Chapter 2 – Two Years Later
Jade Wood was very glad for her terribly dull summer to end. She and her father never got along well and it showed in their strained relationship. Ever since her mother had passed away nine years ago, it was as if her father couldn't be bothered to look her in the face, not even accidentally-not that he was ever home to do so, of course.
Jade's father was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; of course Orville Wood was a very busy man! So busy, in fact, that he couldn't even be bothered to see his daughter off at King's Cross and, instead, sent the house elf in his place.
The young girl sighed before smiling down at the Wood family's House elf, Abra, who was currently sitting on top of her luggage, holding an empty cage. "Thank you for coming with me, Abra."
The house elf smiled back, his big green eyes regarding her happily. "Abra is happy to come with Miss to the station. Abra will miss Miss while she is away at Hogwarts!" Jade reached out and petted the Elf between his large floppy ears—Abra had been there for her since she could remember.
"You head on home, I'll be fine here. Tell father that everything went well." She leant down and gently embraced her oldest friend. "You take care, alright?" Abra returned the hug and smiled brightly, happy to be receiving affection from Miss.
"Have a safe trip, Miss! Abra will make Miss's favourite apple pie when she returns!" he squeaked happily and bowed before disappearing with a loud crack! Jade sighed once again and pushed a loose curl behind her ear before continuing to push her cart towards the train.
As the young woman was exchanging some quick words with a train attendant, someone whistled at her, the sound high and clear above the busy sounds of the platform. She didn't even get a chance to turn as an arm draped over her shoulders. "Well, well, well Wood. You certainly grew up over the summer." Jynx Valiant grinned at her charmingly and she only rolled her eyes, pushing his arm off her shoulders.
Jade would never admit it, but she had even missed the infuriating Ravenclaw Captain during her boring summer.
"Oh sod off, Valiant," she grumbled half-heartedly. He didn't seem to mind as he stepped away to appraise her just as Conner Ward stepped up.
"What do you think, Conner? What would Wood be out of ten?" Valiant asked his best mate as he slung an arm over his shoulders.
Conner grinned and looked Jade up and down as the young woman crossed her arms over her chest, disproving. "She's an eight. Definitely an eight, but when her chest grows…" instead of continuing, Conner whistled, grinning wolfishly as Jade's cheeks flushed pink.
"You're both reprehensible!" she spluttered and stomped away, suddenly regretting ever missing either of them. Their laughter followed her as her ears burned and she wished that Jynx and Conner would leave her alone, but it seemed that no matter how much she called them out on their antics they still had no shame.
"Wood! Oi! Wood!" Jade sighed and paused, looking around for the owner of the voice calling her name. She spotted Arcus Rawkes, one of Ravenclaw's Chasers, weaving between people, politely stopping to let people go ahead. He was certainly a different kind of male from Valiant and Ward.
Jade waited for him to be nearer before greeting him with a warm smile. "Rawkes! How was your summer?" The young man smiled back sheepishly, his brown hair falling into his blue eyes. Jade noted that he had gotten taller and his cheeks that were chubby and rosy just a few months ago had become prominent cheekbones, his jaw was more angular and he looked every bit a handsome young man.
"It was good! How was yours? Also, I couldn't help but notice that you looked a little upset. Is something wrong?" Jade blinked; Arcus had always been the most astute person on the team and it made him a good Chaser. She smiled quickly and shook her head, waving his worries away.
"Oh, it's nothing; just Valiant and Ward being prats, as always." Rawkes nodded in understanding, everyone on the team knew how Jynx and Conner could be. "Anyway, my summer was terribly dull, at least yours went well so you can tell me what you ended up doing and I can live vicariously through you," she teased, grinning.
His sheepish smile returned and he shrugged a shoulder. "Spent most of it Albania since mum and dad were there for business; it was interesting." Jade wasn't sure what Arcus' parents did for a living, but she could only assume that it had something to do with Dark Magic or Wizards as Albania was well known for both.
"That does sound inte—!" The young Ravenclaw Seeker caught her breath with an 'Ooof!' as a strawberry blonde blur barreled into her side without so much as a warning.
"Jade! There you are! Oh, hello Arcus!" Felicity Chambers, seventh year Ravenclaw Chaser, smiled brightly as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl. Arcus bit his lip to keep from laughing-Felicity had a tendency to be clingy and affectionate, especially towards Jade, whom she saw as a little sister, and Jynx, whom she had an undying crush for.
"Hello, Chambers. You look well," he offered easily once he regained his composure.
"Felicity, you are impeding my lungs from taking in air," Jade managed to choke out as she attempted to pry the older girl's arms from around her shoulders.
"Oh, Merlin! Sorry about that!" Felicity giggled breathlessly as she released the younger girl from her grasp. She then leaned forward, green eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "Did you see Valiant? He looks quite fit today, doesn't he?" she whispered in a conspiratorial tone.
Jade rolled her eyes. "You think that he looks fit every day, Felicity," she grumbled. The corner of Arcus' lips upturned into a smile as the older girl's bottom lip jutted out in a pout.
"Well, he's fit every day, Jade!" Felicity whined, causing Jade to sigh in exasperation. She didn't know how he did it, but Jynx had managed to make one of the nicest girl she'd ever met fall in love with him!
Felicity opened her mouth to continue her protest but Arcus cut in, much to Jade's relief-she didn't want to spend any more time talking about Jynx Valiant than she had to. "Why don't we go find a compartment? At this rate, everything will be filled." Felicity pouted but conceded and the three boarded the train without another mention to how 'fit' Valiant was.
However, it seemed that Jade Wood couldn't escape the golden haired young man anywhere as he always somehow managed to be brought up in conversation. This was, of course, to be expected. Many of the girls that spoke to her often only did so to her to ask about Jynx Valiant. Other girls had learned long ago, that Felicity Chambers did not like competition, but Jade Wood could care less about the dashing wind swept captain.
"Valiant said he wants to have a team meeting so I imagine he and Ward will muscle some first years out of a compartment," Felicity said cheerfully, peeking in to a compartment check if her team mates were there.
"They're so distasteful," Jade grumbled, crinkling her nose into a displeased expression.
"Come now, Wood. They're pretty decent when it comes to Quidditch," Arcus defended his Captain weakly. He knew very well what Jade thought of Valiant and his mates.
The young Seeker crinkled her nose as she stared at Arcus disbelievingly. "Well, they treat their brooms better than they treat their women so forgive me if I don't find that particularly endeari—oh, sorry." Jade peered up at a young man much, much taller than her with a handsome face and a stocky build. He examined her face before breaking out into a friendly smile, gray eyes glittering with excitement.
"No problem. Jade Wood, right?" Jade was a little startled that he knew who she was, but she didn't know who he was, though his face was familiar.
"Erm, yes?" she confirmed uncertainly. The boy startled her further by reaching out and taking one of her small hands in his without warning and shaking it.
"Gregory Stone, pleased to meet you," he said, holding onto the girl's hands far longer than necessary, as if to keep her there against her will. "Hm…you are as pretty as they say." He looked quite pleased by this as he finally released her hand.
Jade's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed pink. "I-I-what?" she stuttered, unsure if she had heard the boy correctly.
"Exactly what I said," he confirmed, grinning playfully. "I hope I'll see you around more often, Jade Wood."
"Y-ye—er…" Jade would have continued stumbling over her words had Felicity not nudged her. "Ahem…of course. Yes." She tried to give the boy a nervous smile; she wasn't sure if the boy had been flirting with her or not.
"Good, good. See you later, then." The boy gave her another smile before brushing past her. The young woman noted the scent of spearmint and once again blushed.
When he was gone, she turned to Felicity and Arcus who were sharing knowing looks. "Who was that? Do you know who he is?" she asked.
"I believe he said that his name was Gregory Stone," Felicity said, biting back a laugh at Jade's incredulous expression.
The young Seeker's cheeks flushed as she realized that her friend was teasing her. "I know that! But…why was he talking to me?"
"Because you're pretty?" Arcus added with a sheepish smile.
"Thanks, Rawkes," Jade said, deadpanned. Felicity and Arcus were being of no help. Finally they found Valiant and Ward with Rich Davis, the other half of Ravenclaw's Beaters, talking animatedly in a compartment. It seemed the only person missing was Grady McArthur, their bespectacled third year Keeper who was a notorious late comer. Felicity pushed past Jade and sat herself beside Valiant, her trademark conspiratorial grin on her face.
"You won't believe what just happened! You know Gryfindor's Keeper, Stone? He just flirted with Jade and she was quite flustered! Isn't that adorable?" The three boys peered up at Jade, whose cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"Felicity!" she yelled, flustered by the older girl's boldness. She wanted nothing more but to flee her team mates' scrutinizing stares. She was too busy blushing and hiding behind her hair to notice the strange look that Valiant was sending her way.
Davis stood up to sling an arm around her shoulders, grinning from ear to ear. "Boy, Wood, you sure do work fast. The school year's not even started yet!" he teased, laughing boisterously. Jade crinkled her nose and scowled.
"Don't be so foul," she reprimanded, shrugging his arm off her shoulder before brushing past him to sit beside Arcus. Davis only laughed and moved to take the seat right beside her.
"Ah, good ol' Jade Wood. I missed you." He grinned lazily at her and she rolled her eyes; both of them were quite ignorant of the amber eyed young man looking between them with a calculating gaze.