Game On | Lance x Reader(Harry Potter AU)

Charlie | Chpt 33

Hello!!

Enjoy~

(Y/n)'s POV

Everything has settled and it was quiet. James had effectively disappeared, despite what I had thought, and Lance had effectively placed a wall between us. I spent most of the time with my head down, my earbuds plugging out the silence. There was a subtle softness to the atmosphere, which I would've thought it to be comforting if I wasn't holding back from shaking when left alone to my thoughts.

I walked along the hallway, my heels pressing into the stone along with the beat in my ears, my robe hugged around my body. I felt a soft grip on my shoulder, and I stopped glancing to my left, Keith with an off smile greeting me. I pulled out my left earbud, falling in step with him off from the music.

"What class are you headed to?" He asked.

"Care of Magical Creatures," I said. Charms was far from enjoyable like it usually was, and the next wouldn't be fun either.

"Are you okay?" He asked. People left and right had been asking me that question, and I just shook them all off.

"No." He glanced, expecting me to brush off his concern.

"What happened?"

"Everything. Lance and I aren't talking anymore, because Nyma feels threatened even just by our friendship, and I don't want to come in between that," I explained, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Don't you, like, really like L--"

"Yeah so?" I asked and he paused, shaking his head.

"Sorry, you're right, and what you're doing is right. So right it seems unfair," he said and I crossed my arms, looking away. "Maybe talk to Nyma and you can be friends again."

"I told him we shouldn't be around each other Keith, and he just said goodbye. I can't—I can't fix it this soon."

"Who says that? I may be a hypocrite for saying this, but you should really just talk," he replied. We reached my classroom and I sucked in my stomach, catching a glance of Nyma.

"Yeah—Bye Keith," I said, pushing him away. He wore a disappointed look, and I turned away, letting out a breath. I sat next to Pidge, putting my face in my hands and she placed a hand on my back without saying anything, knowing what I was going through. I felt so stupid. Pidge had problems, everyone does, but I seem to cause my own more than anything.

I spent class, running my finger down the back of a little creature I couldn't remember the name of. Baby Nifflers? Kids around me struggled, shouting and laughing when the small creature nipped at their fingers. I rested my chin in my hand, admiring mine. It jumped on my finger, clinging on like a small monkey, and I smiled. It crawled up into my hand glancing up at me, cocking it's head. It seemed to be reading my expression. It nuzzled into my hand, curling up. I scratched the back of its head, sighing.

"Thanks buddy. I needed that."

Nifflers were known to be notorious thieves but we had all rid ourselves of our stuff and the classroom was bare. Besides, these little guys were much to small as infants.

"I see you have Charlie," Alfor crouched down in front of my desk. "I'm surprised, he doesn't like the care takers much, not me either."

"He's cute, I like him a lot," I said quietly, watching him roll over in my palm.

"You can help take care of him if you'd like? After school? I have to check on Kalteneker and he might actually listen to you," Alfor said. I nodded, smiling for the first time in a while.

"Woah! How did you get yours to do that! Mine won't stop biting me!" A kid said, reaching to poke Charlie. I pulled him away, watching him poke up her head past my thumb.

"Don't poke him, you'll scare him!" I said, as kids began to gather around. I glanced up and Lance, a Nifflers tangling itself up in his hair, was glancing at me. I turned away, my stomach dropping. Charlie took notice and hopped up my arm to hug my neck, rubbing his head against my jaw. The class began to coo and ask for turns with Charlie, but the bell rang and I handed him to Alfor to put away.

"I'll be back later buddy," I said, giving him one last pet before Alfor put him in the pen. Pidge walked beside me out of class.

"I don't know how the heck you're some animal whisperer, but that was cute as hell, he was like comforting you," Pidge said and I chuckled slightly.

"Despite being tricky little things, most animals get scared when humans show excitement, some of them don't really understand it's a happy thing," I said. The day had turned up okay so far now that I had met little Charlie.

The rest of my classes stayed the same, and I just awaited after school when I could hang out with Charlie and feed the other Nifflers. I had my doubts about Potions, however, for Keith would be there. I walked in and he had been watching the door, waiting for me to come in. He took notice to my soft smile and smiled as well.

"I met a Niffler named Charlie," I said with a warm smile and he gave me an odd look, but shook his head.

"The strangest things make you happy sometimes," he replied and I shrugged, holding my hands behind my back. "You look like that one meme where you come back from the park with a duck in your jacket, what's behind your back?"

"Oh, nothing, but that is me, I love ducks," I replied, sitting beside him.

"Yeah," he glanced down for a moment. "Feeling better than this morning?"

"He was a cute Niffler," I said, and Keith shook his head. I could see deep down he didn't want to let the issue go, but I had brushed it all off continuously. I could see Lance come in the classroom and sit down beside me, putting his books on the counter. Professor Coran began class, handing out supplies for a potion.

"So do you guys have any games coming up?" Keith asked.

"Quidditch season is on break for the Triwizard Tournament," I answered.

"I wonder who's going to enter," Keith said. "Would you Lance?" He glanced up at the mention of his name and paused measuring.

"No, my mom would murder me if something in that didn't first," he said, glancing back at his glass.

"What about you (y/n)?" Keith asked. He seemed to be trying to make conversation between us.

"Uh, I don't know, I'm not strong enough for it, it would be cool, but I wouldn't be able to do it," I said, shrugging.

"I wouldn't do it either," Keith said.

"You don't do any outside school things," I countered and he rolled his eyes.

"Like you do."

"Uh, Quidditch and I help take care of Alfor's creatures," I said. "Don't try to pull one over on me, you know you can't." I heard a soft snort from my left and I glanced over at Lance. "What?"

"Oh," he glanced up, "I'm just sure, I've been able to pull one over on you really easy, so."

"Mmhmm, sure," I said and he shook his head. I smiled a little to myself, before going to say something else, but my stopped. I shook my head, swallowing the thought, and Keith frowned. Class was dismissed, and I practically bolted out of there, feeling guilty for even talking to him. Nyma had really hammered that feeling into my gut.

I put my earbuds back in, ducking my head and hugging my robe against myself, scolding myself for letting myself slip.

I just wished the end of the day would come sooner.

~Calymari