Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing that you would recognize as the fantastic work of J.K. Rowling. I only take credit for those OC characters that appear here.
Remus had been giving Sirius a knowing look over the table at meals and at every chance he had. He knew he'd have to bring it up eventually but Remus seemed unwilling to do it and settled for raising his brows every time Sirius looked at him over the next week. He was starting to rather enjoy teasing Moony along for so long about the whole thing and would casually bring up the sixth year girl, Rose Stewart, who Remus had been snogging every time Remus gave him that look. After about a week of this James finally looked around at them both.
'Are you seeing Rose Stewart or something Padfoot? You keep bringing her name up but honestly I never thought she was your type, and from Hufflepuff too.' Lily and Peter both looked up from their food to watch as Remus choked on his food and Sirius gave him a thump on the back.
'No Remus is seeing her, aren't you?' interjected Lily
Remus turned a rather bright shade of red and pretended to still be recovering from his clogged windpipe. Lily ignored this, 'I figured Padfoot found out and was teasing him about it.'
Sirius grinned at a grumpy looking Remus. 'A-ask,' Remus cleared his throat, 'Sirius what he's been doing with Eileen Grey then.'
It was Sirius's turn to look awkward as James, Lily and Peter all turned to look at him. Remus let a little 'hmpf' and looked satisfied.
Sirius said nothing but looked across the hall to where Grey was sitting between Regulus and Snape. Lily, James and Peter followed his gaze to the Slytherin table. Sirius noticed Snape catch Lily's eye and she turned hastily back to Sirius.
'It's nothing really. I told you I had a row with Snape and Regulus last week, well she was there afterwards. Apologized and all.' He turned back to his food, trying to look uninterested.
'Apologized?' said Lily, clearly restraining herself from looking back at the Slytherin table.
Sirius nodded, shoveling roasted chicken into his mouth to avoid talking. James gave him a searching look but Sirius avoided his eyes. Shrugging James went on eating but Remus narrowed his eyes and looked unconvinced.
Once dinner was cleared away Sirius, James and Remus headed out to the Quidditch pitch where James and the Gryffindor team were to be practicing for the next few hours. Peter and Lily went off together to the library discussing charms homework leaving Remus and Sirius alone in the stands together to watch James and the other members of the team. James gave them a wave from below as the team walked out and gathered around him.
'So why aren't you telling us what's happening with you and Grey?' asked Remus, pulling a blanket around himself and handing Sirius an end to squeeze under as well.
Sirius considered him for a moment. Remus wouldn't judge him, he knew. He also knew that Remus would never tell anyone, that Remus could be counted on. James was his best mate, his partner in crime, as good as a brother. Remus was the voice of reason. Sensible, intelligent, and above all, loyal. Sirius valued his friendship with Remus as much as with James, but in a different way. He could whine to Remus and he didn't always have to put on a face. He could cry in front of Remus and know that Remus would be there.
Their friendship had been tested two year ago when Sirius had told Snape how to get into the Whomping Willow. When Remus had found out what Sirius had done he wouldn't speak to him. He knew what he had done was wrong, James had nearly strangled him for it, but receiving the cold shoulder from Remus was awful. He had had fights with James before, but never like that. Remus couldn't believe Sirius would be so stupid and risk his expulsions and Snape's life. After a month of seeing nothing but Remus's back he had put away his pride and went to Remus to beg forgiveness. It hadn't been easy. Remus was far more angry then he had let on, and he had yelled at Sirius, which was something that Sirius had never experienced before. Sirius let him yell and when Remus had stopped, he had felt lower than dirt, but Remus had hugged him, told him he was forgiven and said that if he ever was stupid enough to attempt something like that again, he would throttle him. After getting over the shock of Remus's anger, Sirius figured that he would never, ever, cross Remus's bad side again.
'There isn't really much to tell Moony,' he said honestly. 'The girl keeps popping up randomly and saying a lot but saying nothing at the same time. It's all rather confusing honestly.' He scratched his head, watching James fly across to one of the beaters.
'What did she say last time?' Said Remus patiently, ignoring the training on the pitch to watch Sirius.
'A lot, some of it I didn't understand but I think she was trying to tell me that she is on our side.' Sirius said it without thinking but realised that it was true.
Remus raised his brows, 'why is she telling you this all of a sudden?'
Sirius shrugged, 'Search me. The girl is mental if you ask me, thinks I can help her somehow seeing as I left my family.'
'Your family isn't a cosy bunch but they also weren't Death Eaters, which hers surely are.' Remus pulled the blanket a little closer to them, shivering slightly.
Sirius looked at Remus suddenly, remembering something she had mentioned. 'Do you remember Hector Grey?' he asked.
Remus thought for a moment, 'Wasn't he the Head Boy here when we were in our first year?' Remus looked at him, realisation dawning. 'That's her brother?'
'That's what she said. Apparently the idiot ran off with a muggle women after leaving Hogwarts. Married her and all. The Grey's went after him and nearly blew him and his family up, she told me. Sounded like something my mother would do.' Said Sirius gruffly, scowling.
'Wow.' Was all Remus could say.
'I've been told she blasted me off the family tree, could've been worse I suppose.' Sirius laughed grimly.
'What's got you two looking so sour?' Asked James who had flown over to them and was hovering slightly above them.
'You're getting rusty mate, we were just saying that it's a dim chance of winning that cup this year now you're not flying to impress Evans.'
Remus laughed as James rolled his eyes. 'I'd like to see either of you up here then.' He joked.
'We prefer to let you have all the glory Prongs,' Said Sirius smirking 'Remus wins us house points with his brain and you get them with your impressive ball handling.'
James grinned hugely and took off up the pitch as Remus snorted next to Sirius.
'Really?' said Remus, shaking his head but still smiling.
Sirius laughed and they spent the rest of their time watching James fly up and down the pitch after his team in preparation for the final game against Slytherin tomorrow morning.
'AND GRYFINNDOR IS UP FIFTY TO ZERO AS POTTER TAKES ANOTHER POINT FOR GRYFFINDOR!' Sirius, Peter, Remus and Lily all cheered as James launched the quaffle straight threw the Slytherin keepers outstretched arms.
The Slytherins at the opposite end let out a mighty boo as Mary Macdonald soared back up the pitch with the quaffle tucked under her arm. The Slytherin beaters closed in on her and dropping to avoid them she let go of the quaffle, to the dismay of the Gryffindor crowd a Slytherin chaser picked it up and zoomed down the pitch, James, Mary and the other chaser Colum Smith racing wildly after him.
Sirius looked up as Eileen Grey speed up the pitch in the totally opposite direction. A gasp came from the crowd which made James turn around sharply to see her in pursuit of the golden snitch. Luckily one of the Gryffindor beaters sent the bludger flying directly at Grey's head and she had to flip upside down to avoid it and lost sight of the snitch.
Sirius and Remus exchanged gleeful looks as Lily and Peter clung together cheering on the Gryffindor beater.
'Potter in possession of the quaffle, heading up the pitch, hands off to Smith and – Ouch! A bludger straight to the head for Slytherin chaser Avery! Gryffindor Scores again! That's eighty, zero now! No sign of the snitch since Grey lost it but both Seekers are keeping a close eye on each other now.'
The Gryffindor team was flying at its best and the Slytherin keeper was absolutely no match for James and the other chasers as they scored one goal after another. The Slytherin captain called for a time out and Sirius watched as they landed around him. He was pointing angrily at James and then to his beaters. Grey was looking irritated and she stood tapping her foot on the pitch, eager to get going again. Gryffindor was up by one-hundred and sixty points now. Even if Slytherin caught the snitch now Gryffindor would still take the cup!
When the whistle was blown the two teams soared back into the air and James quickly took back possession of the quaffle. What happened next was pure confusion as simultaneously James got hit hard with a bludger shot at him from close range and he wobbled unconscious on his broom and then slid straight off the back of it. Smith turned his back on the goal and the two Gryffindor beaters dropped their clubs and pelted towards James. Lily was on her feet, all the blood drained from her face watching James fall while Remus was screaming and pointing at the beater who had knocked James unconscious. Peter was pointing in the totally opposite direction and Sirius tore his eyes away from James, who had been caught between the three players, and watched as Eileen Grey wrapped her fingers around the golden snitch. The crowd erupted in cheers from the Gryffindor end and Lily and Remus went pelting out of their seats, Peter and Sirius hot on their heels.
'James!' Lily caught up with Smith and Mary who had James strung between them, blood running down the back of his head. Sirius had to give her credit, he was just catching up to her with Remus beside him panting. Professor McGonagall came marching up to them looking angry but also thrilled.
'Up straight to the Hospital Wing! Fantastic job Potter!' she said to James who was still out cold. She bustled off to take the cup from Professor Slughorn, clearly not too worried about James.
'We'll take him,' said Sirius, pulling James's weight onto his shoulder as Remus took the other arm. 'You go get that cup and bring it up so he can see it once he's done plotting to kill that beater.' They heaved James's lifeless form towards the castle, Lily dancing anxiously around them.
'He's fine Lily.' Said Peter who looked about as happy as McGonagall but took the grin off his face as Lily shot daggers at him with her eyes.
Once they got him to the Hospital Wing the matron came bustling over to them and helped them lay James on one of the beds. She felt around his head with her hands making irritated tutting noises and shooting Sirius and Remus dirty looks. She tapped his head once with her wand, unrolled some bandages and wrapped them securely around his head.
'Concussion, and a cracked skull,' she spat at them 'but I've mended him up just fine again. Here wipe the blood off his face anyway.' And she pushed a basin of warm water and a cloth into Lily's hands and stomped off muttering darkly about bludgers and dangerous sports.
Once the matron shut her door on them the doors to the Hospital Wing creaked open and a blonde head peered inside. Spotting the group she moved into the ward. 'Muffliato.' She said pointing her wand at the matron's door as Sirius, Remus, Peter and Lily looked up.
She was sporting a bloody lip and favouring her left arm slightly.
'What happened to you?' asked Sirius before he could stop himself.
'After you lot left the pitch McAlister and Parkinson jumped your beaters. Bit of sore losers those two. A few people, including me, happened to be in the middle of it.' She shrugged. 'I wanted to apologise to Potter though, he could have been seriously hurt.'
'Could have been seriously hurt?' said Lily incredulously. 'He is seriously hurt! Look at him!' Lily's face was starting to blend with her hair and sensing a full blowout Sirius stepped between the two girls.
'Well I'll be going then.' Said Eileen turning to leave.
'Shouldn't you have that arm looked at.' Said Remus suddenly, making them all look at him.
'Oh, um. I suppose so then.' Eileen sat down on the bed across from James but on the opposite side of Lily who was still glowering at her.
An awkward silence fell between them as Lily continued to rinse blood off the back of James's head and neck. Remus kept giving Sirius wide eyed looks and Peter was blatantly starring at Grey who was becoming increasingly fidgety.
James stirred on the bed and thankfully they all looked round to him. 'W-where are m-my glasses?' he said slowly, trying to sit up but being held down firmly by Lily's hand. She passed over his glasses and he opened his eyes and looked around at them all. 'What happened? The game?' he asked, looking panicked.
'Don't worry mate we won.' Said Sirius grinning down at James who grinned back.
'Parkinson smashed a bludger into the back of your head Potter. Sorry.' Said Eileen dryly, wiping her still bleeding lip on the arm of her robes.
James starred at her for a moment then turned back to Sirius, 'how hard did that bludger hit me because I swear Eileen Grey just spoke to me and apologised for it.'
Sirius couldn't help but grin. Lily peppered kisses on James cheek and he grinned stupidly. The matron bustled out of her office again looking surprised to find another student there.
'And what happened to you?' she asked pulling Eileen's arm towards her and eliciting a gasp of pain from her as she turned white. The shade of white quickly turned to green and suspecting the worse, Sirius shoved a bed pan in Eileen's direction just as she vomited into it.
Peter turned up his nose and quickly backed away from the girl as she continued to vomit into the basin. The matron, looking steely, tapped Eileen's arm and instantly the colour in her face evened out. 'Broken! Now lay back here until I say you can go. And you lot clear out would you. Potter needs rest now!'
Eileen groaned from the other bed as Remus and Peter shuffled out, saying they'd wait for them outside. Lily was reluctant to leave but James told her to go and with a quick kiss and a dirty look thrown at Eileen, Lily headed towards the door to join Remus and Peter.
Sirius grinned at James. 'Don't be stuck in here too long mate, I imagine there is a good party happening up stairs and I'd hate for you to miss it.'
'There is never a party without the marauders Pad.' Said James, grinning back at him. 'What's the deal with her anyway?' he nodded towards Eileen.
'I'll fill you in later. Get some rest mate.' Sirius slid the curtains around James bed and turned to see Eileen watching him.
'How's your arm then?'
'Better.'
'You still look green you might want to keep this.' Sirius handed her the bed pan again which had cleaned itself out.
'Thanks.' She said taking the pan from him, brushing his hand with her fingers as she did and Sirius felt his stomach flip mechanically.
She smiled at him and her lip cracked back open so she quickly shut it again. Sirius smirked at her. 'You're one hell of a flyer Grey. Feel better.' And he left, making his way upstairs with Lily, Remus and Peter to join in the celebrations.
Author's note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!