Disclaimer: Everything Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just a fan of the books, the story and the lore, that's all.

Anyways, please enjoy and thank you so much for reading.

Chapter 1

James Potter watched with a clouded expression as Lily Evans walked hand in hand with Gary Davies through the Gryffindor portrait. Sirius Black had just stepped off the steps that led to the boys dormitory where he caught a glimpse of the redhead and her newest companion leaving the common room.

He pats a reassuring hand onto his friend's shoulder. "Unlucky mate."

James shakes his head, turning away from the closed portrait to Sirius.

"I'm fine. It's fine. Besides, I've decided that this year I'm done pursing her."

Sirius doesn't look persuaded, but instead of voicing his thoughts he gives his friend an encouraging shove and a somewhat convincing smile.

"That's the spirit! Girls are overrated anyway." James raises a brow. "Ok, maybe not overrated, but you know what I mean. Right now you shouldn't give all your attention to a girl that thinks you're a no good, dirty, awful—"

"Ok I get it!"

"Sorry mate, but this is a blessing in disguise. Adding a girl into your life will only complicate it. You see how David and Patricia—"

"Phoebe," James corrected.

Sirius rolls his eyes and continues on. "But you see how ugly and tumultuous their relationship is. I mean we get front row viewing of it at least twice a week in our dorm."

James sighs. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

Sirius puts a reassuring arm around his friend with that patent smirk appearing on his face.

"I'm always right."

James lets out a genuine laugh as both friends make their way through the portrait hole that Lily and Gary left through just moments ago and headed straight for the Great Hall.

Making her way out of the Hufflepuff common room was Betty Wright. She was headed to the Great Hall for breakfast with her fellow house and dorm mates, Ameila Bones and Doris Young following just behind.

"What do you think that round bellied brownnoser Slughorn has in store for us today?" Doris asked. She wasn't very keen on the vain professor.

"Oh Doris, he's not that bad," Ameila reasoned.

"The only reason you say that is because you're a part of that stupid Slug club."

"Oh please don't remind me." she said abashedly. "There's a meeting tonight."

All three are now walking in line with one another.

"I'm more surprised you're not involved with it Betty," Doris said, pointedly looking at the large P attached to her friend's robes. "You're definitely the type he would want."

"Oh believe me, he's asked and persisted. But every time he'd ask, I would just make up an excuse."

Ameila huffed. "You're lucky. My mother made sure to write an encouraging letter to him just to make sure I will be a part of his narcissistic club."

"What do you even do in those meetings?" Doris asked.

"Discuss and brag about our families and about our talents and accomplishments," Amelia explained with indifference in her tone. "Slughorn even likes to make his thoughts well known about what we should do with our talents after Hogwarts."

"Sounds tedious. I'm happy I'm not involved," Doris said.

All three girls walked into the Great Hall. Students are already inhabiting seats at their specific tables.

"I hope that muppet Watson hasn't inhaled all the bacon." Ameila said, picking up some pace to their table leaving Betty and Doris in her wake. "Oi Watson! Drop it."

Doris goes to follow, but notices Betty standing still and her eyes moving with purpose around the Great Hall looking for a specific someone.

"You coming?" Doris asked.

Her eyes return to Doris. "I'll be right back. Lenny wants me to do some snooping on the newest Gryffindor Captain."

"And he can't do it himself?"

"You know exactly why he won't do it."

Doris rolled her eyes. "Is he still miffed over that little prank?" Betty didn't respond but gave her a knowing look. Doris shakes her head. "That boy always has a wand up his arse. No offence Betty. I know he's your boyfriend and all, but he really needs not be so serious all the time."

Betty lets out a sigh. She agreed with her friend, but was too drained over the prank that happened last year. She didn't think much of it as she was also a victim. She thought it was harmless fun, but Lenny was seething in rage after it happened. She tried to get him to see the fun in it, but he thought it was all too childish and embarrassing.

She lets out a sigh. "I'll be right back."

She moves to her right, two tables down where the proud and rambunctious Gryffindors sat. She caught a few looks from the Lions. Them wondering why a stray Hufflepuff was around their table, before returning back to their conversations.

James Potter was trying his best to stick to his new attitude of not caring about Lily Evans, but that seemed a lot harder than he'd imagined. He'd been trying to tune into the conversation currently going on between his fellow Marauders, but his eyes and mind seems to always go back to Lily and that pompous idiot Gary.

He was so lost in thought as he played with his food that he didn't notice a certain Hufflepuff standing right behind him. Peter coughed obnoxiously loud, getting not only his attention but also his fellow Marauders and a few Gryffindors nearby. Peter looks pointedly over James's shoulder, making him turn in his seat a slight frown on his features before it turns to a large grin realizing who it was.

"Well, well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure on this beautiful morning?"

"I just wanted to stop by and see how the newest Gryffindor captain did with tryouts last night. Hopefully the new recruits are up to par?" she teased. "I know it must've been really hard to find a new keeper as good as Prickett."

The once doleful Gryffindor now grew back into his usual self-assured self as his smile grew.

"I've found a dependable replacement who is just as good, possibly even better," he said with confidence. "Now, not that I don't mind talking about myself, how about we talk about why you're over here trying to interpose yourself, when it should be your captain?"

She rolled her brown eyes, arms crossed. "You know exactly why Potter."

Sirius enlists himself in the conversation, a haughty smile on his face. "He's still mad over that little prank we did."

Her eyes stayed set on Potter. "Yes, he's still a little peeved."

"And you're not?" Sirius asked.

She removes her dark eyes from James Potter over to Sirius Black. "No. I even found it a little funny," she admitted, a small smile starting to appear before she quickly shakes out of the memory and goes back to the reason why she was standing here. She returns her eyes back to James. "But that's besides the point. I just wanted to relay a message from said captain that we'll be ready for you Gryffindors. New keeper or not, it won't stop us from scoring and beating you."

He beams. "I'll guess we'll see once we meet on the pitch."

"I guess we will," she agreed. "See you later, Potter."

Her crown of thick coils whipped around her as she turned away from James Potter and the rest of the Marauders and made her way back to her table. The confident smile of his goes away once he sees that the Prefect had her feline eyes off of him. He lets out a deep sigh.

Peter furrowed his brows. Something wasn't making sense to him.

"I thought you said the new keeper was crummy?"

James lets out a heavy sigh, hands moving to his always messy hair.

"He's abysmal! Especially comparing him to Prickett."

"Well, there's only a few Pricketts out there. There's a reason why she went straight into the Harpies team," Remus inputted.

"I get that," James said. "But I expected much better last night. Christopher was the best out of the lot and that's saying something."

"He's still young," Remus reassured. "Maybe it can be taught?"

James shakes his head ruefully. "All I know is that he needs to pattern up. This season is much too important for us to lose. People are counting on me. Especially now that I'm captain."

"That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself James," Remus argued.

"I know, but it's the only way."

Peter sends him a reassuring look.

"You'll do great James, I know you will," the smaller boy encouraged.

James beams naturally. "Thank you Wormtail."

"All I know," Sirius started. "Is that we can't allow those filthy Slytherins to get anywhere near that cup. Their team is atrocious. The only good thing, much to my discretion, is my brother."

James nodded, agreeing. "They may be shit, and know that they're shit, but they know how to shithouse a win out of their arses. It's exactly how they won that cup last year."

"Damn Slytherins," Sirius muttered, biting ruefully into his fried egg. "Nothing more than a bunch of cheats."