Snake vs Lion
The first Saturday after the Easter holidays arrived under a sky so clear it almost felt like a challenge.
Quidditch Final Day.
The tension inside Hogwarts Castle had been building all week.
Small fights had broken out in corridors between Gryffindor House and Slytherin House students. Nothing major but enough to keep the prefects busy.
Just two days ago, Callidora Nott had personally escorted a fourth year Gryffindor and a sixth year Slytherin to the Hospital Wing after they'd blasted each other with a particularly aggressive Leek Jinx in the middle of a corridor.
Even worse, some Slytherins had begun muttering about "accidentally" injuring Harry Potter before the match.
Calli had shut that down immediately.
But the rumors had still spread.
So when she walked into the Great Hall that morning in full Quidditch uniform, the reaction was unpleasant.
Conversation dipped.
Heads turned.
Students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor stared openly.
Calli had the distinct impression she might as well be wearing the face of Lord Voldemort.
It was ridiculous.
She lifted her chin anyway and marched straight to the Slytherin table.
Then dropped into the seat between Lucy and Stella with a heavy sigh.
"I'm not going to take it personal." Calli announced.
She stabbed viciously at a stack of pancakes.
Lucy eyed the plate.
"Pancakes might say otherwise."
Stella glanced up from her tea.
"That one never stood a chance."
Calli muttered something under her breath and took an aggressive bite.
Then a huge roar of applause erupted across the hall.
The three girls looked up.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team had just entered.
Scarlet robes.
Confident grins.
More than half the school was clapping.
Across the hall, two familiar redheads looked directly at her.
Both of them looked apologetic.
Like they knew the reaction wasn't fair.
Calli gave them a small shrug.
Across the table, Draco Malfoy looked noticeably paler than usual.
He kept glancing toward the Gryffindor table where Harry sat surrounded by cheers.
Marcus Flint was trying to look confident.
Failing.
Calli stood abruptly.
She walked around the table and grabbed a fistful of Marcus Flint's robe collar.
"Up."
Flint blinked.
"What?"
"We're going to the pitch early."
She pulled him to his feet before he could argue.
YOU ARE READING
Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley
FanfictionCallidora Nott has always known exactly what is expected of her. As the daughter of one of Britain's oldest pure-blood families, her future has already been carefully planned; alliances, power, and a life shaped by tradition she never chose. At home...
