MISCHIEF MANAGED
Chapter Thirteen – Marauders on Trial
'Look here, Jamesie! Quidditch trials,' Sirius addressed his friend, referring to the parchment pinned to the notice board. 'You finally get a chance to shine.'
James looked excitedly to where his friend was pointing:
Gryffindor Quidditch Trials
Thursday Evening 7pm
All second years and above welcomed
'They don't give us much time to practise. That's tonight,' James said with a worried tone in his voice.
'Don't worry mate,' Sirius reassured his friend. 'We can just skip potions. We have that last. And no one likes it anyway.'
'You can't do that,' Remus shouted from the couch, distraught. 'We have a test on Shrinking Solutions today.'
'All the more reason to miss it!' James perked up at the idea of missing a test.
At this, Remus stood up and glared at his three companions. 'You cannot miss this test. Slughorn already hates you and if you don't pass this…'
'Alright, alright,' Sirius cut him off. 'We were only kidding, Remus!'
James' face fell. Seeing his friend's dismay, Sirius whispered to James exclusively, 'It's okay, I have a plan. I'll punch you in the nose and escort you to the Hospital Wing.'
'You're a good friend,' James replied in all seriousness, brightening at the prospect.
The day flew quickly. James spent the lunch hour on his broom. The Marauders had eaten before coming to watch James and all of them, even Sirius, had to admit that he was skilled. James himself wouldn't have eaten, had Remus not brought him a sandwich to munch on the way to their next class.
Finally, the academic day was almost at a close. The boys trundled into Potions, Remus and Peter worrying about the test, James about his Quidditch and Sirius not at all. The task for the test was written on the blackboard. They had thirty minutes to create a near-perfect Shrinking Solution. All four Marauders got to work immediately, Peter trying to imitate Remus.
As James was grabbing an ingredient he had forgotten, he tripped and Sirius raced over to help, deciding that this was an opportune time to carry out his plan. He was preparing to give James a bloody nose when Remus said in a voice more threatening than they had ever heard him use before, 'Don't you dare.'
Both culprits looked up in surprise. It was not only Remus glaring at them; Lily had gained an idea of what the boys were trying to do and didn't look pleased. Embarrassed by Lily's threatening gaze, James picked himself up, continued to his workbench and finished his potion in silence.
As the class had predicted, Slughorn decided that there were two students with the best potions – Lily Evans and Severus Snape. Remus, looking completely dishevelled, was downcast at this proclamation.
They filed out of the classroom and bolted to the Quidditch pitch. While Remus had opted to stay in the stands, Peter and Sirius were joining James in the air. They practised until six, when the others managed to coax James off his broom with the promise of food.
After dinner, they traipsed back down to the pitch, where the Quidditch Captain was now waiting. After a quick briefing, she instructed them, 'Mount your brooms.' Once everyone was in the air, with the exception of Peter who was struggling to push his off the ground, the Chasers moved to the left side of the pitch while the Beaters went to the right.
Remus, from his place in the stands, whooped at James' immaculate performance, laughed at Sirius' goofing around and empathised with Peter in the difficulty he showed staying on his broom.
'Sirius Black,' the Quidditch Captain, Maggie Harmer, shouted, 'If you aren't going to take this seriously, I recommend you get off your broom right now!'
At her comment, Sirius came into land and hopped off his broom. Passing Maggie on his way to join Remus in the stands, he winked in an obvious manner. In response he received a foul look and a dismissive wave.
Finally the trials were over. Tired and muddy, the Quidditch hopefuls trudged towards their warm beds. As they left, Maggie called, 'I'll have the list on the Gryffindor notice board by tomorrow night at the latest.'
The Marauders turned to leave, but Peter felt a tug on his arm. Maggie Harmer stood awkwardly, obviously trying to find the words to say something, 'Peter, I just don't want you to get your hopes up. I know you did your best, but maybe you should come back when you can stay on your broom.'
'Okay,' Peter mumbled, very disheartened. Downcast, he walked towards his friends, but turned before he reached them. 'Thanks for letting me try out anyway.'
Even Sirius pitied Peter when he saw how hard he was trying not to cry. 'It's okay, mate, at least you didn't get kicked out of the tryouts.' Peter tried to put on a brave smile. On their way back to the castle, the Marauders did their best to comfort him. By the time they reached the great oak doors, Peter was cheerful once again.
'I think I hear something,' Remus informed his friends when they reached the Entrance Hall. They paused, ears alert.
'Me too,' James whispered. He beckoned for them to follow him and they did so, tip-toeing into a corridor just off the Entrance Hall. As they got closer to the source of this noise, it became apparent that it was someone crying.
'Oh no, I'm no help when it comes to comforting. I always seem to make it worse!' Peter fretted. Remus patted his arm reassuringly and Sirius snorted, trying to hide a laugh. They rounded the next corner and came across an unusual scene.
Two first-years, whom they recognised from the Sorting, were a few metres in front of them. One was obviously distressed and crying. She had been the cause of the noise. The other first-year wasn't helping matters. 'I don't know where your common room is,' they heard her saying. 'Come on India, how could you forget something so important? I'd take you back to my common room, but you aren't allowed to know where it is.' At this, India burst into a fresh set of tears.
'Are you lost?' Sirius called out, sounding ruder than he'd anticipated. The girls were taken aback by his tone of voice.
Seeing their shock, Remus stepped in. 'He didn't mean it like that. We might be able to help you.'
The second girl turned and the boys saw that she was a Gryffindor by her tie. 'I don't think you can help us,' she said. 'You're Gryffindors, like me. India here has lost her way to the Hufflepuff common room.' She sounded slightly exasperated at this last part.
'Then we can most definitely help,' James notified the girls. 'Follow me.'
'They're much more help than you, Emily,' the Hufflepuff informed her friend innocently. Emily huffed, slightly offended by the comment, and walked faster. Sirius laughed out loud at this exchange, while Remus approached India.
'How are you two enjoying school so far?' he inquired, trying to move away from the argument.
Before India had a chance to answer, Emily cut in. 'It's amazing,' she exclaimed. 'I love all of my classes. So much more interesting than our boring Muggle school, hey Ind?'
'I guess so,' India mumbled shyly.
'You two know each other?' Remus was interested. Most Muggle-borns knew nobody at Hogwarts upon starting there.
Once again, Emily answered before her friend could open her mouth. 'We were best friends at our Muggle primary school. Nobody else really talked to us because we were different somehow. It wasn't until we got our Hogwarts letters that we discovered why.'
At that point they reached the still-life painting of a field with a fat pony. 'Well,' India said softly. 'This is my stop.' She whispered the password so that the others couldn't hear it and the painting swung upon. 'Thank you,' she smiled at Remus, before slipping inside.
Accompanied by Emily, the Marauders made their way to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Curious, Emily asked the boys, 'How on Earth did you know where the Hufflepuff common room was? It's against the rules you know.'
Smirking, Sirius replied, 'We have our ways, firstie.'
Annoyed that she still had no answer, Emily muttered 'Thestrals' and then stormed through the entrance tunnel without giving the boys a backwards glance.
Once they too were through the door, the Marauders noticed a group of people huddled around the notice board. 'Merlin's pants,' James whispered. 'That'll be the Quidditch list. What if I didn't get in?'
'You won't know until you look,' Remus sighed in exasperation at his friend's stupidity.
James took Remus' sound advice and took a deep breath before pushing to the front of the crowd. His screams of joy and the look on his face as he ran towards them in excitement said it all. 'I'm Chaser!' he exclaimed.
'There was never any doubt in my mind,' Sirius said, heading up the stairs to their dorm, Remus close behind. 'I knew, deep down, that you'd do it.'
Peter shuffled to the notice board, wanting to view the list:
Gryffindor Quidditch Team
Keeper – Anne Gorgon
Chaser – Katherine Freehills
Chaser – Andy Whittle
Chaser – James Potter
Beater – Ash Triumph
Beater – Maggie Harmer
Seeker – William Tucker
Though he hadn't expected a place on the team Peter was still disappointed that his name wasn't on the list. Dejected, he followed Sirius and Remus to the dorm, leaving James in the Common Room to celebrate his amazing Quidditch skills.