Caught in the Crowd {James Potter}

Chapter 5: Planning and Miserable Failures

Chapter 5: Planning and Miserable Failures

Freya rocked Marlene's shoulders against her mattress. "Think of the Bertie Botts," she said. "Think of how much those sons of rich men could buy us."

Marlene slowly peeled her eyes open. Her blonde hair splayed out across the pillow, frizzy waves bouncing off one another. "I'm not sure it's worth it," the Gryffindor girl grumbled with a croaky morning voice. The sun was only just brimming the horizon, casting an orange line of light. "Will there be saltwater taffy?"

"You can buy the entire stock if you come."

Marlene sighed, but the prospect of arms weighted down by an unimaginable number of sweets from Honeydukes drew her out of bed. Her old quidditch bag lay prepared near her trunk, training clothes strewn over it. "Why are you so eager to get up and watch?"

Freya shrugged, already dressed but running a brush through her hair. "The promise of hot chocolate, watching people show off." She grinned at Marlene over her shoulder. "Attractive people flying around in front of me for free."

Marlene winked, openly changing in the middle of the dorm. "You're so happy-go-lucky all the time, Freya. It's kinda unnerving at times."

Freya felt her shoulders weight down. "Could say it's in my blood," she muttered to herself. Speaking louder for Marlene's sake, she said, "I'm not always happy."

"No, but it's always unnatural when you're not." Marlene tosses her hair into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. "I always feel like someone has taken Polyjuice to look like you."

Freya didn't make any further remarks about Marlene's observation, only waiting for her to finish getting ready. The Great Hall opened early in the mornings, but most students wouldn't trickle in for another few hours. She leant over Lily's form, who was being swallowed by a blanket. "Lily, do you want to—"

A pale hand swiped at her like she was a buzzing fly that had been hanging around far too long. Freya snapped her hand back to her side, feeling as though she had poked her finger through a den at a zoo.

"Or not."

Marlene and Freya headed down to the Great Hall together, sitting near, but not quite conjoined with the other Gryffindors trying out that morning. They took their time munching on toast, rubbing sleep from their eyes, and sharing yawns. Freya was mostly just glad that she wasn't the one that had to try out or train.

At the check of her watch, Marlene made note that they should move. Striding down the length of the table, her hands gripped the back of James and Sirius' neck, pinching at the nerve. Their necks shrivelled close to their ears. "You two owe me."

"It's been made clear," Sirius wheezed out.

James was still attempting to bring a spoonful of oats towards his mouth, but Marlene tightened her pinch and his muscles wavered, tongue pouring from behind his teeth. "A-ah," he spluttered, twitching.

"Forgive her, she has an aversion to early mornings," Freya said. She gave Marlene a berating look and pulled her hands off the back of the boy's necks. James grumbled, rubbing the back of his head then shoving the full spoon into his mouth as though his freedom would be snatched away again. "But it means she'll be feisty on the pitch."

"She's lucky she's good," Sirius uttered. Marlene's hand reached towards him, but Freya grabbed it before it could. She really did not desire a fight that morning. "Damn McKinnon, save it for the pitch."

"My last nerves, Black," Marlene warned. Sirius smirked to himself and the table, shoulders jostling in silent laughter.

They headed out to the pitch together. Freya tugged her jumper tighter across her chest, glad that she chose something thicker than she first reached for earlier that morning. The autumn air bit at her skin, but at least there was no northernly wind. Marlene settled her belongings down near the entrance to the pitch, but Freya followed the others as they had Peter with them, her designated company. Remus wasn't present, but she could make a guess where he'd be. James and Sirius tossed their gold and red bags down on the stands facing the middle of the pitch. They wore their training clothes, but not the over-robe that they wore through the games.