MAGNOLIA ↠ S. BLACK

ELEVEN

As November shed all the remaining leaves off of the trees, the first Hufflepuff Quidditch match arrived. Hufflepuff would be playing Ravenclaw, and Magnolia had the displeasure of listening to an anxious Hestia rant about how the team had not trained nearly as hard as they needed to.

Nevertheless, Magnolia bundled up in her favorite camel-colored coat, blue jeans, and Hufflepuff scarf for the occasion as she entered the Great Hall with Amelia and Alice. The Great Hall was divided between a crowd of yellows and blues. Gryffindor had chosen to support Hufflepuff, while Slytherin was backing Ravenclaw.

Magnolia scowled at the Slytherins as they sat down next to an anxious-looking Hestia who was dressed in her bright yellow Quidditch robes with a black number five and 'JONES' plastered on the back.

After piling sausages and toast onto her plate, Magnolia casually cast a glance to the Gryffindor table. She watched with amusement as James and Sirius handed out yellow badges to all their housemates down the long dining table.

"Here you go, mate! Support Hufflepuff today, yeah?" grinned Sirius as he shoved a button into a third-year's hands.

"D'you think Magnolia will swoon for you now?" suggested James with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Oh, fuck off," Sirius countered, his cheeks tinging pink. "Things are just fine with her,"

"Did you two shag on your birthday?"

"What? No!" Sirius replied hotly. "She was drunk, Prongs! What kind of man do you think I am?"

"Well, that certainly hasn't stopped you before, Paddy—!"

James silenced himself with a yelp after earning a punch to his shoulder from Sirius.

The two handed the rest of the buttons out before returning to their seats. Remus was noticeably absent after the brutal full moon two days ago. The cuts and bruises on Sirius' side were yellowing by now but still earned him a wince every now and then.

"Wormtail, making any bets on the game today?" questioned James as he downed a glass of pumpkin juice with one gulp.

"Easy, Hufflepuff has the upper hand with Ravenclaw's Keeper being out sick," Peter declared triumphantly, holding up a heavy looking coin purse full of clinking Galleons. "I bet the Prewett twins 50 galleons!"

"Don't underestimate us Seekers," James reminded him cheekily before his attention was quickly diverted to Lily.

Meanwhile, Sirius tucked into his morning bacon and eggs mindlessly shoveling it into his mouth. His mind drifted to Magnolia, who was now missing from her spot at the Hufflepuff table. Her friend Hestia looked noticeably pale as she gripped the glass of her pumpkin juice.

"Got any extra buttons?"

A smile tugged on Sirius' lips as he turned to see Magnolia standing behind him. She looked exquisite in her house colors. He quickly scooted over to make room for her, and she slid onto the bench with ease.

"Mornin' Prewett!" greeted James from beside Lily. He pushed his glasses further up on his face as he took a bite of a pastry. "Ready for today?"

"Yes! I'm afraid Hestia certainly isn't though,"

"We're supporting you lot," Peter informed her, pointing to his button with utmost importance.

"Only because you want to fatten up your pockets off of her brothers!" scoffed Sirius.

Magnolia let out a laugh before pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Is he bothering you, Lily?" she asked teasingly as James attempted to put his arm around the other red-head at the table.