I have a minor crisis about horses and quidditch
PERCY: The horses were there. I hadn't imagined them, had I? Yet, Jason had looked at me as if I was insane.
Perhaps the mysterious horses pulling the carriages would be something I'd question later. I was pulled from my thoughts as I overheard the Weasley twins discussing this year's Quidditch team.
"Tryouts are this Saturday, we can't wait!" Fred Weasley exclaimed. "We may even convince ickle Ronnie to join the team this year!" Fred and George simultaneously noogied their brother. Ron pushed their hands away, ignoring them, and turned back to a conversation with Harry and Hermione.
"Let me guess, taking your usual place as beaters I presume?" I asked.
George grinned wildly.
"And I reckon Harry's trying for the seeker position, as usual," I added.
"Of course!" Harry exclaimed from across the table. "Where else? I don't think you'd fancy Seeker, same as I wouldn't enjoy playing your position as chaser! Plan on switching it up this year, Percy?"
I smirked. "Of course!" I joked. "Hermione and Ron can join as beaters, you, George, and Fred can be chasers, and I'll take seeker!"
Hermione scoffed. "Yeah, that's likely."
We all laughed.
"Well, we're missing quite a few spots, what with Wood being gone and all. What newbies do you think will join this year?" I asked. Fred and George thought about it. After a moment, Fred spoke up.
"Think you could convince Grace this year?" The twins gestured towards Jason, sitting at the end of the table alone.
"Maybe, I mean I have seen the kid fly. He's tough, wicked quick as well. Chaser? Or perhaps, our new keeper?" I sighed in defeat, "I've tried getting through to that guy for the past few years. What makes you two think this year's going to be any different?"
George shrugged. "Never know until you try! Go, talk to him!" George shoved me in Jason's direction. Because I knew they weren't going to give up any time soon, I took a seat beside Jason. The twins gave me a thumb's up from a distance.
"Hey, Grace!" Jason finally looked up from his book to me, seemingly annoyed. I felt bad for the kid, every year he sat alone at the feast, alone in classes, alone in the common room, alone everywhere! Hogwarts was the place I looked forward to returning to everywhere! It's a place where I was surrounded by other crazy people like me and I could easily slide into any group and find something in common with someone! Well, except for maybe the Slytherins.
Still, Jason was different. He was reclusive, stubborn, and so introverted I'm surprised he hasn't just caved in on himself--that's a scary thought. I just wanted the guy to feel welcome, that's all.
"Jackson?" Jason nodded in my direction and continued reading his paper.
"Hah, yeah. Uh, any chance I could convince you to join the team? I promise, this is the last time I'll ask! Tryouts out this Saturday."
"I'm a bit occupied that day."
"With?" Jason's face turned as red as the scarlet on his tie.
"Studying."
I scoffed. "This is the first week of school! Nobody studies except for Granger."
"I'm allowed to study!" Jason defended.
"What else can you possibly have going on? You're the shyest guy in our year, you can't be too busy to join the team." Jason slammed his book shut and glared at me. In one swift movement, he swept his books into his arms and stormed out of the great hall before the feast had even begun.
"Jason, Jason!" I followed him out but he was too quick. By the time I had just passed the Ravenclaw table at the end of the hall, I hadn't even gotten a chance to see what corridor he'd turned to.
"Bloody hell, Grace!" I shouted. "I was only joking, man!"
A Ravenclaw girl glared at me. "Can't you take a hint? He wants to be left alone!"
"Annabeth Chase," I smirked. "Miss me this summer, love?"
She turned her head, her hair bounced over her shoulder.
"In your dreams." She scoffed. "What's that look about. Problem, Jackson?"
"No, not my problem. Though, I reckon Ravenclaw's could to have a problem when Gryffindor wins the match next Tuesday! First Quidditch game of the year! Scared, Chase?"
She eyed me as if she was trying to scan me and find my weaknesses. I'll admit, she intimidated me. Still, not enough to scare me.
"You wish, Jackson. Now get back to your table, the speech is starting."
Sure enough, Dumbledore was standing in front of the great hall, his hand raised in the air to draw in the attention of the students. I sat back down at the Gryffindor table, every student in my house had their eyes on me.
"What?" I asked.
"I've never seen Grace explode like that, what's you tell him?" George asked. I shrugged guiltily. I didn't think Jason would appreciate me bringing up the subject again, even if it wasn't to his face. Sometimes, I needed to learn when to shut my mouth.
Dumbledore nodded towards the group of first year students standing anxiously at the back of the great hall. At the end of the group of first years was the infamous Nico Di Angelo. It was just as silent as the sorting in my second year, when Harry Potter was about to be sorted. People across the hall whispered and pointed at Nico, giving me a a great sense of déjà vu. Maybe the prophet was half-right, Nico could be the second Harry Potter. He had dark hair that almost fell over his eyes, and he had a nervous expression. He easily stood out in the group of eleven-year-olds. He was fourteen, after all.
"This year, we are to welcome the first Hogwarts transfer. Nico Di Angelo, if you could please step forward." The eleven-year-olds all stepped aside, and Nico stepped his way through the crowd.
No one spoke. No one moved. No one even clapped, I felt bad for the kid.
"I assume you all know Nico's story, now it's his turn to learn all of yours as you welcome him into which ever house he may be sorted to at the very end of this sorting. Nico, welcome to Hogwarts."
Everybody stared in a stunned silence. That is until Harry Potter was the first to stand up.
Everybody stared at Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up beside him. The three of them lifted their wands to Nico in unison. It was a symbol of memoriam in the wizarding world. It was a gesture to show your sympathy for loss or to show support in rough times.
The next group to stand up was Fred, George and I. It didn't even take a second for the rest of the Gryffindor table to follow. Frank Zhang and I made eye contact from across the room, he was a Hufflepuff prefect I'd met at the prefect's meeting.
Oh yeah, I'm a prefect! Surprised? Me too.
But, we'll get to that some other time.
Frank was the first of the Hufflepuff table to stand and give his salute. The rest of the Hufflepuff table followed. Next was Annabeth Chase from the Ravenclaw table, as her students didn't hesitate to follow her action. No surprise, the Slytherins were last. Their first student to stand was a girl I recognized to be Piper McClean, Slytherin Chaser. Following Piper was another Slytherin, Leo Valdez: Slytherin Keeper. I'd never talked to the two much. In fact, I knew nothing about them except their Quidditch positions. I'd heard that Piper was very independent, and had a strong voice. She was quite influential among the Slytherins. As for Valdez, I had him in double potions last year. He was obnoxious, that's all I knew.
It was still nice of them to encourage the Slytherins in showing support for Nico. I guess the rumors that Piper was influential were definitely true, as once she stood up, after Leo joined her the entire house was on their feet.
Now the great hall was not only lit by the false stars on the ceiling, but it began to glow even brighter from the light illuminating from our wands.
Following the salute was a thunderous applause as we all sat down. I don't even think it was a specific house that started the applause. At that moment, all of our hearts beat as one. It was one of the rare moments at school where we weren't divided by house, nor bloodline, but we were all together as students, supporting Nico, supporting each other.
Sappiness aside, I was excited for this Hogwarts school year. Since what happened last year what with the tournament and all, everyone seemed to be against one another and I didn't like that.
"Before I begin my long-winded speech which I'm sure all of you are anxious to hear," Dumbledore paused, the students chuckled. He smiled, pleased. "I will let you all welcome new students into your houses, and these students will be introduced into their new homes. Let the sorting begin!"