Victory Will Be Mine

Evita and Charlie crashed onto the grass together, rolling to a stop after leaving a long trail behind them.

The Golden Snitch was released, and the two caught it almost at the same time. Madam Hooch began examining the Snitch's memory.

"Who do you think it was?" Charlie asked, lying spread-eagle on the grass.

"Of course I hope it was me. Who doesn't like winning?" Evita answered bluntly.

Just then, Madam Hooch announced the result. "Almost simultaneous, which is quite incredible, but Miss Lorand's fingertips touched the Snitch first. Therefore, I declare that the Quidditch Cup belongs to Hufflepuff."

The Hufflepuffs in the stands erupted in cheers and threw their hats into the air together. Even the rain could not dampen their enthusiasm.

Evita, who had been lying on the grass, was lifted up by her teammates as they swarmed around her, their cheers filling her ears.

She smiled, relaxed, but her joy soon turned to sorrow. She had hurt her arm when she fell onto the grass, so she and Charlie went to the Hospital Wing to be treated by Madam Pomfrey.

"How many times has it been this term, Miss Lorand?" Madam Pomfrey asked sternly. "What do I have to say to make you take proper care of yourself?"

Tonks, who had come to visit, snickered nearby. Once Madam Pomfrey had left in a huff, she quietly changed her appearance, trying to cheer Evita up.

"Look," Tonks said, pulling a funny face. "A stupid pig's nose."

"Cool." Evita's eyes lit up involuntarily. "How did you do that?"

"I'm a Metamorphmagus," Tonks said, a little smugly. "I can take all sorts of forms."

"That's practically a perfect Polyjuice Potion," Evita said, giving her a thumbs-up. "That's amazing."

Clearly pleased by the praise, Tonks added, "While you've been in here, I heard from Annie that Professor Dumbledore has been having the fourth-years practice the Patronus Charm."

"Oh!" Evita exclaimed. "I completely forgot about that. I'd better get practicing."

"The Patronus Charm needs a happy enough memory..." she murmured. "Like what?"

Seeing Evita sink into thought, Tonks soon got up and said goodbye. She stopped to see Charlie on her way out, and when she ran into Bill, who had come to visit his younger brother, they nodded to each other and switched the people they were visiting.

"Happy memories..."

When Bill came over, he saw the silver-haired girl sitting on her bed, holding her wand with a thoughtful expression.

He said nothing, simply sitting down quietly beside her.

"Expecto Patronum," Evita said softly. A silvery-white mist drifted slowly out.

Was it not happy enough? she wondered. Maybe I should try another one. What about last Christmas?

"Expecto Patronum," she said again. This time, a clear outline appeared, resembling some kind of bird, much like a peregrine falcon.

Evita nodded in satisfaction, put down her wand, and looked at Bill.

"I brought you my notes," the red-haired Weasley said gently. "I thought you'd need them."

"Yes," Evita said with a smile. "I haven't been to class in three days and four hours."

Bill said, "I can't believe you've kept track of it so precisely. Oh, I also have an invitation for you. Fred and George insisted that I read it to you."

Evita tilted her head. "I'd love to hear it."

So Bill opened the invitation and read, "We warmly invite Miss Evita Lorand to visit The Burrow during the summer holidays. Yours dearly, Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, and Molly."

Evita blinked in astonishment.

Bill spread his hands. "Ever since Fred and George read the book you lent them, they've been going on about adding a little 'sense of ceremony.'"

He gave a helpless smile. "Children are always so lively and enthusiastic."

"I agree." Evita nodded, then took out a quill and some parchment and wrote in her hospital bed.

"Thank you very much for your invitation. I will find a time to visit during the summer holidays. Yours dearly, Evita."

"There." She handed the parchment to Bill. "I'm really looking forward to it."

"So am I," Bill replied. "See you at the End-of-Year Feast."

"See you."

This was the third year in a row that Hufflepuff had won both the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup. Black and yellow decorations were everywhere, and waves of jubilation swept through the Great Hall.

Professor Dumbledore sat smiling in the seat of honor, chatting happily with Professor McGonagall. Professor Sprout was also enjoying a conversation with Professor Flitwick, looking many years younger.

Professor Snape sat alone, as though he had isolated everyone else. Hagrid drank cheerfully and soon got himself thoroughly drunk, though he still remembered to raise his glass to Evita.

As usual, Professor Trelawney did not take part in such lively events and was absent. Professor Quirrell, who taught Muggle Studies, stared down at the wineglass on the long table, lost in thought. The two female professors of Arithmancy and Ancient Runes chatted happily and nodded across the hall to their prized student.

Then there was Professor Kettleburn, who had once lost an arm and a leg through recklessness. He drank with somewhat awkward movements and grinned at Evita.

At the Hufflepuff table, Evita picked out some sweets to eat, then suddenly felt an ache in her teeth.

She was a little alarmed.

I use Scourgify every night, and I even brush my teeth carefully... So why do they hurt?

"Evita," said a younger girl sitting beside her, "you eat too many sweets. Honestly, even though I don't see you very often, I still see you eating them all the time."

The girl, who had nearly come to blows with a classmate to secure the seat, took a deep breath and continued, trying not to show too much excitement. "Would you like a pear, perhaps? I heard my grandmother say pears can help with toothaches."

"Thank you." Evita smiled at her and began crunching on a pear.

Confronted with the Veela's astonishing beauty, the girl added in a daze, "But don't eat too many."

"Huh?" Evita, who was already on her second pear, opened her mouth wide.

The younger girl said, "..."

"So it's true what they say about you eating faster than a dragon..." she said, her eyes vacant as she spaced out.

Evita leaned closer, intrigued. "Really? What else do they say? Or rather, what kind of person do you think I am?"

The girl blushed a little and stammered, "There are rumors about you in Hufflepuff-in all four houses, actually. Like how you're the busiest person in Hufflepuff and randomly spawn in different corners of the castle every day, quick as the wind."

Evita said, "That's quite a title."

She laughed.