*I don't own this, I wish I did. My life would rock if I did*

Twelve year-old Colin Creevey was standing in a mass of people on the Quidditch pitch. It was an unseasonably cold September evening, but he barely sensed that, despite his thin jacket. This was, he felt, the most important moment of his life. Gryffindor Quidditch try-outs. Colin, who was named after his late uncle, was a good flyer. Better than anyone in second year, he knew. Madam Spinnet had even gone so far as to send his father a note telling him to make sure Colin went out for the team. But was he better than all the others in all the other years?

Colin could see his friends standing in the crowd. Little Hugo Weasley, who was Colin's best friend, looked quite ill, standing by his older cousins, James Potter, who was fourteen, and Fred Weasley, who was sixteen. Liam Finnegan, who was also in his year, seemed to be trying to chat up Emma Thomas, also in their year, who was having none of it.

At seven sharp a lone figure in scarlet and gold began crossing the pitch. It was obviously a girl; her extremely curvy figure gave her away. She was clad in the Gryffindor robes and wore her dark brown hair in a tight bun at the back of her head. Colin knew who she was. She was Hannah Wood, the youngest Quidditch captain in Hogwarts history as she had taken up the mantle last year at the age of thirteen. He had seen her seek last year during games and she had been breathtaking. All her energy went into concentrating on the snitch; she had never failed to catch it.

Hannah Wood came to a halt right in front of the mass of people. "Alright," She called "welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch trials. If you are not here to try out, leave. Commit or leave. Now." Some figures hurriedly left the pitch. Completely unfazed, she continued "Now, as for the rest of you, I want to see you all fly around the pitch twice as fast as you can and as well as you can. Then we'll do positions trials. Mount your brooms" There was a general rush to get on the brooms. "One. Two. Three. Go!" She shouted and they all rose into the air.

Colin loved being in the air. It made him feel somehow better and whole. He didn't have to think about homework, or classmates up here. He was completely free. He was also fast up here, he was good and it was okay. Colin overtook the pack quickly he soon found himself neck and neck with a fifth year boy he knew vaguely as Daniele Zabini. They finished the second lap tied. Now it would come down to who flew better, Colin figured.

When they landed Hannah Wood was making the final notes on a clipboard. "This year I'm going to need a whole new team. That's two beaters, one keeper, and three chasers. I'm the seeker. If you make the team, you will be committed to coming to every practice, unless you have had a tragedy in the family, you are in the hospital wing, or you are dead. Those are the only excuses I will accept. You'll call me Wood to my face please." There was something about her that made you listen. She didn't raise her voice; in fact you almost had to strain to listen sometimes. She had a quiet authority. Her deep dark eyes were absolutely impenetrable as they passed over every face. "Please split up into your preferred positions. Keepers to my left, chasers to my right, beaters right in front of my please." Wordlessly people moved to their areas. Colin joined the group of would-be chasers, along with Hugo, Emma and Daniele Zabini, among others. Liam joined the keepers. James Potter and Fred Weasley could be spotted among the beaters.

Wood organized them in various drills. Overall, Colin was confident in his performance.

Just before eight, Wood called them around her. "The list will go up tomorrow. If you're not on it, I'm sorry but that's just the way it worked out."

Slightly dejected by Wood's lack of enthusiasm, Colin followed Hugo and his cousins up to the castle. "How did it go for you?" asked the timid little redhead.

"Not bad" Colin answered, more confidently than he felt. "How about you?"

"I don't think I'm in" Hugo sighed, earning him a sharp look from his cousins.

"That's not the attitude to have!" cried Fred

"You have to be in. Good little flyer like you." James reassured.

"Yeah well" Hugo said "We'll see."

They continued walking in silence. Up in his dorm, Colin pulled on his pyjamas, and crawled into his warm bed. He did sleep, unlike poor Hugo who tossed and turned like he had a fever, but his dreams were haunted by Wood shouting "YOU'RE OFF THE TEAM CREEVEY!" and her face becoming all distorted then turning into Zabini's laughing at him.

*I solemnly swear that if your reviews are constructive and good, I'll post another chapter soon!*

Cheers.