CHAPTER 4! YAY! Kinda short, but hey I've written shorter and this chapter started the drama. Finally...
Next chapter will be longer! Promise. But only if you guys review! Since you guys don't review I feel like you don't like the story and I'm wondering if I should even continue...
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Most of the next day was spent in a sugar-induced coma. Others might say that I had had one too many candies last night, but I'd like to think that a girl could never have too many Chocolate Frogs. By they time I got through my day and made it to dinner, my grogginess had worn off, but for some reason I couldn't stand the sight of the treacle tart.
"Rose," Lily mumbled through her mouthful of mince pie, "What's got your knickers in a twist? Don't recall ever seeing you turn down dessert." She stuffed her face with another forkful and raised her eyebrows.
"Well, it better not be nerves! I need my star chaser to help reel in that contract," James laughed, nudging my in the side. "Oh, which reminds me, we have practice tomorrow on the pitch. Seven o'clock sharp!"
"James—"
"—and I don't mean in the locker room by seven. I mean suited up and ready to get your arse in gear."
"James—"
"—I can't lose this. And that means that you and all of the other players, family or not, are going to be putting a hundred percent into this. Any less than that and we might as well hand it over to those wankers over at Slytherin. And I will not let some Death-Eaters-in-training steal what…"
I sighed. Deciding that sitting there and nodding was probably my best option because once you get James started it is almost impossible to get him to stop. Unless it involves a girl. Or the possible chance at corrupting the Hogwarts youth.
Across from me, Lily was slouched and wearing a prominent frown. Her chocolate eyes appeared to be shooting daggers my way. "What happened to our deal," she hissed.
"I'm sorry. I haven't told him," I mouthed and gestured towards James who continued his ongoing babble.
"—and do you think Bilderfudd will want us in regulation Quidditch robes? Or do you assume he'll just be expecting us to wander onto the pitch with trousers and knit sweaters?"
She glowered at me and before polishing off the last of her meal whispered, "You have to talk to him."
I nodded, knowing what I had to do and knowing that it was the last thing I wanted to do.
I rummaged around in my cluttered trunk, sorting through my clothes and shoes in hopes of finding my Quidditch gloves. It was already quarter 'til and if I was late James was going to have my head. Slumping onto my knees, I let out a groan and slammed my trunk closed.
"Looking for these?"
My eyes drifted away from mess I had produced on the floor and towards a smirking Lily, who dangled a pair of gloves in her outstretched hand. "Thank you," I sighed while picking myself off the ground and reaching out, only to have my Quidditch gear pulled back. "Lily," I whined, "I need them. Your brother is going to have a heart attack if I show up even a second late."
My cousin simply gave me a curious look. "Are you going to tell him?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to say?"
"Don't worry, I have a plan," I lied. Honestly, I had no clue how to go about this. Hell, I didn't even know what I was really supposed to tell him. Should I walk onto the Quidditch pitch and politely ask that Lily be on the team? Or do I stomp on and demand it? Of course if I did that he'd probably get livid and kick me off the team. But that brings about the problem of which team to join, if there was even a team willing to let both of us on. At this point I was just going to have to go with my gut. "Now, can I go before I'm late?"
Lily smiled and lowered the brown gloves, "You may go."
"Thank you," I snatched all my gear before zooming out of the common room and winding my way through the hallways to make it onto the Quidditch pitch.
One look outside and I was ready to abandon the plan and just skive off of practice. It was bad enough that James was making me sacrifice my night, but to have to perform in the rain was torture. And we're not talking having to sit through History of Magic torture; we're talking about Cruciatus Curse torture.
I sprinted down the path towards the pitch getting soaked by the millions of raindrops hitting me before I managed to find the team.
It wasn't surprising that they were already flying around, considering I was a few minutes late and James was not one to delay practice. I could barely make him out as he came down through the air and landed a short distance away.
"You're late," he glared through his goggles as he gripped tight onto his Nimbus 8000, causing his knuckles to turn white. From his posture to the murderous look gleaming in his green eyes, everything about him was intimidating.
I nodded, "I know and I'm sorry. But James, there's something I really need to talk to you about."
"Not now. Get on your broom and start doing drills."
"James, it's important and it really can't wait."
"No, Rose! I'm the captain and I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!"
"But it's about the tournament!" I argued.
"This," he gestured towards Finnigan and Thomas tossing the quaffle and Roxanne doing drills, "is about the tournament! Now, stop bickering and get your bloody arse on your broom and get up there before I make you run laps!"
"No." I crossed my arms and mirrored my cousin's glare. I tried to stand my ground but the task was difficult considering I was shaking and my nerves seemed to be attacking me like a crowd of pixies.
"Rose! Now!"
"No!" I clenched my jaw and felt the anger start to build up. "This is about my status on your team! Before, I was going to talk to you about Lily! Do you even care that your sister is dying to be the house team? Do you know that she wants this more than you do? No!" I stepped closer to James and thumped him on his chest, "Because you only care about your bloody self! You don't care that your sister, your own sister, has been coming to me and begging me to talk to you!"
"Rose—"
"I'm not finished!" By now the whole team had forgotten their practice and was staring at me, mouth agape. "I quit!"
Shouts of protest were coming out of my teammates, but my cousin remained silent. He may not have been saying anything but his eyes told me everything. He was shocked, he was furious, and he'd never forgive me. Not in a million years.
I took at step backwards and glowered. "Good luck finding a chaser. Lily and I will see you at the competition." And with that I straddled my broom and flew as far away from the pitch as possible.
I didn't leave my room that night. It didn't matter how many times Roxanne or Kira Wilkins knocked on the wooden door to change my mind or even try and figure out what the hell was going on in this crazy messed-up head of mine; I wasn't crawling out of bed. The only people I did allow were my dorm mates and Lily. The other three knew not to mess with me when I was in one of my "moods", especially Lia, but Lily asked questions anyway. I couldn't blame her. This all involved her anyway and I had lost us both the chance at being on the house team.
No matter what James said to me though, I knew I couldn't go back. I had quit on my team days before the competition started and I had yelled and insulted the captain. And when the captain is your cousin it makes the matters worse. It makes everything personal.
Lia walked out of the bathroom with her hair plaited and her pyjamas on. She yawned before pulling the covers down on her bed. "Rose, get some sleep. Staying up staring at the ceiling isn't going to change what you said or did." Lia offered me a small smile before sliding under the sheets and laying her blonde locks on the scarlet pillowcase. "Besides, not everyone is disappointed. You still have me and Lily. We'll have your back, no matter what."
"Maybe you're right," I sighed and shifted my head to the side, "but this is my family. So much for being an ideal daughter, now I'm going to the black sheep. The one that turned on her family." My lip quivered as I finally let out the truth that has been haunting my thoughts since my outburst.
"Rose, you can't possibly think that's true?" Lia raised herself and rested onto her elbow shooting me a concerned look through her sleepy ice blue eyes.
"Think it? I know it."
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