"Remus, did you hear that?" Lily whispered, grabbing hold of his sleeve to stop him.
"Hear what?" he murmured back and looked at her curiously.
They'd be on patrol together for an hour and as they'd just passed an obviously empty charms classroom Lily could have sworn she'd heard a giggle and possibly (much to her disgust) a groan.
Well it was her job to scout the school for out of bed students and that was what she was going to do. Gathering her courage she wrenched open the door and almost choked when she saw who was groping each other on the teachers desk.
Sirius Black had his shirt off exposing his tanned back to Lily and the now gaping Remus and was shoving his dirty long tongue down some black haired girls throat.
"OI!" Lily bellowed causing the two idiots to spring away from each other and who should be revealed behind Black but Hestia with her skirt halfway round her neck Lily noticed furiously.
When Black saw her and Remus his shocked faced turned into a sly grin and he threw his arm back round Hestia and kissed her on the cheek.
"You wouldn't mind giving us a little privacy would you Moony? Were busy mate," he drawled in that stupid husky voice of his. Lily could see Remus wavering and just as he turned back towards the door to leave the pair in peace she caught his eye and gave him a look that told him if he wanted to keep his crown jewels he'd stay where he was.
Turing back to the twat and her friend – who Lily noticed had not made eye contact with her yet – she put on her best Professor McGonagall impression and charged towards them.
"Listen you two, you either go back to your dorms now or I'm fetching Filch who will GLADLY send you both straight to Dumbledore's office!"
Hestia who was still stood next to it turned red and scurried out of Black's reach and out of the classroom. Black on the other hand glared at Lily.
"You're a right pain in the arse Evans do you know that?" he spat and stomped past her and Remus after Hestia.
Remus – bless him – was still stood in the exact spot Lily had left him and looked abashed. She breezed past him and walked in the same direction the other two had gone; back to the common room.
When she entered she was assaulted by James who wanted to know how her rounds had been and if Remus had been nice to her. She barged past him and walked straight up to Marlene and Alice who were sat by the fire both reading a novel. They looked up as she planted her arse on the comfiest armchair near them and sighed.
"What's the matter Lil?" Alice asked calmly.
"Oh you know just seen Hest and Black at it like rabbits in an empty classroom. Nothing new." She said in a strange high pitched voice. For some reason she felt like crying. She knew she'd been harsh on them both and should have definitely been nicer to one of her best friends but she'd been so shocked that their relationship was moving that fast without Hestia saying anything about it that she felt hurt. Alice always filled them in when something new happened with her and Frank. That's just the way they were with each other; no secrets.
"SHUT UP!" Marlene screeched and nearly fell off her chair.
"OMG!" Alice shouted.
"I know right, I was a bit of a bitch with them," Lily said guilty but she was relieved that she wasn't the only one to find it a bit of a shock.
"Who wouldn't have been? Why didn't she say anything to us?" Marlene said and started wringing her hands together like she always did when she was confused.
"I didn't know it was getting so serious. I mean I know they've been kind of dating on and off for the past few weeks since we got back but…" Alice muttered also deep in thought.
Just then Hestia appeared next to Alice's chair and looked straight at Lily.
"Just so you know I'm sorry." She said. It looked like she'd been crying and Lily felt a huge rush of guilt and rushed over and hugged her.
"Its okay Hest. I'm sorry I was such a bitch, I was just shocked," she burst out.
"I know and I really regret not telling you guys how deep it was getting but I know you don't like him so I feel daft saying stuff to you," Hestia gushed back.
Alice and Marlene joined in the hug and all four girls mumbled apologise to each other.
"We wont be mean about Black anymore Hest if you like him so do we," Marlene said gently and Alice and Lily nodded in agreement even though Lily thought she'd have a hard time stomaching being polite to that creature.
"Thanks it means a lot." Hestia smiled and after some more hugging and whispered teasing about how Lily could see Hestia's vajj because her skirt was that high up they all went to bed and talked for a while about Black, Frank and Lily and Marlene's love interests.
"You know Lily, Sirius was saying that James is actually like really in love with you," Hestia called from her bed.
"Shut up Hest." Lily snapped back and rolled over to sleep with the other three still laughing as she drifted off.
X X X X X X X X X
James woke up feeling nervous and that was strange for him. James Potter never got nervous about anything except when it came to asking Lily to go out with him because it somehow nearly always ended up with him in the hospital wing and her dishing him vile looks for the next few weeks.
He knew why he was nervous though. Today he was trying out people for the Gryffindor team as Captain. He couldn't believe it when he got the letter via owl to say he'd made the position and he and Padfoot had spent the night getting hammered on Fire whiskey to celebrate (that night he'd also wrote a letter to Lily asking her if she'd honour him with a congratulations blow job but he tried to block that out) and he still couldn't believe his luck. Being made Captain was one of the proudest moments of his life and he hoped to Merlin that he didn't balls it up.
"Oh Prongssssssss," Sirius called and jumped on top of James.
"Wakey wakey, it's our prince's big day!" he crowed and began to whack James around the head with his own pillow.
"Ok Padfoot I'm up!" James bellowed and sent his best friend flying off of his bed.
"Ooo someone's grouchy this morning! Nervous?" Sirius asked now running his fingers through his dark hair.
"Yep." James answered honestly. He knew if he tried to hide how he actually felt to Sirius it'd just make things worse.
"Ah don't worry mate you'll be brilliant," he said more soberly now and patted James on the head.
"Yeah don't worry about anything Prongs you'll do amazing," Pete stuttered as he came out of the bathroom in a towel.
"Thanks Wormtail," James said affectionately. Sometimes Pete's kiss-assing came in handy, especially when you needed a confidence boost.
"Where's Moony?" he asked noticing that one of the marauders was missing.
"Already gone down to breakfast," Sirius replied, "seems he wanted to catch Marlene on her own, she gets up earlier than the others."
They all knew that Moony had liked Marlene since fourth year and James hoped that he'd have more luck with her than he'd had with Lily.
When they got down to breakfast however Remus was alone and was gazing into the distance thoughtfully.
"Any luck Moony?" Sirius asked as they sat around him.
"Nope, she hasn't come down yet. Just my luck," he replied snapping out of his trance.
"Oh well, just wait until she comes down and then talk to her," James said comfortingly. He felt better thinking about someone else's problems instead of focusing on the task ahead of him.
"Yeah I suppose but then she'll be with the others," Remus said gloomily.
"I know what you mean mate, I don't know why they have to travel in herds," Sirius piped in, "It's bloody annoying."
Pete meanwhile had seen his new girlfriend Abby Tindal and scurried over to the Hufflepuff table and telling the rest of the Marauders that he would be there for the team tryouts.
"Talk about whipped," Sirius scoffed.
"Look who's talking, you're always panting around Hestia," Remus countered slyly causing James to laugh.
"Yes Moony but on MY terms," he replied smugly and flicked a grape at Remus's head who snorted.
James didn't feel like eating anything but Sirius insisted on ramming two slices of toast down his neck. The girls eventually came down for breakfast and at the sight of Lily, James's stomach gave a sharp twist. She had her hair in one long side Platt and it seemed even more shiny and lovely looking than usual. Her green eyes pierced him and he shivered. Today would be even worse if Lily tagged along to watch.
After another tense fifteen minutes the three of them headed down to the Quidditch pitch and were greeted by a large crowd of Gryffindors. People from all years had shown up to try out and James recognised some of the members of last years team and waved at them. Lily soon arrived to James's delight and disappointment (that she would be there to see him fail if he did shit) to watch her friends Hestia and Marlene try out. Both had been on the team last year and James knew how good they were. First he tried out the seekers and after a few useless younger Gryffindors had tried out he was relieved when it was Marlene's turn. She flew graceful but with speed and soon caught the snitch which made Lily cheer from the stands and Hestia to run over and high five her. When she came back over with red cheeks and a triumphant smile he grinned at her.
"Well you've made the team," he said loudly so that everyone else could hear. Marlene whooped and dashed off to celebrate with a screeching Lily and Alice who had just joined her.
James shook his head happily and felt a new confidence in himself.
He next auditioned the chasers and had to boot one arrogant fourth year off the pitch with Sirius's club after he refused to admit that he was shocking. Next was the beaters which was much easier because Sirius was obviously going to be one of his choices not only because they were best friends but because he was brilliant at what he did.
In the end Bradley Barker a strong fifth year was keeper, he had three amazing chasers: Hestia (to Sirius's obvious delight) Ava Stronghurst a friendly a reliable fifth year who had been on the team before and himself of course. Sirius was a beater along with Will Chambers a seventh year who was frankly scary on the pitch if you weren't on his team but outgoing and cheerful with everyone else and of course Marlene was seeker. He was pleased with all his choices and looking forward to their first match which would test his ability as captain. He went to sleep that night with a smile of his face and dreamed of winning the first match of the season and Lily being his prize.
X X X X X X X X X
With the first trip to Hogsmede coming up in October most of the girls at Hogwarts were getting anxious about who was going to ask them. It's easy for girls like Hestia who are already with someone thought Lily grumpily as she and Marlene walked to dinner after Potions. Hestia had told them all yesterday after tryouts that she was going with Sirius and they all pretend to be really happy about it even though they were all waiting for him to put his foot in it and do something wrong so they could slag him off. As they entered the Great Hall seventh year Gryffindor Will Chambers who had just made the team with Marlene came hurrying over to them and grinned at them both.
"Ladies," he said smartly holding out his arms for both of them.
The pair of them laughed at him but took his arms anyway and let him lead them to the Gryffindor table where a scowling James was looking at them.
As soon as they had all sat down James sidled over and planted himself protectively across from Lily, his hazel eyes never leaving her face. Lily ignored him and turned to see what Will was whispering into a giggling Marlene's ear. Suddenly he got up and left but not before winking at them both and James and then skipping off like a five year old girl.
"What was that all about?" Lily asked a now blushing but very pleased looking Marlene.
"He asked me to go to Hogsmede with him!" she screeched and started doing a little dance while Lily laughed at her and James rolled his eyes.
"I take it you said yes," he snorted and turned round to talk to Sirius who had turned up to sit with Hestia.
Well I'd just like to say im soooo sorry for long its taken to get this chapter up! First of all my laptop broke so I lost this chapter and ALL of my coursework for college that had to be in very soon or I'd fail all my courses (yikess!) so as soon I'd gotten my laptop back I had to do all of those again and then I've been revising really hard for my exams so this just kinda went on the back burner. But anyways I've finally finished it and I hope you enjoy it! :-)