MY TYPE OF LOVE | marauders era

| chapter twelve |

I remembered the Quidditch tryout results were posted in the Common Room the following morning by Autumn's sneer as she stormed out. My eyes quickly scanned the list of players and their listed subs. Everyone seemed to be the same, except Autumn was replaced by Wyatt, and a girl named Hazel O'Brien filled the Chaser spot.

I didn't meet Autumn's eyes the rest of the day, angry and embarrassed for her. If she had held her temper, we wouldn't have been in this position, but I had to admit that Olivia made the right decision in the end. Even if Autumn's skill would be missed, her snide comments wouldn't be.

Thursday afternoon brought my meeting with Ana and Anna, who were both thrilled to start their new project. I brought the notes I had prepared the previous class period, and we began our discussion. Most of it was logistics, but when the small details were finally ironed out, I posed a question I had been dying to ask the whole meeting.

"What topic are you doing first?"

Ana and Anna glanced at each other before Anna pulled out her notebook. "A fantastic question, Glinda. We think the best one is to nominate the cutest couple in Hogwarts. Do you have any ideas for who could be featured?"

I bit my lip. "I don't really know much about who dates who," I said, "But Carri should, she keeps up with that more than I do."

"Wait, isn't Carri dating someone?" Ana asked, "Oliver, right? She talks about him in our dorm sometimes." Ana scribbled something down and grinned. "Thanks for the suggestion, Glinda. We'll keep you in touch with the details."

"It was fun," I admitted, standing up from my seat in the library. "But now I have to go."

I ended up forgetting about the Hogwarts Hogwash release until Ana, Anna, Fawn, and Peaches cornered me at lunch that Saturday. Quidditch practice had just finished, and I was debating getting a shower or eating first when Anna made the decision for me, pulling me into the Great Hall.

"Have you read the new Hogwarts Hogwash?" She asked, dragging me to the Hufflepuff table, where we joined the others in the newspaper group. "It's been going like crazy, especially since Fawn and Peaches got the word out about our contest." Anna beamed, grabbing a sandwich and some fruit. "Your charm for circling on the paper and transferring the answer worked perfectly, by the way."

"Oh, really?" I said, slightly surprised. "I'm glad it worked out so well."

"Not to be rude, but you smell atrocious," Ana said, wrinkling her nose. "And your hair is a mess. What have you been doing?"

"Quidditch practice," I explained, and the Slytherin nodded slowly.

"Next time, Anna, let her take a shower first," Ana advised, and Fawn poked her.

"Don't be rude, Ana!"

Ana threw her hands in the air. "I'm just telling the truth!"

The rest of lunch passed easily, and we discussed the articles featured in the Hogwarts Hogwash, and Ana and Anna's ideas for the future. "I think you should offer some of the younger students the opportunity to write a couple of articles," Peaches said.

"That's actually a really good idea," Ana mused, "I mean, we are sixth years. Once we graduate, we could pass the legacy onto someone else."

"As riveting as this discussion is, I need to take a shower," I said, standing up and stretching. "I also need to get started on that Transfiguration essay," I added, and Ana and Anna groaned.

"Please don't remind me!" Anna whined.

"I haven't even started," Ana agreed.

I cheerfully waved my goodbyes and started to the Common Room. I loved being a Ravenclaw, but the long hike with my sore muscles made my legs burn, and I welcomed the long, hot, shower when I got to my dorm room. After I finished, it was another long hike to the library to start my essay in peace. Unsurprisingly, a loud debate was going on in the Common Room about the properties and morality of using potions to enhance performance, so I knew I wouldn't get anything done if I stayed.