𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀'𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐔𝐌. The first week of December had arrived, and with it, Ravenclaw's first game of the season against Hufflepuff. The stands were filled with practically every student of the two houses, along with a good number of Gryffindors and Slytherins.
The Weasleys decided to stick Raya's face on a t-shirt, with the words 'RAVENCLAW'S TOP SEEKER' on it. The two were wearing their own, and selling many others to the crowd. They promised Raya a portion of the profits.
Judging by how often she saw her face when she looked down, she had a feeling the boys were making bank.
Madame Hooch blew the whistle to start the game and instantly, Raya's mind settled.
She saw each person as not a person, but a player. She ticked off their strengths and weaknesses. Raya's attention was towards the Snitch, her mind still alert for all the players movements.
She raised herself high into the sky, probably higher than most Seekers would go in the cold weather, but she preferred it.
The cold kept her focused. It made her senses alert, and the height allowed her to see more of the pitch.
The Golden Snitch didn't stay within the boundaries of the field. While it usually stayed nearby, it rarely stayed on the field for long. Being higher than usual gave Raya more advantage than Cedric to look for it.
Lee was commentating for the match, occasionally cheering for either team.
"And we're off to an exciting start!" he grinned. "The Ravenclaw Captain and star Chaser, Austen Bellweather's got the Quaffle. And oh — nice feint from the Ravenclaw sending Heidi Macavoy down. Don't worry, he's coming back up. Right, left, Austen's dodging these Hufflepuff players and reminding the crowd why he's the Captain. Passing the Quaffle to Roger — highly likely that he may become Captain soon — he just dodged a stray Bludger that went on to hit Meltano Jones — the Keeper. Now's Ravenclaw's chance — and Roger has thrown the Quaffle — oh my Merlin — Avery's caught it and he's passing it down — and Austen has shot the Quaffle! HE SCORES! I have no idea where Austen came from, but the Chasers have clearly practiced this quick passing play."
Raya paid enough attention to the game to catch the next five Ravenclaw goals, followed by two from Hufflepuff.
Her brain continued making notes of the players — both on Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Raya needed to thank Austen for making her do this during all of their practices. He must've known that she wouldn't have to divert so much of her attention from the Snitch if she just practiced.
Lee continued, "Hufflepuff's finally gotten in their second goal of the game, just a little too much on Avery's right — but Ravenclaw is still leading 120 - 20. And there goes the Ravenclaw Captain — isn't he dreamy — whew, narrowly avoided a Bludger there. There's one of Ravenclaw's Beaters, Hernando, and he's redirected the Bludger towards the Hufflepuff Chasers who barely missed them — Hufflepuff beaters need to stay alert."
Maybe it was ironic, but that was the moment Raya noticed the Snitch.
Small and gold and moving very fast, it darted near the corner of the Hufflepuff net. Raya lowered herself slowly, nonchalantly, making it look like she was only seeing the game more clearly.
Once she was level, she spotted Cedric on the other side of the field, still searching. Adjusting herself on her broom, she took off with a burst of speed.
"And it looks like the Weasley's were right to make a shirt with Raya Newbrooke's face on it," Lee commented gleefully, "because she's spotted the Snitch and she's going for it — uh oh, Hufflepuff's Seeker — a good friend of hers, I'm told — is also racing for it. Of course, there's no point, really. Because RAYA'S GOT THE SNITCH! RAVENCLAW WINS! 270 - 50!"
The stands were a mixture of cheers and groans, but the Weasleys had thought of everything. A second later, the two were cheering for Raya through a microphone, effectively covering the groans.
Raya held the Snitch up, smiling so wide her cheeks hurt. She was half tempted to stand up on her broom and give high-fives to the crowd, but she decided to do that when they won against another team. Perhaps Slytherin. None of her friends were on that team, at least.
"Raya, you absolute gem of a Seeker," Austen pulled her into a hug. The team all gathered round, joining the hug so that it became a huddle.
"You were amazing."
"Watch your right side."
"That feint, Merlin."
"I think you made half the kids fall in love with you."
"We won!"
The Ravenclaw team continued cheering to themselves as they made their way to the locker room to change. Raya excused herself to go talk to Cedric.
Not surprisingly, Cedric lifted Raya up and hugged her as soon as she was close enough.
"You were amazing!" he grinned at her. "I wouldn't have known about the Snitch if Lee didn't say it through the microphone. You're tiny, but fast."
She laughed, "Of course I am. You played great too! I had to change course a few times because you almost spotted me."
"Make sure you beat Slytherin next match, okay?" Cedric told her. "I can't wait to actually be in the crowd and cheer you on while you play."
The pair of them began their trek to the change room, walking as slow as they could so that they could finish their conversation on the way there.
"Ced, you're a gift, you know that?" Raya said to him honestly. "I'm so happy you're my friend. You're like the best person ever."
"I know," Cedric grinned, ruffling her hair slightly — which was beginning to come out of her braids. "You just wish there was someone as cool as me."
"No one ever will be."
Raya raised her hands — filled with gift bags — in the air.
"Your Queen has arrived," she announced, dancing as she approached them, her blue Weasley sweater with white 'R' on. "Please, settle down. I said settle down, peasants."
Fred booed, throwing a pastry — which she caught in her mouth — at her.
"Fuck off," Raya told him, finishing her pastry. "You won't get a Christmas present."
Christmas Holidays had arrived, and a few of her friends were staying at Hogwarts this year. She told everyone to gather in the courtyard at noon sharp for their presents, only to make a fashionably late entrance herself.
"Alright, let's do this," Raya grinned, smiling at Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Cho, and Cierra. "For the love of my life, the girl of my dreams, my gal pal soulmate... here's your present Fred. Don't open it until I tell you to."
"Aye aye, gal pal."
"Don't call me that," Raya curled her upper lip. "Georgie, Georgie, Georgie. Take this present and you'll float too," she gave a bag to a very confused looking George. She turned to his younger brother, "Here you are Ronald. Not McDonald, unfortunately. Harry — does that happen to be short for Harold? Any chance?"
"Uh, no," he said, taking the bag.
"Sadness," Raya muttered. "Then you could've been Ronald and Harold. That almost rhymes. Also, it's adorable. Anyways," she turned to the girls, "now onto two of my three lovely roomies. This one's for you, Cho. And here's yours Cierra."
Once everyone had their gift bags in hand, Raya faced them. "Now, I know this might suck to some of you, but I did my best. I hope you guys like it."
They dug into their presents, Fred nearly fainting at the jersey he pulled out.
Raya had managed to get them all personalized jerseys of their favorite Quidditch team, signed by all of their players.
"Check under the jersey," she told them.
Cierra pulled out an envelope, ripping into it immediately. She opened and closed her mouth, completely in awe at the Tutshill versus Puddlemere tickets in her lap.
"I'm amazing," Raya grinned at everyone's expression.
"You're the best," George corrected.
"Meh," she shrugged. "You two were the ones who enchanted snowballs to hit the back of Professor Quirrell's head."
"He's such a sweet guy," Cho furrowed her brows. "You should've done it to Snape."
"Snape would expel us in a heartbeat," Fred snorted. "Quirrell was too scared to even bring it up until Minnie asked him why snowballs were pelting the back of his head."
"Also," Raya said, "he's not sweet. He's a little weird, I think his vampire story is fake, and there is way too much garlic near him."
"I was just trying to be nice!"
The Christmas lunch feast two days before had been so incredible, it still made Raya's mouth water. She wanted to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas every year. After that, she and her friends had a snowball fight outside, charming the snowballs and pelting each other with them. Raya called her siblings and friends from Camp before she headed off to bed that night.
Her father's Quidditch match was the day after Christmas, and her friends were cheering and jeering the entire time. Alphanso blocked 18 shots and only let one in, playing his best game of the season. Tutshill won 250 - 10.
Two days after Christmas, Raya was laying down on the floor of the common room, listening to Cho and Cierra rant about how wonderful the players were.
"And I can't believe Newbrooke managed to save that," Cho grinned, referring to the Raya's dad by his last name. "He was all the way on the other end, but Merlin, I see where you get your flying from."
Raya resisted the urge to remind her she was adopted.
"And Coldsriff," Cierra exclaimed, "holy! That dude was incredible. The feints he pulled, the dodges he made."
"I thought that Bludger was gonna hit him for sure."
"Me too!" Cierra agreed. "He's definitely one of the best flyers I've seen."
"Who's definitely one of the best flyers you've seen?" Amora Phillips asked, sitting down next to them.
"Nicolas Coldsriff," Raya answered. "The Chaser for Tutshill Tornados. They're fangirling over my dad's friends. It's so weird. Speaking of weird, it's weird seeing you. Where've you been?"
Amora laughed at how Raya spoke everything so quickly, "Studying for O.W.L.s takes up a lot of time. They're at the end of the year, but they're so important, I've been studying since the summer."
"Well someone's definitely a Ravenclaw," Cho laughed.
"When you guys are all suffering and doing your O.W.L.s, I'll be sure to remind you of this moment," Amora huffed, getting up.
"Mor, we're sorry," Cierra said, laughing, as she grabbed the older girl's arm. "Come, sit with us. Sit and relax for a bit."
Amora sat back down, crossing her arms.
"I'll have you know—"
"—Meow."
"What's that?" Raya lifted her head, trying to find the noise.
"Probably a ghost," Amora told her, waving it off. "In second year — my second year — we had a ghost who used to neigh like a horse at three in the morning. It was a weird three months. Didn't get much sleep."
"Meow," the ghost said again.
"It's coming from the walls," Cierra muttered, tilting her head to listen closer. "Do ghosts get stuck between walls?"
"I don't think it's a ghost," Raya mumbled, getting up. She kept her ears alert as she walked around the perimeter of the Ravenclaw common room.
"Raya, what are you doing?" Amora sighed.
"Looking for the ghost cat."
"Meow."
"Aha!" Raya stopped near the fireplace. She kept her ears open, hearing a small whimper. "Guys, I don't think it's a ghost. Is this the first time you've heard this?"
"Yeah," Cho and Cierra nodded in agreement.
"It's been happening since yesterday," Amora told them. "The Gray Lady told us not to worry about it too much."
Raya placed her ear against the wall, hearing another whimper as she neared the fire place.
She turned to Amora, a pleading look in her eyes, "Please tell me no one turned the fire place on since yesterday."
Amora shrugged, "Not that I know of. Why?"
"Shit," Raya muttered, sticking her head inside. It was dark, but not dusty — thanks to the house elves. She took her wand out, muttering, "Lumos."
Immediately the inside of the fireplace brightened, showing brick and plaster all held together by magic.
"Meow."
Raya's eyes adjusted, making out a small shape standing on one of the bricks that were jutting out of the inside of the fireplace.
"Meow," the kitten repeated. It's meow was low-pitched, almost sounding like a yowl.
"Raya, get out of the fireplace," Cierra called, but she ignored her.
"Hi boy," Raya whispered, sticking her wand in some crevice. She held her hand up, as high as it would go, towards the kitten.
He sniffed her hand, leaning a little closer.
"C'mere," Raya motioned, putting both arms out to catch the cat.
He looked hesitant, but clambered down into her arms.
"Oh, you poor thing," Raya got out of the fireplace, the kitten in her arms.
He was small, fitting perfectly into Raya's cupped hands. Dark grey, with black spots and a curling tail, he was probably the cutest thing Raya had ever seen.
"What do you know?" Amora muttered more so to herself. "This time it's not a ghost."
"What are you gonna do with it?" Cho asked, tilting her head at it.
Raya stared at her like it was obvious, "Well I'm keeping it."
"What?" Cierra interjected. "Let me just say, that's highly unsanitary. Like you don't even know where it's been. You can't just adopt a random stray like that."
"Cie, I know where he's been," Raya told her, ripping some chicken from her sandwich and giving it to the kitten. "In our fireplace. And his name's Loki. Also, I'm gonna stop by Pomfrey later today and get him checked out. He'll need to be neutered."
"How do you know it's a he?!"
"You wanna see?"
REY WRITES!
short chapter, pretty much a filler
next chap is slytherin vs ravenclaw
and a couple other things!!
thanks for reading!!
thoughts?
comments?
headcanons?
theories?