AN: Hey Guys. Chapter eleven is here! And I just have to tell you that this chapter runs along with the end of the last chapter, and then I finished the Quidditch game too. Hope you like.

Stuff to know: James and Sirius had a fight with Remus, (though it was mostly Sirius and Remus) about James and Sirius trying to find a way to help Remus when he becomes a werewolf. Remus doesn't want them too, Sirius and James are going to do it anyway. And it's Quidditch time. :D

Chapter Eleven: A Day of Firsts

James didn't think he had slept at all. He had spent the majority of the night staring up at the ceiling and trying to visualize what tomorrow's game would be like. He had dreamed of this day during his whole childhood. Every game he had attended, he had imagined actually being on a broom and playing instead of just watching.

This morning he was going to get to play. He was going to play a real game of Quidditch. He would help Gryffindor win and then Lily wouldn't dislike him so much. Maybe she would forget that he had poured a bucket of water on her head last year and ignore all the previous fights between Severus Snape and himself.

Even if that didn't happen, he was still going to play Quidditch today.

He pulled the curtains back and looked at the clock on his bedside table. It was six-thirty, but he didn't want to lie in bed anymore. He pulled his covers off and slipped onto the cold stone ground. He could hear Sirius's snoring on his left and on his right he could see one of Remus's feet sticking out of bed. James chuckled at his friends before moving to the end of his bed and reaching down to grab his Quidditch uniform from his trunk. He had laid it out on top of the trunk last night. The other boys might have made fun of him for treating it as a sacred object if they hadn't been so envious or proud of him for simply being on the team.

The fabric was stiff for lack of wear and the bright gold number seven on the back of his jersey gleamed in the morning light. James didn't mind that he probably looked like a fool smiling down at the robes.

He reluctantly put them back on his trunk and moved back to the side of his bed, dropping to his knees and bending over so he could peer under the bed. He reached hand in as far as he could, having to stick his head under a bit in order to reach a stack of books that he had hidden there a few days ago.

Sirius and James had gone to the Library every chance they had to find books about werewolves and snuck them back to their dorm. At that time Remus was completely unaware of the small growing library under James' bed.

He pulled the stack towards himself, just close enough so that he could read the titles. He scanned his finger along the bindings until it stopped on The Dangerous and Deadly, by Gilbrith S. J. This was one of the books that he had nicked from the restricted section. He had already started reading it but he didn't think that it was going to be especially helpful since the book was mostly about how to kill deadly beasts rather than help them. Not help them. There was one book though that looked promising. My Monsters and Me, by R. J. Hopkins. The back cover had made James think that this book was going to have something useful in it.

Up until then though, he hadn't even been able to look through it. This was the book he pulled out. Everybody in the dorm was still asleep, it would be safe to read a few pages.

He hopped back onto his bed and opened the book, the binding crackled because this was an apparently rarely used book by the looks of it.

Chapter One: What are the Beasts?

There are many different kinds of magically concealed beasts, or monsters if you will, that live round us or even with us in our society. These creatures, however, do not normally reveal themselves to the general public. Wizards usually condemn them to a life as social outcasts. These creatures are ridiculed, the walking dead (vampires) or the unlucky semi-humans (Centaurs and Werewolves.) Then they wonder why these creatures are hostile or violent towards us-

James skipped to the next chapter, Chapter Two: How to Help our Scary Friends, and then skimmed until he saw the word werewolf.

Werewolves transform every full moon. The transformation starts when the moon rises and ends when it sets. Depending on what time of year, werewolves can be in their wolf state for up to 14 hours in the winter (even longer in some parts of the world, Antarctica for instance.) When werewolves take the precautions necessary to avoid attacking people while transformed, they attack the only thing they can. Themselves.

This can make the transformations extremely painful for the werewolves, especially younger wolves who have yet to grow habituated to the transformations. The werewolf will scratch and bite themselves. These wounds that they give themselves carry over to when they revert to their human form. They don't disappear when the moon changes. These wounds leave scars and are painful.

When trying to help a werewolf during its transformation, the quandary is that I am a human. I can't safely go anywhere near a werewolf that is in its wolf form. It would endanger my life as well as the sanity of the wolf. When a werewolf smells human flesh, it grows fanatical…

"I thought James would be up and dressed by now." James heard Frank chuckle. James slammed the book shut and shoved it in his robe.

"I am up." James said, pulling back his curtains and jumping out of bed. "Just waiting for you lot to wake up."

"Didn't want to seem to anxious, right?" Ian laughed, walking over to the window and drawing back the curtains. "Aw, rubbish day." He noted, taking in the thick, gray clouds.

"No day is rubbish if there is Quidditch." James said. He seemed to believe this to be true too. He was beaming at the window, though he could have been looking at the Quidditch pitch, which was just barely visible.

"Whatever you say, mate." Ian laughed.

Peter pushed his curtains back and stood up slowly, avoiding James' stare and slinked off towards the bathroom. "Morning to you too Pete!" Ian called after him.

"Yeah, morning." He called from the bathroom.

"Are you ready to play?" Frank asked, pulling his nightclothes off and putting on jeans and a T-shirt.

"More than ready." James said, running his hand over his Quidditch robes and picking them up. "I can't wait till the game starts."

"Well, tell the others to meet me in the Great Hall when they wake up, will you?"

"OK." James said, Ian and Frank waved at him and walked out of the door. James was about to pull the book out of his robe and slip it back under his bed when Peter walked out of the bathroom. James glared at him and went to the bathroom. He changed into his robes and brushed his teeth, making sure to tuck the book back into his pile of night things. While walking back towards his bed, he heard a thump and turned back to see what he had dropped. The book had fallen to the ground at Peter's feet.

"Oh, here." Peter said, bending down and picking it up. James tried to snatch it back before he could read the title but, by the look on Peter's face, he wasn't quick enough. "What are you doing with that?"

"None of your business." James said scathingly. "You made sure of that."

"I'm sorry." Peter said quietly, looking down at his feet. "I just don't see how you could be friends with someone who… someone like him." He nodded towards Remus's bed and then turned and walked out of the room, leaving a dumbstruck James behind.

Before James knew it, he was storming out of the room after Peter. "What do you mean?" He shouted, causing several people who were in the common room to stop what they were doing and look at him. Peter turned around slowly to face him.

"I just mean," He started in a forced whisper. "That he is, well, you know what he is."

"It doesn't matter." James said through clenched teeth.

"Yes, it does. You and Sirius can kid yourselves all you want, but there is a reason you don't see any of them walking around in Diagon Alley." James froze in shock. This was not the Peter he remembered. This boy in front of him didn't stutter or look at the ground while he spoke, he was looking at James. This only made James angrier, if it wasn't fear that was making Peter ignore Remus then he had no excuse.

"You've been hanging around with Ian too long." James said, shaking his head.

"Of course. It's my friends that have problems." Peter rolled his eyes.

"What?" James shouted.

"Between Remus and his… problem and Sirius's family problems you have no room to criticize my friends." He was starting to crumble under James' glare, his eyes shifting around and glancing to the ground. "James, I didn't mea-"

"You know what, you are a git." James said, cutting him off. "You walk around now without a care in the world but, just so you know, the only reason that Sirius and I leave you alone is because of Remus. If he hadn't asked us not to do anything to you, we would have blasted you into next year." James' voice was growing louder with every word. "You are a pathetic example of a friend and I don't know why I let you hang around us last year. You are the last person I would ever want to be friends with."

"James!" A new voice had joined the shouting match. It was Lily.

"What?" He asked, whirling around to face the equally angry redhead. That is when he noticed that Peter was making a strangled, choking noise. He looked at the smaller boy and noticed that he was crying.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I am having an argument with this creep." James sighed.

"Don't call him that!" Lily said crossly. "He's your friend!"

"No, he was my friend!"

"I don't care! You can't treat people like that!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"You were being cruel. You don't talk to people like that!"

"You don't know what he said!"

"It doesn't matter!"

"Of course it doesn't. It doesn't matter why I was yelling at Peter. It only matters that you caught me." James ran his hand through his hair and felt like punching something. She had no right to stick her nose into anything. She didn't even know what this was about.

"I am almost positive that whatever Peter said to you, wasn't nearly as bad as that."

"But that's just it!" James shouted. "You don't know what he said."

"I know what you said! And you'd better hope that I don't tell McGonagall."

"You wouldn't. I have to be on the Quidditch field in half an hour." He really hoped that she was bluffing because there was no way he was going to miss his first Quidditch game.

"Maybe I will."

"What is wrong with you? Why do you have to meddle? It's none of your business." James growled.

"I wasn't just going to let you go on bullying him!"

"Potter!" He recognized Emery Brown's voice immediately. "Why aren't you down at breakfast?"

"Ask her." James huffed. Then he turned and marched out of the porthole. Once in the corridor, he started running. He just wanted to get as far from there as he could. He kept running, down flights of stairs and around students heading to breakfast.

He ran until he reached the second floor. There were only a few students in the corridor and one of them had long black, greasy hair. It was Severus. James smirked and walked up behind him. It seemed like the perfect plan. It would make him feel better and make Lily angry.

"Hey Snivellus." James sneered.

James was leaning up against the wall in the back of the Gryffindor changing room, his robes and gloves were on and he couldn't figure out why he was so nervous. He was about to play his first Quidditch game in front of the whole school and his parents were here to watch. He had nothing to be nervous about. This was what he had been dreaming of for as long as he could remember.

"You're looking a bit pale Potter." Cleo smiled at him joining him on the wall. "Nervous?"

"Maybe." James said, not meeting her eyes. "I shouldn't be."

"Of course you should be." She said, a bit shocked by his answer. "Look," She pointed to Emery, who was pacing back and forth… on top of a bench. "Why would a sane person do that with that serious look on her face?" James shrugged. "She's nervous. And there's Nick. He's doing his usual push-ups, I forgot how many he does. Seth is muttering to himself, Rodger's throwing that ball at the wall." She pointed out the other members of the team smiling. "And I think Edward is puking his breakfast into the toilet." James laughed.

"I haven't done that since my first game!" Edward said, walking out of the bathroom. "I was just splashing some water on my face." Cleo laughed at him.

"What about you?" James asked, feeling slightly better.

"I am talking to you." Cleo said. "I am usually really giddy before a game and everybody gets really annoyed with me. So it will be your job to keep me occupied before the next game." James nodded.

"I think I can do that." She smiled. "Why aren't you wound up right now?"

"Not in the mood, that's all."

"Okay." James sent her a questioning look but she didn't say anything more.

"Time to line up, team." Emery said suddenly, jumping off the bench and walking over to the line of brooms and selecting hers. The rest of the team did the same, James grabbed Adam's Nimbus. They gathered in a circle by the door that they would fly out and Emery turned to face them all.

"Okay team, this is our first game. This is our first chance to prove ourselves for the year. This game is going to set the tone for the rest of the season." James nodded along with her but the others didn't seem to be paying much attention. "Ravenclaw has a good team, but we're better. I know that we can do this, we just need to focus. We are going to be brilliant."

"Or else." Nick smirked.

"Exactly." Emery quipped. "Let's make our last year one to remember." She looked at Cleo and Nick now. "Now, for the third consecutive year," She was smiling at this point and threw her arms around James and Nick, who were on either side of her. The rest of the team followed in suit. "LIONS FOR THE CUP!"

"FOR THE CUP!" They echoed. Then they mounted their brooms and waited for Richard Smith to call them out.

When James finally heard his name, he found that he was still nervous, but he was far more excited. He flew out, smiling widely, and did a few loops in the air before flying over to the rest of the team and waiting in the correct formation for the Quaffle to be released.

"…MADAM HOOCH BLOWS THE WHISTLE AND RELEASES THE QUAFFLE. FOLKS, WE ARE OFF!" Richards voice boomed throughout the Quidditch grounds. "CHRIS HANZ TAKES POSSESION OF THE QUAFFLE AND HEADS TOWARDS THE GRYFFINDOR HOOPS. IT DOESN'T LOOK AS THOUGH HE IS GOING TO GET VERY FAR THOUGH." As he said this, Cleo and James came up on either side of Chris, making it very difficult for him to pass the ball. "AND HERE COMES A BLUDGER HIT BY STEVENSON, MISSES HANZ, BUT HE DOES DROP THE BALL, DOWNING CATCHES IT AND THEY START IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU, BROTHER." James followed Cleo closely down the pitch and made sure he was open when they reached the middle, she tossed the Quaffle towards him and he caught it with one hand. "A FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE CATCH BY POTTER. HE DODGES A BLUDGER AND PASSES THE QUAFFLE TO CLIFF." Rodger and James worked their way towards the goal post, passing the Quaffle back and forth frequently enough so the Ravenclaw beaters couldn't make up their mind who they should aim for.

"POTTER HAS THE QUAFFLE AND IS GOING FOR THE GOAL. HE'S GETTING READY AND… HE SCORES!" James heard the left side of the stands erupt into applause and he beam. "I GUESS I CAN POINT OUT THAT I DO IN FACT KNOW THIS KID. HE'S NOT A BAD BLOKE." James turned his broom to face the commentator's box which was in the midst of all the teachers and shook his head at Richard. He caught sight of his parents right behind the commentator's box and they were standing up, clapping for him.

The game went on for the next hour and ten minutes. By then James had scored four times, Rodger five times and Cleo three times. That brought the score up to 130- 70, in favor of Gryffindor. James now had the Quaffle and was able to enjoy the precision of the new Nimbus as he dodged around a threatening bludger. He swerved towards Kerri Clark and whipped the Quaffle towards the left hoop but and she caught it. James sighed and Kerri smiled back at him.

"Nice try, Potter." She laughed.

"One out of five, it's about time Clark." James jibed back.

"Thanks." She laughed. For losing, she was in quite a good mood.

"LOOKS LIKE CLARK SAVED THAT ONE, AH WELL. YOU CAN'T GET THEM ALL, POTTER." Richard called. "CLARK PASSES THE BALL TO HANZ AND HE-OOH! THAT WAS QUITE THE HIT FROM EDDIE HOUSE THERE." And it was too. Edward had hit the bludger directly at Chris and he hadn't seen it coming. The ball hit his shoulder and there was a loud crack. Chris dropped the ball and Josiah Smith caught it quickly, Madame Hooch calling for a break at the same time.

"I didn't mean to hit you that hard." Edwards said, flying over and apologizing. This wouldn't have happened if Gryffindor had been losing or if they were playing Slytherin.

"I think you dislocated it." Chris said. Josiah and Kerri, the Keeper, were helping him to the ground. "It's nothing too bad."

"Nah, I heard the crack from the keeper's post. It's broken. Which reserve are we bringing in, Jo?" Kerri asked.

"What?" Chris shouted. "It's the first game. You can't take me out!"

"You can't play anymore." Jo said. "Let's bring in Boone. He fits well-"

"Come on, Jo!" Chris shouted.

"Hey Potter, House!" Emery yelled. "Over here!" James left with Edward. Once they reached their team Emery slapped them both on the back of the head. "I don't care if his bloody arm fell off! This game isn't over yet. You can apologize later."

"Sorry." Edward sighed.

"Whatever." Emery said, rolling her eyes. "We're ahead, but that doesn't mean we're going to win. Stein, I want the snitch and I want it now."

"Sorry Emery." Seth said. "I can't just will the snitch to show its self."

"Don't give me excuses, get me the snitch."

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't be cheeky." She rounded on James now and he gulped. "James?"

"Yes."

"Quit talking to Kerri. I know she's pretty but now is not the time to be chatting her up."

"She's too old for you anyway but, if you're going to go for older girls, go for third years before the sixth." Cleo laughed. "Thanks for the advice." James said, shaking his head.

"Alright, looks like they are bringing in Boone. Cliff, keep them away from me, Cleo, stop letting them have the ball, Potter, score!"

"We won't let you down, Brown." James laughed.

Madam Hooch came on the field with the Quaffle and threw it up to Jo, and the game resumed.

Boone seemed to be very excited to be in the game and soon it was tied at 140-140. Emery looked livid and her being angry didn't make her a good keeper. Cleo was trying to calm her down but it wasn't working.

Rodger Cliff threw James the Quaffle and he zoomed down the field, stopping sharply in front of the right post and jerked his arm forward without releasing the ball, and as Kerri moved to block the shot, James quickly changed target, throwing the Quaffle towards the left post. It went in and the Gryffindors burst into a round of 'Go Gryffindor.' Suddenly a gasp came from the crowd and James turned and spotted the seekers racing along the bottom of the pitch about a foot off the ground. Kipp and Stein were shoulder to shoulder, each with a hand stretched out. James held his breath and looked over at the scoreboard. 150-140.

Stein gave a sudden lurch forward and tumbled off his broom, rolling a good ten feet before coming to a stop. He rolled over on his back putting his fist in the air. James, high in the air, could only just make out the tiny gold wings fluttering on either sides of Seth's fist.

They had won the game.

AN: There you are, tell me what you think. I love reviews like Dumbledore loves lemon drops! 3 I need them like Dobby needs socks, like Voldemort needs a body( pre- GOF) or a nose (post- GOF). :D

~Craz