"You came looking for me on the train?" I asked Oliver in our charms class.

"Well," He smirked, "Wouldn't it be a shame if my only good competitor kicked the bucket?"

"I guess it would, wouldn't it?" I snickered. "But even still, had I not know you well enough, I would think you're worried for me."

"That's because I was," Oliver said with not a hint of laughter in his voice, and I felt my heart do a leap.

"I don't understand," I stammered, trying to find an answer on his face.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't, Stone." A grin spread on his cheeks again.

"Excuse me Woody, but what is that supposed to mean?" I crossed my arms and scowled. "Are you mocking me right now, because I will warn you I have a few good hexes up my sleeve."

Even as those words left my mouth, I could feel a large lump in my throat, and a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was as though a sudden urge to get closer to him. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to count every freckle on his face.

"I would never do that." Oliver put his hands up, "Me? Teasing you? You've got the wrong man Stone."

"If we were not in class right now, I would go for your throat." I scowled, trying my hardest to shake that warm feeling I got from staring at Oliver.

His warm hazel eyes only enticed me to stare more, and it took force for me to look back to my parchment and notes.

I left that class feeling lighter than a feather, and it was as though I was floating alongside June and Liane and Lori to my DADA Class.

"You know, Lupin really doesn't seem too bad." Lori trailed on. "I mean sure he doesn't have Lockhart's smile or big blue eyes, but he's got something of a homely air to him. I reckon he'll grow on me."

"Oui, Lupeen has a sort of élégant to him." Liane nodded. "Très bel homme."

"Don't you still have a boyfriend?" June groaned in annoyance. "Or is it out of sight out of mind for you?"

"Just because you're wholly devoted to Sarah and refuse to look at anyone else doesn't mean I'm not wholly devoted to Elio and don't refuse to look at anyone else." Lori protested. "Y/n back me up!"

"Hm?" I looked over at them. "What do you want me to back up?"

"You're dating Elio, and you two are very much in love, but that doesn't stop you from looking at other people does it?" Lori stated matter of factly. "You do have a crush on someone don't you?"

"Oh, uhm." I stumbled, taking my brain for a decent answer.

"Don't humour her delusions," June said, unknowingly saving me from further embarrassment. "Say, you're looking awful happy right now, you got a new quidditch strategy planned out perfectly or something?"

"Something like that." I shrugged her off.

"How do you have a boyfriend, when all you ever think about is quidditch?" June chuckled.

"You don't!" Liane stepped up for me.

"That's because I have a girlfriend." June started laughing. "Sarah is much better than any slimy boy in this school."

"Tu es lesbienne?" Liane pointed at June, her eyes going as wide as dinner plates.

"Problem?" June challenged defensively.

"Non, non, non, ehm no, am no problème!" Liane stuttered, "I didn't know, I am not judge, tu es valide!"

"I'm just kidding." June started to crack up again. "You should've seen your face!"

"Ah, Oui." She relaxed.

"Would you look at that," Lori said. "We're here."

"Spend some time studying rather than looking at the Professor." June snickered, pushing open the classroom door.

"Lori, do not do eet! Ze extra credit eez not 'orth eet!" Liane whispered frantically. "Trust moi from expérience personelle."

"Personal experience?" June asked, her face contorting. "You mean to tell me-"

"Eet was only young substitute," She waved her hands in protest."

"Ah, Ladies, you're here first." Professor Lupin said pleasantly as we entered.

Lupin was still shabby as ever but looked significantly better than he did at dinner. He was a fawn-haired man with grey hairs peppering some areas, with kind green eyes, and scars across his weathered face. He was tall, over six feet definitively, and I could recognize that he once must have been a handsome young man.

"Hello, Professor." I smiled warmly, taking a seat with Liane, while June sat with Lori. "I hope you find yourself welcome at Hogwarts."

"Oh, of course, thank you for your kindness Miss-" He pauses and looked at me questioningly.

"Y/n Stone," I offered. "And these are my friends, Lori Campbell, Liane De Rose, and June Lee."

"Well nice to meet you all." He said giving us a warm smile.

~~~~

Lori, June, and Sarah left to steal ingredients we had apparently missed for the polyjuice potion, and so left Liane and me alone.

"What do you do after school?" She asked.

"Well, I've actually gotta go to quidditch tryouts and find Elio, our old beater, a replacement.

"Oo, I love quidditch," Liane said, "I used to be seeker at Beauxbatons! But I started playing as beater when I was second year!"

"You should try out then! You've got a broomstick?" I asked.

"Oui! I have my broom back at ze dortoirs!" She clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Wonderful!" I exclaimed. "Go get changed then, and meet me at the pitch where you'll be trying out with some other potential beaters."

"I'll do my best Y/n!" She yelped and ran towards the direction of the Ravenclaw wing. "À bientôt!"

~~~~

I stood on the field looking over the people trying out. There was of course Liane, dawning sleek black quidditch attire, and her perfectly manicured Firebolt glimmered in the sun next to her. I noticed a few small roses beautifully drawn onto the handle. Even in quidditch, Liane had managed to look elegant as ever.

There was a pudgy-looking second-year boy with greasy hair, and an old and tattered Shooting Star, which not only was a hugely mediocre broom, but it was clear to me he did no maintenance on it ever.

Next to them was a tall and lanky brunette fourth-year girl who I saw was highly clumsy as she walked onto the pitch, as she nearly tripped over her own feet twice. Nonetheless, I kept an open mind about her skills in the air, as I could be clumsy on land as well, and her broom was a somewhat manicured Cleansweep, which was better than the last boys.

Last was what I saw as the only real competitor to Liane. He was a short and well-built boy who I believed to be a sixth year. Blonde hair was neatly slicked to his head, and he almost reminded me of a poster boy. He owned a Comet Two Ninety with a few scratches but no visible defects.

"State your names." I barked out.

"Miles Baker, second year, Sir!" The pudgy boy yelled, "oh I mean, Ma'am."

"Captain would be enough." I snickered.

"Ariana Crinkle!" The lanky girl shouted. "Ravenclaw fourth year!"

"Ravenclaw?" I said in mock surprise. "What gives? I wouldn't have expected that."

"Liane Amelie De Rose," Liane smiled sweetly. "I did not know you capitaine, very impressive."

"Günter Müller," The last boy barked, "Sixth year."

"Alright thank you," I said, "Everyone here is trying out for the role of beater, correct?"

"Yes, Captain!" Everyone shouted.

"Actually I was hoping to be a chaser." The pudgy second-year said. "Being a beater is a bit scary."

I could hear my teammates standing behind me chuckling, and the other recruits were also trying to stifle laughs.

"Oh, so being a beater is scary?" I asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Yeah," He started to grin, "Bludgers are so unpredictable, you know."

"Unpredictable? I see." I paused before shouting. "Get out."

"What?" He said, confused.

"Out," I pointed to the exit off the pitch. "I don't need a pussy as a beater, let alone a chaser."

"But," He stammered.

"You heard the captain, out!" Randolph hollered from behind me.

I could see him waddle off the field, dragging his tattered Shooting Star behind him. No wonder his broom was in such terrible condition.

I turned back to the recruits.

"Alright, tryouts won't be too difficult or long this year, seeing as only one position is available," I said. "Our very own beater Jason Samuels will be hitting a bludger towards you five times, and whoever bats theirs back to him the most will get on the team."

Jason stepped forward proudly, holding the suitcase containing the bludgers.

"Alright Crinkle, you're up first," I said, to which she mounted her broom, but not before almost instantly falling over to the side.

She got up, and slipped on mud again, looking like an overgrown baby duck as she did so.

"You're free to go," I said, stifling a yawn.

"Alright." She said and started to walk off.

"Why did you only audition anyways?" I yelled after her.

"Mum made me!" She yelled back, and we both began to laugh.

"Two down before they even hit the air." I rolled my eyes. "Müller, your turn, try to at least get up in the air."

"You got it, Captain." He said and mounted his broom.

He flew up with no real difficulty and got in ready position with a bat. Jason took out a bludger and restrained it in his arms.

Günter missed the first hit but made a quick comeback getting all four hits afterwards. I had to admit he was pretty good.

The clear winner was revealed when Liane mounted her broom. She mounted it and flew up with grace and elegance rarely seen in quidditch, but she also managed to do so at a highly impressive speed. I could replicate the speed of her takeoff, or I wouldn't be a captain, but I could not replicate her elegance in the air, and it was evident she once was an accomplished seeker. A thought fleetingly crossed my mind to perhaps put her in the seeker position and switch a few spots in the team for Cho to be a chaser, and Randolph to be a beater, but that thought quickly changed when Liane hit every bludger hurled at her with an accuracy range of a few feet. She landed, and I could see not even a bead of sweat on her dark skin.

"Oo, zat was very fun! I forgot 'ow fun being a beater eez!" She clapped her hands. "Ehm, 'ow did I do?"

"You're on the team," I said, clapping her on the back. "And Günter, try out next year, I'm sure you'll make it on."

"Thanks, captain." He said, waving good-naturedly. "I think I will."

"Ah, fantastique!" She giggled, pulling me into a hug.

"Alright team," I shouted, "Meet your newest beater, Liane!"

~~~~

"A beater?" Lori asked as we sat in the library before dinner. "You seem like more of a seeker to me."

"Oo, I was in Beauxbatons!" Liane nodded, "I am started as Beater zough."

"She's an exceptional beater," I said, "It's as though she was born for the position."

"O you flatter moi." She blushed.

"Hey, Lori did you manage to get all of the supplies?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"Yes," she whispered back, "but we almost got caught by Snape, good thing Miss Norris started a ruckus in the hall, or else he would've found us."

"I guess Miss Norris can be useful," I said.

"Who eez Miss Norrees?" Liane asked, "Eez she a professor?"

"She's the caretaker's cat," June said. "Bloody terrifying too."

"You think cat terrifying?" Liane began to laugh.

"It's not the cat that's scary." Sarah shuddered. "It's what she signals is near her."

"And what eez zat?" Liane asked.

"Filch." Lori, June, Sarah, and I said simultaneously.

"What's so bad about Feelch?" Liane batted her long eyelashes.

"Well, he's a creep for starters," Lori said. "I saw him lurking outside the locker rooms a few times."

"And he always threatens to whip students in detention," Sarah grimaced, "that's just off-putting."

"Not to mention he always flares at Sarah and me when we walk through the halls." June scowled. " I can't tell if he's a pedophile, a lesbian fetishist, a homophobe, or all of those things at once."

"Oo, 'e sounds 'orrible." Liane agreed.

"If you see a cat in the hallways that's either McGonagall or Miss Norris," I warned her. "Either one warrants you to be on your best behaviour."