𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘆, sirius black

˗ˋ 06

CHAPTER SIX
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY TALK QUIDDITCH

. . .

"So-" James began, mouth half-full with roast beef. The sorting was over quickly, and after a short speech from Dumbledore, more food than Nancy could even imagine had appeared on the long tables. 

"So?" Nancy repeated, watching as James finished his mouthful, brandishing a fork at her. It took a moment, but finally he swallowed, looking towards her.

"How are you at Quidditch?" James asked, and his three friends groaned. "What?" The Potter boy looked mystified. "It's a perfectly good question, and naturally I, the Gryffindor captain, should be the one to ask it."

"Quidditch?" Nancy said. "I'm pretty good. I think at least. The schools I went to before said I was." The Scamander girl looked thoughtful. "I suppose uprooted trees are harder then brooms - that's how they played in Koldovstoretz, in Russia. Oh!" She sudden exclaimed, her cool exterior breaking for just a moment.

"Oh?" Sirius asked, eyebrow raised as he repeated her word, biting into a boiled potato. 

"Did you know that at Mahoutokoro, the school in Japan, a group of Hogwarts students taught them how to play Quidditch after they blew of their course whilst trying to circumnavigate the globe by broomstick. Then Japan beat Britain in the Quidditch World Cup because of the conditions they played in." Nancy explained rather quickly, and Remus - as well as another girl just down the table from them - seemed to hang on to her every word.

"How many of these Wizarding Schools have you been to?" Remus looked utterly fascinated, listening intently as Nancy listed the various schools around the globe. 

"Did you take your OWLs?" Sirius butted in. "You know you can't really take NEWTs if you haven't." 

"Despite my lack of staying in one place at one time, Newt - my grandfather - insisted that I take the exams in case at one point I wish to work within the Wizarding World. So yes, I did take my NEWTs. I got seven Os and two Es." Nancy said, not taking any of Sirius's remarks. 

"That must have been disappointing." Sirius didn't miss a beat, tilting his head slightly. "Only two Es, I suppose you wish you got Os in everything."

"That should be every students wish. I only got Es because I never studied Astronomy properly and because Newt only told me about Runes. I visited a library before, so it wasn't too hard." Nancy replied, her stare at Sirius seeming more like a glare. "Any more questions about my OWLs?"

"Nope." Sirius replied, smirking as he finished his potato, and reaching for the steak pie, getting quite the serving before returning to his state of ignoring the Scamander girl.

James cleared his throat, and all of his friends looked over. "Hello? I was in the middle of asking her about Quidditch. Enough about the other schools - you said you play?"

"Yeah, I always have." Nancy nodded.

"And what position?" 

"Seeker." The girl replied, and a smile appeared on James's face. Slightly taken aback by this reaction, Nancy stared at him. 

"That's perfect - you see, I'm the Gryffindor captain, and that means I have to hold tryouts. But you see, I really can't be bothered with doing much this year because I don't really have a whole new team to replace." James launched into an explanation, and Nancy had acquired quite the 'deer in the headlights' look. 

"Obviously I'm a chaser, and both Kingsley - that guy down there - and Sirius are beaters. Dan Cresswell is our Keeper and we have a couple fifth years, Davey and Ava as the other chasers - our old seeker, Ruth King left last year. Leaving me with one empty position." James continued, completely forgetting about his roast beef.

"You should watch me play first before you decide to put me on the team - that's insane." Nancy sat forward. "I said I could play but you have no idea if I'm good or not, I could be absolutely shit at it but still say I play."

James frowned for just a moment, before leaning across the table, pushing up is glasses as he stared at her for a moment. "I reckon you're good." He paused, before leaning down the table. "Hey Kingsley!" He shouted, the boy he was shouting at looking up. "Do you think she looks like she could play Quidditch?" James asked.

Kingsley stared at Nancy for just a moment, before nodding solemly and turning back to his meal. "There you have it." James said, smiling.

"You know I'm on the team too? And Rem and Pete sometimes do commentating. We all have Quidditch knowledge but you decide to ask Kingsley?" Sirius asked, not looking very impressed.

"Conflict of interest. Or lack thereof in Wormtail's case. Remus is too interested in the schools she's attended to care and well.. I won't say how you feel, it's mildly offensive." James trailed off, and Sirius rolled his eyes. "Tomorrow after school we'll go down to the pitch, I'll clear it with McGonagall and we can watch you play." He said to Nancy, who nodded.

"James, I don't shag any remotely good looking girl I lay my eyes on." Sirius rolled his eyes. "But seeing as my conflict of interest ends when we step onto the pitch, I'll help you see if she's a good player or not - no genders seen in Quidditch, love." He looked towards Nancy, who scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

"Trust me, Sirius, I know that. And you say you're beater? I'll show just how much that effects me tomorrow." The confidence had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and Sirius and Nancy glared at each other as the plates of savoury food disappeared, replaced with the desserts.

And they were interrupted by Remus, who was desperate to know more about Koldovstoretz. Nancy, of course, was more than happy to tell him.

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