Legacy | Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter Nine : Trust Issues

A/N: currently swooning at how pretty Aurelia is-- I mean... hey look, a new chapter!

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The walk to the Quidditch pitch was enough to lift up Anne's spirits as they made their way outside that afternoon. She was so anxious to be back on her broom flying high and fast, and from holding Aurelia's hand she could tell that her girlfriend was just as excited. "I wonder how the tryouts will go today," Aurelia said, giggling as Anne swung their arms.

"Probably as boring as they were last year," Anne told her.

"I didn't think they were all that boring," Aurelia countered. "That's where you and I met."

"No, we met in Potions."

"Oh, that's right."

Anne feigned hurt. "I can't believe you would forget such an important moment!"

"You must not have made an impression then."

Playfully, Anne pushed Aurelia off the dirt path. They both laughed before they corrected themselves. "I suppose you're right, though," Anne added. "Getting to meet you here at tryouts is one of my favorite moments."

Aurelia blushed before smiling back up at Anne. "And you said you weren't a sap."

When the pair reached the pitch, they saw that most of the other teams had already gathered and were looking just as anxious and excited as Anne was feeling. The Slytherin captain, Imelda Reyes, was off to the side away from the other players with the Gryffindor captain, Garreth Weasley, and the Hufflepuff captain, Charlotte Morrison. "Where's Clopton?" Anne asked aloud, surprised that the Ravenclaw captain, Everett Clopton, was not with them.

Aurelia looked just as puzzled. "I'm not sure," she said. "He said he would be here."

The girls dispersed and went to their own house teams. On the Slytherin team, the only remaining players were the Sallow twins and Imelda. "We have to replace four members," Sebastian told her, groaning. "This is going to be awful."

"Just be thankful it's not your job to pick the players," Anne said. "By the looks of it, every team is the same. I'm just glad that Professor Weasley lowered the age requirements."

"Oh yeah, third years and older right?"

"I think that's what she said."

"It is what she said," Imelda answered as she finally came over to join them. She looked more anxious than usual. "I hope that means that we'll have a decent turnout for the positions we need."

Anne looked around as she saw some newer students finally coming onto the pitch for tryouts. There was a lot more than she had anticipated, and it surprised her just how many younger students had come out to either watch or play. THe energy rose among them until it became an excited buzz that could be felt all around.

And yet, Everett Clopton was nowhere to be seen. Anne could tell that Aurelia was starting to become nervous over his absence along with the rest of the Ravenclaw team.

"Why aren't we starting tryouts?" Sebastian asked Imelda.

Before she could say anything, Anne finally saw Madam Kogawa walking out of her office dressed in her usual quidditch referee attire. Walking ahead of her was Everett Clopton with a face as red and angry as Anne had ever seen it. He stomped away to the Ravenclaw team wordlessly and ignored everyone's questioning looks.

"Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, begin your team tryouts!" Madam Kogawa called out. "Ravenclaw team, follow me."

The four Ravenclaw players shared a questioning look among themselves. Aurelia looked genuinely worried before her and the three other Ravenclaw players reluctantly followed her back to her office.