Chapter 6 Snogs, Potions, and Quidditch Oh My!

Harry fit in well with the 6th year Gryffindors. He split his time between the marauders and Lily, Alice, and Frank over the next few days. It was a little hard to come up with facts about himself when he was asked about his life previously to coming to Hogwarts.

Harry was sitting in the common room with everyone, and they were all talking. Suddenly, Lily said, "Hey Evan, I just realized I don't know that much about you. Do you have any siblings?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Um… no. I do have a cousin who I see a lot." It wasn't a lie. He did see Dudley all the time, since he lived with him.

"Oh, but your parents must be wizards if you were home-schooled." Remus said.

"Actually, I had no idea I was a wizard until I was 11. I had a neighbor though who knew all about it." Everything there was true. He hadn't lied. Mrs. Figg knew all about magic, being a squib. Before anyone else could ask anymore questions Harry spoke again. "I'm heading up, g'night." Harry went up to the dorm. 'That was close' He thought. 'I almost spilled everything.'

Harry went to sleep. He'd need all the luck he could get. Tomorrow he had potions with the Slytherins.

"I've decided," James said dramatically as he sat down at breakfast the next morning, "to hold quidditch try-outs tomorrow."

"What positions are open?" asked Harry.

"A chaser and seeker," James said. "You don't play quidditch though right. Since you were home-schooled?"

"Actually, I've been told I'd make a pretty good seeker. I supposedly have the right build for it," Harry said remembering his first year.

"Well great! Try out then. Our old seeker was rubbish," James responded enthusiastically.

Everyone finished up breakfast and made their way over to potions. Harry realized this was going to be the first time he saw Snivellus in person. He was sure this potions class was going to be interesting.

He sat down next to Lily. "Oho Evan my boy. Sitting next to Miss Evans. I see you know where the talent is too."

"Yes, Sir." Harry smiled at Lily.

"Today class. Today we're going to be attempting the draught of living death. There will be no partners for this assignment." Everyone opened their books and went to get their ingredients. Harry started his potion.

"Evan! You're doing it wrong. Cut the sopophorous beans like this," Lily demonstrated. Harry took her advice and found his potion was actually turning out right for once.

Lily was really good at potions, perhaps as good as Snape, who was slaving away in the back of the classroom. Professor Slughorn passed by Snape and peered into his cauldron. "Acceptable," he sniffed. Then he walked over towards Lily. Looking at her potion, he beamed. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Ms. Evans is a potions master in the making!" he called out. Lily blushed at the compliment. Snape glowered in the background.

Harry began stirring his cauldron counterclockwise. "Evan, I'll tell you a secret," Lily said. He stared up at her. "After every 6 counterclockwise stirs add one clockwise stir." Harry did and found to his delight that the potion actually turned the correct pale pink color.

Snape seemed to have overheard and quickly copied the actions. After seeing the result, he scribbled down some notes in his textbook. No one noticed.

Harry left that potions class, happy as ever. Maybe if Snape weren't such a git he would be fairly decent at potions.

At lunch the next day, the marauders wore huge grins on their faces. "What did you do now?" Frank asked them wearily as he and Harry sat down.

"Watch Snivellus and see!" Sirius said gleefully.

Harry turned to see Snape take a long drink from his goblet. Suddenly he seemed to choke. "You guys didn't hurt him did you?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Of course not! Not that he doesn't deserve it," James said muttering the last bit.

"Yah! Would I ever try to hurt him?" Sirius asked innocently. James and Remus exchanged a look and gave him a glare. Harry realized that the shrieking shack incident must have just happened last year for them. "Anyway, just keep watching."

The other Slytherins were already sending looks towards the marauders, even though the prank had not taken effect yet. Snape noticed nothing new about himself and called out, "Ha! It didn't work."

Unfortunately for him, it had. His voice was now a high-pitched feminine whine. The Great Hall exploded with laughter and Snape reddened in mortification. He tried to flee the room with his hands covering his mouth. Someone tripped him on his way out and he landed sprawled out on the floor. Some other noticeable changes had begun. Snape's face had make-up slathered all over it and he seemed to have grown err…bigger in the chest area.

"You changed him into a girl!" Lily screamed at James. "Just leave him alone!"

"But Evans! It was payback. He mentioned something about your parentage," James protested earnestly.

"I can fight my own battles, James. That was cruel. Pick on someone else for a change!"

"Fine, fine."

"Really?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"If you go out with me!"

"POTTER! THERE'S NO WAY ON EARTH I WOULD EVER GO OUT WITH SOMEONE WHO EMBARRESSES PEOPLE FOR FUN. YOU ARE SO ARROGANT!" Lily screamed frustratedly. Harry turned his laugh into a cough as she turned her glare on him. "I warned you to stay away from him," she said to him. "I hope his arrogance doesn't rub off on you." With that said, she left, Alice trailing after her.

"Ouch Prongs! You almost had her for a moment there," Sirius joked.

Harry inwardly smirked at the nickname mentioned and played dumb. "Why'd you call him Prongs?"

"It's a nickname," Pettigrew said.

"How'd he get that nickname though?" Harry asked, fighting the urge once again to kill Peter.

"Well it's because of Remus. He's a we…" Pettigrew was cut off as James put a hand over his mouth and Remus looked at Harry worriedly, trying to gage if he had heard the last part.

"A what?" Harry asked innocently.

"A weird kid, he loves making random nicknames up for people," Sirius said.

Remus shrugged. "What can I say? It's a problem I developed at an early age." He tried to play it off as a joke, but Harry knew he actually was referring to his werewolf problem.

"Excellent conditions for try-outs!" James exclaimed outside on the pitch. There was a cluster of people standing around clutching their brooms. "Right so, chasers go over there," he said pointing to the left. "And seekers go over there," he finished pointing to the right. The cluster broke into two. "First, we'll do chasers. You'll be playing with me and Sirius to see if we 'd work well together. We'll also see how many times you can score on the keeper."

Harry watched everyone take their turns getting on their brooms and flying with James and Sirius. He was ecstatic at seeing them flying. He really did fly like his dad, except he was probably even less cautious than James. That was saying something, as James was all over the place, flying at top speeds. Harry was holding a broom that James had lent him. (It was his old one.) It was a shooting star. He couldn't believe how slow it seemed to go. He missed his Firebolt so badly.

The chasers had all gone. The team was deliberating. "So, I'll post the results tomorrow, once the team thinks it over," James announced to the hopefuls. Most of them walked over to the stands to watch the seekers try-out. "Seekers next! Our beaters, Fabian and Gideon, are going to hit the bludgers towards you while you look for the snitch. You'll be going in groups of 4 since there's so many of you."

After watching the first 4 groups go, Harry, who was in the last group, mounted his broom. He looked at the people he would be flying against. The boy next to him was tall and weedy. He looked like a 7th year. Two girls were also flying against him. Both were 4th years that kept giggling to each other and shooting glances over their shoulders at Harry.

Then the game started. The girls stuck close together and flew around, dodging the bludgers successfully for the most part. The other boy was quite good, but seemed to be marking Harry.

Suddenly a bludgers whizzed right by Harry's arm. He quickly pulled himself out of harm's way. The 7th year was drawing ever closer to him. Harry, annoyed with his lack of personal space when the snitch was nowhere in sight, dove straight down very suddenly. He kept going and going and going. The ground was quickly approaching. The 7th year boy was following him quickly. Suddenly three feet from the ground, Harry pulled himself up. His follower didn't. He crashed straight into the ground and tumbled off his broom. The crowd cheered.

Then he saw it, a flickering golden glint on the other side of the field. The 4th year girls were so close to it, but they hadn't noticed. Harry slowly made his way over, hoping not to draw their attention. Keeping his eyes on the snitch's movements once he was almost there, Harry put on a burst of speed. The girls were startled, but before they even had a chance to move, Harry had caught it.

He flew down and walked over towards James. "Nice work, Jameson," he said.

"Thanks," Harry replied.

"Ok! So same as with the chasers, we'll talk it over as a team and make the announcements tomorrow," James called out to the crowd.

Everyone began walking in. As they reached the common room, Harry went and sat down with Lily and Frank. "How were try-outs?" Lily asked.

"Pretty good, I caught the snitch."

"Good job!" Lily said enthusiastically.

James and Sirius walked in and the two 4th year girls walked up to them. "We did awful!" one exclaimed.

"You weren't that bad," James assured her.

"Yes we were!" the other protested.

"Is there anything we could do to make you feel better?" Sirius asked slyly.

"Well…" said the first one.

"Now that you mention it…"said the second.

They both leaned it towards Sirius and James and proceeded to snog the life out of them. Neither of the boys protested.

"Ugh! Why do they have to do that in public?" Lily exclaimed.

"Jealous?" Frank asked slyly.

"Of course not," Lily responded. "Though I've heard Sirius is a good snog."

Sirius broke away and grinned, overhearing Lily's statement. "You're welcome to snog me anytime, Evans."

"No she's not you git!" James said, pushing the girl aside.

"It was just a joke," Sirius protested.

"James Potter! Do not tell me who I can or can't snog!" Lily yelled.

"Fine! Act like a slag for all I care!" James replied.

Lily huffed. "I will." She then walked over to Sirius and gave him a nice long snog. He certainly didn't stop her. Both were too caught up to see the pained expression that flickered onto James face. Finally pulling away Lily said to Sirius, "Well, the rumor was true. You're a fairly good snog." With that said, she left.

"James, I'm sorry!" Sirius said right away.

"No it's fine. She kissed you, I saw it," James responded glumly. "I'm going for a walk." He exited the common room.