Loralei moved gracefully, weaving around the other chasers to get to the goal post, and scored a point easily, but that was probably because she was riding the broom upside-down, her legs firmly on the broom along with one hand. She'd been practicing that over the summer.

About ten minutes after they started playing, people started showing up to watch. Mostly girls, but there were quite a few boys there as well.

"80-70 Potter in the lead." Lily called, loud enough for them to hear.

Alice got the quaffle, and sped towards their goal posts, where Remus was waiting, trying to figure out which post she was going to throw at. He realized too late, and made it in.

"80-80 tie." Lily called.

Loralei signaled for a time-out, and Lily granted it. "Time out! Five minute regroup."

Loralei called all her teammates together, hovering fifty feet in the air.

"James, I thought you were supposed to be the better chaser. It's just me and Remmy playing this while you try to impress the girls down there." She said, trying not to let her anger in her voice.

"What about me? I missed when I tried to get points." Sirius told her.

"At least you tried." She told him. "This one hasn't touched the ball." She poked her finger between James's ribs. "And he's a damn good chaser."

"Ooh, first compliment from my sister."

"Shut it, James." Loralei frowned. "I will throw the match against Slytherin this year."

James frowned at his sister. "Fine. I'll help you win this, but you owe me."

"No, I don't." She told him. "You've been an arse to me all summer. You owe me. Problem?"

He averted his eyes from hers.

"Didn't think so." Loralei told him. "Now, if you please, win."

James scowled at his sister. "I thought this was just a fun game."

"It is, but that doesn't mean you should throw it." Loralei told him. "I need a win."

"It's all about you then, is it?" James asked.

"I'm fine with you thinking that way." Loralei told him. "Now, if you don't want to that's fine, just don't get the quaffle, and don't get in my way." She pulled up the handle of her broom and turned around, before nodding at Lily to end the time-out.

"Alice wins." Lily said, smiling, though she was watching her best friend carefully to see any side that she was about to commit murder.

"Good job, girlie." Loralei told her, before hugging Alice tightly.

Alice reached over to punch James in the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" James said, rubbing his arm.

"That was for not actually playing." Alice told him.

"I did actually play."

"No, you didn't." Alice told him. "I can see Lore's face from a mile away, and she had the, 'I'm gonna kill you' look on her face whenever you had the ball."

"Lets go." Loralei said. "I want to grab a shower before dinner."

"Me too." Alice said. "Lily, can you get us into the Prefect baths?"

Lily nodded, smiling. "Sure."

"I can't believe James did that." Alice said, towel drying her short hair. "He's usually the one that threatens everyone to win. Are you really going to throw the Slytherin match in the spring?"

"No, and he knows I'm not." Loralei frowned. "Scouts are coming for the Quidditch teams, and I would love to have them want me."

"What about the Divination job you want?" Lily asked, sitting on the counter of the Prefect's bath.

"Professor Cassandra hasn't talked to me about it in a while. I'm the only one that's taking her class in our year too. No one got a high enough grade for it but me, that or they don't want to take the class."

"What was the grade you need?" Alice asked.

"E, I got O." Loralei told them. "Apparently I'm the only one that pays attention, oh well, private lessons are good."

"Yeah, I know whenever you got detention with her you'd just practice with those crystal balls." Lily smiled. "I doubt you'll get much homework."

"If any." Alice adds.

Loralei smiled, brushing through her long blonde hair, sending droplets to the floor. "I hope so, mostly if I don't want to drop as many classes as I am taking."

"How many?" Alice asked.

"One more than me." Lily told her.

"And she's the over achiever!" Alice cried.

"I know, because I'm just that cool!" Loralei laughed. "Is it bad that I'm a little excited for class tomorrow?"

"It's always a little bad to be excited for class." Alice teased, bumping Loralei with her hip. "But I'll let you get away with it."

"Yay!"

Divination was Loralei's first class, and she couldn't wait. She did enjoy the private lessons she got with Professor Cassandra, she learned more since there were no fools asking stupid questions throughout the class. It was going to be Loralei's perfect year where everything went her way. It had to be, she needed it after the last few months.

She skipped to the classroom alone. Sadly none of her other classes that day were even close to the Divination classroom, but she was fine with running to Potions after it. She would probably get out early anyway.

She opened the classroom door, and found Professor Cassandra sitting at her desk looking at papers, before looking up at Loralei.

"Please, come sit." She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"All right." Loralei went to sit at one of the tables.

"I have some news for you." Professor Cassandra sighed. "I am not leaving my post in the foreseeable future."

Loralei blinked. "What?"

"I can't train you to take over my job, it isn't going to be open." Professor Cassandra told her. "I'm sorry."

"Why? Not that I want you to go, I'm just curious." But Loralei's heart was breaking, she wanted this job, and in her head she already had it. It was a part of her life plan.

"The official story is that I can't bare to leave. The unofficial is that my husband in muggleborn, and we are moving here for protection. You must have heard from your father who has been targeted by You-Know-Who recently?"

Loralei shook her head, but guessed. "Muggleborns?"

"Married to purebloods." Professor Cassandra told her. "I'm so sorry. If I could leave I would, but I would like to fight when the time comes, and I do not want to leave the country."

Loralei nodded. "I understand, I really do. I hope things work out for you."

Professor Cassandra smiled. "Thank you. I would say the same for you, but I know that you are going to do something great."

Loralei walked to her dormitory that night, ignoring everyone, even her friends when they waved her over, going to the Sixth year girls dorm and breaking down. Everything was going wrong for her, the thread of her life was fraying and she didn't know when-or if-it would stop. She felt broken.