Unofficial Portkey Archive

"You think I'm always making
Something out of nothing
You say everything's ok
...I know you can hear me
But I don't think you're listening."
-Whatever You Say, Martina McBride

Chapter Two

"WHAT?!" Lily hissed, her jaw dropping to the ground. Peter, Emmeline, Gideon and Fabian all had matching expressions. The eight were standing outside of the classroom that they used, the Transfiguration room. The Auror classes had been going on all summer at the vacant (except for Filch) castle in the Transfiguration room.

Lily was the first one to regain coherent speech."B-But James, I mean you're....how'd you get Head Boy?! But, Dumbledore must be crazy!"

"Why is it that's the first thing people say when I tell them?" James frowned. "I think I'm perfectly chosen for the job."

"Well after your father's pep talk, I should say so," Sirius shrugged, leaning against the wall. "Oh, come now, James, your mother is full of nonsense," he mocked, using James' father's deep voice. "You're an excellent choice for Head Boy, nobody could do it better in your year."

"B-But I thought Remus was a shoe-in!" Emmeline stuttered.

"I didn't want the responsibilities," Remus shrugged, the only one besides Sirius and James that wasn't shocked by the revelation. "But I have a question, though, how on Earth are you going to manage your schedule? You've got Quidditch, and Auror classes, not to mention your NEWT level classes, and your girlfriend-"

"And your mates," Sirius interjected before Lily could say anything.

"I'll figure out a way," James shrugged, throwing his arm around Lily who stood stiffly beside him. Sirius rolled his eyes and kicked the wall behind him.

"Where the hell is Frank?" he sighed. Their instructor was usually early for class, and expected them to be early so that they could start on time. Sirius had been the only one to fight this rule, because he had a stern belief that getting up before eleven in the morning on a summer day was a crime against his youth. It took the combined efforts of Remus, Lily, Emmeline, Frank, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter, and a very long talk with Professor Dumbledore, to finally get him to acquiesce to the starting time of 8:30.

"Sorry!" Frank called, bustling down the hall, briefcase in hand and smile on his face. Sirius looked at his watch and then called out to him.

"What kind of an example does it set for your students if you're 15 minutes late?" he lulled. Frank took no notice of him, but unlocked the door and ushered them inside.

"Quiet! Quite please!" he shushed, joyfully. "Sorry that I'm late, but I was caught up in a meeting with Barty Crouch. We were discussing, along with Professor Dumbledore, the schedule for the next year's class. But before I tell you about that, just a reminder that your 1st year test is coming up on the 25th of August."

Peter raised his hand. "What will that be on, again?"

"Everything that you've learned up to this point. Remember, that you cannot pass on to the second year of Auror training unless you make a 90% or higher on your exam. Now, about your exam, Mr. Crouch and Professor Dumbledore have decided that instead of having me off of the field, that you will take a tri-weekly class with the rest of the 2nd year Auror candidates at the Ministry of Magic. Now, while the others in your class will be reviewing over subject matter and learning how to implement them in Auror training, you will be getting extra tutelage in each of your NEWT classes in addition to what your professors will be teaching you. Understand?" "So, basically, we're getting a load of homework every night and then we have to go to a tri- weekly class and get even more homework and still be sane?" Sirius asked.

"Not to mention Quidditch practice," James sighed. "At least I won't have to skip class."

"I can see where your priorities lie, James," Lily shook her head. "We have rounds to do."

"R-Rounds?" James gasped.

"Yes, every night we have to walk around the school and look for trouble-makers, though I daresay that I'll have one-half of them under control."

"When you say, every night, you mean, every night?"

Lily nodded. Frank looked between then oddly. "Why would James have to do rounds?"

"I'm Head Girl and James is Head Boy," Lily smiled. Frank let out a laugh.

"Oh, that's rich, Lily. James? As Head Boy?"

"As much as that sounds like an oxymoron, it's the truth," Sirius sighed. Frank stopped laughing long enough to give James, who was wearing a very serious expression, a hard glance.

"You're not kidding?"

"Am I laughing?" James asked. Frank blinked and then laughed a bit more.

"But, you're the biggest trouble-maker, along with Sirius...why'd he...?" Frank shook his head. "Dumbledore works in mysterious ways. Maybe he thought that if he put you in charge of the school, nobody would dare cross you."

"Or maybe I'm good for the job?" James tried, feeling very put out.

"Yes, maybe that," Frank coughed, not at all convincing.

"I don't believe this!" James said, throwing up his hands. "Why doesn't anyone think I can do this job!" The eight of them were sitting in the Three Broomsticks and Madame Rosmerta had walked away twittering after James had told her.

"James, if you're so intent on telling us that you're right for the job, why don't you show us instead? Actions speak louder than words, you know," Remus said.

"Say, Moony, are you going to be all right, you know?" Sirius nudged him. "On the test date?"

"Y-Yes," Remus cast a weary glance around. Mr. Crouch, ever the frank one, had come to one of their classes to observe and had pointedly addressed him as 'the werewolf,' thus ending any secrets among the Auror candidates. The Prewett twins sat a little farther away from him, but Emmeline was most sympathetic to him. "The day is the 29th."

"Is anyone else as scared about this test as I am?" Peter squeaked.

"No," James stretched, throwing his arm around Lily. She looked nervously at the other occupants of the table and sat up, trying to be out of his arms. "I'm more relieved that I'll have time to schedule regular practices now."

"And do rounds," Lily reminded him, sitting out of his arm a bit more. "We'll probably start about 10 and end about midnight, think you can handle that?"

"Darling, if I'm with you, I'll stay up all night to do rounds," he grinned. Lily blushed a deep scarlet red and the rest of the table chuckled. Except for Sirius, who glowered.

"Hm..." Remus said, thinking to himself. "I have a feeling this year isn't going to be easy. N.E.W.T. classes, Auror preparatory classes, James, your Quidditch practices, our rounds..."

"But I heard from a 7th year that the do a lot of the things that we did last year in the class," Lily said, thoughtfully. "So I'm guessing that in the 2nd year of Auror training, a lot of it is review and adding onto what we've learned."

"Sounds about right," Remus agreed. While the two were conversing, Sirius tried, in vain, to gain James' attention. But his friend was too involved in staring at his girlfriend to pay him any attention.

"Hey, Lily, do you want to go see a game on Saturday?" James asked, not noticing Sirius at all, who began sputtering in indignation.

"I can't," Lily shook her head. "My brother wants me to stay home and spend time with him."

"Li-ly," James whined. "It's one of the biggest games of the sea-son."

"James, I barely see my brother all year," Lily sighed.

"Well...would he like to come with us?" James asked. Lily laughed and shook her head. Sirius was a very particular shade of red.

"James, he's..." she looked around and leaned closer to him, "he's a Muggle. He doesn't understand Quidditch."

James nudged her and grinned. "You don't know that he's just a Muggle. C'mon, please?"

"I'll have to ask him, he wanted me to practice football with him," Lily eyed him. "Can you get more tickets?"

"The tradition!" Sirius cried. Finally, James turned his head to see him.

"What tradition?" James asked. Remus groaned and Sirius was staring at James as if he had just asked what color the sky was. Without another word, Sirius got up and stormed towards the door.

James watched, speechless, as Sirius left the Three Broomsticks. Lily cleared her throat and pushed away from James a little bit.

"I'm going to pop in at home. Mum wanted to get me to fiddle with the flower color," Lily smiled, standing. James tugged at her, asking silently for a little kiss, but with one look around the table, she shook her head and Disapparated.

James sighed and turned back to the other five at the table and got a glare from Remus.

"What?" James said.

"Do you even care that you're ignoring your best friend?" Remus asked. James smiled nervously, but didn't meet Remus' eyes.

"I am most certainly not ignoring him," James said. "I've got a girlfriend now, Moony. That's what happens."

"Does it?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrow. "You do know why he was so mad?"

"Erm, not really?" James replied, lamely.

"He's always been with you to every Arrow vs. Wasps game since the summer before second year," Remus said, plainly. "It's a tradition between the two of you. Even when he started dating girls, he never brought them to the game. You know that."

"But it's not some floozy, Moony. It's Lily. She's more like another friend than anything!" James defended himself.

"Except that when you get around her, you don't see anyone but her and ignore everyone else," Remus told him, plainly. James laughed disbelievingly but stopped at the look of annoyance on every one else's face.

"Well, not entirely ignore everyone else..."

Remus nodded.

"Well, I mean...Lily's...she's really special to me, and I....well, I'm not perfect, all right!" James spat out.

"No one's asking you to be, Prongs," Remus told him. "Just realize that Lily isn't the only person in the world. Else, one day you may found out that she is."

"We're going to a Pidditch game!" Oliver ran around the kitchen, his cereal becoming soggy in milk. Petunia had a rather annoyed look on her face, and finally told him to sit down and eat his cereal.

"It's Quidditch," Lily smiled, as Oliver plopped down in the seat across from her. "James'd go crazy if he heard you besmirching his beloved game."

"So, James is really going with us!" Oliver asked, shoveling soggy cereal into his mouth. Little stars appeared in his eyes.

"Yes, Oliver," Lily shook her head.

"What about Sirius?" he jumped.

"I don't know," Lily sighed. "You'd better hurry up and eat your cereal. He'll be here any minute."

Just then, there was a loud 'pop' and James appeared in the middle of the kitchen. Petunia screamed and fell out of her chair from shock. Oliver dropped his spoon and jumped up, his breakfast forgotten.

"James! How'd you do that!? Lily can do that too! Where'd you come from?!" Oliver's questions continued and Lily could see that they made James' head spin. She put her hand on Oliver's shoulders.

"Why don't you run upstairs and brush your teeth?" Lily said, pushing him a bit. Oliver didn't wait two seconds before bolting up the stairs. James laughed and walked over to Lily, wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her.

Petunia, righting herself in her chair, cleared her throat loudly. Lily broke apart from James and cleared her throat, walking over to clean up after Oliver.

"So where's Sirius? I hope that you two didn't have too much of a fall-out," Lily said, starting the sink.

"Oh, he'll be here in a few minutes," James sighed, coming up behind her and putting his head on her shoulder. Lily, as usual, responded stiffly, as they were in a semi-public setting. Petunia cleared her throat again and James turned around, giving her a dark look. She sniffed at him and left the kitchen. Lily finished with the dishes, but James wouldn't let her leave the sink. Now that they were alone, she relaxed into his arms.

"Did you ever find our why he was so mad?" Lily asked. James pressed his chin to the side of her face.

"Yeah. Apparently, I'm ignoring him," James said. "In favor of you."

"Well, no offence," Lily said, pulling away from him and looking up at him. "But you are a bit smothering, James."

James looked taken aback and frowned. "But, Lily, I mean....I just...." he blew air out through his closed lips.

Lily grinned and ran her hands through the front of his hair (a particular part of his anatomy that had become more and more attractive to her). "You're so funny, James."

"I wasn't trying to be," James said, looking down.

Lily was about to answer, but there was a loud rumbling outside the window. Lily leaned over and looked out the front window. Her jaw dropped. James followed her eye line and made an annoyed sound.

"What on Earth...?" Just then, Oliver came skidding down the stairs and into the kitchen, stars shining in his eyes.

"Did you see that?! Sirius just rode up here in a big giant motorcycle!" Oliver said, jumping up and down. He ran out the front door to meet Sirius.

"James, why does Sirius have a motorcycle?" Lily asked.

"It's not just a motorcycle," James said, following Oliver . "It flies, too."

"And why does Sirius have a flying motorcycle?"

"Well, he bought it a few weeks ago and has been aching to use it. When I told him that Oliver couldn't Apparate, he jumped at the chance," James smiled, leading her outside. Lily stopped him and put her hand on his chest.

"And who said I was going to trust that man with my brother?" she asked.

"I promise it's safe, Lily," James said. "Besides, he forgot all about why he was mad at me when he found out that he could use his bike, so just go along with it, would ya?"

"So I take it, this is how Oliver is getting to the game?" Lily called to Sirius. Sirius nodded and pulled Oliver in front of him.

"'S the only way to travel, Lily love," Sirius grinned. "We'll get a move on, then, so we'll make it on time." Sirius kicked the stand away from the ground.

"Sirius, that's my baby brother you've got there, I expect you to be extra careful with him," Lily said.

"'Course, Lily," Sirius said, pulling out of the driveway and driving down the street. Lily laughed as they turned a corner out of sight.

"I must be crazy," Lily shook her head, as she turned to go inside with James to Apparate away from prying Muggle eyes.

Oliver was speechless as they walked into the stadium. It was drenched on one side with pale blue and on the other side with black. James lead the four of them to sit on the pale blue side, all the while, informing Oliver (because Lily and Sirius wouldn't listen) about the Appleby Arrows.

"'Course my grandfather was on the team in 1932 when they beat the Vrasta Vultures. Played for sixteen days, they did and-"

"James," Lily interrupted, squeezing his hand. "I've never explained Quidditch to Oliver."

James gasped. "Y-You haven't?"

Lily shrugged. "I won't do it justice." James puffed out his chest and clapped Oliver's shoulder.

"Well, as a Seeker, he'll need to know the basics," he nodded. He threw a look back to Sirius who was lagging behind a bit.

"Sirius could you go get us-"

Sirius glared at him and James shrunk back a bit, so he decided on a new course of action. Taking Lily's hand, he kissed it and gave her a charming smile. "And because you won't do the explanation justice, and Sirius needs to stick around to help, and Oliver needs to hear said explanation-"

"What do you want?" Lily asked.

"Go get us a couple of Butterbeers?" he asked, grinning. Lily rolled her eyes and took the money that James handed her. She stayed around long enough to see where they were sitting and then headed over to the pale blue concession stand to get some drinks.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Mudblood Auror-to-be," a poisonous voice said behind her. Lily stiffened visibly and turned around to see a black-haired Slytherin who had graduated two years ago standing in front of her. She knew that his brother was in the year under her, and that his last name was Lestrange.

"Do I know you?" Lily asked, throwing a lock of her hair over her shoulder. Lestrange sniffed.

"Any pureblooded witch would know my name," he said, his voice rolling like honey. Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"And would probably be related to you as well. Inbred, much?"

Lestrange's smirk turned into a sneer. "You had better watch yourself, Mudblood. People aren't happy with what you and your little boyfriend did to my Bella."

Suddenly a light clicked on in Lily's head. This was Bellatrix's boyfriend, she'd seen him visit her in Hogsmeade. She managed to keep her calm and to smile.

"Too bad those 'people' don't have what I would call a 'worthy' opinion," Lily shrugged. "But as you don't want to clarify exactly who those people are, because that would mean that you were in a league with them, and then you'd be waiting in a dingy holding cell at the Ministry for a trial to go to Azkaban like Bellatrix."

Lestrange said nothing, but Lily could see that she had won the argument. He couldn't, in good faith, reply to that or else he'd risk trouble on either front. Finally deciding that he was done, he turned around and left.

Lily paid for the three drinks and headed back to the stadium, keeping a weather eye out for any other suspicious creatures.

"Thanks Lily," Sirius grinned, taking one of the bottles from her. He was obviously happy that he had gotten a few precious moments with his best friend without Lily. Lily skipped over Oliver and handed James a bottle and kept one for herself. Oliver protested.

"Why can't I have one?"

"You aren't old enough," Lily said, simply. James winked at Oliver and put his arm around Lily. "C'mon, Lily, just a sip?" he pressed. Sirius rolled his eyes and handed Oliver his bottle while Lily was busy fending off James' attempts to kiss her neck.

"Wow!" Oliver gasped, handing it back to Sirius. "I'm all warm now!"

"Sirius!" Lily sighed. James settled into the seat and shrugged. He wanted to put his arm around her, but he was sure that she would react stiffly, as was getting to be quite the case in public.

"Eh, he'll be fine," he said. "See anyone you know on the way?"

Lily's entire body changed and James looked at her concerned. "Yes. I ran into Bellatrix's boyfriend."

Sirius shook his head. "Rodolphus. Smarmy git, that one is."

"What did he say?" James asked, concerned.

"Nothing of real importance," Lily smiled at him. "But is he an Arrow fan?"

James shook his head. "No, no, no. The Wasps are notoriously known for being a pure-blood team. 'S why Padfoot likes 'em, right Padfoot?"

Sirius glared at James and then looked past him to Lily. "The only reason why I root for them is because I was raised that way, and because it pisses James off."

Lily gave him a stern look and glanced down at Oliver. Sirius covered his mouth and sunk back into his seat.

"Look! Look!" Oliver obviously didn't hear because he was staring at the players that had just come out and were taking off. Lily felt a warmth in her heart as James explained the players to her little brother.

"And those three are Chasers. That's what I'm gonna play," James said. Lily looked at him.

"I thought you were a Seeker?" she asked.

"I'm too big for Hogwarts Seeking now. Besides, we have some openings," he grinned. "Doesn't mean that I can't train this one. Perfect build for a Seeker!" he nodded. Lily pulled him close and whispered softly into his ear.

"James, Oliver...he might not be a wizard. We won't know until next year."

"I'm sure he is, Lily, I mean, I can tell these things," James nodded. "'Sides, he's gotta be one, if only to make Petunia even more jealous."