Well That Went Well PV Alma Stoll

Alma was sitting up in her bed with her pillow propped neatly behind her, playing with a loose string on her bandaged arm. Still upset at the encounter with George this morning, she had a frown on her face and refused to eat the rest of her marshmallow biscuit until she got over it. Her eyes were still a little red and puffy from crying but she did her best to hide it.

A voice to her left drew her out of her trance instantly, her head whipping over to see Avery finally awake. “Avery!” she almost stood up and went to hug her friend, forgetting that they were in the hospital wing and standing up was definitely not an option as her vision was still partially unfocused from the hit. “I’m feeling alright - just glad you’re awake. How about you?”

She giggled at Avery’s little joke and laid back down, still looking at her friend. “Yeah, the game went pretty well I’d say,” she replied jokingly. “What’ve you got?” she asked, gesturing to her bandaged arm and bruised ribs.

“That bludger beat me pretty bad. I think i’ve got a new appreciation for beaters; I don’t know how they handle those things,” she said. She was already scared of the things, but getting hit by one was definitely a humbling experience - she’d be ten times more cautious of them in future games.

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wc - 235
@Avery McCall

Date: 10/15/22
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Though her smile remained, a little of the sleepy brightness diminished as she took a better look at Alma. The redness of her eyes could very well have been from any number of possible reasons. Some leftover pain, a poor nights sleep. Whatever it was Avery wasn't quite sure, but she resolved to at least do what she could to help potentially cheer her friend up.

Avery's smile takes on a slightly more sympathetic edge as she notices the other girl moved as if to get up before thinking better of it. The bandages were a pretty glaring sign. "Feel a bit like I was run over by a train, to be honest," she admits. "But I imagine it's certainly not as bad as it could be. Thank you, magic." She chuckles quietly at the joke, shifting a bit to try and sit up some more. The movement is accompanied by a small wince.

The question prompts her to actually try and take stock of it all. Avery rolls her shoulder a little, sucking in a quiet breath at the ache that seemed to persist from that first hit. The inhale brings her attention down towards her own bruised ribs. A decidedly unpleasant feeling. Using her uninjured arm, she gives the opposite shoulder a small pat before moving the hand down to her stomach. "Uh, at least feels like my shoulder and ribs. Enjoyed throwing myself in front of the bludgers about as much as I'd thought," she quietly chuckles. "I imagine the ground also could've been a little softer, but I honestly can't even remember hitting it. Feeling it a bit now though."

Despite it all, the game had been far more fun than she'd anticipated. Sure, most of that was probably the adrenaline, but the fact stood. Maybe she was a bit of an adrenaline junkie after all. Avery winces a little for Alma's sake at the memory of her getting hit. "Yeah, their beaters were something else." Absolute beasts with a bat, apparently. "I wonder if we're going to have more agility practice after that. Can't say I'd really mind."

Shifting to face Alma a little more fully, Avery rests back on the bed with an exhausted sigh. "Definitely thought we'd be able to watch a little longer. Everything happened so quickly I'd barely gotten settled on the bench," she admits. It would've been nice to actually have the chance to watch a game live before actually having to play in one, but fate had other ideas apparently. A thought suddenly strikes. "Wait, do you know how the game ended?" she asks, head tilted slightly in thought.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Alma Stoll
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Alma didn’t even recall Avery throwing herself in front of a bludger - must have happened after she fell, or when she just wasn’t paying attention. Either way, it certainly made her respect for the other girl infinitely higher; as if it wasn’t already to the moon.

She seemed to have about the same injuries, Avery’s more in the shoulder than the arms but didn’t matter too much. “Aren’t we a pair,” she laughed. This felt good. Laying with her best friend and laughing as they recall fuzzy memories from the game - she was at peace.

“Oh, i’d love some more agility practice. Guess we didn’t cover those dodges well enough in our first practice together, huh?” Avery shifted so that she was facing Alma a bit more.

“100%. I didn't even know what was even happening before I had fly up there!” she sat back and looked up to the cracked Hospital Wing ceiling while recalling the memories of the first game. Shoot. She didn’t even remember to ask George how the game ended while he was here.

“Um…no, I don’t sorry. I know about as much as you,” she said apologetically, turning to face her best friend with a frown. “All I know is you knocked it out of the park.” She smiled and stretched her arm out with a wince for a fist bump - at least it wasn’t the broken one.

“Do you know if anyone might be coming to visit you?” she asked, eyes momentarily scanning the room. “I mean, I can try my best but I don’t imagine I can keep you very good company all on my own until we get better!”

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wc - 280
@Avery McCall

Date: 10/15/22
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Avery found herself joining Alma in a small bout of laughter as the reality of the situation they'd found themselves in. "Yeah, I'd say so," she chuckles. Though she wasn't thrilled Alma got hurt during the match, it was at the very least nice to have a bit of company. All the better that it was Alma. No matter where they happened to be, bedridden in the Hospital Wing included, Avery couldn't help but find herself smiling in the other girl's presence.

She flashes Alma a mischievous smirk. "Maybe we need to add in a bludger the next time we practice together," Avery jokes, "really get the whole experience before the next time we play." She was mostly joking at least. Trial by fire and all that could very well help, but after this last game the first year wasn't entirely keen to be on the receiving end of a bludger anytime soon. "I'll be honest, Gryffindor was a lot more ruthless than I thought they'd be."

She watches as a moment of quiet passes, observing Alma as she stares up at the ceiling. A warm smile is offered when she looks back to Avery. "No worries! I'm sure we'll find out whatever happened once we get released." The compliment draws forth a bit of red in her cheeks. Carefully as she can, she stretches her arm out to return the fist bump. "Speak for yourself. It was a brutal match and you did an absolute fantastic job," she acknowledges with an assured grin.

Settling back onto the bed, Alma's question prompts her to briefly fall quiet as she considers. "Oh, uh," she starts, the hand on her uninjured arm lifting to softly scratch at her jaw. "I don't think so? At least, no one I can think of. Unless the some of the team decides to visit us," she deflects with quiet laugh. "You're the best company I could ask for, though!" She takes a moment to scan the room and glance towards the door before returning her attention to Alma. "How about you, anyone you're hoping to have visit?"

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Alma Stoll
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Alma mostly picked up on the bludger joke but honestly, she wouldn’t mind throwing in a bludger or two next time for extra practice. Sure, she’d probably still get a panic attack from the thought of getting pummeled, but she clearly needed the practice.

“Yeah, Gryffindoor was no doubt ruthless. I didn’t expect them to just come out swinging, honestly! But I don’t mind, gave us some time to get those goals in.” She was incredibly (and predictably) impressed by the older chasers’ performance in the game. Goals here and there all around the place. “I only wish I had a little more time to contribute before yknow…being flattened like a pancake, haha.”

She mostly knew Avery was just being nice - Alma did alright, but she was in the air for barely a minute before getting hit. Still, the compliment drew a warm smile.

“Uhh…” she thought, trying to find a way to deflect from Avery’s question. The red tear streaks on her face were already evidence enough from how her last visit went. The reminder made her bring her arm up to try and make them go away; hopefully the other girl hadn’t noticed yet. “Well, it’d be nice to get a team visit! Other than that, maybe Finn. Can’t really think of anyone else.”

She looked over again, this time sporting a happy grin. “Guess that means we get to keep each other company!” She spotted the box of marshmallow biscuits still sitting at the edge of her bed. Well…at least she could put them to good use. She grabbed one from the box and held it out to her friend. “Biscuit?”

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wc - 275
@Avery McCall

Date: 10/15/22
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Avery lets out a hum of agreement at the thought, staring up at the ceiling for a moment. Though it was painful, having Gryffindor focus on players rather than scoring definitely helped them gain a decent lead in points. She could only hope that it worked out in their favor in the end. "Yeah, that's true. They didn't seem too interested in the goals." Alma's reticent musing about contributing drew her gaze over to her best friend once more. The warm smile is returned.

Alma's hesitation at answering the question immediately drew Avery's attention. Though she couldn't exactly place what the cause might be, the way her best friend drew her arm up to wipe at mostly dried tear streaks definitely rang some alarm bells. The immediate jump into a cheerful response doesn't lessen any of the growing concern.

The grin tossed her way is returned, though not quite as brightly as before. The Hufflepuff was still mulling over what could have upset her best friend so much. "Sounds like a good deal to me," she shoots back with a chuckle. It was only a brief moment that she pondered where the marshmallow biscuits came from, but her stomach rumbling loudly quickly shut that line of thought down. She was too hungry to care that much. "Oh, yeah, thanks! I'm starving, actually." Reaching across, Avery takes the biscuit with a thankful smile.

"Alma, are you...sure you're alright?" she finally asks softly after a moment, not wanting to push her into something she doesn't want to talk about but offering the floor in case she did. Her gaze remains on the biscuit as it's unwrapped, giving Alma a moment of as much privacy as she's able sitting in a bed beside her. "I, uh...you don't have to say anything, but I'm here if you want. Or we can just, y'know," she rambles waving her good arm in the air as she talks for emphasis as she backtracks, "talk about how much that last History of Magic essay sucked," she offers, a light lilt to her voice.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Alma Stoll
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Alma thought she was in the clear, putting the box of biscuits back sitting neatly next to her. But alas, she could never be too safe could she? A frown took residence on her face as Avery asked if she was alright. The last thing she wanted to do was concern her friend.

“Um…” She pondered for a minute wether or not she should tell Avery about the encounter. On one hand, she didn’t want to worry her any more - and, Alma was still convinced the whole thing was entirely her fault. On the other, Avery was her absolute best friend, she could tell her anything.

She finally broke when the other Hufflepuff continued. “I’m here if you want” was never really something anyone said to her before. With one final giggle at Avery’s History of Magic joke, Alma broke and turned to her.

“I’m sorry! I wanted you to have a good time when you woke up, I don’t want to ruin it with me being a crybaby yknow?”

She turned back, facing forward and playing once again with the loose string on her bandage. “It’s just…um…well, I had a visit earlier.”

She pondered, thinking how she wanted to phrase this. She probably shouldn’t say his name, right? She didn’t want him to take any heat. “Someone special came to visit me and I found out they didn’t cheer for me at the match. They cheered for Gryffindoor. I just, uh…it was just really important to me that they were there to cheer for me? You know? I mean they’re the only reason i’m on the team, and they even went as far as to paint their whole-”

She immediately cut herself off, realizing she had said too much. She basically just gave away who it was - hopefully Avery didn’t remember when Alma told her how George had put her on the team. “Anyways, I don’t think they want to talk to me anymore. I got really upset and started crying, and I felt bad, and I know it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have been sad, if they don’t like me anymore, it’s fine!”

She paused and took a deep breath, willing the approaching tears away before continuing. “Anyways, i’m sorry, I just needed to get that off my chest. They brought me biscuits so I should be grateful anyway.”

She sighed at the box, finally calming down. Man, did it feel good to get that off her chest. “Best birthday ever, huh?” she asked with a joking lilt, turning back to her friend.

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wc - 427
@Avery McCall
mentioning: @George Henry

Date: 10/15/22
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Avery allows Alma the a quiet moment to consider the offer, the conflicting feelings clear based upon the small frown that had taken up residence. Instead, she busies herself with the biscuit she'd been gifted. She makes a point of averting her gaze for the time being, not looking to add any further unintentional pressure to the offer.

She's mid bite of the biscuit when Alma suddenly speaks up. Turning back towards her best friend and doing her best to rush through the bite, she just barely avoiding choking in the attempt. Setting the snack aside for now, Avery simply settles in and devotes the entirety of her attention to Alma as she recounts the visit.

The first year has to make a concerted effort to keep quiet throughout. The knee-jerk reaction to jump to her best friend's defense and reassure her loses out to the desire to give her time to get everything off her chest that she wanted. The joking question that follows does well to draw a confused furrow to her brow, though. They'd certainly come back to that. But first.

"I'm sorry your visit went so poorly, Alma," Avery commiserated, shifting to be able to face the other girl a little more fully. "And I promise you don't have to hold back how you're feeling for my sake. At any point. But I do know for a fact that it's not your fault. And you don't have to be grateful for anything they brought you just because they did," she fervently adds, brow creasing slightly at the thought.

"My sister likes to call me a crybaby a lot." The frown smooths out and a small, wry smile appears. She leans forward a little and half whispers as if telling a secret. "Can't lie, I kinda was when I was younger. But," she adds, "my mama always told me that feeling a lot of feelings at once isn't a bad thing. And that sometimes it comes out as tears, and that's still okay."

Thoughts already swirling with the information and indignation on her friend’s part, Avery didn’t quite connect the dots on exactly who the culprit might be. The traitor yet remained a mystery. “But that’s definitely a lot for you to have to wake up to on your own. Sorry I was still out cold,” she apologizes with a slight grimace. Nothing quite like a bludger to make you sleep like the dead.

Avery falls quiet for a moment, glancing down to the half-eaten biscuit in consideration. “I’m sorry they were such a prat for your first game, especially after how hard you’ve been training.” She turns her focus back to Alma, head tilted slightly as she regards her. “But…all might not be lost, yeah? The fact that they at least visited hopefully means they still wanna be friends. I think it'll just be up to whether or not you feel like you still want to be after everything.”

Her shoulders lift in a half shrug, though it's a little lopsided as she remembers halfway through the movement she probably shouldn't move the injured shoulder. Ouch. "But. Yeah." Tirade over, the first year bashfully scratches at the underside of her jaw. "I think next time you see them, maybe just, talk it out? Figure where everyone's standing?" she offers lamely. "And if you need back-up, I've got you covered." She scrunches her face and puffs up in a decidedly unintimidating manner. Laying in a hospital bed doesn't much help her case.

Chuckling as she flops back against the pillows, Avery levels her gaze fully on Alma once more, a brow quirked in curiosity. "Now. Back up a little. What was that about a birthday?"

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Alma Stoll
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Somehow, Avery was able to look past all the ugly crying and the silly rant and still be able to support her. Alma focused mainly on stopping the flow of salty tears as she listened to Avery comfort her. The reassurance certainly helped.

“Thanks Avery,” she smiled. “Your mother seems like a wonderful mom.” She can’t really imagine what it was like to have siblings. She’s heard good and bad things about them, but mostly she’s jealous - must be nice to have a best friend for life.

She winced a bit at the use of the word ‘prat’ against George the unnamed culprit. Although Avery was kind of right, she still felt a little guilty. She did smile at her next words, however. “Maybe! I’ll try to talk to him- or, um, them about it later. Might call you for some backup if i’m feeling too chicken, though…thanks Avery. You’re truly the best friend ever.”

She brings up the birthday and only then does Alma realize she never told Avery about her turning twelve yesterday. “Oh- yesterday was my birthday…not an ideal birthday, but we got to play so, I can’t complain too much!”

She sits up a little bit and puffs her chest out, just as silly and un-intimidating as Avery had earlier. “Yeah, not to be a bragger but, your best friend is twelve now. Talk about backup, huh?”

She falls back against the bed giggling and turning back to the other Hufflepuff - admiring the sweet moment. Avery really knew how to pull her out of a tough situation.

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wc - 263
@Avery McCall