A/N: Again, wow. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I really can't describe how heartening it is to have so many positive comments. And so, even though Darth Real-Life is incredibly hectic and evil, I'm putting aside fic time' so I can get this finished. I am honestly out of my mind with work. I'm taking some extremely important exams in the next month, and I really, really don't want to screw them up! I've neglected this, I know, but with dance, debate and drama I just haven't had the time! I apologise for the numerous typos in the last two chapters; I'll try and correct them ASAP. Oh, and I don't want you to get the impression that Lily is a nerd with no friends. As will be explained in later chapters, she isn't just hard working for the sake of it.
G.D. Jade: My characterisation of James is purposely ambiguous, because he is neither Mr Drop-Dead Gorgeous Super Popular Marauder or Average Joe. He's normal in that people don't fling themselves at his feet in an attempt to worship him, but is a generally well liked and well known figure, because he's a Prefect, Marauder and Quidditch Captain. Hope that clears it up J
Disclaimer: *glares suspiciously* Don't try and pin this one on me, buster. It's all Rowling's fault!
A/N II: Let it be known that I am unhappy with this chapter, but it is unfortunately necessary to get me back into the swing of things. But, as a super-duper apology, this is a huge, giga-chapter.
A/N III: OMG I can't believe I posted with so many embarrassing typos! I really should get a beta-reader. Thanks to my loyal reviewers, especially thistlemeg, Spicy Sugar (I think!), Ariana and Y.Kuang!
==
Chapter 3: Indescribable
The buzz and chatter of the Great Hall swirled unnoticed around the lone figure sitting at the end of the Ravenclaw table. As her fellow students laughed around her, Lily remained silent, completely immersed in the large volume sitting in front of her. She brushed the crumbs of her breakfast off her page distractedly, all her concentration on the page in front of her. So intent was she on her reading that she was entirely oblivious to her friends' attempts to catch her attention. She missed the fact that she was automatically reaching for scone after scone from someone else's plate, as her gaze remained fixed on the dusty book. She didn't react when her whole table burst into polite applause as the Ravenclaw Quidditch team entered the Great Hall, and showed no sign of response when the team sat down around her for breakfast.
But however deeply she was involved in A Postulate of Practical Reason: Ethics in the Muggle World' she could not miss the huge roar of support from the Gryffindor table when their Quidditch team entered the Hall.
Lily looked up, startled out of Chapter 34: David Hume's Radical Scepticism'. " What are they shouting for?" she asked, frowning at the Gryffindor table.
The answering voice besides her caused her to jump; her hand reflexively going to her heart as she belatedly realised the Ravenclaw Quidditch team had replaced the previously empty benches around her. " They're shouting because of today's Quidditch match," the amused-sounding voice of Thomas Birch said. " If Gryffindor beat us today, they'll overtake Slytherin in the rankings."
On the other side of the room, the Gryffindors suddenly burst into an off-key rendition of For He's A Jolly Good Fellow', and Lily found herself ignoring Thomas as a red-faced James Potter was hauled up on Sirius' and Remus' shoulders. He looks so embarrassed,' she thought. Not at all like I thought he'd be — all brash and over-confident.'
" James Potter," Birch said from besides her, obviously mistaking her gaze. " He's the Gryffindor Seeker."
With an awful feeling of shame, she thought of the flying Snitches on her Charms notes. " I know him," she said, tearing her eyes from the Gryffindor table and James (who was now scrambling down from his friends' shoulders). " I take it he's a good Seeker?"
Birch grimaced. " The best."
Lily smiled to herself. I wouldn't have thought otherwise.' In her years at Hogwarts, Quidditch had never been her primary focus. In her first year, she had been floored by the seeming complexity of the game, but once she had read the proper books on the game and felt confident she understood it fully, she never felt the desire to actually go watch a Quidditch game.
Strange, then, that she felt the irrational desire to go to a game now.
With all the work you have to do?' she inwardly admonished herself. Sacrifice valuable time to jump up and down while people chase balls on brooms? Using skills perfected by cavemen centuries ago?'
" Coming to watch the game?" Birch asked.
You could go purely for the intention of research. You could even get information for your cross-examination of Muggle and Wizard culture thesis. You could- She cut her own line of thinking off, closing her book with a snap. " No," she stated firmly — more to herself than Birch.
She stood quickly, gathering up her things. She moved to leave, and as she did so she caught James looking at her across the room. He gave her a tentative smile and she was dismayed to discover that not only did her stomach display an outrageous series of acrobatics in response, she was automatically smiling back like it was the most natural thing in the world.
==
James watched as Lily turned on her heel and left the Great Hall, her head down and cheeks flushed. Sirius' words came back to him and he smiled in spite of himself. But what's holding her back then?'
A tug on his sleeve jolted him out of his reverie, and as he looked down at Sirius' bemused face he realised he was half-standing and half of Gryffindor was staring. He took his seat again quickly, blushing into his oatmeal.
" Is that your Ravenclaw mathematician?" Sirius asked.
James nodded, eyes still on his oatmeal, unwilling to look up at the curious faces of his team-mates.
" She's cute," Sirius said, a grin playing at the corners of his lips.
James whirled. " Sirius, you wouldn't --!" he cried, recognising his friend's tone of voice.
Sirius held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. " Hey, just teasing!" His face must have looked deeply unconvinced, because Sirius placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, all the laughter out of his face. " Seriously. I wouldn't. Ever. You know that."
He couldn't conceal his sigh of relief. " Yeah, I do. Sorry, Sirius." Because I really wouldn't have been able to stand it if she had liked you, and not me.'
Sirius patted his shoulder and shoved his bowl towards him. " Forget it, Prongs. Now eat your oatmeal before it gets cold. I don't want you falling off your broom on us."
James rolled his eyes at him. " Yes, Mother. What, are you turning maternal on us Padfoot?"
Peter laughed. " I thought that was Moony's job."
Remus shook his head. " As the only sane person among you, I feel it my duty to look after you low-life miscreants," he sniffed, putting on an authoritative air.
Sirius shuddered. " Ooh, you almost sounded like Snape there. Someone change the subject before I'm sick."
Peter obliged, turning to James. " What's your battle-plan for the game?"
He exchanged a worried look with Sirius. " We don't have one," he admitted softly. At Remus' and Peter's incredulous looks, he hurried on. " We haven't had time to work on one, really. Sirius has been in detention all week so we were short a Chaser at practice, and there was the full moon the other night, and I've been" he trailed off, unwilling to follow his thoughts through. I have been obsessing over a girl who hates pranks and Quidditch, but is apparently obsessing over me.' He looked up at his friends' expectant faces, and flashed a quick smile. " I've been worried about that Summoning Charm of mine," he said lightly.
From their faces, it was clear that Remus and Sirius knew exactly what James had spent his hours on, but were too kind to make anything of it. Remus patted his arm lightly. Peter, however, missed out on the subtle play of emotions across James' face, and so did not have the tact to refrain from blurting out, " You were thinking about school? Instead of Quidditch? When we could overtake Slytherin?" The incredulity in his voice increased with each question, his voice pitching higher and higher.
" Be quiet!" the other boys hissed, hushing him.
" We have thought about it," Sirius asserted in a low voice. " But they're a very tough side!"
" They spend hours working out strategies, predicting the opponent's movements and Merlin knows what else!" James added, shaking his head.
" But you do all that," Peter said. " I've seen you! And you're the best Seeker in the school, it'll be easy to beat them!"
" They're a very good, very solid team, with no conceivable weaknesses," James said, defeat in his words. " And they know our weaknesses. Since Wellington left last year, our defence hasn't been the same. At least with Slytherin, we can count on them to get emotional and foul so we can make up with penalties, but Ravenclaws are far too level-headed to do anything like that"
The four sat in dejected silence. " Hey, come on, is this any way for a Gryffindor to act?" Remus asked, trying to rally some cheer into his friends. " Come on, James, you're the Captain, you can't give up now!"
" Yeah, that'd be taking the Slytherin way out," Peter added, nudging James. Neither James nor Sirius could muster a smile.
" Well, if you want to give up, be my guest," Remus said in a deliberately light tone. Peter turned to him, his mouth open in outrage, but Remus went on. " After all, could you imagine the delight on Snape's face once he finds out that Gryffindor and the irrepressible James Potter and Sirius Black had given up?"
The ruse worked. Sirius was up and out of his seat in a shot. " Over my dead and festering body!" he cried indignantly. " Come on, Prongs, we have an hour before we need to warm-up, let's find Snape try out the invisible fleas!"
James brushed his friend's hand off his arm distractedly. " Did you say we had an hour? I'll meet you and the team out there. I need a little time to think." He stood and walked out of the hall, hands in his pockets and head bowed in thought.
Sirius blinked and sat down. " Did James just refuse a chance to torture Snape?" Peter and Remus nodded in unison. " To think?" They nodded again. Sirius shook his head in disbelief. " But that's his favourite way to get hyped up before a game!" He sat, stunned for a few moments before determination set his mouth into grim lines. He knew exactly what was distracting his friend beyond coherent thought. Alright then,' he thought. If James doesn't want to do anything about Little Miss Ravenclaw Mathematician, then I will!'
==
As the doors of the Great Hall swung shut behind him, James let out a deep breath. He had an hour. One hour before the game started. One hour to get psyched up and remove all thoughts of Lily Evans from his head.
He began to walk towards the Gryffindor common room. He'd never felt quite so despondent? Especially not before a Quidditch game. Just the mere mention of the word Quidditch' was enough to get his blood rushing and his spirits soaring, enough to soak his entire being in a state of delicious anticipation of the moment when he'd be in the sky.
Not anymore, though. He had a game against a difficult side, a challenge he normally relished, in less than an hour and it wasn't the thought of the Golden Snitch dancing through his consciousness. I wonder if Lily dances' he mused absently.
He mentally shook himself. Snap out of it, Prongs!' he instructed himself sternly. Think of Quidditch, think of the cup, think of Snape's face when you win!
No thank you, I'd much rather think of Lily's face, if that's all right,' he thought, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smile in spite of himself.
" Hey James!" an eager voice greeted.
Dragged out of his own thoughts, James blinked in confusion, taking a moment to register the young Gryffindors gazing up at him in excitement. " Hello, can I help you?" he replied vaguely.
They beamed up at him and the shortest — Jeff Kensington? — spoke up. " Are you going back to the common room for the pre-game party? We're celebrating your win in advance!"
" We've got a sign and everything!" a young girl he tentatively identified as being called Maria chimed in.
A pre-game victory party? James felt a cold sliver of dread slide into his stomach as he looked down at the hopeful, eager faces. They all think we're going to win. And we're not, because I can't get my head screwed on right.' " I'd love to come, but you know how it is" he trailed off lamely.
Jeff blinked in confusion. " How is it?"
How is it? You have no idea. I can't concentrate and I can't eat. I can't play pranks. I can't stand to look at any more hopeful faces when I'm going to let you all down.' " You know, we have those pre-game warm-ups," he said aloud. " I need to have a bit of a think before I play." He mustered the energy to smile reassuringly at them. " I'll see you at the game, okay? Cheer for us!"
They grinned and raced off, and he let out a sigh of relief. I do need to think. I need to work all this out, I need to clear my head and play my best. And a noisy common room isn't going to be the place to do that.'
" I wouldn't worry too much about them."
The voice seemingly came out of nowhere and James almost jumped clear of his skin. He looked down, belatedly noticing the serious girl. " Sorry?"
" The sign. It's reversible. It says Congratulations Gryffindor!' on one side, but it says Better Luck Next Time!' on the other. They're just excited. If we win or lose, we'll still have a party for coming this far." She gave him a smile and raced after her friends.
James couldn't suppress the escaping chuckle. A reversible sign! Well I was worried they had too much faith in me. Maybe I should worry that they don't have enough!' He turned on his heel and began to walk again.
Come on Prongs, think! We need a game plan, a good one.' He mentally ran through the plays he had created with Sirius. I can't use any of those,' James thought despairingly. They'd anticipate them, and no doubt have a defensive play to counter them!' He wracked his brain for ideas; desperately aware of the students starting to make their way down to the field, but all he could think about was one person.
Of all the lousy, inopportune times to be head-over-heels!' he thought, frustrated. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Okay Prongs, figure out the girl and then figure out the game. The girl, then the game.'
She was such a puzzle. She had rejected him with such a structured argument; he couldn't help but trust Sirius' word that she must have been thinking about him before hand. But if she fancied him — as her bashful gaze this morning hopefully indicated — and she knew for a fact that he fancied her, what was holding her back? A bad experience, maybe?' he mused. That didn't seem to fit right, she didn't reject him with malice or bitterness.
She said I didn't know her. She said we were completely incompatible.' James smiled ruefully at that; unaware of where his feet were leading him. No, I may not know her through and through, but I like what I know of her. I'd like to be her friend, if anything. But she made it perfectly clear that she didn't even want to be friends.' He exhaled a deep breath. But if what Sirius said is true, then she does want to be friends. Or she's thought about it, at least.'
He sighed. The clarity he had hoped for still eluded him. He felt confused and almost bewildered by the way she danced around him, holding him at bay with her little logical arguments. And he only had half an hour before he needed to warm up.
Looking up, he realised his aimless wanderings had led him straight to the library. Straight where Lily said she'd be,' he realised.
Maybe that was it. Maybe the only way he'd ever know the truth was to confront her about it. Ask her, up front. He grimaced. Easier said than done.' Being rejected twice in one week was not something he relished. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the library door.
He spotted her immediately and stopped in his tracks. She was the only person but the librarian, but instinctively, he knew he'd find her anywhere just as quickly. Her hair fell around her shoulders in a thick curtain as she reached up for a book, her fingertips barely grazing the shelf.
He made his decision to approach her instantaneously, and in a heartbeat he was standing behind her. " Let me," he murmured, and reached up for the book she was straining towards.
She whirled at the sound of his voice, her back to the bookcase. " James!" she exclaimed a flush creeping up on her cheeks. " I thought — well, I just — didn't know anyone was here — thought they were all at the game — so I"
He pulled the heavy book down from the shelf and stepped back, aware of the fact that she was trapped between him and the shelves. His heart hammered madly away in his chest as he watched her babble, her green eyes shining above her flushed cheeks, her face framed by her hair. She looked radiant, vibrant and alive, the exact opposite of the controlled girl who had rejected him. His mouth felt dry. " Here you go," he said awkwardly, passing An Examination of Wizard Politics' to her.
" Thanks," she said quietly, pulling the book to her chest and folding her arms over it.
Silence reigned between them for an uncomfortable moment. " Well, it's nice to know you're actually in the library," he said, trying to lighten the mood. " I thought you were just trying to let me down easy while you went up to the Astronomy Tower with Birch or something."
She looked bewildered and almost hurt by his comment, and he instantly wished he were double-jointed so he could kick himself in the head. " I wouldn't lie about something like that," she said softly, fixing her eyes on the floor.
He hurried to repair his mistake. " No, I didn't mean it that way — just tried to make a joke, you know me, silly prankster James, can't take things seriously." He shrugged in a self-deprecatory manner, mentally kicking himself for saying anything.
She was quiet. Idiot!' he cursed mentally. Nice going, Prongs. Now would be a perfect time to ask why she doesn't want to get to know you.' He was still cursing himself when her voice startled him out of his self-abusive tirade. " I thought you'd be at the game already." She lifted her gaze from its fixed position on her toe to give him a quick smile. " You've got the Ravenclaws really worried."
" Not half as worried as they've got us." Not half as worried as you have me, Lily.'
She graced him with her smile again, and he instantly felt lighter. " I don't think you need to be worried. From what everyone's been telling me, you're a stellar Seeker."
She's been asking about me?' Emboldened by this piece of information, he plunged onwards. " The thing is, Lily, I didn't come up here to ask about your Quidditch team." He tried to ignore the alarm registering in her eyes. " I came because — because, well, I've been a bit confused recently." He fixed his eyes on the floor, hoping it would be easier to say if he didn't have to see her expression. " I mean, I'd understand completely if you didn't want to go out with me because you liked someone else or you didn't find me attractive, I mean let's be honest, I'm hardly a heart throb here." She made a dissenting noise as if she were about to cut in so he rushed ahead, wanting to finish before he lost his nerve. " I mean, I know all the girls like Sirius and everything. But you didn't — you didn't just say you weren't interested. You gave me all these reasons that made me think that maybe, just possibly, you had been thinking about it. About me." He chanced a quick glance at her but she was looking down, so he averted his eyes again. " And it's just — it's just that I can't stop thinking about you, Lily. I mean, I'm not saying I'm madly in love with you or whatever, but I like you. I really do. I just want to get to know you, and I know — well, I have a feeling we'd be good friends, if anything. All I'm asking for is a chance to know you better. To have you know me better. Because — because, I know, even though you think we're incompatible, we're not." His voice dropped to a whisper. " I know, just by the way I feel standing next to you, right now, that we are very, *very* compatible."
There. He'd done it, he'd said it. He'd expressed himself, in a rambling sort of way, but at least he'd expressed himself. Steeling himself, he raised his eyes to her face.
He was right. This wasn't the same calm, controlled girl he had spoken to earlier in the week. The girl standing in front of him with her arms wrapped around herself had an air of vulnerability that made him ache to hold her. She seemed so small, she would fit perfectly under his chin and in his arms, and he felt a surge of protectiveness towards her. " Lily," he breathed, moving towards her.
She backed up until she was up against the bookshelves. The moment she moved, he withdrew from his attempt to touch her. " I can't." Her voice was no more than a ragged whisper.
" Why?" he asked gently, bending to catch her words.
She straightened suddenly and James got the image of her defence mechanisms sliding into place, one after the other building an impenetrable wall around her feelings. She was suddenly and strangely controlled again, but her voice still showed wavers of unsteadiness. " I already told you! Human behaviour is predictable! There's only one logical outcome of a relationship between us and it isn't an outcome I'm willing to entertain. I won't risk everything on something I can't be sure of!"
He shook his head, bewildered. " Lily, I'm not asking you to risk everything! I'm asking you to get to know me. Know *me*," he emphasised, " And not my projected behavioural patterns."
" You don't understand," she stated firmly.
" Then help me understand," he pleaded. " Please, Lily! I have a Quidditch game in less than fifteen minutes, and all I can think about is you."
His declaration seemed to stun her momentarily. " James," she started weakly, " People people follow certain patterns. With dating, there's the magical honeymoon period and afterwards, reality kicks in. The stresses of dating combined with the stresses of everyday life lead to the inevitable break-up. And then there's the months of turmoil and confusion and tears" she shook her head wearily. " I don't want to go through that. What's the point? I know what will happen. It's the reality of being human beings. We go through these set patterns of behaviour that can be easily predicted, given logic and ration."
As he was listening to her words, something dawned on him. Set patterns of behaviour predictability logical outcomes' And suddenly, he had a solution to his Quidditch problem. " Lily, I've got to go," he said, backing away, his voice rising in excitement. " The game — I've — oh, wow — sorry, it's just something you just said, it's given me an idea!" He paused. " Will you come to the game?"
" I've got to study," she protested weakly.
He stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. " Come to the game. Please." He met her surprised gaze with a smile. " For me. After all, it's thanks to you that I've figured out how to defeat your team."
Pinned by his gaze, she nodded. " I'll do my best."
He grinned. That was better than another rejection. Swiftly, he bent and kissed her forehead. The move was instinctual, but the second his lips touched her skin, a thrill coursed through him. Not wanting to press his luck, he turned and left the library.
==
Lily watched him leave, slowly sliding to the floor, not trusting her knees. He had kissed her. James had kissed her. Granted, t wasn't a real kiss but the feel of his lips had sent her feelings into turmoil.
What had happened? How had she lost control of the situation so quickly? And how had she gone from thinking she " quite liked" him to feeling something stranger and deeper than she had ever expected?
She shook her head to dispel that thought. Don't be silly' she admonished herself. You're delving into the realms of sentimentality, Lily.' But from the moment he had stepped behind her, his arms reaching on either side of her for the book, all thoughts about how incompatible they were flew out of her mind. And then there was his speech, that heart-rending ramble that made her want to hold him, as strange and crazy as it was. She shut her eyes against the image of the way he had looked, speaking about how he felt with more conviction than she could ever muster for her counter-argument. Hardly a heart throb — ha!'
And when he had stepped forward to touch her in that moment, she had *wanted* him to touch her, more than anything else in the world. Thank goodness common sense kicked in before my reflexes did,' she thought.
Thank goodness?' the little mutinous voice in her head repeated. Because you didn't really want him to hold you, did you Lily? You weren't aching with every fibre of your being for his touch, were you? You didn't, for just one second, want to go through that honeymoon period with him? You didn't think that even the logical outcome would be worth it, for him?'
" Shut up," she gritted out between her teeth.
" I didn't say anything!" an indignant voice protested. Lily looked up in shock, and to her horror saw Sirius Black regarding her with something close to amusement. " Little Miss Ravenclaw Mathematician, I presume?"
" Pardon me?" she said, scrambling to her feet in embarrassment.
He chuckled. " Lily Evans, I presume?"
She nodded. First James, now Sirius! She looked behind his shoulder, expecting to see the other two Marauders but seeing no one. " Yes, that's me," she said hesitantly.
His face broke into a beam. " Fantastic! Okay, get your stuff, you're coming with me."
" Coming with you?" she repeated. " Where?"
" Where? To the Quidditch match, of course! Where, she asks, honestly!" he scoffed, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door.
" Hey, let go!" she protested, pushing his hand away. " I'm not going to the Quidditch match, I can't!"
Sirius turned to her and she was surprised to see his normally jolly face glaring at her fiercely. " Look, Miss Mathematician, you're going to that game whether you like it or not. Now, I don't happen to like it. Anything that stops my friend from eating and pulling pranks has to be unhealthy, but if it's you he wants, it's you he's going to get."
" I'm not going anywhere," she said indignantly. " I don't appreciate being dragged by the hair like some primitive being to your cave. I don't have to go to that game if I don't want to!"
Sirius sighed, tapping his foot impatiently. " Unfortunately, you do. James has to get psyched up before a game. He has to. That's his optimal playing condition. But he isn't psyched, he's depressed and mopey and if you being in the crowds is going to lift his spirits, then by Merlin's Beard you're going to be in that crowd!" He finished his tirade with a stern glare. " Now, are you coming, or do I have to throw you over my shoulder and beat my chest like a caveman?"
Lily stared at him for a moment. His brusque behaviour, she realised, was just his way of ensuring his friend's happiness. It must be nice to have friends who care about you that much,' she thought wistfully. Another part of her, however wrong she knew it was, was thrilled that the sight of her could lighten James' spirits. Her, boring old bookworm Lily Evans!
She smiled, slowly. " I'll come."
==
James paced the locker room anxiously, the Gryffindor team assembled in front of him. His conversation with Lily had given him an insight into the match today that was crucial to their possible victory. " Where the hell is Sirius?" he bit out, his nerves putting an edge on his words. " Of all the times to disappear!"
Sirius burst through the door, breathing hard. " Sorry I'm late, Prongs, but you'll never guess —"
" It's about time!" James snapped, gesturing to the rest of the team sitting in wait. " Come on, take a seat, we don't have much time!"
Sirius stayed standing. " But Prongs, you've got to take a look outside — "
" Sit, Sirius!" he barked. Much like his animal counterpart, he did. Taking a deep breath, he started to outline his new strategy. " Now look, I know we're all nervous about this match. I know we feel under-prepared and under-confident and just about under-everything. I have to admit to feeling the same way until about a quarter of an hour ago." He smiled. " I know what we've got to do."
Steve Taylor, one of the Beaters, grimaced. " Isn't it a bit late to implement a strategy? Whatever we do, they'll have some horrid counter, anyway."
James' smile widened. " That's just it, Steve! They've approached this match in an entirely logical fashion. They've studied our moves against Slytherin, against Hufflepuff and against them from last year. They've analysed our weaknesses and they've analysed our strengths, and what they've come up with a prediction of exactly how we're going to play. I hate to say this, but they'd probably be right." His gestures became more animated as he paced in front of the team, eyes wild. " We have to confound those expectations. We have to surprise them so completely that they won't know how to react."
" So what you're saying," Bo Leung, one of the Chasers, started slowly," Is that we have to go out there and be totally spontaneous?"
James shook his head. " For the first half, I want you to stick with the strategy we planned out. Lull them into a false sense of security by making them think they have us all figured out. Sarah," he said, turning to the team's Keeper, " It's up to you to make sure we don't have too much of a deficit to make up. I want us playing like normal, so that means our offence remains the same. Then, after the first half, wait for Sirius' signal." He turned to his friend. " Can you give us a good ol' Gryffindor roar?" Sirius obliged, and the team's hands flew to their ears. " Excellent. Now once you hear that, this is what we're going to do"
As the commentators began the opening remarks about each team, the Gryffindor team leaned forward to catch their Captain's words, smiles slowly working across each of their faces.
==
By all accounts, it was a spectacular match. The basic consensus between all of the students as they walked back to the castle, rubbing their hoarse throats, was that it was the most thrilling match they had ever seen.
During the first half, the Gryffindor supporters had glumly concluded that the Ravenclaw team had out-thought, out-matched and out-run the normally spectacular Gryffindor squad. The Ravenclaws worked systematically to expose the weak Gryffindor defence (their star Beater, Justin Wellington, had left last year and his replacement had yet to match the skills of their other beater, Laura Foxley) and score. There were no standout star players as with the Gryffindor team, but the Ravenclaws were generally all of the same level and had no standout weaknesses. Despite some fantastic saves from the Gryffindor Keeper, Sarah Abbot, and a great goal from Lee Leung (Bo's brother and fellow Chaser), it was a dejected Gryffindor stand that viewed the 80-10 score at half-time. They had yet to see much action from the Seekers, but the normally riveting James Potter was content to circle the game from above and his Ravenclaw counterpart followed. Gryffindor could still win if they caught the Snitch but judging from their poor level of play today, the students all agreed that Slytherin would remain at the top of the rankings.
At half time, however, all of that changed. As if taking his cue from Madam Falco's whistle, Sirius Black let out a deafening roar. Was it a rallying cry for the losing team, supporters wondered? Had Black finally lost it, as the Slytherins insisted he had? The school watched in awe as the entire Gryffindor team grouped around Black, the Chaser in possession of the Quaffle, in a revolving and multi-layered ring of protection as they flew towards the goals. Another roar from Black and they each streaked away, all aiming at break-neck speed for their Ravenclaw opponents, leaving Black unguarded and unmarked. He took aim and scored for Gryffindor! The Ravenclaw team were in shock as they watched the Gryffindors change formation around them almost constantly.
With Ravenclaw in possession, Steve and Laura flew alongside the Ravenclaw Chaser, smacking the Bludgers back and forth in what looked to all the world as a particularly vicious game of Ping-Pong with the Ravenclaw Chaser acting as the net. One direct hit and the Quaffle fell out of his hands
Right into Lee's waiting arms! The crowd roared in appreciation. Lee flew low to the ground, his toes skimming the grass, as the Ravenclaw Chasers and Beaters (bewildered by this sudden change of events they had taken to following the Quaffle in disorganised clumps) grouped around him. At the last minute, he threw the Quaffle up in the air, where Bo swooped across to catch it. As he urged his broomstick onwards, he flew straight towards the Ravenclaw Keeper, whose hands were outstretched in preparation. Just as he appeared ready to make his shot, his hands changed direction and swung the Quaffle up to the waiting Black, who made his shot right over the head of the confused Keeper.
The Leung brothers scored twice, stunning the crowd with an aerial display of acrobatics designed to distract their opponents from the whereabouts of the Quaffle. The ball passed between their hands between somersaults and loop-the-loops so swiftly, even the commentators were unsure of which brother held it.
However, the star attraction of the second half was James Potter. Instead of the customary static circles above the game, he had taken to distracting the Ravenclaw team by looping around them, interfering with their defensive plays by scattering their formations. After Sirius scored once more (only just dodging a Bludger), a murmur rippled through the crowd. Had Potter spotted the Golden Snitch?
His flitting movements across the field had the undivided attention of one spectator throughout. Captivated by the manic energy of the match, Lily Evans agreed whole-heartedly that this was one experience books had failed to describe. Cheering with the crowd, leaping to her feet in excitement, she managed to stay aware of the rest of the game while leaving her primary focus on James. And so it was Lily Evans who first cried out, " He's spotted the Snitch!" Indeed, it appeared he had as he froze in his attempts to keep an eye on the game. Turning his Silver Arrow on itself he plunged to the ground in a terrifying dive that had the crowd on their feet in a collective gasp. Halfway down, however, he levelled out to avoid a collision with two Bludgers. He urged himself down again, his broom darting from side to side in pursuit of the elusive Snitch. He stretched out his hand and just as it appeared he would close his fingers around it, the Snitch flitted up over his head and behind him. Not to be foiled by its lightning-quick movements Potter pulled up, hand still outstretched, in a loop-the-loop that had the crowd roaring its approval, Houses forgotten. As he pulled out of the loop, he triumphantly held the Snitch over his head.
All around Lily, the crowd was on their feet. It was an unforgettable game. But watching James in his element was an experience she had wholeheartedly enjoyed, especially with Sirius' words that it had been she who had inspired him. She jumped to her feet, clapping and cheering despite the fact that he wouldn't be able to hear her. And then, just when she thought he'd missed her in the crowd, he flew towards the stands, still pumping his fist in victory. As their eyes met and his face broke into an unmistakable expression of happiness, Lily acknowledged two things. Firstly, this,' she thought, Being here, experiencing this in the flesh, for myself, is so much better than reading about it in a book. And secondly?'
The second thing she acknowledged was the feeling that coursed through her at the thought of James. It was a thrill so heady it was indescribable. This feeling may be indescribable, but it's something. It's not just an irrational urge. This is something special.'
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