Catch Me If You Can
Chapter Eighteen ll Show Your Talent!
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"GOOD PASS, POTTER!" Xander Corringman yelled, stopping briefly in mid-air. He was the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, and was known to have some sort of obession with winning the Quidditch Cup.
"Err -- thanks!" James yelled back awkwardly; he then cursed and almost did a forward-tumble on his broom as a crazy Bludger came whirring past his head.
"Sorry James!" Sirius shouted cheerfully, waving his Bludger-bat wildly in the air.
They were at the Quidditch tryouts. Four of the original seven players on the team had been seventh-years the previous year, and had left Hogwarts. Now there were four positions open: all three Chasers and one Beater. Xander was the Seeker, Melanie Keiko was the Keeper and Rhys Milborough was the other Beater.
Lily and James were trying out for Chaser, and Sirius, for Beater. He said he liked hitting crazy, wild, black balls.
Paige and Anna were sitting at the stands, eating crumpets (in the afternoon, yes) and occasionally yelling encouraging comments up to their friends. Remus was sitting with them, tossing a toy Quaffle in the air. Peter was scoffing down muffins. Di had had a very strange "family emergency" and had taken off in the middle of Potions.
Lily kept her eyes on the Quaffle and watched it zigzag between James and another third-year boy who was quite good. James then got called off, and another girl took his place.
"Go Lily, go Lily, go Lily," Paige was chanting.
Lily felt herself flush and almost dropped the Quaffle when Joanna (the other girl try-out-er) passed it to her.
The Quidditch tryouts lasted for another hour, until Xander called them to stop. He looked quite pleased, which was a good sign.
"You guys did great," he said to Lily and James. Melanie Keiko smiled at them as she walked past.
"I'll post the list of people who got in on McGonagall's office door next week," Xander called to the eager and hopeful students gathered around him, "Good day to you all!"
"That was horrible," Lily said mournfully, trudging up the stone steps to the castle.
"As if," Paige scoffed, "You did beautifully. Absotively beautifully. Don't you agree, Anna?"
Anna, who was giggling at something Remus had been saying to her, was caught off-guard, "What? Yeah -- sure!"
As soon as they were in the Entrance Hall, Lily's eye caught on something put up on the stone wall. Walking over, she read it out loud, "Talent quest on next week, Wednesday night. After dinner."
At these words, light seemed to dawn on Paige's face.
"Let's enter!" she said at once.
"Merlin, no," Anna said edgily.
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Y--"
"Hi, guys," came a weary voice behind them.
It was Di, but did she ever look different. Her face was pale and peaky, her eyes droopy, giving the appearance of a basset hound, and her hair was frizzy and dry.
Lily stared. What had happened to her?
"Hey Di," she said gently.
Di smiled wanly.
"Everything sorted out?" Anna asked her.
Confusement spread across Di's face for a moment. Then it disappeared.
"Oh -- yeah, of course. Everything's fine. But -- um, I think they'll be a lot more of these sort of emergencies. Things are crazy -- and heptic -- and... oh look, a talent quest."
Her eyes had quickly averted to the poster.
"Yeah!" Paige squealed, "And guess what?! We're going to enter!"
"Really?" a cheerful smile appeared on Di and it was relieving sight, "Can I join?"
"Sure!" Lily said with a grin.
"Well, count me out," Anna said shortly.
Lily and Paige spent the next five minutes convincing Anna to join. Finally, she gave in.
After that was decided, they moved up to the common-room, then to their dormitory and planned.
Or decided.
Same thing.
"Let's put on a play!"
"No way; it would take forever," Anna said at once.
"She has a point," Di said as Paige opened her mouth to protest.
"A dance?" Lily suggested.
"It'd also take too long to learn and make up."
Silence.
"A song?" Lily tried again, shutting an eye.
Paige grinned, "Yeah! And like, some of us could dance while one of us sings -- and when it's the chorus we all sing it -- how about that?"
"All right, but it would have to be easy and simple dance moves," Anna complied, "And we'd have to repeat the moves over, 'cos we can't learn too many moves. It's next week. We don't have enough time."
"I know, I know. Don't worry, we can do this," Paige said firmly.
It was then the time to decide WHAT SONG.
"Everything little step I take, you will be there..." Lily started to sing to herself.
Anna pulled a sour face, "Never!"
Lily giggled. Di and Paige looked puzzled.
"I suppose we'll have to comply to Muggle songs?" Paige said loftily.
"Yeah, Muggle songs are the best," Lily said with a grin. She high-fived Anna.
"Well, happy thinking!" Paige said with a smile.
Sileeeeeeeeence...
"I wanna do it with Madonna," Lily sang quietly.
Anna grinned at once, "That's a terrific song! Let's do that!"
"Hum it for us," Di requested.
Anna and Lily complied and gave Paige and Di a general idea of what the tune was like. They agreed it was a good song to sing and dance to.
"Great!" Lily said enthusiastically, "So, who should do the singing?"
"You!"
---
"I... am--so--bloody--nervous," Anna squealed -- nervously. Her face seemed to be glowing, which could have been the blush and that glittery stuff around her eyes.
"You'll do fine," Lily reassured, "I mean, think about me! I have to sing!"
"You have an amazing voice, Lily," Paige said firmly, clutching onto a sheaf of parchment tightly. The parchment was the programme for the talent quest, which was to be held in a few minutes time.
"We're on... after three performances!" Paige said hysterically, staring at the programme, "How did we get so high up in the list?! Why can't we be last?! WHY?!"
"Calm down, Paige," Di said with a giggle, "That way, we'll have it over and done with."
"I think it's starting!" Lily exclaimed in a horrifed yet delighted whisper, trying to look into the Great Hall from backstage. "...now let the talents of Hogwarts begin!" they heard Dumbledore say heartily, which was followed by an enormous erupture (probably clapping).
The first performance was by a timid first-year, an Asian girl who had very pretty dark brown eyes. She played a beautiful song on the piano, that earned her enormous applause from the school. She left the stage with her face flushed badly.
The second performance was by a fairly large group of girls who did a fast dance to a... fast song. The third performance was by a seventh year boy who played the guitar and sang. He was good at playing, but not so great in the singing.
Finally, it was time for the girls.
Lily stepped on stage, feeling quite nervous. She looked down and immediately saw James smiling at her floppily and teasingly.
She'd wipe that smirk off his face!
"Hello, everyone," she said into the microphone; she shuddered a little a she heard her own voice echo through the hall, "I'll be singing a song... and my friends will do the acting... Okay? Okay."
The music started. She glanced sideways down the stage, where Anna, Paige and Di were standing, hidden behind the curtain. Lily made a face to let them know it was almost time.
"You know Christina's got the body,
She really likes to spin and twirl.
But when she's flirting with the camera,
You know she's just a little girl."
While Lily sang that part, Anna had emerged from behind the curtain. Her hair had been magicked so that it was almost white and flowed down to her hips, and she was dressed in tight black leather. She smiled flirtaciously (though she had the look as if she was mentally thinking "KILL ME!") while she spun and twirled across the stage. She didn't stop until she had reached the other side.
"Now Pink is cute, but still a baby,
And she talks with attitude.
She has some spunks for a young lady,
But what I'd really like to do--"
Paige strode onto the stage, raising her eyebrows at the crowd in an I've--got--an--attitude way. She shot Lily a dirty look as she walked past, which was all part of the act. Her hair had been magicked to a really short, scampy style, and was now bright pink. They had clipped on a nose ring to add more spunk.
"I'd love to do it with Madonna.
She's what a woman's supposed to be.
Oh Madonna, won't you do it with me?"
Lily crooned the chorus, grinning. Di was on stage; her hair golden blonde and she was dressed like Madonna. She grinned and danced across the stage, while Anna and Paige came on, shooting obvious dirty looks to her. Lily almost giggled as she sang.
A lot of students were laughing, especially the Muggle-borns.
"Oh, this is priceless," Sirius said, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye.
Remus was almost choking. Sirius whipped out his camera ("I knew this would come in handy!") and took a snapshot of the four girls on stage. Lily shot a fleetingly murderous look down, but continued with her song.
Paige had rushed off stage quickly, while Di and Anna strayed behind a little. Then the two also left as Lily sang the next verse.
"When Britney sings, it sounds amazing,
I like her belly and her butt.
But how would you like to be with her?
She's always hanging with her mum."
Paige was back on again; her hair dirty blonde. She smiled seductively to the audience and belly-danced around the stage. She did a spectacular flip before she strode off behind the curtain.
Lily almost laughed again.
"I'd rather do it with Madonna.
She's what a woman's supposed to be.
The only girl I'll ever need.
Madonna, do it with me.
I'd rather do it with Madonna,
She's really got me on my knees.
The only girl I'll ever need,
Madonna, do it with me.
Oh Madonna,
Oooo Oooo Ooooo Madonna!"
Di and Paige bounded back onto the stage. Di danced around wildly while grinning her head off, and Paige ran up next to Lily and sang the chorus with her. Lily actually started to giggle out loud, but Paige merely grinned and continued to sing. Some of the students had decided to join in.
Di made signs of wanting to jump off stage and onto the Hufflepuff table, but Paige dragged her off. Di was left blowing kisses to the audience, and a chorus of "awww"s were heard from disappointed boys.
CLICK.
Sirius had taken another photo.
"I'd really like to be with Kylie,
I think she's really, really hott.
I wonder if I could get Kylie,
To do it with Madonna."
Lily had trouble singing that as she was gasping through laughter. James was gazing at her intently. Remus noticed this at once.
"She's a good singer, aye?" Remus said seriously, smiling mischievously.
James didn't say anything for awhile.
"Do you reckon she's a lesbian?"
Anna had came onto the stage as Kylie Minogue. Her now fair-hair was in elaborate curls that bounced on her shoulders and she strutted across the stage as if she was on a catwalk. She kissed her fingertips and blew them airily to the audience before strutting off, her hands swaying with confidence.
"I'd rather do it with Madonna,
She's really got me on my knees.
Oh Madonna won't you do it with me?
I'd rather do it with Madonna,
She's what a woman's supposed to be.
Oh Madonna come and do it with me!
I'd rather do it with Madonna,
She's really got me.
Have you seen her where she's wearing the cowboy hat and she's kicking the dirt?
I wanna do it with--
Oooo Madonna,
Oooo Madonna,
Oooo Madonna,
Oooo Madonna."
Title: Do It With Madonna ll Artist: Androids
Di came skipping across the stage, with Anna and Paige followed her enviously. Di flirted with the audience as the other two stalked up to Lily, and began to sing with her. When the song was about to end, Di bounded up to them, and they all screamed, "Oooo Madonna!" before striking a pose.
Almost everyone stood up; screaming, cheering and of course, clapping.
The girls were ushered off stage and the next performers took their positions. As the girls magically changed out of their costumes and changed back to their normal appearances (Madam Leyla and Professor Flash had been helping the girls with potions and spells), they talked about their performance.
"That was so much fun!" Di squealed, as Madam Leyla circled her wand and her hair returned back to normal.
"I'll say," Lily said with a giggle. She ran over to the tap and washed the make-up off her face. Then she got a drink.
"I'm never doing that again," Anna said, who was red from all the heat and excitement.
"No way! How could you say no to so much fun?" Paige squealed, tying her normal brown hair into a quick ponytail, "Talent quests rock!"
"Come on, hurry up," Di urged. She was already dressed in her robes, "I don't want to miss out on anymore performances!"
The girls joined the boys at the Gryffindor table. They all grinned at them to show how much they had enjoyed their song, but said nothing about it as the next act had started and it was required as complete and utter RUDENESS to speak during a fellow student's act.
The talent quest went on into the night. It was almost eleven o'clock when it finally ended.
Waaaay past bedtime for the 'lil ones.
Some of the teachers were complaining that the students really had to go to bed as there were still classes the next day, and there was absolutely no excuse for being late to your first class. It was either; get there on time, or receive detention.
"I can't believe we still have classes tomorrow," complained James, yawning as they climbed into the common-room.
"Yeah," sighed Paige.
"Great song," Sirius laughed, indicating their performance, "I loved it!"
"It was so funny," Remus agreed.
Lily beamed, "Thanks!"
After saying goodnight, they went into their dormitories and fell asleep.
---
Lily felt as if she was sleeping on jelly. It was so wobbly and kept on shaking... It was getting kind of annoying... She turned on her side and sighed comfortably... She felt so tired and it was heaven to just keep on sleeping..
"LILY! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE, WAKE, WAKE UP!"
That's just a dream... No way can it be time to wake up... The light shining on my eyes is... a torch... Yeah... it's definitely not the sun... Nup, can't be...
"Lily!" came Paige's yell again, "Wake up!"
Just a dream...
"I think you should stop jumping on her bed," Lily heard Anna distantly say.
"Not 'til she wakes up!" Paige said in a singy-songy voice, "Oi, LILY! WAKE -- UP!"
...One sheep... two sheep...
"Lily -- FIRE!" Paige screeched, jumping off her best friend's four-poster and landing onto the floor with a thud.
Three sheep...
"Still not convinced, huh?" Paige was saying, "Tough girl, huh?! Yeah, well listen to this, MATE. We have classes in fifteen minutes and there's NOTHING you can do about it. HUH!"
Four shee--
Lily lifted up her head and was aware that her hair was probably a huge jungle mess of redness. But she didn't care.
"Tell me you aren't serious."
"I'm not. Boys aren't allowed in the girls' dormitories," Paige said with a grin.
"Not Sirius!" Lily yelled, chucking her pillow at her, "I meant SERIOUS!"
"Yes, I am, about the fifteen minute to class thing."
"HOLY BALONEY!" Lily screamed, leaping out of her bed. Paige watched in amusement as the redhead zigzagged across their dorm, looking for her clothes.
"Mufti today, Lil!" Anna called to her retreating back, "You don't need to wear our uniform!"
"I know what it means!" came Lily's yell from inside the bathroom, "Honestly! I'm not stupid like a -- like a muffin!"
"Are muffins stupid?" Paige asked Anna, who shrugged.
"I heard that muffins don't come with brains."
"Then what are those choc-chips thingies--?" Paige wanted to know, looking utterly lost.
Lily came out ten minutes later. She ran to her vanity and began to throw things on.
"Okay then... lipgloss, earrings, bracelet, hair... Hair... Hair... Okay, hair done..."
Finally, satisfied with her appearance, she snatched up her bookbag (which she had packed the afternoon before; how very organized) and turned to her best friends, "Let's roll!"
"Wow, Lil," Anna said in a sort of awed voice as they left their dormitory, "You look... nice."
Paige nodded at once, "Yeah... you do."
Lily raised an eyebrow and looked down at her outfit. From what she saw of it, it was just a skirt, top and jacket with dressy sneakers.
"Um. So where's Di?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
"Another family emergency, I do hope she's okay..." Anna said.
They left the common-room and rushed down to the Great Hall. They met the Marauders half-way.
" 'Morning," Sirius greeted, "We were just coming to get you... Whoa, nice outfit, Lily."
"What is wrong with everyone?" Lily wondered out loud, "This is a normal outfit."
James was staring at her as if she was a freakshow.
"Oh, come on," Lily snapped at him, "You saw me over the summer, what's the difference?"
"Well, robes usually cover your figure," Remus said slowly.
"I don't wear robes over the summer!"
"Well, I'm not sure what Jamie's problem is, but I don't think the rest of us have ever seen you wear something other than your uniform," Sirius remarked.
"Huh?! What about the weekends!" Lily wanted to know.
"Well, I don't know! I'm confused -- let's just go eat breakfast and stare at Lily!" Sirius said without thinking, "Ah -- stuff the last part!"
"I'll stuff this down your throat," Lily muttered, indicating her bookbag.
James was still looking at her persistently.
He couldn't help but think that she looked extraordinarily pretty.
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---->A/N: LOL. My nickname is Muffin, and my friend [nickname: Cookie] asked me why muffins were dumb.. Then I told her muffins don't usually COME WITH BRAINS. Hem. But she just said that the choc-chips were my brains, 'cept mine melted in the oven. ((CRIES)) --MSQ.