Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowlings who has said she doesn't mind people borrowing it for fanfic so I am.

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, I'm having problems with my monitor so I can't get at some of my files and am typing this on

another computer. I didn't think it would be very nice to make you wait until I go back to school in September though.

Reviewer Response:

SarahtheBardess: That's ok, I forgot to review a few of your chapters. I am putting Remus in this chapter just for you!

2Insanitiesin1: thanks

catchmeifyacan: Lily's nice to her cause she's better than her J

tvnerdgirl:-P I like having you on the edge of the seat, maybe I should keep you there and make a short chapter!

It was the second week of classes and Harry and Ron had just seen the notice that flying lessons would begin on Thursday and would be shared with the Slytherins.

"Wonderful," Harry commented crossly to Ron as they went down to breakfast, "another lesson with the Slytherins." Nonetheless, Harry was excited. Like most wizarding children, he had grown up with brooms around and Sirius had even allowed Harry to fly on his when they were on holidays and both his mum and Sirius had told him he was just like his father, a natural.

Thursday morning dawned bright and clear. Harry and Ron enjoyed their breakfast and exchanged gleeful looks as they listened to Hermione frantically reciting flying tips from a quidditch book, while Neville listened with equal desperation. Neville was the only non-muggle-born who had not had some boastful flying story that included helicopters, birds, or other sort of near miss, whether true or exaggerated.

After breakfast, the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years trooped outside and joined Madam Hooch on the lawn.

"Right, everyone step up to your broom, hold out your right hand, and say 'up' " Madam Hooch instructed. Once everyone had their broom up in their hand, and some people had taken a few tries, Madam Hooch demonstrated how to mount their brooms and then moved along between the rows correcting students' grips. Harry grinned when she informed Malfoy he had been doing it wrong for years.

After assuring that everyone was properly mounted, Hooch instructed everyone to push off when she blew her whistle on the count of three then return to the ground after hovering for a moment. However, she had only reached too when Neville pushed off. Harry watched anxiously as he shot 20 feet into the air before slipping off and crashing back to the ground.

Madam Hooch and Neville hurried off to the hospital wing and were barely out of sight before Malfoy started laughing.. He swooped down on the spot where Neville had fallen and held up the remembrall Neville had been sent in the post that morning.

Before Malfoy could say anything, Harry stepped forward. "Give it here, Malfoy!" His mother and Sirius had always told him to stick up for his friends.

…..

Hedwig arrived shortly after Lily and Sirius had finished dinner.

Mum and Sirius

Guess what! I'm the new seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team! So I need a broom. Oliver Wood (team captain and keeper) recommendsa Numbus 2000 or a Cleansweep 7. Early Christmas present?

I know first years aren't usually allowed brooms, but McGonagall's the one who put me on the team and they're going to bend that rule a bit.

Say hi to uncle Remus for me!

Love Harry

Lily looked up at Sirius. "How exactly did a first year get on the quidditch team?" she asked suspiciously.

Sirius shrugged. "Well, McGonagall's probably desperate and if she saw him on a broom she'd see he's a natural."

Lily shook her head. "Just because someone can fly doesn't mean they can seek. There's something he's not telling us."

"You're paranoid," Sirius told her.

"I am not paranoid," Lily retorted, "I am a mother. A mother to a boy who you helped raise, I might add, which gives me very good reason to be suspicious."

"Hey!" Sirius protested. Lily snorted as she began floating dishes into the sink. Sirius continued to grumble about Lily maligning his character until Remus arrived at 8:00.

"Remus," Sirius declared as the two men settled into the living room, "your friend Lily has been slandering my good name. She actually implied that I raised Harry to be a mischief maker!"

Remus picked up a biscuit from a tray on the coffee table and looked at Sirius as though waiting for him to continue.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"You said Lily was slandering you but you haven't said how," Remus replied.

"I did too!" Sirius answered indignantly. "I told you she implied I taught Harry to be…" he paused, searching for the right word.

"A Marauder?" Remus offered.

Sirius let out an exasperated sigh. "I should have known you'd take her side!"

"So what brought this up anyway" Remus asked as Lily joined them.

"Harry made the quidditch team." Lily informed him.

Remus looked surprised. "That's great. But I thought first years weren't allowed?" he said.

"McGonagall's desperate to see the Slytherins go down this year," Sirius told him.

Remus nodded. "True, but how does she know he'll be a good seeker? That's not something they usually cover in flying classes is it?"

"Exactly!" Lily agreed, shooting a triumphant look at Sirius. "There's something he's not telling us. I'll just have to ask McGonagall next time

I see her. Oh, and Harry says hi."

The next afternoon another letter arrived with Hedwig just as Lily and Sirius were getting ready to go to Diagon Alley and buy Harry a broom.

Mum and Sirius

I've been meaning to ask you, do you know why half the third floor corridor if out of bounds this year?

Love Harry

"Now he's asking about the third floor? He is turning into you!" Lily said, a hint of worry in her voice.

"He's just being curious, I'm sure he won't go nosing or anything," Sirius said soothingly.

"He'd better not," Lily muttered as Sirius lit the fire for flooing, unaware that Harry, along with Ron, Hermione, and Neville, had already been in far enough to see Fluffy when he'd had to hide from Filch in the middle of the night.

Harry's broom arrived a week after McGonagall saw him diving after Neville's remembrall. When six owls dropped the long brown package in front of him he and Ron hurried from the Great Hall to unwrap it before classes started. Malfoy was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. When Harry and Ron reached them, he grabbed the package from Harry's hand and felt it before ripping it open and revealing a Nimbus 2000.

"You're in for it now, Potter, first years aren't allowed their own brooms!"

"Jealous Malfoy?" Harry taunted as he took it back.

"Course he is!" Ron chimed in. "He's got, what did you say it was, a Comet 260 at home? Looks flashy but it's not in the same class as a Nimbus!"

"Like you'd know. Your family has to save up for a broom twig by twig!" Malfoy snapped.

It was at this point that professor Flitwick appeared. "Not fighting, I hope," he squeaked.

"Potter's got a broom!" Malfoy said quickly.

Professor Flitwick nodded. "That's right, Professor McGongall told me all about it. A Nimbus is it?" he added, peering at the handle.

"That's right," Harrry confirmed, fighting back a laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face.

"That's it!" Lily Potter declared coming into the offiice from her garden. "I'm going to ask Mrs. Figg if we can buy one of her half kneazles, I am sick of having gnomes in my muggle garden!"

Sirius Black looked up from the kettle he was inspecting which had already bitten him once. He was doing a favour for Arthur Weasley who was slightly overwhelmed at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office at the moment. "So you're sure we've got gnomes then?" Sirius asked as Lily disappeared into the kitchen. She reappeared a moment later with the first aid kit and pulled out a magical bandaid.

"I'm sure!" she answered firmly, holding out a slightly bloodied finger for Sirius's inspection before wrapping it. She sat down next to him and regarded the kettle which had begun spinning. "How's it coming?" she asked.

Sirius scowled at it. "I can't figure what Barnaby did to it," he groused. "I was hoping to be done before dinner because Dumbledore wants Remus and I to leave tonight."

Lily nodded sympathetically. It was the beginning of October and Petunia had reported once again that Peter was still in Germany. They were beginning to worry that Peter might have found Voldemort so Dumbledore was sending Sirius and Remus to find him.

"So what are you going to do while I'm gone?" Sirius asked as he gave the spinning kettle a sharp tap with his wand to make it stop. When this failed he briefly considered smashing it, but Arthur wanted to know what sort of spell Barnaby had used so he'd just have to keep at it.

Lily pulled Sirius' bitten hand towards her while he waved his wand over the kettle. "I'm going to work on the disguising mirror," Lily informed him as she gently poked at the flesh on the side of Sirius' hand. "You're lucky it didn't break the skin," she added. Sirius grunted

noncommittally as the kettle finally stopped spinning but began glowing orange. Smiling slightly to herself, Lily stood up and headed back to the kitchen with the first aid kit. "I'm going to get dinner started, chicken alright?" Sirius made a nose that Lily took as consent.

Lily moved about the kitchen preparing dinner and humming The Weird Sisters' latest song, occasionally interrupted by sounds from the dining room. From what Lily could tell, the kettle had bitten him again and was now hovering above the table.

Lily had set the table for three and was checking on the potatoes when Sirius let out a triumphant cry from the office. "Take that!" he shouted.

"No silly kettle gets the best of Sirius Black!"

"Glad it takes a smart kettle to get the better of you!" Lily teased, coming in to inspect his work.

"Very funny," Sirius said. He pulled Lily into his lap and proudly displayed the now unintended kettle. They were still sitting that way when Remus apparated into their living room.

"Cozy," he commented, peering into the office.

"Hey Moony," Sirius greeted cheerfully.

"Remus! Dinner!" Lily cried, suddenly remembering the food she'd left cookin in the kitchen. She scrambled up and darted into the kitchen. Amused, Sirius and Remus followed. "It's all right!" Lily told them as they came in, "nothing's burned."

Next chapter, Lily and Petunia and Sirius and Remus in Germany