The Hogwarts Games: In Ruins

Chapter 9: Lily

The next day, we returned to the Room of Requirement to train after breakfast. I decided to start with Muggle weapons because I didn't know whether I would be good at it or not so my practice time might've varied.

I greeted the instructor. He was watching Kaylee Ravenwood sword duel with an enchanted dummy which was dueling with a blunt sword. She was very good. He shifted his focus from her to me, "I didn't see you at this station yesterday. Are you new to Muggle weapons?"

I nodded, "Yes."

"Let's get started. I think we'll start with the weapons you are least likely to be able to handle. Try this sword."

He handed me a long blade, "Give it a few swings."

Kaylee Ravenwood had seen the sword and had stopped dueling. She glanced my way in interest.

It was hard to lift the sword and was more difficult than it looked. The instructor took the sword and Kaylee resumed her duel. I guess she was just seeing if I could do well with a sword, which seemed to be her main weapon.

"Your brother did very well with a sword."

"Albus?" I asked.

"No, James."

"How do you know our names?"

"Who doesn't?"

The instructor handed me a staff. I ended up smacking him in the face with it by accident.

We tried the bow. I wasn't bad. But I wasn't good either. I would have to work more on that.

"It was a lot better than Albus's attempt," the instructor said.

And then he handed me knives and daggers. It went about as well as the bow.

"Return here tomorrow," he said when I was about to go to the Herbology station, "The most you can do so far are minor injuries. That's not good enough for the Hogwarts Games."

I took notes at the Herbology station. A lot of them. Who knew what we'd run into out there.

"Devil's Snare: countered by Lumos," I heard someone read from my notes behind me.

I looked up and saw a mousy haired first year boy. He blushed, "Sorry, I'll leave you to it. You probably don't want me around, distracting you and everything."

"No, you weren't distracting me at all."

He smiled, "Great, I feel better about myself already."

"What house are you in?" I asked to seem friendly. I didn't know what this boy was capable of in the arena. He didn't seem like much, but you can never be too carful.

"Gryffindor. I'm Colin. Colin Creevey."

"Lily Potter."

"I know."

"What've you been working on lately?"

His smile faded, "Everything. I'm not succeeding though. I'm a failure at Muggle weapons, a disaster at potions, and a hurricane when it comes to spells. I've been shifting around to absorb as much as I can. It might not work though. Might as well kill me now and get over it. I'm going to die thirty seconds into the Games. Dad will be devastated. He already lost his brother." Colin hung his head sadly.

"Here's a tip: don't skip around. Stay dedicated to one thing at a time," I have no idea why I was helping him, he'd have to be an enemy in the arena. And I'd just met him. But from what Mum and Dad had said about Dennis and Colin Creevey (not this boy, but Dennis Creevey's brother who died in the war), he seemed okay, "And make some allies."

He smiled gratefully, "Thank you for the advice. I'll work on it. And I'll leave you to your studies."

"Wait, Colin," I called after him as he left, "About allies... I have other people to be with, my cousins, brothers, friends, but... I think it might be too risky to head straight towards each other at first, especially because of the Bloodbath, but if you manage to escape the fight at the Cornucopia alive, come find me. I'll try to retrieve something for you."

I could see it in his eyes that he seemed forever in debt to me, "Thank you so, so much, Lily." And then he went.

I'd returned to Healing that day, which I seemed to excel in. I had also learned Muggle healing techniques there. Potions went quite well, even if I mixed up the wolfsbane and Draught of Living Death. I was doing great at the spells station. I decided to try camouflage, which I needed to improve on slightly. I took some more notes at the Dark Arts station. And I returned to the a Muggle weapons station

And there were nine days left.

If I was doing this well on my second day, then it was possible.

For the first time since I had been Reaped, I believed I might've actually had a chance to win the Hogwarts Games.