Feral Den

Chapter 44

Being friends with Hannah Abbott and Cedric Diggory has always been an accomplishment Hailee repeatedly reminds herself to be grateful for.

When Hannah had first spoken to her, Hailee had been a nervous first year half-blood who'd been hidden away from the wizarding world by her muggle relatives. Hannah had been her unfortunate partner in Herbology the first semester, and they had truly hit it off.
So much so, that Hannah had felt comfortable to show Hailee where Hufflepuffs common room entrance was.
Cedric hadn't been much better when Hailee had really begun to talk with him last year —the two of them had repeatedly stayed up all night with Cho. Getting drunk on some cheap, gross alcohol that Cedric had gotten his hands on —having been seventeen.

The entrance hadn't changed since last year.

It was still uncomfortable as hell, Hailee realized. Her lengthy form having to crawl on all fours as she struggled through the hole that led to the basement.
Hufflepuffs common room was close to the kitchens, hidden behind an old portrait of green fields and silent animals with a gold rim. The tunnel was small and earthier than Gryffindors —and as Hailee reached the end. The basement trapdoor was damn near impossible to find in the blackness.

Reaching out her hand, Hailee patted the earth until her hand found the trapdoor. It was easy to lift the heavy wood and slip her body in. The trapdoor didn't slam shut until Hailee slipped her fingertips from the rim, her feet landing fluidly.

A squeal was Hailee's only warning before she was suddenly wrapped in a large amount of brown curls and a pair of tight arms.

"You're okay!" Hannah was huffing, squeezing Hailee's neck as she held on to her. "Marietta told me what happened—"
"What?" Hailee jerked back, snapping her gaze from Hannah. "Where? I need a word with her."
"She's in the library.. or something. I don't really know." Hannah shrugged. "We heard you talking about quidditch and Mari was afraid you'd come down so she went to the library to finish up some assignments." Hannah rolled her eyes. "I don't see why. I'm sure you'd understand, Marietta isn't a bad person—"
"Hannah you're yapping her ear off."
The girl instantly clamped her mouth shut. Hailee smiled up at Quinn, the seventh year looking as poise and mature as she always was.

Except when on the Quidditch pitch. There she was nearly as scary as Wood.

"It's fine, Quinn. I understand what Marietta had to do —not that her actions could've gotten me expelled or anything." Hailee chuckles, feeling as Hannah winced.
"Really." Hannah breathes. "She didn't mean—"

"What is it you need Hailee?" Quinn interrupts her housemate.

Hailee glances at Quinn, then at Hannah, noting the tension that now seems to dunk Hufflepuff in a gloom.
She ignores it. Not her House, not her problem.

"It's about Quidditch, actually. You see, I've recruited another—"
"Another?" Quinns eyes widen. "Don't you already have enough players? What with Zabini, Malfoy, Pucey, that new Keeper, —"
"It's not like that." Hailee cuts her off. "I'm trading Ballford out for a new Seeker —one that'll hopefully give Cho a run for her money. The only problem is, is that he's a second year and has no prior experience to actually playing —or catching a snitch. And seeing as though I want to defeat Ravenclaw, I need to train him as much as possible. So I came to ask if I could have your training session."

Quinn gawks.
The entire team, actually, gawks.
Hailee blinks, steady in her gaze.

"...You're serious." Quinn says after a hard moment.
"Deathly serious." Hailee nods. "If you're not cool with giving me the extra practice time with my new Seeker, that's fine. I completely understand that Vivian has shown how good of a Seeker she can be with her actual competition—"
"Hold up!" Blonde curls snorts from across the circular burrow. "It's not my fault your team sucks. You can't just put me down like that and expect us to give you our practice time."
"I'm not trying to put you down." Hailee says. "I'm only saying that I would understand if Quinn doesn't want to give my team the extra time because I'm training a new Seeker and, that is your position. You'd be the one he was going up against, no one else.
"It's the first time in nearly two decades Hufflepuff has even come close to getting the Quidditch cup. That's a real big deal. And my guy has talent, but without enough practice, he won't get any Snitches. Really, without the extra time you'd have an easier shot at getting the Cup —and seeing how alike Slytherin and Hufflepuff is—"
"Slytherin and Hufflepuff are not alike." Astrid scoffed. "Slytherin, you guys, are all about Dark stuff —like dark magic, and pain, and bullying—"
"Astrid." Quinn hushes.
"It's true." Astrid smiles. "Hufflepuffs aren't like that at all, we like to be happy and content and Light and help others—"
"So you'll help me?" Hailee cocks her head, lips curving only the slimmest of a pucker. "'Cause I could really use it. The extra session could really help my new guy."
"Hailee, usually I'd—"
"I completely understand." Hailee interrupts Quinn, if only too quickly. "I understand. Like I said you are so close to the Quidditch cup —the first in place. Why help out a Dark, bullying freak—"
"You're not a freak." Hannah pouts, turns and glares at Astrid. "Look what your big mouth did. Slytherin isn't all about Dark Magic and bullying and whatnot. Just because You-Know-Who and the other bad wizards came from Slytherin, doesn't mean all of them are like that."