"Okay guys, wish me luck. You are going to watch, right?" James stood up from the table with his broom over his shoulder. Today were the try-outs for the Quidditch team. "Of course we will, mate. I would never miss an opportunity to see you embarrass yourself." James laughed. "Then I will have to let you down mate! Since I am sure that I will give you nothing to gloat about. But feel free to come and see me fly my way into the Quidditch team." Remus and Peter wished him good luck and James made his way down to the Quidditch field. The weather was quite nice today. The sun was shining, but not too bright. There was barely any wind. James pushed his glasses back up his nose. Sometimes they were a burden, especially when the weather conditions were awful.
He already had already changed into his Quidditch outfit when he got out of bed this morning. He marched onto the field and looked around to his competition. Officially there were six positions available, but he saw that there were two girls and one boy there who were also on the team last year. Thinking that they would be back this year, there were three spots left. One chaser and two beaters. And luckily James had practiced being Chaser since he could fly a broom. He looked around to the others. "Oi, Potter." A boy was walking towards him. He stood next to James and puffed his chest forward while saying: "Abel Cresswell, fourth year. Are you trying out today?" James said cooly: "Yes, I am. And you?" Abel nodded. "Yes, I want to become one of the three Chasers." James looked at him. His built was different then James'. He was bigger, which is not an advantage, but he is also stronger. His hands were bigger and he seemed confident. "The weather conditions are perfect today! I wish you all the luck, I know you want to be a Chaser as well. So we have to compete probably." James decided not to let this get to him. "Thanks Abel, you too. I hope you have a plan B, maybe you can also try-out for Beater." He turned around and walked to the stands. He saw his friends sitting there. He felt the corners of his mouth slowly lifting and he could not help to smile.
"Well you see rather confident. Don't you?" Remus said. "I just have a good feeling. This fourth year came up to me and wanted to intimidate me. But I kind of tolled him off and walked away." Sirius looked to the group behind James. "You mean Abel Cresswell? He is a tool, so good for you. You better make him eat your dust." James heard some laughter from his right. He looked over and saw Bertha Jorkins laughing at Sirius. "You are so right, Sirius. He is a tool! Did you know that his brother started at Hogwarts this year? Hopefully he will raise the average Cresswell intelligence a bit." Sirius smiled back at Bertha. "Let's cross our fingers for that, Bertha. Fancy seeing you here." He winked at her and she giggled. Bertha turned to her friend and started whispering. "I have no time to see you flirt, mate. I have a try-out to focus on." Remus pointed at the group behind him. "Well you might want to hurry back. It seems that the captain is approaching." James turned around and saw a boy in the red Quidditch ropes walking towards the group. "Yes, I have to go. Bye!" Sirius, Remus and Peter wished him luck.
That whole morning James was busy with trying out for the team. He had to show his flying ability at first. Several laps around the stadium with some obstacles. After that they each stated what they wanted to try out for. There were seven people interested in Chaser, five in the Beaters position, two in the Seekers position and two in being Keeper. "Okay, listen to me. We will let you try-out for those positions, but you also have to try some others. For all that I know you might be a good Beater, but a better Chaser. I want the six of you up in the air, competing three against three. Try to grab the Quaffle from each other and score." James was one of the six. He stepped on his broom and rose in the air. He was playing against Abel, a girl and a boy he did not know. He had two girls in his team and both of them were already on the team last year. Yes, thought James! This is in my advantage. They know each other and the game, if I show them I can play well with them I increase my chances. The sound of a whistle being blown filled James ears and he focused on the getting the Quaffle. Abel was speeding up to him with the big ball under his arm and he was grinning. "Try and beat me, second year." James sped up on his broomstick and made no gesture of getting out of his way. At the last moment James pulled his broom to the right, punched the Quaffle with his fist out of his arm. He heard Abel curse and break. One of his teammates dropped herself to catch the Quaffle and gave James a thumbs up when she got back up. James sped up and knew that Abel was right on his tail. He zigzagged around and kept an eye on the Quaffle. The girl threw to the other girl. James saw that the other team left an opening on her right so he quickly dove down. He sped up again and appeared on her right side. "I am open if you need me to." He yelled. She nodded that she understood and said: "Keep an eye on the Quaffle." James avoided another member of the opposing team and soon they were close at the goals. He saw that the girl swirled to her left, but moved the Quaffle to her right. A diversion! James thought. He kept close to her, but still continued. The path was almost free. The other team was getting closer to her now. They were only a few seconds away and they were ready to get that Quaffle. At the last moment she shot to her right, threw the ball to James and went straight up. The other team looked in confusion, they were so close.
James caught the ball without any trouble and sped up to the goals. He could score. He saw that Abel was flying towards him on his left and looked at his teammates. One was above him and the other one behind Abel. He kept racing to the goals but decided to throw Abel of his game. He waited until the very last moment and when he could almost touch Abel he changed his broom and inhibited. Abel shot right past him, giving James a clear path to the goals. James sped up, raised the Quaffle and threw it as hard as he could. The Quaffle went right through the middle goal post and he rose up, fist in the air. His teammates were next to him and complimented him. "Good job! Now let's score again."
James scored another two times and his team members each four. The opposing team only twice in total and were now grumpy. Their play became a little bit rougher. Abel was now trying to bump James from his broom. At that moment the whistle sounded again. "Cresswell, come down immediately. And you too, Potter." The captain yelled. James gritted his teeth, what mistake did he made? This was not his fault. He stepped of his broom and faced the captain. "What, in Merlin's name, do you think you are doing?" He said to Abel. "I am trying out for Chaser." Abel answered. The Captain's eyes narrowed. "And being a smartass will help you get there, you mean? That is not what I was talking about. You nearly threw him of his broom. Why?" He demanded an answer. Abel shrugged his shoulders. "I just tried to get the Quaffle." James snorted. "The Quaffle was not even near me when you did that." The captain looked at him and then back at Abel. "That was foul play. I do not want my team to play like that. We win fair and square, no dirty tricks. We leave that to the Slytherins. I give you one last change. If you play like that one more time, your try-outs are over. Do you understand that?" Abel swallowed and nodded. "Yes, I do." Now the captain looked at James. "And for you, I know I said that I wanted everyone to try out for other positions as well. But I think I know what I want to do with you."
James swallowed hard. His heart started beating. This could either mean he made the team or that he saw enough to know that he was not good enough. But how could he think that last part? It had to be the first one. And James feelings were confirmed when he heard him say: "Congratulations, you can take a place in the stands to watch the rest of the try-outs. The first training is the day after tomorrow, after dinner. Do not be late." James felt his breath escape. "Thank you! I won't be late!" He threw his broom over his shoulder and walked quickly to his friends.
"I knew it!" Sirius said. James grinned. "You are absolutely right. They wanted me to stop the try-outs." Now this made Sirius look surprised. "They didn't? But I was only joking. They decided you don't need to try-out anymore?" James nodded. "But, why?" Remus sighed. "Are you really that thick now Sirius? He already has a spot on the team that is why. He is messing with you." Sirius started laughing. "Okay, you got me. I thought they did not want you." James said quite proud: "Why wouldn't they? I am probably one of the best here. The people who were on the team last year still have to try-out." He felt his chest go big and he went with his hand through his hair. "Okay, I am going to send my mum and dad an owl now with the big new. They will be pleased."
That week James went to his first training and he loved it. The girls he played with were also on the Gryffindor team, they found two new Beaters and a new Seeker. "I have a good feeling with this team! I truly think that we can win the cup this year!" One of the girls, James thought her name was Minnie, said: "You think that every year, Peter." Everybody laughed. That evening James got his parents answer.
Our dearest James,
We cannot tell you how proud we are! Congratulations on making the team, we knew we had it in you. Hopefully all will go well during your practices and games. Of course we know that you only want to win, but already playing is a great honor. Do not forget this! And also do not forget your homework, we know how much you love Quidditch.
We want to give you a present for making the team. We are pleased to let you know that you may keep the owl that this letter was send with. It is yours. We deposited some extra money in your vault, so you can buy a cage and food from the Daily Prophet.
Once again, congratulations. We miss you and feel free to come home once the Christmas holiday is near. But we understand if you would want to stay at school.
Many hugs and kisses,
Mum and Dad
"Sweet!" James shouted. Peter looked up from his book. They were in the common room. Sirius was in detention, for once without James. And Remus was in the library. "What is it? Did you win something?" He asked. "Kind of! My mum and dad gave me an owl. This owl to be precise. For making the Quidditch team." Peter looked at the owl. "That is so mental! It is a pretty one as well." The owl was sitting on James' shoulder. The feathers were hazelnut, his eyes were yellow and she was quite big. "Hey you!" James said softly to the owl. He nibbled on his finger. "You are mine now. I need to find a name for you." He screeched softly. "Well I guess you are tired now, so why don't you go to the Owlery?" James walked to the window, opened it and the owl flew away. At that moment Remus came back, looking a bit stressed. "What is it, Remus? Did they not had the right book on your homework in the library? Hey! Remus?!" James said his voice growing louder. Remus almost walked past by them without noticing them. "Oh, hey guys. Sorry, I was distracted. What did you say?" He said bewildered.
James looked at his friend. "Mate, are you okay?" Remus looked up. "Yes, yes. Of course, why wouldn't I be? It is my mum again, okay. I need to go back home tomorrow for a couple of days. So I better start packing." Remus wanted to walk off to the dormitory but James stopped him. "Remus, are you sure it is your mum this time? She has been sick for quite a while now and I have never seen you react like that before." Remus swallowed and he looked at James with a pleading look in his eyes. "I just, eh I …" He stammered. "I just didn't anticipate or expected to need to go back already so soon, okay? I thought I still had some time before this would happen." James became worried. "Before what would happen, Remus? How sick is she at the moment? She will live right?" Remus avoided James' eyes. "I guess so. I am sorry, I just need to be alone right now." James stepped away from his path and Remus went upstairs to the dorms.
"He is getting crazier and crazier, every single time he has to leave. If he were a girl I would blame it on his menstruation. Quite funny, he acts just as crazy and he also leaves approximately every four weeks." Peter said while looking at the stairs where Remus just disappeared from. James frowned. "Can you say that again please?" Peter looked at him. "What? That he is on his period?" James shook his head. "No, no. That last part. About those every four weeks." Peter said up straight. "Yes, did you not notice last year? It was almost every four weeks he left. Maybe it his mum's period. Maybe she gets crazy or really sick and he has to help out." James scratched his head and then went with his hand through his hair again. "You are right. It is indeed almost every four weeks. It's weird and there is something not right. We got to find out what exactly."
Lily walked with Alice, Marlene and Mary to their Charms class. "Hey guys, are you excited that is Halloween soon?" Mary asked. "It is literally my favorite holiday!" Alice nodded. "Yes, I love it. Especially now that it is on a Saturday. So that means no classes and an amazing feast!" Lily herself was looking forward to Halloween, but more because of the time of the year. That meant that Christmas was slowly getting closer. She loved the time around Christmas. And she also seriously considered staying at Hogwarts this upcoming holiday. Experiencing two weeks of freedom, snow and Hogwarts during Christmas and New Year's would be amazing.
When they walked into the classroom they were discussing the holidays. They sat down and behind them were Remus, Sirius, Peter and James. They heard some serious whispering. Lily turned around to see what the buzz was all about. "You cannot do it in here. You have no idea what it does." Remus whispered. Sirius said something back that Lily could not understand. Sirius looked like he did not care what Remus said. And usually when stuff like this happens Lily somehow felt that she would share Remus' opinion. Lily was so close to interrupting them and asking them what they were planning to do. But she contained herself. She would not interfere. If you don't know about it, you cannot get into trouble, Lily told herself.
The class flew by quickly. The Sonorus charm was the subject this time and Lily found it quite entertaining. She was daydreaming about using it on herself back home and driving Petunia crazy with facts about the wizarding world. She would lose her mind, there was no way she could ignore Lily when she was blasting in her ear.
The next subject was Defense Against the Dark Arts and Lily was taking notes on how to treat a werewolf bite. "It is quite nasty, isn't it?" Mary said to Lily. "What?" Lily had no idea what she was talking about. "Those bites! Look at these pictures!" Mary pointed to the textbook. "I would not want to be on the other end of that! Can you imagine being a werewolf? You will literally have no life. Everybody will be afraid of you or hate you or maybe even both. There is no way you will ever get a job and let alone go to school!" Lily looked at the pictures. "Yes, the picture are quite gross but I cannot imagine what you must be going through if you are a werewolf every month. The rest of the time you are just a normal wizard or witch and just because of that you might not get a job?" Mary shook her head. "You don't understand. They are dangerous! What if they bite you?" Lily could hardly believe it. "How big is the chance you will be around them if you change? If you know about their 'problem' then you can make sure you are not around them during full moon and then it will be fine right? You probably already met one and you just didn't know." Mary looked at her with a mixed expression. "You have a point, but somehow I would just not want to be near a werewolf somehow. They are not themselves when they change, they have no idea what they are doing. They kill people!" At that moment a chair scraped loudly on the floor behind them and somebody walked away. Lily looked at the door and saw that Remus had left the classroom in a hurry. She turned around to talk to a struck Peter. "Is he okay?" Peter still looked puzzled at the door. "I don't know. He seemed okay. A bit nervous during the class, but nothing weird. He was fine during Charms. Maybe he ate something bad or he has to go the toilet." Behind Peter Lily saw that James and Sirius were discussing something while looking at the door that Remus just got through. They called Peters name and started whispering with the three of them.
Lily had no idea what was going on, but she tried to forget about it. Instead she focused on her essay. It would be homework for whomever did not finish theirs. And she was desperate for a quiet, relaxed evening. Their second year was even busier than their first year and she had no idea that was possible. The class flew by way too fast and Lily could not finish her essay. Marlene sighed. "This is going to take up my whole evening! And my parents just send me a book that I would love to start reading. It is about woman in Quidditch from the last 50 years." Lily was interested. "Could I borrow it sometime? Of course after you are done with it!" Marlene nodded. "Of course! You could even start already if you want. I also have that astronomy homework that you already finished." This gave Lily an idea. "How about a fair trade? You can look at my astronomy homework and I will read your book? That is a win-win for both of us." Marlene looked at Lily. "I cannot do that. You can borrow my stuff every time you want and I don't want anything in return. And you worked so hard on that stellar." Lily shrugged. "Well if it can help you, why not?" Lily did not mind when her friends would copy her homework. She did not gave it to them all the time, but sometimes when an assignment was difficult it would help them as well. At that point Mary appeared. "What did I hear about you turning down homework, Marlene? If she declines it, I will gracefully accept the offer!" She said. "If Marlene can see it, of course you and Alice can as well! We will do it tonight, after dinner."
That night Lily finished her werewolf essay while the others were busy with astronomy. They were sighing heavily when they put down their quill. "That is done! Finally! Thank you so much, Lily!" Alice said. "You really saved us here! We better get started on the werewolf essay now. Luckily this is not that hard. I think we should be done within 45 minutes or so." Mary yawned. "Hopefully, it is already 8.30!" She, Alice and Marlene grabbed their werewolf essay, their textbook and started reading. Lily stretched and looked at the cover of the book that Marlene had given her. At that moment the portrait opened and she saw that James, Sirius, Peter and Remus walked in. Lily remembered Remus leaving the class and she was wondering what had gotten into him. He looked quite the same as usual, not ill or anything. He was always skinny and pale. They sat down with the four of them on the other side of the room and Lily watched them over the edge of her book.
Remus looked nervous around to see if someone was watching them and hushed the others. The other free seemed to pressure him into telling something. Remus looked down at the ground and shrugged. Sirius threw his hands in his hair and leaned backwards. James bended forward and said something to Remus and Peter petted him a bit on his back. What on earth are they doing? Lily thought. Why were they on him so much? Is Remus okay? Lily was getting a bit worried. She cared for Remus, he was always nice for her. The other boys were so strange. At one point they were just too much too handle and the next moment they were nice and helping you with stuff. But now they seemed to push Remus to telling something he might want to keep for himself, they might even bully him into it! This was enough! Lily stood up but at that moment the boys did the same thing. They walked to the staircase and disappeared out of Lily's sight. "What are you doing? Why are you standing?" Marlene asked. She looked at the point where Lily was looking. "Are you okay? Do you need something from the boy's dormitories?" Lily sat down again. "Nah, I thought I had to do something. But I guess not." Marlene looked confused at her, but decided not to say anything. Lily was trying to read the book but her thoughts were shifting to Remus. Hopefully he was okay. Tomorrow she would ask him, but for now she would let it rest.
The next day she had hardly any time to speak to Remus. During the classes he was on the other side of the room and when she tried to catch him after Transfiguration he already left to go the toilet. She could have gone after him and wait outside the toilet, but that would lead to her friends asking questions. And Lily did not feel like explaining what she saw last night to her friends. Somehow she had the feeling they would not care and would find it weird that she tried so hard now to talk to Remus. She could already hear Marlene say: "Do you like him? Is that why you want to talk to him so badly?" She did not like Remus, not in that way. He was always kind and he was smart and those are features Lily valued in a person. He seemed more reliable then James, Sirius and Remus.
After dinner she got a distraction from professor Slughorn. "Miss Evans! How pleasant to see you! How are you doing, my dear?" Lily had to swallow her potatoes quickly before she could answer him. "I am good sir, thank you!" Slughorn petted her on the shoulder. "Good, good! I was wondering if you have any plans this Saturday. I would love to throw a little get together and it would be my honor if you could attend it. Feel free to bring someone, of course if you want to. So what do you say, are you available? There will be some guests attending that are very prominent." He looked so delighted with himself. Lily saw her friends looking at her. "I think I am free that evening." Lily said a bit hesitantly. "Splendid! There is no need to eat before you come, I will serve food. The dress code is a bit fancy, but nothing like black tie. See you this Saturday Miss Evans." And with those words professor Slughorn walked away.
"What was that about? Why did he ask you and not us? He barely even acknowledged us!" Mary said a bit offended. "Isn't it clear?" Alice said. "Well maybe not if you do not know how Slughorn is. My sister told me before I joined Hogwarts. I asked her tell me everything about the teachers she knew. And she told me that Slughorn sometimes gives these parties and only invites the best of the year. On these parties he mingles them with other important persons he knows. He has a lot of connections for example on the Ministry and in the Quidditch world. Big chance you will meet someone famous. And you are obviously the best of our year, so of course you are invited. I wonder who else he invites. There are never any first years somehow. Maybe he finds them too young or something." Lily had to process all of this. It was obviously a compliment to be invited, but somehow Lily had the feeling there was more behind it.
At that moment Alice her voice brought her back to reality. "Who are you going to take with you? Are you going to ask a boy?" Lily became a bit nervous. Where they expecting from her to bring a boy? Couldn't she just come alone or with one of her friends? "I don't know! Even if I want to ask a boy, who would it be?" She saw that Mary was already scanning the tables. "What about Dorcas Meadows? He is quite good looking and he is smart." Lily looked at the Ravenclaw table. "I never even said hi to him. How do you expect me to ask him to escort me? I don't even know him, what if he gets the wrong idea that I like him in that way?" Mary soothed Lily. "It is okay, nobody expects you to. We will find someone else. Maybe a Hufflepuff! Caradoc Dearborn maybe? If you tell him it is just as friends he will understand." Alice and Marlene were also scanning the Great Hall. "Wait no, what about Benjy Fenwick? He is quite handsome." Marlene said a bit dreamy. "Why don't you ask him, if you like him?" Marlene blushed. "Like him? Where did you get that idea from?" Mary laughed sneaky. "The way you said his name, you do find him attractive, don't you?" Marlene blushed again and looked relieved when Alice started talking. "Well, maybe Peter Adrian or Colin Stebbins? If you ask one of them you probably get the second one for free. They are inseparable." Mary clapped her hands. "What about one of our own? A Gryffindor!" She looked down the table and got a sly smile around her lips. Mary whispered: "I think Peter would wet himself with excitement if you asked him." Lily snorted disapproving. "That is not nice, Mary. And I would never do something like that. I just need someone I know and I can have a good time with. And apparently it has to be a boy." And at that moment it hit Lily.
"Severus." She whispered. "Snape? You want to ask that Snape boy?" Mary said. Marlene kicked her underneath the table. "Oy, why did you do that?" Mary asked angry at Marlene. "We all think it, I am just honest enough to say it out loud." Lily felt a bit betrayed. Were her friends talking about her behind her back about her friendship with Severus? Why would they do that? Was it so bad that she cared for him? But did she really? He was barely in her thought the last month and she hardly spoke to him since he asked her to help him with James and Sirius. They said hi to each other in the class, but both of them were occupied. He was off with his friends doing his homework and Lily was busy with her homework and friends. "Sorry Lil." Alice whispered. "We don't talk about it that often, you know. One time it came up and we just expressed that he has this weird vibe. Somehow I get the chills when I see him. But it is not just him, also his friends. They show certain behavior and have this attitude. Did you know they threatened Frank?" Lily was a bit shocked. "Threatened? Are you sure?" Alice nodded. "Yes, they were with quite a few. Avery grabbed him by his cloak while Rosier threatened to hurt him. And when Frank asked why all they said was because he was walking their way. Aubrey then said that McGonagall was coming so they released him. Frank was quite scared to walk alone after that." Lily was surprised. "Did he went to see McGonagall at least and tell her?" Alice shook her head. "I told him to do that as well. But he says it will only make things worse. He said he is 'safer' since he is a pureblood. But you should see the stuff that they on Muggle-born." Lily felt a knot in her stomach. She was muggle-born. "She is right you know." Mary whispered. "Greta Catchlove, you know her right? She is in our Herbology class. She got her skirt already lifted several times that her bottom was exposed. And nobody claims to do it, but the group with Avery, Wilkes and the others and yes, also Snape, are always laughing the hardest and yelling things. She literally jinxed her skirt to be pants." Lily felt nauseous. "That is awful! Why would they do that? I can honestly not imagine that Severus would do something like that." Mary shook her head. Alice and Marlene looked a bit with pity at Lily. "Well, why don't you ask him? If he really is your friend he will be honest about it. But Lily, just watch out okay. I just see him looking at you sometimes, with this gaze in his eyes. It is almost some kind of hunger. Maybe it is because you are a girl or maybe it is because you are muggle-born, I don't know. But to be honest, I don't know which one would be better." Alice said.
"Thank you for your concern, ladies. I appreciate you watching out for me. But I know him even before Hogwarts and he always helped me. I will just go and talk to him. This is not something that he would do, it doesn't sound like him. Maybe he is just mixed up with the wrong friends. If that is the case he might need me more than ever now!" Lily stood up, grabbed her back and started walking to the Slytherin table. She was amendment to get to the bottom of this.
Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait again guys! But next chapter will be a very, very long one!
So James made the Quidditch team, yay! Probably his first Quidditch match will be in two or three chapters.
And Lily, she just might have witnessed Remus telling his big secret to his friends. More about that in the next chapter! And in the next chapter we will see a bit more Severus and Lily. Severus is now hanging out with everyone that will be a Death Eater once they finish Hogwarts, of course he is going to be one as well. So my plan is also to slowly show their behavior. They are influenced by their families and the news from outside. Voldemort is slowly getting more powerful. So their believes are already showing during their time at school. Not that extreme yet, but still enough to be racists, discriminating and cruel.
If you have any thoughts, please leave a comment! And fav/follow to see when my next big chapter arrives!