"Hello," His voice was small, almost nervous. The redhead looked up from her book, eyes falling on the boy before her. They were in an empty corner of the library, her friends had just disappeared back to the common room, she had said she would join them shortly, and then he appears. "Did you have a good summer?"

"Maybe," Lily replied, she pursed her lips and closed her book. She looked at him expectantly, but he did not say another word, instead he placed a piece of parchment before her, then disappeared without another word. She reached over, her small hands grasping it, she let emerald eyes run across the page, it was a picture, beautifully drawn, a lily. She looked up, but he had already disappeared around the corner. "Thank you."


"Lily!" Becca called to her friend as she walked in the common room entrance, was grinning ear to ear. "Marlene just asked James to try out for the quidditch team tomorrow, how cool is that?"

She looked at the group all together on the sofa, James was beaming – there was evident excitement on his face, he'd loved quidditch for as long as she'd known him, he had a quidditch sweater on the first time she had met him. To make the team would literally make his whole school experience. That Marlene approached him proved she believed there may be some real possibility that he had the skills, she wouldn't have asked him to try out if she didn't believe it. Sirius was equally excited, the two were attached at the hip, it meant a lot to him that James made it. Peter was going to wet himself if he didn't calm down shortly. Gypsie seemed of the lot of them the least excited, she was clearly happy, though did not seemed nearly enthralled in the new information as everyone else.

"That's great," Lily said, mustering some enthusiasm, she did feel happy for him, he wanted it, so she wanted it for him. She grinned at him. "You'll be really good, James, I can't wait to see you play."

He smiled a brilliant happy smile. It was the greatest news in the world. Nothing could make it better, his year was made by getting on the team, staying on it would make everything else.

"You'll have to practice, and study, and we'll make banners!" Lily felt a well in her stomach, she was proud of her friend. She was surprised by it slightly… There were so many things she felt when it came to her friends, disapproval, concern, pride, love. She was never certain what it was she was feeling at any one moment when it came down to it, but she could go with it. "It'll be amazing, we'll make it amazing!"

It was not long before they found themselves sitting in the stands of the quidditch stadium, waiting impatiently for the game to start. Lily was sat between Isabel and Gypsie, Isabel had determinedly sat Sirius beside herself, a wide smile on her face. Gypsie was holding half the banner with Lily, it simply read 'GO JAMES' in right red paint, with a lion drawn on the end, roaring. Becca was determinedly leaning forward, keen to inspect every second of play. Remus was beside her, book in hand, he was reading another defensive arts book, his favourite subject. Peter was as keen as Becca, clapping his hands and laughing, his cheeks were a bright shade of red.

They listened as the commentator talked about the weather, it was not long before the Christmas Holidays were to start, it was cool and crisp outside. The air was still, not a single gust of wind. Ideal for a quidditch game, so the commentator said.

They looked out over the pitch, watching as the little coloured people, gold and red, bronze and blue. She could spot James, he was the smallest of then all, the youngest player out there, most houses didn't play anyone younger than a fourth year. He looked like a natural standing there, he took his position amongst the other chasers, they had jiggled the team to find the right fit, and James' position was with the chasers. He was quick, smaller than most players out at the moment, but there was a look of determination on his face. Nothing would get past him.


"You won James!" Lily squealed, hugging her friend, as he appeared through the entrance into the common room, she was grinning, but it was nothing compared to the bright smile on his face. There was absolute euphoria written across his face.

It seemed the happiness stuck, as when Lily sat down the next morning at breakfast James was still grinning. He did not say a word to her however, talking in hush voices to Sirius, Peter and Remus instead. She did not let it bother her, believing that they were probably just reliving the previous day.

However she did not get the chance to consider it further before she heard a yell. Looking over her shoulder she saw a few people standing up at the Slytherin table, frowning she turned towards them, curious as to what was going on, like most others in the room, only to realise that there was clearly something happening. Her eyes wandering across the shocked face she saw a few rush out, and to her utmost surprise she got a good view of their underwear. Most of the boys trousers had completely disappeared, and their underwear was clearly attempting to wedge them. She saw a pained looking Severus limp from the hall, pained expression on her face.

James and Sirius burst out laughing at the sight, there were a fair few giggles around the room, but theirs were easily the loudest. Lily frowned, it wasn't funny, a few of them were clearly in pain, what she suspected they had done was just cruel.

"You wouldn't like it if someone did that to you," Lily told the pair, Remus had the sense to look guilty, but Sirius just shrugged it off. James looked at her with surprise.

"What does it matter? They've been nasty to you before." James told her as if it were obvious what they were doing.

"That doesn't make it right James… And if you think it is, then I don't think I want to be your friend."


"Lily, it was just a joke," Becca told her carefully, not wishing to cause argument with her friend. She saw the look on her friends face and was worried that she would be on the receiving end of Lily's temper, but that was not the case.

"A joke at the expense of someone else's feelins," Lily replied, she looked at her friend, who paused, before slowly nodding her head. "So what if what they did to me was cruel, I won't ever turn into them and be cruel back… I'm better than that. I wish James was too."