Disclaimer: Characters created by J.K. Rowling

A/N: This is based off of an actual conversation between the estella black (check out her profile) and I. We decided that we were the female version of the Marauders, a generation later. The beginning is taken almost word for word from that conversation, so make sure to give her credit as well. The title & name Neveah also belong to her. See if you can figure out who's who...

Why we are Awesome

by Padfoot and Prongs

"And what exactly does it mean to golden snitch someone?"

James and Sirius sat in the common room in between classes, lounging in the wingback chairs as if they didn't have another class that afternoon and they didn't have two rolls of parchment due.

"You know—" James began. "forget it."

"Was I supposed to understand?"

James shrugged. "Maybe not."

"Probably not...thus why I asked." Sirius shifted in the chair and rolled his eyes at the giggles that floated across the common room from a group of third year girls.

"I mean, doesn't she remind you of one?"

"One what? The snitch?"

"I mean, look. I'm the seeker, right? Remus, and Pete are the bludgers and-?"

"Oh Merlin!" Sirius abandoned his reclining position with a start and leaned forward like a gossiping schoolgirl. "Does that mean—YEEESSSSSSSS! Does that mean I get to be the quaffle?"

"It fits, right?" James stopped, realizing the meaning behind Sirius' tone. "Oh. You arse."

"I was hoping it would mean that I could be the quaffle, Jamsie. It's my favourite ball."

"Shut it." James threw a pillow in the direction of his best friend, who caught it easily.

"Thanks." Sirius punched the pillow into the crevice between his head and the couch, and a silence fell.

"Y'know. . . now that I think about it. . . We're living in a Quidditch game, sweet."

"Yeah. I had this revelation last night. That's exactly how she acts."

"You going to Astronomy tonight?"

"She flits around, teasing, taunting. All over the pitch. Then when you get close enough, she darts away."

"Huh, she is the snitch."

"Yeah. I might be late though. I have to finish the letter to my parents."

"How is the old mum?"

"Fine. Doting, as usual. She keeps asking when she's going to meet her."

"Who the snitch?"

"Lily, yeah."

"Well, considering she still hasn't agreed to go on a date with you, you may be set for a duel without a wand."

"I don't know why she keeps writing me about it."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "It couldn't be that you talk about her every waking moment."

James cleared his throat to protest. "I do no—aw hell." He ran his hand through his hair as a certain redhead passed through the common room and out of the portrait hole, probably on her way to the library.

James sat in a stupor for a moment. Sirius, used to this Lily-watching side effect, just sighed unnaturally loud… repeatedly… and waited unpatiently for James to notice.

"Are you going to Eddie's birthday tomorrow?"

"Probably should, as we promised to provide the firewhiskey."

"Yeah. I'm not feeling it."

"Padfoot. Do I hear you correctly? Are you passing up a party?"

"I just don't relish detention with Filch."

"Whaddyou mean?"

"Classroom 410? Really?

What happened your sense of adventure?"

"I just don't feel like getting detention for classroom 410. If we were hosting it in the Astronomy tower, or the dungeons or 05 or 612…anything but room 410? There's no excitement in it. You know it's a party room, the professors know, and you know the professors know."

"I know. But he's been shadowing me lately, asking every five minutes."

"Hex him"

James spoke in a high-pitched voice. "Did you get the drinks, James? Don't forget about the drinks."

"It's really not that big of a deal."

"Tell him that."

"Seriously." James looked at his friend. "What?" Sirius protested. "No pun intended. Seriously."

"Seriously?"

"Hon-est-ly." Sirius spoke as if he were talking to a particularly dumb child. "Happy?"

James smirked. "Yeah. Anyway. I can't hex him. And I can't not go. He's expecting me to go. He's been . . . clingy lately."

"You gotta shake them off early. Those clingy ones—"

"Seems like they always come after me. Marian Cremellion, Joan Whisely, Georgina Lewis…and that's only the females of the population. The guys try it too—" Here he glanced furtively at a smirking Sirius. "Not in same way. They all want to be my best mate."

"Forgive me, but I don't see the magic that makes people want to be your best mate."

"Yeah." James sighed tragically. "I tried to brush him off after Charms yesterday, but he caught up with me. Then he was offended that I hadn't been thinking about his party that second." James stopped. "I don't understand it either." Here he looked at Sirius, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "I mean, it could be that I'm the fabulous James Potter…"

"Or the fact that you're dead sexy and I want you to have my children." Sirius smiled and waved as a few nearby girls gaped at him. Immediately, almost as if they had been given a love potion, they turned to each other and giggled.

"Right you are, Padfoot. The truth of it is intoxicatingly exciting," James winked.

"I'd go wherever it is. I'm in the mood for a good party. With the way Ed's been acting, though, I'd rather not buy him the firewhiskey."

"So don't." James and Sirius looked at each other. "I dunno, Prongs; I just have a bad feeling about it."

"We can be buddies." Sirius raised an eyebrow. James leaned forward to whisper so he couldn't be overheard. "You can be my invisibility cloak buddy?"

"Always, Prongs. I'd just rather go somewhere where we can actually have some fun before we're busted."

"I'm not planning on getting busted."

"That's what's going to happen though. Especially because it's Eddie."

"He's going to get drunk of his arse and do really stupid things so we end up babysitting."

"I know."

"I fail to understand your logic. You know I'm right, yet you're still going. I don't see why we can't have something here." He gestured to the half-empty Gryffindor common room.

"That would be better."

"I suggested it to him earlier this week."

"And?"

"He kept changing the subject."

James rolled his eyes. "Shocking. Anyway, I'm not being his sitter; there's going to be plenty of others there. I figure, I'm bringing the Firewhiskey. That should get me out of anything else."

"Yeah, but he's a bit of a…how can I put it nicely? Dumbass. Lost his wand the other day."

"Are you serious?"

"Why yes, yes I am." The young man smiled charismatically, and James shrunk in his chair with a groan.

"Oh piss."

"Of course, I helped things along by hiding it in the dirty sock section of his trunk, but he would have lost it eventually."

James booming laughter led a few of the studying students to abandon the common room in favor of a quieter place.

"Revolting, that was. Like shifting through Doxy eggs. I had to scourgify them."

"The socks?"

"My hands," said Sirius wiggling his fingers. A third year across the common room thought he was waving at her, and she fell off her chair with a squeak.

James rolled his eyes.

"You're ridiculous."

"No, I'm Sirius. And you're jealous."

"Man, you have to stop with the name puns. And jealous of what? Your ability to attract third years?"

"My ability to attract any girl I want. And your inability to attract the one you want."

James paused only a moment before whipping out his wand. The jinx hit Sirius in the chest and he was jerked off of the sofa and onto the floor in a fit.

Within seconds, Sirius had fired a jet of electric yellow light. It missed James by inches only to rebound off of a wall sconce and hit the scraggly haired boy in the back. Tendrils erupted from James' ears.

James raised his wand, fighting off the fuzzy tendrils which were wrapping themselves around his arms. While Sirius stood across the common room, making a big show of examining his fingernails, James performed a spell that caused the vines to shrivel up and fall out of his ears.

Before he could get out the next jinx, however, both his and Sirius' wands flew out of their hands. Sirius looked affronted, and James took the opportunity to lunge at him, knocking his friend to the ground with a thud. The two boys wrestled around, knocking into any and every chair and table that got in the way.

Meanwhile, Lily Evans stood nearby with two extra wands in her hands. A girl with light brown hair and ocean green eyes walked over to where Lily stood watching the wrestling bout with exasperation.

"Hey Lily."

"Hi Neveah"

"Um…what are they doing?"

"I try not to think about it too much."

"Did he just say snitch?"

"I think so, yeah."

"Well at least if this-" Neveah waved her hand toward the boys, who had hit a stop in front of one of the large armchairs and were fighting to maintain power over the tussle "is over Quidditch, it's worthwhile. Maybe."

"Uh, Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to stop them?"

The redhead sighed. "I suppose I have to." She withdrew her wand. The effect was instantaneous. Sirius & James froze, James with a handful of Sirius' beloved hair and Sirius with his palm pushing up on James' chin.

"Now boys," spoke Lily, pressing her face as close to theirs as she dared. "If I let you up, are you going to behave?"

Neveah giggled. "You sound like you're talking to a couple of five-year-olds."

"I am."

"Right."

Lily turned her attention back to the boys. James eyes, although frozen, seemed to widen.

"Good." She released the spell and the James collapsed on top of Sirius.

"Attractive," commented Neveah.

"I know, isn't it though?"

"Gerroff me, Prongs. Not in front of the ladies." Sirius shoved James off him and stood with a bow. "Thank you, thank you." Then he spotted Neveah. "And you-thank you."

Neveah rolled her eyes.

"Where did you come from, beautiful? Surely I would have noticed you before."

"I doubt, Sirius Black, is it? that you take your mind away from your dick long enough to notice anything."

Lily's mouth fell open before turning into an appreciative grin.

"I'll see you later tonight, Lily."

"Six O'clock?"

"Yeah."

"All right, see you then."

Sirius watched her walk away, moth slightly ajar and tongue beginning what would have proved to be a good drool. "Evans!" he barked, "Who is that?"

"Neveah Harper. But don't waste your time; she's out of your league, Black."

"Everyone's in my league-if I want them there."

Lily snorted. "Not her. Now can you and Potter try to act like your age, please?"

"Sorry, Lily." James finally emerged from his stupor to nod, running his hand through his hair.

"Just because you're a Prefect, Evans, doesn't mean you can order us around. And I though you just said we were five."

"I don't have time for this. In case you're interested, we have class in twenty minutes." Lily tossed their wands on the battle-worn chair and marched up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

Even before Lily had left, a glazed look took over Sirius' eyes. "If I'm the quaffle, that girl is definitely the goalpost"

James, in a stupor of his own, nodded. "Wait, what?"

"Neveah Harper…"

"Oh."

"Meet your dream come true."

"Lily said-"

"The sun does not shine out of that girl's arse, Prongs."

James turned on Sirius. "How do you know what her ass looks like? Why were you looking at her ass?"

"Merlin's beard, Prongs. Cool your wand. That's not what I meant."

"Oh. Why didn't you tell me she was there!"

"Why the hell do you think I was yelling 'snitch' at you the whole time you were trying to take off my face?"

"Oh."

"You're welcome."

The two collapsed into each other's original positions-James on the sofa and Sirius in 'his' chair.

Sirius tossed James his wand.

"Padfoot? Do you think I'll ever get a chance with her?"

"I'll speak to Neveah on your behalf. Maybe she'll put in a good word with Evans."

"Thanks." James glumly shoved his wand inside his robes.

"Anything's possible, Prongs. After all, like myself, you are a damn good Quidditch player."

"But I'm not a seeker."

"We'll see."

"James!" Despite his best efforts, James could not shrink into the sofa. "James, I've been looking all over for you!"

"Help!" He mouthed at Sirius.

"Eddie! My man!"

"Hey Sirius. I was just about to ask James about the-beverage-situation for tomorrow night."

"Right, right." Sirius threw his arm around Eddie and whispered confidentially. "The Firewhiskey. Did you choose a flavor yet?"

"There are different flavors? I thought it was just-"

The corners of James' mouth began twitching.

"Eddie, Eddie…so much to learn. I'll tell you what. Whaddayousay we take you down to our secret stash, and you can pick out whatever you like?"

"I don't know, Sirius… It is a secret stash. Maybe we shouldn't"

"Aww, James. We can trust Eddie here to keep the secret, can't we, Ed?'

The blonde boy nodded fervently. "Absolutely."

"Okay," Sirius clapped his hands together. "Let's go."

"Now? But we have class."

"You don't always need to go to class, Eddie. It's healthy to skive off once in a while."

"Besides," James chimed in, "this is the perfect time. No one else around."

Eddie nodded. Sirius called them all in for a huddle and whispered.

"So that's how you're always stocked after Quidditch games!"

"Shhh!" James shushed him earnestly. "Don't tell the whole world, Mayland. We can't have everyone knowing our secrets."

"Just the… elite of Hogwarts."

"Elite."

"Now. Onto adventure."

Twenty-one minutes later, a windswept James and Sirius burst through the door to the potions classroom.

"Mr. Potter. Mr. Black. Thank you for joining us," chided Slughorn gently from the front of the room. "You don't have Mr. Mayland with you, by any chance?"

"Mayland?" said James smoothly as he slid into his seat. "You mean Eddie? Nope. Sorry, Professor."

"Last time I saw him, he was hanging around the Quidditch pitch, near the old broomshed," added Sirius, plopping onto the stool next to James. "But haven't seen him since then."

"Well that will be a detention, if he's skiving off his classes. Which reminds me. A point each from Gryffindor, boys, for your tardiness."

"Sorry, Professor."

"We were actually out looking for him, Professor. That's why we were late."

Years of practice caught James up to his friend in a second. "We knew he wouldn't want to miss such an important class."

"Definitely not." Sirius winked at James as Slughorn's face began to turn a pleasant pink.

The professor cleared his throat. "Ehhem. Well, well, boys. I applaud your efforts. I suppose Gryffindor doesn't need to lose points. Your intentions were for the best, after all. Just see that it doesn't happen again."

"Never, Professor."

James and Sirius smiled as innocently as they could. As soon as Slughorn turned his back, they whirled around to face Remus and Peter, sitting at the table behind them. Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Later," James whispered.

"With any luck, dear old Eddie will have a detention tomorrow night. I believe that's a Gryffindor goal to chaser Padfoot with an assist by Prongs! Haahhhh! Haahhhhhh!"

James attempted to smother his laughter. Then he caught sight of Lily starring at him, her eyes burning with suspicion, and the laugh drowned in his throat.

"Now if I could just catch the snitch," he grumbled.

"Don't worry, Prongsie Poo, I'll give you some lessons."

"Thanks, Padfoot, Thanks. That's…comforting."

"Anytime mate. I'll be with you till the end in this Quidditch game called life."

James rolled his eyes and shrugged off Sirius' arm from around his shoulders. "Just throw in the shaved newt tail."

"Sure thing. Hey, have you tried this line on her yet?" Sirius slackened his jaw and waggled his eyes. "Was that an earthquake or did you just rock my world?"

"Um… I don't think that will work. Not on Li-the snitch."

"Okay, okay. How about this one: I'm invisible."

"What?"

"Come on, just play along. You be the snitch, and I'll be you. I'm invisible."

James threw in the newt tail himself. "Really?"

"Yeah. Can you see me?"

"Um…?" Sirius nodded his head violently. "Yes…?"

"Great! How about tomorrow night?"

Remus snorted from behind them. "Don't listen to him James. Lily is too classy to fall for something so obviously…Padfoot."

Pete giggled. "He's right, Prongs."

"Shut it," Sirius glared at their fellow Marauders. "Okay. I got it: You can fall off a building, you can fall off a tree, but the best way to fall, is in love with-"

"Sirius!"

"Well, yes, but I thought we were talking about you and Lily. Plus it sounds much better with 'me.' Get it? Tree, me? They rhyme."

James stared at him. "How did you ever get a date?"

"Alright. So I've been holding out on some of the better ones." Sirius put on what his fellow Marauders recognized as his 'sexy voice.'

"Do you have a map? Because I just keep getting lost in your-"

"Professor Slughorn!" James raised his hand. "I want a new partner."