Chapter Sixteen: Nothing Can Stop Quidditch
March came in like a lion that year. Outside the castle, snow was falling thick and heavy as students prepared to bundle up for the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Wind howled through the halls. The Gryffindor team was sitting together at the request of James, he didn't anyone want getting distracted today.
The post was just arriving as Lily sank into her seat next to Marlene. "Anything news-worthy?" Lily reached for the pumpkin juice.
Marlene didn't reply, she was looking at the Daily Prophet in horror. When she didn't get a response Lily turned and looked over her friend's shoulder. An older man that looked a lot like James was on the front page of the Prophet. The man in the picture was putting his hand up as he was being escorted into an office. The headline read Fleamont Potter, Esteemed Potion-Maker, Narrowly Avoids Attack by Death Eaters. Tears were in the corners of Marlene's eyes.
Professor McGonagall was walking quickly down the hall towards James. She tried to keep the worry from her face but it wasn't hard to see that something was wrong. Half the hall was whispering and throwing glances at James who hadn't bothered to look at the paper that morning. Reviewing his playbook seemed more important.
"Mr. Potter, if you would come with me please?" McGonagall looked at him and Sirius, trying to figure out if she should have the other boy join them.
"Whatever it is, Professor, I promise you we had nothing to do with it. I swear." James was panicked. She wouldn't try to prevent him from playing a Quidditch game for a prank that he hadn't even pulled this time. She had never stopped him playing when he did pull the prank, let alone something that he had nothing to do with.
"Mr. Black, you can come too." McGonagall ushered them from their seats and out of the hall. Students craned their necks to get a look of them. Marlene climbed out of her seat, racing down the hall to catch up to McGonagall and the two boys. Lily picked up the newspaper and began to read the article.
James sat and stared at McGonagall. They were sitting in the staff room at a large table. Marlene was crying softly into Sirius's shoulder, who had a look of disbelief on his face. Dumbledore had joined them. He had a grave look on his face but didn't say anything. McGonagall began to say that James – and Sirius – need not play in the game today if the shock was too much.
"Not play Quidditch?" James's disbelief was unmatchable. "Professor, that's what they want! They want to disrupt our lives. Seep into every corner so that we can't live our lives how we want to! I'm going to play today – and so is Sirius – and we're going to win because I will not let my life be dictated by sadistic bastards who are trying to destroy the world that I love and the people that I love!"
By the end of his rant, James was standing. His chair had been knocked to the floor in his anger. He twirled around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Marlene swiped at her tears furiously. Sirius told McGonagall that he was going to play too and followed his best friend out. McGonagall watched two of her favourite boys become young men in that moment and it broke her heart.
Despite the inclement weather, most of the school turned out for the match. More than one first-year got knocked down into the snow by the wind on the way to the Quidditch pitch. Students were placing bets on how the news in the Daily Prophet that morning would impact the Gryffindor team. The general consensus was they would be fiercer than usual. James and Sirius had led their pride from the hall and into the snow.
Lily had worked a tricky bit of magic to create a bubble round her friends to keep them from being buffeted in the face by snow. The group also had a few jars of charmed fire to keep them warm. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as the Gryffindor team flew onto the pitch and did a loop. Why was she blushing so fiercely when James flew past their seats. Stop it! She told herself. None of her friends seemed to notice. Marlene was still rattled by the paper and the rest of their group seemed equally on edge.
One of the Hufflepuff beaters knocked a bludger straight for James's head. Lily cried out as it almost hit its target. Remus peered sideways at Lily in the stands. She was more vocal today about James and Sirius - particularly James - than she normally was. Her voice was louder than usual after he pulled his barrel roll trick and scored.
"More excited than usual, Lily?" Remus whispered in her ear. The redhead jumped, she hadn't noticed Remus lean into her. Neither of them missed the fierce blush creep up her neck and across her cheeks. She mumbled something about how she always cheered for Quidditch. "Mhmm."
Even though he knew not to push Lily too hard, he disagreed with James on not pushing at all. It wasn't hard to miss the way Lily had opened up and allowed James in a little over the past few months. Remus didn't even think she needed a push anymore. More like an opportunity needed to rise for Lily to openly acknowledge her feelings for James.
The crowd gasped as a bludger landed on James's right elbow as he was rolling. His hand let go of the broom from the force of the blow. People murmured and muttered. James was trying to right himself while still hanging on to the Quaffle in one hand. He couldn't hold the broom with his right. James was confident that he broken more the one bone in his lower arm from the impact. He tossed the Quaffle to the fourth-year chaser Morgan before waving to Madam Hooch for a timeout. At the blow of the whistle the Gryffindor team flew over to their captain.
Sirius got to James first, "Mate, what happened? You alright?"
James grimaced and told Sirius that he didn't think he couldn't play out the game. His right hand was completely numb by this point. The team surrounded them and told James that they could call on their reserve chaser. The girl had played well the last time James had needed to be taken off the pitch. This did not improve their captain's mood. He had already needed to leave a match once this year, he didn't want to have to do it a second time. There was something else. Something that he needed to prove, if only to himself.
"Remus might have a charm?" Sirius tipped his head towards the stand that was not far off. Both boys could make out their tall friend in the crowd and neither missed the fire-haired girl next to him.
James shook his head and reminded Sirius what had happened the last time Remus had tried to fix something like this. Sirius winced, yeah that wasn't the best option. "Lily?"
Everyone knew by now her ambition was to become a Healer. She was also the best in Charms in the school - including the seventh-years. James rocked back and forth on his broomstick. Any minute now Madam Hooch would fly over and ask if they were ready to resume play. James muttered under his breath and zoomed over to the stands.
The sixth-year Gryffindors were at the front of the stands. They all saw James flying towards her. Everyone around them groaned. Here it came. After six months of peace, James Potter was going to ask Lily Evans out and the Quidditch would burn to the ground. Lily froze as James stopped and hovered in front of her and Remus. He pulled his googles up to his forehead and a furious blush crept across his face. Lily was about to tell James to sod off and get back to playing the game.
"Lily, I think my arm is broken but I don't want to leave the match." The pleading look in his eyes pulled at her heartstrings. After the morning he had had, how could it not? "Do you know any charms or something that might fix it?"
Suddenly Lily was ten years old again, picking up a baby bunny that had been mauled by one of the neighbourhood cats. She gently pulled James's arm out towards her. He let out a gasp when she extended his arm fully. She was pleased when she was able to twist and turn his arm. He could still flex and extend his fingers too. The only true pain he had was when extended it fully. By this point, everyone could see Madam Hooch on her way towards them.
"Heads up, Hooch is on her way over." Remus told them. "James, if she thinks you're hurt she'll send you off the pitch."
Lily was caught up in her own head. "I think it's just a bruise." She pulled her wand out of her pocket and tapped James's arm. He sighed as cool relief spread through his lower arm.
"Mr. Potter!" By now the flying instructor-referee was upon them.
"Sorry, Professor!" James swung around towards her. "Just thought I'd try my hand at asking Evans out, play the sympathy card after I almost got my head smashed in by a bludger and then almost having it lop my arm off too."
Remus lightly stepped on Lily's foot. Hoping she wouldn't blow up at James. The peace this year, despite some bumps in the road, had been a beautiful thing.
Lily let out a bark of laughter. "As if, Potter! Like I'd go out with the likes of you." Her shout caused laughter amongst those in the stands who heard what was going on. The group of friends at the edge of the stands heard the playfulness in her voice that no one else did.
As James flew off back to the Gryffindor team he called over his shoulder that one day Lily would marry him even if she didn't know it now. Madam Hooch let Hufflepuff take a penalty shot for the delay in the match due to James's 'frivolity'.
The Gryffindor team won the match 210-30. Peter and Remus hustled back to Gryffindor Tower to get the party started. When the team walked in a cheer rang out. Gryffindor had secured their lead for the Quidditch Cup this year. The voice in Lily's head noted that someone was missing. Sirius sauntered over and planted a kiss on Lily's cheek before pulling her into a fierce hug. He whispered into her ear, "You're the MVP of the game. He went to the hospital wing to have Poppy double check that elbow."
Lily blushed as Sirius pulled away before she opened her mouth to say something. Sirius held up a hand and shook his head. "I know you were looking for him."
Before she could argue, Sirius pranced away in search of some firewhiskey. Multiple students clapped him on the back as he made his way through the room. Lily sighed and took a seat in an armchair by the window. While she was happy about the win there were too many emotions running around in her chest. Above all, confusion. She felt like a tangle of yarn and no matter how hard she tried to unwind and unknot it she couldn't. Her mind kept drifting to the paper this morning. The plea in James's — Potter's — eyes at the match. Wind rattled the window and she wrapped her arms tight around herself. Lily pulled her feet up onto the chair. She watched the snow flurry on the other side of the glass. It seemed like life was moving too fast and she was powerless to stop it.
Something was coming. Not only were her emotions in knots, her stomach was now too. The portrait hole opened and James Potter sauntered in. He nodded and smiled to his fellow Gryffindors. Lily noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes. She knew that smile. It was the smile she put on when she thought about her dad when everyone else was cheerful. The smile she pulled when Petunia said something particularly nasty to her out of mum's earshot but then mum turned around and smiled at her.
Lily's mind was at war. A piece of her was holding out. Potter was still a toe rag. Why did she care about how he was feeling? Because, someone tried to hurt his dad just as something was trying to hurt hers.
James caught Lily looking at him. He gave her a nod before he turned and made his way towards the dormitory stairs. He wasn't in much mood to party right now. Sirius made a round about the room then headed for the stairs as well. Lily watched him and thought about the saying her father used to say about his rugby mates, 'the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.' Lily supposed that this not only applied to Sirius but also to Marlene. Lily was glad James had someone to share his worry with, she would give anything to have that bond again.
Colin sat seething across the room as he watched Lily watch both James and Sirius. It hadn't taken long for the rumors to circulate about the delay in game at the match today. By the time the students had gotten back to Gryffindor tower there were multiple stories flying around. This person heard Lily had kissed James Potter. That one heard she had agreed to go out with him. While Colin was looking at Lily, she turned her head to look at him. She frowned. There was no mistaking the anger across his face.
Lily decided she wasn't in the mood for a party either. She unfolded herself from her chair and crossed the room. She decided a walk would help her to clear her head. Out the portrait hole she went.
James lay stretched out on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had closed the curtains around his bed. At first it was to keep the draft out, his English Quidditch blanket had still not been returned to him. He heard Sirius come in and felt him pause on the other side of the curtain. James thought about all that his brother had gone through that summer and decided he wasn't being fair. Fleamont meant as much to Sirius as he did to James.
"I thought Peter was the moody, sulking type." Sirius asked as he sank down on to the bed after James had waved the curtains open.
"You're confusing him with Moony." James laughed and then darted off the bed. He rummaged around in Remus's trunk, completely ruining the strategic organization of the chocolate bars. James chucked one at Sirius and grabbed a second for himself. "He might be moody but he always has a solution to it."