When Eloise Baker came to Hogwarts her fourth year, she couldn't help but fall in love with the castle, her new friends, and the excitement around every turn. Now, as a sixth year at her beloved wizarding school, falling more in love with the castle...
~ Y'ALL I FOUND EXACTLY WHAT I WAS PICTURING!! Here are Clarice and Afiya, the two second years Eloise was speaking to :) They'll quickly become more important later on!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A month passes. After dealing with endless dull lessons with Hawthorn, homework beginning to pile up, and stress starting to build, Quidditch tryouts have finally arrived.
It felt like it took forever to get here, but I'm finally standing in my Quidditch jersey over a hoodie, gripping my broom with a wide grin on the field. Harry's standing next to me as the two of us look upon a bustling group of Gryffindors, all eager to begin tryouts. I know I don't really have to be here for tryouts, since I'm already on the team, but I'd like to be here to support and genuinely watch. I find it fun.
Harry and I are chatting quietly, observing the slightly nervous yet excited group of contenders for tryouts. Many are quite tall, while others rather short and thin in stature, Harry and I trying to mutter our predictions as to who will try out for what position. All of them are at least fourth year or above. In the middle of our conversation, Ginny jogs up to our side, gripping her broomstick with her hair pulled back tightly.
"Hey, Gin," I greet her with a smile.
"Oh, thank Merlin you guys are here," she huffs, brushing her jersey down anxiously. "I need the help."
"Don't worry, love, you'll do great," Harry assures her, rubbing her back comfortingly as she sucks in a breath and scans her eyes across the group of loudly enthusiastic Gryffindors ahead of us.
"Is this everyone?" she asks. I look over to the group again and notice that Clarice and Afiya aren't here yet, making me feel a tiny sting of disappointment.
"I think so..." Harry says, checking his wristwatch. "Shall we get started? Unless anyone else-"
"We're here! Wait, we're here..."
We hear a young girl's voice behind us and the three of us turn around to see who else but Clarice and Afiya, dressed in oversized Quidditch jerseys and clutching broomsticks as they run up to us. I can't help but grin as I see them, their bright smiles lighting up the field.
"Oh, hi- ohhhh..." Ginny mutters, realizing they were the kids I was mentioning a while ago. She leans closer to me as we watch the two girls anxiously straighten out their jerseys and talk with one another quietly and mumbles, "Eloise, are they... are they sure they want to do this?"
"I'm positive they want to, Ginny. They've been talking about it in Potions nonstop," I say softly, chuckling. Ginny and I glance back to the group of tall, burly Gryffindors behind us, all much older than Clarice and Afiya, and turn back to the young girls. I see the worried look on Ginny's face and shake my head. "Gin, just give 'em a chance, alright? It's okay, they'll be fine."
