It has been years now: I've won many trophies, earned many accolades and a World Cup as well. I've raised two children and buried friends and loved ones. Yet a question is always asked and a single famous photo is always in the hands of a fan hoping for a signature. The photo is the cover of this book, a picture of Harry in his infamous Orange and myself beside him in my recognisable Green; the question always being how we met. Some people know a little, but only my intimate friends and family know the true story.
I remember the day I first saw him, the real Harry, not the mysterious Quidditch star or Saviour of the British Wizarding World people knew and loved. I was still young with wide and starry eyes. In fact I had just arrived for my first training session with the Harpies. Gwenog Jones, my first coach, had dragged me to the stadium a month before the other players. A special training camp she'd called it, and Merlin was it special.
I was still talking to Gewnog that morning when she signalled the arrival of my coach. My hopeful dreams of spending a month with a legend of Gewnog's calibre were dashed in an instant. I knew I had been pawned off to a sub-class assistant. Imagine my surprise when I turned to find Harry Potter walking towards me in a pair of khaki shorts and a green Harpies shirt.
But I move too quickly. That part of the story is a beginning, but not the beginning. Our story starts years before that fateful day to another day known to every witch and wizard of Britain. The night a certain Voldemort murdered a family and tried to end the only prophesied threat to his reign of terror…
Ginny dropped the quill in her hand and looked out across the lawn and up at the blue sky. It would have been fun to go flying.
2 Years earlier
The cold wind bit at of James' exposed skin. His gloves could only cover so much of his forearms and the outdated Gryffindor uniform, probably still from his mum's years, was horribly lacking in protection against the harsh climate of Scotland. The cold had already seeped into his bones as he raised a hand to adjust the frost covered goggles covering his eyes. Not for the first time he wished to be flying in the Quidditch league where none of the fields were this far north. With a groan he focused back on the game, more importantly the Golden Snitch that should be hovering somewhere in the space above the pitch.
Down below the Chasers and Beaters of both teams flew vigorously. The Quaffle passed between players with as much speed as could be expected from a school game, but remained slower than his mother and father fooling around in the garden on a Sunday afternoon. He let his gaze wander over the various players and his gaze focused on a girl flying at speeds his mother would call pedestrian, but for Hogwarts were blindingly fast. Her long ponytail rippled in the air. For a Ravenclaw she really was something. She alone would be capable of playing at a higher level. He would have to find the courage to talk to her at some point.
He sighed, knowing that he could not afford to lose concentration. The Snitch really was a pain to find. The task, as always, was made more difficult considering a general lack of sunlight and the downright miserable weather. Taking a deep breath he tried to remember the lessons taught by his mother and father. Repositioning himself he began to fly a search pattern while continuously scanning the sky before him. A small part of his mind always tracked the opposing Seeker. You could never afford to let your opponent get too great a head start.
The search dragged on and the score slowly began to look horrible for Gryffindor. His hands and fingers were so numb that he could no longer feel the broom's handle. It was not the first time that he wondered what the bloody hell he was doing up here this time of year. A book, warm fire and comfortable couch with a cup of hot chocolate would have been more enjoyable and relaxing. He licked his lips, almost tasting the warmth.
Something glittered. He blinked. The undeniable golden glint came again. He almost shouted out in relief as instinct or rather skills learned through years of backyard chases against impossible opponents took over. First he spotted the other Seeker to make sure that he was not closer. He was far away. With an exaggerated sigh and a small smile he plunged down towards the earth, falling even faster than the flakes of snow being driven by the gusty winds. The speed with which he fell increased rapidly, the small golden ball remained motionless. In the distance an irritating voice of a third year Hufflepuff broadcasted that Ravenclaw had extended their lead to a hundred and forty.
The ground came closer as the stupid Snitch fluttered into the middle of the pitch. James grimaced. There were few places he hated flying into. One of them was the middle of a heated battle between Chasers and Beaters. They were swarming all over the place and none of them ever looked up. It was downright dangerous for a Seeker.
The Snitch remained directly in his line of sight. Feeling confident he let go with his right hand. Through his palm he could almost feel the metal against his skin. His hopes were slightly dashed when the ball darted up and to the right. Pulling hard with his left hand and pushing firmly with his legs he managed to close the distance. He leaned forwards, the Snitch a few feet away.
Something hard slammed into his back. It knocked him slightly of course, but his fingers still managed to wrap around the Golden Snitch. His moment of triumph proved short lived as he slammed head first into an object too big to be a Quaffle or Bludger.
Lydia, limping of the pitch, closed her fist and slammed it against her right-leg. She bit back a pained cry. Her leg was going to be quite blue during the coming days. Couldn't the idiot look where he was flying? Her teammates walked in silence. The sombre mood only increased when William, one their Chasers, decided to open his mouth. "We were so close."
"Really?" Lydia muttered bitterly. "We never noticed." Ten points, that was all that was in it at the end.
He hung his head in embarrassment. She knew she had been rude, but did he really have to point out how close they had been to winning right after losing? They would have won if not for that stupid Gryffindor Seeker. He arrived at Hogwarts during his OWL year and since then it had become almost impossible to beat Gryffindor. The only way to win was to extend the score by more than one hundred and fifty, something that was not easy.
The team marched into their changing room and the girls moved to their magically enchanted side, the boys to theirs.
"I'm sorry," their Seeker called out from the boy's side. "I should have been closer."
"You gave him a good run for his money," she replied even though it was a lie. The boy had not even reacted instead he had still been floating in the clouds when James had slammed into her at speeds high enough to kill. She rubbed her leg absently, James really had been going fast. It had been one thing to watch from the stands, but up close it had been breathtaking. "Idiot," she said under her breath. "He'll kill someone."
"Yeah," the Seeker replied, disheartened. "But he has been signed by the Cannons, doesn't that make it a bit unfair?" It was a common argument since the end of last year.
"He's still a student," she replied. But she had to agree that it was like fighting a losing battle.
She sat down on her bench, the old soft wood creaking. There were only two other girls in the team. One was a Chaser the other a Beater and both were worn out. "Good game girls," she said to the two who were both in their OWL year. "You'll make a good team next year."
"We're nothing without you, Lydia."
She did not reply. Quidditch was Lydia's passion and dream. Being a professional was what she dreamed about ever since she learned about the sport as a child. She gently untied her ponytail and let her long auburn hair fall over her right shoulder. Her head rested against the wall while her right legged remained straight. It was already beginning to grow stiff, which meant a trip to the nurse would be needed. Luckily nothing had been broken or shattered.
Lydia closed her eyes. James had at least taken a Bludger to the back which would have hit her. He'd been so focused, so determined to catch the Snitch that he had lost sight of everything else. For a brief moment she had been able to see the intense blue eyes behind his goggles. Being that close to him in that final moment made it very clear why he had been signed already.
An hour later she stepped out of the changing room. Her teammates had already left as no one wanted to hang around after losing. She raised her hand and whispered a fake enthusiastic cheer. "Go Ravenclaw!"
"Lydia?" The name was spoken more as a question by an unfamiliar voice.
Her cheeks burned hot and her hand shot down to her side. She turned her head to the sound of the voice and was startled at the guy leaning against the wall. "Um… James?" Her hand moved over her face in a hopeless attempt to hide her embarrassment.
The Gryffindor Seeker pushed himself away from the wall. "Do you always take so long?" he asked, a guilty look on his face. "Or was your leg…"
"My leg is fine," she lied, cutting him off. "I was thinking about the game and where it went wrong."
He ran a hand through his hair and averted his gaze, looking oddly guilty. "Sorry about that."
"What are you apologising for? You won the game fair and square." She did not add that ramming into an opposing player was not considered polite, especially not after winning.
"Yes, but…"
"No buts," the words came out louder than she intended and it made him step back a little. She breathed out; it was almost a snarl. "Sorry, it's just been a long day and…"
"You were really close to winning."
She shot him a glare while wondering why everyone was bringing that up all the time. James, however, did not back away from her this time. "What are you doing here? You and your sister never hang around other people much."
He glanced away. "Well… I… you know… admired your flying."
She scoffed. "Admired my flying, Mr. Chudley Cannon?"
His cheeks grew slightly red and his fingers ran through the length of his messy black hair. "That's not completely fair."
"Why not? You were signed at the end of last year or were you not?" She crossed her arms and tapped her right foot against the stone floor while waiting for his answer.
"Yes… but I got lucky."
She laughed softly. "Do you really not realise how good you are?"
"Um…"
"Even your little sister kept us busy today and she's not even half as good as you. If she'd not been there then we would have walked over your little Gryffindor team."
He did not argue as there was no way he had failed to notice the goals his sister scored. His fists clenched slightly. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I should be heading back to the dorm."
He dug his hands into his pockets and trudged up to the school; dinner would be starting soon.
Lydia frowned and thought about calling out for him to stop, but that would hardly help. He vanished into the darkness. "Go Ravenclaw," she raised her hand in the air again. "I'm really going barmy."
"Harry!" Ginny called out as she dropped the papers in her hand onto the cluttered table.
"Hmmm." He poked his head around the wall. "Need anything?"
She glared at him. "I need a Chaser!"
"Not my problem." He gave an insufferable grin. "But I thought you solved that issue."
She narrowed her eyes. "You let them sign our son."
He laughed loudly. "What, do you want to sign him? Besides he is not a Chaser and I think that girl you found is actually pretty good."
Her lips thinned. "I'm just going to make as if I did not just hear you suggest that."
"Well then you should just wait for Lily."
Ginny shook her head. "Too long and I doubt that's what she wants."
Something hard clattered to the ground. "What?" Harry hurried over to the table. "When did she say that?"
She sighed. "She's never said anything, but I don't think that flying is what she wants."
He nodded slowly as he sank into the old and worn wooden chair opposite hers and then stared at the dwindling fire. The flames danced in his green eyes. "I think… I think I knew that."
"Are you angry?"
"No," he said with a small smile. "We've always encouraged them to do what they love."
"At least they don't have to fight murderers for a living." His smile grew tight. She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Sorry, I know it bothers you."
He looked up, green eyes hard. "And those idiots still won't accept that their precious leader is gone."
Ginny shivered. "How many more trips are you going to have to make?"
"As few as possible."
"That many."
He looked resigned. "People deserve a better world that I was born into."
"But do you have to change everything yourself?"
"No, but… but…"
It was the most painful part of her life, nights spent awake, wondering and waiting. Her hands enclosed his white knuckled fist. "I know."
"Hogwarts to James." Lily clicked her fingers before his face. He blinked in surprise then stared down at the cold half-eaten breakfast lying on his plate.
His eyelids fluttered briefly before his gaze focused on her. "Sorry. I was thinking."
"About a certain someone," she teased.
"What? No, why would I be thinking about a girl?" he stammered out quickly.
She tapped her chin as if in thought. "I don't know. Maybe the fact that you almost killed her."
"It was hardly that bad."
"That's not what I saw," she teased. "You rugby tackled that poor girl hard enough to make any man proud."
He looked indignant. "I did not."
"Did too and you didn't even use your arms. That's a red card offense." She raised her arm in the air as if holding a card. "Get off the pitch, you vile monster!"
"You know it was an accident." He lowered his voice, probably hoping to avoid garnering any more attention. Lily giggled. She knew she could be obnoxiously loud, probably the Weasley in her.
"Perhaps, but you were thinking about her, James."
He could not hide the slight blush. "There's no use lying to you is there, Lils?"
"Nope! I am the all-seeing sister. You should know that by now, brother."
He shook his head in amusement or disbelief. "Don't you have better things to be doing than pestering me?" he forced out, no doubt wanting to be left alone.
"Wallowing in self-pity and staring like a puppy is not going to get her any closer to you. You do know that, don't you?"
His eyes lifted to meet her gaze. "You know I can't."
"Why not?" Lily smiled. "Just go talk to her. I don't think she bites… I'm pretty sure she doesn't… then again you never know with all these vampire tales."
He grimaced. "She's busy studying at the moment. And she is not a vampire."
"Werewolf?" Lily tried. "They bite too."
"Not a werewolf either."
She huffed. "And how would you know?"
"NEWTs, they do teach us a few things after OWLs you know."
This was getting her nowhere. "I am sure a clever girl like her, being a Ravenclaw and all, can spare a few minutes of her day to talk to a guy." James went rigid. Lily exhaled, head dropping. She knew the real reason, or at least what his biggest excuse was. "I guess you don't want to lie."
A small flicker of anger crept into in his voice. "I doubt life would be much different in any case."
Lily leaned forwards. "Just because you use a different last name doesn't mean you have to push every person away."
He glanced to the side while probably sifting words in his mind. "I spoke to her, you know."
Lily inhaled sharply. "When?" It was the first time she actually felt excited about something in a while.
"After the game. I waited almost an hour for her to finish changing."
"And?" she tried to push.
"A complete disaster. I ended up walking away."
Her heart dropped. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad." His eyebrow rose slightly. "Huh. Well you never know, there might be time to rescue the situation."
"Is it worth it?" he asked mournfully. "I only have this year left in school and then I'll probably be too busy to date."
Lily grinned. "Mum and Dad managed."
James scowled. "I don't want to think about them, not now."
"You know their reasons. But at least they're both safely at home now."
He relaxed; he could never hold something against anybody for long, especially not family. "So what are you planning on doing today?"
"Torture you," she replied innocently.
"James?" Lily looked up at the sound of the new voice.
"Oh, umm, Lydia," James just barely managed to say coherently.
She clutched a book to her chest as if to ward against something untoward, like Lily's evil brother. "I wanted to apologise."
"For what?" he asked, his voice returning to something resembling normal. "I can hardly think of anything for you to apologise for."
Her feet shifted nervously. Some Ravenclaws were watching the interaction; most were sniggering. Lily wanted to call them a bunch of prudes, but a few Gryffindors acted even more childishly. It caused Lydia to stammer a little. "Well… you know… I was a bit upset after the… the game and might have come across a bit… umm… rude."
"No," James replied. "I was the one being rude."
"No you weren't."
Lily decided to interject. "Why don't you both just agree that you are both rude and unsociable?"
"I am not…" James and Lydia both began together and stopped when the other realised what was happening. Both pairs of cheeks went slightly red.
Lily jumped to her feet and began walking away. From here on the two should be able to figure things out, for better or worse. Right now Lily had Ancient Runes to think about.
Harry lay low against the ground beneath the deck outside a partially broken house that held more than a few horrid memories. Small pieces of dirt and rock fell between the cracks from the floorboards above as two wizards walked out from the house.
"What are we doing here?" one man asked.
"I fear the walls within the Manor no longer report to the owner," the younger man replied, though anger laced every word. "Former faithful no longer bend to our will."
"Little profit in such endeavours these days."
"No, the profit still exists. They have been brainwashed with ideologies people like my father fought against."
"Foolishness," the older replied.
"I see it now. It is even clearer to me now than when my father spoke to me. Purebloods need a strong leader that will take them to new heights."
"I am not sure you are such a man? Those years in Azkaban will not sit well with Magical folk more informed of Muggles."
"Yes and no," the younger man replied. "But the public will see a man changed. A man who learned from a father's mistakes."
"Have you learned from those mistakes, Draco?"
Harry gripped the wand in his right hand. Despite the years, Voldemort's wand had never grown warm to the touch. It was as cold and merciless as the day he had won it from the previous owner. Not for the first time Harry wondered if he should retrieve the Elder Wand. It was his after all and could hardly be colder than the monstrosity he held at the moment. Then again that wand had probably slaughtered more innocents than Voldemort's.
"I believe I have."
"Patience is my advice. Haste only led to years in Azkaban," the older man cautioned.
"Unfortunately that does take more time."
"I will talk to those still willing to listen."
Twin pops signalled their departure from the forsaken house linked to a lot of trouble in this country.
Harry grimaced beneath the deck. Draco had learned to guard the words he spoke even when in company he trusted.
"Lily!" An arrogant voice called from behind. Lily clutched her book to her chest and continued walking down one of the long stone corridors of Hogwarts towards her Fifth Year Charms class. "I called you, Dursley!"
That made her stop. "What is it, Malfoy?" she spat out. The platinum blonde idiot stood leaning against one wall, the all too familiar cocky grin plastered on his face.
He pushed himself away from the wall arrogantly and swaggered towards her. "I still can't believe they let Mudbloods into the school like you."
Lily straightened, the truth so tempting, but she restrained herself. "At least my father isn't locked away in Azkaban for life."
The boy's face clouded over with anger. "My father and grandfather fought to rid the world of Mudbloods like you. Besides they were released a week ago."
Her lip began to quiver with rage, but a large, gentle hand on her shoulder held her back. "Leave it, Lils."
She did not face her brother. "Did you hear what this idiot said, James?"
"I heard. Twenty points from Slytherin and detention tonight, Scorpius." James' firm voice filled the corridors.
The blonde scowled. "I hope you're happy that another lowly Mudblood saved you."
Lily heard James growl softly. "Forty points and two nights worth of detention. I don't think your fellow housemates will enjoy your stupidity."
Scorpius' face had grown red with rage, but the boy knew James was right. The Houses got on famously these days with only a few older families trying to stir trouble. "Just wait. My father will hunt down your Muggle family and kill them!" With that he turned and began to skulk away.
Lily leapt forwards, but her brother kept her back. "Leave him, Lils. He's all talk and no action."
"But he…" she gasped out.
James looked down at her with bright blue eyes, a strand of messy black hair hung across his forehead. "It's not worth the effort."
Another female voice was next to speak. "What is it with that guy and you two?"
James let his arm drop away from Lily before he faced the girl who'd spoken. "He just hates all things not pureblood, Lydia." He ran a hand through his hair just like their father. "I guess Gryffindor winning the Quidditch Cup for the past two years doesn't help."
"Loser!" Lily stuck her tongue out at Scorpius who was almost out of sight.
Lydia stared at them worriedly. She had only been friends with James for a few days, but they were spending a surprising amount of time together. "I know he has a big mouth, but he can still be dangerous considering his family and their wealth. Being Muggleborn you do not understand just how powerful the Malfoy family is."
James nodded. Neither he nor Lily needed any reminders of who the Malfoys were or still are. "I've been told a hundred times before."
Lydia's dark green eyes stared worriedly at James, but she said nothing. He faced Lily. "You be careful around him even though I know how quick you are with your hexes."
They began to walk away, leaving Lily alone and late for class. "Bugger! OWLs are going to kill me."
Ginny sat at the kitchen table after putting the kettle on the stove to continue repairing the tail of the Quidditch broom she'd wrecked. She'd ridden it a bit too hard over the last few days, but being home alone in the evenings had never been fun and the season was still in the early stages so it hadn't consumed her life yet.
Her thoughts were about to become melancholy when the front door opened. "I'm home!"
She sat upright then glanced at the clock. It was already ten. Footsteps echoed lightly from the entrance. It felt like an eternity before the figure entered the kitchen. Harry looked tired and his messy dark hair covered the familiar scar on his forehead. The usual grin was missing. He dropped his bags and opened his arms. That was all the invitation Ginny needed to hurry into them.
"It's good to have you back," she sighed into his chest.
She felt his lips press against the top of her head. "I wish I could wreck brooms like you."
She swatted his arm. "You know that's not all I do."
Ginny pulled back to see him smiling slightly. "So how is it going with the Harpies?"
She let out a long sigh. "You know it could be better." She followed Harry into the kitchen as the water began to boil. "As you know our Chasers need a lot of work."
"Lacking experience or talent?" Harry asked as he lifted himself up to sit on the black granite kitchen counter.
She frowned, thinking. "I had hoped it was only inexperience, but I am starting to believe that the talent's not really there. It's been a while since we drafted some new Chasers."
The kettle began to whistle and Harry automatically shuffled slightly to remove two mugs while Ginny retrieved the coffee and milk. They worked in silence for a minute.
"Any new prospects?" Harry asked eventually.
"I would have loved to sign James," she groaned. "But he's a boy, a Seeker, and the Cannons already stole him."
"You'll just have to wait two more years and then you can sign Lily." Harry's green eyes shone with humour even though they had both discussed that Lily would probably never fly professionally. "What about that Ravenclaw girl Lily wrote about? She seems to be a rather good Chaser."
Ginny nodded. "I sent a scout to go look at her during the Gryffindor match. She's definitely the best Chaser in Hogwarts at the moment. How that relates to talent in the league is something entirely different."
"Well there are three more games for you to scout. You'll be able to get a better idea before the end of the year."
Ginny shook her head. "I'm not sure how good she is, but I have a feeling she'll be signed before the last game. So I have to make up my mind quickly."
He understood. Signing raw talent out of Hogwarts was rare; usually the Premier League teams would let a second or third division team take players in after school during the open summer trials. Once there, their talent could be better judged. When a particular gem was born, like James, the top teams tended to fight hard to get them. Lydia might just be one of those gems.
"Are you thinking about signing her before Christmas?" he asked quietly.
Ginny nodded. "She has a game against Slytherin next month. I will go watch in disguise as Hermione's guest. That should give me a good idea."
"Helps to have family in high places," Harry laughed.
Ginny blushed. It really was embarrassing how influential their family had become over the years. She was the head coach of the Harpies. Ron was the owner of Quidditch Monthly, the most popular magazine in the country. Hermione was Headmistress of Hogwarts. Percy was the Minister of Magic. Charles was Chairman of the International Board of Magical Creatures. Bill and Fleur were the highest ranking humans in Gringotts. The Weasley Wizarding Wheezes had grown into an international corporation, selling unique items to Wizards and Muggles alike. Gwenog had become the Chairman of the Quidditch League after stepping down as coach. At least her parents had managed to live quiet lives in the Burrow before passing away a few years ago. Harry, on the other hand, moved away from public life. He now led a small and special branch of Aurors, which included Muggles and focused on acts of Magical terrorism against the British Isles as a whole.
He shrugged. "It does?"
She sent a meaningful glare towards her husband. "You're not saying something. What happened?"
"It's been a long couple of weeks. The Malfoys are out and scheming, and there's always another idiot waiting to rise up thinking he can resurrect the fool or overthrow the government." His voice dropped and his eyes grew haunted.
"Can they?" Ginny asked feeling worried. "You know, resurrect him."
"I'm not aware of any magic that can bring him back." He looked up with worried eyes. "That doesn't mean there isn't a way."
She made her way towards him and ran a hand through the messy black hair that had been softened slightly by a few strands of grey. "I'm sure nothing will happen."
"I hope so."
James yawned loudly while still lying in bed. The sun had begun to shine through the open window. Unlike other mornings he actually managed a smile. It was a weekend which meant no class and a lot of free time. Of course, he should usie it to finish his homework.
Eventually he worked up the energy to kick his feet from out beneath the duvet. The cool air made him want to dive back under the covers. With some considerable will power he stood and shuffled to the shower.
As usual he was one of the last people to arrive at breakfast. The Great Hall was almost empty and he found an empty table far away from the remaining Gryffindors. He got some toast, which he ate with some bacon and eggs. He waited a minute before a familiar owl swooped in with his Quidditch Monthly, a gift from his uncle. Not that the gift actually cost Uncle Ron anything.
He tipped the bird with a large piece of bacon and opened it to the first article. He took a bite from his self-made bacon and egg sandwich. He grimaced; the Harpies had taken another beating the previous weekend. His mother's Seeker, Sandra, had apparently done well even though she failed to catch the Snitch. The Arrows, however, did have the best Seeker in the League. Not even the experienced Beaters could help the wallowing Harpies Chasers.
"Interesting reading?" the now familiar voice of Lydia asked from behind. "I should have guessed you subscribe." She sat without asking, something he'd gotten used to and oddly found himself enjoying.
He swallowed before looking up at her. "Reading about the Harpies game."
Her eyes shone for a brief moment just like any young witch hoping to play professional Quidditch. "They lost I'm afraid." She shuffled awkwardly.
"Do you want to read with me?"
She blushed slightly. "I… well I don't have a subscription and none of the Ravenclaws subscribe. It is not academic enough."
He nodded. "My aunt would say the same thing."
"Do your friends mind that I sit here?" she asked quietly.
He glanced up and down the table. "What friends? Besides, my father would ground me for a month if I let House politics get between friends." She gave a small smile. "I usually sit and read here on my own. I have to get through most before Lily steals the magazine from me."
"I can go… let you finish this."
"No…" he said quickly then paused. "I would like it if you went through this with me." He grinned almost evilly. "And if you lend it she'll be stuck without a copy for days."
She shook her head and slapped his shoulder, but she did shuffle so that the magazine was between them. "Merlin, they lost badly."
James could only nod. "M… Coach Potter is having some trouble finding a balance with her Chasers. Sandra is brilliant, but just not as good as the Arrows genius."
"Potter won right out of school." Lydia chimed in.
"Which one?"
Lydia giggled. "Both of them. They must have been something else. My parents went to watch some of their games." She flipped the page and James froze, there he saw an iconic photo of his mother, dressed in her Harpies green uniform, and his father wearing his bright orange Cannons uniform. His father's arm was wrapped around her waist and both smiled broadly. The photo had been taken after Harpies had won the League after four years of Cannon dominance.
Lydia reached out to touch the page. "This is such a beautiful photo. They are so perfect for one another. It's sorry that they stopped playing so soon."
"He became some sort of Auror and she started to coach the Harpies with Gwenog."
"Yeah." They flipped the page to find a short article about his mother's career as a coach. It was pretty good all things considered. She had coached the Harpies to five league trophies and managed another three with Gwenog. "
"Her records are pretty good," he admitted.
"She's amazing. I wish I could spend just one day being coached by her," she sighed wistfully.
He grinned. "You might get that chance one day."
Her head shook. "I doubt it. I'm not nearly good enough to play for the Harpies."
He almost choked. "You are by far the best Chaser in Hogwarts. If you can't make it then there is no chance for the others."
She stared down at the magazine and flipped the page. Thankfully it changed to an article about the Magpies. Lydia shivered. "I just hate this team."
James chuckled. "I suppose. Though I am a Cannons man myself."
She laughed. "That would have nothing to do with being signed by the second best team in the league."
"Second best?" he questioned. "As far as I can tell we did better than the Harpies last season."
"Better?" She scoffed. "We reached the final and you didn't."
He brooded for a moment. "We would have won if the Snitch hadn't acted up in the semi-final."
Lydia shrugged. "That was kind of unlucky I suppose."
"You suppose?" She smiled at his remark, dark green eyes full of amusement. "Haha, have a good laugh at me now."
"Well I have to say something now. Next year your clothes will be too garish for me to even look at you, let alone spend time with you."
He narrowed his eyes, but her eyes sparkled with mirth. It made him wonder if she had hinted at their friendship lasting beyond the confines of school.
"Breakfast is finished, Mr Dursley, Mrs Walker." James jumped at the sound of his aunt's voice.
"Yes, Headmistress. We were just reading and lost track of time."
She only smiled. "That is quite alright, but I do suggest taking your reading outside. It is a fine day after all."
"Yes, ma'am," Lydia stood hastily. "Especially after the past few weekends of bad weather."
James stood slowly. "Are you going to talk with my parents?" He whispered softly enough so that Lydia would not hear who had begun walking to the door.
"No, it is not my place. I only tell them the really embarrassing stories."
James said good bye and then hurried after Lydia. "What did she want?" she asked.
"Reminding me to behave myself before ladies."
Lydia's cheeks grew a darker shade of red. "She did not."
James continued to smile. She didn't, but he could read the warning in his aunt's expression. He had seen her staring at his cousins enough to know the look. Thankfully they were all older than him and out of school.
Lydia sat down beneath a large oak tree that grew within the magic borders of Hogwarts. James plonked down beside her. The magazine once again lay between them. "How long have you known about Quidditch?" she asked.
"Ever since I knew I was a wizard. My parents became rather smitten with the sport."
Lydia fought back a laugh. Imagining two Muggles going barmy over Quidditch was a strange thought. "So they got you hooked after you got hooked?"
"Yeah. My parents were good sportsmen in their day and so it sort of bubbled over into Quidditch."
"So what did you play as a Muggle?"
"I played football, but kicking a ball around is not nearly as fun as flying on a broom."
"I guess," she answered. "But it would be fun playing something else."
"Probably. Football is at least similar. Except there aren't any Seekers to steal a win away from the Chasers." His voice grew a bit softer. "The concept of the Seeker is a bit unfair in all honesty."
"No need to tell me. We lose each year because you snatch the bloody Snitch."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, but it's what I am good at."
"I know," she replied while playing with the long grass before her. "It's only frustrating to realise that hours' worth of hard work meant nothing."
"But I bet it is rewarding once you extend the lead by more than one hundred fifty and win the game."
She couldn't help the large smile. "Yeah, then you know you really thumped them."
He laughed with her. "So what do your parents do?" he asked.
Lydia chuckled a bit more. Normally she would've grown distant if someone asked personal questions. Luckily most Ravenclaws kept to themselves and their books. The more outgoing, popular students left her alone. Lydia was an oddity after all, a nerd that played sports really well.
"My father was an Auror, but got injured and now only does paperwork. He never talks about what he's working on. My mother works at the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes."
"That must be great," he replied. It sounded honest.
"She's just an accountant and doesn't do anything fun." Lydia had often hoped her mother would introduce her to the two famous owners. She would only say that she rarely saw them. James licked his lips and his gaze grew slightly distant, but said nothing. "So what do your parents do?"
"My mother is a sports coach and my father is a security consultant." The words left his mouth so quickly they almost felt rehearsed.
"I guess that's where your talent for flying comes from," she said quietly.
"Maybe," he replied as if he weren't a hundred percent convinced by her conclusion.
They fell into a comfortable silence. He didn't move to open the magazine and she did not feel like reading. It actually felt nice to sit outside with someone not from her House. Those times usually degenerated into in-depth conversations about Ancient Runes or Arithmancy. She enjoyed those talks, but she yearned to talk about her other passion as well.
"Are you busy next weekend?" James asked out of nowhere.
"I don't have anything planned," she replied, wondering why he suddenly brought this up.
"Um… would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
She stiffened, then her head rotated slowly into his direction. "As in a date?"
His mouth opened, closed then opened again. "Ah… yes. I think… people refer to it as such."
Her stomach fluttered. "I think… I think I would like that."
His shoulders relaxed visibly. In the minutes she had been sitting and enjoying the time outside he had been fighting his nerves. "Great," he answered awkwardly.
Lydia also found herself very unsure of what to do now. Her fingers rubbed against one another; the piece of grass between them had long since disintegrated. The peaceful quiet from before was quite awkward now.
"Well… um…" he stuttered. "Do you want to finish the last few articles?"
"Sure?"
Author's Note:
Hi everyone.
Sorry that this has taken so long to post and will probably take some time to finish, but I am posting to try and get myself to write more. I've got about six chapters written, but they need to be checked and fleshed out, but I've got each game of the Quidditch Season worked out for each team. I'm an engineer that loves spreadsheets so shoot me. My wife just shook her head, smiled, and called me a 'freak'.
I've finally finished my Master's thesis, a part time effort that hung over me like a dark cloud for far too long. During the last few months of writing my Thesis my wife and I bought a house, so that chewed up large amounts of time and added stress. One of my team members at work resigned leaving me with more work. I also joined the local cricket club and managed to play for a half a season before old injuries forced me to stop. Hopefully my life can settle down for the next few months so that I can write.
I know some people might be angry that this doesn't take place right after the end of the previous story, but I feel that that part of the tale has been told. This time period allows me to expand Harry and Ginny as they have new roles while also giving room for some other characters to have some fun on and off the pitch.
Anyway, comments have always been a great source of motivation and this is a genre that I enjoy writing in as it generally makes me smile. So in the end of the day I hope this story will make you smile as well. (Not that every chapter will necessarily fun)