Where Life Leads

"Are you ready?"

Lily looked up from where she was writing at her desk in the Head's Room. "Almost. I just want to finish this."

James pulled a chair up next to her and sat down backwards, resting his arms on its back. "Is that your Arithmancy essay? Remus is almost done with his."

"No," Lily replied. "I finished that already. This is a notice for the third years, reminding them to turn in their Hogsmeade permission slips to their Head of House by the end of the week." Lily used a drying and duplication charm on the parchment in front of her, then stood to post it on the notice board.

The board was an ingenious thing. It was divided into four parts by color, one for each House. Anything she or James posted would appear on that House's board in its Common Room and vise versa. The teachers also had one in their staff room and anything they posted would show up there as well. This was how all notices were posted. It certainly saved a lot of walking and it also explained how the teachers always seemed to know what was going on.

Lily stuck her wand in the pocket of her robes. "Alright, let's go."

James put the chair back and they left the room.

"So what exactly do we do on these things?" he asked her as they headed down the stairs.

"We just have to patrol the halls and make sure no one is out after curfew," she answered him. "We have an advantage too."

"What's that?"

"We've been here seven years. Between the two of us, I'm sure we know Hogwarts better than most of the students. No hiding spot will be good enough."

James laughed. "And we take points from everyone but Gryffindors, right."

Lily gave him a look. "That wouldn't be very fair now would it? Not to mention it's a great way to lose your badge."

James shrugged. "Alright. So we take one point from Gryffindors and five from everyone else."

When Lily didn't answer him he turned around. She had stopped a short way back, pausing in front of an empty classroom door.

"Wha-"

Lily cut him off with a finger to her lips and beckoned him over. He looked at her questioningly.

"Hear it," she whispered smiling, her eyes sparkling.

He listened closely and heard faint laughter and a rumbling voice from behind the closed door.

"Five knuts says it's Sirius," she said to him as she pushed open the door.

The couple inside sprung apart.

"Sirius!" James exclaimed. "I warned you I'd be patrolling tonight."

Sirius grinned at him sheepishly. "When you wanna snog, you wanna snog," he said as the girl- Lily recognized her as a fifth year from Hufflepuff, but didn't know her name- blushed.

Lily rolled her eyes at them. "You're lucky there's still two minutes left before curfew, so we don't have to take points," she told them. "Hurry back to your Common Rooms, before someone else sees you."

"Night, Lily. See you when you get back, Prongs," Sirius said as he and the girl wandered down the hall. Lily heard him ask her to meet him tomorrow night as well and Lily was glad that she wouldn't have to patrol then.

"How'd you know it was him?" James wanted to know as they resumed patrolling.

Lily grinned. "If I had Galleon for every time Remus and I caught him snogging some witch, I'd be able to buy Flourish and Blott's."

"Why would you want to buy a bookstore? Quidditch Quality Supplies would be so much better."

"It was an example, Potter. And why would I want to buy a Quidditch shop if I don't like flying?"

"You don't like flying?" he asked her incredulously. "But you did really well when we learned."

"That doesn't mean I like it."

He stared at her for a moment before replying. "I'll make you like it."

"What?"

"I'll take you flying."

"You're insane."

"Come on," James persuaded. "It'll be fun and I'll be on my best behavior."

Lily snorted. "I'll think about it," she said sarcastically, not really meaning it.

James grinned- it wasn't a flat out 'no,' at least.

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes- she seemed to do that a lot around him. "Oh- I just remembered. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"If it's about yesterday morning-"

"No," Lily cut him off. "Well... at least not completely. I was thinking we should change the password to our common room. The one we have would be too easy for your friends to guess, and I don't fancy having to worry about their pranks as well. Remus especially can be pretty inventive."

"Yes, a lot of the pranks we've pulled steamed from one of his ideas."

"So you agree that we should change it?"

James shrugged. "Sure. But what should we change it to?"

"I don't know. I figured you'd know best what they wouldn't be able to guess."

"Well," James thought aloud, "it'll have to be something completely random that has nothing to do with either one of us. Something so obscure that even we'll have a hard time remembering it. And it has to make no sense when you pronounce it."

"Snave Rettop."

"Huh?"

"Snave Rettop."

"What's that?"

Lily smirked. "We could always throw in Nipul Wergittep for good measure," she added completely ignoring his question. "Or even Kcalb Nonnikcm."

James was dumbfounded.

"And then," Lily continued, "there's always my personal favorite- Erodelbmud Subla."

"You're talking gibberish."

"I thought that was the point?"

"Well... yeah... but..." James stuttered.

"So, which should it be?"

"Er... The last one I think."

"All right, I'll tell Dumbledore and McGonagall tomorrow at breakfast."

James nodded in agreement and they continued patrolling. By the time they returned to the Common Room, they had only caught one student out after curfew. This didn't surprise Lily, considering it was only the first week back. She was sure the number would increase as the year went on.

Lily bid goodnight to James and went upstairs to her dorm. As soon as she entered her roommates pounced on her.

"Well, how was it?" Marlene asked as Janice pushed Lily into a chair and pulled her hair out of its ponytail.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Lily asked them. "It's past eleven."

"We wanted to see how your patrol went," Linda answered her as she moved to sit next to Marlene and in front of Lily.

"Oh." Lily looked at her, surprised. "Well... it was dull."

"Dull?"

"Yes, we only caught one person out after curfew and two just before."

"Sirius and some girl?" Janice questioned.

"Yup."

Janice laughed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"But wait," Marlene interrupted. "You spent a bit more than two hours patrolling with James Potter and it was 'dull'?"

"Yes."

"Huh. I never would have guessed."

"Can I cut it?"

"What?" Lily was startled by Janice's sudden question.

"Can I cut your hair," Janice reiterated.

"I grow my hair finally and you want to cut it off?"

"Not a lot," Janice responded. "Just a few layers around your face."

"I suppose," Lily said slowly.

"Brilliant!" Janice picked up her wand from her nightstand and began fussing with Lily's hair.

Linda sighed. "She's in a girly mood."

"Yes." Janice smiled. "And you're next."

Linda groaned, putting her head in her hands and Lily rolled her eyes heavenward as Janice began snipping at her hair, knowing they wouldn't be getting to bed until after one in the morning. It was a good thing they all had the first two periods off.

-()-

"Ahh...oomph! Ow!"

There were giggles and a groan of pain.

"What happened?" Lily poked her head groggily through the bed hangings.

"I fell out of bed."

Lily looked to where Janice was sprawled on the floor massaging her shoulder. Marlene and Linda were sitting on their beds laughing at her. "Why?" Lily asked stupidly.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Janice replied sulkily. "I was dreaming I was playing Quidditch and got hit by a Bludger."

"But you're a Beater," Linda said. "You have a bat."

"It was a dream!"

"Humph." Linda glanced at the clock. "Oh, we missed breakfast."

"That's alright," Lily said. "I can nip down to the kitchens and get us something to eat."

Janice perked up. "See if you can't get some of the chocolate chip scones."

"Sure," Lily answered as she pulled robes on over her pajamas.

The halls were empty as she made her way down to the kitchens, since first period had already started. She reached the portrait of a bowl of fruit and reached up to tickled the pear. It giggled and turned into a large, bright green door handle. She entered the kitchen and at once several House Elves scurried over.

"What does Miss needs?" one of them squeaked.

"Whatever it was you served for breakfast," Lily answered. "I'd like enough for four people, please. Oh- and some chocolate chip scones if you have them."

The elves disappeared for a few minutes and then returned carrying a large wicker basket. Lily took it from them with a nod of thanks promised to return the basket later, and then made her way back to the dorm.

Her roommates had showered and were in the process of getting dressed when Lily returned. Janice and Linda immediately stopped what they were doing and dived for the basket. Marlene on the other hand, calmly continued dressing, knowing it was futile to get to the food until they were through. Luckily the house elves had been more than generous.

Lily grinned at her friends and headed for the showers in their dorm since she was too lazy to go down to the Head's bathroom. When she came out, Janice and Linda had abandoned the food and Marlene sat with it on her bed happily munching on a piece of toast smothered in orange marmalade. Lily joined her, picking up a chocolate scone.

Once they had all finished eating and getting ready for the day, the went down to the Common Room to chat, gossip and check over their homework. Lily knew there wouldn't be much time later in the year for this kind of frivolity, what with N.E.W.T.s and the burgeoning war, so she decided to take advantage of it while she could.

"Have you heard about Frank and Alice?" Janice was asking, referring to Frank Longbottom and Alice Walker, who had been in Gryffindor three years ahead of them. Frank had been Head Boy and Alice had been a Prefect. Now they were both in their last year of Auror training.

"No, what about them?" Lily asked. She and Alice had been friends and had often sat together in the Library, studying. They owled each other every so often, but Lily hadn't heard from her since the beginning of the summer when Alice had told her that she and Frank were engaged.

"Well..." Janice paused for effect. "They got married."

The other girls gasped and Janice smiled smugly. She loved being the one to spread news.

"When? Alice wrote me at the beginning of the summer to say that they had gotten engaged," Lily said. "But I was under the impression that the wedding wasn't going to be until after they finished with training."

Janice laid her head on Lily's lap and propped her legs up on the arm of the sofa they were sitting on. "They were planning to," she said, looking up at Lily, "but it seems they couldn't stand to wait any longer, so they eloped two weeks ago when they had a break from training. With the war starting there was no telling when they would get the opportunity. Especially since they're going to be Aurors. They'll be in the middle of it all."

"I can understand why they did it," Linda said from where she was sitting on the floor. "How do you know all this, by the way?"

"Mum." Janice waved a hand at her. "Frank is my third cousin twice removed or something."

They sat in silence for a bit, each lost in their own thoughts, until Lily spoke up contemplatively, "I wonder how many other people are going to do the same..."

The others shrugged and when the bell rang signaling the end of second period, the girls packed up their bags and traveled through the castle to their first lesson, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

-()-

The first week of classes passes quickly and before Lily knew it, Friday had arrived. Lily hurried through the halls on her way to Charms. She was running a few minutes late, Professor Slughorn had held her back after Potions to ask her how she had liked meeting with Doracus Meadows the night before. While normally she wouldn't have minded talking with him, she had wanted to get to Charms- they were going to be starting the Protean Charm. She turned the knob and opened the door to the classroom. Professor Flitwick had already started class and he stopped speaking and looked over at her when she entered.

"Ah, Miss Evans," he said. "I trust you have a good explanation for being late?"

"Sorry, Professor," Lily told him as she took a seat next to Linda. "Professor Slughorn had some questions for me."

"Very well, then. I won't take any points this time, but make sure to be here on time in the future, please."

Lily nodded, grateful that Professor Flitwick liked her so well.

"Now, where was I?" Flitwick continued. "Ah, yes, the --Protean Charm. Can anyone tell me how it is used?"

Lily knew the answer but didn't raise her hand as she was busy pulling out her book, parchment, inkpot and a quill for taking notes.

"Yes, Mr. Tomkeil."

"The Protean Charm is a very complex spell," Richard Tomkeil answered. "When performed correctly it makes an object change form to mimic another object." When he finished answering he shot at smug look at Lily, who just smiled serenely back at him. They had dated for six months in their 6th year- Lily had broken up with him just after Christmas holidays because he was being too protective and controlling. Ever since then he seemed to want to prove to her that he was smarter. Lily didn't mind much if that's what it took to make him feel better, but it was beginning to get on her nerves.

"Very good. Five points to Ravenclaw. Now, turn to page 583 in your books and read the chapter on Protean Charms, if you haven't already, and make sure to take notes. The rest of class you can use to practice the Charm. There will be a written and practical test on them next class."

The rest of Charms class passed quickly and lunch came and went. Lily went to the Head's Room to study afterwards, grateful that she had the afternoon off from classes. She had just made herself comfortable on the sofa and had opened her Arithmancy book when James burst into the room.

"Evans!" he exclaimed. "I was hoping you'd be here."

Lily raised her eyebrows at him as he sauntered over.

"Come on." He grabbed her and pulled her off the sofa. Her book tumbled to the floor in a heap.

"Potter! Let me go! I was studying."

"Psh. You can study over the weekend. We have a date."

"Nahg- wha-" Lily sputtered. "No we don't!"

"Yes, we do," he countered. "You agreed to let me teach you to like flying."

"I didn't agree. I told you I would think about it."

"Exactly, and since you haven't told me no yet, I took that as a yes." He grinned at her and pushed her out of the room while Lily fought him, to no avail. "Besides, if you don't come, I'll tell my friends the new password and give them permission to prank you as many times as they like.

"You wouldn't dare!"

James just grinned and ushered her into the Gryffindor Common Room and towards the stairs to her dorm. "You have five minutes to put on something comfortable or I'll come up and drag you down," he told her as she stomped up the stairs. Lily had no doubt that he would find a way to come up and get her despite the charmed staircase.

Lily burst into her dorm and slammed the door behind her, letting out a frustrated sigh as she rummaged through her trunk for jeans, a t-shirt and a jumper.

"What's got you in a huff?" Linda asked her from where she lay on her bed reading Witch Weekly.

"One guess."

"Ah... What's Potter done now?"

"He's making me go flying," Lily told her as she tugged on the clothes.

Linda burst out laughing. "Making you?"

"Yes," Lily said shortly. "He blackmailed me with pranks and I have no doubt that he would drag me out to the Pitch if that's what it took. Have you seen my trainers?"

"Check under your bed."

Lily did as she said and then sat on her bed to pull them on her feet once she had found them. She strapped her wand to her wrist, using the wand holster Marlene had gotten for her last Christmas, before tying her hair up in a messy knot on top of her head. She then hurried down the stairs, passing Janice and Marlene on the way.

"Where's she off to in such a rush?" Lily heard Janice ask Linda.

Linda replied and even though Lily was too far down the stairs to make out her words, she couldn't miss Janice's shout of laughter.

Potter was leaning by the entrance to the Common Room waiting for her, holding two brooms. Lily crossed her arms and glared at him. He handed her one of the brooms and grabbed her arm, propelling her through the winding halls of the castle and to the Quidditch Pitch.

The sun was out and it was a fairly warm day for September, if a tad bit breezy. The leaves were just starting to turn red, orange and yellow and a few of them had already dropped to the ground, crunching under their feet as they walked. James set his broom on the ground when they arrived at the Quidditch Pitch. "Ok, hop on your broom," he told her. "I want to see your form."

Lily did as he said and then glared at him when he stared at her with a funny look on his face. "What?" she asked defensively.

"Nothing." He shook his head. "Alright... your balance is fine, just slide your hands up a bit on the handle and don't grip it so tightly. Good," he said once Lily had done as he directed. "Okay, now fly around the pitch for a bit, I'll be right back. And don't go too high," he called over his shoulder as he ran to the broom shed.

Lily snorted, as if she would be idiotic enough to go really high when she hardly knew what she was doing. She flew around for a few minutes, enjoying the feel of the wind in her face. When she saw that James had returned she flew back over to him and dismounted. He was grinning broadly and holding the Quaffle in his hands.

"Can you catch?" he asked her. She nodded slowly. "Good." James tossed the Quaffle on the ground, picked up his broom and motioned for her to get back on hers. "You have to learn how to balance without holding on then," he said once they were hovering in the air. "Think of it as riding one of those Muggle things... a bicklewheel?"

Lily laughed. "Bicycle."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Those things with two wheels that Muggles ride. You've ridden one, right?"

"Yes, I've know how since I was five."

He smiled. "Then this shouldn't be a problem. It looks the same from the pictures, only with a broom you're in the air."

Lily sighed.

"What?" James looked at her quizzically.

"I just don't see the point," Lily admitted grudgingly.

"What do you mean?"

"Flying. It just seems so pointless. I mean I understand it's a way to get from point 'a' to point 'b,' but I can Apparate or Floo and those are faster so why bother with flying?"

James looked at her dumbstruck. "Because it's the best thing in the world. It's not just about getting somewhere, it's about freedom. You're free to go however fast you want, high you want, and far you want. It's better than breathing- the feel of the wind on your face, the rush you feel when you see the ground racing up to meet you as you dive..." James closed his eyes and sighed hugely. "And-" He opened his eyes and grinned cheekily at Lily. "-it's a great stress reliever.

Lily rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever you say. Now, can we get on with it?"

James had Lily balance on the broom one handed, making sure that she didn't go more than two feet off the ground. Once she could do that flying around, he said, "Alright, now try balancing without any hands."

Lily let go of the broom completely and teetered for a bit before nearly falling off. She caught herself at the last minute and ended up hanging off the broom upside down about a foot off the ground. She let go of the broom and ungracefully plopped onto the grass.

"You alright?" James asked, stifling back laughter.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing, Potter." Lily stood, brushing dirt and grass off her clothes and pushed her hair out of her face before climbing back on the broom and trying again.

"You're no worse than Mason Bentley was."

"Mason? The adorable little redheaded third year?" Lily wobbled again, but this time she managed to stay on long enough to grab the broom handle and regain her balance.

"Yeah. He was having a hard time learning to fly in his first year and he asked me to help him. He's gotten really good too. Says he wants to try out for Seeker this year since Mark Cram is gone."

"Do you think he has a chance?"

"He has the right build for it, but I'll have to see how he flies with the rest of the team, before I make a decision. Plus, we need a new Chaser as well."

Lily tumbled to the ground again and James flew over and offered her a hand up. She took his hand and, with a grin, yanked him down beside her where he landed in an ungraceful heap. Lily stood up and brushed off her hands. "Ah, see how the mighty have fallen."

James scowled at her and stood back up. "Think you have the hang of it now?"

"As much as I ever will," Lily replied.

James nodded and picked up the Quaffle, smiling. "This is the fun part," he told her.

They mounted their brooms again and rose in the air, though Lily stayed nearer to the ground than James, who flew high around the goalpost before coming back down. He came within several feet of Lily and tossed her the Quaffle. She managed to stay on her broom when she caught it two handed and then threw it back to him, grinning.

They spent the rest of the afternoon throwing the Quaffle back and forth. Lily actually made a pass that even James couldn't reach and by the time dinner came around she was flying almost as fast as James was and had even managed to catch the Quaffle one-handed several times, a fact which James had applauded.

They walked into the Great Hall together, brooms slung over their shoulders laughing happily and covered in sweat and dirt. Once they had reached the Gryffindor table, Lily tried to hand James back the broom she had used.

He waved her off. "It's my spare one," he told her. "Keep it in case you want to fly around on your own a bit."

Lily smiled wryly at him. "Thanks, though I doubt I will."

He shrugged and went off to sit with his friends and Lily went to sit with hers, loading up her plate with chicken, mashed potatoes and corn.

"You're a mess," Linda told her with a smile, picking a few blades of grass from Lily's hair.

Lily shrugged and dug into her food happily. She was starving- she hadn't known flying could work up such an appetite.

"Well," Marlene prompted, "where did you go? You look as though you've just been shagging in the Forbidden Forest."

Lily choked on the pumpkin juice Linda had poured her and glared furiously at Marlene, who shrugged and said with a smirk, "All Linda would say was that Potter was dragging you off somewhere and threatened you with pranks you if you didn't go. I drew my own conclusion."

Lily calmed down a bit, though her voice was slightly harsh as she said, "Well, we weren't doing... that. He took me flying down at the Quidditch Pitch."

Marlene stared open mouthed at her. "And you went willingly?"

"Did you not hear the part about him forcing me?"

"Well, yeah, but you could have hexed him."

"And spent the rest of the year looking over my shoulder?" Lily shook her head. "I don't think so. Going flying with him was the lesser of two evils."

"It's good you had fun, then."

"I never said that."

Marlene smiled at her. "You didn't have to. You came into the Great Hall, laughing and smiling with James and didn't complain what about how annoying he is when you sat down."

Lily glared at her. "Just because I didn't complain doesn't mean I had fun."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it-"

"Oi, shut up, would you?" Linda interrupted. "I'm trying to eat and listening to you bickering isn't pleasant."

Marlene and Lily looked at her abashed. "Sorry," they mumbled.

Linda sniffed. "It's alright. Let's just drop the flying subject."

The other girls nodded in agreement, though Lily knew Marlene would badger her about it later tonight... if she was given the chance. It was funny, Lily thought wryly, how patrolling with Potter was now giving her a reprieve from her friend's pestering when it used to be the other way around.