Lily was standing in the small bathroom she and Juliet shared,
brushing out her auburn locks. The mirror seemed to be in a benevolent
mood, because she caught herself thinking that she didn't look half bad.
Then she laughed. Typical of her, all because James was going to be there
in about fifteen minutes. Just thinking about him always did that, made her
think more optimistically about everything. Even about herself.
"Maybe this is love", Lily whispered, staring into the mirror. Her green eyes were staring right back at her, and they definitely had the dreamy, romantic look in them, at least until she started analyzing her reflection, mostly because the magical mirror had cast her reflection so her head swelled. "Jule, you almost ready?"
"Yeah," Julie called back. "I think." She sounded nervous.
Lily poked her head out the bathroom door into the main room of their dorm. "You all right, Jule?"
Juliet's face was pale, solemn. "I'm not sure."
"What do you mean? Are you okay?" Lily was worried. What had happened?
"I think I'm fine. It's just that I don't know for sure or not, because..." her voice trailed off. Then, she looked back at Lily with a wicked grin. "Because I can't get to a mirror because you're hogging the bathroom!"
Lily cracked a smile as she grabbed a nearby pillow to throw at her. "Fine, the bathroom's all yours. Not that it matters, you look fine." Lily wasn't lying. Juliet's pale face stood out beautifully against her black hair and matching clothes.
Juliet kept the door open as she brushed her hair and washed her face. "So, who's going to be there again?"
"All my friends from Hogwarts. Well, almost all. Remus and Hazel won't be there, but everyone else from my little group is coming. James, Sirius, and Peter are picking us up, along with Arabella. Then we drop Ara off to get ready to play, because we're going to the Chudley Cannons game, and we all hang out for a while."
"Why am I going again?" Juliet asked as she put on her mascara, spidery and black, like the rest of her makeup.
Lily just gave her friend an exasperated laugh. "Because it's a QUIDDITCH game, and we both hate quidditch, and the boys are wild for it. That means that I need to bring someone along so I don't go insane and kill them all."
"Okay, fine," Juliet said with a sigh. "One question: are they cute?"
Lily laughed again. "Sorry, Jule. I've got James, and Ara's had a claim on Sirius since we were all fourteen, about three monthes longer than James and I have been together. The only one left is Peter. He's nice enough, but nothing to look at. Don't tell him I said it, though, he'd be crushed."
"How are they picking us up?"
"I dunno, James said it would be a surprise."
All of a sudden, Lily heard the sound of motorbikes outside the dorm window. Juliet was closer. She drew back the curtain, and started laughing. "I think they're here, Lil."
Lily ran over to the window to see for herself. In the twilight view, three black shapes hovering in midair. Of course, three flying motorbikes, one for each Marauder in attendance. "Hey, boys!" Lily catcalled. "Didja miss me?!" All three men laughed heartily as they pulled off their helmets
"Like you wouldn't believe!" Sirius shouted merrily. "Oh, Lillieth, Lillieth, sweet flower, I pray thee!"
"Shove it, Sirius! Jule, these are my moronic friends. Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. Boys, this is Juliet Montague, my roommate. Pete, you mind riding double with Jule?"
Peter eyed the gothic witch for a second and grinned evilly. "Sure. Nice to meetcha!" he said with a weasely smile as Juliet jumped down to the seat behind him. She took a helmet from Peter and gave Lily a thumbs up as she settled in.
"Madame, your chariot awaits," James said with a mock bow from his seat, about six feet below the window.
Lily looked dubious. "How do I get to my chariot?"
"Jump!" James said with a grin, as though it was obvious.
Lily laughed. "Run through the wall at the train station, Lily! Jump out your dorm room window, Lily! What's next? How about, 'Put your head in a dragon's mouth, Lily'?"
"Oh, come on, Lil! No offense, but I've been catching snitches since I was twelve, and you are a lot bigger than a snitch!"
"Gee, thanks," Lily muttered sarcastically. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she cried, tapping herself on the head with her wand. She rose in the air, then floated down to James. She kissed his cheek, whispering, "So I have trust issues!" as she settled in behind him, putting on the helmet he handed her.
"Hold on tight," James cried as he revved up the motor, with Sirius and Peter followed suit. Lily smiled at the opportunity and did precisely that, leaning her body against his back, covered in a black leather jacket.
James was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on where he was going as they flew. All he could think about was Lily's delicate body pressed against his back. Fortunately, Sirius knew the way to Arabella's house better than he did, so he took the lead.
After fifteen minutes of soaring through the open air, a clearly nonmuggle residential area opened up. Only a witch or wizard could have noticed the minor differences, the faintly colored smoke rising from chimneys and the abundance of owls in flight, just visible in the rapidly dimming light.
Sirius was visibly scanning the streets below, then pulling into a steep dive at a particular block. James and Peter quickly followed, and it became a race to see who could touch ground and make it to Arabella's the quickest. Even without the headstart, James had won, though Sirius was very close behind. Lily shrieked in mild terror at the descent, which made all three Marauders laugh. As soon as the motorbikes had braked outside Arabella's home, everyone pulled off their helmets and got down from the bikes.
Sirius alone walked up to the house, a beautiful little Victorian building snugly nestled between the neighboring houses. He rang the bell, and Lily couldn't help but grin when the door opened. Arabella Figg walked out briskly, her long, pale blonde hair pulled back into a braid and a pure white blouse and capris on, under a white leather trenchcoat. Her wand was tucked into her belt, along with a little white silk bag.
After a quick kiss with Sirius, Arabella and Lily practically ran at each other. "Lily!" Arabella shrieked gleefully as the two embraced.
"Ara! I've missed you so much! How are you?"
Arabella laughed, her color changing eyes currently an intense turquoise. "Depends on whether or not Chudley wins tonight! Stone and Fletcher might flay me alive."
"I didn't know Mundungus and Tobias were on the team with you!" Lily was pleased, but not surprised. Mundungus Fletcher and Tobias Stone had both been excellent quidditch players at Hogwarts, both several years older than Lily and her friends.
"Yes, we have them both. Now, if only CERTAIN PEOPLE had made something respectable of themselves, instead of becoming auras or whatnot- ," Arabella said slyly.
Sirius growled menacingly. "AurORs, Ara! Not aurAs! There is a bloody difference!" James just chuckled at them both.
Juliet coughed politely, though wearing a wicked grin. Lily gasped, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Ara, this is Juliet Montague, my roommate at RR's; Jule, this is Arabella Figg, one of my best friends, and the best chaser the Chudley Cannons have ever had!"
Arabella and Juliet shook hands. Lily couldn't help but notice how different, yet similar, the girls looked. Both were pale, thin, with long hair. Yet Juliet wore all black, while Arabella was clothed in pure white, with matching hair colors.
"We'd better go, or we'll be late," Peter said. Everyone nodded, and they all hopped back on the motorbikes.
Arabella, smiling evilly, sat in the driver's seat on Sirius's bike. He just gaped at her like a fish, even as James and Lily snickered. "Ara, what are you doing?"
"Driving your motorbike, Sirius Black."
Lily called out with a chuckle, "Way to show him, Ara!"
Sirius was flabbergasted. "But, but, it's MY bike!" he whined.
"Don't worry, Padfoot!" James smirked. "It's only a CHICK, driving YOUR BIKE for you!"
Sirius rubbed his knuckles into an open palm, glaring banefully at James, then climbed behind Arabella onto the bike. He whispered something in her ear, and Ara smiled dangerously. Everyone else donned their helmets, and three motorbikes roared to life, soaring into the air.
Sirius found himself enjoying the seat, even if it meant he couldn't drive. It meant he could put his arms around the woman he loved, a position he took full advantage of. He sat as closely to her as he could, just revelling in the feeling of closeness. When was the last time he had held her in his arms?
Arabella found herself blushing slightly at Sirius's nearness. Why was she blushing? It wasn't as if she had not been closer to him than this before! Fortunately, the helmet covered her face. She cared about him so much she couldn't take it sometimes. "You're in love, you fool," Arabella whispered to herself, letting her voice get drowned out by the rushing wind and roaring engine. She leaned back into his embrace, letting her back rest against his muscular chest.
After half an hour's ride, they were there. The CC stadium, in all its splendor. It looked like a covered football stadium, privately owned of course. The quidditch gear was kept hidden between practices and matches, and only occasionally rented out to a local football team to keep suspicions minimal.
Arabella hopped off Sirius's bike a second before she braked it, letting Sirius nearly go flying off the front of the bike. He grabbed onto the handles just in time. With a quick kiss and a return of a helmet, she was off at a run. "I'm late already, they're going to kill me! Wish me luck!"
"Good lu-uck!" the three Marauders called after her, and Lily gave her a thumbs up.
Lily put one arm around Juliet, another around James. "Come on, we'd better get in there while there are still seats left!" Peter and Sirius tagged along behind, snickering quietly about something.
They got into the stadium with minimal difficulty. Suddenly, Juliet looked up and gasped. "The ceiling!" she whispered. "Where is it?"
The stars and moon were overhead, just like the real sky that night. Lily was confused for a second, then she began to laugh. "It's like the Great Room at Hogwarts. The ceiling is enchanted to show the sky above. The effect of an open air stadium, without rain or muggle sightings from above!"
James suddenly pulled Lily over to one side. He smiled and gave her a kiss. "I've missed you, you know that?"
"Yeah, Jamie, I missed you too." She squeezed his hand, then noticed the mischevious gleam in his brown eyes, visible even through his glasses. "What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.
"We have a little surprise for you, but you have to close your eyes," James whispered in her ear.
Lily just laughed. "I knew it. Run through the wall, Lily! Jump out your window, Lily! Close your eyes, Lily! Wonder what you're going to want next...," she grumbled. Still, she closed her eyes, felt James take her hand.
She was led through what felt like half the stadium, tripping and nearly falling flat on her face repeatedly. During about the fourth brush with death, Lily felt a large, strong arm link with hers, helping James support her. "Hey, Lil," Sirius said with a smile. "Watch your step."
Lily just fumed, which looked rather funny because her eyes were squeezed shut. "Dumb question: how do I do that if I'm not allowed to open my eyes?"
Lily could tell just by the tone of James's voice that he was holding back a laugh. "You can open your eyes. We're here!"
Lily's eyelids lifted. In front of her was a short, skinny witch, with mousy brown hair, glasses, and greenish brown eyes. "Hazel!" Lily shrieked, embracing her friend in a hug. "I thought you weren't coming!"
"Someone persuaded me," she said softly, nodding over at Peter.
Lily smiled at her rotund friend. "Peter, you doll! Thank you!" She gave Peter a swift hug before turning back to Hazel and Juliet. "Yet another introduction. Juliet Montague; Hazel Weatherby," Lily said, contentedly sighing.
The two witches nodded to each other politely, and they all settled into their seats. Lily found herself in dead center, with James on the bench behind her, leaning forward so that he was holding her in his arms. Then, Lily had Hazel on one side and Juliet on the other, with Peter and Sirius next to James.
The he magical amplification system kicked in with a slight screech. "Welcome to Chudley Cannons vs. the Wimbourne Wasps!"
The sound of the cheering crowds resonated around them, filling the air with noise, as two teams flew out. Wimbourne was wearing yellow and black, while Chudley had crimson and gold.
"On the Cannons, we have Weasley, Figg, Hooch, Stone, Diggory, Fletcher, aaaand Longbottom!" The entire CC section went wild, and Lily's section positively roared at Arabella's name. "On the Wasps, we have Lestrange, Lestrange, Houfne, Nott, Goyle, Bagman, aaaand Malfoy!" The WW fans shouted then, and Sirius booed loudly, causing everyone to laugh.
"And the game begins! Weasley in possession, passing to Hooch, Weasley, Figg, and she scores! 10-0 CC!" Lily was cheering, Hazel was clapping, and Sirius was whooping.
Suddenly, Sam Weasley, a guy they had played against from Hufflepuff, and Goyle, an ugly beater they remembered as a Slytherin, nearly collided as Goyle swerved straight into Weasley's path. A bludger immediately zipped their way, sensing the increased presense in the area. Goyle smartly smashed the bludger right into Sam's face.
"PENALTY!" James roared, and the referee seemed to agree, because Arabella got to take the penalty shot against Nott, the Wimbourne keeper.
A tense silence transpired, and then Ara shot the large red quaffle right into one of the hoops. "She scores! 20-0 CC!"
Weasley's nose got mended back into place by a medi-witch, and the game continued. Unfortunately, the game did not get any cleaner, but rather much worse. Right when the Cannons were about to score again, Mrs. Lestrange (the Lestranges were a married couple of chasers, both apparently in a vindictive mood), knocked the quaffle out of Hooch's hands. Hooch was the other witch besides Ara on the Cannons (the rest were wizards), also a chaser. Lestrange then caught the quaffle, passed it to her husband, and he somehow made it past Stone and scored. "20-10 CC, but that was uncalled for!" the announcer shouted.
In response, Mundungus Fletcher, a beater who James and Sirius had both played with on their house team, decided to get even. Mrs. Lestrange suddenly felt a well-placed bludger pelt her in the stomach, and she nearly fell off her broom. Her husband whirled around just in time to watch.
Both teams got penalty shots. Arabella got to take CC's, and she scored. "30-10 for the Cannons!" Again, Sirius cheered wildly, but all of the friends were just as happy.
Then, Mr. Lestrange got to take the penalty shot for the Wasps. Instead of the quaffle going through a hoop, it caught Stone squarely in the head. No new penalty shot was called, though Stone had a black eye. James and Sirius were both on their feet, jeering violently.
As they sat down, Frank Longbottom, the friendly CC seeker, dove straight down, a golden gleam several dozen yards below him. Lucius Malfoy, the Wimbourne seeker, flew after him. Everyone had their omnoculars trained on the two seekers as they spiralled downward, chasing the golden snitch.
Meanwhile, Arabella continued on as though the seekers were not moving. She scored two more goals while the seekers were in motion, changing the score to 50-10. Someone had caught the snitch, the whistle blew. Lily hadn't seen who, so she crossed her fingers.
"Final score 200-10, Chudleeeey Caaaaaannons!" boomed the announcer. The entire stadium cheered, at least on Lily's side. The roar of the crowds was deafening.
She saw the motion out of the corner of her eye, a sudden and eyecatching movement. She turned her head in time to see Arabella fall off her broom, two bludgers colliding with her thin frame. Time moved slowly, as Lily watched her friend slowly tumble to the ground. In the instantaneous, deafening silence, Hazel gasped, Sirius roared, James and Peter were shouting something. Someone screamed, and it took Lily a second to realize it was her. She clapped her hands over her mouth numbly, even as Ara hit the ground.
The friends rushed out of the seats, pushed and shoved their way through the crowds. Sirius was in the lead, practically tearing through the people as he ran. James steadied Lily with his strong arms as he tugged her, with Juliet, Peter, and Hazel following along, through the throngs of people. After a few endless minutes of shoving, they all made it to the edge of the field. Sirius jumped over the small partition seperating the stands from the playing field without hesitation, and everyone else followed.
By the time they made it to the mediwitch tent, the entire Chudley team had assembled. Mundungus and Tobias were standing at her side, anxiously talking with one of the mediwitches, while everyone else looked on.
Lily saw Arabella, and she felt sick. It must have been a thirty yard fall; it was a miracle she was still alive. Her friend's beautiful crimson robes were filthy and crumpled, her hair was not in its tight braid anymore. Ara's kaleidoscopic eyes were closed, and a lump was forming on her forehead. There were bruises and scratches all over her arms and face.
Sirius immediately rushed forward. "Is she all right?"
"Do you know Ms. Figg?" one of the medi-witches asked coolly, a brisk woman clad in the robes of a medi-witch, white with blue trim.
Sirius nodded. "We all do, friends from Hogwarts. Fletch and Stone'll agree." The two quidditch players nodded, not really looking at Sirius. Everyone's faces were directed to Arabella.
The medi-witch nodded again. "She'll be fine, just a few cracked ribs and some bruises. Nothing we can't fix."
Another medi-witch looked up from Arabella, "Poppy, can you come over here?" With that, she bustled off.
It took about half a dozen mediwitches working at once to fix Arabella up. "Not because she's that badly injured, just because we all want to get home," Poppy whispered confidentially to Lily as they patched her friend back up.
All the friends waited in silence, Sirius staring forlornly at Arabella's limp form. "I'm going to get Goyle and Bagman, if it's the last thing I do," he whispered vehemently. Lily just sat beside him, patting his arm gently, lost for words.
Within the hour, Arabella was on her feet, though a little shaky. As she stood, the entire group had to fight off the urge to knock her over with hugs. Only Sirius, Fletch, and Stone actually helped her walk out of the stadium.
Lily, Juliet, and Hazel walked over to her as soon as Stone and Fletch had left, which had only occurred after both men were convinced Arabella wasn't about to pass out. "You gave us a scare, Ara," Lily whispered as she gave Arabella a swift hug.
Hazel quickly followed suit, murmuring, "I was so worried."
"Guys, I'm fine!" Arabella said with a laugh, tossing her messy braid with a flick of her head. "Goyle's bludger wasn't too bad, just shook my balance a little, it was Bagman's that knocked me over. It wasn't even the bludgers, it was the fall. I'm fine!" she repeated.
After that, the group as a whole decided to go back to Arabella's for a while. Sirius whispered in Arabella's ear, "So, who's going to drive?"
"I didn't get hit THAT hard, Sirius Black!" Ara replied with a sarcastic chuckle as she climbed into the driver's seat.
Before she donned her helmet, Arabella stuck her tongue out at James, who was laughing silently at Sirius, then she just laughed as three motorbikes roared into action, accompanied by a lone broom. Hazel had never been much for the thunder of an engine. They all flew off into the night, laughing and holding their riding partners close.
"Maybe this is love", Lily whispered, staring into the mirror. Her green eyes were staring right back at her, and they definitely had the dreamy, romantic look in them, at least until she started analyzing her reflection, mostly because the magical mirror had cast her reflection so her head swelled. "Jule, you almost ready?"
"Yeah," Julie called back. "I think." She sounded nervous.
Lily poked her head out the bathroom door into the main room of their dorm. "You all right, Jule?"
Juliet's face was pale, solemn. "I'm not sure."
"What do you mean? Are you okay?" Lily was worried. What had happened?
"I think I'm fine. It's just that I don't know for sure or not, because..." her voice trailed off. Then, she looked back at Lily with a wicked grin. "Because I can't get to a mirror because you're hogging the bathroom!"
Lily cracked a smile as she grabbed a nearby pillow to throw at her. "Fine, the bathroom's all yours. Not that it matters, you look fine." Lily wasn't lying. Juliet's pale face stood out beautifully against her black hair and matching clothes.
Juliet kept the door open as she brushed her hair and washed her face. "So, who's going to be there again?"
"All my friends from Hogwarts. Well, almost all. Remus and Hazel won't be there, but everyone else from my little group is coming. James, Sirius, and Peter are picking us up, along with Arabella. Then we drop Ara off to get ready to play, because we're going to the Chudley Cannons game, and we all hang out for a while."
"Why am I going again?" Juliet asked as she put on her mascara, spidery and black, like the rest of her makeup.
Lily just gave her friend an exasperated laugh. "Because it's a QUIDDITCH game, and we both hate quidditch, and the boys are wild for it. That means that I need to bring someone along so I don't go insane and kill them all."
"Okay, fine," Juliet said with a sigh. "One question: are they cute?"
Lily laughed again. "Sorry, Jule. I've got James, and Ara's had a claim on Sirius since we were all fourteen, about three monthes longer than James and I have been together. The only one left is Peter. He's nice enough, but nothing to look at. Don't tell him I said it, though, he'd be crushed."
"How are they picking us up?"
"I dunno, James said it would be a surprise."
All of a sudden, Lily heard the sound of motorbikes outside the dorm window. Juliet was closer. She drew back the curtain, and started laughing. "I think they're here, Lil."
Lily ran over to the window to see for herself. In the twilight view, three black shapes hovering in midair. Of course, three flying motorbikes, one for each Marauder in attendance. "Hey, boys!" Lily catcalled. "Didja miss me?!" All three men laughed heartily as they pulled off their helmets
"Like you wouldn't believe!" Sirius shouted merrily. "Oh, Lillieth, Lillieth, sweet flower, I pray thee!"
"Shove it, Sirius! Jule, these are my moronic friends. Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. Boys, this is Juliet Montague, my roommate. Pete, you mind riding double with Jule?"
Peter eyed the gothic witch for a second and grinned evilly. "Sure. Nice to meetcha!" he said with a weasely smile as Juliet jumped down to the seat behind him. She took a helmet from Peter and gave Lily a thumbs up as she settled in.
"Madame, your chariot awaits," James said with a mock bow from his seat, about six feet below the window.
Lily looked dubious. "How do I get to my chariot?"
"Jump!" James said with a grin, as though it was obvious.
Lily laughed. "Run through the wall at the train station, Lily! Jump out your dorm room window, Lily! What's next? How about, 'Put your head in a dragon's mouth, Lily'?"
"Oh, come on, Lil! No offense, but I've been catching snitches since I was twelve, and you are a lot bigger than a snitch!"
"Gee, thanks," Lily muttered sarcastically. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she cried, tapping herself on the head with her wand. She rose in the air, then floated down to James. She kissed his cheek, whispering, "So I have trust issues!" as she settled in behind him, putting on the helmet he handed her.
"Hold on tight," James cried as he revved up the motor, with Sirius and Peter followed suit. Lily smiled at the opportunity and did precisely that, leaning her body against his back, covered in a black leather jacket.
James was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on where he was going as they flew. All he could think about was Lily's delicate body pressed against his back. Fortunately, Sirius knew the way to Arabella's house better than he did, so he took the lead.
After fifteen minutes of soaring through the open air, a clearly nonmuggle residential area opened up. Only a witch or wizard could have noticed the minor differences, the faintly colored smoke rising from chimneys and the abundance of owls in flight, just visible in the rapidly dimming light.
Sirius was visibly scanning the streets below, then pulling into a steep dive at a particular block. James and Peter quickly followed, and it became a race to see who could touch ground and make it to Arabella's the quickest. Even without the headstart, James had won, though Sirius was very close behind. Lily shrieked in mild terror at the descent, which made all three Marauders laugh. As soon as the motorbikes had braked outside Arabella's home, everyone pulled off their helmets and got down from the bikes.
Sirius alone walked up to the house, a beautiful little Victorian building snugly nestled between the neighboring houses. He rang the bell, and Lily couldn't help but grin when the door opened. Arabella Figg walked out briskly, her long, pale blonde hair pulled back into a braid and a pure white blouse and capris on, under a white leather trenchcoat. Her wand was tucked into her belt, along with a little white silk bag.
After a quick kiss with Sirius, Arabella and Lily practically ran at each other. "Lily!" Arabella shrieked gleefully as the two embraced.
"Ara! I've missed you so much! How are you?"
Arabella laughed, her color changing eyes currently an intense turquoise. "Depends on whether or not Chudley wins tonight! Stone and Fletcher might flay me alive."
"I didn't know Mundungus and Tobias were on the team with you!" Lily was pleased, but not surprised. Mundungus Fletcher and Tobias Stone had both been excellent quidditch players at Hogwarts, both several years older than Lily and her friends.
"Yes, we have them both. Now, if only CERTAIN PEOPLE had made something respectable of themselves, instead of becoming auras or whatnot- ," Arabella said slyly.
Sirius growled menacingly. "AurORs, Ara! Not aurAs! There is a bloody difference!" James just chuckled at them both.
Juliet coughed politely, though wearing a wicked grin. Lily gasped, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Ara, this is Juliet Montague, my roommate at RR's; Jule, this is Arabella Figg, one of my best friends, and the best chaser the Chudley Cannons have ever had!"
Arabella and Juliet shook hands. Lily couldn't help but notice how different, yet similar, the girls looked. Both were pale, thin, with long hair. Yet Juliet wore all black, while Arabella was clothed in pure white, with matching hair colors.
"We'd better go, or we'll be late," Peter said. Everyone nodded, and they all hopped back on the motorbikes.
Arabella, smiling evilly, sat in the driver's seat on Sirius's bike. He just gaped at her like a fish, even as James and Lily snickered. "Ara, what are you doing?"
"Driving your motorbike, Sirius Black."
Lily called out with a chuckle, "Way to show him, Ara!"
Sirius was flabbergasted. "But, but, it's MY bike!" he whined.
"Don't worry, Padfoot!" James smirked. "It's only a CHICK, driving YOUR BIKE for you!"
Sirius rubbed his knuckles into an open palm, glaring banefully at James, then climbed behind Arabella onto the bike. He whispered something in her ear, and Ara smiled dangerously. Everyone else donned their helmets, and three motorbikes roared to life, soaring into the air.
Sirius found himself enjoying the seat, even if it meant he couldn't drive. It meant he could put his arms around the woman he loved, a position he took full advantage of. He sat as closely to her as he could, just revelling in the feeling of closeness. When was the last time he had held her in his arms?
Arabella found herself blushing slightly at Sirius's nearness. Why was she blushing? It wasn't as if she had not been closer to him than this before! Fortunately, the helmet covered her face. She cared about him so much she couldn't take it sometimes. "You're in love, you fool," Arabella whispered to herself, letting her voice get drowned out by the rushing wind and roaring engine. She leaned back into his embrace, letting her back rest against his muscular chest.
After half an hour's ride, they were there. The CC stadium, in all its splendor. It looked like a covered football stadium, privately owned of course. The quidditch gear was kept hidden between practices and matches, and only occasionally rented out to a local football team to keep suspicions minimal.
Arabella hopped off Sirius's bike a second before she braked it, letting Sirius nearly go flying off the front of the bike. He grabbed onto the handles just in time. With a quick kiss and a return of a helmet, she was off at a run. "I'm late already, they're going to kill me! Wish me luck!"
"Good lu-uck!" the three Marauders called after her, and Lily gave her a thumbs up.
Lily put one arm around Juliet, another around James. "Come on, we'd better get in there while there are still seats left!" Peter and Sirius tagged along behind, snickering quietly about something.
They got into the stadium with minimal difficulty. Suddenly, Juliet looked up and gasped. "The ceiling!" she whispered. "Where is it?"
The stars and moon were overhead, just like the real sky that night. Lily was confused for a second, then she began to laugh. "It's like the Great Room at Hogwarts. The ceiling is enchanted to show the sky above. The effect of an open air stadium, without rain or muggle sightings from above!"
James suddenly pulled Lily over to one side. He smiled and gave her a kiss. "I've missed you, you know that?"
"Yeah, Jamie, I missed you too." She squeezed his hand, then noticed the mischevious gleam in his brown eyes, visible even through his glasses. "What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.
"We have a little surprise for you, but you have to close your eyes," James whispered in her ear.
Lily just laughed. "I knew it. Run through the wall, Lily! Jump out your window, Lily! Close your eyes, Lily! Wonder what you're going to want next...," she grumbled. Still, she closed her eyes, felt James take her hand.
She was led through what felt like half the stadium, tripping and nearly falling flat on her face repeatedly. During about the fourth brush with death, Lily felt a large, strong arm link with hers, helping James support her. "Hey, Lil," Sirius said with a smile. "Watch your step."
Lily just fumed, which looked rather funny because her eyes were squeezed shut. "Dumb question: how do I do that if I'm not allowed to open my eyes?"
Lily could tell just by the tone of James's voice that he was holding back a laugh. "You can open your eyes. We're here!"
Lily's eyelids lifted. In front of her was a short, skinny witch, with mousy brown hair, glasses, and greenish brown eyes. "Hazel!" Lily shrieked, embracing her friend in a hug. "I thought you weren't coming!"
"Someone persuaded me," she said softly, nodding over at Peter.
Lily smiled at her rotund friend. "Peter, you doll! Thank you!" She gave Peter a swift hug before turning back to Hazel and Juliet. "Yet another introduction. Juliet Montague; Hazel Weatherby," Lily said, contentedly sighing.
The two witches nodded to each other politely, and they all settled into their seats. Lily found herself in dead center, with James on the bench behind her, leaning forward so that he was holding her in his arms. Then, Lily had Hazel on one side and Juliet on the other, with Peter and Sirius next to James.
The he magical amplification system kicked in with a slight screech. "Welcome to Chudley Cannons vs. the Wimbourne Wasps!"
The sound of the cheering crowds resonated around them, filling the air with noise, as two teams flew out. Wimbourne was wearing yellow and black, while Chudley had crimson and gold.
"On the Cannons, we have Weasley, Figg, Hooch, Stone, Diggory, Fletcher, aaaand Longbottom!" The entire CC section went wild, and Lily's section positively roared at Arabella's name. "On the Wasps, we have Lestrange, Lestrange, Houfne, Nott, Goyle, Bagman, aaaand Malfoy!" The WW fans shouted then, and Sirius booed loudly, causing everyone to laugh.
"And the game begins! Weasley in possession, passing to Hooch, Weasley, Figg, and she scores! 10-0 CC!" Lily was cheering, Hazel was clapping, and Sirius was whooping.
Suddenly, Sam Weasley, a guy they had played against from Hufflepuff, and Goyle, an ugly beater they remembered as a Slytherin, nearly collided as Goyle swerved straight into Weasley's path. A bludger immediately zipped their way, sensing the increased presense in the area. Goyle smartly smashed the bludger right into Sam's face.
"PENALTY!" James roared, and the referee seemed to agree, because Arabella got to take the penalty shot against Nott, the Wimbourne keeper.
A tense silence transpired, and then Ara shot the large red quaffle right into one of the hoops. "She scores! 20-0 CC!"
Weasley's nose got mended back into place by a medi-witch, and the game continued. Unfortunately, the game did not get any cleaner, but rather much worse. Right when the Cannons were about to score again, Mrs. Lestrange (the Lestranges were a married couple of chasers, both apparently in a vindictive mood), knocked the quaffle out of Hooch's hands. Hooch was the other witch besides Ara on the Cannons (the rest were wizards), also a chaser. Lestrange then caught the quaffle, passed it to her husband, and he somehow made it past Stone and scored. "20-10 CC, but that was uncalled for!" the announcer shouted.
In response, Mundungus Fletcher, a beater who James and Sirius had both played with on their house team, decided to get even. Mrs. Lestrange suddenly felt a well-placed bludger pelt her in the stomach, and she nearly fell off her broom. Her husband whirled around just in time to watch.
Both teams got penalty shots. Arabella got to take CC's, and she scored. "30-10 for the Cannons!" Again, Sirius cheered wildly, but all of the friends were just as happy.
Then, Mr. Lestrange got to take the penalty shot for the Wasps. Instead of the quaffle going through a hoop, it caught Stone squarely in the head. No new penalty shot was called, though Stone had a black eye. James and Sirius were both on their feet, jeering violently.
As they sat down, Frank Longbottom, the friendly CC seeker, dove straight down, a golden gleam several dozen yards below him. Lucius Malfoy, the Wimbourne seeker, flew after him. Everyone had their omnoculars trained on the two seekers as they spiralled downward, chasing the golden snitch.
Meanwhile, Arabella continued on as though the seekers were not moving. She scored two more goals while the seekers were in motion, changing the score to 50-10. Someone had caught the snitch, the whistle blew. Lily hadn't seen who, so she crossed her fingers.
"Final score 200-10, Chudleeeey Caaaaaannons!" boomed the announcer. The entire stadium cheered, at least on Lily's side. The roar of the crowds was deafening.
She saw the motion out of the corner of her eye, a sudden and eyecatching movement. She turned her head in time to see Arabella fall off her broom, two bludgers colliding with her thin frame. Time moved slowly, as Lily watched her friend slowly tumble to the ground. In the instantaneous, deafening silence, Hazel gasped, Sirius roared, James and Peter were shouting something. Someone screamed, and it took Lily a second to realize it was her. She clapped her hands over her mouth numbly, even as Ara hit the ground.
The friends rushed out of the seats, pushed and shoved their way through the crowds. Sirius was in the lead, practically tearing through the people as he ran. James steadied Lily with his strong arms as he tugged her, with Juliet, Peter, and Hazel following along, through the throngs of people. After a few endless minutes of shoving, they all made it to the edge of the field. Sirius jumped over the small partition seperating the stands from the playing field without hesitation, and everyone else followed.
By the time they made it to the mediwitch tent, the entire Chudley team had assembled. Mundungus and Tobias were standing at her side, anxiously talking with one of the mediwitches, while everyone else looked on.
Lily saw Arabella, and she felt sick. It must have been a thirty yard fall; it was a miracle she was still alive. Her friend's beautiful crimson robes were filthy and crumpled, her hair was not in its tight braid anymore. Ara's kaleidoscopic eyes were closed, and a lump was forming on her forehead. There were bruises and scratches all over her arms and face.
Sirius immediately rushed forward. "Is she all right?"
"Do you know Ms. Figg?" one of the medi-witches asked coolly, a brisk woman clad in the robes of a medi-witch, white with blue trim.
Sirius nodded. "We all do, friends from Hogwarts. Fletch and Stone'll agree." The two quidditch players nodded, not really looking at Sirius. Everyone's faces were directed to Arabella.
The medi-witch nodded again. "She'll be fine, just a few cracked ribs and some bruises. Nothing we can't fix."
Another medi-witch looked up from Arabella, "Poppy, can you come over here?" With that, she bustled off.
It took about half a dozen mediwitches working at once to fix Arabella up. "Not because she's that badly injured, just because we all want to get home," Poppy whispered confidentially to Lily as they patched her friend back up.
All the friends waited in silence, Sirius staring forlornly at Arabella's limp form. "I'm going to get Goyle and Bagman, if it's the last thing I do," he whispered vehemently. Lily just sat beside him, patting his arm gently, lost for words.
Within the hour, Arabella was on her feet, though a little shaky. As she stood, the entire group had to fight off the urge to knock her over with hugs. Only Sirius, Fletch, and Stone actually helped her walk out of the stadium.
Lily, Juliet, and Hazel walked over to her as soon as Stone and Fletch had left, which had only occurred after both men were convinced Arabella wasn't about to pass out. "You gave us a scare, Ara," Lily whispered as she gave Arabella a swift hug.
Hazel quickly followed suit, murmuring, "I was so worried."
"Guys, I'm fine!" Arabella said with a laugh, tossing her messy braid with a flick of her head. "Goyle's bludger wasn't too bad, just shook my balance a little, it was Bagman's that knocked me over. It wasn't even the bludgers, it was the fall. I'm fine!" she repeated.
After that, the group as a whole decided to go back to Arabella's for a while. Sirius whispered in Arabella's ear, "So, who's going to drive?"
"I didn't get hit THAT hard, Sirius Black!" Ara replied with a sarcastic chuckle as she climbed into the driver's seat.
Before she donned her helmet, Arabella stuck her tongue out at James, who was laughing silently at Sirius, then she just laughed as three motorbikes roared into action, accompanied by a lone broom. Hazel had never been much for the thunder of an engine. They all flew off into the night, laughing and holding their riding partners close.