DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter by J.K Rowling.
A/N: Hello everyone:) Firstly, a BIG thank you to those of you who were kind enough to leave a review and follow this story: You absolutely made my day :D I haven't finished this story and I'm kind of feeling the pressure to produce some more chapters, I hope that the quality of this story isn't too bad, since I wrote it a while ago... Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 11
"Tonks. A word?", I was walking towards the door of the DADA classroom after our lesson with Chuck and Philips when Professor Wently called me back. I told Phillips I'd see him later and asked Chuck, who had Herbology with me next lesson, to wait for me.
I turned to face Professor Wently who was standing at his desk at the front of the classroom.
"Yes, Professor?".
"I just wanted to tell you well done on your excellent test results.".
I smiled modestly. "Thank you Sir.".
"Professor Sprout tells me that you would like to be an Auror when you leave school.".
I smiled rather embarrassedly, I wondered if he was going to tell me not to try it. I braced to defend myself.
"Yes, you see I've done lots of research and I know I'm taking all the necessary classes and my grades are up to standard, I think.".
Professor Wently smiled encouragingly.
"I must say Tonks, if you keep up the hard work you've been doing in my subject and do as well as that in your other ones, I see no reason why you shouldn't become an Auror.".
I grinned at his praise. "Thank you Professor, I know the Auror office only take a handful of new trainees every year but I really would like to try.".
"I'm sure you'll get in, you're a hard worker and if you put in the effort, you'll reap the rewards. But I mustn't make you late for your next class. Off you go.".
Still smiling, I hurried out of the classroom and finding Chuck standing outside, I told him what Professor Wently had said before he could even ask.
Professor Wently's praise and encouragement renewed my stamina and I felt more confident about the whole career choice thing. The long hours that I spent studying didn't feel as long or as hard because I had seen some of the rewards of my efforts in all of my subjects and knew that the hard work was paying off, even Chuck and Phillips had to admit that.
Chapter 12
As my last March at Hogwarts rolled around and Hufflepuff's second to last match of the season came closer, tensions grew between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. The problem was unspoken but everyone knew that everyone else knew that Gryffindor had always, in general, been better than Hufflepuff at Quidditch. This weighed heavily on the whole Hufflepuff team but it seemed to affect Chuck most of all. An hour didn't go by without Chuck mentioning the upcoming game.
A group of Gryffindors walked past a group of us Hufflepuffs in the corridor while on our way to D.A.D.A and though the Gryffindors paid us no attention, Chuck felt the need to pick up the increasingly annoying subject again.
"We have to win this match. I don't know what I'll do if we don't.", his voice was almost hysterical.
"Will you stop it, Chuck?", Phillips was glaring at Chuck and the rest of us decided it was best to stay out of it.
Phillips, who was feeling the pressure just as much- if not more than- Chuck, dealt with his nerves in silence, brooding over them rather than voicing his feelings all the time like Chuck did. The nerves, lack of sleep, pressure from the rest of the team and coupled with the fact that Chuck kept bringing the subject up meant that Phillips had a permanent bad temper and snapped at anyone who tried to speak to him.
"I'm sorry but I can't help it if I'm nervous.", Chuck voice was still hysterical.
Phillips' voice plainly showed his anger, "We're all nervous but none of us bring it up every five bloody minutes.".
Chuck now was starting to get angry too and I tried to catch his eye and silently tell him that he should just walk away and leave Phillips alone. Chuck purposely evaded my eyes and barrelled on in an accusing voice, "At least I don't stew in silence and attack anyone who says anything to me.".
Phillips looked like he wanted to hit Chuck but luckily managed to restrain himself and settled for saying simply, but with more venom in his voice than perhaps necessary, "Maybe if you're scared then, you shouldn't say anything to me.". With that, he stormed off muttering, "Stupid git." Under his breath, but loud enough for all of us Hufflepuffs to hear. Chuck glared at Phillips as he disappeared around the corner and then turned and stormed down another corridor without a word.
The silence between Chuck and Phillips lasted another week before the rest of the Hufflepuff team came complaining to me about the two of them continuously ruining practices with their stupid arguments, one of them resulting in a fight that thankfully was short lived since it was quickly broken up by the rest of the team.
"You're their best friend, Tonks. Can't you tell them they're being stupid?", pleaded Milly, the fifth-year who played Keeper.
I sighed and brushed some of my long, silvery-blonde hair out of my eyes. Being in the middle of Chuck and Phillips' arguments was tiring for me too. They always wanted me to take sides and I was sick of fighting with them because I said I wouldn't.
"I've tried! They're both being so stubborn and annoying, they won't listen." .
"But if they don't sort this thing out then we're not gonna get any practice and then we really will lose.", Ned; a sixth-year and the other beater; said is an impassioned voice.
I looked at all the hopeless faces of the team members who were crowded round the table I was sitting at trying to finish my Charms homework. I gave another sigh and putting down my quill and getting to my feet, I said, "Alright, alright. I give it one more try. But if it doesn't work, then don't blame me, okay?". They all nodded.
I started towards the door that led out of the common room. Phillips spent most of his time in the library doing his homework. He didn't want to come to the common room in case Chuck was around and he knew Chuck would never go to the library. I decided to start with Phillips first since I knew he was more sensible than Chuck and more likely to see reason.
The library was almost completely empty and I found Phillips sitting alone at a table by a window, working on his Ancient Runes translations.
"You know you've got to do something.", my voice was as calm as possible, I didn't to set off another shouting match.
He didn't look at me as I sat down next to him.
"About?", He continued writing as he spoke.
"Chuck. The team's getting worried.".
Phillips still didn't look up.
"Of course they're worried. Why wouldn't they be? With a beater like Chuck.".
I sighed, exasperated. I was actually surprised with Phillips' behaviour lately. Phillips was always the sensible one. He was normally the one who broke up fights and got everyone to agree on something. That was probably why he had been made captain in the first place, because he was the one who could bring the team together and get them to work hard. Lately though, he had been part of the problem and his arguing with Chuck was breaking up the team and ruining their chances of getting the Quidditch Cup.
Mostly, it was strange for me because I was normally the one who Phillips had to talk to about not fighting with others.
"They're worried because their captain is letting one little disagreement with Chuck cause such havoc.", Phillips had stopped writing but was still staring down at his page.
My voice was still gentle and calm as I continued, " Come on Phillips, this was supposed to be the year we finally won reclaimed that cup and I know you aren't going to let some fight with Chuck mess that up.".
He didn't speak for another minute or two. When he finally did look up at me, he looked very ashamed of himself.
"Do the team still even want me as captain?".
I laughed, "Of course! Who else could be their captain?" .
He looked doubtful, "But I've messed up so many practices. I don't know if we can get back on track in time for the match.".
I kept my voice light as I said, "Hey, I'm sure every captain has their mess-ups, right? Don't stress about it.".
I stood up; I knew I had won over Phillips. It was Chuck, who was far more stubborn, that I had to worry about now.
"I'm gonna go talk to Chuck.", I smiled and stood up to leave.
Phillips started packing up his books and said, "Okay. I need to talk to the rest of the team, I owe them an apology.".
I found Chuck in the boys' dorm, sitting on his bed reading some book for Herbology. He looked up as I walked in and, scowling, turned quickly back to his book.
"What?", his voice was annoyed and abrasive. I put my hands up in a surrendering way and walked forwards cautiously. I stopped beside his bed but thought it prudent to sit on the bed next to his which happened to be Phillips'.
"Hey, I come in peace.". Once I sat down, I thought it would be okay to lower my hands. He still scowled down at his book.
"What do you want?", he asked again. I tried to think of the best way to go about this, but knew there was no easy way. I settled for just saying the facts straight out. I took a breath and steadied myself for his anger.
"Chuck, you have to stop this fighting with Phillips.".
Without raising his voice he instead said simply, and very uncharacteristically, "No.".
I wasn't expecting that answer.
"What do you mean, 'No'?".
Chuck looked up at me with an almost indifferent expression on his face, "I didn't start this. He must be the one to stop it.".
I felt smug as I said, "Well in that case its already over Chuck.".
He gave me a questioning look.
"I just talked to him. He doesn't want to fight anymore.".
Chuck's face was certainly surprised. "He doesn't?"
"No. Do you?".
He looked uncomfortable at my question.
"Well...er... I'm not just going to forgive him like that.", he snapped his fingers.
"Chuck, you guys have been fighting for over two weeks. You don't even remember what you're fighting about.".
He glared at me. "We're fighting because he's an arsehole and a terrible captain.", his voice was spiteful but I knew his heart wasn't really in it.
I said gently, "You don't mean that. Phillips is one of your best friends; you've said it many times before".
He tried to keep up his anger but after a moment, it fell apart.
"No I don't and," he paused "yeah, he is.", his voice was quiet and he looked down at his book again, avoiding his eyes.
"Will you go and talk to him?".
He didn't look up as he mumbled a, "Yeah, whatever.".
He got up and went down to the common room while I followed.
Phillips was sitting around a table in the common room, clearly having a heart-to-heart with the team when Chuck came into the room and I had just arrived in time to see Phillips see Chuck, slowly stand up and move towards him. They stared, blank faced at each other for a second before Phillips held out his hand to Chuck.
After a slight moment of hesitation, Chuck shook hands with Phillips and, while no words were spoken between them, everything was forgiven and forgotten. A chair was pulled up for Chuck and he joined the rest of the team at their table.
I, on the other hand, went back to my table and with a satisfied smile on my face returned to my Charms homework.
For the next few days, I hardly saw Chuck or Phillips because they were training with the rest of the team in every spare moment, trying to make up for the practices they had lost.
When the long awaited match finally did come on the windy Saturday morning, it was almost a relief. Philips and Chuck agreed heartily that after all the stress, they just wanted it over and done with.
With little breakfast, a half-sort of pep talk from me and then a hurried hug and "Goodluck!", Chuck and Phillips left the great hall with the rest of the team.
I walked down to the field talking animatedly with Francesca and Daisy about the match.
We found some good seats in the stands and when the Hufflepuff team walked out onto the field, we joined the rest of the Hufflepuff's in the cheering.
The game started off well, it seemed that we might even win. But the Gryffindor team were amazing and in the end, they managed to take the snitch from right under the nose of Phillips, our seeker.
The game was over and through the cheers of the Gryffindors and the streaks of gold and red as their team rushed to the ground, were seven miserable looking Hufflepuff players who landed and walked slowly back to the changing room. All around me on the stands were Hufflepuff who looked sad. None of them looked very angry. Just sad. I hurried through the stands and down to the changing room where the Hufflepuff team were quietly pulling on their robes. None of them looked up as I entered the changing room until I put a hand on Chuck's arm.
Perhaps it seems silly to get so distraught over just a game but I knew that quidditch was important to him and the rest of the team and so when Chuck looked up at me and I saw the expression on his face, I could see he was truly gutted by the loss.
I hated seeing everybody looking so grief-struck. The common room was horribly silent and even I, who was normally the cheerful one who could see the bright side of things, couldn't crack a smile.
But of all the Hufflepuffs, no one looked more depressed than Phillips. Except maybe Chuck, who had taken to staying up in the boys' dorm all day. Although neither Chuck nor Phillips ever said anything about it, I knew that they held themselves personally responsible for the loss.
The Easter holidays were fast approaching and I knew that after we came back to school, I would be too busy with the upcoming exams to do much else. I tried to make the most of the last free days I would have at Hogwarts.
Phillips, who had used his depression over Huffepuff's loss to fuel his will to win, had made the rest of the team work harder than ever almost every day so that we wouldn't lose against Slytherin in our last game of the season.
A/N: Next chapter soon!-CvZ