McKenna James // Gryffindor// 7th Year Animagus // Location: Great Hall
Mac hated Christmas. Not a popular opinion to have among her peers, but it was true. It had nothing to do with the weather, or decorations, or an abundance of grinchy tendencies, just that the holiday season hadnât held a lot of cheer for her since Mac was ten. Christmas meant either empty halls in a too quiet castle, or awkward stilted silence with her mother in her boyfriendâs new townhouse. Living in the muggle world was like trying to fit herself into a skin that was too small, too itchy to keep on for long. It was claustrophobic, not to mention exhausting trying to play act at being something she wasnât. It was a farce sheâd never been able to keep up for long, and there lay the problem. Her mother never said it aloud, but Mac knew magic made her uncomfortable. Andy, Macâs step father to be if she was reading the signs right, was a nice man, as average and muggle as they came. He had no clue what Mac was, nor had they ever really made it past the stilted pleasantries of near strangers enough for her to believe that was ever going to be a wise thing to change. Magic had ruined one chance at love and happiness for her mother, the least Mac could do was not sabotage her second. So mostly Mac just stayed at Hogwarts for the holiday, and no one ever protested too loudly, if at all. It was just easier for everyone that way.
Mac wasnât alone at Hogwarts exactly, there were others even in her own house, like Coal and Shane, who usually stayed as well. But Shane was wellâŠShane, no amount of holiday misery bonding was really going to change that, and even Coal tended to be unusually...quiet. It was the only time of year Hogwarts felt cold to her, though Mac infinitely preferred staying in the only place that had felt like home to her in a very long time. Still, it left her antsy, anxious for a return to the usual noise and bustle of students in the castle. Excitement pent up during the weeks of their absence. So if Mac went a little overboard once everyone returned well...who could blame her really? Harvey apparently, as he gave her an impression of his best âdisapproving prefectâ stink eye as he blandly ate his oatmeal. They both knew who was behind the army of purple origami otters currently running amok across the Hufflepuff table, and her smug glance as she watched a few of her brave little minions nestling up into the dark curls of Roanâs hair did nothing to dissuade her friend's suspicions. Mac had been on something of a tear lately, not unusual for the first couple weeks back, but considering they had a game today, her focus was usually more single minded toward quidditch.
âFor the love of Merlin, please tell me thatâs all you did.â Harvey groused with a sour look, watching as some of the otters started swimming figure eights in some of the goblets of unsuspecting Hufflepuffs, including their Care of Magical Creatures Professor, who had picked up a few to take with him to the staff table so he could examine them more closely. The far more amiable of the Leahy Professors seems to have befriended her little creatures, which...wasnât really surprising given what she knew of the man. âNow?! Really?! We have a game today Mac, I think Professor Leahy might actually murder me if we lose.â Harvey hissed, appearing genuinely nauseous at the thought of reporting into their head of house should they not perform at their absolute highest caliber today. A quick glance at their DADA professor and her sharp green eyes burning a hole in Macâs back was all it took to know that the head of Gryffindor had also pinpointed very quickly who was behind the lavender otter hoard menacing the Great Hall, though so far sheâs made no move to stop it. Mac shot her a cheeky grin, which earned a golden brow raised in return. âGibs, I am shocked and offended by those hurtful accusations. How could you ever think me capable of such a thing?â Mac shot back a transparent denial. Coalâs snort was immediate, but he didnât comment further.
âI would never-â Macâs defense was suddenly cut off by a loud series of popping noises emanating from farther down the Gryffindor table, pink glittery foam bubbling forth from Orionâs bag, sticky and clinging stubbornly to anything it touched, namely the boy in question as it grew larger and began spreading out and up. âDo any such thing to someone we're playing against todayâŠâ Mac finished with a sour look of her own. She was going to have to tinker with the formula there a bit. That little present wasnât supposed to go off until potions class.
âThe sparkles were a nice touch.â Coal added mildly. âMaybe a pinch of itching powder next time though to really give it some flare..â Macâs eyes lit up at the suggestion. Now that was some helpful feedback, so not a total loss it seemed.
---
Harvey Gibson // Gryffindor// 7th Year // Location: Great Hall
Harveyâs eye honest to god twitched. This was it, today was the day they drove him over the edge. There was a nice padded room waiting for him in St. Mungoâs, because reining in this bunch was driving him insane! Between Macâs antics, Coal cheering her on, and now Shane actively antagonizing the Slytherin quidditch team, there was never a momentâs peace. Cassie retorting back at the Slytherin teamâs heckling was fair enough, but that was all it took for Cal to jump up in his seat no doubt prepared to start spouting a litany of taunts all his own, and Harvey had to physically yank him down by the shirt tail. âSit down and eat your breakfast. Protein go!â Harvey barked, and the younger Gryffindor chaser grudgingly complied, shoveling a whole slice of bacon in his mouth as he chewed with a pointedly grumpy look at the Slytherin table. Cal was a good kid, but a little excitable sometimes. Harvey didnât need him doing something stupid to get tossed out of the game before it had even started.
As Cassie turned the subject to the tournament, Harveyâs demeanor became a bit more uncomfortable. Of course heâd signed up, how could he not? It was a proving ground only a handful of witches and wizards each generation were chosen worthy to even compete in. And there was the problem. Signing up wasnât the same thing as being chosen. There was a part of him dreading the upcoming ceremony, that knew what the gobletâs decision was going to be. Harvey had never exactly measured up to the Gibson name, his famous siblings each shining stars in their respective fields. How was he ever going to look any of them in the face again after so public an admission of his inadequacies? Part of him didnât even want to admit having signed up, plausible deniability and all that, but Cassie had asked, and he wasnât going to lie about it either, so instead he just nodded, pensively taking another bite of his oatmeal.
âYeah, did you?â Mac replied to Cassieâs question cheerfully, and Harvey was glad to let her take over the conversation from there.