CHAPTER TWENTY
That Monday marked the start of classes, which gave them all a good weekend break to catch up. Jane rolled out of bed, groggy from that previous night's late trek to the kitchens with James and his new invisibility cloak, which everyone else had already had a go at. The cloak, unfortunately, could not cover all five of them at the same time.
Unsurprisingly, Jane wasn't hungry for breakfast, but she got dressed and went down to the Great Hall with the boys anyway. Once again, Professor McGonagall placed their timetables in their hands and walked away to find other students. Jane took one look at the schedule and groaned.
"What are you upset about?" Remus asked, looking delighted. "We get Monday afternoons off."
Jane pointed to their first class.
"How on earth am I supposed to ever start my week off good, if History of Magic is my first class on Monday morning?" she whined; she was already not inclined to like Mondays as it was.
"Yeah, followed by Potions with Slytherin," Peter said, looking at his schedule as they sat down.
Just then, a seventh-year boy, whom Jane knew to be the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, passed by them. Jane grew nervous thinking of what was to come.
"Hey, guys, about Quidditch try-outs, I don't think—"
"No, none of that again," Sirius said, his mouth already half full of food.
"Honestly, guys, try-outs are Friday, and I haven't gotten to practise all summer!" she complained.
"You'll do fine, Jane," James said, waving her off dismissively.
"I'm gonna make a fool of myself!" she exclaimed.
"No, you won't," James argued.
"Look, Janie, even if you do make a fool out of yourself, you're not going to be the worst one out there."
"For some reason, that doesn't make me feel any better," Jane said, rolling her eyes.
"I can't do this."
Friday had come, and Jane was ready to puke. They had practised some after lunch on Monday and a little after classes Tuesday through Thursday, but she still didn't feel like she was ready.
"Shut up already!" Sirius said, frustrated from having to listen to her complaints and protests all week long.
"Look, Jane, you'll be fine," James assured.
"But I—"
"Fine!" Sirius said, throwing his hands up. "We've had to listen to you all week! If you wanna back out, then fine. But I'll have you know that I'm gonna take the mickey out of you for being a quitter for the rest of your life."
"You're not helping," James scolded Sirius. James turned his attention back to Jane.
"Look, you're a good flyer, Jane."
"Yeah, but they're probably better," Jane mumbled, talking about the other Gryffindors trying out for the team. Sirius rolled his eyes.
"You don't know that," James said.
"And besides, just because someone may be better than you, you're just not going to try? That's ridiculous," Sirius said.
Jane looked at the ground. They didn't understand. They were good at everything. She wasn't.
"Say that you don't make the team; what's the worst that could actually happen?" James asked.
"I might get made fun of," she said quietly; it felt stupid to say aloud, and she supposed that was the point.
"First of all, since when do we let anyone make fun of you, besides us?" Sirius butted in. "And second of all, how many of these people do you actually talk to? It's not like they really know you. So, what should you care what they think?"
Jane looked around. She knew some of the people by name, but half of them she had never really talked to. Most of the friends she had were in her own year, and she, Sirius, and James were the only second years trying out for the team.
"Look, just do your best. You'll do fine; I promise," James said.
"I need everyone going out for Chaser lined up in three equal lines over there! Beaters, two equal lines over there, and Keepers, over there!" the captain said, pointing people to where they needed to go.
Sirius threw his broom over his shoulders and walked away with his Beater's bat swinging from one hand. James, who had started to walk to where the other Chasers were standing, turned back to look at Jane, who still hadn't moved. She looked at him, chewing the inside of her lip nervously.
"It'll be okay," he said, motioning for her to follow.
He smiled at her, a very kind and reassuring smile that made Jane a little less anxious. She half-smiled back and followed him. After all, they were right; she should at least try.
"Name?" asked a girl, who Jane recognised as a Gryffindor fifth year that usually commentated on the Quidditch games.
"Jane Hensworth."
"Hensworth, fifteen," the girl said as she scribbled something on a piece of parchment and gave Jane a number to pin to her robes.
After everyone got sorted out with names and numbers, try-outs started. First, they did a few flying drills, such as weaving in and out of goal posts, shooting across the pitch to turn at a certain spot without losing balance, stuff like that. It was to test their agility and balance and speed, and Jane did pretty well at that. However, when the Quaffle got involved, Jane was a little less than perfect. Twice when someone threw her the ball, Jane flew right past it. Once, while trying to throw it through a goal post, she missed dreadfully. After that, she got progressively better. And much to her surprise, and relief, she was doing really well compared to some of the others out there.
Unsurprisingly, James and Sirius were perfect, which both infuriated Jane and made her happy at the same time. She knew she was just jealous.
Finally, when all was said and done, everyone was clustered together around Marcus Johnson, the Seeker and Quidditch captain. He held a list in his hand.
"Okay, so here are the names of our new Quidditch team. If I don't call your name, please stick around because I need to announce the alternates as well, and I don't feel like tracking you down."
James put an arm around Jane's shoulder. She cringed at the contact and ducked out from under him.
"Don't do that; you're all sweaty."
"So are you," he pointed out.
"I know, but still," she said. He just laughed at her.
"Our new Keeper is number seven, Will MacGregor," announced Johnson.
A good looking, sandy-haired boy with freckles walked forward. He was a year above Jane.
"Returning as Beater, number twenty-four, Candice Michaels, and our new Beater, number twenty-two, Sirius Black."
Sirius grinned, and James clapped him on the back. Jane smiled as he walked forward with a fifth-year girl.
"Returning Chasers, number seventeen, Mitchell Cason, and number thirteen, Kennedy Cheever. And our new Chaser, number fourteen, James Potter."
Jane smiled. She really was happy for him. Sure, she didn't make the team, but she still had a good time, and at least she had tried.
"Good job," she said to James before he walked forward with a boy and a girl that were both in their seventh year.
"Okay, okay, everyone settle down," Johnson said to the people clapping and congratulating their friends.
"All right, now for alternates. Alternate Seeker, based off of today's flying skills, will also be number fourteen, James Potter. We'll talk about that more at practice," he said, looking at James.
Jane smiled. James was a really great flyer.
"Alternate Keeper, number five, Casey Jackson. Alternate Beater, number twenty-six, Karl Mackey, and alternate Chaser, number fifteen, Jane Hensworth."
Jane couldn't believe her ears. She was an alternate? She almost jumped for joy. She knew the possibility of her actually getting to play in a game was probably very slim, but Johnson had to have thought she at least had some potential if he made her an alternate.
She smiled. And to think that she had not even wanted to try out.