𝐀 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒 | h. potter

8 | Chicken

CHAPTER EIGHT: CHICKEN

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Raindrops the size of pearls thundered onto the castle windows for days on end, the wind relentlessly blowing. October's gloominess had arrived but the lamenting weather did nothing to dampen Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular Quidditch practice, and that meant Harry had to wake up early on a stormy Saturday morning, which also meant Maya would be joining him for company as she was the only other person awake.

"Why am I still on the Quidditch team?" asked Harry gloomily, his drowsiness taking over.

Maya smiled and repeated what she'd been saying everyday he's had practice for the past month, "Because you're an idiot who's an amazing Seeker."

Harry yawned, "Oh, yeah."

They walked to the changing rooms in silence, and once he went in, she went out to the Quidditch stands, casting a spell to shield herself from the rain. Maya began to feel bored of waiting so she started stomping in the puddles on the stand, splashing rain water everywhere, creating a weird, inconsistent beat to the melody in her head. She didn't know what got over her but it was fun, until she almost slipped onto the muddy ground.

Key word: almost.

A pair of hands caught her by the waist and she turned around quickly, stepping away from the person's hold.

"Are you okay?" asked Harry, who looked like he was restraining from laughing aloud.

""Yeah, 'course I am!" Maya replied in an incredibly high pitched voice, before asking quietly, "You didn't see what I was doing, did you?" Her hair rippled into a soft pink from embarrassment.

He shook his head rapidly. She had a feeling he was lying.

Before Maya could drill him with questions, the rest of the players poured out onto the pitch talking about tactics — or rather, Oliver was the only one doing so. The rest were yawning, and spluttering once the rain fell into their mouths.

"See you later, Peppa," grinned Harry, walking off and leaving Maya confused.

Who the hell is Peppa?

***

Squelch, squelch, splish, squelch.

Harry and Maya were making their way to the Gryffindor Tower, the former leaving muddy puddles with every step. Maya winced at every horrible squelch of his footsteps.

Harry was drenched to the bone in water and mud, and Maya felt really bad because here she was completely dry and squeaky clean. She was about to cast a spell on him to at least make him dry when the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, Nearly Headless Nick, almost floated through the duo. Maya dragged Harry out of the way to avoid the terribly cold feeling that they would have felt if they walked straight through the spectre.

Nick didn't seem to notice, however, as he was still muttering to himself morosely, "... don't fulfil their requirements ... half an inch, if that ..."

"Hello, Nick," said Harry and Maya simultaneously.

"Hello, hello," he replied, with a distant look in his pale eyes.

"Are you alright?" Maya asked, slightly worried for the ghost as he looked as if he belonged in one of those sad muggle music videos.

"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, "a matter of no importance ... it's not as though I really wanted to join ... thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfil requirements'." In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness shadowing his face. Maya looked over to Harry in puzzlement, but he looked over at her just as confused.