Icarus and His Sun

January- 1973

Regulus was correct in believing the Gryffindor quidditch captain would not be crafting a team of second years. He was, however, wrong in thinking that only one person would get in. Of the five second years who tried out for the team that past September, two of them were lucky enough to be chosen.

The positions that had been left open were for two chasers, a beater, and a seeker. The teams captain and keeper Frank Longbottom had to go through about two dozen candidates. In the end, he had chosen Marlene Mckinnon as his seeker and James Potter as one of the chasers. The remaining two positions had been given to a fourth year and a sixth year.

Regulus had obviously never seen either of them play before— in fact he hardly even knew who this Mckinnon was— so when the time came for their first game to take place, he was quite excited to see how they would hold up.

The first Gryffindor quidditch match of the year had been against Ravenclaw, and they had won in a landslide.

Regulus remembers watching the players mount their brooms and take flight. Part of him had been wondering if the game would last very long at all, or if Ravenclaw would get away with an easy win since the majority of the opposing team was new.

He could not have been more wrong.

The Gryffindor's worked seamlessly as if they had been playing together their whole lives. The crowd went crazy with every goal they scored, and the cheering only spurred them on further.

James Potter was a fantastic flyer. He had a similar cocky attitude to Sirius, but it never got in the way of his technique. The quaffle found its way into his hands over and over, drawn to him like a magnet. Not a single shot that he made that game had missed.

And he was fast as well. Regulus often beat Sirius to the snitch on speed alone, but watching James he couldn't help but wish they could go head to head. He'd never faced anyone else in a game, let alone someone who would give him a run for his money.

Mckinnon hadn't been half bad either. Though she wasn't as fast as James, she thankfully didn't need to be; she only had to be faster than Ravenclaw's seeker.

The game had ended 210-70, every banner on the field magically changing to display red and gold. As he sat surrounded by annoyed Slytherin's, Regulus had sworn to himself he would make the team next year so he could take Potter down.

Since then, he had taken to watching the Slytherins practice from the stands. He took note of the drills they ran, saving the information for later in the summer to practice. By sheer luck, the team's seeker just so happened to be a seventh year, and so Regulus's number one position would be up for grabs.

He also refused to miss a single match, even one's that in no way pertained to Slytherin.

The first quidditch match of the New Year was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Though Gryffindor had had an excellent first run, they'd only managed to win one other game so far. This match would determine who would come last in the battle for the quidditch cup.

Regulus was already running behind. He had lost track of time in the library, and then at the last second remembered he needed to head to the owlery to send a letter to his mother. By the time he got back to the dungeons Barty was already waiting for him, rather impatiently.

"Never thought the one time you would be late to something would be for quidditch," Barty smirks from the doorway, watching Regulus search his dresser for something.

"You're not funny, you know." Regulus abandons the dresser, jogging around to his nightstand instead. "Not at all."

"I beg to differ."

He pulls open the drawer and immediately spots what he's looking for. Snatching up his gloves, he bids Theodore a quick goodbye before rushing out. Barty heckles him the whole way out to the quidditch pitch, even more so when they find the game has already started.

The Slytherin section of the stands is almost completely empty, no one wanting to come and support a team that isn't their own. There's a group of older students at the very top of the stands, and at the bottom all by herself is the first year girl with hair like Regulus's cousins.

"Come here," Regulus says over his shoulder. He leads Barty up near the middle of the stands.

They haven't missed much, thankfully. Hufflepuff is currently in the lead 40-10, but Longbottom has been doing a fair job to keep them in check.

"There goes one of Gryffindor's chasers," a voice over them booms. "She's closing in, it's gonna be a tight one— And there it goes ! Amazing shot made by Fortescue ! That brings us up another ten points, folks !"

The crowd on the other side of the pitch explodes. Gold and red shimmer frantically throughout the mass of students.

Regulus's eyes are on the sky. One of Hufflepuff's beaters sends a bludger straight for Longbottom who ducks, swiftly flying back into position to block an oncoming quaffle.

"Ooo, bad luck for the 'Puffs, that is ! Maybe just a bit quicker next time, yeah ?"

Whoever the commentator is, Regulus thinks they may be slightly biased.

The game goes on. Gryffindor catches up to Hufflepuff, then passes them. The stands are filled with elated cheers from the red side and disappointed groans from the yellow.

"Fortescue in possession of the quaffle, passes to Potter, and— ooh ! Snatched up by Hufflepuff chaser Connors !"

The Hufflepuff flies towards the goals, but halfway there Regulus spots a streak of red zoom downwards.

"Mckinnon heading straight for the ground there, could it be— Yes ! Marlene Mckinnon has just caught the snitch ! Gryffindor wins, 210-40 !"

The rest of what the announcer says is drowned out by the violent celebrations happening around them. Every banner hanging from the stands shines radiantly in red and gold. Marlene takes a victory lap around the field, followed closely by a few of her teammates. When she hits the ground she's swarmed by the other players, getting buried in a pile of bodies.

The Hufflepuffs sulk off towards the locker rooms, and soon the stands begin to empty.

Regulus forces Barty to wait until everyone else has gone to head back. They walk up from the pitch slowly, discussing past and future games to try and decide if Gryffindor has even the slightest chance of stealing the cup. They're just coming up on the castle when he hears a voice from behind him.

"Oi Black !"

Regulus turns to find James Potter following him. James comes closer, still in his quidditch
uniform, his hair an absolute mess.

"Er...we missed you on the train back," he says. He looks a bit unsure of himself. Regulus can't tell if the flush on his cheeks is from the game or embarrassment from talking to him.

He's been avoiding the band of Gryffindor's since they returned to Hogwarts. If Sirius is even the slightest bit upset about this he doesn't show it. If anything, Regulus thinks he looks happier now that he's finally rid of the last remaining member of his family.

He pulls a face, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure Sirius would disagree."

James falters, bringing a hand up to adjust his glasses.

"Well he hasn't really...told us what happened. Just that it was bad. Are you alright, though ?"

Regulus blinks, taken back at the idea of Potter being worried for him. Immediately, he tries to rationalize it by dismissing him. He shakes his head, ignoring the question and changing the subject.

"You did well today. Congratulations."

It's James's turn to be surprised. His lips quirk up into a small smile. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

Regulus nods. He stares at the other boy for a second before turning over his shoulder, dragging Barty away with him.

"Tell Mckinnon I'll be putting up a fight next year."