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"Come on Wormy, focus and close your mind," said Sirius irritated, as Peter again failed to close his mind, all of them had spent about an hour on occlumency and nearly everyone had succeeded except Peter.
"I am trying, it's hard," snapped Peter, exhausted from the effort.
"Then try harder," said Sirius.
Peter inhaled, "Okay, go again."
"Legilimens," said Sirius and he again entered Pete's mind. "Come on Pete, try harder, and I didn't know you could make girls squeak like that," laughed Sirius and received a hex from Lily, who was studying with James on his bed. "Ow! What was that for?" he asked turning to her.
"For invading things like that and then speaking about it to others, and to disturbing me," replied Lily.
"It was funny and it is you who is invading our dorm, and why are you studying here, go to the library or the common room or your dorm," said Sirius.
"These books are not the ones you could carry around unless you want detention or worse expelled," replied Lily.
"Go to your dorm then," said Sirius.
"The three of them are talking a lot there, Hestia has got a date, and Marls and Mary are very interested in it, as he is someone who has come from the USA, and James was in here so I came," replied Lily.
"Really, how is the U.S.A? I bet I would still be sexier than any of them though we should visit there sometimes, I always wanted to get a shot with a foreigner," smirked Sirius.
"I will tell about that Marls, now," said Lily with a smug look.
"No, you will not, and please leave, we have important things to do," said Sirius.
"Like talking about how to get a foreigner," snorted Remus and all of them laughed.
"Yeah, so what?" asked Sirius. "And besides, Evans you should go because people will think you are dating Prongs and he would feel the same too and then will cry when the realization will hit him," said Sirius.
"You have such a thick head," said Lily shaking her head as she leaned towards James and kissed him, he immediately grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, and he started kissing her back, and soon they were snogging.
Sirius and Peter watched with their mouths wide opened and Remus was shocked too though he was expecting it to happen but not like this.
When Sirius regained himself after losing it to shock, he wolf-whistled, "Finally got her Prongsie, she has fallen for you, way to go, and I call digs for best-man and godfather too."
"Ignore him," said James breaking the session.
"Oh, I have learned it way before in the second year itself," replied Lily as she slid off his lap and opened her book again.
"So, now you both are dating?" asked Peter.
"Yes, Wormy, of course, they are dating," said Remus.
"Evans has finally fallen for Prongsie. So, you have gone on date with the giant squid, how was he?" laughed Sirius.
"We are going to regret it, won't we?" asked Lily as she laid on the bed her head resting on his lap.
"I think that too, but you can always hex him," smirked James.
"You are right," said Lily as she hexed Sirius again with a silencing charm. "Now, Sirius you are not allowed to go shouting about it, we both will tell others when we want, and you are not going to irritate us, because then I will use some very good hexes on you and one of it will make you bald for your life."
"Nice one, Lily, now, he will never dare to do anything like that, he loves his hair more than anything," laughed Remus, and others joined in as Lily removed the charm.
"Hey, now focus on me and help me close my mind," requested Peter.
"I will teach you Wormtail, don't worry, Pads is a bad teacher, it was only after James helped me that I was able to master it," said Remus, and Sirius wanted to protest but just shook his head and ran towards James bed and hugged him.
"Prongsie is as much as mine as he is yours, if not more, and don't you dare steal him from me," warned Sirius with a smirk.
"Oh! but I have already stolen him from you," said Lily sticking out her tongue.
"You are rude," said Sirius.
"But I am not a drama queen, like you," said Lily as she began reading her book while James played with her hair.
Sirius got to his trunk and took out a bottle of firewhisky, "Let's celebrate, Promgs victory after trying for nearly 4 years," and handed the drink to everyone.
"Sorry mate, but we have lessons with Dumbledore, in about ten minutes, so I want to be sober," said James.
"But I want a party, for your victory," shouted Sirius happily.
"And what about my victory?" asked Lily innocently.
"What? I don't understand," said Sirius.
Lily rolled her eyes, "What about my victory for getting the hottest, best-looking guy in the world?"
"Sorry, to disappoint you Lily-kins, but that victory goes to Marls," he said winking at her, Lily scoffed.
"Come on Lils, let's go, or we will be late," said James, and Lily closed her book and sat up. "You look very hot when you have a determined look before practising," said James kissing her.
"And what about other times?" Lily pouted as she stood up.
"You look beautiful, hot, and sexy, no matter what the time is, even in your sleep," said James placing a kiss on her forehead.
"How do you know how she looks when she is asleep?" asked Sirius and Lily and James glared at him, Lily pointed at her wand and Sirius backed up and place his finger at his lips like a small kid.
"Good boy," snorted Peter and Remus as James and Lily left.
"Well answer me first," Sirius shouted but they had already left, so he turned to Remus and Peter, "How does he know?"
"It's a way of appreciating," said Peter. "Or he might have seen her asleep, they were together during easter break."
"Hmm, but I am happy for him," said Sirius, and the other two agreed.
"Sir, do you know who Jack and Miles were?" asked James after an hour of learning spells to knock out opponents and capture them.
"Jack and Miles, I have heard the names," said Dumbledore, before pausing and thinking, "Ah! yes, they were arrested for assaulting some girl and were later killed in jail, I think they were not on good terms with Voldemort, they might have abused him when he himself was at the orphanage."
"Who that girl was?" asked James, he wanted to know how deeply Dumbledore know about Tom Riddle.
"She was in the same orphanage as Tom Riddle, and she died later, during Christmas, I have my suspicions that Voldemort killed her too because it was the only Christmas he went to the Orphanage, and then a girl dies, but we didn't have any proof," said Dumbledore sadly.
"Sir, when he killed those two men he made a Horcrux of a gold cup with a badger," said James.
"The cup of Helga Hufflepuff," said Dumbledore, "Tom Riddle stole it from its owner, and he also stole a locket too, after killing the owner."
"Slytherin's Locket?" asked James, and Dumbledore nodded. "How do you know this sir?"
"You must have noticed me missing from the school, I was actually tracking the people who knew Voldemort and were willing to talk about it, and I have collected few memories from them, and the locket one is one of them," replied Dumbledore.
"Tom knows about the locket from Borgin and Burkes when he used to work there," said James. "He was very interested in dark arts and so he would work there to expand his knowledge, I think."
"That's exactly what his motive was," confirmed Dumbledore. "Or else why would such a talented boy wastes his time working in a shop."
"Sir, have you found another Horcruxes yet?" asked Lily.
"I am searching for them, I have been trying to find out what the Horcruxes are, and as for what James has told me and what I have researched, I think they are: the diary, which we already have, the ring, the cup, and the locket, which I am not still sure of, and I don't know what the other two are or what they are," sighed Dumbledore.
"Why can't I control the memories?" James hit himself, "that way we would have known each of the Horcruxes, but the other two could be anything, like a tin can, empty potions bottles. . . "
"You can't control the memories because you can't control them, and neither the memories can control themselves, it was an accident that gave you access to the memories, there were loads of dark curses surrounding you and by accident, the charm which stored Tom Riddle's memory got weakened and out of control of the diary and thus giving you the access because I believe the diary would have never let you see those secrets memory."
"Yeah, I know because the dairy is possessed and controlled by Tom's soul," said James bitterly. "He would show only those memories which will result in opening the chamber."
"Why don't we use the diary to open the chambers and then kill the Basilisk?" asked Lily as the idea popped into her.
"That's a brilliant idea Lils, but with one flaw," sighed James.
"What?"
"The diary might alert Voldemort, and thus we might not be able to find other Horcruxes, it's a risk we can't afford to take, I want to kill the Basilisk as much as you but I am afraid we are nowhere near to opening it, I tried and searched the bathroom, but it's a very strong ancient magic made by Salazar himself, and I can't crack it," said Dumbledore. "And regarding the Horcruxes being a tin can, didn't you notice James, that he liked to collect trophies, and he preferred objects with a powerful magical history? His pride, his belief in his own superiority, his determination to carve for himself a startling place in magical history; these things suggest to me he has chosen his Horcruxes with some care, favouring objects worthy of the honour."
"What's the speciality of the diary?" asked Lily.
"The diary was proof that Tom was the Heir of Slytherin, he considered it of stupendous importance," answered James as it was the most obvious thing.
"I have noticed that you are calling Voldemort 'Tom' now, by his first name," pointed out Dumbledore.
"It is his name," replied James simply, he could feel Dumbledore scanning him.
"Sir how long will James continue getting these dreams?" asked Lily.
"According to me as long as the diary lives, means the soul inside the diary lives, or to say until the diary is destroyed and we can't destroy it until we have all the Horcruxes, or else it might alert Voldemort," answered Dumbledore.
"Sir, Nott was talking that Voldemort would recruit students, he said Voldemort has a plan to sort out the best person to add to his rank, do you know what he will do?" asked James.
Dumbledore sadly shook his head, "No news yet, but I am still trying to find it, it seems he hasn't told about the plan to anyone yet."
"Why are the students who have already joined him still studying in here, shouldn't they be expelled like Snivellous," said Lily angrily, her voice loud.
Dumbledore's head jerked in her direction, he was taken aback by this sudden outburst.
James was shocked too, but he knew the reason, he placed her hand over her, but she didn't notice.
"I think you know the names, but if not here are some: Mulciber, Avery, Rosier, Snape, Synde, you should expel them," Lily's voice was still loud and filled with anger.
"I am sorry Lily dear, but by keeping them at school, here at Hogwarts at least I can prevent them from doing dreadful works which they would freely do outside the school, I am keeping an eye on them, don't worry," assured Dumbledore but Lily was still angry and was looking at him disapprovingly.
James rubbed the back of her hands gently and then gave her a gentle squeeze, this time she noticed it and looked up at him and calmed down.
"Sorry Professor, I was just. . . sorry," she said not looking into his eyes.
"No worry dear, though it proved one of the theories that never make a redhead girl angry, but James here seems to have control over you," chuckled Dumbledore making Lily blush.
"It's the other way around professor, she has more control over me, and yes, never make a redhead angry or be ready to be jinxed," grinned James.
"She indeed seems to have control over you and your little gang, Minerva this year was worried that you four, especially you were not well, she misses everyday pranks," said Dumbledore with a wink. "But I am happy that Lily has a positive influence on you."
"I will make sure that Minnie doesn't feel like missing out," grinned James as both the students left the office hand in hand.
Dumbledore watched them go, "Well it seems like I have just lost 5 galleons to Minerva," he sighed. "I better prepare myself to hear her gloat about her victory."
"Why didn't you tell him about Aisha, that Voldemort didn't kill him?" asked Lily.
"I don't know, I . . I felt like. . I . . I will tell him later," sighed James.
"What is it James?" asked Lily. "You are master at occlumency with others but not in front of me."
"I thought he would think, now I am becoming like Tom, feeling sympathy towards him, considering him as somewhat as my friend," he said. "He might exclude me from this."
"I am sure he will not, so next time, just tell him," said Lily tightening the grip and James smiled at her.
"Welcome students, today we will be facing bogarts," said Professor Murphy as the students settled in the class. Several students started protesting saying they have already done that in the third year. "I know you all have faced it in the third year but believe me, many witches and wizards wet themselves when facing a boggart, and in some cases, they are so scared that they are admitted to hospital or else die due to a heart attack, so stand in the line of 4 according to your houses and come forward when your name is called."
"Ugh not again, I hate boggarts," groaned Peter.
"Because you wet your paints the last time you faced them," said Remus making the marauders laugh while Peter turned pink and hit Remus.
"Now, don't waste your time their boys and stand in line," called Murphy at them as they all were now fake fighting.
James smiled and stood behind Mary. "Yours was a vampire, I guess?" he asked Mary who turned red and nodded.
"I just hope it no longer is a vampire because it will be odd," replied Mary.
"Why?" he asked.
Mary thought deeply and then came to the conclusion that she can trust James, "Don't tell anyone, but Prof. Murphy is one," she whispered, James looked at her wide-eyed and then looked at Murphy, there was a point in Mary's accuse, Murphy did have all the things that prove she is a vampire now he came to think of.
"Don't worry I will not tell, and I hope that your boggart isn't a vampire," said James smiling and Mary nodded.
"This box here has a boggart and I will open it, then you will come forward and face it, I hope you all remember the spell?" asked Murphy and the students nodded, "Very well, Mr Kim, you first."
Jae Kim, a Hufflepuff got forward and nodded at Murphy who opened the box with a flick of a wand and then an Acromantula came out of the box, Kim shivered before hitting the spider with "Riddikulus," the spider's legs grew wheels and it struggled to stand.
"Ms Vance," called Murphy.
Emmeline Vance came forward and the boggart turned into a room in which she was sitting idly on a chair, she was afraid to be a housewife, and this made many people snort, Emmeline rolled her eyes and hit the boggart with the spell and the chair turned into a hippogriff and Emmeline boggart flew. The real Emmeline smirked as she returned.
Next was Benjy Fenwick, his boggart was a big snake, then was Ben Cooper, a Gryffindor, his boggart being a blood-stained mummy.
Next was Hestia Jones he approached the boggart slowly, and the boggart turned into a hooded figure, a death eater, she stepped back a little before she hit it with the spell.
Rohan Patel, a Ravenclaw followed next, his boggart being a werewolf, Remus shifted uncomfortably at his spot, and then a hand landed on his shoulder giving him a press, it was Peter, who was standing behind him, Sirius too turned and gave him a look, 'don't worry,' and James turned too, Remus gave them a smile telling them he was okay.
Lucy was next, her boggart was her alone in her old age, sitting with beggars, the real Lucy pointed her wand at the boggart and turned it into her sitting in an expensive room.
Then came Mulciber, his boggart was a man, with a snake-like face, red murderous eyes, wearing a black cloak, several people gasped, and Mulciber froze on his spot.
"It's just a boggart, not real you-know-who, boy," said Murphy as she proceeded to help Mulciber, and stood in front of the boggart, which turned into a figure of Murphy's face covered with blood, she hit it with the spell and turned into a dancing joker. "Next, Lee."
The boggart turned into a green cloud the shape of a skull with a snake coming out of it, a dark mark, he it the boggart with the spell and it turned into a sun with a happy face, though when Lee turned back his eyes were watery.
Next was Marlene, the boggart took the shape of Voldemort again, but she wasn't afraid and turned him into a clown.
Merula, Synde, and Davis followed next all of their boggart being the same as Marls.
Next was Remus, his boggart was the full moon, Murphy looked at him curiously but Remus turned the moon into a big lollipop.
Sirius followed next, his boggart was himself but he was wearing Slytherin robes and his hand has a dark mark, he was looking evil, he was smiling looking at the floor, and he was pointing his wand at James, Remus and Peter, who were all lying dead on the floor.
The original Sirius took a few steps back and gasped, he with shaking hand pointed his wand at the boggart and turned the evil boggart Sirius into a cool funky-looking boggart Sirius while the figures of the three cool boys stood and joined him as all four of them grinned. James, Marls, and Remus wolf-whistled.
Next was Snape, his boggart was Voldemort too, he turned him into a balloon.
Avery too has Voldemort as his boggart, he too turned him into a balloon-like Snape.
Mary was next, she was quite nervous to face the boggart, and to her surprise it turned into a moon too, Sirius and James wolf-whistled while Peter clapped Remus' back. The moon was turned into a big white rose flower.
Peter followed next, his boggart was himself sitting alone in a small room, he was afraid of being left alone, he hit the boggart with the spell, and 3 boys joined him and the boggart Peter looked happy now.
This melt the heart of the Marauders they hugged Peter when he returned back to them,
Prof. Murphy cleared her throat, "Enough embrace boys, Potter you are next."
James approached the boggart, last time his boggart was the dead body of his aunt May, in her wedding dress, he didn't know what it would be this time. He stood in front of the boggart and it turned again into the dead body but it was not of May but his father covered in blood, and then there was the dead body of his mother.
"No!" James shouted, forgetting to use the wand, then there was a dead body of Sirius, then of Marlene, "No!" cried James again, and he fell to his knees as the dead body of Remus joined the others, then Peter's dead body then Mary's dead body and then in front of them was the dead body of Lily, James' heart sank, "NO!", he took out his wand and tried to hit with the spell but it wasn't a complete success, as the other bodies disappeared but Lily's remained, he hit the spell again and Lily's body turned into a ball of smoke.
Sirius approached his friend and helped him come back, where the others hugged him.
"Now, Ms Evans, you are next,"
Lily approached the boggart in this year it was Petunia calling her freak and leaving her, what will be it this time?
She stood in front of the boggart, she looked at it, the boggart turned, it was Lily standing alone, then James approached her, they both looked at each other smiling, and then James fell to the ground covered in blood, the boggart Lily sank to the ground holding boggart James' tightly, then slowly he was beginning to disappear, the boggart Lily cried for help, Marls, Mary, Sirius, Remus and Peter came but soon all of them fell to the ground covered in blood, dead, Petunia approached her along with her parents and all three of them fell to the ground, dead.
"Lily" groaned the boggart James, and the boggart Lily focused her attention back on him, he was fading.
"Don't leave me, James, please," she cried but he continued disappearing, and the dark mark appeared over both of them. "Please, James, I can't lose you."
The real Lily was frozen at her spot, tears were falling through her eyes as she saw all her loved ones dead, and boggart James fading while the boggart Lily cried, the real Lily was struggling to breathe.
The whole class was silent, shocked, this was not what they expected, Snape, however, was angrier than shocked, his fists clenched. Murphy too was taken aback seeing the pain of the boggart girl.
The real James approached the real Lily, he pointed his wand towards the boggart, and now there was a stag and a doe playing happily with each other.
Lily was still shocked, James turned to her and embraced her in a hug.
"I am here Lily, I am with you, it was a boggart," he said to her as she hugged him tightly.
"Never leave me," she spoke, holding him as tightly as possible.
"I will never leave you, I will be there with you, Until the very end," he said stroking his back.
"Until the very end," she said back.
"Okay now?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied, as they pulled back but Lily caught his hand. "Sorry Professor, I was shocked."
"It happens child," smiled the professor. "Wanna try again?"
Lily looked at James and then turned to look at the stag and the doe. She let go of James' hand and approached the boggart, again the same things happened but Lily pointed her wand at the boggart, and spoke, "Riddikulus," all the bodies were now alive and standing, James hugged Lily and the others followed, surrounding her and the dark mark turned into a smoke of the shape of a heart.
She turned back and joined James intertwining his hands with hers, and walked back to their friends with a smile on her face.
Snape felt like he would puke on the spot.
"Facing a boggart makes you ready for the future, and so was this class, people's deepest fears changes over time, and so does a boggart, so take a lesson and prepare yourself for the future," said Murphy.
The rumour of Lily's boggart and James and Lily hugging spread like a fire in the school, it was mostly due to their past, and the fact that they both were quite famous, no, James was very famous, the reason being a quidditch captain and the quidditch final this week against Slytherin.
"Well it was to come out one day," said Marls, the girls were sitting in the common room along with James, while the other three were off to plan their prank on Filch, James has stayed behind as he was focusing on quidditch final and can't afford detention.
"Though they all are still confused about both of your relation statuses," said Mary.
"I am not worried," replied Lily and turned to James, "Are you worried?"
James who was making tactics against Slytherin to use in the final wasn't much focused on the girls talking, so he just nodded.
Lily knew he wasn't listening, "James, let's go and have sex."
James immediately closed his copy and stood up stretching his hand for her, Lily rolled her eyes as Mary and Marls burst into laughter, and Lily pulled James down.
"I was asking are you worried that other people know about our relationship?" asked Lily again.
"Nah! I am not worried. Are you?"
"Not at all," she smiled.
"So, can we go now?" asked James innocently.
"Where?" asked Lily innocently.
"To my dorm, to have sex," he replied, Lily hit him with his own notebook.
"Sit and here and work on quidditch tactics," she said shaking her head, James looked disappointed as he began working on quidditch tactics. Lily smiled at him and leaned in and whispered huskily, "See you tonight, and we will have fun." James' face brightened and he kissed Lily, making her giggle, and then he deepened the kiss.
"Gross! can't you two lovebirds at least spare the common room?" asked Sirius approaching them with the other two boys.
James and Lily broke apart only for James to pull her into his lap, "Help me making quidditch tactics."
"James, if you really want to win then I will advise you not to ask me for advice," said Lily as she read what he was writing and literally couldn't understand any of it. "Explain me this," she said pointing at the notebook and James explained her the tactic he was thinking of using against the Slytherins.
"They were better before," said Mary as Remus sat beside her and began helping her in homework.
"You should have seen them during easter, they were inseparable, one day James has gone out and Lily and I were locked in a room watching a movie, she at least mentioned him 50 times during a movie," said Marls.
"You know we were just coming back here when we caught two people in the broom cupboard," grinned Sirius.
"Who?" asked Mary and Marls.
"You will see her entering the common room in a few minutes," smirked Peter and then after 3 minutes.
"You better hope she doesn't kill you Padfoot," snorted Remus, and then after 3 minutes Amy entered Amy looking angry but one can tell where she has been, she scanned the room and her eyes landed on Sirius and she approached him.
"Sirius, why did you have to open that door when you knew someone was there and even if you opened it, why did you have to say all those gross things?" asked Amy screwing her face.
"Come on Ames, it was fun to watch you and Fiona blushing furiously, and what I said is going to be very helpful, you should try it next time," winked Sirius.
"Ugh, Merlin! you're gross, I don't know how Marlene puts up with you," said Amy shaking her head.
"Because she too is gross like him," snorted Mary.
"Shut up Mary, what did Padfoot say?" asked Marls
"I would rather not talk about it," Amy replied throwing a disgusting look at Sirius who just grinned. She turned to find two people nearby who were oblivious to the things going around them and were submerged in one another.
"I thought James was explaining her tactics," said Marls looking at James and Lily who were now snogging, while the notebook was still opened in front of them.
"Well, that seems a better way of explaining quidditch tactics," shouted Sirius laughing, and James and Lily broke apart breathing heavily and looking flushed.
"You both need to learn how to control," remarked Marls grinning.
Lily buried her face in James' jacket, "We always do it in private so I kind of lost control and forgot we were in the common room," she said quietly so only James could hear.
"Same here," smiled James kissing the top of her head. Lily tried to get up but James caught her, "Believe me you don't wanna stand," he whispered, Lily looked at him confused, and then realization hit her, why James doesn't want her to stand, this made her go red.
"So, it's official and public that you both are together?" asked Amy happily.
"Yes, it is," replied Lily grinning. "At least for Gryffindor house, and by tomorrow everyone will know." James looked around and saw that many fellow housemates have seen them making out, Keeva was looking angry, and there were a few boys who looked jealous too, but James ignored them as he focused on the redhead sitting with her, and he was so glad that she chose her over others, Lily was thinking the same thing as she looked at James and smiled leaning into his chest.
"So, now you both owe me a party, remember that," said Amy.
"Of course, we remember Amy, next Hogsmeade trip on Sunday, come to Three Broomsticks and we will party," grinned James.
"Yeah we will, just for you and that dog," said Lily pointing at Sirius who instead of getting offended just grinned.
"Well see you guys later then, bye," Amy said and left for the girls' dorm.
"Now, Potter you better prepare for the next game and win it, I don't want my boyfriend to lose the cup, and he will lose if you don't focus on the match," teased Lily.
"What can I do, his girlfriend is she beautiful that I can't remove my eyes from her," teased James.
"Stop it both of you, you will make me sick," said Sirius, and the others agreed, making James and Lily roll their eyes.
The next day when James and Lily entered the great hall hand-in-hand, a few people cheered at them while a few people scowled, and while few who haven't received the news just looked confused. Many approached them to ask if they were really dating or if it was just another Marauder's prank.
"Let's remove the doubt and shut them up, shall we?" Lily asked with a smirk and James grinned as he kissed Lily in front of the entire school, Lily crossed her hands around his neck and deepened the kiss.
This confirmed the gossip and now half of the hall or at least Gryffindor and Hufflepuff along with some Ravenclaws cheered for them, while few looked at the pair with jealousy and one student looked at them with anger, so much anger that he wanted to kill the untidy haired boy, do I need to tell who?
After a few minutes, they broke apart, and saw many people exchanging money, they saw as Dumbledore gave galleons to a triumphant-looking Minnie and Slughorn gave galleons to Flitwick. Hagrid beamed at them as he received his share from Professor Sprout.
"Well more people bet on us than I expected," said James and Lily nodded.
Here at the table, Mary won 5 galleons from Remus and Sirius, and Peter won 3 from Sirius.
"I am happy, that we are now public," said Lily.
"Yeah, now I can kiss whenever I want without worrying," he said and placed his hands around her shoulder, she rolled her eyes but grinned and lean into him.
The pressure for the upcoming match was very high, many small wars broke out between the Gryffindors and Slytherins, as they were tied at the top, so, whoever wins the match wins the cup.
James has doubled the practice sessions, and was making his team practice hard, Marls pointed out that James need to calm down a bit, but James' nervousness was at its peak, and Minnie didn't help the situation.
"You better win the cup Potter, I trusted you with the captaincy, and now is the time to prove that you deserved the badge more than anyone, don't disappoint me, as I am used to seeing the cup in my office and might have had a bet for 30 galleons that we will crush them, and I don't want to lose my money," Minnie had said after the transfiguration class.
Sirius has taken the duty to protect the Gryffindor quidditch team and torment the Slytherin quidditch team into his hands and asked the Gryffindor students to volunteer and all of them enthusiastically volunteered.
The Gryffindor quidditch team players were all under pressure but were pumped, they had won their both games even though their captain was absent in the last match, and the team has gathered for the last practice before the finals tomorrow.
Kevin Bell was under the most pressure as the opponent's seeker, Regulus Black, was just as good as Kevin if not better than him. He was feeling nervous having been lost to Regulus last time.
James' uplifting talks did little help to the nervousness as the captain himself had gone to throw twice.
"We have worked hard, practised harder than others, and we have the best team, we will be having the upper hand in tomorrow's match. I want you all to just do your best tomorrow and forget about the match today, we need to rest and keep your mind fresh and bodies fit for tomorrow's match. And Kevin stop being so nervous, you need to calm down, you are freaking out me and others, so just relax and forget about the match till tomorrow, and Marls stop making faces, and working at Padfoot, focus here on the match," he said to the team after their final practice.
"But you only said to relax and forget about the match till tomorrow," she mocked making everyone laugh.
"Yeah right, so that's it, we will win tomorrow," he stretched his hand forward the others placed their hands over his hand, "GO GRYFFINDOR!"
James ordered the team to go to bed early in the night, and after looking up at his tactics one more time and kissing Lily he too went to bed.
The next morning James' appetite wasn't good, and the same was with his teammates, they had the lightest breakfast, and soon it was time to go to the pitch.
"All the best, captain!" smiled Lily and then kissed him. "If you win you will get a special reward from me," she whispered into his ear.
James looked at her with raised eyes, "By the sound of it, it looks like a reward for you," James whispered as he gave her a quick peck and left with his teammates.
The team changed into quidditch robes in silence, they walked near the entrance of the pitch, when James turned to them.
"So, guys this is it, don't panic and give your best, it's just another quidditch match, play like you naturally play, we have the potential to win and we will because we have worked harder. Now, go in there and kick their asses," said James leading the team into the pitch.
Lily sat in the stands, with the others, she saw as the quaffle was tossed into the air and the game began.
"James has caught the quaffle and has flown straight towards the Slytherin goalpost, a bludger is thrown at him but he ducks it, flips around the approaching chaser Murk and takes a shot and it has gone past the Slytherin seeker, it's a GOAL! Gryffindors scores in the first minute of the match, and according to Professor McGonagall it's the fastest goal by a Hogwarts player in the last 200 years, James Potter has just made a record here, now Slytherin in possession of the quaffle, Steve takes a shot but Elissa Scott has caught it and passed it to Marlene, Marlene to James, James to Marlene, Marlene to Aditya, and GOAL! Gryffindor lead by 20 to nil," boomed Lee's voice.
The match now entered into the second hour, Gryffindor was leading by 200 to 70, James has scored half of the goals, he was crushing the Slytherins.
Kevin was soaring high in the air, he was circling the pitch determined to catch the snitch this time, he was not paying much attention to Regulus because Gryffindor was in a winning position. Then he saw it, from this top, the small golden ball, in the middle, a few feet above the ground, Kevin didn't looked at Regulus or anyone else as he dived hard towards the snitch, his eyes focused entirely on it.
"Kevin Bell had dived, it looks like he has seen something which Regulus hasn't, Luttle shoots a bludger at him, the Gryffindors' beaters are far away to protect him and Kevin is focused on the snitch, and OH!" the whole crowd gasped, James has dived himself in front of the bludger, which has hit his stomach, but failed to knock him off the broom, and down there Kevin has caught the snitch, he turned around yelling happily. "GRYFFINDOR has won the quidditch cup for the straight two years."
James was feeling some pain in his stomach but it was nothing in front if the euphoria he was feeling, the team hugged him if he hasn't stopped the bludger then Kevin would have gone hurt and would have lost the snitch.
The Gryffindor team was soon hoisted on the shoulders of their housemates as they lead the players towards the stands, where the quidditch cup was waiting for them, James caught sight of Lily who blew a kiss at him and he caught it.
"Well done, all of you, congratulations," beamed Dumbledore as he handed James the quidditch cup, he kissed and raised it to show others and then passed it to his fellow players.
That night the Gryffindors partied hard, Sirius and Peter had sneaked to Hogsmeade and got a load of sweets and butterbeer, and James was given a potion by Poppy for the injury in his stomach.
With all worries forgotten the Gryffindor house celebrated as one family, Sirius and James even persuaded Minnie to join them, if only for 20 minutes, she joined the party and even danced a little with James and Sirius, the marauders were grateful that she didn't get angry that they had gotten sweets and butterbeer in the common room.
Lee has taken up the role of D.J. and Dorcas Meadows has placed a silencing charm on the common room and sent the students below the fourth year to their dorms then music was played and they all danced, to several muggle music and wizarding world magic.
James danced with his teammates and then with Lily, and then the seven of the friends danced together, James and Lily dragged Amy with them, and now the eight of them were dancing hard while the others continued dancing and watching them.
"Well it was a great party," said Amy to the others, "Congratulations on winning the cup James."
"Thanks, Ames," beamed James.
"But this will not count as the party you two owed me, so be ready to throw another party at Hogsmeade tomorrow," said Amy.
"Of course, and bring Fiona along with you too, maybe we can go on a double date," said Lily.
"I love that, sure see you both tomorrow, Good night Jily," grinned Amy.
"What's Jily?" asked James and Lily together.
"'J' from James and 'ily' from Lily, together they make Jily, the name to you both, it's called name bending or meshing, the name given to a couple, and 'Jily' is the name given to you two," explained Amy.
"I like Jily," said James grinning.
"I love Jily," said Lily as James placed his hands around her shoulder.
"We all love Jily, the new golden couple after Frank and Alice," smiled Amy as she left for her dorm.
"So, Lils, shall we go too, you have to give me my reward," said James.
"Sure, let's go," laughed Lily as James enthusiastically lead her into his dorm. "I love you, idiot."
"I love you too."
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