Arrival
The sun dipped low over the horizon, casting a golden glow across the bustling Olympic Village. Athletes from all corners of the globe had arrived, this was the 2024 Olympics. For all the athletes here, this was the main event after years of continuous and hard training. The village buzzed with energy and every single person here had the same dream, to reach the top, to become the best of the best.
Moments prior, James Potter stepped off the bus, his eyes wide with wonder. The village was more magnificent than he'd ever imagined. It was a sprawling complex of modern architecture set against a backdrop of the sea. The place was covered in greenery and glass. James thought it was gorgeous. As he gazed around the village he could do nothing else then smile. This place was everything he had dreamed about, this had always been his end goal and here he stood. He took a deep breath filling his lungs with the french air as the English flag on his backpack fluttered in the warm breeze.
"James! Over here!" A familiar voice cut through the commotion, and James turned to see Sirius Black grinning widely, his signature mop of dark hair catching the light. The two friends embraced, laughing. Ever since they were kids this had been their dream. In high school the two of them would spend hours discussing the Olympics. They had made this elaborate plan to someday make it to the olympics and here they stood. James could still not comprehend that this was real. When he was informed a year prior that he was selected to represent England in surfing he cried. Never in his life had he been so happy.
"Bloody hell, Sirius, it's been ages!" James exclaimed, pulling back to look at his friend. "This place is incredible!"
Sirius nodded, eyes twinkling. "Can you believe it? We're really here. The bloody Olympics! And you—Mr. Surfer, are you ready to take on the waves?"
James chuckled, shaking his head. "You know I always am. But what about you? Are you ready to swim your way to glory?"
"Of course," Sirius echoed with a wink, but there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes. James noticed it, but before he could ask, a commotion caught their attention.
A group of athletes had gathered, their eyes fixed on a pair of young men arguing heatedly. Sirius's smile faded as he recognized one of them. His younger brother, Regulus, stood tense and defiant, facing off against another swimmer from the French team. The other man was pointing to the distans, making it unclear what they were arguing about. Sirius, however knowing Regulus, knew it was probably about something minor and unnecessary. Regulus had the tendency to start a fight just for the fun of it. Luckily for Sirius, everyone's attention was on his younger brother, because Regulus’ raven hair and sharp features made it simple to connect the two, even amid the chaos.
"Regulus..." Sirius muttered, his tone softening. He hadn't spoken to his brother much since Regulus had chosen to swim for France, a decision that had driven a further wedge between them. It had quickly become the headline in every newspaper. The second it leaked, every news outlet was writing about how the famous Black brothers were to compete against one and another. No one had seen it coming, not even Sirius himself. Even deep down Sirius did love his brother and was even a tiny bit excited to compete together with him and to be quite frank he was hurt by the news. On the other hand it did not surprise him, because Regulus was his little brother and a stubborn git.
James watched the scene, feeling the tension. He had heard bits and pieces about the Black family drama over the years—how Sirius had left home, refusing to follow his mothers rules and pouring all his energy into swimming, abiding to his own rules. The second Sirius had a spare moment, James knew he could find his best mate in the pool. Though, nothing could have prepared Sirius for the fact he was about to compete against his own brother, in the olympics. James would always tell everyone he met that Sirius was the most determined person he knew, however when it came to his younger brother there was a soft spot. Sirius may not accept it himself, but deep inside him James could see he still cared for his brother. Yes, he hated his guts but there was love towards him as well. This however made James nervous, he could sense that maybe, just maybe, Sirius would give up everything to make his younger brother number one. Though it could also make Sirius train twice as hard to prove his place, to prove he was in fact the better Black.
"Let's go," James said gently, steering Sirius away from the crowd. "We've got plenty of time to sort things out. Right now, we've got an Olympic Village to explore!"
Sirius hesitated, casting one last glance at Regulus, who had now turned his back, walking away alone. Then he forced a smile and followed James into the heart of the village.
---
James and Sirius were not the only ones feeling the weight of the moment. Marlene McKinnon stood on her skateboard, watching the scene unfold. She rolled her eyes, muttering to herself as she skated towards the main building. Everyone had arrived less than 30 minutes ago and people were already starting drama, she could not believe it. Marlene was only here to skate, to feel the thrill of the wind as she performed tricks that defied gravity, she was not here to get caught in drama. In fact she was not wasting any time on drama, love or anything else less of importance, she was here to win.
On the way to the main building Marlene spotted Dorcas Meadowes waiting near the entrance, her fellow skateboarder and friend. The two of them had trained relentlessly with one and another back in England. Even though they spent a lot of time together Marlene could just not break through to Dorcus. For some reason, best known to Marlene, her fellow team mate would not even try to become her friend. As she passed her they exchanged knowing smiles, a silent agreement to leave the heavy stuff behind and focus on the competition. They had come too far to be distracted now.
---
"Lily!" a voice called, breaking through the crowd. Lily Evans turned, her auburn hair catching the sunlight. She smiled as Mary Macdonald jogged up, slightly out of breath. Mary was clutching a tennis racket and the emblem of England gleaming on her tracksuit.
"Lily, have you seen the gym? It's incredible!" Mary exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. "They have everything—a full setup for training, recovery, and even a spa!"
Lily laughed, the sound light and infectious. "I'll check it out later. I'm just trying to take it all in first. It's so surreal, isn't it?"
Mary nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, it is. I can't believe we're actually here."
As they spoke, a pair of commentators walked by, their voices carrying snippets of conversation. One of the guys was tall and slender with fluffy brown hair. The other man however was quite the opposite, he was plump and short with blond hair. The two were discussing the upcoming events.
"Did you hear about the swimming schedule?" The taller man was saying. "It's going to be intense. The Black brothers are set to compete against each other in the 100m freestyle."
The shorter man nodded, eyes wide with anticipation. "It’s going to be a spectacle, that's for sure. And don't forget the skateboarding finals—Marlene and Dorcas have been training like mad." Their conversation faded out as Mary dragged Lily by the arm into the gym.
—
The village was alive with anticipation, athletes and officials mingling, sharing stories and laughter. As night fell, the village's lights illuminated the vibrant colours of the flags that decorated the buildings. The air was thick with the scent of possibilities and the weight of expectations.
But for now, the village buzzed with excitement, the athletes unaware of the shadows lurking at the edges. The Olympics Games were five days away, and anything was still possible.
As James, Sirius, Marlene, Dorcas, Lily and Mary settled into their new temporary home, they had no idea how their lives would change in the coming days and somewhere, amidst the flags and the flames, in the echoes of cheering crowds and the splash of water, destinies were waiting to be forged.