After that first meeting on the train took its initial wrong turn for Lily and James, things got even worse. I'm not quite sure whom it got worse for, though.
With each time Lily blew up at James for doing something wrong, he fell deeper in love with her. When we were in third year, and allowed to go to the village on weekends, he asked her out for the first time. That was a disaster.
I think things were bad for James because he really and truly did like Lily. The only problem was, he didn't exactly show it in the best ways.
Things were also bad for Lily because James really did like her. And he took every opportunity he had to show her that. The only problem was Lily hated James, and she didn't like the many…attempts James made to ask her out.
After the first five times James asked Lily out (She said no every time, just so you know.) I decided to start keeping a tab on how many times she could say no to him. One of our other friends, Remus, thought I was quite insane. He wasn't laughing when I corrected Lily years later about how many times James had asked her out, though, was he?
Hmm…actually, I think he was rolling his eyes in a way that was supposed to make it seem like he thought I was being childish. Which, I might like to point out, I wasn't. I was just being easily amused.
That happened a lot when I was around Lily and James. They had the funniest, and strangest, arguments about things. Like once, they were arguing about whether or not James really did know where the library was. That was probably the one time Remus and I actually took the same side in one of their fights.
We were both on Lily's side.
But that was the only time. Other than that, I was on James' side for everything. Yes, even when she rightfully accused him of being the one to dye her hair bright green to match her eyes. And yes, when she said he was the one to change her black robes and cloak to red and gold for his first Quidditch match.
But who really cares that she was right about all of that? I, Sirius Black, am James Potter's best friend. It was my job to be there for him when he was…attacked, let's say, by the redhead he happened to be infatuated with.
In fact, it still is my job. And now, as I stand here, giving him silent support on the day he's marrying Lily, I'm being there for him in the best way I can. I'm standing here, beside him, to help him have the courage to say that he loves Lily and that he's ready to spend the rest of his life with her. Of course…I'm also here because I get a free meal once the actual wedding is over.