The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Say It Again

Say It Again

"I doubt Care of Magical Creatures will ever be impressive again," bemoaned Remus as they walked back across the grounds toward the castle from Professor Kettleburn's lecture. He stared at his notes, the list of creatures Kettleburn had tried to impress them all with the promise off and all Remus could think of was how none of the things he was describing could hold a candle to the Charkorais birds. He missed Burt and Ernie.

Peter shook his head, jealously, "I still can't believe you got to see all that with Mr. Scamander. I'd love to do something so adventurous as all of that!"

"Makes real life boring, though," complained Remus.

"Says the werewolf," muttered Sirius, smirking and slipped his hand through Remus's, knotting their fingers together.

Remus smiled.

"Yeahh," James laughed, "I dunno if your life's ever been boring, mate," he said.

"And if it was, I don't reckon it will be again now you've us in it," Peter said, waving at himself, James, and Sirius with a smirk.

Remus felt warm and furry all over - and not in a full moon sort of way.

Lily suddenly broke between James and Remus and stepped before James, walking backwards, looking up at him, hugging her school books. "Potter," she said, her tone all business-like, "I've got a matter to raise with you... On the topic of the flying training sessions for the firsties. Might I borrow you a moment?"

James said, "I'm listening." Remus's grip tightened 'round Sisus's fingers and he pulled Sirius on ahead and Peter followed as James came to a stop to talk to Lily Evans. "What do you want?"

Lily replied, "Well, Madam Hooch says she can't do our original Saturday afternoon time, soI've got to book the pitch for us for alternates - I've got two options... Thursday afternoons or Saturday mornings. Which'll be better for you?"

"Saturday morning? Are you mental? Saturday morning doesn't exist. Saturday mornings are for having lie-ins, not dealing with teaching the little seagulls to fly."

"The little seagulls?" Lily asked, looking amused but perplexed as she stared up at him.

"Sure," James said, "They never shut up, do they, that lot? And all those whiny little squeaky voices of theirs..."

"You were squeaky and whiny once," Lily pointed out.

"Squeaky, sure, but I've never been whiny... have I?" he whined the words.

Lily laughed.

James looked wholly surprised and a smile trembled across his lips, hanging up on his tooth as it did, and he wished he had something else witty to say, something else to keep LIly Evans laughing... He'd expected a bugger off Potter as a reply to that, but she was actually laughing at a joke he'd told! His heart had doubled it's thumping in his chest and just stood there grinning like an idiot at her, his brain racing to think of something great to say... until he realized he didn't have anything and blimey grinning at her like this is getting awkward isn't it? and he looked down, a slight flush rising over his nose.

Lily stared at him... and there were a lot of funny thoughts going about her own head... like James Potter just made a self deprecating joke. He didn't say something prideful! She'd expected him to answer the squeaky and whiny comment with something about her having noticed it and make some joke about her liking him (never, Potter, she had had the answer ready to go)... but no. Instead, this incredibly egotistical boy had made fun of himself. Then blushed. James Potter -- blushing! What in the world? Lily couldn't help but stair because suddenly standing before her was no longer James Potter, the most annoying boy in the school, but this... boy... this boy that suddenly seemed incredibly insecure as he stared down at his trainers, his mouth moving helplessly, forming words to sentences he couldn't quite spit out.