I'll Take it Shaken, Not Stirred

Chapter 9- High Spirits

Origins of the Recipe: this is, in fact, the DISCLAIMER. Meaning, it states that I do not own the rights to anything. You're very lucky for that.

Note from the cook: reviews are lovely. Feel free to leave me one, even if you're just starting to read this here thang. Rissa, I hate you. :-P

Recap from Last Time: Lily thinks about Elijah (her graduated boyfriend), argues with Snape and James, talks about Quidditch, and wants to resign from Head Girl, but is advised against it by Dumbledore. James tries to convince the other Marauders to go into the forest with him at the full moon, but they out-vote him, and they go to Hogsmeade instead. Eden and Sirius presumably are reconciled for "differences of opinion" from the previous year concerning Remus.

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"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." -Anonymous

"Where's Lex?"

"Montreal... shut up. If you... lose count... I'm gonna... kill you."

"Okay, okay. You're on nineteen."

"I'm... on... twenty-one."

"Right. That's what I meant."

"Ugh, James! Will you... keep... count... for me?"

"Don't talk to him, E; he's pacing. That means he'll kill you if you interrupt him."

"Speaking from experience, Sirius?"

"You have no idea."

"Lexi's late..."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"It's fine, Frank. She'll... be... here. Why'd you... stop... counting, Paul?"

"Twenty-four, twenty-five..."

"I'm... on... twenty-nine... now I'm on thirty!"

"Right. That's what I meant."

"Damn it! Sirius, keep count for me!"

The locker room was much like it was before all Gryffindor's Quidditch matches. James was pacing near the curtain that led to the pitch, and Sirius was alternating between lifting weights, practicing swings with his beater club, and bantering with Eden. Eden was doing push-ups, and Paul was supposedly keeping count, except he wasn't. Frank was just nervous, and Mackey Simpson was going over the notes that James had given him about his chasing technique.

"We're all going to be fine, you know," James reminded them all.

"Ya, we know, James," said Sirius, rolling his eyes.

"You told us."

"Six times."

"At least."

"Probably closer to seven."

"Or eight."

"Or twenty-three."

"And a half."

James rolled his eyes. "Why did I let you two on the team?"