Ravenclaw Girls Dorm
Dorcas watched in horror as Marlene Mckinnon fell, her blonde ponytail rippling in the wind, her scarlet robes billowing. It was all her fault.
She’d just smacked a bludger Marlene’s way, thinking the other girl would be distracted by it, not be knocked off her broom! Below her, she saw Sirius Black racing on his broom, trying to reach Mckinnon. He’d never make it, she was falling far too quickly.
Madam Hooch raised her wand, slowly Marlene’s fall, as McGonagall conjured a stretcher for her to land on, rather than the hard ground of the pitch. Marlene’s friends rushed forward from the stands, Mary’s Macdonald ran fastest, even in her signature high-heeled boots, as Lily Evans and Remus Lupin trailed behind her. Dorcas flew to the ground with the rest of her team as cheers erupted from the Ravenclaw stands. We won, she realized, but she couldn’t shake the sick feeling in her stomach. Pandora and Emmeline rushed onto the field, just as Dorcas caught sight of Mckinnon’s friends ushering her out quickly.
“Great job Dorcas!”
“Oh, thank you!” she called back politely, smiling before turning to her friends. Pandora and Emmeline had similar looks on their faces as they looped their arms through hers.
“Let’s go back to the dorm, alright?”
“Yes,” Dorcas replied, needing to get away from the pitch, away from her guilt.
“Oi Dorcas! Em! Party later?” Benjy called to them from the middle of the gigantic blue huddle in the field.
“Maybe, we’ll have to see!” Emmeline responded, and Dorcas was grateful for her tact. She probably would have ended up just agreeing to go.
When the girls reached their dorm, Pandora and Em sat beside Dorcas on her bed.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Pandora whispered, leaning on Dorcas’ shoulder. Dorcas felt a rush of affection for her. Leave it to Pandora to read her mind and try helping in a matter of seconds.
“Thanks, Pandora.”
"Of course. Have you ever heard of nargles?
“What the hell is a nargle?” Emmeline asked, and Pandora launched into an explanation of fairylike creatures, living in mistletoe. When she was done, the girls sat in silence again. Emmeline moved in closer on her other side.
“Mckinnon was just being childish. She didn’t even hit the ground!”
Dorcas smiled at that too. Emmeline was a bit more aggressive than Pandora, (maybe a lot more) but she was trying her best to help.
“I just feel like she thinks I’m targeting her when I’m not! And it doesn’t help that her friends will hate me too,” Dorcas replied, cringing at the thought of Mary Macdonald glaring at her for destroying Marlene’s honor.
“Well, we’re on your side. Who cares what they think, anyway? Did you hear that Lily Evans is friends with Severus Snape? Apparently, they’re falling out a bit, but still. And Mary Macdonald, strutting around like she owns the place. She’s gorgeous, but still!”
Dorcas felt herself smiling at Emmeline’s rant. She was being aggressively supportive again.
“And don’t even get me started on Sirius Black, the prat—”
Pandora locked eyes with Dorcas, and they both dissolved into giggles.
Emmeline seemed to realize that they were laughing at her rant, and looked affronted, but began laughing too.
“Alright, I’ll stop taking the piss on poor Gryffindors who aren’t here to defend themselves. Now, what about that party? You won the match, Cas! You deserve to celebrate.”
Dorcas thought for a moment. It could be fun… “Alright, we can go,” She agreed.
"Yes!" Em cheered, pulling her trunk out, surely ready to choose an outfit.
Marlene Mckinnon and her friends could wait, for now.