Limits [Sirius Black]

Four

Florence woke up the next morning before the sun even reached the horizon. She got up and quickly changed into her running clothes. Since it was early in the morning, she put on a sweatshirt and left the common room.

"What do you think you're doing out of bed so early?" Florence turned go see Professor McGonagall looking at her.

"I was going for a run, can I not do that? Because I thought I could."

"A run? We don't ever have students decide to go for a run in the morning. But as long as you don't go into the forest, its fine."

Once outside, the cold air made Florence very alert. She quickly stretched and got ready to run. She took a deep breath and let it out, then she ran.

Her feet hit the ground and lifted her forward. Her heart hammered against her chest the more she ran. Blood swam through her veins.

Running made Florence feel free, she could leave all her problems behind and shut off her brain for awhile.

"You don't have to run the longest or the fastest, just run." Allison's voice echoed through her mind.

"But I wanna run fast!" Eight year old Florence cried.

"Then push yourself harder." Florence closed her eyes. She listened to the blood roaring in her ears, her heart beating against her chest, the sound of her feet hitting the ground.

When she opened her eyes, she listened to her mother and pushed herself even harder. It may not have made a difference, but in her confidence it did.

"Fast, isn't she?" Dumbledore acknowledged to McGonagall.

"Extremely." She replied.

"We'll have to see how well she does on a broom." Dumbledore winked and walked away.

"Merlin Florence! Slow down or you'll choke!" Remus cried as he watched Florence inhale her breakfast.

"Remus, I just ran five miles give me a break!"

"Five miles? Are you sure it wasn't five feet?" James exclaimed.

"Can you even walk five five?" Florence shot back. Smiling, James got up and walked five feet, then walked back and sat down.

"That was ten."

"Wow, congrats! Would you like a badge to go with that victory?"

"Could you quit bickering! It's quite annoying." Catalina snapped.

"Someone is crabby." Sirius informed. Catalina looked up at him, her eyes filling with anger.

"She didn't get a lot of sleep." Florence told Sirius.

"Are you saying just because I didn't get a lot of sleep that I'm crabby? Because I'm not crabby!" Mumbling to herself, Catalina got up and stormed out of the great hall.

"She's just a big ball of sunshine." James remarked.

"Guess she's just in a bad mood." Florence mumbled. She then got up and walked out of the great hall.

As Florence sat in Charms that evening, Catalina was a no show.

"Miss Anderson, do you know where Miss Arkson is?" Florence shrugged at the Professors question.

"Probably better off if she's not here."

"Is she alright?" Someone whispered to Florence a few minutes later.

"Who?" Florence asked, turning around to face them.

"Your friend." The red head acknowledged.

"Oh, Catalina? Yeah, she didn't get much sleep so she's extremely cranky."

"Oh, Florence, isn't it?"

"Been my name since birth."

"I'm Lily, Lily Evans."

"'Nice to meet you, Lily."

"Nice to meet you as well." Florence smiled and turned back around.

Dear Allison and Jonathan,

Hi, it's your child. I thought I'd send you this to let you know how things are.

On the train I met Remus Lupin, he's a good friend of mine now. Sirius and James, well, let's just say I know them, but Remus is friends with them. I'm sure I could get along, but they're stealing my plans to become the superior Gryffindor!

I also met Catalina. She's a metamorphmagus, she's really cool. There's this third year Ravenclaw who saved us from a rather rude Slytherin. Just today I met Lily Evans, nice girl.

Hopefully I don't get eaten by the monster in the lake, or killed by something in the Forbidden Forest. Who knows, maybe that Slytherin will kill me!

Love, Florence

P.S. Tell Argo I said hi!