For Scrunchy's 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 challenge. Option I.
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dedicate to aliben
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Quite the Double Act
Olivia Black & James Potter
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. . . . . . . . . 1000
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"Faster, James, faster," he can hear her screaming even though the wind whips most of the sound off in the opposite direction and he can feel the tightness of her arms around his waist. He lowers himself and she moves with him clutching him even tighter. Its break neck speed that they are rushing along at and the wind whips past their faces stinging their skin. Her whoops of delight making him laugh as his clothing flaps wildly against him. He doesn't think there is any other rush like it.
He swerves suddenly whipping her round behind him and she screams gleefully as they zoom off back the way they have come. Below them, through the clear day, he can see the different hues of grass in the fields. Beyond them his home is a mere speck on the ground and the members of his family now invisible from their distance and height. He stops suddenly and her hair flies forward round him, engulfing him in whisper soft black curls.
"Shall we really see how fast this thing can go?" he yells to her over the wind that makes it almost impossible to hear so far from the ground.
"Godric, yes," she shouts back and the ecstasy in her voice is all too apparent.
"Hold on," he commands and she tightens her grip around his waist once more pressing herself to his back.
They shoot off once more and he is careful to keep his gaze from the sun which could cause him to lose his focus. They gain speed in no time and he knows that if he were alone he would be going hell for leather across the open skies. In the distance he can see his family home growing in size but it is still no more than an ant nestled in the greenery that surrounds it.
As he comes in line with the building he turns into a dive heading straight for the ground. He can feel the weight of her against him as her screams of joy fill his ears even more so than the wind. The members of his family come into view the closer and closer he gets toward the ground. He smiles as he realises that he has timed the dive perfectly and they are heading straight for the back garden.
Just before they crash he pulls up levelling them with the ground. In his peripheral vision he can see his mother looking on in horror with her hand at her open mouth. Beside her his father is shaking his head but his smirk is all too apparent. His little brother is pretending to read but he can see the way his eyes flicker over the edge of the book looking on in awe and his little sister with the sun glinting off her fiery red hair is jumping around shouting in amazement.
"That was brilliant!"
Suddenly the broom is a lot lighter as his companion slips off onto the ground and he turns to look at her. Her black is hair is tumbling mess around her face. Her usually pale cheeks are tinged with red from the whipping wind and her luminous blue eyes are shining brightly. She is beaming at him as she scrapes her long fingers through her hair trying to tame it back in some semblance of order and he beams back as he too dismounts.
"James Sirius Potter," his mother calls out in a voice torn between half worried to death and half furious. "You could have broken your neck not to mention Olly's. What would I say to her mother if she had fallen? We should never have bothered buying you that broom for your birthday if you can't learn to be responsible with it."
He turns to face his mother's fury knowing well enough by now to put on a sheepish expression before she really managed to work herself up.
"What do you have to say for yourself, young man?" she demands of him.
"Sorry," he tells her hanging his head.
"Don't do it again," she tells him crossly. "Olly you shouldn't encourage him. You should know fine well that he has not one ounce of sense in that thick skull of his. Probably comes down in the genes from my side of the family."
"Sorry, Aunt Ginny," Olly tells her with a grimace.
Ginny looks between the two of them for a moment and then her expression softens.
"Right well behave yourselves."
She smiles a little and then turns back to where her husband is standing trying not to smile through his wife's tirade. James turns back to Olly who has been his best friend since she was born.
"Cool, isn't it?" he asks her.
"It's awesome," she exclaims. "It's like the best birthday present ever. Oh I can't wait for my birthday. I think I'm getting a brand new broom."
"What's wrong with your Silverwave?" he asks her with a frown.
"Well by the time my birthday comes round the brand new Throttlebolt will be out."
He stares at her in anguish.
"No. I thought they weren't coming out until next year."
She shakes her head, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet obviously very pleased with the little bombshell she had just dropped.
"My mum says they'll be out by the time we start at Hogwarts."
"That would be amazing. I can't wait until Hogwarts starts."
"Neither can I," Olly says dreamily. "I am so excited. Are you excited to be eleven?"
He shrugs slightly a frown creasing his brow.
"I don't really feel different," he tells her, "but it's great to think that we can all go off to Hogwarts this year."
Olly nods in understanding.
"I'm not eleven until we get to Hogwarts. Will you sing happy birthday to me in the Great Hall?"
He laughs.
"Sure I will."
She smiles and then flings her arms around his neck. He squeezes her tightly back.
"Happy birthday, James."