𝐒𝐎 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍; 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫.

𝐯𝐢𝐢: 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

𝐭𝐰: 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫! 𝐢❜𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 :)

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𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐑𝐘𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐑 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏. This meant that not only was James pushing the entire team harder and harder, he was constantly trying to rope Sirius and Amara into strategy talk—whether it was at mealtimes, during class, between stalls in the restroom (in Sirius's case) and in the dark, when they were supposed to be asleep (usually also in Sirius's case). 

At first, Amara was engaged: she loved James, and she loved when his eyes lit up and his leg started bouncing slightly, and how just a bit of his mother's Scottish came out in his accent, when he was talking about things that such filled his interest. 

But after four straight days of nonstop discussion, it was bound to get a little old a little quickly.

"I told you, James," Amara said, for what felt like the hundredth time, "I agree, Hufflepuff's stronger defensively than ever."

James nodded firmly, seemingly unaware of her tone. "Right. So, we've got to—"

"—Focus on building an even stronger offense," Sirius interjected. "We know, mate. But what I don't know, is why the bloody hell I have to come to these practices when I'm not even on the bloody team!"

Amara laughed. "Because you love us."

The three were walking out of the changing rooms, dirty robes tossed over their shoulders—and hair wet and dripping onto the stone cold floor. They had just had another grueling, rain-filled, three-hour long practice session, and were headed up to dinner. Hoping to meet up with Marlene, and discuss their costumes to the Halloween Party that was bound to approach faster than it ought, Amara quickened her pace and ran a hand through her long, blonde waves.

"Come along," she urged, waiting with a tapping foot at the edge of a staircase. "I can't hear anything over the rumbling of my poor stomach. Let's go, let's go—"

"—On it," James said. He sighed, and began to climb the staircase. "Sorry, you lot. I can't shake this game. Being a Captain is stressful, and there's already scrutiny about my best mate being on the team. Sorry, Sirius."

Amara frowned as they entered the Great Hall. "From who?"

"Other Houses." James took a seat across from Remus and to Peter's right. Sirius and Amara sat on either side of Remus, across from him. "People who I cut."

Amara nodded, and turned to her right, where Marlene and Lily sat discussing the latest issue of Witch Weekly, a newer magazine popular at the school. "Hey, Mar," she said, peeking at the magazine. 

"Having a good evening so far, Mar?" Marlene greeted, a smile creeping onto her freckled face.

"Brilliant. You coming to the Quidditch match this weekend?"

Lily scoffed lightly, eyes trained on the magazine, and Amara frowned.

"Oh, come on, Lily," she said, smirking. "You can't preach about how much you hate Quidditch when you barely even come watch."