Glory |A. Potter|

Seventy-One

The sound of the clapping wings of the owls as they dropped off the morning post wasn't enough to drown out the groan Antonio emitted to those close by at the sight of the contents of the mail.

"I'm going to be sick!"

Jane sitting beside him gently rubbed his back. "You won't be sick."

Antonio pushed the package away. "It's the last game of the season, Slytherin needs a huge win to have a chance of getting the Quidditch Cup, I've been speaking about this match for weeks, I'm so nervous I can't digest anything and mum sent an apple pie. An apple pie! Why couldn't she have just sent a letter of encouragement? Why apple pie?!"

Albus rolled his eyes at the boy's dramatics. Antonio's friends a while away had already moved on from the matter, not paying attention to his theatrics. "Just bring it here, let me vanish it for you."

"You'll be using a Vanishing Charm I assume," Ramona sent him an amused look as he vigorously nodded his head.

"That's exactly what I had in mind."

"You're going to do well, Antonio," Jane was still focused on comforting her little brother. "You've won countless of games, this one will be no different."

"You can't know that! I'm so nervous I can't even eat toast like now, and I love toasts!"

"Get a hold of yourself already," Scorpius scowled, ignoring Jane's wide eyes at his tone. "This is nothing, if you are to be anxious over something, be anxious over your OWLs."

"How is this helping?" Antonio whined.

"Get over it," he pursed his lips, reached for the apple pie Diana had sent Antonio and handed it over to Albus who didn't hesitate to open the parcel and start eating in an attempt to vanish it. Antonio was quick to look away as the sight of him eating was enough to get his stomach turning.

"You will be alright," Jane soothed him, her hand never leaving his back as she rubbed it in slow circles in an attempt to bring him some comfort. "Everything will go away once you get on your broomstick. Your game against Hufflepuff will be fine because you will do your best, the way you always do. Now, you need to eat something."

"I can't."

"We both know you'll be extremely nauseous if you play on an empty stomach."

Antonio hardly managed to eat half a toast before he had to leave to get ready for the match. Jane was rather worried for him, having never seen him so worked up over a game before, but Scorpius was quick to dismiss her worries and blame everything on Antonio's flair for the dramatics. She had turned to Albus for support but he was too preoccupied with his apple pie to respond and Ramona didn't really know Antonio. With no one in her corner, Jane had had no choice but to let the matter drop.

The matter faded as the time passed and soon they were taking the route to the Quidditch Pitch. Ramona and Scorpius walking ahead were talking about the latest assignment given to them in Transfiguration—both of them were rather interested in the subject while Jane and Albus had other favourite classes—as Jane and Albus walked in the rear, close to each other, mouths mostly sealed shut as they enjoyed the other's company. Their hands knocked against each other a couple of times until halfway into their walk, Albus linked them together for good. Jane didn't bother hiding her smile at the action.

When they reached the Pitch, some students were already starting to settle in the stands. Unlike the other times Jane had watched the matches—she had only watched the games her team played at this year, opposed to previous years when she had watched every single match between the houses, her busy schedule and her mentality not able to handle watching this many games of her beloved sport when she knew she wouldn't ever be able to partake in it again—this time her stomach didn't drop at the sight. By the third time she was subjected to this, the reminder of the gap inside her was starting to not hurt as much.