Up to no Good

f o u r

BUSINESS

Lily and Marlene walked briskly across the grounds to the Quidditch field, which looked almost full already. The towering stands were packed with students of all houses, though the Slytherin and Gryffindor stayed separate, along with Ravenclaw and Gryffindor sitting divided due to the rivalry of the game. There was no shortage of cold stares. The two girls stopped quickly by the locker rooms. As they entered, Lily was met with the sight of a shirtless James. She could see the defined muscles in his back as he reached up to grab his robes from a shelf. He turned around, pulling a shirt over his head, and Lily met his eyes as a hot blush rose on her cheeks.

"Ladies." He grinned. "I shall be looking forward to tonight's victory, Evans." Lily smirked.

"Don't be so sure you'll win, Potter."

"I have motivation." He smiled once more, then swept out of the room. Marlene greeted Sirius with a hug, who nodded at Lily and smiled. Her and Marlene left the grounds to go find their seats, next to Alice Prewett and Frank Longbottom.

"Lily, I haven't seen you in a while!" Frank grinned as they sat down. She smiled back.

"That's because I take all advanced classes, Frank." He rolled his eyes, and Lily noticed Alice was holding his hand. This was ordinary, Alice and Frank had gotten engaged, though they were only 17.

"Lily!" She looked up to see Remus wading through the crowd. He took a seat by the group. "I hear there's a bet on tonight's game." He smirked. "Though this is a good way to get James to work harder."

"Yeah, yeah." She scowled, but a small smile fought its way to her face anyway.

"The game begins!" The commentator, some 5th year Hufflepuff, shouted into the microphone as 14 brooms rose into the air. Lily turned to face the game and immediately spotted James, his hair ruffling in the wind as he flew around the pitch, his eyes scanning the field intensely. Lily smiled at his concentration. She saw Sirius zip around the field a few times. The game ran on. 10-30, Ravenclaw. 40-30, Gryffindor. 60-60, tied up. Lily kept her eyes on James, watching him soar and dive. Then she saw him change directions completely, and knew he had saw the golden glint of the Snitch. She scooted to the edge of her seat, anticipation written clearly on her face.

"Potter dives... I think he's spotted the Snitch!!" The commentator shouted. Lily saw James disappear behind a beater flying through the air, and then the Gryffindor crowd erupted into cheers. "He's got it! Potter got the Snitch! Gryffindors win 60 to 210!!!" Lily grinned and jumped up. Her and the rest of the Gryffindors raced onto the pitch. She saw James, grinning and covered in dirt. He strutted over to her, his teammates surrounding him. She smiled as he approached.

"So, Evans?" He put his hand on the side of her face. "Where's my kiss?" She grinned and kissed him on his dirt covered cheek. "OY! That's not a proper kiss!" She smiled and looked up at him.

"You're going to have to do a lot more than win a Quidditch match for that, Potter." She quickly planted another kiss on his cheek then turned away to walk with Remus back to the castle, James staring after her, smiling as he shook his head.

In the dorm rooms that night, Lily settled herself in a couch by the fire with a book. She had barely read a page when James waltzed into the room. He was carrying a butterbeer in each hand.

"Lilyflower!" He plopped down on the couch beside her. "I brought you a butterbeer!"

"I see that." She smiled at him. "Thanks." She took a sip, the golden liquid warming her body.

"I have a proposal to make." He scooted closer to her. "You know when Dumbledore announced the ball, and he said that Karkaroff and him had "business?" I say we figure out what this business is."