AN: Chapter three's out now ^_^ after much thinking, I'd decided to make Tally Lily's friend. Besides, the little potrait I drew of her looked kinda cute too ^^ forget me. I'm sorta insane at the moment. uh, what am I suppose to say now? Read and review please!!!
bunny chan
Disclaimer: You know what I owned and what I don't, so don't sue me … yet.
The Marauding Five : Year Two
Chapter 3: Quidditch Tryouts
James, Sirius and Lily rushed down the flight of stairs when the last bell rang with Remus following them closely behind. They were going for their Quidditch tryouts, with high hopes of entering the team. Besides, hadn't Madam Hooch said that they were good flyers? They followed a stream of students who were on their way to the Quidditch pitch. They ran towards the Gryffindor team, where the team's captain, Terrykinns Splatter, a sixth year, was holding the team with only two people. Him and a Gryffindor sixth year Beater, Catherine Forgerys. Excitement building up the three Marauder's insides, they ran towards them, only to be disappointed by the long queue of third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years. But all hope was not flattered yet and the Marauders aren't giving up that easily, so they queued behind the long lines, as Splatter explained the rules and empty positions.
'Okay, listen up! We need a Beater, three Chasers and a Keeper. Please divide to the wanted position. Keeper to my left, Beater to my right, and Chasers in front of me!'
Obediently, everyone divided themselves into three long lines, shorter than the one before. Sirius gave a wink to James and Lily who were in the Chasers' line from his Beater's line. Remus sat at the steps, watching and praying nervously for his fellow friends. Splatter then set a flight test. According to him, flying is the most important skill, despise your ability as a keeper, beater or chaser. The Beaters were tested first.
Shaking, Sirius eyed at James and Lily, who gave him encouraging smiles. Lily pulled out a dungbomb, a signal to burst Snape with it, and that gave him enough senses to fly properly without dropping over. If he can do this a thousands of times before, why not again?
Next were the Chasers. James seemed pretty confident with himself and passed the obstacle course fairly well alongside with a fourth year. Lily chewed on her nails, leaving ugly marks on her once finely clipped nails, when her turn came. Her legs had turned weak, and her hands shook when she picked the Butterfly up. She shut her eyes when the test started, unsure of where she was flying and never opened them until she reached the finishing line. Shakily, she went up to James and leaned onto him for support, her hands wet with sweat and her eyes ready to cry.
The keepers were also tested with the same obstacle course, but they were given an extra test of catching the golf balls flying.
Splatter and Forgerys seemed to be in deep conversation after their tests. When they stood up, the students jumped to their feet. Most of them will be eliminated, and the rest will stay back for team tryouts. Who will be the one to be eliminated? Who will pass? Better still, will any of them make it to the team?
Clearing her voice, Forgerys read out the names she had on the parchment in her hands. Lily gulped and prepared herself to carry her Butterfly and sit next to Remus. She's ready for what is to come now. James and Sirius clasped their hands together and started muttering their prayers silently.
'We'd like these to stay back and have a tryout with us. Beater: Sirius Black and Geraldine Googles. Keepers: Billy McMillan, Ally McSapperston. Chasers: James Potter, John Smith, Droville Rammers and Lily Evans,' Forgerys said. Mutters and gasps were heard from all over. Lily opened her eyes. Whatever she'd expected, it wasn't this. She had never expected herself to be put into the tryouts after flying blindly in that obstacle course. But before she can even have a grip of herself, James, Sirius and Remus had pulled her into a group hug.
'I- I- I-'
'Lily, we made it to the tryout! We made it!' Sirius grabbed as he hugged her tightly, choking the breath out of the girl.
'We made it! We might even be in the team, if not reserves!' James exclaimed happily, hugging her even tighter than Sirius had. The girl was now out of breath and very purple in face.
'L-let m-me g-g-go!' Lily managed to stutter. The two let her go immediately, but Lily fell down straightaway after that, causing them to catch her to break the fall.
'Geez Li, are you that happy?' Remus asked, fanning the girl as he checked her pulse. It was normal and – shock?
'No. Just it's, uh, unexpected,' the red head replied.
'Well, you can't pass out now. We'd to dump them all flat to make it to the team!' James determined voice said.
'Right. You giving those third years a chance? Naah!'
'We'll be in a team.' Remus handed her the broom as Sirius thumped her hard on her back.
Lily nodded weakly before gathering her courage for her next tryout. The real tryout to determine wheter or not she's the team's type. James and Sirius walked her over to the waiting sixth years as they waved them over.
'Having collywobbles? Don't worry, it'll be alright,' Forgerys' kind voice said as she helped Lily to the small group. Lily only nodded.
'Alright, now we'll see of your teamwork. As you know, the Gryffindor team is famous for it's teamwork and it's best strategies, so we'll put that on to work! I will now assign you in a team, to decide who will be able to play in the Gryffindor team. Don't worry if you're not chosen, because you'll be put in the reserve. It won't be that bad but-'
'TERRY! Just start it already!' Forgerys shouted at her partner.
'Okay, okay. As my girlfriend here had said,' Splatter said, turning to Forgerys, 'We'll get started.'
Lily felt color returning to her cheeks and so much warmer. Forgerys was right. Having collywobbles will go in just a minute. Confidently, she picked up her broom and mounted on it. She was to work with Sirius and James, just like Sirius had promised. Shooting a warning glance on Sirius to not try anything stupid, they shot off into the everning air.
**
Lily walked back towards the Great Hall with James and Sirius, a huge smile decorating her small face. Remus had already saved them a place, so they sat down, explaining the details to him happily.
'Remus, we got in! It's so great!' Lily squealed.
'I knew you would! You got all your wanted positions?'
'Yep! I get to work with those bludgers, so when Lily say "Beat me with a bludger", I most definitely will do so. Also, the other Chaser was Droville Rammers. The Keeper's McMillan.'
'McMillan? Thomas joined? He could barely even scrape himself enough grades!'
'Well, it's Billy McMillan, actually. Thomas' elder brother. He looked smarter than his brother though.'
'I see…'
'And Lily?'
'Yeah?'
'If you want to talk about that snitch again, I will grab that snitch and make you swallow it.'
'Si, don't you dare-'
'Oooh, looking after your new partner James?'
'What partner?'
'Si means boyfriend, Li.'
'Boyfriend? Why, if I ever agreed to marry James, I'd poison his food!' Lily stressed angrily as she muched on her salad.
'Well, if I ever propose to Lily, I'd eat that poisoned food. I most certainly wouldn't want a wife as long as I live,' James said in a determined voice biting hard onto his empty spoon. 'Yeowch!'
'Ooh… someone was rambling about –' Sirius stopped when James glared hard at him, wand in hands. He gulped. 'Well, what about me Li?'
'Sorry Si, any of you. If you dare, try me. I most definitely will not marry a single soul,' Lily said with a dangerous glint in her voice, meaning that she meant what she said.
'Don't worry, we know you ever since you were born,' Remus said reassuringly. Whatever Lily had said, she would most probably do it. James would, too, and always kept to his word. Sirius however, always jokes around, so nothing he said can be believed. Remus sighed at this. His friends. And what weird and joyful company they are.
'Right. Too bad, I can't say the same for any of you because I'm the youngest of all in our group,' Lily said as she tucked in and fill herself.
'That's fate, baby Lily,' James said sadly, patting her lightly.
'Don't do that!'
'Do what? Pat you?'
'Call me baby Lily. Honestly, do I still look like a two months old toddler?'
'Well, I didn't do that. I say that.'
'Oh. Yeah.'
Sirius was thinking at Lily's little dare. Grinning mischievously, he went on one knee before holding a hand to Lily.
'Okay Lily, I take your dare. Will you marry me?'
Remus and James laughed helplessly at this.
'Sorry Si. We hadn't even gone out yet, so your chance is negative hundred. Also, there isn't even a ring for me to grade and you're missing a flower here,' Lily said as she calmly drew out a packet of bronze colored powder before spilling it into her friend's pumpkin juice and all over his food. Sirius stared at it as they changed color to copper bronze.
'Hey! Oh well, maybe you'll agree to James. You both went out together to Diagon Alley, didn't you?' Sirius asked, visibly annoyed that his food was poisoned. Waving his wand, he changed his food and goblet with Thomas, who went green straightaway as he was eating at a chicken.
'You aren't serious about that poison thing, are you?' Sirius asked, watching at Thomas.
'No, I'm not Sirius. You are. But I'm true to my word at the poison thing. And about going to Diagon, we went with his mother! And if that's even a date, I'll kill myself for not getting one that is much more romantic!'
Remus and James backed away from Lily as she'd just killed someone.
'Don't worry Remus, James. I won't poison you. I'll just poison whoever who propose to me.'
The two sighed in relief. Thomas was still choking hard, so Lily had to pour a packet of black powder into his throat to stop him. Dinner went on peacefully for them until…
BURP.
Everything stopped. Everyone turned their heads to see who had let out that horrendous burp, only to find Severus Snape, covering his mouth in embarassment as he tried to hide himself under the Slytherin table. Everyone laughed at his very red face and McGonagall turned sharply at the Marauders. Anyone annoying Snape would most probably the four Marauders of Hogwarts. To her surprise, they looked as surprised at Snape's abnormally loud burp. She scanned around the Hall for the culprit, but it was hard, for everyone had burst out laughing at that very instance.
The Marauders grinned secretly at themselves for a mission accomplished. They had taken up acting classes in the holidays to act 'innocent and not guilty in every prank', successfully mastering it after some hard tries. Remus' quick eye had caught McGonagall's looking for them, and quickly alerted his friends for their expression changes. To their relief, she didn't suspect them, but moved on to look for the prankster.
'PEEVES!' McGonagall cried.
In an instance, a mini whirlwind burst from the Great Hall entrance doors as the little man showed himself. He bowed courteously at the severe woman.
'Yes, m'lady?'
'What are you playing at?'
'Nothing, noble lady! I, Lord Peeves of Peeved, is truly innocent, m'lady! You shouldn't have even suspect me!'
The Marauders laughed at this. Peeves? Talking in old English? Acting courteous? Remus took a quick snap of picture at this. McGonagall stared hard at the poltergeist.
'Explain what had you done to Snape.'
'Oh, nothing, m'lady! I had done absolutely nothing yet today! I'd only read some Shakespear from a muggle book, if that is what you were meaning. I was with Lupin. About Lord Snape of Slytherin and Snakes, I have certainly no reasons to harm him.'
'You harmed almost everyone without a reason.'
'But Lord Snape of Slytherin and Snakes is in the high court of Marauders' hands, and I am sure none had done anything to him all day. But pray, do tell, who'd done that? I shall congratulate the person with showers of gold Galleons, millions of silver Sickles and -'
That was enough to send everyone in laughter. Tears were pouring from Lily's eyes as she laughed hard, clutching tightly at her sides at Peeves' courtesy. Remus was laughing so hard, he hit the floor. James and Sirius held each other for support as they laughed at Peeves. The rest of the school had joined Remus on the floor, even the Slytherins. Even Snape. He was rolling all over with laughter, tears streaming from his little beady eyes.
'THAT, is enough Peeves. I will tolerate none of these!'
'But Minnie, Peeves hadn't done anything!'
'Right. Peeves was with Remus when we went for our Quidditch tryouts.'
'Right.'
'So, Minnie-'
'You, again, is found-'
'By the juries-'
'GUILTY!' Sirius shouted the last word as McGonagall broke down before him. The Hall stared in amusement at this.
'But I can't be sent to Dippet just by issuing Peeves a detention!'
'Sorry Minnie-Nerves MicGanugell-'
'The name's Minerva McGonagall, professor.'
'You aren't found guilty for issuing detention-'
'But instead-'
'For accusing-'
'The innocent!' Sirius finished again triumphantly, just before McGonagall walked out rather subduedly towards Dumbledore's office.
'M'lady! You dropped a hankie!' Peeves cried as he gave a loud cackle.
'I didn't expect it to go that well,' Lily mused to Remus.
'Neither did I,' Remus replied, turning to James.
'Who cares anyway?' James shrugged as he turned to Sirius.
'Food time!' Sirius cried as the four ran back to their seats and start digging in, ignoring the stares that they were receiving from the school. When Lily, finally fully fed and watered, looked up, only then did she realized that the school was looking at them. At this, she blushed red before nudging the nearest person to her, Sirius, who was drowning a chicken into his bottomless stomach. The boy stared at his surroundings, burped an 'Ooops!', and went back to his dinner like a hungry wolf.
McGonagall came back minutes later mumbling.
'What had gotten into me? You're not studying in Hogwarts anymore, Minnie – uh, Minerva, so get a grip on yourself!'
She had went to the headmaster's office asking for a detention for accusing Peeves when the old wizard shook it off, saying that the incident had taken place years ago. The professor was confused, for a moment, before realizing the truth and the fact that she is a professor at Hogwarts.
'Potter, Black, Evans, Lupin, your detention for singing at the Sorting Ceremony.'
Hushes went around the Great Hall and some first year giggled, remembering the fateful day that they had got sorted, the Marauders of Hogwarts had earned broke the Hogwarts record by earning the earliest detention ever issued.
The four sat bolt up straight. Their detention. They had almost forgotten all about it.
'Geez, is she gonna issue a detention for just singing at the Sorting Ceremony? But that hat sang every year,' Lily whispered at Sirius.
'I'm as lost as you are,' Sirius whispered back.
The four helped themselves onto the pudding, pretending to ignore the stern professor.
'Mmm! This pudding's fantastic!' James said, licking his lips in relish.
'I agree with you! I think it has too much sugar in it though,' Remus said after thinking and 'measuring' the taste.
'Well, Doctor Lupin, what do you prescribe?' Sirius asked sweetly, helping himself with more of it.
'I prescribe less three spoonfuls of sugar for you,' Remus answered calmly.
'Remus, I don't think so. In Sirius' serious condition of being too hyper, we should prescribe not even half a teaspoon of sugar,' Lily said in a serious tone.
'No! What would I do without sugar? Give it to me,' Sirus moaned, clinging hard onto Lily's robes.
'Sirius, let go, would you?'
'I want sugar!'
'Sirius!'
'Sorry, but I shan't let go until I have five more spoons of sugar!'
'Please, Si, you're going to rip my robes.'
'Not until I have sugar.'
'SIRIUS BLACK!'
'Sugar, sugar, my sweet sweet sugar. They shoudn't've banned me from you…'
Lily looked at Remus. He just shrugged. What can he do to help? Giving Sirius the sugar he wanted will just screw up his health, since he had fifteen chocolate frogs the day before.
She turned to James. He simply magicked a pot of sugar in front of Sirius.
'SUGAR!'
He let go of the girl's robes, causing her to sink down with fright. She thanked James with a warm smile, which he returned with a no problem sign. Remus, however, whispered urgently to James.
'James, just what are you doing? Sirius just ate all my chocolate frogs yesterday and you're giving him sugar today? Haven't you forgotten that Sirius will go worst than hyper?'
'We can't do much though. We'll just join him tonight then,' the boy shrugged.
'Sirius?' Lily said timidly.
'Mm?'
'I'm never sitting next to you for dinner. You almost ripped my robes! Remus, be a dear and trade place with me!'
'Well, it wouldn't be much a deal to rip you robes, would it? And Remus isn't a deer. He's a human. A wizard. Not a common muggle or squib, unlike dear ol' Petunia back home.'
'Sirius!' Lily whined at the part he said about her robes. 'Remus, please!!'
Remus got up and reluctantly traded places with Lily. Now, Lily in between James and Remus.
'And I bet you have some spare robes, so it wouldn't be much of a deal.'
Lily glared angrily at him.
'It always is a deal. I'm growing and my robes won't be fitting me soon, so I might need to buy or sew myself new ones. If you tear this one, which is larger than the rest, I'll have a long time sewing another out.'
'And so?'
'Sirius, that's enough,' Remus' quiet voice broke through. Sirius silenced at once.
'You okay, Lily?' James asked, turning to her.
'I guess so. I mean, it isn't fair! Why must he grabbed me for sugar? It isn't like I have any in my pockets!' Suddenly, a thought strucked her. 'Speaking of my pockets, why didn't I just throw my itching powder over him? Anyway, thanks a lot James. I'm so thankful to be saved from Sirius the Maniac.'
Remus just sighed.
Just then, he too, remembered something.
'Uh, guys?'
Three faces stared at him, all mouths full with watermelon, papayas and oranges.
'Hmmpf?'
'Minnie's waiting for us.'
Hurriedly swallowing her watermelon, Lily gulped her pumpkin juice quickly before looking at the time.
'Looks like she'd been waiting ever since. She'd been waiting for an hour and we're eating here for an hour already! We're supposed to be full by now!' Lily whined. Her eyes looked hungrily at the refilling dishes.
'But somehow, I think I'm hungry again. Maybe we can just leave her that way until tomorrow? She's snoozing already anyway,' Lily pointed out to the sleeping professor, grabbing a drumstick.
'We'll leave her.'
Sirius then remembered something.
'I just remembered.'
'What now? Can't someone eat in peace?' James protested.
'The school's still looking at us,' Sirius said, fidgeting nervously on his seat. James looked up to find the whole school looking at them.
'Hello? Can't I eat in peace here?' James called out. Their spectators, realizing what they had been doing the past hour, turned to their dishes and start eating.
'Some peace,' James was heard muttering to himself.
'Well, who cares?' Lily shrugged as she helped herself to the Roast Pork.
'Nobody. Well, maybe their stomachs,' James said thoughtfully.
'Right.'
The Marauders went on eating.
'Hey, how about another thing for dear "Lord Snape"? I still remembered that Dungbomb. It smells,' Lily said, pulling out a dungbomb from her robes pocket. True enough, as soon as she pulled it out, a disgusting odour spread itself about the Great Hall. Several students fainted because of the fact that they were lack of oxygen.
'Yuck. Lily, put it down!' Remus cried from behind her.
'How old is this one anyway?' Sirius asked, examining the dungbomb for a date.
'Uh, since great-grandmother's? That's what Gram says anyway,' Lily answered, wearing a mask to stop the smell from worming into her nose.
'Maybe we ought to collect these old dungbombs,' James suggested as he too, wore a mask to prevent the smelly odour.
'First, I'll have to deal with this,' Lily said simply as she threw it over to the green and silver table. The Dungbomb burst, emitting an even worst smell than before. The Slytherins all fainted as soon as the dungbomb reached. Perhaps the worst one was Snape.
Dumbledore walked into the Great Hall, wondering what the commotion was going about in it to have screams and squeals working its way to his office. Upon nearing, he had to cover his nose because of a powerful stenching smell.
'What is going on in here?' Dumbledore asked, stressing the first letter so everyone would pay attention to him.
'Professor, Severus has a coma!' Pettigrew squeaked frantically, indicating Snape who was lying motionless on the floor.
'A coma? How has this come to? I thought Minnie was in charge,' Dumbledore said, looking around for McGonagall. He found her sleeping peacefully at the High Table, undisturbed by the smell and commotion. 'Lucky thing,' Dumbledore muttered under his breath.
'Well, Snape sorta had this Dungbomb which seems to be years and years old and he dropped it suddenly on the Slytherin's table. He can't stand the smell, being the nearest to it, thus, ended up with a coma,' Lily said helpfully to the headmaster. He nodded gravely, not suspecting the four of the Marauders whenever food, especially dinner, is involved. They had too much affection in food, Dumbledore said calmly to himself, remembering their first day at Hogwarts and how they had eaten almost each and everything on the table.
Pushing away other thoughts, he hurriedly visit Snape and conjured a stretcher for the boy, who lay there unmovingly and a look of petrified. He left the hall at once to head to the hospital wing.
'Never expected that snake to drop dead there,' Lily said with a shrug.
'Oh well, anything might happen, wouldn't it?' James said, conjuring a pumpkin juice as his was poisoned by the smell of the old dungbomb.
**
'Okay Lily, tell me how'd you managed to do that,' Tally said as she stood over Lily's four poster bed. Mumbling, Lily tossed the cover over her head.
'Tell you how I manage what?' she needn't ask. Her psychic powers had told her that, but still…
'First, the exams. You can list us everything without even looking at the school report and they're all right on target.'
Sita, Nina and Pertsy nodded.
'Next, the Forbidden Forest part. It might've been rumors, but they said that once the Marauders were send there, but came back alive, well, and cared. How was that possible? Besides, no magical creatures will go near anyone.'
Sita, Nina and Pertsy nodded.
'And lastly, McGonagall. You'd managed to confuse her, right in front of my very own eyes, twice. Answer these.'
Sita, Nina and Pertsy nodded.
Lily sat up in bed, annoyed. Knowing isn't like hearing. Tally's voice was full of burning oil.
'Okay, first question. I just know it, kay? I can't tell how, but I do.'
Tally looked annoyed at this answer.
'Second question. The Forbidden Forest. Yes, we'd been sent to spend five days there as our detentions during christmas break, a really merry way, don't you think? We were cared for, yes, well looked after, yes, and alive. How else can you talk to me anyway? But the magical creatures part, sorry, top secret too.'
If it is possible, the blonde looked more annoyed than ever.
'Lastly, Minnie McGonagall. Yes, we'd managed that more than twice, but that too, is top secret. Now will you let me sleep in peace? Else, the rest of the Marauders will be here and trust me, you will not like it.'
Lily lay her head on the pillow. Tally wasn't satisfied with her answers. When she wants an answer, she wants it straight to the point, a fact and can be proven true. I'm not going to let Lily walk over me just like that, or my name isn't Tally Evelyn Chapman, Tally said angrily in her head.
'Lily! I demand to know all those answers!'
BOOM!
The girls all turned to the door, which had been shot down by three unknown figures, dressed almost like a robot. Lily groaned inwardly at them.
'See? I told you! If you don't stop disturbing me, the Marauders'll be here and like I said, you will not like it at all,' Lily moaned as she buried her head onto her pillow.
The girls were too shocked to move.
The middle figure stepped up. His eyes were covered by his helmet and his body was cladded all over with tough plastic. He blew at his gun's tip before grinning broadly at them.
'Hi there Li! We thought we'd come over and tell you girls to shut up,' James' voice said as he pulled out his helmet to uncover his untidy hair, messier than ever, and his brown eyes twinkling with mischief.
'Hey, how are we supposed to put back this door?' Remus' concerned voice asked as the shorter figure walked towards the fallen door.
'Well, simple. Let's just zap everything up!' Sirius' mischievous voice grinned as the boys began 'zapping' everything in the girls' dorm.
Lily moaned again to Tally.
'I told you that you will not like it.'
'Well, I give you permission to say "I told you so". You're right. How'd you know anyway?'
'Secret. Or Dumbledore'll kill me. Can't have it leaked out.'
'Fine. Just get them away!' Sita's timid voice called.
'Or you'll be sorry, Evans,' Nina's bossy voice came over.
'Like you can do anything. Seriously, you're just a bossy girl Nina,' Lily whizzed.
'She's right Nina,' Pertsy's voice floated over.
Lily waved her wand and the girls sighed in relief. But it wasn't what they'd expected. Lily had cladded herself into the same space-like suit along with the zapping gun and had joined with the boys in playing an imaginary game of 'Space Invaders'. The girls moaned, wishing that someone – anyone – to save them.
The Marauders started zapping everything down. The desks, chairs, mirrors (they screamed before bursting into tiny shreds), half the four poster beds, the bathrooms – everything. The girls screamed in horror, hoping that the Gryffindor house professor, McGonagall, would turn up to stop them. But no, the tired professor was still in the Great Hall, sleeping peacefully in her chair when the commotion was going on. Lily was bouncing from bed to bed, and the girls wondered if their red haired friend is on sugar high. Sirius' hyper-activeness can be accepted, judging the way he'd eaten the sugar pot that night. James and Remus always followed Sirius and helped in whatever mischief making they planned, so it isn't much wonder either. But Lily bursting with the boys… Lily was right. They hated this.
Half of Gryffindor house had woken from the girls' and the mirrors' scream in the second year girl's dorm, and everyone ran to the sound, expecting to find a convicted murder in their room and someone murdered. When the girls raced there, all they found were the Marauders zapping all round and four girls shivering beneath their covers, screaming loudly. The first years laughed at that as the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years merely rolled their eyes at the scene before leaving the second year girls screaming for help.
After an hour, Lily got bored of the game. She shooed the boys out, cleaned the dorm, and went to sleep. All without a single word. Tally, Nina, Pertsy and Sita stared at her. This girl can definitely be classified as weird. Exchanging glances, they went to sleep.
AN: hoorah! I'm done I'm done! No, Tally's not very close with Lily, yet. Later, okay? I don't really have much to say, but the part when I wrote Sirius screaming for sugar, I was eating a piece of chocolate. So maybe I shouldn't go on sugar when writing this a fanfic in future… those names in this chapter, weird, aren't they? Splatters, Forgerys and all. Review please? Even a simple word will do ^_^