That afternoon Quidditch tryouts are being held, out on the green oval of grass that is the Quidditch field. 

Lay rushes from his room, hastily pulling on his arm guards. He can’t believe he forgot the time. He’s the captain for goodness sakes. What is the rest of the team going to think? 

He had been trying to finish up an essay that he already had due tomorrow. Seriously, what teacher gave homework the first day of class? 

By the time Lay gets to the field, he’s out of breath, and he’s banged the handle of his Cleansweep against so many doors and walls that he’s surprised it hasn’t broken yet. 

The rest of the people who are trying out today are already on the field, chatting amongst themselves. 

Lay catches sight of Suho in the stands, shaking his head as Lay comes barreling down the field. 

No matter how many times Lay had tried to convince Suho to play, the other boy refused. Flying on brooms was not his thing. 

Lay catches sight of Luhan in the crowd of new and old players, and grins. He thinks Luhan’s slight build will make him an excellent Seeker. And they definitely need one. 

The last Seeker they had had ended up in the infirmary after he had decided to try a box of chocolates given to him by a Gryffindor right before the game. Everyone knew that that particular student was known for his pranks. Lay wasn’t sure why anyone would try something Park Chanyeol gave them. 

But his Seeker had, and look what had happened. He had turned into a blasted canary and had ended up flying around the grounds for three hours before anyone had been able to catch him to turn him back. 

And the Hufflepuffs had had to forfeit the match. 

Lay frowns. It had been the last match of the season too. 

He shakes his head. This was a new year. A new team. They could do this. 

Luhan fidgets nervously with his Quidditch robes. He clutches his Comet in a sweaty hand. 

He had played at his old school, but there hadn’t been very many games. That tended to happen when blizzards struck almost every week and the spell protecting the Quidditch field always failed to keep snow from piling up to the bleachers. 

Here though, the sun is shining down on the top of Luhan’s head, making him sweat even more. 

He hadn’t realized Lay was the team captain, so at least he knows one person out here. He can barely see Suho up in the stands, flipping through a book, although he keeps glancing down at the field. 

Actually he keeps glancing down at Lay, but Luhan is too busy freaking out to think much about it. 

“Okay everybody,” Lay shouts out to the noisy crowd. “Listen up.”

“It’s about time you got here Lay,” a boy on Luhan’s right shouts. 

Luhan jumps, squeaking in surprise. Lay shoots a glare at the offender. “Shut up Xiumin,” he snaps. “Or maybe I’ll tell the headmaster about your late night trips to the kitchen, if you know what I mean.” 

A few of the students around them look at each other confusedly, but Xiumin is blushing and avoiding eye contact with everyone else, especially Lay. Luhan wonders what Lay means.

“Anyways,” Lay says, and everyone is quiet again. “We’re going to start with some quick drills first, and then we’re going to have a practice match. I’ll be watching you guys play, so do your best. And good luck!” 

Luhan swallows hard, trying to resist the urge to run off the field. He enjoys Quidditch, but maybe he would rather watch than play. 

“No Luhan,” he thinks to himself. “You’re a good player, better than most. And besides, it’s a good way to make new friends.” 

Feeling a little better, Luhan swings a leg over his broomstick and pushes off into the air, following the others to the far side of the Quidditch field.

It takes a few minutes, but soon, Luhan is swooping and soaring along with everyone else, taking turns in different positions. 

He almost drops the Beater’s bat, and he’s not very good at handling the Quaffle or stopping it, but when Lay asks him to be Seeker, Luhan is excited. It was his position on his old team, his job to find the tiny, golden ball with wings. 

He’s just spotted it, hovering above Xiumin’s ear, when a flash of green catches his eye on the other side of the Quidditch field. He looks over. Slytherins. Holding their own tryouts on the opposite side of the field. He can’t make out who’s there, but he thinks that one barking orders looks a little like Kris. 

“Luhan!” Lay shouts, distracting him. Luhan jumps, startled, and blushes, embarrassed. He’s supposed to be finding the Snitch, not ogling the Slytherins. 

Lay watches his team play a little longer before he sees Kris below him, waving his arms like a madman.