"Come on, wake up all ready!"
The curtains of your bed were drawn back to reveal Lily framed angelically by the harsh morning light. She was dressed and ready, along with Alice and Mary, who were trying to roll Dorcas out of her bed. You pulled the red quilt tightly over your eyes.
"No," you groaned. "I'm perfectly fine here..."
Lily tore the blanket from your body. She tossed it onto her neatly made four-poster and threw your uniform at you, along with your hairbrush that narrowly missed your head.
"You'll miss breakfast if you don't hurry," she explained as Dorcas groggily sat up, "And we have Charms right after!"
The notion of a meal roused you from your bed. You rushed to change into your uniform, tearing the brush through your messy (h/c) hair and smashing your toes into your shoes as you ran down the stairs after your roommates and charged out of the common room.
As the girls waited for you at the base of the stairs, you forgot about the only thing of importance that Molly and Arthur, your prefects, had said last night. There was a stair on the way to the Great Hall that loved to trip up students.
It vanished beneath you. Your feet fell out from under you and you tumbled down the last of the stone stairs, hitting them at all the wrong angles.
"(Y/n)!" Mary cried, running to help you up. She checked your arms and legs for bruises, which you could feel forming. "Are you alright?"
"Er, yes-" you ignored the throbbing in your calf- "Let's just pretend-"
A cacophony of giggles erupted behind you. Selena, along with three older Slytherin girls, was walking toward you laughing.
"Is that itty bitty (L/n)?" Asked one of them. She was stunning; skin pale as the moon and tightly curled, voluminous black hair. "Not so much like her cousin, is she?"
That girl looked over to the one beside her. She had black hair, too, but it was straight and finely combed. They looked alike, and so did the blonde girl looking at her shoes.
"No," said the sister, you assumed. "Not at all."
"Hello?" You said, looking at the group.
"Did we speak to you?" Asked the curly haired one in a high, oddly childish voice. "Selena, keep your cousin in check!"
Selena looked down at you. Her painted lips turned down as she huffed, fluffing her flawless afro.
"I try not to speak with her."
Their laughter echoed in their wake as they went to the enormous doors of the Great Hall. The blonde one spared a glance your way, looking almost regretful before following after her herd.
Perfect, you thought, day two and I've already become a target. Who were those girls? You were certain they looked familiar - probably some pure-bloods from a party long since past. Of course Selena was friends with them.
"What was that about?" Asked Dorcas, her dark hands on her hips. "Do you know them?'
"Selena is my cousin," you said, smoothing out your skirt from the fall. "Those must be her friends."
"Let's keep you away from them, sweetie," suggested Alice. She patted your shoulder comfortingly. For only having known these girls as your new roommates, you were glad they were friendly enough to comfort you.
"Don't dwell on it," said Lily, clapping her hands excitedly. "It's our first breakfast!"
The Great Hall was just the same as it had been during the Sorting. The four rows were laid out in order from left to right, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin on the far end. Your group managed to squeeze in among the older students to grab some food before the first class.
The feast today was bountiful. Warm scones, juicy fruit, toast and jam, thick sausages, everything you could ask for. You were pulled away from stuffing yourself by Mary, who insisted you all get to class early so you could skip the flood of students.
Walking out of the hall, the five of you followed some fourth year Gryffindors to make it to the classroom. Based on the amount of dirty looks you were receiving, you could imagine that the Ravenclaws had Charms at the same time.
You were right. Luckily, it was first year charms, so Selena was nowhere in sight. However, the class was separated into bleachers on either end of the room, so an entire sea of seething blue was staring at you before class started. Sitting down, one of the entering Ravenclaws managed to casually walk past your seat.
"Traitor," he spat.
Looking up in shock you saw the golden blond boy take his seat opposite of you. He smirked, then whispered to his friends as you turned dejectedly towards Dorcas.
"No," she asserted. "Ignore them. You've got us now, yeah?"
Yeah.
Class started when a miniature man hobbled into the room. He was the size of a goblin but clearly human. His glasses hid his smiling eyes.
To the effect of a few snickers, he stood atop a pile of books to have a better vantage point on the students.
"Good morning, class!" He said in a cheerful voice. "I am Professor Flitwick, your Charms teacher during your time at Hogwarts. It is delightful to greet such a pleasant new year of children. We will not be performing any spells today-" groans intervened- "but instead will take notes on the principles and arts that are charms. Now, please open your books-"
That was how every class of the first week went. No magic, only notes on the introduction to the class. Each teacher, from Flitwick to Sprout, the Herbology teacher, insisted that the framework of magic was to first understand it. So, rather than magic, you were all scribbling down words and spilling ink cartons while complaining to each other about the tediousness of your assignments.
Only one class did you not take notes in. Flying.
On your second day you did not sleep in. You were the first out of bed, followed by Dorcas, and were grabbing your broom to hurry to breakfast before the sky had changed from a red sunrise to a pale blue.
"This is going to be amazing," you said, pouring syrup over your pancakes. "Do you know who we have it with?"
"Slytherins, I think," Dorcas replied, gulping down pumpkin juice. "Better than your Ravenclaw friends though, right?"
"Don't remind me."
You nearly choked on a bit of your breakfast when someone tapped your shoulder.
Turning, you were met with a much older girl in Slytherin green. She had pale blond hair and a proud look about her. However, she spoke in a voice much softer than you expected.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," she said kindly, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "My sisters can be very rude."
"Oh," you set down your fork as you recognized her. The girl with Selena's clique. "That's fine, it doesn't matter."
"But it does." She insisted. "They'll probably try something like that again, so you know. Selena told me she wrote to her mother about you, too. I just thought I should warn you."
"Thank you," you whimpered as she walked off.
Selena had told Jasmine? What did she tell her? Did she bend the story? Had you harassed her and her friends, pushed someone off the astronomy tower? What would be your punishment? What could she do? Were-
"What was that about, then?" Asked a boy's voice.
A group of boys, all your age and all that you knew, sat down to the left of you and Dorcas. Sirius Black, along with James Potter, Peter Pettigrew(you had heard his name when the role was called), and, much to your delight, Remus Lupin, although he looked dreadfully tired and had a bandage on his forehead.
Sirius looked at you expectantly. "So? Why were you talking with my cousin?"
"That was your cousin?" Asked Dorcas, using her knife as a pointer. Sirius nodded.
"Yeah, obviously. Andromeda Black? Heh, be lucky it was her and not Bellatrix. What was she doing, anyway?"
The morning mail came in a flurry of owls that descended in a flurry upon the tables. Packages dropped like bombs into laps as birds delivered letters to their masters. You, eager to see Ruby, stared eagerly at the entrance until you spotted her. She had not letter, seeing as you had nobody to tell, but descended anyway as you lifted a slab of bacon into the air. Chirping, she took it and soared off with the rest of the flock.
Then a letter fell into your lap. Confused, you looked up to see not Ruby circling back, but an eagle who certainly did not belong in the owlery. Jasmine's eagle. It's eyes seemed to glint as it flew away, the last bird to leave the hall.
"Oh!" Lily said joyously as she sat beside you. "My parents wrote back so quickly!"
She tore into her paper before eating, and along with her were Potter, Remus, and Mary, all with notes from their loved ones. They exchanged happy words as your throat ran dry.
Though you had no desire to do so, your fingers found themselves tearing open the blue wax. Howlers, letters which screeched their contents before tearing themselves to shreds, were not your aunt's style. Whatever this was you did not want to read it.
You looked behind you. At the other table you could see Selena, along with the rude blonde boy and a few others, were chatting amongst themselves. She hurried to look away from you and turn back to the first-years she was familiarizing with.
Swallowing to rid yourself of the dryness, you read the letter.
(Y/n),
Selena has informed me that you were sorted into the Gryffindor house. Have you no shame? I have spent years of my life preserving the (L/n) name, and I will not be having you tarnish nearly a decade of hard work. My daughter's reputation will not be ruined by your foolhardy attitude. Your disgraceful house is enough of a black mark, but if you dare to step farther out of line there will be consequences. Your owl is not irreplaceable.
-Jasmine (L/n)
Ruby...
Your watering eyes flickered back to the entry where she had flown. You hadn't chosen to be sorted into Gryffindor. Had you? You should have told that stupid hat that you wanted to be a Ravenclaw. That was what your parents would have wanted: carry on the name, as Uncle Phobus had. Was it possible to switch houses? Ruby was your dearest friend, she had been there for you longer than anyone here. You were not about to risk losing her for some school house.
"(Y/n)?" Dorcas's voice struck you like a train. People were trickling out of the hall already. "It's time for flying, come on!"
Blinking away your tears, you crumpled the paper into an ugly ball. You shoved it in your pocket and, taking a deep breath to calm yourself, grabbed your broom in hopes that flying would put the situation out of mind.
---
Class was outside in the courtyard. Your class of first year Gryffindors, along with the first year Slytherins, had been lined up facing each other with school provided brooms next to those who had not brought their own. Oddly enough, only you, Potter, Dorcas, and a few odd Slytherins had your own brooms. You realized it was probably unlikely for students to buy brooms unless they really wanted to play Quidditch.
"Students!" Cried a voice down the lawn, drawing the attention of both lines of children.
An old, fit woman was strutting straight-backed toward you. Not in the way that Jasmine(you were trying not to think of her) would, but in a way that said "I know what I'm doing but I won't tell you that." She had athletic robes like the big league players wore, and her pixie cut gray hair was swaying across her hawk yellow eyes.
"I am Madam Hooch," she said, stopping forcefully at the middle of the yard. The Whomping Willow was moving behind her, swaying with some invisible wind. You frowned, zoning out as she explained - whatever it was she was saying. That tree was giving you shivers. Professor Sprout had mentioned that during her intro-to-Herbology, reiterating Dumbledore's warning to stay far away from it. Why plant a sentient tree that, according to Sprout, didn't like people? On a schoolyard, nonetheless?
"(Y/n)!" Whisper-yelled Dorcas. You looked over to see her already mounted on her polished black broom, hovering off of the ground. Others around her were struggling to do the same. "What are you doing? Come on, get on!"
You looked hurriedly down at your broom, which was lying on the ground beside you. Everyone's hands were out at their sides, shouting "Up!" as they attempted to get it to fly. You, having done this for a month or more now since you went to Diagon Alley, stuck out your hand and easily called it to the air. You slung your leg over and hovered gently beside Dorcas.
"Very good, ladies!" Hooch said, walking between the rows as she aided others who could not get a hang of it. Your chest buzzed with happiness. A compliment? You looked over excitedly at Dorcas, who did not seem as thrilled as you.
"Hear that?" You asked. "We're already doing well!"
Dorcas gave you a quizzical frown. "Yeah? What about it?"
"Oh, nothing," you said, not wanting to appear odd. "How did you like the Charms homework?"
You chatted idly as the others attempted to tame their school-given brooms. They were supposedly meant to be broken in, so it shouldn't have been so difficult for the others to get on, but Hooch's compliment was getting to your head. Your hopes for getting on the team were rising by the second; even if players weren't ever on the team until at least second year, they were still given a chance at a position.
"Finally got on, (Y/n)?"
"What?"
James, the irritating boy with the fresh-from-the-factory Nimbus he had ogled at the store, was smirking cockily at you.
"Saw you were struggling to get on earlier," he said. "I got in on my first try, obviously."
He ran his hand through his raven hair, messing it up purposefully. You and Dorcas shared an "are-you-joking" look as you retorted.
"I was daydreaming for, like, five minutes, James." You said, irritation biting your words. "I got it first try, too."
"Sure," he said, laughing with his friend, Sirius. "And I'm a Hippogriff!"
"Hey-!"
"Very good, class!" Announced Hooch, cutting off your remark. James was more annoying by the day! Why did he think he was any better than you? Flying was the one thing you were proud of your abilities in, and he was in no way going to take that from you! "Now, I'm going to blow my whistle. When I do, I want you to rise a few feet, then come back down by leaning forward slightly. ALRIGHT?"
She looked around, daring anyone to do otherwise. She must have been doing this for quiet some time with that sort of preparation. "Good," she said as both rows, Slytherins and Gryffindors, nodded. "Now, ready?"
She blew her whistle. The Slytherin side, who you were facing, obeyed relatively well. The same could be said for the Gryffindors, until James had to be a show off.
He flew higher than the rest. You looked over at Dorcas again, and she was glaring just as darkly as you. Nodding, you both followed upward, higher than James before zipping back down to the ground. Landing, you bit your smile as Hooch walked briskly down the rows again.
"Very good, class. Now, for the rest of the time I want you all to circle about the courtyard. I will be watching from the ground, simply call me if you have any questions. Good? Well, don't just stand there, off you go!"
You and Dorcas met up with Lily, Mary, and Alice who, for the most part, were doing decently on their own. Lily was no fan of flying, she said, but noted that Mary was looking green in the face. She brushed her brown curls from her face, taking a hair tie from Alice and pulling up her hair. She and Alice said they would both stay nearer to the grass, but urged the rest of you to go enjoy some air. After a short debate of asking if they were sure or not, you, alongside Dorcas and Lily, flew up towards the bright blue.
Fourty or so feet up, you decided to practice a few maneuvers with Dorcas. Lily, though having no issue with it, said she was more than happy to skip out. For a blissful ten minutes you all enjoyed your time, rocketing toward the ground and looping as you took turns showing off.
"Guys!" Lily called. You and Dorcas turned around, halting uncomfortably mid-dive as you turned back to your ginger friend. "Down there!"
Lily's finger guided your way to the ground where, merely twenty feet over the courtyard, you could see Severus in a corner surrounded by James and Sirius, with Peter Pettigrew and Remus sitting behind them, while a Slytherin sat beside your friend. Sev's greasy hair was covering his eyes, which were downcast at his hands.
"Come on," you told Lily. "We know him, Dorcas, you don't need to-"
"Oh, I'm coming." She insisted. She was the first one to reach the corner where they had Sev hostage.
"What are you doing?" Lily demanded, coming to Sev's side. You were face to face with Sirius and James, who were both grinning like wolves.
"Leave it, Lily," said Sirius. "We can take care of Snivellus."
"Take care of him?" You snapped. "Leave him alone! He isn't bothering you!"
"He is, actually," Sirius commented. He flipped his black hair from his face. "Taking up plenty of good space we could use to fly."
"Not like you're that great," responded a Slytherin beside you. He had dark brown hair that was tied back in a pony. You thought his name might have been Mulciber, but you weren't sure of his surname.
"Shut it!" Whined James. "I'm plenty better than the rest of you!"
"Definitely not," you said, eyes wide with giddy disbelief. "Dorcas and I could fly circles around you."
"Is that a challenge?" Asked Sirius, coming closer on his broom. You, turning once more to Dorcas, were hoping for an answer.
"Only if you're up to it, Black," She said. Sirius flinched - he must have been appalled by the notion of cowardice. Arrogant prick!
"You're on!" James said, shoving off Remus's hand as he tried to calm him. Remus shook his head and flew back to Pettigrew, who tailed Remus as they flew away to the rest of the courtyard. "The Astronomy Tower! First two back win!"
"(Y/n), don't," said Severus. He was looking gloomily down at his broom. "They're not worth it."
"You don't deserve that, Sev," you said, fiercely looking back to the boys. "Count of three?"
"One," said Sirius. You turned your broom, along with the others, towards the tower. It was the tallest one in the castle and jut out from the rest like a needle in a haystack. This shouldn't be too hard.
"Two," said Dorcas. The adrenaline in your body was stirring your appendages. You couldn't seem to sit still.
"What are you four doing?!" Madam Hooch's voice called from below. You heard Lily gasp.
"Wait, you'll get in trouble-!"
"Three!"
You rocketed off. The four of you all went different ways, each searching for the quickest route to the tower. There were so many bridges and turrets to move around that it was difficult to make it to the tower unless you went straight up, which James did, foolishy. Up then straight? A diagonal path was much swifter.
You curled around a tower, sucking in a breath of fear as you narrowly missed a gargoyle you had not been expecting. It yelled at you, which was more shocking than it's appearance, as you turned the next bend.
You saw a few heads turn in classrooms as you weaseled through the stone walls. Once you could see Sirius breeze by in a flash. You, proudly making it to the Tower, resisted the urge of a victory lap as you headed back to the courtyard.
A wise choice since James was at your side in an instant.
"Get ready to lose, (Y/n)!" He said, surging faster. The nose of his broom was ahead of you.
"In your dreams!"
You pressed your ivory broom faster, much faster than you had ever gone before. It was shaking beneath you, jerking left and right due to your lack of experience with this speed. Your determination to win drowned out the worrying movements as the green of the courtyard came closer. Closer. Ten more feet-!
"STUDENTS!"
As your heads turned in attention to Madam Hooch's cry, both you and James' brooms turned harshly toward each other. They collided and sent you both flying, your shoulder colliding harshly with Potter's chest as you tumbled over each other and sprawled out on the grass.
You groaned, wiping the grass stain on your cloak and picking a leaf from your (h/c) hair as you rolled to your side. You had landed face down, unluckily as you saw James sit up with his back coated in a layer of tiny green blades. Your brooms were half way across the yard, both limp on the ground where Madam Hooch swept them up and marched over.
"You two!" She screeched. You looked down quickly. In your peripheral vision you could see Dorcas and Sirius' feet touch the ground gently. "And you! All four of you, with me, NOW!"
Dorcas came to you first. She grabbed your shoulder, trying to pull you up before you whimpered. It hurt awfully bad when she touched it, and you could feel the tender skin pulsing. It was no serious injury, but it hurt just the same.
"Sorry," she muttered, grabbing your other arm and hefting you to your feet.
Hooch told the others to "Stop staring and get back to work!" as she ushered you all into the hall. Stone wall after stone wall you trudged up the stairs and past classes as Hooch lectured you the whole way to the hospital wing. Leaving you and Potter, she demanded that Dorcas and Sirius follow her back to her office where you and James were sure to end up soon.
"What's this?" Asked a woman in white robes. She, as you knew, was Madam Pomfrey, the Healer. "Two students in athletic robes? I'm shocked," she said sarcastically, shaking her head. "Show me where it hurts."
"My, um, shoulder," you said, suddenly ashamed. Multiple teachers disappointed in you in a day? You wouldn't let Jasmine know about this. After all, who had to know? Selena didn't. Absolutely not. "I hit it when I fell."
"Yeah, on me!" Said James, crossing his arms. "A shoulder to the chest hurts a load more than-"
"Yes, yes, you're a very brave boy," said Pomfrey, with excellent bedside manner(not). "Now hush up while I fix this."
After a moment of observation Pomfrey told you it was just a bruise, and she figured out the same for James. They would heal in a week or two, but it would be difficult to move your arm for that time. Luckily, it wasn't your dominant arm and you would be able to take notes and use your wand all the same, so Pomfrey saw no reason to give you any potions. She sent you both off scornfully to Madam Hooch's office, which she directed you to before shutting the doors to the Hospital Wing.
Walking silently down the halls again, you and James went through the enormous path that led to the courtyard, in which you saw a chubby little poltergeist messing with a suit of armor who was protesting loudly.
"Enough, Peeves!" The armor growled as you passed. "This is shameful!"
"Nighty-night, knight!" Said Peeves the Poltergeist, who thought his joke was incredibly amusing. He flicked the visor of the helm up and down, repeating the phrase every time it shut. His laughter followed you as the pair of you walked to the door beside the courtyard where Hooch was waiting.
"I touched the ground first, you know," said James as you opened the door. You whipped around, tearing open the door.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Both of you, in here, now!"
Hooch was sitting behind her desk. Her office was decked in plaques and trophies from years of players, posters of students gone pro, and cupboards of old brooms. Dorcas and Sirius were both sitting in chairs she had pulled up looking red in the face.
"Sit." She said, pointing to the two vacant chairs she had made. They were on the far ends, as your peers were already sitting in the middle. You went to Dorcas, who gave you a nervous glance as Hooch let out a sigh. "Four first years, the first day of class, racing around the castle like hooligans! What do you think you are, professionals? Did you think it proved something to go around like blithering fools, disturbing classes? You crashed! What does that say about your skills? About your discipline? I've never seen so many disobedient children in one class. In one house! Are you proud? Do you think you're the best there are now?"
It felt like hours before she was done. You were staring at your lap the whole time. Scolding, in this manner, wasn't foreign. She wasn't yelling. You couldn't recall a time where you had been yelled at, not really. This disappointed lecture was all too similar; and so was the manner you were responding in. Doing nothing.
Until she said she was taking your brooms.
"What?" You asked, eyes widening in fear.
"No!" Cried Dorcas.
"You can't!" Said James.
"Oh, I absolutely can!" Said Hooch, standing. "I've taken them all already, haven't I?"
She walked to the cupboard at the left of the room, opening it to show three brooms(as Sirius did not have his own) standing behind the dusty doors. Your gut turned at the sight of them being locked up with Hooch's wand.
"Please, Madam Hooch, we won't do it again!" You said, pleading. Dorcas and James chimed in, but Sirius was smiling at the desk. Your anger was only kindled by his strange manner.
"You won't," she agreed. "And neither will any first year again! You have ruined this opportunity for all future students. No more first years with brooms! Congratulations."
Your protests were lost as she pushed you all from her office and shut the door tightly. You were left standing in the hall blankly as the bell rang for next class and the courtyard doors flew open beside you.
Lily, Mary, and Alice all rushed to you and Dorcas. After explaining everything, you determined that others would have to turn in their brooms soon. It was your fault.
You wanted to go back to your room and sleep. Ignore what you had done. But, hearing Sirius brag about it to Remus and Peter as you all walked towards the dungeons, you found yourself feeling much better about your shame. At least you had some.
You felt obligated to apologize when you reached the dungeons where Professor Slughorn was teaching potions. Having already been reassured by Severus(who was sitting with Maddie) that he did not care much, and was actually glad you had defended him, you set down your books and went to talk with Remus who was with the fools you had gotten into trouble with.
"I'm sorry, Remus," you said, blushing. "We should have listened to you about the race."
"At least you regret it," he said, looking at Sirius and James, who were now joking about the ordeal. "But I forgive you. It doesn't affect me much anyways."
"Thanks," you said, a weight lifting from your injured shoulders. "Do you want to sit together at dinner tonight? I think Lily might be intending to yell at me."
Remus, giving a lopsided grin, nodded. "Is it okay if Peter comes?" He gestured to the chubby blonde boy beside him. Peter looked away nervously and pretended to search his bag.
"Sure," you said, smiling at the mannerism of the kid. "I haven't talked to him much. Maybe we can be friends?"
"Oh!" Peter squeaked, realizing you were speaking with him. His round cheeks burned as he nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Yeah!"
"Great," you said. "I'll see you at dinner then, when they announce that new rule..."
You trudged back to your seat beside Mary as Slughorn began lecturing on today's topic, your first potion to brew: Hiccoughing Solution.
•••
As promised, you sat with Remus and Peter at dinner that night. Your girls were down the table and Sirius and James were chatting up some fourth years, apparently trying to impress them with their disaster today. You ignored them and went about eating your meal.
Throughout the night you learned about Peter and Remus. Remus was a pure blood, and Peter a half. They knew of your status, obviously, but you chose not to go into detail about your family. Remus came from a loving mother and father, his father big in politics, and Peter's home was about as regular as it could get. Neither had any siblings, oddly enough. This small talk went on and on as the windows and ceiling grew darker, and the waxing moon outside rose.
Headmaster Dumbledore, finished with his meal and done speaking with the other, all solemn looking teachers, walked around the head table and stood behind his golden pew. The candles dripped with hot white wax as he delicately placed his shrivelled hands on either side to avoid the droplets.
"Attention, students," he said. All eyes instantly turned and voices faltered. It was odd to imagine one of the most, if not the most, powerful wizard in the world was such an old professor. "We have implemented a new rule this school year. Allow me to freshen your memories: no students are to go near the Whomping Willow. No students are to be out of bed after dinner," his pale blue eyes wandered towards the janitor, Apollyon Pringle, "We should make Mister Pringle's last year here pleasant. Lastly, the new rule: no first years are to have their own brooms."
Although no older students seemed fazed, the shouting of nearly every new student went up in a roar. Dumbledore permitted this outrage for a few moments before raising his hand for quiet, which, as all newbies, was granted to him instantly.
"I understand your concern, however it is for safety alone that we must implement this rule. There will be a collection during your next flying class. Along with this, I am happy to remind you that Quidditch try-outs are to begin in two weeks, and first years are still welcome to try out with school-lended brooms. Should you be accepted, there will be an exception given to first years on the teams for brooms. Have a good night, students, and remember: a dark day only brings bright stars."
You supposed that was meant to be inspiring after the bad news, but that didn't stop the complaining in the common room. You, Remus, and Peter sat in a corner filled with blankets and soft chairs while you listened sadly to the disappointed ramblings of your peers.
"They'll still have next year, and after that," Peter squeaked, trying to cheer you. "It- it isn't so bad, when you think of it."
"I shouldn't have let him get to me."
"Well, you're right," said Remus, not looking up from his book. He was a hobby reader. "But now you know better."
"I guess."
Your mood was not lifted that night. It was eleven before someone else approached you.
"Are you alright, dear?"
Beside your chair was a plump lady with bright red hair. She was a sixth year, with a shiny prefect badge on her chest. The Head Girl, too. Molly Prewett.
"Those boys told me and Marlene about your situation," said Molly. You figured Sirius and James had bragged to her. "That was very irresponsible."
"Yeah, I know," you said, that cold feeling in your chest again. You did not want any more lectures.
Molly frowned and crossed her arms. "I am extremely upset, of course," she said. "It did cost us house points... but you look rather disturbed, so I suppose you feel guilty enough already."
"I'm sorry," you said again. No matter how many times it was repeated, it felt just as true.
"I know, honey," she said. "That's why I'm not going to yell at you like I did those boys. Bragging about breaking rules! How ridiculous. I should think their parents raised them better than that."
"Can't be helped," answered Remus, as if just as mature as this sixth year.
"No, I suppose not," said Molly. "Well, please tell me if anything like this pops up, won't you? Have a good night."
"I think I'm going up, too," you told the boys as Molly vanished up to the girl's dorms. You thought that a night of rest may put your heart at ease, or at least you would earn a few hours of dreamless, shameless, sleep.
Peter and Remus bid you goodnight, and as reminded by Remus, you at least could still try out for the team in a few weeks.
To say the least, that did not help at all. Rather than the inky blackness you were wishing for, your night consisted of an endless loop of crashes, as if a broken record was showing you all the possible ways that Quidditch try-outs could go wrong. Your favorite? You and James crashing mid-audition.
•••
Hey, guys! Thanks for reading this chapter! As I said, the ages of some characters are adjusted for this story. For example, Apollyon Pringle retired in 1968, but in our story he is here until 1972, and so on (such as Molly being a sixth year in 71', we are just going to ignore the math of how old the Weasley children will be in the future...)
Leave suggestions on what you want to happen down below! Thanks again, and get ready for the next chapter! We have something exciting planned!