Lilac Sky; s.black (EDITING)

〚 5 〛 Beaters Bats and Broken Noses

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Chapter Five
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Beaters Bats and Broken Noses
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Walking down to the quidditch pitch was quite exhilarating, even if they weren't playing a game. With her brand new Comet 220 in one arm and her Beaters bat in the other, she walked down the path with James and Sirius. They had gotten changed to their robes out of excitement and to look superior next to the rest of the students trying out. Ines had been told she was guaranteed a spot, but this didn't stop her from preparing to play hard. She doubted many students would try out to be a beater, she felt that her and Sirius' place on the team was pretty cemented across the school.

When she initially tried out in third year, she was beyond terrified. Not of flying, or the bludger, but what her parents would think. Starting quidditch was a first - and quite large - step in Ines' conscience no longer being haunted by her parent's expectations. Doing something that rebelled against them but felt so good, was exhilarating. She found that the secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage. Something that she most definitely exhibited as she believed her immense courage got her spot on the team. She had waited until the very last second to hit the bludger as it pelted towards her, partially out of shock and wanting to show off, and then knocked it so far across the field that it went through the opposing goal post.

Once they made it to the pitch, they found that many students were already there. Half of Gryffindor House seemed to have turned up, from first years who were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, to seventh years who towered over the rest, looking coolly intimidating. Ines looked around, bemused at the variety of people before Gavin rushed over to her. His Keeper padding slowed him down a bit, making him look a bit ridiculous. "Oh Ines, thank Merlin you're here. I needed someone to run trials with me." Before she had a second to refute it, she had been pulled by the arm away from Sirius and James - both of whom sent her annoyed looks - and into the midst of students.

Very few of them had noticed her arrival, but most of them continued to talk amongst themselves. Gavin was struggling to get their attention, repeatedly yelling 'Alright' in soft and nervous tones with no confidence. Ines couldn't take it any longer, yelling "Shut it!" at the top of her lungs. She suddenly had the eyes of over 30 students on her. Luckily, attention was something she learned to strive off of, even though it wasn't an entirely positive thing. "Hello everyone, welcome to trials. If you're a first year I advise you to leave now." A chorus of high pitched groans, as well as muffled laughter, ensued. Gavin then took over, not trying to be upstaged by Ines "Alright, we need to fill Seeker and two Chasers, so those of you looking for those positions will go first. The rest of you all, afterward."

Ines decided (and Gavin agreed) to start with a basic test, asking all applicants for the team to divide into groups of ten and fly once around the pitch. This was a good decision: the first ten was made up of first years, and it could not have been more obvious that they had hardly ever flown before. Only one boy managed to remain airborne for more than a few seconds, and he was so surprised he promptly crashed into one of the goal posts. The second group was comprised of ten of the silliest girls Ines had ever encountered, who, when Gavin blew his whistle, merely fell about giggling and clutching one another. They were quite distracted by a now shirtless Sirius, practicing with James. The third group had a pileup halfway around the pitch. Most of the fourth group had come without broomsticks.

Gavin flew over to Ines, who was watching them all from above, looking eager. "So, what are your thoughts?". Ines didn't take her eyes of the pitch, speaking quite glumly with an impassive look on her face. "Most of them are horrendous, I think we've got our seeker though, Eunice Murray is quite good, fast on the broom, 4th year so he has time to improve. Don't mind my obvious bias, but we should obviously keep James, he's the best seeker Gryffindors had in a long time. The other Chasers could be Catriona McCormack and Darren O'Hare, they work quite well together.". Gavin seemed to be taken aback by her sudden leadership, unsure of how to react. He eventually mumbled "I think the same.", and they both flew down to the ground.