The Marauders Unite (III)

The Captain's Office

October 15, 1975

In the Captain's Office, EMMA sits behind the desk reviewing several maps of the Quidditch pitch with moving players and various plays in motion.

WILKES: (knocking on the door) Morning, your Highness.

EMMA: (barely looking up) Hey.

ROSIER: (entering behind WILKES) Good news. We got a look at Gryffindor's brooms, and it seems like they're still flying mostly on those old Cleansweeps-

EMMA: Excellent. Our Comet 260's and Nimbus 1700's will do just fine against them.

WILKES: You nervous at all?

EMMA: (closing her notebook and rubbing her eyes) I suppose I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. But if we have to play the first match of the season, I'm glad it's against Gryffindor. If we take them down early, and manage to do reasonably well against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, the Cup will be ours.

ROSIER: (crossing his arms) I'm surprised you're so worked up over this year, Emma. Even if we lose the Cup, there's always next year-

EMMA: That's where you're wrong. This is my first year being Captain, and it very well might be my last if Slytherin doesn't perform adequately.

WILKES: It'll be fine, Emma. Relax.

EMMA: I'll tell you what really gets under my skin is that James Potter and that God-forsaken Sirius Black being the all-time favorites of McGonagall-

ROSIER: Yeah, why does she care so much about them?

EMMA: Who knows, but she treats them like her own sons, and we can bet she's been giving them flying tips-

ROSIER: Wait, did McGonagall play Quidditch?

EMMA: You didn't know? She was the star Gryffindor Chaser back in her day. But she was injured in her last year, and lost the Cup. She's made it her life's mission to get it back ever since.

WILKES: She won't this year. Slytherin's had the Cup for the past three years, and nothing about that's gonna change. We've got a solid team, Emma.

EMMA: But we lost several key players this year. Some, irreplaceable. I'm keeping a lot of faith in Regulus. Where is he, anyway?

ROSIER: He should be here, soon-

As if on cue, REGULUS enters the locker room, carrying with him a huge bundle of Quidditch robes.

EMMA: Regulus! Come on in.

REGULUS enters the office, slightly caught off guard by the presence of the three older players.

ROSIER: You ready for your first match?

REGULUS: As ready as I'll ever be.

EMMA: (walking over to him) Just do your best. Gryffindor's Seeker isn't remarkable, and you can win this if you try. We're a team, remember? Whatever the outcome, we do this together.

WILKES: Well said, Chief.

ROSIER: Let's go kick some Gryffindor arse.

EMMA smiles and leads her team out onto the pitch.