Chapter 11: Quidditch and Chaos
The morning outside of the castle was bleak, a gray sky that threatened rain, ice, snow, or an assortment of all three. The forest trees, just barely visible from James' window, were a scene from a Christmas card. Absolutely beautiful. If only the weather was a good sign, but the wind he could see moving the tree branches was a negative to their flying. They would have to compensate for the weather, but it wasn't their first time playing in inclement weather, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. James had been awake for some time now, having been unable to sleep most of the night after their team pow-wow. John was right; the match would be a difficult one, but certainly one they could win if they kept their wits about them. David, their new goalkeeper, was damn good at what he did, and if James could just manage to get the snitch after a few points, the possibility of winning was high. If only Michael, the other beater, could keep Sirius from obviously trying to be malicious about his bludgeons. There was a soft knock at his door, and a red head popped in.
"I heard your moving around in here, and figured you were nervous about the match today," she said, almost acting shy.
"I'm not nervous. I've just got a lot of pent up energy and couldn't sleep anymore."
"You lie, James Potter. I've lived with you for almost an entire term. When you are nervous over something you pace around your room at odd hours."
James stared at her. "Think you're pretty observant, huh?"
"Yes, yes, I do. Just be calm. You guys are going to great today. I know it."
"Uh, thanks, Lily," said James, giving her an odd look.
After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Lily said, "Well, that's all I really wanted to say. So, I'm going back to bed for a couple more hours. I really think you should, too." Smiling, she closed the door softly behind her.
The girl was a frustrating one.
********
It was a couple of hours later that morning that the students found themselves at a nerve-soaked, wrestles breakfast. The Gryffindor team sat together on one of the long bench discussing last minute strategies over protein. The rest of the house periodically walked by them, offering encouraging words and cheers. The hall was a mixed sea of green, red, silver, and gold. Everyone liked to show their loyalties on quidditch match days. John stood and ushered the team out the door towards the pitch and a pep talk.
"Lily, eat something. You're not allowed to be nervous for the quidditch team," muttered Meredith through bleary eyes as she slogged back another cup of tea.
"I'm eating, just slowly." Lily dug a spoon into her oatmeal in illustration.
"Oh come on, let's get out to the field. I can't stand to watch the Slytherins strut anymore. It's enough to make my breakfast come right back up," said Celia.
"Hey, Celia. We've been meaning to ask you something. What's going on between you and Sirius? What happened yesterday? You two seem to be getting along quite nicely as of late," asked Lily.
Celia blushed a light pink. "There's nothing going on. He was just a good friend. We're just working on our project together. There is absolutely nothing going on. Nothing. Nada Zippo. Zilch. Nothing."
"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much," said Shannon. The girls giggled.
"Oh, shut-up, all of you. Let's go."
The walk to the field was a chilly one, and Lily was grateful for the warm sweater she had added to her weekend clothes. The stand covers would get hauled out if the weather turned really bad, but otherwise the field looked untouched and ready for battle. The girls claimed their seats early. Most of the students were still up at the castle, but the flow coming out was steadily rising. The teams were in the locker room still, preparing down to the last second.
"Oh, that's just bloody fabulous," grumbled John, looking out the entrance to the field at the cold raining beginning to fall. "That's just what we needed today."
"We've played in worse. We'll be fine," reassured James.
"Right then. Let's do this, team. Get out there and win this for Gryffindor," said John.
"That's a big cheesy, don't you think, John?" asked Michelle. Alyria stared over her shoulder, hefting her broom higher in her grip. The girls, with the help of John, were almost unbeatable chasers, but Slytherin had some new recruits, and a win was never certain.
"Yeah, I know. It was worth a shot, thought. Might have inspired you just a little bit. Well, what are you staring at me for? I'm all out of inspirational words. Get out on that playing field, and if you don't win, I'll hex all of you until your mothers can't pick you out of a lineup." John waved them out onto the wet field.
"He's such a rousing leader," said Sirius, stepping out.
"Well, what else are captain's for, Sirius?" James grinned.
They lined up facing the Slytherin team. They kicked off the ground, waiting for the ball to be put in play. Then, suddenly, the two teams were in motion as the quaffle left the referee's hand. Alyria snatched it up and off she went down the field, tossing it back and forth between herself and Michelle as John flew below them in an inverted triangle formation. In a gasp from the crowd, Michael smacked a bludger that narrowly missed Michelle's head back at its originator while Michelle did a flip on her broom, throwing the ball and forcing it past the Slytherin keeper and into the center hoop. Cheers rose from the crowd as she righted herself on her broom, ready to keep moving.
James hovered high over the game, able to watch everything while looking for the elusive, golden snitch. He watched Malfoy hover across the field from him, waiting for James to make a movie. It was how the slithery git played, by wit not ability, but James was no sop either at the brain games. Gryffindor had already scored once, but it would help their ranking to have a bit more of a lead before capturing the snitch. David, the Gryffindor keeper, blocked the first attempt at a Slytherin goal to a solid round of applause. John grabbed the slowly falling quaffle and headed back down the field towards the Gryffindor goal posts, but a well-hit bludger by one of the Slytherin beaters knocked it solidly out of his grip, allowing Katherine, one of the opposing chasers, to do a rather spectacular grab, and shoot it past David, who narrowed his eyes and said something. It was a good thing he wasn't a shouter, because Gryffindor would have been a down a point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
A few more goals passed back and forth, and the rain was pouring around them. It always seemed to be the worst weather when it was a quidditch game day. James could see Lily in the stands, watching the progress of the quaffle from John to Michelle, Michelle to Alyria, a grab from Alyria by Katherine, and back and forth from one side to the other. Game had been in play for about an hour, and the sense that James needed to find the snitch was growing, but he hadn't spotted it yet. The little thing was hiding somewhere. The rain was forcing some interesting moves from the opposing players, but there were also careless mistakes being made. The icy rain made the quaffle harder to hold, and there had been more fumbles with it than usual. Similarly, because of the rain, the snitch was far harder to find flying about its merry way. The bludgers, however, seemed to be reaching their targets more than the should have judging by the cuts and bruises blossoming on the players' skin.
James looked up again as Gryffindor scored a goal, tying the two teams. That was another thing about quidditch games; they always seemed to have need of a tiebreaker. A tie also meant dirtier playing. Alyria was sporting the beginnings of a beautiful shiner from a collision with a bludger. Sirius had a cut across his hand holding the bat where a Slytherin broom at nicked him. Katherine looked like she might have a broken rib or two from one of Sirius' supremely well-placed bludgers. One of the other Slytherin chasers, Dale, was using his left hand to keep the quaffle in play although he was right-handed because it looked broken from where James sat; Sirius and Michael were on the ball with the bludgers today. The wounds were evenly distributed among both teams. It would start to get blooding the seekers didn't get the job done soon, but James was distracted, watching Lily yell support for her team, and what were for her at least, vulgarities at the opposing side. She is beautiful when she is wet and passionate about quidditch, thought James.
Sirius flew up beside him, knocking a bludger Malfoy's way from its original course towards James. "Mate, get your head back in the game and find the damn snitch."
"Right, I'm on it."
"You better be, Jamesy." Sirius left him to rejoin play. Thunder crackled in the dreary, wet sky. Oh good, electricity. Just what one wanted when playing a terribly safe game like quidditch.
Sirius was right; James needed to get back in the game, find the snitch, and end it all. He looked for Malfoy, who was slowly circling, eyes searching the field. "Where are you, you blasted, little ball?" James mumbled to himself.
Something small caught James' eye. It always happened that way. The snitch was never obvious about where it was. It always appeared in the peripheral vision, and you had to hope for the best in catching it. It was just behind the center Gryffindor goal post, just under the hoop. James looked up to see if Malfoy had noticed it; he hadn't, but he had noticed James watching him. Malfoy smirked at him, obviously thinking James was having just as difficult a time at finding the blasted the ball as he was. James carefully made a circle with Malfoy, staring at each other, periodically looking down every other second to look for the snitch. James, of course, was making sure it hadn't moved. He positioned himself slightly above and behind the goal. Then, he grinned, waved a hand at Malfoy, and dove for the goal. The Slytherin keeper dove out of the way with a yell as James flew almost directly into him, turning to grab the mischievous ball, but it buzzed away, James in hot pursuit; Malfoy had finally gotten into the game and caught up with him. The two glared at each, but James focused his attention down to the point, the ball. They followed it neck and neck across the field, between flying chasers, in a loop, and almost through the Slytherin goal posts. The tie remained, although narrowly, as David nearly let the quaffle slip out of his fingers and into the goal. James needed to find the snitch, and he needed to find it that minute.
Eyes darting around, he saw it. The stupid thing was hovering in the banner at the front of the Gryffindor stands. He went for it full-tilt, Malfoy at his shoulder, not ready to give up yet. The crowd screamed their approval at the match-up. The screams, however, turned into ones of slight panic as both James and Malfoy didn't let up speed, going in towards the front of the stands far too quickly to stop. They shoved each other with brooms and bodies, reaching for the snitch, coming ever closer. With a sound of cracking woods and yelling people, the two seekers crashed into the stands, taking people and benches out with them. The announcer shouted, "Shut-up, you idiots. Stop groaning and tell us who's got the damn snitch!" Professor McGonagall could be heard correcting his language, but she was drowned out by the yells of students and teachers alike. Who did have the snitch? From the pile of bodies, a pale, soaked arm appeared, bearing the golden snitch trapped between his fingers. Students climbed over each other to get out of the way. Malfoy and James were tangled up together, but it was the scarlet-clad arm that held his trophy high. A roar arose from the crowd as the teachers pulled the two boys from the wreckage of the stand, James sporting a broken arm and Malfoy a nasty gash across his forehead. They seemed otherwise okay. The referee yelled, "Winner: Gryffindor!"
The team descended on the stand, grabbing their seeker in a victory lap around the field, leaving the scowling, wet Slytherins to land. The Gryffindor team landed, offering sportsmanlike handshakes to the losing team, who turned their backs on the proffered hands and skulked back to the locker room to dry off. Grinning from ear to ear, Sirius tackled James, yelling at him for taking so long. Professor Markson appeared, ushering the wet players into the locker room to dry off and patch their wounds before celebrating with their fellow students. The locker room was loud as they changed into dry clothes, hair dripping rain droplets onto the garments, but they could care less. Outside the door, they could hear what sounded like he entire Gryffindor house, and maybe some hangers-on, waiting for them to emerge and the party to begin. Of course, the team members' close friends were the first to greet them, as they emerged to head back up to the tower. As Remus slapped James on the back, James noticed he looked pale and sick. He wondered what part of the lunar cycle they were on, and if he should prepare for an animal outing, but Remus was smiling at him, and his shared adrenaline high would not go down.
Up in the Gryffindor common room, the noise level was quadruple what it ever was for anything else. The house elves had brought up celebratory party food for the students, and the room offered welcome warmth to all. Everyone wanted to congratulate them, thank them, hug them, pat them on the back, or shake hands. It was a mad house of rapture in a win. Sirius grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and claimed a couch chair to tell his recap of the game to his adoring followers from. James looked around as the team dispersed throughout the room. Lily was sitting on couch arm by the large fireplace, laughing with friends who were over the moon about the Gryffindor win. He pushed his way through the crowd until he stood before her.
Lily looked up at him with a wide grin. "Brilliant James! That was brilliant! Other than almost killing us all, it was brilliant grab. Great job."
Wordlessly, he grabbed her still cold from the cold and rain hand and pulled her to her feet. Taken by surprise, she rose, stumbling slightly, touching a light hand to his chest for balance. In one smooth movement, he grabbed her chin in his fingers and kissed her on her soft, pink lips. She responded with a small gasp of surprise. It all happened quite quickly from point A. on the couch to point B. in his arms. James pulled away, staring at her, the adrenaline high still soaring. Lily blinked at him, her wind-pink cheeks reddening further. Meredith, Celia, and Shannon stared at them, eyebrows raised.
Lily balled her hand in his shirtfront, standing on tiptoes until her lips were centimeters from his ear. "Congratulations, Casanova." She kissed him on the cheek before releasing him and pushing him gently away with her sock-clad foot. James' curious look was almost immediately obscured by eager fans that wanted his perspective on the game, and what were Gryffindor's chances of winning the championship. It was a long time later that James found himself sitting down next to Sirius and the rest of the Marauders.
"Nice move there, James. I think the whole house saw that little romantic interlude you had going on over there with one Miss Lily Evans. She seemed to take it well, mate," said Sirius.
"I noticed. Wonder what's going on in that head of hers."
"Well, James, my boy, I'd say she was over come by your smashing capture and now she can hardly stand to keep her hormone-ridden hands off of you." Sirius grinned wickedly at him. "I can come up with a few things that might be going on in her head, if you would like me to share them with you."
"No, Sirius. I think I can guess what you are thinking, and I bet money that if she heard you, she might kill you," replied James.
"Sirius, leave the guy alone. He's had quite a week this week, what with the game, and the letter from the ministry, and of course, now the entanglement with a lovely female," said Remus.
"Now you boys wouldn't be talking about my dear, close friend Lily, now would you?" asked Shannon, leaning over Remus' chair back.
"Of course not," said Sirius, acting offended. "How can you think we'd talk about one of our lovely lady friends in any light by glowing and holy?"
"Uhuh, I believe that, Sirius Black, like I believe you love Coral, who I might add, proclaims herself to James' one and only true love. Just so you know, James." Twisting to look at Remus, she added, "Are you alright, Remus? You look a little ill? Did the weather get to you today? I swear everyone is going to be going to the hospital wing after spending so much time in the cold and rain."
"No, I'm fine, Shannon, really. I just need a bit of rest tonight. Haven't been sleeping well, and the rain certainly did not help my immune system." Remus smiled.
"Well, you boys behave, I'm off to bed. Congratulations, again. Way to go Gryffindor." Shannon smiled, ruffling James' and Sirius' hair, and giving Remus one more concerned look before leaving the party for the girls' dormitory.
"Remus, is it that time of the month?" asked James, leaning in close and whispering.
"It's about that time, yes. In a couple of days, James," Remus said softly back. They obviously did not want to be overheard talking about such a sensitive topic.
"It's been a while since our last evening adventure."
"Yeah, it has. I'd say about a month since I've stretched my legs," said Sirius, grinning.
"Peter, you in for a little bit of night time fun?" asked James.
"You bet, James," he replied.
"Alright, Remus, we're ready when you need us, but right now, I think I'm going to go find the flower missing from this room. She seems to have escaped my watch."
Sirius grinned wickedly, "Enjoy your gardening, James. Hopefully a gopher named Amos hasn't found her first."
"Night, boys," James said, ignoring the remarked flowing freely from Sirius' mouth. Where had Lily gotten to, he wondered.
A/N: I've been on a role this week. It seems my writer's block with this particular story has finally lifted. Chapter 12 will come soon. Please, please, please review! I really appreciate any and all feedback. I hope you are enjoying the story thus far!