Chapter Five: Quiddich Trials
Thanks again Harry-Potter-Magic for reviewing.
James strode to the Quidditch Field, letting his worries about his brother, puzzles about Malfoy, questions from the dream, and that nagging inner fear drift away. Flying was his territory, that much was for certain. He could happily play for as long as those poor souls who got stuck on a Scottish Moor for three months playing Quidditch. Up ahead he could see Elsie Wood scaring a bunch of first-years off the field.
Elsie Wood was certainly crazy. There was no other Quidditch captain in history who had ordered a seeker to fly directly into the announcer, referee, and charms teacher for a glint which may or may not have been the snitch. Now, don't get me wrong, Elsie didn't cheat, so to speak. She just went beyond the limits of laws, physics, magic, and human endurance.
"Lo, James," She said happily, turning away from a terrified student, "How was your holiday? I hope you've practiced over the summer. That way we can get this fresh meat into shape. I can't believe that the other two starting chasers just quit. Honestly, if you want to play Quidditch then you have to play it, if you know what I mean."
"Don't worry Elsie," James reassured her, not wanting to have an insane Quidditch captain on his head along with all his other problems, "I've been practicing a lot at the Burrow."
Elsie just sniffed, unwilling to believe him until she saw proof. Typical Elsie.
"I've looked at this years crop of firsties. That Lonna kid, did you see him in Charms? Fast reflexes, a seeker for sure. And Kelly, Kelly Vern, her mom was a chaser for the Balleycastle Bats. And the Malfoy, his dad was a seeker, but he looks more like a chaser to me."
James snorted and shook his head. Overlooking everything except Quidditch playing ability. That was typical of Elsie.
Elsie turned around and for the first time seemed to see all the students waiting for the tryout to begin.
"Alright, you scum! I want a score of laps around this here track, and I want it done before I finish telling the old players our game plan. What are you all staring at? Get moving!"
The older players gathered around the game sheet, as Elsie began exercising her vocal cords on the trainees. It is really amazing how many words you can add to the word 'faster'.
James, looked over the form quickly, realized it was last year's, and decided not to draw Elsie's attention to the fact. This may or may not have to do with the fact that she was currently screaming herself hoarse at a cluster of fourth-years who had dropped out at the fifteenth lap.
He sat down on the bleachers, as Elsie sent the exhausted potentials into the air, for acrobatic training and such. He was leaning against the corner of the bleachers, when he heard voices coming from under there.
"Do you think it's possible?" a low, hoarse, and oddly familiar voice sounded.
"I don't doubt it,"
James blinked. Both voices sounded slightly familiar but he just couldn't pinpoint them.
"As long as Malfoy cooperates this should be fine." a third voice said, sounding bored. Patricia Ruis.
"Do you think he will?" the unknown voice asked.
"Of course," Ruis replied, "He has to."
"Has to?"
James gasped. That was his brother's voice!
"But of course. Why wouldn't you join a group as cool as this?" a voice grunted.
Though Albus stopped protesting, James was thinking. He stayed in the shadows and watched as Albus Potter, Patricia Ruis, and the Goyle girl (Pheobe wasn't it?) came out from under the bleachers.
He stayed there until they were long gone, and Wood had to call his name three times before he heard it, and came to meet the new team.
James was quiet as he shook hands with the two new chasers (Martha's sister Elizabeth and a third year named Jason Hertz). Luckily none of the team noticed his silence. That could be because of the spectacle Elsie was making as she tore the changing room apart in search of the missing game plan. It was fairly vital that she find it, because the first game of the year was coming up in a month. Griffindor vs. Ravenclaw, their biggest rivals on the quidditch field, in part due to their amazing strategy.
Fred's partner in beating was a burly seventh year who didn't believe in being partners with anyone, despite sucking at his position. You don't want to know the state of the others who tried out. No wonder Elsie was scanning firsties with some level of desperation. You sort of have to feel sorry for her.
If the team had not been so focused on their own woes, they may have seen a huddle of Slytherins, alarmingly close to the stands. They could have seen a hunched shape skitter to the castle. And if they had looked up, they would have seen a lone figure on the stands. It looked as though Malfoy was just finishing an essay, but the gleam in his eye suggested something darker.
Something was up at Hogwarts, and Malfoy, Ruis, Goyle, and, both Potters (sadly) were right at the center.