I've realized that the only way I can write this story is if I have Can't Fight This Feeling (Rock of Ages Version) on repeat. I don't understand my own mind. That's nothing new, though. Oh well.

Hope people enjoy! Oh, yeah, and this story has nothing to do with the website of the same name, though the website is fun. :D I also like PassiveAggressiveNotes. Go there sometime.

Disclaimer: Nope, totally not mine. I'm telling you.

Winning at Everything

Chapter Seven: Cora Wins at Screaming

Month Seven: Twenty-Six Weeks – May 8, 2022

Slytherin versus Hufflepuff games were always a bit of a conflicted time for James. On one hand, one of his favorite cousins, Louis, was captain of the Hufflepuff team. On the other hand, his little brother was a chaser on the Slytherin team. It usually amounted to James sitting with Lucy in the Ravenclaw area of the stands and cheering on both teams.

That match was the same. Cora had a little loyalty with Hufflepuff, being her older brother's old house and had become quite good friends with Louis over the time they spent doing rounds together. She also had a brother playing chaser for Slytherin too. That meant Cora and James were both sitting with the Ravens with Lucy, Lily, and Hugo. It had been somewhat of a struggle for Cora to get up the stands with her stomach, but James knew that everyone was sick of seeing the inside of the castle. NEWTs might have been important, but there was only so much you could take before insanity set in.

Though if you asked everyone else, they'd tell you James and Cora were already insane, what with the screaming.

"DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO AIM?"

"CONGRATULATIONS ON HITTING YOUR OWN TEAMMATE!"

"FINNIGAN THAT WAS PATHETIC!"

"TRY CATCHING THE QUAFFLE AL!"

"IT'S CALLED PASSING JACK!"

"FOUL!"

"ARE YOU BLIND HOOCH?"

"THE GOAL IS RIGHT THERE MALFOY!"

An hour into the game, James was already getting hoarse. It was exhilarating though, even if it was frustrating that his brother wasn't at his peek. James was definitely going to ask about that later.

"I swear the only good beater on this pitch is Louis," Cora told him, leaning into his side.

James agreed, "I don't know why Nott gave the okay for the Zabini twins to join the team. They make terrible beaters."

"They keep aiming for the arms!" Cora said angrily. "That's a horrible tactic! You aim for the head or the stomach, to get them out of the match. They're Slytherins. You'd think they'd know this!"

"Oh no, another one," Lily said breathlessly. She looked a little pale as she watched James and Cora talking.

James could only smirk. His mother had commented once that the world had been blessed when James had gotten no talent for beating. He couldn't help it that he leaned toward a more brutal type of quidditch. It wasn't a real match until someone got an injury. He'd learned very quickly into his relationship that Cora was the same way. It was why the Falcons were their favorite team.

"Your brother and Nott are the only ones on the Slytherin team that are playing decently. I taught Al better than this!" James said. He didn't try to comfort his sister. There wasn't really anything to comfort her with. What she feared was true, to his amusement.

"I heard in the library that Al and Scorpius had a fight. I haven't gotten a chance the talk to him yet," Lily told them. She was getting a bit of color in her face since no one had mentioned beating in the last sentence.

Hugo shook his head. "I bet Nott's angry at that. Al, Scorpius, and Jack are only so good because they work so well together." At James's flat look, Hugo amended his statement. "I mean, Al's good, but if he's angry he makes mistakes."

James sighed. "Yeah that's Al."

"I can tell Jack's frustrated from here," Cora told them. "He's not passing unless he absolutely has to, and that's not good for him. He works better if he's working with people."

"Goyle's good at keeping for a third year at least," Hugo said. "Nott made a good decision when he picked him."

Lily looked insulted. "I don't care how good Goyle is; he's still a jerk! I swear he put something in my cauldron in Potions last week."

James gave his sister a serious look. "Do want me to do something with him?" He might have been more worried about NEWTs and pregnancy that year instead of pranks, but he still knew how to humiliate someone if he had to. No one messed with his little sister. If James could get Albus to agree, the kid would be a great help, and it might even take his mind off of the blond brat.

Lily gave him a sly look that he had seen on his mother's face more than once. "No, I'm already taking care of it." James nodded. He knew that look enough to almost feel sorry for Goyle. Almost.

"HOW CAN YOU MISS A GOAL TWO FEET IN FRONT OF YOU?" Cora suddenly screamed. One had was holding her stomach while the other was making rude gestures at her brother.

Lily gave Cora dubious look and tugged on James's sleeve. "Is that the baby talking? She's usually quiet."

James laughed. "That's how she always is at matches."

"Congratulations, James, you're marrying someone just as crazy as you are," Lily muttered. She slapped him on the back.

"Thanks," he told her, smirking. "Though we prefer amazing and eccentric."

"Nott's going to the snitch!" Cora exclaimed, leaning forward to watch at the two seekers on the pitch went into a dive. James curled an arm around her shoulders just in case and watched with her.

Slytherin won, but only by eighty points. Everyone cheered anyway. It meant Gryffindor was in the lead for the Cup. What wasn't great about that?