Third Time's the Charm

Chapter Twelve-Quidditch

Saturday comes fast and I find myself on the pitch hovering on my broom with the rest of the teammates, wearing my beaters gear over James's extra Quidditch sweater since he bled all over mine. He's up first with Sirius next, then me. My foot is wiggling spastically as we watch James go through the obstacles with the Captain and her second hand floating around the most difficult places.

There are three parts. First the obstacle course, back and forth between poles doing one's best not to touch them, straight up and down like a roller coaster through floating hoops, and finally speeding towards the ground before pulling up as close as possible to the green. Second, the whole of the group of people gathered lines up in a zig-zag and you've got to fly through a torrent of them chucking quaffles at us like bludgers. Third, and finally, is working with and against the member of the team you want to be. In my case, that means Sirius and I will be going head to head.

I clap along with everyone else when he floats back up from the first trial and smile when he shoots me a wink. My turn. I make sure to lock eyes with both Sirius and James before shooting forward. A deep breath goes in through my nose and out through my mouth before I grin, easily diving and going back and forth between the poles without touching a single one. There's no stopping me or the smile on my face as I snap up and down through each hoop perfectly, then all that's left is the final dive. I flatten out a moment before plunging towards the ground.

At the last second, I pull up and feel my knuckles skim the grass before I stop. I float back up to the end of the line and beam at the sight of both boys with their mouths open, then to the stands behind us where Lily is sitting. Remus and Peter sit on her left too. She waves back when I do, but right now her hand is over her mouth to keep from laughing. My smile widens when I see someone familiar to her right in grey and green. Garrett whoops for me and I blush, looking away. After a few pats on the back from the other teammates, I move over to the boys.

"You're going to catch flies like that," I tell them with a smirk.

"You...you just-"

"She pranked us. Fucking hell, she pranked us damn well." Sirius rubs a hand over his wavy hair with an awed grin. He looks very nice with windblown hair.

"Who? Me? Just beginner's luck." I shrug with a teasing grin. They move to either side of me as they shake their heads.

"If Evans wasn't sitting right there, I'd ask you to marry me here and now, Mane. You beauty." James says and I laugh at his wide eyes and wider smile.

"I'm unencumbered. Marry me, love, we'd make the most beautiful, Quidditch pro babies." Sirius offers and I shove his shoulder as I continue to laugh until my stomach hurts.

"Guys, stop, this is supposed to be serious."

"Uh, I'm always Sirius." He combats and god, I think I'm going to burst.

"If I piss right now from laughing, I will hex you both until I'm no doubt expelled from this school." I threaten and they're both silent for a moment.

"Well bloody hell that sounds like a challenge, Mane," James says and my head shakes.

"Oi! New girl!" We all quiet when the Captain calls me over. She pretty, dark hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones under dark skin, although right now she looks rather firm. "Since you find it so funny, you're first. Line up!" She shouts and I flinch at the volume before flying over to the start as the rest make a sort of wide tunnel with quaffles at the ready. They're charmed to follow where a wand points, so they won't just fall to the ground after being thrown, they'll be coming back. Since I want to be a beater, I'm allowed a bat. After a deep breath, I head in.

Right from the start, the Captain aims for my head. I deflect it with my bat and fight forward. Luckily, most of the team either graduated or isn't trying out again, so no one really has the greatest aim. The first half I fight through with dodging and speed. Once I'm halfway through I demonstrate how good I am. Batting them away left and right, spinning upside down when two come my way, even standing on my broom at one point before I'm through the line. I'm breathing hard, but I made it through the line without getting hit once. My eyes go to the group cheering in the stands, now made even bigger by the inclusion of Marlene, Emmaline, Alice, and Frank. What gems.