All the Young Dudes ( Sirius' Perspective )

Seventh Year : Star Star

Monday 27th February 1978

“What’s that about?” Sirius asked, watching James scan the note that an owl had just dropped into his lap. It had come a bit after the rest of the morning post, fluttering onto the table as the marauders ate their breakfast.

James shrugged. “McGonagall wants to see me before quidditch,” he said, chugging the last of his pumpkin juice and standing.

“Are you going now?” Lily asked, glancing up from her seat beside him.

“Yeah, ‘course.”

“Practice isn’t for another hour—you haven’t even finished your breakfast!”

“Yeah, but it’s quidditch.”

“Try not to lose heart, Evans,” Sirius said, sighing dramatically, “Quidditch will always be Potter’s first love…the rest of us just have to learn to live with it.”

“It’s true,” Peter chimed in, “I’ve heard him muttering about quaffles in his sleep.”

“And don’t even get him started on his broom—” Remus began, grinning, before James cut him off.

“Alright, alright, we get it!” He gave Lily a peck on the cheek. “Don’t listen to them, they’re idiots.”

“I’ll try not to get too jealous,” Lily assured him, smiling wryly. She turned back to her breakfast as he hurried off, shaking her head.

“Why d’you reckon McGonagall wants to see him?” Marlene asked, leaning forward slightly from across the table.

“It’s got to be about the final match, right?” Yaz added, sitting next to her, “We’ve only got one more game against Slytherin, then the season’s over.”

“Maybe they need to reschedule the match date?” Peter suggested.

“Nah,” Sirius shook his head, “Why would she need to speak to him privately about that?”

The four of them continued to speculate for the rest of the meal—but, as it turned out, they didn’t need to guess for long.

“Padfoot! Padfoot!” James’s voice called out from the two-way mirror, just a few minutes before breakfast was due to end. Sirius took it out of his pocket, frowning down in confusion.

“Quidditch pitch! Now!” His friend’s eager face disappeared before Sirius could even ask what was going on.

“What’dyou reckon he wants?” He muttered, as they all stood to leave the hall.

“Oh, I think you’ll like it.” Remus said, with a knowing smile. “Go on, he sounds excited.”

Sirius narrowed his eyes. “You know what it is, don’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“Don’t you want me to walk you to Care of Magical Creatures?”

“I’ll manage. Go! Hurry!”

Down at the pitch, James was practically bouncing with excitement, grinning from ear to ear. Sirius eyed him warily as he approached, at a loss for what could possibly have Potter so thrilled.