The Bad-boy and the Red Head

II

James's POV

"I think we should apologise to Lily," Remus muttered as she stalked into the great hall at breakfast on the fist day of term, "She seemed really pissed off last night."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Honestly Moony, sometimes I forget it's James who has a crush on her and not you!" He snorted. Peter chuckled appreciatively in agreement. I felt a familiar twinge of irritation.

"I do not have a crush on her," I reminded them, "I only pretend, to annoy her."

"Keep telling yourself that Prongs," Sirius smirked. I rolled my eyes. The problem with best friends is that we seem to argue far more than other friends.

"I still think we should apologise," Remus said softly.

"You can apologise to her later when you to do prefect stuff if you want to," I said lazily. Even though I don't really have a crush on Lily Evans, I do feel a tiny bit irritated that Moony gets to spend two evenings a week with her... alone...

Who am I kidding? I didn't even want to be a prefect! How boring! All that corridor patrolling and mess cleaning-uping. Poor Remus, and having to do it with kill-joy Evans would be even worse!

"When are the tryouts for the Gryffindor team?" Sirius interrupted my thoughts, "Are you captain again this year?"

"I guess," I said breezily, "I think Yitsworth's forgiven me for missing the first half of the final last year."

Professor Yitsworth is the head of our house. He's old and serious, and was not amused that I turned up late for the crucial final match last year because Padfoot and I got trapped by Peeves in the secret tunnel behind the mirror all night. We still won though, and Yitsworth knew there was no way I would intentionally turn up late. Quidditch is about the only thing I take seriously around here, I'm captain and seeker for the Gryffindor team.

"I'll check with Yitsworth and then stick up a note on the notice board." I decided. The bell rang and we waited until nearly everyone had left before swinging our bags over our shoulders and heading to charms.

~

The first week flew by, and Sirius started getting restless.

"We haven't done anything fun this week," he moaned in the common room on Friday evening.

"We've had so much homework already," Remus pointed out, as he steadily wrote out an essay for Slughorn's potions class, "We haven't had time to do anything. Not everyone can get away with writing two paragraphs the night before the work's due."

I folded a paper aeroplane as Sirius continued to grumble and took aim for Evans's head.

"When's the full moon?" Sirius asked.

"Shh," Remus gasped, glancing around, "In two weeks time, but I thought we agreed not to talk about the furry little problem when other people are around!"

"You're so boring Moony," Sirius groaned, gazing listlessly around the room.

"I have team tryouts tomorrow morning," I commented.

"Yeah? Have fun. Keep a count of how many girls ask you out and we'll add it to the tally." Sirius smirked. We have a running joke that girls only go to team tryouts because most of the female population fancy Padfoot and I. He keeps a record of the number of people who ask us out.

"Speaking of girls," Remus muttered tauntingly, "Who's the current girlfriend Sirius? Still dating Amanda from Ravenclaw?"

"Nah, dumped her ages ago." Sirius said dismissively.

"Yesterday," I correct him.

"And you haven't got a new girlfriend yet?" Remus said with wide eyed mock surprise, "I thought you couldn't function if you had to go more than 24 hours single?"

Sirius picked up an ink well and tipped it over Remus's head.

"What about you, Moony," he taunted, "Didn't you write to Elisa over the holidays?"

Elisa is Remus's French pen pal / girlfriend, which Sirius finds hilarious.

"I still don't get why you don't go out with any of these chicks who ask you out James," Sirius said, "I know you're pining for Evans and all, but you should give it a try some day."

"I'm not pining for anyone," I snapped, "And I don't want to be committed or anything. Look at us, reduced to talking about girls! You're right Sirius, we have been far too inactive, and look at the result! I'll come find you guys after the tryouts tomorrow and we can plan something really fun."