Ravens and Asphodels | Harry Potter Marauders Era (Regulus Black x OFC)

Hogwarts Without the Mauraders

September 1978

On September 1st, Diana, Regulus, Pandora, and Amira got on the Hogwarts Expresses waving goodbye to their friends and family. As Diana and Pandora sat in the compartment they used to share with the Marauders, while Regulus and Amira went off to do their perfect train rounds, they couldn't help but to feel the Marauder's absence. It would be a much quieter school year.

The welcome feast went the same as it had for the last three years; however, Dumbledore welcomed the students this year with a speech emphasizing unity and acceptance due to the chaos going on outside the school walls. Dumbledore also introduced the school to their new Head Boy and Head Girl. The Head Girl was a seventh-year Ravenclaw who Pandora roomed with and announced at Quidditch games, Bertha Jorkins, while Head Boy was a muggleborn Hufflepuff Slug Club member, Dirk Cresswell. Diana had classes with them both for the last three years, and they were nice enough. Diana was biased, though, and no one would be good enough to live up to James and Lily's legacy.

September passed by, and soon it was time for Quidditch tryouts.

Regulus, who was reprising his role as the Slytherin captain, only had to replace the reserve keeper since Wilmeana Wilkes graduated last year. He placed her with a fourth-year named Edgar Carrow. Edgar, unlike his older cousins who graduated the previous year, actually seemed like a pleasant individual, which was surprising coming from the Carrow family, who were known for their bloody and violent history. The family's motto wasn't 'Though battle, perfection through victory, immortality' for nothing.

Regulus's starting lineup was Diana as Keeper, himself as a seeker, Claudia, and Augustus as beaters, and Thomas, Hadrian, and Nymera as chasers. The only tricky thing this season that Regulus would have to decide would be if Augustus or Nymera would get the job of captain when he graduated. Augustus was older, but Nymera was the better player.

Yolanda Davies, who was now also in her seventh year, was reprising her role as captain for the Hufflepuff team and was similarly as lucky. She didn't have to replace any of her starting lineups this year. Her team now consisted of herself, now sixth-year Jones, and fifth-year Haywood as the chasers. Davies beaters were now fifth-years Caplin and Parkin, her Keeper was still now sixth-year Lobosco, and the sixth year Khanna maintained her role as Hufflepuffs Seeker. Hopefully, now that all of them had the experience of being on the team, they would play better this year than they did last year.

The Ravenclaw and Gryffindor teams were not as lucky as the Slytherin and Hufflepuff teams.

Gryffindor was better off than Ravenclaw, but they still had to find someone to replace Sirius as a beater and James and Mary as chasers. The new Gryffindor caption was seventh-year Steven Copper. Copper replaced Sirius with a fifth-year named Nolan Eibon and replaced James and Mary with sixth years Elise Harper and Daniel McMatthews. This meant that the Gryffindor starting lineup this year consisted of now seventh-year Egwu, McMatthews, and Harper as chasers, Cooper and Eibon as beaters, seventh-year Rath as Keeper, and seventh-year McNally as Seeker. It seemed Cooper was determined to carry on James's legacy and lead the Gryffindor team to another Quidditch Cup victory ear, but Slytherin was planning to put up a hell of a fight.

Ravenclaw was worse off than Gryffindor, having to replace most of its starting lineup. Their new captain, who was replacing Virgil Goshhawk, was seventh year Adel Ali who had to replace everyone but his Keeper, who remained now sixth year Karasu, and Seeker, Barty. Ali placed fifth years Ilsa Jordan, Sanjay Malcolm, and Harry Solon as his new chasers and sixth-year Riley Ulki as a beater.