The Cursed Chronicles: Year 5

Chapter 12

Albus had never been interested in Quidditch. James was obsessed with it, and his dad was really good at it. Albus never had the talent.

Despite that, he was happy to cheer his friends on from the sidelines. As Rose joined him in the bleachers, Katrina and Scorpius joined their respective teams.

"You didn't scare them with your overenthusiastic pep talk, did you?" Rose turned red.

"I didn't scare them. I just gave them encouragement." Rose insisted.

"Same difference." Rose glared at him and Albus smiled. Tryouts started with Slytherin. Scorpius was doing really great with his. On one goal, Albus heard Rose confounding the keeper. He gave her a look and she had the good grace to blush.

When it was Katrina's turn,  Albus saw signs go up. He knew Katrina noticed them to. Anger boiled inside of him. She didn't deserve that. Rose pointed her wand at one of the signs near them and muttered something under her breath. The sign burst into flames. Katrina hit a bludger towards the bleachers and it tore through one of the signs.

Katrina was doing really well. Albus noticed the Slytherin team captain confronting Scorpius. He said something to Scorpius and Scorpius grinned. They shook hands and the team captain patted him on the back.

"Hey, what's she doing?" Rose asked pointing out a girl who was marching from the bleachers onto the field. "She's part of Jessica's posse."

"Who's Jessica?" Albus wondered out loud, but Rose didn't get a chance to answer. The girl had grabbed a spare club lying on a field, and hit a stray bludger that had come her way- straight at Katrina. Katrina didn't see it coming. It hit her in the head and she fell off her broom.

Albus was on his feet instantly, and running down to the field, Rose close behind. Scorpius was running to, and so was the Hufflepuff team captain and a few concerned students who were trying out for beater.

The team captain checked her pulse as more people gathered around to see what was going on.

"Go on!" the team captain yelled. "Clear out, she's going to need to go to the hospital wing! Tryouts are over!"

"What about the rest of us who wanted to try out?" One student said angrily. "Will we get a chance another day?"

"I've already chosen two beaters," the captain responded. "Now clear out!" He scooped her up. "If I didn't already have enough to do, now I have to take her to the hospital wing. Do any of you know the student who hit that bludger?"

"That was Lydia," Rose piped up. "Lydia Jenkins, she's a Ravenclaw fifth year." the team captain nodded.

"We can take her to the hospital wing if you're busy," Albus offered.

"That would be great," The team captain said, relieved. He handed Katrina to Albus. "It's Potter, right? Albus Potter?" Albus nodded. "And you two," he gestured to Rose and Scorpius. "Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy, am I right?"

"Granger-Weasley," Rose corrected.

"You guys are pretty popular. I would watch m back if I were you. Some people don't like how popular you're getting." With that he grabbed his broom and the chest of Quidditch balls and left. Rose, Scorpius and Albus shared looks.

Madame Pomfrey was livid when the three dropped of Katrina.

"Quidditch! That game causes me the most trouble! I ought to talk to the headmistress about applying safety procedures! Place her on that bed over there, why don't you?" Albus placed her on the bed as instructed. The three sat and waited for Madame Pomfrey to come back. There was a long silence.

"I made the team," Scorpius said finally. Rose grinned ear to ear.]

"That's great! I knew you would!" She threw her arms around him, catching him off guard. She let go quickly, blushing, but didn't say anything for a minute.

"I-uh... have to go. I've got...homework... to do." Flustered, she left the hospital wing. Scorpius looked at Albus, completely bewildered, and Albus just shrugged. Scorpius shook his head.

"I'll never understand girls."