For Flying at the Hogwarts comp.
.,.,.
"What is really so unbelievable about it?"
They were all seated at the long table in the window-ceilinged Hall, poking at their breakfasts with little interest. It was a dull Saturday morning, and hardly anyone was awake yet, but there they all were. A group of drowsy Hufflepuffs, struggling to keep their face out of their porridge and eggs.
The dark-haired girl opposite the boy shot a sharp look in his direction. "Other than the dragon, asteroid, and the part about you landing on the moon?" she snorted. "Not much."
"I did it, really! My mum even got the picture to prove it!" he insisted, almost completely red in the face with frustration. "You never believe me. None of you. Especially you, Jane."
Jane ignored him and stabbed at her scrambled eggs with unnecessary vigor.
The boy next to her scoffed and said, "What are the chances of you battling a dragon in the middle of Nowhereville, England?"
Zacharias abandoned his breakfast completely. He turned his gaze onto him, lips turned down slightly in a frown.
"I didn't! We were in Bulgaria," he sniffed.
"Come on, Zach. It isn't possible."
"It is so, John!"
"Give me one good reason to believe you, and I will."
Zacharias stood up and threw his fiercest glare at him, which was hard for him, especially with his face drowned in a haughty scarlet. "I'll show you!" he insisted stubbornly.
Again he scoffed. "Spare me, Zach."
"I will! Just let me, uh..." he fumbled around in his trousers for his wand. After searching through his entire coat, bag, and shirt pocket, he plopped back down into his seat and turned dejectedly back to him.
"I left it back—"
"At the dormitories. Real smart of you. Now how're you going to prove this dragon business, hm?"
Jane stepped inbetween them. "No need. It's time to go to the Pitch, anyhow. By the time we get there, it'll be about time for the tryouts to start, would want to miss our grade-A lineup of players... they'll win us the match for sure," Jane remarked sourly. "Now hitch up your big boy trousers and lets go before I have to drag you both there."
They both stayed silent at her words, diverting the eyes to the floor. She was right, of course. Jane, no matter how much of a Ravenclaw she pretended to be, was actually pretty smart.
Zacharias mumbled a short, "Fine."
"And maybe on our way there, you'll catch a glimpse of your little boyfriend." When he fixed her with a confused look, she added, "Potter."
"W—what?"
"He and the Gryffindor team are holding practice there before the tryouts, aren't they? Potter's first time," she muttered darkly. "Now come on, the lot of you!" she snapped, striding off down the Hall.
"I think Jane might like Potter more than you do," John observed with an impressed smirk.
"I—I don't!"
"You kerp telling yourself that, mate. You better get a move on, or else she'll snap him up."
"I hardly believe she would..." he trailed off uncertainly.
John laughed. "All right," he conceded, sounding as sure as he was before.
When he took off after Jane, Zacharias sat there for a moment, stunned. Could he be right?
No, that's absurd, he thought. Why on Earth would I fancy Potter, of all people?
With a start, he realized Jane and John had vanished through the great golden doors of the Hall. He shot up from his seat and grabbed his bag. Nearly tripping over the bench, he ran after them.
"W—wait up guys, come on!" he called.