It's been a week since Marlee, Georgia, and I's conversation about Gregory Illéa and Fiona Castley. It was even brought up by Marlee that it was Illéa talking to Professor Castley. But we all agreed that was a little absurd and Marlee let everything go after that, thinking to whole thing was ridiculous.

I can't deny the whole thing is still bothering me in an annoying way, especially with Georgia's bit of information brought into the picture. I can't stop thinking about it. But studies have brought my mind off of that a bit and focused on classes.

It's Sunday morning and as Marlee and I walk down the stairs to the common room, we see a crowd of Gryffindors huddled around the notice board. "What's going on?" Marlee asks quietly.

I shrug and hurry over to the notice board, joining the crowd. Marlee follows behind me and is already complaining about how squished she is. I laugh at her and she stick out her tongue.

"What's going on?" I ask Emmica Brass, another 5th year Gryffindor.

"Quidditch try outs," she says, and then moves away with the crowd.

I jump up and down excitedly, "Quidditch try outs!" I yell in Marlee's ear.

"I know Ames! I heard Emmica!" She says frantically, waving me away. She grabs my hand and leads me out of the common room, where it is much quiter.

"Are you going to try out this year?" I ask Marlee.

"I don't know yet."

We make small talk about Quidditch on the way to breakfast. I hoped on my broom 2 times already to prepare for tryouts. Quidditch is one of my favorite things about Hogwarts, ever though it makes me very busy.

In the great hall, Marlee and I find Georgia sitting with her friend Nicolette, another 6th year Gryffindor. When we sit down, Georgia is talking about August. "He's so sweet," she's saying.

Nicolette sighs, "I wish I had a boyfriend."

Marlee and I laugh. "Hi girls," I say, grabbing 3 roles and a jar of jam.

"Hey Ames, Marlee," Georgia greats us. "Ready for Quidditch try outs?"

I nod eagerly, "Yes!"

Marlee smiles, "I might try out this year, I'm not sure."

"Why," I tease, "because Carter is going to be on the team?"

She blushes and lightly elbows be in the shoulder, "no, why would you think that?"

"You're blushing," Nicolette tells her with a grin.

"I am not!"

We all laugh, making her blush more.

"What about you, Ames? Got a new crush?" Georgia asks.

"Well, there's still that Slytherin boy," I say, my cheeks also turning slightly rosey, "Aspen."

Nicolette krinkles her nose, "isn't he dating Celeste?"

Georgia nods, "and I thought you said we was a jerk."

I shrug and take a bite out of my role. Who can help their feelings? Marlee takes my other roll and shoves it in her mouth, "and more gossip going around the school?"

"I heard that Maxon Schreave is dating Anna Farmer," says Nicolette.

"Ohhhh, his father isn't going to be too happy about that," says Marlee, "he already got in trouble for being in Hufflepuff, remember?"

I nod, "he scares me, the headmaster."

We all murmur in agreement. "I'm just glad I've never gotten a detention, especially with him."

"Yeah well anyways," Marlee says, "Maxon and Anna? I'm actually good friends with Anna, she didn't say anything. Though she's not one to boast."

Georgia raises her eyebrow, "boast?"

Marlee laughs, "what? He's kind of cute!"

...

Later that day, the 4 of us head over to the a Quidditch pitch for tryouts. Nicolette decided she wasn't going to tryout, so she heads up to the stands to watch.

There's about 15 people there already waiting for direction. "Everybody listen up!" Georgia shouts, getting everyone to look her way. "I want you to separate into 4 groups! Chasers line up in front of me, Beaters behind me, Seekers to my left, and Keepers to my right!"

As Marlee and I go to line up with the rest of the Chasers, I see May getting in the Beaters line. She grins and waves at me.

"Good luck!" I say and turn back to Marlee.

"She's so cute," she's tells me, and I laugh in agreement.

"So are you ready?"

"Yeah," Marlee says without hesitation, "I'm actually not that nervous."

Then Georgia clears her voice loudly, so that everyone can hear her. "I'm going to start with the Seekers, so if all the people trying out for seeker could follow me, everyone else, you can sit down or talk amongst yourselfs. Please stay where you are."

Georgia leads the line of 3 people to the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. I watch for a bit as the fly around, but Marlee distracts me for a bit and I lose track of who was doing good.

After the seekers are done, the Keepers are brought to the other side of the pitch. I give Carter a wave as he passes by. I hope Carter gets on the team again, he's a perfect Keeper, and he only let in a few quaffles last year.

Georgia calls me over to throw quaffles for the Keepers. The other guy trying out looks like a third year, I think. "Alright you go first," she says pointing at the third year, "just fly up there, America is going to shoot 5 at you."

The boy nods nervously and flys up to the hoops. "Go hard on him," Carter says with a wink. I smirk, and fly after the boy with the Quaffle in my hand.

"You ready?" I shout. The boy doesn't say anything so I zoom around the pitch and circle back chucking the Quaffle at the middle loop. The boy repacked up and blocks it just by the tip of his fingers. The Quaffle drops, so I swoop down to grab it and throw it into the left hoop. The boy tries to catch it, but misses by a foot.

I sigh. He misses the 3rd, 4th, and 5th. This obviously isn't going to work, and he knows it. His head hanging low he flys back to the ground to switch places with Carter. His broom bumps mine a bit as he comes to a stop. "Oh, you broke a boys heart Ames!" He teases.

I roll my eyes and shove his broom out of the way, "it's not like you'll be any better," I tell him.

He gasps, "doubting my talents?"

"What talents?" I ask, and fly to the other end of the pitch with Quaffle in hand. When Carter is in position I zoom across the pitch and throw the Quaffle into the left loop. Carter's expression falls when it makes it through and I fly under to catch it. Shoot, I think, That wasn't supposed to make it in. As much as I would love to beat Carter, I still want him on the team.

I go for it again, this time taking it easy. I toss it for the middle hoop, and Carter catches it. He throws it back to me, and I repeat my circle 3 more times, and I'm definitely guilty of going easy on him. He catches the last 3, as grins as we fly down and land next to Georgia and the boy, who looks more disappointed than ever.

"Good job boys," Georgia says, "the team will be posted tomorrow morning."

The boy nods and hurry's off the pitch. Cater and I walk back to the rest of the group together, Georgia runs ahead calling the seekers. "So," Carter says, "not the best on the team now, eh?"

"Ha ha," I say, "I took it easy on you."

Carter laughs, "you're only just says that."

I give him a quizzical look, "oh really? How about a rematch?"

"Rematch it is."

...

It's nearly dinner time when tryouts are over and everyone has left the pitch except for Marlee, Georgia and I. We're all very exhausted has we head into the locker rooms to change out of our Quidditch robes.

"Good job out there," I tell Marlee, "I've never seen you fly like that!"

She blushes, "I've been practicing."

"With Carter?" Georgia teases, locking up the ball case.

Marlee slaps her on the arm, and we all laugh. "You did good too, Georgia. You are going to make an awsome Captain."

"Aww thanks Ames," she says.

Marlee starts to agree but is interrupted by a crashing nose from inside the castle. We all perk up, and rush to the door. Georgia swings it open and we follow her into the hall. A large group of studens are huddled in a circle a chatting rapidly. "What going on?" I ask everyone.

They all turn their heads to look at me. The group parts to reveal one of the Gryffindor trophy cases broken and fallen of its side. Glass is spread all over the floor in every direction, and small peices of wood are also broken off the case. Marlee gasps in surprise and looks at Georgia and me, both as shocked as she is.

"Who did this?" Georgia demands of the crowd.

"Because of Quidditch," someone mutters.

They all nod, "wanted to get one of your good team mates" another says.

Georgia shakes her head in disgust. I go over their words again. Quidditch. Okay so it was probably a Slytherin, as they tend to take a Quidditch too far. One of our teams mates...
Wanted to get one of our team mates...

Then a horrible feeling comes over me, my stomach churns in worry and my face goes blank. "Wait," I say, and the wishers stop, "is-is someone under there?"

No one moves, exept for a small boy who nods his head slowly, his body trembling.

"Oh my gosh!" I breath and rush towards the case, avoiding the glass as best I can. My heart beats so fast I feel as if if might jump right out of me. Thankfully, a few other students come to help me lift the case of the ground. I nearly drop it when I see blood splattered around a nearly lifeless body. His legs are cut up, and small shards of glass stick out of his hands. Marlee screams at the sight of him, and his no longer recognizable face, but it takes me a moment to notice.

It's Carter.

| Hey everyone! Sorry that took forever! I wasn't sure what to do for the end of the chapter, but here you go! |