James climbed the stands at the quidditch pitch with the others on a blusterty afternoon toward the middle of May.

There was a general buzz of excitement because the results of the game would not only determine the winner of the House Cup but also who was in last place in the running. By that, it was meant that the Cup was currently going to go to Slytherin unless Ravenclaw lost to Gryffindor - it would to Ravenclaw if they won. If Ravenclaw won, too, it would solidify Gryffindor's place in fourth for the cup, making the Puffs third. There was an anxious knot of Huffepuffs in the front of their section, waving Ravenclaw banners, and even Wendy waved apologetically to Peter from her place next to Maryrose, who waved a Gryffindor flag.

"You know its funny," James commented as he sat down a couple rows behind the Puffs, nodding a hello to Maryrose, "Slytherin must be torn to bits about now. In order for them to win, they've got to be cheering on Gryffindor if they want to win the cup."

Sirius snickered and dropped into the seat beside James. "Bastards don't look pleased about it." He pointed down the pitch to where the Slytherins sat, looking rather annoyed and gloomy. Regulus Black was among them, though sitting a couple spots apart from the others in his year, staring down at his knees, which jiggled nervously as he sat there. Sirius pushed the sight of his brother out of his mind, and continued on, "Bloody hilarious."

"Extra hilarious is - aren't we for Ravenclaw winning the cup?" Remus asked, glancing about at the other three, "Over Slytherin, I mean?"

"Of course!" Peter piped up.

"Well then technically we are against Gryffindor winning today then, aren't we?"

"No," James said firmly. "Frank needs a win. It's his last game."

"Besides - loyalty and all that ruddy shit?" Sirius supported.

"Then technically we're rooting for Slytherin overall," Remus injected.

They all sat, feeling rather torn at the crux that Remus had created. James rubbed his forehead, "It's too bloody complicated to hate all the right things right now."

Even as he spoke, the teams spilled onto the team and Peter stood up, clapping enthusiastically, "GO FRANK!" he shouted, and Frank looked up and waved at the sound of his name before adjusting the Captain badge on his chest.

James instinctively touched his own chest, where it would've been hanging if he'd kept it.

"Did I miss anything?"

They turned about to find Marlene Mackinnon coming their way over the benches. Sirius looked as surprised as Remus sounded when he said, "Uh... Nope, they're only just coming out."

Marlene nudged a space between James and Sirius, and sat down, the four Marauders looking at her in confusion. "Shouldn't you be going to sit with your friends?" Sirius asked bluntly.

"I was," Marlene replied. "Except Lily and Ali are both playing and —-"

James sat bolt upright. "Evans is playing today?"

"Well - yes," Marlene seemed confused. "They're sort of short a player, aren't they, with you having quit?"

James hadn't really thought about it. But now he felt himself scooting forward in his seat to spot Lily Evans on the pitch below and Sirius elbowed Remus and smirked over at James's renewed attentiveness.

Marlene reached into her cloak, "I know I'm in the wrong cheering section for this —" she waved a little blue and bronze flag, "But you lot understand."

"We were actually torn ourselves," Peter answered honestly.

Marlene laughed and said, "Well, there's no doubt who Potter's rooting for."

"'Ey?" James asked, looking back from craning his neck to peer at the field.

"Evans," said Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Marlene all at once. "Obviously," Sirius added.

James said, "I'm just interested in how Frank's getting on."

"Right," said Sirius, "And I'm a demiguise's uncle!"

Peter asked, "Do demiguises have uncles?"

"I suppose some of them must," Remus mused.

"You'll have to ask Dougal some time," Sirius quipped.

"Who?" Marlene asked in confusion.

"Newt Scamander's demiguise," Sirius replied.

Marlene laughed, though she didn't entirely understand the joke, being unaware that Sirius was serious and Remus actually could ask the famous zoologist's demiguise sometime. If demiguises could understand English, that is.

"COME ON!" James's voice suddenly broke out - for on the field, play had begun on Madam Hooch's whistle and Frank had managed to get the quaffle and toss it back to Lily, who had rolled her way between the two on-coming Ravenclaw beaters, only just making it. She clutched the quaffle under one arm and ducked low and her broomstick shot down the pitch with the beaters hot on her trail. "GO! GO!! GOOOOO!!" James was on his feet.

Marlene looked at Sirius and they shared a knowing smirk.

Lily threw the ball through the ring at the end, Ravenclaw's keeper diving but to no use, and Gryffindor was ahead.

James hooted loudly. "Yessss! Good one, Evans!"

Lily heard him and looked to the stands, flushing, waved, and flew down the pitch to the new line of scrimmage, quick as could be. Frank Longbottom was swinging his beater's bat exuberantly over his head as she approached, a grin plastered upon his face as he peeked out from the beater's helmet. "Fantastic job, Lil!"

"Thanks Frank," Lily replied and she swept her ponytail over her shoulder.

His attention wandered to James's excitement in the stands. "Seems I'm not the only bloke who's impressed," he said slyly.

"Seems not," Lily agreed as she swept away on her broomstick.

"What's the matter?" Ali asked, spotting the slack-jaw reaction on Frank's face a moment later.

He looked up at her, "Lily just let a comment on Potter go without insulting the lad."

Ali nearly fell off her broom at this, "What? Seriously?"

"Seriously," Frank replied.

"Well, need to look into this don't I??" Ali said as she sped after Lily, ducking under Frank's bat as he fought a bludger off her tail. Ali caught a good headwind and came up behind Lily's broom within seconds as Lily barrel rolled and caught the quaffle. "Lil!" Ali cried, coming up beside her as they flew toward the rings, "What's the deal with you and Potter?" she asked breathlessly as they passed the quaffle back and forth, heading down the pitch to the rings.

Lily blushed, "Nothing. Yet," she added this last bit as she halted and launched the red ball past the Keeper, making the stands erupt all around them.

"YET????" Ali's voice echoed over the cheers.

Lily shrugged.

"YET MEANS SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN AT SOME POINT!" Ali said.

"That is the hopeful definition, yeah," Lily ceded.

Ali flew directly at her, scooping her into a hug. "Bloody hell you're seeing the light."

Lily hugged her back. "Hey, don't be telling anyone just yet, though, alright? I've got to actually talk to Potter first, obviously, and — well, I reckon he ought to hear it from me than from gossip about the school."

Ali mimed crossing her heart.

That night, in the dormitory, James excitement had reached a feverish state. "Bloody hell the way they played today was fierce and just so damned good, ey?" He was tugging on the too-short quaffle pyjamas for the first time in months and his hair was wildly unkempt. He hadn't shut up about it since they'd trekked back from the pitch. "Bloody brilliant..."

"Fucking shame Slytherin gets the cup, though," Sirius said from his bed.

Remus murmured, "Perhaps Gryffindor would win one year if only certain folks didn't get so many points taken off us."

Sirius said, "Who? Me? What? And be boring all bloody year?"

Remus shrugged.

"My pranks are worth forfeiting the bloody house cup for," Sirius announced regally. "Ought to be gaining points for the amount of thought goes into them. Right, Potter?"

James was grinning up at the canopy over his bed, catching the snitch rather dreamily.

"Earth to Potter," Sirius said, cupping his palms about his mouth to sound more like a radio, "Come in. Potter, do you copy?"

Peter glanced between James and Sirius, "It does not compute," he said in a robot voice.

Sirius laughed, "OI POTTER!" and chucked a pillow across, hitting James in the nose. When James looked about, as though surprised to see them all staring at him, Sirius said, "Welcome back from Planet Lily."

"I wasn't thinking of Lily..."

"Except you were," Sirius said, "About Lily riding a damned broomstick... perhaps YOUR broomstick?"

Remus shoved Sirius.

"Why would she be riding his broomstick when she's got her own?" asked Peter cluelessly, and the other three broke into laughter.

"Nox," Remus said, turning out the lights.

They lay in silence, the occasional giggle rising up from Sirius. Then Peter asked, "Seriously guys, I don't get it."

"It's okay Peter," Remus said.

"Is lending a broomstick the girl you like a thing?" Peter asked, "I haven't got a broomstick to give to Wendy."

Sirius choked.

"Let it rest Pete," Remus sighed as James and Sirius both snickered lowly.

"Perhaps I should get a broomstick, so I could give it to her," Peter mused.

Sirius wheezed, "Don't worry, Wormy, I reckon you'll give it to her just fine one day."

There was silence aside from the continued snickers and squeaking of mattress springs. And then, "Oh bloody hell, you lot are quite disgusting!"

James, Sirius, and even Remus burst into laughter as Peter finally caught onto the joke.

Next morning, Minerva McGonagall was grading papers when a knock came upon her door. "Come in," she trilled, her Scottish accent  thick.

The door pressed opened and James Potter ducked 'round the frame, stepping up to her desk, a nervous expression on his face. McGonagall lowered her glasses and dropped the parchment she'd been reading to the desktop. "Mister Potter," she said, surprised, "What brings you about this morning?"

James edged up to the desk, "Morning Minnie." He dawdled under her gaze. "Grading our papers? How was mine?"

"I think you'll be pleased," she replied.

James gripped her desk.

"Would you fancy a cup of tea?" McGonagall waved to a teapot warming in her hearth.

James shook his head, "No thank you, I really ought not to stay, I've got plans, see."

McGonagall nodded, "Most young men do. Up to no good, as usual, I presume?"

"Of course," James answered.

There was a long pause, "Surely you didn't come by just to greet me a good morning, Mr. Potter."

James stared at his fingers. "No. Well. It's just, I was thinking..." he drew a deep breath, feeling her eyes on him. "It's just that Frank graduates next term and I was hoping you might - maybe, possibly - consider letting me have another go at being Captain of the Quidditch team after he leaves." He looked up, meeting McGonagall's eyes.

She stared at him steadily. "Maybe. We will see."

James nodded.

"It's an awfully hard decision, Mr. Potter, and it must be made carefully. We don't want another situation like this one, where our team's captain backs out midway through."

James nodded.

"I understand there were extreme circumstances, but I have to think of what's best for the team."

"I understand," he nodded again, backing toward the door. "But I thought I'd let you know to at least consider me."

"I most certainly will, Mr. Potter," McGonagall replied, and she watched as James ducked back out the door before letting the smile she had held back cross over her mouth. She glanced at the shelf of tea cups, her eyes flitting on the crack in the side of the blue and white one, extending through the china pattern like a lightening bolt. "I certainly will," she murmured, grinning as she turned back to her paperwork.