iv. Quidditch Miseries

Hogwarts Second Year

Lyarra was as ready and excited for second year. It was time to Quidditch! Her family was amused to see her antics. She went on and raved that she was going to join the Slytherin Quidditch team just like her father back when he was a second year too. Draco flinched, but quickly masked it up by drinking tea. Astoria just shook her head with a kind smile as Scorpius listened to her with a smile and a nod every few sentences.

Her happy mood for the year was ruined when she bumped into James Potter in the train compartment hallways she was reading a letter from her grandmother. It came early in the morning by owl, and Lyarra just got time to read it now. She got to skim it quickly and found that it was something along the lines of the Ministry Christmas Ball which Lyarra would probably be not attending before it fell as they bumped.

"Watch it, Slimy Slytherin!" He snapped as he dusted off nonexistent dust from his arm. Lyarra rolled her eyes, annoyed, and bent down to pick up her fallen letter.

"Gryffindor prick. You're the one that bumped into me first, Potter." She smoothed her skirt as she stood up again.

James scoffed. "If you have eyes, you would watch where you go. You don't, that's why you have the worst reflexes, Malfoy."

Lyarra actually chuckled in disbelief. She has great reflexes, thank you.

"Well, if you have a well functioning brain, your eyes would process the information that I do have eyes. I was reading a letter. And I do not have the worst reflexes." Lyarra jutted her chin up in challenge. "I have my reasons. What's yours for bumping into me?"

James was surprised by the sense of logic Lysrra judy said back to him. She was not wrong, but he had his reasons for not watching his surroundings either.

"I was looking for my friends. They're already in the compartment. I would already be with them if it weren't for you."

Oh how Lyarra wanted to punch James Potter in his face. And break his nose. And also maybe his eye.

"Aha! Lyarra. There you are! I missed you!"

Lyarra turned around and smiled in delight. "Jemma!"

The two girls hugged in front of James Potter who now stood awkwardly as he watched the scene unfold. Lyarra did a complete 180 in her personality as her mood changed. They detangled from the hug and Jemma turned to James Potter with a frown.

"Why is he here?" Jemma eyed him up and down with a knowing look.

"He bumped into me."

"She bumped into me."

They answered at the same time. The two then glared at each other and Jemma swore could see a trail of lightning from how intense they were looking at each other. But just before they could fight, Jemma quickly cut them off.

"Now now, stop fighting, kids," Jemma stood between the two of them and held her hands out to stop them.

"Let it go."

Their glares turn to her now, and Jemma looked at them both before settling on her friend's eyes. She sighed. Lyarra was so stubborn and she was not going to let it go.

"C'mon, Lyarra. He's not worth it. Let's just find the others and catch up. Maybe you can all tell them how you wish to dominate Quidditch this year!"

James perked up at the word Quidditch. He looked between the two girls amusedly.

"Malfoy's going to dominate Quidditch? Can she even play?"

Lyarra scoffed. "I told you back before first year started that I play."

James actually chuckled and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but can you actually, really play?" He stepped closer to Lyarra to seem bigger. He only got an inch or two to her. "You would probably buy your way in to the Slytherin Quidditch team like your dad did,"

Lyarra actually blinked at that. She didn't know. James noticed and mocked her even more.

"Oh, you didn't know? Your dad bought the whole Slytherin Quidditch team new brooms so he can get in as Seeker. So, knowing your family history I'm not surprised that you would do the same thing. You Slytherins are the same, playing dirty tricks and cheat your way in. Like father like daughter, I suppose--"

Slap!

Lyarra turned to her friend with wide eyes. Jemma Zhang just slapped James Potter in the cheek. She had a mean swing. Jemma turned to Lyarra and pulled her arm.

"C'mon, Lya. The rest are probably waiting. Christophe is a little impatient so we should be probably running along." Not looking back, Jemma led Lyarra along the hallway, James Potter left behind in shock.

Lyarra finally snapped out of her trance and turned to see James holding his cheek. She chuckled to herself and glared at him for insinuating that she would buy herself in to the team.

She'll show him what she can do.

She turned back and laughed at her friend.

"Jem, you should probably come and join the Quidditch team with a swing like that."

"Lya, if I join the team now, I think the only thing I want to do is to swing the ball to Potter's annoying face."

"That's even better!"

The two actually laughed and a door later they were at their compartment.

Fred, Danny, and Terrence looked at James amusedly and with shock as he rubbed his red, hand printed cheek, entering the compartment of the now second year Gryffindors.

"Blimey, James! What happened to you?" Terrence asked in shock.

"You look like you had been slapped by a Slytherin girl," Fred joked. When James gave him a glare, Fred actually gaped.

"Merlin, you really did!"

"Who was it then? Was it Malfoy?" Danny laughed. "She really has a mean swing!"

"No, it wasn't Malfoy." James took a seat next to Fred. "It was her friend, Zhang or something I forgot her name."

"Oh, Jemma Zhang. She's a nice one!" Terrence actually lit up. "She helped me with Potions once."

"She did that because you almost blew up your cauldron, mate. You were exactly behind her." Danny chuckled.

"Oh..."

"Well, she isn't very nice if she slapped me in the face." James said annoyedly. "I'm gonna get back at her,"

"At Zhang?"

"No, at Malfoy. She annoys the hell out of me. She said she'll get in the Quidditch team and dominate Quidditch."

"And knowing how much you hate Malfoy you said something insulting to her that made her best friend slap you." Danny smartly concluded. James shrugged.

"And how will you get back at Malfoy?" Fred asked.

James sighed and closed his eyes to think. What can he do? Steal her notes, blow up her potion, or-- His eyes shot open at a genius idea.

"We prank her. And make her so embarassed she'll get knocked out of her high throne."

"So... Humiliating her in front of whole Hogwarts?" Danny frowned.

"No, but make her a laughing stock."

"That's the same thing."

James shrugged again.

"All is fair in war." He pointed out, leaving the 'love' part. Because he will never love Lyarra Malfoy ever in his life, he declared.

She's going down.

The Slytherin team tryouts were interesting. They had no single girl except for Lyarra, and all of the Slytherins trying out clearly already have their own broomsticks. Their brooms were the newest models, being very fast and has nice qualities. Lyarra hasn't had hers yet, and she thinks that her parents would probably gift her one soon since her birthday was near. They had offered to buy her one before the year started, but Lyarra insisted that she tried out for the team fairly.

But now, looking at the Slytherins around her in the Quidditch pitch, she felt as the odd one out for using the school broom. People complained that it was very slow. How bad can it be? But she started to fidget in sudden nervousness as the Slytherin captain Rawles asked what position was she going for with a raised eyebrow.

"Seeker," She said confidently. Rawles' eyes widened in shock as he assessed her up and down and stared at the broom she was using pointedly.

"Suit yourself. Get in line with the other Seeker wannabes there."

Lyarra nodded. She would just prove to them what she can do. She ignored the stares of other Slytherins as she stood out like a sore thumb. Marvin Flint eyed her hungrily like prey as he instructed the Beater's position. He was already in the team as a Beater. She was so sure that he was aiming for payback.

And so he did.

Unlucky for Flint though, She was fast. Even with the school broom, she managed the impossible. And had nice reflexes, contrary to what James Potter accused her of not having. That git.

She avoided bludgers and managed to catch the snitch in record time, and Lyarra was confident that she would get in the team as their Seeker.

What came in shock for her though was her name being not on the list despite being the best out of the ones in the trials. Rawles had managed to make an all-boys team. The Seeker position was filled in with one of Flint's closest cronies who couldn't even catch sight of the Snitch five feet in front of him.

Lyarra was seething at breakfast. James Potter's happy face only made it worse as he gloated how he got in the team as a Chaser. Fred Weasley was also in the team as a Beater and Danny Wood got in as a reserve Keeper, since the current Quidditch captain was a Keeper. Danny was actually quite fine with it and as long as he can join practice. Lyarra didn't even make it as a reserve.

As she wrote her letter home she went on a lengthy rant about how the Slytherin Quidditch team was very awful and how she didn't get accepted when she was the best Seeker there is.

It affected her the whole week and even the Professors could see how cranky she was.

Lyarra Malfoy hated second year.

James Potter swears he wasn't looking at Lyarra Malfoy. But the way she kept frowning and snapping the whole month was starting to annoy the hell out of him. Usually she was always laughing with her Slytherin friends but the whole first week she was pushing them away because of her wrath. They knowingly gave her space, being the understanding friends they are. But after that, they talked to her again after and all that he could see was disappointment and residual anger in her face.

That aside, James had thought of a great idea for the prank and is on the way of finding a way to execute it, so he found himself following Lyarra Malfoy one Friday night. Fred, Danny, and Terrence had opted out because they were dead tired from Quidditch practice and had hit the sack just before the first game of the year against Slytherin. Fred had teased him that he was obsessed with Lyarra Malfoy.

He wasn't.

It was a surprise to him at first because she didn't get into the Slytherin Quidditch team. Sure, he mocked her in how she was good at the magical sport, but she spoke with such high confidence. He remembers back in the first year flying lessons that she was really fast with the awful school broom. He even thinks that if she did make the team, she would defeat even the Gryffindor Seeker. And that was high praise coming from him.

He hated Lyarra Malfoy, but he kind of respects her dedication to Quidditch.

Like this Friday night.

Malfoy had sneakily gone to the Quidditch pitch with a school broom and the snitch in her hand. James was surprised at the broom choice since he knew Malfoys were rich, but Lyarra Malfoy didn't own a broom.

Fred had overheard Nott and Zabini talking about it too and found out that Lyarra was supposed to get one if she joined the team and not her birthday since her father, Draco, had asked Nott and Zabini to 'spy' on her taste in brooms.

Kind of a pity.

James hid behind the Quidditch stand with a curious look. Malfoy had released the snitch and flew around the pitch with closed eyes like she was already used to it. She seemed calmed and blissful as she flew. He was thankful it was dark out as he didn't want Malfoy to find out he was there.

But just to his luck, after a few minutes of spying the snitch had appeared near the stand and Malfoy had dived down to catch the Snitch.

It appeared in front of him, and just as Malfoy caught the Snitch she looked at him in shock. She stumbled into the stands and fell on top of him.

"Potter?!" She quickly frowned as she tried to stand up, but their limbs were tangled.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She said agast. "Were you spying on me?!"

"Get off me!" James shoved.

"I would if you stay still, you git!"

Lyarra finally managed to untangle herself and sneered as both of them stood up. It was awkward as James got caught spying. Lyarra mumbled curses while she took the fallen school broom beside her. James eyed her thoughtfully.

"Why are you not in the Slytherin team?" James asked out of the blue, surprising himself out of his own curiosity.

"I swear, Potter. I am not in the mood. Can you just--"

"You obviously can fly. I saw you in first year, even with the school broom." James crossed his arms. Lyarra turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Come again?"

"I find it wierd how you didn't get in."

"If you just want to rub it in me how you got in the Gryffindor team-"

"Merlin, Malfoy. No wonder your Slytherin friends have been walking on eggshells with you. You snap at them everytime." James said frustratedly.

Lyarra stepped closer to him with fiery eyes.

"Thank you for unusefully commenting about my life, Potter."

"I don't like you but I've seen you with the broom. You should have made it to the Slytherin team. That current Slytherin seeker can't even see more than five feet in front of him, and he's still bad." James analysed.

"I know, right! Montague has bad eyesight! He has no spatial awareness, he almost got hit by the Bludgers thrice in the trials!" Malfoy ranted as she walked around in frustration. "And I didn't even made it as a reserve! It's blasphemy!"

Lyarra let out a breath, feeling lighter.

"Wow, you must've hold that in for so long." James commented.

"A month," Lyarra mumbled.

The two were silent after that. Lyarra had calmed down and let out the burden from inside her chest. It felt freeing. James sighed.

"I really wished you got in. Us Gryffindors would beat the Slytherin team easily if you were there."

"Oh?" The corners of Lyarra's lips actually went up.

"I just want to fight you in Quidditch. Shame though." James shrugged.

"Thanks, Potter... I guess? That was actually quite nice." Lyarra said softly.

"Well then, I've got to go." James dismissed himself and walked away, making Lyarra semi-confused and semi-thankful for James for at least appreciating her skills. The spying was completely forgotten.

Lyarra looked down to see a pouch fallen in the ground, she took it, and it felt like several marbles was inside.

"Hey, Potter!" She called out.

"What?!" He turned around annoyedly. As civil as their interaction was earlier, he was now annoyed at himself for being 'nice' to her.

"Merlin. No need to be that snappy. You dropped your pouch." She walked to him and passed him his pouch annoyedly.

"Oh... Thanks I guess." He grabbed the pouch. It was his prank idea for the girl in front of him.

"What is it anyways? You like playing with marbles?"

Wait... Now's his chance!

"No," He opened the pouch. "It's rainbow candy. Want some?" He offered as he opened the pouch to her. Inside were wrapped rainbow marble candies. She looked at him suspiciously as if he would poison her.

"Are you being suspicious of me? It's just candy. I did not poison it." He said nonchalantly. "I ate it earlier today."

"Sure, I guess. Thanks." Lyarra took one and opened the wrapper, and put it in her mouth.

"Sweet." She hummed. "Never thought you were a sweet tooth."

"There are things you don't know about me, Malfoy, and I would prefer it to be that way forever." James huffed out.

"Whatever," She rolled her eyes, and actually left the Quidditch pitch first.

James stood watching her go as he pocketed his pouch.

She fell for his genius prank!

"Lya, what happened to your hair?" Sarah gaped as Lyarra sat up from her bed.

"What? I didn't do anything to it." Lyarra replied. Today was game day of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. She should've been playing.

"Um, you might want to look in the mirror, Lya." Jemma gulped as she handed Lyarra her mirror.

Lyarra seethed.

She should have suspected when he was being oddly nice to her. He brushed off that the candy actually did something.

It changed the color of her hair. It was blue before, but now it was red.

"It must have changed colors based on your emotions, Lya." Jemma pointed out smartly, feeling quite amused.

"I will kill James Potter."

A/N

And so the second year begins! Thank you all for reading so far. It's an honor! I really hope you all like my story.

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Thank you all for reading. Please review too! Means a lot to me.