In the Name of Gobstones

It was the final day into the Scholastic Gobstones Championship, and competition was intense. Hogwarts was hosting the games this year, with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons visiting to play, and so, for the occasion, they had converted the Great Hall into a Playing Hall, complete with stands for the audience.

Peter, James and Sirius were on said stand, mile-wide grins plastered on their faces. Professors had allowed students permission to watch the matches instead of attending classes, because it was the last few days of classes and there was really nothing more to teach. Nothing kicked off the start of summer better than missing school.

"The following match will determine whether or not Hogwarts will play the final match of the competition for a chance to be this year's Gobstones Champions!" said the announcer, and the Hall erupted in loud cheers. The commentator continued: "Representing Beauxbatons, we have Annette LaCoeur!"

Boos and catcalls were made as a blond girl in blue and white robes walked up to the playing area. Sniffing delicately, she picked a blue Gobstones set from the stacks on the shelf. It was vital that players used sets that weren't their own, because there were a number of instances before where people would jinx their Gobstones to jump higher or hit harder to win.

"And representing Hogwarts, please put your hands together for Lily Evans!"

While the rest of the audience settled for the traditional applause, the Marauders had a different approach. They yanked off their shirts, throwing them away amidst appreciative whistles. James had the word GO painted on his body, with Peter and Sirius wearing LILY and EVANS respectively.

"Lily Evans, she's the best! She will beat you, like the rest!"

Down in the playing area, Lily Evans burned red, but turned away, hoping she looked indifferent. Nevertheless, the game began.

Annette LaCoeur placed all her regular marbles inside a wide circle drawn with chalk. She kept one marble, her shooter, for herself. "Good luck, Miss Evans," said Annette, getting into position. "You're going to need it."

Evans sputtered, and said, "Back at you!" She winced visibly straight away. What kind of comeback was that? Good thing Potter wasn't close enough to hear. He would tease her mercilessly, for sure.

Enough about that silly boy. Placing her own marbles in the circle, Evans waited for her turn.

Annette closed one eye and flicked her shooter. The marble sailed over half the circle, before plopping down. Her shooter hadn't hit any marbles. "Sacre bleu!" muttered Annette.

Now it was Evans' turn. She bent down on both knees, carefully placing her shooter at the top of her clenched fist. Flicking with her thumb, the marble went flying.

Click! It hit a red coloured marble, managing to throw it out of the circle. Smelly liquid shot out from the red marble and into Annette's face.

"Auuugh!" shrieked the teenager, wiping furiously away.

The game continued on, with both girls trying their hardest to give their opponent a face full of slime. Eventually, Lily managed to get the upper-hand when her shooter hit the last marble out of the circle, giving her one more point than Annette. Hogwarts exploded with cheers and the Marauders restarted their silly chant. But Evans didn't care – she had won! Now it was just up to their captain to beat his opponent and Hogwarts would be victorious!

Speaking of Remus Lupin…

He was pacing up and down, nervously running his hands through his hair as he muttered Gobstone strategies to himself. He looked like he was going to cry or explode…possibly both.

Evans walked up to him, placing her hands on his shoulders to get him to stop pacing. "You're going to bore a hole in the floor if you keep doing that," she laughed. "Relax, you're going to do fine!"

"You don't know that. I could be terrible," he closed his eyes. "Oh, this is doing nothing for my blood pressure…"

"Yes, I do," she squeezed his hands warmly. "Your original opponent slipped on some slime earlier and got himself a concussion. His replacement is super easy. I was watching his game against Annette earlier and his moves were sloppy. You'll surely beat him. With your eyes closed, even!"

"Remus Lupin, please make your way to the Playing Area," interrupted the announcer. "Your game is about to begin."

The young werewolf gave her a shaky smile. "Wish me luck," he said, before he was ushered away.

"Break a leg!" she called, and a few people gave her dark looks, the Muggle phrase totally lost on them.


"AND HOGWARTS WIN!"

Remus stood there, stunned. He couldn't believe it. Had he actually won them the championship?

From the wild cheers and applause sounding from the stands, he guessed he had.

"Oh, Remus, you did it!" exclaimed Lily, rushing over to hug him.

"I did it, didn't I? I couldn't believe I could do it myself, actually, but when I saw him flub his shooter I thought I had a pretty good chan – " Remus was abruptly interrupted from his monologue when Lily Evans decided to place her lips on his.

Lily Evans was kissing him, Remus John Lupin, best friends to James Henry Potter, who fancied the pants off of her, Lily Evans. Oh, this wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

But just as quick as it started, she had ended it, kissed him once more on his cheek, and ran to join her teammates for pictures with the trophy, whopping the whole way.

Remus felt like someone glued his feet on the floor and then Petrificus Totalus-ed him for extra measure. He didn't dare look back at the stands to see if James had seen it, because Remus knew he had. It was hard to miss, after all, two people snogging on the middle of the Playing Area where everybody's eyes were trained on moments ago. James had to be blind to not have seen it. Remus couldn't stomach to look back.

…But Remus was never one who could handle the suspense, so he peeked – just a bit – over his shoulder to the stands.

Merlin.

James had leaped from his seat on the stands, and was swooping down to tackle Remus with a determined expression on his face; the GO painted on his chest was glinting menacingly as he sailed closer and closer to the shocked bookworm.

Remus chanced a glance at his other friends, hoping they were going to help him out.

But alas, he was wrong. Sirius and Peter had tears streaming down their faces as they roared with laughter, falling almost off the stands when they saw Remus' scared face. Remus made a mental note to put itching powder on the pillowcases when he made it out alive.

Never mind, he corrected his statement a few moments later. I'm not getting out of this alive.

Remus only had time to brace himself before James tackled them toward the Gobstones shelf, where many sets were stacked. They crashed, and the shelf collapsed under their weight. The sets of Gobstones came undone and erupted with its fetid, green slime, enveloping the two teens completely.

"Is it too late for me to say that it wasn't my fault?" asked Remus charmingly, despite the pain he was feeling everywhere.

"You're really lucky I saw her jump you, so I guess you're off the hook. But let it happen again and I'll snap your neck." James rolled away, appraising the damage he had done with a large smile. "Score?"

"Six out of ten."

"Just a six?"

"Your leap was shaky –"

"I was nervous!"

"And you would've sailed much smoother if you extended your arms."

James stood up, brushing the adhesive slime and marbles stuck to his trousers off. "Fine, let's try again, but after we get some celebratory cake."

"Sure, just as soon as my bones re-grow."

"I think it's chocolate."

"Get out of my way."


A/N: Credits go to Crystalline Enchantix for the idea!

Thanks to: Remus' daughter, Hpdwlotr24, Harry1675, Chuggamuffin, agryffindorgal, chaosshotgun, MissDemigodWizard, Our Mismatched Socks, Crystalline Enchantix, and BELVISPRESLEY for reviewing! Virtual cookies for you! XDD

Sorry this chapter is late, I've become incredibly lazy ever since summer started and have developed a short attention span - Oooh shiny rock!

Anyway, what's the best club you've ever joined/still apart of? The Scrabble Club was mine, and the refreshments they served did NOT influence my answer...really, they didn't... :))