Lily and I walked to the Great Hall for breakfast, passing students and teachers. The Marauders were already there when we arrived, so I took a seat next to Sirius. He and James were talking about Quidditch.

"C'mon, mate," James was saying. "You'd be a great Beater!"

"I would, wouldn't I?" Sirius said, then shook his head. "You owe me, mate."

"'Course," James said.

I began piling eggs and sausages on my plate. James looked at me for a second before speaking again.

"You'd make a great Chaser, L/n," he said.

"Sure," I scoffed.

"No, really!" James said. "You played with us over the summer! You were great!"

I just shook my head and continued eating my breakfast.

"Just show up for tryouts? Please?" James asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Fine, Potter," I said.

James smiled happily.

"We're gonna win this year, I can feel it," he said.

I just nodded. If he said so.

Our first class of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Laufeyson told us to pair up and practice non-verbal spells. One of us had to use the jelly-legs jinx, while the other had to shield against it, all of which had to be non-verbal. I was paired up with Peter, who was supposed to be jinxing me. After three attempts, I was able to conjure a shield, while Peter still hadn't been able to do anything.

We were given a foot of parchment on non-verbal spells and their advantages as homework.

After class, Lily and I went to the library to work on that. We sat in one of the corners next to one of the large windows.

"So... how's it going with James?" I asked.

Lily blinked and looked up at me.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I do like him, but... I guess I'm just waiting for him to ask me out again so I can say yes."

"Why don't you ask him out?" I suggested. "You already know he likes you. I mean, the flirting the other day made it obvious."

Lily smiled at the memory.

"Maybe," she said. "It would give him a bit of a shock, wouldn't it?"

I smiled and got back to working on the Defence homework.

Herbology was the last class of the day. We were paired up and set to work on grabbing thorns off of Venomous Tentacula. I was partnered with Sirius, who was surprisingly good at handling the plant.

"So," Sirius said quietly. "When were you planning on telling me that you have a crush on Remus?"

I froze and my jaw dropped. The Venomous Tentacular decided just then that it was a good time to seize me from behind. I swore colourfully and hit the plant. It let go of me with a hiss.

I turned back to Sirius who was looking at me expectantly. I glanced to James who was working with Peter.

"Did James tell you?" I asked angrily.

I'd trusted James. Sure, he'd guessed, but I'd hoped he wouldn't have told anyone.

"Nope," Sirius said proudly. "I guessed."

I felt a bit guilty. Of course James wouldn't have told anyone.

"I wasn't planning on telling you," I muttered, holding a branch still so that I could remove a thorn.

"Why not?" Sirius asked. "I thought I was your best friend."

I snorted and shook my head.

"I hate to break it to you, but James is my best friend," I said.

It was true. I'd known him longer than any of the others, and I knew he had my back, just like I had his.

"Uh, that's incorrect," Sirius said. "James is my best friend."

I rolled my eyes.

"We can share," I said.

"Sure we can," Sirius said.

I rolled my eyes at him again and continued getting thorns from the Venomous Tentacula.

Once class finished, we all went to the Great Hall for lunch. We spoke about a prank James was thinking about pulling, and Lily and I added our own insights to it.

"Potter," a sneering voice said.

I turned around to face none other than the Slytherin Quidditch Captain, Mulciber.

"Mulciber," James said. "What do you want?"

"I heard you haven't called a date for Quidditch trials yet," Mulciber said. "You scared you'll lose to us?"

"Of course not," James said casually. "Not when a team of toads could beat you."

My friends began laughing and Mulciber's face turned dark.

"Watch yourself in the halls, Potter," he spat.

"Is that a threat?" I asked, standing up.

I heard Sirius stand up, too.

"Why do you care, blood traitor?" Mulciber snarled. "You're no better than that Mudblood."

He glanced at Lily as he said it. I pulled my wand out of my pocket, but Sirius was faster. He hexed Mulciber, and massive bogeys began attacking him. Mulciber began shrieking and ran out of the hall.

"Bat-Bogey hex," Sirius said, sitting back down.

I smirked at the thought of Mulciber running around the halls with massive boogers chasing him around.

"Hey, James, why haven't you done trials yet?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, I'm doing them," James said. "On Friday. I forgot to tell you guys, but I only told the Gryffindors so that the Slytherins wouldn't come and try to... do their thing."

Their thing usually consisted of throwing around insults and just being rude.

"Well, we have a free period," Sirius said. "I think we should–"

"Do your homework?" I suggested. "You still have the Animagus homework, as well as Defence and Charms."

"Okay, mum," Sirius said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he smiled. I knew he wasn't calling me a mum in the way he experienced a mother (a nasty piece of work, Mrs Black was), but in the way that he knew annoyed me.

"I'll send you to bed without supper, young man," I said.

"Oh no, my bones are trembling," Sirius said, standing up. "C'mon, Prongs. We should do the homework, or else we'll go hungry."

"The worst fate imaginable," James sighed, standing up.

They began to walk away, but Sirius stopped for a moment.

"Hey, L/n? Promise to tuck me in?" he asked.

I threw my goblet at him. He changed it into a paper plane with a flick of his wand. I was tempted to throw something else at him, but he'd already begun walking away with James.

"Are you going to try out for Chaser?" Remus asked me.

I shrugged.

"Might as well," I said. "I do enjoy Quidditch, and it would be a nice way to spend my time."

"We'll cheer you on," Lily said. "We'll paint your surname on our foreheads."

I cringed and she laughed.

"I'd prefer if you don't do that," I said.

"All the more reason to," she replied.

We all laughed, the sound filling the hall.