A/N: Meh. It's been a while and I don't even care. This is pinkflyingtiger11 btw! :P Roxanne's POV:
I tied my braided hair back in a hurry, my broom under my arm in an effort not to be late. As it turned out, I ended up being the second person on the pitch after Elliot Thomas-Finnegan our esteemed captain. I nodded at him as a greeting and started doing some warm-up stretches. There was a sharp breeze blowing that evening and the weather was overcast, it was beginning to feel a lot more Autumnal now that October had just begun. Already so much had happened this year and my mother was completely, not even slightly, amused that Fred and I had already managed to get into so much trouble. I didn't care, I was getting the chance to join the Quidditch team today and I couldn't be happier.
I was trying for chaser since it was the position I usually played at home with my family. Speaking of family, James sauntered onto the pitch, Albus in tow, their brand new Spitfire brooms tucked under their shoulders. Damn them. Spitfires were brand new that year, top of the range, over-priced, racing brooms. But their dad was Harry Potter so they had everything. James looked perfectly natural, he mounted his broom and glided round the pitch a little and you could just tell he was a great player. Albus on the other hand… Well let's just say our family matches revealed he hadn't quite inherited the Potter-Weasley talent. Even with the Spitfire, Albus wouldn't go faster than thirty or so miles per hour since his balance was so bad that any faster and he'd fall straight off! His Quidditch robes were also a little uncomfortable looking, or maybe it was just his miffed expression and the way he kept fiddling with them that was giving off the aura of awkward. But I watched him smile nervously in the direction of the stands when his mate Lorcan called down to him.
"Good luck Al!" He laughed. Yeah. I think Lorcan knew that good luck was exactly what Albus needed. And lots of it.
The next to arrive on the pitch was a fifth year who I only recognised from being on the team last year, he bumped fists with Elliot and cracked his fingers before pulling on some keeper's gloves.
After him, Connor and Dominique arrived, quite obviously blushing. Connor was helping Dom with her hair, tying it back in a ponytail whilst she adjusted her scarlet head band. Connor and his twin Alexia were both awesome at Quidditch and both had played on their respective teams last year too. Dom was new but I'd seen her play at home and I knew she could hit a bludger like a pro… Well… On a good day. She was also a great friend of mine though so I shuffled over to where she was standing and waved awkwardly.
A few other no names arrived and we were about to start until we turned to hear a voice.
"Wait!" It belonged to stinky Esther Malfoy who had her Nimbus 2001 under her arm. "I hope I'm not too late!" She looked hopefully at Elliot.
"Not at all," He said oblivious to who she was. "What year are you in?"
"Oh, er second…" Esther coughed as if trying to mask the word.
Elliot sighed. "I hate to break this to you but our team doesn't accept try outs from anyone below third year… I mean, I'd love to see you play next year but until then you'll just have to wait I'm afraid."
"What?" She asked, her face the image of death.
"You heard the man Malfoy, only the big kids get to play on the team!" James jeered.
"Shut up James." Albus hit him over the head with his Spitfire causing his brother to wince in pain.
Esther fought to hide a smile but then turned back to Elliot. "Just wait until my father hears about this. Gryffindor has had players much younger than me!"
"Times change and it was Professor McGonagall who decided to make it a team rule and, well, she's the boss." Elliot shrugged.
Esther rolled her eyes muttering something about it being a waste of her time before stomping off in the direction of the changing rooms.
"Alright everyone, I'm Elliot Thomas-Finnegan, McGonagall appointed me captain of this team so I'm deciding who gets to play. We'll be trying out for each position in pairs, starting with the beaters and chasers. So anyone wanting to play beater put your hand up and anyone who wants to be a chaser go pair up with them. If anyone's left without a partner, come forward." Elliot instructed.
We all shuffled round and I caught up with Dominique in the midst of the madness. "Hey girl!" I waved. "Trying for beater then?" I smiled, noting her raised hand.
She sighed. "I really want to make it on the team for Connor and beater's about the only thing I'm good at. What about you?"
"Chaser, of course!" I rolled my eyes. "We should work together!" I suggested.
Elliot called that the chasers throw quaffles at the beaters to hit. "I know in real matches you'll be up against bludgers but this way I get to see how the chasers throw!" He called as we all mounted our brooms and lifted up a few feet.
I threw my quaffle with as much precision as possible in Dom's direction and watched as she missed time after time.
"Come on girl, you can do it!" I supported her, throwing one more time. This time she hit the ball so hard it flew into the stands and the pitch went silent. The only sound was Lorcan's scream as he dived out of the way while the ball tore through the wooden benches.
"Nice one!" Elliot nodded. "Just need to work on your aim, but you'd be great if we train you up a bit!"
Albus I noticed was not having so much luck, after recovering from his laughing fit, he began swapping with his partner occasionally trying both beater and chaser. He threw completely off course and missed each time a quaffle was hit in his direction. At one point he swerved low to avoid the ball completely and ended up losing balance and falling off the side, his Spitfire proving too powerful for him to handle.
"Are you okay bro?" James called, running over to him from where he was standing beside Elliot, watching us play.
I watched Lorcan race down from the stands and come running onto the pitch. Albus was sitting up and was completely conscious but he was staring blankly in the direction of the castle and not responding to anything James said. Dom and I headed back to the ground and gathered round him.
Lorcan pushed past us and crouched beside him. "Al, how many fingers am I holding up?" He asked waving three fingers in front of my cousin's face.
Albus giggled like a girl. "You have nice hands Lorcy!" He reached out and grabbed Lorcan's finger.
"Er… Thanks…" Lorcan blushed. "Maybe you and my nice hands could take a trip to the hospital wing and go and visit Madame Pomfrey?" He suggested.
"That sounded wrong…" I muttered quietly. I immediately regretted it though as Lorcan threw a look in my direction and I realised the seriousness of the situation.
"Nah," Albus refused. "I'll just go to the owlery and see Hedwig! You can see Destrier if you like!"
"Destrier?" Lorcan frowned. "Isn't that a horse in Narnia?"
"No silly!" Albus shook his head. "It's your… It's your um… It's your mum!" He concluded before sinking into pits of laughter. I suddenly noticed the blood trickling down his head and exclaimed.
"Oh my God Lorcan you've got to take him now!" I pointed at the sticky blood dripping onto his Quidditch robes.
Lorcan cursed under his breath and helped Albus up. "Come on big boy, let's go see my mum, she's very good with cuts you know."
As they walked off, Albus leaning heavily on Lorcan's shoulders I heard Albus reply. "Your mum's a duck!" Before he started howling with laughter again.
The rest of the try-outs remained injury-free and Elliot had written down the names of those on the team.
"Okay, I'm pleased to announce the following people made it onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year. Our chasers are myself and Roxanne Weasley."
"Yesss!" I grinned, my fist pumping the air. Dom rolled her eyes and poked me lightly with her broomstick.
"Our beaters are Connor Thomas-Finnegan," he stopped to glance at his sort-of brother. "And Dominique Weasley." Dom's face turned red as a tomato and Connor placed a kiss on her cheek.
"Well done babe!" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and I mimed puking before Dom poked me again. Harder.
"Our keeper is Ciaran Morganson." He smiled and the older boy from earlier jogged over and fist-bumped Elliot again. "And the seeker is, of course, James Potter."
James didn't even react, as if he knew it all along that he was going to get this position. He definitely had the Potter seeker skills but I couldn't help narrowing my eyes at his arrogance.
"Thanks all of you for trying out and if you didn't get a place, don't give up hope because you just might next year. Have a good evening." He mock saluted. "Also, team members will need to be present at a meeting tomorrow straight after class in the prep-room, no kit needed." He instructed before gathering up the quaffles lying on the pitch.
I paused and thought to ask him if he needed a hand but eventually decided against it when I remembered the Defence Against the Dark Arts essay I had forgotten to write. Instead I jogged alongside Dom and Connor as they walked, hand in hand, towards the changing rooms. Puke.