The weeks following the events had seen Murphy transfer to Durmstrang. He had been allowed to stay at Hogwarts however had made the decision to leave following his letter of apology to Elizabeth. He had left before she could either reject or accept it. And while his departure had provided relief for Elizabeth it had sent James into disarray. The team was down a player, and he had struggled to find a new chaser that fit the bill. Murphy may have been a cunt but James couldn't deny that he was a damn good chaser.
With the upcoming match against Ravenclaw, the team did their best to train their new chaser to be up for the job. She was a young 3rd year. She wasn't bad in any sense. She just lacked a lot of confidence in herself and wasn't used to working as a group. James had made it his goal to give her extra training one on one to help build her confidence. However, James saw a lot of potential in her. The match was to be the last before the Christmas holiday.
Evening practise had finished and the Gryffindor quidditch team trudged their way through the snow back to the castle. The evening was so cold that Elizabeth felt like not even the warming charm was enough to stop the cold seeping into her bones. The whole team had one destination in mind. The great hall. Dinner was about to start, and all were starving.
James, Sirius, and Elizabeth made a beeline for where Remus, Peter and Marlene sat. The three deep in conversation. "The prodigal children have returned." Marlene announced causing the three quidditch players to laugh while bowing. "Thank you. Thank you." Sirius replied. Pretending to wipe tears from his eyes. Causing those around them to laugh.
James and Marlene made eye contact as they saw Elizabeth take a seat next to Remus. Marlene was even sure she'd seen both scoot closer together. Although perhaps her desperation for them to get together had her seeing things. Once the food had appeared on the table, they all tucked into the feast.
"So, how's training going? Do you think Edith will be ready for the game?" Peter asked, mouth full of food. Marlene smacked him. "Close your mouth before you speak idiot. Nobody wants to see your chewed food.". Elizabeth smiled as she saw Peter blush before apologising profusely. He swallowed his food and asked the question again. Everyone looked over at James. Nobody had been willing to ask James about the next game for fear he had a breakdown. Nobody was ready to handle a James breakdown.
"I think she'll be fine… as long as the nerves don't kick in." James replied. Sirius threw his arm around his shoulder, messing up his hair. "Prongs, you've trained her well, she'll be ok. Anyway, Liz and I will do our best to keep her safe." Elizabeth nodded in agreement. Both Sirius and Elizabeth had noticed the huge amount of concern their captain had for Edith.
The conversation drifted to other topics, mainly what everybody's plans were for the Christmas holidays. The holidays were only 2 weeks away. The castle had already been decked out in festive decorations curtesy of Hagrid. Elizabeth took a moment to think before answering, "At the moment I'm staying here. Dad is off training in Australia and mum's going with him. Didn't feel like joining this year." Elizabeth shrugged. She liked Australia but during the holidays she just didn't want to have to think of quidditch. She knew that if she joined her parents, she'd probably end up spending no time with them anyway.
Marlene had plans to head home. Her older brother and his wife had just had a baby and she was desperate to meet her new nephew. Peter had made the decision, after a long discussion with his friends to head home too. He missed his family. While the food at Hogwarts was fantastic, nothing beat his mother's Sunday roast. If there was one thing anyone knew about Peter was that he loved food.
"How about you Remus?" Marlene asked, she hoped that he'd be staying in the castle. "I'm staying here." His answer was short. No explanation given. The truth was that there was a full moon during the Christmas holidays, and he felt that if he went home, he'd be putting his parents in danger. His parents wouldn't be able to relax during their holidays with him around. Remus knew that if he stayed at Hogwarts, he'd have a safe place to turn. There would be zero possibility of him hurting his family. The shack was safe. His home, not so much. James was going home while Sirius was to remain. Sirius had told Remus that he was staying to help with the full moon, but his friends knew that he just didn't want to be around his family.
An hour or so after everyone had sat down to eat, they decided to leave. Bellies full and all rather exhausted from the day. As everyone else made their way up to the dorm James pulled Marlene back. They needed to have a discussion. "Aren't you guys coming?" Peter asked, looking over his shoulder.
James waved his hand, "We'll be up in a few." The rest of them left as the two took a seat on one of the benches outside the great hall. "So, both are staying during Christmas." I fat grin spread on Marlene's face." She was delighted. "Indeed. Now we've really got to get our plan into action. Not a lot of students are planning to stay behind. Most are heading home. Which means that they're going to have the common room pretty much to themselves."
"Sirius has said he'll do his best to help guide them both in the right direction. Anyway, I think you should talk to Liz. See what all that was about earlier." James smirked. "Yes sir!" James chuckled drawing the attention of Lily who was making her way out of the great hall. Her eyes lingered on James before inviting Marlene to walk with her.
The two girls made their way slowly up to the dorm. "Mars, are Remus and Liz seeing each other? Everyone has noticed how much time they've been spending together." Lily asked, she was very curious. She thought that perhaps something had happened to them since the incident with Murphy, and that Elizabeth just wasn't ready to tell anyone. "They are not seeing each other, that I'm aware of. I'm almost certain she'd have told me if they had. So, I'm guessing you saw them getting cosy at dinner.". Lily grabbed Marlene's hand and started to drag her towards the dorm. Her sights set on Elizabeth. Lily wasn't necessarily a nosy person but honestly with what she saw at dinner she just had to know.
When they entered the common room, they saw Remus and Elizabeth sat next to each other. He had his arm resting on the back of the sofa while Elizabeth leaned into him. Not necessarily cuddling but it was a little suspicious. Walking towards the sofa both Marlene and Lily pulled Elizabeth up who looked concerned. She had not been expecting to be pulled from where she was, "What the...?" Before she could answer both Merlene and Lily shushed her as the dragged her up the stairs towards their room. "What the hell just happened?" The three girls heard Sirius say. "I have no idea." Remus replied. Both boys' eyes followed the girls retreating figure.
Once in the bedroom Marlene and Lily let go of Elizabeth, who was still very confused as to what was happening, "Did someone die or something?" She was genuinely concerned. Completely unsure as to why she was there. However, the look on both their faces told her it was nothing bad. Elizabeth made her way over to her bed. Ushering both girls to join her. "Is either one of you going to tell me why you're both grinning from ear to ear? It's rather unsettling." Lily was the first to speak.
"So Liz, when were you going to tell us that you and Remus are kind of a thing?". Elizabeth gave both girls a bewildered look. "What in Merlin's beard are you on about?". It was Lily's turn to now look confused. Marlene sat and looked at the two girls in amusement. She patted Lily's shoulder. "What Lily is trying to say is, that you two have been very close as of recently. Are you perhaps acting on your feelings for him?" Marlene was hoping that Elizabeth would give her a lot of juicy information so that she could tell James. Elizabeth scoffed at her question. "Honestly Mars. Don't you think I would've told you if I had any intensions of going after him. As a previously stated, I'm content being his friends.". She was lying to herself a little. If Remus made a move on her, she wouldn't say no.
"Well then why have you been sticking so close to him. I mean you two were practically sitting on top of each other at dinner." Marlene retorted. "I guess I just feel safe around him. He's been a fantastic friend since Murphy…" she could feel herself blushing as she debated whether to tell them that she perhaps also liked how close she was sitting to him. The light brushes of his hands on her skin. The way he looked at her.
"She's blushing!" Lily exclaimed. Both girls moved forward. Marlene couldn't wait to tell James. He'd be delighted and they could finally, really start to put their plan in motion. All she needed was a clear answer from Elizabeth and then things could move quickly during the holidays. "Look, Like I said before. Remus is handsome and funny, but…" she trailed off.
"You're not interest in a relationship. We know. But what if Remus was to make a move on you. Would you still say the same?" Marlene pushed, she really needed to hear her answer "I guess I wouldn't necessarily reject him." Both Marlene and Lily squealed taking all three by surprise. Neither Lily nor Elizabeth had expected just how high Marlenes voice. Marlene cleared her throat, "Don't tell anyone.". The rest of the girls evening was spent with Lily and Marlene trying to get all the information they could from Elizabeth.
Saturday arrived and the Quidditch Stadium was packed with people. Even the Slytherins had comedown to watch, although most supporting Ravenclaw. The Gryffindor team were sat in the changing room. A nervous energy around the group, particularly when it came to Edith. James watched as the young girl picked at her fingernails, drawing some blood, "Shit." She muttered under her breath, rubbing the blood onto her uniform. While James was an absolute bundle of nerves he made his way over to her, squatting down in front of her. A small smile graced his lips. He hoped that he could help ease the girls' nerves.
"Take a deep breath. It'll be ok." She looked up at James, trying her best to smile back, "I was a bundle of nerves my first match too." Both Sirius and Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "What if I cause us to lose? What if I get hit by a bludger? I don't want to be the reason we lose a match."
"You won't cause us to lose. I can't guarantee that you won't get hit. But see these two idiots." James threw his hand in Sirius and Elizabeth's direction where the two were practising their swings. "They're going to do their absolute best to keep you safe. You just have to trust us, ok?" Edith nodded. Madam Hooch's arrival had the team up in seconds. They all gathered around, as the Ravenclaws too made their way over. It was time for the game to start.
The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams we're led out on to the pitch. The stands roared in excitement. "Whatever happens, just do your best." James shouted over the roar of the crowd and then they were off. The game hadn't been nearly as fierce as the match against Slytherin, in terms of injuries. However, it was still in no way an easy win for Gryffindor. James had been the main scorer for their team. They were one chaser down, it left just Edith and James to fight as best they could to secure a win. Ravenclaw wasn't doing much better. Their goalkeeper had been taken out by a bludger Sirius had sent their way. This meant that Ravenclaw's chasers were working overtime to both score and stop any possible goals. Elizabeth almost got taken out by a bludger that had been hit towards her, although Sirius had her back and he walloped it back towards the other team, "Thank you Sirius!" She screamed over the roar of the crowd and the wind that had picked up.
It because obvious that Ravenclaw were set on taking Gryffindors new chaser out. If they took her out it just left James. The match would be much easier to win if James was the only chaser left. Elizabeth motioned towards Sirius as she saw the Ravenclaw beaters hit both bludgers towards the oblivious Edith. Without a second thought both rushed down to where she was, the smashed them away but saw the little girl panic as she hadn't even seen them coming.
It wasn't long before Gryffindor took a firm lead and all that was left was for their seekers to catch the snitch and the game would be over. Then both seekers caught sight of it and the crowd once again roared to life. Both Eliazbeth and Sirius surrounded their seekers. That way they could stop any bludger that may come their way. It was neck and neck. But their seeker was just a little slower. And unfortunately for them Ravenclaw caught it, and the game was over. James tallied up the score in his head, they had lost the match, or so he thought. The announcers voice boomed into celebration, "And Gryffindor wins by 10 points!". Unbeknownst to the rest of the team Edith had managed to score 20 points while everyone had been distracted by the race for the snitch. Gryffindor had won the game by 10 points.
The team looked around at each other in confusion, unsure of how they could've won, when the last time they had checked their score Ravenclaw catching the snitch would've left them 10 points down. They made their way down to the pitch shaking hands with the other team. The Gryffindor supporters started to crowd the pitch.
"We won? How did we win?" James was looking around at his teammates. Peter came bounding over to them, "Mate you're so lucky Edith scored those 20 points while you lot were trying to get the snitch." Peter went to shake Ediths hand, "You did a fantastic job. One of the best starts I've seen."
James turned to look at Edith. She was grinning like a mad man. "You said that Sirius and Elizabeth would protect me…and they did." He walked over to her and ruffled her hair. James didn't see Lily approach; she had stopped in her tracks as she saw James interacting with the chaser. "You did great kiddo." Lily smiled to herself. She liked this side of James, not that she would ever say that. She made her way over to James, Sirius, and Elizabeth, "You guys were amazing." Elizabeth squeezed her tightly. "If anyone was great it was Edith." Elizabeth called her over. Once again Edith found her hair being ruffled by a teammate. James smiled at his teammates. "You found a great player for the team James. Congratulations." With that Lily walked off to find Mary. James stared after her. He was gobsmacked. "Congratulations Prongs. Lily just complimented you." Sirius patted him on the shoulder. James thought he could cry with joy. "That was real, right?" Sirius chuckled, "I can pinch you if you want?" Sirius pinched him causing James to yelp then smack him in the stomach.
Gryffindor were in high spirits. Sirius was almost sure he saw James prance his way back to the changing room. "Is he prancing?" Elizabeth giggled as his eyes followed the ecstatic James. Sirius let out a bark if laughter, "I believe he is. Although I'm not sure if it's because we won, or because Lily complimented him.". The two beaters laughed together.