The weeks rolled by slowly at Hogwarts. To James, the classes drawled on and the homework continued to pile above his head. Today, however, this would all pay off; today was Quidditch tryouts.
"Quidditch! Quidditch!" Ben chanted, running, almost dancing, down the staircase from the boys' dormitory to the Gryffindor common room.
"I've never seen you this active in the morning," James commented, slowly following behind the brown-haired boy.
"Quidditch!" was Ben's only response, turning to face James.
Despite the ringing in James' ears from Ben's boisterous shouts, James smiled. Quidditch was what made the world go round. Whenever classes were too overwhelming and homework threatening to drown him, James could clamber onto his Astroid Seeker 210 and fly meters above his problems.
"Ben, keep it down," came a female voice from behind the boy.
Ben turned around to find Rose standing there, a stack of books held tightly to her chest. She was smiling, despite her command. James smiled, stepping up beside Ben. "Hey Rose."
"Hi, James."
"Are you supporting the Quidditch team?" James asked, adjusting the black book bag on his shoulder.
Rose shook her head, sending her bushy hair thrashing against her cheeks. "Nothing except wishing the two of you luck before a game."
Ben whistled. "Oh, is your dad gunna be mad."
Rose shrugged. "I'd prefer to focus on my studies."
James rolled his eyes. "Just like Aunt Hermoine."
Rose smiled, gesturing to the door of the common room. "Shall we go to breakfast?"
Ben and James followed Rose, clambering out of the portrait hole into the hallways. Together they walked down several flights of moving stairs, reaching the grand staircase. Ben grinned. "Can't wait to tell Connie!"
James let out a laugh. "I can't wait to see her kill you."
"As if she'll get the chance," Ben rolled his eyes, slinking down the marble steps, patting the robe pocket that held his wand.
The three Gryffindors reached the Great Halls. Their eyes fell over the four tables in the room, bustling with students in black robes. Despite the earliness of the day, it was loud with laughing students. Today, the Great Hall was louder than usual, full of excited students ready to try out for the Quidditch teams.
"I'll see you guys later," Rose shifted the books to one arm, waving to the two boys as they reached the Gryffindor table.
"Where are you going?" James asked, suspiciously eyeing his cousin.
"I'm going to speak to Albus," Rose said boldly.
James' nostrils flared, a common gesture from James when irritation flared within him. Rose ignored this and continued. "He's quite lonely in Slytherin, all by himself."
"Whatever," James muttered. Rose turned on her heel and made the long walk to the end of the Great Hall. James and Ben continued along the long Gryffindor table, searching for Connie along the way. The two friends passed a group of second years, excitedly discussing who would be trying out for the Gryffindor House team.
"Newbies," Ben muttered.
James spotted Connie and sat on her right side while Ben to her left. Connie looked up from her cereal to the two. "Good morning."
"Morning!" Ben grinned with abnormal cheerfulness, reaching for breakfast.
"Don't you dare start talking about Quidditch this early in the morning," Connie warned immediately. Of all their friends, Connie was the only one who disliked Quidditch.
"Oh, you're no fun, Connie!" Ben whined.
"James! Ben!"
James looked over his shoulder to find Alexis skipping towards them. Her usual, awkward smile was plastered upon her pale lips and her brown eyes sparkled vibrantly as usual. She stopped before them. "Quidditch tryouts today!"
Connie sighed, throwing her arms up in defense. She stood from the table, collecting her book bag and cereal and moving to a new spot. Alexis took her spot, turning to James. "Are you trying out for seeker again, James?"
James nodded. "Yeah, I seem to have a knack for it. What about you? Are you trying out for chaser again?"
"Actually," Alexis spoke in her usual, dreamy voice. "I was thinking about trying out for keeper."
"Ew!" Ben exclaimed, spraying food chunks across the table. "That's Isa-freak's position!"
Alexis shrugged. "Then I will prove I am better than her."
Ben, mouth open in disgust, turned away. James turned his attention away from Ben and back to the blonde-haired Hufflepuff. "His Zanbini going for Seeker again?" he asked, referring to Bridgette's twin.
Alexis smiled and stood. "As far as I'm aware. Well, I guess I'll see you guys later!"
James waved in farewell, and then turned to Ben. "We should head off to class."
"Potter, Finnigan."
James, whose head had been sitting on the desk, watching his small half-button/half-beetle at eye level, looked up. Ben, who had been staring at his button with deep concentration, deciding that if he stared at it long enough, it would change into a beetle itself, looked up as well. Professor Bell stood over the two. "I expect to see the two of you trying out for the house team this year."
"You'll see us there!" Ben assured.
Bell smiled. "Good." She looked down to James' button/beetle before shaking her head. Walking away, she added,"more flick of the wrist."
Ben and James glanced to each other then back down to their buttons, sighing. "Yes, see you there."
Ben's and James' head whipped up again. Isabelle stood before them this time, a smirk set upon her elegant features. A timid Bridgette, as usual stood behind the silver-haired girl and the bulging Goyle stood beside Isabelle, a stupid smirk on his lips.
"I see we have the displeasure of seeing you on the field," James spat, glaring at Isabelle.
"Funny Potter," Isabelle dismissively waved her hand. A coy smile played on her lips. "So, I hear your brother is trying out for the Slytherin house team."
"You know first years can't try out for the Quidditch teams," James said.
"Well, why don't you try telling that to Headmaster McGonagall," Isabelle said before drifting away from the table.
James turned to Ben. "What is she talking about?"
Ben shrugged; James glanced to Isabelle and her group.
"Albus is trying out for the Quidditch team?" Connie asked, pulling gloves onto her hands.
Ben, James and Connie were currently attending Care of Magical Creatures. James had relied to Connie the events of Transfiguration as they prepped to hunt underground Wallumchews. "That was Isabelle said," James said, pulling on his own pair of gloves.
"But first years can't-"
"I know," James said. "That's when she said 'try telling that to Headmaster McGonagall'."
"Hmmm," was Connie's only reply. She never said much about anything, but she listened.
"Maybe you should ask Rose," Ben suggested.
"Why?" inquired James.
"She's been in contact with Albus, maybe she'll know what Isabelle's talking about,"Ben said as the three of them kneeled beside freshly tilled dirt, shifting through dirt as directed.
"She's way too stubborn though," James sighed.
"Well, has the thought occurred to you that Isabelle may just be messing around with you?" Connie asked.
"Why would she go out of the way?" James asked.
"It's distracting you," Connie said, pointing down to James' fingers, which were being gently gnawed by the poisonous, yet painless teeth of Wallumchews.
"Oi!" James exclaimed, pulling his fingers away, holding them close to his chest. Connie sighed.
The rest of the day resumed slowly, maybe even slower than usual. Finally, however, the last bell of the day sounded. James bolted from Mr. Binn's classroom. He raced down the hallways and up the moving staircases, as fast as possible without colliding into other students. Before any other students arrived, James skidded to a stop in front of a large painting of a large lady dressed in a pink dress. She lazily stared down at James. "Password?"
"Wumble Bat!" James panted.
The portrait swung open, revealing a doorway in the wall. James clamber through, arriving in the comforting cornice of the Gryffindor common room. He raced up to the boys' dormitory, headed to his bed. He smiled, upon seeing his Astroid Seeker 210 set up against the nightstand beside his bed.
"James!" Ben exclaimed.
James turned around to see that Ben had arrived. James grinned widely, probably larger than he had the entire time he had been at Hogwarts this year. Ben rushed over to his bed, grabbing the broomstick from beside it. His was an older model broom, the Firebolt 6000, but it functioned well enough.
Broomsticks in hand, James and Ben practically ran the entire way to the Quidditch field. Upon arrival, the two saw all their members from last year along with some new entries and a few second years. The captain of the team, Daniel Wood, directed the students to stand in a line. They named the positions they wished to play and were separated into groups accordingly. Most of the new entries were interested in being chasers and beaters, except for two. They were both second years; one ran for keeper and the other was running for seeker.
James smirked inwardly to himself. He knew this second year would not be able to match his skills. He was a natural; both his mother and his father had played seeker on the Gryffindor team, it was in his blood. As for the kid trying for keeper, James new that student would not make the team either. Daniel was a natural for keeper and was captain of the team-enough said.
The tryouts lasted several hours. It appeared that all of the students had talent, even some of the second years. Daniel stood on the ground, inspecting broom movement, reflexes and speed. When it came time to identify the seeker for this year, Daniel took a small golden ball from his pocket and released it into the air. As it began to flutter around, unseen, both James and the second year, Harvey, were told to mount their brooms. On Daniel's cue, the two kicked off of the ground and into the air.
As the wind rushed through James' black locks, his heart soared past him. All his troubles immediately melted away and suddenly, all that mattered was him and his broom. A grin spread across his face, how great it was to be back on a broom! He hadn't been on the entire week before school; and that had been entirely too long!
Then James reminded himself that he had a job to do. Harvey was already sailing around on his broomstick, in search of the speedy, golden ball that was around the stadium somewhere. James leaned on his broom and sped forward, his eyes rapidly searching for the ball.
Five minutes had passed and still, there was no sign of the golden ball. Harvey was keen on finding it, his eyes squinted as he slowly pushed his broom forward. James was bored now, his head rolling back and forth on his shoulders, lazily searching for the ball. Ironically, that's when it came into sight.
It was about ten meters ahead of him, zooming towards one of the many stands surrounding the stadium. James' eyes flashed and he sped forward, headed towards the Snitch. James had received a ten second head start by the time Harvey had realized James was after the Snitch. Harvey sped forwards, after James but everyone knew the competition was over. James had a better broom, better speed and better skills.
James rose up on the Snitch, stretching out his arms. Come on, come on! James willed himself, stretching out his fingers. A smile spread across his face as James lurched forward, wrapping his fingers around the golden ball. "Yes!" James called, pumping his right arm in the air.
As the Gryffindors applauded from below, Harvey cursed. James smiled, holding his closed fist up to his face.
"Good job, James," Ben congratulated as tryouts ended that night.
"You too," James smiled. The two were headed up a large hill towards the castle. "We're going to be on the team again."
"I admire your confidence," Ben agreed. "If we hurry, we might just make it back in time for dinner!"
"Right, you wouldn't want to be late."
The icy tone reached the boys' ears. James and Ben stopped, turning around. There stood Isabelle with her usual cronies and her arm around the shoulder of...,"Albus!" Ben exclaimed.
Isabelle smiled. "Indeed. You're now staring at the new seeker of the Slytherin House team."
Albus did not bring his eyes up to meet those of his brother. James glared daggers at his little brother, then to Isabelle, who only smiled. "Good luck, James," she smiled, butchering his name with her voice. "See you on the field."
The Slytherins pushed past Ben and James. Goyle made a point in shoving his shoulder into James' as he moved past. James and Ben glared after them.
"I can't believe she had her arm around Albus!" Ben mused at dinner that night. "That's so not like her."
"She must be using Albus to get back at James," Connie said.
James said nothing but continued to glower in his seat. Food was placed upon his plate but sat untouched and cold. "Get back at me for what!"
"For being a Potter...for being a Gryffindor."
"I wonder if this is how she treats her younger brother," Ben wondered, setting his gaze towards the Hufflepuff table in front of theirs, in between the Gryffindor and Slytherin. Scorpious Malfoy was sitting at the table beside Damon Zanbini, chatting profusely.
"This is how she treats anyone if they aren't Slytherin or pureblood or muggle haters," Connie slandered.
"True," Ben muttered before taking a bite of his chicken.
"Ben! James!"
The two looked over to see a tall girl with blonde hair, reaching to her mid back and green eyes run up to them. It was Olivia Cooke, a fourth year and was chaser last year for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Ben immediately felt faint, for as soon as he had laid eyes on her last year at Quidditch trials, he had fallen into a deep infatuation.
"Hey Olivia," James greeted.
"Daniel's placing the results of the tryouts on the bulletin board in the common room tomorrow," Olivia informed. "Don't forget to check."
"Thanks Olivia," James said. She nodded and moved away from them to return to her friends.
Ben sighed. "Oh man..."
Connie rolled her eyes. "You know that she's single. If you talked to her instead of fainting like an idiot..."
"Connie, shush! You're interrupting!"
"Interrupting what?"
"My fantasy where I don't listen to your gripe."
Connie glared and sent a quick punch to Ben's shoulder. At his gasp of pain, she smiled, satisfied, and returned to her plate of ribs. James rolled his eyes and looked away from the two in time to see Isabelle leave the Great Hall. This would not have caught James' interest except for the fact that she was not accompanied by Goyle or even Bridgette. She was moving quickly, as though not wanting to be seen.
Slowly, James lowered his gaze, his curiosity peeking. He looked to Ben and Connie. "Uh, I forgot, I have loads of History of Magic homework!"
Connie and Ben turned to James. "You're actually going to do it?"
"He does his homework," Ben said. "It's me who doesn't do it."
As Connie broke into a lecture about the troubles they had gotten into the previous year, James slipped away from the table. He sped-walked out of the Great Hall just in time to see Isabelle reach the top of the Grand Staircase and take a left. Taking two steps at a time, James climbed the staircase and took a sharp turn left. He slowed to a walk as he casually followed Isabelle down the hallways. He watched as she stopped in front of the library and opened the large oak door, stepping inside. James' eyes shifted and followed her to the oak doors leading to the library. He swung the doors open and stepped inside.
The library came into view. Beside for the old librarian behind the desk, to library was empty. Being eyed by the cranky librarian, James searched the shelves and tables trying to find the Slytherin.
"What are you doing?"
James whipped around.