CHAPTER TWELVE
↳ dementors and quidditch don't mix well

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ELARA LUPIN SUPPRESSED A YAWN, HER HOOD FIRMLY ON HER HEAD AS THE RAIN POURED. Quidditch wasn't exactly the most entertaining thing in Elara's eyes. Firstly, she hated how it always took place in the cold, secondly, she hated how complicated it was to understand. Cedric was a major Quidditch enthusiast, he lived and breathed the sport. Similarly, Morgan also enjoyed the game and played for the Ravenclaw team as a beater. Morgan was a particularly good beater.

Today, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were playing off at Quidditch. Elara was supporting both teams, wearing a yellow checkered jumper and a red bandana. The group had managed to sneak Gaia and Morgan into the Hufflepuff stands and were all holding umbrellas and wearing coats so that the rain didn't drench them. "Remind me why Quidditch couldn't be hosted inside?"

Lois pushed a strand of curly brown hair that was sticking to her forehead behind her ear. "Because if it was inside, It would be much more difficult to play as the building would be incapable of maintaining the team and also the equipment,"

"It would be more interesting watching them hit their heads on ceilings,"

"That's brutal,"

"Thanks,"

Wisteria began poking Elara's arm. "L-Look, Lo-Look!" Wisteria yelled, followed by the cheers from the Hufflepuff house. "It's Ceddy!!" The group's attention was where Wisteria's finger was pointing, the boy wearing yellow that blurred and seemed golden zooming around on the pitch. The canary-yellow uniforms caused cheers to erupt and Elara's group all cheered. Morgan was the loudest, along with Lois who was holding Gaia's hand tightly, the two looking at each other excitedly. Daphne also seemed quite excited, Pepper ( her pet Niffler her Great-Grandfather had gotten her for a birthday present ), squealing with glee. It had taken a shiny watch to buy Pepper's attention.

"Wis, take a look," Elara passed the small girl her Omnioculars, the little girl's being beaten up and rusted so they didn't work nearly as well as the ones Cedric bought Elara last Christmas. "Have you spotted the Snitch?"

"H-Holy c-r-rap!" Wisteria spluttered out, Morgan frowning and muttering "language" to her. "T-This is b-b-br-brilliant!"

"It is, isn't it?"

Despite the heavy rain and the wind screaming into their ears like a banshee, the group consisting of four Hufflepuffs, a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw found glee in an event all because of their collective support of the Hufflepuff Seeker. Cedric seemed confident hearing his friends' screams of support and had a bright smile on his rain-stricken face. His eyes remained fixed on the golden ball he had to catch, noticing how Harry, a much smaller built and a brilliant seeker, was doing his best to catch up to the golden snitch. He speeded as quick as he could, hoping his broom was quick enough to catch the snitch that was as golden as his hopes and dreams.

When his hand wrapped around the snitch, he failed to notice Harry Potter's body falling from his broom, dementors looming near where the boy who lived had drifted off to. Cedric had heard Elara scream out and Wisteria stutter a scream, the entire group of cheering Gryffindor's nothing more than shrieks of fear rather than joy, then Dumbledore performing a spell. That's it. The game had ended. Hufflepuff came out as the victors, but Cedric didn't like it. Harry would've caught it, had he not have been attacked. He and the rest of his team conversed together and they believed a rematch would be well worth it. That way, Gryffindor could have another chance at victory and Hufflepuff could lose with fairness and not win a unscrupulous victory.

Oliver Wood, tearful and red nose and all, declined a rematch and hobbled off to the changing rooms. Cedric could only assume the competitive Gryffindor would end up in the showers, crying his eyes out at a loss that he could've had.

Even when all his friends had huddled around him cheering and congratulating him, his mind was too preoccupied by the thought of how foul the game was.

"Ced, it wasn't foul," Elara's softly spoke. "Even Oliver said the game was fair, let's go to Poppy to get you fixed up," Elara tugged him away, the rest of the group following closely behind. Wisteria seemed the most excited, her eyes bright and full of excitement as she ranted about how brilliant it must be.

"C-Ced I-I want t-t-o be a s-seeker just l-like y-you!" The girl smiled. Despite growing up with two witches, she was still very well conversed with muggle society which also included the gender norms about sport. When she went to her muggle primary school, she loved playing football but faced misogyny by the other boys who told her she was just a silly girl who should play with her dolls. Despite her small stature, she was quite the strong one and her mother had received a phone call that day about Wisteria punching a boy in the nose, successfully breaking it. Whilst her mother seemed quite disappointed and grounded her, her mum relieved that grounding and bought her some new clothes and promised to play some football ( or as her mum, who was born and raised in America, called it 'soccer' ).

Cedric ruffled her mid length brown hair. "I'm sure you'll be the best seeker, Wis," the young first year beamed at him.

Madam Pomfrey seemed quite eager to help Cedric, forcing him onto the bed. The boy protested but in the end gave in due to the stern glare he received when reassuring her that a few bruises would heal by themselves. Cedric's eyes were fixed on to Hermione, who was walking towards Elara. "Lar, 'Mione 12 o'clock," he nudged her.

Elara's eyebrows furrowed. "Oi Cedric what do you mean-" Elara turned to see Hermione standing there, an awkward smile fixed on her face. "Oh- um- hello Hermione,"

"Hey Lars," Hermione missed Elara's blush that coated her face like a warm coat on a freezing winter's morning mid December. Elara turned to Cedric, who raised his eyebrow suggestively and smirked.

"Cedric!"

"Ow- DON'T HURT THE PATIENT-"

"I'll give you a reason to be a patient if you do not stop," Elara smiled at Hermione, her facade changing completely. "Is Harry alright 'Miones?"

Hermione offered a polite smile. "He's been better. He's awake now,"

"Oh good!" Elara beamed. "Ced, you'll survive, I'm going to see Harry on his death bed," The girl said, oddly in a joyous voice. Lois and Gaia, turned to each other and shook their heads at the girl who seemed too bright.

"I-I'll survive?" Cedric spluttered out. He turned to Morgan. "Unplug my life support?"

"You aren't on life support,"

Now, Elara was wondering with Hermione towards Harry, who seemed to be awake. "Isn't it odd how your glasses don't break?" She asked him when she was at the foot of his bed. She tilted her head slightly, squinting but nonetheless she was very joyous that the boy was practically unharmed.

"I'd rather my glasses break rather than my broom," Harry mumbled dryly. Elara placed a comforting hand on his knee.

"Don't be so sad Harry!" She gleamed at him. "Maybe for Christmas you'll get a new broom!"

"I doubt the Dursey's would buy me one,"

"Maybe a mysterious person?" She tried to lift his spirit. "Maybe a Christmas Miracle will happen!"

Harry smiled at her. He always enjoyed her happiness. It was elating to know someone so positive. He tried his very best to keep up with her happiness, but when your parents were murdered by Voldemort, it was rather difficult keeping the positivity. Despite his lack of happiness, Elara always provided him with some.

"Christmas miracle?" Ron crossed his arms at Elara. "It would be a regular miracle if someone bought him a firebolt," Ron was very excited about that broomstick. "Bloody hell! That broom is a miracle!"

"Alright Ronald," Elara patted his back. "Enough of your obsessing,"

"I'm not obsessed!" Ron objected. "I'm just- interested?"

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself that," Elara's face brightened up. "Well Ronald, I'm certain you'll be a great Quidditch player, just know that Dementors and Quidditch don't mix well,"

Ron and Harry both laughed at Elara and Hermione looked at her with longing. Elara just was... brilliant and Hermione admired her greatly. If it was just admiration, why did her chest hurt when she looks at Elara? Why does her stomach flutter uncontrollably?

What was this feeling?

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OKAY SO I'M LIVING FOR MORIC ( Morgan and Cedric ) and I dedicate my existence to Wisteria. HERMIONE IS ALSO REALISING THAT SHE MIGHG ( she does ! ) HAVE A CRUSH ON ELARA! ABOUT TIME! I also watched Narnia a few days ago and I have decided I will forever love Edmund and Lucy with my entire heart. I also have a crush on Susan now- oops. Anyways, Elara and Cedric are practically siblings which I love so so so much. Guess who also got suspended from Twitter for making a kill all m*n joke? This icon here