Second Chance || Harry Potter x Reader

₊˚.༄ | A Fond Farewell

3RD POV
∞༺♥༻✧

The morning at Hogwarts was as beautiful as ever in the spring. Exams were over, and results had been sent off by Owl to every parent with a student attending Hogwarts. Now that classes were done, it was the final day before students returned home for the summer, eagerly awaiting the next term. As Y/N brought her trunk down the spiral staircase of the Ravenclaw tower, she had no tears for her bunkmates nor did she share any special goodbyes.

She made her way down to the Great Hall for one last breakfast with the school and to hear Dumbledore's grand 'end of term' speech, which always left the first years in tears and to finally tally up the House points. Y/N was confident that her house would win, though she knew Dumbledore's last-minute points might alter the outcome.

Passing the glass chamber of House points, she saw Ravenclaw was in the lead. Hufflepuff was not far behind in second place, and Gryffindor and Slytherin were neck-and-neck for third. She smiled, mentally patting herself on the back for her hard work and dedication, which had clearly paid off. Y/N left her trunk by the entrance with the other students and made her way into the Great Hall.

The sight before her was pure magic. The enchanted ceiling showed a beautiful blue sky with magnificent cherry blossom leaves falling and fluffy white clouds drifting by. Y/N smiled at the sight, falling in love once again with the enchanted ceiling. She then took in the hall itself. Breakfast was piled high: pancakes stacked like the Tower of Pisa, eggs heaped in a large bowl, fresh fruit shaped and peeled like magical creatures. Every food item imaginable was present. The sight was, once again, pure magic.

Y/N took a seat at her nearly empty Ravenclaw table, with only a few fifth and sixth years scattered about, eating their last meal of the term. It was peaceful, with an unusual quietness and stillness. She noticed the same calm at the other house tables, which was strange given the usual chatter and laughter that filled the room. She let out a peaceful sigh, only to be startled by an angry yell. She jumped at the sound, spilling her pumpkin juice on her uniform. As she stood up, she found herself face to face with a very angry Samantha Dale. Steam seemed to be pouring out of Samantha's ears, her face red with fury.

"You foul little bitch!" Samantha's voice trembled with anger, her eyes blazing. "Do you think you're better than everyone else, Y/N?

Y/N stood up, wiping the juice off her robes, trying to maintain her composure. "What are you talking about, Samantha?" she asked, genuinely puzzled by the sudden outburst.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Samantha's voice rose, drawing the attention of students and teachers alike. "You just had to outshine everyone, didn't you? Even on the last day, you couldn't let anyone else have a moment!"

Y/N frowned, confused. "What did I do?"

Samantha took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Professor Flitwick just told me that my application for the Advanced Charms Internship was rejected. He said they received a last-minute entry that blew everyone else out of the water. And guess who that was? You."

Y/N's eyes widened. She had indeed applied for the internship but had submitted her application just before the deadline, thinking it was a long shot. "I didn't mean to... I thought it was worth a try."

"Of course, you didn't mean to," Samantha scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You never mean to hurt anyone, but somehow, you always do. You couldn't just let me have this one thing, could you? You had to swoop in and take it all for yourself."

The hall was silent now, all eyes on the two girls. Y/N opened her mouth to respond, but Samantha cut her off. "Enjoy your internship, Y/N. I hope it's worth all the effort you put into making sure no one else stood a chance." With that, Samantha turned on her heel and stormed out of the Great Hall, leaving Y/N standing there, stunned and dripping with pumpkin juice.