Without Warning

CHAPTER SEVEN: Mates, Dates and Reversed Hates

"I'm sorry, Moony, I don't believe I heard you correctly. You asked who to the Celebratory Ball?" Sirius was sitting at the Marauder's usual table in the Gryffindor common room, playing wizards chess with Remus.

He had just been in the middle of a great move when Remus had blurted out whom he wataking to the Ball, leaving Sirius rooted to the spot in mid-motion. It was a dirty tactic, if ever he'd seen one. And that was saying something, as Sirius was known for his fair share of dirty tactics.

"No, you heard me correctly. I asked Andromeda."

"I ... but ... but you can't take her!"

"Why not?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the little concept of her being my cousin! My favourite cousin, at that."

"Well," frowned Remus slightly, "would you rather her go with someone half decent - such as myself - or follow suit like her sisters and go with some smarmy little Slytherin punk?"

"You know fully well that Bellatrix is beyond repair. Narcissa is just an idiot."

"A gorgeous idiot."

"Watch who you're saying that to, Moony."

"It's true. She could have any guy in the school with her looks. Anyway, since when did you care what was said about her?"

"Well she can't be all bad, like Bella. Narcissa is in Ravenclaw, after all - she must have some brains. And anyway, she's still my littcousin. But if she wants to go with Malfoy, that's her problem."

"Never mind the fact that she's only a fourth year and he's a seventh."

"Yeah well, why should I care about her anyway? She doesn't give a shit about me. None of them do except for Andromeda."

"True." Though Remus had a slight feeling that Sirius did care. Otherwise he wouldn't have been so concerned in the first place.

"Which is why I don't want her going with you! You'll corrupt her, Moony, I know you will!"

"Get a grip, Sirius."

"Oh, I'll get a grip all right," he grinned as he lunged across the table at Remus.

They both started laughing hysterically as their play fight unfolded. Remus was letting Sirius win, of course. Had he shown his full wolf strength, he would've been able to deck Sirius with one arm.

"Okay, okay, enough," panted Remus.

"So you won't take her?"

"I can't turn her down now! Do you want me to break her heart, Padfoot?"

"If it means keeping her away from you, then yes. She can handle it."

"What if it breaks my heart?"

"Then I should be shoving you out the portrait hole right now to tell her that you can't take her."

"You really are bitter and twisted, you know."

"Just another one of my stand-out qualities. You should feel humbled that I'm even in your presence."

"Of course I do ... but I'm still taking Andromeda."

"Okay, but be prepared to face the consequences," Sirius said in a singsong voice.

"Which would be...?"

"I'll kill you if you hurt her."

"Fair enough. So, who are you taking?"

"Alice Fletcher.&q

"That blonde Ravenclaw seventh year? Pretty, round face?"

"The one and only."

"I'm impressed."

"You shouldn't be Moony. After all, she's been chasing me for ages."

"Yet another humble statement from Mr. Modesty."

"Please, no more autographs. My hand is far too sore."

"I feel for you, I really do."

"Thanks for the sympathy, but it's really unnecessary. What I want to know is what the Hell is going on with James and Evans. He's being totally secretive about it. That's completely unfair!" whined Sirius.

"Hmm, maybe it has something to do with that little problem you have of keeping your mouth shut," Remus suggested with a wry grin.

"I hate you Moony, I really do."

"Padfoot old friend, the feeling's mutual."

********************************

Saturday morning dawned bright and early for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It was shaping up to be yet another spectacular spring day, which meant perfect flying conditions for the team.

However, James was up before anyone else, pouring over last minute strategies for the upcoming game against therin. They were a particularly brutal team, as most of their players were burly seventh years that associated with Lucius Malfoy. This meant that they all were involved in the dark arts, in some shape or form and that none of them were particularly good at Quidditch, but just hurting other players in general.

The dark arts were something James had always hated. His father was an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic and his mother was an Auror. Both of them were very busy with the current predicament that certain new dark magic was causing, and even though James was an only child, he seemed to be dealing with things especially well.

In fact, he felt so strongly about it, he believed that even if his parents had not been anti-dark arts, he still would have been anyway - like Sirius was. Nearly all of Sirius' family was pro-dark arts and immersed in pure blood hysteria. James felt that Sirius and his cousin Andromeda were the only two Blacks he knew that were decent. He would have thought the samabout Narcissa, but she was too easily led astray by her eldest sister, Bellatrix and would no doubt be swimming in the dark arts in no time with Malfoy hot on her tail.

He scowled slightly. If there was anyone James hated more than Severus Snape, it would have to be Lucius Malfoy and his cronies. And if there was anyone he hated more than those two, it would have to be this new powerful dark wizard, Voldemort. Some people had even started calling him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who, but James refused. There was no way he was going to be scared of that ridiculous name. And there was no way in Hell he was calling this wizard a Lord.

He scoffed loudly at his own thoughts and continued pouring over his game strategies.

"Morning, Potter," someone yawned as they walked down the staircase.

James turned his head to see Indigo McKinnon, already dressed in her Quidditch robes. His eyes widened; this was Lily's best friend. If anyone could tell him how to win her heart, it would have to be Indigo.

"Morning, Indigo," smiled James. He decided to start with her first name. People always sounded friendlier when they addressed others by first names.

"Is this some kind of new trend?"

"Er, sorry?"

"This whole first name basis thing. First Lily, now me."

"Ha - well, you know me McKi- Indigo. I've always been quite the charmer."

"Fair enough." Indigo gave James a suspicious smile and sat down beside him at the table. "So, what's the plan for today, captain?"

"Please, call me James," he said in a mock business-like tone and grinned at her again.

"All right, James."

They both let out slightly nervous laughs.

"So who are you taking to the Ball, James?"

"No one ... yet."

"But you'd like to take...?"

"Who do you think?"

"I thought so. You know, I think she'd say yes if you asked her again, now that you're friends and all."

"Who told you we were friends?"

"James, are you serious? I'm her best friend - 'nough said."

James grinned at Indigo - he liked the sound of this conversation.

"Okay, then. Maybe I will."

"Maybe?"

"O course I will. I just have to work out my strategy."

"Strategy? Lily isn't a game, James. And I can tell you right now she won't like it one bit, being compared to one."

"But...I...how do I win her then?"

"There's your problem. You don't win her. She's not a trophy you win and stick on your mantelpiece. And from the sound of your little conversation the other night, you don't want one of those, anyway. The reason why you're friends now is because you talked to her normally for the first time everuot;

"Oh, right."

"So, if you can, just keep things normal. I know that's going to be hard for you, though," Indigo grinned as she nudged him with her elbow.

"Thanks so much for your sympathy."

"You're welcome. And er...It's just uh, if you're going to ask her, I'd hurry if I were you. Word's spreading that Gilderoy Lockhart has got his eye on her," Indigo said earnestly. This was a complete and utter lie, of course, but a little white lie wouldn't hurt anyone. And besides, she was sick and tired of waiting.

*****************************

As James squeezed the Slytherin captain Evan Rosier's hand particularly hard, he believed he'd never disliked any team more than he did right now. They were all wearing disgusting little smirks, suggesting that they were up to something.

The commentator, Rupert Jordan, was talking animatedly about something to do with James' latest broom model, the Deltabolt 2000, while McGonagall sat there scolding him for ignoring the task at hand.

As he mounted his broom with the rest of his team, he noticed a flick of fire-red out of the corner of his eye and turned to see - it was Lily, sitting with the Parker twins in the main grandstand seats next to Sirius, Remus and Peter. James felt a gush of excitable enthusiasm; he felt like he was looking at the four people that he would care about the most for the rest of his life. He grinned and lifted his head skyward, letting the breeze whip in his face and through his hair.

"And they're off! Potter takes the Quaffle with ease, skillfully zigzagging through the swarm of Blers. Ha- ha! You've got to get up earlier than that to beat James Potter on a Deltabolt 2000!"

"Jordan, I'm warning you," Professor McGonagall said in a rather intimidating tone.

"Sorry, Professor, just telling it like it is... Potter throws the Quaffle to McKinnon, who dodges Rookwood with ease and yes... YES... She scores! 10 nil to Gryffindor!"

Indigo scored two more times within the following five minutes. She was definitely up there with James when it came to Quidditch skills. However, she had more talenandling the Quaffle over flying, whereas James was just the best all-round. He especially loved performing the Wronski Feint, even though he wasn't the seeker. Any practice was good practice, right?

He looked around at the crowd and decided it was time pull off a great stunt. They were getting rather restless, and spectacular stunts were what he was good at, even if he did say so himself.

He dodged a bludger coming straight towards him, plummeted vertically downwards and then spiralled back up before sailing along upside down waving to his adoring fans.

"James Potter pulls off what must be one of the best moves Hogwarts has ever seen!" Rupert Jordan was now dancing around like a maniac just out of reach of McGonagall.

As he flew off to one side, Indigo threw James the Quaffle and he scored easily as the Slytherin keeper was still in awe of the fabulous move he'd just performed.

The score had reached 50 - 30 to Gryffindor. It was a tight match and it seemed the Slytherins were getting more vicious as they became more desperate.

Slytherin had the ball. James zoomed toward Rookwood, planning to pry the Quaffle out of his hands, when a Bludger came out of nowhere. It hit him hard in the chest and sent him flying backwards. Luckily, he managed to stay on his broom, but he still felt completely dazed. Wheras he again? Oh yeah, playing Quidditch...against...Slytherin? Yeah, Slytherin.

The crowd was yelling angrily, and many people were standing and shaking their fists at the Slytherin players. James looked around for his friends in the crowd, but everything seemed to be going blurry. He saw the whip of red again, though. Was it really fire? No, it was hair. He focused on its owners face - a beautiful girl. Not just pretty, but absolutely beautiful.

Lily.

He felt the searing pain ease slightly and looked around at the players. Igo was calling out to him but he couldn't make out what she was saying. The crowd was now cheering loudly.

Indigo was still calling out to him. Got the...what? Got...got the snitch? So they had won. The Gryffindor seeker, Gideon Prewett, had caught the snitch. He looked around to see his whole team smiling with glee. Gideon holding the snitch up for the crowd to see, his brother Fabian, who was a chaser, was hovering in the air with Indigo and cheering madly. The two beaters, Benjamin Fenwick and Emmeline Vance, were clanking their clubs together jovially.

James smiled weakly and flew towards the ground. He was still feeling rather weak and decided it was probably not the best idea to be flying at such a height. As he made contact with the ground, people from the crowd came careening towards him to congratulate him.

"Great game, Potter!" someone said, clapping him on the back.

"Absolutely magnificent!" said another.

"Don't worry, we'll get revenge on that prat, Rookwood."

"Party in Gryffindor Tower!"

"Give him some room, will you!" James knew that voice - it was Sirius.

"Sirius," croaked James.

"Prongs," panted Sirius, "are you okay? That was a nasty hit you got, that was."

"I ... I know."

"Shit, you're not okay, are you? You've gone all white."

"I think I might have broken a...a rib or something..."

"James?" A new voice - he knew that one, too.

"Lily," James was breathing unsteadily and tried to give her a smile, which turned into a grimace.

"Sit down," she said as she gripped one of his arms and helped him down, while Sirius dismissed the crowd.

"Lily," began James, but winced as his chest once again seared with pain.

"It's okay James, don't talk."

"No. I have to...have to ask you something."

"Okay..."

"Will...will you please come with me to the Celebratory Ball?" He asked her as politely and normally as he could while he felt like he was about to keel over and die. They were by themselves now, as Sirius had gone to get McGonagall with Remus and Peter.

Lily looked at him sympathetically. However, she was still rather apprehensive about his intentions. But then again, how could she deny him while he looked like he was about to cark it?

He gave her a pleading look.

"Of course I will, James."

He smiled weakly at her. She had her arm around him now to support his slumping shoulders. Her hand was gently stroking the base of his neck, tickling flicks of his hair. He felt himself floating away, having asked the one question he'd been longing to. He took at her fine-featured face and those stunning green eyes one last time.

With a sigh of relief at her answer, he fainted.