THE WHOLE talk of the school was the upcoming Quidditch season. The first match was coming up this weekend, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff.
Which was particularly hilarious, considering those teams respective captains were James Potter and Avelina Rosier.
Avelina hadn't even told the boys she made captain, mostly because she didn't want to steal james spotlight, but also because it would be hilarious watching his reaction when she stepped out with the letter on her chest. There had been some rumours floating around about who had been, most people assuming it to be Amos Diggory.
James even went so far as to try and spy on practices, but Avelina made sure to somehow make him miss it everytime.
"Come on Ave's if our friendship means anything to you, you'll tell me who your bloody captain is," James gritted one evening as they were trying to study in the Gryffindor common room.
Avelina was reading some muggle book Remus had leant her, and snapped it shut with an amused smile on her face.
"Not gonna happen Potter."
"Avelina woman your killing me!" James groaned, literally dropping to his knees infront of her.
"James stop mopping over my wife would ya?" A female voice cut in, and into the common room walked Marlene Mckinon in all her beauty, flanked by Lily Evan's and Mary Mcdonald.
Marlene and Mary naturally adored Aveline. She was the only girl perhaps in the entire school who could
keep the marauder boys in line. And likewise, Aveline adored the both of them.
There was Marlene, the bombshell blonde beauty queen who walked through the halls as if it was her runway. And Mary Mcdonalds, perhaps the sweetest girl in the entire world.
Instantly James snapped up when he saw Lily, standing up and straightening his shirt. He slunk on the couch, sitting beside Avelina all well trying to make her explode with his eyes.
"What's got Potters panties in a twist?" Marlene asked, sitting down practically on Avelina's lap and throwing her arm over the girls shoulder. She was eating some sort of cookie, watching it intently as she did.
"I shall have you know Mckinnon, right now your fraternizing with the enemy! Rosier won't tell me who the Hufflepuff captain is!" James snapped, raising his hand as if it was some big injustice.
Marlene gasped, looking at Avelina out of a whole new set of eyes. she was perhaps the second most quidditch obsessed Gryffindor next to James, and looked utterly offended. She jumped of off Avelina's lap, hands on her hips as she pointed at the girl.
"I want a divorce! To think my own wife," she gulped, putting her hand on her chest dramatically.
"Come on just tell us Avelina," Sirius piped in, equally invested as the Gryffindor beater.
Avelina was hiding back laughter, and all she could think to do was shake her head, and leave as soon as possible.
"I should actually get to bed, need a good nights rest if I'm gonna kick Gryffindors ass tomorrow," she sighed, giving a dramatic fake stretch and yawn.
"Oh it's so on Rosier," James huffed, beating his chest like some sort of gorilla.
She let out a final giggle, bidding them all goodnight as she headed towards the doorway. Without saying anything Remus got up, shutting the book he was reading.
He always walked her to back to her common room, no matter how many times she told him it was okay.
Most of the time he wouldn't even ask, just tagging along in silence to make sure she got back okay.
Though this time, they were a couple seconds away from the Gryffindor common room and he turned to her with a smirk on his face.
"Your the Hufflepuff captain aren't you?"
All Avelina could do was grin in response.
______
IT WAS THE MORNING of the match as team Gryffindor ate breakfast in the great hall, there wasn't a single Hufflepuff in sight. In fact, no one had seen the team all morning.
James was convinced it was some tactic to sike them out, but in reality Avelina just wanted her team to eat in the kitchens, because they easily had access to them and it gave them same last minute time to talk strategy.
Besides, she was already dressed and ready to go, she didn't need James realizing she was captain before she stepped out on that field.
It was a beautiful brisk morning, the sky blue and the leftover mist from last nights rainfall hanging over the grounds. It was truly perfect Quidditch weather.
The Hufflepuff team was waiting patiently in the dressing room, some of them pacing.
Avelina had been on the team since her second year. Though she originally started as seeker simply due to the fact she was small, she since moved to a chaser position.
And now here she was, the first hufflepuff female quidditch captain hopefully about to go out and whoop Gryffindors ass.
She heard them announce the Gryffindor team, and the madness of cheers coming from the stands. They would be up next, the team crowded around the entrance taking deep breaths.
"First game as captain," chaser Dorcas Meadows asked. "You nervous?"
Avelina let out a chuckle. "Never Meadows, it's not my style."
"AND YOUR HUFFLEPUFF QUIDDITCH TEAM OF THE 76-77 SEASON, LED BY CAPTAIN AVELINA ROSIER!"
The voice echoed through the crowd, as the Hufflepuffs stepped out into the field in a frenzy of cheers. They had both ravenclaw and Slytherin support, mostly because no one wanted the Gryffindors to win.
And as Avelina predicted, James face was priceless. As she got closer to him, in the captains circle where they were supposed to shake hands, she swore the boy was about to have a stroke. His head titled, his left eye twitching so bad it looked as if he had something in it , and all he could do was stare at her with pure irritation written across his face.
"Captains shake hands, I want a good clean game now," Hooch demanded, and James didn't move, simply staring at Aveline, too shocked to make his body move.
She reached forward, grabbing his hand and sending him a wink.
"May the best captain win Potter," she said, a bit of light hearted competition in her voice.
This seemed to snap James out of the stroke he was having, as his usual animated features washed over his face, as if a switch had been turned on.
"Oh you're so on Rosier."
______
The game was going very well for both sides, much to Avelina demise. Anytime her team scored, Gryffindor matched their point and vice versa. Most of the goals were being scored by James Potter and Avelina Rosier, and truthfully the game had turned into a Rosier versus Potter show down more then anything.
They both were by far the best flyers on their team, and by far the best chasers. The announcing could barely keep up with the chaotic mess that was them constantly bouncing off eachother.
Both of the captains were bellowing at their seekers to catch the snitch first, though it seemed as if it hadn't been spotted yet.
Suddenly, the Gryffindor seeker shot forward, followed closely by the Hufflepuff seeker. The game paused, all eyes watching the two dive towards the ground.
In the end, it was the team of red and gold that pulled out ahead, as the seeker rose triumphantly holding the gold ball in his hands.
James let out a billowing yell, right before someone sent a bugler flying right into the side of the boys head.
The whole crowd gasped, as Aveline watched in slow motion as James's head sludged forward, the boy beginning to slide off his broom. She lunged forward, holding her broom by nothing more then her ankles as she used both hands to reach for James.
Somehow she managed to wrangle him onto her broom, and luckily Sirius was by her side in seconds, taking the other half of the boys body weight. They flew him down to the ground, where both Madam Pomfrey and Mcgonagall were waiting for him, ready to whisk him off to the hospital wing.
James had blood running down the side of her head, and the only thing Aveline wanted to do was figure out who did this. It was no doubt one of her hufflepuffs, but who exactly was another question.
"DRESSING ROOM NOW!" Aveline bellowed to the Hufflepuff team.
No one in the entire school had ever heard the friendly little hufflepuff raise her voice, so it was much shocking to see her storming into the change room. A flock of Hufflepuffs following her as if they were scared little sheeps.
Once all of her team had filed in she slammed the door shut, pacing infront of them with her finger tapping on her chin.
"Who did it?" she asked, finally looking up to scan her eyes over them.
Most of them looked equally as terrified as Aveline felt. Heads bowed down, not out of shame of a loss but out of shame that their house was responsible for injuring a player so unfairly. That had been a move that Slytherin would've done in a dirty attempt to injure a teams best player. Hufflepuffs weren't like that, and they all felt the shame radiating off of them.
Someone gulped, and the whole room watched as Amos Diggory stood up, raising his hand.
"I'm sorry Aveline. He's just so bloody annoying and I was angry Madison didn't catch the snitch," the boy began to try and defend himself.
For a moment Aveline was silent, simply just starting at Amos with cold icy eyes as he stared at his feet. He was no doubt begging the floor to swallow him hole.
"Pack your stuff Diggory, I want you off of my team."
"What?" Amos asked, looking dumfounded.
"I want you off of my team, do I need to repeat myself again?"
"Come on Aveline. I'm the best beater you've got and-"
"Diggory," she warned, gritting her teeth.
Eventually the boy slumped his shoulders forward, turning around and slamming his hand on the wall as he threw off his jersey. Aveline watched as he did, standing at the doorway with a pissed of expression. Tossing the jersey at her, the boy slammed the door on the way out.
The room was in shock, everyone full of tension.
"There's enough bullshit going on in the world and in this school right now, Hufflepuff does not need to be apart of it. Does everyone understand?" she spoke more forecfully then any of them had ever heard her spoke. When they all nodded their heads she smiled.
"Good game everyone.You all played wonderfully," she said in a much lighter tone.
By the time Aveline was done with her team, and heading back up to the school it was almost 4 o'clock. The whole day had gone by with quidditch and immediately Aveline wanted to head to the hospital wing to check on James.
She was quite angry at Amos, so much so that she had to take deep breathes well she walked up to the school.
"Ava," a voice called, and she turned around to see Sirius and Remus strolling towards her.
"What's going on? Is james okay?"
"He's fine," Sirius assured her, reaching out and squeezing her arm. "Pete's actually taking him back to the common room. He's got a bandage around his head but nothing major. Pomfrey put some weird stuff on his head, said it'll be better by morning."
Aveline' let out a sigh of relief, falling into step with the two boys.
"We heard you lost your shit on the Hufflepuff team?" Remus mused, raising in eyebrow in her direction.
Her face flushed red, as the girl crossed her arms.
"I did not loose my shit," both boys faces seemed to fall, "But I did kick Amos off the team."
With that they both grinned wildly, Sirius even letting out a cheer.
After that they went to the great hall for an early dinner and to fill up a plate of food for both James and Peter. Aveline opted to sit at the Gryffindor table, mostly because she wanted nothing to do with her fellow Hufflepuffs right now. Luckily Amos Diggory was no where to be seen.
When they arrived back in the common room, Aveline spotted James sitting on one of the couches. Sure enough, he had a wide bandage wrapped around his whole head, his glasses sitting crooked on his nose.
A bunch of people were surrounding him, including Lily Evans, who was sitting right beside him fussing over James trying to take the bandage off his head.
"Potter if you don't stop picking at your head it will never heal!" she snapped, slapping James hands away.
"But it's itchy Lily!"
"I swear that hit made you loose your last remaining brain cells Potter."
Aveline was much too amused by this, as they walked into the room, handing James his plate. Truthfully she was very happy to see that James was well enough to be sitting and chatting with Lily.
"Aveline!" James said excitedly, jumping up on his feet despite everyone's protests. "No way YOUR CAPTAIN!"
He pulled her into a tight hug, crushing her lungs and ruffling her hair with his hand. Aveline rolled her eyes, straightening her hair as she did.
"I feel like a proud brother right now man," James sighed, and Aveline swore he looked like he was about to start crying. "Our little Aveline, all grown up and now the captain of her own team."
"James sit down," Lily snapped.
At once James sat down like an obedient dog , smiling up at her well Lily glared back.
"You'll get light headed," she told him. "Besides you should be eating."
"Of course, anything you say Lily."
With that James began to happily munch on his dinner. His fellow marauders watched in absolute amusement as not once did Lily get up to leave. In fact she seemed even more concerned about James then anyone, constantly telling him to drink water and forcing him to calm down.
Aveline was squished, half sitting on both Remus and Sirius, as the three of them were forced to share a single arm chair as they didn't want to intrude on Lily and James. Remus's arm was resting on the back of chair over both her and Sirius. Peter was sitting at the bottom, his eyes wide as she watched Lily actually converse with James
In fact, they were all as shocked as Peter, to the point where they couldn't take their eyes off the pair.
On the other arm chair a similar situation was happening with Marlene, Mary and Alice. The three girls huddled onto one chair as they watched Lily talk to James with wide eyes.
"Is this actually happening or am I hallucinating?" Aveline whispered to Remus as Lily actually laughed at something James said
"I can't tell," Remus mumbled, his eyes wide staring at the two.
"You'd think she's the one who got hit with budgler," Peter added, and their was a collective nod of agreement.
"Is she smiling?" Sirius asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Are we sure that's actually Lily?" Remus pondered
The two didn't even notice that they had many many pairs of eyes just watching them. They simply say on the couch, Lily making James drink water and smiling every time he said something stupid. James looked out of this world happy, his arm thrown over the back of the couch as he stared at the pretty girl with wide eyes.
Finally, when Lily got up to go get something from her dorm room, James looked over at his friends. A gaping expression on his face as he leaned over to them.
"Getting hit in the head was the best thing to ever happen to me," James rushed in such an excited tone it looked like he was about to explode.
Lily came back moments later with a soft blanket she draped over James shoulder. Claiming it was important he stayed warm because of some medical reason James was to busy staring at her to listen too.
"Oy Potter!" One of the seventh years called. "We partying tonight or what?"
It was a common occurrence for a party to occur after a Gryffindor match. Especially when they won, the parties were known to be so wild they carried onto the next morning. James looked over at lily, a smile daring to cross over his face.
"You know you need to rest," Lily reprimanded.
James looked torn. On one hand he loved a good party, but on the other hand this was Lily Evans actually talking to him like he was a normal person.
"Well Lily Flower, I guess that means you'll just have to finally join in to make sure I take care of my injured head," James sighed.
"What-"
"Oh the party is so on!" James called back to the boy, despite the fact he was literally concussed.
_______
Two hours later the Gryffindor common room looked like something out of a movie. It was packed full of students, most of them carrying around red cups or half crushed cans, as music blasted from the ceiling. A game of beer pong was going on in one corner, and in another a group of Ravenclaws aggressively were shot gunning cans of something.
Despite the fact James Potter almost died earlier that day, that didn't stop him from getting as drunk as he possibly could. The boy himself standing on a table dancing with Sirius and Aveline well chugging a cup of firewhiskey.
Leaning on the wall nearby stood Remus Lupin and Lily Evans. Remus had a bottle of muggle beer in his hand, sipping it as he stood casually, the other hand in his pocket. This was normal behaviour for Remus, he never particularly liked to be the center of attention at parties.
Lily on the other hand, looked completely out of place. The girl never really showed up to the Gryffindor parties, most of the time she'd hide in her room and drown out the music with headphones.
"Loosen up Lils, want a drink?" Remus asked, already on his fourth one himself.
"I just wish Potter would stop being such an idiot
all the time. He's going to hurt himself you know," Lily tutted, crossing her arms
Remus hid his smirk behind another sip, his eyes moving from Lily to their friends dancing on the table.
"It seems you really care about him," Remus stated.
"I do not!" Lily huffed aggressively. "It's just no one in this gosh for saken place is responsible! James could've really damaged his brain with that hit, and most of you lot could care less!"
"To be fair, most of this lot is wizards and witches who grew up with magic. To them that sort of thing isn't a big deal— can easily be healed by Madam Pomfrey."
They fell into silence after that, watching James twirl Aveline around to the song Dancing Queen. She looked particularly radiant in the low light of the party, a pair of low rise muggle jeans and a cropped shirt as she danced as effortlessly as the wind.
She looked very free, would perhaps the the best way to describe her. Natural hair flowing around her as she smiled and sung the lyrics at the top her lungs with James.
Sirius had ran off in some corner to flirt with someone, leaving just the two of them.
If anyone walked in at that particular moment, it really would've looked like James and Aveline were some sort of couple. His hands holding her waist, the girl with arms wrapped around his neck, screaming the lyrics into each others faces. He'd twirl her around and she'd twirl him.
Though James and Aveline always just sort of had that bond. Neither of them looked at each-other in any sort of romantic way, so it wasn't weird for them
to be dancing like this. In fact, it was quite the normal occurrence at parties.
Many many eyes were on the pair. Boys and girls alike who knew they were both single, eyeing the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff duo up and down. Eager to be the next one who got to dance with Aveline Rosier or James Potter.
Eventually James hoped down, as did Aveline when the song changed. Full of giggles and drunk stumbled, they wandered over to where Remus and Lily were standing.
Remus looked completely amused, especially as Aveline approached them, nearly falling into the wall. On instinct he reacted, shooting his hand out and steadying the girl with laughter falling from his mouth.
"Have enough to drink now have you Aveline?" He mused, his brown eyes watching her take a deep breath.
Her cheeks were rosy from the dancing and the alcohol, the girl still slightly panting. Remus nearly had to bite his lip, for he had to admit, Aveline Rosier was seriously attractive.
"Not nearly enough!" She answered, leaning on the wall beside him, dropping her head on his shoulder as she usually did.
Beside them James was trying to convince Lily to come dance. Which only ended in the girl rolling her eyes.
Eventually however, James did convince Lily to have a drink, and everyone watched in shock as Lily Evans cracked open a beer bottle with nothing but her teeth.
James looked as if he had fallen in love with the girl that very second, he jaw dropped as he simply just stared.
"What?" she snarked, biting back a smile. "Just because I never come to your cute little parties Potter, doesn't mean I've never drank."
With that she sent James a wink, walking off to go find Marlene and Mary. James knees literally would've gave out if Remus didn't catch the boy, as he started longing at Lily who was walking away.
"Holy fuck, oh my god," James breathed, quite literally almost hyperventilating. "One day I'm gonna make that woman my wife. HEY LILY WAIT FOR ME!"
Remus and Aveline watched as James literally sprinted after the girl, nearly taking out a whole crowd of people to get to her. Both of them let out laughter, quite pleased to watch James be enthralled by Lily Evans.
"Ooo!" Aveline' squeeked as the song Killer Queen by Queen came on. She grabbed Remus's arm. "Come dance!"
The boy groaned shaking his head. "You know that's not my thing."
It was true, Remus Lupin was very happy to sit in the corner or a couch on a party, occasionally chatting to people if they came up to him. He wasn't the type to climb on tables like Aveline, Sirius or James, and bring the whole rooms attention to him.
"Pleaseeeeee Remus ," she begged, leaning back to put her full body weight into trying to pull Remus.
He really didn't want to dance, but when Aveline Rosier is tugging at your arm with her adorable rosy cheeks and slightly messy curly hair, what are you supposed to say besides yes. Remus was a dead man the moment she said his name, so chugging the rest of the drink he tossed the bottle aside, letting her drag him to the dance floor.
As most things he did, Remus Lupin was a surprisingly good dancer. He did it quite effortlessly, spinning Aveline around and even doing some fancy moves she wasn't expecting. He was having much more fun then he expected, laughing as the girl would insist on trying to spin him too, which never worked well considering their height difference.
Over the course of the short period of time they were dancing, Remus was very shocked to see just how many people approached Aveline. Like boys full on flirting with her and touching her back, well Remus literally had his arm around her. It was like he wasn't even there, but then again, he supposed it wasn't like they were dating or anything.
Eventually, a very drunk Sirius Black stumbled over to them, throwing an arm over each of them in a drunken haze.
"Hey buddies," Sirius slurred, reaching to take another sip out of the flask that was in his hands.
Remus reached out, grabbing it from him before he could. Sirius always somehow managed to get his hands on the most extreme forms of liquor possible, and as Remus smelled it his nose literally burned.
"I think that's enough for you mate," Remus told Sirius, patting him on the chest.
Sirius didn't even register the words, he was so drunk that if he wasn't leaning on both of them he would be on the floor at the current moment.
"Come on," Aveline sighed, tightening her grip on Sirius as they began to walk him to one of the couches.
Regardless of the fact that both Aveline and Remus were both definitely tipsy, they both fell into full on mom friend mode when they saw Sirius in his state. Usually James was the one who handled this, but they couldn't interrupt him considering Lily was actually talking to him.
"Sirius how much have you had to drink?" Remus groaned, swirling around the flask to see it was nearly empty.
Sirius shrugged, slumping his head to the side. "A bottle or two."
"What?" Both Remus and Aveline exclaimed.
"Come on its fusncns," the last word he said was literally incoherent.
Aveline' crouched down in front of Sirius, lifting his face in her hands so she could look into his eyes. He was so fucking gone it was insane, he most definitely would not remember any of this in the morning.
"Ava?" Sirius asked suddenly, his eyes fluttering more open. "I think I'm gonna barf."
"Okay come on buddy," Remus said, lifting Sirius up
off the couch fire man style.
With help from Aveline clearing the crowds, they carried him up to the boys dorm. Remus only managed to hit Sirius's head on the walls twice, both times in which Aveline and Remus burst out laughed. Eventually however, they got him to the bathroom, the boy slumping on the floor.
Remus waited with Sirius as Aveline went to go get him water and a hair tie. He was sitting on the edge of the bathtub as Sirius was hunched over the toilet, incoherent rambles coming from his mouth.
"Here Sirius," Aveline said lightly, as she tied the boys long hair up in a bun at the back of his head. "I'm going to set the water on the floor beside you if you want it, okay?"
All she got back was another grumble from Sirius. She began to walk over to James's cabinet in the bathroom, where she knew for a fact he kept a series of medical potions in case any of his friends got sick. She felt eyes on her, and sure enough she turned around to see Remus. His brown eyes watching her with an amused smirk.
"What?"
"Nothing," Remus mused, running a hand through his hair. "I can just so picture you being a mother right now."
Aveline rolled her eyes, reaching into the cabinet to find the medicine she needed, pouring it into a little cup for Sirius. After forcing it down his throat he didn't look much better, still hunched over the toilet with his head hanging
Aveline sat on the opposite end of the bathtub from Remus, her legs kicked out towards his as they watched over Sirius.
"You guys are like my mom and my dad," Sirius picked up his head, slurring the words slightly as he looked at them. "I love you guys."
Reaching forward softly Aveline touched the side of the boys face.
"We love you too Sirius," Aveline told him, and Remus nodded in agreement.
Sirius looked like was about to cry, then suddenly he threw his head back in the toilet, throwing up again. Both Remus and Aveline hid their laughter behind hands, sharing amused expressions
The bathroom door kicked open, in strutting Peter Pettigrew with a very proud look on his face. He looked a little drunk, but certainly not on Sirius's level who was pretty much dead.
"Guess who Mary Mcdonald just kissed on the lips?" Peter asked triumphantly.
"James?" Sirius mummbled from the toilet bowl.
"No!" Peter snapped. "Me!"
Aveline and Remus gave the boy a cheer, Remus slapping him on the back to congratulate him. It was no secret was definitely that latest bloomer out of all the marauders, being the last boy to receive his first kiss. He never exactly received a lot of attention from the ladies, so for someone to kiss him he was very proud.
"That's your first kiss isn't it Pete?" Remus asked, as the boy climbed into the bathtub to join them.
He nodded excitedly. "I'm no longer a lip virgin."
Another round of cheers sounded, Aveline letting out an excited whoop.
"Congrats Pete, you deserve it," she told the boy, reaching over and ruffling his hair.
"You know I'm curious," Peter asked, eyes flickering between Aveline and Remus, "You two are the only ones in the group who haven't shared your first kiss stories."
Sirius mumbled something that sounded like so true pete, but no one could really tell. Remus scoffed running a hand through his hair and ignoring the question, all well Aveline began to study the ingredients on a bottle of shampoo.
Aveline could feel her cheeks growing red, as she thought about that first kiss she never talked about with anyone.
Not even the boy she kissed.