Hate Is A Strong Word (A Jily Fanfic)//FINISHED!

The Match

This isn't a very good chapter, but I needed to put this in before I move on with the story. I'm also starting to write other stories that I'll be posting eventually so keep and eye out for them!

James
Today was the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. James and Sirius sat at breakfast discussing the upcoming game. They were both unbelievably nervous.

James was rattling on about strategy when he caught sight of Lily Evans. She was dressed for the game with a red and gold hat and a matching pair of gloves. James excused himself for a minute to go speak with her.

"Evans!" he called. She turned to him.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for the game?" she asked him.

"Probably, but first..."

James pulled the red and gold scarf from around his neck and handed it to her. "It's my scarf. Wear it for me, Evans? For good luck?"

She accepted it slowly and wrapped it around her neck. She smiled as she did so. She looked up at James one last time.

"I like how it looks in you," he said. Her face flushed red. He leaned down and kissed her cheek before jogging back to Sirius.

"Good luck!" she called after him. James turned around and winked at her. He felt lighter than air.

After breakfast, James, Sirius and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team got ready to  venture down to the pitch before the game. As they prepared to go, James caught sight of Remus and...was that Snape at the end of the Gryffindor table?

James jogged over to find Snape questioning Remus about something.

"...and I wanna know where you're going with your friends when you go under that tree. How do you get past it?" Snape asked.

"What's going on?" James asked as he approached the two. Snape whirled on him.

"Every month the four of you go down to the Whomping Willow and go through a passage underneath it. I want to know where you're going, why you're going there, and how you're doing it."

"What does it matter to you?" James said coldly.

"You wanna know how we're doing it?" Sirius asked Snape from behind James.

"Sirius," James warned. Remus looked as if he were going to be sick. "Leave Remus alone," James told Snape firmly. Snape glared up at him. James grabbed Sirius and began to walk away.

"Like we'd tell him that you have to tap the root under the tree to make the tree stop moving." Sirius said loudly. James, getting the joke, pretended to hit Sirius to make him shut up. They went back to the team snickering. Then, they walked down to the pitch for the game.

Once they had changed into their uniforms, James called his team to a meeting.

"Alright, team," he shouted. "We're going out against Hufflepuff. I've heard word that their Seeker is pretty good, so Sirius and Jason try to target him. Also, Ally, watch their Chasers' ball movement. Alright here we go!"

They made their way to the pitch. Hufflepuff was standing across the field from them. As they emerged, they were greeted to a loud section of cheering to their right and booing to their left. James looked for Lily to his right, but couldn't see her in the sea of red and gold.

James shook hands with the Hufflepuff captain and returned to his team to mount their brooms. He flew up to center field and waited for all of the balls to be released. As the quaffel was thrown into the air, James caught it and flew off, the rush of the game beginning to fill him.

He sped forward and threw it off to Jamie, the Chaser to his right. Jamie made a swerving move and passed back to James. James aimed for the left goal post and threw the quaffel. It went straight through it. The Hufflepuff keeper had barely moved.

He turned to the Gryffindor crowd to see a giant sign of red and gold letters that said "Potter Puts It In!". To his surprise, the magic on the sign was being created by a smiling Lily Evans.

James felt a sudden need to play better than ever.

James played the rest of the game extremely well, scoring 90 points on his own, an unbelievable number. Sirius had managed to take out the Hufflepuff Seeker with the bludger, leaving room for the Gryffindor Seeker to catch the snitch and win the game. To his great surprise and pleasure, Ally only let in 30 points the entire match. It was a blowout game.

After congratulating his team, James flew up to the stands and landed next to Lily who was beaming at him.

"Well done, Potter," she said. He lifted her up and twirled her around, causing the other Gryffindors to cheer even louder. Lily giggled as he set her down. "See ya tonight, Evans!" he called after her as he flew down to the pitch.

That night, Gryffindor celebrated their win with a part in the Commonroom. The idea of James potter scoring 90 points was celebrated by everyone. People cheered and chanted as James gathered his team.

After their celebration, Lily called him over.

"Here," she said, handing him the scarf he had lent her. "It worked well."

"It did, didn't it," James said. He pushed her outstretched hand back to her. "Keep it, please."

She shrugged and grinned. "Goodnight Potter!" she called as she ran up to the girls dormitory.

"Night, Evans! Oh, and thanks for the sign!" James called.

She smiled as she ran out of view. He sighed and laid down in one of the chairs in the Commonroom.

"Good day, James?" Sirius asked from behind him.

"Good day," James confirmed.

Sirius (after the Quidditch match)
"Hey Snape!" Sirius had called. Sirius had tracked Snape down while walking back up to the castle. He had had the perfect prank in mind for him after seeing his encounter with Remus earlier.

"Black," Snape had muttered coldly upon seeing who called him.

"Did you hear what I said earlier about the Whomping Willow?" Sirius had asked him. Snape's beady eyes had widened. "Ah, you did," Sirius had said. "Well I didn't lie."

"Why should I believe you?" Snape had asked bitterly. Although his voice had been bitter, Sirius had been able to see the gleam of curiosity in his eyes.

"Because I really don't understand why James thinks it's a big deal. I mean I know it's his secret and all but..."

Snape had smiled devilishly. The idea of James Potter having a secret that he could reveal had seemed to bring him joy.

"Oh, just know," Sirius had whispered, "it only opens on full moons."

With a smirk, he had walked away. He hadn't  know if it would work, but Sirius had felt that he had won Snape over.