Badges

"James! Al! Lily! Breakfast's ready!" Ginny called up the stairs as she put the last plate of pancakes on the table. Harry came up from behind her and set the syrup there as well. He leaned into and whispered into her ear.

"Neville's told me who the Quidditch Captain is." She merely raised an eyebrow in response.

"And pray tell, Harry, who could it be?" Harry gave a wink and sat down at the table.

"I promised to keep it a secret."

"You git!" Ginny gave him a push in the arm before sitting down herself.

James and Lily promptly sat in their seats and dug in, muttering a rough 'good morning' to their parents. Al took his time as he descended the stairs, taking care not to trip. He was too enticed by the book in his hand to stop reading. Luckily, he had the skill not to trip on the various things left lying on the floor.

"Albus, put the book down and eat." His mother snapped at him. Albus gave her a sheepish smile and placed it in his lap before digging into his food.

"So Dad," James tried to say slyly, his mouth still full of the doughy food. "I heard you and Mum talking, you found out who the Quidditch Captain is?" Without bothering to wait for a response, James continued. "Care to share?"

Harry shook his head and grinned. "Secret, James. Besides, you don't have to wait long." He pointed his fork to the window as three owls flew in through the window, quickly dropping letters into the laps of the three children.

James was bounding with excitement by now, and in his haste, he practically ripped his letter. He was muttering to himself all the while, amusing both his parents. "I didn't get it..." James' shoulders drooped. "I'm going to talk to Fred, maybe he got it." James quickly ran to the fireplace, ignoring his unfinished breakfast. His father raised an eyebrow at Al.

"And did you get what you wished for?"

Albus, who took his time finishing his forkful of food, had yet to open his letter. He worked much more carefully than James, and opened the letter with much more care, nearly dropped his letter to the floor in surprise as two badges fell out of it.

Albus Severus Potter didn't want much. He only really wanted a Prefect badge. His wish had been granted, but more so, he had also gotten what James wanted, the badge of a Quidditch Captain, for Gryffindor. Acting quickly, he stuffed it into his pocket and proudly presented the other to his parents.

"Yup. What I've always wanted, the Prefect badge."

"That's great, Al. Anything else?" His father asked, implying much more than it seemed.

"What? No! I didn't, nothing else, nothing of the sort." He answered all too quickly, anyone could tell he was lying. He was extremely lucky that James didn't happen to be in the room at the time. He muttered a quick excuse about having to tell Rose the good news before dashing to his room where his owl was currently sleeping. He threw his book down on his bed and searched his all too messy desk for some parchment and a quill.

"Patientia! Wake up! I need to send something! It's urgent!" The owl glared at its master as it was woken from slumber. "Please! You need to get this to Uncle Neville!"

Dear Professor Longbottom,

Did you make a mistake Professor? Was the badge supposed to go to James?

- Al Potter

Not an hour later, the owl flew back carrying another letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,

As the head of Gryffindor, I am to choose the most important player on the team to receive the badge of the Captain. I am sure that I have picked the right person.

-Professor Longbottom

Albus' eyes widened and he quickly wrote a reply.

Uncle Neville,

Are you trying to get me killed by James? He's never going to forgive me. I won't be able to sleep at night until he graduates. I hope you know that, so you should really reconsider because I like sleep.

-Al

Neville laughed as he read the letter and quickly wrote a reply.

Al,

I want you to be alive as much as you do. If James has a problem with you, tell him to talk to me.

-Neville

Albus gave up hope. Clearly his professor was deranged in the mind. He was just going to have to face the facts and tell James. With a deep breath of air, he set of for the fireplace, knowing that James would most likely be conferencing with Fred as to who could possibly be the Captain.

Albus stopped before the entrance to the room, gathering up his courage. He was a Gryffindor after all, wasn't he? He should man up and be brave. That was, until he heard his parents.

"Are you telling me that Albus got the badge, Harry?"

"I am. He is an amazing seeker."

"Are you implying that seekers are better than chasers?" The venom in her voice was clear.

"Of course not dear, I am merely saying that seekers give a larger pull in the game."

"Harry James Potter! You will not sit there and tell me that seekers are better. I'll have you know, that enough points have been scored by chasers so that it didn't matter whether or not—"

Albus shuddered as he realized what his parents were doing, but it didn't matter because it proved his point. His mother, as a chaser would believe that James should have gotten the badge because he was a highly skilled chaser, but his father, as a seeker, would believe that he deserved the badge. All in all, James would be furious.

He stopped at the entrance to the family room, he could hear James and Fred talking.

"James, it doesn't make sense, I mean, you're the best chaser around at Hogwarts, and I clearly the best beater." They took after their grandparent/father a lot. "No one else even compares to us, so who, who could nick that badge from us?"

"I don't know, but when I do find out, I'm going to kill him." Taking another deep breath, Albus stepped into the room.

"I don't think that'll go well with Mum and Dad." James turned around to glare at his brother.

"I'm talking with Fred, Albus, bugger off." Albus closed his eyes and lifted up the badge in one hand for James to see. James' jaw dropped open. "WHAT? YOU! My own little brother beat me out for Captain?" Albus winced at the volume.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER! DO NOT SCREAM AT YOUR BROTHER!" Their mother's voice came from the kitchen, slightly flustered.

"I'm sorry, James! I really didn't think I would get it! I even told Uncle Neville that I thought you deserved it!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Just ask him." Albus nodded his head frantically.

"I suppose I can't kill you now, Mum would never let me. So clearly, that means I'll just have to get you back real good." Albus gulped at the devious look in James' eyes.

"I, erm... I'll just... I mean... I ah... I'll just go to my room." James nodded, smiling devilishly.

"Of course, Albus. Go to your room. You'll be safe there." Albus' eyes widened and he quickly ran from the room.

"James... you're not going to actually hurt him are you?" James jumped in the air and turned around.

"FRED! I thought you left."

"And miss that? You were letting him off easy, mate."

"Oh trust me, when I get to Hogwarts and Mum and Dad can't do anything, he is going to pay." Both boys laughed together heartily, enjoying the torture yet to come.

A/N: So what did you think?