A/F: The two places you can find this story:
Fanfiction(.net), pen name: Emmie Rose, title: The Children of Unspeakables
OR
Tumblr(.com), url: aslunalovegoodwrote
Some options for y'all
XOXO,
Emmie Rose
"Bug over," I remarked, nudging James and Kent so I could plop down in between them in the Great Hall. They both moved but continued to stare at me with confused expressions. I shifted uncomfortably under their gazes, but chose to ignore it. I reached for an apple from the bowl in the middle of the table and rolled it between my palms.
"Yes?" I asked finally. Kent scrunched his eyebrows and let out a noise of discontent, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of my outfit. I looked down at myself and blushed. I thought I looked alright. Victorie said I did. We spent a half hour, pouring over both our wardrobes in preparation for today.
The first week at Hogwarts had flown by rather fast, only punctuated with a few detentions (two four hour shifts of pickling frog intestines with our bare hands, ughck, it took me an hour in the shower to scrub it all off) and a lot of study dates on my part. To my immense surprise, Luke had asked me to study every single day this week and then suggested we take a walk about the grounds together on the following Saturday. Kent and James were perplexed. They couldn't figure out why I opted to do all my work at the library instead of with them in the common room. James even went as far to say that when they fail out of fifth year it was going to be my fault because I wasn't there to check over their homework. That earned a smack upside the head and a well placed threat until he took it back. Needless to say, they didn't know that I wasn't studying alone.
"Why are you all dressed up? It's only Quiddich trials today," Kent finally grunted.
"Why is your hair all straight? You never wear it straight," James added through mouthfuls of sausage.
"Are you wearing makeup? And that shirt! You need to cover up or something," Kent snorted, grabbing my chin with his hand and squinting at my face. James leaned forward and released an incredulous sound. I smacked Kent's hand and wrenched my chin from his grasp.
"Will you two lay off? I can't dress up on a Saturday?" I questioned, smoothing out the front of my top, so what if it was a little revealing? Victorie said it looked fabulous and Lizzie practically begged me to let her borrow it for the first Hogsmede trip. She took my advice in strides. Her hair was let down and it somehow just imposed this great confidence in her.
"I think she looks fantastic," Victorie piped up from the other end of the table.
"You would, she looks like you," James replied. I looked down at my outfit again. Yeah it was a little bit more on the Victorie side of style rather than mine, but it was cute. Right? I smoothed out the skirt of my long sleeved jumper dress. So it was a tad short and tight, and maybe just a little bit low cut side (certainly more low cut then I've ever worn) but Vic said that when I paired it with the thick black tights, a bright turquoise scarf and knee high brown leather boots I was "dressed to kill". So I wore it with my hair as straight as Victorie's and allowed her to attack me with various Wonder Witch products.
"And she isn't dressed like this for you two. She has a reason after all, or a someone I should say," Victorie sniffed, flicking a silver sheet of hair over her shoulder. I shot her a wide-eyed look. I was keeping this from them for a reason.
"What does she mean?" James questioned, his fork hovering to her mouth. I shot Vic an angry look, which she replied with a sheepish shrug.
"Nothing, James," I sighed, taking a large bite out of my apple.
"You mean you don't know?" Rory piped up from James' other side. Well she's been quiet through this whole encounter. Biding her time, I wonder? I leaned around James and shot her a reproachful look.
"Know what?" Kent questioned.
"Rory's been studying with Luke Masters all week. They've found a rather cozy, hidden corner in the library all their own," Rory giggled, raising her eyebrows at me. What a cow.
"What?" Kent and James shouted, glaring at me and causing the whole of the Gryffindor table to look in our direction.
"We've been studying, for Merlin's sake. Not doing whatever Rory is implying," I sighed, calmly pouring myself a mug of tea.
"That's who've ditched us for? A bloody Ravenclaw," James snorted. A few people from the table next to us turned and glared. Rory stiffened and tugged on the sleeve of his raggedy old Gryffindor Team sweatshirt.
"Are you still going to take me up on your broom after trials James?" She questioned, batting her eyelashes at him. I refrained from gagging. Becca sighed from Kent's other side and poured a cup of coffee. Kent was looking at me with his jaw slightly open. She pushed the cup into his hands and swung around the bench.
"I'm going to go get my cloak. I'll be in the stands during your trial Kent," she remarked, biting her lip before bending down and giving Kent a quick kiss on the cheek. Kent snapped out of his revere for a second to touch his cheek and look at Becca. She gave him a small wave and smile before making her way out of the Great Hall.
"He's a bit old, don't you think?" He stated after Becca was fully gone. He looked at me imploringly, the blush from his incident with Becca not fully drained from his cheeks.
"He's only seventeen, not that much older than me," I remarked with a slight snort.
"So he's of age!" James announced triumphantly.
"What's wrong with him being of age James?" I questioned with a small sigh. James' brows furrowed in frustration and he uttered an incoherent strain of words.
"Nothing, I guess," he relented, forking the lone sausage on his plate savagely. Rory looked like she was going to cry. Finally he turned to her and his features softened.
"What's wrong?" He questioned softly, touching her fist that was clenched on the bench. She melted and looked at James with big goo-goo eyes.
"Nothing, I'm just nervous for you about your trials and all," she stuttered, giving him a watery smile. James let out a short laugh.
"Don't be. It's a breeze. We're trialing for a beater and seeker, remember," he remarked with a small smile. Rory gave a small trill of laughter and clutched James' hand.
"Of course! I'm going to go get my cloak as well. I'll be sitting with Becca and Sarah, yeah?" She remarked, sliding out of the bench. She hesitated for a second and lunged for James, who turned his head at the last second earning what was probably supposed to be a kiss on the lips to be more of one on the temple. He gave her a confused look. Rory turned bright red, mumbled at goodbye and scampered from the hall. I could hardly contain my laughter.
"Well that was…slightly barmy," James remarked, rubbing the spot where she kissed. I let out a small peal of laughter and gave Kent a look. He was obviously torn between showing James support and laughing with me, and ended up choosing the latter.
"Hey Kay!"
I turned around and felt myself break into a grin. Luke was standing in a simple dark blue jumper and jeans with his hands stuffed in his pockets. I flipped around on the bench and leaned against the edge of the table.
"Hey Luke!"
He smiled at me and cleared his voice.
"I was thinking I would join you in watching the Gryffindor trials," He remarked briskly. James stiffened and turned around.
"Trying to spy on our tactics, Masters?" He remarked coldly. Luke blanched a bit and I shot a horrified look at James. Kent was scowling as well, but not at James. They both looked like they were going to rip Luke's head off.
"Of course not, James. You know Ravenclaw doesn't play that way. Louis is going to the trials as well, and he's not being accused as a spy. We're not Slytherin you know," he remarked, his face stricken with shock.
"Louis is the only Ravenclaw that goes to our practices and trials. Why the sudden interest?" Kent challenged.
"Because I want to hang out with your sister, mate. Nothing more than that," he replied, the shock ebbing away and a calm exposure claiming stock on his features.
"And what are your intentions with my sister?" Kent questioned. My jaw dropped. I looked at James who was nodding fervently.
"Honestly, Kent!" I exclaimed, standing up beside Luke.
"No, Kent has a point. What are your intentions, ole' chap?" James stated in a patronizing tone. The two of them could've been the twins at this point. Both sat with their arms crossed and identical steely looks on their faces. I felt my face heat up. I could feel the eyes of every Gryffindor and Ravenclaw within ear shot of the conversation trained onto me like I had a gargantuan target on my back.
"Oh for the love of Holy Hippogriffs. Will you two back off? Since when do you have control on who I hang out with?" I snapped.
"My intentions are purely…well if not platonic, they are innocent at this point," Luke jumped in, giving me a small smile. I felt the smile drop from my face. What does he mean by innocent? As in only mates, or nothing too serious? What?
"Yeah well…just know that me and every Potter and Weasley will be keeping an eye on you," Kent grumbled after a short beat of silence.
"I'm all for this inter-house connection!" Fred shouted from the middle of the table somewhere. I gave him a sharp look and he stuck up his thumbs at me and gave me a lewd smile. James glowered at him.
"You two are completely…completely…" I started, losing words for what I was going to say. Kent was looking at me in that certain way. It was almost pleading with me. I sighed and gave him a softer glare. James was looking in between us with an incredulous expression. He threw his hands in the air, flipped around on the bench and began to shove his food in his mouth, chewing furiously. I looked at Luke, who had a rather bemused expression on his face. With a small 'hmph', I grabbed Luke's hand and began to cart him out of the hall. He was laughing when we reached the entrance hall. I let go of his hand (the small un-frustrated part of my brain was leaping with joy at the simple touch of hands) and glared at him.
"What is so funny?" I questioned, attempting to control the anger under my voice.
"That was rather comical, don't you agree?" He questioned, motioning back towards the hall. I let out a small groan of annoyance before turning on my heel and stomping off to the grounds.
"Kay! C'mon, wait up," Luke called, his footfalls echoing behind me. I stopped and whirled around on my heel so I could look him in the eye.
"What is your definition of an innocent relationship?" I questioned, looking him dead in the eye. He blanched again and scuffed up the back of his hair in a very James-like fashion.
"I meant that I fancy you Kaylie, but I'm not going to try to seduce you to bed or whatnot," he explained with a small sigh. "I was just telling your brother what he wanted to hear. Reassuring him that you are safe with me."
I blinked and bit my lip. He fancied me! He fancied me!
"So nothing is going on with Dominique?" I questioned softly. Luke gave me a confused look.
"No, I thought that the fact that I studied with you all week might've said as much," he replied.
"I was just making sure…I've seen Dom when she's angry," I giggled. Luke shared the moment and nodded.
"Yes, she does get rather harpyish," he remarked.
"I won't tell her you just called her a harpy," I stated, before sighing. "I'm sorry that my twat of a brother attacked you. He's taken it upon himself to be my-protector you could say-ever since my Dad…well, yeah."
Luke's eyes softened and he held out his hand. I hesitantly took it and allowed him to propel me through the grounds. We were silent for a bit, until we reached the edge of the lake.
"Do you want to talk about it? Your Dad I mean?" He questioned, pulling me down so we were sitting.
"I don't," I remarked.
"Don't what?"
"Talk about it. I just don't, alright?"
"I understand, I won't push it," he smiled.
"This is all just happening so quickly. September first I didn't even know that you knew who I was, let alone fancied me," I breathed out. Luke looked at me quizzically before leaning back on his hands.
"I've always known who you were Kaylie and I've always thought you were dead cute. But we don't have to be going about this quickly you know. Let's just fancy each other right now, yeah?"
I smiled and allowed myself to lean into him. Carefully he slipped his arms around my shoulder. I felt like my whole body was vibrating as if I swallowed a Fizzing Whizbee whole. I sighed and let Luke lightly run his fingers through my hair as we sat and watched the Giant Squid lazily propel itself across the surface of the lake.
ӿӿJamesӿӿ
"Alright, I guess first I'll have you line up by position," Ryan was stating, his captains badge glinting in the sunlight. There was a lot of shuffling about as last year's team loosely grouped together and the hopefuls attempted to figure out what everyone else was trying for. There was the usual amount of hopeful first years on borrowed school brooms (funny because they haven't even had flying lessons yet), the gaggle of girls only coming because they thought they could pick up boys, and the serious hopefuls. I eyed them wearily, picking out who could unseat me, Kent, or Victorie from our current positions. There wasn't much. We were the most trained out of the hopeful Chasers because frankly, everyone wanted to be a Chaser, either that or Seeker.
I looked up in the stands and gave Al a friendly wave. He had this dream that he would turn out like Dad and make the team on this first year, but his trials weren't until the following week. He was going to have quite a difficult time trialing on a school broom, but he was confident in himself and who was I to crush the kids dream? I quickly scanned the stands and noticed who was there. Rory waved at me heartily. I gave her a small smile and show of hand but continued scanning the sparsely loaded stands to the very top.
"Where's Kaylie?" I whispered, nudging Kent in the side. He was holding his broom tight between his knees as he wound his wrists in deep crimson sport tape that he got from a Muggle store over the summer. The package said that something called 'baseball players' used it while 'pitching', whatever that meant. But the shop keeper said that it helped keep your wrist stable while throwing, so Kent thought he would give it a try but changed its colors to be more 'Gryffindor appropriate'. He looked up from the job and scanned the stands, giving me a small shrug.
"I don't know. She said she'll be here and she always does what she says," he replied, scratching his eyebrow and shielding his face against the mid-morning sun.
"Maybe Luke dragged her off somewhere…" I remarked hesitantly. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way. I know he's been friends with Dominique, but he always seemed kind of shifty to me. Kent was looking at me with raised eyebrows.
"Dragged her off somewhere? What is he, an ogre?" he chuckled, swinging his arm across his shoulder to give it a good stretch.
"No…I just think we don't know much about him, that's all," I remarked, stooping down and taking the sport tape. I wrapped my wrists in it as Kent stared at me.
"Well he's in Ravenclaw, so he's obviously a good sort, but you can ask Louis if you're that concerned," he remarked finally. Victorie was eyeing us while she plaited her hair tightly to the back of her head.
"Why are you so concerned James?" She questioned, cocking her head to the side. I ripped the piece of tape off with my teeth and furrowed my brow at her. Why was she looking at me like that?
"For the same reason Kent would be concerned or the way I would about Lily. I just want to know that the guy Kay is getting involved with is the right sort," I replied, looking down at my wrist as I wrapped the other one.
"You sound like Uncle Ron," she snorted.
"Uncle Ron? Really," I laughed.
"The whole defensive thing. He gets like that when he's really saying something else," she remarked.
"I'm not being defensive Vic. I'm being a concerned older brother type. Right, Kent?"
"Sure James," Kent smiled, looking out into the stands idly.
"See, Kent see's what angle I'm coming from," I remarked with a triumphant smile. Victorie rolled her eyes and began to examine the end of her broom for crooked twigs. Ryan was running Seeker tryouts. Tossing small Snitched sized balls up in the air. I jogged over to the barrier and braced myself on it, motioning for Rory to come down. She beamed and lighted down the steps, stopping and putting her hands in between mine.
"So, I know that it's a little long off from now," I started, staring at her. Her eyes alighted as she looked at my intensely.
"But the first Hogsmede date is next week and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me," I remarked seriously. Rory squealed and threw her arms around my neck.
"Of course I will James! Ooh! We can go to Madame Puddifoots! It'll be brilliant!" She exclaimed, pulling away. I gave her a big smile because it was nice to see her so happy about it.
"I should get back to the team. I heard Connor had an eye out for my spot," I explained. Rory stopped squealing and smiled at me.
"Of course. And don't you worry, Connor could never out-fly you. You're just brilliant at it," she sighed. I gave her a smirk and pulled her hand so she would come closer. Standing on my tiptoes I gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"I still owe you a flying lesson. After the trials I'll take you up," I remarked, running a hand through my hair and turning around to join the team again.
"Blimey, did you ask her to marry you?" Kent laughed when I came along side of him again.
"No! I asked her to Hogsmeade with me next trip," I explained, rotating my wrists.
"So you really like that girl?" Victorie sighed, looking over at the stands. I followed her gaze. Rory was animatedly talking with Becca and Sarah.
"Yeah, she may not be the brightest wand in the bunch, but she's sweet," I remarked defensively.
"I thought Kent liked her. Didn't you Kent," Victorie remarked sharply. Kent blushed and scuffed his feet on the grass.
"What? You haven't mentioned her since third year. Kent, why didn't you say anything," I exclaimed, turning on him. "If you still like her I'll back off, but I thought you had things going with Becca."
Victorie was staring the two of us down like some ultra-groomed member of the Magical Law Enforcement.
"I do! I mean…with Becca. Jeeze Victorie, I would've told my best mate if I was fancying the girl he fancied. Why are you getting all worked up about it?" Kent remarked, staring incredulously at Victorie. She threw up her arms and started grumbling in a mixture of French and English, the words 'delusional', 'in denial, and 'boys' flying to us in the wind, as she stalked away.
"Do you know what the bloody hell that meant?" Kent questioned, looking at me with wide eyes.
"Does anyone ever know what Victorie is on about?" I sighed, scuffing my hair and throwing a confused look at my cousin.
"Not half the time," Kent laughed, picking up his broom and pulling a rag from his pocket. He began to polish his broomstick while looking at the flyers in the sky. A smallish blonde boy was taking his try. He was pretty good, very agile and quick on his feet. If it comes down to a couple choices, he'll probably make it that far, but I haven't seen the others so I can't judge.
"One more!" Ryan was shouting from the center of the pitch. He tossed the golf-ball in the air and banished it as far as he could. The boy moved at the speed of light and a part of me wondered what kind of broom he was on but by the time that thought had passed he had the white ball clasped in his hand. Okay, he was a lot better than I thought. Ryan was trying to conceal his happiness.
"Who is this kid?" I questioned to Kent, pointing briefly as he came down to the ground. He was a lot younger than I thought. Couldn't be more than a third year.
"That's Derrick Creevey," Fred explained, walking over as he heard my question.
"Who?"
"A second year. He's young but has loads of potential," Fred shrugged, grabbing his broom off the ground so Ryan could try him out with potential Beaters. He kicked in the air and soared high, doing a lap around the pitch before stopping in the center with Ryan.
"James, Kent, can you get the Bludgers?" Ryan shouted down to me. I gave him a wave and we walked over to the ball box and released the restraints, jumping back as the black balls flew into the air.
"First occupant!"
A tiny first year leapt into the air and Fred spent most of the time protecting the kid from the bludgers then the kid actually spent hitting them. Why do first years even attempt it?
The next one was another titchy child, where Fred basically did the same thing. Once that one landed, Fred looked down and threw his arms up in discontent. He flew to Ryan in the center and the two of them began to have a debate mid-air.
"Will they just let me trial? Forget the blooming first years," Roxanne exclaimed with a slight huff. I looked over at my small cousin, whose dark and thick hair was piled on top her head. She had on a pair of raggedy sweats and an old t-shirt of her brother's, which came past her knees. The beaters bat hung listlessly at her side.
"Didn't you trial for Chaser last season?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows at her.
"I only trialed for Chaser because Mum wanted me to so badly and because Fred told me I'd never make it as a Beater. But I'll show him. I've wanted to be a Beater for forever but everyone always says I'm too tiny and that I'll never last. But I've been practicing!" She exclaimed, her eyes flashing at the other Beater hopefuls. Wow, Roxy is normally one of the complacent ones of the family, not like the rest of us hot-heads.
"Oh bugger! I'm not waiting for three more levels to go!" she exclaimed, stalking to center field and kicking up into the air. Fred and Ryan stopped arguing long enough to give her an appraisal before their laughter echoed through the wind. Kent and I looked at each other and simultaneously kicked into the air.
"What's the holdup?" Kent shouted, soaring over to the small group. Fred and Ryan were in peals of laughter, Fred almost falling off his broom, as Roxy looked on with beet red features.
"Just give me a chance!" She exclaimed fiercely.
"The holdup is that Roxy here thinks she can hit a Bludger hard enough to make contact with something," Fred snorted, hugging his broom with both legs and arms so he wouldn't roll off.
"Fred! I can do it! I've been practicing! Just let me trial," she exclaimed, leaning over mid-air to flick her older brother on the ear.
"I thought you were trialing for Chaser," Ryan giggled.
"I only said that so Fred wouldn't write Dad and prevent me from trialing at all," she scoffed. "
"'Beater is a far too dangerous position for my little witch.' Oh, stop laughing and give me a bloody chance."
Fred and Ryan stopped laughing and looked at Roxy. Her face was set with fierce determination.
"That was a rather good impression of dad," Fred announced after a beat of silence. Roxy huffed and bounced her broom handle down in frustration, making her broom plummet a couple inches. She steadied herself and looked at her older brother dead set in the eyes.
"If you don't let me trial I swear I'll let slip to Professor Longbottom that you smuggled five Deflagration Deluxe sets and that you're planning to have them let loose at the Halloween feast," she hissed, her voice low and menacing. Kent and I groaned. That would've been amazing and we would've gone off without a hitch. Why didn't we think of it?
"Were you really?" Ryan questioned, looking bemusedly at Fred.
"Well not that exactly…" Fred complied with an innocent shrug. Roxy cleared her throat and leveled with Fred.
"She's stooped to blackmail, I think she's serious mate," Kent piped up. Ryan bit his lip and looked at Fred.
"She's your kid sister, mate," he sighed. Roxy was beaming.
"Fine…give her a go. But when you get hurt, I am not going to be the one to tell Mum. That's all you. Oh! And I protested with all my might," he exclaimed with a groan. Roxy let out a large whoop and took off at a victory lap around the pitch.
"We'll go release the Bludgers, shall we?" I questioned, giving Ryan a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I guess so. Did anyone else look promising for Beater down there?" He questioned, shooting the blur that was Roxy an apprehensive look.
"There was another fourth year bloke. Kinda set like a troll," Kent shrugged.
"Who is he?"
"Who knows. Never seen him before," I shouted, shooting towards the ground. I heard Kent speeding after me. We hit the ground at the same time and walked to the ball box. Kent looked at me.
"How do you think she'll do?" he questioned, bending down to release the chains.
"To be honest, I have no idea," I sighed, clicking open mine and ducking out of the way. The Bludgers came screaming out of the box and into the sky, hurtling towards the only moving figures in the sky. Fred was shooting his sister a hesitant look and didn't see the black death-ball hurtling towards his left ear, but Roxy did. In a flash she was at his side and gave the Bludger such a hard whack it went streaming down the pitch with a loud 'pop!'. You could see Fred's gapping mouth from the grass. He came to in time to hit the other Bludger away. Ryan was swooping up and down the field as a decoy for the balls. Where Roxy was attacking one Bludger Fred was magically at the other, making sure each Bludger was covered at all times. They were flying in different directions at such speeds, making everything more like a blur of color. I felt my jaw drop. Holy hippogriffs, she was good.
After a good run, Ryan and Fred got a hold of the demons and lighted on the ground, followed by a panting Roxy. Once they were secured, Ryan turned to the rest of the hopefuls.
"Sorry guys, but I don't think anyone could work as a better pair then these two. They've got sibling telepathy or something barmy like that," he announced sheepishly. There was a loud shout and it was another few minutes before he could calm the rejects down enough to turn to the remaining groups.
"Right, so I want the scrappy blonde boy as Seeker. Dennis was it? What year are you?" He announced, as a squeak came from the back. The boy pushed his way to the front and looked like he was going to faint.
"Derrick. Derrick Creevey. Second year, sir," he gasped, holding his broom with all his might. I was right. It was a rather good broom. A Comet 260, fairly new model, very skippy for likes of Seekers.
"Don't call me sir. We're team mates now. It's Wood or Ryan I guess. James, up in the air you go. I'm going to try each of you with two different people to see if anyone's got more talent. You shoot for me and they'll shoot for Fred at the other end," he remarked gruffly. Kent and I scowled at him. Got more talent? Don't we have enough?
"Oh, get rid of those looks you two," Victorie huffed. Guess she was still in a state from whatever worked her up into a tizzy earlier. "He has to make sure. He wouldn't be much of a captain if he didn't, would he? Just don't bung it up and you'll be fine."
I gave her another incredulous look and shrugged before kicking up into the air. The first hopeful joined me. By now all the first years had got tired of waiting so only the serious hopefuls were left. It was the troll like fourth year that Kent and I mistook as a Beater applicant (I must remember to ask Roxy who he was). Well this should be easy. Ryan shot up into the air with the Quaffle under his arm, flew to his posts, blew his whistle and banished the ball into the air. I bore down on my foot holds and shot into the sky as my opponent flew lower, hoping to catch the ball as it fell. That was his first mistake. I did a barrel roll down and began to wiz up and down the field as Troll-y chased me. My eye caught upon something bright by the lake and I looked over just long enough for me to get rammed mid-air and drop the Quaffle. It felt more like I was rammed in the gut. The bright spot was a bright turquoise scarf. I could just make out the long dark brown hair before I realized I was in the middle of my trial. I shook my head and sped down the pitch just in time to shoot myself in front of Troll-y as he shot at Fred. I took the ball into my stomach and began to go back towards Ryan, taking the opportunity to examine the far off sight. They were lying down together! What would they be doing that they actually needed to lie down?
I blindly shot the ball and Ryan shouted. I made that? I tore my eyes away and looked back at Ryan. He was brandishing the ball with a livid look on his face.
"You threw that right at me, dung-brains! Do you want me to cut you?" He exclaimed. I steeled my face and shot up as he banished the ball again, this time pushing everything but the task at hand out of my brain.
I ended up creaming Troll-y 7:0 and the next one 4:3 (he was quite good). Kent and Victorie both outperformed as well, leveling this season's team up. Victorie, Kent and I were Chasers; Fred and Roxy as Beaters; Ryan staying as Keeper; and finally little Derrick Creevey as Seeker.
"Right team, we can't practice next Saturday because of everyone else's trials, so I'll post on this week's practice-time table in the common room. Brilliant job! I can already see us brandishing that cup!" Ryan exclaimed, his face red with excitement. The group began to disperse.
"I'm going to go catch a shower before dinner," Kent announced, stretching his arms and slinging his broom over his shoulder.
"Right," I smiled. "I promised Rory I'd fly with her. I'll just see you in the Great Hall."
"James! Becca said she'd lend me her old broom so you can teach me to fly rather than us on one together!" Rory exclaimed, running over. I gave her a big smile. Who would've thought anyone would want me as a teacher? It feels kinda cool.
"That's a great idea, but hurry back before we lose light, yeah?" I questioned, tucking some of her sandy hair behind her ear. She blushed and bit her bottom lip before giving me a hurried kiss on the cheek and taking off up the lawn. I felt myself blush.
ӿӿKaylieӿӿ
"I'll meet you at the library tomorrow, right?" Luke questioned, letting go of my hand and cupping my chin. I smiled and nodded. He gave me a brief kiss on the forehead before going into the castle. I was about to follow when a figure flying on the pitch caught my eye. I never did stop by trials today and I said I would. Kent and James would probably wait for me until the hunger overtook them. With a sigh I began to walk back down to the pitch and letting the day overtake me. Luke and I spent all day by the lake, just laying there and talking about anything we could think of. I don't know how things could get better for me right now.
I treaded on the well-trimmed grass of the pitch and looked up. James was the lone figure in the sky, looping in and out of the goal posts.
"Oi! Potter!" I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth. James stopped mid-loop and hung upside down for a moment as he looked down. He quickly flipped around and barreled towards me. I shrieked as he swerved at the last moment and lighted directly to my right.
"You rat! I almost had a heart attack!" I exclaimed, smacking him on the arm.
"You didn't come to trials like you said," James stated.
"I lost track of time. I'm sorry but you didn't need to try and kill me," I sighed. James scuffed the ground a bit before looking at me, a maniacal glint in his eye.
"You just wish you could fly like me," he exclaimed proudly. I frowned.
"I can fly. I just don't prefer to," I replied with a small huff.
"Yeah and McGonagall will do the polka in a swimming costume at dinner tonight."
Great, now I'm going to have to prove this big-headed oaf wrong.
"What are you doing, Kay?" he questioned as I began to turn in a circle and look around the pitch. There was a Quaffle and couple of school brooms propped up on the barrier, looking dilapidated and sad. Not something that can support a human in the air. I snatched his broom from his hands, tested the weight, and started walking to the other end of the pitch as James looked on hesitantly.
"I'm showing you I can fly," I announced calmly, unsteadily mounting James' high-class racing broom.
"Kay, seriously, you don't have to prove anything to me! We both know you haven't set foot on a broom since your first year! After that lesson your feet have stayed more firmly on the ground than my Aunt Hermione's." James scoffed, as I felt my pride bristle. Nothing made me more determined to do something than James Potter (or anyone else for that matter) telling me I can't. He knows it too. He knew what I was going to do with one look. Sprinting across the pitch, he reached me just in time for me to kick up from the ground. James' broom was faster than the school brooms we attempted to ride four years ago. It was a lot faster. And the handle seems so much more skinner then I remember. I gripped the handle and looked down as I kept zooming up. I don't remember how to make it stop. My long hair was whipping my face, and my heart was hammering in my chest. I curse James. I curse him and what he does to me.
ӿӿJamesӿӿ
I looked up at the sky as Kay zoomed higher and higher, becoming a speck against the gray of early evening. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I grabbed one of the forgotten school brooms and mounted it. It was so unfamiliar, so foreign. Rolling my eyes, I kicked off hard and tilted up to follow Kaylie's flight path. She is so infuriating. Why does she always have to prove she's right in every way possible? I looked above me as Kaylie continued to skyrocket upwards. Oh for the love of Merlin, she doesn't know how to stop. And at the rate my broom was going, I wasn't going to catch up to her.
ӿӿKaylieӿӿ
I looked down furtively, only to see James following me at a slower pace. I listened to the wind in my ears and faintly heard him yelling at me. Probably trying to tell me off. Feeling my anger spike up again, I yanked hard on the broom handle and pushed it around so I was facing him. The look on his face was priceless.
"What the heck are you yelling at me for? I didn't break your precious broom, all right?" I shouted, hovering in mid-air, much to my own surprise.
"I wasn't yelling at you for that! Jeeze Kay I was trying to save your life." He replied, flying up to me and stopping. His broom was shuddering underneath him at the mere effort.
"Save my life? Like I need you to save me. If I wasn't so scared, I would so pull my wand out and jinx you." I huffed, upset at myself for admitting my emotions. James began to circle me mid air.
"Whatchu so scared about?"
"Falling!" I exclaimed, clutching the broom tighter.
"You're not doing a bad job."
I opened my mouth in order to argue what I thought would be an insult, but merely smiled.
"Thanks. But that means I was right. I can fly."
"Yes, you can. You may have inherited some of Kent's talent."
"Gee thanks, but can you get me down now?" I asked in a small voice, diverting my eyes from James' face so he wouldn't see me in this vulnerable moment. He burst out into peals of laughter and stopped circling me. He rose a bit higher, did a couple of slow rolls midair before returning to me.
"Showoff…"
"Okay, okay, just point the handle downwards," he chuckled. I stared at him with big eyes. Point the handle downwards? I'll fall right off. I guess he noted my apprehension because he let out a sigh, followed by a small eye roll.
"If you fall I promise I'll catch you." He sighed, smirking at me. I merely chose to stick out my tongue at him and gently nudge the broom handle downwards. It shot down like a bullet and I shrieked, yanking it back up and almost falling off backwards. James was at my side laughing his dumb head off.
"Slower, Kay, slower. Otherwise I won't be able to catch you."
I moved it a fraction of an inch down, watching James as he circled below me. The broom started moving, a tad bit slower than before, closer to the grass. My heart was still yammering in my chest as we became closer and closer to solid land. When James was about five feet from the ground (me seven) a voice exploded from the stands.
"Took you long enough James! I thought we were going to have the lesson," Rory shouted. I watched as James hurtled to the floor and off his broom faster than I could imagine. He was over to the barrier and talking in a matter of seconds, not even realizing he left me stranded in mid-air. I brushed my bangs out of my eyes and I accidentally tilted the broom down, sending it hurtling towards the floor and me flying off the end. I screamed.
"Oh Merlin! Sorry Kay, I thought you'd be alright!" James exclaimed, his voice getting closer. I pushed myself up off the ground, ignoring the sharp pain on my wrist, and brushed my hair out of my eyes with my good hand. There was a large grass stain down the front of Victorie's dress.
"I hope I broke it," I grumbled, cradling my wrist to my chest.
"You hope you broke your wrist?" Rory questioned from my other side.
"No! I hope I broke his stupid broom. I definitely broke my wrist." I snapped, glaring at James, whose brows were knitted in concern.
"Aw, shit KayKay, I am so sorry! Here, let me walk you up to the Hospital Wing." he exclaimed, using the nickname he hasn't called me since second year. I looked between him and Rory, who was torn between not liking me and feeling sorry for me. I'm not going to be the one to ruin his date. I shakily got to my feet and drew my wand from my pocket. James' broom had lost one of its foot holds in my descent, so I actually did break it. Quickly repairing it, I turned back to James and Rory.
"No, uh, don't sweat it. Sorry about your broom. I didn't mean to intrude on your date Rory," I commented, looking down at the ground and noticing I ripped a huge hole in my tights in my landing. Blood was softly trickling down my leg. Well as much as this much blood can trickle. It was pretty much a steady flow. I knew I wasn't very injured, despite how it looked, and it was something that Madame Fey could fix in a trice.
"They're not bad. It can be fixed in a second and by the time you walk me all the way back up to the castle and back down here it'll be pitch black. You'll lose flying time." I remarked, going to my bag.
"Leave it. I'll bring it with us when we come back down. I can't let you walk up on your own," James announced, grabbing the bag and starting towards me. I put a hand on his chest and gave him a small smile.
"Don't. Just go be disgusting with her. She really fancies you and I can tell you really like her too. I have homework to do anyways so I'm not coming back down." I whispered looking down at my wrist rather than James face. I looked up in time to see him throw a desirable look back at Rory, and then a guilty one back at me.
"Are you sure Kay? I feel rotten."
"I'm sure. It's not a big deal." I shrugged, grabbing my bag from him with my good hand, and walking away without another look. When I had reached the Greenhouses, I looked back to see two figures flying against the night sky.
