A Younger Generation of Keepers

Chapter 7: Riddle of the Sphinx (Part 4)

George's pov

Strong gusts of wind blew over Hogwarts whilst I walked through the castle grounds the next morning. Dressed in my uniform, and feeling more energized than ever, I entered the quidditch pitch, eager for the upcoming training session.

Intensity and frequency characterized our latest practices as the date of the first official quidditch match of the season approached. In two weeks, Slytherin would face Hufflepuff, and Imelda, wanting the Slytherin team to thrive, scheduled regular meetings for the team, despite the not-so-ideal weather conditions. She wanted to make sure that we would win the tournament, and to be fair, her efforts were highly appreciated.

Once the team was dismissed, I started heading to my Common Room. In that moment, I noticed Poppy from afar, her gaze fixed on me.

An unhappy grimace appeared all across her face. "George" she uttered my name like a curse.

Despite knowing what was coming, I offered her a polite nod. "Hey Poppy".

"Why didn't you come yesterday?" she demanded, her voice full of anger.

"Sorry, I was busy" I replied, attempting to brush off her question.

Poppy raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Busy screwing Grace?" she snapped, her words accusatory. The fact that she knew about Grace did not surprise me; news spread quickly around Hogwarts.

I smirked, amused by her sudden interest. "How is that any of your business?" I countered, mimicking her by raising my eyebrow.

My response simply fuelled her fury, her face looked like it was about to burst. "Aren't you curious to know what I wanted to talk to you about?" she pressed.

"Go ahead, you can tell me now" I prompted, gesturing nonchalantly for her to proceed.

Poppy opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something but then stopped, swallowing it down. "You know what" she began. "It's not worth it. You can screw Grace, Adelaide or any other girl for all I care"

Taking a step closer, I could not resist the temptation to tease her. "You don't mean that" I whispered playfully.

Poppy gave me a furious gaze without responding, the tension evident in her eyes before she walked away.

Leaving our almost heated encounter behind, I took a deep breath and pushed aside any negative thoughts as I returned to my Common Room. After a quick shower, I got dressed and went to the Room of Requirement, where Jessica and Mia should have been awaiting me.

Stepping into the room, I found Mia sitting alone. "Hey, where's Jess?" I asked her.

"I've no idea, she said she had somewhere to be" Mia shrugged. "I guess it's just the two of us for today"

"I'm ready if you are" I stated.

Mia nodded in agreement, and together, we exited the Room of Requirement and headed to the nearest Floo Flame.

The streets of Diagon Alley were overcrowded and bustling with activity. It reminded me of my first visit here, back when I was preparing for my first term at Hogwarts.

In order to avoid running into anyone, Mia and I stood to the side to plan our next move. "Where do you want to go first?" she questioned as she glanced at our options.

"Grayson and I have already discussed this, how about Flourish and Blotts" I suggested and then added, "since the message talks about powerful witches and wizards throughout the millennia"

Mia rested a finger on her chin, considering what I had said. "Your point makes sense" she admitted and began walking, manoeuvring with ease through the congested streets.