Lily Evans and the Marauder's Secrets

Chapter 11: Quidditch Tryouts

But I don't talk to Severus the next day in Potions. Or when I see him on the grounds during a free period on Thursday, or not even in double Potions on Friday, at least not about the library. The excuse I make is that I'm too busy to have that intense of a conversation with him right now. The reality is I'm having way too much fun being friends with Sev again to want to rock the boat by prying about his Housemates. So instead, I really throw myself into our Potions lessons and keep the conversation focused on our mission to find his perfect happy memory; the little purse is starting to overflow with all the little scraps of paper we've written our recollections on.

It's turned out to be a fantastic distraction. At first, it was just me coming up with memories, but little by little Sev started adding them, too. They're a mixture of sentimental, like my first one, but also silly, like the one Sev wrote that says Remember when you thought you could eat a whole Chocolate Frog in one bite, and you did, but then it hopped around in your stomach for like three days after that?

And it's working. During our free period on Thursday, Severus tells me he had been very very close to producing something solid that morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"What did it look like?" I ask while we walked around the lake. The first hint of autumn bit in the breeze off the water.

"I don't know," Severus says. "But it's going to be something big..."

But it's not all excuses about avoiding the conversation about Sev's fellow Slytherins; I really am extremely busy. The school year is fully in swing now and the professors are dolling out homework like it's Honeyduke's fresh fudge on the third years' first Hogsmeade weekend. I barely have a spare moment to myself, especially after the House Heads get Potter and I their lists of students who have been approved as tutors, along with a list of students who need one. I take on a student myself, third year Timothy Llewlyn from the Slug Club who needs help in Charms, and we set up a regular meeting time for tutoring every Wednesday right after dinner.

Saturday morning, though, I'm really feeling guilty about avoiding dealing with Severus and thinking maybe I'll just ask him about the library over breakfast, all casual. I usually see him eating in the mornings around the same time I do, and a Saturday morning will be lazy and quiet, a good time to keep our conversation private.

But when I get down to the Great Hall, I'm shocked to find it buzzing with students.

Marlene plops herself down next to me. I look at her in shock too.

"Marlene! What in the name of Merlin are you doing up at this hour? And on a Saturday, no less!"

She hoists her leg up on the bench between us so she can lace her trainers and I take a good look at her. Padded breeches, lightweight Gryffindor sweater, gloves on the table in front of her... wait a moment...

"Quidditch tryouts!" Marlene says brightly. She switches legs. "James is holding them today."

"Huh." I say. "I didn't realize you'd have to try out again this year."

"James thinks it's best practice, make sure everyone who wants to try out has a fair chance."

"Huh," I say again, looking around the Great Hall at all the students clamoring about and shoveling down sausages and eggs. "Well, that doesn't explain why all the other House tables are also so full."

"Sure it does!" Marlene says, now helping herself to a slice of toast and buttering it generously. She takes a huge bite. "We're the team to beat this year, after thoroughly stomping everyone last season," she explains through a mouth full of crumbs. "They all want to check out who's going to be their competition this year." She swallows before stuffing the rest of the slice in her mouth and chasing it down with a glass of pumpkin juice. "Anyway, I got to get going, want a chance to warm up. See you on the pitch!"