Through the Pages of Time: Joey’s Hogwarts Tale

"Next!"

The boy who had thrown the Quaffle into his own hoop instead of the opponent's had just been scolded by Charlie and sent away. Charlie, hovering midair on his broomstick, roared at the remaining candidates below.

"Not a single decent one so far!" Charlie's voice was hoarse from yelling. He turned to Wood, frustration etched on his face. "You're the captain this year. You handle the rest! I'm done!"

Wood watched Charlie fly off, tears welling in his eyes. "Captain—don't leave me alone!" he called out, but Charlie was already gone.

Now it was the turn of the girl in front of Joey, but she was so intimidated by Charlie's outburst that she froze. Joey tapped her shoulder. "Hey, it's your turn!"

"No! I don't want to do this anymore. Captain Weasley is terrifying!" The girl turned and fled.

Joey scratched her head, then turned to the twins and Angelina behind her. "Guess I'll go next?" Without waiting for a response, she mounted her Nimbus 1700 and soared into the sky, calling out cheerfully, "Captain Wood, here I come!"

Joey had been preparing for this day for weeks. She and Angelina had even practiced throwing pillows like Quaffles in their dorm. She was confident that if both of them made the team, they'd be the most seamless Chaser duo Gryffindor had ever seen.

Wood's face lit up when he saw Joey. "Hey! Nimbus 1700!" he exclaimed, his eyes glued to her broomstick.

Joey rolled her eyes as she stopped in front of him. "It's really rude to stare at a lady's broomstick like that!"

"Right, sorry!" Wood grinned. "So, if I let you score ten goals today, can I ride your Nimbus 1700 tomorrow?"

Joey's competitive spirit flared. "Let me score ten goals?" Who did he think she was? "I'll score ten goals on my own merit! You'd better defend well!" she shot back, baring her teeth in mock ferocity.

"Sure, sure. But can I ride the Nimbus 1700?" Wood persisted, clearly more interested in her broomstick than her skills.

Joey sighed in defeat. "Fine. But only after I prove myself!" she said, exasperated. She was determined to show Wood that she wasn't just her broomstick.

The assessment went smoothly. Joey scored twelve goals against Wood, who was too distracted by her Nimbus 1700 to defend properly. When Wood announced her acceptance into the team, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd bought her way in. The other players' cheers of "We've got a Nimbus 1700!" only reinforced that impression.

"I earned my spot!" Joey insisted at dinner, still trying to convince Fred and the others. "Just like you!" The twins and Angelina had also made the team, with Wood praising Fred and George as "born Beaters."

"Of course, you did," Fred said absently, nibbling on a chicken leg.

Joey, annoyed by his lack of enthusiasm, grabbed his chicken leg and took a big bite, chewing furiously. Fred winced, feeling a phantom pain in his own leg as he watched her.

Just then, a group of first-year Gryffindors horsing around behind Joey accidentally knocked into her. Her chest slammed into the edge of the table, and she gasped in pain.

"Are you okay? Where does it hurt?" Fred asked, concerned.

"My chest..." Joey muttered, clutching the spot.

Fred followed her gesture, then immediately turned bright red and looked away. Joey, realizing what had happened, felt her own face heat up. "Stupid puberty," she thought, blaming her hormones for the awkward moment.

She reached for her pumpkin juice, only to find Fred's hand reaching for the same cup. Both pulled back as if burned.

George, oblivious, leaned over to grab the juice. "Why are you two so red?" he asked, puzzled.

Joey glanced at Fred, their eyes meeting briefly. Her heart skipped a beat, and she stood up abruptly. "You need to mind your own business!" she snapped at George before storming off.

Fred watched her go, a small, secret smile tugging at his lips.

---

Joey wandered the halls, muttering to herself. "I'm not an outsider! Why can't I just say it outright? It's all Fred's fault for making things weird!"

Cedric Diggory passed by and greeted her. "Hey, Joey."

Joey nodded absently.

Cedric, noticing her distracted state, turned back. "Everything alright?"

Joey blurted out, "I'm growing, and my chest hurts." She immediately felt a sense of relief. "See? No shame at all!" she thought, blaming Fred for her earlier embarrassment.

Cedric blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... maybe talk to someone of the same gender about that?" he suggested awkwardly.

Joey laughed. "See? It's Fred's fault! You're not blushing!" She felt vindicated.

Cedric shook his head, deciding it was best to leave Joey to her thoughts.

Joey's mood lifted, and she even chased Peeves around for a while, eventually cornering the poltergeist in Myrtle's bathroom. Satisfied with her victory, she headed back to Gryffindor Tower, humming a tune.

As she approached the Fat Lady's portrait, she spotted Fred standing there, looking lost in thought.

"Young man, either say the password or move along! Don't disturb my manicure!" the Fat Lady scolded.

Fred noticed Joey and hurried over, his robes billowing behind him. The sunlight streaming through the windows made his red hair glow.

Joey's heart fluttered. "Stupid hormones," she thought, blaming her body for the sudden rush of feelings.

"Joey, where have you been?" Fred asked, slightly out of breath.

"I was playing with Peeves," Joey replied, trying to sound casual.

Fred hesitated. "You weren't with Cedric?"

Joey shook her head. "No, just Peeves."

Fred looked relieved but then awkwardly asked, "Does it... still hurt?"

Joey blinked. "What?"

Fred turned red and mumbled, "Never mind."

Joey realized what he meant and felt her own face heat up. "It's fine! Totally fine! Haha!" She laughed nervously, then quickly gave the password to the Fat Lady and scrambled through the portrait hole.

Fred watched her go, a small smile playing on his lips. Joey "never" blushed like that. The realization made his heart race.

The Fat Lady called after him, "Your little girlfriend was quite red just now. Ah, young love!"

"She's not my—" Fred started, but the Fat Lady cut him off.

"Oh, I know, I know. The Fat Lady knows everything," she said with a wink.

Fred climbed through the portrait hole, the word "girlfriend" echoing in his mind. It felt strange but not unwelcome.