Chapter 4

Quidditch Tryouts, Friday 9am

Marlene was staring at the notice board, "so, Mckinnion, you going to try out this year?" James asked leaning on the board, Marlene sighed, "Yeah, probably," James frowned at her, "then why so glum chum?" Marlene smiled at this, "I don't know, I just don't know if I'm good enough..." "Marlene Mckinnion," he interrupted, "You are one of the best beaters I've seen" "I'm alright..." he glared at her, "Mckinnion, if you don't tryout on Friday..." "Ok, ok!" she said holding her hands up in defeat, "I'll be there," James smiled, "good," when James had left the corridor, Lily came from behind a corner, she checked the corridor up and down, "is he gone?"

"Yes he's gone, why are you hiding from him?" Marlene asked raising her eyebrow, "I told you what Black said, 'watch out Evans' I'm going to avoid Potter as much as I can," Marlene placed her hands on her hips, " really? And how do you plan to do that?" she asked amused, "easy I have a plan," "a plan?" "Yes... a plan,"

Lily reached in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a piece of parchment, "here read it," she handed over the parchment.

Plan: Avoiding James Potter

"Catchy title."

· Avoid empty corridors, perfect place for an ambush, AVOID AT ALL COSTS

· Avoid empty classrooms

· If studying in the Library, STAY WHERE CAN BE SEEN

· code phrase if James Potter is seen: TROLL IN THE DUNGEON

"Really? Troll in the dungeon? Is that best you could come up with?"

"Hey! I did this on the way to potions! ,"

· On Hogsmede visits, stay close to Emmeline Vance and Marlene Mckinnion

· AVOID ALL MARAUDERS

· ONLY SOCIALISE WITH JAMES POTTER IF COMPLETLY NESSASARY

"Nice plan, you really think it's going to work? What about in class, what if you get partnered with him again?" she asked curiously, Lily began walking up the corridor, Marlene beside her, "Easy, you'll be my partner," "you've really got everything figured out haven't you?" Lily smiled, "The plan always works,"

Lily sat on the edge retelling her plan to Emmeline, "Lily do you really think this is going to work," Lily stood up picking up a pillow and throwing it at her head, "The plan always works!" Emmeline dodged the cushion at placed it on her bed, "Lily when do your plans ever work?" she sighed, "I am offended! My plan to set you up with Michael Casey worked!" Emma's eyes widened, "You what? Lily that was none of your business, I can date who I like without you interfering!" Lily argued back, "Well he asked you out didn't he? you two were flirting for ages and I just gave it a little push is all," Emma didn't want to fight with one of her best friends so she just smiled, "it was a good intention, but next time leave it to me to sort out my boy troubles ok?" Lily folded her arms, sighing, "Fine," "Are you two done? Some people need to sleep," Marlene said resting against her pillow, Lily and Emma both went to their own beds. "Night Marlene," Lily said sweetly,

"Whatever," Marlene sighed, turning her head to face to opposite side of the room.

It was the middle of the night, and Lily was still awake, she couldn't sleep.

She walked over to the window ledge and lay across it; she lay there admiring the Hogwarts grounds for what seemed like hours, when she finally drifted off to sleep.

"Oh come on Evans just go on a date with me..."

"For the last time no! I'd rather date a giant squid!" Lily's voice was deeper than usual she looked down at herself, doesn't she normally wear skirts for school? Why was she wearing trousers? she walked over to the nearest window, trying to see her reflection, she was shocked at what she saw, "I'm a guy?!" she shrieked, she turned round to see a tall girl with messy, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes shielded by rounded glasses, "come on Evans, just one date," the girl begged, Lily finally realised who this was, well a female version anyway, "James?!" The girl looked confused, "the name's Jane, Jane potter, you know this Evans!" Lily tried to turn around and run but everywhere she looked she was surrounded be female potters, what is this nightmare she thought, she began to push past them all, running down what seemed to be an endless corridor, with the crowd of potters chasing after her. What was this nightmare? What was going on? she kept running and running till she finally reached a door, she pulled it open, to find a giant squid, suddenly it began talking, "How about a kiss Evans," Lily screamed, the next thing she knew she was in the girls dormitory lying on the window ledge, with Emma and Marlene surrounding her , "Lily? Are you ok,"

"Erm, no, I don't think I am." she said rubbing her eyes and moving from the window ledge, "bad dream?" Emma wondered, "Yeah... you could say that...what time is it?" she yawned, "It's nearly midnight," Marlene answered, Lily sighed, " I'm going to go downstairs for a bit, I Err... can't sleep right now,"

Lily made her way into the common room and sat on the large sofa in front of the fire,

No way she was going to have a good night sleep with having witnessed that horrific dream, female Potters... giant squid? She just sat there staring into the bright flames for a while, when she heard a thud, when she turned her head to see what was there, all she saw a book lying on the floor, she turned her head back to face the fireplace and remained sitting on the sofa still staring into the flames.

Yet, there was grand fireplace right in front of her, she was cold, she wrapped her arms around herself and rested her head on the nearest pillow, for the last time, Lily drifted off to sleep.

Lily woke up still in the common room, she turned over to look out the window, it was definitely morning but it still looked earlier than when she would usually wake up. Lily sat up, stretching, when a blanket fell off her lap, "I don't remember bringing down a blanket," she said to herself, she shook her head ignoring this thought, picked up the blanket and went upstairs to get changed.

Last night

Sirius and James had just left from the kitchens and were heading back to the Gryffindor common room, "Prongs, I'm telling you Marlene has a thing for me," James laughed, "really how you can tell?" "I can just tell ok, I have flirt radar, I can just tell when a girl is flirting with me, what can I say, I have a gift" Sirius bragged, both marauders began walking up the grand stair case, "flirt radar you say? I could use one of them," "it won't work with Evans mate," he joked, James elbowed him, Sirius just laughed.

They finally reached the fat lady's portrait, "you two are out late," she said eyeing the two up suspiciously, "Babbling Baboons," James said ignoring her, "You may enter," she growled, letting them pass through, "Padfoot, I can hear someone, someone's in the common room," prongs whispered, "Good thing we have the cloak on then, isn't it," Padfoot whispered back smirking, when they began shuffling towards the boy's dorm stairs, they saw who was in the common room, it was lily, curled up on the sofa.

They got to the middle of the room when James stumbled over the rug, knocking a book off the table beside them, Lily turned round, Both Marauders froze, she turned back around, wrapping her arms around her body and resting her head on a pillow, that was a close one, they both thought. James and Sirius reached the bottom of the stairs and began tiptoeing up.

When they reached their Dormitory door they flung off the cloak, James peered through the gap in the door, Peter and Remus were asleep, "I wish Peter would quit snoring I can never get to bloody sleep with it," Sirius whispered, giving Peter a disgusted look, James went over to his chest sitting at the foot of his bed and pulled out a maroon coloured blanket, and walked back over to the dorm door, "where are you going?" Sirius asked looking confused, "I just need to do something, I'll be back."

James made his way back down the stairs, when he reached the bottom he peered round the corner, Lily was still on the sofa, but she had fallen asleep, she was lying with her knees up to her chest and her arms still wrapped around her, she was shivering, James carefully walked across the room and stood in front of her, he lifted the blanket and put it over lily's shivering body, he knelt beside her , "you know I think this is the quietest you've ever been," he said smiling at her.

Some of Lily's messy, red hair fell in front of her face making her twitch; he lifted his hand and gently pushed the strand of hair behind her ear. If Lily was awake she would have blew the strand from her face in frustration, the thought of it made James smile to himself, Lil Red would be the best name for her he thought. When Lily had stopped shivering, James stood up and retreated back across the room, towards the stairs then stopped and turned around,

"Goodnight Lily."

Present

Lily walked into her dorm with the blanket still in her hands, Marlene and Emmeline still asleep, Lily didn't want to wake them so she slowly put the blanket on the end of her bed, got her clothes from her chest and went into the bathroom to get showered and dressed. When she got out of the bathroom, Emmeline's bed was empty, she must have got an early start too, but Marlene was still in bed, one arm and one leg dangling of the bed, her hair was sticking up here and there, she was snoring quite loudly against her pillow, Lily laughed at her friend, "attractive,"

She snuck past her snoring friend, went downstairs and made her way down to the Great Hall.

As she walked in, she found Emmeline sat with Mary Macdonald; she walked over to them, "You're up early, you feeling ok?" Emmeline said, as she saw Lily, "yes I'm fine, it's not the start of the apocalypse Emma," Lily said in annoyance, "See this is why you don't get up this early, you're always moody," Emma sighed, Lily sat down opposite them, "I don't get up early so how would you know? Anyway, morning Mary," Mary laughed, "Oh you noticed me? I was starting to feel invisible," Lily smiled at her, "sorry... I haven't seen you much, how have you been," Mary smiled back, " fine thank you, I broke up with Gilderoy the other day," Lily and Emma looked at each other, they tried to act disappointed, "Oh Mary," Emma said putting her arm around her, "what happened," "The guy, is self-centred prat, he would rather date his own bloody reflection," Mary snorted, "Mary you can do so much better than Gilderoy Lockhart," Lily said trying to comfort her, "Thanks, I'm surprised you two didn't notice what a jerk the guy was," Lily looked guilty and Mary saw it, Emma gave her a worried glance, "Lily, don't you dare..." Lily gave her a pleading look, "Please, she's not going out with him anymore!" Mary glanced at them both, "what are you guys not telling me?" " we think Gilderoy is a pompous git...we didn't want to say anything because you two were dating and it was none of our business," Lily admitted, "wow.." Mary said looking down at her plate, Lily gave her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Mary," Mary lifted her head up and looked lily straight in the eyes, when she began laughing, " don't be sorry, I'm just shocked you didn't say anything sooner," Lily looked towards Emma, Mary did too, "You made her promise not to say anything didn't you?" Emma looked at Mary with guilt, "yes... I didn't want you thinking we were intruding," Mary just smiled, "it's fine, I guess if you would have said anything I would have gone all defensive, I had to figure out he was a self-centred prat all by myself." All three girls laughed, and finally began eating.

"Emma..." Lily said while thinking to herself, Emma looked up from eating her toast, "yeah?" "Do you think we forgot something this morning?" Lily asked, Emma frowned, thinking for a moment, "No, I don't think so... why do you ask?" Lily frowned too, "I don't know I just have a feeling that today is important and that we had to do something," Both girls, sat there thinking for a while, when they heard the great hall doors slam open, standing in the door way was Marlene dressed sloppily in Quidditch robes, with her hair still sticking up in certain places yet it seemed she tried to put it in a messy bun, she looked furious, Lily and Emma looked at each other, "we forgot to wake Marlene up for Quidditch practice."

Marlene came charging at the two girls, Lily stood up putting her hands up, "ok we know you're mad and we are so sorry we forgot to wake up..."

Marlene just sat down, still looking angry, Lily sat down next to her, "We are really sorry Marlene, are you ignoring us? Because we deserve it..." "Not helping Lily," Emma hissed, "Would you two shut it I want to eat!" Marlene yelled causing attention from others in the hall, "Are mad at us?" Lily asked, Marlene sighed, she seemed to have calmed down a little, "No, no I'm not mad at you," Both Lily and Emma sighed with relief, "Then why do you look so mad..." Emma wondered, Marlene took a mouth full of cereal, "I didn't plan wake up this early," she growled, "How did you get up this early if me or Emma woke you up?" Lily asked, looking curious, Marlene finished off her breakfast then turned to "Quidditch captain woke me up..." The Quidditch captain was James how could he wake Marlene up; the boys can't go up the girls' dormitory stairs, "Err Marlene how can James wake you up if he can't get up the stairs?"

"He didn't have to get up the stairs to be heard and wake the whole bloody school up!" she growled, after Marlene let out all her anger, she sighed, "Soo how has your Mornings been?" she asked trying to change the subject, "Mary broke up with Gilderoy..." Lily said, swallowing a mouth full of toast, Marlene turned to Mary with a big grin on her face, "Finally ditched him did you? I was wondering when you would..." Emmeline elbowed her, Mary laughed, "Morning to you too Marlene... and yes I did, your reaction was what I was expecting from these two," she pointed at Emma and Lily; they all laughed and continued talking for a while.

"So are you guys going to watch me try out?" Marlene asked hopefully, "Of course we are! What kind of friends would we be if we didn't?" Mary laughed; Marlene smiled at her, liking her friend's enthusiasm "So when are tryouts?" Lily interrupted, "They start at nine, but James will probably make sure we are down there earlier...oh speak of the troll," she said rolling her eyes, Lily, Emma and Mary all turned around to see James and Sirius entering the great hall in their Quidditch robes, "you remembered the code phrase, I'm so proud," Lily said, pretending to tear up, Marlene smiled at her, "so what you girls talking about?" Sirius said, appearing from behind Marlene, she jumped, almost falling off her seat in surprise, "Bloody hell Sirius!" she said annoyed, he gave her a crooked grin, "Sorry did I give you a fright," he asked innocently, "Just a little," she said glaring at him, he sat down putting his arm around her, she stopped glaring and blushed slightly, "so you ready for tryouts?" he asked her, she frowned, "Yeah, just a little nervous..." she said looking down at the table, "It's normal to be a little nervous, you'll do great I know you will," Lily assured her, "Lil red is right, You'll do great," James interrupted while sitting himself next to lily, "what did you just call me?" she questioned raising her eye brow at him, he smiled, "Lil red," Lily sighed, "That's what I thought you said, when did you come up with that one then?" James poured himself some pumpkin juice took a sip then placed it on the table, making sure it was more than an arms distance away from her, before answering, "Just last night actually," She rolled her eyes, he just laughed at her reaction and turned to Sirius, "We should probably head down to the pitch," Sirius nodded, both got up, "See you at tryouts Marlene!" Sirius called before leaving the hall.

When they had gone, all three girls turned to Marlene, she looked puzzled, "why are you all looking at me like that?" Lily grabbed the pumpkin juice James had just left, "Oh nothing..." she said taking a sip, "seriously! why are you guys looking at me like that," Marlene questioned still looking confused, Mary put her arm around Emma, Emma battered her eyelashes, "oh Sirius stop it your making me blush," she said In a high voice, "I do not sound like that!" she protested trying not to smile, this made all of them laugh, even Marlene.

Lily, Emma and Mary sat watching Marlene tryout; she had been doing great so far but she was starting to look more nervous, "She's doing great! So why is she looking like she's going to hurl..." Mary said while watching Marlene as she attempted hitting the bludger, "she's nervous," Lily answered, "all she needs is a bit of confidence," Some confidence, that's all she needs lily thought to herself, she watched Marlene as James was talking to her, obviously trying to build her confidence... (it didn't seem to be working) she sat thinking for a while when she spotted Sirius sitting on his broomstick talking to Remus and peter who were in the stands, she had an idea, "Sirius Black!" she called at him, "What are you doing?" Emma asked, "I have a plan," Emma rolled her eyes, "Merlin help us all."

Sirius made his way over to them, "Sirius, I need you to do something for me," Sirius frowned, "what can I do?" Lily leaned forward over the stand whispering something in his ear, she pulled away, "Can you do that," Sirius nodded, "definitely," he made his way back on the pitch, Emma looked at Lily with a worried look on her face, "What did you do ?" Lily just smiled, "I'm a genius."

"Right... Marlene this is your last hit, make it count," James reminded her, she nodded shyly, James flew to the sides with a clipboard in his hand, " release the bludger," he called at a second year on the ground, he was about to open the chest containing the bludger when Sirius flew in the middle of the pitch screaming, "wait!" James looked confused but nodded towards the second year, who stopped at the signal. Sirius flew over to Marlene, cupping her face with his hands and kissed her, Marlene looked shocked but kissed him back all the same, he pulled away, but still cupping her face, he whispered, "Good luck Marlene," then he flew away to the side next to James. Marlene's expression changed completely she had a smile on her face and had stopped shaking with nerves, "Ok now release the bludger," James said, signalling the second year. The bludger was released, and began swerving fast on the pitch, then went straight for Marlene, but she was ready, she swung her bat and knocked the bludger back to the ground where the second year ran to catch it. "Right that was the last tryout, everyone in the changing rooms to find out who made the team," James called to everyone,

"How did you... how did you know?" Emma stuttered, obviously still in shock, "As I said, I'm a genius."

Marlene came running out of the changing room towards them, "So how did you do?" Emma asked eagerly,

"I made the team!"