DISCLAIMER: The Harry Potter World and characters all belong to JK Rowling.
Hey. I am still relatively new to fics, so we will see how it goes. I like the characters more in this one. Oh well, here goes.
It was a sunny afternoon at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I way lying down next to my two best friends by the lake. I was at ease. We had only been here a week, and homework for sixth years had just begun to pile up. Anna, Ki and I had decided to use the sunshine to study, but now our books lay forgotten under a tree.
"Do you think we ever have to move?" Ki asked, in a quiet tone.
"No one can make us," I muttered back.
"How long do you think we could stay here?" He asked again.
"Forever and ever."
"It snows though, guys. And it rains." Anna pointed out, causing Ki and I to groan.
"Fine, Anna can go to the castle when it snows, and me and Daisy will stay here forever and ever," I could hear Ki's smile in his voice. I screwed my nose up.
"Ew. I am not getting a cold for you." I threw back. Anna laughed as Ki cried out in mock heartbreak.
We weren't the only ones outside today. All over the grounds, students lounged and studied. Some dipped their feet in the lake, waving at the giant quid (who seemed to wave back). It was a blissful day. I knew it was the calm before the storm, and soon enough, I wouldn't be able to think of anything but school.
"Guys, the holidays are slipping away," Anna said sadly, "Soon school will be all we know." It was like she had voiced my thoughts. It made me shiver. Living at school was hard, because you could never get away. It was a constant part of my life, and I had no escape. Last year, I was one of the first to have an O.W.L related breakdown, and I was not proud.
"Maybe I should join a club or something," I wondered out loud, receiving voices of agreement from my friends. After that we just lounged away.
About half an hour later, we were approached by a seventh year. He had dark skin, and a goofy grin, and was none other than Fred Weasley. He held a stack of flyers in his hands.
"Hey kids, what house you in?" He asked with a flashy grin. We sat up slowly and squinted at him through the sun.
"Slytherin," Ki said pointing to himself, "And Gryffindor." He gestured to Anna and I. We smiled at him as Weasley turned his attention to us immediately.
"Gryffindor! Finally! It is as if we don't like the outdoors or something. Here take these," He handed us a flyer each. On the cover read 'Quidditch try-outs! Fly, throw and have fun!" I smirked at the stupid quip, but thanked Fred anyway.
"You girls any decent flyers?" He asked, sitting down beside us. Anna shook her head and I raised my hand hesitantly. Fred smiled happily at me.
"Really. Do you play Quidditch at all?" He rushed on.
"Yeah. Not for school or club or anything, just with my family." I said.
"That's okay, what position?" He asked.
"Chaser. My auntie never taught me any different."
"Would I know her?"
"Katie Bell?"
Fred's jaw dropped. "The Katie Bell! You mean, Holyhead Harpies longest running Chaser and club manager, Katie Bell!" I blushed.
"Uh, yeah. Daisy Bell, nice to meet you," I stuck out my hand and Fred took it with a disbelieving look on his face.
"Ok, Bell. I have a good feeling about you. Come by tryouts, ok?" I nodded and he stood up and walked off. There was a silence between the three of us, until Ki laughed.
"Watch out Bell, we might enemies soon. Not that you would be much competition." He said with a cheeky grin. I looked at Anna and she nodded, and as synchronized as possible, we launched at him, tackling him to the ground.
"Guys! I didn't mean it! C'mon! Gryffindor's and Slytherins are friends forever!" He laughed and fought back.
I rushed at a hurried pace through the corridors. I wore a mismatched long black skirt and yellow weird sisters t-shirt. I had my bag slung over my shoulder, with parchment sticking out at odd angles. I was tying my hair into a ponytail, bobby pins in my teeth. Yes, I was late. The whole weekend had been lazy. Yesterday, I lounged on the grass till dinner, and then today, I actually studied, in my pyjamas all day long. When I looked at my clock next to my bed, not five minutes ago, it read three o'clock. I was very, very late.
I was running to a special extension Defence class. It was a big deal, really. Only ten students ever got to do it, the top five of the sixth and seventh cohort. And I was going to be late, of course. I was mentally kicking myself as I rounded onto the corridor where the classroom was. When I walked in, everyone already sat in a semi-circle around our Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Malfoy.
Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass was one of the best Defence teachers that had ever graced the Hogwarts halls, especially compared to the horror stories from my parent's generation. She was smart, well travelled, and well opinionated.
"I am so sorry I'm late. I lost track of time." I gushed, standing at the door.
Professor Malfoy smiled at me. "No problem, Ms Bell. Take a seat here, we were just introducing ourselves, making sure we all knew each other. You're name, you're year, and something you did over the summer."
I sat down and dumped my bag next to me. As people began introducing themselves, I took my time to gather my self. I redid my hair, tucked my t-shirt into my skirt and wiped my eyes.
"Alice Longbottom, seventh year. My mum and dad took me to Africa, and we looked at some rare plants and stuff. Dad is a little enthusiastic about Herbology, erm, as you should know." Alice blushed and looked down. Her father was the Herbology professor here and I sure did know what she meant about enthusiastic. He once yelled at me about cacti.
"Harry Roy. Sixth year. I went road-tripping across America with my brother." To be honest, why Roy was in this class, befuddled me. HE was about as stupid as gits get.
"James Sirius Potter. Seventh Year. We barely did anything, just hung around home. We went to the Muggle Olympics in Luxembourg and watched the sprints though." I had snapped up to look at him at this. I had been to the sprints as well. I would be lying if I said I had no idea who James Potter was, as he was the son of the most famous person of recent years. But the truth is, I had never had much to do with him, as James was in the year above and we shared none of the same friends. But I looked at him now.
When it got around to me, I smiled. "Daisy Bell. Sixth Year. I went to the sprints at the Muggle Olympics with my aunt, but mainly just worked and saved up and stuff." I shrugged, and looked at James who smiled knowingly at me. I turned away.
"Right well, now that's sorted. Ok, so welcome sixth years to extension defence. It is an honour truly, and here you will learn what it really is to defend yourselves from the dark arts. Let us get started." She clapped her hands, and I gripped the edge of my chair. I was nervous.
"Seventh years, I expect you to act as tutors and mentors in the things we do, and also work on finessing and honing your honing skills."
We started on patronus's. First we would learn the theory and then we would learn the practical stuff. In all honesty, I was so excited to find out what form it took. By the end of the lesson, Malfoy chose one-seventh year to show us their patronus. Alice stood up and tried, but she explained she had never been that good at patronus's anyway and sat down.
"Potter, time to shine." Malfoy said, rolling her eyes. He threw her a grin and stood up.
"Expecto Patronus!" James said calmly. Out of the end of his wand shot a mare. It was beautiful and ethereal and it made me want to have my own.
When we were walking out of the classroom, it was almost six and time for dinner. Deciding to drop my bag off in the common room first, I began to make my way to the seventh floor.
"Bell! Wait up!" I turned around to see James jogging to catch up with me. I stopped and waited, wondering what he wanted.
"Hey," I said expectantly when he joined me. He stuck out his hand and I took it.
"Thought we should formally meet. James Potter. I heard you wanted to be on the team?" I raised my eyebrows. It was all I could think about since yesterday, and I had the note tucked underneath my bra strap still.
"Daisy Bell. Yeah, I am thinking about it." We began walking – I remembered that he too was in Gryffindor.
"You should. I mean, if you are anything like you're aunt, then you will have a real chance. I'm captain." He grinned and I looked up at him.
"Then, I really shouldn't be seen cozing up to my potential captain, should I?" I teased. His mouth dropped and he looked surprised.
"It was a joke, don't worry." I said and turned away, embarrassed. Much to my surprised, James laughed, and I was very happy he didn't laugh at me, but more at my joke.
"So, did you enjoy the sprints?" He asked.
"Oh yeah! I love Muggle athletics! Honesty, it is like my guilty pleasure." I gushed and James smiled.
"Me too, it was so hot though. I got burned. Thankfully it died down though." Glancing at him, I saw he had a warm tan and a splatter of freckles across his nose.
"Yeah, despite my best efforts, I got some freckles." We contunied y=totalk about the races, until we got close to the Fat Lady, when Ki stepped out of the common room. He looked over and smiled at me, before noticing james, when his eyebrows raised somewhat.
"Dai!" He said, approaching and using my pet name. "I was just heading down to dinner?"
"Did you and Anna actually get any work done while I was away?" I asked, trying to not to laugh. I had always teased them about being in love.
Ki scowled. "Yup, it was so boring. So, who is your friend?" He asked gesturing to James, who had been standing there awkwardly. I looked at him and smiled.
"This is James Potter, and Potter, this is my friend Ki." They shook hands.
"Are you in our house? I feel like I have seen you around."
"Nah, I am in Slytherin. Anna and Daisy here are my friends though, so I hang out here a lot."
"Oh, ok, makes sense. My brother is in Slytherin too," James began.
We all stood there for a moment. "So coming down to dinner, Dai?" Ki asked.
"Yeah, I was just going to put my bag down. Where's Anna?"
"Inside, but she might come late." I sighed and was about to walk away.
"I can take your bag in, if you want to go to dinner together?" James offered. I turned to him, surprised. I had barely known the guy and know he was being chivalrous. I slipped my bag off my shoulder and was about to hand it over.
I held it out. "Thanks that would be really ni - " I was cut off.
"If you promise to try out." I narrowed my eyes. The boy was tricking me! Crossed my arms.
"C'mon, please! We have no one, Bell!" He begged. My stomach rumbled and he smirked at me. "Please."
I shoved my bag at him. "Fine! But if I get on the team, my number is 19, got it?" And I stormed off, with Ki, a little wary, wondering behind me.