Heir to the Moon (V2)

II.IX First Quidditch Match

The following Saturday, in the grand and opulent hall of their school, the group sat together at a long, gleaming table. Plates were piled high with an assortment of rich, savoury foods, and goblets of shimmering liquid sparkled in the candlelight. Harry absently twirled his fork through his meal, his usual voracious appetite diminished by nerves. Daphne watched him with concern etched on her features.

"Harry, what's wrong? You usually eat enough for three people," she asked with genuine worry.

"I...I'm just a bit nervous," Harry admitted, his silver eyes darting around the room.

"Why don't you try taking a bite of toast? It might settle your stomach," suggested Susan, always the pragmatic one.

"Susan's right, mate. You're gonna need your strength today," added Daphne, placing a comforting hand on Harry's arm.

"I-I'm not hungry," Harry whined softly, unable to hide his anxiety from his friends.

Daphne deftly took a fork and reached for his plate, quickly spearing a piece of Egg with it before bringing it to his mouth. "Come on, eat up," she urged, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"But..." Harry started to protest before Daphne expertly cut him off with the fork in his mouth.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of you chewing," she replied sarcastically, causing Hannah and Susan to burst into laughter.

"Harry, maybe you should listen to her," Susan giggled, betraying their cousinly bond.

"Traitor," Harry grumbled, "You're supposed to be on my side..."

His words were once again silenced as Daphne forcefully fed him another bite.

"Now what was that?" Susan teased, "You know you shouldn't talk with your mouth full."

"Come on, Harry," Hannah said with a hint of laughter in her voice. "You really should listen to Daphne and Susan." She gestured towards the window, where the sun was just beginning to rise over the Quidditch field. "Your first match is today."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but before he could speak, Daphne expertly forked another bite of eggs into his mouth. The savoury taste of bacon mixed with the warm fluffiness of scrambled eggs filled his senses.

"I'm..." He tried to speak again, but once more Daphne's actions silenced him.

Harry finally relented, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite his nerves. The tension in his shoulders eased as the laughter and gentle teasing of his friends washed over him, grounding him in the moment. He took a deep breath, feeling a bit more fortified with each bite of food Daphne managed to coax into him.

"Alright, alright," Harry conceded, finally grabbing the fork from Daphne's hand. "I'll eat. Merlin knows I won't hear the end of it otherwise."

"That's the spirit," Daphne said with a satisfied nod, her eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and support.

Professor Tonks gracefully approached Harry's table, her smile warm and welcoming. "Harry, although you may be playing for my rival house, I still want to wish you good luck. Your father would have been so proud of you."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "You knew my father?" he asked.

Andromeda nodded, a wistful look in her eye. "Yes, I was his second cousin. He was an incredible Quidditch player. The best I've ever seen," she said with pride.

"What position did he play?" Harry inquired.

"He was a Chaser," Andromeda replied. "Even though he was a Gryffindor and I was a Slytherin, I couldn't help but admire his skill on the field. He gave our house quite a bit of trouble during matches."