QLFC Reserve League

S1, R1

Beater 1: Friendship (Same pairing as Captain - Cho/Harry)

TW: Unrequited Love

"Harry!"

Harry startles at the crow of his name, jerking his hand and thus drawing a large black score over his carefully curated rune pattern. Immediately, the runic sequence glows a dangerous red and he casts a hasty containment charm over his invention—for good reason, as not even moments after his translucent purple containment charm circles over the globe, it explodes. The force of the magic makes the charm rattle, his magic visibly rippling over his skin with the force of his charm.

He glares at Cho, who stands at the doorway of his dorm, eyes wide and her mouth forming a little 'o' shape. "Oops," she mumbles, smiling sheepishly at him, at least having the grace to looking regretful. "My apologies, Haz."

Harry harrumphs and spins in his chair, bringing his legs up to cross them on the chair. "What can I do for you, Chontel," he drawls, smirking at her when she glares at him for using her given name.

She hated it, much preferring Cho, due to it being closer to her Korean descent, rather than the French name her mother had given her. Her father, having deceased before she was born, was not able to give her a name that she might've liked more and her mother had full control over her name—also given that their marriage was arranged and unwilling from both parties, her mother likely named her from her French heritage out of spite.

Cho walks into his room and flicks her hair, flopping onto her bed. "I heard some news about Diggory," she says softly and Harry's heart stutters in his chest.

"Oh?" He raises a brow, leaning back in his chair casually as though his heart isn't trying to beat it's way out of his chest. If it does, it might just run out of the room, into Cedric's hands, and profess undying love for him. Which isn't false but Harry would prefer that didn't happen.

It would be mortifying.

"He has a courtship date with Lavender Brown," Cho says with a sneer, her distaste for the Gryffindor obvious. "It's prospective, of course, but what were his parents thinking? Trying to set those two up? Brown is a skank and Cedric is the very definition of gentleman."

Cho rolls her brown eyes, flicking a strand of hair from her face with her bright, boss red nails. "I heard that he's willing to buy products from the Weasley Twins to get out of that date. But I was thinking that perhaps he didn't have to if a certain Ravenclaw would ask him out—especially since he happens to be the Lord–Heir to two Ancient and Noble houses which would have his parents tripping over themselves to accommodate you."

Harry rolls his eyes and spins around, tapping the containment charm still around his exploded project deftly and begins piecing it back together carefully. "You're delusional, Cho," he says softly to his best friend. "He'd never accept a courtship offer and even if he did, I'm not interested in courting him if he's in it because his parents pushed him into it and my parents would be incredibly displeased too. Potters only go in for love—everybody knows that."

James and Lily Potter, his parents, would be so incredibly disappointed with him if he decided to court a title hunter, especially with him being the Lord–Heir to the Potter estates, the Lordship, and all of its businesses as well as being the Lord–Heir to the Black estates, the Lordship, and all of its businesses. As if that wasn't enough, he is also the Lord–Heir to the Most Ancient and Sacred House of Peverell. He is to inherit a fortune when he turns 17 years old and takes up the Peverell mantel, as well as the Potter and Black mantel once his father and godfather decide that they've had enough.

Cedric Diggory isn't a title hunter—the very opposite in fact, but his parents are dead set on him marrying higher in society. The Browns aren't higher than him, in fact they are far below, but they are higher than the Diggory's and that's all that matters apparently.

"Harry?" Cho wheedles from behind him, her tone of voice suggesting that she is plotting something and Harry likely won't be pleased with it. "What are you going to do about this?"

Harry sighs and rubs his face rolling his wand over his forehead, feeling the ridges over his skin. "Nothing, Cho," he snaps. "Absolutely nothing because it's not any of my business and it doesn't matter. Diggory can be with whomever he wishes and I won't stop him because of a stupid crush."

There is a beat of silence and Harry lets his eyes close, deflating in his chair. "I'm sorry— I didn't mean to snap at you, Cho," he says tiredly. "I didn't mean to be so ill–tempered with you."

Cho only hums and arms wrap around his shoulder briefly. "I don't think it's a crush, Harry," she murmurs softly, hands stroking his hair. He twirls the ends of her long black hair through his fingers. She pulls away and pulls her bag over her shoulder. "I promised Padma I would paint her nails and dye her hair for her—I'll be back to check on you in about 3 hours."

"Have a good time," Harry says to her in parting, focusing back on his project. His mind whirls with equations and combinations. He is the best at Runes for a reason, the best in the entire school, and he already had job offers under renowned Rune Masters and he had already accomplished his NEWTs for Runes in his 4th Year and all he has to do is figure this out and then he has an apprenticeship under Rune Master Kai Kwesi. Harry cannot fail.

"I will, boo." Cho kisses his cheek and spins around, her skirt flaring before walking to the room. She stops in the doorway however. "Oh, and Harry?" she calls over his shoulder.

Harry hums questioningly in acknowledgement.

"What are you going to do if you are the one that Cedric wants?"

She leaves then, without any answer, and leaves Harry to his thoughts with a mind–shattering question.

What would he do?