For The Last Time | Jily

CHAPTER 16

~ The Tournament Finally Begins ~
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The Halloween half term ended, which meant that the first task was a mere 2 weeks away, and the pressure was finally starting to get to James.

"Why the actually fuck did I sign up for this?" He gasped, pacing around the boys dormitory, "they haven't even given us a hint as to what it is? I mean," he made vague gestures at the air.

Remus chuckled and shook his head, "you'll be fine, they won't put you in any real danger, the only thing you've got to get used to is the pressure, but you've always been fine in quidditch matches up until this point."

"I guess so," James breathed, still panicking though. "I think I might go for a walk... clear me head," he said after a pause, "see you guys later."

They all waved him off, and when he'd shut the door they began to whisper.

"Do you really think he'll be okay?" Peters frowned.

"Hmm, I'm dunno really, I thought he would be but have you seen Antione and Iduna? They seem to be revising every spell, every hour of the day!" Remus replied, matching Peters worried tone.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "you guys are real Debby Downers you know that? He'll do great! They're not expecting anything much more than what we already know and Prongs, although a bit of a prat, isn't completely dim."

They both murmured a half-hearted agreement, but exchanged a glance of uncertainty.

"Yeah, well, let's just hope he's been practicing a little more than what we've seen," Remus said.

❂ ❂ ❂

James walked around the castle, dressed in almost all the clothes he owned, as everywhere had been covered in a layer of frost overnight.

He started waking without much aim and had, without knowing it, stumbled into the quidditch arena.

Ha, he smiled to himself, old habits die hard I guess... well not point in turning back now.

He stepped into the arena, looking up at the towering stands that usually seem so far down. The pitch was gigantic when he looked it it from this angle, it was almost disorienting.

Then James heard a sudden noise, a grunt of some sort, in the apparently empty stands, "hello? Anyone there?"

"Hello? I am so sorry, I did not mean to be here I thought it would be alright-" the little, blonde head of Antoine popped into appearance, from the edge of the pitch, "oh James! It's you, hello!"

James smiled and waved at him, walking over to where the other boy stood, "hey Antoine, what you doing?"

"Just practicing some spells ready for the tournament," he grinned, "have you been working much?"

"Oh, uhh, yeah totally," James lied smoothly, "yeah, most days actually," he ran his hand through his hair repeatedly, giving away the stress he felt.

"Well um," Antoine started, sensing he needed help, "if you wanna practice with me for a bit, that fine. It could be fun!"

"Alright then, yeah," James shrugged, "what were you doing?"

"Hmm I am not sure whether I should say... considering we are competition and all," Antoine wiggled his eyebrows and James laughed.