Tiger Lily

Disclaimer: I do not own Sirius Black, Lily, or any of the other fantastic characters from the J.K. Rowling series. They belong to her and to Warner Brothers.

**********

"Hey Tigress," Sirius’ cheerful voice could be heard all the way across the Great Hall, from the Slytherin table to the Gryfinndor. Lily tried not to grin, and peered down at her plate as all of Sirius’ Slytherin buddies glared at her. Lily didn’t seem care though. She’d long gotten past that.

She looked up as a shadow passed over her. James Potter stood there, looking down his nose at her. "Don’t get mixed up in the wrong crowd," he warned, placing a hand on Lily’s shoulder. "Stick to your own." He was gone as soon as he’d come. Lily scowled towards Sirius, who grinned.

Stick to your own crowd my ass, she thought, gathering her bookbag. I’ll show him. And with a swish of long red hair, she made her way over to the Slytherin table. Purposefully staring at James she put her arms around Sirius’ shoulders and squeezed, pecking him on the cheek. He flashed her an evil grin, then grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lap, laughing. James flushed. Lily grinned, taking a pastry from one of the nearby platters and carefully feeding it to her boyfriend, who basked in the unexpected attention. With a swish and a thump that could be heard all the way across the room, James stalked out of the Great Hall. Lily smiled as Sirius peered up at her through the overhang of that thick, long hair of his, so well known that it almost equaled Lily’s own.

"That’s a mischievous smile, Tigress," he said, catching a stray lock of hair before it fell into her eyes. Lily rested her head on his shoulder, muttering something incoherent so he wouldn’t guess that she’d done it on purpose. He smirked, seeming to guess even though she’d not let on that she’d been using him. He shifted slightly, caught her under her knees and lifted her up, grabbing their bags with his free hand. "To class Tigress," he declared, dramatically carrying Lily across the hall. All heads turned their way…yet somehow, Lily wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest. She simply giggled and kicked her legs in futile, watching all of the jealous girls glare at her as they passed by, and all of the guys look at Sirius with envy. It was no secret that the two of them were the most talked about couple on campus.

Sirius put her down just outside the Great Hall, at the foot of the marble staircase. Grinning, he pulled out a quill, transformed it into a bouquet of roses, and bowed over her hand, extending them. "Please miss," he said, grinning cheekily up at her. "Take these flowers as a token of my love."

Lily laughed and accepted them. "My love returned good sir," she replied, kissing him quickly. He snorted, then pulled her in closer for a more intimate hug. At that very moment the bell for morning classes rang, and the two star-crossed lovers sprung apart and said their adieus. Lily walked slowly up the staircase, and paused for one last look at his tall, lean frame as he left the castle, heading down the outside stairs to Professor Kettleburn’s class. Mentally taking a snapshot of him in her mind, she headed off to class.

© © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © ©

Ah Lily, my Lily. So brave and beautiful, alone yet strong. A Tigress in her own right. Such a lovely flower, sweet as a rose and twice as-

"MISTER Black! If you wouldn’t mind pulling your head out of the clouds for just ONE moment, and started to pay attention to your Transfiguration, it would go much appreciated on my part!" Sirius was really half-tempted to remind Ole Minnie McGonagall that she had been a student only two years back, AND that they had once dated, yet refrained from doing so. She was his favorite ex-girlfriend (Now friend) and he would NEVER want any harm coming out of their past relationship. So instead he simply grinned at her and picked up his wand, easily turning the mouse on his desk into a cat. She tried to frown at him, but couldn’t, and smiled ruefully, shaking her pretty head as tendrils of dark hair fell from her bun.

"Sirius you have to be the only one in this entire room that could not listen to a single word of the lesson and STILL manage to do the transfiguration properly." Sirius glanced over at his best friend, Remus Lupin, who was grinning at him like some kind of socially challenged moron. Sirius smirked and shrugged (his signature move, by the way) and informed Remus that he was a multi-tasker by trait, to which Remus laughed. Sirius glared at him, daring him to say something, though luckily, for him, the smarter wizard refrained from doing so.

*****

James Potter slouched down to the detention room, his eyes on the floor, not paying attention to the fact that he was trekking all kinds of mud indoors. He was extremely angry at Professor Binns…being dead hadn't stopped the ghost from watching James copy off of Remus' homework- and it certainly didn't prevent him from giving out detentions. Oh Lord, I just hope they didn’t choose to torture me by putting me in with that clown of a — shit.

For sitting in the detention room, talking merrily with Professor McGonagall, was a certain Sirius Black, whom James Potter happened to loathe. Sirius looked up when James came in, and a nasty smile played across his lips.

"Oh, good. You’re here Potter," McGonagall said. James nodded mutely. "Alright. Your task is to clean this classroom and the other two in this hallway. You have until dinnertime to complete this task. If it is not done by then, you will pause or dinner and resume afterwards. Understood?" The boy nodded. "Good. You may start with the blackboard." And with that, McGonagall left the room.

For long silent minutes the boys stared at each other. Neither spoke a word as they both grabbed cleaning clothes and began to scrub at the board. They said nothing as they swept the room, then mopped, then dusted, the cleaned the walls of any fingerprints. They said nothing too, as they moved from the Transfiguration class to the Charms class and completed the same tasks. It was only in the Arithmancy room that at last they did speak.

"Potter, watch where you’re spilling that water," Sirius warned as James lugged in a heavy bucket. James growled softly, and pulled harder, water splashing out and landing on the floor and rugs. "Potter, I said be careful! McGonagall is not going to be happy if we-"

"I don’t care what the hell McGonagall is going to say ‘if we…’" James snapped, mimicking Sirius, who said nothing. "I am tired, and hungry and I don’t want to be here and-"

"And you’re having a mini hissy fit because you’re such a girl…go on Potter, repeat after me. ‘I’m having a little-"

"Shut up," James snapped, feeling a red hot flush sweep across his face. "Shut up."

" A little hissy fit for a little boy…" Sirius cackled, patting the shorter boy on the head, and the proceeding to prance about the room in what he perceived to be a girly way. "Ouch, I think I just broke a nail! Oh dear-"

"You son of a bitch!" James shouted, grabbing Sirius by the front of his robes. The taller boy laughed, untangling James from his clothing.

"No…I wouldn’t want you to mess up your hair," Sirius joked, his own long locks swishing about his face. James went redder. He could feel the anger humming through his nerves, the blood rushing to his head. He swung at Sirius, and surprisingly managed to hit him in the jaw.

It was a very stupid move. Sirius hadn’t been mad by what James had said. In fact, he’d found it funny…until the pipsqueak hit him.

"Oh it’s on now," Sirius snarled, grabbing James bodily and throwing him to the ground. They wrestled for about twenty minutes, each hitting the other equally. They would have gone on longer except for the fact that Professor Vector came into get some papers she’d forgotten and spotted them, sending them first to see the Headmaster and then off to the Infirmary to see Madame Pomfrey.

******

Dumbledore looked at both of the boy gravely, though inside he was laughing. The looks on both boys’ faces were priceless.

"Now boys- I hope you understand that if you two ever wind up in here again because you got into a physical fight with one another…you will both be placed on probation…and that means what?"

"No Quidditch," the boys replied in monotones. Dumbledore nodded.

"I am quite sure that both of your teams would hate to lose their prized Seekers now wouldn’t they?" The boys nodded again. "Good. Off to the infirmary you go." And with that he shooed the boys out.

Once in the hall neither boy seemed to know what to say. Neither had really meant to get into a fight- yet at the same time the fight had given them mutual respect for one another, and respect is the foundation for friendship. At the same time both muttered "Sorry" and started off.

"So…why were you so pissed off?" Sirius asked as they walked.

"Well…for one thing you called me a sissy and a girl- and I won’t take that from anyone- and for the other…I dunno. I was just in a bad mood. Danielle dumped me today." James replied, sighing.

Sirius’ face suddenly acquired a very knowing look. "Ah…well. Then I am doubly sorry. I know how it feels to be dumped."

"Oh, I wasn’t the dumpee," James said quickly, blush again creeping over his cheeks. "I was the dump-er."

"That’s not what you said a second ago,"

"Yes it was."

"Was not.

"Was too."

"Was not."

"Was too. I was right here."

"Then you must have heard wrong."

"I didn’t hear wrong. I have perfect hearing. Ask anyone."

And hence a new friendship was formed…one that would last the two a very long while.

*********

Thus winter passed, and then spring came, bringing new life... and a time for love. And love there was. It seemed as though Valentine’s day had lasted over March and April, and was still present in early May.

Not that Sirius minded. He loved splurging on Lily, little gifts given to Remus to put on her pillow, her favorite candies, selected and bought with great care, little rooftop dinners up in the Astronomy Tower after lights out…And Lily, in part, loved the attention. She adored coming in after a long day at classes and finding all of the girls in her dorm crowded around her bed where some new trinket or candy lay, reading the notes slipped into her bookbag with Sirius’ rogue-ish ease… the whole wooing concept appealed to her.

In fact, the only one in all of Hogwarts who seemed untouched by this whole "love" deal, was a certain star Gryfinndor names James Potter.

It wasn’t that he had no one to woo…he just didn’t have the girl he wanted. And the guy who had her, was a friend of his. Not a BEST friend yet, but a close enough friend that he couldn’t just go right in there and steal the guy’s girl out from under his nose…especially if the girl adored him in turn.

Lily…So sweet a name, so sweet a face. If only she would look his way. But no, her eyes were on that certain rogue of a Slytherin, who had girls begging to be seen with him. And so James was unhappy. He didn’t have the girl he wanted, he had only Peter as a minion, and his life was at an all time low.

However…times were changing. For in the pre-marauders’ fourth year something changed…something so radical, something so unchangeable, that it drew all three fourth year boys…and Peter, the secondary second-year, into a tight pact.

That was the year Remus was revealed to be a werewolf…

*******

Ah…here he comes now. The small, chubby, blonde figure of Peter Pettigrew skipped merrily down the hallway, oblivious to the obvious danger that awaited him. Wait for it…Wait for it…SPRING! The lithe being in the shadows sprung forth, toppling the miniature Peter beneath the long body of Sirius Black. HAH! That was far too easy…Sirius thought as little Peter screamed his guts out.

"Ah, shut up. Stand up and act like a man." Sirius grumbled, shoving off of the floor and landing with a catlike grace unknown to most boys. Peter lay frozen on the floor, his baby blue eyes wide with shock. "For God’s sake! Get up kid," Sirius snapped, his tolerance at an all time low. Perhaps using this kid wasn’t such a good idea after all…Sirius mused, grabbing the little boy and setting him on his feet. "I know you’re okay so you can stop looking like you’re about to burst into tears… right now!"

Peter mouth started moving, incoherent words forming. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Look kid. I need you to do me a favor. Meet me in the hall just outside the Transfiguration classroom at eleven minutes till twelve. Do NOT tell anyone about this. It must be kept confidential." Sirius paused for a second t o make sure the kid was okay. Seeing he was, Sirius resumed. "If I find out that you’ve told Potter, you will pay, understood? And don’t bother telling Remus, because he won’t care. If you don’t show up- well, that’s your business…I’ll find another clueless moron to use." He patted Peter rather roughly on the back. "See you tonight chap." And with that, Sirius left the poor little Pettigrew huddled in the shadows.

******

Lily hummed a little tune to herself, admiring the way her pretty red hair hung down, framing her face.

"Work it babe," she said, giggling to herself. "Gonna make your man happy tonight, uh huh! Whoo-" she whirled around to find a rather amused looking Remus standing in the doorway. "Holy crap Remus! You’re supposed to knock!" Lily exclaimed, feeling the blush creep over her face.

"Ah, it’s fine," the lanky boy replied. "I got something for you from Sirius. Said it had to be delivered right away." Remus held out a letter. "Here you go."

"Oh…" Lily replied, taking the letter from him. " Thank you Remus." The boy nodded and left. She sat down carefully on the windowsill and slit the envelope open. Out fell a perfectly pressed rose and a message, written in Sirius’ precise hand. Missed you today, it read. Can’t come to see you at the Tower…shall we have dinner together instead? Send word with Remus and I’ll set it up.

Lily giggled and stood up, throwing the letter down on her bed and racing out to the landing, praying that Remus hadn’t gone anywhere. He hadn’t. He was sprawled out on his bed, reading his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. He looked up when she came in the room.

"Hey Lily. Come with a reply for Sirius?" he asked, grinning.

‘How’d you guess? Well, nevermind. Yes, I am here to give my response to Sirius. Tell him I’ll see him at dinner okay?" Lily replied.

"Okay Lils," Remus replied, hopping off of his bed. "I’ll go to see him. Later!" and with that Remus was gone. Lily sighed, and followed in the direction Remus had gone, down the spiral staircase to the common room. She was about to go and tell Remus to come back, that she’d go tell Sirius, when James Potter stopped her in her tracks.

"Lily! Where are you going Lily?" Lily stopped for a second, rolling her eyes in agitation. Curse it! She swore mentally. I forgot about that project James and I have to do together. She turned around.

"Hold on a second, James," she said, racing after Remus. "I’ve got to go tell Remus something." Crap…and I haven’t seen Sirius ALL day! Oh well…he’ll probably be okay with it.

Seconds later she’d caught up with Remus, told him what was going on, and was headed back to Gryfinndor tower…her thoughts on the missed dinner with Sirius.

*****

James sat languidly on the couch facing Lily, who was working furiously on their notes. It was hours later, and the two were practically at their wits end trying to at least START the project.

"James…I can’t even READ this!" she exclaimed, throwing down the parchment full of notes, where it lay dangerously close to the fire.

"Hey!" James exclaimed, leaping forward and snatching the notes away from the leering flames. "It took me four days to write all of these up! Be more careful with them!"

"Can you read the notes James?" Lily asked, leaning back against them couch cushions.

James took a look at the notes, the turned back to Lily, a rueful smile playing across his face. "I could when I wrote them," he admitted. "But now…" he trailed off.

Lily buried her face in her hands. "Oh God…We are never gonna get this project done James. Professor Binns is going to be so pissed…"

James glanced up at the clock and yawned. "Well…we’ll work on it more tomorrow morning okay? Say…eight o’ clock?" Lily nodded. "Okay. It’s getting late, go on up to bed." Lily nodded sleepily and gathered up her books.

"Goodnight James…" she called wearily over her shoulder.

"Night Lily."

*****

Ah, the simple joys of life, Sirius thought, grinning to himself as he slunk along the deserted corridors, keeping an eye out for Peter. There’s the bugger! He realized, stopping for a moment to tap Peter on the shoulder, then gesturing him towards one of the nearby passageways. Peter nodded and followed Sirius into the dark, slightly worried about what was going to happen.

At last they reached the end of the passageway, which led to a large plate glass window that looked over the balcony of one of the shorter Astronomy Towers. Sirius unlatched the window and climbed out- dropping the short distance down to the solid-ness of the tower. Peter followed.

"Good." Sirius looked at the younger boy with new respect. It took a lot of guts to go out in the middle of the night to meet with someone you’d never met before, and Sirius admired that kind of courage.

"Wh- wh- why, am I here?" Peter stammered, teeth chattering as an icy wind swept through them.

Sirius surveyed him for another moment. "I need you to do a job for me." he said finally. Peter looked up at him.

"Like what?" he asked. "What kind of job?"

" I’ll get right to he point. Something is wrong with Remus. I am not in Gryfinndor, so I can’t spy on him. You," he turned, pointing a Peter. "Are going to be my eyes."

Peter nodded. "I noticed that something is going on with Remus too so…okay. I’ll help you.’ Sirius grinned.

"That’s what I thought. Meet me next Saturday, same place, same time," Sirius said. "Now, I got to get back." Nimbly he jumped up on to the landing, extending a hand to Peter and hauling him up. "Next Saturday…and don’t tell Remus about a thing." Sirius said, and with that, he disappeared down the dark corridors, leaving poor Peter to find his way back alone.

*****

Lily dreamed…

She was sitting on a pile of books, reaching towards the Astronomy Tower, screaming Sirius’ name. He was reaching over the railing trying to pull her up, to bring her up with him. But someone was holding on to her legs. She desperately kicked, fought, trying to get free, to get to Sirius…who suddenly wasn’t Sirius at all, but-

"Lily!" a voice was calling her. She twisted and turned, trying to get free. "Lily, wake up! We have to get to work on our project! You overslept! Lily…oh for the love of Christ, GET UP!"

"I’m up, I’m up," Lily grumble, shaking off whoever had hold of her arm. She groped at the curtains, drawing them open- and was surprised to see light pouring through the windows. " What time is it," she asked, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Nine o’ clock," James replied promptly. "I let you sleep in…since it was a Saturday."

"Oh," Lily mumbled sleepily, getting out of bed and putting on her slippers. "How nice James." He smiled at her, and sat down on her bed. "Um…James?" He looked up. "Yeah. Uh…I kind of have to get dressed…" she trailed off as he went scarlet.

"Sorry," he mumbled, getting quickly to his feet. "See you in the commons?" he asked. Lily nodded and shut the door behind him, heading over to her trunk.

Five minutes later she was seated across from James at one of the many tables in the Gryfinndor common room. Surprisingly the room was fairly empty; all that were present were the two of them and several first years.

"James…where is everyone?" Lily asked, lifting her History of Magic book onto the table.

"Last Hogsmeade visit today. I thought you were going to go but-" James began.

"Oh my God! I was supposed to meet Sirius down at the Great Hall a half hour ago!" Lily exclaimed, jumping up.

"Lily, this project is due on Monday and we haven’t even started," James said.

"Oh, I know James, but I haven’t seen Sirius in like, three days, and today is the LAST Hogsmeade visit…" Lily trailed off at the look on James’ face. "What?"

"Lily…this project is worth fifty points. It took Jeremy Stubbins and Marley Patil three weeks to finish theirs, and we haven’t even started!" James snapped. "So…no, you are NOT going to Hogsmeade this time."

Lily’s eyes flashed. "Do not EVEN think, not even for a second that YOU have control over me. If I’m leaving then I am leaving, and there is nothing you can do about it."

James glared at her. "Don’t be so sure…" he replied coolly. "You aren’t going anywhere…. And I am going to make sure of that."

"Oh yeah? How?" Lily retorted.

And suddenly James was very close. Too close. Lily tried to step back but couldn’t, and found herself caught between the table and James’ impending body.

"This…" he whispered, his mouth capturing hers. Lily gasped and tried to push him away, startled out of her wits. But James held her tightly, securely, and wouldn’t let her go.

******

So…is something changing in James’ and Lily’s relationship? And how does Lily deal with this feeling of guilt…or rather, are there any? Will Peter blab to James or Remus about Sirius’ and his meetings? And does Sirius suspect ANYTHING?? All this in the next chapter.