Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Summertime's a wonderful time for children, associated with hot weather, long vacations and a well-deserved break from study. During this wonderful period, it's easy to forget about school, strict teachers and complicated textbooks, and to get into other things such as long walks, outdoor games, delicious cold ice cream and watching TV until late. But there are always exceptions to the rules, aren't they?

Sangaku Manami had no choice but to become this exception, because how could you forget about school where you had to get to on the beautiful scarlet steam engine, where surroundings were incredibly huge and delightful, where students lived in the majestic castle filled with amazing things encountered at every turn?

Where children were taught the very real magic.

Manami entered this amazing school called Hogwarts only the previous year — he had received an unexpected letter a couple of months after his eleventh birthday and then heard a story from his mother that was too unthinkable to believe the first time.

He seemed to remember his first year of study forever — the life turned upside down and rushed forward in a new, furious pace, which wasn't so easy to keep up with. He had to learn new things every day, absorb them into himself, get used to, try not to go crazy from everything that covered like one huge avalanche. Manami met the same kids as he, with magical abilities, found new friends and even more. He discovered an amazing magical sports game — Quidditch, flying on a broomstick, and many other things that couldn't be told about in a whole day.

He also found new pieces of the puzzle, trying to find out the truth about the past of his father, which remained covered with darkness. After what Manami saw in the Room of Requirement, after he was scared as he had never been scared in his life, another truth appeared before him, hinting colourfully: Without chasing a ghost, life'd become much easier and better. His father had been dead for a long time, but he was alive and was able to choose for himself any road he wants.

Quidditch seemed like the best solution. Flying on a broomstick and this game could easily make him forget about everything in the world and surrender to sensations, delight and inspiring joy. And for the new school year, Manami was going to pass the tryouts to get into the core team and play on the same field as the most wonderful guys at Hogwarts.

To do this of course he had to be patient, and for the first time in his life, Manami wanted so badly the summer holidays to end as soon as possible. In his home, where he grew up, in an ordinary Muggle world, where there was nothing reminiscent of Hogwarts, he yearned, distracting himself by computer games, TV and the rare trips on the old bicycle he rolled out of the garage to get to the green park.

The only real outlet was the ability to connect with new friends.  Miyahara, as well as Onoda, left him her number, and since they both lived in the Muggle world, they could text or call each other at any time, and Manami was actively doing it during the first weeks of the vacation.

Toudou, of course, didn't use the phone; most likely he never even held it in his hands since he was from a respectable pureblood family of wizards, but once he sent an owl with a large letter, which made Manami unspeakably happy.

And everything was going well more or less until one unpleasant event overtook at the end of July, when his mother suddenly informed Manami that he'd have to be taken to the hospital for observation. Manami resisted that strongly — he disliked doctors and hospitals more than anything else and didn't even get sick that month.

“That's just a short examination to make sure we have nothing to worry about in the near future,” Mom said, trying to convince him to go to the hospital. “You don't want to spend time in the infirmary again instead of lessons at Hogwarts, do you?”

Manami was adamant, but his mom bought him a new game console that he could take with him to the hospital, pampered him with sweets, and he forced himself to agree.

He packed things reluctantly. He threw only his cell phone, headphones, the new console and two chargers into his backpack — his mother took care of the rest. If I could take my wand, Manami thought, looking into the open drawer, it would be more fun. He'd have figured out how to have fun, but the most annoying fact was still the rule forbidding underage wizards to use magic outside of school. The adults didn't really have much more opportunities either — they couldn't do magic in front of Muggles otherwise they'd break the law, and the thought of that always made Manami feel frustrated.

Magic was just an amazing phenomenon — he still didn't fully understand why he should hide its existence from ordinary people.

Having been admitted to the hospital and having spent only the first day there, being tested, Manami quickly got tired, asked his mother to let him go home, and almost groaned in doom when he heard that he'd have to stay there for a whole week.

It was just a terrible state of affairs.

Offended, he wrapped himself in a blanket on a bed in his ward, where he didn't even have neighbours, and tried to sleep, but that was always a problem in the hospital. Things were much worse here than in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. Doctors in white coats walked around with impenetrable faces; they could scold him if he didn't finish eating a tasteless dinner, forced him to take nasty bitter pills or gave painful injections. Manami felt just awful and wanted only one thing — to escape.

After a couple of hours, throwing back the blanket, he reached for his cell phone, checked the time and, making sure it wasn't too late, unlocked the screen.

As if on cue, at the same second the phone vibrated, notifying of the incoming message, and when he saw the sender's name, Manami couldn't help smiling.

Onoda texted, and Manami pressed his phone to his chest, closing his eyes and remembering the clear look of the large eyes, always under the round rim of glasses.

Sakamichi Onoda was perhaps the best thing that the wizarding world could give Manami. This short, skinny boy from Gryffindor made Manami feel whole, strong, brave and capable of anything. With Onoda, it wasn't even scary to fall from a great height down. And their agreement to be a couple, just like Toudou and Makishima, was Manami's favorite memory.

Manami typed in a reply sms but quickly deleted the text, thinking that in fact he didn't want to tell Onoda about the hospital at all. Didn't want to talk about his poor health. He didn't want Onoda to look at his phone screen pityingly when he reads this message.

For some reason, he wanted to be perfect for Onoda. To be the coolest and the most awesome. So that Onoda wouldn't even look the other way...

Thinking about it, Manami blushed and pressed his hand to his forehead, scolding himself mentally. He felt strange about all this and didn't understand the reason for his desire. Maybe he should have asked Toudou about this, if possible?

Manami bit his lip in puzzlement and came up with a little lie.

he sent a message and put the phone next to the pillow.

Last week, he watched Onoda's favorite TV series, which he chatted about incessantly; the next one waited its turn, and Manami remembered about it only now. If he had to be stuck in the hospital for another six days, he could watch a new series via the Internet — Onoda'd probably burst with happiness.

Smiling at his thoughts, Manami felt the vibration and quickly grabbed his cell phone to read the next message.

Onoda texted.

Imagined this picture, Manami laughed but quickly closed his mouth when he heard a bucket clink somewhere behind the door. It seemed the janitor was washing the floor nearby, and he might have said to one of the nurses that one of the patients refused to rest.

Manami typed, hiding under the blanket.

Having sent the message, he thought a little more and decided to add.

After sending, Manami felt embarrassed by his action and thought that such sentimentality would only amuse Onoda. Toudou was right in the end — they were only children, and playing love and relationships at their age was ridiculous and stupid. Maybe Manami should have been more restrained? Although he didn't want to hide his feelings at all and firmly believed that they were real. He really liked Onoda. And not at all because Manami wanted to be like his authority and have for himself the same person that Makishima was for Toudou.

While trying to calm himself with these thoughts, Manami didn't immediately notice a new message he had got. Taking the phone, he opened it reluctantly and suffocated.

Onoda texted that missed him very much too and put two heart-shaped smiley faces at the end. As if one weren't enough to drive Manami insane.

Oh God, damn it, Sakamichi, Manami groaned mentally, burying himself in the pillow.

If playing love and relationships was stupid, why did he feel so... airy and sweet now? His heart was speeding up and his breathing was heavy.

I have tachycardia, Manami remembered the medical term. He got out from under the blanket to take a breath of air and tried to calm down again.

A little more than a month remained until they met. What would happen then?

Onoda texted next.

Manami laughed at this message and got out of bed to walk to the window and open it a bit, letting warm night air into the ward — in case Sleepy'd be here before he woke up.

With the anticipation that he'd see her in the morning, Manami went to bed and this time blacked out almost immediately.

He woke up early and not of his own free will. Something tickled his nose; he sneezed, barely breaking out of sleep, and saw an owl feather landing smoothly on the pillow. A dark one!

Not Sleepy, he thought and raised himself to see the bird sitting on the head of the bed. It was a letter from Hogwarts tied to the paw of the brown owl — apparently with a list of equipment he needed for this year. Manami involuntarily rejoiced at it and then noticed the second guest — Onoda's white owl was sitting on the edge of the table and brushing her feathers.

Oh... If a nurse came in, she'd be very surprised, and then she'd probably get angry and kick both birds out. Well, or would try to, Manami corrected himself and giggled. Owls were predators, after all.

The first thing he did was to untie the letter from Hogwarts. Opening the cabinet near the bed, he found a packet of cookies, broke a few so the owl could eat, after which, with a squeak of gratitude, it flew out through the open window.

“Hi,” Manami smiled, went up to Sleepy, and stroked her feathers with his fingers. “Sakamichi says you missed me.”

The owl closed her eyes contentedly and jabbed her beak into Manami's palm. Manami broke the cookies for her too and said, “Wait for me here, I'll be back soon. I'll bring something for Sakamichi, and then you have to fly away — the nurse who delivers breakfast shouldn't see you, or she might scold me.”

Sleepy gave him a smart look, and Manami stroked her again.

Before leaving the room, he scooped up all the remaining small change from the bottom of his backpack and cautiously went out into the empty corridor. Hoping not to meet anyone, he went down to the floor below and began to examine the assortment of the vending machine near the lift. I need to choose something that Sleepy can carry comfortably, he thought, puzzled, looking at the chocolate bars.

As a result, having opted for a small square pack of Jelly Babies, Manami insert the money into the machine, typed the code, and bent down to pick up the fallen purchase.

Weighing the pack in his palm, Manami smiled, deciding that it was quite light, and poked out the not completely made hole on top.

He returned to the ward without incident, unnoticed. Gave Sleepy the treat for Onoda and let her out the window, after which he returned to bed and, taking the phone, began to look for where to watch Onoda's series.

After breakfast, he got a long text message from Miyahara, who seemed impressed by the letter from Hogwarts and the list of her second year books. Manami remembered that he didn't even bother to open his own while reading the message in which Miyahara said that she'd go shopping at Diagon Alley at the end of this week and listed what additional literature she'd buy.

Nightmare, Manami thought wearily, deciding that this message must have eaten all her money on her phone, and then typed in response that the only thing he wanted to buy in Diagon Alley was racing broom.

He complained to Miyahara that he wanted to escape from the hospital.

She naturally replied in her own style.

But Manami hardly believed in it. It wasn't the doctors who helped him to feel better but... magic.

He remembered this strange feature that seemed to be only his peculiarity. By uttering a few random spells, he could speed up his recovery from another cold, and this naturally seemed to him something good or at least convenient.

Thinking about this, Manami opened the window in the ward wider and looked down. If he had a broom, he'd run away right now — soar into a clear sky right from here. But there was no broom, and the third floor was quite high from the ground.

But I can escape from the window of the ground floor, it dawned on Manami, but he hesitated when he realised that he had nothing to change into. He was wearing only light-colored pyjamas and slippers, and his mother took his regular clothes.

It would be stupid, he realised. Mom would find out; she'd get angry and wouldn't arrange discharge ahead of time anyway. However, remembering the new tests and procedures scheduled for today, Manami winced and pulled out his backpack without any further hesitation. He quickly put his few belongings inside, threw the backpack over his shoulder, and, opening the door of the ward, assessed the situation carefully. The corridor was livelier now with patients walking and nurses hurrying somewhere.

When a cheerful company of children passed by, Manami followed and made his way to the stairs. He went downstairs, trying to look completely natural, when an unfamiliar woman passed by — apparently, someone's mother, who came to visit her child.

I'd better not to bump into mine, Manami thought, with all concentration trying to listen to his intuition in case it gave any sign.

However, luckily or not, his feelings were silent. He turned into a new empty corridor with closed doors, wandered a little, and reached the window left ajar for ventilation.

Delighted, Manami hastened. He moved the heavy flowerpot out of the way, set it on the floor, opened the window wider, and climbed onto the windowsill with his knees, staining his pyjamas with crumbs of dark damp earth.

It's a little high, he realised when he saw the green grass below. Jumping from here was scary — he could break something by landing unsuccessfully. But there were voices approaching from behind him at such an inopportune time. Perhaps one of the adults was heading into this very corridor, and Manami pushed off the window frame with his hands before fully deciding to do so.

He expected a hard blow, closed his eyes tightly, but after a second he opened his eyes in surprise, feeling something— something invisible seemed to hold him in the air and allowed him to smoothly descend to the ground.

Straightening up, Manami shook his head in amazement but didn't find anyone nearby.

Magic, he thought, smiling at his thoughts, and went in search of an exit from the hospital grounds for cars.

In order not to be very conspicuous, he took a detour to the park. Luckily, that was the middle of the work week — more often Manami met children or teenagers, who threw strange looks at him but silently passed by. He thought no more of his awkwardness and was only glad he had escaped. It was still better to walk, although he looked so strange, than hanging around in the hospital and shivering waiting for the next shot.

When Manami finally got to the park, his legs ached a little from fatigue — he walked for two hours or so. Finding an empty bench under a spreading tree, he sat down to rest and wondered if the hospital had noticed his absence already. He had his cell phone muted, so he didn't even know if Mom called. To be honest, it was scary to check it out.

Not now — in the evening, he decided, hoping a little that maybe his mother would be so scared enough to let him come home.

That of course was a rather pathetic hope.

Sighing in disappointment, Manami propped his chin in his hands boredly and began to watch the pigeons that were nearby looking for some food on the road.

I'd like to be at Hogwarts now. To take a broomstick and fly with Sakamichi.

Remembering that he had thrown the pack of leftover cookies into his backpack, Manami took it out and crumbled cookies to the pigeons, which quickly pounced on the treat. They hardly resembled the majestic and big owls that Manami liked but nevertheless warmed his heart.

He gave them all the cookies, not thinking about what he'd eat himself when he got hungry, and then he heard an unexpected and vaguely familiar voice.

“Sangaku?”

Manami turned his head. First, he saw a small red dog on a leash and then, its owner.

“Oh,” he gasped in surprise, recognising the girl as his classmate from the Muggle school.

Oh man... He didn't expect to meet one of his old acquaintances while being in this... state.

“What happened to you? Why are you sitting here in your pyjamas?” the girl asked in surprise. Her name was Emily and, as Manami remembered, she always had short boy haircuts.

“U— I—” Manami hesitated, feeling extremely uncomfortable. “I ran away from the hospital.”

“From the hospital?” his interlocutor frowned incredulously. “Why?”

“Well... I didn't want to go to stupid procedures,” Manami answered honestly and brushed off the adhering crumbs from his palms.

“You're strange,” Emily said. “I didn't expect to meet you here. Everyone thought you moved to another city.”

“No, just changed school,” Manami shrugged. “That's a boarding school, so I spend most of my time there. I have to go far, yeah.”

“Oh, really,” Emily said, after which she nevertheless decided to come up and sit on the other side of the bench. “I didn't think that a guy like you who didn't like studying so much would go to study at some boarding school. What school, by the way?”

“Hogwarts,” Manami replied quickly but then wondered if he could talk so calmly about this place hidden from the Muggles?

“I've never heard of it,” Emily said, a little puzzled. “Are there in-depth studies or something?”

“Oh yes,” Manami nodded and chuckled. “They study magic there.”

“Magic?” Emily blinked in surprise. “In— in what sense? What are you talking about?”

“Magic,” Manami smiled at her. “We're kind of learning how to make objects fly, create fire out of nothing, or make potions with all sorts of weird properties.”

“If you're going to make fun of me—” Emily began displeased, already grabbing the leash more comfortably and apparently about to get up. Her dog barked loudly, bouncing impatiently in place. The remaining pigeons scattered in different directions.

“Not at all. I didn't even think about it,” Manami objected.

“So you want to say you are... who? A wizard or something like that? God, can you hear yourself at all? You sound crazy! Magic is unreal.”

“Well, I know that it's real”, Manami smiled, not at all offended.

“Well, prove it then!” Emily said sharply, getting to her feet. “Do something… impossible. But no tricks!”

“I can't,” Manami shrugged. “We're not allowed to do magic outside of school, and I have no wand with me.”

“Wand,” Emily repeated and laughed. Her dog barked again, as if echoing its owner's laugh. “Something's wrong with you if you're serious about all this now.”

“Oh yes?” Manami said, yet realising that it hurt him.

Barely able to hold back his trembling, he looked directly at the girl, not even noticing that her dog suddenly lifted off the ground and began to rise up slowly. It screeched and whined, floundering as if in water, and Manami blinked in surprise, not understanding what was happening.

But the dog rose higher and higher, like a helium balloon, and was already at the level of the head of its owner. Emily got scared, grabbed it, hugged to her chest, and looked at Manami in horror.

Manami blinked again. Did that happen because of him?

Emily said nothing more to him. She turned and ran away, still hugging her dog. She seemed to be terrified, and Manami wondered if he was going to get into trouble for accidentally using magic twice today?

Having decided to leave the park, he walked along the outskirts of the city until the evening, until he was completely exhausted and hungry.

The sun was already coming down to the rooftops when he pulled his phone out of his backpack and saw two hundred missed calls from his mother. Wow, it seemed like he was dead.

With a sinking heart, having dialed his mother's number, Manami pressed the phone to his ear and almost winced when he was deafened by the speaker.

“Where are you? Are you okay?”

“Um... Yes. I ran away...”

“Oh really? I thought the aliens kidnapped you!” Mom said sharply, and Manami laughed despite his fear. “And he's laughing. Where are you hanging around in your hospital pyjamas?”

Manami turned his head, barely remembered the name of the street and said the number of the nearest house. He himself was sitting not far from the noisy playground, and he wasn't really visible behind the bushes.

“Don't go anywhere. I'll come to get you soon,” Mom said sternly and dropped the call.

Manami sighed as he put the phone away. On one side, he was even glad to be taken away from here — he was terribly tired and hungry, so now he'd not mind even a nasty hospital dinner.

Mom arrived in twenty minutes. He climbed into the front passenger seat, got Mom's frown look, and then his letter from Hogwarts was thrown into his lap.

“You left it in the ward in plain sight,” Mom said grimly. “My colleague saw it, and it's good that she didn't have any questions.”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Manami said apologetically, clutching the envelope in his fingers.

Mom put her palms on the steering wheel but was in no hurry to go back onto the road.

“What the rebellion it was, Sangaku?” she asked tensely, looking somewhere ahead. “You should have spent another six days in the hospital. Only six — it's not much.”

“It is!” Manami objected, raising his tone and looking desperately at his mother. “I don't want to be there for a day! I feel bad in the hospital!”

“Your tests sucked!” Mom said sharply, turning, and Manami shrank. “You're not one of those children who can disregard their health, is it clear to you? You shouldn't be reckless and walk around the city like that. What if it started raining? You could get wet, and you don't even have normal shoes. Want to catch a bad cold again? And then suffer with pneumonia? People die from this, Sangaku, if you don't do the treatment, you know?”

“But I—” Manami was confused, feeling just disgusting that his mother had yelled at him.

“You can, too, if you get seriously ill,” Mom said more calmly this time. “You're a special child, but even if you have magic, it doesn't make you invulnerable.”

“I get it,” Manami replied quietly, and Mom patted his hair.

“I love you, you know. And I want you to be healthy. To live a full life like all other children. But you must let me do what I can.”

Manami said nothing, and Mom's hand disappeared, moving back to the steering wheel. She smoothly got her foot down, and the car started to move.

“We're going back to the hospital, and tomorrow you'll go for the procedures and have the rest of the tests, okay?” she asked.

“Okay,” Manami replied reluctantly, relaxing his fingers and smoothing out the wrinkled envelope.

“Open your letter. Next month we'll go to Diagon Alley for everything you need to go to school,” Mom said as she drove. “You'll buy a racing broom.”

Manami shuddered.

“Really?” he didn't believe. Mom still wanted to give him money for a broom after what he did today?

“You want it,” she said.

“Yes. Of course. I really want it.”

“But if you disobey and do something like that again—”

“I got it!” Manami interrupted her. “The broom's more important. I'll be obedient. I really need to make the team this year...”

“Are you sure?” his mother asked a little tensely. They stopped at a traffic light, and Manami felt uneasy again. “Quidditch is a dangerous game. And participation in a match requires a lot of strength and good endurance. You never liked physical education in your previous school.”

“Physical education sucks, but not Quidditch,” Manami smiled. “Besides, there's one position that suits me. The one I can handle.”

“The Keeper? Because they are at the goal post all the time?” Mom asked, and Manami groaned in frustration.

“Oh no, Mom, the Keeper doesn't get points, and it's so boring to stay in one place all the time. The coolest position in Quidditch is the Seeker.”

Mom gave him a quick glance, smiled, and moved on again.

“All I need,” Manami said, “is to catch the Golden Snitch and lead my team to victory. And I can do it.”

Chapter Text

Discharge from the hospital became for Manami perhaps the happiest event during the summer vacation. He was incredibly happy to return home again, where a pleasant, comfortable atmosphere, absence of unloved doctors and other things that were only in hospitals awaited him. The only annoying thing was the obligation to take his medications daily, and Manami, now trying not to contradict his mother once again, decided to silently follow the instructions and get out of his head the idea of convincing her that the pills made no sense. So that his mother wouldn't change her mind about buying a broomstick, he could be patient, and a month later he'd return to the long-awaited freedom from Muggle medicine at Hogwarts.

The day after discharge, his spirits rose even higher when the familiar owl with dark plumage knocked on the bedroom window. Manami let it in, untied the letter eagerly and felt that a new term was just around the corner.

Toudou wrote in a short letter, and Manami, feeling a growing tremble, rushed to the door.

He went down the stairs, almost falling on the last steps, and burst into the kitchen, where his mother was getting ready to the evening shift at the hospital.

“God, what was a rumble? You scared me, Sangaku,” she said, distracted from putting the vegetable stew in a plastic container.

“I got a letter from Toudou!” Manami said happily, clutching the envelope in his hands. “He says he'll be in Diagon Alley on the twentieth! We must go that day too!”

“On the twentieth?” Mom asked, puzzled, and glanced at the wall calendar. “It will be Saturday. Oh, I don't know, honey—”

“If you can't, I'll go alone, by train,” Manami pouted, realising that he couldn't miss this meeting. He needed Toudou to pick a racing broom! Anyway, it would be nice to see him before the start of their new school year. Manami missed him as much as Onoda.

“Out of the question,” Mom said sternly. “Next year, maybe you'll go alone, but this time I'll take you. London's a very big city. You can get lost or get into trouble.”

I'd call Sakamichi and ask him to take care of me, Manami thought, raising his dreamy gaze and remembering how he'd fled to London on Christmas day to meet Onoda and go to Makishima's house to talk about Toudou. It was so cool, and he wanted so badly to repeat something like that, but his mother made it clear that next time he could face a serious punishment in such a case.

“I need to go on the twentieth,” Manami said urgently, looking at Mom again. “I don't want to buy a broom without Toudou — he knows it better!”

“I hear you,” his mother smiled. “The broom is something that even you can't be light-hearted about.”

Manami frowned and agreed.

“Of course. After all, I have to play and win on it for the sake of—”

The best team, he added mentally and realised he was starting to tremble again. From excitement, from anticipation. And from fear too... He was going to pass the tryouts. And to win matches. And he couldn't screw up at any of these things.

“I don't promise yet, but I'll try to arrange a day off for this day,” Mom said reassuringly and turned away to put the filled container with dinner in the fridge. “Reheat your food when you're hungry. I have to go now.”

“Thank you,” Manami replied quietly, admitting to himself that his mom really thought and cared about him. And he already felt that everything would work out with the trip. Good luck would help him. Everything would be fine in the near future.

Fortunately, the answer from his mother didn't take long. Two days later, she said that she managed to snatch a whole day off for herself on the twentieth, and Manami was able to bring Toudou his owl back with an emotional note that their meeting would take place without mix-ups.

The most difficult perhaps was to wait for this cherished day. Manami literally couldn't calm down. He caught a cold during the second week of August, which made him feel so bad for several days that he couldn't even play on his computer. And while waiting, time naturally dragged on terribly slowly. Communication with Onoda or Miyahara via sms also calmed down somehow. With Onoda, they had probably run out of things to talk about, and Miyahara seemed to have gone into her new books and also didn't send any messages.

For a while, Manami even felt like he had gone back in time. As if he was the most ordinary child again who was deprived of even standard abilities and capabilities. As if he were lonely again, devoid of like-minded people and people who could understand him. This made him feel so sad, and he wanted so badly to forget about common sense, find money and go to Onoda again to finally feel calm and comfortable beside him.

It was of course impossible to think of something like that seriously — and Manami stopped himself, mentally dissuading himself from doing something stupid. Because if he was patient, in the future he could not only be near Onoda but also play Quidditch with him.

How it would be, Manami couldn't even imagine. He dreamed of how great it would be to meet Onoda in the finale and have an amazing battle that would delight anyone watching. Onoda fit him like a piece of the puzzle, and together they could outdo any Seekers that came before them.

Perhaps it was a little overconfident to think so, but Manami couldn't restrain himself from succumbing to dreams and fantasies. He promised himself that he'd do everything to make these fantasies come true.

When the day of the long-awaited trip to Diagon Alley finally came, Manami woke up unaided. He was awakened by anticipation. He turned off the alarm five minutes before the beep and went to the bathroom in such a cheerful mood as if it was someone else who couldn't sleep at tonight. Mom was waiting for him in the kitchen with breakfast ready, and while he was eating, she managed to finish the rest of the preparations and went to start the car. With excitement and joy, Manami couldn't even hold a spoon without trembling, and when he climbed into the back seat of their car, he was constantly spinning, trying to find a comfortable position.

He couldn't sleep either, so he began to look out the window, boredly watching the changing landscapes, mentally counting the minutes and thinking. There could be traffic jams in London, although... they always was, and Manami was a little afraid of being late for the meeting even if Toudou had managed to get used to his being late for the whole year of studies. But on such a day, Manami wanted everything to be perfect because this day should be the beginning of something truly new in his life. Manami didn't yet know if Quidditch would be important for him in the future, but now one thing was for sure: At the moment, this magical sports game would be at the top of his list of priorities. And since it happened, everything that came with it should be the best. Starting with a racing broomstick.

Manami was still returning to those pleasant thoughts when he and his mother finally drove to the parking lot and went to the Leaky Cauldron to go straight through to Diagon Alley.

Fortunately, they weren't late even if at the end of the trip they really had to stand in traffic jams. Manami came to the appointed place even ten minutes earlier, but Toudou was already there, waiting for him, and not alone.

Manami was very surprised but nevertheless accelerated, ran to the target and hugged him, almost knocking him down.

“Wow! Stop — you'll crush me!” Toudou exclaimed, grabbing Manami by the shoulders and trying to push him away.

“I'm so glad to see you, hurray,” Manami smiled happily and let him go to look at gloomy Arakita, who was standing next to him. “Hi. I didn't know you'd be here together.”

“We weren't supposed to,” Toudou replied, losing his smile and also frowning. “Accidentally met him, and then he followed me.”

“What are you saying? It's bullshit,” Arakita snorted, offended. “I was just going in the same direction.”

“I don't remember a single reason why you might need to go to Quidditch supplies — your broom's still alive only out of stubbornness, not because you care for it,” Toudou said in response. A quarrel was brewing here, it seemed, but Manami's mood wasn't darkened by that.

He was happy to see Arakita too. He and Toudou didn't change a bit — they still knew how to find fault with each other for no reason, and only now Manami finally realised how much he had missed them.

His mom seemed to be slightly embarrassed when she came up to him, and Manami tugged at Toudou's robes in an attempt to distract him.

“Pause for a second please,” he asked, hoping very much that his mother wouldn't change her mind to leave him in the care of these guys because of this circus arranged.

“Oh, little one, so you're not alone—” Toudou was confused, looking in amazement at Manami's mother. “That's your—”

“I'm sorry to interfere. I didn't—” she apologised, raising her hand, but Toudou hurried to interrupt her.

“We must apologise for such inappropriate behavior. I'm very glad to meet you; let me introduce myself. My name's Jinpachi,” Toudou said politely, bowing his head slightly.

“Toudou, right?” Mom smiled in response. “Your name has been familiar to me for a very long time.”

Toudou was obviously embarrassed at these words and began to rummage through the pockets of his robes in search of something.

“My parents' name,” he corrected. “I haven't done anything yet to be famous.”

He pulled out his wand and quickly conjured a pretty flower with an open rosebud.

“That's for you. But I apologise in advance if it disappears in a couple of minutes.”

Manami could hardly help laughing as he remembered that Toudou still had problems with Transfiguration. Nonetheless, his mother gratefully accepted the flower, perhaps a little embarrassed that the child of venerable pureblood wizards had given her such attention.

“I'm Terra,” she said belatedly. “Thank you for taking care of Sangaku when I can't. He said a lot of good things about you.”

“No problems. I'm just happy—” Toudou replied, pleased with himself, but was interrupted by Arakita approaching and roughly throwing an elbow on his shoulder.

“I care too. I'm Yasutomo Arakita,” he introduced himself, extending his palm for a handshake.

“You don't do anything,” Toudou protested, pushing Arakita's hand off him. “You just chill, lie on the sofa in the common room and scare the first-years with your displeased expression — you can't be trusted to take care of a child.”

“You don't need to take care of me — I'm twelve already,” Manami tried to intervene, laughing awkwardly, but apparently no one heard him.

“Okay, take it,” Mom said, still smiling, and handed him a small pouch. “When you're done shopping, come to the ice cream parlor, I'll be waiting for you there.”

Manami nodded, loosened the rope, and peered inside curiously. The pouch was heavy, and inside were only golden galleons. Blimey! With that much of money, he can definitely buy the best broom!

“Thank you!” Manami thanked happily, and his mother left, leaving him with Toudou and Arakita alone.

“It's clear now,” Toudou said suddenly, wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his robes for some reason.

“Yes, definitely,” Arakita added with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Manami blinked in surprise, not understanding what was happening.

“What's clear? What are you both talking about?”

“It's clear why you look like a little angel,” Toudou replied, leaning slightly towards Manami's face and grabbing his cheeks painfully. “You're look like your mother.”

“Huh?” Manami frowned as he turned away. “She's an ordinary mom!”

“For you, maybe ordinary. You're used to her looks.”

“You'll never have such beautiful female fans, Jinpachi,” Arakita added.

“What you're implying?” Toudou protested, turning to him. “Are you saying that all my fans are unattractive?”

“Your level certainly doesn't reach the pretty ones.”

“Fuck you, Yasutomo,” Toudou said angrily. “Your level doesn't reach any at all.”

Arakita only grinned at this, indicating that he didn't care at all, and Manami decided to intervene again.

“Guys, can we go find me a broom?”

"Not now," Toudou replied, seeming to have calmed down.

“What? Not now?” Manami was upset.

“I'm going to buy myself a new broomstick too,” Toudou explained, placing a hand on Manami's head and ruffling his hair. “But I didn't have time to withdraw the money, so we'll go to Gringotts first!”

“The wizarding bank,” Manami perked up, remembering that he had wanted to see it last year but couldn't. “Oh... do you have your own vault?”

“Of course I do. What did you think?” Toudou replied a little indignantly.

“He's lying — it's his parents' vault,” Arakita said, grinning maliciously, and Toudou snapped at him again.

“My parents have their own vault, and this one is for me personally. It will become officially mine as soon as I turn seventeen! Is that clear? Don't get smart!”

“I've never been to Gringotts — it must be great and fun,” Manami said, remembering he had been told about cart travel through dark tunnels. Just like a creepy ride in an amusement park.

“Yeah. It's so fun that makes you laugh to death,” Arakita replied boredly, looking somewhere into the crowd of people going about their business.

“It's dangerous if you come there with the intention of stealing something,” Toudou added gravely. “So, if you suddenly see something beautiful, try to restrain yourself — I'm not eager to save you from the clutches of a hungry dragon.”

“A dragon?” Manami asked, throwing off the backpack from his shoulders in order to shove there the pouch of money Mom had given him. “Are there dragons in Gringotts?”

Toudou sighed.

“You know, dragons are the lesser of the misfortunes that can meet there. But that's one of the most reliable banks in the world — you can safely store any treasure there.”

Yes, the wizarding bank didn't seem as fun as it used to be, but his interest didn't evaporate, and Manami happily went with Toudou and Arakita even if the purchase of the broom had to be postponed for a while.

The inside of Gringotts was just as impressive as the outside. Only goblins worked there, as Manami remembered, and they seemed unlikely to be friendly creatures. One of them met them in the entrance hall, as Arakita said a little later, 'just for identification'; others gloomily served the visitors, and several queues were in the hall — things seemed to be moving slowly. Manami didn't imagine the bank for wizards this way — everything he saw looked like post office. An ordinary Muggle post office with just magical creatures working instead of people, and the interior was outdated and rich.

They also had to queue for some time. Toudou and Arakita almost fell out again, and Manami even decided for a second that they'd be kicked out for the noise, but it seemed that no one cared about their behavior.

When a goblin in ridiculous fancy clothes finally approached them, Toudou lifted his nose smugly and twirled an elegant golden key on a thin chain on his finger.

“Vault number twenty-three, eighteen,” Toudou said, to which the goblin nodded briefly and offered to follow him.

Manami wondered if the rest of the bank looked as luxurious as the main hall, but later he had to be disappointed because a narrow passageway, dimly lit by wall torches, led to the cart. The air around him was damp, unpleasant, and made him shiver. Ideal conditions for catching a cold.

When the goblin led them to their goal, all four of them had to squeeze into a cramped cart which hardly looked reliable, and after that it seemed even less reliable when, with a loud clang, moved from its place and rushed along a narrow track through a steep passage leading somewhere down...

Manami hadn't expected them to go so fast and so... abruptly. Almost screeching, he grabbed the first thing that came to hands (it was Arakita's elbow), and closed his eyes until he got used to the frantic speed.

The cart kept changing direction — Manami felt them tossing from side to side, and when he opened his eyes, he realised that the passages were sometimes replaced by other places. A couple of times they passed huge stone halls with terrifyingly high ceilings and terrifyingly distant floors which were hidden in the darkness and therefore sometimes looked more like a bottomless abyss.

When these mazes ended and the cart stopped, the goblin stepped outside, illuminating the locked door with a lamp, and Toudou, muttering some unintelligible curses under his breath, got out after him awkwardly. Manami remained sitting in the cart with Arakita and trying to catch his breath.

“Cool,” he said. “Almost like on a broomstick, only scarier. Yasutomo? Are you okay?”

Arakita was pale and pressed his hand to his mouth. It seemed he wasn't well.

“Don't you dare puke in the cart, you hear me?! We still have to go back by it!” Toudou shouted, already about to enter the door which the goblin had opened with his key.

But Arakita ignored the warning and rested his head on the back of the seat.

“I should have waited outside — I thought I'd got used to it,” he said quietly.

“So you don't like roller coasters either?” Manami laughed awkwardly.

“What?” Arakita grumbled back.

“Well, Toudou once said that your father was a Muggle... sort of— so I thought,” Manami hastened to justify himself. “Sorry if this offends you,” he said next, remembering how worried Miyahara was about her Muggle origins.

“My dad's constantly working, and he didn't take me to any parks if that's what you mean.”

“Oh, I see, I'm sorry,” Manami apologised again, deciding not to ask anymore.

Fortunately, Toudou soon returned with a full pouch that was larger than the one Manami's mother had given him, and sat back in the cart. In less than a few seconds, they rushed in the opposite direction again, and Manami frankly doubted very much that Arakita had enough time to recover.

Nevertheless, there were no incidents. They made it back safe and sound though when they stepped out into the bright light, Arakita's face was almost green with nausea. Toudou tried to tease him, which went unnoticed, and they went back outside again.

Now it was finally possible to go straight to the Quidditch supplies store, leaving the purchase of school items for the new school year for later.

Toudou and Arakita seemed to be frequent guests in this store (despite Toudou's words about Arakita) because the seller smiled as soon as he saw them and greeted them too friendly. Like old acquaintances.

“You're with addition today,” he said, glancing at Manami. “I've never seen that one before.”

“He's a rookie,” Toudou replied with a smile, placing his hand on Manami's shoulder. “He'll be able to bring a broom only this year, and we want to choose it.”

“The catalog doesn't make sense, I suppose?” the seller asked, grinning. “You already know everything better than magazines.”

“Naturally,” Toudou replied contentedly. “I'm interested in a new model from USA, but for him it's better to choose something tested and reliable.”

“What position do you want to play, kid?” the seller asked Manami.

“Um... a Seeker,” Manami replied quietly, glancing at Toudou for support.

“Well, of course a Seeker,” he smiled. “It's already been decided. I don't think there's a position that suits you better.”

The seller straightened up and thought for a while, slowly tapping his chin with his finger and looking towards the window displaying several different models.

Manami has already memorised some of them. The most popular ones at least like the Cleansweeps, Nimbus, or Firebolts. They all had their own advantages, pros and cons. The Cleansweeps were in high demand due to their affordable prices; children from wealthy families liked to buy the Nimbus, but the Firebolts were rarely seen on the school Quidditch field because the price of these brooms was prohibitively high, and it seemed that many parents simply didn't think that it was worth getting such an expensive broom just to have their child play Quidditch at school. Manami saw the Firebolt only a couple of times: The Seeker of their team, who had left his position, and one of the Chasers of the Ravenclaw team had it.

“How about the last Nimbus?” the seller asked, walking to the shop window. “Customers are always satisfied with these brooms.”

He removed a beautiful broomstick with a slightly curved, dark-coloured handle from the stand. The twig band and the footrests were catchingly shimmery with gold in the light of the lamps, and the twigs themselves formed a neat graceful shape.

“Nimbus,” Toudou breathed out like a girl in love. “I always had a weakness for them. The most beautiful brooms. It might suit you. Fast and cool.”

Manami took a hesitant step towards the seller. He reached out to touch the smooth surface but felt something wrong.

“And it will suit you very well in height,” the seller added.

“That's not the one,” Manami shook his head and almost immediately heard Toudou's displeased voice behind him.

“What do you mean? You're not choosing a wand here. You'll be great at flying a Nimbus.”

But Manami didn't listen. Instead, he walked over to the shop window and held out his hand again. His own choice fell on a completely different broom. It certainly didn't look nearly as pretty as the Nimbus. Its shape was a little sloppy but as if made so on purpose. The twigs looked disheveled, but as soon as Manami put his hand on the handle, a warm and pleasant feeling flooded his heart.

“Firebolt's not a bad choice,” the seller said. “It has an unbreakable Braking Charm, which of course is a plus, but too sharp acceleration and price— It will cost you much more than the Nimbus. And also—”

“What?” Manami asked, not wanting to take his hand away. The handle under the fingers was pleasant, as if warming and beckoning.

“It's long, you see. This one is the last one, and now... it doesn't suit you very well,” the seller said. “In three or four years it will be perfect, most likely, but now you may be a little uncomfortable on it.”

“This one will suit me,” Arakita grinned, standing next to him and also touching the handle. However, at the same time, Manami felt a sharp desire to press this broom to himself and not give it to anyone. No, it definitely had to be his. “Take the Nimbus, kid. You don't want your maximum potential not to be unleashed just because the size of the broom got in the way.”

Only this one will unleash my full potential, Manami replied mentally, not knowing why he felt this way, and bit his lip. Perhaps it was a response of intuition, but he really wanted to take this particular broom.

“Jinpachi,” he called stubbornly, turning back to Toudou. “I need this Firebolt.”

Toudou sighed wearily, walked closer, took the broom and weighed it in his arms. Manami froze, anxiously awaiting the verdict. Toudou twisted the handle and showed him, as if trying to say something...

“A number?” Manami asked, only now noticing that there were numbers engraved on the handle.

06 22 13.

“Firebolts always have number,” Toudou explained. “Maybe it's because they don't make many. Maybe just arrogance. The first number is the series number. The second is its size. The third is a serial number. That's the thirteenth broom size twenty-two from the sixth series. The last series before this one was you know when... fifteen years ago.”

“Is it bad?” Manami asked carefully.

“No,” Toudou shrugged. “A special broom for a special boy. The number's just unlucky.”

“I don't care,” Manami muttered softly.

“So take it,” Toudou agreed reluctantly. “Let's hope that you'll get used to it and there will be no problems.”

And that was enough for Manami to almost jump on the spot for joy. He had to pay a rather large sum for the broom, but this didn't darken his happiness of such a purchase in the least, and when the seller packed the Firebolt in thick gray paper, Manami took it, feeling a thrill again, very similar to the one he had felt when Onoda fell into his hands the day they had met.

It took them a while before they left the store because Toudou and Arakita were grumblingly discussing the new model from USA, but Manami didn't listen to them at all, sitting aside with his purchase on his lap.

When the guys nevertheless came to an agreement, Toudou took his new broom, as planned, and happily moved to the exit.

He and Arakita didn't need to buy things for school: As both explained a little later, they had already done this last week, but they didn't refuse to keep Manami company, and the first thing they did was to go shopping for ingredients for potions.

The bookshop was left at the very end, and Arakita in particular didn't want to go there, but when the three of them nevertheless went into the hall, they were pleasantly surprised to meet a friend.

Shinkai was there. At first, Manami thought he was also buying textbooks for the school, but later the real reason for visiting was revealed.

“Ah! I finally saw him!” Toudou declared enthusiastically, looking at the boy who was standing next to Shinkai. The boy got scared from such attention and hid behind... his brother?

“It's okay, Yuuto, don't be shy,” Shinkai asked with an awkward laugh, and, hugging the boy by the shoulder, returned him to his place. “These are the guys from my team. You've seen Yasutomo before, and that's Jinpachi and... someone else. Sangaku. He's a second-year.”

“Hi,” Manami smiled, raising his free hand. “Are you going to Hogwarts this year?”

The boy lowered his eyes frowningly. He didn't particularly resemble Shinkai, except for some features, but still, Manami had no doubts that they were brothers.

“No, he's only ten. He'll go there in a year,” Shinkai explained. “But he's already impatient, isn't he?”

“Not at all,” Yuuto replied, looking away in embarrassment.

“We came here to buy a book about magical animals,” Shinkai added, chuckling quietly. “Yuuto likes unicorns.”

“You don't have to tell everyone about it,” Yuuto protested, looking sternly at his brother.

Manami blinked in amazement. He almost said that there were unicorns in the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts, but he said nothing.

He still needed to buy new textbooks, so he went to the counter and handed the list to the seller, while Arakita went to another part of the shop to talk to Shinkai.

“Well, the trip on the Hogwarts Express is getting closer, right?” Toudou said, and Manami flinched, not noticing him approach.

The seller, putting on his glasses, ran his eyes over the list and went to pick up the books he needed.

“Ready?” Toudou asked, looking at the tall bookcase behind the counter.

“To study?” Manami replied cautiously, although he guessed that the question wasn't about that at all.

“To Quidditch, of course. I suppose you're worried?” Toudou smiled, looking at him.

“M... Yes. A little,” Manami nodded, confessing.

But Toudou put his hand on his head and gently ruffled his hair.

“You did a great job during my practice. Now you can attend the official ones. You'll get even better before the tryouts, and you'll succeed.”

“Do you really think so?” Manami asked, feeling more cheerful.

“Of course I do. I realised long ago that you're very capable. Maybe you were born to fly,” Toudou replied. “So don't be afraid.”

I want to call Sakamichi, Manami said to himself but didn't dare out loud. Toudou didn't seem to think that Onoda could play Quidditch at all. He could've snort and reply so that Manami'd watch himself and not waste time trying to lure into the game someone who couldn't handle it. But Manami didn't think so. He sincerely believed that Onoda could do it. That Onoda could be awesome if he took the position of a Seeker.

If Onoda was with him on the same field during the game, Manami'd feel braver and stronger too — he understood this well and wanted to bring it to life.

And I'll be just like you, Jinpachi. They'll admire me too, forgetting who my father was or was not.

“Thanks for your support,” Manami thanked with a smile, glancing at Toudou, and the seller noisily placed a heavy stack of textbooks on the counter.

“Oh, and what are you going to do about it?” Toudou asked anxiously when he saw this disgrace. “It won't fit in your backpack — it's full already. Do you know what? I have an idea!”

Toudou smiled suddenly and then pulled out his wand again. He applied the Shrinking Charm to the books, then helped Manami put them in his backpack and said that by nightfall the charm would remove by itself — he'd just need to take everything out upon arrival otherwise the textbooks would simply tear the fabric.

Manami was very grateful. And for helping with the books, and for helping with buying the broom, and for a great day overall. It was nice to meet the guys from the Quidditch team, to see Shinkai's younger brother, and to taste delicious ice cream in the café after all. Mom bought him chocolate and strawberries ice cream and of course lamented for a long time that his broom was so expensive.

But Manami didn't think about the price. He thought that he'd win on this broomstick and that the most difficult thing remained — to wait for the trip to Hogwarts, where the Firebolt would make its first flight.

Chapter Text

It was hard to believe that this day had come. Manami got up at half-past six, and even if usually getting up so early only annoyed him, today it was different — after all, it was the day he returned to Hogwarts. He personally checked to make sure Mom didn't forget to put his broom in the car (the broom, to be honest, barely fit in the back of the cabin), had breakfast and returned to his room to say goodbye to his game consoles and his phone until Christmas. After the curfew in the castle, it was sometimes very boring without these gadgets, but, in addition to the minuses, there were still very big pluses such as broomstick flying and Quidditch.

Besides, this year everything will be different, Manami convinced himself, remembering his new Firebolt. If he passed the tryouts and won, the other guys in his House would probably start to treat him better. They might even want to make friends with him, and he'd certainly have something to do before going to bed in his dormitory.

Encouraging himself with these thoughts, Manami leaned out the open window and shouted to his mother, who was calling him, that he was already coming.

He closed the drawer, where he hid the phone and the charger, checked whether his wand was in place, then smiled contentedly and moved to the door.

He was expected by the same trip as last year: first in his mother's car to King's Cross Station in London, then a long trip in the Hogwarts Express, and then— It seemed the second through seventh year kids got to school in carriages, if he remembered correctly, though the best thing would be to go across the lake in boats again. When he overslept on the train last time and was late to go with the other first-years, he had to walk to the castle with Toudou and Makishima, and then he was sorted in the empty Great Hall. It was great of course, but he missed the surely awesome near-night ride across the lake and now he no longer had a chance to get through it. Unless he could mingle with the first-years crowd and sneak onto the boat.

Manami talked himself out of these rebellious thoughts when he climbed into the back seat of the car and tried to move the broom so that the handle wrapped in thick paper wouldn't place right in front of his face. In any case, he didn't want to feel like a first-year anymore, and he was really facing a new step on the long seven-year path. A new level. It was time to cast aside the past in order to move on with ease and confidence to the successes that awaited him if he tried hard.

I wonder whom I'll have to travel on the train with this time? Manami thought, looking out the window while his mother was driving and switching radio channels, seemingly trying to find something specific. It would be nice to meet Onoda on the platform nine and three-quarters, but he'd most likely go with his friends, Naruko and Imaizumi, and Manami wouldn't be able to join them. There was no point in even trying — he shouldn't have ruined the first day with conflict, and, thinking about it, Manami involuntarily became sad, realising that no matter how good he was in Quidditch, the Gryffindors were unlikely to love him. Apparently, he'd have to be content with the company of Onoda alone, but that was not bad compensation in principle.

Miyahara also remained his friend, even if she was in Ravenclaw, and Manami couldn't say that he was in dire need of additional connections. It would be nice to establish relations at least with fellow students from his House, and he could do without the rest.

His mother finally chose the channel which was now broadcasting upbeat popular music, but it didn't help much — not even half an hour had passed before Manami dozed off and then lay down on the seat with a specially left pillow under his head. He was always sleepy from boredom, and he couldn't resist. He even fell asleep in class, and Hogwarts was no exception. Because of this, he sometimes had to catch up with the curriculum with Miyahara's help, but it couldn't be said that studying in general was difficult. Manami did well on his exams at the end of the year, although he suspected that the lessons would be more difficult now.

When his mother woke him up, which finally meant that they had arrived at the station, Manami quickly perked up and, taking only his broom, began to urge his mother, who was rolling his case with the rest of his belongings. He was impatient to get to platform nine and three-quarters as quickly as possible and find some of his friends in the crowd among the students and people seeing them off. It would be great if he went with one of them.

And the closer the cherished barrier — enchanted entrance — was, the more often children or teenagers with the same heavy cases, cages with owls or packed brooms were on the way. Manami felt the familiar atmosphere, and then his spirits rose even higher when he and his mother found themselves on the platform from which the scarlet Hogwarts Express was leaving. This is where the Muggle side of London ended and the magic one began.

Together with his mother, Manami reached the luggage carriage in the train, constantly spinning and looking around, and left his case inside, not wanting to part with the broom. He was ready to carry the Firebolt with him everywhere because he had already managed to feel the warmest feelings for it even without ever flying — his mother just grinned, looking at him, ruffled his hair, and Manami finally saw at least someone he knew. It was Miyahara, in school uniform, who was also rolling her case to leave it in the luggage carriage.

“Sangaku!” she smiled when she noticed him, and Manami smiled happily back.

“I bet you have already read all the new textbooks,” he laughed and then quickly introduced his friend to his mother.

Unfortunately, it wasn't more than fifteen minutes before the train's departure, and his mother soon said goodbye and left. Manami already thought that he'd go to school with Miyahara again, but her intrusive friend from Ravenclaw, who clearly didn't want for Manami to be with them, appeared from somewhere.

He didn't have time to get upset because of this. He was distracted by a very familiar voice — it was Toudou, who asked the adult wizards to step aside and free his way. It was evident that he was in a hurry all the way to here, apparently thinking that he'd be late, and calmed down a little only when he took out his wand and quickly levitated his case into the luggage carriage.

Miyahara had already left with her friend by then, and Manami smiled contentedly, looking at agitated Toudou and still hugging his broom.

“Here you are, little one,” Toudou breathed wearily, straightening his hair and a small bag he had on his shoulder. “What are you doing here — the train's leaving soon!”

“There are still two minutes,” Manami replied, still smiling, and Toudou gasped loudly.

He practically grabbed Manami by the scruff of his neck, hastened to enter the nearest carriage and led the way.

“Where are we?” Manami asked, realising that Toudou had taken a specific course.

“Juichi and me and the others always take the same compartment,” Toudou replied, slowing down slightly as they nearly bumped into some confused first-years. “Apparently, you didn't even look for a place for yourself, did you?”

“Ah, yes...” Manami agreed. “My friend's friend is so evil.”

“You'll sit with us,” Toudou said, going out into the vestibule to go to the previous carriage. “We may be crowded, but it's still better than going with strangers.”

I'd like to be with Sakamichi, Manami said almost aloud, looking down, but Toudou and the guys were also great company. But he had already seen most of them not so long ago, and he hadn't met with Onoda since June, and to be honest Manami had missed him a lot in the past few days, tormented by thoughts, questions why Onoda didn't write him at all, and was afraid to write himself, although this had never been a problem before.

But Onoda wasn't tired of him, was he?

Manami didn't have time to start thinking about it again, because Toudou stopped abruptly, apparently almost getting past the necessary door, and Manami crashed into his back, hitting his nose painfully. The train had already started by then, which meant that they had already begun to approach the magic school.

“Aha!” Toudou exclaimed when he opened the compartment door, and pointed a finger at Arakita immediately. “I saw your bottle of Butterbeer, you asshole! Have you already arranged a party? If you get us problems, I'll give you a sweet life!”

Manami rubbed his aching nose with his palm and peered curiously over Toudou's shoulder. The compartment was almost fully occupied. Fukutomi was sitting by the window with his usual impenetrable look; next to him was Shinkai eating sweets from a bag, and opposite — Arakita, unsuccessfully trying to hide the bottle under his robes. In addition, there were two large suitcases on the floor — there really wasn't much space.

“Hello,” Manami said to everyone, and as soon as he entered after Toudou, Shinkai threw him a large chocolate candy, which landed exactly in his outstretched palms.

“Damn, I was so hoping you wouldn't show up,” Arakita snapped displeasedly as Toudou sat down next to Arakita's open bag, which contained… uh, Beater's bats?

“No way!” Toudou snorted back, rising his chin proudly. “I was just a little late! I'd never miss a trip! And you, little one, go and sit here,” he said, waving Manami with his palm and moving closer to the window. “Move over with your junk.”

“Junk's in your head,” Arakita replied dryly, but still gave up some space.

Manami made his way with difficulty, landed on a very small part of the seat and stared in amazement at the contents of Arakita's bag.

“These are all Beater's bats? Why so much?” he asked.

“They break during practice,” Arakita said gloomily and took a long sip from the bottle.

“Wow,” Manami breathed out with a smile and put his broom on top of the guys' cases.

There were two more brooms here that seemed to belong to Shinkai and Fukutomi — the slightly tattered wrappers made it difficult to understand, but Manami felt proud that he now also had his own racing broom and could put it next to their brooms.

Turning to the side of Toudou, Manami tried to sit down more comfortably, but this only worked if he pressed close to him.

“How are your OWL results?” Fukutomi asked, making conversation.

“I've already mentioned mine in my letter,” Shinkai joined, throwing a caramel into his mouth, and Arakita snorted again, waving his hand towards Toudou.

“Some of the results were even reported to special persons in advance. How many points did you get in Transfiguration, Jinpachi?”

“Shut up!” Toudou blushed, pushing Manami, who was blocking the view, forcing him to cuddle up against the back of the seat. “You have to remind me of this, yes, you ass? I was told to retake, and I got the well-deserved sixty-three points!”

“Oh yeah?” Arakita drawled in a mocking tone, twirling his little finger in his ear. “Ogled the commission?”

“I hate you, asshole,” Toudou said irritably, folded his arms over his chest and turned to the window.

“I love you too, yeah,” Arakita replied, which made Manami laugh. He reached for Toudou and hugged him by the belt.

“You coped with the rest more or less, huh?” he asked.

“Of course,” Toudou muttered with a twitch of his shoulder.

“You're great, Jinpachi, really,” Manami said, trying to cheer him up.

“And I had seventy-five points for Transfiguration, although I screwed up with the practice,” Shinkai added with a chuckle, to which Toudou rolled his eyes in doom.

“Can we not talk about studying at least today? The first of September is kind of a holiday.”

Shinkai shrugged and, opening the door of the small cage next to him, put his hand inside to stroke Lucky.

“A holiday dedicated to knowledge, sort of,” Fukutomi smiled weakly.

Toudou didn't answer anymore and just pressed his forehead to the glass with a dejected look.

“About the holiday,” Arakita stretched and looked at Shinkai. “Did you steal Ogden's Old from your parents?”

“Firewhiskey?” Toudou groaned doomily. “You're kidding, right? If you dare to drink this stuff in our bedroom, I'll tell—”

“The prefect?” Arakita grinned and nodded towards Fukutomi, to which he smiled again.

“Oh, go to hell, guys,” Toudou gave up and turned back to the window.

He didn't participate in the conversation further even when the topic turned to Quidditch and the upcoming tryouts. Manami listened attentively, eagerly absorbing information, but after the Trolley witch knocked on their door and Shinkai bought more sweets, the conversation subsided for a while until Arakita and Toudou started arguing again.

As it turned out a little earlier, Toudou had a mirror with a beautiful silver frame in his bag. He took it out, began to examine himself, then took off the headband and brushed his hair to one side with his palm.

Manami watched him, and when he saw what Toudou was taking out of his bag after the mirror, he was surprised.

A hairspray. An ordinary hairspray from the supermarket, but seeing this in the hands pureblood wizard who didn't know a single Muggle sport was almost a shock.

Nevertheless, Toudou certainly knew how to use it. Confidently kept it at a distance from the head turning the correct way and then sprayed a stream over the bangs. A sharp characteristic smell immediately hit Manami's nose, and he wanted to sneeze.

He restrained himself, but Arakita sneezed instead. Loud and resonant.

“Fucking hell, Jinpachi!” he swore, crumpling the pages of the Daily Prophet in his fists. “Go and spray yourself with your shit somewhere outside the compartment!”

“Did you give it to him?” Manami asked, looking at Arakita. Naturally, this was the first thought that came to mind due to the origin of Arakita.

“Of course not!”

“Oh,” Manami was confused, realising late that it was probably Makishima.

"Of course not," Toudou replied, blushing weakly and lowering the mirror. “Such a hopeless case in terms of appearance has nothing to do with hair styling products. I'm pretty sure he doesn't even know that hairsprays have varying types of hold.”

“Pf, are you talking about me, or what?” Arakita snorted with a laugh. “Hairsprays and other stinking crap for fucking narcissists.”

“I take care of my appearance to an adequate extent!” Toudou was indignant. “There's nothing that would make it worth speaking in such a nasty tone as yours!”

“You have a nasty tone when you start yelling again.”

“Guys, stop arguing with each other,” Shinkai asked, laughing awkwardly. “It's only the first day, really.”

“I don't argue with him!” Toudou objected, offended. “He's the first to start every time!”

“Bullshit,” Arakita said irritably. “I won't say a word to you until the end of the trip.”

“Oh really?” Toudou exclaimed. “I'll let you sign my broomstick if such a miracle happens!”

“You're lying!” Arakita grinned.

“I can make an Unbreakable Vow!”

“Go ahead, do it!”

“What is it?” Manami asked curiously upon hearing the new word.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“An… Unbreakable Vow?"

“Ah,” Toudou waved his hand. “That's the way wizards make a promise that can't be broken. If you break it, you'll die.”

“Really?” Manami said in amazement and almost trembled. Was magic really capable of something amazing? Die because of a broken promise? That's crazy... “And what... it can be made so simply?” he asked cautiously, vaguely understanding why he wanted to know this.

“Well... not really,” Toudou replied thoughtfully. “The one who makes such a vow must be sure of his decision; it's a very serious thing, and in order to make it, a third person must be their Bonder.”

“How is it done?” Manami asked, feeling even more curious.

“Well, look,” Toudou continued, turning to him harder. “You have to hold hands, like this—”

He took Manami's right hand, placed his palm on his right wrist, forcing him to squeeze his fingers, and did the same with his own hand.

“Then the words of the vow are pronounced, and the third person — as a witness — with the help of his wand turns this vow into an unbreakable one. And then you won't get away. If you have promised something, you'll have to fulfill at any cost. Unless of course you want to die.”

“I see,” Manami nodded in amazement, and Toudou released his hand, making himself more comfortable again. “So even I can make such a vow with someone?”

“You can; why not?” Toudou shrugged. “But now there's hardly a single madman who'd be your Bonder — you're too young, so why do you need an unbreakable promise?”

“Just like that,” Manami frowned, lowering his head. “Sounds great. Like it's the most serious thing in the world.”

“One of the most,” Toudou agreed. “But don’t try to do it with someone, promise me,” he added sternly, snapping his fingers on Manami's nose, and Manami grabbed it for the second time in a day, almost groaning.

“Okay,” he muttered softly and only now noticed that thanks to his question Toudou and Arakita at least stopped arguing.

They seemed to be offended at each other, so they stopped talking altogether, and in the quieted compartment Manami soon began to feel sleepy. At first, he tried to follow the text in the book that Toudou was reading, but then his eyes began to close by themselves, and this didn't escape the attention of others.

“Hey, if you want some sleep, you can go to the next compartment,” Toudou suggested, propping Manami's shoulder with his arm as Manami nearly fell to the side. “I saw Yukinari and Toichiro there. But they can sit in the same seat.”

“It's all right,” Manami shook his head, trying to look awake.

He tried to sit upright again, but the sleep seemed to be much stronger.

“I'm uncomfortable,” Arakita's voice pulled him out of his half-asleep the next time, and Manami realised that he hadn't noticed the crown of his head resting on his shoulder. And when did that happen?

His neck hurt after he straightened, and Toudou pushed him out of the compartment, forcing him to go to the next one.

Manami pouted offendedly but didn't argue — he really wanted to sleep, and he'd give a lot for a free seat at least for a couple of hours.

As the door of another compartment slowly closed behind him, he raised a hand to rub his eyes and didn't immediately notice the two attentive gazes directed at him.

“Who do we have here? Kid,” a familiar voice said as if mocking, and Manami frowned involuntarily, looking at Kuroda, who was sitting by the window with an important look.

His hands were folded across his chest, the issue of the Daily Prophet (the same as Arakita's) lay on his knees. Izumida sat across from him, elbows on his knees, gripping in his left hand some strange device that seemed to serve for some kind of drill because the muscles in his hand with rolled-up sleeve tensed and then relaxed as he unclenched his fingers.

“Stop calling me that,” Manami said, addressing Kuroda and trying to put the utmost severity in his voice. “You're not much older, and I'm twelve already! Do you know what that means?” Manami grinned, stretching out his hand and pointing a finger at Kuroda. “We'll fight in Quidditch.”

Realising that he was using Toudou's gesture, Manami uncomfortably lowered his hand and then looked back at Kuroda, who seemed to barely restrain himself from laughing.

“Oh really? I'm looking forward to,” Kuroda replied. “Do you think your cool broom will help you?”

Manami bit his lip, wondering who had told Kuroda about his Firebolt — only Arakita could. Well, okay. It wasn't just the broomstick anyway.

“I'd have overtaken you even on an old broom from the storage room,” Manami said, smiling, and Kuroda smiled back at him.

“Hello, Sangaku. I'm actually here too,” Izumida waved his free hand, distracting attention to himself. “Or maybe I should go out and leave you alone until you figure out who's better?”

“Sorry, hi,” Manami said apologetically and laughed awkwardly. “How are you?”

“Fine. I made up a new individual training program.”

“You'll be a great Chaser, right?”

“We'll see,” Izumida smiled a little in response.

“Why did you come at all?” Kuroda spoke again, and Manami remembered sharply.

“Oh. I came here to sleep,” he said honestly, to which Izumida first raised an eyebrow, but then he still vacated the seat and moved to Kuroda.

“Thank you very much,” Manami said happily and gladly fell down on a soft horizontal surface.

It would be nice to have a pillow, and, as if by order, Kuroda stirred and then threw his robe at Manami. It fell right on his face. Manami discontentedly moved it from his face to under his head, grunted another quiet 'thank you', closed his eyes and finally felt really good.

He blacked out quickly, plunged into a deep sleep under the lulling sound of the train wheels, and didn't want to wake up at all when, after a few hours, he felt someone trying to shake him by the leg.

“Guys, I'm serious, wake up,” a voice came as if through the fog. “We'll arrive in ten minutes, and you still need to change.”

Manami barely opened his eyes and saw Izumida sitting on a case near the door. What? Why there?

Not understanding anything, Manami got up, yawned widely, and only then he noticed that Kuroda had also fallen asleep in the opposite seat. He was lying in a funny position: On his side, pulling his knees up to him and almost burying his head in them. Maybe he was cold, Manami thought, after which he suddenly came to his senses and realised that he really should change his clothes.

“Wow! I have to hurry, thanks!” he said, jumped up, and went around Izumida to open the door.

He had to hurry back to the luggage carriage to find among other people's suitcases and bags his own and pull out his school robes. Manami pulled off his hoodie, straightened his rumpled shirt, put on his robe, and, almost forgetting his tie, walked back.

He was tying his tie on the move and made it apparently just disgusting because when Toudou saw him again, he widened his eye and clutched his heart. He took a comb out of his bag, brushed Manami's hair forcibly even if Manami tried to resist, and then tied his tie again. Shinkai and Arakita didn't even bother to hide their giggles caused by this situation, and Manami was feeling extremely uncomfortable when the train stopped and everyone could get out on the platform.

He walked with his head down and still blushing but quickly forgot about everything in the world and perked up when he heard Naruko's loud voice in the crowd.

And since Naruko was somewhere nearby, there must be—

Sakamichi, Manami said to himself with a sinking heart, successfully falling behind Toudou and his company.

A couple of elder students practically shoved him out because he was getting in the way, but Manami could hardly notice anything other than his goal now. He sidestepped several passing guys, managed to get close to Onoda from the back, and tug on his wrist.

Onoda almost fell, stopping abruptly, but when he turned around and saw who had worried him, he quickly smiled, beaming with joy.

“Sangaku,” he breathed, blinking in amazement as if he hadn't expected to meet Manami here at all.

“Sakamichi,” Manami smiled in response, barely restraining his desire to grab Onoda right now and hug him to death, showing how he missed him. “Finally I found you. I missed you so much— I—”

But before he could finish his thought, Naruko's loud voice was heard again nearby.

“Come on, Sakamichi! If we don't hurry up, all the cool seats will be taken!”

“Oh,” Onoda became slightly sad, turning towards Naruko, who was standing next to Imaizumi and actively waving his hand. As if he, Manami, wasn't here at all and Onoda was talking to a wall.

Pursing his lips, Manami forced himself not to say anything in response, but then Onoda smiled guiltily at him and apologised.

“Sorry. I have to go. See you, okay?”

“Okay,” Manami replied quietly, involuntarily noticing that they were the last, having fallen behind the main crowd of students.

Onoda quickly turned around and hurried to catch up with his friends. Manami looked after them, feeling even worse, watched as Naruko throws his hand around Onoda's neck friendly as if he were a dog that could accidentally run away from its owner.

This ruined his mood completely, and then Manami suddenly remembered that he had to find the guys from the Quidditch team. When he returned, Toudou scolded him, thinking that Manami had decided to get lost again and then go to school on foot. But nevertheless, he managed to sit with the guys in the same carriage, which set off, causing confusion, because Manami saw no horses or something like that. Maybe they were moving with magic?

“The carriages are carrying by Thestrals,” Toudou, who was sitting next to him, said when he noticed Manami's confusion. “I've read that they look like horses, although less... attractive-looking.”

“Do they?” Manami asked, confused. “I haven't seen anyone.”

“And it's good. They can only be seen by those who've seen death. Who've seen and realised,” Toudou explained quietly, and Manami lowered his head.

“I see,” he replied, thinking that the world of magic continued to amaze him. He learned about the Unbreakable Vow today, about the Thestrals, and about the fact that Onoda seemed to prefer... his friends to him?

“What's up? Is something wrong?” Toudou asked worriedly, and Manami came to his senses sharply, glancing at the Slytherins who were sitting in the row opposite.

Yes, there were only Slytherins here, and Toudou also hardly had the opportunity to be with Makishima right now just because they were from different Houses.

Maybe... even Makishima, just like Onoda, had someone more important? Some friends from Gryffindor.

Nevertheless, Toudou didn't get discouraged or upset about it. So maybe Manami shouldn't have let up too? In any case, he could meet with Onoda later, when Naruko and Imaizumi were gone, and also... they'd play Quidditch together if everything worked out. Wasn't that wonderful?

Smiling weakly at his thoughts, Manami shook his head and replied, “It's okay. I just want to get to the castle faster. And I got hungry.”

“We'll have to wait until the annual Sorting ceremony is over,” Toudou smiled, stroking Manami's hair reassuringly, and Manami nodded again.

It seemed he didn't want to eat — most likely his appetite had been ruined by the recent incident, but by the time the trip was over and he walked into the entrance hall with the other students, he could admit that he'd like to taste the awesome Hogwarts meal right now.

However, he really had to wait with that. At first, according to tradition, the Sorting ceremony was carried out, and it dragged on. It was boring; Manami clapped lazily when another newcomer joined his House, but after the Headmaster's speech, he was able to move closer to Toudou and have a hearty dinner.

It was great to be back in the Great Hall. Manami began to feel as if he hadn't gone anywhere, and the habit of trying to see Onoda's back at the Gryffindor table quickly turned on again, making him feel pleasant memories.

The Slytherin common room hasn't changed in the least, like everything else. It was a little chilly here, but before the students arrived, the house-elves had lit the fireplace, in which logs were now crackling faintly, filling the atmosphere with comfort.

Manami first went to his dormitory. The sign above the entrance had changed and now said that second-year boys lived here. He walked over to the familiar far bed, next to which his luggage was waiting, and unpacked the package of his broomstick, feeling increasing excitement and delight. The handle under the palm was pleasantly smooth and seemed to be calling out to him, asking him to try. Manami really wanted to fly on the Firebolt right now, but after the curfew it was impossible to leave the common room, let alone to go outside, so he sadly put the broom against the wall, admitting that it would hardly be possible to escape from the common room unnoticed: Most likely, the guys would be there till midnight before they left for their bedrooms.

So far, he could occupy himself with other things. He could take off his robe and annoying tie and go find Toudou again. Manami didn't want to be too pushy, but he thought the guys from the Quidditch team wouldn't refuse his company — after all, it was a holiday today.

The common room was very noisy, but not a single right person he saw. He looked around for a little more, then returned to the stairs and noticed Kuroda walking to the dormitory of sixth-years. Following him, Manami found himself in the room where Arakita and Shinkai were laughing loudly at something; Fukutomi was busy with his luggage, and Toudou was lamenting in front of a large mirror placed on the table. He seemed to have done something with his hair: Apparently, he overdid it with hairspray or hairgel, and now he couldn't comb the strands.

“Stop, stop!” Manami ran up to him and stopping him by grabbing his wrist. “You'll ruin your hair, so put the comb away and wash it.”

“Oh,” Toudou blinked in surprise, looking at him. “Will it help?”

“Of course. I didn't come up with it myself — my mother used to do that,” Manami answered and sighed with relief when Toudou listened to him and, grabbing a towel, went to the bathroom.

Makishima should have taught him better, Manami thought wearily and turned his attention to the other guys: Shinkai was now talking to Izumida, who was also here, and Arakita, throwing his hand around Kuroda's neck, seemed to persuade him to try hard liquor.

Toudou'd make a scandal when he came back and saw it, Manami imagined in his thoughts, after which he sat down on the bed with a purple blanket sparkling like the night sky and looked at the broom against the wall. It was the same one that Toudou bought in Diagon Alley when they met there in August. Has he tried it already? Was it fast?

Would he and Manami be flying on their brooms together on the Quidditch pitch when the Slytherin match begins?

Biting his lip, Manami glanced towards Arakita and Kuroda, who were now half-sitting on the table and leafing through a magazine. He had a serious rival.

Kuroda was older; he knew about magic since childhood and most likely learned to fly a long time ago, unlike Manami. In fact, Manami didn't have many chances even if he tried to behave confidently, tried to show that he wasn't afraid, that he'd win anyway and pass the tryouts.

In reality, all this feigned awesomeness was coming apart at the seams. And the more Manami thought about it, the better he realised that he might not be able to handle it. He needed something... to make him stronger. Motivation... Onoda...

Onoda. Not just fantasies about what they'd play but a belief in this fact. It was impossible to delay any longer. It was necessary to talk to him as soon as possible, to convince— But how? God, he didn't even have any ideas yet.

These thoughts haunted him until the end of the evening and almost all night. Even when Shinkai and Arakita did open a bottle of whiskey and took test sips. Even when Toudou came back from the bathroom wearing a ridiculous fancy dressing gown and a towel on his head.

Falling asleep in his bed after 1 am, Manami was still trying to come up with some kind of plan, but there were no ideas. He woke up early, long before breakfast, and, as he thought at first, because of his stressed state, but after turning a little in bed, he realised that he was feeling something else.

Some kind of vague but undoubtedly pleasant anticipation. Almost thrill and excitement.

Sitting on the bed and dangling his legs to the floor, Manami pressed his palm to his chest, feeling his heart beat faster under his ribs, and thought that this happens because of Onoda. As if for no reason but because of Onoda, because Onoda—

Glancing at his broom, still standing against the wall, Manami closed his eyes and new feelings flooded him. Suddenly he felt an urgent need to break free, to escape from here. Out into the warm morning air.

His desire to see Onoda became many times stronger than it was last night, and Manami couldn't resist. He walked to the bathroom, confident that they'd definitely meet soon — all he had to do was just help it along.

He had to go back to the dormitory very quietly to change and grab the broom: Manami didn't want anyone to notice him. To be honest, he didn't even know if he could leave the castle so early, but his intuition rang too insistently, and he couldn't ignore it.

But fortunately, he managed to leave the common room without unnecessary problems and questions. As soon as he was in the corridor of the underground floor, he just ran, intending to leave the castle through the broomstick room on the ground floor — at the end of the evening Toudou said that for the first two days it wouldn't be closed at all so that the students could leave their broomsticks, and then Mr. Kanzaki supposed to give out the permanent key to all broomstick owners.

It was beautiful weather outside when Manami was finally outside. Windless, warm, and the sun was just about to rise. Manami took a deep breath and threw his leg over the Firebolt, feeling his own shiver before truly the first flight.

Having prepared and smiling, he smoothly kicked off the ground, but the acceleration was still too sharp. He almost fell, almost crashed into the wall but still, by some miracle, managed to get past the arch, flying over it, and then rested his feet on a special device behind.

Slowing down, Manami circled the entire first-years' flying practice pitch and realised that despite all his fears, his new broom was amazing, and he didn't care that the handle was longer than it needed for his height. This didn't stop Manami from getting used to it; he rose higher happily and headed towards the Quidditch field, which he had also missed over the summer.

When he saw the majestically towering rows of stands ahead him, Manami tried to imagine again what it would be like to play on this field together with the guys, how great it must be— He wanted right now—

Accelerating again to circle the entire perimeter outside the stands, he enjoyed the flight, but then he noticed the buildings of the changing rooms for the teams and the very room where Mr. Kanzaki kept Quidditch supplies, spare brooms and other necessary items.

Would Onoda really come? And did he wake up at all?

Still feeling confident about this, Manami slowed down and went down to the coveted room. There were Quidditch balls, and there was the Snitch, an excited thought appeared in his mind, making him fantasise about what it would be like to chase after it instead of transfigured birds. The motivation to catch the golden ball was many times stronger, and Manami really wanted to try it even if last year he'd heard more than once how strictly Mr. Kanzaki spoke about the ban on taking school equipment for Quidditch without his permission. The Snitch was also a very expensive and rare thing — you couldn't lose it accidentally.

But even in spite of the fear, Manami still couldn't stand it. His hands were trembling, but he pulled out his wand and pointed with the tip to the heavy lock that hung on the door.

“Alohomora,” he said mentally, hoping to break it, but it didn't work the first time, apparently because of excitement.

He had to read it aloud, and when the lock nevertheless clicked and opened with a quiet creak, all fear was like blown away by the wind. Manami was delighted, opened the door, and stepped inside with his broom.

It was gloomy and dusty in the room — the light that barely penetrated through the narrow windows illuminated almost nothing, but a box with Quidditch balls bouncing in place and making noise quickly caught his eye, and Manami, squatting in front of it, carefully grabbed the lock and opened the lid, hoping not to disturb the thin layer of dust on it or leave his traces.

The Bludgers as usual raged, trying to break out, but they were of not interest now. Much more important was the separate attached Snitch, which was still at rest. Manami took it with a sinking heart, gently touching it for the first time, and the warm feeling in his chest grew even stronger.

The golden surface under the fingers was smooth, cool, with wavy carvings, and the silver wings showed out for a few seconds, waved lazily, and hid again.

Smiling, Manami tucked the Snitch into his trousers pocket and then hurried back to the exit to sit on the Firebolt again and soar into the sky.

Now he felt more freely than ever, free to do whatever he wanted — he could even arrange for himself an unofficial match on the field, using his imagination, and when he flew between the stands to get into their ring, he really thought that he heard a noise and shouts of fans. As if they were greeting him and waiting for an amazing game.

But of course there was no one here. The sun had just begun to appear from behind the line of the forest in the distance, and a calm and serene atmosphere reigned around. It seemed that the Quidditch field had never been so quiet and unfamiliar.

Manami pointed the broom down to one of the goal posts, landed on the soft grass, placed the broom nearby, and looked around again, evaluating the view from a different angle. Yes, he really missed it, now trying to think of himself as a real player who came out on the field to fight with all his might.

But the battle needed a rival, right?

The best and most coveted rival, like Toudou's, Manami thought to himself, closing his eyes and breathing in.

Where are you? I'm waiting for you.

And, feeling another wave, Manami opened his eyes sharply and looked up. A small, distant figure on a broomstick appeared between the stands, heading this way.

To him.

Almost shivering, Manami smiled again and almost laughed.

You couldn't disappoint me, could you?

Sakamichi.

To understand that it was him, no additional confirmation was needed. Apparently noticing him, he approached, descended. Manami raised his hands when there were only a few seconds left before the collision, and Onoda, braking with difficulty, flew into him. Into his arms, almost dropping him on the grass.

Yes, the landings definitely needed more practice, Manami thought with a chuckle and then squeezed his hands tighter for a second, feeling how much he missed those hugs.

“Oh, I'm sorry, are you okay?” Onoda asked excitedly, trying to move away.

Manami reluctantly let go but held him by his shoulders, carefully helping to regain balance.

“Yes of course. And you? Did you hurt yourself?”

“No,” Onoda smiled, shaking his head. “But how— I mean why you're here? At this hour. I didn't think I'd meet anyone here.”

“Because you wanted to see me,” Manami replied, which made Onoda blink in surprise. “Is not it so?”

Because I wanted to see you too.

“Well... yes,” Onoda said in confusion. “But I didn't tell you about it?”

“Of course not,” Manami laughed. “I felt.”

Nevertheless, Onoda still seemed dumbfounded, and Manami had to explain.

“I've told you that sometimes I can know some things in advance. I've had this since childhood, and with age it seems it only gets stronger — now it's easier for me to understand premonitions.”

“Wow,” Onoda breathed out in shock, seeming to digest it. “Yes, I just don't— Sorry, it just slipped my mind — you already told me about something like this last winter, but I didn't think...”

“That it's so cool?” Manami laughed in awkwardness again, and Onoda nodded with a smile. “Yes, there's a bit. You know, I woke up so early and couldn't sleep, so I figured it would be nice to fly before breakfast, while it's still quiet. It seemed to me that I'd definitely meet you if I did this, and then I was drawn here, to the Quidditch field. At a time like this, there's such a special atmosphere. I'd never experienced anything like it.”

Onoda repeated his gesture and also looked up at the stands. From here, they seemed even larger and higher, crushing with their power and expectation, but Manami didn't give in and felt only an intensified desire to take off, to fight for the Snitch.

“You're so amazing...” Onoda said quietly. “Not everyone can do this, right? And... were there still such amazing premonitions that came true?”

“Well,” Manami mused. To be honest, there was only one awkward situation that came to his mind. “I predicted twenty-six points for Transfiguration for Toudou.”

“What?” Onoda asked, sharply turning in his direction, and immediately laughed. “How?”

“I dreamed it,” Manami smiled again. “The day before his exam. I told him about it, I thought maybe it would somehow save the situation, but Toudou didn't listen to me, and when my words were confirmed, he got angry and swore. As if I could jinx him. But he's in fact really not very good at Transfiguration. At many subjects. Although he's good at Potions and a great Quidditch player — that's not to be taken away, yes.”

“Really?” Onoda was surprised. “The guys in the common room talked about the exam results yesterday — Makishima passed everything just fine. He seems to be even the best in his class, albeit a Muggleborn. He didn't know the basics of magic before Hogwarts, right? As we are?”

“I can say the same about my friend from Ravenclaw,” Manami nodded, remembering Miyahara, who was second among the first-years in exams. The only one who could beat her was Imaizumi. “She's from a Muggle family, but she has very high scores on all exams. She can even compete with smart children from pureblood families. It's funny, isn't it?”

“Yes, exactly,” Onoda agreed. “Hogwarts is full of amazing people of all backgrounds.”

“Do you want to fly a little? Till breakfast,” Manami asked, suddenly remembering the Snitch in his pocket.

Onoda immediately perked up and nodded cheerfully.

“Yes of course!” he answered and rushed to the goal posts, where his broom had fallen.

Picking it up, he quickly sat down on it and awkwardly rose into the air. Manami, watching him with a smile, did the same, and soon they were opposite each other again but hovering above the ground.

This feeling was indescribable. And how much Manami missed it too.

“Stop!” Onoda exclaimed suddenly, eyes widening. “You have a different broom! It's new, right? Did you buy yourself a broom?”

“Yeah,” Manami nodded contentedly, focusing for a second on the secure wooden handle under his fingers. “Mom did buy me a broom before the start of the term. That's Firebolt. Toudou and I chose together. I just got a chance to try it out a little today — the acceleration's crazy.”

At the last phrase, he laughed, and delight flashed in Onoda's eyes.

“Naruko also brought the Firebolt with him. And Imaizumi bought the Nimbus 2001; it's an old model for our time, but he tried to convince Naruko that it was perfect for playing in his position.”

It's clear, Manami thought to himself. So Naruko and Imaizumi were going to play Quidditch. Have they convinced Onoda to follow them yet?

“They say,” Manami began with a sly smile, “that Mr. Kanzaki has a few racing brooms in stock in case someone wants to try their hand at Quidditch.”

“Do you want to lure me into Quidditch?” Onoda was surprised.

Manami bit his lip, realising that his assumption was apparently wrong. Maybe Onoda's friends called him, but he must have refused—

“You know, at the end of the summer I didn't write to you at all. What did you do?” Manami asked, changing the subject quickly.

Onoda seemed puzzled but answered the question anyway.

“Well, nothing special. I went to Diagon Alley to buy things for the school. I tried reading my textbooks and repeating the old stuff... not very successfully, really— What did you do?”

Manami smiled slyly again.

“I thought about you. I thought every day. Therefore, I didn't write.”

And I missed you madly.

“Is that why you didn't write?” Onoda blinked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Manami nodded. “I knew that if I contacted you, I'd definitely snap and come. But my mom was already angry with me — I had to behave so that she wouldn't change her mind and she give money for a broom.”

“Oh,” Onoda was puzzled. “Well… I'm glad you did get your Firebolt.”

“It's not because I wanted the broom more than you,” Manami replied. “Because I wanted to play Quidditch with you on that broomstick.”

Onoda blinked again in confusion and began to stammer, “What? With me? But I—”

Thinking it was time to move on to heavy artillery, Manami relaxed the fingers of his left hand to run it into his trouser pocket and feel for the golden ball.

“You like it, am I right?” he asked, taking out the Snitch and turning his hand. The ball spread its silver wings again and waved them lazily in the air. “Interesting little thing?”

“What?” Onoda was finally taken aback. “Is that the real Snitch? But where— You didn't buy it, did you?”

“Nope,” Manami smiled. “Took it from school inventory.”

“Are you crazy? You can't take it without permission,” Onoda said excitedly. “It's a very expensive thing. We'll be in terrible troubles from Mr. Kanzaki if we lose it. He'll take a hundred points from our Houses, if not more.”

“But now, isn't everything all right?” Manami asked. “Do you want to hold it too? To feel in your hand—”

Onoda almost fell for it. He almost pulled his hand off the broom to reach for Manami, but for some reason he changed his mind.

“Let's just put it back in place until—”

But he didn't have time to finish. Manami unclenched his fingers without warning, and the Snitch, frozen in the air for just a couple of seconds, suddenly broke into an unknown direction.

“We'll return it when we catch it,” Manami said, and Onoda opened his eyes in horror.

“Are you crazy?” he exclaimed and quickly dashed after the Snitch.

Manami just laughed as he sent his broomstick in pursuit.

For some time Onoda confidently flew after the still not accelerating Snitch, but then the golden ball apparently slipped away — Manami himself didn't notice how it happened. He slowed down next to stopped Onoda, and he, sitting on the broom, turning his head in confusion.

“I don't see it.”

Manami also quickly looked around and accidentally noticed a faint reflection of the sun from the golden surface nearby the far stand.

“Over there!” he said, pointing with his finger. “Wow, how fast!”

Yes, it was not at all like chasing a transfigured bird. The real Snitch really amazed with its speed.

“Let's catch it,” Manami suggested, and Onoda seemed to think for a second and then nodded.

“We have no choice.”

Smiling triumphantly, Manami glanced ahead again, and they both rushed in pursuit of the agile golden ball. But the Firebolt of course accelerated much faster than the old broom on which Onoda flew. Manami slowed down several times to wait for him and almost level off again, but he quickly realised that they wouldn't catch the Snitch at this rate. It needed the power of a decent racing broom. Like his one, for example. The first-years' school broomsticks were slow, specifically to reduce the risk of injury. And of course they weren't good for Quidditch.

There was hardly another choice if Manami wanted them to chase the Snitch together — he had to get close to Onoda from the side and then hug him behind his back with an arm.

Now, maybe it would work, Manami thought and accelerated gradually, continuing to hold.

Soon they gained good speed even if it was a little hard in this position — to hold the handle with one hand, to pull Onoda with him with the other. Nevertheless, a couple of times they did manage to get close to the Snitch, but it still abruptly changed direction, escaped, and it was very inconvenient to turn around after it. Manami quickly got tired, realising that he wouldn't last long — the hand which he held Onoda with began to ache and tremble.

“Let me go and catch it!” after the next turn, Onoda asked, but Manami only laughed at this.

“No. We'll catch up with it together.”

Fortunately, Onoda didn't argue — just tried to match Manami's movements as he turned again, and it helped a little. They were able to catch up with the Snitch again, but this time with more confidence in the pursuit. The golden ball was getting closer. A few more seconds — and it was already hovering right over the tip of the broom. All they had to do was reach out and—

But Manami realised he couldn't. He had to choose again — this time either to let Onoda go now, letting him fall behind, and catch the Snitch, or—

“If I let go of the handle, I'll lose control,” Manami said as Onoda glanced quickly at him.

Nodding in understanding, Onoda extended his right arm forward, almost reaching...

“More,” he asked, and Manami, gritting his teeth, practically pressed his chest against the broom.

The left hand barely obeyed him. He realised that he was about to let Onoda go against his will, but luckily, Onoda grabbed the Snitch before this happened.

“Here it is!” Manami thought with delight, but he saw where they were flying too late.

They flew straight to the benches of one of the stands.

He barely had time to figure out what was happening. His broom, it seemed, tried to slow down by itself but still couldn't get away from the blow. Together with Onoda, he crashed into something, after which everything became jumbled before his eyes, and Manami fell on a hard bench with his back, turning over in the air and banging painfully.

Fearfully, he opened his eyes, squinting against the bright morning sun, and saw an endless blue sky in front of him.

Endless— Like the feeling that was spreading in his chest, trying to fill everything with itself, go beyond the edges.

Onoda's quiet voice from somewhere above brought him to his senses. It looked like he also hurt himself hard, and Manami, feeling dizzy, asked, “Are you alive?”

“It seems like yes,” Onoda responded, standing up, and Manami could see his head. “Don't do that anymore, okay?” Onoda asked, demonstrating the Snitch in his hand.

“But you liked it?” Manami laughed, feeling infinite happiness.

“I liked it, but that doesn't mean—” Onoda sighed wearily, and Manami hastened to interrupt him before the moment was missed.

“Let's play this year in a real match,” he suggested, which made Onoda confused again.

“What?”

“I want to fight you for the Snitch. In a real game,” Manami said stubbornly, not wanting to accept rejection. No, he just couldn't. Not now, when he could experience such delight and shock.

Onoda paused, looking at the Snitch in his hand and biting his lip. He seemed to be in deep thought, and Manami mentally began to pray.

“I don't know— But I can try to pass the tryouts. Probably it won't work, but—” Onoda tried to say, and Manami abruptly pushed off, taking a sitting position and turning towards him.

Stretching forward his right hand, which hurt at least less than the left one and almost didn't tremble, Manami waited, and Onoda gave him his right hand, shifting the Snitch to his other hand. Manami reached even closer to grab his wrist, squeezing the fabric of his sweater, and Onoda did the same in surprise, squeezing his wrist in response.

“What are you doing?”

“Do you promise?” Manami asked in awe. “That we'll play this year. We'll definitely play together... Do you promise?”

Onoda just blinked, without taking his eyes off, and Manami squeezed his fingers tighter, whispering to himself, like the text of an incantation, please say yes, I need this, I can't cope without you.

Only with you will I gain strength, only with you will all this gain full meaning.

And Onoda... agreed.

“I promise,” he said quietly in an almost doomed tone, and Manami couldn't help but smile. Relief flooded him headlong. “Sangaku...” Onoda called. “Why are you holding me... like that?”

Manami suddenly came to his senses, realised his actions fully and, unable to bear it, laughed.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” he said, letting go. “It's just funny. It's like we're making an Unbreakable Vow.”

“An Unbreakable Vow?” Onoda asked, puzzled.

“Haven't you heard about it?” Manami smiled. “An Unbreakable Vow's a promise sealed by magic. It can't be broken. If you break it, you'll die.”

“Die?” Onoda squeaked.

“Don't worry,” Manami hastened to calm him down. “It takes a third person to do that — that's what Toudou told me.”

“It's good,” Onoda sighed. “It would be a shame to die because you can't play Quidditch.”

“But what a great motivation, right?”

“Yeah.”

Rising awkwardly to his feet, Manami tried to listen to the sensations — there didn't seem to be anything broken in the fall. Reaching out to the side of his broomstick, he waited for it to up into his palm and took the watch from his back pocket. The round screen was already starting to turn pink.

“It looks like breakfast's about to start,” he said. “You should hurry and get back to school.”

“And you?” Onoda asked in surprise, reaching for his broom.

“I'll put it back in place,” Manami replied, taking the Snitch and putting it back in his pocket. “You hit your shoulder, didn't you? Go to the infirmary if it hurts, okay?”

“Okay,” Onoda nodded in confusion, hurrying to his feet.

Manami sat down on his broom and was already in the air.

“See you,” he said at last, before heading to the opposite side of the field.

It was necessary to put the Snitch in place and cover their tracks, and how lucky they were that they managed to catch it in time.

It was delicious, Manami thought to himself, smiling and ignoring the pain in his arms. He didn't even fully believe that everything worked out, but nevertheless Onoda promised him, which meant that now he was also sufficiently motivated.

Trying not to jump for joy, Manami walked into the Quidditch supplies room again, opened the ball box again to put the Snitch where it was taken from. The golden ball, as Manami saw to his surprise, for some reason opened. (He knew how to open up? Why?) This could be a problem. Manami didn't know what to do to make the Snitch return the same, but the Snitch closed on its own after a few more seconds.

Reassured, Manami smiled, squeezed the Snitch in his fingers as if it were goodbye, put it in place and secured it.

When everything was ready, he took out his wand and used the Levitation Charm to spread the dust evenly on the floor, hiding the marks left by his shoes. He hung the lock back on the door, snapped it shut and decided it was okay now. Perhaps Mr. Kanzaki wouldn't notice the intrusion.

Manami returned back to the castle reluctantly. He wanted to fly again, taking advantage of such excellent weather even if his arms were sore. However, no one canceled his studies — he had to eat breakfast and go to the first lesson, where he, as he suspected, would still most likely fall asleep due to a lack of sleep at night.

He was late for a short while when he entered the Great Hall, where the students were talking lively and owls were carrying morning mail — magazines or newspapers.

Finding Toudou, Manami sat down in the seat carefully left next to him and after saying good morning began to eat.

He probably smiled like crazy, but he couldn't help himself, and Toudou naturally noticed it. He was curious, “Why are you so pleased? Did something good happen?”

“I flew on my Firebolt,” Manami said after chewing porridge.

“Oh, already,” Toudou said in surprise. “You were really looking forward to it, weren't you? So how?”

“Just awesome. The acceleration is pure madness,” Manami laughed, almost choking on the next spoonful of porridge. “And I met Sakamichi by chance. He promised me that he'd pass the Quidditch tryouts too, can you imagine?” Manami continued, barely noticing how Toudou's expression changed to discouraged. “It will be cool if both of us can get into the team!”

“That weak guy?” Toudou asked, wincing slightly. “I'm sorry, but not in this life. Or not this year, at least. Gryffindor has great guys who are also aiming for the team. They're older and more experienced.”

“But Sakamichi flies great,” Manami objected almost desperately. “I'm sure—”

“It's not just flight that matters in Quidditch,” Toudou said sternly, pushing a goblet of pumpkin juice toward Manami. “Soon you'll see that for yourself because—”

“Official practice starts tomorrow,” Fukutomi's voice came from behind, and Manami turned around. “Everyone who wants to pass the tryouts must show up. That's your lesson schedule,” Fukutomi added, handing Manami the folded parchment. “It's also on the noticeboard in the common room, but you don't read it, do you?”

“Yes, I'm sorry, I'll try to improve,” Manami laughed awkwardly, gratefully taking the schedule gratefully.

“Good luck,” Fukutomi said before leaving, and Toudou sighed and propped his cheek on his hand.

“What?” Manami asked displeasedly.

“I started to worry about you, that what's going on,” Toudou replied. “Maybe I was in a hurry to promise you that everything will go well? Our practice is difficult, you saw it yourself.”

“Yes, but I can do it,” Manami said, actually feeling confident. After what happened today, he definitely had to overcome everything.

Toudou said nothing more, although his gaze was still fixed. Manami continued breakfast, hardly afraid of anything — he was going to challenge anything if it prevented him and Onoda from meeting officially on the field this year.

Chapter Text

The first problem made itself felt the next morning — Manami woke up, and, while brushing his teeth in the bathroom, he realised that his hands hurt even more than yesterday. Especially the left one, which was needed most of all, and this of course was completely out of place now. He was so stupid when he put himself through such a drastic workout after a long break, but it was also stupid to regret it — he'd talked Onoda to pass tryouts, which was the main thing, and he'd get over the pain somehow. Ultimately, this shouldn't prevent him from flying, so there was a chance he could make it in practice? Manami had to try if he himself was going to pass the necessary tests to be on the team, and now he didn't have to be distracted by all sorts of trifles.

And of course he didn't plan to miss his first official practice.

Until that moment, there was still time left to be spent on other things. So after getting himself clean up, Manami went to breakfast first, and then his lessons awaited him. It was great that the first lesson today was Potions, which meant that the Slytherins and Gryffindors would be together, and Manami really wanted to see Onoda as soon as possible, to chat with him because yesterday they had no joint lessons and after the morning meeting on the Quidditch field they didn't see each other.

Manami honestly thought that when he returned to Hogwarts, where Onoda would be by his side, his insatiable desire would subside, but everything turned out the opposite somehow. He only missed him more and longed for the chance to see him again, but he didn't know if it was mutual and didn't want Onoda to get tired of him.

Nevertheless, these thoughts quickly disappeared from his head as he approached the office on the underground floor and find a group of Gryffindor boys near the door. Onoda was also there — he was standing with Naruko and Imaizumi, but, noticing Manami, he perked up and smiled embarrassedly, raising his palm in a greeting gesture. This made Manami's spirits rise sharply, and then got even better when Onoda sat down at his desk.

Manami planned to strike up a conversation, but the lesson started unforgivably quickly, and he had to get by with a short standard greeting. And he so wanted to ask Onoda about when their first practice was scheduled and whether he solved the problem with his broom, but Professor was strict and could take points from their Houses even if they spoke as quietly as possible.

On the other hand, Manami was also happy that Onoda was just sitting next to him and was trying to keep up with writing a muttering about the Swelling Solution with an inconvenient quill. Manami didn't write, intending to (possibly) take the notes from Miyahara later — it was more interesting, folding his hands on the edge of the tabletop and placing his head on them, to watch Onoda. Only now did it seem to really become apparent that he had managed to change a bit since last year. He became more mature apparently and perhaps not as fearful as before — he even agreed to participate in the tryouts, although if Manami had offered this last year, Onoda'd probably have refused. Now both of them were ready to try their hand at Quidditch — Manami felt and didn't want to let go of this pleasant sensation, giving strength and courage.

He had no desire to leave when the lesson ended, and he had to regretfully refuse when Onoda offered to meet after all the lessons.

“I have practice,” Manami replied almost proudly and mentally convincing himself that this was all for the sake of achieving an important goal, for the sake of his path to an even more incredible feeling.

“Wow, so soon!” Onoda smiled as he put his things in his bag. “We don't start until next week.”

“You will go, won't you?” Manami asked as if he still doubted, but Onoda nodded to his relief.

“Yes. Naruko lent me his broom, and last night I tried to get used to it. Fell several times,” he shared with an awkward laugh.

Manami had mixed feelings — the falls made him feel sorry, but at the same time, it was so great to know that Onoda really took their promise seriously.

After this conversation, Manami forgot about all the interfering factors, even that his hands were still hurting. He attended all the remaining classes for today and was looking forward to practice with impatience now, looking forward to really starting his new path.

The Slytherin common room was lively when he returned from classes. There seemed to be a lot of new teammates willing to attend practice, and Manami involuntarily began to remember that he'd have to train on an equal basis with everyone. He should have shown himself well among the newcomers if he targeted the core team, but would his health allow him to succeed in this? Thinking about his problem that was with him all the time Manami wrinkled his nose but was quickly distracted when a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder. It was Toudou.

“Hey, are you frozen?” he asked with a smile. “Take your things to the bedroom — and soon we'll go for the brooms.”

“Are there so many people this time?” Manami asked and looked around the crowd near the fireplace talking loudly about the upcoming practice.

“Yes. Students from middle courses and even from senior ones came,” Toudou confirmed. “We did well last year — many are interested in training too even if they don't get into the team.”

“I see,” Manami replied quietly, and Toudou pinched him hard on the cheek.

“Hey, where's your fighting spirit? All of them want to take the positions of Chasers, Beaters and Keeper — as far as I know, we have only two candidates for the Seeker position now. Yukinari trained for a whole year, but I believe that your talent's strong enough for you to catch up with him soon, so—”

“I'm not worried about that,” Manami muttered, rubbing his cheek with his hand in displeasure.

I just don't want them all to see me...

“We'll meet at the Quidditch field in half an hour — please, no delay,” Shinkai announced loudly, and Manami, distracted, noticed him in the company of Fukutomi. They were already heading for the exit.

The guys got louder than before.

He had to leave his worries to himself and hurry too. In the bedroom, Manami quickly threw the bag onto his bed and tried to catch up with Toudou to go to the broomstick room together. There were already other familiar guy like Arakita, Kuroda and Izumida. For the first time, Manami saw that it was so noisy in this room, and then hesitantly approached his broom and took out his wand — to remove the protective charm that Toudou had taught yesterday to put so that an outsider couldn't take the broom.

Everybody used broomsticks to reach the Quidditch pitch, and Manami tried to stay slightly behind Toudou, looking at his new sparkling broom. During the flight, the banded twigs faintly shimmered, and a little later it was possible to make out the inserted dark purple feathers of some kind of bird — a peacock, or what? Manami didn't know if they had been here originally or if they were a design decision from Toudou himself, but nevertheless it suited him perfectly, which means it shouldn't have been bad.

He was about to ask about it, but the familiar blond hair flashed on the edge of his side vision, forcing him to turn his head and face a slightly mocking stare.

“How did the seller manage to get you a broom this size?” Kuroda asked. “You should grow for it. That's stupid.”

“Not at all — I chose it myself,” Manami replied displeased. “I'm comfortable on it.”

“It's for now,” Kuroda smiled. “Let's see what you say when you have to fight in the race for the Snitch.”

“I'd say you should take your words back?” not wanting to give in, Manami replied, and Kuroda seemed to chuckle in satisfaction and then accelerated, flying forward.

His self-confidence was too palpable — Manami knew that Kuroda was going to pass the tryouts, but still he didn't have what Manami had. The most expensive prize at the end of the season.

“Hey Jinpachi,” Manami called as he approached Toudou. “What's the probability that our first game will be with Gryffindor?”

Toudou heard him and looked up thoughtfully for a second.

“Of course, this can happen, but can I tell you a secret? The first game will be between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. If nothing changes, then we'll play Hufflepuff.”

Manami smiled happily — it was great news meaning that he had every chance of meeting Onoda in the finale exactly as he wanted. If Onoda waited for him in the last match, he'd definitely win all the previous ones— Yes, if he made the team, of course. Manami was already starting to wonder how easily he forgot about it sometimes.

But it was really early to relax. As soon as he and the rest of the boys entered the Slytherin changing room — there were separate rooms for the boys and girls — he felt the pressure of too many people again.

Arakita and Shinkai started giving out the uniform to the newcomers — it was old and faded, but the new one was given exclusively to the core team members, and those who just came also had to put up with this slightly offensive fact.

Manami dutifully waited for his turn, hoping that he'd get a not too awful copy, but Toudou suddenly pulled him aside and handed him a dark package.

“What's this?” Manami asked in surprise and, putting his hand inside, took out something green.

“My first uniform for official games,” Toudou replied contentedly. “I washed it twice, and then, when I was in Diagon Alley, I asked to alter it a little so that it would suit you. It's just like new — look. I was careful about it.”

Manami pulled out the uniform and sighed in amazement because it really was no different from those on Arakita, Shinkai or Fukutomi.

“Did you do this for me? Thank you,” he thanked, almost shivering with excitement.

“Don't make a face like that,” Toudou waved his hand. “It wasn't difficult for me at all!”

Manami smiled in response to this, feeling his heart still warm, and, hurried by Toudou, began to change. The Quidditch uniform, as expected, fit him well, and once he put it on, Manami felt like a real team member. Toudou helped to fix the guards correctly, and Manami entered the field, gaining confidence, and joined the line with a smile.

Of course, he had to stand the last — Fukutomi said everyone to keep order: first senior courses, then middle, and then junior. There were two of Manami's classmates in the row: one didn't stand out in anything special, but the other was larger and even taller than some of the guys from the fourth year and probably looked a little out of place standing among the latter.

“So, I greet everyone present — Quidditch practice begins today, and everyone's welcome to participate,” Fukutomi began, standing in front of a row of students. “My name's Juichi Fukutomi and I'm the team captain.”

Shinkai ran up to him, also turned to the guys, and friendly waved his palm in the air.

“I'm Hayato Shinkai — his best friend.”

“Hayato,” Fukutomi said with steel in his voice, glancing sternly at Shinkai, who laughed.

“Vice-captain, of course. You can contact me with any question if you're afraid to approach Juichi, but he doesn't bite even if he looks perhaps intimidating — someone else does.”

“Bravo, joker. Couldn't do without it?” Arakita snapped from somewhere.

Manami chuckled lowly as he heard some of the guys giggling, and turned his head around to see Mr. Kanzaki heading towards them with boxes of Quidditch supplies enchanted to follow.

“Tryouts for all Houses will take place in the first week of October,” Fukutomi continued, looking at the parchment in front of him. “This time you have more time to prepare for them, so it's in your best interest to attend all practices...”

“Sorry I'm late!” someone's voice distracted him, and one of the middle-course students ran out onto the field with a broom.

“Fifteen push-ups — and you can take your place,” Fukutomi nodded curtly, and the guy with a slightly bewildered look put his broom on the ground to lower himself and make a set.

Manami shivered, imagining that he'd be punished in this way if he was late too — and he didn't always succeed in arriving on time. And what would he do? He'd rather faint than he did fifteen non-fake push-ups.

It's bad, Manami thought, staring at the grass in front of his feet and ignoring the rest of Fukutomi's speech. He absolutely didn't want to do things that so closely resemble physical education in his Muggle school, but things got even worse when Fukutomi asked everyone to put their brooms on the ground. Manami, to his horror, finally remembered that at the beginning of the warm-up, there was a small jog around the field every time.

Barely forcing himself to do the same as everyone else, he straightened up, looking around the field with a sinking heart. This was a complete nightmare! It seemed like all he had to do was run a lap at a relaxed pace, but he doubted very much he could do it.

But he didn't seem to have any other choice, because the whole row had already turned to the right and soon Fukutomi gave the signal to start. When it was Manami's turn, he had to run. He tried to keep up with the boy in front of him but quickly realised it wouldn't be easy. The sports uniform and guards on it made it difficult to move freely, and very soon, his breathing became labored. Manami opened his mouth even though he understood that he should breathe through his nose, and he had an ache in his side after a minute.

This nightmare went on and on, seeming to last forever. The Quidditch field now seemed endlessly large — Manami didn't even realise how long they had already run; his head began to spin, and his throat was dry, and it became more and more difficult to breathe.

The back of the boy running ahead of him began to gradually move away, and then everything darkened. Manami didn't notice how he lost his balance, but realised that he fell when he felt soft grass under his palms and knees.

Get up, it's not over yet, it's too early to rest, he told himself firmly, but he couldn't get up. The head was so heavy, and it seemed that he was about to vomit, but he somehow managed to restrain himself. It was so quiet around him as if he was left completely alone on this field, but suddenly, as if through a fog, there was a rustle of grass — someone jumped off the broom, and then something cold touched his cheek. Manami shuddered, recovered a little and raised his head. In front of him, kneeling on one knee and laying the broom next to him, Fukutomi stood with impenetrable face and held a cool bottle of water near Manami's face. Manami felt disgustingly pathetic at the same moment and wanted the ground to swallow him. Anything to avoid this dire situation.

“Take it. Drink,” Fukutomi said, and Manami, hesitating a little more, still accepted the bottle, sat down on the grass and took a few greedy sips. “Did you know that running is hard for you?”

“Y-yes,” Manami replied reluctantly, screwing the lid back on and starting to feel a little better.

“You should have warned me in advance. For students with health problems—”

There's no place in Quidditch, Manami said to himself and trembled with fear. Was it all over? Would he be kicked out because his body was weak and couldn't cope with the stress?

“…an individual approach is need,” Fukutomi said, and Manami winced, looking up again. “Quidditch is a broom-flying sport. Running at the beginning of the warm-up is required to keep tone, but it's not necessary at all. It's enough to do standard exercises — they aren't difficult, don't require a lot of strength and simply protect the muscles from sudden sprain.”

“But I—” Manami said in confusion, not knowing what to say.

He suddenly noticed that the rest of the guys had already finished their run and were crowded on the other side of the field. They seemed to be talking lively about something, and Manami felt terrible again. He couldn't... be on a par with them.

“You don't run from this day on,” Fukutomi said calmly, getting to his feet and helping Manami to get up. “You do the rest but without running, understand?”

Manami pursed his lips as he fought the shivers and tears that might spill. No, he didn't want that— He had to—

“I can do this. I'll practice like everyone else.”

“No,” Fukutomi replied, and his hand holding Manami's shoulder tightened. “It's important to me that you can continue training. If you use up all your energy in the beginning, what's the point? Can you walk?”

Manami nodded almost imperceptibly, starting to move his legs. It was very embarrassing to return to the guys like that, but they surprisingly didn't begin to laugh at him or make jokes that he wasn't capable of anything.

“Are you okay?” Toudou asked excitedly, making a few steps towards him, and, taking him from Fukutomi, hugged him by the shoulder himself. Manami wanted to break free even if the touch wasn't unpleasant for him.

“Yes, just dizzy...”

“You should have told me about this problem. No more running, okay?” Toudou said sternly under the quiet hum of other people's conversations behind his back.

“It's okay,” Manami grimaced, already tired of the attention to himself, but Toudou didn't give up.

“No, it's not okay. Always tell me if there are problems. It's important. And not only because we're members of the same team now, but because you're important to me.”

“Okay, okay,” Manami agreed, looking down sadly.

Not far from them, Fukutomi was already explaining the next warm-up exercise, and Shinkai, at his request, came out in front of the crowd to show the movements by example.

It was similar Muggle physical education too. He and Toudou joined the other guys, and Manami was stretching his neck, shoulders, arms and other body parts until they were finally allowed to mount their brooms. Except, the practice didn't go as well as he'd hoped. Mr. Kanzaki pulled out the balls, and Manami thought that he'd be allowed to work out with the Snitch or at least with the small balls, but instead he had to throw the Quaffle with everyone. The ball was terribly uncomfortable — Manami dropped it almost every time and almost every time he couldn't throw far enough to pass, because he wasn't strong enough and his hand was still aching.

He felt nightmarish doing all this again, and it wasn't until they finished the Quaffle exercises that it got a little easier. Mr. Kanzaki, taking out his wand, was directing balls (they were like Bludgers but lighter and not flying by themselves) to the group of guys, and they had to dodge. Manami seemed to do well when it came to his turn, and only once did the ball hit his broom, almost making him lose his balance.

After that there were a few more general exercises, but then individual exercises began for each position. Manami was glad, but it turned out to be early for this because Fukutomi told him to work in tandem with Kuroda.

They were given a basket with thirty small white balls — they had to throw them to each other in turn, and upon learning this, Manami thought that his hand would definitely fall off by the end of the practice. No, well, it really was some kind of mockery.

“I'll throw first, come on up,” Kuroda said, hanging the basket of balls over his chest.

Manami mentally thanked him and jumped on the broom again. Now they were in the southern part of the field, away from the other guys who were in other positions, and when Fukutomi left them alone, it became somehow awkward. However, the fact that Kuroda sometimes overtly pissed him off had to be ignored, and he had to get ready for the exercise. Manami froze in the air at a low altitude, waited until Kuroda was in front of him, and tried to focus all his attention.

“Shall we begin?” Kuroda asked, taking the first ball from the basket.

“Of course,” Manami replied, straining with every cell of his body and waiting for the throw.

He hoped that Kuroda would swing, but he didn't — he just suddenly lowered his hand and dropped the ball, and Manami automatically rushed after it. He didn't have time to catch up. The ball fell to the ground, and the broom braked by itself so as not to crash, and threw Manami off. Rolling over in the air, he fell on his back and saw a smile full of pleasure on Kuroda's face.

“You did it on purpose!” Manami was outraged, violently jumping up from the grass and summoning his broom to him.

“Did you think it would be easy? The Snitch won't ask what you're preparing for.”

Without answering, Manami only frowned resentfully but climbed onto the broom and returned to his place, now trying to react to any next option. But each time Kuroda made unpredictable shots. He deliberately looked into the eyes, distracting him, and threw the ball to the side or generally behind his back. It was very difficult to catch them — most often Manami failed in his attempts, fell several times again, and it was good that they weren't high above the ground and the grass was soft.

When the twenty-fifth ball came into play — it flew right next to him — Manami ignored it on purpose and stubbornly stared at Kuroda, which made him raise an eyebrow in question.

“Are you going to catch, or what? This one was easy.”

“I'm tired — catch it yourself,” Manami muttered gloomily, feeling his left hand start to ache from tension again.

“Are you going to be this cranky during the match?” Kuroda asked displeasedly, to which Manami stuck out his tongue.

“Hey, little one,” Arakita's voice was heard from behind suddenly, making him shudder. Manami turned around and realised that they had guests. “Come down and rest — I'll throw for him myself.”

“But I—” Manami was confused, and Arakita just waved his hand lazily.

“Stop this. You almost fainted while jogging — that's enough for today.”

Manami obeyed reluctantly. To be honest, he really needed a rest now. And, barely touching the ground with his feet, he sat down exhausted on the grass, leaving the broom next to him, and buried his forehead in his folded hands on his knees. Without watching but listening, he realised that Kuroda passed the basket with the remaining balls to Arakita, and Arakita, taking out his wand, began to repeat "Accio" over and over again, apparently calling on the rest of the balls lying on the grass.

When Toudou appeared nearby, Manami didn't immediately notice. He flinched and looked up at the sound of someone landing on the grass nearby, whereupon Toudou sat down beside him, tired but satisfied.

“I'm exhausted. It's unusual after the summer vacation,” he said, wiping his damp forehead with a glove.

“Yeah. I'm tired too,” Manami agreed, glancing up at Kuroda and Arakita.

Arakita had already made the first throw, and Kuroda caught the ball with some incredible grace. Perfectly, without hesitation and unnecessary movements. Manami was even pricked with envy, and he thought that he could never be so cool.

“You did well for your first time,” Toudou said, causing Manami to turn sharply and indignantly.

“No! Just awful — and don't cheer me up! I didn't think it would go so badly!”

“Not bad,” Toudou smiled and Manami sighed wearily.

“I was better at catching your birds.”

“It's just that Yukinari's a little hard on you — he wants to unleash your potential, that's why he complicates the task.”

“What for?” Manami asked displeasedly.

“It's interesting,” Toudou shrugged. “He's confident. He thinks he has every chance of passing the tryouts, but you're younger. Perhaps he wants you to be his successor. So that you'll replace him when he'll leave position.”

I need it now, not sometime in the future, Manami mentally replied and turned away.

Kuroda was still good at catching balls. Seldom did one of them elude him, and there was something surprising in his movements. His reaction was excellent, and so was his speed and dexterity. It was as if his instincts controlled him — was it really possible to train to such skill? It seemed like he wasn't that good last year, or did Manami just not notice it?

The question was interesting. No less interesting than the other, concerning how Manami was going to win against such an amazing opponent.

The next practice was predictably scheduled for the next Monday — Manami wasn't particularly pleased with this situation, given that he still felt strange and uncomfortable after his first practice. He foolishly believed that he'd do well, and when he was disappointed, he quickly realised that he didn't like such activities at all. It would be better to train again separately with Toudou or somehow else but definitely not with everyone. Manami didn't want to do the general exercises, didn't want to stand aside when everyone was going for a run, and it was impossible to set himself up for the second practice.

On top of that, he spent most of the weekend in the library because the professors had given so much homework that it became bad — they seemed to think that their students were not second-years but graduates, for example. Manami constantly wanted to run away or at least sleep on the table, but Miyahara wouldn't let him, always lecturing him about how important it is to keep up with the program so that it wouldn't get worse later on. Manami, to be honest, wasn't as interesting to study as it was last year — all thoughts were captured by Quidditch. Quidditch, tryouts, attempts to come up with a strategy against Kuroda, fantasy about Onoda. Where could he fit his studies in here? It's unclear.

He was only able to rest on Sunday evening, when Miyahara's friend persuaded her to go to the common room on some business, and Manami was able to take his broom to fly a little. By the end of the day, however, it started to rain, but he managed to return to the castle just in time, after which he no longer wanted to communicate with anyone and just fell on his bed to black out until morning.

On Monday, there were many lessons again, and after the last one they were held up by the professor, after which two of the boys — the ones who had joined the Quidditch team — jumped from their seats and rushed to the door. They were about to make it to practice, but Manami didn't want to rush. He was ashamed in front of Toudou, but he was thinking of skipping it, believing that such practice would still be of no use. It was better to use the field when no one was there, learn to create a bird that would fly only within the perimeter, and practice on his own. It certainly wasn't such a bad idea, but he wouldn't learn to dodge the Bludgers and Toudou might actually be offended by him. The last thing he wanted to do was to disappoint him.

That was why, struggling with displeasure, Manami left his belongings in the dormitory and went into the broomstick room to still show up for practice. He hoped that Fukutomi'd take pity on him and not force him to do push-ups, but anything could be. Even girls had to do it, and this didn't make him happy.

When Manami came into the room and removed the protective charm from his broomstick, his attention was drawn to the open door leading outside. Usually the guys closed it behind them, but this time apparently some ignorant walked here.

The reason for the unlocked door became clear as soon as Manami stepped outside. He was greatly surprised when he saw near the entrance Miyahara, who was carrying a broom in one hand and with the other supporting a heavily stuffed bag on her shoulder. She was disheveled and muttered something unintelligible under her breath, and Manami was really surprised to see her here like that and with a broom. What was she going to do?

“Hi. What are you doing?” he said apparently too loudly, which caused Miyahara to start in fear and dropped her bag on the ground. Something rustled inside.

“Sangaku!” She exclaimed nervously, turning and clutching her heart. “I, well— an experiment. I just want to do a little experiment. And you? Didn't you say that you have a practice after class?”

“Well, yes,” Manami shrugged. “I'm skipping it.”

“You're skipping? Miyahara asked. “You've only talked about Quidditch lately. Isn't that important to you?”

“Yes it does,” Manami replied. “It's just— I don't like our practice. It just— doesn't suit me.”

“And how are you going to get into the core team without practice?” Miyahara seemed puzzled.

“Yes, that's a question,” Manami chuckled. “Need to come up with something. By the way—” He paused and looked again at the stuffed bag, trying to figure out what might be inside. “Why do you need all this? The broomstick— And what's in the bag?”

“Many things,” Miyahara sighed. “Phones, walkie-talkies, game consoles—”

“What?” Manami wondered. “You brought all this from home, or what? What for? Mom said Muggle technology didn't work at Hogwarts. That it doesn't even make sense to bring a cell phone or something like that here.”

“Yes,” Miyahara nodded. “I was also told about this before my first year, and then I read Hogwarts: A History and found confirmation of these words. The Muggle technology doesn't work here due to the high concentration of magic. I wanted to check it out. I was wondering if this is true everywhere and what range—”

“Oh,” Manami smiled. “It wouldn't have crossed my mind.”

“Yeah. I've already checked the walkie-talkies. Well... inside the castle, nothing works for sure. Phones don't even turn on. So I decided to go outside. I want to try to rise higher on a broomstick.”

“I also want to!” Manami perked up, gripping his broom readily. “We can get up together; I'll help to turn on something.”

“Okay,” Miyahara smiled and dragged her bag away from the entrance. “I'll give you a couple of old consoles. One that runs on batteries and the other that charges from the mains.”

Manami helped to carry the bag away from prying eyes and then squatted down in front of it and began to rummage through the contents with curiosity. Many of the phones and consoles looked shabby; they looked like they were taken from a flea market, and this was quite surprising — Miyahara, therefore, had planned everything in advance and prepared to check what she had read in the book. Wow…

“Why aren't you doing this with your Ravenclaw friend?” Manami asked, looking at the heavy black walkie-talkie. He tried to press the buttons, but a nasty noise was heard from the speaker.

“We had a bit of a fight,” Miyahara replied, sitting down next to him and starting to look for something else in her bag. “She said that I shouldn't have started all this and that authoritative knowledge should be respected. Better to do something as yet unknown, like that.”

“Better to learn something from your own experience,” Manami chuckled softly, and Miyahara smiled at him again.

“I think so too. At least I have the opportunity to find out why magic affects electronics.” Taking several phones and shoving them into the pockets of her robes, she handed Manami two old game consoles and straightened up. “The PSP had a full charge when I was packing it. And I put new batteries in too.”

“Okay,” Manami replied, and, putting his things in his pockets, got up to mount the broom.

They took to the air slowly and circling each other and Miyahara spoke again, “Your new broom looks great. Isn't that Firebolt?”

“Yes, you guessed it,” Manami nodded with a smile. “I didn't think you knew about brooms.”

“I was just reading about models for fun,” Miyahara replied awkwardly, adjusting her glasses, and rushed upward and forward on her broomstick again.

They had to fly along a spiral trajectory so as not to move too far from where they were taking off, and soon Manami felt that it was getting colder. Miyahara yelled for him to stop, and he turned the broom towards her. She was already hovering in the air in one place and was pulling the phone out of her pocket.

“Oh dear. Just don't look down, just don't look...” she said to herself, trying not to take her eyes off the screen.

Manami chuckled — he was not a bit scared — and, releasing the handle, took out one of the consoles from his pocket. PSP didn't turn on...

“There is!” Miyahara exclaimed and almost lost her balance with joy. “It works! There's no connection, but it turned on.”

“So much for the concentration of magic,” Manami replied, reaching out and taking the phone from Miyahara to look.

It was from the last century! With buttons and a small screen. Funny and completely ridiculous.

“In fact, we're not at Hogwarts right now but above it,” Miyahara said and reached for the second phone. “Basically, this is a place for electronics as an anomalous zone. Like the Bermuda Triangle, you know?”

“Yeah, it looks like that,” Manami replied abstractedly. “Oh! I found The Snake, I can even play! Cool!”

“The second one also turned on...” Miyahara said after a while, but Manami barely heard — he had already eaten ten baits. “Hmm— I think—”

“If we fly over the Forbidden Forest, maybe something else will work,” Manami suggested, not being distracted from the game.

“Let's go down, we're too high,” Miyahara asked suddenly.

“Wait, I played this game once in my life but in a more advanced version.”

“Sangaku, it's high here and it's hard for me to breathe. The air is thin.”

Manami blinked in surprise and paused the game. He tried to inhale deeply but failed.

“Yes, let's get down,” he agreed, handing over the phone, and Miyahara was the first to point her broom down.

Manami lingered only for a couple of seconds and rushed downward like an arrow, soon overtaking his friend. He went into a dive near the ground, almost suffocating from the sensations, and jumped off the broom, almost falling but laughing gaily.

He had to wait for Miyahara had, but when she came down to him, she was angry and pushed him in the shoulder.

“Don't do this anymore! I thought you'd crash!”

“It's more fun that way,” Manami replied guiltily, and Miyahara rolled her eyes in annoyance as she walked back to her bag.

Manami followed, no longer remembering that he was missing a practice. Here and now, he felt comfortable, in his place, as if in fact he could do without Quidditch... without sports.

“Do you have any idea why it works this way?” he asked, trying to look over Miyahara's shoulder and figure out what she was looking for in the bag this time.

“I have one,” she answered and finally straightened up.

She was holding a small round object in her hand — Manami at first thought it was a watch, but then he realised — a compass!

“What is this for?” he asked, and Miyahara frowned at the shaking thin hand.

She whirled around her, sighed heavily, then suddenly pulled out her wand and recited a spell unknown to Manami. The wand in her palm stirred, turned and pointed to the right.

“The compass isn't working properly,” Miyahara said, removing her wand. “That's an abnormal magnetic field.”

“So what? Do you think that magic affects it?” Manami asked, trying to figure out what that meant.

“Most likely. Or there's an anomalous zone initially. How could I not have thought of checking before?” Miyahara said and laughed. “Wizards don't use a Muggle compass — they have a wand that determines direction using magic.”

“I'm glad if it amuses you so much,” Manami smiled skeptically.

“It's just so cool,” Miyahara replied, tossing the compass back into her bag. “Everything can be studied, right? I couldn't sleep in the summer — I wanted to check it out so badly.”

“Yes, me too—” Manami agreed, involuntarily remembering his own obsession.

“Because of Quidditch, right?” Miyahara asked with a weak smile. “So that's your passion.”

“I thought it would be great,” Manami sighed, resting the broom on the ground and looking at the handle. “But so far my expectations haven't been met at all. I'm just messing up, you know. It's like I'm an extra. Maybe I shouldn't have imagined myself able to stand on a par with the best Quidditch team in the school?”

“Of course not!” Miyahara objected. “If you really want to do this, you have to do your best. Although I'm not very good at Quidditch, I've seen you fly more than once, and I think— I think it would be nice if everyone saw your fly.”

Looking down from the last sentence in awkwardness, Miyahara fell silent, and Manami blinked in amazement, not believing that his friend was really trying to support his desire to play Quidditch. A game that she considered senseless and unnecessarily dangerous. And it was... so great.

“Thank you,” Manami said, feeling easier. Yes, he was different. He may have been worse than the others due to health or lack of experience, but he still had the ability to fly. And it was up to him what would happen to it next. Would others see his flight... “If I still pass the tryouts, will you come to cheer for me in the match?”

Miyahara smiled again while pretending to be doomed as if she had no choice.

“Of course I'll come,” she replied. “What are you asking about?”

Chapter Text

By the end of September, the air outside was noticeably colder, but that morning turned out to be surprisingly warm and sunny — Manami, looking at the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, realised that the weather was fine and decided that spending this time in the gloomy Potions class would be one of the most terrible omissions. He thought to skip that lesson, and he really wanted to do this with Onoda because the new circumstances made their meetings even rarer than it was last year.

In their first year, they didn't have to attend practice without fail, but now they both joined the teams of their Houses, and Onoda, unlike some, didn't skip practices. Because of this, it became more difficult to see each other outside of the joint lessons and the Great Hall, and at first, Manami was seriously sad because of this fact but realised that there was no point in this, since it was he to blame for the original reason. And if he really wanted both of them in Quidditch, it seemed like he'd have to sacrifice the nicest things.

And at the same time, it occurred to him that no one was forcing him to play completely fair — he could cheat a little sometimes, right? For example, he could invite Onoda to skip the lesson — he was unlikely to cope without Quidditch practice, but not-so-great knowledge of Potions wouldn't prevent him from passing the tryouts.

This was approximately how Manami reasoned while hastily writing a small note so that later, using a charm, send it across the hall to the addressee. Unfortunately, the review was closed by the girl from the Ravenclaw table, unexpectedly moving close to her neighbour, and Manami couldn't say with certainty whether the message had fallen into the right hands, but it turned out later that there was no need to worry about it.

Onoda met him after leaving the Great Hall, seemingly having sent his friends to go to class without him, and Manami was already happy.

“I can't skip the Potions — my House will lose point because of me; let's just go to class together,” Onoda said with a doomed look in response to the offer. Manami laughed guiltily.

“My House will lose them too,” he said. “But losing points together isn't that bad, is it?"

“Sangaku, I don't—” Onoda hesitated in confusion, lowering his head, and Manami, stepping closer, took his palm, squeezing his fingers tremblingly.

“Because of Quidditch, we see each other even less often than last year. I can't even ask how you're doing, and we won't be able to chat quietly in class. Can you make at least one small exception for today, please?”

“Well... okay,” Onoda gave up without thinking for a long time, for some reason hiding his free hand behind his back — or was it just Manami's imagination?

“I want to go outside — the morning must be wonderful,” Manami said and, holding his bag on his shoulder, rushed hastily along the route to the broomstick room. It was nice to leave before no one noticed them and before anyone realised that they were going to be out. He really didn't want the whole spontaneous plan to go to waste.

But so far everything has been fine. Most of their fellow students had already gone down to the underground floor, while other younger and older students went to their classes, and no one met on the way, to great luck. Manami was flooded with anticipation, and he thought only about how much he wanted to get this opportunity to be alone with Onoda just like it was that early morning after September 1.

Now time was also limited, and it wasn't worth wasting it when they could take broomsticks and—

“What have you got there?” Manami asked as if something made him remember the strange gesture of Onoda, when he tried to hide his left hand.

They stopped in front of the right door leading to the broomstick room, and Manami reached into his trouser pocket to find the key.

“Me? What are you talking about?” Onoda said in surprise, and Manami, opening the lock, poked his finger on Onoda's hand.

“Are you hiding something?”

“Ah... this—” looking down sadly, Onoda raised his hand, and a tight white bandage appeared from under the sleeve of the robe. “It was broken, but it's all right now. Our Healer asked not to remove the hand brace for a couple of days, just for prevention.”

“Oh,” Manami said in frustration, feeling all the gaiety of anticipation of the flight vanishing slowly. “Did you fall off the broom?”

“No — the Bludger hit me,” Onoda explained with a tight smile. “We found out that I'm really afraid of them, and Naruko decided to include me in his individual practice— So—”

“Oh,” Manami repeated again, even more sadly.

So Onoda's practice didn't go so smoothly? Although... what did he really expect? Quidditch was Quidditch, no matter which team was practicing. Manami himself had seen dangerous Bladgers hit one of the players more than once. Fortunately, he hadn't been hit too hard yet (the ball hit either the broomstick or part of his clothes), but that was probably just because he missed most of his practices or came to the end. But Onoda—

“I'm so sorry,” Manami said despondently, letting go of the door handle. “If you injured your hand recently, we'd better not fly now.”

“No, no,” Onoda objected, waving his palms excitedly. “We can fly a little if you want.”

“No,” Manami shook his head. “You said that your broom doesn't obey well — what if something happens—”

“Yes, but—” Onoda dropped his shoulders resignedly. “If that's the only way for us to be together.”

“What?” Manami chuckled involuntarily. “Of course not! We don't have to fly to spend time together. Let's go!”

Grabbing Onoda's good hand, Manami pulled him inside — not for the brooms but to take him outside through the second entrance, into the green sunny field.

“It seems to me that this place has become special,” he smiled, breathing in the fresh air deeply.

“Because there are a lot of brooms?” Onoda asked, and when Manami turned around, stopping, he noticed the same slight smile on Onoda's face.

“Or because we met here,” Manami said awkwardly. “Almost in this place — there, behind the arch,” he added, pointing towards the high stone fence.

“Do you remember?” Onoda asked with an almost quivering gleam in his eyes that made Manami laugh with embarrassment and head towards a nearby bench.

“Why should I forget? It was an important event — I learned a lot of things then—”

“A lot of things?” Onoda repeated, fascinated, hurrying after.

“Well… for example, Sakamichi's rather heavy,” Manami replied with a sly smile and sat down on the bench.

“Huh? Me?” Onoda was confused, pointing at himself. His cheeks were covered with a shy blush.

“I'm kidding,” Manami hastened to console him. “You're small and light, of course, — it was just the first time I had to hold someone in my arms. I'm not used to that.”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Onoda bowed his head again, sitting down next to him but leaving some distance between them. “I'm very embarrassed that I fell down and made you worry that time.”

“Your fall kicked me great, you know,” Manami shared, grinning again, and stretched his legs relaxedly forward. “Otherwise, we might not have met at all. I was afraid of so many things last year. It feels like that time is from a past life. Everything was so new and different, and now I feel like I'm at home. On a beautiful morning, I'm sitting near a huge magic castle with you. As if everything is as it should be. Without you, this reality'd have lost a very significant part.”

“M,” Onoda said quietly, looking at his knees. “Then... it's not bad that I fell and made... you meet me? I'm very glad that it did happen even if you didn't want to—”

“Really glad?” Manami asked with a tight smile. “Even if it was because of me that you broke your wrist?”

“And it's not because of you at all — it's me to blame,” Onoda laughed quietly. “I should be more attentive...”

“You regret?” Manami asked sharply, and Onoda fell silent. “I mean Quidditch. About the fact that I—”

“Called me?” Onoda asked anxiously. “I made a promise! Why should I—”

“It's hard even for me, you know,” Manami admitted awkwardly and bit his lip. “The practices are stupid — I only go to some of them, and I'm late. Toudou even scolded me once, although he cooled down quickly. He seems to notice everything too.”

“Do you… think you were wrong with all this?” Onoda asked cautiously, and a sad intonation was clearly heard in his voice.

“At first yes,” Manami nodded but turned around and looked at Onoda with a smile. “But now I don't think anymore. I promised myself that I could do it even without full training. It will be great if both of us can keep on our promise. I just... need to defeat one opponent. He's a stronger and more experienced player, but I have a weapon too.”

“What's it?” Onoda asked, blinking, and Manami laughed, adding, “A secret weapon. It may not actually work, but I'll hope for luck. Do you also have an opponent?”

Onoda paused awkwardly and suddenly sighed wearily, adjusting his glasses with the wrist of his good hand.

“Even two.”

“You have three Seekers in the candidates?” Manami asked, recalling that the Gryffindor Seeker who played last year was also quite old and tall like the former Slytherin Seeker. Did he not change his position and leave?

“No,” Onoda shook his head. “There's one more besides me. But there are two of them.”

Manami got confused and stared at one point.

“So one or two—”

“Sorry,” Onoda apologised sharply with a half-strangled chuckle. “I put it strangely. I wanted to say that there's only one Seeker, but Teshima doesn't take his eyes off him and they have such creepy tactics.”

“So… we have Teshima,” Manami said intently, trying to unravel the tangle of information. “And... a Seeker. And Teshima—”

“Aoyagi's a Seeker. And Teshima's a Beater,” Onoda explained. “But he practically doesn't attack Chasers during training matches. He keeps an eye on Seekers all the time and can't tear himself apart. Seekers are a priority for him — he aims at the Seeker of the opposing team if possible, but— The worst thing is when the chase for the Snitch begins.”

“And then what?” Manami asked with interest, but Onoda smiled.

“You know, I seem to be leaking you important information about our team.”

Manami was surprised and laughed.

“Oh yes, of course! Say no more! Otherwise, it will not be fair.”

“Yes, apparently so. We still...”

“In different teams,” Manami realised and nodded. “We need to be careful not to touch upon the subject of our strategies.”

“Then... let's talk about something else?" Onoda suggested.

“Yeah. Did you know that Gryffindor opens the season this year?” Manami asked happily, but Onoda was overcome with completely different emotions from this news. He was surprised and almost shouted, “What? Are you serious? The game schedule hasn't been announced yet!”

Manami looked up, puzzled, and shrugged — it seemed now his turn has come to say something he shouldn't.

“Toudou told me about this,” Manami explained, glancing at Onoda again and chuckling. “I don't know how he found out, but it's great!”

"W-what's great here?" Onoda asked, seemingly completely panicking. “If I pass the tryouts, I'll have to play right in the first game. I can't do it!”

Manami just clicked his tongue in displeasure and, grabbing the shoulders, turned Onoda to him. Looking into his confused eyes under the round glasses, Manami tried to become serious and stubbornly said, “Of course you can handle it. I know you can do of a lot, just don't be so insecure.”

“Uh— I—” Onoda said, stunned, and Manami sighed quietly.

“You and Ravenclaw will play. And then we'll play with Hufflepuff. But in the end— I really hope so, we'll meet. We'll be together again, on the same field. Like it was that early morning, remember?”

“Y-yes— Of course I—”

“I'll wait for this moment,” Manami smiled weakly, letting go of Onoda.

Onoda looked at him stupidly for a few more seconds, seeming to come to his senses, but after that he smiled back and lowered his eyes in embarrassment.

“Well… it looks like we screwed up the conversation a bit again, huh?”

“Oh, this Quidditch. Apparently so,” Manami agreed, then turned around, threw one leg on the bench, and his head fell on Onoda's lap. He shuddered, removing his hands, and Manami smiled as he looked at the charming blush on Onoda's cheeks.

“Let's just be quiet a little? Let's just stay close — I missed it so much that, I still can't fill the gap.”

Closing his eyes on the last sentence, Manami felt relieved and relaxed, turning his head slightly to the right. It looked like Onoda's knees were the finest pillow in the world.

“Me too,” Onoda replied quite quietly, but Manami heard and restrained himself from a new smile.

After that, thinking that something wouldn't work out for them would be just awful inappropriate, and Manami forgot everything. He let go of all the remaining feelings that didn't allow taking off and imagined the moment that had already become loved again.

Through the covering drowse, he barely noticed how one of Onoda's palms fell on his chest and the other timidly tangled his fingers in his hair. For a moment, his heart jumped excitedly and then calmed down because everything was right. Everything was as it should be. Perfect, with no need to fix anything.

Enjoying the desired closeness, light autumn breeze and warm rays of the sun, Manami plunged into a pleasant dream about home, about the Muggle world and woke up only when the ringing of the school bell made him do it. Signal for the end of the lesson.

Opening his eyes, he sharply realised how much time had passed and sat up in surprise. Oh... Was Onoda sitting like that without even moving?

“I'm sorry, aren't you tired?” feeling uncomfortable, Manami asked, glancing at Onoda, who was also a little sleepy.

“M… It's all right,” he replied, rubbing the edge of his eye with his fingers. “I got warm in the sun — and almost dozed off. It looks like it's contagious.”

“It must be forbidden to have the first lessons so early,” Manami chuckled, getting up from the bench and stretching. “Wow!” he rejoiced in surprise, noticing the familiar silhouette of a bird in the sky. “Look — someone is flying this way, it seems!”

Onoda blinked, looking up to the rare clouds. The bird was getting closer, and when she began to descend, there was no doubt that it was Sleepy. Manami hadn't seen her for a long time and had already almost put his hand so that she sat on it but suddenly noticed that the owl was carrying something in her beak. Something quite different from a letter or a note.

“I let her go for a night walk,” Onoda said, evidently not having realised that there was a catch.

Manami, restraining himself from grinning, took a step to the side, and at this time Sleepy practically dived and unclenched her beak, dropping something small and dark right on Onoda's lap.

“Oh, what—” he asked in amazement, looking down, and almost immediately yelled, jumping up from his seat.

A dead strangled mouse fell into the grass, Onoda jumped away from it as if it were on fire, but Manami still laughed, and Sleepy landed on his shoulder, folded her wings, and hooted indignantly.

“What a strange reaction?” Manami asked through laughter. “She wanted to please you.”

“P-please?” looking up at him, Onoda asked, dumbfounded. “It's a dead mouse!”

“That's it. Sleepy must have hunted all night to catch it,” Manami chuckled, scratching the owl under her beak. “Didn't she seem to bring booty before?”

“Of course not!” Onoda was indignant and brushed his knees. “The shop assistant said that she's not used to it.”

“But she's still a predatory bird,” Manami replied, and Sleepy fluttered off his shoulder, seemingly going to Gryffindor's dormitory. “Instincts won!”

“Don't talk about it so joyfully,” Onoda sighed wearily and walked around the corpse of the mouse half a meter away. “I hope she doesn't think of dragging the dead animals into my bed.”

“Just try to compliment her and make sure her that you understand what a great hunter she is,” Manami suggested, still smiling. “And we should probably get going if we don't want to be late for the next lesson. I have the Herbology, so I won't go back to the castle.”

“Oh, I see... We have the Transfiguration,” Onoda said, seemingly drooping a little because they have to go right now.

“Then I'll see you later, huh?” Manami said, moving the bag over his shoulder more comfortable.

Onoda nodded, trying to smile, made a farewell gesture with his palm, and was already heading towards the entrance to the broomstick room when Manami suddenly remembered.

“Wait, Sakamichi,” he called, and Onoda turned around in surprise. “I completely forgot to ask. What day are your tryouts?”

“Um, well… on the first Wednesday of October. That would be next week,” he answered after a short thought and choked on the air.

“Okay,” Manami nodded tensely and smiled. “Our tryouts are one day after yours. Hopefully... the results will be known right away.”

Onoda answered a barely audible yes and still left, although an obvious stiffness was noticeable in his gait now. He was nervous, although he tried not to show it. Perhaps, more nervous than Manami, but he still didn't give up, and it was so, God, nice to realise this. In just one moment, Manami felt the happiest because if Onoda was ready to fight his fear for him, he couldn't want anything more — it was the best gift.

Thinking that he should at least try to get to the Gryffindor tryouts to see everything with his own eyes, Manami turned and moved towards the arch. He felt stronger — again, as he did because of Onoda when he supported even with his simple presence, and Manami really wanted to return the favour.

Sleepy flew to him early in the morning, even before breakfast, — Manami woke up to a quiet impatient hoot, rolled over to sleep a little more, and then sat up abruptly. Turning his head, he almost gasped in amazement — Onoda's owl had never visited him directly in his dormitory before, but she found a way and was sitting on the dresser now, holding in her beak— oh.

“Sakamichi wasn't impressed, so you decided to do it for me?” Manami asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

The green one in her beak noticeably jerked its hanging down leg, and he shivered. Well, Sleepy seemed to be getting serious about honing her hunting skills — it could become an obsession.

“Well done, well done,” Manami praised, getting out of bed to gently stroke the owl's head.

Sleepy hooted contentedly, unclenched her beak — and the frog fell to the floor with a disgusting chomping sound. Feeling unwell, Manami quickly grabbed an unnecessary piece of parchment and threw it from above, hoping that it wouldn't be here when he returned after classes.

“Oh, wait,” he said when Sleepy had already spread her wings about to fly away. “Would you take a little note to Sakamichi?”

The owl looked at him with interest, shifting on her paws, and Manami began to look for another free parchment for a note.

he hastily wrote on a piece of parchment, folded it three times, and handed it to Sleepy.

“Your owner has an important day today,” Manami said quietly, after which he smiled, and Sleepy blinked knowingly.

Taking the note, she flew away, and Manami collapsed into bed again, hoping to lie a little more before breakfast. During the lessons, he couldn't calm down as if he were the one fighting for a place in the team today — every now and then he tried to imagine how everything would go and how exactly Gryffindor would conduct its tryouts. As he knew, Slytherin had always split applicants into several teams for Quidditch tryouts, forming them so that practice matches could be played. Someone, most likely, would have to participate even several times, and the number of games would depend on the number of those wishing to become members of the core team. Fukutomi would follow the game of each one, assessing, and in the end, decide who was worthy to take a place in the row of the Slytherin team. Perhaps the captain of the Gryffindor team followed a similar principle?

Manami hoped to find out this, but at the end of the last lesson, he remembered that he hadn't asked Onoda for the exact start time of the tryouts. This became a problem because he couldn't just come to the stands and watch with those who wish. If someone noticed a student from another House, he'd be forced to leave, and he wouldn't have the right to disobey.

Still thinking what he should do since he in spite of everything still planned to come to the tryouts, Manami returned to the dormitory after all classes to leave his bag of belongings and involuntarily noticed a white feather lying among the textbooks. Sleepy's feather, apparently, because she was sitting in this place, and, looking at it, Manami smiled — an idea flashed in his head.

Of course, he didn't have to go to the tryouts — he could have attended in another way.

With spirits heightened, Manami left the dormitory and headed straight for the broomstick room. At the entrance, he was met by two young students from Hufflepuff, first-years. It was easy to guess from their behavior — they were hesitating awkwardly in front of the closed door, obviously hoping to fly, but Mr. Kanzaki was unlikely to appear there in the near future, and the guys apparently weren't aware of the Gryffindor tryouts.

“Don't tell anybody that I've let you in,” Manami winked at them with a smile, opening the door, and the boys changed their alertness to weak smiles.

They quietly thanked him as he took his Firebolt and left the room, but Manami was impatient to sit on his favorite broom and soar into the air. He waved to the guys and a second later was already in flight, rushing up so quickly that his ears felt plugged up.

It was almost impossible to resist the temptation and deny himself — Manami flew several miles over the Forbidden Forest, overtaking the passing birds and enjoying the sensations. He finally got used to the Firebolt as if he had flown it for a thousand years and didn't want to stop at all but still forced himself to turn towards the Quidditch field. What if the tryouts have already started and he was chilling out here? Not a single minute could be missed.

But it didn't work out without delay — when Manami started approaching the right place, he quickly noticed that the field was already lively and broomsticks were flying. Flying too fast for a simple warm-up — was the game already in full swing?

This realisation made him bite his lip in annoyance. Manami accelerated, descended, and then rose again to hide behind one of the stands. Perhaps no one would see him here — everyone was too busy: the spectators closely watched what was happening on the field, and the tryouts participants were flying on their brooms. At first glance, it was noticeable: The players were also divided into two teams, one of which wore black T-shirts over their robes. But where was Onoda?

Manami quickly scanned the field and finally found the desired figure in red. Onoda rushed down like a bright arrow, followed by another blond boy — the opponent. Did they found the Snitch? Manami could hardly see from here whether the cherished golden ball was in front of them, but it was the chase for sure. Perhaps it could have ended in someone's victory, but a Bludger flew out from somewhere, and it made Onoda deviated sharply in the direction that didn't give him an advantage but on the contrary. The fair-haired Seeker, apparently Aoyagi, rushed forward and probably was close to the goal but suddenly slowed down in front of a group of passing Chasers. The Snitch escaped, and Manami felt relieved that the Bludger hadn't hit Onoda after all.

Meanwhile, the game continued and only gained momentum. Manami himself felt the tension, watching the participants, and seeing Makishima with the Quaffle in his hand reminded him of what it was like when there was an official match, the commentator and the stands screaming and the Chasers had a battle for the red ball and points on the field. A pleasant uplifting feeling overwhelmed him so much that Manami almost forgot himself. But he wasn't here to enjoy the game. He had to watch Onoda, he reminded himself and looked up, catching the small figure in red hovering over the field again.

“Yes, well done. It's a good position to take a breath and keep an eye on the situation on the field,” Manami said in a whisper, involuntarily feeling proud, and gripped the handle of his broomstick tremblingly.

Onoda behaved surprisingly calmly and confidently, and this made all the disturbing excitement go away for a while; Manami set himself up for a positive outcome.

He watched carefully as the Snitch chase resumed two more times, but it ended too quickly — the ball slipped away, making him shiver with impatience.

When Onoda suddenly changed tactics and went downstairs, where it was much more dangerous, Manami bit his lip with force, starting to worry again. It was easier to find the Snitch that way, of course, but if you accidentally missed a Bludger or bumped into someone—

“He's right behind you!” Manami said, couldn't restrain himself, seeing the opponent rushing to Onoda.

The Snitch flashed a golden glow, as if provoking, and the chase began again. Both Onoda and that guy, Aoyagi, had to constantly maneuver — to bend around other participants or to change direction following the agile Snitch. The pursuit turned out to be so difficult and tense that Manami forgot about something outsider and that in addition to the Chasers, there were also Beaters, too.

It was really unexpected. In just a second, the Bludger flew at a crazy speed right in front of Onoda, who had slowed down, and Manami's heart sank because some pitiful centimetres remained before the impact. He was so scared that he almost fell off his broomstick, and then he saw the one who had sent that Bludger. Beater in black T-shirt.

He was sitting on his broomstick, apparently looking very pleased as if he were on the field like a fish in water. Holding his bat in one hand, he waved to dumbfounded Onoda with the other, and Manami involuntarily frowned. This guy— Teshima, huh? Curly black hair and a slender figure. So he sent this Bludger on purpose? Deliberately in such terribly dangerous proximity— or—

Damn, Manami cursed mentally, pursing his lips almost angrily. Awareness came quickly and didn't cause any emotions except negative ones. This Beater was aiming on purpose. He was aiming at the head, intending to disable the opponent. And he seemed completely indifferent to what kind of injury a player could receive after such a blow, although, with such amazing accuracy, he could choose any other less vulnerable part of the body.

When, during the continued chase, another Bludger was directed towards Onoda and Aoyagi by the same Teshima, Manami could hardly restrain himself from flying out onto the field. He miraculously forced himself to sit quietly on the broom, not knowing how it would end if he broke into the game, but fortunately Naruko managed to come to the rescue of his friend. He fought off the Bludger and did it quite deftly, allowing Onoda to avoid hitting the dangerous ball. For this Manami wanted to thank the noisy and annoying redhead, but Naruko'd hardly have accepted the gratitude from someone like Manami.

However, it was too early to relax. The Snitch remained within reach, and, after another lucky turn, Onoda managed to get a little ahead.

“More, more,” Manami whispered confusedly, like a spell, without taking his eyes off the chase. “You can do that!”

He didn't even notice when he managed to move in the air — the stand no longer hid him, he was hovering somewhere on the side, and the Gryffindors who noticed him from the benches opened their eyes in surprise. But it didn't matter now, it didn't matter at all. Onoda and Aoyagi were rushing after the Snitch shoulder to shoulder, and Onoda had already stretched out his arm to try to reach, but there was that Beater again.

“Don't dare!” Manami almost shouted, not paying attention to anything.

But Teshima of course couldn't hear him. He fought off the Bludger again, intending to force Onoda to slow down or dodge to secure victory for his Seeker, but this didn't happen.

Manami froze with his mouth open, barely realising what was happening, but Onoda didn't evade. He continued to follow the Snitch stubbornly and took the blow. The Bludger slammed hard into his knee, pushing him aside, pushing Aoyagi away in the same way. Because of this, he lost a few seconds, lagging behind, and Onoda was able to catch up with the golden ball. Barely bumped into it with his nose, he grabbed it and sharply turned the broom around, almost crashing into the stand.

A loud whistle of Mr. Kanzaki stopped the game. Manami clenched the robe on his chest in a fist, feeling his heart pounding, and tried hard to convince himself that it was all right. Everything was all right — Onoda wasn't lying on the ground, hit by a Bludger, he was the first to catch the Snitch, and he... won.

God, he won. This wonderful boy with his wonderful flight.

The only thing that Manami felt next was the desire to hug Onoda tightly and congratulate, but Naruko had already done this. He knocked barely rising Onoda back to the ground and yelled something happily while the rest of the guys landed to the grass. It seemed that the tryouts were over for them, and now it was only up to the captain's decision.

The stands were already empty by the time the names of those who had passed to the core team began to be announced. Naruko and Imaizumi jumped on the spot with joy, which meant that they'd gotten in too, and Onoda stood nearby, having already returned the Snitch to Mr. Kanzaki, and, pressing his hand to his forehead, apparently couldn't believe that he had succeeded.

Well, of course he had — it couldn't be otherwise. Manami's eyes were watering with pride and happiness, but by chance, he noticed Teshima again, who slapped his partner weakly on the shoulder and lowered his head so that dark curls covered his face.

Therefore, the Gryffindors could play so cruelly, Manami thought, beginning to realise that everything he saw was really happening. Teshima turned out to be an excellent player. Great if the team needed a Beater willing to sacrifice. He was ready to sacrifice the safety of not only rivals but also his own— Because how was it possible? To aim at the opponent, knowing that you can easily hit your Seeker.

Nevertheless, for such a tactic, they must have trusted each other one hundred percent and worked together, but the very essence of this principle of the game seemed simply inconceivable because Manami didn't even see anything like it in his own team.

Already deciding to go down to the field, he almost pointed his broom down but stopped. Something was happening there. It wasn't over yet, and Manami blinked in surprise when he saw Aoyagi walk right up to Onoda for some kind of conversation.

I wish I could hear it from here, Manami thought disappointedly as he waited for Mr. Kanzaki to leave the field, carrying the box of balls. For some reason, Onoda waved his free hand excitedly, seemed to babble something in embarrassment, and his leg which had recently been hit by a Bludger was barely noticeably bent as if it hurt him to lean on it, but he probably didn't even notice this now—

Manami winced as a red flash flashed in front of his eyes for a second, but he got it and got angry again. On the field, something very strange was happening: Teshima for some reason grabbed Aoyagi by the shoulder, turning him around and talking about something as if he was insulted to the core. Manami nevertheless directed his Firebolt down and was in time for Onoda and Aoyagi exchanged their brooms for some reason.

The essence of this action remained a mystery, but this wasn't what bothered him in the first place. Manami landed to the grass behind Onoda as Captain Kinjou told everyone to return to the changing room. Onoda shuddered, feeling someone's hand on his shoulder, turned around, and Manami nodded to him in greeting, smiling. He wanted to congratulate him immediately, but all the joy was still overshadowed by that resentment and almost fury that Manami thought he had never felt in his life before.

(Perhaps there was simply no reason for this. Perhaps he had never had something so precious before. And maybe he never thought that he'd get angry so much because someone wanted to offend Onoda.)

“These are Gryffindor tryouts! What have you forgotten here, you snake?” Naruko said loudly somewhere behind, but Manami wasn't up to him now.

He did what he came down here for — he called out to Teshima, who was leaving.

“Yes?” Teshima replied, stopping and turning around.

Placing his broomstick on the ground, Manami let go of Onoda and waved this palm in the air, mimicking a greeting gesture.

“An enviable skill for this position,” Manami said in a mock friendly tone. “It would be interesting to fight with you in the game— Oh, yeah, exactly, you can't, what a pity,” he corrected himself and covered his mouth with his fingers with a laugh. He wanted to hit a nerve, and it seemed to have worked.

Teshima was a guy from middle school years and, judging by Onoda's words, this was not the first time he tried out for the core team. And Manami was able to piss him off. Make his face twist in a grimace fury.

But this wasn't enough. Manami wanted to use a more effective weapon to convey the essence of his displeasure, and when the fragile figure of outgoing Aoyagi accidentally caught his eye, intuition clicked.

“Next time, watch your hands better,” Manami added carefully. “In case someone accidentally gets hurt— Someone dear to you.”

Understanding mixed with fear flashed in Teshima's eyes — Manami hit the bull's-eye even if everything he said was just a bluff. Nevertheless, the desired response was received, and that was enough.

“Sangaku, what's the matter? Why do you say that?” Onoda asked excitedly, tugging at Manami's robes.

“You're bleeding, Sakamichi,” Manami said quietly, casting a short glance at Onoda, and Onoda lowered his head in confusion, apparently trying to see what was said through the tough material of shin guards.

Looking again at Teshima, who was still standing completely motionless, either angry or just dumbfounded, Manami smirked weakly and thought that his intuition was really on fire today and didn't want to shut up.

“But we'll definitely play later. In two years, I guess. It's… something like a small prophecy,” he said, looking straight into dark eyes, and Teshima finally came to life.

“Great. Wait for me,” he replied coldly and irritably and then proudly turned around and, dragging his broom across the grass, followed Aoyagi.

Naruko and Imaizumi fortunately didn't linger any longer either. They sat on their brooms and flew towards the exit from the field that led to the changing rooms, although at the very end Naruko gave Manami a not very friendly look and pretend that he was about to vomit.

Manami only smiled at this and exhaled with relief — at last they were left alone. Onoda next to him suddenly sat down on the grass and, grimacing, grabbed his injured leg. Of course, it was hurting.

Without saying anything, Manami simply knelt down in front of him, put the broom, and began to unfasten the straps of his shin guards.

“Sangaku...” Onoda called weakly as if sadly, but Manami didn't stop.

He carefully removed the guard from Onoda's leg, saw that the lower part of the light trouser leg was soaked in blood, and noticed Onoda himself shuddered and turned away. Manami overcame a slight feeling of panic, rolled the trouser leg up to free up the damaged area, and looked at the broken knee with displeasure. Yeah, it wasn't a pretty sight, and the blood didn't stop.

Deciding that something had to be done about it now since Mr. Kanzaki had already left, Manami rummaged in his pockets and pulled out his wand.

He still had little experience in this spell — he learned it just a week ago, after the incident when one of his teammates had been punched badly in his nose with a Bludger, and Fukutomi stopped the blood in a couple of seconds with the help of magic.

Pointing the tip of his wand at the wound, Manami mentally recited the formula and saw the change almost immediately. Onoda made a barely audible gasp, as if sensing something, but as far as Manami knew, the sensation shouldn't have been painful.

“What are you doing?” Onoda asked in surprise when Manami put his wand back into his robes pocket.

“Episkey. A healing spell that heals minor injuries or stops bleeding. It can be very useful in practice; I've mastered it,” Manami answered quietly and tensely.

“Oh, thank you,” Onoda said timidly, a little embarrassed, but Manami was in no hurry to be touched by his reaction.

“He threw those Bludgers at you like he wanted to kill you,” he said irritably, rustling his robes in search of a handkerchief. “If he'd hit you the first time, you'd have passed out in a heartbeat and then woke up only a day later in the infirmary... Aiming at the head on purpose is the worst thing a Beater with such amazing accuracy can do.”

Finally getting a handkerchief, Manami tried to wipe away the remaining blood, but it didn't work well. Of course, he should have rinsed it out properly and treated the wound.

“Come on, it's just a game. I passed the tryouts. That's what counts, right?” Onoda said, and Manami smiled slightly, remembering the positive moments.

“Yes, but I still don't like the fact that someone deliberately wanted to harm you as if they were trying to settle personal scores with you. I probably went a little too far, sorry.”

“A little is an understatement,” Onoda laughed nervously.

“But you did well. You did it, Sakamichi. I'm so happy. I knew you could do it. Now it's my turn,” Manami said, feeling joy again, and tenderly stroked Onoda's thigh. “Tryouts for our team are the day after tomorrow. I'll take my place soon, and then we'll meet in battle.”

For Onoda, these words seemed to sound like a revelation — he fell into a funny stupor, which made Manami almost laugh.

“Can you get on the broomstick and take off?” he asked, not waiting for an answer to his last words.

“Huh? Now?” Onoda shuddered.

“Yes. You can go to the changing room later. The bleeding has stopped, but you still need to go to the Hospital Wing to make sure everything's fine,” Manami decided, and Onoda seemed to return to reality again.

“I think I can fly. Thank you, Sangaku.”

“I'll go with you. I'll make sure everything's fine. After all, I got you involved in this dangerous business. I'm even a little ashamed now,” Manami admitted awkwardly, helping Onoda up.

Smiling at each other, they mounted their brooms and slowly took to the air. Manami put his arm around Onoda's back with one hand, just in case, and looked at the handle of his broomstick. Nimbus, he thought, involuntarily remembering the exchange that had taken place. This broom was good, definitely much better than the one Onoda had won the tryouts on, and did that boy really dare to give away such a valuable item?

“Why did you switch brooms?” Manami was curious as they flew past the stands, heading towards the castle. “Nimbus is not a broom that you can just give to someone.”

“Well, yes,” Onoda agreed embarrassedly. “I didn't want to take it, but Aoyagi insisted — he said that he wanted the team to win, and with this broom I'd have more chances.”

“Hmm... not bad,” Manami said more or less contentedly and looked ahead again.

He, too, wanted Onoda to win further — the new broom would be just fine for that, but those guys— Aoyagi and Teshima— why did they and their weird style of play still stick his head? Was Manami impressed by Quidditch as if he was seeing it for the first time again?

They managed to forget about it for a while only when they reached the Hospital Wing with brooms, deciding not to go anywhere along the road. Madam Bland apparently heard a noise from her office and went out to them. At first she was surprised, but when she saw Onoda's leg, she quickly returned an expression of impenetrability to her face.

“New tryouts, new injuries,” she said, gesturing to the empty bed. “And you, young man,” Healer looked at Manami, “helping Gryffindor find out who's better?”

“Something like that,” Manami replied, awkwardly running his hand through his hair at the back of his head. “But I took care of him — I even used Episkey.”

Meanwhile, Onoda had already sat down on the bed, and Madam Bland, sitting down on a stool, glanced briefly at his knee.

“Episkey is a rather difficult spell for a second-year. It's commendable.”

“Thank you,” Manami smiled contentedly.

“And you, my new frequent visitor, will have to take off your trousers so that I can clean the wound and bandage it up properly,” Healer added, turning to Onoda, and he squeaked ridiculously.

“I-is it necessary?”

“Don't worry, Sakamichi, there's no one here,” Manami laughed, but Onoda didn't seem to find that particularly comforting.

Nevertheless, he forced himself to obey, and while Madam Bland dealt with his leg, Manami sat on the next bed and gently stroked the handle of his broomstick, glad that they began to move towards fulfilling their promise. The next step was up to him, and he shouldn't have screwed up.

“That's all,” Healer said as she finished dressing and rose to her feet. “It's good that the wound isn't serious. When you're ready, you can go, and tomorrow the bandage can be removed.”

She waved her wand — the water in the basin, pale red in colour, disappeared, and napkins and a large bottle took its place.

“Thank you,” Manami and Onoda thanked, saying this together, and Madam Bland, before retiring back to her office, smiled at them approvingly.

They had a wonderful and kind Healer, Manami thought, and then he moved to Onoda's bed and hugged him, preventing him from putting on trousers that had already been cleaned of blood (also with a spell).

“Ugh, Sangaku, what—” Onoda said awkwardly, trying to pull at least one trouser leg on, and for the sake of decency Manami stopped pushing.

“Nothing — I'm just glad,” he laughed. “And you know, I'm so interested. How do they play like that? These two.”

“Who are you talking about? Aoyagi and Teshima?” Onoda asked, getting to his feet to put on his trousers finally and zip up.

“Yes. That's so weird. I was so surprised that I didn't come to my senses right away — it just struck me! Do you think they are good enough wizards to use something like Legilimency?”

“Legilimency? What's this?” Onoda asked incomprehensibly, sitting back down.

“A mind reading!” Manami answered excitedly. “It's an eerily complicated witchcraft and so on. Toudou told me about it once, but that would explain everything. How else does the Beater manage not to hit the Seeker? The Snitch constantly changed direction, and Aoyagi didn't hesitate for a second in pursuit so he knew for sure that Teshima wouldn't hit him.”

“Uh... Kinjou actually made everyone surrender their wands before the tryouts so that no one would cheat,” Onoda said, puzzled. “So, I think it's unlikely that they could somehow use magic.”

Manami frowned in displeasure.

“So they really trust each other. Could you trust someone enough to not be afraid when they point Bludgers at you? Is it really possible to be that close to someone?”

“I don't know,” Onoda replied after a thoughtful silence. “To be honest, it's hard for me to imagine this, and I'm still afraid of the Bludgers. Anyway.”

“Okay,” Manami smiled weakly, reaching for Onoda's palm to squeeze it. “Thanks anyway. For trying hard for our promise.”

Onoda didn't say anything — he just smiled tenderly in response and intertwined their fingers, which made Manami so calm that he wanted to fall asleep right there.

It wasn't surprising that Manami was in a good mood until the evening. He ate more sweets than usual at dinner and walked into the common room feeling overflowed but no doubt pleased. It was only as he crossed the passage in the wall that he felt something was wrong and wasn't mistaken in his premonition when he faced Toudou's not very kind gaze. He was sitting on the arm of the sofa with his hands folded on his chest and a frowning look — he was obviously waiting for him, and Manami, realising this, froze tensely.

“Come here,” Toudou said, beckoning to him, and yet he had to step forward.

“What?” Manami asked, staring at the floor. He honestly didn't know what he was guilty of this time, but the answer wasn't long in coming.

“Juichi got a reprimand from Mr. Kanzaki for you,” Toudou said. “Someone told him you were seen at the Gryffindor tryouts. You've been reminded a hundred times that you couldn't attend other team's practices and much less tryouts!”

“I know!” Manami replied, rising his head. “I didn't want to stick out — it happened by accident!”

“By accident? Now they think that we're stuck with our old tactics,” Toudou said irritably. “As if we don't know how to win on our own but only by cunning and through breaking the rules!”

“I was just worried!” Manami sobbed, feeling bad because of the tone Toudou was talking to him. “I wanted to be around, hoping that Sakamichi'd feel… I wanted to support him as much as I could so that he… wouldn't be afraid…”

“Oh...” Toudou suddenly became quiet; his mood changed in an instant. “Are you… really?”

“What?”

“What you said now is true? Is that how it was?”

“Of course,” Manami replied, looking at Toudou in surprise. “Why should I lie?”

But instead of cursing again, Toudou unexpectedly grabbed Manami, hugged him, and tousled his hair with his palm.

“It's so adorable. I love that you did that.”

“What?” Manami asked, choking in a tight grip. “You said I wasn't allowed to come.”

“Of course not,” Toudou agreed, letting go, and now he had a kind smile on his face. “But you had a special reason, and you did well if you didn't abandon the one you want to see as your rival at a difficult time.”

“Yes,” Manami smiled too. “Sakamichi passed the tryouts! It was so amazing and he did it!”

Toudou blinked in shock, seemingly completely disbelieving what he had heard, and Manami bit his lip, realising that the whole common room seemed to be hearing them.

“Who passed the tryouts, huh?” Arakita approached with a snide grin — Manami pressed his hand to his mouth, although, of course, it was too late to do this.

“You don't know him anyway,” Toudou snapped at Arakita. “A second-year, first time in Quidditch.”

Arakita whistled in surprise. Manami restrained himself from saying that there were three second-years. Naruko and Imaizumi too. But it was a secret, right?

“Looks like a pretty good second-year,” Shinkai added, coming up from the other side with a chocolate bar in his hand. “Don't scare the poor child with your smirks when we step out onto the field, Yasutomo.”

“Let's not give advice, huh?” Arakita snorted.

“And also—” Manami was about to say, but this time Toudou's hand was on his mouth.

“Not. A word. More. Little one,” he ordered sternly, and Manami, taking his hand from his face, smiled awkwardly.

“I wanted to say that I'll also try my best at the tryouts.”

Toudou grunted approvingly, patting Manami's head again with his palm, and Manami mentally promised himself that in two days, on Friday, he'd definitely win.

Chapter Text

It was hard to say what exactly was the reason for the carelessness before the very important day of Quidditch tryouts, but Manami really caught himself thinking that he wasn't nervous at all, although he did have reasons for it. He went to bed late, but not because he was worried about tomorrow — he just was in the Owlery, where he had gone shortly before the curfew to send his mother a letter. For such occasions, he always took some muffins or cookies from the Great Hall with him to feed the owls, and this time he lingered there, watching with a smile as two owlets in a secluded corner fought funny for their mother's attention.

When Manami remembered the existence of time, the screen of his silvery watch on the chain shone dark red, which meant only one thing: It had been long ago since the curfew, and he was very late. He had to hurry back to the Slytherin common room, but there was no shortcut. Manami almost bumped into the teacher on duty, who was inspecting the school, looking for violators of the regime, so he had to turn back and take a longer road.

When he finally returned, the common room was gloomy and quiet. Manami decided that he could slip into the dormitory unnoticed, but he was quietly called out as soon as he approached the stairs. He turned around with an awkward smile and saw sleepy Toudou rising from the chair, where Manami hadn't notice him immediately.

“Hello.”

“What do you mean 'hello'?” Toudou snorted and, holding a closed book in his hand, walked over to Manami. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Nope,” Manami replied honestly. “My watch doesn't tell the time, but the fact that I was late is clear.”

“Don't be so cocky, kid,” Toudou scolded him displeasedly. “Juichi won't forgive you for your violations endlessly and will begin to take points. And tomorrow, or rather today, are the tryouts, and you aren't in bed yet. If you don't get enough sleep, you won't be able to play at your best, and we'll have two practice matches at least!”

“Okay, okay,” Manami laughed softly. “I'll go to bed right away, and you need it too.”

He had already taken a step to the stairs when Toudou suddenly called him again, and this time his tone was a little worried.

“What?” Manami asked, turning around and looking at Toudou, who put one hand on his side and shook his head slightly.

“Do you have any plan?”

“You mean... tryouts?” Manami asked in surprise and looked up thoughtfully. “Well, I wouldn't say that.”

“You look confident enough for someone who has no plan,” Toudou pointed out. “It starts to seem to me that I don't understand you at all. When we bought you the broom, you were more serious.”

“Oh, you think I gave up on Quidditch?” Manami realised and smiled again. “Not at all! Sakamichi made it to the team! How should I think about the fact that I won't be able to join him?”

“Your result won't depend on whether he made it to the team,” Toudou sighed, and Manami sulked with resentment.

“It will be! We promised each other that we'd both pass the tryouts, so I have to, otherwise I'll die.”

“What?” Toudou blinked and then grabbed Manami by the hood of his robes. “What did you say? You don't—”

“Of course it's not an Unbreakable Vow,” Manami laughed. “Did you really fell for that? I was joking!”

“He was joking!” Toudou snapped indignantly as he let him go. “I'll turn gray with you even before I graduate from school! Go to bed now!”

Manami darted down the stairs, figuring it was better not to argue now, but when he got to his bed and started changing into his pyjamas, he chuckled softly, remembering Toudou's frightened and dumbfounded face. No, of course, it wasn't in Manami's plans to bring him to a heart attack, but it still turned out funny, although in his case he should not be kidding but thanking Toudou for his concern because he really was sincerely worried about him all this time. Manami even felt a little sorry for being in a good mood, but he didn't really seem to have a way to pull himself together and get serious right now.

Even lying in bed, he couldn't calm down and just fall asleep — he gave in to anticipation and felt as if he had already passed the tryouts and won his first official match against the other House's team. The sensations were indescribable even if they might have been caused by stupid self-confidence, but for some reason Manami couldn't help it.

Chalking it all up to a good feeling, he fell asleep only in the morning, and when he needed to get up, he turned off the alarm and hid his head under the pillow.

Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to oversleep breakfast: One of his neighbors accidentally, or not quite, broke a bottle of some very stinking potion, and everyone had to leave the bedroom filled with a fetid smell. A little later it turned out that it was just some gag perfume bought at a joke shop in Diagon Alley — some children didn't know where to spend their rich parents' money and took all sorts of crap. Manami didn't really want to figure out why exactly — he wanted to sleep, but he had to forget about this idea for a while.

He went to breakfast sleepy and dozed off during the first lesson. It wasn't possible to sleep in the Care of Magical Creatures class because most of the time the students spent on their feet and outdoors, and after lunch Manami decided not to go back to class at all. He knew that he'd be scolded for truancy again, but the need for normal sleep in a normal bed was much stronger than a sense of conscience.

This idea unfortunately was a bust: As soon as he tried to sneak out to the underground floor, the Head of the House caught him (literally), grabbing him by the hood, and forced him to go to the History of Magic, recalling his skipping of the Potions on Wednesday. He had to go to class, accepting his fate, and there, as luck would have it, was the test work. Instead of sleeping on the desk, Manami had to strain his intuition and think because everyone was seated away from each other to prevent cheating, and Miyahara could do little to help with this sudden misfortune.

The first part of the day turned out to be quite unsuccessful, and after the History of Magic, he wanted to sleep even more. It would have been nice to be in the dormitory and sleep those remaining two hours before the tryouts, but the prefect met the Slytherin second-years near the office they had left and said that no one should go into the dormitory until tonight unless absolutely necessary. Whatever was in that gag perfume, it was done conscientiously because the house-elves still couldn't get the smell out. Fukutomi was very unhappy because the 'wonderful scent' penetrated into the other dormitories, and it seemed that he was ready to take points off the culprit, but he didn't, and the kids (oh, sure — what do they care?) were in high spirits.

They weren't too upset by the fact that they couldn't go back to their bedroom and rest — they just scattered about their business, but for Manami it was almost a disaster. He needed sleep so badly that he decided to take extreme measures. He knew where there was always sleeping area and where he could always come to get better, whether he had a cold or a fracture. Sleep was good for your health, too? Manami didn't want to think about it too much, he just came to the Hospital Wing, threw off the bag near the first bed he came across and curled up on it, falling into a long-awaited sleep almost instantly. The relief before he blacked out was so overwhelming that Manami didn't even bother to think about how he'd wake up at the right time. He could easily have slept until dinner if Healer hadn't woken him up, carefully taking him by the shoulder. Manami shuddered, immediately waking up, and sat up abruptly.

“I heard that an unpleasant incident happened in your dormitory, but I also heard that your House has tryouts for Quidditch today. Weren't you going to participate?” Madam Bland asked, and Manami rubbed his eyes quickly, trying to recover.

“What time is it now?” he asked, confused and worried, looking around and trying to understand how terrible the situation was with the help of the light outside the windows. Actually, the sun's rays have already begun to strongly resemble the evening ones.

“Half past five,” the healer replied, glancing at the neat watch on her wrist.

“I'm late!” Manami jumped up, barely remembering about his bag. “Jinpachi'll definitely kill me. Sorry, let the bag stay here, I'll come back for it later!”

Without waiting for an answer, he rushed to the exit with all his might, leaving Healer behind. It was just awful to be late for his first tryouts, but that's exactly what Manami did, desperately hoping that it wasn't too late.

Perhaps he had never run so fast before. He got to the broomstick room, it seemed, in a matter of minutes and then, ignoring his shortness of breath, jumped on his Firebolt and soared into the sky. Squeezing all the speed out of the broom, Manami rushed to the Quidditch pitch and noticed from afar the participants flying on their brooms there. It was deja vu.

But this time he didn't have to hide. He immediately passed the stands and went down, where the captain stood, watching the game, and those participants of the tryouts who were to play in the next match. Kuroda was also here, next to Fukutomi, and he made a definitely disapproving expression as Manami landed on the grass, nearly falling off his broomstick.

“Sorry, I overslept,” Manami said and was almost immediately distracted by the beautiful pass of Toudou, who gave the ball to Shinkai. Together they rushed to the opponent's goal post, and Manami felt wild delight at the sight.

“190-20!” the voice of Mr. Kanzaki announced, amplified by the charm.

It didn't take Manami long to realise that the score was in favour of the greens as Toudou played for them. The team which wore black T-shirts on their robes so as not to get confused was noticeably behind, and there was absolutely nothing to be surprised about.

“Now they play without Seekers up to three hundred points. You'll play the next game,” Fukutomi said as he kept his eyes on the field, and Manami looked at him dumbfounded.

“Can I really do that?”

“Hurry to the changing room,” Fukutomi replied, continuing to watch the players.

Manami felt much better and jumped on the broom again with a smile. He quickly made his way to the changing room and found his uniform, mentally reassuring himself.

It's all right. There's a chance to fight and win.

Rejoicing so much, Manami took longer than usual to fix the guards, but when he returned to the field, there was still time before the end of the first game.

“Oh my God, are you serious?” Kuroda said in a voice full of irritation as soon as he saw him again, and then approached. Manami only managed to open his mouth to ask what the matter was and immediately closed it back because Kuroda suddenly knelt in front of him and pulled on one of the straps of his guards. “Nothing should stick out here. Who clasps like that anyway? This stuff will fall off the first chance it gets,” Kuroda grumbled, fastening the strap under the knee tighter.

Manami gasped and felt terribly uncomfortable: Not only was Toudou constantly trying to make him look good, but now Kuroda was doing it too. What a blessing.

“That's how it's fixed, okay? You've got to remember that, kid,” Kuroda said, and Manami hastily freed himself from his hands to fix the guard on the other leg on his own.

“I get it,” he muttered quietly in response as he sat down on the grass, Kuroda turned away with an irritated look and left as if Manami were something like a hopeless case.

He didn't feel dissatisfied about that long — Manami soon forgot about it because he handled with his guards and began to watch the game coming to an end. Izumida was also on the field but played for the team in black T-shirts. In just a few seconds, he managed to intercept the Quaffle, which was sent to Shinkai, and approach the open goalpost and throw it into one of the hoops.

“280-60!” Mr. Kanzaki announced, balancing on his broom in the middle of the field, and Manami heard admiring voices nearby.

“Did you see it? Didn't Izumida score all the points?” one of the senior students asked.

“Yeah. Last time, he got around pretty good,” another guy replied.

“I bet he'll be the third Chaser in the core team.”

“Yes, it looks like that.”

Manami smiled happily at the news and then accidentally noticed Kuroda's restrained smile. He stood and watched the game closely — it seemed that he had boundless pride in his friend even if he was trying not to show it so clearly.

When the match was over and the guys went down to the grass, those who were waiting below immediately offered them bottles of water. Manami realised that his battle was already very close and confidently gripped the handle of his Firebolt.

"You're late," Toudou said, walking up to him.

He was holding a bottle of water in one hand, the other was drying his neck with a towel, and his face beamed with a satisfied smile. No, he had no intention of getting angry or cursing at all.

“Yeah,” Manami nodded, grinning. “You said that I should get some sleep, so I did.”

“And it seems to have done you good,” Toudou replied, taking his headband off to put it back on and tidy up loose strands of hair. “Are you ready to play really seriously?”

“Yes, of course,” Manami said, quickly getting to his feet and straightening like a soldier.

Toudou smiled at him again, but their conversation was interrupted by Fukutomi.

“We need another Chaser for the next match. Would you like to play, Jinpachi?”

“You're asking?” Toudou grinned at him defiantly.

“You're tired. Therefore, I ask.”

“And another Beater, isn't it, Fuku?” Arakita followed him and put an elbow on Fukutomi's shoulder.

“Yes, that's right.”

Arakita also looked disheveled and tired, but there was a lively gambling spark in his eyes, which flared even more as soon as Toudou looked at him.

“I want to play against him,” Arakita said, to which Toudou flushed irritably.

“Oh yeah? I wouldn't refuse such a pleasure either!”

“It will be me pleasure when I throw you off the broomstick.”

“Yasutomo, you wear black,” Fukutomi said, interrupting their starting argument. “Kuroda will be on your team.”

“Yes,” Kuroda said, who had been standing next to him all this time, but Manami had managed to forget about him.

Fukutomi nodded, looking at Toudou, who seemed to understand him without words. And while Mr. Kanzaki dealt with the participant who injured his arm, two new teams were assembled under the captain's order.

“Let's make this game ours, right?” Toudou said quietly, standing next to Manami and putting his arm around his shoulder in support. They were, of course, left to fight as a same team, and Toudou was apparently planning to win. He was always determined to win, for that matter.

“Uh-huh,” Manami agreed.

“I'll try to score more points with the Quaffle, and you'll finish, okay?” Toudou smiled, letting go.

“It will be great,” Manami replied, smiling back.

They were given another fifteen minutes to get ready and discuss tactics in the formed teams, after which the Seekers received other gloves — not very different from the usual Quidditch ones but completely covered. From a short explanation by Mr. Kanzaki (especially for Manami), it became clear that this was to prevent the Snitch from touching with the bare parts of their palms. The Snitch had flesh memory allowed it to remember the first one that touched it, and thanks to this property, in real games, it was always possible to determine the winner in case of some confusion. Manami quickly thought that it was too late to find out about it. The very Snitch he had borrowed to play with Onoda in early September they had ruined, although no one apparently has noticed it until now.

The participants took their positions in the air, and Manami smiled as he saw Kuroda in front of him wearing a black T-shirt over his green uniform. He seemed to get even more serious, and he and Arakita also talked about something before the game. Did they have some sort of strategy too? Manami wondered, hoping that Arakita wouldn't direct Bludgers at them during the Snitch chase. He was quite accurate, of course, but still not enough to accurately hit one Seeker without disturbing the other.

Meanwhile down in the center of the field, Mr. Kanzaki was about to release the balls. It will begin now, Manami realised, tuning in, and suddenly felt the wind blow through his hair.

Gusty and southern, he said to himself and smiled again.

Can you help me a little?

The wind, of course, couldn't answer, but Manami still felt a good feeling and took a deep breath, finally calming down. A second later the referee's whistle was heard. The Quaffle also entered the game, and a couple of Chasers grappled for him in a fight. Meanwhile, the Snitch flew right between Manami and Kuroda, heading west, and they both rushed out of place.

This wasn't often that the Seekers could start pursuit right in the first minute of the match, but this time the Snitch was either already tired after a week of games and wanted to be caught or tried to tease them. Manami and Kuroda dashed after it shoulder to shoulder, repeating the variable flight path, and for a few seconds Manami even managed to get ahead after one successful turn when the Snitch darted to the left. But the chase had to be stopped abruptly when the agile golden ball slipped right between the Keeper and the middle hoop. All three could collide, but the Firebolt braked — Manami grabbed the handle more tightly to keep from falling, and Kuroda pulled his broom towards himself, stopping.

Because of this confusion, the Snitch naturally eluded its pursuers, and they had to rise higher so as not to interfere with other players. Toudou just got a pass and rushed to the goal post to break through and get the first points.

It wasn't unexpected that after a couple of seconds Mr. Kanzaki announced the opening score.

“Way to go, Jinpachi,” Manami encouraged even though he knew he was too far from Toudou to be heard.

The height could easily be called dizzying, and looking down from here to watch the game progress was incredibly exciting. Manami still had to get used to being in this position, but Kuroda— He had already participated in training matches in previous years.

Finding him with his eyes, Manami noticed that he was hovering over the field a few metres lower and much to the right. He, too, was closely watching what was happening below, watching the players or perhaps looking for the Snitch. Without thinking twice, Manami turned his broom in Kuroda's direction and soon stopped very close to look around the field from this place.

Wow. As it turned out, the view was completely different here, and it seemed to be the perfect height, which the Snitch was easier to spot from and where the Bludgers rarely reached anymore.

“What are you doing? Are you going to patronise me?” Kuroda asked after invading personal space.

“I'm going to learn from more experienced and senior ones,” Manami chuckled. “Anyway, I'm not sure yet that I can use my trump card.”

“Do you have a trump card? No way,” Kuroda chuckled in response. “Sounds like a bluff.”

“Do you like the feeling of being alive, Yukinari?” Manami asked, continuing to follow the players below. The team in black got ten points, but Toudou was back in possession of the Quaffle and rushed to the goal, full of strength and energy. Or he just wanted to prove something to someone. Perhaps even Arakita.

“I hope your trump card isn't to confuse me with your phrases? I won't buy into it,” Kuroda replied displeased, and Manami smiled.

“You should feel everything. That height, that broomstick handle, the atmosphere of the game and every, even the slightest change in the air. Paying attention to all this, can reveal amazing things.”

“You can't pay attention to all this when you have to fixate only on the Snitch, on your goal,” Kuroda disagreed.

“You should,” Manami replied with a laugh. “I've noticed that you rely on instinct when it's time to catch, but awareness can be helpful too.”

Kuroda smiled as Manami glanced at him for a couple of seconds.

“Your awareness can be helpful when you'll try to accept defeat after the game.”

Manami blinked in surprise, but before he could think that Kuroda was trying to hit him, Kuroda rushed down. He seemed to have spotted the Snitch, and Manami, biting his lip, had to catch up. The pursuit resumed in a matter of seconds, and now it became even more dangerous because not only other players but also Bludgers met along the way. The first time they both successfully ducked and then darted after the Snitch again until it disappeared from sight, but the second time was different.

Kuroda was close — he had already stretched out his right hand to catch. Manami was only thirty centimetres behind and was ready to accelerate when he sensed that something was wrong. With a peripheral vision, he immediately noticed an approaching object from the other side of the field and quickly guessed that Kuroda didn't see it just because of his outstretched arm.

Going up or down to avoid collision was the smartest idea, but Manami was in no hurry to save himself alone. He did what he probably shouldn't have done. He moved a little lower and to the side to get right under Kuroda and then began to push him up. Another second — and the Bludger flew past them, almost hitting Manami's broom, while the Snitch went down sharply.

“What are you—” Kuroda said barely audibly as they both slowed down.

“Don't forget Bludgers,” Manami replied, looking towards the Snitch that had flown away.

Kuroda kind of cursed, and he seemed to be more annoyed than ever.

“Why did you do this? Do you think you're a hero?”

“Not at all,” Manami laughed, waving his hand. “I just thought it would be boring to chase the Snitch alone, that's all.”

Kuroda looked at him with an indescribable expression and then exhaled a short 'moron' and began to rise abruptly to return to the previous position.

Manami didn't take long to wait and followed his example, although now they no longer spoke even if they were very close. Instead, they watched the game, listening to the voice of Mr. Kanzaki keeping score. Manami kept his eyes fixed on Toudou almost like at his very first Quidditch match and imperceptibly forgot himself. Because Toudou really caught the eye. His moves, his turns, his passes, and the way he deftly grabbed the Quaffle. Arakita also seemed to keep his eyes on him, and at every opportunity, he tried to prevent him from taking the ball or launching attacks. He was so carried away that he even hit his teammate's broom, taking him out of the game for a few seconds. Toudou, on the other hand, successfully ducked when another Bludger flew at him, and this seemed to infuriate Arakita even more.

Manami didn't know how much time had passed when another ball hit by Arakita headed straight for Toudou. He didn't even listen to the score, but Mr. Kanzaki's new words did make him pay attention.

“Dear Seekers, I apologise deeply for interrupting your fascinating viewing of the game, but the Snitch has been hovering near the western stands for about a minute, and even I could have caught it.”

Laughter was heard from somewhere below — Manami realised that these were the guys who had already played the first match but remained to watch the second and wait for the results. It got pretty awkward. Kuroda must have been too. The two of them glanced at each other quickly and then, without a word, darted for the Snitch again.

This could be the last chase, Manami thought for a second and tried to focus on sensations.

They flew perpendicular to the wind — it was noticeable because even the Snitch shifted to the side slowly, driven by the air currents. It was harder to get a sense of direction when you were speeding yourself, so if the wind was variable, the tactic Manami had chosen didn't work unless he was guessing the changing direction.

But today the wind was southerly with no change, and Manami knew one more thing that not every Seeker'd have guessed to pay attention to.

The Snitch, despite its insane speed, was light and found it difficult to maintain his maximum while flying upwind. That's why it, like a living creature, just like the very bird that Toudou had created for Manami's practice last year, changed direction and flew downwind when he wanted to escape from the Seeker and still play tag with him. This could have been predicted without the gift of a seer; all that remained was to watch one's own direction and be ready for a sudden change in trajectory. And Manami did just that.

He watched their position on the field during the chase; they often turned to the right or left, flew down and up. The Bludgers, surprisingly, didn't interfere, and then the Snitch began the movement in one straight line that turned out to be more of an arc of some sort. Kuroda lunged forward again, and he was accelerating carefully, already stretching out his hand again. Manami couldn't do it — something was preventing him. Instead, he hoped for luck, hoped to take risks for his chance to win this battle.

No matter which side you decide to go around him — I'll catch you, Manami thought, preparing to extend either hand depending on the case.

He should have done it now. Trust his intuition. Manami felt that he had to, and the arc of their trajectory became straight as they flew towards the stands.

“Sorry, but this is our last chase,” Manami said, although Kuroda couldn't hear him right now due to the whistling wind in his ears.

Nevertheless, the Snitch did make its move. Very lucky for Manami as it spun back sharply, eluding Kuroda's hand but flying straight towards his pursuer. Manami rose his left palm and grabbed it quickly, barely realising that he had really done it. He braked, turning the broom back around, and looked in complete amazement at his clenched fist where the Snitch was lazily flapping its silver wings.

It worked! he mentally rejoiced, still not believing.

He barely heard Mr. Kanzaki stop the game and announce the final score, and then he sank to the grass and pressed his fist with the Snitch to his chest, feeling pleasant warmth spreading from there all over his body.

But no sooner had he fully embraced his happiness than something heavy jumped to the ground beside him, and then a rough hand grabbed the collar of his uniform.

“You—” Kuroda hissed, pulling Manami towards him, and Manami thought he was going to be hit.

He even managed to close his eyes, but the next moment he was deafened by Toudou's loud voice, which was also very close.

“Just dare — I'll rip your hands off!”

Manami opened his eyes wide, and Kuroda's hand let go of him as angry Toudou nearly ran into Kuroda himself. And who knew how it would have ended if Fukutomi hadn't also intervened, grabbing Toudou by the elbow just in time to pull him back.

“No fights on the field, let alone a Muggle scuffle,” he said sternly, and Toudou twisted in indignation, still unable to catch his breath from the game.

“Are you telling me that? Look at him! He's half a head taller and almost knocked the little one down!”

“I wasn't going to beat him, I just—” Kuroda said quietly and then lowered his eyes altogether when someone else came up. It was Arakita.

He was silent, and for some reason a calm mask froze on his face. So unusual for him.

“Are you finished here?” he asked, looking boredly at Fukutomi. “The rest want to know if they'll hear the announcement of the core team today.”

“Yes, I made a decision,” Fukutomi nodded gravely and headed back to where the other guys were waiting.

Manami, feeling completely ambiguous now — dazed and confused, also returned to his mates, but before that he gave the Snitch to Mr. Kanzaki so that he could continue to put the balls in the special box. Fukutomi asked everyone to line up and the first thing he did was give the names of those who were in the core team last year. Toudou, Arakita, Shinkai, of course, remained in their places — no one doubted their skill. And when it came to the position of the third Chaser, Manami heard the familiar name of Izumida, and some of the guys congratulated him with cheers and applause.

Fukutomi left the Seekers for the last, and it seemed as if he thought for a few seconds before announcing the decision.

“The Seeker's position was taken by Sangaku Manami. Kuroda's the reserve,” Fukutomi said as calmly as he had about the rest, and Manami trembled with overflowing excitement.

The guys were silent. The first few seconds there was absolute silence on the field as if no one believed, but then someone clapped, and a little later Toudou came up and hugged him tightly.

“You did good,” he said. “I'm sorry I didn't see you catch the Snitch, but I'm sure it was amazing.”

“Thank you,” Manami smiled, still feeling very strange.

He should have been jumping for joy — he also fulfilled part of the promise, and it didn't matter at all what other guys think about his inclusion in the core team, right?

Manami decided not to bother with this, trying to at least fully realise that everything worked out and he became one step closer to his dream. A smile crept into his face as he pulled off his guards in the changing room, practically not listening to the lively conversations behind his back. The guys discussed the tryouts, who had done well, and so far no one has mentioned Manami himself, although many were probably shocked by the fact that Fukutomi had taken a second-year to the core team. But since it had happened, did it mean that the candidate was good enough to play on the same team with the best of the best? And it seemed that the captain was so confident in his choice that Toudou's promised help in making a decision wasn't needed.

All of this was probably a good sign. Gradually Manami began to succumb to the accumulating feeling of relief and calm and went to dinner in the best mood.

Now most of all he wanted to tell Onoda about everything, with all the details, but there wasn't even a scrap of paper at hand to send a note about the successful completion of the tryouts. Eating delicious chocolate pudding for dessert, Manami wondered what to do, and came up with nothing better than catching Onoda right after dinner.

He had to keep an eye on the Gryffindor table and then hurry to leave his place when Onoda stood up. It was strange that he decided to leave without his friends — Naruko was still chewing on a piece of apple pie with gusto, Imaizumi was reading something, and in general there were still many among the Gryffindor students.

Manami ran out of the hall but lost Onoda, although it didn't take too long to look for him. Onoda found him himself. He grabbed Manami's hand as Manami reached the corner, and pulled it.

“You were smiling when you came to dinner. Did it all work out?” Onoda asked with an excited smile and embarrassedly lowered his head after watching the older guys who passed by.

“You bet,” Manami laughed, leaning his shoulder against the wall. “It was so much fun, and our captain immediately chose me as the core team Seeker because I defeated a guy who was older and more experienced! He was really cool and has always been one step ahead!”

Hearing this, Onoda beamed happily — he too seemed sincerely happy that they had been able to execute their difficult undertaking. All that was left was to wait for the game which they would meet in, and work hard until that?

Manami couldn't calm down. They had to go outside and find a less crowded place so that he, without holding back, could tell about everything that had happened during the tryouts, starting with his embarrassing late arrival. It was so great that Onoda listened to him; sighed, laughed, surprised — Manami seemed to begin to feel that they were acquiring a new and unusual bond that could only come about now. Maybe... it was exactly the same between Toudou and Makishima? They had always been looking forward to playing with each other, and now Manami seemed to be starting to realise how exciting and amazing it was.

And apparently he benefited in two things at once. He was in the core Quidditch team — which means that there was a chance to prove to everyone that he could make history himself and not be just a shadow of his father. But he could also... strengthen their feelings with Onoda for each other? And if they succeed, maybe someday they'd become no worse than the people Manami admired so much?

As it was getting close to the curfew, Onoda had to say goodbye. Manami made his way to the common room of his House, not worried about anything, but as he passed the busy room and turned onto the stairs, muffled voices made him stop. Somewhere not far from there, Fukutomi was talking — Manami didn't hear what exactly he said, but it was hard not to make out Arakita's words that came next.

“I'm serious, you understand what I mean. He hardly ever attended practice.”

Manami froze, staring at the steps in front of him. So did the guys talk about him?

“And he caught the Snitch, almost never attending practice. Beat an excellent Seeker,” Fukutomi replied calmly, and Manami took another silent step to hear better.

“How?” Arakita snorted. “I'm a hundred percent sure that he was just lucky.”

“In a sense. But he relied on his intuition, which is also important in the game.”

“That's nonsense! What happens when it doesn't work at a crucial moment? Kuroda should be in his place! You promised me!”

Manami shuddered at the loud, full of indignation voice and got goose bumps. He thought— He thought he was worthy. He did his best—

“I know, and I'm sorry, but things have changed,” Fukutomi replied meanwhile, and Manami bit his lip forcefully. “I make a choice that will bring victory to the team and not please personal preferences.”

“Oh, don't you dare tell me about personal preference now,” Arakita replied insulted. “Did Jinpachi talk you out? It's obvious.”

“No. He didn't even talk to me about him, and if you have no more questions for me, I want to end the conversation.”

“Oh, great!”

The door to one of the bedrooms slammed shut with such a crash that Manami shuddered again and then hurried away. He left the common room not knowing where he was going, but staying there was the worst option. And while he hurried back to the ground floor, it seemed to him that he was sleeping and seeing a nightmare. But the nightmare was real, and that meant for Arakita Manami was just... a mistake?

With difficulty resisting the urge to cry, Manami stopped near an empty wall and pressed his back to the cold stone. No he couldn't. He coudn't give up when the decisive step had already been taken. He shouldn't have started doubting his strength again even if Arakita— Even if Arakita didn't believe in him. Would it mean nothing if Manami proved to him that he could win for the team in official matches?

Lord, he wanted so badly to talk to someone about this now. To speak out. But Manami didn't. He tried to suppress all the bad feelings and focus on the future. It was fine. It really was. He just had another reason to show that he could be amazing. A second-year who would lead his House to victory.

Trying to cheer himself up, Manami went to the Great Hall, where he sat until the curfew, feeding Sleepy, who had flown in, with pieces of muffin. Alone, he managed to get himself in the best mood, so when he nevertheless returned to his dormitory, which no longer smelled disgusting, he managed to fall asleep immediately as soon as he touched his head on the pillow, and slept a good sound sleep until morning.

The next day before breakfast, the common room was busy and noisy. A lot of students were going for a walk in Hogsmeade, and the Quidditch team was no exception. Manami was so eager to go with them, but he wasn't allowed yet.

“Where's Jinpachi?” he asked, going to the sofa, where Shinkai was sitting and tossing marmalade candies into the air to catch them with his mouth.

Arakita, who was sitting next to him, opened his mouth to say something, but Fukutomi answered first.

“I asked him to take his time, but he didn't listen and ran to the Head early in the morning. I'm sure the schedule isn't ready yet.”

“The schedule?” Manami blinked and smiled immediately. “Quidditch?”

“Quidditch!” someone shouted from behind, and of course it was Toudou, who had returned.

He rushed as fast as he could to the sofa, holding a yellow parchment, but when he stopped in front of the guys, he quickly pulled himself together, straightening and smoothing his hair with his palm.

“So what did you have to do this time to get what you wanted?” Arakita asked with a touch of annoyance, which Toudou had successfully ignored, although his left eyebrow still twitched nervously for a moment.

“Being one step ahead is the best strategy, isn't it?” he grinned, extending his hand and showing the parchment to Fukutomi. “We were the first to know this year's game schedule.”

Shinkai quickly perked up: He pushed grumbling Arakita right next to Fukutomi, and all three of them stared curiously at the parchment and quickly studied it.

“Oh, it's curious this time,” Shinkai commented first.

“Yes, we can't wait until the last game,” Arakita snorted, his expression hard to tell if he was happy or not.

“We have a big gap between the second and third matches — it can come in handy for us,” Fukutomi said, left with an unreadable face.

Manami also became very interesting. He wanted to look into the parchment to see everything with his own eyes, and Toudou finally took pity on him, handing him the schedule. Manami looked and—

“Wow.”

“As you wanted, right?” Toudou asked, and when Manami looked up, a sly smile played on his face. “Of course, I'd like to meet with Yuusuke earlier, but that's also not bad. We'll have a real Cup final if we overtake other teams on points. How do you feel about that?”

Manami looked at the schedule once more and smiled happily, fully aware that everything was really great. In early November, Gryffindor would play against Ravenclaw, at the end of November, his team — against Hufflepuff, and at the very end—

This time the season would end with Slytherin vs. Gryffindor, and it was really the best thing to dream of. Compensating for any disadvantages and unpleasant moments that slowly faded into the background, retreating in front of a feeling of complete delight and confidence.

Chapter Text

The first time it happened at the end of September — Toudou remembered well the moment when he got out of his bed in the sixth year's dormitory to go to the table and saw her in the high window— Mermaid, yes. The Slytherin common room could surprise anyone who was in it for the first time. It was the same with Toudou when he entered Hogwarts for his first year and the Sorting Hat sent him to the snake House. And even though he knew straight away that he'd have to spend nights in the dungeons, he didn't think that the common room would so amaze him with its beauty and unusualness. He didn't expect to see windows here — why, if the students had to go deep underground? But the windows not only were but also were floor to ceiling, and behind the thick glass stretched, of course, not the heavenly blue surface but the expanse of water, glowing with enchanting green light when the sun was shining outside. No birds were to be seen there, but small aquatic inhabitants often swam nearby, such as fish or grindylows, the latter of which sometimes liked to look into the windows from the other side and show their sharp teeth. It seemed as if you were inside a huge aquarium without a chance to go outside but with the opportunity to enjoy a pacifying sight, which was soothing after strenuous classes.

But you could get used to everything — Toudou was also used to the common room, to the windows in it, as he was used to school and its quirks, and by the beginning of the sixth year he had assumed that there were no more things at Hogwarts that could surprise him, but, as it turned out at the end of September, he was wrong.

It was no secret to anyone that the lake that the windows of the Slytherin common room overlooked was home to a wide variety of inhabitants. Unpleasant grindylows or Giant Squid didn't hesitate to show themselves to young wizards, but about merpeople, students could only hear. Toudou had heard of them but had never taken much interest, accepting them as one of the costs of the wizarding world. Like the centaurs living in the Forbidden Forest, merpeople were considered intelligent creatures and also didn't possess love for humans, which made it difficult to see them: They didn't approach the castle, especially the windows of the common room, and didn't swim to the surface of the lake... It was unlikely that any of the students would get a chance to meet them, unless they had the courage and recklessness to think of a way and venture into the depths of the lake, where it was dangerous.

Toudou wasn't dreaming of such a thing either — he had no interest in science, and he also knew that the mermaids living in their lake were very different from the one he saw in the picture in the prefect's bathroom, where he had bathed once after begging Fukutomi for the password. The real mermaids living nearby weren't beauties, besides, they weren't interested in Quidditch at all, so it would be foolish to consider them as potential female fans therefore there was no point in thinking about them at all.

It wasn't difficult to adhere to this principle — until one ordinary day Toudou saw one of these merpeople in the window. At first he thought what it had seemed to him. He froze in place, blinking in surprise, but then a lithe figure swam in the water again and then flashed in the next window, near Arakita's bed. It didn't look like a grindylow, nor did it look like a big fish. Fish didn't have... long hair.

The mermaid returned (it seemed to be a mermaid: Her hair smoothly swayed in the water, making it difficult to see her breasts) and this time froze right in front of the window as if overcome by curiosity. Toudou became curious as well. He swallowed and took a hesitant step toward the window, afraid to frighten off, and then another. The mermaid had an expressionless face but bright yellow eyes that caught his eye. Her large silvery tail slowly sliced through the water, and her dark green hair looked like wavy seaweed. She smiled faintly and suddenly reached out with her palm to the window, seemingly about to touch it. But the next moment, the mermaid jerked her hand away as if burned and then began to work with her powerful tail. She swam away so quickly that Toudou didn't even have time to believe what was happening. So he stood with his mouth open and completely stunned.

He didn't know why it had happened, why one of the mermaids unexpectedly approached the castle and the windows of the common room, but to his surprise, he forgot about the incident quite quickly because life was full of troubles and worries. Studying, Quidditch practice and approaching tryouts. Toudou was seriously worried about one kid who had become too unpredictable but, as it turned out a little later, completely in vain because Manami did an excellent job and caught the Snitch first. Toudou felt incredible relief and was finally able to start thinking about a new practice program for himself. Naturally, he had no time to think about the meeting with the mermaid, but he still had to when the same thing happened again.

He seemed to doze off for just a second in the empty bedroom, where he had gone to deal with his homework for tomorrow in peace and quiet. Almost bumping his nose into the scribbled parchment, Toudou raised his head sharply and reached for a glass of water. His attention was diverted by some movement outside the window — he turned his head, and the glass almost slipped from his fingers.

The need to quench his thirst vanished without a trace. Toudou held his breath, let go of the glass he had set down, and pushed his palm against the tabletop, getting to his feet. Slowly. So as not to scare away.

Because outside the window there was him. Not a mermaid but a merman. With the same long green hair, yellow eyes that beckoned to them, called out. And Toudou obeyed, went, driven by uncontrollable desire. He stopped near the window to raise his palm, press it against the thick glass, behind which the water sparkled green, pierced by the rays of the evening sun.

Merman smiled almost imperceptibly. He pressed his palm against the other side of the glass, and Toudou wanted so badly to touch it without that barrier. To break it down, destroy it with a spell, flood the entire common room and dungeons to hell. Toudou held back with great difficulty and tried to smile back. His guest clenched his fingers into a fist as he continued to press his palm against the glass, a mute request evident in his eyes. About what?

Wavy hair rippled in the water. Merman pushed them back behind his shoulder with his free hand and pressed this hand to the glass. Toudou saw a bare torso, thin but wiry, with a pale grayish skin that surprisingly didn't repel but made one want to stare and stare. A necklace with inconspicuous pebbles hovered around his neck, and the tip of a long silvery tail glittered with scales and moved lazily, keeping him in one position.

His index finger extended, his palm moved. Toudou hurried to remove his hand to keep the view open, to make sure he didn't miss a single letter because he knew what was coming. Merman was writing him a letter. Leaving no traces, requiring him to follow every movement. Finger down the glass to make an arc at the end.

“Jin-pa-chi,” Toudou said softly as the word was finished. “Yes, Yuusuke?” he replied, looking up. “I'm all ears.”

Merman smiled weakly again. As if with sadness. And he began to move his finger again.

Fast so you could hardly follow. Toudou whispered the letters to himself, mentally thanks that the message was mirrored.

“I can't. Followed. What? Are you being followed?” Toudou asked excitedly and began to run across the glass with his own finger.

He started in his usual manner, but then he scolded himself and continued mirroring it.

Did they find out? What's going to happen?

Merman pursed his lips and began to write the invisible text again.

Could be banished.

Toudou flinched. He pressed his left palm to the glass, pressed his forehead as well and closed his eyes.

Then you'd better not come to me, he forced himself to write with difficulty, moving his finger along the smooth surface.

I can't, the answer came, and immediately, I want you.

Feeling his cheeks flush, Toudou pulled back a little and looked back into the deep yellow eyes. They couldn't lie, there was demandingness in them... and regret. So much regret.

“Me too...” Toudou said soundlessly and, closing his eyes, stepped close to the window so that the tip of his nose touched the glass. “I want to be with you. To touch. If only for a second.”

Opening his eyes, he saw the merman writing again and read the new word.

Touch.

Toudou bit his lip.

Your hair.

“My hair,” he repeated and reached for his head to remove the headband, but the next moment there was a sudden crash.

The door opened, and apparently with a kick of the foot because it hit the wall. Toudou jumped up and saw his desk in front of him. How did he—

A quick glance at the window made him realise, to his regret, that there was no one behind it, and he turned around in his chair in displeasure. It was Arakita who entered the room. He had a pile of parchments under his arm, and in his other hand was his wand, which he lazily scratched the back of his head with.

“You! You could have entered quieter! You've ruined my sleep, you scoundrel!” Toudou was indignant, really wanting to throw something at Arakita.

“What?” he snapped and threw the parchments on his bed. “Maybe I should fluff your pillow too, sissy?”

“So that I never fall asleep on it again, because there'll be no feathers left? No thanks,” Toudou snorted, turning away and rubbing his damp forehead.

Wow. Was he so worried about his dream that he even sweated? Although the dream was really... exciting. In a way that made him shiver and want to continue. To see again... long hair, bare skin. Makishima. Who spoke to him about his desires without hesitation.

Taking his hand away from his face, Toudou sighed and then noticed accidentally. Black ink stains that remained on his fingers and seemed to be on his forehead.

“Damn,” he chuckled, feeling a rising wave of shame.

Toudou knew it was terribly stupid. It was getting cold outside, and he clutched his broom in his hands, preparing to mount it and quickly get to the lake. It was impossible to wait, he couldn't wait, he had to—

Cool air cooled his flaming cheeks a little as the broomstick lifted into the air and rushed forward. Toudou tightened his grip on the handle and leaned forward, accelerating toward the rocky bank hidden behind the trees. In flight, it was possible to reach the desired place very quickly.

Closer to the goal, he had to slow down. Flying over the very water surface, Toudou turned around and landed carefully on the sparsely sprouted grass, displaced by uneven boulders. It was quiet all around, even too much — the wind calmed down, and the birds were silent too. Strange, Toudou'd have thought, but his head was empty, and the body moved as if by itself. He squatted down to lay down the broom, took slow, uncertain steps towards the lake.

The stones were uneven — it was easy to fall off them into the water and give himself a bath ahead of time, but Toudou set himself the goal of reaching the very last wide boulder. He almost slipped down along the road, stepping on another stone, but still reached the goal dry and knelt down on a hard, slightly rough surface. For some reason, the cold wasn't felt when Toudou rested his palms on the edge and leaned over the calm clear water. The bottom here was far away, but under the rare rays of the sun, it was possible to see seaweed swaying below. Toudou reached out and dipped his fingers into the water. Nothing. No cold, no heat. So he wouldn't get a cold if he dove in, right?

After hesitating a little more, he wiped his hand on his robes, pushed his palms off the stone to straighten up in full growth, and undid the button under the hood.

The main thing was to get the wand, he thought, already starting to pull off his robes, but the sharp splash of water startled him, and he almost fell. A head with green hair appeared out of the water in front of the stone, and a reproach flashed in the familiar yellow eyes.

“And what were you going to do, won't you tell?” dry, not even a greeting.

“Me?” Toudou smiled nervously, pulling the robe back over his shoulders. “I wanted to swim.”

“You can't, it's too cold in the lake,” the merman replied indifferently, and Toudou knelt down again.

“Why did you come?” he asked quietly, losing his smile. “Your people are against our meeting.”

“But you wanted to come to me yourself, didn't you?” the merman asked shrewdly, taking his hand out of the water to remove the interfering wet strands from his face.

“I did,” Toudou agreed. “It's like you're calling to me. Like sirens from the scary Muggle legends of the sea. I can't help it. So I decided to speak to your people and take the blame. I'm willing to do anything to get them to let me—”

“How were you going to do it? You're going to drown.”

“I have a little charm,” Toudou smiled sadly.

“That's out of the question,” the merman replied and slowly began to sink back into the water.

“No, wait!” Toudou scared, leaning forward. “Yuusuke!”

But the merman swam back, closer, and brushed the hair from his face again.

“Yes, Jinpachi?” he smiled weakly, and Toudou's heart jumped.

“Don't do that—” he asked in a trembling voice.

“What?”

“Don't run away from me. I don't know... how I'll live without you.”

The yellow eyes stared fixedly and were as close as when only the thick window pane separated them. Toudou wanted to lean even lower, to touch his wet skin with his lips, to understand what it was like. To reach for the most desirable in the world.

“My people won't listen to you. You are a man,” the merman said, breaking a short silence.

Toudou drew in a sharp breath through his nose, closed his eyes, and lowered his head, trying not to let despair overwhelm him.

“I'd better leave,” the merman added, making Toudou look at him startled again. “I'll live apart from my people, but I can see you.”

“No, no, you shouldn't,” Toudou protested though his heart was breaking with conflicting feelings. He was in pain — and he was so happy that it seemed like he could die.

“Don't scream,” the merman asked, grabbing a small ledge in the stone with his hands and lifting himself out of the water. Water dripped from his green hair, from his bare shoulders and ugly necklace. Toudou gasped, burning with the urge to press his lips into one of the bulging collarbones. “Your voice's so loud here, outside. I can't get used to it.”

“I'll only speak in a whisper if you like. Just tell me,” Toudou replied, lowering his tone, slowly leaning even lower and practically lying down on the stone.

The merman touched his cheek with his nose and ran it up and down, causing Toudou to close his eyes, inhaling noisily and being thrown almost to the very heavens. He was ready to fly as if his broom was beneath him again.

“You can't,” the merman said quietly, and Toudou heard him chuckle.

“I know exactly what I can't,” he grinned back and pulled back a little to look into his eyes. “Stop dreaming about you. To touch you.”

“Your hair,” the merman said even more quietly.

His eyes made Toudou sink. In his feelings, in his desires. Toudou couldn't resist. Barely thinking, he raised his hand to pull the headband off his head, to let his hair fall onto his face. The palm, cautious but sure, pressed to the cheek immediately, pushed the fingers into the strands, and moved behind his ear. Toudou almost groaned, closing his eyes again, and then his lips were denied access to air. The merman kissed him demandingly, almost driving him insane, and Toudou responded with the same eagerness, feeling disconnected from reality, swept away to other worlds.

“Soft. I knew it,” the merman said, slowly breaking the kiss.

Toudou pressed his forehead to him, blinked away uninvited tears, and ran his index finger along his cheek, from the mole under the eye to the chin.

“This is for you,” he replied, sliding his hand under the back of his head to pull him back for another kiss.

“You have to be patient,” the merman said, pressing his index finger to Toudou's lips, stopping him. “Until May.”

“Until May? What?” Toudou asked in surprise.

“In May I'll be yours,” the merman said and suddenly, grabbing the shoulder, pulled him down.

The hand slid off the stone, followed by a loud splash. Toudou flinched, opened his eyes for a second, closed them back, and winced. No, he was not in the water. He was lying on something soft, wrapped in something soft, and he had an... arm around him.

“I woke you up? I tried not to move.”

Blinking, Toudou involuntarily frowned, and Makishima, who was lying next to him, propped himself up on his elbow and raised an eyebrow in question.

“Oh,” Toudou said awkwardly, beginning to realise what was happening.

Makishima had blue eyes and also... two legs, of course. Toudou moved his hand under the fluffy warm blanket and squeezed the other's thigh.

“Auch. Trying to incapacitate your opponent before the game starts?” Makishima asked, and Toudou chuckled as he realised that squeezed his fingers too hard.

They were outside. And also on the shore of the very lake he had just dreamed about. They lay on the grass under a spreading tree, and it was so good that he must have passed out.

“It's still a long time before our game,” Toudou replied and, embracing him, buried himself in Makishima's chest. “I'm not sure I can handle it. I want it faster.”

“Mm,” Makishima said ambiguously, to which Toudou chuckled again.

“You know, this is the second time I have a dream about you being a merman.”

“A what?” Makishima asked with a note of amazement, and Toudou felt an involuntary joy at having gotten the emotions out of him.

“You had such a long hair,” Toudou said, reluctantly pulling back and grabbing a strand of curly hair falling from the shoulder with his fingers. Light, unlike in his dream. “And the tail. Big and silvery like a real merpeople have.”

Makishima snorted, which seemed like a chuckle.

“Bad fantasy.”

“Not at all,” Toudou protested, offended, glancing into his eyes for a moment. “I like it. And you said all sorts of... nice things. Not that in reality.”

“So you like me better that way?” Makishima asked, and Toudou noticed a mocking smile on his lips.

“No,” he answered quietly. “I can play Quidditch with real you. And even in my dreams... there was still something keeping us from just being together. It's like a curse that haunts me.”

“Merpeople don't make alliances with people, do they?” Makishima said thoughtfully.

“Yeah,” Toudou confirmed. “Merpeople, like centaurs, don't like people. For them, such an alliance is complete savagery. Unacceptably.”

“So you really liked this dream?” Makishima asked, and Toudou chuckled.

“I liked the other parts. How you wanted... to touch—”

“I want to touch you without the fishtail,” Makishima said, suddenly running his hand through Toudou's hair, and Toudou shivered.

“Are you going to grow your hair even more?” he asked, trying to cope with the surging excitement.

“Yes, I think so. Another fifteen or twenty centimeters,” Makishima answered, taking his hand away to great annoyance.

Toudou sighed in disappointment.

“Then sing to me.”

“What?”

“Sing. Any song you know.”

“No way — I hate it,” Makishima replied with a small laugh, and Toudou looked at him resentfully.

“Why? I'm sure you can do it great. It's not for nothing that you appeared to me as a merman in my dream. They sing beautifully.”

“Jinpachi.”

“You are just you, as usual,” Toudou snorted and hugged him again, pressing closer. “But I still love you.”

Makishima didn't answer this. At least in words. He just straightened the blanket and, holding Toudou behind his back, pressed his lips to the top of his head, making Toudou feel pleasantly comfortable and cosy.

Enough to feel something that was more important than any voiced confessions and fantasies of sociable merpeople.

Chapter Text

Needless to say, after the tryouts ended, the only thing that kept Manami so busy was the anticipation of the Quidditch season. Sometimes he caught himself counting the remaining days, but they flew quickly thanks to the increasingly complicated curriculum and constant practice sessions, which he could still rarely come on time for various reasons (it wasn't difficult to find them — or rather, they found Manami themselves).

The first Quidditch game of this year was scheduled for the end of the first week of November, and by this time a real autumn with cold torrential rains was in full swing — Manami didn't have time to update the Impervius Charm on his shoes and clothes when he had to leave the castle to go to the greenhouse for one of his Herbology lessons. But even if in the greenhouse they could always hide from the merciless rain, things weren't so smooth with Quidditch practice — try to hide when you have to practice on the field in the open air. Manami had a great cold in mid-October, and then he had to listen to elders argue whether he should even practice on rainy days — Toudou, as always, was too worried about him and tried to convince Fukutomi that it wasn't at all worth to get sick with such a long convalescence period (cold potions, of course, still didn't work properly on Manami) because this way Manami'd skip even more practice sessions than only one would skipped during rainy weather.

How the argument ended, Manami didn't know that day, but he realised that everything wasn't so bad when Fukutomi himself came into the Hospital Wing and brought sweets from Hogsmeade.

Now, by the early November, the cold had long passed, the match Onoda'd play in was still days away, and Manami was overwhelmed with the strongest anticipation in life — he hadn't feel it even before his first trip to school last year and even before the game Slytherin vs Gryffindor which took place in March. No wonder — Onoda wasn't on the field then, and now he'd play in a serious official match, and when Manami thought that this was his merit, impatience became even stronger.

He really didn't know how to wait until Saturday, and he was barely able to concentrate in class — yes, with Quidditch it looked like he wouldn't be able to do as well in exams as he had last year, but Manami wasn't upset about that either. What difference would it make if he won the Quidditch Cup, for example? That would be the best reward, which no good grades could match.

However, not everyone thought so, and these persons, as surprising as it may sound, didn't even belong to the Slytherin House. Miyahara quickly noticed that Manami began to be too careless about his studies, and even if she supported his desire to play Quidditch well to some extent, she believed that the school curriculum shouldn't be forgotten, because they were at Hogwarts to gain knowledge first of all. Manami honestly didn't know why she cared about his grades, and he didn't want to spend time with her only within the library among dusty shelves, but Miyahara sometimes became impossibly stubborn and managed to insist. Manami didn't refuse when on Thursday before his first lesson, she invited him to the library after class, and in order not to return to the dormitory before that, he decided to take his History of Magic textbook during lunch (Miyahara had promised to help him deal with two essay debts, and it would be rather unwise to neglect such a proposal, given that Manami himself didn't want to do this at all).

Lunch was nearing its end when he made his scheduled trip down to his House's common room, and there a rather peculiar scene awaited him. On a long sofa, where during the rest you could often see some members of the Quidditch team, a funny situation was taking place: Kuroda was holding a black cat on his lap, Arakita (apparently) tried to stroke it, and Toudou and Shinkai stood behind the sofa, each with his own indescribable expression.

What on earth is going on? Manami thought, frozen in place perplexedly, and immediately after that, a loud warning cat scream spread throughout the room.

“Don't make any sudden moves and don't stare at him as if you intend to attack — he feels he's in danger,” Kuroda advised calmly, holding on his lap the cat, which was already struggling to escape.

“I don't look at him that way!” Arakita replied with displeasure, which was probably the last straw.

The cat jerked again, this time he was able to slip out of Kuroda's hands and fled towards the bedrooms in a rather unambiguous manner that didn't go unnoticed by the others: Toudou actually even grinned openly into his fist, and Shinkai became even more upset than he was as if not a cat ran away from them, but someone died.

“And the voice,” Kuroda continued, a little irritated, shaking the cat hair off his knees. “You should speak more calmly and softer — you have too… um, threatening tone. Cats don't like that.”

“My tone is threatening?” Arakita seemed to be offended to the depths of his soul.

“Oh yes,” Toudou agreed, still chuckling. “If you talk in the bedroom after I fell asleep, I have nightmares.”

“In that case, I'll speak every day,” Arakita snapped, and Manami finally decided to go to his bedroom, while a new spat was starting in the common room, which Shinkai tried unsuccessfully to prevent.

On the stairs, Kuroda was already looking for the runaway cat, trying to call it, and Manami, while walking by, accidentally caught a cool look on himself. Nevertheless, time was running out, and there was no particular desire to find out why he hadn't please the serious fourth-year student again, so Manami silently walked into his bedroom, put the excess out of his bag, took new textbooks, more clean parchments, and went to his remaining classes.

He honestly tried not to get too upset about the conversation between Arakita and Fukutomi which he managed to accidentally overhear after the tryouts, but in moments like this, it was perhaps the hardest thing not to do it. The captain chose him as a Seeker because he deserved a place on the team and not for some other reason? If that was true, he shouldn't have to worry about what others wanted? Manami had never been in a situation like this before, but he felt that he should do just that, even if it was unpleasant on some side and maybe even a little sad that someone's most likely as strong hopes and aspirations as his hadn't been fulfilled.

In addition, now that he and Onoda had managed to break into the core team of their teams, Manami wouldn't want to change anything even at the risk of his life. He was going to fulfill his dream, and this year's Quidditch schedule only encouraged him and motivated him to do it. It was impossible to give up and concede to someone else.

When the lessons were over for the day, Manami went to the library with the air of a martyr, and even a delicious muffin taken from the Great Hall during lunch couldn't compensate for the unpleasant feeling caused by the continuation of working hours. That wasn't what he wanted at the moment — he wanted to call Onoda and get on the broomstick, to race over the lake.

On the way to the meeting place, Manami even managed to think about breaking his promise and brazenly skipping out, but his conscience was apparently stronger than laziness this time, so he had to honestly come to the library for studying.

To his surprise, he never saw Miyahara as he walked around the huge room, paying most attention to the places she usually chose. Anyway it was he who was always late, and not vice versa, but today was apparently destined to be an exception. Thinking about it, Manami just shrugged and took one of the free tables, assuming that his friend would come later — really, she couldn't miss an event so important as working on her homework.

Miyahara didn't show up until twenty minutes later. By that time, Manami had dozed over his open textbook, and when he raised his head, distracted by the approaching steps, he was surprised once again.

“Uh... what's wrong with you?” he asked in confusion as he watched Miyahara placed her thick bag on a chair at the opposite end of the table and sat down on the next one.

She looked strange: her robes were untidily rumpled, revealing part of her right shoulder, some strands of black hair sticking out to the sides, and her face was pale and painful.

“I lingered,” she said in a strange voice too, looking somewhere in front of her.

“I see,” Manami replied almost disappointedly and, sighing wearily, rubbed his eyes with his fists.

“I lingered in the Transfiguration class,” Miyahara continued, almost stuttering. “Because I needed to discuss the last test with Professor, and then I went straight here along my usual route, which I've used a thousand times...”

“A thousand — that's for sure,” Manami chuckled, assuming that was how many times she managed to go to the library during her studies.

“Listen here!” Miyahara raised her voice, making Manami quiet in confusion. “I'm not crazy, I don't have hallucinations, and Hogwarts is still considered a safe place, isn't it?”

“Mm… I can't speak definitively about all these things,” Manami replied, and Miyahara jumped up from her chair menacingly.

“I know that at a certain period of time a dangerous creature was kept on the third floor to guard an important treasure, and the rumour that the founder of your House hid a huge basilisk in the castle was also justified!”

“Of my House,” Manami repeated displeasedly. “You speak as if I am to blame for this somehow. Oh wait! Really hid the basilisk? The real one?”

“That's not the point now, you fool,” Miyahara moaned. “There's no danger now, as far as I know, and it hasn't existed for a very long time.”

“Okay, okay, I hear you,” Manami replied. “What happened?”

“I run into a monster on the ground floor!” Miyahara said, and Manami was completely taken aback. “It rushed past, and it... growled!”

“Did this monster have black hair and a casual gait?”

“What? No! It was not a man!”

“And I thought you might well have run into Arakita, who just yawned,” Manami laughed, involuntarily recalling how for a half of September all Slytherin first-years shied away from Arakita as if from fire.

“I didn't really have time to see it, but this creature was huge and furry like a giant wolf or werewolf,” Miyahara said in a trembling voice, ignoring Manami's previous comment.

“On four legs?” Manami asked curiously.

“Yes! It was horrible!”

“And... where did it go then?”

“I don't know! It came close and ran past me!” Miyahara said, and she looked so scared that it was quite possible to believe her.

“So maybe it was an ordinary guard dog, and you think is was a big one because you're just small yourself?” Manami suggested with a shrug.

“Guard dogs aren't dangerous for students!” Miyahara objected.

“But this one didn't seem to attack you either, right?”

“It was close to it!”

“Are you sure?” Manami asked, and it seemed in vain because Miyahara grabbed her bag resentfully and was about to leave. “Stop! I believe you, really! Don't run away, and let's try... to think?”

Hearing the cherished word, Miyahara seemed to change her mood in just a moment and came back. In less than a few seconds, she was already sitting on the chair in front of Manami, completely ready for a discussion.

And how often are we going to get together here to discuss some incomprehensible crap that was or is happening at Hogwarts? Manami thought wearily before speaking again.

“So... you have suspicions about... who? About a werewolf?” he asked, and Miyahara bit her lip.

“It's possible. It's a full moon, after all. So one might think so, even if it sounds like pure madness. None of the adults would have allowed a real werewolf to be in the castle. And I don't even know, to be honest, should I tell any of the professors about this? What if I'm lucky, but the students are in real danger? What if there really was a werewolf in the school somehow?”

“What are the chances of that even happening?” Manami asked carefully. Miyahara shrugged.

“I don't know. I think it's almost zero.”

“Could it be one of the students? Someone who hid their essence?”

“You'd have to be bitten by a werewolf to be a werewolf — it wouldn't go unnoticed.”

“Then it's not a werewolf,” Manami smiled weakly, trying to cheer up his friend, but she didn't give in.

“So, it really is some kind of beast?”

“The Care of Magical Creatures for seventh-years?” Manami suggested. “One escaped by accident and will soon be caught.”

“I still have to inform someone of the adults about this,” Miyahara said, getting to her feet resolutely again.

“Oh, and our study is canceled?” Manami delighted, but Miyahara glared at him with a stern look.

“No way. Stay where you are. I'll go to the librarian, get some books and come back.”

With these words, she left, leaving her bag, and Manami stretched out on the table with a doomed look. He was beginning to think that even if the world ended, Miyahara wouldn't be able to get out of the library. No, really — she was frightened by some furry dog wandering around the ground floor, and she went to the library instead of going to one of the adults right away.

But he didn't seem to have any other choice — he had to dutifully stay at the table and open the textbook to find the chapter he needed for the essay on an assigned topic. Miyahara returned pretty quickly, no longer frightened but very unhappy.

“Just imagine, she didn't even listen to me!”

Her books fell on the table with such force that Manami's own textbook bounced.

“Our librarian?” he asked carefully, and Miyahara sat down in a chair nervously, pushing the literature she had brought to her.

“She said there were no dangerous animals at school and couldn't be.”

“Well, forget it — when it eats someone, they'll move,” Manami replied and immediately noticed an astonished look on himself. “What? I'm just kidding. It looks like no one has seen it except you. Maybe it will go away by itself?”

Miyahara quickly flipped through the thick book from the table of contents to the middle and exclaimed, “Found it! Oh... well, it's... not a material being.”

Feeling curious, Manami stood up and reached across the table to look in the book as well. Among the text, there was a frightening image of a black dog.

“What do you mean it's not material?” he asked.

“The creature I saw looks like Grim. It is an ominous ghost and... an omen of imminent death,” Miyahara read and swallowed nervously.

“Yours or what?” Manami asked.

“...Yeah.”

“I'm sorry, but I don't have a dark suit for such a rapid development of events. Besides, I think that the only thing that's going to kill you here is the stress of cramming all the time.”

“Of course, you grew up in the Muggle world, and it's hard for you to believe in something like that!” Miyahara objected.

“Is it easy for you?” Manami raised an eyebrow. “You grew up among Muggles too, if you forgot.”

“Yes...” Miyahara agreed reluctantly. “About two years ago I'd have laughed at this. Are we supposed to expect something terrible every time we meet a black dog in the street?”

“Have you ever come across such?” Manami asked in a conspiratorial tone, making Miyahara startled in fear.

“Actually no. I've never met absolutely black and such scary ones. Oh God, will something really happen to me?”

“Oh God, wait,” Manami interrupted her displeasedly and sharply put his hand on her shoulder. “Wait,” he repeated, looking over the top of Miyahara's head and frowning thoughtfully.

She was silent, patiently waiting for something, and after half a minute Manami let her go and sat back in his seat with a satisfied smile.

“Nothing will happen to you. You'll get a good grade in your next History of Magic class, and no one else will attack you.” Actually he didn't see anything, but he said a pretty obvious thing.

“I don't believe in stupid predictions,” Miyahara replied almost resentfully, and Manami chuckled.

“And that's in vain! I'm the coolest soothsayist in this school!”

“There is no such word — soothsayist!”

“You believe not in me but in a terrible omen?”

“Of course not!”

“So I don't believe that some ghost-omen of death has appeared to you,” Manami smiled, and Miyahara still smiled back at him.

“Yes, that's really stupid.”

“I think something will turn up if we wait a bit,” Manami said. “Your monster will be seen by someone else, or it might just never show up in the castle again — maybe it was one of the senior students who unsuccessfully bewitched an ordinary dog. Or some second-year doused her with Swelling Solution, hoping to test the quality of the potion.”

At the last phrase, Manami chuckled, and Miyahara seemed to finally relax and cheer up. She agreed that any nonsense could have happen, and then, forgetting about books about magical animals, she set about more useful (for Manami) business, explaining to him how to start an essay on the History of Magic.

Time flew by while they work, and soon many of the students who were with them in the library began to gather for dinner. Manami was very hungry by that time, but it was too early to finish and leave, so he got up again to shake the almost empty pack of cookies out of his robes pocket. Along with it, his silver watch, mother's gift, fell on the table. The round lid opened, and Miyahara looked in surprise at the glowing red dial.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Oh,” Manami was confused, looking at the dial. “I think I'm really late for something—” he said and suddenly remembered. “Exactly! Practice was postponed for today! It slipped my mind!”

“You still have time to come?” Miyahara asked, and Manami was involuntarily upset — he really wanted to be there.

“Not anymore. Practice always ends by the time dinner starts.”

“I'm sorry.”

“You have nothing to do with it,” Manami shook his head. “It's my own fault for forgetting. Okay, I'll have to get scolded.”

“So shall we finish for today then? In order not to delay the moment of your undoubtedly terrible punishment?” Miyahara asked and Manami smiled at her.

“Yeah. It would be nice. Shall we continue on Sunday afternoon?” he asked, starting to gather his stuff. “By the way, are you going to Saturday's Quidditch game?”

“I don't know, maybe,” Miyahara nodded. “But it's not your game.”

“But Sakamichi will play. I can't wait to finally see him in a real match. It'll be cool!”

Miyahara just blinked in confusion, and Manami, throwing the bag over his shoulder, waved her goodbye.

“Good luck with your Grim! More precisely, good luck not to meet it again,” Manami corrected himself before leaving and hurried to the exit.

He probably should have already started to figure out the best way to explain to Toudou, who would undoubtedly demand an explanation for missing practice again, and he probably wouldn't be happy if Manami just said he forgot. Hell, even the weather today was great for Quidditch. Why was it such a bad luck?

And to be honest, on the way to the common room, a slight anxiety began to take hold — Toudou's kindness couldn't be unlimited, and sooner or later even he'd have to break. What if it happened today?

Presenting such an unpleasant outcome of his absences, Manami got nervous and crossed the passage in the wall with caution, but as it turned out a little later, Toudou wasn't in the common room yet. Just like, in principle, most members of the Quidditch team. Manami noticed only those who he still didn't know personally, and, having no better idea, decided to just go to the dormitory.

He was stopped before he could to reach the stairs — it turned out that he didn't see Kuroda, and it turned out to be very wrong because he grabbed Manami's elbow too painfully and stopped him by pulling to himself. Manami almost fell from such an unexpected jolt and stare at the intruder in complete amazement.

“You. Missed. Practice. Again,” Kuroda said, rapping out every word in a not-so-friendly tone.

“I'm sorry — I really wanted to come, I just forgot,” Manami laughed awkwardly, but his smile could hardly help the situation.

“Your behavior is unacceptable. Do you have any idea what team you've become a representative of?”

“Everything will be okay. I'll win the official matches and won't shame them,” Manami tried to convince, but Kuroda seemed not going to calm down.

“You won't win a damn if you continue to miss half of your practice sessions,” he said. “The fact that you passed the tryout doesn't mean anything. You're still weak and fall short of the required level.”

“Well, you think probably you reach the required level and I should apologise for pushing you, right?” Manami asked defiantly, starting to anger from this treatmentl. Why did Kuroda say that at all? Manami didn't consider himself weak at all — he'd definitely succeed if he tried!

“Don't push it, kid,” Kuroda winced almost with contempt. “I'm talking to you now not because of personal resentment. Personal is something players leave outside of Quidditch.”

“And why are you picking on me now? If you're not offended, why don't you leave me alone and tell Arakita not to feel bad about your failure?”

But even before Manami could say the last word, Kuroda made his next move. Sharply grabbed the collar of Manami's shirt and narrowed his eyes menacingly.

“That's none of your business. Don't even dare talk about it.”

Manami didn't seem to know what he was doing — most likely, the body acted automatically because he was pissed off and also was made to feel a clear danger. Just one moment — and his hand itself swung upward, hitting the lower part of the palm somewhere in Kuroda's face. The response wasn't long in coming and hit the spot above the left eye, forcing him to pull back and grab the wall so as not to fall.

“What the hell is going on here, pray tell!” Toudou's familiar voice interrupted them, and just in time, because Manami felt he could hit again.

“Sorry. I didn't want anything like that — it's an accident,” Kuroda said, then raised his hand and wiped a thin stream of blood from his nose.

“Yeah, right! Am I supposed to believe this? ” Toudou snorted and, going up to Manami, took his face to lift to the light. “Did you get hurt? Oh, I see you did. Close your eyes, I'll clean it up now.”

Manami did as told, heard the rustle of the robes, and then Toudou quietly said, “Episkey.” A half of his face was immediately bathed in cold.

“You'd better to get some ice on that, otherwise your eyebrow will swell up like a Christmas tree ball.”

“It's okay, Jinpachi. Thanks,” Manami replied. Anger disappeared somewhere, leaving instead a feeling of boundless shame. He acted like an idiot. Just like an idiot for sure. He snapped and did a something completely stupid.

“Did we miss something?” Shinkai asked, who came up behind.

Actually, Arakita was with him. He raised an eyebrow inquiringly, looking at Kuroda in total bewilderment.

“Yes, explain yourself, would you please, what did you want from him? I'm a hundred percent sure it was your initiative,” Toudou almost growled, turning back to Kuroda. He was now wiping his palm with a handkerchief he had pulled from his pocket.

“He was the one who did it first,” Kuroda responded with displeasure and was forced to press the handkerchief back to his bleeding nose.

“Really?” Toudou grinned suspiciously and patted Manami's hair. “That's right — don't let yourself be hurt.”

“He skips practices!” Kuroda said indignantly.

“And something tells me it's none of your business, is it?” Toudou asked indifferently.

Kuroda obviously had something to say, but he bit his lip and, looking down, said nothing because respect apparently prevented him from arguing with his elders.

“We'll deal with this without you somehow, okay? Control yourself,” Toudou added, because of which Arakita couldn't restrain himself and stepped towards him menacingly.

“Do I have to tell you twice? He's not the one who started it.”

“It doesn't bother me. Sangaku was just defending himself,” Toudou snorted and looked at Manami. “Right, little one?”

“Eh…” Manami was confused, bowing his head in shame. “I don't think it was necessary. I just... got a little angry.”

“So, this is all very interesting, but let's make up now and go to dinner — we all need to recover after practice,” Shinkai said, standing between Toudou and Arakita and pushing them away from each other.

“Almost all,” Kuroda added barely audibly, then turned toward the stairs, apparently heading for the dormitory to tidy his nose.

Manami didn't resist when Toudou took him by the elbow and led him out of the common room. He thought that they'd go to the Great Hall for dinner, but instead they ended up in the kitchen, and there Toudou, having seated Manami on one of the chairs, took out a frozen piece of meat wrapped in a towel from somewhere and made him hold it against his forehead.

It was embarrassing to sit like this in silence, while somewhere behind them house-elves were fussing, but Manami didn't know what to say and Toudou was in no hurry to start a conversation, apparently thinking about something of his own — he stood aside and looked at the fire in a huge oven.

Because of this and what had happened in the common room, Manami was feeling bad now and he really wanted to fix at least something.

“I wanted to come to practice,” he began quietly, looking down at his feet. “I just completely forgot that it was moved.”

“Of course. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw practice tomorrow — they need to get ready for Saturday's game,” Toudou said without turning.

“Sorry, Jinpachi,” Manami apologised. “I know I have to get ready for my games too.”

“It's okay,” Toudou replied and nevertheless turned around. There was a hardly appropriate soft smile on his face. “You grow very quickly even if you don't attend all the practices. You're amazing and I figured it out a long time ago. Sooner or later, the others will also notice.”

“But I have to go to practice so as not to annoy them. Kuroda just decided not to keep silent. And how many others who think like him?”

“That shouldn't bother you. Just win to spite everyone and they'll accept you for you are,” Toudou replied. “First place is what the Slytherins value most.”

“Yes,” Manami nodded. “I promise to win.”

“I know. I believe you can.” Toudou smiled again, and Manami finally found something encouraging in that smile.

He stayed late at Friday dinner as did in fact most of the other students since almost everyone, in addition to the food, was busy talking about the upcoming game which would open the Quidditch season tomorrow. The guys at all four tables were vigorously discussing the assumptions about who would win, told various rumours that they'd managed to hear somewhere. There was even a funny misconception from the Ravenclaw table that this year the Gryffindor team had taken a huge and terrifying guy to replace the Seeker. But Manami knew that this was far from the case.

Onoda was hardly terrifying in the sense that the guys from the other House had in mind. And, of course, he was hardly huge. In fact, in terms of size he was perfect for his role — small and light. And also attentive and with such an amazing flight. When Manami remembered this, he was overcome with a dreamy thrill, and he looked probably no worse than a girl in love. Foolish and happy.

And he couldn't even believe that tomorrow he'd finally get to see Onoda in action. Manami had little doubt that this amazing boy would win, no matter who his opponent turned out to be — a beginner or an experienced player. Manami remembered what he had been able to observe during the Gryffindor tryouts for a long time, and he was sure that Onoda'd be able to show amazing results again.

The only moment that overshadowed the pleasant anticipation was perhaps the fact that Onoda must have been probably pretty nervous before his very first official game. A couple of times Manami tried to figure out how to cheer him up, but to be honest, nothing good came to mind. Perhaps, in this case, he should have at least done with simple words, but the confidence that they could meet before the game wasn't particularly strong.

The idea of how to play it safe came after dinner when he returned to the dormitory and saw Sleepy, who decided to visit him, on the dresser. She didn't bring any notes and fortunately no prey either — Manami doubted that after eating, he could calmly endure the sight of some dead animal might smell not the best way. Nevertheless, he was always glad to see Onoda's pet and gladly gave the owl the cookies he had in store.

Sleepy, of course, was the best way to quickly contact her owner, and Manami decided not to waste time but immediately wrote a note asking Onoda to go down to the Great Hall again to meet.

Sleepy hooted contentedly when she took the folded piece of paper in her beak and immediately set off to carry out her assignment, fluttering from her seat and flying out through the open door. After seeing her off, Manami waited for a while, just lying on the bed and looking at his watch, and when the dial inside began to turn pink, he put on his shoes again and hurried to the exit, hoping that he and Onoda would have time to talk before the curfew.

By the time Manami arrived at the appointed place, there was almost no one in the Great Hall, which made the usually crowded and lively tables look unusually empty. After standing at the door for a while, he nevertheless went to his place to wait for Onoda to show up. He arrived after a couple of minutes and, finding Manami with his eyes, timidly moved in his direction.

“Hi, is it okay if I sit here?” Onoda asked, and his face shone with an embarrassed, joyful smile, which could hardly indicate that he wasn't feeling well. Maybe Manami was worried for nothing?

“Of course,” Manami said with a return smile, pointing to the bench. “There are only the older girls here, and I don't think they care about us.”

On the other side of the table, closer to the exit, the girls were really sitting, but they were discussing something very enthusiastically and didn't seem to notice the stranger.

Onoda glanced at them briefly, apparently decided that everything was fine, and sat down next to Manami, beaming with a smile again.

“Have you been very busy?” Manami asked, to which Onoda shrugged ambiguously.

“I don't think so — I was just resting after dinner and hadn't planned anything special.”

“Okay, I was afraid that I'd take you away from some important business. You look good,” Manami noted, squeezing Onoda's warm hand quickly. “You know, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's game and I wanted to tell you something encouraging. Are you worried?”

“Yes, a little,” Onoda agreed, nodding briefly. “At first it was just awful, but Makishima supports me. And the rest of the guys who have been playing for several years, too. Everyone has been kind and patient with me even if I still make mistakes.”

“Everything will go smoothly at the decisive moment,” Manami said cheerfully and laughed awkwardly. “I think you'll play amazing tomorrow. And I hope you won't regret joining the team. It will be great if we can play together next year, too.”

“Next year?” Onoda asked and also grinned. “It's very early to talk about it, isn't it?”

“Yes, I guess,” Manami agreed with an embarrassed smile. “Sorry, I got a little carried away.”

“That's fine,” Onoda shook his head. “I'm glad you really found something to give yourself to. And I'm glad if I can be there for you.”

“Otherwise it can't be. We're going to be the coolest Seekers in this school — you'll see...”

“Oh, this—” Onoda interrupted him, raising his hand and carefully moving aside a strand of Manami's bangs. “Sangaku, did you hurt yourself during practice?” he asked worriedly, apparently noticing the abrasion left over from the day before, which crossed his eyebrow in a not very pleasant form.

“No, I had a fight with someone,” Manami replied, carelessly brushing the strand of hair back into place. “But thanks to Toudou, it's hardly swollen.”

“A fight? With whom?” Onoda was even more upset. “Did someone offend you?”

“You make such a big deal out of this,” Manami smiled, trying to calm him down and took Onoda's hands again. “I just had a little spat with a guy from my team. He's so serious and mean. But you have nothing to worry about — it won't affect my game or anything else.”

“I'm worried,” Onoda said anyway, frowning a little. “I've been told more than once how hard it is on the Slytherin team and that some people leave when they can't handle with the pressure. And even if you got along with the guys last year, you haven't been in the team, but everything must have changed now.”

“They're still great,” Manami said convincingly.

“All of them?”

“Almost. The elders take care of me just as the elders on your team take care of you. You can be sure of this.”

“But you did get into a fight with one of them?” Onoda said, looking as if with disbelief, and Manami had to reluctantly agree.

“He's not as senior as the others, and he just doesn't like my absence from practices. I'm sure that in a couple of years he'll become the prefect of the House or someone else to keep things in order,” Manami replied, hiding the moment that it was this guy that he prevented from getting into the core team, taking his place as a Seeker. After Arakita's words on the stairs, it was even unpleasant to remember this. He didn't want to burden Onoda with this and make him worry before the big day.

He paused thoughtfully, looking at Manami with his still worried look.

“Are you sure you'll be all right?”

“Of course! You should concentrate on your game tomorrow. Don't even think about anything else. Or you can think about how cool I'll play in my match after yours. Will that motivate you?”

Onoda laughed awkwardly and nodded.

“More than. I'm also looking forward to seeing you play.”

“I like that kind of attitude,” Manami smiled and found an untouched plate of walnut pudding on a half-empty table.

There was still time before the curfew, and there was still a little snack to eat, which he decided to do while Onoda crunched a green apple nearby. They sat in silence for a few minutes, but then the conversation somehow turned to Transfiguration lessons, and Manami was able to forget for a while about Quidditch and all the bad things about it — perhaps it really wasn't waste now.

There was no one left in the Great Hall by the time they decided it was time to go back to their common rooms, and Manami really didn't want to leave, to return to where he might face Kuroda's condemning gaze once again. But in any case, there was nowhere to go. Near the door, Manami squeezed Onoda's hand again and then tried to fulfill his sudden idea — he pulled Onoda towards him, took his chin with his free hand, and turned his face to press his lips to Onoda's cheek. The kiss was awkward and blurred because Onoda twitched and blushed, it seemed, to the very tips of his ears. It looked cute, of course, but Manami thought he didn't want such a reaction to every attempt he made to show his feelings.

The expression on his face seemed to be quite upset, and perhaps it was this factor that provoked the certainly unexpectedly bold act when Onoda grabbed his sleeve, approached him back, and replied with the same kiss on the cheek. He naturally blushed even more from his action, quickly said goodbye, and ran away, and Manami stood for a couple of minutes in the middle of the hall with a completely uncontrollable stupid half-face grin.

The incident nevertheless lifted his spirits, and when Manami returned to the common room of his House, he didn't care if he met anyone unwanted there. He fell asleep in a sound sleep almost immediately, but before that, he replayed the last memory over and over again in his head, feeling that he was simply dying of happiness because of such a small nonsense which suddenly turned out to be even more exciting than the expectation of tomorrow's game.

“So, I'm extremely happy to welcome you all on this beautiful day here, because today the opening of the school Quidditch season — what we have been waiting for! The weather is excellent — no rain was promised today, as well as the sun, by the way, but I'm sure that everyone is in a wonderful mood!”

When the commentator from one of the stands began his energetic speech as usual, the excitement of the fans, who had already taken their seats, became much more noticeable. Two teams would be taking the field in a minute to line up, and the atmosphere around reminded Manami very much of his very first attending a school Quidditch match. Last year he rose to the same stand as now, his feelings were just as overwhelming, and the anticipation was just as strong and almost dizzying. The only difference was that his team had opened the season then, but now Toudou was sitting next to him in the same very familiar excitement, and the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw teams were about to take the field.

And Manami seemed to be starting to understand why Toudou could barely calm down every time it was time for Makishima to play — Manami must have wanted to see Onoda on the field, on his broomstick, chasing the Snitch just as badly. He wanted it so much that his fingers trembled, which he hid awkwardly in the pockets of his robes, tightly gripping the omnioculars in one hand. He was going to look at Onoda. Only at him and no one else, and for some reason, the whole meaning of Quidditch inevitably began to lock in on one single point. And the strangest thing was that this didn't seem wrong, although the game, of course, wasn't limited to the maneuvers of the Seekers alone.

“Finally the teams are on the pitch!” the commentator continued to speak, and the stands were even louder in response to his words. “This time, both sides have dramatic lineup changes, and if you aren't ready to be surprised yet, friends, now is the time to start!”

Manami couldn't help laughing when he saw Toudou squinting amusingly and raising his omnioculars to his face, seemingly intent on reviewing the updated lineups as the commentator announced the names of the players, starting with the Ravenclaw team.

“What the... Who is this red-haired little thing and why is he in the position of a Beater? Is he seriously going to hit the Bludgers?” blinking in amazement, Toudou asked and lowered the omnioculars.

“He hits hard,” Manami smiled as he moved closer to him. “He's Sakamichi's friend, by the way. Like that second newcomer.”

“Save me, Merlin,” Toudou said, clutching his heart as the whole point of the situation dawned on him. “Are they crazy? Three second-years at once to the team — they have no experience yet. How are they going to win with such powers?”

It doesn't matter if they have Sakamichi, Manami almost said but kept silent and looked down at the field again, at Onoda, who looked so good in that red sports robe of his team. It was as if it had been specially tailored for him, and Manami had no desire to doubt that he'd definitely win today. Catch the Snitch first, bring victory to his team.

The signal for the start of the match sounded unexpectedly quickly, making him even flinch — Manami realised that he had fallen out of reality just watching Onoda, and when he took off, having previously hovered in the air on his broomstick and in full readiness, he had to wake up and try track exactly where the small red target had flown.

Soon he managed to find the loss, and this caused an involuntary smile because Onoda was doing everything right: He went away from the turmoil that the Chasers had created in the fight for the Quaffle, took a comfortable position high above the field to assess the situation, and try to spot the Snitch. Not far from him, one might say opposite him, the Seeker of the second team stopped — he was short, almost as thin as Onoda, the third-year but also a beginner because last year, Manami remembered, Ravenclaw had another player in this position. So this one showed the best results or the previous Seeker left the team for some other reason?

Manami couldn't yet guess the answer to this question, and now it was too early to talk about how good the rival was, but soon — there was no need to doubt it — the situation would reveal itself. Perhaps even one first pursuit of the Snitch would be enough.

But the Seekers still didn't move. For quite a long time they remained in their places and tried in vain to see the flight of the golden ball — Manami was tired of looking up, his eyes began to watery under the brightness of the cloudy but light sky. Toudou, unlike him, was hardly bored — after all, the Chasers were constantly involved in the game throughout, and Makishima was, as always, the main attacker on his team. It wasn't surprising that Toudou kept twitching and raising his omnioculars to his eyes so as not to miss a single moment of his boyfriend's play. Although Manami got used to it, but now it was becoming even a little annoying — he wanted to watch Onoda do something cool too, but there were still very few really exciting moments in the Seeker's game compared to the game of Chasers.

Meanwhile, the score was growing rapidly because of which the noise of the stands and the voice of the commentator didn't stop for a second. Thanks to Makishima, Gryffindor was leading, overtaking rivals by thirty points, but the Ravenclaw Chasers were also strong players since they scored almost as often. Manami, to be honest, didn't really want to keep track of whether the red ball hit the goal hoops — the Chasers played quite rough in this match, often tried to take the Quaffle away from each other and pushed though not yet hard enough for Mr. Kanzaki to count that as a clear violation.

Things got worse when the Seekers found the Snitch, which seemed to have fallen from the sky, and the commentator announced the start of the chase. The Chasers of both teams got nervous, but the Ravenclaw players seemed willing to even fight against the rules just to score more points. From the loud indignation of Toudou, sitting next to him, Manami realised that one of them had rushed straight at the captain of the Gryffindor team to provoke a collision, but the large Beater was able to prevent him in time by using a Bludger. Manami himself had successfully missed this moment for an obvious reason — he was keeping his eyes on the Seekers who were rushing after the Snitch, and it was too an exciting sight to be distracted by something else.

It took a couple of seconds in fact for Manami to tremble, feeling incredible awe. God, he wanted to be there right now. He wanted to switch places with the Ravenclaw Seeker in order to chase the Snitch with Onoda.

“What a dangerous moment! Someone could have been hurt!” the commentator said as the suddenly changed direction Bludger flew right between the Seekers, causing them both to fly in opposite directions, missing the Snitch.

Manami jumped to his feet in fright, and it seemed to him that for a moment his heart had stopped.

“What is it? Was there a Bludger?” Toudou asked, briefly stopped watching the battle of the Chasers.

Manami didn't answer the question, but when he sat back down on the bench, he clenched his robe on his chest in a fist with all his strength and exhaled, “I want to be there. Right now I'd rush onto the field with the broom.”

“Without your team?” Toudou asked with a laugh and suddenly rudely put his arm around the shoulder. “Although you know, little one, now I can't but share your desire.”

Manami smiled, continuing to watch the game again, and for a while, both Seekers, keeping close to each other, searched for the Snitch, flying across the field, but later rose higher again when they almost got a Beaters' hit a couple of times. Ravenclaw players weren't shy about wielding bats every chance they got, but it ended up going badly because one Bludger hit their own Chaser and knocked him off his broomstick. Nevertheless, he wasn't far from the ground and didn't seem to be particularly hurt since he returned to the game after half a minute.

And the Snitch didn't show up again. Using the omnioculars, Manami himself tried to look for it on the field and then grinned cheerfully when he saw the golden ball floating calmly behind the Gryffindor goalpost, almost touching the ground with its wings. It was difficult to notice it in the absence of the sun and in this position. So the game promised to drag on?

This was in fact a good course of events for the fans — they'd get their show, which they can enjoy for a longer time, but the Chasers, Beaters and Keepers were gradually wearing themselves out, causing both teams to agree to a short time-out to drink water and perhaps discuss new strategies.

The score by that time was almost equal, 270-250. The Gryffindors were still in the lead, but Ravenclaw was not far behind, causing Toudou to nervously bite his lip and fidget. The rest of his fellow students, who were sitting on the other side of Manami, watched the game much more calmly — Arakita in general was yawning, and he apparently wasn't entirely interested in Quidditch if he didn't play on the field himself. Manami could agree with this to some extent now even if he enjoyed watching Onoda. Still, being with him there, in the midst of the battle, would be a completely different feeling — there was no doubt about it.

The teams returned to the field quickly and with renewed vigor, causing the briefly calmed stands to liven up again, and the Gryffindors to raise support banners into the air. This time, Manami even tried to follow the other players, remembering that he was a little curious about how Onoda's friends would show themselves. Naruko didn't always hit the Bludgers accurately, visibly nervous about it, but Imaizumi held on with dignity or at least perfectly gave the appearance of that. Unlike the first half of the game, he was now mostly in defense, near his goal post, and even when he failed to intercept an opponent's pass, he remained calm, and that was pretty cool for a beginner.

On the other hand, it was still the guys from last year's squad who were pulling the team out now, giving it their all even if they were tired and even if the game had been going on for more than an hour. During this time, Manami managed to get hungry and bought himself some cupcakes when a girl from their House came up to the stand with a large box of food.

The players probably wouldn't mind to have a snack either, but so far no one had taken a new time-out, and because of this, the course of the match had become a little sluggish.

Manami didn't think that something unusual would happen in the next few minutes and just listened to the commentator when perhaps a truly memorable thing happened. He could barely understand what had happened, but Makishima somehow collided at full speed with a rather large Chaser of the rival team. The impact was such that almost all the stands gasped in sync, and the player in the red, dropping the Quaffle, flew to the ground.

Oh no, Manami only had time to think as Toudou jumped out of his place and was already standing near the barrier, gripping the railing tightly.

“Terrible fall!” the commentator's excited voice shouted down the noise of the stands. “I wonder if he can stand up after this? I definitely couldn't! But this is pure violation on the part of Ravenclaw! Yes, look — the referee orders a free throw!”

“Hey Jinpachi, where are you going?” Arakita's voice was heard, and Manami realised that Toudou had rushed to the stairs. “You can't just go there! Stop, you moron! God, is he really fucked up or what?” Arakita asked, irritably tousled his bangs, but Shinkai sitting next to him just shrugged.

Manami, turning away from them, took the omnioculars to better see what was happening below, and, to his fears, everything seemed to be bad. Well, at least Makishima definitely couldn't get back into the game. Something was wrong with his shoulder, and he couldn't raise his right arm — perhaps even a fracture, which wasn't surprising after falling from such a height.

But before the Gryffindors used their free throw, they still announced another time-out so that the school Healer could make sure the injured player could walk and help him off the field.

There were no replacements, of course, which was in the spirit of Quidditch. Gryffindor continued the game with an incomplete squad, and the first thing the captain did was to do an excellent throw of the Quaffle, being one-to-one with the Keeper. And one would think that the Gryffindors didn't lose their fighting spirit, but without Makishima they started scoring less, and the Ravenclaw team began to close the points gap.

It was at that moment that the Snitch finally decided to remind of itself again, but the first to follow it was the Seeker in blue. Onoda lagged behind for a couple of seconds but was able to get ahead when the golden target made an intricate maneuver among the goal hoops.

“It will be yours, try a little more,” Manami said, almost breathless with excitement.

His only need now was to quickly see Onoda squeeze the Snitch in his hand. It had to be him. It had to.

“Are the Seekers chasing each other or the Snitch?” the voice of the announcer said. “It flies so fast that I can't see it!”

Turn around. One more. Sharp up and down. Manami lowered the omnioculars, blinking in shock, because Onoda repeated the Snitch's trajectory exactly the same, which his opponent didn't even come close to, and it was truly amazing. Much more amazing than at the tryouts.

Barely aware of what he was doing, Manami also stood up and walked over to the barrier. All sounds seemed to have died down; all extraneous was blurred, leaving only a rapidly moving figure in red before his eyes.

“Win. Win. Win,” Manami whispered, as if casting a spell, and Onoda seemed to hear him.

On the last turn, he took his hand off the broom, cut the air and grabbed the Snitch sharply, leaving the opponent behind him. The stands burst into enthusiastic shouts, Manami jumped up in joy, shaking his fist and feeling like a real winner.

And God, he, just like Toudou, wanted to rush down now, run out onto the field, and hug Onoda to death. The urge was so strong that he could hardly control himself. Gripping the railing, Manami looked down again as the players descended to the ground, and the smile slowly faded from his lips as he saw Onoda, instead of a normal landing, fell to his knees and then suddenly—

“The final score is 590-450 in favour of Gryffindor!” the commentator shouted. “DAMN! Quidditch, of course, can be unpleasant, but no one has ever felt sick of it in my lifetime!”

“Sakamichi…” Manami groaned as he saw Onoda had vomited onto the grass in front of him.

That kind of ending of the match would be a memorable one for the spectators for a long time. It was really—

“Not bad,” a familiar voice distracted him, and Manami turned to see Arakita approaching. He also looked at the field. At Onoda. “It's even too good for a beginner. But you knew he could do that, right, kid?”

“…Yes,” Manami nodded after a short pause, and all his pride dulling for some reason.

“They're going to grow by the finale,” Arakita added before leaving, but Manami felt he missed the point. Was there any special hint in his words?

There was no way to ask about it now, and for some reason Manami didn't think that he'd dare to do it later. After standing a little longer in the same place to watch Naruko, most likely laughing loudly, pat on the shoulder of Onoda, who turned pale with nausea, and the remaining members of the Gryffindor team supported him, he decided that he should hurry after the guys leaving the stand, and turned around, still not sure why the joy of the result was slipping away. Was it because Arakita had come up and spoken to him even if only for a moment?

Manami didn't know, to be honest, but as he walked down the stairs, Izumida and Kuroda walked in front of him, and looking at the latter, Manami recalled again that stupid incident that had happened on that unfortunate Thursday. This spoiled his mood even more, made him feel guilty again.

It shouldn't be that way, he thought, lowering his head and lagging behind. With each step he took, the rejection of such a reality began to torment him more and more, and in the end, he still couldn't stand it. As soon as they left the Quidditch field, Manami stopped and shouted, “Wait!”

The two boys slowed down and turned to him, and Kuroda asked first, “Are you talking to me?”

Manami was surprised by his own relieved sigh.

“Yes. Can I... have a few minutes of your time?”

Kuroda frowned slightly, seemingly looking for some kind of catch, but almost immediately his face relaxed again. He shrugged and asked Izumida to go forward.

“I'll catch up a little later,” he said to his friend before walking up to Manami and giving him a questioning look. “What's the matter?”

“Uh... I—” Manami said uncertainly, delaying time so that Izumida would go far enough from them and not hear the continuation. Kuroda thankfully didn't look annoyed, and that might have promised things would go smoothly. “I wanted to apologise.”

Words didn't come easily, but still. Manami was generally afraid that if Kuroda came closer, he'd see the marks of the blow, but they were not. The boy's face was at least perfect — basically the same as usual.

“For what?” Kuroda asked as if even a little surprised, causing Manami almost groan with injustice. Did he have to say every word?

“For hitting you, of course!” Manami blurted out sharply, trying not to blush from embarrassment, but Kuroda just grinned openly.

“Hitting? You took my words too seriously. I said so only in order not to embarrass you in front of your elders because your 'hitting' was more like trying to kill a mosquito.”

Manami had already opened his mouth to be indignant but changed his mind and laughed himself for some reason. With that the final relief came because Kuroda seemed no longer angry or resentful at him — a faint smirk could be confirmation of that.

“Did you understand anything after today's game?” he asked unexpectedly, and Manami, swallowing his last chuckle, looked at him with curiosity and puzzlement.

What did Arakita say? That the Gryffindor team would get even better? Was that what Kuroda wanted to hear now?

“Um, well...”

“When you looked at the same beginners like yourself,” Kuroda explained.

“…It's going to be difficult, right?” after a short pause, Manami smiled uncertainly and looked away. “And in the decisive game I'll probably have to try my best.”

“You'll have to try your best not only in the decisive game,” Kuroda said seriously. “In the official matches it's not going to be like in the tryouts. The whole school will be looking at you; your opponents will be those you don't know. Not only your fate but also the fate of your entire team will depend on when you catch the Snitch and whether you catch it at all because the Seeker's battle is always the most crucial one. This is pressure that you never dreamed of.”

“I... know,” Manami shuddered in confusion.

“If you know, then don't forget about it,” Kuroda said. “Don't forget about it for a minute — you're in the team that was the best and should remain so. You have to win, you silly child. That's the only thing I want you to.”

Feeling like a terrible idiot, Manami lowered his eyes again, wanting to shrink into one small dot. He made up all sorts of nonsense for himself, he stupidly thought that Kuroda might be picking on him because of his defeat in the tryouts, but it was much simpler than that — Kuroda was a much better person than Manami thought of him. He was reasonable.

“I... get it,” Manami said, not knowing if he should apologise again, but Kuroda grunted in satisfaction and replied,

“In that case, you should attend practices. Otherwise I won't be able to teach you everything I know.”

After resolving the differences with Kuroda, Manami was in such a high spirits that for a while he even forgot that in the game Makishima had been injured and now apparently was in the Hospital Wing. It wasn't so difficult to guess about it — one had only to come to the Great Hall and see that Toudou, like Makishima himself, was naturally not here.

Due to the prolonged match, dinner started later than usual. Manami was terribly hungry and the first thing he did was to eat, and only then he began to pay attention to other things — like the noisy conversations of the Gryffindors, which could be heard from their table even to the Slytherin one. They were, of course, feasting and rejoicing at the victory. An excellent, clean victory that Onoda brought them.

Remembering Onoda's amazing game, which flashed before his eyes as a vivid memory, Manami shivered again, and for some reason, he felt a twist in his stomach — perhaps he'd eaten too much. What Onoda had shown was great. And even scary to some extent because he definitely exceeded all expectations, although Manami thought he knew his style and his abilities perfectly. In just a short measly month, Onoda was able to grow, and if he was going to continue to do so, how strong would he become by the final?

Will I be able to compete with him at all? Manami thought for the first time and pushed the plate away from him resolutely. No, he couldn't even think of losing, it wasn't worthy of his own team. He'd just try harder. He'd get better too — Kuroda had promised to teach him.

More or less calmed down, Manami drank pumpkin juice to the echo of the guys from his House talking. He turned his head, checking to see if Toudou had appeared, but he still wasn't there.

He hadn't show up by the end of dinner, which was beginning to cause involuntary anxiety, and Manami felt the need to find out how Makishima was doing in general. Were there really serious problems since Toudou didn't seem to leave him for a minute?

Or maybe he was just being dramatic, Manami thought wearily as he rose from the bench to see the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team at the table and finishing their meal. And if they had a healthy appetite and lack of grief on their faces, apparently Makishima wasn't going to die next night.

After a little more, the Great Hall suddenly began to empty — the students seemed to be tired after an active day and were about to disperse to their common rooms, and Manami realised with a smile that this was his chance. He waited for Onoda to leave his place, and then he quietly caught up with him near the door and pulled his hand.

“Do you want me to show you something?” Manami whispered, almost laughing, and put his index finger to his lips.

It was lucky that Naruko and Imaizumi didn't notice Onoda fell behind — they, despite the energy spent during the game, argued about something again as they followed the elders. Manami watched them go until they disappeared around the nearest corner and turned to interested Onoda.

“You played amazingly, Sakamichi, I was only looking at you,” Manami smiled and took him away from the exit so as not to disturb other students passing.

“Oh, no, I—” Onoda shuddered, quickly flashing a blush. “It was just awful. I didn't think that I was— uh... God, I'm very ashamed.”

“Forget it!” Manami waved his hand and still laughed. “You were worried at your first game, and the Snitch put you to the test...”

More precisely, your stomach, he wanted to add but didn't, realising that Onoda, most likely, wouldn't appreciate the joke.

“Makishima's all right, isn't he?” Manami asked, quickly changing the subject.

“Well,” Onoda answered in frustration. “From what I understand, he has two fractures. He'd definitely have to spend the night in the Hospital Wing.”

“But he will recover, won't he? Our Healer will quickly return him to normal,” Manami tried to cheer him up and took Onoda's hand again. “Don't be sad about it. Come on, I'll show you something that you'll definitely like.”

“Ah? Where are we going?” Onoda asked in surprise as Manami hastily pulled him along. “Sangaku, the curfew's soon — we'd better go back to our common rooms.”

“What are you talking about?” Manami laughed again. “You're a winner — today you can do anything at all!”

Onoda muttered something unintelligible in reply, but Manami didn't want to stop and linger to ask again. He hurried to the stairs and then straight to the first floor.

“What? Are we going to the infirmary?” Onoda guessed, when he recognised the familiar path, and Manami shushed at him.

“Hush. Speak in a whisper or don't speak at all,” he asked, slowing his pace to hide their presence here.

Approaching the entrance, he walked almost on tiptoe, leading bewildered Onoda behind him, then pressed himself against the wall, and cautiously looked into the spacious room. There was a relaxing twilight now, but near one of the beds, a lamp was on on a bedside table, casting a warm glow on two figures that were hardly to be confused with anyone else.

“Just look,” Manami said as quietly as possible, beckoning for Onoda to look too.

Makishima, of course, was in bed. He slept or just lay with his eyes closed on his back, and Toudou clung to him, sitting on the edge and resting his head on his chest. Toudou's face was turned in the opposite direction from the entrance — that's why it wasn't visible, but Manami for a second caught himself thinking that he hoped that at least he wasn't crying. Or at least now.

But it was still so... damn cute.

Taking a cautious step back, Manami took Onoda by the elbow and pulled him again.

“You saw it, didn't you?” he asked when they had gone a fair distance and stopped near the wall.

“Um. Yes...” Onoda answered shyly. “I honestly didn't think Toudou was still here. He came from the start and apparently stayed after we left for dinner. It's strange that—”

“Madam Bland didn't kick him out?” Manami finished for him and grinned. “She understands everything, I think. And Toudou overreacts at times — I wouldn't be surprised if she made him drink something to calm him down. But it's still so cool... right?”

“Really,” Onoda agreed, looking down, and Manami playfully tugged at his chin with his fingers.

“I'll also come to you if you go to the infirmary after the game, and I'll be with you all night.”

Onoda flinched and blushed.

“I-I don't want to be in the infirmary.”

“Of course,” Manami chuckled awkwardly. “I don't want you to be here either. Come on — we'd really better go back to the common rooms if we don't want someone to lose House points on such an amazing day.”

Onoda smiled weakly, agreeing with the proposal. At the exit from the floor they had to disperse, and Manami had already stepped onto the stairs, which lazily moved from their place to take him to the ground floor, but Onoda called out to him. Manami raised his head to see another moving staircase.

“Win your match,” Onoda said, holding onto the thick stone railing.

Win.

Smiling, Manami nodded, thinking that such a request was unnecessary. He'd win, no matter what.

Chapter Text

Time had probably never flown so fast in his life as it had in the last two weeks. Manami could hardly find a free moment, and it seemed to him that life had turned upside down because he certainly hadn't seen himself as responsible before. He wasn't late for a single training session during these weeks, he did his best and fulfilled all of Kuroda's requirements even if some of them were downright annoying — but if this ultimately should help to win with dignity, Manami was willing to tolerate. As long as he wasn't the kind of Seeker on the Slytherin team that no one would have a problem with.

There was almost no time left for homework either — at every opportunity Manami tried to take his broom and go out to train on his own, at least in flight. He had accumulated debts in his studies, but he promised himself to deal with them after the next two games of their team. Now they'd play against Hufflepuff, and in another two weeks they'd play against Ravenclaw. The break was short; Manami'd have to learn to play even better during it. The only good news was that there was still a lot of time left before the decisive game against Gryffindor, which would give a good chance to prepare for the final, and the final promised to be the most stressful test because the Gryffindor team was clearly not going to stand still either — with their new talented members, they could achieve great results, and doubting that it'd be so would be a difficult task. Thanks to Arakita and Kuroda, Manami had perhaps learned well that one shouldn't underestimate an opponent even if they themselves were the strongest team in the school, and now he wasn't going to give them a reason to be disappointed in him.

He had to play all the matches in such a way that no one else would dare to reproach him. He owed it, and he owed it first and foremost to himself, so as not to lose his just nascent pride.

When a short warm-up ended on the day of their game against Hufflepuff and the team members returned to the changing rooms to await the official field appearance, Manami didn't seem to feel very nervous. Standing by his locker, he checked the twigs of the Firebolt and then the straps of the guards — he remembered that any little thing could get in the way during the big moment, and the procedures he went through calmed him down. There was only one thing that bothered him.

Although he had never been to the changing room before an official game — he'd only managed to watch from outside once — something told him that the atmosphere among the players, among them, shouldn't be so heavy and as if anxious. It wasn't like what Manami had seen last year. Even if the team always got even more serious when it came to a real match that would define their position among the other teams this season, things seemed much worse now. As if they had some reason to doubt their strengths — or was Manami just worrying himself because he still remembered Kuroda's words to him that he wasn't strong enough? Still, the outcome of the game would depend on him after all. He had to fight for the Snitch and catch it in time to bring the team victory—

“Of course, the more points the better!” Toudou's voice, which suddenly sounded loud, interrupted him from his thoughts.

For about ten minutes, he was standing with Shinkai and Izumida and talking about something with them. Manami glanced in their direction and realised that they were tense for some reason. In contrast to Arakita, who was sitting lazily sprawled out on the bench and tossing the Beater's bat in his hand. It rolled over several times in the air, so quickly that it was impossible to count, and then it landed with the handle exactly in the palm covered with leather half-glove.

Manami didn't know what each of them was thinking and why everyone was in such a different mood, but it suddenly seemed to him that everyone could be the way they were now because of him. He tried to chase the thought away because, of course, he wasn't worth the others wasting their time on him, but some unpleasant sensation settled in his chest anyway as it happened with too obsessive bad feelings.

Was he foreseeing something bad even now? Could he be screwing up in today's match?

“Is your broom ok?” a heavy hand suddenly fell on his shoulder and Manami almost flinched.

He turned his head to see Fukutomi's unreadable face, as usual, and nodded weakly, turning over the Firebolt downwards.

“Try not to make hasty decisions when you're on the field,” the captain added, lowering his hand. “The atmosphere can affect your condition, but you shouldn't give in to it. Sometimes there is a chance to make several mistakes, but sometimes one mistake may be the last. You don't want to be wrong, am I right?” Fukutomi asked, a soft smile flickering across his face.

“Of course,” Manami agreed, looking down. “I'll catch the Snitch. I'll catch it for sure.”

“The rest of the team will also fight with all their might. Just don't forget it,” Fukutomi said before leaving.

Manami was puzzled looking after him, and it seemed to him again that he was missing some important point that the elders were trying to make to him. Fukutomi meant—

There was no opportunity to think of it — it turned out that it was time to go out on the field, and Toudou, coming up, ruffled Manami's hair a little aggressively with his palm as if to confuse all the thoughts in his head.

“This is your finest hour, little one. Remember this moment well,” Toudou said with a grin, smoothing back strands that had strayed through his own fault.

Manami twisted to get away from his hand and tried to smile back.

“First, win this match and then talk about the finest hour,” Arakita snorted sarcastically as he walked pass with his broom on his shoulder. Unlike his partner, the second Beater, he had two cases for the bat, fixed on both the right and left thighs. Looked like he was going to break one of them while playing, uh—

“I'll do without your advice,” Toudou snapped, looking at him menacingly, and then pushed Manami toward the exit. “Do everything as in the last training match, okay, little one?”

“Deal,” Manami nodded, crossing the threshold. He lifted his head to look at Toudou's confident smile and tried to ask, “Jinpachi, do you—”

“What?” Toudou responded too cheerfully, which made Manami lose all courage and become quiet.

...do you still believe in me? he wanted to ask but hesitated and just shook his head.

“No matter. Let's go and defeat our rivals.”

“That's the right spirit! Don't lose it until the end of the game!” Toudou replied, slapping Manami on the back supportively.

Manami wanted to promise that it would be so, but something told him that Toudou didn't need it, and an unexpected thought occurred to him. The thought that this team was so strong and perfect that they didn't even need a full squad to fight — they'd win in any conditions.

They can win without me, Manami thought as he walked towards the entrance to the field with his head down.

This uneasy realisation hurt him, stirred up all the most dreary feelings, but he quickly pulled himself together — he shouldn't get too despondent just before the game started, he just had to show that he could be useful too. If Onoda could win the game with his last move, he had to be able to do the same, otherwise what kind of opponent would he be?

Barely bracing himself, Manami looked up as he found himself in the circle of the Quidditch pitch. With the appearance of the teams, the assembled fans in the stands began to rustle more lively, encouraging chants were heard from the right side. A little more — and the Slytherin team stopped in the middle of the field directly opposite the Hufflepuff team, and Manami, taking his place, looked at his opponent.

The Seeker of the Hufflepuff team was a smiling girl, about his height. She had been on the team last year too, but Manami had forgotten all about her. He'd forgotten that the very first time he wouldn't have to fight a beginner.

The stands screamed and applauded when, announcing the names of the Hufflepuff team, the commentator got to this girl. She smiled even brighter, casting a satisfied glance at the audience upstairs. Her blonde hair was pulled back in two funny buns on either side of her head, and her yellow Quidditch robe was patched up in some places with uneven patches. How did she play last year? straining his brains, Manami tried to remember, but it was like a black hole in his memory. Judging by the reaction of the audience, she was good, but what... was her strength?

Sighing in resignation, Manami gave up trying to remember and decided that he'd see everything soon enough.

Meanwhile, the commentator finished naming the players, and Mr. Kanzaki came out into the middle of the field with the box containing Quidditch balls. Noticing his teammates getting on their brooms to rise into the air to await the signal to start, Manami also threw his leg over the Firebolt and, squeezing the handle, pushed off the grass. When he rose to the proper height, the girl in the yellow robe was opposite again, and, distracted from observing Mr. Kanzaki's actions, Manami accidentally caught her eye. She... winked at him.

The gesture came out playful, made him involuntarily get confused and think. Was that a sign of a friendliness because she was from Hufflepuff after all, or... was there any other meaning in it?

While Manami pondered, he didn't notice himself got distracted. Because of this, the sound of the referee's whistle was too sudden for him, and one of the opponent team's Chasers almost knocked him off his broomstick as he quickly flew by.

Sometimes there is a chance to make several mistakes, but sometimes one mistake may be the last, Fukutomi's recent words surfaced as if on cue, and Manami, cursing himself, quickly tried to leave the epicenter. And hell, he didn't even see which direction the Snitch flew off.

But probably, she managed to track the golden target perfectly.

Finding the Seeker with his eyes, Manami bit his lip and jerked the broom aside. Better to stay away, he decided, not knowing what else to expect from her. Not all of the players fought using only strength, alertness, and agility. Some had tricks up their sleeves that they used to trick their opponents around. Various... tricks.

Taking the same position in the air that Kuroda preferred for observation, Manami slowed down and tried to feel the wind first, but there was none, just like during the warm-up. Not a breath. Complete calm, as luck would have it.

Trying not to panic about it, he glanced down at the field below. There was already a serious struggle, and the commentator had just announced that Slytherin had earned his first ten points with the help of the Quaffle. It was Toudou's merit, and, seeing his green robe, Manami involuntarily smiled, feeling a wave of pride as he always did with his successful throws.

“I won't let you down,” Manami said to himself, feeling determined, and then flinched when he heard an unfamiliar voice quite close to him.

“Hi. You're new, as I see.” It was her! His current rival in the game. And when did she manage to fly up here?

Manami swayed on his broom in surprise, looked at her with a slight frown but smiled quickly.

“Exactly. This is my first official game,” he replied.

“A third-year?” the girl smiled again, and even if she looked cute and harmless, Manami had already guessed that this was all just another game. A game set up to win another game. So she either lacked confidence in her own abilities, or she liked these tactics, or she was just... weird?

“A second-year,” Manami replied, starting to watch the field again. He was no longer going to look at his interlocutor, because that seemed to be exactly what she was counting on. To be the very first to see the Snitch when it appeared. To be one step ahead when the chase began.

“Wow!” the girl exclaimed admiringly. “I didn't know they had second-years on the Slytherin team! You don't look like a second-year, you know, too cute.”

Apparently, he should have been embarrassed because of these words — a charming older girl complimenting him, wow...

Manami chuckled, noticing with his peripheral vision a flickering golden reflection in the southern part of the field — the sun came out from behind the clouds only for a short time, and it was impossible to miss the chance even if his rival clearly hadn't seen anything, and the Chasers had scored few points yet.

“Many people say that I'm very much like my mother,” Manami replied before taking a sharp plunge downwards without warning.

For a while, he flew alone, accelerating the broom to its maximum speed in order to quickly catch up with the target, but as soon as he managed to get a little closer to the also accelerating Snitch, the rival appeared from the side, unexpectedly reaching him on a turn.

She's not only cunning but agile as well! Manami realised, mentally scolding himself. Of course, the fans loved her for a reason. Not because she could confuse the opponent with cute words. She had to be a good player without this trick!

He managed to make sure of this quickly. Although Manami tried not to lose his slight advantage, he soon fell behind because he simply didn't have time to cope with the change of course as lightning fast. It became even worse when the opponent dodged a Bludger flying past, without losing a second of time at all, and Manami slowed down to avoid the blow. He could easily lose in this chase if the Snitch hadn't overtaken a group of Chasers rushing with the Quaffle only to be lost among them and disappear from sight. Not even the Hufflepuff Seeker could handle it. And she turned out to be... really cool. So much so that for a few seconds Manami just hung in place, trying to catch his breath and recover from the shock.

When he finally managed to remember that he was still in the midst of the game, he hurried to rise back to his position, and luckily the girl wasn't there. Instead, she patrolled another part of the field, circling slowly in the air, and Manami again tried to focus on looking for the Snitch in the field. Instead, he noticed the Chasers fighting over and over again. His Chasers. They played not like the way he was used to — this time it was different.

“Violation!” the commentator shouted after the sound of the whistle.

Toudou had apparently accidentally hit his opponent too hard, and Mr. Kanzaki gave Hufflepuff a free throw. What? Toudou was... nervous?

At the thought of this, Manami felt uneasy and tried not to miss the score. 80-20, the commentator said. Already? So fast? They're in a hurry, Manami realised quickly and bit his lip because now it was really unpleasant. His team could have won without him. Just by hitting so many points with the Quaffle that the Hufflepuffs would be the losers even if they caught the Snitch.

Manami didn't like this situation at all, and, as he noticed, his rival also understood where this was going. She was looking for the Snitch. She even went down below for this deliberately, despite the risk.

No, it shouldn't be that way, Manami thought, suppressing his resentment. He had to stop her, and who knows, maybe he'd have the chance to catch the Snitch first soon and still decide the outcome of the game.

Emboldened, he also went down lower, intending to stay close, and the girl smiled again when she noticed him.

“Ready to dodge the Bludgers?” she asked, then jabbed her index finger against the handle of his broomstick. “It's a Firebolt! A very cool model — I've always dreamed of it.”

Bludger flew by as if on purpose. Manami had to sharply take higher, and he barely had time, distracted by the girl's words.

“Sorry!” she exclaimed. “I shouldn't distract you, but sometimes I just can't hold back. The captain constantly scolds me because of this.”

Without answering, Manami simply accelerated, looking carefully around. This time he managed to find the Snitch first again, but as soon as he rushed after it, he was soon overtaken again. A long and tiring pursuit began. Manami was able to get ahead only once, but when they rounded the goalpost, he had to dodge so as not to collide with the Beater in yellow, so he lost his short-lived advantage.

It only got a little easier when they both failed to achieve their goal and the Snitch escaped again. Manami's hands were beginning to ache and his throat was burning as he stepped aside to be at least a little further from the epicenter of the Chasers' battle. The score grew rapidly in favour of his team, and he had to start looking again.

Now he didn't follow his rival, thinking that he could take a risk, relying on luck, but so he had to watch too many things: first of all, look for the Snitch, secondly, notice the Bludgers, try not to get in the way of the Chasers, and the main thing not to miss that moment if another Seeker found the Snitch first.

But no matter how hard Manami tried to get his job done faster, the moment dragged on. Occasionally he would catch the announcement of the score, and his team had already scored 240 points, while the Hufflepuffs had only 110, and the match really seemed to go to the point that soon the team in yellow would have no chance to win. But their Seeker could still catch the Snitch, and Manami really didn't want the most important ball to end up in the wrong hand — no, it should belong to the Slytherins, signifying an absolute victory, because they were the strongest team!

This thought made him feel a little stronger — Manami realised that he simply couldn't allow his opponent to win in his position, and when the Snitch reappeared, he rushed into the battle with more confidence, practically undercutting the second Seeker. He was surprised, but he really got better. Increasingly, they flew shoulder to shoulder and came out of the next turn almost simultaneously — Manami forgot about the aching pain in his hands and was fixated only on trying to get closer to the goal, but the Snitch didn't yield either.

Chasing it, the Seekers rose very high up, made a loop in the air, repeating its trajectory, and then abruptly rushed down.

Hell, it's going to turn right on the ground, Manami began to understand doomily as the dull green grass of the Quidditch field drew closer.

The moment was very dangerous, but the Hufflepuff Seeker wasn't going to retreat. She had already let go of her hand, trying to reach for the Snitch, and Manami decided that by all means he should be the first.

A little more, he thought, almost panicking, feeling himself slowly but pulling closer. If I catch it now, I can still get out of the dive and—

But he didn't have time to finish the thought. It all happened terribly fast — neither of them seemed to even have time to do something because both were in despair apparently, and Manami suddenly felt a sharp jolt. He was thrown off the broom; he rolled over in the air and collapsed on his back. The grass only softened the impact a little, his ears buzzed, and before his eyes, it became dark.

He didn't know how long it took before he could at least partially recover. Probably not much because when he started to rise, the game was still going on and Mr. Kanzaki was in no hurry to come down here to check the condition of the players— Exactly!

With his arm outstretched on automatic to get the Firebolt back in place, Manami, already on his feet, turned around abruptly and saw his opponent, who was writhing in pain but also trying to get up.

“Are you all right?” he asked, holding out his free hand to her. “Can you play?”

The girl blinked in surprise, looking at his hand, but then she gently accepted it and straightened up.

“Th-thanks. You didn't have to wait for me — you had to continue the chase.”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Manami replied, raising an eyebrow.

In response, he received a slight grin, and the girl also stretched out her hand to summon the broom that had flown away back.

“Okay,” she said. “Let's finish this.”

Manami nodded and after a few seconds they were back in the air to try to find the Snitch that had disappeared somewhere, while the rest of the players continued to fight in their positions.

After that, it wasn't immediately possible to notice the golden ball — it, of course, started another game of hide and seek, and Manami didn't feel as good as before. He had a headache, and it made it difficult to concentrate, but he knew that sooner or later the chase'd resume again.

When this happened, he no longer knew what score his team was leading with — he just rushed into another battle with fatigue and exhaustion. His opponent was also exhausted, but there was still a faint smile on her face, and Manami felt that he enjoyed playing even if things didn't go the way he wanted. He had the opponent; he had the Snitch to catch, and the best team behind him. And yet ahead of him was waiting—

Ahead, Manami repeated mentally, extending his hand again. Now the chance was better than ever. He was close, and the opponent was several centimetres behind. Except that the Snitch was heading straight to the stands and near one of them apparently planned to turn around.

It could have provoked another collision, but it didn't even scare him that way. Manami didn't slow down and almost caught it at the bend, but… it didn't work. The Snitch disappeared again, although it was just very close, near the tip of the broom, and this was discouraging. Slowing down a bit, Manami turned his head in search of the loss, and then suddenly he felt... ticklish. As if some insect had crept to his elbow and was about to climb higher. Manami tried to shake it out whatever it was, twitching with his hand, but nothing worked. Instead, he burst into laughter, unable to restrain himself, because the sensations became unbearable. He barely had time to direct the broom down to get even a little lower before falling and slipped off the handle, falling onto the grass.

“What's happening? Can anyone explain to me?” the distant voice of the commentator was heard.

Manami himself would like to know. He fidgeted on the ground, his free hand trying to find what had fallen into his robes, while unable to stop laughing.

“Hey, little one? What are you doing? What happened?” agitated and out of breath, Toudou sounded somewhere nearby, and Manami was finally able to reach for what was bothering him.

God, such an idiot.

“It's just the Snitch,” Manami laughed again, not from tickling but from the absurdity of the situation he was in.

Still lying on the grass, he rolled onto his back and raised his hand with the golden ball up. Its wings fluttered in the air for a short while, but then stopped and folded, hiding inside. Manami grinned happily as he saw a soft smile appear on Toudou's tired face and heard the commentator announced the end of the game.

They won. With the score 400-160.

After that, everything was like a fog. His head ached even worse, and Manami wanted to lie on the cold grass for at least an hour, but he had to go to the changing room and rest there, among the benches, which were almost all occupied because his teammates fell on wooden seats simply exhausted...

When he managed to feel better, Manami began to realise, remember, and think. Sitting near his locker and resting his elbows on his knees, he replayed all the moments of the match in his head and began to feel all kinds of emotions. The excitement of chasing the Snitch was so strong and vivid that the disappointment that his personal victory was still not decisive was lost somewhere in the background. Manami was happy that he still caught the Snitch, albeit not in the most usual way. He was happy exactly until the moment when he raised his head and looked at the Chasers and Beaters of his team.

In fact... everything was worse than he thought when he first entered the changing room. His teammates were not just tired — they had injuries. Izumida was putting a band-aid the wound above his eyebrow that he had cleaned a moment earlier with a charm, Shinkai was looking displeased at the large piling bruise on his shoulder, and Toudou was wrinkling up, pulling off his uniform and clearly trying not to disturb his right arm. Even Arakita, doused himself with water from a bottle, in a half-sitting position, was dabbing some kind of gel on his reddened wrist. All this meant that they really gave their best or even more in this game.

Were they so afraid that he wouldn't be able to catch the Snitch and bring them victory?

Manami didn't want to think about it so clearly again, but he couldn't help himself. That feeling of happiness and delight began to slowly fade, but he continued to be silent, feeling that he simply had no right to say something. To blame his team for choosing to rely only on themselves, not on him. As if he only bore the name of a Seeker here but was rather just an empty place. And, to be honest, he had absolutely no idea what to do with it.

Should he just try to forget about it now and try again in the next match to prove that he really deserved to be on the team?

For some time (a short time — only forty minutes after the match was over) Manami managed to set himself up for this. He returned to the castle in silence, following the others at the very end, and mentally asked them to talk at least among themselves, to become their old selves again, but this didn't happen. All three Chasers went to the infirmary as soon as they had left the brooms, and this was perhaps the last straw.

Manami looked after them and bit his lip, thinking now of only one thing... How could he even allow his mates to be so tense because of him, with absolutely no mercy for themselves? Why did he join the team if he couldn't do even his little work, forcing others to work twice as hard?

The feeling of shame and guilt became so strong that he barely managed to hold back tears. Manami didn't go to the common room, as the rest of the guys did, he knew that he had to do something completely different now, but didn't even know if he had enough courage to do it. Nevertheless, his legs were carrying him into the Hospital Wing through the noisy ground floor.

Upon reaching the place, Manami hesitantly stood at the entrance, thinking that he should let the Healer finish the examination and not distract anyone for now. From the infirmary, barely audible, familiar voices were heard, and their sound, even if they had noticeably cheered up, made him feel even worse. Standing with his back to the wall, Manami clenched his fists, mentally persuading himself to become even a little firmer because the guys certainly shouldn't have seen him as just a weakling. He had to convince them that next time he'd definitely cope, but it wouldn't work if he choked on tears and spoke in a trembling voice.

Loaded with his worries, Manami didn't immediately hear the approaching footsteps. He shuddered when Shinkai and Izumida came out of the infirmary, and they looked at him with surprised looks.

“What are you standing here for? Something's wrong? Did you hurt yourself badly during the fall?” Shinkai asked a little uneasily, to which Manami hastened to shake his head.

“I'm fine. And... Jinpachi?”

“He stayed. It looks like he'll have to drink Skele-Gro, I don't envy him,” Shinkai replied with a weak grin.

He and Izumida didn't stop and headed for the exit from the floor, leaving Manami to stand at the entrance to the infirmary. It was terribly embarrassing that it hadn't worked out, and it made him feel bad, but then Manami remembered that Toudou was still inside. And maybe, if he couldn't talk to them all, it was worth trying with Toudou first?

After waiting a little longer to collect his thoughts, Manami finally decided to enter and, finding Toudou sitting on one of the identical beds, moved in his direction. Healer had just closed the door to her office without noticing the new visitor, and Manami thought that this must be his chance. He walked closer to the bed, but with his step, he apparently scared Toudou a little because he flinched before turning around. He really had a glass of potion in his hand — Manami drank it himself when he broke his ribs in his first year, falling from a broomstick.

“I-I'm sorry, I didn't want to—” feeling guilty for his unsuccessful invasion, Manami tried to say, but the words were barely audible.

“Little one,” Toudou smiled in spite of everything, setting the glass down on the bedside table, and raised his right hand, demonstrating something resembling a yellowish cast. “I managed to get a fracture, just like Yusuke in his game. Unpleasant, of course, but it was worth it, right?”

“Er…” Manami said awkwardly, not knowing how to react.

“Are you worried about me or are you in pain? You said—” Toudou began anxiously, frowning funny, and then Manami couldn't resist.

He clenched his fists tightly again and blurted out sharply in almost one breath, “Sorry! Please forgive me for not being able to catch the Snitch earlier! Next time I'll definitely try my best, I promise!”

Head down, Manami looked down, trembling and just expecting an answer, but Toudou was silent. As it turned out a little later, his face was frozen in amazement when Manami dared to look up.

“What? What are you talking about?” Toudou finally said, blinking in surprise.

“Well, I—” Manami was confused, not knowing how to explain. “You were in a hurry to gain more points per game in order to... to win even if I couldn't handle my task.”

“What?” Toudou asked again, wincing this time as if in pain. “That's not why we were in a hurry to score points. Have you forgotten with what score the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws ended their game? The Gryffindor team scored 590 points. Do you understand what that means?”

“Um...” Manami was even more confused, and Toudou sighed doomfully.

“Our battle has already begun, and now we are lagging behind. Naturally, we had to hurry up to get more points so that the gap between us when we come to the final match would be weightless or not at all. Don't say you haven't thought about this. You can bring the team 150 points, but by catching the Snitch you also end the match. We just needed to get a lot of points with the Quaffle too. I asked Fukutomi not to tell you to delay catching the Snitch if you get a chance to catch it too early, because I thought that in your first game it might make you nervous. Therefore, the decision was made to play faster to score a lot of points, no matter when you catch the snitch. Merlin, what were you thinking up there, huh?”

“I—” Manami muttered, still trying to digest what he had heard. “I thought… you weren't counting on me.”

“What do you mean 'not counting', you idiot?” Toudou asked displeasedly. “150 points are nonsense to you or what, some kind of? Of course we were counting on you to close our score for this game!”

“Really?” Manami asked stupidly, seemingly beginning to realise how wrong he had got it all. Oh God, that was just awful!

“Sorry, Sangaku,” Toudou said suddenly, and his eyes became concerned again. “I didn't think you'd take it that way. Apparently, I should have told you after all—”

“No, you shouldn't have!” Manami exclaimed, waving his palms in panic. “You wanted everything to go well! I just—”

“You just think too much,” Toudou smiled softly. “But I said I believe in you, didn't I? I believe. In. You. You'd have caught the Snitch anyway, and we we'd have won. I certainly didn't doubt this. None of us doubted.”

“Oh,” Manami exhaled quietly, feeling his eyes watering again. It was that simple. He was worrying about something for nothing. He had made it so difficult for nothing.

“We're counting on you next time too,” Toudou added. “Do your best and let's beat all the other teams on points.”

“Yes!” Manami replied sharply, nodding. “Definitely! We'll do it!”

“Sangaku Manami, I can hear you screaming even from my office!” Healer interrupted them, leaning out from behind the opened door. “If you're okay, I think your conversation with Mr. Toudou can wait until tomorrow, right?”

“She's in a really bad mood,” Toudou whispered to frowning Manami. “She gave me Skele-Gro, and I'm probably going to get knocked out.”

“Okay,” Manami replied just as quietly. “I'll come tomorrow morning.”

At these words, he smiled weakly and hurried to the exit, so as not to anger Madam Bland even more. But as soon as he left the infirmary to head for the stairs, two people met on the way, or rather Makishima and Onoda. Oh... what were they doing here?

“Sangaku!” Onoda exclaimed, running closer and grabbing Manami by the elbows. “I've lost you! Are you all right? Have you been to the infirmary? Is it because of the fall? Did it hurt a lot?”

This rambling and chaotic speech made Manami felt dizzy like he were during the match, but he quickly grabbed Onoda in response and interrupted him, “Calm down please. I'm fine — I went to see Toudou. He broke his arm after all.”

“Tch,” Makishima said with a displeased look. “I knew it would end like this.”

He pulled a lock of wavy hair behind his ear irritatedly and walked on without saying anything more — they could only hope that Toudou wouldn't be too emotional when they met, otherwise Healer would definitely kick one of them out.

“Are you really okay?” Onoda asked once again, looking at Manami incredulously, and Manami barely stifled a laugher.

After what he had learned from Toudou, his spirits lifted again, and he was ready to almost jump with joy.

“Yeah. We have deja vu here, but in reverse, right?”

“Well...” Onoda said hesitantly, and then he also smiled. “We do.”

“Thanks for worrying. And that you watched my game — too,” Manami thanked.

“Of course,” Onoda replied excitedly and then suddenly stepped even closer and hugged him, clasping his arms around his neck. “Con... gratulations, Sangaku.”

“Wow,” Manami chuckled, hugging back. “It's even better than catching the Snitch. I caught Sakamichi.”

“Y-you played very well,” Onoda muttered in confusion and embarrassment, slowly moving away.

Manami reluctantly let go of him and smiled again at the blush that appeared on his cheeks.

“My team will most likely go for a walk to Hogsmeade tomorrow. You know, celebrating and all that, but I'm not allowed to,” he began, slightly squeezing Onoda's hands. “So come to the library tomorrow afternoon. I want to tell you something.”

“Oh... okay,” Onoda nodded a little puzzled. “And you—”

“I need a shower,” Manami chuckled awkwardly. “See you later at dinner, huh?”

Smiling back, Onoda nodded again, and his bright smile made Manami want to press his lips to his cheek for the umpteenth time — and then he could easily go mad with happiness today.

The next day, Manami slept almost until lunchtime, which was hardly surprising given how tired and nervous he was during his first official match. He had to hurry to go to the bathroom, tidy himself up, and then go to the infirmary to visit Toudou before lunch.

When Manami left the common room and went upstairs, his stomach rumbled even though he had a large dinner the night before. Even now, he'd have eaten a whole elephant, but he forced himself to be patient because promises had to be kept — that applied to the smallest too.

Toudou was also a little sleepy, it seemed. There was no longer the cast on his arm, only a tight bandage, which meant that he was quickly recovering. Manami was delighted with such news, but he was also involuntarily pleased by the fact that Makishima was still here — he was sitting on the next bed with a book in his hands and reading, as if not noticing anything around. Nevertheless, his presence meant a lot to Toudou even if Makishima acted, as usual, detached.

Convinced that things were really getting better and that Toudou would be in the common room tonight, Manami cheered up and headed to the Great Hall to finally satisfy his hunger. He remembered that he had made an appointment with Onoda in the library after lunch, and this also warmed his heart, involuntarily reminding that they both had just a wonderful start in Quidditch, apart from small nuances. He even wanted to arrange their own little party for them, but Manami had agreed that instead of this was going to please Onoda today with one, as it seemed to him, cool idea.

But first of all... perhaps he should have told him something else.

On the one hand, Manami wasn't sure that he should do this — he shouldn't help his kind of opponent, but there were special situations where an exception could be made? Sitting at the Slytherin table and eating, Manami glanced ahead every now and then to see Onoda's back among the other students. Onoda was— God, he was easily embarrassed by everything, but why did that have to be something that would get in the way of his Quidditch? Manami bit his lip at the feeling of injustice and thought that he still had to do something. And not only because he liked Onoda. Just because Onoda was an excellent Seeker who was worthy to fight his opponents on equal terms.

There was no more doubt when Sunday lunch came to an end and the tables were almost completely empty. Onoda also got up from his seat, went to the exit with Naruko and Imaizumi, as usual, but he slowed down at the very door, turned to look at Manami, and with a smile pointed up with a finger, hinting that he'd be waiting for him in the library. Manami smiled in response, finished his pumpkin juice, and, after waiting a bit, also decided to head for the stairs.

It didn't take much time to find Onoda in the huge Hogwarts library. He didn't go too far from the entrance but took quite a cosy and detached from the rest place — a small table for two near the window with light grey rain clouds hanging heavily behind it.

Increasing his pace, Manami quickly found himself next to him, sat down on an empty chair, facing Onoda, who smiled at him embarrassedly again.

“That's the whole problem,” Manami said, frowning slightly. He folded his arms on the tabletop and reached forward to approach Onoda's bewildered face. “Stop being embarrassed — it's just me.”

“Huh? What?” Onoda stammered, almost jumping up on the spot. “I'm not—”

“You're embarrassed,” Manami confirmed wearily, moving back and leaning back in his chair. “I like it, but it might get in your way someday.”

“What are you talking about?” Onoda quieted down incomprehensibly and lowered his eyes as if he'd been shamed for something.

“You'll be playing with Hufflepuff,” Manami said, having already decided to tell as it is. “After the Christmas break.”

“Um. Well, yes and what? What do you mean?” Onoda was surprised.

“You'll have... a difficult opponent, let's just say...” Manami answered, glancing out the window. “You were watching her, weren't you? Yesterday at the match. The Hufflepuff Seeker. She plays great, but that's not her only advantage... She's a little chatty.”

“Chatty?” Onoda asked, frowning puzzled, and Manami grinned as he looked at him.

“At first I thought it was kind of tactic. She confuses you with her conversations so you can't play at full strength, but... probably she is just a sociable person. She can tell you something nice or pleasant — and you'll be embarrassed.”

“Oh,” Onoda said, seeming to wince a little.

“Just don't listen to her, okay? Concentrate on your task. The Snitch is your main target.” Manami smiled.

“I see,” Onoda nodded and looked at him. “Is it okay that you're helping me again?”

“It's okay,” Manami replied. “I want everything to be fair. And... I think I want you to win.”

As he said that, he dropped his gaze to the empty tabletop between them and repeated the last word to himself again. 'Win'... And what would happen when the time came for the final? How would he wish for Onoda's victory if his victory would mark his, Manami's, defeat?

…And why did this thought come only now?

“I'll try to do everything I can,” Onoda said, distracting him from his thoughts, and Manami smiled tightly.

“Okay,” he replied, thinking that now was the time to change the subject and start the second conversation he had planned. “What are you going to do during the Christmas holidays?”

“During the holidays?” Onoda was a little puzzled. “Going home, and?”

“Mm... do you want to meet again like that time?” Manami suggested. “Come visit me. You can come with your mom, if she doesn't let you go alone to another city.”

“Oh,” Onoda breathed in amazement, seeming to be embarrassed again. “That's great. Of course, I'd really like to come to you—”

“You can write about this to your mother and ask her now,” Manami said, when Onoda for some reason began to doubt.

Onoda thought for a few more seconds, apparently waging a tense war with thoughts in his head, and then suddenly replied, “How about... you come to visit us? Does your mom have a couple of days off?”

Manami blinked, trying to think about it, although possible reasons why Onoda didn't want to go seemed to come to mind. The first and most trivial one was simple and was that he didn't want to force his mom to spend money. Apparently, she didn't earn enough for joint trips to another city, or so Onoda thought…

“That's also great,” Manami hastened to reply, realising that he had delayed too much thought. “I'll go to the Owlery in the evening and write to her. I think if I warn in advance, she'll try to arrange a weekend at work.”

“My mother will be delighted if you come,” Onoda smiled. “I told her about you, and she'd like to meet you.”

“Probably you said a lot of good things,” Manami laughed awkwardly, but before he could add anything else, he was distracted by a familiar voice calling by name.

Manami turned his head and was even surprised to see Miyahara. She looked confused, her eyes downcast, and was holding some kind of small rectangular thing in her hands.

“Hi,” Manami said stupidly, to which Miyahara smiled faintly.

“I didn't make it yesterday at dinner. And I missed you today. I wanted to congratulate you on winning... the game... I watched,” she said and placed a bar of chocolate next to Manami's hand.

They sell them in Hogsmeade, he realised quickly when he saw the wrapper. Shinkai had a steady supply of these chocolates.

“Thank you,” Manami quickly thanked with a smile and looked from his friend to once again confused Onoda.

Chaos of thoughts began to spin in his head almost immediately. Yesterday he had spent half a day feeling guilty about the team. Today he realised that he'd feel guilty against Onoda if left him and his team losers in the final because in fact he had wanted a favourable result for both of them, and now—

Now, for the first time, he felt another, undoubtedly new feeling. The one when people you most expected approval from were satisfied with your play.

Chapter Text

Heavy gray clouds loomed over the Quidditch field again. This time the weather was much worse than during the previous match, but the mood of the spectators in the stands could hardly be overshadowed by this fact — they were louder than ever, cheering the Slytherin team or the Ravenclaw team. The game was in full swing, and with every minute, the atmosphere was only heating up.

Returning to his place high above the field after new chase with another Seeker, Manami hovered in the air on his broomstick and tightened his grip on the handle, doomedly feeling his fingers weak and palms starting to tremble with tension.

His state of health was not very good from the very morning, to be honest. When he woke up, his throat hurt, and that meant one simple thing — he caught a cold again. He had no fever though, and Manami tried to pretend that everything was fine with him — as long as he didn't sniffle and burn with fever, losing his balance, he could play in a one day match. He could, couldn't he?

In their team, of course, there was a replacement and a very good one. Kuroda could still enter the field to play in the position of a Seeker, but even one second was enough for Manami to realise that he didn't want at all such a scenario. No, he had to play. He had a goal and a dream, and he didn't want to miss a single step on the way to that summit.

Concentrating on this, he decided that everything would be fine and that he'd definitely do well. That was why Manami didn't say anything to Toudou or the others when the team went to warm up. It was cold outside (a couple of days ago the first snow had even fallen but quickly melted), and the north wind reminded of itself with unpleasant strong gusts. This also brought the understanding that the physical condition could easily worsen during the game itself, and Manami began to be afraid. He was afraid that this time he might actually let the team down because he'd feel very bad at the wrong moment, but something still prevented him from backing down, from making a more prudent decision.

Once the game started, it was impossible to change anything. During the Quidditch match, no player substitutions were made, and recalling this, Manami quickly realised that he could simply make a mistake again, like the time he thought the team didn't take his game into account.

But now he knew that the guys really hoped for him, and he knew that he had a more difficult task than just catching the Snitch — he had to play for time so that the Chasers would perform more successful attacks and have the advantage in the points race for the final or at least catch up with their main rivals.

And even if Manami had done well the first two times the Snitch appeared, he was no longer at all confident that this would continue. Even though the Ravenclaw Seeker wasn't as strong an opponent as the smiling Hufflepuff girl he'd had to play with a couple of weeks ago, Manami still had no time to relax when he blocked his path or tried to push him away from the golden Snitch. And the longer the game went on, the harder it was to stay fit. The cold wind was making Manami freeze, his nose was running, and seemed fever started, but it was still too early to think about resting. His team's score was still just over the 350 point mark, and Manami didn't think that was enough. He couldn't know in advance how much the Gryffindors would score in their next match, so it would be best if the Slytherins score as many times as possible in that game.

Another question was how to do this? How to stall for more time?

If they spotted the Snitch again, who could guarantee him preventing its catch again? What if everything turned out in such a way that not only would Manami not win some more time, but he wouldn't catch the Snitch himself? And even if his team was winning so far, he wasn't going to be the only one among his teammates who screwed up.

Thinking about it, Manami sniffed and scanned resolutely the field below. The Snitch was out of sight, but the Ravenclaw Seeker was beginning to get noticeably nervous. He circled over his part of the field and clearly wanted to get down for making it easier to search, but apparently wasn't so sure in his abilities.

And it was completely different from what had happened in the previous match… At the time, it was... more fun? Then his rival didn't lose her smile and spirit of struggle until the very end, but now everything was somehow wrong — Manami didn't feel that he could be charged with excitement and good cheer from the current opponent.

When the Seeker of the Ravenclaw team still couldn't restrain himself and began to descend, Manami wiped his nose from the snot and decided to follow him. Both of them were looking for the Snitch, at the same time dodging or avoiding dangerous areas where other players appeared, but it seemed that it was already harder for both of them to do this — the wind was getting stronger, and its sharp gusts sometimes made it difficult to fly as they wanted. This made the game more dangerous, but Manami realised he couldn't back down. He had to endure everything and do his best because that was what his mates expected from him.

In the western part of the field, he mentally muttered to himself when he finally spotted the Snitch again. His rival fell behind on this and still had no plans to turn around, and Manami wasn't going to rush and give out what he knew. If he now avoided another need to prevent the capture, it would only be better, but—

The Ravenclaw Seeker did notice.

He took a sharp left, right behind the Snitch, and Manami had no choice but to follow him, trying to overtake.

This time the wind wasn't at all on his side — it was in the way, and at a new turn the opponent managed to get ahead strongly.

It's too early, Manami thought, clenching his teeth almost painfully, and pressed on again. He was able to catch up with the opponent right at the moment when he had already extended his hand (for the first time in this match), and Manami suddenly caught the eye— There was... the tip of a wand?

There wasn't enough time to think it over. A Bludger flew towards them, seemingly launched by one of the Beaters, and Manami shouted over the wind, “Fall back!”

The cold air stabbed a pain in his throat, but the opponent heard him and followed Manami in pulling the broom up to avoid the blow. They lost the Snitch because of this and stopped near the goalpost.

“Are you going to use a charm?” catching his breath a little, Manami asked, looking at the face of the second Seeker, distorted with indignation.

He frowned in surprise and looked almost menacing.

“I saw the wand,” Manami said calmly. “Will you use Accio?”

“You saw? So that's great!” the guy barked, and in his voice there was a palpable despair. “You can go to Mr. Kanzaki right now and tell him all about it!”

“What for?” Manami asked. “The rules don't say you can't take your wand to the match, but as for using them in the game—”

“Oh God, what are you talking about?” the guy exclaimed, almost bursting out laughing. “Are you pretending to be a good person? I can use the charm that will allow me to catch the Snitch first!”

“You can, it's your right,” Manami agreed, trying, apart from talking, to keep track of what was happening on the field nearby. “I'm not going to rat out you — if you break the rules, it will be on your conscience.”

“Shut up! Don't you dare humiliate me with your words!” the interlocutor has already raised the tone. “You can't even imagine what it means to lose over and over again! Don't you dare talk to me so nobly!”

With these words the guy took off, leaving Manami behind, and Manami really froze. Shocked, surprised. He, of course, couldn't understand other people's feelings, because he hadn't found himself in such a situation, but the fact that all this was unpleasant seemed clear. Losing in Quidditch could... make someone take such desperate measures? It was startling on the one hand, and scary on the other.

Because of this realisation, Manami didn't immediately come to his senses, but then he remembered that this wasn't the time to think about something like that. The game went on, and he still had a task to complete. And now... when the Snitch appeared, he could catch it, he realised, mentally setting himself up. He'd bring the team another 150 points, and the score would be big, and if he didn't finish the match now, he'd no longer be able to catch, because he'd simply not be able to with his condition.

“Hush,” he said to himself, looking at his trembling palms, which gripped the broom handle. Manami began to feel it more and more — he was in a fever, his cheeks were burning, and his body was weak. He'd definitely no longer have a chance to come out of this game as a winner.

Before acting, he listened to the score. 400 to 170! Wow! The gap was almost inconceivable, and it helped him to cheer up and close his eyes for his malaise. Now, much more confidently, Manami accelerated the broom a little and went in search of the Snitch himself, promising himself that this time he would find him first.

By this time, the commentator announced that another member of the Ravenclaw team was out of the game, and this didn't seem to be the first time. Perhaps even by Arakita's efforts. But there was no time to admire now. Manami was finally able to spot the Snitch just above the middle of the field, and it, as if knew it had been seen, moved to the side abruptly.

Manami hurried after him before lost sight of it, but his rival wasn't long in coming either. He was apparently still going to catch, perhaps using a charm, and Manami didn't know what to do if it did happen. He shouldn't have encouraged breaking the rules, but on the other hand, he didn't think he could say about it so if the referee himself didn't notice.

Well, it remained apparently somehow to catch it himself if he wanted to avoid this unpleasant moment. But how to do this, if the Snitch, under the influence of a charm, would at some point fly into someone else's hand? Manami didn't know at all what to do and relied on something unknown. On good luck? How could he be lucky in such a situation?

Nevertheless, he approached the Snitch, accelerating on the turn. The opponent was also close, flying shoulder to shoulder, and they both extended their arms at the same time to try to reach.

Nothing will work, and the wind is in the back, Manami realised almost doomily, guessing that the end was about to happen, but what happened was… quite different. Not what he expected.

His opponent suddenly... just lowered his hand.

Everything was very fast. Manami didn't even have time to realise when he instinctively clenched his fingers, grabbing the Snitch, and then leveled his broom to stop it flying straight into the stands.

The whistle sounded, the commentator announced the Snitch had been caught, and the audience screamed with delight.

Manami stopped in midair, still gripping the golden ball tightly but not looking at it. He looked at the second Seeker. At the guy who had given up at the crucial moment without doing anything at all. This made him feel so heavy and dreary that there was no hint of joy from victory.

He managed to feel at least something pleasant only after going down to the field and finding himself surrounded by his team. Manami didn't expect this, because it hadn't happened in the first match, but his teammates ran into him almost in a crowd, trying to hug him. It didn't work out very well, and Toudou succeeded more than others. Manami even caught Toudou's perfume through the smell of sweat and then almost suffocated from too tight hugs.

“Did you hear it? We've scored 600 points! It's just awesome! Thank you!” Toudou said loudly and, laughing happily, ruffled Manami's hair.

“Even 600?” Manami asked, finally smiling happily. “That's a thousand for two games! It's cool, isn't it?”

“It is!” Toudou agreed, and his face suddenly became suspicious. “But why are you… burning?”

“Burning?” Manami asked and under the loud voices of the other guys, who were also discussing something among themselves, pressed his free hand to his cheek. Wow, he really was like a stove!

“Don't tell me you have a fever!” Toudou exclaimed. “Did you go to play while feeling bad?”

“Well, no,” Manami laughed awkwardly, trying to make amends. “I was fine, and I feel great now, I really do!”

“That's the spirit of our team,” Shinkai said with a chuckle, apparently having heard the last words.

“Not giving in to anyone,” Arakita grinned wearily and slapped Manami on the shoulder with his palm, which was very encouraging.

After that, Manami definitely had no desire to think and remember anything bad. The match ended with the victory of his team by a wide margin, and now fatigue fell like an avalanche, making it difficult to fully think.

Even in the changing room, everyone was resting much longer than last time, and when the guys and Manami with them went to the castle, it was already quite dark outside, which meant that dinner would be very late.

But there was no energy to go to dinner, to be honest. Back in the dormitory, Manami was only able to take a shower and then fell onto the bed, thinking that he'd lie down quite a bit, but in the end he simply passed out.

When he woke up, it was already morning — the lake water glimmering green in the high window, and a tray with something wrapped in brown paper was waiting on the dresser. Manami rubbed his eyes wearily, feeling his whole body ache. He threw back the covers and got up to check, but there were sandwiches apparently made by Toudou.

His concern warmed his heart again, and it became even better when Manami realised that there were not only sandwiches on the dresser. There were also various sweets, and among them were a couple of postcards thanking him for the game by the guys of his team.

Of course, there was no need to doubt that it was Toudou who had influenced them and asked them to do this as a sign of support, but Manami was still happy, and even if he seemed to have to go to the Hospital Wing with a fever and completely sore throat instead of a full breakfast in the Great Hall, he had no regret whatsoever.

It was great luck that this time the fever lasted only two days. Manami didn't stay in the Hospital Wing for long — he had already been discharged on Tuesday, and on Wednesday he returned to his lessons. He remembered that there would be no more matches until the beginning of spring and that training would soon and for the time being cease. All this meant that all Quidditch players had the opportunity to improve their grades in their core studies, and Manami shouldn't consider himself an exception either — it was necessary to do the bare minimum to at least avoid the resentment from his friend, who pouted every time Manami brazenly slacked off on homework or study in general.

But it wasn't so bad, and the classes were getting more interesting. On Wednesday, in the Defence Against the Dark Arts, second-years from Slytherin and Gryffindor practiced the Disarming Charm for the first time (Manami didn't quite make it, because his charm came out too strong and broke the model, smashing it against the wall), and on Thursday Miyahara (first of all, making sure that Manami definitely had no practice that day) called him to work out in the library again, where she practiced Transfiguration in a rather funny way — it was necessary to turn a beetle into a button, and every time Miyahara with a trembling hand lifted the cup taken from the Great Hall to release the beetle, she got sick and almost fainted.

It had been such a busy week that Manami had slept through most of the first half of Saturday but had gone to another Quidditch training session in the evening.

Sunday was finally a completely free day, and the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall was shining with a dazzling blue since the very morning. Manami didn't remember the last time the weather had been so good, and he really wanted to spend this day in some special way. He made up his mind to approach his Quidditch team after breakfast, but they were going for a walk to Hogsmeade, which again made him feel disadvantaged. Why weren't first and second year students allowed to visit the village? Manami was indignant at this stupid rule, but he couldn't do anything either — he had to stay in the castle or walk around, when many older students left to have fun, each time returning with purchases, be it unusual sweets or souvenirs.

The only reassuring point was that Manami wasn't the only second-year in school after all. There was still Miyahara or Onoda. Manami didn't want to spend the day off studying, but Onoda might be willing to keep him company for an outing, and Manami really hoped for a response.

That was why a little after breakfast, when he couldn't spot Onoda in the Great Hall or anywhere on the ground floor, Manami headed to the Owlery to send him a note and ask for a meeting. It was a shame not to see Sleepy here again, but she still didn't like to appear in this place, which made it necessary to use the services of another owl. And, releasing a large brown owl with a message into the sky, Manami decided not to linger and hurried straight to the broomstick room.

He was already prepared for the brooms ride he was counting on. He dressed warmly, took the key to the door but couldn't wait inside, and with his broom he went out, where the weather was lovely, albeit cold. Wet, crystal-white snow was crumbling underfoot, the radiance of it made the eyes water, and Manami quickly thought that this was the perfect setting to start a snowball game or make a big snowman, just like in childhood. Even without magic.

Forgetting himself in these fantasies and just breathing in fresh air, Manami didn't immediately notice the door creaking open behind his back. Onoda called out his name, and Manami smiled when he saw him with the Nimbus in his hands.

“How are Naruko and Imaizumi? Were they okay with you leaving?” Manami asked.

Onoda, looking at the snow, suddenly sneezed loudly and, rubbing his nose, laughed awkwardly.

“Right after breakfast, they had a chess game led by Kinjou and Tadokoro,” he explained. “I doubt that it will end with something good, but no one even noticed that I left. And I think they won't remember about my existence soon.”

“So that's great!” Manami smiled even happier and then interrupted himself, “I mean, not that, but the fact that we seem to have time to spend it together!”

“Uh... of course,” Onoda replied a little confusedly. “I'll always find time for you. And... Naruko and Imaizumi seem to be starting to accept this.”

Feeling a wave of happiness again, Manami suddenly remembered an important moment and turned even more towards Onoda.

“Listen! I forgot to tell you! Mom sent a letter — we won't be able to come for Christmas itself, but she took three days off from the thirtieth!”

“Oh... great!” Onoda didn't immediately understand, but then he beamed. “Then I should write to my mother and warn her. It's great that everything worked out!”

“Yes, it's great to celebrate again,” Manami nodded. “I'm already looking forward to this moment!”

Onoda was still smiling, but after that his smile for some reason became sadder, and it seemed that he might even cry. Noticing this, Manami involuntarily became frightened and quieted down.

“Sakamichi?” he called carefully. “Is something wrong? You look strange.”

“Oh, no!” Onoda exclaimed, waving his free hand. “I was just touched probably. I'd never have friends over to visit me, and what's more, I had no friends before Hogwarts. But even now it's hard with that— Naruko has a large family, and during the holidays, he always looks after his younger brothers, and Imaizumi— His parents don't seem to accept middle-class people at all. I'm not sure if we could ever spend time together during the holidays, so... I'm very happy that you can come to me and that your mom doesn't mind that my mom is a Muggle and that we don't have much money—”

“Wait, wait,” Manami interrupted him when Onoda's voice shook. “I get it; you don't have to explain anymore. I'm really sorry about that, but I can understand, probably— And I'm glad that I can make you happy just by coming.”

“Of course,” Onoda nodded, having calmed down a little. “And is it okay... for me to tell my mother that you're... a friend?”

Manami frowned thoughtfully, looking up and remembering— To be honest, he didn't say anything to his own mother either. How would she even react to that? She probably wouldn't take it seriously as Toudou did when he'd found out last winter— Yes, that would hardly be pleasant.

“Let's say sometime later,” Manami smiled, looking at Onoda again. “When we're older or when there's a good opportunity.”

“Oh... you think—” Onoda was confused, blushing with embarrassment.

“What? That we'll still date when we grow up?” Manami asked in surprise and felt a prick of resentment. “Sakamichi—” he drawled plaintively. “What it is? I don't want to part with you, neither now nor in the future. And you? Do you think this is all nonsense and that it will ever one day?”

“No, not that at all!” Onoda objected desperately, raised his head and looked Manami directly in the eyes. “I just... feel like I'm not trying hard enough to be... right for you? You're doing everything so well, and sometimes I think that someday you'll understand that I can't be on an equal footing with you—”

“What's on your mind, Sakamichi?” Manami frowned again. “There was no such thing before—”

“It was! I just didn't say!” Onoda replied too harshly and, again at a loss, became silent. “Sorry... But you're changing. You're getting better and better. Both in Quidditch and in your regular classes. I can hardly keep up with you.”

Smiling involuntarily, Manami had already reached out to stroke Onoda's cheek but changed his mind and lowered his hand.

Maybe it's me who can't keep up with you?

“You're doing great already,” Manami reminded, trying to banish thoughts of his own weakness, which were more likely forced upon him by Kuroda due to the fact that Manami didn't try hard enough, in his opinion. “Everything will be fine. How about a flight? And then, when we get back, we can play snowballs — it will be like practice, something like... dodge the snow bludger!” Manami laughed, which made Onoda finally smile as he seemed to feel better.

Grabbing the broom more comfortably, Manami threw his leg over it and added, “It's going to be slower, but it doesn't matter. Let's go?”

He kicked off the ground and rose into the air, waiting for Onoda to do the same.

“Where shall we fly to?” he asked as soon as he got on his Nimbus and flew up to Manami.

“I want to fly to the lake,” Manami replied with a smile. “Haven't been there for a long time, and the water shouldn't freeze yet.”

“The more risk, the better,” Onoda muttered, hardly impressed by this idea, but he still didn't refuse.

Manami was glad that he was still accepted with his weirdness and that, even if he was scared himself, Onoda was still ready to keep him company. It made it hard to restrain himself and not accelerate the broom close to its full speed. It got much colder, but Manami didn't think to slow down to put the warming charm on his clothes. He just wanted to rush forward, knowing that Onoda was holding right behind him, that they were doing it together as they would do at the final in spring. How would it be? Would it be as amazing as Manami had dreamed?

The watery surface of the lake, when they reached the right place, sparkled in the rays of the sun, almost hypnotising with beauty. Manami felt delighted looking at this and instantly forgot about Quidditch, wanting only one thing: To fly straight over the water, almost touching the surface.

Perhaps it just seemed, but Onoda told him to be more careful — Manami nevertheless sprinted straight to the lake and leveled off only when he was one step away from crashing into the water.

It felt like the best — almost as amazing as catching a Snitch. Manami thought that he had finally become addicted to the thrill that only a broomstick could bring, and then, unable to contain himself, he laughed.

“You seem to be having a lot of fun,” Onoda said, catching up, but Manami barely heard his words at that speed.

He had to slow down to make it easier to speak. Manami turned his head and looked up a little because Onoda again didn't intend to go lower and preferred to keep a safe distance from the water.

“Just try — you'll like it!” Manami tried to assure, but Onoda bit his lip and shook his head. “Don't be such a coward, Sakamichi! Oh... I'll go up to you then,” Manami surrendered, pulling the broom handle up, and soon found himself on the same level with Onoda. “When was the last time we flew together?”

“Um... in September?” Onoda replied thoughtfully, and Manami chuckled.

“I'd like to make up for lost time. And why is winter so soon? It will be too cold to fly.”

“Yes, that's a shame,” Onoda agreed then suddenly smiled weakly. “Then, while we are here, maybe we can have a race?” he asked and pointed his finger somewhere ahead. “Over there, where the shoreline juts out much further?”

Manami followed his hand and saw what he was being said. He liked the idea instantly. He replied 'okay' sooner than he thought, and, leaning over to the handle, he accelerated again.

Onoda was only a few seconds behind but soon he was flying alongside again, and still only a couple of centimeters from Manami's shoulder. And it— it was so much like chasing the Snitch. You could easily imagine it in front of you and feel the urge to stretch out your hand—

The cold air began to burn his cheeks, and his fingers froze even through warm gloves, but these sensations only inflamed excitement and delight. Manami realised that this was just a straight road for them, no turns to try to gain an advantage on them, and the one who just controlled his broom better would win…

I can do it, I've been training for so long, Manami thought, trying not to make any unnecessary movements and keep the handle evenly and confidently. Everything was perfect for him — Firebolt carried him forward smoothly and terrifyingly fast, but somehow Onoda did it—

He accelerated harder just before the end, flying forward only thirty or forty centimetres, but still. He overtook Manami at the moment when they passed the place that marked the finish line.

“Wow,” Manami breathed out involuntarily, starting to slow down first. “Sakamichi, how did you do that?”

“What?” Onoda asked, apparently not hearing. He swung his broom around sharply and stopped close to Manami. “I was the first?”

“Well, actually yes,” Manami nodded in confusion. “Don't say you didn't notice it.”

“Mm… I don't— Oh,” Onoda blinked in surprise.

“Oh yeah,” Manami repeated and quickly tried to smile. “So you have won our competition. Well done.”

“Thanks,” Onoda responded awkwardly. “I really don't—”

“Let's go back,” Manami suggested, lifting one hand off the broom and shaking his palm in the air. “My fingers are frozen.”

“Okay,” Onoda smiled weakly and was the first to get up speed towards the shore from which they had started.

Manami silently followed him, mentally scolding himself for not telling the truth that he just didn't want to fly now. He didn't know why and was afraid to guess. Was it really just because he had lost in this impromptu race that no one had even seen?

When they returned to the place where they had first flown over the border of the coast and water, Manami directed his broom down to land under a large tree. Onoda understood him and started to descend as well but made a mistake with the landing. It turned out awkward, and besides, Onoda stumbled over one of the roots sticking out of the ground — because of this, he fell, and Manami, blinking in surprise, put his broomstick down and hurried to help him up.

“Sakamichi, you need to work on your landings, you've been flying for more than a year,” Manami said anxiously, lifting Onoda to his feet and starting to shake his gloves off the ground.

“I know, the captain keeps telling me so,” Onoda said sadly. “I try, but I still can't.”

“Well,” Manami smiled tightly, letting go of his hands. “If it doesn't stop you from doing so amazingly in the air in the end, I think it's not such a big deal. The main thing is that you don't get injured during the landing — I'm rather worried about that.”

“I'll try to be careful,” Onoda promised, and Manami noticed that he still looked somewhat stiff and depressed. Was it because of their race finish?

Manami didn't dare to ask although he wanted to distract himself from what had happened. In the end, he didn't think of anything better than grabbing Onoda and just hugging him tightly. The latter gave a muffled squeak from this unexpected action, burying his face in Manami's scarf, and Manami quickly felt silly but relieved.

“Oh, San—”

“I keep you warm,” Manami explained, feeling Onoda's unsure hands hugging back. “You're cold, and so am I.”

“Umg,” Onoda said indistinctly, but his voice sounded calm and peaceful this time, making it clear that everything was all right now.

Manami closed his eyes, not letting Onoda out of his embrace, and they stood like that for what must have been an eternity, but it really helped. Warm up, and forget about the unpleasant feelings that were now gone, not leaving even a faint shadow behind. Manami was beginning to feel completely different — as if he had been kept out of air for a minute, and now he was allowed to breathe. It was due to the fact that he and Onoda still lacked opportunities to spend time just the two of them, and now they were here, where no one could interfere with them?

Probably, such feelings should come when you are with a person you like, Manami thought, and after that he didn't want to bother with anything at all.

And later he had to overpower himself in order to finally let go of Onoda, even though he wasn't eager to stop hugging. He looked embarrassed but happy, and the sight of him lifted Manami's spirits. He felt excitement and thrill again, wanting to get on his broom again.

He offered to fly some more before heading back to the castle, and, as it turned out, they had spent much more time on all this than they might have thought — they had returned to school just shortly before dinner, and Manami understood why his stomach was so twisted with hunger.

But it had been fun, and he wasn't going to regret anything. Except that he and Onoda had to separate after the broomstick room. Manami returned to his common room to change in the dormitory and go to dinner (he had just seen his Quidditch team near the fireplace and hoped that he would have time to keep them company).

But everyone was a little tense for some reason — Manami was surprised, walking up to them and going to ask when they were going to dinner. He hadn't caught the gist of the conversation, but he had noticed that one person was definitely missing...

“Will Shinkai go to dinner?” Manami decided to ask as he hadn't found him.

“No, little one,” Toudou answered quickly, turning to him. “Shinkai won't be at school for a while. Perhaps until the very holidays.”

“What?” Manami surprised. “Why? What happened?”

“Do you remember his younger brother? You saw him in Diagon Alley shortly before term started,” Toudou said, and Manami blinked in confusion.

But yes, he remembered the little black-haired boy who, embarrassed, tried to hide behind his older brother when they met them during shopping. His name was Yuuto, and... was he in some kind of problem?

“He ended up in St Mungo's with serious poisoning,” Toudou explained without waiting for an answer. “It isn't yet clear what was caused it, but Shinkai ran to the Head as soon as he got the news. She gave him permission to go to his brother in the hospital if that was the case.”

“Oh,” Manami said knowingly and sadly dropped his shoulders. He felt sorry for the boy — he'd never have wanted to go to the hospital himself... “Did you say, St Mungo's? What kind of hospital is that? It's not—”

“It's for wizards,” Toudou said. “They have good Healers there and they'll surely mend everything.”

"It's good that it happened after our games," Arakita added quietly, causing Toudou to glare at him with a fierce look.

“You insensitive monster, don't you dare say that!”

Fukutomi, however, quickly forced these two to stop, preventing the beginning of a quarrel, and the guys decided to go out for dinner after all. Some of them, of course, hardly had an appetite, as Manami thought, looking at depressed Izumida — was it really that serious, since the boy had been admitted to the hospital? It was apparently not to be doubted though, and Manami felt uneasy again, even if he didn't know Yuuto at all. Nevertheless, he was Shinkai's younger brother, and that was probably why it was difficult to just take his mind off what had happened.

He only managed to get distracted during dinner, but not due to the delicious food, but because the Head of Gryffindor and part-time Professor of Transfiguration suddenly came out to all the students with some important announcement and asked to listen to her. She looked worried, which alarmed Manami a little — he quickly sensed that something hardly positive had happened.

“We have received information from several students today,” Professor began when the hall had quieted down a bit, “that they have encountered a dangerous unidentified creature at school—”

Is it big, furry and growling? Manami thought to himself immediately, cautiously putting down his fork. Looked like an old friend of Miyahara had turned up again.

“We kindly ask you not to scatter after dinner but immediately go to the common rooms of the Houses. The prefects and teachers will escort you,” Professor continued, raising her voice as many students chattered away. “And don't panic, please. I assure you that all measures will be taken to inspect the entire castle next night and find whatever is hiding here.”

“What is she talking about?” Toudou, who was sitting next to Manami, asked with a wince. “Unidentified creature—”

“It looks like a big dog or a wolf,” Manami explained, and several pairs of surprised eyes stared at him immediately. He was confused. “Uh… My friend had seen it at school before, but then this thing just disappeared and no one else talked about it. And now again—”

“So what the hell is this? Someone's moronic joke?” Arakita snorted displeasedly, pushing the plate away from him, then turned his head. “Where did Juichi go?”

Fukutomi had left at the beginning of the dinner when the Head of their House called him, as Manami noted. He, of course, hadn't paid much attention to this moment, but now it became clear why he'd been called. So maybe when he returned, he could shed more light on this situation?

However, these expectations didn't come true. When Fukutomi did walk back to their table, it turned out that the professors didn't really know anything and that he had simply been instructed to escort his House into the common room with the Head.

Well, adults will definitely figure it out, Manami said mentally, taking a generous sip of pumpkin juice. Since they took it seriously, he added to himself, remembering the reaction of the librarian, who hadn't even listened to Miyahara when she came to tell her about the... monster? What was it supposed to be called at all?

Basically, Manami didn't consider himself particularly interested. He was tired during the day and still wanted to spend the rest of the evening in his bedroom, so he showed no resentment when Fukutomi asked his House to follow him.

The students were led out of the hall in two groups: first the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Houses, then it was the turn of the Gryffindors and Slytherins. Manami lingered a little, trying to shove more candies from the bowl into the pockets of his robes, which made him one of the last to go, but Toudou didn't notice, because he started another squabble with Arakita about something.

Leaving, Manami involuntarily turned around to look at the Gryffindors, and one moment made him linger some more — Onoda. For some reason Onoda was standing still, twirling his head as if he had lost someone. Manami frowned in puzzlement, looked back at his companions, who were heading towards the entrance to the dungeons, and bit his lip.

He didn't hesitate long. Deciding that he'd have time to catch up with them, he turned around and quickly ran to Onoda to find out what happened.

“Naruko and Imaizumi are missing. I swear they were here a minute ago,” Onoda explained in dismay, and Manami blinked in surprise.

“We need to tell one of the professors, they'll find them.”

“It's much worse than that,” Onoda groaned. “Naruko said he wanted to see this creature, whatever it was, and wanted it even more when Imaizumi told him that he couldn't even handle a Pixie. But I didn't think Naruko'd seriously go! I can't imagine when he had time to disappear, and Imaizumi—”

“Naruko what?” Manami asked in shock. “Did he go on purpose? Wow…”

“What do you mean?” Onoda asked almost reproachfully. “It's dangerous! God, Imaizumi didn't have to tease him—”

“Where do you think they could go?” Manami asked sharply, interrupting.

“On the first floor, perhaps. A classmate of ours saw this beast there shortly before dinner when he was returning from the Hospital Wing— Hey, Sangaku, what are you doing?” Onoda was outraged when Manami suddenly grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the stairs.

“We're going to look for them,” Manami grinned, not feeling fear of such a dangerous venture. On the contrary, he felt cheerful for some reason.

“What are you talking about?” Onoda squeaked in fright. “You said that we have to inform one of the teachers!”

“I changed my mind,” Manami answered, quickening his pace and continuing to pull Onoda along. “The Great Hall is empty, but while we look for someone of the adults who can help, time will pass. If Naruko and Imaizumi get into trouble, we should come to their rescue as soon as possible, shouldn't we?”

“P-probably,” Onoda said hesitantly, and Manami squeezed his hand tighter, feeling the panic shiver in it.

Yes, Onoda was afraid, but Manami somehow felt that they couldn't waste a minute as if those two were really in danger and Manami was the only one who could come to the rescue in time.

He felt no doubts as he walked up to the first floor with Onoda. There, in the corridor, he dashed to the left but nevertheless slowed down, passing a painting that showed a plump man with a long gray mustache and in old-fashioned clothes.

“Have you seen the Gryffindor students here?” Manami asked. “One is tall; the other is shorter than him with bright hair.”

“Children!” the man from the portrait snarled gruffly. “Neither excuse me, nor hello, nor please! No respect for adults! I, by the way—”

“Hello, and excuse me please,” Manami interrupted him, rolling his eyes for a second, and then repeated his question. “Have you seen the Gryffindor students here? Didn't they pass by just a few minutes ago?”

“I saw,” the man snorted with displeasure, apparently surrendering. “They were yelling here like idiots, my whole rest down the drain! They went to the right, where you were running.”

“Thank you,” Manami smiled and pulled Onoda to follow again. “Come on, Sakamichi. I'm sure we'll find them soon or at least hear them.”

“What are you going to do if we really run into this creature?” Onoda asked without ceasing to panic, and Manami, turning around for a couple of seconds, gave his a reassuring thumbs up.

“I'll use Expelliarmus, of course. You saw what happened in DADA class this Wednesday?”

Onoda only mumbled something inaudible in response — Manami didn't clarify what exactly, he just wanted to find Naruko and Imaizumi as soon as possible and make sure that they were okay. Well... they didn't like him, but he was taking care about them? What fun!

Nevertheless, he did hear voices when he and Onoda passed another turn. Manami hurried towards them and finally found them in the next corridor.

“Shoukichi!  Shunsuke!” Onoda called his friends loudly, which was actually reckless, but Naruko and Imaizumi were probably not quieter themselves. Every possible monster could have come to their shouts.

“Oh! Sakamichi?” Naruko asked in surprise, stopping and turning. “What are you doing here? And what are you doing here... with him?” he added, grimacing ostentatiously as he looked at Manami.

“And what are you doing, would you mind explaining?” Onoda frowned, suddenly becoming unusually strict. “How could you even come here when everyone was told to go back to the common room? And you, Shunsuke?” he asked, turning to Imaizumi. “The last thing I expected from you was something like that.”

“I tried to stop him!” Imaizumi replied, as if offended, and pointed his palm towards Naruko. “This idiot doesn't want to listen to anything! He thinks he's a hero or something!”

“Nobody asked you to follow me!” Naruko protested, trying to shout down Imaizumi. “I'd have done just fine without you!”

“With what? With dying?” Imaizumi snarled at him.

“Okay, guys,” Manami tried to interrupt. “You scream and attract attention. Although one of you needs it, as I understand it?”

Naruko, hearing this, rolled his eyes in annoyance and folded his arms across his chest in a nervous gesture; Imaizumi fell silent and turned away from him indignantly.

“So, do you have any idea about what it might be, Shunsuke?” Manami spoke again, since he had the opportunity to sort things out a little now. Imaizumi was also one of the smartest students in their class. “There's no full moon right now, as far as I know, so it's not a werewolf anyway.”

“Werewolf?” Imaizumi snorted. “What a nonsense!”

“My friend from Ravenclaw made that assumption when she saw this beast for the first time,” Manami replied with a shrug. “Then it was the full moon, and the monster quite resembled a werewolf, she said.”

“I don't know what it resembles,” Imaizumi said, still looking at Manami. “If it's an animal, it might be an Animagus.”

“Who?” Manami blinked in surprise.

“Animagus. A wizard who can transform himself into an animal at will,” Imaizumi explained. “Unlike with werewolves, it's not a disease and you can transform at any time.”

“Oh, I didn't know about it,” Manami replied, glancing at the same puzzled Onoda, who apparently also heard this term for the first time.

“A third year program,” Imaizumi said wearily. “But I hardly believe in this version, though perhaps one of the senior students could have mastered such magic and decided to play a trick on everyone, I don't know, it's stupid. He'd be in huge trouble if he got caught because he's not on the registry. But it's worse if it's a dangerous criminal who's entered the castle or some kind of beast he's sent.”

“Perhaps you are… right—” Manami agreed, only now beginning to feel nervous. They might all be in danger if they don't leave right now...

“Bravo! As always, you can't help being clever, right?” Naruko said displeased, looking at Imaizumi, and Manami winced. It seemed to him that he heard something.

“Quiet! Be quiet for a second!” he asked in a whisper, waving his hand.

“Is it coming?” Naruko asked, pulling out his wand.

“And what are you going to do with it? Add some lighting to the corridor?” Imaizumi hissed, but still took out his wand.

Manami thought it was a sane idea. He reached into his pocket to do the same and tried to catch where the sound was coming from. There was something in the corridor besides the four of them. Was it… breathing hard? Out of rage?

“It's from your side,” he said softly to Naruko and Imaizumi and then walked around them to stand in front. God, was he mad?

“What are you doing?” Naruko asked in an aggressive whisper.

“Do you have a spell you can really attack with?” Manami asked nervously in response.

“Do you have?”

“Well, yes... I know one.”

Naruko seemed to want to say something else but didn't — they all fell silent because the sound of the ominous breathing intensified, and in addition to it, the soft steps of four paws began to be distinguished. Manami swallowed and stared at the end of the corridor, dimly lit by the candelabra. There, from around the turn, a shadow suddenly began to grow slowly, causing the blood in his veins to freeze and his knees to tremble treacherously.

“We have to run,” Onoda said in a voice barely audibly with fear and seemed to try to move back, but he was restrained.

“It's on four legs — we can't run away, it will catch up,” Manami replied, raising his wand and trying to squeeze the handle tighter.

He didn't know what would happen. Would he even be able to say the right word and make the right movement. The fear increased with each passing second, but it became even worse when a huge black head with triangular erect ears appeared from around the corner. Eerie yellow eyes flashed in the candlelight, looking at its potential victims, and the beast prepared to leap.

If it comes any closer — I'll attack, Manami began to repeat to himself, seeing how his own hand began to tremble.

The creature didn't wait any longer. It bent down and suddenly made a long jump. One move — and it was already too close. Manami jumped on the spot in fear and then shouted, “Expelliarmus!”

A bright scarlet light immediately flashed on the tip of his wand. Hitting right into the monster's chest, it threw it back just like the model that Manami had broken in the DADA class on Wednesday! The beast flew so far away and hit the floor with such force that it was no longer beast that scared them but Manami's spell. Somewhere behind his back, Onoda squeaked again, Naruko exclaimed something unintelligible, and only Imaizumi didn't utter a sound, seemingly being in silent shock or horror.

But even if the beast was far away again now, Manami was in no hurry to relax. He tightened his grip on his wand, thinking he'd attack again, but he didn't have to. The monster, which was either a giant dog or something else, uttered an incomprehensible cry and suddenly broke through the door in front of it and darted inside. There was a rumbling sound: things were falling, buckets clanking. Looked like there was a storage room that kept cleaning supplies and probably any unnecessary junk. Manami was greatly surprised as he lowered his hand and realised that the monster apparently had enough of one hit to escape with its tail between its legs. By the way, the tail. It really looked like a cat's one—

“Is it dead?” Naruko asked, his voice trembling with fear.

“Not likely,” Manami replied quietly. “Rather, it hid... And what did you do? Weren't you going to fight it?” he asked afterwards, turning his head to Naruko and grinning mockingly.

“How would I do it when you blocked my way?” Naruko said resentfully, his cheeks flashing with shame. “I, you know—”

But he was interrupted when new footsteps were heard from the next corridor behind them. This time human — heels and someone's boots were clattering.

“For Merlin's sake!” Professor of Transfiguration exhaled in fright. “What are you four doing here when everyone was told to go to the common rooms, and what was the noise here?”

Along with her was the teacher of Herbology, Professor Pierre, who had hardly fear on his face but rather sincere curiosity.

“We found your problem,” Manami replied, realising that no one was going to do it first. “It fell down there, at the end of the corridor, and hid in the closet.”

With that, he pointed his thumb over his shoulder, causing Transfiguration Professor to gasp and hurry in the direction indicated. Professor Pierre followed her, but when they both stopped in front of the broken door, they were even more surprised.

“What's there?” Manami asked, no longer afraid. He also went to the storage room, but when he looked inside, there was no monster. Just a mess — a pile of dusty and old things. “Oh... if it can appear out of nowhere and disappear as well, then we really have problems.”

“You have problems, Mr. Manami, because you disobeyed my order,” Professor said much more collected and then looked sternly at the students of her House, Onoda, Naruko and Imaizumi. “As for you, we'll figure it out when we get to where you should be now.”

The guys were confused by her tone and lowered their heads guiltily, which for some reason made Manami smile involuntarily. He just drove away a terrible monster — what could possibly spoil his mood now?

“Then I'll probably escort Sangaku to the Slytherin common room, if you don't mind,” Professor Pierre finally spoke up and was answered with an annoyed nod. “Follow me,” he added, looking at Manami.

There was nothing left. Manami obeyed and went after Professor, finally smiling at Onoda, who looked at him somehow pitifully — Gryffindor would probably lose a lot more points than Slytherin.

Manami'd find out tomorrow, in all likelihood, when he saw the change in the number of rubies in the hourglass, and now it seemed that he finally had to return to the common room, where he could rest. The latter was unlikely to happen, of course — Toudou would probably scold him more abruptly than the Head and then make him tell everything that had happened, and Manami thought that he'd do it with pride even if he'd be a little ashamed of having made Toudou worry again.

“You're not only good at Quidditch, are you?” Professor Pierre said suddenly, when they left the first floor and went down to the ground one.

Manami took his mind off his thoughts upon hearing him and smiled as he understood one simple thing.

“And Hogwarts has interesting surprises not only on the Quidditch pitch.”

Chapter Text

Needless to say, the day after an unplanned and dangerous but nevertheless fun adventure, everyone involved was summoned to the Head of Gryffindor's office right after breakfast?

It would have been stupid to be surprised, in fact, and instead of that, Manami even managed to be glad because he didn't have to go to the History of Magic that day, which wasn't bad news at all. In addition, he wasn't the only one who had been summoned — Onoda, Naruko and Imaizumi were also considered guilty, and because of each of them, Gryffindor had lost a decent number of points. Their House moved from second to last, and Slytherin only moved from first to second, since Manami was the only one of his companions who didn't go to the common room, and there were three Gryffindors after all.

They were all reprimanded by their elders, of course — there was no reason to doubt that Onoda and his friends had received a scolding as well, but Manami himself hardly felt ashamed when Fukutomi and Toudou were lecturing him. On the contrary — he felt almost amazing because not often in life something so frightening and incredible happened. He faced a really serious danger and a threat — last year's case with the Room of Requirement and Quidditch still lost a little in this regard although Manami honestly didn't think that he'd ever be able to say so.

And he hoped that the Head of Gryffindor would just as uselessly waste time explaining the importance of following the orders of adults, but she made him a little surprised, not starting from that. Her face was quite calm, and her mood was tolerable when Manami, with a slight delay, entered her office, where Onoda, Naruko and Imaizumi were already standing quietly. And then she started interrogating, yeah.

She asked about all the little things. About how the creature looked, what sounds it made, and how exactly it disappeared. Only Manami and Naruko mostly participated in the description — the latter kept trying to interrupt the former, and their words differed greatly for some reason even though they had seen the beast, disturbing the peace of the school, together and at the same time. In the end, Professor smiled strangely as if the secret of everything that had happened had been revealed to her and this secret was insanely ridiculous. Nevertheless, before letting them go to their classes, she didn't say anything except that the next time the punishment would be much harsher than taking points off the Houses. And everything was... okay? No more restrictive measures — at lunchtime the prefects walked around the tables of their Houses, said that everyone could safely walk around the school again, and for some reason, there were very few students who were interested in how the problem was solved.

Manami was actually confused by the fact that nothing had been explained to them. Who was this monster after all? Why was it appearing and disappearing? And why were the school authorities so sure that the danger had passed?

Until the very beginning of the Christmas holidays, Manami thought about these questions from time to time but soon began to forget about them. It wasn't particularly possible to ask his older companions about this: It turned out suddenly that all of them had fallen behind in their studies during the Quidditch season, which meant they now had to spend a lot of time in the library studying, and Manami usually just didn't dare to distract any of them.

He had almost resigned himself to never learning anything, but during the last week his studies, he heard a snippet of a conversation between girls from Ravenclaw House, who were apparently still curious about it. Funnily enough, but they too seemed to think that the professors turned a blind eye to what had happened due to the fact that among the students someone had learned Animagus transfiguration (Imaizumi mentioned it, as Manami remembered). But what made it even more amusing was their version that it was none other than Arakita. And how did they come to this insane guess at all?

Manami didn't ask, remembering that the Ravenclaw students still didn't really like him, and the suggestion about Arakita seemed really stupid to him for some reason. He hastily put it out of his mind, but involuntarily returned to it, when on the same day in the common room Arakita, ignoring the rest of those present, quarreled with one of the seventh-year students. Manami didn't quite understand the point of the problem — they seemed to have a disagreement over the chair? — but something else caught his eye, namely Arakita's face at one moment. Could he really be so angry about something?

It was so frightening that even Manami felt uncomfortable for the first time though he had never been afraid of Arakita before. But in such a situation, he really wouldn't have dared to come closer than five metres to him.

It was then, back in his dormitory, that Manami thought again about the Ravenclaw students' conversation. Maybe their suspicions weren't so unfounded? What was generally known about the Animagi? These wizards could take on animal form, but was there something animalistic about them? In their habits or appearance— If so, then Arakita might indeed have been one of the first to be considered in this way.

There was no time to go to the library and try to read about it or ask Miyahara — the day of departure for London came too quickly, and Manami completely forgot about everything in the world because a much more interesting and exciting thing was waiting for him than trying to figure out who was an Animagus in their school and whether these guesses were worth anything at all. He remembered, of course, that he was going to visit Onoda during the holidays, and the anticipation of this was incredibly strong and pleasant to the aching sensation in his chest. Almost everything had been discussed, and Onoda had written the address of his house on a piece of parchment that Manami now always carried in his trouser pocket. The only thing left to do was to come home, check with his mother when they would be going, and then tell Onoda.

Manami hoped everything would be amazing. He planned to take a cool game disc and joysticks with him to plug into the computer, and he also hoped that they could take a walk all day, and Onoda'd show some cool place because Manami himself had rarely been to London and had hardly ever seen anything.

It was because of all this that Manami was boarding the Hogwarts Express in the best possible mood, and the usual scarlet steam engine with its appearance seemed to have marked the real beginning of a well-deserved rest from all difficulties, whether it was studying or Quidditch training. In fact, Manami had already missed Quidditch and his broomstick, but Toudou had urged him not to fly in cold weather, and December had been really unfriendly frosty — he had to put up and reassure himself that after winter, preparations for something really serious would begin. Slytherin was waiting for its final game, which Manami couldn't think about without a shiver of excitement.

The carriage was noisier than usual. The fourth-year students brought with them not-so-safe Christmas crackers, one of which had already showered hot sparks on the floor, leaving dark spots on it, and the prefects tried to deal with this problem too noisy, but soon Manami completely disconnected from the bustle of the real world. He occupied the same compartment he had traveled in on the first of September, and, this time sitting by the window, he dreamed again about how the holidays would go: would mom do something special for the holiday and what they would do on Christmas itself, whether she'd make friends with Onoda's mom when they met, and whether he could sleep with Onoda in the same room to chat all night—

The train had been running for about twenty minutes when Manami woke up from his fantasies and realised that he was still alone in the compartment. No, Fukutomi and Arakita's belongings were here, but where was everyone then?

The answer to the question was the noise which the door quickly opened with, letting in reddened, puffing and slightly wet Toudou. He tossed his bag on the seat near Manami, then pulled a comb out of his pocket, and busied himself with his hair.

“Uh... what happened?” Manami asked cautiously, fearing to become a focus of his anger.

“They think it's fun, apparently!” Toudou exclaimed in displeasure, sharply lowering the comb. “Just think! A couple of idiots from Gryffindor were trying to get out while the train was moving! With brooms!”

“With brooms?” Manami asked uncertainly, moving even closer to the window.

“They were going to follow or hell if I know,” Toudou snorted. “You should have seen Juichi's face! And then he says he wouldn't mind seeing it! We'd be in a heap of trouble!”

“Oh,” Manami replied, absorbing a chuckle, seemingly guessing exactly who these Gryffindors might have been.

“And the Hufflepuffs!” Toudou continued. “The toilet in the third carriage just burst into pieces, and water gushed out of the pipe just like—”

“Your emotions now?” Manami prompted with a smile, and Toudou gave him a stern look.

“Who sold them this stuff? I've never had such a trip in my life!”

“Looks like everyone wants Christmas to come faster,” Manami suggested and looked out the window again, where the light snow was falling.

“And adults have to clean up the mess? No, thank you!” Toudou barked, finally sitting down, and began to dry his clothes soaked in several places with a charm.

“What did you do in the toilet of the third carriage?” Manami asked provocatively, turning back. “Trying to have a privet moment with Makishima?”

“None of your business, little one!” Toudou replied resentfully and for a second sent a stream of hot air into Manami's face, causing his hair to fly back.

“So Fukutomi stayed to deal with the problems?” Manami asked, smoothing the tousled strands with his hands.

“Yes. And a couple of professors have come — it looks like it will take a long time.”

“And where did Arakita go?”

“He's talking to Kuroda about something,” Toudou replied lazily. “I don't care — there's no peace with him.”

“I see,” Manami nodded and bit his lip in thought, involuntarily remembering a question that had worried him recently. “And... may I ask you something?”

“What else?” calmed down a little, Toudou said, putting his wand back into his pocket. “Come on, what happened?”

“Well...” Manami said quietly, not knowing how to begin. “Do you think anyone you know from school could be— um... an Animagus?”

“What?” Toudou asked almost indignantly, looking at Manami as if he was being obtuse. “Do you even know what Animagus transfiguration is? That's incredibly skillful sorcery, which not every wizard, especially a young wizard, can learn. I don't know of anyone in my circle who could be that capable of magic. Though—”

“What?” Manami asked impatiently as Toudou paused thoughtfully and pressed his hand to his chin. Maybe now he will talk about Arakita?

Was Arakita good at magic? the thought came immediately, and Manami tried to remember it, but he'd too rarely seen Arakita with his wand.

“Kuroda is only in his fourth year, but he's also good in spells that are taught in the final year of school,” Toudou said suddenly, dashing Manami's hopes. Kuroda? Seriously?

“Uh... are you sure?” Manami asked, almost disappointed.

“Well, yes,” Toudou shrugged. “I saw it myself. He has great potential. I think he'll be able to learn more advanced magic. Someday in the future, of course, not right now. After all, what you are talking about is really terribly difficult.”

“Can any of the senior students do it?” Manami asked, hopeful again.

“No, I don't think so,” Toudou brushed aside. “And why are you bothering with that?” he asked in surprise.

“Well, actually... I wanted to ask about someone in particular—” Manami already started to speak, but at that moment the compartment door opened again, and this time Arakita entered. Manami had to stop talking abruptly.

“You should have stayed there with your darling. It was so good without you,” Toudou immediately commented, putting on a martyr's look, but Arakita, surprisingly, didn't snap — just snorted vaguely and sat down on the seat opposite.

He took a rolled magazine from the pocket of his ordinary Muggle jacket and tossed it to Toudou.

“The very first news about the future Championship. But if you don't want, I can take it back,” Arakita grinned.

“Damn!” Toudou perked up instantly, starting to leaf through the magazine, which, judging by the cover, was devoted to magical sports. “They've already written about the line-ups, haven't they?”

“Sure they have! Look who they made Keeper for the Welsh team! Juichi obviously won't like it—”

“Quidditch,” Manami drawled knowingly. “And what's going to happen?”

“What do you mean, little one?” Toudou responded, not looking up from reading. “The year is coming to an end, and the next year World Cup will take place! Don't you know about this?”

Manami pouted almost offended but suppressed his unpleasant feelings.

“Naturally I don't know. Who told me that?”

“Oh,” Toudou exhaled, still turning around. “The World Cup is held every four years, so questions usually don't arise. Sorry, I forgot about this.”

“Well, four years ago, I didn't even know what magic or Quidditch was,” Manami agreed.

“Yeah,” Toudou said and reached out to pat Manami's hair. “It's a pity that this time the World Cup will be held in the USA. If it were in our country or in the neighbourhood, I'd definitely go and take you with me.”

“Oh,” Manami wondered, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. “R-really?”

“The fucking rich,” Arakita spat almost angrily from his seat and turned to the window.

Manami lowered his eyes, still feeling weird — pleasant and awkward. Of course, he completely forgot again about the Animagi or the incomprehensible beast walking around Hogwarts. After waiting for Toudou to finish reading the magazine and exchanging stinging phrases with Arakita, Manami himself tried to delve into what was written there. By that time, tired Fukutomi had already returned and the woman with the cart of food and drinks looked into the compartment. Toudou bought muffins, most of which Manami ate anyway and quickly dozed off after that, so the rest of the trip flew by almost unnoticed.

When it was time to leave the compartment, the corridor smelled of burning, but Manami didn't pay much attention to this and, saying goodbye to the guys, hurried to the platform among the first. He was eager to see his mother and make sure that all their plans were still on track. He was very much afraid that the hospital might be understaffed for the holidays and not let his mother go, but as it turned out a little later, there was nothing to worry about — his mother hugged him as soon as Manami found her among the other greeters, and smiled, answering a question before he had time to ask anything.

He really wanted to find Onoda and his mother on the platform, but there were so many people that Manami was completely confused, and then he didn't linger when his own mother hastened him to take a line to get out to the Muggle station.

They stayed longer than usual, but then, when they got into the car, Manami couldn't stand it and began to talk about all the events that had happened to him recently, which he didn't have time to write in letters.

“We won our second game!” he said proudly, grabbing the back of the front passenger seat with his hands. “The match was awfully long and it was cold outside, and my opponent was about to use a charm to catch the Snitch first!”

“Really?” Mom replied with genuine surprise, continuing to keep her eyes on the road.

They were already in the suburbs of London, but it was still a long way home.

“Yes!” Manami confirmed. “I saw the wand hidden in his sleeve, and then I asked about it! You know, I really didn't want to tattle and tell the referee about him—”

“Why?” Mom asked. “You had every right to do this.”

“I don't know,” Manami replied, bowing his head. “It was unpleasant for me.”

“What if your team had lost because of this?” Mom asked another question, making him think.

“My team would have won anyway. The guys are amazing. Together we were able to score as many as 600 points in the last game, and we got thousand for two games in total! You see?”

“Oh. Can you score that many points in Quidditch?” Mom was surprised.

“Well, of course! Did you ever go to games while you were in school?” Manami moaned.

“I went to a couple,” Mom laughed awkwardly. “It was scary, and everyone was flying around on brooms at such a speed. I couldn't understand much.”

Manami exhaled and leaned back. It seemed useless to explain something to his mother about Quidditch — she apparently didn't take it seriously at all, but that was okay. Miyahara wasn't particularly fond of this game either, but ultimately she supported him and congratulated him on his victory. Maybe that was enough in Mom's case too?

“And there was also a strange beast in the school,” Manami said quietly, looking out the window.

There was no snow, but it was getting noticeably darker every hour.

“The beast? “Mom asked. “What are you talking about, dear?”

“I wish I knew,” Manami shrugged. “But it was big and dangerous and maybe it's still hiding somewhere. Or maybe someone is hiding it. One day the professors even had the school searched because of this, and all the students were dispersed to the common rooms.”

“Hmm… and what's next?”

“Nothing,” Manami replied, deciding to hide from his mother the moment when he and Onoda went to look for Naruko and Imaizumi, and then fought this very beast. “After that everything went back to the way it was. And no one explained anything. What was that creature?”

“A big one, you say?” Mom asked.

“Compared to me, yes! Like a bear or worse!”

“Some of the senior students could transform it.”

“What?” Manami didn't understand, raising his eyebrows. “Transform?”

“You are taught the transformation of insects or small animals into objects,” Mom said. “It's more complicated in the senior year. On the contrary — to turn inanimate matter into living things. During my seventh year, I tried turning a chair into a lamb.”

“And—” Manami said hesitantly. “Did you do that?”

“Yes. After the tenth time,” his mother nodded, again giving reason to think.

And nobody talked about Transformations. Manami had heard various versions related to magic: werewolves, Animagi. But there was other magic, too.

“No,” he winced, realising that he didn't like this option at all. It was boring unlike the rest. “In fact, magic was forbidden in the corridors.”

“That's right,” Mom laughed.

The next day after returning home turned out to be a busy one. Even though Manami slept until the start of the day, as soon as the brunch ended, he dressed warmly and went outside, not to take a walk but to go shopping. He still needed to find and buy a Christmas present for Onoda, besides look for something for his other friends as well, and it was even a shame that he couldn't go to Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade to look for something magical and interesting there. Instead, he had to make do with the most common Muggle shops and count his money so that it would be enough for all the gifts. Souvenirs and themed treats weren't a bad option — Manami bought what he liked, but for Onoda he wanted to buy something more than just sweets or a ridiculous snowman figurine.

This was more difficult because there wasn't much money left, much less any good gifts that could be bought with that amount of money. Manami wandered around the mall for probably a couple of hours, even getting tired, and then just decided to try his luck elsewhere.

He had known Onoda for a year and a half — but then why couldn't he come up with something? He didn't have enough money for a video game, and Onoda wouldn't really need it now that they soon would be leaving for Hogwarts again. That clearly wasn't an option. And what left was—

Comics, Manami finally dawned on the right thought. And how could he ever forget that Onoda loved comics?

The idea cheered him up immediately, and Manami pulled out his phone to open a city map and look for a suitable store. He had several options that more or less fit, but his intuition let him down, and in the first store he came to, the department was closed for repairs. There were no problems with the second, but a new task appeared — how to find out which one to buy so that Onoda would like it?

Onoda probably had a whole bunch of them, and Manami didn't know exactly which ones he should buy to avoid repeating them. He wandered near the rack for a long time; it was quiet with only books around — the atmosphere was almost lulling, and flipping through some comics didn't lead to anything but a feeling of puzzlement.

“What about a manga?” the salesman asked when Manami, squatting, read the text on the back of the next comic, taken from the bottom row.

This smiling guy, apparently, watched the client's torment and eventually felt pity.

“Manga?” Manami asked boredly, putting the comic book in place. “Is it Japanese?”

“Yeah. You have to read in the reverse order, but if you get used to it, there are no problems,” the salesman nodded. “And the plots are better, if you ask me.”

“I don't know anything about this,” Manami admitted honestly, straightening up and looking around the neighbouring racks. “And I'm not buying for myself. It's a gift.”

“For a girl or for a guy?” the salesman asked with a sympathetic chuckle.

“For a guy. He likes all kinds of comics. He gave me one to read last year — it was about the Princess who used magic and fought evil. I wanted to find something like that, but it seems to me that he has something like that too.”

“Then maybe try to take something completely different?” the salesman offered with a laugh. “What would you like to read yourself?”

“Who cares?” Manami shrugged. “It's not a gift for me.”

“And you don't want your friend to know you better? Maybe, to find out what you were hesitant to tell him.”

“What is this for?”

“I know, I know,” the salesman laughed again. “Children are friends sincerely and thoughtlessly. You always make it so natural and simple that it's enviable.”

“Mmm...” Manami said ambiguously, lowering his eyes. “We play one... sports game together. And... I couldn't tell him how important it was to me. I... don't want him to think that I'm weak without his support. It's one of the few things I haven't told him about, but I wouldn't want to. It's kind of—”

“What? Embarassing?” the salesman prompted and winked friendly. “Not at all. Support really makes us stronger. But you don't have to tell him directly about it. You can give him a hint, and whether he understands or not — it doesn't matter at all. He's not going to leave you alone, is he?”

“Eh, no. I don't think so,” Manami answered.

“Then it might be a good decision, since you don't have any other choice.”

“So... I have to buy comics about... sports? Is there such a thing?”

The salesperson grunted thoughtfully and walked to the other end of the rack, where there were these Japanese comics, which Manami had successfully ignored.

“There is a sports manga,” the salesman said, taking out one small volume and showing it. “Like this.”

Manami came closer, took the outstretched thick book in a bright cover and made sure that there everything was really in reverse order.

“Is it about bicycles?” he asked, hesitantly flipping through the black and white pages. The main character of the story seemed to be a puny boy, and for some reason he vaguely reminded Manami of Onoda. Maybe because of the glasses?

“Yeah,” the salesman answered. “I haven't read it myself, but my friend is fond of it. It's his favorite manga.”

“Bicycles,” Manami repeated quietly under his breath, thinking that it was still possible to read if one really got used to the order.

Plus, the bikes seemed to be some kind of Muggle version of flying brooms — they could also be moved while in a sitting position, and Manami liked this unexpected analogy. He went to the cash register with this Japanese comic without any hesitation, thinking that he had found the best gift after all.

It wasn't surprising that he managed to return home only towards evening. The sky had darkened by that time, but it was still light outside due to the fact that all the central streets were hung with burning colorful garlands. Manami had already managed to get used to the decorations that appeared since Hogwarts also had plenty of them, but only now did he feel that it was really Christmas. Soon he and his mother would celebrate this magical holiday, and next Friday they'd go to visit Onoda. Everything was going just fine.

Returning home with a high spirits, Manami met his mother in the corridor, who had also just entered, and in her smile, it was hard not to see a sea of relief as if she really believed that her naughty son would run away without saying a word just like the last time.

This made Manami felt uncomfortable, but he forgot about it because his mother gave him a Broomstick Servicing Kit! He was so surprised to see such a gift and realised that his mother wasn't so carelessly about his hobby, and this was, perhaps, the very real support that he wanted to get from her. After that, certainly nothing could spoil the mood, and the evening really went as Manami had imagined it.

Mom, using pre-made preparations, finished the chores in the kitchen in a couple of hours and let him help with the simplest, after which the two of them set a small table in the living room and sat in front of the TV, choosing a channel that aired a relaxed Christmas comedy. Everything was perfect although several times Manami remembered Onoda, but the latter sent an emotional text greeting closer to eleven, making up for not being able to be there now.

So they texted each other until both passed out after three in the morning, and Manami, falling asleep last, thought only about how to occupy the days before their meeting so that time would fly by as quickly as possible.

Everything was going great. Really. Manami spent his holidays on the computer or played on PSP, surfing the Internet or watching the latest movie releases, leaked online, only occasionally looking longingly at his wand, which he had put on the dresser by the lamp on the day of his arrival. A couple of times he imagined how he would use it when he became of age, knowing with a smile that the cleaning could be done many times faster if, of course, he forced himself. Returning to the Muggle world each time awakened a strange feeling of some kind of wrongness. Here he was — a wizard, and there were so many people around who didn't know anything about magic and would never know. And all because there was a law.

But the winter holidays didn't last long, which was a plus to some extent. Soon, the students of Hogwarts would return back to the castle, to classes. Manami'd return to all the amazing magic things that were there, and to Quidditch, of course, in the not too distant future. Now, with his mother's gift, he'd be able to take care of his Firebolt, and then he would surely win on it many more times.

Such thoughts were very encouraging, and the time spent alone at home was not so dreary. Manami was counting the remaining days until the moment when they finally go to Onoda, but trouble happened.

Back on Thursday, Manami felt unwell. Some weakness overcame him in the evening, and he was ready to beg.

Just don't get sick. Let's not get sick.

He was silent about this when his mother returned from work in the evening, having bought some cakes, and nodded in agreement at her words that they were leaving tomorrow at eight. Manami really wanted it. He wanted this so badly that he couldn't let any cold get in the way of his plans, but the cold turned out to be not a cold — it was the flu.

Mom said this in the morning when she came to wake him up and found that he had a sharp fever. She got upset and immediately fussed about to relieve the symptoms of the disease, and all attempts by Manami to persuade her to go after all were still in vain.

“Not only would you be unable to do anything, you might even infect others. That's not a joke,” was his mother's answer, after which she sincerely apologised and stroked Manami's hair, brushing away the strands adhering to his wet forehead.

It was such a nightmare. He had no idea how he'd tell Onoda about everything. Wasn't Onoda looking forward to this meeting just as much? And now everything was ruined in an instant?

Manami didn't know how to come to terms with the circumstances and dared to call Onoda only at eleven. To find out that he was really awaited. Onoda was perceptibly sad when Manami explained about the sudden illness, and his voice almost trembled.

“If it's the flu, you won't be able to recover anytime soon—”

“I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I messed up,” Manami apologised again, feeling even worse now.

“No,” Onoda objected. “It's not your fault. In fact, now the main thing is that you don't overexert yourself and follow the treatment. Please don't worry about me. Moreover, that's not the last holidays. You can come to me next time.”

“I just have to,” Manami chuckled sadly.

Onoda's kindness warmed his heart, allowing the guilt to subside a little. But the phone call didn't last long — Onoda had made Manami promise to rest, and Manami, barely able to finish the call, passed out and slept all day.

Only occasionally did he wake up to eat a little, take medicine and go to the toilet. The fever didn't let go, making his head dizzy, and in general, Manami didn't remember the last time he felt so bad. Probably only a year ago, when he also had been sick like that at home during the Christmas holidays.

His condition improved slightly only towards the night. Mom went to bed after checking his temperature again, and Manami got bored, staring blankly at the ceiling of the room. Now, as luck would have it, he couldn't sleep. He didn't want to play PSP, and he couldn't do anything else in bed.

After disconnecting the smartphone from charging, he went to an entertainment website, but that too quickly bored him. It was close to one o'clock in the morning — all normal people sleep at such times, but Manami had a very strong desire to write to Onoda and try his luck. Maybe he was still awake?

Dared to do this on the third try, Manami sent a message with a short question ‘Are you sleeping?’, hoping that the message notification wouldn't wake Onoda if he was really sleeping — it was still better than a long play of ringtone when calling. And Manami didn't doubt for some reason that Onoda had some kind of cheerful and upbeat song on.

The answer came a couple of minutes later, making him flinch excitedly.

After reading the message, Manami smiled and started typing a reply.

Onoda hesitated with a reply but soon sent a rather emotional message.

Manami smiled again, looking from the download bar to the dialogue box that popped up from above. He quickly installed the downloaded app and logged in through his mother's account. She had few contacts, but Manami didn't feel like studying them. And there wasn't much time — he wanted to call Onoda as soon as possible.

Adding 'onodasachiko' to the list of contacts, Manami put on the headphones, waited for confirmation, and immediately made a call without even thinking too much.

“Sangaku?” Onoda's uncertain voice was heard soon, and Manami beamed with joy, instantly forgetting that, in fact, he was actually still not feeling well.

“Sakamichi,” he replied. “You have a webcam, don't you? Are you logged in from your computer?”

“From my laptop,” Onoda said quietly.

“Turn it on. I want to see you,” Manami chuckled, staring at the funny berry pie avatar.

“Uh... now?” Onoda was very confused.

“Of course now. I'll turn it on too,” Manami said and, taking a sitting position, adjusted the pillow so that he could rest his back on it.

He turned on the front camera, saw himself, and immediately thought it was a mistake, but it was too late because Onoda had also turned on the webcam on his laptop and was now blinking in surprise on the screen.

“Oh. Sorry, Sakamichi. I guess it wasn't such a good idea—” Manami said awkwardly, fighting the urge to turn off the camera immediately.

“No no!” Onoda exclaimed, waving his palms. “It's all right, really! You're beautiful even if you're sick. Just... a little disheveled.”

“Yeah,” Manami responded incredulously, looking to the side and starting to smooth his hair with his free hand, which on the screen looked more like a torn bird's nest.

“Are you really feeling better?” Onoda asked worriedly.

Manami looked at the phone again and only now seemed to finally realise that they were really talking and could see each other. Onoda was a little odd in a regular white T-shirt, surrounded by the usual Muggle things that could hardly be seen behind him in the twilight of the room. Manami saw a closed door and some posters on the wall near the shelf.

“Mm...” he said uncertainly, remembering to answer the question. “The temperature's still there but already lower — apparently, the drugs still worked, although earlier it usually only got worse by the night and—”

Manami paused, realising that he didn't want to talk to Onoda at all about his terrible health. It would be better if Onoda didn't know that he got sick much more often than other children and teenagers—

“I know,” Onoda nodded. “As a child, I got sick with the flu, and at night it was the worst. Mom was so scared then, she even called an ambulance.”

“Oh,” Manami breathed in surprise. “That was a nasty case.”

“Yes. I still remember that with a shudder,” Onoda shared and laughed awkwardly.

“Sorry,” Manami said, looking at the image on the screen. “I made you talk to me although it's too late— You probably want to sleep.”

“Not at all!” Onoda exclaimed again. “I got up early and then accidentally fell asleep in the afternoon, and now I'm awake. You aren't forcing me at all. I am very glad that I can talk to you!”

“I have to make up for not making plans,” Manami smiled. “And so I certainly won't infect you. By the way, I was going to bring you your present for Christmas. But now I can only give it on the train or at school. That's a shame.”

“Oh, I was going to, too,” Onoda was embarrassed. “Well, that's okay? In any case, we'll give them to each other…”

“Yes,” Manami agreed, involuntarily remembering the comic book he had bought. He read it a little and then somehow quitted. What if Onoda wouldn't be interested either? “Have you... ever enjoyed Muggle sports?” Manami asked hesitantly and thought that his question sounded kind of idiotic right now.

“Muggle sports?” Onoda asked in surprise. “Well, I don't know. Not to say that I was fond of something. Yes, and always had bad grades in P.E. I guess I'm... far from sports.”

“And you've made amazing progress in Quidditch for a beginner,” Manami noted with a laugh.

“A-amazing?” Onoda was confused. “Not at all, and Quidditch isn't very like what we did in Muggle school. More precisely... the work of the Seekers is not like that.”

“And it's a great position for both of us,” Manami added. “How do you like all this? Now that we take a break from training. Don't you miss?”

Onoda looked up thoughtfully and suddenly smiled.

“I do,” he replied. “Practice was so hard at first, and I already thought that it wasn't for me at all, but now I can't even imagine how it would have been without Quidditch. I've discovered a lot of new things for myself, met wonderful guys, and I really enjoy spending time with them and training. I've started to... feel a little strong, I guess.”

“You're strong, Sakamichi,” Manami laughed again. “You have talent; you just have to let it develop.”

“Do you really think so?” Onoda answered embarrassedly. “Th-thanks. I'll try.”

“I'll try too,” Manami smiled. “We're going to be the coolest Seekers at Hogwarts, right?”

“I don't claim to,” Onoda said sharply and immediately laughed. “Sorry. I'll try to keep up.”

It was difficult to doubt these words, and while talking with Onoda, Manami felt confident again even if he was sick now and, in fact, was weak. Onoda somehow knew how to give strength even just by his presence.

They talked for another hour or an hour and a half about all sorts of little things, moving away from the subject of Quidditch. Only then Onoda was too obviously beginning to fall asleep, and Manami himself felt tired all over again. They said goodbye, wishing each other good night, but he still couldn't fall asleep right after he took off his headphones and put his phone down. All he could think about was how much more he wanted to get back into Quidditch training now and how he'd one day decide to tell Onoda how important it was that they were on the same path.

Chapter Text

Manami spent most of the rest of the holidays in bed because even if he sometimes felt better (which for some reason only happened when he wasn't alone at home), his mother told him to rest and not to hang around, much less not to use the computer. The only thing that saved him from boredom was his smartphone or rather the ability to text with Onoda or Miyahara, although both sometimes didn't reply for a long time — they still had their own lives. More intense, Manami realised, than the teenager had who had managed to get the flu on his only days off school.

According to her messages, Miyahara didn't actually take a break from her studies — she was taking advantage of the time to study new topics outside the curriculum or run too far ahead of the second year programs because Manami really doubted that this year they would be taught Vanishing Spell in Transfiguration class. Onoda, on the other hand, made up for what he couldn't do at Hogwarts — he watched his favorite old TV shows and cartoons, trying to combine them with new ones, disappeared for hours because (as it always turned out later) he was choosing in the store what to spend his pocket money on. He seemed to approach this with great care although Manami didn't quite understand why — if he wanted to watch something, he preferred to do it online and not spend money on licensed products.

But just lying in bed and watching TV shows was dubious entertainment, of course. Manami was seriously pining for the missed chance to visit Onoda and spend time with him, but he believed that he'd be able to do this during the upcoming summer holidays? Until that, they'd just see each other and communicate at school again.

On the plus side, Manami was able to recover by the approaching departure date of the Hogwarts Express back. He didn't want to get on the train with the remaining symptoms of the disease, like last year, to feel uncomfortable about it again, and this was perhaps the first time he had managed to overcome the flu so quickly. Perhaps... the whole thing would be such a strong desire to return to school healthy?

When packing, he had to find an old gym bag in the closet, which was large but without any problems fit his Broomstick Servicing Kit, which Manami couldn't look at without warmth in his heart. With his mother's support, with the support of Miyahara, Onoda and the guys from the Quidditch team, he began to feel stronger than ever and now he was even more eager for practice to resume. He didn't yet know what date their very last game, their game against Gryffindor, would be scheduled for, but before that moment there should be two more matches, the thought of which also caused excitement and awe even if Manami wouldn't have to participate in them himself. Nevertheless, he believed that Onoda would play in his second match as amazing as he had in the first — it would be great to see it with his own eyes, and then there would be the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw battle, which they might even be able to watch together.

All this was involuntarily uplifting, and when it was time to go to London to the already familiar King's Cross station, Manami was in a great mood. Mom allowed him to buy his favorite soda, knowing that he wouldn't be able to drink it until the summer, and Manami drained two cans in the car, after which he was able to get some sleep before he had to transfer to the train.

He already knew his plan when platform nine and three-quarters engulfed him in its unique noisy and intense atmosphere, and, after saying goodbye to his mother, he headed confidently to the right carriage, which had a special compartment where he could always be with Toudou and the rest of the guys.

There were no less students and their relatives on the platform than usual — Manami tried to look for familiar faces among them and couldn't help smiling when he noticed Shinkai talking about something with his (apparently) mother. He, too, was going back to school — so everything was fine and the problem with his younger brother was solved?

It was hard to say definitively though — Manami didn't notice the black-haired boy he had seen in Diagon Alley before the school year started, and curiosity piqued, making him feel a little awkward. He didn't think that he could just ask about what had happened, and then a recall that Manami hadn't expect at all emerged in his thoughts.

The day Shinkai heard the disturbing news about his brother and was allowed to leave the school for a while, that strange creature that Manami had knocked down in the first floor corridor with his improperly working (or working too hard) Expelliarmus had reappeared. Could these things have had something to do with it?

After thinking for a while, Manami didn't come to any specific conclusion but quickly forgot about it at all when he got on the train and met Toudou and Fukutomi — they were settling into their usual compartment, along the way discussing when it would be possible to start new training sessions. Seeing them again was nice too, even if Toudou was too friendly again, smoothing a strand of hair over Manami's head and asking about how the holidays had gone.

“Terrible! I got sick!” Manami replied almost indignantly, not wanting to talk about this at all. “I wanted to visit Sakamichi but couldn't do it—”

“Oh, you didn't tell me you had planned something so cute,” Toudou smiled, which made Manami feel embarrassed and turned away, pretending to check his things in the bag on the seat. Would a holidays meeting be something cute? Why was it necessary talking about it in that tone?

His look was accidentally caught by the comic book Manami hadn't given to Onoda yet, and for some reason the embarrassment became even stronger. When would he be able to do it? When was the best time to do it?

Manami wanted to know his reaction faster, but the moment could be spoiled if he just found Onoda on the train now, and Onoda'd definitely be in the company of Naruko and Imaizumi... And taking him somewhere more appropriate on the train wouldn't work either. Neither the corridor nor the vestibule was appropriate place for presenting a gift...

“It's stuffy here today, and I didn't even have time to have breakfast,” Toudou complained, opening a bottle of pumpkin juice, and Manami, looking at it, remembered that he had been wanting go to the toilet for half an hour.

The train began to pick up speed, he left the compartment, leaving his clothes and warm cloak, and went to the end of the carriage, bypassing the students who either hadn't yet found a place for themselves or were just chatting in the corridor. He wondered where Arakita and Shinkai were, why they still hadn't joined the usual company, and the former, by the way, was found very soon when Manami, faced with a queue for the toilet, decided to go to the next carriage. The corridor there, unlike his carriage, was empty, but as he approached the exit to the toilet, Manami realised by the sounds that not everyone here was seated in the compartment.

There was a girl, she sounded like a senior, and she didn't seem to be talking to her friend—

“No, not there,” she asked, after which she laughed coquettishly. “There are children on the train too if you haven't forgotten—”

“Fuck them,” Arakita's voice replied casually and muffledly, and Manami pressed himself against the wall not far from the door, mentally asking himself why the hell he always gets into situations where he has to involuntarily find himself eavesdropping or spying.

He just… wanted… to go to the toilet. Was it really that much?

“Wait,” the girl laughed again. Manami was about to leave here and just stand in line, but the next words caught his attention. “…I was wondering… could you… do something special for me?”

“What else?” Arakita asked.

The girl replied after a short silence, “For example... turn into some kind of beast—”

Hearing this, Manami chuckled uncontrollably and covered his mouth with his hand. Did the idea of Arakita an Animagus get spread all over the school? And why was it so funny?

“I can't do anything like that!” Arakita said so sharply and loudly that Manami shuddered and then shuddered again when the door slid to the side with a noise.

Angry and annoyed, Arakita walked by without even looking at him although he could easily get angry for eavesdropping also. Maybe he hadn't noticed?

The girl came out next. Tall, beautiful, from senior years. Her lips were moist and reddened — it looked like after kisses and possibly very rough kisses. She straightened the green Slytherin tie around her neck and adjusted her short skirt.

She was in no hurry, so she noticed the intruder and, heading down the corridor with a smug smile, for some reason put her hand with dark nail-painted nails on Manami's head, swiping gently. Manami didn't like it. He quickly left the unpleasant touch and was finally able to use the toilet without a hitch.

Returning back to the next carriage, he wanted to forget about the situation and hoped that Arakita really didn't notice him, because they still had to go in the same compartment although... there was always the possibility of joining Kuroda and Izumida.

Kuroda, Manami repeated mentally and grinned. Since when had he started to think that the company of someone as annoying and assertive as Kuroda wasn't bad? Even if they got along a little and Kuroda seriously took up training Manami, sometimes he was so bullied that it made him want to start skipping again and again…

But nevertheless, when Manami entered the compartment and sat down between Arakita and Toudou, Arakita didn't give any signs of being angry at him specifically (he was gloomy, of course, but didn't look up from the magazine that had Quidditch players flying on broomsticks in its pages).

There was a replenishment — in addition to Arakita, Shinkai came in, settled in his usual place next to Fukutomi, and now they were talking about something.

“And you didn't answer my letter,” stopping fixing his hair and lowering the mirror, Toudou interrupted them when Shinkai spoke about the difficulties of delivering mail on too frosty days.

“Oh, I just didn't have time. Your owl was delayed too, by the way,” Shinkai replied with an awkward laugh.

“But Yuuto's okay if you're here, apparently,” Toudou began a little confusedly as if he felt guilty for not asking about it immediately upon meeting him. Or perhaps he did.

“Of course,” Shinkai smiled. “He's already at home. On a diet so far, but nothing more threatens his health.”

“What was he so poisoned with, anyway, that he spent so much time in the hospital?” Toudou continued with concern, and Manami perked up his ears because he too had been interested for a long time.

“It was a poor quality potion,” Shinkai replied, and his smile faded slightly. “Polyjuice Potion. I knew right away when I saw his hair had lightened and his facial features had changed.”

“What do you mean?” Toudou blinked, and even Arakita looked up from the magazine to look at Shinkai. “Where did he get it from and why in the first place?”

“As I understand... he brewed it himself. But it seems that he confused something with the ingredients, and their mixing caused the poisoning of the body.”

“Come on! He's too small to brew something like Polyjuice Potion!” Toudou protested with genuine indignation. “How did he have the courage to try the result, and even on himself?”

“He asked me about this potion during summer vacation,” Shinkai shrugged, looking down. “I thought he was just so interested, and I told him that it was too expensive and complicated to make on his own. It didn't even occur to me that he'd want to try it.”

“Didn't you find out what it was for?” Toudou asked, and Shinkai shook his head.

“I tried to talk to him, but I didn't get anywhere.”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Toudou said upset. “I'm sorry…”

“It's all right, don't be sorry,” Shinkai smiled weakly at this. “I was the first to start pulling away from him, and in the end he just stopped trusting me. It would have been foolish to wait for another result or just pretend that nothing had happened.”

“Well, maybe things will get better next school year when he gets into Hogwarts,” Toudou suggested, probably trying to support. “You'll see each other much more often; you'll get your old relationship back...”

“Thank you, Jinpachi, I'll try,” Shinkai replied although his smile was still rather sad.

Manami became sad from this story himself, and he felt that he simply couldn't ask more about the Polyjuice Potion — he had heard about it for the first time, and he really wondered why it was used and what exactly it did. Did it change appearance in some way? But why would one want to change at all? To look better? To fool someone? Why would a ten-year-old boy need any of this?

Barely suppressing his curiosity, Manami took out of his bag the comic book, a gift for Onoda, which he hadn't yet read himself, and decided to spend the travel time on it while everyone else went about their business.

And by comparison, this trip wasn't the best, because Arakita's irritation was almost physically palpable, Toudou had another fight with him because of sheer nonsense, and Shinkai, having lost his good mood, this time wasn't eager to calm them down until the very last moment. This pastime made Manami feel morally drained even if he eventually began to like the story he was reading.

When they finally arrived at Hogsmeade station, it was snowing, and it was good that the students were still being transported to school in carriages. In such nasty weather, no one wanted to linger on the street for a minute, and when Manami finally found himself inside the castle, sheltered from the snowfall, he felt the echo of lost vigor.

It became even better when he sorted out the things he had brought in the dormitory and, returning back to the common room, looked at the second-years' schedule for tomorrow — the last lesson was just Potions with Gryffindor, and apparently after this lesson, the second House had some free time as well... We need to use this before the Quidditch teams resume practice, Manami quickly realised and then found Toudou to go to with him to the Great Hall for dinner, the road to which wasn't a quiet one.

This was already getting strange. The students barely had time to return, and Manami again and again heard snatches of conversations from the other guys discussing... Arakita, yes. What had gotten into everyone, Manami didn't know but felt that it wouldn't lead to anything good, because Arakita himself was only getting more annoyed and spent no more than fifteen minutes at dinner, after which he went back to the common room.

But he wasn't an Animagus, was he? No? Before the holidays, Manami liked this idea for a while, but now even intuition suggested that it was a mistake, and it became a little offensive that they'd simply not listen to him if he tried to reason with everyone. Arakita clearly didn't like such increased attention and false rumours, because of this he was angry and spoiled the mood of the surroundings, which was far from in favour of anything.

However, Manami couldn't think of a way to resolve this situation. It seemed far easier to go and fight the nameless monster again than to convince the entire school that it was wrong—

It was the same with him, to some extent. He'd made the core team of the Quidditch team of his House, won two matches, but everyone's attitude towards him had hardly changed though he had seriously counted on it. What was the matter? Did they need more time? Or did he need to win the Quidditch Cup a couple of times? It was so difficult with children and teenagers with magical powers. Manami felt powerless in his own situation, let alone someone else's. But for himself, he chose to continue anyway, and perhaps Arakita should have just ignored it too?

What he'd decide, Manami didn't know, and he didn't like that the next day after waking up early, he caught the same conversations at breakfast again. The students didn't seem to have anything better to do, or the topic suddenly became even more interesting than the Quidditch World Cup this year. Manami didn't want to support either one or the other conversations — the Quidditch Championship seemed insanely distant (in every sense), and he really didn't understand how you could cheer for someone or discuss something without seeing all the teams in action.

It was no better during breaks between classes, because the situation was repeated, and Manami would be glad if everything returned to the way it was at the beginning of the school year. At least then he was not tired of listening to what he didn't want to hear, and it was also good that Miyahara didn't start talking about Animagi before the History of Magic — she apparently believed that none of the students could have such outstanding abilities to master Animagus Transfiguration right there, and Manami seemed to have a similar opinion now.

Because of this turmoil, he almost forgot what he had planned after class, but as soon as he saw Onoda in the Potions office in the company of his friends, his heart flooded with the most pleasant feelings, and now he didn't care at all who or what anyone said about Arakita or Quidditch—

“Come to the Great Hall after this lesson please,” Manami asked when approached to Onoda from the back and leant over to rub his cheek on his shoulder.

Onoda shuddered a little in surprise, and Naruko made such a grimace at Manami's action as if he'd seen the most disgusting thing in the world. That was to be expected, in principle.

“Yes, okay,” Onoda nodded, smiling weakly when he looked at Manami, and that was probably enough to forget about everything.

And to great luck it was that today they didn't brew anything and didn't write tests, because Manami felt that he'd simply blow up his cauldron or write such nonsense that Professor would give him detention for a whole month. And everything was because of Onoda again. Due to the fact that he was just sitting across several desks. Manami couldn't get rid of the desire to look at him, and when he looked, he fell out of reality, completely not listening to the new topic.

When the lesson was over, he was the very first to grab the bag and leave the office but only to put the textbooks in the dormitory and take the comic that he wanted to give Onoda. Glancing at it, Manami accidentally noticed that the corners of the cover were already slightly wrinkled and the book no longer looked new — oh God, he had tortured it so much?

I should have wrapped in something, he thought with annoyance, trying to smooth the edges with his fingers, but it turned out so-so. The comic didn't look better, and that could have been frustrating. How could he ever give such a gift?

For several minutes, Manami stubbornly wondered what to do. He even took out his wand and tried to use a charm that repaired broken objects, but this didn't give any changes, either because the charm didn't work, or because the book was still not torn.

As a result, he had to come to terms with what he had and go to the Great Hall — he didn't want to keep Onoda waiting if he suddenly came quickly. Maybe he didn't take things to his common room, which was somewhere upstairs, but immediately went to the meeting place? Then all the more it was necessary to hurry.

Everything turned out to be so because when Manami entered the practically empty Great Hall, there was only Onoda at the Gryffindor table in his usual place with his large bag laid next to the bench. Manami quickened his pace as he passed the Hufflepuff seniors who were sitting at the end of their table, apparently planning some kind of party.

But Onoda didn't seem to be bored, waiting here. He was carefully reading a magazine opened on the table and didn't immediately notice Manami's arrival.

“Oh, hello again, am I too early?” Onoda perked up, lifting his head and turning around on the bench.

“No, rather, I'm too late,” Manami replied with a guilty smile and, stepping over the bench, sat down next to him. “I wanted to apologise once again for not being able to see you during the holidays.”

“I told you it was fine,” Onoda smiled. “The main thing is that you recovered on time to come to Hogwarts. I'm glad you're here now.”

It sounded so sincere that Manami was embarrassed for a second but quickly pulled himself together.

“Um… And your Christmas present—” he said, opening his bag and taking out the comic book. “Forgive me please that I couldn't keep it in its original form.”

Onoda blinked in surprise, raised his hands to accept the book, and immediately smiled again.

“It's a manga! Great!”

“Have you read this before?” Manami asked awkwardly, to which Onoda quickly nodded.

“Yes, I read a lot, but—” He flipped through the pages. “I probably didn't buy anything of the kind. Is it about sports?”

“Yeah, about bikes,” Manami agreed. “I honestly didn't know if you'd like it. Sorry in advance if you won't. And for what it looks like.”

“No, I'll be glad to read something new,” Onoda objected with a smile, looking at Manami. “And don't apologise for its look either. You... just read it too, right?”

“I started it at home and finished reading on the train yesterday,” Manami nodded.

“Then I'm even more happy,” Onoda replied, smiling brighter. “It's great that you read it instead of giving it to me without even looking inside.”

“Um,” Manami smiled confusedly.

Onoda chuckled awkwardly.

“Sorry. I can't seem to explain it so that you understand. In any case, it's a wonderful gift. Thank you. I'll start reading today. And— Just a second.” He put the book on the table and then took out of his bag a double folded clean parchment. “It's for you. I bought it in Diagon Alley. The seller said it would finish phrases for you if you started writing in it. Sort of a... joke.”

“Oh really?” Manami surprised, taking the parchment, which looked completely ordinary, no different from others.

“Yes. I thought it might be funny. Do you want to try?” Onoda asked.

“Hmm,” Manami said and looked for a quill and inkwell. “Can I write anything?”

“I think so. Anything that comes to mind,” Onoda said thoughtfully.

Manami nodded again, unfolded the parchment and raised his quill over it, intending to write something in the upper left corner. Just what? The first thing that would came to mind—

‘I want Sakamichi and me—’ he began to write, holding in his head the phrase I want Sakamichi and me to play in the finals sooner, but as soon as he got to the word me, further words began to appear on the parchment in his handwriting, with his ink but now... not as in his head—

It appeared on the parchment, and, realising the meaning, Manami, with the fastest speed he could, grabbed the parchment and pressed it to him so that Onoda wouldn't have time to read the final text—

“What? That's not at all what I wanted,” Manami said excitedly, feeling that he was starting to blush.

“Huh? It worked? What did it write?” Onoda asked, leaning closer, but Manami only pressed the parchment tighter.

“Nothing!”

“Come on, let me see.”

“No,” Manami shook his head and then burst out laughing, bending over the countertop.

“Sangaku, what?” Onoda asked with a note of concern, but Manami couldn't even answer right away because he couldn't stop his laughter. His eyes were watering, and he didn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard.

“Sorry…” he could barely say. “It's just… it's really killer stuff… Thank you, Sakamichi.”

Straightening up, Manami folded the parchment into its previous shape and calmed down a bit, realising that now Onoda'd definitely not see that terribly embarrassing text.

“You know—” Manami said, wiping away the tears in the corners of his eyes. “The bullshit has happened in the last two days, but your gift really cheered me up. I haven't laughed like that for a long time.”

“Good,” Onoda smiled.

“Did you hear that too? The whole school is talking about Arakita being an Animagus and turning into that incomprehensible creature we saw,” Manami said with another grin.

“Yes,” Onoda replied confusedly. “I heard. Imaizumi thinks that it's nonsense — Animagi don't take such vague forms. And that creature was really incomprehensible. It didn't look like anything.”

“Yes, but no one except us really saw it, so they think that. Arakita's angry about that. He didn't do anything—” Manami agreed and interrupted himself abruptly. “Wait. I thought for a while that Arakita did it after all,” he said and then laughed again at the absurdity of the situation. “Why didn't Professor tell us anything? She seems to know what the matter is, doesn't she?”

Onoda shrugged vaguely.

“We're afraid to even bring it up in front of her. She took so many points from the House because of us. The prefect was very angry when he found out. Some people still look askance at us.”

“Okay,” Manami agreed reluctantly. “Probably, this secret will be safe.”

Onoda smiled ambiguously at this and opened the manga.

“Maybe we can read together? If you want, of course, and if you aren't tired of it yet.”

“Yeah,” Manami agreed without thinking twice. “I'll try to restrain myself and not say what comes next.”

Moving closer with the manga to make both more comfortable, Onoda leaned his shoulder to Manami's, and this made Manami's heart jump for a second as if there was something special in this ordinary and completely simple situation.

It turned out to be a little difficult to put his thoughts in order, but a little later he managed to perceive the text normally again and keep a dialogue going as Onoda himself began to try to predict how the story would turn out.

They hadn't read much. Only half of the volume before the house-elves started setting the tables, and then the first students began to come for dinner. Manami had to go to his table so as not to provoke the Gryffindors, but this couldn't overshadow the pleasant feeling that appeared from spending time with Onoda.

At dinner, Manami no longer listened to what was being said around him — he was completely lost in thought about how to arrange their next meeting and how they'd finish the manga. Because of this, he was late with his food and almost longingly watched Onoda leaving the hall. Will they have a class together tomorrow? Manami wondered, not understanding why he had forgotten his whole schedule.

Having dealt with dessert, he decided to quickly return to the common room of the House to watch his classes on the noticeboard or in the dormitory on the parchment issued by the prefect, which was laid out somewhere with textbooks after classes.

No problems with this action should have happened if Manami had managed to cross the student-filled common room in time on his way to the stairs, but the sound of Shinkai's voice made him stop.

“I've heard it several times today. Why does everyone say that you're an Animagus?”

It's bad, Manami realised, feeling a burning urge to move away from the aisle because Shinkai was obviously addressing Arakita, and if Arakita reacted in a similar way as on the train and chose to go to the bedroom, he was unlikely to watch his step...

“Oh, you better not ask about it. Just forget before—” Toudou replied, and Manami still looked at their company, which was near the long sofa.

Arakita, of course, again looked angry or better to say ready to blow at all, and the moment when Kuroda, who had just entered the common room with a magazine, went to them, could easily become critical.

From where he stood, Manami didn't hear exactly what Kuroda had said, but it really was the peak of the tension. Because Arakita jumped to his feet and yelled in a way that made Manami, even standing to the side, shudder.

“WILL YOU GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME FOR FIVE MINUTES?!”

It wasn't surprising that after that everyone in the common room was quiet, and Arakita swiftly walked to the stairs leading to the bedrooms. And it was really fast — Manami felt the rush of the wind, taking one more step back just in case, and then felt like he was in the middle of a typhoon, trying to hold on to something steady. It was difficult to describe this situation in another way.

He froze near the wall without the desire to go where Arakita had gone, but after a short time he relaxed a little because the common room was filled with conversations again — everyone seemed to have just decided to close their eyes to the incident, and that was... probably for the best?

“Hey, little one, why are you stuck there? Come here,” Toudou's voice called, and Manami, after a short thought, decided that the schedule could be seen on the noticeboard.

In addition, Toudou was now having a chess game with Fukutomi, which had apparently began recently but already promised to be tense. Manami really stayed for a while to watch the game, but he didn't really know chess (in Wizard's Chess there was only one thing that was especially interesting for him — to watch the pieces pull or knock each other off the board). When he began to fall asleep, he nevertheless decided to go to the dormitory, and the common room was a little empty, which meant that many of the guys had already gone the stairs and apparently were still alive.

He was going to try to write something else in Onoda's gift and see what happened — it might be a good time before bed. But on the stairs, Manami saw a familiar back. Kuroda was here and for some reason he was sitting right on the steps, to which Manami was a little surprised but nevertheless was going to just walk by. He guessed the reason without question and didn't want to be a psychologist.

“Shoelace,” Kuroda's voice said suddenly as Manami passed a couple of steps, avoiding him.

“What?” Manami stopped and looked down.

“Do you want to fall down the stairs? Put your shoes in order,” Kuroda added with a note of displeasure, to which Manami winced but also sat down on the step to tie the lace on his right shoe.

Quickly tightening the bow, he glanced sideways, noticing that Kuroda was still holding that magazine in his hands. It looked like it was about Quidditch. He really looked depressed.

“Was it something important?” Manami asked involuntarily, and the next second he thought that Kuroda'd just tell him to fuck off. Why should he talk about his personal problems?

“No. Arakita made me read all this to discuss after the holidays,” contrary to expectations, Kuroda answered and dropped the magazine. It bumped its binding on the step below and fell, closing. On the cover, Manami saw a spinning red Quaffle.

“Yeah, it looks like now isn't the best time to talk to him,” Manami said quietly, looking away. “But he won't be mad about it forever, will he?”

“He's always been like that,” Kuroda replied reluctantly. “Raises his voice, gets angry. It's just— It's his nature. And the people around only provoked him even more. And now it is happening again.”

“Provoked? In what way?” Manami asked confusedly, glancing at Kuroda, who grinned mirthlessly.

“You know he's a half-blood? His father is only a Muggle, and his mother's lineage isn't the best. Slytherin is good for students with well-known last name, and Arakita was... nobody, one might say. He might have wanted to get along with House fellows, but with many of them it's not so easy if your blood is tainted or they don't get any benefit from you.”

“I love our House,” Manami said sadly and bent down to tie the lace on another shoe.

“That's why he didn't like it here,” Kuroda continued. “The first time we talked, he told me that Quidditch was the only compensation for him even if he wasn't going to play in the beginning. If he could train now, everything would be easier, I think.”

“Oh,” Manami said stupidly, leaving his laces alone. The words he heard were so... dreary. Arakita, it turned out, wasn't feeling good when he first got here too? And why did it seem such an amazing revelation now?

“That's admirable, perhaps,” Kuroda said quietly and explained, “The way he coped. You didn't see it, and I just couldn't understand it because I didn't face such problems. And still I was impressed. He always copes with everything. Whatever it is.”

“And you? Can you cope with your resentment?” Manami asked with a little smile, and Kuroda looked at him with a condescending look.

“Do you think this is the first time? Or do you think it can be compared with what it was?”

“You didn't get along?” Manami raised an eyebrow, not knowing how to take such a strange answer.

“We got into a fight. Three times for sure,” Kuroda admitted, looking somewhere ahead. “And every time I had to think. Learn from this. My first lesson was to stop putting myself above others just because I have talent. My second lesson was learning to be a full part of something. And the third... is to find the strength to remain this part and look for other ways to achieve your goal. It was because of you, little one.”

“Why are you even telling me this?” Manami muttered, bowing his head and feeling awkward.

“Because you're little,” Kuroda replied with a laugh.

“And what kind of answer is that?” Manami protested, looking at him again.

“That's the answer. You're new here, so you don't know anything.”

“I know Toudou's story...”

“But it's not just Toudou that you go out on the field with. And he doesn't teach you at all,” Kuroda said. “You did a great job in official matches. But the level of difficulty is increasing. And if he has inspired you, that's good, but it might not be enough at a crucial moment. When the going gets tough, remember there are people fighting on your side who have also overcome challenges. And maybe it will encourage you.”

“I get it. Training outside the Quidditch field, huh?” Manami asked after thinking briefly, but Kuroda shrugged.

“As you wish. But we still have a lot of years to study together. You'd better get along with me.”

“What do you mean?” Manami protested again. “You're the one who's always picking on me! Everything is always wrong for you—”

He fell silent abruptly because he noticed someone in front of them, and the next second Kuroda quickly grabbed the magazine from the step and put it on his knee, while looking like a guilty child.

Arakita was actually walking towards them. Realising this, Manami moved back to the wall itself to clear the way, but it seemed there was no need to be so nervous, because Arakita's face was calm this time. Even bored.

It seemed he'd just walk past them without saying anything, but he stopped, put his hand in the pocket of his robe, and gave something to Kuroda.

“You'll get your balls freeze,” Arakita told him before moving on, and Manami bit his lip, suppressing a laugh. Yes, they were actually sitting on a stone step, and it certainly wasn't warm.

Arakita's steps soon died away behind their backs — he returned to the common room, or maybe he was going to go somewhere else outside, but Manami forgot about it when he saw a blue can of soda in the hands of confused Kuroda.

“Wow! Maybe he still has some!”

“What?” Kuroda asked tensely, looking up with a displeased look, and Manami moved up.

“He brought it to school with him! Why didn't I guess?”

“That's—” Kuroda muttered uncertainly, to which Manami furrowed his eyebrows.

“It's a drink. Don't you know?”

“A drink?” Kuroda turned the can in his hands upside down.

“Don't do that — it can't be shaken,” Manami scolded almost with displeasure as if he was offended by such a treatment with a can of soda and took it from Kuroda's hands to turn it over and open it in a matter of seconds.

A familiar and pleasant sound echoed down the stairs. Manami heard the drink hiss inside and thought that he'd give a lot to drink one himself, but he had to give it back to Kuroda.

“It looks like an apology, right?” Manami smiled, watching as Kuroda looked at the can in disbelief, not daring to try.

Finally taking a small sip, he grimaced and said, “It's a strange thing.”

(And that about divine soda.)

“Don't complain — you won't find such a thing in Hogwarts anymore,” Manami chuckled, thinking to himself that this could easily be said about Arakita and Kuroda too.

Chapter Text

It wouldn't be a revelation to anyone that Manami often found himself in situations that caused him to be scolded for absent-mindedness. He still slept during the first lessons with astonishing frequency, and if he didn't, he managed to be late for them for some other reason. He forgot to do his homework on time even when Miyahara reminded him several times. He had almost missed the tryouts for the core team due to his own carelessness. So was it any wonder that even where it was impossible to miss an important point, Manami was able to do it?

“Get up and move to breakfast,” a familiar voice said after the blanket was mercilessly pulled down, depriving him of the warmth.

Manami frowned in displeasure, not opening his eyes, tried to find the blanket, but his hand couldn't reach anything.

“This is cruel, Jinpachi, I have to go to the second lesson today.”

“You have to go to the second lesson on Friday,” Toudou replied indignantly, and Manami managed to open his eyes to see his scowl. “And today's Tuesday actually. Come on, come on, you'll say thank me later.”

Thank for what? Manami wondered, but before he could ask this question, Toudou left as if he was late somewhere. And why was he so jumpy? Did something happen? Why did he have to go to breakfast?

Without realising the reason, Manami wrapped himself back in the blanket as he began to freeze, but now there was hardly an opportunity to fall asleep again. His neighbours were already actively gathering to the Great Hall — they talked louder than usual, made noise and laughed, teasing each other about their looks and girls. Girls?

What was on their mind, Manami didn't understand, and he had no particular interest in that. Even if half of February had already passed and real spring was approaching, it was still cold in the castle, especially in the dungeons, because of which he had to hastily change from pajamas into school uniforms and then put the warming charm on his clothes — that was mostly what took all his energy in the morning.

After Manami went into the bathroom to wash and brush his teeth (one of his classmates had been standing by the mirror doing his hair the whole time though Manami had never noticed him paying such attention to his appearance before), he went to the common room, intending to find Toudou and ask him why it was still necessary to bring him up for breakfast, but the desired silhouette was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was already gone? Manami looked around once again, involuntarily catching sight of a group of senior girls who took up chairs near the window — they giggled, and one of them carefully helping the other put on bright lipstick.

“Has Jinpachi gone to the Great Hall yet?” Manami asked as he walked up to Fukutomi, who was pinning a parchment up on the noticeboard that appeared to have a text about today's walk to Hogsmeade.

Why was that? Hogsmeade was usually only allowed on weekends.

“Of course he's already there,” Arakita, who stood next to him, replied instead of Fukutomi. He was irritably looking for something in the pockets of his robes. “To do otherwise would be strange.”

“You were late three times last week,” Fukutomi said, distracted from the noticeboard, and Manami bit his lip, barely suppressing a guilty smile.

“I promise to improve,” he replied and strategically hurried back to the dormitory to find a bag and put the textbooks needed for the first two classes in it.

Was today really Tuesday? Why then did the guys discuss going to Hogsmeade yesterday? And that announcement—

What had happened at all?

Having studied his schedule, which he already remembered, Manami made sure it was correct, he was puzzled, but he just shrugged and looked around the empty bedroom — the guys seemed to be gone with the wind. Maybe there was a special date today? Would the president of magic or whatever he was called be coming to school? In any case, Manami hadn't heard of this although there had to be a reason for the general excitement.

Having gone to breakfast, he passed the common room, which had also lost a fair number of students, and now had a sweet scent in the air. Manami noticed that someone had decorated the room with bright flowers, didn't understand anything again, and picked up his pace, intending to quickly find out from Toudou what had happened.

As he walked into the Great Hall, on the ground floor, he met a group of girls from middle years, and he could swear that three of them kept their eyes on him, while smiling embarrassedly. Manami didn't remember the girls at Hogwarts used to look at him like that, and this was the last straw for everything in his head to completely mix up.

Bursting into the busy hall, he immediately headed straight for Toudou, sat down next to him, and asked, already barely holding back his emotions, “What's going on?”

“What do you mean?” Toudou looked back at him, taking a cup of hot coffee away from his lips.

“Guys are discussing girls, girls are fancy dressing, going to Hogsmeade today even though it's only Tuesday, and what's that?” Manami said quickly, picking up a pink postcard that had fallen from the ceiling and landed near the plate at the end of his speech. “Oh—”

“Are you an idiot?” Toudou said irritably, snatching the postcard from Manami's hands. “It's a holiday today! The fourteenth of February! Which cave did you come out of, huh?”

Blinking in confusion, Manami tried to collect all the pieces of the puzzle in his head and finally realised. So it turned out that there was nothing strange about the guys' behavior. No VIP was coming and the students were going to Hogsmeade today simply because... it was a holiday. Valentine's Day! Exactly!

“I thought you were kidding, but you seem to really live in another universe,” Toudou added more calmly but hopelessly, pressing his hand to his face. “Anyone would have remembered this holiday beforehand because everyone's been talking about it in recent days.”

“Oh, yes?” Manami asked stupidly. “I'd only heard about Hogsmeade but didn't attach much importance to it.”

“Because you've got your head in the clouds all the time!” Toudou scolded him, frowning again. “It's time to get focused, in fact — you're going to be a third-year next year, and you're on the best Quidditch team!”

“Why are you so angry on this day all the time?” Manami winced and looked up. A couple of owls flew under the enchanted ceiling, delivering mail, and that was just the beginning. Soon there would be many more, and everyone would all be delivering—

Valentines. Damn it!

Another pink card fell in front of Toudou, and Manami finally realised the position he was in. He had not only forgotten about the holiday — he had forgotten to prepare for it.

“I think I was really stupid,” Manami chuckled quietly, looking at Toudou reading his new valentine.

The problem was that Manami hadn't sent his own although it should have been done immediately in the morning since he didn't have a personal owl. Everyone was used to receiving the bulk of love messages at breakfast, and not only did Manami now have no opportunity to send a valentine — he had nothing to send at all though last year he got a postcard in advance and sent it on time.

What if Sakamichi was upset about not getting it in the morning?

While Manami was thinking, other guys joined them — Arakita and Fukutomi came, followed by Shinkai, briefly lingering somewhere, which became quite clear when Manami noticed a trace of pink lipstick on his cheek.

Manami took a clean plate for himself to have breakfast here and cast a plaintive glance at still frowning Toudou.

“Give me a blank valentine, Jinpachi, please.”

“I don't have one,” Toudou replied calmly, placing the card on the table, text side down.

“What do you mean?” Manami asked. “You gave me last year.”

“That was last year. Now I really have no free ones.”

“Where did you put them all? Where do they even come from?” Manami became interested and looked towards the Gryffindor table. He thought he could hear Naruko's loud, indignant voice among the other voices. Maybe he was arguing with Imaizumi about something again?

“Everyone buys them in Hogsmeade. In advance,” Toudou replied with displeasure, emphasising the last word with a special reproachful intonation, but Manami wasn't taken aback.

“But I can't go to Hogsmeade!”

“So what? You should have solved your valentine problem a long time ago. If you'd asked me a couple of days ago, I'd have given you one, but I thought that you had already found where to get it.”

“And what did you do with those that you had?” Manami asked curiously. “I thought your heart only belonged to one person.”

“Shut up! It's none of your business, okay?” Toudou said sternly.

Manami looked away and immediately saw a valentine fall in front of him. And this is definitely for him and not for one of the neighbours? he thought first of all and hesitantly reached for the valentine. It was probably from Onoda. It would remind him of how careless and irresponsible he was.

But after reading the text, Manami blinked in confusion. No, the handwriting wasn't Onoda's. Yes, and Onoda certainly wouldn't have written, ‘I'm rooting for you in Quidditch, bring all the victories to our House’. A beautiful heart was painted below with something pink and shiny (probably also lipstick), which finally convinced Manami that this Valentine's card (albeit anonymous) was from a girl from Slytherin.

Wow, he thought because perhaps he really didn't expect to get a valentine from someone other than Onoda this year.

But it didn't end there. While Manami was having breakfast, asking for a postcard Shinkai too, who unfortunately also had no free ones left, he got a few more valentines from the girls. Some even signed although their names didn't say anything to Manami.

This was probably a good sign if the senders, of course, weren't kidding. Maybe some were finally able to look at him differently? This suggestion made Manami's spirits rise, and then he found a postcard from Onoda as well.

After reading his text, Manami bit his lip because it was so sweet and pleasant that it instantly overshadowed all other feelings about other valentines.

And after that, he could just close his eyes to his blunder and not give Onoda a response valentine? No, his conscience wouldn't allow him to do that. He should have tried harder, should have found a Valentine's card, and should have replied, though late, to Onoda's words, which had touched and moved him to the core.

But even if Manami had gained more determination, he was hardly any closer to solving the problem although the valentine should have been obtained before the afternoon class because after lunch there was the Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Manami already thought that he simply couldn't look into Onoda's eyes. If Onoda thought that Manami had just ignored his words, he'd be upset for sure — anybody would be upset in that case.

Not knowing what to do, Manami went to his first class, and for a moment he thought he could ask one of his classmates for a favour although this thought was almost immediately dismissed as a failure. Until now, among his fellow students from Slytherin, he had no friends or at least close enough acquaintances. He didn't dare to approach the girls, and when he asked one of the boys, the boy gave him with a strange look and quickly said no. Which actually was to be expected. They didn't want to help him even with such a trifle as if he was some kind of leper, which made Manami involuntarily remember how worried he had been about this last year. But now it didn't matter to him, did it?

He decided that he had to find some other way, and a sudden idea came at the moment when he was walking to his second class and accidentally ran into the fourth-years on the way. It was hard not to notice them because there was always a very tall red-haired guy standing out among them, and Manami quickly remembered Kuroda. He found him with his eyes walking next to Izumida, and quickly called out.

Kuroda heard him, slowed down, and said something to the other guys — apparently that he'd catch up later. Manami breathed a sigh of relief, also falling behind his classmates.

“What?” Kuroda asked almost annoyedly, going up to him and folding his arms over his chest. He looked, as usual, very cool, as if there was no one better than him at school and Manami had the audacity to waste his invaluable time.

“I have a request for you,” Manami said, trying to smile in a friendly manner, but Kuroda didn't accept this attempt and wrinkled his nose.

“And?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, do you have a blank Valentine's card by chance?” Manami asked in a casual tone, to which Kuroda's face was distorted in surprise. “I know it sounds strange, but I really, really need one!” Manami added quickly.

“Huh? I have no valentine,” Kuroda replied with displeasure. “Ask Toudou or someone else.”

“Toudou doesn't have any more either!” Manami said almost as displeased. “If you don't, maybe you can ask your friends?”

“Why would I do this?” Kuroda asked in such a voice as if he was being asked about the most absurd thing in the world.

“You said that we should get along!” Manami declared, barely able to keep from chuckling. That idea had been absurd to him. Would they ever get along in life?

“And what does that have to do with the fucking valentines?” Kuroda almost burst up. “I'm not interested in this crap, and I don't want to ask someone for a blank one! Deal with it yourself!”

At these words, he abruptly turned around and followed his class irritatedly. Manami pouted in displeasure, looking at his back.

Well, okay, Kuroda refused him too. His sudden backup plan failed like all the previous ones. It seemed that he'd either have to put up with it or go to his place and make a valentine yourself instead of lunch. Although, of course, Manami wouldn't be able to make a decent valentine — he knew it and knew that Onoda'd definitely see that the card wasn't real. No, such an act would definitely be unworthy.

Because of this, Manami spent almost the entire next lesson trying to think of an apology, and he didn't want to go to the Great Hall for lunch at all, because there he could run into Onoda at any time. It was already embarrassing even if Manami knew that Onoda, due to his kindness, wouldn't take offense at him and wouldn't show that he was upset.

He had no choice but to go to lunch anyway, unless Manami wanted to sit hungry for the last class, where he'd be face to face with Onoda one way or another.

Manami went to the Great Hall and sat down there in his usual place because Toudou had become quite angry and it seemed dangerous to approach him now.

As he began to eat, Manami tried not to look up and not look towards the Gryffindor table, but because of this, he didn't notice someone approached him.

“Hey!” Kuroda's annoyed voice sounded, making him flinch.

Manami almost choked and turned around carefully. Kuroda walked over to him and shoved something flat and pink almost right into his face.

“Satisfied?” he asked indignantly when Manami confusedly took the outstretched thing and immediately smiled happily, realising that it was a blank valentine.

“Wow! You did it anyway!”

“And don't ask me for anything else! I'm ashamed to death!” Kuroda added menacingly, to which Manami shook his head and, continuing to smile, raised his shining gaze.

“That's all I need! Thanks! You're the coolest!”

Frowning, Kuroda snorted and turned around to leave, but something distracted him. Manami looked around and realised that the guys around them were quiet and all this time were looking at the scene unfolding in front of them.

“How long have been in love?” one of the third-years asked with a laugh.

“Pft. Gay couple,” a girl from Manami's class supported him, and Kuroda's cheeks flushed red with shame.

“IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!” he barked and then finally went to his place with a much more angry look than Arakita ever had.

Some of the guys who heard their conversation were still chuckling, but Manami didn't pay attention to them anymore. Now he had a valentine that he could fill out and give to Onoda — that was the main thing.

Of course, the mood immediately jumped to the skies. Manami was no longer worried about anything; he even ignored the kids' jokes about him and Kuroda and, having finished with lunch, hurried to the exit. He noticed Onoda and his friends had also gotten up from the table, and he managed to catch up with them in front of the high doors.

“Hi, Sakamichi, are you going to DADA?” barely holding back his joy, Manami smiled.

“Yes, of course,” Onoda replied with a smile in return, while Naruko grumbled behind his back. “Ready for the test? We think that maybe Professor will cancel because of the holiday?”

“Do you think Professor likes this holiday?” Manami laughed awkwardly, realising that he had forgotten about the test as well as he had forgotten about the fourteenth of February and the Valentine's card. “What are you unhappy about, Naruko?” he asked, turning to Onoda's friends who followed them. “Need I remind you how cool I had saved you from the kitty in the corridor? Don't I deserve at least a little favour?”

“Eh? Kitty?” Onoda asked in surprise. “It had already become a cat?”

Manami turned back and looked up thoughtfully.

“Hmm. That's right. It looked like a cat to me.”

But before he could think about it properly, he nearly bumped into Toudou who was standing in the doorway. Makishima was with him, and they seemed to be talking about something a second ago, but now they were looking at each other with far from friendly looks.

“Okay,” Toudou said gloomily, still not looking away, but after that he suddenly turned around and walked towards the descent to the dungeons.

Makishima also turned around and walked away in the opposite direction, and Manami blinked in confusion. What on earth was going on with them?

“Um. See you in class, Sakamichi. I'm going to get my textbook,” Manami said quickly, waving his hand, and hurried to catch up with Toudou. “Hey! Jinpachi, what's this?”

“I don't know what you mean,” Toudou said through clenched teeth, walking stubbornly down the corridor, but Manami wasn't going to give up so easily. Toudou had been out of sorts all morning, and now this. Something had obviously happened. Again.

“You didn't quarrel with him, did you? No? Tell me,” Manami demanded, and Toudou stopped abruptly to look at him.

“No, I didn't quarrel with him,” he answered with a harsh voice but quickly calmed down and sighed heavily. “Oh, you worry all the time.”

“Of course I do,” Manami replied firmly. “I like you.”

“People have disagreements sometimes. Even close ones,” Toudou said, averting his gaze that seemed to Manami to be... sadly? “That's normal. Although you know— Coming to Hogsmeade with me once isn't such a big request, is it? Or is it too much to ask?” Toudou asked, as if talking to himself, and walked towards the stairs.

Manami lingered in bewilderment but then began to catch up again although now it was difficult to talk. He thought that he'd definitely say something wrong and upset Toudou even more, but how could he leave him without help and support at such a time?

Manami didn't have time to think of something before Toudou went to his dormitory. With a dull look, he went to his room to change textbooks and slip the still blank valentine between the pages. It would still be necessary not to forget to give it to Onoda, but now Manami couldn't completely focus his attention on coming up with a response message. Instead, he stood on the stairs for a short time, but without waiting for Toudou, he went to class when he realised that he might be late and the DADA professor would definitely took points off because of him.

Hurrying so that he felt the ache in the side, Manami entered the office before the start of the class and, trying to catch his breath, sat down at the same desk with Onoda, who gave him a surprised look.

“What about Makishima?” Manami asked in a whisper and involuntarily winced, grabbing his ribs with his left hand.

“What?” Onoda was even more surprised.

“Well… was there anything strange today? Something that might have made him angry, for example. I don't know,” Manami said.

“Ah,” Onoda said knowingly and moved a little closer. “He got a mountain of valentines at breakfast. The text was scattered — so Naruko told me when he went to look.”

“Oh,” Manami blinked, and it dawned on him how exactly Toudou had spent all his valentines. So they were all sent to Makishima? “So what? Is that a reason to be angry? That's a great idea, isn't it?”

“He's not too keen on the holiday at all, as I understand it. And he doesn't go to Hogsmeade that day,” Onoda answered quietly.

But before Manami could open his mouth to continue the conversation, Professor entered the office and strictly ordered everyone to put their textbooks in their bags. Here's another person who didn't like Valentine's Day, Manami thought dejectedly and rested his chin on his hand. He still hadn't even had time to pull out his textbook.

A few minutes later Professor handed out questions for the written test though actually he had promised just a quiz in the last class. The kids almost simultaneously groaned, but he told everyone to shut up and get to work. Soon, everyone obediently fell silent, and then the quills creaked on the parchments, but Manami could hardly think about the questions to which he had to write answers.

Onoda was at least writing something next to him, sometimes stopping and thinking, — he must have been really preparing for it. Manami noticed that his questions were different, and tried to delve into his own, but all he could manage was to guess compromise options for Toudou and Makishima.

He ended up rereading after a while his answer to the question of what to do when a vampire attacked, and chuckled unrestrainedly when he realised he had written, ‘suggest him find a secluded romantic place and spend time together there’.

He was censured by Professor for a chuckle, and Manami hastily crossed out his answer.

Well, what was there to help against the vampires? A wooden stake? Garlic? Looks like he's going to get the lowest grade on this paper—

Before Professor collected the parchments, Manami still managed to write small answers to other questions, and the situation didn't seem so dire. The class ended five minutes later, the students still had time to get their homework, and then they were released. But Manami wasn't going to leave so quickly — he still wanted to somehow help Toudou even if he knew that he was meddling in other people's relationships again.

“Do you have another lesson?” Manami asked when Onoda, standing up, put the quill and inkwell in his bag.

“No, I don't.”

“Neither do I. And Makishima?”

“Um. I don't know,” Onoda responded in bewilderment, and his tone became sad as if he had expected to hear something completely different.

“I have an idea,” Manami said, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “Look in your common room for his schedule, and if he has another lesson, pick him up afterwards and bring him to the broomstick room. Make something up. Any excuse.”

“Huh?” Onoda was amazed, widening his eyes. “W-why is that?”

“I'm going to leave and close the office,” Professor's stern voice was heard, and Manami hurried Onoda towards the exit, realising that they were left alone in the classroom.

Already in the corridor, Manami took Onoda by the elbow, stopping him, and said in a whisper now, “If he doesn't want to go to Hogsmeade, let them spend time where no one will disturb them — anyway, no one goes to the broomstick room now because it's too cold to fly. I'll sneak into the kitchen; will grab some food and another warm blanket from the dormitory. And I'll bring Toudou, of course. It will be cool.”

“Oh,” Onoda nodded understandingly. “You want me to lure Makishima there without explaining why it really is? What if he doesn't want to?”

“He has to,” Manami said slightly frowning. “It's for Toudou. Moreover, that's a compromise. Basically, they both won't get what they want, but they'll get something... in between?”

“M,” Onoda said a little thoughtfully and then nodded. “Okay. I'll try to help.” He chuckled suddenly and added, “Why are we trying to interfere in their relationship again like last Christmas? Don't you think we went too far that time? Wouldn't it be better to let them deal with each other on their own?”

“Well…” Manami replied in confusion, bowing his head. Onoda seemed to be right, even with all of Manami's arguments.

“No,” Onoda suddenly said, which made Manami blinked in surprise, looking at him, and saw fervour and confidence in his eyes. “Damn, let's do it — I want it too.”

Not expecting such a drastic change, Manami was confused again, but before he had time to say something, Onoda waved his palm and ran to the stairs.

“I'll go get my job done.”

“Oh… well…” Manami replied although Onoda could hardly have heard him.

Still standing in the empty hallway, Manami blinked and then grinned, remembering with all the fuss and test that he had forgotten about his valentine again. Would he give it today or not, really?

But there was no time to waste in mentally scolding himself.

Manami headed for the stairs himself, but unlike Onoda, he went downstairs to the ground floor and hurried to the common room of his House. There, he looked at the sixth-years' schedule and found that Toudou had no more classes for today. For a moment, Manami was afraid that he wouldn't find him but exhaled with relief when he knocked on his dormitory and Toudou opened the door himself.

“Are you going to Hogsmeade?” Manami asked quickly and too excitedly, looking around the room, which appeared to be empty.

“Uh... no,” Toudou replied, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “What happened, little one? Have you been running around school?”

“No! I mean yes,” Manami shook his head and pressed his palm to his chest for a second, trying to regain even breathing. “Listen, can you wait for me here? I have a case! I need to see Professor... uh... our Head. About detention. It's not for long!”

“And?” Toudou asked, apparently not suspecting anything strange.

“Will you practice with me afterwards?” Manami said hopefully and kept himself from wanting to squeeze his eyes shut.

“Today?” Toudou grinned for some reason but quickly made a serious face. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Manami asked in surprise, thinking he'd have to convince Toudou since he hated the cold, but it seemed that luck was finally on his side today.

Smiling, Manami nodded and headed to his dormitory to empty his bag again. He took only the valentine, and instead of textbooks and parchments, he shoved the folded bedspread he had taken from his bed. After that, he had to leave the common room and find time to make his way into the kitchen without anyone seeing him. Work was in full swing there: House-elves hurried back and forth, preparing a festive dinner, which, by the looks of the food they had already prepared, was going to be impressive. Manami had a big appetite as he gazed at the abundance of treats for dessert, but he pulled himself together, remembering that he had about an hour left to get everything ready and bring Toudou to the broomstick room. Therefore, Manami picked up the most delicious, in his opinion, food, which could vaguely remind him of McDonald's, took a bottle of pumpkin juice, and then made his way back into the corridor, still unable to resist eating a couple of honey cakes on the way.

After that, he had to go unnoticed into the broomstick room, but near the door itself, Manami remembered that he didn't take the key with him, so he had to take out his wand and apply the Unlocking Charm to the lock. Feeling as if he were breaking the rules again, he walked into the middle of the bright room with its unique atmosphere and, sank to the floor, began pulling out everything he had brought from his bag. He set down the food and juice as neatly as he could, put the folded bedspread next to it, and straightened up, assessing his work.

Smiling, Manami thought that he wouldn't mind spending a couple of hours here alone with Onoda. Maybe they would do it next year since it didn't work out now? Although next year they'd be third-years and would be allowed to go to Hogsmeade. All the older guys said that it was cool there; you could buy a lot of interesting things and have fun.

I wonder if Onoda will be able to convince Makishima to come here? Manami thought for a moment but quickly shook his head, realising that there could be no other way. Onoda'd surely succeed — Manami believed in this.

Back in the common room, Manami glanced at his watch and realised he still had fifteen minutes to spare. Just enough time to catch his breath and tune in to play the final part of his role. And let Toudou probably scold him for this game — if he was happy in the end, Manami was ready. Ultimately, Toudou deserved this bit of happiness on a day like this.

When Manami went for him again, having put on his warm cloak for show, there were only junior students in the common room (between one couple near the window, there had even been a touching confession, which Manami had overheard), and the middle and senior courses, who had already finished their lessons, were on their way to Hogsmeade or already there. Toudou opened the door again, defiantly pulled on warm gloves on his hands and went first, forcing Manami to even hurry a little after him. If they come first, I'll have to explain, Manami realised, biting his lip, but he didn't have to.

In the underground corridor, Toudou suddenly spoke up.

“You're acting willfully again, right, Sangaku?” he asked, and Manami flinched, looking up at his back.

“Um—”

“Are you going to arrange a meeting for me with Yuusuke, I guess right?”

“H-how did you guess?” Manami surprised, not understanding why Toudou went with him if he already knew the truth.

“You didn't play well. You were nervous. And I knew what you were up to because I already know what you're capable of.”

“Well,” Manami said frustrated and lowered his head.

“Thank you,” Toudou said nonetheless, surprising again. “I'm pleased with your concern even though you go too far. And you'd be upset if I just told you I wasn't going anywhere?” Stopping and turning to face Manami, Toudou ran his hand over his shoulder and smiled faintly. “But Yuusuke isn't so easy to persuade. And most likely, he won't come because I screwed up and went overboard too. But... let's try?”

“Uh-huh,” Manami nodded, hearing his own voice tremble.

Together they went to the ground floor and headed for the broomstick room, but the rest of the way Manami no longer felt confident that everything would work out. After his play was revealed, he thought that everything else would certainly fail, but surprisingly before the last turn, when he raised his head, he saw Onoda walking towards them. Onoda and... Makishima.

“The broomstick room, then?” he said, grinning a little as they stopped in front of each other, and Manami blinked in shock, looking first at Makishma, then at Toudou. They didn't even look like they were arguing over something after lunch. They looked at each other... with warmth? As if neither Manami nor Onoda were here at all.

“Um, yes,” Manami said, remembering that he had to say something. “I brought food there and the warm bedspread.”

“Wow, what a service,” Makishima chuckled, and Toudou's cheeks flushed with a pale blush.

“Not bad, little one,” Toudou said and ruffled Manami's hair roughly. “I'm amazed.”

“Yeah,” Makishima agreed. “You can give him a job when he grows up.”

“No, really,” Toudou smiled, dropping his hand. “He'll go far. Maybe even to the national team.”

Hearing this, Manami was terribly embarrassed. It was strange and embarrassing for him to find out that Toudou thought about his abilities this way, but before he could figure out what to say, Toudou and Makishima had already headed towards the broomstick room, leaving him and Onoda alone.

“So he revealed you too?” Manami said slowly, looking at their backs.

“Yeah,” Onoda confirmed. “I thought it was the end, but he just agreed to come with me. Imagine how I was surprised.”

“Yes, me too,” Manami nodded and turned.

He met Onoda's gaze, and for a few seconds they just stared at each other, not saying another word, until both seemed to feel uncomfortable with the prolonged silence.

“Why, by the way...” Manami began uncertainly, looking to the side, “was Naruko yelling in the morning? I heard him.”

“Oh, this,” Onoda perked up, but the voice still sounded awkward. “He decided to argue with Imaizumi about who will get the most valentines. They really have a whole bunch of them already.”

“Oh,” Manami replied in surprise, looking again at Onoda, who was blushing for some reason. “Any luck?”

“Well, so far it's a draw. If they don't get more today, no one will win,” Onoda shrugged.

“They won't,” Manami smiled, already knowing the answer from somewhere. “By the way,” he said, shoving with his hand in the right sleeve of his cloak. “Oh, I forgot—”

He tried to find the hidden valentine, deciding that he could get it in front of Onoda in some sort of a showy way, but bad luck — for some reason the valentine wasn't found.

“Damn, where is it? Really lost?” already frowning, Manami muttered to himself under his breath, searched again, then just took off his cloak and shook it a couple of times over the floor.

The valentine finally fell out. Manami quickly picked it up, throwing the cloak over his hand, and held it out to Onoda.

“I'm sorry.”

“Th-thanks,” Onoda thanked awkwardly, accepting the valentine. “I was beginning to think that you didn't receive mine in the morning. Hmm...” he added ambiguously, twisting the cardboard pink heart on both sides. “Sangaku? Is it blank?”

“Oh, yes,” Manami said and laughed awkwardly. “I forgot to fill it after all. Sorry!”

“It's okay,” Onoda smiled. “It's all right. I like it anyway.”

“Me too,” Manami replied, biting his lip for a second. “I was very pleased when I read what you wrote in your valentine. I'd tell you the same thing, but you most likely won't understand. Or maybe you'll understand later.”

Blushing again, Onoda almost dared to ask something but changed his mind and instead just silently held out his hand. Manami took it almost immediately. And he immediately thought that he'd definitely go crazy if he didn't break this unbearably embarrassing eye contact.

One week had barely passed since the fourteenth of February, and on a new Monday, still at breakfast, the Head of the House handed out to all second-years forms and lists with additional subjects, from which they should choose something for themselves for the next year. Manami wasn't particularly happy about this news — for some reason he hadn't thought at all that something like this could happen although he saw well that the schedule of middle and senior courses contained disciplines unfamiliar to him. Last year, Fukutomi and Arakita, for example, had taken Arithmancy. Toudou studied Ancient Runes, and Shinkai took classes in the Care of Magical Creatures. After the fifth year, all students seemed to be able to change their curriculum again and leave only those subjects that would be needed for their future specialty, but Manami didn't know what to choose now for him, a second-year.

Of course, the list of subjects included an introductory description of each one, and reading it would give him some idea of the classes, but it honestly didn't help matters that much.

His decision had to be submitted to the Head by mid-March, and Manami, even a week after the lists were issued, still didn't know what to choose. He only had a couple of dubious ideas. He asked the older companions if they liked their additional subjects, but their explanations were either too vague or contained too many minuses.

On top of that, Toudou told him that on the first Sunday in March, everyone on the team had to come to the Quidditch pitch, which meant resuming practice, and Manami realised that soon he'd definitely not have time to think about his curriculum.

He could have chosen something at random in the end, but he put it off when Miyahara revealed in the middle of the week before Charm class that she'd take Muggle Studies, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes for the third year.

“So much?” Manami asked almost doomily, looking at Miyahara's list, which was all covered with some notes and check marks. She seemed to take her choice of subjects more seriously than he did. “Why would you want to take Muggle Studies anyway? You—” Manami lowered his voice to a whisper. “You're from a Muggle family yourself, and you know all about them.”

“It doesn't mean anything yet,” Miyahara replied sternly and pushed her list aside in displeasure. “It's very interesting to know exactly how wizards see Muggles and where they went wrong.”

“Going to lecture the professor, it seems clear,” Manami nodded.

“Not at all!” Miyahara protested, scowling at him. “But I found out that this subject is taught by a pureblood wizard, though it seems to me that this position should have taken by half-blood or even— Oh well.”

Manami didn't reply to this (although he'd have assumed that because of the workload his friend would only be doing lessons around the clock), only shrugged, and then he fell asleep almost immediately as soon as Professor entered the office and started lesson.

Nevertheless, the conversation with Miyahara was thought-provoking. Manami remembered that there was also Onoda among his classmates, and that it would be nice to know what subjects he had chosen.

On the same day, after a quick lunch, Manami sat down with Onoda in the Great Hall, causing Naruko immediately got up from his seat and left, which was repeated by Imaizumi a little later and a little slower.

“Were you also told to choose additional subjects until mid-March?” Manami asked, looking after Imaizumi.

Onoda put the half-eaten apple pie on his plate and nodded hastily, reaching for the napkin.

“Naruko and I have already chosen. Imaizumi's still thinking about the last one.”

“And what did you choose?” Manami smiled, trying not to look too happy because he can now talk to Onoda almost privately.

“Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures.”

“Arithmancy, seriously?” losing a smile, Manami asked, feeling about the same as it was with Miyahara. “What for? Arakita told me that he almost had a nervous breakdown because of this subject.”

“Well,” Onoda laughed awkwardly. “I didn't care basically, and since the three of us are going to this subject, I thought it would not be so bad.”

“And Naruko too?”

“Naruko didn't want to, but he and Imaizumi had an argument about... intelligence—”

“Really?” Manami sighed, realising that some of the students therefore chose subjects because they were egged on. “By the way,” he suddenly perked up, remembering Onoda's second subject. “The Care of Magical Creatures is interesting. Maybe I should also choose this subject? Maybe we could be in the same class with you.”

“Oh, I'd be glad if we could go together,” Onoda was delighted.

“But I have to choose another one,” Manami said, puzzled, and wearily rested his chin on his hand.

“I thought you'd definitely choose Divination?" Onoda added a little confused, and Manami, turning, caught his questioning glance.

“Divination?”

“Yes. I think this subject suits you. It's... you could say it's about ways to see into the future, right?”

Blinking a couple of times, Manami tried to remember what he had read about Divination, and it looked like Onoda was right. Maybe this subject really was right?

“Oh, thank you, Sakamichi. You seem to have solved my problem.” Manami smiled as he hurriedly rose from the bench. “God, I'm so glad I don't have to think about it anymore. I'll hand it over to the Head now, and on Sunday we have our first training!”

“Eh? On Sunday? But the pitch—” Onoda muttered in surprise, but Manami was already heading for the door.

“Thanks again!” he said goodbye, waving his hand, and quickly left the hall.

Even before the next lesson started, Manami handed in his completed form and felt free. Study was a study, but the next months he was going to devote only to Quidditch, and he needed all the energy to try to keep discipline and learn Kuroda's instructions.

That was why on Sunday, when it was time to come to the Quidditch pitch, Manami wasn't even late but upon entering the changing room to his surprise found only a light layer of dust and silence.

So where was everyone? Was he so eager to show his best in the first training session after the break that he came too early?

Not understanding anything, Manami went back outside and stepped onto the path that led to the field. His feet immediately fell ankle-deep into the sleet, causing him to climb back onto the broom, cursing softly. And why was there still snow here, when everything around the castle had already melted? How would they do a warm up in such conditions?

Hearing distant voices, Manami nevertheless went to the field and there finally found everyone. There were both the core team and the senior students, but from the juniors and middles Manami didn't really notice anyone except for himself and Kuroda. And the guys didn't change into uniforms but were still in winter cloaks. What were they doing at all?

“Jinpachi, how are we—” Manami asked as he flew right up to Toudou and winced again as his feet sank in the snow. “Are we just going to fly?”

“Have you thought about practice?” Toudou smiled suspiciously. “Otherwise you wouldn't have come here, of course. But no. Today we're doing no training but cleaning.”

“What?” Manami groaned, hearing Shinkai and Izumida grinning somewhere behind Toudou's back.

“We need to remove all the snow from the field, and the field is large, as you can see,” Toudou said with a wave of his hand. “They even decided to call the second-years.”

“But I'm the only second-year here!” Manami corrected.

“That's right,” Toudou agreed thoughtfully, clambering onto his broom. “Take your wand and remember the Hot-Air Charm. Just dry it until the end, okay? Otherwise, the pitch will freeze up at night, and then someone will slip and be injured. We'll have a real practice tomorrow after school.”

Saying this, Toudou smiled again and flew off to the opposite side of the field, where Shinkai and Izumida followed him on their brooms. Manami frowned in displeasure, feeling deceived, but still obediently clambered back onto the broom and rummaged in his robe pocket to get his wand.

“And why should students do this? One of the professors would probably be able to clear all the snow here in just a minute,” he grumbled to himself, directing a warm stream of air down from his wand.

It took time for at least a small area of snow to melt and for the withered grass to show beneath it. Manami got bored and decided to try increasing the temperature, which made the snow melt really fast. But after that, the dry grass suddenly flared up, extensively burst into flames, and Manami raised his wand in horror.

“Not! Don't burn!” he panicked, and the next second the flame did really disappear, but not at the behest of the guilty one.

It was Kuroda. He appeared from somewhere nearby and made the fire go out with just one wave of his wand.

“Well, what a nonsense? Who does that at all? You was said to dry, not burn,” he scolded with displeasure, pointing to a black spot on the ground Manami had left behind.

“I've never removed the snow!” Manami said in his defense. “And the first time I picked up the wand only last year! What am I doing here when none of the other second-years have even been invited?”

“Toudou said you were good with Charms,” Kuroda replied with a weary sigh. “But now I see that he overestimated you. Strength is not equal to skill. Any charm needs to be balanced.”

Pointing his wand down, Kuroda made another snowdrift melt with dexterous sweeping movements, and the old grass under it remained dry and untouched.

“Oh,” Manami said stupidly, amazed at such skill. Fast and efficient!

“You're so much trouble, in fact,” Kuroda said, looking in his direction.

“Sorry,” Manami laughed apologetically. “You're so great at it — I'm even a little jealous.”

“Since you're here, try your best — you should succeed too,” Kuroda frowned, pointing his wand down again. “And this not only about clearing snow.”

“With such an inspiring mentor, I can definitely do it,” Manami laughed again, to which Kuroda just rolled his eyes and flew away to get back to work.

Manami took his wand too, now intending to keep a close eye on the controls. He shouldn't have given up on some kind of cleaning, knowing that he possessed magical abilities that the elders believed in.

In addition, he was going to train on this field and then fight in the final game in the spring. Today was a new beginning in a way, and Manami, thinking about it and directing a stream of warm air downward, felt himself regaining his resolve to move forward.

Chapter Text

The first training session, despite the still cool weather, was quite successful and even ended in a short match. Not all guys found it easy to return to their previous form after a long break, but the core team showed pretty good results, according to Mr. Kanzaki, who had come to watch the practice. He praised Arakita and Toudou for playing well in their positions although the reason for their excellent performance, Manami guessed, wasn't at all trying to play better, but rather trying to annoy each other in any way. He didn't know what kind of strife they had again, and he'd have asked Toudou about it personally after dinner if he hadn't accidentally remembered one important thing that he could well have missed, just like it was with the holiday dedicated to love.

March had begun, yes. And it wasn't limited to just resuming Quidditch practice and the upcoming official games. Manami remembered well that a match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was scheduled for the thirty-first day of the month, but in his fixation on Quidditch, he had completely forgotten about another event that had already fallen on this Wednesday. Actually, it was only one day left. And this was another problem, in fact no worse than the one that had happened on the fourteenth of February. The only difference was that now there was a little more time for awareness.

Because of this, Manami didn't even look at his plate during dinner and hardly felt the taste of food. The gaze was fixed on the Gryffindor table, or rather on Onoda, who could be seen now and then between the backs of the students blocking him, who were sitting at other tables. And it was after all his style — not even to remind. Did the coming special day still have no value and was... not so special?

“In what world did your irrepressible consciousness go this time?” the familiar voice returned Manami to reality, and he, blinking, lifted his head to see Toudou approaching.

He still looked exhausted from his practice and had a condescending, tired smile on his face.

“I'm here,” Manami answered hastily, thinking that it would be better not to give reasons to berate himself again for lack of concentration.

But it seemed to be all right — Toudou was in no hurry to get angry but sat down on the vacant seat near Manami and, leaning on the tabletop, propped his cheek with his fingers.

“Juichi wanted me to talk to you. Although I actually think it's too early for that,” Toudou said suddenly, to which Manami tilted his head with interest. “He noticed that you communicate with that boy. With Sakamichi.”

“Oh,” Manami said almost resignedly, losing his smile. “Is that so bad?”

“No, that's not what I mean at all,” Toudou replied, waving his free hand in the air. “I mean that flying with him won't be a new experience for you. Have you ever done it seriously or just for fun?”

Blinking in surprise, Manami looked away and involuntarily felt himself beginning to frown.

Was it worth answering as it was? He and Onoda had tried it once. And actually, Manami had lost in that impromptu race.

“Gryffindor scored 590 points in the first game,” Toudou continued without waiting for an answer. “We have a thousand now. Juichi predicts they'll chase us.”

“What?” Manami asked confusedly, distracted from his thoughts.

“If, of course, their Seeker can stall the time when necessary, and that's very likely to be needed, actually,” Toudou finished, and Manami looked at him with displeasure.

“What do you mean by that?”

“That Gryffindor is even more serious opponent this time than last year,” Toudou explained, his tone becoming stern. “If Jiuichi's thinking about the end results so early on, he admits it too.”

“He wants to know if Sakamichi can take the risk and not catch the Snitch until a certain point? Yes,” Manami said, blurting out the last word before he had time to think about it well.

Toudou's eyebrows rose in amazement, and he gave Manami an odd look.

“Now that's interesting... You didn't hesitate for a second...” Toudou remarked, for some reason smiling slyly.

“You wanted me to answer the question, didn't you?” Manami said, turning away.

“But I didn't think you got to know your bespectacled friend that well. So he really exceeds all my expectations. Now it's clear why you chose him.”

“I choose him?”

“As your rival,” Toudou explained. “You unraveled his abilities from the beginning, and you needed the best.”

Hearing the latter, Manami realised that his cheeks were flushed for a moment. And why did Toudou's words sound so awkward when he was just talking about sports?

“What happens if they catch up with us on points?” Manami asked, pulling himself together.

“This means that in the final we'll fight with them on equal terms,” Toudou replied with a smile in his gambling tone. “It's fantastic. With our line-up, there has never been such a tense final as it can happen this year.”

“Oh, you think so?” Manami asked, feeling uncomfortable again for some reason, and Toudou nodded vigorously.

“You bet I do. It's so inspiring to me! Now I want to meet Yuusuke in the game even more! I'll give it my best! I hope you're in the same mood!”

“Yeah,” Manami smiled, feeling that he simply couldn't disagree with Toudou now. Not at this moment, when he was beaming with inspiration and desire to play a great match.

Sakamichi and I will also have a meeting, which we have been waiting for so long, Manami reminded himself, pleasantly aware of how he was getting closer and closer to his cherished goal, which overshadowed even the desire to change in the eyes of others. As the finale approached, all this only seemed more and more insignificant. Except—

“What are you thinking about with that awfully complicated face?” Toudou exhaled in frustration, and Manami looked up at him.

“It's Sakamichi's birthday this Wednesday,” he said quickly.

“It's the day after tomorrow? So what? Is that a problem?” Toudou asked and immediately narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Wait, though… I think I know. You have forgotten everything again, and you don't even have a present,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice, not even a questioning tone, which made Manami cringe. He was that hopeless, wasn't he? Toudou had no doubt that it could be something else.

“Yes, I forgot to buy something,” Manami admitted with a little shame. “I was so busy with a Christmas present that I didn't think about a birthday present. I could have looked for something while I was at home.”

“These Muggle shops?” Toudou raised an eyebrow. “Didn't he grow up among Muggles like you?”

“So what?”

“It's just... Maybe he'd be more interested in getting something magical?”

“Oh,” Manami smiled again. “It's great! Sakamichi gave me a funny piece of parchment for Christmas that completes phrases for you! It was so much fun...”

“You see,” Toudou nodded. “For people like you, enchanted gifts are much better option.”

“Anyway, I can't buy anything like that now,” Manami replied, looking away. “Even if I was allowed to visit Hogsmeade.”

“Hmm... you know,” Toudou said thoughtfully, and Manami was suddenly overcome with hope. He turned back, peering intently into Toudou's face, which brightened up with a smile again. “I can offer you something. I tried to make a new potion last semester. It makes you older, depending on the dose.”

“What?” Manami was surprised. “Seriously? How?”

“You can grow up a little; you can become quite an adult. You can even grow old! And I still have some left!” Toudou replied proudly, lifting his chin. “You could give it to Sakamichi. Do you want to see him... well, eighteen years old, for example?”

Admired at such a thing, Manami almost jumped on the bench. Magic could do that? It's just unbelievable then!

“Sure!”

“And the potion doesn't last long if you drink it once. By morning he'd be back to his old self and going to class as usual,” Toudou added then suddenly pointed his index finger in front of Manami's face, “but be warned... not only will he be taller if he takes this potion. His behaviour might also change, noticeably.”

“He'll act more mature too?” Manami smiled knowingly. “So that's interesting!”

“Interesting,” Toudou agreed. “But I warned you, be ready. You may like him too much, or maybe vice versa.”

“What are you talking about? It's Sakamichi,” Manami laughed awkwardly. “In any case, he'll remain himself, even if he changes in some ways. I want to see it — I'm sure it will be just cool!”

“Looks like I have no choice but to save you again?” Toudou smiled back and got to his feet while massaging his right shoulder, which seemed to ache after practice. “Okay, just don't abuse it.”

“It's the last time, for sure!” Manami promised confidently, making a grateful look.

“As if I have a choice in case of failure. Let's go,” Toudou waved his hand towards the exit, and Manami fussy grabbed a couple of muffins from the table to eat later — after the curfew.

He glanced at the visibly deserted Gryffindor table for a few seconds again as he neared the door — Onoda, Naruko, and Imaizumi had nevertheless stayed and were now talking vividly about something, seemingly having fun. The memory that arose from this came to mind involuntarily, and Manami admitted with annoyance that last year on Onoda's birthday everything went so-so, and no one could promise that it would be better this time. Onoda still had friends he spent most of his time with, and it was hard to tell if he would take even a couple of hours for Manami to try the potion and see the result. Besides, Onoda was also rather shy and cautious — he could refuse to drink anything suspicious at all.

But even with the thought of a possible failure, Manami felt more empowered when Toudou took him to the sixth-years' dormitory and found a small vial in a dresser drawer.

“Well, I think this should suffice,” Toudou said, holding out the vial, and Manami accepted it carefully.

“Do you have any more? I would try too.”

“No more,” Toudou replied displeased with a reproachful look. “Enough is enough, little one.”

“If I were you, I wouldn't take anything from him, let alone drink — you'll turn into a pretty chick,” Arakita muttered, sounding naturally drowsy, from his bed.

Shinkai, quietly discussing something with Fukutomi at the other end of the room, was distracted when he heard this and tried to hide his laugh. This didn't escape Toudou's attention, however — he cast a stern look first at Shinkai and then turned to Arakita.

“There's nothing wrong with my potions! And this turned out perfect — I tried it myself during the winter holidays, just so you know!”

“It's okay,” Manami laughed awkwardly, trying to intervene before Arakita said anything else. “I trust Jinpachi.”

“With what happened last year, it's quite touching,” Shinkai joined, causing Toudou to flush with anger.

“It was an accident! And the potion turned out quite well, given the complexity of the composition!”

Manami didn't immediately understand what this was about. It was only when he noticed Arakita grimaced he realised that he probably had the most unpleasant memories of the fourteenth of February last year, when he accidentally drank the love potion which made him behave strangely all day long.

“Thank you very much! You really helped me out!” Manami said quickly, turning to Toudou, and hurried to the exit until the guys remembered whose fault it was that Arakita had drunk something he wasn't supposed to.

Already in his dormitory, Manami hid the vial of the potion among his clothes until Wednesday and, closing the drawer, smiled — intuition told him that everything would be fine. Now he could stop worrying about anything and try to finish his History of Magic essay, which was due tomorrow.

The next day, Manami heard the good news. At lunch he overheard sixth-years' conversation that made it clear that the Hufflepuffs had taken over the Quidditch pitch for Wednesday. Fukutomi seemed not very happy with this news — he seemed to want to schedule a practice session for his team for this day, but for Manami this was very fortunate.

It was luck because everything turned out so that neither his team, nor Onoda's team would be busy practicing on Wednesday. He didn't want to lose such an opportunity now, and he had set himself up that he'd definitely fulfill his plans and at least give the potion as a gift, and what to do with it — let Onoda decide for himself.

On Wednesday, Manami wanted to wait and find him after school, but he decided to be on the safe side and send a short message first. During lunch, he took a piece of paper from his bag and wrote a couple of questions on it,

The message came out rather odd, but Manami thought about it too late — after he took his wand and enchanted the piece of paper to fly through all the tables straight to the addressee. Onoda didn't send anything back, but he approached when Manami stopped at the door, trying not to smile so clearly.

“I can't send you a note with a charm,” Onoda said a little displeased and embarrassed. “And what were you talking about? What do you mean, to have fun?”

“I want to give you something,” Manami admitted, hiding his hands behind his back in awkwardness — for some reason, it was only now the whole potion thing was beginning to seem a little too much for him. “How about after class?”

“Well… I have Charms after dinner, and then Herbology,” Onoda replied in confusion, glancing at Manami with slight curiosity. “And to give... is it because of the birthday?”

“I know you don't want too much attention,” Manami hastened to justify himself and smiled again. “It's just a little present — nothing too fancy! I'll meet you after Herbology, okay? Will you spend some time with me?”

“Of course,” Onoda replied quickly as if afraid to offend. “We still don't have practice today, and I'm free.”

And from your friends too? Manami thought but didn't ask out loud about anything else and grinned with relief. He felt gratitude and a sense of victory that Onoda would indeed prefer his company today, if only for a short while.

After this conversation, nothing could spoil the good mood. Manami went to his afternoon class and then briefly dropped in to the Owlery to feed the birds with biscuits taken from the Great Hall.

Half an hour before the end of Gryffindor's classes, he went out to the schoolyard so as not to miss the moment when Onoda's class would be returning from the greenhouse. It was a little chilly, but reapplying the warming charm to his jumper really smoothed things out, which made Manami sitting on an empty bench under a tree tempted to get his Firebolt and fly a little right now. But maybe he and Onoda could actually do a little flight later?

Assuming how else the afternoon might go, Manami didn't notice that the remaining time had already passed. Or was it just that the guys being let out of class earlier? Second-years from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were heading back to the castle in two small groups, and when Manami saw them, he quickly cheered up. While Naruko was talking about something to his classmates on the go, Onoda slowed down a bit, noticing Manami, and then completely changed course, heading straight for him. Nobody seemed to pay much attention to the straying student, except Imaizumi turned for a moment and looked at Naruko again, making a face like he was terribly tormented by a headache.

Manami wasn't watching any further — Onoda approached him with a slight smile on his lips, and for some reason he was overcome with anxious.

“Well, how's it going with your lessons?” Manami asked and, grabbing Onoda by the wrist, forced him to sit down next to him.

“Better not ask,” he laughed awkwardly. “The Charms were a nightmare. We practiced Incendio today, and Naruko accidentally set fire to Imaizumi's sleeve. I don't know which of them yelled louder.”

“Oh my God,” Manami exhaled, struggling to suppress a bursting laugh. “Imaizumi seems to be a good wizard. He can't fix it, can he?”

“Mm,” Onoda said thoughtfully, looking somewhere ahead. “I think he could if the left sleeve caught fire, not the right.”

“I see what you mean,” Manami chuckled, trying not to imagine this situation as comical as it appeared in his head. “Yeah. We practiced Incendio last week and nothing fun happened. By the way, I also learned to do it non-verbally.”

“Ugh, you won't let me forget how incredible you are,” Onoda smiled and hid this smile, burying himself in his scarlet and gold scarf.

“What? No, I'm not at all about that!” Manami objected, feeling uncomfortable. “It's just charms.”

“It's easy for you but not for others,” Onoda corrected, and, catching his short glance, Manami didn't even think to argue. “Does Professor know about your progress?”

“No,” Manami replied again, smiling as well. “It's only our secret.”

“Our?” Onoda asked, clearly puzzled.

“Sorry, not really,” Manami laughed awkwardly. “Some people know about it, but I think they won't tell Professor. I'd rather surprise him someday — I'll wait for the best moment.”

“Oh, well—” Onoda said hesitantly, and his smile became sad.

“Do you want us to have a special secret? Just for the two of us, huh?” Manami teased, which caused Onoda to blush and turn his face away. “Hey, you know what I'll tell you? Someday we'll have one. Our most special and the most our secret.”

“Why's that?” Onoda responded confusedly, hiding the lower part of his face in his scarf again.

“I don't know, I just feel that way,” Manami admitted with a shrug. “Wow, I think I made a prediction on your previous birthday too.”

“Yes,” Onoda agreed. “About... making something amazing... Would you be very upset if it didn't come true?”

“What are you talking about? Give it time,” Manami laughed again. “Maybe someday you'll discover abilities in yourself that you don't know about now. Like with Quidditch, for example.”

“I have really no idea what it could be,” Onoda smiled tightly, adjusting his scarf. “I've been told all day today that I have to play my best in this game and that I'm going to do great. Everyone has so much faith in me, and I can't figure out why I deserve such an attitude. Although... maybe this is just a common politeness on my birthday?”

“Maybe they just saw how you play?” Manami prompted, taking Onoda by the wrist and stroking. “It's hard to look at yourself from the outside, but how about trusting me at least? I looked at you. When you were out on the field chasing the Snitch, I could hardly breathe with delight.”

Onoda blinked and tensed perceptibly. He already opened his mouth to say something, perhaps to argue, but for some reason he didn't.

“Th-thanks,” he said quietly after a few seconds. “It sounds really wonderful from you.”

“So you're nervous for the upcoming match,” Manami realised, letting go of Onoda's hand. “But today's your birthday. It's the kind of day that's supposed to be fun.”

“Accept Naruko's offer of a party?” Onoda smiled skeptically, but Manami shook his head.

“It doesn't have to be like this. I have a present for you. And if you decide to try it now, it might be very interesting.”

“What are you talking about?” Onoda asked cautiously.

Manami rummaged through the pockets of his robes and, finding the vial of potion, handed it to Onoda.

“With this you can get older. Even grow old, as Toudou told me. Depending on the dose you drink,” Manami explained, watching as Onoda, with slight curiosity, took the vial and held it up to the light.

“Grow old?”

“There isn't enough here to grow old,” Manami corrected. “Five or six years will only be added.”

“Are you serious?” Onoda was amazed, looking at him with complete incomprehension. “This drink would make me older? Really?”

“Yes! It's magic!” Manami answered too excitedly and laughed. “You'll grow up and not only in height. Toudou gave me this potion. He brewed and tasted it himself, so it's safe!”

“Oh,” Onoda said, puzzled, looking at the vial again. “But this, it turns out, is just an incredible thing. Really... what could it be used for, except for some sort of trickery?” he asked, grinning. “I mean, I'm not saying that I don't like it. I'm just confused, I guess?”

“You don't have to deceive anyone,” Manami hastened to reply.” You can use it as entertainment. Or just keep it to yourself — it might come in handy someday. In any case, it's yours. Toudou simply advised that some magical gift would be better for someone who grew up among Muggles. That's why I thought.”

“It's too cool a gift,” Onoda said. “I'm even embarrassed to accept it, to be honest. And to drink too.”

“Would you like to drink?” Manami asked, feeling hope.

“I'd lose count if I tried to remember how many times I was bullied because of my height,” Onoda chuckled. “Of course, I'd like to know what it's like to be taller, and more mature too.”

“That's it!” Manami encouraged. “On your birthday, in my opinion, you have to do something like that!”

“Would you like to drink it yourself?” Onoda asked, and Manami quickly shook his head.

“I don't care what I will be, but I'd really like to see Sakamichi!”

“It's funny,” Onoda smiled. “It's like a gift for two at once.”

“Well... yes?” Manami agreed thoughtfully. “It turned out awkward, probably.”

“It's okay, I'll drink it,” Onoda said unexpectedly, and Manami involuntarily turned to him even more strongly. “How long will it last? How long will I be like this?”

“Toudou said it should be back to the way it was in the morning.”

“Okay. I think we can try,” Onoda nodded a little tensely and carefully uncorked the cap.

He raised the vial to his lips — Manami didn't take his eyes off for a second, frozen with anxious expectation, even stopped breathing. It took Onoda one small sip to drink all of it, and when he lowered his head and hand with the empty vial, Manami almost trembled, trying to imagine what would happen now, but—

Nothing seemed to have happened.

“It tastes strange,” Onoda said simply, pushing the cap back in.

Manami looked at him with all the attention he was capable of, but the result was no different. Onoda... was still Onoda. Just as he was this morning or last night.

“And... you don't feel anything?” Manami asked quietly, already beginning to feel disappointment, to which Onoda only shrugged.

“It seems not. Should it work right away?”

“I didn't ask about it, but it seemed to me that it would work right away,” Manami turned around and, resting his elbows on his knees, put his chin on his palms. “For example, like the time Arakita drank love potion by my mistake. Maybe it works longer, like the ones for splicing bones or for colds? Although those are all healing potions, and this— No, since Toudou said that it was only for a day, it has to work right away!  Maybe... it's old, and therefore there's no result? He brewed it last term, so—”

“Sangaku,” a voice interrupted his monologue.

“That must be awful,” Manami continued, not having noticed the catch yet, and when he nevertheless turned his head to look at Onoda, he jerked to the side in surprise.

He slid across the bench, couldn't hold, and fell to the ground, but, even plopping down on his ass, he couldn't take his eyes off, couldn't even figure out that he had fallen.

All because— Because after all, yes—

“Sangaku,” Onoda repeated again but now more restless.

He had already got up, almost reaching out his arms to help him up, but Manami suddenly, as if he had been electrocuted, jumped to his feet and, unaware what he was doing, took a defensive posture.

“W-what... you—” he uttered with difficulty, not believing his eyes, and then he laughed altogether when Onoda finally straightened up in front of him. “Sakamichi, these trousers are obviously short for you. And the sleeves too!”

Wow, did that really work?

Manami grabbed his stomach and wiped away the tears that had come out, trying to stop laughing. He really had already said goodbye to the hope that he'd see the result of the potion. But now, everything was exactly as Toudou promised — Onoda grew up, became really taller, wider in the shoulders, so that his cloak was no longer wide on him but practically tight, and his face... ugh.

“It seemed to have worked,” Onoda said, looking at his raised hands in front of him. He tried to pull the sleeves of his cloak lower, but that didn't help much.

“Blimey,” Manami breathed out and, shaking his head, moved closer, taking out his wand from his pocket along the way. “Sakamichi, you're really like an adult...”

“Are you sure?” Onoda asked in his strange voice, which was different from the way it had been just a few moments ago — the timbre somehow changed, became lower, and the words sounded calm and almost languid. Awesome, Manami thought, biting his lip and pressing the tip of his wand against Onoda's sleeve, staring into the sleeve so hard as if he was forced by an invisible force that couldn't be resisted.

“The saleswoman in Diagon Alley did it — so it was real.”

Actually, Manami wasn't sure of his words — he had never had to shorten or lengthen clothes, but since he had learned how to turn quills into convenient simulations of ordinary pens, it probably shouldn't have been more difficult.

A couple of tries, and the result wasn't long in coming. The sleeves became the right length, even a little longer than required, and then Manami pointed his wand down to correct the length of the trousers as well.

While he was doing all this, he felt comfortable, distracted, but when there was no longer need for magic, he had to venture into what now seemed beyond his strength. To look—

And it was completely different. Lifting his eyes rather than lowering them to look into Onoda's eyes as they stood so close together; feeling small, feeling some strangely pleasant weakness and an unaccustomed pull that was also somehow different now.

“Thank you. That's much better,” Onoda said suddenly, and his voice was still so impossible that Manami felt a wave of slight trembling. He couldn't figure out if he liked the result, but all his inner feelings seemed to be screaming too loudly about the obvious.

“Are you talking about clothes or about your height?” he asked cautiously, staring intently into the eyes — the only thing that seemed to stay the same.

“About both,” Onoda smiled. “Being tall is cooler than I thought.”

“Cooler,” Manami repeated involuntarily, agreeing that he had exactly the same feeling now. “And that's all? How about the rest? Do you feel something else?” he asked curiously.

Onoda took a step back, quickly gave himself a thoughtful look, looked at Manami again, and shrugged ambiguously.

“I guess I feel quite natural, except perhaps...”

“What?” Manami asked persistently and with excitement.

“I feel as if you have changed rather than me,” Onoda replied, smiling again, and Manami somehow calmed down as if a difficult exam had suddenly been canceled.

He felt much more confident — he was even able to come up to be very close again to studyly touch Onoda, starting from his hands and sliding his palms onto his chest. It was as if he was touching a completely different person — the brain was deluded although on the other hand it realised that it was actually the same Onoda, just bigger. And Manami... seemed even liked it.

Barely controlling himself, he put his hands under the cloak, ran his fingers over the sweater, aiming to reach his back, but Onoda suddenly broke everything off — grabbed his wrists gently and pulled out his palms.

“I think you're overdoing it now,” Onoda explained in a slightly guilty tone, and Manami awkwardly pulled back, feeling now some kind of strange embarrassment.

“Sorry, but you're so—” he tried to say. “I don't know, strong?”

“You get that feeling because now you're smaller,” Onoda replied, but Manami stubbornly shook his head.

“Do you know what I was thinking? Your ability to fly!”

“What's with it?”

“Do you think it has changed? No, it just has to! I'm sure that now you'll fly much more amazingly!” Manami declared with growing delight and anticipation. “Let's try! Let's go to the broomstick room and get ours!”

He grabbed Onoda by the wrist and dragged him towards the large doors.

“Okay,” he replied, adjusting to the hurried step, then he himself went beside him, and Manami, releasing his hand, caught himself thinking that something inexplicably special was happening at that moment. They were just going back to school — so why were his cheeks burning so much and his heart beating so fast? Did he really like the result of the potion so much that he was willing to lose control of himself and his emotions over and over again?

But before Manami could to think about it, they were met in the hall by someone he'd already forgotten about and probably in vain because it could just ruin everything, and it was Naruko and Imaizumi—

They bumped into them at the corner, and the first thing that Manami saw afterwards was their stunned faces, once they realised what was wrong. Of course, no one warned them that their friend would suddenly grow up and walk around the school looking like that. Didn't Onoda really feel weird about it?

“Crazy as fuck, have something wrong with my eyes?” Naruko exclaimed first and began to desperately rub his eyes with his fists.

Imaizumi, unlike him, remained silent although there was still a slight misunderstanding mixed with confusion on his face, but he seemed to be coming up with an explanation of what had happened in his head. And yes, now he and Onoda were practically the same height — Onoda was even a little taller.

“Is it really you, Sakamichi?” leaving his face alone, Naruko spoke again. He jumped straight to Onoda, grabbed him by the elbow, and then slapped him on the shoulder with some feigned caution that made Manami want to rewind time and choose a different path so as not to collide with them at all. “Did you jump over a few years when you had to grow up just for a year?”

“What are you babbling about? He just took the Ageing Potion, right?” Imaizumi winced and gave Onoda an attentive look.

“That's right,” he said, looking at his friends with an awkward smile. “I'm sorry, it's so sudden. I hadn't planned it in advance.”

“Where did you get it?” slightly squinting, Imaizumi asked but, looking at Manami, immediately added, “No, don't answer — I got it. I hope you were sure that you gave him a quality specimen?”

“What do you mean?” Manami said, looking at him darkly. “Do you think I could—”

“Did you come back for me?” Onoda asked, drawing Imaizumi's attention to himself, and Imaizumi nodded curtly.

“I was actually trying to convince one little redhead to put it off and not bother you yet.”

“It doesn't matter!” Naruko intervened, who had been at a standstill until that moment. “What kind of potion is this? If it makes you taller, I want to try it too!”

“It makes you not only taller but also more mature, you idiot. How did you listen to?” Imaizumi told him with displeasure. “And such potions aren't toys or entertainment for you.”

Manami rolled his eyes in annoyance, folding his arms over his chest. Does someone have to be such a pain in the ass and ruin everything?

“It's nothing. It's all right, Shunsuke, really,” Onoda said in a rather convincing tone, which made Imaizumi silent as if he had agreed with everything in a second.

Manami was even surprised at that, and then his attention was distracted by the gazes and whispers of a group of Ravenclaws that walked past them.

“Everyone will be stunned!” Naruko grabbed Onoda's elbow again. “Let's go to the common room — there are all ours now! The old man and the captain have prepared something really cool for you, you'll definitely like it!”

That's it, Manami thought, realising that now his whole plan was irrevocably ruined. Because Onoda would go with them. Just as it has always been...

“Not now,” to his surprise, Manami heard and looked in surprise at Onoda, who took Naruko's hand from his elbow. “I'll come to the common room later, okay?”

“Well...” Naruko was confused, taking a step back and raising his eyebrows in amazement. “Good. We'll wait for you then... there, right?”

“Yeah,” Onoda nodded with a smile, and then Naruko turned and walked towards the stairs.

Imaizumi paused for a short while and also left behind, and Manami had no choice but to just stare at their backs and... not believe. Did it really happen? Did they retreat so calmly? And Onoda—

“What? You have such a strange face,” he asked, and Manami looked at him with disbelief and suspicion.

“Did you seriously refuse them? Because of me?”

“We agreed to go to the broomstick room, didn't we?” Onoda answered calmly, which made Manami feel like an idiot.

“Oh sure! Of course we did!” he quickly said, looking at Onoda, who had already taken one step down the corridor but for some reason slowed down.

“I try to take every opportunity to spend more time with you,” he explained, to which Manami opened his mouth in shock as if he had heard the most incredible revelation in his life. “I remember that you'd like it, I'd like it too.”

“Oh yeah?” Manami asked stupidly, realising that he seemed to be embarrassed.

“Don't you believe me? “Onoda grinned, turning back around. “I miss you, actually. And quite often.”

This seemed to be the last straw. Looking down at the floor, Manami almost gasped, and when he was able to come to his senses a little, he couldn't restrain himself and hugged Onoda tightly, burying his face in his shoulder, even if that only made it even more exciting.

“Should I have shown this to you earlier? Ugh, I'm sorry...” Onoda apologized, hugging in response, and Manami realised that this hug with such Onoda was still something too unusual for him to bear it.

Therefore, unsurely freeing himself, Manami looked down again and clenched his fists, trying to calm the trembling in his fingers. Because of this whole situation, it completely slipped his mind what they were doing and where they were going until Onoda nevertheless offered to go for the brooms. Manami broke out of his trance, tried to calm down again, which seemed to be quite successful as they headed down the corridor, ignoring the glances of a couple of students who met on the way. These were girls from middle courses, and they looked at Onoda in such a way that Manami involuntarily felt like the luckiest person in the world because in fact he would be with this cool guy in the future. With Onoda. Only with him.

Having almost forgotten everything again, he turned first towards the broomstick room but quickly pulled up because they weren't alone here. A group of guys stood near the entrance, one of whom was opening the door with a key, and Manami turned to Onoda, stopping him too.

“Hufflepuffs,” Manami said, and chuckled at his funny idea that came at that moment. He looked at the guys, then again at Onoda and said loudly, “The team is going to practice, it seems. Do they plan on beating Gryffindor when their incredible Seeker is there? Although I understand, Slytherin also has a hard time accepting this realisation.”

“You're such a child,” Onoda breathed wearily when the Hufflepuffs heard them.

They looked in their direction with hardly friendly looks and then disappeared through the door to grab their brooms and head to the Quidditch field, and Manami almost choked again, trying not to laugh. What had gotten into him anyway?

“Sorry. I was in a mood, and I guess I got a little too conceited,” he explained, pressing his hand to his mouth, but Onoda didn't even seem to object or try to convince that he wasn't at all incredible although he really would have done just that. He would have been embarrassed, blushed to the tips of his ears, started worrying and waving his arms.

“And ahead of time,” he said instead. “I haven't done anything yet.”

Quickly losing the desire to laugh, Manami looked up in amazement and saw no hint of fear or uncertainty in Onoda's eyes. There was only one thing. Only... pure desire, born of responsibility. Of their promise.

“Will you do it?” Manami asked, hearing his own voice tremble for a second with excitement. “Will you win?”

“Yes,” Onoda didn't keep him waiting.

“And can you even catch the Snitch at the right time? Even if you have to take risks?” Manami asked.

“Is that what you want?” Onoda smiled. “For me to come to you as your best rival. For the sake of our finale.”

Trembling again, Manami pursed his lips, unable to answer. But there was no need for words, because Onoda understood everything correctly. He knew everything. And he, just like Manami, was going to do everything so that their promise to each other at the beginning of the year would come true in an ideal way.

Chapter Text

The end of March came before Manami could figure out where time had slipped. While discussion of the Quidditch World Cup among the students was gaining momentum again, he and the team were training for their own final game of the season. It wouldn't be long before they'd know the results of the other two remaining games, and from them the team would be able to navigate how they'd have to play in the final. Manami was gradually beginning to grasp the whole essence of school Quidditch, which was far from him while he had sat in the stands last year and only watched — playing as a team, he realised that everything was much more complicated than it seemed, and that more often Quidditch wasn't just about to catch the Snitch as soon as possible.

When the last Saturday of the month came, Manami woke up early and couldn't stop worrying until lunchtime due to impatience. The realisation that after a long time he'd be able to see Onoda playing again literally haunted him, and the only person who could fully understand his feelings was Toudou, who, too, it had to be said, had been in a sort of excited and giddy state since the morning.

Before heading out to the Quidditch pitch, Manami walked into the sixth-year's dormitory so as not to miss the moment when the guys would move out and join them. To his surprise, only Toudou was in the room — sitting in front of the mirror, he was busy with his hair, styling it differently and evaluating his reflection — and Shinkai, who was sitting in front of a large suitcase with a busy look. Manami involuntarily noticed the wand in his hand and couldn't hold back his curiosity.

“Are you going to conjure something?” he asked, cautiously stepping closer, to which Shinkai sighed heavily and scratched the back of his head with his free hand.

“Actually yes, but I've given up on this idea.”

“Do you do magic, Hayato?” Toudou distracted from the mirror, turning in his chair, and his hair was now slicked to one side, covering almost the entire right side of his face. He preened himself before the game as if he was going to be the one to take the field today. “Practicing non-verbal or Transfiguration again?”

“Second option,” Shinkai replied, straightening his back and resting his palms on the bedspread. “I can't turn an inanimate into a living thing if I try to give the result additional properties. It's been horrible the last few times — I've been completely out of control.”

“What properties?” Toudou asked, looking puzzled, and Manami flinched as if he had been doused with ice water. His intuition suddenly went wild, trying to tell him something important.

“I was thinking of complaisance and compliance,” Shinkai said confusingly in response. “Then I thought about sympathy for a specific person. That all failed anyway.”

“What exactly did you want to create?” Manami asked sharply, barely letting him finish. “More precisely, who?”

“Well, a cat, actually,” Shinkai raised his head thoughtfully, which made the gears in Manami's head spun with a vengeance.

He almost opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

“Did someone say 'cat'?” Arakita asked, who entered the room.

Fukutomi was with him as well, and they seemed to have just returned from the Great Hall, having picked up food to watch the match.

“Wait, wait,” Manami interjected excitedly, addressing Shinkai again. “It wasn't very much like a cat, was it? And too big, right?”

“Uh... Have you seen it? It ran away from me twice, but I thought no one of the students or adults noticed it,” Shinkai was surprised, and Manami hardly suppressed the urge to laugh because all the answers seemed to have opened up and everything fell into place.

“What are you talking about?” Arakita asked discontentedly, clearly not understanding anything, and threw two paper bags full of food on his bed.

“Well, it seems about that beast, which caused a commotion in winter,” Manami smiled. “It's probably better to call it the result of transfiguration.”

There you go. And his mother had been right to make that suggestion after his story, but Manami didn't want to take such an assumption seriously, just because he found it trivially boring. And no werewolves, Grims or Animagi. In reality, everything was much simpler.

The guys, all four, looked at Manami with puzzled looks, clearly in need of an explanation — apparently, they needed to refresh their memory and collect a complete picture of what had happened.

“Okay,” Manami surrendered, shrugging his shoulders, and looked at Shinkai again. “The first time it was in the fall. Your transfigured cat, if I can say so about it, rushed down the school corridor and scared my friend from Ravenclaw. She didn't get a good look at it, though — she only remembered that it was huge and black, but besides her that time, most likely, no one saw it.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon,” Shinkai was genuinely upset. “I didn't know that it scared someone — I'm very embarrassed in front of your friend.”

“But it didn't end there, right? Have you tried more?” Manami continued, and Shinkai weakly nodded in response to this.

“It was during the winter. On the day when—”

“When you got the news that Yuuto had poisoned and was hospitalised,” Manami finished for him. “You had to urgently leave school then. But before that, it turns out... you missed your beast again.”

“Yes,” Shinkai confirmed. “I forgot about it when I found out what happened to Yuuto.”

“Of course,” Manami smiled, feeling as if he had solved some universal mystery. “You were worried about your brother — the problem with transfiguration just slipped your mind, and since you left school, you couldn't find out that on that day everyone was dispersed to the common rooms after dinner due to the fact that many more students had already seen the beast.”

“Why didn't you tell me?” Shinkai asked with a frightened blink, and here Toudou, who seemed to have understood everything faster than the others, intervened.

“How did we know it was you? School rules are for everyone! You can't do magic in the corridors! And what did you take for a basis anyway?”

“I didn't do it in the corridor — it just ran away from me,” Shinkai hastily answered him. “I transformed my suitcase in which I brought things to Hogwarts—”

“Seriously?” Toudou wondered. “Did you turn the suitcase into a cat?” He jumped up and pointed at Shinkai with his finger. “That's a completely wrong choice of subject! The size must be right! No wonder your creation has grown like a bear, or even worse! How could you pass O.W.L. better than me?”

“What the fuck is that?” Arakita, who had been silent until that moment, erupted too. “This shit was a transfiguration, and because of it they started a rumour about me that I was supposedly an Animagus?! Fucking awesome!”

For a second, Shinkai's eyes flashed with insight, though after that his gaze quickly became depressed and guilty.

“Sorry, guys. Looks like I need to go to the Head and explain everything to her.”

“But wait,” Manami called out to him as Shinkai got out of bed and already stepped to the door. “I just didn't understand — why did you have to do it? Is this your homework or something? To shape... the behaviour of the creature that's supposed to turn out?”

“We didn't have such an assignment,” Toudou calmed down, folding his arms over his chest. “Controlling the behaviour of a transfigured animal, much less laying down the behaviour during the creation process, is far more difficult than the transformation itself.”

“No, I wanted to—” Shinkai hesitated, not knowing how to answer. “I just wanted Yasutomo to finally have a cat he could get along with.”

“What?” three voices asked at the same time. Toudou, Arakita, and Fukutomi froze in puzzlement and amazement, and only Manami wasn't surprised, somehow feeling like a fool who should have guessed everything from the very beginning. Did he really have such an opportunity?

“Damn it,” Toudou exhaled as he came to his senses.

“Not bad,” Fukutomi said with genuine approval in his voice although he, as the prefect, was by no means to be supportive of the situation.

“What you just said, is it serious?” Arakita was the last to respond, and Manami saw with his own eyes how his cheeks were slowly covered with a treacherous blush.

“Sorry, Yasutomo,” Shinkai smiled at him sadly. “It's just that every time you tried to tame a new cat, I— Well, I guess I must have given it too much importance. I wanted to help, but I ended up rather causing you unnecessary trouble.”

“Oh no, it's so cute—” Toudou suddenly cried out, grabbing a magazine from the table and starting to fan himself with it. “I can't, I urgently need a glass of water or some fresh air.”

“Jinpachi...” Manami said wearily, but Toudou didn't even pay attention to him.

Instead, he walked right up to Arakita and waved the magazine several times near his face, without shutting up for a second, “I understand, I understand, you're more excited than ever. If someone cared about me like this and did for me—”

“Shut up and stop this crap!” Arakita exploded, blushing even more and pushing Toudou's hand that held the magazine aside.

“Nice attempt at maintaining the team's cohesion, Hayato,” Fukutomi said, patting Shinkai on the shoulder, and Shinkai headed for the exit with another smile.

“Go to the field without me — I'll try to find the Head and catch up with you later.”

“Everything will be fine, Hayato, you had the most wonderful reason!” Toudou told him after he started fanning himself with the magazine again. “Ugh! It's really hot in here!”

“We should also go out if we don't want to miss the start of the match,” Fukutomi added. “And don't forget to keep your eyes open. The team we'll be up against at the end of the season is playing today.”

The last sentence was sounded with particular severity, causing the atmosphere in the room to change at the same moment. Toudou suddenly became serious, and the awkward blush disappeared from Arakita's face. They both nodded, letting him know they understood, and Manami also felt differently — the same task awaited him. Keep an eye on the Gryffindor Seeker.

The weather conditions for the match were perfect. The warm south wind and the sun peeking out from behind the clouds were to the players' advantage, Manami thought as he and the guys took their seats in the stands, getting into the familiar atmosphere of Quidditch. Many of the Slytherins, albeit discreetly, were cheering for Gryffindor, which was hardly surprising, given the game the team in red showed last time. Manami was in solidarity with his mates, although he didn't deny the Hufflepuff Seeker's skill, which he had struggled in his own fall game with. Now, one could only hope that Onoda remembered the warning and wouldn't succumb to his today's opponent's overly accommodating friendliness.

This was something Manami had probably really worried about during the start of the match, but when the Seekers darted for the first time for the Snitch that appeared, he realised to his relief that Onoda was acting more than effectively. Perhaps the Hufflepuff Seeker simply didn't start a conversation with him — Manami hadn't notice that, but he took into account the fact that he was watching from the stands and couldn't see absolutely everything.

Both players confidently chased the Snitch for several minutes and sometimes got close enough to try to catch, but neither of them made such an attempt. Both were about to stall for time, Manami realised, beginning to feel the increasing tension. Probably the tactics of both teams for today's game was to score more points for the entire match, and therefore the Seekers acted accordingly. Nevertheless, Onoda's rival still provoked him to chase — she seemed to be counting on his lack of great experience would turn against him and Onoda would make a mistake somewhere or run into a Bludger, but she herself was wrong if she really expected it. Every time Onoda coped, and the fruits of his training were noticeable to the naked eye — he began to feel much more natural on the field, practically didn't make unnecessary movements when he flew, and used the features of his broom with the greatest benefit.

Looking at him, Manami was almost unconscious of what was going on around him. He stopped hearing the shouts of the fans or the discussion of the guys sitting next to him. Even the battle of the Chasers, the score, and the voice of the commentator were lost somewhere in the background, leaving only one thing important. Onoda. Who said he could do it not because of the effect of the potion making him older for a day but because he was really going to do it.

The game was over by the evening after three timeouts and two injuries. The last moments were tense, and until the very end it wasn't known who would catch the Snitch or which team would win. The points scored on both sides didn't differ much, but everything was decided by Onoda's last move, when he managed to catch the Snitch first.

So his team won with the score 410-330, and Manami, hearing the commentator's announcement, jumped to his feet, mentally adding up the results in his head.

410 now and 590 for the match against Ravenclaw in the fall. This meant that Gryffindor now had exactly thousand points. So did Slytherin.

“We're on a par,” Toudou said as he got to his feet as well, his voice barely audible over the shouts of the nearby stands, where the joyous Gryffindors were yelling, happy that their team had won. “Absolutely on a par.”

“As predicted,” Manami agreed, pressing his hand to his chest and feeling his agitated heartbeat. “Awesome, isn't it?”

But Toudou didn't answer that. There was a serious expression on his face, too serious, as he stood and watched the field, where the guys from the Gryffindor team, huddled in one pile, clapping each other on the back or hugging. Arakita, Fukutomi, and even Shinkai had similar expressions, and Manami, looking at them, felt uncomfortable, because this was probably the first time he saw them so tense after watching the game, as if ready to defend at any second.

“Now we can make up the tactics for the final game?” Manami asked cautiously, and Toudou finally stopped frowning.

“Not yet,” he replied, glancing at Manami. “Did you notice? The reaction of the losers.”

Manami just blinked in confusion. He glanced at the field, but the Hufflepuffs seemed to behave appropriately for those who were defeated in the game — they just lowered their heads and silently walked towards the exit from the field with their brooms.

“They're angry,” Toudou explained — did he sense their mood from a distance? “And they have one more match against the Ravenclaws. During which anything can happen. Don't write off the rest of our opponents.”

“Okay,” Manami replied shortly, feeling as if ashamed of his carelessness.

Now, then, they had to wait for the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff game, which was scheduled for mid-April? Manami wasn't particularly well aware of how the result of their match would affect the formation of tactics for the final game — could one of the teams try to score a lot of points that both Gryffindor and Slytherin would have troubles catching up with them?

Deciding not to think in advance, Manami put a couple of gummies into his mouth (more on the machine than due to real appetite) from the packaging that Fukutomi had given him at the beginning of the game and followed his mates to the stairs to go down.

He was glad that during dinner the guys were no longer so gloomy and focused. His spirits slowly lifted, and it became even better when he was able to catch Onoda afterwards and congratulate him on his new victory. He seemed to be doing fine, except for the noticeable fatigue on his face, and Manami was amazed, realising that this time it was different. Onoda looked changed — no, he had definitely changed. He wasn't the same as yesterday — his inner strength seemed to have been able to grow in just one match. And it was something incredible. Manami felt it too much to ignore, and even if the others might still be unaware, it seemed to him that this could only happen to those with a real talent for Quidditch.

Onoda had a talent — it all came down to this. Which revealed itself over and over again and in a way it was a little frightening because Manami certainly couldn't say about himself that he was evolving so quickly.

And that… seemed to be a real problem.

Nevertheless, he didn't tell anyone about his feelings. As if voicing them out loud would mean finally admitting, believing that this was true, and Manami really didn't want that to happen. He didn't want to keep thinking that he was feeling weaker than his last rival, and he began to tremble as he imagined how Toudou would react if he found out. Giving his teammates a reason to doubt their Seeker would be just a terrible act because the guys were counting on the Cup, they deserved it as the best team in the school.

Luckily, the silence was successful. Manami continued to live as before, seemingly not giving himself away, going to classes, working in practice, chatting with Onoda when he could, even arranging to go to the game of Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff together. To his pleasant surprise, it was later revealed that Toudou also planned to go to the game with Makishima, and Manami had asked to keep them company with Onoda. So they seemed to have every chance to watch the match without straining and for their own pleasure, and Manami sincerely counted on this, imagining how much fun they'd have. He really seemed to lack that, and he even grinned involuntarily when he thought about how careless he had been at the very beginning of the Quidditch season. Could the events he'd been through, the seriousness of the game, the rise of Onoda, and the feelings of the team really affect him so much?

But as much as he wanted to slow down the time to deal with it and his own sense of self, another Saturday had come, distinguished by a very special event, and after breakfast the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Quidditch teams were the first to leave the Great Hall. They would be warming up and getting ready for a while before the game began in two hours.

This time, Manami didn't seem to feel particularly worried, which was most likely due to the fact that none of his closest friends would be on the field today. Quidditch, of course, was still amazing, but it was only when watching Onoda in the game or playing himself that Manami felt really strong emotions. Ugh, what would happen when it all becomes one? It was even difficult to imagine such a thing although their common match was just around the corner.

Taking advantage of the fact that Naruko and Imaizumi also left the Great Hall, apparently heading for the common room of their House, Manami approached Onoda to sit next to him and find out if their agreement was still valid.

“Of course,” Onoda nodded quickly. “We'll go together. We'll have to find a more neutral stands though—”

“That's all right. Let's sit on the one chosen by Toudou and Makishima,” Manami smiled and involuntarily noticed Onoda's tired expression. “Are you feeling bad, Sakamichi?" Are you sick?”

“I didn't get enough sleep,” he answered in a tortured voice. “Naruko went with his cat last night to Professor who teaches Care for Magical Creatures.”

“What for?” Manami asked in surprise when Onoda fell silent and winced. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah. He thought he was overfeeding her because she was starting to get fat, but then she became completely inactive, and he decided that she was sick with something. But in the end. She's just pregnant.”

“Oh,” Manami chuckled, not understanding why Onoda was talking about this incident as if the world's most stressful problem had happened. “Well, it's no big deal, is it?”

“I don't know. Naruko caused a whole disaster out of it. He's really scared for her.”

“What for?” Manami asked. “It's a cat, after all. They can manage on their own when the time comes, and if he is so worried, let him take it to Professor at the right time, and then she will see to it.”

“Imaizumi told him that five times tonight — it's useless,” Onoda sighed heavily. “It seems like Naruko just doesn't want to trust anyone. But that's not the worst thing. What's worse that he blames Tadokoro for everything.”

“What do you mean?” Manami blinked in confusion.

“I mean his cat,” Onoda corrected. “Tadokoro has a cat. A black and white one. And Naruko thought—”

“I get it,” Manami interrupted and almost burst out laughing. “Don't continue. But it's not the only cat in school.”

“And they told him about it,” Onoda replied. “But Naruko seems to have seen them communicating.”

“Communicating? Who? Cats?” Manami laughed after all. “In a special cat language?”

“I don't know what to call it correctly,” Onoda also grinned. “It's a complete nightmare. They were yelling at each other last night in the common room, and continued in the morning.”

“Cats or Naruko and Tadokoro?” Manami asked, now openly not holding back.

"Naruko and Tadokoro," Onoda replied with a laugh, pushing him slightly in the side. “I'm serious. You wouldn't be having fun if you were there.”

“I do believe so,” Manami said, trying with all his might to pretend to be serious, which seemed to be working out quite badly. “Well, we won't know the truth until we see the colours of the kittens. Your friend will have to wait with the accusations, though.”

“Naruko's better just calm down. No one is to blame — he can't watch his cat all the time.”

“Yes. By the way, who are you going to root for today?” Manami jumped to another subject abruptly. “We've played with both teams, so we can guess which one is better. Although... it will be hard for us to tell about all the participants. But Hufflepuff has a better Seeker, that's for sure.”

“Well, it's hard to argue with that,” Onoda agreed. “Maybe they'll win. Although Kinjo had said that the Chasers and Beaters of the Ravenclaw team had exceeded all his expectations. In our match, they scored a lot of points.”

“Not so much in ours,” Manami replied. “It might have been down to Arakita, though. He rarely lets anyone near Fukutomi.”

“We're not very good Quidditch critics,” Onoda smiled awkwardly. “And to be honest, I'd not want to root for someone specific. I probably still don't really like the idea of competition.”

“Yes, you only like to catch the Snitch, that's different, of course,” Manami grinned because of which Onoda looked at him with a slightly indignant look but quickly smiled again.

“I like it when my team is happy. That's more important than my own feelings.”

After a pause, Manami thought about Onoda's words as if they were too surprising, but in reality... was it so? It was right to put yourself out there for the team, to want it to win. But could Manami himself say that he wanted to win primarily for his teammates and not for himself? What was his original purpose in the first place? He went to Quidditch because he just fell in love with the game. Because he wanted to change in the eyes of other people... Would that be enough to push him again at a crucial moment?

It was a good question, and even if Manami won his previous games, it somehow didn't inspire confidence that there was nothing to fear in the future. What would he do if Onoda's motivation proved stronger?

Such thoughts could easily made his mood fall, but Manami managed to distract himself because Onoda continued the conversation on more abstract topics, and an hour later Toudou and Makishima came up and took them away because it was time to go to the Quidditch field.

There they went up to the stand unusual for Manami — he had never been here, but it turned out to be a good option because there were no outright fans among those present and there were guys from different Houses, both from Ravenclaw, from Gryffindor, and even from Slytherin.

Nobody paid any attention to them when they sat down on an empty bench in the second row, and Manami realised that they'd watch the match in complete comfort, unless it started raining by the middle of the game — the sky was rather gloomy today.

The match had been a long one, even if the points didn't add particularly quickly. So lunch passed, and then the day slowly began to approach evening — so it was good that they had brought more food with them for a snack.

Manami became bored watching just a couple of hours after the start, which was difficult to say about other spectators — many stands were noisy almost non-stop, and Toudou and Makishima often began to discuss the game of Chasers. Manami couldn't say he understood their conversation. He began to cast short glances at Onoda, who was constantly scoping out the Snitch on the field with his eyes. Onoda was more carried away, and Manami deliberately distracted him a couple of times, squeezing his thigh with his fingers unnoticed by others. Onoda reacted in a funny way: Instantly dropped his gaze and then, blushing, tried to push Manami's hand away.

But so the game went at least not so boring. Manami was looking forward to the end, and, to be honest, he didn't like Seekers' battle, which was somehow too aggressive. They didn't try to catch the Snitch, apparently keeping track of the score, but they tried to stop each other from playing at all, every now and then leading to dangerous situations or breaking the rules. In the end, the Hufflepuff Seeker collided with her own Chaser and fell off her broomstick, and in the fall she lost consciousness. Manami wasn't sure exactly why the collision happened. Perhaps the girl was too tired or even felt dizzy due to overexertion, but nevertheless the Ravenclaw Seeker continued to chase the Snitch alone and soon caught it even if it didn't bring victory to his team — in this match the Ravenclaw Chasers for some reason hadn't showed good results and had only scored 150 points during the whole long game.

As a result, the match was ended in a rather atypical way — 480-300 in favour of Hufflepuff, and overall for the whole season not a single team had even made it to a thousand, which meant one, probably unpleasant fact for the members of these teams.

They wouldn't get the Cup anyway, and the winner of the season would be either Slytherin or Gryffindor.

We should be, Manami corrected himself, feeling nervous. Now he understood what they had come to. They could mentally reset all the points they earned and play in the final from scratch. Whoever won the last game would be the final winner. Even some ten points could decide everything, in fact.

However, the mood of the others seemed to be very different — Onoda looked like he was feeling a lot of relief (most likely because the match was finally over), and Toudou and Makishima were smiling with satisfaction, which gave the impression that they had already known how everything would turn out in the end.

Looking at them, Manami calmed down, realising that he was only nervous about approaching the last stage. He rushed too much because the final game wouldn't happen tomorrow. By then, his team would decide exactly how they would fight. They'd think over the best strategy and do everything perfectly to win, and he'd help them by catching the Snitch at the very end—

Back at the school, Manami and Toudou parted ways with Onoda and Makishima on the ground floor. It wasn't long before dinner, and Manami thought to go into his dormitory and change because a light rain caught them at the very end of the way.

“I can't even believe it's going to happen! Another half month — and finally the final!” Toudou said suddenly and emotionally, making it clear that all this time he was stoically holding back. “I don't see enthusiasm. Hadn't you been looking forward to this?” he asked, glancing at Manami with a grin.

“I had,” Manami smiled tightly at him. “I think the game will be very cool. It's just— It took a long time, so I can't believe it myself.”

“Don't be late for your next training session,” Toudou said as they caught up with the other guys and walked into the House common room. “Juichi will probably arrange a small meeting for the core team at the beginning, and that will apply to you too.”

“Okay,” Manami replied, slowing down and looking at the back of Toudou, who was briskly towards his dormitory.

Maybe Manami should have told him after all?

Manami thought about it over and over again. He remembered, understood that their team hadn't lost in recent years, winning the Cup each time. They shouldn't have lost now either. In no case should they, especially because of a rookie's mistake. Manami had felt this all the previous matches, and before the last one, it only got worse, and he practically began to panic. He couldn't be completely sure that he was up to the task. Not when his opponent would be someone like Onoda. Someone from whom it was difficult to expect such incredible results back in September.

And what could be done about it now? What was the way out?

No matter how much Manami asked himself about this, he couldn't come to any definite answer although the time for this was already running out. The days followed each other too quickly. Weekends passed one after another, and with only one night left until the final match, Manami realised that he didn't seem to have a choice. Most of all now, he wanted to remain the player the team believed in, hoped for. He knew he could ruin it with just one confession, but he felt that he had to tell at least Toudou about everything, counting on him to understand and help.

Setting up to talk to him was the hardest part — Manami hesitated for a long time and made up his mind only an hour after the curfew. He was going to go into the sixth year's dormitory and ask Toudou to come out with him, but he didn't have to. That was because Toudou himself came to him — at the moment when Manami stepped out the door of his own dormitory, they collided, and Toudou grabbed him by the shoulders with a serious face.

“You're what I need, little one. I have to talk to you about tomorrow's game,” he said in a tone that hardly boded well, but Manami, despite this, felt calmer as if Toudou could guess everything and already knew how to solve the problem.

Most likely, it was something else, the thought followed. What exactly Toudou was going to talk about, Manami didn't know, but he hoped that their communication could somehow lead to a convenient moment so that he could finally voice his questions.

He counted on this as they walked into the half-empty common room and took a secluded spot near the window, behind which now was the impenetrable darkness of the lake's depths.

“Are you feeling well?” Toudou asked as he sat down on the arm of the chair and gave Manami a careful look. “No discomfort? No planning on running a fever tomorrow morning?”

“What?” Manami asked in surprise, not holding back an awkward laugh. “What are you talking about? Everything is fine with me. I feel perfectly fine.”

“That's good,” Toudou nodded weakly. “Tomorrow is a big game, and we must be fully prepared for it.”

“I'm ready,” Manami replied, trying to make a convincing smile, and settled into the second chair. “You can definitely not worry about my physical condition now.”

“Then we can move on to the other one. Luckily, we have a pretty easy task for this match. You don't have to think about scoring more points; you don't have to think about time. I don't want the game to end too quickly, but if you spot the Snitch and you have a chance to catch it, do it. Don't think about us — just play your game.”

“Um…” feeling uncomfortable again, Manami said, looking at Toudou, whose expression suddenly became more tired than serious.

“Don't let these thoughts to pull you back,” he asked. “You're too young for such an important position on a team like ours. I understood your reasoning and your feelings while we were playing together in previous matches, and if you don't let them go at the right time, you could make a mistake. Too much responsibility just won't allow you to move forward at full speed, and we'll need all our strength tomorrow.”

“…Okay,” Manami replied quietly, lowering his head. “I think I understand you, but—”

“Yukinari might have taught you different?” Toudou guessed, and Manami nodded in agreement. “It's not a problem. You have to think and determine for yourself which way is better for you. Maybe you should win to defend the honor of our team. Maybe you should fulfill your dream... While you were with us, you grew up under pressure. And personally, I think that there can be big downside to that. That's another reason why second-years weren't allowed into the core team before.”

“It seems clear,” Manami smiled weakly, looking up.

“And I wanted also to talk about Sakamichi,” Toudou added, making Manami feel tense again. “What do you think of him?”

“He's cool,” Manami laughed, which came out more nervously than amused. “It will be difficult for me with him, but it's more interesting, right?”

Toudou raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“One of you will win and the other will lose. And, most likely, the team of the losing Seeker will also only be in second place. You have too serious a role in the team, and the whole outcome will depend on your battle. But he's not just a rival for you. By winning, you can cast a shadow over your close relationship. Are you aware of this?”

“Well, yes,” Manami replied hesitantly, admitting to himself that he hadn't really thought about it up to this point. More precisely, he never thought about it. If the Gryffindor team lost, could the disappointment that Onoda would face ruin something between them? But— “You were all right. Why are you talking about this?”

“Because I'm not you. And Sakamichi isn't Yuusuke,” Toudou replied grimly. “I can't promise you anything, but I said that I'm against you getting close to someone as much as with him already at that age. You could have waited, thought, and acted differently. Not everyone can to be friends and be rivals at the same time. But there, on the field, he should only be him for you. Should be your rival. If you hesitate even for a second, if you think that all this is wrong, this can also turn out to be a mistake.”

“I know I know. We'll be rivals on the pitch — that's natural,” Manami said quickly, trying to sound convincing.

“Anyone can win,” Toudou said more quietly, and Manami almost flinched at his words. “Any of our teams, any of you. I hate to talk about it, but that's the reality. Our forces are now more equal than ever before. And that's not to scare you. Regardless of who wins, the losing team will be disappointed. That goes for the two of you too, but it's important to do the right thing once the result shows up. Say the right words. Do you know what you're going to say him when it's over?”

“No...” Manami admitted awkwardly.

“Obviously. Well, you still have the night to think,” Toudou replied, folding his arms over his chest. “But not too much — you still have to sleep before the game.”

“Jinpachi,” Manami called out as Toudou got up to leave. “I wanted to ask—”

“Yes?” Toudou turned back, but Manami couldn't make up his mind right away.

He bit his lip, staring at the floor, and pulled himself together only on the third try.

“Have you ever... felt weak? Were you afraid to lose?”

Manami didn't know what expression appeared on Toudou's face and couldn't bring himself to look, and the silence was lingering so painfully...

“Is it because of your opponent? Because of Sakamichi, right?” Toudou finally asked, and Manami looked at him hopefully. “All your past victories have proved nothing to you? You did a great job. You defeated even those who had more experience. And you feel weak?”

“But Sakamichi—” Manami wanted to protest, but Toudou interrupted him.

“Sakamichi is the one you've been striving for all this time. He has become another motivation for you. He has become your main motivation, perhaps. And if for him you went through the tryouts, and then all the matches, in order to meet in the best game afterwards, he's your strength, not your weakness.”

Hearing this, Manami blinked in confusion, and his heart seemed to jump to his very throat — so much these words of Toudou stirred up all the instantly awakened feelings. Desire, thrill, and anticipation — it all seemed to return to their places at once.

“You'll feel it fully tomorrow,” Toudou continued. “There — on the field. He'll become your strength and you'll become his strength because that's exactly what happens when rivals meet who covet for each other. And your fear will disappear too. As soon as you step into the grass of the Quidditch pitch and see him on the other side.”

“Wow,” Manami breathed. “Is it really so?”

“Do you dare to doubt my words yet?” Toudou chuckled contentedly. “Go to sleep, little one, and stop worrying about such trifles.”

“Okay,” Manami smiled back, starting to notice that his mood was really improving.

Although he didn't yet feel the same confidence in himself, he felt that he believed in Toudou's words and was willing to check them with courage.

This opportunity, of course, wasn't long in coming. Manami, to his surprise, fell asleep at night as soon as he went to bed, and in the morning, he woke up feeling even better than he had after talking with Toudou. The nervousness finally went away, like all bad thoughts, which made Manami finally feel like his old self. More than ever, he was ready to get out the Quidditch field for a fight, and his teammates seemed to share his eagerness wholeheartedly.

At breakfast Toudou came up to him — apparently, he wanted to cheer him up again, but when he saw Manami's face, he just smiled, saying nothing, and squeezed his shoulder for a couple of seconds. It was clear without words — Toudou was counting on him, like everyone else, and Manami was going to prove once again that he deserved to be among the members of the strongest team.

They went to the Quidditch pitch very first to change and have a short warm-up. Manami hurried after the guys but slowed down near the door, passing by Kuroda, who was looking at him and smiling.

“It's time to show how much you've grown, huh?” Kuroda asked, which made Manami stop and turn his head in his direction. “Give all your best because I won't take my eyes off you.”

“I had no doubt you would,” Manami chuckled, admitting that Kuroda was also on the list of people he wanted to play well and win for. “Get ready to be surprised.”

Kuroda responded with an ambiguous snort although the smile from his face didn't disappear, which could well be considered another sign of support. Manami accepted it and hurried to catch up with his teammates to take the brooms with them and go to the Quidditch pitch.

Due to the gray clouds thickening in the sky, he already had a presentiment that during the game, it would most likely rain, but this didn't dampen the fighting spirit — quite the opposite for some reason. The desire for the official match to finally begin was growing stronger, but first everyone needed to warm up a little and make sure the brooms were okay.

After the warm-up, as always, the most difficult part was repeated. The team had to return to the changing room, where they had to wait for the signal to go back to the field, but this time Manami calmed down so much that he practically fell asleep, leaning his shoulder and head against the wall. Thanks to this, time passed much faster, and he returned to reality just in time for Fukutomi to get up in front of everyone to say a few more words before the game itself. Which most often consisted of the phrase ‘we are strong’.

It was difficult to argue, but no one ever tried. But after that the team went back to the field, and Manami didn't even feel the usual trembling in his fingers when he took his Firebolt. The final seemed to promise to go much better than his previous matches.

Believing this, Manami, following behind his teammates, entered the field with a smile. He could practically feel Onoda's presence on the other side of the pitch, and it fueled excitement. Pleasant and desirable, not at all unsettling.

When both teams stopped opposite each other to the increasing noise of the stands, Manami could see that Onoda was feeling the same way. A reverent smile shone on his face, he looked at Manami with almost happiness in his eyes, awakening the realisation that they had nevertheless reached their common goal after a long and thorny path. They fulfilled what they had promised each other.

This understanding finally swept aside all the shadows of unpleasant feelings that Manami had been experiencing throughout the past month, and as he rose on his broom into the air to take a position before the signal to start the game, he felt more at ease than ever. Nothing can slow me down today, he thought, looking at the handle of his Firebolt and admitting that Toudou's words really turned out to be true. The feeling of strength fully returned and even with the addition.

The sound of the whistle — and Manami took off with the speed of an arrow straight upwards, in the direction where the Golden Snitch had flown a few seconds ago. As expected, it disappeared from sight too quickly, to which Manami was even involuntarily delighted because such a development of the game provided him with the opportunity to do so—

“Hello. And here you are, Sakamichi,” Manami stopped and smiled, turning over his shoulder, although he didn't need confirmation that Onoda had followed him without pausing for a second. He just wanted to see his face again.

“I'm here,” Onoda nodded with a smile in return, steady on his broomstick. “And I thought you might want to get to the point in the beginning.”

“No, no,” Manami chuckled. “What if the Snitch had favoured us and we had caught it too quickly? Then the game would be over, and that would be too resentful.”

“Yes, you're right,” Onoda agreed, turning in the air and dropping his eyes down. On the field, meanwhile, the battle for the Quaffle was already gaining momentum, and the voice of the commentator wasn't interrupted for a second. “We have time to rest?”

“That depends on what you want,” Manami replied thoughtfully, approaching Onoda to stop from the side. “If you want, we wait. If you want, we rush for the Snitch as soon as we see it.”

“I was told to catch as soon as I can,” Onoda laughed awkwardly.

“Me too. So what? We're in charge here, Sakamichi. As we decide for ourselves, so it will be,” Manami smiled slyly at him.

“Then let's get it,” Onoda replied with a serious expression on his face, and Manami nodded, not losing his smile.

For a while they hovered in one place, watching the field. The Slytherin team had opened the scoring, slowly starting to score the first points, and the Gryffindors couldn't yet catch up with them. Manami was eager to see Toudou and Makishima play, but all his attention had to be spent on finding the Snitch, which was harder to notice in such weather conditions.

Soon both Seekers had to lower a little and now be always on the move, and Manami was grateful that Onoda was still keeping close. So they made it easier for each other's task — they could only to look for the Snitch and follow the Bludgers a little without the need to watch the opponent as well.

When the target showed up near the Gryffindor goal post, Manami seemed to spot it first. He accelerated without warning, unexpectedly even for himself, just on instincts, but Onoda was only a second behind. He fell behind simply because the Nimbus didn't accelerate as fast, which meant that Onoda had seen the Snitch and reacted at the same moment that Manami had.

“It's even more amazing when you're around,” Manami said admiringly although Onoda could hardly hear it through the whistle of the wind.

They, holding shoulder to shoulder, spent a couple of minutes maneuvering across the field, following the agile Snitch, but it didn't work out enough to get close to it — sometimes Chasers flying on their brooms, sometimes Bludgers interfered.

During the next goal, the Snitch managed to slip away in the confusion. Manami stopped, having lost it, began to look around, trying to find this nimble little ball with his eyes, but so he didn't notice the Bludger. And it could have ended badly for him or for Onoda, if a figure in green uniform hadn't appeared in front of his face, accompanied by a second loud crash. It was the sound of the Beater's bat smacking the Bludger.

“Forgot where you are, you idiot? Get up higher or stop gaping!” Arakita barked over his shoulder, and Manami smiled guiltily, slightly nudging Onoda with his elbow, who for some reason pressed against him with almost his entire body.

“We'll have to try another time,” Manami said, pulling the handle of Onoda's broom upward, and soon they were high enough not to interfere with the Chasers and not get in the way of the Bludgers.

Onoda, however, was now shivering and looked completely frightened. Manami chuckled involuntarily and squeezed his shoulder.

“Take it easy. Everything Arakita said was addressed to me alone.”

“Y-yes! I'm fine, really!” Onoda replied too excitedly, waving his hand. “The Bludger almost hit us! It flew straight to us, and I was just scared, I couldn't even budge!”

“So you were scared of the Bludger, or was it Arakita?” Manami smiled, which made Onoda finally embarrassed. “I heard our captain say recently that I could be careless. He might have asked Arakita to look after me. I guess I'll have to thank him after the game.”

Onoda made a vague sound in response, Manami didn't ask again, because they had to do their job again — looking for the Snitch.

As they flew over the field again, sometimes descending slightly, Manami managed to catch the commentator's words although he didn't listen to him on purpose. His team was gaining points, more and more starting to go into the lead, and this couldn't but cheer. Eventually it might turn out to be more than 150 points ahead of the Gryffindors. Then it wouldn't matter who caught the Snitch — Slytherin would win in the end, but Manami again selfishly didn't want such an outcome. He wanted to bring victory himself. To make the decisive move.

Even before the Slytherins crossed the 200-point line, the Seekers were once again given the opportunity to chase the Snitch. Manami began to act much more persistent, realising that soon the time would be running out, and Onoda seemed to be getting more serious as well. Both of them rushed as if their lives depended on this flight, and both almost collided again with the Bludger, which Arakita once again protected them from. He seemed to have a very displeased face due to his team's Seeker hoping for good luck, but Manami did lose control.

He was disappointed when the Snitch disappeared again, not allowing itself to be caught, even to close enough to reach out, and only now, having slowed down, Manami realised how dizzy he was from the crazy manoeuvres he and Onoda had been doing in the air during the chase.

They both had to rest for a few minutes and come to their senses, after which they both risked a descent because each wanted to find the Snitch faster. Manami — in order to score the decisive points himself, which would lead his team to an undeniable victory. Onoda — in order to snatch that elusive chance for his team to win at all because the score gap widened.

This inflamed their fighting spirit enough — it seemed to Manami that they began to see more, act more clearly and move more efficiently when they needed to get around the obstacle that had arisen on the way.

Soon they simultaneously noticed the Snitch again, and Manami, wiping off from his face droplets of fine rain that had begun quite unnoticed, accelerated behind Onoda, catching up with him instantly.

Sorry, Sakamichi, but I can't let you catch it, Manami said inwardly, gritting his teeth and trying to squeeze all possible speed out of the broomstick.

The Snitch led them straight, and then upwards with a sharp turn. The wind and rain beat unpleasantly in the face, but none of them even thought to pay attention to it, realising that right now that very important part began.

They both got close enough. Both stretched out their hands: Onoda — right, Manami — left, and at that moment something had to happen.

Manami felt it too late. He had stopped orienting to track the direction of the wind, and when the Snitch abruptly left to the side, he was confused, not having time.

Which was the mistake.

Because Onoda was more agile. Better. He reacted faster, and the last thing Manami saw a second before the very end was bright red flashing right before his very eyes—

Chapter Text

“Did you see that? Sakamichi Onoda caught it! He caught the Snitch! Blimey! How beautifully he got around! He's undoubtedly this year's best Seeker!”

The commentator didn't fall silent for a second again, the stands were now not just loud — their noise was almost deafening, and all sounds began to merge into indistinct chaos.

Manami had a hard time figuring out what had happened. With difficulty he forced himself to slow down, pull the broom handle towards himself so as not to collide with him... With the winner.

There he was — very close, you could touch him with your hand. The red robe flapped in the wind, gradually dropping. The right hand was triumphantly raised up; the caught Snitch was tightly clamped in the fingers. Signifying two of the simplest and most incomprehensible things. The game was over. And Manami... hadn't won this battle.

Onoda was shocked. Lowering his hand, he couldn't take his eyes off the Snitch in his palm, and Manami completely shared his feeling at that moment. Stopping at a level, they both stared at the same point, and both were filled with delight mingled with amazement, concentrated, it seemed, in their very hearts.

“You caught it… in such a difficult situation… Amazing… You're so amazing,” Manami spoke softly, and Onoda heard him by some miracle.

“What? No! I mean—” He flushed with a blush, finally turned his head, and when their eyes met, Manami realised that he couldn't help but smile.

“I tried my best. This is your magnificent victory, Sakamichi.”

“Ugh, yes. It looks like that,” Onoda replied, calming down, and also smiled. “It's over, right?”

“So fast,” Manami breathed wearily, and the thrill began to slowly fade, slip away, like those minutes of their last chase. The moment when everything was still unknown was getting farther and farther away. “But it was worth it. I'm glad we were able to play this game. Glad we were here together.”

“Me too. I'm glad too, Sangaku,” Onoda nodded, and for a second his eyes sparkled with tears of happiness.

Manami wanted to reach out, touch his cheek, to convince himself that it was all for real. Onoda was with him, they fulfilled their promise to each other, and his talent once again proved his abilities, worthy of all victories this season.

“Gryffindor won 260-250! It's just incredible tension! The Cup belongs to them now! Can you believe it?” as if through a fog, Manami caught the commentator's words and shuddered, finally remembering that they were still not alone here.

They were still part of the teams, their teams were still on the field, and the score— The Cup—

So Slytherin... lost. Lost in their last game. Lost the title.

Looking down and noticing the players in green slowly descend onto the grass, Manami realised that it was all real, and the feeling he experienced this time was like a huge bucket of icy water poured right over his head.

What would they tell him after that?

In fear, directing the broom down, Manami himself began to descend, with a peripheral vision seeing Onoda descending with him but getting farther with each passing second. Soon he seemed to disappear, and Manami got off the broom and stood on the grass. Knees trembled, striving to weaken, a chill slipped down the back of his neck, and there was no courage to come closer to his guys. He could only look at their backs and hear snatches of quiet conversations flying over. Their voices sounded tense, wrong. Not the way they should have sounded after the match.

Manami watched and couldn't believe it. Just a few minutes ago, he had experienced an unprecedented delight for the chase, admiration for the skill of Onoda. How could everything change so dramatically? How could delight so quickly become fear, admiration become a bitter lump stuck in his throat?

Because of it, one could suffocate. Manami tried to breathe normally, but then realised that he was just one step away from tears, and a feeling of awareness and shame was added to the fear, so strong that it overflowed the edges. His team had lost. Lost. Lost.

There was no way to make these thoughts subside even for a second. Something was happening on the field, but Manami didn't perceive anything — everything seemed to fly past him, he was still standing in the same place where he had landed. Still with the broom in his hand, still the loser of the main battle.

He didn't understand why the Headmaster came down from the stand from which he had watched the match, but everything fell into place when Manami saw the Cup in his hands — the most coveted award for any Quidditch team. And this time it would go to the Gryffindor team, which had earned the invaluable prize by doing the almost impossible.

The guys weren't in full squad for some reason. Naruko and Imaizumi weren't among them, but Manami thought about it for only half a minute and almost choked in his disappointment because had he, not Onoda, caught the Snitch, the team in green would now be standing in front of the Headmaster. One mistake had robbed them of everything.

Would they forgive him for that?

Would they forgive him for the fact that it wasn't Fukutomi but Kinjou stepping forward towards the Cup? Manami wanted so badly to snap out from place, to fix at least something, and suddenly Toudou separated from his team for some reason. He walked directly to the Headmaster, and when he reached him, he asked about something that Manami couldn't hear but that had instilled some strange irrational hope in him. Inappropriate. Because Toudou had no intention of fixing anything. He took the Cup from the Headmaster, but only to give it to Makishima in person, and, watching this action, Manami could no longer hold back — tears rolled down his cheeks. The last thing he saw before escaping was Toudou and Makishma's embrace. Unable to stay here any longer, he jumped on his broomstick and took off to the nearest exit at full speed.

Having flown outside the Quidditch field, Manami hardly felt better, but at least no one could see his face there.

The rain had already ended, but the leaves was still wet when he ducked through the dense tree cover and landed somewhere on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The students were forbidden to go here, however, Manami wasn't up to it now — he wanted to be left alone, and no matter where he did it. The forest was the right option, actually. There were no people here, here he could hit him back with force against a hard tree trunk; he could let his tears roll down to the chin like a rain. Manami heard his pitiful sob, put his hand to his mouth and bit the base of his thumb with his teeth. Even through the fabric of a half-glove, it hurt so much that he closed his eyes and slid hopelessly down the trunk with his back until he sat down on a large twisting root.

So what his dream turned out to be in the end? His promise, his efforts, and determination to prove that he was worthy of being on the strongest team. No. It was all a mistake. He had no right to even approach his team, to stand next to them, to breathe the same air with them. How were they supposed to forgive him for a mistake when he himself could hardly ever forgive himself?

Not knowing how much time had passed, Manami was sitting there, his face buried in bent knees, and the tears didn't stop. There was silence all around, except for the wind rustling the leaves and birds chirping somewhere in the distance. Manami wasn't expecting anyone, but when the crunch of a broken branch was heard from somewhere in front, he shuddered in fright and raised his head, remembering that there were beasts in the forest, and often, not ordinary ones.

The one who visited him was a complete surprise nevertheless — Manami blinked in amazement, even forgetting about his grief, and stared with his eyes wide open at the beautiful white horse which stopped between the trees a few metres from him. The horse had a gleaming silvery mane, shimmering in the rays of the sun that appeared from behind the clouds, a long sharp horn on its forehead. Manami swallowed carefully, trying not to move so as not to accidentally scare it away. He had heard the unicorns being found there, but it was hard to imagine that he'd see one with his own eyes. It was a beauty he'd never seen before — the animal seemed to glow from the inside with a soft white light and was so unreal in general that thoughts of a vision floated into his head.

He wanted to stare at it over and over, but the unicorn, which had been staring in response the whole time, suddenly shook its mane and went on its way, leaving Manami in complete stupor.

After followed it with his gaze, Manami blinked again, trying to recover, and only now realised that he had stopped crying. The shock seemed to have driven away all the tears, and it became even a little easier. His brains started working, made him realise that he had escaped without saying anything to his teammates. Irresponsible. Cowardly and stupid. He shouldn't have done that, he realised, biting his lip and smearing drying tears down his cheeks. He let the team down and just dumped, as if throwing off responsibility, but he should have gone with them to the changing room, apologised, even if they probably wouldn't forgive him for losing the Cup.

Still deciding to return and hoping it wouldn't be too late, Manami wiped his face once more and clambered onto his Firebolt again. He flew over the forest to look around and immediately headed towards the changing rooms. No one was visible near the one-story buildings, and he was already frightened that the guys had gone to school, but as soon as he landed near the door, he still heard the familiar muffled voices coming from inside the room.

Pulling himself together, Manami put on his best smile and went inside as if today wasn't the season finale at all, but he was just a little late for the most ordinary practice.

“Sorry, I was delayed,” he said, stepping into the changing room, where the already dressed guys were sitting, and at the same moment several hard glances were directed at him.

The atmosphere in just a second seemed to get strained even more, became gloomy — Manami quickly felt his mask begin to come apart at the seams, and the prolonged silence certainly couldn't reassure him.

“Where have you been?” Fukutomi finally asked him, and Manami looked away in confusion, not knowing whether to tell the truth.

“…In the forest,” he answered, deciding to take a chance. “The tears didn't stop in any way. I waited for them to pass.”

“Our team has lost,” Fukutomi said coldly, rising from the bench, and Manami began to shiver again. “We lost the Cup and our champion title.”

"Y-yes, it seems so," Manami replied in a losing voice. “I'm sorry. I couldn't catch the Snitch, and I apologise to all of you.”

“Tell me just one thing,” Fukutomi approached, casting a stern glance that made Manami want to shrink into one small point, or rather cease to exist altogether. Of course they wouldn't forgive him. What was he hoping for? How dare he? “Have you done all you can?” Fukutomi asked suddenly, and Manami looked up at him, mentally repeating to himself, ‘Just don't cry again, just don't cry again’.

“I—” he said, lowering his eyes to the floor and losing the last remnants of a feigned smile. “I tried my best.”

Fukutomi was still looking at him, and the seconds stretched out into eternity. No one else spoke up, which made Manami just afraid to see the other guys' faces, to see in them that endless disappointment and regret for today, for taking the second-year to the team at all.

That was the end of his Quidditch, right?

“Okay,” Fukutomi replied. “I've heard enough.”

To kick me out? Manami asked to himself and pursed his lips, his eyes beginning to fill with tears again.

Fukutomi left. The door didn't close behind him, and that was for the rest of the team to start leaving as well. Shinkai was second. Passing by, he paused and squeezed Manami's shoulder encouragingly, which rather only intensified the desire to burst into tears again.

“Don't be so upset — everything is still ahead,” Shinkai said with soft intonation, but Manami couldn't bring himself to even nod back. He just didn't believe in these words. He couldn't believe it.

When Shinkai left the changing room, the others followed him in silence. Even Toudou walked away completely silent, and when Manami looked up at him with a frightened look, there was no response. Toudou didn't even look at him. With a stone face, he disappeared through the door, and Manami was left completely alone in the changing room. Left behind because no one called him with them, because the team didn't need the Seeker who couldn't cope with his task.

So he felt, and this feeling didn't cause anything but new desperate tears that poured with renewed vigor. Manami walked over to his seat, threw the broom on the floor although he had never handled it that way before, and sat down on the bench, burying in his knees again and shuddering almost in sobs.

He couldn't think of anything — only that he really should leave. Quit Quidditch because there was no place for wimps like him in this game, in the Slytherin team. He just ruined everything. The team succeeded, they always won until he appeared and destroyed everything. And now he didn't have any opportunity to make amends to the guys. The only thing he could do was do the right thing. Free his place as a Seeker for someone truly worthy.

But even if in these thoughts there really was some kind of salvation, it was impossible to calm down. No one returned to the changing room, and as time went on, it was getting dark outside the windows. Manami couldn't say if he wanted one of the guys to come to him, but he couldn't stop the tears by himself, and the emerging thirst to destroy everything here was torturing and almost blowing his mind.

He restrained himself with difficulty and had already decided that he should force himself to change clothes and go to the castle when the door opened slightly, letting in someone. Thinking that it was Toudou, Manami felt hope and was surprised when he saw the other person. It was Kuroda, whom he hadn't even thought of in the time since the end of the game.

His calm gaze made it even worse, and Manami lowered his head, wrapping his hands around his knees. No, he didn't want to see Kuroda now. Just not him.

“What a sight,” he snorted, without asking walking inside with his broom and approaching directly to Manami. “Dinner is coming soon. Don't tell me you've been sitting here crying all those hours after the match.”

“Do you care?” Manami asked quietly, trying to hide his eyes with his bangs. “Why did you come at all? Do you want an apology from me?”

“I think people you owed an apology to have already received it,” Kuroda replied calmly, his tone made Manami almost furious.

“So what about you?” he asked defiantly, throwing up his head. “You were right about everything. It was your place, I shouldn't have taken it. Say it, well? You would have done everything right.”

“You mean I'd have won this match?” Kuroda chuckled, a grin that seemed outrageously inappropriate for Manami.

“Yes you would. I wasn't dexterous enough to catch it!”

“I wouldn't have been enough either,” Kuroda replied unexpectedly, making Manami almost choke on air. “I don't know where you found this guy, but I could hardly beat him with my current level. Stop whining and try to win next time.”

“There'll be no next time,” Manami retorted quietly, lowering his eyes again. “I won't play anymore.”

“Don't be absurd,” Kuroda said sternly. “Now the team hardly has a better Seeker than you.”

“You will play. That's what you wanted, didn't you?” Manami turned away.

“It's what I wanted before. Desires change,” Kuroda replied, and Manami noticed with a peripheral vision as he handed him a white handkerchief. “Calm down and go to dinner. You'll still have plenty of time to think well about everything and make the right decision. It will be a shame, you know, if you just decide to throw your Quidditch skills in the trash.”

“Thank you,” Manami muttered softly, grabbing the handkerchief and pressing it to his face.

“I've been crying too”, Kuroda admitted suddenly. Manami looked at him blankly.

“What?”

“Well, I've been watching our team win the Cup for three years,” Kuroda chuckled. “We're all used to feeling like champions whether you're in the core team or not. When I met Arakita in the common room after this game, he told me to react accordingly. Well, I guess I couldn't think of anything better than to cry.”

“Oh God, that's awful,” Manami drawled in displeasure. “I didn't expect this from you, to be honest.”

“So I'll surprise you more than once,” Kuroda replied with a smile, but Manami again felt a lump in his throat.

“Arakita,” he said. “Toudou and all. I dragged them down with me. They're going to hate me now.”

“Are you a fool?” Kuroda winced. “Of course not.”

“But they… didn't even want to look at me.”

“You're taking everything too personally. For them, defending the title was the most important thing, and naturally they're depressed. But they'll get over it. All of them. With you or without you. So if you leave it won't change much. They're strong. But not only on the field. They're strong as people, you know? Don't lose sight of the example they can set for you.”

“I'll try,” Manami surrendered reluctantly even though he didn't think it was all going to work. There was no getting away from the fact that he had lost, and Manami wasn't sure he could get over it so easily, forget it, and move on. How long would it take him to do that?

“Change your clothes and don't stay here,” Kuroda advised. “Staying here won't fix anything either.”

Receiving a faint nod in response, he left the changing room and probably flew away at once. Silence fell in the room again, Manami, looking at his clenched fist, realised that he hadn't given Kuroda his handkerchief. He should have been thanked as well for the sincere words of support, which still reassured at least a little. So maybe he really shouldn't have made any hasty decisions?

Maybe I can still play? Manami thought without enthusiasm, starting to unfasten the straps of his guards.

He spent more time changing clothes than usual — his hands seemed to be disobedient, and then he couldn't leave immediately when he imagined going into the common room and seeing again the faces of the guys whom he'd let down. He had let the entire House down, for that matter. And now... was he really going to just show up in the common room after losing tonight?

This idea didn't seem very sound. It was even easier to come to the team's changing room, but what would the others think of him now? Half-blood had tried to show off but had screwed up — huh, what a loser.

Gritting his teeth, Manami made an effort to pick up the Firebolt from the floor, and then on weakening legs moved towards the exit. The best solution was to get on the broom and fly to school to at least save time, but one new glance at the handle was enough to realise that this thought seemed horribly repulsive. Manami didn't want to. For the first time he didn't want to clamber on his broomstick, he didn't want to feel this amazing sensation of flight, which he had fallen in love with the very moment he had first tried to fly.

And he didn't. Holding the Firebolt in his hand, he wandered down the path leading to the school, and he honestly didn't care if he made it in time for dinner. What difference did it make? It was unlikely that he'd be able to eat anything today.

But no matter how he delayed the moment, eventually he came back to school. By that time, the sky had completely turned black, sparkling stars appeared, which meant that dinner had already been going on for some time — maybe it was even coming to an end. Manami didn't really want to check it — while everyone was in the Great Hall, he could try to sneak into the dormitory, avoiding meeting most of the guys, but he dismissed this thought. Sooner or later it would end this way, and the sooner the better because Manami probably even wanted it. To see judgmental glances directed in his direction. To see them because it would be fair.

Feeling his despair increase, he left the Firebolt in the broomstick room. He idly threw the protective charm on it and from there went straight to the Great Hall, intending to meet face to face with what he feared so badly, in fact.

However, towards the end of the journey, he began to realise that he was still more late than he had expected — not far from the entrance he began to meet the leaving children from different Houses and didn't even know if they were looking at him, because he suddenly lost all courage and simply couldn't raise his eyes.

When he was already near the door, a familiar voice called out to him, making him involuntarily start. The voice belonged to Onoda, and upon realising this, Manami smiled bitterly at himself, for he had simply forgotten about him. Forgot about his existence altogether.

“Are you coming back or just going to dinner?” Onoda asked in a tone full of energy, and Manami was involuntarily at a loss, seeing him now right in front of him.

Onoda... was quite like before. A little embarrassed, a little happy, as it was every time they met, and the realisation that he hadn't changed in any way seemed horribly wrong to Manami because his whole world had been turned upside down, and this couldn't leave something untouched.

“Sangaku?” Onoda called a little excitedly, causing Manami to wake up and an awkward laugh to break out.

“Oh, no. Actually, I have to go to the common room,” he said, not knowing why, to which Onoda smiled faintly.

“I'm glad I ran into you. I don't want to delay, but maybe you have a minute? I wanted to tell you something.”

“Oh sure. Come on,” Manami agreed, relieved that he could get away from this busy place.

He walked apparently too fast, when he was heading into the corridor, which should have been free, he suppose; Onoda lagged behind a little but quickly caught up near the window where Manami stopped and, turning around, leaned his shoulder against the wall.

“Much better,” he breathed, now not hearing other people's voices even in the distance. “What did you want to say?”

“Ah, well—” Onoda immediately hesitated, looking down in confusion. “I just thought all this time after the game and remembered— This whole year, all the important moments, and anyway— I... have to thank you.”

“What?” Manami asked, slowly and tensely straightening to stand upright.

“My joining the team,” Onoda explained, smiling awkwardly and still looking at the floor. “If you hadn't called me to Quidditch, I wouldn't have even thought of trying. I didn't believe in my abilities, but you pushed me, and thanks to you I ended up on the field. It's just— I'm so happy with everything that has happened this year. All my games and the time I spent with the guys— Thanks for that.”

“…It looks like that,” Manami agreed after a short pause. He wanted to smile, he had to, but it didn't work. “I did it. I called you.”

“Thank you, really,” Onoda repeated. “I don't know how to thank you.”

“No need,” Manami replied, and everything inside him shrank to the point of being unable to breathe. “It's good that you're happy.”

“Sangaku,” Onoda said, finally looking up. “I'm so sorry.”

“Sakamichi,” Manami replied, breathing out intermittently and with difficulty. “You have nothing to apologise for — you did everything right.”

“But—” Onoda shuddered uneasily, to which Manami shook his head.

“It's okay. Don't worry about me, please.”

“Well...” Onoda fell silent, lowering his head again. “Okay. I'll... go then, right? See you later?”

“Yes,” Manami agreed, and Onoda, as if on cue, turned around.

When he left, the tension was noticeable in every his step, but Manami could no longer think about it — his mind had been taken over by another insight, far more important now. For that was the essence of everything. That was the answer he couldn't immediately guess—

His stomach twisted in an unpleasant spasm, and Manami grimaced. His legs felt like they were going to go weak again, so he gripped the wall with his hand and stood like that for a few seconds until he was sure he could walk.

Now there wasn't much choice left. He had to go back to the common room even if it was even more difficult now than before.

He walked almost without knowing the way — just on the machine, he called the password the same, but when the passage in the wall opened, he barely found the strength to step inside. It was certainly lively in there. Many people haven't yet gone to their bedrooms — they were chatting or playing chess, discussing tomorrow's walk to Hogsmeade or the upcoming exams. And for some reason... no one was talking about the shameful disastrous final. Manami had expected that at least one of them would blame him for what had happened, but for some reason the guys just tried to ignore him. As if he had become invisible or empty space.

Maybe it was also right? He should have become nothing because he had made an unforgivable mistake. Not only was he guilty of not catching the Snitch.

Still frozen not far from the entrance, Manami didn't know how to budge, and when he noticed Arakita approaching, he shuddered in fear. The eyes filled with tears again.

“Hey,” Arakita called gloomily, stopping right in front of Manami. His voice cut off Manami's breath and made him feel so disgusted with himself that he just wanted the ground to swallow him up.

Manami cringed, lowering his head low and trying not to sob at least. He didn't know what he was about to hear, but to his surprise Arakita didn't say a word anymore — he just grabbed him by elbow and dragged somewhere, and Manami didn't even resist. He pressed his hand to his eyes, trying to hide his tears, and the silence that abruptly set in the common room seemed so terrible and more harrowing. Manami could barely know how he moved. He barely felt the steps under his feet, and then he was led through the opened door and released so suddenly that he almost lost his balance.

“Deal with this,” Arakita barked at someone. “I'm serious. Did you even think what you were doing?”

“What the fuck? You think you're the smartest?” a reply was sent back to him, and through his tears Manami saw Toudou jump up angrily from his bed.

So the sixth-year's dormitory? Manami recognised it, but except for the three of them, there was no one here now — Fukutomi and Shinkai were absent.

“This time it's your business,” Arakita hissed almost furiously, and it seemed as if he and Toudou were about to kill each other with glances, but the latter suddenly gave up.

He looked at Manami, and in just a few pathetic seconds, his expression changed to doomed and guilty. Manami pressed his hands to his face again, hastily trying to wipe away his tears.

“Go, Yasutomo. Let me talk to him,” Toudou said, much quieter compared to his previous tone, and Arakita, no longer paused for a second, left the room, closing the door noisily behind him.

With that, silence immediately hung in the dormitory, and it made Manami even more uncomfortable for he dared not break it first and feared it would be broken by Toudou's words about how disappointed he was.

“Come here, don't just stand there,” Toudou asked, sitting back down on the bed. “Sit down too if you like.”

Pressing his lips tightly, Manami shook his head but still took a few hesitant steps towards him, then stopped a little before he reached Toudou's bed.

“Sorry for our reaction in the changing room. We were shocked to lose the Cup, and so was I,” Toudou said. “This doesn't mean that we're angry with you at all.”

“Why—” Manami asked hoarsely, hearing his own voice trembling with tears. “Why aren't you mad at me? It was me who ruined everything.”

“You fought and lost,” Toudou replied tensely. “Even strong players aren't immune to losses, so don't get carried away with self-accusations.”

“It's not just that!” Manami objected and abruptly fell silent because it was too difficult to continue.

“What are you talking about?” Toudou asked.

“It's obvious,” Manami said, lowering his head again. “Because Sakamichi— It was me who called him to Quidditch. Therefore... we lost. I shouldn't have done this! It was all me! It all happened because of my stupid desire!”

“Stop it,” Toudou said. “You didn't know what was going to happen. You wanted the best — I know you.”

“It doesn't change anything,” Manami sobbed and pressed his hand to his face.

“No, that changes everything,” Toudou disagreed, and Manami heard him rise to his feet. “You're not going to achieve anything that way now. Just rest, think about something else, study for your exams, and try again next year.”

“No,” Manami shook his head and, reeling, took a step back. “I can't. I don't want to play anymore. Not next year, not ever again.”

“I understand,” Toudou said softly as he walked over to him. “It's very hard for you, but you'll only make things worse if you dwell on this. Bad things happen — that's life, and you shouldn't let these things break you, you know? Losing isn't the worst thing that can happen. So now just try to calm down, okay?”

Manami looked up with tear-stained eyes and almost said he couldn't when suddenly Toudou embraced him and stroked his hair, pressed his head to his shoulder.

“Everything will work out,” Toudou said calmly as if he really believed in his words. “Everything will work out,” he repeated. “I promise.”

Chapter Text

This May was the first so unusual month that Manami had spent at Hogwarts. The variety of emotions that he experienced, the speed of their change each other — everything went beyond what he was able to withstand, everything threatened to unbalanceв him completely. That was basically how Manami felt — unstable. Even if by some miracle he managed to forget about the Quidditch season finals, sooner or later something or someone would sharply remind him of it, and everything would start all over again. Thoughts were going in circle around again, striving to bring to panic, and then they were leaving devastation and so much bitterness that he couldn't breathe. It seemed to fill him from the inside — it became oxygen unsuitable for life, it mixed with guilt and pressed. There was no escape from it.

And even if Manami tried to believe Toudou's words and accept his support, no one knew when at least some changes would come because each time the pain returned the same, and sometimes even with a vengeance. Transformed from delight and joy, this pain seemed unnatural, unreal because it all wasn't supposed to end this way, and the logical ending didn't look right. Somewhere among all the events and sensations, a critical error was hidden — Manami felt it but couldn't find it, and in these thoughts he only drove himself deeper to the bottom.

A couple of weeks after the accident that had turned everything upside down, he still didn't think he could continue with Quidditch. Disappointment in himself and in his actions was still palpable, and sometimes even preparation for exams, which was supposed to be the main focus of all students, didn't help to forget about it. Manami honestly didn't want to do this, he forced himself to go to the library and study just so he wouldn't let his House down in terms of grades as well  — hadn't he done enough when he lost the Quidditch Cup? Thanks to their victory, the Gryffindors have risen well — there were much more rubies in their hourglasses, and now the House was in well-deserved second place, just a little short of catching up with the smart guys from Ravenclaw. Slytherin was in third place, and Manami no longer expected that his own House would be able to break into first and get the House Cup. The only thing he could do himself was not to make the situation worse by falling behind in his studies, which was why he had to overcome himself and do something that he was no longer interested in.

But this wasn't only about lessons. Everything was much worse because Manami realised that he didn't want to do anything at all. He never went to the broomstick room anymore, walked only on foot and alone, and after dinner he always stayed in his dormitory, most often trying in vain to cram theory from textbooks into his head. Less and less often he talked to the guys from the team — practice was over for this year, so there was no need to see and communicate with his Quidditch mates, and Manami was really relieved because talking to any of them was still unbearably difficult.

Although they crossed paths with Onoda in joint lessons, it was even harder to chat now because Professors were bombarded with information from the first minutes to the very last, and besides, Manami simply didn't use the infrequent opportunities that came up, and Onoda didn't insist.

With all this, Manami began to seem that he was thrown into another body and now he was living someone else's life but definitely not his own. He didn't like it, but he couldn't return to his old one either, and every day he became more and more convinced that apparently he wouldn't do so next year when he was already a third-year student. So maybe it was for the best? No one would force him to play Quidditch, the team would find a better replacement for him, and he'd become what he should be — just a guy who was unlucky with a lineage. If he could get used to it, would things ever really get better? Such thoughts were already beginning to seem salvific in a way. Manami found himself thinking about it over and over again, and more often than not while doing homework or in the Charms classroom. Intuition seemed to push him to a new decision — to try to find himself in something else, and in an instant it was heard.

If I read additional literature and practice, I will be able to conjure even better, Manami suggested, when during free time he came to the library and opened a textbook on an empty table, intending to finish the History of Magic assignment which he left again for last.

The teacher of Charms had more than once told him with open admiration that he had amazing abilities — Manami had nodded, smiling, and forgot about it after five minutes because his head was filled with nothing but flying and Quidditch, but what if his strengths lay in something else entirely? Maybe he should have devoted himself to something that was good and not frustrating? Even if practicing magic was no longer as interesting as it used to be, Manami could try to get used to it and regain the value of his talent. He could at least earn that extra points that way and somehow pay off his debt to his House.

Realising that he remembered the loss again, he sighed resignedly and buried his forehead in the book, feeling the stifling smell of the pages hitting his nose. It was really some kind of vicious circle. Cruel and not letting go, and Manami didn't know how to break free. It began to seem to him that everything he thought about or everything he did was leading back to an unforgivable mistake which he sort of wanted to fix and sort of couldn't. He tried to forget, but in the end, he returned to what he was trying to escape from, and there was no idea how to stop it. Maybe when the exams were over and he went home, this would be easier to deal with?

Trying to focus only on his homework, Manami pulled out a parchment and inkwell from his bag and even worked quite successfully for a while. He heard five minutes after his arrival, the table separated from his own by a high rack was occupied by unknown guys talking among themselves about something but not loudly enough to be very distracting, and Manami decided not to leave but soon thought it was a mistake.

“Did you read today in The Daily Prophet how Transylvania defeated the French?” one of the lads asked, changing his tone to enthusiastic. “My cousin is in USA now, attended this game and promised me a letter with the details of the match!”

“Yeah,” the second guy replied cheerfully. “The Transylvanians had great results in the qualifying phase — I wouldn't be surprised if they make it to the finals in this World Cup.”

“I think I've decided who I'm going to cheer for.”

“You'll have to decide who to cheer for in school Quidditch,” a chuckle came, followed by a disappointed voice.

“What are you talking about? Cheer for our team. They were champions — one Cup loss doesn't solve anything. They'll win next year.”

Manami shuddered, identifying these guys as Slytherins. Ugh, lucky for him that they chose this very place to talk about Quidditch—

“I don't know,” one of the guys answered boredly. “They need another Seeker, I think. In the first match, he didn't show himself very well, and I don't even want to talk about the final. All he had to do was stall for time, since he couldn't catch it himself. If he'd broken the rules, it wouldn't have mattered since the Cup was on the line. The Gryffindors were only ten points ahead of us, you know.”

“Yeah. It would be nice if that Onoda played for us.” A chuckle again. “He's just a rookie — imagine what he'll be like next season?”

“Be careful not to mention that to anyone else — they'll think that you support Gryffindor.”

“And what about you.”

“I agree a little bit.”

Listening to them, Manami could hardly restrain himself so as not to jump out of his chair and run away. It would be awful — he would have to walk past them to get away and get noticed. The last thing he wanted now was to remind of himself, to stir up interest in the discussion. Why couldn't they just forget? Why couldn't they have guessed how unbearable it was for him to know about their thoughts?

Luckily, the lads left as soon as the signal about the end of the lesson was heard somewhere in the distance, and Manami was still sitting with his unfinished assignment. He could no longer concentrate on the History of Magic — he was tormented by the desire to learn the Forgetfulness Charm, and to use it to every student in the school, so that no one would ever bring up the subject of his failure again. Seriously, how could he forget about it in such circumstances and come to his senses?

The appetite was completely lost. Manami never went to lunch, tried to finish the assignment, but it seemed to turn out complete nonsense though it was the most he was capable of right now.

He ended up going to History of Magic right after the library, but showed up rather early — fifteen minutes before class started. Professor was out although the classroom was open, and several of the Ravenclaw students had already taken their places and stared in books or parchments. Manami went inside and sat on an empty chair near Miyahara, who was noisily turning pages, nervously searching for something in the textbook.

“Not a minute without cramming?” he asked, lazily tossing his bag under the desk.

Miyahara was hardly distracted from her occupation.

“I wanted to read a little in the Great Hall, but it's so noisy there — it's impossible to concentrate. Here it is!” she cheered up, having stopped turning pages.

“You can rest now — you'll have the top grades for all the exams,” Manami told her, trying to smile, but it turned out probably badly.

“No, if I study less!” Miyahara objected, glaring at him after all, and immediately fell silent. “Sangaku...”

“What?” Manami asked and turned away, looking ahead at the empty dark board.

“Do you sleep well? And you weren't at lunch again today,” Miyahara asked in a worried tone.

“And I'm not beautiful as I used to be?” Manami chuckled sarcastically, resting his cheek on his palm. “You don't like me?”

“That's not what I mean!” Miyahara replied almost offended. “And I'm just surprised!”

“By what?”

“Are you still... upset about Quidditch? Or did something else happen?” she asked carefully and much more quietly.

“Nothing else happened,” Manami sighed. “I'm just a fool, right? Stuck in one place.”

“Not at all,” Miyahara disagreed. “I just don't understand— You won all your other games. And in the final, your team was only a little short.”

“I cried that day,” Manami confessed, looking down, and Miyahara made a sound like she was choking. “And after it too. I don't know how many times it happened.”

“Why?” she asked, raising her voice in alarm.

“Is it really that strange?” Manami chuckled again, looking at her.

“Of course,” Miyahara nodded. “It's just Quidditch. Just one defeat. Not the end of the world. You can win next year.”

“The team lost its championship title because of me,” Manami said quietly, losing all desire to mock himself.

“Are they really angry with you?” Miyahara said sadly.

“No,” Manami shook his head negatively. “They aren't angry at all.”

“Because it's right. You need to move on. This doesn't sound like you,” Miyahara said. “Doesn't look like a person who has overcome all the challenges. You overcame the prejudice against you from other guys; you overcame your frustration when expectations from Quidditch weren't met. You made the team anyway and did great for your first time. I can't believe you can be so broken now. Haven't you gotten stronger?”

“I guess I haven't,” Manami concluded.

“Okay, okay,” Miyahara said awkwardly, apparently feeling guilty. “Give yourself more time. Everything will definitely work out. If you want to— I don't know— If you want to, why don't we go and fly on broomsticks after class? Maybe it'll cheer you up.”

“You?” Manami asked a little surprised. “The exams are coming up. You're going to give up your studying and come with me to fly?”

“Well,” Miyahara blushed. “Sure! I want to support you if you're in such a state! You love flying — that should help.”

"Sorry," Manami turned away again. “Thanks for the offer, but I don't want to fly. To be honest, I don't want to talk about Quidditch either.”

“Oh,” Miyahara said knowingly and completely fell silent.

“Maybe we'd better talk about something else? About the beast you thought was a werewolf or Grim?” Manami asked.

“What?” Miyahara perked up. “The same one? Did it appear again?”

“No,” Manami shrugged. “I just found out what it was all about. And I was really surprised, you know. And a little disappointed, actually. It's just a transfiguration.”

“Transfiguration?” Miyahara asked, puzzled. “Change of shape and size or—”

“Transformation the inanimate into the living thing,” Manami replied. “Our Chaser, Shinkai, made it. Tried to make a cat, but it worked out like that.”

“That's it,” Miyahara said in confusion. “And I didn't think about transfiguration at all. God, how stupid. After all, it was the simplest and most plausible option — it should have come to mind first.”

“My mother told me about this during the Christmas holidays, but I didn't listen, because it seemed too boring,” Manami smiled.

“That was awkward,” Miyahara also smiled back.

Manami wanted to add about the story with Arakita, but Professor entered the classroom, and he had to silently get the textbook and his poorly done homework from his bag. Thinking about his older companions, Manami felt depressed again and quietly asked, “Can I ride the Hogwarts Express with you?”

Surprised, Miyahara looked at him, her face becoming concerned as if she was going to say no and admonish him that it was right to go with someone from his own House, but she didn't.

“Okay, let's go,” she whispered because Professor had already started the lesson, and Manami nodded in relief.

He wanted and at the same time didn't want to go in his usual company. If he was going to forget, he needed to shield himself from everyone who had something to do with Quidditch at least temporarily.

Even if time seemed to be slowing down and dragging on almost unbearably now, June was approaching with the first week of exams, but before that something else had to happen — his birthday. Manami hadn't thought about it at all, and when he accidentally remembered, he felt even worse than he had lately. Birthday meant attention, gifts — attention in the first place. At a time when he just wanted to disappear.

Knowing the guys from the Quidditch team, knowing Onoda, Manami had assumed that they might decide to arrange something unusual for him (separately from each other, of course), and he didn't want this so much that by the end of May, as if by magic, he'd just fallen ill. It was probably the first time that the only symptom was a high fever, but Manami had been so bad that he had almost fainted, and Professor of Transfiguration herself took him to the Hospital Wing, where he had immediately been prescribed bed rest.

Healer, Madam Bland, of course, tried to give him magic medicines again, but this time Manami didn't even want to get better although he had always tried to leave the infirmary as soon as possible before.

And so it happened that in the end he was still bedridden on his birthday. They didn't let the healthy ones into the Hospital Wing much, but Toudou came in in the morning anyway, congratulated him, and put some sweets from himself and the other guys on the bedside table. Madam Bland cast a disapproving glance at this motley pile although she said nothing, and Manami simply wrapped himself in a blanket and tried to fall asleep again, feeling the temperature and touching attention from his mates making his cheeks burn. They hadn't forgotten about him and even might have wanted him to start spending time with them again, but Manami wasn't ready for that yet.

He promised himself that he would tune in over the summer holidays, at least try — and even though they most likely wouldn't be playing Quidditch together anymore, it was possible to keep in touch because they were all cool — Toudou, Fukutomi, Arakita, and Shinkai — and had a big place in Manami's heart.

After mid-afternoon, Sleepy flew into the infirmary through the half-open window and brought a note (it was clearly who had sent it), but Manami had to make an effort to unfold it and read it. Onoda wrote, 'I didn't see you in class. Are you skipping? Do you want to meet in the evening?' Manami groaned resignedly into his pillow and then hobbled to Madam Bland's office and asked for a quill.

He wrote the answer on the back of the note, apologising and explaining that he wasn't feeling well, and sent Sleepy back to the owner. Manami really felt terrible about it — as if he was lying when in fact, he was telling the truth. But did he really not want to see Onoda now either? A person who had essentially become half of his world for sure.

It even seemed ridiculous, but to deny both of these things was just silly. Manami didn't know how to relate to this new change, and while he was thinking, Sleepy for some reason flew back — a little later, of course, it became clear why. She brought a present. A beautiful, masterful unicorn figurine. Manami put it on the bedside table and watched the movements — the unicorn silently beat the ground with its front hoof and waved its silvery mane. Apparently, Onoda asked a senior to buy this souvenir in Hogsmeade, his intuition suggested, and Manami sighed heavily because he saw exactly such a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest when he had fled there after his loss.

Were you there or did you read my mind, Sakamichi? he asked mentally and collapsed on the pillow, adding to himself, ‘What an irony.’

Whether there would be worse birthday in his life, Manami didn't know and remembered it like that. There were seemingly equally awful exams ahead of him because he could hardly catch up with the program after his careless attitude to studies throughout the year. He devoted himself to Quidditch, hoping to win the Cup, but now, it seemed, he'd not only not have the Cup but also normal grades. If he was going to fail, would he fail at everything at once?

It was with this unoptimistic thought, after being discharged from the Hospital Wing, that Manami took his second exams at Hogwarts, some of which, like the History of Magic, Potions, or Astronomy, became a real torture. One thing was good — after two weeks of attestation, the classes until the end of the school year became much easier and calmer. Students were freed from homework, had more time to rest, and they could only wait for the announcement of the exam results.

Last year, before the holidays, Manami had been catching up on flying on school broom, secretly training with Toudou on the Quidditch pitch, and this time he still hadn't even thought about the opportunity to fly in his cool Firebolt and for the most part had either just been lounging, or sitting in the Owlery, or actually practicing spells.

A week and a half before the end of the term, a funny thing happened. Manami was going to breakfast on Saturday when he heard a familiar loud voice from afar — it was Naruko standing near the entrance to the Great Hall. There was a large cardboard box at his feet with a thin cat's meow from it, and students of completely different ages and from different Houses were crowded around.

Kittens! it dawned on Manami, and he remembered that even before the Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff match, Onoda had told that Naruko's cat was waiting for offspring. Exactly. The kittens had apparently been born for a couple of months already, and Manami hadn't asked about them.

Succumbing to curiosity, he came closer to also look into the box, and saw four kittens there so much like their mother (who was sitting next to the box and seemed to be seriously assessing every applicant for a pet). The colouring was ginger, all four of them, and that meant—

“We couldn't determine who their father was,” a voice was heard nearby, and Manami almost flinched when he turned his head and met Onoda's gaze.

He grinned awkwardly and pointed at the box.

“We had a mess in our bedroom for two months because of these children, but today Shoukichi finally decided to hand them out.”

“Uh, they're cute,” Manami replied in confusion, looking at the kittens again.

The same Hufflepuff girl — the Seeker from the Quidditch team — had chosen one and was already holding it in her arms, listening to Naruko's instructions on how to care for a kitten. He looked terribly important and smug too.

“Do you want to take it?” Onoda asked, and Manami stepped back with a smile, shaking his head.

“I don't think Shoukichi will agree to this. And I think I like birds now.”

“Well, okay,” Onoda shrugged. “I think they'll all find good masters.”

Manami nodded and was already rushing to leave when Onoda called out to him, “Sangaku. Is something wrong?”

Stopping and mentally cursing to himself, Manami reluctantly turned around and tried to smile again.

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“I think you've been acting weird lately,” Onoda said worriedly, stepping closer. “As if you're avoiding me.”

“No I haven't!” Manami lied, laughing awkwardly. And God, he felt so ashamed of his lie that his cheeks flashed with heat. “I was just busy. I was terribly behind in my studies, and I had to make up for everything to pass the exams so I wouldn't have to repeat the year.”

“Well, yes,” Onoda smiled weakly, lowering his gaze. “I also had to catch up. To be honest, I'm afraid to hear my own grades.”

“Everything will be fine,” Manami shook his head. “You have passed — believe my presentiment.”

“Okay,” Onoda perked up, clearly delighted. “Well, that's good because I guess I'm not much of a wizard yet.”

“You're just being hard on yourself,” Manami replied, unfortunately feeling too strong a desire for this conversation to end quickly. He really wanted it to.

He wanted to run away, not to see Onoda, because everything about him... reminded. Of that unfortunate day, of the loss, of Manami brought himself an opponent he couldn't defeat. The opponent who said to him 'thank you' after all. Did he not understand at all how his words sounded? How could he smile when their promise turned out to be a disaster for one of them? God, they were such idiots when they made this ridiculous arrangement.

Thinking about this, Manami almost suffocated and struggled not to give himself away with emotion when Onoda suddenly suggested, “Maybe we can take a walk today? Flying or just walking around. The weather's fine.”

“No,” Manami said quietly, looking down. “Sorry. I have some things to do. What about some other time?”

“Well… okay,” Onoda replied, and his tone seemed to grow sad.

Manami bit his lip, turned around and passed the door without looking at him again — he had no strength and his thoughts were confused. Everything was getting so strange and unpleasant. Onoda was in fact not to blame for anything — he had done everything Manami wanted him to do, he had won because of the circumstances because he was a little stronger in the end, but then why— Why was this unpleasant, repulsive feeling settling in his heart in spite of common sense? Was Manami going to resent Onoda for what he himself was guilty of? Nonsense.

But no matter how much he talked himself into it, nothing changed even after a while. When the grades for the exams were announced, he was somewhat relieved to know that he had passed everything more or less well. Not as good as last year, but quite bearable and even surprising given his condition. Miyahara was able to score the highest in all subjects, finally fulfilling her dream, but Imaizumi was only the second in grades this time, which Manami assumed was influenced by his joining the Quidditch team.

Thus, studies could be forgotten for the rest of the summer (if you ignore the few homework assignments given by some professors). Second-years mentally could already consider themselves transferred to the third year, but, trying to look into the future in his assumptions, Manami honestly didn't know what to expect from next year. What would he do at school? Would he find a new occupation for himself? Would he be able to sit down on his broomstick at least occasionally to fly a little and remember the feeling?

The rest of the school days passed in this alarming uncertainty, and then — the festive dinner at which the Headmaster as usual announced the winner in the House competition. Ravenclaw did take the House Cup, and Gryffindor and Slytherin somehow shared the second place. This was, of course, not the best result, but the Slytherins politely didn't show their displeasure. Had they won the Quidditch finals, they could have taken first place on House points, but reality was what it was, and Manami also had no choice but to accept it.

The next day, all the students had a road to Hogsmeade station — the first-years went by boats, the rest rode in carriages, and for some time Manami still had to sit among his companions, but even so he chose classmates over Toudou with his friends because at least he felt a little more comfortable with his dorm mates.

Immediately after leaving the carriages, Manami found Miyahara to go to London in the same compartment as agreed, and already on the train, he felt that this year was really over. It had been eventful, it should be said, and even too much. So many things had been experienced that, scrolling through the brightest moments in his head, Manami almost trembled. He remembered how enthusiastically he had gone to school, remembered how excited he had been when he had asked Onoda to go to Quidditch with him. His and Onoda's tryouts, then the first games. It all started out so great and promising. They both made amazing progress, but then one of them was one step ahead — and the air castle collapsed, scattering ash in the wind. Why hadn't Manami foreseen this? And if he had foreseen, then what? Would he have given up his decision to invite Onoda with him? Could he win without knowing that they were together and that they would meet on the field?

Thinking about it now was foolish of course — there was no going back on the past, and Manami didn't really want to see what would have happened if he had done otherwise. Trying to keep his mind clear, he settled down in one of the seats of the compartment and slept most of the way to the soothing sound of the wheels.

By evening they arrived in London. Manami took his luggage, said goodbye to his friend and went to look for his mother among the greeters. When he saw her, a wave of joy flooded without warning, and the realisation that he had missed her terribly seemed even surprising. It was like everything was different around his mother — Manami felt safe from everything and from his negative feelings about Quidditch too because his mother was like she was from another world, but, as it turned out later, that wasn't enough.

She didn't know anything, of course — she didn't know that it was better not to bring up a stressful subject, because Manami hadn't informed her about the results of his last game, and it would be naive to expect that sooner or later she wouldn't ask how the final went.

This happened already at home, when, during dinner, Manami talked about what grades he had received and how the story with an incomprehensible beast had ended. He so skillfully avoided all possible references to Quidditch as if he had been studying it all year, but at the moment when Mom nevertheless asked about the final match, Manami quickly wilted and pushed the almost empty plate away from him.

“I lost my final match, Mom,” he said without looking up and shook his head when he felt Mom was about to ask something else. “I made a mistake and I want to try to forget about it. Otherwise I'll just get stuck, you know?”

And Mom said nothing more. When Manami did look at her, there was a soft supportive smile on her face that could warm his heart. Trying to smile back, Manami thanked her for the dinner and went up to his room for the first time that evening, where his mother had levitated his suitcase and broom to right after the car.

The Firebolt was now in the corner of the bedroom, wrapped in thick paper and propped against the wall. Manami didn't feel anything when he looked at it, and then he accidentally caught sight of his old PSP, which was lying on his made-up bed, plugged in — his mother had put it on charge before he returned.

“It's about time,” Manami chuckled.

A lonely bitter tear rolled down his cheek.

Chapter Text

Onoda's handwriting was somehow strange. Not like usual as Manami thought. The letters were much larger, the words were too slanted, and in some places, the text was uneven on the paper. There was only one sentence — one question, — but how many different feelings did it evoke.

Onoda asked for a meeting, Manami didn't want to go anywhere.

Manami didn't want anything.

He needed to write an answer — refusal, but as soon as he looked up, it became clear that the opportunity for this had just slipped away. Sleepy — Onoda's owl — had flown away, leaving him without a chance to relieve himself because Manami couldn't simply ignore the note.

He got out of bed, dropping the crumpled piece of paper, went past other people's beds — empty. There was no one in the dormitory, but he paid no attention to it. Nor was he interested in what was going on when he passed the empty common room. He didn't care how Onoda knew how to find the place. Onoda shouldn't have known.

The long gloomy corridor met him with the same emptiness and silence. Manami heard the passage in the wall close behind his back, took a few more steps forward and froze, folding in his robes more tightly, overcome by something like chills. He was beginning to shiver even if he didn't feel cold.

He still... didn't want to go anywhere.

Right or left? No matter. Manami turned the corner — forced himself to go and turn — slowed down again and noisily sucked in the moist cold air of the dungeons through his nose. It didn't get any easier.

It didn't get any easier even when footsteps were heard somewhere in the distance — Manami couldn't feel calmer just because he had fulfilled his obligation. Onoda found him surprisingly quickly. He moved towards him in a strange way when Manami saw him, awkward, as if he was uncomfortable. As if something was in the way.

“Sakamichi,” Manami said, hearing his own voice as if through water. “What did you want—”

“Sangaku…” Onoda began perplexedly, without looking up, and awkwardly twitched to reveal the cause of his discomfort while walking. The reason for his insecure behavior. The reason for everything. “I wanted— I called you to… here,” he said, grabbing the Cup that he was hiding under his robes with both hands and then leaned over to put it on the floor in front of Manami.

It was…

The Quidditch Cup, Manami realised, seeing it up close the first time, and grinned sadly. That was it, then?

Onoda decided to remind who earned it deservedly? Who turned out to be the strongest in the end. Who got everything, leaving others with nothing.

“The Quidditch Cup?” Manami asked, as if he still needed confirmation. The confirmation that this situation was indeed real. That Onoda had actually brought the Cup here.

“Yes,” he replied, still looking down.

“And why… did you bring your Quidditch Cup here, Sakamichi?” Manami asked, hesitating a little.

“Because it should be yours,” Onoda said resolutely, finally raising his head, but Manami didn't want to meet his gaze.

What was it all about now? Stupid and useless.

“It was you who wanted to play Quidditch, Sangaku,” Onoda said again, realising that he wouldn't get an answer. “It was you who loved flying from the very beginning. From the very beginning, you were good at it... And it's your team that's the strongest in the school. Isn't it... right?”

“Yes, it is,” Manami bowed his head in agreement and then raised and looked Onoda straight in the eyes. “And the Cup is yours.”

“It's...” Onoda broke off, becoming quite tense, “not like that, you see? It's not how it should be. I'm not the one who deserved the Cup. My team did what they could, but I— It's just an accident, you know?”

Manami almost shuddered, something shattered inside, and it became so heavily that his lungs refused to take in air.

An accident?

Undeserved victory?

Onoda was saying the exact opposite of Manami's thoughts and feelings. It was all untrue. It was ridiculous to the point of bitterness, to the point of inability to adequately express his thoughts, to convince—

“An accident?” Manami said his mental question aloud.

“Yes, an accident!” Onoda seemed to have gained courage and, daring, continued confusedly, “I'm not good enough to accept it. That was you— If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have caught the Snitch. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been on the team at all. It's all thanks to you. I just don't know how to say it, but— Thank you?”

That was the last straw. Manami's eyes began to water and he gave up, not going to argue, not going to explain — yes, I brought you, but it only happened because I underestimated your abilities. Didn't foresee how you could grow. I made a mistake, not thinking how it could end.

Without answering, Manami didn't think of a better solution than to leave. He went around the Cup, without even looking at it, walked past Onoda, back to the entrance to the common room, and suddenly darkness came to life, engulfed the gray walls and filled everything with itself. Manami didn't have time to get scared — the next second he jumped up in his bed, feeling as if he had been pulled out of the icy water, under which it was impossible to breathe.

It was half-dark around, the window was half-covered with curtains, and the faint light of the street, not yet touched by the first rays of the sun, streamed in through the glass. This was, of course, his bedroom. In his home, where he spent his summer holidays. It took Manami a full minute to admit this fact — he was at home, not at Hogwarts, not in the Slytherin dormitory, and naturally, he hadn't gone out to meet Onoda. It was all just a dream. One of the few. Not as terrible as it used to be sometimes, but still leaving behind an unwanted residue.

Manami pressed his hand to his face and began to wipe away the drying traces of tears. He cried again in his sleep, and it never ended, despite all hopes that things might be getting better away from school. How idiotically stupid of him was to expect it.

Nothing was getting better. Weeks passed, July passed, and mid-August was approaching, but nothing was getting better. Onoda came to him in dreams. Catching the Snitch in the Quidditch pitch, saying what he wouldn't say in real life, in the gloomy and empty corridors of Hogwarts. They didn't even really communicate. Manami couldn't call communication those occasional text message exchanges. Onoda always texted first. He tried to tell about something, to ask something. Manami seemed to be responding so dryly and without interest that each time such a dialogue ended before it had even begun.

And yet... why didn't Onoda let him go then? He was in Manami's thoughts during the day, and at night he disturbed his dreams. Manami tried to distract himself, to forget — more often he went out for a walk without taking his phone with him, more often he downloaded new movies or games from the Internet. One way or another, Onoda was bursting into his head, bringing with him the sadness and memories that Manami didn't want to return to.

With that came a new, also far from pleasant, realisation that it looked like they wouldn't be able to communicate like they had before in September either.  Manami simply didn't want and didn't think that with his return to Hogwarts, he would resume his previous relationship with Onoda. They wouldn't arrange meetings, they would stop texting with Sleepy's help, they wouldn't fly together on brooms over the huge lake near the castle or play Quidditch. Manami seemed to be really going to leave all this in the past; he felt that he couldn't not leave even if his heart was breaking with pain. But it hurt even more at the thought that Onoda would be there, becoming the ghost of defeat for the best Quidditch team in the school.

Maybe it just needed more time? A year, two... maybe five? Would Onoda be able to take him back if the whole months went by? And even if not, what the difference would it make? It would still be another betrayal on his, Manami's, part to his House. So was it even worth it for them to get close to each other in the first place?

This pointless, repetitive question kept popping up in his mind even if Manami had chosen not to play the 'what if—' game. He wanted to go forward; he felt that he needed it, so why was the past pulling him back every day, seemingly more and more?

Toudou also added fuel to the fire though, of course, not nearly as much as the rare messages from Onoda. At the end of July, as usual, Toudou had sent a letter with an owl asking how the summer was going and telling on three pages about the Quidditch World Cup news, and Manami couldn't even reproach him. If he himself wanted to forget about Quidditch, it didn't mean that others should give up their love for the game. He had to accept, train himself to take it easy if he still wanted to maintain friendly relations with Toudou and the rest of the guys.

The reply letter came out somehow stupid and generally crumpled. Manami could have said a lot more, but he didn't have the strength, and with a sense of shame he had to send the owl back with an envelope much lighter than the one that Toudou had sent him.

Manami could tell a lot but, of course, not about his summer holidays. They passed sadly, even worse than the previous ones, and it was good that this time at least his mother hadn't come up with the idea of putting him in the hospital for a week for prevention. Why did he even need health now if he was no longer going to play Quidditch?

He couldn't fall asleep again after that dream with Onoda, as he often did lately, and he just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and succumbing to painful thoughts he had already felt sick about.

When a barely audible noise came from the ground floor, apparently from the kitchen, Manami nevertheless threw back the covers and got out of bed, thinking that perhaps an early breakfast would help him to recover at least a little. This day seemed to still have a chance of being not so bad, but hope was dashed pretty quickly. Almost immediately after Manami had gone downstairs to the kitchen and sat down at the table.

Mom was busy not far from the stove making herself breakfast sandwiches, but when Manami appeared, she was distracted, made a sound like she remembered something important, and then a parchment that seemed vaguely familiar sank down on the table.

“Do you know where I found this?” Mom began, chewing a piece of cucumber she'd put into her mouth which a few seconds ago. “In the living room under the table.”

“Oh,” Manami said stupidly, noticing his mother's signature at the bottom of the beautiful text.

At the very bottom was actually the Hogwarts sign. How could he not have guessed right away—

“This is an important thing,” Mom said. “You won't be allowed to go to Hogsmeade without this permission, and that would be a shame to miss out — such a lovely village. I'll have to go there again sometime. I wouldn't even mind drinking a mug of Butterbeer at Three Broomsticks,” she added, and her gaze became somewhat dreamy.

Manami smiled slyly.

“Very interesting. I didn't know you liked spending time in places like this.” He remembered from the words of the older guys that Three Brooms was the kind of pub where even a schoolboy could get Butterbeer.

“It's not bad there in good company,” Mom laughed awkwardly. “My classmates and I once spent five hours at a table discussing the benefits of transfiguration in Potions—”

“What?” Manami was taken aback and then raised his hand in a stopping gesture. “Don't tell me — I'll blow my brains out! How can you go to a place where people are having fun and talk about studying there?”

“There's nothing wrong with talking about something interesting,” Mom replied with a condescending smile. “Take your permission,” she reminded him again. “Don't lose it before you get to Hogwarts, otherwise you'll have to ask for a new one. By the way, you got up early.”

She turned away again to grab some more bread and make sandwiches for him too.

“Ah… yes, I woke up and couldn't sleep,” Manami replied reluctantly, pushing the parchment toward him, followed by the jug of juice.

“I thought I told you not to do that — you know it's not very nice,” Mom said sternly, and he, grimacing, stopped drinking from the jug and put it back on the table.

“How do you know what I'm doing? Do you have eyes on the back of your head?”

“Knowing you is enough to know what you're doing,” Mom replied. “You're not listening to anyone at all.”

“Then why tell me something since I'm not listening to anyone anyway?” Manami asked, frowning, and reluctantly reached for the glass.

“Because you'll take note of it sooner or later. Well, I sincerely hope so, at least,” his mother said, slicing vegetables.

She deftly worked with a kitchen knife — although she could probably do the same with her wand and just as well but still preferred this Muggle method. Perhaps just out of habit, or maybe because she really didn't like to use magic and resorted to its help only as a last resort. Manami remembered that when they had first walked to Diagon Alley together, Mom said that magic had brought her something bad, and now he seemed to feel the same way. So he didn't want to touch the broom anymore, he didn't want to play Quidditch. Because all these aspirations ended badly for him.

What was it like for a witch to almost completely abandon magic and stay in the Muggle world? Was she as bad as he was now? How had she overcome this?

Manami didn't dare to ask. He was distracted when his mother put a plate of neat sandwiches in front of him, which she had even put pieces of ham in, unlike her own.

“You still haven't said what you've decided about Diagon Alley,” she reminded him of one more thing. "Will you go alone this time or should I drive you?"

Of course, not only did the letter from Hogwarts come with permission to visit Hogsmeade, which needed to be signed, it also came with a list of textbooks and other items needed for next year. But there was some problem with it—

“Ugh, could you—” Manami began, not knowing how to say, and the mood instantly crept down. “In general, do you mind going without me and buying what I need?”

Mom, hearing this, raised her eyebrows in surprise, and Manami felt completely ashamed.

Actually, the whole point was that just a couple of days ago Onoda had asked in his message if Manami would like to meet him in Diagon Alley and go shopping together. Manami lied that he had already bought everything, and he naturally didn't know what day Onoda would be there. What if they did run into each other? That would be just awful. Much worse than if Onoda met Manami's mother, whose appearance he surely remembered, but she could go to Diagon Alley to do some other business of her own?

“Don't you want to go?” Mom asked, clearly puzzled by the request.

Manami pursed his lips in despondency and shook his head.

“I'm just not in the mood.”

“You could have met and gone for a walk with your friends there. I thought you missed them.”

“I did!” Manami confirmed. “But I don't want to go to Diagon Alley, really. I'll go myself next year.”

“Sangaku,” Mom called, and that tone made him want to ask her to stop. “If something happened—”

“Nothing happened,” Manami replied sharply. “I'm fine. I just want to take a break from everything while I still have time.”

“Is this related to your Quidditch?” his mother asked carefully, and Manami involuntarily looked up at her — she was still standing next to him, her palms on the tabletop, and looked more worried than ever. As if she understood. As if she knew that Quidditch wasn't just a sports game.

“It would be nice to just get away from the thing that disappointed you, wouldn't it?” Manami smiled sadly at her. “As you did with magic.”

“It's not good for everyone to just get away,” Mom frowned. “Especially if you love this thing. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to stay faithful to what you love against all odds.”

But Manami only sighed, lowering his head again.

“There's too much here. If it was just about me— It wasn't just me who lost because of my mistake, it was the whole team. The guys who believed in me, who hoped for me. They were always so kind to me when others just ignored me. How did I repay them?”

“So give them back the victory,” Mom said suddenly, causing Manami to be involuntarily taken aback. “Anyone can be wrong. Don't think that your leaving will simply absolve you of the responsibility that you feel now. If it were to work, you'd have calmed down by now, but you didn't. You'll have to do something more.”

“I'm not sure, Mom,” he replied with a heavy heart. “You haven't seen my rival. If I stay, sooner or later I'll have to face him again. And I... won't win.”

“You definitely won't win with such an attitude,” his mother sighed. “Confidence alone, of course, is hardly enough to win, but self-doubt will keep you from moving forward and getting stronger. I'm not particularly good at Quidditch — I don't know much about it, you know it, but I'd like you to try again. I loved it when you talked about it. You were so excited and truly happy as if you had found the right calling. And although it's difficult for me to understand all your feelings now, I hope to see that very smile of yours again someday.”

“Sorry,” Manami smiled tightly. “I'm sorry that I made you worry too.”

He didn't give any unambiguous answer, but his mother didn't insist. She just pushed the plate of sandwiches closer and said, “I have to get ready for work. Are you sure you don't want to go to Diagon Alley?”

“Yes,” Manami nodded weakly.

“Okay,” Mom agreed. “I'll go to London myself on my weekend and buy everything you need.”

With that, she took the paper bag, folded the sandwiches she had made for herself, and left the kitchen, leaving Manami alone. The mood was still not so-so though he was surprised at such too serious mother's support. Even if she did buy him an expensive broom and then a Servicing Kit, Manami probably just didn't expect that she'd ever be able to back him up with words. It was nice, but still he didn't think he was ready to take the risk, because there was too much at stake. What would he do if he deprived his team of the Cup for the second time as well?

Imagining this, Manami was frightened, and he felt completely uncomfortable. His appetite soured completely, and he also left, putting the sandwiches in the fridge beforehand and hoping that he could eat them later.

In his room, he felt better when he climbed back into bed and picked up the console. Maybe the game would tire him out and he'd fall asleep again. There was nothing to do anyway. And he could really go to Diagon Alley. He could arrange to meet Toudou again. It would be great to spend time in a place he liked so much.

It won't be next year, Manami remembered sadly. Toudou was graduating from school; he wouldn't be going to Diagon Alley for textbooks anymore. This realisation was really upsetting, and Manami thought about Mom's words again. If he didn't return the victory to the guys this year, he'd never be able to again, and yet—

“I can't risk it, though,” he breathed, watching the game menu open on the screen. “Not now, when I have neither the strength nor the courage."

This time the trip to Hogwarts fell on Saturday, which was, one would assume, a very good deal for many. Well, mainly because they wouldn't have to get up for class the next day. Perhaps someone would smuggle booze into the school (most likely this will definitely happen) and the guys would have a real party in the common room after the feast in the Great Hall. This often happened after Quidditch victories, and Manami well remembered how much fun the Slytherins knew how to have.

He himself rarely took part in such events. Especially this time, he was on his way to King's Cross Station in a not very good mood. He imagined how he'd avoid any acquaintances, any conversations, and when he got to his dormitory, he would just hide under the covers so no one would touch him.

It was a terrible fantasy, of course.

No, he promised himself he would fight, he promised himself he would try to get back to normal. And the first thing he had to do was to try to communicate with the Quidditch team boys like he used to.

That was what he had been setting himself up for all the way to London while his mum was driving. The paper-wrapped Firebolt was with him though Manami hadn't been sure about taking it along with other things until the last moment. Why would he need it if the thought of flying made his stomach twist in an unpleasant spasm? Maybe he was hoping that someday he could still do it again? Squeeze the handle tighter, throw your leg over, push off the ground. Take off.

Trying not to think about it, Manami simply decided that the broomstick wouldn't hurt anyway. He could leave it under the bed or in the broomstick room and eventually forget it altogether. If he never wanted to fly, it would just lie idle, and it would hardly do any harm.

But the purpose of a broom is to fly on it, Toudou would say, and these thoughts made Manami feel good and bad at the same time. He wanted to see him. And the other guys — Fukutomi, Arakita, and Shinkai. Maybe their presence could calm him down the way it had once done in first year, after all.

But on platform nine and three-quarters there would be not only them. Somewhere there must be Onoda too. Remembering this, Manami was practically upset and surprised to himself — was it really that bad?

Moreover, the situation now seemed even worse than it had at the end of the last term of the second year. Manami felt it. The closer he got to the enchanted barrier, following his mom, who helped carry the broom, the more he felt out of place. It was as if he was fearful. Or it was really so. He didn't know how he'd hold back if Onoda spoke to him, if Onoda smiled at him as before. Manami didn't know— Would he be able to play the part of a boy who was all right? Otherwise, it would just... just break down completely, and most of all Manami didn't want to drag Onoda along with him. Onoda needed to keep moving forward, growing up, playing Quidditch. Maybe he was exactly that kind of a newcomer who would make the national team and become a representative of the country someday in the future— Manami shouldn't have hindered him with his negative feelings in such a case.

In the end, all the time Manami walked to the bright scarlet steam engine through the noisy crowd of students and their escorts, he hoped only to avoid accidentally bumping into Onoda, to delay this moment as much as possible, and mentally chuckled at himself because it really was terribly funny.

Mom said goodbye to him not far from the luggage carriage, where he had put his things and walked back out. This time she gave much more pocket money and promised to send more apparently because he could go to Hogsmeade. How much could he spend there?

Thinking about this, Manami even cheered up a little, and then went to the carriage that Toudou and the others were supposed to be riding in. He went inside, twirling his wand, which he was sure to miss, in his fingers, and reminisced about the spells that they would have to learn in this year — he peeked a little in the textbook when he was bored. On the way to the desired compartment, he was distracted by a noise — familiar voices were heard ahead — and he involuntarily shuddered, raising his head. There it was; the inevitable had begun.

“Your little brother has a lot of baggage!” Arakita said sneeringly, looking at the black-haired boy, who was shorter than him by one and a half heads.

The boy had his back to Manami and his suitcase was indeed quite impressive. What was he carrying in it? Three spare cauldrons for Potions?

Shinkai was next to him as well with invariable sweetness in his hand. He had already answered Arakita's words with an awkward laugh, when suddenly the black-haired boy cried out. Better to say, exploded.

“My name is YUUTO!” he blurted out furiously and seemed to even jump on the spot. “Yuuto, not 'his little brother'!”

Arakita only marveled at his reaction for a second though he grinned quickly, not delaying in responding, “Sorry, Yuuto. Actually, if I were you, I'd be proud to be his brother.”

But Yuuto didn't seem to agree, and it suddenly dawned on Manami. Their Shinkai's brother! He was here on the Hogwarts Express. He had already turned eleven and was on his way to school for his first year. And Manami had forgotten all about it!

“Hi,” he approached the guys, feeling now somehow cheered up.

“Hello, Sangaku,” Shinkai smiled at him, raising his hand. “And you've grown a little taller over the summer.”

“Hi, little one!” casually, in his own manner, Arakita said, entering the compartment, and from there Toudou leaned out, seemingly hearing a familiar voice.

“Little one!” he said as if they hadn't seen each other for a hundred years and then met by chance.

“So am I little or have grown over the summer?” Manami smiled awkwardly.

Instead of answering, Toudou jumped out to him and stood beside him, throwing an arm around his shoulders and hugging him tightly.

“So how are you? Look,” he began before Manami could even answer the question. “We have a little task for you here.”

“The task?” Manami raised an eyebrow, noticing with a peripheral vision that Shinkai's younger brother— Yuuto was leaving somewhere, slowly and awkwardly trudging along with his luggage.

Why? Didn't he want to go with them? Manami would even give up his seat to him since Yuuto was here for the first time. Did they have a quarrel?

“Yeah,” Toudou said wearily. “See this little problem?” he said, pointing his finger at the back of departing Yuuto. “Go to him and keep company for the duration of the trip.”

“Eh?” Manami surprised, blinking. In the meantime, Yuuto reached the penultimate compartment and, opening the door, started to push his suitcase inside, which could have been put in the luggage carriage since it was so uncomfortable.

“It's a shame to leave him alone. And Hayato will be worried,” Toudou explained and, releasing Manami, shook his head in concern. “You see, you're the only one here so far who doesn't annoy him.”

“Doesn't annoy?” Manami was even more puzzled. “What? What do you mean?”

“Just do it — I'll tell you all later.”

“I'd be immensely grateful,” Shinkai added as he put a chocolate bar in a colorful wrapper in Manami's palm. “Come on, you'll succeed, I'm sure.”

Together with Toudou, without explaining anything else, he quickly disappeared into the compartment, and the door slid shut behind them, leaving Manami alone and in total confusion.

What was going on here?

He had no assumptions, but after standing still for a while, he realised that he was interfering on the way, and ended up going where the elders had sent him. He already knew Yuuto to some extent even if a whole year had passed since this acquaintance, and then he had heard about him from his brother. There wouldn't be too much trouble with him, would there?

But to be honest, Manami didn't know what to expect after the strange situation that had happened a minute ago. He approached Yuuto's compartment uncertainly and then just as uncertainly opened the door and looked inside.

The boy was alone there. His suitcase took up all the space near the window, and the owner himself, having already settled down, was holding a magazine in his hands, which he quickly closed and put on his knees upon the intrusion.

“Um, hello,” Manami smiled awkwardly, trying to be polite. “Do you mind if I sit with you? Is this seat taken?”

Yuuto just shrugged his shoulders and turned to the window, clearly not showing any friendliness, but Manami wasn't going to give up early.

He walked into the compartment, closing the door behind him, and sank into the seat opposite, trying not to look at the boy too obsessively. Yuuto looked very displeased although at the same time he somehow managed to seem like a real well-bred aristocrat. Perfect posture, not a single crease on the school robes, black boots polished to a shine.

“Is that a magazine about magical animals?” Manami suddenly perked up cheerfully, noticing a beautiful white unicorn on the cover as it slowly raised its head. “Can I read it later? All my friends only rave about Quidditch or something too explicit.”

Yuuto looked at him like he was an idiot. Manami even felt embarrassed, and he hastened to shut up, starting to understand that he should have held back and not acted so childishly. He was already a third-year, in fact.

“Who are you anyway?” Yuuto asked, causing Manami to almost choke on air. “I heard Hayato and his friends were talking to you. Are you kind of... close?”

“Well—” Manami was taken aback, realising that Yuuto didn't really seem to remember that they had already met. “We played in the same team last year.”

“How old are you?” Yuuto asked in surprise.

“Uh… thirteen,” Manami replied.

“And you played with them in your second year?” Yuuto raised his tone, and he was clearly puzzled and... offended?

“Yes, it turns out that way,” Manami confirmed, beginning to feel completely uncomfortable. Was it that terrible that he played Quidditch in his second year? “And you—” he continued quickly as Yuuto froze with an indignation on his face. “What happened? Did you have a problem with the guys?”

“You bet I did!” Yuuto replied, folding his arms over his chest and turning his face to the window. “They told me no!”

“No?” Manami wondered again.

“About Quidditch,” Yuuto grumbled, frowning. “That insufferable and tough-as-nails Fukutomi thinks I can't participate in training.”

“It's not his fault, it's just school rules — first-years aren't allowed to Quidditch,” Manami laughed awkwardly, for which he got a menacing look and quickly stopped.

“Who cares what the rules are? He's the captain — he could have let me do when no one sees.”

“Well, I don't know. You can be punished for this,” Manami shrugged his shoulders, involuntarily remembering that Toudou had secretly coached him in his first year to prepare him a little for the tryouts. And he had managed to play with Arakita and Shinkai once. Nobody seemed to be hurt.

Yuuto didn't answer that. He seemed to become even unhappier, and Manami was already beginning to lose hope that he could somehow manage to dispel this depressing atmosphere.

“By the way, we've met before,” he said, deciding to remind him. “We saw each other in Diagon Alley last summer. I'm Sangaku, in case you forgot. Sangaku Manami.”

“Yeah, I—” Yuuto replied, turning again, and Manami interrupted him with a smile.

“You're Yuuto. I see. Just Yuuto.”

Yuuto smiled for the first time, quite a pleasant smile. Seemed like a good sign.

“And how is that?” he asked. “Playing real Quidditch. On the pitch, with the fans and everything. You liked it, didn't you? Hayato was always telling me how cool and awesome it was. I want to see him in a real match soon!”

Well, I liked it, Manami agreed to himself, until I lost, I guess.

“You can play too if you make it through the tryouts,” he replied.  “Even in the second year. I made the team, so it's not that impossible to make the team even if you're only a second-year. By the way, what position do you want to play in? Have you already decided?” Manami asked, forgetting with some ease that he actually wanted to think less of Quidditch. But he was the one sitting here and asking questions about Quidditch to continue the dialogue.

“Beater,” Yuuto replied, still smiling. “Hayato and I sometimes play during the summer holidays. I'm pretty good with the bat. I could show it in practice! That Fukutomi would have realised right away I could already play! When he came to visit, they never took me to play with them! What position do you play?”

“I was playing,” Manami corrected him involuntarily and looked out the window — he didn't notice that the train had already been at full speed. “Actually, I was a Seeker.”

“Why in the past tense?” Yuuto asked, a little puzzled.

“In case you haven't been told, Slytherin lost the Quidditch Cup,” Manami replied though the words didn't come out easily.

“Yeah,” Yuuto drawled bored and, sitting down more comfortably, leaned back in the seat. “I am aware of this. So what, you're not going to play this year?”

“It will be a shame if I make even worse,” Manami shrugged. “The team has to win back the title.”

“Eh... you think you're the only one to blame, or what?” Yuuto asked with slight bewilderment.

“Well… I kind of didn't catch the Snitch and I let another Seeker catch it at the right moment for his team,” Manami tried to explain, but his voice wavered at the end.

“Here,” Yuuto said suddenly, and the very magazine with the unicorn on the cover lay on Manami's lap. “You can give it back when you read it. I have many more of these. And I have a lot of books too. I wanted to bring more, but my luggage couldn't hold them all.”

“Oh,” Manami said stupidly, looking at the magazine and not having time to readjust to the abrupt change of subject. “Well, thank you. I seem to remember that you like unicorns.”

“I do,” Yuuto agreed confidently and reached into his suitcase to pull out another magazine. “They're amazing. They're beautiful, and their blood has incredible healing properties. It can save even if the person is already on the verge of death.”

“Cool,” Manami was impressed. He didn't know anything like that. “Have you... seen them live?” he decided to ask, recalling his experience just a few months ago. Manami was so amazed and fascinated by meeting a real unicorn in the Forbidden Forest that the moment had incredibly vividly imprinted in his memory.

“No,” Yuuto replied with displeasure. “You can't look at adults that easily — they don't like guys, they only let girls get close to them.”

Was that why that unicorn left so quickly? Manami didn't know that either, but now it was even amusing to get new knowledge about the magical world from an eleven-year-old boy. How ignorant could he be in his eyes?

But Yuuto didn't seem to intend to make fun and rather quickly left the subject of Quidditch, apparently noticing that it was hard for Manami to talk about the final match. Anything was to be expected from this conversation — Yuuto could have said that he, Manami, had no place in the strongest team since he lost and cowardly ran away, but Yuuto didn't say anything. For this Manami wanted to thank him, but he also remained silent and simply opened the beautiful magazine on his knees, which amazed with its stunningly realistic and vivid images.

Reading captured him even before he was fully aware of it. While the Hogwarts Express was taking them to school, Manami was engrossed in the magazine, where descriptions of magical beasts were much clearer and more interesting than in that complicated book that Toudou had once brought him to the Hospital Wing. Yuuto, by the way, was eager to answer any questions, seemingly knowing this magazine by heart. He no longer frowned and began to look like the most ordinary boy, quite friendly, and communication with him quickly became comfortable.

A couple of hours later (Manami didn't even notice how they flew by) Shinkai dropped in to see them. He looked a little worried but quickly smiled, realising that everything was fine, and put a whole mountain of sweets from the Trolley and a couple of bottles of pumpkin juice on Yuuto's seat. He offered treats to both of them, and Manami's appetite immediately woke up and his spirits rose even higher.

Leaving, Shinkai left him a sports magazine — Manami didn't immediately understand what it was about, but then he remembered that the Quidditch World Cup had apparently already ended.

This hunch was confirmed when he saw the advertisement on the cover and then flipped through the pages to find a huge article about the finals. The journalist there was full of praise for the Bulgarian national team, which won an undeniable victory, and Manami nevertheless became a little interested when the article reached the interview with the Seekers.

At the end of the trip it seemed to him that he had never read so much in a whole week of study either — his eyes hurt, but he was able to learn a lot of entertaining things not only about magical animals but also about Quidditch. He learned that the national teams' Seekers had faced defeat more than once, and one of them had made his way to the core team for ten years, training hard for this and being unaffected by failures. It was amazing, and Manami's own problem was beginning to seem ridiculous and frivolous in comparison. He was acting like a real child. He ran away and was afraid when real professionals stubbornly walked towards their goal, no matter what.

Deciding that he should at least stop being so downhearted, Manami, shortly before the train stopped, went to the luggage car for his robes and even perked up a little, starting to imagine that maybe in a year he'd try to return to Quidditch although for this he'd still have to sit on his broomstick otherwise he'd completely lose everything that he had managed to achieve in his second year.

That promising mood crashed against the wall at the same moment when, stepping onto the dark platform of Hogsmeade station, Manami accidentally noticed a familiar back among the other guys ahead. Or, more precisely, his gaze seemed to be drawn to it, and as he recognised Onoda, Manami instantly got goosebumps and suddenly he became very cold.

It was the first time he had seen him since last term. As he had feared, their encounter, even one-sided (Onoda, fortunately, didn't notice him and walked forward with his friends, Naruko and Imaizumi), didn't end with anything good. In fact, it took only a second to make sure that Onoda's mere presence would make him uncomfortable and anxious.

How could that be?

Completely upset, Manami lowered his head and staggered along behind Yuuto, which nearly caused him to walk away to the shore, where all the first-years were being taken from to the castle by boats. He had to turn sharply and catch up with the other guys to go in the carriage.

Only now he remembered how confidently Yuuto had said that Fukutomi should let him go to training. This meant that Yuuto was one hundred percent sure that he would be sorted into Slytherin. Why didn't he give any other House a chance?

It was interesting, but Manami lost the opportunity to ask about it now — he had to sit down with his fellow students from Slytherin and ride with them along the forest road through the evening twilight, illuminated by lanterns on the carriages.

After a short final trip, he and the same guys climbed the wide stairs to pass the huge oak doors and enter the hall. He was uncomfortable again — he turned around carefully, trying to figure out exactly where the third-years of Gryffindor were going, but they never caught his eyes, even Naruko's usually loud voice couldn't be heard.

It only became easier when Manami took his place at one of the four tables in the Great Hall. It was even funny — he came back here after a two-month holiday, and the only thing he was worried about was avoiding meeting Onoda. No nostalgic feelings, no pleasant feeling from familiar premises. Manami felt like he hadn't even had time to miss school although Hogwarts was undoubtedly still an amazing place. Could his feelings for it have changed so dramatically and radically? And just because of one incident.

The first-years hadn't yet been allowed into the hall and it was lively at the tables when Manami sat, staring at the tabletop with additional candlesticks placed in the middle, and tried to disconnect from reality. He wanted to quickly go to the dormitory and not leave it until Monday, even if it would be running away and cowardly again.

He was distracted by a familiar voice as there was moment near the entrance — it was finally a group of first-years, including Yuuto. Manami raised his head and saw Toudou approaching him, asking one of Manami's neighbours to move slightly.

“Well, how was it?” Toudou asked as he sat down next to him.

“You mean—” Manami was a little confused.

“About him, yeah,” Toudou replied, nodding toward the first-years, who were just being led towards the head of the hall where the Sorting Hat had already been placed upon a stool. “Hayato said you seemed to be doing well when he came to check.”

“Well, yes,” Manami involuntarily frowned. “Why not? Yuuto is a problem or something?”

“Yes he is,” Toudou agreed. “He has a bit of a strained relations with his brother now and with Juichi too. According to Hayato, Yuuto took offense almost every time he spent time with Juichi. And now Yuuto is asking for training even though he hasn't even been assigned to Slytherin yet, can you imagine?”

The first-years stood at the beginning of the hall in a discordant row, the Sorting Hat, meanwhile, sang a song about the qualities of the Houses, as it did last year. This time, though, Manami thought the song was a little different.

“Yes, he seems to be very sure that he'll join us,” Manami smiled weakly, realising that he wasn't the only one thinking about it. “Does he feel like a true Slytherin?”

“We'll find out soon,” Toudou replied after a prolonged silence, watching the first student on the list come to the stool to sit down and put the Hat on his head.

“I liked going with him,” Manami decided to answer Toudou's question. “It was tense at first, but after a while it was okay. He knows a lot of things about magical animals and tells in an interesting way.”

“And I'm sure his knowledge of potions is pretty good, too,” Toudou added as the girl who had passed the sorting walked with a smile to the table of the Ravenclaws, who clapped at her cheerfully.

“Oh, you mean that Polyjuice Potion case?” Manami remembered. “It's interesting. I'll have to try to ask about it somehow.”

“You two seem to be getting along well if you think of it,” Toudou said, smiling at him.

Manami shrugged vaguely and continued to watch the ceremony. Everything went on in the usual manner, but then it was a red-haired boy's turn, and he stood out not only for his bright hair color but also for his proud look, with which he approached the stool.

He, too, seemed to know in advance where he was going to be sent.

However, after a few seconds of reflection, the Hat on his head suddenly spoke to the whole room.

“What about Hufflepuff?” it asked, and the boy almost jumped in indignation.

“What? No! Why?”

That too was echoed across the hall, causing a return wave of laughter that swept across the tables of the Houses. Manami's own amusement increased.

“Just kidding,” the Sorting Hat said. “Of course it's Gryffindor!”

The boy happily took the Hat off from his head, and then with a beaming smile hurried to the table of his House. Well, Naruko would have a rival in the status of the noisiest and brightest Gryffindor, it seems, Manami thought. It made it much more fun to watch the Sorting ceremony, and Toudou's company was soothing, without even bringing up any unpleasant memories of Quidditch.

Soon it was Yuuto's turn — his last name was almost at the very end, and he, too, approached the Sorting Hat confidently, albeit more restrained.

When it was on his head, it didn't take much time to think. As soon as the audience had time to quiet down in anticipation, the Hat suddenly said, “Slytherin!”, but this time its voice was much quieter than usual.

Yuuto smiled, jumped off the stool, and put the Hat back.

“Well, he was right,” Toudou said thoughtfully, and Manami nodded.

“Didn't you think that the Hat was somehow confused? As if he hadn't left it any choice?”

“Sounds creepy,” Toudou smiled. “By the way, we'll have a party in the common room today. I don't approve of that, of course, but would you like to try Butterbeer? A little bit.”

“Oh, so the drinking issue is definitely settled?” Manami grinned slyly at him. “But you know, I think I'll refuse. I have no desire to try alcohol.”

“You won't even sit with us?” Toudou was almost upset.

But before Manami could reply, the Sorting ceremony was over and the Headmaster stood up from his seat to give a traditional short speech.

Everyone listened to him in silence and in pleasant anticipation because every time the speech was over, just a sea of varied and delicious food appeared on the tables in the most wonderful way.

It was even a little surprising that Toudou didn't go to his fellow students for dinner. He sat next to Manami until the very end even if they didn't speak anymore. But this silence didn't seem stressful — quite the opposite. Manami felt as if he had returned to the past where Toudou was the person who would always support him with words and protect. So maybe he should have agreed to the invitation? Maybe everything would go well?

Not without difficulty deciding this near the end of dinner, Manami, along with Toudou, approached Fukutomi and the other guys and waited for Fukutomi to ask the first-years and the rest from their House to follow him.

They followed the usual route leading to the dungeons, and Manami decided to check Yuuto by turning around. But he again looked kind of gloomy — perhaps due to the fact that Shinkai was walking not with him but with Fukutomi.

Not knowing if he could succeed, Manami gained confidence and, squeezing between the first-years, got closer to Yuuto.

“Hey, congratulations. Is this the same House you wanted to get into?” he asked with a friendly smile.

“Of course I would have gone to Hayato's House,” Yuuto replied somewhat condescendingly. “There was no doubt about it.”

“But you—” Manami began awkwardly. “I wouldn't say that you are alike.”

“Really?” Yuuto chuckled and suddenly pulled out a chocolate bar from his robes pocket. Quickly ripping open the wrapper in a familiar motion, he popped it into his mouth, and Manami blinked in amazement.

“Cool,” he exhaled, admitting that the whole gesture generally didn't differ from the way Shinkai usually did it.

“Someday you'll be even more surprised,” Yuuto said somehow ambiguously, which made Manami completely bewildered, and he slowed down until someone rather casually pushed him in the back.

After that, all possible subjects flew out of his head, and he had to be silent though Yuuto didn't seem to need to continue the conversation. And very soon they reached the entrance to the common room, and Fukutomi gave a new password to open the passage in the wall, urging the first-years to remember it.

Once in the familiar room, Manami felt at home for a moment and was one of the first among his classmates to go to their dormitory.

There, near his bed, luggage was already waiting as well as the Firebolt, of course, and he thought again about where to store it and whether to unpack it at all.

Deciding to think about it later, he opened his bag and began to unpack his things. This time there were more textbooks due to the fact that this year there were additional subjects that the students had chosen last year. Manami glanced at the book about magical creatures and involuntarily remembered that it was a course he had taken because he wanted to go to class along with Onoda. If their Houses would have joint lessons, of course.

The lessons should already start on Monday, and sooner or later they'd have something together anyway. Manami sighed wearily — he was starting to get sick of it all, really needed to pull himself together and get over all the bad feelings.

But it was easier said than done, as always. While he was sorting out his things, laying them out, while behind his back the neighbours were doing the same or talking to each other, a familiar bird landed on the foot of the bed, and when he saw it, Manami almost flinched.

It was Sleepy. Just Sleepy. She had flown in to deliver a message from Onoda, and that realisation made his brain almost explode in emotions because Manami hadn't seen Sleepy for an entire summer and missed her, but he hadn't expected a message from Onoda on the very first day.

Nevertheless, he had to take the note. Manami unfolded it and read a short text.

Hello, Sangaku. I didn't see you on platform nine and three-quarters, and then neither did I see you when the train arrived. I was a little worried about that. How did you get on? Is everything all right?

I'm fine, I'm fine, Manami said to himself, compelling, and, turning his attention to Sleepy, stroked her plumage. The owl seemed to miss him too — she closed her eyes contentedly and gave a low hoot, as if trying to say something, but Manami didn't understand.

He didn't want to let her out of the dormitory, but he had to send a reply although before he still rummaged in his bag again and, finding a pack of muffins, he crumbled some for a treat.

She quickly pecked all the pieces from his palm and seemed to want more, which Manami couldn't resist. He gave her more and only then turned Onoda's note over and walked over to the dresser to write his reply.

It's okay, don't worry. See you soon in class.

The text came out what seemed to be the stupidest and most ridiculous, but Manami could hardly do better now. He handed the note to Sleepy, and she flew nimbly through the open door, leaving a strange residue after her visit. It seemed like it was nice to see her, but he felt like a liar again, using the phrase 'I'm fine' in his note to Onoda. Could he have said otherwise? Could he have written that he'd been inside out after that Quidditch match and still couldn't recover? Would Onoda have understood him? What would he have done after that?

Such thoughts made it even worse. Taking off his robes and shoes, Manami laid back down on the bed and, looking towards the black window, tried to calm down again. What was all this for? Hadn't he already decided that he didn't want to involve Onoda in his experiences? These experiences were bad, even seemed to be abnormal. He had to get rid of them, not share them with another person.

Because of this, he completely forgot that he wanted to be in the common room with Toudou. It had probably been a long time since dinner was over, and Manami jumped off the bed, starting to put his shoes back on.

As he walked to the exit, he noticed that the dormitory was almost empty, which meant that most of his neighbours were also spending time in the common room. And it looked like something really great was going on there. While still on the stairs, Manami heard the sounds of music, or rather some unfamiliar song which sounded like melodic rock in style. Later it turned out that it was playing the radio, the volume of which had probably been enchanted to be more powerful because the sound spread great throughout the large room. In addition, the smell of alcohol (and not only Butterbeer) was already felt in the air, and Manami was confused when he stopped at the entrance and saw that there was just a sea of people. It seemed that the entire House had gathered — from first-years to seniors. There were all sorts of groups — some were smaller, some were bigger, but the largest, of course, consisted of Quidditch players and the most devoted fans of this sport. Their conversations were the loudest. Sitting in front of the fireplace and occupying the longest sofas, they had fun, laughed, and even, as it seemed to Manami, were playing some strange game.

“Sangaku!” Toudou called from the crowd, and Manami seemed to regret that he had left the dormitory at all. No, he didn't want to go to this noisy company. “Where have you been?”

Well, he had been noticed, so there was no choice.

Sighing, Manami came closer, and Toudou, grabbing him by the elbow, quickly pulled him towards himself — he had to sit on the arm of the sofa.

“Are you sure you don't want to try a Butterbeer?” he offered again, to which Manami refused again, mentally glad that almost no one had noticed his appearance.

“I've never fallen off the broom!” Arakita suddenly said loudly after which he laughed. “Come on, come on, drink, you losers! Everyone!”

He was sitting on a nearby sofa with a bottle of some amber drink in his hand. Fukutomi and Kuroda were next to him, both holding filled glasses. And everyone here was holding glasses or bottles.

So why... Arakita said he hadn't fallen off the broom?

When most of the guys took several sips almost simultaneously, it became clear that this was probably the point of the game, and Manami saw Toudou raise his glass to his lips as well.

“And you drink too, Yuki,” Arakita began to prod Kuroda. “I saw you falling of the broom thrice!”

“Have you been counting?” Kuroda said grudgingly but still drank from the glass, after which Shinkai perked up.

“That's not fair, you fell too, Yasutomo! In our first flying class when we were first-years! I definitely remember!”

“No, it was not me but Jinpachi,” Arakita dismissed, bored, to which Toudou was already indignant.

“Why's that? Don't even dare to hint that we're somehow similar and could be confused!”

“Juichi!” Arakita ignored him, glancing threateningly at Fukutomi, who still hadn't had a drink.

“I fell, but did not touch the ground,” Fukutomi replied with a stern look, which caused half of the guys to laugh, and Manami was practically bewildered. Was it possible to play Quidditch for five years and never fall off a broomstick?

“Look, I wanted to ask you something,” Toudou said, drawing Manami's attention to himself. “Let's go away for a minute?”

Manami nodded in agreement (he was even relieved to learn that he could leave here), after which Toudou got up and left his glass on the coffee table. Together, they walked away, back to the stairs, and, passing by the group of senior students who were discussing something, laughing, Toudou managed to give them a brief smile. The girls spoke even louder — Manami didn't understand a word, and then Toudou quickly took him to the dormitories, where it was much quieter and no one else was around.

“So,” he said, stopping near the wall and pressing his back to it.

Manami froze on the step, a little surprised by this strange beginning.

“What?” he asked, watching Toudou fix his hair and fold his arms across his chest.

“Two more months have passed. How do you feel? Do you at least feel better?”

Although the question wasn't too unexpected, but it caught Manami off guard for some reason, and he hesitated.

“Well… yes,” he replied, hoping there was some truth in those words.

“And... you have changed your mind, haven't you?”

“Changed my mind with what?” Manami asked, trying to just stall for time, even though he knew exactly what Toudou was asking. He simply didn't want to answer this question, knowing that he might get disappointment as a reaction.

“With Quidditch, of course,” Toudou raised one eyebrow. “Don't tell me you're not going to come to the tryouts.”

“I am,” Manami shrugged, deciding not to delay with the answer anymore. “Sorry, Jinpachi, but I really don't— Maybe next year I'll try.”

“Are you serious?” Toudou wondered. “I just don't believe. It's Quidditch. You love flying and love this game. You can't just give it up for a whole year.”

“Maybe...” Manami began uncertainly, “I don't really like it? I really don't want to fly on the broom now? I don't really feel like I want.”

“Okay,” Toudou said in a quieter voice, darkening visibly. “I'll ask something else. Are you communicating with Sakamichi all right?”

Hearing Onoda's name, Manami involuntarily tensed and quickly became sad, lowering his head, causing Toudou to hastily squeeze his shoulder with the palm of his hand.

“Calm down,” he said. “It's just a question.”

“I don't know,” Manami replied, looking away. “No. We haven't really had a chance to communicate. I don't... want to.”

“I see,” Toudou said. “So you don't want to play Quidditch with him anymore? Is that... all because of him? Are you still obsessed with what you said to me after the game?”

“Am I supposed to want to play with him? Why?” Manami grimaced, ignoring the last questions because they were simply unbearable. “To lose to him again?”

Toudou let go of him, returning to his place.

“You shouldn't be in that kind of mood. There should be no such thoughts. Thoughts like that won't let you move from the dead point you're stuck in.”

“So maybe I don't need to move?” Manami sighed, already beginning to wish that this conversation would end quickly. “Look, I really don't write Quidditch off, I just probably really need more time. Moreover, I don't want you to lose again because of me. You should return the Cup to yourselves. With a Seeker... who will be better than me.”

“And what if I tell you that you're choosing the wrong one? “Toudou asked. “Running away is not an option. And even if you're afraid, the Quidditch schedule for this year is still unknown. We don't know who will play in the final this time, and therefore it's not at all necessary that the same will happen as last year.”

“But what if it will?” Manami objected a little sharply, dropping his head again and clenching his fists. “I don't want to risk that, I can't take it anymore. My self-confidence and stupidity has led to dire consequences. I have to think before making decisions that may end up being too important…”

“Sangaku, look at you,” Toudou said, interrupting him. “You see? You're not ok. You're very out of order.”

“What?” Manami raised his head, feeling himself losing his voice.

“I mean—” Toudou's face softened and a sad smile appeared on his lips. “Are you sure you'll calm down if you just step aside now? Please. I beg you, think about it. Think about what you really need. What will suit you. A retreat... or a fight. And I'll think about your other problem.”

Saying this, Toudou approached again and put his hand on his shoulder although this time the gesture was quite careful and almost weightless. It made Manami almost shiver, but he miraculously suppressed tears in himself — he didn't want to succumb to weakness again.

“Come back to us if you like,” Toudou said before walking back into the common room. “We'll be glad to have you.”

The phrase was ambiguous and Manami didn't know how to reply. Before he could think of anything, Toudou was already far enough away to hear him. Toudou left him with food for thought, which in fact his mother had also given him sometime back in August, but Manami was still in no hurry to consider the option of getting back to the game. Should he have tried to think about himself again rather than what his decisions might lead to?

Chapter Text

No, Manami was definitely a loser — as soon as he got his class timetable at breakfast on Monday, this realisation hit him like a heavy stone on his head. The very first lesson in the new school year was with Gryffindor.

There was no doubt that he and Onoda would meet in the same room — it was Defence Against the Dark Arts after all, and this was a core subject for all third-years. So, the hardest challenge at the very beginning? Was there any need to be surprised at all — this term had already started out badly enough that it could hardly get worse.

It was easy to console himself with these thoughts, it was harder to believe them. Manami felt anxious again as if something bad was about to happen even if he and Onoda would be in a regular classroom and naturally there would be no brooms or Quidditch balls nearby.

Feeling like a fool, Manami looked down at his plate, and his appetite slowly and inevitably began to fade. But hadn't he convinced himself to try to look perfectly normal and natural? Why was he on the verge of screwing things up even more again?

After spending the rest of breakfast trying to get himself in the mood, he almost forgot that he had to go back to the dormitory and get his textbooks and parchments.  By that time, the Great Hall was almost empty, and Manami had to hurry up so as not to be late for the first lesson. DADA professor was still strict, and he could easily take points off for being late, which was unacceptable — Manami didn't want his House to lose points because of him again as it was in previous years, but if he was going to improve his discipline, he had to start now.

Due to the rush, by the time he came to the classroom with all the necessary things, he had a tingling sensation in his side as if he'd run a hundred metres at full speed and with improper breathing. Fortunately, there was no signal for the beginning of the lesson yet, and Manami entered the classroom just under the distant sound of the bell, but to his surprise he saw no Professor near the teacher's desk or blackboard.

None of the kids noticed the appearance of another student, which Manami took advantage of and quickly found his magic watch in his robes pocket. The round screen inside turned out to be a pleasant blue colour, signifying that he hadn't been delayed for a second, and it would be worth actually to look at it right away to avoid rushing headlong to the classroom.

It was strange, of course, that Professor was still absent — as far as Manami remembered, he had never been late, but this day apparently should have been an exception. A necessary exception, for that matter. Because as soon as Manami put the watch back and stepped towards his seat, he was literally paralyzed. Onoda was sitting at their shared desk, seemingly boredly leafing through a textbook, the chair next to him was free because that was where Manami always sat, and he had to do it again. To do this without giving himself away as if everything were the same as before.

One of the Slytherin students, chatting with her neighbour, nevertheless noticed Manami frozen in the doorway and looked at him inquiringly, making it clear that he looked rather strange. And so it was, in principle. Manami mentally sighed and forced himself to move because it was impossible to delay the difficult moment forever.

Nevertheless, in his attempts to act casual, he seemed to have overdone it as he approached too quietly, with absolutely no warning of his presence. His appearance on the chair beside caused Onoda to flinch, seeming even frightened, and a look of utter doom appeared on Manami's face, as he very much suspected.

“Oh, I didn't hear you at all — I probably got carried away. Hi,” Onoda muttered guiltily, quickly closing the textbook.

“Sorry if I scared you,” Manami replied with an awkward smile, taking his things out of his bag to put them on the desk. “Professor is running late today.”

“Yes, he said he'd be late when he was here fifteen minutes ago. He has some urgent business with the Headmaster, I think...” Onoda replied a little confused, and he no longer looked at Manami but instead stared at the textbook, fingering the corner of the new cover.

For some reason, Onoda was uncomfortable, although Manami couldn't tell exactly what was wrong. He felt strange himself but still a little different from how he'd supposed to feel around Onoda. In reality, it turned out... it wasn't so bad?

Everything was even bearable. In fact, similar to what it had been before, although it seemed like something incredible.

“It's good that we can finally talk again,” Onoda added suddenly, distracting him from his thoughts. “I was so looking forward to going back to school. By the way... how was the last part of your holiday?”

“Well...” Manami said thoughtfully, glancing at the desk in front of them. Naruko was unceremoniously snoozed on the tabletop, burying his face in his folded hands, Imaizumi, like Onoda recently, seemed to be consumed by studying the textbook, although it was hard to tell from his tense shoulders that he was enjoying the content. “Nothing special. Played two new games on PSP. The fighting game wasn't bad although it's better to play with someone together.”

Onoda looked at Manami with a slightly lost gaze and immediately dropped his eyes again. His expression was as if to say — hey, we actually could have met on holiday and played anything, but you didn't call, and I was afraid to even suggest.

“Yes,” Onoda said quietly. “I also did something like that. But now a new term has begun, so we can again—” For some reason he hesitated and then continued quite reluctantly. “We start practicing Quidditch on Wednesday. When do you have?”

Manami bit his lip as he looked at another row of desks. Good question? How would he know if he didn't seem eager to walk on them?

“Tomorrow, I think,” he replied, remembering that Fukutomi had actually said something about training in the common room yesterday when Manami had passed by.

The answer turned out apparently completely uninterested, which clearly made Onoda uneasy. He was about to ask the next question, but didn't get to it until Professor appeared. He entered the classroom and from the doorway, asked to stop all conversations, saying that they had wasted time of the lesson without it. But it was not the students' fault...

Onoda, of course, turned to face the blackboard although Manami seemed to hear his still-unspoken question without a word.

Are you even going to go to training?

And what would he answer? Yes, no, I don't know? Did he find the answer primarily for himself? Would he find the answer before it was too late?

“The new school year is a great occasion to start a new theme, isn't it?” Professor asked with a sarcastic smile, standing near the blackboard, and Manami noticed Naruko, lifting his head from the desk, sleepily rubbing his eyes.

The students didn't seem very enthusiastic about Professor — new themes always meant new tests afterwards, which no one liked in the DADA lesson because of too strict assessment.

“So which one of you can tell me what a boggart is?” Professor asked, ignoring the dejected look of his students.

Imaizumi raised his hand slowly and reluctantly.

“Yes, Mr. Imaizumi? I'm listening carefully,” Professor said, noticing him.

“…Boggart is a special kind of non-beings,” Imaizumi began to say, a little confused. “It has some... inconvenient for people abilities that distinguish it from its own kind. Without a particular form, it can take the form of the object that most frightens the person it preys upon.”

“Inconvenient — that's a very well put. Five points to Gryffindor,” Professor nodded with a condescending smile and turned to the others. “You're out of luck if you had to face a boggart and there's no other person around. When there are many of you, a boggart is more vulnerable because it doesn't know whose form of fear is best to take, but it will never be wrong if there's only one person in front of it. And it can become anything and anyone. A thing, several objects at once, a terrible beast, or a person... It can tell you what you're afraid to hear more than anything else.”

Manami grimaced, involuntarily imagining a couple of options for what such a creature could become for him. No, he definitely didn't like the new theme.

“I advise you not to be distracted in this lesson,” Professor continued. “Especially when it comes to ways of fighting a boggart. I'm saying this for a reason, and there'll be not just a written test this time. In October, we'll have a practice where each of you will have to neutralise a boggart personally. I'll give you a proper Halloween treat.”

Many students began to fuss, some of them made quiet unintelligible sounds, apparently burning up with the desire to start talking with each other though doing so in front of Professor wasn't very sensible.

Manami wanted to say something too. Wasn't it cruel to only third-year students? Were they really going to not only face their fear but also fight it? Did Professor seriously expect them to succeed?

But everything seemed to be for real. Because the lesson continued, and soon the astonished students rustled the pages of the textbooks because Professor asked to open the relevant paragraph and take notes.

Manami tried to write something down on blank parchment, but his thoughts were confused for the obvious reason. The very subject of the lesson made him nervous, and all he could think of was that he had once been both attracted and frightened by the possibility of learning the truth about his father, but now he was afraid, as ridiculous as it sounded, of Quidditch... So what would a boggart become when it wanted to show him this fear of his?

He wasn't the only one in the class who was uncomfortable. And even if many Gryffindors got encouraged for some reason, Onoda looked no less tense than Manami — one glance at him was enough to notice it. Maybe he, too, was thinking about what his boggart would become when it came time to practice? Or he just wanted to avoid this whole subject, which would be very much like him. After all, Onoda was quite jittery even if this trait had begun to dull with age. Was Gryffindor House really not a good fit for him?

“Come on, forget it,” Manami whispered, gently pushing Onoda's left palm with his right. “It's still a long time before practice, and maybe everything wouldn't go so badly.”

“I wish it hadn't happened at all,” Onoda smiled tightly, looking back.

I'll be with you when that shit happens, Manami almost said but restrained himself, thinking that such a phrase would sound too strange. As if Professor would allow him to go out and slay Onoda's boggart. Of course, that wouldn't happen, and Manami was unlikely to be able to do anything with his moral support alone.

Nevertheless, Onoda seemed to cheer up a little and continued to write the notes, while Manami somehow felt better too. He suddenly thought that trying to support Onoda was quite a pleasant thing to do. And even if Onoda's arrival in Quidditch deprived the strongest team of the Cup, this moment had other aspects as well — such as the development of one of the incredible talents. And what would Onoda become if he continued to train and play? How incredible?

Looking at the parchment in front of him, Manami frowned thoughtfully, trying to figure out how appropriate those thoughts seemed. Should he have been worried about the well-being of someone who in fact was still his rival? Was... a threat to his House's Quidditch team.

Why, when he looked at Toudou and Makishima, who were also rivals in Quidditch, was everything so easy, and why was it so difficult with Onoda? Did their positions on the team change everything so much?

Manami didn't have any definite answer to this question by the end of the lesson either even if he involuntarily returned to it several times in his mind, sometimes missing Professor's explanations about a boggart. When everyone was released, Onoda seemed to want to ask something (maybe about Quidditch), but Naruko distracted him with a conversation, and they along with Imaizumi soon left the classroom. Near the door, Onoda glanced incomprehensible in Manami's direction and still went after his friends, leaving behind a strange feeling. It seemed like Manami felt a sense of relief, but on the other hand, the old feeling of echoes of jealousy from when Onoda had left him like that because of Naruko and Imaizumi also came.

It was possible to get completely confused from everything that was happening, but fortunately, there wasn't too much free time for that yet. Because his fellow students from Slytherin, like Manami himself, had to hurry to get out of the castle and walk to the greenhouse before the next lesson.

Herbology with Hufflepuffs took place in a much more pleasant atmosphere than the previous lesson — Professor Pierre even awarded Slytherin ten points for Manami correctly answering the question about Puffapod. This discipline was at least really interesting to him, and for the duration of the lesson he could easily disconnect from everything bad that was outside of it, but sooner or later the real world always came back.

So, after the lesson, they had to go to the castle again for lunch, and while Manami was satisfying his awakened appetite in the Great Hall, he pulled out the timetable to remember which lesson was next. What he saw made him interested because he had his first Divination class, and if the essence of the subject was trying to look into the future, he should do better than anyone else because, as Toudou said, the ability to predict was very rare in the wizarding world, and it was unlikely that anyone else in this school had it, except... What about Professor? Did he also have the ability to see the future if he taught this particular discipline?

Manami wanted to check it out sooner, but he was confused when he read that the lesson would be held in the North Tower. He had no idea where it was even if in his first year he had often walked around the castle and found many interesting places.

“Third-year students!” a familiar voice pierced the hall towards the end of the lunch, and Manami looked up in surprise from his goblet of pumpkin juice.

Toudou, for some reason, had walked over to the part of the Slytherin table where the younger kids were sitting, and towered over Manami's classmates now with an incredibly pleased look.

“All of you who have chosen Divination as an elective subject, come with me, I'll show you the way to the classroom. The Head asked me to fulfill this mission,” he said, waving his hands in an inviting gesture.

Manami smiled as if he had suddenly gotten a second breath. There was the solution to the problem. Toudou would take them away, and his offer meant one logical thing—

“Do you go to this lesson too, Jinpachi?” Manami asked, grabbing the bag and jumping over the bench.

“I did,” Toudou corrected, waiting for the other third-year students who had chosen Divination to come up. “For three years, then I passed the O.W.L. and dropped it.”

“What? Did you not like it?” Manami asked almost disappointedly. “I thought it was a cool class.”

“That's a matter of opinion,” Toudou shrugged his shoulders and hurried the remaining kids.

Four more people went with them. Three girls and one boy. As it turned out, not so many students from the third year had chosen this class, but Manami was still in no hurry to make sure that the subject wasn't so good. He wanted to see everything with his own eyes and only then form an opinion.

In a small company with the seventh-year as their leader, they left the hall and went to the stairs. And even if Manami had assumed that the path wouldn't be short, it was indeed a long and confusing one although Toudou had said that this was the easiest route. Manami had to strain his brains to roughly memorise it, but it turned out to be not so easy because Toudou in the end couldn't restrain himself and distracted him with conversation.

“I peeked a little — you had the Defence against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors, right?” he asked quietly, trying not to let the students following them hear.

Manami made a displeased face as if Toudou was talking about the most inappropriate thing right now. Although in a way it was so.

“So what?”

“So what? Have you been talking to Sakamichi?” Toudou asked a little frowningly, like a caring mommy.

“Yes, I have,” Manami replied. “He's doing great; he's going to continue playing Quidditch.”

“It's good. Didn't you tell him if you were going to play?”

“What difference will that make?”

“...It can make a lot of difference,” Toudou sighed wearily. “You seem to have forgotten everything I told you before the final game. You're the rivals who have fought for each other. You're tied. You're bound together by the strongest bonds, and if one weakens, the other weakens as well.”

“Nonsense,” Manami almost exclaimed. “Sakamichi will be fine — he plays for the team. Not for me at all. For me, he just began to play Quidditch, but I have no influence on anything else.”

“It looks like you'll have to make sure of this for yourself so that you understand what I'm talking about.” Toudou's voice grew more doomed. “Now you think that you're completely different, but that's not entirely true.”

Manami didn't know how to respond to that. If Toudou wanted to talk about support, Manami was already ready to support Onoda; he wanted Onoda to become the best player in his position. But did he have to play himself for this? Manami didn't think so, but Toudou apparently thought differently — maybe he just didn't believe that Onoda was really different? That Onoda didn't need a good rival to gain strength but only a good team for the sake of which he could win.

When they finally reached the end of the path by climbing the spiral staircase, Manami forgot about their recent conversation because he was surprised not to see the door.

“Uh... Jinpachi, are you sure we have come the right way?” he asked in confusion, looking around like the other third-year students.

“Yeah. Up there,” Toudou replied with a smile.

All the kids simultaneously raised their heads, and the girls gasped in unison. Manami frowned at the circular trapdoor in the ceiling. What kind of a strange classroom was this?

“And… how are we supposed to get there?” he asked, but when he looked around for Toudou, he suddenly noticed that Toudou had miraculously disappeared.

Instead of answering, the trapdoor in the ceiling suddenly opened as if by itself, and a ladder slid down. Well, definitely a joke, Manami thought incredulously and didn't dare to climb first. But the girls showed greater determination. They were the first to disappear somewhere outside the trapdoor, after which the boy climbed up. Manami was the last to climb, realising that he had no choice left, and found himself in a rather strange room, which certainly didn't look like the usual school classrooms. It was... too cosy and homely for the classroom, or what? The tables were arranged in a disordered manner and were circular. Instead of chairs, there were soft armchairs and pouffes, and the wall shelves were crammed with various things — Manami has never seen so many candles and tea cups with strange crystals scattered among them. In addition, some of the windows were covered with curtains, which made the room look a bit dark although the fire in the fireplace did give a good light to the tables closest to it. Many of them were already occupied by the students who had come a little earlier — the whole thing looked like some kind of funny cafe, but Manami quickly stopped laughing because his housemates settled in empty armchairs and pouffes, leaving only one place for him. And it was next to—

“What are you doing here?” Manami asked, throwing his bag on the floor and sinking into a chair to the right of the pouffe on which Naruko was lazily sprawled out, his arms stretched on the round table. He looked hardly interested in the subject or the place where they were all now.

“What? Is that you? Did you necessary have to sit here?” he grimaced, as if he saw a nasty fat toad under his nose.

“Yes,” Manami replied. “If you haven't noticed, all the other seats are taken. I didn't realise that so many of you Gryffindors would be signing up,” he added, glancing over the classroom, which was still difficult to call that.

And there were probably all the third-year girls from Gryffindor and two other boys, besides Naruko himself.

“I didn't sign up. I didn't want to,” he snorted. “I already have to go to Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures. Why the fuck would I want the third subject?”

“But you're here for a reason,” Manami said, still not understanding.

“Because that jerk Hotshot forged my handwriting and wrote this subject on the form after the rest!” Naruko almost exploded, turning towards Manami. “I didn't notice and turned it in! I wanted to refuse, but my mother had already bought the textbook, and our Head said that it was impossible to leave the elective subject before the end of the year! That maybe I'd decide to quit one of the other two! She's just thrilled that someone will be overwhelmed with homework! I'm actually on the Quidditch team! I need to practice, not fuck around with my lessons!”

“Hmm…” a sudden low voice was heard, and Naruko instantly bit his tongue, and all the other students stared towards the fireplace, near which a man had emerged from somewhere, or… had he been standing there the whole time? “Of course, I wouldn't like to start the first lesson by taking off points, but I'll take five off from Gryffindor. For foul language, of course. And I'll ask you not to use that kind of language in this place from now on.”

The man stepped closer to the light. He was already of age and looked quite good-natured and casual — not at all like a cool seer, though Manami couldn't say that he had any prior knowledge.

Professor seemed to be the most normal person in appearance, until he suddenly stepped towards Naruko and, looking at him with a strange look, said, “You should be wary of high places today, young man.”

Naruko and the other kids blinked in amazement. Manami, too, was at first confused by such a statement but realised faster than the others that it was very similar to a prediction. How cool it would be if it came true!

Professor turned around and headed to the other side of the room, after which Naruko, sharply leaning towards Manami, put his hand to his mouth and whispered in a hiss, “How am I supposed to be wary of high places when we're already in the fucking tower?”

“Well, I'm glad to see you all in my class,” Professor said before Manami could reply to Naruko. “Divination is a very difficult discipline, and unfortunately it's impossible to learn it unless one has the proper aptitude… Nevertheless, I'll be loyal and will try to teach each of you everything I can.”

He belatedly spoke his name as if he had forgotten to do so and took a large kettle from one of the shelves to put it on.

“Looking into the future is not at all easy, as some of you may think,” he continued, stopping again by the fireplace. “It's difficult even if you know the ways. With you we will study the art of reading tea leaves and coffee grounds to predict the future—”

Professor began to list other species, while looking somewhat enthusiastic, like a real fanatic, and Manami shuddered when it came to divination by the entrails of birds and animals.

“What is this?” Naruko hissed again and stuck out his tongue. “He's joking like that?”

“We're not going to seriously try to predict things by reading the tea leaves, are we?” Manami asked in a whisper, and Naruko gave him a squeamish look.

“And the thing about the entrails didn't bother you?”

Well, actually that also sounded crazy, like basically everything else, which made Manami really start to get disappointed even despite the prediction made by Professor a few minutes ago, which looked quite impressive. Mom would definitely not take any of this seriously, and neither would Miyahara — which was probably why she hadn't sign up for this subject.

But while Professor was talking, the kettle boiled, and then the tea set, moved with the help of his wand, was on the table, and Manami realised that the worst would be confirmed after all.

Of course. Yes. They were all poured tea and asked to drink it. And even if most of the students did like this 'tea ceremony', two were definitely not happy with it — Manami drank reluctantly, feeling very stupid, and Naruko took a bun out of his bag and took a big bite, and then he tipped almost the whole cup over into his mouth.

“Wat?” he said with his mouth full as he caught Manami's surprised look on himself. “I didn't have time for a proper lunch.”

Noticing this outrage, Professor shook his head in displeasure and began to give instructions on what to do after the cups were empty. It turned out that the students had to try to see some kind of sign in the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup, and this activity became even more stupid when everyone was asked to swap cups with their neighbours.

Without desire, Manami pulled up the saucer on which Naruko's upturned cup stood, lifted it and with a puzzled look peered at the mass of dark tea leaves and light bun crumbs that remained at the bottom. And... what was he supposed to understand here?

“Think. Let your mind think in a way that is not familiar to it,” Professor advised, walking around the room.

He slowly approached the students, wondering what they were seeing in the cups of their neighbours. The girls were noisily flipping through textbooks, trying to unravel the secret signs of tea leaves, and Manami was still sitting over Naruko's cup and was ready to swear that there were absolutely no images on its bottom that could look like something recognisable.

“Do you see anything?” Professor asked when he reached them.

Naruko hummed ambiguously, turning Manami's cup in his hands, and it was clear that he hadn't made any progress at recognition either.

“I don't even know— Though— Oh, here!” he exclaimed happily. “This damn thing looks like a Beater's bat! It's definitely a bat!”

“Let me take a look, young man,” nervously twitching an eyebrow (apparently because of Naruko's not very mild word again), Professor said and took the cup in his hands to examine it. “No, it's definitely a tower. Expectation of triumph and success in all endeavors.”

Yeah, Manami muttered in his mind, restraining himself from rolling his eyes. It certainly didn't concern him.

“And...” Professor continued, lowering his voice a little, “are you experiencing the pains of love, young man?” he asked, looking at Manami.

“What?” Manami asked in surprise. “What is it?”

“The person you're attracted to have rejected you? Maybe he had preferred someone else?” Professor inquired in a completely calm everyday tone, and Manami was taken aback and felt terribly awkward. “It's nothing; you seem to have no idea how happy you should be.”

“Um...” Manami said in confusion and looked at Naruko, who was sitting with a displeased look, his arms folded across his chest.

“Well, what did you see at your neighbour's?” Professor asked, and Manami looked again at the cup in his hands.

“I don't think there is any symbol here.”

But Professor took matters into his own hands again and after a couple of seconds gave his verdict.

“Well, of course,” he said. “Very clear outline of the horse's head. The prediction, however, may be inaccurate due to... crumbs, but,” Professor continued, turning to Naruko, “it looks like a new love awaits you in the future. Maybe next year. This person is next to you.”

“What?” Naruko blushed sharply and looked at Manami.

“It's not me!” Manami answered just as quickly, moving away from him.

“Can you make a love prediction for me too, Professor?” one of the girls at another table asked, after which the others also perked up and began to ask about the same.

“Ahem, love predictions do not appear every time and at the behest of our desires,” Professor replied dryly, pressing his fist to his mouth. “Now, please get the parchments and quills. We shall write down a detailed way of interpreting the symbols.”

The saddened girls fumbled with their bags, and Manami and Naruko, still red, looked at each other again and said almost simultaneously, “Bullshit.”

Despite various unpleasant factors, Manami remembered his first Divination lesson for a long time. Everyone was very surprised when, at the end of the lesson, Naruko was the first to leave the room, and then, going down the ladder, he stumbled somewhere and fell off it. It was only a bruise or two, but this was enough for most of the students to recognise Professor's abilities, which Manami was in no hurry to do. He noticed that one of the steps was too slippery when he descended himself, and wrote off what happened to Naruko as an accident. Perhaps he didn't want to believe, because he was disappointed that his own intuition hadn't help him in any way in the lesson — he felt incompetent one even though it was him and not any of the other students who sometimes received news from the future. He had predicted Toudou's correct grades for the Transfiguration exam when he was a first-year, he had unraveled Onoda's hidden Quidditch abilities, and there was so much more. And still, despite this, the lessons of Divination were in no hurry to become easy for him, even when a couple more had passed.

Naruko was the only outlet during them because even if Manami couldn't predict something with all these odd ways that Professor suggested, something funny happened every time. Once, out of boredom, Naruko fooled around with his wand because of which his cup of getting cold tea suddenly jumped across the table, splashing the drink and squealing piercingly; another time he saw something obscene in the tea leaves, and he laughed so hard that Professor dismissed him from the class, sending Manami along as well, punishing him for a supportive giggle.

In general, the Divination lessons weren't so bad although Manami had no idea how he'd be able to pass the exam at the end of the year. The only thing that reassured him was that he could have fun in these classes and a small hope that someday he'd still be able to impress Professor with something.

In addition to this subject, he began to attend Care of Magical Creatures. The classes were held in conjunction with third-year Ravenclaw students and always outdoors, which was only a plus. A pretty young teacher almost didn't make the students to write anything down, but she told them many interesting facts, and in the second class she led the kids to a whole enclosure of Hippogriffs, which were just amazingly beautiful beasts resembling a mixture of a horse and an eagle.

So it was mid-September, and time flew by very quickly due to the extra classes and new themes in old subjects. Thanks to intense studies and attempts to become a more or less diligent student, Manami thought less and less about Quidditch, ignored conversations about it and almost didn't encounter the guys from the team — they spent almost all day and evening time studying and practicing and now always rested in their dormitories after the curfew. Only Toudou seemed to think it his duty to persuade Manami to return to Quidditch and sometimes still came up to him with the same conversation.

Manami got lost and hesitated with the answer because he still didn't know what to do best. The choice was difficult, and it was as if some last but most important detail was missing to make a decision, and Manami still couldn't find it.

“The tryouts will be held in the last week of September,” Toudou said as they accidentally bumped into the common room before the curfew. “Our team has it on Friday. Fukutomi specifically asked us to be put last. It's for you.”

“For me?” Manami asked, losing his indifference.

“So you can change your mind,” Toudou explained. He glanced at the company near the fireplace and somehow sighed heavily. “We've got two fourth year guys applying for the position of a Seeker. I watched them, and so did Juichi. He wants to put them against each other, and the winner, against you. If you come, of course.”

“Why is that?” Manami was a little surprised.

“Because your level is higher than theirs. And also, of course, because you have experience of participating in official games.”

“And Kuroda— Won't he participate?”

“No, he won't be your rival, you don't have to worry about that,” Toudou replied, making him completely puzzled. “You should make a decision before Monday. To have time to practice a little since you missed all our training sessions. I can even work out with you separately, instead of dinner, for example.”

“Mm... Thank you, Jinpachi, you're very kind to me, as always,” Manami replied a little sadly. “Although I don't—”

“Wait, wait,” Toudou interrupted, smiling cheerfully. “Slow down. I was going to tell you something else. Yes, tryouts coming up. But do you know what else is going to happen before that?”

“What?” Manami asked, wondering why he was being so cryptic.

“This weekend we can walk to Hogsmeade!” Toudou said enthusiastically, grabbing him by the shoulders. “You're a third-year now, and you can go too! The whole team will go and want you to join. We'll show you Honeydukes — all kids are crazy about it! And Zonko's and the Three Broomsticks too! There's lots to see in Hogsmeade!”

“Oh, I'd forgotten about Hogsmeade,” Manami smiled. “Okay. What day and what time do we leave?”

As if he'd finally cheered up, Toudou said that the school gates would be open all Saturday, and that they'd most likely leave right after lunch. It was a long way to Hogsmeade, but in good weather the walk would be just a pleasure.

Manami liked this idea — he agreed, remembering that he had wanted to visit this village from his first year. They said that only wizards live there, so one can encounter magic at any corner, and probably everyone was interested in seeing such a place with their own eyes.

Of course, Manami didn't know exactly how this could help him solve the Quidditch issue, but Toudou hardly accidentally spoke about the walk to Hogsmeade right after telling him about the tryouts. Maybe he was up to something?

Such a thought really appeared in Manami's head for a minute, and then he quickly forgot about it because he trusted Toudou in any case and didn't expect something very insidious from him. Besides, Manami was already interested anyway. For this reason, he spent the remaining days until Saturday in pleasant anticipation. He had found out from Miyahara that she'd also go to Hogsmeade for the first time on the weekend with her friends, and suggested that Onoda would probably be there as well as many third-year students.

Thinking about this, Manami even decided that it would be nice to somehow go to Hogsmeade only with him, and he was even delighted with this thought because since May he had never once fantasised about a walk with Onoda. Maybe this meant that they still have a chance to get things back as they were?

Manami had already hoped for this though he later lost all good spirits when he thought about what would happen if he did go back to Quidditch and they became rivals in the game again. It reminded him of the past and added to the uncertainty, and he really didn't know how to make a decision by next week.

When Saturday came, he allowed himself to get enough sleep because every day he got up on time and even managed not to be late for any of his classes. Miyahara was surprised when he stopped blacking out in Charms or the History of Magic, but Manami didn't want to surprise anyone — his goal was still to save his House points. Just so no Slytherins had any reason to think he was dragging others down with him again.

Having slept through breakfast, Manami lay in bed for a long time, listening to his feelings and hoping that the slight illness was simply the result of fatigue and not a harbinger of a cold. He had a headache, but he still spent a couple of hours trying to speculate on possible futures for this school year. Here he comes to the Quidditch tryouts; here he refuses and remains just a regular student. Perhaps the second option gave more chances to build a relationship with Onoda, but Manami couldn't seem to call that his main goal. What was more important? What would he want to do if only one wish could be fulfilled? He wanted to see his team win the Quidditch Cup...

If there was such a magical object, like Aladdin's lamp, Manami'd have given everything for it, but even if he himself turned out to be a wizard living in the wizarding world, some things were still out of reach. He couldn't make the things he wanted so badly in the future necessarily come true.

He left the warm bed only closer to lunch. He went to the bathroom, cleaned himself up and then changed his clothes in preparation for his trip to Hogsmeade. Manami stuffed the small pouch into his empty bag, in which he put some gold Galleons, not knowing how much he'd like to spend, and hurried to the Great Hall, hoping to catch the Quidditch teammates there right away.

He managed to have lunch in their company, even if he didn't participate in the conversations, and soon everyone started to get ready for the road, and Toudou, as if determined to be the leader again, began to hasten Arakita and Kuroda, who idly discussed some strange strategy of Beaters on the field.

As a result, the group they went to Hogsmeade consisted of more than just the core team. Kuroda also joined, and looking at all the guys, Manami wondered just one thing.

“Could we get to Hogsmeade on broomsticks?” he asked after all, as they left the castle and walked through the large schoolyard toward the exit from the Hogwarts grounds.

“Actually, of course you can,” Shinkai answered first.

“But Mr. Kanzaki asks you not to do that every year,” Toudou added as he caught up with Manami. “It's tantamount to leaving school unofficially, so if any of professors notices a student with a broom in Hogsmeade, he can be punished.”

“Who cares?” Arakita responded gruffly. “Everyone has long given a shit about this rule! And we don't take brooms because, you know, little one, it's inconvenient to fly on them drunk!”

“Yasutomo,” Toudou moaned doomfully. “How about the fact that walking is good for your health? If you sit on your broomstick all the time, you can forget what legs are for!”

“I'll definitely remember what you said when I'm retired, Jinpachi,” Arakita snapped back in response to his words, causing Shinkai, Fukutomi, and Kuroda to chuckle with restraint.

Manami also smiled, beginning to realise that this day would seem to end with something very stormy if Arakita really got drunk. Toudou was apparently not thrilled at this prospect, so he walked the rest of the way with sort of frown. Nevertheless, the other guys continued to talk, which made the time go faster. The cloudless and warm weather also contributed to this, and Manami felt strange a couple of times because this road didn't remind him at all of the day when on his first year on a dark evening he had walked this route with Toudou and Makishima.

They were nearing the end of their journey when they turned in the opposite direction of the station, and from somewhere in the distance lively sounds of the village began to be heard. Manami felt excitement because he was already close, and when he saw the first houses, he immediately began to look eagerly at everything in sight.

The High street, as Toudou called it, was filled with people — wizards but not just the Hogwarts students, whom Manami recognised by their appearance.

There were both adults and elderly wizards, even a couple of children ran past while the company walked on past houses that looked quite ordinary. Manami himself didn't know why he expected to see a lot of magic here although he was really surprised when a plump woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him with a pop. She smiled, appologised and ran about her business, and then Toudou grabbed his sleeve and pulled him towards the brightly coloured shop.

“See you later at Three Broomsticks!” he shouted to the guys. “I'll show the little one everything here!”

Arakita seemed to mutter something back to him. Manami didn't hear, and the guys quickly disappeared into the crowd of people, which seemed to be even more numerous. Maybe it was so busy here because it was Saturday? Manami remembered Diagon Alley as Toudou led him to the shop, still holding his sleeve.

“Don't buy a lot — I won't help carry the candies all the way to the castle,” he said, stopping near the entrance, where a pair of middle school students had just come out. Each held a large paper bag stuffed to the top, and Manami, having listened to all Toudou's words, stared in fascination at the motley shop window, which had so many different sweets and treats that it made him dizzy.

And he could buy them all?

“It looks like it's useless to say something,” Toudou said a little offended, but he pushed him to the door. “Come on, go. I'll wait for you here; it's crowded in there.”

And that was true. As soon as Manami was inside the shop, he almost bumped into another boy. It was just full of middle years and the high school students too. Everyone crowded around the shelves, examining and discussing the assortment; a line of impatient teenagers formed in front of the counter behind which the salesman stood — Manami had seen such a picture for the first time and was impressed. But most of all he was surprised by the variety of merchandise. Many kinds of candy that Manami hadn't seen before, nougat, grilliage, toffee and chewing gum. Bright packaging of candy bars and different sizes of chocolate bars. He could even buy ice cream here, and all this, of course, was completely different from what he used to take in Muggle stores — it all had some magical property, like a Drooble's gum which let you blow huge non-popping bubbles, or just some kind of weirdness because who among the Muggle sweet makers would think of making pepper imps that said 'Breathe fire' on the package?

Manami felt like he wanted to buy and try everything that was on offer, but it seemed that even if he only took one thing at a time, he still didn't have enough room in his bag. He had to choose smarter, but the shop was still full of people, which was a little disturbing. In the end, Manami didn't notice when he stumbled over the edge of a box standing on the floor. He awkwardly bumped into someone nearby, grabbed him so as not to fall, and only after that did he realise who it was.

“S-sangaku?” Onoda squeaked in amazement, and Manami felt extremely uncomfortable, pressing his cheek to Onoda's shoulder.

“Sorry, Sakamichi. You were standing next to me, but I didn't notice you, I guess,” he smiled apologetically, trying to straighten up out of an uncomfortable position.

For some reason, Onoda blushed and became embarrassed, looking down.

“It's alright. I'm glad to see you.”

“Yeah. Are you alone or what?” Manami surprised, looking around in search of Naruko and Imaizumi.

“No, with friends,” Onoda answered. “They're still at Zonko's, and I came back here a second time to buy some more things—”

“Ah, that's how it is,” Manami smiled again, feeling stupid because for some reason he wanted to cling to Onoda again and hug him a little. It was so controversial to feel such a desire for someone you'd been avoiding for months. “And yet— Have you already chosen what to take?”

“Well, yes!” Onoda agreed excitedly, which caused a slight grin from Manami.

“Then we can get in line so as not to hang around here until nightfall,” Manami suggested, to which Onoda also agreed hastily.

He was noticeably nervous, although he didn't think to avoid this moment — when they stood behind a number of other guys, he tried to stay much closer than the free space around them required, and Manami, seeing this, couldn't help smiling again, imagining how Onoda might want a little hug too.

“How are the Divination lessons going?” Onoda asked, breaking their short silence. “Naruko told me about them, and from what he tells me, it's fun there sometimes.”

“Was that when he fell down the stairs or when he made his cup squeal to the whole class?” Manami chuckled. “Or when we were both kicked out—”

“Oh God, I'd like to be there and see it,” Onoda laughed awkwardly. “Naruko said he knew nothing about divination, but you have no problem with that?”

“I have even more of them,” Manami admitted honestly, laughing too, and caught a surprised look. “Who had even thought of predicting the future using the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup? This is terribly odd, and it looks like some kind of quackery. Nothing has ever come true for us!”

“Oh, I'm sorry, I thought... there will be—” Onoda murmured guiltily, but Manami quickly stopped him.

“It's alright! Naruko and I are having a lot of fun even if we both seem to get the lowest grade. We should thank Imaizumi for that.”

“Imaizumi?” Onoda was even more surprised. “And what does he have to do with it?”

“Didn't they tell you that it was Imaizumi's initiative that Naruko ended up in the Divination class? He forged Naruko's handwriting, and Naruko handed in the form with the third elective subject!” Manami said, trying not to laugh.

“Really? I didn't know about it,” Onoda replied, covering his mouth with his hand, and in fact he barely held back his laughter as well. “They sometimes go overboard in their attempts to annoy each other.”

“Yeah. It's a shame we didn't get into the same class in Care of Magical Creatures. The fun could have been repeated,” Manami added, not feeling any insincerity in his words at all.

“Yeah. I was so hoping to go to these classes with you”, Onoda supported. “We get to see the Hippogriffs every once in a while now. I even got to pet one! It was so scary! And it was great too!”

He smiled so warmly and sincerely as he talked about his lessons that Manami couldn't help catching his mood. He wanted to chat with him more, but then it was their turn, and they had to be distracted. Onoda bought only one chocolate bar though the bar was quite large, but Manami's purchases turned out to be much larger and actually occupied almost the entire bag.

When they left the shop, the fresh air seemed like a salvation. Manami tried to find Toudou with his eyes, but he had disappeared somewhere although it didn't seem like a big loss due to the fact that Onoda suddenly turned around and handed this chocolate he had bought to Manami.

“It was for you. I wanted to give you something,” Onoda admitted, embarrassedly muttering words under his breath.

Manami was surprised to accept the chocolate and asked, “And... what's this for?”

“No reason!” Onoda exclaimed, blushing. “I thought... maybe you'd like it.”

“Of course I'll like it,” Manami smiled softly. “Thank you, Sakamichi.” He put the chocolate in his bag, took out a couple of packages of chewing gum and handed it to Onoda in response to his gift. “Then take this.”

Onoda was embarrassed even more, starting to refuse. Manami barely managed to persuade him but finally saw the gum hiding in his pocket behind the folds of his robes.

“Sangaku, I've been meaning to ask—” Onoda changed the subject, still embarrassed. “Are you... going to play Quidditch this year?”

The question came out kind of unexpected, and Manami didn't know what to answer, he didn't want to, and the new situation... suddenly saved him?

“Hey, Manami!” someone shouted at him.

He and Onoda simultaneously turned to the voice and saw the guy from the middle courses. He stood in the company of his buddies, all wearing red and gold striped jumpers, and the guy was looking directly at Manami and tossed something small and round in a shiny package in his palm — it looked like another product from Honeydukes.

“Can you catch it?” the guy asked, grinning slyly, and his friends laughed unpleasantly. “Why am I stupid though? Only four hours later, or after that bespectacled fellow behind your back—”

The guy had already taken a swing, Manami tensed his whole body, feeling a wave of rage rise within him, but the throw didn't happen. Naruko appeared from somewhere near the group of guys. He grabbed the guy's wrist, stopping him, and squeezed his fingers, seemingly so hard that he groaned.

“Shut the fuck up if you don't know anything about Quidditch,” Naruko hissed angrily, and the rest of the guys drew back even though they were older and taller.

The mocking Gryffindor staggered back too, barely freeing his hand. It seemed that he'd now grab his wand or simply lunge at Naruko with his fists, but Imaizumi also appeared nearby, and no one really wanted to mess with him.

As a result, the whole group left, leaving some strange residue behind. It seemed they hurt him, but Manami didn't want to get upset at all. He wanted to go, catch up with them and force the offender to take his vile words back. With his fists, if need be.

“These assholes don't even realise that sometimes the match goes on for so long on purpose,” Naruko snorted irritably as he approached Onoda, and Imaizumi, also gloomy, followed him in silence. “You don't—” Naruko tried to ask something, glancing at Manami, but immediately changed his mind and grinned. “You may as well hit them. I'll even be in favour even though they're from my House.”

“How reasonable of you,” Imaizumi said coldly, stopping next to Onoda. “Sakamichi, did you do everything that you wanted to do?”

“Uh… yes,” Onoda nodded in confusion and depression then looked at Manami again with eyes watering with fear or shock.

“It's okay, Sakamichi,” Manami smiled nervously at him.

“Hey, little one, are you done already? Sorry, I went away to talk to the acquaint—” Toudou came up from somewhere behind him, cutting himself off in a mid-sentence, and staring at Onoda and his friends in surprise. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Manami answered him, smiling. “I just had a little chat with Sakamichi too, but now we have to move on, right? I've bought everything.”

Toudou said nothing to this, just nodded, and Manami turned, waving his hand to Onoda goodbye. Together they headed down the street further — Toudou had supposedly wanted to show him magic souvenir shop, and it was only now that Manami realised how heavy his bag he had laden with all the goods he had bought in Honeydukes had been.

This sobered him up a bit. He smiled guiltily as he looked at Toudou, who clearly had questions even if he hesitated to ask them.

“No one was fighting, really,” Manami told him, trying to calm him down. “But Sakamichi asked me if I was going to Quidditch? Should I really go?”

“You know, Sangaku, Juichi actually wanted to talk to you about this. Today,” Toudou admitted suddenly as they walked past the busy passers-by. “He asked me not to tell you so that you wouldn't run away.”

“I'm not going to,” Manami shrugged. “I'm tired of it. This is what I've been doing for the past few months.”

“Okay,” Toudou agreed though his tone hardly sounded happy. “Let's go to Zonko's and then to Three Broomsticks, okay?”

Manami just nodded, smiling again, and it seemed like he really stopped feeling fear. As if everything in him could change in just a second. As if anger and a sense of injustice could give unprecedented strength.

While Manami was fixated on this, he was barely able to get an impression of the merchandise of the second shop Toudou had brought him to. And the shelves were full of all sorts of interesting things, such as an umbrella which, as the price tag convinced, could affect the weather, or a small table mirror which distorted everything it reflected in an amusing way by swapping details in places. A lot of things could be bought for fun, but Manami didn't take anything yet, only choose a figurine of a white owl that spread and folded its wings for later. It might have looked good on the dresser in his dormitory, but now the bag was perhaps really too heavy to put anything else in it.

When they went outside again to go to the Three Broomsticks, Toudou briefly explained that there was also a post office and a good clothing shop. Manami listened, not really taking it in — all he could think about now was that Fukutomi was likely to demand an answer from him, and he was likely to get a positive one. Because if there were no wish-fulfillers in this world, Manami seemed destined to become one himself. And he seemed finally ready to give it a try.

The place that many Hogwarts students loved so much didn't impress him greatly when Toudou finally brought Manami to the last point of their plan for today. The room wasn't much better than the Leaky Cauldron pub which the wizards passed to Diagon Alley through. The room was just bigger, as were the seats for the customers, and the tables were longer, and almost everyone was occupied. Toudou quickly found the guys from the Quidditch team, and Manami was involuntarily surprised when he saw a dozen mugs on the table, most of which were already empty. It seemed they were in demand mainly among Arakita and Shinkai because they seemed much more cheerful than the others, but Kuroda and Fukutomi looked like they hadn't touched the drink at all.

“Who sells them that much, really?” Toudou said displeased as he grabbed a fork and pricked a piece of jerky from the tray onto it. And the guys were doing pretty well here. Like there was some kind of party.

“We're actually adults, you idiot,” Arakita replied, setting the mug on the table as Toudou sat down on the right side of him with a squeamish look. “We can drink as much as we want.”

“Yeah. Tell that to the Headmaster when he decides to kick you out. Juichi, do you already have a new Beater in mind?

For Manami there was only one place left, and it was opposite Fukutomi as if on purpose. He didn't have to choose. He sat down on a wooden chair with armrests and for a second caught the captain's calm but warning gaze.

“We're celebrating!” Arakita laughed, ignoring Toudou's last words.

“Can you enlighten what exactly?” he asked indignantly.

“Gathering our whole team together, of course!”

“The tryouts haven't been yet!” Toudou tried to restrain him. “Don't decide for everyone here, you moron!”

“Yes, Yasutomo, you do seem to be in a bit of a hurry,” Shinkai intervened under the awkward laugh of Izumida sitting next to him.

Kuroda moved farthest away from them and was indifferently rubbing a spot on his sleeve with his fingers.

“I got the lowest score when I passed fucking Divination exam in my fifth year, but I wasn't mistaken in this,” Arakita said in response to all the guys' words and got up from his chair.

He went to the toilet, judging by his uneven walk and the amount he had drunk. For some reason, Shinkai immediately walked after him, and Toudou didn't lag behind although he left with an expression of strange excitement on his face as if he was expecting some kind of disaster.

“Did Arakita go to Divination?” Manami asked in surprise after their table was slightly empty. Only Fukutomi, Izumida, Kuroda and the second Beater remained.

“Yes,” Fukutomi confirmed. “And quite unfortunate.”

Kuroda let out a quiet chuckle, then looked expectantly at Manami, and Manami narrowed his eyes in response.

“Sangaku,” Fukutomi spoke up again, quickly drawing attention back to himself. “May I make a request of you?”

“A request?” Manami asked, a little puzzled by this question.

“Yes. I want to ask you to participate in the tryouts,” Fukutomi said sternly and confidently, forcing him to be completely confused because if Manami was expecting a conversation about Quidditch, he definitely didn't think that this conversation would start in such a strange way.

“But… I thought you were going to ask a question, not make a proposal—” Manami replied, realising that he had to say at least something.

“This is not a proposal but a request,” Fukutomi corrected. “I address you as a friend.”

“Oh... well, I—” Manami was completely confused, beginning to mentally scold himself for this. He wanted it to go different, not like that at all. He shouldn't have crumpled like a weakling or a coward again—

“Most likely, you'll pass them. Tryouts,” Fukutomi continued as Manami tried to get his thoughts in order. “And now the team needs you as a Seeker. Exactly you.”

“Why?” Manami asked, looking down and smiling nervously because the question came off his lips before he really wanted to ask.

But Fukutomi for some reason was in no hurry to answer. He was just silent for a while, like everyone else at the table, and the voices of other people in the room seemed to have died down too — so much Manami had shut himself off from the world around him, from everything that now had nothing to do with Quidditch.

He waited. He needed to hear. And Fukutomi said, “If you try, you'll find the answer to this question already in the first official match of this year.”

Chapter Text

On Sunday — even though it was a day off — Manami woke up quite early. He was sure there was still a couple of hours or more before breakfast, and all his neighbours were asleep — the room was absolutely quiet, well conducive to reflections... which were pretty appropriate now?

There he was, Manami, daring to participate in the tryouts yesterday — Lord, was this really all for real? He was so confident, angry, and then this request from Fukutomi—

As a friend—

Would Manami have been able to refuse after such words if he hadn't thought about his answer in advance and still didn't want to get involved with Quidditch, at least for this year? It was hard to say, but there was no turning back now. He had to try because no one had guaranteed him that he'd definitely make it to the core team and then play in official matches again. Who knows — he hasn't sit on a broom for months, he could have forgotten how to fly as cool as it was last year. Besides, if everything worked out, it wouldn't be enough. He'd have to outdo himself if he was going to defeat all his opponents, and without this ambition there was no point in returning. So why... was he still sitting idle?

Having made up his mind, Manami got out of bed and quietly walked into the bathroom, driving away the remnants of sleep. The cold water helped to cheer up, and after brushing his teeth, he stared intently at his reflection in the mirror, trying to find anything in his own gaze that even remotely resembled his old self. He thought back to his second year and how difficult it had been for him sometimes, but he'd always gotten through it. He'd been finding ways out of problem situations, and if he couldn't himself, he listened to Toudou and accepted his support. The same should have been done now. He already had support, he had heard the advice too; it was only left for him to take action himself.

That was why Manami wasn't going to hesitate any longer. He returned to the dormitory, changed but not into a robe but into a warm jacket, pulling it over his shirt. He didn't want anything to be in his way, and then he bent down to the floor and pulled the Firebolt out from under the bed. It lay there for almost a month, still wrapped in rough paper. Manami didn't unpack it right here, knowing that the noise would most likely wake up one of the neighbours. He took his wand, tucked it into the back of his trouser belt and walked towards the exit, feeling the growing excitement, which grew a little stronger, it seemed, with every step.

Could he do it? No, he should. He was still himself, wasn't he?

The dislike he had felt before was at least really dulled. Manami walked to the broomstick room to go outside from there and even felt a little this forgotten genuine desire to take off. Nothing bad would happen because of one harmless flight, would it? He should at least just get used to it all over again, so it wouldn't be so difficult in training. Toudou will work with him, won't he? He has promised that they'd be able to do it even without strangers.

He will definitely need to be thanked after all, even if the tryouts go wrong. For some reason, just now, an attack of joy and pleasant trepidation swept over Manami because Toudou hadn't given up for a day but continued to take care of him as best he could. Manami simply had to try for his sake now, to show, albeit belatedly, that he wasn't indifferent to his support.

All these thoughts lifted his spirits, and the good weather and the morning sun made him feel even better. The outside was great. The light southern breeze and silence, since everyone was still asleep, were ideal conditions for remembering things that used to make his breath tingle and his heart race.

Squatting down, Manami put the broom down on the grass with a slight smile and reached for his wand to cut the package with a charm, but changed his mind. He didn't want to accidentally damage the Firebolt, so he tried to tear the paper with his hands, after which, though not on the first try, he took it off on his own.

It was still beautiful — his Firebolt. Manami gently ran his hand over the handle and straightened, not taking his eyes off this amazing invention of wizards. Feelings got stronger.

“Up,” Manami asked, not noticing how he spoke these words aloud, and the broom rose responsively to his outstretched hand.

Now all that was left was to sit down and push off, but for some reason he began to hesitate. As if not the first step was the most difficult but the last one. So he really came back? He would no longer be able to turn back even if he wanted, because he would fall in love with flights again as people had probably fallen in love with each other and didn't know how to live apart after that.

Trying to concentrate for this very last step, Manami raised his head, setting his face to a slight gust of wind, opened his eyes, and suddenly saw—

Oh.

There, in the height, was someone. Someone with a broomstick, but—

The broom was balancing in the air, but the person hung from below, holding on to it with only one hand.

He's going to fall! Manami realised in horror and instantly jumped on the Firebolt.

He was no longer thinking about anything when he took off, rushing to the rescue. A few seconds — and he was already there, where he braked in complete shock because his help... didn't seem to be needed at all?

“Yuuto?” Manami asked in surprise as if he thought his eyes could deceive him.

But it really was the younger Shinkai. Yes, he was hanging in the air, holding on to the broom with one hand, but he was apparently doing it completely deliberately and on purpose.

“Hi,” he smiled, then grabbed the broom with his other hand and pulled himself up deftly.

Having clambered on the broom as if he had been able to do this for a hundred years already, Yuuto brushed the bangs from his forehead with his palm, and Manami was only now beginning to come to his senses.

“Hello? I thought you were going to fall. I wanted to catch.”

“Eh? Fall?” Yuuto was amazed as if he hadn't been the one doing some completely insane trick a minute ago. He could have fallen and broken something on the way down. It was a hell of a height up here after all. “No. I wouldn't fall,” Yuuto laughed, waving his hand in the air. “It's not the first time I've done this.”

“Without belay?” Manami asked suspiciously, looking down. Maybe his older brother was standing somewhere downstairs to help in case of an unforeseen situation?

“I know the charm that slows down a fall,” Yuuto smiled slyly, and not for the first time Manami felt beaten by someone who was actually younger. “Do you take me for a fool? Or suicide?”

“No. I didn't think,” Manami replied a little grimly, and Yuuto laughed.

“I'm kidding. It's okay. Sorry if I scared you. I thought no one would be here at this hour on Sunday — everyone seems to be asleep now.”

“I couldn't sleep,” Manami explained. “So I decided to go out and—”

He was suddenly confused because he finally realised that he was in the air. He had taken off on his broomstick, and now he was here. He did it because he was scared. Wow. So it turned out to be that easy?

“Fly,” Yuuto prompted.” Well, how does it feel? The first time is the most special, right?”

“You know?” Manami smiled weakly at him.

“Well, I actually fly a lot,” Yuuto shrugged. “But I've never seen you. Not on the Quidditch pitch during team practice, or anywhere else. You haven't been on a broomstick this whole month.”

“Yes,” Manami agreed reluctantly, lowering his eyes. “That's right.”

“So Quidditch can be very painful, right?” Yuuto drawled. “I was struck by this, to be honest.”

“Struck?” Manami asked stupidly.

“I didn't want to eavesdrop,” Yuuto began in an ambiguous tone, “but somehow I heard it anyway. A Chaser from the team. Toudou. He talked about you to the other guys. How much you loved flying.”

“Yes... I did,” Manami agreed, still looking at Yuuto and noticing a strange triumphant expression on his face that didn't match his voice. “What are you so happy about?”

“That you're here anyway,” Yuuto replied, pulling one hand to the side.  “You did it.”

“Yes, I took off only because I thought that some kid was about to fall,” Manami grinned sadly.

“So what? Did you regret it? Do you regret?” Yuuto asked, and his expression changed to serious, making Manami almost flinch.

No, eleven-year-old boys definitely don't have those eyes. There is no such astute and sharp gaze that seems to penetrate to the very insides.

“I'd have done it anyway,” Manami replied, trying not to get confused.

“Of course you'd have done it,” Yuuto said confidently. “I knew that sooner or later it would happen. I've been waiting for this.”

“Come on,” Manami chuckled again. “Why do you need this?”

“It's interesting,” Yuuto smiled. “I want to see how the one who lost the most important battle plays.”

“That's how it is,” Manami became melancholy, losing his cheerful mood. “Do you really think it will to be fun?”

“Calm down. I'm on your side,” Yuuto replied. “And if I'm going to come to the tryouts next year, we'll play on the same team with you. And you don't seem to be getting the whole point of Fukutomi's actions.”

“What are you talking about?” Manami asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“He asked you to come back, didn't he?”

“Don't you know too much for a first-year?”

“Knowledge is one of the most useful things in this world,” Yuuto smiled again, this time quite friendly. “Another question: Is it true for everyone? Maybe you have to stay in the dark for the plan to work as it should, hmm?”

“And Toudou scolded me for speaking vaguely,” Manami smiled back.

“I know, I'm sorry,” Yuuto shrugged. “But I don't want to ruin it either. If you don't mind, I'll tell you about everything at the end when it won't make any difference.”

“Okay,” Manami agreed even if he didn't like this suspicious game. “I'll remember that you have a terrible secret,” he added with a slight sarcasm.

“Well...” Yuuto said pointedly, pulling back the left sleeve of his jacket to look at his wristwatch. “Since you're here and there's still time before breakfast, how about a little flight? Just keep in mind that wreck I'm sitting on doesn't move faster than a gorged owl.”

“Yes,” Manami involuntarily laughed. “I learned this in my first year.”

“Yeah. I have a cooler broom at home. Yajirushi,” Yuuto smiled and looked into the distance with a slight longing in his eyes.

“What's this? A model?” Manami asked, feeling uncomfortable again.

“Yes. We ordered it. I can't wait for the second year,” Yuuto chuckled. “I'll bring it over and show everyone the true splendor of a racing broom,” he added, then glanced at Manami's Firebolt. “Yours looks cool too.”

“It's still a little big for me,” Manami replied, looking at the handle and tightening his fingers. “But I got used to it and went through the tryouts last year, and then won two official matches.”

He remembered this with sadness and trepidation at the same time because it was the best time in his life. But then did he lose and fell from the top he had been able to climb.

“You'll win more,” Yuuto said and headed towards the Forbidden Forest.

Manami hesitated a little but followed him and quickly caught up. They flew in silence until the border of the forest began, and all this time Manami could feel past feelings awakening inside him. Even at low speed the flight was as pleasant as before, and one could easily mentally shame himself for deliberately giving up this pleasure.

Yuuto, flying nearby, tried to squeeze all possible speed out of the school broom and then quickly turned in the air, ending up upside down for a few seconds, and Manami, looking at him, couldn't help smiling. He sped up himself to do a spectacular dead loop, and when he caught up with Yuuto again, he smirked back at him.

“Do you like to fly over the Forbidden Forest?” Manami asked, involuntarily remembering how nervous Onoda was if they flew that course together.

“It's my favorite place,” Yuuto admitted. “I've even been there a couple of times already.”

“Yes?” Manami chuckled. “Does the word 'forbidden' in the name mean anything to you?”

“I wanted to see the unicorns,” Yuuto shrugged. “But I haven't found one yet. Just a couple of big spiders.”

“You're a rebel, aren't you? And the danger doesn't bother you.”

“It's okay as long as no one knows you're breaking school rules. Besides, the forest isn't so scary, you know—”

“I know,” Manami replied involuntarily and fell silent, realising that he had blabbed.

But this was hardly a problem since every student of Hogwarts had probably been to the Forbidden Forest at least once for some reason. When you can't, you want even more, right? For many, at least, this was really true, but Manami just once needed a place to escape from everyone.

Now and for a long time he felt the same way. A runaway. Only this time he wasn't going to come back to apologise with his head down. He'd return to show that he was beginning to gain the strength to fight again. Gradually, a belief that he hadn't done everything he could was coming back to life in him.

When he and Yuuto returned to the castle, Manami involuntarily remembered the funny beginning of their meeting today and then thought that this spontaneous shake really helped him. Now he was ready, perhaps. Ready to move on with newfound confidence.

That was probably why he was so eager to drop in on Sunday practice for his Quidditch team. Fukutomi would probably be all for Manami coming and practicing with everyone else, but Manami himself was stopped by the thought of how he'd feel if he saw all these guys, if he got up on the grass of the Quidditch field again. How many unpleasant emotions would this moment awaken? How long would it take to recover and get used to?

Not wanting to tempt fate, Manami just waited for dinner, and after that he asked Toudou to talk to him somewhere.

Toudou reacted to this proposal with a smile, apparently immediately guessing what was the matter. He seemed to purposely not talk to Manami about Quidditch after yesterday's trip to Hogsmeade so as not to pressure him, but hadn't Manami said yes to Fukutomi? Did they think he might change his mind?

“What did you want to talk about?” Toudou asked as he and Manami stopped in the corridor outside the Great Hall.

Students were passing by in different directions, but they were far enough not to hear their conversation.

“About the tryouts,” Manami began awkwardly, looking at Toudou's unfading smile. “Will you train me for them? Without—”

“Without the guys from the team,” Toudou prompted understandingly and nodded contentedly. “Of course I'll do it. I told you. So you haven't changed your mind?”

“You still thought that I'd change my mind,” Manami sighed a little displeased. His assumptions had apparently just been confirmed.

“From what I've heard from you before, it might well have happened,” Toudou said intently. “But I— In my heart I have always believed.”

“Oh,” Manami said in confusion and smiled, feeling touched by these words. “Jinpachi.”

“Okay, okay,” Toudou said, waving his hand in the air a couple of times. “Tomorrow we'll go to the pitch instead of dinner. And by the way—” he suddenly took Manami by the shoulders and turned him straight towards the open doors of the Great Hall. Manami blinked in amazement, but quickly his gaze caught on the right person Toudou must have wanted him to see. Among the students heading for the stairs was Onoda. He walked a little behind his friends, and Naruko and Imaizumi ahead of him were talking so loudly that Manami, even from his place, could clearly hear some words. “Gryffindor has tryouts already on Tuesday. Do you want to tell someone about yours?” Toudou asked with an obvious grin in his voice. “That would cheer him up, I'm sure.”

“You're torturing me,” Manami replied, moving a little to the side and looking at Toudou with a displeased look.

“I know,” he smiled. “Just trust me.”

“…Well, if you think so,” Manami surrendered and, exhaling, headed decisively into the crowd.

He soon caught up with Onoda, passing the other guys from Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, and gently tugged on his sleeve. Onoda wasn't even scared — he seemed to be in some kind of prostration — he just slowed down and turned around with an absent face. But when he realised who had stopped him, his emotions seemed too contrasting in comparison with the previous ones.

“Sangaku?”

“Follow me,” Manami asked, trying to smile, but it turned out probably sadly.

Onoda nodded weakly, and Manami, releasing his sleeve, turned to walk away again.  Where he'd been standing recently, Toudou was no longer there — he'd apparently left, but Manami hadn't chosen the same place this time. He headed further until he turned the corner of the empty corridor.

Onoda came right behind him, but his face, when they looked at each other again, was somehow sad.

“What's the matter? You look sad, Sakamichi,” Manami said, and Onoda became nervous.

“Really? Not at all,” he waved his palms. “I'm fine.”

“And Toudou told me you'll have tryouts on Tuesday,” Manami admitted, quickly changing the subject. Maybe Onoda was nervous just because of them?

“Yes?” Onoda asked a little surprised. “Probably Makishima told him—”

“I have no doubts,” Manami smiled. “Are you worried?”

“Before the tryouts?” Onoda blinked. “Well— not that— Probably as usual. But it's not that!”

He said the last part too excitedly and even frightened. Manami resisted the urge to take his hand, and he understood everything, really. Onoda, most likely, had already decided that Manami wasn't going to play this time, and for some reason didn't want to be without him. Didn't want to? They still needed each other equally?

“Sakamichi,” Manami called softly.

“Yes?” Onoda replied, suffocating, and now he looked as if he was about to have a heart attack.

“It seems… I didn’t answer your question that you asked me in Hogsmeade,” Manami said, and Onoda gasped for air, eyes widening in surprise. “About Quidditch— Our tryouts are on Friday,” Manami continued. “And I will participate. I'm going to go back to the core team.”

“Really?” Onoda asked, and his eyes began to water. He smiled happily, dropping his head quickly.

“Of course I am,” Manami laughed awkwardly. “What? What is it?”

“It's just— just,” Onoda began to stutter again. “I thought you didn't want to play anymore. Because of... what happened last season.”

“It's not so,” Manami objected. “There's nothing wrong with me.”

Ugh, was he really supposed to keep lying to him?

“Nothing?” Onoda asked, raising his head and looking at Manami a little panicked.

“Well, I was upset when I lost,” Manami replied, realising that he should at least feign a semblance of naturalness. “It's okay, isn't it? Everyone gets upset when they fail. But now everything's fine.”

“Oh,” Onoda exhaled, starting to calm down. He seemed to believe it. “I was already imagining things. I'm sorry I was so stupid.”

“Are you better now?” Manami smiled weakly. “Toudou asked me to tell you that I'm not going anywhere. He's sure it will cheer you up.”

It was embarrassing to admit, but this awkwardness was quickly forgotten because Onoda's face changed again and now became completely happy.

“It's true,” he nodded. “I'm so glad we can play together again! Oh! Sorry! First, of course, I must not fail in the tryouts!”

Onoda became nervous again and waved his hands too much, which made Manami unable to resist and giggled.

Everything was going to be alright though, right? Sure, they would both make it through tryouts and then play together in one of the games. Only he hoped that the result wouldn't be as last time. Manami didn't think he really wanted to leave Onoda as the loser, but did he have a choice now? They would both have to face difficulties, now that they had gone down the same path again.

But after this short conversation, Onoda seemed to begin to feel more confident. At least he smiled genuinely as they said goodbye before leaving for their common rooms, and Manami somehow miraculously became infected with his smile. He was beginning to think he was losing his mind. He couldn't believe that all of this was really happening to him, that he had done all of this knowingly, of his own free will. He closed the circle from which he seemed to have escaped to save himself.

And now... could it really have ended differently?

Could it? he continued to ask himself mentally, and it was almost unbearable to think about it.

To some extent, Manami couldn't wait until Monday evening. He really wanted to know if his form had become as terrible as he had thought, or maybe it was not so bad?

When he and Toudou met in the broomstick room just before dinner, Manami was again flustered and a little nervous. He realised that this time he definitely had no choice — he'd have to enter the Quidditch pitch. To a place where he hadn't been since spring.

But, thinking about the Quidditch pitch, Manami had completely forgotten about another important thing.

Before that, of course, they had to go to the changing room and change into uniforms. This was where the first unpleasant memories came back, causing Manami's heart to speed up alarmingly and his palms to shiver slightly. He saw it before his own eyes so clearly — his team, the guys he had let down, and now he had come to apologise, to beg forgiveness.

It was scary to think back of it. Largely due to the fact that this inevitably led to thoughts that it might happen again, but Manami struggled to pull himself together.

It was probably even for the best — Toudou sent him to the field alone, telling him to start warming up, and he left to bring the necessary equipment. Thanks to this, Manami was able to meet another ghost of the past alone and not worrying that someone would see the emotions that had distorted his face.

The Quidditch pitch was perhaps the most terrifying ghost. This was where everything had happened. It was here that Manami had first seen the magical sport of broomsticks being played. It was here he found the desire to try it himself. Here he decided to participate in the tryouts in his second year. Here... he failed to retain the championship title of his team.

He'd have even cried, replaying all these moments in his head, but only grinned because in the end it all led to him being here again. He decided to return himself, as if the pain that he had experienced wasn't enough for him. The huge stands, placed around the perimeter, silently sneered too, but with the arrival of Toudou Manami chased away this stupid fantasy and tried to focus only on his sole task — to catch.

It turned out almost the same as before. While Toudou was throwing small balls from the basket that he hung over his shoulder, Manami caught almost every one, and compared to Kuroda's insidious, often deceptive throws, Toudou still took pity on him.

They practiced in this vein for the entire dinner. By the end, it had darkened considerably, which made it difficult to see the flying balls clearly, but Toudou said this was part of the training, and smiled. He praised Manami, warning that they'd repeat tomorrow but include other exercises as well.

One hundred eighty-six out of two hundred. So many balls Manami had caught in this practice, and it amazed him when he heard the result from Toudou. Even in the twilight of the evening, he almost never made mistakes and almost always reached the goal — so it was really not bad, was it?

It wasn't surprising that Manami's spirits improved greatly after that. He seemed overly pleased and overjoyed when he came to the History of Magic the next day, and this didn't escape Miyahara's attention.

“Am I dreaming, or are you really happy for some reason?” she asked suspiciously while Manami was putting the textbook out of his bag, which he'd hardly use in this boring class anyway.

“What? I can't be happy?” he grinned and looked towards the teacher's desk, where Professor was sitting with a pile of parchments apparently not even about to start the class yet.

“Of course you can,” Miyahara replied, a little confused. “But you haven't really smiled since—”

“Since May?” Manami prompted, stretching out his hands on the tabletop. “I've smiled sometimes. I just seem to be really happy now. I'm flying on my broom again. Yesterday I even trained a little with Toudou. And on Friday I'll participate in the tryouts.”

Sharing this turned out to be surprisingly easy. Manami really felt like that, and he was beginning to think that his tryouts would go just as well as they had last year. He could do it.

“Oh,” Miyahara breathed in amazement and, glancing sharply towards Professor, shyly quieted down. “Did you really make up your mind? It's so cool,” she added in an almost whisper.

There was joy in her voice, and because of this Manami felt like a winner — her friend took the news with real approval even if she knew what it meant. He wouldn't pay enough attention to his studies again, and that had always annoyed her. But now Miyahara seemed to be gradually beginning to recognise the importance of Quidditch as well.

“Ultimately,” Manami said with a smile, “if I want my wish to come true, I have to grant it myself. I'll return the Cup to my team. The tryouts are just the first step towards this. I can't lose anymore.”

“If I were in your House, I'd definitely come to cheer for you. I'm sorry,” Miyahara smiled back, and now she looked like she was relieved beyond measure.

“It's alright,” Manami shook his head. “It's enough for me that you just believe in me.”

“But you—” Miyahara said and suddenly hesitated. “You'll have to play with him again someday, right? With Sakamichi Onoda.”

“…Yes,” Manami shrugged. “It looks like it's inevitable.”

“Are you sure it's right thing to do?” Miyahara asked, and Manami was confused at her question.

He didn't know what to say to this and didn't have time to come up with an answer before Professor nevertheless returned to reality and began the lesson. The new topic was dull and boring again, but Manami didn't even feel drowsy this time. Actually, he also wondered if what he and Onoda were doing was right. Perhaps the two of them should have discussed everything that had happened and how they both felt in order to come to some conclusion or decision together— Maybe they both should have just given up playing against each other so as not to fill the relationship with something negative, as it had already happened, but—

There was always some 'but'.

Most importantly, Manami simply had no idea how he could reveal his feelings to Onoda. Tell him how bad and hard it was for him and perhaps would be again. It was difficult to imagine such a conversation even in his head. No, Manami didn't want that. How badly he didn't want it.

On the other hand, now he seemed to be hoping for something good, and now, remembering this, he felt another urge to chuckle at himself. He had been such a child until now, hadn't he?

When the lessons ended, he had to wait again, but now not only training with Toudou. Manami wanted to know the results of the Gryffindor team tryouts as quickly as possible for him, but irresponsibly and impudently peeking in, as he had done last year, he didn't dare, remembering that then they had noticed him and then complained. But he was practically sure that the composition of Onoda's team wouldn't change at all. He needed only one brief confirmation that Onoda himself had done well, and then he'd calm down.

Nevertheless, dinner time was approaching, and Manami still had no idea. He apparently looked a little upset when he met Toudou in the same place as yesterday, and Toudou, noticing this, smiled suspiciously somehow.

When they stepped outside with their brooms, a dark owl had landed on his shoulder, and it had a note. Toudou unfolded it, read it quickly, and then looked at surprised Manami.

“Your bespectacled kid has done well. Is that what you wanted to know?” Toudou said, and Manami almost suffocated from the sudden excitement.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Toudou confirmed, stuffing the note into his trousers pocket. “I suspected you'd be worried about this, so I asked Maki to write me how it went. The composition of their team hasn't changed. They're not going to hide it. And I think ours will also remain the same.”

“Is Fukutomi going to take me even if I fail?” Manami asked a little gloomily.

No, he was glad of course that Onoda had coped, but Toudou's confidence began to seem already somehow suspicious. Maybe Fukutomi really did have some strange plan that Yuuto had talked about recently. Manami hadn't taken his words seriously then, but now it might turn out that he had done it in vain.

Nevertheless, the elders didn't seem to be going to tell him anything, and Manami didn't think he could insist on it — not in his position when he was in a great debt to them. So far, he has tried to concentrate on his and Toudou's evening training and the upcoming tryouts.

Time flew by quickly, as if in a hurry to bring this crucial and exciting moment closer. Manami literally didn't notice that it was Friday, and after class he had to come to the Quidditch pitch, where there would already be a lot of people from his House as well as at the upstairs in the stands. He'd be watched this time, he'd be assessed.

Last year Manami didn't give a damn about it — he just played and won, but now he still, on the one hand, didn't want to return to all these people. He didn't want to play in front of them, knowing that in May they had seen him fail spectacularly.

On the other hand, there was no choice now. Manami came to the changing room almost at the same time as the last batch of guys who were going to participate in the tryouts, and while changing into a uniform near his locker, he tried not to look around and not think that others might think about him.

For the whole September didn't appear at any training session — now he wants to go through the tryouts. Outrageous. Why does Fukutomi let him act like that?

Chuckling to himself, Manami realised that his attempts not to imagine the guys' thoughts about him and his behavior had been unsuccessful. It was even amusing. He was really acting too impudently. Even worse than he had been last year.

When the tryouts began twenty minutes after everyone had gathered on the Quidditch pitch, Manami had to sit out the first game. He was a little nervous, noticing the rare glances of the guys who were also waiting for their turn to show themselves, but later it became easier — Manami got used to it and also got carried away by watching the match between the team in green and the team in black.

Toudou played in tandem with Shinkai and another unfamiliar Chaser, and Arakita, in the position of a Beater in the opposite team, tried to prevent them from launching attacks. It was great. And a little more pointless. Why arrange so many practice matches to end up with the core team remaining the same? Although, yes— Seekers— The Seeker had to be chosen carefully, considering what had happened last year, and Manami became unintentionally gloomy when he thought about it.

He had to fight the winner of this match, as he understood, and as soon as the Snitch showed himself, he instantly switched his attention to watch the battle that was truly familiar to him. The one that he felt as if he himself was flying there, alongside two rivals.

The winner appeared an hour after the start of the first game. He was a blond guy, probably one year older than Manami himself. Manami felt a little embarrassed that he didn't remember his name, though he had seen him last year among the guys who trained separately as a Chaser. He was the one to fight now, and Manami resolutely stood up along with his Firebolt, still knowing deep down that it wouldn't be easy.

And where the hell was Kuroda? Manami would have preferred to play against him again, but Kuroda seemed to have vanished into thin air. He wasn't even visible among the other guys. Had he given up on Quidditch?

Manami was almost ready to ask someone about this, when he was suddenly distracted by the noise from the stands, or rather, the semblance of an explosion. He looked up and saw a bud of bright green sparks blooming in the sky. Directly below it stood a black-haired boy, holding a just-launched clapper in his hand, and Manami recognised him as Yuuto.

Wow.

It was even unexpected. While everyone was standing, distracted and looking directly at him, he raised a small but still noticeable banner that read—

“Oh, are you serious? How cute,” Manami chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed.

‘Go ahead, Sangaku!’ was what was written on the banner Yuuto was holding, and Manami hastily turned away because he thought he really couldn't stand it right now. Why was this kid so stubbornly supporting him? Not even his brother. The older Shinkai was fine, of course, but still—

“Thank you,” Manami said, knowing that Yuuto wouldn't hear him from here anyway, and then he went up to Fukutomi and took a black T-shirt which had to be put on top of his uniform.

In it, Manami felt strange but tried not to dwell on it. He soon found out that Izumida would be playing on his team — this knowledge was a little reassuring, but certainly not as cool as Yuuto's banner. Mr. Kanzaki gave Manami the covered gloves that the other Seeker was wearing as well, so that they wouldn't touch the Snitch with their skin and break the spell, and only then all the participants in the match were allowed to take to the air.

Okay. Now waiting, a few chases and a result?

Everything was pretty simple as always, but at the same time, Manami, sitting on his broomstick, was trembling. Because of this, the Firebolt was unstable, and he nearly fell over when he started to rise higher at the whistle.

What was he supposed to do? What?

Toudou hadn't given him any advice before sending him into battle, and now Manami felt lost, as if he shouldn't have been here at all. That was right; he had to do his homework now, sitting in his dormitory or library. Must be a regular student, not a Quidditch player—

No.

Shaking his hair, Manami tried to banish these thoughts, not to let them take over his mind now, at a time when distractions were unacceptable. If he lost his only chance, he'd never make the team this year. He wouldn't be able to fulfill his wish. To return the favour.

And even if the memory of his important goal should have given him strength, Manami didn't feel that way. Some part of him felt as if he had been there, on that ill-fated day when he had lost the match with Onoda. He could still lose now. Even before the fight. Lose because he was too used to that idea.

He didn't start the chase in time. He just didn't have time to come to his senses and darted after his opponent with a great delay, and then things got worse.

Manami lagged behind at every turn. Wrong and wrong, even unable to adjust to the pace of his opponent. Each time, he just got lucky when the race was interrupted either by a Bludger or by a Snitch's dexterous maneuver. His opponent extended his hand twice, and Manami couldn't even get close to the goal. Some of the guys who remained on the ground shouted something to them. Something clearly disapproving.

And although these voices soon died down (most likely, they were forced into silence), Manami felt like a real loser now without any help. Something was pulling him back, not allowing him to fly and control the broom as before.

When his opponent dropped out of the game, having fallen (an accidental or sent by someone deliberately Bludger hit him), Manami hesitated for a second but then continued chasing the Snitch alone, mentally marveling that he himself might have fallen victim to the cruel Bludger because he couldn't even see where it was coming from.  He won't return, Manami realised, glancing down a couple of times. There were already other guys near the fallen Seeker, and he didn't move, apparently unconscious for a while from the impact. He could have tried to wait for him, but the Beater in a black T-shirt screamed, drawing attention to himself, and Manami looked at him.

“Don't slow down, you idiot! It's part of the game!”

I know, Manami mentally replied and, gritting his teeth, accelerated before he lost sight of Snitch.

But even without his opponent, it was damn hard to catch it. Manami was late again at turns, and on the sharp descent, he was completely dizzy.

If he could. If only he could. Catch at least one more time to see—

Their happy faces. The faces of the guys from his team.

The fantasy suddenly became so vivid and as if real that Manami gasped. The last time he turned around much more successfully, and then, by some miracle, he finally managed to grab the Snitch and couldn't believe his eyes.

The whistle sounded — Mr. Kanzaki stopped the match.

With mixed feelings, Manami descended to the grass and could barely stand on his trembling legs, still clenching the Snitch he had caught in his fist. He was very close to the bulk of the other guys left on the ground, and Fukutomi and Toudou were already on their way to him.

With happy faces— No. This fantasy was finally over, and Manami saw— Toudou's smile was too tense, Fukutomi looked too serious at all.

“I—” Manami began, raising his hand and looking at the Snitch.

“It's fine! You did it!” Toudou said, putting his hand on Manami's shoulder.

But—

Manami shook his head and let out a sigh of relief when he noticed his opponent. He had already come to his senses and was now sitting on the bench with a depressed look. He was upset—

“Don't worry about anything. You'll play in the core team again,” Fukutomi said, distracting, and Manami flinched.

“What? No! I played just awful! I can't be on the team!” he objected.

“That's the point! What the hell?” a voice interrupted. Manami saw another senior in green Quidditch uniform approaching them. “Sorry… Fukutomi,” the guy said to the captain. “But such a choice is just insanity. Everyone saw him play in that match. Why can't you take Kuroda as the Seeker?”

“Do you see Kuroda here, smartass?” Arakita appeared from somewhere with a terribly displeased look. “He will no longer play as a Seeker, and if you're not happy with anything, I can show you where the exit is.”

The guy was tensely silent, lowering his gaze and apparently not going to argue with Arakita. But it didn't get any easier at all. Was Manami worthy to be in the core team again? Really? But why?

“I… really screwed up terribly,” he said, raising his pain-filled eyes to Fukutomi again.

“And now you want to give up your place?” he asked. “Do you really want it?”

No, Manami mentally replied, biting his lip and looking down at his feet again. No, of course, he didn't want to give it up, but how could he take the position of a Seeker after what had happened today? After all, he would let the team down again and, most likely, long before the final.

“Then stay. And do your best to defeat your disappointment,” Fukutomi said, and Manami involuntarily faced his serious gaze again.

Could he? He'd been given the chance to get better time after time, and that wasn't enough to promise to try harder?

I'll promise, Manami decided to himself and didn't notice how he nodded, squeezing the caught Snitch in his fist. He tried to believe that this was the right choice, even if the new difficulties that awaited him apparently were going to become even more difficult than the previous ones.

Chapter Text

Manami didn't think he'd have to do it again — looking for Kuroda. The last time it had been necessary, Manami had had a terribly ridiculous and silly reason. He tried to get a blank valentine somewhere to give it to Onoda, but now the problem was much more difficult and more unpleasant than trying to act accordingly on Valentine's Day.

And where had Kuroda gone, really?

Manami didn't see him in the changing room after the tryouts although he certainly didn't try too hard since he generally wanted to disappear, to fall through the ground. Many, indeed many, were unhappy with Fukutomi's choice. And even if they didn't dare to contradict him too openly, Manami could feel the disapproving glances directed towards him. Naturally, in such a situation, he couldn't turn his head and try to find Kuroda here. But he needed to talk to him.

And the sooner the better.

Why was it so difficult to do it? When Manami left the Firebolt in the broomstick room and headed into the common room, he tried to turn on all his attentiveness. But among the guys who were walking the same way, Kuroda really didn't seem to be there. Manami didn't find him later, after he had taken a shower and changed his clothes. By the time he had cleaned himself up after the tryouts, the common room was empty. It wasn't difficult to understand that there was no one from the Quidditch team here, including Kuroda, and only then it dawned on Manami that dinner had already begun and all the guys had to go to the Great Hall. Fine. He'd find Kuroda there.

Except even then Manami didn't have any luck. His luck seemed to think that it was enough that he was somehow miraculously back on the Quidditch team.

Manami was one step away from starting to feel irritated.

He immediately noticed that the usual place of Kuroda was now empty — only Izumida was nearby. So maybe Kuroda wasn't at school at all? Did he have any urgent business that caused him, like Shinkai last year, to urgently return home? Or... maybe Kuroda got very sick and was lying in the infirmary on that very day?

He'd have to ask about it later, Manami decided, walking to his seat to eat his dinner. He wasn't likely to eat much now, of course, but at least this way he could see when Izumida was free. For some reason, Manami didn't want to approach Fukutomi to ask him about Kuroda. To be honest, he didn't want to talk to any of the seventh-year students at all. He was most ashamed of the fact that he showed himself so badly during the tryouts. He hadn't live up to their expectations, and they'd been so kind to him again. Unfairly kind.

So maybe Kuroda really did hold a kind of key to salvation?

Fortunately, Izumida got up from his seat earlier than Fukutomi or Toudou. Manami swallowed another spoonful of meat stew, which he barely touched, drank the pumpkin juice and, after waiting a little longer, went to the exit from the hall too. It took him some time to catch up — he even had time to think that Izumida had gone not into the common room but somewhere else. The target was found almost near the secret entrance in the dungeons. Manami slipped through the passage in the wall and only then hesitantly called out.

Izumida stopped and turned around, looking at Manami in a friendly manner.

“Sangaku? Did you want something?”

“Well... yes,” Manami was involuntarily confused, remembering that they had played together in the same team today, and he practically lost this match. It was good that Izumida was too busy with the Quaffle to see how badly his Seeker was screwing up. “Where is Kuroda?” Manami asked, looking up. “I didn't see him at the tryouts. And at dinner too.”

“Ah,” Izumida replied in surprise. “You missed him. It seems he left the Great Hall shortly before you came. What? Do you need him?”

So he didn't get sick? Manami realised mentally, feeling a second of relief.

“Yeah. I'd like to talk to him,” he nodded and looked around the common room, where the number of people had increased since the last time, but the familiar figure still didn't catch his eye.

“I think he's outside now. At least he was going with Takuto. Try to go out into the courtyard,” Izumida said, and Manami smiled.

“Thanks for your help,” he said quickly, about to hurry off.

He didn’t know why he was at such a hurry — it seemed like he was just nervous but couldn't help himself. Manami rushed out of the common room as if there was a fire and then walked to the stairs so fast that his breath became labored. All he needed was to get consent to his request, and everything would get better. It would get easier. Wouldn't it?

Hoping very much that he'd succeed now, Manami went outside and, passing the main entrance to the castle, was a little confused, not expecting to see such a picture.

Even if he happened to go outside shortly before the curfew, he did it from the other side, from the broomstick room, because he was going to fly a little, naturally. When was the last time he was in the courtyard at a time like this? He couldn't even remember.

It was beautiful here, it turned out. The sky was almost completely blackened, revealing the lights of the stars, and lanterns burning along the perimeter of the stone arches that framed the courtyard, seemed to contain an enchanted bluish fire. Some of the students strolled under the light of these lanterns, while others sat on benches and chatted. Manami was finally able to spot Kuroda. He was at a huge fountain located in the middle of the courtyard, and the first to catch his eye was actually not even him but a tall guy — his classmate.

Apparently, they were talking about something, sitting on the edge of the fountain, but Manami still decided to approach because he simply couldn't wait any longer.

However, when both guys noticed him at the same time, he still felt a little uneasy. Damn, he was so selfish sometimes.

“Hey, little one,” Kuroda said as if with displeasure, and Manami stopped a few steps away from the guys.

“Hello,” he said, trying to smile. “Sorry to distract, but could you talk to me for a couple of minutes? It's important.”

“Wow,” Kuroda drawled mockingly, and the tall guy sitting next to him smiled happily, as if he had just heard the cutest thing in the world.

There was nothing... cute about Manami's words, wasn't it?

“The all-powerful and self-sufficient kid came to talk on his own,” Kuroda added, that cruel grin still on his face.

“Stop it, I'm serious,” Manami frowned, almost offended.

“Calm down. I was just kidding,” Kuroda replied. “Spit it out.”

Manami opened his mouth, almost starting before he thought about it, and closed it back, looking again at the smiling tall guy. Talking in front of him?

“I won't in the way,” the tall guy suddenly said and stood up abruptly, causing Manami involuntarily raised his head to continue looking into his face. “See you later — tell me your idea, it's very interesting,” he added, looking at Kuroda, and, receiving a slight nod in response, hurried in the direction where Manami had just come from.

Manami shook his hair, trying to stop being amazed that there were such tall people in this world. Indeed, there were more important things to do now.

“Are you going to stand here all night?” Kuroda asked which made Manami to barely refrain from rolling his eyes.

He moved closer to sit nearby and winced as he touched the cold gray stone with his palms.

“Why didn't you go to tryouts?” Manami asked in an almost everyday tone, looking at the small stones on the path that wound around the fountain.

Even without visual confirmation, it became clear that Kuroda didn't like the question.

“Have you come to talk about what I am doing or not doing?” he asked.

“No,” Manami replied calmly. “I'm asking because if you weren't at the tryouts, you didn't see how I played.”

How I screwed up, Manami corrected to himself but didn't say anything else out loud.

“I saw you play,” Kuroda chuckled, and Manami looked at him in surprise.

“What? But—”

“I saw it from the stands,” Kuroda explained, even more discouraging.

Why was he even in the stands? What a joke?

“Then you must have seen well,” Manami said despondently, lowering his head again. “And it's going to be awful since you quit Quidditch?”

“Yes? Why is that?” Kuroda asked.

“Because I wanted to ask you,” Manami admitted, involuntarily raising his tone, and closed his eyes. “I wanted to ask you to train me again, teach me, but it's all pointless if you just aren't on the field.”

However, Kuroda didn't answer immediately. He was silent for a while as Manami tried to calm his trembling. While he tried to cope with the sudden panic.

“You know,” Kuroda began leisurely, after what must have been a full minute. “Asking me to get you a valentine or asking me to help you with Quidditch are, of course, different things... I'm amazed.”

“Amazed?” Manami asked, turning his head slightly, and saw a slight smile appear on Kuroda's face.

“That's quite an achievement for you, right?” he grinned. “You hated taking my advice. You tried to do everything yourself even when you accepted my experience. You studied with me reluctantly even if quite successfully. I was pretty sure you wanted to tell me that you could handle everything on your own. That you don't need my constant mentoring at all. And here you are.”

“…And if you've really seen the tryouts, you know why,” Manami said, bracing himself.

“I guess you think I'll teach you how to get better,” Kuroda nodded, and his face became calm again.

“How can I win…” Manami replied almost powerlessly.

“I didn't quit Quidditch,” Kuroda said suddenly, which made Manami no longer understand what was going on. “But I didn't pass the tryouts, because now it makes no sense. Not this year. I will—”

“You will play in the position of a Beater!” Manami exclaimed when it dawned on him. He knew the answer even before Kuroda had voiced it.

“...Right,” Kuroda was a little surprised and immediately smiled again. “Can you really guess something? You have a very good intuition, huh?”

“Something like that?” Manami shrugged his shoulders. “Sometimes I can sense when the Snitch will turn or when a Bludger might hit me. And not only that.”

“That's why you predicted Toudou's exact score for his exam when you were in your first year. I heard about it,” Kuroda said.

“You did?”

“Yeah. I was standing nearby when you ran to him. But you, of course, didn't notice me. As you don't notice anything that you don't take seriously.”

“Sorry,” Manami frowned. “Is that what you want to hear? Sorry for being an asshole with you. Sorry I didn't want to listen to you or I studied without pleasure. I was wrong. I lost the final match and now I screwed up at the tryouts. Somehow I have to learn to play again, and without you I definitely won't be able to do it.”

“Come on, say it again,” Kuroda chuckled, and Manami looked at him with displeasure. “Alright, alright. No kidding. You can do it without me this year. And next time I'll take care of you when I'm on the field with you.”

“How can I handle it now?” Manami shook his head almost in despair. “If you train as a Beater, you can't train me.”

“That's right,” Kuroda agreed. “But I think that I did everything I could. And didn't you catch the Snitch in today's game?”

“So what?” Manami grimaced. “It was terrible.”

“But it was still your actual victory,” Kuroda replied. “And after that you want me to teach you how to win. Don't you already know the answer?”

Manami remained silent, not understanding what he had to answer to this. Did he know the answer? What was it then?

“You were thinking about something before you caught it, weren't you?” Kuroda prompted, with a heavy sigh.

“About what a loser I am,” Manami grinned sadly.

“Not this. Was there anything else?” Kuroda asked displeasedly.

Manami fell silent again, trying to think intensely. Trying to remember. And he remembered.

What he was thinking just before the end. He remembered his vivid fantasy which pushed him forward.

“I—” Manami said a little dumbfounded. “I imagined them. My team. What would they be like if I won the game with them again. Would they... praise me?”

“Of course they would praise you,” Kuroda replied. “So just go and win for them with that thought. Let this be your main weapon.”

“Do you think it will work again?” Manami asked, looking at him, and Kuroda chuckled, then sharply raised his hand and rudely patted Manami's hair. Actually, it looked more like a lingering slap on the head, but it was the first time he had done it. As if he was proud.

"I'd bet twenty Galleons on that!" Kuroda said enthusiastically, removing his hand, and Manami finally felt a little better. “Everything will be fine! We'll find out this year's schedule soon, and then go to training and don't forget why you're doing this.”

“Thank you,” Manami thanked with a faint smile. “I think you'll be a great Beater by next year.”

“You bet I will. Otherwise, who's going to keep an eye on you fool when Toudou and Arakita graduate?” Kuroda also said with a smile.

“Yeah,” Manami agreed a little sadly. “This is their last year. And my last chance to thank them for always being kind to me.”

On Monday morning, when the Defense Against the Dark Arts hadn't yet begun, but all the students had already taken their places in the class, Manami told Onoda that he, too, had passed into the core team of his team. It was hard to resist faced with that expectant, impatient gaze, and Manami gave up even if he didn't particularly want to remember his terrible tryouts which were still almost a failure. He could no longer change this fact, but he could affect his next games, of course. And he was going to do that sort of thing.

Onoda calmed down, as soon as he had heard the answer to his mute question, and after that everything became... okay? They did indeed go back to where they had started last year, but upon thinking about it, Manami almost shuddered. No, everything was not good.

He realised this only now, starting to realise how wrong he had been at the moment when he had told Onoda that he was also going to the tryouts too.

Perhaps today they'd finally find out the schedule of games for this season and therefore... know when they'd have to meet again on the field. And now Manami didn't feel at all ready for this.

Thinking that they'd play again was easier when there was still no certainty about it, but now— Now everything was different. Everything has become a real inevitability.

Manami seemed to be ready for anything. He was ready to go to all trainings on time, do all the exercises, defeat Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, but—

He wasn't ready for a new battle with Onoda. He didn't even want to imagine such a thing, in fact. But sooner or later he'd have to not just imagine — he'd have to go through it again. And Manami didn't know how he'd prepare himself for this.

For this reason, he so didn't want today's lessons to end. It was even strange not to want it, but the end of the class would bring him closer to a new discovery which Manami seemed to be really afraid of.

Once freed, he returned to the common room very slowly and reluctantly. He said the password, stepped inside, and held back a hopeless sigh because his Quidditch team was almost there. They hadn't even gone to the library to study like they did every Monday now. And all because of the parchment that Fukutomi was now holding in his hands and studying with a stern look, standing near the long sofa on which the rest of the guys sat.

Manami hesitantly stepped closer, noticing that Toudou's face was also somewhat tense though he immediately hurried to smile as soon as he raised his head.

“Quidditch schedule?” Manami asked, already knowing that he'd get an affirmative answer.

Arakita, sitting farther from everyone, lazily threw his hand over the back of the sofa, as if he didn't care at all. Shinkai next to Toudou took a bite of his candy bar.

“We play first this time,” Toudou said animatedly though a little nervously. “With Ravenclaw.”

“I see,” Manami replied, thinking that his tone, like Arakita's, had turned out to be indifferent. “When?”

“On the second Saturday in November. The tenth,” Fukutomi said, looking up from the parchment. “We've got a whole month for training sessions,” he added, looking at Manami, and Manami looked down as if ashamed.

“I won't miss them. I promise to go to each one and try my best.”

“This time we're not playing in the last match,” Toudou interjected again, and Manami looked at him almost in confusion. As if nothing like this could have happened. As if it was some sort of horrific mistake.

“What?”

“It's nothing,” Toudou tried to smile again. “This has happened before, and we still won the Cup. Don't worry about it.”

“But—” Manami was confused — such a situation was new for him. He didn't know if he could just turn a blind eye to such news.

“Our game against Gryffindor is fourth of the season,” Toudou said faster than Manami could recover. “Not the last one for us. It will take place sometime in March, and after that we'll play against the Hufflepuffs. Isn't that good for you?”

Manami bit his lip in puzzlement. Was it good for him? Really? Wouldn't it be better if Toudou said that they didn't play at all with Gryffindor this year? Huh.

“I think so,” Manami replied after a short silence and, to his surprise, smiled. “It's good that our game with Sakamichi's team is not final.”

“If you're afraid of losing this match, we can catch up in the next game,” Fukutomi said, making Manami flinch at his words.

“No, I'm not going to lose,” Manami objected in dismay. "It's not worthy of our team," he added, and a faint but satisfied smile appeared on Fukutomi's face.

“We're the strongest team,” he said decisively. “We must win. Always. Not a single defeat. And if you do lose, you must win next time.”

“…Yes,” Manami nodded in agreement, looking down sadly. “It should be so. I'll follow it.”

"Merlin, don't worry ahead of time," Toudou jumped to his feet and put his arm around the shoulder of sad Manami. “The first match is still a month away. Let's just get work hard at practice tomorrow.”

The guys supported him. Arakita and Shinkai, who had been silent until that time, finally said at least something, and both seemed to be full of a fighting spirit. Their spirits, of course, soon dampened with Toudou reminding them that they all needed to go to the library, but Manami was somewhat relieved when they left the common room. A relief he felt ashamed of because he almost shivered when told about the match with Gryffindor.

How would he be able to live up to his team's morals when it came to playing with Onoda?

Manami didn't know this, and in the coming months he seemed to have to find a way how to find out.

At least one of his promises, he had actually kept.

Manami didn't miss a single practice and actually came to them on time. He did all the exercises, like the rest of the guys, and even began to participate in the jogging which was held at the beginning of each training session.

The first two times he didn't manage to run the whole lap as required. Toudou tried to dissuade him from this venture, shaking his head anxiously, but Manami was unapproachable. He believed he had to train with the whole team if he really wanted to be worthy of that team.

It proved more difficult than he could have imagined. Trying to throw the Quaffle during general drills as well as he could, trying to catch every ball when the Seeker who couldn't make it through tryouts was practising with him.

To learn how to run a full lap on the Quidditch field, Manami decided to stick around after training and run on purpose even if he didn't like running at all. But practicing additionally was too difficult. During these self-imposed runs, he exhausted himself so that in the end he fell on the cold grass without energy and spent another half hour to recover and at least just get to his feet again.

He came to practice even when he caught a cold in mid-October and felt a fever rising. He told no one about his discomfort and paid for it when he fainted in the middle of training and fell off his broomstick. After that, he woke up already in the Hospital Wing in a terrible state, with a fever, and saw next to his bed not Toudou or Fukutomi at all but Miyahara for some reason.

Manami didn't understand how she knew what had happened, and he felt so terrible that his sick head didn't want to think. All he remembered from that evening was Miyahara asking if he was sure of what he was doing, and he replied that he needed it.

He was going to get stronger at any cost.

On that day, Manami didn't yet know that something much worse would happen than fainting during training. Because at the beginning of the penultimate week of October, Fukutomi suddenly announced that they'd have a practice match on Wednesday. But not the kind they usually had, splitting into two teams amongst themselves. This time they had a training match with the team of another House, with Gryffindor in other words. Apparently, Fukutomi agreed on this with the captain of Onoda's team, and Mr. Kanzaki supported this arrangement by agreeing to referee. Upon realising all this, Manami felt almost terrified. This realisation really scared him. And no, the thought that this was just a training match and not an official match didn't calm him a bit. He literally didn't know what to do.

He needed to come to this game because Fukutomi said that he was participating in his normal position and Manami had to carry out this directive somehow.

The news spread quickly within his House. In fact, on Wednesdays, it was the Gryffindor team's training day, which meant that their fans would also be in the stands. Slytherin's participation in the scheduled match meant that Slytherins could come to the stands as well.

And even if the audience, of course, would be much less than at the official games, even if the commentator didn't comment on what was happening on the field, it terribly resembled a real match. It was reminiscent of last season's final.

Whether the others were thinking about something similar, Manami didn't know and didn't want to know, because he was consumed by his own panic.

Come and play. Come and play, he mentally repeated to himself, like a mantra, when match day came. Try to show them that your efforts were not in vain, he told himself, but the closer the unwanted moment got the weaker all these beliefs became.

“Is everything all right?” Toudou asked as the entire team gathered in the House common room after school.

Manami came with a heavy bag and later than everyone else because his last occupation was Herbology. He was out of breath as he trudged back to the castle and was tired, but he smiled anyway when he saw that touchingly caring look Toudou gave him.

“Of course,” Manami chuckled awkwardly. “I was stupid — I should have to enchant the bag to make it fly! Are you going to leave now?”

“Yes, it's time,” Toudou nodded. “Still need to warm up a little before the game.”

“I'll quickly run into the shower and catch up with you,” Manami said, hearing the excitement in his voice to his horror. Unconsciously, but he was only glad to stall for time now.

Fortunately, Toudou seemed to have understood it differently. Perhaps it seemed to him that Manami was impatient to play in this match, and it would be foolish to dissuade him now, of course.

Manami glanced at Fukutomi for a moment before disappearing into the stairs. Oh, what's going to happen?

In the dormitory, going to his bed, Manami threw off his bag — it fell with a crash when the spines of the books hit the floor — and then began to pull out everything unnecessary from it. He didn't need anything now. His broom was in the broomstick room. His uniform was in the changing room. He just had to show up. Just—

Throwing one of the textbooks on top of the dresser too hard, Manami closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He felt himself losing control.

Control was mercilessly slipping away, leaking away. Manami tried to catch it again, but nothing worked — control became something... intangible, unavailable to a person with a physical shell.

And a cool shower hardly helped to put thoughts and feelings in order. Manami mentally counted the seconds, minutes, and it seemed to him that time had ceased to exist altogether. He knew he had to hurry, and on the other hand, he knew he couldn't... that he didn't have the strength to go to the Quidditch pitch now.

With difficulty, but he forced himself to leave the shower stall. He changed into clean clothes, buttoned up a fresh shirt, and walked back into the dormitory, automatically guiding the tip of the wand over his hair to dry it with a warm stream of air. And damn, the dormitory was so empty. Everyone had left. Everyone had left to watch the practice match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Manami was stuck here.

He began to understand — the longer he hesitated, the harder it was to decide. The color of the screen of his watch was already starting to transform from sky blue to pink, but that meant that he could still make it if he came out right now. Manami didn't want to come out.

He wanted to hide. To rewind time back in order to reason with himself and not come to the tryouts at all. Not to get sucked into it again. What difference did it make how well he had tried in training if eventually he simply couldn't enter the field?

In an instant, everything became so meaningless. Everything became unimportant.

“Sorry, Sakamichi,” Manami said to himself, feeling his eyes fill with tears. “You're waiting for me, aren't you? Probably, you're waiting for me, but I— I can't answer your expectations.”

Clutching the blanket in his fists, he sobbed and shook his head stubbornly, trying not to cry.

“Sorry, Toudou,” he breathed, hearing his pathetic voice. “Sorry, Fukutomi and… everyone else too.”

It was just awful to say that. Manami thought he was starting to hate himself, but he was really giving up. He had no intention of going to the field.

However, he couldn't stay here either. After waiting for a while, until the watch screen turned even more pink, almost red, Manami got to his feet with an effort. He put on his robes again. He put his watch in one pocket, his wand in the other. It was almost impossible to move to the door either, but he did it.

The few guys in the common room not particularly interested in Quidditch paid no attention to him as he walked past towards the exit. Manami felt contradictory now. He should have been afraid of running into someone who might come after him, but all he felt now was dull devastation. Probably, deep down, he knew that the guys understood everything. They realised that he had just given up, which meant that he had become an unnecessary burden that should be gotten rid of.

Still, there is no place for someone like me among you, Manami thought almost humbly as he walked along the familiar corridor of the dungeons.

He went the usual way to the broomstick room, there he removed the protective charm from his Firebolt, but certainly not to fly to the match, for which he was already late anyway.

Who would be put in the position of the Seeker instead of him? The guy who lost to him in the tryouts? So it didn't matter. Anyone can handle it better than me now, his mind prompted, and Manami smiled bitterly, wiping his wet cheeks with his palm.

Outside, he saddled his broom and immediately took off, heading for the lake. He desperately wanted to fly away from here, away from the Quidditch field and Hogwarts in general. He wondered if he could fly the Firebolt back home?

The idea was ridiculous, of course, and Manami didn't pursue it. Trying not to think about anything else at all, he just flew on, calming down with the solitude and nature around him, and after a while it began to help.

He flew for a long time, again forgetting about time and wishing that it had happened so that he wouldn't have to go back at all.

When the sky darkened heavily, Manami landed on the rocky shore, still far from the castle, and its lights disappeared behind the dense crown of trees.

The evenings were much colder now, but with the warming charm it was possible to forget about it for a while although the palms and ears were still a little cold. Manami lit Lumos on the tip of his wand and, sitting at the base of a large tree, began to watch the screen of his watch again, which slowly changed from red to blue. There was nowhere to be late. The match was over long ago, and soon the dinner would also be over, for which all the boys were now off to.

Manami perhaps was also feeling a slight sense of hunger, but this sense was negligible in comparison with what he felt about his future. What would the guys tell him? What would Onoda think? Oh, how much he wished he could just erase this awful day from his life.

And probably, Manami really could have sat here all night, not giving a damn about hunger and cold, but closer to the curfew, when the watch began to signal a possible delay again, he got scared. If he didn't return now, then he might be caught and punished with a points taking off. He had let down his housemates again, and now he could have let them down for the second time that day as well.

Thinking that he had done enough, Manami still got ready to go back. There wasn't a trace of his brief calm as he flew on his broomstick back to the castle, and the closer he got to it, the more terrifying it became to realise that he had in fact signed his own sentence. He could have come and lost, and then perhaps he'd have been forgiven again, but now— Now he had only one option. And he had accepted it the moment he had refused to fight, had he not? Hadn't he?

But Manami was no longer sure of anything. And he became so sad when he entered the broomstick room and saw the familiar brooms of Toudou and the other guys. How had it gone for them? Were they able to win, or— What if they lost again because Onoda was still a Seeker that no one could defeat?

The thought of losing again was almost unbearable. Manami bit his lip painfully and hurried into the common room because time was already running out, but he regretted his haste almost at the same moment when he passed the passage in the wall.

As soon as he went down a small staircase, one of the older students nearly ran into him. And yes, he was angry.

“What the fuck was that? What did you do during the final match?” the guy spoke in a raised tone, and he could well have grabbed Manami by the clothes if Fukutomi hadn't appeared in time and pushed him back.

“What?” Manami gasped, not understanding anything.

“Sangaku?” Toudou intervened, approaching. “Where have you been? I can't believe you just didn't come to the game.”

“I ran away,” Manami answered in a confused tone and then looked again at the angry senior who had quieted down so far but still looked dangerous. “I'm sorry. I couldn't make it.”

“What could you do at all?” the guy spoke again. “To lose to Sakamichi Onoda? That—”

“Shut up already,” Arakita's voice was heard as well. He, too, came up here and was able to get the Slytherin out of the way.

Manami became even more confused. What happened?

“Did we lose?” he asked quietly and cautiously, glancing at Toudou, to which he lowered his gaze and somehow shook his head sadly.

“We won,” Fukutomi said, and Manami blinked in disbelief.

They won? Defeated Onoda?

“Snitch—” Manami said barely audibly and saw Kuroda come out from behind Fukutomi.

“I caught it,” Kuroda said calmly, but this calm seemed very alarming. “I entered the field instead of you. And I beat Onoda.”

Manami couldn't help but grin. Involuntarily, he stepped back, lowering his head, and he really wanted to laugh so badly now.

Was that how it was in reality? Onoda wasn't invincible, and Manami received the most real confirmation of his mistake...

“He didn't even try,” Kuroda added, making Manami flinch and look at him in amazement. “It was a one-sided game. It wasn't even a game. You may as well call it never happened.”

“Oh,” Manami said, puzzled, not knowing what to think about it.

“Did you get it?” Toudou asked, and his face suddenly darkened.

“Get what? That I lost to someone Kuroda could easily defeat?” Manami smiled tightly and then almost lost his balance when Toudou was very close in just one step and roughly grabbed the collar of his robes, shaking him.

“Idiot! Think what that means! Think, otherwise I'll kill you, I swear!” Toudou shouted right in Manami's face, and Manami now seemed to be seriously frightened because he had probably never seen Toudou lose his temper.

“Jinpachi, I—”

“What have I been trying to get into your head for so long? Stop thinking that you know the essence of things better than anyone! Your rival's strength is your strength, and vice versa! How have you not figured that out yet?”

“Calm down, Jinpachi, you overdid it,” Shinkai asked, coming up from Toudou's back and placing his hand on his shoulder.

Toudou flinched weakly at this. He seemed to wake up from his outburst of rage and slowly let go of Manami to pull back then. A guilty look came over his face.

“Even so,” Manami said in a trembling voice. “Isn't that for the best for you? If Sakamichi is weak without me, keep him weak so you can win!” he added and was even more afraid of his words than of Toudou's reaction before.

“…Sangaku,” Toudou called softly, but Manami just closed his eyes and hung his head low. “We need to talk about it.”

“No,” Manami objected. “No. I won't talk about it.”

“Sangaku,” Toudou tried to insist, but Manami didn't want to listen to anything.

Tears gushed from his eyes again, and he hurried towards the dormitory.

Luckily, no one followed him, or he'd surely not have been able to bear it, for now it was hurting again, like that time. Like after the finale. He didn't understand what they wanted from him now. Even if he could begin to admit that Onoda really needed him on the field to play at full strength, what next?

What conclusion could he draw in that situation?

Chapter Text

He was terribly reluctant to go to the Potions class the next day, and Manami barely forced himself to do it. He knew that he'd certainly meet Onoda there and probably for the first time was grateful that during these lessons Onoda most often sat with Imaizumi and not with him. But this time something went wrong.

Five minutes before the class started, professor, entering the classroom, asked to prepare more clean parchments because, according to her, they were waiting for a long and exhausting lecture — it was then that Onoda decided to remind about himself.

Taking his belongings, he got up quite confidently and then sat down next to Manami, greeting him briefly and quietly.

“Hi,” Manami replied, rummaging in his bag for an inkwell that had gone missing. And hell, he knew that Onoda had come for sure to demand an explanation for what happened yesterday.

Manami was seriously waiting for that, sorting out his writing utensils and looking at the blackboard on which professor was writing down some ingredients for a potion that he was unfamiliar with. But for some reason Onoda sat without saying anything else at all, and Manami decided he had to do something about it before it got any worse.

“Sakamichi?” he called almost in a whisper, turning to Onoda. “Sorry I didn't come yesterday.”

“Huh? Are you talking about the game?” Onoda responded a little surprised, as if he had never heard about it before.

“Yes,” Manami confirmed, thinking up a story for which he'd probably hate himself in a moment. “I was going to come. Tried to sneak away from professor,” he said, glancing briefly at the Potions teacher. “But she caught me anyway. I had detention, you know. And I couldn't leave in any way...”

Lord, he already wished the ground to swallow him because of this idiotic story. He turned away, resting his forehead in a clenched palm, and felt an attack of dizziness and fever. It was as if suddenly the cold symptoms had returned.

And why had he just opened his mouth? He could have been silent, or better yet, told the truth already. But the longer it all dragged on, the more difficult it became from the thought that someday Onoda would still know the truth. How much would Manami regret it if this happened?

“Oh, it's nothing,” Onoda delayed a little with the answer. “It's alright. I thought something had happened. You don't have to apologise for this. We're students first, and then Quidditch players, right?”

Students first? Manami repeated to himself, biting his lip. Is that so, Sakamichi? Maybe in the first place we are just people? And you and I are just... Who are we to each other?

This mental question made it even worse, and Manami tried to drive it out of his head, even if he couldn't do it very well.

“Shall we play next time?” Onoda added .

It took Manami an effort to force himself to nod.

“Yeah. There's no way to avoid this.”

Perhaps Onoda wanted to say something else. Manami was almost sure of this and even had time to get scared. He managed to imagine how Onoda exhaling to utter words that would turn everything inside out, shake out his soul.

Who are you trying to fool, Sangaku? How much longer will you lie to my face, making me look like an idiot? But I'm not an idiot. I know everything. I know how pathetic you are. How crazy you are.

Fortunately, this was just imagination. However, the imagination was so vivid that Manami's stomach ached. He listened to professor but hardly understood a word from her lecture and wrote skipping whole sentences.

He was a student first and foremost.

He was... a pathetic weakling.

He was—

When the lump in his throat was so large that it was unbearable, Manami raised his hand after all. Professor asked what was the matter, and answering her was tantamount to another torture.

“I need to get out urgently. I think I'm going to vomit,” Manami said in a weak voice, and apparently his face was so pale and exhausted that professor let him go immediately.

He got up from his chair and only for a second noticed Onoda's worried look. He felt terribly ashamed again, but Manami really couldn't be here anymore. Couldn't be near him. The person before which he had drowned in his own lies and attempts to escape.

Leaving the classroom, he hurried towards the nearest toilet, but after turning the corner and found himself in an empty long corridor, he stopped abruptly, bending down and pressing his hand against the cold wall. The bout of nausea grew stronger, and Manami thought he was really going to vomit, but all he was capable of now was tears.

He began to cry without noticing it, and when he noticed, several small drops had already fallen to the floor.

It's not right. I don't want to, Manami said to himself, shaking his head. It seemed to him that he'd give anything to just return to the past. Where there wasn't that nightmare. Where he and Onoda were just... themselves. Where they didn't have to pretend, acting like they were on a theatre stage.

And now, every day, everything was only getting more confusing, and Manami realised that he had neglected the situation himself. And if he thought that somehow things could be resolved by itself, he was probably terribly wrong. That wasn't going to happen, and he couldn't fix it if he started rejecting other people's help again and continued to lie.

Turning around and sliding down the wall with his back, he clasped his knees with trembling palms and exhaled convulsively, reluctantly replaying in his head all the events that had taken place during these two months.

He had returned to school. He had rejected the thought of flying or playing Quidditch for weeks. He had found determination and hope when he realised that he was disgusted to be weak, when he realised his desire to return the Cup to the team. He had lost his resolve and hope when he nearly failed at the tryouts. He had found them again thanks to Kuroda's support. He had... lost it all again.

It was like a crazy roller coaster ride. Manami could think that everything was fine, but the next day reality threw the truth in his face, reminding him that no — everything was shitty, and he was an idiot for imagining a fairy tale with a happy ending.

Would he be able to get out of this nightmare in the end? Or maybe he missed this chance when he decided to play in the team again? Could he have made the mistake of thinking that this was the way to set things right?

Manami didn't return to class until an hour later. The lesson was coming to an end, but professor didn't say anything to him, and only after she had allowed everyone to go, she asked if he was feeling better. Manami lied that he was, and hurried to leave until he was forced to go to the Hospital Wing.

For some reason, Onoda slowed him down in the corridor, grabbing his wrist, but Manami freed his hand and smiled apologetically, saying that he was now very busy and that it would be better for them to talk another time if Onoda had any question.

He knows, he definitely knows, a panicked thought spun in his head, and Manami literally ran away again because fear had gained too much power over him lately.

Moreover, he didn't yet know if he was actually left on the team after his antics. He might well have been thrown out, but Fukutomi said that same evening that nothing changed when Manami almost emotionlessly asked him in the common room. It has probably become another insanity. Manami really didn't understand why they were trying so hard to hold him, forgiving weakness and cowardice. Why did Fukutomi repeat over and over again that they were the strongest team, but tolerated someone like Manami in their ranks?

“A practice match is not an official game,” Fukutomi said, looking up from the parchment he was studying carefully. “But if you can't be on the field on the day of our match with Ravenclaw—”

“I'll do it,” Manami replied before his captain could finish.

It was scary. But this time, the fear wasn't that he'd screw up again. The fear was that he'd no longer be given a second chance. He'd be left behind and he wouldn't be able to return.

Manami tried not to look in the direction of Toudou although he was nearby. Toudou himself was also not eager to start a conversation after yesterday. He must have been very offended even though Manami wasn't sure he understood exactly the reason. But maybe it was even for the best? Talking to him now would be another ordeal, and Manami had enough thoughts about how he'd hold up on Sunday practice, which he simply had no right to miss now. He had to keep improving his skills in order not to lose in the match against Ravenclaw...

The new week didn't start very well.

At breakfast on Monday, Manami found himself sitting almost alone among his Slytherin classmates. He didn't notice that many of them had stayed to sleep, and then he realised why when Fukutomi came over and put the timetable in front of him. This week some classes have been changed for some reason. It turned out that there was now a free time, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts was moved to Wednesday. And there were no Herbology lessons at all although Professor Pierre didn't warn about it. Maybe he needed to go somewhere in a hurry?

Manami might have thought about it, but he was too quickly distracted by the realisation that he could have slept a little longer if he had bothered to look at the noticeboard in the common room last night.

There was no one to resent — except himself.

Because of this, Manami felt like the whole week was going to be a mess, and he kind of turned out to be really right.

He stumbled down in the corridor when he returned to the dungeons after school, and all because he was in his thoughts again and tripped over a cat running past. The cat didn't like this treatment at all — it huffed and meowed warningly before going on about its business, and Manami, finding himself a little later in his dormitory, realised that he had lost an essay on Divination which he had been writing all Sunday evening. Damn, he had actually been really trying, seemingly still holding out hope of doing something to impress professor.

He had to rewrite it again, straining his memory, but the second time it turned out not at all as great as the first.

Tuesday also didn't please. And even if the lessons had gone smoothly, Manami missed one Bludger during the exercises at practice, and he had a huge bruise on his temple and a wound that was poorly healed with a charm and that he had taped over with a plaster.

And it would probably be too good for the truth if he hadn't forgotten about the replacement in the timetable. How could he even remember about some changed lessons when in his head there was an eternal chaos of thoughts that all the time returned to Quidditch or Onoda?

It wasn't surprising that on Wednesday Manami went to Herbology as usual. He was in a bad mood because it was Halloween, which is why the Slytherins turned out all the lights in the common room in the morning and began to scare their mates with scary sounds, and then a girl from Hufflepuff crashed into Manami in the corridor after lunch as she was running away from the dementor made by Ravenclaw students.

There was a commotion all day, to be more precise, and Manami didn't want to succumb to the general fun at all — he had his first official match already the following week, and he had no idea how it would go.

Fortunately, his intuition was still there and helped at times. Thanks to it, Manami realised that he was doing something wrong, heading along the path to the greenhouses, and then turned around and wandered back to the castle, still remembering that Herbology had been canceled, and he had now DADA instead of it. And he was actually late already.

Professor will definitely take off the points, Manami thought, deciding not to rush, because he was so... damn tired already. Tired of being a diligent student. Doing his homework, coming to class on time, not oversleeping the first lessons. Another couple of months like this would kill him, it seemed, but did he have the right to stop?

Before entering the room, Manami thought about knocking as he should, but found that the door was slightly ajar, and when he came closer, to his sincere surprise, a laughter came from the classroom. Surely it was the DADA classroom?

Not understanding anything, Manami looked inside and saw an unusual picture. For some reason, the desks didn't stand in their usual place but instead were pushed against the walls. Most of the students huddled together in two large groups, one of the Slytherins, the other of the Gryffindors. Everyone had already stopped laughing — now it was as if they were waiting for something, and Manami slowly began to get the point when he saw a large wardrobe with mirrored doors, placed near the teacher's desk.

“Mister Imaizumi,” professor said, holding a parchment in his hand, apparently with a list of students.

In the meantime, Imaizumi was heading towards the wardrobe, taking his wand out of his pocket on the way. While professor was preparing to open the doors, Manami was able to slip inside unnoticed and, moving along the nearest wall, approach one of his fellow Slytherins.

“Boggart,” the Slytherin said, grimacing in displeasure when he apparently noticed the still lingering puzzlement on Manami's face. “It's practice day.”

Right, and how could he have forgotten about that, really?

Actually, very easy, but professor did remind them on Friday that the next lesson would be practice with a boggart. They had learnt this non-being at the beginning of the term and repeated it on Friday, but all this had completely slipped Manami's mind because he couldn't concentrate, sitting next to Onoda.

He blinked in surprise as the captain of the Gryffindor team appeared in front of Imaizumi.

“I'm sorry to tell you about this, but your acting in the last match disappointed me terribly. I have to make a difficult decision about your suspen—” the captain began to speak calmly and quietly, but it was heard well, and Manami saw Imaizumi sharply and nervously raising his hand with the wand, after that uttering the word of incantation.

“Riddikulus!”

Something has changed. The captain of the Gryffindor team suddenly began to grow a mustache. Quickly and uncontrollably, which caused many Gryffindors to giggle, and even on the faces of the Slytherins Manami could see hints of a grin.

Soon — in less than half a minute — the mustache of the boggart who had taken the form Imaizumi's captain grew so long and heavy that he could no longer speak and covered his lower face with his palm, seemingly embarrassed by this situation. Could he really have?

Professor nodded and, cornering the boggart back into the wardrobe with his wand, awarded Imaizumi five points. Somewhere among the Gryffindors there was a loud laugh from Naruko, which Manami easily recognised, and after that professor summoned the next student to battle his fear.

Fear, Manami repeated in his mind. Did Imaizumi have some kind of self-esteem problem that made him afraid of being kicked out of the Quidditch team? Something like that even startled Manami. Even though he didn't know much about how Chasers played, he always thought that Imaizumi was doing pretty well. Otherwise, would he have got into the team in his second year?

Nevertheless, Manami didn't have time to think about it seriously. Each time the boggart took on a new look, and the laughter of the guys after a new victory over the poor non-being was distracting.

Apparently, professor summoned only the Gryffindors at first because only the guys from this House approached the wardrobe. Did he leave the Slytherins for last? Maybe it wouldn't come to Manami?

To his shame, he really thought about it, mentally admitting that he would have preferred not to go near this ill-fated wardrobe.

When it was Naruko's turn, he stepped forward with a proud and self-satisfied air. He was ready for battle and expected something truly impressive apparently, but it hardly happened the way he wanted.

Because for him, the boggart took the form of a woman, and Manami almost immediately realised that it was Naruko's mom. And she was definitely pissed off.

“HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS? WHY AM I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SCHOOL BECAUSE OF YOU AGAIN? DO YOU THINK I ENJOY BLUSHING LIKE THIS EVERY TIME? YOU'LL BE HELPING ME IN THE CAFÉ FOR THE WHOLE SUMMER—” she shouted, scolding her son, and Naruko, fighting his confusion, shouted the charm in response, raising his wand.

His mom's appearance began to change. Her clothes turned into a brightly coloured ridiculous costume, her hair became very curly, and her face was painted with makeup. Even before she pulled the colored balls from behind her back and started juggling, Manami realised what was going on. Naruko just turned the boggart into a clown, and many guys as well as professor appreciated it. The students laughed, and the teacher gave Naruko more points than he had given his housemates.

Manami could have laughed at any other time, but he wasn't laughing now. And it got even worse when Onoda was summoned for a practice.

He clearly didn't want to go to the wardrobe. He was already scared and Manami wasn't surprised. Onoda was timid by nature. Now the boggart would pop out and become something creepy. Big dog or werewolf. Maybe even Arakita.

The last guess was even funny, but none of what Manami thought happened. When the wardrobe doors opened, no one jumped out — there was emptiness inside, as if the boggart had mysteriously disappeared. Maybe it had become invisible because Onoda didn't have any real fear?

This assumption surprised Manami greatly, but he was wrong again.

Boggart didn't disappear — it just took it a little longer to materialise its new victim's fear. Manami realised this when the air in the room suddenly grew cold and the light began to fade.

This time the sight was quite unusual. Different from what they had managed to see before. The room itself had changed. The desks and walls disappeared — huge trees had grown in their place. The floor underfoot became earth and grass; the ceiling became branches and thick leaves.

That was it, exactly. Onoda was afraid of the forest — Manami knew this, but now it slipped his mind because he didn't imagine that boggarts were able to recreate something so large.

And what could be done against such an illusion? he thought and realised that this wasn't all.

No, it wasn't just about the forest. It was about what was in this forest. It was as if a noise was coming from far away. It was as if something big was making its way through, breaking everything in its path. Onoda became scared. His shoulders shuddered and he shrunk as if trying to become smaller.

Manami felt it as if Onoda's feelings were transmitted to him mentally. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay where he was with difficulty though he wanted so badly to rush forward, to protect. Protect?

It was even funny. It was funny when Manami looked at Onoda as the person who had caused the pain. And then he looked at him as the person for whom he was willing to do something contrary to his feelings, contrary to the situation.

But it wasn't end with the ominous crackling and noise. When the shrill and truly terrifying roar of an unknown creature suddenly came from the forest, Manami himself shuddered, a shiver running down his back.

Professor reminded Onoda of the charm, but Onoda couldn't do anything. Too frightened, he only covered his ears with his hands and squatted down, whereupon the teacher nevertheless came to the rescue. He distracted the boggart by himself, standing in front of Onoda, and the forest suddenly... caught fire. Within seconds it was engulfed in a bright flame that illuminated the semi-darkness.

The flames rose up to the heavens. No less frightening, and the students finally panicked, trying to snuggle up to each other.

“Riddikulus!” professor said clearly and severely, waving his wand, and the fire suddenly burst into flashes of multi-colored fireworks.

Only then did the illusion begin to slowly dissipate, and the boggart hid in the wardrobe again.

“You'll try next time,” professor said, putting his hand on the shoulder of Onoda, who was struggling to his feet.

He was in tears all over his face as he turned around and staggered towards his friends with a lost look, and Manami felt completely uncomfortable, if it could have been worse.

He couldn't come to his senses for a long time, and he almost didn't look at what the boggart was becoming for the other guys. For one girl, a giant spider came out of the wardrobe, for one guy, the boggart took the form of his dead loved ones, and not everyone, like Onoda, was up to the task. Manami didn't notice, but the turn came to the Slytherins as well.

When professor called his last name, Manami felt that the air had gone cold again. He still didn't want to go, but he overpowered himself, throwing his bag on the floor and taking the first step.

Imagine something funny, cast a spell, it's not difficult, Manami mentally repeated to himself as he walked to the wardrobe.

How would boggart scare him? Become a Quidditch commentator and announce the loss of the Slytherin team to the entire class? Become an elusive Snitch? Manami would have preferred not to choose from these options, but he was inevitably faced with his fear, and he thought too late that Onoda would see it too.

When professor opened the doors again with a wave of his wand, Manami tensed and gritted his teeth. It was too late to retreat, and then something red suddenly fell from the wardrobe. That red thing began to transform quickly, taking on only chaotic incomprehensible shapes at first, but Manami was already trembling.

Because he knew that colour. Knew what could have that colour.

A couple more seconds — and boggart finally became something clearer. It got outlines. Human outlines. Red has become a robe. Gryffindor's Quidditch robe. The hem surged through the air for the last time and gently sank into a semicircle. Manami froze in horror.

He didn't want to believe it, but it was a player from the Gryffindor Quidditch team sitting in front of him with his back to him. He turned slightly, raising his left hand to slowly remove the hood from his head. To reveal himself fully.

It was a boy. This boy had the face of Onoda, and Manami breathed out a hoarse no, feeling the avalanche of despair.

Not Sakamichi, not him, the thought spun in his head, but it was difficult to deny what he saw.

Onoda wasn't going to disappear. Instead, he lowered his left hand and raised his right, showing what he was holding in it. The Golden Snitch. His wings fluttered lazily, and Manami felt dizzy with sudden weakness.

“I'll do it again, Sangaku,” Onoda said, smiling, and in that smile was a victory and ruthless confidence.

“The charm,” professor reminded quietly, and it was only at that moment that it dawned on Manami that he was still in class. That he had a task to complete. After all, this wasn't real Onoda. It was just a boggart. It could be driven away. Could…

Imagine something funny, Manami said to himself, raising his wand in a trembling hand and aiming it at Onoda. What kind of fun could he bring to this situation?

Exhaling convulsively, Manami gripped the wand's handle more comfortably, but he could only imagine one thing. Only red suddenly started to turn into blood. And there was more and more of it. It flowed across the floor, and when the puddle almost reached Manami's boots, he shuddered with a fit of nausea. The fantasy was so realistic that it made his insides twist.

He covered his mouth with his hand, lowering his wand, and then he couldn't stand it. He turned sharply and hurried to the door, running away again like a coward.

The door behind him seemed to have slammed too loudly, but he was no longer interested in that. Manami almost gasped as he hurried down the corridor and almost stumbled out of the blue. He hadn't felt so bad even last Wednesday when he'd missed the game on purpose. Now the world was finally split in half, and the feeling of irreversible loss was choking, squeezing his throat with strong fingers. It seemed like the real end of everything...

“Sangaku!” Onoda's voice was heard from somewhere behind him. Real Onoda — Manami was sure of this, and the feeling of hopelessness only intensified, becoming a huge ocean in which he was drowning.

Onoda would catch up with him. Undoubtedly. There was only one turn, and then there was an exit to the stairs.

“Sangaku, wait! Talk to me!”

He was so stubborn.

“Stubborn,” Manami breathed out faintly to himself as tears slid down his cheeks.

But he couldn't afford to catch himself. Not now.

Fortunately, he knew this corridor. He slipped through one of the doors and found himself in a long-unused office. He had found it once by accident — still, it seemed, in his first year. It didn't matter now.

Silently closing the door behind him, Manami pressed his back against it and slid down until he was on the dusty floor. Soon, Onoda's approaching footsteps were heard, and then they died down — he passed by.

Manami let out a noisy sob and immediately clamped his hand over his mouth, then bit the base of his thumb with his teeth. The tears flowed harder.

“Sangaku!” came barely audible.

There was a sound of despair in Onoda's voice too, but Manami only shook his head and pressed his hands to his ears.

“Not. Don't,” he pleaded. “Don't look for me to calm you down. Just... not you...”

And Onoda's voice didn't return. After a few minutes, Manami heard only the conversations of other guys, who were released from the class with a slight delay, and then they fell silent. It seemed to him that he was left all alone on the entire floor.

The tears seemed to have dried up, but the nausea and weakness still reminded of themselves. Manami continued to sit, almost without moving, and he became frightened again when he imagined opening the door and seeing Onoda waiting for him behind it.

But hiding here forever would be difficult. When a couple of hours passed and his head became completely empty, Manami nevertheless got up on numb legs. Carefully and slowly, he opened the door and looked out through the gap. The corridor was empty and no sound could be heard.

Feeling a little more confident, he went outside, looked around and realised that he was alone here. He should have gone back for his bag, which he had dropped in the DADA classroom, apologised to the professor and gone to his common room. And then— Then what? Would he continue to live on as if nothing had happened? As if he or Onoda could just close their eyes to what happened today.

Frustrated again and having no idea how they would communicate now, Manami went to fetch his bag with a dejected look. Fortunately, the class was unlocked, the desks were back in place, and his bag was still lying untouched near the wall. Professor was sitting at the teacher's desk, sorting through a pile of parchments and didn't even look up when someone entered the classroom. But that didn't mean he hadn't noticed anything.

“Hang on a minute,” he said as Manami picked up his bag and already took a step back to the door, thinking early on that he could just slip away.

He had to comply. Turn around and go to the desk.

“Um… Sorry for running away,” Manami apologised in embarrassment, looking at the floor.

Professor stopped sorting through the parchments, and the classroom became uncomfortably quiet.

“Don't apologise — I understand why you did it,” he said, and Manami still looked into his stern, finely wrinkled face. “I'm not a big fan of Quidditch, but I always watch school games. For the non-sporting part of the game.”

“Non-sporting?” Manami didn't understand, bewildered.

“Quidditch is a sport first of all, of course, but it's also a struggle. Fighting an opponent, fighting yourself sometimes,” professor explained. “This side of Quidditch is the most entertaining in my opinion. And for you, it seemed to me that Quidditch is more a struggle than a sport. And so far you're losing this battle.”

“…Yes, I'm losing,” Manami agreed reluctantly.

“You're afraid of losing the decisive battle. And you're afraid to face this fear. Because there's more to it than just the fear of failure. Isn't it?” professor asked, and his penetrating gaze made Manami uneasy.

“Um... huh?” Manami said stupidly, not understanding what he wanted from him.

“I think some people find it difficult to separate one from the other. Especially children,” professor tried to explain. “For children, it's the hardest... It's only a guess, but maybe you have mixed things up too. Those things that shouldn't be mixed up in your situation.”

“Oh,” Manami breathed in confusion.

“What did you choose earlier? To get close to this person or go to fight against him on the field?” professor asked, and Manami felt dizzy again.

He couldn't stand it any longer. Dryly apologising a second time, he hurried out of the room again, and as he left, he thought that this day was probably planning to kill him.

Was it exactly as professor said? Did Manami mix incompatible? Called Onoda to Quidditch to ruin their relationship? And how could he deny it after what happened today?

On his way to the exit from the floor, he almost cried again and then was surprised to meet Toudou near the stairs. Toudou was just standing there, in no hurry, and Manami realised that he had come for him.

“What are you doing here?” Manami asked anyway, lowering his head.

Toudou stepped forward and carefully placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Your classmate told me what happened. He goes to Quidditch training too,” Toudou explained.

“Ah,” Manami said knowingly. Actually, two of his classmates went to training, but he didn't care who exactly had told Toudou this horrible story.

“Look, let's go and sit down for a while?” Toudou suggested softly, turning Manami back and leading him into the corridor.

Manami didn't resist. He seemed to feel a little calmer when he saw Toudou. Therefore, together they went to a large window and sank down on a wide stone window sill, doing it almost in sync.

“Did they tell you a lot?” Manami asked, going through the conversation first because now Toudou was quiet for some reason; maybe he was gathering his thoughts.

“Well...” he drawled. “Only about your boggart and how you escaped from it. It's like deja vu, huh?”

Manami chuckled bitterly.

“It's just awful,” he breathed, feeling his eyes fill with tears again.

He shivered, and Toudou, noticing this, pulled him closer. Manami gripped his robes with his fingers and sobbed, trying not to burst into tears.

“I understand. I'm sorry,” Toudou said quietly, patting his back.

“He followed me,” Manami explained in a straining voice, burying his face in Toudou's shoulder. “Sakamichi followed me when I ran away. And I... couldn't accept it. After that— After— after he told me in May... He said thank you, Jinpachi. He thanked me for calling him into Quidditch. I ruined everything.”

“It's not true," Toudou said in a soothing tone. “It's not like that. Just remember why you called him...”

“I—” Manami stammered and sobbed again. “I wanted his presence to give me strength. I wasn't so scared when I knew that he was also on his team. And I— I wanted to be like you... You... and Makishima.”

“You remembered how much I longed to meet him on the Quidditch pitch,” Toudou agreed, and Manami nodded. “You see? You haven't done anything wrong. You had no bad intentions. Stop blaming yourself so much, kid. Otherwise, you'll burst in pain, do you understand?”

Trying to nod again, Manami reluctantly pulled away, and Toudou, letting him go, took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the tears from his wet face.

“What happened in the finale was nobody's fault,” Toudou spoke up again. “But you took everything to heart. So close that it's hard to ignore. The team title means so much to you that there's no doubt in anyone's mind that you're the best person for our morale. That's why Juichi believes in you. That's why I believe in you. Yasutomo and Hayato too. But you... you overdid it too much. Because of this, there's one thing you're doing wrong.”

“What is it?” Manami asked, feeling that he seemed to have calmed down a little.

Toudou put the handkerchief in his hands and looked away, as if he were ashamed of something.

“I'm sorry I yelled at you last Wednesday,” he apologised, leaving Manami at a loss. “It hurted me. It hurt more that you can imagine. It almost broke my heart when you said you just ran away instead of coming and playing the match. I didn't know how to believe it, because it was you who showed me two years ago that it is easier to deal with difficulties when you're together. But you're leaving him. You're leaving Sakamichi, but it's just as hard for him as for you.”

“It's hard for him,” Manami repeated, as if it were some kind of revelation for him.

“It's hard for both of you,” Toudou confirmed. “And nothing will change if everything continues this way. If you keep running away from him.”

“But... what am I going to do?” Manami asked sadly, and Toudou shook his head wearily.

“This will probably be a real ordeal for you. But the best option here is to talk without hiding anything. You'll have to talk and accept each other's feelings. You'll have to, because I'll never leave you in this trouble.”

“I—” Manami hesitated at once. “I'm not sure that I can explain everything to him.”

“Because you don't want to show him your weaknesses?” Toudou smiled. “Or because you don't want to let your pain drag him down as well? Or maybe both?”

“You know,” Manami smiled weakly at him. “You're too smart.”

“You don't need to talk to him as a rival,” Toudou prompted. “You should talk like people who are dear to each other. Is he still dear to you?”

“Probably,” Manami agreed hesitantly, thinking it would be terribly inappropriate to remember how he wanted to hug Onoda last month.

“Personal life and Quidditch are two different things. You have to be able to separate them,” Toudou said. “And if you can't, you have to choose one over the other. Either Quidditch or Sakamichi.”

Manami winced, realising that professor had spoken to him about something similar recently.

“I don't want to choose.”

“Of course you don't,” Toudou nodded. “Will you be completely happy if you lose Quidditch? Would you be weak if you erase Sakamichi from your life, seeing him only as an opponent on the field? Talk to him,” he said again. “Now there's nothing to lose. Now, I think he knows everything, and it will be much easier.”

“So what's next?” Manami asked, looking at Toudou. “If we just make up, we'll play Quidditch together. You said that I make Sakamichi stronger, but— Isn't that contradictory? I'm increasing his chances of winning this way. This won't benefit our team. Or am I missing something?”

“But that's not all,” Toudou frowned a little. “You yourself spoke about it. He also makes you stronger. He's the only one who makes you reach your fullest potential, and isn't that amazing? That's how Quidditch should be. That's how it takes on its real value.”

“And... victory?” Manami asked awkwardly, afraid of accidentally making Toudou even more angry.

But Toudou only smiled this time.

“Isn't it boring to win when you don't really have to fight?” he asked. “It's a sport. In a real sport you can never guess the outcome in advance, that's the point. Everyone fights to win. And for the sake of this it's worth taking the risk — in order to experience joy and happiness in the process. Not only negative emotions. I really want you to feel again what Quidditch should bring in the first place. Was that so? Were you happy while playing with Sakamichi? While the results were still unclear.”

“Yes,” Manami replied, and he didn't need time to think about it.

“It's just fine. Who would have known,” Toudou smiled again.

“What do you mean?” Manami didn't understand.

“That a seemingly careless child like you would take Quidditch so seriously,” Toudou replied. “Let many people think that it's stupid entertainment for you, but they're just idiots. I'm going to hold on to you until the end. To the person who put Quidditch above his attachment to someone and didn't even notice it. But I still hope that you learn to separate that. You and Sakamichi make a good couple, and maybe it would have been even better if you'd chosen him, if you had to choose. Since he's been able to influence you so much. It's probably something you shouldn't write off so easily.”

“It's—” Manami felt awkward, sharply lowering his gaze.

“This could be the beginning of a great love,” Toudou said, and there was a childish admiration in his voice.

“Jinpachi,” Manami asked, embarrassed.

“Okay,” Toudou waved his hand, smiling. “But did you hear me, didn't you? Talk to him when you're ready. Give yourself some time, get ready and talk. Everything will fall into place, I promise.”

“Okay,” Manami replied and dropped his eyes again, looking at the snow-white handkerchief in his palms.

Toudou did it again, though. Somehow with support he always got his way, and even if this day was just awful, Manami was slowly beginning to find new hope. Again.

Chapter Text

Hi Mom!

Sorry for not responding to the previous letter — I probably needed to... gather my thoughts? Too much has happened in two months — good and bad too. I don't even know where to begin.

The new Divination lessons had practically disappointed me, not meeting my expectations at all. I'm no good at it though I thought I had a talent for divination. So professor is often unhappy with me — although I'm not the only one faced with this problem. Last week we started doing crystal-gazing, and I accidentally broke one. I was given an extra assignment because of it. But things are much better and more interesting in Care of Magical Creature classes. We had Hippogriffs in September, and professor said she might let someone ride one next term!  In each new lesson we give them food and try to get along with them. They're very cool, and it will be great if someday I can sit astride, and maybe even take off...

I wonder if it feels much different than flying on a broom. I'd like to find out.

As for the broom— I still made up my mind and went through the Quidditch tryouts again although it wasn't easy. Next week, on Saturday, I have to play in the first official match of this season, and I think I'm a bit nervous.

You were right when you said that I should return the Cup to the guys. This really should be me if I was the one who was so guilty, and sometimes I even think I can really do it. I can't just step aside, but if my assignment was limited to winning games, everything would be easier.

There's one team— There's one person I'm afraid to play against, and now I know that this is my greatest fear.

Toudou had advised me to talk to this person so that things can get better and now I need to get ready for this.

Today we had a joint lesson, but you know, he didn't come. One of his friends said he caught a cold and stayed in the Hospital Wing. I felt relief and wistful at the same time because I don't know how I should behave, and because I really want to make the things right. I want the past back. I want us both to be happy again. It's easy to say when all I've been doing is messing things up for two months...

It's funny because, getting ready to go to Hogwarts before entering the first year, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get along with the guys who grew up in the wizarding world, knowing everything about it, but in the end it happened quite the opposite. In the end, the most difficult relationship turned out to be with a boy who, like me, also grew up among Muggles...

By the way, in addition to everything, I have a new friend. We were together on the Hogwarts Express, his name's Yuuto — he's cool and actually the younger brother of one of our team's Chasers. He was also placed in Slytherin, and he offered to use his owl to send you a letter. She's a bit cheeky, so don't overdo it when you give her food.

Hope to write again soon. Bye!

Putting the folded sheet of parchment back into the envelope, Manami made sure the address was written correctly and smiled faintly. Thoughts about his mother were warm, and it was pleasant to think that they'd meet in two months, when the Christmas holidays began.

Getting up from his chair and putting on his robes, Manami hurried to the exit from the dormitory, and he found Yuuto waiting for him in the common room. He seemed aloof again, sitting apart from everyone, and Manami involuntarily wondered if he was bored. Maybe Yuuto couldn't find friends here?

“I'm done,” Manami  said, going up to him, and raised his hand with the envelope.

Yuuto looked distracted, as if he had broken out of his deep thoughts, smiled cheerfully and stood up from his chair.

“Well. If you want, you can take a walk with me to the Owlery. There's still time before dinner,” he suggested, and Manami nodded quickly without even thinking. What if he was the only one Yuuto could get along with? And how could he refuse him after that?

“Let's go. I have… some owl treats,” Manami said in confusion and pulled a bright box out of his pocket.

“Not bad. Gwenog will be happy,” Yuuto replied, moving towards the passage in the wall that a couple of senior girls had just entered.

“Gwenog?” Manami asked, stepping after him. “Is that the name of your owl?”

“Yeah,” Yuuto said as he climbed the short staircase. “And also the name of the Holyhead Harpies player. She was a Beater and captain. Startiling girl. I hope I'll be like her someday.”

Manami was confused again, not answering this. This was the first time he had heard of this Quidditch team, or maybe he had heard before but had forgotten — in any case, he could hardly support this conversation. So they walked to the Owlery in silence until Manami spoke up again, deciding to ask, “You don't really communicate with your classmates?”

Yuuto seemed to slow down a bit and think, but that feeling quickly faded away.

“I do sometimes,” he answered simply and briefly, but Manami didn't accept such an answer.

“Most of the time I see you alone. As if— Aren't you lonely?”

“Or maybe the one I want to spend time with doesn't need it?” Yuuto grinned somehow ambiguously, and after a couple of seconds, the expected guess about these words was born in Manami's head.

He remembered how Toudou and Shinkai had been talking about Yuuto the last year. Toudou had been concerned about the relationship between the brothers and had assumed that things would get better when Yuuto also came to Hogwarts. But nothing like that seemed to happen even though he had been here for two months. And what was the reason? The older brother didn't have enough time for the younger one because he was a graduate and had to study a lot? Even now, all seventh-years were back in the library, and tomorrow they planned to skip going to Hogsmeade because of extra assignments even if everyone was celebrating Halloween. And everything would be much easier if first-years were allowed participate in Quidditch training. Then Hayato and Yuuto could spend that time together.

Yes, it seemed that Manami wasn't the only one who had complex and seemingly unsolvable problems at this school.

When they entered the Owlery, they had to distract a little from their thoughts, plunging into a familiar atmosphere. It was always possible to calm down here just by watching the birds, and Manami was a little upset that he hadn't been here for a long time.

Yuuto walked forward and held out his hand, waiting. Soon, a large owl with dark plumage and pointed ears landed on his elbow, and her gaze was as piercing as her master's.

Manami fidgeted and reached into his pocket to give the owl food, which she ate with such greed that even Sleepy didn't have.

“Thank you for your help,” he smiled, tying the envelope to her paw. "By the way... I forgot to thank you too,” Manami added, glancing at Yuuto. “You were rooting for me at the tryouts. Sorry I played so bad.”

“It's okay,” Yuuto shook his head with a slight smile. “I saw how hard it was for you. And yet you did it. It would be boring to watch if everything came too easy for you. But you're showing real struggle. Though— I heard a story yesterday. About boggart.”

“Oh, of course,” Manami exhaled. “It seems to have spread all over the House, and now everyone knows.”

“No, I don't think so,” Yuuto objected. “Nobody talked about it. And that... guy that you saw— Was that the same person you lost to in the finals?”

“You don't really know him, do you?” Manami replied reluctantly as he finished tying the envelope.

Yuuto jerked his hand, and the bird, spreading her huge wings, rose heavily into the air to fly out through one of the windows.

“That's right,” he confirmed. “I only saw him in the game once, when there was a training match with our team. But I've heard a lot of interesting things during my time at Hogwarts. I realised that you were close. It's even surprising. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor.”

“Yeah,” Manami shrugged. “We got to know each other in the first year and became close.”

“And now it's not so?” Yuuto grinned suddenly. “Or maybe you don't have the guts to be close with someone who has hurt you? On the other hand, what did you want?” Yuuto asked with a bored face. “Different Houses. Different teams. Sooner or later it would end up badly for you. And you also seem to have taken it all to heart.”

“I'd be happy to make it right,” Manami smiled weakly.

“You'll do it,” Yuuto replied and, faced with a questioning look, explained, “You're Manami. You got into the core already in your second year although before Hogwarts you had never even flown on a broomstick. Even after you lost the Cup you still had the strength to stay in the team and made the core team again. And if you don't do the impossible, I don't know.”

After saying the last, Yuuto laughed but very kindly, and Manami couldn't help but smile at him.

“Are you going to try the impossible?” Manami asked, unable to contain himself. “Will you try to reconnect with your brother if he takes the first step?”

“Oh,” Yuuto lost his smile. “What makes you think that Hayato's going to take the first step? He has no time for that. He has exams at the end of the year, and he still has Quidditch to play. And then... hanging out with Fukutomi and the rest of the cool guys. It's his life, and I have to live my life.”

“I thought you would like to hang out with him,” Manami smiled again. “Or have I misunderstood your hint?”

“Do I look like a versatile person to you?” Yuuto winked back.

“And it seems that it's not yet your most important quality. How did you know I hadn't flown before Hogwarts?” Manami asked with good cheer.

“It's a secret,” Yuuto tilted his head. “All I can tell you is not to underestimate the possible awareness of someone on the sidelines.”

After sending his first letter to his mother for this year, Manami felt better. He knew that he still had to talk to Onoda, and on Saturday at breakfast he tried to find him with his eyes at the Gryffindor table. But now Onoda wasn't in his usual place. It was empty next to Naruko, and Manami thought about the fact that Onoda was also a human and sometimes he could even catch a cold so that he would be left in the Hospital Wing for a couple of days.

If he had worked up the courage, perhaps he might come to see him, bring him some kind of treat. Surely, Onoda must have been terribly bored in the infirmary, and his friends weren't allowed to stay there for long due to the fact that Naruko probably didn't know how to be quiet and calm. We could talk there alone, without strangers, Manami thought but almost immediately realised that he couldn't do it now. He didn't even know how to start this conversation and what to say afterwards. Wouldn't he die of shame when he started apologising for his behavior, for all the running away and for his lies too?

On the other hand, Manami took comfort in the fact that no one was rushing him. He really could give himself time to tune in, and in the meantime just train further, play his official game, learn, really. He still had other things to do besides trying to explain himself to Onoda.

Only on Saturdays, as usual, there was no training. He could fly alone or do his homework. The second, of course, still aroused a feeling of hostility... But there was also a third option.

When Manami returned to the common room after breakfast, he noticed that many of the guys were going to Hogsmeade. He didn't really want to go to the village without Toudou, so he decided to just go to his dormitory and still dress warmly for the flying trip.

Passing the other students, Manami had almost reached the stairs when suddenly something stopped him.

A premonition.

He blinked in amazement, slowly turned to the side and understood everything.

“Yukinari,” he called out too harshly, causing some of the outsiders to be distracted too and turned their heads towards the voice.

Manami stubbornly walked to the sofa, where was Kuroda with Izumida and their tall classmate.

“What's the matter?” Kuroda asked a little nervously.

“Better don't go,” Manami replied, frozen in place with a menacing look.

“What?” Kuroda was indignant. “What are you talking about? Don't go where?”

Manami's gaze went down as he realised he was looking strange and stupid now.

“I'm talking about Hogsmeade. You're going to go,” he tried to explain.

“So what? Everyone's going,” Kuroda replied with displeasure. “Why should I not go?”

“Because it will end badly!” Manami said, desperately raising his head and looking at him. “You'll… get hurt.”

The tall guy next to Kuroda made his eyes wide with fear and raised his hand to his mouth. Izumida blinked in surprise.

“Can you speak normally or not?” Kuroda asked even more irritated than before. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“It's—” Manami said hesitantly, not knowing how to confess, and then still said, “My premonition.”

The tall guy panicked again and started tugging on the sleeve of Kuroda's robes.

“What if it really happens, Yuki? It's a bad prediction for you!”

“Stop it, Takuto! You're too—” Kuroda barked, jerking his hand and freeing himself, but then suddenly froze, as if it had suddenly dawned on him. He looked at Manami again, but now not with irritation this time, his eyes burning with interest. “Exactly. You're a bloody little prophet. I have to check it out.”

Manami almost opened his mouth in bewilderment when Kuroda turned resolutely and walked towards the exit.

“Yuki!” his classmate hurried after him.

“What's going on?” Izumida asked confusedly and, taking a short glance at Manami, also began to catch up with his friends.

“Stupid!” Manami shouted at Kuroda's back. “It's not a picnic for you!”

But Kuroda, of course, didn't listen. He had already left the common room, and for the first few seconds Manami just wanted to give up but couldn't. He became too anxious, and if Kuroda ran towards trouble, he couldn't turn a blind eye to it.

Exhaling wearily, Manami went to his dormitory to wrap his scarf around the neck, grab his bag and some money, and also decided to go to Hogsmeade. Since someone was eager to check the veracity of his premonitions. And Manami actually meant well. He sincerely did.

Apparently, Kuroda and his friends walked really fast. Because it took a long time to catch up with them. Manami only reached them near the school gates, and by that time he had already lost his breath and had an unpleasant stinging sensation in his side.

“Hey, Kuroda!” he called out, almost out of breath.

The guys turned around, but they hardly slowed down.

“Are you coming with us, Sangaku?” Izumida asked with a smile.

“I hope that maybe I can prevent bad things happening,” Manami replied gloomily, finally catching up and clutching at his chest, relieved that he could now walk at a more or less normal pace.

“But—” Izumida was a little confused.

“Look, Kuroda,” Manami tried to get through to him again. “It's not a joke.”

“I know. I want to see everything with my own eyes,” Kuroda just said, as if waving it off.

"Hey, Yuki,” Izumida called to him. “What are you talking about? You can't be serious...”

“He really can do something,” Kuroda replied, turning his head, and for a moment Manami noticed a grin on his lips. A satisfied one! “I believe him and I think it's just incredible. He predicts things from nothing and hasn't been wrong yet.”

“In that case, you should listen to him all the more,” Takuto asked almost pitifully, also trying to reason with Kuroda, but this didn't help either. God, it was so stupid to want to test a bad prediction!

But there was nothing to be done, it seemed. Manami just rolled his eyes for a couple of seconds, realising that he'd just have to be around until they got back to the castle — though he wanted to fly a little.

He didn't have to think about this disappointedly for a long time, however — pretty soon Manami got distracted because Izumida started talking about classes, and it turned out that the fifth year classes were much more interesting than the third year ones. Not noticing how this happened, Manami began to picture himself as a fifth-year student too, imagining how much taller he'd become and how much cooler he'd learn to fly on his broomstick. Kuroda also seemed to be distracted, but then he turned their conversation to Quidditch, and most of the way to Hogsmeade they walked at a calm walking pace.

They were all in high spirits by the time they arrived at the village, and Manami had his thoughts on the future, fantasising for the first time in a long time about whether he and Onoda could do things like did Toudou and Makishima, who kissed in a completely grown-up way in secret places!

Many of the houses in Hogsmeade, especially the shops and the familiar Three Broomsticks pub, were decorated with themed decorations like spider webs or bats that moved just like they were alive (or maybe they were). In some places, bright pumpkins were placed, and by this time there were so many students that it was quite a second Hogwarts here. What bad could happen, Manami had no idea, remembering his premonition, which however went out of his mind as quickly as it had appeared because his attention was once again drawn to the wizarding village.

It was really great to go shopping with the guys and see the new stuff brought specially for the holiday. Kuroda was apparently very wealthy as he bought an expensive table clock made of silver and responding to voice commands, so he could set the correct time and set the alarm. His tall friend reacted very impressedly to almost every enchanted contraption, as if he had just met the wizarding world only yesterday, and Izumida found an interesting bracelet for himself that somehow could determine the weight of the person who wore it.

Manami also wanted to buy something but decided to save the money for later and go to Honeydukes on the way back. Surely, they also brought new treats there, which he'd undoubtedly want to try. So bad Sakamichi couldn't come here and see everything with his own eyes...

Well, he was thinking about Onoda again. Realising this, Manami felt ambiguous and contradictory. For some reason, it was now much easier to return in thoughts to the one whom boggart had shown him as the personification of his fear, actually. Maybe revealing part of the truth to Onoda, albeit in such a terrible, pitiful way, had helped in a sense... Maybe if they really talked, then all bad feelings would finally go away, as Toudou had promised?

It was only possible to find out by checking, and at some point Manami even decided that he'd try to talk to Onoda next week when he showed up for class again.

Now they were in the Three Broomsticks, having had a lot of shopping, even dropped in to Honeydukes, which was why Manami now had a full bag of all kinds of sweets that he spent all the money he had with him on. Now the guys ordered a Butterbeer for themselves, sitting at a table, and Manami was limited to eating some salted nuts, which were brought as a snack. And all was indeed well.

Until Kuroda ordered a second and then a third mug...

Manami had never actually seen Kuroda drink more than he should, but today he seemed to be in the right mood, which made Manami want to draw a parallel with Arakita mentally.

Having gone to the toilet for five minutes, Manami still didn't suspect any trick and even thought about what he was doing in this stuffy bar and why he simply couldn't go back to the castle. However, still remembering the reason, he became agitated and hastily washed his hands over the small cracked sink.

He returned to the hall apparently late — the scene had already begun there. Manami didn't understand what exactly had triggered it, but Kuroda was no longer sitting at their table but instead was talking to some grown guy from another House, and it hardly looked friendly.

Over the noise of other people's voices, Manami could only hear fragments of sentences, and when he moved restlessly in their direction, some stranger slowed him down by saying, “Careful, kid.”

And it happened.

In just a second, Kuroda and his interlocutor drew their wands and chanted the first attacking spells. Manami shuddered and closed his eyes briefly when he heard a table rumble somewhere and a wood crackled. The noise of the voices increased until the pub owner's voice shouted over it.

So... that was what the premonition wanted to warn about.

Fortunately, it ended as quickly as it began. The instigators of the fight were kicked out the door in a rather rude manner, which probably cooled their ardor at least a little, and Manami breathed out in shock, realising that for the first time in his life he had seen a wizard's duel but had missed almost everything due to the fact that he was frightened and closed his eyes.

Making his way to the door, he also went outside and noticed the guys not far from the porch. Izumida tried to do something with his wand, Takuto was wailing in panic, and Kuroda— Damn it, blood was running down his face!

Manami immediately forgot to look for those whom there was a skirmish with — he ran up to the guys to take a closer look, and guessed that Kuroda apparently was injured by the spell.

“Here,” Izumida said as he finally put Episkei on his reluctant friend, then took out a handkerchief and began to wipe the blood from his face.

Takuto was already silent but standing almost turned green by the sight of blood, and with his impressive height it seemed even contradictory. Manami also winced involuntarily.

“You'll have a scar,” Izumida added, finishing his task. “Well, at least it's not in plain sight.”

“I don't care,” Kuroda growled irritably, trying to push Izumida’s hands away from him. “Where's this freak? I haven't finished yet.”

“Calm down, Yuki,” Izumida said. “They've already left. There's no need to go on with it.”

“What happened after all?” Manami decided to ask carefully, glancing at depressed Takuto.

“A Ravenclaw senior,” Izumida replied grimly, still gripping Kuroda's elbow tightly. He…

“He made a mockery of our team!” Kuroda snapped again. “Of Arakita, Toudou and the others too! Because we lost last year! We screwed up losing to a team that had three rookies. We no longer... have the right to be called champions...”

Manami opened his mouth and closed it, frowning involuntarily. Izumida tilted his head wearily.

“I can't believe that you fell for the provocation so easily. Many people just don't like that your parents are on the Board of Governors, and neither does your behavior.”

“What's wrong with my behavior?” Kuroda asked, angrily turning to Izumida.

“You look down on some of them,” he replied without any hesitation and calmly looking into his eyes.

Kuroda snorted loudly.

“What is the Board of Governors?” Manami asked, feeling stupid.

“Well...” Izumida was distracted, thinking. “It's a gathering of wizards, often parents of students, who are willing to sponsor the school and deal with different issues as they arise, such as behaviour problems.”

“Oh,” Manami smiled knowingly. Kuroda's family must have been quite wealthy.

“Okay,” Izumida said, casting a cleaning charm over the handkerchief. “Let's just go back to the castle before something else happens.”

The proposal was supported by everyone, even Kuroda himself, who seemed to begin to calm down. He was silent and walking grimly, and Manami, weaving behind him and looking at his back, again and again recalled the incident.

His team lost shamefully, then? This fact became a weapon in order to hit harder? Except Kuroda wasn't the only one who felt hurt. Manami felt it too and then felt angry at the injustice. No, no one dared talk about their team like that. Tarnish their honor. They still had it, after all — Manami personally wanted to prove it. It was the reason he had decided to return.

It was the reason he was going to win all the official games. And one of them was expecting him next Saturday.

A reply letter from his mother arrived on Wednesday morning, which was surprisingly soon. Yuuto's owl was really cool if she could deliver the envelope so quickly, and that was very helpful. Because his mother said in her letter that she was very happy about Manami's return to Quidditch, and wished him the best of luck in his matches. This couldn't but cheer up for the upcoming game; she also said the importance of knowing how to choose your words when it came to speaking on tough topics.

It was, of course, about Onoda, and while reading these lines, Manami again drearily remembered that they hadn't yet crossed paths.

They managed to see each other only on Thursday at a joint lesson in the Potions classroom. Manami felt uncomfortable, at first afraid to even look in Onoda's direction, but when he did it a couple of times, he realised that Onoda himself didn't seek eye contact. No, Onoda seemed to pretend that Manami didn't exist at all. He looked a little depressed, and after the lesson was over he left so quickly that Manami hadn't even have time to get up from his place.

This was so-so news. Onoda could simply be offended that such the truth had been hidden from him for so long, and Manami didn't even have the right to reproach him — everything was completely fair, after all.

He was upset though he knew it was his own fault, but there was no time to lose heart now. Manami realised this too well and tried to focus only on Saturday's game against Ravenclaw.

When it was time to head to the field for a warm-up, Manami was one of the first to appear in the common room, so that his team could see that he wasn't planning to run away again but would go with them.

Kuroda also didn't stand aside. He briefly approached Manami to cheer him up with a word, and Manami smiled tightly, looking at the barely healed wound on his temple.

“It's nothing. I'll grow my hair a little, and it won't show,” Kuroda said, noticing Manami's gaze.

“It's not so,” Manami replied, trying to look determined, and Kuroda quirked an eyebrow in question. “What that guy told you. I'll prove that it all not so.”

Kuroda understood and smiled silently before giving way to Arakita, who, lazily moving towards the exit, ran his hand through Manami's hair for a couple of seconds, ruffling it.

“Try to surprise us again, little one,” he said, and Toudou, who appeared next, put his hand on Manami's shoulder, gently nudging him forward.

“Come on. It might rain today and if it does, we'll ask for a break right away so we can put the water repellent charm on our uniforms.”

Manami smiled gratefully, feeling the warmth of this endless concern from Toudou, and they, along with the rest of the guys, the same lineup as last year, went to the broomstick room.

The sky was really gray with heavy overhanging clouds when Manami went outside and looked up. If you fly higher, you can fly through the cloud, he thought with a grin as he clambered the Firebolt. He really felt pretty good before his first official match of the season and was even a little surprised by that because the memories of last year's final weren't painful right now.

The warm-up went well too, and it didn't seem like it was going to rain yet. The clouds were still thick, but Manami wasn't worried about the lack of sun and the fact that under such conditions it would be more difficult to spot the Snitch. Let it not give off a glow — Manami was going to find it without help. Find it, catch it and make the game his own.

Before the next outing, when Fukutomi made a short speech for the team, he didn't say anything specific to Manami — he just looked at him, and apparently this was enough to understand that all was well. Manami wasn't going to give reason to doubt it. After all, he was not alone here — but with the guys he wanted to hoist back to the top. Now only the first step had to be taken.

Now the stands were filled with all the students of the school. They started welcoming and cheering as soon as the teams entered the field, and Manami, walking after his teammates, thought that Onoda should also be around somewhere. Most likely in his usual place with Naruko and Imaizumi.

The thought kept on haunting him.

It kept on haunting him when the game started and Manami rose higher, trying to notice the Snitch that had flown away. His opponent had changed. Last year it had been a guy, but now it was a girl apparently from middle school. She took off very easily and skillfully, but Manami only paid attention to it for a second.

Realising that both of them hadn't seen the Snitch, he couldn't restrain himself and looked towards the stand where only Gryffindors usually gathered. It was far away, but Manami was able to recognise the outline of Onoda. Yes, he was there. Was he looking straight ahead?

The urge to find out suddenly increased so much that Manami simply couldn't restrain himself. Instead of taking a comfortable observation position, he pointed the broom towards the stands and bent over the handle.

When he was already quite close, he braked, turned in the air and saw him. Onoda's face was startled and stunned, and his eyes were fixed directly on Manami hovering slightly above the level of the bench where the trio was seated.

There were other Gryffindors here, of course, but Manami didn't even notice them — they seemed to dissolve, disappear, become something completely unimportant. Manami saw only Onoda — he wanted to see only him at that moment.

“Look at me,” Manami said, not taking his eyes off Onoda's eyes, but it was too noisy for these words to reach the one whom they were spoken to.

In the meantime, the voice of the commentator became louder — he announced a beautiful interception of the Quaffle, the ball ending up in Toudou's hands and then in the goal's hoop, but Manami didn't pay attention to that either.

“Look at me!” he screamed, and Onoda shuddered, this time hearing it.

He pressed his lips together, tensing his eyebrows, making it clear that he'd do everything — Manami believed him. Nothing else was needed. Manami darted off, but not to rise higher to safety. He flew straight into the epicenter of the battle, skirting around the other participants in the match and looking for the Snitch with his eyes. It was around here somewhere. Definitely.

“What's he doing? Is that a strategy? Dangerous!” the commentator shouted, but what came next, Manami wouldn't listen. As if he turned off his hearing altogether, forcing his other senses to sharpen. To work one hundred and twenty percent.

That had never happened at any other match. Manami felt as if the whole world around him had been transformed. He saw the pitch quite differently, he saw... everything. The movement of the players, the path of the Quaffle that was being thrown from hand to hand, the flying Bludgers that were being hit by the Beaters. And... the Snitch too.

The Snitch was in the northwest corner of the field. Manami saw it, accelerated, and then caught up and he barely knew how he did it.

The opponent didn't even have time to appear next to him, and the ball ending the game was already in Manami's hand, and Manami only now, stopping, realised that he had done everything automatically. As if it was not him but someone else, who had been dozing in him all this time and now awakened.

The long sound of the whistle made him flinch.

“Is the game already over?” the commentator shouted again. “I can't believe the Snitch has been caught! Slytherin got the Snitch, and the Chasers have only managed to throw the Quaffle through the hoop three times! It's only been four minutes from the start! That's a record time in the last ten years! The match ended 180-0 in favour of Slytherin!”

The stands rumbled louder as Manami descended, dumbfounded, to stand on the grass. The Snitch was still in his palm, admitting defeat with folded wings, and when Manami looked up, he saw the guys from his team in front of him. They also went down to the ground, everyone had dumbfounded faces, but then Toudou finally smiled and stepped forward to put his arms around his shoulder.

“Well, who wanted to be surprised?” he asked, laughing cheerfully, and Arakita bared his teeth in his usual grin.

Others perked up too, words of approval and praise poured down, which made Manami dizzy, and only now he exhaled calmly, lifting his face to the first drops of rain falling from the sky.

They returned to the changing room slightly drenched, and this was the first time they were here again almost immediately after the start of the match. It was the first game so fast, and Manami felt confused about it even though the others were happy.

He sat down on the bench, sluggishly wiping his hair with a towel, his left palm still seeming to feel the metal of the Snitch. Leaving the towel on his head, Manami pulled off his gloves and squeezed his trembling fingers, looking probably very stupid.

“What's up with you? Aren't you happy?” Toudou asked, suddenly sitting closer and forcing him back to reality.

Manami shook his head with a puzzled frown and stared at the floor as if a difficult math problem had been written on it.

“I'm happy,” he replied almost emotionlessly. “It's just… I don't understand how. I was able to catch the Snitch so quickly that I just can't believe it. The game's really over.”

“Right,” Fukutomi intervened, and Manami nevertheless raised his head and saw him standing in front of him. “You have finished it. With a victory.”

“Yes,” Shinkai joined in with a slight laugh. “We hadn't even warmed up before we'd been sent back. But that's Quidditch. And it's awesome, I think.”

“You bet it is!” Arakita snorted contentedly from his seat. “This is the most killer start to the season I've ever seen. And I didn't think I could be a part of it.”

"Who else if not us," Toudou teased him with a smile, but Manami still felt confused.

“I didn't know I could do it,” he said quietly, after which Toudou rubbed his hair through the towel.

“You still don't understand? Remember everything that you went through until you were here again. All the pain, your disappointment, the conclusions you drew after, and your struggles have brought you here. All of this made you stronger in the long run. Allowed you to finally find the determination to use the experiences and abilities that you developed through hard training. Isn't it right?”

“M,” Manami said a little more confidently, glancing at Toudou. “Apparently yes.”

“And I think it's a great result. A great start to something new.” Toudou smiled, nodding. “Appreciate it. Don't turn off this road. Move on, Sangaku. This way you'll become the strongest player in the strongest team.”

“You took all the coolest phrases for yourself, Jinpachi!” Arakita was indignant because of which everyone laughed in unison, and Manami was able to smile again.

He lowered his gaze. His fingers no longer trembled.

Chapter Text

After the first game in the new season, Manami was in a good mood most of the time, which probably wasn't something surprising. He felt that he had cast off the heavy shackles, he felt like all the answers to all the questions had been revealed to him — the feeling was really that. Airy, soothing.

Until the moment when Onoda appeared in sight, of course.

They saw each other, as usual, at joint lessons, and this reminded Manami each time, without exception, that not in all aspects his life had begun to get better and that the most serious problem left, the importance of which seemed to have underestimated throughout the beginning of the first term.

It was underestimated because Onoda was here. Because Manami had felt him around, felt how much Onoda needed him, and now this feeling was slowly melting away, at times causing him to feel fearful and lost.

So he allowed the situation to get worse this much?

Their communication was beginning to feel like some sort of magical creature, like a thestral. It seemed to be there, but on the other hand, it was so transparent that one might easily think that it wasn't there at all.

All those short greetings and goodbyes, routine phrases like the timid 'could you lend me a blank sheet of parchment?' were so empty that Manami really lost understanding: Onoda was next to him or his poorly made copy.

It could have made it seem like this time everything was finally and irrevocably ruined, and so badly Manami wanted to ask for a chance for himself that they'd just start acting towards each other like they had before the Quidditch final last year. But this didn't happen — Onoda kept silent at every opportunity and seemed to try not to remind him of his presence at all, and Manami couldn't say more than two words to him at a time. It became so embarrassing and ashamed that he closed his mouth and just waited until both of them forgot that they had just talked at all (tried to talk).

There were five days left until the next match when Manami sat down again at Onoda's desk for a new Defense Against the Dark Arts class. It was Monday, he was terribly sleepy, and to be honest, Manami vaguely understood how he could sit up to the bell with his eyes open. It was better not to sleep in this classroom if he didn't want to lose a lot of House points, but as if on purpose, professor began a boring lecture instead of arranging something more cheerful. Manami even willing to have a test — so he'd have to think instead of half-consciously listening to boring stories about Grindylow. He wasn't interested, because he knew about these creatures from the first year — it was hard not to know when the common room of your House was underground, and its windows open directly onto the Black Lake, where these creatures lived.

Onoda, by contrast, seemed to be nervously impressed. He often forgot to continue writing down the lecture, and when he came to, he hastily scribbled new notes on his parchment. When it was necessary to replace the sheet, due to the haste it turned out awkward — the edge of the parchment was pressed by the textbook lying on top, and Onoda, pulling out the sheet, accidentally pushed Manami's right hand.

It came out quite lightly, Manami wouldn't even noticed it if Onoda hadn't apologised, whispering quickly 'sorry'. And why was he so nervous about these Grindylows? Seeing one at least once would make him forget about them, Manami thought, still bored, and then looked again at Onoda's left hand, which, while he had stopped writing, simply rested near the parchment with one sentence written on top.

Moving his right hand closer, Manami blinked, not immediately aware of what he was trying to do, and then he couldn't restrain himself. He reduced the distance, causing their palms to touch slightly. This time it was different from the previous awkward encounter. Manami felt an exciting and light feeling rise inside, and bit his lip for a second.

Onoda didn't move and for some reason he was in no hurry to remove his hand. They sat like this for a whole minute or maybe more, after which he suddenly did something that Manami certainly didn't expect from him. And certainly not now.

Slowly and timidly, Onoda raised the edge of his palm, and then his fingers touched Manami's palm almost weightlessly, slid to the wrist and disappeared, but this action was enough. It was enough for Manami's heart to jump to his throat, and his breathing stopped for a second. It was so strange and cool at the same time that he could hardly restrain himself not to lower his hand under the desk after Onoda's hand and squeeze his palm in an eagerly quivering gesture.

Manami almost laughed at such a desire, smiling weakly and swallowing a chuckle with difficulty. Did he really want this?

Manami didn't dare to look at Onoda and see his face. His own cheeks were burning a little now and probably turned red, which made it even more awkward. He felt stupid, but at the same time he wanted to replay this moment again, to relive it again in order to better understand his feelings...

By the time professor asked to open one of the chapters in the textbook and take notes, Manami seemed to have calmed down a little, and the drowsiness started to overcome him again. He honestly tried to write at least something, but the silence in the classroom only contributed to falling asleep, and his eyes literally closed by themselves after each new sentence.

When this happened, Manami didn't notice. Somehow suddenly he blacked out, and when he opened his eyes again, he realised that something had changed. The room was empty, all the students had disappeared somewhere, and Onoda was gone too. Raising his head, Manami looked around in surprise, thinking he was left completely alone, but as it turned out a little later this wasn't entirely true.

Onoda wasn't missing.

He had just somehow moved to the other end of the room and now for some reason was sitting right on the teacher's desk, with his leg over his leg and a parchment in one hand in front of him.

“…And even if the Grindylows are rather aggressive towards people and wizards, some merpeople nevertheless managed to tame them in a sense…” Onoda read, after which he paused and looked up from the parchment. Manami winced, seeing the uncommon harshness in Onoda's eyes even from his seat. “How dare you sleep in my class, Sangaku?” Onoda asked calmly but sternly, putting the parchment on the edge of the desk, and slowly, as if in a warning gesture, adjusted his glasses.

“Wow,” Manami breathed out involuntarily and chuckled nervously. Shouldn't he apologise for his inappropriate behavior?

However, before he could think about it properly, Onoda deftly slid off the desk and headed straight for his only student. His leisurely footsteps sounded unnaturally loud, and the floor seemed to vibrate from them, and Manami felt alert for a second. Just for a second before he realised that a smug smile was on his own face.

“Ten points from Slytherin,” Onoda said when there were only a few steps left to the desk. “No, I changed my mind — twenty points,” Onoda  said when he stopped in front of Manami and, bending down a little, put his palms on the tabletop.

The severity in Onoda's eyes, mixed with playfulness, caused a wave of gambling feelings.

“Agreed,” Manami replied with a provocative grin, leaning forward to bring their faces closer together.

Onoda grinned back.

“And detention. You will come to an extra session.”

“Agreed,” Manami replied again, not seeing but feeling Onoda raising his hand, gently wrapping his fingers around the knot of his Slytherin tie.

“And you'll write an extra test,” Onoda added, leaning even closer.

Everything was confused in Manami's head. Barely realising, he reached for Onoda's face, for his lips and almost touched his cheek with his nose.

“Are you serious?” Onoda asked with a quiet laugh, and his fingers teasingly slid along his neck, touching the Adam's apple. Manami closed his eyes, tormented by wanting more. “Are you serious, Sangaku? What do you want?” Onoda asked, and his fingers already digging into the hair on the back of Manami's head and roughly held them near the hair roots, making it impossible to move. “Do you really want to kiss the person you've been running away from for months?” Onoda breathed out directly into his lips.

Manami almost groaned, wanting to shorten that mercilessly small distance left between their lips, but he wasn't allowed.

“Yes. Yes,” he answered in a weak voice and almost choked when Onoda ran the tip of his nose over the skin very close to Manami's nose.

“Are you crazy?” Onoda asked. Manami opened his eyes to see a blue abyss in front of him. “Pervert.”

Manami didn't answer. Didn't have time. Something jerked him abruptly out of his sleep. He straightened, almost dropping his head on the desk, and blinked in amazement, realising that he had smeared some of the ink on the parchment with his hand. And yes... it was good that Imaizumi was tall enough to hide him from professor's eyes behind his back.

Everyone returned to their places. Onoda was in the next chair, calmly writing notes, and Manami looked at him briefly. They clashed their gazes — Onoda's was a little surprised, and because of the sight of his eyes the memories from the dream flashed into bright pictures.

Manami quickly ducked back into his ink-stained parchment. There was something with his heart. Something wrong — it was pounding almost like it was during a run on a Quidditch pitch.

He didn't manage to take notes properly. Fortunately, professor didn't check it and just let everyone go when the dull ringing of the bell rolled through the corridors. While everyone was putting belongings together, he reminded that he was expecting an essay from everyone for the next class, which he had spoken about at the beginning of the lesson, and Manami barely heard him. There was chaos in his head, and the inkwell almost fall out of his hands when he tried to shove it into his bag.

“See you,” Onoda said quietly, saying goodbye, and followed his friends as they headed to the exit.

“What are you talking about? This is such nonsense!” Naruko exclaimed loudly and emotionally already at the door — Manami guessed that he was probably starting a new discussion with Imaizumi on some topic.

The thought that was born in the same second in his head was unexpected, but Manami realised that he just can't let Onoda go now. He had to…

Jerking towards the exit, Manami returned, quickly shoved the quill forgotten on his desk into his bag and hurried again. He was the last to leave the class and saw Onoda, who had just been overtaken by a couple of Slytherins. Naruko and Imaizumi seemed to have luckily gone ahead.

No, Sakamichi. Stop, Manami said mentally, not daring to say it out loud. He was afraid to call out, he was afraid... of his own desire.

“Stop,” he breathed out almost inaudibly, almost in despair, and something happened.

The book, a corner of which was sticking out of Onoda's poorly closed bag, literally popped and fell to the floor. Onoda stopped and turned around, looking down, Manami froze in shock, realising what had happened.

When was the last time he had ever had a spontaneous manifestation of magic?

But this seemed to be a great help at a time like this. Without delay, Manami quickly found himself next to Onoda but apparently overdid it because Onoda recoiled in fright and hit the wall with his shoulder.

“Stop,” Manami asked, placing his palm near Onoda's head and making it impossible for him to escape.

Onoda, bewildered, pressed his back against the wall, raising his amazed gaze, and Manami almost bumped into his forehead with his own, leaning in to his face.

He didn't understand what he was doing. He felt sweetly dizzy, and he wanted— Wanted—

Closing his eyes, touching the bridge of Onoda's nose with the tip of his nose, Manami almost hit the frame of Onoda's glasses and froze, almost trembling. Everything was different. Not like in his dream. Onoda was defenseless here, he had to lean towards him instead of reaching up because they were both standing and Onoda was still shorter. He smelled faintly of something tasty. It seemed like mint toothpaste and pumpkin juice, which he probably drank at breakfast. Manami inhaled again and then forced himself to move away a little. He opened his eyes, noticing that Onoda squeezed his eyes shut, but after a second they met their gazes again. And Onoda was... God, the most amazing in the world.

“Sangaku?” he called softly, and his voice trembled a little. "Did you... want to say something?"

Yes, I wanted to say that I should kiss you before I lost my mind with this desire, Manami mentally replied and grinned. Onoda, seeing this grin, seemed even more confused.

“Nothing, Sakamichi,” Manami said, taking a step back, and then bent over to the textbook which was still on the floor.

He picked it up and handed it to Onoda. He tentatively took the book and, hesitating, stuffed it into his bag.

“Go,” Manami said, meeting a new uncomprehending gaze. “Imaizumi and Naruko will lose you.”

Onoda nodded silently but lingered for a few more seconds before leaving, as if he wanted to ask something. Soon he disappeared around the corner, and Manami exhaled, resting his palm against the wall again. He pressed his free one to his cheek and realised that the skin was simply burning. What was really happening to him? Was he really going crazy? He wanted a real kiss on the lips, maybe even with a tongue, when he always found such kisses a little... nasty? No, after seeing Toudou and Makishima kissing back in his first year, Manami thought that maybe he wasn't quite right... Maybe it wasn't even tongue-twisting unpleasant with a special person?

Imagining this, picturing him pressing his lips to Onoda's, pushing his tongue into his mouth, Manami almost groaned, feeling weak in his knees. He... seemed to really want to try, and this desire now embarrassed him so much that Manami wished the ground to swallow him.

He forgot what his next class was. He forgot what floor he was on, and then he hurried when he realised that he had to go to Herbology. Who even thought of putting Herbology as a second lesson? It's unrealistic to get there during such a short break!

Fortunately, Professor Pierre also seemed to understand this problem and didn't take points off if someone was a little late. And after all the lessons for the day were finished, Manami stayed in the common room, waiting for Toudou to come back from class. Even though today was a day off from training and the seventh-years usually went to the library to study, Manami hoped Toudou had an extra minute. He just needed to talk to him as soon as possible.

And when Toudou, along with his fellow students, finally appeared, Manami immediately jumped out of the chair and ran up to them.

“Hi, little one. How are you?” Toudou smiled, noticing him.

Manami grabbed his elbow as he followed him towards the stairs.

“I'll tell you something you'll go mad for,” he said excitedly, causing Toudou to raise his eyebrows in amazement as he slowed down. “But it has to be in private.”

“Um...” Toudou was confused. “Okay. Come and see me in fifteen minutes. Everyone will go to the library, but I'll be late.”

“Does this guy still have cards left to play?” Arakita grumbled upon hearing their conversation, and Manami involuntarily chuckled, letting go of Toudou's hand.

He went into the dormitory to leave his bag and finally change. Manami couldn't sit and just wait, so he pulled out all the textbooks and library books, trying to clean up his dresser a little, but this occupation hardly calmed him down. He was again on edge, and he wanted to quickly tell at least someone about this storm that his feelings had turned into. Manami felt like he was really going to lose his mind if he didn't let out all the emotions he had accumulated after the DADA lesson right now.

When he arrived at the seventh-year's dormitory, he thought he was still too early. Nevertheless, he opened the door a little after a short knock and, looking inside, realised that only Toudou was in the room.

“Come in,” he said, standing by the desk not far from his bed and fingering a pile of unevenly folded parchments.

Manami slipped inside with a smile, collapsed on his stomach on the 'star' bedspread and, hugging the pillow, buried his face in it, feeling that he'd just squeak.

“What are you doing?” Toudou's surprised voice was heard. “You're acting even stranger than usual.”

“I seem to be starting to get it,” Manami replied muffled and turned his head a little so that he could breathe. Toudou was there. He was still standing at the desk, but now he wasn't doing anything but simply holding one of the parchments in his hand, apparently forgetting about it.

“To get it?” he asked a little annoyedly and put his hands on his hips, letting him know that he required normal explanations.

“We had a DADA lesson,” Manami said exhaling, and took a sitting position, still clutching his pillow. “With Sakamichi, you know?”

“I remember that,” Toudou nodded calmly and as if still displeased.

“I fell asleep for a while, and I had the craziest dream!” Manami exclaimed, losing control. His cheeks seemed to flush again, which made Toudou look surprised. “I dreamed of Sakamichi, and we almost kissed in my dream, and then I almost kissed him in reality!”

“What?” Toudou asked, throwing the parchment back onto the desk. “Are you serious? Have you made up your minds?”

“Eh...” Manami was a little confused. “Oh no. We haven't talked about Quidditch yet, to be honest.”

“You haven't?” Toudou was puzzled. “And you— Do you want to kiss him?” he asked and suddenly pointed his finger at Manami sternly. “You cried because of him not so long ago! Are you out of your mind?”

“So what?” Manami replied almost offended.

“So what? You're weird!” Toudou said. “And how did he react?”

“He—” Manami quieted down. “He seemed frightened.”

“You bet,” Toudou snorted. “Did you pounce on him without explaining anything? What's going on in your head? You can't do that! Moreover... since when do you even think about kissing? How old are you?”

“Thirteen,” Manami reminded quietly, feeling confused.

“Thirteen,” Toudou waved his hands.

“When did you kiss for the first time?” Manami asked curiously, causing Toudou to blush and frown.

“None of your business, little one,” he turned away, folding his arms over his chest. “It was definitely not at thirteen.”

“A year earlier, a year later, what's the difference?” Manami grinned nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. “I just wanted to now although I was also surprised by this.”

“You wanted it. Have you thought about Sakamichi's feelings, huh?” Toudou asked sternly again, glancing at Manami.

“About his feelings?” Manami asked stupidly.

“Exactly! I knew that you wouldn't think about it, so I talked to Yusuke about what was going on and asked him to talk to Sakamichi.”

“Yes? So what?”

“Actually, he's worried and blames himself,” Toudou replied displeased.

“Himself?” Manami was disappointed. “But he didn't do anything.”

Sighing heavily, Toudou sat down on the bed not far from him and nervously rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

“Often...” he began, “people have different ideas about the same situation. If you think that he's not guilty of anything, it doesn't mean that he thinks the same way.”

“But it's true!” Manami objected, putting the pillow behind his back. “I called him to Quidditch!”

“Don't do the same as you did today,” Toudou asked, changing the subject, and looked at Manami with a tired look. “Explain yourself first. Admit to him that you still like him and that you now want to kiss him, despite everything that has happened. I can't even imagine the confusion you left him in. You're acting illogical.”

“Well... I'd like to,” Manami replied awkwardly.

“It's December soon,” Toudou sighed again, as if he was fed up with the situation. “And then the Christmas holidays will start before you know it. So maybe I should talk to Sakamichi since you don't seem to be going?”

“No!” Manami objected sharply and then became quiet. “I—”

“Even if I do that, it won't fix everything completely,” Toudou said softly, moving closer and hugging his shoulder. “He has to hear you to believe. And it will be the right thing to do.”

“Yes. I'll talk to him,” Manami agreed, looking down.

“I hope you get it done before the end of the term?” Toudou asked, removing his hand. “Don't delay with it too long, because some things only get more complicated over time.”

Manami nodded in understanding even if he still didn't think he had enough courage to follow his words. He had to try, step over himself. In addition, Onoda was soon going to play, and Manami was beginning to feel guilty that because of him, Onoda now might not be in the right mood.

Saturday was chilly. The sky was overcast, as on the day of the first match of this season, but the newspaper forecast didn't promise rain. Manami had already regretted several times that he hadn't put on a jacket under his robe, and anyway... what was he doing here? At the time all the spectators had taken their places in the stands, and the match was about to begin. Instead of being with Toudou and waiting for the teams to take the field, Manami was hanging around the changing rooms and was now heading rather stubbornly towards the building, over which small scarlet and gold flags were fluttering in the wind. And no, of course he hadn't come here for nothing. He was just an idiot probably, and couldn't find the opportunity to meet Onoda earlier.

But he had to. He had to try to fix at least something because he didn't know how he'd forgive himself if Onoda played poorly in this match because of him. And if Manami could be his strenght, now was the last chance to make it happen.

The door opened just as he was close. Manami flinched in surprise and then saw the captain of the Gryffindor team appear on the doorstep, fully equipped. Red uniform, guards, broom, confidently clenched in hand.

He noticed a stranger — Manami met his seemingly calm gaze for a few seconds. After the captain, other senior students came out. Huge Beater Tadokoro and lean Makishima. They also didn't say anything, as did the Keeper — a tall guy with glasses, but Naruko and Imaizumi appeared next, and one of them had the expected reaction.

“HEY, what the fuck? Are you following us?” he asked, becoming angry in a second, and Makishima clucked his tongue in displeasure, turning around.

“Don't swear, Naruko, you're annoying.”

“Come on. It's not your concern,” Imaizumi added, pushing Naruko in the back so he wouldn't linger.

“Sangaku?” Onoda, the last one to leave the changing room, asked barely audible.

He was very surprised to see Manami here, and Manami, smiling awkwardly, approached him.

“I won't distract you for a long time — I just wanted... to wish you luck, I guess.”

“Oh,” Onoda replied in confusion, blinking, and Manami, pulling the Chocolate Frog Card out of his robes pocket, handed it to him.

“Just put it in your pocket, you know, like a talisman,” he explained. “And... show an amazing game, as always. Please try.”

“Eh, yes...” Onoda shuddered, confused even more. He took the card, looking at it as if Manami had given him a ticket to the Quidditch World Cup.

“Sakamichi!” Naruko's distant voice came. “Catch up with us!”

“Yes, hurry up,” Manami added, taking a step back, and for a couple of seconds it was as if Onoda was looking straight into his eyes with some kind of lostness and longing.

However, he changed. He smiled, albeit sadly, slipped the Chocolate Frog Card into his trousers pocket and ran to catch up with his team.

Manami breathed a sigh of relief. He also smiled, looking after Onoda, and hoped that he could cheer him up a little. It was the most Manami was capable of right now.

Remembering that the game was about to begin, he hurried to the stand where Toudou was supposed to be with the others, but there were those killer staircases again. Because of them, Manami was still late for the beginning, and when he finally got up, his chest hurt and his breathing was heavy.

He sat down on the bench next to Toudou, pulling back his scarf and trying to catch his breath. The players were already rushing around the Quidditch pitch, the fans were noisy, and the commentator was constantly commenting on what was happening.

“Great chant, Hufflepuffs! Even I cheered, even though I was only sitting in my seat!” he said and laughed, and Manami tried to see if the yellow team's Seeker had changed, as the Ravenclaws had.

He pulled the heavy omnioculars out of his bag and raised them to his eyes to find the right player, and it turned out that he wasn't mistaken. The girl who had played last year was in the same position again.

“Okay,” Manami smiled, lowering the omnioculars. “Just don't flirt with him, or I'll think about learning some hexes.”

“Where have you been? I thought you were following us?” Toudou asked, hardly distracted from watching the game. Makishima seemed to have even opened the score.

“I went away to do what I had to do,” Manami smiled again, finally relaxing.

Toudou didn't ask for details, as he was engrossed in watching again. Manami didn't even need confirmation to realise that Makishima had taken possession of the Quaffle again.

“What an amazing interception!” the commentator sounded louder than usual. “Right from under him! It's Imaizumi from Gryffindor team!”

“Huh?” Manami blinked, trying to figure out what had happened. “Makishima didn't have the Quaffle?”

“Now he has it,” Toudou replied, not taking his eyes off the field.

“How can you understand something there?” Manami asked in disappointment, raising the omnioculars again.

In his game, albeit only for a few seconds, he managed to clearly see the game of the Chasers, but now he couldn't. The Quaffle moved too fast and sometimes disappeared when players blocked the view with their robes. But there was something Manami could see. How Imaizumi again intercepted a pass that wasn't meant for him but for a Chaser from the other team.

They've become tough, Manami smiled, realising that the younger ones were confidently starting to catch up to the older ones in terms of skill. Naruko's name had already sounded twice from the stand where the commentator was commenting on the game.

He certainly wanted to see the pursuit of the Snitch, but it didn't start for quite a long time — both teams had already managed to score fifty points. Manami kept expecting Onoda to be the first to notice the target and sneak off after it, but it turned out not so. His opponent was faster. Manami jumped to his feet in disappointment, nearly dropping his omnioculars.

What was it? Onoda... wasn't doing well?

He really wasn't playing at his usual level. Braking around corners too early or nearly crashing into the edge of one of the stands.

“Come on,” Manami said involuntarily, barely hearing someone from behind barked at him to get out of sight. “I didn't come to you for this.”

Stepping aside so as not to block the view, Manami descended below and stood at the barrier, still watching Onoda intently. Both Seekers missed the Snitch, distracted when one of the Hufflepuff Chasers fell off a broomstick, knocked down by a Bludger. This may have been luck for Onoda though unprofessional on the part of both Seekers. But Onoda... really could have lost this battle now.

“For the sake of our meeting on the field, as it—” Manami said, faltering. “As it was last year... So fight... Fight as only you can.”

Hovering high, Onoda began to wait again, but due to the fall of one of the players, the captain of the Hufflepuff team soon asked for a short time-out. For a while, everyone went down to the ground, and Manami thought that something broke inside him as he saw Naruko and Imaizumi said something to Onoda and as Onoda, nodding, smiled at them.

You don't smile at me like that anymore, Manami realised to himself, feeling such a strange devastating feeling.

I'm here too. I want you to win, no less than them.

He didn't return to his seat. Intuition told him that the game wouldn't last long, and after another half an hour he had to be convinced of that. When the Hufflepuffs were forty points ahead of Gryffindor, the pursuit of the Snitch began again, and this time Onoda acted very differently. He became bolder, became more determined, no longer made mistakes. And even if his opponent was a really skillful player, he beat her so soundly that Manami gasped as he watched, and then recoiled from the barrier, understanding why it had happened.

He had just been duped. He was just not as important as someone tried to explain to him.

The commentator announced the score when Manami finally returned to his seat. Gryffindor won with a total of 270 points, and even the Slytherins stood up to applaud the winners this time.

“They beat us by only 90 points,” Toudou said with a reckless smile on his lips. “I was afraid that it would be worse, but the season is taking a fast pace, unlike last year.”

“Is it good or bad?” Manami asked, hardly feeling interest. No, he felt like something inside him was cracking, intending to split into pieces.

“It's good in the sense that teams don't need to prolong games on purpose,” Toudou replied. “So it's more likely that you can focus only on catching the Snitch and not on the score.”

“Okay,” Manami seemed to understand.

“Therefore, in our next match, play without thinking about extraneous things. And we'll take care of catching up with them on points,” Toudou said to the noise of the ceaseless stands.

The Gryffindors were still actively supporting their winning team, but the guys from Manami's House had lost interest and had already begun to gather back to the castle. Manami tried to recover, jerked after Toudou and the others but stopped, realising that he couldn't breathe.

He put his hand to his mouth and felt tears on his cheeks.

“What are you doing, Sangaku?” Toudou turned, noticing that Manami hesitated. “What happened?” Toudou asked anxiously.

Manami lowered his head and sobbed, not daring to speak out loud a question, to which he'd never want to know the answer.

How long does it take for some mistakes to become irreparable?

Chapter Text

By the time of the third Quidditch match, in which Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were to play, it was noticeably colder outside. It had even snowed a couple of times, but the next day snow always melted due to the fact that the air temperature rose again. The future of the Slytherin team also depended on the outcome of this game in a sense. If the match nevertheless did drag on and end with a high score, in the next game they'd have to play for time and not catch the Snitch if it was found too quickly. Manami didn't really care about that yet.

He knew (at least thought he knew) that if, for whatever reason, his match against Gryffindor didn't end up with the necessary score for a future victory, he'd have a great chance to catch up in a game against Hufflepuff.

And naturally, no one expected the Quidditch schedule for this year to suddenly be disrupted.

On Friday, after school, Manami returned to the common room saddened: Throughout dinner he'd watched Onoda cheerfully chatting with his friends and the Quidditch team at the Gryffindor table. Manami had begun to notice this kind of thing more and more lately though it wasn't anything new. Onoda had always had friends he spent a lot of time with, but perhaps for the first time this realisation had caused such sad feelings. It was because Manami himself couldn't become (didn't consider himself capable of becoming) part of this circle of people Onoda was on good terms with, people who were really important to Onoda.

The guys from the Quidditch team were talking vigorously about something near the fireplace, but Manami barely noticed it. He lingered in the library, working on his homework with Miyahara, and wanted to get some rest before dinner, but he was prevented from doing so.

“Hey, little one!” a familiar voice called when Manami was already near the stairs. “Come here, it's important!”

He had to slow down and turn around. By the time Manami approached Toudou and the others, Fukutomi walked towards the exit of the common room with a serious look, and it seemed that something had happened.

“Ravenclaw has a trouble with the Seeker,” Toudou reported as Manami glanced at him questioningly. “She's seriously ill and won't be able to play in tomorrow's match, and they're not going to put in a replacement.”

“Wow,” Manami was surprised to hear such news. “What then? Will the game be postponed?”

“In order not to postpone the game, they offered us to play instead of the Ravenclaw team,” Shinkai replied while Toudou hesitated for a couple of seconds.

“We thought a little and decided to agree,” Arakita added, with a sly grin.

“Juichi went to tell the Head that we'll play tomorrow,” Toudou spoke up again and turned to Manami. “Do you mind?”

“Are we going to play tomorrow?” Manami smiled, feeling a sharp emotion. “Cool. I didn't think I'd be able to play in the official match so soon again. Do changes like that really happen?”

“They do,” Toudou nodded thoughtfully. “During unforeseen cases. Although this is the first time during our studies. I think our March game against Gryffindor will have to be rescheduled because of that, too.”

“To what time?” to his surprise, Manami quickly became upset. It turned out that their agreement to take the field tomorrow delayed his meeting in the game with Onoda?

“I don't know yet. We'll later,” Toudou replied with a slight anxiety in his voice. “But for now you should concentrate on tomorrow's game. Are you feeling well? Nothing worries?”

“I'm okay,” Manami smiled again, making it clear that everything was okay. “And I'm ready to play. Last time I practised, I caught all the balls.”

“That's good,” Toudou calmed down. “Then catch the Snitch tomorrow as best you can.”

“Careful, Jinpachi,” Arakita chuckled as he turned to the dormitories and was ready to leave. “If he finishes the match too quickly again and doesn't let you score, don't complain later.”

Toudou opened his mouth in indignation, seemingly about to reply but still didn't. Manami also went to the dormitory, mentally deciding that tomorrow he'd show some restraint and not catch the Snitch as quickly as he had in the last game. In the end, he could try to stall for time, as he had done last year, and he would do well.

It was with these encouraging thoughts that he went to the Great Hall for dinner a little later, and already there he realised that the rumour that Slytherin would be playing tomorrow instead of Ravenclaw had begun to spread among the other Houses as well.

“Everyone's betting on us,” Toudou said with a satisfied smile the next day after breakfast as the team was getting ready to go onto the field in the common room.

“Snooping around all last night?” Arakita responded, munching on a sandwich taken from the Great Hall.

They were waiting for Izumida to go to the broomstick room together, and Shinkai was also busy eating although, unlike Arakita, a sweeter one. Fukutomi glanced at his wristwatch thoughtfully even if it wasn't late yet.

“I thought Jinpachi met with Makishima last night,” Shinkai added with a smile.

“Did you follow me?” Toudou asked indignantly, then pointed a finger at Arakita. “And you, stop eating before the game!”

“Hey, why it's just me?” Arakita snapped in displeasure and gave the wrapped sandwich to Kuroda, who was quietly sitting on the sofa and trying to read the newspaper.

Manami smiled at the guys and turned his gaze to the window. Every now and then his thoughts drifted away from the upcoming game somewhere to the future — he wanted to imagine how happy the team would be when they got the Quidditch Cup again, but didn't the changed situation mean that their game against Gryffindor would decide everything again, no matter when it would be? And the longer Manami thought about it, the more he felt that things weren't the best way for him.

Having recently seen Onoda on the field, in the game, he felt too strongly the returned desire to try again to fight him in Quidditch. As Toudou said, last time Manami had really been happy before the score became known, and now he felt that he wanted to return it all and wanted him and Onoda to be eager to meet each other again and try to play well, becoming worthy and better rivals for each other. And now— Did Onoda look forward their meeting on the field now?

Manami really wanted to know this, but the conviction that he'd probably get a negative answer to his question was almost frightening, making him continue to hesitate and let things between them only deteriorate more.

These thoughts made him feel bad again, but luckily he had learned to fake it well so as not to worry his teammates. Due to the fact that this season they had not to confirm the title of champions but to win it back, everyone was certainly more excited and tense than before, and Manami simply didn't dare to give any of them unnecessary reasons for concern.

Their fans from Slytherin didn't have time to make and come up with new banners or chants, but nevertheless they met their team with active support before the start of the game.

Manami followed the guys onto the field, still trying to distract himself from any unnecessary thoughts, and he sniffed his nose before he could even get on his broom — the warming charms on his robe didn't seem to be working very well this time.

The wind was cold, northerly as the players took to the air, waiting for the signal for the start of the match, and Manami involuntarily remembered that last year he had also had to play at such a time but against the Ravenclaw team and with a fever.

Now he was feeling really good, except for the fact that he was getting a little chilly. That would easily take a back seat when he focused on his task, so there wasn't much of a problem. Or—

There's no way we should lose this match, Manami thought tensely after the fight for the Quaffle started on the field, and Manami himself rose higher to assess the situation and check if the Snitch was looming anywhere within sight. His familiar rival was also in excellent form and slowed down not far from him, examining the field carefully. They were in the same position in terms of awareness. Both had already seen each other in action this season and both knew they were getting better.

She won't hesitate and will try to catch right away, Manami quickly realised, casting a brief glance at the girl in the yellow robe. It would cost him a lot of troubles to stop her if she tried to execute what she had planned, so maybe it would be better—

It would be better to just rid her of this opportunity. Catch himself and finish the game so that she didn't even have a chance to finish everything in favour of her team.

Is that cowardice? Manami thought to himself, involuntarily grinning. Was he really ready to avoid a fight and even miss the opportunity for his guys to score more points in the match just because he was too afraid of losing?

It's not like that, Manami tried to convince himself, listening to the commentator talk about the Quaffle hitting the Hufflepuff goal.

I can do anything, I've trained for this and have been able to achieve success, Manami said mentally and took a deep breath that should have calmed him down. Should have helped to maintain control.

Almost believing he had succeeded, Manami continued to watch out and listen to the commentator, almost bursting with pride. His Chasers had already scored sixty points though the game had lasted no more than fifteen minutes. It was a great start, and Manami actually hoped to let them enjoy the match longer, but then he accidentally spotted the Snitch in the east side of the pitch.

Both Seekers rushed after it almost simultaneously. Manami was able to overtake his opponent by a couple of meters, reminding himself not to catch but just to make sure that the Snitch didn't end up in the wrong hand. He could do it. He thought he really believed it, but something went wrong. Manami didn't understand exactly when he got scared: when the yellow robes appeared from the side, or when he imagined the commentator announcing the Hufflepuff victory. The control disappeared in just a moment, and Manami couldn't contain himself. He caught the Snitch at the most difficult turn and instead of lifting it up triumphantly, pressed it to his chest, as if trying to hide it from everyone. So that no one else could get it—

“Who had seen it?” the enthusiastic voice of the commentator was heard. “The Snitch was caught by the Slytherin Seeker at such a difficult moment that I even got goosebumps! This is incredible! Sangaku Manami ends the match again as soon as it starts! What a busy season this year! What's next, can you imagine?”

The final score was 210-30 and Manami was still trembling when he hit the ground. It was only after jumping onto the grass he was finally able to get his hand with the Snitch off his chest and bit his lip, feeling more pathetic than ever. Even though he had delighted everyone with his game and skill, in reality he was just someone who couldn't handle his emotions, allowing them to control him. His team would have lost if it had been a decisive match, in which the final result would have depended on the number of points. Manami simply couldn't let his Chasers score — he could only catch the Snitch as soon as it appeared.

However, he didn't dare to admit this to one of the guys. While everyone was happy and cheerful, Manami felt he simply had no right to spoil their mood. He tried to smile like everyone else and look cheerful so as not to arouse suspicion, and to his surprise, unlike the last time, the Slytherins had a real party in the common room this evening. Someone managed to go to Hogsmeade and buy a lot of booze and delicious food there, after which the guys turned on the music and had fun — Manami didn't see his fellow students so cheerful even when everyone was celebrating September 1 upon arrival at school. It was clear that they were really hoping for the Quidditch Cup this year, and while Manami tried to keep a low profile, he heard from some students a couple of times that they'd try to get more good grades so that they could win the School Cup as well — hit the jackpot, so to speak.

When a couple of older girls approached Manami to congratulate him again on a terrific victory, he couldn't stand it. Smiling tensely and thanking them, he tried to slip into the dormitory unnoticed, and on the stairs he met Arakita. He was standing on the step all alone, with his back against the wall, and in his hand was an opened bottle of Butterbeer.

“Tired of the attention and noise too, kid?” he asked with a wry grin as he noticed Manami.

Manami stopped beside him, deciding not to rush, and nodded in agreement.

“But you deserve this praise from others, unlike me,” he said, and immediately bit his lip, realising that he shouldn't have. He didn't want to blabber about his true feelings, but he did it anyway.

“Huh?” Arakita drawled with displeasure. “What are you talking about? You are the star of our last two matches. Not every Seeker can catch the Snitch on the first try, let alone do it twice!”

“Is that what it looks like from the outside? Cool, huh?” Manami asked with a grin. “What if it only happened because I was scared? It's better to win quickly and be relieved than to drag out the match and possibly lose.”

“...Scared, then?” Arakita repeated thoughtfully, looking up somewhere, and then took a sip from the bottle.

“I know it's pathetic,” Manami nodded. “I'm still not the Seeker that the strongest team needs.”

“Huh, do you think so?” Arakita smiled recklessly, looking at him. “You think you couldn't have stalled if it had been necessary.”

“I do,” Manami shrugged.

“Or maybe you didn't stall for time in this match because you didn't need to, huh?” Arakita prompted and raised his free hand to the side. “In fact. What do you think you'd have done if the number of points was still an important factor?”

Manami looked away in confusion.

“I don't know. It's hard to imagine,” he replied.

“I think you'd have done the right thing,” Arakita said seriously. “And even if you don't believe in yourself, others believe in you. All your problems are now only in your head, but— If you're not happy with yourself, you still have four years ahead of you.”

Hearing this, Manami looked anxiously at Arakita, who continued, “This is our last year playing, but you still have a long way to go to learn. You'll have time to become the player you want to see yourself. In the meantime, try to have some appreciation for your successes.”

Before Manami could think of an answer, Arakita left for the seventh-year dormitory, lazily swinging his bottle in the air. And he was... right. Manami still had time to get better, however... he wanted to be like that now... for them. For Fukutomi, for Toudou, Shinkai and Arakita. Did they really think that he was already strong enough to stand on the same stage as them?

It couldn't be said that Manami soon made progress in trying to find an answer to this question, or at least to do what Arakita had asked him to do — to start appreciating his successes. Manami felt as if there was a huge, almost folded puzzle in front of him, only one piece in the middle was missing.

Meanwhile outside, December was already in full swing, covering the Hogwarts grounds and the castle itself with a layer of white snow. Nothing had changed with Onoda, and Manami was still trying to go to all his classes, feeling tired and wrong.

When he came to the History of Magic on Tuesday (the first joint lesson with Ravenclaw after Saturday's match) and sat down in his place, Miyahara smiled happily at him and, while professor was absent, hurried to congratulate him on a wonderful game.

“I don't know much about Quidditch, but even I was amazed. Just like in your first game,” she said admiringly, and Manami was involuntarily surprised by her sudden ardor. “That turn was insanely dangerous. I still don't know how you managed to avoid hitting the goalpost and even catch the Snitch at this time!”

“Ah, well… I trained to be able to do that,” Manami replied a little confusedly.

“And you're doing very well,” Miyahara nodded. “All your struggles and efforts have paid off — I hope you'll no longer exhaust yourself so much in training? You know, I was very worried about you and even talked to one of your mates.”

“What?” Manami surprised. “Really? Who?”

“...Jinpachi Toudou,” Miyahara replied awkwardly looking away. “We were accidentally noticed, and after that every girl from my House wondered if I had an extra autograph from him,” she added, already displeased. “I didn't even think to take it. It's not about his popularity at all!”

“Wow, you're really something,” Manami laughed, and a couple of students from the previous row turned indignantly in his direction. “I didn't expect this from you. Sorry to make you worry. I really had a... difficult time.”

"But everything's all right now?" Miyahara asked hopefully, looking at her housemates and waving her hand, urging them to turn away. “You play so well and you can win the Cup with ease. Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes, something like that,” Manami nodded. “To return the favour. Only now... I wish I could get along with Sakamichi again. We don't really talk much with him. It's just the Quidditch thing and probably my behavior these months.”

“Oh,” Miyahara quieted, confused.

“I tried to avoid him because he reminded me of the loss of my team, I ruined everything, and now I regret. I'm such an idiot,” Manami chuckled mirthlessly. “And I can't just be happy with my Quidditch results. The guys are so well at supporting me, but I just can't believe them. I still continue to worry and feel insecure. I don't even... know if Sakamichi is proud of my game or if he doesn't care now. He doesn't say anything more about it.”

“…And that means,” Miyahara said even more quietly, looking down, “you still want to be with him? After everything that's happened.”

“Yes, of course,” Manami replied, knowing his words were true. “It must be strange, but everything that had happened has taken on some kind of abnormal significance for me. And I don't want to let go of it, because this is my first time. For the first time, something has become so important. Apparently that's what real life is all about. The pain is invigorating.”

“It's good that you found something for yourself,” Miyahara nodded. “If you really need it... Although I probably don't approve of that, but... who are we to control our feelings, right?”

“Mm,” Manami said thoughtfully. “Apparently it is so.”

Most likely, Miyahara wanted to add something else, but professor appeared and she just fell silent, preparing to take in the new lesson. For a second it seemed to Manami that he had missed some important moment that was in this conversation, but soon he forgot about everything, overcome by sleep.

The rest of the day passed almost unnoticed. After classes, Manami returned to his dormitory and, instead of doing his homework, slept until dinner. He came to the Great Hall only in the middle of this dinner, if not at the end of it, and spent a long time sitting over his plate without feeling much appetite. He didn't notice how the table of his House became almost empty. All the Gryffindors were gone too; even Onoda with his friends though they liked to linger and chat after a meal. Thinking that it was time for him to leave, Manami reluctantly ate some chocolate pudding, and as he stood he saw Yuuto sitting alone near the head of the table.

Deciding to reach him, Manami rounded the table to sit down next to him, but Yuuto was so engrossed in something that he didn't notice the intrusion. Only when Manami was very close did Yuuto shudder and abruptly slammed the thick magazine he was examining, hiding it under the table. With that, something small and bright fell to the floor, surprising Manami even more. The thing fell near the bench, bumping with a soft sound, rolled along, and Manami picked it up before Yuuto could do anything.

Wow. That was—

“It's yours… it seems?” Manami asked, glancing at blushing Yuuto, then back at the thing he was holding in his hand.

The thing was, by the way, a jar of nail polish. With a metal cap instead of a plastic one, as he saw in his mother's room. Just nail polish. Pink…

“It's not what you thought,” Yuuto muttered softly, taking the nail polish back, and with a sullen face slipped it into his robes pocket.

He also hurried to put the magazine in the bag lying next to him, but Manami slowed him down by holding it by the wrist. The cover suggested that it was a catalogue of cosmetics, but made specifically for wizards. The girl on the cover was moving and smiling, applying red lipstick to her lips.

“Fine,” Manami smiled, letting go of his hand, and Yuuto shoved the magazine into his bag in a jiffy. “It's okay if you like something like that.”

“Others might think it's weird!” Yuuto disagreed, still blushing, and turned away, as if offended.

Manami smiled again and sat down next to him.

“Well, I didn't think. It doesn't matter to me that it might be weird. I'm... even curious.”

“Why would you be?” Yuuto muttered, not turning, and, grabbing an apple lying on the table, began to fiddle its twig nervously. “You never did seem the type to be interested in such things.”

“I'm interested in that you are,” Manami shrugged. “It's indeed unusual. It has something to do with— You once tried to make Polyjuice Potion and drank it. Only... it didn't work out well.”

“Yeah,” Yuuto signed. “That's true.”

“What… did you want to become?” Manami asked cautiously, and his intuition immediately told him. “Exactly! You wanted to turn into a girl!”

“Don't shout about it to the whole room!” Yuuto was indignant. He turned and looked around uneasily.

“Wow! It's really interesting,” Manami laughed apologetically.

“Yeah. I'd probably get more attention than that,” Yuuto replied. “I'd like to create a sex change potion. I could pet a Unicorn.”

“Great,” Manami smiled again. “I hope you succeed.”

“In my dreams,” Yuuto grinned, starting to fiddle with the apple again. “It's a pity that not all dreams come true.”

“You mean your brother?” Manami stopped smiling.

“Are you just perceptive or read minds?” Yuuto asked cheerfully. “No, I get it, you predict the future.”

“Did the guys tell you?” Manami shrugged his shoulders.

“No, but I heard you warn Kuroda not to go to Hogsmeade, but he did, and now he has such a pretty face. Spell scars, you know, never go away and can't be healed,” Yuuto explained.

“Oh, you're really very attentive,” Manami nodded.

“Or maybe you're just too bright a person?” Yuuto smiled. “And you're also very lucky.”

“Lucky?” Manami chuckled involuntarily. “Why is that?”

“Because you were born two years earlier than me,” Yuuto replied, leaving the apple alone. “You were able to play on the same team with people who are dear to you. And I can't even take part in a full-fledged training session with Hayato. I envy you,” Yuuto said, moved closer and added, looking straight into the eyes. “Ma-na-mi.”

“Don't,” Manami smiled weakly in response. “Honestly, I wouldn't want anyone to be in my place. It's too much to bear.”

“Who has an easy life?” Yuuto chuckled boredly, turning away. “Everyone has their own problems and difficulties. Everyone copes in their own way. Or not,” he added and grinned. “Speaking of which, how do you like Fukutomi's plan? It's good, huh?”

“Fukutomi's plan?” Manami raised an eyebrow inquiringly. “What's that about?”

“What? You played both of your games great. Congratulations,” Yuuto said somewhat ambiguously.

“So what?” Manami still didn't understand.

“So Fukutomi asked you to return to the team for a reason,” Yuuto answered gloomily. “Perhaps he said something about friendship even... Perhaps you thought that he was supporting you and helping you in that way. I honestly don't know if that's true. If so, then he was trying to do two things at the same time. The point is that he knew you'd play better than any of the other Seekers.”

“Why would he know that?” Manami winced. He definitely didn't like Yuuto's words. “There was no way to predict that.”

“You're wrong,” Yuuto replied. “Yes it was. Especially if you're a brilliant strategist. He knew how worried you were about losing, so he decided to use your pain for the benefit of the team. He knew that you'd do everything not to lose again. No one else has as strong a motivation as you.”

“It's just your guess,” Manami objected. “You can't really say that it's true, can you?”

“Of course,” Yuuto smiled as he glanced at Manami. “For you, he may be a good guy, but for me, he's an asshole ready to do anything for his desires. He wouldn't let Hayato leave Quidditch when he felt bad. Of course, they're thick as thieves. Best buddies since childhood. And why lose one of the best Chasers on the team? It's not profitable. Maybe this is what he does to everyone?”

“No,” Manami shook his head. “Fukutomi is not that kind of person. He has forgiven me for my mistakes and my cowardice. He believed in me when I was so terribly weak. And I... believe he's doing the right thing. No matter how it looks from the outside.”

“I don't want to believe that he's doing the right thing. He took my brother away from me,” Yuuto replied bitterly. “Is that a good thing?”

“I understand,” Manami said sadly. “I'm sorry.”

“Come on,” Yuuto snorted. “I can handle it. I almost did. In a little while and I won't remember it at all. Hayato will graduate this year, and we'll only see each other again during the holidays. We'll move on as if nothing had happened.”

“And that suits you?” Manami asked quietly as Yuuto finished and throw his legs over the bench to stand.

“Does it suit me?” he asked with a laugh and, bending down, told Manami straight to his face again, “What the hell does it matter what suits me and what doesn't? It's life. It will fuck you. Sooner or later, but it will happen. And you'll be angry. Get offended. And then it will pass. It always does.”

Straightening up, Yuuto smiled at Manami's startled expression, then added, “But I'm not the one to tell you that, am I? I like that you understand me in a way, but I have pride that doesn't allow me to be humiliated.”

Manami was even more taken aback, not even knowing what to say. Yuuto didn't seem to need an answer. He just threw the bag over his shoulder and turned around, heading for the exit of the hall and leaving Manami utterly confused by this unexpected conversation, which perhaps... really had something to think about?

No, Manami didn't want to change his opinion of Fukutomi, remembering how kind the prefect and the captain of the Quidditch team had been to him even before Manami himself had become part of the team. On the other hand, was it real that Fukutomi was trying to catch two birds with one stone? Help him, Manami, save himself and do something useful for the team. Even so, Manami wasn't going to blame him for anything. He had to sort out this problem since he made it himself, and Fukutomi had in a sense done him a favour by presenting such an opportunity. And Manami— He just felt gratitude. Sincere and reverent.

By the penultimate week of December, the castle had gradually begun to be decorated for Christmas, and the training of all teams had been suspended indefinitely due to increased cold weather. Not all the guys were happy with this, of course — some, like Manami, still took their broomsticks from time to time and made short flying walks.

It was hard for him to give up flying now, especially since he'd soon have to go home for the holidays, where it was impossible to use the Firebolt at all. Manami was waiting for the day of departure, missing his mother — the opportunity to see her again warmed his heart, but the approaching holiday also reminded him of another, much less pleasant moment.

The problem was that he had never talked to Onoda. Manami didn't want them to go home without deciding anything, and he was ashamed that he hadn't been able to keep the promise he'd made to Toudou — to talk to Onoda before the holidays. But it seemed to be another inevitability, and how could Manami decide to take action when Onoda was kind of fine without him?

Onoda had wonderful friends. Wonderful Quidditch team and he really seemed happy when he was with them. Like... he didn't need anything else in this world.

It wasn't hard to believe it. Why, in fact, did Onoda need a troublesome guy like Manami? No one in their right mind would darken their lives with such strange relationships.

This made Manami feel worse every day. He lost control again, and one day, having entered the Great Hall for dinner, he couldn't stand it and immediately left because he saw the same picture again.

Toudou found him crying in the third-year's dormitory and sat next to him for an hour, hugging silently and stroking his back. Leaving, he said he'd fix everything, but Manami was so depressed that he didn't even ask how exactly Toudou was going to do it.

Everything was explained the very next day, when the Hogwarts students were packing up their things for tomorrow's trip to London. Manami was barely aware that the Christmas holidays were starting tomorrow, and was walking as if in prostration when Toudou caught him in the common room shortly before dinner and took him away from any unnecessary listeners.

“The four-eyed kid is waiting for you in the broomstick room. Right now,” Toudou said, causing Manami to instantly come to his senses and almost panic.

“What? Why is this?” he asked, not understanding anything.

“Because I made an appointment for you, you fool,” Toudou sighed irritably. “Whose fault is it that you haven't done anything? Tomorrow is the departure of the Hogwarts Express, and talking about such things on the train is, you know, kind of inappropriate.”

“Oh,” Manami was upset. “But I'm not sure I can now.”

“You can do it,” Toudou said stubbornly, grabbing his shoulders. “Just start, and then your heart will tell you what to say. Open it at last. If you don't do it now, you'll never make up your mind. Trust me that everything will be fine.”

“Okay,” Manami replied quickly, feeling that he couldn't argue with such Toudou. “But what did you say Sakamichi?”

“Said you asked me to tell you that you'll wait for him in the broomstick room,” Toudou calmed down a little, letting go.

“But I didn't ask,” Manami remarked, laughing nervously.

“You bet you didn't!” Toudou was indignant, starting to get angry again. “Quickly go to the dormitory, dress warmer and do this! And don't you dare shirk!”

Frightened by this tone, Manami hurried to his place and changed his robe to the warm cloak near his bed, and then wrapped the scarf around his neck. It turned out probably awkward and ugly, but there was no time to take care of it. He didn't want Toudou to get angry even more, especially after what he had done, and Manami, mustering all his courage, went to the meeting, which... was supposed to put an end to everything?

He didn't know if it would work, but tried to smile as he passed Toudou, heading out of the common room. Going up to the ground floor and walking to the broomstick room has become perhaps the most difficult challenge in all recent months. Manami felt his fingers trembling — he tucked his palms into the pockets of his robes, but that hardly helped to overcome the excitement. He was excited, having absolutely no idea how it would all end, but there really was no point in delaying any further. They needed to do it now. Now or never.

Having reached the right door, Manami hesitated but then, taking a deep breath, still forced himself to take the handle and slowly pull. The door was unlocked. He went inside and immediately saw Onoda in the light of wall torches. He was standing not far from his broom and apparently was also very nervous.

“H-hello,” Onoda said, hiding his hands behind his back and not daring to look into his eyes. “Toudou told me that you want to meet...”

Manami looked at him, and at that moment everything seemed to be different. The fear slowly began to evaporate, and the excitement from anxiety turned into excitement that everything could be good again. If only it really happened.

“Yes,” Manami smiled weakly, closing the door behind him. “He told me too.”

Onoda finally looked at him in confusion, but Manami didn't comment on his answer in any way. He just walked a little further towards the second door leading outside.

“Did you want to fly together?” Onoda asked.

“Hmm… Next time, okay?” Manami answered. “Now I'd just like to get some fresh air. If you don't mind.”

“…Okay,” Onoda replied in a sluggish tone, and Manami went outside.

The legs sank almost immediately in the fresh snow, but its level was still not enough to become a problem. Walking a little forward, Manami stopped and closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. The sky was already darkening and the weather was pleasant. It was cold but windless — only falling snowflakes circled slowly in the air, covering the withered grass.

“Sorry, you probably had to leave your friends on a day like this because of me,” Manami said, glancing towards the stone arch leading to the pitch below the hill. In the first year, they met in this place. How distant that time seemed now.

“Not at all,” Onoda answered quickly from behind. “Imaizumi is packing up, and Naruko's retaking Transfiguration. They don't need me yet.”

Don't need yet, Manami repeated to himself with a smile and, looking down, began to kick the snow.

“It probably sucks retaking on Saturday and even before the very holidays,” he grinned sadly.

“Yes, Naruko was very indignant about this,” Onoda agreed. “He was even swearing.”

He let out a very quiet chuckle to his last sentence, but Manami didn't feel sincerity. This whole situation and their conversation, which somehow didn't go well, began to evoke a familiar feeling of doom. And Manami could easily have gotten lost in it if Onoda hadn't suddenly begun to speak again.

“In fact,” he began too abruptly and nervously, “I've wanted to talk to you... For a long time.”

“Yes? About what?” Manami asked, feeling like a total idiot for asking these questions without even turning to face his interlocutor.

“About how I'm sick of it all,” Onoda replied, and his voice acquired a note of resolve that made Manami almost trembled. “You lied to me, avoided me, pretending that everything was fine, and when the truth came out, you were acting very strange. I don't understand you. I don't understand what you're doing. I didn't even know... what to do myself. How not to mess things up even more. I was afraid to say any extra word. I didn't know if I had the right to talk to you at all after everything that happened.”

Yes. It was all true. Truth was in every word, in every sound, and it burned like an icy northern wind in a fierce winter burned open skin. Manami shivered, forcing himself to turn around, but he couldn't look up.

“Sorry about that…” he said with difficulty.

“Don't,” Onoda objected. “Don't apologise. That's not what I need.”

“What?” Manami asked, involuntarily looking at him, and Onoda himself looked away as if in awkwardness and shame for his harsh words.

“Tell me... would you be happy if we took the field together again?”

“If not, what then?” Manami asked cautiously, glancing at Onoda.

“Then I'll quit Quidditch,” he replied, making Manami feel confused. “If it prevents me from being with you, I'll leave the team.”

“What?” Manami asked dumbfounded, not believing his ears. “No, you can't do that.”

“It will be fine,” Onoda smiled weakly, shaking his head. “Aoyagi is a great Seeker, the guys can handle it without me.”

“What have they got to do with it? YOU can't leave!” Manami panicked.

“Why not?” Onoda asked quietly and sadly.

Manami didn't see the relevance of this question at all.

“You have a talent for Quidditch. Haven't you figured it out yet?”

“Talent?” Onoda responded, looking into his eyes. The argument didn't seem to convince him at all. “I'm not sure, but it doesn't matter — I started playing just for you.”

Because I asked you, Manami remembered and, pursing his lips, looked down.

“Because we promised,” Onoda finished. “I kept my promise. What do you want? To keep it going like this? I don't agree.”

“You mustn't leave,” Manami didn't give up. “We'll play yet. I want to keep playing with you. Until graduation.”

Onoda didn't replay, and Manami got scared when he noticed the tears that appeared in his eyes.

“So that's all you care about it now?” Onoda asked in a trembling voice. “The game only? Do you want to keep playing Quidditch with me and ignore me if you lose? What should I do? Give in to you? I can't do this. I can't betray my friends and team. I owe it not only to you.”

Manami shuddered and realised that now his eyes were stinging as well.

“I'd never… ask you for this…” he said, trying not to let his voice break.

“You put me in a hopeless position!” Onoda replayed louder and more desperately. “I just wanted to be with you. Why did you have to go through all this Quidditch crap?”

“Sorry,” Manami shook his head, looking down at his feet. “I thought Quidditch was exactly what I needed, but I needed your support. I needed you to be there, and I had no clue how things could turn out. I really—” he said, feeling that he was about to really cry, “just meant well. I was terribly stupid without thinking it through. I was obsessed with the idea, and I thought everything would be fine. That we'd be just like—”

He broke off, unable to continue, and Onoda prompted, “Like Toudou and Makishima? Is that what you wanted to say? And do you think we did it? Everything was really great. You opened something new and amazing for me, for which I'm immensely grateful to you, but— How did everything turn out then? You yourself know. What's the point of putting on our shoulders something that we can't handle?”

“It's all about the positions! “Manami raised his tone and wiped his eyes casually with his sleeve. “I screwed up thinking about it too late. The positions in which they play rarely determine the outcome of the match. Their battle is only their battle.”

“We can't play in their places. Neither you nor me,” Onoda said, as if it wasn't something obvious. Manami knew all too well: Onoda was terrible at handling big balls, and he himself was no better. “It's too hard to be the one the outcome of the game depends on. So was it worth starting at all?” Onoda asked, and Manami couldn't stand it.

“I can't do anything else!” he almost shouted, stepping close, and cupped Onoda's cheeks with his palms. “Do you know how it feels... not being able to? Being weak. Not capable of anything. Before Hogwarts, I had nothing to value. I was nothing, just an empty place, you know that.”

Onoda didn't answer, but he didn't rush out either. He stayed where he was, staring into his eyes, and Manami could feel the moisture under his palms.

“Playing Quidditch as a Seeker is the only thing I can do, what I really want,” Manami continued quietly. “And it's almost the only thing that keeps me from going crazy with boredom.”

“So play without me, Sangaku,” Onoda said with a convulsive sob. “I also want to choose Quidditch, I want to continue playing, but I'm afraid of losing something more valuable. You are more important.”

“It doesn't make sense without you. I need you in Quidditch — the very thing that bound us together like nothing else could. I value this too much, so I can't let go,” Manami replied depressed and, lowering his hands, took a couple of steps back from Onoda. “Waiting for a fight with you is what I want even more than returning the Cup to my team. Only this moment makes my Quidditch complete.”

“Why do you need me only as a rival?” he asked desperately. “Why don't you need me as... as just me anymore?”

“You don't understand!” Manami objected. Tears slid down his cheeks, and he lowered his head, pressing his frozen hand to his hot face.

“What do I not understand?” Onoda's voice became quieter and more frightened. “That Quidditch is more important to you now?”

“I love you!” Manami said desperately, raising his tone, and sobbed, trying to wipe the tears from his face. “I love you...” he repeated more calmly. “That's why everything became so complicated.”

Onoda didn't answer immediately, and Manami didn't hear him come closer. Only when he felt his hands on his wrists, he shuddered and looked at Onoda with still watery eyes. Onoda smiled sadly and replied, “I'm… happy if that's the case. I just—”

“I need you,” Manami said, leaning forward, and, closing his eyes, poked his forehead on Onoda's. “Not as a rival on the field. I need you because you are, first and foremost, a part of my soul. And I still want you to be mine. I want it so badly.”

“So I'm yours, Sangaku,” Onoda replied as he lifted his head, and the tips of their noses touched. “I'm still yours, and God, I'd give a lot to see things go back to the way they were.”

“It won't be as before,” Manami said quietly, reluctantly pulling back and intercepting Onoda's right hand to squeeze it with his fingers anxiously. “But it will be different. We'll learn to be together again. We can handle... We'll date,” he added, smiling, and Onoda smiled weakly at these words. “For real. We'll be a real couple. And what happens on the Quidditch pitch won't concern us if the game is not on. I've already accepted everything. And I won't let this get in our way anymore. It doesn't matter what the result was and what it will be. If you just wait for me there, in our game, I'll accept everything.”

“It's true?” Onoda asked, looking into his eyes.

“Of course,” Manami replied. “We'll come back from home and will spend time together again. I'll tune in for this during the holidays. And you too.”

“Do you promise?” Onoda asked.

“I promise.”

“Unbreakably?”

“Do you think I won't do this?” Manami asked, almost offended.

“Just kidding. I believe you,” Onoda smiled again and, pulling his arms up, hugged his neck.

Manami hugged back, holding him greedily, feeling how much he lacked it all the time... feeling how foolish it was to deprive himself of this opportunity

“You're a part of my soul, Sakamichi,” Manami repeated in a whisper, burying his nose in the hair behind his ear.

“And you're a part of mine,” Onoda replied with a sigh. “That's why I, too… love you too.”

“Thank you… for that,” Manami thanked him, feeling his heart quickened, and this time Onoda slowly moved away, taking his face in his palms.

“No thanks for that, I suppose?”

“But it was hard for you... probably,” Manami chuckled awkwardly.

“Well...” Onoda replied somehow ambiguously, smiling and looking into his eyes.

Manami felt like he was drowning in this dark blue. He felt like a fool and at the same time the happiest in the world at this moment. No, never again would he run away. He promised himself he'd accept anything as long as Onoda stayed by his side. Just to feel his delicate, tender fingers on his skin...

“Your hands are so cold,” waking up, Manami noticed and again excitedly grabbed the palms of Onoda. “Are you cold?”

“Not really,” he shrugged his shoulders and suddenly jumped worriedly on the spot. “Exactly! I completely forgot,” he said and began to look for something in the pockets of his robes.

After a couple of seconds, Onoda took out something small and knitted, and then handed it to Manami.

“Here. In case I don't have time to give it tomorrow. Merry Christmas, Sangaku.”

Manami blinked in embarrassment as he looked at the neat black mittens with silver embroidered stripes. On the cuff of each was sewn a small red satin ribbon bow. It looked very pretty.

“Oh, thanks, Sakamichi. They're wonderful,” Manami came to his senses and, taking the gift, put mittens on his hands. “It's great, they aren't even ticklish.”

“Mom knitted them,” Onoda laughed embarrassedly. “I asked her in summer, in advance... To give it to you later.”

“Your mom's a real craftswoman. Give her my thanks.”

“I will. Glad you liked it. And she'll be glad too.”

“Oh,” Manami suddenly stopped smiling. “Guess what I did—”

“What?” Onoda asked in surprise.

“I forgot to make you a present again, I'm sorry!” Manami admitted, folding his palms in a pleading gesture, but Onoda only laughed.

“Oh, you mean it. I didn't expect it from you in time. But... in the end you always do what you have to. Sooner or later.”

“After the holidays, okay?” Manami said, still thinking that he was badly guilty.

“Okay,” Onoda nodded with a smile and hugged him again. “I'll miss you.”

“I'll text you a lot,” Manami promised. “So you won't forget about me for a day.”

“How can I?” Onoda grinned, pressing closer. “I said I love you.”

“You love me,” Manami repeated, feeling foolishly happy that his heart had told him the right words and that Onoda had returned the favour.

“Yes, that's how it is.”

Manami smiled and buried his nose in Onoda's scarf. His closeness warmed Manami's soul, and his gift warmed Manami's frozen hands, and it was the best start to the evening of the last day of school this year. Manami didn't dare to wish more.

Chapter Text

“You won't stop playing Quidditch, will you?” Manami asked, coming to his senses abruptly.

His head was still sweetly dizzy from the happiness that he had experienced and that still echoed in him. He and Onoda went back to the broomstick room, both a little chilled from the cold, and Manami couldn't hold back a new smile when he raised his hands in warm mittens and tried to gently brush the snowflakes from Onoda's hair.

“Uh… no,” Onoda replied, looking embarrassedly into Manami's eyes, and then did the same — he tried to shake off the snow from his hair and scarf. “We have cleared the things up, and I like being on the team. Plus... I didn't know you still wanted to play with me. To be honest, it struck me at first when you started talking about it. Everything indicated that you regretted our Quidditch deal and—”

“We should have started with this in the first place,” Manami laughed awkwardly, hiding his hands behind his back. “I heard that you didn't want to play, and I panicked, trying to tell you about reasons for you to stay that wouldn't be related to me, since I… ruined your mood. And even if I regretted calling you, then everything changed. Toudou spent a lot of time to trying to change my mind, and I realised that I was acting so idiotic. Today I told the truth — I really want to meet you again on the field because it's moments like this that make me happy. Because it's you that I want to see next to me. And you... I found that desire again when I saw your match against Hufflepuff. You were so amazing at catching the Snitch...”

“Not at all!” Onoda got worried. “I almost screwed up, and at first I couldn't stop thinking why you came to support me. That's not me at all — you're amazing! I was just breathtaking at your games! I was so amazed at how you grew up that I couldn't sleep after that. I am very... proud of you, Sangaku.”

Manami couldn't stand it. He grabbed Onoda, clutching him in his embrace again, and Onoda, exhaling noisily, hugged him back, tightly squeezing his hands on Manami's back.

“I'm happy,” Manami said, burying his face in Onoda's scarf slightly damp from melted snowflakes. “I'm so happy that I think I'm going to explode.”

“Eh?” Onoda squeaked quietly and in surprise.

“It's all because of you,” Manami replied, not wanting to let go for a second. “God, I'm just going crazy. I really wanted to hear you say that. You put everything in its place. The missing piece of my puzzle. The most important piece...”

Onoda exhaled again, keeping his chin on Manami's shoulder, and this moment became another of the most magical and most incredible of the evening. Once again, Manami felt himself taken off the ground, flying. He had no idea that he could be so good. Like he had never felt before in his life.

“You're really amazing...” Onoda spoke quietly, slowly letting go and moving away. Manami unclenched his hands reluctantly but was comforted by the fact that Onoda was still close enough and kept his palms on his elbows. “If after everything that's happened, you're saying all this now… I thought it would take me a whole year for you to forgive me, but you— You overcame it all on your own. It's really amazing if you found the strength to meet me halfway and give us a chance again when you were in such pain...”

“I am the only one to blame here,” Manami replied with an embarrassed laugh. “Because I didn't tell you about all my feelings at once. I should have started fighting earlier, not running away. I was stupid. And... even if my feelings were painful, I began to treat them differently. I realised that it was really important to me. You and Quidditch. It's my life now. It's what I've always wanted to find!”

Onoda's cheeks flushed red. He lowered his eyes in confusion, and a faint but joyful smile appeared on his face.

“So am I. All of this is important to me too,” he said quietly. “This is my life now.”

“It's so great that we came to this together. Isn't it?” Manami smiled back.

“Y-yes. I'd have been nothing if it weren't for you, and I'm very grateful that you supported me,” Onoda said and pursed his lips for a second. “Tha—”

He broke off, forcing himself to shut up, but Manami already knew what he should have heard. And now he felt that he could answer it correctly.

“You're welcome,” so Manami said, tilting his head with a smile, and Onoda, looking up, calmed down, not noticing any hint of distress on his face.

Taking off the mittens from the warmed palms and carefully putting them into the pocket of his robe, Manami again pulled his hands to Onoda, and they stood in the middle of the broomstick room hugging each other for probably half an hour, if not more. Only fatigue and hunger made them finally move away from each other and agree that it was better to go to the Great Hall before dinner was completely over.

All the way Manami held Onoda's hand, feeling the pacifying warmth of his palm, and let go only at the door. Then they had to separate to the tables of their Houses, which made Manami feel a little sad, but he cheered himself up with the thought that things were working out and they could spend a lot of time together. They could start right after the holidays.

After taking his seat and unwrapping the scarf from his neck, Manami took up his meal and hardly noticed that some of his fellows from his House had already finished their dinner and left the hall. He still felt incredibly light and good, and now he was beginning to feel something else as well. Gratitude. Filling him, so endless. But not only to Onoda, who took him back. There was a person without whom this conversation wouldn't have taken place at all. Without whom Manami, most likely, would have been stuck in the sea of his pain and rejection, having no chance to get out of it. He had to say 'thank you' to this person.

Manami straightened up. He turned his head, trying to notice Toudou, but he wasn't at the table, and neither were the other seventh year boys — so he too had long since finished his dinner and left.

Hoping to find him in the common room, Manami got up and moved to the exit, but couldn't resist and finally turned his head towards the Gryffindor table anyway. Onoda was still in his seat, but he was sitting alone, building an elaborate pyramid of apples and oranges for some reason. The topmost apple rolled away. Onoda caught it, glanced at Manami as if sensing his gaze, and pursed his lips in embarrassment.

Smiling and raising his hand for a couple of seconds, Manami left the hall and hurried to the dungeons, torn with a desire to talk to Toudou as soon as possible. But he didn't have to go down the stairs to find his goal. Back in the corridor, Manami heard something strange and suspicious — someone's approaching screams. Very soon some kids on brooms flew past him, which completely threw him off balance, forcing him to press his back against the wall so as not to become a living obstacle.

Arakita was running right behind the troublemakers. Fukutomi and Toudou were also pursuers. Arakita even grabbed his wand and after a deafening shout Stop! he blurted out some kind of spell, which in fact was forbidden. As well as flying on a broomstick in the corridors of the castle, apparently. Cool! Manami thought, feeling that he wanted to try it too.

Mentally scolding himself for this thought, he smiled and realised that one had lagged behind — and it was Toudou. He stopped nearby, palms on his knees and breathing heavily. Manami approached him.

“These first-years are quite brazen,” Toudou hissed with difficulty, straightening up and pressing his wrist to his mouth.

“This is a fun place to be!” Manami said, giving his presence away, and Toudou jumped up in dismay.

“Where are you from?” he turned around. “You want to send me to the afterlife?”

“Is it forbidden to fly in the corridors on brooms?” Manami asked, trying to put on a harmless expression.

“Of course it is,” Toudou snorted, lifting his chin. “Are you still in doubt?”

“No, no,” Manami shrugged his shoulders, and then, remembering Onoda's gift, put his hand into the pocket of his robe and pulled out his mittens. “Look, Jinpachi, Sakamichi gave them to me!”

Toudou calmed down and glanced at the outstretched mittens.

“Oh,” he said, somehow confused, looking up at Manami. “It's cute. So you did talk to him.”

“Of course I did,” Manami laughed, dropping his hand. “You looked at me so sternly — how could I not do it?”

“Talking about Quidditch?” Toudou asked condescendingly, folding his arms across his chest.

“Yeah,” Manami nodded. “It really wasn't scary as you said! We talked, and it turns out that Sakamichi wants me more than playing Quidditch,” he chuckled awkwardly.

Toudou melted. He stepped closer and raised his hands with a joyful smile to pat Manami's cheeks.

“How lovely,” Toudou said contentedly. “What lovely silly children you are!”

“Oh,” Manami moaned from pain, but Toudou pulled his hands away faster than he began to struggle.

"I hope you told him everything he needed to?" Toudou asked, still smiling.

“I did,” Manami confirmed, pressing his hand to his flaming cheek. “I… even said something that I had never thought of before that day.”

“M?” Toudou raised an eyebrow questioningly and stopped smiling.

“I have to thank you,” Manami smiled weakly, his eyes downcast. “After all, you told me to open up. And I should have opened myself first of all to myself.”

“What are you babbling?” Toudou asked, a little annoyed, and Manami pressed his hand to his chest, clenching the cloth of his robes in his fist.

“Thank you, Jinpachi,” he said, feeling the pleasant and quivering warmth flow through his heart again. “Thank you very much. I think I got it. I learned something new today...”

Toudou said nothing, and it was hard to guess what kind of emotion was on his face now. Manami didn't really care. He was drowning. Gasping for breath. Right at this moment. In his feelings and memories of Onoda's arms, of his embrace.

“The strongest bond,” Manami breathed out, trying not to cry over emotions, “that arises between people. When you can't live without him, when you don't want to do anything without him. When you feel an insane desire to hold this person. So tight. And never let go. To share everything with him... Is this that special love? That's what I called it.”

“…You did everything right,” Toudou answered quietly after a little more silence. “You're great for letting this finally break free. I'm proud of you.”

“And you—” Manami smiled and sobbed, actually starting to choke. “Do you feel the same about Makishima?”

“…Will it reassure you if I say yes? Toudou replied, and Manami clutched the robe tighter on his chest.

“Yeah... It's so great. This is a feeling in my heart. It feels like it's bursting, but at the same time I feel so good that I want it to continue. That's why... you're kissing him?” Manami asked, letting out a short breath.

“Yes,” Toudou agreed. And that's why too.

“Is that why kissing feels right and pleasant?”

“Yes. Because you feel for the person what you described. Everything becomes right and desired. Whatever you do.”

“I wish I could try too,” Manami smiled, feeling better and relaxing his hand.

“You will have a lot of kisses,” Toudou sighed wearily and put his hand on Manami's shoulder. “You'll have a lot of time and a lot of opportunities. Now I'm sure of it.”

“It's all thanks to you,” Manami said cheerfully.

“No. You did everything yourself. I just gave you a little push,” Toudou corrected with a smile, and they both turned their heads at the approaching voices. It seemed Arakita was grumbling.

He and Fukutomi were on their way, and they were leading the very boys who were trying to fly down the corridor on broomsticks by the scruff of the neck. The broomsticks were taken away from them — Arakita and Fukutomi carried them in their free hands.

“Oh, we did it,” Toudou said, putting his fists in his hips.

“We barely caught them. Nimble kids,” Arakita said displeasedly, pushing one of the boys forward, who Manami, to his surprise, recognised as Yuuto.

He was gloomy and offended, but when he met Manami's gaze, he smiled briefly, and Manami smiled back. What would that mean?

“Losing points at the very end of the term,” Toudou said dejectedly as the guys walked past, apparently heading for the broomstick room.

The first-years weren't given their own keys, Manami recalled. So they found a way... Oh. Not. It was just that he and Onoda forgot to lock the door after leaving. It turned out that Yuuto and his accomplice decided to take advantage of this and arrange an act of rebellion. Very interesting. It was good that he began to communicate with some of his peers.

Catching himself at this thought, Manami involuntarily laughed, causing Toudou to get questioning looks.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. It's just that Yuuto is funny,” Manami replied with a shake of his head as they headed downstairs to the common room together.

“Funny?” Toudou asked indignantly. “Because of him, Juichi took points off the House. And this isn't the first time.”

“Was there something else?” Manami asked, a little surprised.

“He was skipping classes. I think he did it on purpose,” Toudou replied. “He also set fire to one of his classmates' textbooks.”

“What?” Manami blinked. “Why?”

“It seems they tried to ask him something about Hayato,” Toudou replied with a shrug, and Manami fell silent, bowing his head.

He had never heard of anything like that. And Yuuto seemed to have more problems than Manami could have imagined. Yuuto... wanted to prove something to someone? Or—

It was difficult to say something straightforward. Manami felt confused, but when he returned to his dormitory, he forgot everything because Sleepy flew in to him after a long time, and Manami spent a few minutes thinking about some cute note for Onoda.

Then he fell asleep quickly and with the pleasant realisation that they were really going to be all right now even if he hadn't really hoped for it anymore. A real fairy tale seemed to have happened to him. Or maybe... it was just love that could to fix what seemed incorrigible and could soothe the suffering heart.

Manami took almost nothing for the trip. He had the bag where he put the sweets he had bought the last time he'd been in Hogsmeade. He was out of pocket money, so he assumed that he'd have nothing to eat on the train when he got hungry — he had to take the remaining chocolates and sweets with him. Most of all, of course, Manami wanted to take the Firebolt with him, but there was no point in that, given that he wouldn't be able to fly at home anyway and would be back soon. When he returned, he'd be able to fly with Onoda. Again. Like they did last year.

These fantasies were so enjoyable that Manami couldn't stop returning to them in his thoughts from time to time. He constantly dropped out of reality, and only when the carriages brought the students to the station, was he able to come to his senses a little. On the train, Manami wanted to occupy one compartment with Yuuto again, maybe try to ask him about the cases that Toudou had told about yesterday, but, as he could see, Yuuto was already in the company of other boys and was apparently going to go with them.

Manami didn't feel upset about that — he was sure that he'd still have the chance to talk to Yuuto, and decided to go in the same compartment with Kuroda and Izumida, where it was always spacious and he could ask for a place to sleep. This time, however, another guy joined them — that tall fellow student of Kuroda and Izumida, but that still didn't stop Manami from lying on the seat since the guys settled down in the next seat, starting a game of cards.

That was why, towards the end of the journey, Manami got a good sleep and was also pleasantly surprised when Izumida gave him a delicious sandwich and a bottle of pumpkin juice. Manami left the carriage refreshed and well-fed, with a great mood, which became even better when he met his mother on the platform.

In London, in contrast to Hogwarts, the weather was warm and there was no snow at all. Nevertheless, the station was decorated for Christmas, which reminded Manami that he'd have to remember to ask Mom for money and buy presents for Onoda and the others.

She, as usual, drove him home in her car, and Manami, finally cheered up, as usual began to distract her, telling about everything that had happened in the last month at school. About the unscheduled Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, how he'd won again, and how he'd finally made up with Onoda.

“And you didn't even get to meet any amazing beast?” Mom asked with a laugh, keeping her eyes on the road as they drove under the lamplights, and Manami was puzzled.

“An amazing beast?”

“Yeah. Like the one you defeated with your wand last year,” Mom reminded, and Manami also laughed, involuntarily admitting that he had had enough impressions this term without incident.

Waking up the next morning wasn't easy. Back home, Manami went to bed rather late due to his mom letting him play the new console which was a bit of a premature Christmas present. It wasn't surprising that Manami slept until almost two o'clock in the afternoon, and then it took him a long time to finally wake up. He responded to a text from Onoda, which he had gotten as early as eleven, and after eating breakfast, he got engrossed in his new console again, settling into the decorated living room, where his mother had put up a tall Christmas tree.

It wasn't until six o'clock that he remembered that he actually had something important to do. His mother had said she'd be back from work at half past eight to finish the holiday dinner, and she had also given him money for presents last night. Which, of course, Manami still hadn't bought though he had planned to go and get them as soon as he woke up.

And even though he couldn't send all the presents on time, he decided to go for them now and got ready to go outside. The sky had already darkened noticeably by that time, but there were Christmas decorations and bright lights everywhere, so visibility was no problem.  There were a lot of people walking along the pavements despite the fact that everyone was supposed to be at home making final preparations for the festivities at home. Manami headed to the centre of the town, mentally guessing how few cool gifts would be left if he delayed going shopping even longer. On the other hand, he still couldn't find anything amazing for his friends or Onoda. Perhaps it was because he was choosing gifts made by Muggles.

He should have saved money and bought presents in Hogsmeade beforehand, Manami thought frowning a little, as he walked down the busy street. He wanted to go to the store, but loud voices somewhere ahead distracted him, and he realised that there was a fair. And most likely Christmas fair. This suggested that he'd be able to buy everything there, and Manami decided to try his luck, taking advantage of the bearable weather.

For about an hour he wandered past brightly colored tents with various goods. Christmas carols were heard almost everywhere, as well as the laughter of children who came here with their parents. The air here smelled of dampness and sweets, which gradually worked up Manami's appetite, but he didn't allow himself to spend the money on himself. What if there wasn't enough for all the presents?

Unfortunately, he still had little experience with choosing Christmas presents. He bought themed souvenirs and treats as before, remaining not entirely satisfied, but he wanted to give Onoda something special again. Just what?

Manami thought for a long time, passing by the tents for the second time, and then he accidentally came across boxes with red and white striped caramel canes, and he suddenly remembered that Onoda had given him the same kind of canes the first Christmas they had had together. They had agreed to meet at King's Cross station that time. Manami stole the money for the ticket at home, left without warning his mother, and then went with Onoda to Makishima's house for an important conversation. It was so funny and pleasant to remember this now. They were just kids at the time, and Manami felt a dizzying sympathy for cute Onoda. But now he felt completely different. Grown up definitely. Having lived through something that had turned his world upside down twice. It was impossible to be the same after something like that. But Manami was really grateful. He had an amazing, painful but at the same time instructive experience. He had fallen in love for real and realised that he'd never have agree to change something in his story. Because everything had happened exactly as it should to move forward with renewed vigor, toward something even more amazing.

It was sentimental. And to some extent even silly. Manami found himself in front of the sweet stall actually buying a box of these candy canes, feeling like he wanted to give Onoda what Onoda had given him when they were just getting started.

After that, Manami finally felt a sense of completion and exhaled with relief, realising that he could go home. He took out his phone to check the time, and noticed a missed call from his mother. Apparently, she had already returned and was busy with dinner. Quickly texting her that he'd be coming soon too, Manami, carrying his heavy bag, headed towards the ornate archway leading to the exit. Hungry completely, he thought about what delicious meals his mother'd make, but not far from the very last tents, he slowed down again when he saw two elementary school students quarreling in front of a counter with Christmas decorations. They involuntarily reminded Manami of Naruko and Imaizumi, and when he accidentally looked up, he remembered someone else—

In addition to decorations and connected sparkling lights, the tent also had various children's costumes, offering the chance to feel like a reindeer or a gnome, in all likelihood. The topmost row of merchandise on the wall consisted of all sorts of masks, and weren't only on the Christmas theme. There were several Halloween ones, and another one amused Manami a lot because it was a cartoonish little girl's face. Manami thought about giving one to Yuuto as a joke, and reached for his wallet again.

However, as it turned out, he didn't have enough for a mask. Moreover, he had already bought a souvenir for Yuuto, and it was best to just give up the sudden idea, but when Manami went home, he began to feel that he still wanted to come back for this mask.

At home, his mother came out to meet him in the hallway when the door slammed shut, and Manami tiredly placed the bag, which was already making his shoulder ache, on top of the dresser.

“Hi honey. Did you go shopping for presents?” his mother smiled, wiping her dirty hands on a long apron, worn over her home dress. “Did you have enough money for everything?”

“Yes,” Manami answered, unbuttoning his jacket and simultaneously pulling off his boots, stepping on the backs. “But at the very end, I wanted to buy an extra present for Yuuto, which I didn't have enough for. Maybe if you add some, I'll go back to the fair and buy it.”

“It's getting late, Sangaku,” Mom said anxiously. “And it will take you almost an hour — to go to the fair and come back. You can come there in a couple of days and buy whatever you want. They'll still be working.”

“I want it now,” Manami replied stubbornly and made the most pleading expression on his face. “Please.”

“It really can wait,” Mom frowned, knowing perfectly well what he was trying to do. “What did you find there that makes you want to go back right now?”

“It's just a mask,” Manami smiled.

“Mask?” Mom was puzzled.

“Yes. It is put on the face. Like a carnival mask!” Manami explained a little excitedly.

“If you want it right now, made it yourself,” Mom grinned, turning towards the kitchen.

“Huh?” Manami said at a loss.

“Papier-mâché,” Mom said. “In elementary school, you did well when you were assigned art projects. And a gift made with your own hands will be much more pleasant to receive than a purchased one.”

“Oh,” Manami realised, and the idea immediately captured him.

So much so that, without even changing into home clothes, he sat down in the living room to work, finding everything he needed in the closets. He remembered well what the mask looked like, and he had no trouble drawing a rough final version for himself.

With the sound of the TV on, Manami was finishing the base of the mask at the moment when the doorbell rang. They didn't seem to be waiting for anyone, Manami didn't take his eyes off his work, knowing that his mother would come and take a look herself. But as soon as the door opened, it dawned on him. It was not just a guest.

Putting the mask on the glue-stained newspapers, Manami sprang to his feet and after a few seconds was in the hallway, not believing his eyes.

“Hey, little one! Merry Christmas!” Toudou exclaimed happily, holding up a bulky red sack tied with a white ribbon in his hand.

Manami blinked in amazement and smiled. Was it true? It was now Toudou in front of him, dressed a nice coat and a red Christmas hat. What a Father Christmas, coming to greet the child! Except... Manami wasn't really a child any more.

“How did you get here?” Manami asked cheerfully. “You couldn't come all the way out here for me, could you? You got the address from somewhere!”

“Of course, the prefect has the addresses of all the students of the House!” Toudou said with an air of importance. “And I also learned to Apparate!”

“To travel instantly?” Manami was surprised, remembering that he had already heard this word somewhere before.

“That's just wonderful! Congratulations!” the joyful voice of his mother, who was still standing here, interrupted him, and Toudou blushed, quieted down. “Please come in, make yourself at home.”

“Thank you,” Toudou said awkwardly, closing the door behind him. “I won't disturb you for long.”

“What are you talking about?” Mom laughed embarrassedly. “You can stay as long as you want. I can set the table for three.”

“You don't have to,” Toudou worried. “I really can't stay. I need to go home to my family.”

“Oh, I see,” Mom nodded, and Manami could hardly keep from laughing at them.

Soon, Toudou finally took off his shoes and coat so he could be led into the living room, and Mom returned to the kitchen, saying that she'd burn the meat if she didn't hurry back.

“What have you got here?” Toudou asked, reaching for Manami and tearing a piece of paper off his cheek.

“Oh, this. I'm making a mask!” Manami smiled and dragged Toudou by the elbow into the living room.

“A mask? What kind of a mask?” Toudou didn't understand, and when he got to the living room, he looked around in confusion. Right — this must be the first time he'd ever been in an ordinary Muggle house.

“It's a Christmas present for Yuuto,” Manami waved off, sitting down on the sofa in front of the TV. “It's so great that you came! I forgot that you said something about the Apparition class at the beginning of the year. Have you taken the test yet?”

“Not yet,” Toudou replied reluctantly. “But I do better than anyone in the class,” he added not without showing off and also sat down on the sofa, placing the sack he had brought between himself and Manami.

“What is there?” Manami asked curiously. “Presents?”

“What else could it be, you fool? I even found the appropriate bag,” Toudou smiled and untied the ribbon. “I have all the presents for you from the boys in our team.”

Manami looked inside with interest and saw various boxes and packages with notes glued to them. It looked very cool.

“Wow! It's all for me? So much!” he admired.

“Yeah,” Toudou nodded and reached into the inside pocket of his unbuttoned jacket. “And something from me as well.”

Manami blinked in disbelief as he realised what Toudou had pulled out. It was a Golden Snitch. With hidden wings, just like the real one. No, it was like that — Manami wouldn't mistake it.

“Did you buy a Snitch for me?” he asked, glancing anxiously at Toudou. “But they're expensive!”

“No way,” Toudou chuckled. “Why would I buy a Snitch for you? This one is yours — you caught it in your first game this year,” he explained, and Manami gasped.

“Really? But... Mr. Kanzaki always picks them up after the game.”

“He does,” Toudou agreed. “But I went up to him that day and very politely asked him to give it to me.”

“Wow,” Manami rejoiced, holding out his hand. “It's so cool. Thank.”

The golden ball released its wings when Manami took it, and a few seconds later it opened, letting him see that Manami was indeed the one who touched it with unprotected skin first.

It was funny. Now he could say he had his own little hiding place where he could hide something, and no one could get hold of the thing but himself.

“Can I really keep it?” Manami asked as the Snitch closed again and hid its wings.

“Yes, of course,” Toudou nodded.” Just be careful not to let it go anywhere so the Muggles don't see.”

“Yeah, okay,” Manami promised.

He looked up at the sound of footsteps — it was his mother, who entered the room with a large tray. She set it down on the coffee table in front of the sofa, a tea service and a few pieces of cake on it.

“If you can't stay for dinner, have at least some tea,” Mom said to Toudou. “I have to thank you somehow for taking care of my son.”

“Oh, I… agree,” Toudou replied, apparently unable to refuse.

Mom, meanwhile, sat down in a chair with a smile, and Manami was the first to grab a piece of cake, abruptly remembering that he hadn't eaten since returning from the fair.

“You seem to have mastered Apparition the fastest,” Mom said, looking at Toudou again. “As far as I know, the course ends after winter is over.”

“Right,” Toudou replied a little nervously, probably thinking he'd be told off, but Mom just smiled again.

“That's very commendable. You've probably always been a good student.”

Manami, hearing this, laughed uncontrollably, almost choking on the cake, which made Toudou look threateningly at him.

“I'm doing my best,” Toudou replied, deciding to keep himself busy with tea, and raised a cup to his mouth.

“And you're a graduate this year,” Mom continued. “Have you already decided what you want to do after school?”

“Well, I'll try to get into my parents' business,” Toudou replied unwillingly. “They don't leave me much choice, really.”

Stopping chewing, Manami put the cake saucer on the table, leaned back on the sofa and reached into his hoodie pocket to squeeze the Snitch. Surely Toudou didn't want to get in his parents' business. He'd rather play Quidditch. With Makishima.

“That's not what he'd like,” Manami said dryly when everyone was silent. “He'd rather play Quidditch with a special person. Or just be with him.”

“Sangaku, I don't think it's worth talking about this...” Toudou asked tensely, but Manami felt annoyed and mildly irritated.

“Why?” he asked, frowning involuntarily. “What is it about you loving someone? She knows. Yes, mom?” raising his head, Manami looked at his little bewildered mother. “I've explained to you why I ran away on Christmas in my first year. I wanted Toudou not to lose the person he needed.”

“I remember, honey. It's all right,” Mom smiled faintly. “I understand what you're trying to say.”

“Would it be all right if I did?” Manami asked, inhaling deeply. “You won't be mad at me if I choose the one I want?”

Mom opened her mouth, as if she wanted to ask something, and closed it without uttering a word.

“I fell in love,” Manami said, ignoring the fact that Toudou was even more nervous. “And I want to be with Sakamichi. We agreed to date.”

After that, there was silence in the living room. Only a commercial for some kind of Christmas show was buzzing on the television, but that could hardly make things any easier. Manami stared intently at the floor, feeling more stubborn than ever before, and it was only now that he thought about what he said although he should have thought before. What was he trying to achieve?

“I'm just trying to be honest,” he said, breaking the silence first, and looked up at his puzzled mom. “It's better that you know about it right away than sometime in the future, when your disapproval hurts me much more than it does now.”

Because I'm sure I'll get even more attached to him. It's an inevitability.

“Well… okay,” Mom said finally, still looking confused. “You can be with whoever you want.”

“Really?” Manami was delighted. “Wow!”

“Really,” Mom nodded, trying to smile. “I think I can understand you. It's hard when someone close to you is against your union with someone. I don't want you to have this feeling.”

Toudou finally showed some signs of life. He let out a sigh of relief, clutching at his heart.

“I only planned to give presents, but I almost got a heart attack,” he said, and Manami, unable to restrain himself, laughed, noticing his mother pressing her fingers to her mouth with a smile as well.

Toudou, of course, didn't stay for long, as he said. He was about to leave in fifteen minutes, and Manami almost forgot to give him the gift he had bought.

“Thank you for visiting me! And for a wonderful gift too!” Manami thanked already in the hallway.

Toudou sighed wearily as he put on his coat.

“You certainly did find the best time for confessions. Did you have to drag me into it?”

“Well, you did give me the idea to confess,” Manami replied cheerfully. “And you give me courage. As always. Without you, I'd hardly have dared.”

“Oh Merlin, okay,” Toudou resigned himself and, raising his hand, gently patted Manami's hair. “I'm glad it ended well at least. My nervous system wouldn't have survived someone else's family scandal on Christmas. I have worried about you too much and often.”

“Sorry about that,” Manami smiled apologetically. “I promise I won't bother you anymore. Everything will be all right now. I'll deal with all the difficulties that get in the way, and I'll do the right thing. Therefore, nothing terrible will happen again.”

“Glad to hear that,” Toudou replied contentedly. “I'll see you after the holidays in that case.”

Manami nodded cheerfully and saw Toudou took a step back to disappear so quickly that he couldn't blink.

He left, and Manami dropped his eyes with a trembling smile, clutching the Snitch in his hoodie pocket again. Confirmation that all his suffering and all his struggles weren't in vain. Now he felt even more strongly that he wanted to continue playing further though to do so, of course, he'd have to wait until the end of the holidays, and then the resumption of training.

Thinking about it, Manami cheered up and headed back to the living room. He was going to work on the mask a little longer before Mom called him in for dinner.

Chapter Text

Finally, Manami had at least one winter holiday which he spent without unpleasant illnesses like colds or flu. Perhaps this was due to the surprisingly cold weather that had persisted all the time of the holiday — because of it Manami spent most of his days at home, entertaining himself with games and the Internet. In addition, he texted Onoda every night, and their conversation the night before he left for home kept coming back to mind. In his thoughts it seemed to acquire new colours, and the moments seemed to stretch out, allowing him to feel them better, and the excitement that came along with this made Manami's heart inevitably begin to accelerate. All of this... really was something special. And as the day of returning to school drew nearer, this feeling only increase.

He promised to tune in during the holidays for a new beginning for them, and it had turned out perhaps even too successfully because the desire to see Onoda again has never been so vivid. Manami didn't even know how he'd be able to restrain himself, and he thought that he'd go looking for him already on the Hogwarts Express, just to look into his eyes and read the return confidence in them...

And so it happened.

When his mother brought him to King's Cross station on the day of the trip and walked him to the train, Manami decided to lighten his bag first. He went to the compartment occupied by his older Quidditch teammates and handed them small Christmas presents, apologising for the delay. Everyone was in good spirits after the holidays, and only Arakita seemed unhappy with the start of the new term. The final exams were approaching for all of them, Manami had to remember, and he held his gaze on Toudou, thinking again that he wanted to ask him personally about his future. About the relationship with Makishima, in particular. He'd have to choose a convenient moment and—

“By the way, by the way, how was birthday?” Toudou asked suddenly, interrupting the conversation between Shinkai and Fukutomi. Manami was involuntarily surprised as he turned his attention to another subject. Who had a birthday? Did he miss something?

“Just fine,” Shinkai replied, turning to Toudou. “This time, Yuuto invited a couple of kids from the school that he was friends with. Mom was glad though I had to help her with food. We were both exhausted, but Yuuto was pleased.”

“Did Yuuto have a birthday?” Manami smiled, finally grasping what was being said.

“Yes,” Shinkai confirmed, nodding. “In the end of December. Didn't he tell you?”

“No,” Manami replied, still smiling, and this information he had just heard made the situation much funnier, considering that he had as many as two presents for Yuuto in his bag.

“It's time for me to go to the Head Boy and then to the Head,” Fukutomi announced, rising from his seat. “I'll bring a new timetable.”

“Which will get worse than it was,” Arakita grumbled softly as Fukutomi walked past him and opened the compartment door.

The train had been on its way for about ten minutes, and Manami thought that now would be a good time to do what he wanted — all the students should have already settled in their seats, and finding something that wasn't moving would be much easier.

“I also need to go somewhere, but I leave my bag,” he said, slipping into the pocket of his unbuttoned jacket the pack of caramel canes which was meant for Onoda in response to his cute present and timely, unlike Manami's one.

Arakita, looking tired, removed his outstretched legs from the aisle again, and Manami slipped outside, finding himself in an empty corridor. He had no idea where to look for Onoda, but near this carriage they hadn't cross path when boarding, so it should have been assumed that it was better to try his luck elsewhere. Therefore, Manami decisively headed forward, planning to move to the next carriage, and maybe he'd indeed get lucky and bump into Onoda in the corridor, as if by a dictate of fate.

It was silly, of course, to expect something like this. Manami had to move on, trying not to be too noticeable when he glanced at the compartment with the doors ajar. There were a lot of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs in the next carriage, which made the conversations there much louder, but Naruko's voice Manami'd know anywhere, and where Naruko was, it was very likely that Onoda'd have been there as well.

Delighted, Manami pushed aside the right door, where a new familiar exclamation was heard from, and looked inside just at the moment when Naruko emotionally jumped up from his seat, showing something with his hands.

 “And that's when I grab him! Oh, not that—” he quickly changed in his mood, as soon as he saw the intruder. “It's that Veela with its charms again!”

“What?” Manami chuckled awkwardly when he heard the unfamiliar word.

But Onoda was really here. He was sitting not far from Imaizumi, placing the cage with Sleepiy between them. The owl hooted as if to say hello, looking at Manami, and Onoda quickly jumped to his feet as well.

“Sangaku!” he said somehow too excitedly. “Hi, I—”

Manami didn't have time to answer — Onoda suddenly grabbed his elbow and hastily led him along the corridor, as if a fire had broken out in the compartment (though it was quite appropriate to say so about Naruko's excitement). They stopped near the toilet, and only then did Onoda calm down a little and exhale with relief, poking his forehead into Manami's shoulder for a couple of seconds.

“Sakamichi,” Manami said, feeling a little uncomfortable again.

“I'm sorry,” Onoda replied, raising an embarrassed look. “I didn't think you'd come. Naruko's again—”

“Yeah. Who was the one he grabbed?” Manami laughed, but he wasn't curious about Onoda's friend. He was staring at Onoda, who suddenly looked confused, but at the same time he looked incredibly cute and charming.

So much so that he wanted to squeeze him in his arms right now, but this desire wasn't at all the same as before. Manami understood and was ready to shudder at the realisation that he was experiencing something more. He felt a thirst. A need.

“Oh, this?” Onoda finally woke up. “He was telling how he found a gnome in the garden, there's a whole story about vegetables, younger brothers and—”

“And—” Manami repeated, smiling, while Onoda looked into his eyes intently and as if hypnotised.

“And the problem began in the fall, in fact— Naruko and his brothers figured it out— Sangaku—”

“Sakamichi,” Manami breathed out in response and, coming close, nevertheless hugged Onoda to him, hugging and rather burying his face in his shoulder. “I missed you,” he admitted, feeling a thrill that made his pulse quicken and his head became cloudy and light. No gnomes or younger brothers.

“Yes, me too,” Onoda said quietly, putting his hands on Manami's back. “I really missed you.”

“I already thought that the holidays would never end. I even wanted to go to you but narrowly restrained myself. So our agreement—”

“I've been ready for a long time. I'm always ready,” Onoda replied, and Manami reluctantly moved away to look into his face.

“To accept me?”

“Yes. That's what I want most of all,” Onoda smiled sadly, taking his palms on Manami's hands and then dropping them. “The most important thing is that you're fine.”

“I'm more than fine,” Manami assured, hoping his voice sounded cheerful. “I even told my mother that we're dating.”

“What?” Onoda was amazed. “You did?”

“Yes,” Manami confirmed. “The moment Toudou came to visit on Christmas Eve. He gave me the Snitch I caught in the first game of the season, you know!” he couldn't help but share.

“Snitch?” Onoda was puzzled. “Um...”

“Yes, I'm sorry,” Manami laughed. “Am I off topic?”

“And your mother— What about her?” Onoda asked cautiously, looking so amusingly alarmed now.

“She didn't swear,” Manami smiled contentedly. “I was afraid that she wouldn't allow it, but even so nothing would have changed. I'd still be with you. I want this very much.”

“Oh,” Onoda breathed out in amazement. “You're so brave. I don't even know how I could tell my mom. She probably wouldn't have believed me.”

“You do when you're ready,” Manami replied nonchalantly. “It's all for real, and I— I'm very happy. Especially since we no longer have to pretend. Everything finally fell into place, and this is incredibly soothing to me. I was thinking back to our conversation near the broomstick room,” he added and noticed how embarrassed Onoda was when he heard the latter.

“Really?”

“Every day,” Manami admitted. “I can't get it out of my head. I can't get you out of my head.”

“Sangaku,” Onoda repeated the name again, and this time his cheeks flushed red. “It's so— I just— I—”

He seemed ready to explode with excitement, and Manami, laughing quietly, hastened to ease the situation. He pulled the treat from his pocket and handed it to Onoda to distract his attention.

“I promised you a present, didn't I? Sorry for the delay,” Manami said, and Onoda, a little surprised, took the packet of candy canes from his hands.

“It's—” he said in confusion, looking at it, and Manami explained, “You gave me the same on our first Christmas with you. In our first year.”

“Yes,” Onoda replied and smiled warmly. “I remember that. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was so great. You came to see me, and then we went to look for Makishima's house to talk to him.”

“And it was still so easy between us,” Manami said, grinning sadly.

“But now—” Onoda breathed out and raised an anxious look.

Manami shook his head, trying to smile.

“We've been through something unpleasant,” he said, squeezing Onoda's palms over the package, which he still held in front of him. “And it would be wrong to say that we went back to basics when we discussed everything, but nevertheless— Now, just like then, we have a future to face together again. Let's go together, Sakamichi, okay?”

“Yes,” Onoda nodded excitedly. “I'm glad you want this. So I'll try my best.”

“Me too,” Manami replied, letting go of his hands. “I promise to try, and— Sakamichi, can you explain something else to me?”

“Huh? What?” Onoda blinked in puzzlement.

“What does Veela mean?” Manami asked, recalling the word Naruko had used, and Onoda chuckled quietly, clutching the present to his chest.

“Not something to worry about. As I understand it, these are such creatures that can fascinate people with their beauty.”

“What?” Manami asked again, also chuckling.

“It's a kind of magic. And it does sound strange,” Onoda said. “But only girls can be Veela. Naruko keeps telling me that since the last trip I've been acting as if I got hit in the head with a Bludger.

“And he thinks it's my fault,” Manami realised. “Oh, are you really acting like that?” he asked, feeling satisfaction, and Onoda was embarrassed again, lowering his gaze.

“Probably. I'm just… well, really very happy. After you— After everything has more or less worked out for us—”

“I'll never leave you, Sakamichi,” Manami smiled, causing Onoda look up sharply, but not more embarrassed, which could easily be expected, but seemed just excited and... determined?

“I'll never let you suffer alone,” he said. “Never again.”

Manami swallowed, feeling his heart freeze for a moment, and then replied soundlessly 'thank you' because he couldn't breathe. Onoda smiled quiveringly, and their eyes watered, which made Manami turn away in order to come to his senses and calm down a little. Ugh, if their new beginning was this, where would it lead them next? To death from too much emotion?

This thought caused an involuntary grin, and Manami, taking a deep breath in and out, nevertheless continued, “Tomorrow... how about we spend some time together after school?” he suggested. “Meet me in the Great Hall. Let's go for a walk if the weather is fine. Are you busy?”

“No, I'm free,” Onoda answered quickly, and Manami saw his joy when he turned back.  “We'll definitely meet.”

“Okay,” Manami said quietly, smiling, and staggered aside as the door of the nearest compartment opened.

The girl who came out passed between them, disappeared behind another door leading to the toilets, and both of them seemed to feel uncomfortable, as if she might know what they were talking about.

"Then... shall I go?" Manami asked, realising that this really wasn't the best place to stand and chat.

“Yeah,” Onoda agreed reluctantly. “Thanks for the present.”

Smiling at him again, Manami headed towards his carriage, and with every step he felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest. He was so excited and happy that his head was spinning from feelings, and it was almost impossible to perceive the real world. Because of this state, he bumped into someone, barely passing the vestibule. This someone came out of the last compartment and did it too quickly — Manami didn't have time to slow down, and then he realised who he had bumped into when a book and some parchment fell to the floor.

“Oh, hi,” he greeted and bent down to pick it up.

“Hello. I'm sorry if I brushed you — I didn't see,” Miyahara said, and Manami gave her the book with a piece of parchment.

“We're not even close to school yet, and you're already studying?” he asked.

“Not really. I study something with the girls on my own initiative,” Miyahara explained and then immediately lowered her eyes when their eyes met.

“Okay,” Manami shrugged his shoulders and walked on, intending to return to the compartment with Toudou and the others.

He was interested in the reason for the slightly strange behavior of his friend only for a couple of seconds — he was distracted because Fukutomi had already returned, and now everyone was busy discussing the timetable for the new term.

“Do you have mine too?”  Manami asked, quickly thinking that he wanted to know if tomorrow there would be joint lessons with Onoda and when they'd be free at all.

“Third year,” Fukutomi said to himself, going through the parchments, and finding the right one, handed it over.

Manami sat down contentedly between Toudou and Arakita (the latter was studying his timetable with a dejected look) and glanced at tomorrow's subjects. There were no joint lessons with Gryffindor, but there was a free time after lunch, and... Charms were the first class.

It was actually bad. It was bad because professor had promised to check the homework assigned for the holidays at the very first class, and Manami had planned to do it all when he returned to school — he hadn't even taken his textbooks home with him. And when was he supposed to do this now? They'd arrive at Hogwarts late, and the curfew would begin almost immediately after dinner. Would he have to sit at the table in his dormitory until nightfall while the boys entertained themselves in the common room? Not that noisy company was preferable, but Manami definitely didn't want to do his homework today at all — to use his brains before tomorrow morning.

The idea of solving the problem wasn't long in coming. Manami remembered that Miyahara's compartment wasn't far from here, and there was no need to doubt that she was carrying all her completed homework with her.

“I'll be gone again, don't lose me,” Manami warned, glancing at Toudou, who was reading the magazine, and came out of the compartment before he could ask anything.

Manami didn't even know the scale of the work, so he decided to hurry up, but the scale of his impudence seemed to be quite obvious, given that he looked into his friend's compartment without knocking and got straight to the point.

“We have Charms first thing tomorrow — did you do your homework?” he asked almost cheerfully, which made Miyahara, who was sitting near the window, look a little confused, and her friend, who was sitting opposite with a fluffy cat, rolled her eyes in irritation, not hiding her attitude to the situation. Naturally, she knew what the purpose of the question was.

“Tomorrow?” Miyahara asked in a somewhat sluggish tone. “I mean... Of course I did my homework. And you, then...”

“Yeah,” Manami nodded, chuckling awkwardly. “Let me copy it, please.”

“Um,” Miyahara was confused again, and her friend finally spoke up, “Seriously, Suzuko, don't do it again...”

“I'll paraphrase and shorten the answers. And if you don't, I'll just skip class,” Manami added, knowing that what he wanted was practically in his pocket, and Miyahara gave up.

It was strange, of course, that she did it without the usual indignation. She simply put the book aside and reached for her school bag, from which she pulled out the required parchment as quickly as if it had been prepared for this in advance and placed right on top.

“Thank you so much,” Manami said gratefully, sitting down next to him. “Will you lend me a blank sheet of parchment, a quill, and some book to put the parchment up?”

“Yeah,” Miyahara replied calmly, pulling out the rest as well.

Her friend sighed wearily but didn't say anything more and just turned towards the window while Manami settled down to copy the answers.

“Did you have a good holiday?” Miyahara asked. You look better. “Is your mood all right?”

“Sakamichi and I have made up,” Manami replied, glancing over the first answer with a smile. “I feel much better now.”

“You do? When did you do that?” Miyahara asked, a little lost. “Not long ago you were complaining that you didn't know what to do.”

“Yeah,” Manami agreed, pressing the tip of his quill to his lips for a couple of seconds. “We talked before the holidays, and now everything's fine. And with Quidditch and everything else. I'm happy. I don't care about anything else.”

“Everything's fine after just one conversation?” Miyahara was puzzled, and Manami laughed, realising that it was probably really a little strange.

“Yes. It looks like it is,” nevertheless he nodded, feeling that it was the absolute truth.

For some reason Miyahara didn't continue the conversation, and he didn't insist but instead went about rewriting his homework, which still took some work since changing the answers wasn't such an easy task. It took him more than an hour, or maybe two, for everything because while he was sitting there writing, the trolley witch even managed to look in the compartment, offering snacks from the trolley.

Miyahara didn't distract him, only occasionally talking to her friend about something, and by the time Manami finally finished, his arm was aching, but his homework was more or less done. There would be no need to skip, although for some reason he felt that he would have done shamelessly, despite the fact that he had been diligent in all of his classes all last term and was almost never late for any of them. Had everything really changed? Had that invisible weight that had been weighing on him ceased to be so tangible, allowing him to just be himself again?

Thinking about it for the first time now, Manami felt incredibly free. He didn't need to perform feats, it was enough to do what he really knew how to do and enjoyed doing — to fly his broom perfectly and win. That was supposed to remain his essence, and Manami caught himself thinking that he no longer had any fear of the future, of the outcome of the Quidditch final. Even if he lost again and it was painful, he'd handle it much better than he had the last time. Would accept defeat as good players should.

Before leaving the compartment, he thanked Miyahara again and almost forgot to give her the little souvenir he had bought as a Christmas present. Her face seemed annoyed to him, but she immediately laughed it off, saying that he never does anything on time. Manami decided it was all right and closed the door behind him, intending now to finally forget about everything and preferably sleep somewhere until the end of the trip.

But unfortunately he didn't manage to rest. There was still too little room in the seventh-years' compartment, and the next one was occupied too. There weren't only Kuroda and Izumida but also a couple of their peers with whom they were seriously engaged in preparing for some kind of school assignment. Manami decided not to disturb them and sat in his seat between Toudou and Arakita until the very stop of the train. Because of this, he felt tired, and especially due to the boring conversations about the subjects they had in their last year. The study seemed to become so difficult and responsible that even Arakita sometimes joined in the conversation when Manami had a headache from unfamiliar terms yet to be learned in the distant future.

He was awfully glad when this little torture stopped. After the train, the carriages brought the students to the castle, and the only thing Manami wanted now was to leave his things in the dormitory, change clothes and head out for dinner since his stomach had been rumbling mournfully for a couple of hours. He'd have done it right away had he not noticed Yuuto as he walked out of the dormitory and back into the common room. They met on the stairs, and Manami took the chance even before he consciously thought about it.

“Stop. Yuuto, wait,” he called out to the boy, and he turned around, stopping with a slightly surprised look. Manami caught up with him and smiled, raising his palm in a welcoming gesture for a few seconds. “Do you have a minute?”

“Hey, yeah,” Yuuto nodded, pulling a bright red lollipop out of his mouth. “Did something happen?”

“No,” Manami laughed awkwardly, thinking that he could indeed have chosen another option, but backing down would have been silly. “It's nothing. I just wanted to give you something. If you're not in a hurry, I'll get it from my dormitory.”

“Go ahead,” Yuuto chuckled, accepting this probably a little strange offer, and put the lollipop back in his mouth.

Manami tried to hurry. He returned to the dormitory, to his bed, and opened the top drawer of the dresser, where he put the two remaining gifts. It would be great to be done with this today because he was really too late. Smiling at the thought, he took the small box with a souvenir and the mask and walked back to the exit.

On the way to Yuuto, he had to bypass a couple of first-years he had met, who were probably on their way to dinner. Manami stopped and held out both presents at once.

“Here. I was already late with this, so I'm giving it to you now.”

“Oh, what is this?” Yuuto surprised, taking the mask first and bringing it close to him. “It's a mask, isn't it? Wow, exactly,” he said in confusion, noticing a thin elastic band.

“Sorry about that,” Manami chuckled. “Honestly, I wasn't sure how you'd react, but when I saw a similar one at the fair, I immediately thought of you.”

“It's a girl,” Yuuto smiled, lifting the mask to his head, as if he wanted Manami to compare the faces.

“Yeah, yes. I made it myself.”

“You did?” Yuuto blinked and looked at the mask again. “Seriously? It's—”

“Of paper and glue,” Manami explained. “The Muggle way of doing things. Mum said it was nicer to get a handmade gift.”

“That's true,” Yuuto smiled again. “That's really nice and—”

“I mean—” Manami exhaled sharply but paused, not knowing how to formulate his thought better. “What I mean is that it would be better if you were less worried. It's hard when you don't want to accept yourself and, if you like something, you should just go for it, no matter what.”

“...Oh God, are you serious?” Yuuto asked through a chuckle after a little pause. “I can't believe Slytherin has people like you.”

“What?” Manami asked, blinking in surprise.

“Nothing,” Yuuto shrugged. “You're so kind I'm just sick of it. I did nothing to make you support me so touchingly.”

“Well, you supported me too,” Manami smiled weakly, and Yuuto chuckled again.

“I was just curious. And bored.”

“Anyway, this is the second present,” Manami replied, holding out the box, and Yuuto took it in his other hand. “Just a Christmas souvenir.”

“Thank you,” he said, a little puzzled. “But... why two?”

“It was your birthday,” Manami explained with a new smile.

“But you didn't know about it? I didn't tell you,” Yuuto pointed out suspiciously, and Manami chuckled softly.

“Yes. I only found out about this today. By chance. I heard from your brother. So it was good luck to buy you two presents at once. I hope everything really went well. Your brother said you invited the guys.”

“Yeah,” Yuuto agreed reluctantly. “Are you offended?”

“What? No,” Manami smiled again, raising his hand. “I live in a Muggle world, and it would be difficult for me to get there if you called me.”

“Yes. I tried to keep that in mind and not provoke difficulties,” Yuuto replied, looking away. “And I invited the guys just so that my mother'd stop worrying about me not being too sociable. She can be awfully clingy. I really didn't want a birthday like that, to be honest.

“Oh, that's how—” Manami realised sadly.

He lowered his head, and there was a silence between them, interrupted only by distant voices from the common room, which were becoming fewer and fewer. The guys were leaving for dinner at the Great Hall, and it was time for them to follow their example.

“You know, if there's anything I can do—” Manami spoke up again as Yuuto turned around, apparently intending to go to his dormitory and leave the mask with the souvenir there.

He slowed down, then put the box in the pocket of his robes and, shifting the mask to his left hand, went straight to Manami.

“This,” he said, lifting the mask to his chest, “is already a lot. So please stop acting like you have to save the whole world. And if you want to do something, just win at damn Quidditch. And for Hayato's sake too.”

Manami was confused upon hearing this and was even more confused when Yuuto suddenly held out his hand to him. Blinking slightly puzzled, Manami hesitantly shook it and faced a satisfied look.

“Thank you,” Yuuto said, lowering his hand. “And don't interfere with my problems.”

With these words, he left, not intending to linger any longer, and Manami just stood still for a few more seconds, feeling not rejected but alarmed because Yuuto's situation reminded him of a war that he didn't want to share with anyone, and this wasn't the first time the thought had appeared. So should he have just heeded his advice, or should he have done things differently after all?

It was hard to say that Manami was able to come to any definite conclusion overnight. Yuuto made it clear that he wasn't eager to let him into his life more than he already had. He had drawn an invisible but tangible border, and Manami didn't think he wanted to be intrusive enough to offer his possible help again. From his perspective though it seemed that Yuuto needed it, maybe Yuuto himself had an opinion about the situation? This assumption simply left Manami confused, but in the morning he felt satisfaction and a kind of small hope when he saw his present on Yuuto at breakfast. The mask, of course, was not on the face but shifted over the hair, and this fact alone caused positive emotions because perhaps everything was just a little more complicated than one might have thought.

However, Manami wasn't able to think about the subject again — school life had absorbed him too abruptly.  Already on the first day of the new term alone, he had to go through two new tests and a mind-boggling new topic in Transfiguration. Manami dreamed that classes would end as soon as possible, and only the memory of his and Onoda's agreement to meet after classes brought at least some sense of relief.

Heading to the dungeons after his class was finally completely freed, Manami planned to leave his heavy bag in the dormitory, dress warmly and then go to the Great Hall. He didn't think that something would delay him, but not far from the stairs he noticed Toudou and Makishima. They seemed to be talking about something, but by the time Manami approached, they had turned in different directions, and he managed to see Makishima's impartial face as he walked by, throwing a quiet greeting without even looking at Manami.

There was hardly anything strange about this, of course — Makishima always behaved this way, but Toudou did seem kind of gloomy when Manami caught up with him, deciding to go together.

“How was the first day?” Manami asked, trying to start a conversation. “You guys must have been terribly bogged down, huh? We had a complete nightmare even though we're only third-years.”

“No,” Toudou answered somehow indifferently, looking somewhere ahead.

“No?” Manami asked again, almost disappointed. He had hoped for a more elaborate answer, of course. “Jinpachi. Just don't say that something wrong with you too...”

“Huh?” Toudou turned his head in surprise, slowing his pace a little. “Nothing happened — I just thought.”

“And what about Makishima?” Manami asked, not holding back and succumbing to the curiosity he had felt for a long time. “You're not planning to do what you were talking about two years ago?”

Toudou suddenly stopped completely, coming down the last step, and Manami, taking a couple more steps, also slowed down and turned around in amazement.

“I thought that sooner or later you'd talk about it,” Toudou said quietly, his face like he had rebuked Manami for this question. “Do you really still care?”

“What?” Manami choked, taken aback by such an answer. “Of course I care! And when my mom asked you about the future, I thought something was wrong. But you two aren't going to split up, are you?”

“Sangaku,” Toudou breathed resignedly, lowering his head. “I can't promise you that.”

“Why?” Manami asked firmly. “How can you allow that? Are you ready to lose him? Because of— Just because of the difficulty?”

“Can we not talk about it?” Toudou suggested, which made Manami's heart almost sank, and he quickly understood.

Toudou didn't want to talk about it... because he realised that his words might hurt. Because... they had already decided, actually. They had decided perhaps for a long time ago and weren't going to change anything.

“I can't believe it,” Manami said barely audibly and lowered his head as a couple of Hufflepuffs walked past them, apparently heading for their common room.

Toudou remained silent until their footsteps were completely silent, and then, as if reluctantly, he continued, “I'm sorry that it upsets you too, but we have no other choice... Someday... certainly not right after school, but I'll get married. I have to because my parents insist on it, and—”

Manami flinched and covered his ears with his hands, shaking his head sharply, causing Toudou to stop.

“You'll just let them dispose your life as they want...” Manami said, feeling every word hard for him.

“Sangaku,” Toudou repeated his name again. “I can't think only of myself, and there are things that have to be accepted, even if it's very difficult.

“So…” Manami said with difficulty, dropping his hands. “Nothing will change? Nothing can be done?”

"You don't have to do anything about it, Sangaku," Toudou said softly, coming up and placing his hand on his shoulder. “Just try not to get hung up on it. Live your own life. It's wonderful and bright. Everything will be fine, and you'll definitely do whatever you want.”

“Y-yes,” Manami nodded, shrinking and trying to fight the lump in his throat.

“Don't be so upset, really. It's not the end of the world,” Toudou added, and Manami, turning around, quickly walked down the corridor.

“I have to go,” he said, struggling to keep his voice steady, and practically ran, leaving Toudou behind.

It was possible to calm down a little only near the entrance to the common room. Manami said the password, trembling all over, and closed his eyes, feeling the moisture in them. He didn't want anyone to pay attention to him and immediately slipped to the stairs leading to the dormitories, and then, having already reached his bed, hid behind the heavy curtain. But it didn't get any easier here — on the contrary. Manami could no longer hold back his tears and silently cried, dropping his bag on the floor. It seemed that in just one conversation his soul was turned inside out, forced to believe in what he never wanted to believe in his life. His world was crumbling again when he had already decided that all the bad things were left behind.

Like last night, he felt powerless again, but this time it was all-consuming, throat-clenching because Toudou and Makishima, their bond, were something precious. Something that he wanted to save at the cost of everything, but the only thing that Manami got was again just a refusal. A request to not interfere.

Sitting right on the floor, pressing his back to the edge of the bed, he smeared tears down his cheeks and casually remembered what he really had to do now. Not crying in the dormitory but meeting with Onoda because they had agreed. Manami didn't know how he could overpower himself and get up, but somehow he succeeded because he didn't want his relationship, which was just getting better, to be threatened again either.

Before leaving the common room again, he went into the bathroom and washed, but he hardly looked any better. The cheeks were flushed, and so were the eyes. Manami sighed in resignation, realising that such a look only people had at funerals, but there was nothing to be done. He went to the meeting, fearing that he'd run into Toudou again on the way, but luckily that didn't happen. He probably would have burst into tears again, but then it would just ruin everything completely. He had to... what? Find the strength to move on? Convince himself that it was 'not the end of the world'? Restrain himself from coming to Toudou with a plea to make things right?

Manami was in danger of going crazy with all these thoughts and worries. He walked with his head down, not even looking forward, and returned to reality only when he saw familiar shoes near the entrance to the Great Hall. It was Onoda. He was standing there waiting for him, and when Manami nevertheless raised his head, he had to meet a frightened gaze.

“Sakamichi, I'm sorry, I—” he tried to say at least something to justify his appearance and being late, but Onoda quickly appeared next to him, grabbing his elbows and staring anxiously into his face.

“What? Lord, what happened? Did you cry?”

“Let's—” Manami sobbed, realising that he was about to cry again, “let's get out of here. Here—”

“Sure,” Onoda replied quickly and, still holding Manami by the elbow, he led him slowly away.

Where to it was no importance. Manami just wanted to get away from people so they wouldn't see him, and after a couple of minutes of walking they slowed down. Onoda stopped him and sat him down on a low stone windowsill, and then sat down next to him, starting to fiddle with his pockets.

“Here,” he said quietly, holding out his handkerchief. “Take it.”

Manami took it, trying not to notice the trembling of his fingers, and pressed the handkerchief to his wet cheek, feeling so terribly pathetic. He showed nothing but weakness again, and Onoda was probably even unpleasant to look at him at such a moment.

“Sorry,” Manami repeated, closing his eyes. “I shouldn't act like that. I just—”

“No, no,” Onoda objected, squeezing his free hand. “Cry if you want to — it's no big deal. And... what happened? Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Manami replied, laughing involuntarily through tears at such a stupid suggestion of Onoda. “Not at all. You have nothing to do with it, Sakamichi. It's... Toudou.”

“Toudou?” Onoda asked in surprise. “Did he offend you in some way?”

“He... just confronted me with a reality that destroyed me,” Manami sighed, lowering his hand with the handkerchief. “It's because of Makishima. Because they're going to break up after school.”

“Oh,” Onoda said quietly, in a completely sad tone. “You mean that... I thought... Is it really that bad?”

“Yes, it looks like that,” Manami confirmed. “Toudou even said something about getting married in the future. It's so... awful. I just can't believe he'd agree to something like that. He... won't be happy.”

“And... there's nothing can be done?” Onoda guessed.

“Toudou said it pretty clearly,” Manami nodded. “As if he himself is giving up. And I just... have to stand aside. I have to put up with everything, but how—” he stammered, feeling that he was starting to cry again, and pressed his hands to his face. “I don't want this so badly. Not them.”

“Sangaku,” Onoda called sadly, squeezing his knee with his fingers.

“Toudou doesn't understand,” Manami sobbed. “And I couldn't even tell him how much… he means. They inspired me so much. Their Quidditch game...”

“I know,” Onoda replied. “And I'm sure Toudou knows that too...”

“If it hadn't been for them… If I hadn't seen how brave Toudou was, I wouldn't even have been able to get close to you,” Manami admitted. “They… turned my life around, pushed me forward.”

“I'm sorry, Sangaku,” Onoda said quietly.

But Manami just shook his head, sobbing again.

“I was ready to accept not seeing them at school again after this year, but I believed... I wanted them to stay together even if they didn't have Quidditch.”

“Hey, maybe all is not lost yet?” Onoda suggested. “Maybe something will change later...”

“I don't know,” Manami replied helplessly, dropping his hands. “Everything looks so hopeless.”

“Not at all, as long as people have feelings for each other,” Onoda said, moving closer, and put his palms on Manami's hands again. “I think… an urge like this is hard to resist. I experienced it myself, and even when I tried to shield myself from you, fearing to ruin our relationship even more, I... so badly wanted to be closer.”

“Sakamichi,” Manami breathed, meeting Onoda's soft and sad gaze.

“What can I do for you?” he asked. “I don't want you to suffer again.”

“I won't,” Manami replied, gradually beginning to calm down, and smiled faintly. “I'll keep hope in my heart because of your words. And I'll never give up because I still have you.”

“Ugh, yes…” Onoda breathed out in embarrassment, lowering his eyes. “I'm not going anywhere.”

“I wouldn't let you go,” Manami said. “I wouldn't let anyone take you away.”

“Yes,” Onoda answered again, daring to look up. “As we agreed, we'll move on together, and I... Maybe I can be the one that will push you forward.”

“Promise,” Manami asked barely audibly, feeling a thrill that eclipsed grief and despair.

“I promise,” Onoda replied immediately and suddenly sighed with relief. “I really want this. I want to be your support and your courage. But I... probably won't have the strength to replace them — Toudou and Makishima. Am I... trying too much to take on?”

“If I feel better after talking with you, no,” Manami said, involuntarily smiling. “I forgot what amazing abilities you have. When you're around, everything changes.”

“I feel the same,” Onoda replied, squeezing his hand again. I'm even ashamed.

“You're ashamed?” Manami chuckled. “Why?”

“Because even the anticipation of loss is felt easier with you,” Onoda admitted, smiling sadly. “The things I care about are gone, but if you are here, I can live through anything.”

“You're right,” Manami agreed, bending down to rest his forehead on his shoulder. “You stay, and I can live through anything. Thank you for that, Sakamichi,” he added, finally making sure he wouldn't cry anymore.

“Thank you,” Onoda repeated, embracing timidly and pressing his cheek against Manami's hair.

Chapter Text

Even though there was no Quidditch training during the cold winter season, Manami couldn't tell that this made the time at Hogwarts flow any slower. No, the days flew by very quickly and, as he guessed, due to the fact that he and Onoda often met outside of classes and he was almost in seventh heaven in general. He really didn't think he could be distracted like that, but there was something going on that was definitely causing his brain to stop functioning properly. Because of his returned incoherence and renewed tardiness, the House had begun to lose points again, but Manami actually stopped worrying about it. In any case, Slytherin got a lot of points when it played in its two matches, and the House still held firmly in the first place among the rest of the contenders for the House Cup at the end of the year.

It was even possible to calm down partially due to the story with Toudou and Makishima and with Yuuto, who continued to act aloof. Manami had tempered his urge to impose, try to fix something, and it had worked out surprisingly easy — probably because he felt he had his own life and something to preserve, to save.

Manami tried to do so. He took every opportunity to spend time with Onoda and, to a pleasant surprise, even noticed that Onoda increasingly preferred his company to the company of his friends from his House.

So it was January and early February, with a sudden increase in frosts. These days were vividly imprinted in the memory — there had been several funny but chilly walks to Hogsmeade, and also a sudden cold that sent Manami to the Hospital Wing for almost a whole week, after which he felt embarrassed seeing the smile of Onoda, who thought again about truancy. Manami should have told him the truth, probably. He sometimes showed concern when Manami disappeared like that, but Manami still didn't have the heart to reveal his unpleasant secret.

February fourteenth was also approaching — a holiday that Manami now remembered thanks to the fact that last year he had been looking for a return valentine for Onoda for almost the whole day. This time it had been done in advance — Manami bought a postcard in Hogsmeade, choosing it for the first time himself and feeling embarrassed that this was really happening. Before, he had apparently just not given this sort of thing much meaning. It was as if he just followed the tradition because everyone was giving Valentine's cards or because he just wanted to answer Onoda, but now this gesture was seen something more than just a sign of sympathy.

Things had become... really different. In a new way, Manami thought as he returned in his thoughts to his relationship with Onoda. They had never been a real couple. Not even close. They had only taken the first step and then got stuck because he ruined everything, but now— Perhaps they had a great chance to try to go further? Manami didn't yet know how it would be, and wasn't sure he represented his own actions, but each time he calmed down, remembering only Onoda's smile and his deep eyes. He was pleased that they were communicating again without discomfort; he didn't seem to want to change anything at all even if he felt that some small detail was missing.

Maybe tomorrow he should have done something more serious than giving a valentine?

Sitting in his Divination class, Manami thought about it again, but nothing came to mind. Not even the curriculum. They were doing some complete nonsense, and professor was unhappy with him and Naruko again.

Manami didn't like the idea from the beginning. The new theme was even stranger than usual. Everyone was forced to bring a book from the library, and then they had to open it to a random page and try to match the text with something that was happening in reality. Naturally, Manami didn't succeed — moreover, he thought such a thing was stupid. Together with Naruko, who frowned unsuccessfully at his book for half an hour, they once again failed to get good grades, and by the end of the lesson Manami simply had a headache.

He didn't immediately attach importance to this. He had a sore throat (he thought it was because of the ice cream he had had for dessert yesterday), and now he had a stuffy nose, why he couldn't breathe normally and why he must have had a headache. It didn't put him in a good mood, of course. Looking dejected as he gathered his things when professor let everyone go, Manami hoped to just go to his bedroom and sleep until dinner. He approached the uncomfortable exit almost the very last, thinking about how tired he was already of these lessons and this stupid ladder. He remembered the ladder, and a sudden realisation hit him. It was a premonition of danger. Just like with Kuroda before he got into a fight in Hogsmeade.

Turning decisively, Manami almost crashed into the student behind his back and went straight to professor, who was by the fireplace, carefully arranging the magical crystals on a shelf.

“Excuse me,” Manami said, drawing attention to himself.

“Yes?” professor turned around. “Do you want to retake the work?”

“Uh... no,” Manami hesitated, only now starting to understand what he was doing. Was he seriously going to warn the Divination teacher about something? “I just wanted to say— Um… Today… you should be careful with the stairs.”

Professor rounded his eyes in amazement and suddenly laughed.

“Why would that be?” he asked, seemingly not believing a word. “Mars predicted a very auspicious day for me. Nothing to be cautious about is going to happen.”

“But—” Manami tried to argue.

“If you want to impress me, young man,” professor interrupted him, “I advise you to try to do it in the classroom and visually using the studied methods.”

“No,” Manami replied, almost offended. “I'm not trying to impress — I just wanted to warn. Honestly.”

“Enough,” professor snapped. “I see no reason to be concerned.”

He said this so harshly that Manami had no desire to support this ridiculous argument. He left in silence without even saying goodbye, and all the way to the Slytherin common room fought the annoyance of not being listened to again. And yet he had come with good intentions, wanting to help. His premonitions always came true, but how could he convince an outsider of that without proper proof? They only began to believe him after his predictions had come true, and not always immediately.

Reaching the dormitory, Manami put the bag on a chair, massaged his sore shoulder and sat down wearily on the bed. He didn't even want to take off the robe — it was cold in the room, and he seemed to be starting to chill. It was bad. Apparently he was getting sick again, and before a day like this. Even if the next day was only Thursday, because of the holiday, everyone could go to Hogsmeade, and he hoped to call Onoda and buy him something good to eat there. Manami really didn't want it to fail, but he didn't want to go to the Hospital Wing to ask for a potion either. It wouldn't help again, and the healer would get worried and perhaps make him stay. The worst thing would be to be in the infirmary on a holiday and die of boredom instead of going for a walk in Hogsmeade.

Not knowing what to hope for, Manami crawled under the blanket straight into his robes and, warmed up, felt a little better. Thanks to the past tedious studies, sleep overcame him pretty quickly. Manami passed out before he knew it, and when he woke up, he already thought that he had overslept dinner.

Having disentangled his magic watch from the folds of his robes, he opened the lid, but the screen inside was only a faint pink color, signaling that he still had the opportunity to make it in time for the beginning of the dinner. Manami didn't really want to rush. He listened to the silence in the dormitory, realised that all his companions had already left, and carefully sat down, trying to assess his condition. He didn't seem to have a fever, though his throat seemed to be hurt more.

Rummaging through the dresser, Manami found leftover lollipops from Honeydukes, which had helped ease the pain before, and popped one into his mouth. Maybe he'd be lucky and he wouldn't get sick at all by tomorrow morning. He'd go with Onoda to Hogsmeade, and after that it would be possible to be ill. That would be nice.

Chuckling at the thought, Manami exhaled cool air from his mouth, which sparkled white like snow because of the lollipop. He smoothed his hair with a hand, glancing around before doing so and finding that he'd misplaced his comb again, and headed for the exit like this, hoping he didn't look too sloppy.

The common room was also almost empty. Only the seventh-years from the Quidditch team, apart from Fukutomi, stood by the door and discussed something furiously.

“Why aren't you going to dinner?” Manami asked, going up to them. “Everyone's already gone.”

“Oh, you're here, little one,” Arakita said a little surprised, noticing him.

“I'm offering to snoop around, and Jinpachi's trying to hold us back,” Shinkai explained with a grin.

“Snoop around?” Manami didn't understand.

“Merlin, what's wrong with your hair?” Toudou exclaimed, unable to contain himself.

“What? I was asleep,” Manami was almost indignant, but he still took the comb when Toudou handed him his own.

“I mean, I'm pretty sure Juichi went to meet the girl,” Shinkai said while Manami was trying to brush out a tangled strand.

“To ask her out tomorrow, come to think of it,” Arakita chuckled.

“So what's the big deal?” Toudou snapped at him. “Everyone has the right to privacy — even the captain or the prefect.”

“Yeah, but it's Fuku,” Arakita said, covering a chuckle with his palm, and almost got a slap on the head from Toudou.

“She sent him a valentine in her fifth year,” Shinkai reminded with a smile. “She's a Ravenclaw student, our peer, and she's very pretty.”

“And why do you want to see it?” Manami asked, still not understanding.

“We had a bet, obviously,” Arakita replied. “I bet three Galleons on her refusal.”

“Why would she do that, you idiot?” Toudou got angry. “She sent him a valentine.”

“It was two years ago! Who would wait that long for a reply?” Arakita parried, not yielding.

“And I think she'll agree,” Shinkai said, taking a new bar out of his pocket and starting to open the package. “Juichi can try to be nice.”

"Only assholes argue over something that," Toudou snorted. “And if you're really assholes, just wait for him to finish. You can ruin everything, and this is a great chance for Juichi.”

“But just waiting isn't fun,” Shinkai smiled and, taking a bite of the bar, stepped up the step. “Come on, Yasutomo, otherwise we'll lose him.”

“Hey, are you listening to anything at all?” Toudou protested as Arakita followed Shinkai. “I'll go with you then!”

Manami couldn't help laughing. This whole situation was insanely childish and funny, but for some reason he couldn't just go his own way — to dinner, and decided to catch up with the guys.

When he caught up with disgruntled Toudou, he stuffed the comb into the pocket of his robes, and he had to walk really fast because the guys were really in a hurry.

Manami wasn't even sure that Shinkai and Arakita knew exactly where to go and where to look for Fukutomi, but soon they were walking along the ground floor and then stopped in a corridor not far from the Great Hall. Manami didn't understand anything and almost crashed into Shinkai's back — the latter stopped him with an outstretched hand, and Arakita was the first to look around the corner. Did they find him?

Manami almost asked this out loud but forced himself to be silent because everyone was as quiet as possible, and in the next second he managed to hear distant voices.

There really was someone around the corner! Manami couldn't hold back his increased curiosity and cautiously squeezed between Arakita and Shinkai to be able to take a look too. And yes, there was indeed Fukutomi standing near a dark window under the light of torches. He was talking to a beautiful girl who seemed to be holding herself very tensely and with her eyes downcast because of which she couldn't notice someone outsider.

Was she really going to say no?

Manami was almost upset at this prospect, and the conversation dragged on. The girl was too quiet to hear anything, but towards the end she suddenly nodded and, lifting her head, smiled, looking at Fukutomi. After that, they turned around, seemingly about to leave, and Manami felt himself being pulled back.

“Let's run before they see us!” Shinkai said in a whisper, after which the guys darted in the direction they came from.

“Hey, why are you smirking? We didn't hear her say yes!” Arakita snapped.

“You always seem to lose to me in arguments, Yasutomo,” Shinkai laughed, and they ran away so quickly that Manami simply didn't keep up with them.

He nearly fell over, catching his foot on something, and when he stopped, he realised with a tired sigh that the shoelace on his right shoe had come undone. And why did he have to run away, as if they were little kids who misbehaved?

Kneeling down, he fiddled with laces, and when he finished and straightened up, the very girl had just walked past him. She gave him only one short glance and, smiling faintly, walked on, but Fukutomi stopped.

“Sangaku,” he said in a slightly stern voice, and Manami almost flinched. Was he really going to be scolded?

“Yes?” he asked, deciding to slow down with an apology, and as it turned out a little later, they were needed for another reason.

“Fifty points were taken off the House today. Because of you,” Fukutomi said, which caused genuine surprise.

“What? Because of me?” Manami asked, trying to remember what he could be so guilty of — he wasn't even late for the first lesson.

“The Divination professor contacted me. He called me to the Hospital Wing,” Fukutomi said.

“The Hospital Wing?” Manami asked, and it suddenly dawned on him. Oh shit, his prediction.

“His leg is broken,” Fukutomi explained. “He stumbled on the stair and fell. He told me that you came up to him after class today and warned him just about the stairs.”

“Ugh, yes. I did,” Manami replied awkwardly.

“He thought it was a jinx,” Fukutomi said, and Manami could no longer remain calm.

“What? No! I can't even do that!”

“I know,” Fukutomi smiled suddenly. “You told him the truth, but he didn’t listen.”

Manami dropped his gaze, not knowing how to react.

“I don't like this subject. Can I stop attending it?” he muttered.

“You can withdraw at the end of the year. But you have to choose something else.”

“Anything but that.”

“I can recommend Arithmancy,” Fukutomi said. “It's a difficult subject, but I liked studying with professor. He's very knowledgeable.”

“…Aren't you angry?” Manami asked cautiously, remembering the lost points. If they had lost fifty at once, they had definitely fallen into second place, having exchanged with the Gryffindors.

“No. I believe in your abilities,” Fukutomi said, and his words warmed Manami's heart.

Manami couldn't help but smile.

“I also believed that she'd say yes to you.”

Fukutomi raised an eyebrow questioningly. Biting his tongue, Manami felt uncomfortable and, bowing his head, thought with a laugh that tomorrow at least one of them would definitely have a special day.

The next morning wasn't the best, which probably shouldn't have been surprising. Manami woke up ten times during the night because he felt hot and cold. It was a good thing there were only two classes today. He opened his heavy eyelids by the second, feeling an obvious fever, and realised that after all yes, the whole day was a waste.

He had successfully skipped breakfast, and now there was no point in rushing somewhere. He honestly didn't even think that he could go to class in such a state. And what was he supposed to do?

When footsteps were heard in the dormitory, Manami thought that one of his classmates had simply forgotten something, but he had to be surprised when Toudou appeared from behind the green canopy with a slightly frown on his face.

“Are you still asleep?” he asked. “The lesson will start in ten minutes.”

“I don't think I'm going — I have a fever,” Manami sighed, putting his wrist over his eyes.

“Are you ill again?” Toudou was surprised. “Then you have to go to the Hospital Wing.

“To the next bed to the professor who thinks I jinxed him?” Manami almost moaned and heard a frank laugh in response.

“I heard about that story. Very funny. But you need to drink something even if you stay here. Can I get you a potion?”

“No. They don't help me anyway,” Manami said, removing his hand. “It's easier to just wait it out. Maybe it'll go away in a couple of days.”

“I'm worried about your health,” Toudou shook his head. “Things are different for you. Special in every sense.”

“It's not a compliment,” Manami sighed again.

"I know," Toudou smiled weakly. “Then you stay here, and I'll tell Juichi that you're sick. He'll take care of everything. It's a pity that you...”

“I can't go to Hogsmeade,” Manami finished for him and almost whimpered with annoyance. “I so wanted to take a walk there with Sakamichi — it's the first year we can go there for a holiday, and I let him down. I shouldn't have eaten that stupid ice cream. And I didn't even send him a valentine. Again.”

"Well, don't be so upset," Toudou tried to console. “Do you want me to give him your valentine?”

“No need,” Manami replied, turning away. “I wanted to do it myself. I even came up with a text this time. I don't want an owl or anyone else to deliver the card.”

“I see,” Toudou said. “Then it can wait. And if you get better, go to Hogsmeade on Saturday. I think there'll still be all those silly decorations and goods in the shops there.”

“It's not about decorations,” Manami said quietly. “It's just— I don't know— I was such an idiot, and now I'm ashamed. It was me who took the initiative. I suggested dating back when we were in our first year, but I behaved just awful. Sakamichi treasured this agreement, and after our final I pretended as if nothing had happened.”

“You're so charming when you take on too much,” Toudou smiled warmly. “The main thing is that things are working out. And from what I've seen, Sakamichi is happy just to be with you. He seems to be glowing.”

“So you think I shouldn't make amends?” Manami asked, lost.

“What you did for him is enough, I think,” Toudou replied. “You're back — and that's the most important thing. Sakamichi doesn't need too much.”

Manami smiled without saying anything, and he felt a little relieved from what he had heard.

“Alright then,” Toudou said. “You rest now and I'll go and get you something to eat.”

“Jinpachi,” Manami called out to him before he left. “You've come to tell me something else, haven't you?”

“And you're getting more and more perceptive,” Toudou sighed wearily, returning to his seat. “Actually yes, I wanted to tell you something else. The order of the three remaining matches has become known. Today at breakfast we were informed.”

“Yes?” Manami perked up. Finally. “And what's there?”

“First it's Ravenclaw against Gryffindor,” Toudou began grudgingly.

“Well,” Manami said, trying to hurry him up.

“Then it's Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff,” Toudou said, frowning.

“Oh,” Manami said, beginning to understand. “Does that mean— Does that mean we and Gryffindor are the last to play again?”

“Yes,” Toudou nodded. “It turned out like this. We didn't count on that.”

“So what?” Manami laughed. “It's even more interesting.”

“More interesting?” Toudou asked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Manami confirmed. “It's okay. This schedule doesn't bother me in the least. It's not up to us.”

“…Well, if you say so,” Toudou sighed.”It seemed a little— Fate seems to be cruel one, doesn't it?”

“Do you think that it might end up like last year?” Manami guessed.

“I don't want to think about it,” Toudou replied. “But it turned out... really too complicated. It's hard. For all of us.”

"I'll try my best, Jinpachi," Manami tried to sound convincing. “I promise. I'll exceed my abilities if necessary, but I won't lose a second time. And if it does... If it does happen, I'm ready for the consequences. I think I've grown enough for this. To accept any outcome.

“Okay,” Toudou surrendered. “You've reassured me. And now I'll go to the kitchen,” he added and nevertheless left, leaving Manami alone with his thoughts.

They were so-so, really. Just for a second, but he was scared. Imagining a repeat of the previous finale was easy, but Manami resolutely banished such worries. He had an incredible rival — that was true, but it was also true that he longed for him. They'd face each other in a better battle that would make adrenaline and emotion run high, and shouldn't he be grateful?

It was difficult to say this unequivocally at once. When Toudou returned, he didn't linger. He left the sandwiches, some fruit and a bottle of juice and then hurried to class — he was already too late. Manami only had time to thank him before Toudou disappeared again, and tried to eat a little although his throat was hurt with every attempt to swallow something.

And even if lying in the dormitory seemed like a better prospect to him than keeping company with professor, who clearly hated him now, in the hospital wing, Manami soon became bored. Sleep wouldn't come; he didn't want to do something and almost forced himself to take the book, when a white owl landed on the table.

Sleepy! he realised happily and threw back the blanket. Putting his feet into the slippers, Manami approached her and quickly noticed that the owl was holding something small and pink in her beak. Sure enough, it was a Valentine's card. From Onoda. Manami took it carefully, turned it over and read the text,

I'm sorry that no piece of paper can convey how happy I am to have met you.

Not yet fully digesting what he had read, he smiled and picked up his valentine, which he had filled out last night. Above a moving image of a white rabbit, it was written,

I can hardly describe in words how happy I am to have met you.

“Damn it,” Manami chuckled.

It was even too funny a coincidence. They were thinking the same thing, except Onoda was one step ahead, and—

Pressing his card to his chest, Manami closed his eyes and only now realised how his heart quickened. The echo of those worries that had troubled him after Toudou's news, were gone. It felt so good, warm and exciting that he wanted to moan. God, what was he supposed to do with his valentine? Onoda'd just think that Manami hadn't found something to say and used his words. That was awkward.

Manami thought too late that he could buy a spare card. He had no options — he was practically bedridden and unlikely to be able to cross path with Toudou before tonight.

After giving Sleepy some bread, Manami returned to bed, taking the valentine from Onoda with him, and looked at it for a long time, memorising each letter. The owl didn't fly away, as if she was waiting for Manami to deign to give her a job by sending her to Onoda with a return card, but he didn't. He himself didn't know why he couldn't make up his mind, but before the answer came to him, he fell asleep again, and this time for what seemed like a long time.

When he did open his eyes, the water outside the window had already darkened noticeably, and for some reason Onoda's valentine was under his cheek. The paper wrinkled a little, Manami gently smoothed it out and took it to the dresser to hide it. Sleepy was still there, asleep, perched on the desk, and next to her was a small pile of other valentines that had arrived, delivered by owls. Manami decided that he'd read them sometime later — he wasn't particularly interested. Another thing caught his attention — namely, that he seemed to be feeling better.

The temperature must have dropped, he thought, and the thought cheered him up a bit.

He decided to warm up in the shower and replace his pajamas with fresh ones, and when he was done with the water and returned to his bed, the dormitory was still empty. Sure enough — everyone was probably in Hogsmeade, walking and having fun there, and he was stuck here a prisoner of his own shitty health.

Sighing in resignation, Manami dried his wet hair with a charm and began to change his clothes. He was hungry and decided that he had enough energy to get to the Great Hall. He'd get something to eat, and if he spotted a house elf, he'd ask him for some kind of hot drink.

Deciding that this was definitely not a bad idea, Manami pulled on his jumper and put on the robes, warming himself again. Before leaving, he once again went to the desk to lightly pet sleeping Sleepy, and his gaze caught on the valentine he'd never sent. It was so stupid. Onoda must have been waiting for it.

Putting the card in his pocket, Manami headed for the exit, feeling stupid again. He and Onoda weren't going to cross paths anyway. Onoda was probably spending time in Hogsmeade like the others right now, and Manami could only hope that he was having fun there.

Such thoughts caused sadness which he wanted to chase away at least with something. As he walked towards the Great Hall through the empty corridors, where only first-years and second-years could meet on the way, he didn't look up, starting to feel a slight chill again. And he really didn't expect to see someone from older courses — at first he thought he was imagining it, but... as he approached the doors of the Great Hall, he caught sight of a boy who had just come out of there. He was walking in the opposite direction, causing Manami to only look at his back, but he'd recognise Onoda from any angle and distance. Onoda?

What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be in Hogsmeade?

A little confused, Manami froze in place while Onoda had already disappeared around the corner. Probably headed for the stairs. Probably to his common room. Gryffindor had the common room somewhere upstairs, Manami thought and mentally swore. What was he doing? He needed to catch up with him or at least call out.

Walking after him, he was about to do the former but hesitated again. What if Onoda really went to his place? Manami didn't even know roughly where the common room of his House was, and he certainly couldn't get there, but he became curious. Really curious. By his third year, he could say that he had explored almost all the places at Hogwarts, and the Gryffindor common room was naturally not on that list. Wanting to add another interesting place to the piggy bank immediately, Manami didn't hold back.

He tried to act as carefully as possible and be inconspicuous. He had to keep at a distance, and a couple of times it seemed to him that he might just lose Onoda among the corridors when they went up to the seventh floor. He didn't want to take any chances. Manami realised this and gave up on his idea. He decided not to be stupid anymore and just catch up with a surprise. Onoda just stopped in front of a huge portrait, and a large woman in pink suddenly asked him,

“Are you coming back?”

“Yeah, I—” Onoda answered quietly, and Manami came at him from behind, hugging him. Onoda got scared and shrieked.

“Hi, Sakamichi,” Manami said happily. Onoda turned in his arms and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Sangaku? What are you— Where did you come from?”

“I was watching you,” Manami chuckled, letting go. “Sorry, it turned out stupid.”

“I thought—” Onoda was even more confused. “Oh... Okay. Nice to see you anyway.”

“Are you coming in or not?” the woman from the portrait asked impatiently.

“Where to?” Manami said in surprise.

“Into the common room,” Onoda replied with a sigh. “It's the Fat Lady. Our common room's behind her portrait.”

“Oh,” Manami smiled. “I did find it.”

“You wanted to see the Gryffindor common room?” Onoda asked.

“Yeah,” Manami decided not to lie. “I was curious.”

“Would you like to come in?” Onoda suggested, which raised the mood even more.

“Yes of course!” Manami nodded cheerfully, and Onoda turned back to the portrait.

“Strawberry cake,” he said, and it looked like it was some kind of password because the Fat Lady nodded and the portrait slowly moved to the side.

Manami blinked in amazement when he saw a hole in the wall.

“Wow,” he breathed and grabbed Onoda by the elbow. “Are you sure you won't get in troubles for this? I'm a Slytherin after all.”

“It's okay,” Onoda smiled weakly. “There's hardly anyone there now, except the little ones. Everyone's gone to Hogsmeade.”

Yes, Manami agreed to himself and scrambled through the hole after Onoda.

“So your common room is literally a tower?” he asked once he was in a large warm room and looked around. Wow.

It was nice in here. Very nice. Lots of red and gold, of course, but the common room looked cosy — especially the large fireplace and the chairs in front of it. There were red carpets all over the floor, making it feel even more comfortable, and Manami slowly followed Onoda, who passed on to the red upholstered sofa.

“It is. We call it Gryffindor Tower,” Onoda replied.

Manami gave a friendly smile to a couple of first or second year girls, but they looked at him warily and then just grabbed their things and left.

“I like it,” Manami said, looking at Onoda. “I wish I could also sleep in the tower, closer to the sky!”

“Sometimes it's so annoying to run here,” Onoda laughed awkwardly.  “It's a long way.”

“Yeah — it's been a long way,” Manami agreed. “But it's cool.”

“Um... wanna come up to my dormitory?" Onoda suggested, looking briefly at the boys who played Wizard's Chess and, judging by their appearance, didn't really like a stranger here even if they didn't dare to say something. They were afraid, maybe. Or maybe Onoda was respected too much as the winner of the Quidditch Cup?

“Okay,” Manami agreed. “And there—”

“There's no one there,” Onoda realised and moved to the winding mahogany staircase. “The guys are at Hogsmeade, and I don't think they're coming before dinner.”

“Yeah,” Manami smiled, hurrying after him.

They climbed even higher, and then Onoda opened the door, above which a sign hung indicating that third-year students lived here. The dormitory seemed even better to Manami than the common room. Everything here evoked warm feelings, even the colour red.

Onoda walked to his bed — with a red bedspread and a red canopy, which was tied with gold cords. Manami saw a desk nearby, littered with books and parchments, cartoon figures on the dresser and a comic book forgotten on the pillow — from all this he couldn't help but smile.

“Well, now I've seen something new at Hogwarts,” Manami said as Onoda turned to face him, stopping next to the dresser.

“And I saw you,” he smiled. “I didn't even expect to see you today. You weren't there at breakfast or class—”

“Yes, it's a crazy day,” Manami giggled awkwardly, realising that Onoda thought he had skipped the class again. Well, it was better this way— “What about you? Did you have anything interesting?”

Onoda shrugged his shoulders, grinning skeptically.

“Except Naruko and Imaizumi distinguished themselves again. Some girl wanted to ask Imaizumi out on a date.”

“Really?” Manami chuckled. “Did he go?”

“He said that he wasn't going to agree, but she left earlier even without his answer,” Onoda laughed sadly. “Naruko looked at her too viciously. Maybe he wanted her to come to him—”

“Probably,” Manami also laughed in response. “They have something funny going on all the time.”

“Yeah, and I feel bad for them every time,” Onoda waved off. “And you... did you get my valentine?”

“Of course I did,” Manami replied, smiling again. “And I really liked it.” He fiddled with his pocket and nevertheless decided to give Onoda the response card. “Here. I swear I filled it out before I saw yours.”

Onoda took the valentine at a loss and read the text on the back.

“Oh,” he breathed, blushing. “It's great. Are we on the same page?”

“Yes we are,” Manami agreed, hiding his hands behind his back in awkwardness. “I'm sorry about that. You probably wanted—”

“No, no,” Onoda retorted with a wave of his hand. “I'm fine! It's more than fine! That's the best answer I could get! I'm so... happy.”

“Sakamichi,” Manami said quietly and, stepping confidently closer, approached Onoda's face. “This is also from me—”

Touching his cheek with his lips, Manami smelled something sweet and tasty, froze for a couple of seconds and then pulled back with difficulty because he didn't want to move away at all. He just wanted to extend this moment longer. Onoda had a delightfully embarrassed face and flushed cheeks. He seemed to be speechless, just blinking amusingly, staring at the floor, and Manami asked, “Did you not go to Hogsmeade because of me?”

“…Y-yes,” Onoda answered slowly and, raising his palm, pressed it to Manami's cheek. “You're hot, Sangaku,” he said, looking into his eyes. “You have a fever?”

“No, no,” Manami laughed, taking a step back. “I'm just overexcited. I'm fine, and—”

His stomach rumbled, and quite noticeably.

“Are you hungry?” Onoda realised. “Wait, I must have—”

He turned sharply to the dresser. He put the valentine on top and started rummaging through the top drawer.

“Here,” he held out a bar of chocolate and a bottle of pumpkin juice, and then, taking his elbows, made him sit on the bed.

“Wow, thank you,” Manami thanked, making himself more comfortable on the soft bed. “I wanted to go to the Great Hall, and then I just followed you.”

“I'm glad you did it,” Onoda smiled, sitting down opposite, and Manami opened the package to break off the first piece.

He offered it to Onoda, but the latter silently shook his head in refusal.

“I'm sorry it had to be this way. I was going to call you to Hogsmeade,” Manami said guiltily, chewing the chocolate.

“It's okay,” Onoda tried to calm down, smiling softly again. “It's good that we met anyway. And you gave me a lovely valentine. All this is better than any trip to Hogsmeade. We could have been freezing outside or standing in line at the shop, but instead here we are, warm and alone.”

“That's not bad either,” Manami agreed. “And if we'd gone to Hogsmeade, I wouldn't have seen where Sakamichi was sleeping. Now I know a little more about you.”

“Yeah,” Onoda blushed again, looking down. “You don't know apparently... The order of the remaining games was announced today.”

“Yes, I know about that,” Manami nodded. “Toudou told me everything.”

“And you...” Onoda raised his head anxiously. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Manami smiled but quickly finished, “It's cool that we'll meet in such an important battle. I could say it couldn't be better but— It would be better for us if we played in a match which the whole season didn't depend on. It's... too hard.”

“Yes,” Onoda said sadly. “I feel the same way.”

“I'm glad,” Manami chuckled. “You might think that fate is mocking, right?”

“Yeah,” Onoda sighed.

“Don't be sad,” Manami asked and put his hand on his palm. “People always seem to do this, don't they? They say 'I'm not lucky' or 'today is just a terrible day.' But I think... It's only we ourselves who put shades on events. We evaluate them even though they just happen to us by chance. If we dwell on whether we like them or not, it's hard to move on. But that's what matters. The main thing is what you do.”

“…Probably,” Onoda answered quietly and smiled a little.

“So let's do our best. Let's take it as it comes,” Manami offered. “I want to go through this with you because I think it's really very important.”

“For me too, Sangaku,” Onoda replied, looking into his eyes.

He squeezed Manami's palm in a tremulous gesture.

Chapter Text

Even despite the cold winter, this time the snow began to melt much earlier — faster than last year. Clearing the Quidditch pitch for the new training sessions hadn't taken much work, and when they finally resumed, Manami seemed to have a second wind.

Yes, there was still a lot of time left before the last game of their team, but this also meant that everyone — and he too — would have more opportunities to work on themselves and get even better for the finals. Sometimes Manami was still seriously impatient though, and mentally reassured himself because he himself said that he should accept fate as it is. It felt right and there was no point in regretting the schedule or what had happened last year now. He had, really had a great chance to do things very differently this time, and he was certainly going to take it.

In fact, it was great to be back on the field after the break. Many guys had to get in shape — they often suffered from aching muscles at first, but Manami hardly noticed such things about himself. He felt just fine — as if he hadn't had any rest and his body hadn't lost the habit of training. Mr. Kanzaki often praised him for his success in practice, and once even Kuroda (who had stayed to watch the Seekers' exercises) was pleased to say that new progress was on the way.

Naturally, the anticipation for the final game grew even stronger because of all this, but time wasn't standing still. Soon someone would be a year older, and Manami couldn't even believe that he himself would be fourteen at the end of the school year—

When the next practice took place in the middle of the week, there was nothing unusual about its beginning. Manami changed after the rest of the guys, being a little late for the changing room, and afterwards, as always, there was a jog, in which he also participated.

He had learned to keep up with the others practically, which couldn't have been better, but he was still bored in the general warm-up and sometimes didn't try hard enough.

Something didn't quite go its way when everyone was doing the shoulder exercise. Manami couldn't resist a yawn, turning to the side and covering his mouth with his hand. That was the only way he managed to casually notice that another boy who hadn't been here before had appeared behind him. And even if Manami couldn't boast that he remembered everyone attending training (there were a lot of people, and sometimes newcomers joined them right in the middle of the season), this guy seemed definitely unfamiliar to him. In every sense.

He was apparently a second-year — short, puny — who had never caught Manami's eye before, but after a few more minutes, a slight prick of intuition made it clear that everything wasn't that simple. Manami turned around again, but this time he kept his gaze on the boy for more than one second — and understood. These eyes, the face — he knew them.

“Yuuto?” Manami asked, surprised.

Was it really him? The hair was different — very light, almost blond, which made him look different, but Manami knew Yuuto well enough to know who was in front of him.

And what was he doing here in that case? First-years weren't allowed to attend Quidditch training—

Yuuto gave him a sharp look, as if warning, then lifted his hand and put his index finger to his lips, urging him to be silent. Manami looked at the other guys, but everyone seemed to be busy warming up and they didn't get their attention.

“Boldly,” Manami chuckled, glancing back at Yuuto, but Yuuto just rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“I just want to practice with the Beaters,” he whispered, but Manami heard and went back to warm-up.

The smile never left his face. Things had become much more interesting and amusing since he had uncovered the deception. It was only a matter of time before someone else recognised Yuuto or realised that he was definitely not part of the team. Mr. Kanzaki, luckily, wasn't there yet — apparently he had been delayed somewhere, but he'd surely come later. It was as if Yuuto knew this beforehand and had taken it into account, but there were other attentive guys who might well notice him later. Fukutomi, for example, or Shinkai Sr., from whom blond hair would hardly conceal his younger brother's identity.

But for the next few minutes of training, everything was really okay. No one else paid much attention to the intruder on the field without permission, and Manami was even amused that he, when he was a first-year, hadn't thought of sneaking into practice. What was Yuuto up to anyway? Did he want to show his abilities to others? Was he rebelling again?

Or was it something else? It was hard to say something unambiguous with Yuuto — he was sometimes so... contradictory and strange.

When the general exercises came to an end — the whole team practised throwing the Quaffle and dodging the balls, Mr. Kanzaki appeared. He flew into the field on his broom to keep a lookout, and at first he didn't see anything wrong either. All this time, Manami had been periodically finding Yuuto with his eyes, glancing at his unusual hair, and for a first-year he acted as if he had been attending these practices all his life. He didn't make mistakes, and because of that others didn't pay attention to him, and it was almost astonishing. Maybe he also put some kind of diverting charm on himself, coupled with his changed hair colour?

He was very curious as to the outcome of this, and Yuuto — perhaps to his credit — did hold out with his deception until the start of the individual exercises. The Beaters occupied the centre of the field.

In order not to interfere with Chasers and Keepers practicing at the goal hoops and Seekers on the other side of the field two or three senior students with wands were always left to keep an eye on the training Bludger, so that it didn't fly out of the correct area, while the rest of the Beaters took bats. Manami wanted to see it even more. He could hardly concentrate on his task — Kuroda volunteered to train him and certainly didn't spare him, throwing balls in the most unpredictable directions. Manami did miss one of them, which caused a displeased expression on the face of his today's partner.

“You're distracted again. What's the matter?” Kuroda asked, flying closer on his broomstick. “Do you want to change your position?”

“No,” Manami smiled at him. “What sort of punishment do you think would get a first-year who breaks into Quidditch practice without permission?”

“What?” Kuroda protested, raising an eyebrow. “They'll kick him out right away — no one will allow the first-year to train on an equal basis with everyone else. That's the rule.”

“No one will allow the first-year to train?” Manami chuckled, repeating. “We have a lot of people, and the faces are changing constantly.”

Kuroda was clearly puzzled, and the next moment they both looked back towards the Beaters, distracted by the loud sound of the instructor's whistle.

And there it happened.

The practice was interrupted. The Bludger was calmed down with a spell, and Mr. Kanzaki flew right up to Yuuto, who barely managed to hit back even once, and Manami heard a stern, displeased voice, “I don't seem to remember you becoming a second-year, Shinkai.”

Manami smiled again as he looked at Kuroda, a look of utter disbelief on Kuroda's face. The guys fussed after that, began to talk, almost drowning out the words of Mr. Kanzaki.

“It's a violation of the rules, and if you were injured here, I'd have serious problems. I'm taking thirty points off Slytherin. And now I ask you to leave and not look for any more adventures ahead of time.”

The guys shouted even louder — some were just surprised, some were outraged at the loss of points. Manami jokingly thought that he had a real competitor since it wasn't the first time that Yuuto had caused the House to be punished with a point loss.

“Get back to training,” Mr. Kanzaki asked when the problem was settled.

By that time, with his head down, Yuuto pointed his broom towards the stands and soon disappeared between them. Manami belatedly wondered how he could possibly feel after something like that, and he was immediately wistful.

“I'll be away for a few minutes,” he warned Kuroda, and when he heard the warning 'hey!' in response, he darted in the same direction as Yuuto.

Once outside the Slytherin changing room, Manami stepped down from his broomstick onto the melting snow and glanced around briefly. It was empty and quiet — only the barely audible voices of the guys who remained in the ring of stands could be heard from the field. But Yuuto had flown here, right? Deciding not to guess but to check, Manami carefully opened the front door and then went into the boys' room.

Yuuto was indeed here. The broom which he had taken without permission, as well as the uniform, was lying on the floor, not far from his feet, and he himself, standing with his back to the door, was fiddling with the guards in his arms and sobbing faintly. Manami felt extremely uncomfortable at the same moment. Probably, he shouldn't have come here if he suspected he'd face exactly what was happening now, but it was too late to change his mind.

“Yuuto,” Manami called hesitantly.

Yuuto flinched and turned around.

“W-what? Why did you come?” he asked almost reproachfully and quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

His black strands were already clearly visible in his hair. Was he able to learn how to change colour with a charm, or did he take some kind of potion? Manami was interested, but he didn't ask, knowing that it would be too inappropriate at such a moment.

“I'd like to ask you the same question,” Manami said instead with a weak shrug. “Why did you come really? You knew that sooner or later you'd be found out and kicked out.”

“Why the fuck would I know? They might not have noticed until the very end,” Yuuto said indignantly, a hint of anger in his voice.

Seeing him in green Slytherin uniform was also unusual. It was big for him and hung absurdly when he stood up, because he was still small. Someday, Manami thought, he'll probably wear it as a member of the core team.

“Do you really believe that?” Manami asked. “You're too smart to just rely on luck.”

“What do you care?” Yuuto snarled, turning away again and starting to unfasten the rest of the guard straps.

“I'm trying to understand. I'm confused,” Manami admitted honestly, to which Yuuto snorted. “What are you trying to achieve? Do you want the whole school to know about you, or do you want no one to pay attention to you? Do you want to be independent and self-sufficient or do you want to be teammates with your brother?”

“I don't know!” Yuuto replied sharply. “I don't know what I want, okay?”

“That's how it is,” Manami smiled sadly. “And you're still—”

“I told you I can do this on my own,” Yuuto reminded. “I don't need friendship or anything else.”

“Yes, I can see how you're doing. And you, too, know that things are only getting worse,” Manami replied. “Is your pride really the strongest point in you?”

Yuuto fell silent, froze motionless, and he was still so stupidly stubborn even though he was so surprisingly smart for his age. Could the situation that had happened in his family have affected him so much or was he just born that way?

Manami was beginning to guess, but with the same, exhaustion was already plaguing him. From everything that had happened to Yuuto, from his changeable disposition when he seemed to let get closer to him and then pushed him away again.

Manami didn't add anything else because the conversation had really run out of steam if Yuuto was going to keep acting like that. There was no choice but to leave, and Manami remembered that the training was actually going on. He should have come back if he didn't want to get a scolding from Kuroda.

As he walked out the door, Manami still looked back briefly, as if he still had some hope, but the reality seemed to be cruel. It was all useless.

Such a conclusion, of course, could hardly please, but the practice really hadn't been canceled. He had to switch to his work, and Manami didn't miss another ball until the very end of the training session. Apparently, Quidditch and his relationship with Onoda were the only things going well now, and Manami remembered again after practice was over that the next day was that special day — Sakamichi's little once-a-year holiday. Manami actually had some idea of what could be done on such an important date — the main thing was to get Onoda to agree, because that would bring them some inevitable problems.

Manami was anticipating tomorrow all the way to the castle, and when he returned to his dormitory and took a quick shower, he found that there was only a little time before dinner. He was practically late, having spent the time drying his hair without intending to hurry, and he was surprised to find Toudou and the other seventh-years in the common room. Shinkai looked a little sad, which didn't escape Manami's gaze, but Yuuto was nowhere to be seen — either he had already left for the Great Hall or was going to stay in his dormitory altogether. The brothers should have talked probably, but Manami wasn't sure that Shinkai hadn't made any attempts, and after today's Yuuto's words, he finally lost confidence that he could intervene.

Moreover, he had some other thoughts when he saw Toudou sitting on the sofa. He was already placing a bookmark in the magazine to close it and go to dinner with friends, but Manami with a smile settled down next to him and simply said, “You know, Jinpachi, I had a dream today.”

Toudou visibly tensed at this and carefully closed the magazine.

“Hey princess and her son, are you going to dinner at all?” Arakita asked grumpily as he turned around on the stairs leading to the exit, but Toudou, surprisingly, didn't even answer him rudely.

“We’ll catch up with you, go,” he said, and when Arakita had disappeared, he put the magazine on his knees and gave Manami a stern look. “Again? Am I going to screw something up again?”

“No,” Manami laughed apologetically. “It wasn't a prophetic dream. It was a dream about the past, but you were there too. Looks like I'm too worried about you and Makishima, and that had its effect.”

“What?” Toudou was a little puzzled. “Did you dream about Yuusuke and me?”

“Yeah. You were kissing,” Manami admitted without a hint of embarrassment, and Toudou's cheeks flashed red.

“Y-you— You— That's just unacceptable. You shouldn't make such a big deal out of it — it's between me and Yuusuke!”

“I know, I know,” Manami replied, still smiling. “But I'm still curious about kissing. What should you do to avoid screwing up when kissing with the tongue and in a serious way? You just need to try to get it into one's mouth or—”

“Horror,” Toudou interrupted. “When you say it like that, it doesn't even sound pleasant. You don't have to think about anything. When it comes to this, you'll know what to do, and— Why am I even talking to you about this? You're so nonchalant, and now you're being terribly meticulous. Kissing is an expression of love and affection, not some kind of game that has rules. Everyone just do what they like.”

“I don't want to ruin it, because it's—” Manami objected, but for some reason he couldn't finish.

“Because it's Sakamichi?” Toudou guessed and sighed. “And you really do take care of him. It calms me down, but... don't worry about such things. A kiss can only be ruined if your partner isn't ready for it.”

“How do I know?” Manami muttered, lowering his head.

“It's difficult,” Toudou replied and suddenly laughed. “When I first kissed Yuusuke, he ran away from me and didn't talk to me for a whole week. So maybe it's better to just ask?”

“Yeah,” Manami also laughed. “Such a simple solution.”

“And I already told you that you're in a hurry?” Toudou glanced at Manami softly. “Don't get burnt if you get a 'no' in response to your offer. It might be too early.”

“Perhaps,” Manami agreed, but contrary to his words, the thought of kissing only became more obsessive, and the desire only grew stronger.

The next morning, he felt just fine. He managed to wake up even without an alarm clock, which was very unusual for such an early time, but Manami suspected what the reason might be.

And why did he think that it was his birthday today and not Onoda's?

It was funny in way: A good mood was firmly held even during boring lessons. Manami often found himself smiling unconsciously, and his thoughts were far from his studies. The peculiarities of palmistry in Divination had definitely passed his head, and new strange names of famous wizards in the History of Magic weren't imprinted in his memory. But Onoda was tirelessly coming to the fore, and Manami wanted so badly to finally fulfill his little stupid idea.

Manami had hardly waited until lunchtime, and now it was much easier to spot owls under the ceiling of the Great Hall, delivering mail to a particular recipient at the Gryffindor table. Onoda had received postcards at breakfast as well — Manami was sure of that — and up to now he received congratulations from someone. Popularity seemed to be taking its toll even if Onoda himself was hardly particularly happy about this turn of events.

Without lingering at his House table, Manami barely have a bite to satisfy his hunger and slipped out of the hall, hastily heading to the dungeons. He needed his warm cloak, and in any case, for Potions lessons — especially in winter — everyone could dress warmly because it was often very cold in the classroom. Except, of course, Manami wasn't going to class.

He changed in his dormitory, emptying his bag of all his textbooks and parchments and replacing them with a pouch of coins, and then headed back to the Great Hall, hoping very much that his absence hadn't taken too long. Lunch, however, was still in full swing. Manami remained to wait near the very doors, and when the third-year Gryffindors began to leave the hall in a whole group, he tried to unnoticeably catch up with Onoda and stop him, taking him by the wrist.

“Sangaku?” turning his head, he said in surprise.

“Shh,” Manami put his finger to his lips and pulled Onoda back.

Luckily, no one saw a stranger; although Naruko and Imaizumi were walking at the very end, they seemed to be too busy with a heated conversation to turn around and notice the straggling friend. Manami took the chance and took Onoda to the nearest corner.

“This is just awful,” Manami said with a sigh. “How can they go to Potions with such energy?”

“Yeah,” Onoda chuckled, realising that it was about his fellow students. “A good prospect.”

“You're dressed warmly,” Manami smiled in a change of mood and, raising his hand, squeezed the thick collar of Onoda's robes with his fingers.

He shrugged weakly.

“Two lessons in the dungeons in a row. And it seems that we won't even brew anything — professor promised a test,” Onoda said and shivered.

“It sucks, right?” Manami replied. “Let's skip it.”

“Skip?” Onoda shuddered, looking at him almost frightened. “Potions? And the test? What will happen to us then?”

“Nothing,” Manami chuckled, amused. “We'll say we have a good reason.”

“What is it?” Onoda asked incredulously.

“It's your birthday, of course,” Manami winked, and Onoda, hearing this, immediately frowned, blushing barely noticeably.

“You remember…”

“Of course I remember,” Manami smiled again. “It's Sakamichi's birthday. Fourteen comes only once in a lifetime, so to hell with the Potions — let's go to Hogsmeade!”

He voiced his proposal seemingly too joyfully and carelessly, which made Onoda confused, but still he didn't refuse right away. He looked thoughtful and was probably weighing the pros and cons.

“But we can only go with the elders and on weekends,” he replied quietly, still hesitating, and Manami resisted a chuckle.

“Well, who said such a stupid thing? I want to make at least part of this day special. Just the two of us. Let's go,” he added, and Onoda, smiling embarrassedly in return, finally gave up.

It was a small victory. Nothing could be spoiled after that, and Manami, believing in this, took Onoda by the wrist again and led him, having looked around the corner to make sure the way was clear.

They passed unnoticed through the hall to the main doors, and outside, where it was much lighter than the castle due to the snow, Onoda asked, “Shall we go on foot? I thought you'd like to fly on broomsticks.”

“It would be nice,” Manami agreed, stepping onto the darkening path, where some of the snow had already melted. “But Mr. Kanzaki has started putting some sort of cool charm on the doors to the broomstick room during lessons — I can't handle them,” he admitted awkwardly, recalling his recent failed attempt to go flying instead of sitting through another lesson. “We'll have to walk, and today— ugh...” he hesitated, fully aware of the frosty air, but walked on, moving his palm lower and clasping Onoda's fingers. “It's pretty cold today for the beginning of March, huh? I love to fly, but even for me, sometimes there's a limit.”

“I'm sorry,” Onoda laughed quietly, walking closer to Manami and intercepting his palm more comfortably. “I never felt like my birthday fell on the cold season. It's always warm in London at this time, but I'd had to rethink that after I'd gone to Hogwarts.”

“But celebrating your birthday at Hogwarts isn't so bad, is it?” Manami smiled, glancing briefly at Onoda, and he nodded contentedly.

“Incomparable.”

“Exactly,” Manami agreed, speeding up to leave the schoolyard a little more quickly. “Sometimes I want to stay here for the summer, so that I can freely use my broom at any time, but I can't, and my mother would be upset. Maybe we should secretly keep a spare broom under the bed while we study?”

“And fly whenever we want?” Onoda understood.

Manami smiled.

“It's cooler for you. You can fly right out the window.”

“What? No!” Onoda objected excitedly. “That's impossible — have you seen the altitude up there?”

“Sorry, I think I was too busy looking at you to pay attention to the window,” Manami laughed, and Onoda, blushing, frowned again, squeezing his palm tighter. “I'm sorry,” Manami repeated. “I can imagine how high there is. Like the Astronomy Tower but slightly lower. And it's more fun that way!”

“Not at all,” Onoda muttered. “It's very scary even with the broom in your hands—”

“You should be bolder,” Manami smiled. “Otherwise I'll win this year's Cup from you.”

“Already thinking about the Cup?” Onoda asked, having calmed down. “My team hasn't played Ravenclaw yet, and if we can't keep up with you—”

“Hey, what are you talking about?” Manami couldn't help but chuckle. “You don't remember the score I finished my team's games with, do you?”

Onoda only said nothing to this, as if thinking about something, and for a while they just walked in silence to the gates until they reached them. Manami carefully released his hand, and Onoda, who seemed to come to life suddenly, asked excitedly, “Wait. How do we get out? The gates are closed until the weekend.”

“Are you sure?” Manami smiled slyly at him and, coming closer, tried to open the gates. “Wow.” He was surprised to find them opened.

“What?” Onoda squeaked.

“I thought so,” Manami said, making enough room for them to go outside. “I'm sure there must be some kind of charms.”

“But you didn't do anything,” Onoda said in amazement, uncertainly following Manami through the gates. “And you... knew beforehand?”

“Not really. But I knew that nothing would stop us. This thought has always seemed strange to me — we wouldn't be locked in here, as if we were some kind of prisoners. At least we shouldn't feel that way even if professors are responsible for us.”

“Oh,” Onoda said, puzzled as they headed down the road further.

Manami stopped for a few seconds and turned around. The gates closed by itself, causing an awkward smile.

“And hardly anyone can enter,” he suggested. Maybe the charms can guess malicious intent?” he said, making his tone mysterious, and saw Onoda's answering smile.

“Cool. If we hadn't escaped today, I'd probably never have thought about it.”

“We don't have to stuck in dull Potions class, we've learned something new, and we're also having a great time now — what a good time already,” Manami replied contentedly, shoving his freezing palms into his pockets.

“Sangaku,” Onoda called excitedly and changed the subject, “I don't think this is bad. The fact that you finished your matches quickly. It was amazing, honestly. You're amazing.”

“I'm not amazing — I was just afraid,” Manami admitted, turning his head to Onoda for a couple of seconds. “I was afraid to lose. But... he broke off and looked at the road again, I'm sure that that's in the past. My boggart would turn into something else now.”

“What do you think?” after a little pause, Onoda asked quietly.

“Hmm, I don't know,” Manami replied thoughtfully.

Of course, he had never had to ask himself before. Professor had allowed him not to retake the practice, and now... What could he, Manami, be afraid of? The possibility of going back to something he'd struggled to get away from? The possibility that a chasm would grow between him and Onoda again? He didn't even want to imagine such a thing, to be honest.

“Let's not talk about boggarts on a day like this?” Manami suggested with a slight smile and, looking at Onoda again, noticed that he somehow cowered and deeply hid his hands in the pockets of his robes. “You're cold, aren't you?”

“A little,” Onoda agreed and sniffing his nose, pressed the sleeve to the lower part of his face.

“Wait,” Manami stopped briefly and, taking out his wand, quickly cast a warming charm on Onoda's mantle. “There you go. It will be warmer soon. But if you want, we can always hug for a while,” he added playfully, and Onoda was embarrassed again.

“Thanks,” he muttered awkwardly. “You're a miracle.”

Manami gave him one more look and returned to the previous pace, involuntarily thinking that this was the first time they were walking down the road to Hogsmeade all alone like this. There were no cheerful voices in front or behind, and nature was asleep, not yet ready to fully shed the white blanket of snow. The atmosphere was wonderful, Manami might say.

He breathed in the frosty air, wondering how many degrees it was today, and then spoke again, “Do you want me to tell you something interesting? It was yesterday.”

“M?” Onoda asked, and Manami smiled sadly.

“Our Chaser, Shinkai, has a younger brother — Yuuto. He started his first year this year, and yesterday sneaked into training. He took Quidditch uniform and spare broom without permission. The uniform was almost baggy on him — he's just a kid. And Mr. Kanzaki caught him anyway as soon as he arrived.”

“He wanted to play with the team so badly?” Onoda asked a little surprised, and Manami, to his annoyance, thought that he didn't know the exact answer. “You know, we also have one first-year who's very eager to play Quidditch,” Onoda suddenly shared. There was a smile in his voice. “Aoyagi even decided to train him separately, so maybe this guy will make the core team next year.”

“Next year will be a completely new,” Manami remarked, and this thought not for the first time had caused involuntary longing.

A significant part of his team was about to graduate from school, they'd no longer be able to participate in the games with the same line-up. This season's final would be the last game they'd play together, and then... a dive into unpredictability?

“Yes,” Onoda answered without amusement. “Three of our team will graduate. Others will take their place. I'll have to get used to coping without the advice and support of Kinjou and Makishima...”

“And I'll miss Arakita's shouting and Toudou's indignation,” Manami added with an awkward laugh.

“Does this topic seem to have led to something sad as well?” Onoda said.

“Yes,” Manami agreed. “We can talk about something more neutral. About your comics for example, the ones you brought back after the holidays.”

“Have you finished the one I gave you?” Onoda perked up, as he always did when talking about his long time fascination.

Manami nodded, feeling better, and promised that he'd return the comic the next time they met.

They spent most of the rest of the way to the village discussing the plot and also trying figure out if the main character's father would end up being the villain. Imaizumi, as it turned out a little later, also had an opinion on this matter, and Onoda took the thoughts of others with amazing seriousness. Manami couldn't boast of the same trepidation, but Onoda seemed happy just to be able to share a story he was interested in.

When the first houses appeared ahead, Manami realised that he was hungry again, and suggested that they speed up their pace. They rushed into the main street of Hogsmeade almost out of breath, and first of all went to the semi-circular shop windows of Honeydukes, which, as always, beckoned with the bright colours of a variety of delicious goods.

Manami didn't think that he'd ever see such a picture — there was not a single person in the shop though on any other days when he came there, there were always crowds of customers, choosing sweets to their liking. And now all the richness of the assortment was theirs alone, and Manami sighed with pleasure, sniffing a mixture of mouth-watering aromas.

“And what are we doing here at this hour?” The idyll was interrupted by the voice of a salesman behind the counter. “Did you run away from school, kids?”

“That's right! We're here for the present!” Manami said with a joyful smile, coming closer.

“Present?” Onoda repeated confusedly behind him, and Manami took him by the elbow and pulled him closer.

“For this wonderful fellow. It's his birthday today,” Manami explained, looking at the disgruntled salesman. “But first, can I have a big bag of Jelly Slugs? I'm starving.”

The salesman gave them another frown, but then he agreed and took out his wand. With a dexterous movement, he levitated a decent amount of multi-coloured Jelly Slugs from the tray into a paper bag, and after a couple of seconds it was on the scales, whetting an even greater appetite. Manami happily took the bag, slipped his hand inside, grabbed a couple of them, and immediately popped them into his mouth under Onoda's slightly stunned gaze.

“And you choose what you want, Sakamichi. I'll pay for everything, so don't be shy,” Manami advised him.

It seemed that Onoda was even ready to give up due to his modesty, but to Manami's relief there was no need to persuade him. Hesitantly moving towards the windows, Onoda studied them for a while before choosing just one box of Peppermint Toads. Manami just sighed wearily and took matters into his own hands. After he had walked around the shop, he barely could hold everything that seemed interesting to him in his hands: a few boxes of Cauldron Cakes, some Pumpkin Pasties, a handful of twisted Liquorice Wands, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and a bunch of colorful lollipops. He piled all the goods by the cash register and rummaged through his bag for a few seconds to pull out the coins and leave them nearby.

The salesman silently weighed them, and when he was done, he carefully placed everything in a large bag and counted the money, shoving the excess back to Manami.

Onoda had been also quiet all this time and seemed little concerned about the total amount — this guess was confirmed as soon as they left the shop and were back on the street.

“You shouldn't have bought me all of this,” he said in confusion, clutching a brown bag, which the salesman had politely tied with a red ribbon, to his chest. “It was expensive.”

“Don't worry,” Manami said dismissively. “Mom still gives me too much pocket money. I'd rather spend it on you than spend it on trinkets that might get wasted or even lost.”

“Oh...” Onoda was puzzled. “Don't you want something special for yourself? You could save up and take something expensive.”

Manami smiled faintly and pretended to think. He looked at the sweet shop, turned around, glanced across the street, and shrugged.

“Sakamichi isn't for sale, is he?” he turned back with a grin.

Onoda blushed, lowering his eyes.

“I'm not— I— Sangaku, don't say that,” he asked, seemingly tormented by awkwardness.

“What?” Manami asked. “I have everything I need. My Firebolt, a place in the team and you. That's more than enough.”

“O-okay,” Onoda muttered, smiling weakly. “But where do we go next?”

“Three Broomsticks, of course,” Manami replied and pointed to the pub where a couple of adult wizards were standing, talking about something.

“There?” Onoda worried again. “And no elders?”

“We're celebrating a birthday, aren't we?” Manami smiled and took Onoda's free hand to lead him.

Together they entered the semi-darkness of the pub: Manami was the first and confident, Onoda was the second and a little scared. It wasn't crowded inside. Most of the tables were empty, which also turned out to be an unusual sight. Manami didn't come here often, but at other times the room was always filled to capacity with noisy schoolchildren and villagers.

Walking up to the counter, he smiled, looking at the barmaid, who was wiping a clean glass and didn't even pay attention to the unusual weekday visitors.

“It's a cold day for spring today, isn't it?” Manami spoke, trying to put all his charm into the tone. “But some flowers manage to stay beautiful even in such conditions.”

Still looking at him, the girl put the glass away and smiled lightly.

“And what are you trying to achieve, you toady?”

“We want some Butterbeer,” Manami perked up, but the girl raised an eyebrow and nodded towards embarrassed Onoda.

“Not for sale to a first-year.”

“We're third-years,” Manami said hastily. “Both of us. And it's our birthday today.”

“What, both of you?” the girl asked mockingly.

“We're a couple,” Manami replied, smiling again. “So, we have everything in common,” he added and laughed softly when Onoda shamefully tugged at his sleeve. “Here.”

Manami looked at the girl again as he took out a handful of silver coins and mentally recognised the new victory.

“If you show trust, I'll leave a lot of tips,” he promised, and the girl took the money and hid it under the counter.

Very quickly, as if trying to avoid prying eyes, she prepared two mugs of Butterbeer and placed them in front of Manami. He had the hope that the drink would be tasty — there was a reason so many people liked it so much, but it seemed that Onoda hadn't tasted Butterbeer before either. There was a reason to learn something else new.

“Thank you Madam.” With a contended smile, Manami took the mugs and went to the back of the room, looking for a more comfortable place for them.

It was found closer to the corner but not very far from the door — they could see if someone went in or out. Manami put the Butterbeer on the table and waited for Onoda to settle down in a chair, placing the bag of sweets on the next one.

Sitting next to him on the other side and moving closer, Manami caught an ambiguous look on himself and grinned.

“What?”

“It was daring, you know?” Onoda remarked quietly. “For a moment I thought she was going to kick us out.”

“I think I can be convincing,” Manami replied, pushing one of the mugs towards him. He managed to hear Onoda, looking down, barely audibly said under his breath, "Charming." “Really? Thank you Sakamichi.”

“I don't—” Onoda shuddered and immediately sighed wearily. “Okay. That's the way it is.”

“Thanks a second time,” Manami smiled. “Let's try. A lot of people were praising it.”

And he was the first to take a test sip to give Onoda more courage. The Butterbeer tasted quite unusual. It was nice and a little sweet, but there was something else. Manami put the mug back and watched as Onoda also tasted the drink.

“It's good...” he said, licking his lips. “It's tasty. Do you like it?”

Manami tried again to listen to the sensations, but they were ambiguous. Like when he had been forced to drink the medicine as a child, convinced that it wasn't disgusting.

“Difficult,” he gave up, laughing awkwardly. “Would you like to drink mine too if you liked it?”

“Your's too?” Onoda was confused. “So much? What if I get drunk?”

“So what? Afraid I won't be able to get you back to school safe and sound?” Manami teased. “Just kidding. I'll drink mine myself because you're small — you'll really get drunk. Cheers,” he said and took another sip.

It didn't work out quickly with the beer, but nevertheless, when the mug was finally empty, Manami immediately took out some Jelly Slugs from the bag and began to chew, trying to take away the taste. All this time Onoda drank in small sips, and it looked as if he really enjoyed it. It was as if he wanted to make the pleasure last, but soon after all the last sip was taken, and he, following Manami's example, took Peppermint Toads to eat a couple of them.

“It's really delicious,” Onoda said again. “Thanks for buying it for me. Tadokoro and Naruko suggested that I try, but I always refused. Probably for nothing.”

“You're dirty,” Manami remarked.

“Where?” Onoda asked, raising his hand to his face, but Manami caught it, gently squeezing his wrist with his fingers.

Turning around in his chair, he reached out with his free hand to Onoda and gently rubbed the remaining cream off his lower lip with his thumb.

“…here.”

Onoda blushed, though his cheeks had been flushed before.

“I feel dizzy,” he said muffledly, turning away and covering his face with his palms.

“Is it because of the Butterbeer or because of me?” Manami asked softly, and Onoda, turning back, exhaled powerlessly.

“Sangaku...”

He lowered his hands, placing one under the table, and Manami did the same. Found his small palm and intertwined their fingers.

“Sakamichi.”

“I'm so happy now,” Onoda whispered excitedly. “This is the best birthday in my life.”

“Glad to hear that,” Manami smiled. “But everything was rather ill-considered. I'll do my best next time.”

“No, it's perfect. Really,” Onoda replied and, slowly freeing his hand, pushed the box with Peppermint Toads to Manami.

They each took one — Manami felt cool in his mouth, but his cheeks were still burning, and he saw that Onoda, looking at him shyly, didn't stop blushing either. The sudden impulse — to do it — was so strong that Manami, succumbing to it, leaned forward, closer to Onoda's lips, already felt his breath with a touch of cream and peppermint...

He awoke to the sound of the door slamming shut and the noisy voices of the visitors who had just entered. Manami looked around and saw that there were more people in the pub. Some even looked at them with disapproval, if not indignation, which only made Manami want to suggest that they go back to school.

Outside they were greeted by gusts of wind and a renewed snowfall. The wind, however, was quite light and almost warm, and the wet snowflakes melted instantly, as soon as they touched their heated faces.

“How bad do you think we'll be in trouble when we get to our next Potions class?” Onoda asked when they, bowing their heads from the snow, passed the station.

“Even so, I won't regret it,” Manami said. “I had fun. We'll write a test later. Half the class will fail it anyway.”

“Probably, we'll keep Naruko company,” Onoda grinned. “He really didn't want to go to class.”

“We'll get through this,” Manami declared confidently, throwing his hand on Onoda's shoulder. “We've always done that, haven't we?”

“If someone doesn't run away,” Onoda looked at him meekly.

“What are you implying?” Manami laughed, dropping his hand.

“Nothing, I'm sorry,” Onoda answered quickly but also with a laugh, and suddenly quickened his pace.

Manami stopped and looked after him. Then, smiling slightly, he leaned over the curb and cracked a thin crust of frozen snow with his fingers. Scooping a handful of wet and heavy snow underneath, he made a snowball.

“Hey Sakamichi,” he called. Onoda only had time to turn around, and the snowball hit him exactly in the shoulder just as Manami was aiming.

“It's not fair!” Onoda replied with a grin. “I have my hands full.”

Manami bent down to take more snow, but before he straightened up, a snowball from Onoda hit him in the side. Manami noticed that the bag with sweets was already lying on the snowdrift, and rushed into battle with excitement.

They threw snowballs, running from one side of the road to the other and shouting joyfully until they were completely exhausted. Both of them lost their breath and became very hot, but Manami realised that he hadn't felt so happy in a very long time.

“That's it,” he bent down, holding his side and gasping for air. “I can't go on. My hands are frozen,” he complained and shook his head to shake off the snow.

“Me too,” Onoda approached. “A draw?”

Manami straightened up and came close to him.

“I agree,” he nodded slightly and looked directly into Onoda's eyes.

Onoda gave him an uncomprehending look, and Manami, bending down a little, took his hands, cold and wet from snowballs, in his own and kissed him right on the lips. They were the same, cold and damp, with slightly rough weathered skin. Manami stubbornly deepened the kiss, felt peppermint-scented saliva on his tongue, pushed forward to — in contrast to his lips — the hot tongue—

The sensations swirled, just like the very first flight on a broomstick or the very first official game on a Quidditch pitch. It was breathtaking; palms trembled weakly, and Manami, having moved back only half a centimeter, suddenly remembered that he had forgotten something important.

“May I kiss you?” he asked quietly, as if he were in some kind of trance, and met Onoda's calm eyes.

“You've already done that,” Onoda replied just as quietly, allowing him to recover a little.

It was only now that Manami realised what had happened, and moved away almost frightened, pressing his hand to his mouth and holding back a laugh bursting out.

“Sorry, I got it all mixed up. God, I—”

“You,” Onoda agreed, and Manami, looking at him again, almost suffocated.

Onoda looked like he was about to cry, but he was smiling at the same time, and at that moment Manami thought that he was ready to give a lot to see this expression as often as possible.

“Once again,” he said, striding back but now placing his palms on Onoda's hot cheeks. “May I kiss you?” Manami asked excitedly.

“Yes...” Onoda answered almost in a whisper, closing his eyes.

Manami couldn't help but smile and leaned towards his lips.

“Happy birthday, Sakamichi,” he said and kissed again, forgetting about the chilly weather and where they were. For a moment, absolutely everything except one thing became unimportant.

Chapter Text

It really did feel like some kind of curse. Manami had barely recovered from his previous cold when he had a new one — and that was right after the walk to Hogsmeade on Onoda's birthday. This time it was more serious than that. His throat ached like hell, and he had a very high fever. Manami stayed in the Hospital Wing, but even so, the healer didn't calm down and thought a couple of times about sending him to the wizarding hospital. Manami couldn't be happy with such a prospect. The thought of a hospital scared him even more than the possibility of complications, and he was lucky that on the third day in the infirmary, the temperature had dropped to a non-threatening level.

Nevertheless, he was still in bed on Monday and Tuesday, and now that he was feeling a little better, he was overcome by boredom and a slight feeling of regret. That was not what he wanted. He longed to see Onoda, to have a chat with him, or hug a little, or—

It was really hard. While the students of the school, like Onoda himself, continued to attend classes and live life full of opportunities, Manami lay in the infirmary and, looking out of one of the high windows opposite the bed, could only think about what had happened on the road from Hogsmeade. About what they had done.

Now there was no longer any point in bothering with questions, fantasies or replaying the fading moment of Toudou and Makishima's kiss that Manami had seen in his first year. Now he had his own full-fledged kiss or even two. And he couldn't even imagine that it would become something so important to him.

Remembering these feelings, he uncontrollably fell into the abyss from which he had no desire to return. His memory was obligingly transporting him back to that day, and everything turned dazzling white from the snow that hadn't yet melted along the edges of the road. There was Onoda with frozen and wet palms, with flushed cheeks and a happy gleam in his eyes. They had just finished throwing snowballs, and this was the very moment when Manami felt truly free and omnipotent. He felt like he could do anything, and he did.

After that, they were silent almost all the way back to school, overcome by embarrassment and trepidation. Manami's hand was almost icy, and Onoda's, too, but they continued to hold hands until they reached the courtyard of the castle.

It was no surprise that the Head summoned Manami to her office that evening and told him off for truancy. Manami knew that it would be so, and wasn't upset, and the situation became even better when professor didn't take points off from the House but simply gave a detention and said that he'd have to write a test together along with the other students in a week. It was all worth it — he was sure, and he only wanted to know if Onoda had gotten it worse, but they didn't have time to see each other due to the fact that the very next day Manami was in the Hospital Wing.

And they could still meet. It didn't require anything complicated. He could simply ask Toudou, who was visiting him, to give Onoda a message asking him to come to the Hospital Wing, but Onoda still didn't know that Manami was here, and for the first time the realisation that the last secret had remained unsolved seemed so unpleasant.

When Manami woke up on Wednesday, only a slight sore throat was left from the malaise. Perhaps the potions that Madam Bland continued to give him anyway had eased the course of the illness a little, or it was the fact that Manami had been reading a sports magazine with a lit Lumos at the tip of his wand before going to bed after the healer had turned out all lights and asked him to go to sleep.

Improvements might have meant that he'd be released for lessons tomorrow, but Manami'd go to them now, knowing that today they and Gryffindor had a joint lesson — Defense Against the Dark Arts. He and Onoda would again sit down together at the same desk, they'd see each other and be able to chat or exchange notes — Manami was ready to give everything for such an opportunity.

But the healer, without an ounce of mercy, decided that he'd stay here until evening, and went to her office, leaving him to suffer by boredom and unabated desire — a longing for one and only person.

Naturally, at one point Manami still couldn't restrain himself and simply obey all the instructions. He was too attracted to freedom. He wanted to get out of here for at least half an hour even if he didn't get to see Onoda. And he also wanted to get on a broomstick and into the sky. On a broomstick, in the sky, to meet Onoda there, to kiss him at a great altitude — such a fantasy could really make him crazy, and Manami had a sudden idea.

For reassurance, he pretended to be asleep until the moment when the healer left for lunch in the Great Hall. Manami listened intently to her fading footsteps, and then he waited a little longer and threw back the covers as he stood up.

He put on his boots, quickly managed to lace up and pulled his robes right over his pajamas so as not to waste any time. With any luck, he'd be back in time before the healer came back and he wouldn't get scolded.

This thought cheered him up a bit, and Manami was already more confident heading for the exit.

Going out the door, he looked around, but his intuition told him that everything was fine and that he had nothing to worry about now. Manami listened to it and headed towards the exit from the floor, towards the stairs. It was going to be a long climb, but that couldn't prevent. Not at a time when he finally felt at least a little like a living human being. Manami hurried up to the very last floor, ignoring the tingling sensation in his side and his labored breath. His throat hurt a little more, but he didn't slow down or stop until he reached the stairs that led to the Astronomy Tower.

The door was, of course, locked. Students weren't allowed up here in the daytime, and Manami knew this rule well. It didn't stop him from undoing the lock with his wand, then stepping onto the steps.

The last climb wore him out, but as he climbed on the top, he felt fresh air on his skin, and it literally chased away all the fatigue.

How warm it is today, Manami thought blithely as he walked on to the parapet. He passed several benches, a large magic telescope and stopped near a huge model of the Solar System. Here, on a long rail, a couple of owls were dozing. Manami smiled upon noticing them, and when he turned his head the other way, to his surprise, he saw Sleepy.

She was sitting alone, away from the others, Manami couldn't help himself. He approached, and the owl woke up hearing his footsteps. She gave a sleepy first glance but quickly recognised Manami and hooted briskly, raising her wings.

“Hello. Long time no see,” Manami said and stroked Sleepy under her beak.

She narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and carefully bit his finger.

“Hey, I wish I could send Sakamichi a note with you. I'd have called him here.” A new idea came up, and Manami laughed mirthlessly. “Oh, it's a pity I didn't take—”

It suddenly dawned on him. He was, in fact, in the classroom now. There should definitely be paper and a quill here.

He reached the nearest cupboard, looked inside and began to search. Among the charts, battered books and old, scratched brass telescopes, he didn't immediately come across something on which to write a message and send it. Only on the lowest shelf was a dusty scrap of paper found. Manami shook it off and took the quill and inkwell that were found at the top.

The ink was old and nearly dried out, but he still managed to write a few words. Manami thought it would be much more practical to write his thoughts in plain text, but decided to leave it as it was when he looked at the note again and re-read what came out.

“I'm waiting for you in the place that's closest to the sky.”

Will Onoda guess?

Well, it was only a matter of waiting to find out, and Manami sent a note with Sleepy, telling her to fly to the master. She spread her wings and took off the rail. Manami watched her go, and as she disappeared around the bend, he was finally able to better appreciate the view from here.

It was amazing. The height was felt much sharper, and there was such an incredible and beautiful space in front of his eyes. The dense forest that had thrown off a white blanket of snow, the mighty mountain peaks and the huge lake that was almost free of ice. If you tried hard enough, you could easily imagine yourself on a broomstick. Too bad it was class time — Manami'd definitely go to the broomstick room and take his Firebolt to fly over the Black Lake for a while.

But the only thing left to do was to dream. It looked like flying should be forgotten until tomorrow evening, but it wouldn't be so sad if Onoda understood his message and came here. Manami tried to be patient and decided to walk around the room. He went to another cupboard, but there was nothing special or interesting inside either. But the rolls of charts fell out from there, and he had to work hard to put them in a more reliable position.

Apparently enough time had passed before he finished with them. He heard the soft creak of a door and quickly ducked behind the large telescope, hoping to hide. It was bad. What if it was a professor and he'd be caught here at a time like this? Manami thought about this for only a second, and then mentally called himself a fool. God, of course.

Moving carefully to the side, he saw Onoda's back. He walked slowly and as if cautiously towards the parapet, but his shoulders noticeably rose and fell with each frequent breath. He was running here, to me, Manami realised, and happiness flooded him in a wave.

Unable to restrain himself, he jumped up behind Onoda and hugged him, causing him to flinch in fright, but at least he didn't squeal this time.

“God, Sangaku,” Onoda laughed, freeing himself from the embrace.

“So fast, Sakamichi. You surprised me!” Manami smiled, realising how glad he was to see him. It was a gulp of life-saving water in the desert. “Did you solve my riddle?”

“Not right away,” Onoda replied, embarrassed and looking down. “To be honest, the guys helped me, but I didn't tell them that I was meeting with you… Ugh… that.” He stepped closer and touched the collar visible from under his robes for a couple of seconds. “Is that pajamas?” Onoda asked in surprise and, looking down, saw the edges of light-colored trousers. “What are you doing here at a time like this and in your pajamas?”

“I escaped from the Hospital Wing,” Manami admitted, laughing awkwardly. “I really wanted to get some fresh air and fly. I couldn't find an alternative better than this.”

“Oh,” Onoda became sad. “So you got sick? Is that why you haven't been seen over the weekend and early in the week? Was it because of our walk to Hogsmeade? Oh, we shouldn't have thrown snowballs at each other. Sorry, Sangaku.”

“What?” Manami tried to quickly console him and took his hands. “It's not your fault at all. I have this all the time. I often get sick because I have poor health, and because of this, I sometimes miss classes.”

Wow, this truth came so easily now. Manami surprised himself and felt relief. He should have admitted it a long time ago and not been afraid.

“So you didn't skip classes?” Onoda nodded understandingly, squeezing his palms more tightly.

“Well, I'm good at skipping too,” Manami replied with a fresh laugh. “But most often I disappear because of another cold.”

“I'm sorry,” Onoda became even sadder.

“Nonsense,” Manami objected, trying to be sure. “It's much better at Hogwarts, but before that I was ill probably every month, and once a year I just got to the hospital. For a long time. That was really awful. I felt so bad there. I hate being sick and hospitals!”

“I can imagine,” Onoda replied, and Manami wanted to banish this dejected expression from his face right away.

“It's unpleasant,” he sighed. “I know. It's embarrassing, too. I didn't want to tell you about it—”

“It's good that you did,” Onoda shook his head. “I was worried about you. I worry every time when you don't show up for class. Now I'll at least know what the reason might be, and I can visit you in case you end up in the infirmary again.”

“Thank you, Sakamichi,” Manami smiled sadly, letting go of his hands. “But it's really not worth the worry. At Hogwarts I get better faster. Regular medicines and potions don't help me much, but here I use magic, and it really makes me feel better. It's funny, isn't it?”

“Wow,” Onoda breathed out in amazement. “It's strange. Why is this happening? Your magic... like it weakens your immunity if you don't let it out?”

“Sounds really crazy,” Manami shrugged with a grin.

“Don't talk about it as if in a bad way,” Onoda asked with a sad smile and, holding the rail, looked down. “God, it's so high,” he exhaled in shock, straightening up sharply.

“Yeah,” Manami agreed and also glanced down. “It's more noticeable during the day. Though you've been up higher on a broomstick. It's not that high.”

“It's different on the broomstick,” Onoda objected, looking tensely into the distance. “I feel safer on the broomstick.”

“Probably, you should feel safer standing on a hard floor,” Manami smiled, and a return smile flashed on Onoda's face.

“We're breaking the rules by being here at this hour,” Onoda remarked and moved closer so that their shoulders touched. “If anyone catches us, there will be problems again.”

“Yes,” Manami nodded. “Didn't your House lose points for skipping Potions last week?”

“Not. Professor just gave a detention and said that I'd write a test tomorrow after class,” Onoda replied.

“Me too. It will be more fun together,” Manami said.

“So, is this place a really good alternative to flying?” Onoda asked, staring at his right palm, lying on the rail not far from Manami's palm.

He seemed to want to move it so that they were touching, or place it on top, but didn't dare.

“Not really, but still,” Manami replied. “I missed heights, but it's so cool here. But it brings up completely different thoughts.”

“…For example?”  Onoda asked, breaking the silence.

“For example...” Manami began, lowering his voice, “what does a person feel, falling from such a height? How would he feel, knowing that he would certainly die after only a few seconds?”

Onoda didn't answer, and Manami, turning his face, noticed a shadow of fear in his lowered eyes.

“I'm sorry,” Manami apologised quickly, placing his palm on top of Onoda's and squeezing it. “I didn't mean to scare you — don't take my words seriously.”

Onoda shook his head weakly, freed his hand and, turning his back to the barrier, suddenly just sat down on the floor, pulling his knees up to him.

“I understand why you're thinking about it,” he said quietly. “It's a very strong feeling. Something truly all-consuming. Like a feeling of danger or adrenaline.”

“To feel on the edge,” Manami added and sat down next to him too.

“People seem to like these feelings,” Onoda continued.

“Yeah,” Manami replied. “So they do some dangerous sport like rock climbing or Quidditch,” he added and chuckled.

“That's interesting,” Onoda breathed out. “Some people really do put themselves at risk in order to just—”

“Live?” Manami prompted. “Feel alive.”

“I don't understand,” Onoda said, smiling weakly. “I'm probably a supporter of peace and safety.”

“Of course,” Manami smiled back. “Thinking about something like falling from a tower is still foolishness. I went too far.”

“Not foolishness,” Onoda objected almost with a laugh and looked at him. “I love talking to you, and I try to accept everything you think about even if something is sometimes difficult for me to imagine. You're just— I don't know. Special? Different? I even like it because I've always been different, and the environment didn't understand me. So I know how valuable a moment can be when someone tries to listen to you.”

“Sakamichi,” Manami said, and his heart began to beat faster, and he suddenly couldn't get enough air.

He reached for Onoda, approaching his lips with only one intention, but Onoda must have guessed it, blushed sharply and turned his face away.

“You don't think we'll only kiss after we've had Butterbeer, do you?” Manami chuckled.

“No, of course not!” Onoda objected. He stared so funny at the floor in front of his boots, as if trying to burn a hole in it. “Sorry. One second.”

Turning back, he reached for Manami's face himself but gave up before he could reach it and, closing his eyes, pressed his palms to his face.

“God, I'm an idiot. A loser and an idiot,” Onoda muttered resignedly, and Manami gently took his wrists to lower his hands.

“It's all right, Sakamichi. “If you don't feel like it, it's okay.”

“If you think so, I'll definitely die,” Onoda said sadly, and this time he brought it to an end.

He closed his eyes earlier than necessary, which caused him to miss a little — he poked the corner of Manami's lips with his lips, but Manami quickly turned his face the right way and let the kiss become the way he had dreamed it would be.

It was the same again, as on that day when emotion made him dizzy and his palms trembled. Manami barely realised that he was still holding Onoda by the wrists, relaxed his fingers and lowered his hands to rest one on the floor between them, and put the other on Onoda's waist.

Onoda's palms, also trembling with excitement, were on Manami's cheeks and then in his hair, slipping to the back of his head and tangling in strands. It was like it was the last straw. Manami began to lose control, succumbing to chaotic desires. He pressed harder, deepened the kiss, barely breathed, and Onoda compliantly allowed him to press him to the floor.

“Well, I overdid again,” Manami laughed quietly, not sure how they had come to be horizontal so quickly.

“God, what are we doing?” Onoda said in a trembling voice, and Manami shifted his hands. He leaned his left elbow more comfortably on the floor, and ran his right palm through Onoda's hair.

“We're kissing,” he whispered directly into his lips, and the stupid happy smile couldn't be removed from his face. “Just like grown-ups. And I like doing it with you so much, like I was meant to do it from birth.”

Onoda made a sound very much like a sob. Closing his eyes again, Manami once again pressed his lips to Onoda's, ran his tongue along the lower one and only then forced himself to move away. Reaching up, he took Onoda by the waist again and lifted him after — he seemed completely out of reality, and his cheeks flushed attractively.

“Sorry, Sakamichi,” Manami apologised, unable to banish his smile away again. “It's probably too early for us to kiss lying down. Let's wait until next year?”

Onoda blinked in amazement, staring somewhere into the void, and only after a couple of seconds Manami could see his conscious gaze.

“Such a long wait,” Onoda said, and he smiled before Manami tilted his head, starting to laugh.

It was difficult to forget that a new Quidditch match was scheduled for the last week of March. Manami was again waiting for the game so much, as if he were about to take the field himself, but there was nothing strange about this because Onoda's matches caused him the same thrill and excitement. Gryffindor would play against Ravenclaw, and the final game would get even closer.

It was hard, with his emotions and thirst for new kisses with Onoda, to focus on his studies, but Manami seemed to be doing well by some miracle. All of his grades in recent weeks have been good, and Miyahara had praised him again after reading his completed essay while they were studying in the library after school.

“I thought I'd have to rewrite everything for you, but it's quite a good job,” she said, running her eyes over the parchment.

“Yes? Why is this?” Manami asked, stretching his arms out wearily on the table.

Miyahara stopped reading and, from her seat opposite, gave him a slightly surprised look.

“Because the game is tomorrow. Before the games, you absolutely lose concentration. You've gotten cold feet about Quidditch, haven't you?”

“Not at all,” Manami laughed. “Nothing has changed, and tomorrow I'll be able to see Sakamichi play again. I'm very excited about it, actually.”

“So your study skills have really improved,” Miyahara summed up, placing the parchment on top of the open thick book. “That's good, but there's something else that worries me—”

She paused meaningfully, looking down somewhere, and Manami was puzzled.

“What? What's the matter?”

“I heard that your game against Gryffindor was put on last,” Miyahara said, confused. “I thought you'd be upset about it, but you seem content.”

“There's no point in getting upset about that,” Manami shrugged. “That's a schedule — there's nothing to be done.”

“It's not like you,” Miyahara added quietly. “Judging by what happened before. You were so seriously worried about the last finale.”

“Yes, but it's okay now,” Manami replied with a smile. “I told you. I try to look ahead, and this feeling just inspires me... when you know that the most amazing rival is waiting for you there. I don't worry anymore, really. I'll accept any outcome.”

“If all this is true, you've really have grown,” Miyahara smiled, resting her cheek on her palm.

“Why does it sound like you're not sure?” Manami chuckled.

“It takes some getting used to,” Miyahara replied. “I'd like to take a promise from you that everything will be fine, but you've probably given it to me with your own words. I'll be rooting for you in the finals.”

“For me?” Manami smiled slyly. “What about your team? Have you ever tried to seriously root for your team?”

“Probably not — you know that,” Miyahara sighed. “I was only interested in the results, and I wanted you to go well. If you were in my House, it would have been easier with all this—”

“I wish you would ever understand,” Manami said thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair and looking up. “Anyway.”

He got up, starting to gather his things and toss them into his bag. Dinner was about to begin.

“Sangaku,” Miyahara called out to him as he said goodbye and took a step towards the exit. Manami turned around. “Sorry, but tomorrow I'll be wishing my team a victory.”

Onoda will be playing against her House's team tomorrow, Manami thought again and smiled involuntarily.

“Watch your motivation,” he said, turning away and adjusting the heavy bag on his shoulder.

It didn't make sense — he knew well. It didn't matter who was cheering for whom tomorrow, Manami already knew which team would emerge victorious from this game.

Chapter Text

“Is there really the match tomorrow?” Toudou reminded once again, and now there was more lingering anticipation in his voice.

He, Arakita, and Shinkai were sitting on the bed playing cards, but none of them seemed to be able to concentrate due to this uncontrollable chatter. It was close to the curfew, and Manami had planned to drop in here, into the seventh-year dormitory, just for a minute to return the borrowed Quidditch magazine, but he was delayed and didn't fully understand exactly how it happened.

“Everyone knows it perfectly well without you. Stop saying that,” Arakita grumbled in response to Toudou's last words and threw down his cards. “I can't play when you don't let me think.”

“The match will be tomorrow.” The door opened, letting Fukutomi in with a serious look and a pile of parchments in hand.

Arakita rolled his eyes in annoyance as he deftly jumped off the bed onto which Toudou and Shinkai had also lowered their cards.

“It's obvious that everyone should be excited about it,” Toudou added in a reproachful tone.

“Yep. Why should they be?” Arakita muttered, approaching Fukutomi and peering into his parchments before he entered the room. “What about my homework? Not ready yet?”

“No,” Fukutomi replied, turning slightly to the side. “I'll try to figure it out on Sunday.”

“Stop doing homework for this bum, Juichi!” Toudou protested, rising menacingly from the bed.

Manami wanted to run away before it got even hotter, and even the smile of Shinkai watching all this things couldn't change his mind.

“Stop endlessly chattering about the Gryffindors and Makishima,” Arakita mocked, and for a moment it looked like they were about to fight right here, as luck would have it, blocking the only escape route Manami could take.

He tried to sneak past them to the door, but at the same moment Arakita just deftly dodged the intended slap from Toudou and in doing so accidentally shoved Fukutomi. The parchments fell to the floor.

“Oh, I'm sorry, Fuku,” Arakita apologised with a chuckle, while Toudou folded his arms across his chest and lifted his chin in resentment.

Manami bent down to help pick up the scattered parchments. He hadn't intended to read anything written on them, but he couldn't resist when the inscription in the corner of one sheet caught his eye — it was underlined twice, as something very important.

“New bathroom password: golden beach,” it said, and Manami held out the last parchment to Fukutomi. He took it, suspecting nothing, and headed towards his desk with a slightly tired look.

Bathroom password? Manami thought almost immediately, following Fukutomi's broad back with a questioning look. What bathroom? Why the password?

Questions swirled in his mind, but he couldn't ask, realising that he probably saw something he shouldn't have seen. However, with this, curiosity has become much more palpable.

“Tomorrow's match is important because our position depends too much on its result,” Fukutomi continued, putting all the parchments on the desk and turning around.

The guys were instantly quiet — Toudou and Arakita were distracted from each other, became serious, and Shinkai stopped smiling too.

“If the Gryffindor team scores too many points in tomorrow's game, our situation will become difficult,” Fukutomi said, and he hadn't even considered the possibility Onoda's team might lose.

Manami realised this and involuntarily swallowed, still standing in front of the door, unable to grab the handle and leave.

“The fact that our game with them comes last is to our advantage, but we won't be able to catch up with them so easily in points in one match if they get a big lead, and they can try to do it to reassure themselves. Any captain would do the same at such a moment,” Fukutomi said, and so far no one dared to interfere even if he said, what it might look like, obvious things that everyone knew about. He didn't want to sound like a nerd — he wanted his teammates to understand the complexity of the situation their team could get into.

Manami's stomach twisted, but he ignored the nervous sensation. Until that moment, he hadn't thought about what exactly might await them in the finals. He knew that he was going to face Onoda and dwelled on that knowledge, almost forgetting that Quidditch wasn't just a battle of Seekers for the Snitch. What if it ended up being much more complicated?

“But I wouldn't equate the captain of the Gryffindor team with any captain,” Fukutomi added suddenly, and an almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face. “I'm pretty sure that he wants us to fight on equal footing in the finals even if it would be a risk for him because Quidditch is unpredictable. The penultimate game of the season could also change everything.”

It took Manami a few seconds to realise, and after that, his feeling changed dramatically. The nervousness vanished, and there was no need to linger here any longer. Manami opened the door and walked out, heading for the third-years' dormitory. His spirits lifted because if Fukutomi was right, and he was rarely wrong, tomorrow the Gryffindors would try to end the game as soon as they had a chance to catch the Snitch.

Returning to his dormitory, Manami let other thoughts take over, and, rummaging through his dresser drawers for a bit, he found a large map of Hogwarts. It had been lying unnecessarily since the very first year, and Manami thought he'd learned enough about the castle by now, but as it now turned out, there was still something he didn't know.

So he had to find... a separate bathroom?

At first it had seemed even silly, but Manami quickly remembered that it was still the magic castle after all. Probably, there really could be a whole bathroom for students, one that couldn't be accessed without a password. But why was Fukutomi the only one who knew the password for such a place?

It took a long time for Manami to succeed in his search. Lying on the bed, he studied the map for a long time, returned to the same places a couple of times to look at them more carefully, and finally on the fifth floor he found what he needed.

The prefeсts' bathroom — that must have been it. Manami grinned as he read the name of the room again (and it wasn't a small room) and figured out how to get to it quickly from the common room. So only the prefects had access to this bathroom? It must have been very cool if so, Manami mused, and it would have been strange if he hadn't felt the urge to see it all with his own eyes. And now, when he happened to know the password, he had the opportunity to get inside, and he wanted to use it immediately.

Except that it was the curfew now — Manami decided not to risk wandering around the castle at night but to go to the fifth floor in the morning when everyone had gone to breakfast.

This idea seemed like a good one, and he quickly fell asleep, covered with a blanket and looking forward to tomorrow's match that was sure to be amazing, no matter what strategy the captain of Onoda's team chose.

In the morning Manami had barely slept through all the time he needed to execute his plan. When he left the dormitory, it was empty — all the guys had already gone to the Great Hall, but Manami still didn't give up his idea of going up to the fifth floor and find out what kind of Prefects' Bathroom was there.

Trying to be inconspicuous, he got there, successfully avoiding the attention of other students who might meet on the way. The Prefects' Bathroom, as he remembered, was not far from one of the statues, and when it caught his eye, Manami perked up and quickened his pace. He got to the door, trying to remember which one it should be if he walked straight from the landmark, and after a moment's hesitation he called out the password.

There was a muffled click inside, Manami cautiously opened the heavy door to peer inside for just a second, and in an instant he gasped with only one thought in his mind.

Rushing back down the stairs, he nearly collapsed when he reached the ground floor, and immediately dashed towards the Great Hall. If he was lucky, he could still make it. And he did get lucky — he was able to catch the Quidditch team of Gryffindor at the entrance. They had all just headed to the broomstick room, and Manami, literally panting, finally stopped, unable to run anymore.

“Sakamichi!” he called out, then coughed, feeling a pain in his throat.

Naruko and Imaizumi also turned towards him, looked in bewilderment as if he was going to die right there in the corridor, but soon they disappeared somewhere in the background because Manami began to perceive only Onoda appeared in front of him.

“Are you alright? What's up?” he asked excitedly, placing his palms on Manami's shoulders, and Manami straightened up, trying to catch his breath.

“I'm sorry,” he said apologetically, feeling uncomfortable. “I didn't mean to bother you — you have a game coming up—”

“Yes, but you look exhausted,” Onoda remarked, hardly relieved, but he put his hands down. “Where were you running from?”

“From one special place,” Manami giggled, quickly stroking his hair at the back of his head with his palm. “But that's not the point now. You have to go, and I just want to tell you something— Win today's match, Sakamichi. Do this and I'll give you a deep kiss.”

Onoda's cheeks instantly flashed red. He was embarrassed by these words and put his hand to his mouth, tilting his head. Manami'd have liked to admire this reaction longer but had to give up — they really didn't have time now. Therefore, he turned Onoda around and cheered him up once more so that he could finally start catching up with his departed team.

After that, Manami couldn't get what he'd seen when he peeked into the mysterious Prefects' Bathroom out of his head until the start of the match. And even if he didn't have time to really see anything, one moment was enough for him to understand that he wanted to bring Onoda there. No, such a place simply couldn't be hidden like this and only shown to those students who became prefects. Manami didn't really understand why they had such a privilege, and that was probably why he didn't feel like he'd do something wrong if he came to this bathroom again. The password apparently changed from time to time, which meant that the possibilities were limited. It was foolish to turn down his chance.

Apparently, because of this, Manami looked thoughtful — Toudou paid attention to this but didn't have time to ask him anything. The game began, and they both focused on what was happening on the field. Toudou, of course, was intently watching the Chasers and Makishima in particular, and Manami took the omnioculars and started looking for the Snitch, sometimes looking up at Onoda and feeling how his heart definitely accelerated even more while doing so.

It couldn't be said that the match was very tense. Manami was only worried until the Snitch chase began, which would let him know about the strategy chosen for this game. And everything fell into place; everything happened as Fukutomi had said it would. Onoda had the task of catching straight away, and he did it on the first try. He finished the match with a score of 220-100 in favour of his team, and the Ravenclaws had to accept their second defeat this season.

Rising from the bench with everyone to cheer for the winners, Manami could barely remember the exact score the Gryffindor team had in their last game. It seemed that they had scored 270 points then, which meant that the same result was still not possible. The Slytherin team was a hundred points behind the Gryffindor team right now, but it could probably have been worse?

“So far so good,” Toudou said as soon as the noise from the stands began to fade and the teams left the field for the changing rooms. “If the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws don't outscore us in their last game, we might be able to win it back against Gryffindor.”

“Really?” Manami asked hopefully.

“Even if we're tied on points, you'll catch the snitch and that will win us the game,” Toudou nodded, and Manami literally trembled.

It looked like they'd have a chance to win. To return the Cup. If he could do it at the very end. If he could... defeat Onoda?

His head felt dizzy, and Manami shook his hair, trying to drive away the unpleasant sensation. He had told himself he'd accept any result of their match, but had he ever once in the past month remembered that he had to win, not just play? He had once promised himself to fulfill his new desire, to lift his team back to the championship podium, but it would be good if he could forget about it forever. If he could just play with Onoda without thinking about anything, but now it seemed to be too expensive a luxury. Maybe next year they'd have better luck? Maybe they wouldn't have to fight for the Cup again?

Manami kept coming to this in his thoughts until the very evening, tormented by conflicting feelings. There were too many of them. The excitement of today's game of Onoda mixed with the excitement about the upcoming game, and Manami barely remembered that he had really wanted to show Onoda the Prefects' Bathroom.

This insight reassured him, and he came to dinner with a note to send it by air directly to Onoda. In it, he wrote that he wanted to meet at twelve o'clock at night on the fifth floor. He described the statue of a thin man and how to get from it to the right door — Onoda turned around on the bench and gave him a completely discouraged look as he read the note. Manami only smiled apologetically and shrugged. It wasn't the first time they had broken the rules by meeting somewhere after the curfew.

They couldn't talk at the end of dinner though Onoda might have wanted to ask about the strange proposition. Manami noticed him look in his direction again, but then Naruko dragged him along, talking loudly about something, and a large group of Gryffindor guys left the hall with them.

They were probably going to celebrate their victory in the common room. They'd probably even stay up late. What if Onoda got into trouble when he tried to sneak out for a meeting? Manami thought about it without pleasure but decided that he'd still make it to the fifth floor at the appointed time, even if Onoda might not show up.

It was very difficult to wait. After dinner, Manami didn't sit in the Slytherin common room for long but soon got tired of other people's conversations and music from the radio that was turned up loudly now and then. He went to his dormitory and just lay on the bed — he had no desire to do anything to pass the time, and that didn't make the time go any faster.

Nevertheless, it was the curfew and the boys went to their beds; someone began to talk, but soon the talking gradually died down and the lamps were extinguished. Manami waited in the dark for a while, then lit a weak Lumos on the tip of his wand and watched the screen of his magic watch. He almost fell asleep with boredom at this activity, so he decided to leave a little early.

It wasn't hard to leave the common room unnoticed — everyone had gone to bed already, and Manami went out into the corridor, wrapping himself in his robes and shivering a little. He had chill, and he was afraid that this was a harbinger of a new cold, but after a minute his thoughts turned to something else. He'd definitely have a closer look at the Prefects' Bathroom even if Onoda still didn't come. And if one were to draw hot water into that seemingly enormous tub, one could bathe and warm oneself. The anticipation made him want to speed up his pace, and Manami walked faster.

By the time he reached the fifth floor, he already had a tingling sensation in his side due to the rapid ascent but didn't slow down until he was near the desired door again. Having called the password, Manami opened the door and this time went inside to look around — since Onoda hadn't come yet, he could satisfy his curiosity without him.

And the sight, it must be said, was astonishing. Manami has never seen a place like this. The large and spacious room was made of white marble; in the middle was a deep tub that now seemed even larger, surrounded by many golden taps decorated with jewels. Manami came closer and opened some of them. The sound of water pleasantly diluted the silence, and soap bubbles appeared to be pouring from some of the taps, starting to create white clouds on the surface of the rising water. Manami was pleased with the result and turned around to examine the rest.

Most of the windows were covered by blackout curtains, but a couple of them were left open, allowing the moonlight from outside to seep in. There was a splendid chandelier hanging from the ceiling with a bunch of unlit candles, but Manami decided not to light them, believing it created a more enchanting atmosphere here.

He walked forward across the floor, noticing a pile of white towels in the corner, looked at a picture of a beautiful long-haired mermaid. It was pleasant to be here — it seemed as if the place itself was somehow relaxing, and for a few moments Manami even forgot that he was waiting for someone.

Returning to the door, he carefully opened it and almost immediately saw the familiar back in the half-light of the corridor. Onoda was right there, and Manami, excited, grabbed him and dragged him inside.

“Hush,” he said, facing a startled look, and Onoda immediately blinked in amazement, unable to understand what was happening.

“Sangaku,” he whispered. “What? And where are… we— Oh.”

“Yeah,” Manami smiled, closing the door with a large latch. “I happened to find out about this place quite by accident, but it's amazing, isn't it?”

“Wow,” Onoda wondered quietly as he made his way inside. “I didn't know there was such a bathroom. Is it a secret bathroom?”

“Kind of,” Manami replied and walked over to the tub to turn the taps off. He didn't even notice when the water managed to fill the tub, but now clouds of foam rose almost to his head. “Apparently, it's only for the prefects. It's called that, and I learned the password for it when I saw it on the parchment of our prefect.”

“Oh yes,” Onoda frowned a little when Manami glanced at him briefly. “So we can't be here. We aren't prefects. And it's the curfew now.”

“Think of it as an advance. You'll become a prefect someday,” Manami chuckled, and Onoda was puzzled.

“What? Why would I do that?”

“I don't know. I said the first thing that came to mind,” Manami joked and said, “Do you want to take a bath?”

“A bath?” Onoda shuddered. “Uh… no, I suppose. This tub looks kind of scary.”

“I'll try,” Manami shrugged his shoulders and pulled off his tie.

“Are you serious?” Onoda worried. “Are you sure? Maybe this is not such a good idea?”

“It's just a huge tub,” Manami laughed, tossing his tie and robes to the floor, and began to unbutton his shirt. “It's intended for bathing. Nothing bad will happen.”

“You just… oh,” Onoda said indistinctly as Manami took off his shirt and unbuttoned his trousers.

“Why don't you change your mind?” Manami asked, looking at him in surprise. “I won't let you drown if you're afraid.”

“No no!” Onoda waved his palms and for some reason he blushed again.

Manami didn't understand the reason and continued to undress. He took off his shoes, pants, socks and didn't stop at his underwear. Onoda was completely quiet, and when Manami turned his head in his direction, he was looking tensely out the window, his face so red that his blush was visible even in the half light. Manami grinned.

“Hey Sakamichi,” he called. “Come here for a second, there's something—”

“Huh? What is it?” Onoda asked and approached uncertainly, still trying not to look at Manami, who remained completely naked at the edge of the tub.

“I'm a boy like you, Sakamichi,” Manami reminded him, taking Onoda's face with his palms and making him look into his eyes. “What's the problem?”

“You're not—” Onoda said in confusion. “I mean... I'm sorry...”

“Do you like me that much?” Manami suggested with a smile.

Onoda closed his eyes doomfully, as if he was being made to suffer, and Manami took the chance.

Nothing prevented him from doing this — they were standing at the very edge of the tub, and a slight push was enough for Onoda to lose his balance and began to fall into a soapy cloud. There was such a deafening splash afterwards that Manami involuntarily squeezed his eyes shut and wondered to himself. Did he really mean it? Did he throw Onoda into the water?

The realisation that he had to jump after him came quickly, and Manami dove in, closing his eyes again and holding his breath.

When he found himself in pleasantly warm water, all sounds were immediately muffled. He bumped into Onoda even before he opened his eyes, and, without thinking, leaned to him in a kiss because their lips were successfully on the same level.

Everything around him fell back into darkness. Manami pressed Onoda against him, felt his arms around his shoulders, hugging him back, and it seemed to him that they were suspended in weightlessness, that the tub had no bottom and that if they wished they could just float endlessly like that in this warming vacuum, breathing each other because real oxygen wasn't needed.

Nevertheless, Onoda's wet clothes very soon pulled them deeper, and they still needed air. Manami rolled over to kick off the bottom with his feet and let them float to the surface, where the sounds became too loud again, and Onoda clutched at him harder, resting his chin on his shoulder and coughing from the water that got into his nose.

“Sorry, Sakamichi. Are you alive?” Manami asked, trying to suppress a chuckle but failing.

Onoda didn't answer, and he must not have had time to recover from the sudden situation. Manami helped him out of the tub, climbed out himself and put his hand on a trembling shoulder under the sodden robes.

“When you...” Onoda began to say, looking at Manami in bewilderment, “said about a deep kiss, I didn't think you mean something like that.”

Manami blinked in surprise as he realised, and then laughed. And no, he hadn't planned it that way.

He went to get some towels, picked up several at once, returned and placed them next to Onoda, starting to wipe himself.

“I was a fool, Sakamichi,” Manami said apologetically, tying a towel around his hips. “Forgive me, will you?”

“I'll think about it,” Onoda replied and reached out with his hand to his face. “Damn, my glasses.”

“Oh, wait.” Kneeling down, Manami pulled his wand out of the folds of his robes on the floor and quickly used Accio. The glasses jumped out of the water right into his palm, and he held them out to Onoda with a faint smile. “I'll dry you off, but at least take off your robes.”

Onoda nodded silently. He put back his glasses, small drops of water remaining on the lenses, and heavily pulled off the robes from his shoulders, which flopped to the floor. The discomfort was apparently still stronger than the embarrassment, so Onoda took off his trousers after his boots as well and allowed Manami to start using the Hot Air Charm. It must have taken them quite a while to dry all of their clothes, but it seemed like only a little while passed, and towards the end there was a soft smile on Onoda's face after he put his clothes back on and sat down again on the floor beside Manami.

“You played great today,” Manami said, lowering his wand. “I enjoyed it, as I always do.”

“I tried my best,” Onoda replied, looking down in embarrassment. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Manami smiled and suddenly remembered, “That match was supposed to be ours, but then the schedule changed.”

“Yeah,” Onoda nodded, a little sad but didn't lose his smile. “I guess it would have been better if it had stayed that way.”

“Yes,” Manami agreed. “Next year will definitely be better, but this time we'll manage.”

“We'll manage,” Onoda repeated and squeezed his hand in his.

His heart seems to have stopped for a moment. Manami felt a thrill and excitement for the umpteenth time today, and it must have been too much not to be overwhelmed by it. But at the same time... he knew that he couldn't take his gaze from Onoda's eyes, and none of them seemed to think at all about the fact that they needed to go back to their common rooms.

Many expected a fierce struggle from the next match. Manami remembered what it had been like last year — unpleasant. Quidditch had sometimes shown its wrong side, with players breaking the rules too often or playing too rough just to arrive at the desired result, but the match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff hadn't lived up to the bad expectations.

The game lasted a little longer than Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw game a month ago, but Manami barely noticed the difference because he simply didn't come to the stands on time. He and Onoda flew their own brooms as the weather was just fine — warm and spring-like — and when they remembered the time, they realised that they were already late for the game.

The match ended towards the lunchtime with the score 300-190 in favour of Ravenclaw. The Seeker in blue did an excellent job of capturing the Snitch, but not without cover from his Beater, who helped to slow his opponent down at the crucial moment.

And this time, for some reason, an unwitting feeling came that both teams had already given up the fight for the Cup this year. The game came out really decent, and no one tried to do more that their best. Manami was coming down from the stands relieved — his team already had to face the strongest opponent in the final, and it was good that he could concentrate only on catching the Snitch, and certainly his Chasers wouldn't let the points gap, which was now, widen.

Maybe it would indeed go well, but why guess and burden himself when he was about to do the right thing? For now, he should have just concentrated on training, honing his skills so that he'd be in better shape for the last game in a month's time.

Manami had planned so. He devoted himself to Quidditch for the near future and often went out to practise separately — now he had his own Snitch which Toudou had given back for Christmas, and Manami let it out on the field while everyone was having lunch in the Great Hall or going about their business before the curfew.

The preparation carried him away too much — he didn't think that he could be distracted at such a time by something else, but in early May he happened to overhear a fragment of someone else's conversation that interested him.

Mr. Kanzaki was chatting with the Charm professor near the entrance to the Great Hall, and Manami was just passing by to head to his first class after breakfast.

“Will you be gone tomorrow, then?” professor asked, and this question made Manami slow down a little while all the other students, not paying any attention to the men, walked on.

“Yes, I'll have to go out,” Mr. Kanzaki replied in a slightly doomed tone. “My mother's having trouble with the house tax, and she seems to think I'm not doing anything here. I asked her to wait until the holidays—”

Wow, cool, Manami thought, picking up the pace again. Tomorrow is just their team practice — so they'll be without an instructor till the end? No one but Fukutomi to keep an eye on things? Freedom, the ridiculous thought came immediately, and Manami couldn't help but chuckle. It was about the same as when the teacher left the class, instructing them to study on their own, and no one did, of course, but that could hardly be said about the Slytherin team's training. There was no need to doubt that everything would be as usual. No one would be allowed to avoid training, though Manami still couldn't help the fantasy of imagining them redoing all the Quidditch rules for the day and starting to play in a complete mess.

Throughout the day, he could have forgotten what he'd learned, if it hadn't been for a sudden spontaneous idea. It had been a long time since Manami had thought of that failed attempt by Yuuto to participate in practice, and now the gears in his head were actively turning, suggesting leading questions. What if—

Manami didn't delay the fulfillment of his thoughts. He'd try, and if he failed, nothing bad would happen, right?

That was why right after class, Manami hurried to the common room of his House with the sole purpose of finding Fukutomi. He ended up in a seventh-years' dormitory and alone! It was such luck that Manami couldn't believe it and thought that nothing could stop him after that.

“If you're looking for Jinpachi, he's in the library now,” Fukutomi said, not distracted from his business. He was busy shifting books and parchments on the desk, took one of them and sat down on the bed, studying it with his eyes.

“No, I wanted to talk to you,” Manami replied, smiling, and then he dared to come closer.

Fukutomi hummed intently, nodding slightly, and continued to read something from the parchment. Manami decided it was safe for him to ask.

“Mr. Kanzaki won't be here tomorrow,” he said, causing Fukutomi to look up at him with interest.

“How do you know? He only warned me about his absence at lunchtime.”

“I accidentally overheard him talking to professor,” Manami explained, hiding his hands behind his back.

“I see,” Fukutomi replied. “That doesn't change anything. The training will take place as usual.”

“I have no doubt about that, and I have a request,” Manami began. “It's unusual, but—”

“What is it? I'll hear you out, speak up,” Fukutomi encouraged, putting aside the parchment, and looked closely at Manami.

“It's about Yuuto,” Manami said decisively, exhaling. “Let him participate in the training tomorrow, as long as Mr. Kanzaki can't see.”

Fukutomi's face flashed with amazement.

“You know it's against the rules. Yuuto's still a first-year. Let him wait until next year — there's not so much left.”

“I know!” Manami replied almost desperately. “But there's a problem. We have to make it happen this year, while... while his brother is still in school…”

“…So that was the point?” Fukutomi asked after a short pause. “Last time he sneaked into practice because he wanted to play with Hayato?”

“I'm not sure,” Manami said, looking away. “Perhaps Yuuto doesn't fully understand himself, but if he could find the answer... I think that would be nice.”

“Is he your friend?” Fukutomi asked, making him confused. Manami couldn't answer this question unambiguously.

“I wish he was. But even if he doesn't consider me his friend, still... I'm pretty sure he'll be in the core team next year. And if he becomes part of our team, let him know that this is the place where his mates will support him in the times of need.”

“I understand your desire,” Fukutomi replied, nodding again. “But I can't do it. This will be a gross violation of the rules, and I'm not only the team captain but also the prefect.”

Manami sighed softly. And set about a heavier onslaught.

He sat down on the bed next to him, put his arms around Fukutomi's elbow and pressed his cheek to his shoulder, looking up pitifully.

“Oh please. I'll try very hard and get a lot of House points in my classes.”

“So, is it really that important to you, or do you just like to win?” Fukutomi asked with a faint smile. “Okay. I'll let him come for one practice session.”

“Thank you,” Manami rejoiced, moving away. “I can vouch for him — he's really good with a broom and this should be no problem.”

“I already know that,” Fukutomi replied.

“Thank you,” Manami said again, unable to contain his smile.

He went to his dormitory, took the parchments with his homework there and headed to the library — he had to keep his word in return for help.

The teams were divided in an atypical way. When the warm-up passed and the general drills were over, Fukutomi announced a practice match, bypassing individual ball work.

Yuuto was actually here, which was still hard to believe even after thirty minutes of training. This time he was himself — he didn't have to disguise himself, dye his hair or do anything else. He wore a green Quidditch uniform that had been sized for him so that it wouldn't get in the way. His broom was also the best of the spare brooms, and when Manami glanced at him from time to time, he almost always noticed a restrained smile and a sparkle in his eyes, which couldn't help but convince that everything that was happening now was right.

The idea was a good one after all.

Yuuto played as a Beater, paired with Arakita, on the same team as Shinkai Sr. Manami, too, was assigned to them in his usual position, and he was very surprised when Kuroda appeared in the air in front of him, pulling a black T-shirt over his green robes.

“He asked me to be a Seeker,” Kuroda explained. “I want to see what you've learned.”

“Taking care of me, huh?” Manami chuckled.

“I'm going to be on the field with you next year — it's time to start getting used to keeping an eye on you,” Kuroda replied with the same chuckle.

“I thought I told you not to think of me as a child,” Manami reminded him and lunged upwards — the Quaffle had already been tossed from centre field, and the game was on.

He managed to keep the Snitch in sight but wasn't planning on catching up right away. Kuroda apparently too. There was a thing much more interesting now, and to follow it, one had to briefly forget about his main goal in the match.

Rising higher, Manami accelerated, circling the Quidditch field around the perimeter. Below, a struggle was already underway. Two Chasers in black were leading the Quaffle towards the goal hoops, one of them was Toudou. He scored instantly, but the ball was immediately caught by Shinkai, and he rushed to the opposite side of the field. He gave a pass to Izumida, successfully dodged the Chaser in black who was planning to interfere, and took the Quaffle back again. Soon the Beaters with their Bludgers would also remind of themselves.

Sensing a flutter, Manami slowed down in the southern part of the field, and Kuroda soon flew closer, seemingly intent on watching the game from here as well.

“Relaxed already? I won't warn you before the attack,” he said, but Manami decided not to be tempted.

“Wasn't me the first second-year taken to the core team in a while?” he asked, and Kuroda raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

“Yep. So what?”

“I think there's someone else who's capable of breaking the established tradition.”

“Is this about Yuuto?”

Arakita caught up with the Bludger and hit it so hard that a loud crash echoed across the field. The Chasers in black barely had time to scatter in different directions to avoid being hit.

“Yes,” Manami nodded. “I can see his eagerness to fly and Quidditch, and he has the ability. Moreover, he's smart... Look.”

Manami pointed a finger and Kuroda followed the direction. Yuuto just ducked funny, letting the Bludger fly towards him, turned in the air, caught up with it and hit it, but not towards the Chasers, but towards Arakita. He responded to this, probably intuitively, sending the ball right on target and knocking the Quaffle out of the hands of the Chaser in black.

“He could have done it all by himself, but he used the skill of an expert because he knew he was in a better position,” Manami said.

“I see,” Kuroda agreed. “Not bad for a beginner.”

“That's why I asked Fukutomi to let him play this time,” Manami said.

“You? Really?” Kuroda was surprised. “I thought it was his brother... Wow.”

“Yuuto can be our strength,” Manami nodded. “So I want him to have more motivation to fight for us.”

“I always thought you were a shitty strategist, but this time you surprised me, honestly,” Kuroda chuckled.

Manami smiled back.

“Thank you for your frankness, and think seriously about what I said. You've became a Beater — you know better than me how to play that position.”

Kuroda didn't say anything back, but it was noticeable that he became much more focused on watching Yuuto, and Yuuto didn't lose his chances. He even surprised Manami a couple of times when he rushed straight to the Chasers to stop the Bludger sent at them by the Beaters of the opponent team. And he helped his brother to successfully execute the attack, which earned them points. When Manami realised this, his heart jumped and for some reason felt so warm in his soul.

He gave in to those feelings, allowing Kurode to be the first to rush for the Snitch, but didn't keep himself waiting too long. Switching over, Manami used everything he could learn and passed his opponent on a sharp bend near one of the western stands. It all happened so naturally, as if it were something prearranged. Manami seemed to have seen the whole path of the golden goal from start to finish. It was as if he knew at what time and where to turn, and the Snitch was in his hand the moment he was alone with it. Kuroda couldn't even get close enough to interfere in that decisive moment.

One of the guys who had been watching the game and announced the score loudly announced the capture of the Snitch, and Manami stopped, squeezing the golden ball through a thick glove and watching Kuroda's exhausted face with pleasure.

“I'm no match for you any longer,” he said, wiping the sweat from his chin with his sleeve, and to admit this for him was perhaps a blow to his pride even though he didn't show it.

“My team won,” Manami replied and pointed the broom down to go down to the field where all the players had already begun to gather to drink water and discuss the results.

It was hard to expect anything out of the ordinary after a simple training match — Manami usually let all the guys' comments pass his ears, but this time he had to be really surprised. And it was all because of Yuuto again, of course. Because of the fact that he hugged his brother tightly, and, with his face against his chest, said without hiding the tears in his trembling voice, “I wanted to play a real game with you, I really did...”

“Yes, I understand,” Shinkai replied him barely audibly, placing his hand on his small shoulders trembling with sobs.

Manami immediately felt as if he had witnessed something too important, which could hardly be so easy to look at. For a moment he thought his eyes were watering too, but he restrained himself, not letting the touching moment completely throw him off balance

Yuuto pulled himself together just as quickly. He wiped away his tears by letting go of his brother, and Fukutomi praised him for his excellent play, stepping closer and squeezing his shoulder in approval.

“Do you think you'll take him into the core next year?” Fukutomi asked Izumida.

“If he makes it through tryouts, I'll be more than happy to,” Izumida replied with a smile.

“Look, we've almost decided on the Beaters for the next season,” Kuroda said suddenly, resting his elbow on Manami's shoulder. “Due to your efforts, yeah.”

“What do you mean by that?” Manami grinned. “Don't tell me you mean yourself too.”

“It was you,” Yuuto approached with a smile, looking directly at Manami.

“What? I didn't do anything,” Manami tried to laugh it off, taking Kuroda's elbow off his arm.

“I know that you asked permission for me to play today's game,” Yuuto said, and his gaze turned eager. “I accept your gesture, Manami. You took my side, and I'll take yours.”

“Secured support in advance,” Kuroda grinned and slapped Manami lightly on the back of the head, mussing his hair. “It looks like we'll be waiting for you next season to fight for victory together.”

“But first you have to try harder at this one,” Manami laughed softly, raising his hand to smooth his hair.

“I told you before,” Yuuto replied. “You're Manami, you do even impossible things. I won't be surprised if winning the Cup turns out to be as easy for you as reading your morning newspaper,” he added and laughed kindly.

The words were undoubtedly pleasant. Manami couldn't remember when they still had such a great training session, but today had indeed been a special day. Raising spirits and morale like nothing else, and Manami was certainly not going to let go of that feeling until the end.

Chapter Text

When Manami woke up and opened his eyes, the new day didn't seem any different. He could easily have thought it was the usual Saturday, one of those days when students could take a break from classes or relax by taking a walk in Hogsmeade. The end of April was one of the best times for spending time outdoors. But the peace and serenity couldn't last long.

Just as he threw back the covers and sat down, Manami heard voices from other beds. His roommates were getting ready for breakfast. They were discussing what was going to happen today, and it was certainly not a trip to Hogsmeade. Manami smiled, chasing away a surging sense of nervousness — in just a few hours he'd be playing for his team in the fight for the Cup. He was sure that the excitement and awe would soon flood him headlong, but he couldn't let it ruin his concentration. Everything had to go just perfectly — Manami was preparing for this, he was looking forward to it with all his heart. His second chance, his attempt to prove that he had really grown up.

He took his clothes, went into the bathroom and stood in the shower for several minutes until he finally cheered up. He had promised himself he'd stay focused until the end of the game today, and the circumstances were favourable — he had managed to get a good night's sleep and was up without even a wake-up call before breakfast started. He wondered if Onoda had been able to rest just as well before the decisive match.

Manami thought about it with a warm smile as he changed his clothes and dried his hair in front of the mirror. He certainly remembered well what it had been like last year. How nervous he had been before the final, frightened of the speed with which the rival's abilities were growing. Onoda had indeed proved stronger, and Manami had lost faith in himself, but now things were different. Based on observing Onoda's past games this season, Manami felt they were tied, but that meant no one would be able to predict the outcome of the upcoming match. Anyone could win, but Manami didn't want to let these thoughts take over his mind. There were already enough burdensome factors that would make it difficult to get real enjoyment out of flying and playing, but he still hoped that everything would happen as before. With Onoda, he'd be able to experience happiness until the very last moment, and this time maybe even longer.

When Manami entered the common room, he was a little surprised, not expecting to find such a commotion there. Many of the guys were talking loudly in groups. Some were finalising supporting posters, others were rehearsing chants. The awareness of the last step of the path became a lot brighter, Manami was practically trembling with excitement, and then the guys from his team finally made him feel today that was really going to be a big day for them.

“Good, you're up already,” Arakita said as he passed.

“Don't be late for breakfast,” Shinkai added with a smile.

“Don't eat too much — we'll go straight to the changing room after,” Toudou advised.

They looked enthusiastic and cheerful and were about to go to the field with the belief that they'd win. Manami realised this, and warmth ran through his body — he felt that their mere presence would make him stronger because they hadn't succumbed to the disappointment of last year's final but had the courage to go ahead and fight again.

The Great Hall was barely half full when Manami arrived for breakfast, following his team's lead. Many of the students, he suspected, were still sleeping off after the school week, and Onoda, Naruko and Imaizumi weren't yet to be seen. Probably, the warm-up of the Gryffindor team will be after ours, Manami thought, and a slight sense of longing overtook him. He wished he could meet up with Onoda before the match started, at least for a little while. Just to make sure that they were both really ready for it.

But before they had to go to the broomstick room, the younger members of the Gryffindor team never showed up in the Great Hall. Manami, however, didn't take long to reflect on the missed opportunity. He took his Firebolt in his hands and realised that the excitement he had felt up to this moment was just the beginning. He'd have to take off and fight on the broom that had become his best friend, a guide to incredible sensations. The peak would be reached when the Snitch chase began, and Manami, anticipating that, bit his lip in impatience. He could do it again. Bring the denouement closer, quickly find the Snitch and catch it, but... He seemed to have slightly different plans for this match.

This became known soon afterwards. When everyone got to the changing room and started to go inside to change, Manami had to stop. Toudou slowed him down, taking him by the shoulder, and they were left alone outside, standing on the fresh bright grass under the pleasantly warm rays of the sun.

“You were thinking about catching the Snitch again after a few minutes of the game, weren't you?” Toudou asked shrewdly, but there was a smile on his face and Manami wasn't taken aback.

“Sorry. I don't think I've decided exactly what I'm going to do in today's match,” he replied, after which Toudou dropped his hand.

“You can do anything, you're capable of it. That's why I want to voice my request to you.”

“What is it?” Manami got a little curious as Toudou paused as if collecting his thoughts.

“This is the last time I'll be playing with Yuusuke,” he suddenly reminded him, causing Manami to lower his gaze, succumbing again to the sense of impending loss.

It was all true. Three players from the Gryffindor team, four from the Slytherin team — they'd be playing the school's Quidditch game for the last time today, and that couldn't help but bring a slight sadness.

“...That's why I wanted to ask you not to catch until the score of one of the teams reached one hundred and fifty,” Toudou continued.

Manami smiled faintly, closing his eyes and relaxing his shoulders.

“Of course, Jinpachi. Anything you want,” he replied. “Any more instructions?”

“I suppose there will be one,” Toudou smiled again, grinning. “Otherwise... do whatever you have to do to feel free.”

“But—” Manami was puzzled.

“I know what you're thinking,” Toudou replied. “But thinking too much about others is not the best way to fight for you. That's why I want you to break free. The outcome of this match can help you throw off the heavy shackles. Do that, and you'll soar so high that you'll amaze yourself. You'll play even better, and it's even a pity that I won't be able to see it next year, but I hope to hear about it.”

Those were good words, Manami thought, gasping for a moment and clutching his robes on his chest with his fingers. He couldn't resist the temptation to try to imagine what it would be like if he felt lightness again, if the burden of memories finally disappeared. How fast would he be able to grow then?

“I'll try,” he replied. Toudou put his arm around his shoulder and pushed him towards the door.

Manami changed with everyone else and checked that all the guard straps were secure before warming up. If I manage, today I'll be holding the Golden Snitch in my hand, feeling the coolness of metal and the taste of victory, he thought to himself, lingering his gaze on his open palm. I must do my best.

This reminder cheered him up, as did Toudou's wishes. The urge to fight, it seemed, had never been more vivid — it was becoming all-consuming, and Manami focused on it as if his own life depended on it.

He did the warm-up as he was supposed. He checked that his broom was all right, soaring high above the stands that were waiting for the spectators. He felt like a different person, as if the only thing he had always done was Quidditch. Manami didn't know if it was good or bad, but if it helped win today's game, he was willing to accept either feeling.

He didn't return to the changing room when the guys finished their warm-up and went to wait the start of the match. Manami didn't want to go down to the ground for a minute, and he managed to circle the edge of the Forbidden Forest on his broomstick, noticing the figures in red flashing near the Quidditch pitch: The Gryffindors were also getting ready for their last game.

Somewhere among them was Onoda. Manami thought again that they had never met, and he was relieved. No, he was still himself, and he still had a person who was dear and important to him.

Unable to restrain himself, Manami headed straight for the field but didn't fly too close, searching his eyes for the right target from a distance. He was involuntarily surprised when he finally saw what he was looking for. Onoda was alone. He was sitting next to the fence right on the grass, so small, like a child lost in an unfamiliar strange place. A world, Manami corrected himself involuntarily and excitedly pointed his broom down.

He jumped to the grass in front of Onoda, who looked up a little hesitantly, then blinked. His broom was resting at his feet, neatly placed on the grass, and the red colour of his uniform reminded that he too had come here to fight.

“Sangaku,” he said with surprise and fatigue.

Manami raised his hand, smiling, and decided to sit down next to him, as if that might reveal to him the answer to why Onoda chose to be here instead of with his team.

“Why are you sitting here alone?” Manami asked.

“I'm just—” Onoda said quietly, squeezing his knees pulled up to him with his fingers. “Probably tuning in.”

His voice sounded somehow uncertain and weak. Not the way Manami wanted to hear on this special day. Something seemed to be wrong.

“Why?” Manami asked, slightly turning his face to Onoda so that the rays of the sun wouldn't hit his eyes directly. “Are you afraid of something, Sakamichi? We're going to play together, so everything will be fine. I'll make sure no Bludgers get in our way, so you don't even have to worry about possible injuries.”

“It's not the Bludgers I'm worried about,” Onoda shook his head. “It's just the bad memories.”

“About me?” Manami quieted down, losing his smile.

“I'm sorry,” Onoda apologised immediately. “I didn't mean anything by it.”

“I didn't convince you, did I?” Manami asked. “That everything will be fine regardless of the outcome?”

“It's not your fault,” Onoda replied with a sad smile. “It's my own paranoia that's working. It's just... a little hard anyway.”

“I know,” Manami agreed. “But we came to this together, didn't we? So don't deprive me of the opportunity to be your support too.”

“Sangaku,” Onoda said, and Manami saw the sudden determination in his eyes. “Win on your own, because I won't give in to you for a second.”

“Wow,” Manami smiled, tilting his head to the side. “That's the kind of Sakamichi I like a lot better.”

Onoda sighed heavily.

“My friends want to win too. Their desire is very strong. Enough for me to fight totally serious. That's why I'm ready.”

“That's what I was expecting,” Manami replied, feeling much better. “It will be too boring to win if you don't show me all you can do.”

“Okay, if so,” Onoda calmed down and, closing his eyes, pressed the back of his head to the fence behind his back.

Manami also relaxed and clasped Onoda's palm with his, expecting Onoda to squeeze it back. Onoda did so quite firmly, proving the truth of everything he said, and Manami caught himself thinking that he wished the moment had lasted longer. So that they'd sit like this together until the very beginning of the game, and for a while they spent in complete silence, listening to the muffled echoes of the voices of other guys — the spectators gradually filled the stands — until Onoda suddenly sobbed. Manami glanced at him and saw him hurriedly wiping his eyes, awkwardly pushing his glasses up.

“Sakamichi? What's the matter with you?” Manami tugged his hand lightly in concern.

“Sorry, I'm fine,” Onoda apologized again. “I just thought again that this is the last game for the graduates. We won't practice together again and we won't go out on that field together.”

“I know,” Manami smiled sadly. “That's why I think that we must play from the heart in today's match. They deserve it.”

“Yes… you're right,” Onoda replied and, taking his broom, got to his feet clumsily. “Thank you for cheering me up. I'm feeling much better.”

Manami stood up straight after him, unable to hold back a smile.

“You're welcome. Accept the support of your whole team too. You'll all fight for each other and for one common goal.”

“Sounds good,” Onoda replied a little embarrassed. “Shall we go back to them?”

“Yeah,” Manami agreed. “See you on the field.”

“See you on the field,” Onoda nodded, clambered onto his broomstick and flew off first.

Manami stood for a few more seconds, breathing deeply and trying to assess his feelings, and they were changing so rapidly that it was hard to get used to new ones. But Onoda came to his senses, and that was the main thing, Manami decided. It was good that they had met after all. Maybe things would go on without a hitch?

He really wanted to hope so. Manami returned to the changing room, and now all he had to do was wait for the start of the match. This time he was able to abstract himself a little even if his team was nearby and the guys were talking, repeating the game strategy they had agreed upon beforehand. It all felt too unusual as the final game awaited them, and Manami tried to concentrate on his own task again. The wind today was almost minimal and southwesterly. He had to remember to use it in the game if necessary and also not to forget the Bludgers when the Snitch made them go down to the bulk of players...

He played these simple thoughts in circle until it was time to enter the field. Manami walked behind the others, looking at their backs and without finding any sign of nervousness in them. Did he looked the same from the outside himself? Did he now look like a worthy player for the best team in school? Did he look strong or was he still a kid with little or no experience?

Manami chuckled at his own thoughts and decided he didn't care. He wanted to be close to these people and had earned this place through his efforts. If he could just fight with them one more time, that would be enough.

To get his wish and theirs at the same time, Manami thought, and with a smile he followed the boys onto the field, where the stands erupted in noise and shouting at their arrival. A couple more minutes, and he stopped in his place, where Onoda was standing in front of him, clutching his broom in his hand. There was something new in his gaze — Manami thought it was hope, but he understood the next thing clearly and without error.

I'll wait for you in the sky, Onoda's eyes said, and Manami was eager to answer this call.

He barely waited for a moment to get off the ground after the players had taken their positions in the air. And finally the game began. Out of habit, Manami tracked which way the Snitch flew, but he didn't go after it but immediately began to gain altitude, making a great detour in the air. He knew where to slow down, knew the spot Onoda'd fly to, straight for him, even if Manami became invisible.

“Slytherin scores first! How fast!” the commentator's comment sounded, and Manami was involuntarily surprised, realising that not even a minute had passed since the start of the match.

“Amazing throw of Toudou — it's been a long time since such a beautiful goal on this pitch!” the commentator added next.

Manami bit his lip for a second, wishing he could see it. He only looked at what was going on below now that he had stopped next to Onoda at a safe altitude.

“Toudou and Makishima will show their best game,” Manami said, putting his hand on Onoda's shoulder. “I even wish I could just watch their battle from start to finish. In the first year, we could count their points. Funny, isn't it? But this is the second time we've played fighting alongside them, on their sides. How fast time flies.”

“Uh-huh,” Onoda replied briefly, also watching the players. The fight really got serious from the very beginning.

This time, Makishima had the Quaffle, and he made his way confidently towards the opponents' goalposts. He didn't seem to worry about other players who wanted to stop him or interfere with him. He dodged Shinkai and Izumida though they could have taken the ball away from almost anyone. He managed to avoid even the perfectly aimed Bludger sent by Arakita, but then Toudou appeared out of nowhere on the way. He was more nimble, and he and Makishima collided, which made Manami gasp in surprise.

Makishima dropped the Quaffle to just stay on the broomstick, but the ball was immediately intercepted by Imaizumi and thrown into the lowest hoop.

Toudou held his hand on Makishima's shoulder before they flew in different directions, and Manami, watching them, removed his hand from Onoda's shoulder.

“Do you think it hurt?” he asked, grimacing a little.

Manami smiled faintly.

“It's Toudou, so it's unlikely. I'm pretty sure he tried to do his best. He bent down to avoid getting his elbow in the face.”

“It's good that I'm not a Chaser,” Onoda exhaled in a doleful sort of way, and Manami couldn't help but chuckle and squeeze his cheeks with his fingers as he reached down with his right hand.

“You're a sissy.”

“Not at all,” Onoda twisted and threw an embarrassed look in response.

“Yes you are,” Manami replied, returning his hand to the handle of the broomstick. “But it's okay. I'm here to make sure you're all right.”

“You shouldn't—” Onoda said suppressedly, but Manami pretended not to hear this phrase.

“I can see the Snitch,” he said, noticing a flicker of gold in the western part of the field.

“Me too,” Onoda replied tensely, and his palms tightened on the broom handle, as if he were holding back the instinct to launch toward the goal.

“Let it fly a little longer, huh?” Manami asked. “We can finish the match in a minute or two, but Toudou told me not to rush.”

Onoda winced slightly and pursed his lips, frowning downward. He heard Manami, but he didn't take his eyes off the spot where the Snitch had flashed, which meant he began to hesitate. Manami felt a moment's disappointment, and no, he didn't want to think that all this was still too much for them. Wouldn't they make it?

Trying to shake off those horrible thoughts, Manami tried to focus on Toudou and Makishima's game again, listening to the score rise, but then the worst happened. Onoda tensed up even more.  He mumbled something to himself that wasn't quite intelligible — it seemed to be the names of his friends, Naruko and Imaizumi, and then he dashed down without warning. For the Snitch, of course. Contradicting the request to wait, of course.

Manami was so taken aback that he didn't even immediately think to set off in pursuit, but there was basically no choice. He had to speed up on his broomstick, heading straight for the epicenter of the battle and trying to keep an eye on what was going on nearby.

It was out of fear. Onoda did it out of fear, believing that if he didn't take the opportunity now, he might just lose the match. It didn't take Manami long to figure it out, but... it was also the last chance for Toudou and Makishima to play here. Manami had promised that they'd be able to do it, and he so didn't want their wish to be ruined like this.

“Wait, Sakamichi, let them play!” Manami shouted, rushing after Onoda.

But Onoda didn't seem to hear or he simply didn't want to hear anything. He had already stretched out his hand, approaching the Snitch and was about to catch it. Manami got scared, and then another equally frightening moment was added to the situation. A Bludger. It was flying straight at them! What was Onoda trying to do? Catch the Snitch at the cost of your head?

Gripping the handle of the broom tighter, Manami quickly made a decision. He barely had enough time to catch up with Onoda, to put his arm around his back and force him to dodge. Another second — and the dangerous Bludger flew very close, almost hitting him. It could have been the worst thing that could have happened, and it was a miracle that it hadn't.

“I-I'm sorry,” Onoda stammered as Manami braked, still holding him close. “I'm sorry, Sangaku,” Onoda said, and his voice trembled so uneasily. “I don't know— I just—”

“It's not time yet,” Manami replied, letting him go. “I understand your concern, but let's wait until the score get to one hundred and fifty points? It's important to them.”

“Y-yes,” Onoda agreed, barely calming down.

This wasn't the place to stay. They were almost hit by the Chasers flying by, and Manami began to rise back to his place. Onoda, thankfully, followed him, seemingly no longer intending to do unexpected things, and Manami had a terrible feeling when he braked in mid-air at altitude. He felt acutely that everything was wrong because of one small weakness of Onoda, he didn't want their game to become so tense, but the Cup was at stake, which was too difficult to forget. And Onoda certainly didn't forget.

“You beat me last year and you're still not sure of your abilities?” Manami asked involuntarily. Onoda looked at him, no longer watching the game.

“I'm sorry—” he apologised again. “But you've really become very strong.”

“Just like you, Sakamichi,” Manami smiled weakly.  “I'm aware of that. I've been keeping an eye on you at all your games. It saddens me when you start to underestimate yourself. I have a responsibility to those I play for too, but I thought we'd gained enough experience to know how to play the game bravely.”

“I was wrong, I know,” Onoda admitted, closing his eyes. “Toudou and Makishima really deserved this game, and I ruined almost everything.”

“You wouldn't ruin it, but you'd fall to the ground with a concussion,” Manami corrected. “And who would I have to play with then, huh?” he asked, grinning. “I also deserve this game with you, don't I?”

“Can I really do that?” Onoda asked barely audibly.

“Of course you can,” Manami replied. “Because when the moment comes, you'll remember again why you're doing this.”

And next time you won't hesitate for a moment, he added to himself, peering down again and trying to follow the game of the Chasers.

When we face off in a new match next year, everything will be perfect.

This thought encouraged and drowned out all unpleasant feelings a little. Now it was impossible to dwell on them — they just had to wait for a certain time, but the score was growing slowly as the Keepers guarded the hoops even despite what amazing Chasers they had to play against.

When Slytherin finally reached one hundred and fifty point-mark, Manami was slightly relieved that it would be over soon.

“It's done. Are we going to fight now?” he asked, starting to search for the Snitch with his eyes.

“Yes,” Onoda replied quietly, and he seemed to have regained a bit of lost resolve.

Manami looked more closely, disconnecting from everything not related to the search, and a minute later the result appeared.

“In the northern part of the field,” he said and pointed the broom smoothly downward.

Impatience made him accelerate too much, but he forced the broom to slow down so that Onoda could catch up. And damn… the Bludger was aiming at them again, as if someone had enchanted it to fly at the Seekers as soon as they got closer to the ground.

“If this is a battle, don't look back at me!” Onoda said behind his back, Manami couldn't help but smirk, slowing down again.

“If I don't look back, I won't be able to do it,” he replied, pressing the back of Onoda's head with his palm, making him duck his head.

The Bludger flew right over it. Onoda startled in fright and looked around for a couple of seconds to see the flying ball away.

“Focus, Sakamichi. I don't want to visit you in the infirmary later, you know that,” Manami added, gripping the broomstick again with both hands.

The Snitch was rushing a few meters ahead of them, and Manami kept a close eye on it so that he could react if it took a sharp turn.

Let's speed up, he wanted to say but changed his mind because Onoda understood everything without words. It was time for the real chase to begin, and with that, Manami was finally able to feel one of the things that he had come here for. What he had felt during the previous finale came back to him. The thrill of high speed flight, the excitement of the pursuit, and the excitement of knowing that the target wouldn't come easily to him if he didn't try hard enough for it. And if he failed when he found himself here after everything that had happened to him...

The Snitch rushed down sharply, Manami noticed that he and Onoda had changed course in sync. This realisation inflamed the sensations even more, and there wasn't a hint of fear even if they were approaching the ground rapidly and could crash into it, losing control.

But the golden ball took another direction before its pursuers were critically close to impact. It soared forward and then up again, as if intending to torment the players with overexertion.

But Manami paid no attention to anything. Even when he felt the blood pounding in his temples from the pressure, he could hardly stop or slow down, and his rival also show no sign that he was going to give up. Onoda finally became like his former self. Someone who could fight with all his might for his team. Manami had already thought that he wouldn't wait for this in today's match, but he was finally convinced that things had gotten better with just a second glance. Onoda's eyes had changed; there was a focus on his task in his eyes, which meant that it would be really difficult if Manami wanted to win this game. But that only made it more interesting, of course.

Together they continued in pursuit, but each time they managed to get closer, the Snitch again made a sharp leap to the side or down. Once again they had to lower all the way down to the grass and then back up again. The brain began to lose the clarity which the field and everything that was happening on it was perceived with, but Manami himself was already oblivious to the Bludgers or the possibility of accidentally bumping into any of the other players.

He also forgot that there were still high stands around the perimeter of the field. He might not have been able to avoid the collision when he got too close to an obstacle at the turn. Fortunately, Onoda was able to react to this. He seemed to have coped better with the overexertion and was able to pull Manami aside, grabbing the collar of his uniform.

There was no convenient opportunity to thank him now though Manami realised that it could have ended earlier and a certain defeat for him. But now it was time to focus on the goal again.

It seemed to him that hours passed before the Snitch took a straight course downwind, fleeing the Seekers, and Manami realised that this was really where it would end. Whoever reached first would win, and Onoda was the first to reach out with his right hand to the target, as if in a mute gesture: I'm going to prove the truth of my words once again. I won't give up for a second.

Manami pulled his left palm away from the handle with difficulty. It was hard to hold the broom steady with his right hand alone at this speed, but Onoda's shoulder pressed against his left shoulder, and the flight became more confident.

One last step. Manami gasped in excitement, he felt like his heart had stopped beating, and the Snitch was very close, and Onoda's hand was approaching it, as in slow motion.

This was bad, Manami thought in dismay. He too reached out as hard as he could, but he couldn't pull forward. At one point he thought that Onoda had already touched the golden surface of the ball with his fingers, and at that moment the despair reached its peak.

That's impossible, I'll lose, Manami thought, squeezing his eyes shut for a second, and this thought hurt something inside so much that it made him want to cry.

It might have been true had it not been for the sudden occurrence in which Onoda almost lost his balance and lowered his hand to grasp the broom handle with both of them. Manami himself didn't understand how, but he took this chance. He pushed off the foot-rest even harder, even though he was barely hanging on before, and then squeezed his fingers around the golden ball.

He risked tumbling down from the broomstick, but he managed to sit down more comfortably, taking the right position, and he braked. In just a second, the tail of Onoda's broomstick sharply described an arc in the air.  He was right in front of Manami, stopping too, and there was indescribable emotion in his eyes. Some crazy cocktail of elation, disbelief and fear.

So was it really over?

Manami couldn't believe it either even if he could feel the cold metal of the Snitch on his own skin, but the commentator's voice couldn't lie. He announced the end of the game and announced the score. 340-200 in favour of Slytherin. It was a win.

“I won,” Manami whispered, glancing at the Snitch in his fingers, tears welling up in his eyes. “Sorry, Sakamichi, it's—”

“Your victory,” Onoda said, smiling softly. “Congratulations.”

Manami pressed his lips together. The overwhelming feelings made it hard to breathe, and he couldn't resist. He needed to go down urgently. To where the guys on his team were going down, having also finished their battle.

Almost falling to the grass, Manami released the broom from his trembling hand and, stumbling, ran.

“I did!” he said hoarsely, crashing into Toudou and pressing the captured Snitch to his chest. “I did it all…”

His legs weakened, and Manami almost fell to the ground, but a strong hand supported him behind his back.

“Yes you did,” Toudou's voice confirmed, barely audible over the intensified noise of the stands and loud applause.

He couldn't help it. His eyes were watering before, but now the tears came down like a rain — Manami burst into tears, feeling the hands of other guys on his shoulders, back and in his hair. Everyone was trying to calm and reassure him, saying something, but he felt as if he was about to burst with emotion. He felt that urge to escape to the Forbidden Forest again, as he had last year, to recover, and then Fukutomi reminded him of one more thing that Manami seemed like he definitely couldn't stand.

“In ten minutes we have to line up for the Cup presentation,” sounded like a sentence.

Manami barely saw where he was going when, still supported, he was directed towards the benches. Someone took the Snitch from his hand, and then they sat him down on a bench and gave him a bottle of water. He wiped his wet face somehow and took a few greedy sips.

“You've done fine. Rest,” Toudou said, holding his shoulder. “Don't worry about anything else.”

Manami tried to reply but felt too bad. His head was dizzy and sore, a queasy lump in his throat, and all his muscles, especially his arms, were aching.

Moving with difficulty, he rested his elbows on his knees and lowered his face, mentally thanking his team for not making him get up until he was at least partially recovered. It took more time than he had expected. The guys left to take the well-deserved reward, and he remained on the bench until the healer came up to inquire about his condition.

A little later, when Manami returned to the changing room, he began to think more easily. He began to notice many other things besides his victory. His teammates were also exhausted even if they tried not to show it. Toudou had huge bruises on his arms as he took off his robes, and Arakita was applying ointment to his wrists again, wrinkling with every movement. But they still seemed sincerely happy — in every phrase said by someone, Manami caught an excited note that couldn't but enhance this new feeling that had come to him.

He felt as if the hardest test in his life was over, and he felt relief not so much that he had won but simply from the fact that they had finished this season. No more thinking about winning for a few more months, and that was the best part of everything that happened today.

“…Are you okay?” still Manami didn't hold back, looking at Toudou again.

He buttoned up his shirt, walked over to Manami and bent down to kiss him hard on the forehead.

“I'm fine,” Toudou said, sitting down next to him and pressed his head to his shoulder, gently running through his hair. “You're my sweet child. I love you so much.”

“Yeah,” Manami exhaled after mild surprise.

It was much better than seeing their depressed faces and feeling their disappointment. Was that more right? Manami thought, closing his eyes, and he still didn't want to imagine what could be happening in another changing room now — where their rivals were who they had beaten this time.

When his team headed back to the castle, they didn't meet anyone along the way. The Gryffindors might have left a little earlier, and Manami, to be honest, really didn't want to see anyone right now. He felt that he still needed at least a little privacy to put his thoughts in order and just let his emotions dampen a little.

That was why he immediately slipped into his dormitory, as soon as they were in the common room of the House, where the guys greeted them with joyful congratulations.

It was nice to isolate himself from all those voices and approving speeches. Manami stood in the shower for probably an hour, just listening to the sound of the water drowning out any other sounds, and eventually felt very tired again.

He didn't bother to dry his hair — he just changed and went back to his bed to get under the covers. The tension began to slowly go away, and with this drowsiness rolled over. Manami was still not thinking about anything, but before he blacked out, he could almost vividly see the blinding blue sky in front of him again, the green grass, and also the red that was near to the end.

He slept for several hours apparently, but completely dreamless. Manami woke up, jumping up on the bed — it seemed to him that he was late for some important moment, but everything was fine.

It's okay, he thought to himself. Today he had done the most important thing, he could forget about everything and sleep for all eternity, or—

Had he really done everything?

Dinner was probably in full swing right now, and he— God. Until now, he hadn't even thought about going to see Onoda, to make sure he was okay.

What if he wasn't? What if it was really bad? Manami involuntarily imagined this and realised that he was just afraid. He didn't want to face someone else's pain now, on a day like this, but he couldn't seem to lock himself here either, waiting for the time when he could look at Onoda without fear.

Something had to be done.

Determined to get out of bed, Manami ignored the returning muscle pain and walked past the empty beds. In the bathroom in front of the mirror, he almost groaned because his hair looked more like a bird's nest than a normal hairdo. It took some effort to get it into a semblance of decent shape.

Manami was unlikely to be pleased, but he had to put up with the way it turned out. He couldn't waste time washing his hair again now — he had to hurry if he wanted to meet Onoda today. And that plan didn't seem to bode ill for now. Manami calmed down a bit as he approached the Great Hall. It was a lot of noise there — there must have been a whole feast for the Slytherins — but Manami wasn't looking at them. He could see Onoda at his House table, and that was a good sign.

I'll intercept him somewhere in a less crowded place, Manami decided, taking the path to the stairs.

Not knowing which floor it was better to wait on, he chose the second for some reason, but just standing in the empty corridor wasn't an option. Manami started to open the doors which were unlocked, and found an old neglected classroom near the entrance to the floor.

It was hard to guess what kind of classes were being held here. Manami didn't bother but simply sat down on one of the desks, having previously removed a layer of dust from it with the Cleaning Charm.

It was quiet there, even too quiet, and perhaps because of this, the echoes of that noise from the spectators in the stands still rang in his ears. The match had long since ended, and Manami still felt as if he had never been able to wiggle out of its atmosphere even if he had managed to get some sleep. If he closed his eyes, the same moments began to flash in his head, repeating in a circle. The whole world seemed to be focused on the school Quidditch pitch.

Being here alone with these memories turned out to be not the best way to spend time. Anxiety was increasingly overpowering because of it, and Manami was beginning to fill with feelings that crowded out what he wanted so badly.

At some point, he couldn't stand it. He opened the door, intending to go out, and apparently did so at a very good time. Onoda was here. Walking right this way, they were both greatly surprised to see each other.

“Sakamichi,” Manami said without understanding anything, and his eyes watered again.

Onoda got scared and came closer. Taking a couple of steps back, Manami pressed his palms to his eyes but couldn't hold back. For some reason, the tears came again, as if he should be the one to cry.

The sound which the door closed with was drowned somewhere in the background of his own sob. Onoda's hands carefully grasped his wrists, and Manami grabbed him, hugging him tightly by the neck and burying his face into the bend of his elbow.

“Oh, Sangaku,” Onoda squeaked, choking up. “What are you doing here? And why are you crying?”

“I don't know,” Manami exhaled sharply, but it got a little better as soon as Onoda put his palms on his back, stroking it gently. “I'm so sorry, Sakamichi... I didn't want to...”

“Sangaku,” Onoda repeated uncertainly again.

“I'm tired... I'm terribly tired,” Manami said barely audibly, and Onoda, taking him by the shoulders, made him move away a little.

“You won,” he reminded him. “It's all over now. Aren't you happy?”

Manami sniffed his nose, lowering his hands.

“I just... I got back what I lost. What I had no right to lose, and Toudou said that after that I could play even better, but—”

“What?” Onoda asked sadly.

“I'm sorry that you had to be near at this moment,” Manami said, touching his fingers to Onoda's cheek. Onoda's eyes were red, yeah. Of course, he was crying today too. “It hurts.”

“It hurts,” he agreed, looking down.

“It makes you lose faith in yourself,” Manami added. “It makes you want to give up. In order not have to be responsible.”

“I know,” Onoda replied with a half stifled sigh.

“But you also know something else,” Manami said. “Now you know. It's not the solution to turn your back on those you have fought for. The best solution is to take a chance.”

“A chance?” Onoda asked quietly, looking into his eyes.

“You still have Naruko and Imaizumi,” Manami reminded. “They'll be here next year. Would you like to try to give them back the victory?”

“Sounds like a terrible trick,” Onoda grinned sadly. “I didn't even have time to think about it.”

“If you don't fight, it will be worse,” Manami replied and only now came to his senses. “Oh... what were you doing here? I was waiting for you on purpose, but I didn't think you'd come to this floor.”

“I wanted to stop by the toilet,” Onoda shrugged his shoulders. “I was feeling nauseous.”

“Wow. And how do you feel now?” Manami was sad.

“I fell better,” Onoda replied, trying to be convincing. “You scared me, and I apparently forgot about nausea.”

“I don't even know if I should apologise for that,” Manami chuckled softly.

“Not worth it,” Onoda shook his head. “I'm glad I was able to see you.”

“A promise?” Manami smiled tightly.

“Huh?” Onoda blinked in surprise.

“Do you want to make a new promise to play together next year?” Manami suggested, and Onoda looked down again.

“I guess so.”

“If you win the Cup, I'll be happy for you,” Manami said, holding out his hand.

Onoda put his hand on his wrist, wrapping his fingers around it. Manami grabbed his wrist in response.

“I'll do what I can,” Onoda promised.

Manami smiled, relieved to admit that he was now done with Quidditch for this year. No more thinking about winning and losing. He wanted to try and play as freely again as he had in his second year, and maybe next season he'd actually be able to fulfill that?

Such thoughts could easily turn into a new little dream, become a good start for the next step. The next step didn't seem scary at all, but on the same night Manami had a strange dream. He dreamed of something that looked unreal and very alive at the same time.

This something was black. And it had frightening white eyes.