The only thing I claim to own is my empty bank account, so please no suing. J.K. Rowling the amazing fictional artist that she is owns all the characters, and a bit of plot :). Which is why she is rich, and I am not.
This is my first story ever written and posted, so please constructive criticism only, no flaming. I know the likely hood of a 14 year old being scouted for a Premier League like the Arsenals is probably 0, but I thought it would be fun to write. With that being said I am American, and my knowledge of European football is not the best. So, if you have any tips please message me. I also do not have Beta, and apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes.
Zane practically ran out in the hall,he took a few steps toward the direction of Gryffindor tower and then turned around a few times, before he set his sights on the doors of the castle, and ran out them.
"Zane wait!" Yelled Oliver but he was too late, Zane had already fled from the castle.
"That bad?" Marcus Flint asked as he stepped out of shadows. Everyone but Oliver was startled by his sudden appearance.
"Worse, Snape caused a flashback, and in the end he volunteered to take veritaserum just so he could leave." Oliver replied.
"Look Flint I don't know why your here, but Zane is my friend and if you think for one minute I'm going to let you insult him and make this worse for him your dead wrong!" Cedric snarled while pointing his wand at Marcus.
"Piss off pretty boy, if you spent less time combing your hair and more thinking you would have realized that's not why I am here." Marcus said with disdain.
Oliver elbowed Marcus. "Do you have to insult everyone to always make your point?"
"No only you, you pillock and people who annoy me." The Slytherin answered looking smug.
"Then why are you here Flint?" Cedric, who lowered his wand asked.
"I believe he is friends with Knox. He stuck up for him during the feast and knew to much for someone who didn't know him personally," answered Viktor.
Marcus nodded usually he would have made a tacky comment but he actually liked Krum after watching him put Malfoy in his place. Apparently the mindless quidditch star thing is an act, thought Flint. Oliver gave Marcus a skeptical look; he had noticed there was not biting retort made which was wildly out of character for the Slytherin.
"You and Zane are friends?" Cedric asked with an air of disbelief.
Marcus snarled and got in Cedric's face. "Is it that hard to believe I have friends Diggory?"
"Yes." Oliver answered before Cedric could reply. "Now back to what we're going to do about Zane."
"Well I for one see no reason to concern myself with a boy 'oo is throwing a tantrum." Fleur said with her nose in the air. "It is a honor to be chosen as a champion. If you want to waste your time be my guest." She said as she walked out the doors to return to the carriages.
"You know nothing about him you chit!" Flint yelled and started to take off after her.
Oliver grabbed his shoulder. "Leave it; we have more important things to do." Marcus shrugged off Oliver's hand with a nod. "Two goals? One for each of us to block?" Marcus nodded and they both started to make their way to the pitch where they knew their friend would be.
"Wait where are you going, and what can I do to help?" Cedric asked while running after them. Viktor walked up behind him.
"We." Krum corrected. "What can we do?" Cedric and Oliver both grinned at him, and Marcus snorted.
"Great more strays." Flint grunted.
Oliver led the way to the pitch. "That depends do you know anything about football?" He asked after a while.
Cedric shook his head no while Viktor shrugged. "I have seen some games."
"Right would you rather keep goal or try to block him, Marcus can do either while I only ever keep."
"I vill block him." Viktor said.
Marcus snorted. "You'll try," he said with a smug smirk on his face. When they made it there they saw Zane had taken off his outer robes and was sprinting around the pitch.
"Is there anything I can do?" Cedric asked.
"Yes transfigure some balls will ya? Lots of them Cedric, lots."
Marcus and Oliver got to work on transfiguring two goal post side by side with whatever they had in their pockets. Krum took off his Jacket and furs and transfigured his dress shoes into trainers. Cedric began picking up rocks and making them into balls. "Right we will call him over and let him kick some goals in while Flint and I keep. That's where you come in Cedric. Once he's calmed down a bit we will move one goal post to the other end and Viktor you come in and try to block him."
Everyone nodded. "Flint you call him, you're the only one who can get through to him when he's like this."
"It's because he knows I'm not some weakling Gryffindor who is above yelling at his arse." He said. "ZANE! Get your bloody ass over here right now!" Zane stopped looked over at them narrowed his eyes and then ran towards them.
"What?!" He yelled.
"Get in front of the goal posts and try to score if you can." He taunted. "Diggory roll the next ball the minute he kicks one, keep them coming fast, don't wuss out on us!" Zane who saw Marcus's taunt as a challenge did just as he was told. As soon a Cedric had rolled the ball over he kicked it towards Marcus's head, who just barely moved in time, but by moving he let the ball in.
"Got to do better than that Flint," laughed Oliver. Who had just blocked an attempt at his own goal. "Come Zane I've seen better kicks from your sister!"
Zane narrowed his eyes and yelled over at Cedric, "Roll them two at a time!" He started attacking the balls with more aggression than his two friends had ever seen. When he started kicking more balls than Cedric could produce Oliver yelled for a time out and made Marcus move his goal to the other end.
"All right Marcus you keep goal for Krum, I'll take Zane." Marcus moved his post than took a seat right inside of his goal and lite a cigarette. Viktor gave him affronted look as he took the field, but after they started playing Viktor wondered if he should be sitting down, it wasn't as if he doing much else. The big cranky guy in the green tie must have felt sorry for him because ten minutes in he yelled switch and took his place. He was definitely better than Viktor, but still stood no chance against Zane. Finally after what seems like forever for everyone Zane fell on the ground panting. As soon as Oliver and Marcus had seen he was finished they both collapsed. After a few minutes of trying to catch his breath Zane let out a breathy chuckle. Cedric and Viktor had jogged over and were looking at Zane with awe.
"Thanks," said Zane. "I needed that."
"Yeah well I hope it was bloody well worth it."Marcus grunted rolling on to his back. "I'm going to bruise something awful, and you're going to have to explain to Wood's mummy why he is bruised as well. Come on lets go to the stands and you can have a smoke, just one I don't want to listen to your "agent" bitch and moan at me."
Zane got up and helped Marcus stand, Cedric walked over to Oliver and did the same. They all walked towards the stands and started climbing. Zane and Marcus stopped two behind the rest of them so they could smoke without being rude and blowing it in everyone's face. Well Zane did, Marcus didn't care about being rude and only went because he wasn't going to sit by anybody but Zane. After he sat down Zane stretched out his legs, and held out his hand. Marcus got his pack out took two cigarettes out handed Zane one and placed the others between his lips. He then fished out his lighter lite his, and passed it over; after Zane was through he passed it back.
Zane took a long drag and then blew it out. "Thanks, I mean it." He then looked over to Viktor and said,"I don't think we've been properly introduced. I am Hadrian, or Zane Knox."
"Yes I know my Grandfather is a huge fan. I am Viktor Krum."
"Yes I know my friends here are huge fans." He said pointing at Oliver and Marcus.
"Do you two play quidditch?" Viktor asked.
"Actually we all do," answered Cedric.
"What positions do you play?"
"Pretty boys a seeker."Marcus said with a sneer.
"Watch it Marcus that my position Viktor's as well you're out numbered mate." Zane said with a shove of his shoulder.
"Never said anything was wrong with the position." He grunted. "It just those that win because someone falls off their broom because of dementors!"
"I asked for a rematch!" Cedric shouted.
"Calm down both of you, Marcus you know it wasn't his fault it was mine." Marcus tried to interrupt but Zane just shook his head. "No it was I shouldn't have flown so high when I knew what kind of affect they had on me. Now let's change the subject before Oliver tries to drown himself in the shower again."
Viktor picking up that it was a sore subject asked what position Marcus and Oliver played.
"Chaser."Marcus said at the same time Oliver said, "keeper." The both glared at each other.
"Are you two not friends?" Krum asked.
"Hell no," yelled out Marcus and Oliver at the same time, causing them to glare at each other again.
Zane laughed, "These two tossers hate each other with everything that they are."
"Then how did you become friends?" Cedric asked.
"None of your business prat."
"Marcus don't be rude." Zane admonished.
He grunted. "I am rude."
"I've been friends with Oliver since first year, I'm sure you knew that though." Cedric nodded. "I met Marcus out here on the pitch in the wee hours of the morning when the rest of the lazy arses were still in bed. I couldn't sleep so I came out here to run some drills, and Marcus joined me." He said with a shrug. "It's really not all that fascinating, just happened. Then you joined this little ragtime team Cedric two months ago without even knowing what you were getting your self into. Congratulations! You get to put up with those two arguing constantly. And now our newest member Viktor." He said with a grin.
"Me, but you do not know me, how could you possibly vant me as friend." He asked confused.
"Easy." Zane toss his head towards Marcus. "This git likes you and he never likes anyone, so if he okay with you well that's good enough for me.
Marcus shrugged. "He put Malfoy in his place."
Zane chuckled and clapped his hands. "Someone please tell me this story!"
Once Marcus was finishing telling the story, Zane bursted out laughing. "What I would have given to be there to see the look on his face!"
Zane who had a tendency to never stay still for long got up and moved off the stands, and grabbed a ball. He started bouncing it on his knees and head to just see how long he could keep going.
"You can't possibly be ready to play again!" Cedric said. "Aren't you tired?"
This time Oliver snorted. "He could go forever."
Zane laughed. "There was a time, before they forced me to come here that this was all I did all day, and every day."
"Vhat do you mean forced?" Viktor asked.
"I mean I never wanted to come here, I was happy where I was." Zane caught the ball and looked over at the Cedric and Viktor as if he was deciding something; then he looked over at Marcus and Oliver and inclined his head back towards them.
"Krum, yes. Not the prat Hufflepuff I don't trust him."Marcus crossed his arms.
"Don't trust him or don't like him Flint?" Oliver asked.
"Same bloody thing."Marcus muttered, and Zane looked over at him. "Fine don't like him."
"I am completely trustworthy." Cedric said while glaring at Flint.
"Okay I'm going to tell you something that only a handful of people know, please don't interrupt if you have questions wait till I'm finished it's hard to talk about." After seeing their nods he climbed up the stands and sat back down by Marcus. "Hand me another fag this is going to be hard enough to get through."
"Zane you really shouldn't have a..."
"Let him have it." Marcus hissed while lighting one up and handing it over to Zane.
Cedric looked over at Zane. "Your freaking me out mate it can't be that bad can it?"
"Worse." Marcus said while lighting his own cigarette.
"The truth about my childhood has been greatly exaggerated by everyone in this world. The rumors about me living with my relatives that worship the ground I walk on couldn't be farther from the truth. After Voldemort killed my birth parents Dumbledore sent Hagrid to come and collect me. My so called godfather was more worried about avenging my parent's betrayer than he was about me, so he handed me off. Hagrid then took me to Dumbledore who left me on my relative's doorstep with a note to my aunt that her sister had been killed, and she needed to take me in for theirs and my protection. I don't remember a lot from the first couple of years, but I remember things from when I turned four. Not that I knew I was four at the time. My birth was something that was never celebrated in that house. I learned how to cook, clean, and do chores at a very young age. The minute I could step up on to a stool if I remember correctly. I also slept in a cupboard under the stairs while my cousin had two bedrooms, one for him, one for the mountains of toys he had. The only thing I was ever given was handed down to large clothes since my cousin was always a baby whale. They never fed me, and my uncle used me as his punching bag. They called me boy and freak; I thought my name was Boy Freak." He said with a haunted look in his eye. "I never knew it at the time, but they hated magic and anything to do with it. They told me my parents were drunks that died in car crash, and my father was a lazy sod who lived off the money that other hard working normal people earned. One day when I was five I messed up real bad."
"You did nothing wrong!" Marcus hissed.
"Okay sorry, no more interrupting."
"No more blaming yourself then Zane." Oliver said.
Zane nodded."My cousin and his friends made up this game called freak hunting, it's were they chased me to beat me up. Well I hadn't ate in about two days, and my back was bruised up pretty bad from the last throttling I had received and when Dudley caught up with me I knew I couldn't run anymore. So I started wishing, wishing so hard that I could be somewhere, anywhere that he couldn't get to me. There was a loud crack and next thing I knew I'm sitting in a tree starring down at him. I was elated; he couldn't climb a tree if his life depended on it. The excitement was short lived though because he started calling for his mother and telling her I had done something strange. When she came into the yard yelling at me to get down while waving her bloody frying pan I panicked. I had one too many hits to the head with thing to not have a proper fear of it. I unknowingly made it worse for myself at the time by staying up in that tree, but I mean I was five living in a tree sounded pretty wicked at the time. I stayed up there all day, and when my uncle pulled in the driveway from work I knew I was in for it. He came out and yelled for while flinging tons of insults and threats at me, but I still refused to come down. He finally left and I thought I had won. I really felt like I was safe up in my little tree. I was wrong. He came back with a long metal rod and started stabbing around the tree branches with it; I fell out when I tried to avoid it, and got the beating of my life that night. I must have passed out for a bit because when I woke back up my uncle was in the house arguing with my aunt. He thought he had went to far this time, and he sure I was going to die, so they decided to get rid of me. Was better that way he assured me as he was stuffing me in the trunk of his car, it would raise to many suspicions to take me to a hospital, or if I died there in their home. So he left me in the middle of London with all the rift raft to die. Luckily I met a nice group of homeless ladies who took turns taking care of me. They found me scraps to eat, and any time they could steal painkillers they gave me some to help with the pain. It wasn't easy living on the streets, and most of those ladies didn't make it through the winter that year. So I was one my own for a bit, but I eventually got better and was able to start taking odd jobs helping make deliveries, or even getting paid to tail a person for a day and report back what they did. I made friends with some other kids who were living two streets from mine, and they taught me how to play football. I played constantly, couldn't get enough of it. I lived on the streets for two bloody years though, and it can change a bloke. I watched my friends die from not enough food, or from a cold that went too far because we didn't have the proper medicine. I spent a lot of nights hungry and cold, because everyone looks down on street rats and no one is willing to give a helping hand. There were also the turf wars that happened between other groups of homeless kids who had been run out of their spot, so they came to run us out of ours. You learned how to fight quickly because the youngest and the weakest always get taken out first. My friend Jackson died in one of those fights, knife wound to the side, he was 15 years old. He always had more faith than I did that I would make it out. Said there were the lucky ones that were going to go somewhere and be somebody, and I was one of them. When he was dying he told me take his ball, and go be a lucky one. I still have it, the ball. I...just...I couldn't..." Zane looked away to cover up the tears he had in his eyes. He felt Marcus put his hand on his shoulder. "When I was seven I got a job at the corner store making deliveries for the old man that ran it. It was there that I saw this poster advertising a football camp. I knew there was no way they could possibly want me to attend, I mean I was this scrawny dirty kid dressed in the same clothes I had been dumped in two years prior, and before you ask yes my cousin was that large. Two years and his clothes still hung off me. I always used my money on food, and medicine when I needed it, so I had never replaced them. The clothes still had old blood stains on them that were covered by grim and filth. Thinking on it now I must have stank something awful; it's probably why none of the other kids would go near me. There was this one coach though, he sat down and asked me about forms that needed to be sign by my parents. Of course I didn't have any and told him so, when he found out I was living on the streets he asked me to go with him to his home to eat. I thought why not what do I really have to lose, I can always run away and find my group and then never go back to that camp again. When he took me to his home his wife made me the first decent meal in my life, when I told her as much she cried. I was worried I had offended her in some way and started to leave, but she told I had done nothing wrong. They offered for me to take a shower, a shower! It was the first one I could ever remember having. My relatives usually just turned the hose on me. I still remember the day they asked me to live with them, to be their son. They gave me a name, a proper name, and a home with my own room, my very own bed. They adopted me a year later on the anniversary of the day they first met me. Threw me a birthday party said we celebrate my birthday every year on that day, since I had no clue when my actual birthday was. I know people here think I'm being cruel when I deny the Potter name, they think I'm insulting their sacrifice, but I'm not I'm just trying to honor the ones that gave me everything I never thought I'd have. It wasn't until Dumbledore came with my Hogwarts letter that I found out I was wizard or what actually happened to my birth parents. He came in acting like some saint grandfather that was there to give me the best news ever, but he made a horrible impression on my mother by suggesting I go back to my relatives. When I refused my invitation to go to Hogwarts he started coughing up information real fast. All about Voldemort and how he didn't think he was really dead. Said I needed to learn to protect myself and Hogwarts was the place to do it. At first I hated everything to do with this place, but then I got on the team and met Oliver and things weren't as bad, but with trolls, and professors that have the dark lord on the back of their head I found myself deep into trouble I didn't want any part of. Then second year Ginny was taken into the chamber, and as a parselmouth I was the only one who could get her. Battling a giant basilisk with a sword left me with more nightmares than I want to admit. Like I said I met Marcus in third year, and right away felt like I could trust him, dunno why just did. The grounds were crawling with dementors that year, and they seemed to take a liking to me. Plus I met my "criminal" godfather, who wasn't actually a murderer just someone who expected me to be someone I wasn't. He was one of those that was highly insulted by the fact I refused my birth name. Saved him from being kissed by a hundred dementors and haven't heard from him since. Let me just say now that I don't want your pity, I hate it, so please don't look at me like I'm broken, because I can assure you I'm not." He finished while leaning slightly on Marcus. There was a chance Cedric and Viktor could want nothing to do with him now that they knew the truth, so he needed the silent support of someone he knew would stand by him no matter what. He had turned his face to the side; he didn't want to see rejection on their faces if it was coming.
Oliver had his head turned as well, because he had tears in his eyes. He didn't want Zane to mistake them for pity; it was just pure sadness for his friend. The only person to not write him off the moment his quidditch talk got be to much. The only one to think there was more there than just a dumb jock. His one true friend. Marcus looked angry like he did the first time he heard this story. Just like Oliver he felt Zane was his one true friend. Everyone else calls him stupid, violent, or even a troll behind his back (no one is brave enough to say it to his face) even his own family thinks he will never amount to much. But not Zane, he treated him like a real person from the start, didn't run away because he was huge, a "slimy snake", or because he had a few violent outbursts every once in awhile. It made his blood boil to think of those monsters hurting him like they had.
"I do not pity you, I respect you." Said Viktor. "You are very strong, most people couldn't have survived what you have. It is a honor for you to call me your friend." Zane jerked his head towards him and nodded, his throat had tightened up and he didn't trust himself to speak.
"I also don't pity you, but I am sorry you ever had to go through that. That you still are with this tournament now. I always wrote the rumors that you hated the wizarding world off as false, but I see that they are true, and understand why." Cedric's face morphed into a face full of fury. "They abandoned you, and now scramble around as if they own you, or as if you owe them something."
"Yes, that's exactly right. I didn't feel abandoned at first, but coming to a world where everyone has know your name for 11 years, and you didn't have one until you were 7 can certainly make you feel like that. I know Voldemort is going to return, I've had too many run ins with him in some form to not. I also know that there this is no way for me to avoid being part of the conflict, but I can tell you this as soon as I do my part I'm gone. I'll never step foot into this world again. My friends will all know where to find me of course, so no worries there I won't abandon those that I care for, but I need to leave I don't belong here."
"I will help in any way I can Zane I promise." Cedric said.
"I vill as vell." Viktor agreed.
"Okay so he might grow on me." Marcus said.
"What that's all it takes?! I've been standing by Zane longer than you have and I certainly have never started to grow on you!" Oliver cried out.
"Yes, but I hate you, I merely disliked him."
"Prats." Zane mumbled. "Well we all might want to head to our respective place of dwelling; I'm surprised a search party hasn't been called yet. Plus I'm not sure how we could explain this if asked"
Viktor snorted, "Karkaroff is too afraid of me to make me explain myself."
"Hufflepuffs will have created some kind of cover story." Cedric said as getting up and stretching.
Oliver looked at Zane with wide eyes."Yes I should get back mother and father will probably waiting up, they knew I left because something happened to you so they are most likely worried. After everything they heard about in the past I'm sure their imagination has run wild."
Zane chuckled as he walked down the stands behind everyone, "well tell them I'm fine just entered into a deadly tournament is all, by most likely someone who wants me well...dead. I myself will probably get the third degree the minute I walk into the commons."
When they made it right outside the main doors everyone went their separate ways except Zane, Cedric, and Marcus. They walked into the castle and down the main hall. This is where Cedric said his goodbyes and turned around a corner. Leaving Zane and Marcus alone in the quiet hall. "I'm sure no one even noticed I left." Marcus said quietly.
"You know I notice you right, you're my best mate."
Marcus gave a brief non frightening smile. "I know."
"Alright good, now if were done with this mushy moment, I think I need to go do something manly."
Marcus just laughed and waved goodbye, as he went down his own hallway to the Slytherin dorms.
