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"For those of you that don't know, I'm James Potter," James said confidently to the potential students hoping to get onto the Griffindor Quidditch team. "The ugly prat to my right is Sirius," he pointed out dodging his best friend who took a swing at him and moved to my side and slung an arm around my shoulders, "and this red haired beauty is Lily Evans – watch her temper," he added and in response I elbowed him in the ribs and shrugged his arm off, ignoring his exaggerated grimace.

Today was the day of the Quidditch tryouts and although at first I didn't want to come I'm glad James bullied me into it. I forgot how much I love flying, how it makes me feel free, something I haven't felt in a long time.

In the air during a quick few laps if the pitch as a warm-up before practise, I left behind all my obligations, worries and problems behind on the ground, the only thing that mattered was winning the race that James had initiated when he kicked off the ground and met me on his racing broom, which I'm happy to say I won. I guess James feels the same way I do, because the whole time we were in the air, I never saw the his lopsided grin leave his face.

Yes, we both needed this escape. It's been just over a week since both James and I were asked to join the Order of the Phoenix and if I though I had no time to myself before I was genuinely mistaken. It's been timetabled so two nights a week we receive extra classes, subject to change, in defence against the dark arts, potions and new charms are being taught to us. But now this along with prefect meetings, (a separate one for each year), extra tuition for those who need it and now with Quidditch practise to fit in as well as all the normal schoolwork to complete and the NEWTS we'll have to study for. It was making me dizzy, and I had to spend most of my time in the company of James, much to the envy of my friend Emily.

"Unfortunately," I started as I clasped my hands together bhind my back, "one of our beaters, Michael Collins, is unable to attend tonight but our other beater is Sirius, James has the position of seeker and I play chaser."

"Even though I am the captain," James continued from where I left off, "you'll have to impress all three of us to get on to the team," he finished as he moved to stand in front of them next to Sirius, looking a each if them in turn as if trying to guess their strengths and weakness'.

"We're looking for people to fill the positions of Keeper and two chasers, as the previous members have decided to leave and have since been deemed traitors," Sirius stated venomously.

I moved to stand next to Sirius rolling my eyes at his comment. "The first thing you should know is never take anything Sirius says on face value," I told them. "And these traitors, merely graduated," which resulted in a few chuckles from the students.

"Even so," Sirius gritted through his teeth, "if you do not receive one of these three positions, but we feel that you are good enough, you may be offered a place on the reserve team." I nudged him in a playfully in an attempt to cheer him up and he elbowed me back. It turns out that Sirius had a date tonight, one that James had made him postpone and he'd been moaning about it repeatedly over the course of the day when he realised that he couldn't get out of tryouts.

"Places are offered," James started, "not based solely on talent but their ability to work in a team." He move to where Sirius and I were now hitting each other, giving us both disapproving glares "and there is no I in team, remember that," he added grinning at them. "Right, shall we get on with it then? It's bloody freezing out here tonight," he asked rubbing his hands together to emphasize this.

"And I'm sure that there has got to be some last minute homework for a professor due tomorrow," I added looking pointedly at James, before picking at my nails. James had approached me to help him finish a transfiguration essay for McGonagall tomorrow. When my gaze met his again I pulled my tongue out at him.

"Lets just mount our brooms for now and just through the quaffle to one another, I want to see how well you guys fly and how you balance is then we'll move on to some manoeuvres and we'll go on from there…" James told them while chucking the quaffle between his hands.

James kicked off from the ground and the followed rest of us followed suit.

"Overall that…" James started.

"Could have gone a lot worse?" I supplied with a shrug of my shoulders, the tryouts had ended and I was helping James tidy up. Sirius had been the first one to hightail it out of here and the other slowly went back to the castle.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I mean they're not perfect but that comes with practise and you can see those who've got potential."

"Experience helps to James," I said, grabbing one end of the ball trunk. "Some of these kids haven't had a proper chance to fly on a broom for longer than they were taught in first year. And you know how short them lessons could have been. I seem to remember you betting Sirius how close you could get to tower by the east wing and who could get there and back the fastest…"

"Yeah, I won." he replied with a grin, finally getting the hint and taking the other side of the ball trunk.

"Only 'coz Sirius crashed into the tower and broke his arm…"

"I still won," he cried indignantly as we walked towards the Griffindor storage shed at the other side of the changing rooms.

"Yeah, yeah… they just need to build up their stamina, we can work on stamina exercises with them?"

"That'd work, bit boring though," James said thoughtfully. "How about we just get 'em laid and bet there stamina will…"

"James!" I interrupted laughing his train of thought whacking him over the head.

"Not approve?"

"McGonagal wouldn't…and don't say what she doesn't know can't hurt her," I said before he had chance to retort.

We made our way back towards the castle and talked about new training techniques, some quite extreme on James part which he couldn't have been serious about like tying people to the whomping willow and see how long the can avoid being hit which would apparently help us with avoiding bludgers however it wasn't until I pointed out that if they were tied to the branches they couldn't get away to dodge the bloody things.

As we walked into the great hall I noticed some third year Ravenclaw's giggling and whispering and pointing at James as we passed them. I watched his face to see if he saw any recognition in this but he was oblivious.

"What?" he asked when he noticed me staring.

"You've got some admirers," I told him nodding my head back to the girls.

"Doubt it," he said when he looked at them, he then grabbed me and pulled me so suddenly through a door into an empty corridor. "They probably just saw Flitch or something, and noticed how muddy we are…hence the quick detour"

"You saw Flitch?"

"No but just preparing…"

Merlin, he'd changed so much. The old James, even though they were only third years would have been laughing and bragging about how he was Merlin's gift to women. I told James this and he did laugh this time.

"I wasn't that bad," noticing my look he relented and said "fine maybe I was."

I rolled my eyes and noticed that we were moving again. "Where we heading?"

"Kitchens," he replied offhand as though it were obvious. "I'm starving woman!"

"Don't call me that…"

"You prefer little girl?" I hit him over the head. "Thought not. Anyways, guess I realised I wasn't all that, and the fact that I haven't had a girlfriend in ages…"

"Why? Loads of girls fancy you… oops"

"Girls fancy me? Who? Lily? Don't keep quiet now? Lily? Don't make me hurt you? Li? Fine? "

"Stop, stop!" I cried as the tickle onslaught started, laughing hystericly. "James Stop… Please!"

"What is going on here?" came Emily's voice. We both turned around and I noticed that we'd come across Remus and Emily.

"Lily let something slip and I'm trying to talk her into telling me the rest," James growled. "hey mate," he acknowledged Remus. We all went to the kitchens together and the banter between me and James died down and we all chatted. Remus was close to me and kept lightly tracing his fingers along my arms and back, kissing my hand politely, I kissed him on the lips a few times letting the moment deepen if only for a couple of seconds and it felt nice but weird to like it was too late, I hope it didn't show. I felt bad for Emily and James though, like we were making them uncomfortable acting all coupley, we normally didn't.

We bade them goodbye and headed up to the common room. It was still pretty busy in there considering how late it was, don't people get tired, I was shattered! Thankfully my boyfriend must have noticed and didn't question me about the way I've been acting recently, he read and I rested my head upon his lap.

We sat like this as the common room started to empty and we were the only ones left.

"Lily…" Remus started as he closed his book.

"Yeah?"

"I… er I was just wondering…"

"Remus, out with it," I playfully bit back at him.

"What have you got planned for next year?"

I thought about his answer and told him the only answer I could think of, "I don't really know."

"No idea at all?" he whispered absentmindedly stroking my hair.

I turned up to him so I could look into his eyes from my position. I gave him a brief smile and replied "I never really thought that far ahead," and truthfully I hadn't.

"at all?" he questioned, and I could see some wheels turning behind his eyes as though he to were trying to figure it out. And as quickly as I saw it, it passed, within a fleeting moment as though it never appeared. "What, lil' miss head girl not figure it out," he joked bending his neck so his face was closer to mine.

"I know I want to graduate from this place," I smiled. "I had a vague idea that I wanted to head girl and maybe … I don't know,"

"I know I want to graduate a fine witch…"

"I think you got that sorted…" he muttered with a wolfish grin.

I slapped him playfully on the arm, "Remus!"

"What?" his eyes crinkling at the edges as I saw amusement dash across his face.

I ignored him but now he'd already become a playful little cub. "whats with all the… ahh"

He'd flipped around so he was now straddling me, "lily, lily, lily…" I narrowed my eyes, not questioning him. He bent down and slowly raised my shirt up a bit… I made a bid to stop him but he swatted my hands away and then kissed my stomach softly.

Then blew a raspberry on my skin making me shriek with laughter. "Stop, stop, stop…" he did and looked up at me from his position his chin resting on my bare skin.

"I have great faith baby that you'll be anything you want to be,"

"Thankyou…"

"once you realise and kick yourself up the bum and actually do it…"

"Oi! You, you, you meanie,"

"Meanie am I?" he questioned, I nodded eagerly. In response he blew another raspberry on my stomach.

"Rrrreeemmmuuusss!" I squealed laughing as his breath went over my skin making me shiver as it vibrated over me.

I tried to push against him and make a get-a-way but in one swift motion he just grabbed my arms and pinned my arms above my head. Since when did he have such good reflexes?

He grinned down at me, "I now have you at my disposal woman," and then laughed this evil laugh! "Mahahahahaha,"

Time to fight fire with fire. I leaned up at nipped at his ear with my teeth, then licking him softly on the skin behind it and I heard him whimper from above. "Your evil laugh sucks," I whispered softly into his ear and quickly slid from underneath him before he came to his senses.

"Hey!" he cried and I pulled my tongue out at him as I moved across the common room him hot on my tails. "And you call me the meanie!" as he enveloped me into his arms.

I pushed him off me and said it was late to which he agreed. "Goodnight Lily," as he kissed me at the girls dorm stairs.

I moved up a couple of steps and when I knew I was safe from any grasp of his till the morning I called back, "Goodnight Lover," and winked suggestively at him. He narrowed his eyes at me, stepped up on the first step, which promptly turned into a slope beneath him and he fell onto his arse.

"Tease," he called back as I fled up the remaining stairs.