The Love of Patronus | JILY

Potter

           It was the day before Halloween, and the most important game of the quidditch season: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. James was eating breakfast rapidly, ready to get out to the pitch and flatten the rival team that he was born to hate. Sirius slid into the breakfast bench and muttered,

           "If you don't flatten my dear brother today, I'm disowning you as a friend." Regulus Black was the Slytherin seeker, and James smirked.

           "Afraid that's not on me-" He was interrupted by a shout. Daniel Smeltings, the Gryffindor Seeker, came running in, boils erupting all over his face.

           "Potter!"

           "What the hell happened to you?" James refrained from shouting as best he could.

           "Fell in Greenhouse -OW - 4. I don't - OW! - think that I can play to- OW! -day." James weekly nodded, and Smeltings sprinted off to the Hospital Wing.

           "Now you have to win," Sirius smirked, and James groaned. He was the fill-in seeker. It doesn't matter, we are going to kick their ass. After finishing his breakfast, spending a good twenty minutes planning his seeker strategy, he made his way down the table to Emmeline Vance, noticing to his slight disappointment that Lily was not with them. 

           "Vance. You're chaser today." Emmeline leaped up, grinning, and sprinted down to the locker rooms without another word. He followed her more slowly but he picked up into a job as he imagined himself flattening Regulus Black. 

           He met the team at the entrance to the field to give his short, pre-game speech.

           "This is it. Let's wipe those stupid worms off the face of the Quidditch cup. Same game, just look for me instead of Smeltings, yeah? Vance, you're taking my spot. This is our game!" The team yelled the last part together, and with a loud war cry they mounted their brooms and streaked out onto the pitch to the now filled and roaring yells of the Gryffindors.

           James barely heard the whistle for he was locked in a dangerous eye-lock with Regulus Black who, despite his inferior size, did give off a rather intimidating vibe. Eventually, Regulus looked away and began to circle, and James quickly did the same. He watched the game below him. Once, twice, thrice, Emmeline Vance scored giving Gryffindor a thirty point lead.

           Then a thought struck him, if Vance was here, surely Lily Evans surely would be too. He tore his eyes from the game and searched imploringly through the signs, but not red hair struck out at him in the Gryffindor throng. Disappointment sliced through his chest, they had been clicking, he knew it, and it hurt that she had not come to see him play - especially after the lake, and the last full moon.

           He brought his gaze back down to the match below him. The unknown Hufflepuff announcer cried out, "Gryffindor leads! 70-20!" James began to avidly search the skies. If he found the snitch now, Slytherin would be utterly humiliated.

           And then out of the corner of his eye, he saw Regulus dive. He quickly turned gaining on him with his superior racing broom, also locking eyes on the small golden ball now flying back upwards into the sky by the Gryffindor stands. Regulus and James were neck and neck both with arms outstretched towards the dodging, rolling, ball flapping away persistently. And then his gaze caught something else.

           Lily Evans was standing, eyes locked on him as he fought for the lead against Regulus. He was so busy staring in awe and excitement that he did not see the bludger flying at him.

           It collided painfully into his right shoulder and his body crashed into Regulus who was knocked severely off course. James, now holding on with one arm upside down, could still see the snitch. It was inches in front of him, Regulus feet behind him now attempting in vain to catch up. 

           James forced his clearly dislocated arm, into position with his other arm, hanging barely with his legs crossed tightly around the brooms sleek body. With a 'crack!' his shoulder fell into place, and with a yell of pain he snatched the snitch, rolled back right side and dived to the ground. Before he hit the ground he glanced up to see Lily Evans leaning over the bar, red hair flying wildly in the wind, worried eyes fixed on him. And then he landed hard in the mud and stumbled, arm throbbing menacingly.

           He was sure he had broken something in his shoulder when he forced it back into his socket. And he struggled to his feet, snitch in his painfully throbbing arm, to see his team running at him from wherever they had landed and 8 figures he knew running at him from the entrance to the pitch. Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alice, Marlene, Mary, and Lily. His friends grinned and cheered at him as Lily's friends ran to Emmeline. But Lily did not go with them, and instead approached him.

           She grabbed his injured right arm, holding it up, a movement which elicited to feelings: One of outrageous pain in which he yelled out, and a bolt of lightning engulfing his entire body, making him shiver. He swore he saw a small smile play at her beautiful lips as she drew her wand with her empty hand.

           She touched it into his shoulder and spoke clearly and forcefully, "Episkey!" With another 'crack!' and a yell of pain, James felt his shoulder shift violently and then all pain disappeared. He wiggled it, and she let go. He looked down at her and smiled in complete bemusement. She returned it, shyly, and before he could stop himself, he brought her into a close hug, lifting her into the air by her waist.

           If he thought electricity was as good as it got, he was dead wrong.  As she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his hug, he felt his hairs stand on end, his chest explode with complete euphoria, and could swear he was glowing where he stood.

           They broke apart slowly, her face inches from his own. He met her gaze directly and knew in that instant that they felt the same way about each other. But before he could lean in, he heard Marlene yell, "Lily!" and she blinked and turned.

           He looked as well, feeling a sting of frustration course through, but he felt it pass as he watched Marlene clasp her hand to her mouth and then murmur, "Nevermind, sorry. Continue."

           Lily blushed almost incoherently and glanced back at him laughing slightly and directing her friends off the field.

           "So close, Prongs. But unless I'm an idiot-" Remus snorted, and Sirius elbowed him hard in the ribs before continuing, "You have nothing to worry about."