It was the summer before their sixth year when Clover stampeded into the Potter's house.
"Oh I could rip my hair out! The Board of Magical Species is out of their mind!"
James didn't even look up from his copy of the Quibbler "What did they do this time?"
"They denied Mother's application to become a member of the Board again! That slug Scamander is still upset Mum didn't want to marry him like 20 years ago!"
Chrysie chimed in "Of course our parents are very happy as professors at Hogwarts, so it's not so much cause for alarm."
"Always the pacifist Chrysie, Can't you see how unfair this is? Don't you remember how long our parents searched in the most remote places and the most amazing discoveries all to NOT be accepted on a board full of people less accomplished than them?" Clover bit back.
Out of the two of them, James and Ileana could never figure out why Clover wasn't a Gryffindor, sure he was a quiet kid but he grew into a strong, fierce voice.
Ileana shook her head, the Longbottoms had been trying to join the Board of Magical Species for as long as she could remember, but never to any avail though their work far outshone even the head of the board, Rupert Scamander and had for decades. This issue came up as often as they were allowed to submit applications, which was often. While she wanted her friends parents to succeed, especially when they deserved it, Ileana was secretly glad she had such talented teachers as Neville and Luna Longbottom.
Clover lets out a large sigh as he, Chrysie, Ileana, and James walk into the back garden of the Potter's house where their brooms had been left the day before.
Ileana, Clover, and James all mount their own brooms. However, Chrysie gets on James's broom, wrapping her thin arms around his waist. Chrysie never liked flying a broom on her own, even since they were children she would ride with Clover, her riding with James was a new development which left both Clover and Ileana too shocked to speak until they were up in the clouds.
"I know Chrysie doesn't like when I get so heated but, was it really that bad?" Clover flew quite close to Ileana so he could be heard over the wind, without Chrysie and James overhearing.
"No, you've been way worse and she hasn't given you the cold shoulder before." Ileana replied, her heart twinged with the fear that this wasn't about Clover's outburst at all but about something more between Chrysie and James.
Ileana always thought that Her and James's "Best Seven Year Ever" plan would turn into their "Best Rest of Our Life" plan, but after the Christmas party 7 months ago, she wasn't so sure.
The closest wizarding village was by the sea, once their parents trusted them to fly without being seen, the sleepy wizarding village of Peppermur became the trusted fours daily ritual in the summer. The Trio of brooms landed softly on the sand beach.
Ileana immediately walked to the water, standing in silence, feeling the sand being rushed away underfoot by the tide. She looked out onto the glisten of the water, her mind turning back to the day a couple summers ago that Clover and Chrysie brought Gillyweed to the beach and James dared Ileana to race him across the Channel, completely underwater. The Gillyweed didn't last very long, but it was long enough that the two stubborn Gryffindors were stranded in the middle of the Channel. That was the only day Ileana remembers Chrysie flying on her own, when she and Clover came to rescue their two favorite Gryffindors.
Ileana strolled back to their large beach blanket laid out in their usual spot, their lunch being pulled from the depths of Chrysie's bag. They sat and laughed and talked as easily as they did on their first ride to Hogwarts, the awkwardness of the fly over this morning almost forgotten...until Chrysie did the same thing on the fly home.
Ileana was too exhausted by the day in the sun to ask James about it when they were the only two left at the Potter's house that night. They said their usual goodbyes and see you tomorrows before Ileana took her broom and flew home, to Amelie and Luca making a delicious dinner.
Amelie flashed her eyes back and forth between her daughter and husband, making sure she had their attention before speaking.
"I'm hearing whisperings of great excitement going on at Hogwarts this year."
"Oh yeah mum? Where did you hear that from?"
"From the director of International Wizarding Competitions, whatever she's putting on she's quite proud. Sounds like she's got schools from all over coming together."
"From what you've told me dear, whatever that woman is putting on can't be that great since Beauxbaton was not invited, and that's all my thoughts on the matter."
"Mum...what's going on?"
"Now lovely, I can't tell you that without ruining the fun!"
Ileana went to bed that night with a headache trying to process what all had happened that day. She pulled her Instant Owling Parchment from her nightstand drawer, the latest invention from George Weasley, parchment which, whatever you write on it will show up on the parchment of the person you address it to, as long as you're close enough. She almost began writing to James before thinking better of it and rolling over to go to sleep. No need to open that jar of worms if all she was going to do was complain that James had begun doing exactly what they agreed upon.
