A Forbidden Love (REMASTERED 2022)

CHAPTER 12: Remastered

Rose

"Ja-James...JAMES!" I yelled, pounding on his back. He coughed unattractively, sending bits of egg sailing across the table. I wrinkled my face in disgust and scowled at him.
"I never wanted to be this up close and personal with you," Albus grumbled, hastily wiping egg off of his cheek. I giggled and eyed James wearily as he smiled cheekily at Albus. It was the morning before Quidditch tryouts and somehow James had convinced himself that if he ate like a pig he'd have enough energy to be the best on the field. I'd just saved him from sending himself to an early grave: death by eggs. I sat in the Great Hall next to James with Fred and Hugo and Lily sat with Albus across from us.
"Are the eggs that good?" Hugo wondered, staring at the mess on the table.
"No, brother dear. James has just lost his marbles," I replied sweetly. James shot me a look before continuing to stuff his face. I sighed, "Why exactly are you eating enough to last you through the week? You've been on the team since second year, surely you'll keep your spot. Look, Fred isn't worried!" James swallowed with great difficulty and gave me a pointed look.
"There's a new Quidditch captain, all the positions are up for grabs, and no one is safe. Besides, isn't it obvious? More you eat, more strength you have." James replied.
"For the record, I'm not eating because I'm scared out my wits. But I'm not sure that's how it works, mate," Fred told him, staring in awe as James piled more food on his plate
"You know, I read somewhere that eating too much can slow you down on the field," Lily piped up. James paused mid-bite and stared at her.
"Blimey mate, and aren't you going for beater again, too? And don't your reflexes have to be fast on the field?" Albus asked mockingly, clicking his tongue in disappointment.
James glared at him, "Shove it before I Petrificus Totalus you to sit here for the rest of the day."
"Do it, do it! I'll give you a sickle," Fred pleaded. Hugo looked delighted at the idea.
"You're only begging him because you've never been able to do the spell yourself. You'd have done it eons ago if you were able to," I snorted.
"Care to be my guinea pig?" Fred asked with a mischievous grin. I made a nasty face at him.
"Well, I'm sure you guys will be great! Scorpius too," Lily said encouragingly. I smiled at her. She'd grown very fond of Scorpius in the last few weeks, practically considering him one of her cousins.
"What 'bout me?" Scorpius called. I turned to grin as Scor came up to the table.
"I think you're gonna be great at tryouts!" Lily told him with a huge smile.
Scorpius grinned back at her, "Think so? Well, I hope so. All new captains this year. My spots not secured." He turned to Fred and James, "Did Zacharias get his passing down in time?"
Fred shook his head, "Blimey no, he's still right awful. His chasing dreams are shot." Scorpius sighed and shook his head.
"Didn't you lot practice all last week?" Hugo questioned.
Scorpius nodded at him, "Right, and they still haven't got it down. Even my skills can't save them now." I rolled my eyes as Fred and James shook his hand in agreement but I hid a small smile. I was beyond elated that Fred, James, and Scorpius had become closer. They'd been together for most of the previous week.
"Where's Chey?" Albus asked, always the one to question her whereabouts, even before me. James made kissy faces at him while Fred feigned a swoon. Al flipped them off with a fake smile.
"She's still in her dormitory," Scorpius said with a laugh, "Getting ready for tryouts. She knows you'll be there so I reckon it'll take her a half hour longer to ready herself." Al smiled at this. Scorpius directed his attention toward me, looking down at me with a grin. He placed both of his hands on either side of me on the table from behind me and I tilted my head back to stare up at him.
"How're you this morning?" he asked.
"Ready to see you win your spot," I replied happily. He flashed me an award-winning smile and dipped his head down the kiss me but Hugo, James, and Fred protested in a fit of yells. Lily giggled at their outburst.
"I don't know why you lot bother. I've learned to be quick and avert my eyes by now," Al said, scrunching up his face. I stuck my tongue out at him for good measure as Scorpius shook his head in defeat.
"Right then, I'll see you lot at tryouts. Better scream the loudest for me!"
"Reckon it'll be me they scream the loudest for!" James called back as Scorpius waved him off, exiting the Great Hall.
"Blimey, think Anastasia is going to be there?" James asked, nudging Fred. He rolled his eyes and ignored him, biting rather loudly into an apple.
"Who's Anastasia?" I questioned.
"A seventh-year girl James has been trying to woo!" Hugo exclaimed, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Really?" Lily asked excitedly. The girl loved romance, no matter being 12 years old.
"James is only interested because he heard she's 1/12 veela," Albus remarked, taking a bite of his yogurt.
"I am a man of substance!" James retorted, "and by the looks of her she's got a lot of substance."
"Yeah, if by substance you mea-"
"Oi!" I shouted, cutting Albus off, "shouldn't we be getting down to the fields?"
"I wanted to wait for Chey," Albus begged. I agreed, remembering she was still in the dormitory.
"We should be going to warm up," Fred said, shoving James's shoulder. With one last heaping bite of eggs, James stood and waved to us before tripping after Fred out of the Hall.
"He's going to be sick on the field, isn't he?" Lily asked worriedly.
"The git better not!  Those two are the best beaters Gryffindor has had since Uncle George and Uncle Fred were at Hogwarts," Hugo told her.
"That's your cousin for you," I sighed. The two second years finished off their breakfast, chattering about who may or may not make the House teams.
"Reckon Blade will be trying out?" Albus asked me.
I shrugged, "He hasn't said anything about it although he claims this is his year to try out. He hasn't practiced a bit. He's been so wrapped up in snogging Hufflepuffs. Weird, his thing for Hufflepuffs."
Albus made a face, "I noticed. That is weird."
"What's weird?" a voice called from behind me. Cheyanne plopped herself down next to me and kissed my cheek.
"Morning, dear and dear, and little dears" she called to us. Albus blushed furiously, drinking in the sight of her, mumbling his greetings. She grabbed a few pieces of fruit and began popping them into her mouth.
"So," Cheyanne said, swallowing, "who do we think is going to get the sack today?"
"My money is on Blade," Albus repeated confidently.
Chey rolled her eyes, "We're not even sure he's trying out this term. Besides, you bet on him last year and lost a galleon because he didn't even show on the field."
"But he's supposed to be participating! He said so months ago!" Al whined, wanting to be right.
I chuckled at them, "My money is on Alecto. He'll be sacked before he even makes the team, poor bloke."
Cheyanne laughed, "Yes, I watched him and Zacharias practicing with a fake quaffle yesterday. A sad sight." She looked about the Hall suddenly, "Have the boys already set off for the fields?"
"They left maybe ten minutes ago," Albus told her.
Cheyanne finished off her fruit cubes and pulled me up by the arm hastily, "Well come then! We're going to be late!"
"If we are late it is because of you!" I replied.
She waved me off, "Come now, children, time for Quidditch!"