MJs Hogwarts Journal Chapter 26

Saturday 16^th November

Today was pretty exciting. It was the day of the second Quidditch match. This one was between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, so it wasn’t competitive for us Slytherin’s at all. I think it almost made it more enjoyable, because everyone wasn’t all het up over who would win – well in Slytherin that it. Sitting at the breakfast table no one could really seem to agree on who they wanted to win. “Hufflepuff,” Blaise argued. “They’re less of a threat to us if they win.”

“Yeah, but they’re rubbish,” Crabbe argued. “At least Ravenclaw can play.”

“But have you seen Hufflepuff’s new Beater? He’s huge!” Trevor exclaimed. “Bigger than Warrington.”

There was more friendly discussion for this game. I guess no one really knew who they wanted to win. If Hufflepuff won, it seemed like we would be in for an easy chance of winning the Quidditch Cup at the end of the year, but if Ravenclaw won the outcome would be more challenging. Secretly I was rooting for Ravenclaw. If my team couldn’t win, then I hoped that Josie’s could – even though she still didn’t seem fazed by the whole thing.

Like last time, Jed and I managed to find Josie before the game and get her to join us. I hate the idea of her sitting in the crowd by herself. “But I was going to the library,” Josie sighed when we found her. Looping her bag over her arm, Josie was just about to leave the Ravenclaw table.

“The library?” Jed exclaimed. “But it’s your house’s first game.”

“So?” she said back.

“Aren’t you even a tiny bit excited?” I asked her.

“For Quidditch, no. For trying to find out more about the key, yes,” she replied flatly.

“Don’t worry,” I told her, “We can look up the key later.”

“But it’s cold outside,” she complained with a pout. Staring at her, I watched as she hugged her jacket around herself. Was it just me or did she look even tinier when she did that?

“You’ll be fine,” Jed told her. “Now come on or we’ll be late.” Josie sighed. I linked arms with her and the three of us walked towards the Quidditch pitch.

On our way outside, Josie tugged constantly at the sleeves of her turquoise and black striped jumper and the cuffs of her coat. I thought twice about asking her if she was okay, but I knew if I did, she’d probably just think up some excuse to wander off back inside. Arriving at the stands, the group of us First-Years all got to bundle together. Trevor and Blaise sat to the side of Jed, whilst me and Josie squeezed in on the end of the row. Scarlett, Pansy and Priscilla were behind us with our house Prefects, Ivy and Vlad, beside them, whilst Goyle, Blondie and Crabbe sat in front. Having all of my friends around me made me feel even more excited for the Quidditch game.

Whilst waiting for the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw teams to walk out onto the pitch, I looked around at the stands. The atmosphere was completely different this time, compared to my last experience here. Apart from the obvious Hufflepuff routing for their team and Ravenclaw theirs, both Gryffindor and Slytherin seemed to be divided. Both houses had people cheering for either side, so that neither the Hufflepuff nor the Ravenclaw cheers seems to ring out louder than the other. Everyone was smiling, cheering and waving at one another from across the stands. The strain and pressure to win was gone. Maybe Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw just aren’t as competitive as Slytherin are. The streamers had changed colour too, to match the houses that were playing. They were yellow, black, blue and a browny-bronzey colour.

As Madam Hooch blew her whistle, Lee Jordan shouted, “And they’re off!” I could hear Pansy and Scarlett giggling behind us. Turning around I smiled at them. I love how those two are always so full of energy. Yes, they are probably giggling about boys, but at least they are always smiling. That made me realise something. All of the other teams, except ours, have at least one girl on their team. Gryffindor had three – all of their Chasers. One of Hufflepuff’s Chasers was a girl too. Ravenclaw had two girls on their team – one was the Keeper and the other Seeker. It got me thinking about our team. Why aren’t there any girl players? As Hufflepuff’s Keeper saved the Quaffle, I decided to ask Jed.

“Simple,” he shrugged. “Slytherin go for the fearsome, thug-like approach. It’s worked for years, so they don’t change it.”

“You mean they don’t let girls play at all?” I exclaimed.

“That is a little unfair,” Pansy piped up.

Hearing this, Blondie turned around and said to her, “Well we wouldn’t want that pretty little face of yours t’ get wacked with a Bludger now, would we?”

Fidgeting beside me, Josie tugged at the pleats of her skirt. “I’m going,” she announced, standing up.

“You can’t go yet!” Goyle exclaimed, turning around to face her. Blondie and Crabbe turned around too. Josie flinched. I admit, I was surprised – Gregory Goyle actually spoke to her and he told her not to leave. Was I missing something here? “Malfoy’s got us cheerin’ fer Ravenclaw,” he told her. Looking at Blondie I couldn’t help but smirk. I would have thought that he of all people would be routing for Hufflepuff, being as everyone kept saying that Slytherin would slaughter them when they played one another and easily be the overall champions.

“It’ll make it look like we offended ya if yer left,” added Crabbe.

“You are?” Josie asked Blondie, ignoring Crabbe’s comment. She dropped back into her seat, waiting for him to answer.

“Well if we don’t win, we don’t want Gryffindor to get the cup. Might as well go t’ the next best team,” he said with a shrug. Curling a piece of hair behind her ear, Josie dropped her bag back between her feet.

“Alright,” she muttered. “I’ll stay for a bit,” and leant a little closer towards me.

“And Hufflepuff’s score again!” announced Lee Jordan. A mixture of cheers and boos filled the air. I think that’s thirty points to Hufflepuff now and Ravenclaw haven’t scored one. I don’t understand why everyone says that they are so rubbish. They hadn’t done that bad. Spotting a group of Slytherins cheering a little below us, Trevor thought it would be a good idea to chuck a bunch of stink pellets towards them. In retaliation, the group (which turned out to be made up of the Slytherin Beaters and a bunch of Sixth-Years) cast some sort of explosion spell in our direction. It didn’t really do anything, other than cause a big bang and black glitter shimmered everywhere. The bang made Madam Hooch halt the match. Our house fell silent, whilst everyone else gasped and began trying to figure out what the explosion was. It wasn’t hard for Professor Snape to figure out what had occurred. Mounted on a broomstick, he darted towards the Slytherin stands faster than you could say Quidditch. Red faced, he yelled at us all at the top of his voice, for the stupid and dangerous behaviour. “Never in all my years has a game had to be stopped,” he raged. “You are an embarrassment and a disgrace – the lot of you.” Josie clawed her hands into my arm throughout Snape’s entire rant. Despite being mad at us, Snape didn’t dock us any points. He wouldn’t dare. He loves us Slytherin’s too much. It was terrifying though.

Having been yelled at by our Head-of-House, Madam Hooch agreed to allow the game to continue. Both teams seemed to carry on as though nothing had happened. Ravenclaw stole the Quaffle from Hufflepuff several times and almost scored, but the Hufflepuff Keeper was always one step ahead of them.

“Hey Josie-Bell,” I heard a voice say. Turning towards Josie, I noticed that Fabian had appeared at her side. “Derrick spotted you through Malachi’s binoculars and I thought I’d come over. You don’t wanna stay here.” He held a hand out towards her.

“We’re not all prejudice, like you ya know,” Ivy sneered at him. “We don’t care that she’s a Ravenclaw,” she snapped at Fabian. Turning to Ivy I must say I was surprised by her comment. I’m pretty sure she did care that Josie was there and she was prejudice against the other houses. I think Ivy was just looking to start a fight with an outsider.

“An’ I don’t care that you’re Slytherin,” Fabian said back. “I just didn’t want Josie to be uncomfortable amongst your bunch of mindless Thestrals. That stupid stunt coulda winded her up in the Hospital Wing.”

“Hey,” yelled Blondie, turning around to Fabian. “Who you calling a mindless Thestral?” Jumping up, Blondie squared up to him. Fabian snorted, shaking his head.

“I wasn’t the one stupid enough to interrupt the Quidditch game,” Fabian retorted. “We behaved for your team. Try to show a little respect, Malfoy.”

Josie sank down in her seat and leaned against me. I put my arm around her. She rested her head on my shoulder as the two boys squared up to one another. Staring at the two, I swallowed. I knew that houses were competitive and that a lot of people held grudges against Slytherin, but I never thought that Fabian would be one to get involved. He’s always been so nice when I’ve been around him before – so calm and cool about me and Josie being friends. I never imagined him being in a fight over house reputation. Especially not wasting his time on Blondie.

“Malfoy’s right,” added Ivy. Standing up, she clambered over Blaise and Trevor to our row. Jed kept his legs outstretched in front of him to prevent her from getting closer to Fabian – good one Jed! “Don’t ya think we’re good enough fer yer little friend?” Ivy jeered. “What’s the matter? Scared we’ll turn her into the dark side?” As she cackled, Vlad let out a deep bellow.

“Don’t listen to her,” Fabian snarled at Josie. “Her words are poison.”

“Are you insultin’ my gal?” roared Vlad. He too stood up.

“No – I’m insulting the inhuman nature of your house’s behaviour. In other words – you act like a bunch of wild hippogriffs. The lot of you,” Fabian raged pointing a finger at Vlad. Turning to Josie his expression softened as he held a hand out towards her. “Come on Josie. Let’s go somewhere quiet.” Holding her hand out towards him, Josie sniffed as Fabian pulled her towards him. Without saying a word, Josie clung to Fabian’s arm and followed him up and out of the Slytherin stands.

“A bunch of wild hippogriffs?” retorted Malfoy, once they were far enough away to not be able to hear him. “My father will hear about this!” he shouted after them.

It’s a shame Josie had to leave. Not long after she and Fabian disappeared, the Ravenclaw Seeker managed to catch the Golden Snitch and Ravenclaw won one-hundred-and-fifty to forty. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to see the whole match – thanks to the argument. I had wanted to document all that I could remember from all of the Quidditch matches in here, but I’m more upset about Josie disappearing.

“Don’t worry,” Jed said to me, as we sat in the Great Hall at dinner. Josie sat with Fabian and his friends at the farthest point from us with her back to the Slytherin table. Staring over at her I sighed. “She’ll come around.”

“What if she hates me?” I muttered back. I didn’t want to lose Josie as a friend over some stupid argument that I wasn’t even a part of.

“Course she doesn’t,” Jed replied, nudging me. “You’re her best friend.”

Why did Ivy have to get Fabian mad? Why did he even have to get involved? Why shout at Malfoy? What was the point? I’m glad I had Jed there beside me. The one thing I knew I could count on was that he’d never leave my side. His head of curls and his constant cocky grin would always cause me to smile. He was just there. He always was. But Josie… I do get worried sometimes. Sometimes we don’t see her for days at a time. Then when we do, sometimes she’s so quiet it’s like we have to get to know her all over again. I can’t just let it slide. Jed maybe my best friend, but Josie is too. She understands things that Jed will never know about. She knows all of the ordinary Muggle stuff that I like – like watching TV and listening to the radio, movies, paintings that don’t move, electricity, heating, but most of all, I’ve found a girl that loves Peter Pan and children’s stories just as much as I do. I can’t just let her walk out of my life like that. I won’t.

Clenching my fists, I stared down at my mashed potatoes. Jabbing them with my fork, I felt someone bounce down in the space to my left. “Don’t get upset,” said Priscilla as she squished up beside me. “You know us Slytherins stick together.” Looking up at her I smiled. Out of my three roommates, Priscilla was always the one who tried to sympathise with me the most. I have a feeling it’s because she’s only a half-blooded witch that she understands me a little more than the other two. “Maybe your friendship with her was never meant to be,” she said catching me gaze over at Josie. “After all, it’s not like you’ve got a lot in common. I mean your fun and cool and know how to have a laugh, but she’s just a bookworm.” Pansy and Scarlet spotted that Priscilla had moved and sat down beside her.

“Who’re we talking about?” asked Scarlett.

“Bookworm?” Pansy repeated. “Sounds like the ginger lump.” I threw Pansy the deepest scowl I could muster. ‘The ginger lump?’ What was she playing at? “Don’t waste your time with that one, MJ. She belongs with her own kind.” My eyes shot down to my plate, before I tried to force a smile at Pansy. No matter how much I love being in Slytherin and I love being around Priscilla, Pansy and Scarlett, I will never be like them. I promise, I won’t.

- Josie -