James woke up in the hospital wing a day later with a throbbing head and a sore throat. He wondered why.

'Ah. You're awake James, nice to see you not shouting about butterbeer anymore, disturbed half of my hospital wing you did.'

'Wait what?' James had no idea what Madam Pomfrey was on

'That devil Sirius Black! Came in and must've cast some spell on you, you were delirious for several hours. Levitated your bed through the window and decided to interrupt a quiddich practise for the Gryffindors. Black and McKinnon were hysterical. After that you laughed non stop for two hours over a fly you'd seen outside and then you fell out of bed and hit your head again.'

James tried to think back, but he couldn't remember anything. Just talking to Lily and then falling, and strangely enough, the fly.

'Why was I laughing at a fly?' He asked.

'Only hell knows.' Madam Pomfrey busied herself by pouring out a vial of medicene for the girl in the bed next to him. 'And anyway, I think you have a visitor.'

'James!' Marlene ran it, carrying 2 mugs and a box of chocolates. 'Madam Pomfrey only let one of us in!' She sat down on the bed and handed James a mug of steaming coffee.

'How come it was you?' He asked, confused.

'Rock beats scissors.' She laughed, offering him a chocolate from the box. 'So anyway, how are you?'

'The only thing I can remember from the last day and a half is a fly. Care to explain?'

Marlene chuckled.

'Oh don't ask me! I don't know. Sirius put this thing in your medicene and then pretty much as soon as we left you decided to levitate things. Anyway, we went straight to quiddich practise, McGonagall wanted to ask you something by the way, by never mind about that. Anyway, we were just doing shooting and your bed crashed through the window, with you on it. And then you started chucking pillows at the quaffles until McGonagall came out and cast a spell to send you back inside. After that,' she pauses for air, smiling at the memory. 'We came to visit you in later and you were just laughing. Completely gone,' she snaps her fingers. 'Insane. Most people assumed you'd gone mental from the laughter of you an the screams of everyone else. There were no visitors allowed because of you. And then Sirius went in later and just watched you giggle like an eight year old girl over a fly until you fell off your bed, hit your head and passed out again.'

'Oh boy aren't I having a good week!' James laughed in a fake posh accent.

'You certainly are!' Marlene replied in an even worse one.

'Well James,' Madam Pomfrey came over, smiling. 'I've checked your chart over a few times and you don't appear to have concussion. Although I want you to come back in a week, so I can test you again. But you can go now.'

She walked away and pretty much the second she left, James jumped up and grabbed Marlene's hand.

'Come on!' He tugged at it. 'I need to talk to Padfoot.'

'Actually, you have your animagus appointment with McGonagall. The whole class is doing it now one by one. She thought it would be more "professional". So yeah, let's go.'

They ran rather quickly (accordingly to Marlene anyway, "shouldn't you be the unfit one considering you've been in bed for nearly two days?!") to McGonagalls classroom and joined the line of students queuing up outside. Sirius was just infront of them, although the others were nowhere to be seen.

'Prongsie!' Sirius yelled, throwing his arms around James. 'I missed you, but you look better mate. Apart from when you were laughing about that fly, that was hysterical!' He clapped him on the back.

'Yeah mate, good one! Give me some for the next time you're in there, we are gonna B.U.R.N everyone!'

Marlene didn't like the sound of that.

'Hey Black! How come you're not lined up with the others anyway?'

'OH I got sent to the back!' Sirius throws his hands in the air in distress. 'Apparently, if you throw a jelly legs curse at a slytherin because he walks funny it's "unacceptable"!'

'So assault?'

'Yeah basically.'

They stood in silence until Lily walked out of the classroom, flushed and shaking. She smiled as soon as she saw James and ran over to hug him.

'HI! Thank god you're okay!' She broke apart and stared at the wall, blushing.

'Awkward!' Sirius sung in a high voice.

'Shut up!' Marlene elbowed him. 'So how did you do Lily?'

'Kinda rubbish actually, I hate transfigoration! I literally turned myself into half a doe for about a second and then flipped and ended up blasting myself against the wall. I'm no way going to get reccommended.'

'You're right you won't,' Black ignored the glares. 'And a doe you say Evans? Isn't that interesting James?' James burst out laughing.

'Laugh now Pads but it's actually you're turn so good look!' Sirius turned around to face a stern looking McGonagall.

'Ready for your test Black?'

'OH boy I am Minnie,' Sirius replied in an equally sarcastic tone. How strange, Sirius has emotion! 'I've been studying all week, revising every night I have!'

'That's good to hear, although I doubt you would need it in tranfigoration.'

Marlene, James and Sirius all gaped at her.

'I what?!'

'Come on Black, don't make me say it again!' McGonagall grabbed him by the ear and dragged him inside the classroom, slamming the door behind them.

'Did McGonagall just give someone a compliment?' Marlene turned to James, stunned.

'I know!'

'OH My god. And Black, of all people!'

'Our Minnie's come a long way on the ride of social interaction. She has become, a pro.' James wiped away a fake tear.

'Okay this is weird.'

'Yep this is weird.'

'So..?'

'You and Sirius eh?' James guestured between Marlene and the door. 'Something you want to share?'

'Nope! Just a little, affection. Perhaps?'

James raised his eyebrows.

'Okay. Fine! I may have some slightly unresovled feelings for a certain marauder-'

'Why thank you!' James strook a pose.

'You're welcome. But it doesn't matter, because he's not looking for a relationship, and neither am I. Well, at least, I wasn't. It's complicated.' She sighs.

'Yeah but what isn't?' James slowly slid down the wall until sitting on the floor, Marlene soon following.

'But I don't matter. What about you? And well Hannah? I thought after all these years, Lily's finally in your reach. You could really have her James.' Marlene's voice lowered and became more serious.

'It's not what Lily wants. And I just want Lily to be happy.'

'Awh!' Marlene reached over to put her arms around James. 'You have a heart Potter!' But Hannah?'

'Hannah's great.'

'But magic and-'

'I know. But maybe it's simpler that way. Maybe it's best, in the long run. Besides, I don't know what I want to do after Hogwarts.'

'Neither do I.' Marlene turned to James, smiling slightly but serious. 'Life is an adventure. Surprises are healthy. Just relax a little, plan the masquerade. Take your mind off things.'

'I don't need to take my mind off things Marly. Everything's perfect.'

'Almost everything. Somewhere in your mind, don't you still want Lily? Somewhere?'

James fell silent, thinking.

'Because I'm just saying, but her feelings may have changed. You'll never know until you ask her.'

'Marly, it's complicated.' James tilted his head forwards, resting it on his knees with his head in his hands. 'I'll just screw up our friendship. And maybe I was wrong, I mean, friends is better than enemies right?'

'Right.'

'I'll tell you what Marly. This weekend. I'm going to take you back to Godric's hollow. Well, near there anyway.'

'Why?'

'I want you to meet Hannah.'

'Okay.'

Silence overpowered both of them, but it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. They both just sat there, thinking about things that would take place.

I wonder how I'll get Marlene to meet her. James thought. Maybe we can all go out for lunch. Take a look round London or maybe even go out for dinner. Or would that be too thoughtful. I can just ask Hannah to pretend to be my girlfriend just for the day. We split on good terms so she won't mind, I'm certain.

Marlene however, was having very different thoughts.

I wonder what I'll say to the others. Oh yeah, I'm just going to have lunch or something with James and his girlfriend so I can assess how suitable she really is for him. And what will I say to Lily? I'll just tell her she's fat! That's what she'll want to hear.

A few minutes passed until McGonagall came out, smiling about something. Sirius followed behind her, looking unusually pleased with himself. He walked past without a word and James and Marlene were left staring at McGonagall nervously, wondering who would go first.

'Potter? You're next.'

'Okay.'

James followed Professor McGonagall into her classroom. It was large, possibly one of the biggest. With an open plan desk space and practise area. To the left, McGonagall's study lay at the top of some winding stairs whilst the supplies were kept in a store cupboard to the right. The floor was bare, although most of the seventh years claimed McGonagall kept it heated after a hypothermia incident with a first year. One wall, which overlooked the quiddich grounds consisted of four large glass panels, which let most light into the room. The walls were covered in posters, tapestries embroided with the Gryffindor emblem and floating candles, which weren't currently lit. The desks had been moved aside and there was a single desk covered in papers. As James and the Professor walked towards it, he caught a glimpse of the name Black but it was soon whisked away beneath a stack of parchment and a fresh form appeared.

'So Potter,' McGonagall sat down expectantly and whipped out a quill. She dipped it in ink and looked at him. 'Your birthday please.'

'27th of March.'

'Status?'

'Pure blood.'

'Ethnicity?'

'British.'

'Okay, so let's begin. I want you to focus on your animagi animal and concentrate as hard as you can and wow-'

She was cut short by the sight of an elegant stag infront of her.

'That's impressive Potter. And the quickest time I've seen anybody transfrom in all my life. That was two seconds. Very very good.'

There was a flash and a tired James Potter stood infront of McGonagall, swaying slightly on his feet.

'Thank you Professor.'

'Just outstanding James. You'll be reccommended and be getting an O+ for that. I'm impressed I must say. Have a seat while I fill out the rest of this form.'

They sat there, the only sound being McGonagalls quill scratching against paper and their breathing. Every so often, McGonagall would glance at James nervously, who was oblivous, and staring out of the window at the Ravenclaw quiddich practise.

'Tell me James, have you ever considered being an Auror?'

He doubled back, starting suddenly.

'Well no, not really, I mean, yes, but not seriously, more as a wish really.'

'Well you should consider it. When we do our job applications, think about it. I think it would be very suited to you.' With that, she stood up and pushed his form underneath Sirius'. 'You can go now Potter. And send McKinnon on your way will you?'

And with that, he left the room and sent Marlene in. Walking slowly and blindly, thoughts whirling round his head. But only one word being legible. Auror.

Hola amigos! So this was chapter 10, and I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, give it a follow, or a favourite, or even a ":)" as a review. I am thinking of rewriting maybe the last paragraph before each chapter as a recap but it's up to you, soooo yeah! Have a nice day! ;) :) :*