James could feel the wind blow his hair back from his eyes as he hovered 60 feet over the ground, his new Comet Two Twenty broom quivering slightly in anticipation. His eyes darted along the pitch, past the ongoing Quidditch players below him, looking for any glimpse of the tiny golden ball with wings.
The Slytherin Seeker, a 6th grader named Patrick Wallus, was busy circling the pitch, his Quidditch robes billowing out behind him. James glanced at him every once and awhile to make sure his opponent didn't spot the Snitch before he did. Which was never, James thought with a grin.
The crowd in the stands were busy shouting and screaming the players on, as the Chasers raced back and forth from each end, the Quaffle being whipped around quickly from Chaser to Chaser.
The commentator, 7th year Gryffindor Josh Pelargy, was busy being a very biased opinionater as 5th year Gryffindor Chaser, Alice Ayres, was intentionally hit by a Bludger that was swung at her by a Slytherin Beater.
"Look at that, look!!" shouted Josh's loud voice that rung through the stadium. "Foul!! FOUL!! I say-" His cries cut off abruptly as McGonagall was busy trying to wretch the microphone out of his hand. "Sorry, professor, won't happen again… And now we have Ayres taking out her free shot, she throws it - great arm - and.. Scores! That's 60-50 for Gryffindor!"
Enourmous screaming and applauding errupted from the Gryffindor side, and also the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff side, as they were cheering the Gryffindors on, who they liked very much over Slytherin. The applauding over-rid the loud groans emmited from the Slytherin crowd. The Slytherin green looked very small compared to the 3 other houses waving Gryffindor red-coloured flags.
James searched the pitch over again for about the 50th time before he tore his eyes away to look at the crowd. Lots of faces were pointed up at him, some starring up at him expectantly, some yelling encouragingly, and among those were his 3 friends, all of who were waving a Gryffindor flag with the lion on it. Sirius gave him the thumbs up.
James waved at his friends, and then set his eyes back on the pitch. Almost immediately he saw a flicker of gold and wings, and he went tearing down the pitch, weaving in and out of the Slytherin and Gryffindor players like a lightning bolt. One of the Slytherin Chasers, a girl James didn't know by name, gave an abrupt scream as she saw James pelting towards her, but of course he moved just before he hit her. He could hear the Gryffindor-cheering crowd going positively wild as the wind whipped at his face and whistled past his ears, his eyes fixed on the Snitch that was just feet away from him.
He looked back quickly to see if the Slytherin Seeker was flying behind him, and he gave an abrupt jolt as his eyes met Patrick's cold black eyes. He didn't expect him to be on his tail.
James turned his head back quickly and cursed loudly when he couldn't find the Snitch in front of him. He pulled his broom up, and he went flying back up above the stands. Patrick realised that James had lost the Snitch, and he went over to the other side of the pitch to do his own searching.
James couldn't help but steal a glance over at the Ravenclaw stand, where he could see Lily with her Gryffindor flag. She was looking very pretty with her hair done up in curls and hanging loosely about her shoulders. Her blue scarf was wrapped snugly around her neck, and her mittened-hands were placed in the front pockets of her winter coat. Her cheeks were bright red from the cold, but she smiling all the same, and her friends were enveloped all around her.
James tore his eyes away from her and back to the pitch. I'm being distracted lately, he thought, his eyes moving along the players below for any sign of the Snitch.
James was surprised when he saw that Wallus was no longer searching for the Snitch because he had found it, and was tearing down the pitch after it, his arm outstretched in front of him.
In a split second, James was racing towards him. The crowd seemed far away to his ears as he caught up to Wallus, flew beside him, and grinned over at him. Wallus looked over, shock on his face, but his face soon broke into his own grin as he hit James with the side of his body. James held his ground, and retaliated, nearly knocking Wallus off his broom.
James took his chance and reached out his arm, the Snitch inches away from his fingers. He swung himself forwards and snatched it.
"Potter has got the Snitch, Gryffindor WINS!" roared Josh, pounding his hands on the stands.
All James could hear was screaming and yelling in his ears, and all he could see were several figures tackling him in hugs and laughter. He grinned deeply as he flew slowly down to the ground, the struggling Snitch grasped tightly in his hand, the Chasers (all of whom were girls) were patting him on the back, and the Beaters and Keeper were grinning from ear to ear.
His friends came running up to him, all of their cheeks red but they were looking very happy indeed.
"Nice catch, James!" yelled Peter over the loud crowd, all of who were descending the stairs from the stands, and were waving their Gryffindor flags in the air, all except for the Slytherins of course, who were cursing and heading back up to the castle looking very smug.
"Yeah, nice hit there on the Slytherin Seeker," grinned Sirius.
"Excellent," Remus said, smiling.
"Thanks," James said, as his team were giving them his last congratulations and were now heading off to the change room. "See you in the Great Hall, alright?"
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Loud cheering, laughing, and explosions could be heard from the Gryffindor common room that night. The Gryffindors were doing their best to celebrate their first win of the year.
"Hey, past that over!" yelled Arthur Weasley, a skinny red-head who was in his 7th and final year.
James threw the Exploding Snap at him, and Arthur sent if off, which emmited a loud banging noise. Everyone laughed and took a chug of their Butterbeer (which Sirius had supplied, with a little help from a certain map and a certain cloak ;)).
"Hey, watch it!" James laughed, as Jasmine O'Dell, one of the Chasers, bumped into James when she tripped over a box of empty Chocolate Frogs, which sent Butterbeer slopping all over James' shirt.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" said Jasmine, her pretty face features turning anxious. "Let me help you.. Accio cloth!" She magicked the cloth rag into her open palm, then folded it in half and started to press the cloth to his wet chest.
James grinned widely and let Jasmine clean him; not because he couldn't himself, but because he loved girls.
Sirius looked back over his shoulder from where he was sitting on the couch. Laurena Randa, one of the other Chasers, and one of the Beaters, Jenny Moroso, were close on either side of him and were apparently engaged in deep conversation. Sirius grinned back at James and gave himt he thumbs up, then turned his attention back to the girls. "Now, now girls, no use in fighting.." he said, grinning, as he casually put an arm around each of the girls, who didn't mind and kept chattering on.
"There, is that better?" Jasmine asked, looking up at him as she took the cloth away from his chest.
"Much better, thanks," James grinned. Jasmine smiled back and then went to talk to her friends, who were all laughing except for one of them, who was saying in a disgusted and horrified voice, "Bloody merlin, waste-flavoured!" as he chewed at a Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Bean with his eyes closed and his face scrunched up.
James shook his head and laughed, and looked around the common room, his eyes running along the other team Chaser, Alice, and other Beater, Kenny Haskel, who were both laying on the floor, laughing so hard that tears were sprouting out of their eyes. This was directed at Richard, because a Chocolate Frog had exploded in his face.
James' eyes then fell onto Remus and Peter, who were at the other side of the room, and were playing a game of Wizard's Chess. Peter's face was screwed up in deep concentration as he stared down at the board, and Remus was smiling his amusement-smile.
James took another sip of his Butterbeer and walked over to the two, just as Peter had made a move, and closed his eyes tightly, muttering under his breath, "Don't get him, don't get him, don't get him."
"It's alright, Peter," laughed Remus, as Peter's Knight stopped and was unharmed. Remus then looked up. "Hey James."
"Hey," James replied, as he sat beside Peter. He could tell just by a glance of how little pieces Peter had, that Remus was winning.
"Hey, James," said Peter, opening his eyes. He sighed in relief as he saw that his Knight was safe, then looked over at James. "Great catch at the game."
"Thanks," James said. He then suddenly got a sudden urge to go for a walk; he seemed too restless to stay sitting for long. "Any of you wanna go for a walk?"
"Sure," Remus said, standing up. "We'll continue later, Peter," he said. Peter sighed again as he stood up too.
"Not really worth it," he said gloomily, as he grabbed his jacket and started to pull it on. "You already won."
Remus laughed and grabbed his own jacket. James didn't bother looking for his own coat; he was tough enough to withstand the winter cold.
"Let's go," James said, as they started to make their way through the small crowd in the room, all of them either winking or slapping James on the back as they passed.
"Aren't you getting your coat?" Remus asked as they made their way to the door.
"Nah," James replied, as they climbed out of the portrait, and started to make their way down the Gryffindor Tower.
When they were walking down the hall towards another set of stairs, they heard running footsteps, and a yell. "Hey, wait up!" They turned around and saw Sirius jogging down the hall towards them, his coat slung over his shoulder. "You didn't tell me you were going anywhere," he panted.
"You looked a little busy," James replied, grinning. Sirius looked up from where he was bent over, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He laughed and grinned, then straightened up, shaking his hair out of his eyes.
"Never busy enough to go for a midnight stroll," said Sirius, as they started to descend the stairs down to the Great Hall.
"You're a man-whore," laughed Peter. Sirius looked over at him.
"And you're fat," he said. All of them roared with laughter, including Peter, who knew it was only a joke.
It took a few minutes for their laughs to die down, and as they were still laughing silently under their breaths, they snuck through the doors and slipped outside into the darkness.
"Chilly, ain't it?" Peter said, shivering, as he wrapped his arms around himself.
"N-no k-kidding," Remus said, his teeth chattering, as all four of them were expelling a mist from each breath.
Sirius pulled his coat on, and wrapped his scarf around his neck and face, his eyes only visible as they made their way down to the lake.
All four of them laid down on the now snow-free ground (although it was still very damp), all with their arms folded behind their heads and their faces pointed up at the stars.
"D-Didn't pick a g-great night to s-star gaze, e-eh?" Sirius stuttered, as he shook with silent laughter. He was rubbing his hands together vigorously, trying to get warmth.
"No doubt," Peter replied, slipping his hands into his jacked pockets.
James blocked out his friends' voices as he turned his head to the side and noticed, to his big surprise, a few lilies swaying softly in the breeze. How the flowers survived that snowfall, James didn't know.
James immediately thought of Lily, and he took his arm out from under his head, and reached his hand over. He carefully picked a pretty white lily out of the ground and twisted it in front of him with his fingers, looking at it apprehensively.
".. and I saw Dolohov with him," Sirius was saying to Remus and Peter, all of whom were talking about Snape and giving evidence on how he was on Voldemort's side.
"Dolohov, eh?" Remus said, interest in his voice. He rubbed his chin. "Interesting.."
"Oh, and remember last year we saw him with Dolohov, Rookwood and Lestrange?" Peter said excitedly.
Sirius nodded, but then growled under his breath. "I'm insulted to have a cousin that supports You-Know-Who," he mumbled.
"Don't worry, Sirius," Peter said reassuringly, "We don't think any less of you."
Remus nodded too, and then said, "Rookwood, eh? That creepy looking kid that is always muttering to himself?"
"Yeah," Sirius said. "With him, Dolohov, Lestrange and Snape together, they're the perfect You-Know-Who supporting group."
"And scary at that," Peter said. He shuddered, but not from the cold.
James drifted off silently, his friends' voices still playing in his ears. He couldn't stop thinking about…
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… Lily Evans helped herself to roast chicken and mashed potatoes as her friend Emma chatted animatedly beside her.
"I couldn't believe it, you know," Emma was saying thickly, brandishing her fork around like a wand, her cheeks bulging with food, "That idiot had actually cursed me?"
Lily was only half-listening, as she was intent on thinking about how much homework she had, and how much she loathed James Potter. What a git, she thought menacingly, Trying to pick me up like that? Who in the hell does he think he is? She stabbed her fork into her chicken like her fork was a knife, and the chicken was Potter's head. But for some reason, James' bright green eyes stood out in her mind.
She could still hear Emma gabbering in her ear, and she was ready to block her completely out, when all of a sudden she heard-
"-Potter."
"What??" she said suddenly, snapping out of her thoughts. "What did you just say?"
Emma eyed her in confusion. "Are you deaf?" she said. "I was saying that Potter played good last night."
"Oh, right," Lily said.
"Are you alright? You seem out of it today," Emma said, looking at her with a bit of concern.
"I'm fine," Lily said reassuringly. "Just a bit tired, that's all." She sighed heavily and let her fork fall down to the plate with a soft clang. She put her head down on her arms and wondered.. "And you're the most beautiful girl I've ever known."
Lily's eyes widened when James' words came to her mind, and it was all she could do to not gape. She shook her head rid of her thoughts, but still found herself wondering about the person she thought she hated.