the seven devils [completed]

chapter thirty-three

ANATOMY OF FELIXIUS PARKIN - THE HEAD-BOY

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

The first Quidditch game of the semester was Slytherin against Ravenclaw. They had moved it from a Saturday to a Friday, and had scheduled it earlier due to the event of Arthur being petrified. It was a match that usually brought in a massive crowd. There was a good reason behind this too. Although Gryffindor was usually the house with the best team, Hufflepuff had been dominating that year, and Slytherin came in right after — save for the embarrassment of their game without Ivy Trouche— due to their aggressive gameplay and dirty tricks. Ravenclaw, on the other hand, might have been deemed the lesser house in the overall score, and yet their gameplay was so neatly calculated it was mesmerizing to watch.

It had never done much against the spontaneous Gryffindors, who also seemed to act on a whim and shatter their tactics, and the Hufflepuffs, as kind as they were, had the most adaptable gameplay. However, Slytherins were schemers, and because of that, their games against Ravenclaw always showcased in-depth knowledge of Quidditch.

Ivy had forced Varya into attending, condemning her for not seeing any of her past games, and the girl reluctantly agreed after the Chaser had pulled the "heartbroken over a breakup" card. It was truly not the Eastern witch's scenery; she much preferred when she was by herself in the library.

The Quidditch field was as it had always been, with large hoops placed on its ends, and multiple towers of bleachers scattered along its width. The announcer was in the same booth as the teacher's, and Varya could briefly make out Justin Abbott's golden hair in the dim sun, standing in his Hufflepuff uniform amongst a sea of professional robes.

"Welcome back, Hogwarts students! Today we have the first match of the semester, and the Slytherin and Ravenclaw teams are eager to start the year with an outstanding match, the duel of the brightest and most competitive minds," his voice reverberated through the system, followed by the roars of students as the House teams made their way to the stadium, tightly gripping on their brooms.

Varya's heart swelled with pride as Ivy soared into the sky, blonde hair pulled in a tight bun and sly smile on her face, and when the crowd chanted her name, the eastern witch found herself joining the ovations for Slytherin's Golden Girl. Trouche was admired by many for her bright intellect and outstanding sportsmanship, and many assumed she would make Captain next year when Steward Charlton, the current Seeker, and Captain, would graduate. The girl's future was already set, and all she had to do was maintain her grades and make sure she stayed sane.

A figure Varya had not expected to see on the field was Abraxas Malfoy, riding his new broom with cockiness and extravagance. From the bat he was carrying, the girl knew that the boy was a Beater, and she felt sorry for whoever would face the wrath of his Bludgers.