𝐿𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒

Chapter 25: Napoleonism

**This chapter takes place spread across November! After every time skip it's a completely different day!

The leaves rustled across the quidditch pitch as the Gryffindors lined up awaiting their name to be called by Lily Evans. James had so pleasantly asked her to check in the team hopefuls even though he was set on the idea of having the exact same team as last year.

Kayley Harden, who happened to be a chaser last year, but had since graduated, was the entire reason they had to hold tryouts. James had almost sent her a howler asking her to come back, yet Lily had shut that down before it had even started.

"Annie Potter," Lily grinned as she knew James would be proud of his younger cousin for just trying out.

"Here!" Annie grinned back, then went back to whatever conversation she was having with Julia.

Marlene yawned and took the group of four kids that James had assigned her "because he could" and watched as they flew down the pitch.

"Fucknuggets! It's cold and far too early for this!" Marlene muttered under her breath as the wind picked up.

"Agreed, I'm only doing this for Prongs," Sirius came up behind her as he led his group forward.

Sirius's group was much worse than Marlene's as hers made it back, while his group could hardly get off the ground.

"Merlin's beard," Sirius said rolling his eyes.

"Good luck with that," Marlene smirked as she walked towards Lily.

"Alright, Marlene's group is done! I'm sorry, but you're just not what we're looking for! Good luck with all of your classes!" James shouted over everyone.

"Can we just name Annie the chaser and move on with all of our lives?" She whined to Lily.

"That's nepotism!" Lily responded watching James smirk as Annie was the best flyer, by a lot.

She wasn't surprised because Annie had been flying since she was a small toddler, James had made sure of it. It was hard not to be a great flyer with James's presence around all the time.

"Sirius's group is done too! Make sure to come try out again next year!" He muttered the next part, "since I will not be here."

"I'm cold and hungry, so I don't care about damn nepotism!" Marlene replied visibly shaking from the cold.

"I suspect you won't have too much longer until James calls it," Lily said as Sirius also walked over to them and collapsed into Marlene's arms, who promptly fell over.

"Nice jumper," Sirius remarked from the ground where he and Marlene both still laid.

"Why thank you," Lily responded, remembering she had chosen to wear James's jumper proudly displaying the word Captain.

"Thank you for everyone coming out this morning, the results will be posted sometime later this week," James's loud booming voice could be heard above the whistling wind.

"Thank Merlin! Let's go get some hot chocolate!" Marlene said jumping up off the ground.

"That's a good idea."

...

November chugged on with classes giving off loads of stress, tests, and extra NEWT homework, which proved to be a challenge.

Lily, Craig, and Alice found themselves swamped with work in the library, yet something that was missing was the motivation to do it. So, their textbooks surrounded them as did quills, ink, and parchment, but they just sat and cracked jokes with one another.