Chapter 6
October burst into Hogwarts with a torrent of multi-hued leaves and a newfound bite in the brisk Scottish air. The Ravenclaw fifth years settled into their favorite common room chairs as they scrambled to keep up with the ever-increasing workload.
For Rose, the advent of October was especially welcome as it meant quidditch matches were starting; specifically, it meant that the Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor match loomed close and she would get to play against Alec Davies. After the get-together in the Gryffindor common room he had taken to saying hello to her in the corridor and alluding to their newly-minted bet. Each time he did so, with a flick of his hair and dimple-inducing smile, Rose felt as though somebody had cast a liquefying charm on her intestines and found it suddenly impossible to focus in her subsequent classes. She spent more time than she would like to admit staring out windows and imagining one magical afternoon when Davies, instead of merely waving and calling out hello, would take her by the waist and quite literally sweep her off her feet, twirling her down the corridor as they shared a magical first kiss and then flew off into the sunset.
Maren said that dream was too cliche and Rose should liven it up a bit, but Rose liked it all the same. Though with the upcoming match she did alter her daytime musings so that they took place in the aftermath of the match, with Ravenclaw victorious and Davies fighting through the crowd to make his way to her and tell her she was the best keeper he had ever seen, the most beautiful witch he knew, the only girl for him.
It was glorious.
On the morning of the match Rose awoke feeling as though she had fairies buzzing in her stomach and a slug in her throat. She dressed quickly, tugging her quidditch robes over her head and wrestling her hair into two plaits as Maren groaned beside her. They didn't speak to each other, merely locked eyes for a moment over Rose's trunk and nodded in unspoken understanding. Allie and Lucy moved around them, chattering about the weather and how they should do their hair. Rose pulled on her socks and snatched her keeping gloves from their special compartment in her trunk, nodding towards Maren and rising. They swept out of the dormitory and tripped down the stairs to breakfast.
"My shoulder still hurts from all those bloody drills Winkle made me do on Wednesday," Maren whined as they took their seats in the Great Hall, massaging her shoulder blade and wincing. "I swear to Merlin, if my scoring average goes down because he wouldn't let me take a break-"
"You'll be fine," Rose said, pulling the pitcher of pumpkin juice forward. She bit chewed her lip and sighed. "But honestly, why does our first match have to be against Gryffindor out of everyone?"
"Are you nervous" Maren asked, taking a bite of eggs and raising an eyebrow.
Rose shrugged and took a drink of juice. "No—not really."
Maren frowned and stared at her. Rose sighed.
"I just-I dunno-people are gonna be watching-"
"As they always do," Maren said.
"Right, but-" Rose trailed off, her face growing warm. She glanced at the Gryffindor table, where James and Fred sat hunched over their plates and Alec Davies sipped a glass of juice, perfectly composed, his hair hanging in just a way-
"Oy, Weasley," Maren barked across the table, waving her hand in Rose's face. "You're not going to go batty on us because of Davies, are you?"
"No," Rose said quickly, turning back to face her plate. "It's just-you know-"
She was saved from saying more by the appearance of Hera Plumaj behind Maren. "Hi, girls," the older girl said said, taking a seat beside Rose. "Are you ready for the match?"
"Rose's nervous," Maren announced.
Rose scowled at her friend. "Well Maren's arm still hurts from Monday."
"Ookay," Hera said slowly, throwing three slices of toast on her plate. "So not quite ready, then."
"We are ready," Maren retorted. "I just need to warm up my arm a bit more and Rose needs to stop mooning over Davies for the afternoon."
"I am not mooning," Rose huffed, sticking her nose in the air and ignoring the faint heat trickling over her cheeks.
"Is that why you're nervous?" Hera eyed Rose as she buttered her toast.
"She wants to impress him," Maren nodded solemnly.
"I do not," Rose snapped. "Well, I want him to think I'm a good player, but I don't care if he doesn't! It doesn't matter."
"Right," Maren said with a shake of her head. "Of course it doesn't."
They ate in silence, Rose stealing glances of the Gryffindor table and pretending not to see Maren's eye rolls. The rest of the team trickled into the hall and joined them with the exception of Henry Winkle, whom Katrina said had skipped breakfast and gone straight down to the changing rooms.
"He's mad," Hera said with a laugh.
"He's worried about today," Scorpius replied. "He thinks we have a chance of beating Gryffindor."
"Of course we have a chance of beating them!" Linus Fleming chirped, rolling back the sleeves of his quidditch robes which engulfed his small frame. "I think we could beat any team in the school right now."
Rose snorted. "I'm glad you're so optimistic."
"Hey," Hera elbowed her in the ribs, "don't be negative, Weasley."
"I'm not being negative!" Rose cried. "I didn't even say anything."
"Everybody stop talking and eat," Katrina said, looking down at her watch. "We need to be going soon and I don't want anybody going into a match hungry."
"Yes, Mum," Maren replied, shoving another forkful of food in her mouth.
They finished breakfast quickly, everybody falling silent as they ate. When it was time to go down to the pitch Katrina corralled them, waving rather frantically as she herded them out of the Great Hall. As they were leaving the Gryffindor team rose from their own table and walked behind them. Rose kept her eyes straight ahead, determined not to turn around. As she swept through the doorway, somebody clapped her on the shoulder and Alec Davies appeared beside her, grinning.
"Good luck, Weasley," he said merrily.
"Er-" Rose stammered, her face flaming. "Thanks-thanks you. I mean, thank you."
Alec just smiled and continued on his way to the pitch. Beside Rose, Maren shook her head. "I swear to Merlin," she said, frowning at Rose, "if we lose this match because you're drooling over Davies, I will help Winkle murder you."
"I'm not going to lose us the match," Rose muttered, shoving her hands in her pocket. "I'm going to play wonderfully and win that bet."
"That's the spirit."
Henry stood near the entrance to the changing room, frowning at a clipboard and muttering to himself. "Ah, there you all are," he said, looking up as they approached. "I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to come fetch you."
"Don't worry, Winkle," Katrina said dryly, "we know how to get to the pitch on our own."
"Right," Henry nodded, half to himself. "Well let's get on, then, everybody get ready. We've a lot to talk about before the match starts."
Rose stifled a groan. Everybody spread out in the changing room, the three chasers huddling together in a corner while Hera and Linus both meandered to different areas. Rose tugged her keepers gloves out and ran her hands over them, letting her fingers drift over the soft grooves in the dragon hide.
"Alright, you lot," Henry said after a few minutes, standing in front of them all and levitating the clipboard in front of him. "I have a few things to say before we go out there."
The team looked around at each other, finished lacing up their shoes and tying back their hair, and circled around their captain.
"Right," Henry said, eyes scanning the parchment in front of him. "We're playing Gryffindor, and they're arguably the best team at the school."
"But they're not Ravenclaw!" Linus cried, throwing a hand in the air. Winkle sent him a withering glare and the fourth year shrank back, muttering a soft, "Sorry."
"They've had the same team for nearly three years now," Winkle continued. "So they're going to be good. Chasers," he looked toward Katrina, Maren, and Scorpius, "I'm not going to tell you what plays to run or what to do with the quaffle, but make sure you're communicating, alright? I don't want to see anyone trying to be a star or going rogue. We have to be a team if we're going to stand a chance."
"Got it, Captain," Maren nodded, the other two murmuring their assent.
"Fleming," he said to Linus, giving him a sharp look, "same goes for you. You and I act as one unit, got it?"
Linus nodded quickly. "Understood."
"Plumaj, Cutler's going to be a tough seeker to beat," Henry frowned. "But the good news is we're early in the season and don't have a score quota. The longer this match goes the bigger advantage Gryffindor will have over us. If you see the snitch, go for it. We'd like as short a match as possible."
"Of course," Hera responded, flexing her fingers.
"Weasley," Henry turned to Rose. She straightened and caught his eye, her grip on her keeping gloves tightening. "Stay alert out out there. I know we're playing against your family but no matter what, we cannot afford for you to be distracted. Keep one eye on the quaffle at all times, don't worry about what else is happening out there. Understand?"
"Yes," Rose murmured, inclining her head slightly.
The team trooped out onto the pitch then. Rose tugged her gloves around her fingers and shook out her arm, ignoring the din of the crowd sitting high in the stands. The Gryffindor team stood in the middle of the pitch with Wood, their scarlet robes billowing in the slight breeze, blazing beacons in the late morning fog. James stepped forward, meeting Winkle and shaking his hand. Wood blew his whistle and Rose mounted her broom, toes digging into the soft pitch. The whistle screeched again and she pushed off, air rushing past her and the roar of the crowd filling her ears. She assumed her position in front of the goal hoops just in time to see Roxanne flying towards her, the quaffle tucked under her arm.
"Weasley headed down the pitch!" River Jordan called out through the magical megaphone. "Roxanne, that is, with Rose Weasley defending the Ravenclaw goals. Weasley swerves right, avoids a bludger sent by new Ravenclaw beater Fleming, dives to avoid another sent by Winkle, passes to Potter, and he's off!"
Rose kept her eyes on James as he shot to the left, hugging the side of the stands, his body nearly flush against his broom. A bludger shot toward him from the far side of the pitch and James ducked to avoid it, nearly crashing into Maren below him. In the instant it took for him to regain his balance, another bludger careened toward him and the quaffle flew from his grip, landing squarely in Maren's hands. Rose bit back a cheer as her friend turned and charged toward the Gryffindor goals.
"Thomas with the quaffle!" River cried. "She dodges right, passes to DeMarco. DeMarco goes higher, passes to Malfoy. Oh! Malfoy narrowly avoids a bludger sent by Weasley, passes back to Thomas. Thomas shoots-and it's saved by Davies!"
The scarlet and gold clad section of the stands erupted in cheers and Rose groaned.
"Potter with the quaffle now," River called as Alec Davies passed the quaffle to James. "Potter passes to Weasley, Weasley back to Potter, Potter approaches the goal!"
Rose tightened her grip on her broom handle and narrowed her eyes. James flew straight towards her, the quaffle under his left arm, his right hand steering his broom. His eyes were fixed on a point above her right shoulder. Just as his left hand began to move his right shifted to the right, guiding the broom. Rose leaned right and the quaffle left James's hand, hurtling toward the right hoop. Rose lurched forward, arms outstretched; she could hear the crowd and River screaming in the background, could feel the air shake from the energy of the pitch. Her fingers found purchase on the leathery skin of the quaffle just as Wood's whistle shrieked and she triumphantly brought the ball into her chest. She turned to face the pitch to pass the quaffle to one of the chasers, only to find the other players descending. Then the words being yelled into the magical megaphone reached her.
"Gryffindor wins!" River yelled, her voice barely audible over the stamping and cheering of the Gryffindor spectators. "Kennedy Cutler catches the snitch in one minute and twenty six seconds giving us a final score of one hundred and fifty to zero!"
Rose drifted to the ground, the quaffle still under her arm. She landed beside Maren, who gave a small shrug. "The snitch showed up about a meter from Cutler," she said. "Hera never stood a chance."
"So that's it?" Rose asked dumbly, looking around the pitch as the spectators began to trail out of the stands. On the other side of the pitch, the Gryffindor team had congregated and was already traipsing back to the changing rooms. Alec Davies ran a hand through his hair and clapped Kennedy Cutler on the back. "It's done?"
"Yup," Maren nodded, taking the quaffle from Rose's hands. "Nice save, though."
Rose didn't answer, still watching Alec Davies's retreating back, trying to will him to turn around and see her.
"I think everyone's meeting by the changing rooms," Maren said, nudging Rose in the shoulder. "We should head over."
"Hm? Yeah," Rose nodded absently. "Sure."
"At least Winkle can't be upset with us," Maren mused as they trudged toward the team. "Everyone did what they were supposed to do. Gryffindor just got lucky."
"And we weren't exactly expecting to win," Rose added.
"Nice save there, Weasley," Henry said hollowly when Rose and Maren reached him.
"Thanks," Rose said. "Bad luck about the snitch."
"Yeah, well," Henry sighed, his shoulders sinking, "what can you do? We'll just have to beat Hufflepuff by a bigger margin next month. Is everyone here, though?" He straightened and looked over the congregated players. Rose swiveled around, eyes roving over Katrina, Scorpius, Linus, and Hera, who had just joined them. "Right," Henry continued, "well, there's not much to say. Good flying. Nice work with the quaffle. We'll just have to keep practicing and hope that in the next match the snitch appears right in front of Plumaj."
"And maybe James will fall off his broom," Rose chirped.
Henry snorted and shook his head, turning toward the changing rooms. "Sportsmanship, Weasley."
Nobody said anything on the way to the changing room nor as they peeled off their sweaty quidditch robes. As she and Maren stepped out onto the grounds, Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "I hate being in there after losing a match. It feels like we're not allowed to talk."
"Nobody's really in the mood," Maren shrugged. "That was a disappointing match."
"I know, but it's not like we played badly," Rose replied. They turned onto the path leading to the castle and joined the stragglers who were just returning from the stands. "Winkle said himself that everybody did well."
Maren raised an eyebrow and folded her arms, eyeing the other students walking near them. "That almost makes it worse. If we played that well we ought to have won."
"Well, no matter," Rose said, jutting her chin out, "we'll keep practicing and crush Hufflepuff next month and go on to win the cup."
"Good match, Thomas!" a passerby called.
"Thank you!" Maren shouted back, straightening and puffing out her chest slightly.
"You're a proper celebrity," Rose said with a faint smile. "Do you even know who that was?"
"Not a clue," Maren grinned, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Now I know how you lot feel every day. Is it tiring keeping up with your admirers?"
"Exhausting," Rose said dryly. "Really, I ought to quit school and just be a Weasley professionally."
"Of course," Maren nodded as they approached the castle. "We just need to find a horribly dark wizard intent on killing half the world for you to defeat."
Rose shrugged. "That's the only thing? Easy. We should be done by dinner." She looked up, expecting to find the castle doors in front of her, and stopped. "Oh."
Gabriel Herrick stood in front of the open door, giving Rose an approximation of his charming smile. "Nice match, Weasley."
Rose stood still, chewing the inside of her cheek, heat spilling over her ears and cheeks.
"Ugh," Maren groaned, taking Rose by the arm and pushing roughly past Herrick. "I do hate it when horrid gits try to speak to us, Rose. We really should hire Fred and James to be our private security team."
Rose made a noncommittal noise, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and determinedly looking down at the floor as she followed Maren into the castle. Herrick didn't say anything more, and Rose didn't turn to see if he was watching them. "Slimy git," she muttered under her breath as they began climbing the staircase.
"I'll bet he's been waiting there for us since the match finished like a proper twat," Maren said, shaking her head.
"Ugh," Rose huffed. "What is he even trying to do?"
"He's probably bitter nobody cares about him anymore," Maren said sagely. "And he wants to cause trouble for you again."
"Well," Rose murmured, "If I see him again I'll just tell James and Fred to go ahead and hex him."
"That's the spirit." Maren grinned. "Now, you need to answer the riddle for me when we get up there. I've been rubbish at them this week and I promised Allie and Scorpius we could all play snap tonight so we have to get in quickly before all the first years take the best seats."
"Haven't you been answering these riddles for five years?"
"Don't start with me, Weasley, I think that knocker purposely gives me the most difficult ones."
"Whatever you say," Rose giggled. Maren swatted at her but Rose successfully ducked. "But, hey," she added, looking over at her friend and giving her a smile. "Good match today. Honestly, you did great."
"Thanks," Maren snorted, brushing hair from her forehead as a small smile tugged at her mouth. "You did well too."
"Thanks to you." They reached the top of the stairs and rounded the corner, making their way down the corridor toward Ravenclaw Tower. "You're a good teacher, Thomas."
Maren shrugged and bit her lip. "Really?"
"Yeah," Rose nodded earnestly. "You're just as good as Vic and she's taught half my cousins."
"Well, I suppose there are worse people to be compared to," Maren said lightly, crossing her arms over her chest. "If I ever run out of pocket money maybe I can charge some of the second years for flying lessons."
"You'll have to let me in on that," Rose said. "Or else I'll tell McGonagall." The eagle knocker came into view at the end of the corridor, its bronze beak glinting in the fading sunlight. "Aren't you glad we're in Ravenclaw, though?"
Maren shrugged. "I suppose. I can't imagine being in another house."
Rose stopped in front of the common room door, eyeing the eagle knocker. She looked over her shoulder and grinned. "It's the perfect house for us."
Maren snorted. "Just get us in the common room, Weasley."
The eagle knocker opened its mouth, but before it could relay its riddle the door flew open and a pack of second years nearly overtook the two girls.
"Oy!" Rose shouted, nearly toppling over.
"Sorry!" One particularly scrawny boy called, looking over his shoulder as he trotted down the corridor. He caught sight of Rose's face and brightened. "Good match today, Rose Weasley!"
"Thanks," she muttered.
"Come on," Maren grabbed Rose by the elbow and pulled her into the common room. "Bloody kids almost ran us over."
"Just be happy we didn't have to worry about the question," Rose said, smoothing her hair as she scanned the room. Most of the armchairs and tables were occupied, though nobody seemed to be doing school work. Groups of students sat crammed on the sofas and armchairs, chatting and laughing. Against the far wall a chess tournament seemed to be taking place, with approximately ten third year boys huddled around a table, cheering and groaning as fragments of a pawn smashed to the ground. People dotted the plush midnight blue carpet, some writing letters and others reading; a small girl with freckles levitated a piece of string and giggled as a black cat swatted it; in a far corner two teenage boys sat hunched over what looked like a deconstructed radio, the pieces spinning and squealing. Rose spotted Allie sitting on an armchair near the dormitory staircase, her blonde hair pinned back behind her ears.
"Hey," Rose waved as she walked over.
"Hi!" Allie chirped, moving to the side of the armchair. On the chair beside her sat Lucy and Nathan, whispering and smiling softly; Albus and Scorpius lay sprawled on the floor, both apparently preoccupied with a copy of Quidditch Quarterly.
Rose squeezed next to Allie on the armchair as Maren flopped onto the floor. At her appearance, Albus looked up from the magazine.
"Oh, we were wondering where you two had gone off to," he said. "Good match today."
"Thanks," Rose replied. "Would've been nice to start the season off by beating Gryffindor, though."
"Yeah, but there was nothing any of you could've done," Albus shrugged. "Sometimes it just comes down to luck, and Cutler got lucky with the snitch showing up like that."
"It's still annoying," Scorpius murmured from the floor, flipping the page and glancing up at Rose. "We played well and it feels like it didn't count."
"Exactly," Rose nodded. "Maybe next year, though, when James is gone we'll have a proper chance."
"Is he actually leaving after this year?" Maren asked. "I rather thought he was just going to stay and play house quidditch until McGonagall personally escorted him off the grounds."
"I think she'll do that at the end of this year if she has to," Rose laughed. "And if she doesn't then his mum will."
"I don't know," Albus mused. "Mum's not too keen on the idea of having him back at home next year."
"Well he can go live with Grandma Molly then," Rose said. "She'd love that."
"I don't care where he goes so long as he's not playing quidditch for Gryffindor," Maren rolled her eyes. "I'm quite sick of them always winning."
"Well next year that should change," Scorpius said. "They're losing Potter, Weasley and Cutler. It'll be a rebuilding year for them."
"And Ravenclaw can take back the cup!"
"Unless Slytherin wins it," Albus replied.
"Shut it, you're in our common room, you cheer for our team," Maren reprimanded him.
Albus raised his eyebrows and snorted. "You know, Thomas, I reckon you're just as barmy when it comes to house quidditch as James is."
Maren straightened and narrowed her eyes. "Never compare me to your brother again, Potter."
"I just meant-"
"Weren't we going to play a round of snap?" Allie broke in, shifting beside Rose and retrieving her wand from between the chair cushions. "If we don't start soon we won't be able to get a game in before Al and Nathan have to go back to the dungeons."
"Right," Albus said quickly, casting a furtive glance in Maren's direction before snatching a pack of cards lying on the floor. "Nathan? Lucy? Are you two playing?"
"Hm?" Lucy murmured, looking in their direction for the first time.
"Snap?" Albus asked, holding up the cards.
"Yeah, we'll play," Lucy said. She looked to Nathan, "Is that alright?"
"Of course," he said genially, moving to the front of the chair and leaning forward. "Are we doing teams or every man for themselves?"
"We can't play with teams anymore because someone almost burned down the castle last time," Maren said, giving Rose a meaningful look.
"I did not almost burn it down," Rose protested, throwing her hands up furiously. "I told you that card was unstable and you were the one who continued to play it."
"Let's do teams but split up those two," said Scorpius, gesturing toward Rose and Maren. "It'll take too long if everyone plays for themselves."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Maren and I are perfectly capable of being on a team together."
"We'll just be on the safe side," Albus said as he began to deal. "Rose, you me and Allie will play together. Scorp, you and Maren can play with Lucy and Nathan."
The cards went out and the night wore on with many arguments, some giggles, and Nathan very nearly losing a finger. Through the window shone a full moon, its rays filling Ravenclaw Tower with soft light and illuminating the faces of its occupants. Rose looked around at her friends and classmates, felt Allie's shoulders shake with laughter when Albus tried to levitate a card and only managed to make it prematurely explode, and thought that Ravenclaw Tower might just be her favorite place in the world.