Red- James Potter

54"

Camilla could barely speak she was so nervous and the idea of eating any food whatsoever churned her stomach.

It was the last game of the year, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw, and everything came down to whether or not the cup would be theirs.

The team sat at breakfast together and everyone seemed to be horribly anxious. Even James and Marlene had not said much which was a shock to everyone. It was times like these Camilla wished Sirius hadn't been kicked off the team. She could always rely on Sirius to break the nerves with some wittering and stupid remarks or conversation. Jonathon looked particularly stressed. Not only was it his first match for the Gryffindor team, it was also the most important one, the one that would win them then cup.

Camilla could only imagine the pressure.

Lily, Mary and Alice had all approached and wished them all good luck.

Lily has spent all the previous night consoling Camilla and attempting to do some damage control for all possible outcomes of the match. She had never seen her best friend quite so highly strung. Camilla was so laid back and pretty easy going when it came to most things, but not quidditch. Though it was fortunate Lily knew her best friend so well and always knew what to say when Camilla was having a 'quidditch crisis', as it had been nicknamed.

"I promise Cam, you'll be as amazing as you always are" she smiled, squeezing her shoulder affectionately as she wished them all good luck, "You all will"

Camilla smiled at her weakly, appreciative of the small pep talk

"You better win this" Mary said from her side, "We're all rooting for you. But no pressure at all!"

"I'm sure that is really helping their nerves Mary" Alice laughed from Frank's side who looked like he was about to throw up any second, "I suggest you all eat something before the match, it will do you all a world of good. Especially you Frank, you look practically green!"

Camilla tried to take their advice and had a mouthful of scrambled egg.

It was all she could muster and she didn't suppose that it would do very much to help to ease the queasy feeling in her stomach.

As they walked down towards the pitch, students from all years in Gryffindor had bid them good luck, even a few Hufflepuffs who were desperate to see Ravenclaw loose.

Camilla had become particularly nervous when professor McGonagall had gone out of her way to bid her good-luck.

If she didn't know it was important before, she definitely did now.

She could not let everyone down.

Camilla peeked out from under the stands, her broom under her arm, watching the students in the stands chat excitedly. The stadium was full and the Gryffindor section was a vision of red and gold with banners that were strung every which way, supporting the team.

Thinking she was alone, her team still in the changing rooms, she let herself have a little moment.

She was so close. So close to reaching her dreams.

Well... the only achievable dream at the minute.

Winning the quidditch World Cup seemed fairly unlikely any time soon and playing for the Ballycastle Bats was not going to happen for quite a few more years, but winning the house cup was a check off her list.

Granted, she had wanted to win the house cup being captain all by herself, but she supposed that James had helped her immensely and that it was somewhat nice to have someone else to bear the burden with.

They made a good team.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder making her turn slightly to find James beside her, similarly peering out from under the stands.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly

"Excited" camilla replied finally, "terrified... but excited"

"me too" he smiled kindly, "But come on! You're Camilla Prewett!" he said taking her by the shoulders and shaking her wildly, attempting to snap her out of her own thoughts that were slowly driving her insane.

Camilla could only laughed and James seemed pretty chuffed with the reaction he had elicited.

"Come on" he said, taking her hand and leading her back to the changing rooms to the rest of the team, "The team needs their quidditch captains"

James had seemed to elicit a new burning passion within Camilla and suddenly within her mind there was no possibility that they would not win the cup.

"Come on!" James called to the team, "Everyone gather around please! Cam and I would like to say a few words!"

Camilla looked from James' face, to Frank, to Marlene, to McLaggen, to Rachels and to Jonathon.

They had all come so far from the start of the year and she was so proud of all of them.

"I just wanted to say that I am so overjoyed to have such a good team " she smiled to them all, "This quidditch year has genuinely been the toughest and most gruelling yet and I am so proud of you all for how far you've come. Although the trainings have been harsh, and although James and I may have pushed you all a little bit too far over the past couple of weeks, we just want to say that we appreciate all the hard work you've put in. We have worked way too hard to not succeed now and it's not James and I that deserve it, it's all of you. So when you walk onto that pitch, give it your everything, but most importantly, have fun! And no matter what the outcome when we walk back off the pitch, we will know we gave it everything"

James nodded along with her and it was the first time Camilla had realised that not everyone in the current team would be returning to the team next year. It was a saddening thought but she supposed they would have to make the last time they all flew together the best one yet.