THE RAIN ALWAYS FALLS
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Darn.
Dedication: Here's to my top reviewers, Tinkerbellhp07 and Devin Jamie. Hope to hear from you about this chapter. I love your support!
Hi everyone. Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've been so busy, but I took the time to write this chapter. I really hope you didn't give up on me. Thank you so much to everyone who reads my story! Well, here we go. Keeper tryouts! Yeah!
Chapter 7: New Discoveries
At twelve fifteen, James anxiously made his way down to the quiditch pitch. He grabbed several school brooms from a shed nearby before entering the actual stadium.
"Hey, James! Wait up!" Someone was calling to him from the front of the school. Sirius' figure soon approached him. He was wearing bright red and gold robes (a kind of bad impression of the quiditch uniform) and was carrying a broom.
"Sirius, what are you doing here?"
"Well, what do you usually do in a quiditch stadium with a broomstick? I'm trying out of course," he said tossing his broom into his other hand.
"Yeah, but I thought you wanted to be a seeker."
"Well, I missed tryouts for that two years ago, and quiditch is quiditch." He shrugged. "Keeper's not that bad," he added.
"What are you wearing?" James asked, surveying Sirius' mock quiditch robes.
"Oh, this old thing?" he said, pulling on the front of them. "Well, I just thought that in case your forgot that I'm your best friend, I thought that showing house pride might help get the spot."
"You're good, Sirius, and if you're the best, you got it, but if some second year comes along, blocking every shot, then - well, sorry, Padfoot, but you'd be on your own - best friend or not. You could try out for the Slytherin team, though. I hear they're looking for some new players, and with that outfit, they'd think you're insulting Gryffindor, and gladly give you any position you want!" Of course, he said this last part very sarcastically. Sirius punched him in the arm. "Well, let's go. Grab a few quaffles for me?"
Thirty seconds later, they entered the vast field that was surrounded by the towering stands that sported the house colors. Three golden hoops gleamed from either end of the playing field. This is where James thought that he truly belonged. When he was here, nothing mattered but the roar of the crowd and the wind sweeping against his face.
As James began to run through the audition process one more time, several third years came onto the field looking rather excited. After that, a few sixth years appeared here and there, and even, to James' dismay, several nervous looking second years. It was ten to one when the last few students entered.
"Well," James shouted importantly as one o'clock approached, "welcome to quiditch tryouts. As you already know, there is one position currently open on the team. I am looking for a skilled keeper. Be prepared for harsh training and hard work. Anyone who thinks that they can't handle that, leave now because you wouldn't be worth the time." A few people looked hesitantly around at each other, but none of them budged. "Good. Let's get started.
"First, I want to test your flying skills. Everyone, grab your brooms. If you don't have one, you may use one of the school's. Now mount your brooms and fly a few laps around the pitch. Go." Sirius and the other participants mounted their brooms and kicked off from the ground. They soared through the air and began to race in an oval around the stadium. Sirius was definitely the best flyer there. He daringly traveled at breakneck speed and even weaved in and out of the higher stands. He added a long, amazing, nerveless dive at the end. There were a few other decent flyers, the captain noted, but none as impressive as him.
When Sirius leaned his broomstick down to land, so did many of the others. However, one third year did another half a lap before realizing that everyone else was already safely on the ground. When he landed, James spoke again. "Now, I want you to practice blocking goals. I'll act as chaser and attempt to score. In any way that you know how, I want you to stop me. First, let's have - "
"Sorry that I'm late. What did I miss?" Someone had just cut him off in the middle of a sentence. He turned to see who it was. The first thing he noticed about the person was her red hair shimmering in the sun.
"Lily, are you trying out?" He squinted his eyes a little at her. He never knew that she actually played quiditch.
She nodded in response to the question. "Well, yeah. Why not? It looks like fun." She tilted her head a little to the right. Her eyes caught the sun's rays and they sparkled as she did this.
"Fine. Let's see you fly."
"Could I borrow a broom?"
James tossed her his. "Let's see what you've got." With a swish of her hair, she mounted her broom and soared upward. She effortlessly flew about the stadium, doing a few quick loops here and there. She seemed to do it so confidently. All of a sudden, she sharply turned around and zoomed off to the other end. She was a good flyer. Her skills were equal to that of Sirius, in fact. As she landed on the soft ground, James looked at her in a new way, almost in awe. "Lily - I had no idea you could fly."
"Well, you learn something new every day."
"So, let's continue," he said, shifting his focus. "Like I said before, you are now going to try to block shots. Lily," he turned to her once more, "you go first. Let me borrow your broom, Sirius." As she speeded to one set of golden hoops, James took off to the other end of the field with a quaffle. All at once, he took off like a bullet, turning here and there, a strategy very specific to that of the Ravenclaw players. When he got right up close to her, he zigzagged left but threw the quaffle to the right hoop. With lightning fast reflexes, she caught the ball milliseconds before it when through.
"Lucky catch," Sirius said, underneath his breath. James, on the other hand, seemed impressed.
"Okay, let's try another." They went back to their original positions. This time, James began by spiraling upward. When he approached the hoops, he dived down, and threw with all of his might. Seeing what he was doing, Lily executed a perfect Starfish and Stick and grabbed the ball just as it reached her stomach. 'Wow,' was all James could think of.
"Good job, Lily. Now come back down." He motioned her to the ground with a huge grin on his face. When they landed, Lily returned his broom, and James gave Sirius his. "Sirius, you're next." Immediately, he hopped on his broom and the bright red figure streaked off to the other end of the field. He was determined to show James exactly what he could do.
James, meanwhile, grabbed the quaffle and kicked off from the ground. He hung in midair for a moment, and then blasted toward Sirius performing the Woollongong Shimmy. This keeper, on the other hand, daringly decided on the Double Eight Loop. A few seconds later, he successfully blocked the shot. James nodded to him with yet another broad grin smacked on his face. Sirius was a little put out, though, having only one go at guarding the goals. Nonetheless, he didn't complain and soon landed.
"Okay," James said with a wildly enthusiastic look. "You," he pointed to a second year, "you're up." Once again, two brooms took flight.
'What exactly was going on in his mind?' Sirius thought as he watched.
This was still a little fuzzy for James, himself. Although he asked nearly everyone else to try and stop him from scoring at least one goal, he already knew who the best two flyers were - but who to pick. Lily was very quick and had great reflexes. Sirius, on the other hand, had a completely different style. He was extremely alert and James knew that if he asked, Sirius would jump broomless from the stands to keep the other team from winning. Still. James sighed. What was he going to do? They were complete opposites. He had a sudden idea.
************************************************************************
"So, how's Sirius?" Courtney Simon asked. She was sitting on a large leather couch in the dimly lit Slytherin common room. Her best friend, Sally Himms, was seated across from her, picking her nails.
"He's good. I just saw him yesterday," she lazily replied. It was two o'clock in the afternoon, and it seemed as though there was nothing at all that was worth their time.
"Are you two still going out?"
"What do you think?" She sneered at her a bit. "Of course we are," she told her seriously, raising her eyebrows.
"You know, rumor has it, you two broke up the end of last year." Courtney was always big on gossip.
"We just went to Ireland together. What does that tell you?" She began to play with her bright blond hair.
Courtney shrugged. Just then, someone came through a stone passageway. He had black hair that was sleeked back and very prominent facial features. Courtney must have known him very well because she jumped up at the sight of him. She ran across the room and threw her arms around him. The next thing she knew, their lips were locked. Sally glared at them - for a long time. The kiss lasted nearly a minute. When they finally pulled away, Courtney said, "Severus, I missed you." She threw back her hair. "Why didn't I see you at the feast?"
"Oh, well, Professor Nampt wanted to discuss a new truth potion that was just discovered. He wanted to know my opinion," he told her proudly.
"You are just - (kiss) - so - (kiss) - smart." It was true. Severus was brilliant when it came to potions. He was, for certain, the top student in that class, perhaps even better than Carmen Willows. However, he knew he was good. This is what kept him from getting the top grade. Eventually, he just stopped trying. He very much liked the in dept conversations with his professor, though.
"I've got to go up to my dorm now. Lucius and I got stuff to do. I'll see you later, though, right?"
"Of course," she smiled. With one last kiss, he went down the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Sally turned to look at the fire.
"So," Courtney sat down again, "what else is new?"
************************************************************************
"Where's James?" Sirius said. It was five o'clock, and James still wasn't back yet. He had gone to the library straight after tryouts and hadn't been seen since. The other five were sitting near the fire in common room.
"He was still in the library when we left, and that was an hour ago," Morgan told him.
"Well, he better hurry up, whatever he's doing. I want to know what he decided."
"Me, too," Lily spoke up. She had been sitting on the floor near the fire, reading a book with Carmen. Actually, she wasn't reading. She couldn't concentrate; she was just as anxious as Sirius.
Seconds after she said this, James entered the room. He looking around, and when he saw them, a mad grin appeared on his face again. "Been doing some research," he nodded as he came to them. "Just finished."
"So do we get your decision now?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows.
"No. I think I'll wait for another few hours."
"Have you decided, though?" Lily asked, looking up at him. Butterflies were turning in her stomach.
"Of course."
"Well, then tell us already!" Sirius spat.
"Okay, okay. Ladies and gentleman," he said running to a table and jumping on top of it. The room went quiet. "I would like to thank the several people who tried out for the keeper. You were all excellent, but I couldn't pick everyone. I know you're all awaiting my choice so here I go." Several people held their breath. "I am very proud to announce that this position is awarded to - "
~ Bum, bum, bum! Want to find out who it is? That's in the next chapter. Who do you think it is? I'd love to hear even though I've already decided. What do you think of Sally now? Oh, I don't like her. Just review!
Thank you to everyone for reading. I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can. Love, Carmen Willows
PS. Devin Jamie, to change your pen name, just log in and go to settings. There is a section there where you can change it. Thanks!
Another PS. 20 days left till Order of Phoenix!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Darn.
Dedication: Here's to my top reviewers, Tinkerbellhp07 and Devin Jamie. Hope to hear from you about this chapter. I love your support!
Hi everyone. Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've been so busy, but I took the time to write this chapter. I really hope you didn't give up on me. Thank you so much to everyone who reads my story! Well, here we go. Keeper tryouts! Yeah!
Chapter 7: New Discoveries
At twelve fifteen, James anxiously made his way down to the quiditch pitch. He grabbed several school brooms from a shed nearby before entering the actual stadium.
"Hey, James! Wait up!" Someone was calling to him from the front of the school. Sirius' figure soon approached him. He was wearing bright red and gold robes (a kind of bad impression of the quiditch uniform) and was carrying a broom.
"Sirius, what are you doing here?"
"Well, what do you usually do in a quiditch stadium with a broomstick? I'm trying out of course," he said tossing his broom into his other hand.
"Yeah, but I thought you wanted to be a seeker."
"Well, I missed tryouts for that two years ago, and quiditch is quiditch." He shrugged. "Keeper's not that bad," he added.
"What are you wearing?" James asked, surveying Sirius' mock quiditch robes.
"Oh, this old thing?" he said, pulling on the front of them. "Well, I just thought that in case your forgot that I'm your best friend, I thought that showing house pride might help get the spot."
"You're good, Sirius, and if you're the best, you got it, but if some second year comes along, blocking every shot, then - well, sorry, Padfoot, but you'd be on your own - best friend or not. You could try out for the Slytherin team, though. I hear they're looking for some new players, and with that outfit, they'd think you're insulting Gryffindor, and gladly give you any position you want!" Of course, he said this last part very sarcastically. Sirius punched him in the arm. "Well, let's go. Grab a few quaffles for me?"
Thirty seconds later, they entered the vast field that was surrounded by the towering stands that sported the house colors. Three golden hoops gleamed from either end of the playing field. This is where James thought that he truly belonged. When he was here, nothing mattered but the roar of the crowd and the wind sweeping against his face.
As James began to run through the audition process one more time, several third years came onto the field looking rather excited. After that, a few sixth years appeared here and there, and even, to James' dismay, several nervous looking second years. It was ten to one when the last few students entered.
"Well," James shouted importantly as one o'clock approached, "welcome to quiditch tryouts. As you already know, there is one position currently open on the team. I am looking for a skilled keeper. Be prepared for harsh training and hard work. Anyone who thinks that they can't handle that, leave now because you wouldn't be worth the time." A few people looked hesitantly around at each other, but none of them budged. "Good. Let's get started.
"First, I want to test your flying skills. Everyone, grab your brooms. If you don't have one, you may use one of the school's. Now mount your brooms and fly a few laps around the pitch. Go." Sirius and the other participants mounted their brooms and kicked off from the ground. They soared through the air and began to race in an oval around the stadium. Sirius was definitely the best flyer there. He daringly traveled at breakneck speed and even weaved in and out of the higher stands. He added a long, amazing, nerveless dive at the end. There were a few other decent flyers, the captain noted, but none as impressive as him.
When Sirius leaned his broomstick down to land, so did many of the others. However, one third year did another half a lap before realizing that everyone else was already safely on the ground. When he landed, James spoke again. "Now, I want you to practice blocking goals. I'll act as chaser and attempt to score. In any way that you know how, I want you to stop me. First, let's have - "
"Sorry that I'm late. What did I miss?" Someone had just cut him off in the middle of a sentence. He turned to see who it was. The first thing he noticed about the person was her red hair shimmering in the sun.
"Lily, are you trying out?" He squinted his eyes a little at her. He never knew that she actually played quiditch.
She nodded in response to the question. "Well, yeah. Why not? It looks like fun." She tilted her head a little to the right. Her eyes caught the sun's rays and they sparkled as she did this.
"Fine. Let's see you fly."
"Could I borrow a broom?"
James tossed her his. "Let's see what you've got." With a swish of her hair, she mounted her broom and soared upward. She effortlessly flew about the stadium, doing a few quick loops here and there. She seemed to do it so confidently. All of a sudden, she sharply turned around and zoomed off to the other end. She was a good flyer. Her skills were equal to that of Sirius, in fact. As she landed on the soft ground, James looked at her in a new way, almost in awe. "Lily - I had no idea you could fly."
"Well, you learn something new every day."
"So, let's continue," he said, shifting his focus. "Like I said before, you are now going to try to block shots. Lily," he turned to her once more, "you go first. Let me borrow your broom, Sirius." As she speeded to one set of golden hoops, James took off to the other end of the field with a quaffle. All at once, he took off like a bullet, turning here and there, a strategy very specific to that of the Ravenclaw players. When he got right up close to her, he zigzagged left but threw the quaffle to the right hoop. With lightning fast reflexes, she caught the ball milliseconds before it when through.
"Lucky catch," Sirius said, underneath his breath. James, on the other hand, seemed impressed.
"Okay, let's try another." They went back to their original positions. This time, James began by spiraling upward. When he approached the hoops, he dived down, and threw with all of his might. Seeing what he was doing, Lily executed a perfect Starfish and Stick and grabbed the ball just as it reached her stomach. 'Wow,' was all James could think of.
"Good job, Lily. Now come back down." He motioned her to the ground with a huge grin on his face. When they landed, Lily returned his broom, and James gave Sirius his. "Sirius, you're next." Immediately, he hopped on his broom and the bright red figure streaked off to the other end of the field. He was determined to show James exactly what he could do.
James, meanwhile, grabbed the quaffle and kicked off from the ground. He hung in midair for a moment, and then blasted toward Sirius performing the Woollongong Shimmy. This keeper, on the other hand, daringly decided on the Double Eight Loop. A few seconds later, he successfully blocked the shot. James nodded to him with yet another broad grin smacked on his face. Sirius was a little put out, though, having only one go at guarding the goals. Nonetheless, he didn't complain and soon landed.
"Okay," James said with a wildly enthusiastic look. "You," he pointed to a second year, "you're up." Once again, two brooms took flight.
'What exactly was going on in his mind?' Sirius thought as he watched.
This was still a little fuzzy for James, himself. Although he asked nearly everyone else to try and stop him from scoring at least one goal, he already knew who the best two flyers were - but who to pick. Lily was very quick and had great reflexes. Sirius, on the other hand, had a completely different style. He was extremely alert and James knew that if he asked, Sirius would jump broomless from the stands to keep the other team from winning. Still. James sighed. What was he going to do? They were complete opposites. He had a sudden idea.
************************************************************************
"So, how's Sirius?" Courtney Simon asked. She was sitting on a large leather couch in the dimly lit Slytherin common room. Her best friend, Sally Himms, was seated across from her, picking her nails.
"He's good. I just saw him yesterday," she lazily replied. It was two o'clock in the afternoon, and it seemed as though there was nothing at all that was worth their time.
"Are you two still going out?"
"What do you think?" She sneered at her a bit. "Of course we are," she told her seriously, raising her eyebrows.
"You know, rumor has it, you two broke up the end of last year." Courtney was always big on gossip.
"We just went to Ireland together. What does that tell you?" She began to play with her bright blond hair.
Courtney shrugged. Just then, someone came through a stone passageway. He had black hair that was sleeked back and very prominent facial features. Courtney must have known him very well because she jumped up at the sight of him. She ran across the room and threw her arms around him. The next thing she knew, their lips were locked. Sally glared at them - for a long time. The kiss lasted nearly a minute. When they finally pulled away, Courtney said, "Severus, I missed you." She threw back her hair. "Why didn't I see you at the feast?"
"Oh, well, Professor Nampt wanted to discuss a new truth potion that was just discovered. He wanted to know my opinion," he told her proudly.
"You are just - (kiss) - so - (kiss) - smart." It was true. Severus was brilliant when it came to potions. He was, for certain, the top student in that class, perhaps even better than Carmen Willows. However, he knew he was good. This is what kept him from getting the top grade. Eventually, he just stopped trying. He very much liked the in dept conversations with his professor, though.
"I've got to go up to my dorm now. Lucius and I got stuff to do. I'll see you later, though, right?"
"Of course," she smiled. With one last kiss, he went down the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Sally turned to look at the fire.
"So," Courtney sat down again, "what else is new?"
************************************************************************
"Where's James?" Sirius said. It was five o'clock, and James still wasn't back yet. He had gone to the library straight after tryouts and hadn't been seen since. The other five were sitting near the fire in common room.
"He was still in the library when we left, and that was an hour ago," Morgan told him.
"Well, he better hurry up, whatever he's doing. I want to know what he decided."
"Me, too," Lily spoke up. She had been sitting on the floor near the fire, reading a book with Carmen. Actually, she wasn't reading. She couldn't concentrate; she was just as anxious as Sirius.
Seconds after she said this, James entered the room. He looking around, and when he saw them, a mad grin appeared on his face again. "Been doing some research," he nodded as he came to them. "Just finished."
"So do we get your decision now?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows.
"No. I think I'll wait for another few hours."
"Have you decided, though?" Lily asked, looking up at him. Butterflies were turning in her stomach.
"Of course."
"Well, then tell us already!" Sirius spat.
"Okay, okay. Ladies and gentleman," he said running to a table and jumping on top of it. The room went quiet. "I would like to thank the several people who tried out for the keeper. You were all excellent, but I couldn't pick everyone. I know you're all awaiting my choice so here I go." Several people held their breath. "I am very proud to announce that this position is awarded to - "
~ Bum, bum, bum! Want to find out who it is? That's in the next chapter. Who do you think it is? I'd love to hear even though I've already decided. What do you think of Sally now? Oh, I don't like her. Just review!
Thank you to everyone for reading. I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can. Love, Carmen Willows
PS. Devin Jamie, to change your pen name, just log in and go to settings. There is a section there where you can change it. Thanks!
Another PS. 20 days left till Order of Phoenix!