"there are many beautiful reasons to be happy"

*

Minerva McGonagall surveyed the Quidditch pitch with shrewd eyes, but a small smile was on her wrinkled face, one that she hadn't been able to wipe off since she woke up.

"Morning, Minerva," greeted a gruff voice. Alastor Moody stomped over to the witch, his electric blue eye whizzing in every direction as he scanned for potential dangers. "How goes it?"

"Fine, Alastor. Are your bets in?" She asked in a humorous voice, but she had placed a galleon on the match herself. The entire staff table at Hogwarts had a betting pool.

"Haven't even looked at the teams. I still think this whole thing is a load of rubbish," he muttered. "You consider the security risks this shindig poses? Having the entire Order in one place is bad enough. Having them out in the open is worse. Worst of all is the fact that you're letting kids come out to see it."

"Hold your tongue and hold your concerns," she snapped. "Let them have fun for once. For Merlin's sake, Alastor, they're children, not soldiers. They deserve a break. We're well aware of the risks and we decided to do it anyway."

"But why?"

Minerva watched as students swarmed into the seats, chattering excitedly. Somewhere off in the team rooms, many of her fellow students did the same.

"They need to smile more."

After finishing her rounds, Minerva mounted the steps to the announcer's box and smiled at Sirius, who was busy adjusting the microphone.

"And how are we today, Mr. Black? Happy to be back on your old tromping grounds?"

He flashed her a cheeky grin and straightened out his scarf. "Yes, Minnie, it's wonderful to be home again."

"Will you be commentating in a non-biased manner today?" The Transfiguration professor asked wryly.

"Are you asking me, my 'GO EVA!' sign, or my forehead?" He held a hand-painted banner up with pride and then pointed to his wife's name painted in capital letters on his face before winking. "Come on, when have I ever been non-biased? Don't you know me at all?"

Minerva's small smile widened. Merlin, she missed those kids. Two years had passed since their graduation and Hogwarts just wasn't the same without them. "Of course I do."

*

In the Gryffindor changing room, Eva couldn't sit still. She and James arrived early to meet the rest of their teammates, so they were there for a good hour before anyone else.

"Blondie, did you really have to make us tie-dye robes?" He motioned to what used to be a plain set of simple white Quidditch robes, but now had been dyed a myriad of colors with POTTER painted in bold black letters on the back.

"They look good!" Eva exclaimed defensively, spinning in hers to model. "Besides, who knows what Marlene's team'll end up in?"

"Probably something that doesn't look like Elton John threw up on it," James muttered, but he gave her a grin that said he wasn't upset at all.

The prospect of playing Quidditch again excited them all, especially because they were back at Hogwarts for it. Instead of restricting this match to their friends, James and Eva extended the invitation to the entire Order. Of course, this wasn't how the game was presented to the public. They called it an alumni match, bringing back some of Hogwarts' best players for a reunion.

After getting the go-ahead from Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, they drafted teams and started strategy meetings. The Phoenix Match, as they fondly called it, took all summer to plan and coordinate, but standing in her old changing room on the first weekend of October months after the idea was born, Eva couldn't have possibly been more excited.

"Did I hear that our robes would fit in at Woodstock? I don't know if they bring out my eyes or not."

"Mitchell!" Eva yelled, launching herself into the arms of Marlene's older brother. He laughed and spun her around, all of those hours of extensive training making holding her like holding nothing. "It's been years!"

"Yeah? Well, your old captain's been busy making a name for himself. Playing pro isn't a joke, Eva. Hey Potter, good to see you again. You look well." The two shook hands and Mitchell looked around the small room, affection in his slate blue eyes. "It's good to be back, though. Feels like home."

Since the last time she had seen him in person, Mitchell had grown more muscular. He seemed taller. Was that possible? His hair was still a lighter blond than usual from the summer spent in the sun and his skin was tanned from the hours playing Quidditch outside. Puddlemere United has made him something like a poster boy for the team. The fans cheered for him, the girls adored him, and he loved it. The McKinnon siblings had made quite a name for themselves.

"You two should've signed on while you had the chance. Eva, the keeper for the Harpies is  total garbage this year. You could fly circles around her."

Eva smiled and began to braid her hair back, then looped a scrunchie around it. "Maybe someday."

Dorcas poked her head in next, clad in the colorful robes. "Hey!"

"We've got a second chaser!" James cheered, holding up his hand for a high five.

"Actually, three. And a beater, if you'll have me." Gideon ran into the room like he had just finished first in a marathon and Arthur Weasley trailed behind him at normal speed, staring at his brother-in-law with an amused smirk.

"Oi! Why didn't we get the complete set?" James asked jokingly, shoving Gideon on the shoulder. "We only got half of what we ordered!"

"Marlene's a tough negotiator. Said it wasn't fair to put us together and split up the package deal. Killjoy, she is, I'm telling you." His voice faltered slightly at the mention of Marlene, but only Eva noticed. She shot him a sympathetic expression and he shrugged. "Be grateful, though. You got two gingers anyway!"

"Where's Molly?" Eva asked. "She could get on a broomstick and glare at the other team until we won. When Molly gets down to business, she's scary!"

Arthur laughed heartily and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "She probably would have, but it's not really safe for her to play with the baby and all that."

"Hold on, the baby?" Eva asked, a smile growing on her freckled face.

"Oh, bugger! I completely forgot we haven't told too many people yet. Yep, we've got Weasley number six on the way. She's due in the spring."

"No way! Congratulations, man!" James exclaimed. "Although at this point, I'm not all that surprised."

Arthur shrugged. "Well, when you've been at it for this long..."

"No stories about you and my sister doing unspeakable things," Gideon interrupted as he waved his arms in the air. "None, or I will throw hands."

Everyone laughed. Eva thought laughter must be the most wonderful thing in the world. Surrounded by these people as a bubbling emotion overcame her and pure happiness poured from her smiling lips, she couldn't even remember the war. For one moment, she was back in school, getting ready for a match, Slytherin versus Gryffindor, where the most pressing matter on her mind was whether Sirius liked her or a failed Potions exam.

"All right, so we're just waiting on our final beater," Mitchell said, glancing at their roster.

"You've got him." Benjy Fenwick gave them a small wave. He still wore that newsboy cap that he wore with absolutely every outfit, and while he was the oldest member on the team by a few years, Eva could see how easily he fit the build of a beater. "We ready to win?"

"You bet we are," James said. "Bring it in!"

All seven members of their mismatched team put their hands in the middle before walking to the stadium entrance.

James nudged Eva. "You ready?"

"Just like old times."

"And what do we do?"

"We kick serpent butt."

"That a girl."

The two embraced, Eva initiating the hug but James holding onto it. The last few months had been a healing experience for everyone. It felt like someone was always off on a mission, escaping death narrowly. Lily, Sirius, and Peter had all ended up in St. Mungo's at certain points. Dumbledore's blue eyes didn't twinkle as much as they used to underneath his spectacles.

And yet, there was so much to be happy about.

*

"You've got the popcorn?" Lily questioned with mock seriousness.

"Yes, ma'am," Peter responded, bowing low to the ground as he presented a massive bag. "Your flower looks good, Lils."

Lily's fingers subconsciously grazed the painted red flower on her cheek. "Thanks, Peter."

"Oi, Wormtail, what've I missed?" Remus asked as he joined them in the crowd.

"Nothing. I think they're just about ready, maybe Sirius will-"

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"

"And there he is," Remus supplied. Lily thought he looked better than he had in a long time. He'd gained a bit of healthy weight because Flourish and Blotts paid him more than any other job he'd ever had did. It wasn't enough to pull him out of poverty, but the salary saved his cottage and bought him a few square meals a day. Mentally, he seemed more at ease, more comfortable in his own skin. "This ought to be good. I brought chocolate, if anyone fancies a piece."

"LET ME HEAR YOU, HOGWARTS!"

The students screamed and jumped, making the entire student body look like a tumultuous sea of red, blue, yellow, and green.

"Hey, it's so good to be back here." Sirius grinned at the joyful atmosphere surrounding him. "I'm kind of surprised Minnie here let me back to commentate. My last match ended in a detention and a ban on future matches, but I guess she still has a soft spot for me. Anyway, welcome to the first (hopefully) annual Phoenix match! Today you'll see the homecoming of some of Hogwarts' best alumni as they step on the pitch for the first time in years! Who wants to see the teams?"

The crowd screamed their approval.

"Playing on Team 1, we've got Frank Longbottom, Emmeline Vance, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Fabian Prewett, Hestia Jones, Sturgis Podmore, and Marlene McKinnon!"

Seven players shot into the air, their golden robes shining in the sunlight.

"And playing on Team 2, we've got James Potter, Dorcas Meadowes, Arthur Weasley, Gideon Prewett, Benjy Fenwick, Eva Taylor, and Mitchell McKinnon!"

Once again, the crowd roared, particularly for Mitchell, who playfully rolled his eyes at Eva before zooming off to his starting position.

"All right people, we're playing by standard rules set up by the Department of Magical Games and Sports, but we're also aiming for no injuries. Anyone who bloodies anyone else up will have to answer to Mad-Eye over there, a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "I can think of a few," she muttered to herself.

"And now, Captains Frank Longbottom and Eva Taylor will meet in the middle of the pitch to shake hands."

Eva tightened her grip on her Shooting Star and flew up to Frank, who pushed his dark hair out of his eyes before holding out a hand.

"No hard feelings?" He said with a wink.

Eva smirked. "Good. I'm glad you won't have any towards us."

She took her place in front of the three goalposts and waved to Lily, who jumped up and down while screaming her name.

Just like when they were in school, it was Madam Hooch who threw the quaffle into the air, and the match began.

"Potter catches the quaffle and gets a massive head start. I suppose it's the broom, do you lot know he's riding a Nimbus 1700?" Sirius whistled into the microphone. "Fine broom indeed. Potter passes to Meadowes, who scores on Podmore. Ten points to Team 2! Merlin, I hate these names, they're stupid and confusing. Okay, from now on, I think we call them Rainbow and Gold. Any objections? They're not that creative, I know, but-"

"Mr. Black, you're missing the game!"

"Shoot, Minnie, right! Shacklebolt in possession of the quaffle. Rainbow Prewett hits a bludger at him but he dodges and he's throwing the quaffle now - YES! THAT'S MY WIFE! TEAM RAINBOW'S GORGEOUS KEEPER IS MY WIFE!"

Eva laughed so hard that she nearly missed the next quaffle. When it was safely in James' hands and on the other side of the pitch, Eva blew Sirius a kiss. He reached up and caught it, grinning wildly.

"Vance passes to Shacklebolt, nope, intercepted by Weasley. He passes to Potter. Oop, trick shot. Nice one, mate! Twenty points to Gryff- the Rainbow team! Old habits never go away, I suppose."

The hours ticked away but no one was complaining. It seemed that the teams were so evenly matched that the game might never end.

Mitchell let his eyes wander across the pitch as he searched for the little golden ball fluttering somewhere. Truth be told, he already saw it once, but it was too early in the game and everyone was having so much fun. Playing as a seeker for Puddlemere United taught him all sorts of tricks for locating the snitch early on.

"Getting bored up here?" Marlene flew next to him, a grin on her face.

"Not at all, Mar. Just getting started," Mitchell chuckled to his sister. "I liked those essays."

"Oh, thanks. They've been getting a lot of controversial opinions." While this would be a reason for many writers to worry, Marlene beamed with pride. "I think good might come of it."

"I always knew you had it in you."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something flash gold. The snitch. Marlene still hadn't spotted it yet, so he thought through the many plays he'd learned and made a sudden nosedive. The maneuver was risky, but if it went according to plan, it would most definitely pay off. He grinned when Marlene took off after him in his peripheral. Good.

"And it looks like the McKinnons have spotted the snitch!" Sirius yelled. "Blimey, talk about the level of family competition here, oi..."

At the last possible second, Mitchell pulled his broom up, saving himself from crashing, and sped back up to the sky. Marlene was not so lucky and hurtled right into the green grass Mr. Filch worked so hard to cut. She flipped her older brother off with a grin.

"HE WAS FEINTING! THAT WAS BLOODY INCREDIBLE! SH-"

"MR. BLACK, THERE ARE CHILDREN HERE!"

"-Sugar is bad for you. Stop trying to silence my life lessons, Minnie, they need to know the truth. But hey! Rainbow McKinnon shoots up into the sky, I think he's actually seen the snitch this time, unless he's pranking us all... nope! He's caught the snitch! Mitchell McKinnon has scored one hundred fifty points for catching the snitch! That makes the final score three hundred eighty to three hundred thirty! The Rainbow Team wins!"

Eva screamed excitedly with the crowd, the euphoria of the moment overflowing her with positive emotions. She flew over to the commentator's box and hovered on the broom in front of Sirius. With her still flying in the air, they kissed deeply, drowning out the noise of the crowd in each other.

"This was the best idea ever," Sirius mumbled quickly as they parted for air.

"Thanks," she whispered before pressing her lips to his again.

*

"What do you guys say? Another round?"

After the game, many of the players paid a visit to the Three Broomsticks, where Madam Rosmerta greeted them all like family. She congratulated the half-decent Blacks on their recent one year anniversary, fawned over Lily's engagement ring, and kept the drinks coming.

Eva leaned over and whispered in Sirius' ear, "hey, what if we head home, watch a movie, and snog for a while before bed?"

"It's a date, Blondie," he murmured back.

Eva set down her glass and shook her head at her friends. The warmth of the drink buzzed in her veins although she'd stuck to hot cocoa minus the sip of Sirius' firewhiskey. The stuff was just so strong and she didn't like not being in full control of her actions. She faked a yawn. "No more drinks for me. I've got a long day tomorrow. Mr. Crouch has me taking notes all day for his boring meetings."

"Yeah, me too. Moody's drilling again and I need beauty sleep," Sirius added a little too eagerly. Remus rolled his eyes and shot his friend a knowing glance. He only shrugged in response.

Pulling on his leather jacket, Sirius stood up. Eva followed suit, wearing that same jacket Sirius bought her for Christmas in their sixth year. "We're definitely making this an annual thing, by the way."

"Absolutely," Peter agreed, both he and Marlene nodding vigorously. "This felt oddly normal."

"Just like it used to be! Gotta love the nostalgia." Remus threw back another shot of whiskey and shuddered slightly. "Good Godric, why am I drinking this? It tastes like a sharp shoe!"

"How do you know what that even tastes like?" James asked curiously before taking a swig of beer.

Lily slapped him on the arm. "Shut it, Potter."

"Lilyflower, imagine the Quidditch team the Weasleys will have someday! We need to make one of those."

"We'll see," she said, giggling.

"All right, I'm closing up shop," Madam Rosmerta said. Her red lips curved into a smile at all of these young adults at her bar. She watched them grow up, watched their dates, their friendships. All of those kids had finally figured themselves out. "You dears stop by anytime, though, and I'll take care of you. Got that?"

"Thanks, Rosmerta."

"Thank you!"

"Thanks, love."

"Bye, Rosmerta!"

"So nice seeing you!"

"Call me."

"Thanks again, Rosmerta!"

The seven friends dropped a few coins on the counter before wandering out into Hogsmeade. The fallen leaves of autumn danced around their feet and pumpkins adorned the streets. A few villagers meandered about but most remained in their homes, afraid of wandering at night.

A few minutes later, they said their goodbyes. Marlene left first, disapparating to her parents' house in order to spend much-needed quality time with her brother. Sirius and Eva disapparated next. Then Remus, then Peter.

James turned to Lily. He hadn't been drinking much at all, but anyone who knew James Potter knew that he was a lightweight. Because of this, he'd refrained from ordering drink after drink, sticking with one bottle. He wanted to remember tonight. "I'll escort you home, m'lady."

Lily giggled, bobbed a curtsey, and offered her arm. "Good sir. Onward!"

They apparated away, reappearing in the parking lot of Lily's apartment building. Hand in hand, the pair mounted the flights of stairs. Once they reached her door, Lily fumbled in her purse for her keys.

"Where are they? Marlene better not have nicked both sets, I swear... here!" She held up the keys triumphantly and jingled them. James golf-clapped.

"Well, I should be shoving off, then," he said, glancing backward.

"Night, Potter."

"Night, Evans."

She winked. "Not for much longer."

this chapter makes me so happy :)

today in 1980, harry james potter was born

tell me what you thought! any predictions or comments?

I'm kind of tired, so no qotd. maybe just drop music reccomendations