Florence awoke to a searing pain on the surface of her hand, the events of yesterday surfacing in her mind regrettably. Her eyes peered open, seeing letters etched on the surface of her skin, stinging as she clenched it, making her flinch. I must not talk back.

"Merlin's pants, Flo, you already know that it hurts," Nicolai scoffed, bringing over a bowl of clear liquid, "Stop moving your hand."

"What is that?" she asked, propping herself into a sitting position with her other arm as Nicolai set it down on her nightstand. "It's a healing solution. I told Professor Flitwick about what that ugly cow did to punish you and Olivia during detention. He said this would help ease the pain, but not heal it quickly. It'll take time before the words completely vanish."

"Harry was there too," Florence said, easing her hand in to the solution, thankful that it wasn't as stingy as she thought it would be, "His looks worse, though, like he's been writing with that quill for a couple of days now. Deeper cuts, I think."

"Well, worry about yourself first, yeah? You have tryouts to host tomorrow. And you can't do crap with  bloody cuts on your hand." she told her, "But if it's any consolation, you have really nice handwriting so it doesn't look as bad."

"Olivia has to host tryouts too." Florence pointed out, "I hope she's alright. I mean, she wouldn't have been in detention if she didn't stand up for me."

"It was her choice. And her tryouts aren't until Monday. She has a lot of time to heal up. While you, you have a day."

Xander was waiting for them at the common rooms, along with the Weasley twins who did not at all look guilty that they were intruding again. She was about to go on about how they weren't supposed to be in there when George stopped her.

"Yes, we know we're not supposed to be in here." he started, making Alexander roll his eyes, "I told them to stay by the door."

"But the riddle was just too good not to answer!" retorted Fred, "We couldn't help ourselves. And we were able to answer it without any help, so, I figured coming inside was our reward."

"What's that you got there?" Florence asked as soon as George hastily hid it behind his back. "What thing? We don't have a thing."

"You do," Nicolai said, "What is it?"

"Fine! They're flyers..." he showed them, "We've completed our Skiving Snackboxes, and we were wondering if we could put some up here in your commons so that people will know what to buy and where to buy."

"Buy what...exactly?" Xander raised his brows at them, Fred giving him a look, "They're snacks..."

"No I'm going to have to ask you to elaborate on that," he crossed his arms, "Knowing you two, there's a whole lot more to it than just a snackbox." he turned to Florence and Nicolai, "Why don't you two look so curious?"

"Well it's because we already know about them, Xan. They're snacks that make you sick upon consumption. Personally I think it's handy, especially when you want to get out of class." explained Florence.

"What kind of sickness?"

"Merlin, Xander, you ask too many questions!" Nicolai exclaimed, "Just let them hang the damn flyers. We need to go to breakfast. I'm starving."

"What? I need to ask many questions. I'm a Prefect, you know, it's what I'm supposed to do when someone asks if they can put up flyers in a house common room they're not supposed to be in."

"You're a much considerate one at that," Fred said, "Hermione's always telling us not to put them up at the Gryffindor common room."

"We'd demonstrate it's usage...but I wouldn't want to dirty your carpets... We have fainting fancies, nosebleed nougat, puking pastilles and fever fudge. From the names themselves, well, it's inferable what they can do."

"Can I, perhaps, get a free sample of your nosebleed nougat?" asked Nicolai, "I'd buy a whole box, but I just need one for now. I have a test in Astronomy tonight, and I heard Professor Sinistra's squeamish when it comes to blood."

"Nic?!"

"What? I don't want to study for it now!"

"Just one free sample, Clearwater," Fred warned, whipping out a plastic wrapped candy, "If you want more then you're going to have to buy it off of us the next time."

"Nice," she smiled, taking the candy gratefully before pocketing it, "Hand over the flyers. I'll put them up before dinner."

"Great!" the twins beamed, "Thanks."

"Let's go to breakfast now then, shall we?" Xander clasped his hands together, heading to the exit first, Nicolai tagging along with him seconds later.

"I heard you asked Olivia out." she smirked, watching his blue eyes avert away from her, "News travels fast...How, may I ask?"

"She's pretty loud. I'm sure the whole school know about your plans."

"Well, that's alright. If that means she's excited, because, well, I am too. There seems to be a lot more to her than what I used to think." Xander said, smiling, "I'd like to get to know her better... And you,"

"What?" Nicolai frowned, "What about me?"

"Aren't you going to talk to Jillian? It's been nearly a week since we got back. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you."

She snorted, "You don't know that."

"Maybe. But what I'm sure of is that you're the one dying to talk to her. And don't even deny it. I could literally feel the tension in Charms. The way you two steal small glances at each other. Cute, but at the same time really stupid because neither of you won't approach the other."

"Okay, I see what you're doing..." Nicolai chuckled, stopping him in mid walk, "Florence is smitten with Fred, your love story with Olivia is blossoming, and you want me to have my own as well... I appreciate it, Xander, I really do. But things will fall in place for me soon. I just have to wait."

"I can't interfere?"

"I know you love me, Xan, and I know you're thinking of giving Jillian a little push after this pep talk of ours. But don't. I'm fine, honestly." she slung her arm around his shoulder, "Now come forth, breakfast awaits!"

                                           -------

Angelina was pacing back and forth infront of her team, all of whom were cladded in gear and awaiting her final instructions. Just outside the changing room was a crowd of Keeper auditionees, chatting with one another.

"Okay," she smiled at them, "I know this is kind of hard for us, since we've all had Wood as a keeper since, forever, and we may think that he's irreplaceable."

"Oh my god, Ange," Alicia rolled her eyes, "You're saying it like the boy just died!" the others laughed at this, including Angelina, who resumed a straight face after a few seconds. "On a more serious note," she started, "Harry won't be able to join us in the selection today, since he got into a bit of a pickle with Umbridge...again. But there's still the five of us, who will hopefully do fine in choosing someone to fill the gaping hole that Oliver left in this team."

"Fred, George," said Katie, who was standing by the doors and peeping at the mass of boys and girls, "I see your brother out there."

"Oh, yeah. We forgot to tell you lot. He's mentioned in the summer that he did want to try out, and hopefully get the position."

"I see," said Angelina, "Are you two, perhaps, vouching for him?"

"Heavens no," chuckled Fred, "He can show you what he's capable of by himself. We're no biased big brothers."

"Perhaps, maybe, biased on other things." Katie mused, she and Alicia sharing an amused look as the twins frowned at them, genuinely baffled. "What are you on about?"

"Fred's girlfriend is the Ravenclaw's new captain, if you must know." Katie explained, "I heard she's a really nice girl."

"She is," said Fred, rather defensively, "Florence is pretty good at Quidditch too, but it won't cloud our judgement. We're still your beaters when we're on the pitch."

"Yeah," George agreed, "We won't be a liability. We've played against Florence since we were in our second year," said George, "What makes this year any more different?"

"Well the fact that I called her Fred's girlfriend, and not Price, seems pretty different to me, Georgie." Katie retorted, Angelina looking as if she was considering Katie's point of view on the subject.

"While we're on this subject, I'll address as early as now that I will have none of that bias shit on the field, Weasley." Angelina warned as her mood shifted to dead serious in a sit second, jabbing Fred lightly on the chest, "Don't hesitate on sending a bludger to Florence's face when you really have to. We're winning this year."

It was rather eerie to see the same fire and determination as Oliver Wood spark in Angelina's eyes. It was as if Oliver's soul had evaporated from his original body and was now possessing the new captain.

"You too, George. No playing soft on your future sister-in-law." With that, Angelina smiled at the rest of the team, "Now come on, we have tryouts to finish."

"I lied," Fred mumbled to Katie as they headed out, "Honestly it will be really really hard for my conscience if I play against her."

She chuckled, shaking her head, "I know that. Don't worry, you'll be fine. And I won't tell Angelina that you said that."

"That would be my preference."

------

"You're awfully quiet." Florence pointed out, making Nicolai snap out from her trance, "Now what are you trying to look for with that thousand mile stare of yours? You look like you could use a hug."

"No, I'm fine—" she groaned, as Florence piled herself ontop of her back, "—this is more like you trying to turn my bones into powder than it is a hug." she grunted, trying to push her off, but failed. "Rowena's sake you're heavy. What have you been eating these days?"

Florence rolled off her back, plopping down beside her on the bed, "I have not been eating a lot. These, my friend, are bones of steel."

Nicolai snorted, "Yeah. Steel. Sure."

"No but seriously. Why are you so quiet?"

"I'm just...thinking about my Charms essay." she lied, looking away, as she knew that her face was always an indication that it was a bad lie.

"Mhm, and why would your Charms essay make you look like that time when Mike the Goldfish died?" Florence nudged her.

"Mike the Goldfish? You still remember him?"

"Yeah, ofcourse. He was your first and only pet, since you couldn't get anything with fur because Penelope was allergic to them. I remember you throwing a massive fit when your mum told you that."

Nicolai chuckled, feeling nostalgic, "Yes. But I calmed down when they said I could get Mike...he was a lovely goldfish."

"He last for two weeks and a half, Nic." she reminded her, "You failed Mike the Goldfish."

"Only because I fed him too much." she replied in her defense, propping her elbow up and resting her chin against the palm of her hand, "I thought he deserved a feast that night. Woke up the next day and he was doing backstrokes in his fish tank."

"He was dead."

"I was twelve, Flo. It looked like backstrokes to me."

They shared a laugh, thankful to have the room all for themselves as their roommates preferred to study at the common room. It was moments like this wherein they appreciated each other's company."

"Okay, I don't think it's about Charms, Nic. Maybe it's someone in Charms...Are you, perhaps, experiencing girl trouble?"

Nicolai groaned, "Xander set you up to give me a pep talk, didn't he? Since his didn't work?"

"No."

Nicolai shot her a look.

"Yes. Fine, he did. But he also had a point, you know. She could use a little bit of good news right now, like, you breaking the ice and talking to her, especially since I heard she was booted out of the Quidditch team."

"That little bitch Olivia."

"Hey," Florence scolded, "It wasn't because of personal issues. You know Jillian is...well...she wasn't very good when she played for Cedric's team, wasn't she? And like every captain I'm sure Olivia just did what she thought was best for her team."

"Yeah," she grumbled, "You do have a point there."

"I always have a point, Nic." Florence chuckled as she slid down from her bed, "So think about it, yeah? And when I mean think about it, you don't really have to think about it, you have to do it."

"What are the chances that you and Xander will give this a rest?"

"Mmm, slim to none."

"Oh boy."

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a.n: double update yay bc I've read a lot of heartwarming feedbacks & I feel so happy :))) Love you all!

-Denise