1. Harry Potter (Panda's version) -Featuring Janet Hayden - Chapter 37

     Saturday morning arrived with the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. The Great Hall was filled with the tempting smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of students looking forward to a good Quidditch match to start the season.

     “Wow, sausages!” Terry exclaimed hungrily while piling his plate with sausages and ketchup.

     “I wonder how it would be like.” Su muttered. “My first time seeing a Quidditch competition.”

     Janet almost responded, “Me too.” But, she managed to stop herself before the words escaped her mouth and took a huge bite of sausage to hide it.

     “Looks like Harry Potter is really playing for Gryffindor,” Terry said between mouthfuls of sausages.

     Janet, Lisa and Su turned towards the Gryffindor table at the same time.

     “Which position will he be playing as?” Lisa asked still looking at Harry who is looking pale and unmotivated. It seems that he was the only one who is not looking forward to the match.

     “He’s the Seeker.” Michael answered.

     “Oh,” Lisa responded switching her attention back to her sausages.

     The Great Hall emptied as the time of the match approaches, everybody was moving out to the stands around the Quidditch pitch.

     Janet was heading out to the Quidditch pitch when someone tapped her on her shoulder. She turned and saw Ernie. She stopped to see what he wanted and gestured Lisa and Su to go on, she will catch up with them later. It turns out that Ernie did not notify her parents about the detention because they did not mention anything about it in their recent letters. Anyhow, Janet’s anger towards Ernie has long disappeared after she ignored him during dinner that day, she  however did not initiate any contact with Ernie because he seems to be avoiding her too due to his guilt, but Janet thought he was offended by her ignoring him.

     “Hey.” He greeted.

     “Hi,” Janet greeted back. “You’re going to watch Quidditch too?”

     “Yeah,” Ernie nodded.

     “So, where are Justin and Hannah?” Janet asked further. She was hoping that her eagerness to be friends again was conveyed through her initiative of stirring up a conversation.

     “They are out in the stands,” Ernie answered nervously. His hands were clutching hard on a pair of gloves he was holding.

     “Oh, you’re not joining them?” Janet sensed that Ernie was acting a bit strange. “Are you alright there?” She asked with concern.

     “Oh, I’m fine. It’s cold out there, isn’t it?” Ernie blurted out randomly.

     “Ah?” Janet was quite taken aback by Ernie’s sudden comment about the weather.

     “Your gloves don’t look warm enough. Take mine!” Ernie snatched Janet’s gloves from her hands and pushed his pair of gloves into her hands. “Ok, see you.” Ernie said hastily and ran off.

     “Wha?” Janet looked at Ernie’s gloves in her hands as Ernie disappeared before she could respond. Shrugging, she put on Ernie’s gloves since it was indeed cold outside and her hands were already stiff from the cold. As her fingers touched the faux fur inside Ernie’s gloves, pleasant warmth spread into her fingers to her whole hand. Fascinated by what Ernie has done to the gloves, Janet smiled to herself. She understood that this was Ernie’s way of making up to her.

     Soon enough, Ernie and Janet were talking to each other again. They watched the Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff match together despite they were opposing teams in the match. In the end, Hufflepuff lost the game to Ravenclaw because Kieffer Jerrick, the Ravenclaw seeker caught the snitch before the Hufflepuff team seeker, Cedric Diggory.

     After the game, Ernie suggested that they lingered at the Quidditch pitch since he wanted to talk to Cedric. Janet agreed, Lisa and Su followed suit while Justin and Hannah would usually follow Ernie around.

     “Hey, Ced! Great game.” Ernie called out to Cedric who was sitting at the corner of the pitch straightening the twigs of his broom tail.

     Cedric looked up when he heard Ernie, “Oh, hi Ernie!” He smiled at Justin and Hannah, then he spotted Janet, “Hi, Janet and… friends.” He nodded at Lisa and Su.

     “Hi, Cedric. Meet Lisa and Su.” Janet introduced her friends to Cedric.

     “Such a pity you didn’t get that snitch, Ced. You were so close.” Ernie said with a sigh.

     Well, Jerrick was indeed faster and more experienced seeker than I am. The Ravenclaws won fair and square,” Cedric said while patting Ernie on his head comforting him instead for Hufflepuff’s lost when he was the one playing in the losing team. “Anyway, it was my first game, there are a lot more for me to learn as a Quidditch player. Besides, I am just a substitute for Peyton. He should be fit enough for the next game.”

     “No, you did great. Jerrick is a seventh year, he is much taller than you and his arms were longer,” Ernie said. “That’s how he caught the snitch before you.”

     Cedric laughed, “Oh, Ernie. That’s not really why they won and you are lucky that the Ravenclaws here are your friends or you would have just landed yourself in big trouble.” Everyone laughed while Ernie turned red.