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Chapter Ten

On Wednesday, James had booked the pitch for quidditch practise. Maia was looking forward to getting back to practise with the rest of the team and getting back into the season.

Then again, James had had she and Sirius playing quidditch with him all summer. Still, it never felt like practise when it was just the three of them playing about, and it always came down to she and James battling as competitively as possible, while Sirius switched between all the positions and taking turns in siding with James and siding with Maia.

The season would be starting in a month, giving the team time to get to the top of their game.

Maia knew she had to be at practise in half an hour, and she was sitting at the Gryffindor dinner table with Alice, Frank, Peter and Remus.

They'd all finished eating dinner, and James and Sirius had gone down to the quidditch pitch early to have a mess about and get a few laps of the pitch in. Maia had elected to leave the boys to it.

They always spent a long time at the dinner table when they'd finished eating, talking about anything and everything, and people watching.

Remus and Frank were wrapped up talking about careers, while Peter listened quietly - Frank was thinking of becoming an Auror - whilst Alice and Maia were in their own conversation.

" Mark was looking at you today in Charms," Alice told her friend, her voice low, though she knew that the boys would hardly been listening anyway, when they got wrapped up in and their own conversation.

" I imagine lots of people looked at me at some point," Maia shrugged, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

" You're terrible at noticing this sort of thing," Alice said, rolling her eyes at a friend. Maia had always been terrible at spotted when someone liked her, which always amused Alice.

" I am not," Maia said, shaking her head, " looking at me? "

Mark Chang was a Ravenclaw boy in their year, and was in their Charms class, as they had Charms with the Ravenclaws. He was good looking, intelligent, a prefect and a chaser on Ravenclaw's quidditch team. Maia didn't know him particularly well - none of them did - and she wasn't sure she'd ever had a conversation with him beyond "hi" "are you alright" "yes thanks, you" and "not bad."

Alice nodded, " Several times," she informed Maia, " honestly, you're so oblivious. He was looking at you every spare moment! "

Maia considered this for a moment - Mark had a bit of a reputation for being a flirt, and with his looks, he never had trouble getting the girls he wanted. He was hardly James or Sirius, but he was popular with the girls nonetheless. She barely knew him, but if he wanted to get to know her better, she couldn't say she wouldn't consider it.

" Who was? "

Maia realised they'd attracted the attention of the boys. She was about to reply "no-one" but Alice spoke up for her, " Mark Chang had his eye on Maia today."

" Did he? " Remus asked, wearing a slight frown as he considered it, as if he didn't really approve of Mark Chang, " well, it's hardly surprising, is it? "

" It isn't? " Maia echoed in confusion.

Remus gave her a smile, " Maia, he's already asked out most of the good looking girls in our year. Why is it surprising that he'd be after you too? "

Maia smiled, " Well, thank you for the compliment, but why do I sense disapproval? "

" Because Sirius and James would rip him to shred," Remus replied, " and because he's an idiot. "

" Is he? " Alice asked - from what she, and also Maia, gathered of him, he'd been known to date many girls but he was popular, and they wouldn't have called him an idiot.

Frank scoffed as he took over, " He's a smarmy git. "

Maia realised that the boys didn't like him because he was popular with all the girls. Well, and he probably was arrogant too, a bit cocky, sure of himself, but she thought she could probably forgive him that.

She'd never been especially attracted to him, but if he was interested, she probably wouldn't turn down a date with him.

" I'm used to smarmy gits," Maia laughed, " I grew up with one, didn't I? "

" Maia," Remus tutted, though he was grinning, " Mark Chang isn't in the same league as your brother. I'm telling you, Sirius and James would be straight round to hex him - he's got a reputation. "

Maia shrugged, " Well ... we don't know he's interested anyway. I never said I was interested. "

No sooner had she finished speaking, a group of boys entered the Great Hall - as they got closer Maia realised they were Mark Chang and a few of his friends. Alice grinned at her, as the boys walked down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables.

On the way to the table, Mark slowed down when he saw Maia and flashed her a grin. She couldn't help but notice that although he was good looking, his grin was almost predatory.

" Maia," he grinned, " how are you? "

She knew he was trying his best to charm her - with Sirius as a brother, and James as a best friend, anyone who ever set their sights on her knew she was a challenge. But then she was a challenge without them, because she was so fierce and independent.

Well, she thought, if Mark was interested she wouldn't mind getting to know him better. And she was certainly clever enough to be on her guard, in case he was playing her.

She ran her hand through her hair and grinned up at him, " Mark, hi. I'm good. Just getting psyched up for quidditch practise. "

" Oh? " he raised his eyebrows, " you Gryffindors think you're in with a chance, this year? "

" Well, we thrashed you last year, so I'd say so," Maia grinned. She allowed her eyes to sweep down and back up his body before meeting his eyes again, " looks like you've been putting in the training. "

Maia's friends had all seen her flirting before, but they were still amazed at how easily and expertly she slipped into flirtation mode. The tone of her voice became flirtatious, she flashed her best grin, tossed her hair over her shoulder, instantly gave off the air of being in control, and made lots of long, deep eye contact.

" Oh, well, just a bit," he shrugged.

Remus and Frank rolled their eyes - Maia was an expert flirt, and Mark was exactly the same. He was making eyes at Maia, but they found the tone of his voice and look on his face, annoying.

" I reckon I could easily take you on this year," Mark continued.

Maia loved to flirt - even when it wasn't serious, she couldn't help messing around. She instantly heard Mark's words and assumed there was a double meaning - were they still talking about quidditch?

" Maybe ... but I wouldn't bet on it," she teased.

" Maybe you'll come and have a drink with me on the Hogsmede trip, weekend after next," Mark suggested.

Maia pouted and lowered her eye lashes, " And what does this have to do with quidditch? " she asked, challenging him, and enjoying the teasing.

He laughed, " Not much, but I just thought you'd be good company. "

She already knew she was going to agree - she knew the boys weren't too keen on him, and she knew he had a reputation with the girls, but she was hardly head over heels for him, and hardly completely innocent herself. She hesitated, letting him worry about being turned down in front of his friends, and her own, and then smiled.

After all, it might be nice to spend some time with someone she didn't usually talk to. He seemed like he could be fun, and she had no other plans.

" In that case, yes, I think I will come and have a drink with you, " she replied.

He grinned, " Great. I'm sure I'll see you before then to sort out times and things. Erm ... enjoy your quidditch practise then. "

" Don't worry, we will," she beamed, " see you around. "

When he'd walked away, Alice smirked, " Told you so. "

" Sirius won't be happy," Remus said. From the look on his face, Maia knew Remus wasn't especially thrilled at the thought of it it Remus was clever enough to know that Maia could handle herself, and anyone who hurt her was an idiot.

" Sirius is never happy when boys and I are included in the same sentence," Maia replied impishly, standing up, " I should get going. "

Ten minutes later, she was in the female changing rooms. Being the only girl on the team, she got the entire changing room to herself. She'd been the only girl on the team last year too, but for the two years before that, the other chaser on the team besides herself and James, had been a girl.

As pulled her scarlet and gold quidditch robe over her head and relished in the feeling of the thick, warm material falling around her body. When she was completely dressed, she took hold of her broomstick.

It was a trusty clean sweep and she loved being able to hold it again, the familiar wood feeling so right underneath her fingers.

By the time she got out onto the pitch, the boys were all stood together in the middle, laughing together and joking. When James' eyes landed on Maia, he grinned.

" Ah Maia, darling, nice of you to join us! "

His voice was thick with teasing and he was wearing his most stupid grin - the one that said he was ready to tease and annoy her. She always loved when they teased each other, and she barely paid attention to the casual terms of endearment that seemed to slip from his lips when they did so.

" Just for you, Jamie," she grinned as she strode over to them, completing the semi-circle of the team who stood in front of James.

" James has been dying to start his speech," Sirius told Maia gleefully as he stood at her side clutching his own broomstick.

" I'm sure he has," Maia replied, " has he - "

" Gotten a new one? " Sirius finished for her, " no, I think it'll be the traditional one. You know, the one where he talks like he's - "

" About to go into battle," Maia finished with a nod, well aware that James was glaring at the pair of them, " and then he - "

" Tells us how fantastic we are," Sirius cut in.

Maia nodded, " And then -"

" Oy! "

At the shout from their team captain, Sirius and Maia feigned innocence, and both Andy and Jimmy tried to hide snorts of laughter.

" Whats the matter, James? " Maia asked, her voice far too innocent to ring true.

" You two! " James exploded, much to their amusement, before he took a deep breath and calmed himself, " you're impossible," he told the pair of them, " how many times do I have to tell you how annoying the twin thing is? Can I start the practise now? "

Sirius smirked, " Course you can mate. Should have just said. "

James sighed, though it wasn't long before he was grinning.

" Right," he said, slipping into his "important captain" voice as he started to pace up and down in front of them, and they all recognised the signs of a team captain speech coming on. " team ... fellow Gryffindors ... my esteemed colleagues, no ... my quidditch stars ... with great pride, I stand before you as team captain for my third year in office. "

Maia and Sirius exchanged a look and rolled their eyes. James always had to make a charade of everything, and everything was so exaggerated. Still, it was part of James, and they'd never change it.

James continued, " This is our last chance. Well, mine, Sirius', Maia's and Aubrey's. It's our last chance as one of the best teams Gryffindor's seen in years, to win this cup. We did it last year, and we can do it again. "

Jabbing a finger in the direction of Aubrey and Andy Robins he said, " we have two unbeatable beaters," his finger pointed to McLaggen, " a cracking keeper," stabbing his finger towards Sirius, " a bloody superb seeker," and pointing at Maia and Jimmy Bell, " two brilliant chasers ... and I suppose me. A third, phenomenal chaser. "

" Arrogant, too," Sirius smirked.

" Who's giving the speech here? " James replied, though his words were relaxed, the casual exchange of two best friends, " if I want to call myself phenomenal, I will. Anyway, we need to give these year everything we've got. I know that we can do this. "

" James," Maia sighed when he paused for breath, " are we quite finished with the usual "let's work hard to trash the Slytherins above all else"? "

He groaned and rolled his eyes, " You know, Maia, I wasn't actually, but you seem to have just given away the whole point of my speech. "

" Sorry," she said with a shrug, though from her grin, she wasn't very sorry.

He shook his head, " Never mind. I'll have to come up with an extra long pre-match speech to punish you for ruining that one. "

" Sorry everyone," Maia said, looking around, although no-one was mad. The whole team liked her, and the dynamic between she, Sirius and James, always made the team fun to be in, and made for a strong team.

" Let's get down to business then," James said.

" Finally," Sirius whispered, nudging his sister.

" Best friends or not, I can throw you out of the team," James replied with a grin.

" You wouldn't," Sirius smirked.

James didn't answer, and instructed the team that they were to play a mock game to warm up, before getting into some competing against each other, and some more serious practise.

" McLaggen, up to the posts," James ordered, " Aubrey, Andy, grab the bats. Everyone get up in the air. I'll released the balls, I'll take the quaffle up, and we'll go until Sirius has got the snitch. "

Everyone did as they were told, and Maia kicked off from the ground, shooting off up into the air. She enjoyed the feeling of the air rushing through her hair and across her face, and positioned herself in the middle of the pitch.

She watched as James released the balls and the golden snitch went shooting off into the air, closely followed by the bludgers, which shot up violently.

James himself then kicked off from the ground, the quaffle tucked under his arm, and they were off.

James tossed the quaffle to Jimmy, who caught it deftly and set off tearing down the pitch, narrowly avoiding a bludger with a sharp swerve downwards, while Andy followed after the bludger, screaming an apology after Jimmy.

Jimmy had dropped the quaffle in the process and Maia flew down and caught it with ease. She threw it back to him, and he threw it at James. The three of them passed it back and forth between them, varying the speed, direction and type of their passes.

Maia threw the quaffle long to James as they approached the posts and he grasped it and tossed it straight through the centre hoop, as McLaggen failed to stop it.

With a roar of triumph, James took off to the other side of the pitch and with Jimmy now in possession of the quaffle, they started a lap of the pitch, tossing the quaffle between themselves repeatedly to build up their skills of working together.

Out of the corner of her eye, Maia saw the snitch flit past, and Sirius was after it quickly. Meanwhile, McLaggen hovered by the goalposts. A bludger came near him, and Aubrey was following it.

As the chasers flew around passing the quaffle, Aubrey took a swing at the bludger and missed it.

An impatient McLaggen groaned and snatched the bat from Aubrey, swatted at the bludger near him, that was hovering at the goalposts. He aimed for an empty area of the pitch, but there was a very good reason why McLaggen was not a beater.

His bludger was very badly aimed, and it hurtled towards Maia.

She didn't see it coming, as she was at the other end of the pitch, and because she'd broken away from the other chasers to loop around the other goalposts and practise her sharp swerves, she wasn't particularly close to anyone.

From the other end of the pitch, Aubrey and McLaggen were fighting over the bat, while Sirius and Andy were too far away to do anything about it.

Sirius shouted his sister's name as loud as he could as a warning, but it was all happening too fast. The bludger hit Maia from behind and knocked her straight off her broom.

She let out a scream as she fell, and closed her eyes tightly.

James' attention had been attracted by Sirius' shout, and the horrible noise from the impact of the bludger with Maia's body, and her scream.

He whipped around in time to see her fall off her broom, and his first thought was that he had to save her. He immediately flew down towards her, as fast as he could, holding his breath, and well aware of the tension as Jimmy flew down to try and help, and those who were too far away to help, watched in horror.