§4　Friends and Foes

Kaworu Mimori

Mercury Jay is quick both to appear in the cafeteria and to leave it. Essentially a solitary figure, she doesn't need to meet anyone or engage in conversation during meals, nor does she need to wait for others to finish eating. While there are people she wouldn't mind sharing a table with, the seating arrangements in the dining hall prevent that possibility. For her, meals are just a means of sustenance, so she positions herself in an easily accessible spot, eats what she needs, and quickly departs. This is her routine, and today was no different as she left the cafeteria just like any other day.
There was a commotion in the hall outside the dining hall. Normally, Mercury would pay it no mind and swiftly head to the library, but a familiar voice caught her attention, causing her to pause. Uncharacteristically, she made her way through the crowd towards the source of the voice.
At the center of the disturbance was Jupiter Forest, a recent acquaintance from Hufflepuff. Mercury didn't know much about her yet. They were both in the same year. Jupiter played quidditch as a beater, had an unassuming demeanor, with her thoughts easily readable on her face.
"You Hufflepuffs didn't beat Slytherins fair and square, there's no way!"
“It’s simply impossible!”
"How did you manage to win? Tell me the truth, and I'll let you off the hook!"
Her opponents were three Slytherin boys. Jupiter's Hufflepuff teammates were desperately holding her back, preventing her from attacking, and the situation seemed to barely be contained to just verbal confrontation.
“A witch resorting to fisticuffs? How typical! Mudbloods really do things differently!"
The tallest of the three Slytherins stuck out his tongue.
"...Quite the attitude."
Growling like a tiger, Jupiter forcefully shook off her friends' hands and drew her wand from her pocket.
The remaining two Slytherins exchanged glances and smirked.
"A duel it is then, or whatever. Bring it on."
(Trouble is brewing.)
Mercury frowned. She knew Jupiter's lineage was clearly a sensitive topic, though she hadn't confirmed it with Jupiter in person. The anger meter was off the charts, her gaze completely focused. At this rate, she might unleash spells with intent to seriously harm the guys.
"How amusing. If you can, then go ahead and try."
The tallest of the opponents also brandished his wand, holding it sideways across his chest, a rather unconventional stance.
"Five!"
The two cronies began the countdown.
"Four!"
Mercury's gaze was fixed on the Slytherin student.
"Three!"
Something was off? Yes, despite this being a "duel," there was absolutely no sense of determination.
"Two!"
Mercury drew her wand.
"One!”
“Accio!” “Stupefy!"
A split second faster than Jupiter could react, Mercury swiftly and accurately cast a spell, disarming Jupiter of her wand.
"What...!?"
As Jupiter's gaze followed her wand slipping from her grasp and flying off on its own, she caught sight of Mercury, holding her rowan wand.
"What...! What are you doing!?"
Her expression displayed a mix of anger, astonishment, and despair.
"I’m sorry for ruining the duel... By the way," Mercury glanced briefly at the Slytherin student, hearing a small clicking sound from his tongue.
"Your opponent doesn't seem willing to fight, does he?"
"What...!? What!?"
Jupiter turned to where she was gestured. The boy who had initiated the duel had his hands stuffed in his pockets, jutting out his chin with a petulant expression, not even holding a wand, let alone preparing to use it.
"Hey, wait... What?"
"They never intended to duel in the first place."
Unable to comprehend the situation, Jupiter was approached by a studious Ravenclaw, who spoke slowly and deliberately, so the furious Hufflepuff could digest the situation.
"They probably wanted to provoke you, pick a fight, and cause an incident. Then they'd run to the teachers saying, 'She suddenly attacked us with magic out of nowhere. We didn't even hold our wands.' That way, you'd end up in detention and miss tomorrow's match."
"What...!"
"That's cowardly!"
"They're willing to go that far just to win a match!?"
Jupiter's teammates were getting agitated.
"Huh?"
The tall Slytherin contorted his face asymmetrically.
"Don't go making baseless accusations."
"If you've got evidence, show it."
"You irrelevant bookworm, just butt out!"
His cronies jeered raucously.
"Hey, wait a minute! What's all this about?"
Suddenly, a high-pitched voice interjected.
"Weren't you just talking about tomorrow's match?"
The group emerging from the cafeteria was none other than the Slytherin Quidditch team members, who had just been the subject of discussion. The voice belonged to Venus Chrome, the Seeker. With long blonde hair tied back with a trademark ribbon in deep crimson, and clear blue eyes set in a well-proportioned face, Venus was the absolute star of Slytherin, popular across all houses for her dazzling appearance, flamboyant playing style, and undeniable skill. Moreover, she and Jupiter Forest, the renowned Beater from Hufflepuff, were known to have a heated rivalry.
"Hey, Venus! You! You've gotta nerve showing your face!"
Jupiter's anger, momentarily subdued by the confusion, flared up again.
"You're so desperate to win, it's pathetic!"
"...What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb! You're the one who provoked this whole thing!"
"Huh?"
As Jupiter pointed accusingly, Venus turned her gaze toward the trio of Slytherins, who couldn't help but crack a smile at the sight of the renowned star.
"Who are they?"
Venus furrowed her brow in genuine confusion.
"I'll explain," Mercury interjected, sensing trouble. If left unchecked, Jupiter might start a fight with Venus next.
"Oh, wow, it’s good to know even ‘Miss Perfect’ is getting nosy!"
With a friendly demeanor that belied her Slytherin status, Venus Chrome's popularity partly stemmed from this unusual trait.
"They were trying to provoke Jupiter Forest, rile her up, make her think they were challenging her to a duel, and get her to cast a spell. They even used some nasty words."
Mercury responded with a wry smile, casually relaying the information.
"It was just a sham duel, nothing formal, just a brawl. Their goal was probably to get her sent to detention and miss tomorrow's Slytherin match."
Venus's smile vanished from her face.
"Shut up with your fantasies!"
"You're spouting nonsense without evidence!"
The Slytherin trio heckled.
"...And why do you think that?" Venus asked, arms crossed, tilting her head.
"The tallest one who supposedly accepted the duel quickly stashed his wand in his pocket at the moment of confrontation. Probably wanted to appear as a victim rather than engage in a fair fight. And when I disarmed her, he clicked his tongue in annoyance."
It's all subjective, of course, Mercury added.
"What a load of crap," Venus frowned. "It's infuriating, seriously!"
"Yeah, how are you gonna make this right, huh!?"
The trio grew bolder.
Turning quickly, Venus strode purposefully towards the Slytherin students, grabbing the tie of a boy taller than herself and yanking him forward until he stumbled to the ground.
"Get down on the ground and crawl and beg for forgiveness---?!?"
Before he could finish, Venus twisted his tie, lifting him up this time.
"Are you mocking us? Huh?"
With a tug at the tie on "huh," Venus's tone remained cute and friendly, but her words dripped with venom.
"Do you think we're a weak little team?"
The star's beautiful face, up close and personal, was anything but amused.
The color drained from the boy's face in an instant.
"That's why you thought we couldn't beat Jupiter Forest, huh? Isn't that right?"
"W-well, no,"
"The Slytherin team is so pathetic and weak that you thought you had to help out, right?"
"N-no, that's not,"
The boy's bravado had vanished, and he shook his head frantically, gasping for air.
"What's not?"
"It's... it's a misunderstanding! We don't have any evidence---"
"Let me tell you something," Venus said, tightening her grip on him, "If I think you're guilty, then you ARE guilty. Evidence doesn't matter."
Venus narrowed her eyes as if she were a basilisk, while the two cronies stood frozen in place.
"...So, because of you guys, I've been labeled a coward in front of all these people. How are you going to fix that?"
"I-I..."
"What should you say in situations like this? Mom taught you, right?"
"S-sorry! I'm sorry!"
With the boy repeating his apologies through half-tears, Venus finally let go of him.
"Now I know you guys, and you're banned from our matches, got it? And if I catch you in the stadium, watch out, I'll toss iron balls into the stands★"
Understood? She tilted her head cutely as if asking.
Of course, deliberately throwing iron balls into the stands is against the rules, and besides, Venus doesn't even play a position that involves iron balls. But no one here had the courage to point out such details. The boys nodded vigorously like broken dolls.
"Alright then, we're done here. Now, get lost."
As Venus spoke like a queen, they scattered through the crowd like frightened rabbits.
As the instigators of the commotion left and the onlookers dispersed one by one, Venus let out a grand sigh and approached Jupiter.
"...I'm not apologizing, you know? I had nothing to do with it."
And with a pointed finger towards Jupiter, she declared loudly.
"Fair enough. ...Then, I won't say thanks either."
Jupiter responded with a wry smile, and Venus turned on her heel.
"Thanks, Miss Perfect. I’d be happy if you come watch our match tomorrow."
Saying that, she winked at Mercury and headed back to her teammates.
"...Mercury."
Called by name, Mercury redirected her gaze from Venus's departing figure towards the voice. The speaker, of course, was Jupiter, one of the parties involved in the commotion.
"Thank you. For helping again. And... sorry for yelling at you."
"No problem. I kind of expected to be grabbed by the collar, so that was nothing."
Mercury responded with a cool smile to Jupiter's awkward gratitude.
"...Really. Why do you go out of your way to support someone like me?"
Jupiter widened her eyes in surprise, then narrowed them in a wry smile.
"Well, if I had to say..."
"" Familiarity.""
Their voices overlapped, and they both broke into wide grins simultaneously.
"I’d be happy if you come watch the match tomorrow."
Considering Jupiter's invitation for a moment, Mercury replied,
"If you both invite me, I can't refuse, can I?"
And gently she smiled.

§4　Friends and Foes --- Fin.