4 years ago

"C'ngr'ts." Berwald nodded at Shelby as they exited the field.

"Yes, congratulations, Shelby. We are glad to have you on the team." Roedrich nodded to her.

"Th-thanks." She stuttered, her face still thoroughly flushed from having flown through the air.

Cooper walked by and grinned. "Great flying out there, Shelbs. I'm not sure that any of the other Seekers out there will stand a chance against you; not even Arthur Kirkland! If we win all the Quidditch matches, why, we might even managed to take the House Cup from Gryffindor or Slytherin!"

"It would be about time!" Vash shouted. Once they exited the field, Shelby split off from the Ravenclaw crowd, and walked towards the the two awaiting Slytherins near by.

"So?" Feliks asked, his eyes seeming bored, but his voice betrayed his anticipation.

She looked down, not used to all this attention, even if Feliks was one of her best friends. "I'm the new Ravenclaw Seeker."

"Yes!" Vladimir beamed, engulfing her in a hug as she arrived by them. "I knew you could do it! A Seeker! This is amazing!" He cheered, picking her up slightly and spinning her around.

She laughed, roughly shoving the hair out of her face. "Thanks guys. I just hope I don't disappoint anyone. Everyone seems to have such high expectations for me, and that was only my second time flying." She stated awkwardly, gripping her burrowed broom tightly. "It's a lot to swallow."

"That's what she said!" A loud voice shouted behind her, and Vladimir's face instantly fell. Shelby turned to see the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Alfred, approaching with a large grin. "I'm guessing by the smile on your face that you made it, dude?"

Shelby nodded, shuffling over him, trying not to step on the front of her far-too-big, blue Quidditch robe. "Seeker." She announced, extending her arm out and handing him the broom. "Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"No problem, dude! Wanna over to the library and unwind after all that flying?" Alfred questioned, raising a brow hopefully.

Shelby nodded, sighing in relief at the thought. "Yes please." She turned to her Slytherin friends, smiling and waving. "See ya guys later." With that, her and Alfred were off.

Vladimir's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What makes Alfred want to go to library? He does not study subjects... At least not there." He pondered, the wheels in his head churning.

Feliks rolled his eyes. "Duh, Vladi. Alfred chose the library because that's somewhere Shelby likes to go. It is sorta like date, except, like, not, because Shelby doesn't know."

Vladimir's lips twitched slightly. "I don't like him, Feliks. He was nothing but rude to us for first and second year, and all of a sudden is buddy-buddy?"

Feliks shrugged. "Is a little weird, but only if you let it be. People change as they grow. Plus, I think you totally need to give him some slack. He saved us from falling bricks AND saved you and Shelby from the dragon. That's not something someone does because they hate you."

Vladimir started off towards the building. "But he was a pretty big jerk before dragon. In fact, he was jerk right up until he saved us from dragon, and then started hanging out with Shelby."

Feliks's dull green eyes lit up suddenly in realization, and he glanced at Vladimir, smirking as they reentered the building. "Is someone being jealous of all the attention Alfred is getting from a certain Ravenclaw?" He laughed, elbowing him playfully.

Vladimir did not find it funny. "Shut it! Shelby and I are just friends." He stated, shooting a chilling warning glare at the blonde, his blood red eyes only making it more intimidating.

Feliks seemed utterly unfazed, likely having to have received this glare plenty of times since his first year at Hogwarts with Vladimir. "And she's going to remain that way if you don't talk to her about it."

Vladimir paced the stretch of grass outside of the Quidditch field a couple days later. Slytherin wasn't scheduled to practice here for another hour, but the Ravenclaws were just finishing up their first practice, and Vlad wanted to talk to Shelby as soon as possible about what he was thinking... Although he didn't quite know yet what he was going to say.

"Oh, hey Vladster!" The very voice that made him grind his teeth called out behind him, and the brunette turned to see Alfred approaching the field, a wide smile on his face. "Whatcha doin', dude?"

"Waiting for Shelby." Vlad stated simply, crossing his arms.

"Same dude. I was gonna see if she wanted to hang out with me on our first trip to Hogsmeade. Thought that'd be cool, ya know?"

Vladimir blinked, his heart skipping a beat. "You- you are not going to be asking that!" He sputtered, turning to the Gryffindor quickly, like a cornered animal.

Alfred blinked in surprise, raising a brow. "Why not, dude?"

"Because- because- because I am going to be asking her that!" Vladimir hissed, making Alfred flinch slightly.

Once Alfred, recovered, however, he glared. "No, you're aren't. You just totally jacked off my idea!"

"Did not! Is what I have been waiting here for." Vladimir lied, his glare challenging Alfred to think otherwise.

He did. "Well, sorry bro, but I'm taking Shelby to Hogsmeade."

"No! I am! I am her best friend! She likes me more than she likes you!"

"Quit lying to your self! She's totally into me!" In the distance, they could here Cooper shout, ending the practice, and Alfred smirked. "I'll just make sure I ask her first then." He began to strut off towards the field, and Vladimir's mind scrambled in panic. Without thinking he wiped out his wand, lying the tip of Alfred's back. The Gryffindor turned, his eyes dimming with anger. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I-I'm... I am challenging you to a duel." Vladimir stumbled over his tongue, "Winner takes Shelby to Hogsmeade."

Alfred seemed to blink to surprise, before his blonde brows furrowed, and he took out his wand as well. They each backed up 10 steps and turned, facing one another. Wind rushed past them, howling in one another's ears.

Alfred was the first to strike. He swished his wand in the air rapidly as he shouted, "IMMOBULUS!" And a blue flash of light shot straight at Vlad.

He barely had time to roll out of the way. He remained on his knees and bellowed, "EXPELLIARMUS!", shouting scarlet light straight at Alfred. It found his wand hand and knocked it at least 10 feet away, leaving Alfred completely disarmed.

The Ravenclaw team began exiting the practice field, and Shelby, carrying Alfred's broomstick on her shoulder, scanned the grass stretch outside that stadium. Both Alfred and Vladimir said they needed to talk to her after Quidditch practice, and she was curious to see if either of them had been waiting.

Then, Alfred's wand landed at her feet. She picked it up, bewildered, and quickly found it's owner. In front of him, coming fully to his feet, was Vladimir, his blood red eyes glistening with malice, his teeth gritted in determination. Shelby found herself running towards them without even thinking.

Vladimir didn't see Shelby coming. "INCENDIO TRIA!"

Blue flames shot out from the wands tip just as Shelby stepped in between the two dueling third years. The flames hit her square in the chest, knocking her back into Alfred with a sickening thud.

Vladimir's wand fell from his hands in horror, his eyes widening. Shelby screamed, instantly ripping off her robe and struggling to put out the flames out. The stronger fire of the spell were so hot, and strong, however, that the fabric where the flames hit was charred and flaking, her skin underneath no doubt baked. Tears flowed down her face as she dropped to her knees, crisscrossing her arms gingerly over her chest, wanting to cover the cloth incase it fell away entirely, but unable to put pressure on the inflamed skin underneath.

Alfred and Vladimir both looked at each other, at a lost for words, when suddenly, an angry voice rang out into the clearing around them.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" The Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team, Arthur Kirkland, stormed into the field, his mop of blonde hair bouncing with his every angry step, her thick brows furrowed and his stark green eyes glistening dangerously. Behind him, a few of the other Slytherin Quidditch players who had come early to practice, including Wang Yào and Lukas Bondevik, as well as Taylor and Feliks, watched in shock. Feliks's eyes widened in alarm as Arthur practically shoved Alfred aside and kneeled down besides Shelby. The Ravenclaw team watched, frozen in place, except for Cooper, who raced towards his injured Seeker.

"What happened?" Arthur inquired, both with concern and urgency as Cooper joined them, kneeling as well.

She sucked in a pain breath, attempting to speak, but choking, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth.

"Dude, she's in a lot-"

"Shut it, you insufferable git!" Arthur snapped, helping Shelby to her feet as Cooper supported her gently. "You have better believe Professor McGonagall AND Professor Snape," he continued, shooting a glare of daggers at Vladimir, "will be hearing about this."

With that, Arthur and Cooper helped Shelby to the Hospital Wing, assisted by Feliks, only after he shot both Alfred and Vladimir a look of anger and disappointment.