Chasing you (James Potter x oc)

3. Red and Golden ties

The Great Haul was always filled with excitement on the first day back at Hogwarts. The sorting ceremony was done and the new students were getting acquainted with their new houses. Noa was sitting next to Leah, enjoying the delicious meal that was always served on the first day. Ethan, being in Hufflepuff couldn't sit with them. Leah was in full discussion with a few firts years, already telling them all the secrets about the Slytherin common room. She always felt like it was her responsability to help all the newcomers to fit in their new house.

The two beaters from the slytherin quidditch team were sitting accross Noa and were congratulating her about her new position as the captain.

"It was obvious that you were going to be captain this year, if we made it that far last year it was definitely thanks to you" said Benjamin, a tall strong black haired 7th year.

"Totally, you're like the best player in the team, by far." Added Mike, who was in the same year as Noa.

"Slow down with the compliments you two or I'm going to think you are sweet talking to me into choosing you this year in the team." mocked Noa

"How dare you think that I don't genuinely believe all I said?" exclaimed Benjamin exaggerating the words. "But also, remember that I am a very good beater and I add a lot to the team." He added with a grin.

"So am I!" replied Mike with enthusiam.

Noa laughed and declared "Well I can't wait to see this at the tryout."

The two boys mumbled something about loyalty and being faithul to your friends but eventually they gave up trying to convince Noa to keep them in the team.

Noa stopped paying attention to them and went back to eat, already thinking about all the additional work this position would mean. She didn't mind it, she was ready to work as hard as possible to achieve her dream. She was prepared to make sacrifices, she knew that this year she had to be focused on the team, it also meant that she couldn' t afford to have any distraction, she would eat, sleep and breath quidditch if she had to.

She was lost in thoughts, reflecting about how she should organise the quidditch tryouts when she realised that Leah had been talking to her for what seemed a few minutes.

"What, sorry? I spaced out for a second." appologized Noa.

"Like you always do. I was just telling you that I'm going to our dorm, do you want to come?" proposed Leah.

"Sure, I'm tired anyways" answered Noa.

They started walking towards the dongeons where the Slytherin common room was located. Noa was excited to be back there, it was as much her home as her house in London.  She was eager to find herself back in this elegant and majestuous room. Some people said the Slytherins quarters were known to be cold but she couldn't disagree more. The room showed perfectly the greatness of the Slytherin house and the determination that all the  students have to achieve something great. This room was everything Noa aspired to be, and this was probably why she loved it so much.

In the corridor that leaded to the common room, she bumped into a student,  she went still when the first thing she noticed was his red and golden tie. She raised her head and found herself face to face with Sirius Black.

The Black family was a respected family among the Slytherin, every single one of them had been in Slytherin, except the boy that stood in front of Noa, who seemed to belong in Gryffindor. Noa thought it really was a shame, Black could have been good for Slytherin, he was definitely as cunning as the rest of them. Moreover, she liked his younger brother, Regulus, even if she only had spoken with him a few times. But Sirius was known to particularly dislike Slytherin, Noa guessed it was related to his family so she didn't really take it personally. But none of that explained what he was doing near the common room at this late hour.

"Black, you are not supposed to be here." Noa pointed out. Next to her Leah was glaring at him suspiciously. Sirius just laughed and answered:

"Hi Ladies! I'm just having my annual back to school walk. I have to make sure I remember all the parts of the castle. You know, so I don't get lost. You never know what can happen here at night." And with that he winked at them.

Noa  just stared at him for a long time and declared : "That's bullshit, listen I don't care what you are doing here. Just don't mess with any of the Slytherin"

She didn't want to have to deal with trouble so soon in the year.

"I had no intentions to do that, like I told you I'm only here to...." Sirius started but was cut by a loud voice coming from the door of the common room.

"Come on mate, I feel like we were bonding here !"

The sound of a big door closing was heard at the end of the corridor, and a tall figure appeared in the distance, and was coming towards them.

"Alright Sirius, I've had enough of these morons, let's go back to our dorm." the young man said to his best friend not noticing or caring about the two Slytherin.

But Noa had recognized him from the moment she had heard his voice. Standing in front of her was James Fleamont Potter, Gryffindor's golden boy and her main rival. Not that he was even aware of.  James Potter had been in the Gryffindor quidditch team for pretty much as long as she had been in the Slytherin one. Of all of the players , he had always been the one who annoyed her the most. He was pretty much everything she disliked, foolish, careless and reckless. She hated how confident he was, as if he just knew that he could succeed in anything he wanted.

Benjamin had told her that he also was the new appointed captain for his team. She'd had enough of seeing his stupid proud smile everytime they had won the cup in the past, and this year she could change that, she could once and for all wipe his pretencious grin out of his stupid face and finally get all the glory she deserved. It was more than just quidditch, this was personnal.

James eventually  acknowledged the two girls, especially the one who looked at him with full dislike in her eyes.

"Hello Potter, did you get lost? If I remember correctly the Gryffindor common room is nowhere near here. Then again, maybe you can't remember that because of your limited brain." declared Noa

"Hi Lewis, it's always such a pleasure to see you!" the young boy answered with a feigned enthusiasm "My dear friend Sirius and I were just wishing a good year to all the Slytherin, but since you are all cold and heartless, no one was interested in our greetings.  So this is why we're going back our warm and welcoming coming room!"

And with that the two boys just left.

"Next time don't even bother coming down here!" Noa shouted after them.

Leah glanced at her sideways.

"What ?" Noa asked sharply, still on edge.

"Nothing." Leah stayed quiet for a time before adding : "You just seem to really dislike Potter."

Noa chuckled and answered "Of course I dislike him, he's like my rival number one . Even more than before!"

Leah just shrugged before saing "Okay, sure, if you say so."

Noa frowned before asking "What exactly are you implying? "

Leah laughed before replying "It's nothing really, it's just curious how you seem to dislike him more than all the other in the team." Before Noa could say anything Leah added "But I guess that what you said makes sense."

Noa frowned again, not really understanding what her best friend meant.

"Alright don't think about this too much, it was just an obsvervation. Let's go to bed I'm exhausted."

Leah took Noa's hand and she let herself be dragged  towards their dorm.