Chapter 5 - Quidditch Tryouts
Why had James said he'd talk to Lily? He mentally kicked himself the next day. He hardly knew the girl; she was no more than an acquaintance, why on earth did he volunteer for this? He'd stayed awake all night trying to think of ways he could bring up the subject of Quidditch tryouts. 'Hi, Harold Lider asked me,' no, that made him sound like a messenger, how about 'Have you ever played Quidditch?' No, that was too abrupt. 'Are you a good flyer?' Now he was being stupid; that was just rude. The Quidditch tryouts were in a few days, so James needed to broach the subject with her soon, so she'd have time to get used to the idea. He decided to do it that night, in the common room. The decision to take some action made him feel a little better for some reason, but, as it so often does, time seemed to be trying to be awkward and moved as fast as it could. Before he knew it, it was seven o'clock, and he hadn't done a thing about it. If he didn't do anything soon it would be too late. Sirius was smirking at him as he sat in the common room watching her do her homework. Even Remus was fighting to hide an amused smile. They didn't know what James did, though. They didn't know why she made him this nervous. They didn't have a clue about his suspicions about her. They thought he was just being chicken, and afraid to talk to a pretty girl 'where did that thought come from', he thought to himself, 'come on, let's get this over with.'
She was alone. This was probably the best and only chance he would get that night. He mustered up as much courage as he could and walked purposefully over to Lily, ignoring his friends' snickering and her friends giggling. She was working hard on an essay, and didn't look up until he was right next to her.
"So, are you, er, trying out?" He asked her, trying to sound casual, pointing to the notice about Quidditch tryouts. He was surprised when she gave a snort of laughter. "Have you ever seen me fly?" She asked, that threw him, "No, I don't think so." He was surprised by this reply. When he thought about it, they had flying lessons together, why hadn't he ever seen her fly? "I spend a lot more time on the ground than you do, I'm really bad at flying." She stated this matter of factly. James wondered briefly how she knew he was going to ask that question, it was almost as though she had read his mind. He shook the thought away; that was an obvious question, she had just pre-empted him. "You can't be that bad." James really didn't think she could be as bad as she was making herself out to be. "I am." She said flatly, she didn't seem bothered by it. "Look, Lily, I saw you at that match against Ravenclaw last year. I couldn't believe how quickly you spotted the snitch. You'd be an excellent seeker." For a second, an almost hopeful look flitted across her face, but it was gone just as quickly. James understood, "Just try out, we can work on your flying skills later. I've never seen such a natural talent." She smiled at him gratefully for a moment, and then told him she'd think about it. He grinned back and left to join Sirius, who was still smirking, Remus, who had given up trying to hide his amusement and was smiling broadly and Peter, who seemed to not understand what was going on. He looked a bit bewildered. It didn't help that it had been Sirius who had tried to explain the situation to him, and Remus was now trying to fix his mess. He was the only one with the patience to deal with Peter.
James hoped Lily had been convinced to try out. He knew if someone had said those things to him, he'd have been flattered enough to turn up. He supposed he'd find out for certain on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday morning, James amused himself watching Sirius, who was trying to pretend he wasn't nervous by telling very bad jokes very loudly. James wasn't fooled, however. He knew Sirius well enough now to know that this meant his knees were trembling and his stomach was squirming and the fact that he didn't eat anything was a dead give away. He pointed this out to Sirius, who dropped the act and looked at him earnestly. "It's alright for you, you're already on the team. I can't help being nervous, I want the place." James thought for a moment whether to tell him what he'd heard at practise about him. He decided against it; he didn't want to get his hopes up. Instead he settled for giving him a reassuring grin and telling him he'd be fine.
The tryouts weren't much different to last year, with only one difference for James, he wasn't nervous. He stood with the other team members as he listened to Lider telling all the new recruits what they'd have to do and what being a member of the team would entail. James noticed with some satisfaction that Lily had turned up. She looked really nervous, and James felt an overwhelming urge to go and comfort her. Instead, he looked at her and gave her a little smile, which she returned.
Soon, they had started a mock game. James had been sent up too, to keep an eye on the new players, and to make up the numbers. Harold was watching from the ground. The people who were trying out were very good. Harold was going to have problems choosing between them. He was pleased to see that Sirius was excelling himself, fortunately he was on the same team as him, he didn't fancy being hit in the face with a bludger he'd sent his way. Lily, on the other hand, didn't seem to be doing so well. She was always the first to see the snitch, but as soon as she set off after it, Aiolos, the other person trying out for seeker would see, chase her and get there first. She was right, she wasn't a very good flyer, but perhaps that could be fixed. At that moment Harold whistled to signal the end of the game and sent everyone away. He got the team together, and they sat in the locker rooms for a while, discussing what they had just seen.
"I vote for Black for beater." James was glad he hadn't suggested it, and he was also very pleased that everyone else seemed to agree with Lider. James really did think Sirius was the best man for the job. The team didn't have much difficulty deciding on the third year Frank Longbottom for chaser either. The problem was the seeker. Every time it had been Lily who had seen the snitch, the team had noticed this too, but she could never catch it. Aiolos, on the other hand, had always been first to get to the snitch, but he'd never been the first to spot it. Harold looked desperate again. He pleaded with the team to help him find a solution. James looked around; no one seemed to have any ideas. So he spoke up again, less nervously this time, as his last suggestion had been taken seriously.
"I think you should give the seeker's position to Aiolos and make Lily a reserve. In the meantime we can train her to be a better flyer. If that works then she can be seeker next year, and then if Aiolos has any accidents we might still stand a chance at winning." Harold looked very impressed. James couldn't see what there was to be impressed about; to him it seemed the only natural solution. "That's a very good idea James, and since it was your idea, I think we should give you the job of training her." James was stunned, maybe Harold thought he was doing him a favour pairing them up, but James wasn't so sure. He didn't know her. But then, no one on the team knew her, and he was her own age. So he agreed, trying to ignore the nerves that built up into his stomach whenever he thought about it.
Why had James said he'd talk to Lily? He mentally kicked himself the next day. He hardly knew the girl; she was no more than an acquaintance, why on earth did he volunteer for this? He'd stayed awake all night trying to think of ways he could bring up the subject of Quidditch tryouts. 'Hi, Harold Lider asked me,' no, that made him sound like a messenger, how about 'Have you ever played Quidditch?' No, that was too abrupt. 'Are you a good flyer?' Now he was being stupid; that was just rude. The Quidditch tryouts were in a few days, so James needed to broach the subject with her soon, so she'd have time to get used to the idea. He decided to do it that night, in the common room. The decision to take some action made him feel a little better for some reason, but, as it so often does, time seemed to be trying to be awkward and moved as fast as it could. Before he knew it, it was seven o'clock, and he hadn't done a thing about it. If he didn't do anything soon it would be too late. Sirius was smirking at him as he sat in the common room watching her do her homework. Even Remus was fighting to hide an amused smile. They didn't know what James did, though. They didn't know why she made him this nervous. They didn't have a clue about his suspicions about her. They thought he was just being chicken, and afraid to talk to a pretty girl 'where did that thought come from', he thought to himself, 'come on, let's get this over with.'
She was alone. This was probably the best and only chance he would get that night. He mustered up as much courage as he could and walked purposefully over to Lily, ignoring his friends' snickering and her friends giggling. She was working hard on an essay, and didn't look up until he was right next to her.
"So, are you, er, trying out?" He asked her, trying to sound casual, pointing to the notice about Quidditch tryouts. He was surprised when she gave a snort of laughter. "Have you ever seen me fly?" She asked, that threw him, "No, I don't think so." He was surprised by this reply. When he thought about it, they had flying lessons together, why hadn't he ever seen her fly? "I spend a lot more time on the ground than you do, I'm really bad at flying." She stated this matter of factly. James wondered briefly how she knew he was going to ask that question, it was almost as though she had read his mind. He shook the thought away; that was an obvious question, she had just pre-empted him. "You can't be that bad." James really didn't think she could be as bad as she was making herself out to be. "I am." She said flatly, she didn't seem bothered by it. "Look, Lily, I saw you at that match against Ravenclaw last year. I couldn't believe how quickly you spotted the snitch. You'd be an excellent seeker." For a second, an almost hopeful look flitted across her face, but it was gone just as quickly. James understood, "Just try out, we can work on your flying skills later. I've never seen such a natural talent." She smiled at him gratefully for a moment, and then told him she'd think about it. He grinned back and left to join Sirius, who was still smirking, Remus, who had given up trying to hide his amusement and was smiling broadly and Peter, who seemed to not understand what was going on. He looked a bit bewildered. It didn't help that it had been Sirius who had tried to explain the situation to him, and Remus was now trying to fix his mess. He was the only one with the patience to deal with Peter.
James hoped Lily had been convinced to try out. He knew if someone had said those things to him, he'd have been flattered enough to turn up. He supposed he'd find out for certain on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday morning, James amused himself watching Sirius, who was trying to pretend he wasn't nervous by telling very bad jokes very loudly. James wasn't fooled, however. He knew Sirius well enough now to know that this meant his knees were trembling and his stomach was squirming and the fact that he didn't eat anything was a dead give away. He pointed this out to Sirius, who dropped the act and looked at him earnestly. "It's alright for you, you're already on the team. I can't help being nervous, I want the place." James thought for a moment whether to tell him what he'd heard at practise about him. He decided against it; he didn't want to get his hopes up. Instead he settled for giving him a reassuring grin and telling him he'd be fine.
The tryouts weren't much different to last year, with only one difference for James, he wasn't nervous. He stood with the other team members as he listened to Lider telling all the new recruits what they'd have to do and what being a member of the team would entail. James noticed with some satisfaction that Lily had turned up. She looked really nervous, and James felt an overwhelming urge to go and comfort her. Instead, he looked at her and gave her a little smile, which she returned.
Soon, they had started a mock game. James had been sent up too, to keep an eye on the new players, and to make up the numbers. Harold was watching from the ground. The people who were trying out were very good. Harold was going to have problems choosing between them. He was pleased to see that Sirius was excelling himself, fortunately he was on the same team as him, he didn't fancy being hit in the face with a bludger he'd sent his way. Lily, on the other hand, didn't seem to be doing so well. She was always the first to see the snitch, but as soon as she set off after it, Aiolos, the other person trying out for seeker would see, chase her and get there first. She was right, she wasn't a very good flyer, but perhaps that could be fixed. At that moment Harold whistled to signal the end of the game and sent everyone away. He got the team together, and they sat in the locker rooms for a while, discussing what they had just seen.
"I vote for Black for beater." James was glad he hadn't suggested it, and he was also very pleased that everyone else seemed to agree with Lider. James really did think Sirius was the best man for the job. The team didn't have much difficulty deciding on the third year Frank Longbottom for chaser either. The problem was the seeker. Every time it had been Lily who had seen the snitch, the team had noticed this too, but she could never catch it. Aiolos, on the other hand, had always been first to get to the snitch, but he'd never been the first to spot it. Harold looked desperate again. He pleaded with the team to help him find a solution. James looked around; no one seemed to have any ideas. So he spoke up again, less nervously this time, as his last suggestion had been taken seriously.
"I think you should give the seeker's position to Aiolos and make Lily a reserve. In the meantime we can train her to be a better flyer. If that works then she can be seeker next year, and then if Aiolos has any accidents we might still stand a chance at winning." Harold looked very impressed. James couldn't see what there was to be impressed about; to him it seemed the only natural solution. "That's a very good idea James, and since it was your idea, I think we should give you the job of training her." James was stunned, maybe Harold thought he was doing him a favour pairing them up, but James wasn't so sure. He didn't know her. But then, no one on the team knew her, and he was her own age. So he agreed, trying to ignore the nerves that built up into his stomach whenever he thought about it.