[4]
A slight glimmer quivered in the air. Harry and Ginny both heard Remus's audible groan at James's question before the scene morphed into the Quidditch field. Excitement was buzzing in the air as hoards of happy fans screamed. They had all been waiting for the players to do an introductory lap around the field. Harry and Ginny spotted James and Sirius seated at a bench, doing some last minute polishing on their broomstick handles. The couple moved closer to the Quidditch players so they could hear the conversation.
"Do you think I'll impress her today?" James asked, his voice hesitant.
Sirius gave James a reassuring pat on his back. "There, there, dear Prongsie! Where did all of your confidence go?"
"Evans stole most of it," James replied in a dull voice before the two kicked off on their broomsticks and adroitly launched themselves in the air for the opening lap around the stadium.
Harry and Ginny sat down on the bench that was previously occupied by James and Sirius. "I think we can stay and observe the memory from here," Harry said to Ginny, noting that their environment had not faded away. Ginny was nodding in agreement when they suddenly heard the crowd gasp in shock. Girls' shrill shrieks pierced the otherwise silent, but tension-filled air. "No!"
Ginny elbowed Harry in his side and pointed towards James, who was speeding towards a stray Bludger that had apparently been accidentally released before the game had started. James raced around the Bludger, and using his body to block the object from a spectator, absorbed the blow. His fall seemed to take the longest time. Finally, he crashed fifty feet to the ground with a sickening thud.
A crowd of people quickly gathered around him, including the spectator James had just saved. Her head was bent over James's body as a series of sobs violently shook her petite frame. Harry and Ginny could not help but notice the bright red locks cascading from the girl's head.
The two exchanged looks of wonder. "You don't think that's-"
Before Ginny finished her sentence, Sirius, Remus, and Peter came bounding over. Remus magicked a hospital bed, and Sirius lifted James onto the levitating object from the throngs of worried fans.
"Oh, dear. I think Prongs thought that the girl was Lily or something," Remus said softly to the other Marauders, who nodded. The crowd then followed the group to the Hospital Wing.
After Madam Pomfrey fixed up James's broken ribs and twisted ankle, James woke with a start, and immediately began bombarding his friends with questions. "Hey, Ev—wait, where am I? Is Evans alright? Did I look good when I saved her?"
"Hospital Wing—yes—and no clue," Remus answered matter-of-factly.
"But the girl wasn't Evans, Prongs…" Peter, who was always fairly quiet, said with a confused look on his face.
Sirius and Remus both threw Peter an irritated look, and Sirius shook his head, saying, "Don't be such a bimbo, Wormtail. Evans thought you were incredibly heroic, Prongs."
"No, no! Padfoot is right. I'm sorry—I didn't mean anything!" Peter squeaked out, upset at offering the information.
"Potter?"
From behind the Marauders came Lily, who looked extremely uncomfortable to be present in James's hospital room.
"Evans! You're here," James said, a bright beam hanging on the corners of his mouth.
Lily cleared her throat and flashed a quick look at James before averting her eyes towards the ground. "You're a stupid prat, Potter, and it's your own bloody fault that you went and got yourself injured." Shifting her feet slightly, she then continued in a softer voice, "But you were brave."
She turned quickly and left the room without another word.
"Stop it, Prongs! You look like that cracked-up cat from that Muggle story," Sirius guffawed and swiped at James's head teasingly when he saw how wide James was smiling after Lily left.