Eyes squeezed shut. Hands shaking. Drowning beneath waves of fear.

Then, a warm hand on his shoulder.

"James…"

"I can't." James voice shook. His eyes filled with water. "I can't." He shook his head furiously, dropping the broom and backing away. He buried his face in his hands. "I'm n-not b-brave en – n - nough."

Harry kneeled down in front of his eldest son, who was only seven years old. He cupped James's cheeks in his hands, lifting his face up gently.

"P-please d-don't tell mum." James stuttered through his tears. He tried wiping the water from his face.

"Try again."

"I c-can't."

"I'll hold you."

"Dad…"

"Try. I won't let go of you." James held his breath for a couple seconds.

"Promise?" He finally asked.

"Promise."

"…Okay."

He squeezed his eyes shut and awkwardly mounted the broom with his father's help, stumbling slightly because he couldn't see.

His father's hands never left his back. He took a deep breath and willed himself to fly.

Nothing happened.

"It isn't work – " James gasped when he opened his eyes. He was gently hovering over the grass. Soon, his feet once again touched the ground.

"Dad!" James dropped the broom and grabbed his dad's hand, shaking it up and down. "I was flying! Did you see that? I was flying!"

Harry laughed and gathered his son in his arms. He pressed his cheek to his son's and held him close.

"I knew you would."

"So did I!"

Harry pulled away, amused. James looked down, blushing but smiling softly.

"I need to keep an eye on you. One day you might just fly away." James's eyes widened. He threw himself back into his dad's arms.

"I won't ever leave you dad. I need you!"

"That's for sure."

X

"No higher than that bush."

"But dad…"

"You heard me." Rose pouted, but excitement shined in her eyes. She pressed her hands together, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Rose…" Ron shifted, avoiding his beloved daughter's pleading eyes.

"Pleeaassee…" Rose grinned, knowing she had her dad wrapped around her little finger. Ron sighed, rubbing his face, smiling slightly against his will.

"No higher than the tree." Rose squealed, throwing her seven-year-old arms around her father's waist. Before he could hug her, she let go and sprinted to her room. She mounted it and launched herself upward, screaming with delight.

"Rose!" Ron grabbed his own broom. "I said no higher than the tree!"

X

"Come one Al!" James laughed, sticking out his tongue before shooting forward, flying up the hill.

"Ignore him." Ginny grinned, tying her hair back in a ponytail. Al's knees shook.

"Mum…" He gulped, backing away. Ginny leaned forward and grabbed his tiny hand with hers.

"Do you trust me?" She asked. His emerald eyes widened, but after a few seconds he slowly nodded.

"Good. Because I promise I won't let you go." Ginny picked up the small broom beside them.

"No." Al shook his head fiercely. He wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. "I won't let you go."

X

"Dad…" Scorpius stood awkwardly beside the open door of his father's office.

"One moment Scorpius." His father was hunched over his desk, examining some papers. Scorpius waited for a couple minutes, trying to find something interesting in the almost empty, white room. He did not succeed. Finally, his father but his pen down and got up. His weary eyes crinkled as he smiled at his son. He kneeled down in front of Scorpius, not letting his knees touch the ground.

"What is it?"

"Well… I was wondering…" Scorpius's words quickened with excitement. "If you would teach me how to fly?" Draco's heart sank in his chest. He remembered his own father yelling at him about how he wasn't good enough, not even at flying. He remembered the games when he felt like he was going to throw up, and didn't want to fly at all, but pretended to be arrogant and self-satisfied anyway.

"Scorpius… maybe that's not the best idea. I have some… bad memories with flying. Besides, I'm not… very good." Draco wasn't just talking about the flying, but his heart broke when Scorpius's face fell.

"But…" Hope lit up in Scorpius's eyes. "I'll… I…I'll take you to your aunt Daphne's. She'll teach you how to fly. She… she liked to. And she's much better at it than me."

"Oh." Scorpius swallowed, looking away. "Okay. Sure. Thank you… father."

Draco started crying the moment Scorpius left.

Rose shoved a spoon of mash potatoes into her mouth, chewing loudly and grabbing a handful of chips with the other hand. Al was gulping down sausages one after the other. Scorpius watched, faintly nauseated.

"Potter – Weasley manners." He shuddered, tearing his eyes away from the ghastly sight with some difficulty. Al laughed, drops of spit flying from his mouth unto Scorpius. Scorpius wrinkled his nose, wiping his face with a napkin.

"Oh come on Scorp," Al slurped down some pumpkin juice. "You're starting to sound like a Malfoy."

"I am a Malfoy. And Scorp?"

"Well Scorpius is a bit of a mouthful, isn't it?"

"I… I guess…"

"I've been thinking." Rose began after wiping her face with the back of her sleeve. She put down her fork, straightening her back as she did so.

"Is that supposed to surprise us?" Scorpius asked. Rose shoved him playfully. But then her face became more serious.

"I was thinking that we should all try out for the Quidditch team. Together." She added the last word hastily, looking away. "It would be a good opportunity to try something new. Go out on a limb." She tucked a curl behind her ear. "We might even surprise ourselves." Scorpius was momentarily surprised by the nervousness in her eyes.

Al's face brightened. "That's a great idea! That way when we all fail, we'll be sad and embarrassed together!" Rose crinkled her eyebrows.

"Well… the aim is to make the team…" She reminded him. Scorpius picked at a couple of crumbs in his plate, rolling them between his pale fingertips.

"If you want to try out Rose, just do it. Why do you need us?"

"I want to try out too!" Al crossed his arms.

"Great. Both of you can try out then. I'll be cheering you on." Al's jaw dropped.

"Why don't you wanna try out?" Scorpius shrugged casually.

"I don't really like Quidditch." He picked up a tart and examined it. Al gasped, backing away.

"I mean," Scorpius amended, "I like watching it. Talking about it. But I don't have much of a desire to play it myself." Rose leaned forward and looked into his eyes. Scorpius avoided her gaze, reaching forward to grab another sausage. Rose slapped his hand.

"Hey!" Rose ignored him.

"You're lying." She told him. "You want to try out."

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No." Rose smiled.

"Yes – wait, what?"

"You want to try out." Rose began again, smirking. "You're just scared of messing up."

"I'm not scared!"

"Yes you are. You're scared of everyone laughing at you."

"I told you, I'm not scared!"

"Then prove it." Scorpius leaned back, annoyed.

"Look, we probably won't even make the team." Al added. "We're only second years, going against those huge fifth and sixth years. It'll just be fun. When we come back, we'll laugh at how bad we did and how funny it was. And we'll celebrate when we learn James made the team."

"Exactly." Rose nodded her head, looking very pleased with herself. "So it's final. We'll all try out on Saturday morning."

"Why do I even bother anymore?" Scorpius grumbled.

"That's what I was wondering!" Rose laughed.

"You should eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Just a sausage."

"I'm not hungry."

"You need your strength."

"I'm. Not. Hungry."

"I know you're nervous, but – "

"I'm not nervous!" James snapped. Sara raised her eyebrows. "I'm not! Quit pestering me!"

"Alright, fine. Good luck." Sara picked up her bag and pulled herself up from the table. James eyes flew open.

"Wait, what? No, don't leave!" Sara stared. James scratched his neck. "Who else am I supposed to insult without offending them?"

"Who says I'm not offended?"

"I need someone to argue with… to you know… keep me on my game. Keep my reflexes strong."

"That makes no sense."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn't."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn't."

"See? Besides, what do you have to do anyway? Do you have plans to hang out with all those nonexistent friends you have?" Sara blinked.

"Wow James… I really want to help you now…" She snorted sardonically, crossing her arms.

"You know it's true. The saddest thing is, I'm probably the closest thing you have to a friend."

"Goodbye James."

"Wait wait wait!" James grabbed her arm hastily. "Sorry." Sara raised her eyebrows in shock (he never apologized). "It's the anxiety talking."

"I thought you weren't anxious?" James opened his mouth, then closed it. Sara threw her head back and laughed.

"Just this once." She said as she sat back down. She plucked a sausage from the food she had dumped on his previously empty plate, smiling as she chewed it. "Because you're nervous."

"I'm not nervous!" But he groaned, leaning forward and resting his forehead on his hands on the table.

"You've practised almost every day for the past year." She reminded him. "You've worked for it."

"Wow, a compliment." James's voice was muffled.

"Savor it. You're not getting another one."

Scorpius stomped up to where they were and threw himself down on the other side of the table, across from them. He was also dressed in red Quidditch robes. He also groaned, leaning forward and resting his forehead on his hands on the table.

"You're trying out too Scorpius?" Sara sounded excited. Scorpius grunted.

"That's great! What position are you going for?" Scorpius grunted again.

Sara looked back and forth between her black haired nemesis and her blond haired friend.

"And they said Potters and Malfoys have nothing in common." She seemed amused.

Al and Rose walked up in their Quidditch gear, setting themselves down beside Scorpius.

"Morning!" Al chirped, ruffling Scorpius's hair, "Ready to fail?"

"Yes." James muttered. Al rolled his eyes.

"Not you stupid. Us."

"You're all trying out!" Sara grinned, clapping her hands. Rose smiled tightly. Her back was straight and she was trying to look calm, but her silence was enough to expose her anxiety.

Sara grabbed some plates, loading them to the brim with food, shoving them in front of the trio. She began reciting optimistic words of encouragement and reminders for positivity.

"And remember, one shot doesn't decided everything. So if you make a mistake once, don't let it affect your confidence. You abilities aren't determined by – "

"Sara?" James finally lifted his head, blinking wearily.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Sara glared.

"Agreed." Scorpius also lifted his head, rubbing his face. Sara pursed her lips, struggling to remember they were scared.

"Alright. Sorry. Sort of." She scratched her neck. "Just remember…" She turned to Rose. "You three are only second years. There are a bunch of kids who are much older, with a lot more experience. So don't feel discouraged – "

"When we don't make it." Rose sighed.

"Not when." Sara said pointedly. "If. You're twelve. You're good now, and by the time you're 15 or 16, you'll be outstanding."

"Yay." Scorpius remarked sullenly.

Fred suddenly sprinted in, falling into James and wrapping his arms around his cousin in a bear hug.

"Sorry I'm late!" He was breathless. "Just finishing my present for you when you make the team." James looked queasy at those words.

Al looked at his watch. "We should get going." He voice was without a trace of nervousness.

Rose dragged Scorpius up, running after Al. James got up reluctantly, grabbing his bag and moving slowly with Fred behind him.

"Good luck!" Sara called after them.

James turned and flashed a weak smile. "Luck?" He snorted half – heartedly, "I don't need luck." But his legs shook as he began to make his way out of the great hall.

"Quidditch," Dominique began, "Is more than just a game." Her flaming hair, cut carelessly and close to her head, was drenched with sweat. Her muscular figure rippled beneath her athletic shorts and shirt (she didn't wear Quidditch robes when practising). Some of the boys in the back were ogling at her long legs. Dominique paid them no heed.

"If you're here because you think it'll get you some attention or a date to Hogsmeade or because you think you can be a half decent player without trying too hard, I suggest you leave before you make an absolute fool out of yourself."

Faint whispers rippled over the crowd. She spun around sharply to face them. Her blue eyes crackled with electricity.

"Does this surprise you?" No one answered. Most of them avoided her gaze. James didn't. Neither did Janice or Jessica Jones, two twins in the year above him. Dominique waited for a couple seconds, before continuing.

"We have four positions open – two beaters, one chaser, one keeper, and one seeker. And the only people who will be filling those positions, are the ones who are willing to work day and night, without break if I ask them to. The ones who are willing to get up at 2 in the morning and play until 12 at night. The ones who care about it more than they care about food or school or sleep. The ones who won't just listen to what I tell them to do, but will bring their own ideas and insights to the games. The ones who live and breathe the Quidditch pitch."

"She needs to chill." A fifth year boy muttered.

"Thomas is disqualified. Off the pitch." His jaw dropped.

"But – "

"You had your chance. I don't have the time to waste it with people who aren't dedicated."

Al coughed. The whisperings sprung up again. James's eyes shined, and he gripped his broom tightly with anticipation.

"Like you know, beaters can only try out in pairs. You're being ranked on your team cohesion as much as your abilities. So if you don't have a partner and you're trying out to be a beater, either find one in the next 30 seconds or leave." After a couple of seconds, one boy sighed and walked off the pitch, dragging is broom over the dirt.

"Alright then." Dominique smirked. "Let's see which of you have a death wish!"

First Exercise: Flying around the pitch at the same speed until she told them to stop.

10 minutes.

20 minutes: three people dropped out, grumbling and glaring.

30 minutes: six more dropped out.

40 minutes.

50 minutes: ten more people stopped.

55 minutes: two people dropped out.

59 minutes 20 seconds: one last person dropped out.

1 hour: "TIME!"

Only sixteen people were left.

"That narrows it down." Dominique smiled.

X

Second Exercise: Resilience workout (Push Ups, Lunges, Sit Ups, Squats, and Burpees)

Two more people dropped out mid way through.

A couple minutes later, so did Al. He wasn't very upset. He flashed a thumbs up to his friends. Rose's face was as red as a tomato. Scorpius's robes were drenched with sweat. They smiled weakly.

James was panting furiously, but refused to let his focus drift.

One of the fourth year boys who dropped out sat next to Al on the spectator's stand. He crossed his arms and pouted.

"What does this have to do with Quidditch?"

"I think that explains why you aren't taking the team." Al patted his back good-naturedly.

X

Third Exercise: Strategy Exercise. Everyone was given a paper with a situation and diagram of the formation of all the players in a game. They were asked to write down what they would have everyone do.

Dominique took them in her arms. She would look at them after the other exercises.

X

Fourth Exercise: Meditation for fifteen minutes. Break for another fifteen minutes.

This confused everyone. Dominique rolled her eyes.

"Well I don't want to murder you!"

Many people started coughing and avoiding her gaze again.

X

Fifth Exercise: Playing as a beater, chaser, keeper or seeker.

Scorpius tried out as a seeker. He missed three snitches out of ten, but he caught the most difficult one.

Rose tried out as keeper. She saved eight quaffles out of ten.

James tried out as chaser. He was flawless until the end – in the last minute he faltered and missed the last catch. He wouldn't forgive himself.

"I didn't make it."

"James, you only missed one catch."

"Doesn't matter. I didn't make it."

After ten minutes, they stopped trying to convince him otherwise.

Dominique took a swig from a water bottle. She examined her clipboard, looking very pleased.

"I want you all to know that it wasn't just how many goals someone saved or how many snitches they caught which determined who made the team. It also had to do with your strategy and resilience. But your Quidditch abilities did matter."

Many peoples' breath quickened. Everyone tensed up, waiting for the results.

"Beaters are Janice and Jessica Jones. Chaser is James Potter." James gasped softly. Scorpius, Rose, and Al grinned, along with many others. A couple bitter fifth years started muttering about favoritism. "Keeper is Douglass Miller." Rose sighed, disappointment flashing over her face, even though the boy chosen was a sixth year. Scorpius grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She smiled up at him sadly. Dominique paused for a minute. "Seeker is Scorpius Malfoy." Most people gasped. Rose dropped his hand.

"He can't be on the team!"

"He'll throw the game on purpose so Slytherin can win!"

"He's not a Gryffindor!"

"Cheater!"

"Liar!"

"Shut your face!" Al sprinted forward from the benches, throwing his arm around Scorpius's shoulder. Scorpius didn't register any of it. His face was blank with shock.

"OI!" Dominique hollered, her powerful voice voice silencing the crowd. "SEEKER IS SCORPIUS MALFOY!" She shook her head. "If you have a problem, I don't particularly care."

Everyone began spilling out, some casting dark glances at him.

Rose looked away. When she turned back to face him she was smiling widely, but Scorpius could tell it was forced.

"Good job Scorpius!" She attempted. After some hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, but not as tightly as she usually did. "I'm so proud of you."

"I'm so sorry."

"Why?" Her second smile was so genuine. "You deserved it." Scorpius opened his mouth to argue.

"Stop." Rose swallowed. "You did. You do. And you're gonna lead Gryffindor to victory." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Come on!" Al pushed them both forward. "Let's go celebrate!"

But looking at Rose's discouraged face, Scorpius didn't feel like celebrating.

Hey! I'm so so sorry I haven't been able to update. I had exams (and since I had midterms, I had to write seven exams). Thank you so much for the reviews and support while I was gone! I'm always amazed by it!

I really hope you liked this chapter! I have a goal to get to 85 reviews before I post the next chapter ... it would be great if you could all help me out!

What other characters do you want to see?