#lily and sirius were besties and you can't tell me otherwise

[tumbledfreckles]

Fitting In

Jilytober Day 13 Prompt from @magic-girl-in-a-muggle-world: Flying Lessons on AO3

James had realised recently that when Lily often said she was going to the library to study after supper, Sirius often disappeared. Not unusual in and of itself, but the face he always made sure to take the map with him was. That it seemed to only be the evenings that Lily went to the library also strange.

With time on his hands, and no mates to speak of that evening, Peter on a date, Remus unwell, James decided to investigate. First up was the obvious inspection of the library. He checked all the normal places, the Charms stacks, the dusty Potions corner, the hidey-hole near Herbology where Lily often hid when she didn’t want any of the younger students she tutored to find her in the aforementioned locations. Nothing.

Searches of the Potions labs, the kitchens, the Room of Requirement (Merlin, who even knew Gideon Prewitt was getting it on with William Terry anyway?) revealed neither his girlfriend nor his best mate. James trudged up the Astronomy Tower, hoping it was still too early and too light to run into any more couples with nefarious intentions.

It was, quite thank fully, empty as James completed a circuit around the exposed outside path. He looked out across the grounds, ticking off locations. Where the devil are they? He wondered. He turned to go back down the tower, when a shout and movement caught his eye.

Two figures seemed to be moving slowly around the Quidditch Pitch, barely a foot above the stands. If it hadn’t been for the shout, James would never have noticed them. The two brooms were extremely close together and one appeared to a bit shaky. He frowned, mentally consulting the Pitch schedule. No one had the Pitch booked tonight for practise, he was pretty certain. And there didn’t seem to be anyone else with the pair, let alone a whole team of players.

James headed down the Astronomy Tower, still frowning, his brain ticking over. The light had been too faded as night approached to see any colour in their hair, and it was too far to see what House the students had been in.

Still, with time of his hands and an ongoing distinct lack of mates, James decided he’d go for wander down to the Pitch and see who was there. It wouldn’t be Sirius and Lily, given Lily didn’t fly, but curfew was approaching, and he could at least pretend to be Head Boy. Lily would be pleased whenever she did emerge from her hidden location.

By the time he got down there, it was almost dark, but he could see that the two students were now on the same broom, doing lazy loops around the pitch. One was clearly female with long flowing hair and he guessed by the build of the other, a male. It wasn’t until he heard their voices that he recognised the flyers.

“I swear to Merlin if you do another bloody loopy thing.”

“Just relax and enjoy it. Maybe try and open your eyes.”

“I will if you just bloody fly straight.”

“Where’s the fun in that though, Evans?”

“The fun’s in living, Sirius.”

“Reckon we can go a bit faster?”

“This is fast enouuuggghhhhh. Siiirrriiiusss!”

James could hear Sirius laughing hysterically as they accelerated to what he could only really call a medium pace around the hoops at the far end of the pitch.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Prongs would kill me.”

“I’ll bloody kill you in a minute. Take me down!”

“As the lady commands.”

Lily shrieked again almost immediately as Sirius took them in several loops on his way down to the pitch. As they came toward the ground he could see Sirius was holding the broom with one hand while his other hand was clasped over Lily’s two hands on his stomach, her arms tightly encircling his waist. Lily’s face was pressed firmly into Sirius’ back and James guessed that her eyes were tightly shut.

“Honestly, Sirius, I will murder you,” James could hear Lily threatening as he moved further onto the pitch.

“Open your bloody eyes Evans, we’re on the ground,” Sirius smirked back at her, tapping his hand on top of hers comfortingly.

Lily opened her eyes, looking down at the ground before stretching her feet down towards the ground. “Oh,” she exclaimed, quickly swinging one leg over the broom to hop off. As she did so she cuffed Sirius on the back of the head, “Jerk.”

“Oi, watch it,” Sirius rubbed at his head and tried to smooth down his hair. “And I think the words you’re looking for are, actually, thank you.”

“Thank you for what?” James stepped forward from the shadows.

Lily jumped visibly and looked strangely nervous as Sirius turned around, “Prongs!” he greeted happily, a far cry from Lily’s obvious discomfort. “What brings you out this way?”

“Saw some people on the pitch. Thought I’d come see who was out so close to curfew. Didn’t expect to find you two here,” James shrugged, but knew his tone didn’t quite sound casual enough.

“I reckon I’ll let you take this one,” Sirius muttered to Lily, moving past her.

She tried to jab him in the side as he went, “Thanks a bunch.”

“Now you’re getting it, Evans,” he laughed as he jumped out of the way. “You’re most welcome, you ungrateful cretin.” Sirius continued walking, clapping his hand on James’ shoulder as he went past him. “Go easy on her, mate.”  

James turned and watched Sirius head out of the Pitch back toward the castle. He turned back toward Lily, “Thanks for what? Why do I need to go easy on you?”

“I’m impressed with your Head Boy attentions,” Lily tried to deflect, nodding approvingly. “I must be rubbing off on you.”

“Don’t even try it,” he frowned again. “What’s going on?”

Lily muttered something, looking down at the ground as she stubbed her toe into the grass, kicking up a small clump of the pitch.

“What was that, sorry?” James stepped closer toward her.

Lily muttered again, but James was a bit closer and managed to catch the last word. Lessons.

“Sirius is giving you lessons?” He tilted his head to the side. “Flying lessons?” Lily nodded and James tried not to feel hurt. “Why didn’t you ask me for flying lessons?”

Lily gave him a pained expression, “It was meant to be a surprise.”

“A surprise?” James frowned. “For what?”

“The bloody Potter Easter Quidditch Tournament,” Lily burst out. “Sirius was telling me all about it, how even your Mum plays in it. And I’m coming home with you for Easter, I didn’t want to be the only one who wasn’t playing.”

“Oh,” James looked a bit shocked. “So, you asked Sirius to teach you?”

“I wanted to surprise you and fly well and make you really proud of me. And to make sure your parents like,” Lily explained, biting her lip. “I just wanted to make you happy.”

James had never felt more like he was going to melt into a small puddle at the sweetness this girl showed him. He took several more steps forward until he could reach out and grasp her hips, pulling him to her. Lily’s eyes were still downcast, her cheeks reddened with embarrassment, so James used one finger to tilt her chin up toward him before stroking her cheek softly.

“Lily, my parents will love you. Probably more than they love me. And Sirius. But mostly me. You don’t have to learn to fly for that to happen. And I’m always proud of you, proud that you’re my girlfriend,” he assured her.

She shook her head, “But I want to fit in. I want to be part of it.”

“You could keep score. Use your wit to entertain everyone with commentary,” he offered.

“I want to fly,” Lily argued. Her arms came up to loop around his neck, playing with the hair at the nape. “What a sad Gryffindor if I can’t face my fear of heights and learn.”

“Then I’ll teach you,” James smiled, pulling her even closer.

“Mmmm,” Lily hummed as she pushed up on her toes. “I think you might be a distraction.”

James’ hand buried in her hair as his lips dropped to her temple for a soft kiss, “How so?”

“Well, I’ll probably try to do this while your teaching me,” she pressed her own kiss in the crook of his neck, “And this,” a kiss on his jaw, “And this,” she planted her lips firmly on James’.

James wasn’t sure she’d made her point as he happily responded to the kiss. This was probably the type of lesson he could finally get behind.

[tumbledfreckles]

Okay I am obsessed with your new one shots favourite. Do you headcannon Sirius and lily are always friends (pre jily) or that they get closer after jily? I can definitely imagine a world where young Sirius and lily bond over shit families and James is jealous for real!!! 😘

Ohhhh thank you Maddie!!!

Yeah no I definitely subscribe to pre Jily Lily and Sirius! I headcanon you'll never see Lily call Sirius, Black, even though he calls her Evans most of the time, cause of his distaste for his family. I reckon they bonded early on, he probably got to know her more through her friendship with Remus and then in their own right with families, sass and mutual respect. She was everything his family hated, he would have loved that she was everything that proved them wrong. She would have appreciated the hell out of someone shunting their family for their beliefs. And that belief being her right to exist in the magical world? Thats bonding for life stuff right there!

I think pre Jily James was jealous, but once Lily was in she was all in, so he'd never be jealous once they were actually together. Definitely the brunt of a lot of their jokes though!

[tumbledfreckles]

“Lily,” He whined, “I hate horror movies, can’t I just stay here. I came because you asked! I’m here can’t that just be enough?”

She tried not to focus on the drop in her stomach. She should have expected he’d refuse, so she shouldn’t dwell on the disappointment. 

“Fine,” Lily stood back and pushed off the car. “Stay there, and have a shit time by yourself when you could be cuddling with me. Honestly, just suit your bloody self.” She turned to Sirius and indicated back over her shoulder James, “You deal with him.” 

Sirius watched Lily walk around to the back of the car, where she stopped to chat with Marlene and Dorcas who were curled up together in a love seat bean bag. She was gesturing back toward the car in a way that made James sure she was talking about him. 

“Smooth mate,” Sirius brought James’ attention back to him. “Way to show her your manly side.” 

“She’s seen me duel Death Eaters, win Quidditch matches. I open jars for her. How much manlier can one get?” 

Sirius gave him a flat look, “Enjoy your snacks, Prongs. I’ll go cuddle your girlfriend for you in the scary bits.”

Just sharing a favourite moment from Friday Night Frights.

Excited to write more of Part 2 with @midnightelite tomorrow 😍😍😍