Keep Your Eye on the Ball (Embry)

Cameron stood out on the snowy Quidditch pitch, broom and bat in hand. He wasn't an official member of his House's Quidditch team, but he wanted to have a go at a practice round without several pairs of eyes watching and judging. The thought of participating in try-outs without at least having had some previous practice made the teen anxious. Quidditch Beaters reminded him of the batters in baseball... though the general idea of the muggle sport was to not hit people with the ball.

Everything was there and ready, including the chest containing the quaffle, bludgers, and golden snitch. Cameron wanted to start it off easy with just one bludger first... beginning on the ground as a warm up, and then into the air. However there was one crucial element missing: Embry. Cameron slipped his friend a note in class, asking for Embry to come out to the Pitch, watch, and give his opinion as to whether he should try out for the team. Maybe if Cameron did well enough with this, he'd finally have the courage to tell his friend something he'd been sitting on for some time now...

Embry had been sitting in class when Cameron had slipped him a note. He was excited about maybe being alone with Cameron. He had always had a crush on him and they were in the same house so it made it hard to be around him at night. There was something about him and it wasn't just that he was really good looking. Cameron was an awesome guy to be around and Embry enjoyed each moment he could with the guy.

Walking to the Quidditch fields after class he saw that Cameron had beaten him to the place and was about to start practice. Finding a seat he waved hello to Cameron and waited to see what the boy was made of.

Cameron spotted Embry's wave and returned it enthusiastically, grinning ear to ear. Now everything was set. The teen walked over to the chest and opened it, making sure to stay clear of the bludger's path before letting it loose. Cameron jumped backward when the ball zoomed out of its resting place and into the air. He watched it soar, and readied his bat when it started after him. Cameron sent the bludger packing toward the goal posts with a loud crack. “Home run,” the teen snickered to himself as he mounted his broom and took to the air.

To warm up, Cameron started off with some basic flying stunts he’d read about in Quidditch Through the Ages. The air wasn’t nearly as stable as the ground, making it all too easy for carelessness to lead to being knocked off one’s broom. Soon enough the bludger was speeding back toward Cameron. The boy flew toward it, and swung the bat. A second thunderous clap echoed throughout the Pitch. Instead of waiting for the bludger to come back to him, Cameron chased after it. Forward swing – chase; backward swing – double back; Cameron even attempted a few barrel rolls as he chased the ball, coming out of the stunt just in time to give the bludger another whack.

Cameron decided afterward to take a small break, and flew near to where Embry was sitting. “Whatcha think, Embry? Should I try out for the team?” he grinned, confident that he had performed his best albeit with just a single bludger. What Cameron didn’t anticipate was the bludger switching its path so soon, and heading straight for him again.

Embry was very impressed by the boys moves. He was so daring and just amazing on the field and it made Embry smile. He watched as the boy finished up what he was doing and the Cameron flew down beside him. "I think you should definitely try out for the team. With moves like those you will have the other team in tears." he said and bent down to tie his shoe which he had noticed was untied. He looked up just in time to see the bludger heading for his friends head and tried to warn him but it was too late and Embry watched in slow motion hoping the kid would be able to move in time.

Cameron grinned at his friend’s approval, “Thanks!” That settled it, then: he’d have to try out for the team now. True, Cameron had only sought out the approval of one person thus far... but Embry’s opinion meant a lot more than Cameron would openly admit for the moment. He sincerely hoped the compliment from Embry would come to some sort of fruition. Cameron would just have to try his best when the team held tryouts, and hope. It wasn’t too different from trying out for a muggle sports team, really...

He turned just in time, thanks to Embry’s warning, to see the bludger zooming straight for his head. Cameron swerved, causing the bludger to do the same, but the boy wasn’t quick enough. A loud crack was heard as the heavy ball hit bone, and Cameron tumbled off his broom with a scream of pain. One hand still gripped the broomstick’s handle, keeping Cameron in mid-air, but he had dropped the bat and one leg dangled oddly from his position. Beads of cold sweat ran down Cameron’s face as he saw the bludger turn back around to have another go at him. He had to get back up on his broom...

Embry was glad when Cameron swerved but then he heard the crack as the bludger hit the boy again. He never was into Quidditch and this was one reason why but if Cameron wanted to play it then it was his choice and Embry would not do anything to influence the boy otherwise. He had forgotten his wand back at his dorm and cursed himself as he watched in horror as the bludger came back for a second round of pain. He could see Cameron was in pain and it pained Embry to see him this way as well.

Cameron swallowed, throat dry, as the bludger seemed to come at him in slow motion. He had to do something, and fast. The boy tested his weight by swinging slightly, hoping to fling himself onto his broom. Cameron’s legs were long, but not long enough to where he could simply climb back on from his position. With a grunt Cameron swung himself up just as the bludger sailed by him, landing roughly on his broom. “Meet me on the ground, Embry?” he asked, diving down to where he had started the practice exercise.

He lost his balance upon reaching the ground, though used both the broom and the quidditch chest to prevent a fall. The bludger followed Cameron. It hit him square in the chest, and Cameron caught it from zooming off again. A struggle ensued between boy and ball. With great effort, he shoved the bludger back into its place, and slipped the chain back over the opening, then closed the chest in order to sit on it. Cameron glared at his now broken leg, feeling like an idiot.

“Always keep your eye on the ball. That’s what Dad always says... and he’s never even played Quidditch...” Cameron muttered darkly to himself.