Magic? || Years 5-7

Be Careful: Year 6

By the time news of Ron's poisoning spread around the school, the Gryffindors focus was more on the upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, particularly getting to see Zacharias Smith get proper repercussions for his commentary for the Slytherin match. He played Chaser for the Hufflepuffs. Tensions were high between Hazel and her brother. And Eli. And Jasmine.

Oh, and also with McLaggen. Apparently he'd shoehorned himself into being a Keeper, and was driving the entire team mad. Harry especially. Hazel had been threatening to bash his head in with her bat, though.

"We're going to destroy you," Hazel declared the day before the match, her hands on her hips and her chin jutted up at a stubborn angle.

"Not if you don't destroy yourselves first," Hunter said, leaning against a tree with a faint smile on his face. "Potter and McLaggen were at each other's throats the other day."

"Oh, don't remind me," Amisty said. "If I hear one more thing about McLaggen and Quidditch I'm going to hurt someone."

"You're a Healer," Eli said lightly, playing with Hunter's fingers. "That's out of your job description."

"I'm a Healer," Amisty said, narrowing her eyes at him and brandishing her wand. "I know where it hurts."

"Hell yeah!" Hazel said, giving Amisty a high-five. "Don't give me that look," she said to Hunter, who looked scandalized. "I can curse as much as I damn well please."

"They grow up so fast," Amisty grinned.

"Stop encouraging her," Hunter said, narrowing his eyes at her. "I knew you were a bad influence."

"Hey!" Hazel said, outraged. "Amisty is a great influence."

"Thank you, Hazel," Amisty said.

"She got Ginny to teach me that killer Bat-Bogey Hex," Hazel said, her eyes gleaming. "It was wicked."

Appalled, Hunter looked at Amisty. "You what?"

"You weren't supposed to tell them that, Hazel," Amisty said, but she didn't sound too apologetic.

"Terrible influence," Hunter said, jokingly pointing his wand at her. "I'm gonna hex you into next week."

"Not if I hex you first," Amisty said, the threat lessened slightly by her laughter.

"No dueling in the courtyard," Jasmine said lightly, more focused on the book in her lap than the bickering above her head.

"You're not the boss of me," Amisty said with a mock pout, but she did stow away her wand at Jasmine's quirked eyebrow.

The sky had been clearing up recently, little patches of sunlight breaking through the clouds, the wind less biting. Eli had been the one who decided to take their escapades out to the ground, something about fresh air. In Amisty's opinion, it was an excuse for him to steal Hunter's jacket when he got cold.

Not that she'd ever say that aloud.

(She had. Eli had promptly flicked her forehead.)

"We're going to destroy you," Hazel said again, whirling around to point at her brother. "It's revenge."

"Revenge for what?"

"Zacharias Smith," Hazel spat out the name like it had left a foul taste in her mouth.

Hunter stewed on that for a moment. Then nodded. "Yeah. That's fair."

"He called me a terrible Beater!" Hazel said, incredulous at his lack of indignation at the slight against her honor. "You're supposed to be all imposing and 'how dare you say that about my little sister'!"