The Life that Never Lived ? (Philosopher's Stone)

THE MIDNIGHT DUEL

Harry really wanted to butt in and remind them that they'd promised him a response to Snape's attitude towards him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He still felt to shy, the ingrained nature of never being allowed to ask questions still winning out. Clearly it was a sore subject to all, so he decided to keep his mouth shut and just hope they would really tell him eventually.

"My turn," James said eagerly, hoping a Quidditch match would come up soon, he doubted this book would take them through a week by week of the castle after all.

"I don't know," Sirius said to Harry's deceleration of not hating anyone as bad as Malfoy, "I find it hard to believe that Malfoy will do anything that will make me hate him more than that spoiled brat of a Muggle."

Harry was frowning, knowing full well he had a reason to be feeling like this, and yet not knowing why at the same time. He had no argument for Sirius then, so he let his dad keep going.

"Why do they do force the Gryffindors and Slytherins to learn together?" Remus groaned in disgust.

James on the other hand was delighted, his son had natural flying abilities, and he couldn't wait to read about it, no matter who would be watching.

"What I don't understand is why they have those lessons first year," Lily said "after all, you can't even join until second year. What's the point in one lesson practically a year before?"

"It's to gauge potential," Sirius said wisely.

"Nonsense," Sirius said, siding with James the moment Harry's fear of looking like a fool on a broom was spoken, "Harry's a natural, I'll bet you anything he picks up on it first try."

Harry looked far from reassured, and Lily shot the two very disgruntled looks and said, "and if he doesn't? What, are you going to laugh along with that Malfoy?"

Both boys looked shocked and hurt that Lily could ever think such a thing, and James was quick to say, "of course not, how could you think that? We're just confident in his abilities."

Lily ground her teeth in frustration, she was sure they hadn't gotten her point that they were setting Harry up for feeling bad about himself if they turned out to be wrong, but hoping she was wrong she decided to let James keep going.

James and Sirius exchanged uneasy looks, not having thought of the fact that Malfoy had grown up with the sport and likely wasn't just exaggerating his Quidditch boasts. Malfoy most likely did have his own broom at home, and had been able to fly for ages.

When they had spoken with such confidence, they had been speaking as if Harry had grown up as he should have, getting his own broom for his first birthday like Sirius fully intended, playing with a Quaffle in the yard like James had always planned. For that one brief moment, they had forgotten what was going to happen, and just went with what should have been.

James shook himself hard, forcing that empty feeling creeping up again to go away so he could read about his son.

Sirius grimaced in disgust of even unintentionally mimicking this Malfoy kid, helicopters included.

Lily was just impressed he knew what a helicopter was, and quickly whispered to James she'd explain it later.

"See," James said loudly, more than happy to change the subject to Ron's confusion on such a seemingly boring sport as Deans, "I'm not the only one who thinks that!"

"I don't force you to follow it," Lily said patiently.

Remus laughed to himself, remembering both James and Sirius prodding many of his photos no matter how many times he explained they weren't going to move.