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 Four times clockwise. Rose did her best to focus on their potion but couldn't put her eyes off Al's pale face. He looked even paler than Scorpius.




"I'll go." he said. She would have stoped him if she hadn't known him so well, as she was sure he wanted to be alone.

"Enjoy your trip." she muttered as he started his way to the other side of the classroom. It wasn't an enormous classroom, but considering Al's mood, it was a quidditch pitch in the depths of Hogwarts.

"He's kind of overreacting, isn't he?" asked Scorpius, lightly lifting his gaze from their boiling potion.

Rose stared at him with disbelief, leaving his question in the air. How could he? Of course, insensible snake aren't you? He could be so nice sometimes, but sometimes she just couldn't stand him. She just kept staring.

"He doesn't have the best of lucks but-... I... you got in the team anyways... I mean, you will get in, right?" he tried to make up for what he said, innocent looking.

She then realized he hadn't forgotten the second phase ingredients. He had left them on purpose to talk to her and ask her that question burning inside of him. He actually cared of Albus' feelings. Somehow. She tried to look as superior as possible.

"You doubt it?" He froze. "But you're right. I, er, without him, I'm not in the team." 

It came form her heart. Even she was a little surprised of her words but concluded it was the right thing to do. Now it was Scorpius' turn to shake his head.

"What?! You can't be serious. I know you won't let pass this chance to make history in quidditch. Why would you...?" He smirked as an idea flourished ion his head. "Oh! You're not scared of losing against me, are you Weasley?"

"Wha-? Have you got any heart... at all Malfoy?" her gaze was full of hate. "I thought you were different!" she snapped.

"I..." Scorpius was cut off by Al's smiling arrival. Suddenly seeing him like that caught them both by surprise.

"You guys will never guess where Professor Bones hides her chocolates." he said putting some of them with the new ingredients on the table. They rolled and Rose stopped them, saving all kinds of chocolate to fall to the dirty floor. She didn't want those rainbow little balls to become deathly potions.

"Just hope she doesn't find out." she said slowly, insisting on her words as she looked straight to Malfoy.

"Oh she will, she's Hufflepuff's Head! But she's too kind to do anything about it."

At the end of the class, Al's smile had disappeared once more, and he now had a stomach ache on top of everything.

 


Making her way through the corridor crowd, Rose finally spotted James who wasn't talking with MacMillan as she expected him to. She walked to him.

"You must do something! I won't stand it a day more!"

"Don't worry. We're working on it." he mysteriously winked.

"We?"

"I asked Fred for help. And turns out Dom likes him. I mean David."
And he likes her back. She thought. Finally good news! I've got to tell the Yang.

 


"Do you think they'll convince him?" Miao smiled after Rose had explained her James' plan. Neither of them thought using Dom and David's feelings was nice but it was better than letting Al drown in his unusual depression.

"I'm not that sure. I wish so hard, but it's David's first year as captain and how to make a better impression but playing in your position?"

"We can always pray Merlin." she thought looking to the sky, though she could only see Hogwarts' ceiling.

"Where are you going?"

"To the library, with Ri. We have a project due to next week an still haven't finished. We might join you at desert. Don't get too depressed!" she smiled, hoping to get Rose's smile in answer but that only brought her down.

"I'll try, thank you."

 


The meals didn't seem as good to Rose with Al's lack of enthusiasm. She sat in front of him once more and started:

"If you don't eat that you'll-" but was suddenly cut with James' loud greet: 'You're in!'
They jumped of surprise.

"What?!"

"Albus Severus Potter Weasley, you are now in Gryffindor's quidditch team!"

Albus' jaw dropped. It was about time but... Was it? No, of course not.

"You're lying! No way!" Rose bursted.

"I swear."

"You're kidding!"

"Merlin Rose! I'm Sirius!" All the tension suddenly exploded in loud laughs. James always managed to get that reaction. She tried to catch her breath:

"You-... just-... made my day!"

"My life!" Al corrected. The whole Great Hall was now staring at them but they didn't care. They had been hoping for that a for a long time now and even the cloudy fake sky turned shiny for once.

"How is it possible?" Rose asked when they calmed down.

"Well, it isn't that simple. If you accept, Al, you'll be changing positions with MacMillan in the matches. Which means you'll be the seeker in the second match, and the keeper in the first and last ones."

There was a silence while they processed James' words. There had to be a 'but'.

"And if I agree?" Al finally said.

"You'll have to go and say it personally to David. Practice has been postponed for next week because of the trials. I think you should present yourself to the next ones."

"More trials?" inquired Rose after Al had nodded.

"Yeah... there has been some troubles with the actual team. You might present yourself too Rosie, just to ensure your position."

"Oh yes of course." It didn't sound like a recommendation but more like an order. She knew from his sudden severe look and quickly finished eating. She needed to talk with the twins.


"Where are you rushing to?" Al stood up.

"I have to give these muffins to the twins. They won't eat otherwise."

"I'll go with you."

"No Al, finish calmly. Don't worry, I can't get lost this time. Again." she tried to sound natural but as soon as she got past the Great Hall doors, she started running to the library. She had made that path so many times it had become like an unconscious action, avoiding the fake steps with natural easiness. Left, up the stairs, and then, SPLASH! She felt a piercing pain grow in her ribs as her robe started to get wet.

"Wha-? Who?" she stood up and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear in order to be able to see.

"Peeves!" His laugh was insupportable.

"What a peculiar taste of yours! Wet muffins, yum yum yum!" he was flying above her, swinging gleefully.

"Allas Peeves! You'll see next time!" he kept laughing but she didn't have time.

She picked the muffins and ran. When she arrived to the library, she charmed the drying spell her mother used on her after swimming so she didn't get sick, and hid the muffins in her robe, putting her pain apart. As discreetly as she could, she made her way to the twins table and put their bloody muffins in front of them.

"Hi there-"

"Al's in the team." she halted Ri.

"Well that's great he-"

"No. David is doing new trials to remake the team and we have to go."

"Wait. Do you mean these practices have been in vain?"

"And that we've been covering you from Al for nothing?

"More important, Al will compete against the keeper we already had and that has been practicing with the team. With David's tips." she whispered fast breathing heavily.

"The keeper?" they asked in unison.

"He's supposed to alternate keeper/seeker/keeper with David in the matches. But if there's a better keeper than Al, David will take him to keep his position in all the matches."

"No, Al will make it." assured Ri after a moment of thinking. Their friendship had grown really fast and they trusted each other more than anyone else. Rose knew he'll say that, the support they gave each other was flawless.

"And Al has Bletchey's support, right? I don't think David wants to mess with her if he wants to be captain next year." Miao reasoned.

"Do you think he'll notice I've been attending to practice?" Rose asked more to herself than to them.

She felt guilty for not telling him. No. She felt guilty for going. If only Malfoy had angered her before, she might had thought of it more. I have to get that damn Malfoy off my head!

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