Pick-up Quidditch

                                    

                                          


                          
Pick-up Quidditch 
                          


                          

Since September 1 was a Friday, the students at Hogwarts had the rare treat of their first days at the castle were free days. The energy of it filled the school halls and spilled onto the grounds. James, Peter, Remus and Sirius went back up to their dorm to collect James's broomstick, planning to go outside and have a go at flying. In the bright sunshine outside, James quickly leaped onto the broom and took off into the sky, leaving the three of them running along behind him, like children following after a kite, all shouting and waving as they chased him along across the grass. He felt alive in the air and did a quick loop-de-loop before leveling off and enjoying the feeling of the air passing through his hair and over his face. 
                          
"Hey, nice flyin' Potter!" Called a voice, too close to have come from the ground. 
                          
James looked 'round and spotted Bilius and Derek, both hovering not too far from him on their own respective brooms. Grinning, James waved at them before turning and steering over their way. "Nice day for a go on the broom, isn't it?" He asked as he approached, "Too bad the try-outs weren't today! Blimey, I doubt any person in the world could possibly fly poorly on a day like this, 'ey?" 
                          
"Doubt it," agreed Bilius, smirking. 
                          
"When are the try-outs, by the way?" James asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. 
                          
Derek replied, "I haven't booked the pitch just yet, but they won't be too much longer. Reason being, I want to get the Gryffindor team in place before focusing too much on this whole school team job, you know?" 
                          
James nodded, "That's a grand idea. Well - just - just let me know when they're going to be, alright? I'm going to try out." 
                          
"You don't say?" Derek snickered, "I never would've pegged you a Quidditch player, James." James was about to protest and remind Derek that he did actually know he played Quidditch, when Derek's mouth split into a sarcastic grin. 
                          
"Don't listen to him, mate," said Bilius, "Of course he knows you want to play Quidditch. Bloody everyone who's talked to you for more'n five minutes knows." 
                          
James laughed. "Alright. Well, thanks. I'll see you lot later, then?" 
                          
"Always do," Derek answered and he watched as James spun off from them, effortlessly guiding his broomstick through the clouds. 
                          
James landed a couple moments later on the grass before the other Second Year boys and handed his broom off to Peter, who was squeaking for a turn. "There you are, Peter," James said, grabbing hold on Peter's hands and showing him how to hold onto the broom. He watched as Peter took off, rather wobbly. 
                          
The boys took turns on James's broom for the better part of the morning leading up to lunch before going inside to eat. They had sandwiches and ice cold glasses of tea. James chattered on and on and on about the Quidditch teams and the hard work he planned to put into preparng for the rry outs. Once they'd finished eating, Remus excused himself, sick of all the Quidditch talk, and went up to the dorms, but Sirius, James, and Peter returned to the grounds. 
                          
The pitch was open, they found, and several other people had the same idea to go out to fly on the beautiful day, and the field was a bit crowded. Derek and Bilius were there, and several Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and even a couple of the Slytherins. Lily Evans was sitting in the stands with her broom propped against her knee, James noticed, but he waited until Sirius had pointed her out before going over to say hello. 
                          
"Oi, Evans, you having a go at flying?" Sirius called as he walked over. 
                          
Lily looked up from the book she had balancing on her lap - Quidditch Through the Ages - and saw the boys coming toward her. "I am," she said.