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THE AIR SURROUNDING Hogwarts felt suffocating. It was damp, and closed in on you like a too-tight hug. You could sense the electricity of lightning tingling on your skin, and feel the rumble of thunder in your chest like music, it's bass rattling up your rib cage.
The Slytherin common room was abuzz early Saturday morning, students equipped in their silver and green colors to cheer on the quidditch team. It was the first match of the year- against Gryffindor. They couldn't decide whether to be more nervous or thrilled.
Willow hops down the steps two at a time, green and silver stripes painted on her face, and a handheld flag, with Dawn's name written across it in sparkling letters. Willow had tried to tell Willmur to do the same, but he knew he would be butchered by the other Hufflepuffs if he showed his support for a team they were so obviously against. In honor of Dawn, he wrote 'you're a Keeper!' onto his hand in permanent ink in spirit.
Searching through the room and stifling a yawn, Willow pushes her way to the fireplace, where the team was all sitting, murmuring quietly to one another. Dawn was sitting on the arm of the couch, listening intently to was the captain of the team was saying. Willow recalls the time Dawn told her she wanted to captain the team next year, and smiles. Dawn was the only girl on the Slytherin team, and always went on about how badass it would be if she was captain.
"Hey DJ," Willow says, her voice was still raspy, considering it was early and Willow had rushed to get ready and catch Dawn before she went down to the Slytherin locker rooms. Dawn jumps a bit, but relaxes when she sees Willow, pulling her into a hug.
"Nervous, are we?" Willow asks, a smirk growing onto her lips. Dawn nods, her face buried in Willow's robes. Sighing, Willow stroked her friend's long black hair, which was in a nice braid that cascaded down her back. "You're never nervous."
"I know," Dawn says, pulling away from the hug and rubbing her eyes. Willow could tell she hadn't gotten much sleep last night. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Hey, it's okay," Willow coos. Dawn was obviously being really hard on herself about this. "You're going to go out there and be amazing, just like always."
"But today feels different. I don't feel like I'm ready," Dawn says, leaning onto the back of the couch. Willow sighs, and Dawn scoots to the left a bit to allow her to sit down on the arm as well. That's when a scoff can be heard from the Quidditch team beside them.
"What are you doing here, Half-blood? You're not a part of the team," Draco Malfoy sneers from the couch. He was leaning back, looking the most relaxed of the whole group. His eyes are shooting daggers in Willow's direction, and a frown was tugging downward at his lips. Dawn rolls her eyes, groaning at the annoying boy who used every chance he could to insult someone. "Shove off, Malfoy. You're like, a five year old or something."
