Happy New Year all! We are in the 20s again! Let's party.
Here is a new chapter for the new year. I hope you like it. I don't own any Harry Potter, just Campbell.
Thursday rolled around and Campbell was practically vibrating with excitement. She was finally going to get a chance to try out to play quidditch.
She bounded into breakfast and waited for Blaise and Theo to move so that she could sit down. Theo looked over at his sister and smiled. Gone was the permanent look of boredom from her features. Her smile was as wide as a first year's who just got treats from Hogsmead. "What's got you in such good spirits Bell?" He asked her, already knowing the answer.
She scoffed at him and smacked him playfully on the arm. "Tryouts are today!"
He nodded as if he had just remembered. "Oh right, that's what it is."
"Are you really going to try out?" Blaise asked, a little concern lacing his voice.
"Why would she?" Pansy piped. "Quidditch is such a boring sport with no practical application. It's not as if she is aspiring to be some beefy jock like the Weasellet."
"Who's tryout for the new team?" The voice came from someone not in the Slytherin group. They all looked up to see Cormac McLaggan staring at them.
"Campbell," Blaise said, a small amount of pride in his voice.
McLaggan looked at Campbell for a long moment then said. "I'll gladly give you pointers if you'd like Little Nott." He wiggled his eyebrows at her in a way that reminded her of two baby snakes coming out of their eggs for the first time.
"She'll need all the help she can get," Malfoy spoke from across from her. "I doubt she even knows how to ride a broom." There was a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
"Well I can always teach her how to ride my broom," more eyebrow wiggling from McLaggan.
Everyone's head swung towards him but it was Malfoy that spoke first. "I suggest keeping those thoughts to yourself McLaggan."
To everyone's surprise, including her own, Campbell chimed in, "I can handle myself just fine Malfoy, on and off a broom." There was a suggestive smile playing at her mouth.
Blaise mockingly covered his own mouth and gasped. "My my, Little Nott is growing up right before our eyes."
"Shut it Zabini," Theo threatened. He didn't like the direction this conversation was going in.
Campbell cast him a look that said, I can handle myself.
He shot one back. I know you can but I also know how they think.
Campbell just rolled her eyes and got up from her spot. "I'll see you on the field boys." She pulled her bag over her shoulder and marched away in the direction of Advanced Potions.
Cormac sprung into action, following behind the witch. "Hey Nott, wait up." Campbell spun around to see him. The hall was mostly empty considering breakfast wouldn't end for another ten minutes. "Can I walk you to class?"
It seemed like a nice offer. It wasn't like no one had offered before. Campbell had boyfriends, but before she had to be very choosy about who she was seen fraternizing with. Now? She could do anything she wanted. "Sure McLaggan."
"Please," he started, taking her book bag off her shoulder and putting it on his, "call me Cormac."
Malfoy eyed the witch as she stormed out and then McLaggan as he trotted after her with a smile on his face. "Told you McLaggan fancied her."
Theo looked after them as well, his eyes glued to the back of McLaggan. "I don't like that git. He was after Granger in 6th year."
"No accounting for taste," commented Malfoy.
Theo rolled his eyes. "She can do what she wants," Theo sighed. He might not like the idea of his sister going around with a guy like McLaggan but he wasn't about to get in her way either.
Malfoy looked horrified. "He's not even a pureblood."
"Neither am I," Zabini spoke up. Theo and Malfoy swiveled their heads to see their friend.
"What do you mean?" Theo knew for a fact that Zabini came from a pureblood family, everyone knew that.
He shrugged. "Found out after Dad got sentenced. Mum's grandmother was a muggleborn."
Theo looked confused. "But she still had magic, so you're still," but Malfoy cut him off.
"He's not one of the sacred 28."
Zabini looked at Malfoy then. "Thank goodness," a smile spread over his face, "then I'd be as boring as you lot."
Malfoy laughed along with his friends. "But honestly, McLaggan is a horrid match for Little Nott. You have to put a stop to it before he sullies her and then no one will have her."
Blaise looked at Malfoy for a minute. "Honestly mate, it sounds like you're trying to throw your hat in the ring."
"It does," Theo agreed.
"As if I'd want to bed your sister," Malfoy defended.
There was a beat of silence before Theo answered. "It's not up to me to tell her who she can and can not be with. I agreed to this over summer. We talked about it and there will be no official courting, no marriage contracts, nothing. She wants to find love and the Nott estate will take care of her even if she marries someone as poor as the Weasel."
Blaise slapped his knee and laughed. "Your father would have a coronary if he heard about this." Theo nodded and laughed along at the thought of his father red faced and raging to no one. "His perfect prize of a daughter, slagging around with anyone."
At that Theo slapped the back of Blaise's head. "Watch it."
"Sorry mate."