003. january 1976.

[alotofgood]

January, 1976 — 16:45 hours.
Hogwarts, Scotland.
Somewhere in the Quidditch arena.


James Potter is grateful for girl-friends. Not girlfriends, because there's a definite difference, but girls who are friends.

Apart from the Marauders, there aren't terribly many people he can really talk to about his personal trials and tribulations — the struggles of being a much beloved Quidditch rockstar, eligible bachelor, star pupil, and general hero.

Even amongst his very best mates, there are a few things he'd really rather not have to tell them. It would be damaging for his reputation as a manly, heroic bloke, first of all; and secondly — well, no. That's really it.

Which is why he is so glad he knows Cliona Byrne. (He's gladder still that they haven't shared a snog or anything because that'd ruin their perfect, brilliant friendship.

He supposes he can thank Fenton Blane for that.)

As a fellow Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, he gets to see her at least three times a week, if not more (particularly during the General Game Zone, as March dubs it; basically the four weeks before a big game), to tell her everything he can't tell Sirius, Remus and Peter.

It hasn't occurred to him to give her a choice in the matter.

But as she hasn't punched him in the face yet, he safely assumes she doesn't actually mind.

"Cliona!"

Comments

[lions_and_witches]

(He can thank Fenton and Cliona's own good sense about not getting involved with teammates. No one wants a repeat of the Artemesia-and-Egbert fiasco from two years ago.)

Cliona likes James, much to the puzzlement of some of her roommates. Of course, Cliona sees a side of James that most people don't -- the one who comes to practice and works and takes things dead serious, rather than the Quidditch rockstar accepting congratulatory kisses after a brilliant match.

"Hullo, James."

[alotofgood]

"D'you have a minute?" he asks, looking only vaguely harried.

[lions_and_witches]

"Sure," she says.

"What's on your mind?"

[alotofgood]

Honestly, what's not on his mind right now?

It's a whirlwind of ifs, whens, buts and the like.

But — one thing at a time.

"Right. So, I dunno if you saw what happened before we left for holidays," he starts. "You know, with the mistletoe Evans asked you for."

[lions_and_witches]

"James, I think we all saw what happened.

"And if we didn't, we heard about it later, if not, say, accurately.

"What about it?"

[alotofgood]

James resists the urge to slap a hand to his forehead in an overly dramatic moment of woe.

"Right," he murmurs. He clears his throat. "Yeah. You're a girl, Cliona. Why d'you think she did it? From a — girl's point of view."

Because Sirius and Remus' answers were pretty much useless.

[lions_and_witches]

Cliona ticks the reasons off on her fingers.

"To prove a point. Because she felt sorry for him. Because she felt bad that she felt sorry for him. Because she wanted to annoy you. Because she was annoyed with you. Because she was annoyed with herself for being annoyed with you. Because she wanted to teach you a lesson. Because no one was expecting it. Because it was Christmas and the end of term. Because it seemed like a good idea at the time."

Cliona runs out of fingers and shrugs.

"Any of those reasons, all of those reasons, and Lily may not even know herself."

[alotofgood]

The only thing James can respond with is silence.

Silence and a combination of confusion, speechlessness, guilt, anxiety, and more confusion written on his face.

And then, finally (after a sizable pause): "Oh."

[lions_and_witches]

"Sorry, I know that's not the most enlightening answer, but I think I was just as shocked as you were, when she kissed him.

"Well, maybe not just as shocked ... the look on your face was rather, well, never mind. The point is, I wasn't expecting it, either.

"Granted, I don't what I was expecting, but it wasn't that."

[alotofgood]

"... yeah."

He swallows.

"Well — thanks. I mean, for the explanations."

They all make sense.

Which makes James confused.

"Blimey. Why do you girls have to be so complicated?"

[lions_and_witches]

Cliona grins.

"Come on, James, that's what makes us interesting, being complicated."

[alotofgood]

James slaps a hand to his forehead, a little more dramatic than is likely necessary.

"D'you think so? Because it seems like the moment I think I understand one of you, you pull something like — like this."

He siiiighs.

"You didn't pull any of this on Fenton, did you?"

[lions_and_witches]

"What, do things he didn't understand?"

Cliona laughs.

"Only all the time.

"And I still do.

"Ask him."

[alotofgood]

"I might," James says, the start of a smile approaching. "Maybe we could swap stories or something."

[lions_and_witches]

"Of course, he knows better than to tell you any of the really good ones," Cliona says.

"So tell me something.

"You really like her, don't you?

"This isn't just about getting the girl who keeps turning you down, right?"

[alotofgood]

"I dunno," James mumbles, shrugging.

(And basically acting exactly like a fifteen year old boy in the affirmative.)

He pinches the spot between his eyes, glasses rising up his face.

"I mean, she's brilliant. But — you know. She's not exactly making it easy, or — well. Yeah."

[lions_and_witches]

"Well, have you given her a reason to make it easy?"

[alotofgood]

"I'd like to say I've given her plenty of reasons to make it easy," he says, "but what's worked for others obviously haven't worked for Evans."

[lions_and_witches]

"Oh, James," Cliona says. "You haven't given her a reason, then. Not if you're just doing things that worked on other girls.

"Lesson One In Understanding Girls -- are you ready?

"Not one of us wants to be the latest in a long line of a guy's 'others.'"

[alotofgood]

James isn't sure he completely understands what Cliona says, but he does take that bit of advice and stores it into the part of his brain dedicated to pursuing Lily Evans.

Thing is, he hasn't really got any other ideas besides what's worked so far. And why wouldn't he?

It's not like he's ever needed anything else.

"Yeah, all right. But she isn't like that to me. She must know that much, right?"

[lions_and_witches]

"Maybe, maybe not," Cliona says.

"She knows you've been very persistant. We all know you've been very persistant.

"But she may not know why. Or she may ... I don't know, know it but not trust it. She may think it's a game to you. Just another match you don't want to lose, now that you've started it."

[alotofgood]

James' face falls.

"What — well, bloody hell. Why would she think that?"

Okay, there are probably a lot of reasons why she'd think that, but at the moment, James isn't thinking of that.

Or he'd really rather not think of that.

[lions_and_witches]

"Well, I don't know that she does.

"But, come on, James. You do have a bit of a love-'em-and-leave-'em reputation in the romance department. Lots of dates, plenty of snogging, no relationships.

"Well, except for what's-her-face last year."

[alotofgood]

"D'you mean Coco Burwell?" James asks, rubbing his face a little exasperatedly.

Yeah. That's a relationship he'd definitely learned from.






"All right, yeah. So maybe I don't have the greatest track record ..."

[lions_and_witches]

"Yes. Or as I like to call her ... " Cliona tosses her hair back over her shoulders, bats her eyes, and raises her voice about an octave, " ... Miss Have-You-Heard-I'm-Dating-A-Chaser?"

Cliona doesn't care for her.

[alotofgood]

James laughs.

"Yeah, she did seem to like that bit best, didn't she?"

Cliona definitely isn't the only one who couldn't give a toss about her. Sirius had made his own opinion clear from day one.

"But — blimey, she was a brilliant kisser."

Erm.

James clears his throat.

"— which probably doesn't help my case, does it? Sorry."

[lions_and_witches]

"Well, James, I never really figured you were dating her for her personality.

"To be honest, I don't know anyone who did.

"So, no, it doesn't help your case."

[alotofgood]

He groans.

"All right. So I've basically got to make up for dating Coco and all of the — er, non-relationships I've had."

That's a lot of history to erase.

Or make better, anyway.

"Is that it?"

[lions_and_witches]

"Just ... if you're serious about her, be serious about her. Because that'll make up for all the rest. But also be ready to accept the fact that it may not matter what you do. She just may not be interested.

"I don't know."

[alotofgood]

"Oy! I don't want to hear that!" James says, another groan making its way up his throat before he can stop it.

It does horrible things to his insides to hear it, really.

[lions_and_witches]

"Sorry," Cliona says.

"Look on the bright side, though. To answer your original question, I am quite certain that whatever her reason for kissing Peter was, it was not that she secretly fancies him.

"I really don't know that she fanices anyone.

"She's not Glynis. She plays that stuff pretty close to the vest."

[alotofgood]

"So I've noticed," James mumbles.

It's pretty clear he's talking about Evans, but it could very well apply to Glynis too.

Now, she needs to stop ogling over Sirius. It's a bit disconcerting.

"Well — yeah. At least there's that bit, then. Not that I don't want Pete to be happy, but ... you know."

Preferably not with the girl he currently fancies.

[lions_and_witches]

"But not with Lily, yeah.

"Nothing to worry about on that front," Cliona.

"And if I'm wrong about that ... I will eat the Quaffle."

[alotofgood]

He laughs.

"Cliona, you're brilliant," he says. "Really."

And he hopes she won't have to eat the Quaffle, because he can't imagine that'd be tasty or particularly approved by one Quentin March, Keeper and Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team —



— who heads their way, helmet and appropriate padding already strapped to his limbs.

"Fantastic afternoon for a practice, don't you think Potter? Byrne?"

[lions_and_witches]

"Ask me again when I know whether or not we finish before the snow starts falling, Quentin," Cliona says, laughing.

Quentin adopts a properly Captainy exprssion and tone. "Practice takes as long--

"--as it takes," Cliona finishes. "Yes, we know."

[alotofgood]

"Couldn't get your mantra out of our heads, even if you wanted to," James adds, grinning.

"Right. So, if we're all prepared then let's get going, shall we?" Quentin juts his chin towards the main pitch and starts off.

James notes another couple of their teammates arriving, and watches March head towards them.

[lions_and_witches]

"Between you and me, James, with no one left but Slytherin ... I don't think we're going to be done before it starts snowing."

Cliona is less than thrilled at this prospect, but, hey, that's Quidditch.

"Well, duty calls.

"Shall we?"

[alotofgood]

"I couldn't have said it better myself, really."

Still.

It's better than staying indoors, working on that essay on the habitats and lifestyles of Runespoors.


Cheerful: "Yeah, all right."

He waves a hand in an 'after you' motion.