James and Sirius spent much of the day discussing the subject of the upcoming Quidditch trials. Neither concentrated in their classes instead the pair past notes about potential options for seeker. Sirius felt very strongly that a second-year named Annie Easton was the best choice. James however had never seen Annie play and would much prefer an older player. Their conversation was cut short in last period Charms however when they were caught passing notes by Professor Flitwick. Professor Flitwick was sympathetic enough not to give the boys a detention, but they received a stern lecture after class about the seriousness of their NEWT courses and the appropriate time and place for discussing Quidditch.
Lily and Alice made their way up through the stands that afternoon as tryouts began. James, very serious when it came to Quidditch, was already lining up the seeker hopefuls in groups by year. Despite, only one spot being open the team more than half of Gryffindor house had shown up to try their luck. Being a member of one of the House Quidditch team offered a level of popularity and esteem that made positions very lucrative. Being a member of the Gryffindor team, under James Potter's instruction was even more so, due to the almost legendary status of the Marauders' pranks. Over the past week, James and Sirius had rejected no less than six bribes for the seeker's position. Marlene waved to Lily and Alice from the field, she was standing with the rest of the team, milling around, as James kindly told a first-year Hufflepuff that he could not try out.
'Quite a lot of people here,' remarked Alice to Lily.
'Mhmm,' said Lily nodding her head.
'I hope one of them will make a decent seeker,' said Alice rather anxiously.
'Honestly, I couldn't care less,' remarked Lily dryly. 'It would be good for Gryffindor to lose for once, would deflate Potters' head a bit. Make him realise he can't always be king of the quidditch pitch.'
'Why are you here at all then, if you don't care?' asked Alice, taken aback by the harshness of Lily's words.
'I'm supporting Marlene. Quidditch is really important to her,' answered Lily, her voice softening.
Below on the pitch, James ran his fingers through his hair and addressed the group of second to sixth years standing before him.
'Ok everyone, shut it. First, I want to do some basic flying drills, so if everyone could mount their brooms, we'll get started.'
Basic flying drills turned out to be all that was needed to narrow the field from twenty-five candidates to a mere six. James was unsurprised by how many of the seeker hopefuls turned out to be utterly useless in the air. Choosing a seeker was as difficult he thought, you wanted someone light and quick, but they also had to be a skilled flier, as catching the snitch required you to take one or often both hands off your broom. Annie Easton did no doubt have the right build, but she was not as good a flier as James had hoped. Gregory Lunstum on the other hand was an excellent flier but at six foot two, rather too tall for a seeker. As James watched the team pelt tennis balls at the remaining candidates, he decided Lunstum had better reflexes, so he would have to be the best pick.
'Ok guys thank you, that's enough,' he called to his teammates. He then turned to address the remaining six contenders, 'I'll post the results on the notice board. As seeker is such an important position, I'm going to pick two of you, one to play with the team and one reserve to train with us.'
There was a general mumble of consent and the team and the seeker hopefuls trudged off towards the change rooms. James glanced up into the stands; most of the audience had dispersed. He noticed Lily and Alice getting up to leave and was struck by a sudden urge to call out to them. He had not spoken to Lily since they patrolled the corridors together, she had been absent at breakfast and lunch and he had been absorbed in seeker discussions with Sirius during classes.
'Hey Evans, Evans!' he called, striding across the pitch towards the stands.
'What does Potter want?' Alice asked Lily.
'No idea,' Lily replied. 'But you go ahead, I'll meet you at dinner.' Alice already slightly chilled by the evening air, quickly started back towards the castle.
Lily waited until James was easily within earshot and then called, 'What do you want Potter?' her voice was not unfriendly, but neither was it warm or caring.
'What do I want? Evans that's a dangerous question. I could do with a date with you for a start. What do you say you, me, next Hogsmeade trip?' James grinned broadly.
'Unfortunately, the giant squid has already asked me,' replied Lily curtly.
'Damm it,' laughed James. 'I can't compete with all those tentacles.'
The pair lapsed into silence as they made their way back to the castle. From the balcony of the North Tower, Severus watched Lily and James walking across the grounds together. Severus had always envied James' Quidditch skills, the ease with which he breezed through lessons, and the way he seemed to be able to scrape out of any kind of trouble. Watching now, his envy turned to a bitter loathing. How could Lily forgive James and not him? Turning his back on Lily, his eyes were glassy.
Dinner in the great hall that night was a cheery affair. The sixth years were relieved to have the weekend to work on the substantial pile of homework they had all accumulated during the week. Unusually, the marauders and the girls sat together, instead of several metres apart. This change did not go unnoticed by Sirius who joined dinner uncharacteristically late.
'Trying to cosy up to Evans, Prongs?' asked Sirius loudly, nodding to the fact that James and Lily were sitting next to each other.
'No in the slightest, Padfoot. Just sitting next to a fellow Gryffindor,' replied James unfazed.
'Why do you guys use such weird nicknames for each other?' interrupted Marlene. Peter drew a sharp intake of breath and nearly choked on his chicken. Remus' face went white. Only James and Sirius managed to pull off a calm front.
'Now now McKinnon, can't go giving away all our secrets,' said Sirius, thumping Peter on the back a little too hard.
The conversation moved on to talk of homework and the afternoon's Quidditch tryouts. Remus' face remained as white as parchment though and Lily noticed he barely joined in the conversation. When he got up to leave the table early, muttering something about being tired, a meaningful look passed between James and Sirius. Lily thought it was odd that Remus who was normally the friendliest of the Marauders was being so standoffish.
Eventually, the girls tired of the never-ending eating contest that took place between Sirius and James at every meal and excused themselves. Sirius remembered that he was late to detention with Professor Slughorn for hexing Avery and hurried off to clean cauldrons in the dungeons. James took his time finishing the last morsel of his treacle tart and then began walking slowly back to Gryffindor common room.
He had almost reached the portrait of the Fat Lady when a voice behind him called 'Potter.' Turning he saw Severus Snape walking towards him. Immediately James drew his wand from his robes, opposite him Severus did the same.
'What do you want Snivellus?' said James coldly.
'I want…' Snape began. 'I want…'
'Spit it out.'
'I want to know what your intentions are with Lily Evans?' Snape said hastily.
'My intentions?' asked James menacingly, taking a step towards Severus, his wand still raised. 'What makes you think you have any right to know?'
'I'm her friend,' returned Severus through gritted teeth.
'Really? Because the way I see it you and Lily stopped being friends a while ago.'
'I want to know your intentions,' repeated Snape.
'Well, my number one priority is to keep her as far away from you and your little death eater cronies as possible,' replied James evenly. 'After that it would be indelicate to say really. You see, Snivelly, my mother brought me up to be a gentleman and gentlemen don't kiss and tell.'
Severus' face flushed pink. 'You haven't… she wouldn't,' he stammered.
'Run along now Snivelly before I hex you,' said James coolly.
Severus backed away from James slowly; afraid to turn his back or lower his wand. James smiled cruelly at the look of defeat and horror etched into Severus' face.
'You will never guess what happened,' said Marlene flopping down on Lily's bed.
Lily put aside the transfiguration essay she had been struggling over for the last hour. 'What is it Mar? Did Potter and Black blow up the common room?'
'No way more interesting than that!' Marlene exclaimed. 'Seriously, Lil where is your imagination?'
'Didn't we get past the seriously jokes in like third-year?' asked Lily.
'Nah. It's still funny,' Marlene giggled. 'Ok I'll tell you, since your never going to guess. The rumour is that…'
'From whom did you hear this rumour?' asked Lily tentatively. Marlene was probably more of a gossip than was good for her.
'Fabien Prewett.'
'The Ravenclaw seeker?' Lily asked skeptically.
'Yes, the really attractive one.'
'Fine. Who did Fabien hear it from?'
'Peter Pettigrew.'
'Ah another horrendous gossip,' remarked Lily.
'Do you want to hear the rumour or not?' pouted Marlene.
'Honestly, Mar I just want to finish my transfiguration essay. But you seem pretty intent on telling me,' replied Lily.
'Well, the rumour is that Potter and Snape had a standoff in the corridor.'
'The gossip mill is not very original tonight,' remarked Lily dryly. 'Who ended up in the hospital wing this time?'
'Well, that's the weird bit. According to Fabien, wands were drawn but no spells were cast,' said Marlene.
'Ok, very strange. Can I get back to my essay now?' asked Lily hopefully.
'Don't you want to hear what the fight was about?'
'Not just the usual Potter Sev rivalry?'
'No, apparently this time they were fighting over you.'
'Over me?' Lily asked incredulously. 'But I'm barely friends with either of them.'
'Really? I can understand why you wouldn't want to be friends with Snape after what happened last year. But I thought that James and you seemed to be on better terms?' Marlene asked hopefully.
'Just because he's not being a total and complete git, does not make us friends,' replied Lily. 'What do they think they are doing, fighting over me, as if they own me?' Lily was becoming angrier by the second, her hot temper flaring.
Marlene didn't have a chance to respond before Lily had jumped off her bed and stormed down the stairs to the common room.
'Potter!' she yelled. The common room went immediately silent. James got up from the armchair he had been sitting in.
'Yes, Evans?' he asked sheepishly.
Lily took a deep breath to calm herself and around the room, the Gryffindors strained to hear what she would say.
'I don't like what happened with you and Sev. I don't need you defending my honour as though you have some claim over me.'
'I wasn't…' began James
'Regardless, it needs to stop. I've already lost my best friend because of it and honestly, I'm over it James,' Lily's bottom lip quivered ever so slightly but James did not miss the warning of how upset she was.
'I certainly didn't start it this time Evans,' said James evenly. 'Snivellus was bloody…'
'I really don't want to hear it, Potter,' said Lily, before turning and walking swiftly out the portrait hole.
