Quidditch Tryouts

"You're going to be there, right?" James said. "It's ten am, am, that's in the morning."

"James, mate," Sirius said, "we're going to be there."

"We wouldn't miss it," I said, "not after hearing how badly you failed last year."

"Hey," James said, "that was the broom's fault, not mine. The school really needs to upgrade them."

"What's that saying?" I asked. "A bad Quidditch player always blames their broom."

"You know what," James said, "Remus, you're uninvited, I don't need your negativity."

"But who will catch you when you fall?" I asked. "Anyway, I can't not go, Lily invited me to sit with her."

"Lily's going to be there?" James questioned, going completely pale. "What exactly did she say? Why did she ask you to sit with her? Why is she going to be there?"

"I don't know," I said, but that didn't satisfy James. "I really don't know," I told him. "She just asked me and because I was already going I said I'd sit with her, it's no big deal."

"I can't believe she's going to be there." James said. "What if I screw up again? I don't want Lily to see me fail… But what if I fly well and I amaze her? …Maybe this is a good thing, but why is she coming? ...Someone go and ask her why she's going. Pete, you do it."

"Umm… Okay." Peter left our room and I shook my head.

"Why does it even matter?" I asked. "You should be focusing on impressing Swallowby and no one else."

"Swallowby's a git," James said, "they better make me Quidditch captain when he leaves."

"You've gotta make the team first," Sirius said.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight, am I?" James groaned. "Hey, what are the chances of McGonagall letting me go out for some last minute practice."

"I'd say slim to none," I told him and James groaned again. "You asked."

"Where's Pete?" James said. "Someone go check on him."

"You need to relax," Sirius said. "Do you need us to go and get a potion from Madam Pomfrey?"

"And risk something going wrong and me missing tryouts," James said, "no thank you… Pete, you're back."

James jumped up and wrapped his arm around Peter.

"So, what did she say?" James asked.

"I… Umm… You're not going to like it," Peter said, stepping away from James.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Umm… Lily was invited by Snape, something about him wanting to watch you fall, I'm not sure. I think everyone's going to be there, as in, the whole school."

Sirius and I laughed.

"That's what happens when you dive bomb McGonagall in last year's tryouts," Sirius said, "and then somehow fly off with her cloak wrapped around your broom with her flailing in the air behind you."

James groaned. "Why would you remind me of that?"

"I can't believe we missed it," I said, "but we won't this year. Everyone's going to be so disappointed if you don't dive bomb her again."

"This is terrible," James said. "The whole school is going to be there and everyone's expecting me to fail. McGonagall's only just started looking me in the eye again. My life sucks. And Lily's going to be there."

"I think you're missing the most important thing," Sirius said.

"Don't tell me" James said, "I don't want to know."

"But I have to tell you," Sirius said, "...Snape's going to be there, with Lily."

James groaned and we all laughed.

"I'm going to bed," he said, "and I don't want to hear another word."

Peter went to bed too, but Sirius waved me over to his bed.

I sat down and Rensen left Sirius to come and sit on my lap. Sirius held up a pack of cards and I knew his game immediately. I nodded my head as he split and shuffled the pack. He handed me half and then we started.

The game was silent until I threw down a two. Both Sirius and I went for the snap at the same time, but I got it first and a loud explosion went off.

"Seriously," James said, "I told you to shut up."

"No," Sirius said, "your exact words were, 'I don't want to hear another word', and we're not talking."

"Either stop playing Exploding Snap or use one of those damn silencing charms."

I looked at Sirius, maybe we should give him a break. Sirius nodded and I cast the spell.

"I can't believe how riled up he is," Sirius said, "it's just a game."

"I know," I agreed. "He's been training like crazy and he's actually pretty good. I think maybe it was the school broom's fault last year."

"I still can't believe we missed it," Sirius said, "I would've loved to see James dragging a screaming McGonagall through the air."

"It would've been hilarious." I smiled. "Oh, that reminds me, we should do something together, something that makes us happy."

"What do you mean?" Sirius picked up the cards and started shuffling them.

"Irma was teaching me this difficult spell, but you need a happy memory for it to work, I don't have one, so I need to create one."

"How are you supposed to do that?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know, I've been trying to figure it out. The only thing I've realized so far is that I'm most happy when I'm with you, but that's not enough, it needs to be a memory."

"I make you happy?" Sirius asked, he seemed guarded.

"Yeah. My life's always been tainted by the wolf, but things don't seem too bad now, not with you around, ...I don't know."

"You, umm," Sirius said, "you make me happy too. It took me a long time to realize what it was, I'd never been happy before meeting you. I saw my mother's happiness, but I thought only adults got to smile and laugh. ...You don't need to tell me how sad that is, I already know. My childhood is so fucked up."

"I was bit by a werewolf when I was four," I said, "so you can put me in that… fucked up category too."

"You swore," Sirius said, "you shouldn't swear, you're too nice for that. …How are you so nice and kind anyway?" he asked. "I would've thought you'd be the opposite, you know, kinda like me."

"It's all down to my parents, I guess. They always wanted what was best for me, they didn't let my lycanthropy get me down, they wouldn't let me use it as an excuse. It's partly me too, I guess, the wolf is so bad, at least that's what everyone thinks, so I try and do everything I can to be nothing like him. It's like Dumbledore said, we always have a choice. You don't have to be like everyone expects you to be."

"But it's easier that way," Sirius shrugged, "I should just give them what they expect."

"But then you'll believe it too," I said, "even if you're faking it. It's okay to be nice, Russ."

"I don't think I can do it," Sirius said, "it's just not me. Do you want to sleep with Rensen tonight?" he asked me, clearly ending this discussion.

"No, you can." I grabbed Rensen off my lap and handed him to Sirius. "Goodnight," I said before heading to my own bed.

"Shit," Sirius said, "everyone did show up, even Dumbledore's here."

"There's Lily," I said, pointing to her and Snape in the stands, "she's saved us some seats."

We made our way over to them.

"You'd think this was the first Quidditch game of the season with this turnout," Lily said.

"Yeah," I sat down next to her and Sirius sat next to me, "who knew James Potter was this popular."

"We're only here to see him fall off his broom," Snape said and Lily laughed.

"He's going to do great," Sirius said, leaning forward so he could glare at Snape.

"It makes sense that you'd think your boyfriend's great," Snape told Sirius, "but from what I've seen, he's nothing but average."

"How about we not talk about James," I suggested.

"Good idea," Lily said. "So where's Rensen?" she asked. "It's weird not seeing him around you two."

"He's mailing a letter to my parents," I said. "He's a lazy git if we don't give him something to do."

We fell into a conversation lull as we waited for the Chasers to be called.

"There he is," I said.

"Whoo!" Sirius stood up, yelling, "go James!"

James looked our way, he was smiling confidently, but then he spotted Lily and Snape.

I grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him back down.

"They're making him go last," Snape observed.

I groaned, we'd already been here for over an hour.

"Wake me up when it's his turn," I said, laying down with my head on Sirius' lap.

"What's up with him?" Lily asked.

"He didn't get much sleep last night," Sirius said, his hand finding its way into my hair, "Rensen was feeling neglected, so he spent most of the night pecking him. That's what he gets though, Remus should know not to make Rensen mad."

"Why's he laying on you like that?" Snape asked.

"Would you rather him lay on Lily?" Sirius said. "I didn't think so, so shut the fuck up."

"Could you please not talk to me like that?" Snape said. "I've done nothing to you."

"It's how he talks to everyone," Lily said, "everyone but Remus."

"Lily shut your mouth," Sirius said.

"No fuck, Sirius?" Lily said. "I'm disappointed."

"Well, I would fuck you if you asked nicely," Sirius said, "but I didn't think you thought of me that way. …Ow, what the fuck was that for, Evans?"

"Do you mind?" I asked, opening my eyes to glare at them, "I'm trying to get some rest."

"Severus, is this seat taken?" Regulus asked and I groaned, closing my eyes again.

"What's he doing?" Regulus asked. "And, Sirius, why is your hand in his hair?"

"It's a wonder why we ever leave the tower." I groaned, sitting up. Clearly, I'd have to try and get some sleep later. "Regulus, it's nice to see you again. How are you enjoying Hogwarts?"

Regulus' familiar gray eyes met mine for a beat before he looked away and engaged Snape in a conversation. That was weird, right?

"James is up," Lily said and we all looked towards the pitch.

Everyone was eagerly awaiting James' big blunder, but it never came. Those of us who knew him well never doubted him. James dodged everything that came his way and even seasoned Keeper Swallowby was no match for him, he only stopped one of James' five shots.

The crowd groaned and some even left as James did a victory lap around the pitch. He stopped by us, smiling widely as he hovered.

"Well done, mate," Sirius said, "I knew you could do it."

"What about you, Lily?" James asked. "Did you see me?"

"No, James, I'm blind." Lily stood up. "Let's go, Sev."

Lily left with Snape and James looked heartbroken.

"Don't worry," I told him, "you have all year to impress her. There's no way Swallowby and McGonagall aren't going to make you a Chaser after that performance."

"And if that doesn't work," Sirius said, "then you have five more years of school left."

James laughed. "It's not going to take me that long to get Lily," he said, "I'll have her by the start of our third year, at the most, just you wait and see."