Monster

Parchment 10: Quidditch Try Outs

"Well, what I've heard that they are good, they bend the rules of course but they win.." She says sighing, I nod my head while grinding my teeth together.

"Bending rules, well, that kind of sounds like Andrew, and he was on our 'arch enemy' team." I reply making my fingers say 'quote on quote' since Slytherins and Gryffindors have been rivals for plenty of things for years and even generations.

"Andrew? Andrew Quest?" Mavis says, sounding somewhat similar with the name. "The Gryffindor Boulder? I think.." She fiddles with her fingers, I just simply shake my head. Poor girl doesn't know the proper terms, probably meant Beater.

"Andrew was the Keeper. His first year he tried out for Beater but didn't make it, so they put him in Keeper; since the last one left Hogwarts for it was his seventh year." I say going to the window and see a package, long and lean. A smile comes to my face, my eyes just zipping over the present ahead of me. I know what it is and I can't wait.

"Nebula?" I shake my head coming back into reality, turning around to meet Mavis' eyes also filled with curiosity about this package. "Is that a broom? Well, his broom?" Astounded by this I smile widely at my new friend's amazement from a simple gift.

"Yes, it is.."

。。。

I take my place in line, with many other joy filled kids, mostly first years with a hand full of higher class men. The captain steps forward from the crowd.

"So, this is how we're going to do things around here, first we need to test out your skill on your broom, if you, oh how should I say this, to make sure you stay on. These drills and tests will or can cause some of you to fall and to those who fall, you're off the team." There comes a dead silence from the other first years, some of us will fail at this.

That's encouragement from the Slytherin house!

This is just what I need right now, the wrong inspiration to do something great. Sounds illogical to someone who thinks reasonably, but after the whole Malfoy thing, I am ready for anything that seems impossible.

"Now, with that in mind, does anyone want to back out?" There are at least five that back out, all of them being girls. Sadly.

"Well, looks like one still stands strong, now, all the rest of you step up," everyone left pulls out their brooms, depending which hand was there dominant of course, "get on your broom," I throw my right leg over the sleek black wood, waiting for the other steps, "now, fly!" One person besides me falls right over on his back, while on my other side zoomed off into the field. I just float there for a few seconds, waiting for a few other people to go.

A majority of people were going very slowly, looking down the line I don't see Malfoy, must have his head in the clouds already.

"What are you waiting for!" The captain yells at me. I bring my legs close to me and go straight towards them, of course steering up at the last second. That earns a yell out of them also mumbling cuss words below, but I just hover around waiting for the others.

"Now, the real test starts!" The captain shouts as he mounts his own broom, it's a nice one also, don't remember what's it called though. "Now, Malfoy! Where is he?"

"Here!" That nails against chalkboard voice come from my right, he flies over to the captain's side.

"Ah, alright, now I'm going to demonstrate with Malfoy," the captain backs away and a decent way, "now, I want all of you to charge, you must go as fast as you can and then pull up right at the last second.." The captain glares over at me, I wave my hand back at him in a friendly gesture.

"Alright, Malfoy you first."

"Gladly.." He replies with the smuggest look on his face. With one quick motion, he heads straight towards the captain and pulls up just a foot away from him.

Not close enough...

This 'drill' went on until everyone got a chance, which a few did fall..but rules are rules and they were kicked off. When it got to my turn I look around and see where everyone else is, all eyes on me.

"Alright, Miss," the captain hisses angrily, "your turn.." I nod my head and lower down to be level with him, holding on I bring my legs close and I let him have it. Straight towards him, I go, as fast as I can, which in the end I reach my hand out and just pluck the hair off of his head as I pull up. That ended with him getting pushed back a little more than he is used to obviously, he hasn't played in the worst conditioned then.

But I didn't ram him and I didn't fall, so I passed with flying colors.

"Show off," he whispers, I just shrug my shoulders and the try outs continue.

。。。

All the other drills were easy, though many students were dropping fast, especially when it came to taking a straight dive down towards the ground and scooping upwards. It was easy for me but, one boy got a face full of grass while another fell off his broom. He's lucky he didn't break a bone or something worse, I saved his sorry bum by grabbing his wrist and lowering him to the ground. Then his broom went straight into the stands, that didn't make the captain very happy obviously.

Now, it's just at least ten of us left. Taking a good look at the others left I nod my head in somewhat approval, these that were left had skill of some sort.

"Now, with this upcoming year we may need backups," I let out a small yawn as I see the sun and the moon almost meeting together near the edge of the forest, what a beautiful sight...

"Malfoy," the blonde head bounces up at his name.

"Yes!"

"You are to be my first Seeker, and your back up will be Quest," the captain turns his attention to me and points to the spot next to Malfoy.

Must have heard my name during try outs.

I take the appointed place and the captain says who the Chasers, Beaters, and Keepers are. I look around again, this is going to be great, I know it. Though it wasn't the best for those who had to leave, they were so close but, at the end, they didn't make it. I feel sorry for them... Might send them something to lighten their mood.

"Now, off with all of you, except Quest." There comes this harmonized 'ooo', I just roll my eyes as the other leave. I assume that he wants to talk down on the ground but was I sure wrong. "Come with me, if you don't mind.." I raise my eyebrow to this sudden change of attitude and tone.

"Sure.." I whisper, he flies up to the highest hoop. I get off my broom and sit on the hoop, he lets out a gulp and looks at me.

"I don't think that's safe,"

"I don't think you really care," I say back at him, his eyes become narrow just for a second but then goes back to that cold yet dazed look.

"Flint, Marcus," he says holding his hand out, I take his hand and get back on my broom.

"Quest, Nebula," I reply back to him, I have this gut feeling that I should apologize for my rude behavior throughout try-outs, "sorry for being rude and snotty, Malfoy was getting on my nerves before this." He lets out a small laugh at my mini story.

"Understandable, Malfoy is something else, his family is the most interesting though, yet all pure blood families are. Running different ways and raising kids, his father and my father talked about try outs and how Lucius talked his way into making Malfoy a Seeker due to his broom.."

Wait, his dad made his own way on to the team? Guess bribery can get you some place sometimes, not all the time though.

"It's none of my business but, I just have this feeling something is wrong with that family, minus his father being a hardcore Death Eater..."