Virtual cookies (celery/carrot sticks to vegans/vegetarians) to anyone who can guess who Bethie Cavaleri is! It's not that hard… ;)
–xAndromedaBlackx–
"Cavaleri in possession of the Quaffle… passes it to Rinecliff… Ouch, some nice Bludger work there by the Hufflepuff Beater Jefferson, and Rinecliff drops the Quaffle… Leevington picks it up… He's going towards the goalposts… he shoots… Miller's saved it! The score is still fifty-twenty to Gryffindor…"
A roar of applause went up from the red-and-gold side of the stands, as all the Gryffindor supporters jumped to their feet and shouted their gratitude at Andrea Miller, the fifth-year girl who played Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The people waving yellow flags in another section of the stadium all groaned.
"And it's Rinecliff with the Quaffle again… passes it to Potter…"
A red-and-gold blur could be seen streaking towards the Hufflepuff Quidditch team's goalposts.
"And he shoots… and scores! Sixty-twenty to Gryffindor…"
Marlene McKinnon and Lucinda Baker both jumped to their feet and cheered for James Potter, who pumped his fists in the air and shouted something indistinguishable (which was lost in the loud roar coming up from Gryffindor supporters) as he zipped past a Hufflepuff Chaser. Lily Evans rolled her eyes.
"Now, now, Lily," Lu teased as she sat back down again. "James is just doing what he's supposed to be doing… there's no need for you to take your anger out on him…"
"I didn't take my bloody anger out on anyone," Lily grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You rolled your eyes at him," Marlene pointed out.
"Oh, sod it," Lily shot back.
"Bethie's doing well," Lu broke in, before an argument could escalate.
The three girls turned to look at Bethie Cavaleri, their other good friend and fellow Gryffindor seventh-year girl, who had just picked up a Quaffle dropped by one of the Hufflepuff Chasers and was now speeding towards the Hufflepuff goalposts.
"Cavaleri's got the Quaffle, and… was that the Snitch?"
Everyone eyes swung over to where Frederick Towers, the Gryffindor Seeker, and the Hufflepuff Seeker, Caradoc Dearborn, who was a blonde, good-looking boy, were diving down. Lily strained her eyes to see and thought she caught a glimpse of a golden glint.
"Towers is in the lead…" the commentator, a boy named Joseph Woodworth, who was a Ravenclaw seventh-year, announced. "And… yes! Frederick Towers has gotten the Snitch, and it's Gryffindor in the lead for the House Cup, and they've won, two ten to twenty!"
If Lily had tried to shout herself hoarse right now, it would have been impossible to discern her own voice from the racket. Lu was doing a little dance, Marlene was jumping up and down and squealing, and the rest of Gryffindor was no better. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was down below, one of Lily's best friends there too, all cheering and celebrating.
"Party in the common room!" Lu sang happily, clapping her hands gleefully. "Who wants to bet the Marauders will spike the punch?"
The Marauders were a group of four boys, who were all in their seventh year, and Gryffindors as well. They were the most popular and sought-after boys in the school. There was James Potter, captain of the Quidditch Team, Head Boy working alongside Lily (most unfortunately, in Lily's opinion), best Transfiguration student, and owner of one of the biggest egos Lily had ever encountered.
Then there was Sirius Black—tall, dark, and handsome pretty much described it all. He was very good-looking, but he didn't date much. Some people thought he had fear of commitment.
Third, there was Remus Lupin, mastermind of all the pranks the Marauders had pulled throughout the years. He was quiet, shy, and slightly mysterious, and he was a prefect. He was really the only one of the Marauders Lily could stand for more than five minutes.
Last of all was Peter Pettigrew, who neither particularly tall nor good-looking. He was short, slightly chubby, and had a squeaky voice and the looks of a rat. While Remus thought up the pranks, and James and Sirius performed them, Peter was the one who sat by either doing the hardest work or watching and laughing at the victims. He was more of a tagalong than anything else, but the rest of the Marauders did seem to genuinely like him.
Lily shook herself out of her thoughts and wrapped a red-and-gold Gryffindor scarf around her neck. The chilly November air stung her cheeks. She blew on her hands for warmth, wishing she had brought gloves.
"I don't want to bet," Lily told her friend, answering Lu's question.
"Come on, Lily!" Marlene exclaimed. "Let's go celebrate!"
Lily declined the offer. "I'll meet you in the common room," she replied.
Lu rolled her eyes. "Still avoiding Potter, are you?"
There was another thing about James Potter that Lily particularly disliked—he had been chasing her since fourth year. He had asked her out exactly 698 times since then (Bethie had kept count). And each time, Lily turned him down, all for the same reasons: He had a big head, an over-inflated ego, and he was annoying. He thought he was better than everyone else, and he wasn't responsible or mature at all.
"You're no fun," Lu complained, but she gave a small grin to show Lily that she was only joking and raced down to the Quidditch pitch with Marlene.
Lily watched her friends go, and came down from the stands to get to the Gryffindor common room, when a voice asked, "May I walk you back to Hogwarts? I'm sure your House will want to celebrate your victory."
Lily blinked and turned to see Joseph Woodworth (the Ravenclaw commentator for the Quidditch game) smiling friendlily at her. He had come down from the commentator's box.
Lily smiled brightly at him. "Sure, why not?"
Joseph grinned at her and glanced at her hands, which were practically almost turning blue from the cold. He reached into his pockets and pulled out a pair of gloves and handed it to her. "Are your hands cold?" he asked.
"Thank you," Lily breathed gratefully, slipping the gloves on to protect her hands from the harsh almost-winter air. "I didn't think it would be this cold out."
"Anything for the Head Girl," Joseph agreed, grinning.
Their shoes crunched on a few fallen leaves that had somehow found their way onto the Quidditch pitch as they walked. There was a long, slightly uncomfortable silence before Joseph asked, "So how did you like the Quidditch game?"
"It was good," Lily answered, glad for a distraction. "We won," she added, unnecessarily. She immediately wanted to kick herself for making such an obvious comment.
"Yeah. But we'll clobber you once we play you!" Joseph joked. "Ravenclaw's got Charlie Chang, Anthony's little brother, now, and all Changs are good Seekers."
"So is Towers, and you'll never beat him." Lily smiled. "And you need decent Chasers and a Keeper, not to mention Beaters as well."
"You've got Potter," Joseph observed.
Lily scowled at the mention of her arch nemesis. "Please don't spoil my good mood."
"You don't like him?" Joseph asked curiously.
"Detest, more like, and that's still an understatement." Lily tightened the scarf around her neck. They were almost at Hogwarts castle now. "He's a bloody pain in the arse."
"Such language," Joseph teased. His face grew more somber. "But seriously, why do you hate him?"
"Seriously, why don't I hate him?" Lily laughed sourly. "Simple: because I do."
Joseph frowned, obviously confused.
"Seriously, don't worry about it." Lily stepped into Hogwarts through the doors. The warm air felt good against her cold cheeks. "Finally."
The two walked in an almost-comfortable silence for a while before Lily stopped in front of a corridor. "I'm going to go to Gryffindor Tower now. You should get to the Ravenclaw common room."
"All right. See you later." Joseph nodded.
"Good-bye."
Lily turned and walked to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Even from outside, she could hear sounds of the party, already in full swing, drifting out through the walls.
"Niffler," Lily said. That was the password.
The portrait swung open, and Lily climbed through the portrait hole. She saw Lu, Bethie, Marlene, and Alice Mikos, another Gryffindor seventh-year girl, all standing by the table of refreshments.
"Don't drink the punch—it's spiked with firewhiskey," Lu warned Lily as she slipped in line next to her friends.
"Exactly why I didn't want to bet," Lily countered, grabbing a bottle of butterbeer instead. "Hey, everyone."
"Hey, Lily," her friends chorused.
"You were great today, Bethie. You scored a goal!" Lily grinned.
"Thanks." While Marlene had curly, light-brown hair and Lu was a typical blue-eyed blonde, Bethie's hair was as dark as James Potter's. She had long, black, slightly wavy hair, eyes of a sort of bluish color, and she was rather short for her age.
Lily took a sip of butterbeer. Before she could say anything else, another (unwelcome) voice joined in.
"Hey girls."
It was Sirius Black. James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew were with him.
"Go away, Black," Lu declared immediately.
"Why?"
"Because you're annoying."
"That's not an excuse."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
Remus Lupin rolled his eyes. "And here they go again," he muttered, clearly annoyed.
Lily couldn't help agreeing. Lu and Sirius bickered like an old married couple, like Lily and James often did. Or at least, Lily bickered. James tried (and failed) to defend himself.
The only difference between Lily and James and Sirius and Lu was that Sirius and Lu's arguing was friendly. James and Lily's was not.
Lily felt a prickle on the back of her neck, like someone was watching her. She turned to see James staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face.
"What?" she snapped, feeling aggravated.
He blinked, looking startled. Then his eyes focused on her and he grinned. "Hey Evans."
"Go away, Potter."
"Why?"
"Because you're annoying."
"That's not an excuse."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
OK, Lily reflected. So maybe Sirius and Lu's bickering ISN'T very friendly. Because Potter and I are having the exact same argument they are right now. And neither of us are backing down. But the difference is, Sirius and Lu are both way more into the "Yes it is/No it isn't"s than Potter and I are.
"Potter, shut your bloody trap up and go away."
"Why?"
"Because you're annoying."
"That's not an excuse."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't."
Lily fought the urge to scream with frustration and to bang her head hard on a wall repeatedly. Because she really did feel like doing both of those things.
"Devil," she muttered.
"What did you say?" Potter wanted to know.
"Nothing."
Please read and review!
-xAndromedaBlackx-
PS. Remember, virtual cookies to anyone who can guess who Bethie Cavaleri is! The answer is around here somewhere, you know. (dangles bag of cookies in your face)
(Chapter edited October 6th, 2008.)