And it only got better.
Athena walked into the commonroom, and saw Jethro, strapping on some very familiar shin-guards. He looked up at her and grinned, standing up and hugging her. He was in deep green and silver robes. The Quidditch uniform.
"I told you you would make it!" She said, laughing and looking him up and down. He grinned and rubbed the back of his neck, turning around and letting her see the big "C" underneath his last name, replacing a number. He was the Captain.
"I didn't think I would have. And I was saved from having to use a school broom... Someone sent me a bloody Firebolt Supreme! Can you believe that!?" He sounded ecstatic, and Athena bit her lips, trying deserately to hold in her laughter.
He looked at her, expecting her to say something. But when it looked like she was about to burst, he caught on quickly.
"Athena?... Athena you didn't. You bloody didn't." He whispered. She looked at him, and a snort of laughter escaped her. And then another. Until her laughter was falling out in hiccoughs.
He stared at her, wide-eyed. Should he be mad that all of his letters returned unanswered, but a bloody broomstick made it's way towards him?
Or should he just be glad she was back, and she cared enough to send him one?
He decided on the latter. With a bit of the first.
"So, all of our letters can return to us, unanswered, but you can send me a broomstick?" He tried not to sound angry, he really did. Athena suddenly shut up, taking a deep breath.
"I never got any letters, Jethro? I thought you all had forrgotten about me?" She sounded genuinely confused, and Jethro looked at her, shocked.
"I must say I sent you at least a hundred!" He exclaimed, and her eyebrows shot up her forhead. His cheeks pinkened.
"Y-You were gone a long time.." He muttered, and she laughed.
"Well, come on then. We'll worry about this later. It looks like you were getting ready for Quidditch practice?" He nodded.
"We're having try-outs. Wanna come?" He asked, and she pondered it. Wait around and mope about not getting any letters, or watch Quidditch?
"I'll get Delilah. I'll be back in a mo' "
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She was sitting on the grass, watching people try out, wincing when someone fell, and hollering when someone got a goal. She really was the best cheering section. She was sitting by when the team walked by her, seeming down.
"What's going on, lads?" She inquired, and they all looked crestfallen.
"All of the seekers are rubbish. None of them caught the Snitch more than once" Muttered Marcus, one of the Beaters. Justin was the other Beater, and a boy she'd never spoken to, a Tyler Ericks a Chaser. They were looking for two more chasers and a Seeker, for Jethro was their Keeper.
"That sucks, mate." She said honestly. She was petting Delilah, when the rabbit hopped out of Athena's lap, sprinting towards where there were brooms laying about. Athena was up and off the ground in seconds. the rabbit swerved, and so did she, and in under a minute, Athena had grabbed the zig-zagging rabbit, holding her and scolding.
She turned back to the boys, and they had grins on their faces.
"Think you can do that in the air?" Tyler said snarkily. He was a bit sexist, she'd learned.
"I can sure as damn well try." She said haughtily. She handed Jethro Delilah's leash, and she marched over to the brooms. After quickly charming her skirt to stay in place, she mentally called to Jethro's broom. When he started to protest, she looked at him, a brow raised. Silently reminding him why he had the broom. He went silent.
The broom lifted to her hand silently, and she mounted it, flying into the air smoothly. She had the opposite of a fear of heights.
She craved it. The feeling of being a hundred feet in the air, wind rushing past her, flying free.
She held the broom steady, straddling it with her knees and pulling her hair up into a low ponytail, continuing to hide her neck, and the sword hilt that lay there.
"I'm releasing the Snitch now, Athena! Are you ready?" Jeth called, and she nodded, grinning at them.
"Always feel free to quit and give up!" Tyler said, sneering at her and crossing his arms. All three of the other boys glared at him.
Jethro released the Snitch, and to their amazement, Athena had her eyes closed.
"What the bloody hell is she doing?" Justing muttered, watching his girlfriend's friend.
"Shh!" Jethro admonished.
Athena was listening. Her Animigi form had given her... tricks. Like a hightened sense of sight... Hearing... A certain craving for meat, too, apparently.
Athena heard it. The slight fluttering of thin, golden wings to her left. Her eyes opened and she saw it.
Then it was the chase. She swerved and ducked, dipped and dived. It was ecstasy for her. Flying without wings. It was almost as good.
She outstretched her hand, grasping the golden ball. She flew down, and all of the boys stared at her.
"What? Was I up there too long?" She said, her face flushed with adrenaline.
"Again." Tyler said angrily. No way in hell had this girl done that, like that. Beginners luck, obviously.
"Okay!" She said giddily.
They watched her closer this time. She sat there, suspended in the air, her eyes closed for a moment. Then her eyes snapped open, her eyes scanning around for the snitch. Her face was expressionless. It came as a surprise to them all when she soared towards the ball. She would be almost... casually looking for the thing, when she'd zoom off in a direction, her face a mask of calmness.
This time she took a bit longer, the Snitch diving and hiding, but she caught it.
"Again!" Tyler snarled. She complied.
They did this four more times. The last time made Jethro's heart leap into his throat.
Tyler was getting angrier and angrier each time, and Athena was staying calm, albeit adrenalized. This time, Tyler was in the air, chasing it with her. He had faked her out a few times, to her chagrin, but she stayed quiet.
Athena sat there, on the broom, when she heard the delicate flutter. Her eyes snapped open, and she scanned around silently. Tyler was leering at her, and she suppressed a sigh. She suddenly saw the snitch, and she veered away from it.
Checkmate.
He followed her, and she turned around, this time actually chasing the tiny golden ball. He was suddenly beside her, muttering explitives. He almost had it, when Athena did something that scared the boys below.
She first lifted one foot, then the other onto her broom. She stood up, keeping her knees bent for balance, and her hand was over the Snitch.
'Steady now... Steady...' She thought, when Tyler slammed into her, causing her to fall...fall...fall... Memories flashed back. Tower. Song. Hospital.
She landed on the ground, her breath knocked out of her, and the three boys were immediately by her, Delilah sitting on her chest and nudging her face.
"Athena! Athena talk to me, something!" Moaned Jethro.
"...Does anyone else feel a case of Deja vu?" She asked, reffering to "The Fall."
They all stared at her, their faces masks of utter horror.
She laughed, and lifted her left hand. In it, fluttered a small golden ball.
Justin and Marcus high-fived, while Jethro just gave her a small shake of his head, a smile upon his face. Until Tyler landed.
"What the bloody hell is your problem, Ericks?" Jethro yelled, marching upto the boy and snatching his broom out of his hand.
"I should kick you off the team! That kind of behaviour is unnacceptable!" He was in Tyler's face, and at the mention at the possibility of him being kicked off of the team, Tylers eyes widened.
Athena got up with some difficulty, groaning at the pain in her back.
"Jeth, please. He was just showing me how bad it would be in an actual game. Be easy." She said, and a look of shock flashed across Tylers face.
"But you got hurt, Athena." Jethro said, his eyes looking sad.
"Jeth. This is a sport. Played high in the air. On broomsticks. With big heavy objects being thrown at you at high velocity. Someone is bound to get hurt." She let her Scottish brogue lilt through her words. It always seemed to calm people and animals alike down.
Justin and Marcus grunted in agreement, and Jethro gave in.
"So, how did I do?" She asked, and they all looked at her, grinning, besides Tyler. Tyler looked chagrinned.
"Well, you caught the snitch in under ten minutes each time. And you even caught it after being thrown off your broom. Athena, we would like to formally ask you to join the Slytherin Quidditch team." Jethro dramatically bowed, and Athena snorted.
"I don't know... I'll have to check my schedule..." She teased.
"Oh. Looks like I'm free. Sure!"
They all grinned and high-fived. Athena shook hands with Tyler, and a mutual understanding was formed between them.