::Chapter two of The Grim Defeat. I stole a quote from Sean Biggerstaff, but I don't think he would mind, as he probably is too busy to read fan fictions about his character in the movies. And if he did, he probably wouldn't be reading this—but still, I give him credit for it, as it is his words, not mine.::
It was the next day and it seemed to be a brighter day than the previous. Claire sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace in the Hufflepuff common room. She read a book she bought in America, Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card. She had read Ender's Game during the previous year.
As she was finishing a chapter, her friends Cedric Diggory, Amy Bones, Zoë Langston, and Artemis Jenkins had startled her with their noise, as it was silent in the common room. Amy, Zoë, and Artemis were seventh years too.
"Oh, good morning, you lot," Claire greeted them, tearing her attention away from the book.
"Good morning, Claire," they answered back.
"We're going to go eat some breakfast. Are you gonna come with us?" Amy asked.
"It is crucial you do come, because we are gonna discuss new tactics for the new season over breakfast. We can't stand to lose anymore games," Cedric explained. As he was voted last year as Hufflepuff captain, it was his responsibility to make sure his team was prepared.
"Oh, hush now, Cedric. You are beginning to sound just like Oliver," Claire laughed. She was on the Quidditch team with Cedric. Zoë, Artemis, and Amy were on the team, as well, along with two other fifth years.
"Well, I can't help it. This year, we'll at least have to win one game," Cedric expressed.
"Okay, I'll come down for breakfast. But promise you'll wait for me. I have to change into my robes and put away my book," Claire said, getting up from her seat to her dormitories.
After a while, she came back down to rejoin her friends. Two more were added to the group: Anthony Higgins and Cliff Abbott. They all walked down to the Great Hall together, talking rapidly about their plans for the season. They were interrupted, though, when four figures called two of their own from behind.
"CLAIRE! ARTEMIS!" Penny screeched to the two. All seven Hufflepuffs took a look from behind them to see Penny waving her hand quickly as Oliver, Percy, and a black-haired girl stared at her with humiliated glances.
"Hey, guys," Claire and Artemis responded as the four walked up to them.
"Good morning, love," Artemis said, kissing the black-haired girl.
"Hi," she giggled. She was Courtney Chang, Cho Clang's 7th year Ravenclaw sister.
"Hi, Ollie," Claire smiled, hugging Oliver.
"Hey, my little *Golden Snitch*," Oliver responded.
"Oliver?"
"Yes, my dear *Bludger*?"
"Please don't refer to me as one of the Quidditch balls," Claire explained to him as Oliver chuckled.
"All right, I learned my lesson."
"Thank you," she said as all of them entered the Great Hall together. Then, they all split up to their own tables to eat breakfast and receive their new school schedules.
After their breakfast, Claire accompanied Penny, Artemis, and Courtney to the Gryffindor table to meet up with Percy and Oliver.
"Can I see your schedule?" Claire asked Oliver once she found an empty seat across from him.
"Sure, but I'll have to look at yours," he replied.
"Here you go," she said, taking the piece of parchment out Oliver's hand.
"Muggle Studies? Aren't you muggle, Claire?" Oliver questioned.
"No, not really. My step-dad's half muggle, so I know some of the muggle lifestyle. But he doesn't really like to talk about being muggle," Claire explained.
"It's a good thing that your dad doesn't talk to my dad then," Percy chortled.
While studying everyone's schedule, Claire noticed that she and Oliver had three classes together; Percy and Oliver had four, Claire and Penny one, Penny and Courtney, three classes, and Percy and Claire, mostly all classes. All of Claire's friends in Hufflepuff shared most of the same classes with her, also. They all headed for their classes and their first and fun day of actual schooling.
When the school day was over, everyone headed for the Great Hall for dinner. All of the students were already fatigued by the first day. Mostly everyone had Transfiguration homework and a Potions essay to write.
"How were all your classes, guys?" Claire asked with a feeble voice. Her head rested on her arm that was on the table.
"Not that bad. Yours?" Cedric answered.
"All right, I guess. I wish I didn't take so many," she said back to him.
"Well, no one has had more classes than that Hermione Granger. Hannah Abbott and my sister, Susan, told me that she had doubled up on classes for one time slot," Amy explained.
"Well, maybe she got it sorted out, you know. She's such a smart girl and probably found a way to do that. Anyway, she's got her priorities straightened. She's pretty much misunderstood, but still, has her path of life worked out for her," Claire said.
"Are you going to eat anything, Claire?" Artemis asked.
"No, I'm not feeling hungry right now. Well, I'll be going to meet Oliver now," Claire said, getting up from her seat and walking to the Gryffindor table.
"Well, come up in about ten minutes! Quidditch plans!" Cedric shouted at her.
"So, how was your day?" Oliver asked as he offered Claire a seat next to him. She turned down his offer with a light wave of her hand.
"It was pretty good—kinda tiring, though. Some parts of the day I hate. Snape put me on he spot just for switching seats with Constance Beaufort, who was sitting next to Percy. He asked me a question on making a potion for curing a bite from a grindylow. I put him in is place, though. I got the ingredients and process of making the potion right. Then, he took off five points from Hufflepuff for showing off," Claire explained.
"Well, I had it pretty bad, as well. Professor McGonagall gave us a pop quiz on Transfiguration. I don't remember the last time I've been so confused," Oliver embarrassedly remarked.
"Let's just hope that you did good, okay?" Claire looked at her watch and spoke once more, this time hurriedly. "Oh, Ollie, I have to go now. I am so sorry. I have to meet with the rest of my Quidditch team to discuss plans. Cedric wants us to try to be better."
"All right. I'll speak to you later," Oliver said as Claire stood up and joined her Hufflepuff friends.
"You really didn't want to let her go, did you, Oliver?" Percy whispered in his best friend's ear.
"No, not really," Oliver sighed.
"Well, you're going to have to get used to letting her go. I don't mean to sound like a discourager, but she is quite busy this year. Prefect and Head Boy and Girl meetings, Quidditch practices, tutoring sessions, school, homework—I wonder how the woman can do it all," Percy expressed as it suddenly hit Oliver.
"Do you think that she would have time for me?" he asked, looking back at his best mate's face.
"Of course she will—just not a lot. Look, I was just making a guess as to Claire's schedule. Don't believe me…"
"Whatever you say, Perce," Oliver pathetically chuckled. Then, they resumed to their dinner.
::Okay, sorry about this but, this is a bit long, so I'll have to cut this chapter short…Sorry. And Artimis is a guy—not to be confused with Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt …::