Hello...

Sorry I haven't updated in a small eternity, I got my new computer, I had to transfer a TON of documents, and I had writers block. Adnd I've been very hyped up about the HP Theme park and the holidays... Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!!

Chapter Nine

Lily and Sarah walked down a fifth floor corridor on their way to History of Magic, talking about Quidditch try-outs. Neither was allowed to try out, but they were heading down with Hugo, Rose and Albus to watch James try for Beater.

Harry had seemed disappointed when he found out James wasn't going for Seeker like him and his father had. James had simply replied, "Hey dad, I just like hitting stuff with clubs. No big deal." Albus, of course, was more interested in books then Quidditch. Harry had turned to Lily, hoping she would try for Seeker next year. She didn't have the heart to tell him that if she tried out, it would be for Chaser like Ginny was.

"I still don't get it, though! After your dad, you'd think they'd start letting first years try out!" Sarah argued. She seemed irked that she couldn't try for Keeper like she had hoped.

"Yeah, me too, but apparently-" Lily began, but stopped short when she saw who was coming down the hall.

Marc and Daemon Parker were lumbering down the hall, looking puffy, green and as though they were wondering where they were. Daemon was looking at his wand like he had never seen such a thing. Behind them floated Nearly Headless Nick, easily the most helpful ghost in the castle. He was talking to the twins. "Come on lads, the Hospital Wing is just up here, little farther..." Every now and then floating to one side to keep them walking in the right direction.

Sarah gasped. "What happened to them?!" She cried. Lily had a terrible feeling she knew... etched across their foreheads were the words SLYTHERIN RULES, RAVENCLAW DROOLS in handwriting that was unmistakably James'.

"Not sure..." Nearly Headless Nick replied. "Came stumbling out of Arithmancy like this..."

Lily groaned inwardly as she noticed why they were so green... all over their face and hands were the slogan, not just their forehead. Marc looked like he was going to be sick... Sarah moved just in time.

Nick winced and ushered the boys forward again. He tipped his head at the girls and turned the corner. There was another unmistakeable sound of someone being sick. Sarah wheeled on Lily.

"I thought James said it WOULDN'T kill them!?" she cried.

"Well, it hasn't... yet." Lily said tentatively.

Sarah made a strangled noise. Lily let a tiny grin spread across her face.

"You have to admit, they look pretty funny."

Sarah looked like she was going to curse Lily, then burst into laughter. "Yeah – they do – It's hilarious – to see them like – like – like that!" She said between peals of laughter. Lily began to laugh hysterically.

Suddenly, they saw Professor Binns' ghostly head stick through the classroom door. "Girls," he said in a wheezy voice. "I think you are in my class, now get in here before you get a detention, and stop giggling!"

Lily and Sarah ducked their heads and hurried into class. Hugo, sitting at the far back corner of the room, waved and they wandered over to the two seats he had saved.

As Binns' lecture on the International Statue of Secrecy droned on in the background, Lily filled Hugo in on the event in the corridor.

"What?" Hugo cried in disbelief, as quietly as possible. "James said it was safe!"

"I know. Apparently not. I'll give him hell at dinner..." Lily muttered.

Sarah grinned. "Or we could hex him on his broom..."

"Or bewitch the bludger..." Lily added.

"Or his broom will mysteriously break in two before he makes it onto the pitch." Hugo said mischievously.

***

Lily, Sarah, Albus, Hugo and Rose walked down the gravel path to the Quidditch pitch. Against the darkening sky, Lily could see one player rise into the air, and dive back down, followed by five or six others. For a moment, she thought there was a tiny speck, a blur in front of the leader...

"Lily?"

"What?" Lily asked, shaking herself. For a moment, she saw herself up there, diving for a Snitch.

Rose huffed. "I said, did you see Teddy? Teddy Lupin?"

Lily frowned. "No, I didn't. He's in Gryffindor, remember?" She said. "Why, what's the devil up to now?"

Albus scoffed. "He's been walking around with a bright pink Mohawk and a wolf's tail!"

"Right! I thought I saw a wolf turn a corner the other day... thought to myself, Has Teddy gone and let one of his friends in the castle?" Hugo exclaimed.

"When is the next full moon, d'you think?" Lily asked.

"What? What do you mean?" Sarah asked. Lily forgot... Sarah didn't know about Teddy.

"Teddy Lupin, our cousin, sort of. Harry's his granddad. His mum, Tonks, was a Metamorphagus, and Remus his dad was a werewolf!" Rose told Sarah, perhaps a little loudly.

Sarah was going to say something, but Lily clapped a hand over her mouth. "You can't say anything, OK?"

Nodding, Sarah ducked away from Lily. "Was? You said his parents were..."

"They died at the Battle of Hogwarts." Albus muttered solemnly.

They all seemed crestfallen on the way down to the pitch. As they took their seats in the stands, watching the players zoom around in the air, the mood was lightened. Hugo launched into a conversation about the famed Battle of Hogwarts, the one every witch and wizard would talk about for years to come, the battle where The Dark Lord was defeated by the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One...

Lily stared into the sky, watching but not seeing the players toss the Quaffle, dive after near-invisible Snitches. The first stars appeared in the sky. Lily thought she just saw something on the corner of the Forest, almost a horse, but different... with wings?

"Woah! Look at James!" Sarah cried suddenly, standing up. Nearly everyone stood, and watched as a third year Seeker dive for the Snitch, but a Bludger was zooming in on the side, the third year didn't see it... James soared down and whacked the Bludger out of the way with inches to spare, and the girl caught the Snitch. The Bludger soared towards the stands.

Realization dawned on the assemble crowd, and there was an eruption of screams as people dove out of the way. The Bludger was headed right to the center of the stands, right to where Lily and Sarah sat...

"PROTEGO!" Lily screamed, pointing her wand at the Bludger.

"REDUCTO!" Cried Sarah at the same time, aiming for the deadly ball.

Just as the Bludger bounced off a seemingly invisible wall, it exploded with a loud BANG, feet away from where the girls sat. There was quiet, then some people called out to them – "Great job!" "Quick thinking!" "That's the best Shield Charm I've ever seen!"

"Way to explode our spare Bludger, Parker!" James jeered, but he was joking and grinning, looking apologetic. "Sorry I almost killed you!"

Albus looked up from the seat he had ducked behind. "I never would have thought of that." He said in awe.

Lily, feeling a flush of embarrassment, sat back down. It was bad enough that she was the first Potter EVER in Slytherin, and her parents were the best Chaser for the Hollyhead Harpies ever and the Boy Who Lived, did she have to be a show-off too?