JAMES POTTER

And The Road To No Promises

Chapter 11. Team-Work

A couple of weeks later Rose, Albus, Lily, Ella, and James were all sitting together at breakfast when the post came in. Even though she was halfway through her first year Lily was still fascinated by the sight of hundreds upon hundreds of owls swirling around the great hall. She was staring up at them when a familiar Masked Owl landed in front of them.

"Ollie!" She squealed in delight. The owl had been a family owl that Harry and Ginny had purchased only a couple of years ago, it was then given to Lily as a present when she started school. Lily had grown very fond of Ollie and Ollie had shown her quite a bit of favoritism before becoming hers outright. A Great Horned Owl landed in front of James, his owl, Evert. Albus had chosen not to get an Owl, that summer he was going to pick a pet of his own to bring. So the family Snowy Owl Hatcher landed in front of him.

"Mum held off a while." James commented, "Two weeks without writing or seeing us, she's breaking records." The others laughed as the three Potters untied their Owls and allowed them to fly off to the owlery. Rose leaned over to read over Albus's shoulder, not wanting to miss a Potter Post. Upon breaking the seal each of them pulled out several pieces of parchment.

"Five pages from Mum." Albus said, leafing through the pages. They all did the same, setting down their mother's five pages and turning their attention to the one page written by their dad.

Maybe if all of you sent daily updates your mother would calm down a bit with the letter-writing. It's been two weeks since we last saw you and even though absolutely nothing has happened here your mother is convinced you need to know about how many gnomes she found in the garden this morning. I'm actually afraid of what will happen when you're all grown up and she won't be able to spend all day worrying about you anymore. Don't tell her I said this but I highly recommend scanning her letters, there's nothing important in them. But for Merlin's sake write back! Can't wait til summer, really. -Dad

"Good old Dad." Lily said. Harry's letter were always littered with a humor that took a certain taste. His children always appreciated his straightforward statements and his amusement at Ginny's anxiety.

"He's right, we should probably make her a retirement plan for when we're not around anymore." James said, looking through his mother's rants without interest, "Seems like all she's done for the past 16 years is worry about us."

"Shame, just think of it, someday she won't have anyone to worry about!" Albus said sarcastically. James looked at the last page of his mother's letter.

"Dad never really says that he misses us." He said, "Always about how silly mum is to be concerned."

"He's more used to being independent, maternal instinct is just something he can't understand very much." Rose said, "I heard my Mum talking about it once. She said that Aunt Ginny was a born Mother, and Uncle Harry was a born vigilante. He's had to work for all the love he ever got, and that was a long time coming. Mum says he doesn't really know what a proper childhood is like, so he doesn't get as personal about it than other people."

"Your Mum is a bit of a brown-noser." James informed her. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ella and I were talking about coming to watch you play Quidditch today." Lily said. Rain, sleet, or snow Lily loved to watch Quidditch practice. She loved everything about it and never missed a game, she'd even brave a blizzard just to watch a practice. And of course, Ella always came with her. Ever since she was little her Dad and Uncle Ron took them all to Chudley Cannon games, they were all devoted fans. But lately Lily was the one who had the most interest in going, Uncle Ron had big plans for her.

"I don't even want to go to Quidditch." Rose complained, "It's hard to grip the bat when your fingers are frozen together."

"Don't give Ace an excuse to kick you off." James warned. The Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, a 7th year named Ace Warren, was not often on good terms with the outspoken Rose Weasley. They were both too strong minded to get along very well, and if Rose hadn't shined like a supernova at tryouts it was doubtful he would have let her on the team. But then again...no one put it past Rose to take her beater's bat to anyone who tried to make her leave.

"Ace Shmace." Rose mumbled, sinking into her seat.

"Don't tell me how to do my job and I won't tell you how to do yours."

"But you do tell me, it's part of your job! So back off!"

"I think I'm the one who knows best."

"What on earth makes you think that?"

"I think the fact that I'm the captain may have something to do with it!" Rose and Ace were at it again. They were both on their brooms, floating some 175 yards above the ground, Rose waved her Beater's Bat around threateningly, Ace just looked at her over his upturned nose. The rest of the team sat on their brooms behind them, all with bored postures. Rose and Ace were constantly at each other's throats. James and the other Chasers, Luke Syphon and Amy Vane, relaxed on their brooms. Amy stretched out to lay on hers, Luke leaned forward on his arms, James leaned back and crossed his legs. Rose's fellow Beater, E.G Jordan was swatting at bees with his Beater's Bat. Their Seeker, Demi Case, was a bit behind Rose, trying to perfect her nose dive. Lily, Ella, and Albus sat in the stands, Albus with his head on his arm in disinterest, Lily watched Demi's nose dives with fascination, and Ella sat watching nothing at all.

"You've barely even seen a Beater outside of this school, we save your butt all the time and we're pretty good at it! I think that if I was doing something wrong someone would have a lot more broken bones." Rose argued.

"You wouldn't." Ace challenged, narrowing his eyes. E.G saw Rose's fingers tighten on her bat and flew up next to her, James saw and followed.

"Come on Ace, give her a break." E.G said while James grabbed the front of his cousin's broom to keep her from advancing on their disagreeable keeper. "She's a bloody good beater, let her find her own way around. And Rose," He turned to the short-tempered red-head, "Be nice, you don't know how to be a keeper, leave him alone about it. Both of you just knock it off so we can practice." The others gathered around hopefully.

Rose was the youngest on the team, the only third year. Luke Syphon was a fourth year, he was middle eastern looking and he kept his black hair shaved off. His eyes, however, were an oddly mixed green-brown. Demi was also a fourth year and a Quidditch Prodigy. She kept her chocolate brown hair in braids and twists to keep it out of her freckled face, her shoulders were broad, her face was soft, her almost-yellow eyes showed no mercy. Amy was a fifth year, her golden blond hair was long and well kept, she was skinny and pretty and she could fly faster than anyone. Her blue eyes were framed by long lashes and she was always one of the first to come to Rose's defense. She often accused Ace of being sexist, which he often was, and she didn't stand for injustice. James was the only sixth year, Ace and E.G were both seventh years.

Rose and Ace glared at each other for another moment before Rose yanked her broom out of James's grip and flew down the field with a muttered, "When I'm Quidditch captain..."

"I hope she gets the top job next year." Amy told James as they walked off the field a little later.

"Why?" Demi asked, coming up on James's other side.

"Because she's a little leader, she's stubborn and determined to boot. What else can you ask for in a good captain?"

"I was kind of thinking James was gonna get it." Demi said.

"Me?" James asked, shocked, "How so?"

"Mostly because you're the next oldest." She answered with a shrug, "But you'd be pretty good at it. It's in your blood, after all."

"There's a lot of things 'in my blood'." James demurred.

"You know what's in my blood? Farming and drinking." Amy said flatly, patting James on the arm, "Don't worry about it." James smiled at her gratefully, sometimes it was so easy to like Amy, sometimes she didn't seem like she was only 15.

"Will you come eat with us at dinner?" Demi asked. Amy and Demi were pretty good friends, they always sat together with a big group of 'friends'. They often asked James to join them, but he had other people to sit with.

"You've got enough people to forget about eating with you." He said. Amy smiled ruefully.

"I don't really know half of them." She confided, "I feel like I met a couple of them, and then the swarm started."

"It's because you draw people to you. You should work on that." James said. Demi and Amy both laughed.

"I'll do that." Amy said. "Your loss though. We'll miss you, see you next practice."

That night at dinner James was sitting with a frown. Rose waved her hand across his face.

"Earth to James?"

"Sorry." He muttered, turning back to his plate. Rose and Albus looked at each other.

"Hey James, if you wanted to apply a recognition charm on an object..." Albus started.

"I wouldn't know where to begin. You know I'm not very good at charms." James looked up moodily, his gaze traveled down the table to where Fiona and Landon were sitting, completely absorbed in a conversation and oblivious to all else. Rose followed his gaze.

"You miss her." Rose accused softly.

"Not a chance." James said, glaring at her. He sighed, "I just feel like I need something completely new."

"Like starting over?" Albus asked, "Well you've still got us, and Millie."

"Millie." James mused then shook his head, "Not enough."

"So...who should I ask this charm question?" Albus said, single-minded as ever.

"I don't know." James said grumpily. Then something caught his eye, two blue eyes met his from down the table. Amy Vane raised her eyebrows invitingly, there was an open seat between her and Demi. "Excuse me." James said to Albus, Rose, Lily and Ella. He then stood and went to sit next to Amy.

He had been wrong about one thing, Fiona wasn't oblivious to anything. Especially Amy's invitation...and his acceptance...

I know teamwork is one word, but I did that because the chapter isn't about teamwork, it's about the team, get it?

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