A/N: I know there is quite a lot of difference in the sizes of the chapters. Elaine's chapters average out at about 800 words and Katie's chapters average at about 2500 words. Elaine's chapters are getting longer though it's because she doesn't have much time to write them in.

Chapter 10

The first Quidditch match of the season was scheduled for the second of October. James and Sirius had already decided that they were going to go and get front row seats. The match was the legendary first match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Most people already knew that Slytherin would win. They had the best team that the school had seen in years and they knew it.

Gryffindor wouldn't give up without a fight though. They would play to the end with true Gryffindor spirits. The captain, sixth year Michael Johnston, had been preparing special tactics so that they could score enough goals so that they didn't have to catch the snitch but everyone knew that it wouldn't work because the chasers were just too good. They could intercept the Quaffle at breakneck speed and score like lightning.

Gemini was in the process of persuading Lily to go. Lily had never seen a Quidditch match before and was curious but decided that it sounded too violent and that people on tiny pieces of wood that high up in the air would make her nauseous. Anna told her that she wouldn't because it was the best game in the world but Lily said that that was only because Anna was obsessed with the game.

Remus Lupin was another who wasn't too keen on the game. He said that not only did it defy all laws of physics but it was way too dangerous as well. James promised to himself that he would take Lupin to the game just to involve him in something and to get him out of the library. He didn't tell Sirius because he knew that he would disapprove of the idea so he kept it a secret and was just going to drag Lupin there on the day.

The night before the game there was lots of shouts of 'GOOD LUCK' and 'YOU'LL BE FINE!' in the Gryffindor common room along with 'YEAH RIGHT!' and 'IT WOULD BE A MIRICLE!' Gemini, Sarah and Anna went over the rules of Quidditch with Lily, just so that she would know what was going on. Lily still said that she wasn't going to go but the others wouldn't take no for an answer.

Sirius wouldn't wake up. He could have been unconscious he was in such deep sleep. James couldn't think of what to do. He couldn't miss the Quidditch game but then again he couldn't go without Sirius. He tried shouting at Sirius and throwing things at him but he wouldn't wake up.

James was alone in the dormitory and he didn't know what to do. He could shout for help or he could wait for someone else. James had never coped with anything like this before. Once Gemini had fallen off her broom and banged her head. James' mum had just cast a spell and she was fine.

That's what he needed to do. Cast a spell. He flung open his trunk and looked for a spell book that might have something with waking people up. The only one that looked vaguely promising was the Standard Book of Spells Grade One. He flipped through the pages but the information was whizzing past so fast that he didn't take any of it in. He turned to the back and looked through the index. Nothing. It was all about turning matches into pins and levitating objects.

James flopped down defeated. He decided that if Sirius hadn't woken up in another half an hour then he would have to go and find Madam Coo, the school matron. Sirius looked so peaceful but stiff and weirdly straight at the same time. If only he would just wake up then everything would be fine and they would still be able to go and watch the match. But James had a sinking feeling that it wouldn't all be fine.

James heard a click as the door began to open. Remus Lupin entered the room. James rubbed his face.

"James? Are you ok? What's wrong? Why were you crying?" Remus asked in quick succession as he threw his bag and comic books on his bed and went over to Sirius bed.

"Ok, one; I was NOT crying. Two; I can't wake Sirius up. I don't know what's wrong with him. He could be unconscious for all I know." James said.

"Well, looking at him I would say he was unconscious. Why, I could not tell you. He could have fallen over or banged his head or something." Lupin said, checking Sirius pulse.

"That's it! He smacked his head on the ceiling when we were jumping on our beds last night and he kept rubbing one spot but he insisted that it didn't hurt." James said.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you should never go to sleep if you've banged your head? You might get concussion and that's seriously bad!" Lupin shouted angrily. James looked ashamed. His parents had told him that before but he'd never really taken much notice. All he knew was that if he banged his head before bedtime he could stay up late, not that he did it for attention or anything.

"Is there anything we can do?" James asked worriedly. From the way Lupin was speaking it sounded like his friend could die.

"Well I did read about a spell the other day in the library which wakes people up from any state except death. The Ministry of Magic mostly uses it whenever they need information from someone that's passed out. It should work but I'm not sure whether I'm experienced enough to do it."

"Go on, what's the worst that could happen?" James said encouragingly smiling slightly. Remus pulled out his wand and cleared his throat "Risvegliarsi" nothing happened.

"What went wrong?" asked James. Lupin glared at him.

"I haven't finished! It's not a simple spell you know! I'm going to have to start again now! Keep quiet next time! Risvegliarsi Sirius, svegliarsi Sirius, svegliarsi dal sonno"

"WHAT HAPPENED?" yelled Sirius sitting bolt upright and flinging his arms around. Lupin, who was standing next to the bed, was thwacked in the face. He fell, hit his temple on the wooden bedposts and smacked to the ground. James screamed. Sirius yelled.

"Oh my God! Is he ok?" asked Sirius who was rubbing his head.

"I…i…I don't know Siri" said James slowly. He knelt on the floor. Remus' lip was bleeding from where he'd been hit and there was a cut on the side of his head. "It doesn't look good. I think we should get him down to the hospital wing. I'll explain what happened to you on the way down there."

Sirius quickly got dressed and then helped James to drag Remus down to the hospital wing.

"Goodness gracious! What have we here? Lie him down on this bed please boys then kindly explain yourselves!" Madam Coo said bustling around the hospital wing. "He'll have to stay in here a while I'm afraid."

"And he just got back from his grandma's house as well!" said James.

"Grandma's? But he…..Oh yes! Grandma's house! Well he'll have to stay in over night at least. I expect you boys will want to go out and watch the Quidditch won't you?" Madam Coo asked whilst she healed the cuts and bruises on Remus' face.

"Sirius I think we should stay" James urged.

"No way! We HAVE to watch Quidditch!" Sirius said. James knew there was no point in arguing with Sirius, he'd only win anyway. He took a final look at Remus and then trudged after his friend.

The Quidditch match had already started when Sirius and James got down to the pitch. Katie and Anna were sitting right at the front and had saved two spaces next to them. The two boys squeezed in beside them and asked what had happened so far. They found out that nothing had happened as of yet and so could watch the match in peace.

Lily was sat on the row behind in between Sarah and Gemini who were explaining the more obscure rules as they went. Like why when one of the Gryffindor beaters touched the Quaffle it was a foul. Lily didn't really take any of it in but smiled and nodded and felt sick at the heights at which the players were flying.

"Excuse me Potter" she said when the boys came in late "You're blocking my view" which technically wasn't all that true as the players were that high anyway.

"Oh I'm sorry" he began, starting to move "Oh it's you!" he said when he saw her. "No can do carrot face, I'm quite comfortable where I am." Lily started breathing faster. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes grew large.

"Move Potter or else!" she threatened. James just laughed.

"What are you going to do, tomato breath, hit me or something? I'd like to see you try!" James laughed. And she did. "Ow! That hurt!" He screamed.

Sirius laughed. "HAH! Beaten by a girl Jamesie boy!" Lily turned to him. "No! Please! I didn't do anything! James did! Hit James again!"

"Thanks!" muttered James, he was beginning to wish he'd stayed in the hospital wing with Remus. At least then he wouldn't have a sore cheek or the humiliation of being hit, by a girl as well.

James turned around and started to watch the match again and planning his revenge on the annoying red head.

"You're still in my way!" Lily fumed from behind him. He decided that maybe she would be in with a chance of seeing if he switched places with Katie. This caused a lot of angry cries from behind them as they stood up but the game carried on. The Slytherins were winning 100-60 and there had been no sightings of the snitch.

"McIrish has the Quaffle and he's racing up the pitch" said Rachel Flansborough the current Quidditch commentator "Jim has been on the Slytherin team for two years now and is really starting to shine as a player. He used to not be such a team player but has really focused on his skills. He scores. Slytherin in the lead 110-60."

"This isn't a very good match is it" whispered Anna to Katie. "I mean at one of the matches my brother played in where both teams were almost equally matched. When I say equally matched what I actually mean is that my brother's team was better and so they won but it was still a good match!"

The game went on the same for ages. Gryffindor would gain and promptly lose the Quaffle and then Slytherin scored. The score was up to 250-60 and the Gryffindor knew they had to lose.

"What's this? You know! I think it's the snitch!" Rachel commentated. "And, oh my goodness I don't believe it! Christina Epson the Gryffindor has caught the snitch! The final score is 250- 210 to the Slytherins. Slytherin win the first match of the season but that was a jolly good end to a match by Christina! Well done!"

The Slytherin stands went wild. They knew it had been coming but as many of them still didn't know how to add up they couldn't have told you what the score would be after Christina caught the snitch they were in total shock.

James decided that he should probably go and see how Lupin was now, he felt responsible for the whole thing. He told Sirius where he was going and Sirius decided to go with him.

They left the stands and bumped into two Slytherin girls. James would have guessed that they were second or third year from the amount of make-up they were wearing but he soon noticed that they were both in his potions class.

"Kate and Robyn right?" Sirius asked seeming to know the girls.

"Yeah, that's right" said the taller of the two. "So, enjoy the match?"

"Yeah it was a good game, well done, but we've got to get to the hospital wing." Said James pulling Sirius away.

"Don't go, we haven't got to know you yet!" said the taller one, she seemed to be the boss of the two.

"We have to go and see our friend" James urged.

"Friend? That geeks not our friend!" Sirius said appalled at what James had come out with.

"Geek? Then I guess you're talking about that weird Lupin boy. If you're friends with him then I'm not sure we want you to be friends with us." Said the girl.

"I'm not friends with him! I'll be friends with you!" Sirius said hopefully.

"There you are!" said Katie from behind them. "I didn't know where you'd gone! Why are you talking to them?" she asked pointedly about Kate and Robyn.

"Exactly, come on Sirius." Sirius didn't move. "Ok, then I'll go by myself. Katie you coming? Lupin had an accident this morning and I just want to make sure he's ok."

"Rather Lupin than those two!" said Katie with a look of disgust at the two Slytherins and went with James. Sirius stayed and talked to them for ages and then made his way up to the common room.

Remus was all right. He still had a small scar on the side of his head that would remain for a few years but other than that he was fine. James and Katie stayed with him until Madam Coo shooed them out. He was quite a nice boy, when he wasn't constantly talking about science and maths. James felt it his duty to make friends with him, so that's what he would do. Gain his trust and then make friends, it was better to have friends than enemies.

Pleez R&R!!!