After Professor McGonagall handed the second year Gryffindors their class schedules, Jenna and her friends headed down to the Charms' classroom, which was their first class of the year.
When everyone was seated, after a few minutes the chatter finally faded once Professor Flitwick walked into the room. Lily was sitting eagerly at the edge of her seat with her quill and notebook already out, waiting for the lesson to begin.
They watched as the tiny professor got up on a pile of books behind his desk as usual, clearing his throat and ready to speak.
"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Charms class," said Professor Flitwick in his usual squeaky voice. "This year we will be covering Disarming, Freezing, Engorgement, Shrinking, and Slowing Charms. We will also be studying the theory on Memory Charms."
There was a chatter of excitement around the class as they realized they would be learning so many more spells and charms that were way more fascinating than last year.
"Today we shall be learning the Skurge Charm," Professor Flitwick went on, taking out his wand to start the lesson. "Now who can tell me what a Skurge Charm is?"
Without doubt, Lily's hand was the first to be raised, and so the Professor gestured at her for permission.
"Skurge is a charm that can clean up the sticky green ectoplasm created by passing ghosts. It can also be used to frighten spirits. Even poltergeists," Lily explained.
James scoffed at this, whispering to Sirius, "Peeves better watch out after we learn this Charm. It's time for payback."
"Thank you, Miss Evans. That is precisely correct! Five points for Gryffindor," said Professor Flitwick, and the Gryffindor students beamed.
After Charms, the second years had Defense Against the Dark Arts, followed by Potions. It was certainly a rough schedule to start a Monday. Although this was the least of Jenna's worries that day.
"Why do you look so troubled, Jen?" Alice asked as they were sitting down for lunch. She realized that her friend hadn't even touched the food on her plate yet as she moved the vegetables around with her fork.
"Quidditch tryout are today, in the afternoon." Jenna gave out a shaky breath. "I read the notice-board today in the common room, and saw that five people had already signed their names up for the Seeker's spot this year. Five!"
Jenna groaned, banging her head down on the table and keeping it there.
"Jen, from what I saw last year in our flying lessons, you were the best!" Lily said firmly, trying to put some confidence into her friend. "I'm sure you're going to make it."
"Yeah, me too," said Marlene, her mouth full.
"Lily is never wrong, you know," said Alice, giggling. "If she says you're going to make it, then you're going to make it."
"Precisely," Lily said with a playful smile, making Jenna laugh.
She was grateful of her friends, but that didn't stop her from worrying. And her nervousness became worse and worse the closer they got to the tryouts.
After their last class, Jenna bade her friends goodbye and made her way down to the Quidditch pitch. She took one of the school's brooms from the closet inside the locker rooms, joining the others in the field.
There, she saw six players, already dressed in their red and gold Quidditch robes. There were three other Gryffindors as well, whom she assumed had shown up for the Seeker's tryout. Although James hadn't shown up just yet.
"Thank you for coming, everyone," a girl started speaking. "For those of you who don't know, I'm Mei Yang, and I'm your captain."
Jenna actually did know her. Mei was an amazing Chaser and had been the Gryffindor captain for two years now. Jenna had loved going to a few of their Quidditch practices last year, hoping to get a few good tips by watching them, and she saw that Mei was without doubt the best player on the team.
From what Marlene had told Jenna about Mei, her father had studied at Fenghuang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in China, and her mother had been a Gryffindor at Hogwarts.
According to Marlene, her mother had a job at the Ministry of Magic. She had moved to China for work, and that's where she had met Mr. Yang. They'd gotten married and lived there together for years, though they had moved to England a few years before Mei had started studying at Hogwarts.
How Marlene knew all this was beyond Jenna. She was certainly the biggest gossip queen Hogwarts had ever seen.
Mei was a tall girl with beautiful dark brown eyes and black hair which came down to her waist, though she always braided her hair while playing Quidditch, just like she had now. She was a seventh year student, which meant that this was her last year as the Gryffindor captain.
"For this test, you will have to —" Mei went on to speak, but her words were cut off when someone yelled from the other side of the field,
"Wait for me!"
Turning around, Jenna saw James running forward with his broom in hand, finally reaching them as he panted to catch his breath.
"Right..." Mei gave him a look before clearing her throat. "As I was saying, our last Seeker graduated Hogwarts last year, so to test you and choose who would be his replacement, I'll give you a chance to go after the Golden Snitch. The person who catches the Snitch first, will be the new Seeker."
"Too easy," a seventh year boy said with a mocking scoff.
"Don't worry." Mei smiled. "My two Beaters will be there to aim the Bludgers at all of you, and you have to be able to dodge them. You can be sure that our opponent Beaters' first target will be the Seeker, because without them, our chance of winning will be too little. So you'll have to be prepared for when a Bludger comes at you. Any questions?"
No one said anything.
"Good," said Mei. "Now mount your brooms, everyone, and start flying."
"What about the Snitch then? Won't you let it free first?" the same boy asked, but Mei only grinned.
"The Snitch is already in the pitch. I set it free before any of you had arrived. Now let's get going!"
On cue, Jenna and the others got on their brooms and shot upward into the sky. Jenna immediately started flying around the Quidditch pitch, in search for the Golden Snitch. She made sure to look out for any Bludgers that might come at her way, meanwhile keeping an eye on the other five Gryffindors in case they sighted the Snitch first.
The first person to be knocked off his broom was the same seventh year boy who claimed this was going to be easy. He didn't even last more than five minutes. Not too long after, the Gryffindor Beaters managed to knock out a fourth year girl. Now, only Jenna, James, and another fifth year boy remained.
Jenna winced when she saw one of the Beaters aiming at James and sending the Bludger at his direction, but she let out a breath in relief when James managed to dodge it.
Although she didn't get much time to make sure he was all right, because right at that moment Jenna saw the fifth year boy dive down. He had sighted the Snitch.
Jenna leaned forward on her broom as she held the handle tight with both hands, speeding downward after the boy. The Snitch was getting closer and closer to the ground, and both their speeds were too much to control.
A Bludger suddenly came at the two of them. Jenna managed to dodge it, her heart pounding in her chest. The boy dodged it as well, but it caused him to lose focus. So with a shriek, the boy lost control of his broom and hit the ground. But Jenna's light weight came to her aid, and so she easily pulled her broom up before it could hit the ground.
The Snitch started flying upward again. Jenna flew higher, her eyes fixed on the Golden Snitch. But just then, she felt a presence close behind her; James was now after the Snitch as well. Only the two of them remained.
They now flew side by side, trying to get to the Snitch quicker. Jenna leaned over on her broom, causing it to shoot forward faster. She glanced sideways at James for a quick second, and he flashed a grin at her before both of them put their focus back on the Snitch, flying after it with full speed.
James was starting to advance on her, moving closer to the Snitch as he out-stretched his arm, holding onto the broom only with on hand.
Jenna knew there was no use to go on like this, so an idea popped into her head. It was going to be extremely dangerous, and she had only read about it once in Quidditch Through ages. But it was worth a try.
Holding her breath to focus, Jenna took the broom's handle with both hands, and then in a quick movement, she started circling around James in mid-air.
Suddenly getting distracted and afraid that he would crash into Jenna, James lost control of his broom and cried out as he fell down, landing on the ground. Jenna then sped forward, outstretched her arm, and at last, she caught the Snitch.