A/N: Please forgive this pathetic chapter. I'm very upset and worried about an expedition I'm going on, and I've been trying to cheer myself up...sighs sadly

Chapter Seven

It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand.

One minute and forty seconds later, the four of us were gather tightly around the place where Peter had sat, as he dug furiously to retrieve whatever he'd sat on.

"I don't see why we're doing this." Remus speculated. "But I must admit, it is interesting."

"Because of what could be, Remus. What could be." A dreamy smile spread across Sirius's face. "We have a literally golden opportunity in front of us, do you not see it sparkle? And we must grab it, and bring it to our hearts and never let go, because we're still so young, and if you don't act now than before you blink you'll be old, like me..."

"Sirius, you're only three months older than me."

"...old, never having explored the mysteries of life and regretting it every day! I will never know what you could know! You've got to chase the rainbow, Remus, to reach the pot of gold..." Sirius elaborated, flourishing his arms in the direction of Remus's head.

"I think Padfoot's reached another kind of pot." I laughed.

Peter grunted in frustration. "I still don't see why, Padfoot, you couldn't just chuffin' transform and dig the chuffin' thing up in ten seconds. Becuase I know it's a Muggle park and all that, but I'm getting all this chuffin' dirt up my chuffin' fingernails..."

"What fingernails?" Padfoot retorted, with a disgusted glance at Peter's severally bitten fingernails.

"It's the return of Peter the Tank Engine!" Remus declared. "Chuff, chuff, chuff...chugga chugga, chugga chugga..."

"Woo-woo!"

"Shut up, all of you." I snapped. A sparkle of gold had caught my eye, and in two shakes of a lamb's tail I was digging with Peter, getting chuffin' dirt up my chuffin' fingernails.

And sure enough, those unspoken suspicions were right. We gradually unearthed a winged golden globe, supported by five hoops around the outside to represent the continents, and a base with the three glorious words: QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP engraved around it. I felt a happiness that I had not felt since the incident with Lily and her...friend. Looking at my friends faces, they felt the same way as I did, only to an ever so slightly lesser degree.

The dirt brushed off easily, nothing could damage its purity. I took in in my hands and lifted it proudly. It was beautiful. It was ours, not just the country's but ours. It was the best feeling in the world.

"Mum...is going...to go spare..." Peter gaped. "...in a good way..."

"I don't believe this." Remus said. "It's a fake...it's...got to be..."

"It's hallmarked." I told him, my voice shaking with emotion. "It's real, Moony. Really real."

"Can we show it to my mum?" Peter asked. "I think she'd like it...and I was gonna ask if you lot wanted to come to tea anyway but I forgot..."

"Come on then." Sirius agreed triumphantly. "Let's be off to Peter's. It's a bit of a walk, not to mention the torrential rain, but...what the hell! Prongs, Moony, you two are the lightest...Peter and I'll give you a hero's lift."

"You're not throwing me over your shoulder, either of you." Remus replied bitterly, clearly remembering the events of the summer in first year when we...er...kidnapped him. I'm not going to go any further into it than that.

"I'm not lifting Remus, he's bigger than me!" Peter added, crossly. "In height only, but still!"

And so, we walked. Or rather, they walked, while I sat proudly on Padfoot's shoulders. You would think that my weight would have been too much for him, but he was used to it, and anyway, I'd give him a turn in a minute or two. Meanwhile, I held the World Cup high into the blacked sky...whilst thinking of all the things that would happen because of the reward money...and of course we were bound to get our pictures taken in the Daily Prophet, and Lily Evans would see what a hero I was, forget Alex and fall in love with me. Everything was right in the world.

"I've paid my dues," Peter said, as he walked beside us. "...time after time..."

"I've done my sentence..." Remus continued, with a musical lilt to his voice, "...but committed no crime..."

"And bad mistakes," Sirius sang, "I've made a few..."

"I've had my share of sandkicks in my face, but I've come through!" I concluded, loudly, and we all sang together.

"And we mean to go on, and on, and on and on..."

"We are the champions, my friends..." I sang, cheerfully.

"And we'll keep on fighting...till the end!" Sirius continued proudly, and we all joined together again.

"We are the champions, we are the champions, no time for losers, 'cos WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS...OF THE WORLD!"

I suddenly noticed a voice missing from our chorus, and turned to see Remus staring in shock at Sirius and me. A line appeared between his eyebrows, and I knew we were in for a sermon.

"I've just realised...you two..."

"This isn't about lightning again, is it? I asked him, trying to make myself clear over Sirius and Peter, who were still singing.

"You're holding a metal object really high in the air, James, you're practically a lightning rod!"

"I've taken my bows, and my curtain calls..."

"Moony, the odds on getting struck by lightning are extremely low...er...high? Low, high?"

"You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it..."

"Give it to me, you'll be safer."

"I thank you all..."

"Don't be ridiculous. You'll get your turn!"

"But it's been no bed of roses..."

"I am not being ridiculous! You're the one who's being ridiculous! Please give it to me."

"No pleasure cruise..."

"Take it!" I retorted, holding it high from his reach. Remus leaped at my hand, while I pulled snide faces at him. This wasn't the best idea, as Sirius began to stumble, and I nearly fell off.

"Will you two prats stop it before someone gets hurt!" Sirius snapped. "Prongs, just give it to Moony, it's not like it's yours anyway."

Sulkily, I leant towards Remus and began to give it to him.

And then...everything was incredibly bright, and I felt a terrible pain in my hand, which was followed by the pain of falling on the ground, except I couldn't see a damn thing and I didn't know what was happening...

"Sirius, check if James is allright."

"And what are we supposed to do with Remus?"

"I'm seeing to him! We'll be fine. I've got a Portkey to St. Mungo's, I carry one everywhere with me, we'll be fine..."

"Sirius? What the hell has just happened?"

"Are you allright, James?"

"Tell me what's happened."

"James...James...Remus has been struck by lightning."