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rxbxlcaptain · 7 years

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Luctor et Emergo – Chapter 4

Year 2 // Year 3

[Hogwarts AU]

Read on AO3 / Below the Cut

Previous Chapter

(Special thanks to @valcain for the graphic and @wearesuchstuff1 for beta reading!)

Year 2

“Are you all packed, Bodhi?” Professor Erso called up the stairs. It was September 1st, the beginning of a new school year and, though Bodhi never would have expected it when he first came to the Erso’s, Bodhi couldn’t wait to leave.

“Y-yes, sir,” Bodhi said as he pulled the trunks down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Professor Erso glanced up at the loud bang the trunk made, a confused expression on his face. “I could have levitated that down the stairs for you, instead of you lugging it down.”

Bodhi nodded and shrugged, hoping Professor Erso would accept it as Bodhi being independent – after all, Professor Erso raised Jyn, who was possibly the most independent person Bodhi knew – rather than anything else. In truth, however, ever since eavesdropping on Professor Krennic a few weeks previous, Bodhi couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of unease around Jyn’s father. The feeling was ridiculous, of course. Nowhere in that conversation had Professor Erso expressed any ill-will for his daughter or Bodhi – that had been left to Krennic – but Krennic’s final threat played over and over in Bodhi’s mind, anyway.

Luckily, Jyn came bounding down the stairs and distracted Professor Erso. She, unlike Bodhi, had left her trunk upstairs for her father to bring down. Professor Erso gave Jyn a small smile and teased her about how spoiled she was becoming, but he didn’t hesitate to head upstairs and grab her trunks.

“You,” Jyn hissed as she sat down at the breakfast table next to Bodhi, “need to act more natural around my father. He can’t learn we were in his office that day.”

Bodhi muttered, “I know that!”

“Then stop acting like you’ve done something wrong!” Jyn, whether in a natural movement or a demonstration on how to act normal, reached forward to butter a crumpet. Bodhi stared at her, astonished.

“You know,” he said, speaking quickly before Professor Erso returned from upstairs. “It was you Professor Krennic was threatening. How can you stay so calm about this?”

Jyn paused for a moment, a dark look passing over her face. She ran her knife over the biscuit harshly, bits of it crumbling onto her plate.

“Because,” she answered after a moment, “I’ve been doing it for years.” She lstared at Bodhi, her eyes more serious than any twelve-year-old’s ever should be. “Krennic killed my mother, right in front of my eyes. Then he locked me up until I went to Hogwarts. Threatening me to manipulate my father isn’t a new idea for me, Bodhi, but I don’t want you mixed up in it, either.”

All Bodhi could do to respond was nod, because Professor Erso came down the stairs then, levitating Jyn’s trunk behind him.

“Stormy didn’t want to follow,” he said, oblivious to the distress on Bodhi’s face. “So you’ll need to gather him into his cage yourself, Stardust.”

“Of course, Papa,” Jyn smiled sweetly at him. Once again, Bodhi marveled at the way Jyn’s features changed. Anger and fierce determination melted into loving innocence in a second when her father spoke to her. Bodhi wasn’t sure he would ever manage those kind of acting skills.

Professor Erso joined them at the table, and Jyn nudged Bodhi, giving a significant look to his empty plate. Bodhi attempted to copy Jyn’s casual movements, but his hand shook as he reached for the eggs, spilling some onto the table.

“Are you nervous about the new school year, Mr. Rook?” Professor Erso asked with concern. With a wave of his wand, the table was clean and Bodhi reached for another serving of eggs.

“I suppose,” Bodhi responded, forcing himself to meet Professor Erso’s eyes. It wasn’t a lie, after all. The summer had been relaxing and he loved spending time with Jyn, but the prospect of returning to school – returning to the dungeons for potions lessons and practical lessons with Professor Malbus in Defense Against the Dark Arts – did make his stomach turn with nerves.

“You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Rook,” Professor Erso assured him. “I saw your marks at the end of last term. You did quite well first year.”

“We’ll just whip up a potion that gives you more self confidence, huh, Bodhi?” Jyn teased, kicking him under the table.

“Does that exist?” Bodhi wondered with wide eyes.

Professor Erso chuckled. “Yes, it does, but it’s nothing you should try. It’s only temporary and it’s after effects, well…” He waved his fork in the air while trying to find the right words. “Well, let’s just say they’re very unpleasant. It would be much better to simply be you, Mr. Rook.”

“I still don’t see why we can’t take the Hogwarts Express, Papa,” Jyn said. “You let me ride it last year when I could have apparated with you to school.”

“You didn’t live down the road from the school a year ago,” Professor Erso reminded her. “It seems a little wasteful to travel all the way to London just so you can return to the place you left, Stardust.”

Jyn huffed. “I don’t want to be the only students who didn’t ride the Hogwarts Express, Papa. We’ll be left out.”

“Luckily for you, you two won’t be the only students who didn’t take the Hogwarts Express,” Professor Erso told them. “Professor Organa’s daughter is starting Hogwarts this year, and when we spoke a few days ago, he told me she’ll be coming to Hogwarts directly with him. You remember Leia, don’t you, Jyn? You’ve met a few times over the years.”

Based on the way Jyn’s face lit up, Bodhi guessed she did remember.

“I’d forgotten Leia was starting this year!” She exclaimed before turning to Bodhi. “She’ll be a Gryffindor for sure. Just you wait until you meet her, Bodhi. You’ll love her.”

Professor Erso chuckled. “Her father doesn’t want to believe that she’ll be a Gryffindor – he’s still holding out for her to be in Hufflepuff, like he and his wife – but, from what I know of the girl, I feel her sorting is inevitable.” He glanced down at his watch. “The other students won’t be arriving until the evening, but I need to report this morning. You two are free to come to castle whenever you desire. As long as it’s before the Sorting Ceremony!” Professor Erso finished quickly when Jyn began a sarcastic remark.

“We’ll be there, Professor Erso,” Bodhi promised, making the professor smile.

“This is why I enjoy having you around, Mr. Rook,” he smiled. “I can trust you to keep my daughter’s crazy schemes in line.” Both he and Bodhi ignored Jyn’s shout of protest. “There is one thing I’d like to discuss with you two before I leave.”

Jyn and Bodhi both sat up straighter at his serious tone. Bodhi glanced nervously at Jyn, thinking of their earlier conversation. Did Professor Erso know they had been in the room? Was he going to warn them about being careful while in Krennic’s classes? Even Jyn looked slightly nervous at what her father’s next words would be.

Professor Erso cleared his throat and turned to Bodhi before beginning. “Now, Mr. Rook, I’m not sure you know, but the Ersos have a wonderful family heirloom that’s been passed down for many generations.”

The cloak! Bodhi thought, panicked. He does know we were in the room!

“My father gave it to me, just as his father gave it to him,” Professor Erso was still explaining, but, for reasons Bodhi couldn’t understand, the serious look was fading from his eyes to be replaced by the teasing twinkle he often gave Jyn. “Now, I went to find this heirloom in my desk, where it’s been for many years, in order to pass it onto my daughter, but it seems to have gone missing.” He leaned back in his chair so he could observe the guilty expressions on the children’s faces. “At first I was very concerned, worried that I may have lost this important family artifact, but I have a new hypothesis about what might have happened to it. I thought I might test that hypothesis this morning.”

“How are you going to do that, Papa?” Jyn asked, her expression carefully schooled again.

“Oh,” Professor Erso smiled, “I only eed to ask one question. Mr. Rook, do you know what this object I’m describing might be?”

Jyn kicked him under the table, a clear sign that meant Don’t you dare tell my father what it is. Staying silent and allowing Jyn to take the lead here -- Jyn always had a plan to get them out of trouble -- would be much easier, but Bodhi drew a deep breath and sheepishly ventured a guess. “Would it be an invisibility cloak, sir?”

Jyn groaned. “Why would you tell him that, Bodhi?”

“Trust me, Jyn,” Professor Erso laughed. “I knew anyway. I believe it was much more brave of Mr. Rook to confess. Bravery is the main virtue of your house, is it not, Jyn?”

“Yes, Papa,” Jyn muttered.

Professor Erso got up from the table to stand beside Jyn. “You’re not in trouble, Stardust. I would give you the cloak now regardless.”

Jyn gave him a skeptical look. “You’re alright with me taking it to Hogwarts?”

“Where do you think I gave it the most use?” He asked as he grabbed his cloak. “Keep it safe, you two, and keep yourselves safe as well.” He kissed Jyn’s forehead and clapped Bodhi on the shoulder before making his way to the door, levitating their trunks behind him. “I’ll see you both at the school.”

Neither Jyn nor Bodhi moved for a minute, until they were sure he was gone.

“So,” Jyn spoke first. “Does he not know we heard him and Krennic talking?

Bodhi didn’t have an answer.

“Jyn!”

Bodhi and Jyn, who had just finished the long trek from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts – how they longed for the ease of the carriages now – turned at the shout. Running up from near the lake came who Bodhi could only assume was Leia Organa. Jyn dropped Stormy’s cage – the cat gave a nasty hiss in response – and ran down the hill to meet her. Bodhi picked up the cage, holding it away from his body so the angry cat didn’t take a swipe at his robes, and followed.

Leia threw her arms around Jyn’s neck. “I’m so glad to see you! It’s been too long!”

“Yeah,” Jyn smiled and pulled back from the hug. “Papa only reminded me this morning that you were starting this year. I would have written otherwise.”

“It’s alright. I don’t mind” Leia waved her off. She noticed Bodhi then and stook out her hand. “Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Leia.”

“Bodhi,” he replied, shaking her hand.

“He’s my best friend,” Jyn said proudly and Bodhi blushed.

Leia, however, smirked. “You normally make your best friend carry your things for you, Jyn? Sound much more Slytherin than Gryffindor to me.”

Bodhi understood the first year was teasing, but Jyn bristled. Since the sorting hat had suggested she go to Slytherin – the House Jyn most hated, thanks to Krennic – she’d been sensitive about her affinity for the house. Bodhi stepped in before Jyn could start an argument, assuring her, “I only just picked Stormy up.”

“Yeah, besides,” Jyn said, a smile spreading across her face, “You wouldn’t know the Gryffindor house traits, yet, Leia. You haven’t been sorted.”

Leia raised her eyebrows. “Trust me, I can’t get there fast enough. Papa keeps insisting I’ll be in Hufflepuff, but I don’t want to go there.”

“There’s nothing wrong with Hufflepuff!” Bodhi insisted at the same time Jyn said, “I wouldn’t want to go there either.” The best friends exchanged a look – Bodhi glaring and Jyn sticking out her tongue – before laughing.

Leia fit in with them quite well. They laughed and talked and played with Stormy as the sun started the set. Jyn filled Leia’s head full of tales about the fun Gryffindors had – Bodhi shook his head at how many were more than slightly exaggerated – and Leia watched with rapt attention. By the time the trio heard the Hogwarts Expressing pulling into the Hogsmeade station and the clip of the carriages coming to the castle, Leia was firmly convinced she wanted to come to Gryffindor with Jyn and Bodhi.

When they reached the castle, Jyn and Bodhi waved Leia off to where the rest of the first years gathered in the front hall and made their way into the Great Hall. As the rounded the corner into the hall, however, Jyn ran smack into another one of the students.

“Well,” said a disdainful voice. “I suppose it was too much to hope that not seeing you on the train meant you weren’t returning to Hogwarts this year.”

Jyn rolled her eyes at the Ravenclaw. “Honestly, Kay, I haven’t done anything to annoy you in months. Give me a break.”

“It turns out you don’t need to be there to annoy me, Jyn Erso.”

Jyn raised her eyebrows, clearly about to question what he meant, when a voice spoke from behind them. “He means well.”

Jyn and Bodhi turned to see Cassian Andor, tanner than at the end of the last school year and slightly taller, shrugging his shoulders, an easy smile on his face.

“I hope you two had a good summer, Jyn, Bodhi,” he said.

“Yeah, you too, Cassian,” Bodhi replied.

Kay sighed. “I’ll be heading to my table instead of dealing with this small talk, thank you very much.”

“Yeah,” Jyn said with a shrug. “Guess we should go, too. See you later, Cassian.”

Much to Jyn and Bodhi’s delight, Leia Organa was happily sorted into Gryffindor, joining Luke Skywalker, Kes Dameron and a few other newcomers at the table.

Glancing up and down the Gryffindor table, now filled with the magical feast, a sense of ease filled Bodhi’s chest. Surely, as he was sent to the dungeons to face Krennic for the first time since seeing him in Professor Erso’s office, the panic would return. But, for now, with Jyn and his other friends flanking him and warm food in front of him, Bodhi Rook was content.

About a month into the school year came the announcement Bodhi and Jyn had been waiting for: tryouts for the Gryffindor Quidditch team were to be held the following week.

“What position do you want to try out for?” Jyn asked over breakfast. She and Bodhi sat side by side at the Gryffindor table, a book on Quidditch open between them. Players zoomed across the pages, sometimes covering the paragraphs in an attempt to catch the golden Snitch that alway remained out of reach, no matter what maneuvers the Seekers tried.

“Seeker,” Bodhi said decisively, his eyes following the patterns the players made.

“You want all that glory for yourself, huh, Rook?” Jyn teased, nudging his arm with hers.

“No, no, that’s not it,” Bodhi shook his head. “Just… I think I’d be better at that than chasing Quaffles for the entire game, you know?”

“Yeah,” Jyn agreed as she turned the page to the section on Chasers. “That,” she smiled as she pointed to the player aiming to score, “is where I come in.”

The pair had spent a good deal of time that summer practicing their Quidditch moves. Jyn’s father wouldn’t let them practice with a real Snitch – it was as likely to cause chaos by zooming into a crowd of shoppers in the midst of Hogsmeade as it was to stay in the Erso’s yard where either Jyn or Bodhi could catch it – but they would take turns throwing Snitch-sized rocks for the other to race out and catch.

Bodhi, to his surprise, catch the Snitch twice as often as Jyn did.

“Do you think they’ll let us both on? Since we’re only second years?” Bodhi worried out loud, glancing towards where the current members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team sat. They were mainly sixth years, though the Keeper and new captain, Jon Vander, was a seventh year. Several of them were purebloods who had grown up with the sport, like Jyn, and Bodhi worried his single year of experience wouldn’t be enough to make the team.

Jyn shrugged. “I figure they need a few younger players. Vander is graduating this year, and he doesn’t want to leave behind a team that’ll be gone within a year. Depth is important to the roster.”

Bodhi nodded, accepted Jyn’s Quidditch wisdom as fact. She understood the game and the strategy behind it with a depth that would put some professional players to shame.

After breakfast, Wedge Antilles, another second year Gryffindor, joined Jyn and Bodhi on the way to the pitch. Apparently he, like Jyn, wanted to become a chaser and their conversation veered towards their favorite professional players and whether the Mustafar Fires were better than the Coruscant Senators. Bodhi, instead, ran his hands along his Comet.

When Bodhi first came to stay with the Ersos, Jyn and Bodhi shared her Comet, taking turns experimenting how high and how fast they could fly while the one on the ground kept track of the time they had spent on the broom. After about a week and one devastating argument that led to Jyn and Bodhi steadfastly not talking to each other during dinner, Professor Erso had suggested a solution: instead of continuing to fight over Jyn’s broom, he offered to take Bodhi into Hogsmeade the next day to purchase one of his own.

Despite Bodhi’s stuttering protest about the cost, Professor Erso had walked them to town the next day and led Bodhi into the Quidditch shop. The proprietor of the shop easily distracted Jyn with the newest Nimbus model, but Professor Erso had stayed with Bodhi when he wandered over to the Comets, pointing out the same model that Jyn owned.

“Is that the one you want, Mr. Rook?” Professor Erso had asked, grabbing it off the shelf high above Bodhi’s head. “You can pick out any broom you want.”

“It’s the one Jyn has,” Bodhi muttered so quietly Professor Erso asked him to repeat himself.

“Excellent idea. It’ll be good for you to match,” he’d smiled at Bodhi and bought the broom.

Bodhi carried that broom with pride today. The Comet 290 wasn’t the best broom on the market by any means – the Nimbus and the Firebolt outshone the Comet in many different ways – but Bodhi wouldn’t have traded this gift from the Ersos for the entire broom collection of England’s national team. To Bodhi, this broom meant being a part of something. If he performed well enough today, it would mean not only being a part of the Ersos, but being a part of the house Quidditch team.

“Alright, gather round!” Jon Vander yelled from the center of the pitch. The students trying out hurried to circle him with eager and determined faces. Jyn, a head shorter than those around her, elbowed her way to the front. “I’m going to divide you into three groups and run you through some basic drills.”

Half an hour went by as those trying out circled the pitch to demonstrate their basic flying skills, performed basic passing drills, and raced against each other in short sprints. After Vander dismissed those who lagged behind or couldn’t properly control their brooms, he separated those remaining into different groups based on their preferred position. Even those who had previously been on the team joined the groups because, as the captain explained, no one’s spot on the team was guaranteed. The crowd of those who wanted to become chasers was the largest and, to Bodhi’s surprise, only he and one other Gryffindor were trying out for Seeker.

“Alright,” Vander nodded. “Chasers first.”

Wedge and Jyn took to the sky with the other potential chasers while Bodhi sat on the sidelines, observing. Jyn flew well, this he knew, but she tended to hog the ball in the air, preferring to keep the Quaffle tucked to her side as she raced towards the goal posts, rather than sharing it with the other Chasers. Even though she scored the majority of the time she faced the Keeper one-on-one in penalty shots, Bodhi worried her selfish tendencies might keep her off the team.

Vander called for the potential Seekers next, so Bodhi had no time to give Jyn more than a smile as they passed each other. The other boy trying out for Seeker was a sixth year, someone Bodhi hadn’t met before. He seemed to be friendly with the captain, calling him “Dutch” and clapping him on the back as he took to the pitch. Bodhi swallowed hard as he noticed how much taller and more confident the other boy seemed to be and his fingers shook as he kicked off the ground.

Vander brought forth a black box that jiggled in his hands. As he opened it, Bodhi saw the Snitch straining against its bonds, eager to race into the sky. This would be Bodhi’s first time attempting to catch an actual Snitch, but he focused his racing mind on his agility and attention to detail that made finding the Snitch easier. Before Vander opened the box, Bodhi leaned forward on his broom, ready to move at a moment’s notice.

With a zing! the Snitch flew out of its box and darted towards the cloudless sky. Bodhi didn’t allow himself time to think or time to hesitate, he just reacted, jerking his Comet to the left, keeping his eyes locked on the golden ball. The sixth year follow him a moment later but, thanks to Bodhi’s quick movements, he was several meters behind by the time Bodhi’s fist closed around the struggling Snitch.

A cheer went up from the stands – Bodhi recognized the sound of Jyn’s voice without having to check – and even Vander nodded, clearly impressed, was Bodhi returned the Snitch to him.

“Alright, Rook, you’ve got quick reflexes,” Vander said, while the other potential seeker rolled his eyes, muttering about cheating. “But let’s see how you do spotting the Snitch.”

Two members of the team – both Chasers from the previous year – came forward at Vander’s signal and muttered obscuro to cover the potential Seeker’s eyes.

“No need to panic,” the captain assured the boys, though Bodhi pulled at the blindfold anyway. “We just want to give this Snitch time to get away from you, like it would in a real match.”

A few minutes passed. The Gryffindors on the sidelines continued to chatter, though Bodhi couldn’t tell if they were commenting on where the Snitch had gone or otherwise. Finally, Vander said, “On the count of three, we’ll remove your blindfolds. May the best man find the Snitch.

“One.”

Bodhi remounted his broom.

“Two.”

His toes itched to kick off from the solid ground beneath his feet.

“Three.”

The sudden sunlight in his eyes as the blindfold was removed blinded him momentarily, but he shot into the sky anyway, finding his bearings once he was twenty meters or so into the sky. His head swung around as he searched for the Snitch. The crowd grew silent as they focused on the two boys’ search. Bodhi lapped around the pitch, changing heights occasionally in the hopes that he’d find the Snitch faster. Though he’d originally took his own path, after five minutes of searching, the other Gryffindor began to tail Bodhi.

At first, the pressure of having another player hot on his tail made the hairs on the back of Bodhi’s neck stand on end and his focus begin to drift, but soon he found the tactic more annoying than aggressive. All this did was rely on Bodhi to find the Snitch for both of them and, if the other boy were to catch the Snitch first, prove that his broom were fast.

We’ll see about that, Bodhi thought as he angled his broom downwards, moving into a dive. The other Gryffindor followed him. With a smug smile on his face, Bodhi jerked his broom upwards before hitting the ground, sailing towards the sky once again. Bodhi only took a moment to appreciate the way the other Seeker skidded into the ground with his robes tangling around him before he noticed a gold glint towards an empty section of the stands. Pulling his broom around, Bodhi raced after the Snitch. It darted away, changing directions frequently, but Bodhi remained hot on its trail.

Ten seconds later, the Snitch rested securely in his fist.

As Bodhi landed near the captain, cheers once again erupted from the Gryffindor stands. Chants of “Rook! Rook! Rook! Rook!” lead by Jyn herself rang out over the stadium.

“Well,” Vander smiled, “I won’t be announcing final positions until tomorrow morning, but I’m sure you’ll be pleased.” He held out his hand for Bodhi to shake. “Head back to the stands while I finish with the Beaters.”

Bodhi, who felt strangely jittery with pride, ran to where Jyn sat. He pulled her into a hug as he reached her, ignoring her squeak of protest and Wedge’s laugh. He didn’t bother paying attention to the Beater’s tryouts and barely heard Vander’s final words about the team being posted on the Gryffindor notice board the next morning.

Bodhi forgot to be nervous. In fact, he was so sure of his new position on the team, he forgot to consider the tight competition the potential Gryffindor Chasers were in. Two Chasers from the previous year’s team still remained; even if they weren’t promised a position, it seemed unlikely both Jyn and Wedge would make the team.

Wedge seemed to realize this, fumbling around as he got dressed that morning and seeming reluctant to head downstairs. He tried to cover it up, babbling about their most recent potions assignment – Wedge hated potions and would never discuss it for fun – as they headed down the stairs.

A crowd was gathered around the notice board, but Bodhi held Wedge back.

“Jyn isn’t downstairs yet,” he explained. “We should wait for her.”

Wedge nodded and they boys retreated to the good seats near the fireplace, which were only not occupied by the upper class students because of the excitement surrounding the Quidditch roster. Five minutes passed before Jyn tiptoed down the stairs. This alone was enough to tell Bodhi how nervous she was. After all, nothing about Jyn was ever subtle or discreet. Her normal way to come down the girl’s staircase in the morning included pounding footsteps and loud laughter, heedless of the other students who glared at her with sleepy eyes.

She’d barely reached the common room floor when Vander called for her attention. “Erso, Antilles, come talk to me for a minute!” Bodhi and Jyn shared a wide eyed look between them. Vander sighed. “It’s no big deal. Besides, Rook, you should be enjoying that list over there. We’ll just be a minute.”

Reluctantly, Bodhi made his way over to the notice board while Jyn and Wedge met Vander in the opposite corner. Bodhi tried to find a way through the thick crowd surrounding the board, but no one heard his quiet “Excuse me” over their chatter.

“Hey!” A sixth year Bodhi didn’t recognize called. “Gryffindor’s new seeker wants to see his name on the list! Let him through!”

“Brilliant move, Torius,” another sixth year rolled her eyes, “Way to take the surprise out of it for him.”

The move worked, however. The Gryffindors let out a cheer and quickly made a path for Bodhi to get through, many of them clapping him on the back or high fiving him as he went. When he reached the list, however, Bodhi didn’t look for the Seeker spot – he officially knew that was his now. Instead, he glanced towards the Chasers.

The two returning Chasers – Hera Syndulla and Ezra Bridger – were listed as the first string players while Kanan Jarrus filled the third spot.

Oh no, Bodhi thought with alarm, looking over his shoulder to where Jyn and Wedge were speaking with Vander, only to see Jyn slamming her way out of the common room. Wedge gave Bodhi half a shrug when they made eye contact, mouthing “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

Bodhi ran to the portrait hole, chasing after Jyn’s receding footsteps.

“Jyn!” He called when he finally spotted her. “Wait up!”

Jyn scowled but slowed her footsteps. After a moment, she slumped against the wall, slowly collapsing to the floor. Bodhi sat next to her without a word. The only way Jyn Erso walked about her feelings was if she wanted to; there was no sense trying to force anything out of her.

“Vander said he needed someone with more experience,” Jyn sighed after a minute. “Said I was a bit of a ball hog, too.”

Jyn’s head fell to Bodhi’s shoulder and he shuffled closer. Jyn’s physical affections were few and far between, saved for moments when she was particularly heart-broken.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, their bubble only occasionally disturbed as other Gryffindors found their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

“Do you think I’m a ball hog, Bodhi?”

Bodhi chuckled at Jyn’s question. If it were anyone else, he would have stuttered and likely lied, telling them what they wanted to hear. But this was Jyn, the girl who had taken him under her wing and protected him and shared her life with him. Someone who was more of a sister than his biological sisters. So he felt content in answering, “Yeah, Jyn, you really are.”

Thankfully, Jyn laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Then it’s probably true,” she said with a shake of her head. She stood and offered Bodhi a hand up, too. “You know what this means, right, Bodhi?”

“That you’re coming to trial next year with a vengeance and a new Firebolt?” Bodhi ventured a guess as they fell into line with the other students heading to breakfast.

“Oh, absolutely. Vander told Wedge and I he expected to see us at try-outs next year,” Jyn explained. “But, more importantly, you better catch that Snitch every damn game, Rook. I’m counting on you.”

“Right.” Bodhi rolled his eyes. “No pressure at all.”

“Nah,” Jyn assured him, bumping his shoulder with hers. “Because you know Wedge and I will be on the sidelines, cheering you on anyway. We’re here for you, Bodhi.”

As his second year at Hogwarts flew by with evenings full of grueling Quidditch practice and matches that made him nervous enough to puke up whatever breakfast Jyn had forced into him that morning, it was Jyn’s words that echoed in his head.

We’re here for you, Bodhi.

As he caught his first Snitch in the match against Hufflepuff in November, Jyn and Wedge – along with the rest of Gryffindor house – screamed in excitement:

We’re here for you, Bodhi.

When Vander yelled at the team after a muddy practice that had everyone forgetting their most basic Quidditch skills:

We’re here for you, Bodhi.

After catching the Snitch away from Ravenclaw to put Gryffindor in the lead for the first time in years:

We’re here for you, Bodhi.

Even sulking back to the common room after a horrific defeat by Slytherin in the finals, Jyn and Wedge awaited with open arms and steaming mugs of butterbeer (which Bodhi suspected had been a gift from Professor Erso).

We’re here for you, Bodhi.

And, for the first time in his life, Bodhi found himself believing it.

Year 3

Jyn sat down at the Gryffindor table with a proud smile on her face. Wedge Antilles joined her with a similar look on his. Bodhi, who sat down across the table from them, began eagerly piling scrambled eggs onto his plate. Catching sight of the smiles lighting their faces, he said, “I knew you were going to make it this year. I just knew it.” But he, too, was smiling.

Jyn nodded and giggled, a sound she so rarely made. Exactly a year ago (Jyn specifically marked the date in her calendar) Jyn and Wedge had both been turned down for the Quidditch team. Now, since Hera Syndulla and Ezra Bridger graduated the previous spring, two spots had opened for Chasers. After a few hours of strenuous trials and fierce competition – which Bodhi had been exempt from, since his spot as Seeker was secure – Jyn and Wedge had woken up this morning to learn that the spots were theirs. It was a year later than Jyn originally wanted, but, now, she didn’t care.

She, Jyn Erso, was a member of the Gryffindor House Quidditch team. (Now that goal was complete, Jyn set her sights on becoming captain in a few years.)

“All that extra practice this summer totally paid off!” Wedge said as he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice. “I’m so glad your dad let me come over to practice, Jyn.”

“It makes the most sense,” she shrugged. After all, Wedge lived in a predominately muggle town – practicing Quidditch there spelled too much trouble – and Bodhi had been spending the summer with her and her father again, anyway. Once a week, Wedge would Floo to her house outside Hogsmeade, carting along his Cleansweep Five, and spend a few hours racing, passing Quaffles and arguing over which broomstick was best. Some weeks, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker would Floo to join them. With so many friends coming and going, it was one of the best summers of her life.

There was only the exception of what Jyn now referred to as The Incident (Bodhi said she needed to work on her codenames).

The first week of August, Jyn, Bodhi and Wedge were coming in from several hours of exploring the hills around Hogsmeade on broomsticks. They’d been gone since mid morning and were now desperate for some fresh drinks and late lunch. What the kids learned later was that Krennic was visiting – and he and her Papa were not happy with each other.

Blissfully ignorant of the harsh words in the study – if they had only been listening, Jyn thought afterwards, surely they would have heard the voices and avoided the whole situation – the trio had stumbled into the cottage’s kitchen, laughing boisterously and talking loudly.

They hadn’t been inside for thirty seconds when the door to Papa’s study slammed open and Papa stormed out.

“Jyn!” He’d yelled, and a laugh had died on her lips. Papa had never yelled at her like this before, with his face flushed bright red and eyes flashing. Jyn wasn’t sure she’d ever seen her father lose his temper like this before. “What are you doing?”

“We-we were just coming in for lunch, Papa…” Jyn didn’t recognize the sound of her own voice, with the meek and stuttering tone. Out of the corner of her eye, Jyn could see Bodhi and Wedge and gone completely still back by the door.

“You cannot come in making that much noise when I’m working, Jyn,” Papa said, but Jyn wasn’t listening anymore. Professor Krennic had stepped out of her father’s study, arms crossed in front of his pristine white robes, and Jyn realized what was going on.

She never understood what kind of hold Orson Krennic had over her father – Papa never talked about when Mama died, never explained why they had been on the run or why Krennic came looking for them in the first place – but she understood the stress he placed on her father’s life. Forcing them into hiding, killing her mother, threatening Jyn, shoving mysterious research on him for years now: Jyn didn’t care how her father had told her to treat Professor Krennic; all she longed to do was hex him until he grew tentacles or erase his memory so he’d never bother Papa again.

Perhaps her father sensed her next words would be viciously hurled, not at him, but at Krennic – Jyn wasn’t exactly known for hiding her emotions well – because he shifted his stance to the right, blocking Krennic from Jyn’s view.

He took a deep breath before he spoke next. “Perhaps it would be best if you headed home, Mr. Antilles.” His voice was calm and, though he addressed Wedge, his eyes did not waver from Jyn. “I’m afraid I’m going to be very busy this afternoon and need the house quiet.”

Wedge muttered hasty goodbyes before dashing for the fireplace, eager to escape the awkward situation.

“Jyn, Bodhi, perhaps you’d better head back outside until I call for you.”

“Papa—“ Jyn began to argue, but her father cut her off again.

“No, Jyn,” he said, his voice firm. “Come back later.”

She retreated a few steps, stopping when Krennic was back in her sight. He wore a strange smirk on his face that Jyn longed to punch off. Luckily, Bodhi, always the sensible one, pulled on her sleeve to urge her out the door. Jyn was sure what she would have done otherwise.

Galen had apologized to Jyn and Bodhi for overreacting when they returned for dinner – Jyn longed to ask him what was truly bothering him – and apologized to Wedge the next time he came over. No one told Luke or Leia about the incident and Wedge had allowed it to be swept under the rug, but it still hung in the back of Jyn’s mind. The one stain on an otherwise perfect summer.

And, though she didn’t want it to, the memory of her father’s harsh words weakened her relationship with her father. Now, for instance, Jyn noticed her father entering the Great Hall and heading for the staff’s table. A year ago, Jyn would have run to her father’s waiting arms and gleefully shouted the news that she’d made the Quidditch team, to be swung around in celebration and promised extra biscuits at their next tea (those, too, had quickly fallen by the wayside this year, with either she or Papa finding various excuses as to why they needed to be cancelled).

Bodhi kicked her under the table to get her attention. “Go tell him,” he said, jerking his head towards where her father sat, speaking with Professor Yoda. “He’ll be proud of you, Jyn.”

“I’ll be back soon,” Jyn promised as she rose from the table. “We’ve got to get to Divination.”

Bodhi groaned in response – Jyn had forced him to take the class, after all – and was moaning to Wedge about how lucky he was to be taking Ancient Runes instead when Jyn left. Papa noticed her as she neared the staff table and smiled, waving her forward.

“Good morning, Stardust,” he greeted, a smile in his voice. “Did I hear rumors that the Gryffindor Quidditch roster was announced today?”

Jyn nodded. “Wedge and I are both going to be Chasers!”

A wide smile spread across Papa’s face. “I’ll be forced to cheer against my own House this year!”

“Papa, you cheered for Gryffindor last year when Bodhi was playing.”

“That I did,” he chuckled. “But it’ll be even more important since you’re playing as well.” He gave her another smile and Jyn felt her chest warm. This was her Papa, the man she knew and loved. She felt it even more keenly when he leaned across the table to say, “I’m very proud of you, Stardust.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Jyn beamed. Behind her, Bodhi called her name. “Bodhi and I have to get to Divination, so I need to go.”

Her father shook his head with a light chuckle. “Why you chose to take Divination rather than Arithmancy, I’ll never understand… But you won’t want to be late for Professor Imwe. Perhaps you can stop by my office later, and we’ll have tea to celebrate? Mr. Rook is welcome to join, of course.”

Jyn assured him she would be there before running to meet Bodhi. As they trekked their way to the North Tower, Jyn considered exactly why she took Divination. Professor Imwe, who claimed being physically blind only made his Inner Eye clearer, was interesting enough, but Jyn didn’t put much stock in the subject itself. Reading tea leaves and determining the future based on the movements of the planets – it all seemed like too much guess work and not enough factual evidence for her.

Jyn would never be able to work as a code breaker for Gringotts, thanks to her lack of study of Arithmancy, but in her mind, she’d gained something much more valuable, because no one found the subject quite as irritating as Orson Krennic. He’d ranted and raved that such a subject continuing in the halls of Hogwarts brought an irreparable stain to the school’s reputation, that Professor Imwe was nothing but a fraud and the faster Headmaster Kenobi was gone from the school, the faster that blasted subject would be as well.

It was then that Jyn decided forcing herself (and, therefore, Bodhi) through Divination would be one of the best decisions she could make at Hogwarts.

When they were signing up for classes at the end of second year, Bodhi offered her a trade. He would join her in the stuffy Divination classroom if and only if she would join him in Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Organa. Jyn – always one for time outside and hands on magic – agreed willingly.

“Good morning, Miss Erso, Mr. Rook,” Professor Imwe called as Jyn and Bodhi scrambled through the trapdoor into the Divination classroom. The professor had known all his student’s names from the first day of class, which, though confusing at first, seemed entirely natural now. “Running a bit behind, are we?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I needed to speak to my father,” Jyn explained while Bodhi muttered a similar apology.

“Ah, yes, congratulations on your good news, Miss Erso. I sense an excellent season coming for the Gryffindor team,” the professor said, his ever-present smile shining down at her.

“Er—yes, sir,” Jyn replied, a bit dumbfounded. How did he always know?

“Take a seat, Miss Erso, and we’ll begin our lesson.”

She sat on the cushion beside Bodhi and eyed the tea cups on the table with disdain. Tasseomancy – which, for all its fancy names, was nothing more than staring at damp tea leaves – caused Jyn to roll her eyes so often Bodhi warned they were likely to fall out of her head.

Professor Imwe surprised her, however, by telling the class, “No need to worry, you will not be searching for hidden meanings within the leaves. Today you’ll be searching through a different form of leftovers. Mr. Namir, would you be so kind as to grab those papers,” he pointed to a neat stack of parchment with his staff, “and pass them out to the class, we will be examining personal histories.”

“Professor,” came a snotty voice from behind Jyn – why Armitage Hux had decided to take Divination, she would never understand – and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Isn’t the point of Divination to see the future? Why, then, are we looking at the past?”

“I believe you’ll find, Mr. Hux, that sometimes the best way to discover the future is to study the trends of the past.” Professor Imwe stood, leaning heavily on his staff. “While many in the magical world do not agree with the methods used in Divination, this is an accepted truth.”

“But, sir?” A Gryffindor girl named Jaldine Gerams asked, a puzzled expression on her face. “If we’re not reading tea leaves, why did you set out tea?”

“You’ll find this is tedious, mundane work ahead of you today. I thought perhaps the drink would energize you for such a task.”

Jyn snorted at the professor’s response. She may dislike Divination, but Professor Imwe’s personality would make this class bearable for the next few years.

“You know your job this morning, don’t you, Wedge?”

“For the record,” Wedge groaned, his voice muffled since his head was hidden beneath his pillow. “I find it unfair that we can’t go up the girls’ staircase, but you can get up ours.”

Jyn rolled her eyes. “First of all, it’s almost nine o’clock –“ she ignored his answering “On a Saturday!” to continue “—so you really should be awake. Besides, we’re doing, you know,” Jyn checked over her shoulder to make sure Bodhi wasn’t in the room. “We’re doing the thing today.”

“We’re celebrating Bodhi’s birthday. In Hogsmeade,” Wedge said in a flat voice, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. “He’s not in the room, Erso, so you can say the words.”

“I just want it to be a surprise,” Jyn sighed. “And it needs to be special.”

“And it will be,” Wedge assured her. He walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders to gently direct her out of the room. “All will be well, Erso. We’ll meet you down at breakfast, like we planned.”

When Jyn realized the first Hogsmeade visit of the year – the first ever for the third years, or at least the ones not lucky enough to live in the village – was only a week after Bodhi’s fourteenth birthday, she’d insisted on planning a surprise for Bodhi. Since the announcement, Jyn and Wedge acted extremely bored with the idea of Hogsmeade.

“Bodhi, we live there during the summer,” Jyn complained to him when he first brought up the visit to the village. “We’ve seen the post office and drank butterbeer and spent hours in Zonko’s.”

“Yeah,” Wedge had agreed with a shrug. “Even I saw a lot of the village visiting you over the summer. Doesn’t seem like there’s much to it.”

Bodhi had fallen silent then, though Jyn was certain he almost brought up the date’s proximity to his birthday.

Her father had almost ruined it a week later, when he was speaking to Jyn and Bodhi after class.

“I see the first Hogsmeade visit has been announced,” he’d said as he packed up the teapots the third years had been transfiguring into tortoises. “You must be excited.”

“Not really,” Jyn shrugged.

Papa sent her puzzled look. “You love the village, Stardust.” He glanced at Bodhi next. “Surely you do as well, Mr. Rook.”

“It won’t be any fun if my friends aren’t going,” Bodhi said. Though he put on a brave front, sadness filled his eyes. It was almost enough to break Jyn’s resolve and tell him about the plan – almost.

Now, as the Gryffindors around her babbled with excitement about today’s trip, Jyn smiled smugly to herself. Bodhi was still in the dark, certain that Jyn and Wedge were staying behind in the castle to finish an essay on Shrinking Solutions for Professor Krennic. (Like Jyn would ever miss a chance to go to Hogsmeade for that.)

Bodhi and Wedge met Jyn in the Great Hall for breakfast. She and Wedge chatted normally over their toast and kippers, but Bodhi stayed unusually silent, even when Luke Skywalker sat down next to him and happily discussed the prospects of the Gryffindor Quidditch team that year. As the other students began filing out of the hall to go down to the village, Jyn and Wedge shared a secretive smile.

“I think I’ll head out,” Jyn said, loudly. “Coming, Bodhi?”

“Huh?” Bodhi’s eyes jerked away from the crowd. “Yeah, I’m following you, Jyn.”

They walked into the Entrance Hall. Bodhi turned towards the staircase that could lead them to Gryffindor Tower, but Jyn and Wedge joined the queue of students heading to the village. Bodhi walked several feet before realizing his friends were not still beside him. He turned around then, giving them a puzzled look.

“I thought we were heading back to the common room?”

“And miss a Hogsmeade visit so close to your birthday?” Jyn asked, faking astonishment. “Bodhi, we would never!”

Bodhi looked confused for a moment more before he shook his head, laughing. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

Jyn beamed. “Happy birthday, Bodhi!”

“Rook, it’s your birthday?” Calum Gram, a Gryffindor fifth year and one their Beaters, asked from the line. “Happy birthday, Bodhi!”

Many of the Gryffindors in line echoed the sentiments, until Bodhi was blushing from all the attention.

“Come on, Rook,” Jyn said with a smile. “justButterbeer is on me.”

After enjoying butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks – Maz, the bartender, gave Bodhi extra cinnamon on top when Jyn told her it was his birthday – they headed back out into the cool October weather. Jyn walked between the boys, throwing her arm over their shoulders, as they wandered around the village.

As they were turning back onto the path leading to the castle, Armitage Hux appeared in front of the group, blocking their path.

Everything about the day – the crisp fall air, Bodhi’s bright laughter, the colorful displays in the shop windows – had been perfect so far, Jyn thought with irritation. Why couldn’t it have stayed that way until they returned to the castle? She tried to push past him, but he remained steadfastly in her way.

“Fancy seeing you in the village, Erso,” he said, lips curling into a sinister smile. “Taking your mudblood for a walk?”

Jyn jumped forward at the insult, drawing her wand. “Flipendo!” She yelled, and Hux flew backward, landing hard in the dirt.

“Jyn, don’t!” Bodhi shouted, grabbing her arm, but Jyn shrugged him off, stalking towards Hux. His eyes, mocking before, were now wide with fear in the face of Jyn’s wand.

“I’m sorry,” Jyn said, sarcasm coating her voice. “What did you just say about my friend?”

Defiance returned to Armitage’s face. “You heard me. He’s a mudblood, and you’re a filthy blood traitor for being friends with him.”

“Engorgio Skullus!” Jyn hissed. Hux cried out in pain, clutching his swelling head. Jyn only smirked. “I’d rather have dirty blood than a head the size of my body, and I’d bet you’d agree right about now.”

Jyn had no time to gloat over her defeat of the bully, however, because, to her dismay, Professor Krennic came striding down the path from the castle. His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him.

“Finite Incantatem!” Krennic said as he reached Hux, watching as the swelling stopped and slowly reversed. He turned to face the Gryffindors next. “What the devil is going on here?”

“She attacked me!” Hux gasped, still clutching his head. Jyn sneered at him and his obvious overstatement of his pain. “I was on my way back to the castle and she attacked me!”

“You liar!” Jyn said. “Uncle Orson—“

“Professor Krennic at school, Miss Erso,” Krennic all but growled. “I believe you’ll be serving detention with me this week and twenty points from Gryffindor.”

Jyn stared at him, open mouthed. Hux threw racial slurs at Bodhi and she was the one getting in trouble?

“Professor, if you’ll only understand…” Wedge began, but Krennic cut him off.

“I believe I know what I saw,” he said, pointing a finger at the Gryffindors. “And I distinctly saw Miss Erso attacking a man that was already down. I will not tolerate such bullying around the school.” With that, he helped Hux back to his feet and continued up the pathway.

“Bullying around the school!” Jyn spat once he was out of earshot. “More like bullying against his Slytherins, the hypocrite.”

“A whole week’s worth of detentions,” Wedge moaned. “That’s horrible, Jyn!”

“And twenty points, too!” Jyn said. “I’m sorry he called you that, Bodhi.”

“Jyn?” Bodhi asked, his voice small and hesitant. “What did he call me?”

Jyn’s eyebrows shot up. It hadn’t occurred to her that, since Bodhi grew up around muggles rather than wizards, the word “mudblood” meant nothing to him.

She sighed. “It’s about the worst thing you could call someone. It’s an offense against muggle-borns.”

“Oh,” said Bodhi, his eyes widening. His hands fidgeted. “I-I could tell it was bad – I mean, you wouldn’t react that way to anything nice – b-but I didn’t know…”

Jyn put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Don’t let it bother you, Bodhi. He’s an idiot and I’m sorry he ruined your birthday.”

“I don’t know,” Bodhi smiled hesitantly. “Seeing his head swell to match his personality was pretty nice.”

Jyn and Wedge laughed, feeling some of the seriousness of the situation float away.

“Come on,” Wedge said, clapping Bodhi on the shoulder. “Maybe we can sneak into the kitchens and convince the house elves to give us some cake.”

They laughed and talked as they finished the journey back to the castle, but Jyn could still see Krennic’s silhouette in the distance. He’d hurt yet another person she loved, and if he thought she would lie down and simply take the blows, he was dead wrong.

#kat writes #therebelcaptainnetwork #rebelcaptainficrec #Luctor et Emergo #Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus #hogwarts #au #fan fic rec #rebelcaptain #jyn erso #bodhi rook #rogue one #Star Wars

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