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CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT - 🍂 ୧ quidditch. . .
& little human ও🦌

THE SEEKER OF THE RAVENCLAW quidditch team had successfully caught the Snitch in the game, securing them a significant victory. Despite their grand triumph, the Ravenclaws had ultimately suffered a defeat, as they still had fewer points overall, and lost by a mere two-point margin.

The final score stood at 250-252, with Gryffindor emerging victorious, dashing the Ravenclaws' hopes for triumph.

The match had been a tight competition, with the scoreline remaining close till the very end. Rather than gloom and disappointment, the Ravenclaws headed to their locker rooms filled with a sense of optimism and potential. It was the first time, in a long while, that the scores had been so closely aligned. The team was now brimming with hope and belief for their future games throughout the season.

The entire Gryffindor Quidditch team was gathered near the exit, alongside their friends and nearby, the team of Ravenclaw stood.

Autumn, accompanied by Raven, made her way towards her friends. Once they reached the exit, she couldn't help but notice the entire Gryffindor team standing there as well.

James reveled in the victory, conversing with his fellow team members, including Sirius.

"You know what makes the win even more satisfying?" he said, a grin on his face. "It's the fact that it wasn't a lopsided thrashing."

Sirius chuckled and added, "You don't say? The game was evenly matched throughout. And it was pretty damn close at the end, wasn't it?"

The two teams of Quidditch players had passed one another while exiting the pitch, and both had displayed admirable conduct regarding the outcome of the match.

Grant Davies, the captain of the Ravenclaw team and their Seeker, shook hands with James and the rest of the Gryffindor team before rejoining his own team, shaking hands with the rival players. Both teams showed genuine sportsmanship and respect towards each other, a sight that brought sincere smiles to their faces.

James' gaze immediately locked onto Autumn as she approached with their shared friends. The elation from his team's victory was palpable, and any hint of awkwardness from their previous encounter faded into the background.

James still cradled her drawing safely in his pocket, the memory of it constantly flitting through his mind. It was a secret source of motivation that had fueled his impressive performance, ultimately contributing to the decisive points that secured their triumph.

James approached her, his eyes locked on her, a smile tugging at his lips.

When she brought up the drawing, he chuckled, conceding, "Maybe it was a tad too effective as a good luck charm."

James smirked playfully as he continued, "But how am I supposed to win next time without it?"

A moment of awkward overlap followed as they both tried to speak at the same time. Their attention darted away from each other momentarily before Autumn spoke up.

"Sorry..." she began.

However, James quickly interjected with his own, "No, I..."

Both James and Autumn chuckled awkwardly, their faces slightly flushed. The simultaneous and then interrupted exchange had led to an unexpected moment of embarrassment for both of them. They averted their eyes, unable to look directly at each other due to the awkward situation they had unwittingly stumbled into.

Their friends recognized the awkward predicament and moved to intervene, but before they could act, James quickly took the matter into his own hands. He latched onto Autumn's hand and whisked her away through the crowd, intent on keeping her close. He was determined not to let anyone else make their move on her, and especially not to let Dorcas or Marlene near her.

They headed back to the school after their hasty escape, a hint of nervousness still lingering because of the solitary atmosphere. However, they were quickly joined by their friends, bringing a much-needed distraction.

The conversation amongst them shifted to revolving around the match, a change that effectively removed any lingering tension.

A TRIUMPHANT GRYFFINDOR party had been called in celebration of their victory, a well-established tradition after every win.

Autumn and Raven planned to join later, after spending some time with their Ravenclaw friends.

Their house had also held a celebration in honor of their close match against the Gryffindors. The Ravenclaw students were filled with a sense of elation and pride for their near-triumph, despite the loss.

Despite occasional disagreements with some of their housemates due to their friendship with Elliot, there were still many that they could consider friends.

The ones who were wary of them had been a few members of the house who were muggleborns, who were a bit prejudiced, which hurt Autumn and Raven deeply.

The girls, both of whom understood too well how common prejudices like these had become in their time, accepted that it was simply the reality they lived in. Nevertheless, it didn't make the pain any easier to bear.

A couple of hours had passed, and the Ravenclaw party was still in full swing. However, Autumn and Raven had agreed that it was time to head to the Gryffindor party. They bid farewell to their classmates and set off toward the Gryffindor Tower.

The girls paused, their path toward the tower temporarily sidetracked by a disturbing sight further down the corridor. Their gazes hardened as they realized a younger Ravenclaw was being bullied in a secluded corner of the hall.

Autumn swiftly pulled out her wand, and Raven did the same.

"They're really crossing the line now," Raven seethed, as they moved closer to the group.

In a flash, Autumn cast the spell, "Expelliarmus!" and sent the older Slytherin male flying into the wall.

The Slytherin female retaliated, attempting to cast a hex, but Raven reacted quickly, deflecting it with her own protective spell, "Protego!"

The deflected hex struck the Slytherin girl, sending a flurry of bat-like creatures flying from her nostrils. Her screams echoed loudly through the corridor as chaos ensued.

Approaching the frightened younger Ravenclaw, who was trembling on his knees, Autumn and Raven hurriedly lifted him up and fled, leaving the two Slytherins to handle their own predicament. Raven, however, didn't resist the urge and shot the same hex at the other Slytherin, who was struggling to stand once more.

Safely near the Gryffindor Tower, Autumn turned to the young Ravenclaw, saying, "We should be alright here."

The male, clearly in his early years at Hogwarts, gazed at Autumn and Raven with watery eyes and trembling hands, but a tearful smile spread across his face. "Thank you, so much, for helping me," he managed to stammer out, his voice quivering with emotion.

Autumn and Raven were well aware they had rescued the boy from potentially worsening circumstances.

Raven knelt down to his level and offered a warm, reassuring smile. "What's your name?" she asked gently.

Despite his lingering shakiness and hint of fear, Quirinus managed to gather enough courage to reply, "I'm Quirrell... Quirinus Quirrell."

James, just exiting the Fat Lady portrait, was surprised to find Autumn and Raven standing in front of a young Ravenclaw. He furrowed his brow, bewildered by the unexpected scene.

With a hint of curiosity, he muttered under his breath, "What's up with this little human?"

Quirinus reacted skittishly, letting out a shrill cry as James neared. Raven and Autumn quickly stood up as the young Ravenclaw shrank back, seeking refuge behind them.

Autumn took the lead, saying, "Long story short," pausing momentarily before continuing, "Slytherin's." Quirinus cautiously peered at James from behind the girls.

James let out a knowing sigh, realizing the likely culprits were the Slytherins. Then, he turned his gaze toward both girls, his expression expectant.

His eyes moved between them, asking, "Are you both alright, too?" They responded with quick nods, reassured by his question.

Quirinus, still somewhat scared, tentatively peeked out from behind the girls. James could easily gauge the lingering fear on the younger male's face.

James smoothly eased into the situation, attempting to calm Quirinus by recounting amusing anecdotes and lighthearted pranks he'd experienced, ultimately helping to alleviate some of the tension.

After some time, the group encountered the Ravenclaw prefects. The young, anxious Quirinus was guided by them, while the prefects showed little concern about Autumn and Raven being out past curfew. It was common knowledge that students often held parties after a Quidditch match, so the prefects simply let them be and allowed the girls to carry on celebrating.

Raven promptly walked ahead, sensing that James and Autumn could use some personal time. She knew there were things they needed to discuss.

James inhaled deeply, visibly tensed up. He faced Autumn directly as the portrait door closed behind them. "I want to talk about what happened," he started, his voice filled with seriousness, "in the locker room."

Autumn nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah..."

A lengthy silence stretched between them, their gazes locked intently. The tension felt almost tangible, and neither seemed eager to break the quiet.

James ran his fingers through his hair, finally forcing himself to speak. A sigh escaped him, and he blurted out, "I'm glad Sirius walked in," his words rushed, causing Autumn's eyes to widen in surprise.

Autumn couldn't mask the hurt and disappointment she felt. It was as though James's words implied he was secretly glad that their intimate moment had been interrupted—right in the middle of their shared connection.

Her eyes widening in surprise, she couldn't help but reveal her shock at his unexpected statement. The disappointment was clear in her expression.

She looked at him, her voice filled with irritation as she echoed his words, "You were glad?"

Autumn's disappointment was palpable when James laughed and nervously rubbed his neck, as if uncomfortable. Just as she turned to walk off, he quickly called out her name to stop her.

"Autumn, wait," he pleaded, his tone earnest. "It's not what it sounds like," he hastily explained before she could storm away. A few moments of silence followed, allowing her to consider his justification.

Her narrowed eyes searched for an explanation as she retorted, "Then if that's not how it is..."

Her anger softened as she caught sight of his smile, but she was still guarded, hesitant to let down her guard just yet. James approached her, intending to clarify his point and rectify his error.

A sheepish chuckle escaped him as he admitted, "Merlin, I bungled that explanation. What I meant was that if Sirius hadn't walked in, I would have screwed everything up."

Her curiosity piqued, questioning whether she should just leave it be or press him for more details. Though intrigued by what he had been about to say, she decided to let it go, for the moment at least.

His hand nervously rubbing his neck, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... I can't say it just yet," he admitted, a mix of nerves and reluctance in his voice.

Autumn exhaled gently, her head tilted to one side. "Okay," she murmured, an undertone of disappointment in her voice. "I just... I thought you regretted it."

His voice stern and resolute, he emphasized, "No, absolutely not—merlin, no, I don't." His frustration peaked, and he released a strong, hiss-like sigh. His tone softened as he continued, "Autumn, you're making this hard."

His words became nearly inaudible, yet he was on the verge of revealing everything without directly stating it. He failed to recognize how utterly oblivious she was to the hints.

She didn't even consider the possibility that there was a deeper meaning behind his words. Her mind failed to process that James was nearing the point of desiring to confess his feelings to her.

Autumn was puzzled by the way her heart raced in his presence, a sensation she couldn't quite put into words, yet she was undeniably aware of the inexplicable connection she felt.

The events in the locker room had only added complexity to the situation. Autumn longed to grasp the full extent of her feelings, hoping to unravel them with absolute clarity. Yet, she remained oblivious to the fact that understanding her emotions was a journey beyond the confines of a book, one that defied logical explanation.