Disclaimer: I'm sick of writing these, and I'm sure you're sick of reading
them, too. If anyone out there is interested, we don't own anything you
recognise. Now, onwards and outwards, and up with your eyes! (Sploogal:
Sorry, too much sugar!)
Chapter twenty-one
"Hey James! Um, hi Lily."
Sirius and Remus ran across the field that was Sirius' front yard, to the door where James and Lily had portkey'd to.
"Rion didn't say Lily was coming," Remus informed James and Lily. "Are we to assume that you two had a good week?"
Sirius winked and nudged James, who shoved him backwards into Remus.
"When are we leaving?" Lily asked Remus while James and Sirius staged a fight.
"Actually, we're not. You'll see why when those two grow up a little and quit fighting." replied Remus. "It's a surprise for James."
Sirius looked confused for a moment, bit then a look of comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh! I remember now. Come on James, we have to pick the teams!"
"Teams? Teams for what?"
Sirius rolled his eyes and replied slowly, as though speaking to a two-year- old. "The teams for the Potter/Black game, you git!"
"Don't be stupid, Sirius! There're only two Potters left." Said James. "Well, maybe you're not being stupid. Without a full Potter team, maybe you Black's will stand a chance of winning! For the first time in ten years, I might add!"
"And they're off again." Groaned Remus.
While James and Sirius argued, Remus explained to Lily. "The Potter/Black game has been played every summer for centuries. They weren't sure how they'd do it this year, with half the Potters gone, but they've decided to keep the Black team all-Black, and the Potters will have James and Rion, and some of their friends. You should come and watch if you're not picked for the team: it's always an 'entertaining' day, especially with James and Sirius on opposing sides!"
"I'll make a note of that." Lily replied. "James and Sirius - against each other!"
"Kids! Come inside, it's time to pick the teams!"
Sirius and Remus lead them inside. The entire Black family, Rion, his friend Blake, and Remus' parents were already crowded into the Black's living room, which was usually quite spacious. To Lily, it seemed that all of the Blacks in the world had turned up for this game. Sirius caught the astonished look on her face, and explained that all the Blacks in the world had indeed come.
As James walked into the room, he was pelted by eggs that a member of the Black family (*cough* Ori *cough*) had been levitating above the door. Looking around, James realised that Rion, too, was covered in runny, eggy goo.
"Over here James!" Rion called, motioning to a seat beside him and Blake.
Sirius went the opposite way, to join his sister and cousin, and Remus and Lily decided to follow James.
"I see he got you too." said Rion, referring to the goo on his face.
"Who cares? We'll slaughter them at the game." James replied. "But until then, who says a little revenge isn't in order?"
James waved his wand, and every Black that had been sitting down was suddenly tipped out of his/her seat, as every bit of furniture was stuck to the ceiling. This bit of wand work earned James and Rion glares from every Black in the room.
"Nice one, James!" congratulated Rion, patting James on the back.
Lily attempted a scouring charm on both Potters, but nothing happened. Blake laughed as James explained that the egg wouldn't come off for another hour or so.
"They've been using that same prank since before anyone can remember!" Said Rion.
"And you're still falling for it," said Ori, coming up behind them. "Bloody Potters! You'd think they'd learn, wouldn't you?" He asked the Lupins and Lily.
"Have you picked your team yet?" Asked Mrs Lupin.
"Yeah, here." Ori handed Rion a slip of parchment, which Rion showed to the others.
Referee: Alex Jordan Commentator: Thomas Jordan Black Team: Seeker: Steph. Beaters: Sirius, Ori. Chasers: Jullie, Sean, Chloe. Keeper: Jack. Potter Team:
"You figured out a team yet?" Ori asked Rion.
"Nope," Rion answered as he read through the list for the Black team. "Hang on, you're playing beater?"
"Yeah."
"With Sirius?"
"Yeah."
Well, it's your death wish." Said Rion. "But personally, I wouldn't trust that kid with a twig, let alone a beater's club!"
"Well, I think you'll find that Sirius is a very good beater. Now hurry up and pick your team already!"
"Yeah, yeah." said Rion as Ori sauntered off. "He thinks he's got the game in the bag, just because our numbers are a little diminished this year. We'll show him."
Rion did a quick count of the number of people in the group. "Seven. Perfect! Lily, do you play quidditch?"
"Um, well, I can fly, but I -"
"Of course she does!" James cut in. "She'll play."
"All right then," said Rion. "James: seeker, or chaser?"
"Seeker, you git! What do I want with a great ugly quaffle?"
"Good point. I'll take beater, then." Rion commented as he wrote.
"Blake? Beater, right?"
Blake grinned. "Of course!"
"Remus? Mr and Mrs Lupin? Lily?"
"I'll go keeper." Said Remus.
"All right, that leaves three chaser positions."
Mandy and Michael Lupin and Lily nodded in agreement, and Rion filled in their names.
"James? You wanna take this to Ori?" Rion ask casually, holding out the parchment for James to take.
"Hell no! You're in charge here, not me. Or does this mean you're chickening out?"
Rion blushed, and left to take the parchment to Ori.
"What's the big deal?" Asked Lily. "Why don't you want to take it to Ori?"
Remus laughed and pointed as Rion handed the parchment to Ori and turned to run. Ori was too quick for him, though, and a shower of feathers fell on Rion, sticking to him where the eggs had hit. The Blacks exploded with laughter as Rion returned to his seat.
"Shall I jinx him?" James asked.
"Yes, I think that's a good idea." Rion replied, and whispered in James' ear.
"That's a good idea, but I think I've got a few better ones." He replied, grinning.
James took a very old looking slip of parchment out of his pocket. "Choose one," he said.
"Where'd you get this?" Asked Rion in an awed voice, taking the parchment from James, and holding it as though afraid it might crumble in his hands.
"Dad. He gave it to me a few weeks before he." James trailed off.
Rion put an arm around James, and the two put their heads together.
"What's going on?" Lily asked the Lupins.
Mr Lupin answered her. "In previous years, with the whole Potter family present, the two families would spend at least half a day in this room, picking their teams and cursing each other."
"Yes," Mrs Lupin continued. "It's the only time of year that you'll see any sort of real rivalry between the Blacks and the Potters. The rest of the time, they're the best of friends!"
Mr Lupin went on. "They absolutely hate each others' guts during this time! If we were smart, we would have stayed out of the middle of it!"
"You've seen how dirty the Slytherin/Gryffindor games are, right Lily?" Remus queried. "Well, those are nothing next to the Black/Potter games."
"So how'd the Jordans get into it?" Lily asked. "We're not really sure how that happened, actually, but it's been like that as long as anyone can remember." Mr Lupin replied.
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud "BANG!"
Rion and James were struggling to sit up straight as they laughed. They had cast a spell over the Blacks, all of whom were now covered from head to toe in thick, sticky honey.
A few Blacks took out their wands and attempted to rid themselves of the honey, but this only made the problem worse, as it turned pink with purple polka-dots, making James and Rion laugh even harder.
Squelching behind them warned the Potters that Sirius, Steph (Sirius' sister), and Sean (their cousin) were approaching.
"Hi Sean, Steph, Sirius." Rion said politely.
James merely nodded.
"Hi yourself. I suppose this is supposed to be funny?" Demanded Steph. "I only just washed my hair last night!"
Rion and James doubled over once again with laughter, and Steph stormed off. Sirius and Sean looked ready to kill, and brought the two hysterical Potters to their senses by giving them fluoro stripes in their hair, and attaching tiny bells to the ends of their hair.
"Where's the list?" Sirius demanded.
"What list?" Asked Rion innocently.
"Dunno what you're talking about." James added.
"You gits! Everyone knows that Potters have no aptitude for lying. Where's the list?" Sean shoved Rion to emphasise his words.
"Like we'd let you Blacks get your honey-covered hands on it!" Spat James.
"Anyway, if you Blacks had any imagination or originality at all, you wouldn't have to repeat the same curses every year, and you'd have your own list!" Rion informed them.
At this, James and Rion hosed the Black cousins with jets of green paint from the tips of their wands. The offending Blacks took cover behind the crowd of thirty or more Blacks on the other side of the room.
"Cowards!" James Rion shouted in unison.
The Lupins and Lily rolled their eyes and tried not to laugh to hard.
A/N Thankyou very much for the reviews! There were so many of them! Yay! Sploogal happy! Garden Gnome happy! Woohoo! Thanks to: 'Bec' 'Flamehail' 'Vamperfly' 'Kite-Chan' 'Piper' 'phoenix' 'Two Bored Idiots' 'peachgirl1608' 'jainajag00' 'Senya Starseeker' 'Anna N. O'Muss' 'McG' 'Headmaster Cromwell' 'Laumina' 'thekeeperofwords' 'Amananduniel Black'. Sorry to anyone we forgot, it was not intentional. I'm pretty sure that's everyone, though. We still want reviews, so point-click-type everyone!
Chapter twenty-one
"Hey James! Um, hi Lily."
Sirius and Remus ran across the field that was Sirius' front yard, to the door where James and Lily had portkey'd to.
"Rion didn't say Lily was coming," Remus informed James and Lily. "Are we to assume that you two had a good week?"
Sirius winked and nudged James, who shoved him backwards into Remus.
"When are we leaving?" Lily asked Remus while James and Sirius staged a fight.
"Actually, we're not. You'll see why when those two grow up a little and quit fighting." replied Remus. "It's a surprise for James."
Sirius looked confused for a moment, bit then a look of comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh! I remember now. Come on James, we have to pick the teams!"
"Teams? Teams for what?"
Sirius rolled his eyes and replied slowly, as though speaking to a two-year- old. "The teams for the Potter/Black game, you git!"
"Don't be stupid, Sirius! There're only two Potters left." Said James. "Well, maybe you're not being stupid. Without a full Potter team, maybe you Black's will stand a chance of winning! For the first time in ten years, I might add!"
"And they're off again." Groaned Remus.
While James and Sirius argued, Remus explained to Lily. "The Potter/Black game has been played every summer for centuries. They weren't sure how they'd do it this year, with half the Potters gone, but they've decided to keep the Black team all-Black, and the Potters will have James and Rion, and some of their friends. You should come and watch if you're not picked for the team: it's always an 'entertaining' day, especially with James and Sirius on opposing sides!"
"I'll make a note of that." Lily replied. "James and Sirius - against each other!"
"Kids! Come inside, it's time to pick the teams!"
Sirius and Remus lead them inside. The entire Black family, Rion, his friend Blake, and Remus' parents were already crowded into the Black's living room, which was usually quite spacious. To Lily, it seemed that all of the Blacks in the world had turned up for this game. Sirius caught the astonished look on her face, and explained that all the Blacks in the world had indeed come.
As James walked into the room, he was pelted by eggs that a member of the Black family (*cough* Ori *cough*) had been levitating above the door. Looking around, James realised that Rion, too, was covered in runny, eggy goo.
"Over here James!" Rion called, motioning to a seat beside him and Blake.
Sirius went the opposite way, to join his sister and cousin, and Remus and Lily decided to follow James.
"I see he got you too." said Rion, referring to the goo on his face.
"Who cares? We'll slaughter them at the game." James replied. "But until then, who says a little revenge isn't in order?"
James waved his wand, and every Black that had been sitting down was suddenly tipped out of his/her seat, as every bit of furniture was stuck to the ceiling. This bit of wand work earned James and Rion glares from every Black in the room.
"Nice one, James!" congratulated Rion, patting James on the back.
Lily attempted a scouring charm on both Potters, but nothing happened. Blake laughed as James explained that the egg wouldn't come off for another hour or so.
"They've been using that same prank since before anyone can remember!" Said Rion.
"And you're still falling for it," said Ori, coming up behind them. "Bloody Potters! You'd think they'd learn, wouldn't you?" He asked the Lupins and Lily.
"Have you picked your team yet?" Asked Mrs Lupin.
"Yeah, here." Ori handed Rion a slip of parchment, which Rion showed to the others.
Referee: Alex Jordan Commentator: Thomas Jordan Black Team: Seeker: Steph. Beaters: Sirius, Ori. Chasers: Jullie, Sean, Chloe. Keeper: Jack. Potter Team:
"You figured out a team yet?" Ori asked Rion.
"Nope," Rion answered as he read through the list for the Black team. "Hang on, you're playing beater?"
"Yeah."
"With Sirius?"
"Yeah."
Well, it's your death wish." Said Rion. "But personally, I wouldn't trust that kid with a twig, let alone a beater's club!"
"Well, I think you'll find that Sirius is a very good beater. Now hurry up and pick your team already!"
"Yeah, yeah." said Rion as Ori sauntered off. "He thinks he's got the game in the bag, just because our numbers are a little diminished this year. We'll show him."
Rion did a quick count of the number of people in the group. "Seven. Perfect! Lily, do you play quidditch?"
"Um, well, I can fly, but I -"
"Of course she does!" James cut in. "She'll play."
"All right then," said Rion. "James: seeker, or chaser?"
"Seeker, you git! What do I want with a great ugly quaffle?"
"Good point. I'll take beater, then." Rion commented as he wrote.
"Blake? Beater, right?"
Blake grinned. "Of course!"
"Remus? Mr and Mrs Lupin? Lily?"
"I'll go keeper." Said Remus.
"All right, that leaves three chaser positions."
Mandy and Michael Lupin and Lily nodded in agreement, and Rion filled in their names.
"James? You wanna take this to Ori?" Rion ask casually, holding out the parchment for James to take.
"Hell no! You're in charge here, not me. Or does this mean you're chickening out?"
Rion blushed, and left to take the parchment to Ori.
"What's the big deal?" Asked Lily. "Why don't you want to take it to Ori?"
Remus laughed and pointed as Rion handed the parchment to Ori and turned to run. Ori was too quick for him, though, and a shower of feathers fell on Rion, sticking to him where the eggs had hit. The Blacks exploded with laughter as Rion returned to his seat.
"Shall I jinx him?" James asked.
"Yes, I think that's a good idea." Rion replied, and whispered in James' ear.
"That's a good idea, but I think I've got a few better ones." He replied, grinning.
James took a very old looking slip of parchment out of his pocket. "Choose one," he said.
"Where'd you get this?" Asked Rion in an awed voice, taking the parchment from James, and holding it as though afraid it might crumble in his hands.
"Dad. He gave it to me a few weeks before he." James trailed off.
Rion put an arm around James, and the two put their heads together.
"What's going on?" Lily asked the Lupins.
Mr Lupin answered her. "In previous years, with the whole Potter family present, the two families would spend at least half a day in this room, picking their teams and cursing each other."
"Yes," Mrs Lupin continued. "It's the only time of year that you'll see any sort of real rivalry between the Blacks and the Potters. The rest of the time, they're the best of friends!"
Mr Lupin went on. "They absolutely hate each others' guts during this time! If we were smart, we would have stayed out of the middle of it!"
"You've seen how dirty the Slytherin/Gryffindor games are, right Lily?" Remus queried. "Well, those are nothing next to the Black/Potter games."
"So how'd the Jordans get into it?" Lily asked. "We're not really sure how that happened, actually, but it's been like that as long as anyone can remember." Mr Lupin replied.
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud "BANG!"
Rion and James were struggling to sit up straight as they laughed. They had cast a spell over the Blacks, all of whom were now covered from head to toe in thick, sticky honey.
A few Blacks took out their wands and attempted to rid themselves of the honey, but this only made the problem worse, as it turned pink with purple polka-dots, making James and Rion laugh even harder.
Squelching behind them warned the Potters that Sirius, Steph (Sirius' sister), and Sean (their cousin) were approaching.
"Hi Sean, Steph, Sirius." Rion said politely.
James merely nodded.
"Hi yourself. I suppose this is supposed to be funny?" Demanded Steph. "I only just washed my hair last night!"
Rion and James doubled over once again with laughter, and Steph stormed off. Sirius and Sean looked ready to kill, and brought the two hysterical Potters to their senses by giving them fluoro stripes in their hair, and attaching tiny bells to the ends of their hair.
"Where's the list?" Sirius demanded.
"What list?" Asked Rion innocently.
"Dunno what you're talking about." James added.
"You gits! Everyone knows that Potters have no aptitude for lying. Where's the list?" Sean shoved Rion to emphasise his words.
"Like we'd let you Blacks get your honey-covered hands on it!" Spat James.
"Anyway, if you Blacks had any imagination or originality at all, you wouldn't have to repeat the same curses every year, and you'd have your own list!" Rion informed them.
At this, James and Rion hosed the Black cousins with jets of green paint from the tips of their wands. The offending Blacks took cover behind the crowd of thirty or more Blacks on the other side of the room.
"Cowards!" James Rion shouted in unison.
The Lupins and Lily rolled their eyes and tried not to laugh to hard.
A/N Thankyou very much for the reviews! There were so many of them! Yay! Sploogal happy! Garden Gnome happy! Woohoo! Thanks to: 'Bec' 'Flamehail' 'Vamperfly' 'Kite-Chan' 'Piper' 'phoenix' 'Two Bored Idiots' 'peachgirl1608' 'jainajag00' 'Senya Starseeker' 'Anna N. O'Muss' 'McG' 'Headmaster Cromwell' 'Laumina' 'thekeeperofwords' 'Amananduniel Black'. Sorry to anyone we forgot, it was not intentional. I'm pretty sure that's everyone, though. We still want reviews, so point-click-type everyone!