ᴏᴍɴɪꜱᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ✵ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴜꜱ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ✵

𝐗𝐗𝐕

☼ ꜰʀᴇʏᴀ ☼

»»-------≪ °❈° ≫-------««

"You two are menaces!" Amelia shouts when they land on the ground.

Freya and Emmeline only mimic each other's grin, wide and toothy, breathless from the drills. They don't need communication before instantly jumping into their handshake: fists bang up and down, knuckles press together, knock each hip against the other's, then leap up into a chest-bump so vigorous that the impact sends them both backwards into the snowy grass.

Through their synchronised bellows of laughter, they semi-help each other to their feet with harmless shoves. It's become routine for the two girls after every practice. Benjy rolls up from behind and messes up Freya's hair, then throws an arm around Emmeline's shoulders as the rest of the team lands around them.

"The Quidditch Cup is ours," he gushes enthusiastically, "I can feel it in my balls."

"Remember when you said you'd castrate him, Van?" Kingsley jests, pushing his goggles to the top of his head. "Make that happen, yeah?"

Freya makes a juvenile snort. "But what will we do without his oracle nutsack?"

"She'd never," Benjy retorts, kissing the top of her head.

"Alright, team. Excellent work today," Emmeline announces, stepping away from him. "Gudgeons, I need more communication from you in the air. Bones, tighten up your passes. And Benjy?"

Benjy snaps a sharp salute. "Yes, cap?"

"Stop projecting your blocks or say goodbye to your testicles."

"I love when you threaten me."

Emmeline ignores him, though the top corners of her lips slightly quirk upwards. "Same time tomorrow morning, everybody!"

After their showers in the locker room, Emmeline and Freya trudge back up the hill to the castle in time for breakfast. Kingsley and Benjy must already be in the Great Hall, they never wait for the girls. Davey and Amelia always linger behind, and Bertram has been quick to leave ever since they returned from break. Eventually tangled grass beneath their feet turns into cobblestones, and Emmeline still has a small smile upon her lips.

"You're awfully chipper," Freya points out.

She shrugs. "It was a good practice."

That is true, but they both know it isn't the reason. Emmeline has been in high spirits ever since Benjy asked her to be his girlfriend on New Year's Eve, but she's under the impression that nobody knows. Warm air of the corridors comes as a relief as they walk into the castle.

"I like Benjy for you," Freya says nonchalantly.

Emmeline doesn't respond right away, but her smile grows. "Me too," she admits softly, then bumps their shoulders together as they stroll "I like Caradoc for you."

Freya releases a light chuckle. "We aren't together."

"Yet."

Heat creeps up the nape of Freya's neck. Honestly, Caradoc is great, put together and poise. He's easy to talk to, easy to listen to, easily funny and laidback. Perhaps one day she'll fall for him completely, and she has no doubt he'd catch her, but the emotions that increase for Caradoc are nothing compared to what she feels for Regulus.

The Great Hall's ceiling is a shrine of clear, pale blue sky. An aroma of sweet breakfast makes Freya quicken her pace to appease the growl of her stomach. Dorcas sits with Marlene at the Gryffindor table, and she waves at them, grinning. Freya returns it with a knowing smirk. Pandora, Kingsley, and Benjy are already nearly finished with their food at the Ravenclaw table.