Previously: James tries to bring up the Animagus idea with Remus, and they eventually come to an agreement. Alice meets Frank Longbottom. Snape starts to follow James and Sirius around in hopes of catching them red-handed, and they duel. Their interactions are starting to turn into something darker than just simple teasing. Lily worries that something happened to Snape, and she appeals to James to tell her what they did to him, which he finally does. However, when she does free Snape, they argue about whether Lily should have gone to James for help, and Lily gets angry with him. Lily and James are paired up to duel with each other again, and James and Sirius get the better of her.


Chapter 26: The Wrong Direction

James could not have been more ecstatic as he strolled down to breakfast early one Saturday morning, carrying the highly-prized Nimbus 1001 his parents had gifted him with and decked out in his brand-new Gryffindor Quidditch robes, all the fabric now his to call his very own, right down to the blocked letters etched to say Potter in such a bright gold that the leprechauns of Ireland would have been jealous.

His friends were there as well, laughing and joking right along with him, but by the numerous stares and whispers that followed him through the corridors, it was evident that James was by far the object of fascination amongst the entire student body, the enthrallment only amplified by the upcoming and much anticipated Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match that he had started preparing for a long time ago. By the time James and the other Marauders had reached the Great Hall, no other subject held the student body's attention longer than the first game of the season and, for James at least, this was the first real game of his entire Quidditch career.

"Merlin, I do think this ends up an excellent game," said Sirius as he plopped himself down in the Marauder's usual spot at the very end of the Gryffindor table. "Y'know, since there's not going to be quite as much action when we face Hufflepuff."

"You might," said Remus forebodingly, casting a glance behind him to the Slytherin team, "But I see seven good reasons to hope for a quick end."

"'Oo werfy 'oo much, Remu'," said James jovially, his mouth stuffed with bacon sandwiches.

"Pardon?" asked Remus innocently, looking amused at his friend's attempt to talk with his mouth full.

James swallowed before answering again.

"I said, 'You worry too much, Remus.' Seriously – don't say it, Sirius – it's not like the team from last year, which was mostly filled with seventh years. I mean, Slughorn chose Emma Vanity for captain – Emma Vanity! She's a fourth year for Merlin's sake!"

That last part was quite true. Over at the Slytherin table, the team, which had been comprised of hefty players built like beef last year, was now half the size with half the intimidation present. While Vanity was still by no means a small girl, she was not the type of player who struck fear into the hearts of her opponents either – she had perhaps twenty pounds on James himself and a mean streak to go along with her. Most were rookies with sturdy builds, and only Jugson, now a fourth year, was big enough to have any real advantage. Gryffindor, on the other hand, had a seventh year, three sixth years, a fourth year, and a third year alongside James.

"And you're a second year," Remus pointed out with a wry smile.

"That's different," claimed James proudly, lifting his chin up the slightest inch. "I'm an amazingly good Quidditch player."

A contemptuous snort suddenly interrupted his declaration, and James spun around in his seat to confront the person: Evans. She had only been passing by, but his statement must have caught her attention because she had stopped completely to stare at him. Prewett, who had been walking with her, had not even noticed that Evans was no longer focused to chat about whatever girls blathered about until she glanced over to realize that nobody was by her side anymore.

"Don't think so lowly of yourself, Potter," snickered Evans, her voice laced with sarcasm. She obviously had not forgotten the previous incident in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "We wouldn't want your head to explode with all those self-esteem issues now, would we?"

"Isn't there a book with your name on it waiting somewhere – somewhere that's not here," retorted James, matching the glare with his own vented frustration. Merlin, the girl just could not help herself when it came to provoking him, could she?

Evans rolled her eyes, a sight James had come to be very familiar with.

"You just worry about you and your pretty little broomstick, Potter – since that's just about the only thing you're good at."

James felt indignation rise up within him at Lily's words, but he covered it up with a devilish grin as he said, "I do believe you just offered me a challenge. Sirius, did you just hear Evans dare me?"

Sirius seemed to be of the same mindset James was as he mulled over the words, a devious smile playing on his lips.

"Why yes, Jamesie-Boy, I do hear Evans daring us – daring us to prove we're good at other things too."

Evans's narrowed eyes widened slightly at the two, a spark of unease flaring up within them at the tantalizing exchange.

"What're you two doing? I didn't dare you at all," she protested, apprehension clear.

She glanced at her friend Prewett, but that blonde girl just shrugged hopelessly.

At that moment, a group of Ravenclaw girls passed by, no doubt heading to the Quidditch pitch, and that was when the motivation hit James. Evans thought he could not do anything else besides look pretty, did she? Well, James was not going to have any of that if he could help it – and he could help it.

James quickly pulled out his wand, and, pointing it at one of the Ravenclaw girls, he said, "Rictumsempra."

The results were immediate upon the streak of light hitting one of the girls who could not have been older than he was. The unassuming target fell to the ground immediately upon receiving the spell to her side, shaking with uncontrollable laughter at James's Tickling Hex. Her friends and nearby bystanders watched with confusion and concern, wondering why on earth the previously healthy girl would be overcome with giggles and twitches as if to escape the invisible hands assaulting her with tickles.

Evans watched her, ostensibly appalled by his boldness.

"What'd you do that for, Potter?" she demanded as she whirled back around to face him, pulling out her own wand to neutralize the girl's still-operating hex with a counter-hex of her own. It did not take long for James's spell to wear off, and the girl scrambled back up to her feet, her face burning with humiliation.

"You dared me to," said James, shrugging. "Loosen up a little, Evans – it's just a Tickling Hex. Merlin, haven't you ever heard of something called fun?"

Those green eyes that would forever remain objects of fascination for James switched back to him as Evans whirled back around, her expression very close to mirroring McGonagall's on the occasion she would catch them breaking the rules.

"She wasn't doing anything to you! Fun is when two people charm dwarfs to follow a couple of lovebirds around for a day – it is not hexing innocent students just because – because – Merlin, I don't even know why you would hex her! If that's fun to you, then … then you're just cruel! Flat-out and plain cruel, Potter, that's what you are! You've done surprising things over the years, Potter, but this? Why?"

By the time Evans had finished her little lecture, everybody around them slowly fell silent one by one as they all, the Ravenclaw casualty included, realized that her episode was not her fault at all and rather the effect of James's harmless prank. The girl he had hexed reddened as she glanced at him and quickly looked down before one of her friends had the sense to get her out of there, but Evans held no such reservations – she looked James directly in the eye, revealing what exactly her thoughts were on the matter.

"Well, she was there …" said James slowly, not even the tiniest bit terrified of what Evans might do – he was enjoying riling Evans up. "My wand was here … so naturally two plus two is –"

"Shut up, Potter," snapped Evans, tossing her hair with a rare level of vexation. "Just – shut up."

She stomped away, huffing angrily while Prewett, who had remained quiet through most of the exchange, tried talking to her to calm her down, and James tilted his head towards Sirius offhandedly, and his friend merely offered him a "well, she is Evans after all" look without saying anything else. Sirius may not have cared about what had just played out between them, but Remus was determinedly staring at his book – his eyes never moved once.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ 1972 ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"I'm not going," said Lily stubbornly, crossing her arms and refusing to take the last step that would lead her to the outside. "No way am I going to spend several hours of my life just to watch Potter put on a show for everybody at Hogwarts. Least I can do is lessen the rapid inflation of his already oversized ego."

She had filled up to the brim with her toleration for Potter that day after the horrid display at breakfast earlier.

"But Lily," begged Alice, practically down on her knees. "I thought you liked to watch the Quidditch matches. You've always enjoyed sports, even those foosball matches and jumping thing teams you do during the summer."

Lily resisted the temptation to roll her eyes at Alice's obliviousness.

"One, it's called football, not foosball. Two, gymnastics and dive team involve a little bit more than jumping around. And three, I enjoy watching Quidditch when it doesn't include a certain boy who is probably going to try his hardest to steal the show. Last year, yes, I did have a couple of good memories from the games, but no way am I going to let Potter ruin Quidditch for me."

"Please, please, please!"

Alice quickly moved to block Lily's path, making enormous doe eyes at her.

"It'll be so much more fun if you're there. C'mon, you can't dread watching Potter that much, can you?"

"Actually – I can," said Lily with her exasperation clear. "Now I need to go and do that essay for Flitwick before I fall behind even further."

"That's not due for another week!" cried Alice. "C'mon, how about you just go and whenever Potter does something you don't like, just ignore him. Please?"

That girl would not stop with the puppy dog eyes, and after a moment of deliberation, Lily finally relented under her friend's pleading gaze.

"Fine, I'll go," she admitted with a sigh. "But don't say I never did anything for you."

"Really?" asked Alice eagerly. "C'mon, you won't be disappointed you went to the game."

She seized Lily's arm without any hesitation and tugged her across the threshold she had previously been unwilling to cross and into the grounds where the Quidditch pitch loomed on the horizon, the excited cheers of hundreds of enthusiastic fans eager for a good and intense game against the two rivaling houses.

As Lily and Alice drew closer to the continually filling pitch, the screams and jeers only grew louder with each step. Almost everybody had turned out to watch the first match of the season, which was almost always Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Red and gold lions covered many students while Lily spotted others decked out in the green and silver of Slytherin, sporting the mascot snake. She was of the minority who were not dressed to show their support of teams, and although teachers were not supposed to pick sides, she noticed that Professor McGonagall was sporting a red and gold scarf.

"… and everybody's turning out to support their favorite teams in the first Quidditch match of the season!" yelled a magically magnified voice as Lily climbed the stairs to the stands where Mary was supposed to be saving seats for the four of them.

Vallender, who had also commentated during last year's Quidditch matches, was back for another round this year, the only difference being a slightly deeper voice and a growth spurt that had obviously occurred during the summer. Most students listened with rapt attention since Vallender was well-known for making the commentary quite fun to listen to, but they also fervently hunted for the first indication that the teams would soon be taking to the field.

"Lily, we were wondering if you would show up at all," said Marlene as she scooted to make room for Lily and Alice. "After what happened in the Great Hall, I didn't know if you would want to watch Potter any more than you had to."

"Alice talked me into it," said Lily carelessly, looking around at the stadium.

Just like last year, the season was starting with the traditional first match of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, but the teams had changed since last year, old members graduating to soon be replaced with new faces.

"And let us all give a round of applause for the Gryffindor team as they enter the pitch, captained by none other than Riley Wallows herself," called Vallender to the cheering Gryffindors and booing Slytherins while Professor McGonagall surveyed him with her usual stern gaze – Vallender did not seem to care.

"Wood, returning as Keeper, flies to the goalposts, and then we have Shacklebolt and Johnson, both veteran Beaters from last year's team, behind him, followed finally by Wallows, Ryans, and Potter, the only new player this year for Gryffindor. Let's hear it for Gryffindor!"

There was a surge in noise from the Gryffindor crowd as seven figures in scarlet robes sped out into the field, zooming around in circles. Potter was particularly noticeable, lifting his hands in the air for more cheers with which the crowd was happy to oblige. Once he was satisfied that everybody had seen him, only then did he zoom off to where his teammates formed a semicircle on their half of the pitch.

"Oh, and I suppose the Slytherins are here too," said Vallender in afterthought, directing the crowd's attention to the seven other figures taking off, these ones clad in green and silver as opposed to the scarlet and gold of Gryffindor. "Oh, well, I suppose it was too much to hope that there wouldn't be any –"

"They're captained by Emma Vanity," interrupted McGonagall before he could get an insult in.

"Are they? Hmm, so they are," said Vallender with a polite mask of curiosity that no doubt McGonagall saw right through. "Sorry, I thought that was their new mascot – bulldogs are a rarity at Hogwarts after all."

The crowd, including Marlene and Alice much to Lily's dismay, found Vallender's following comments funny judging from the laughs, but Lily felt for the girl who was only a couple years older than herself. Emma glared in Vallender's general direction, her scowl set firmly in her face as she took off with the rest of her team. A boy next to Emma said something to her, and Emma just nodded with determination as Madam Hooch called for the captains to shake hands. It was almost a cemented tradition for Gryffindor and Slytherins to try to crush each other's hands, Riley and Emma being no exception.

"And we're off to a fabulous start!" yelled Vallender after McGonagall handed back the microphone she had briefly taken away after the bulldog comment, though her face clearly stated that Vallender was coming up on the limit of her tolerance.

"Jugson tries to grab the Quaffle right away, but Ryans snatches it almost immediately, taking off down the pitch – oh, there's a couple of Slytherins coming his way! Is he going to make – wow, that was a quick pass to Potter. Go, Potter, go! You've got a clear field! Coming up on the Slytherin keeper now…. Is he going to make – POTTER SCORES! Ten points to Gryffindor, and it's not even a minute into the game!"

Lily was the only Gryffindor to groan when Potter scored with a shot that was regretfully perfect. In the very front row, Black roared for his best friend and shot some sparks from the tip of his wand while Potter himself made an enormous show of bowing to the screaming proud. Lily had to turn away from the painful sight just as the other Gryffindor team members swarmed Potter for scoring a goal so quickly.

Potter's behavior did not change the slightest as they continued, with Vallender heaping praise on the "male version of Wallows" as he dubbed that obnoxious boy while Potter stepped into the spotlight without the slightest bit of hesitation. With most of their former teammates now graduated, Slytherin's uncommonly young team fell further behind each passing minute. Black and Potter were among the many who jeered as Thomas Karp dropped the Quaffle in fright when Johnson flew at him.

"I've seen enough," said Lily quietly, turning to leave. Last year the Quidditch matches had been fun to watch, but this was just like a horrible movie with Potter as the sole character. "I'm leaving."

"What?" cried Alice, cheering for another goal Gryffindor just scored – courtesy of Ryans this time. "But the game's just getting started!"

Her protests were futile though; Lily had no wish to watch Potter bask in the spotlight for another second.

"See you back at the dormitory," said Lily, turning around and hurrying down the stairs back to where her quiet bed lay waiting for her.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ 1972 ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Move it, people! The one and only James Potter coming through!" yelled Sirius, making a large sweeping motion with his arms. "Did you hear me?"

He shot the last part rather viciously at a group of little first years who had been enjoying the overwhelming scene, but under the threat of direct confrontation, the first years hastily scurried out of the boys' way, leaving two prime couches right by the fire that Sirius quickly made his home.

"You know, Sirius, I think that might have been the best game I've ever played," said James, taking a seat right next to him and carelessly plopping his legs up on the spotless coffee table. "Did you see it? I scored fourteen of Gryffindor's goals – we beat Slytherin 360-20! Ha, they're such a joke."

"Don't get too overconfident, James. They've gotten the rotten end of the flobberworm this year, but that doesn't mean that they're always going to have to pick from second and third years," said Wallows, her voice floating through the air from somewhere above his head.

Jumping in surprise, James jerked his head around. There the Gryffindor captain stood, a wry smile on her lips. Beside her was Wood, the Keeper, and it was all James could do not to stare at those two – who were holding hands!

"What's that supposed to mean?"

With a sigh, Wallows said, "Three years ago we were a lot like this year's Slytherin team – just because their young and easily steerable now doesn't mean that they'll be that way during a game five years from now."

"Well …" said James, trying to think of something to say that was not rude, but he came up with nothing.

Wood chuckled.

"You're a valuable player, mate; there's no doubt about it. Just remember that there will always be someone who's better than you out there," he said, patting James's shoulder before Wallows pulled him away to a more secluded spot – what they were planning on doing, James had no wish to know.

After they were gone, Peter, who had just returned with his arms full of Fudge Flies that Sirius readily helped himself to, quickly complimented, "Don't worry, James – Quidditch is the thing that you're the best at."

"Yeah," whispered James to himself, flashing back to that Ravenclaw girl he had humiliated with a Tickling Charm during breakfast before he accepted Remus's offer of Caramel Clabberts, "I s'pose so."


Remember that J.K. Rowling did say James was a bit of a bully in his youth, and I always pictured him as the kind of bully who (besides Snape obviously) did not realize until later the implications of his actions. I hope I didn't make you hate him too much – for me at least, it's really difficult to write a bully to be likable. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, I would love to hear them.