The last chapter about the summer!

Chapter 11:

James was sad that Marlene and Alice would be away for the weekend but he was so glad that Sirius was back. James had done his shopping in London a few days before Sirius' arrival so they both had new Nimbus 1000's enjoy. Frank had joined them in the garden on his cleansweep five. They spent most of their time simply passing the quaffle between them. Eventually they paused, "do you think you'll try out for the team guys?" Frank asked.

"Hell yeah!" Sirius practically shouted.

"That's the plan," answered James' slightly calmer and more reserved, although if you looked closely you would see his eyes had lit up.

"I'm sure you guys will get on the team," Frank smiled.

"What about you Frank?" James asked.

"What about me?" Frank replied, turning slightly read.

"The team. Do you fancy trying out?" James clarified.

"Nah, I can't do that." Frank blurted out.

"Why not?" James asked.

"Because – because – I just don't want to," Frank tried to answer.

"Sure you don't," laughed Sirius.

"Everyone wants to be on the Quidditch team, is that it Sirius?" Frank asked, growing angry.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Sirius apologised.

"I know. It's just I don't want to waste time on sports even Quidditch. I want to study hard and do well at school so I can train to be an auror just like my dad. And I'm going to join Dumbledore's order."

"The Order of the Phoenix?" James asked.

"Exactly," Frank said, "and then I'm going to catch the dark wizards that killed my dad and put them in Azkaban so they can rot to death."

"Hear Hear!" Sirius agreed. "I might just help you with that."

"Me too," James said quietly, thinking of his own desire to join the order.

The girls had all arrived at Lily's house and were now sat in her bedroom giggling away. "So tell me Marlene, what's going on with you and Potter?" Lily asked.

"What do you mean?" Marlene asked, genuinely confused.

"All through your letters all you spoke about was James this, James that. Do I need to give examples?" Lily continued.

"I can vouch for it too. He's all you would talk about. Me and James went swimming today… James showed me a baby house-elf… so do you like him?" Mary asked.

"Nothing's going on. We're just friends. Good friends but just friends."

"Yeah, right. You can't just be friends with James. All those suggestive winks and that smile," Kate sighed, reminiscing.

"Well I am. Besides, I like Sirius. Have done for ages. And I told James off for flirting with me and he said that I was not to worry because nothing could ever happen because Sirius would kill him!"

"Do you think Sirius likes you?" Mary asked.

"I don't know but when Sirius arrived at the Potters' James stopped flirting sharpish." Marlene told her friends.

"That's true, he did." Alice nodded. "So Lily, tell us about France?"

"It was awesome. I saw the Eifel tower and Severus was really great. It was like when we were little all over again." Lily's friends smiled, hiding their feelings and thoughts about Snape.

"We have so much to tell you guys," Marlene burst out loud, "whilst we were at the Potters' diner party, we overheard a conversation."

"What sort of conversation?" Lily asked.

"Dumbledore has started a secret organisation," Alice said, "The Order of the Phoenix. They said it was to fight Voldemort."

"Who's Voldemort?" Lily asked.

"Haven't we told you?" Marlene asked. When Lily shook her head Marlene continued, "He's the dark wizard that is responsible for all the muggle and muggle-born killings and disappearances."

"What? How do you know?" Lily asked.

"Well, James has known forever. His dad told him." Alice said, "he told us after the Easter ball after Voldemort and his followers attacked the party."

"He attacked the party?" Lily's mouth hung open.

"I've never seen James so upset," Alice frowned.

"What do you expect? His house-elf died!" Marlene said sadly. "James was so brave."

"Yeah, he was. He came up with this brilliant idea to save peoples' lives. His house-elves would go up to the fight and bring the injured down to the safe room. If we could heal them up quick enough they were allowed to continue in the fight." Alice said proudly.

"He risked his house-elves lives? Ah that sickens me!" Lily spat.

"What do you mean?" Marlene asked.

"It's just that he risks the life of his house-elf – his servant, his slave." Lily said angrily.

"You weren't there, Lily," Marlene replied. "People were going to die!"

"What so that excuses the death of his elf?" Lily asked angrily.

"No, you didn't see him. He didn't force the elves. He asked them. He didn't command them."

"Whatever! We all know that if you ask a house elf to do something, it's practically the same as commanding them."

"Not the way he asked them," Marlene retorted.

"James isn't who you all think he is!" Lily responded angrily.

"What a good guy?" Alice said quietly.

Marlene, however, grew angry, "Snape isn't who you think he is!"

"What do you mean? What proof do you have?" Lily almost shouted.

"Marlene, don't go there," Mary sighed.

"Don't do this Marlie," Alice whispered.

"Just spit it out Marlene!" Lily frowned.

"Snape isn't just a Slytherin," Marlene said quietly.

"What the hell do you mean?" Lily's eyes were fuming.

"What do you think Snape was doing over Easter?"

"He visited his Slytherin friends," Lily said, not liking where this was going.

"What do you think he was doing with his friends?" Marlene pressed.

"I don't know. He said something about learning some new spells."

"Right – and you believed him?" Marlene asked.

"Yes! Of course I believe my best, my longest friend."

"Well you shouldn't," Marlene said.

"Fine! Where was he?" Lily asked quietly.

"He was one of the people attacking the party," Alice answered.

"You saw him?" Lily asked.

"Er – no. James did." Marlene answered.

"So you expect me to believe Potter? Just because you like him doesn't mean I have to." Lily breathed, "What do you think Severus or any of the first year Slytherins for that matter, could do in a fight with grown wizards? Don't you think it's a little unlikely?"

"I – I don't know. It might be unlikely but Lily the Slytherins are evil. They've attacked me more times than I care to remember," Mary said. "James has protected me nearly every time, do you know that Lily? He saves me nearly every time and when he doesn't one of the other marauders do!"

"Mary , I – I" Lily looked like she was about to cry.

"No Lily. Don't even bother. You know you're only safe because you're friends with Snape and do you know what?"

"What?" Lily asked quietly.

"It won't last," Mary said practically whispering.

"Can we agree to disagree?" Lily asked, "I don't want to spend our weekend together fighting about Potter, or Snape for that matter."

The girls all nodded slowly before Alice said, "anyway about the Order, I'm fully joining when I'm of age!"

"Do you really want to risk your life, Ali?" Mary asked.

"To save others?" Alice smiled, "Yes I do."

Really hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review...

Next chapter - going to Hogwarts...