Delirium

Chapter 5 - Small Victories

a/n sorry for posting a week later :/ but we're back on track now.

so... i know that quidditch isn't a thing during GoF in canon, but idc. it's not fair for every single player to have their chance at the Quidditch Cup taken away just because there's only three random Triwizard Tournament tasks throughout the whole year. Not to mention, the other students can barely even observe these tasks besides the first one.

these kids should be allowed to play quidditch in the meantime!

anyway, i hope you all enjoy the chapter! i'll be back next week on Sunday with Chapter 6, i promise :')

~*~

Jolie woke the following morning to Madeline's worried face inches from hers.

As soon as her stinging eyes had fluttered open, she watched as her roommate seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and lean back, releasing Jolie's shoulders after likely having just shaken her awake.

The sound of her wand's alarm slowly filtered into her consciousness, making Jolie stuff her arm beneath her pillow and mutter the counter charm.

"I'm getting better at that, I think," Madeline sighed, standing from Jolie's bed and sitting at the desk instead.

Rubbing her bleary eyes and sitting up, Jolie cracked a smile.

Daphne had come and woken her on Monday and Tuesday morning. But now, on Wednesday, Madeline was apparently starting to get the hang of it. Jolie knew this wouldn't always work—she really was trying to get used to waking to an alarm... but somehow, the blaring sound never seemed to be as effective as being forced awake.

Her senses slowly crept in through her early morning stupor. She saw that the sconces were lit, signalling that breakfast had begun. She heard Tea Kettle still purring softly at the end of the bed. She felt her limbs heavy with lack of proper rest. And she smelled... Merlin, what was that?

Jolie glanced around, the syrupy-sweet scent of ginger and honey tingling her nostrils.

A steaming cauldron sat atop the girls' desk. Madeline's cauldron.

Before Jolie could even ask, her roommate suddenly held a vial out to her.

"It's kind of like Pepper Up," she muttered as Jolie took it from her, giving the opening a whiff.

"Isn't that to cure the common cold?" Jolie inquired, raising a brow.

"Yes, but I said it's only like it," Madeline breathed a laugh, plopping back down onto the seat at the desk. "I replaced the Mandrake Root with Ground Ginger and a pinch of coffee grounds. Should just liven you up a bit."

Jolie raised her eyebrows.

Technically, they weren't supposed to brew anything outside of the Potions lab. But Madeline had been home-schooled—and was evidently some kind of premature Potions Master.

Surveying the orange-yellow liquid once more, Jolie raised the vial to her lips and drank it down.

Immediately, her blood seemed to tingle as warmth radiated throughout her body, soothing her aching limbs and easing her stinging eyes. It felt as though she'd been fully rested and already on her second cup of tea.

With a sated sigh, she leaned back against her headboard and raised the back of her hand to her forehead, pretending to swoon.

"Lilith, you're a beauty for that," Jolie crooned.