After the Tryouts
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
| Date: Saturday, 09/20/25 | Word count: 368 |
────────────────────────────────
The sun hung low over the Quidditch pitch, painting the sky in streaks of gold and rose as the last broom traces faded from the air. Frederick still felt the echo of the wind against his cheeks, his heart thudding like a Bludger in his chest. The tryouts were over. Done. And somehow, he was still buzzing, excitement and nerves tangling together until he could barely tell which was which.
He swung one leg over his broom, hovering just above the ground before hopping off. The grass was soft under his trainers, and the smell of damp earth and broom polish lingered in the air. Players were dispersing across the field, chattering in small groups, laughter drifting toward the stands.
Pax Zhang was still there, clipboard tucked under one arm, talking to another upper-year before they left her side. Fifth year. Gryffindor captain. Beater. The kind of person who looked completely at home under the stadium lights: confident, sure, grounded. Fred, on the other hand, felt like he might float off the ground if he didn’t anchor himself.
He swallowed, wiped his palms on his robes, and walked over before he could change his mind. Each step felt louder than it should have. “Hey... um, hi,” he said when he reached them, trying to sound casual. “I’m Frederick Buckley. Fred. From first year. I tried out for keeper.” His words came steadier than he felt, though his heart was pounding so hard he was sure it showed in his face. He hesitated, eyes flicking to the clipboard, then back to Pax.
“I just wanted to say thanks for letting me join the tryouts,” he added quickly. “It was… really great to be out there.” He hesitated again, chewing the inside of his cheek before managing, “Do you know when you’ll post the results?” The question slipped out soft, almost careful, not rushed, just quietly hopeful, like a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Despite being outgoing and always seeming mischievous, never taking things too seriously, in that moment Frederick carried himself differently. Perhaps the tryouts for the team were the first event, in the still short life of the eleven-year-old boy, to bring him any sense of responsibility and maturity.
────────────────────────────────────
| Interacting with: @Pax Zhang |
Sta 8 | Eva 8 | Str 6 | Wis 5 | Arc Power 4 | Acc 10
Abilities: Evasive Maneuvers, Keeper's Catch
After the Tryouts
Any/all pronouns
Apologies for how late this reply was - life got super busy
Another year, and another set of try-outs. Honestly for Pax, it was a nostalgic memory for them, to see kids nearly five years younger than them (god, they're old, that realisation hit them like a ton of bricks) nervously waiting on the pitch as they were judged by those older than them. After all, it had led to them joining the team, and whilst it hadn't always been the easiest, it had also been one of the things they had enjoyed the most and found such a common sense of community with. It had also taught them so much, about themselves and leadership.
As they finished up the activities of the day, they wrapped up a quick conversation as they smiled over the list of names. Not everyone had been the most talented necessarily, but they'd all had a lot of heart, and Pax could definitely appreciate that. Even after so many times, it did always sting just a little bit to cut people from the team, especially those who they knew had tried their best. But in the end, quidditch is a sport, and it is competitive, so they had to make the best choices.
A light, slightly nervous voice caught their attention as they scanned the list once more, and with a smile, they turned their attention to a younger student, who introduced himself as Frederick Buckley. The name rang a bell, and they made a mental note to review his performance on the pitch once he had headed back. It would've been rude to do it in front of him. As he spoke, they tucked the clipboard under their arm and leaned down to pick up their broom.
"Ah yes, well, it's great to properly meet you, Frederick," they smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I do think anyone should be allowed to try out, y'know? Age doesn't define talent. And I'm glad you had a great time out there - sometimes I just get lost in the adrenaline and forget that it's truly a privilege to even be on the pitch. I'd hang on to that spark if I were you.
I'll have to discuss with Ethan, my fellow captain, before we come to a decision, and I can't exactly put a time on how long it'll take. I'm hoping within the next week though, at the latest in two weeks. We'll have to get training for the first game of the season, after all, and it'll take time for the team to build up that synergy.
But don't worry. Your performance out there was great, and the number of keepers we had try out are smaller than most of the other positions, so your chances are higher. I'm not going to guarantee anything, and it wouldn't be fair anyways if I did, but genuinely, you did good out there, kid."Reducio
