𝒱𝒾𝒷𝓇𝒶𝓃𝓉 - Declan Hayes (a Harry Potter Story)

xvii.

Declan felt like his friendships were all going down the drain at once.

For starters, ever since the situation at the Three Broomsticks, the Hufflepuff quartet was effectively split in two, with Declan and Thomas being together while Lori and Allison were together. Thomas and Allison would hang out when Declan and Lori weren't there, but ever since the incident, they were both with either Declan or Lori.

Allison was essentially avoiding Declan entirely. During Quidditch practice, the two wouldn't interact at all and Allison would rush to clean up after practice to avoid any potential interaction with Declan.

A few days into March, Declan wanted to find out why Allison was avoiding him, so he decided to try and talk to her after Quidditch practice.

The two were sitting in the locker rooms. Allison was rushing to put her things away before walking back up to the castle, but before she made her way out, Declan called to her.

"Allison?" Declan called out. She turned around and stared at him, not saying anything.

"Listen, I don't know why you're avoiding me, but I need you to know that the things that happened at the Three Broomsticks wasn't my fault. I can't really explain it, but I didn't mean for anything bad to happen. She was the one that started snogging me, I didn't do it to be mean to Lori and Joey," Declan explained. Allison nodded.

"Just so you know, Lori isn't too happy about all of this. She thinks you did it because you thought they were teasing you or something," said Allison.

"I just need her to hear my side instead of jumping to conclusions," Declan stated. Allison nodded and walked up to Declan.

"I'll see what I can do, Declan," she said.

That day, Declan and Allison walked back to the castle together, like they normally did before everything at the Three Broomsticks. The two were on good terms once more, and Declan was happy.

The next day during Herbology, Declan was in a group with Thomas and Pat. After the situation with Joey and Lori, both Allison and Lori had left Declan and Thomas and begun working with Joey.

As the class went on, Declan watched as Lori, Allison, and Joey worked together. He sighed, missing the way things used to be. The way things were before Declan went and messed it all up.

"Are you alright, Declan?" Thomas asked, nudging his shoulder.

"Yeah, mate, you seem a little distracted," Pat chimed in.

"I'm alright," said Declan, though he didn't sound like he meant it.

"You don't look like you are," said Thomas.

"It's nothing," Declan responded.

Declan looked at Joey, who stared back at him. The two eyed each other down while simultaneously trying to mash bubotuber bulbs. Declan's bulb flew from the bowl and hit his face. He almost fell backwards but Pat caught him while Joey laughed.

As Joey laughed, Declan felt part of his hair turning black. He looked from Joey to Lori, who seemed to be very concentrated on Professor Sprout's conversation with Erik and Terry, who had thrown a bubotuber bulb at a Gryffindor girl in their year. Allison looked at Declan with eyes that held pity for him.

Declan looked at the bowl and then back at Lori, who was avoiding eye contact with Declan. Joey finally stopped laughing and Declan wasn't as angry. Now, he was more sad than anything. He just wanted his friends back.

--

As the rest of March went on, Declan's friends remained split up. Declan couldn't help but feel like it was all his fault. Why was he jealous? He shouldn't care, but he does.