How to lose at Quidditch, but win at love (Malec AU)

Chapter 2

Magnus was certain that he would lose the bet. Jace Herondale was the best Quidditch player Hogwarts had seen in the last 20 years and although Magnus was exceptionally skilled at magic, Quidditch was something he avoided.

He just wasn't any good at it so why waste time? And why challenge the best player when he had no hope of winning? Magnus cursed his own impulsiveness driven by the blue eyes of Alexander Lightwood.

He had wanted to impress him, to make him look at Magnus with the same look of admiration and awe he gave Jace Herondale. When Jace had refused to duel with him, Magnus had found himself saying the impossible.

Perhaps there was a way for him to win, but it would involve cheating. That is if you count a luck potion as cheating. Felix Felicis was exactly what Magnus needed and he knew where to get it from. Nowhere really, he already had some in his possession.

"You are going to do what?" Catarina Loss asked him. Catarina was a Hufflepuff and one of the two people that Magnus actually considered his friends.

"I'm going to drink some of the Felix Felicis potion to help me beat Jace Herondale in a Quidditch match."

"Where will you find such a thing?" his other friend, Ragnor Fell, asked.

"Remember last year, when I asked you to help me find Ashwinder eggs? Well, I actually used them to make Felix Felicis."

Magnus was proud of himself. Making the felix felicis potion hadn't been easy and only a wizard as gifted as himself could have done it at that age.

"But why did you make it?" Catarina asked. "Don't tell me you've used it for anything stupid."

Magnus opened his mouth to answer and closed it again. Then, after deciding on what to say he reopened it. "I just wanted to challenge myself and don't worry I haven't used it at all."

A lie and a truth. Magnus had not used the potion but he hadn't really made it just to challenge himself. He had wanted to use it to make Alec Lightwood his. But he wasn't going to admit that to his friends.

"You made it for that guy, Alexander Lightwood, didn't you?" Ragnor said with absolute certainty.

Magnus widened his eyes and looked at Ragnor, unable to find the words to deny the truth that had been spoken aloud. After all, Ragnor was in the same house as Alec and must have noticed Magnus' interest in him.

Catarina looked between them. "Wow. Wait a minute. Is this why you challenged Jace Herondale? That explains a lot."

Magnus sighed in defeat. "I just don't know how to approach him. I'm good with people and social situations are my forte, but Alec, he is... different. I look into his eyes and I can see understanding, compassion and honesty. He's not afraid to speak his mind and doesn't play games."

Magnus sighed once again and realised that he sounded and acted very much like a lovestruck teenager. He wasn't very fond of that idea, but then again, what could he do?

"I have an idea," Catarina offered and both Magnus and Ragnor listened eagerly. "I think that instead of winning you should lose. Majorly. In fact, you should get injured."

"How is that going to impress Alec?"

"You won't impress him, but he will probably be angry at Jace for injuring you plus he might help you with your injuries. Everyone wants to feel like they are needed and you can be someone who needs Alexander Lightwood. It will definitely get his attention."

"She does have a point," Ragnor said.

Magnus looked at his two friends. What should I do? he thought.

"I need some time to think about it," he told them and went for a walk. A bit earlier he had run into Alec in the hallway and perhaps he might see him again.

Magnus walked around Hogwarts for some time, clearing his head and looking outside the windows at the blue sky and green forest.

"Meow."

Out of nowhere a cat appeared, rubbing himself at Magnus' feet. It was his cat, Chairman Meow and he picked him up from the floor.

"What do you think I should do?" he asked the cat but got no answer except for meow.

Deep in his heart he knew that he wasn't going to use the luck potion. He was too proud to do so. If he was going to win Alexander's love then he was going to do it using his own strength and charm.

As he was thinking of all this and figuring out a plan on how to get injured during the game, Magnus noticed an interesting scene unfolding outside.

Close to the Whomping Willow there were two people sitting on the grass. Magnus had noticed them before as one of them was his rival and the redhead was..., what was her name? Ah, yes, Clarissa Fray.

But what really caught his attention was the boy standing a bit further away, looking at the two. Alec, with a pained expression on his face, seemed almost petrified, just standing and staring. Magnus couldn't think of what to do and so he set out to find him and talk to him.

Author's note: next chapter's coming soon and it will include interaction between the two lovebirds... Nothing super major yet but hopefully you'll enjoy it ;)