A Walk in Your Shoes

by Spirit007

Imagine that one person that irritates, infuriates, & insults their way under your skin to the point where each moment with him or her becomes a pop quiz in self-control. Now, imagine that you've woken up in that person's body. For Lily Evans & James Potter, learning to navigate this unfortunate and stressful new reality is truly a walk through hell.

13. Gryffindor Vs Ravenclaw

A/n: Hey there, Everyone! I'm glad you all enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for waiting patiently. Also for the support about the busy-ness of my life. By the by, did you guys here that the next HP book is going to be called HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE? I did!!!! I'm so excited for it to come out. Not to mention, J.K ROWLING is pregnant! I read all of this in the newspaper while I was in San Francisco. Very exciting news.

That being said, I think it is alright to continue onto Chapter Thirteen, Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor!

Oh, ONE MORE THING: I realize that I originally wrote Derek as a member of the Gryffindor house in one of the earlier chapters. I must have forgotten this or something, so I apologize for any confusion. Derek is officially part of Ravenclaw, ok?

Oh, ONE MORE THING: I think I said that the scenes with Lily out with the boys and James spending a night with the girls was going to come in this chapter, but if I did that, the chapter would be, like, fifty pages long. So I decided to split the chapter up. So all that stuff will be in chapter fourteen, then Lily's confrontation with Derek is going to be in chapter sixteen. Everything okay? Great!

Okay, NOW I think it is alright to continue onto the chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen: Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw.

"Rise and shine!" James chirped cheerfully. It was nine-thirty the next morning, and James was already dressed. But it was a few hours too early for Lily's taste.

She groaned and covered her ear with her pillow. "Go 'way," she mumbled irritably, her speech slurred by fatigue. "'S'too damn early, Potter. Wake me up in a few hours." James sighed and shook his head before taking away the pillow that Lily was using. "Don't!" she whined. Lily half-heartedly reached for it again, missing by far. "Fi' more minutes…Tha's all I want…"

"Evans, you need to get up, now," James ordered, nonplussed by her pleading. "It's Saturday, remember? Do you know what that means?"

"Yes," Lily grunted tonelessly. "It means that I don't wake up before eleven."

"The game starts at eleven," James stated plainly.

"So wake me up at ten-fifty-nine, I promise I'll get ready quickly..."

"Evans, we need to go over the rules one last time before you go on the pitch. Plus, the team goes out there a good half-hour before they start the game. And you need to eat a good breakfast and—Evans, are you listening to me? Evans!" But it was no use. Lily just scowled and rolled over so that her back was now to James. With difficulty, he suppressed the stream of curses that were threatening break loose. He set his mouth in a grim line and moved around to the rear of the couch, placing his hands against back of it, and planted his feet firmly on the floor for support. Screwing up his face, James gave a good, hard push and tipped the couch over, sending Lily tumbling onto the floor with a thump. She was suddenly wide awake.

"What is your problem?" she exclaimed. "I just wanted to sleep for a few more minutes! Is that so much to ask?"

James carefully set the couch back on its four legs. "Right now, yes!" he said earnestly.

Lily furrowed her eyebrows in a pout. "Slave driver," she murmured.

James crossed his arms and grinned. "I prefer unreasonably dedicated. Now hurry up! You need to go get your uniform on and go down to the Great Hall for breakfast, right now, Evans, before I pick you up and carry you down there myself, don't think I won't!" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, James realized that given his current state, he wouldn't even be able to lift Lily more than a few inches off the ground.

Apparently she did, too, because Lily paid no attention to this empty threat. Instead, she just stood up and stretched languidly. Then she bent over to pick up the blankets that had fallen to the floor, doing this so slowly that James knew it was deliberate. He watched as Lily took the time to fold each one and set it on the back of a chair, impatiently shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Finally, he said tensely, "Do you mind? I would like to get down to the Great Hall before the Quidditch World Cup, if that's alright with you."

"Then go," she retorted.

James glowered at her. "I meant to have you with me when I did," he said contemptuously. "That's kind of the point of me waiting, you see."

"Just wait for me down there, then," Lily told him shortly.

James shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said, forcing his tone to sound careless. "Starve, and see if I care." Then he added, "Hurry up, I'll be waiting." With that said, he stalked out of the Common Room, leaving a very satisfied Lily smirking and finishing her task.

Nearly half an hour later, James sat waiting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, looking to the door anxiously every time someone walked in, and swearing under his breath every time he saw that it wasn't Lily. He heard voices and turned his head to the entrance. It wasn't Lily this time, either. Instead it was Derek with a few friends, laughing loudly and joking around about something. Derek's audacious grin faltered when he spotted James.

James raised his eyebrows ever-so-slightly, but otherwise kept his face completely expressionless. He picked up his fork, and impaled it into the center of his pancake with a small clink as it reached the surface of the plate.James stared at Derek straight in the eye the whole time. Derek received his message loud and clear, murmuring something to one of one of his comrade's before moving on to his own table. James turned his attention back to his meal and poured syrup over his food. "He made the right choice, for once," he muttered darkly. At that moment, Lily came strolling in and took her seat across from him. "There you are!" James said angrily. "Took you long enough, didn't it?"

Lily reached for a plate and served herself some eggs. "Oh, stop it," she said briskly. "I had to stop at the library."

"What for?" James demanded.

"What do you think?" she shot back. "What else is the library used for, Potter?" James couldn't respond since he had a mouth full of sausage, so he gave her a dirty look instead. "I had to pick up a book," Lily continued, piling on bacon.

"There's no time for reading!" James nearly yelled when he had swallowed.

"I know that!" Lily said defensively. "But this isn't just regular reading. I'm researching." She pulled out a light-blue, worn book from her bag and opened it to the page which she had marked. Her eyes flew from left to right as she skimmed the pages between bites of eggs and bacon.

James tipped the book up a little to get a look at the cover. "Quidditch?" he said incredulously. "You're doing research on Quidditch?" Lily didn't answer, too absorbed within the pages. James let out an exasperated sigh and briefly covered his eyes with is hands to calm down. "Hey, Evans," he said when he had composed himself.

Lily didn't look up from the book. "Hm?"

"Can I see that, please?" Lily stared at him before reluctantly handing over the text. James turned the pages, nodding approvingly. "Hmm…" he said casually. "Rules and Tips for a Quidditch Player by Kendrick McRedding…good stuff. Bold Bomber, the Harlington Advance…they talk about some good moves here, Evans."

"I'm reading it so I can know exactly what to do," Lily said, somewhat proudly. "I know I've been to practices and stuff, but it can't hurt to learn a little something extra, right?" James glanced up and studied her intently. Then he snapped the book shut.

"Well," he said. "Maybe you're right. And I think I know the best way to put this book to use, Evans. Would you like me to show you?" Lily nodded emphatically. "Alright, then. It won't be too difficult. First step." James held the book firmly in both hands. "You take the book in your hand. Then, comes the most important part. Are you watching, Evans? Because this part is very critical."

"I'm watching," she said, eyes fixated on James.

"Okay, good. Here we go. Watch carefully, now." He cleared his throat and held up the book for Lily to see. When she nodded again, he flung it carelessly over his shoulder, smirking widely when he heard it land with a loud thunkand slide across the wooden floor.

"Hey!" Lily cried, standing to her feet, "Why'd you do that, Potter? I though you said you knew how I could use that book in the best way, and that does not help me at all!"

To Lily's surprise, James was laughing. "Evans, calm down!" he said, motioning her to take her seat. "I wasn't kidding. That book can help you the most lying on the ground than it can in your hands."

"I thought…" Lily lowered herself onto the bench, looking worried. "But you said it was good stuff!"

"I wasn't kidding when I said that either," James said with a shrug.

Lily folded her arms on the table and put her head down. "I needed that to study," she moaned quietly, her voice muffled.

"You see?" James told her, pointing with his fork. "That's one of you're problems. You think you can learn the answer to every thing from a book."

Lily lifted her head, trying to pull off a mean look but not quite making it. "Thanks," she said sullenly. "Thank you, very much. That makes me feel a whole lot better."

James sighed and shook his head. "No, you took it the wrong way. What I mean is that there are some things you can't studyEvans. There are things that you can't just learn by reading. And sometimes, doing that will just confuse you more. Quidditch is like that. You can't just read a few pages and suddenly be a pro at it. You've got to learn it by experience and falling off you're broom every now and then. So just keep in mind what you learned with me and at Quidditch practices."

Lily gave one last wistful look over to where the book still lay on the floor, and turned back to James. "Well," she relented. "I could do without falling off a broom, but I think I see the main point."

"You'll be fine," he told her reassuringly.

There was a silence between them as Lily studied her plate and prodded at her food. She looked up at James and said hesitantly, "Thanks for…you know, calming me down."

James gave her a lopsided grin and nodded. "No problem," he replied. Lily tentatively returned his smile and quickly looked back down at her eggs. James watched her for a minute, deep in reflection. Did Evans and I just share a friendly moment? he thought, somewhat bewilderedly. It wasn't so awkward once we really got the hang of it. James took another glance at Lily and noticed hadn't taken a bite in a while. Hm, he thought amusedly. Evans must be pretty nervous. Pale in the face, fidgety…She sort of reminds me of myself on my first day of Quidditch. James' grin broadened at this realization and he took a sip from his orange juice. Lily still wasn't eating.

James decided to have a bit of fun with this. He cleared his throat to hide the quiet laugh that had escaped. "You know, you might want to eat those before they get too cold," he said lightly, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin in hand. "Speaking from personal experience, cold eggs don't settle very well in the stomach. Especially when you're making sharp turns, deep dives, and such. I tell you, they jump around like nothing else, and you feel every single bounce in your stomach." James lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Lily. "And between you and me," he whispered. "An interruption of aerial projectile breakfast can be quite a distraction, both to the teams and the audience."

Lily threw him a disgusted look, but suppressed an amiable grin. "How is that supposed to make me eat?"

James shrugged innocently. "I'm just trying to be helpful, Evans."

"Well, you can stop now." Lily poured herself a glass of milk and took a long sip. "Better?" she asked mockingly. James chuckled softly at the milk mustache that had been left behind on Lily's upper lip. He gestured to his own and said, "You've got a…little something right here." She looked confused for a second, then rolled her eyes and wiped it away with an impatient hand. "Shut up," she muttered, scowling deeply. James just laughed again and took a bite from his food.

Lily ignored him. "Hey," she said suddenly, gazing at the other side of the room. "There's Derek!"

James's grin slowly faded away.

"Has he talked to you yet today?" Lily asked anxiously as she craned her neck to get a better look at the Ravenclaw table.

"Um…well," James said uncertainly. "He tried to talk to me about ten minutes ago."

"And?" she prompted.

James bit his lip. "He was…distracted by his friends," he lied carefully.

"Oh…" Lily's voice was laced with disappointment and her eyes fell downcast. "Well," she said, perking up immediately. "Maybe he's just excited for the match, you know?"

James forced himself to smile. "Yeah," he agreed. "Sure." He saw Lily sneak a glance at Derek, who was leaning close to one of his friends, whispering to him and laughing every few seconds. James took a deep breath. Okay, he told himself. I've got to tell her. I'll do it right now. He inhaled one more time and opened his mouth, but Lily interrupted.

"So, how did the date go? I tried to stay up last night, but I guess I was a little more tired than I thought." Her eyes glittered excitedly. "You have to tell me everything!"

James winced and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. He laughed nervously. "Actually, Evans, 'everything' will take quite a long time."

"We have time," Lily protested.

"Um…okay." James pressed his lips together, gathering his thoughts. "He met me outside of the Gryffindor Common Room," he began slowly. Maybe I can distract her…just so I can have time to think of what to say. "In fact, he arrived exactly on time. That's really important on a date, too, don't you think?" James rambled on. "I say, if a person doesn't have punctuality, it'll just go all the way downhill from there. That reminds of this one girl I dated, who—"

"Potter," Lily interjected impatiently. James stopped abruptly. "Focus," she said, pointing to herself. "What did you two do on the date?"

James averted his eyes. "Um…" he stammered. "He…provided dinner."

Lily beamed at him. "Really?" she squealed. "That's so sweet! What a gentleman." She looked at Derek again, and didn't see James give her a doubtful look. "What else?" she asked eagerly.

James sighed and tried not to roll his eyes. "He talked about himself. A lot," he added with a grimace.

"Well, that's nice," Lily told him. "It's good that he's articulate. Some people just sit there like stones and don't tell you anything about themselves at all. What else?"

James looked at Lily, watching him earnestly as she waited to hear more about what happened on that night. He bit the inside of his cheek uncertainly while he tried to come up with something to say to her next. I could tell her he was really interested to know what she wants to do with her life, he told himself. Or maybe I could say he was really polite and a good listener…Evans would never know anything went wrong…, he thought. James felt a guilty pang in the pit of his stomach. He knew that he had to say something, or else he would regret it.

James exhaled loudly, closed his eyes, and rubbed the bridge of his nose with the tips of his fingers.

"What?" Lily asked worriedly, her smile faltering. "What's wrong?"

He stared at her intently. "Actually, Evans, the truth is—"

But James was cut off by the sound of deafening footsteps coming their way. He and Lily turned to look at the entrance of the Great Hall and saw Parker and Kate hurrying towards them in a flurry. The black robes they wore were hanging off their shoulders and the red and yellow scarves were tied sloppily around their necks to show their Gryffindor spirit, clearly showing that they had thrown on their clothes in the most haphazard fashion.

"Ohmygod!" Parker shrieked between puffs of breath, bouncing in her seat from excitement. "You have to tell us what happened, Lily!" There was a noisy clatter as she began to quickly serve herself breakfast.

James looked at her, completely puzzled. "What are you talking ab—?"

"Tell us every—single—word exchanged between you and Derek," Kate ordered, looking at James attentively. "And don't leave out a thing!"

"Especially the juicy parts," Parker added with a childish giggle. James barely had time to blink before he was bombarded with questions.

"Where did you meet?" Parker fired at him.

Kate started her question on the word "you". "What did you wear?" she asked keenly. "I can't believe you didn't let us help you get ready, Lily! We always do that together. Did you where that cute, dark green dress?"

"Or was it that nice skirt with the matching jacket?"

"Where did he take you? Was it romantic?"

"Hey!" Lily said, sounding annoyed. "Why don't you give her a chance to answer the first question before asking another one!" I'll never hear what happened at this rate, she thought sourly.

"Did he bring you flowers?" Parker asked. Her face took on a wistful expression as she rested her chin in her hand. "I've always wanted a boy to bring me flowers on a date," she added longingly.

"I'll keep that in mind, Parker," said a voice behind her. Parker turned her head and saw Sirius peering down at her in amusement. He set his broom against the bench, crossed his arms, and smiled. She made a derisive noise and turned to her attention to her food, pointedly ignoring him as he sat down next to her. "So," Sirius continued, smiling charmingly. "Do you prefer daisies or roses?"

"Neither," Parker answered shortly.

"Her favorites are sunflowers," Kate offered. Parker reached behind James and angrily swatted her on the shoulder with her hand, but Kate pretended it didn't happen. "And she's allergic to daisies."

Sirius nodded thoughtfully and said, "I can respect that."

Parker leaned forward and turned her head towards Kate, so she could see her clearly, and fixed her with a furious glare. "Anything else you'd like to share, Kate?" she said menacingly.

"Parker likes the white sunflowers rather than the yellow ones," Kate said, disregarding the sarcasm. "And make sure the stems aren't too long. She usually puts them in vases. Oh, and she hates fancy chocolate. She likes any candy that's fruit flavored, but nothing cherry. Oh, and don't get her any nuts either—"

"Thank you, Kate," Parker said in a loud voice, scowling deeply. "Why don't you tell him my life story and be done with it?"

Sirius shook his head. "Nah," he said. "I think I have enough information for now. Besides, we want something to talk about over dinner, don't we?"

"Why do you want to know any of that stuff anyway, Sirius?" James asked curiously. "It sounds like you're interviewing Parker or something."

"You see, Lily," Sirius said slyly. "Dear Parker and I have a date."

James' eyebrows shot up and he grinned widely. "Seriously?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Yup," his friend answered cheerfully. "Next Friday night!"

James laughed. "You finally got her!" he said to Sirius. "Well it's about bloody time, mate!" Sirius looked at him oddly, but a playful smile was still on his face.

"Excuse me!" Parker cried indignantly, looking at the two of them. "I'm no trophy, and I refuse to be talked about as though I've been won!"

Sirius poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice. "Well, Parker, darling," he said pleasantly. "In a way, you were sort of won, considering the circumstances under which you agreed to our date."

James looked at Parker, who had clenched her jaw and was glowering at Sirius in a loathsome way. "What does he mean, 'considering the circumstances'?" James asked her. Parker took a sip of water and set the glass down with unnecessary harshness.

Sirius winced. "Careful, Lily," he warned, his eyes twinkling playfully. "That's a delicate subject to discuss with Parker. After all, she is a bit sore over what happened."

"The long and short of it is that Parker was cocky enough to make a bet with Sirius in a chess game," explained Kate. "She bet him that she would win, Sirius upped the stakes, and Parker lost. Now she has to go on a date with him." She moved closer to James and whispered loudly, "And as you can see, she's extremely bitter."

"I am not bitter!" Parker exclaimed defensively. James and Sirius looked at Parker skeptically. "Don't you give me that look, Sirius Black! And don't even think for a second that this thing between us will be habitual!"

Sirius held up a finger. "Ah," he said quietly, a smirk on his face. "But you do think that there is something between us…"

"That isn't what I said!"

The smirk turned into an attractive, lopsided smile as Sirius rose to his feet. "Whatever you say, Parker," he said, winking discreetly. Sirius shook a few dark strands of hair out of his face with an elegant toss of his head. He reached across the table and grabbed an apple. "I'm off to the pitch. You coming, James?" he asked Lily.

She shook her head. "No," Lily replied. "I'm staying here to finish my breakfast. I'll meet you out there."

Sirius shrugged. "Alright," he said simply. Then he turned to Parker. "You're going to cheer me on, right, Parker?"

Her wrinkled forehead slightly, preoccupied with carefully pouring syrup beside her sausage. "Of course," she mumbled absently. "I always cheer on the team."

Sirius smiled slowly, bent down close to her ear, and said in a soft voice, "That's not what I asked." Before straightening up, he briefly rested a hand on her shoulder, and then gave a little wave to the others. "See you later," he said merrily. Sirius turned around and walked calmly out of the Great Hall, as though the exchange between him and Parker had never taken place. Her bright red face was the only evidence that it had ever happened.

Kate turned to her with a taunting smile on her face. "So, Parker," she teased. "Are you going to do what he asked?"

Parker shrugged carelessly, by her face turned a shade darker. "I guess," she said nonchalantly. "If he wants me to."

"If he wants you to?" James repeated incredulously. "You have no idea what he's like after a game." He took on an exaggerated, eager tone. "'Do you think she saw me aim that bludger at so-and-so, huh? Do you, mate?' 'I hope Parker was watching when I pulled off that double-loop, do you think she saw me?'"

"Sirius was looking pretty nice in his robes, don't you think, Parker?" Kate asked casually.

"Yeah, I suppose so," Parker murmured, looking towards the Great Hall entrance. "Scarlet really does suit him very nicely."

About ten minutes later James and Lily left the other at breakfast, under the excuses that they needed to talk about prefect business on the way to the Quidditch Pitch. As they hurriedly made their way through the halls, James was quickly going over the rules of Quidditch, enthusiastically waving his hands around as Lily listened with a reluctant ear.

"There are three hoops," he was explaining rapidly, "And you can score a goal in any three of them, it doesn't really matter."

"I know, Potter," Lily sighed.

"And, remember, you and the other two chasers are the only ones aloud to touch the Quaffle. Oh, and the keeper, of course. So make sure you don't pass to the beaters. Just so you know, they'll be the ones with the clubs."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know that," she said through gritted teeth as she rounded a corner. James ignored her, too caught up in what he was saying. "And, you can't forget, Evans," he said, emphatically shaking his finger at her. "You can't forget to keep an eye out for the Bludgers, because—"

"I KNOW, DAMMIT!" Lily yelled, stopping abruptly and rounding on James. "You can quit talking to me like I'm a three-year-old, Potter! Surprise, surprise, I have seen a Quidditch game or two in my lifetime, thank you very much! And if you think you're helping me by ticking off all these extra rules, you can stop now, because that's just making me more nervous. And you know what? THAT'S NOT HELPING ME!" She shouted, leaning closer to James.

He quickly held up his hands in a self-protective mode. "Okay, okay," he said, looking alarmed. "I'm sorry. Just relax, alright?"

"Relax?" Lily repeated disbelievingly. "Relax? You're telling me to relax, when I have to go out there and play my first Quidditch game in front of the entire school? Stop telling me to relax, Potter, because I am not relaxed!"

"You were fine a second ago!" James said defensively. "What happened to being such an expert after seeing a 'game or two', remember?"

"Shut up!" Lily snapped, stalking off down the hallway. "This is no time to be smug, Potter; I am not in the mood."

James hurried to catch up with her. "All I'm saying is that you need to calm down," he said plainly.

"Well, stop it because it's making me panic!"

"Why?"

"Because the more you say 'calm down' that means there is more to be worried about," Lily explained earnestly. "It'd be different if you said it once or twice, but it's become your mantra which means that I have a lot to be worried about!"

James blinked in surprise before turning her and laying his hands firmly on Lily's shoulders. "Listen to me, Evans," he said sternly. "Important that you take a breath and chill. I understand that you're nervous, but you can't panic. It will only make things worse, trust me on that. I'll try not to make you any more anxious by telling you to do stuff, okay? I just have to ask you one more time. Is there anything you're confused about or need me to explain?"

Lily thought for a moment before saying, "It seems like there are a bunch of weird names for different moves and stuff. How am I going to know what to do and where to go? I had a bit of a problem with that last night when Brian told us to do the…Double-Wingy-Wambo Combination or something like that."

James looked baffled. "Oh," he said, realization dawning on him. "You mean the Double-Wingdinger Combo." A proud, smug look crossed his face. "I taught them that."

"Yes, I know," Lily replied, waving her hand impatiently. "But I had to ask one of your team mates and he looked at him like I was insane. I don't think I can keep asking one of them without raising suspicion that something's wrong. But at the same time I know for sure that I will have no idea what to do it Brian calls out a play like that."

James furrowed his eyebrows and stroked his chin, thinking hard for a solution. "I'm not too sure about that," he murmured. "But you're clever. I'm sure you could pick up your place in the formation. Whenever we do a play, there's always pattern that the chasers are placed in. So all you have to do is pay attention to where they are, go to the place where you think fits it, and pay attention for the quaffle."

"I wouldn't know where to the throw the Quaffle!"

"Then just listen to whoever is calling for it!" James told her. "You'll here someone say, "Over here, Potter," or "I'm open," and that's all you have to do."

"But—!" Lily began.

"Look, Evans, either way this is not going to be easy. You're nervous, which is going to make everything seem ten times harder. But once you get up in the air, you'll get the hang of it and before you know it, the game will be over."

Lily sighed and looked miserably at her feet. "Okay."

James put a comforting arm around her. "Everything will be fine," he assured. "Don't worry. Now you have to get to the locker room for the pre-pep talk that Brian always gives. C'mon, I'll walk you there."

Lily nodded and let James steer her to the Gryffindor Team locker room, stopping short of the door. "Okay, I'll see you later."

A panic-stricken look crossed Lily's face. "You mean you're not coming in with me?"

"There are two very good reasons for that, Evans," James said. He held up a finger. "Number one: no one is allowed in there who isn't a member of the Quidditch team. That's why they are called the Quidditch Team Locker-rooms."

"So?"

"The other reason is that the actual room where the team meets to go over last minute plays and stuff is connected to the two changing rooms. And the way you're about to enter them is through the Boy's changing room, where girls—that would be me at the present moment—are not allowed. You'll have to go in there on your own." Lily raised her eyebrows. Boy's changing room…I suppose I could continue on my own after-all… "I'll be sitting in the stands," James was saying. "Probably next to Parker and Kate."

"Remus is the announcer, right?"

"Right, so he had to go and make sure everything was alright with the scoring stuff and that it hadn't been tampered with. So, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah," Lily said lightly. "Meet me in the Hospital Wing; I'll be the one unconscious."

"Come on, Evans, it'll be fine. I promise." James put his hand over his heart and gave her an innocent smile.

She gave him a very pained look and said tonelessly, "Just so you know, that does nothing to reassure me at all."

James laughed quietly and shook his head. "Well, it's nice to know that you are unchanged by anxiety. If you had said something polite like 'thank you' I'd have been concerned for your well-being. Now hurry up and get in there." He gave her a slight shove in the direction of the door. Lily pushed it open and stepped inside. Just before she closed it again, she looked at James with a fairly shy grin. "Um…" she began tentatively. "Thanks for putting up with me about this Quidditch thing. You know, calming me down and stuff. I appreciated it, and thanks for being patient with me." Her smile grew into a smirk. "Somewhat patient, anyway. I'll see you later."

After she shut the door softly, James stood there staring at it, mouth open in surprise. Did she just thank me? he thought incredulously. Evans just thanked me. Maybe I should be concerned for her well-being. Very concerned.He sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief. But even so, it was a very nice thank you. James cheerfully made his way to the Quidditch Pitch, unable to contain the large smile playing on his face.

Ten minutes later Lily stood with the rest of the Quidditch team on the platform from which they were suppose to take off. Brian had given them a short talk, going over their plays on a whiteboard. Lily had nodded along with everyone else, not understanding a word Brian was saying. Despite the biting cold in the weather, Lily was feeling quite warm and frequently said to her teammates, "Is it hot in here? Because I'm feeling really hot at the moment." There had been a few different responses. Brian had replied enthusiastically, "That's the spirit, Potter!" making the mistake of thinking that Lily meant she was getting pumped up about the game. The girls on the team had rolled their eyes, and one of them had said, "Really James, you are good-looking and everything, but don't you think you're a little full of yourself?" Garrison had finally put a hand to her forehead, and for a fleeting moment Lily thought she could get out of the game by faking a fever. Unfortunately he had told her she was as cold as ice, so that plan was through.

So now Lily was standing on the platform, looking out at the cheering crowds, and sweating quite profusely. She took a deep breath and wiped her clammy palms on her robes. Brian looked at her in concern.

"You alright, Potter?" he asked, peering into her face worriedly. "You don't look so good."

"I don't?" Lily said eagerly. Oh, I could definitely play off of this! "I-I mean-no, no I'm not feeling so great. I've got…erm…a sore throat, and my…head hurts a bit. D'you think I should sit out? Because I can sit out if you think I should, as you're captain and everything."

Brian snorted and leaned on his broom. "Oh, is that all?" he said. "I was scared it was something serious!"

"I-isn't it serious?" Lily stammered.

"Of course not. James, you once went out there in the pouring rain with a hacking cough, chills, and a 102º fever. Sure, you fainted afterwards and Madam Pomfrey was livid with you. But the important thing is that you played great and we won the game!"

"Brilliant," Lily said brightly, forcing a smile. "I'm glad you care about my health. It really makes me feel special." An echoing voice sounded from outside and loud cheering started up.

"Alright, that's our cue," said Brian, slinging a leg over his broomstick. "Mount your brooms, everyone!"

Lily followed suit and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying to remember everything James had taught her. Kick off firmly, relax, stay calm, take control of the broom, hold on tightly, stay calm, relax… She took another deep breath and chanted these thoughts over and over again in her mind. The doors opened, streaming light into the small, dim room. Remus was announcing the Gryffindor team and the crowds were growing louder. Lily bit her lip and gripped the end of the broom tighter, trying one more time to pull herself together.

Relaxed or not, it was time to play.

"There you are, Lily," Parker greeted as James made his way to his seat. "It's nice to know someone will be sitting with me."

"What do you mean? Where's Kate?" James asked, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck. He blew on his hands in an attempt to warm them up. "I thought she was coming to the game?"

"Oh, she's here," Parker said moodily. "Bailey Portman asked her to sit with him. She doesn't even know him, but she didn't hesitate to leave me alone. She's somewhere up there. I suppose I can't blame her. He's can definitely be classified under attractive." James rolled his eyes. "Besides, I'd never pass up a chance if a good-looking guy asked me to sit with him."

James rubbed his hands together and gave her a side-glance, grinning lopsidedly. "Like Sirius, for instance?" he said teasingly.

"Yes, like—I mean, no!" Parker said without thinking. "I never mentioned his name, did I?"

"You didn't have to," James said simply, shrugging his shoulders. A booming voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.

"Good morning, ladies and gents!" Remus' voice reverberated through the pitch. "Welcome on this beautiful but frosty morning of March to the Quidditch game. Today it's RAVENCLAW VERSUS GRYFFINDOR!" Both houses were the loudest of all, each trying to outdo the other in volume. James exhaled and rubbed his hands together again.

"Here we go," he muttered.

"What do you say we cut the small talk and get this game started?" There was clapping and animated shouting in response. "Alright, for the Gryffindor team, we have BARRY LAWSON OUR KEEPER, CHASERS, CLARK GARRISON, JAMES POTTER (hey, there, buddy!), AND CAPTAIN BRIAN MONAGHAN, BEATERS JILL THOMASON, AND SIRIUS BLACK, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR SEEKER, TRISHA WISEMAN!!!" The Gryffindor side of the pitch grew uproarious, almost drowning out the booing of the Slytherin House. James clapped along with the rest of his housemates as he watched the Quidditch team fly out when each name was called. Even though he couldn't see the faces, he could easily pick Lily out in an instant; she was the slowest one.

James looked upwards to the sky and said, "Look, if there is a higher power in the world, please make it quick and somewhat painless? If Trisha catches the snitch early I swear on my Invisibility Cloak I'll give up all forms of coffee forever. I'll never touch the stuff again." He quickly rethought what he said, and added, "Well, maybe not forever. How about to the end of the weekend?" There was the sound of cheering from the Ravenclaw side, which meant that their team had just been announced.

"Lily, who are you talking to?" Parker asked curiously.

James looked back to her and laughed nervously. "Huh? Oh, no one in particular. Just, you know, a little routine I do when I need some luck."

"Right." Parker was quiet for a moment before saying, "Hey, Lily, can I talk to you about something?"

James bit his lip frantically, looking to where the teams were positioning themselves to begin. "Right now?" he asked desperately. He gestured to the pitch. "But the game is starting!"

Parker nodded and sighed. "Yeah, alright," she relented. "I suppose I could just talk to you later."

"Great," James replied absentmindedly. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the Quidditch players flew into action. Remus was speaking rapidly in attempt to keep up with the fast pace of action. Presently, Gryffindor had the Quaffle, and Lily was keeping up quite nicely so far, flying around wherever the rest of the chasers were. She hadn't caught the red ball yet, and James breathed a sigh of relief when Brian scored the first goal; if she could just continue like this for a little longer, everything would be fine.

"AND GRYFFINDOR SCORES FIRST!" Remus' voice boomed. "Way to go, Monaghan!" The Quaffle was instantly back in play, this time in the hands of a Ravenclaw.

"No!" James yelled vehemently, banging his hand on the banister. "C'mon, get it back! STEAL IT! PULL THE BLUDGER BACKBEAT MOVE! THE BLUDGER BACK BEAT MOVE!" There was a loud cheer as the Ravenclaw chaser scored a goal, making the score even at ten to ten. "Dammit!" James groaned and put his hands over his face. Sitting up in the stands was much more different than being out there in the game. It was much safer, and no risk of getting injured.

James hated it. The boredom and lack of movement was killing him.

Parker regarded him with a strange look on her face. "Lily," she said tentatively. "Are you okay? You seem a bit…high strung."

"I'm telling you, they should have used the Backbeat Move," James said earnestly. "If Sirius or Jill had just aimed the bludger at the back of his arm. Then it would have hit the Quaffle, popping it out and giving it to a chaser, and we could have scored!"

"Um…okay," Parker said uncertainly. "Since when are you so intense about Quidditch? You always need me or Kate to tell you what's going on."

"I've been brushing up on the rules," James said, eyes on the game. Brian had the Quaffle and was passing it between himself and Clark Garrison, making his way steadily to the Ravenclaw goal end. Lily was following close behind at a safe distance, carefully dodging bludgers that were flying their way.

"Well, we're off to a rousing start," Remus was saying. "But I must say, Chaser James Potter isn't quite getting a piece of the action. In fact, he seems to be holding back a lot. Usually Potter is the first one have a Quaffle, yet he hasn't even touched it today. I certainly hope that changes in a bit, because Gryffindor can use all the points we can get. The Ravenclaw team had had a good season this year, losing only once, and they definitely have their game together today."

"Hey, Lily," Parker said, pulling her scarf down to reveal her mouth. "Can I ask you a question?"

"What about?" James mumbled, eyes avidly watching the game.

"I-I need your opinion on something."

"Oh, come on!" James yelled, flailing his arms around wildly. Ravenclaw had scored again, leading Gryffindor by ten points. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU, LAWSON? YOU'RE KILLING ME OUT THERE! BLOCK THE QUAFFLE WITH YOUR HEAD IF YOU HAVE TO!" James cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "BOO! YOU SUCK!" at the Ravenclaw team as they did a victory lap. "WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK TO YOUR BOOKS, YOU DIRTY LITTLE POINT-DEXTERS!"

"Lily?" Parker prompted, studying her strangely. "Are you sure you're alright? You've never been this into a game, before."

"So I've taken up a new interest."

"Anyway, Lily," Parker continued. "I need your advice."
"Can't it wait?" asked James impatiently, turning to her with an irritated look.

"It'll only take a second, I promise."

James bit his lip and made a whining noise in the back of his throat, giving one last wistful look at the game before he said edgily, "Alright, but make it quick."

"Okay, it's about Sirius." James breathed out in a huff and closed his eyes; this surely wasn't going to be as short a conversation as she guaranteed. "D'you think I'm being dishonest about the whole thing?"

"YES!" James shouted, pumping his fist in the air. He had completely ignored what Parker said, because Garrison had just gained Gryffindor another ten points. "That's more like it! THAT'S RIGHT, GRYFFINDOR! KICK SOME SMARTY-ARTY RAVENCLAW ARSE!"

"Lily?" Parker said, trying to get his attention.

James turned to her with a dazed expression on his face. "Sorry, were you saying something?"

"Yeah, I'm wondering if you think I'm being dishonest with this whole Sirius situation. Kate said she thinks I should just drop the act and admit to Sirius that I like him. What do you think?"

"Well it's not like it's completely difficult to tell," James told her, rolling his eyes in an exasperated fashion. "I figured it out a while ago. Honestly, Parker, for someone trying to play hard-to-get you're sure not very subtle sometimes. YES! NICE BLOCKING, BARRY! TAKE THAT YOU NASTY LITTLE BUGGERS!"

Parker frowned and buried her hands deep in her pockets. "It's not that I'm trying to play hard-to-get," she explained. "Personally I think that's a waste of time."

"Oh, look who's talking," James quipped sarcastically.

"No, I mean it," Parker insisted. "I'm really not trying to play hard-to-get. It's just that I'm not like one of those girls that'll throw herself shamelessly at every boy she sees, and I don't want to be treated like one."

"What do you mean?" James queried. Then he shouted, "SIRIUS! AIM FOR THEIR KEEPER! THEIR KEEER!"

"I mean that when I go out on my date with Sirius, I don't want him to treat me like a….like some…"

"Tart? Tease? Whore?" James supplied.

"Yes, exactly," Parker said, looking worried. "I don't want it to be like, you know, treating me like a lady on Saturday and then come Monday acting like he doesn't know who I am. And unfortunately, Sirius isn't exactly a stranger to doing that," she added darkly under her breath.

James sighed and tore his eyes away from the game, figuring perhaps if he could just tell her what he thought now, Parker would leave him alone. "Listen, Parker," he said, looking at Parker intently. "I know Sirius isn't exactly one to stay in a long relationship, but I know him, and I know that if he really likes someone he won't mess it up. Not too badly, anyway. I mean, there was that one time in fourth year when he screwed up big time with that one girl, uh, Tammy was her name. He wouldn't shut up about her for days. But, really Parker, that was one time—twice, tops—but honestly, other than that you have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, thanks," she said faintly. "It's just that, I've liked him for a long time. And if I'm really honest, I have to say I'm looking forward to this date. But I don't want Sirius to know that or he'll get a bigger head."

"That's great." James turned his head over to the game again. It looked like things were getting dirtier and more intense. Sirius and Jill were beating bludgers at people much quicker than when he last paid attention. "Hey," James said to a boy on his right. "D'you know the score?"

"30-60, Ravenclaw, "he replied dully. "I have no idea what's going on with Potter today. He's only had the Quaffle once, and that time he dropped it."

"Oh bugger," James muttered, running hand through his hair.

"Hey, Lily, what do you think I should wear?" Parker asked. "What about that black shirt and blue dressy trousers?"

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" James yelled, banging his fist on the banister. "FOUL! FOUL! C'MON, REF, PAY ATTENTION! COULD YOU NOT SEE THAT THE CHASER WAS FLACKING? HE WAS FLACKING, DAMMIT! EVEN I COULD SEE THAT MOVE UP HERE AND I'M BLIND AS A BLOODY BAT! "

"Or maybe the cute pink top with the white skirt, yeah?"

"OY, MEATHEADS! WHY DON'T YOU STICK YOUR NOSES IN A DIFFERENT BOOK FOR ONCE? THE RULEBOOK WOULD BE A NICE CHANGE!"

"Oh, even better! I have a new black shirt that's off the shoulder with a—"

"Parker," James interrupted, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her gently. "I don't mean to be harsh, but there is a Quidditch game going on out there while you're talking to me. You are causing me to miss vital information. Further more, I couldn't give a damn about what you wear. You could wear a polka-dotted ostrich costume and I couldn't care less. Now, I'm begging you, could you please, please wait until after the game to talk to me?"

Parker looked affronted. "Fine," she sniffed. "See if I help you next time you have a date."

"Thank you," James breathed in relief. He looked back to the Quidditch pitch, leaving Parker to scowl at his back. He scanned the air until he found Lily, floating stationary next to Brian. "Come on, Evans, get in the game," James whispered to himself.

That was exactly what Brian was saying to Lily out on the pitch, but he was saying it a lot louder than whispering.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he demanded. "You haven't even touched the Quaffle, James! This is not supporting your team at all!"

"Sorry!" Lily said defensively. "I guess I'm just a bit out of it."

"That's not what I want to hear, Potter," Brian said severely. "You had better get you're arse in the game. Don't make me bench you for practice." With that said, he flew off to try and steal the Quaffle from a Ravenclaw chaser that was rapidly making her way to the Gryffindor goal.

Lily let out a frustrated sigh. "I am so done with this bloody sport," she muttered under her breath. "Never again will I touch a broom."

It was hard enough keeping up at practice, but being in the game in front of a screaming crowd was a different thing entirely. Up until now Lily was playing it safe, following the other two chasers enough to make it look like she was really trying to get the Quaffle, and sometimes pretending to guard a chaser of the other team. At one point she had actually caught it when Brian threw it to her, and held it briefly before she dropped it…right into the hands of a Ravenclaw positioned under her. Needless to say, Brian hadn't been very happy. She had even caught a few angry looks from her teammates. Sirius had flown over and asked if everything was alright, looking confused more than worried. He was sending her curious looks every now and then.

Lily took a deep breath. It was clear she couldn't stay in the sidelines, so to speak, without arousing more suspicion, if not anger. She had no other choice but to start to play. And here came her chance.

Garrison was rapidly coming towards her with the Quaffle. "Hey, James!" he called. "Catch!" He tossed her the ball and Lily caught it with both hands. Momentarily delighted with this accomplishment, she tucked it under her left arm and held onto the broom with her right. She leaned forward slightly and picked up speed. Brian appeared at her side, holding out his hand for the ball. "James, here!" Lily lobbed it at him and he caught it deftly. "James, be prepared," Brian ordered. "Fly away from me about ten feet, but keep up. I'm going to pass this to you. Get ready." He accelerated and flew ahead, letting Lily linger behind him a little. Well, she thought with a satisfied smile. That wasn't so bad, was it? "James!" Brian yelled. Lily flew faster to where Brian was waiting and held her arms out, signaling that she was ready to catch the Quaffle. Brian threw it to her. "Make a goal!" he commanded. "Sirius will guard you." After a moment's hesitation Lily hurtled towards the Ravenclaw goal post, slow at first, but gaining speed. This is it, she thought. I'm going to make a goal…I will not freak out… She saw Sirius send a bludger in the direction of a Ravenclaw chaser, but he missed. Biting her lip, Lily pressed the broom a little further. She was closing in on the goal and could see the keeper flying back and forth, getting ready to make a save. Just when she was getting ready to pull her arm back, Lily felt a strong jerk. She whipped her head around and saw another chaser give her broom good kick. Lily dropped the Quaffle in surprise and grabbed her broomstick to keep her balance, and the chaser instantly snatched up the Quaffle and headed in the opposite direction.

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed. "You can't do that!" She turned to the Ravenclaw keeper. "Can he do that? Isn't that illegal or something?" The keeper ignored her and Lily kicked her leg through the air angrily. "Dammit, I almost had it, too!"

"James!" Garrison yelled. "Get over here, we need you!" He and Brian were both flying on either side of the boy who had stolen the Quaffle and were trying to earn it back. Swearing under her breath, Lily made her way over to where they were to help out. A Bludger whistled through, passing right in front of her nose, causing her to halt abruptly.

"Excuse me?" she shouted at the beater. "What's the matter with you? Are you trying to kill me? Bloody hell, one would think you were trying to knock me off my broom or something!" The beater just laughed and flew off. "How rude," Lily muttered, scowling deeply.

"JAMES!" Garrison and Brian bellowed in unison.

"ALRIGHT, I'M COMING!" Lily shouted back. She started to glide her way over, muttering angrily under her breath. "I was just nearly knocked out by a Blodger, and you'd think I could get at least one minute to catch my breath!" The Ravenclaw chaser tossed the Quaffle to his teammate, and Lily took off after him immediately. Lily slowly began to gain on him, and stretched out her hand. When she was close enough she hit the ball with her fist, popping it out and picking it up herself. She couldn't resist making a face as she rushed on and passed him. She swerved to the side and flew closer and closer the goalpost, determined to score.

This is a lot easier than I thought, she thought gleefully. They're not even trying to block me! She was near to the loop on the left, now, and she pulled her arm back to throw.

It went in.

Lily squealed excitedly and clapped her hands. "I made my first goal!" she said in delight. "That was so cool!" She looked around, expecting to see smiles from the team, but got quite the opposite. Brian was turning red, not looking happy at all. Sirius and the rest of her team looked shocked. The Ravenclaws looked confused, but were laughing and exchanging amused glances. This could be right.

"What?" Lily asked aloud. "What's wrong?" That's when she heard Remus' voice.

"Uh, well," he said bewilderedly. "That's one for the Ravenclaw team, scored by our very own…erm, James Potter. Nice goal, Potter, but maybe you should score in the other team's goal next time. The score is now 70-30, with Ravenclaw leading."

Lily paled and her mouth dropped open. "Oh no," she mumbled, burying her face into her hands. "I can't believe I did that!" Apparently, neither could Brian. His eyes were closed, and he was rubbing his temples and shaking his head, muttering to himself. He finally raised his had, looking more than a little upset, and signaled for a time out.

"And it's time out called by the Gryffindor Captain. Each team will get a five minute break." Both teams were flying to the opposite ends of the field, landing on the platform that lead into the locker room. Dreading what she was about to face, Lily followed them in.

Up in the stands James had gone insane when he saw Lily score the wrong goal, screaming himself hoarse, jumping up and down and flailing his arms around so much that he had actually elbowed Parker in the head. But now, he was hurrying down to the locker rooms, about to give Lily a small pep talk.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing out there?" James demanded as he paced back and forth. "Are you doing this on purpose? You must be doing this on purpose because I thought no one can be that bad at Quidditch, but apparently you are!"

"Okay, so I'm no pro," Lily shot back at him.

"Evans, you threw the Quaffle into your own team's goal! What exactly was going through your head? I'll tell you what, nothing!"

"STOP YELLING AT ME!"

"I'M NOT YELLING!"

Lily angrily got to her feet from the bench she had been sitting on. "You know, a little more support would be appreciated! You're not exactly making me feel any more secure. Besides, those Ravenclaw players play dirty!"

"Quidditch isn't exactly a tea party, Evans," James said scathingly.

"I know that! But they're mean! One of them kicked me," she added petulantly.

James rolled his eyes. "And did you kick them back?" he asked in a condescending tone.

"Of course not!" Lily said primly. "But I'll make a point of telling Madam Hooch."

"Telling Madam Hooch…!" James said disbelievingly. Then he sighed and shook his head. "Evans, what am I going to do with you?" he said tiredly. "Okay, this is what you're going to do. You're going to go out there and play the meanest you've ever played, alright? In Quidditch it is legal to give injuries as long as they aren't to the head or fatal. So when you go out there again—"

"Are you crazy?" Lily cried. "I'm not going back out there!"

"What do you mean you're not going back out there?"

"I mean I'm not getting back on that broom to make a fool of myself! I have no idea what I'm doing, you know that. I not going out there again, Potter, and you can't make me!"

"You don't really have a choice, Evans," James insisted, crossing his arms. "If you don't go out there, you're letting down the whole team, and I will not let you do that."

"C'mon, Potter, haven't I done enough?" Lily begged. "I went to the practices, I transformed into a stag, I spent the night with a werewolf. Can't you please give me a break? I'll make a fool of myself!"

"You're actually making a fool of me," James corrected. "And just so you know, I'll probably have to score at least fifty goals next time to make up for the mess you're getting me in."

Lily groaned and slumped back on the bench. "Please don't make me go out there, Potter?" she said, looking at him. "I can't do it anymore."

"Yes, you can," James said firmly. "And more importantly, you will. Now up on your feet. The timeout is almost over." But Lily didn't move, and just stared moodily at her feet. James sighed, thinking quickly. It was obvious Lily wasn't going to go out onto the pitch again with this plan. So he came up with a different idea.

"Oh well," he said, taking on a careless manner. "It was worth a try." Lily wrinkled her forehead. "I suppose I should've known," James continued. "I had a feeling you couldn't do it."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Oh, really," she said lightly.

James nodded. "Of course."

"What happened to, "Relax, I know you can do it'?"

"First of all," said James, holding up an index finger. "I never said that. I said relax, but I never said the last bit. Don't make me sound like some holier-than-thou inspirational speaker, it's unnerving." Lily quirked a grin. "Second, that was all just a front. All just for show."

"Right," Lily said dryly. She got to her feet and walked towards James, narrowing her eyes at him. "Well, I think you're wrong, James Potter."

"Is that so?" James commented flippantly.

"Quite so. I'll bet I can score five goals by the end of the game."

"Now, Evans, let's not get ahead of ourselves, here," James chuckled. "Don't be unrealistic."

"Excuse me?" Lily said, scandalized. "That has to be the rudest, most inconsiderate—!"

"I'm just telling the truth," James said casually, holding up his hand in defense.

"Really? Well, then, we'll just see about that. You watch, I'll score five goals by the end of this game, at the very least," she added, poking him roughly in the shoulder. "And then we'll see who's realistic and not."

"POTTER!" Brian's voice sounded. "Let's go, it's time to get back out there."

"Coming!" Lily turned back to James with a haughty look. "You'd better get back into the stands, Potter. And pay close attention because I want you to be able to admit that you were wrong." With that said she grabbed her broom from where it was leaning against the wall and hurried out with rest of the team., James indulged himself with a secret smile and climbed the stairs back into the stands.

"Alright, Potter," Brian said tensely as they prepared to take off. "I sincerely hope you're feeling better, because if your behavior costs us the game, then—"

"I get it, Brian," Lily interrupted shortly, swinging a leg over the broomstick. "And you don't have to worry either. I'm feeling much better." She turned to him, smiled, and pat him on the shoulder. "Let's play some Quidditch, shall we?"

"Hey, where'd you go?" Parker asked as James pushed his way back to the seat.

"I, uh, needed to talk to someone for a second," he said. "Not important." He folded his arms and looked out the Quidditch pitch, watching the teams take their places again in the air. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game was back in play.

"And we come back from timeout with the Quaffle in Gryffindor possession. Monaghan passes to Garrison, Garrison takes it back to Monahan, who lobs the ball to Potter. Potter's doing much better now. Perhaps it was just a bad moment. SIRIUS, LOOK OUT!" A Bludger was launched in Sirius' direction, and he moved just time before it collided with his shoulder. Instead, it hit him in the left wrist. "Ooh," Remus breathed, wincing slightly. "Luckily he avoided a more serious injury, but the Bludger has caught Black in the left wrist."

"Ohmygosh!" Parker cried, leaping to his feet. She craned her neck to get a better look. "Do you think he's okay? That was such a dirty move! There should be a penalty for that!"

James looked at her with an amused smile. "It's nice of you to be so worried, Parker," he said. "I'm sure Sirius will be very pleased to know you care so much about him."

Parker glared at him and sat back down. "Don't be stupid, Lily," she said, readjusting her scarf. "You know I'd be just as upset if it were someone else. I'm cheering for the whole team, and when one gets injured, the entire game is ruined."

"Oh, no! They're carrying Sirius off on a stretcher!" James exclaimed.

Parker gasped and was instantly on her feet again. "Oh, God, I'm going to see if he's okay."

James grabbed her hand, preventing her from leaving. "Relax, Parker," he laughed. "I'm just kidding. Look, he's fine. In fact, the game is already up and running again."

Parker scanned the teams for Sirius before sitting down again, fixing James with a stern look. "That was not funny," she said bitterly. "It's nothing to joke about, Lily. What if he really was badly injured?"

"Then you'd be the first one in the Hospital Wing, Parker," James said seriously. "I'm sure you'd never leave his side, just like a devoted girlfriend should."

Parker scowled at him. "Shut up," she said sourly.

James grinned and went back to watching the game. Presently, a Ravenclaw had the Quaffle. There were two Gryffindor chasers on either side of him, engaged in a rough battle for the Quaffle. One of them was Garrison and the other was…James squinted to get a closer look. It was Lily, taking a swipe with her arm and bumping the Quaffle into Garrison's hands. "No way," James murmured. "She's actually playing dirty!" Of course, Lily still wasn't the best player, but there was definitely a change in attitude. "GO, GRYFFINDOR!" James shouted. He clapped his hands together enthusiastically as Garrison scored a goal, making the game 40-70.

The Ravenclaw keeper threw the Quaffle to his chaser, and the player took of rapidly for the other end. He did an overhead toss to pass the ball to his teammate. The Quaffle was about half a foot from his hand, but—

"I don't believe it!" Remus said. "The Quaffle is intercepted by Potter! He does an immediate about face and hurtles towards the goal. It looks like he's about to score and the Ravenclaw keeper is getting ready…Potter is looks pretty determined as he dodges a Bludger and closer in on the hoop…he tightens his hold on the Quaffle as the chasers are gaining on him…"

Up in the stands James was nearly going crazy with anticipation. "C'mon, c'mon," he chanted. "Damn, I can't see a bloody thing!" He looked around frantically and spotted the third year nearby looking through a pair of binoculars. Without hesitation James snatched them from his hands.

"Hey!" he said indignantly. "I was using those!"

"Sorry," James said hastily. "I need this more than you do." He looked at him apologetically. "Prefect business," he added regretfully. "You understand."

"No, I don't."

"Well, too bad," James snapped curtly. He put the binoculars to his eyes and focused them quickly, swiveling his head around to find Lily. When he did, James stopped and zoomed in on the situation that was currently taking place.

Two of the Ravenclaw chasers were rapidly getting closer to Lily from behind. She whipped her head around and pressed the broom to accelerate when she saw them gaining on her. One of them reached forward and grabbed hold of the end of the her broom, slowing her down, while the other flew to her side and made a swipe for the Quaffle. Lily yanked it out of his way and twisted around, shouting something in the direction of the other beaters. James thought it vaguely sounded something like, "A little help over here would be nice!" Sirius quickly aimed a Bludger in their direction. It nearly caught the chaser holding onto Lily's broom in the shoulder, but he ducked just before, freeing Lily to race towards the goal.

"And it looks like Potter's going to make it," Remus said, his voice laced with anticipation. "Ravenclaw's chasers have recovered from the Bludger interruption and are gaining on him…Potter's heading to the left goal…"

Lily was indeed swerving to the left. The keeper moved in front of it, shifting from side to side, ready to block the Quaffle. Lily clutched the Quaffle closer to her side as she moved closer and closer to her destination.

"Why is she going to the one that's being blocked?" James asked frantically. "The keeper is going to catch it, he's right in front of it!"

"'She?'" Parker prompted.

"I meant he," James said without missing a beat. He put the binoculars back against his eyes.

Lily was pulling her arm back and the keeper held his hands out to catch the ball. At the very last moment Lily jerked to the right and threw the Quaffle into the center hoop, which had remained unguarded.

"AND AN EXCELLENT GOAL MADE BY POTTER!" Remus exclaimed. "Great move, there, tricking the keeper like that. Not bad at all. This brings the score to 50-70, still Ravenclaw's game."

"Brilliant move!" James shouted, clapping his hands enthusiastically. "That was excellent! Great play!" His smile faded a bit into a confused expression. "Why didn't I see that coming?" he muttered to himself. "How could I not see that coming? It's not like it's a completely complicated move. I could've easily pulled that off…" He looked out onto the pitch and couldn't help but smile when he saw Lily taking a moment to celebrate, clapping her hands together and doing some odd victory dance that only involved her upper body. I never thought she would have scored a goal, James thought, shaking his head. Evans is actually a quick learner. Persistent, too. Although this all partially had to do with her stubborn, competitive attitude, he added, smirking and thinking of how he tricked her in the locker room. And a bloody exceptional coach to train her, of course. James chuckled at this thought and Parker turned to him curiously.

"What's so funny?" she asked him.

James suppressed a snicker. "Nothing," he managed.

The game continued with the Quaffle in Gryffindor hands, Garrison's to be exact, with Lily at his left. They were passing it between them at a rapid pace as they flew to the Ravenclaw goal. As they neared it, Brian seemed to come out of no where. Lily tossed it to him and Brian easily put it through the hoop. The Gryffindor side of the stands cheered loudly.

"WOW!" Remus boomed. "60-70 with the Gryffindors quickly gaining on the Ravenclaw team. Nice work, you guys."

Now this is what I call Quidditch game! James thought, grinning broadly.

Brian had the Quaffle now. Lily was guarding him on the right, and roughly bumped a Ravenclaw when he moved in too close. "Ah, there's the temper of hers that I know so well," James said lightly, smiling wryly. "It took long enough for it to resurface." Lily signaled to Brian to give her the ball and she hurled it into the left goal.

"Excellent teamwork between Monaghan and Potter brings the score to 70-all," Remus announced. James put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Maybe I underestimated her, he considered silently. He watched as Lily sharply elbowed one Ravenclaw in his side as he tried to steal the Quaffle from her and swerve to avoid another. Then she tossed the Quaffle into the goal.

"And thanks to the goal by James Potter, Gryffindor now leads in the game by ten points." Remus declared."

"I definitely underestimated her," James decided. She may not be the fastest one out there, but I can't deny that she's improved… a lot.

When the Quaffle was back in play it was in Ravenclaw hands. It looked like the team was getting serious now that they had seen Gryffindor catch up so quickly. Since the scores were now even, it was up to the seekers to decide who had the greatest chance of winning.

Right now, the Raveclaw chaser was making his way towards the Gryffindor goals. He took careful aim before chucking it into the goal. Or trying to, at least. Luckily, Lawson caught it just in time and threw it back to one of his teammates.

Suddenly the Gryffindor Seeker, Trisha Wiseman, went into a deep dive with the Ravenclaw Seeker on her trail.

"AND THE SNITCH HAS BEEN SPOTTED!" Remus yelled. " Both seekers are in a hot pursuit for it, and Gryffindor's Trisha Wiseman is ahead by a few meters. Randy Talon is speeding up, though…it's to close to tell who has the better chance of catching it…"

"C'MON TRISHA!" James shouted, leaning over the banister to get a better look. "GO, GO!"

Trisha was stretching her hand out just as Randy Talon, the other Seeker, was caught up with her. He too stretched out his hand and brutally bumped Trish with his shoulder. She regained balance quickly and pushed her broom harder to speed up, kicking the tail of Randy's broom on the way. While he tried to keep his stability, Trisha's hand closed around the snitch.

"TRISHA WISEMAN HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" Remus exclaimed. "GRYFFINDOR WINS, 210 TO 70!"

The Gryffindor side of stands went wild with cheering, and whistling. James was quite possibly the most excited of anyone there. He was jumping up and down and hugging the people closest to him, many of whom he didn't know.

"YES!!!" he shouted, arms wrapped around a fourth year's neck. "YES! WAY TO GO, GRYFFINDOR!!! WOO-HOO!" He released the bewildered student and looked up. "I knew you'd come through for me." James turned to Parker and smiled. "What do you say you go congratulate 'em, Parker?" He raised an eyebrow cheekily. "I'm sure Sirius is waiting for you personally. Wouldn't want him be disappointed, would you?"

Parker just scowled and let James lead her to the Quidditch team.

James and Parker met Lily and outside of the Quidditch Locker room. "Hey," she greeted, shutting the door behind her. She couldn't suppress a proud smile.

"Good game, James," Parker said, grinning at her. She looked to the door absentmindedly, and Lily laughed.

"Sirius is showering, Parker. He'll be out in a few minutes."

Parker gave her a strange look. "Did I ask about him?" she said. "Did I even mention his name?" As if it was his cue, Sirius strode out of the locker room, his hair still wet.

"Hello, there," he said to Parker, smirking and leaning casually against the wall. "Did you enjoy the game, Parker?"

"I guess so." She met his eyes briefly before looking down at his wrist, which was wrapped tightly with a bandage. "How's your wrist?" Parker asked, carefully trying to keep too much concern from her voice.

Sirius shrugged and wiggled his fingers. "It's nothing," he said carelessly. "I just wrapped it, so it should be fine soon."

Parker frowned and took his wrist in her hands, pressing her fingers down gently. Sirius winced. "Sirius, you were hit in the wrist with a Bludger," she stated plainly. "You really should go see Madam Pomfrey."

Sirius sighed and rolled his eyes. "Parker," he said exasperatedly. "I'm fine. Really."

"Stop being so hard-headed Sirius," she snapped impatiently. "It hurts and you know it."

"So what? It's just bruised. Quidditch is a sport that you can't avoid getting hurt in. It's not like you can just run to the nurse with every scratch and cut. Girls, honestly…"

"Well, excuse me for being concerned," Parker said, crossing her arms.

James snickered as Sirius retorted to her comment. He nudged Lily with his shoulder. "Let's go," he said. "I think we should leave them alone for a bit."

"If they continue this way, they're going to be as bad as we are," Lily laughed as the strolled away, leaving the bickering pair behind.

"Not nearly," James snorted. He stopped and turned to face Lily. "I must say, Evans, you really surprised me out there."

Lily grinned smugly. "I was good, wasn't I?"

"Well, actually, I was referring to how terrible you were in the beginning." Lily narrowed her eyes. "But you did improve greatly in the second half," James added hurriedly. "In fact, I think I owe you some money."

Lily shook her head. "Nah, I only made two goals."

"Three if you count the one you made in your own goal hoop." Lily snorted derisively and James chuckled. "But seriously, don't lessen the worth. Sure, you didn't make five goals, but look on the bright side. You now know how to play Quidditch. You're not bad at it either, when you get viciously competitive."

"Thank you," Lily said primly.

James laughed again. "Hey," he said, grinning at her. "We should celebrate that you didn't die. Let's go to the kitchens, I'll buy you a drink."

Lily gave him a look. "Potter," she said. "The stuff in the kitchens is free."

James shrugged. "Minor detail. It's the thought that counts anyway. So, you up for it?"

Lily contemplated the thought for a few moments before breaking out into a grin. "Sure," she agreed. "Why not? After all, I did do a bloody-good job out there. I deserve it, don't you think?"

James laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you did pretty well."

"I wouldn't be surprised if I replaced your position as soon as we switch back."

"I wouldn't go that far."

Lily smacked him on the shoulder somewhat playfully before starting off down the corridor. "Hurry up, Potter, before I change my mind." They were just about to turn the corner when Sirius seemed to come out of no where and tackle Lily.

"PRONGSIE!" he yelled, ruffling her hair. "Good job out there, mate. I was a little worried in the beginning, and I'm sure Brian was ready to tear your head off, but all that cleared up towards the end."

"Where'd Parker go?" James asked curiously.

Sirius waved his hand. "Ah," he said nonchalantly. "She called me pig-headed and stomped off in a huff. No matter, though. I know she loves me."

"Right," James said sarcastically.

"I think the entire house was ready to tear your head off, James," Remus added, walking up behind Sirius. He grinned wryly. "You're lucky you pulled your act together or you would have been shunned and kicked out of Gryffindor."

"Thanks, Remus," Lily snorted.

"You're welcome," he replied. He turned to James. "Hey, Lily." James nodded his greeting.

"So," Sirius said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "I say we go to Hogsmeade to celebrate James' avoidance of becoming the new Hogwarts outcast. I think it's a good night to have a few drinks. Remus would be delighted to treat."

Remus threw him a cynical glance and snorted. "Remus will do nothing of the sort," he said flatly.

Sirius gasped, pretending to be offended. "What kind of attitude is that, Moony?" he scolded. "If I didn't know better, I would think that you didn't care about me and James."

"I don't care that much, Sirius." Remus and Sirius continued to argue, and Lily turned to look at James.

"I have no idea how you three get to Hogsmeade on a non-Hogsmeade weekend."

James chuckled quietly. "Well, you're certainly about to find out, aren't you?"

"Are you sure?" Lily asked uncertainly. "I mean, I already agreed to go with you down to the kitchens."

"And rob you of the hilarity of seeing Sirius drunk? That would be an extremely cruel thing to do on my part. Besides, I think this is exactly what you need. A night out with those two will definitely get you to loosen up a bit

"You're sure?" Lily said again.

"I'm a big boy, Evans," James insisted, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I even know how to feed myself and everything. I'll be fine. Go, have fun. Oh, but do you think you could bring me back a fire whiskey or something?"

Lily glared at him. "No," she said sternly. "It's illegal to drink underage and I refuse to be a part of it."

"Let's see if you're still saying that when you're wobbling your merry old way back to the dorms at three in the morning. Word of advice," James added. "I would cast a silencing spell over the Invisibility Cloak, if I were you. That way, when you're singing Christmas carols with Sirius at the top of your lungs, no one will hear you."

"No one will hear me because it isn't going to happen," Lily told him firmly. James just smiled and shook his head at her. "It won't!" she exclaimed.

"We'll see," James said cryptically.

Sirius turned to Lily. "Alright, Prongs. It looks like Remus is feeling a bit on the selfish side, today." He paused to make a face at Remus, who returned it with a stony glare. "So we'll have to pay for out own stuff. You ready to go?"

Lily took one last look at James. He nodded encouragingly. "Sure," Lily replied. "Let me just go change." Sirius nodded and started up the stairs with Remus, both chatting quietly. Lily turned to James. "Alright, I'll see you later, I guess."

"Much later," James said with a smile.

"No," Lily corrected. "Probably in about an hour or so." James snorted quietly, knowing that would be further from the truth than Lily realized. "What are you planning on doing?"

"I don't know," James answered, shrugging his shoulders. "Probably just hang around. Maybe go down to the kitchens for a late brunch." Lily eyed him skeptically. "What?" James asked defensively.

"Nothing," she said. "Just don't do any lasting damage."

James quirked a lopsided grin. "Deal." He glanced at his watch. "Listen, you'd better go and get changed. Sirius is probably itching to go. He'll want to stop at Zonko's. You should check it out, you may find it interesting."

"Maybe," Lily said, heading towards the steps. "Later, then."

"Bye." James watched her retreating back and tucked his hands into his pockets, feeling a bit of disappointment forming in the pit of his stomach. Nonsense, he scoffed inwardly. We were only going get a drink down there anyway. We could do it tomorrow. James frowned slightly. Why should he care in the first place? "It's only because I can't go with them," he reasoned aloud. "I'd never miss a chance to go to Zonko's…that must be it."

James turned on his heel and went down the corridor leading to the kitchens, arguing with himself the entire way.

End chapter 13.

Well, there you have it! I really hope you think it was worth the wait. There were a bunch of things I have to say about questions and concerns that I would like to take time to answering before you go on to review.

PLEASE DO NOT SKIP OVER THESE because I think they will answer a few things.

1.) Chess thingy

Okay, the real deal is that I have NO CLUE how to play chess! It confuses me beyond reason. A friend of mine tried to teach me and so did my cousin. I just can't get how to play it no matter what. But anyway, sorry about the mix-up the rook and king and stuff. I'll try to remember those rules.

2.) The question of James over-reacting with Derek kissing him

Alright, I know that it is natural for someone to want to kiss you on a date. But the thing is, I don't consider it very wise to kind of force your mouth on another's when she (or he, or whatever) has obviously shown a disinterest. You know what I mean? It's a totally different thing when the other person wants it to happen, but when someone says no, whether it be through words OR body-language (and in James' case it was the latter), they mean no.

3.) Hard times of being a guy

Please understand that I know that guys also go through a hard time as a teenager, and that I am not someone who thinks that have it easy all the time. Unfortunately, I have NO IDEA what specifically boys deal with at the age of sixteen. Which is why I need to ask a favor of

INDIANGURL AND COMPANY!!!

(did that get your attention at all? grin) Since I know you have guy friends reading this over your shoulder every now and then, could you do a huge favor for me and ask them what tough stuff they have to deal with so I can sort of get an idea? Please? If they can tell me, make sure it's nothing too…detailed, since this is a PG-13 story. I assume you know what I mean… I really do hope you know what I mean because it would be very discomforting for me to explain it. (oh, and a quick note to PARKER: as a thank you to you and your friends for making me laugh (quite a lot), I do believe I can fit in a little something. Let me see…do you happen to be a fan of legs? If not, tell me what you have in mind and I'll see what I can do… just nothing between the neck and the belly button…giggle ;). Anyway, I would definitely appreciate anything they can do to help me out!

4.) Last, not least, and most important: ROMANCE BETWEEN LILY AND JAMES.

This one has been increasingly popular with reviews, which I completely understand. I do not plan on keeping this not-getting-along thing going forever, far from it, as it would get very old and cliché. In fact, I think it begins to change in this chapter. So see if you can catch it if you're perceptive enough! ;)

The thing is, romance is actually the part that I'm almost scared to write, since it will be a difficult to write something ridiculously over-romantic, and still to the point that it is still sweet and "aaaww!"—worthy. I plan to keep a small teasing thing going between the two, since it would be too abrupt and, let's face it—STUPID, for that to be cut out all together and be completely replaced by nicknames like "baby" and "love" and such. Instead, you will start to see more of a flirting thing going on between Lily and James. But you have to admit, no one can say this story has been completely without chemistry.

As I said, it is in the next chapter that the turning point takes place. It is also where things will begin to start winding down. Come on! You didn't expect me to keep Lily and James in the other's body forever, did you? dramatic sigh Yes, though I am saddened, this story does have to come to an end. I can tell you now that there will be no sequel (what would I write about since we all know how it ends up? I'm getting teary just thinking about the fate of our beloved characters.) But let's not talk about that now. The point is, it is after chapter fourteen or fifteen where Lily and James begin to sort of see each other in a different light, both platonic and more. And it also won't be too long before they're back into their own bodies. Actually, it's a lot sooner than I realized. And don't think that it will just end like that, either. No, no, it won't be that fast!

So, just hang in there for the romance, because it's about to begin! And thanks for being patient and agreeing with me in not rushing things. That was one thing I refused to do from the beginning.

And here are some important concerns that I have. I made a split-second to write this decision after reading a few reviews. I feel like I really need to say some stuff on a less-than-humorous note. The following is only directed to a some of the readers, not all, in the case of some… finicky reviews. I realize they could be constructive criticism, but I want to say something in response, because some of these things have been bothering me for awhile.

1.) First of all, here is a message so important that I shall put it into caps. I AM NOT J.K. ROWLING. I cannot stick to every single detail that the brilliant author has written. It does not mean that I haven't read the books, but it does mean that I will not spend time have worrying over small things. I.E, "why I don't have the fat lady as the portrait because portraits don't age and etc" (none of you really told me that, but it's something I heard from a friend). I don't mind things like James's hair being black because that really was a mistake. I don't mind things like that because it's something that I should have remembered, as it is mentioned many times in the books. I hope I'm not giving mixed messages when I say go ahead and keep your thoughts and concerns coming; I just ask that you don't focus on petty things.

2.) I AM STILL A STUDENT; THEREFORE I AM NOT AN EXPERT AT WRITING. I do have a beta, but every now and then I have "edited" (obviously not very well…blush) it on my own to save time. Sometimes I will have gone over a chapter like three times, and I still don't even realize some mistakes until I go back a read it a bunch of days later, and I think, "Oh my God, I actually wrote that?!" But by then it's already after the update and I have don't have the time to re-edit and re-post. I plan to go back and do a thorough job of fixing mistakes AFTER I am done with the story. As for now, I'll definitely do my best to pay more attention.

3.) This, I feel, is the thing that has been bothering(pissing me off, to be blunt) me most of all and for the longest time. For that reason, I'm not going to be diplomatic. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT lecture me on when I update. Now, to everyone reading this right now, I don't mean things like, "please update!" or "I'm going crazy!" or even "Hurry up!" And I also don't mind teasing either, they make me laugh. I truly love those as they make me feel happy and also (sometimes) move me along. What I'm talking about is, "It's really mean and rude to leave your readers so long like this"; "If you keep doing this people will leave you," things like that which I have gotten few of. Here's the deal: As I stated above, I am still a student, at a very rigorous school may I add, and so is my beta. That means I have other important commitments (as does she), like homework to do, tests to study for, essays to write (often some of each category every night, no joke), and I'm sure all of you understand when I say that it takes a ton of time to do. Please believe me when I say that I will not forget about my readers or this story. I could never do that. At least I warn everyone by letting them know that it won't be for a while instead of just promising it'll be here by whenever. C'mon, give credit where it is deserved, people. But if you're fed up with AWIS and how I update, it's totally and completely your choice to stop reading, no problems here. Just don't lecture me.

Now onto thank you's! Scroll down and find your name, I believe everyone is there. (INDIAN GURL, LOOK ABOVE IN CASE YOU MISSED THE BIG BLACK LETTERS.)

Tine: here you go!

Misakichi1: I definitely will!

Swishy Willow Wand: I couldn't put it better.

Mythyn Dwen: Thanks so much! The thing is, I'm REALLY bad at emailing people because its difficult to keep track of them all. But on the author page I do put that I updated (example: MAY 3: I Updated!). I Hope that works alright.

SangeetaActually, the switch isn't going to happen for a while yet, but hang in there.

SugarmouseOMG! That was a very interestingly worded review—cool, really. Btw: I have never been more thankful for an ocean…grin

Alysigh I agree greatly.

Katrina: Thanks! That means a ton to me.

Lilypad-7879: you are completely correct. wince I never even thought of that! blushes I'm so embarrassed for making such a mistake…

EmrisahTrust me, that review is WAY far from bitchy. I have gotten two that I really qualified as bitchy. Yours actually made me laugh!

PiperBloom11332: Thank you so much!

Grand admiral chelli: here ya go!

Swoosh-98: Don't feel sorry! I'm just glad you enjoy the story. And yes, James has had a few problems. This is why I'm lightening up on him a bit. I think he deserves a break don't you?

Ruth3: I thought I would have a problem with writers block, but I wrote this chapter a lot sooner than I thought I could. Enjoy!

I like to ship: Don't die! You would never find out what happens! Anyway, I actually have not written any others, but I do sort of have another in the works (you should be excited, you're the only one I've told!), but I'm not quite sure whether or not I want to post it. For one, I have to make sure I know where it's going, and two, I really want to have it done if I do post it. I've already started writing it, and it's EXTREMELY different than this one. It's a Ginny/Harry fic this time and definitely AU without as much humor as there is in this one You see, in this story, Harry has been sorted into slytherin (I know, I know, not very original, but it's going my own way). His best friends are Draco and Blaise (boy), and Harry has his eyebrow pierced. But you see, even though a ton is different, not everything is. For instance: Harry still has a really bad temper, in fact, it's sort of what I play off of. He still has had a rescuing history and for that he gets teased by the other Slytherins. Nothing bad, just joking around. Snape still doesn't like him despite the fact that Harry is in his house, Harry does know Sirius is his godfather, but doesn't talk to him because he doesn't really know about the switching thing (Sirius still escaped from Azkaban);also, Harry still talks to Hagrid but doesn't let anyone know. Ginny plays into this because at one point Harry has to be tutored by her in a class (not sure which, but maybe charms) and eventually they get together. The catch is that they have to keep it secret and on the way, friendships get put on the line. So, as you can see, it isn't quite as light as this story. Like I said, I'm not sure I'm going to post it, but keep a look out if I do! Its going to be called The Other Choice.

LehaCan you get me one off the black market? smile

Fawn: I have no clue, to tell you the truth. I was at my godmother's house and she had them on the counter. Enjoy the chapter!

Crystal109: excited shriek OMG!!! That's quite possibly the best compliment I have received, because this is exactly what I wanted. I'm totally dedicating the next chapter to you (the next one because it's the one that I think you will like a lot). Enjoy!

Whit 2FARgone: EXACTLY! But shhh…looks around nervously and whispers It's a secret!

Amanda: Here you are!

Laurana Starbreeze: I hope everything's alright…stay safe! Oh, and yes, you are right on point with your first guess! Good detective work! But no, they will not hug (yet) nor will they kiss (yet). I know just how they will switch back…but go ahead and keep guessing!

PixieDust02: Aaaaw!!! That's so sweet of you to say. Yes, I have gotten a few "I hope they switch back soon cuz its getting kinda confusing" or something like that. It makes me sad for a few seconds but then I think, oh well can't please 'em all. Besides, I focus more on awesome reviewers like YOU who are patient. And you have no idea how much I appreciate that. Thank you so much!

Amy: That is so nice! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

Lily-girl-Marauder: Thanks for your patience!

Elvencherry07: I totally hope you consider this just as funny as the last. Enjoy!

Amanda: Oh, there will be many more chapters to come, I promise.

SlimpunJust a quick question: Is your name suppose to be the opposite of the rapper Big Pun? Perhaps not, but it just hit me as a sudden thought!

MontlakeThanks for taking the time to read this, and I'm glad you liked it!

Lover789: Yeah, Derek will probably get more confused in a few chapters when the real Lily confronts him…in JAMES'S body!

BeanysnakeI'm glad you like it!

Annon Lee: snicker yeah, I'm not quite sure where Derek's going to go. But certainly gets what's coming to him, I'll tell you that.

GryphonmistressHmm…lemme think…OH YEAH! There's one that I really liked called I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, then there's the sequel, WHEN DOVES CRY. I'm blocking on who the author is, but I'm sure you'll find it pretty quickly in the search thingy, cuz the titles are so original. And thanks for all your compliments, they made me feel special!

Potter-Fanatic2: Will do when I can! Thanks for loving the story!

Stableperson: Glad you've liked the story thus far. Keep reading!

HPPheonix07: THANK YOU SO MUCH for your patience. It means a lot to me to know that you won't forget about this because of the way school and life goes. Enjoy the chapter!

Jaye Black: Thank you so much! I actually have homework over the summer. How sick and wrong is that?!

Lima Bean: Wow…your enthusiasm completely overwhelms me! Enjoy!

Lil gt wanna b Lily: Hope you enjoy chapter 13. Is there a story of yours you would like me to read in particular, or do you just have one?

Juxtapose: OMG!!! I totally learned this word in vocabulary! And I'm so proud of myself that it is actually one of the few that I remember (it does mean 'next to'…right?). I'm so glad that you like the way things are coming along. As I have expressed, it is one of my pet peeves when lovey-doveyness happens right away. Don't get me wrong, romance will happen between Lily and James…but in my opinion friendship should always come first, even though there has been chemistry between the two. That way, when it happens, it will: A) seem more realistic and b) mean more.

A.M.bookworm247: AWWWWW!!! That is sooo sweet! It makes me feel really glad that I can make you laugh and bring you joy with my story. I hope it's the same with this chapter, too!

Jeune Circe: I completely understand and I will be very happy to answer your questions! Here ya go:

1.) WHEN DOES LILY HAVE A TOUGH TIME?

Okay, the thing is, I don't really know what guys go through during teenage years that can be considered hard for them (at least, nothing that can kept on a PG-13 level…grin), and I don't have a brother or guy friend I can go through. Which is why I have numerously asked readers if they can get the opinions of a guy they know or something, but I guess people have missed it or something. So, I have now gotten the attention of one of my faithful readers (you may have seen it above) because I know for a fact that about three of her friends read over her shoulder (very funny guys, at that). So I soon hope to get their answers and put it into my story with their permission. If you have anything to add to my investigation, I would totally appreciate anything you have to say!

2.) WHEN WILL LILY FEEL ATTRACTED TO JAMES?

Hmm…this is actually a tough question because I'm not quite sure myself. Romance is the thing that will be really hard for me to write because I have to keep it sweet but not overly sappy, at least that's my aim. OMG! I JUST HAD A COMPLETE BRAIN STORM…NO—A HURRICANE!!! I KNOW EXACTLY HOW SHE'LL ADMIT IT!!!! Thank you SO much, I totally give the credit of this idea to you, since I was trying to think of ways to answer your question at the time. It's not going to be a big deal or anything, but it will definitely get your question answered. I don't think it will be too long before it happens, though. We'll definitely find out!

I hope I answered your questions. If not, feel free to ask for clarity! Oh, and btw, This chapter was almost thirty pages. Is that long enough?

QuadrantieIT'S FINALLY HERE! I hope you like!

Bohemian Pirate: Glad you like the story. Enjoy Chapter 13!

Icemintgasp An inspiration?! … ….. ….I am actually rendered speechless…sniffle… …shaky breath …give me a moment, I will be okay…

Lis Bleu: I hope you notice a change in James's thoughts in chapter 13, and that they live up to your satisfaction. Tell me what you think!

Jade-Radcliffe: I hope you notice that James's thoughts are changing a little bit in this chapter. What do you think?

Bebe-ChrissyI hope you like this chapter!

NotyraverageidiotWill do definitely. And thanks for your support!

QuizerNot quite! I encourage you to keep guessing, and take the way Lily and James act around each other as a small hint.

First Light of Eos: Thank you soo much for your patience, it means more to me than you know!

Tika Wayalan: Two words right back: THANK YOU!

LegallyRedYeah, tennis totally and completely kicks ass!

ElanorYou're very welcome!

Aspiring Shieldmaiden: Oh, yeah, definitely and for sure! Plus, I'm going to do a segment with James getting ready with Remus and Sirius. He won't be so cool and confident then, let me assure ya. ;D

Captain Oblivious: Hey, you! How's it goin'? As to you're guess: you're right, but try to build off of that idea…one hint: PLATONICNESS!!!!! Oops… =O I guess that really isn't a hint, is it? I think I just gave away the answer, but oh well! You live in Hawaii! That is sooooo cool! I've always wanted to go there. Oh, and not only will I give you Sirius's pants, but his Quidditch robes, too (you should feel special, because he just let me know that they were custom made, which means they have never belonged to anyone else!)!

pInKpILo6: Thank you so much! Yeah, meaningless funnyness would probably just seem silly, so I try to fit it in where it works!

Moonlight Kisses: I'll try, but I truly cannot make any promises.

Ms.MarvelThank you for your forgiveness!

Clothespeg-rules: I hope you laugh some more in this one, too!

Tara Star: WOW! You're the VERY FIRST person who has told me to sit back and take a breather! I'm actually very surprised you say that because I generally get the exact opposite. It means a lot to me that you say that because you understand the wait. Thank you so much!!!!!!

MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus: Enjoy!

KrAzYkEwLgUrL: I'm glad you will!

AngloechenRead the long explanations to above to answer your question.

Limbo-gal: Thanks, and I will. Enjoy the chapter!

eruve tinwen: Awww…that's so sweet of you!

Mika-mitch: Yes, they absolutely fantastic. I strong suggest you try some if you ever find any!

Georgentosser: I'm glad it fit your fancy!

JiNglebellz: sigh yes, let us commiserate together.

J.E.A.R.K.Potter: I hope you like it!

P.V Bookworm: Yes, I promise there will be many more threatening lines coming from James AND lily! The thing about chapters is that they have to end in the right place. So I wouldn't want a random cut off be the end, ya know? So I just write and write until I feel like I reached the end, and if it's too long, then I find a different point and split the chapter into two parts.

SujiLike I said to another reviewer, I'm not making any promises on reviewing quicker, but I will certainly try my hardest!

Crimson Girl: Here's another chapter. Enjoy!

Allied-Inspiration: I am proud to say that I have no clue whatsoever about chess or anything to do with it. But I really hope to learn!

Cereza-Fleur: Here ya go!

Elixia Dragmire: University? Cool! Yeah, I'm very excited to begin college in two years. I can't wait to be far and away from high school. Oh, and I really like your new name! Very original and mystical!

Red-Emerald: Yes, making up words is an excellent pastime when I'm bored in classes. And I'm glad you like the story!

DarkFlower2113: Sorry for the errors! I tend to type really fast, and don't realize that I didn't make errors until I go back and read them. Have fun with Chapter 13!

BiachYeah, I know, but at least I generally tell people beforehand that it's gonna be awhile. That's something, right?

BurningIce22: Will try to do!

AmandinkaOh, I promise the end is nowhere near.

Littlx1: scandalous gasp I would never!!!!

SwimwiththestarsTell me what you're thinking!

MintytoothpickIT'S FINALLY HERE! Enjoy chapter thirteen!

Angelbud2233: I hope you like the Quidditch scene just as much as that!

sophianwin: Yeah, I'm REALLY excited to write the scene in Lily's reaction about what Derek does. I think it should be coming up in chapter…15-ish.

SparklypiggyJust read it when ya can.

LuluIsALobsterI love lobster! Especially when you dip it in a combination of butter and lemon juice…mmmmmmm, delicious….

AstarealI truly and seriously consider that an honor! Oh, and on Parker's date with Sirius, I haven't had much time to think about it, but I'm sure she's gonna loosen up a bit and have some fun!

Autumn Darkness: pensive expressionI don't know…I sincerely hope she wouldn't too, but sometimes people can be so excited about crushes that judgment is impaired. But Lily's a smart girl, and I'm sure she wouldn't let Derek cross the line (though she probably wouldn't react as violently as James did…then again, her reaction is gonna be pretty violent when she confronts Derek ['lil sneak peek for ya!])

Tinkerbell07: Awww…I love you too!

Smokelinebows head humbly yes, I must admit, I have been drawn in by the pistachio.

PainterchicaEnjoy!

Acid Pop: Oh, wow, I am seriously impressed! I can't sit down for more than an hour or so before my butt gets numb.

Blip Dragon: I hope you liked chapter!

NiGht-aSpiritEnjoy chapter thirteen!

PlumkinAwww…That's so sweet of you to say! And I definitely will.

Ketchupqueen13: You know, that class really should be available in high school and middle school. It would be unbelievably helpful. It would be so much fun, too! I can see it now: instead of adults teaching, teenage boys could teach the girls, and vice versa. Doesn't that make much more sense? That's a great idea you had! I encourage you to spring the idea to your teachers and see what they say. Maybe it'll be a club or something! GO FOR IT!

TeenTypistYes, if I let every reader at Derek right now, I don't think there would be much left of him…smirk

Honey-gurl: here ya go!
Irish Silhouette: Aww…thank you so much!

Awezome1: I swear, my instant reaction to the things you listed was sticking out my tongue. The second one was laughing uproariously because it was so ridiculous! Was it one of those unbelievable cheesy ones, too? Ugh…shudder I hate those. And it's nice to know that you don't mind slow! But don't worry. I won't make this story one of those things that goes on forever and ever. But it will be kinda long...no more than twenty something chapters I should think.

Rc-17: I like both of those names! Does this one stand for anything?

Kathryansoooookay. point taken…again and again. You seem very blunt, so I'll be the same. While I appreciate you and your friends liking this story, I'm sure you can think of a better way of encouraging instead of "you better update." Rudeness will get you nowhere.

Puppy: Well…since you said please, here's chapter 13!

Blue Forest: Yeah, I remember checking it under , too, where it does indeed state that he was a chaser in the interview with J.K.R. Thanks for backing me up!

SmartypantsI SAID BROWN?! blush… Yeah, that's a HUGE mistake that I made. To tell you the truth, I can't remember saying his hair was brown, but that's usually how I make my blunders. Forgive me?

Raquel: Thanks!

Queen Lela: Sure, I'll do my best!

Amanda!: This might just be me, but I generally post again when the chapter is finished.

Elladora D. Jobberknoll: Yeah…sorry about that. Btw, did you come up with that name? I LOVE IT! Very original. It kinda sounds like it came outa Lord of the Rings!

SeCrEt LiLy: Ya know what? That's where I got the idea! I was sitting in church and thinking of Freaky Friday and then the thought just popped up!

VamperflyNot a problem! It's not like I have a review police or anything, I don't mind when people skip a few times, mainly because I'm a terrible reviewer myself…sheepish grin
Ms. Runi: huge smile thank you so much!

Hannanora-Potter: snicker I just sorta write what I think is witty…I never ever thought it would appeal to this many people.

Aspiring Sheidmaiden: OMG! I love that idea! Can I have your official permission to use that? I'll even put in a rare disclaimer (I only use them when a reader gives me an idea because other than that, I find them pointless).

FoxyGinnyYou don't have to forget, it's here!

MWPP Fanatic: Oh my God, I just have to tell you that when I saw that emoticon (sp?), I got a confused look for a fleeting second before bursting out into hysterical laughter! I couldn't tell if it was a kissy face or man parts. I can't wait to show my friends and ask them what they think it is! Which is it btw? Don't think me perverted, but I saw it right after you mentioned the bludger incident, then my teenage imagination took over.

MonkeyGurl1: Thank you!
Possessed by Prongs: Thanks, and cool name!

Grand Admiral Chelli: Don't die, it's here, it's here!!!!!

Jaye Black: I know, it was totally hysterical. I really liked the part where Harry was sitting up at night and Ron pops up with, "The spiders are telling me to tap dance, Harry, but I don't want to tap dance!" and Harry's like "You tell those spiders, Ron." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! That cracks me up!

MooncheeseHmmm….I definitely like that idea! I don't know when it would be, probably not till they switch back, but is it still okay for me to use it?

CellyYeah, that's something I was suspicious of as I was writing that chapter, but I couldn't remember. Sorry!

Mione-xavierHey! In my defense I just want to say that I update every half century, thankyouverymuch. LOL!

Hekate101: I'm writing, I'm writing!!!!

Lily Christie: I'm glad you like the bit about Sirius and Parker, and yes, I am going to write about their date. I wasn't going to originally, but due to multiple requests, I changed my mind. As to your suggestions, I got a little confused over the animagi thing comment, but I guess I see your point. After reading it the tenth time it started to make sense…grin Snape, yeah, I know he's not in here. But I just didn't really have a purpose for him. Although, I guess I could fit him into one of Lily and James's conversations. Would that be alright? James being too perfect: I must admit, that's not the way I saw it. I thought of him as very immature, but maybe you're right. I could definitely put in some more faults. Could you give me a few suggestions? I don't think I'm going to write in anything about a lost family member, because knowing me I'd probably get to carried away with it, and it would take over the original plot. And the there's no pranking because I can't think of anything! I thought of James getting revenge on Derek, which I still really want to do. If you have any ideas I'm completely open. Thank you so much for you input, it helped a ton!

Inuyasha's Only One: I LOVE THAT SONG!!!

Through Darkness: Thank you, I'm glad you like it!

Padfootedhomersimpsonchuckle thanks, and I love the name!

AkaleaAwww…thank you so much! That means a lot to me.

buff200020002002: Continue I will!

SlippersRfuzzyI love fuzzy slippers! I wouldn't have them any other way.

WHEW!!! And now, dear readers, it is time for me to leave you for now. I'll try my best to get Chapter Fourteen out when I can! Coming up (I promise this time!):

-Lily goes out with Remus and Sirius for some fun (and gets a lil' tipsy)

-James has some quality girl time at a sleepover (girls in nighties and pajamas…he certainly won't be complaining…grin)

-Derek (yes, the bad man is back) has a talk with his friend Anthony over what happened with Lily, and devises a plan.

Until next time,

Spirit