Thanks to copperblooded for the follow!

Chapter 13... Ooooo fun number. ;) Next update will probably be Monday.

Chapter 13

Two weeks had passed since the welcoming feast, and Lena had settled into a pattern of classes and fun meals with her new friends. Most of the time after classes, she, Lily and Josie would run outside to enjoy the remnants of summer before the biting chill set in. Once in a while, Mia and Mary would join them, although they weren't fans of the outdoors.

That day, they decided to go down to the Quidditch pitch to see the team trials. When they got down there, they saw the captain, Sean Wood, bellowing at a group of first years to get off the pitch, as they were not allowed to try out. They smiled amongst themselves and went to go join Roxanne, who had come out to support her brother.

"Hey, Roxy," Lily piped up. "How're the boys doing?"

Fred was the Keeper for the Gryffindor team, and had been for the past two years. James was Seeker. Although they both were required to try out each year, it was more formality than anything else, as no one dared dream of taking their spots.

"Messing around as usual. Wood's about to try out the Seeker's, this should be interesting." The four girls turned back to see Wood motion gruffly to a group of Gryffindors, of which James was a part.

"Right, Seekers. Remember, just because you're trying for a certain part doesn't mean you won't end up in a different spot on the team, so do your best."

He had them all kick off into the air and form a line, where he began to throw golf balls into the air.

Not even half of them caught them. When it got to James' turn, he looked at the line stretching out on either side, looked at his captain, and grinned. Then he flew back to the very edge of the pitch.

"RIGHT WOOD!" He called loudly. "LET'S TEST OUT THAT ARM YOU'VE GOT!"

Groaning, Wood sighed and stretched backward, preparing to throw the golf ball at James. At the last second, though, instead of throwing it directly at the boy, he threw it far to the left.

James was already in action the moment the ball left Wood's hand. Faster than a bullet, he sped in the direction the golf ball was headed, intercepting it with a stretch and swipe of his right hand before pulling up just shy of the left goal.

"AND POTTER'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Fred yelled out from the ground, beginning a cheer that was quickly taken up by everyone else present. Even Wood stood with an almost smile on his stony face, nearly glowing with pride over his young Seeker.

"A'right, Potter, get back here you show-off!" He called to the third year, who grinned and flew easily back to the ground.

"You may be better than your father, James!" A female voice called from the side. Lena turned to see a pretty blonde walking from the locker rooms.

"Hi Aunt Katie!" Lily yelled at the Chaser.

"Hey, Lils." She turned back to the tryouts, where James was landing with a wide grin and her son was standing with a wary look on his face.

"Sorry, Captain, to disturb your trials. Professor McGonagall told me where to find you, but I can wait until you're done." Katie intelligently smoothed things over with her son, clearly having learned a thing or two about the Wood clan.

She climbed up to the stands, coming to join her "niece".

"How are you, Lils?" She asked, as the trials resumed and another group of students rose into the air.

"Fine! I'm loving classes, except for potions. That I'm rubbish at." She wrinkled her nose, causing Katie to laugh.

"You obviously didn't get your grandmother's gift at potions, did you?" Harry had long since filled her in on the potions mishap of sixth year that had led to his near expulsion and suspension from Quidditch.

"Guess not. That's alright, James is decent and Al's amazing, so I've got two brothers who can help save my grade before exams."

Katie laughed. "I wish you the best of luck at convincing them to help you, Lily. They may be very good at potions, but they've both gotten their father's boundless energy and inability to sit still. You're going to be hard pressed to keep them in one place long enough to convince them to help you, let alone actual tutoring. You may want to find someone else."

Lily laughed in agreement, and the conversation petered out as the trials became more interesting with the release of a few small Dungbombs next to a crowd of second year girls.

"POTTER! WEASLEY! GO! TAKE A LAP!" Wood yelled at the two culprits, who sighed guiltily and ran off around the Quidditch Pitch.

"Alright, the rest of you, I think I've seen enough. Everyone's been seen, yes? Speak up now or forever hold your peace."

At the chorus of agreement, he released trials and headed towards the stands, where his mum still sat.

"Hey, mum, was there a reason you wanted to speak to me?" He quite suddenly morphed from the intimidating captain to the relaxed, laid-back son he usually was around his mum. She always managed to bring out the fun in him and dad.

"McGonagall wanted me to come in for a few weeks to teach the first years' Quidditch lessons. I guess the other teacher backed out, and she needed a replacement, fast. So I said I'd come until she could find a permanent replacement."

Wood nodded, accepting this easily, then asked, "How's dad?" Mother and son walked off the pitch, discussing Oliver's latest victory as Coach of Puddlemere United.

"Well, that was interesting. Len, are you going to come back to the common room with us?" Lily turned towards her friend, who was gazing out at the pitch with yearning. She recognized the look immediately; James often had it when he hadn't been able to fly in a while.

"Never mind, stay here. If you ask James nicely, he may let you on his broom. If you outwit him, he definitely will," she shot over her shoulder as she and Josie sauntered away.

"Right, thanks for the advice, Lil," she muttered under her breath. She didn't need her help. She had figured out how to get James' broom long ago.

"Hey Brownie!" Fred called as the two pranksters returned from their lap around the quidditch pitch.

"Not you too!" She groaned in mock annoyance, ruining the image as a large grin rose on her face. Turning from Fred, she skipped lightly up to James, who was gathering up his broomstick.

"James? Jamsie Jamsie Jaaaaaames?" She called, bending upside down so her face was level with the his, as he had sat down on the ground to remove his shin guards.

He looked in her bright eyes, smiled, and immediately relented. "Go. Take it. Just be careful, 'kay?"

"YAY! THANK YOU!" She bounced back up, grabbed the broomstick, and hopped on, soaring gleefully into the air.

Fred looked at James, astounded.

"Did you just let her take your broomstick? With nothing more than a 'be careful'?"

James rolled his eyes. "I let people on my broom. It's not a big deal."

His cousin looked at him incredulously. "Yes, James, it is. You don't let just anyone on your broom. How come she's so special?"

James looked his cousin in the eyes.

"Because, she learned to fly two weeks ago. Look at her now." They turned to where she was spinning and speeding around the hoops, in perfect control over the thin wood in her hands. "She belongs there, doesn't she? So, I intend to let her fly when she wants to. Then next year, when she and Lily try out for the team, we'll have a pair of amazing Chasers on our hands."

Fred was still watching the girl flying high in the sky. "You're right, mate." He mused, his eyes following as she pulled into a steep dive. "I'll be right back..." He jogged off towards the locker room, leaving James to watch the girl revel in her freedom alone.

Right, so what do you guys think Fred is up to? Hope you guys like the Katie/Oliver ship, cuz I do.

Please, please, show me you exist, gremlins! Cause a little chaos if you want but do something... I write faster when I get reviews. I honestly don't care if they're critical; I know that whole saying "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all" thing is nice, but seriously. If you don't like something or if you want me to fix something, then let me know. I won't be offended.

-Melody