Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(54) No Quidditch Season

They took their seat at the Ravenclaw table, watching as the Great Hall started filling up with students by the minute. Florence felt the satisfying feeling of seeing her friends and Quidditch team mates. Cho was looking lovely, and walked hand in hand with Cedric into the hall, before parting ways.

The sorting ceremony had begun almost as soon as everyone was settled in to their House Tables. Professor McGonagall came marching into the Great Hall, along with the small looking first years.

Asher was easy to spot in the crowd, his sunny blonde hair and wide grin standing out from the sea of nervous-looking children.

The hat had performed a song, one that was different from the other years. It was always a different, and always made everyone applaud

A girl named Maisie Branson was the first to be sorted as the ceremony started, and there was a faint amount of whispering as the girl took her seat on the stool.

"That's one of Asher's friends. Apparently their mother played for the Scottish National Team and won the Quidditch World cup." Alexander informed her, and the surname rung a bell.

She was sorted in to Hufflepuff, and her brother being in Gryffindor. More students came to sit on the stool, and Ravenclaw welcomed their 9th new member, who was a boy that came before Asher's name on the roster.

"Asher Haddlowe," Professor McGonagall called out after the clapping had died down, and the Ravenclaw table erupted in much louder cheers and hoots, the loudest being Alexander.

The hat had stayed quite a bit on the boy's head, and Alexander was already biting down his nails in nervousness.

"Gryffindor!" The hat called out, and the blonde boy beamed. Alexander gave him a thumbs up, which indicated that he was proud of him, nonetheless.

However the smile on his face was wiped away as Nicolai nudged him, "You owe me five sickles."

He huffed, before digging around in his pocket for coins, plopping five silver coins onto her open hand.

The ceremony ended with the last girl being sorted into Hufflepuff, and Dumbledore stood infront of them all. Nicolai groaned in her seat, wanting nothing more than to dig in to the feast.

He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome. "I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "Tuck in."

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again--best Headmaster ever!" Nicolai cheered, her mouth watering at the selection of food before her. She proceeded to scooping spoonfuls of food and plopping it down contentedly on her plate.

Florence's eyes wandered over to the Gryffindor table, her eyes easily setting the redheaded twins apart from everybody else. They had their backs to her. And same as before, Angelina Johnson was sitting in between them.

She frowned, only to feel a soft poke on her ribcage.

"Oy, Price." It was Jeremy Stretton—who was inferably late to the feast, for reasons that no one really bothered with, gesturing for Alexander to scoot over as he sat beside him "How's your summer been?"

"Fine," she smiled tersely, before her eyes went back to searching for the Weasley twins.

"Are you quite alright, Flo?" inquired Alexander, who was now feeling stuffy with Jeremy sitting beside him. Florence nodded, eyes tearing away from the crowd as she focused on her friends, "Yeah, I, I'm alright. I'm just not that hungry."

"She's had a bit of jelly on the way here," said Nicolai, with a slight smirk on her face. Florence rolled her eyes, kicking Nicolai's foot beneath the table before starting to consume the food that was on her plate.