Tuesday night came around very quickly and everyone at the Gryffindor table was talking loudly and excitedly about the prospect of a new Quidditch team. Annoyingly, Poppet's broom from home hadn't turned up yet so she was going to have to try out on a school broom. This was a disadvantage to say the least, especially since she was used to riding a Nimbus 3001, which was a fast broom with anti-jinx varnish. The school brooms had not been updated for about 12 years, Poppet had heard. This meant that it was likely she'd be riding a Cleansweep 13 or something equally as appalling.

The lamb stew served at tonight's dinner was going cold on the plates of many at the Gryffindor table. Nerves were being shown. Poppet ate hers up quickly. She will need the energy, she told herself. She was nervous but not as nervous as some of her peers, it seemed. She swallowed a huge mouthful of pumpkin juice and then made her excuses. She wanted to psyche herself up for the tryouts. She put on a pair of sporting robes that her mother had bought for her, just in case she wanted to keep up with the Quidditch. Poppet had told her not to be ridiculous, that she'd never want to play Quidditch at Hogwarts. It was the most cut-throat and brutal school for inter-house Quidditch and she was almost certain before she arrived that she didn't want to play. However, something was pulling her towards playing so she had hastily written to her mother and asked her to send her broom to Hogwarts.

She walked down to the pitch with Roxanne. Roxanne wasn't trying out for the team – despite her mother and her father's talents – because she said she couldn't bear being on the team with James. Poppet laughed but it bothered her that, if she were to make the team, James would be a very demanding Quidditch captain. She wasn't the sort to deal well under immense pressure – although her OWL results told a different story.

The pitch was full of hopeful Gryffindors clutching brooms and huddling in a large semi circle around James who, by his facial expression, was delighting in the attention. "Okay everyone; we are going to start with a quick fly around the pitch to check you all – well – can actually fly. We'll start in groups. Third years..." James scanned the crowd to make sure there was nobody younger trying out "... mount your brooms. Everyone else; stay back."

Poppet took a step back and watched the weedy third years soaring around the pitch. They were okay. None were particular stars. The fourth years and fifth years did the same. Albus – Poppet noticed – was one of the strongest fliers she'd seen all evening. Finally, it was her time to fly. She mounted her broom and kicked off from the ground and soared into the air. The Cleansweep she was riding was okay. It wasn't a patch on her own broom but it did what she needed it to do. She spun around in the air and flew level with the crowd, giving Roxanne a confident smile as she flew up to pass over the hoops and then landed gracefully back on the pitch. James smiled at her and she smiled back, very aware that she'd done quite well.

As she was trying for a chaser position, she soon enough found a Quaffle in her hands and was asked to put it past a keeper. Poppet did so with ease and James flashed her another toothy grin as she landed. Poppet was made to catch and pass the ball between team-mates several times and then James sent all the hopefuls on their way and told them a final team list would be posted later that evening. Poppet went to shower and returned to the common room, where James was sat alone in the corner, scribbling on a piece of parchment.

"You flew well today," Albus said to Poppet as she sat down by the fire, "I will be surprised if James doesn't put you on the team."

"Thanks Al," Poppet replied. She felt nervous that she wasn't as good as some of the other chasers.

"Wannna hear my predictions?" asked Florence. Before anyone could say anything, Florence starting chattering away, "James as seeker. Obviously. You as keeper, Al. Poppet, Lars and that guy Logan in the fifth year as Chasers. Beaters have to be Tom and Rose. That's what I think, anyway."

Albus laughed, "You'll make the team, Flo. You saved one more penalty than me anyway. Plus, I don't mind not being on the team. I have plenty of time after you guys leave to make the team."

Florence gave Albus a friendly smile and then began to enthuse about how hot Tom had looked in his Quidditch attire. Poppet smiled and nodded and Albus, clearly feeling awkward, got up and walked away. They were joined ten minutes later by a flustered Rose Weasley. Her hair was tied in a lose braid and her eyes shone with excitement.

"How d'you think you played, Flo?" Rose asked, "I thought you were amazing!"

Florence blushed and paid Rose a similar compliment in return. James was still sat in the corner, brow furrowed and quietly humming to himself in sheer concentration.

"How's the team looking, James?" Poppet called over. He grunted in response. Flo smiled knowingly at Poppet. Rose made her excuses and headed off out of the common room.

Once she'd left, James stood up and made his way to the notice board. Everyone in the room looked up at him with wild eyes. James smiled weakly and pinned the parchment to the board. He muttered something that sounded like "don't hate me" as everyone in the common room got up and charged towards the board. Poppet was at the front of the surge and her eyes scanned the list hungrily.

GRYFINNDOR QUIDDITCH TEAM

Seeker – JAMES POTTER

Keeper – FLORENCE KREEP

Chasers – TOBIAS HOLT
POPPET HASTINGS
ALBUS POTTER

Beaters – ROSE WEASLEY
BLANE HUGHES

Sorry for any offence caused. I chose who I thought was best. There's always next year (and rogue bludgers to pray for!) x

Poppet was too happy to see her name on the list that at first she didn't notice the drama that seemed to unfold behind her. She was nearly poked in the eye by a large blonde boy who had has wand ready and pointed at James.

"What the fuck do you think you're playing at?" James spat at the boy. James had his wand out now.

"You didn't put Lars and I on the team?" The boy, who Poppet was guessing was Tom, sneered back, "You know we are better than Tobias and Blane. You know that. You know we're better than your brother. But you did that just to spite us. You're nasty, James Potter. And petty. And you think because your dad is famous-"

James snapped. He raised his wand. "STUPEFY!"

Tom shot backwards and hit the back of one of the sofas in the common room. As he was pulling himself up, James shouted "IMMOBULUS!" and Tom was very still. Everyone looked in shock from James to Tom and then back to James.

"I want you all to know," James said, very calmly, "that favouritism did not occur when I was picking the teams. While my brother was an okay keeper, he showed skills of a better chaser. I'm sorry if you think the team I picked is unfair, but it is what I have chosen. Practices are on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8pm and Saturday afternoons from 2-4pm. Goodnight."

Everyone was in shock. Nobody could quite believe what had just happened. Tom was unfrozen and rushed to the hospital wing, as he assumed from the aching in his side that he had broken ribs. After a lot of convincing, he decided not to rat on James to McGonagall for the good of the Quidditch team.

James shyly sat down next to Poppet at the Gryffindor table on Wednesday morning for breakfast. Lars gave him a dirty look as he sat down. James winced as if he was in a great deal of pain and quietly helped himself to a sausage and several pieces of bacon. Poppet watched him carefully.

"Good morning," He said, quietly, pouring coffee into a golden mug in front of him and taking a sip, "Sleep well?"

Roxanne, Poppet, Albus, Florence, Jocelyn, Tobias, Lily and Hugo all stared at James, not speaking. They had been having an animated conversation about last night's events before James had walked into the hall.

"Where's Rose?" James wondered aloud. Again, nobody spoke.

After what seemed like a life-time of silence, the morning post arrived. A letter was dropped in front of James and he opened it. His brow furrowed and he looked across the table at his brother who clearly was aware of the subject matter of the letter as he looked away as soon as James looked up. "Oh... Al. When did you manage to tell them?"

"Last night. I sent an owl after try-outs to tell them I made the team. And... what you had done kind of... came out," Albus said in a very small voice.

"Mum's angry," James said, quietly. He folded the letter away and slipped it in his pocket, "but that's to be expected. Dad's input was not to abuse my position. I don't think I am."Nobody said anything. James was starting to get irritated. "Stop sitting around in shocked silence. I know I did a bad thing. I know it. I have said sorry to Tom. You're meant to be my friends and family. Stop acting like you've never seen someone be jinxed before. You're a load of losers." He got up from the table and Poppet didn't see him again until Potions that afternoon.

After Potions, Roxanne and Poppet made their way down to the Greenhouses for Herbology. A usual walk for the two but usually they were accompanied by James. Today they were not. He stormed ahead of them out of the classroom and stomped angrily up the stairs from the Dungeons.

"You know, he's on thin ice, that boy," Poppet said, "he's burned his bridges with his best mates and now us. What's he going to do with no friends?"

Roxanne shook her head, "I don't know. He's always been like this. He'll come crawling back to her. He's cancelled Quidditch tonight, you know."

"I'm not surprised," Poppet said, "Tobias and Blane are the only ones on the team not pissed off with him."

Roxanne sighed, "In the fourth year, he fell out with Lars and Tom. He made the Quidditch team and they didn't, so they got mad. He was being cocky and they couldn't stand him anymore so they stopped talking."

"Quidditch causes so many rows here," Poppet had noticed.

"It's foul how seriously they take it," Roxanne was suddenly angry, "it's just a bloody game but it ruins friendships all the time."

Popped nodded. She'd noticed. It seemed literally insane to her that a game could cause so much disruption in relationships. Roxanne went on to tell Poppet about a time where James had a girlfriend. Last year he was dating a girl called Jeanette Fields from Ravenclaw. They'd been dating a few months, James had even told his parents about her, but they broken up in a horrible, public row after Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor at Quidditch.

"Terrible game," said Roxanne as she opened the greenhouse door. Professor Longbottom smiled at them all and began to teach. The whole time James gave Roxanne and Poppet dirty looks.

On the way to dinner that night Albus made an observation. "Rose isn't with us again."

"I haven't seen her all day," Lily said, quietly.

"Last I saw of her was DADA before lunch," Albus sighed, "I don't know where she disappears off to these days."

Poppet shrugged. The group discussion turned into favourite jinxes.

Dinner that night was quiet and calm without James. Preferable for some but Poppet missed the banterous family rows that occurred when he and Roxanne were ever together; bringing up incriminating acts each other had done when they were younger, much to the horror of James' siblings. The chicken in a sauce that they had been served was delicious as to be expected. Rose appeared and tucked in, acting as if she hadn't just gone missing for hours.

"Where did you go this afternoon?" Albus asked.

"I was in the library, after Ancient Runes. I have a lot of studying to do. It's OWLs next year and I won't be happy with anything less than ten Outstandings!" Rose said, quickly.

"You really are your mother's daughter," chuckled Professor Longbottom as he walked past on his way to the teacher's table.

Rose looked around and beamed at him. "Thanks, Professor."

Poppet would have hated to be called her mother's daughter. But if her mum was anything as badass as Hermione Weasley she guessed she wouldn't mind.

AN: So, James is an ass but we kinda gauged that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Who's hiding something? And what are they hiding? Guesses are loved! I've added in some more OCs because I needed to liven it up a bit. Lars, Tom, Blane and Tobias. And Jeanette. You'll get to know more about these characters as the fic develops. Until then, thanks for reading!