James POV:

Friendship

Looking around the Gryffindor table, James Potter didn't think he had ever seen a sorrier bunch of people. Each one was shrouded in their own grief, physically together yet so alone. Both Sirius and Lily looked absolutely soul destroyed. Lily had lost her best friend and Sirius...well, James couldn't be certain, but after Hells had revealed her knowledge of Remus' 'furry little problem' Sirius had stopped playing the field. It surprised him even now, but love did funny things to people, even Sirius Black.

James had not only lost a superb Chaser, but he had also lost a great friend, one who he could go to for advice when the other Marauders were clueless. She had helped him through a very dark and difficult period during sixth year when his parents had been extremely ill and he would be eternally grateful to her.

To his right, Lily Evans was hunched over, her shoulders wound so tight that even the slightest movement rocked her. James put his arm around her and gently pulled her towards him, no stupid comments, nothing but comfort. She sagged against him, all her grief dispersing into the surroundings.

During the silence, James' mind flashed through his memories of Hells. His favourite memory of her was when she had shocked the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team in more ways than one and made Sirius Black blush...

***

"Right, I want all of you in a line now!"

James watched as a relatively large group of students scuttled into a long line behind...Helena Damask? What in Merlin's name was she doing at the Gryffindor tryouts? James turned to his left to see Sirius looking straight back at him in shock.

"Third Years mount your brooms and do a couple of laps of the pitch. Go" the Gryffindor captain, Jason Tank shouted.

James and Sirius watched mouths agape as Helena rocketed past them twice, lapping everyone before landing, completely unruffled right beside the shell shocked boys. "Don't look so surprised, Sirius" she smirked, tapping his cheek twice before pushing his jaw closed and sauntering over to the captain.

Tank as he was known, was clearly impressed. Once the rest of the contenders had landed, he paired them up with members of the existing team to observe their skills in the air.

James was paired with Helena and Sirius with a hopeless case named Eric. James and Helena watched with increasing amusement as Sirius tried to throw very easy balls for Eric who – armed with a Beaters bat – sent the balls flying in all directions. James thanked every god he could think of for making Tank replace the Bludgers with tennis balls. One had already hit a student in the face, knocking him out and another had just whistled past Sirius' head smashing a charms classroom window. He certainly had potential, but it was buried deep, very deeply under layers of misdirection and a dangerous, wild swing.

Helena on the other hand was a dream, the perfect Chaser for the team. Sirius grew tired with his unstable partner and told James arrogantly that he was "Not testing Helena enough"

James threw the Quaffle at Sirius' head. "Go on then, if you think you're so great" he turned to Helena and whispered, "Give him hell" with a wink. She grinned conspiratorially and nodded.

"Watch the true master, Jamsie, if you will" Sirius boasted.

"Do your worst" she called. James and Eric watched with glee as Sirius threw a fast ball above Helena's head and she stood up on her broom to catch it. She hurled it back so fast it blurred and smashed into his hand with a powerful thud. He gasped in pain.

Sirius threw seemingly unreachable balls that Helena never failed to catch. After ten minutes he conceded defeat and snarled at James who was doubled over on his broom with laughter. Still grinning, he flew over to Helena and high-fived her. "Brilliant, Hells."

She smiled back at James. "Oh Sirius" Helena called innocently, "I just thought you might like to see something I made for you" Helena turned around in the air and lifted the back of her school robes. On her knickers were the words: 'Anything Sirius can do, I can do better' in fluorescent colours.

Sirius blushed half in anger and half in embarrassment. James howled with laughter and slapped Sirius across the back. "Now that was priceless, Mr I'm-A-True-Master"

"Welcome to the team, practice starts on Monday at eight" Tank interrupted and shook Helena's hand who was now sitting back on her broom facing the boys. He turned to leave. "Why is Sirius blushing?"

James snorted and Eric piped up, "Sirius just got beaten by a girl!"

Tank grinned "So, Sirius, seems you're slipping. Can't have that, beaten by a new player? What would the Slytherins say? Extra practice for you, Sunday mornings at nine for a month." With that he flew off.

"What?" Sirius groaned. "No way am I doing it. This season is turning into hell already"

"I resent that" Helena smiled.

"Yeah" James agreed, "with Hells on the team, this'll be our best season yet. We finally have someone else who can take you down a peg or two" Sirius growled and descended towards the changing rooms.

***

James had barely noticed he was still in the hall before another memory recalled him into the past.

***

"I hate him, he's such an idiot!" Lily was storming around the apparently empty Common Room. James was standing near the bottom of the boys' dormitory staircase hidden from view.

"He isn't that bad Lils, you just never see him when he isn't messing about" Helena said.

"How do you expect me to react when he's always walking around as if he owns the place? You say there's another side to him but if he doesn't show it, how am I supposed to see it?" Lily was becoming louder and louder as she became more enraged.

"Well why don't you try!" Helena exploded. "All you ever do is criticise and insult him! I know he annoys you but he's never horrible to you is he? " Helena was flushed and standing now. "Just because he bullies Snape doesn't make him the worst person in the world. Severus isn't completely innocent, Lily, you just never see his bad side!" Helena gasped and covered her mouth. She had said too much.

All the blood drained out of Lily's face. "What?" she whispered.

Helena took a deep, calming breath. "James is a good, kind person who is totally loyal. You would be lucky to count him as a friend. All I'm saying is maybe you should give him a chance"

There was a short, loaded silence.

"What did you mean about Severus, Hellie?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"Nothing, I was just saying-"

"Tell me" Lily demanded.

Helena sighed. "Look, I'm just saying you judge James on his behaviour when Snape is no angel either. He's pulled a few of his own nasty little surprises in his time"

Lily gasped. "Was it him Hellie? Was it him?"

James had no idea what they were talking about now, but Lily seemed to get her answer from Helena's reluctance to answer. It seemed the girls could tell what the others' answers were even without speaking. Weird.

Realising that the conversation concerning him was over he turned to leave, coming face to face with none other than Sirius. James jumped in surprise and Sirius had to clamp his hand over James' arm to stop him falling down the last steps into the Common Room.

"Do you know what they're talking about?" James whispered. Sirius nodded grimly, his grey eyes dark with rage.

"Old Snivelly thought it would be funny to bully Lena. I knew she had been bullied but she never said who it was directly. Until now." Sirius snarled and his hand compressed James' arm tightly. "Prongs, it's time for a bit of payback, don't you think?"

"What do you suggest?" James grimaced.

"Don't worry; I have a plan, let's just say that Snivelly might learn to keep his massive nose out of other people's business from now on."

James wondered ominously what Sirius was going to do. He knew retribution would be harsh and he had to stop Sirius doing something completely dangerous. Now was not a good time; tomorrow was the full moon and all the Marauders would all be stressed before they transformed. This would just make Sirius more volatile than usual.

With anxiety twisting his mind, James headed up to the dorm to pretend to sleep.

***

Although Padfoot had got his revenge and Snivelly had been banned from revealing Moony's secret, James hated him for having something to dangle over Moony's head which made him sick with worry. Moony had been completely innocent and had never even insulted that snake.

The only good that had come out of it had been that Snivellus never bullied Hells again, and Lily stopped being friends with him soon after. Neither Helena nor Lily would tell him why, but he respected her loyalty to Lily. She had even silently endured Snivellus' torments to protect his friendship with Lily. James had never known someone so selfless.

Hells had even defended him to the hilt and that made James' heart swell with pride and gratitude. He wished he knew what had happened to her, not just for himself but for Lily and Sirius and Remus. They needed closure, all of them.

As soon as the bell ended, Lily was gone, running away from everything and for once, James did not follow her. She needed space.

James stood slowly. Sirius had not moved a muscle since he had sat down at the table. An immovable, cold statue had overtaken him and James did not want to disturb him. James guessed that he must have looked similar during his parents' illnesses. It had been Hells who had pulled him through, dragging him back to normality even when the Marauders could not get through to him. Now Hells was gone, who would rescue Sirius? James didn't know.

Helena Damask had done a lot for him and he would never, ever forget it. James walked away from the table, his mind on three of the most important people in his life. Sirius, Lily and Helena.