Blood Status || Marauders Era

Chapter 18|| Quidditch try outs.

The next day brought a breeze, the winter wind finally breaking through and announcing itself. There was few clouds in the sky, but the feeling of cold weather was still upon everyone, the last of the leaves had fallen off the trees and gone into the soil, the sun still quite low in the sky for 8.30 am. Walking across the grounds  and towards the stands was a task for everyone as their hands and feet went numb the more they walked.

"Good luck at the try outs guys!" Peter called, gloves on his hands, walking up to the stands with the boys and Mary, Alice, Leon and Frank. Myself and James were trying to become Chasers and as there were people that left, we had no idea how many spots there were or how many people were wanting to be in the team too. It seemed, as we walked onto the pitch, a lot of people.

There was many first year Gryffindors, but obviously not having a broom themselves, they were immediately out of the question. I wasn't ever sure why they tried anymore, especially if they already knew their fate. Then there was people who just couldn't fly and came to probably just look at all the players or just for fun.

Finally, there was the people who were already on the team and had a guaranteed spot on the team, the Captain was like that and wanted to keep his players as they already knew the different ways.

That left still a good few people and Jacques split all of the Gryffindors into different groups, and as there were only two different things they could do, it was in half. It was quite perfect actually, the places that needed filling were two Chasers and a Keeper, that meant that we could practice against each other. 

There was already one chaser and that was Johnson, the Seeker we already knew and the two Beaters were Fabian and Gideon, who winked as I walked past.

The trials went on for half an hour to a full hour and it was obvious who was a better fit, and who just didn't know the game, not to brag but, I was in the first category. I mean, I could fly, shoot, and four out of five of my shots went in against a rival Keeper. 

James was amazing, getting everything in, but you could tell that his build was better for a Seeker, he was speedy and just lighter. Even the Captain noticed he was good and when James got all five in, Gideon whispered to me, "Is James actually good or is that Keeper crappy?"

Jacques said to us all, "Right, the results will be out probably by tonight on the common room notice board, so if you want to find out if you made the team, look on there, six pm or later. I'll have a talk with my team mates before then, asking for their opinion."

I felt a lot happier and a lot less nervous when he said that he was going to consult the others and not make a selfish opinion or decision, considering his brother had also tried out for the Chaser spot.

As we walked out of the pitch and towards the Hogwarts grounds, towards the courtyard, our friends that were watching myself and James' trials, ran up to us, all saying different things. Mary, Remus, Peter and Alice were complimenting our trying, and saying how we did better than they thought. 

Sirius however tried a different way of talking to us, which wasn't very comforting at all, "Honestly, don't be disappointed if you don't make the team, JJ Floyd was better than you guys, he destroyed them Keepers."

I glared at him, James muttering, "Thanks for the vote of confidence mate." Leon then asked curiously, "By the way Athena, what did Gideon tell you when you was watching James' shots?" I tried to remember what he told me and found my memory a little bit muddled but looking at the group of boys going into the castle, I laughed. 

I told them, "Gideon said, 'is James actually good or is that Keeper crappy?" Everyone but James found that funny but after a short while, James had his ego back and said, "I am actually quite good at the whole Chaser thing, an even better Seeker but, beggars can't be choosers."

Remus looked a little bit judgmentally at the curly haired boy and replied, "James, first of all, when did you learn that Muggle saying? Secondly, you're rich James, you're not exactly a beggar, so that doesn't apply to you." James shrugged and said something about Lily. 

I didn't listen to him and wanted to sit down all day in the common room until they announced who was on the team and who wasn't. It was a weird feeling, hope and dread at the same time, trying not to be disappointed if and when the result came out.

When it did come to six pm, nearly everyone who tried out was sat in the Gryffindor common room, waiting for the Captain to announce/ put on the notice board the final team results. James was sat on the rug in front of the fire, staring at the embers as they feebly flickered, the flames slowly dying as everything must, the little sparks electrically jumping, as if trying to escape its fate. The grate of the fire standing tall, trapping these certain flames from escaping.

A sudden noise at the portrait hole and the Captain and Chaser Johnson came walking in holding a sheet of parchment as they tried to squeeze past everyone waiting. Johnson attached the sheet to the notice board with a pin and stood back, letting the few at the front check first. A result of annoyed groans and disappointed sighs followed, not giving me much courage.

James stood up next to me telling me, "Come on Thea, we need to check if we're in or not, sitting here won't change what's already been decided." I followed his lead and walked towards the board, my eyes squinting as the last few people moved out of the way, people grumbling and unhopeful.

My heart was beating almost irrationally fast, and I decided to stall my judgement and instead checked out who the Keeper was first and, unsurprisingly, it wasn't McLaggen, but a girl called Natasha Rogers. 

I silently sighed - if that was the standard, then I had no chance - and my eyes finally darted to where the two new Chasers were named, my heart skipping a beat as I saw the original Chaser Johnson listed, then with a swell of happiness, I saw James' name listed in black ink. 

I cracked my knuckles nervously, looking at the last name, and let out a laugh of disbelief. I was a Chaser, with one of my best friends, I was finally solidified into something that my mother didn't want me to be.

"James!" "Thea!" I turned to face him, my eyes sparkling with joy and looking at him, so was his. He had a lopsided grin on his face and squealed, hugging me tightly, checking the list again as if he was seeing things. I followed and looked back at the list and there was my name, Athena Pattinson, in that cursive writing the Captain wrote in. Our Captain.

I grabbed ahold of James' wrist and dragged him over to the other boys, our smiles evident on our faces, their smiles growing seeing the both of us so overjoyed. Peter was the first to say well done and tell us how he believed in us all along, Remus giving us a slight headache now on how he would need to go to the hospital wing so much with his friends Quidditch injuries. 

Sirius, however, was shaking his head at our enthusiasm, then suddenly, he was laughing loudly like a maniac and jumping up and down.

"I have to go and tell Lily, and Mary, and all of the girls," I said breathlessly, 'excitement tires you' as my father said, and in some aspects he was right. Unnecessarily might I add. James looked at me and said, "I should go with you!" I laughed at him, shaking my head and explaining how Hogwarts girl's stairs worked, in case he'd forgotten last year. Him and Sirius falling and sliding down the stairs never left my mind.

I walked up the stairs, feeling calmer than a few minutes ago, my emotions having dialled down a lot and my whole body now suddenly feeling the pressure lifted and the tiredness of practice falling down upon me. I opened the hard wooden door and looked around at the dorm, a few girls sat in their beds, a few stood in the middle of them, all talking. They all turned to look at me expectantly as I walked into the dormitory.

"I'm in!" I admitted. Lily cheered, Mary and Marlene having shocked smiles on their faces. Alice was as warm as ever, pulling me in for a hug that felt like motherly love and Aafiya walked out of the bathroom rolling her eyes saying, "Say that any louder will you?" but nevertheless a hint of a smile was upon her features. I walked up to her and slung an arm around her shoulder before remembering and quickly retracting the arm, saying, "I know you love me."

Aafiya looked down at the floor grinning and shrugged her shoulders, "You're mistaken Pattinson, I think it's the other way around." Marlene laughed and pulled something out of her trunk and as my eyes rested upon it, I shook my head at her and laughed, "You're quite extravagant aren't you." She opened some party poppers and they made a loud noise, smirking, "Always."