Burning Obsessions; Tom Riddle

5: Bloody Conflicts

[victoria's pov]

"Hurry up, everyone's waiting for you in the stadium!" Madam Cumberbatch yelled from the other side of the corridor as I was sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me.
I was ten minutes late to show up for tryouts and I was supposed to be picking out my team members.

I would have used my Cleansweep broom to rush outside but there was a rule against it. The school provided Shooting Star broom models, but anyone could bring in their own to practise with or play in a game, so I had saved up for my own last summer.

I had the first model (out of the four so far) since it was the most affordable. But for tryouts, everyone was required to use the school brooms, preventing anyone from having an advantage.

"As team captain and chaser, you need to be on time more often," Madam Cumberbatch scolded me as I ran by.

"Yes, Madam, it won't happen again," I called out and reached outside the school doors.
Finally, I quickly hopped on my broom and gripped on the handle before plummeting into the sky, towards the field. I saw Ravenclaw students bunched up on the field, blended in with Slytherin.

"What's going on?" I asked when I landed.

There was an argument going on between William Davies and Cygnus Black. They seemed to have been going at it for a while.

"The field's been assigned to us for today!" Black said loudly. A vein popped on his forehead from frustration. "Just because our captain's late doesn't mean our tryouts have been cancelled. You're quite daft for a Ravenclaw, Davies."

Davies' cheeks turned red. "Well we need this field today since tomorrow's going to be too humid to practise in! Where's your captain anyway, huh? He's still not here yet and we were here first, so there's no need to wait much longer."

"I'll wait here all day if I have to!" Black lashed out.

"We'll have to wait longer if you two don't shut up," I said, annoyed.
I wondered, How could Davies assume Slytherin's quidditch captain was a man? Was it because he viewed women weaker or not eligible enough to lead?

"Who're you to have any say in this?" Davies asked me and gave me a look.

"She's Slytherin's quidditch team captain," Serenity butted in. "So if you two aren't ready to stop arguing, I suggest you go have a sword fight elsewhere!"

"But you're a girl-?" Davies questioned. The way he was looking at me made me feel uncomfortable like I belonged elsewhere. I hated that feeling more than anything.

Like I didn't belong

and it was embarrassing.

Someone must have noticed I was getting insecure because they spoke up.

"So what if she's a girl?" I heard Theodore's voice from behind me. He gripped onto his broom handle and questioned Davies, putting him on the spot. "Does it make her any weaker than you are? Who knows, she might surprise us."

"Yeah, Madam Cumberbatch is a woman and she plays just as well as half of the Tornados," Serenity added. Her arms were crossed, which she only did when she was genuinely upset.
Davies was speechless for being put on the spot.

"Well, you're late for someone labelled as captain," Davies excused.

"I'm here now," I said. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to get started so please get yourself and your team off the field. Ravenclaw already had their tryouts yesterday, so there's nothing more you need."

A sixth-year boy tugged Davies' sleeve and said, "Come on, Davies. We've got nothing to lose if we leave."

Davies gave every Slytherin an ugly look and turned away, scolding his friend for not having his back. I didn't wait until they were off the field to begin. We were already twenty minutes past the clock.