James and Lily: It Took A While

THIRTEEN

Chapter 13

Throughout the next month, I worked diligently on my Occlumency. I was becoming pretty good at it, and Professor Carson had even told me that I was getting to be very talented at it. He had let me experiment on him, too. I'd try to perform a minor spell on him nonverbally, and he would try to perceive my thoughts. The last three times, he had no idea what he was going to be hit with!

The only question was: would I be able to hold up against Snape?

I had Sirius and James working on it as well, and I made absolutely certain that they practiced every day. I was slowly learning Legilimency too, but it was proving to be a bit more difficult than Occlumency.

~~~~

Friday night, a week before Christmas break began, the Marauders, Elle, and I were sitting around the fire in the common room. I was concentrating on Sirius. That is, I was trying out some Legilimency on him.

I was trying to perform this magic without eye contact, and it wasn't working out too well. Most of the time, eye contact is necessary to perform Legilimency, but I was settling for his head in general, because I didn't want him to notice that I was trying to 'read' his mind.

Finally, after about two minutes, in which I got nothing out of him, he looked up and saw me staring at him.

"Lily, I'm flattered and all," he joked.

I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you keep trying so hard?" he asked. "Just chill. It'll come to you. And besides, don't you need eye contact?"

I slumped back in my chair. "Yes, I know that Sirius. Thanks for that helpful tidbit of information."

"You're welcome!" he said brightly.

"I think I'll just go to bed," I said, and trudged towards the stairs.

Waving my hand behind me at the chorus of 'good nights' that reached my ears, I ascended the staircase. When I reached my room, I quickly changed out of my robes, set my wand on my bedside table, and crawled into bed. I instantly began clearing my mind. It helped with my Occlumency, but really helped me to feel peaceful too. And heaven knows I'd need the peace, because tomorrow I was going to Hogsmeade with Elle. She's my best friend, but, wow, she can talk her mouth off!

~~

I pulled myself from bed the next morning. It had been impossible to clear my mind last night, what with Snape's plans and the trip to Hogsmeade with Elle and. . . James. . .

Anyways, I just couldn't clear my mind, nor could I fall asleep, so I'd pulled out my wand and copy of Advanced Potion Making and read ahead on all the potions. It had gotten to be two in the morning before I realized how early in the morning it was. So now I was paying for it.

Elle was excited. She had been a bit depressed lately about how we hadn't been hanging out much, and she was right. I'd been so caught up with Snape and James and school that I hadn't given Elle enough of my time.

We headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. There we found James and Sirius, who were both fooling around at Gryffindor table.

"Hello, Evans," Sirius smirked. "Wanna try to read my mind?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "No, I'd actually prefer to stay out of your mind. There's no telling what's going on in there. Or what's not going on in there."

He merely smirked and then turned to James. "Do we have to?" he pleaded.

James gave him a look that said, 'Shut up,' and then looked up at Elle and me.