The Threads That Bind Us

Chapter 9

The crisp November air had settled over Hogwarts, bringing with it the excitement of the first Quidditch match of the season. The castle grounds were alive with anticipation as students donned their house colors, ready to cheer on their teams. Fidelity bundled herself in a warm Hufflepuff scarf, pulling it tighter around her neck as she, Ava, Penny, and Cameron made their way down to the Quidditch pitch.

"Josh has been practicing non-stop," Ava said, her voice filled with pride. "I wouldn't be surprised if he scores the first goal."

"He's been talking about this match for weeks," Cameron added, shaking his head with a grin. "Slytherin doesn't stand a chance."

Fidelity smiled, though she was feeling more conflicted than she let on. Her loyalty to Josh was unquestionable—after all, he was one of her closest friends—but she couldn't help the flutter in her chest when she thought about Noah guarding the Slytherin goalposts.

They found seats in the stands, right in the middle where they could see both sides of the pitch clearly. The stands were a riot of colors—scarlet and gold for Gryffindor, green and silver for Slytherin. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students had divided themselves, cheering for whichever team had their friends playing.

"Is it weird that I'm nervous?" Fidelity asked as they settled in. She couldn't decide if her nerves were for Josh or Noah—or maybe for both of them.

"Not at all," Penny replied, wrapping her own scarf more securely. "But don't worry, Josh will be fine. He's the best Chaser Gryffindor has."

"And Noah's one of the best Keepers the school has," Fidelity said quietly, more to herself than to the others.

Ava shot her a look, raising an eyebrow. "I see what's going on here."

Fidelity's cheeks reddened, but before she could say anything, the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle echoed across the pitch, signaling the start of the match. The players kicked off from the ground, soaring into the sky like a burst of fireworks.

The game began in earnest, with the Quaffle being passed back and forth between the teams. Josh was a blur of red and gold as he dodged Bludgers and passed the Quaffle with precision, weaving through the Slytherin defense. Fidelity's heart pounded in her chest each time he got close to scoring, and she held her breath as he lined up his first shot against Noah.

The stands erupted in a mix of cheers and groans as Noah swooped in, blocking Josh's shot with a graceful, almost effortless save. Fidelity's heart gave a little leap, but she quickly bit her lip, not wanting to cheer too loudly for the Slytherin side.

The match continued with fierce intensity. Josh scored twice, each time earning thunderous applause from the Gryffindors, while Noah managed to block several other attempts, proving himself a formidable Keeper. Fidelity's emotions were all over the place—excitement for Josh's success, admiration for Noah's skill, and a strange sort of anxiety she couldn't quite place.

"This is intense," Cameron muttered, leaning forward as the Quaffle changed hands again.

"Tell me about it," Ava replied, her eyes never leaving the game.

As the match went on, Fidelity found herself relaxing a bit. She cheered for Josh whenever he made a great play, and she couldn't help but smile when Noah made an impressive save. It was clear that both of them were giving it their all, and she admired their dedication.

In the end, the match was won by Gryffindor, but just barely. The final score was 160 to 150, and the Gryffindor stands erupted in wild celebration as their Seeker, Charlie Weasley, caught the Snitch. Fidelity's heart swelled with pride for Josh, who had scored the winning goal just moments before the Snitch was caught.

"That was incredible!" Ava shouted, jumping up and down with excitement.

"Josh was brilliant!" Penny added, clapping her hands together.

Fidelity grinned, feeling a mix of emotions—pride for Josh, relief that the match was over, and a strange sort of anticipation for what might come next. She looked down at the pitch, where the players were landing, and caught sight of Noah, who was smiling despite the loss.

As the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams touched down on the pitch after the match, Fidelity joined the crowd of students streaming out of the stands. The energy from the game still buzzed in the air, and she could hear excited chatter all around her. She smiled to herself, feeling proud of Josh for his performance, even though Gryffindor had just barely won.

Fidelity lingered near the edge of the stands, waiting for Penny, Ava, and Cameron to catch up. Her friends were lost in their own animated conversation about the game, but Fidelity's attention was pulled elsewhere. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a piece of parchment stuck in a patch of grass, fluttering slightly in the breeze.

Curious, Fidelity stepped closer and bent down to pick it up. The parchment was old, its edges frayed and slightly yellowed, and the writing on it was barely legible. She squinted at the faded ink, making out only a few words:

...moonlight...
...before it's too late...

A chill ran down Fidelity's spine as she stared at the mysterious message. The atmosphere around her suddenly seemed a little darker, the shadows cast by the castle walls longer.

"What's that?" Penny's voice broke through her thoughts. Fidelity quickly folded the parchment and slipped it into her pocket, turning to face her friend.

"Oh, nothing," she said with a small smile. "Just some trash left behind." But as they all began to walk back towards the castle, Fidelity couldn't help but feel that it was something more.

The note weighed heavily in her pocket, its cryptic words echoing in her mind. She knew she should probably mention it to someone, but something told her to keep it to herself—at least for now. There was something about it that felt...unfinished. Like it was only a small piece of a much larger puzzle.

As the group reached the castle doors, Fidelity glanced back at the Quidditch pitch one last time. The stands were empty now, the excitement of the game fading away. But Fidelity couldn't shake the feeling that something more had just begun.

Once inside the castle, Fidelity, Penny, and Cameron parted from Ava, heading towards their respective common rooms. Fidelity knew that Josh and the other Gryffindors would be welcomed into their common room with celebration.

The Hufflepuffs on the other hand, entered into a very peaceful common room. The three sat together in front of the fire. The warmth of the fire was in stark contrast to the weather in the Quidditch stands. Fidelity removed her scarf and cloak and basked in the heat.

"What a match," Cameron was still thinking about the game, "I still can't believe that Josh missed that Bludger."

Fidelity smiled to herself, thinking of the two boys she cared about so much.

"How d'you reckon Hufflepuff will do this year?" Cameron wondered aloud.

"We've got a good team. I think we might just have a fair shot." Penny replied.

"Normally I would agree with that, but the Gryffindors have Charlie Weasley." Fidelity countered.

"True. But, I'd still like to hold on to the possibility that we could win." Cameron added.

After more Quidditch talk, and helping each other with homework, the three headed to bed. As Fidelity was undressing, the piece of parchment fell to the ground. Luckily, none of the other girls noticed. As she slipped into her pajamas, Fidelity discreetly slid the parchment under her trunk.