Cursed: The New Order of Merlin Book 2

14. Dragons on my mind

The Goblin Rebellion of 1612 was caused by the Goblin population's outrage at lack of representation in Wizard High Court, Wizengamot.

That wasn't true. It started from one drunk wizard that had mistaken a Goblin for a House-Elf and called him all sorts of vulgar slurs, thinking that an Elf wouldn't mind. The Goblin did not find the wizard's ignorance to be an acceptable excuse for the insult. He called on his friends, and they engaged in a bloody battle. They came up with the "lack of representation" excuse after the fact, not wanting to admit that the whole massacre started from a hurt ego and bad temper. But Merlin couldn't put the real story into his History of Magic essay because it wasn't what the textbooks recorded.

The distracting sound of a tapping foot was not making his headache any better. The foot belonged to Colin who sat across from him in a study area of the common room and kept glancing over at the portrait hole. Most of the students were growing restless indoors. Even if the weather was better, they weren't allowed to leave, which applied to Merlin too as he'd learned when he tried to follow Harry to the Quidditch pitch. Dumbledore should've told McGonagall to make an exception for Merlin. He should've told her everything.

But Merlin wasn't crying about it. Getting soaked in frigid weather wasn't on his priority list right now.

The Gryffindor team burst through the portrait hole, and Colin jumped up to greet them. Everyone was soaked through and hurried up to their dorms or to warm at the fireplace. Jack arrived a few minutes later, grinning, his white hair was in wet disarray. Colin attacked him in his usual long-winded fashion.

"So, what's the verdict? Will you get to play? I'm sorry I didn't come to watch the practice. I tried. I really did, but the wind was so strong, I could barely walk and I was only halfway there and already freezing. I don't know how you manage to fly in this but I really want to know. Will you play against Slytherin tomorrow? I really want to see you play. I think you would be brilliant. I've never seen anyone do aerobics in the air the way you do. You're fast like Flash and sneaky like Batman. Remember the comics I sent you over the summer? Did you like them? I grew up reading that stuff and always wanted to be a superhero. I turned out to be a wizard, which is just as cool, but you're like a real superhero."

Jack made a ridiculous superhero pose—in a fluid motion, he put both hands straight out and then crossed on his chest like a sleeping bat. "I'm Huggerman."

Merlin couldn't help but smile. This fun-loving Jack was definitely an improvement over the moody, withdrawn Jack. And at least, it got Colin to stop his foot-tapping.

Jack put a hand on Colin's shoulder. "We're playing Hufflepuff. Can you imagine—Slytherins rescheduled at the last moment. Oliver said that he's going to discuss the lineup with the team, so, there's a chance that I'll play."

"Oliver can't be serious," Ron said to Harry, who was warming up by the fireplace. "This kid just started training, and he thinks he can take one of the seasoned players' place?"

Jack smirked wickedly. "Be glad I'm not training to be a Seeker."

Harry turned around, arms crossed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's the most boring role on the team, so you're safe."

"You don't even know the rules of the game."

"I know the rules."

"Then why'd you keep catching the Snitch? That's a foul!"

"I was only pointing out how blind you are."

Harry grit his teeth. "It's hailing out there! I couldn't see."

"And yet I caught the Snitch three times."