After school, Lily visits Hagrid.
She wanders down to his hut in the cool, drizzling afternoon, huddling in her school robes, the damp air making her thick hair frizzy. She steps up to the door and politely knocks. After hearing a clumsy shuffle of various household objects, Hagrid swings the door open widely and greets Lily with such a kind smile and loving glint in his dark eyes.
"Why hello, Lily!" he exclaims, allowing her through the doorway. "How's it goin'? It's been awhile, hasn' it?"
"I-I came to say how sorry I am for leaving so suddenly the last time I-him? What's he doing here?" she quietly gasps, weakly pointing at Black.
Hagrid laughs. "Oh, c'mon, Lily! He won' bite!"
"I guarantee nothing," Black says and shakes back his dark hair, and lets out a bark-like laugh. His face relaxes at Lily's unimpressed expression, and scoots over. "Here, I'll make room. Please, sit down!"
"Thank you," she mumbles, wrinkling her nose, but for no reason: Black actually smells good,like clear nights. Potter stinks of mud and rain, Lupin has a stench of fresh laundry, and Pettigrew just reeks.
"Las' time yeh were here, yer sister was givin' yeh some trouble. Is she still?"
She pauses. "She's taken to ignoring me over holidays, which, I don't mind, at least she's not reminding me how 'abnormal' I am. I kind of miss it, though…"
Black snorts. "I didn't know you have a sister!" he says.
"Yeah, She's a bit older than me, and she doesn't go to Hogwarts," she replies softly. "My parents have been very supportive of my education, only there's a lot they still don't understand."
"Ah. Glad to hear. Sirius, o'er there…" Hagrid does not finish his sentence. He lowers and shakes his head.
"Oh, what's wrong?" Lily asks.
"Similar situation, I guess," Black begins. "Only, my family is quite Pureblood."
"One o' the wealthiest, oldest, and purest of them all," Hagrid adds in disgust.
Lily widens her eyes. She would have never guessed by Black's behavior towards absolutely everything. She guesses she always thought he came from a Wizarding family like Potter's. "I-I didn't know," she mumbles, finding a newfound sympathy, but he just lets out a bark-like laugh.
"Blimey, I though' ye'd know more about each other!" Hagrid laughs. "Yeh've been in school for wha', four years now? Yeh two are quite similar-why have yeh kept away?"
Lily blinks in surprise. Yes, they might have some similarities, but she does not consider herself rebellious, sarcastic, cocky, or brooding, unlike Black, who fits that description perfectly. Oh no, what does he think of me?she thinks, glancing over slightly, yet he still stares at her like he has never witnessed a girl before.
"Well, thank you, Hagrid," Lily announces, standing up to go back to the castle for dinner. "I best be going."
"I should too," Black wonders aloud. "Thanks."
"No, before yeh go, wha' is goin' on with yeh and James?" Hagrid asks. "Remus came down jus' the other day, and he told me tha' yeh were goin' to fight?"
Black looks back. "Well, I, ah, apparently, I'm the only one who can get James to stop when things get into his, ah, head." He shrugs.
"I feel like there is some good inside that boy, past the layers and layers of arrogance and idiocy," Lily says before she can stop herself. "Whoops!"
They tumble out of Hagrid's hut. "That was the nicest thing I've ever heard you say about James!" Black proclaims. Lily steps in front of him.
"If you tell ANYONE about my feelings for Potter, I swear, I WILL confirm that Remus Lupin saw you naked."
He nearly falls over in intimidation. "You wouldn't dare!"
I should have let this go. I thought this one would be more observant."You heard me. Do not repeat this." She sticks a finger to his chest. "You comprehend?"
"Seriously, you and James?" he asks. "I mean, all this blackmailing surely proves how you're meant for each other! So sorry," he mutters, moving away from her. Is he scared of me?
Lily pauses then lazily raises her arm. "Tag. You're it," she says, lightening the mood, running away from Black.
"What?" he shouts, chasing after her. He actually is a very unattractive runner: his walk is typically a lope, yet he runs like he is being hunted down by Aurors. Potter runs pretty well, though. Sometimes, if she wakes up early enough, she sees him prance around the castle grounds, making sure he is in top physique for Quidditch. Stop thinking about Potter!
"You can't catch me!" Lily chants, laughing as she slips through the castle doors.
"Gotcha!" Black whispers, latching onto Lily's wrist as they enter the Great Hall.
"Nope, doesn't count," she says. "We're inside. Game's over."
Suddenly, Black lets go of Lily's wrist because James stares at them in complete jealousy.