THE FORBIDDEN FOREST-JAMES SIRIUS POTTER

04: Quidditch Try-outs

JAMES RUBBED HIS GLASSES until the light smudge on the lenses disappeared, and quickly placed them on the bridge of his nose. The three boys of the group were huddled in the locker room talking quietly. Owen ran a hand through his hair and put his head in his hands and groaned, earning a couple of stares from the other boys. "I don't know what to do!" 

The son of Oliver Wood had just gotten the message that his father was coming to watch the try-outs, and not only was Owen pissed, he was also nervous beyond repair. His dad tended to critique every little thing he did, and as much as Owen loved his father that could get on his nerves. The curly haired boy slammed his locker, startling Rylan. His friend jumped and glared at him. "Watch it!" Rylan grumbled and continued to strap on his gloves, shuffling to the other side of the small row of lockers until he was next to James.

Owen continued to repetitively bang his head on the locker. "Its going to be fine, I mean, how bad can he be?" James asked. Owen stopped his banging his head and turned to glare at James and Rylan snorted. "Really? That bad?" The two boys nodded slowly and James rolled his eyes. "Look, we're all stressed. So, Owen, calm down, ignore your father. If you make a mistake, do not look at him. Got it?"

"Okay..."

James turned to Rylan next who was leaning against the wall of lockers and looking up at the ceiling with a dreamy smile. James snapped in front of the boy's face, gaining no response. He turned to Owen who was suppressing a laugh. James tried snapping again, sadly the love struck boy still didn't notice. He then screamed into Rylan's ear mimicking the voice of the brunet's mother, all with the touch of his wand to his throat. "RYLAN MICHEAL BENNETT, GET YOUR ARSE OUT OF THE THOSE DEATH PITS YOU CALL GRADES OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL MAKE SURE YOU DON'T EAT DINNER THE ENTIRE SUMMER." Rylan let out a screech and jumped backwards, accidentally banging the back of his head against a locker. James and Owen began to laugh as Rylan scowled at them, rubbing the back of his head. 

"I have now decided to disown you as my friends," he mumbled.

"You..." Owen sucked in a breath trying to contain his fits of laughter, but ultimately failed. Leaving James to finish his thought. 

James took a deep breath, "...you are so..." James laughed again, but immediately contained himself. "You are so...so, sad." Rylan glared at the two boys as they continued to bend over in fits of laughter while hugging their stomachs. 

"Common now, Lover-boy. Time to play quidditch," Owen patted Rylan on the back after James' and his laughter had died down.

"I'm not the one who's madly in love with one of my closest friends..." Rylan countered and James rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door revealing the field.

*  *  *

Sofia was perched at the top of the bleachers with Bailey's head in her lap, her friends eyes were covered by her right arm to bock the little sunlight that was trying to peek through the clouds. Though it was unsuccessful upon hitting Bailey in the face, she covered her eyes anyway. Sofia smiled and played with the girls blonde hair, braiding it in small braids and twirling it in her fingers. Sofia found herself staring out onto the field at one point, looking for her four friends. 

Roxanne had decided to try out this year. Usually she would be watching the boys play along with Sofia and Bailey, but this year was going to be different. Owen had called her a chicken multiple times upon her refusal to play Quidditch, and after the countless declines, she was finally fed up. In Roxanne's mind she was unstoppable. Any dare that she was given was done, and any person who called her chicken was also done, more like burned. Because Roxanne wasn't a chicken, and it had taken all of her power to say no to Owen for the past six years. Finally, he had broke her.