From Beginning to End

Chapter 49: Ocean

Quidditch, full moon, Hogsmeade, repeat. That was how the year always seemed to go. Nineteen-seventy-five was no different.

The team was the same as the last year or two, everyone now accustomed to one another. Their team would be streamlined. No one else even stood a chance.

James was proud to be a part of a team with so much gender inclusion. Their team had four girls and three blokes on it unlike some of the other teams that only accepted one or two girls.

Meghan Pettigrew was a fantastic Chaser and same with Carley Abbott. Both were confident and kind hearted with a determination to rival any Slytherin.

Marlene obviously was an amazing Beater and an overall bad-arse at that. It wouldn't be the Gryffindor without her.

      Dorcas Meadowes too was an amazing Keeper, easily surpassing Frank Lomgbottom's abilities of whom she'd replaced.

He was glad West organized the team that way. James did hope though, that one day he'd be lucky enough to gain that position of leadership, if only for a year.

     However, James had to admit that the Slytherin team was strong competition.

Their Keeper and Captain that year was Emma Vanity, a seventh year student who never smiled. Rumor had it she was dating Florence Greengrass but would kill anyone who suggested such in her vicinity. Despite all this, she stacked her team well. Her chasers were hardcore.

Lucinda Talkalot, a dark-haired 5th year who ironically was extremely quiet and when not in class or in the Great Hall, was on the quidditch pitch.

Calista Shepard seemed nice – as nice as a Sytherin could be at least. She was the player James was most familiar with.

Gavin Avery was a complete prick. Snivelous hung around him and they, along with the rest of their pathetic group, tormented any Muggleborn (save for Lily) of whom they came across. He had dirty-blond hair, green eyes and a jaw-line to cut diamonds. James thought he was the ugliest bloke ever though. His personality was atrocious.

The beaters were Stella Malfoy, who was good friends with Sirius and admittedly fun to be around, and Dorian Mulcibur, who was part of Snape's gang and a ugly brute with no redeeming qualities. James had nothing else to say about the two.

Their seeker was a new recruit, one that Sirius was outwardly less than pleased with. Regulus Black made the team that year, replacing Evan Rosier who had dropped for some reason. From the few practices James and Sirius had managed to sneak into, Regulus was good... A little too good.

     Sirius would not say so out loud, but deep down he was proud of his little brother. Regulus was always one to do things properly, to follow their family blindly.

The Blacks often looked down upon quidditch as trivial and a distraction from schoolwork yet Reggie was doing it anyway. Sirius was sure his mother and father would find a way to commend him for this. They would not dare to scowl upon the sport any longer if their precious baby boy was partaking in it.

At least, Sirius hoped they wouldn't. Regulus was enjoying himself but if he managed to get a hint of parental disapproval he'd drop the extracurricular instantly. So, Sirius was fine with his brother on the team. So long that Slytherin didn't win against Gryffindor of course!

     Remus sat in Slughorn's office with the rest of the club members, wishing he were doing quite literally anything else. He'd listen to Sirius drone on about Queen or James mutter and shout about Quidditch any day over sitting around a table entertaining Horace Slughorn's power fantasies.