𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter twenty-nine; Inter-House Quidditch Cup
" Because you might be a Ravenclaw but you're thick! "

  JUNE CAME QUICKER than any other month in the year of 1977. It was there long before Madeline wanted it to be. 

  The couple weeks leading up to her final month in the sixth year of her schooling were painful, to say the least. Sirius Black had wormed his way back into Madeline's heart (though, she doubted he ever really left) and had been trying to fully worm his way back into her life.

  Constant reminders that Madeline was only not with Sirius because she worked so hard to stay detached didn't help her mental state. She knew it was smarter, stay clear and get through Hogwarts then leave, move far away and find a new life.

  That didn't make it easy.

  The only distraction she was graced with was the awarding of the Quidditch Cup. 

  Being captain made this especially important, and Madeline was on her toes. Nails bitten down to a disastrous state, her anxiety swelled to fit the expanse of the Great Hall. Dumbledore's speech seemed to fade in and out of her ears, all she wanted to know was if she won.

  Was she good enough to win?

  "Maddie, it's alright," Kai said quietly, knocking Madeline out of the storm of anxiety, "Look, we did good this year."

  "'Good's' not good enough," Madeline mumbled, "If we don't win the cup, again, how am I any better than Keeler?"

  "You can't base your abilities off of this," Bluebelle joined the conversation, "You're a great captain, Maddie."

  "Yeah, but so are Hufflepuff and Slytherin's," Madeline sighed, "And so is James."

  The girl turned her attention back to the headmaster, missing a look Bluebelle and Kai shared. It had been a trend in recent days, Madeline missing any and everything to do with the two so-called best friends sitting to her left. 

  "Now, for what you've all been waiting for," Dumbledore cleared his throat, "The Inter-House Quidditch Cup of 1996 through 1997 goes to. . ."

  Madeline held her breath. She shouldn't get her hopes up. No one in their first year of being captain won the cup, it was a stretch. Madeline may have been adequate at the sport, but she wasn't brilliant— no future quidditch star in the making.

  She wouldn't win the house cup.

  "Ravenclaw!"

  Or, she would.

  "You did it Maddie!" Kai cheered, though his voice blended in with that of the entire blue and bronze house. It had been years since the Eagles had won, and to say the celebration was extravagant was an understatement.

  Little to no regard for professors or other, disappointed houses, the students cheered and jumped like they were at a quidditch game. In the middle of all the chaos, Madeline had gotten swept up into the circle that was the team.

  A bright grin graced her features for the first time in what felt like years, accepting the congratulatory pats and shoves from her classmates, no words for the praise she was receiving. 

  But Madeline soon realized Kai was missing from the team, and her unfortunate timing led her to find the boy, eyebrows raised to his forehead as Bluebelle Walters tightly held onto the collar of his shirt, pressing a fierce kiss to his lips.

  Had Madeline been so blind as to miss Bluebelle's reciprocation of the feelings Kai harbored? What sort of friend had she been?

ϟ

  "Maddie—"

  "Are— are you two dating?" Madeline questioned, her face crinkled in confusion as Bluebelle and Kai chased her from the Great Hall. The moment the ceremony was over, the brunette had split, leaving no room for her brother (or any other Gryffindors) to say their pieces. 

  "What? No," Kai answered quickly.

  "We won, it was a— it was a spur of the moment kiss," Bluebelle waved her hands to explain, "Look, don't be mad."

  "I'm not mad, I just feel like a shite friend," Madeline laughed sadly, "I've been so worried about my brother and. . . Sirius that I've abandoned you two!"

  "You didn't abandon us," Kai sighed quietly, "Mads, it's okay to be a little selfish every now and then."

  "I've ditched you two for two years and no one's mad at me?"

  "We're angry, we need attention," Bluebelle corrected, her face falling into a careful smile. "But, I guess, what we're trying to say is. . . We're all a bunch of messes. I kissed our best friend, you have more boy problems than any girl has ever had in the history of Hogwarts, and Kai won't admit he doesn't understand Arithmancy."

  "Does anyone?" Madeline asked seriously, making the blonde chuckle. "Thanks for not hating me."

  "Friendship standards are pretty low, Maddie," Kai clicked his tongue.

  "Good, or else you two might not meet them."

  "And to think. . . I was going to sneak you a cupcake."

  "I can get my own."

  "Wins a house cup and now she thinks she doesn't need us."

ϟ

  Sirius Black had been frantically searching for what felt like days. But after an hour and a half, the boy managed to catch Madeline in an otherwise empty corridor.

  "Mads!"

  The brunette closed her eyes tightly as if willing the situation not to be real, opening them to find it was reality. Sirius was right before her with a bright grin.

  "I knew you'd win it."

  "Thanks, Sirius," Madeline breathed out, "Look, I have to go—"

  "Come on, we should celebrate," Sirius smiled, grabbing Madeline's hand, "I have some butterbeer that would go great with—"

  "I'm sorry, Sirius," Madeline said quietly, pulling her hand from his, "But this has to stop, and I mean. . . totally. No holding hands, or talking, we just have to go back to being how we were. Not friends, just. . . I'm your best friend's sister."

  "I can't do that, Mads," He said fiercely after recovering from a moment of shock, "I care about you. . . I can't. . . I might. . ." Sirius' struggle was obvious, he sighed to himself, "I just can't lose you, Maddie."

  The girl looked at her shoes, a million thoughts running through her head and the scent of Sirius' cologne mixing with cigarettes invading her senses did not help. With a final sigh, Madeline tucked her hair behind her ear and spoke.

  "Please, stop trying, Sirius."

  Madeline attempted to walk away, but Sirius moved before she could. She gritted her teeth, being right up against Sirius Black's chest did not help the action of walking away.

  "Look me in the eye," Sirius spoke quietly, "And tell me you don't feel anything for me."

  Madeline refused to look up.

  "Do it!"

  The girl looked up, Sirius' anger fizzled short when he saw the tears in her eyes. He weaved his hands into her hair, searching her eyes almost desperately.

  "Maddie," He pleaded, "Please."

  It was almost as if Sirius Black needed Madeline Potter to break his heart. How everyone in his life, aside from his brothers, had. Torn into him until hitting the core of his being, ripped his heart apart without remorse, left harsh words in his tanned skin alongside the scars, just so he could walk away.

  So she could just be another tally in the army of people who'd hurt him.

  "I can't," Madeline's voice cracked, "I can't because what I feel for you is. . . it's something I don't even fully understand. All I know is that you are the most important thing, and I need you to just. . . be happy. Above everything else."

  "So don't do this," Sirius whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

  "It would ruin your and James' friendship," Madeline whispered, "I can't do that to you. . . I can't do that to him."

  "James will understand eventually. . ."

  "We both know that's not true," Madeline spoke softly, "He's never liked the idea of me with anyone and. . ."

  "I don't have the best reputation with girls."

  "I'm sorry," Madeline placed her hands over his, gently removing them from her hair, "I just. . . I can't hurt you."

  "You already are."

  James had never been more confused in his entire life. He'd invited a plethora of friends to the kitchens to celebrate his little sister's victory, and like they'd conspired against the couple, only Sirius and Madeline showed up.

  And the second they realized it would just be the trio, both Madeline and Sirius were put into gloomy moods that didn't go well with the sprinkled cake James had requested be made.

  "Alright," Sirius looked up as James stood from the long table abruptly, "What's wrong with you and Maddie?"

  "Nothing."

  "You're lying."

  Sirius stayed silent, so James groaned, turning to Madeline

  "Maddie?" James asked irritably, before sighing and taking a more cautious route, "Mads?"

  "What," Madeline groaned, lifting her head from the cool wood.

  "What's wrong?" He asked with a frown, sitting beside her.

  The girl's eyes flitted to Sirius, a wave of emotion hitting her harshly at the expression on his face.

  "I don't wanna talk about it."

  James saw red when Madeline's voice cracked, "Who is it?"

  "What?" The girl laughed humorlessly, switching her gaze to her now fuming brother.

  "The boy, that hurt you, who is it?" James began pacing, "I swear I'll—"

  "No one hurt me, James."

  "But you're—"

  "Yeah, I'm upset!" Madeline snapped, "I'm really fucking upset, but-"

  "Who did it?!"

  "You did!" James faltered as Madeline shoved him back, "You're so overbearing I can't even be happy!"

  "Maddie—"

  "No, it's not fair! I've never done anything but support your crush on Lily, your stupid pranks, and all I get in return is hurt!"

  Sirius wanted to intervene. He wasn't sure what to do, jumping between the twins seemed like a bad idea, but not doing that seemed slightly worse.

  "I'm so sorry for looking out for you!" James yelled back, "I just try to keep you safe!"

  "I never asked you to do that!"

  "I know!" James snapped, "I just protect you, and you know why? Because you might be a Ravenclaw but you're thick!" The boy shouted, tapping his index finger into Madeline's temple harshly, "Guys don't like you because you're kind and funny, they just want a good shag! And what better name to gloat about that James Potter's little sister?!"

  Sirius decided a moment too late, as Madeline had recoiled in hurt. James seemed to realize what he said, remorse washing over his face immediately.

  "Maddie—" James reached out to the girl.

  "Don't," Madeline spoke quietly, grabbing her wand, "Just, don't."

  Without hesitating, the girl shoved past James and Sirius and didn't stop until a wave of fresh air hit her face.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
ok so maybe I'm dumb
but I don't think there was
ever a inter-house quidditch cup
award ceremony thing soooo
I made it up! Don't hate me lol!
also, we're extremely
close to the end of this 
book and it kind of makes me
sad.