DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM THE HARRY POTTER SERIES. In this chapter I only own Elliot, Danyl, Drake, Keane, Dixie, and some random people.

A/N: Okay. I love this story with a passion, and I know my spelling and grammar may be off a bit, I'm not cool enough to have a functioning spell/grammar check (yeah my computer sucks that bad) I'll try and proofread at school when I get the chance. So go ahead and say what you have to, but please review!!

A/N: SCORE! It's up sooner than I thought it would be. Monica bugged me to try and get it up today, and so I shall. So Monica, this chapter is just for you. Uhm... yeah, I dunno what else to say except, have fun with it everybody.

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Chapter 4: Exactly What You Want Me To Say

The next week went by without anything remotely interesting happening. Sirius hadn't quite been his energetic, mischievous self since he'd heard the girls talking. He hadn't told anyone what he'd heard, just that he needed to think. Remus was looking a bit paler, seeing as there was less than a week until the full moon, and James was getting worried.

"But what if he's not up to it Moony?" James asked his friend one morning as they sat at the table. Sirius was busy helping Peter finish his Transfiguration homework, so the conversation seemed safe enough. "If we don't have Padfoot we can't go off like we usually do. I can't keep you in check by myself." Remus sighed and pushed his plate away. He shook his head, "Well, then we won't do it." James frowned and looked across the table at Sirius. "I hope he's up to it."

"Mr. Potter." James turned around to see Professor McGonagall. "Hey Professor." She set a piece of parchment in front of him, "These are the names of all the people who'd like to try out for Quidditch this year. I expect you'll hold try outs soon?" James nodded excitedly as his looked at the list, "Yes m'am. As soon as I can." McGonagall smiled, "I can get you the field this Saturday if you'd like." James beamed, "Yes! Please!" McGonagall nodded and walked off toward the staff table.

James turned to Remus and bit his lip, "You going to come out?" Remus shrugged, "Maybe I'll watch the tryouts." Sirius suddenly ripped the list away from James and began looking it over. He nodded at a lot of the names but stopped at one, "Elliot?!" James tore the paper away and found the girl's name, "Wow! Didn't think she'd be for it!" James scanned down the list and laughed, "You too Sirius? Alright, be there Saturday." He folded the parchment and put it in his bag. "I hope Danyl Jeffersen comes out. He was great last year."

James leaned back in his seat and scanned the table. Finally, he spotted Danyl sitting with a few of his fifth year friends, "Oi, Danyl!" The boy looked over at James with his dark brown eyes, the turn making his hair fall into his face, "What?" James got up and walked over to the boy, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Well my dear man, Quidditch try-outs are Saturday, and I'd like you to be there!" Danyl nodded, "O'course! Why wouldn't I be there?"

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Saturday came along, sunny, warm, and with a decent breeze. James and Remus walked onto the field while the dew was still fresh. "Where's Sirius?" Remus asked as James mounted his broom. James shrugged, "Said he'd be here, but he wanted to do something first." Remus nodded and took a seat on one of the lower benches. "Alright." James took this as a signal to go ahead and took off, feeling the wind in his hair and face for the first time in what seemed like forever. He sat still for a moment, level with the tallest goalpost. A smile crept onto his face, he bent low, and he took off like a bullet through the goalposts. He brought himself into a back flip and went through the hoop again before turning quickly and shooting off in the other direction. Remus laughed a bit to himself as he watched his friend.

Sirius, however, was sitting on the steps of the castle staring at the lake. Suddenly, the doors opened behind him, and he watched Elliot and Snape walk down the stairs. This had been what he was waiting for. He took a deep breath and debated if he really wanted to do this.

"Ellie! Hey! Ellie!" He got up and sprinted up to the two. He could've sworn he saw Snape flinch, but ignored it. Elliot stared at him, annoyance etched in her face, "What is it?" Sirius took another deep breath and looked his friend dead in the eyes, "I have a real problem with us not talking." She let out a little laugh. Sirius pulled a lock of hair out of his face, "And I've kind of realized that if I want to call myself your friend, I have to respect your..." He looked at Snape for a moment, "decisions." Elliot put the back of her hand to Sirius's head. "What're you doing Elle?"

"Checking for a fever, I think you might be ill."

Sirius pulled her hand away and shook his head, "Well, that's all I really needed to say. I have to get to the quidditch field." He turned away and walked off along the grounds. Snape raised an eyebrow, "That was... unexpected." Elliot nodded, "He's sick. He must be sick." She shook her head, "It's like he knew exactly what I wanted from him." She pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest, pouting. "One of the girls must've told him." Snape shrugged and looked up at the field, "I don't honestly think he means it, but you can give him the benefit of the doubt if you must. I'll come meet you later." Elliot nodded and gave him a quick kiss before running off to try-outs.

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James looked at all of the people waiting to start the try-outs. He nodded to himself and then turned to Remus, "Good turnout?" Remus nodded back. James waved his arms to get his fellow Gryffindors' attention, "Oi! Up here!" No one seemed to notice him at first, but Sirius quickly backed him up. "Hey! James is trying to talk! Shut Up!" It took a minute, but soon it was quiet. James took a breath, letting his shoulders rise and fall with it. "Thank you Padfoot."

"No problem mate."

"Now! I know some of you are my good friends, and some of you I've barely talked to... But this is going to be completely fair. Okay?" He looked at the ones who nodded and smiled, "Alright then. Who wants to try for Chaser?" About twenty hands went up into the air. "Okay... how about you," He pointed at Danyl, "you..." he pointed at a fourth year girl with short blonde hair, "and you!" He pointed to a second year boy. "Okay, up in the air! Let's get moving."

After trying all the quidditch star wannabes, James ended up with a team he happened to be very proud of. Danyl had pulled some tactical tackles and made chaser. The other two were Keane Turncoutte, a sixth year boy who was the only one to ever tackle Danyl during the practice, and Dixie Morris, a dark haired third year girl.

The beaters were a bit easier to choose. The only two people who did any good were Sirius and Drake Powers, a sixth year who was quite muscular. Drake had hit the Bludger a bit further than Sirius did, and Sirius was a bit pouty about it for a few minutes.

James had then settled on Elliot for Keeper. She'd saved all five throws from all three chasers and could avoid the bludgers pretty well. James himself, of course, was still going to be the team's Seeker.

He called the new team over to him after everyone else had left. "Alright, I'll let you all know when practice is. Just know it'll be frequent." Sirius, Elliot, and Danyl laughed. James frowned, "What's so funny?" Sirius shrugged, it's just, you're so obsessed with quidditch that we may end up with two practices a day."

"Just remember, I can drop you and replace you as fast as I accepted you."

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James, Sirius, Remus, and Elliot began back toward the castle together. James was rambling on about the new team when he suddenly stopped talking. Elliot laughed, "Where is he?" James turned to her, "Huh?" She laughed and ruffled his hair before his own hand could reach his head. "I know that face Prongsie! That means Severus is near." James pointed to the bunch of bushes where Snape loved to sit. Elliot nodded and ran off.

"Hey Padfoot, wanna go throw him in the lake. I don't see lilz anywhere so it should...be...safe..." He turned and realized that Sirius was still walking towards the castle. Remus shrugged, "Come on Prongs." James took one last look at Snape before following his friends, "Ah, we'll get him later." He bit his lip and it was silent for a moment. "Prongs?"

"Yeah?"

"You think Padfoot's ok?"

"He'll be fine."

Remus shoved his hands in his pockets. "I hope you're right."

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A/N: Ahhh! I know! Quidditch. WHOOO!!! Anyway… that's it for now. This is the last short chapter for a while. 5 and 6 are pretty long, and I'm still adding to them and fixing them up. I hope to get them up soon.

ForeverDisenchanted