The Marauder's Tale [MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT, & PRONGS]

XXXIV. Boys and Girls

Lily sat alone in the crowded common room, trying to study. She knew that she should just go to the library, where Dana and Kathleen were studying, but also knew that she didn't have time. She and Remus had patrol duty together, and had promised to meet in the common room. She knew that he had a career meeting with McGonagall, but was surprised it was taking him so long. But maybe the meetings did take a long time - hers wasn't for another week.

She looked up at the clock again, and sighed. She glanced down at her Transfiguration notes, and knew that she wasn't in the mood to study. For once, she wished that Olivia was there to distract her. But she was at Quidditch practice, along with James. James . . . she quickly put him from her mind. She never let her thoughts stay on him for very long. They always left her completely confused.

Sirius walked into the common room, flustering several girls, and paused to look around. Lily watched him, realizing for the first time how effortlessly he looked cool and aloof. She wondered if he tried to act that way, or if it just happened.

Sirius' eyes fell on Lily, and he smiled. He crossed the room to join her. Lily smiled. Sirius was, of course, almost as bad as James, but there was something about him that amused her. And she felt that she owed him her kindness after he had been so willing to accept her apology for the way she had treated him.

"Hey, Little Flower," he said as he sat down. "What are you doing over here alone?"

"Waiting for Remus," she said promptly. "We have patrol duty tonight."

"Ah," Sirius said. "Well, I'm afraid you're going to be waiting a bit longer. I had the meeting with McGonagall before him, and she was late getting to me. I'm sure he'll be even later."

"Oh," Lily said. "Well, I guess I'll just wait, then." She glanced down at the papers he held in his hands. "What career did you pick?"

Sirius grinned. "I want to be an auror."

"Really?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows. "I've heard that's a lot of work."

"What, you think I can't do it?"

Lily flushed slightly. "No, that's not what I meant."

"It's okay if it is," Sirius laughed. "I'm sure that McGonagall thought the same thing. I know that I don't have the best study habits. But I also know that I'm quite bright, and that I can do the work if I want to. And I do. I really want this more than anything."

Lily looked surprised at his emotion. "Why is this so important to you? Most people our age don't get so caught up in what they want to be someday."

Sirius looked at her for a moment. "Olivia said that you don't get along with your sister."

"No, I don't," Lily said, wondering where this was going. The two thoughts seemed completely unconnected.

"Well, I think that's something we have in common - having trouble with our families. How much to you know about my family?"

"Not much," Lily confessed. "I guess I knew that you didn't get along with them, since you go home with James a lot."

Sirius grinned. "Ah, you've been watching us!"

Lily flushed again. "Stop putting words in my mouth! Everyone knows what you two do. You don't keep anything a secret."

Sirius wanted desperately to contradict that claim, but decided against it - she'd probably just make it her mission to discover all their secrets. "Fine, hide behind your excuses," he laughed. "But that's true. I do usually go home with James."

"Is that because you want to get away from your family?"

He instantly turned serious. "Well, to be perfectly honest, yes. The reason I avoid them is that my family is obsessed with purity of blood and the Dark Arts. They support Voldemort. My brother, Regulus, is in Slytherin, you know, and is quite involved with the school's Voldemort network. He's one of the students who hopes to become a Death Eater someday. He's quite a credit to the family, in my parents' opinion."