Matchmakers - Sirius Black

Chapter 4

"First game, you nervous?"

Annabelle shakes her head as she shovels cereal into her mouth, it's been three weeks since the party.

Sirius has been acting strange lately. He isn't as excited when they hatch their plans, everyone has noticed. But every time they question it he mumbles out an excuse and leaves.

"Nope, not one bit, you're coming, right?" Remus nods and they both look up as James and Sirius take their seats.

"Okay, Paddy," Sirius stares blankly at the food on his plate, Annabelle snaps her fingers in order to get his attention, "You okay?"

He nods and pours himself a drink, "The plan is set in motion." He grins, everyone finds themselves grinning along as he slowly becomes his usual self.

No one knows whey he's been acting strange but since Halloween he's slowly getting over whatever it was.

Shoving another bite of cereal into her mouth she tosses her scarf at Sirius and grabs James' arm before running out of the hall. Sirius wraps the yellow and red kitted scarf around his neck and then grabs Remus pulling him behind their friends.

~~~~~

"Right, we've got Hufflepuff first, we've never lost to them, let's keep it that way," Annabelle says over the chatter of her team, "We've got a good strong team and hundreds of supporters out there cheering for us. Not Hufflepuff, not Jay, not me, not Johnson, us, the team, Gryffindor, all of us."

The team cheers and clutch their brooms tightly, "Do you think Evans will be here?"

"Of course she'll be here," James straightens his posture, "She's my best friend." His posture deflates and she nudges him playfully.

"And the red and gold team! Gryffindor!"

They mount their brooms and fly out. As soon as the whistle is heard the teams are off.

The game goes on for almost an hour, the score is 90-20 to Gryffindor, another shot is thrown her way and she kicks it away just before it goes into the hoop.

"Yes! Well done McGonagall!"

The crowd cheers for her and she casts a look over at Sirius, Remus and Peter who are cheering for her, except Peter, he's shovelling sweets into his mouth.

"James Potter has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

Getting off of her broom, Annabelle grins as she runs over to James and jumps on his back cheering loudly for the entire crowd to hear. Her screams soon stop when her throat becomes dry but that doesn't wipe the grin from her face.

James looks up into the crowd to see Lily slowly clapping with a small smile on her face making his grin widen.

"Let's go, Annie, we've got a party to get to." He says wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her away from the loud crowd.

~~~~~

The same Ravenclaw from a few weeks ago at the party is at the Gryffindor common room, he stands across the room making eyes at the very oblivious Annabelle who talks to Lily on the sofa opposite the Marauders.

"I don't like the way he's looking at her." Sirius says.

"That's jealousy."

"No, it just fear for my friend... yeah, that's it." He says with a nod as if trying to convince himself. Again, Remus and James roll their eyes at their friend and watch as the Ravenclaw struts over to her and Lily.

"Good game, McGonagall." He says with a small smirk.

She looks up with a smile, "Thanks, John, isn't it?"

He nod and sits on the other side of her, "I'm going to go talk to James."

Lily sits beside the Marauders watching her friend chat with the Ravenclaw who is obviously into her, "She's too oblivious for her own good, how can she be a matchmaker and see the 'longing looks' people send each other if she can't see the ones people send her?"

Remus chuckles and shrugs, "That's just our Anne."