Hello, Friends and Enemies

The sounds of drums and music reverberated throughout the grounds of Hogwarts in what would be the first match of the Inter-school Quidditch Cup in centuries. Everett Clopton along with Professor Ronen were chosen as the official commentators of the tournament. The pitch in itself was full of both students, the other school teams, and other spectators from the hamlets. 

Large screens were also set up in the other hamlets to broadcast the match, while vendors including the goblins Arn and Garnuff were selling merchandise made for the occasion. The local pubs were preparing food and drinks to serve. It was the same in other countries, with many gathering around large screens to watch the broadcast despite the time differences.

“Ladies, gentlemen, boys, girls, elves, goblins, merpeople, centaurs, graphorns, mooncalves, unicorns, grindylows, and hippogriffs, welcome to the Inter-school Quidditch World Cup! My name is Everett Clopton and I am going to be the official commentator of this momentous first match in centuries! Next to me is Professor Abraham Ronen, Charms teacher and fellow quidditch enthusiast!” 

“Thank you Mr. Clopton! I’d also like to acknowledge the kelpies, the nifflers, dugbogs, kneazles, thestrals, giant purple toads, diricrawls, fwoopers, and jobberknolls that may be listening to this match wherever they may reside. I daresay it’s an exciting occasion, with Hogwarts, Merlin’s alma mater, hosting the first Inter-school Quidditch Cup in centuries!” The two of them clapped in their seats at the pitch. “And as tradition, Hogwarts has the honor of being the first match against Uagadou, the school having hosted the last inter-school tournament!” 

Contrary to watching from the stands, Norah was up on the cliff from above near the mooncalf den. She decided to set up a little picnic while reading Amit’s translations of Bragbor’s journals so far. She reached over for the nabsack, releasing Highwing, who helped herself to the pasties Norah got from the kitchens before leaving. 

“Highwing, save some room for while you’re watching the match,” Norah watched the hippogriff abruptly stop taking another bite of one. “I know you wanted to come here with Caligo but he’s not going to come back to the vivarium with us for another week if I brought him along.” 

Norah looked back at the pitch, seeing how loudly the cheers were. From one corner, she saw people from other hamlets arriving to set down their chairs and tents with their respective banners. They were careful enough not to go near Highwing, who was already making herself comfortable. 

She took a bite out of her pumpkin pasty when she saw a fox-like animal appear from behind the giant rock and slowly approach them. Highwing, who had also sensed the presence, tilted her neck up in alert, as if poised to get up and claw at whatever it was that was approaching them. She was staring at the animal as it set its front paws on the picnic blanket. 

“Highwing,” Norah shook her head. “I’m sure it just wants some food, although,” She studied the animal closely, who seemed to stay still, its eyes fixed on her. “I think this guy isn’t a fox, but- Franco?” 

The mention of the name made the animal move closer, Highwing now staring intently at it until it took the form of the smirking Italian Beauxbatons student himself. Norah laughed and playfully slapped him before he went in for a tight hug. “Ciao,” He said, making himself comfortable. 

Noticing the hippogriff, who was still staring at him, Franco made do to bow despite sitting. “He’s a friend, Highwing. Franco is a friend,” She assured her. “A friend-in-law, more like-” 

As soon as Highwing nodded back, Franco settled down and reached for a cauldron cake. “Friend-in-law? Oh right,” He said. 

“Did Gauthier come with you?” Norah was hopeful, even looking over his shoulder to see if anyone followed. 

Franco just smiled. “He couldn’t, he said he had this mentorship in the Banque de la Magie Francaise,” He explained. “But he tells me to send you his love,” He gagged, making her laugh. 

“Oh,” Norah understood, glancing at the translated journal on her lap before closing it. “He didn’t tell me he had a mentorship.” 

Franco stared at her before biting into the rest of his cauldron cake. “He never told you?”

—

In the Hogwarts team changing room, Fig, Hecat, Sharp, and Garlick were standing by, seeing the girls of the team emerge already dressed and ready from a separate changing room. Those who were done changing were reading the day’s edition of the Daily Prophet, which had the match splashed across the front page, with the smiling faces of Madam Kogawa, Professor Black, and Minister Spavin as the photo. 

“Fuck! Another one! Dead last!” Kendra slammed the newspaper down on the floor. “Jalal Sehmi, Leopold Babcocke, Padraic Haggerty! Priya Treadwell! Albie fucking Weekes!” 

“What did they say?” Soren asked. 

“They all say we’re going to be fucking last!” Kendra exclaimed, slumping down on the nearest bench. 

“Maybe they’re trying to motivate us,” Amit swallowed, slouching in his seat. Even he wasn’t as convinced. 

“Earlier this morning, I got accosted in Hogsmeade and they told me to just fake an injury to save myself from embarrassment since we’re going to be last place anyway,” Leander recalled, shaking his head as he remembered it. 

“Did you tell them to fuck off?” Julia asked, tossing a coin into the large swear jar. 

“No it was my nan, she was visiting with my parents,” Leander muttered. 

“No, no, you guys, we’re not going to be in last place because we’re together,” Imelda assured them in what seemed like the first time in a long while. “And together, we’ve got me.” 

Her words were met with collective groans and sighs. 

“I’m so nervous I think I’m going to throw up,” Amit kept patting his chest as he slipped on his gloves, moving a little to make room for Maeve.

“You’ll be alright,” Maeve slapped him on the shoulder. “Nervous is a good thing, if it makes you feel better, I can’t wait to see what that brings out on the pitch,” she winked. 

Amit wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know about that, Clancy. You make me nervous as it is.” 

“Shut up” Maeve laughed. 

Sebastian observed them from his own assigned cubby, sitting up suddenly when he saw Harvey observing him, having just covered himself up with his shirt. “What?”

Harvey shrugged. “Nothing, you just miss Adele a lot, don’t you? After breaking up last year?” He said, casting a glance at the mirror in his cubby to check his hair. “Maeve and Adele do seem a little similar. A little.” 

Sebastian frowned. “Whatever you’re thinking, Lawai, don’t.”

Harvey looked puzzled. “What was I thinking? Just an observation, man. I kinda miss her too, but I know she’s absolutely smashing it in Korea.”

—

Harvey was taking a drink of pumpkin juice at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall after practice had gone on considerably long. The rest of the team didn’t bother changing back into their uniforms as they were going to get ready for bed anyway. He spotted Adele and Sebastian in the corner, near the doors that led to the viaduct courtyard. Both of them were talking. 

“Whoa, Adele and Sebastian broke up,” He said, making Maeve, who was eating across from him look up and look to where he was. 

“Hmm? Who told you that?” Maeve mumbled. 

Harvey tilted his head, missing his spoonful of pudding. “It’s not who, it’s what,” He explained. “Kinesics. The study of body language. No eye contact, Adele’s crossed arms, Sebastian’s clenched ass,” He turned back to her. “It’s science.” 

Maeve scoffed, looking at him as if he had grown two heads. “Bollocks, Lawai,” She flung what was left of her pudding on the spoon at him. 

“Don’t believe me? you might as well ask,” Harvey retorted as-a-matter-of-factly. 

“How the fuck is Sebastian’s ass clenched?” Maeve didn’t know whether to keep flinging pudding at him or not. From behind him, Adele and Sebastian were still talking. She tried to look at what Harvey noticed, then side-eyed him. 

—

Fig suddenly cleared his throat, making them sit up in attention. Deek appeared just in time, followed by Ominis, whose quill and piece of parchment were already poised to start writing. “Well, today is our very first match, I’m glad that getting all of you to work together came sooner than I initially expected, and today is when we can put this teamwork to the test,” he said. 

Sharp gestured them to stand up. “Hands in” He said, and they all followed suit, with Fig getting Deek to join them.

“Let’s show Uagadou whose house this is!” Fig declared, all of them cheering as they moved out to the changing room, with their respective brooms already in place and ready to mount. Imelda’s broom was naturally at the very front, next to the broom belonging to Julia. 

The echoes from the crowd and the voices of Everett and Professor Ronen sent chills down their spines as everything began to sink in. They could hear from the whoosh outside, that Madam Kogawa was already out on the grounds of the pitch, at the podium where Imelda’s time trials 

“Clancy, you seeing anyone?” Harvey’s voice suddenly cut through the reverberating cheers from where they stood. Sebastian was trying to stay calm, mentally cussing his teammate out for the question.

“What the fuck!” Maeve tried to hit Harvey with the back of her hand, the seeker quickly dodging her. “You’re not my type, Lawai.” 

“I wasn’t asking for myself,” Harvey rolled his eyes, yet looked over at Sebastian, who seemed to stiffen up as they mounted their brooms.  

“Enough, you pricks!” Imelda yelled over her shoulder. 

The curtain pulled back, and one by one they flew out and into the pitch, the cheers from everyone in the stands was almost deafening. 

“The Hogwarts team! Hogwarts! Hogwarts! Hoggy warty Hogwarts!” Everett sing-songed. “Reyes, Onai, Weasley, Thakkar, Sallow, Prewett, and Wright!” 

Another curtain was pulled, followed by cheers from the Uagadou side of the pitch. “And here we’ve got Uagadou! We’ve got Obisanya! Akufo! Adarsh! Tamun! Esuola! Zivai! And Jelami!” Ronen announced. 

Madam Kogawa mounted her broom, flying towards the center of the pitch with the quaffle at hand, as the teams from both sides were positioned and ready, their respective chasers coming to the front, their beaters and seekers behind them while the respective keepers were at their goal posts. 

“I want a nice clean game from all of you, I would not like to have to remind each and every single one of you of the rules,” Madam Kogawa announced. With a blow of her whistle, she threw the quaffle upward, followed by the whoosh from the bludgers and the small fluttering sounds of the golden snitch. 

Despite Imelda being in the position to grab the quaffle, Obisanya was quicker and was also tightly flanked by his two other fellow chasers. Leander was eyeing them, seeing the way they moved the quaffle in their possession, tossing it around amongst each other to throw him off. As Obisanya aimed for the lowest goal post, the tail end of Leander’s broom blocked it off, sending the quaffle into the air and Natty grabbing it in time. 

“Natsai Onai? Long time no see!” Obisanya was quick to recognize her while he followed her around. 

“Dele, there’s no time!” Natsai reminded him before throwing the quaffle to the side, where Garreth was waiting, and catching it before Akufo could grab onto it. “You’ve gotten rusty since the last time we played.” 

Dele smiled, before Imelda cut in between them. “Focus, Natty!” She said before grabbing the quaffle from Garreth, who nearly escaped the third Uagadou chaser Adarsh. Adarsh was locked onto following the redhead, even getting into the way of Sebastian and Amit, who were trying to aim the bludgers away from the chasers. 

“Catch up with him later, Natty!” Sebastian yelled, seeing how the two of them were still flying side-by-side. 

Natty laughed, shrugging at Dele before snatching the quaffle away from him. But when Akufo zipped past her, the quaffle fell out of her hands and into his. “Watch yourself, Onai!” He cackled, making her fly toward him. 

Fig chuckled from his place on the stands nearest to the ground. “I almost forgot Miss Onai was a transfer student from Uagadou, from the way these players have almost tried to distract her from the quaffle.” 

The booming sound of the bell soon followed. “Obisanya scores! Ten points to Uagadou!” Everett announced. “Fun fact, our own Natsai Onai studied in Uagadou before coming to our own Hogwarts in her fourth year, and is quite a Charms expert.” 

“As her one and only teacher in that subject, I can confirm!” Ronen replied. 

“Fuck!” Aesop clenched his fists, his gaze narrowing towards the team as well as the seekers. Sebastian and Amit were doing well, Garreth was doing his best, Julia was trying not to fall off her broom despite being laser-focused on the snitch that was zipping past them from almost every angle, and Leander was looking a little anxious despite successfully blocking an attempt by Akufo to score. 

“This is going to take a while,” Hecat muttered. “But I’m relieved our players are holding their own.” 

“Ten points to Uagadou! That’s thirty-nil in favor of Uagadou!” Ronen spoke. “Our chasers from Hogwarts are trailing behind, but the real competition lies between our two seekers, Wright and Jelami! The duration of the match rests solely on whether one of them can get their hands on the golden snitch which I am informed is quite specially enchanted today to make it challenging enough for our seekers to catch.” 

“As if catching the snitch wasn’t hard enough,” Everett said. 

—

Norah and Franco were watching the match with determined expressions on their faces as they cheered for the Hogwarts team that was still trailing behind Uagadou by several points. “50-10 as Reyes scores for Hogwarts!!” Everett announced. "They'll need to keep going to force a draw unless Jelami or Wright secure the snitch.” 

“Fuck yeah!” Imelda was relishing in the applause given to her, flying all around the pitch to take in the cheers, while Akufo swiped the quaffle to make a break for the Hogwarts goal posts. 

“Imelda Reyes doo doo doo doo doo! Imelda Reyes doo doo doo doo doo!” The Hogwarts side started cheering. 

Norah cheered along, not wanting to think about why Gauthier might not have told her his actual plans. Having a mentorship at the French wizarding bank seemed like a big deal worth commending, and she would’ve wanted to celebrate by watching the match in front of them together. Franco was just as surprised, and she could tell that he decided to visit out of feeling bad, even though he said he was mostly looking forward to watching an inter-school match. 

“Reyes again with the quaffle! The match is now at 60-20 in favor of Uagadou!” Ronen announced followed with cheers. “Looks like the cheers our own Hogwarts students have for our school captain worked!” 

From where she was, Norah could easily spot Ominis’ icy blonde head of hair sitting next to Fig, Sharp, and Hecat while they watched with determined looks on their faces. Ominis too was concentrated on writing, or at least telling his quill what to write for his upcoming Daily Prophet feature. 

“I heard there’s going to be a party later tonight,” Franco said, finishing his sandwich. “Is that true?” 

“Oh yeah, a party, but it’s only for the teams since having everyone in the Great Hall would feel cramped,” Norah nodded as she remembered. “But the players can each bring someone, though.” 

Franco looked intrigued. “So, did anyone ask you?” He nudged her. 

“Yeah, Sebastian, but as a friendly date, you know? He didn’t want to get in the way of our school team captain in that setting, but I told him I’m busy so I’m not going,” Norah said. “I’m sure he’ll figure out who he can bring.” 

“The match is over! The match is over! Jelami has caught the snitch! Uagadou wins the first match for the Inter-school Quidditch Cup!!!” Everett announced frantically. “The final score is 210-20!” 

Norah and Franco gaped. “That…ended quickly…” the latter mumbled in disbelief. “I mean, a lot sooner than I thought it would…I mean… you know what I mean.” 

Madam Kogawa quickly summoned every ball, including the snitch to put back into the trunk before blowing her whistle. “Uagadou wins!” 

Norah saw the distraught look on Sebastian and Garreth’s faces, while Imelda looked like she was still trying to process what was going on. Leander looked calm, but everyone knew he was likely a panicked mess internally. Fig, Sharp, and Hecat’s expressions fell, mostly from seeing how heartbroken their own players were. Ominis, who had been focused on writing his piece throughout the match, also felt his own shoulders slump from the loss. 

As the team landed and returned to their changing room, Norah spotted Starlight flying towards her with an envelope tied to her leg. “What are you doing here?” She said, giving her an owl treat from her pocket before she flew off, picking up the envelope that landed on the picnic mat. 

Franco helped himself to the last sandwich as he observed her read the letter. “Who’s it from? Did Gauthier write?” 

Norah shook her head. “No, um, I guess I have to go to the party tonight. Professor Black wants me there to make Hogwarts look good, especially after what just happened.” 

“Ah, like a trophy,” Franco teased. “In that case, I think I might stick around Scotland a little bit.” 

She scoffed. “Ethan’s not part of the Hogwarts team.” 

“But he’ll be someone’s date for sure,” Franco grinned knowingly. “Or I could be yours if you’d like.”

“If you really want to, then alright, I guess I’ll bring you along with me. You need to really dress up, though,” Norah nudged him. “I think I’ve got some extra clothes in my shop.” 

“Shop?” Franco looked puzzled. 

“Yeah, I co-own a shop in Hogsmeade. I’m the one who fills the inventory, and there are definitely clothes there. I think I can dress you up for tonight.” 

In the changing rooms, it was quiet, a little too quiet as the girls in the team went into another room to change into their robes again, leaving the guys to do the same. Fig, Sharp, and Hecat were observing them, while Garlick quietly stepped inside, followed by Matilda, with both women immediately sensing the drop in mood. 

Matilda approached Fig, making sure to standing beside him. “That ended quick, a little sooner than I preferred,” She said. 

When the girls slowly returned from the separate changing room, Matilda cleared her throat to get their attention. “Come come, everyone,” Fig said. “It’s only been the first match, the first match in a while, but still only the first match. I ask that you don’t dwell on what you may or may not have done while you were out there. Things have only just begun. There is always an opportunity to do better. Our next match doesn’t happen for two months, so we have plenty of time to improve on our game.” 

“I’m sorry, Professor,” Natty suddenly spoke. “I think my little reunion with my old schoolmates has brought on bad luck.”

Fig shook his head. “No, no, Miss Onai. While it was nice to see you reconnect with your old friends, that did not bring us bad luck. Do you know what the happiest animal in the world is?” 

Natty shook her head. “No, Professor.” 

“It’s a goldfish,” Fig replied with a small smile. “Goldfish are known to have the shortest memory. Ten seconds. Be a goldfish, Miss Onai.”

It was then that Natty smiled, seemingly feeling better. It was also then that Matilda decided to speak. “Tonight gives you all the chance to blow off some steam, if you will. All the teams are to socialize at a party organized by the headmasters in the Great Hall. We, as your teachers and coaching staff, aren't required to be there, but, who’s to say we won’t join in the fun?” She said. “You’re all invited to bring someone not from the team as your dates.” 

That made Sebastian glance at Maeve again, whose red hair made it hard for her not to be noticed. Harvey noticed the way he was looking and nudged him. “What?” He mouthed. 

“You’re invited too, by the way, Mr. Gaunt,” Matilda was quick to add upon seeing the quill in front of him scribble down some more words on parchment.

“Thank you, Professor,” Ominis replied, the determined look on his face suggesting he was still telling the quill what to write down. 

—

The four long tables in the Great Hall were moved back against the walls and spaces that didn’t obstruct any path to anywhere. A disc jockey was made to play their set in the space overlooking the hall, while the enchanted ceiling showed a clear, starry night sky. As it was an informal event, the groundskeeper Gladwin Moon brought in giant kegs of butterbeer courtesy of Sirona. 

The house elves in the kitchens were set on making party food, to maintain the informality of the occasion. The players from every school team had entered the space, some of them bringing dates from their respective schools and among fellow students in Hogwarts, while others chose to go alone. Naturally, they were wearing more casual outfits rather than uniforms and robes for the occasion. 

Most of the Hogwarts team players chose to arrive together, including Sebastian, Imelda, Garreth, Leander, and Amit. Their fellow reserve players were following behind, while Natty and Henry arrived together instead. The enchanted ceiling started to change, turning into clouds of different colors, following Ronen’s modifications to the enchantment, giving the Great Hall a nightclub-like atmosphere. 

“Before we inevitably split up,” Garreth handed each of them vials of hangover tonic. “Good thing I brewed some during the match, so it’s had time to sit and remain potent. If you need the other kind of tonic, the one Nurse Blainey asked us to brew-” 

“Shut up, Weasley,” Imelda moved him out of the way, pocketing the vial he had given her. 

All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head, running through my head

All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head, all the things she said

This is not enough, this is not enough

“Well, we’re here,” Sebastian looked around. 

“It feels so surreal,” Amit looked up. “I think I should’ve just stayed in the common room to study.” 

“We can’t back down even when we lost today, especially when it’s a party for the players and their dates,” Leander nudged him. 

“Sebastian! Hi!” Takashi suddenly waved at him upon seeing him. He was flanked not just by Katsuko, but also with most of the Mahoutokoro players. 

Sebastian gave a slight nod and waved, as they began to disperse, most of whom were going for the food and drinks that were being served and were on the tables. He looked around, seeing Maeve having just arrived along with Harvey and Soren. Kendra was catching up to them, and Julia as well, making a beeline for Imelda. 

“Didn’t bring a date?” Katsuko suddenly asked. “Oh, this is Sebastian Sallow, one of my cousin’s best friends,” She introduced him to the rest of the team, all of whom nodded in acknowledgment. 

“You played well for a beater,” one of them, Sano, said. “But your chaser, Onai, she seemed easily distracted earlier.” 

Sebastian shook his head. “No time to dwell on that one, she transferred here from Uagadou, as you probably heard earlier,” He said. 

“I thought you were coming with Norah,” Katsuko said. 

“She’s here-” Takashi pointed to the entrance, making Sebastian look over. 

Norah had arrived with Franco, who had gotten the attention of the Beauxbatons players. Sebastian frowned. “I thought she said she was too busy,” He said, glancing at Maeve again, who was hanging out with Kendra near the drinks table. She seemed to have gotten the attention of the Castelobruxo player, keeper Gabriel Herrera, who also happened to be the team captain. Kendra had also gotten the attention of Gabriel’s teammate, chaser Jaime Morales, who was refilling her goblet with the butterbeer. 

“Vodka!!!” They heard the Koldovstoretz team captain, seeker Nikita Vostro declare to his teammates, holding up a clear glass bottle. They were cheering amongst themselves as they mixed it in with the butterbeer they each had. 

“Hey, looks like you can come here after all,” Sebastian hurried over to Norah, greeting Franco with a wave before he went to join his schoolmates. “What happened to you being busy?” He nudged her. 

“I really wasn’t going to go, but I got an owl from Professor Black earlier during the match,” Norah eyed him, the glitter from her eye makeup catching the light when she spoke. “He said I’m required to attend, so Hogwarts has something to flaunt,” She took out the letter and showed it to him. 

Sebastian peered over the letter and he couldn’t help but scoff. He looked over to where Maeve was. She was downing a goblet of butterbeer, which had been spiked with the vodka that Nikita offered to her and to the Castelobruxo players who were speaking to them. Norah looked over to where Sebastian was looking, then glanced back at her friend, eyeing him suspiciously. 

“...You and Adele broke up amicably, right?” She recalled, as they watched Kendra try and keep Maeve in check, effectively preventing her from falling over the table behind them that had some more picking food summoned from the kitchens. 

Sebastian blinked, glancing at her. “Yeah, we did, why?” He said. 

It was Norah’s turn to nudge him back. “Because if you wanted to move on, you can, you know,” She said. “How long have you been taking a shine to Clancy over there?” 

Sebastian scoffed, a little louder this time as he cleared his throat. As the music grew louder, the song being played echoing throughout the Great Hall, the attendees of the party were moving to the middle to dance. But rather than answer her question, he opted for something else. “Gauthier didn’t come?” 

Norah shook her head. “Franco did though. He traveled all the way here to watch the match, and we watched together instead. You should probably help McLean keep Clancy from smashing the table or something,” She teased.  

In the midst of the dancing, talking, drinking, and mingling, Norah spotted Ominis arrive, holding his sentient wand out to guide him towards people he at least recognized. “I mean, what Gauthier doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Sebastian teased. 

“Shut up,” Norah laughed, the two of them straightening when Ominis approached them. “Don’t tell me you’re also covering this party,” She said. 

Ominis shook his head. “Not tonight, I’ve had to turn in my article before coming here. Professor Fig said I should give myself a break and attend this party.” 

Sebastian and Norah grinned. “You’ve been working hard at being a journalist for the Daily Prophet, that calls for a celebration,” He said, running towards the butterbeer table and carefully getting each of them a goblet. 

“Be careful,” Soren suddenly appeared next to him as he did it. “Those Russian players mixed vodka in these.” 

Sebastian was suddenly intrigued. The vodka didn’t really do anything to change the consistency of the drinks he was holding on his way back. And he’d just heard from an Ilvermorny player that the vodka in question was Nikita’s family’s recipe. He returned to Norah and Ominis, giving them a goblet each. “Vodka-laced butterbeer, cheers!” He clinked his goblet with theirs, the three of them taking a sip. 

Norah forced herself to swallow the concoction, smacking her lips in disgust, while Ominis and Sebastian spat theirs out. In the corner, Harvey and Julia also spat theirs out, while Kendra and Soren drank theirs like nothing happened. 

“Fucking hell!” 

The three of them looked over to who said it. Imelda was very vocally enjoying herself, drinking goblet after goblet of vodka-spiked butterbeer in the corner near the staircase. Sebastian turned to Norah and Ominis.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Imelda hooks up with someone after this,” He said, taking another sip of his drink, only to spit it out again. 

Norah took his goblet away. “And now we’re done with the butterbeer,” She cringed, placing it to the side. Ominis did the same, shuddering as he could still taste it. 

“Is Gauthier not coming?” He managed to ask. 

“Not sure, but Franco is here though,” Norah said. “Knowing what Franco told me though, he’s busy with an internship at the French wizarding bank.” 

Ominis hummed in understanding, while Sebastian frowned at the way the two of them were conversing. “Bollocks, we didn’t hang out like this before, all awkward,” He said. 

Norah chuckled. “I’m sure it’s because we’re all too busy with our own things, you know. Are you going through with an internship at Tomes & Scrolls? Or are you going to do something else?” She redirected the conversation. 

“I’m not going to think about that until I get my assignments and shit,” Sebastian shook his head, then sighed. “It’s not as exciting anymore, isn’t it? After you defeated Ranrok, Rookwood, and Harlow, and then last year we got to come with you and finishing Harlow off for good, and now we’re just doing all this, all the partying, the quidditch, and not looking for Ashwinders to wipe out.” 

Norah looked at him incredulously. “Basically things that would put our lives on the line, is that what you’re saying?” 

“Yeah! I mean, we even ventured into the Scriptorium, into those catacombs, and the mines,” Sebastian recalled, with a very nostalgic tone. 

“The butterbeer’s gotten to you already? Or did the bludger earlier hit you really hard?” Norah still looked incredulous. “But, it’s odd how the only time we actually hung out together was when we had to face something or someone dangerous…This must be what professors think of growing up, huh?” 

Ominis tilted his head in her direction. “I suppose it is…” 

Before Sebastian could say anything more, cheers erupted in the room, led by the Ilvermorny players and their dates, resounding throughout the Great Hall as they once again gathered in a circle in the middle of the open space. They were following along to the song as it built to a crescendo.  

Sebastian spotted Maeve fall over the table behind her, knocking some plates of picking food down. “What happened there?” Ominis asked, having sensed Sebastian leave. 

“Clancy’s drunk,” Norah looked amused, seeing Sebastian and Kendra help Maeve up from the floor. 

All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head, running through my head

All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head, all the things she said

This is not enough, this is not enough 

“You think Sebastian’s right, about us hanging out? The way we spend time together?” Ominis suddenly asked. 

Norah shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I guess our friendship was built on life-threatening situations, wasn’t it?” She teased. 

“Perhaps,” Ominis said. “And now that it’s all over, this is what we’re thinking about.” 

“Hello,” Nikita suddenly approached them, his gaze on Norah’s. “You’re the hero of Hogwarts. Would you like to dance, if it’s okay with your friend?” He asked. 

Norah turned to Ominis, who nodded. “I’d be happy to,” She said. She looked over at Franco, who was preoccupied with some of his female classmates while giving her a thumbs up. She followed him to the dance floor, where they joined the others in moving to the beats.