Chapter 106: 106: An Invitation from Autumn

In early February, Slytherin played their second Quidditch match of the season, facing off against Hufflepuff. This time, Eve Stock would debut her new broomstick, the Silver Arrow. With their Chaser sporting upgraded equipment, the Slytherins were brimming with confidence, buzzing with discussions about just how many points their team would score in the match. In stark contrast, the atmosphere in the Hufflepuff camp was gloomy. Their players looked dejected, their expressions so morose that one might think Professor Flitwick had encountered some terrible misfortune. "I bet Eve could score three hundred points all on her own!" Miles exclaimed excitedly on the way to the pitch. "Three hundred and fifty!" Alicia countered, equally fired up. "Four hundred!" Miles shot back, determined to outdo her. "Don't be like that, you two," Laura Cook interjected, attempting to mediate. "Hufflepuff's team is quite strong, you know. They've even got a new Seeker this year—the handsome upperclassman Cedric Diggory." "Oh!" Miles scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You mean that pretty boy? Yeah, I know him!" Camille shot him a disapproving glare. "We all know him! And Cedric is not just a pretty boy. He's far more useful than you, Miles!" "Here we go again!" Miles huffed indignantly. "Back when Nolan wasn't dating Eve, you all worshipped Nolan. Now that Eve's stolen him away, you've moved on to Diggory, haven't you? When are we ever going to acknowledge that Slytherin has more than one eligible guy besides Nolan?" "You're right about that," Camille said thoughtfully. "We all think Montague is quite decent." "Indeed, Montague's got that rugged masculinity about him," Laura added with a mischievous grin. Meanwhile, Nolan trailed behind them, looking dazed. Since the match was scheduled for the morning, his usual sluggishness was even more pronounced. It took him a while to register their chatter before he finally spoke up. "Who said I'm dating Eve?" "You mean you're not?" Miles gave him a skeptical look, the kind one might reserve for Snape's notoriously greasy hair. "If you've forgotten, allow me to remind you. This entire week, Eve's been attending Quidditch practice, and you—Mr. Nolan Von Draugr, who never eats meals on time—have been showing up early at the Great Hall to scoop out her favorite milk pudding. Do you know what that means? I haven't had milk pudding for three days!" "I'll have you know," Malcolm protested from the corner of their group, "this morning I woke up to find that Muggle girl in my dormitory! Why is it okay for girls to waltz into the boys' rooms? It's unfair! She scared me half to death!" "Relax, Malcolm," Laura said, patting him on the shoulder. "Everyone knows Nolan isn't easy to wake up in the mornings. Eve probably wanted to make sure he didn't miss the match. Isn't that sweet of her? A considerate girlfriend—how heartwarming!" "So, you've all given up on Nolan now?" Miles asked, glaring at Camille and Laura with mock disdain. "Just because our Slytherin prince has a girlfriend, you've gone running to that pretty boy Diggory?" "Oh, stop calling him a pretty boy, Miles. It only makes you sound ignorant and petty!" Camille retorted heatedly. Laura, however, was far more composed. "There are only so many handsome wizards at Hogwarts, Miles. If we can't have Nolan, our next best option is Cedric Diggory, isn't it?" "He's nothing compared to Nolan! That Diggory guy—no matter how many times I say it—is just a pretty face!" Miles declared loudly, drawing the attention of several Hufflepuff students nearby, who sent him disdainful glares. Camille, enraged, lunged for Miles's hair, while Laura quipped with a sly smile, "Neither Nolan nor Cedric are in your league, Miles. I think you should consider Millicent Bulstrode. She's a fine Slytherin girl." "But she's practically the ugliest girl in the entire school! Everyone thinks she's destined to replace the Fat Lady as the next portrait guardian!" Miles yelled, his face red with embarrassment. "Oh, really?" Alicia tilted her head with a vacant expression. "Funny. I always thought you and Millicent looked quite alike." Miles Bletchley was utterly defeated. "That was brutal," Malcolm remarked with a smirk, clearly enjoying the drama. Even Nolan nodded in agreement. It was common knowledge among their group that Miles harbored a crush on Alicia, though she seemed completely oblivious to his feelings. The Slytherin students continued their lively bickering as they climbed up to the stands, ready to cheer for their team. Nolan still remembered how, during the first Quidditch match, the only person willing to wave a flag for Eve was Alicia—perhaps with the forcibly dragged-along Miles. But this time, most of the Slytherins carried silver and green banners emblazoned with the name "EVE." Even Camille, who had once clashed fiercely with Eve during their first year, was now waving her flag, screaming at the top of her lungs in support of this girl who seemed so out of place among the Slytherins. "I didn't expect this," came a sudden voice beside Nolan. He turned to see black hair swaying in the wind. Amidst the sea of green, her blue robes stood out starkly. Everyone noticed her presence, and upon recognizing the girl's face, they exchanged knowing looks. Camille, ever the gossip, whispered to her friends nearby, "Look, Ravenclaw's darling couldn't sit still. But I'll bet she doesn't stand a chance—Nolan's completely hooked by Eve now." She straightened her shoulders proudly. "It was my idea to help Eve out, after all!" Hearing the whispers and giggles around her, Cho laughed awkwardly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "The Slytherin crowd isn't so different from Ravenclaw's, is it?" "Is that so?" Nolan replied. "Isn't it?" Cho countered. "We're all just kids, really. What interests us isn't that different." She paused briefly, then shook her head. "But let's not talk about that—let's focus on the game. They're about to take off." "You're watching from here?" Nolan asked, gesturing to the blue sea of Ravenclaw supporters not far away. "I think Ravenclaw is over there." Cho glared at him, clearly annoyed. "I'm watching from here! I'm gathering intelligence because the final match will be Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. I need to figure out what the Silver Lightning's weaknesses are. Oh... Merlin's beard, Eve's speed has increased again." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Don't tell me you've modified her broom again?" "The Silver Arrow is naturally fast. I only made a few adjustments," Nolan replied softly, shaking his head slightly. "But Eve's pacing is too aggressive. It's not just Hufflepuff struggling to keep up—her own teammates are falling behind." Cho nudged him playfully with her elbow. "I thought you didn't like Quidditch." "I don't," Nolan said plainly. "But you're watching very closely," Cho said quietly. "Because you take Eve very seriously, don't you?" Nolan raised an eyebrow at her. "And," Cho added in a lower voice, "you still owe me a date. A midnight one." "You're serious?" "I'm willing to break school rules," Cho replied, her expression earnest. "After lights out tonight, you set the time. I have to see for myself what Eve means by you being 'different from everyone else.'" Nolan gave her a meaningful look. "I hope you won't regret it."