You groaned as Usopp patiently showed you again how to bury a Mandrake to muffle its indecent cry.

«Sorry I'm that bad at this.»

«You're surely better than last year, when you almost killed the entire class with Medusa's tentacles.»

You glared at him, face stained with soil.

«Thank you for reminding me and being such and encouraging tutor.»

The Gryffindor students chuckled.

«Anytime.»

You shrugged and focused on cautiously trim the protruding leaves without hurting the plant.

«Well, you're stuck here with me anyway. So thank you for that, I guess.»

«Don't mention it. I don't always get to mock Slytherin students and getting extra credits for it.»

The Mandrake somehow managed to pop its head out of the soil and started screaming again.

You instinctively hit it, knocking it out.

«...ops.»

«Oh, maaan.» Usopp sighed «You do realize you need an healthy one to pass the class, don't you?»

«I know, I know. These things are just too annoying.»

«Yeah, they are annoyed by you.»

A second later, Usopp grimaced at his own words and shot a semi-terrified glance at you.

«Please, please, don't ask Eustass and his band to kill me.»

«What?! Who do you think I am?» you pouted, brusquely adjusting the vases of your suffering plants «First of all, I don't need to ask Kid to kill you, I'd do it myself if I wanted.»

«That's... very reassuring?»

«Second of all, why would I want my tutor dead?»

The cold wind of late September was blowing outside the greenhouse, moving the foliage of the Forbidden Forest, visible at the horizon.

You didn't have classes on Thursday afternoon, so you arranged extra lessons of Herbology, which was your weakness.

Usopp was a Gryffindor student, a year younger than you, but particularly talented on the subject.

His uncle Heracles was known throughout the country for being able to purchase and grow any kind of magical herb from all around the globe, and the young wizard spent most of the summers with him.

Even if he belonged to Monkey D. Luffy's gang, you didn't have any problem with him. He was actually pretty cool.

«Hum, it's getting dark. Better head back to the castle.» he murmured, grabbing a few tools to put them away.

You threw him a crooked smirk.

«Afraid of the dark? I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave.»

Yeah, the fact that he was pretty cool didn't mean you wouldn't tease him a little, if the occasion arose.

«Shut up.» he scoffed, leading the way out of the greenhouse.

Hit by the cold, you both wrapped your coats around your bodies and hurried down the path.

The weather was grey and freezing, and there were no other people on the hill.

«How is it in Gryffindor? Excited for the Tournament?»

«Ugh, don't make me think about it.» Usopp sighed «Pretty much everyone put their name in the Goblet, and now they are fighting all the time for who will be chosen.»

«Did you put in your name too?»

He bent his mouth.

«...no.»

You frowned.

Looked like he wasn't particularly fond of his own answer.

«Well, you still have time.»

«What about you?»

«I didn't either. I just want a peaceful year, possibly winning the Quidditch cup, and–»

«USOPP!»

Interrupted by the cheerful yell, you both turned towards the Quidditch pitch.

The entire Gryffindor team was walking down the hill, covered in mud and brooms on their shoulders, back from their training.

Luffy was running ahead to greet his friend, still full of energy.

«Why didn't you come and see us?! We started off great, shishishishi!» he laughed when he reached you «Oh, hi, Y/n!»

«Hi, Monkey.» you lazily greeted him.

«Oooh, look who's there! The enemy's seeker.» Ace sneered, walking over with the rest of the team.

He didn't even bother to adjust his tie, as always.

«I heard Slytherin didn't have a good opening training, this year.» Bonney teased.

You frowned.

«That's some big talk, coming from a benchwarmer.»

An angry grimace curled her features, but Vinsmoke Sanji jumped ahead.

«Y/n~! It's great to see you! You're bright as always!»

«And you're an idiot, as always.» Zoro grumbled beside him.

«What did you just say, damn Marimo?!»

«Shishishishi!»

You pinched the bridge of your nose.

Oh god, I cannot deal with a whole squad at the same time.

«I feel you.» Sabo smiled, rubbing his nape «Don't mind them. The adrenalin is still pumping in their veins.»

«Hey, you are their captain, you should keep them under control.»

«I'm afraid it's not possible.»

«That's right.» Nami chimed, moving beside you «And this year I'll catch that snitch before you, Y/n.»

You gave her your challenging sneer.

«We'll see about that, ginger. Also, you should worry about Ravenclaw first.»

«Yeah, that Trafalgar is annoying-dabe.» Bartolomeo grunted, rolling his battered broom on his arm «We'll just take him down with the bludgers.»

Gryffindor strategy is taking down the seeker with the bludgers, noted.

That could be annoying though, since you were the seeker, and their Beaters were Roronoa and Vinsmoke, freaking talented.

You finally stepped into the castle, in the middle of the team, still quarrelling with Ace and Nami.

«Monkey! Portgas!»

Sabo and Ace jumped at the shrill yell that welcomed them in the entrance.

Professor Giolla, the Art teacher, stood in front of the team, planting her fists in her abundant hips.

«What you kids think you're doing, entering here all covered in dirt? Minus fifteen points to Gryffindor!»

«WHAT?!» Bartolomeo barked, but Sabo grabbed his arm.

«Shh, dude, don't make it worse.»

«Go get clean before joining for dinner!» the Slytherin professor commanded, pointing at the stairs «Come on, go, go!»

A few rival students around sneered at the grumbling team moving away, while Gryffindors insulted Giolla under their breath.

You waved at them with a sigh.

Unfortunately for them, the flight of stairs decided to move in the opposite direction while they were on it, among general laughter.

The only Gryffindor who seemed to find it funny as well was Luffy.

«Oi, troublemaker!»

You turned to see your housemate Sheepshead coming over with heavy strides. He didn't look pleased.

«What you think you are doing, walking among the enemies?»

Your eyebrows knitted together.

«Among the enemies?»

«You were laughing with Gryffindor's team, am I wrong?» he inquired, crossing his arms on his chest.

Your eyes sharpened.

«Yes, because I can laugh with whomever I want.»

«Are you causing trouble to your own House too, now?»

You felt the blood flowing warmer in your face.

You wanted to reply viciously, but Katakuri's request popped out in your mind and you restrained your tongue.

«What the hell is your problem, Sheepshead? We agreed not to start shit between each other, didn't we?»

He snorted.

«Yeah, be thankful for that.»

«No, you be thankful for that. Otherwise I would not be so gentle with you right now.»

He glared at you before turning his back.

«I'm watching you, trouble maker.»

You observed him disappearing in a corridor.

Seriously, what's wrong with everybody?

«I heard you hang around with Gryffindor, now.» Perona snickered.

You snorted and dropped your fork in the plate.

The dinner was chaotic as always, with all the students and the teachers gathered in the Great Hall.

«What?»

«Sheepshead went around "warning us" about you.» she explained mimicking the quoting marks with her long fingers «At least until Kid threatened to punch him in the face if he didn't shut up.»

«Really?»

You glanced a few seats away, where Kid sat with his usual group.

He was laughing about something but, when his eyes randomly met yours, he quickly moved them away.

You were not sure, but a light flush maybe appeared on his pale cheeks.

«Aww, look at that. The terrifying Eustass is blushing.» Perona whispered beside you.

«Shut it!» you hissed, lightly hitting her shoulder «He's a good friend and a good teammate. We have each other's back.»

«Yeah, yeah, sure.» she chuckled «Anyway, you might want to keep it low, at least until the Tournament starts. Don't hang around with other Houses too much, or at least not with Gryffindor.»

«I'll hang out with whom I want.» you grumbled.

Raisin's scoff surprised you.

He was sitting in front of you, but you didn't think he would follow your conversation.

«You're being selfish.» he said.

You raised an eyebrow.

«Excuse me?»

He looked back at you, unfazed by your indignation, and hinted towards the end of the table, where the freshmen sat.

You followed his gaze, and you saw something you hadn't noticed before.

Momonosuke sat alone, eating quietly on his own. The rest of the first-year students had left an empty space as a buffer between him and them, and were all enjoying their meal together.

You frowned.

«What does this mean?»

«You're friend with that kid, aren't you?» Raisin said «Maybe that's why he's following your example and he's hanging out with students from other Houses.»

«That's bullshit! Is that why they're isolating him?»

Raisin shook his head at your stupidity.

«L/n, you do whatever you want because you know you won't be outcast by your housemates. You're prefect, part of the Quidditch team and proved your value on various occasions. But you're stupid if you think everyone can act like you and have it easy.»

You opened your mouth to retort, but you realized you didn't actually know what to say.

He had a point.

You wouldn't stop talking to Reiju or any other person just because your housemates wanted you to. What people thought didn't matter to you, and you were ready to face the consequences of your decision. Maybe also because you didn't really expect Kid, or Katakuri, or the Vinsmokes to target you, or even isolate you.

But that wasn't true for everyone.

You pressed your lips together.

«I'll see what I can do about it.»

During the rest of the dinner, you couldn't avoid to repeatedly peek at Momo's lonely meal.