the malfoy boy

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"He shouldn't be allowed here! He's probably spying for the Slytherins," a 4th year hissed to the captain, 5th year Aria Kens. Aria was the star of the team. She was the perfect Keeper who blocked more shots than even John Mason. She was also a little firecracker who believed in everyone. She told the entire Hufflepuff house to come out to tryouts because not everyone has an innate talent, but anyone can practice until they're good.

"Look at Riverwood," she had called out the evening before in the common room. "She was rubbish at flying, even worse at throwing and catching a Quaffle," she said while pointing at Joey. "But with enough hard work, she managed to scrape onto the team in her 4th year. I was apprehensive when she joined, but she worked hard and proved herself more than worthless."

"Hey!" Joey cried out with a laugh, the students chuckling. But it was true, she had been all but useless when it came to anything to do with Quidditch. But through pure determination and hard work, she was the highest scorer on the team in her first and second years on the team. This would, hopefully, be her third.

"Malfoy doesn't know shit about Quidditch," Aria said to them with a wave of her hand, dismissive as she started the practice. She called out orders, lined them up based on the position they thought they wanted, asked a million questions, then threw them onto brooms and into the air. There was no doubt about Aria's leadership skills. Everything about her commanded respect. This was the girl's 3rd year as Captain. She was only 15, and she had made the team as a backup in her first year then as the starting Keeper in her 2nd year. 3rd year found their Captain had graduated, and that was when Aria was elected the new Captain. That was also when Joey had joined the team. She hadn't been very good when she first tried out in her own 2nd year, but after 2 years of practicing and asking for help, Aria saw something in Joey that made her put her on the team. It was well worth it, too, since Joey became the top scorer in that first match and every match thereafter.

"Hey!" Abraxas said indignantly from his spot on the sideline bleachers. He was bundled up in the cold weather since he would just be sitting there doing nothing. But he looked every bit the elegant pure-blood even then. He wore a black crew neck, wool knit sweater paired with black joggers and sneakers. He covered the look with a black pea coat and thick grey mittens that Joey had knit for him during August. There had been some giggles as he had taken his seat, of course, but they were both used to it at this point. Even if it made Joey feel a little ember of jealousy in her core.

"I'm not wrong, Malfoy, piss off," Aria called back to him before continuing to talk to the crowd in front of her. Joey just giggled at the brooding man as he sat and watched. She wiggled her fingers at him, and he sat up a little straighter before waving back with the very smallest movement of the hand that rested on his knee.

"Riverwood, Gardner, and Rollo. You three in the air as group 1. Group 2, Rosebud, Feathercap, and Vera. You'll be next," Aria jumped right into it and split the potential chasers into groups. She assigned the beaters to pairs and then to groups, then Seekers, then backup Keepers. All in all, there were 4 groups of 7 students, with a few stragglers. They practiced long and hard. The Chasers found synergy with specific people, and the groups mixed and matched depending on who they matched with. Beaters swapped pairings and groups. The first day of practice was all about figuring out who belonged together. About halfway through the Friday practice, Joelle was taking a break.

She walked over to the stands where a surprising amount of students had come in support of friends or to watch the practice. Abraxas sat on his own, and she approached him with a big grin on her face. She was sweating. She wore a crew-neck, cotton sweater in dark red with a golden G on the front, black leggings, and boots. She had her hair pulled up into a bun. Gloves protected her hands. She brought her practice bag to plop down on the bench beside him, and he smiled at her warmly as she did.