"Potter, you're up earlier than usual." Lily tilted her head slightly and looked at him. He looked tired but excited a bit like a little boy. He almost looked endearing. She brushed off these thoughts. "Today's Quidditch tryouts .We definitely need a new seeker. I just hope we get good people trying out." Lily looked at him surprised. She had always known that he was passionate about quidditch but was surprised at how much being Captain really meant to him. "How long have you played?" James looked startled that she had asked him something resembling a personal question.

"Well I've been playing since I was a kid. My father noticed I had a natural aptitude and I loved it. He told me to try out for the house team. I love everything about it from flying to the thrill of the game. You ever played?" Lily looked at him slightly surprised. She had expected him to come out with a cocky answer about how he was the best and how wonderful he was as a captain. Instead he was low key.

"Oh I've never played before. I'm afraid of heights." His eyes widened in shock. They had reached the beginning of the Great Hall and started walking towards the table. "Someday I have to take you flying. It's incredible." She kept walking towards Tristan who was already up. "Maybe, maybe," she said under her breath.

I think I'm losing my mind, but Potter doesn't seem to be such a bad sort. I think we're even developing a sort of friendship. Funny, a year ago the word's friendship and Potter would never have gone in the same sentence. Hmmm… There's Tristan, what's she doing up? She's usually hard to wake and none of the others are here.

She walked towards Tristan. "Mornin' Tristan. What are you doing here so early?" Tristan downed her cup of pumpkin juice and eyed Lily tiredly. "I couldn't sleep and I was thinking of trying out for a spot on the team. Also didn't want to give Black another opportunity to trip me." Lily raised any eye brown skeptically. She remembered a little detail that couldn't possible have escaped Tristan. "That's great that you want to try out. I know that Lia's the only one who's ever seen you play, but aren't you for getting a little detail? Black is on the team." Tristan nodded and sighed.

"If I have to deal with him he'll have to deal with me." Lily nodded.

"I'll get Cris and Alia to come to the try outs. We can be your cheering section." Tristan smiled tiredly but managed to throw some girlish enthusiasm into her voice. "I'd love that. Y'all can watch me kick Black's arse." Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. Apart from Tristan and Sirius exchanging death glares the meal was uneventful. Even the rest of the day passed without a hitch. Well, there was always a hitch in potions. Lily had to go to the Prefect meeting with James before heading to try-outs.

"Everyone as you know try-outs are today, so we won't keep you too long except to emphasize a few points as well as make an announcement," James glanced over at Lily, who nodded as if agreeing with his statement. "For one, if you have an issue with the person that you are patrolling with do not try to put them in a closet," Remus and Cris could barely contain their laughter," that is important. Also remember that with things as they are trying to be more cautious when you patrol. I know that Evans here would like me to make a comment about snogging on the job," he glanced at their faces and broke out into a slight laugh, "oh well just don't get caught." He pressed on, sensing Lily's glare and her strangled voice saying, "Potter!"

"Oh yes, we also have a ball. You're all going to be delegated tasks. Ravenclaw's are in charge of figuring out the logistics as well as food and drink. You're clever you can handle that. Hufflepuff's are in charge of advertising. Gryffindor are in charge of decorating. Slytherin's are in charge of… of… Of music and entertainment and umm… whatever else you can think of. Evans and I will manage whatever else there is to do. All right, you're all dismissed." They all left quietly. Remus and Cris were in hysterics as they left the meeting to go the pitch.

Lily shook her head as James asked, "How did I do Evans?" She gave him a slight smile, "Well apart from your comment about snogging," she glared at him slightly, "and not figuring out what to delegate the Slytherin's you didn't do too terribly. Of course, there's always room for improvement." He grinned at her. He knew he had to hurry to the pitch for tryouts now.

"Evans, I've got to go to the pitch now." She gave him a shy smile and started walking with him.

"Actually I'm going there as well. Don't give me that look; it has nothing to do with you or any of your Marauders. Tristan is going to try out for a spot." She sighed as she heard James groan. "I know."

"Sirius is on the team. The two of them will kill each other. Hmm, maybe she's not any good."

Lily shook her head at this, "I've never seen her fly, but Alia has and she says she's amazing. Also says her reflexes have become quite fantastic. You are right about her and Black, though." He nodded and sighed.

James figured that it was better to get Tristan's tryouts over with first. Sirius still hadn't even noticed that she was there. He looked at her long and hard. Her straightened hair was pulled back and her bangs hung into her eyes. She was wearing a dark colored lipstick that made her skin look even paler. She grabbed her broom and looked at him. Sirius glanced towards her and shook his head instantly.

"Prongs you can't honestly mean that she's trying out?" James nodded his head. He could see Lily and the other girls in the stands with Remus. He hadn't bothered to look there before. Tristan didn't say anything. She just looked at Sirius haughtily. "You honestly mean that you're going to let this try out for the team?" James just shook his head.

"Deal with it Padfoot. We're just gonna watch her fly around." Sirius glared at Tristan. Then he gave a laugh and looked at James again. "She probably can't fly straight anyway. Hollis here will probably need someone to rescue her from when she falls of her broom. She's about as good as a Slytherin." The slightest flicker of emotion crossed Tristan's eyes. "With the way you obsess over them, Black you must really love them. I'm even thinking that you might want a reunion with your darling family." Sirius' eyes hardened. 'Oh shit,' James thought.

"Well only a real pal with the undead could arrange such a thing. Last I've heard you've been getting quite cozy with them. I'm sure you'd love to help them out with Quidditch if you can even fly properly without getting beaten by a bludger." She laughed coldly.

She walked towards them. "Then I won't bother trying out, Black. Only because it will be more fun to hex you from the stands." She smirked slightly and shoved the broom into his stomach and walked towards the stands. "Well that takes care of that. What right does she have to talk about my family like that? Prongs, what is it mate?" James was just thinking back to when Lily had mentioned Tristan being a good flyer. He glanced around all the prospective players. They all parted like the sea for Tristan. He then noticed Malfoy and Snape off to the side of the pitch bow to her. She tipped her head slightly and nodded. She seemed to be heading in their direction. He looked over to Sirius and shook his head. "That wasn't completely necessary, Padfoot." Sirius laughed him off and motioned to the anxious Gryffindors. James nodded.

Tristan walked towards Malfoy and Snape. She nodded curtly. "You shouldn't have shown here, I bet someone noticed." Snape looked at the ground as Malfoy motioned for her to walk with them back to the castle. "We wanted to see what idiots Potter had this year. It's nice to know that we won't have to play against you this year. You were rather cold to Black, good. I am hurt though that you made us sound so vile." She glared at him. He gave a slight laugh.

"Well what would I say, that the Slytherins have the right idea? That I actually could arrange some sort of reunion for him with Bellatrix and Regulus?" she gave a cold laugh. "So what is it that you're doing here? It had better be something important enough to risk getting caught."

Malfoy glared at her and gripped her arm tightly. "Don't make it seem like you're giving orders or something, Trixia." His voice was hard and dangerous. In a flash she had twisted her arm free and slapped him. Her eyes glittered dangerously. "Don't provoke me Malfoy, Black does it all the time and look where I'm at now." She gave him a sly smile. "Besides, if you hurt me it will leave a mark. A mark someone is bound to see." He let out a breath. Snape nodded in agreement. Malfoy stepped closer to her and brought his lips to her ear. He whispered softly, "Then don't provoke me and we'll do just fine. There's a meeting tonight while everyone patrols in the Slytherin common room. I trust you'll be there Trixia." She shook her head instantly. He growled in anger.

"Think it through, Lucius, There's no way for me to get into the common room unseen and without knowledge of the password. Also, people will start to wonder. Solve these problems and I'm there." He gave her a hard look. "You'll get there or else. Besides with your new look as well as piercings I'm sure that they have a slight idea that you've gone darker." He gave a laugh and started to walk away before saying over his shoulder, "The rest of us are starting to doubt you. You wouldn't want that to happen."

She glared at him as he and Snape walked out of sight. She took a deep breath and kept walking back to the common room. She sat on the couch and closed her eyes.

She vaguely found herself being shaken by someone. "Sod off," she muttered closing her eyes again. The shaking continued and her eyes snapped open. It was Alia. "We have to get to dinner now." She stood up in one fluid motion. She started walking with her. "I'm surprised you let Black beat you." Tristan shook her head. "He didn't beat me. I meant everything I said. I may not be hexing him but I might as well be there to watch when he screws up. Besides it was crazy for me to even thinking of trying out for the team." Alia shook her head.

She gave a slight laugh, "No, you're crazy. You're an unbelievable flyer. I really think you should play. Besides I think that would be a greater revenge on Black." Tristan laughed and brushed her bangs slightly out of her eyes. "One day at time. Let's see what dinner with Black will bring." Alia groaned and Tristan gave a laugh. They walked into the Great Hall together and walked to table to where Lily and Cris were already sitting. "She was asleep in the common room," Alia said laughing. Tristan frowned at her a pretended to look hurt. "I was working on the art of meditation, not sleeping. I'm hurt that you should think I was merely sleeping." Lily and Cris started to laugh. Alia rolled her eyes and smiled. Tristan looked at them, her friends.

Life is so fucked up isn't it? Now I have to get to the Slytherin common room during patrols. Fan friggin tastic. Oh something even more wonderful, Black's here. Way to improve my evening that much more. James is coming to sit near us, Remus is following, Oh shit, Black is following as well. Better brace myself.

Sirius looked at her once and glared. She returned the glare nonchalantly, as if it was the silliest think in the world for her to be angered by him. Cris smiled at Remus who returned the smile. Bloody hell, could those two get any more obvious? "So Potter, how were tryouts?" She looked in surprise at Lily. She had heard of their truce but hadn't known that they had become friends. She glanced at James whose face instantly broke out into a smile. "Yeah, it turned out great. Unfortunately we only have one reserve beater and our new seeker is rather inexperienced but we'll do good this year." Lily gave him a quick smile. Those two and Cris and Remus, but that makes sense. Well Cris and Remus have always made sense. I doubt she'll ever admit she likes him though. Lily and James, well he's always- "Tristan?" Tristan glanced up at Alia, "Sorry, wasn't all here."

"That's nothing unusual, Hollis."

Great, the stupid prat is pissed 'cause I mentioned his family.

"Yes you're right, you're never here so you're quite familiar with that. Though I can't see how you have time for anything between those mindless twits and staring into the mirror."

"Jealous?" he smirked at her.

"Yes, I'm sure the twits are often jealous of the time you spend preening over yourself. Then again they are vain mindless creatures with no sense of anything so it makes sense that they gravitate to you." She took a sip of juice and smiled innocently. He raised an eyebrow casually.

"You know it's funny but last I know I was one of the people at the top of our year." He gave her a satisfied smile. "Ah yes, I do believe your correct. However, people did do better than you, like… me." She sighed.

"Maybe but at least I don't have the personality of a dementor. There's a reason no one can resist my charm." He smirked at her. She seemed to consider this for a moment.

"Perhaps but last I checked people don't use me. Oh and obviously your charm hasn't got you too far with us four."

"My charm can work on anyone. You just have the personality of a bloody dementor."

"Anyone?" she widened her eyes innocently. "So you're saying that Severus Snape has fallen at your feet. Hmm, well congratulations I always did suspect you were gay. I shall have to make an announcement to the female population. They'll be disappointed but C'est la vie." He glared at her. He took a deep breath.

"I wouldn't touch any of those murderers. More than I can say for you. Last I checked you still hang with yours." Her eyes narrowed. Alia paled slightly. Tristan stood up very carefully and looked at him intensely for a brief second. Her entire face had lost any traces of human emotion. "Don't talk about things you know nothing about." She started to walk away but looked over her shoulder. Some people had noticed this little scene and turned to look at her. "They still wanted me though."