Chapter 2: Riding Broomsticks Quidditch Style

The smell of breakfast wafted through the corridors, making any by passer come to the Great Hall for their first meal. James entered and sat at the Gryffindor table. He had awoken earlier than usual thanks to a noisy house elf trying to take his robes to clean but tripping over them. Sirius had moaned and snored louder, Remus was probably up in the library somewhere and Peter, he slept like a rock and wouldn't wake up. It was a Saturday, a free day. James skimmed the table looking for anyone he knew and noticed the familiar fiery red hair, which was always kept in a loose bun. Lily at the end of the table, her nose buried in a book. James smiled and sat opposite her, she didn't seem to notice him at first. James flicked some bread at her to get her attention. She dropped her book into her cereal and looked surprised.

"James!" she said noticing the grinning boy in front of her.

"Good Morning," he said cheerfully.

"Yeah, good morning, but next time, don't flick bread at me to get my attention," she commented with a small smile. She picked up her book, muttered some works under her breath and her book had was dry again.

They talked more. Lily found out why James liked Quidditch so much and why he was such a good seeker on the team. She had always been slightly scared of the fast and violent sport and she didn't think she would be able to keep up with it.

"Quidditch sounds like fun. I've never played, but I'd be lousy player, flying away from every ball!" Lily smiled.

"You've never played? Where have you been all these years? Ok, it's settled, we're gonna play some Quidditch today. I'll get the team together and we can start!" James said optimistically.

"Oh no! I can't play. It'll be too hard for me to keep up and the bludgers will knock me off easily," Lily said with some fear on her face.

"And I don't have my own broomstick, and there's no way I'll ride on a school broomstick! My flying is really rusty." Lily warned James. Disappointment spread over James' face.

"Honestly, I thought that Miss Lily Evans, the smartest girl in this school could handle anything. Hey, wait a minute, you could just ride with me. You won't have to play but, you'll be right in the action." James said, eyes sparkling.

"It's not safe," Lily stated. James felt exasperated; Lily had come up with something negative to every thing he had suggested.

"Come on Lily! Live a little! You'll be safe, cause you're gonna be with me! The best damn seeker this whole school has seen in years!" James said trying to get Lily to lighten up. Lily laughed a little, as James looked desperate to get her flying on a broomstick again.

"If the best damn seeker promises I'll be safe, I'll go then," Lily said giving up.

James whooped slightly and grabbed her hand; he practically dragged her away from the Great Hall and outside onto the Quidditch pitch. He opened the broom cupboard and brought out his broomstick, a Nimbus 1000; the newest broomstick around. He brought out the quaffle and threw it for Lily to catch. She caught it slightly off guard.

"Practise will start in an hour's time, so we can just shoot some hoops!" James said and closed the trunk that held all the balls used for Quidditch. He then sat on his broomstick and motioned Lily to sit behind him. Lily stepped towards the broomstick cautiously.

"Don't worry, it doesn't bite!" James laughed as Lily stepped closer slowly. She gave the ball to James and he held it under one arm and held the handle with his free hand. Lily sat behind him and wrapped her hands around his waist. With that they were both off the ground, hovering 40 feet off the ground.

"Oh my god! I think I'm gonna fall!" Lily said grasping him tighter.

"Lily, you're not going to fall, so just loosen up around my waist." he laughed. Lily loosened her grasp and blushed a little. They flew in the direction of the giant hoops. James gave Lily the quaffle.

"Go for it, but straight after you shoot, hold on tight!" he said with a smirk Lily didn't like the look of.

"Ok," she said eyeing James suspiciously.

She aimed for the hoop and threw the ball swiftly. She then wrapped her arms around James' waist. She now knew why. They were heading for the ball at breakneck speed before it hit the ground.

"JJJJAAAAAAMMMMMMMEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!" Lily yelled clearly frightened at the speed they were going. James caught the ball before it hit the ground and then flew higher and faster and shot one himself, heading for the ball again at a tremendous speed. Lily yelling all the way. He caught the ball again and then landed gently onto the ground. He turned at smiled at a slightly pale Lily.

"You ok?" he grinned.

"Uh huh," she said squeakily and wide-eyed. James laughed at her.

"You sure." James said slightly more concerned but smirking all the while. Lily snapped out of her trance like state.

"I hate you!" she said and got off the broomstick, but her smiled betrayed her.

"Sure you do!" he replied. "You love me really, and you loved the ride!"

"Yeah, you're right, I did! Could you take me on another ride?" Lily asked smiling.

"Sure."

Lily stepped back on the broom and James speeded off in the direction of the lake at a tremendous speed. Lily held on tight and gasped at everything looking like a blur. James grinned at the speed they were going at. He loved to go faster than anything else imaginable. He then had an idea and grinned evilly. From flying a good few feet over the lake, he turned the handle downwards so that it looked as if they were plummeting towards the lake and break it's peaceful surface. James grinned even more when he heard Lily's shaky voice whispering "Maybe we should go slightly slower?" in his ear. He speeded up and Lily closed her eyes ready for the impact. James jerked the broomstick away from the lake when they were just a foot from hitting its cool surface. Lily felt how the tips of her shoes skimmed the water and opened her eyes. She looked around and saw that she was above the surface, dry and flying just over the lake at a slow gentle speed. She heard James laughing hard he turned to face her.

"I seriously hate you," Lily said to the smirking boy, not showing any sign of pleasure on her face.

"Oh come one, you didn't seriously think I'd try to drown you on purpose." James said charmingly.

"That…stunt was too dangerous!" Lily glared.

"That stunt, was a Wronski Feint. A very good trick if you ask me. I was getting you right in the action. You were never in danger!" James smiled reassuringly.

Lily still looked slightly angry but she let it off. If she had got injured, she'd make James pay big time anyway. They had slightly slower ride around the Hogwarts ground. With James flying towards the Whomping Willow and making it more exciting by dodging the swiping branches. They then landed in the Quidditch stadium.

"Well, an hour's passed and the team is just coming. I better go then." Lily said stepping off the broom and starting to leave. James quickly grabbed her wrist and stopped her grinning.

"There's no way I'm letting you leave without playing at least one game!" he said.

"Oh no! I'm not playing!" Lily warned. She saw the team coming nearer.

"Yes you are, you're never going to graduate from Hogwarts without playing at least one game of Quidditch!" James said and waved as the team came by.

"Please don't make me play!" Lily pleaded.

"Hey James! Hi Lily, what're you doing here?" asked Sirius cheerfully. Just as Lily was about to speak James interrupted.

"She's agreed to play Quidditch with us." James grinned at Lily, she just glared back.

"Really? Cool, what position?" Sirius asked pleasantly.

"Um…Chaser! She can shoot real good! We'll let her use Greg's broomstick since he's in hospital wing right now." James said, Lily had a look of horror on her face.

"Ok, the Hufflepuffs should be down any minute." Sirius said as he spotted some students coming towards the pitch. They all walked – Lily was dragged by James – to the broom cupboard to get all the equipment out.

"Sirius, make sure she doesn't get hit by a bludger, she's kinda timid in this game." James muttered so only Sirius could hear. Sirius just grinned knowingly. 'James is falling for her. I've got to tell the others.' They headed out to the pitch and started on the game.

Lily hovered in the air and looked worried around her. Everything was going so fast and she couldn't think clearly. She then saw the red ball being thrown at her. What was she going to do now? There were other people flying towards her. 'Fly dammit!' she thought and speeded off in the direction of the hoops. There she saw the keeper grinning to himself, thinking he'd be able to save her feeble shoot. Lily just threw the ball as hard as she could and through some miracle, it went through the hoop. Other Gryffindor's were now patting her on the back and congratulating her on her score. She just smiled a nervous smile.

"See, I told you, you could play!" she heard James' voice above her. He grinned down at her. She then thought she saw a golden glint swoop past her.

"Excuse me, duty calls!" James said politely at Lily and flew after the Snitch. She didn't notice that a black all was being hurled in her direction. She nearly fell off her broomstick when Sirius flew in front of her.

"Begging your pardon miss," he said jokingly and hit the black ball away from her.

"Thanks," she replied smiling.

"No problem at all ma'am," he smiled again and aimed a different bludger at a Hufflepuff Chaser.

A few minutes later, the game was over, Gryffindor winning against Hufflepuff. Lily landed and quickly got off the broomstick and put it away neatly. As she stepped outside, James stood waiting for her with Sirius.

"Well, you should be a Chaser on the team. You're a lot better than Greg!" Sirius complimented.

"You've got to be kidding me! Me play another game of Quidditch? Not on your life, that was way too risky for me, but it was fun. I'll just watch the games." Lily said.

"Suit yourself. Let's go have some lunch." James said. The three headed to the castle.