The Black Pawn (R.L.)

12 - Trials & Expectations

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears as the Quidditch pitch came into view. My fingers were wrapped tightly around the handle of my new broom, dark hair carefully braided into a plait down my back courtesy of Roselin. All three of my dormmates had taken their spots in the stands and left me to walk with the three boys in my year who also chose to try out. I tried to channel my nerves into excitement, but it was getting increasingly difficult as we got closer and closer.

From this distance I could already see a few students in the air warming up. They exchanged a few gleeful shouts amongst each other, weaving in and out of the flags that were set out. Emma was standing in the center of the pitch, by her side a basket of green jerseys and another heap of padding. Her eyes lit up when she noticed me walking towards her and a wide smile spread across her face. "Opal! You changed your mind?"

"Well, this changed my mind." I shrugged, lifting the broom that was in my right hand.

"Wow, that's the newest model!" She rose her eyebrows in surprise. "That'll be the fastest broom on the team. Perfect for a Seeker."

"Oh—I was actually planning on trying out for Chaser." I took the jersey and padding she handed to me, quickly slipping the jersey over the gray long sleeved shirt I was wearing.

"Well, there hasn't really been a better fit for a Seeker than you. Especially with this Nimbus 1500 you'd be unstoppable!" She offered me a grin as she handed the three boys with me their own jerseys and padding. "Trust me. Just try it."

I shrugged, not looking up at her as I struggled to fasten the buckle of my padding. "I guess I wouldn't mind." Before today I didn't think I'd even be able to join the team, so I have no room to complain about what position I play.

Emma turned away to talk with another group of students walking onto the pitch. Just as I was about to give up, another pair of hands easily buckled my padding. Thomas was knelt down, fastening the last one I couldn't reach before smiling up at me. "Nervous?"

"Not really. Either I get on the team and my mother kills me, or I don't get on the team and I live to see adulthood." I laughed as he straightened to his full height.

"Good point." Thomas echoed my laughter before our captain called for everyone's attention.

"Alright, everyone." Emma's voice projected over the pitch. "We're going to go over a few drills starting out and then run a trial match. There are a lot of you out here today, and not all of you will have the skill level required to be on my team." I exchanged a look with Thomas, both of us seemingly equally as surprised at the sudden change of her demeanor.  "Even those that make the team will have to work hard to keep up to the Slytherin standard. This year we will not be losing to Gryffindor again. So everyone mount up."

I followed the rest of my peers' leads and swung my leg over the broomstick. The same exhilaration that coursed through me the first time I rode one of the old school brooms filled me now. I don't think its truly set in to me that this broomstick was my very own. The handle was so smooth beneath my fingertips, and much more comfortable to sit on. I kicked into the air a moment later, squeezing my knees a little tighter than normal. It was different than the school ones I was used to. Every little shift of my weight caused it to dash in the direction I leaned. It was light, quick—I loved it.

Emma ran us through several drills, some more physically demanding and some causing us to think a bit. Stebbins seemed to have a particularly hard time with the last few but he was the biggest at the trials. I'm assuming he'll fill one of the Beater spots that's opened up. Thomas and Evan were both doing well with their drills, but there were so many other students all working towards a Chaser position.