Here's the latest chapter! Reviews are highly appreciated!
Thanks for beta read, again, Sappho82
And the support troops, especially PastelRaccoon for sparring me forward with this chapter last night!
Stay tuned for the next update!
-Nova
"Yuzu! Did you get your classes sorted out?" Harumi asked the tired looking blonde who sat down at the large house table in the Great Hall. It was lunch time and students were taking a break from the morning classes.
"Agh, yeah, I think so." Yuzu looked tired. "Professor Udagawa was very helpful and insightful, I managed to get most of the same classes with you too, Harumin!"
"Awesome! I have a break after lunch, how about you? I can show you around the grounds if you're free," Harumi had already finished her plate and was gulping down some pumpkin juice.
"I don't think I have anything, just the afternoon class of Charms that you had too, right?" Yuzu started to stuff food hurriedly in her mouth to not keep Harumi waiting. She noticed a dark-haired figure approaching the table from the corner of her eye.
Aaagh, not now… Wait, no… She's definitely coming closer… Should I say something?
Yuzu carefully eyed Mei as she approached the table and sat down on the other side, directly facing Yuzu. Harumi shot a curious look at the Head Girl, taking turns inspecting both girls. Yuzu was nervously focused on getting food down her throat as fast as possible and Mei was staring, silently, not touching her food at all.
"You came back late last night, Yuzu," Mei stated andmade Yuzu choke on her food. Harumi had to pat her back to get the food out.
"Geez, Yuzu, take it easy." Harumi chuckled.
"Nnnaah," Yuzu managed to articulate, her eyes watering from all the coughing. "I don't want to keep you waiting!"
W-what the heck was that supposed to mean?! She was awake when I sneaked inside the dorms?
"C'mon, Aihara, don't be so hard on her! Girl just wanted to have fun last night," Harumi said jokingly but Mei was not amused. Yuzu was still catching her breath and lifted her gaze to meet Mei's.
How can she act as if nothing happened?
"Curfew— "Mei started reeling off the Gryffindor house rules, but Harumi laughed loudly and cut her off.
"Curfew?! You can't tell her off for hanging out in the common room," Harumi edged on her seat. "We're all adults here, aren't we?"
"Ahem, yes, I think so. That's why it'd be polite, as adults, to start acting like ones and respect other people," Mei replied coldly and pushed the food around on her plate. Yuzu's eyes flew open.
ACTING LIKE ADULTS?! Like suddenly jumping your stepsister's bones out of nowhere?!
"Agh, Harumin, I'm not hungry anymore, let's be respectful here and leave." Yuzu stood up and turned to Harumi, nearly tripping on the long bench as she threw her other leg over it. She flashed the brunette the brightest smile she could muster and was very aware that the Head Girl was staring at both of them. "You wanted to show me something outside on the grounds?"
"Ah… Yeah, sure. Let's go," Harumi was up on her feet in no time, Yuzu hung herself from her bicep and dragged her away from the table. Yuzu did not look back but she was sure she could feel the burn from Mei's stare as they walked out to the Entrance Hall.
Once outside in the sunlight, Harumi was bursting with excitement.
"Girl, what was all that about?!" the brunette asked excitedly. "And what was this about?" Harumi gave a meaningful nod towards the blonde hanging from her arm.
"Aaaa… hehe—sorry about this," Yuzu said bashfully and let go of the arm.
"Naw, girl. Totally cool! Did something happen with Mei? She's acting kind of strange too," Harumi pondered.
"Oh? She is?" Yuzu looked at her friend curiously. They kept walking away from the castle, while students were out enjoying the sunshine and sitting on the grass.
"Hah! So, something happened, right?!" Harumi was psyched, almost jumping and curiously looking at Yuzu, waiting for more gossip. A blush was starting to form on Yuzu's cheeks and she kept avoiding her friend's eager gaze.
"Ahehe—Well, you see…" Yuzu started nervously. "Something strange definitely happened, but I think—"
"OY! HARUMIN!" A pink-haired Slytherin yelled from a nearby group sitting on the grass. The girl got up on her feet and caught up with Yuzu and Harumi.
"Oh, Matsuri, didn't see you there," Harumi said, disappointed that Yuzu didn't get to finish her story. "We were kind of in the middle of something important and—"
"So? I want to know too! C'mon, anything but Agnes' boring stories of her summer of love, eugh. I mean, she's a decent Keeper and all that, but who cares about a nobody she met during her summer break in France." Matsuri continued her rambling as Harumi sighed. "Pleeeaaasee~ Tell me either one of you made out with someone interesting last night. You did arrange a huge welcome party for Yuzu, didn't you?"
Aaaagh, Matsuri, stop. Can't… stop… blushing… Why the heck did she have to bring this up now?
Yuzu's face was burning red and she tried to turn away from the other two girls. Harumi unfortunately saw the reaction and flung her palm across her gaping mouth.
"YUZU! You're kidding, right?! She couldn't have…" the brunette was astonished.
"Wait—Who? Tell me, tell me, tell me…" Matsuri's eyes darted from one girl to the other as she begged to know more. Yuzu started to walk away from the group and kept shaking her head, Matsuri stopped her by grabbing her wrist. "NOT SO FAST, you can't just leave me hanging here!"
People around were giving curious looks and turning around to see what the commotion was about. Harumi gestured they should walk further away from the prying eyes and ears. They kept walking ahead, found a quiet spot and Harumi turned to the blonde and grabbed her shoulders with both of her hands.
"Hey, Yuzu, you OK?" the brunette sounded a bit worried.
"Eeh… I'm not sure? It's just… Last night before I came back to the common room, something happened, and I'm not exactly sure why," Yuzu started to explain.
"What am I missing here? Who—" Matsuri was anxious.
"SHUT UP! Let her talk," Harumi shot Matsuri an angry glance.
"Well, we had an argument, I think, it's all a bit blurry… She was so… cold—"
"WHO?! WHO WAS—" Matsuri was getting riled up.
Harumi took her wand from her pocket in one swift motion and bellowed, "SILENCIO!" Totally silencing the pink haired girl. She pocketed her wand and gestured Yuzu to continue, Matsuri made an unmistakable hand sign for a silent "Fuck you!" to the brunette.
"Uh… You didn't have to… Well, anyway, we had a fight. But then she just suddenly attacked me and—" Yuzu's words were getting stuck in her throat when she tried to explain the events from the past evening.
"Attacked you? I thought this was about… Wait? She attacked you?! How?!" Harumi was getting panicky.
"Ah! No… I mean… Kind of attacked me, yes…" It was getting harder and harder to explain the situation to Harumi, who started to look really worried, "she kissed me. Not like a small peck, or anything. A full-blown kiss."
Matsuri was trying to communicate, stuck her tongue out and pointed it with her index fingers, with an exaggeratedly puzzled look on her face. Yuzu gave a weak smile, the sight of Matsuri goofing around was lifting her spirits.
"Yes, a French kiss." Yuzu fumbled for her wand, muttered a quiet incantation to release the younger girl from the Silencing Charm and turned back to Harumi. "I was so taken aback by the kiss that it took me a while to push her away."
"So, who is this mysterious woman who stole the first kiss from my girl?" Matsuri had regained her ability to speak.
"Ugh, cut it out. Yuzu is not your girl. We are talking about Aihara Mei, now shut up!" Harumi waved her hand to shush Matsuri. The younger girl looked like she wanted to say something but was too eager to know more and let Yuzu continue.
"No, it's OK, that was about all of it. She was indifferent about the whole thing, just left the room to go to the bathroom right after the… thing, that happened. I was going to wait for her to come back but got cold feet and joined you in the common room instead."
"So, just now at lunch was the first time you guys saw each other after last night?" Harumi summed up.
"Yeah, she was gone when I woke up in the morning and didn't see her at breakfast either," Yuzu said.
"Oh, wow. That was some cold treatment there, I mean… I've never seen her so… edgy. But maybe that's her way of showing affection, a really strange way if you ask me, but hey… Who am I to judge?" Harumi shrugged her shoulders.
"Told you she was wild, didn't I?" Matsuri smirked and an awkward silence followed.
Days passed and Yuzu was getting to know her way around the castle. Most of her classes were with Harumi so she had someone guiding her around. Mei kept acting as if nothing had ever happened between them and Yuzu's few attempts to have a conversation with her were rejected by the other girl. Mei seemed to be always busy with homework, Head Girl duties or ready to go asleep and Yuzu was tired of trying to figure her out while still unable to get her out of her head.
Aaaaagh… This sucks… Why can't I just let this be? Why is her beautiful face all that I can think about? I bet she's not giving me a second thought anymore, agh… this is pathetic.
Yuzu was spread across the breakfast table, her face buried in her sleeve when she felt someone ruffling her hair around. She knew this to be Harumi and didn't bother to get up.
"Aren't you a ball of sunshine on this beautiful morning?" Harumi said, stuffing a muffin in her mouth.
"Shut up, I just want to take a hike in the freakin' Forbidden Forest and live a hermit life with the other forest weirdos, okay?" Yuzu whined.
"Girl, c'mon. There are like dozens of other people, waiting in line to get a date with you, just pick one and it'll smooth itself out," Harumi offered an easy way out of the misery the blonde had fallen into.
"Uuuugh… no thank you." Dating was the last thing on Yuzu's mind.
"Okay, as you like. We have the Quidditch try-outs today, you should come and see! Or try out! Who knows, you might make the team, given you're in a condition to stay on a broom," Harumi continued to cheer her friend up, eating her breakfast.
Windows flew open and a swarm of owls entered the Great Hall. Yuzu flinched when a heavy envelope landed on her head. Harumi fished the letter from the blonde's hair and gave it a quick glance.
"Hey, Yuzu, your mother sent you something," Harumi poked Yuzu's head. Yuzu lifted her head and postured herself to a more upright position. She took the letter from Harumi and was about to open it but stopped.
She probably wants to know how it has been and tell her everything about Mei. I don't really have anything to tell, do I? …Oh, hey, mama… I met my stepsister… She French kissed me out of nowhere and now we're not talking anymore… How's work? …HAH… Aaaaagggh—I can't send her anything yet. I need to talk with Mei, about Christmas and everything. Just suck it up and be a good daughter, and a stepsister.
"You're not going to open it?" Harumi tore Yuzu away from her thoughts.
"Uh… Not yet, maybe later," Yuzu said quietly and stuffed the letter to her pockets.
"We have a free period before lunch, wanna hang out?" Harumi asked.
"Nah, I need to finish my homework for the afternoon, couldn't exactly focus on Advanced Anything last night." Yuzu sighed. "I guess I'll go to the library, should be quiet enough."
"Okay, but make sure you free the schedule for the afternoon, the try-outs are held before dinner!" Harumi said and reached for a second helping of toast.
Yuzu followed few of her classmates to the Quidditch arena, Harumi had dashed to the dormitories after the last class to retrieve her Quidditch gear and left Yuzu with a bunch of people who promised to take Yuzu with them. They reached the arena and climbed up to the bleachers on top of the tower. A small group of Slytherin students was already occupying the front seats. Grumbled words and insults flew back and forth the two rivalling groups. Yuzu was quietly following the banter behind her classmates and was only surprised not to find Matsuri with the Slytherin group.
The group of Gryffindors reluctantly took the back row seats and Yuzu followed. The Slytherin group kept glancing up at Yuzu, whispering something to each other and laughing.
Oh, god. Matsuri, you better NOT have told them everything or I'll gut you like a flubberworm…
Students with brooms were walking down the field towards the center. Some of them were wearing bright red robes, presumably the last year's team members. A tall boy, also wearing a bright red robe stepped in front of the group and started yelling directions. Yuzu was surprised to see such a large group of students interested to make the team.
The Keeper rose up to the goal posts and Yuzu could hear a distant voice shouting "CHASERS! FIRST ONE, ON MY MARK!" and saw the team Captain throw the Quaffle as high up as he could. Apparently the purpose was to test one Chaser at a time, but the first one being tested had barely started to move when another figure swooped past and caught the Quaffle and darted towards the goal posts. The Keeper was confused and didn't seem to have time to react when the Chaser with dark black hair scored a goal.
Yuzu and the other Gryffindors watched in confusion when the group of Slytherins started to cheer and roar in front of them.
"MATSURI! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Harumi's distant voice echoed over the cheering Slytherins, and she rose higher on her broom, chasing the girl she had just recognized as Matsuri but the black-haired stranger had already reached the tower with the two spectator groups. As soon as she landed, she dug her wand from her pocket and Yuzu caught a glimpse of pink before the girl was lost with the group of Slytherins, cheering and hunching over her.
Harumi flew next to the tower and continued yelling, "You little brat, you're in trouble once this is over!"
Yuzu couldn't help but laugh at her Slytherin friend who had emerged from the huddle of students. Matsuri grinned and gestured Yuzu to join them. The blonde politely shook her head, knowing perfectly well that it would send a totally wrong message to her house mates.
After the noise died down, the group of Slytherins seemed to lose interest in the other team's trials and started to make their way out. They tried to persuade Matsuri to join them but she gestured them to go ahead without her. She turned up to Yuzu again, pointing to the seat next to her.
"It's OK now, isn't it?" tilting her head slightly, the pink-haired girl invited Yuzu to sit with her.
"Agh… Fine. Sorry guys, nothing personal… she's a friend, so… yeah…" Yuzu tried to explain to the sour looking group next to her but they were pretending to be busy watching the try-outs.
Oh wow, that went well… Ugh… Whatever…
She climbed down and tried her best to give the mischievous girl a disapproving look. They sat down and broke into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
Matsuri straightened up and nudged Yuzu with her elbow, "Hey, it's Harumin's turn. Don't tell her I said this, but she's totally awesome on a broom."
Yuzu lifted her gaze to the field and saw Harumi approaching the goal posts in full speed, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to divert the Keeper and threw the Quaffle with a ferocious curve to a totally different goal post than where she was supposedly aiming at.
The whole crowd stood up and cheered, Matsuri along with all the Gryffindors.
"You're so right! That was awesome!" Yuzu was yelling through the noise; she had seen a lot of throws and goals in her past school years but was assured this had to be the coolest goal she had ever seen. The noise stopped when it was turn for the next try-out.
"I saw her playing during my first year and decided I wanted to be as cool as she was… Just... Don't you dare tell her what I just said." Matsuri smirked and sat down on her seat.
"Uh-huh, sure… Wait… I wanted to ask you, what the heck have you been telling your house mates about me? They were eyeing me earlier and laughing about something," Yuzu turned to Matsuri, serious look on her face.
"Oh, heh… yeah, about that… Well, I might have not corrected their false suspicions about you and Harumin," Matsuri was preparing for a shitstorm and felt like she had to explain herself a bit more. "But see, that's like creating a diversion so you can pursue the Head Girl—"
"SHUT UP!" Yuzu kept eyeing the back row nervously, they were far enough not to be heard but she wanted to be cautious. "I'm not pursuing anyone, besides, she is my sister for crying out loud!"
"Wait… what?! Like flesh and blood, sister?! But that's like… incest." Matsuri's mouth was gaping.
"What—iew, no. Stepsister. Our parents just got married this year, I met her for the first time on the train on our way here," Yuzu tried to keep her voice down. Matsuri took a while to think about the situation.
"So, just forbidden love then? That's still hot." She eventually concluded. "Just let me know if you need my help making the beloved sis jealous." Matsuri inched her face closer, eyes drooping and ran her finger along Yuzu's jawline.
"HEY! Stop it!" Yuzu panicked and slapped the younger girl's hand away from her face. "People are staring at us…"
You little brat, Matsuri… Maybe it's not so bad to create a diversion to… wait… what am I thinking?!
Matsuri laughed and turned to follow the rest of the try-outs.
Ugh… Great. Now the Slytherins think I'm dating Harumin and these people here probably think there's something going on with me and Matsuri… Let's just hope Mei doesn't find out about either side of this mess…
Yuzu swore she got more curious looks the following week after the Quidditch try-outs.
Ugh, even the other two houses seem to be in on some gossip… Wonder which one though…
Yuzu tried to stay calm and continue her day as if she didn't notice the whispers around her. She found Harumi before the last class of the day and sighed in relief to see a familiar face. Keeping her distance and making sure there was no room for any more gossip, she followed her friend to the classroom.
"Heh, you look like you've had a long day," Harumi said sympathetically. She was rummaging through her bag and after getting the books she needed for the lesson, she dug up something totally different. A huge red and yellow scarf. "Here, I got this for you. We're having a practice match against Slytherin tomorrow, you'll come and root for me, right?"
Yuzu blushed heavily when Harumi reached out to wrap the scarf around Yuzu's neck and gave a slightly mischievous grin.
Damn it, this doesn't help the pointless rumors at all… Agh, Harumin, you evil, little…
"Just making sure you're not too smitten with the other team's certain pink-haired Chaser," Harumi teased and made Yuzu's blush deeper shade of red. Yuzu failed to notice the Head Girl standing at the doorway, coming to a sudden halt at the sight of the two friends goofing around. Harumi had just enough time to notice the pure glare of death Mei was giving the two before hastily finding a seat in the back of the room.
Yuzu knew Harumi was just joking, they had been laughing at the situation with the three of them on several occasions but the joke was getting a bit old. Yuzu was not fond of the additional attention she got and was sure some of the students had already heard both of the rumors and formed new ones involving a strange love triangle.
"OK. Ha-ha, really funny. Of course, I will be cheering for you," Yuzu said, trying to keep calm and get the burn on her cheeks to settle while she removed the scarf and stuffed it inside her bag. "So it's only for practice? When is the official match?"
"Oh, that's in November, the team Captains agreed to have practice matches before the official ones a few years ago. The crowd watching these matches is almost as big as what we get in the official matches, though." Harumi explained. "So, you'll be there, right? The game starts at noon."
Yuzu nodded and smiled. "Wouldn't miss it for anything. You better kick Matsuri's sorry little ass!"