Thicker Than Water- Chapter One- Quidditch
You know, I thought this title was familiar, and then I realized it was the title of LJ's story in which we discover Keller and Rashel are twins. Well. So I guess I really own nothing :P
I would like to thank everyone who reviewed/subscribed/favorited this story! It means a lot!
WARNING: I'm changing some things around in the HP world of all this. Normally the winning Quidditch team would play the team who won the last match, but in this world, the House Points also play a factor in determining who plays in the next game. Only pertaining to the playoff games for the Quidditch Cup.
*For those of you who haven't read Harry Potter, I'm sorry and hope you stick it out for this story! In HP, Quidditch is a sport played on broomsticks. And the four Hogwarts Houses compete for points that can be gained in classes for participation and mastering spells and such. Whoever has the most points at the end of the year wins the House Cup, which is a big deal.
So, without further ado the second chapter! (I'm still not JK or LJ.)
The Hogwarts grounds were beautiful. The ground was covered in a thick layer of snow that also decorated the roof of the school. The Forbidden Forest rustled in the biting December air and the ice covering the lake sparkled under the winter sun.
Mary-Lynnette Carter would've loved to be in the Ravenclaw common room, curled up with a good book by the window, looking up every so often to admire the view, but today was the biggest Quidditch match of the season.
Ravenclaw versus Slytherin.
A cheer erupted from the stadium as the Quaffle soared threw the Slytherin's hoop, and Mary-Lynnette clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her cheer. She was determined to be detached in this game. Her House, Ravenclaw, was currently in an extremely important match against her boyfriend's House. And even worse, he was on the team.
Ash Redfern, the school player/bad boy/whatever-you-needed-him-to-be-babe, was the Slytherin Chaser. Dating Mary-Lynnette Carter, school prefect and well-known book-worm.
Everyone knew they were dating, either from the rumors spread by jealous girls or disgusted Slytherins, or from how many times they'd gotten detention for getting caught in a broom closet.
However they were known, they were known well. Ash had always been popular. The family name, one of the oldest in wizarding history, had helped him get there. He had a way with people and they seemed to be attracted and attached to him like a fly in amber. Mary-Lynnette had been known too, before. Just as one of the brightest witches since Hermione Granger. Nothing more really, until she became a 'somebody' by dating him.
The crowd cheered again and Mary-Lynnette jerked out of her thoughts.
"What's the score?" She asked Ash's sister, Rowan, who was Mare's fellow Ravenclaw.
"120 to 130, Slytherin." Rowan replied, her tone emotionless. She, like Mary-Lynnette, was determined not to be emotionally involved in this game.
Mary-Lynnette contemplated that for a moment before requesting the binoculars. Rowan handed them over and Mary-Lynnette brought them to her blue eyes.
Contrary to popular opinion, she wasn't looking for Ash—he was right there, his blonde hair flying in the wind with the red ball clutched tightly to his chest—she was looking for John Quinn. John—or Quinn as he was more commonly known—was the Slytherin Seeker.
"I can't find Quinn." Mary-Lynnette grumbled.
She faintly heard Rowan suck in a sharp breath. She knew what this meant too. The crowd, which was now going crazy, had also figured it out.
When you couldn't find Quinn's head of jet black hair, or it was just a blur past your vision, he had found the snitch.
"GO! Yes! Fly, Quinn, fly!" Ash's other sister Kestrel had no moral dilemmas about which team to cheer for. She was a Slytherin too.
Almost the entire Ravenclaw house gave a collective groan while the Slytherins yelled their heads off. Kestrel, being the only Slytherin in the Ravenclaw's stands received many dirty looks, which she readily ignored.
"Well." Rowan put away her binoculars, "That's that. You can go congratulate Ash; we'll talk to him at dinner."
"Hide your shame, Rowan." Kestrel replied cheerfully. Rowan simply rolled her eyes at her sister and replied, "Just wait until Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup. Then we'll see who'll be hiding."
Mary-Lynnette could see Kestrel's scowl in her peripheral vision and started to shove her way through the crowd and headed back toward the Slytherin changing room. A scowl on any of Redfern's faces was never a good omen. Especially on the Slytherin Redferns.
Mary-Lynnette trekked her way in the snow back around the pitch to the Slytherin changing rooms. She was shivering in her boots when Morgead Blackthorn threw open the door.
"Mary-Lynnette!" Morgead greeted her warmly. "Did you see the game?"
Mary-Lynnette scoffed and shouldered her way into the warmth. "Of course I saw the game! It was the biggest game of the season!"
"Did you see me?" Morgead's emerald eyes were sparkling like a little kid on Christmas.
Mary-Lynnette chuckled quietly. She knew exactly what he was wishing praise for. "Yes, Morgead, I saw you hit that bludger at the Gryffindor stands."
"And?" Morgead's eyes now held a wicked gleam.
"It was a nice shot. You were lucky you didn't hurt someone." Mary-Lynnette added sternly, though it was only perfunctory; as a prefect she felt it her duty to at least reprimand him a little.
"You'll be lucky if you can stay on the team after that move." Quinn scolded, coming out of the changing area in his robes. "Madame Hooch would've totally called a foul if Ash hadn't scored."
"Which time?" Ash's mocking voice called from the stalls Quinn had just appeared from.
Quinn rolled his eyes, and to spare Ash from getting yelled at, Mary-Lynnette asked, "So Captain, who do you play next?"
Quinn grinned. He'd really taken a liking to the whole 'captain' thing. "Rashel's team. Gryffindor."
"The Lions? Are you kidding me? I thought Hufflepuff was ahead!" Ash appeared behind Quinn.
"No, James Rasmussen earned 20 points in potions and 50 in Defense Against the Dark Art's last week, while Jade and Mark docked Hufflepuff 100 for ditching Herbology to go explore the Forbidden Forest." Mary-Lynnette said.
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly. Jade was his little sister and the only reason he hadn't hexed Mark yet was because he was Mary-Lynnette's little brother. "And what were they doing in the Forbidden Forest?"
Mary-Lynnette knew what he was getting at. "She's fourteen, Ash. Mark's not going to force her into anything."
Ash didn't look convinced, but thankfully he let it drop.
"So where's the celebration?" Mary-Lynnette asked after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Slytherin common room." Quinn grimaced apologetically at her.
"Oh, that's okay. We'll celebrate your victory later." Mary-Lynnette laced her fingers through Ash's as the group of four went back out into the cold towards the castle now that the boys were done changing.
"You're not upset are you?" Ash squeezed her hand.
"No, my House pride is a little wounded," She playfully bumped her shoulder against his, "But I meant what I said earlier."
"About being happy for whichever team won?"
"Yeah. And I knew whoever won would play Gryffindor and I thought it would better if you played them. Ravenclaw would be crushed."
"So you're saying Slytherin at least has a fighting chance?"
"Yes. A better one than Ravenclaw at least."
"Hey, you guys were pretty good today." Quinn said to Mary-Lynnette over his shoulder.
"Yeah, you guys too. Only one foul." Mary-Lynnette grinned teasingly at Ash.
"Hey! That was totally not my fault! That was all Thea!" Ash let go of Mary-Lynnette's hand to hold his up defensively.
"Oh, yeah, Thea would really chuck the Quaffle at her own teammate's head."
Ash stopped in his tracks, clutching over his heart he gasped dramatically, "You… You don't believe me?"
Mary-Lynnette stopped too, and turned around to face her boyfriend. "Not one bit."
Mary-Lynnette had long grown used to his theatrics and wasn't at all surprised by his 'wounded puppy' act. "Cut it out. You're better at being a cat than a dog anyway." She gave his shins a little kick.
"Fine." Ash grunted, though she suspected he only stopped so he could inspect his shin. Apparently, she didn't know her own kicking strength.
At the staircase that led to the dungeons, Ash asked, "Where are my sisters?"
Mary-Lynnette shrugged. "Rowan's probably in the library and Kestrel's probably waiting for you in the dormitory."
"And Jade?"
"I didn't see her at the game." Seeing Ash's dangerous look, Mary-Lynnette quickly added, "She's was probably with the other Hufflepuffs. I bet she's fine.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go to the library to look for Rowan." Mary-Lynnette pecked Ash on the cheek, gave the Slytherins one last congratulations, and speed off toward the library.
The strategy was flawless. The team was prepared. The House was confident. And the captain? Was canoodling with the enemy.
Not physically, but in her mind, Jez Redfern was far away, in a Hogwarts of her own creation. A pair of strong arms was around her waist, firmly holding her against him. Intense eyes filled with raw passion and love were staring into her own. He was announcing his undying love for her and they were—
"Jez! Hey, Jezebel are you with us? " Delos snapped his fingers under her face.
"Yes! Sorry, I'm here. I was just fantasizing about tearing Slytherin to shreds for the Cup." Jez lied.
Rashel Jordan saw through the lie immediately, but then again not much got past Rashel. The others were satisfied and continued to polish their tactics.
"It's not like you to space out, what were you thinking about?" Rashel asked her in a low voice.
"I'm not thinking about it again, I promise." Jez replied shortly. She didn't dare look Rashel in the eye; Rashel could see a lie across the Great Hall and she would definitely see one in Jez's eyes.
"Jez…" Rashel started in a warning tone.
Rashel and Jez had never been the best of friends, but they had a mutual understanding and a trust. It was a bond they both greatly valued, even if they never hung out much.
"Not here." Jez hissed. The common room was full of people who'd be likely to eavesdrop. Her family was too nosy for their own good.
"He's not that worth it." Rashel insisted.
Jez thought that one measly Quidditch Cup wasn't worth it. They'd won the Cup last year, and the year before that. Their perfect streak couldn't last forever.
To deflect Rashel, Jez said, "You sound like you're trying to convince yourself of that, Rashel."
It was a lie; Rashel had never given any indication of liking anyone in that way at Hogwarts. One year, someone had even started this crazy rumor she had a Muggle boyfriend because no one could be so icy when John Quinn was flirting with her. Even if they were in opposing Houses.
Rashel flushed crimson with outrage and Jez saw her hands clench. Satisfied with the reaction she'd gotten out of Rashel, Jez opened her mouth to say she was just joking when she noticed Rashel appeared to be slightly embarrassed. Jez closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes.
The strong-willed Gryffindors glared fiercely at each other. Like lions, neither of them blinked or moved a muscle. Both of them were willing the other to spill first.
"Whoa, are you guys alright?" Eric caught sight of the epic stare down.
Delos snorted, "Try not to burst into flames."
Realizing the likelihood of Delos's statement, the witches broke eye contact.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team was silent; the boys were wisely waiting for the girls to finish switching gears before they spoke.
"Sorry, we just… have a little disagreement." That was Jez Redfern's great excuse. Judging by the disbelieving glances, no one believed it.
Rashel cleared her throat. "We're fine, now, what are we going to do about Ash?"
This time, Jez was determined not to start daydreaming of Morgead Blackthorn.
Ohhh what a shock. I bet NONE of you guessed it was going to be Morgead, huh?
Sorry for such a short chapter. Well it's not short, there are just not a lot of scenes. Sorry, I'm out of juice for this chapter.
BUT your reviews (winkwink) will SURELY inspire me even further to update even quicker with EVEN MORE CHARACTERS. And maybe a little drama ;D
Probably not, that domain rests with others. (You know who you are.)
Sorry for rambling! Thanks for reading! Review?
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