Marauders Oneshots

03: Tryouts [Y2]

A/N: Hi everyone! This chapter (as you might have guessed) is about Quidditch tryouts! This one is a little short, though. Hope you like this oneshot! Also please vote and comment, I love seeing my notifications blow up :D

Word Count: 1058

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James had been talking about Quidditch non-stop ever since the Gryffindor Captain, 6th year George Wood, had posted the notice for tryouts. Sirius had already begun to tire from his rambling, and the notice hadn't even been up for 5 minutes.

He groaned inwardly as James went on about his broom, and polishing, and techniques, and positions, and the balls, different game plays and Merlin knew what else. He sighed and then snapped his fingers in front of the Quidditch enthusiast's face. "Mate, please stop. You're going to drive me insane."

James pouted, then got up, picked up his bag and said, "Fine, then, I'm going to talk to Remus."

"He's in the library, you know you can't talk in there unless you want Pincer to go at you."

James plopped back down next to Sirius. He took out a fresh piece of parchment along with a quill for his Transfiguration homework, and began writing about the properties of metamorphmagi. The two boys sat in silence, plodding through their homework while James' thoughts ran wild, thinking about being on the pitch.

—————

James shot out the door within seconds as the bell rang to signal the end of History of Magic. It was finally Thursday evening, Quidditch tryouts, and he had been so excited that he managed to stay awake throughout the whole class. 

He bolted up 4 flights of staircases, practically shouted out the password to the Fat Lady and lunged through the doorway only to rush up to his dorm, grab his broom and take the same path back to the Quidditch Pitch. 

George Wood was already waiting. Two other Gryffindors were there too, 4th year Mandy Mckinnon (Marlene's elder sister) who was going for Beater and 3rd year Howard Wills, who had been the Seeker last year. 

"Hey, Potter," Wood called out as James walked up to him. "What position are you going for?"

"Chaser." James replied, unable to keep the grin off his face.

"Cha-ser..." Wood muttered as he wrote down James' name on his clipboard. "Alright. Let's just  wait for the rest, in the mean time you guys can practice a bit. What broom have you all got?"

"I've got a Swooper 360." Mandy said, leaning on her broom.

"I have that one too." James commented. 

"Hm...and you, Wills?" George asked. 

"I've got a Silver Arrow."

"Right." Then he turned around to write down the names of all the other Gryffindors who began walking up to the pitch. Most of them were older. James was the only one trying out from the second year. 

Nerves slowly began to settle on James like a blanket of snow. With all these older kids here, who would pick him? Besides, they were all going to be loads better than he was, though he was pretty good. Just then, George blew his whistle.

"Alright, there are 14 of you trying out, so that means two teams. I'm gonna split you up, and I want a nice, clean match! Mandy, Tristan, Charlotte, Adrian, Samantha, Beatrice, and Edward, on my right. The rest of you are a team. You have 3 minutes to discuss strategy, and then we start. Is that clear?"

James heard murmurs of affirmation around him as his team began to discuss.

—————

The match had been going pretty well so far. James had scored 4 goals, and George seemed impressed. Sirius, Remus and Peter had come to cheer him on from the stands, and with the way he was playing, his hopes began to rise. 

He knew that his team had to win if he even had a chance to be selected, but at the same time he had to stand out. James made sure to keep 2 goals ahead of all the other Chasers trying out, but also ensured he passed the Quaffle to his teammates enough that George understood he could work in a team.

"Merlin," he muttered under his breath. "All this scheming is hard."

"James, look out!" He snapped back to reality as he heard Howard call his name. His eyes widened in shock and he swerved, narrowly avoiding a Bludger hit his way by the other team's second Beater, Adrian. James sighed in relief and flew closer to his team. One of the Chasers passed him the Quaffle, and he lunged for it.

With it tucked under his arm safely, James weaved amongst the other brooms, passing the Quaffle back and forth. But just as he neared the goals, another Bludger came whooshing past him and hit him square at the back of his head.

James let out a strangled scream as his vision became dark, and he slowly lost consciousness while falling to the ground.

—————

"Is he okay?"

"Well, he's alive and breathing."

"That's not what I mean and you know it."

"That hit to the head..."

"The back of the head is pretty sensitive."

"It's been two days! Shouldn't he have woken up by now?"

"Madam Pomfrey said if he woke up within the week it'd be a miracle."

"Well, I am pretty miraculous, aren't I?" James said as he opened his eyes. He tried to sit up and groaned immediately. There was a painful pounding at the back of his head.

"James!" he heard a chorus of voices, and he reached for his glasses. There were a lot of people surrounding his bed. Sirius, Remus, Peter, Frank, Marlene, and Lily. 

Lily. 

Oh Godric.

Had he been drooling?

"How're you feeling?" she asked.

"Better now that you're here." James winked.

Immediate groans were heard from the boys and Marlene snickered. Lily narrowed her eyes, and quipped back, "I'm only letting this one go because you almost cracked open your skull, Potter. Get well soon."

She took Marlene's hand and left.

James turned to his dorm mates. "So?" he asked.

"So...?" Sirius said.

"So, did I make the team?"

"Yes, James, you made the team. Your name was first one Wood's list." Remus said smiling.

"YES!" James whooped. "I KNEW I'D MAKE THE TEAM! YES!"

"What's going on in here? Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew and Mr. Longbottom, please leave the Hospital Wing at once! Let Mr. Potter rest!" Madam Pomfrey's sharp voice rang out.

"Oh, Madam Pomfrey, can't they stay, please?" James pleaded.

"Absolutely not! All of you, out!" she ordered, and the four boys walked away silently, promising to visit James the next day.