Acrasia [t.r]

𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇

4th October, 1952.

  Another week passed in similar fashion to the last, minus the detention. Alice went to her classes and ate her meals and when she wasn't studying with Riddle, her limited free time was spent catching up with Edward and Grace. She didn't really know why she cared so much about doing well at school. She didn't need the validation of an 'exceeds expectations' or an 'outstanding', she knew if she was good at something or not. But it gave her something to focus on, a good distraction, so she couldn't complain. Her tutoring sessions with Professor Riddle took up most of her afternoons and she was strangely grateful for it. Alice was coping fine, but she didn't think excessive time left to her own devices would do her any good.

  Currently, she was relishing her lie in, lying on her back staring at the ceiling, when Grace suddenly came into her view. She looked very awake. Much more than Alice felt she could cope with right now.

  "What are you doing?" Grace exclaimed. "It's Saturday!"

  "Uhhh trying to go back to sleep?" Alice responded as if it was obvious.

  Grace looked at her with exasperation. "On the first quidditch match of the year? I don't think so." Grace yanked back Alice's duvet, eliciting a squeal from her at the sudden change in temperature.

  "Right, yeah." Alice muttered, failing to match Grace's enthusiasm. Actually, she'd never even really expected Grace to be such an avid fan of the sport. She mentioned so.

  "Yeah I guess, I don't know, my dad's always been obsessed with it. And you know how my mum's muggle, so growing up I guess it was just something we both enjoyed together."

  Alice couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at this. Her father had never made any effort to connect with her over anything.

  Grace pottered about the room, putting clothes away and busing herself. She was in a genuinely good mood for once, instead of pretending to be. Alice didn't want to dampen it, and attempted to shake off her own negative emotions.

  "You're still in bed," Grace sang irritatingly as she continued her bustling.

  Alice rolled her eyes. "Yes. I am." She returned bluntly. "Just give me a minute okay? I'm not a morning person."

  "You don't say!" Grace said with a level of vivacity, and sarcasm, that should be criminalised so early in the morning.

  However, Alice did as she was bade and got ready for the day. She chose her outfit in order to prioritise warmth – if she was being made to watch quidditch all day there was no way she was going to be cold. Fashion be damned. Grace chivvied her out the door as soon as she was in a somewhat presentable state, and the pair of them met Edward as they went to breakfast.

  "So...dare I ask?" Alice nibbled on the corner of her toast. "Which houses are playing today?".

  "Oh nobody, just you know, our own bloody house versus our arch enemies Gryffindor!" Grace exclaimed.

  "Surely any opposition team is an enemy." Edward pointed out logically. "What makes Gryffindor an arch enemy?"

  "You just don't get it! Both of you!" Grace sighed dramatically, resting her head on her palm. "How did I end up with two friends who hate quidditch, where did I go wrong in life!" Grace opened her mouth to say something else but her thought died on her tongue as she glanced over to the door.

  A pack of emerald clad figures sauntered into the hall in their Quidditch gear, Freddie at the forefront. Freddie and a couple of the older players took a seat a couple of tables down from where Alice, Grace and Edward sat. Alice swore she heard audible swoons coming from the younger girls around them. If she was honest she really didn't get the 'Freddie Appeal'. Objectively he was attractive, yes, but Alice thought his face often looked too young for his athlete's build and his hair too rigid in its slicked style. Personally she preferred something with more texture. Although clearly she was in the minority.