Confident | Fred Weasley

Chapter 41 | Try-outs

Sarah hadn't had a first week of school last as long as this one. Yet, eventually, the weekend approached. Sarah had a feeling it was going to be rather sour.

"Can you believe him? The audacity of that boy! I could kill him, you know!" Angelina yelled, angrily as the four girls headed down the corridor on a Thursday afternoon.

"Yeah, we know. It's not like you've said it 300 times," Patricia rolled her eyes, her lips twitched into a smile.

Angelina shot Patricia a harsh glare. Patricia's smile melted off her face.

"It was kind of important that Harry did come to try-outs so we could see how the team blended together," Alicia sighed, a frown etched onto her face.

The news of Harry's argument with Umbridge had travelled around Hogwarts very fast, as rumours usually did here. According to multiple accounts, Harry and Umbridge had a row about the lack of practical magic, leading into a debate about You-know-who's return. That was all Sarah needed to hear to slowly grow more concerned.

At Alicia's statement, Sarah felt an odd prickle of annoyance, "Surely being able to defend ourselves in the real world would be more important than Quidditch."

Angelina rolled her eyes at this, "Sarah, you wouldn't understand. You don't play Quidditch as much as we do. Like Hilary Pridemane said, 'It's not life or death. It's life or Quidditch'!" Angelina quoted, a sudden tone of admiration crossing her voice.

They turned the corner of the corridor when Sarah sighed, "Didn't Hilary Pridemane loose her best players on the Harpey's in the '34 season? I wouldn't take her opinion too seriously."

Alicia gasped, "That was one bad season. You can't just judge her for that. Besides her '36 season was immaculate."

Sarah laughed, "That was because she drank Felix Felicis for every match. Everyone knows it - "

" - I can't - " Angelina went to interrupt Sarah, her nose scrunched in disgust.

"Who cares about Hilton Pride - or whatever their name was - the point Sarah is trying to make is that if you die in the real world due to lack of skill, then you can no longer play Quidditch," Patricia interrupted before an argument could break out.

Sarah sighed, "Yes! Exactly what I was saying."

It wasn't, but Sarah was in no mood to argue.
  
    
    
Patricia and Sarah had agreed to watch the Gryffindor Try-outs to give Angelina some support.

Sarah headed up the stands first, finding a decent seat fairly high up. Patricia took a seat beside her, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"It's going to get dark soon. Why did Angelina not do this tomorrow morning?" Patricia wondered aloud, glancing at the darkening sky with unease.

"No. The first practice is tomorrow. Angie is concerned about the team without Wood and wants as much practice as possible," Sarah replied slowly.

Her eyes followed Fred Weasley, who was holding a Beaters bat and soaring across the evening clouds. He had a slight smile on his face, as he watched the keeper block a quaffle.

Sarah watched with wide eyes a bludger headed in Fred's direction. Sarah felt no need to call out to him, as he was the best beater she knew. Fred's head picked up at the approaching bludger. His slight smile dropped into a look of concentration. He aimed his bat high, before swinging.

The bludger flew across pitch, hitting the keeper in the stomach.

From across the pitch, George keeled over from laughing so hard.