𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧

You were just exiting Charms class that morning with your Hufflepuff friends when you crossed paths with Hermione, Ron and, thank Merlin, Harry Potter himself.

A sigh of relief escapes your lips upon seeing him still walking around Hogwarts. "I'll see you after our free period," you said to Susan, Fiona and Delilah, bidding them goodbye before rushing towards the trio.

"Harry!"

Said boy turns around, expression bright and nowhere near looking petrified when faced with the possibility of expulsion.

"You're not expelled!" You exclaim as soon as you neared them. "I've been wanting to talk to you about it since yesterday. I heard a few Slytherins saying you were going to get kicked out."

"Of course Malfoy would spread that around," Ron rolls his eyes, but then he suddenly smiles wickedly. "But it's all thanks to him, really."

You walk beside Hermione, peering around her to face him. "What happened?"

Ron explained to you in excruciating detail how Harry fought Malfoy for Neville's Remembrall. Hermione would occasionally butt in, saying that most of them were highly exaggerated, but even she didn't protest when Ron said that Harry did a very risky, yet impressive, dive for the Remembrall as it fell to the ground.

Harry then takes over after Ron finished telling you about how Professor McGonagall called for him. At the end, you were left speechless.

"You're Gryffindor's new Seeker?" You ask, looking at Harry in disbelief. He just nods with a wide grin on his face.

"But—" you spluttered, "but first-years aren't allowed to play Quidditch. You must be—"

"The youngest Seeker in a century!" Ron exclaims.

You enter a crowded hallway, where you had to maneuver around students to avoid them. "I was about to say—excuse me—That you—" you cut yourself off when you nearly ran into a Ravenclaw, "—you must be utterly mad to accept Professor McGonagall's offer."

Harry's eyebrows furrow. "What do you mean?"

"Harry, I'm happy for you, I really am," you start slowly, "but the other players are older and bigger than you are. You'll get flatten in a second!"

"Fred and George won't let that happen," Ron reassures you. "They're on the team too. They're Beaters."

"And besides," said Hermione, "he promised that he wouldn't do anything reckless or life-threatening, didn't you, Harry?"

The way Hermione emphasized her words, you'd think there was some sort of double meaning behind it. You dismiss that feeling when you see Ron roll his eyes for the second time.

"Anyway." Ron says your name, catching your attention. "Harry's going to have his first practice with their captain. I'm sure he'll learn a thing or two about staying on his broom."

That feeling that kept twisting your insides gradually eases at Ron's words. Your posture relaxes when Harry moves to your side and pats your shoulder.

"Don't worry too much about it," said Harry, "It's funny how you're even more nervous about this than I am."

You sigh. "I'm sorry for being fussy, but I just don't want to see you fall off your broom and break, well..." You gesticulate to his whole body. "Your everything afterwards."

"It's fine." Harry pats your shoulder again, this time with a bright smile accompanying it. "Thanks for the concern."

A commotion suddenly erupted further ahead. Shrill screaming and shouts were heard, and now the hallway had little to no space as the students who were walking ahead abruptly turned on their heels and ran towards the opposite direction.