Chapter three
Quidditch and Halloween
Delaney's POV:
My first year of Hogwarts was going great. I was enjoying it so much. I had grown rather close to Ron and Hazel. Hazel was my best friend but I'd consider Ron to be my best friend as well. Harry was also pretty nice to me. Hermione was a bit uptight but was still nice. The seasons were changing and it was starting to get cooler. I pulled my sweater closer to my body. Ron had invited Hazel and I to sit with him at the Gryffindor table at lunch. As we sat down, some of the other kids' eyes were on us. "Who're your friends, Ron?" An older boy with red hair said. "This is Delaney and Hazel. They're in Hufflepuff. This is my older brother Percy." I had seen Percy in the halls before. He was a prefect. I just didn't know his name. I nodded at him and said "hi." "Hello." Hazel sat down next to me and greeted him. I put some food on my plate and felt a piece of paper hit me in the face. I looked around the room to see nobody looking at me. I didn't bother to open up the piece of paper as I poured myself some pumpkin juice. Another piece of paper hit me in the face. I looked up to see Fred laughing at me. George nudged him and said something in his ear. "Just a joke." Fred said. I nodded and looked down at my plate, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Leave her alone, Fred." Ron said to his older brother. Fred rolled his eyes and said "it's a joke, mate." I noticed George whisper something in his ear again. "Leave her alone." Percy said. "M'not doing anything. I was only joking with her." Fred replied. "Ignore him. Him and George are pranksters. You'll most likely be victim to their pranks. I know I have." Ron said as he bit into a roll. Hermione pushed her hair out of her face and huffed. "Why've you got so many books?" Harry asked. "I have to study. I actually want to learn spells." Hermione stated as she set a stack of books on the table next to her. Another piece of paper hit me in the face. I jumped and looked up at Fred who mouthed "open it." I picked up the crumbled piece of paper and opened it.

I'm not making fun of you, I promise. It's just a joke. I throw paper at everyone.

I smiled at the paper and smiled at him. Fred winked at me and went back to talking to George and another boy who I learned was named Lee. I looked up at the pumpkins floating around the Great Hall. I giggled at them and Ron said "do you like Halloween?" "It's one of my favorite holidays. Besides Christmas." I said. "Oh, I love Christmas! Even though we don't get much at Christmas, it's still so much fun. Mum makes hot cocoa and it snows. And I get to spend time with my brothers and sister." "That must be fun. To have a big family to spend Christmas with." Ron nodded and said "yep, I really do enjoy it. Most people don't like our family but it is what it is. I'm proud to be a Weasley." I smiled and said "well, you should be. It's nice to have a big family. And who cares if people like you or not. I like you. You're my friend. And your siblings that I've met, are nice too." Ron smiled at me and said "thanks, Laney." "Laney?" I questioned. "I heard Aiden calling you that. Is it ok if I do the same?" I nodded and Ron smiled really big. "Can I call you Ronnie?" My voice was soft. Ron looked down while smiling, his cheeks turning pink. "No one's ever called me Ronnie before." "If it's too weird, I don't have to." "No, I like it. It's cool." I nodded and the two of us couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces.

-

"Today is Gryffindor against Slytherin! Looks like a good day for a game, folks!" Lee announced. Today would be Harry's first game. I'm sure he was scared. I definitely would be. I noticed Fred and George in their quidditch sweaters and robes. Ron wished luck to Harry who nodded and looked to the captain of the quidditch team, Oliver Wood. "Good luck." I said to Fred and George. Fred looked at me and winked. George patted my shoulder and said "better go grab yourself a seat. You'll wanna see this." Ron and I went up to the stands. Hazel looked out amongst the quidditch pitch, her eyes widening in awe. "And they're off!" Lee said as everyone flew out on their brooms. I gasped softly as they whizzed about and the game started. I watched Fred hit the quaffle really hard and Harry just sat on his broom, awaiting the snitch. Slytherin was currently winning at the moment. I kind of wanted Gryffindor to win since I knew people who were on the team. But, I wanted Slytherin to do good as well. "Come on!" Ron said as Slytherin scored again. Hermione rolled her eyes and Hazel exclaimed as the quaffle came towards us. George quickly hit it away and went over to where Fred was. "That was amazing." Hazel said. Valerian scoffed at her comment. "Anyone can do that, you know." Hazel looked at him and said "it's my first time ever seeing a quidditch game." "Ugh, this is like my hundredth. My parents practically drag me to so many events." "Would you ever play quidditch?" Hazel asked Valerian. She started a conversation with the Slytherin boy that was feared amongst the majority of the first years. Ron looked at Hazel in shock, not being able to believe that Hazel was talking to him. "Possibly. I honestly think it'd be something my parents would despise. They don't believe it's a career. They believe it's just a sport that you play at school. It's not something you should make a career out of." Hazel shrugged and said "people do. There's living proof of it." "Yes, there are. I guess I shouldn't blame you for being fascinated. It's your first quidditch game, after all." "You talk very sophisticated." Hazel said while giggling. Valerian's lip curled up into a smirk and he didn't say anything else. My attention went back to the quidditch game. Harry was chasing the snitch. Ron's mouth dropped as Harry went crashing down onto the sand below. "Harry Potter has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Lee yelled. The Gryffindor's cheered and I saw the disappointment on Draco Malfoy's face. Valerian rolled his eyes slightly and walked off. Ron clapped for Harry as did I. My first quidditch game was quite an adventure.

-

"Boo!" Fred and George yelled as Hazel and I walked down the hall. I jumped and dropped my books. Hazel glared at them and said "you're not funny." Fred laughed and George picked up my books for me. "Here you go." He said. I half smiled and said "thank you." "Happy Halloween." The twins said in unison. Hazel shook her head and I watched the two of them wander off to scare someone else. They ended up getting Ron. "Bloody hell!" Their rambunctious laughter made kids look over at them. "You guys are gits." "At least we're not prats." They replied in unison. Harry chuckled at them and Ron rolled his eyes. "Whatever." I watched the twins disappear down the hall and the fall air felt amazing as Hazel and I walked into the courtyard. Ron and Harry followed us, along with Hermione. "I hope they'll have tons of candy in the great hall. Or pumpkin pie." Hanging out with Ron for the last couple of months, I quickly learned that food matters to him more than school sometimes. "I'm sure they will, Ronald." Hermione said as she pushed her hair out of her face. Harry adjusted the glasses on his face and I said "this'll be my first Halloween away from my parents." "Me too." Ron said. Hazel nodded in agreement and said "I've always spent the night trick or treating or watching spooky movies with my parents." Hermione nodded and said "me too." Harry didn't answer on the subject as he was happy to be spending Halloween at Hogwarts. He had said how awful his aunt and uncle were before. I'd rather be at school too. I had never spent Halloween with my friends before. So I was very excited for that experience. We went to the great hall for dinner. It was covered in Halloween decorations. And Hermione was right, there was tons of candy and pumpkin pie. The floating pumpkins still sat above us. I looked over at Fred and George who were carving pumpkins chaotically. Ron shook his head at them and said "they're mental." Harry chuckled and Percy yelled at the two of them. "Shove off, Percy." Fred said. That caused Lee to laugh and their elder brother started to reprimand them as pumpkin guts were covering the table in front of them. George pulled a piece off the table and waited for Percy to sit down. George then dropped the slimy stringy insides of the pumpkin into Percy's lap. Percy groaned in disgust and the twins laughed, Fred holding his stomach. George smiled really big as he laughed. "The both of you are so stupid!" Percy said as he stood up. "Lighten up, Perce. It's only a joke!" Fred said. Percy stormed off and Ron said "I'm glad it was him and not me." I nudged him playfully and Hazel said "if they'd done that to me, I'd be pissed." Hermione nodded in agreement and said "exactly. It's not very funny." "Oh, come on, Mione. It could be." Harry said with a smile. "Not to me." "Happy Halloween, Lainey." My older sister Harmony said as she kissed my cheek. I smiled up at her and gave her a hug. I hadn't seen her much lately since we started school and she's in another house. "Are these your friends?" She asked. I nodded and began to introduce her. Harmony smiled at Hazel and ruffled Ron's hair. Ron's cheeks were red and Harmony acted Harry wasn't even famous. She greeted him like she would anyone else. Percy walked over and sat down, huffing at his two younger brothers. "Hiya, Harmony." The twins said in unison. Harmony turned around to look at them. "Hello, Fred. Hello, George." Fred told her a joke which caused her to giggle. George smiled up at her and Percy looked at Harmony, greeting her. "Hi, Percy. How are your prefect duties going?" "A lot better this year. But it's still too early to say that." George gave Harmony his pumpkin that he had carved. She smiled really big and hugged him. Ron was too busy eating to care about the interaction between his brother and my sister. Harmony gave me some candy before going back to the Ravenclaw table, the pumpkin George gave her in her hands. After spending my first Halloween at Hogwarts, I was looking forward to the other years to come.

The end is wack I know! I've been meaning to update this book more and more but I've just been busy in general. I apologize for that and hope you're all still here!!
~Skylar✨✨✨✨