The first flying class

The moment Lily entered, she spotted Snape sitting alone at the end of the Slytherin table. She wanted to go keep him company, but Slytherins were hostile to outsiders. If she went over without thinking, it would only expose Snape to more harassment, perhaps even retaliation behind the scenes. All Lily could do was raise a hand and quietly wave to him across the long table.

Snape looked up at the vivid red hair and the waving figure, forcing a faint smile in response. Satisfied, Lily turned and sat down at the Gryffindor table. She took out some toast, spread condensed milk from Pindaodao on it, and slowly ate her breakfast.

Before long, Petunia arrived with her roommate, Hestia.

"Lily, good morning!"

Hestia was a little surprised. She hadn't expected a first-year to be up so early. Smiling, she remarked, "You're up so early, just like Petunia. When she was in her first year, she dragged us out of bed at seven sharp every day, afraid we'd be late for class."

Lily moved closer to Petunia and asked curiously, "Petunia, what classes do you have this morning?"

"I only have Charms at eleven. After breakfast, Hestia and I are going to the library to finish our Defense Against the Dark Arts homework."

Lily's spirits sank a little. By the time Herbology ended, Petunia would have to leave for class, so they wouldn't see each other at all. Sure enough, their timetables hardly lined up, leaving them little time together.

Hestia watched the affectionate sisters with envy. "I wish I had a little sister as clingy and adorable as you. I only have a younger brother."

After breakfast, Lily picked up her Herbology textbook and set off for the greenhouses. Just as she stepped out of the Great Hall, Snape walked slowly up beside her.

"Hi, Severus. Are you doing all right in Slytherin? Petunia said the people there are hard to get along with and care a lot about blood status. They must have been excluding you. If you run into trouble, just tell me. I'll definitely help."

Lily poured out all her words of concern at once, leaving Snape no chance to get a word in. All he could do was reply flatly, "Okay."

His tone was cool, and he seemed particularly distant. The two parted at the entrance to the Great Hall: Snape headed for the Charms classroom on the third floor, while Lily went to the greenhouses behind the castle.

The entire lawn was deserted, and Lily was the first student to reach the greenhouse. With nothing to do, she let her mind wander and browsed the Pindaodao System in her head, considering what other novel goods she could stock at Tales of Blossoms.

She failed to notice James and Sirius slipping into the greenhouse. Seeing Lily staring quietly at a pot of Christmas cactus, James assumed she had found some unusual herb and hurried over. Once he saw it was only an ordinary vine, he deliberately raised his voice and called repeatedly, "Hi, Lily! Hi! Hi, hi, hi!"

Lily snapped out of her thoughts and stepped back, covering her ears, her face full of irritation. "Potter, are you trying to deafen me?"

James paid her no mind and swayed casually. "I saw you staring at a pot of boring grass, so I was just being nice and waking you up."

Lily rolled her eyes dramatically. "Are we that close? You just went straight to calling me by my first name."

James picked a blade of grass and twisted about carelessly. "I thought we were already close enough to use each other's first names."

"You're imagining things. Come say that to me when you stop targeting Severus."

With that, she turned and walked to the other side of the greenhouse. The moment James and Sirius heard Snape's name, they hurried after her.

"Why are you always so close to that Snivellus?"

"First, you should learn to respect people, Potter. Second, we knew each other long before he was sorted into Slytherin. Just because we're in different houses, does that make him a bad person who wishes me harm?"

James was left speechless. Anger simmered inside him, and he secretly resolved to go make trouble for Snape after class. He really couldn't understand what that gloomy, greasy boy had done to bewitch Lily into defending him at every turn.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. After two seconds of silence, he couldn't help bursting out laughing. "James, she really tore into you, didn't she?"

"It's all that Snivellus's fault." James stole a glance at Lily nearby and, once he was sure she wasn't paying attention, spoke to Sirius in a low voice. "I'm going to teach that greasy Snivellus a proper lesson after class."

"Count me in. I can't stand his sinister look either."

"But Evans just tore you to shreds."

James froze, his cheeks growing slightly hot. He muttered, "I know, but even when she's tearing into someone, she's gorgeous."

The smile on Sirius's face instantly froze. "...You're done for."

Lily didn't see James or Sirius again until Flying Class that afternoon. She breathed a sigh of relief, but also grew wary.

He hasn't gone looking for trouble with Snape again, has he? It looks like I can't defend Snape in front of James anymore. The more I say, the more he goes after Snape.

Lily sighed. Neither this nor that would work. It was such a nuisance.

Madam Hooch brought the Gryffindor and Slytherin first-years out onto the lawn. Everyone was given a Shooting Star. Lily looked disdainfully at the battered broom, which had barely any bristles left. This thing won't suddenly fall out of the air once I'm flying, will it?

James claimed the spot beside Lily. He disliked the broom just as much, but first-years weren't allowed to bring their own, so he had no choice but to use the Shooting Star. As Madam Hooch walked along the rows, she told them to hold a hand above their brooms and say "up," making the brooms jump into their hands. Cries of "up" rose one after another from the two rows of students.

Lily held her hand above her broom. "Up." The broom obediently jumped into her hand. James looked at the broom in his own hand, then at Lily's. "Looks like you have a real talent for flying." Lily gave him a look that said, Can't I be talented? James understood none of it; all he saw was Lily glancing at him. I have to do well later and make sure she sees how impressive I look.

"Hey, mate, nice work." While Madam Hooch wasn't looking, he high-fived Sirius, who also had his broom in hand. Seeing that Snape, across from them, still hadn't managed to get his broom up, James nudged Sirius with his elbow. The two of them began snickering under their breath, just loud enough for Snape to hear. James tilted his head and deliberately drew out the word, mimicking Snape's strained, trembling voice. "Up—"

"Oh, come on, Snivellus, does even the broom think you're bad luck? Is that why it doesn't want to touch you?"

Sirius leaned on his broomstick, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "Maybe it can tell whose head is full of dark thoughts. It's keeping away because it's afraid the grease from your hair will rub off on it."

James moved forward a couple of steps and deliberately held his smooth, obedient Shooting Star up in front of Snape, waving it about, his eyes full of undisguised contempt: