Salamanders and Porcupines

Chapter 7: The Goldsten Sisters' First Quidditch Game

The atmosphere in the castle changes quite a lot in the weeks nearing the first Quidditch match of the year. The halls are filled with excited chattering about who they think will win and what maneuvers and strategies they'll get to see. It's as if all school related work is entirely forgotten.

It comes as a shock to the entire team that Hufflepuff is playing against Gryffindor in the first match instead of the usual Slytherin against Gryffindor.They have practice almost every day of the week, leading up to the match. Leta sits in the stands and does her homework as they practice, though he doubts she manages to get much work done.

He misses three goals and gets knocked off his broom by a bludger. They laugh as he falls and the captain yells at him to get back up. Newt wonders if the only reason he's still on the team is because he's a Scamander.

Practise continues just like before.

It's exhausting and Newt finds that he misses talking to Tina and Queenie. He spends his free time catching up on his homework. He goes to bed late at night, often asleep before his head even hits the pillow.

He thinks of Tina's smile as he dozes off into a dreamless sleep.

Newt wakes up the day of the game feeling surprisingly awake despite his late nights. His notebook, which has been left mostly untouched for the past two weeks, lay closed on his nightstand. He sighs and wanders up to the Great Hall for breakfast.

There's an empty spot next to Queenie and Newt sits down next to her.

"Finally decided to join us for breakfast, huh?" Queenie asks with a quirked brow.

Newt freezes, arm outstretched over the table. He purses his lips and quickly glances at her before looking down.

Queenie giggles, playfully shoving Newt in the shoulder. "I'm joking, Newt. I'm joking," she says. "I know you've been busy."

Newt's lips quirk into a smile as his body loses the tension it previously held. He gives her a slightly strained chuckle. If she notices she doesn't say anything about it, which Newt is thankful for.

Newt manages to eat a good amount of breakfast despite his nerves. It's really the game itself that he's all that nervous about, but rather the people that would be watching. He'd never liked having so many eyes on him, but his family had really wanted him to play Quidditch. It's not that he doesn't enjoy it though. He does, a little at least. It's the attention he got from being on the team that he doesn't like.

"You'll be fine, Newt," Queenie tells him. "Just pretend they're not there."

"Pretend who's not there?"

Newt jumps in his seat, startled. He'd not seen nor heard Tina coming.

Queenie smiles. "Newt is just nervous about the Quidditch game today," she explains.

"Ah." Tina nods.

She sits down next to them and starts talking with Queenie, occasionally asking Newt a question or two. It's nice, and Newt feels that he's not quite that nervous about the game anymore. For now at least.

They finish breakfast and start amble towards the Quidditch pitch. Leta joins them, chatting happily about how "Hufflepuff will win the cup this year" and how "they haven't won since Theseus graduated and had to leave the team" and everything in between.

"Good luck, Newt!" Queenie cheers, wrapping her arms around his neck. She has to stand on her toes, and even then he has to bend down so she can reach him. He almost loses his balance as she drags him down. "We're rooting for you!"

They wish him luck and head up to the stands to watch. He gets changed and gets ready for the match, heart hammering in his chest. Suddenly it's so much more important that he does well in the game.