"Your first game, huh?" Chija asked, grinning as she and (Y/n) stepped into the Great Hall for breakfast.
"I feel sick," (Y/n) admitted.
"It's just the nerves," Chija assured, rubbing comfortingly up and down (Y/n)'s arms. The girls sat across from Marietta and Padma.
"Excited?" Padma asked after swallowing a bite of her pancakes.
"Livid," (Y/n) answered. "Stressed, mortified, horrid!" Padma nodded along as though (Y/n)'s synonyms were the most interesting thing in the world.
"Don't sweat it," Marietta assured.
"Yeah," Chija agreed. "The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw game is by far the least competitive game of the season..." She trailed off as Luna strolled over with a large, realistic eagle perched on her head.
"Good luck today, (Y/n)!" Luna said, positively beaming. "You too," she added as though Chija was a second-hand resort of her support.
"Thanks," Chija said, grinning and nodded. (Y/n) smiled fondly and a large amount of her anxiety demolished as Luna, airier than ever, strode off back along the table and sat down alone.
"She's great, isn't she?" (Y/n) hummed.
"A few screws loose," Padma spoke, "but she's got the right intentions," she hastily added at the short glare (Y/n) sent her.
"Eat what you can," Chija instructed, pointing her fork at (Y/n)'s practically empty plate.
"I wasn't done serving myself," (Y/n) huffed. Chija smiled and stuck her tongue out as (Y/n) reached out and served herself. Her breakfast was just enough to fill her up as she didn't want to potentially lose it all from nerves.
"They're so funny," Padma mused, peering at the Gryffindor table, which sat two tables behind Chija and (Y/n). "I think they're keeping a look out for who our new Chasers are... I can go cause a distraction." She eyed (Y/n)'s wide eyes. "Pretend I'm talking to Lav and Vati, you know?"
"Have fun with that," Chija said, leaning forward to look for the rest of the team. She nodded her head towards the doors upon catching Roger's eye. Roger nodded his head and called for the other members of the team. Padma very casually strode over to Parvati and Lavender, catching a majority of the Gryffindors' eyes as she spoke to her twin sister. The team took their leave and not long after, the Hufflepuff team took their own leave.
(Y/n) smoothed out her tight-fitted blue and bronze knitted sweater. Her bronze pants were tucked into her light boots and she had leather shin guards and gauntlets on. She got on her long blue robe that was lined with bronze on the inside. As it was late November, (Y/n) had made the wise choice of having layers beneath her uniform. She tied her hair up into a low ponytail. She put on her fluffy pink earmuffs and pulled on her hood before looking at Chija with a pout.
Chija, in an identical uniform, was straightening the beanie that she wore over her twin braids. She gave (Y/n) a rather bitter smile, not too fond of freezing her butt off out there. They got on their scarves and tucked their brooms under their arms as they put on their gloves, joining the boys in the entrance of the locker room that split off into two— one for boys, one for girls.
"Chija, catch the Snitch as soon as you can," Issac Bradley, (Y/n)'s and Roger's fellow Chaser, said. He sounded extremely bitter over needing to play in late November weather with barely anything to keep them from freezing.
"I'll try, thanks," Chija said, matching Issac's bitterness.
"Gryffindor's in the lead by ninety points," Roger spoke. "If we can keep at least a ninety point lead— with or without the Snitch— that would be great."
"Nine goals? We can do that," (Y/n) said confidently.
"And if Hufflepuff somehow pulls ahead of us," Roger said, turning his eyes to Chija, "only get the Snitch if they're less than fifty points ahead." Chija nodded in confirmation. "(Y/n)'s the player they're most unfamiliar with, so try to get the Quaffle to her... I can't imagine Gryffindor or Slytherin will be able to pick up on her moves because they're so..."
"Odd?"
"Unorganized?"
"Irregular?"
"What the hell, guys?" (Y/n) scoffed. Chija giggled.
"All of the above," Roger nodded. Rolling her eyes, (Y/n) zoned out on the conversation, instead, focusing on listening in on the Quidditch stands.
"It sounds like the majority of the spectators are there," (Y/n) said.
"Great. That means we won't be waiting long," Roger said. "Let's go."
"You're treating me to hot chocolate after this," Issac jeered to Roger.
"Sure, man," Roger mused, grinning. He took the lead out of the locker room and the others reluctantly followed suit. (Y/n) and Chija were the last to do so, pouting over the cold that nipped at their skin. (Y/n) further hid her face in her scarf in an attempt to hold on to what little warmth she had. She and Chija occasionally bumped into one another with how close they were walking. Upon reaching the snow-covered field, the magically projected screens finally picked up the Ravenclaw. One of the two screens showed the Quidditch stands whilst the other panned over each member. The same was happening with the shivering Hufflepuffs. Madam Hooch did not acknowledge them yet, instead, peering up at the stands.
As the camera panned to Chija, she used it to fix her bangs, soon reaching up to press her gloved hands to her flushed cheeks. She was able to get one last peace sign in before the camera panned to (Y/n), who also held up a peace sign with the same hand, making the transition rather smooth. She raised her head to look over at Chija, who grinned back at her. Too clouded by her own misery, (Y/n) found it difficult to return the smile and she failed to do so. She peered over at the camera that showed the stands.
(Y/n) was deeply amused at the sight of Padma, Parvati, Dean, Lavender, and Seamus cheering for (Y/n) with the large sign Dean (with some help from the others) had painted. She could not hear them, but she could tell they were being louder than usual with the stairs they were receiving from the Gryffindors in front of them. Beside Padma, Luna wore her large eagle hat and Ginny and Neville supported Ravenclaw colours. (Y/n) tilted her head and a small smile of fondness came to her face. The last of (Y/n)'s anxiety was gone in an instant, for she knew that regardless of the match's result, she'd still have her number one supporters.
"Captains, shake hands!" Madam Hooch finally shouted. Cedric and Roger strode forward. Cedric smiled at Roger as they shook hands whilst Roger merely nodded. "Mount your brooms!"
The sound of a shrill whistle filled the air and fourteen players and four balls shot into the air.
"And they're off!" Lee Jordan announced. "Have Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw ever failed to find attractive players, Professor? Is it in their nature to have attractive— and might well players, at that— people drawn to their teams?"
"Jordan, the game," Professor McGonagall said, sounding extremely exhausted despite the match being less than one minute in.
"Right then!" Lee said. "Quite the Treacherous day for Gryffindor as Ravenclaw introduces new Chaser (Y/n) (Y/l/n)! (Y/l/n) with the Quaffle, and the Hufflepuffs better Stay, Stay, Stay out of her way because she is beelining for that goal, will she prove to be a worthy player in her State of Grace—? RAVENCLAW SCORES! TEN TO NOTHING FOR RAVENCLAW! Well done, (Y/n), though I suppose my praise is Nothing New for you." Lee winked cheekily at (Y/n), who groaned with realization.
