salvation - f.weasley

The Raven and the Lion ; or the long and tireless rivalry

woo - rihanna

• • •

"What ?"

Grace Colten's voice rings in the Great Hall, louder than she intended. Whispers and conversations of students fall silent, as if someone cast a Silencing Charm over the entire room. She feels a wave of heat rise to her cheeks as every pair of eyes, from the youngest first-year to the stern professors at the staff table, turns toward her. Even Dumbledore's speech stops momentarily, his eyes flicking over to the Ravenclaw table, where Grace sits frozen in place.

She quickly mouths an apology, her cheeks red with embarrassment, and only breathes again when Dumbledore resumes speaking. To her left, Ania Johnson and Roger Davies are struggling to contain their laughter, barely managing to cover it behind their hands. Grace glares at them.

Grace leans in, whispering urgently to her friends. "They can't cancel Quidditch. It's impossible. They don't have the right."

Ania Johnson rolls her eyes. "Relax, G. We'll be plenty busy with all the new students arriving in a few weeks."

"Are you serious, Annie ?" Grace hisses back, eyes wide. "There's no way I'm not training for an entire year while they put on a show for some Triwizard Tournament nonsense."

Roger elbows her lightly. "Shhh, Dumbledore's going to hear you again. And besides, it's not nonsense. It's a huge deal, remember?"

Grace narrows her eyes but turns her attention back to the headmaster's words.

"As you all know, this is a tradition that dates back centuries," Dumbledore says, his hands clasped together. "The Triwizard Tournament is a rare opportunity for inter-school cooperation and unity, a chance for us to celebrate our magical heritage together. It is an event marked by great courage and resilience, as each champion faces challenges of immense difficulty, putting their skills to the test. It is with great honor that Hogwarts had the chance to host it this year."

Students all around her seem to be buzzing with excitement. Whispers fill the room and Dumbledor clears his throat to make everyone focus again. "But it is with sadness that I announce," Dumbledore continues, and Grace's stomach sinks with every word, "that our beloved Inter-House Quidditch Cup is cancelled for this year."

Grace focuses back to her friends, sighing as she runs a hand on her face.

Roger Davies pops a grape into his mouth, grinning. "Yeah, and it means you'll have more time to actually enjoy your year—parties, sneaking around, that kind of stuff. Take the pressure off, G."

Grace's expression darkens as she shoots him a sharp look. "Fuck off, Davies. You know I don't have the luxury of doing that."

Roger's smile fades, realising he's crossed a line. He glances at Ania, who kicks him under the table before looking back at Grace. "Sorry, G. I know this means a lot to you."

Grace sighs deeply, running a hand through her hair as she glances over to the Gryffindor table. She catches sight of Oliver Wood, who looks just as devastated and surprised as her—his shoulders slumped, staring into the distance. Cedric Diggory, on the other hand, appears busy with the Triwizard Tournament, while Adrian Pucey from Slytherin shoots her a smug look. Grace arches an eyebrow at him in challenge before turning back to her friends.

"What am I going to do?" she mutters, her head dropping into her hands. "I can't afford to lose a whole year of training. I've already lost two months of summer because of—"

"Easy, G," Ania whispers, resting a comforting hand on Grace's arm. "We're going to find a solution, okay? It's not over."

Grace takes a deep breath, trying to push away the knot in her stomach, and nods.