Hp: The Outcast

After sorting the groupings, Flitwick explained the schedule of the Dueling Club. Practices would be held daily, culminating in a duel at the end of each week. His small stature didn't diminish his commanding presence as he spoke, his voice clear and precise. Around me, the crowd buzzed with excitement and nervous energy students already speculating about their opponents and boasting about their skills.

I scanned the group. Most of the faces were familiar, none of them surprising… well, except for a few. Draco Malfoy and his usual gang of dimwits were standing near the back, sneering as if they were above it all. I couldn't help but smirk at the thought of them fumbling through their matches. Dumb donuts. They'd probably get eliminated before the week was out.

Pansy caught me looking and threw a disgusted glare in my direction. I rolled my eyes and moved on, letting my gaze wander to the other side of the room. There was Hermione and Ginny, standing together and talking animatedly. Of course Hermione was here. Not only was she taking all the electives, she was also throwing herself into extracurriculars like this one. That wasn't the surprising part. The surprising part was Luna Lovegood.

She stood slightly apart from the group, her usual dreamy expression intact. I wondered if she genuinely wanted to be here or if she'd just tagged along for some strange reason. The blue chit poking out of her cloak's sleeve suggested otherwise… she'd signed up willingly. This might actually be good for her, I thought, nodding to myself. Luna could surprise people sometimes.

By the time I was done scouting the crowd, Flitwick was wrapping up. "And remember," he said, his tone growing slightly more serious, "this is about skill, not brute force. Respect your opponent, and remember the purpose of this club is to improve… not to settle grudges."

Good luck enforcing that with this lot, I thought wryly.

Flitwick dismissed us, and the crowd began to disperse. Some students lingered to chat and size each other up, while others… like myself…. headed toward the door. Hermione spotted us and made her way over, Ginny and a few others in tow. Before she reached us, I turned to Ted and asked, "What do you think of her?"

Ted shrugged. Daphne, standing beside him, didn't say a word, but her eyes practically screamed at me. It was one of those things I'd recently learned to recognize… Daphne's silent way of communicating when she didn't approve of something. Ignoring her, I waited for Ted's answer.

"I don't know," he said finally. "She's a good witch. Smart, obviously. Not that smart, though, if she hangs around with those two nitwits—but still. She's alright."

I hummed, keeping my expression neutral. Hermione reached us just as Ted finished speaking, her brow furrowing slightly as if she'd caught the tail end of the conversation. "What were you talking about?" she asked.

"Gambling," Ted and I said simultaneously, grinning at each other. Daphne rolled her eyes and shook her head, while Hermione frowned in disapproval.

Ginny, ever the enthusiastic one, cut in before Hermione could scold us. "What color did you guys get?" she asked, gesturing to the chits we were holding.

Ted and I showed her. "So Ted's with us, then," Ginny said, nodding. "Luna got a red chit."

I smiled. "Well, I couldn't have asked for a better opponent."

Luna smiled back, but our brief levity was interrupted by none other than Draco and his merry band of idiots. "Well, I certainly couldn't agree more," Draco drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. "One halfwit against another."

His posse erupted into laughter, as if he'd said something brilliant.

I didn't miss a beat. "Ah, indeed. You are, of course, talking about yourself and your little troupe of half-ass dumbasses, yes?"

Their laughter died instantly, replaced by scowls. Pansy crossed her arms and glared. "Insult us all you want, but come next week, everyone will see how you crumble to dust."

Ted, ever ready with a retort, turned to her. "Need I remind you that he's undefeated in a duel? What chance does your boyfriend have?"

Draco's face turned red as he snapped, "NOT her boyfriend!" He spun on his heel and stormed off, his lackeys trailing behind him like lost puppies.

I shrugged, watching them go. "Not like we live in the same dorm or anything," I muttered under my breath. "Or have classes together."

Turning back to Daphne, I asked, "Where's Tori, anyway?"

Daphne and the other girls exchanged knowing smiles. I narrowed my eyes. "What's happening?"

After the Dueling Club, we made our way to the library for our usual study session. As much as we had going on, staying on top of our studies was non-negotiable. If anything, the dueling practices meant we'd have to work even harder to keep up.

The library was quieter than usual, but I could feel eyes on me. Glancing around, I noticed a cluster of girls lingering near our table, whispering among themselves. I leaned over to Ted. "This does not feel comfortable."

He shot me a pointed look, as if to say, You think?

I turned to Daphne, lowering my voice. "Where is Tori?"

"She'll be here," she replied smoothly, as if on cue. And sure enough, Tori appeared moments later, flanked by Tracey and Astoria. She looked slightly disheveled, her hair a little messy and her robes scuffed. I frowned as she sat down.

"So," she asked brightly, "how was the Dueling Club?"

I crossed my arms. "Explain yourself first. Where were you, and why do you look like you've been in a fight?"

Tori grinned, the kind of grin that spelled trouble. "I tried out for the Quidditch team."

Ted and I exchanged stunned looks. The others, however, seemed completely unbothered, which only annoyed me further. I turned to Daphne. "Did you know about this?"

She avoided my gaze, but I could see the slight smirk playing at her lips. "Let's not make a scene," she said, standing abruptly. "Let's talk outside."

We left the library and stepped into the corridor, where Daphne finally addressed me. "Yes, I knew," she admitted. "She told me she was thinking about it. She wasn't sure if she'd actually go through with it. And it's not a bad thing."

I was furious. "You two have been giving me grief for not telling you things, and now you do the same thing to me?"

Tori looked up at me, guilt flickering across her face. "I didn't want to worry you," she said. "I know there's a lot going on right now, and… it's not a big deal. It's just Quidditch."

"Just Quidditch?" I snapped, slamming my hand against the wall. The sound echoed down the corridor, startling them both. "It's people flying in the air, trying to catch a murder ball while others try to knock them off their brooms! Do you see why this is worrying?"

Students passing by turned to stare. Daphne reached out and took my hand, her calm touch anchoring me. I let out a slow breath, the anger draining away. "I'm sorry," I said finally. "I should be happy for you, Tori. I just—this caught me off guard. I shouldn't have raised my voice."

Tori hesitated before nodding. "I'm sorry too. I should have told you. I just thought… maybe this could be something we could share. You like Quidditch. Dad likes Quidditch. I thought—" She trailed off, looking down at her shoes. "I didn't think it through."

I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations," I said softly. "On making the team. It'll worry me, sure but I do crazy things too, so I can't really talk."

She beamed up at me, her earlier guilt gone. "Thanks. I made Seeker."

"Seeker?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Bet Dad will love that—not so sure about your brother, though."

She laughed, the tension between us finally breaking. Daphne smirked beside me, her expression saying, I told you so.

Back in the library, the study session resumed, though I couldn't shake the feeling that this year was going to be anything but ordinary. Between the Dueling Club, Quidditch, and whatever else was waiting for us around the corner, I had a feeling we'd be lucky if we made it out in one piece.