Disclaimer: Just don't.
A/N: this is my 4:03 AM whim. I just finished reading HBP, but the end made me cry REALLY hard, so it ended up I couldn't sleep. So, here I am. Typing at… 4:04 AM. Wish me luk!
NOVEMBER 13 SIXTH YEAR
Scar contemplated the piece of paper posted on the bulletin board. Due a recent prank, Sirius finally achieved his life goal—at only sixteen years of age, too! Having successfully received the most detentions in Hogwarts history, and the nature of the prank that put Sirius on top of the previous record (something to do with charming the Slytherins' chairs to eat their robes, no one was entirely sure), Sirius was banned from Quidditch for the rest of the year. Which was good news and bad news.
The bad news was that Sirius was the best Keeper Gryffindor had seen in a long while, and the Gryffies were afraid of what would happen to their team without him. The good news, was that the times of Sirius's unbeatable record were before Scarlet came to Gryffindor.
So Scarlet decided to try out for the team. She had been Keeper of the Slytherin team, and rumor had it she was going to be named captain in her sixth year. So why not try out for the Gryffindor team? It'd give her something to do.
Scar stood on the field with the other hopeful Keepers. James was walking up and down the ranks, scrutinizing every single Gryffindor. When he got to Scar, she held her head high, hoping he wouldn't notice that her freckles weren't in the same order as they used to be. Or that… ohhhhh… shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.
Of course, it would HAVE to happen RIGHT then. When she blinked, her right contact folded over. She kept her eyes closed, hoping he hadn't seen in that split second. If he had…
"Uh, hold on, I, er, 'ave got zomezing in my eye," she said, turning her back and rearranging the lens. She turned around and gave a confused James her most winning smile. "Well, coppyton? Shall we?"
James grinned. "Alright people! A.J., Riley, and I will each try to get the Quaffle past you twice. I wanna see somebody up there defending those hoops five minutes ago! Slytherin's already scoring! Get on your brooms!" it was then James realized that while nine people were taking off to hover near the hoops, one was missing. He looked up to see Scar in front of the hoops with a bored expression on her face. "How long has she been there?" he asked Aj out of the corner of his mouth.
"Um, she was up there when 'Quaffle' was halfway out of your mouth," she said, giggling.
"Oh. Alrighty, then."
Later, only Scar and two fifth year boys had caught even half of the Quaffles thrown. James sent everyone else away, rather impressed with Scar's abilities. She had caught five of the Quaffles. Mik had actually caught all six. And Max snagged four. Now came the dangerous part.
James called out Trevor Lane and Brandon King (yes, Aj's older brother), the Beaters. To see how well each prospect could dodge Bludgers. James winced in sympathy for the people who were going to get pulverized by his Beaters' supreme aim.
Max went first, wanting to get it over with. He did pretty well, but he got hit twice, and Riley sent him off to the Hospital wing with a pitying look when the second Bludger nearly knocked him into the top box.
And Mik, the dude who was so terrific at saving the Quaffle, was rendered unconscious after 7 seconds of being approximately twenty feet from Trevor and Brandon.
Now it was up to Scar. James didn't realize that he was gripping his clipboard so tight his knuckles turned white until Riley complained that it was creaking under the stress as she miserably failed to hide a grin.
Trevor and Brandon smacked the bludger back and forth amongst themselves. You'd never have known Scar was hovering between them, silently and gracefully dodging the mad Bludger. The two Beaters nodded to James who in turn released the other Bludger. Now there were two of them for Scar to dodge. She looked about as calm as if she were sipping her afternoon tea. Calmer, probably, because afternoon tea generally includes fussy old ladies. Well, she looked like she was having fun, anyways.
"Thank you!" James called. "We'll have results posted in the Common Room this evening.
"Well, that was obvious," said Aj. James grinned.
"Certainly. Not a hard decision at all," he said.
"No, I was talking about you falling for carrot-top." The rest of the team laughed as James blushed, well, scarlet.
"Ha, ha, very funny."
"So, cappy," said Riley. "When's next practice? We've got to shine up our new penny so she's presentable in a single friggin week!"
"Damn you Sirius!" Aj screamed dramatically. Her scream echoed off of the walls of the Sirius-free locker room.
"Don't worry," said Brandon. "We'll whip 'em, no matter what. The badgers of Hufflepuff were never meant to fly."
"Don't get cocky," warned James darkly. "You never know what may happen."
So guess what? Something happened. Peter was having trouble with his potion in :gasp: Potions on Wednesday, so James was trying to help him. Which resulted in Peter's cauldron blowing up. Peter, unfortunately, was saved from the explosion, as he ducked under his desk in time. James, on the other hand… got a complete drenching in none other than… Draught of Living Death, of course!
By Friday afternoon, James was kinda awake. Kinda as in… unable to form too many full sentences. An emergency team meeting was held in the Hospital Wing.
"God, James. You are so fugging unlucky," said Aj, looking at her captain's pitiful condition.
"Shuddup King."
"Aw, you remember me!" Scar grinned in appreciation at how much Aj really was like Shawn.
"Okay," said Trevor. "Our main problem right now is how we're going to find another player TODAY."
"No neeeed. I can plllllay. Juzzzzzz not talllg."
"Whatever you say cappy. But if you can't talk, then we NEED a new cappy," said Aj, rather perky, when you look at the situation they were dealing with. At Scar's confused look, Riley pointed to a pile of chocolate frog wrappers next to Aj. Ah, that made sense.
Everyone looked at everyone else. James was the only true-born leader on the team. Well, that is, until…
"Scar," was the answer that popped out of everyone's mouths in unison.
"Um, in caze 'oo 'aven't noteeced, I am razzer new to zis team," said Scar, startled.
"Yeah, but you're a natural leader. At least, you're a natural bosser-arounder," reasoned Aj. Well, I'm not sure you could call it reason, to be precise…
"You zink I can do eet?" she asked. Everyone nodded. Even little third-year Annie, their Seeker.
"I know you can," murmured James.
"OH MY GOD HE FORMED A COMPLETE SENTENCE!" yelled Brandon, and was hurriedly shushed by the Healer.
Dear GOD, what have you gotten yourself into now, Lils? Scar thought to herself as she walked out onto the Quidditch Pitch. Yep, I'm an idiot.
"And here comes GRYFFINDOR! First, the ravishingly beautiful, gorgeous, and graceful Scar Avens, Captain and Keeper!" came Sirius Black's voice over the magical speaker (hey, he's gotta do SOMETHING to occupy himself!) "Ow, Shawn, quit it! No, I didn't mean it like that! STOP IT! Thank you. And James Potter, who remains second-hottest in Hogwarts, topped only by yours truly, a Marauder, former Captain, and current Chaser! Oh, all right, professor. Only names and positions from here on. Jeez, Don't get your panties in a twist. Where was I? Oh, right. Aj King, Chaser! Riley Tomson, Chaser! Trevor Lane, Beater! Brandon King, Beater! And Annie Gables, Seeker!
"And, of course, the badgers that should have stayed on the ground today. Oh, all right professor. Diggory, Captain and Seeker. Drop, Chaser. Fumble, Chaser. Misst, Chaser. Hula, Keeper. Smak, Beater. "Womp, Beater. Notice how the names of the people handling the Quaffle aren't very lucky… Oh, professor, stop looking at me like that! You know as well as I do what's going to happen today. ANYWAYS!
"The captains are shaking hands. And now they're chatting. Well, it seems to my trained eye that the two Captains are arranging to meet each other for a date next Hogsmeade trip. Okay, that's weird. I think that's the first time that's ever happened. Huh. Idiot Hufflepuffs.
"No, professor! I didn't mean it! Honestly! Give that back! I promise I'll be good?" There were sounds of a tussle as Sirius and McGonagall fought over the magical microphone. Sirius won. "Okay, if everyone is done getting dates, shall we? On Madame Glare's whistle… They're off!
"Of course, the mighty Gryffindor lions start off with the Quaffle! Now it's Potter—King—Tomson—look out there Tomson!" Riley ducked under Misst. "Tomson passes to King—fine broom, she's on, there, that King. Both the Kings are sporting Spanish racing brooms of the finest quality. Not quite as fast as Potter's broom, for… reasons. Uh, anyways, Potter scores!
"And it looks like the Hufflepuff Keeper has fallen from his broom in attempt to stop Potter! I always said not to put badgers in the air… Sorry professor! Anyway, his chums are flying to catch him, while the Gryffindor Chasers seem to be practicing their aiming skills by repeatedly throwing the Quaffle back and forth through the hoops.
"So Hula's mates have caught him, someone caught his broom, and he's headed back up to the goals. Smak and Womp scatter the Chasers. It is now 210-0 Gryffindor!
"It's the Hufflepuff miracle! Drop has seized the Quaffle! Of course, King tossed it to him out of pity, but he caught it! He's slowly making his way over to the Gryffindor hoops as the Gryffie Chasers… what are they doing? It seems as though the Gryffindor Chasers are painting their nails. Well, except for Potter. He seems to be going through a Quidditch magazine.
"Drop has FINALLY reached the hoops! Good going, Drop! Oh, Professor, stop looking at me like that. He throws the Quaffle, and… Avens turns her broom to speak to the older King, her broom tail batting the Quaffle out of the way. She… what the bloody hell are you doing, Scar?" Scar dove to catch the Quaffle. Hell, she was really, REALLY bored. She had gone through a month's worth of Witch Weekly. She looked at the Quaffle in her hands, shrugged, and sped off towards the Hufflepuff goals.
"Well, it seems as though the Gryffindor Keeper is going to… score a goal. Damn, this girl is weird! Oh, shit, sorry for the language, professor. Oh, sorry again! Anyway, I mean, first she makes a date with the other captain, now she's scoring goals. And… yep, 220-0 Gryffindor.
"It seems as though she's under severe Bludger assault, though she's dodging them easily. Avens speeds ahead of the Bludgers towards Lane and older King. She seems to be conversing with them. Well, King, anyway. Lane seems to have fallen asleep on his broom, and King is doing his Transfiguration homework. Look at that professor! Winning the House Cup AND doing his Transfig homework all in one! That's talent.
"It looks like Lane has given Avens his club. Well, actually, they had to wake Lane up for it, but, whatever. Now Avens has a Beater's club. EVERYBODY RUN! She seems to be bouncing a bludger on her club. She has now hit it… Okay, so Avens just hit it at the Slytherin stands. I TOLD YOU TO RUN! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, sorry professor. The Bludger's target seems to have been Lucious Malfoy…
"Oh, would you look at that! It seems as though Annie Gables has caught the Snitch! It looks as though she, too, has freshly painted nails." There was a brief tussle, and Shawn's voice rang out through the stadium.
"Careful Gables! You've done a great job on your nails, you don't want the Snitch's wings to ruin 'em. Could you do mine tomorrow?"
McGonagall grabbed the mic, and gave the final score of 370-0. The entire Gryffie team landed, locked arms, and can-canned into the locker room.
The only damper on James's day, then, was that it was Diggory Scar had a date with next Hogsmeade weekend, not him. But at the moment she was hugging him, so he didn't really care who Amos Diggory was.