Change of Heart
By Tempest Break
Disclaimer: Um, no, I don't own Harry Potter :'( It's so sad... Anyway, I do own the plot, and most of the people on the Quidditch teams. Yeah. I think that's about it. Quite sad, isn't it?
Summary: James obviously likes Lily, but she hates his guts. This is the way it's been for six years. However, in their last year, James finally has a chance, as he and Lily are Head Boy and Girl, and share a tower all to themselves. While James rejoices, Lily would rather kill herself than spend more than a nanosecond with James, who, in her opinion, is a conceited jerk. James has nine months to reverse six years of hatred for him, and will Lily have a change of heart?
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Chapter Eight: Quidditch, Anyone?
As the early November sun dawned on the day of the first Quidditch match of the season, James was already up and about, showered and dressed in his Quidditch robes. He contacted the others on the Gryffindor team to get them down to the Quidditch pitch early – he wanted to give them a pep talk and maybe get some light practice in before the game against Slytherin.
So directly after breakfast, the six other players entered the locker rooms where James was already waiting for them. Among the few things in the world that James took seriously was Quidditch, especially when they were against Slytherin.
"All right, team," he began. "This is the first match of the season, but it doesn't mean that we can go easy. We want to tear those Slytherins apart. We're gonna win the Quidditch Cup this year!"
The Gryffindors cheered.
"While you're out there, I want you to remember: this isn't just a Qudditch match," he continued. "Oh, no. Not with Slytherin. This is a battle between right and wrong, good and – "
Colleen shouted: "Let's get out there and practice, Cap'n. We could all recite your pep talks by heart."
James grinned, pleased that his team was eager to get out onto the pitch. "Don't strain yourselves," he warned. "This is just a light practice."
"Yeah, yeah," said Lee Butterwick, waving James away as he passed on his way out the door. "We'll be fine."
"Fine, then get out there!" James ordered, shooing them away. He took off on his Nimbus 1000 and practiced with the Chasers for a while. After a few minutes, he flew up high above the team and surveyed them.
Cady hurled the Quaffle to Jake, who banked a quick U-turn as if a Slytherin were on his broom tail. Then he whirled around and threw it to Colleen, who zoomed forward to catch it and then chucked the Quaffle at the hoops. It had nearly reached the hoop when Liz surged forward and caught it at the last second. She smiled at Colleen and offered a joke before throwing the Quaffle back in to her, as Lee smacked a Bludger straight at her. Before it could even get close, David was on it, beating it back with his bat.
"Hey, Cap'n!" shouted Colleen, holding the Quaffle under her arm and shading her eyes against the sun. "You gonna practice or what?"
James smiled and dove back down to his team. He intercepted the Quaffle in a pass from Colleen to Cady and tore towards Liz. At the last moment, he passed it to Jake, who threw it neatly through the hoop.
"Why, you little..." began Liz, but she was laughing as she tossed the Quaffle back to Jake.
"Don't make the same mistake at the game today, Hamilton," James warned.
"Oh, like Avery, Stoker, and Brinkman are smart enough to pull a move like that," she scoffed. "Their ploy is to play target practice with me rather than score – haven't you noticed that they always throw it directly at me?"
"Just don't get off your guard," he insisted, whatever the status of the Slytherin Chasers' aim.
When they finished in about twenty minutes, the Gryffindors were all feeling pretty good about their chances at the match. James told them to rest up before the game, which started at eleven, in two hours.
James himself went back to the Head Tower to change into his regular robes and then go find the other Marauders. However, when he entered the common room, he found Lily there, reading one of the books he had given her for her birthday.
James still hadn't asked her to the Christmas Dance – he really saw no need to, and he didn't want to appear desperate to go with her, as the Dance was still almost two months away. So he didn't ask her about the Ball; instead he said: "Hey, Evans."
She looked up from The Dark Arts Outsmarted, and her expression hardened upon catching sight of him. "Potter," she acknowledged.
"I see you're reading one of the books I got you," he said, obviously pleased with himself.
"Yes," she admitted reluctantly. "They're good books, even though you got them for me. I'm surprised you had such good judgment in choosing."
James decided to ignore her insult and smiled. "Yeah, it took me a while to find books I thought you didn't already have."
Lily studied him, as if trying to figure out whether he was insulting her for being a bookworm or not. "Why are you wearing those robes, Potter?" she asked, a little disparagingly. "Halloween's over."
"Ha, ha," James said. "These are my Quidditch robes. Haven't you ever been to a Quidditch game, Evans? Your friend O'Brian's on the team, you know."
"Colleen understands that I have better things to do," she replied airily.
"Yeah, I'm sure she does," James said skeptically. "I'll bet you don't even know what position she plays."
"She plays Chaser, thank you very much," said Lily.
"And do you know what a Chaser does?" James pressed.
"Yes, I do," she said, a little too firmly. She paused. "They chase, er, probably some sort of spheroid object."
James looked at her pityingly. "Have you even been to a Quidditch game?" he asked.
"Well, no," Lily said.
James gaped at her incredulously. "In all your years at Hogwarts, you've never attended a Quidditch match?" he demanded. "Do you have any remote idea what you're missing?"
"Colleen has explained it to me a little," she told him. "It doesn't sound interesting in the least, watching people speed around on brooms hunting four balls at once. More like confusing, if you ask me."
His mouth was still wide open. "I think I've figured out why you're so angry all the time," he said. "You've never experienced Quidditch."
"Oh really, Potter," said Lily impatiently. "It's not that great."
James nearly laughed at that. "Look, come to today's game – Gryffindor versus Slytherin – and tell me if you're not completely wowed," he said. "Sit with your friend Silver. She's a pureblood – surely she likes Quidditch."
"Selena isn't allowed to attend the Quidditch games," said Lily quietly. "I usually stay with her while they're going on."
"Why the hell not?" James asked. Before Lily could open her mouth to tell him to mind his business, he shook his head. "Don't get after me about it, I won't bother you about Silver. Just come to today's match. Sit with Remus and Peter."
Lily seemed to seriously consider it for a moment.
"Come on, Evans," he nearly pleaded with her. "You've got to see it. It's good, quality fun for the whole family!"
Lily actually smiled at James's comment. "Fine, Potter," she agreed grudgingly. "I'll go to your Quidditch game. Why are you so hell-bent on me going, anyway?"
James was surprised. "You mean you didn't know? I've been the Captain of the Gryffindor House team since fourth year," he told her.
"Oh." Lily blushed a little at not knowing that.
James rolled his eyes. "Really, I expected the Head Girl to be a bit more observant than that."
Lily frowned at him. "Well, what time is this game?" she asked him.
"Eleven," he told her.
"Isn't it a little dark then?" she asked.
"What?" He blinked at her. "Eleven in the morning – as in two hours from now. As if we could see well enough at night!" he said. "You're really clueless about Quidditch, aren't you? You do know where the pitch is?"
Lily nodded.
"Good," said James in relief. "I was afraid I'd have to get Sirius and the others to walk you."
"I may not know Quidditch, but I know my way around Hogwarts," said Lily indignantly.
Not nearly as well as the Marauders do, though, James thought as he left Lily in the common room so he could change.
- - - - -
At ten-forty-five, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was assembled in the locker rooms. Colleen, Jake, and Cady were going over some last-minute strategies, while Liz, Lee, and David lounged around, laughing and joking. James was psyching himself up, as he usually did before a game. There were butterflies in his stomach – they always appeared before a match, and it was a mildly unpleasant feeling, but James felt good about this game – they were all in top form.
Then, at eleven o'clock, Sirius cast the spell on his voice for it to carry through the pitch and asked the crowd: "Is this working? Can you all hear me?"
A great cry rose up from the stands.
"Oh, I guess so," he said, and James could hear the smile in his voice. "Well, it's the first game of the season – Gryffindor versus Slytherin! Here come the teams!"
James turned to his team and said, "Do your best out there!" They smiled back at him, and then he pushed open the door and walked onto the Quidditch pitch, broom in hand.
"And there's Gryffindor, in red and gold! Team Captain and Seeker, James Potter. The Chasers: Jake Bell, Cady Morris, and Colleen O'Brian. The two Beaters: Lee Butterwick and David Gilmore. And the Keeper, Liz Hamilton!"
The Gryffindor audience erupted in applause and cheers for their team, while the Slytherin side booed them.
"Here comes Slytherin, in green and silver! Team Captain and Chaser, Mathias "Slimeball" Avery – "
"Mr. Black," came McGonagall's warning voice, "I don't want to end this before it's begun, but – "
"Sorry, Professor, couldn't resist. So it's Avery followed by the other Chasers, Kade Brinkman and Phelan Stoker. Beaters, Zebulon Montague and Damarcus Edwards. Seeker, Sergio Cameron. And the Keeper, Cory Westlake!"
This time Slytherin cheered while Gryffindor hissed and threw insults down at the Slytherin House Team.
"Madam Hooch steps onto the field," Sirius continued to announce. "Potter and Avery seem to be trying to squeeze the life out of each other's hands... And Madam Hooch has thrown the Quaffle – caught by Jake Bell of Gryffindor!" Gryffindor cheered loudly.
James soared above everyone else, watching for the Golden Snitch. He listened to Sirius with only one ear, tuning him in and out, but he heard: "Magnificent interception by Cady Morris of Gryffindor! She's tearing down the field toward Cory Westlake, the Slytherin Keeper – he looks confused, doesn't know which way she's going – she's right there in front of him – and she passes to Colleen O'Brian, and it's a goal for Gryffindor!! TEN TO ZERO, GRYFFINDOR!"
James caught a flash of gold over by Edwards, a Slytherin Beater, and he streaked after towards it. Cameron saw him do so, and took off after him. But before either could get there, the Snitch had gone elsewhere, and James just barely missed being smacked on the head with Edwards's Beater stick.
"Losing your touch, eh, Potter?" sneered Cameron, a blunt-faced fifth-year with a lazy eye. Several times before when faced with him, James had wondered if it had come in handy on the pitch.
Now, James chose to ignore him. His eyes scanned the Quidditch pitch for the Snitch, and he tuned Sirius back in.
"Kade Brinkman of Slytherin has the Quaffle, and he's heading toward Liz Hamilton, Keeper for Gryffindor. Mathias Avery comes up beside him, and Brinkman passes – and it's intercepted by O'Brian! Look at that girl go! She's getting there – getting there – and – Oh! That was foul!! That dirty, rotten son of a bitch – !"
"Mr. Black!" exclaimed McGonagall, appalled by Sirius's language.
"Sorry, Professor," Sirius apologized. "But that was low-down!"
James looked to see what had happened and gathered that Montague had whacked Colleen on the back of the head with his Beater stick; she was looking rather disoriented. Madam Hooch called a penalty for Gryffindor, and Colleen took it. She shook her dazedness away and shot for the hoop. She made it, and Sirius called out the score. "TWENTY – ZIP, GRYFFINDOR! And it looks like O'Brian is back in the game none the worse for wear! Good show, old girl!"
Colleen aimed a thumbs-up in Sirius's direction and tore off in Avery's wake.
James quickly turned off Sirius's voice in his head, as he saw Cameron diving down towards something on the ground. He quickly went into a steep dive as well, trying to see where the Snitch was. He couldn't see, but Cameron seemed very intent on it. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye James saw a flare of gold on the other side of the field, and he knew Cameron had only been trying to trick him. James quickly pulled out of the dive and veered towards the Golden Snitch. It was hovering by the top of the Gryffindor hoops, and James could hear Sirius again.
"It looks like James Potter of Gryffindor has seen the Snitch! Sergio Cameron was only trying to distract him, but he was caught in his own dive and is taking too long to get out of it! Any other irony fans out there today, folks? Potter's tearing down the field, it looks like he's going to get it – "
As if the Snitch had heard Sirius, it took off away from James, towards the stands, and James zoomed after it. The Snitch found a course over the tops of the audience members' heads, and many of them had to duck as James skimmed over them.
James heard a whirring in the air that didn't sound like the Snitch, but he didn't dare look. He tuned Sirius in for a moment: "Montague has beaten a Bludger Potter's way! Look out, James!!"
"Don't worry, Cap'n," shouted David, zooming straight on at James. "I got it!" Just as it looked as though they were going to collide, David swerved, beat the Bludger away from James, and chased after it.
James couldn't afford to look at David – the Snitch was just out of his reach. He was right above a stand full of Gryffindors, and he could hear Cameron's broom just behind him. He accelerated, reaching out with his hand for the little Snitch –
"WHY THAT LITTLE – !" shouted Sirius, as James felt a shove on his broom. He pitched forward and tumbled into the audience of Gryffindors. "Cameron's pushed Potter off his broom!!"
James groaned and sat up, but he was smiling. He stood and held up his fist, clutching the Snitch.
"BUT POTTER GOT THE SNITCH ANYWAY!!!" Sirius cried happily. "That'll teach you not to mess with the best, Cameron!!"
Avery flew up and began berating Cameron loudly. He scowled at James as the Gryffindor audience James had landed in hugged James and cheered loudly so loudly he thought his eardrums would burst.
"Nice job there, Prongs," said a voice from behind him.
James turned and found that he had fallen right at Remus's feet. Peter was there, too. And, to James's delight, so was Lily. She looked exhilarated by the game. He smiled knowingly at her.
"Thanks!" he shouted above the din. Peter handed him his broom, which fortunately was still intact, and James hopped on, descending to the Quidditch pitch.
The rest of his team met him with cries of joy, and they hugged all around. "Bloody hell, Cap'n!" shouted Colleen. "I thought we were dead there when you fell. Don't ever do that to a body again!"
They finally got to the locker rooms, and the atmosphere was euphoric. Colleen and David did a victory do-si-do with each other, and Cady, Jake, Lee, and Liz soon joined in. James was caught up in it as well when Colleen grabbed his arm and threw him in, but he wasn't all that opposed.
They finally calmed down enough to take their showers and get out of the locker rooms. James exited first and was met by Remus, Peter, and Lily, who were waiting outside for him.
"That was brilliant work!" Peter squeaked excitedly. "I can't believe you caught the Snitch even when Spoon shoved you off your broom!"
"Thanks, Peter," said James. He looked at Lily. "Well? How'd you like the match?"
"It was amazing! You were right!" she exclaimed. Her cheeks were red from excitement and her green eyes were dancing. "I can't believe I've missed out for all these years!"
"Me, neither," agreed James.
"I was so worried when Colleen got hit with that big baseball bat," she said. "I didn't know Quidditch could get so dirty."
James was confused as to what a baseball bat was, but he said, "It always gets dirty against Slytherin."
"I guess so!" continued Lily enthusiastically. "I mean, that Sergio Cameron pushed you off your broom. I hope he's punished for that. You could have been hurt really badly!"
"Nah," said James, waving it away as Colleen came out of the locker room. "I'm always fine."
"Lily! You came to the game?" Colleen cried, throwing an arm around her friend's shoulders.
"Potter talked me into it. I'm so glad he did!" Lily replied. "You were awesome out there!"
"That's what I've been telling you for the past three years," Colleen laughed.
"You okay? That blow to the head looked pretty bad," said Lily.
"I'm fine. Just a little bump is all," Colleen said, shrugging it off.
Sirius joined them shortly, saying how awesomely James had done and adding that Colleen had done just as well when she glowered at him. They continued talking animatedly about the Quidditch game as they headed towards the castle.
James watched Lily talk with Colleen about the match, her green eyes flashing with enthusiasm, and he was happy had talked her into coming.
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Tempest: Wow! I liked that chapter a lot!!! It was fun to write! I love the Quidditch teams (I usually like reading Oliver/Katie stories, when I'm not around the L/J, R/Hr, or D/Hr sections), so it was really fun to write a Quidditch game. I thought about who would be the announcer, and it just came to me that Sirius would probably be the announcer. He has about the same mentality as Lee Jordan does in Harry's generation. So I just made Sirius the announcer. Good job to DarkestMaeve to guessing Sirius's role! To a few people who pointed out my mistakes (I'm ashamed of myself... stupid typos...): Okay, um, "correction" (I doubt that's your real name), I had originally written the griffin statue as a sphinx, but I realized that didn't work. I guess I didn't change all of them to griffin. Sorry there. And to Kaeldra: Yeah, you're right. Oh well. No, seriously, I regret my mistakes. I was mostly making up the prefect and Head rights then. Sorry.
Thanks everyone for getting me over 100 reviews! I'm really proud! Anyway, I'm very happy with this chapter, and I hope you are, too! Review, review, review!!!
8-01-07: This chapter has been revamped! Hope you enjoy it more than before. I think after this chapter, most of the changes won't be for canon (because my original characters take over for the most part), but I'll still continue with this. I changed a lot of the Slytherins' names to be, well, better. Zebulon, Kade, and Phelon I just got from a baby names website. They have pretty Slytherin-ish meanings, so they made sense.