Chapter 51- Whoa There, Cutie!
As the first few weeks of the fall semester rolled on, Adelaide began to get in a good little routine. On Tuesdays and Thursday's, she would appease Lily by doing homework with her during her study hall periods before lunch; Eat breakfast and catch up with Evan and Regulus over the weekends; plot, plan, and scheme pranks with the rest of the Marauders on Saturdays; and work on flying with James Tuesday and Friday afternoons— where Sirius and Mary had started to join in and commentate their actions — in detail...
"Looks like Potter has made Fawley start running laps again—" Mary said in a magnified voice in the all but abandoned announcer's box, early October, during their last Friday afternoon practice before tryouts. "She is on the move— slowly— but on the move no less!"
"I'm surprised she can move at all, given that she can hardly make it up the damn stairs without begging for someone to carry her like a spoiled— "
"Looks like she has learned some interesting new hand gestures folks!"
"Oh yes! That's her new way of thanking us for the brilliant play-by-play coverage McDonald!"
"Right you are Black! She gave me one of those when I dropped my crystal ball on her feet last week, she also called me a bloody wan—"
"THEY ARE IN THE AIR! I REPEAT! THEY ARE FINALLY IN THE AIR!"
Adelaide swooped up beside them and chunked a Quaffle straight between the two want-to-be-commentators, nearly missing them both.
"I believe that was the first time Adelaide Fawley has ever missed a shot!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Impossible! I'd say it was impossible if I didn't see it with my own eyes!"
"—And rather lovely eyes they are McDonald—"
There was a loud thunk as Mary knocked Sirius on the ground. "I take it back, she has the most hideous and heinous brown orbs I've ever witnessed."
James instantly zoomed up beside them. "That wasn't a miss— that was a warning." he smirked.
Adelaide swooped up beside James. "And if you ever use the word 'orbs' to describe anyone else's eyes ever again, I swear I will hunt you down and charm a gigantic Dorris to chase you until you are begging for mercy."
"Are you sure you aren't a Slytherin?" Sirius asked, clearly a little shaken from her threat.
"Speak of the devil... What are they doing here?" Mary whined, pointing toward the other end of the pitch where Slytherin's Avery, Mulciber, and Wilkes strutted upon the field as if they owned it.
"Move it losers! We need the pitch to practice!" Wilkes called out.
Mary instantly launched herself over to the enchanted voice magnifier. "Well, well folks, seems we have some mid-practice entertainment today! I had no idea trolls could even fly brooms!"
Sirius sneered. "I saw one fly once— fell straight off and broke every bone in their body— but we really mustn't get our hopes up."
"You'd better watch your tongue you filthy blood-traitors!" Mulciber spat.
"Oh, is that Fawley?" Avery asked in a sickly-sweet voice, sporting a terrifyingly twisted smile. "I do believe it is! I wonder what your dear old mumsy would do if she heard about your little 'werewolf rights' campaign during class... I think she'd be rather upset, don't you Wilkes?"
Wilkes sneered. "I think she would Avery... I think it would just break her sweet heart."
Sirius snorted. Cathryn Fawley didn't have a heart to break.
"It would really be a shame if she found out... though I'd imagine she wouldn't if you gave us the pitch this afternoon..." Mulciber taunted.
James, Sirius, and Mary all looked to Adelaide. Adelaide, however, was looking straight at the terrible trio, raised her hand and muttered "Anteoculatia," causing all three to start sprouting beautiful sets of antlers, then run away in fright.
James laughed so hard he nearly wet himself.
"I thought you'd appreciate that one." Adelaide smirked. "Now, back to practice, yeah?"
"I can't believe those idiots told McGonnagall..." Adelaide grumbled.
It was later that evening and Adelaide and Sirius were both polishing plaques and badges in the trophy room during detention, while Mary and James dusted books in the library.
"I can." Sirius snipped, throwing his rag onto the floor. "Addykins," he began in a too sweet voice. "My cleverest, most funniest, prettiest, bestest friend..."
"What do you want?" she asked in a tired voice. She didn't even blush when he complemented her like this anymore... although the butterflies were still very much present and accounted for in her stomach.
"Surely you know a spell that would make this go faster..."
"Sirius, it doesn't work like that."
"Come on Addy!" he begged. "This polish is drying out my hands!"
"I told you to bring gloves." she shrugged, continuing her polishing of some old Special Award for Services to the School.
"Adelaide!" he protested.
"McGonagall took our wands you dramatic poodle!"
Sirius smirked. "But you don't need a wand."
"It doesn't work like that Sirius! I've only ever done wandless magic when I was upset!"
Sirius tried to hide his smirk. "Fine."
For the next ten minutes Sirius pulled Adelaide's hair when she wasn't looking, presented her with a fake award for being the most brilliant person on the planet, and 'accidentally' knocked over her bucket of sudsy water.
"Have I mentioned how many guys come up to me asking if you're part veela? It's bloody annoying." he grumbled.
"WOULD YOU JUST STOP IT! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A FREAKING PEST?!" she roared, throwing her rag at Sirius. Honestly, he had given up hope of actually upsetting her after he knocked the water bucket over, he was just trying to make light conversation at this point. But, he was not about to let a good opportunity go to waste.
"Oh, have I upset you Addykins?" he asked, feigning innocence.
"NO, I'M HAPPIER THAN EVER, YOU IDIOT!"
"You don't look very happy... but you do look a tad more Veela-esque when you get all worked up like that." he chanced, wincing when she let out a long stream of expletives.
"Scourgify!" she exclaimed, hands pointed around the room.
The trophies and plaques all began to scrub themselves clean.
"Happy now?" she asked, picking up the rag and throwing it at him again.
"Immensely!" he cheered with a smug smile.
Adelaide kicked a trophy, then sat down on the opposite end of the room to sulk.
"Addykins, come on... " Sirius said, moving over to her.
"Shush! Let me brood in peace!" she said, turning the other direction.
"Ads! Brooding alone is no fun! Believe me, I've tried it..."
"Why do you have to be so annoying?!" she asked sincerely.
Sirius smirked, taking a seat beside her. "To what annoying thing are you referring?"
"All of it! It's like you just take joy in watching me get upset with you! And making up all that veela rubbish—"
"I actually wasn't trying to upset you with that part." he shrugged. "It's a real thing. They've been asking Prongs and Moony too, but Moony seems to find it more annoying for some reason."
"What?"
"Did you really not know this?" Sirius asked.
"Of course not! Why would they even think that?"
Sirius tilted his head to the side like a curious puppy. "I tell you all the time that you're pretty. Did you think I was lying or something?"
"I-I — I didn't — I thought— I-I-I— "
Sirius smirked. "Words Fawley. Words and sentences. You can do it, I believe in you!"
Adelaide smacked him upside the head, then continued to sulk, distracting herself by intensely studying the award she had been polishing earlier… then suddenly jumped to her feet, flailing her arms around in excitement. "IT'S HIM! HE— HIM!"
"Who?! Addykins, please use sentences!"
"TOM!" she exclaimed, shoving the award in his face.
Sirius looked down at the plaque given to Tom Riddle, 1943, for Services to the School.
"What the hell? He never really struck me as a 'do-gooder'—The opposite really..."
"Sirius! We have a lead!" she said with a manic glint in her eyes. "We can look in the old records, or ask someone that taught here what he got the award for... Maybe we can figure out what his big plan is..."
Adelaide began pacing and muttering things to herself. She usually only got this way when she was waist-deep in plotting pranks on Snivellus, or that brief time at the end of last year when she was trying to cram a years worth of lessons into her head in the span of a few weeks.
"Whoa, let's just slow down there, love." Sirius said, trying to direct her to sit back down.
"Shhh! I'm thinking!"
"I know, that's why I'm worried."
"Sirius, that riddle guy... he's up to something awful, I can just tell... All that stuff he said about power... I just have to figure it out."
"Addy, you know, Dumbledore has been teaching here for a long time... and I know he still really wants to tutor you."
"I don't know what your talking about." she said quickly.
"You are literally the most un-sneakiest person on the planet Adelaide. Did you really think I wouldn't notice all the notes he's been sending, bugging you to reconsider?"
Adelaide folded her arms over her chest and scrunched her nose up in disgruntlement. "Nosy mutt." she muttered.
"Addy, you could do the lessons with him, then ask him about Riddle."
"I thought you were on my side!" she exclaimed.
"I am! I don't trust him all that much either... but he did give Remmy a chance to go to school despite his furry little problem, and he did defeat Grindelwald, and ... he did teach here when our parents and Riddle were here." Sirius said thoughtfully. "If you want to get information about Riddle, I think Dumbledore is the one you need to talk to."
Adelaide hit Sirius upside the head.
"Hey! What was that for!?"
"For being right." she grumbled.
"Addy, you're going to do great!" Peter said sincerely, giving her a pat on the back at breakfast the next morning, just before quidditch trials.
"I-I think this is a big mistake." she said putting her head her hands. "I don't even like quidditch all that much." she lied. "I'll just be a commentator with Mary."
"Sorry, that position's been filled already, love." Sirius chuckled. "Ads, you're going to be fine. There is no chance in hell they won't let you on the team—"
"Don't jinx it!" she screeched.
Sirius raised his eyebrows.
"Addy. As someone who happens to be the most talented person on the team, I can tell you that you are nearly as good as I am." James said with a frightening amount of sincerity, that made Adelaide wonder just how big his ego really was.
Remus sighed. "What he is trying to say, is you are a natural born chaser. You will be fine. But if by some horrible clerical error, they don't let you on the team, we will be here to support you—"
"And prank that handsome git of a captain Blake Wood." Mary interjected casually. "Why are you all looking at me like that? I can do pranks too you know!"
"I-I still don't think this is a good idea..."
"Adelaide Rose Fawley. You are going to try out for the bloody team! I'll drag you there kicking and screaming if I have to!" Mary said passionately, thoughts turning a bit more violent as she began to think of the team's chances of loosing without Adelaide there.
Sirius coughed to hide a laugh at Adelaide's wide-eyed horror, and subtle scooting away from the Quidditch obsessed brunette.
Sirius leaned over and grabbed her hands in his. "Addykins. Close your eyes and breathe. Just breathe and think of Gwendolyn Morgan. Embrace the bad ass chaser within." Sirius said soothingly, taking deep meditative breaths. Mary raised an eyebrow at his tactic in suspicion, but was pleased to see that it seemed to be helping.
Adelaide smiled with her eyes closed. "I am a bad ass chaser. I will give any boy who proposes to me a concussion."
Sirius let go of her hands to laugh loudly along with the others. "You're going to be fine Ads! And, we'll be right there in the stands cheering you on!"
"Alright, I'll try out." she said as if this was something up for discussion.
"Line up! Line up everyone! Seekers over there, Beaters that way, and Keepers and Chasers go over by the goal-posts!" Called fifth year captain and Beater, Blake Wood.
Adelaide shouldered her broom and walked with determination toward the goal posts, mumbling 'I am a bad ass chaser' inaudibly under her breath.
Blake stepped in front of her blocking her path. "Whoa there, cutie! Seekers are that way!" Wood said, pointing toward the group to the right of the pitch.
"Lovely for them." she quipped, trying to scoot past him.
"You aren't really going to try out for Chaser, are you?" he asked incredulously.
Adelaide mustered up the most determined face she could, "I am."
"Good Godric! Is this some sort of joke?" he exclaimed.
James, sensing trouble, made his way over to her. "Hey Ads! Let's go!" he said with a smile.
"I'm trying!" she growled. "This oaf won't let me pass!"
"Watch your mouth cutie! This 'oaf' happens to be the captain!"
"Don't call me cutie and I won't call you an oaf!" she spat.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" James said, stepping between the two before Wood could retaliate. "Woody, this is my friend I told you about. Adelaide Fawley."
"This is Little Porskoff?!" he asked in disbelief, gesturing to the scrawny girl. "When you said little I didn't think she would be a freaking munchkin!"
"Listen! I don't know what the hell a munchkin is—
Wood waved is hand impatiently, "It's a muggle thing—"
"—but if you insist upon insulting and belittling me, at least wait until I have a chance to actually try out!" she bristled.
Wood clenched his jaw, breathing heavily, then wordlessly let her pass, certain that she would fail.
Of course, he was wrong. So very embarrassingly wrong. Adelaide made every single penalty shot, then she zoomed around in the routes, expertly avoiding the other chasers on the 'opposing team', and dodged the bludgers coming at her accidentally by terribly aimed beater-want-to-be's.
At the end of the trials, Adelaide was more confident than ever that all her hard work had paid off.
"I do believe you have earned yourself a piggy-back ride Addykins!" Sirius said, swelling with pride as he made his way toward her and James.
Adelaide grinned, then jumped onto his back giggling. Remus felt a little burst of annoyance for some odd reason.
"Ugh! You know, you're a little smelly..." Sirius said in a nasally voice, holding his nose.
Adelaide shrugged. "You should have thought of that before you offered."
Adelaide was a mess every day leading up to the posting of the team on Wednesday. She went back and forth between thinking she had no shot at all of making the team, wondering why she would waste her time with such an absurdly fruitless endeavor, and being confident enough to give even James's big ego a run for it's money. Her friends found it amusing the first day, but just plain annoying by time Wednesday rolled along.
Finally, to everyone's relief Wood posted the team roster on the notice board of the common room first thing Wednesday morning:
Chasers: James Potter, Blair Wood, Jack Middleton
Beaters: Blake Wood, Frederick Armstrong
Keeper: Bartley McLaggen
Seeker: Finlay Bell
Alternate Chaser: Adelaide Fawley
