Disclaimer

Mr. Padfoot would like to state that he owns the whole world and everything in it except for Lily Evans, Mr. Prongs, Mr. Moony, Mr. Wormtail, and any bag of scum that ever passed through Slytherin.

Mr. Prongs would like to remind Mr. Padfoot that he does not even own himself for Mrs. J K Rowling owns him…along with the most of the rest of us…..but not the plot in which this glorious writer has put us in!

My Lover-ly Reviews Who Review Lover-ly-ly

zippyfox: Wow! That review was fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Thanks!

SugarQuill Cutie: Thanks for the review! I was not too sure on the volleyball so tell me if it was easily understood this time. Cusp means; atransitional point or time, as between two astrological signs. But the word just bugs me. And for the other question; I just meant to use your favorite word! Thanx again ;)

wizemunkee006: Well I think that your review was very SPECIAL! Therefore I dubb thee the bestest reviewer! Congratz! Thanx for the SPECIAL review! SPECIALI love that word! SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL!

BrownEyes90: Thanx for the review! I find it funny that people actually like it because I wrote this and I was like this is crap. But my sister was cleaning our room and she stole it and read it, and told me that if I don't post it I will die a painful death! Thanx again!

Ashley: Thanx for the review: )

J.E.A.R.K.Potter: Here is my next installment! Took me long enough! Thanx for the review! Oh and btw I was just wondering what's up with the J.E.A.R.K.? Just for the acronym?

xLynex: Thanx for the review! Not summertime anymore though. Damn it.

Katty03: LOL. I absolutely hate the word cusp! And I have not abandoned it just got a little side-tracked. You think that my story is good? Thanx!

watersprite87: Thanx for the review! Favorite is a great favorite word! V-ball is your third favorite sport,what is your favorite? Good point. Who honestly does not like Sirius? The world may never know.

Katkit: How will I track them down if they don't review? By using my PSYCOTIC POWERS! LOL Thanx for the review!

Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot: You told me that you would never read my story so I Siriusly don't know why I am replying. This si a lost cause but thanks anyway!

FallenMystery: I agree! Heath Ledger...drools while falling helplessly at his feet... Thanx for the Review!

Remusly-Moony: Maria thank you soooooo much I don't know what to say i'm sooooo flattered!

MissCheviousHP: Well, Well, Well, fancy to see a review from you! Why in the bloody hell is it soooooooooooo long? Well I just want to say thanx cuz it will take me too long to write as much to you so I'll just call you! FREDLESS!

A/N: I feel like the worst writer ever. I am so ashamed. I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging for like two months. And just for you I promise to update every single weekend from now on! And if don't I will die a most painful death being attacked by evil purple spoons! Plus whatever other painful death you can think of…death by pillows…death by feathers…death by clouds……

On with the story…

Sweat, Sand, and Spandex

Chapter 3: Hard Work and Sore Muscles

A piercing whistle shrieked, "Let's get going Mr. Potter." James threw her a look of loathing, "…and don't look at me like that, if you weren't so busy gawking at Miss…"

"Evans. Lily Evans."

"…at Miss Evans then you would not have an ever growing bump on your noggin!"

At this point the whole team was just about in tears laughing, and Sirius who was just beyond Coach Kim's sight was mimicking everything she was doing.

"Potter join a line…and as for you Black…give me two down and backs and twenty/twenty. Let's get going!"

Embarrassed, James sulked over to the other end of the sand court. But newly energized by Sirius being reprimanded, James merrily skipped the last few yards. There being only ten people on the team and with Sirius starting his twenty push-ups and twenty sit-ups, James stood at the end of the court and intently watched as the level of intensity was upped as soon as the ball was served. "1, 2, 3, 4." every time the ball was hit a number rang out until the challenging team finally yelled, "Out!"

New kings…and queens.

James stepped onto the court as a girl with frosted light brown hair rushed past him to stand on the edge of the court next to Sirius who had taken off his shirt as he did his push-ups and sit-ups, leaving James, Lily, and two other girls as the challengers.

"I am going to personally kill that girl, no matter how good of friends we are." James laughed as he heard Lily mutter to herself. Lily shot a death glare at James with those deep eyes.

James, struck with a Sirius influenced idea, removed his shirt, slowly as if revealing the treasure in a chest.

'Damn that Potter. If he wasn't such a jerk…Lily stop…okay just stop. Well…he is rather nice…Lily just stop, OK!'

Lily shook her head and attempted to get back into the game. She looked across the court through the net and into the eyes of her opponents. She immediately met Chris's eyes. They were such a captivating shade of gold. Heck if he hadn't been her second cousin she would have fallen head-over-heels in an instant. She gave him a competitive glare which he returned.

A bump, set, and tip later the ball was coming right at James. He bumped it to a curly blonde, named Sasha, who expertly set it and allowed Lily to send one of her deadly spikes at her second cousin. She sneered as he tried and failed to maneuver his angle to one where the ball was hittable. Giving Sasha a high-five, she ducked under the net to the other side of the court.

Chris wanting a rematch, got in with the next group: Sirius, Alyssa (Aunt Millie's neighbor), and Toni.

Out of the corner of her eye Lily could see Sirius and James mouthing an argument. Back and forth, threat after threat, until James had to set the ball to prevent another wound to his overly large head.

Sirius laughed mouthed something else. Lily couldn't tell what it was but it made James mad. Lily had made the second hit, a bump that floated to Sasha. James called to her, "Set me up." She carried out his request and James sent a perfect spike at Sirius'……goods. Sirius squealed and jumped out of the way. James muttered triumphantly, "Prongs one, Padfoot zero. Let the games begin!"

Sirius was, shall we say seen in a different light by the coach. "Black, you can show off and mock me when my back is turned but you can't sacrifice your balls for the team? Give me another 2/20/20."

"I think that is enough," after at least ten more rounds Coach Kim was getting sick of the whole; Lily spikes at James, Sirius makes fun of James, James spikes at Sirius, Sirius runs away. The worst part was that there was at least another one and a half hours left of this vicious cycle. "Why don't we do Six Touch Pepper? Yes I think that will show me how your hand work is." Coach Kim sighed and looked at her clip board. "Ten people, perfect. Get in pairs; I want one person to stand on the sideline and the other about half the court distance apart."

Like magnets, Sirius and James snapped together, side by side. "Oh no, not you two together. Black switch with Evans."

"But, I….."

"Save it Evans. Alright this should be easy for you to understand," Coach Kim cleared her throat. "Pepper starts off with your partner giving you a down ball. You dig the ball to yourself. Then you tomahawk (overhead contact) the ball to yourself. Next you contact with just your left fist. Then your right fist. After that you set it to yourself. Lastly you hit a down ball to partner. Got it?"

Sirius raised his hand.

"Yes Black?"

"I understand but I have two questions. What's a down ball, and what's a dig?" He looked at Coach Kim expectantly.

"Get in your stance. Go on." Sirius did so and Coach Kim threw the ball at Sirius' left foot.

Sirius looked indignant, "Hey, what was that for?"

Coach Kim looked around, then barked, "Potter ball." James tossed her the red, gold and white striped ball that he had just gotten out of the basket for him and Lily.

Coach Kim had a look on her face that suggested that she was attempting to explain something to a small child. "Okay Blackie, I am going to throw the ball at one of your two feet again. Yes you do have two feet, amazing isn't it?" As she explained her eyes grew wide and she smiled as large as she possibly could. "Now will you squat down again and try to HIT THE BALL THIS TIME?" After her outburst it took her a few moments to recuperate again.

When she finally did, she smiled brightly and tossed the ball at his left foot again.

This time, however, Sirius naturally swooped down onto a knee and met the ball sending it up with a bump. "That would be a down ball Black, and what you did was a dig. Any other questions?" No one seemed to have any so she told them to 'get going'.

"Sirius, how can you fall flat on your face three times while trying to do the dig that you did perfectly with Coach Kim?" James and Sirius had begun the long walk home, all bruised and battered.

"Well that's one coming from the boy who managed to get hit in the face four times while trying to do the same thing." Sirius and James watched as Lily drove past in her little black car, singing to a tune on the radio.

"Hi boys," she waved and smiled sweetly; then sped off.

James waved back and Sirius gave her the finger.

Suddenly Lily put the car in reverse and approached the boys. "Do you boys want a ride or something 'cause you are both walking like you have sticks up your asses?"

"Really Evans? That would just be awesome." She nodded. Not believing their luck the two hopped into the vehicle, too tired to care who gave them the ride. "Thanks Evans," James said, a smile appearing at the corners of his lips.

Lily locked the doors and drove about thirty five feet. "Hey Evans why are you stopping?" It was Sirius who spoke this time.

"Because I gave you a ride. I never said how long it would be," Lily grined.

"But Evans I ran soooooo much more than you. I had to do six 2/20/20's, and James had to do five which is still more than you."

"Out!"

"But just this once-"

"Now boys." If looks could kill, let's just say that the two Marauders would be chopped into little pieces, fried, baked, put into a blender, baked again, and fed to a three headed dog.

"Thanks for the ride Evans," they both said getting out of the car as quickly as their sore, rubbery legs could carry them. As soon as the door was shut the car sped off. Except this time the finger was peeking out of the driver side window.

As she made her escape Lily smirked, "Dumb asses."

The rest of the ride was uneventful and she was greatful for that.

She got back to Aunt Millie's Market feeling a lot better as she made her way to the apartment above the store waving at a few people as she passed them. She saw her Aunt Millie speaking to a costumer with some of the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen. Wait she had seen those eyes before. She shrugged it off as her aunt called her over into the conversation she was having with the hazel eyed woman.

"Here she comes," Lily heard her aunt say to the woman, "Lily this is Julie. She was one of my first regular costumers ever."

Lily stuck her hand out to shake the woman's hand. The woman also had a sweet smile that made Lily smile as well. "Hello, Mrs.….I'm sorry I didn't catch your last name."

"Julie Potter," Lily had to stifle a gasp as she finally recognized those eyes. She also sub consciously remembered Potter saying something about his mum being an auror. Lily, to this day, was yet to meet a female auror. "But please, call me Julie."

"Lily Evans and I must say that it is an honor to meet one of the best female aurors ever." Julie looked at her with astonishment, then a look of knowing.

"Lily Evans…so you are the one keeping James in check while he is at school. He can never stop talking about you Miss Evans."

"Well I do what I can. But he just seems to have a talent for trouble, and I have a talent for catching him in the act."

"You are definitely right about that talent for trouble. But I keep hoping that he will grow out of it."

Aunt Millie who was silent up until that point whispered as some other muggles passed, "Wait one bloody second. You are a witch, Julie, and you never told me."

"Well I didn't want to scare you away." She said, the smile now gone. Lily wanted her to smile again. It seemed so empty without Julie's smile.

"Well that's a good point. Lily, remember how I freaked out when I found out that you were one." She laughed a bit at the memory, "Well that only leaves one question-."

But before she could voice it she was interrupted. "Mother Potter!"

Sirius strolled into the isle arms full of various candies.

"Well, if it isn't the one and only Sirius Black, fancy meeting you here." Mrs. Potter eyed the candy in his arms. "Sirius I hope that you don't plan on me paying for that."

"Oh, no James said he would. He said that the Potter family had this thing called a….a cremit carp…no, that's not it…a carpet crad….no..."

"He was going to charge it to my credit card!" Mrs. Potter's eyes flashed. "That boy!"

"Oh don't worry Mother Potter he already made a purchase on it. And I heard that the more that you spend the more that you get. So, when he went to the bathroom I put another two hundred ninety six loldars and 53 knuts on it. So if you spent six hundred ninety three loldars and 956 knuts how much do you get?" He innocently asked dumping the contents of his arms into the cart.

"James Harold Potter!" Lily was really starting to like Julie.

So there it is!

Tell me what you thought. Dissapointing, crappy, good, crappy, poor, crappy, shitty, crappy...you get the picture. Even if in your review you tell me how mad you are at me for not updating for soooooooooooo long. Just review PLEASE!

-Prongsie-Jamesie