Chapter 24: The Tryouts

Summery: The quidditch tryouts don't go as expected.

Notes:

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I apologize. I've been too preoccupied to put time aside for writing. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I've lost most of my reader. I'm grateful for those of you who are still there. I hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you think and how you have been doing.

...

Sirius woke up to the sound of rustling, knowing it was too late into the night. He drew the curtain around his bed back and looked to his right. At the sight of Severus' small form tossing and turning in his bed, he sighed to himself and let his head fall back against the pillows. He could hear the other boys snoring and the sound of fire cracking in the fireplace. Not for the first time, Sirius wondered what was wrong with the kid. He had started to notice a shift in the boy's mood since the start of the school year. He was more reserved, more solemn and on edge as if he was awaiting an inevitable doom. Sirius had tried to ignore it at first but it wasn't easy. Severus wasn't easy to ignore. For some odd reason the boy brought out something in him that had been buried deep inside. Sirius kept hoping someone else would step up and fix it, that it didn't have to be him. After all he wasn't the caring type. He was the kind of friend that you'd go to when you wanted to have fun, not someone who could offer help and comfort.

It took a good ten minutes before Severus settled down but Sirius could tell he was still awake. For a moment he had the crazy idea to call him but the impulse passed. He turned his back to the boy and stared at James' glasses on the bedside table until he fell back asleep.

Sirius was in a crappy mood in the morning. His dreams had been odd and unsettling. He couldn't remember them exactly but he knew they had to do with his childhood. Luckily it was Sunday but not just any Sunday. It was the quidditch tryouts, as James repeatedly reminded him while he stole his pillows and pinched his arms.

"You've got the most annoying shrill voice I've ever heard, Potter." he said darkly as he decided to give up on sleeping in and climbed out of bed.

"We've got to eat breakfast and then go practice before the tryouts." said James.

"Just shut up already, I'm coming!" snapped Sirius and marched to the bathroom, slamming the door.

His bad mood lasted through breakfast. He wolfed down his food and waited impatiently for his friends to finish, meanwhile he had to listen to James and Peter's inane chatter and Remus' too loud chewing. Severus on the other hand was quiet as a mouse which got on Sirius' nerves for an entirely different reason. He was sitting hunched over his oatmeal bowl as if trying to block out the rest of the world.

"What the hell's going on with you?" snapped Sirius, unable to hold it in any longer.

Severus flinched at his tone and stopped eating altogether.

Remus kicked his shin under the table. "Why are you picking on him? Can't you see he's nervous?" he hissed.

"Nervous for what?" asked Sirius, turning to Severus who refused to meet his eyes.

"Let's just go." said James, trying to defuse the situation. "Come on, Severus. You'll feel better when you're on the broom."

Severus gave a small nod and picked up his broom, following the taller boy. Sirius gave Peter a questioning look but only got a nonchalant shrug in response, so he turned to Remus.

The boy sighed. "He's nervous for the tryouts." he explained.

Sirius shook his head. "That's not it. He's been acting weird for weeks." he countered.

"He's always been kind of weird." said Peter.

Remus glared at them both. "Severus isn't weird! He's just … a little childish. That's all."

"You're telling me you haven't noticed anything wrong with him?"

"No, I haven't! Now, quite being an asshole." snapped Remus and turned on his heels, moving to the door.

"Wait up!" called Peter as he ran after him.

Sirius huffed in annoyance and followed. Remus was Severus' closest friend, if he refused to see there was something wrong, then Sirius had to figure it out on his own. He wracked his brain for anything that could have happened in the past few weeks but came up short. He mouthed his broom when they reached the quidditch pitch and joined Severus and James in the air. They flied around for a few minutes to warm up and then James and him started passing the quaffle and Severus practiced with the snitch.

They only stopped when the quidditch team arrived and stood in line to put down their names. There was excitement in the air. Every Gryffindor seemed to be present. They were either sitting in the stands cheering their friends or standing in the pitch, sizing each other up.

They all quieted down once McGonagall arrived. She talked to the team captain for a few minutes before looking over the list of volunteers. She frowned and looked up, scanning the crowd until her eyes fell on their group. After a few minutes of hesitation, she walked towards them.

"Morning Professor!" greeted James cheekily. "You're looking at your team's new best players."

"I'm sure you'd be a fine addition." said McGonagall with a small indulgent smile before turning to Severus. "I see you've put down your name as well, Mr. Prince. I'm afraid …" her voice flattered for a moment. She cleared her throat and straightened her spine. "I'm afraid I can't let you join the team. I'm sorry."

"What?!" the three of them cried in union.

"But you haven't even seen me on the broom yet." protested Severus.

"He's really good Professor!" added James.

"Your ability on the broom is not the issue. The issue is with your … size."

"My size?" whispered Severus, his eyes filling with tears. "But that's not fair! I've been practicing all summer."

"What are you talking about?" snapped James, forgetting himself. "Having a small seeker is an advantage. He's quick as a cat. You have to let him tryout!"

"Mr. Potter. I'm Gryffindor's Head of House. I'm the one that decides who goes on the team." said the Professor firmly. "Quidditch can get very dangerous. I've witnessed my fair share of quidditch injuries and I can't in good conscious let Mr. Prince join the team, not when there's a chance for him to get seriously hurt." she turned to Severus once more, her tone softening. "I'm really sorry, Severus. You can tryout in a couple of years and I'm sure you'd make an amazing seeker." she said kindly and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Severus shrugged the hand off and looked away, tears running down his face.

McGonagall sighed and walked away, leaving them in stunned silence. Remus and Peter joined them a moment later.

"She says Severus can't tryout because he's too small. Says it's dangerous." James explained to their friends.

"Maybe it's for the best. Quidditch can really be dangerous." said Remus.

"It's just as dangerous for anyone else!" protested Severus, whipping the tears off of his face.

"She did say you could tryout in a couple of years." said Sirius. "Besides, if James and I get on the team, we'll bring you along for practices and we can still fly together all the time."

"Sure thing." agreed James.

"I'm going to put my name down for seeker." said Peter suddenly.

"Are you serious?" snapped Sirius.

"Why shouldn't I? I know I didn't have a chance against Severus but now that he's out I can try out. I want to be on the team as much as the rest of you." said Peter, not backing down. "I'm going to need a broom." he added, eyeing the broom in Severus' hand expectedly.

Severus stared at him in disbelief for a second, then dropped the broom to the ground and ran to the castle.

"For the love of Merlin!" exclaimed Sirius. "Just use mine." he trusted his own broom into Peter's chubby hands and picked up the one Severus had dropped before going after him.

He only managed to catch up to the boy on his way to the dormitory. The little bugger really was fast.

"What are you doing here? You're going to miss the tryouts." asked Severus, stopping in the middle of the staircase.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm not." whispered Severus, sitting on one of the steps. "If Peter becomes seeker I won't get to tryout again." he looked miserable.

"Severus, do you even care about quidditch?"

"Not really."

"Then why did you get so upset?"

"I wanted to be on the team."

"But why?"

Severus didn't answer. He hugged himself with his arms and stared down at his shoes.

Sirius sat down next to him, ignoring the annoyed students who had to go around them. "Did something happen? You've been upset for a while." he said. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. It'll make you feel better."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Severus was quiet for a few minutes, lost in his thoughts. "I don't think my dad loves me." he said finally.

Sirius frowned. "What does that have to do with quidditch?"

"I wanted to write to him when I made the team."

"I thought you didn't know where he was."

"I found out in the summer."

"Oh." was all Sirius could say. "You want to talk about it?" he asked awkwardly.

"Not really." said Severus. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you love your brother?" asked Severus, staring at him intently.

"Why do you ask?" Sirius was truly confused now.

"You never talk to him."

"We've never really gotten along."

"I always thought things would be better if I had a brother or sister. That I wouldn't be so lonely."

"You're not lonely. You've got us; your friends."

"Does your brother have friends?"

"I don't know." said Sirius, his stomach clenching in guilt.

"You should go back out. I don't want you to miss the tryouts because of me." said Severus, raising to his feet.

"You coming?"

"No, I'm going to go play with Julie."

"If you're sure."

Severus nodded and took off in the direction of the Gryffindor tower. Sirius watched him leave before going back to the quidditch pitch. He got there just on time and managed to impressed the captain enough to become one of the chaser reserves and so did James. Peter as it turned out didn't make the team, though the news didn't cheer Severus up like he expected.

That night Sirius again woke to find his little friend struggling with a nightmare. He waited until the boy was fully awake before calling him. Severus pulled back the curtains on his bed, his big black eye shining with tears. Sirius pulled back his blanket and patted the spot next to him on the bed. "Come here." he whispered.

Severus only hesitated for a moment before slipping off of his bed and climbing next to him. The boy cuddled up to his side and clung to his shirt as he buried his face in his chest. Sirius held him as he cried and vowed to himself to check on Regulus first thing tomorrow.