Dose of Darkness | Tom Riddle |

Chapter Six: Paint the Trees

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"You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect."
-- Miyamoto Musashi

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October 1, 1944

Fall was most definitely here.

Eleanor was propped up on her broom, overlooking the pitch for what felt like the hundreth time in the last two weeks, with a perfect view of the forest turning in favor of the season. She ended most of her days here for their allotted practice time and after the stress that's been piling up, it was the only time she didn't need to think.

The once rich, dark green that was so thick the forest rarely ever seen the light was becoming frayed, overtaken by the swarming yellows and reds and everything in between. It was peculiar to see only half the forest colored brightly while the other remained a shadow in contrast.

Eleanor's head felt closer to the clouds when she was this high up, allowing her thoughts to wander even as she refereed a very critical game.

"Emma be careful! You're holding the bludger wrong it'll slip right through your bloody hand!" Eleanor yelled down at her cousin, soaring through the air as the Ravenclaw team played a scrimmage with Hufflepuff for their first practice.

"I can coach her, Parkinson!"

Eleanor glared at Eliza Moon, the other seventh year captain of Hufflepuff who had been patrolling the game as well.

"Bug off, Moon, she's my cousin." Eleanor snapped back.

Usually it was seven on seven but as Captains, Cormac and Eleanor pretended they were the seekers of the game and merely overlooked their progress.

Eleanor had a good routine recently which was enough go distract her from the real problems of the world which is what every seventeen year old should be allowed to thrive in. She's had her classes then her afternoon talks with her mother. Sometimes she'd have her homework done before Quidditch, sometimes she'd get it done after before her Head Girl duties.

Eleanor, to say the least, surprised herself with how she was managing.

The only thing that bothered her was her lack of time for not so much the things she needed but what she wanted.

Marcella and Julius have been very motivated in trying to gather up more supporters for her cause without necessarily mentioning her name to anyone.
That was more of a trouble on her mind rather than something that pleased her but the more she thought of it, the more she realized it all balanced out anyway.

Julius came flying by broom, an exasperated look in his eyes.

"They're a mess." he said, referring to the game that went on before them.

With a sigh, she glanced at Cormac who's head was buried in his hands.

"I'm going in." Cormac said, hurrying to the one goal post.

Eleanor's eyes looked over Julius's shoulder to see that even some of the first years were doing better than Saoirse and Sherry, who were ultimately the best next to Julius even as a fifth and sixth year duo.

"Give it time. This is our first practice all together and we have a month and a half together before our first match." Eleanor assured.

But when she looked over again, Cormac nearly lost his placement on his broom after her cousin Emma scored on him.

"Good one, Emma!" Eleanor inherently cheered, a beaming smile on her lips as she proudly looked at her cousin.

It was her first goal.