I do not own Harry Potter. I also solemnly swear that I will never again write the J**ward at the top of a chapter again. Sorry for the delay I haven't been well. There is a list of the Quidditch teams at the bottom of the chapter. Thanks for reviews, keep them coming! The chapter title is a reference to the Half-Blood Prince movie, when Lavender runs out of the hospital wing crying, Dumbledore quotes it. Probably my favourite line of the whole movie!
It was at breakfast on an icy January morning that Lily tried to interrupt the constant Quidditch talk, but was simply ignored. The first Gryffindor game of the year was soon to be played and all Lily heard from anyone's mouth nowadays was about Quidditch.
"So, when is this game any way?" Lily asked curiously, for James was the team captain and would surely know, even though the entire school was aware when it would be played.
James turned to look at her, his jaw hanging open as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.
"Saturday, 30th of January," he answered flabbergasted.
"Oh," Lily said surprised, then regretted it.
"Why?" James questioned. "Why? Why? Why? Why?" he said continuously, trying to frustrate her into answering.
"That's my birthday," she admitted. At this the rest of her friends stared at her astounded, except for Alice and Remus.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Sirius demanded. "What will we do about your party with such short notice?" he chastised her.
"I don't want a party," Lily said honestly.
"Why?" James said and began badger her again.
"Give it up James," Alice said shaking her head.
"We've been trying to have a party for ages, but she just won't budge," Remus said sighing.
"We'll join her birthday party with our victory party," James said determinedly.
"Your victory party?" Alice asked.
"I was talking about Quidditch. For when we slaughter Hufflepuff. They really need to get a decent keeper. That way Lily won't get smothered with attention," he said confidently as he ran his hand through his hair for that was the exact reason Lily had not wanted a party.
"Fine," Lily sighed defeated, not finding any argument against his logic.
James grinned triumphantly. "It's settled then," he said with relish.
Lily rolled her eyes.
…...
On the morning of January the 30th, all of Gryffindor House was buzzing with excitement.
Lily and Alice practically bounced down the stairs to breakfast to meet the boys.
Alice sat straight down beside Frank and Lily sat beside James.
"How are you feeling?" Lily asked James, rubbing his arm soothingly.
"I'm grand," he insisted, but Lily knew him too well and just shook her head.
"No offence, but you don't look it mate," Sirius said, trying to catch the eyes of some pretty Ravenclaws walking by.
"Hello ladies," he said suavely, turning around in his seat to talk to them.
"Oh no you don't," Lily said pulling Sirius back. "You need to keep your head in the game. Aren't Beaters supposed to be vigilant? How can you do that and get girls at the same time?"
"I'm just magic Lily-flower," Sirius shrugged cockily.
"We all are," Remus reminded him. "And Sirius is an excellent Beater, otherwise James wouldn't have picked him."
"Let's hope so," Frank muttered.
…...
As Lily walked into the stadium, she could understand why Quidditch was loved so dearly by so many.
She could smell so many amazing fragrances. Wood varnish, upturned earth and a scent she couldn't describe, almost homely.
"Alice, will you save me a seat?" Lily enquired.
As soon as Alice nodded, Lily rushed of to the changing rooms.
"Is everyone decent?" Lily asked knocking on the door.
"Right now, I'm better than decent," James' voice answered.
"Don't mind him Lily. Come in," a female voice welcomed.
As she entered, she found the source of the female voice. Marlene McKinnon smiled at her.
"He's just in there," she said pointing through a door.
"Cheers," Lily replied gratefully.
"James?" Lily said. "Are you nervous?" She looked at him and saw a very different person from the overly-confident James Potter she knew. His leg was bouncing up and down and his fingers couldn't keep themselves still.
"Not really, I just get like this before any match," he answered. "You better go up or someone will take your seat and then I'd have to jinx them. After all, they stopped you from seeing me in all my magnificent glory." he said dramatically with a grin on his face.
"Good luck!" she said in earnest. He snorted.
"Thanks but Hufflepuff are a pushover," he laughed. "See you at your party!" he said as she left.
She reached her seat just in time. Remus and Peter were sitting beside Alice.
"And here is the Hufflepuff team!" Franks voice blared out from the magical megaphone. "Though a good team, defence is not their strong point." Boos echoed from the Hufflepuff end of the pitch.
"And now it's the Gryffindor team!" Frank said more excitedly.
Lily screamed as the Gryffindor team filed on to the pitch. She could see James' messy black hair and Sirius swinging his Beaters bat.
"And they're up!" Frank said. "Potter takes the Quaffle, passes to McKinnon who passes to - oh and Wilkins of Hufflepuff takes the Quaffle. He's going straight towards the goals - ah nice Bludger there by Sirius Black," Frank was talking very quickly and Lily's heart was in her throat.
"Wilkins drops the Quaffle and Nolan from Gryffindor catches it. Passes to McKinnon who throws it to Potter. Hufflepuff Keeper Fitzgerald getting ready to save. Potter shoots, Fitzgerald dives . . . And Gryffindor score!"
Lily screamed until her throat was raw. "Woo! Go James!"
"Come on Prongs! Yeah!" Remus and Peter were yelling at the top of their lungs.
"Ten, nil to Gryffindor!" Frank was saying. The Hufflepuff end's boos were barely heard over the cheers.
"Fenwick takes the Quaffle for Hufflepuff. And he's shooting up the pitch. Passes to Edgar Bones who passes back. Ohh and Fenwick drops it, but no he has it! Fenwick shoots! But Gryffindor Keeper Morris headbutts it back out! Magnificent save! Great job!" Frank continued, his voice thick with excitement.
"That was close!" Alice said to Lily.
Lily could see the two Seekers - Carter for Gryffindor and Kenny for Hufflepuff - hover over the game, their eyes scanning the pitch. Lily had no idea how they would spot it through all the zooming players, but then again, Lily didn't know that much about Seeking. Or Quidditch at all for that matter, except the basics.
"McKinnon takes the Quaffle for Gryffindor, and will you look at that! The Gryffindor Chasers are forming a point! But a Bludger from Mallory breaks them up, Nolan goes in for the Quaffle and - ouch! That looked nasty! A Bludger from Butler hits her in the hand. Captain Potter calls a time out to check on his player." Frank commentated, looking extremely worried for Sarah Nolan, who was only a third year.
"This is brilliant!" Lily said with enthusiasm.
"I hope Gryffindor win!" Alice wished.
"This is bloody great!" Peter yelled and everyone around chuckled. Lily found this funnier than she normally would, and laughter bubbled from her like a stream. She realised she was high on excitement. She was so full energy she felt like that she could run ten laps of the pitch.
The whole stadium watched as James signalled for the game to start again.
"Now Gryffindor are playing with a vengeance!" Frank joked, but soon his prediction was becoming true. In the next ten minutes Gryffindor scored seven goals.
"Wilkins beginning with the Quaffle and straight away Black shoots a Bludger at him. Wilkins rolls and drops the Quaffle! Nolan grabs it and - it seems like the Seekers have seen something!" Frank almost shouted. The audience gave a collective gasp.
"Carter goes into a dive, Kenny following. But no, a Bludger from Butler splits them and the Snitch is lost!" Frank said gloomily.
Boos filled the stadium.
"Now Nolan to McKinnon, McKinnon to Potter, Potter to McKinnon, McKinnon to Nolan. She's going for a goal! That hand looks fine to me right now! Fitzgerald is panicking, Nolan throws, the Quaffle fly's straight through his arms and into the right hoop! NINE, NIL TO GRYFFINDOR!" Frank cheered.
"Go Gryffindor!" Lily, Alice, Peter and Remus screeched.
"Look at the Seekers!" someone from the Hufflepuff end shouted. For a split second, silence filled the stadium. Then everyone was encouraging their Seeker at the tops of their voices.
"It looks like Kenny's going to get it . . .But no! A Bludger from Black stops that aaaanddd Carter gets the Snitch! HE'S GOT IT! GRYFFINDOR WIN!" Frank bellowed.
Suddenly screams and cheers erupted all around Lily and she couldn't help but join in.
As the players landed, the crowds stormed the pitch. Lily launched herself at James. He wrapped his arms around her and spun her in a circle. Their gazes joined for a moment that seemed to last much longer than was normal. James released Lily, turned so his back faced her and grabbed Sirius in a manly hug.
"Party in the Common Room!" James called over the roars of the crowd.
…...
Soon the party was in full swing and Lily had received many presents already. From all of the Marauders she got a charm for her bracelet. Alice gave her a bottle of nail varnish that changed colour according to the wearer's mood.
Frank approached her and handed her a book on Quidditch tactics.
"I'm hopeless at Quidditch myself! That's why I chose to commentate. God help any child of mine that wants to play Quidditch. The broom will probably chuck them straight off!" he laughed.
"Come on Lily!" Alice laughed dragging her into the middle of the Common Room to dance. Lily and Alice were giggling when a hand wrapped around Lily's waist.
She tried to turn and see who her captor was but she only heard a throaty chuckle.
"Dance with me Lily?" James' voice said into her ear. Lily saw no way to escape and agreed.
"You know, you're not a bad dancer," Lily said during the lively upbeat song. She was enjoying herself immensely.
James just grinned at her and her heart skipped a beat. She frowned, not sure why her body was acting so strangely.
They were both panting by the end of the song.
"I'm going to go outside for breath of fresh air," Lily breathed.
"Sure, I'll get some drinks and meet you back here in a few," James said cheerfully.
As Lily stepped outside, she could feel the cool air sting her arms.
She had been walking for a few minutes when she heard a hoarse voice.
"Lily?"
…...
After five minutes, James returned with two bottles of Butterbeer in hand. After ten minutes he began to wonder where Lily went. Fifteen minutes later he decided to go look for her.
He hurried down the cold, stone corridor when he heard Lily's voice, but slowed to a stop when he heard a second voice he recognised and hated.
From behind a pillar he eavesdropped on Snape and Lily's conversation.
"Remember what I got you for your eleventh birthday?" Snape asked.
Lily laughed. "How could I forget! It was a lovely purple flower slide for my hair. It was beautiful. And remember later on that day when we went fishing? You tried to magic the fish out of the lake, but ended up falling in yourself!" Lily giggled.
"Then I had to pull you out!" she said.
They both laughed heartily.
At this point James was very confused and slightly angry. Were they friends again? But Lily would have told me, James thought.
Then Snape said softly, "I miss you Lily."
"I miss you to Sev," Lily replied.
It was too much for James to bear when he saw Snape reach out to take Lily's hand.
He swiftly turned and marched back to the party confused and consumed with jealousy. How could she after he called her a you-know-what? He decided to find a way to get Lily Evans out of his head.
…...
Lily pulled her hand out of Severus' reach.
"But that's all in the past Sev. You made your choice when you voiced your opinion on what you regard as my inferior blood status. Things can never be the same between us," she turned her back on Severus Snape and made her way back to Gryffindor Tower, in anticipation of another dance with James.
She jumped through the Portrait Hole and smiled as she scanned the crowded room for James' dark, tousled hair.
She soon spotted him dead centre of the Common Room, enjoying the attention of the pretty, blond fifth year Chloe Thistleworth who was wrapped around him slow dancing.
Her heart sank and her stomach lurched when they started snogging each other.
All the cheerfulness of the party evaporated.
Lily quickly slipped up to the stairs to the girl's dorm so no one could see the tears in her eyes.
There she remained for the rest of the night.
Quidditch Teams in this order; 3 Chasers, Keeper, Seeker, 2 Beaters.
Gryffindor - Potter, McKinnon, Nolan, Morris, Carter, Black, Murphy.
Hufflepuff - Wilkins, Fenwick, Bones, Fitzgerald, Kenny, Mallory, Butler.