It was pretty obvious to anyone who so much as looked at her - Felicity didn't play Quidditch. In fact, the American barely knew the rules. Of course, she'd dabbled with Quodpot during her time at Ilvermorny, but even that had been barely short of a disaster. What she did do, however, was enjoy watching sports in any shape or form, and cheering on whatever team she happened to be supporting.

Right now, there was no team in particular, but she did feel a particular loyalty to her dormmates as she settled into a seat at the edge of the stands to watch the Slytherin tryouts. Liss knew Skylar wouldn't be biased, but she also knew it would be awesome if half the team resided in her dorm. For now, any feelings of being left out were kept at bay.

It was a beautiful day and Julie had had no intentions of spending it indoors, and it just so happened that the Quidditch tryouts were just the happy excuse the hardworking Slytherin needed to tuck her books into her faithfully charmed bag and head for the Quidditch stands. She found them much quieter than she expected, in fact, they were a little too quiet and Julie, for one, was fairly offended for the Four Houses until she realized-

Just about the whole school was trying out.

Satisfied with this observation, Julie began the process of pulling out textbook (Magical Draughts and Potions), after textbook (Homelife and Social Habits of British Muggles), after textbook (The Standard Book of Spells Grade Six) until the bench in front of her more closely resembled a library study table. Julie tossed back her curls, peeking toward the field but the tryouts were still just beginning and no-one was in the air- which sadly meant there was nothing to keep from opening that dreaded potions book and - shudder - revising.

She sighed deeply, pulling the heavy tome to her lap and opening to page of poisons and how best to identify them. By no means dull, but Julie had no mind when it came to remembering potions or anything to of with the lot- a terrible truth for a Slytherin girl among Slytherin girls. Julie sighed again, deeper than the first and began, unhappily, to read.

At first, Felicity wasn't going to say anything when Julie sat near her - considering the sheer amount of books she was dragging out of her bag, it looked like the younger girl was fairly busy. The sixth year wondered why she wasn't using watching the tryouts as a break from studying, and then reflected on her own fifth year - had she taken any breaks?

The answer was an empathetic 'no', but even revising twenty-four/seven didn't seem to have done her any good. It was the second sigh that made Felicity turn, a sympathetic look on her face. "OWL's already stressing you out?" Because, you know, she could totally relate.

However, she couldn't really offer much in the way of help, if her own scores were anything to go off. And, in other news, Julie seemed to be the only other person in the whole school who wasn't trying out for the House team. Huh. "You don't play?" she added, inclining her head in the direction of their house mates warming up.

Julie was reading the same line over and over again and nothing, absolutely not a single sentence or word was sinking into her head. It might as well have been in Gobbledygook or mermish for all the help the textbook was. Julie was reading the same line over and over again and-

Felicity's voice was a welcome (very welcome) disturbance. Julie peeked up almost immediately, her expression full of relief that she just barely hid behind a playful smile. "...... Yeah, just about." For a brief moment Julie had considered laughing it off, but Felicity was a fellow Slytherin girl and that was more than enough to have Julie's trust.
Slytherins stuck together and all. "I know the year's just started but I'm already about swamped with work." The library in front of her probably demonstrated that well enough.

The curly haired girl shook her head, aforementioned curls bouncing with the motion. "No, not really. And you know, big year and all.. I didn't want to add more on." except that wasn't exactly the truth, no the real truth was that Julie was just about the most mediocre flyer in Hogwarts and had no desire for the whole school to notice. "Reckon you don't ether?" Considering Felicity was out here on the stands too, it wasn't much of a stretch to the imagination.

And there he was, Mr. Prefect Kowalski. Felicity bit her lip coyly as Flynn smiled up at her and offered a wave back, before mouthing 'good luck' in his direction. She had no clue if he'd seen it, but she hoped that he knew she was rooting for him. Just as she was about to look away, she caught Captain Skylar's eye and gave her a thumbs up, before turning back to Julie.

Who looked relieved? happy? or at the very least content that Felicity had interrupted her studying. And the sixth year would take content, because she really didn't want to be annoying to anyone, especially not to someone in fifth year. "I'm not surprised," she admitted, more than a little proud that Julie had felt comfortable enough to confide in her. "I was an absolute mess with revision the whole of last term. Really stressed myself out." After all, hadn't that been obvious to everyone in their house? She'd practically avoided the Common Room for fear of snapping at someone for no particular reason.

She wasn't actively a mean person. "I don't blame you," Felicity said, with a light laugh and a shake of her head, only her hat stopping her hair from falling over her eyes. "I don't know how Sky does it." She spoke almost wistfully as she looked across the pitch once more, and although her voice didn't betray any jealousy, her eyes definitely did. Of course, she didn't begrudge her friend in the slightest, and was ridiculously happy for her, but she did wish she could keep up a little better.

"Nope." Wide eyes and a head shake came with that remark. "I have zero coordination." Which was only true in the air: the American would happily perform a series of tumbles on the ground, but catch, or hit, something whilst trying to keep her balance on a broom? No, thank you.

She glanced now and then at the pitch- mostly to watch Cameron and to silently cheer him on, silently because the las thing she wanted to do was disrupt his concentration. This was unimaginably important to him and the last thing Julie wanted to do was ruin his chances with some good intentions gone bad.

So the majority of her attention was settled on the upperclassman. Felicity, who's words echoed the very feelings Julie was having. OWLs were like a curse or a disease where the symptoms affected everyone differently but lead to the same unhappy conclusion of exhaustion, mental breakdowns and nervous bellies. To put it lightly. "Yeah, and I reckon it's only going to get worst as the year goes on." Revisions on top of homework, homework on top of studying? Who'd have time for a social life and she'd thought last term had been bad. "But you got through it." Julie laughed, trying for some kind of comedy amidst all this. "You're still alive." or she seemed so, anyway.

Julie tapped her quill against the bench, her hands fidgeting as the trials began and a game was put on by Diggory- a proper game with the snitch released and all. it was now or nothing. "I don't ether. Katy Toussaint was talking about how she'd needed pepper-up potions and caffeine to keep up with NEWTs, and that was just NEWTs let alone all this." Julie mused, watching Skylar with curious eyes. There had been talk that she didn't deserve the position, that Junia had been scrapped over but watching the girl now, Julie wasn't so sure Junia would have had the energy to pull it off like Diggory did.

She saw the jealousy, it wasn't hared to miss but Julie Bellaire wasn't the kind of young woman that would mention things like that. So she didn't, just sort of filed it away for later review. The younger Slytherin couldn't help but laugh as the blonde witch easily admitted to her lack of skill. It was refreshing, and nice and gave Julie a little guilt trip about how she'd covered up her own lack of abilities. However, there was no going back now. "Yeah?" The brunette paused. "I don't really go for flying to be honest." That was an understatement, before third year and Abey's- Abra's lesson she'd been a right mess about flying altogether. Now? well, she wasn't great in the least bit but her terror was at least, subdued.