The rest of that week passed by slowly. Eleanor tried to focus more on her school work, especially History of Magic because she realized it might ruin her grades if she didn't.
Her study sessions with Regulus had gone back to normal as well. They were top of the class in Potions together. He had even taught her some healing spells, particularly the ones he had used on her hands the day after Snape attacked her.
Eleanor hadn't spoken to Sirius a lot. She really didn't know how to act around him anymore after what had happened on his birthday. The Marauders and her had been trying to practice their transfiguration whenever they could. It was going quite well, but so far only James and Sirius managed to transfigure without using their wands. All in all, Eleanor had a packed schedule.
But all of those things didn't matter that Saturday, because that day the first Quidditch match was held. And it was Gryffindor versus Slytherin.
The tone was already set that afternoon when Eleanor walked into the Great Hall for some late lunch and she found herself in the midst of chaos. Gryffindors young and old were dressed in their most Gryffindorish clothing. Some even had face paint on in the colors of their house.
The Slytherins on the other side of the room did the same things, but were also chanting a song which Eleanor couldn't quite figure out the words of. It didn't sound very friendly, though.
She took a seat at the table with Kathy, Amelia, and Doris. The Gryffindor Quidditch team were seated together in the middle of the long table, probably talking about some last minute strategies.
Eleanor caught a glimpse of James talking emthusiastically about how they were going to win. Marlene was definitely feeling the spirit as well, banging her fists on the table. Sirius on the other hand seemed to be a bit nervous for his first match. He looked pale and Eleanor noticed his plate was empty, not even a single crumb was on it.
"So who d'you think is going to win?" Amelia asked her. Eleanor was snapped back from her thoughts.
She huffed. "Well Gryffindor of course," she said matter of factly. "We've got better players, especialy with Marlene and Sirius on the team now," Eleanor added.
"It all depends on James though," Doris said while she paged through her Herbology book.
Amelia frowned and looked sideways at her. "Since when do you care about Quidditch?"
"I don't," Doris said flatly. She looked up from her book. "But it's true isn't it?"
Eleanor shrugged and took a bite of her toast. "I s'pose. But James's a fine Seeker, better than that scumbag Younge anyway," she mumbled and took a sip from het goblet.
She jumped and spilled her orange juice as two hands suddenly squeezed her shoulders. "So you're coming to watch eh?"
"James!" Eleanor shrieked and smacked him on his arm. He just grinned and sat down next to her.
"You've ruined my shirt Potter," she said, giving him a death glare. She dabbed her shirt with a napkin but it wouldn't help.
"M'sorry El," he chuckled, quite amused with the reaction he had gotten. Eleanor let out a heavy sigh.
"Hang on, I've got an idea," James said. Eleanor looked at him in confusion as he put his glasses down on the table and pulled his striped sweater up over his head, messing up his already tousled hair even more. To her relief, he was wearing a white t-shirt underneath.
James handed her his sweater. "You can wear this," he said with a smile. Eleanor laughed.
"You're crazy Potter," she said with a chuckle before putting on his sweater. It was way too big for her. "Well, at least I won't be cold." James sniggered and put his glasses back on.
"Potter!" Harper called from the entrance to the Great Hall. Both of them looked over. Eleanor saw Sirius looking at them with a strange expression on his face.
James got up. "Gotta go, duty calls!" Then he ran off.
"Good luck!" Eleanor, Kathy and Amelia called after him. He just put up a thumb as the team left the Great Hall.
Not an hour later, the four girls were walking up the stairs in the stands and found Remus and Peter, who had gotten their early to get the best spots. Lily, Mary, and Alice were there as well, obviously to cheer on Marlene in her first match. Peter had made a large red and yellow banner with ROAR! written on it in bold black letters. Eleanor thought it looked great.
"D'you know who's commenting?" she asked Remus. He thought for a second.
"Some guy called Tebenham, Coy Tebenham I think. He's a Hufflepuff, sixth year I believe," he said, squinting his eyes to see off into the distance. Eleanor nodded.
Not long after, the stands were filled with Hogwarts students and staff. Even though the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws didn't necessarily need to attend, many did, and most of them supported Gryffindor.
"There they are!" Kathy yelled, pointing at the two teams emerging from their locker rooms. Loud cheers erupted from all around. Sirius looked around in awe with a big smile on his face.
"Good afternoon Hogwarts!" a voice suddenly boomed from the teacher's box. "My name's Coy Tebenham and I will be guiding you through this years first Quidditch match: Gryfffindor versus Slytherin!" Tebenham said enthusiastically. Excited screams were still coming from the students.
Eleanor watched as the captains shook hands. The teams then mounted their brooms and shot up into the air.
"Right Madam Hooch is opening up the crate... The Quaffle is up and now she releases the Bludgers and the Snitch! They're off!"
Everything happened very fast. James soared up high into the sky to get a good look of the situation beneath him. The Slytherin Chasers zoomed by. The Gryffindors were in a full-on game mode now.
"That's McKinnon for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, passing it to Black- intercepted by Slytherin's captain Alvey, passing to Hadaway- no Black again! Terrific feat of flying!"
Eleanor cheered loudly as Sirius managed to take the Quaffle from Hadaway and zoomed off towards the posts.
"...Black still going, great manoeuvre by Massey there. Is he going to make it... Yes... BLACK SCORES! Gryffindor leading ten to nil!" Loud cheers and screams were coming from the Gryffindor supporters. The Slytherins were booing and banging on the boards.
"GO GET 'EM SIRIUS!" Eleanor yelled from the top of her lungs. Remus whistled on his fingers. Their faces were flushed with excitement. Even Lily seemed to enjoy it.
Eleanor clapped in her hands, to cheer on the team but also to keep them warm. It was bloody freezing. She put a hand above her eyes and looked up. James was circling above the pitch, hoping to spot the Snitch somewhere.
"That's Hadaway hit by a Bludger coming from Gryffindor Beater Post! Better go check on him, that looked like a nasty fall..." Eleanor looked down and saw one of the Slytherin Chasers laying motionless on the ground. His leg was sticking out at a rather odd angle.
"Newton with the Quaffle- BLACK WATCH OUT!" Eleanor gasped as Sirius dodged a Bludger by a hair. 'Oohs' and 'aahs' were coming from the students in the stands. McGonagall flinched.
"BLOODY WANKER!" Remus screamed. "I'LL GET YOUR PATHETIC PUREBLOOD ARSE FOR THAT!"
Lily looked at Eleanor with a surprised look on his face. "He's always like that with Quidditch," she explained with a chuckled. Lily laughed and shook her head.
"Yeah, yeah I know I'm not supposed to warn them but can you blame me! Okay they're all good... Slytherin going for the attack... Alvey with the Quaffle now- Slytherin scores! Ten to ten now!" Tebenham didn't sound too excited.
Eleanor banged her hand on the banister and cursed under her breath. At least Slytherin were missing a player, that surely would make things easier for the Gryffindors.
"Right Gryffindor in possession again, that's Harper trying to knock Slytherin's Seeker off his broom, too bad... Sorry professor!" Eleanor chuckled.
"McKinnon, McKinnon going for it, no passing to Massey- MASSEY SCORES! Gryffindor taking the lead twenty to ten!"
Eleanor saw Sirius yell something and then highfive his teammate before zooming back over to the other side of the pitch.
"Let's see, Alvey with the Quaffle. Firmin missing McKinnon by a long shot with a Bludger... She's way too fast for th- THAT'S POTTER! POTTER GOING AFTER THE SNITCH!" Tebenham's voice croaked from excitement.
"YES JAMES, GET THAT LITTLE SHIT!" Remus bellowed, throwing his fists in the air. Kathy gave him a strange look but then started laughing, as did Eleanor and the others. She loved it when her brother got too passionate over things and started cussing.
James zoomed across the pitch, all the while not losing sight of that tiny golden ball. It was like his life depended on it, which, knowing James, it probably would.
"Potter still in pursuit of the Snitch- but there's Younge, Slytherin's Seeker! Oh boy this is going to be good! Meanwhile Slytherin seems to be- MCKINNON HIT BY A BLUDGER IN THE ARM! Oh but she's a tough one! McKinnon passing to Black with her good arm very impressive! Black nearly there, oh- YES BLACK SCORES YET AGAIN! Thirty to ten for Gryffindor!"
Lily and Mary both gasped as they saw Marlene flying with a seemingly lifeless arm, but they cheered on again as Sirius scored another ten points. Cheers errupted from the stands. The Slytherins on the other hand looked very sour.
"All eyes are on Potter and Younge now... Potter seems faster but the Snitch is just out of reach! If he could just- YES shove him Potter! Sorry professor. What's that?! POTTER'S SURFING NOW! Look at those skills ladies and gentlemen!"
Eleanor clapped her hands to her mouth in awe as she saw what James was doing.
"He's bloody brilliant!" Peter yelled, jumping up and down.
"Nearly there... Bit more Potter... Yes, yes, YES! POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Tebenham screamed with a huge smile on his face.
James surfed around on his broom, proudly holding the Snitch up in his hand. His team members hovered in midair and clapped for him. The Gryffindors cheered and screamed and yelled.
"I love Quidditch!" Kathy suddenly yelled out of nowhere. Eleanor laughed and put an arm around hef friend.
Madam Hooch then blew on her whistle and summoned the Bludgers back down. Massey had dropped the Quaffle as soon as Tebenham had announced Gryffindor's victory.
Both teams descended and got off their brooms. The seven Gryffindor players got together into a group hug, being careful not to hurt Marlene of course, and Eleanor saw Sirius patting James on the back.
The captains shook hands again, but Alvey looked as though he could beat up Harper in point two seconds. Madam Hooch escorted Marlene to the Hospital Wing and both teams retreated to their locker rooms.
Peter folded up his banner and threw it over his shoulder. All of the spectators then made their way down from the stands.
"Are you going to wait for them?" Amelia asked the boys and Lily, Mary, and Alice.
A grin appeared on Remus' face. "Absolutely not, we've got party to prepare before they get back!"
Doris groaned. "Really, another party?"
"I want to come too!" Kathy said excitedly.
He laughed. "Well, it's in the common room so you're more than welcome," he said. Kathy smiled brightly.
"We're going to see Marlene first, I don't think Pomfrey will let her go to the afterparty," she told Remus.
He nodded. "Yeah of course not, she needs to be looked after first. We'll see you guys around," he said with a smile. Then the three girls left to go see their injured friend. The others went on their way back up to the castle.
Remus and Peter did as promised, turning up with four baskets full of food and drinks from the Kitchens after half an hour.
"The house elves were rather generous this time," Peter sniggered as he put down the baskets on tables the girls had set out.
After all the food was distributed properly, Doris went up to their dorm and the common room started to fill with excited students. Some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had been invited as well, being close friends to some members of the team. Everyone waited for the team to return.
And they did soon after. Harper entered first, holding up his arms, followed by Alfred Post, Robin Bagley, then Sirius, and lastly James. He was still wearing the proud grin he had when he just caught the Snitch.
Amelia and Eleanor were waving their arms to make the boys notice where they were standing. James saw them and pulled Sirius by his arm.
"That was bloody brilliant!" Remus exclaimed and then highfived both boys. Peter did the same.
James smirked. "Thanks, that bloody Younge though, almost punched me in the ribs, bloody git..." he mumbled.
"Can I just say how amazing that was Sirius," Amelia began, "Like that was your first match and you scored twice!" she said with a smile.
Sirius grinned. "Thanks, Lia."
They all got something to drink and eat and the party had started. Loud music was playing from the big radio in the far corner of the room. Eleanor was very happy they had won, of course, but she wasn't really feeling it anymore. She sat down in a chair and grabbed a biscuit from the plate on the table.
"Hey, you okay?" a voice came from behind her. It was James. Eleanor smiled up at him as he sat down next to her.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit of headache that's all," she lied. James nodded. "You were great by the way, all of you," she added with a smile.
James grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah they really did a good job, never would've thought Sirius to be that good as he was, same for Marlene..." he proceeded to give his opinion on the match. But Eleanor wasn't really listening anymore. Her eyes had traveled over to a couple standing together against the wall.
Sirius was snogging some girl. And it wasn't anything innocent. Eleanor felt as though she might be sick as she watched Sirius roaming his hands all over the girl's back and bum.
"Ella?" James' eyes roamed the side of his friend's face with concern.
"Who's that girl?" Eleanor plainly asked, not even looking at James.
James followed her gaze and now knew what she was talking about. Yes, who was she?
James opened his mouth to say something but closed it again as Eleanor spoke up.
"Never mind, it's fine," she mumbled. Her mouth had suddenly become very dry. She put the biscuit back down on the table and got up. "I'm going to lay down for a bit." Eleanor stepped over James' stretched-out legs.
James stood up abruptly. "It's probably nothing El-"
"I said it's fine James," she looked over at him with a small forced smile.
Eleanor pushed past some people to get to the stairs that lead up to their dorm, all the while trying to hold back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.
James let out a heavy sigh and put his hands in his pockets. He looked back over to where Sirius was standing. The girl had left and he was leaning with his back against the wall. As the two boys locked eyes for a moment, James shook his head slightly and walked away.