Hey, everyone! I know it was requested for me to write a Rose chapter, but this is James. I was so inspired with James during this chapter that I wrote twice the length of my first chapter posted! Don't worry, though. Rose will be coming next.
Disclaimer: This is a fanwork, and I am by no means making money off of this. Making money off of this would be illegal.
When Everything Changes
Chapter 10
Dangerous Attention
"Oi! Potter, we gotta go!" James awoke to the quiet hiss of McLaggen's breath in his ear. He creaked his eyes open and saw the insane grin played across his face. James scowled. He didn't exactly appreciate McLaggen's excitement over every Quidditch game. McCarver was still sitting in his bed across the room, rubbing his eyes. "The whole team is waiting for us in the common room."
James yawned. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." He slowly got out of bed and threw on his Quidditch robes—not that he would be needing them. It's not like he was actually going to be playing. Everyone, even the alternates, were required to dress up for any practices they had the day of a game. Somehow Luke had convinced himself that members from the yearbook club might want to take pre-game pictures.
When the three of them made it to the common room the rest of the team was already waiting. They were all grinning cockily, anticipating an easy victory against the Slytherins. The three alternates on the team did not share the same excitement. James and McCarver were still feeling pretty fatigued, and Aja Sipila was clearly faking her smile. It sucked to be an alternate when the regular team members were always available to play.
The ten Gryffindors made their way to the Quidditch Pitch, grabbing their brooms on the way out. Once they had arrived, Luke whistled to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everybody! For practice today each team will consist of one Keeper, two Chasers, one Beater, and one Seeker. On my team I want Fred as Keeper, Cindy and Aja as Chasers, myself as Beater, and Potter as Seeker. Hailey will be Captain of the second team. The players will be McCarver as Keeper, Hailey and Logan as Chasers, Duncan as Beater, and Joel as Seeker." James groaned in annoyance. Of course Cindy was on his team.
Luke blew his whistle and the ten players floated high above the ground. The Quaffle was launched up into the air by means of Luke's levitation charm, and the game began. James and Joel rose up higher than the other players to scout the surrounding area for the Snitch. Below them the Chasers had already sprung into action, seamlessly carrying out strategies and intercepting passes. Luke waved his wand again and a single squirming Bludger was unleashed from its container. The iron black ball shot straight towards Luke, who bat it away towards the opposing team.
Meanwhile, Joel caught a glimpse of the Snitch and bolted away. James was startled by Joel's quick moves, and after a second of hesitation he began pursuing him. As he sped up to catch up to Joel, James heard the cheers of Cindy and Aja signaling that they had scored a goal. McCarver cussed loudly, angry with himself for not blocking the Quaffle in time. James smiled to himself, happy with the knowledge that his team was winning.
Soon enough James was neck and neck with Joel. The Snitch had finally caught his eye. James was anxious to prove himself better than Joel. If he could catch the Snitch, he knew Luke would have to rethink the positions of the team. He needed to prove he was more than just an expendable team member.
Then he heard a scream.
James instinctively swung his broom into a brake and faced the source of the noise. Cindy was falling from the top of the Quidditch Pitch along with the splintered wood that had once been her broom. Luke pulled out his wand and shouted out the incantation "Wingardium Leviosa!" but it was to no avail. Cindy was falling too fast, and the spell had missed. Without a moment to waste, James bolted towards her. He pressed forward on his broom and felt the wind slam against his face. He was flying faster than he ever had before.
Seconds later when he finally reached her, Cindy was mere yards above the ground. James swooped below her and grabbed her arm. Having miscalculated her weight, he was pulled off his own broom and for a frightening second he feared for his life. Cindy was screaming even more now, probably from the pain of whiplash. James tightened his grip on the handle of his broom as he dangled to the side. He willed his broom to move them slowly and safely to the ground.
When they landed Cindy immediately dropped to the ground, unable to stand from shock. The arm that James had grabbed looked a little funny and he realized it must have been dislocated from the fall. The other players from the Gryffindor team landed around them and rushed to Cindy's aid. Duncan was muttering apologies over and over having felt responsible for the accident. James heard the squeaking of the Bludger, and Fred turned around to catch it and lock it back up in its crate. Luke was the first to reach Cindy. He felt her pulse, and then stood up to address the team.
"McCarver!" he called. "Bring Cindy to the Hospital Wing." McCarver nodded and put Cindy's working arm over his shoulder to help her stand. "Potter, are you injured?"
James shook his head, his heart beating out of his chest. "No, I'm fine," he said breathlessly. "I'll help McCarver." He was about to run up to carry Cindy by her other arm, but Luke stopped him.
"Are you well enough for Chaser?" James nodded, hardly even believing his own ears. "Good. Aja, go help McCarver bring Cindy to the Hospital Wing. Potter needs to practice the Chaser formations." The tan girl rushed away to catch up with McCarver.
Hailey shot Luke a dirty look, appalled. "Are we seriously still practicing? Cindy could have died!"
Luke scowled and gave her the most intense look James had ever seen. "Do you want to beat Slytherin or not?"
"Well, yeah, but—"
"But nothing. This is our most important game of the year. We aren't letting those bloody Slytherins win just because we were taken off guard." 'Taken off guard' was definitely an understatement, but no one wanted to point that out.
When no one else would, Duncan spoke up. "Luke, I know this game is important, but I seriously think we need a break after that."
Luke crossed his arms. "Of course you would think that."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Duncan cracked his knuckles in preparation for a fight.
"Oh, come on! Your entire bloody family is Slytherin. Gryffindor's loss isn't all that bad, after all, huh? When you've got your Death Eater mummy and daddy at home?" Luke growled, taunting Duncan. Duncan charged at Luke, blinded with anger.
"Protego!" A blue glow shot from Hailey's wand and separated Luke and Duncan with a magical invisible wall.
Luke yelled and punched the wall. "You know what? You're off the team."
"Are you fucking kidding me? I worked my ass off to get on this bloody Quidditch team." Duncan punched back at the invisible wall in response.
Luke pulled at his brown hair and groaned with frustration. "You literally hit a Bludger at one of our own players. You want me to not punish you for that?"
"Well what was I supposed to do? I'm a Beater. I hit the Bludger towards a Chaser. She was supposed to dodge it."
"Yeah?" Luke yelled. "Well too bad but she didn't."
"Guys!" This time it was Joel who spoke. He still had the Golden Snitch gripped tightly in his hand. Wait, what? James did a double take. Yes, Joel had in fact used the time it took for Cindy to fall to catch the Snitch. "Can we please just look at this positively?" Everyone looked at him funny. There was a way to spin this positively? "Think about it," Joel explained. "Yeah, Cindy's hurt, but Duncan made a bloody good move. If this were the real game he would have incapacitated one of the Slytherins. You can't just kick him off the team because one of our Chasers forgot to dodge."
Everyone was silent, still processing what had just been said. James scratched his head. "So," he said awkwardly, hoping to change the subject. "Are we still practicing Chaser formations?"
The five older players all looked at James as if they'd forgotten he was there, but McLaggen seemed relieved that James had brought it up. When Luke didn't say anything, Hailey spoke up. "How about we all get breakfast…" she paused, probably noticing the red hot glare coming from Luke's narrowed eyes, "and afterwards we can show James the formations. When we've all calmed down." Luke gave his short nod of approval, and the seven of them made their way back up to the castle. He tried putting his arm around Hailey, but she pushed him off. "I'm mad at you," James heard her mutter.
He and McLaggen decided to stay a safe distance behind the team. "Is your brother always this intense?" he asked, careful to keep his voice down. He'd seen Luke get upset at his players for not executing their tactics well enough, but never like this.
McLaggen crossed his arms uncomfortably. "I don't know. He can be a little full of himself sometimes. I think the pressure's getting to him and losing one of his best players put him over the edge." James grimaced. He didn't like the idea of Cindy being an exceptionally talented player, but she was.
"You know," said James, still thinking about terror of witnessing Cindy's fall, "we really should have someone supervise our practices."
"We aren't, strictly speaking, allowed to have practices the morning of a game, actually," McLaggen replied. "That's why we get up so bloody early for them. We don't want to get caught." The whole yearbook photo thing Luke always brought up must have just been for motivation.
James gave McLaggen and inquisitive look. "Then how the bloody hell are McCarver and Aja supposed to explain Cindy?"
McLaggen shrugged. "Well, technically the only thing that's wrong with her is the dislocated shoulder, right?"
James stared at him with wide eyes. "You don't mean—"
"If it were up to me, I'd say she tripped on the stairs coming out of the common room. You grabbed her arm to stop her from falling, and pop it came out. Mystery solved. Our secret practices that will keep us ahead in every game stays a secret." James didn't like it, but he knew it would be best to stay quiet. The goal was to make it to the championship game at the end of the year, and only the two highest scoring Houses made it. That afternoon would mark the second Gryffindor game of the year, and without that championship game there would only be one more. So far Gryffindor was in first place by sixty points, but he knew that could easily change after that afternoon's game.
When they reached the Great Hall, James and McLaggen were careful not to sit too close to the rest of the team. Luke and Hailey were eating next to each other with a stony silence hanging over them, and Duncan was angrily stabbing his sausages with a knife. Fred and Joel seemed a little more positive, but still relatively bleak. It was hard to enthuse animatedly about the coming game when they'd all just witnessed Cindy's fall and the fight between Luke and Duncan.
Soon enough, McCarver and Aja returned and sat across from them. James offered a light smile, but they seemed pretty down, too. Aja just sort of played with her scrambled eggs, and McCarver seemed to be using eating as an excuse not to talk. Finally, McLaggen broke the silence. "So what excuse did you use for Cindy?" he asked.
Aja put her fork down and glared at McCarver. "Genius over here said she tripped."
"Oh!" McLaggen exclaimed. "Like down the stairs or something?"
Aja shook her head. "Nope. She tripped. And dislocated her shoulder. By tripping. On flat ground."
McCarver scowled and glared back at her. "You know, it would have been a lot more believable if you didn't give me that look when we were telling Hannah."
"She's not dense, you know. She's an adult not an idiot." Aja went back to playing with her eggs. James drank some pumpkin juice so he wouldn't have to speak.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, McCarver muttered, "Congratulations on Chaser," to James.
"Yeah, thanks, man," James said. He wasn't sure if his friend was actually happy for him or not. After all, they were both alternates, and Luke had chosen him.
Aja ate a bite of her eggs and grimaced at the taste. "Look, Potter," she said with a heavy voice, "I'm happy for you—I really am—but it's just frustrating that Luke chose you. I mean, you and McCarver are both third years, so whatever, but I'm a fifth year. I've been trying to get onto this team for years and I haven't even played once. It isn't fair."
"I'm the one who actually saved Cindy—" he started to protest, but Aja interrupted him.
"I know, I get it. I do. It just sucks," Aja said. "We're like the outcasts of the Quidditch team. And you're not an outcast anymore." James frowned. It was true. Aja, McCarver, and himself had all shared a very special bond of being separated from the main players, and now that James was actually going to be in a real game they resented him. James could feel his stomach churn from anxiety. If he didn't do well in this game he'd be resented by the main players, too.
James glanced across the room at the Slytherin table. Their Quidditch team wasn't spread out. They all sat together, laughing about something one of them had said. James frowned. The Slytherins shouldn't be making jokes together and enjoying themselves. They should be cold and unfriendly. Instead that's how the Gryffindors were acting. He silently vowed to himself to absolutely crush the Slytherins in Quidditch. The Gryffindors deserved more. They deserved to win.
Hours later, James and the rest of the Gryffindor team mounted their brooms and circled around the Quidditch Pitch. Cheers from all four Houses rang out as the Slytherin team positioned themselves across from them. James felt his heart pounding and his stomach continue to do flip flops. He gulped nervously, remembering the year before when he'd poisoned Cindy into vomiting during Quidditch try-outs. He prayed he wouldn't be forced into experiencing Cindy's same embarrassment, except this time in front of the entire school and not just the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
Madam Jones rose on her broom to a height slightly below the two teams in the center of the pitch. She blew her whistle and launched the Quaffle high into the air. "Begin!" Before James even had a chance to think, all thirteen of the other players sprung into action. One of the Slytherin Chasers, a larger girl with broad shoulders, immediately swooped in and passed the Quaffle to another teammate.
"And the game begins with Slytherin anxious to get into the lead!" James recognized the voice of Louis Weasley, his part Veela cousin. Not everyone in his family was good at Quidditch, but they all loved it. Louis had mentioned his interest in commentating the games, but James never realized he'd actually been serious about it. "Goyle takes the Quaffle, passing it quickly to Smith. Wow, what a beautiful throw." James would have rolled his eyes, but he had to pay attention. This was his chance to prove himself. James pushed forward on his broom the same way he had when speeding after Cindy that morning. He zoomed past McLaggen and intercepted Smith's next pass. "Oh! And out of nowhere Potter catches up in seconds and steals the Quaffle! He better look out. Vaisey's Bludger seems to be heading straight for him." The ring of the squirming ball grew loud very quickly, and James dipped his broom lower to avoid the collision. He circled around the commentator box, and Louis winked at him. James grinned. Louis may only be a commentator, but he was definitely doing his part for Gryffindor.
"Wow! Look at that hit by Beater McLaggen. That Bludger won't be bothering the Gryffindors for a while. Potter passes the Quaffle to Oxnard, Oxnard to Potter, Potter to Oxnard, and oh—! In the nick of time Pucey blocks the goal. Montague takes the Quaffle." James cussed, and zoomed up to steal the ball from the pretty Slytherin Chaser. "What's this? Meyers seems to have spotted the Golden Snitch." That's so soon! James thought desperately to himself. No one had even scored a goal, and the Slytherins already had the upper hand. "A Bludger heads straight for Oxnard. Even with her magnificently executed dodges, it still continues to trail her. What's this? Rosier hits the second Bludger straight for his teammate!" James knew he wasn't supposed to get distracted and look, but he had to see. Had Duncan's accidental destruction of Cindy's broom that morning been sabotage? Duncan's Bludger collided with the other one, and they diverged towards two Slytherin players. "Remarkable! Rosier uses the physics of the game to his advantage." A loud noise rang, and the Slytherin spectators started cheering wildly. "In all the excitement, Montague managed to score a goal. Ten points to Slytherin!"
Fred swooped under the goals and caught the falling Quaffle. He threw the ball far across the field. "After a stellar throw by Weasley, Chaser McLaggen catches the Quaffle. McLaggen passes it to Potter, and—oh no! Goyle has taken possession of the Quaffle. Not for long, though. Beater McLaggen's Bludger seems to be heading her way. Goyle passes to Montague and Bletchley bats the Bludger away just in time. Montague passes to Smith. Yes! Would you look at that? Weasley blocks the goal. Meanwhile, it seems that Meyers has lost track of the Snitch. She waits above the pitch with Cruser, scoping out the area." James felt relieved. He didn't like the idea of Slytherin with the advantage. He would have been pissed if Slytherin had won with a hundred and sixty points.
Hailey caught the Quaffle and allowed James and McLaggen to catch up to her. "It's time!" she shouted.
James and McLaggen made a triangle formation around Hailey and they started passing the Quaffle between themselves. "The Gryffindors make a Hawkshead Attacking Formation! Wow, what a strategy! The Slytherins are trying to get in but they can't intercept their passes. Above it looks like Cruser has finally caught sight of the Snitch, and Meyers is close behind. Could the game be over this soon?" James hoped not. Even if it ended up being Joel who caught the Snitch, he needed to prove himself as a valuable member of the team first. He caught the Quaffle and entered the scoring area on the Slytherin side. He threw the Quaffle, hoping to score. "Potter shoots, he doesn't score. Pucey blocks the Quaffle with the back of his broom. But look at this—Potter takes the Quaffle right back!" A loud noise rang as the ball went through the hoop. "Yes! He scores!" The Gryffindor spectators started cheering wildly.
As the game continued, James became more and more confident. He managed to score another goal, and assist with three more by his team. The score was fifty to thirty with Gryffindors in the lead. Joel was still after the Snitch, but it was proving to be peskier than usual. James still wished he'd been able to sub for Seeker, but he knew Joel was better. He didn't feel nearly as bad about it now that he'd helped advance his team.
"Cruser and Meyers are now beside each other. The game is so close to an end, with victory for either side very possible."
"Yeah, come on, Joel!" James called before zooming off again to chase the Quaffle. "You can do it!"
Joel stretched out his arm and closed the gap in between his body and his broom. As he and the Slytherin Seeker curled around one of the goalposts, Joel travelled a little faster. "Oh! Cruser catches the Snitch! Cruser catches the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!" The spectators erupted in cheers. The Slytherins tried booing, but their rude outburst was easily drowned out by the applause.
The Gryffindor players circled around close to the Gryffindor stands and reached their arms out. Their hands were met with the high-fives of dozens of Gryffindor spectators. "Whooo! Alright, James!" he heard the girlish scream of his cousin Rose.
"Party in the Gryffindor common room!" Luke screamed. Midflight, he punched Duncan on the shoulder. "Nice double Bludger hit," he said, having seemingly forgotten about their fight earlier that day.
When they landed, the entire team rushed towards the castle to get the victory party started. The whole school seemed to be running alongside them, just as excited about the victory. At the common room Luke charmed his music player to overtake the entire room with sound. Luke and Joel hoisted Duncan up on their shoulders, cheering loudly for his amazing Bludger hit. Fred brought out his stash of Butterbeer that he'd been saving and all the Gryffindors swarmed to grab one.
James grabbed a can. "Hey, McLaggen," he yelled loudly above the noise. "Does Cindy know we won?"
McLaggen grabbed his share. "Who the bloody hell cares?" he laughed. James laughed too, and they banged their Butterbeer cans together. Countless Gryffindors approached them to give their congratulations for the game, and they loved the attention.
At the end of the night, the common room was a mess. Broken red and orange streamers littered the ground, and empty Butterbeer cans lay in the corners of the room. James was the last to stay, even after McLaggen had returned to their dormitory. James just couldn't bring himself to fall asleep. He was too happy to let the next day come. Today I am a legend… He lied across the couch and grinned as he watched the flames in the fireplace shimmer.
James heard a small creek erupt from the doorway, and he sat up, wondering who could be returning to the common room that late. He caught sight of fluffy blonde hair and stopped smiling. It was Cindy. She crept in quietly, probably hoping not to draw attention to herself. She appeared healthy, but she wore an odd expression that James couldn't quite place. After closing the door she turned her head and noticed him.
"You look better," James said.
"Thanks." James found this odd. Normally she would have said something obnoxious like "Better than you" or "Are you telling me that I was ugly earlier?" but she didn't. She just said "Thanks." Whatever that meant.
James offered her the last unopened Butterbeer can and she sat next to him, taking it. "In case you were wondering, we won," James said arrogantly. "It was all thanks to me, you know. I scored—"
"You saved me." Cindy still wore the strange expression. She hadn't been listening.
"I scored multiple goals—" He tried ignoring her, but it was no use. She interrupted him again.
"You saved me."
James met Cindy's gaze and immediately felt uncomfortable. "I…um…I guess." Cindy continued to stare at him with her wide unblinking blue eyes. "Oh," he said desperately. "Would you look at the time! I'd better go sleep." As James carried himself up the stairs into the boy's dormitories, he couldn't help but feel Cindy's gaze pierce the back of his neck. He enjoyed the shallow attention the other Gryffindors had showered him with, but this was too personal. He fought the urge to look back. He knew Cindy was still looking.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please don't forget to review. I love to hear what people think.