I stood at the edge of the field, watching as Rose disappeared with Professor McGonagall.
The crowd was still buzzing with excitement after her breathtaking dive.
"That was brilliant, wasn't it?" Ron exclaimed beside me, his face flushed with excitement. "I mean—did you see how close that was? She could give professional Seekers a run for their money!"
"Yeah," I murmured, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
"She's definitely better than anyone on the Slytherin team," Dean added, grinning. "Bet they're already dreading the next match."
Seamus snorted. "And Malfoy's face? Priceless."
I glanced toward Draco, who stood near the edge of the field, fuming silently as Crabbe and Goyle hovered nearby. His jaw was clenched, his cheeks flushed red—not from exertion, but from sheer humiliation.
Serves him right.
"Oi, Carter," Blaise Zabini's smooth voice cut through the chatter. He approached with his usual calm, his dark eyes flickering with curiosity. "That was quite the show. Didn't expect Potter to have that kind of talent."
I arched an eyebrow. "Jealous, Zabini?"
Blaise gave a lazy shrug, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Just surprised. I figured Malfoy would make a scene… but I didn't think he'd get shown up so badly." His gaze shifted toward Draco. "He's not going to forget this anytime soon."
"Good," Ron muttered under his breath.
"Malfoy'll be sulking for weeks," Seamus added with a grin.
"Maybe we should get him a Remembrall to remind him not to challenge a Potter," Dean quipped, and the Gryffindors burst into laughter.
Blaise's lips twitched, but he hid his amusement well.
"Still," Blaise said quietly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me. "You didn't seem all that eager to jump in."
I kept my expression neutral.
"Maybe I just didn't feel like showing off," I said smoothly.
Blaise raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced but choosing not to press the matter.
"Right," he murmured before turning and strolling back toward the other Slytherins.
As Blaise walked away, I heard Pansy Parkinson's shrill voice echo across the field.
"Honestly, Draco," she sneered, her tone dripping with disdain, "how could you let her outfly you?"
I glanced back to see Draco's jaw tighten, his face darkening as Crabbe and Goyle shifted uncomfortably beside him.
"I wasn't even trying," Draco muttered through gritted teeth, but even he didn't sound convinced.
"Didn't look that way," Pansy said, her lips curling into a smirk. "Looked more like you were flailing about, hoping she'd fall off her broom."
Draco's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, and I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
"Shut it, Pansy," Draco snapped, his voice low and dangerous.
"Maybe if you spent less time bragging and more time practicing…" Pansy trailed off with a sickly-sweet smile.
"Let's get out of here," I muttered, nudging Ron. "Before Malfoy decides to hex someone."
Ron snorted. "Yeah, wouldn't want to give him another reason to cry."
By the time we made it back to the castle and settled in for lunch at the Great Hall, the buzz around Rose's performance had spread like wildfire.
The Gryffindor table was a hive of excitement.
"Oi, did you see that dive?" Dean was saying animatedly to Neville. "She was inches from the ground! I thought she was going to crash!"
"Even Wood couldn't pull off a dive like that," Seamus added, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I still can't believe it," Ron muttered, his mouth half-full of food. "She's brilliant on a broom."
I smiled quietly, feeling a warmth spread through me. Seeing Rose come into her own like this… it felt right. She'd always had the potential—it was just a matter of her believing in herself.
We had barely started eating when I spotted Rose entering the Great Hall, her expression a mix of excitement and nervousness.
"Rose!" Ron called, waving her over.
She hurried toward us, her cheeks slightly flushed as she slid into the seat beside me.
"Alright?" I asked softly, my eyes searching hers.
She bit her lip, her eyes practically glowing with excitement.
"McGonagall…" she began, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What did she say?" Hermione leaned in, her curiosity evident.
Rose glanced around, lowering her voice as if she was afraid someone else might overhear.
"She asked me…" Rose paused, taking a deep breath, "to try out for Seeker."
My heart skipped a beat.
"What?" I blinked, caught off guard. "Seeker?"
Rose nodded, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She said… after what happened out there… she thinks I might be a good fit for the team."
There was a beat of silence.
And then—
"NO WAY!" Ron nearly choked on his pumpkin juice.
"Seeker?!" Dean's eyes widened.
"You're joking!" Seamus gaped.
Rose shook her head, her smile growing. "I'm not."
"She wants you to try out?" Hermione's voice was filled with awe.
"Yeah," Rose murmured, her cheeks turning pink. "She said there's a spot open, and I… I think I might have a shot."
The Gryffindor table erupted with cheers and applause.
"Brilliant!" Ron shouted, thumping Rose on the back.
"Absolutely mental," Seamus grinned. "But brilliant!"
"Wait till Oliver hears," Fred's voice came from down the table, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Yeah," George added, leaning in with a mischievous grin. "He's going to lose his mind."
"Oi, Potter!" Lee Jordan called from a few seats away. "You might just save our season!"
Rose's face was now a bright shade of red, but the smile never left her face.
"Congrats, Rose," I murmured softly, my voice filled with pride.
Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, the noise around us faded.
"Thanks, Ethan," she whispered.
"Did McGonagall say when the tryouts are?" Hermione asked, her mind already calculating schedules.
"Tomorrow evening," Rose replied, her excitement bubbling again. "Oliver wants to see what I can do with a proper broom."
"Better get ready for endless drills," Ron muttered. "Wood's a nightmare when it comes to practice."
Rose laughed softly. "I'm ready."
Unfortunately, news spread fast.
As I glanced toward the Slytherin table, I noticed the mood there had shifted.
Draco Malfoy was poking at his food half-heartedly when I heard Lavender Brown's voice carry a little too loudly from down the table.
"Did you hear?" she said, her voice practically echoing across the hall. "McGonagall's letting Rose Potter try out for Seeker!"
Draco's fork clattered against his plate.
I smirked, watching as his jaw clenched tighter.
"Seeker?" Pansy's voice cut through the murmur at the Slytherin table, her eyes widening in surprise.
"The youngest in a century if she gets it," Parvati added, her tone filled with admiration.
Draco's face turned an alarming shade of red.
"Seeker," he muttered, his jaw so tight I was surprised his teeth didn't crack.
"Maybe it's not too late to ask your father to buy you a new broom," Pansy said sweetly, her smirk growing.
"Shut up, Pansy," Draco growled, his mood darkening by the second.
"Doesn't matter," I heard Blaise murmur, his gaze flicking toward our table. "If she tries out and gets the spot… she's on the team."
Draco's eyes narrowed, his grip on his fork tightening.
"Not for long," he hissed softly.
My brow furrowed as I watched him, a cold feeling settling in my stomach.
Draco wasn't just angry—he was plotting.
"Draco," Blaise murmured, his tone softer but filled with warning. "Don't do anything stupid."
"I'm not," Draco snapped, but the storm in his eyes told a different story.
The excitement from lunch was still fresh in everyone's minds, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was shifting.
The spotlight was on Rose now.
And Draco?
He wasn't going to take this humiliation lying down.
The pieces were moving.
And I knew…
The real game was only just beginning.
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