let me be myself ( try out for the team)

Jamie was getting the brooms ready for any new flyers to the class. He had asked that all player with there own brooms to bring them along so he could see what he had to work with this school needed a team and he would give them one. It was strange that when he was sober he got really competitive and since he had taken up residence in the school he had had to stop drinking and been through the DT's and was well ready to get to work.

He waited as the students gathered on the pitch he got ready to start teaching.
"OK all of ya, I am Jamie Savage and yes I play for the canons and England so I will not be call Professor the first person to do that will see a week of detention I like Jamie and in a pinch Mr Savage." Jamie walk in front of the group of players or is it future players.

"Ok those who have played before to the left and those who haven't to right. No one on the team as far as I am concerned, you will all have to prove yourself to me and no one is guaranteed to play every game you train you play." Jamie said in a voice the mimicked his first coaches.

"Those without broom get one from the side over here and rejoin you lines" Jamie pointed to brooms he had lined up at the side of the Pitch.
"All right all of you will sound off I want you names and position you are trying out for today" Jamie said as he store between the two groups and waited.

Theo was rather grouchy today, he should have been at home or at Scoolies with the rest of his classmates but instead here he was lining up in the cold for a Quidditch class. At least the one positive was that they where being taught by Jamie Savage who was a bloody legend. Pulling on a hoodie Theo happened to wonder a moment why it was that a hot shot like Savage would be teaching at his school, but maybe it was like what Pop had said about the school being very good and only for the best.. well the best and anyone who would pay it seemed. Theo wasn't one for politics but he'd heard enough worried mumbles around the kitchen table at his Aunts and Uncles to know that all was not well in Italy today. For the moment though it didn't matter. Tucking his Quidditch gloves into his pocket and stringing his flying goggles around his wrist he set off before remembering that he needed his broomstick.. cue running back to fetch his Scarlet Falcon.. at least his folks had been good enough to get him a new broom for his Birthday, the old family one was hardly going to cut the mustard so to speak.

Half way down the stairs his cousins caught up with him and the boys piled out into the filed, Theo jumping and rubbing his hands together against the cold. Damn Italy, why couldn't it have stayed sunny? Either way he'd have to put it out of his mind, the short run to the pitch was enough to get the blood moving at least and so Theo arrived in good time to listen to the introduction, feeling smug that he knew that Jamie Savage was going to be teaching before any of the other students, it was a good feeling when the others where doing the 'wow' really' no shit' hey you're England, England sucks gooo Italy!' (thankfully with the majority being in Italian) thing they tended to do. "Mr Savage.. right.." Theo said under his breath.. which was chattering some what in the cold. He had to repeat things he was told otherwise no doubt he'd forget and end up in detention.

Watching the group split into halves Theo wondered if 'bush' Quidditch counted, but seeing that the fat kids ended up on the 'non players' side he quickly moved to the experienced players so as to not make it look like he was unfit to join the team. He was glad he'd not forgotten his broom as Jamie told the others to get them from the pile, while they didn't look like bad brooms he sure as hell didn't want to be riding something that someone else's bum had been on. It seemed like a pretty no-nonsense class, Theo was glad of the instructions being simple enough that he had no problem waiting till his turn to sate "Theodosius Leggieri, Chaser" trying to sound confidant and sure of himself.. not helped that one of his cousins just had to pipe up 'Don't forget to ask for his Autograph Theoo. UGh. he hated having to have family in all of his classes sometimes.

Seb stood to one side as the students lined up and got ready to take notes on names and position as Mr savage had told him to do before they all arrived.
Mr savage Gave a very short speech and then had them divide up and then he started to write down what was being said
Albert James - Keeper
John smith - chasser
and on and on it went till the group stood silent.
"Right you lot this is Sebastian Swanson and he ganna handle all the equipment messing with him like messin with me and if i hear any hard words with him then i have words with ya so repeat him and we'll all do fine. " Mr savage pulled him forward to stand in front of the group "say Hello" he told him
"Ummm Hello all" seb mumbled and the handed the list over to Mr savage

The group of Boys sounded of with most wanting chaser and 3 keepers and so one he keep a mental note of the numbers as they went. then decided to introduce the towel boy young sebastian and let the team now that picking on him would end you dreams
"Right you lot this is Sebastian Swanson and he ganna handle all the equipment messing with him like messin with me and if i hear any hard words with him then i have words with ya so repeat him and we'll all do fine. " Jamie pulled the boy over and said "say Hello" He took the list
"Right now new flyer stay here. you boys with History Up and i want to see you do two flying laps of the pitch. let see you control pass the Quaffle around at the same time" Jamie said. then turned to the New flyer as he called them
" Right you lot Stay low and divide in to two lines and pass the Quaffle across the line then fly to the back let see if you got control" Jamie looked around noted no one had moved off
"MOVE YOU LOT OR I HAVE YOU CUTTING THE GRASS WITH SISORS" Jamie move off and garbed his broom The soon to be released Firebolt that his sponsor had sent him to drum up publicity for in the coming months of game play.
He mounted it and went mid way between the now two groups of player so he could see the drills and see who was up to continued training and who he could do a favour by cutting them early.

Doh!, Theo didn't realise there'd be so much competition, usually at home they just took whatever position they wanted but then again there was hardly any youth Quidditch leagues so far out of the city. A pity because Theo had always wanted to play 'Proper' Quidditch one day. Now he had to beat out the competition to even have a chance. Eying off the others who had called out Chaser Theo noticed they where big guys, some heavily built and another short and scrawny. Theo himself was more lean with the classic 'AFL' build of long legs and all knees and elbows. He had to hope it would give him some advantage at getting out there, after all the other kids had probably been playing Quidditch from the cradle. "Hey Sebs!" Theo shouted out at his mate, grinning broadly even as some of the guys around him jeered, whatever he'd show them that Sebs was cool. The Teacher wasn't too bad either, Theo had never done proper flying workouts before but he'd done enough footie training to get the jist of what was being said and so once instructed he went though the usual steps of loosely holding his broomstick before commanding it to go up, mounting he kicked up before gliding to join the others already starting to form two ranks. Theo joined the second, thankful the whole time that he'd remembered his gloves as the cold wind really did bite. Pausing for a moment he floated while adjusting his hoodie to cover his head and ears, "Ah.. that's better" he said to himself before looking left and right, turning sharply he fell into rank, eying the Quaffle he was all but indifferent to what was going on below as he focused on catching the ball before piffing it back at the next guy down the line.

Some of the guys where really good, Theo felt he had his work cut out to keep up as he fumbled his second catch, throwing the ball felt awkward to him since it was against the rules of football and so he tried handpassing.. to disastrous results as the Quaffle flew straight past John Smith and fell to the ground below. "SORRY!" Theo shouted out, he was freezing and Quiddich was one of those sports where it was hard to stay warm with cold air blowing up your bottom. Ducking out of formation Theo angled his broom downwards, the 'newbs' below being met by a figure in the centre rising fast.. Theo forgot about the Quaffle.. that wasn't? Theo stared, it was a Firebolt, not just any Firebolt but one he'd never seen before.. could it be the much spoken of as yet unreleased Firebolt? The one that was said to be flown by the English side during the 2012 Wizarding World Games? Theo had never been one to suffer from 'broom envy' but boy was he getting a dose of it now. Suddenly flying his Scarlet Falcon didn't seem nearly as great as it had a few minutes ago.

Seb stood there as some of the boys waved and Theo yelled a hello. and then the boys took off to Fly around on there brooms. It was clear that Mr Savage was very interested in Theo after he few down to get the Quaffle after some one missed the pass.
after saying some thing to Theo Mr Savage Yelled down to himSebastian the two on the end down there ...there done"Jamie yelled to the small boy "get them out of line i talk to um in a minute"
Seb walked beow the boys and Yelled up
"You two need to come down Mr Savage wants to talk to you" Seb watch as the two boys just followed his instruction No one had ever listen to a word he said in his whole life not even his Family But now the boys seamed to listen to him may be his life was changing for the better here in Italy.
He had a job and books and now people listen to him and a Friend Cool
The two Boys dismounted there brooms next to him The smaller one asked "Did i do something wrong?"
"Umm don't know Mr Savage told me to get you to wait" Seb answered the two boys looked nerves and Seb had a felling they were about to be told that This game was not for them They both had trouble just staying on there brooms anyway.
THey waited as Mr Savage watch Theo and a small ball in the air.

Jamie watch as the groups started out and noted a least 3 Boys that were not up to playing competitively on his team 2 in the new flyers and on that missed a Quaffle pass from the tall one that he meet on the first day here. At this rate he have them down to a playing side very quickly and have drills to get them ready for the match. That boy was fast on his broom what was his name... Theo
"You Theo. Catch" Jamie throw a super bonicie ball at theo position and flew up to see how the boy reacted to the ball.
"you Boy he pointed to the one who had just missed the pass get the Quaffle back up there" Jamie yelled not taking his eyes off Theo Hoping his in-sticks were right about this boy. If so the boy might end up playing a position he hadn't expected to be playing the one position no one put there hand up for in the two groups Seeker
"Sebastian the two on the end down there ...there done" Jamie yelled to the small boy "get them out of line i talk to um in a minute" Jamie yelled as he watch the ball and the boy in front of him. It was almost like slow motion but in fact only a few seconds had passed since the ball had been thrown at the tall boy.
It was time to see if he had a seeker.

Where it not for the cold Theo would have been having a great time, they where out in the air and even Sebs seemed to be enjoying himself down below. What he hadn't expected was how tricky it was to pass the ball at speed once in the air. Normally he was fine at catching and getting the ball to the hoop, it was just the passing and scoring that always let him down. In many respects Theo had started out cocky that it would be no sweat to get on the team, after all hadn't Jamie Savage said so much on his first day? But that had all changed with the speech at the start of the class and Theo realized that it wasn't going to be like the Under 16s Footie team, no this he had to try at. The problem was that he'd already fumbled and been distracted by the Professors broomstick. Whatever was going on above him Theo had no idea, he just had to hope none of the guys got it in their head to throw something at him (or worse try spitting on him).

Glancing up to check Theo wasn't looking when the Professor called for him, turning his eyes where wide in confusion as he saw the Professor throw something and tell him to catch. Instinctively Theo figured it was a quaffle, but bugger him if it wasn't something much smaller that went straight past him. What? Theo just balanced himself on the broom before doing the classic 'huh'? expression with both hands. It took until it was already too late for Theo to realise what had just happened.. it must have been a snitch! Dammit! Pia always flew seeker when they played at home and already he'd missed it. Now if he wanted to get back on the team he had to find the stupid thing and fast!

..Well at least fast he could do, Theo felt his stomach lurch as he tiled forward on his broom, pointing directly downwards at the pitch below as his eyes strained against the cold for a sight of the snitch.. or well whatever it was. Either way if this was his one big chance to get on the team there was no way he was going to miss out on it! "C'MON! SEBS DID YOU SEE IT??" Theo shouted as he hit the ground and looked each way, it was probably against the rules of the sport to ask for help but after all it was only training! Nobody ever took it that seriously right?

Seb stood and waited for the Professor to come and speck with him and the other boys he had pulled aside.
when Theo flew down and asked him if he'd seen it.
"No sorry Theo" web replied to the boys question and the wait and the coach flew down and said something the theo that i could no hear as the 2 boys next to me started to talk about jamie savage in italian and the jamie savage made his way over to us.
"Ok boys i can see you are trying but I think may be next year" it was the one of the be come very upset then Jamie spoke again "sebastian can you take them in side"
"Ok no problem Mr savage come on Guys let get some thing to eat"
Seb turned and started leading the boys back up to the school.

Jamie watch as the boy theo realised what was going on and started searching for the ball but it was already to late the ball had all but fallen to the ground Jamie shock his head the boy theo had the right shape and size for a seeker but was not really fast that would need work to move him in to the position if at all. Jamie watch as he asked Sebastian for help in finding the ball and shock his head and flew down to the boy.
"Rule one You CAN never ask the people at a game were the ball his Rule two Quidditch is fast Keep up or go home. You need to get Faster" Jamie got of his broom and walked over pick up the ball of the pitch and the flew back to theo
"This is a ball is small and i want you to catch it" Jamie handed the ball to Theo " go over there throw it and then chase after it" Jamie said and the flew over to the boys he had Sebastian pull out of line
"Ok boys i can see you are trying but I think may be next year" it was the one of the boys come very upset then Jamie spoke again "sebastian can you take them in side" He did need Upset Boys on the side lines when trying to get a team ready.
he flew up tho the older group and told 2 boys to hit the shower they were done and and a further 3 new flyers the same.
"All right all of Ya come in to me." He pointed a theo " Not you keep doing that will ya i be over soon"
"All right you lot same as be for all of of the Chasers in the group up and throw the Quaffle around in a group Keepers you three over to Goals I way you thane turned stopping this Quaffle" he quickly grabbed one from the new flyers group and passed it to one of the wannabe keepers "and beatters i want you up and with the chasers group with bats try and stop the passes Let move" Jamie flew off to get a good view to see what the groups were up to and to see if his chosen seeker was doing any good.

"Vaffanculo!" Theo swore to himself, Sebs hadn't seen it either. Worse was that when Theo looked up as the Coach called out at him. Damn, he'd been caught out. Jeers followed as he was corrected, yeah okay so he wouldn't ask in a real match, it was only training though wasn't it? "Righto Coach" he said trying to hide his anger at being told he wasn't fast enough, he was the fastest he knew and screw anyone who disagreed. Either way Theo was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, he really wanted to be on the Quidditch team and knew that speaking back wasn't going to help that one bit. Theo's suspicions where aroused when Jamie returned holding something small, it wasn't until he took the ball from Jamie that he realised that it wasn't a snitch at all, just a rubber ball. Humm..

Theo didn't know what was expected and so he just nodded that he understood. Throw and catch, sounded easy enough. "Later Sebs!" He called out to his mate before taking a deep breath and sending his broom to launch back upwards to the sky so he would have clearance from the others. Now that he was in the air he felt stupid with the little ball, everyone else was together but here he was alone. "Okay okay, throw and catch, how hard can that be?" Theo said to himself before looking at the little ball. With a shrug he made to throw it and almost overbalanced.."Shit.." he really needed to work on that one as well, but there was no time to think as the ball was flying and he had to beat gravity. Straightening his goggles he put both hands on the broom, flying hard against the wind he had a pretty good idea this time of where the ball had gone, the wind ripping at his hair and robes as he flew fast as he could, overshooting the ball by a good meter as he came to a stop. Missed! the ball bounced off a stone path and started arcing upwards, Theo felt better about this and judging the distance a bit better this time he tried using less speed, aiming for below he waited, lazy for the ball to come down before one last lunge of speed, "GOT YA!" catching the ball in both hands as he used his legs to steady the broom from going out of control. Okay so not as easy as it looked. Theo was breathing hard, he was sure Pia had never such a hard time of it when they'd played Quidditch. But then again a snitch had a mind of it's own didn't it?

Jamie was watching as the Boy Theo has over shot the ball and then missed it and the court it after the bounce
"The Golden snitch dose not Bounce Boy" Jamie advised as he flew over to were he was working. The boy could be great jamie could see it even tho the boy said he played on a team before Jamie could tell it was not a real team may be some back yard stuff but nothing like this but he had skills and Heart and all jamie had to too was to Bring them to the for front and make this boy the next big thing as jamie knew he could be.
well with a better broom, Note to self get better broom for boy
"But i do believe i can make a seeker out of you with the right broom and training" Jamie said in a very somber tone as he extend his hand to the boy for the ball.
"All I'm going to need from you is your commitment and and hard work coz no team can win with out a seeker" Jamie decided to circle around the boy.
"you will need to work on speed and you need to see everything but most of all you need to catch this" Jamie stopped dead in front of Theo and pulled out the snitch and held it up.
"I want you to think nothing but this, Quidditch Just be come you life, with out you are nothing. I can make you great but you need to work for it, do you want to be a star Theo?" Jamie asked as he held the snitch pup in front of his face.
All of Jamie dreams for a great team depended on what Theo answer was.

It wasn't just the cold making Theo's ears redden, okay so what if he'd caught the ball after the bounce, he'd caught it! That in these conditions was a achievement in itself right? Apparently not. Theo sighed and tossed the bouncy ball back to the coach, feeling a bit dejected as he still hadn't found out if he was on the team or not. "Whats wrong with this broom?" Theo asked, he'd only just got this broom and the coach was saying it was no good? His parents had paid good money for it and now apparently he needed a better one. Theo could just imagine how well his Pa would take to that news. Crossing his arms Theo could feel the chill of cold wind on the back of his neck, he didn't like being told that he wasn't good enough but he did want on the team and so just nodded along with whatever the coach was going on about. Theo didn't understand all of it, he'd never been all that good with the rules of the game but a sport was a sport, he knew it took practice to be good, whether it was footie or soccer he'd been there and done that. Quidditch wasn't that different he guessed.

Hard as it was to forget that this was Jamie Savage not some random football coach Theo couldn't help but be reminded of the old Under 16s coach who was always on him to do better so he might one day impress the selectors to do more then just VFL. Theo had never cared that much to put the effort in but he wasn't getting any younger and so far his academic performance well.. was not the best. Hadn't Ma and Pop been telling him to do something with his life? Theo put his hand out to take the snitch, trying to feel as much about it as Coach was telling him. Let it be your life? What did that even mean?? As for being a star, Theo blinked "What and be stuck up in the sky and all that?" You could just see his Astronomy Professor facepalming at the response. The idea of him ever being a sports star had frizzled the day they'd lost the Grand Final to the Drouin West Football Team.

Jamie could not believe it what this boy had just said was so dum he was as dum as most of the guys he flew with most days
This boys perfect for the game.
But then he went and said it stuck up in the air.
" what! stuck in the air. You are just about dum enough to be a player in this game but if you say that again I ganna cut you from the team and you will never play again" Jamie said all this as he flew closer to Theo
" you are a player and I can make you really good but that broom sucks for seeker and I think you need a firebolt and I have a spear on just like this" Jamie Jested to his broom the new best of the best broom in the world and this boy could be good and he just need to learn a speed is key and to keep his mouth shut when told and learn to Speck about qudditch with great favor and love.
" now you need to tell me if you want to play or not?" Jamie was staring down at theo.

Deep thinking was certainly not one of Theo's strongpoints and so he just watched as the Coach told him off, that at least was expected "Righto Coach" okay so he had to keep his mouth shut and then maybe he wouldn't say anything stupid to offend. He could do that right? Or well at least he could try. Fuming about being called dumb it was amazing how quickly your feelings could turn when you discovered that sporting icons tended to be not quite what you expected of them. Straightening up on his broom he reminded himself that Jamie was the coach and there was no point getting in a fight or mouthing off otherwise he'd just end up in bloody detention and miss out on the games anyway. Even if he knew deep down that the Coach was talking crap, he'd play Quidditch if he wanted no matter what the man said. So what if Jamie Savage was some big shot Quidditch star it didn't stop him playing with his mates and family back home.

Yet the next moment the Coach changed tact and while he refused to admit it Theo most certainly was not the brightest tool in the shed and so floored at the change of fortune, ego stroked at being told he could be really good he then just stared with round eyes "Like... that?" He could barely speak, Jamie Savage couldn't have just offered him his broom, and a unreleased Firebolt at that! Had it not been for the cold freezing him ridged in place Theo might well have fallen off his broom at the shock. "Forreal?" He couldn't believe it, Theo might have been dumb but he knew that those brooms where worth tens of thousands of galleons and yet here he was, some nobody kid from the bush and Jamie Savage was offering him a broom that champions would do backflips just to get a touch of. There was just one, little problem ".. um.. just I know it's really cool and stuff but my Pop isn't gonna wanna pay all that money for a new broom so.." Theo didn't want to sound ungrateful but he knew the lay of the land well enough that those who had the best equipment always had the money behind it.

Had Theo spent more time listening to the news he might have known the truth that his family back home where in a much better state then the crumbling Italian economy but of course the only bits of the news Theo ever saw where in the ad breaks of his favourite tv shows. While they'd been talking Theo's broom had come to drift down a little, a design flaw of flying a broom more designed for short bursts of speed then keeping a stable height. Looking up at the coach Theo was tempted to laugh at the guys serious expression except that he knew that if he did that he'd probably be off the team and not allowed to play Quidditch as a sport as long as he was in Italy. So, there was only one answer he could give wasn't there? "Yes Coach!" because in the end the Coach was right and it was all about the game, and you where either in it or a sore loser sitting on the bench watching the action unfold. Theo never wanted to be the one on the bench.

Jamie looked at the boy theo was going to play and Jamie was ganna make him great.
"fantastic and no need to worry about the cost of a broom I can let you use one of mine till you get sponsorship and your own contract." Jamie was sure with the right training and hardworking there was a playing future for theo.
"now on to training you come to the ground you can change on to this broom and get to know how it handles."
" ALL You guys come in" Jamie called to the group to come in as the group formed up in a group.
" right any way mood game you 2 betters. You 3 chasers. No seeker got one of those" Jamie pointed to thro as he step off his broom and held it out to theo.
" I'll change out people as when I've seen enough. Ok let's hit it this is we're you prove your player or not" Jamie singled to the group to hit the skies.

Theo really couldn't belive his luck, all his life he'd been just another Leggieri kid stacking pizza boxes and dreaming of the day he was selected to play for the under 18s. While his football dreams had passed him by at the knowledge that his form wasn't quite up with the other guys Theo had never thought that the freestyle Quidditch games he'd played with his siblings would ever amount to anything. After all there was barely any Quidditch leagues at all in Australia, apart from the AQL of course. Like most of the guys he knew he went for the Woollongong Warriors because only idiots would support the Victorian Vigilantes who'd barely gotten above the bottom of the ladder. Now the coach was talking about contracts and sponsors and while Theo didn't really know what it meant he liked the idea of sponsorships, that meant people thought you where a big shot didn't it? Theo could just imagine what his brother's would think when he turned up covered in logo's for Firebolt Brooms Co. That would be sick as!

Everything was going so fast that all Theo could do was say "Sure thing Coach" and fly in a casual arc to land, stepping off his broom his muscles where starting to feel it, the cold mixed with the challenge of learning new moves from what he'd done being a chaser. Freezing cold or head inside for a mug of milo and catch up with what Sebs was doing? He knew which of the two was the smart choice but instead waited, leaning against his broom until the Coach returned to earth and pointed him towards the now vacated broom. Theo tried not to think of the fact that he was riding another guys broom and ignoring the jeers he got it to hover before climbing on. "Okay.. what you got for me eh?" Theo said to himself as the others returned to the sky. He couldn't believe he was going to fly the very same broom as Jamie Savage! Kicking the partly frozen pitch hard he felt the broom take hold, rocketing straight up as he could do no better then to hang on. It was lucky he didn't scream, but he did swear as his fingers froze and face was frostbitten by the wind rushing past. Okay so this was one hell of a serious broom. The ground was far below when Theo edged it back downwards, willing it to go slower until he reached the same altitude as the rest of the class. No wonder the coach had said his broom was no good, compared to this it was like comparing a push bike to a rocket!

Jamie was watching as the player took to the sky to test for the parts he watched as theo struggle to get control of the fireboat broom he had just been given control over.
Jamie almost laugh out loud at the boy when he remembered that at his age he had never even seen a broom like this and would not for a lot of years he was on the predator to the nimbus brooms when he started out and brooms had come a long way in the years he'd been playing.
"Right Theo need you working on broom control" Jamie went to dismiss Theo then added
" Oh and i will have sebastian drop off an advance training schedule to you" Jamie waved his hand at Theo and picked up one of the comet 200s to go and watch the game and set the team for the coming week.
"OK guys let get it set yo show me what you can do" Jamie left Theo be hide and then began gliding around the groups of student and trading them out and sending so away as he got closer to a team.
"Come on Guys get moving" Jamie yelled at the team and making sure he had all the right People for team.
After a while jamie knew he had the right People in the air and who his subs would be.
"All right i seen what i need to i'll post the names in the Mourning" Jamie Flew down to the ground by way of telling the kids they were done
"Right Hit the showers" Jamie called as he Yelled to Theo " Theo hit the shower be back out here 6 am tomorrow" Jamie waited for the boys protest a bout the time and to get back the broom.