“Look who I brought,” Yuri announced as she entered the practice grounds. “The best seeker of the fifth years.”

“Sunny?” Tiffany scoffed. “She’s not the best seeker. Ours is the best.”

Yuri folded her arms. “But a Slytherin would never help us.”

“I’m a Slytherin.”

“Who happens to be dating a Hufflepuff.”

“I brought a friend too.”

“You did?” Taeyeon asked with brows raised.

“Hyoyeon is coming after she’s done—”

“Cheating?”

Tiffany stepped up to Yuri, nose-to-nose. “Are you looking for trouble?”

“Tiffany,” Taeyeon tugged on Tiffany’s arm, “Yuri’s just kidding,” she said, opening her eyes wide at Yuri, pleading with her to back off.

“Yeah, I’m just kidding. I spout nonsense like this all the time,” Yuri said, much to Taeyeon’s relief. “Taeyeon and I, that’s how we are,” she added, spiking Taeyeon’s anxiety again.

“Hyoyeon is coming here to help Taeyeon. If you’re smart, you’ll watch what you say.”

“Yuri, Hyoyeon is a great Chaser. I need all the help I can get.”

“Fine, I’ll shut up.”

“Let’s just get started,” said Tiffany. “We don’t have much time left.”

x

“Tilt left. Right. Back. Lean forward. Back down.”

Taeyeon descended and hovered in front of Tiffany. “How was that?”

“You’re more agile than I expected.”

“Do you think I stand a chance then?”

“Maybe for the first five. But they’ll figure you out and get you by the sixth or seventh,” said Sunny. “I’ll show you a trick to make a real sharp roundup. Watch.”

Taeyeon raised her chin to watch and dropped her jaw within two seconds of Sunny’s flight. The blonde Chaser shot up at lightning speed and twirled like a corkscrew on adrenaline.

“That’s how you dodge last minute”, Sunny yelled. “Yul, send one at me.”

Yuri rose into the air and whacked the bludger at Sunny. Taeyeon watched, fascinated as Sunny sped head-on towards the bludger before twirling away a split second before collision. She then made another sharp turn and dipped as the bludger found her again, this time pulling up just in time for Yuri to whack it away.

“Try it,” said Sunny.

Taeyeon took off and ascended as quickly as she could, bolting up to where Sunny hovered.

“Tiffany and Hyoyeon, why don’t you be the Beaters? Yuri and I will send the bludgers back to you,” Sunny suggested.

“Good idea,” Tiffany said in agreement and for the next hour, Taeyeon practiced the head-on twirl and various other turns and tricks.

“I think you’ll be able to dodge at least ten bludgers if you remember all the tricks we taught you,” Sunny said at the end.

“But I want to hit back at them too,” Taeyeon said. Thick silence descended like a cloud over her. “What? Don’t I stand a chance to get them?”

“You don’t have the strength to whack a bludger when it’s coming at you,” said Hyoyeon.

“I’m sorry but what Hyoyeon says is true,” Yuri seconded.

“Dodging ten bludgers is a win for you,” Tiffany added.

Sunny frowned. “There is one way . . .”

“What is it?” Taeyeon asked in earnest.

“If you can do a dip, flip and come up behind the bludger, you’ll stand a chance to alter the course of its path towards either of them. Narcy is a little slower to react than Bellix so aim for her if you get a chance,” Sunny.

“Let’s try,” Taeyeon said in excitement, kicking off into the air swiftly.

For the next half hour, they worked hard and Taeyeon managed to hit the bludger at Yuri twice.

“Good job, Taeng!” Yuri encouraged.

“I’m getting better. Can we practice some more?” Taeyeon asked.

Hyoyeon shook her head. “Time’s up. I got to go.”

“Me too,” said Sunny.

“Me three,” said Yuri.

“That’s enough for today,” Tiffany said and they descended back onto the field.

“Good luck, Taeyeon,” Sunny said as she left the practice field. “I’ll be cheering for you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Sunny. Thanks, Hyoyeon.” Taeyeon gave Yuri a hug and smile. “Thanks, Yul.”

Then it was just the two of them left.

Tiffany turned to Taeyeon. “Listen, if you don’t feel safe at any time, just bolt. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ll be fine. I learnt many new tricks today.”

“They’ll play dirty. Then you’ll get hurt.”

“I’ll be extra careful. And I’m pretty nimble too.” Taeyeon took Tiffany’s hand and smiled. “Don’t worry. Everyone will be cheering for us.”

“Not the Slytherins, they won’t.”

“Some of them might surprise us. Like you. Like Hyoyeon. I didn’t expect her to help me.”

Tiffany shrugged. “Hyoyeon doesn’t like Bellix and Narcy in the first place. Even though they are Slytherin too.”

“Maybe there are others who are like her.”

“Maybe.”

Tiffany’s unrelenting frown had Taeyeon throwing her arms around her. “Thanks, Tiffany. You’re the best.” As soon as that happened, Taeyeon let go and stepped back, her heart beating fast. “Let’s pack up and go,” she mumbled.

There was a smile on Tiffany’s face as she nodded and took the broom from Taeyeon. “Aye, Captain.”

x