Tempus | Tom Riddle

SEVEN

November 3rd, 1923 was unusually warm and sunny, making it a perfect day for the highly anticipated first quidditch match of the season: Ravenclaw v. Gryffindor.

Mercy, instead of sitting with the majority of her house, found herself in the Slytherin section. She and Aja Khatri (a daughter from one of the pureblooded families that had mysteriously disappeared by the forties) chatted animatedly with Marceline and Luella, making predictions for the game (which were all, of course, in Ravenclaw's favour). 

Mercy and Aja, as expected, were completely decked out in their house colours, but many Slytherins also sported some kind of blue; Luella had blue ribbons tied in her hair, Marceline had blue streaks of paint swiped across her cheeks, and Oberon went a step further by painting his entire face.

Even Tom, who had never held any love for a house besides his own, wore a Ravenclaw pin that had been forced onto his coat's lapel at breakfast, courtesy of Mercy, who was "highly offended" by his lack of support.

"Mercy is that Ramses's old jersey?" Aja gushed, glancing at Mercy's back, where a big "02" and the last name MABROUK was plastered. Mercy grinned, nodding. "I thought your little fling with him was over?"

"Fling-shming. Ramses has always been a good family friend - we wax and we wane," Mercy shrugged.

"She'll be wearing mine in a couple of weeks!" Oberon boasted, placing his large hands on the sides of her skull from behind and leaning down to give the top of her head big kiss. Mercy's laugh rang out loud, and she turned back to the Malfoy with a fond gleam in her eye.

Tom's brows knit together, wondering why Oberon so openly fawned over Mercy when she clearly had no intention of pursuing anything more than what they already had. Oberon often went on long-winded rants about her in their dormitory, many of which implied that he genuinely fancied the girl.

"Oh - they're coming out!" Marceline tugged on Mercy's arm to turn her back around. Mercy held her omnioculars up to her eyes.

"Dantes looks so adorable," she cooed. "He's so small compared to the others - I hope he doesn't get hurt. He's starting you know."

"Really?" Marceline rose her brows, impressed. "Over Frenchie? She's one of the best chasers at Hogwarts right now."

"Frenchie kept missing practices or something. Ambrose said Ramses wanted to make a statement." She focused her line of vision on Ambrose. "Oh Merlin, Ambrose is wearing a Slytherin pin. Lesedi has him wrapped around her little finger." She turned around to face Ade. "We might be siblings soon enough, Ade!"

"I caught them snogging in a broom closet last night while they were supposed to be patrolling the east wing," he scowled. "We have to change the schedule around. I'm putting him with Bradford Bigelow."

"Don't stick him with the mudblood, c'mon. That isn't fair." Mercy pouted. "A Hufflepuff, too - psh. If you do that, I'll put Lesedi with a Gryffindor."

Tom was always slightly taken aback when Mercy said the slur, not because he was shocked by her beliefs, but because when she said the word it sounded so upbeat and innocent, as if she were chatting about the weather. When Tom spoke it his tongue always held a bitter aftertaste, full of loathe and venom.

BOTH TEAMS ARE ON THE PITCH - THE FIRST MATCH OF THE SEASON IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE!

Mercy whipped her head toward the commentator box and focused her omnioculars on whoever was speaking. "Oh, Merlin help us. Sterling Weasley is the new commentator."

ON RAVENCLAW WE HAVE RAMSES MABROUK BACK AS CAPTAIN, PLAYING SEEKER FOR HIS FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW.

AMBROSE MOLTENORE AND ARMANDO GAMBOA ARE THE TEAM'S STARTING BEATERS