A/N

- Yes, I made a mistake. James was a Chaser, not a Seeker. However, I resisted the temptation to iron my hands, and decided to make the best of it by writing it into the story.

- Making Jack Greenwood's birthplace Sligo, Ireland, is a small nod to my great-great-grandfather, James Charles Hayes, who was born there on December 21 1829.

Lily made her way along the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, with Snape a few paces behind. They had already passed several empty compartments, but they were looking for Solstice. Finally they found her, standing on the seat to stow her traveling cloak beside her trunk in the overhead rack. As her friends entered the compartment, she turned and grinned when she saw them. "Hi! Did you have good holidays?"

Snape shrugged - his holidays were never good with his father around - but Lily smiled in response. "Yes, pretty good." She looked up at Solstice, who was still dressed in holiday clothes. The snug t-shirt and jeans revealed that she had finally started to develop a figure, and when she jumped down from the seat, Lily could see that she was several inches taller. There was something about her face, too, an indefinable change that had turned it from a child's face to that of an adult. Solstice sat down opposite Lily and Snape, and unlatched Hoot's traveling cage. The owl walked out, then fluttered to Solstice's shoulder, nibbling her ear before ruffling his feathers and settling down. "What about you?" Lily asked.

Solstice grinned ruefully. "It was interesting... remember I had new foster parents? Well, they've refused to have me back."

"Why? What happened?"

"They had a daughter about the same age as me, and she didn't want me there. I did try to make friends in the first few days, but after that, I stopped trying. She made it obvious she wasn't interested in being friends, and she kept on about Hogwarts being an inferior school - she goes to Beauxbatons. So we argued a lot."

"What were the parents like?"

"They tried to be kind, but I think they were a bit hurt when I didn't want to go on outings with them. I like to explore on my own, and I wanted to study too, but I suppose they didn't understand that. But the real problem was Hoot. Their daughter had pet mice, but one day she didn't fasten the cage properly. The mice got out and, well, Hoot ate them."

"Oh, Solstice!"

"Don't look at me like that - it wasn't deliberate. And you can't blame Hoot, mice are his natural prey. But of course the girl really hated me after that - she started saying stuff about Elementals - you know, about being promiscuous and all that. Even if they wanted me, I wouldn't go back! So it's a relief to go back to school."

"So - I suppose you'll have another new set of foster parents next summer?"

"Yes - but the witch who came to visit me from the Ministry department that deals with foster kids, said she'll try to find some people soon, so I can start writing to them this year, and maybe visit at Christmas to see if we get along. That way, at least we'll know a bit about each other before next summer."

Lily sighed. "I wish I could have you to stay with me in the holidays, but my sister - I mean, she sulks for days if I visit Sev, so if I had someone from school staying at the house..."

Solstice shrugged. "It's okay - I'm used to it, and I don't really mind much. I think it'll help if I can write to the new people before I meet them."

Crowding into the Great Hall for the beginning of term banquet that evening, Solstice caught sight of the Marauders, but frowned when she realized that only James, Sirius and Peter were there. Asking Lily to save her a seat, she made her way to where the three boys were sitting. "Isn't Remus here?" she asked.

James shook his head. "No, he's - he's not well. He should be here in a few days."

"How come he gets ill so much?"

James looked uncomfortable. "Well, it's - it's something he's had since he was a little kid. It flares up every so often. But he doesn't like to talk about it, so don't go asking him."

"Oh - sorry. I just wondered where he was." Solstice turned away, still frowning, and made her way slowly back to Lily.

On the way to the Common Room after dinner, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain pulled James aside, and when James finally joined his friends in the Common Room, he looked furious. "What's up?" asked Sirius.

James took a couple of deep breaths; for a moment he seemed too angry to speak, but finally managed to say,

"I've been kicked off the Quidditch team!"

"What? That's crazy!"

"Apparently they think I'm too big to play Seeker. They've got that skinny little second year with the red hair as the new Seeker." In his anger, James was almost shouting, and the other students had fallen silent, listening. Suddenly realizing that he had an audience, James headed for the stairs, with Sirius and Peter following.

Lily glanced up at them as they went through the doorway, and she muttered to Solstice, "Maybe he'll be a bit less big headed now he's not a big Quidditch star!"

Solstice grinned, but before she could reply, a third year came up to her."Professor McGonagall wants to see you in her office." Solstice got up, looking puzzled.

"You're not in trouble already, are you?" Lily asked.

"I don't think so. I can't think of anything I've done..." With an air of importance, the third year added,"She said 'now'," and Solstice shrugged. "I suppose I'd better go."

She returned about ten minutes later, looking serious. In answer to Lily's questioning look, she explained, "Professor Greenwood won't be back until next week. His mother died, and he had to go to Ireland to see about the funeral and everything."

"So - what's going to happen about your lessons?"

"Professor McGonagall said I should be old enough to work on my own for a few days. I know we were going to start fire magic this term, so I could do some reading, and practice a bit. And I'll still be coming to Potions and Herbology anyway."

Lily was curled up in bed reading when Solstice came into the dormitory. She had already changed into a sleeveless summer nightgown, and now sat on her bed and began to braid her hair. Lily glanced up and said, "I learnt how to do a French braid this summer - shall I do one on your hair?"

"Yes, all right."

Lily knelt on the bed behind Solstice, and deftly began to weave her friend's hair down the back of her head. When she reached her neck and began on the regular plaiting, she remarked, "You must have been sunbathing this summer - you've got a really nice tan."

"No, I wasn't sunbathing, I was just outside a lot. I don't think it's a regular sun tan anyway, because it's all over. It just sort of developed."

"That's odd."

"Well - I think it might be an Elemental thing. I never thought about it before, but Professor Greenwood always looks like he's got a tan, even in winter. I suppose I'll have to wait until he gets back, though, to ask him."

"You're lucky if it is - it looks really nice. I have to be so careful I don't burn, with my skin."

"Yes, but that's because you've got red hair - and I think you're lucky to have that. I wish I did, instead of just brown."

Lily looked at her friend's hair as she reached the end of the plait and tied it with a red and gold Gryffindor ribbon. "It's not 'just brown' - it's a nice shade. Sort of rich, like dark chocolate. At least it's not mousy!" She picked up a mirror from Solstice's bedside cabinet, angling it so that the other girl could see the back of her head reflected in the wall mirror.

Solstice smiled. "That's really nice! Where did you learn how to do that?"

"My sister taught me, and let me practice on her hair." Lily put the mirror down, looking troubled. "That's about the only way I got to spend time with her this summer." She got back into her own bed and sat with her arms clasped around her knees. "She's always been jealous of me coming to Hogwarts. And now she's got a boyfriend, she spends all her free time with him, so I hardly got to see her. And I don't much like her boyfriend, I think he's rude. I don't see why she's going out with him."

Solstice piled her blankets over the foot of her bed, before lying down with just the sheet over her. After a moment, she said thoughtfully, "Maybe it's because it's something that she's doing but you're not."

"Hmm - maybe."

Solstice turned on her side facing Lily. "I bet that won't last though - you not having a boyfriend, I mean." She grinned as Lily pulled a face.

"Well if Vincent Algethi is a typical example of Hogwarts boys, I don't think I'll bother!"

Solstice chuckled. "I don't suppose they all have wandering hands like him. There are lots of others. I know who'd go out with you - Potter!"

"Him?"

"Well, I bet he would!"

"Huh! That's about as likely as - as you going out with Sirius Black!"

Solstice laughed. "Funny you should say that..."

Lily sat bolt upright, staring at her friend incredulously. "Solstice! You're not!"

Solstice grinned wickedly, but finally relented. "No, I'm not! But - he did kiss me before dinner!"

"What? He kissed you? What did you do?"

"Nothing - I was too surprised! But "I'm pretty sure he did it for a bet, because right after, Potter gave him a Galleon. And then Potter tried to kiss Theresa, but she wouldn't let him." She was giggling now. "Then right after dinner, Black kissed Arielle, and Potter gave him another Galleon. I think they've got a bet going to see who can kiss the most girls. So you'd better watch out!"

"I certainly will!"

Lily lay down, pulling the covers up, and watched as the other girls who slept in their dormitory came up to bed. Sleepily, she reflected that Solstice seemed to have changed in more ways than just physical.

The next few days passed relatively quietly. Professor McGonagall observed that Solstice took her books outside to work, but further investigation revealed that she really was studying, so she let the girl continue. Perhaps, the Professor mused, Solstice was finally growing out of her wilder tendencies. By the end of the morning on Friday, she wasn't so sure.

All week, James had been in a temper over his removal from the Quidditch team. Remus arrived at school on Wednesday evening, and his appearance created a temporary diversion. At first glance, he appeared to have lost a fight with a thorn bush. One gash on his left cheek was particularly bad; swollen and inflamed, it had come dangerously close to his eye. However, by Transfiguration class on Friday morning, James was back in his angry mood, knowing that the following day would see the first Quidditch practice from which he was excluded.

Leaving the Great Hall after breakfast, Professor McGonagall stopped Solstice and indicated the rain streaming down the windows. "Since you won't be able to work outside today, I think perhaps you should sit in on my class this morning. You can take your books and continue with your own work." Solstice nodded, and when Lily and Snape entered the classroom later, they found Solstice already there, making notes on a parchment. They took seats just in front of her, and were discussing the coming lesson when James and Sirius burst in. James was already looking grim, and when he caught sight of Lily sitting beside Snape, his scowl deepened. Speaking loudly enough for the Slytherin boy to hear him, he remarked, "Pity we don't have to go outside to get to class - getting caught in the rain is the closest Snivellus gets to taking a bath."

"Oh, that's very original, Potter," Lily shot back, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "Did you think it up yourself in all that free time you've got now you've been dumped from the Quidditch team?"

"Keep out of it, Evans!" James snarled.

"Why should I? It's my friend you're picking on."

James glowered at her, then turned to Sirius, saying something in a low voice. They huddled over one desk for a few minutes, then as a few more students began to file into the room, James and Sirius pulled out their wands, and a cloud of paper darts rose in the air, swooped across the classroom and dived on Snape. The were only paper, but the point of one dart caught Snape in the eye and he winced. "What's the matter, Snivelly? Afraid of a little paper dart?"

Lily whipped out her own wand, and the darts rose again, this time dive-bombing James.

"Thanks for returning the ammunition, Evans," Sirius called out, and the darts rose once more, followed by successive waves as the boys manufactured more. As the third batch descended on her friend, Solstice leaned forward and murmured something to Lily, who nodded. The twenty or so darts lifted into the air yet again, heading for the two Marauders, and Solstice watched intently as they neared their target. As the darts were making their final dive, each one burst into flame. The boys tried to duck away, their voices rising as the flaming darts threatened to land in their hair, but above the noise, Professor McGonagall's voice rang out. "What is the meaning of this?" She strode to the front of the room, her sharp eyes noting the two angry groups facing each other across the room.

"They're trying to set us on fire!" Sirius burst out, and immediately Solstice responded, "Well they started it!"

"Whoever started it, you are all old enough to know better. I will see you boys..." she glared at James and Sirius, "...and the three of you..." she swung around to include Lily, Snape and Solstice in her pronouncement, "...in my office immediately this class is over."

Lily glanced at Snape. "But he wasn't..." she began.

"Silence, Miss Evans! You will all sit down and take out your text books this instant. Miss Flidae, you may take your books to the back of the room, as you are not officially part of this lesson." Silently, Solstice gathered her books and moved to a desk in the back row, glaring at James and Sirius as she passed.

Professor McGonagall looked sternly at the five students who stood before her desk, silent now that they had finished their account of what they had been doing when she entered the classroom. Her eyes moved to the tall, black-haired boy at the end of the row. "Mr Snape, it appears that you were merely the innocent target. You may go." James and Sirius darted poisonous looks at their enemy as he left the room. Professor McGonagall continued her judgement. "Miss Evans - defending your friends is admirable, but doing so by prolonging the situation is extremely foolish. Miss Flidae - I will be speaking to Professor Greenwood when he returns on Sunday. Your particular type of magic is not a gift to be misused in such a childish and dangerous manner." She turned to Sirius. "Mr Black - I strongly suggest that you have a few independent thoughts of your own occasionally, instead of blindly following Mr Potter."

Sirius scowled, but Professor McGonagall went on, "You three will each loose ten house points. Mr Potter - I understand how disappointed you are about no longer being Gryffindor's Seeker, but it does not give you an excuse for bullying. You will lose twenty house points. All of you may go." James muttered to himself angrily as he left the office. Glowering over the loss of the house points and the scolding, he vowed to himself that he would make Snape pay for getting off without even a lecture.

To James's annoyance, the rain had stopped by Saturday morning. He might have felt a little better if the Quidditch practice had been cancelled due to bad weather. He watched, his expression dark, as his former team-mates headed out after breakfast, then he turned to his three friends. "Come on - let's go down by the lake." As he led the way out of the entrance hall, Remus and Sirius exchanged glances, and Sirius shrugged. It had been their custom to watch Gryffindor practices, but apparently now that James was no longer on the team, they wouldn't be doing that any more. Heading across the damp grass, they spotted two figures standing by the shore, talking as they looked across the water.

Lily and Snape were engrossed in their conversation, and didn't look up as the four boys approached, until James shouted, "For a Gryffindor, you spend far too much time hanging around that Slytherin, Evans."

Lily looked up at him, irritated. "Oh, give it a rest, Potter!" she snapped. "Didn't you make enough trouble yesterday?"

"Trouble that your snaky friend managed to slither out of, I notice!"

"That's because he had nothing to do with it in the first place. Anyway, if you're holding yourself up as an example of Gryffindors, then I'd rather spend time with Slytherins!"

"Nice work, Snivelly," James jeered, turning his attention to Snape. "Getting Gryffindors to turn traitor! Maybe it's time you had a lesson in what happens to slimy Slytherins who go sniffing around Gryffindor girls!" He pulled his wand from his pocket. Snape drew his own wand, and took a step towards James, but before either boy could start casting spells, Sirius said, "Watch it, mate, we've got company."

They turned to see Professor Slughorn strolling towards them. "Well, well, Miss Evans, my star pupil enjoying the lovely morning, eh?" he said jovially. He noticed the two boys facing each other with drawn wands, and his eyes narrowed slightly, but his tone was still genial as he remarked, "Not dueling, I hope. Messy business, and besides, I'd have to deduct house points!"

"No, Sir, we're not dueling," Snape said quietly, stowing his wand in his pocket.

"Good! Well, you and Miss Evans are just the pair I was hoping to see. I wanted to ask how you achieved such a fine result with your instant polishing potion on Thursday. I rarely see such excellent work from my NEWT students, never mind a pair of fourth years..." He began to stroll on, drawing Lily and Snape along with him, and paused only to call back, "Mustn't keep you, Potter, no doubt you're anxious to be off to a Quidditch practice, eh?"

James kicked viciously at a tuft of grass, watching his enemy move out of range. "Squirmed out of trouble again!" He shoved his wand in his pocket. "Well I'm not going to give up that easily. Sooner or later we'll catch him when there are no teachers he can hide behind. I've got a few ideas I've been saving up all summer that should put Snivelly in his place." He set off along the shore, explaining his ideas to his companions. Sirius and Peter plunged into the conversation with relish, but Remus suppressed a sigh as he followed them. It looked like being an eventful term, just when he'd been hoping for a little peace before the next full moon.

On Sunday evening, going into the Great Hall for dinner, Solstice caught sight of Professor Greenwood taking his accustomed place at the High Table. Professor McGonagall paused beside him, and glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor table as she spoke to him. Greenwood's face tightened slightly, and he nodded curtly.

Solstice sat down beside Lily. "I think I'll be in trouble tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Professor Greenwood's back, and it looks like Professor McGonagall just told him about Friday. He looked pretty grim."

"Oh - I'm sorry I got you involved in it."

Solstice shrugged. "You didn't - I involved myself. But he told me at the end of last term not to use fire magic on the wrong things."

"Do you think he'll be very angry? What will he do?"

"Nothing too drastic - he's easy-going most of the time. But he's strict about not misusing magic." She sighed. "Oh well - I'm glad he's back anyway."

As he unpacked after dinner, Jack Greenwood lit several candles using fire magic, then grinned. Although he'd received Professor McGonagall's report on his student's conduct with appropriate seriousness, he had to admit that the tale had lightened his sombre mood. It was, of course, exactly the sort of thing he'd told Solstice not to do, but he rather wished he'd been there to see the two boys' reaction to being dive-bombed with flaming paper darts.

He opened the cupboard and looked at his bottle of firewhisky for a moment, then closed the door again, and set a kettle to boil on the fire to make tea instead. As well as his customary backpack, he had a large wooden trunk that needed unpacking, but instead of opening it, he pushed it into a corner behind his armchair. It contained the few possessions that his mother's family had passed on to him, and he didn't feel up to sorting through them tonight.

Although they had been very close when he was growing up, he had seen little of his mother as an adult. Both had followed their inborn Elemental impulse to travel, and their paths had rarely crossed. But her death had been a great shock, and he still did not have a clear picture of exactly what had happened. It had appeared to be an accident - except that it was almost unheard-of for an Elemental to drown. Her body had been found in a small, quiet cove not far from a Cornish fishing village; the weather had been good, there were no particularly dangerous currents in the area, and his mother - apart from being an excellent swimmer, as were all Elementals - had not been the type to take unnecessary risks. It seemed unlikely that she'd had a fall or been injured in some way that prevented her from swimming, as there had not been a mark on her body. The mystery remained unsolved; and having seen that she was buried in her birthplace of Sligo, on Ireland's west coast (where he himself had also been born), Jack had found unexpected comfort in the thought of returning to the familiar surroundings and routine at Hogwarts School.

"Good morning, Professor." Solstice set her books on her desk, then turned to close the study door behind her. She had made sure she was on time for lessons on Monday morning, still not sure how much trouble she would be in for her misuse of fire magic the previous week.

Professor Greenwood looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Solstice. Did you have a good summer?"

"Oh, it was all right. Professor - I'm sorry about your mother."

He nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly. As Solstice settled herself at her desk, he asked, "So what did you study when I was away last week?"

"Well, I started reading about fire magic - I've been making notes..."

"From what Professor McGonagall tells me, you've been working on the practical side too," Professor Greenwood remarked dryly.

Solstice looked guilty. "Oh - yes, I suppose so."

Professor Greenwood looked at her seriously. "We talked about that last term, didn't we? It's not a talent to be used carelessly. Fire magic is dangerous if you fool around with it."

"Yes. I'm sorry, Professor."

He nodded. "Try to remember. Elementals already have a reputation for being impulsive - it wouldn't take much for you to acquire a reputation for recklessness. And that will reflect on others besides yourself!" Solstice looked down at her hands, her face flushing. By Professor Greenwood's standards, this was a stern scolding. Professor Greenwood watched her for a moment, noting that the lecture was having its intended effect, but he felt a glimmer of sympathy for the girl, recalling some of his own early exploits with fire magic. Relenting slightly, he went on, "I understand the temptation to experiment. But what on earth possessed you to do it in front of Professor McGonagall, of all people?"

Solstice looked up sharply, but Professor Greenwood kept a straight face. "Use a little common sense in future!" He smiled, and gestured at the sheets of parchment on the desk in front of her. "Are those your notes? Let me see them." Solstice handed them over, and he glanced through them. "Yes - these are good. You're a good scholar when you put your mind to it."

"I like studying, especially with the library we have here at school. Although there aren't a lot of books about Elemental magic."

"No, there wouldn't be. I've had to build up my own collection over the years. Which reminds me..." He opened a drawer in his desk and took out a book. He handed it to Solstice who took it with care, noting the faded pages and worn binding. "I brought it back from Ireland with me - I think you'll find it interesting. It's about the history of Elemental magic, and has some interesting theories about the origins. I warn you, though, some of it is quite grim. Elementals have always been regarded as different, even among magical folk, and reactions have been brutal at times. But you're old enough to learn about that now, I think. You know you can always talk to me if something you read about bothers you. Take your time. I won't need it back for a while."

Solstice spent a lot of her free time over the next week immersed in the book. After lessons had finished for the day on the following Friday, Lily and Snape found her sitting under a tree, engrossed in its pages. Pausing on the path a short distance away, Lily called out, "Hey, Solstice - you've had your head in that book all week! Take a break and come for a walk with us." Solstice looked up and grinned, and stowed the book carefully in her school bag before getting up and following her friends. As she caught up with them, Lily asked, "So what's the book about, anyway?"

"Elemental magic. There's a lot I didn't know about the history of it. Some people think it was the first kind of magic, before the other kind - your kind - even started."

"But why is it so rare now?"

"Well, your magic is more - versatile. So thousands of years ago, it was easier for people who had it to survive than for Elementals. And then later, being Elemental was seen as a bad thing, even by other wizards. Some people thought it was evil, so they - they would kill anyone they thought had Elemental magic."

"That's horrible!"

"Yes. I talked to Professor Greenwood about it. He said that even now, occasionally a baby will be killed when the parents realize that she's an Elemental - though more often, they abandon her, or send her to an orphanage - like mine did."

"Are they always girls?"

"What's called a 'True' Elemental is always a girl. That's one who has a regular witch and wizard for parents. And it only happens in families where they've been purebloods for generations. Even then it's really rare. Usually there's no history in the family of having Elementals - or if there is, it was way back. It just doesn't seem to follow the same rules as ordinary inherited traits. Anyway, if a True Elemental has children, then they usually have a lot of Elemental powers, but they won't be as strong as their mother's. Sometimes their regular magic isn't very strong either. But for some reason it usually stops with them - when they have children, they won't be Elementals. I think that's how it works, anyway, it's a bit confusing."

Lily nodded, consideringly. "What I don't understand is why purebloods don't want to have an Elemental child. I mean, I'd have thought they'd make a big fuss about how special they are..."

"Yes, but to them it's not "special", it's "different". And they think different is bad. Purebloods think we're - well, they say we're freaks."

Walking on Lily's other side, Snape glanced quickly across at Solstice, remembering that this was the exact word that Malfoy had used to describe Elementals. Snape frowned; he was still struggling to reconcile the views of his mentor with what he knew of his two Gryffindor friends - one an Elemental, and the other a muggle-born.

Solstice went on. "The part I didn't know about before is that in the Middle Ages, when Muggles tried to burn witches, a lot of the time it was Elementals they did it to, because they couldn't escape as easily as regular magic folk." She shivered slightly, even though it was a warm day, and Lily said,

"Maybe you should do something else for a while - that book sounds very depressing."

"Yes, parts of it are. That's why I've been talking to Professor Greenwood about it. He said he can give me some other books, that aren't so grim. I've almost finished this one, so I'm going to do something else this weekend. I think I'll watch the Quidditch practices tomorrow. I saw the one last week and the new Gryffindor Seeker is pretty good."

Lily grinned. "I bet Potter won't be watching, then!"

Solstice shook her head. "No, he didn't watch last week - and neither did the rest of his gang. Silly, really, I mean it's still the house team, even if their friend isn't on it any more."

"Well, that's Potter for you! He wants it to be all about himself, instead of the team."

Solstice nodded, glancing up as a shadow flitted above them. She made her strange trilling call, and moments later Hoot swooped down and landed on her outstretched arm. "I want to spend more time with Hoot, too. I've been neglecting him a bit this week. Haven't I, boy?" She rubbed the owl's head affectionately. "He finds his own food, but I haven't done any training with him all week."

Hoot bobbed his head a couple of times, and Solstice felt in her pocket for owl nuts. She pulled one out, and threw it into the air. Hoot took flight, pouncing on the pellet as it hit the ground, then he soared high above the three students. They watched him for a moment as he swooped towards the woods, then they began to follow slowly, talking quietly as they went.

The following morning was warm and sunny again.

As they were eating breakfast, James glanced resentfully at the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, who were sitting in a group, discussing tactics for that morning's practice. Two of the team were missing - Malcolm Ross, the captain, and Aidan Carver, a sixth year chaser.

Towards the end of the meal, the two missing members joined the rest of the team. Carver looked flushed and angry, while Ross was visibly worried. He spoke in a low voice, and the rest of the team glanced at Carver and each other, dismayed. Then one of the Beaters looked more hopeful, and whatever he said made the captain look over at James. He hurried over, and said, "Potter - how would you feel about coming back on the team as a Chaser? We're a bit stuck - you see Carver did very badly on his OWLS and his parents think it was because he spent all his time playing Quidditch instead of studying. He wasn't supposed to play at all this year, but he didn't say anything, and his parents only just found out he was on the team. They sent an owl to McGonagall, and she says he has to stop playing. You already know our tactics, and you're a great flyer. The only reason I took you off the team was that I thought we needed someone smaller for Seeker - you know it wasn't personal. So how about it?"

James hesitated for only a moment. "Of course! Just give me a minute to change." He leapt to his feet, glanced at his fellow Marauders, and said, "I'll see you out there!" before he sprinted off in the direction of the dormitories.

Sirius grinned wryly at Remus. "Looks like things are back to normal!"

Solstice was already out in the stands when she saw Sirius, Remus and Peter approaching. She looked puzzled. "I thought you lot weren't going to watch now that Potter isn't playing."

Remus sat beside her. "James is back on the team."

"He is? How come? I thought the new kid was doing all right as Seeker..."

"Oh yes, he's still on the team. James is going to play Chaser now. Aidan Carver has to stop - his parents think his marks are suffering because of Quidditch."

"Chaser? That's not as glamourous as Seeker, is it? He won't be able to save the match with one spectacular catch now."

Remus grinned. "I suppose not - but I think he's just happy to be playing again."

The practice went well, and as they all headed back to the school, James caught up with his friends. He was exhilarated, talking excitedly about the new position he was playing. Far from seeing it as a come-down, he seemed to think that playing Chaser was preferable to being the Seeker. "Good thing I switched, really. I mean, being Seeker is okay for a kid, but it's us Chasers who really get into the thick of things. It's real Quidditch, not just floating around looking for the Snitch. Gets pretty rough up there for the Chasers - did you see the way I..."

As James continued with a blow-by-blow account of the practice, Remus caught Solstice's eye and she grinned. He returned the smile, pleased to realize that she saw, as he did, the humour in James's sudden enthusiasm for a position that only a few months ago he would have derided as requiring brawn but no brains.

Remus glanced at Solstice again, noticing that she looked a lot older than she had before the summer holidays. Was her hair different? Or was it just that she was taller? Whatever it was, he decided, she was actually rather pretty with that golden tan she'd acquired. For a moment, he was surprised to find himself thinking along these lines, but then he shrugged and grinned to himself, as he followed his friends towards the castle.