It was a big day. Sloan spent an hour or such in the lockers with that new kid, he was freaking out about the game, and well, since a few months it was her role to tell those freaked-out kids “pull yourself together!” But… uh she wasn’t that much of a great Captain and they stayed there, eating reese’s she brought from her grandma’s. It was super weird, the kid tried to speak but Sloan got up, suddenly “C’mon! Let’s go buddy we gonna slay!” His sweater was too large and… the name of the previous owner was still on it but, guess what? It was a symbol, it was Elise Dickney’s sweater. Her eyes stinged a little, her heart was taken by that unexpected warmth, the anxiety of the moment still taking Sloan’s chest between its nervous arms. And when she arrived on field, they were all following, all smiling cheerfully at the new boy in team - just like hufflepuffs would. - It made her feel a bit better, she was a shitty Captain. But she had great mates.

There she was. Astrod. Mispelling her name, again, she called her from afar, her eyes were glowing blue, just like the strokes covering her face. It was going to be an absolute mess, she didn’t know yet what was expecting her on that rainy day of October. How she would fall in love ( literally ) with Pimprenelle Astrid freaking Morgan.

The usual rush of adrenaline right before a match was slowly creeping into Astrid. After tightening her protections once more, it was time to go to the field. A few last words  before going.

« Don't forget, keep calm and focus. We've trained hard enough to win this. Let's not underestimate Ravenclaw's team though. They still are Holly's favourite, which means she trained them too. »

And well, two coachs Morgan promised to make an interesting match.

« Still with the current captain they have I'm sure they don't even have a strategy or anything. Remember out trainings and let's win this match. Everyone, good luck. »

And don't disappoint the house, she added in her head. One by one, they entered the field, and for now it seems that for once no potions nor weird things were happening right at the beginning. Each team members faced an opposite one, which made the both captains stare at each other. Astrid was loathed to face Sloan, from all her being, and it was something that didn't change for years. She was still looking at him as if she was going to kill her one way or another and with all the disdain she could feel.  This year she was going to crush her, and so bad she would regret accepting the role of captain.

The match began, points going back and forth, people got injured but the show must go on and so far nobody needed to go to the infirmary. That was until Astrid felt a sharp pain in her arm that made her drop the quaffle and bump against the bench and fall down on the ground. She could hear the gasps from the people, it had been a high fall, and she needed a moment to try and get up but ultimately her aunt went to check on her and decided she was too injured to keep going and that she'll be replaced.

It felt like everything was going down.

And it wasn’t any story. It was an unhappy story; but the point isn’t to spoil you so. They got on field, it was dull and cold, but she didn’t feel it somehow the excitement took over the rest which was a mix between nervousness, also the intuition that things would go wild up there. True. Sloan had something against rain, perhaps it reminded her too much of failures they had known as the blue giant team who no one could pass through, just like Gandalf you know? you shall not pass? Professor Morgan had that look on her face and she knew Sloan didn’t fit here, she couldn’t, she was stubborn and didn’t care enough about the rules. So yes, she was a nice girl, a nice beater, maybe? But as a captain? Anyways let’s not be desperate now. ( Later on you will have reasons to be lol. )

Mackenzie was a better head. Even Thomas was. Wait Sanae could have been too. Yes no doubt about it, really just give Sloan a bat and let her swing around on her broom she’ll be super satisfied and everyone will see the idiotic Holmes moving back and forth in the air, playing bowling with a bludger she would nickname each time! That kid had zero chill! C'mon!
Sloan was reckless, it didn’t matter how much Evelynn tried to fix up things, every action she engaged in was a total disaster.

How do you think the blonde haired girl ended up saying hi to the poor yellow guys in the public? They were trying to have a good time! Sloan was a girl whom would come up with a strategy for many things: get food from Garfield and Wesley, earn a better grade from her Potions Master, stay a few hours in the infirmary without anyone noticing! Wouldn’t be a problem. ( But if she only tried those options then she was an ass an nothing more. )

Nah her problem was she didn’t mind. She didn’t mind stakes, the effort all other kiddos would put into the game, Holmes was clueless everytime someone tried to speak up and make her understand she should rely on others in order to make it work. She said; It’s for Elise, that’s my duty, i’m not leaving the role to another. Pride of course. A promise to a friend, a memory she got attached to.

But it didn’t fix everything up, Holmes.

She came down because the fuss of the fall made every head turn to Astrid and it was a supposed to be break in the game you know since someone could have died? Holmes, however was the one coming up with the dumbest ideas, ( which is why no one liked her strategies lately ) she could have announced Ravenclaw withdrawal right away, as her numb feet touched the ground. But it wasn’t the worse idea. No. Instead she chose to quit the game. Yes. Quit it.

“HEY KIDDO. I know you don’t feel ready yet, but you gotta replace me. I cannot stay. Would you do that for me?” Oh sure buddy go and show them your shaking legs as you ride your broom petrified. SLOAN THIS IS SUCH A GREAT IDEA HE DIDN’T EVEN MEET A BLUDGER ONCE.

He nodded. Seriously that teamwork spirit was nonsense, but who would say no to Captain Holmes? I mean the Great Captain Holmes?
Who the fuck did she think she was exactly?
She didn’t think about the team.
She didn’t think about Mrs Morgan.
She didn’t think about supporters.
She didn’t think at all actually.
Astrid had every right to kill her.
Technichally.

Astrid didn't notice right away that Sloan was flying towards her, she was too caught up in a huge argument with her aunt, like they never had before, so loud she was almost sure people on the other side of the field could hear. Basically, Astrid wanted to keep playing with a quick healing spell but Holly was formal, she wouldn't.

Seeing Sloan go down next to her did nothing to lighten her mood. Even less when she heard the announcer said that Sloan quit the game to let a newbie take her place.

« WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE ?! DO YOU THINK I NEED TO HEAR YOU LAUGH AT ME ?! GET OUT, YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING MATCH, HOW DARE YOU COME DOWN NOW OF ALL TIME YOU SICK AIRHEAD DUMBER THAN A RETARDED TROLL ?! »

She was screaming so loud her throat was starting to hurt but it was infuriating to have Holmes being, what the hell was she even being ? STUPID ? Astrid didn't understand what was going on in her head, for giving up on the match while it was the freaking finale and it was troublesome enough to have one captain out, but two ?!

She couldn't think much more because a stretcher came for her and she was going to protest but Holly had enough of her shit and basically cast a spell to knock her out so she could stay still while being treated. She lost consciousness, seeing the world spin before everything became black.

Once she regain consciousness, it was almost dinner time, and she could tell because the sun was slowly going down though the windows. Her head hurt, her arm hurt, and she could barely move enough to sit up and try to recollect pieces of what happened. While she was holding her head with a hand, she finally noticed in the corner of her eyes someone was there. She immediately felt like screaming again but her head was hurting so much she barely groaned.

«Get the fuck out. I don't want to see you. »

At least that was clear, what was she even doing here, of all people ?!

“I DON’T FREAKING KNOW, MERLIN! I JUST GOT DOWN BECAUSE I TOSSED YOU LIKE A BOWLING BALL INTO THE WALL, WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?”

Oh she was good at imitating others, manipulation and comedy were her only talents after all? But Astrid voice power was out of a superheroes movie. Holmes had trouble breathing after such a pathetic demonstration. The supporters were actually focused on what was happening between the two, and luckily Mrs Morgan had Sloan leaving the field too so she would stop shouting at a half-dead girl you know? Holmes stared at the knocked-out Astrid which was pretty scary since she had never seen her so… well silent ahah.

Eventually, Thomas came to her and Sloan accepted to get back on her feet, because sometimes she could be clever you know. It happened. So they started counting from where they had stopped, and even thought she was very discreet, she managed not to make a complete fool out of herself.

I won’t tell you who won the game, it would be ruining all Astrid’s frustration. What I can say is that, at the end of the day everyone was really tired, and Sloan thanked the new boy in team for his patience, telling him ‘she would do her best to be at least a so-so Captain’, then well Professsor Morgan kinda was mad at her, not that she minded.

This whole planet could be pissed at her, she had this bad habit to just, accept it and be the girl people didn’t want to understand anymore; she was a mess and she was aware of it.

”Do you at least, wanna know if your aunt kicked my ass?”

She stared; but not long. It was always weird to come after a match, notice the all disaster. At Hogwarts was almost-death a collateral damage? Holmes shook her head a bit, and stayed there with a broken wrist ( since Aliénor knew how to shoot too right. ) The shitty ravenclaw actually like the area since it wasn’t snowing, contrary to Rowena’s awful tower, marrying cold everytime it was possible.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.”

She liked night at Hogwarts. Just not today.
“I kept playing. Well I tried. Hufflepuffs baked cookies if you are angry i. Hungry I mean. I can give you some ahah. They good.” Shithead.

Astrid snorted, not even looking at the girl. Her head hurt like hell and she didn't even have enough energy to yell at her again. What was she even doing here, of all people ? She noticed that not only her head hurt but her shoulder felt like it was agonizing on itself, and she had a splint on her right arm. She was left-handed, but it still sucked.

« I sure hope she did, if she didn't once I'll be fine enough to get out of here I'll do it myself, Holmes. »

She couldn't care less about her shitty excuse. Last she knew she dropped her team for whatever reason, maybe because she was just a freaking coward and jumped on the occasion, trying to pass for a hero. Oh look, the captain is out, then I'm out too because it's unfair ! Bullshit.

Oh well. Turns out she kept playing. She must have been knocked out before hearing about that.

« No thanks. Tell me who won. »

That was all that mattered. She swore to God, if her team lost she was going to kill Sloan.

She sighed. She could have played with suspense and shit but c'mon it was Astrid Morgan, who were you kidding, she could have bet that girl had at least ten weapons hidden somewhere, inside her dorms where no one could find it without getting killed in the process. But well, Sloan could be stupid, she was not suicidal. Not yet.

"After Aliénor broke my wrist, eventually, Slytherin won."

Ah, Sloan, such modesty, totally you. She stared oustide for a minute, actually the vision of an injured Astrid was a bit too much to bear and she became fragile through the years lol. Poor Holmes, weren't you some barbarian captain, in those old times we do not talk about anymore?

She doesn't really know why or how she ends up sitting next to the blonde-haired girl, but she is there, eyes wet, looking like a freaking idiot, brushing Astrid's clear strands behind her ear.

Oh great, great Sloan, what an amazing way to make sure you'd stay alive. Wait up. No she just imagined the 'hair playing-with part', she's on her bed but nothing more, she looks kinda out of it... somehow.

What is it, are you sad or.

"She did not go easy on me. I have to write a letter to Bumblebee... ahah. What should I say? I was worried about that other girl who won't stop hating me?

Astrid tried not to look arrogantely proud. Sloan almost destroyed Aliénor with all the bludgers Sloan sent her, she was glad the chaser could manage to avenge herself. How did she do that without a bat, she had no idea. Let's just say she was strong and badass, and not that the roleplayer kind of messed up — but it's okay, we forgive her because she's cute for letting Aliénor take her revenge.

More seriously, Astrid was kind of freaking out right now. Why. Is. She. Touching. MY FACE. She even looked like she was crying, Jesus -freaking- Christ, it's not like she was dying or anything !

For some reason, the Slytherin felt uneasy, so she just kind of pushed her wrist away and looked in the opposite direction. She felt irritated but she wouldn't tell at someone who was crying, even if that person was Holmes.  

« Right now that girl hating you is freaked out because of you attitude. You're acting like we're friends or something. »

Astrid sighed heavily, really, really disturbed by that reaction, what was wrong with Sloan, did the bludger touched her face too ? Did Bridgestone gave her a potion ? Something on her own wrist caught her attention. Right. That was also a good excuse to get rid of the Ravenclaw.

« Call Benedict for me please. Since he never comes to the matches I'm not even sure he knows I'm there. I need to ask him to take notes for me and all. »

Also, why didn't he even come on his own ? Why wasn't he coming to her matches ? He knew this was important to her, but no, of course he doesn't care. Mister Too-dark-for-you doesn't like the crowd.

They didn't know each other. I mean they had been in the same freaking Hogwarts for seven years and there was this train, taking them home every single year, and all they did was looking at one another from afar as if they were ghosts just crossing paths. Yes, it was frustrating of course when you were attracted like Sloan to an almost stranger. - she says the name of the only boy who ever managed being part of both of their lives, against her lips it's soothing, too quiet. -

When she adds the subject 'having a crush on Astrid' she also says, 'she is in love with someone else.' It's always been pretty natural, that distance between them but she still waited to see if something would happen? Holmes could see two very sour souls and she thought; well Benedict and Astrid kind of... heal when they are together.

"No. No i've never seen you as a friend."

Did you know she started seeing Astrid in the crowd, from one day to another, for no damn reason, tried to stop by in the hallway and shit; or maybe it was her little weakness, to care a bit too much. - Benedict just wasn't the same, he liked his loner state, he liked staying silent, somewhere in the background.

"Sure I'll do that."

Her nail polish was getting erased, as she nervously scratched it.
She MIPed Benedict, with that very cold tone of hers because they liked to play it cold, right, the Sloan/Benedict dynamism ahahhah. Whatever so she said he should come and see Astrid blahblah, which was pretty lame since she knew he was probably avoiding dinner at the time.

"So are you guys a thing now or?"

Astrid snorted again.

« I dare hope so, because you're nothing to me anymore. The little estime I could have from you vanished the moment you paused in the game because a player got hurt while you're the captain. Congratulations for ruining something again. »

She was being mean, venomous and cold, but she hated Holmes, she hated being hurt and she hated having missed more than half of the match because she got hurt. It was obvious she couldn't be nice at a time like this. What did Sloan expected from her ? To be so moved she would cry and beg for forgiveness in front of her ever lasting and infinite kindness ? Bullshit.

At least once Benedict will come — if he comes because Merlin knew what he was doing right now, Sloan will get the message and go away, unless she decided to act like a leech and refused to let go for whatever reason. Her question made her snap again. And she looked at her with cold eyes.

« What do you mean by a thing ? For your information, friendship between boys and girls exist. Nobody wants to have all the boys wrapped around her fingers like you do. »

The funny thing was, she had been so sure she dumped Noah for Jefferson, yet he ended up with another girl. How ironic, but it serves her right. She got her lover stolen by her best friend.

« Mind your own business Holmes. You got your Hufflepuff lover stolen from your best friend because you didn't have the guts to tell your feelings. That's pathetic. »

She shook her head. She didn't care if she was being mean, because she knew that the closest boy Sloan had around her now was Benedict and there was no way, no freaking way she'd let him fall for her. She got near her face, so close she couldn't do anything but take her seriously.

« And now we both know who's left. But I won't let that happen. You'll only drag him down. I don't care about what you share or why you're friends, leave Benedict alone. »

Her tone was threatening, cold, and she wouldn't accept anything else but submission.

Yeaaaah great technique Sloan: you've never been my friend and you will never be 'cause i'm like Hermes with you and if I had flying shoes that could allow me to reach Benedict faster you would be super happy and well, if i were lucky maybe you would kiss my cheek since I am an eternal five years old kid to you! ( But most people think that Sloan, so please don't be offended. ) She could totally hide that confusion smothering her when Astrid keeps talking even though it's absolutely killing the ravenclaw, anyways she doesn't. To be honest it's the first time she dares visiting someone injured by her on field so she is quiet as hell and she would like to stay quiet, because seriously she had never such a monologue-ish discussion; it's annihilating every inch of hope she still had to share a normal plot with that girl someday. Still Holmes remained a talkative lil shit.

It. Will. Never. Happen.
See those teeth of hers? They sharp as knife! Jesus if she could cut someone's throat with it she would, and Sloan starts thinking she shouldn't do that. She shouldn't wait for Benedict, since she's coming to an end, i mean her LIFE IS SLOWLY COMING TO AN END.

Oh Astrid's observation is purely wise. Yep. But it's another thing that suddenly hits Holmes, and she smirks, despite her strongest attempt not to.

"I'm aware thank you. Just so you know i never got Bene wrapped around my fingers. We shared books for a year or so and then, he left. We're not tight."

She remembers what Wesley used to say about that stupid game of hers in the howling hallway. She gets it now. Why they fought, why they don't talk anymore. Why he left, ecetera. She just wasn't ready for somebody else to spit his name in the middle of a sentence. No she wasn't.

"Am I Astrid? Am I the only one being pathetic there? C'mon tell me you don't like him, tell me you didn't wish Benedict would be there already, caring, sweet and kissable as fuck, tell me that!"

She was mean too.
When she got hurt, she was.

Since when leeches had the right to talk ? Holmes chose the wrong day to suddenly have guts and confront her, her of all people, recently hurt both physically and in her pride. Throwing herself out of the window would have been a more efficient and less painful way to end her life than confronting Astrid Morgan.

« You're becoming vulgar. But maybe that's finally your true face ? You always look clueless, always lost, while in fact you know what you're doing ? I just freaking told you I wanted him to be there and I'm still wondering why you are here, of all people. »

She wasn't supposed to revolt, she was supposed to go away like she always does. If she thought that only talking back to her would be enough to intimidate her, she still has a long way to go. That wasn't a Ravenclaw's job to talk back.

« Why are you like this right now and not before your dear Jefferson got stolen ? Everybody knows you just had to ask and he would have accepted without hesitating. Story of a Hufflepuff's life. As long as the other person is nice they say yes to everything. Funny it doesn't even look like they are dating. Isn't that frustrating ? Do you want to play that game with me ? Because you're fucking going to lose Sloan. You're not mean. Again, you're just pathetic. »

The Gryffindor girl and Jefferson were dating but it's true that it didn't seem like it change anything between them. In fact it was the exact opposite, the girl seemed almost ashamed to go out with the Hufflepuff and barely dared staying near him like she always did before.

Oh. No she was not good at talking, for that she should have been born with the capacity to think before doing so. But she didn't. And that's maybe what made a bad Sherlock out of her, since she was a pitiful liar and Sloan's only talents left were secrets. Tonight those big eyes of hers are set on Astrid and she basically know they're done, here, they're going to be strangers again, for sure.

It's no big deal right? Sloan was a ravenclaw, she was faceless, she loved the mystery she was and wouldn't change it for the world. Her fists are playing the silly ones, nails bitting skin, teeth hurting lips whatever you want. Peharps she is a masochist, after all, is she willing to hurt herself because of a bad quidditch match?

"I'm not playing with you. I don't want to."

It wasn't the match? Was it? Was he back in your head again sweetheart? Well that's the entire game isn't it.

"Give Kelsey and Wesley some time alright? They're dumb but they will be just fine."

You kidding me. Are they your precious little children or something? Disgusting. Yeah everyone liked the old Sloan better, the one standing for what she wanted since she would have it, everything. A place in the quidditch team, a smile from the most sick girl in your class, a whatever boyfriend. Sure it was easy to play the 'game' with fake friends. We can do that, all of us. Astrid just didn't get it.

"Not like I need him or anything."

Astrid reclined on the head of her bed. She didn't want to play, good for her, for once she made a smart move in her whole life. She didn't know if it was out of cowardice or because she knew she was going to lose but in any case, it would avoid Astrid to got even more angry than she already was, which only made her headache even more painful.

« You shouldn't even give them time or anything. You could probably make them broke up if you only tried. But of course you wouldn't. I'm seriously wondering if you're not masochistic or something, and you like swimming in your own patheticness because you like that. »

If she really loved him she should have kept him for herself and fight for him, not playing it like a tapestry on which he was stomping with his new girlfriend. But again, Sloan wasn't mean. A shame, really. But that only made the Slytherin even more pissed off.

« If you're finished, get out. I'm having a headache, I need to rest. Talking with you is tiring. »

She drank a glass of water that was on the nightstand to cool down a bit and proceeded to ignore the Ravenclaw.

Bad guys were Sloan's thing. She could tell you whatever you need to know about Palpatine or Dark Vador and write essays about it. Despite that she always had trouble, hurting people. Not accidentally, accidentally-speaking she was a pro at hurting people. It just wasn't her thing to ruin things up, to look at something going to ashes.

If she were more of a Hufflepuff, well she would have probably cried with that kid in the lockers, because he had that sad eyes and that strange mouth hesitating between a snort and a nervous laugh and... Well, what I'm really trying to say is that, she doesn't want to talk about Kelsey and Wesley ever again. She can't, she won't, she is immune now, she's okay.

They've been okay, both of them. He's freaking happy, she's freaking unhappy, end of the story. He was her bestfriend before being- well he wasn't her lover. Astrid used this word with such an ease it gave Sloan urticaria. He wasn't her lover. He was a dork and she never got what torn her so much about him. She didn't fall for idiots, it wasn't the usual Sloan, loving Wesley.

"You know. I don't think he'll come. I don't think, he's in love. I don't think he wants to either. But, you're not me right? You can go and, wrap your fingers around him."

Maybe... maybe it was the real Sloan.
She comes back to Astrid, standing-up, staring at the window-frame, eyes drifting, til' she couldn't see the slytherin girl anymore.