- Chapter Fifty-Four -
"Let's get this started, shall we?"

SHERRY WAS BEING LOOKED AT.

Not an uncommon thing for her sixth-year at Hogwarts, but a very creepy thing for it was the boy that she ran into on the train. With the familiar upturned nose and the rounded, sharp jawline; hair in curtains that complimented his face instead of making him look odd like some of the try-hard boys in this school.

Not yet had she had a chance to speak to him, but she knew that his first couple of weeks had been similar to hers; crowded and attention-ridden. But he didn't seem to like it as much as she had, she caught sights of his awkward smile when people were asking him to say stuff. She supposed he had an accent too but it must've been different to American because with Sherry around then a new American wouldn't have been all that exciting.

Knowing his situation, Sherry hadn't been curious. However, clearly the new boy was curious about her and had no problem in showing it with the way he stared after her wherever she went. It was almost kind of creepy but at the same time, she knew that her gaze travelled to him when he walked around as well. She was curious.

And curiosity was a dangerous thing. So she tried to stop, she had seen what it had done to other people, to herself. She was determined to travel through life with as little curiosity as possible after all the incidents in her life, it didn't do any good. She got hurt physically and emotionally and now she had a very deep scar carved into her heart because of it.

Often she would reflect on her past too much when she was left alone and so tried to busy herself with as much as possible so she didn't fall into an endless loop of regret and remorse. Luckily, the second weekend of the term was filled with exciting Quidditch Tryouts which Sherry was shocked to hear they had to do every year.

Part of her was afraid that her skills would become a little rusty since she hadn't played or practiced a game of Quidditch since the game she had won before everything happened and made her life a living hell so had not had chance to brush up on her skills maybe to stop her from toppling off her broom after being hit by a bludger, her dodging was the thing she needed to work on.

"You got this."

"I do."

"You're amazing."

"I am."

"You're gonna crush it."

"Mhm."

Amber González stood in the changing room with Sherry, staring into the mirrors in front of them with ponytails on both of their heads and both of them in the required Quidditch Uniforms (Sherry was even wearing actual shoes instead of her wedges). The two weren't smiling but instead were looking deadly serious, trying to toughen themselves up for the competition out there,

Their brooms leant up again the wall, Amber had a new one for her birthday which she had been excitedly telling Sherry about on the way down to the pitch early in the morning. However Sherry was still stuck with the one she had always had which increased a risk of her being beaten by other Keepers who might've had better brooms than her and for once, she slightly doubted her quidditch skills compared to others.

Amber placed her hands on Sherry shoulders and squeezed slightly, nodding her head before the two girls turned at once and walked over to the wall, grabbing their brooms in their hands and marching out of the changing rooms in preparation for the competition they would face.

A crowd of other players and people ready to try out were already congregated in the field, a sea of blue uniform with two other specks of blue stood away from the crowd; Louis and Oliver, who were awaiting the arrival of the girls that completed their group. Oliver raised his hand in the air and gave a mighty wave to them as they approached.

Sherry squinted and looked up to the sky and it's grey clouds that loomed over the heads of hopeful sports lovers. And some people who just wanted the praise of being on the team. The clouds posed the threat of rain to which Sherry braced herself for almost immediately, even though mothing had dropped down onto her yet; she suspected that it would soon.

"Good morning, ladies." Oliver greeted, tipping an imaginary hat and walking a bit forwards to meet them whilst Louis stayed behind and looked over the papers in his hand, also looking up to the sky with an anxious flit across his face.

"Good morning, sir." Sherry bowed her head to the boy whilst Amber rolled her eyes and pushed past them, moving over to Louis with a large grin on her face; he looked up at her and gave a quick smile but looked straight back at the papers whilst Amber scoped out the team.

Oliver threw his arm around Sherry's shoulders and lead her over to the bigger crows where they had to go in a couple of seconds anyway when Louis was ready to start the tryouts; Amber as the new second-in-command could stay by his side when he instructed the group.

"You ready?" Oliver whispered to her and Sherry nervously looked around the stands for any sight of Potter who had been here this time last year, making her get a Quaffle to the face which she gave him in return.

A bittersweet smile made its way to her face as she remembered that day, the satisfaction of kicking the Quaffle so far and so hard into his stupid face. The smile she had smiled, the laugh she had laughed, the urge to annoy him over and over after that too. The excitement that bubbled through her veins every time she got a chance to make a dig at him, a feeling that she hadn't had since the night she stared right into Potter's eyes over that chess board and realised how pretty his eyes truly were.

She made a subtle comment. In return, he wreaked havoc on her life. Technically that was Sirius but he stood by and watched it happen, he didn't take the pictures down, he didn't apologise until he suffered the consequences and he was always there. Around her and bothersome.

Though she did long for that excitement again, the rush of waiting for a reaction, the humour of their battles of wit, having the upper hand. Although she disliked him with every bone in her body, he was somehow something important. Fuelled her fire, encouraged her venom, supplied her poison, made her feel complete.

Missing him wasn't the right way to phrase it because she did not miss James Potter in the slightest, she only longed for his retaliation to make her feel normal again. To make her feel like a person.

"First years, please go away." Louis started just as the same as he had last year, Oliver and Sherry turning around to face the captain and his second-in command as they stood above them all and hopeful 11-year-olds left with their heads hung low in defeat.

Sherry still marvelled at how large the Quidditch Pitch was and how impressive it's landscape appeared to be. Although because the field was so large, Sherry felt sorry for the poor first-years that dragged themselves embarrassingly away though some of them were giggling to each other but were disappointed by the dismissal.

"Let's get this started, shall we?" Louis looked at all of them, pumping his eyebrows once as everyone cheered and whooped for him.

Sherry clapped and smiled and looked around at the people trying out, a familiar head of hair came into view at the back of the group and Sherry moved her head a tiny bit to see who it was; Eleanor Zane stood patiently at the back, smiling with a broom in her hand. She caught Sherry's eyes too and gave an excited wave.

Just like last year, the chaser tryouts were first and Louis watched from mid-air as they all weaved around one another, having been separated into two separate teams. Sherry watched from the ground whilst three of last years Chasers whom she had developed friendships with and became very close with fought to keep their spots on the team.

There was only one sad parting goodbye when the chasers came down to being Jacob Sawyers, Michelle Montgomery and Eleanor Zane. Of course it was sad when Georgia wasn't chosen to continue on the team and instead she was replaced by a second-year who Sherry had cheered very loudly for, practically jumping up and down in her spot when her name was announced.

Georgia had been a good sport about losing her spot but Sherry could tell she was disappointed and so vowed to herself that she would still talk to the girl as much as she could to make sure she wasn't completely alienated from the team.

The immense pride that Sherry felt for Eleanor was overwhelming but extremely valid for the one who actually got the spot was glowing with pride herself, the widest smile that Sherry had ever seen was painted on her youthful face.

Next were the beater tryouts, Amber and Oliver did their twin handshake that they always did for good luck before both getting on their brooms and flying upwards with bats in their hands. Amber's Quidditch alter ego appeared again as she bat ferociously and incredibly, incredibly violently.

She couldn't be replaced this year but Oliver could so despite the many sibling arguments they had, Amber wasn't letting Oliver fall from the team without fighting for him to stay.

And then the Keeper tryouts; Amber, Oliver, Louis and Eleanor wished Sherry good luck with a pat the back and a warm smile as though the twins had not just shed blood on the pitch and Eleanor hadn't almost probably set a record for a goal time. Sherry huffed and mounted her broom before flying into the air and taking position at her goal posts she had not been in front of for a good while.

Eleanor, Jacob and Michelle were instructed to play as normal and throw the Quaffle through the hoops towards the Keepers and the whole thing went great as always. Even though the other keeper had a faster broom, Sherry had faster reflexes and larger ambition.

She saved every single one with Michelle, knowing her tactics inside out by now. Jacob managed to get one past her just like last time but gave her a nod and a friendly wink as it went through the hoops.

Eleanor approached, her sheet of black, silky hair flying behind her in her high ponytail that strongly resembled the one in Sherry's hair. Her deep brown eyes glinted with amusement as she flew closer and closer before throwing the Quaffle towards the bottom of the hoop. Sherry flew down and kicked it out of the way, across the pitch towards Michelle, who grabbed it and threw it towards the other keeper at his post.

The boy missed this shot, bringing the total of saved goals to a tie and Sherry's breath caught in her throat with worry, the air seemed tense for her and Sherry desperately hoped that Louis wouldn't blow his whistle to signify the end yet as she had to score another goal. She had to win this spot.

Michelle secured the Quaffle again and threw it to Jacob who flew and threw it to Eleanor who then approached Sherry again and as much as she wanted to give her a very easy throw so she could save it and win, she knew that Bruno Lillis, a boy from the year above her who sat on his broom at the other set of hoops would call it out immediately.

Eleanor threw it. Hard, But Sherry blocked it with the tip of her finger, redirecting the Quaffle so it hit the side of the ring so for a good, slow moment, Sherry thought that it would go sideways into the hoop but it bounced off instead, falling to the ground.

Louis' whistle sounded around the whole pitch and the breath of relief that came out of Sherry was a massive one. Eleanor cheered and clapped for her friend as she flew back down to the floor when Louis asked them to do so. Sherry landed back on the ground with skill and hopped off, taking her hair out of her ponytail and shaking it, running a hand through.

Eleanor joined her, running up and embracing the girl in a big hug and Sherry wrapped her arms back around her, laughing.

"Okay, everybody, listen up!" Louis announced and everyone turned to face them, Amber back by his side and Oliver in front of Sherry and Eleanor who had their arms around one another. "The 1976 Ravenclaw Quidditch team is: Zane, Sawyers and Montgomery as Chasers, González and González as Beaters, me as Seeker and Opal as Keeper." He said and the two girls glanced to one another happily.

Most people applauded and a couple of people came and patted Sherry on the back in congratulations as she smiled at them all. The third-year boy gave a polite clap too and Sherry smiled at him apologetically, a red flush appeared on his cheeks and Eleanor laughed at him, looking up at Sherry who raised her eyebrows in confidence.

"He definitely likes you."

•*•*•*•*•
A/N: SORRY I DIED. again. i'm hopefully getting back into it and when i say hopefully i mean it this time. breakups are a bitch and i went through a little bit of shit, still being put through shit but i'm getting better and want to continue with my writing

thank you all for staying so patient x