Closed It Couldn't Be Me

[Jack Skelton]

Jack gripped the railing as he made his way up the stands, leaving a clammy residue as he went. He'd started to challenge himself this year; baby steps at first, sitting in the dormitory window, taking the bridge instead of the long route down to Herbology, and so on, building up his tolerance, until at last he felt ready to take on the stands. It was silly, really - they weren't as high up as some of the school's classrooms. But they were much more exposed, and Jack was sure he could feel them swaying slightly in the wind as he emerged at the top. He found a seat as quickly as possible and sat down. That felt a bit better. The Hufflepuff quidditch team were preparing for try-outs down below, out of sight for now, but soon he would have a fantastic view. Jack hugged himself as he waited, trying to think about the beautiful clouds in the distance instead of the enormous drop a few metres in front of him.

 

[Ezra Ito]

Ezra always liked watching the Quidditch tryouts, even if he also felt kind of sad whenever he did. If he had just been a bit braver a few years ago, he might be on the team instead of watching it. But he hadn't been, and he could hardly start trying out in his final year. He had sneaked a mug of tea out of the Great Hall and was holding it as he headed up the stands. It was nice to hold something warm right now. As he looked for a seat, he saw one of his roommates nearby. He smiled hesitantly, then joined Jack, taking a seat next to him. "Watching too?" He asked, though it was perhaps a bit unnecessary. "You okay?" He then added, realizing Jack wasn't looking his best.

 

[Jack Skelton]

Tea! Why hadn't Jack thought to bring tea? He smiled, shuffling along the bench a bit, although there was plenty of room for the both of them. Politeness was a difficult habit to break. "Yeah! I'm fine," he said, a little too quickly. He was fine. The creaking and knocking sounds coming from beneath them only made him feel a tiny bit like he was going to vomit. Everything was under control. "Are you here to watch someone in particular, or...?"

 

[Ezra Ito]

Ezra wasn't sure if he completely believed Jack, but he didn't know the other boy well enough to question it if he said he felt fine. He nodded, clearly unconvinced. "Alright." He said, then shook his head. "No, I don't really know anyone on the team besides Chase." He faltered as he searched the team down below. "But... he's not there, is he?" Wasn't Chase the captain? Ezra was sure he was, but he saw two girls now who seemed to be leading the team. "Maybe he stopped?" He asked hesitantly.

 

[Jack Skelton]

"Is he not?" said Jack, who still hadn't worked up the courage to look down at the pitch. He tried now, leaning forward in his seat, but chickened out before the grass came into view. "Oh yeah - you're right. That's strange. Maybe he's just ill?" Of course, if Jack had actually seen the team, he would have noticed the two new co-captains, but he hadn't even looked at the common room notice board. There were few events that interested him, and the mandatory ones usually got to him by word of mouth. "Just a quidditch fan, then?" he asked Ezra. "How come you're not trying out?"

 

[Ezra Ito]

Ezra shrugged. "Maybe." He said, though he doubted it. If he had been ill, as captain he would've been able to reschedule the tryouts, surely? He scanned the team below but didn't see him anywhere. It troubled him, strangely. He nodded when Jack asked if he was just a Quidditch fan, but then snorted at his question. "Try out in my seventh year? That sounds even more pathetic than not trying out at all." He told him. "To take up a pity alternate spot for a year while some second years probably fly circles around me? No thanks."

 

[Jack Skelton]

Jack smiled uncertainly. There was nothing pathetic, at least in his mind, about trying out in your seventh year. Wasn't it better to be brave in the end than to never be brave at all? But perhaps that wasn't what Ezra meant. Not everybody was afraid of flying. He probably just didn't want to sign up, which made his answer a bit more understandable. "I suppose," said Jack, looking back out over the distant hills. "I wouldn't think that, but then, I admire anyone who can fly a broom. I mean - I can fly! Just... not as well as you'd need to be able to fly to play Quidditch."

 

[Ezra Ito]

Ezra knew he was perhaps being a bit hard on himself, but if he was honest he was just kind of disappointed he had never tried out. Every year he had found a reason not to, and maybe this year was no exception. But honestly, seventh year did feel kind of silly didn't it? He chuckled at Jack's words. "Not a fan of heights?" He asked, which would explain how tense he was. He smiled. "Why are you watching, then?"