Platform 9 and 3/4 quarters was absolutely heaving by the time James Potter fairly strutted onto it. He was finally back, and he had never felt better. Lily appeared a moment later, James turning and slinging an arm around her shoulders with a grin, feeling like this was definitely going to be his year. Not only had he made quidditch captain, but he'd exceeded expectations in his OWLs and things were as good as ever with Lily, his girlfriend and most popular girl in school. She crept an arm around his middle before he felt her lean into him and turning, saw her smiling before she kissed him.

"You really do sicken us all" Sirius drawled, sounding bored from where he reclined on the wall, looking the picture of nonchalance but James knew that a lot of thought had gone into exactly how he was standing and how his hair was falling because the guy was nothing but a poser.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you Pad" was all James said as he let Lily go in favour of taking both of their trunks.

"Thanks James" Lily almost purred at him before sauntering off, sashaying her hips as she went as James simply stood there and watched her go. Merlin she really was something.

"There you guys are! We've been waiting for ages!" James turned to find Peter and Remus making their way to them, both without their trunks which is exactly what James had hoped, as it meant that they'd bagged a compartment.

"Somebody just had to make a dramatic arrival" Sirius remarked, flicking his hair in a way which drew a lot of passing attention. James rolled his eyes before following the other two, Sirius pushing off the wall and deigning to join them.

"Hey Potter!"

"Hey congrats on getting Captain Potter"

The comments came in thick and fast as they went which didn't do much to dampen his ego and he saw Remus shake his head but really didn't care. He had missed being here, back in the thick of it and, well, if he was honest, being centre of attention. In the commotion, James lost sight of Lily but figured she had gone to find Marlene and Dorcas and so continued to drag her trunk, Remus giving him a hand to get it onto the train. Once on James flopped down, wondering what on earth Lily had brought with her; surely she didn't need that much stuff?!

"So, Captain, ready for a new year?" Remus asked with a grin as Sirius finally sauntered in, evidently having been waylaid by some of the female population who seemed to fawn over him.

"Of course Moony old chum. And what an excellent year it's going to be at that" he told him, leaning back and stretching his hands behind his head, ready for the year to begin.

The first week had, in truth, dragged for James a little. He was dying to get stuck into Quidditch training, wanting to hold try outs straight away but he knew that he needed to stick with tradition and wait until the weekend, give everybody a little breathing space. Besides, he needed to spend some time trying to recruit as he needed a strong team. Although some of the guys were joking about some of the girls who were vocally talking about trying out whenever he was around, James needed a team that would be able to uphold the Gryffindor legacy. They might think it a joke but if there was one thing James Potter was serious about, it was Quidditch.

"Babe it's guna be great. I don't know why you're stressing so much" Lily told him, not even looking at him as she sorted out her hair in the reflection of a knife on the morning of try outs.

"I need a strong team Lil" he repeated calmly, already eyeing up who was in training gear. The usual suspects were out, and he hoped they didn't think they were going to get a look in just because they were on the team last year. Truth be told, some of the seventh years were very cocky and, in James's opinion, their form had slipped in the last few months of last year.

"Well, you know that Robbie is a great chaser. Look at his record from last year" Lily replied, surprising him slightly. He didn't think she had paid that much attention to the quidditch, only coming at his request.

"She has a point. He was good" Peter agreed, but he heard Sirius scoff.

"No, he was okay. His form dipped and you know the only reason he managed to make the first team in that last game was because Suzy was injured" Sirius interjected, James nodding his head in agreement. Lily just shrugged, still fixating on her hair as Marlene and Dorcas joined them, gossiping about how hot the guys looked in their kit. James just shook his head as Lily stopped playing with her hair and started listening, although, thankfully, not agreeing. James really didn't need that from her today.

"Come on please Lil? For me?" Dorcas was pleading, twirling her hair with eyes wide. Lily huffed before turning to James, putting a hand on his knee.

"Dorcas wants to go watch the Ravenclaw try outs. Do you mind if I go with her?" she asked, making him smile and shake his head.

"As long as you're there for me" he replied, seeing her smile widely before she kissed him, keeping it short before she got up, adjusting her jumper in a way which drew his eye.

"Of course. Good luck babe" she replied, nudging his hair in a way which she preferred before giving him a smile and moving out of the hall with Dorcas and Marlene. When she was gone, James readjusted his hair before once more scanning the table, seeing some people drift off to watch the first round of try outs.

"I'm intrigued by Matherson" Sirius commented, the fifth year looking like he was mentally steeling himself. "Heard he's going up for beater" Sirius informed him, James thinking he definitely had the build for it, glad that Sirius was giving him the low down as he sat up and paid attention as the guys filled him in on who was going up for what.

"Thanks all for coming out. I've seen some great stuff today from you all. The team list will go up in the common room by tomorrow morning, alongside the reserve list. Once I have the team finalised, we'll hold a team meeting Monday at 8 in the common room to decide on training days which fit with everybody's schedules. Keep your eyes peeled everybody" he told them with a grin. He could see the nerves set in as, for once, he broke with tradition and not announced the team on the pitch. However, he needed time to sort a few things out and finalise things, get his thoughts in order. Besides it would be good to see a few of the cocky ones sweat a bit more (Sirius included).

"Really?" Sirius remarked, eyebrow quirked as he stood there, exuding coolness in a way which had a lot of girls lingering. Honestly, although he had said there was some great stuff, he was definitely stretching out the truth as the sheer volume of females that had giggled their way through it had been…irritating. The one time he needed people to be serious and not fawn over Sirius (or him).

"Really" was all he said, Sirius not saying anything as Remus and Peter made their way on the pitch, both giving James a thumbs up and a clap on the back in a show of support.

"Thanks guys" James replied, truly appreciative of their support. It was a big thing, quidditch captain, and he really wanted to do a good job of it. "Listen I'll meet you back up at the castle. Want to run through some things in the changing rooms" James felt like he needed some space, the rest of them nodding as he turned and made his way in, scanning for Lily but seeing no sign of her. Unusual as she was usually the first on the pitch to come and greet him, in her usual show of PDA. He didn't dwell on it, instead looking down at his notes, sorting through them as he made his way into the Gryffindor changing rooms. James figured he'd write the team out on the blackboard, or the team he was thinking to see if it would work and was about to pick up some chalk when he thought he heard something from the showers. Frowning, he glanced around, not seeing any sign of clothing to indicate somebody was in here. Shaking his head, he moved forward when he heard a definite thud from inside. Seeing as it was quiet, James thought something might have happened and so put his papers down and moved through to the showers, stopping short in the doorway at the sight that greeted him. Lily, arms wrapped around Robbie Hewson, the pair of them making out against the wall.

"What the actual hell" he was in complete shock as they both looked up, eyes widening at the sight of him. "What the actual hell" he felt incapable of speech as they stood there frozen, neither moving.

"James, I" Lily stuttered but there was nothing she could say that could justify this. A cold rage burned through him as he balled his hands into fists, wanting only in that moment to smash Hewson's face in and took a step forward. At this Hewson backed away from Lily, both of them breathing heavily.

"James come on I'm sorry" Lily tried, stepping forward towards him but he now retreated, wanting to go nowhere near her.

"And if I hadn't come in? What then?" he asked, not sure how the hell this had happened.

"You'd have found me probably starting to take off your girlfriends top" that rage surged through him as he side-stepped Lily and lunged for Hewson, catching him in the jaw.

"James!" noise from the door temporarily distracted him which allowed Hewson to get a shot in right on his cheek, making him stagger as he caught sight of Sirius, Remus and Peter coming in, looking completely shocked.

"Back the fuck off Hewson" Sirius was by his side in an instant, wand outstretched and looking menacing.

"What the actual hell is going on in here?" Remus asked, as James put a hand to his cheek, thinking he would be lucky if Hewson hadn't broken anything in his face with the weight of that punch.

"I don't know why you would do this to me Lily" James said, ignoring the others. Lily looked sheepish, doing nothing to defend herself as Hewson went over to her, slinging an arm around her shoulders which only made James surge forward, wanting to hit the wanker but Sirius and Peter caught him.

"Because she wants a real man, Potter. One who can satisfy her" even with a bruise blooming on his face he had the audacity to look cocky, smirking at James.

"You fucking wanker. Get your fucking hands off my girlfriend" James yelled, all composure gone as he strained against his friends holding him back.

"I'm sorry James but…I want to be with Robbie" Lily told him, stopping him completely. "It's true, I want to be with him. We've been…seeing each other over the summer and, well, I guess I'd rather be with him" her words were shocking to him, taking him by complete surprise.

"What?" he found his voice, hating how hoarse it sounded, how shocked he seemed.

"I'm sorry James. It's been great but" Lily shrugged as he started retreating, wondering how on earth this had all happened.

"Lily, I can't believe you. Come on Prongs, let's go" Sirius grabbed him roughly, pulling him out of the changing rooms. James allowed himself to be steered out, his emotions feeling numbed by what had just happened.

"Merlin's beard. What the hell did we just witness?" Peter asked, coming to walk on James's other side as they re-emerged into the bright sunlight, the pitch still full as James realised Slytherin trials were now being held. As if everything was normal. When it wasn't. When Lily…he turned, that anger in him building as he punched the wall of the changing rooms, the pain lancing through his hand but it was better than the utter rage of emotion he had to contend with. Remus and Peter let out startled noises as Sirius once again came to the rescue.

"Come on mate. You don't want to let them see they've gotten to you. Come on" Sirius told him, gently this time steering him around to one of the back entrances of the castle they'd discovered in third year, James thankful they were away from the crowds. "She's an absolute bitch. I just can't believe she would stoop so low. And to cheat on you?! Who the fuck does she think she is?" James was glad Sirius was talking, glad somebody else was as angry as him.

"Prongs let's see your hand" Remus told him, voice calm as they went. James offered it to him, feeling how it throbbed and, glancing at it, could see he'd split a knuckle as there was blood everywhere and his hand was definitely swelling. Remus sighed, not touching it but shaking his head.

"Hospital wing it is. Story?" he queried, James clocking how Remus had gathered his notes for him for which he was thankful. Lily and Robbie. Lily cheating on him. Fuck. Fuck, fuck fuck. And to think he had been looking forward to this year. And now. Well, now it was all falling a-fucking-part.

A/N: Back with another James Potter story - apparently I can't stop! I hope you all enjoy :)