Jily Oneshots (pt2)

Up to Speed

"It's a shame," Lily muttered, blandly.

Mr. Potter bent down, hands on his knees, and grinned at Lily. "You're going to be a great witch," he said. "Don't worry one bit – you'll do great."

Lily nodded, looking away, back at the brick wall. Helplessly, she gazed upward at Mrs. Potter again, in hope for an explanation.

"Just run, dear," she said, smiling. "Right through the wall – you'll make it, no problem."

Lily tightened her grip on her cart and swallowed, moving forward. Her heart began to race as she picked up her pace and headed straight towards the wall.

Don't crash, she said to herself, the wall looming nearer. Two inches – she was going to hit it!

Lily held her breath, but found it wasn't necessary. She got through without the slightest bit of trouble. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked around at the station. People were bustling all about the place. A bright red train was sitting on the tracks, its doors open for students to climb on.

Lily looked around for a familiar face – mainly, James.

She found him – in the middle of a fight.

"Get your greasy hair away from me," he said, glaring dangerously.

"Ah," the boy said, smirking, "a future Gryffindor, here. Acting all brave and heroic – pity, he's neither."

A third boy had entered the conversation now, backing James. "Look, no one wants to hear what you have to say," he fired, loudly. "Stay away from us, and we'll stay away from you."

"That's a laugh," he said, narrowing his eyes. "They're trying to plot revenge on me!"

The third boy had now pulled out his wand and pointed it at the opposing boy's feet, shooting sparks at him. The boy, who Lily had later found out to be Severus Snape, jumped over a foot in the air, running from small sparks.

James laughed and Lily smiled, hearing him. The boy turned to James and shook his hand, smirking.

"Sirius Black," Lily heard the boy say.

James froze for a moment, dropping his hand. "Black?" he asked, puzzled. "You helped me?"

The boy shrugged. "I go against the grain," he said, referring to his line of heritage.

James grinned and slapped him on the back, stepping onto the train. "The name's James Potter."

"Ah," Sirius said, nodding. "The family as pure and kind in the heart as possible. That would explain the reaction when hearing my surname."

Lily had been slightly confused once she heard their conversation, but soon realized the Black family had a knack for producing dark wizards while, on the other hand, the Potter family was known for famous wizards who were big in helping to defeat dark wizards. But she wasn't very quick to realize they would soon become the greatest mischief making duo ever to reach the school.

That first year had passed by in the blink of an eye, and Lily found herself on the train ride home to her first summer away from Hogwarts. She and James hadn't talked as much at school as she had been hoping, but it didn't matter much to her – he had another group of friends to be with now, he couldn't always be with her. She knew she couldn't possibly be the center of attention in his life forever – but it was just too hard to let go of her only friend she'd ever had.

Needless to say, Lily had come home with top grades, but very little friends, merely acquaintances.

The week after Lily and James had been welcomed back into their homes with open arms, he had knocked on her door. "Care to walk down memory lane?" he had asked, smiling at her.