Raven (Fred x oc)

65. Emotions and Quidditch

I stormed out of the classroom the moment the bell rang, Fred and Angelina trailing behind me. As much as I might have hoped or tried, I couldn't get away from them. Fred, being six foot three, managed to catch up to me and grabbed my arm gently, stopping me from going any further.

When I, at last, faced him and Angelina, I was holding back tears. "Val, do you want to skip Arithmancy? I can stop by and let Professor Vector know," Angelina offered. I nodded. I didn't trust my voice to speak.

George and Angelina both had transfiguration while Lee had Care of Magical Creatures, but Fred had a free period so we headed up to the astronomy tower. I sighed, pressing my palms against the railing as I let my head fall.

"Am I just sensitive?" I asked finally. "Harry seems fine and he went through more than I did. Am I just weak or-"

"No," Fred interrupted. "Don't think like that. It's not true and besides, you're wrong. Harry's not fine." I glanced up at him. "During the summer George and I were sleeping right above him and Ron. One night we had stayed up late to work on some stuff and Harry started talking in his sleep. The walls and floors and stuff are really thin in there, you know, so we could hear him.

"Ron didn't because the fool sleeps through anything, but...Harry was dreaming about the graveyard," Fred said. "Trust me, he's as traumatized as you. But even if he wasn't...you are the strongest person that I know."

"How? What have I ever done?" I countered.

"Val, you survived in Azkaban," Fred deadpanned. "And you didn't lose your sanity. No matter how close you got, you still didn't." With a small, reassured smile, I hugged him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me in his arms.

"I love you," I said.

Pulling away slightly, Fred said with a smile, "I love you too and I think it's fair to say that I always will." I smiled, blushing faintly.

...................................................................................................

"Potter," I snapped. He wheeled around, turning from the full dinner table to face me. "You got a week's worth detentions? On tryouts week?"

"Valerie-" he started.

"No, don't Valerie me," I snapped. "I need to put together a team that actually works together and I can't do that unless I have all the players."

"Wait you're-"

"The captain, yes," I interrupted. "Just fix it, Potter." Fuming, I snatched a sandwich from the table and headed upstairs.

As the day of tryouts approached, I tried my best to keep from finding out who was going to try out for keeper. No matter who it was, I didn't want to know and create biases. Finally, Friday came and I was standing before a group of terrified-looking Gryffindors. In the back, five or six cocky boys were standing looking unconcerned. In between these two groups was, to my surprise, Ron.

"Alright!" I called, getting everyone's attention. "All of you want to be on this team. Here's how tryouts are going to work. Each of you are going to go up there and give me three laps and then come back here. Once they'd gone, I turned and said warningly, "Fred, George, one word to or about Ron and I'll kick you both off the team."

"Where's the fun in that?" George asked with a laugh. At a pointed glare from me, he conceded.

Once everyone was back, I said, "All right, get in a line." Once everyone had lined up, I ordered the first in line to go up to the goalposts. I went through some preliminary trials and watched how they blocked a few of my tosses.

The group of twenty was dwindled down to nine. "All right, those of you that remain, I want to see how you work with the team. We'll play a quick game to thirty points." After that, I had three left.

I sent Katie and Angelina up to try and score as I watched, analyzing each of their strengths and weaknesses. At long last, I called it and everyone landed. "So, I have decided who the new addition to the team is." All three looked incredibly tense. "Looks like Gryffindor team gets another Weasley!"

Instantly, Ron's face turned to one of shock. "Me?" he asked.

"Yeah, loser," I replied with a smile. "Welcome to the team."

The Gryffindor Common Room was in a full party by the time I had gotten back. Fred and Alicia tried to drag me into the party, but I shook them off and went up to my dorm. Once I arrived, I saw that Khadija was sitting on my bed waiting for me.

"You get them?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied. Next came a group of ten or so spirits.

"Thank you," one said as he stepped toward my extended hand. As he passed through, I felt a stabbing sensation in my abdomen and had to repress a groan. After taking several deep breaths, I stood up again.

This was repeated again and again, the feeling changing as the forms of death changed. By the end, my body ached and I felt exhausted. Unsteadily, I changed and crawled in bed. Khadija sat next to me and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this many every night? We don't know what this might do to you."

"Dija, I have so much to make up for because of my mother. So many out there are living in torment and if I can do something about it, then I will," I said. "It's selfish not to."

"But if this kills you, then what would the point have been?" she replied. "You have to take care of yourself before you can care for other people." When I didn't reply, she said, "Get some sleep, alright?"

"I will," I promised. "Goodnight, Khadija."

"Goodnight," she replied before fading off.