Chapter 5
Rain cascaded from leaden clouds hanging heavy in the waning twilight as an October wind tore through the air, cutting through Rose's quidditch robes and biting into her skin. She shivered and tried to shake the dampness from her sleeves. It was useless; they simply flapped in the air like dead birds, weighed down as they were with water. She hunched her shoulders even closer over her broom in an attempt to deflect further assault. Figures flew in the distance, obscured by the downpour, moving almost in slow-motion. Rose tried once again to shake out her sleeves; the tips of her fingers, frozen in her sodden keepers gloves, screamed in protest against the movement.
A whistle rang out across the pitch and the figures came to a halt, floating in the midst of the storm like oddly shaped debris.
"Not bad!" Henry Winkle's magnified voice bellowed, tickling Rose's goose-pimpled skin. "Let's run it one more time before turning in for the night."
"Winkle!" Rose shouted, drooping over her broom with a whimper. "Just let us go, we're all nearly frozen and I think I might fall off my broom if we run it again!"
"One more word and we're running it three more times, Weasley," Winkle's voice resounded as he emerged out of the rain and flew in front of Rose, the corners of his mouth twisting into a frown. "And for every complaint I hear during this one we're staying an extra five minutes!"
A round of groans echoed around the pitch. Henry let out an exasperated sigh. "Our first match is next week, people! Do you think Gryffindor is cutting practice short just because of some rain and wind?"
"No, but they're all mad," Rose pouted.
"You should know better than anyone that their madness pays off," Henry said in a clipped voice. He peered at his watch, bringing it almost to his nose in order to read the face, and then picked up his whistle again. "So we're running it again and I don't want to hear another bloody word! Ready? One, two," the whistle shrieked and the shadowy figures flew around the pitch once again.
Ten minutes later Rose's feet touched down on the ground, mud squelching below her trainers as her heel sunk slightly into the grass. The rest of the team landed softly beside her, all soaked and windblown to various degrees. Linus Fleming looked as though he'd been caught in a monsoon, with half his hair plastered to his forehead and the other half sticking straight up. Hera Plumaj, the most composed of everyone, was drenched from head to foot with her quidditch robes clinging to her torso but otherwise unscathed, her long dark braid showing no signs of abuse.
"If I wake up ill tomorrow I'm going to hex Winkle," Maren muttered beside Rose as they trudged toward the locker room.
"I'll help," Rose said, trying to push her dripping hair off her face. "I can barely move."
"That was awful—just rude, really."
"I dunno what he's playing at having us out here in this weather a week before the match. D'you think he's finally gone spare?"
"Y'know," Maren huffed as she opened the door to the changing room, "I'm starting to think it's some sort of curse on seventh year quidditch captains. They all go ballistic their last year."
Rose paused. "You know," she said slowly, "you might be right."
"You think James will go just as barmy as Dom and Winkle?"
Rose snorted. "James was already barmy about quidditch. I don't even want to think about what he'll be like this year."
She stepped into the shower and rejoiced as the water scalded her frozen skin, punching down the goose pimples and burning through the layer of grime.
"I feel like a new woman," she said as she walked into the changing room, towel wrapped firmly around her chest.
"Me too," Katrina DeMarco said, tugging on a pair of leggings. "A shower does wonders after a practice like that."
"D'you think every practice will be like that?" Rose asked quietly, pointing her wand toward her hair and casting a quick drying charm. "Bullocks," she muttered, feeling her hair puff around her face. "I always make it too strong."
"You need to move your wand down your hair as you say the incantation," Maren said from beside her. "That's what Allie always tells me."
"I'm just rubbish at all those beauty charms," Rose rolled her eyes. "They never work for me."
"You just try to rush them," Maren shrugged. She slipped on a Manchester United shirt and shook remaining water droplets out of her hair.
"Is that a muggle football shirt?" Katrina asked, nodding towards Maren.
"Yeah," Maren grinned, squaring her shoulders. "How'd you know?"
"Milo's dad is muggle born and follows football," Katrina said. "Though I don't think he supports Manchester United."
"Well he should," Maren tossed her hair. "They're the bloody best team in the country."
"I didn't know you were muggle born," Katrina said as she pulled her hair to the side and began to braid it.
"I'm not," Maren shook her head. "Well," she paused, "I dunno. My dad's a wizard, and we're pretty sure he's muggle born."
"And your mum's a muggle?"
"Mhm." Maren nodded.
Katrina raised her eyebrows. "Wow. So you know all about them then?"
Maren shrugged. "I suppose. We live in a muggle neighborhood in the summer and my brother Jay goes to a muggle school."
"Oh, I know people who've done that," Katrina said. "The muggle primary schools are quite cute, I think. Funny that they don't teach flying or anything but I suppose the parents can do that at home."
"Er," Maren's cheeks flushed. "No, he's not-"
The door burst open and Hera entered, wrapped in a towel and drying her hair as she strode toward her bag. Rose watched as Maren clamped her mouth shut and began pulling on her socks.
"That practice was ghastly," Hera said with a shake of her head. "I thought I was going to freeze to death out there." And then she promptly dropped her towel, letting it fall around her ankles. Rose let out a squeak of surprise and hastily turned away, seeing Katrina do the same. If Hera noticed, she didn't say anything, only continued to dress placidly.
"Er, we were just saying that," Katrina murmured. "We think Winkle's cracked."
"Nah," Hera replied. "I think that's coming later. Also, why don't the women on the team get their own changing room? I don't want Winkle walking in on me in here."
"Well the quidditch teams were originally all male," Rose said, forcing herself to turn around and breathing a sigh of relief to see that Hera was clothed. "And they weren't made co-ed until 1848 when Olive Ottelby released bludgers in the castle as a protest. I suppose nobody ever thought to build new changing rooms."
"We've never really had a problem, though," Maren added. "Really, if Henry were to walk in on someone changing, I think he'd be the more embarrassed one."
"Good to know," Hera nodded. She finished putting on her trainer and straightened. "Well, I'm knackered. Bed can't come soon enough."
"Hear, hear," Rose echoed, stifling a yawn as she gathered her belongings. "Good job tonight, girls."
They walked up the pathway toward the castle, dragging their bags and complaining about their aching muscles.
"I know I shouldn't be such a baby about it," Hera said, massaging her forearms. "I've a cousin who plays on the Albanian national team and when she tells me their practices it makes ours seem like a first year flying session, but my arms hurt."
"You've a cousin on the Albanian national team?" Maren asked, jaw dropping open as she turned to gape. "And you kept that quiet?"
Hera shrugged. "They're not very good, haven't made it to the world cup finals since the sixteenth century. It's nothing compared to playing for the English national team."
"But it's still a national team!" Maren cried. "That's insane, it's-have you ever played with them?"
Hera laughed. "With the team? No. With my cousin? Yes."
"Which player is it?" Maren asked. "Would we know them?"
"I dunno," Hera shrugged. "I don't think any of them are really well known."
"Well what's the name?"
"Elira Cunmulaj."
"What position does she play?"
"Chaser." Hera swung open the heavy oak door and they stepped into the entrance hall. "Though I reckon she could play almost any of them."
"Wow." Maren shook her head. They began to climb the stairs up to the seventh floor. "D'you think she has any maneuvers you could teach me?"
"I'll ask," Hera said genially.
The eagle knocker greeted them with its usual steely gaze. "What lies at the end of the rainbow?"
"The horizon," Hera answered promptly, "which is to say both nothing and everything."
"Very well," the knocker sighed as the door swung open.
The sight of the Ravenclaw common room had never been so welcome. Rose felt she could drop down and fall asleep right there on the midnight blue carpet.
"Come on," Maren murmured, taking her by the arm and dragging her up the spiral staircase.
"Goodnight," Rose called down to Hera and Katrina, grinning as they shouted back.
"I'm exhausted," Maren sighed as they opened the door to their empty dormitory. Rose dropped onto her four poster bed and closed her eyes.
"Ugh, me too."
"You know, I was thinking about it, and next week when we go to Gryffindor Tower after the match to see your cousin James is going to be unbearable."
"Oh bullocks, I forgot about that," Rose groaned, running a hand over her face. "He's always a nightmare after matches. At least everyone else will be there so we won't have to talk to him as much. It will still be fun."
"Mhm," Maren murmured from the other side of the room, her voice already dropping off. "Lots of fun. Lots of Weasley."
"Lots of exploding snap and butterbeer." Rose giggled to herself as she burrowed under the covers and nestled against her pillow. "G'night Maren."
A faint rustling sounded along with a heavy breath. "Night Ro'."
***
Rose sat at in the Great Hall the next morning leafing through Persuasion, a piece of half-eaten toast hanging limply in her hand.
"Good morning," Allie chirped as she and Lucy arrived, slipping into their seats across from Rose and Maren.
"Mornin'," Rose mumbled, flipping the page.
"How was practice last night?" Allie asked as she filled a glass of pumpkin juice. "You were both asleep by the time we got back to the dormitory."
"It was ghastly," Maren shuddered. "Winkle had us out there for nearly three hours in the rain."
"I thought I was going to lose a few fingers," Rose added without looking up.
"That sounds horrid," Allie said.
"It was horrid," Maren replied. "But no matter, we're off tonight. And I, for one, will be in bed as soon as dinner ends."
"No you won't be," Lucy said, peering over her tea. "We're going to Gryffindor common room tonight for exploding snap and butterbeer with Fred and James and their friends."
"That's not until next week." Rose frowned and looked up. "After the match."
"James asked yesterday if we could do it tonight instead," Lucy said evenly, looking away and sipping her tea. "And since you two didn't have practice I didn't see a reason why we shouldn't."
"You still should have asked," Maren said, glancing at Rose. "Or told us."
"You were asleep when we got back," Lucy snapped. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and straightened. "And I'm telling you now."
"Right," Rose said, pushing the rest of her toast aside and flipping her book closed. "Thanks for that, Luce." She got to her feet and picked up her bag. "I'm going to class a bit early to practice that new spell Lyncroft taught us. I'll see you lot there."
She stalked off, hearing as she went Lucy's voice saying, "Thanks for your help on that spell, by the way, Scorp. You're a lifesaver."
The day dragged on, and Rose's mood soured. At lunch she ate barely half her sandwich before trotting over to the Gryffindor table where Fred sat with Zeno Aylmer.
"Heya, Rosie," he said, moving to the side so she could sit. She squeezed between her cousin and a fourth year and snatched a sandwich off the plate in front of her.
"Why did you change exploding snap and butterbeer to tonight?" she asked without preamble, turning toward him expectantly. "Hi, Zeno," she added quickly, giving him a wave which he returned.
Fred shrugged. "James thought we might all not want to see each other that much after the match and that it might be a better idea to do this beforehand."
"Oh." Rose paused and took a bite of her sandwich. Fred watched her for a moment, forehead crinkling.
"Is it a problem?"
"No," Rose said quickly, shaking her head. "No, tonight works fine. I just—Lucy just told us this morning."
Fred raised his eyebrows and continued watching her. "Er, yes?"
Rose shrugged. "Nothing, I just didn't know why you changed the day."
"Well, now you know," Fred said slowly, sitting back and downing a glass of pumpkin juice. "Just family politics regarding quidditch."
"I'm sure Lucy was thrilled that was the reason," Rose said dryly.
Fred's expression cleared and he arched an eyebrow as he turned back to face her. "You two haven't made up yet?"
"She barely talks to me."
"Oh." Fred patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. "I didn't know that. Is it—er—"
"It's fine," Rose shrugged again and forced a smile. "She'll come around eventually."
"Exactly," Fred nodded. "Tonight will probably be good for her, too. James was saying how down she's been and that he reckons she could use a few laughs."
Rose made a noncommittal noise.
"And you could probably use some too." Fred nudged her shoulder.
Rose snorted. "Thanks. You know, moving this back probably wasn't the worst idea. James probably won't talk to me after Ravenclaw wins the match on Saturday."
"Oh really?" Fred shook his head. "Let me know when your seeker gets recruited by the Falcons."
"The Falcons are recruiting Cutler?" Rose asked, her head shooting up as she searched for the Gryffindor seeker. "That's unbelievable!"
"It's really not when you consider her record," Fred began.
"No, no, that's not what I meant," Rose said, waving a hand. "That's amazing, is all. Does she want to play after school?"
"I dunno," Fred shrugged. "I think she's planning on working with the Department of Magical Games and Sports as an international liaison, but she could always put that off for a few years."
"I hope she plays for the Falcons," Rose said. "Those matches would be so fun to watch."
"It would be interesting to see her go against some of the other seekers in the league," Fred replied. "Imagine her against Tamara Wittlief."
Rose simply shook her head. "That match would be over in a second."
"Maybe less than," Fred chuckled. Rose shook her head again and looked around the Great Hall, which was beginning to empty.
"I'd best be going," she said, rising from the bench. "I don't want to be late for potions."
"Ah," Fred sighed, leaning back, "I remember those dark days before free periods."
"Whatever," Rose rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag. "I'll see you tonight. Remind James to take out that one card from the snap deck that shoots sparks."
"Oh, shite, I nearly forgot about that," Fred said, snapping up. "I'll find him. See you later, Rosie."
"Bye, Freddie."
***
"We're going to be late," Lucy tapped her foot as she looked down at her watch. "Where is he?"
"He'll be along soon," Rose repeated, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes as she leaned her head beside the eagle knocker. She stood outside the Ravenclaw common room with Lucy, Allie and Maren, exploding snap deck in hand, waiting for Albus to meet them.
"If he doesn't hurry up we're going to be late—"
"Merlin, Lucy, nobody gives a damn if we're late, it's Fred and James," Rose snapped.
Lucy checked her watch again and tilted her nose in the air. "You know some people—"
"Oh look, here comes Al," said Allie a bit too loudly, stepping in front of the two girls and waving at a distant figure down the corridor. Rose huffed and stepped towards Maren as Lucy crossed her arms.
"Sorry I'm late," Albus panted as he approached. "I ran into Peeves on the fourth floor and had to run through the entire transfiguration corridor to lose him."
"Don't worry about it," Rose said as they began walking toward Gryffindor Tower. "We weren't waiting that long."
"And it just gave Allie time to redo her eyeliner three times," Maren laughed.
"Hey," Allie frowned, bringing a hand up toward her sharply drawn sparkling blue eyeliner. "It didn't take me that long. You spent nearly as long deciding on a football t-shirt to wear."
"I told you, whichever team you wear makes a difference." Maren glanced down at her Arsenal shirt. "Though I don't think my dad would be happy about me wearing this one."
"It's fine," Rose said. "He doesn't have to know. And anyways, all my cousins will think it's fun. My mum and Uncle Harry showed Aunt Ginny and Aunt Angelina muggle football and they all think it's brilliant."
"It's true," Albus nodded sagely. "Mum said for her birthday this year she wants to go to a football match instead of quidditch."
Maren laughed. "Tell me which one you go to and I'll ask my dad if we can get tickets. He loves an excuse to go."
They made it to Gryffindor Tower without any trouble, though Albus yelped when a suit of armor creaked, convinced that Peeves had managed to find him again. The portrait of the Fat Lady loomed into view, with James standing outside, wide mouth twisted into a grin and ruddy hair dancing in the candlelight.
"Glad you made it," he said as they approached. "Who was that screaming a minute ago? It sounded like a trapped merperson."
"It was me," Rose said quickly, glancing at Albus out of the corner of her eye and doing her best to look embarrassed. "A suit of armor frightened me."
James snorted and shook his head. "I must say, I thought you were tougher than that, Rosie."
"Don't be a wanker." Rose rolled her eyes and tossed her hair. "I remember how badly you yelled when you thought a gnome had snuck into your room at the Burrow."
"One did sneak in!" James exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "I told you, I woke up and one of the little buggers was staring me in the face."
"Sure, James."
"It's not my fault he disappeared before Dad got to my room."
"Maybe you were just dreaming," Rose said, giving him a lofty smile. "You know it can be difficult to be sure sometimes."
"I was not—"
"James, can you just let us in?" Albus asked with a sigh. "I didn't walk all the way up here to listen to you talk about that bloody gnome."
"Fine." James turned to the Fat Lady. "Guinevere."
Rose scrambled through the portrait hole, with Maren at her side and Albus pushing on her back. She emerged in the Gryffindor common room to find a small crowd already assembled.
"You're here!" Fred shouted from a sofa where he sat with Zeno. They both stood and walked toward the Ravenclaws. "Butterbeer's on the table and Roxy is setting up exploding snap by the fireplace."
"Excellent," Rose said as she swiveled her head around. "Hey!" she called out, trotting toward a circle of armchairs where Louis, Lily, and Hugo sat. "I didn't know you lot would be here."
"Fred said we couldn't come but I made James allow it," Lily said with a toss of her hair. "It wasn't fair that all the cousins except us would be having a party."
"For the last time, it's not a party," Roxanne said, coming up behind Rose and glaring at Lily. "So stop calling it that. I don't want to get another dressing down from your mum."
"What did you do to get a first one?" Rose asked.
"She gave me a sign to hold at quidditch trials," Lily shrugged.
Rose raised her eyebrows and looked at Roxanne, who shuffled sheepishly.
"It may have said 'No twats allowed.'"
Rose snorted and heard Maren chuckle beside her. "Really, Roxy?"
"I just thought we should make our expectations explicit from the start." Roxanne flicked her braid and shrugged. "But somebody", she glared at Lily, "went and told Aunt Ginny all about it and I got two different letters telling me off the next day."
"Was she more upset about the sign or the fact you made Lily hold it?"
"The sign, I think. She went on for a bit about sportsmanlike conduct and how the Gryffindor house team is a school-sanctioned organization that has an image to maintain and she had a half a mind to contact McGonagall."
"Wow," Rose shook her head.
"But, no matter, nothing ended up coming of it and we don't have any twats on the team this year except for James and there's really nothing we can do to get rid of him."
"What are you saying about me, Roxanne?" James shouted across the common room, looking up from the corner where he stood with Lucy and Allie.
"None of your business," Roxanne called back. "Well," she said, turning back to Rose and Maren, "I'm going to fetch a butterbeer and see if I can get Al to tell me anything about Slytherin's team this year."
"Good luck with that," Maren said, making a face. "We can't get him to tell us anything."
"We'll see," was all Roxanne said as she swished off.
"How're you lot doing?" Rose asked the younger cousins when Roxanne had left.
Louis shrugged and brushed a lock of blond hair from his forehead. "Fourth year is alright, though I think I've had more homework this week than I did all of last year."
"Yeah, it starts to pick up quite a bit," Rose nodded. "Have you heard anything from Vic or Dom?"
"Vic writes me every week but there's not much to say. All she does is work and keep her flat with Teddy."
"Are they getting engaged anytime soon?" Rose asked. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
"I dunno," Louis shrugged. "I haven't asked."
"Merlin, I can't wait for that wedding," Rose said, half to herself.
"Witch Weekly will lose its mind," Maren murmured from beside her. Rose chuckled. "That's why I need them to get married soon. If they wait too long everybody will expect me to have a date and I don't fancy finding an article about how lonely I am in one of those magazines."
"Don't worry, if all else fails I'll be your date."
"Thank you," Rose nodded. "See, this is why I keep you around."
"Sure, Weasley."
"And how about Dom?" Rose asked, turning back to Louis. "I haven't seen much from her since we got back to school."
"Oh, she just sent me a letter." Louis brightened. "Her team in Egypt just excavated the tomb of an old queen and one of the defenses was a spell that turned her partner into a cat! He's still in St. Mungo's and they haven't been able to reverse it yet!"
Rose's eyes widened. "A cat?"
"It's fantastic," Louis said with a broad grin. "Dom told me all about it, she said it's the most interesting thing that's happened there so far."
"Will they be able to turn him back?" Lily asked, her eyebrows knitting together. "Or will he be a cat forever?"
"The healers don't know," Louis replied. "But I'm sure they'll be able to fix it."
"I don't know," Maren said slowly. "Those ancient curses can be difficult to reverse."
"Well," Louis answered, pausing, "I suppose there are worse things than living the rest of your life as a cat."
"You could be forced to live as one of the gnomes in Grandma Molly's gardens," Hugo said evenly.
"Or as the giant squid," Lily added.
"Or as a Chudley Cannons fan," Maren said, laughing as Rose elbowed her in the side.
"It's not a curse to live life as a Chudley Cannons fan, it's a privilege," Rose sniffed.
"A privilege to watch your team lose every match?"
"A privilege to love something through its best and its worst."
"Even when it's always at its worst?"
"They're not always—"
"Rose, you're turning into Uncle Ron," Lily interjected, wrinkling her nose.
Rose clamped her mouth shut and stared in horror at her cousin. "I am not—Hugo—"
"I'm getting a butterbeer," Hugo said quickly, jumping from the sofa and looking at Louis and Lily. "Want to come?"
"I am not turning into my dad," Rose muttered under her breath.
"Let it go, Weasley," Maren said. She took Rose by the elbow and steered her toward the front of the room. "Come on, Zeno's waving us over, let's see what he and Fred are doing."
"How're you two doing?" Zeno asked genially as the girls approached. "Rose, you look like you're ready to fight the giant squid."
"Lily just told me I'm turning into my dad just because I like the Chudley Cannons."
"No, it's because you blindly and obsessively support them even though they're objectively the worst team in the league," Maren said.
Rose glared at her and crossed her arms. "Whatever."
"Well," Zeno said, opening two butterbeers and handing one to each girl. "Lily also said she wants to support Hufflepuff this year because she thinks their new beater McCauley Corcoran is fit, so I wouldn't listen to her."
Rose laughed and took a sip of butterbeer. "You make a good point."
"So forget about Lily," Fred said. "Here, let's play snap. We can have teams of two until Alec gets back from charms club."
"Davies is coming tonight?" Zeno asked.
"Yeah," Fred nodded. "Said he'll be along as soon as the meeting's up."
"Excellent," Zeno said. He turned to Rose, "You two will have plenty to talk about, as two of the best keepers in the school."
Rose flushed and gave a small smile. "I doubt he'll want to talk to me about it," she said quietly. "He's loads better than I am."
"Nah." Zeno shook his head. "He wouldn't shut up about that one save you pulled off last year in your match against Hufflepuff, the one where you hung upside down. Talked my ear off about it for a week straight."
"Really?" Rose sat up a bit straighter and brushed her hair over her shoulder. "But he knows so many more maneuvers than I do—he executed a perfect Mendelsohn dive last year in the match for the cup and there are professional keepers who struggle to do that."
"You two can trade praise and secrets then," Zeno laughed. "I'm surprised Fred hasn't forced you to be friends before this."
"I didn't want to be usurped by my own friend," Fred said solemnly as he took out the exploding snap cards. "I just know Rosie would meet Alec and I would be forgotten." He held his long face for a moment until Rose let out a giggle and then they all burst out laughing. "But no," Fred shook his head, "I've been meaning to introduce you for ages, but whenever you're here he's off doing something and then after the matches it's impossible to get within ten meters of him."
"It doesn't matter," Rose shrugged. "We get enough quidditch talk as it is. And football talk now that Maren's decided she's a fan."
"I didn't decide I'm a fan, I've always been a fan." Maren rolled her eyes and dropped her eyes to her shirt.
"You support like four different teams."
"What's your point?"
"That's too many!"
"Which teams do you support?" Fred asked, looking up at Maren and taking a sip of his drink. "Ever since Aunt Ginny took my mum to a match she's been going mad about muggle football."
"Manchester United is my family's favorite," Maren replied. "Though I do like Arsenal, they're fun to watch, and Chelsea."
Fred nodded. "You should talk to my mum, then, she's decided she's going to all the Manchester United matches this year."
"Ugh, I wish I could too," Maren groaned.
"We'll have you two talk after a quidditch match," Rose said. "You'll love Aunt Angelina."
"Just don't talk to her too much," Fred added. He looked around the group and shrugged. "I don't need my mum telling everybody embarrassing things about me."
"Your mum wouldn't do that," Rose said. "She just talks about your and Roxy's quidditch plays."
"If my dad's there though he'll definitely want to tell the story about when I flew into that tree when I was six."
"Oh, I've already heard that story," Maren said with an airy wave of her hand. "Rose told me ages ago."
"You weren't supposed to tell him that," Rose hissed as Fred scowled at her.
"Sorry," Maren shrugged.
Fred simply shook his head and looked around the room. "Later we'll have to find James and have him tell the story of Vic trying to repair her broom mid-air and accidentally setting it on fire. It's a classic."
"I forgot about that one," Rose gasped, stifling a laugh. "Where is he? Can he tell it now?"
"He's over there with Lucy and Allie and Albus," Maren said, pointing to a corner near the portrait hole. Rose turned and paused as her eyes fell on the scene. James sat next to Lucy, regaling the group with some story, his hands flying animatedly in the air and droplets of butterbeer sailing about. Lucy sat next to him, her face pink as she threw her head back with laughter. Rose bit her lip and turned back around. "They look like they're enjoying themselves, we'll ask later."
"So are we going to start a game or what?" Zeno asked, seizing the exploding snap deck and distributing the cards. "My money's on Rose to be the one whose cards explode first."
They played one round, then another and then another. Rose's cards did explode first, though nobody had taken Zeno's bet and Fred caused a greater commotion moments later by catching his sleeve on fire.
"Hold on, hold on!" James Potter shouted, leaping over Albus and brandishing his wand. "Aguamenti!" A stream of water shot from the tip of his wand and directly into Fred's face.
"You tosser!" Fred cried, shaking his head and holding his sleeve up in the air. "At least aim it properly."
"Here," Zeno said, smacking James in the chest and taking out his own wand. With a mutter and a jab a neat spray of water doused Fred's sleeve and stifled the flames.
"Thanks," Fred grunted, shaking out his smoking sleeve. He shook his head in James's direction. "You're so bloody dramatic, you could've lost me my arm."
"You wouldn't have lost your arm," James scoffed, stowing his wand back in his pocket. "It would have been a burn at best."
"Yes but what would you have done if one of your beaters had a burned arm and couldn't practice?" Fred raised an eyebrow.
"You could still practice," James replied. "We'd just send you to the hospital wing and they'd fix you right up. Remember what we said the other night? Nothing short of a broken bone warrants a missed practice."
Maren let out a whistle and leaned closer to Rose. "You were right. He makes Dom look like a fairy when it comes to quidditch."
"Told you."
"I think we're done with snap for a bit," Fred said, tossing the cards to the side as he sat back down. "Oy, Zeno, since you're up would you find me another butterbeer?"
"Me too!" Rose cried, laughing as Zeno made a face and summoned two bottles from the nearby table.
"You're lucky I like you, Weasley," he muttered as he handed her the drink. Rose stuck her tongue out and took a drink.
"Have you made any plans yet for after school?" Maren asked the two boys.
"Ergh," Zeno made a face. "Please don't talk about that now. I don't want to think about it."
"Do you have any ideas?" Rose asked, tilting her head to the side.
"I'd like to work for the Prophet or some other publication as an investigator but those jobs are so hard to get nowadays," Zeno said. "And all my backup plans are foggy at best now."
"You'll be fine, mate." Fred clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Didn't Lyncroft say that you shouldn't have too hard of a time finding a job in the ministry?"
Zeno wrinkled his nose. "But it's the ministry."
"Still a job," Fred shrugged. "Better than living with your mum after school."
"Are you working at the ministry, then?" Maren asked, turning toward Fred.
"Er." Rose watched as Fred paused and took a drink, a hand going to the back of his neck. "I don't quite know yet, honestly. I'm still figuring out what I want to do."
Maren nodded. "You have time, I was just curious."
"You and everyone else," said Fred with a stilted chuckle.
They fell into a silence broken only by the clink of glass against teeth. Rose sipped her butterbeer and examined her fingernails. A faint thud sounded behind her and she heard rustling of fabric as Zeno straightened.
"Oy, Alec's here!" he said, nudging Fred. "Davies! Over here, mate!"
Rose turned to see the newly arrived Alec Davies and almost dropped her bottle. He strode through the common room with a grace that Rose knew she would never be able to achieve; his bag hung elegantly on one of his broad shoulders in a way that was both precise and careless. Light brown hair dusted his forehead and he swept it back with a casual flick of his fingers, lean muscle peeking through his close-fitting shirt.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, capturing a bottle from the table and dropping down between Fred and Zeno. "Marlow wanted to discuss meeting times and it took ages."
"Don't worry, you didn't miss much," Fred replied.
"Good." Alec's eyes drifted over to Rose and Maren. "So these are your cousins?"
"Just the redhead," Fred gestured toward Rose. "And her friend Maren Thomas."
"The chaser?" Alec raised his eyebrows.
"Yup," Maren nodded. "And you're the Gryffindor keeper."
Alec bowed his head. "That I am." He looked up and shot Rose a grin. "I hope you'll still talk to me even though we're rivals."
"Pff," Rose snorted, giving what she hoped was an airy wave. "I don't let quidditch rivalries get in the way of my friendships. I'd have nobody except Maren to talk to otherwise."
Alec let out a laugh and took a sip of butterbeer. "Can't fault your logic. Half your family plays for other teams."
"And her brother's the new Hufflepuff beater now," Fred added.
"Really?" Alec looked back to Rose. "What's his name again?"
"Hugo," Rose said, puffing her chest out slightly and craning her neck to see Hugo still sitting on the sofa with Lily and Louis. "He's over there. He's a brilliant beater, I've been practicing with him all summer."
"That's good of you," Alec replied. "How old's he?"
"He's a third year," Rose said. "He's quite excited by it."
"Your family's going to take over Hogwarts quidditch if we aren't careful," Alec chuckled.
"We already have a bit," Rose said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "There's a Weasley playing in every match."
"Were your parents excited when your brother made the team?" Zeno asked.
"I think my dad nearly exploded," Rose chuckled. "Though he didn't send Hugh a howler which is absolute bullocks."
"I forgot he sent you one," Fred snorted. "I had a right laugh at breakfast that morning."
"I wanted to die," Rose shook her head, face heating up at the memory. "You remember it, don't you?" she asked, turning to Maren.
"How could I forget?" Maren chortled. She deepened her voice, "Rose Weasley, I am so bloody proud of you!"
They all burst into laughter and the heat radiating from Rose's cheeks dissipated somewhat as Alec Davies caught her eye and smiled.
"That's not that bad," he said ruefully. "When I made the team my dad sent me a howler too, except it wasn't of him talking."
"I forgot about this!" Fred cried, dissolving into laughter as Alec's neck turned pink.
"What was the howler then, if it wasn't your dad?" Rose asked, her eyes brightening.
"It was just a lion roaring nonstop," he said, smiling and taking a drink. "It was my second year and I truly thought I would have to quit the team from sheer embarrassment."
"No," Rose gasped.
"Mhm," Alec nodded. "The best part," he started to laugh, "at our first match everybody in the stands kept trying to roar at me. I think they meant it as a sort of intimidation, but it was too funny for that. I mean, imagine all the Hufflepuffs in the stands roaring at you as you're mounting your broom."
Rose let out a giggle and flicked her hair over her shoulders. "That sounds mad."
"It was." Alec took a sip of butterbeer and let out another soft chuckle. "Though I'm not sure I should be telling you any of this." He looked up at the girls. "You might try to use it against me at our match next week."
"We wouldn't dream of it," Rose said solemnly, placing a hand over her chest. "Your secret is safe with us."
"We like to win our matches based on our flying, not by intimidation," Maren added.
"Oh ho," Alec whistled, leaning back. "That's respectable, I suppose, though you seem rather confident there, Thomas."
Maren shrugged. "We've a good team this year."
"Well so has Gryffindor." Davies's grin broadened and his eyes slid toward Rose as he leaned toward them. "And I'll let you in on another secret. I've been practicing a new maneuver."
"Which one?" Rose breathed, moving forward so her face came within centimeters of Davies's. His lips came together into a smirk and he shrugged.
"You'll simply have to wait and see at the match."
Rose huffed and straightened. "That's not fair."
"It's plenty fair," Fred broke in abruptly, shooting Davies a look. "He's already told you far too much."
Alec put his hands up in surrender. "I didn't give anything away that Winkle could use."
"You were getting close," Fred said. "And James'll skin us both if he thinks we've been blabbing about our plays."
Alec nodded and mimed charming his mouth closed. "Sorry girls," he said with an apologetic look. "No more quidditch secrets from me tonight."
"But that was the only reason we were talking to you," Maren simpered, her mouth twisting into a frown.
"Ah, I knew you were only using me for my insider knowledge," Davies said with an air of forced grievance. "That's disappointing, Thomas. But Rose," he looked to her and widened his eyes, ran a hand through his hair, "you would never use me like that, would you?"
"Hmm." She put a hand to her chin and pretended to contemplate the idea, laughing as Alec's expression grew more and more exaggerated. "I suppose not," she said at last. "I can be friends with other keepers sometimes, you know."
"Really?" Davies asked. "That's rather impressive."
"Well it helps that Nathan's been my friend since first year."
"Ah, you're friends with Nott." Alec hesitated and shared a look with Zeno. "That's—he seems—"
"He's wonderful," Rose said in a clipped voice, frowning.
"Of course," Zeno responded quickly. "I've heard a lot of people say he's a good bloke. He joined Slytherin's team last year, didn't he?"
"Yes." Rose tossed her head. "He's one of the best keepers in the school. We made a bet last year to see who would have the better record at the end of the season and he did very well."
"And who won the bet?" Zeno asked.
Rose colored. "Er, I did," she mumbled. "But it was difficult. Nathan's a wonderful keeper, you see."
"I know he's a good keeper," Davies said. "I watch him at the matches. He's got good instincts and speed that makes up for his lack of agility."
Rose raised her eyebrows. "You keep tabs on everyone?"
"Just the keepers." Davies shrugged. "I like to know what I'm up against."
Rose narrowed her eyes. "So what would you say about me?"
Alec studied her for a moment and then ran a hand through his hair. "You also have excellent instincts when it comes to where people are going to try to score and when you know what's coming you're nearly unstoppable. But when someone surprises you, you don't react quickly enough and that's when you let in most of your goals."
Rose blinked. "Er—alright, then."
"It's not a terrible thing," Davies said. "Every keeper is better when they know what's coming."
"But you're saying there's room for improvement."
"There's always room for improvement," Davies raised an eyebrow. "That's what separates the good players for the great ones. It's who continues to work and improve."
Rose nodded slowly. "So I need to work on my reflexes when someone does something I'm not expecting. Got it."
"If you want to wait until next year to start working on that, though, I wouldn't complain," Davies responded, his smile returning. "You're still a damn good keeper and I'd like to keep Gryffindor's chances of winning the cup as high as possible."
Rose laughed. "No promises."
Davies emptied his butterbeer. "You said you and Nott had a bet last year over who would have the best record?"
"Mhm," Rose nodded. "And we have it again this year."
"Would you like to make another one?"
Rose peered at him. He looked earnest, with his face relaxed and his shoulders leaning slightly forward.
"Is Rose Weasley actually unsure of herself?" Maren whispered, nudging her in the shoulder.
"No," Rose hissed, straightening and flipping her hair over her shoulder. "What are the conditions?" she asked Davies.
"Five galleons?"
Rose hesitated for a moment and bit her lip before dropping her shoulders. "Deal."
"Excellent," Davies said as they shook hands. "I look forward to trying to beat you."
"I look forward to it as well."
"Well, now that that's settled," Fred said, popping the top off another butterbeer, "I've been meaning to ask about your new seeker Plumaj. How's she?"
"Oh, she's wonderful," Maren cried, shifting in her seat. "I've never seen a player like her before."
"It's a bit odd she hasn't tried out before this year," Fred mused. "And a bit odd she tried out for seeker. She doesn't really have the build for it."
"You wouldn't know it from watching her fly," Maren said. "She has to be one of the most naturally gifted flyers in the school."
"That's saying something considering some of the players we have walking around here," Zeno remarked.
Maren shrugged. "She said she has family on the Albanian national team, too."
"Who's this now?"
Rose looked behind her to find James walking toward them, with Lucy, Allie, Albus and Roxanne following like a line of ducklings.
"Should I be recruiting someone for next year's team?" James asked as he squeezed between Maren and Zeno.
"Oy, budge over," Albus said, nudging his way between Rose and Fred.
"You miss me?" Rose asked.
"You're closest to the portrait hole," Albus replied, jerking his head back toward the entrance.
Rose paused and nodded. "Good thinking."
"It's a seventh year Ravenclaw," Fred said to James over the commotion of everybody scrambling for a seat. "The new seeker Plumaj."
"Ah," James nodded. "Yeah, her family's big in the quidditch world in eastern Europe. I don't think she's been at Hogwarts that long, this is her second or third year."
"That explains why she hasn't tried out before now," Rose murmured.
"Well she's bloody brilliant," Maren said. "I reckon she could take over Wood's job if she wanted to."
"We'll see how she does this year," James said. "Though I suppose after that wanker Herrick any new seeker seems brilliant."
Rose's face burned and she looked down at her lap as Maren shifted beside her. A few feet away, Fred cleared his throat.
"Ah, shite, Rosie, I'm sorry," James burst out.
"It's fine," Rose mumbled, glancing up to give James a small smile. "Everybody knows he's a sack of dung."
"Those rumors weren't true, then?" Zeno asked, peering at Rose.
"Of course they weren't true," Fred snapped, scowling at his friend. "I already told you that."
"Okay, sorry, I just wanted to ask Rose herself."
"Can we talk about something else?" Rose asked feebly, her face still burning as she tried to look anywhere but in Alec Davies's direction.
James looked further down the circle and said, "Hey, Luce, look at this!" and pointed his wand at his face. There was a faint pop and a puff of smoke which cleared to reveal James, his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes all replaced with feathers. Lucy giggled as James shook his head and batted his new eyelashes.
"Oh, make them different colors like you did earlier," Allie trilled, laughing as James complied. The feathers turned different neon hues, making James's head look like the odd lamp Rose's Grandpa Granger kept in his office.
"Oy, Fred," James barked, "I nearly forgot, how did studying with Amalia go?"
"Oh, who's Amalia?" Lucy asked, leaning forward, oblivious to the looks Maren and Allie both sent toward Rose, whose face grew warm again.
Fred gave a noncommittal shrug. "A girl I've been studying with."
Zeno snorted. "Studying with, spending every night in the common room with, snogging in broom cupboards."
"Shut it," Fred muttered, elbowing Zeno in the side. He looked up and caught Rose's eye. "I'm surprised Rose didn't tell you about it, really."
Lucy looked at Rose and frowned. "Why did Rose know about it?"
Fred laughed, his cheeks growing slightly darker as he took a sip of butterbeer. "She was being a good prefect and patrolling and may have come across me and my friend behind a tapestry."
Zeno, Alec, and James all sniggered, having obviously heard the story beforehand. Albus and Roxanne turned to stare at Rose.
"You caught him snogging a girl while you were on patrol?" Roxanne asked, her face wrinkling. "Urgh, poor Rosie."
Rose snorted. "It was rather horrid."
"I think we both wished we were somewhere else," Fred said. He turned to the group and shook his head. "There I was, tucked safely behind a tapestry on the fourth floor when some incredibly rude prefect rips it away and I turn around and it's my little cousin Rosie staring at me like I'd just kicked a kneazle."
"You weren't even trying to be discreet," Rose threw her hands up in exasperation. "Thank Merlin Scorpius was there otherwise I would've had to be the one to dock points from you."
"Oh, yeah, neither Rosie or I really said anything, it was a bit uncomfortable, you see."
"It was bloody awful," Rose interjected.
"Yes, that," Fred laughed. "So the Malfoy bloke steps up from behind her and gives me and Lia a bit of a telling off about engaging in 'non-academic activities' in the corridor past curfew and docks us points before sending us on our way."
James snorted and raised an eyebrow in Rose's direction. "How is it, patrolling with Malfoy, by the way?"
Rose shrugged, feeling Albus tense beside her. "It's fine. He's not that bad."
"Really?" Fred furrowed his brow. "You're getting along better now?"
"I dunno," Rose brushed a piece of hair from her face. "We don't talk much, but he's fine."
"You used to really hate him," Fred chuckled.
"Really?" Alec Davies broke in, giving Rose an appraising look. "I can't picture you hating anyone."
"I didn't hate him." Rose crossed her arms and leaned back, glancing at Albus. "We've just never been particularly good friends."
"She was angry he beat her at potions," Lucy said airily.
Rose opened her mouth to reply but then closed it, frowning at Lucy.
"And you two are fine now," Allie chirped. "You just stay out of each other's way."
"Exactly." Rose nodded. "We patrol and after that we're just housemates."
"Well that's good, I suppose," Fred shrugged. "You're never going to be best friends but if you just keep out of each other's way you can be cordial."
"Which works just as well for me," Rose said, looking to Maren. "The friends I have are enough trouble as it is."
"Well, now that we're all here, shall we have a snap tournament?" James asked, seizing the cards and shuffling them vigorously, ignoring the shower of sparks that rained onto the floor.
"Potter, if you burn down the common room Lyncroft will murder us all," Zeno muttered.
"It won't burn down," James said as he took out his wand and tapped the cards. "If my box of fireworks last year didn't do it I doubt a pack of cards will. Now, how many people have we? Here, everybody pair up, I don't think we have enough cards for everyone to play otherwise."
"This is mad," Maren whispered to Rose as James divided up the cards.
"I agree." Zeno sighed and gave Maren a look of commiseration. "There's too many Weasleys here for this to go well."
"You say that as if we're all a bunch of yahoos," Rose snorted.
Zeno put his hands up. "You said it, not me."
Rose laughed and threw a card at him, which promptly burst into flames. "I told you the common room would burn down!" Zeno yelled as everybody jumped up to try to put the fire out.
By the time the excitement died down and four different people had doused Zeno with water, it was nearly eleven o'clock and Albus announced he had to go back to his dormitory to finish homework and go to bed.
"We should go too, then," Allie said, looking around at the Ravenclaw girls. "Rose is enough of a nightmare in the morning as it is. She shouldn't be out too late."
Rose sniffed. "I'm perfectly pleasant in the morning."
"Let's keep it that way, then," Allie said dryly.
After many goodbyes, last minute jabs, and James charming his face two more times, the four girls tumbled out of the portrait hole and into the corridor.
"That was wonderful," Rose breathed as she skipped down the hallway. "We should do that more often."
"You just liked talking to Alec Davies," Maren laughed, linking her arm through Rose's. "He's quite fit."
"Ooh, Rose," Allie cooed, waggling her eyebrows, "I saw you talking to him for a long time there."
Rose flushed and gave her best approximation of a nonchalant shrug. "We were just talking about quidditch."
"And he definitely said he thinks you're one of the best keepers in the school," Maren said. "And he made that bet with you over your record."
"Yes, well," Rose said, biting her lip, "I dunno. He's probably got lots of girls to talk to."
"But he's so fit," Maren replied. "And tall, and a wonderful quidditch player, and he's in the charms club so you know he's smart."
"He sounds perfect," Allie breathed.
Rose allowed herself a small smile before shaking her head. "No, I said no boys this year!"
"I don't remember you saying that," Allie frowned.
"I'm saying it now." Rose tossed her head. "Unless Mr. Darcy comes to Hogwarts, I don't want to talk to another boy that I'm not related to this entire year."
"What about Nathan?" Allie asked.
"Doesn't count, he's dating Lucy."
"That's right," Lucy said crisply.
"And Zeno?"
"He's Fred's friend. I'll talk to boys I'm friends with. Just not—talk—y'know."
"Okay," Maren said slowly. "Nothing less than Mr. Darcy, we'll remember that."
"Or Peter Pevensie," Rose added. "I'll make an exception for him as well."
Maren snorted. "You're mad."
Ravenclaw Tower welcomed them home with its familiar midnight blue carpet and open space and Rose breathed in deeply. "I love going to other common rooms and seeing my cousins, but I do love coming back here at the end."
"It's a good place to come home to," Allie said, twisting a ringlet around her finger and letting it spring back.
They climbed the spiral staircase silently, and fell into bed nearly as soon as they reached the dormitory. Rose looked up from her pillow to see her friends sprawled on their mattresses. Maren lay flat on her back with her arms and legs splayed like a starfish, dark hair covering the pillow. Allie lay on her side with her knees drawn toward her chest and her golden curls circling her face like a halo. Lucy, Rose saw, was curled on her side, arms and legs tucked close, and a small smile lingering on her face. Her eyes were open and they roved around the room, taking in everything and seeing nothing. Rose looked back to her own pillow before rolling over and taking the book from her bedside table. She lit her wand and flipped the book open to the end without bothering to check the title. In her dormitory, wrapped in soft sheets with the soft humming of her friends' breath around her, she read the end of Persuasion and imagined she was Anne Elliot, listening rapturously as a handsome naval captain with light brown hair, broad shoulders, and good reflexes on a broom announced his enduring love for her. She couldn't help the small smile that crept across her face, and the pictures of Alec Davies smiling at her that flooded her mind. It had been a good night, she thought, as she extinguished her wand and let the wind's soft lullaby and Jane Austen's words carry her to sleep.