Courage

-31-

Book: Courage
Chapter 31
Word Count: 4927

In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class. Remus' next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

Layla only wished she was as happy with some of her other classes. Worst of all was Potions. It was one of Layla's strongest subject and she was so great at it but Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why. The story of the boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Remus' name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.

Layla was also growing to dread the hours she spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols. Parvati and Lavender had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't.

Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.

"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats.

However, as the end of September rolled around, it had to be the best start to the year yet. Layla spent almost all of her free time on the Quidditch pitch with Cedric as he helped her get stronger for the Quidditch try-outs which took place at the start of October.

And after try-outs, the new team was quickly posted. Layla sprinted through the halls in search of Cedric, and when she found him exiting the library, she practically screamed in his face.

"I made the team! I made the team!"

"Yes!" Cedric picked Layla up and spun her around, and when he placed the younger girl back on her feet, Cedric was blushing madly. "Sorry. Um, congrats."

"Thanks, Ced." Layla grinned happily. "I'm going to go tell Harry that we're now on the team together! Oh, and I need to tell my dad, too!"

As Layla rushed off, Cedric stared after her, an odd feeling in his chest.

Throughout October, Layla was very excited to be able to practice professionally with her new team, although now that Quiddirch would keep her occupied during her free time, she would miss hanging out with Cedric as much.

Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.

Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.

"This is our last chance — my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it. Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year," Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "Now that our fellow Chaser, Alicia, has decided not to try-out for this year's Quidditch to focus on her studies, and of course she thinks her new boyfriend is more important," Wood wrinkled his nose in disgust, "we've had to search for another Chaser, but it was easy to find! I welcome Layla Lupin, our newest Chaser!"