May the odds be ever in your favour (Book 1)

1

(A/n: I am combining THG and THBOSAS, meaning Lucy Gray will be featuring in this trilogy. Unlike my Harry Potter fanfics I will be doing all events of the original trilogy in separate books. Unlike the description, the books will go between Katniss and Ryan's POV, I have chosen this format, so I can still keep some of the scenes such as Rue's death and Katniss singing Deep in the Meadow to Rue's corpse. POV changes will be signified clearly.)

Ryan's PoV

I walk into the Everdeen's home and I see Katniss comforting Prim. Today is reaping day, and Prim has just turned twelve. My heart plummets, as I realise why Katniss is comforting her. Instinctively, I walk over to my little friend, who helps me and her mum with patients.

"Hey Prim, what's got you upset?" I ask, playing dumb. Hoping Katniss won't kill me.

"It's reaping day!" Prim says, crying into Katniss's shirt.

"I know. But Prim. Your name is only in once. The odds of you not being chosen are in your favour. Do you believe in guardian angels?"

"Yes," she mutters, she's moved from Katniss's arms into my own. I hugged her, the same way I hugged Peeta when he was upset.

"Well then I'm sure your Dad is one of yours, and I'd wager that he'll be doing everything he could possibly do, to make sure that Primrose Everdeen is not the name called." I reassured her. We sat there for a little while. Prim went between me and Katniss. Katniss, had her head on my shoulder. A small thing she does when she is nervous. We are all nervous. You'd have to be out of your damn mind, to not be nervous wrecks on reaping day.

There was only one thing that would calm us. Hunting.

"Katniss, we should get to the woods soon, if we want to get some hunting and head to the hob before the reaping." I tell her, and Katniss nodded. I walk out of the room, and look through some of Mrs. Everdeen's herbs, to see which ones we were low on. Not many, so it looked like I was going to actually have to do some hunting. I could always look for some Katniss, the swamp potato.

We walk out of the house, and we run to the fence which is never on. We slide through the gap. Katniss first, she's quicker than I am. I follow, gathering some of the herbs and plants that one can always top up on. I walk to my tree, where I usually place my bow and quiver of arrows. Katniss's bow has the Katniss flower, engraved. And mine has a couple of little mockingbirds engraved.

Katniss will have a head start, usually she'd have killed a couple of Squirrels but as I turned the corner and see her, she's aiming for a deer. I go tip toe next to her, and go to shoot a squirrel, for my dad. I let my string go. The arrow pierces the Squirrel, through its forehead. Not as clean cut as Katniss's squirrels but perfect enough. I look over my shoulder and Katniss is still aiming for the deer. She's about to let her bow string go when Gale jumps from behind a tree.

Katniss jumped, let's go and misses.

"GALE! That was the first deer I've seen so far this year!"

"And what were you gonna do with it? The whole district is crawling with Peacekeepers."

"I was gonna take it to the hob."

"And then get flogged?"

"Cray, loves my game." Katniss sulked, and I chuckle.

"He does have a point Katniss, we should just stick to squirrels today." I reply, before shooting another squirrel.

"You need to work on your shooting, try aiming for the Squirrels eye." Gale said.

"That's Katniss's trademark, Haw-thorne-in-my-side!" I laugh, before sending an arrow into a rabbit's neck.

We hunt for a while and then I look at my little watch. If I want to visit the covey cabin, and get some Katniss I better leave now. I handed my bow to Katniss, aside from Peeta and myself she is the only other person I trust with it. I know that I should trust Gale, but I don't. I think he also has a thing for Katniss, but they could easily pass off as cousins. Katniss and I, however, could not.

"Where are you off too?" Gale asks me.

"I'm off to pick some Katniss." I reply and head off.

I head off in the direction of the lake. There is a small patch of Katniss, but it's still a little early technically, but Gale needn't know that. But I haven't really come to pick Katniss, I've come to speak with someone. I do this every time I'm out by the old covey cabin, but when it's reaping day, I feel it's even more important to come here.

"Lucy Gray? It's me, Ryan Mellark," I call out, you have to say that all the time. Not because she's forgetful even at 80 years old. But because of her past. I call out to her again. Lucy Gray doesn't answer at first, and I begin to panic. I knock on the cabin door. And just as my anxiety begins to rise. Lucy Gray opens the door.

"Hello Ryan dear how are you?"

"I'm nervous, you know what today is?"

"How could I forget? Reaping day. And to top it all off it's Primrose's first reaping."

Lucy Gray knows all about Katniss and Prim, because their grandmother was her youngest cousin Maude Ivory. Lucy Gray was also the second person I ever told about my feelings for Katniss. Many times, Lucy Gray has sat in the rocking chair, listening to me.

"I'm scared Lucy Gray, my family and I have been lucky so far and avoided being reaped, even in the second Quarter Quell, but this year. I feel it'll be different."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean I feel like one way or another our family are gonna be reaped this year."

"Oh Darlin' come here." She says, opening her arms, embracing me in a hug. I have always viewed Lucy Gray as a Grandmother. Together we sing a song. The song we sing is the same song that she performed when she was reaped. It always gives me a confidence boost.

I then look at my watch, and head to the Katniss patch.

"It's a little early for Katniss yet Ryan!" Lucy Gray called.

"I know, but the leaves are edible aren't they?"

"Yes."

"I'll take some Katniss leaves, just because I told Gale I was coming to pick it."

"Do Katniss and Primrose know about me?"

"Prim doesn't."

"Katniss does?"

"Only because she saw you out picking Katniss once when she was hunting with her Dad."

"One day I hope to meet them."

"I can bring them soon if you would like."

"Oh please do, and bring your brother too, his bread is lovely."

"I'll tell him for you. And Lucy Gray, if I get reaped, I'll send him to tell you okay?"

Lucy Gray nodded, and let me pick the Katniss leaves. After I gave her some of the leaves and the one rabbit I caught. She kisses my cheek and I head back through the woods and back to the fence. I knew I was cutting it fine.

(A/n: So here is part 1. I don't care if it's too early for Katniss but you know, Gale doesn't need to know that. Yes, because of how much I love Lucy Gray, she will have quite a significant part. And, Sejanus will have a little memorial in 12, a little thing Mr. Plinth did for Mrs. Plinth, it will probably be by The Hanging Tree. )