated him for believing in the right thing. "Is that why you thought about jumping?"

Sirius looked at her, alarmed and angry. "I wasn't. I- I'll admit, I was wondering how far down a fall would be, but I wasn't actually considering it-"

"Okay." Lily didn't believe him, but decided that it would be best not to pry. If Sirius wanted to talk about it later, he was safe for now, with her here, and she would try and help him. However, she couldn't help but feel bad for the situation he was in. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't want your pity." He growled, turning away from her. Lily, surprised by his harsh tone, moved to scoot away from him. He turned back around quickly, looking just as frightened as Lily had felt. "Lily, I- I'm sorry." Sirius closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "I didn't mean to sound like that. I- Please forgive me."

"For Merlin's sake, Sirius, it's okay." Instead of moving away, she opted to move closer to him. Delicately resting her head on his shoulder, she began to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" Sirius looked up at her, his startling grey eyes glimmering in the moonlight. Lily bleakly realized that she'd never fully noticed how handsome he was.

"Look at us," she grinned. It was her first grin since hearing the news. "I can't stand you, Sirius. You can't stand me."

His face lit up with a slight smirk. "You're alright, I suppose." His face suddenly darkened. "Really, I'm awful sorry about your dad, and I'm sorry it was my family who did it."

Lily quickly took her head off of his shoulder, startled at his words. "You don't know that," she stated tentatively. "It could've been anyone."

"All those purebloods in with Voldemort- I'm related to all of them. So is James and every other pureblood. It's downright awful." He shifted, moving to sit with his legs crossed as he turned to face her. His expression was one of determination, as he longed to make her understand. "They want to kill all muggleborns, Lily. They don't think that you deserve to have magic. It- It's horrible, Lily, I- when I first came to Hogwarts I didn't even know the term was muggleborn, I thought it was mudblood, because that's all they would call you by at home. They talked about killing and taking over and destruction as if they were good things, things to be celebrated, and I- Lily, when I was sorted into Gryffindor they were horrified. I- I have scars all over, you see, from my mum- every time I come back from home Remus has to use some advanced spells to make them go away." His eyes were filled with desperation, wide and vulnerable, as he ached for her to understand his pain. Lily made eye contact with him and moved closer, gingerly putting her arms around his chest. He sighed, releasing the tension in his body and resting his head on hers. "Thank you, Lily."

She nodded silently. "My- my dad, he was a good man." Lily suddenly felt filled with the desire to explain her sadness, as Sirius had never had a real family to be sad over. "When I was little, he used to take me trick-or-treating on Halloween every year, and one time he and my mum got me a princess costume but I decided that day that I wanted to be an astronaut, so he- he got me a clear bowl and a white outfit and turned it into an astronaut for me. And he always kissed my cheek on my first day of muggle school, and when he found out I was a witch, he- he took me out for ice cream, and he said, he said 'Lily, you are going to do magnificent things, and I can't wait to see them,' and-" Lily's voice cracked, and instead of looking at her, Sirius shifted to that he was squeezing her hand. She hugged him tighter and, regardless of not being very good friends with him, began to cry on his shoulder. "And it just- it just feels like I don't belong anywhere. I don't belong here because purebloods hate me. And I don't belong there, 'cause Tuney-" she hiccuped. "Tuney hates me too."

"Tuney?" Sirius asked, finally turning to look at her.

"My sister."

"Ah."

She and Sirius stayed in this position for what felt like hours, both letting their tears slip out and the facades that they used around others disappear.

"Purebloods do not hate you, Lily." Sirius stated matter-of-factly. "They're just jealous because you're smarter than all of them combined. Merlin, you have the best marks I've ever seen- better than Moony, even, and he spends all of his time studying. Far better than me and James and Peter-"
"Peter's marks aren't that good." Lily laughed, turning to look at Sirius. "Why are you all friends with him?"

Sirius shrugged. "He's got faults, like the rest of us, but he's a good person. He'll do anything for his friends, and in a life-or-death situation, he would do what's best for everybody. I know it."

Lily nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense."

Sirius looked as if he were about to say something, before changing his mind. Then he frowned, looked up at Lily, and decided to speak. "You really should give James a chance, Lily."

Lily couldn't help but snort. "James is the most ignorant, pig-headed-"

"Boy you've ever met and you despise him and his existence, yeah, yeah," Sirius finished, a glint in his eye. "But he's a damn good bloke, once you get to know him. I'm not just saying that 'cause he's my best mate, Lily, it's 'cause he really is. And his family is incredible. They said I could live with them, if I wanted, this summer. The last summer before we leave Hogwarts and I can spend all of it with my best mate."

Lily shook her head slowly. "I don't know, Sirius, he's been awful to me."
"Prongs just doesn't know what to do around you. He thinks you're stunning, Lily, the prettiest girl he's ever met. And the brightest witch of our age."

Lily fully smiled at that, pulling her cloak tighter around her. "I might think about it. We'll see."

Sirius grinned at her, the tear-stains on his cheeks beginning to fade. "Bloody hell," he sat up quickly. "What time is it?"

Lily glanced up at the sky, pitch black besides the twinkle of stars and the moon. She briefly wondered where in the sky the brightest star was. "Bugger, I missed dinner."

Sirius laughed, shakily standing up and reaching down to help her up as well. "Never fear, Evans, I know exactly how to help with your predicament."

She grabbed his hand, laughing, and wiped her face one last time before following him out of the astronomy tower. "This better not be against any school rules."
"Everything I do is against school rules, Lily." Sirius looked back at her and grinned, the pain in his face beginning to fade as the sparkle in his eyes returned. "You should know this."

"True," Lily snickered.

"Hey, before we get to the kitchens, promise me you'll give James a chance?" Sirius asked.

"The kitchens? You know where they are?" Lily's eyes widened. "We're not allowed to go there! If Professor McGonagall finds out-"

"She won't." Sirius deadpanned. "Honestly, Evans, live a little."

"I do live-" She began, but was cut off by Sirius.

"Promise you'll give him a chance?"

"Yeah, yeah, show me to the food."

Sirius laughed and walked to a painting of a fruit bowl, tickling the pear. A doorknob appeared where the pear had been and he swung the door open. "Trust me, Lils, you won't regret it."

As she feasted on bacon, biscuits, and raspberry cheesecake, Lily's sadness from the day began to dissipate, and she decided that maybe Sirius Black and his friends weren't so bad after all.

Thank you for reading! I used to have an old account on here but that was years ago and I forgot the password. If you have any requests for anything you would like me to write about Percy Jackson or Harry Potter, let me know and I will do my best to comply. Don't forget to favorite and review!

-Bookishme1