[AU][C] Try Outs

Fourth year.

Another year, another time for tryouts for the school team. He'd been trying out for the team every year since his ass got sorted into Slytherin, and every year he had been dropped flat on his ass with a solid no.

This year he wasn't taking no for an answer.

He'd beat every other competitor to death for his place if he had to.

The pride of his life, a sleek beautiful Moontrimmer that he had worked his ass off for, was firm in his grip as he strode forwards with intent.

Richmond sat amongst his teammates from last year, they were all sprawled out on the grass waiting for the try outs to begin.

Things would be interesting, their team from last year had done well but they were all required to try out for their positions again.

His dark eyes trailed over the newcomers, none of them were too pleased with the prospect of losing their positions. Rich watched them with interest, trying to figure out who would be trying out for seeker, he wanted to size up his competition.

Lyo squared his shoulders as he approached the existing team, all sat together.

Both of their beaters had left the year before, leaving the perfect space for him to sit, and he was damn well going to sit there this year.

"Today is the day," he declared to the lounging captain of the team. His accent was thick. Though his English was great, his accent was still thick. To most, it wasn't understandable at all.

Oscar, the captain of their team, and their keeper sat up as Alyosha approached, a small smile playing at his lips.

"We'll see, I hope you've been practicing since last year."

Lyo hadn't been successful so far, it seemed the boy was still growing into his body, it made him awkward at times, that and he was quick to temper and lose his focus.

Richmond looked up through his mess of dark curls a small smirk on his lips as he watched the two speak, he remembered the Russian's temper last year when he didn't make the team, though he knew of the boy he had never met him before.

"I've managed to beat Gryffindor's seeker into the ground a hundred times this summer."

Aodh was a damned good seeker, though it was going around that he'd quit the team this year. He had enlisted Aodh and his brother's help to improve.

Bonus was that he'd given Aodh so many concussions over summer that he'd been mostly quiet.

"I will be on your team."

"Yeah well if anyone deserved it, it was Aodh."

He was very familiar with the Gryffindor seeker and if given half the chance he'd love to do the same.

When Lyo announced that he would be on the team in such a determined manner it drew a snorted laugh from the boy sitting beside Oscar.

Lyo seemed so sure of himself and that self confidence was very amusing to the seeker of their team.

"Rich, play nice."
Oscar scolded, giving the boys shoulder a firm nudge.

Richmond's dark eyes stared up at Lyo with a mix of amusement and intrigue, he wanted to know if he could live up to his words.

Lyo's sharp blue eyes turned down at the snort.

"Think that's funny? I'll show you. I'll be the best damn beater this team has ever seen."

Those weren't just words. He was going to be their best beater. No one was going to take that away from him.

He was too focused on it.

This was what he wanted to do with his life. He was going to place on Russia's team, and be the best damned beater they'd seen. And he'd start that goal by getting onto his House's team.

Richmond gave a dismissive shrug at Lyo's words, they were just that, words, and if anyone knew how little value they held it was Rich.

He gave Oscar a knowing nod and got to his feet, taking a few steps to pick up his broom, and with a small push he was up in the air, waiting.

"Well then looks like we have our volunteer!"
Oscar got to his feet, suddenly looking excited.

"Let's see you put your money where your mouth is then." Oscar turned to the group, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Anyone trying out for a role as a beater please grab your brooms and a bat, it's time to test your skills."

Lyo snorted when the little shit just shrugged him off. "Malen'kaya suka."

He was going to knock that little shit right off his broom.

Lyo was the first to go for a bat and mount his broom.

He twirled the bat, then gripped it firmly.

Ten people in total got to their feet and mounted their brooms.

"The test is simple, all of you will be allocated​ a colour which corresponds to a coloured bludger. These blugers will then be released, targeted at our seeker here, Rich.

If your bludger hits Rich you are disqualified, immediately. If it doesn't you will be scored on batting ability, agility on a broom and speed. Any questions?"

He announced, flicking open boxes of bludgers of different colours.

Lyo's lips twitched into a sneer when the task was announced.

Motherfucker.

He'd seriously wanted to do some damage to the cocky little prick.

He supposed there would be other times. Training days and all. He wasn't going to crap out on this one because he had a temper. Fuck that.

He waited patiently to be assigned a colour.

Rich raised his eyebrow at the Russian with a smirk, he could make this quite hard for the man if he chose to.

Oscar made his way down the line giving a colour ribbon to each applicant.

"Red."

He instructed, handing a red ribbon to Lyo to tie to his broom.

"Everyone on your brooms."

He instructed, calling over to Rich to ensure he was ready, receiving a short nod in reply.

"3...2...1....begin!"
Oscar announced, releasing the bludgers as Richmond whipped forward at a tremendous pace, clearly not too keen about getting hit.

Lyo chose to hang back after the yell to begin.

He hovered, weaving back and forth behind the over-eagers, watching Rich carefully.

He was a quick little shit.

Lyo ducked under a stray pink bludger then beat his own red one with his bat. It whizzed by Rich, just an inch from his ear.

Rich was going to keep them on their toes, if any of them were going to be doing this in a real match he wanted teammates who would actually prevent him from getting his head knocked in.

His eyes narrowed as Lyo got so close to him, once they were up high enough Rich plunged into a nose dive.

He wanted to see which of them had to nerve and flying ability to go head first into the ground.

A few followed Rich's nose-dive, including Lyo.

His eyes narrowed, as he followed Rich fearlessly, even when the others peeled back.

He beat his red bludger. Again it whizzed over Rich's shoulder, colliding with a yellow bludger that was on a path right towards Rich's head, sending it off course.

And still he went on, hurtling right towards the ground.

The seekers keen eyes didn't miss the fact that a bludgers was on course for him.

He was bracing himself for the impact of the yellow one before it bounced off of the red and was sent flying away from him.

Rich looked over his shoulder, glancing at Lyo.

The idiot had just saved another potential beater form being eliminated.

As the grass came into view Rich continued his downward decent, not easing up until he could almost kick off the ground. A sharp hairpin turn sent his barreling upwards, flying right past the Russian on his way back up.

A smirk graced his lips, he doubted Lyo would manage to do the same.

At the cost of their target being pulled for a concussion. He could deal with another competitor still running.

He didn't want to make it too easy for himself.

Rich's sharp turn was mimicked almost perfectly by the Russian. "Bet you didn't see that coming, fucker," he muttered to himself.

When Lyo had said he'd spent the majority of his waking hours on a broom, he hadn't been lying. He had improved tenfold over the summer.

An orange bludger hurtled towards Rich, and when Lyo was sure it wasn't going for his head, he pulled back and watched, keeping just a little of his attention on his bludger to make sure it wasnt going for either him or the seeker.

He rolled his eyes as the saw the man mimic his move perfectly, it seemed that he had some skill after all.

Rich's grip tightened on his broom, he could see it coming in the corner of his eye.

Sure enough the bludger hit against his hip, sending him sideways, causing him to hang upside down on his broom.

He corrected himself with a loop in the air and winced at the tenderness of his side.the orange bludger immediately stopped and fell to the ground.

"Orange you're out!"
Called Oscar from the ground.

Lyo laughed as he watched Rich right himself and shift uncomfortably on his broom.

He deserved that.

Lyo lurched forwards, swooping under Rich. The top of his head clipped Rich's boot as he swung to send his bludger away from Rich.

Asshole.

As Lyo swooped beneath him he gave the man's head a knock with his boot, mouthing down at him 'oops' as he smirked.

Taking off in the opposite direction.

It didn't take long before another bludger collided with him, smacking against​ his shoulder with such force that he almost toppled off of it.

He had to take a moment to right himself and that's when the swarm started. In the brief moments he was still bludgers came from all directions and with that a flurry of beaters trying to hold them back.

Amongst the cloud of bodies Rich shot straight up, trying to avoid them all.

Lyo didn't even flinch when his head was kicked.

The beating would come after.

He chose to stay back when everyone piled over each other to keep Rich safe from the sudden onslaught.

When his bludger made a move for the cocky little seeker, he beat someone else's, sending it crashing into his to knock it off course, and keep it away from Rich.

He didn't have to be in the mess to protect the seeker.

There was more than one way to skin this cat.

Richmond continued to do laps of the pitch, doing his best to be a handful to all of the beaters.

A blue bludger clipped his foot sending another applicant off the field and into the grandstand to watch.

As he swooped and weaved a purple bludger made contact with the middle of his back, sending him off his broom and tumbling into the grass only a few metres below him.

Lyo winced when the purple bludger knocked Rich off his broom.

"Ouch."

He dropped, moving closer to the ground to see if Rich was getting back up again.

He wanted to beat the cocky bitch into the ground, but that was a rough hit, and it wasn't from him, so he couldn't be that pleased about it.

Rich raised his hand from his position sprawled out on the ground and Oscar blew the whistle. Immediately all the bludgers that were barreling toward him stopped mod air and fell to the ground.

He had successfully eliminated five of the candidates but he had, had enough of this.

Oscar came running into the field clapping, "Well done all of you! Those of you remaining show a lot of promise."

The captain moved over to the sprawled out seeker and pulled him to his feet.

Richmond stood with a pained grunt and dusted himself off, trudging over to his broom to pick it up.

Dammit, he hadn't got a solid yes or no, and the target had called it quits.

He flew lower, hopping off his broom when he was close to the ground and grinding the end of it into the ground, leaning against it as he waited for the inevitable news of a callback for the handful of them that were still in the listings.

What a crock.