Disclaimer: Don't own HP, just my OCs!
Chapter 3 - N.E.W.T. Classes Suck
"Okay, N.E.W.T.s suck," I said as I grabbed another book. It was Saturday and guess what we were doing?
Studying...
In the library...
All day...
Until Quidditch practice that evening.
It must have looked funny, ten of us, all seventh years, crowded around one table in the library. Yes, ten. Destyn, Fred, James, Culley, Robby, Ali , Elizabeth, Lysander, Lorcan, and I were all studying. Of course, it made sense that Robby, Ali, Elizabeth, and Lysander were studying. But me, Destyn, Fred, James, and Culley? Yeah, we usually pushed everything to the last minute.
"Tell me why," Destyn said, "why should I have to get N.E.W.T.s in," he picked up a random book and looked at it, "Charms, when I'm just going to play Quidditch after I graduate?"
"Why does anyone have to get N.E.W.T.s?" Robby said sullenly as he continued to write his Care of Magical Creatures essay.
"Don't you complain," Fred said, shoving Robby. "I'm working with dad at the joke shop when I'm done here. Why should I need N.E.W.T.s for that? You, on the other hand, need N.E.W.T.s so you can work in that Department of Control and Something-or-other of Magical Beasts. Whatver it's called!"
Robby rolled his eyes. "Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," he corrected.
"Yeah, whatever," Fred replied.
I sighed. "I just want to write about Quidditch and organize sporting events," I said. "Why should I need Transfiguration for that?"
"Because you just do," Culley said with a grin.
"You know, Culley," Ali said, "you've never said what you want to do?"
"Oh," he said, glancing up at her. "Department of Magical Transportation, Floo Network Authority."
Elizabeth grimaced. "That sounds awfully boring," she stated.
"Yeah, but it is the Floo Network after all," he said. "And that means fireplaces. Fireplaces means fire. And you all know how much I love fire!"
"Work with dragons then," said Lysander.
"That's my job," Robby said, pretending to be defensive.
I grinned and continued to write my Transfiguration essay. Up until this time, I'd never thought about the fact that this would be our last year at Hogwarts. This would be our last year together and then we'd all go our seperate ways. Of course, a lot of us were planning on working for the Ministry so we'd all see each other fairly often.
I wanted to work in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, specifically in the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters. That had been mine and Destyn's plan since we were little. That way, when he's playing a Quidditch game, I get to be there all the time since it would be part of my job. Destyn was currently hoping to be signed either to the Wigtown Wanderers or the Tutshill Tornadoes.
As for the others?
Ali and Elizabeth both wanted to be Healer's at St. Mungo's. Ali specifically wanted to work with Creature-Induced Injuries and Elizabeth wanted to work with Magical Bugs and Diseases.
Lysander, the crazy boy that he is, wanted to be an Unspeakable. Yep, he wanted to work in the Department of Mysteries. His twin, Lorcan, wanted to work in the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
And then there was James. He had gone back and forth about whether he wanted to play Quidditch for a living or be an Auror like his dad. After O.W.L.s year he decided to study to become an Auror but then he decided he would play Quidditch and have his Auror training as a back up in case something happened that made him incapable of playing any more. It was actually a pretty good idea. Especially since he was known to get himself injured by pulling some stupid stunt during matches. Like last year, there was a match against Slytherin that we had to win. Well, the Slytherin Seeker was about two inches from catching the Snitch when James suddenly decides he'd rather die than lose the match. He stood up on his broom and jumped over the Slytherin Seeker and grabbed the Snitch. We won, but he was in the Hospital Wing for a week after that.
"I can't believe we've been in school for only three weeks and we've already got homework piled up like this," Ali said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "It's insane!"
"Yeah," said Fred. "And it doesn't help that Barfus is using N.E.W.T.s as an excuse to be even harder on us than ever."
"Hate to say it," Destyn said, "but we can't really complain. We've been expecting this since last year, remember? Besides, most of us have future plans that depend on N.E.W.T.s."
"Yeah," Elizabeth said, raising an eyebrow. "Most of us, not including you."
Destyn smiled. "That's because I'm smart enough to choose Quidditch as a future."
I barked out a laugh. "You mean you're not smart enough to pass your N.E.W.T.s so you chose Quidditch instead?"
"Hey now," he warned. "Watch what you say."
That evening, after Quidditch practice, I decided to stay on the pitch for a little while after everyone else had gone. I flopped down on the grass, right in the middle of the pitch and stared up at the darkening sky. This year would be my last chance of winning the Quidditch Cup. Well, we've been winning it these past few year but...I wanted to win it for my last year too. Couldn't hurt, could it?
Wow. It was really my last year... My last chance... My last year with my friends. My last year at this school. My last year on this pitch. My last year of...just being a kid. I'd start a whole new life after school. I'd get a job. Meet new people.
"Looks like we had the same idea," someone said, causing me to sit bolt upright. I turned to see James standing a few feet away from me, grinning like an idiot.
"And what idea would that be?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"To stay here and think about the fact that this our last time playing Quidditch on this pitch," he said, sitting on the grass beside me.
"Wow," I said, laying back down. "It's like you read my mind."
"Yeah, I'm good at that," he said, flopping onto his back.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him, a grin sliding onto my face.
"It's a bit...sad, really," he said. He turned his face towards me. "Don't you think? I mean, this our last year...after 6 years of being here."
"James Potter, getting emotional?" I said teasingly.
"Never," he replied coolly, turning to look at the stars that were now appearing. A small smile slid onto his face as he took a breath.
"It is sad, though," I finally said. "I'm going to miss it here."
"Me too...but we still have the rest of the year," he said, rolling onto his side to look at me again.
I rolled onto my side as well to face him. I grinned. "I have an idea," I said.
"Ooh, do tell," he said in mock excitement.
"I'm serious!" I said, reaching over and smacking him. "Listen to me."
"Alright," he said, rubbing his head where I'd hit him.
"This is our last year here. We all are going to miss it here after we're gone. Right?" I said. I continued without giving him a chance to speak. "I know we're going to be bogged down with homework and distracted with Quidditch but we have to make sure of one thing, okay?"
"Alright," he said again, looking curious. "What do we need to make sure of?"
"That we have fun," I said. "And I don't mean regular fun. I mean...Fred Weasley fun. Over-the-top fun! We need to do everything and not care what happens! I mean, I'd be happy to help Fred set off dungbombs in Barfus's office! I just want to let loose and go crazy this year! Of course, not crazy enough to get expelled... but I haven't been in detention for two years! Ever since I got it for hexing that stupid jerk, Vaisey, I haven't done anything to get in trouble...and, to be honest, I'm sick of not hexing Slytherins."
James stared at me for a minute and then burst into laughter. He rolled onto his back, clutching his stomach.
"What?" I asked, sitting up. "What did I do?"
"Noth-nothin-I-" he took a deep breath and looked at me with watery eyes. "It's funny, is all. You wanting to cause trouble."
"I'm bored," I said, crossing my arms. "And I want my last year here to be fun."
James smiled at me and nodded. "Alright," he said, sitting up. "I think Fred and I can help you with that but...we have to get your brother on boars with the plan too. If he isn't then you know he'll try to spoil our fun."
I chuckled. "Yeah, I can imagine right now," I said.
"You guys can't go causing trouble!" James said, mocking Destyn's voice."You'll get put in detention and screw up our practice schedule!" He grinned. "Something like that, right?"
"Yes, something like that," I said. "We should talk to the other, ya know, Robby, Culley, Elizabeth, etcetera. They should be in on the fun too."
"Agreed," James said as he stood up. He held his hand out to me. "C'mon, let's get back to the common room."
I took his hand and he helped to my feet. "Alright," I said and then turned and started running towards the castle. "Last one back owes the other a Butterbeer!" I shouted back to him.
"What!" he exclaimed, chasing after me. "That's not fair! You got a head start!"
"Suck it up and deal with it!"
Yay! Chapter 3 is done now! Woot woot! And Sophie has vowed to have fun! Yaaaaay!
Anyway, you kinda see a bit of a Sophie/James moment here. Yippee!
So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! I love reviews! =)
See you next time!
P.S. I apologize for any typos! I didn't have time to check over this chapter! :/
