After The War (Romione & Hinny fan fiction)

Quidditch and Scamanders

Wednesday morning came and went in a whirl of excitement and anticipation, and by the time they were having lunch in the Great Hall the first year Gryffindors couldn't wait any longer to finally step onto the Quidditch field.

"Do you think they'll let us begin early if we all get on the pitch now?" Mark Moores asked loudly over his rice-filled plate.

"Maybe." Ellie said.

"Then why not try?" The boy named Oliver interrupted.

As if snapped out of a spell, mere seconds later all of Lily's male classmates were on their feet and walking quickly out of the Great Hall.

Lily sighed. "What shall we do?"

"Oh, I wouldn't miss the opportunity to make fun of them when they fall off their broom for nothing in the world." Ellie flashed a devious smile as she swung her legs to the other side of the bench and got up.

Clara pushed her plate aside. "I'm not very hungry either," she announced.

"Lara?" Lily asked.

"Err. Are you sure you can't tell Mister Wood that I've fainted?"

Ellie snorted. "He wouldn't believe that."

"What about 'she ate some expired food at lunch'?"

Lily shook her head, "The House-elves would never serve expired food."

Lara groaned. "I'm sick? I fell down the stairs? What about I suffer of Hogwarts-phobia? Or maybe I was summoned home for a family emergency--"

Lily put a firm hand on her shoulder. "You mustn't fear the flying lesson, Lara. I know it may sound scary--"

"May! It may sound scary?! I'm supposed to get on a flying broomstick and let it carry me whenever it pleases. What do I need to do next, jump into chimneys?"

Her friends exchanged a look but didn't say anything.

Clara arched an eyebrow. "Give her a sack of candies and an ugly nose and we're done for."

Lily and Ellie looked at her in confusion.

"Oh, never mind." Clara said. "Muggle traditions."

"Muggle?" Lara said, her brows furrowing.
But then Ellie started pulling Lara's sleeve and they all got up and exited the Great Hall.

"Muggle traditions?" Lara asked when they were out of earshot.

"Well, yes. Muggle kids are taught to believe that there is this old hag that flies on her broom on the night between January fifth and sixth."

"Creepy." Muttered Lily.

Clara nodded in agreement. "So every child hangs a stocking at the end of their bed. In the morining, if you've been good you will find yor stocking filled with candies and small toys."

"What about very bad children?" Asked Ellie.

"Oh, they don't get any sweets or toys. They get coal instead."

"Coal?" Lily asked, "That's cruel!"

Clara nodded grimly. "Tell me about it. I got coal once when I was seven."

"What did you do?" Lara asked, then added quickly, "No, wait. I'm not sure I want to know."

Clara ignored her last statement and carried on excitedly, "I had put a bucket of flour on my sister's door as a joke. When it fell it made a complete mess, and it took daus for Valentina to be able to wash away all of the flour from her hair."

"Seemes the coal evened things up then."

"Hey!" Exclaimed Clara indignantly. "How dare you! I didn't deserve any of that. Besides, Valentina had stolen my favourite stuffed animal the day before."