"Mai, get your butt down here," Davies screamed from the sidelines.

It felt like just yesterday I had stepped off the platform and into that scarlet engine. However, it was not. No, that was two months ago. Unbelievable. I was already that far into my sixth year.

Aggravated, I soared straight down at Davies, enjoying the cool breeze against my face drying the sweat as I went.

I landed the broom perfectly right next to Davies just to remind him who was offered the job first. It felt good to fly about again and not worry about any Muggles seeing me.

One look at his face had told me I was done. 'Bout time. I thought he would never give in to reason. Things like this made me wish I had accepted the job as Captain.

"Yes Roger," I said sweetly as I gave him a sugar-coated, partly sincere smile.

"What am I going to do with you? Your tricks are far too racy for Chaser, yet you are the perfect build and you are quick to turn, too." He scratched his head and looked about the field before turning back to me. "I give up Sutherland, Seeker you are, and shall remain."

"Whatever floats your boat, Davies," I said, turning away with a nonchalant shrug I was terribly fond of using.

"Sutherland," he said in that unnerving tone that made me turn back. It reminded me of one of those noises, like nails on a chalkboard.

"Yes Davies," I said calmly through a forced smile.

"Cut the crap, and it is Captain or Roger, Miss Sutherland."

"Whatever Davies," I said, taking off on my broom to switch positions.

I knew I was in for punishment with that one, but he deserved it. There was no legitimate reason to make me change positions this season. He was just being a prat and exercising his new authority. I knew this was what was going to happen once I turned down the position as Captain, but I did not care for the task. I never played for the fame, just for fun. I never planned to be a professional, though it is what my father's dreams were made of.

"Hey Bradley, you're back to Chaser, Roger changed his mind."

"Thanks god. Seeker's not my position at all."

"Not an issue."

With that, we both flew over to Roger and awaited his after practice speech.

"Good job everyone; some nice flying today. Everyone except Sutherland is dismissed. Seems she needs to learn how to respect her superiors and not waste their time. Fifty laps and picking up the supplies ought to do the trick," he commanded with a look of triumph.

I stared at his back in disbelief as he left the field with the others. My jaw hung open a bit. I could not believe the level of his audacity. Well, I could, but I never believed he would have the gull to actually act upon his constant threat over the last few practices of leaving me out here alone.

"Oh, and Sutherland, best close your yap and hurry up. Gryffindor has the field in forty-five."

I waited until he was completely out of sight before I screamed aloud in frustration and started my laps.

The laps were easily done in thirty minutes. I landed peacefully, my frustration vented. I could feel my achy muscles being numbed by the increasingly cold wind. It is much more tolerable when you are flying than when you are standing still. Not that I minded much. I tended to rather enjoy the crisp cool air over warm air. I typically sat outside in this weather reading books in a sweater, shorts, and my favorite pair of knee-length wool socks. To me it was peaceful, and relaxing.

Quickly as I could, I gathered all the used towels and sports bottles. The wind pierced my robe and shorts with every blow. I typically did not wear much to practice due to the sweat I worked up. A long sleeved shirt, shorts, and my Quidditch robe was all I had ever found necessary over these six years.

"Sutherland, don't tell me your captain thinks he still has the field? Or is it that you are here for us?"

I almost lost my lunch in my mouth. That voice seemed to trigger my gag reflex more than any disturbingly nausea-scented potion could.

"Well I don't think it really matters since it's actually Gryffindor's field," I said bending over to grab the last towel.

I nearly smacked myself in the head for the stupidity of that move. Agitating him was a bad idea. I knew I was in deep now. I had completely set myself up for the trouble that was about to ensue. I straightened myself abruptly and spun around facing Flint with a fixed glare.

"It's okay Sutherland, I know you want me," he said as his lips curled in a smile. "You know we'll go easier on you if you don't struggle."

"Yeah Sutherland, maybe a few of us will take pity on you and pass up our turn to hex you,"

I would have laughed at the statement had it not been for the current circumstances.

"I'm not here for you or anyone, and actually I was just leaving," I said grabbing the water bottle case and attempting a dash.

Damn I felt it, and it disgusted me. I felt like my arm was being overtaken with permanent sticking slime.

"Maybe you didn't hear me Sutherland. We are giving you the opportunity to amuse us. Maybe even improve our grades a bit."

"Well maybe you didn't hear me Flint. I am not interested, and I was just leaving."

"Come on now Sutherland, it'll be good for you," Flint said snaking his arm around my stomach and pulling me to him. "It'll thicken your skin, and put you in your place and off the field."

I gagged as my body touched his. I attempted to claw my way out but it was no use; all it accomplished was making him laugh at me. This was typical of our encounters. He hated me, and I him. Therefore, Flint sought out every way to undermined me and make me feel weak.

"Quit struggling, Sutherland, unless you like it rough. Then by all means continue. Gives us a reason to hit you."

He wrapped his arm around my flailing ones, pinning them to my sides. He then moved his one arm up and pressed it into my chest to restrict my breathing.

"You know Sutherland; you're a pretty good size for a seeker. We might need to use a shrinking spell."

His team snickered. I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth, reading to make my next move.

Bam!

Score, I thought as I felt Flints hands fly off me to his head, Loser, I am not that easy.

"Bloody hell," Flint began yelling behind me as his colleagues laughed at his expense.

That gave me my signal to run. While he was distracted I took off, but my escape was yet again cut short. Still in check.



"Where do think you are going Mai Sutherland," Flint said tackling me to the ground. "You have to pay for that."

Flint pulled his wand, and much to my surprise pulled a decent paralysis spell.

"Gather around boys, I believe we have time for all of us to have some fun," he said smiling as stood up over me cracking his knuckles. "So who wants the first hex?"

That was it. I knew I was done for. To make things even worse he was bleeding and it was dripping all over me. Disgusting. Well checkmate is checkmate. I waited for it all to end as they encircled me. I cursed myself for not shutting my eyes before he had put the spell on me.

"Flint, I believe when a woman runs away that means she isn't interested. I also believe that just because you can't beat a woman at a game is no reason to cheat."

Flint stopped immediately. I tried to see who it was, and hoping to see Davies. However, the look in Flint's eyes told me it was someone else entirely. Someone he hated more.

"This is none of your business Wood. So bugger off."

Wood... The name was not ringing a bell at the moment, though my head was aching something awful.

"Don't think you heard him right Flint. Wood said let the girl go. I know that this is the only way you get any but all the same," said two voices together I was extremely grateful to hear.

The disembodied voices of Fred and George Weasley appeared on either side of Flint. I would have smiled if I could. Tricksters they may have been, but they always got me out of tough situations. And I them.



"Pucey, Blechy get rid of the blood traitors," Flint ordered waving the twins off with one hand.

Blechy moved forward, but Pucey stayed in place until Flint glared at him.

As he did so, I saw George mutter the counter spell. I winked at him in response and maneuvered myself just a smidge. Checkmate is on you now, Flint, I thought as I brought my leg up to the appropriate place of ultimate pain.

"Nice shot, Mai," complemented Fred as he grinned from ear to ear.

"Need a hand," asked George holding his out.

"Or maybe two," suggested Fred holding out his as well.

I took both hands gladly and laughed as the rest of the Slytherin team gathered their captain and ran. I knew they would go to Snape, but that did not matter because, in the end, I had all the cards.

"You alright," questioned a shy voice I recognized.

"Just peachy keen, Harry," I said brushing myself off rapidly.

"So Mai, just how did you end up in this situation," George asked looking at me as if he were my mother scolding me for not taking out the trash.

"Got into a spot of trouble with Roger again. So he punished me by giving laps and clean up duty. Bloody prat. I was done with my laps and almost finished with pick up when Flint's ugly face appeared. I have a feeling Snape gave them the field to cause trouble for you lot," I said blankly.



I swayed on spot, but brushed it off to thinking that it was only due to the quick fall and rise.

"Davies left you out here alone," questioned a voice.

I turned. I was fairly certain this was the guy Flint had called Wood. I had heard the name before but never met the person. Never paid much attention to him in games. Guess he must have been the Keeper. They didn't get in my way, so I never cared.

"Aye, and he's done it before. No big," I said shrugging it off. "Just a spot of bad luck."

"Still it isn't right, he should have been out here with you," he said shaking his head. "And his Seeker too."

I opened my mouth to inform this guy that I could handle myself perfectly well, but Fred applied a hand to my shoulder.

"Don't let it get to you Mai; his parents raised him old-fashioned."

I looked from Fred to the other guy, and smirked. Fred let out a light laugh behind me.

"Well he's doing an awful job of showing that, hasn't even introduced himself properly has he?"

I then turned back to Wood as he spoke.

"What do you mean? You know my name, we've been playing Quidditch against each other for years, and you're in my classes," he said, giving me a look of disbelief.



Shoot, I was caught. I never paid any attention to people in my classes either unless partners were involved. Thinking fast I covered for my mistake.

"Knowing your name and introducing yourself are two different things for your information," I said, hiding my smirk at my own cleverness.

"Fine then, Oliver James Wood," he said, extending a hand.

"Name's Mai Chrissa Sutherland," I said and accepted his handshake.

We both stood there for a moment, not sure what came next. It was that awkward silence portion of the conversation. You know that part where everyone just stops talking, and the atmosphere gets really uncomfortable? Well that is what was going on now. I attempted to shift and make myself feel slightly more comfortable, but the pain in my head put a quick end to that. This was definitely one of my pet peeves. I hated silence. Even when I was studying I needed the soft murmur of other students or music or something.

Needless to say, I was starting to grow impatient. My head was pounding, and things where a bit blurry.

"Ummm... Mai."

"Yeah, George?"

"You are bleeding."

"Oh."

I reached my hand up and touched my head. I felt the sticky matted hair where I was bleeding. I surmised that tackle from Flint had done more harm than I thought. I did not look at the blood. I was okay with everyone else's, but I was never interested at looking at my own.

"Guess I'd better get to the hospital wing then," I said, taking a step around Oliver.

Suddenly I found myself seeing two Oliver's, so my step turned into more of a tumble. As I prepared to eat grass, two rough hands grabbed me and held me up.

"Team, start warm-ups. Angelina you're in charge until I return."

"Why are you going somewhere," asked Angelina.

He looked down at me. His face was blurry. I felt as though I was looking through a window while it was raining outside. I chuckled to myself. It was funny; it looked like it was raining but it was sunny and crisp outside. I moved to stand on my own but he tightened the grip around my arm. Something flashed in my head, but it was only for an instant.

"She's got a concussion, and since Davies isn't here to take care of his own team. I'm going to do it for him," he said, frowning.

I began to feel sick; my blurry vision was taking its toll. So I closed my eyes.

"Don't close your eyes," Oliver said softly shaking me a bit.

I started to tell him off, and that I could close my eyes if I wanted, but decided the energy was not worth it. Besides, I knew this would thoroughly tick Roger off. Roger considered Oliver a big rival. I never listened to his rants about the Gryffindor's Captain fully, but I knew it was all negative. The only person that would have made this better is if it was Cedric instead of Oliver. Roger could not stand Cedric, but Cedric and I were semi-close. It drove Roger nuts. Specially since, he had to share his precious girl fan club with Cedric.

"Can you walk?"



"Hmm," I said, trying to look at the correct person without seeing two.

"I asked if you could walk," Oliver stated in an insecure tone.

"Not sure," I said looking down at my feet. "Things are pretty blurry."

By pretty blurry I meant that my feet had turned into giant blotches of colour with no discernable shape to them.

"Right then," He said.

Suddenly my feet lifted off the ground and my stomach plummeted somewhere below me. I was no longer standing but sitting bridal style in Oliver's arms.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Carrying you," Wood said staring straight ahead as he begun to walk.

"I don't need to be carried. I'm not a princess," I snapped.

He just looked down at me, confused. I returned his confused face with a whatisyourproblem face.

"What did you say your name was," he asked, wearing the same look on his face.

"Don't change the subject," I stated coolly. "I understand that I obviously am incapable of walking on my own, but that still doesn't make this necessary."

He simply went back to staring straight ahead and continued to walk. I guess he was the strong, silent type, but no matter he was not going to get by ignoring me. I folded my arms over my chest and made to pout.

"Hello," I said attempting to wave my hand. "You still haven't answered my question."

"You're a descendant of a clan leader," he said leaning his head back so I didn't hit him in the face.

It was not a question really, just more like a blunt statement. Either way it caught me off guard. No one really knew about the decedents of the Dukes that were living and ruling in Scotland. All that anyone ever studied was English and French royalty. Occasionally you would find some that knew the Czars of Russia, but rarely. Not even a single soul in Ravenclaw, save my own blood, knew about the family trees of Scotland.

"How?" I stuttered looking up at him in awe.

"I'm your neighbor. We live in the manor next to you. My parents bought the Irvine manor from your cousins Neil and Birdie," he said looking down at me but taking quick glances ahead still to make sure we didn't run into anything. "Mind if we rest a moment or can you walk?"

"I can try," I replied.

He set me down to rest for a bit, before having me attempt to walk. I managed to reach the next flight of steps before I faltered yet again. He offered to carry me but I refused until I slipped three quarters of the way up.

I was speechless as I searched my memories for relevance to what he had just spoken. Then I recalled when the Irvine manor had been bought my mother had thrown a fit, and told my cousins point blank what she thought of them.

However, two weeks later, her anger was silenced by a visit from the man who bought the manor. During his first trip to my home, he delivered the Irvine family tree and invited our family to retrieve anything else of value from the home. The man also offered up quite a feast to my parents as well, making it more of an invitation to dinner.

I was unable to attend the dinner since my mum sent me to my cousin Hazel's home saying that, since the man's son was gone, I would only find myself terribly bored. She also mentioned something about the boy being at Quidditch camp. Thinking about it for a moment, it seemed right that he was the same boy my mum had spoke of before.

"I remember that. Your father came over to our home to return our family tree, and to invite us over for a family dinner. My mum said I was not allowed to go because you were at Quidditch camp and I would be bored with no one to talk to," I said as my eyes widened despite the pain the increased light caused.

"That's right. My mum adores you, you know. Talks about cooking with you and your mother constantly. She thought you were the most precious thing since she saw you in the town center first. Tells me all the time that I should bring home a girl just like you someday. I tell her that would mean putting Quidditch below something. They come to see your matches, too. I didn't know until last year that they did when I saw them walking around with your parents," he said smiling.

I smiled back. I never knew Mrs. Wood liked me so much. I always thought she doted on me because she did not have a daughter.

"So why haven't you introduced yourself before now," I questioned.

"Well to be honest, at first I was still at that point I thought girls had cooties. Then it was just a matter of not knowing what to look for. I'd never seen you before so I hadn't a clue what to expect."

"Oh, well that's understandable. I remember when boys were at that stage; I thought they were all complete prats. You know my da' really likes you too. You should visit; bring your family. I am sure we would all have a good time. Besides with how big the estates are we could both use someone to hang out with. It's lonely as I'm sure you know, and my mum and da' don't really have time to play Quidditch with me."



He sat me down again, this time in one of the deep window sills. I felt bad about him having to carry me. I also felt pitiful and weak. It annoyed me, but I knew he was just trying to be nice.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Besides, between my mum and yours the food will be out of this world. Plus, I might actually get to eat my fill for once. Your mum always keeps shoveling it on for me, but my mum puts an end to it. Perhaps we could even get a little family versus family game going. And I know what you mean, gets real lonely even if I get to practice a lot," he said smiling down at me as he picked me up again.

I smiled back at him, regretting my desperate attempts at avoiding a meeting with Oliver Wood in the past. I did not tell Oliver all my da's boasting made him sound like an airhead, because now I knew it was unintentional.

"Here we are," Oliver said, walking through the doors of the infirmary with me in his arms.

Madame Pomfrey ushered me to a bed immediately checking my vitals as we moved. With a wave of her wand, she cleaned up the matte of blood in my hair and healed the wound.

"Well it was nice to finally meet you Mai, and I hope we speak again. But since you are now in good hands and my team needs its captain, I must bid you ado," he said giving me a smile and bow as his eyes laughed.

He was almost out the door when I realized I had never thanked him for his assistance.

"Hey Oliver."

"Yeah Mai," he spoke as he turned to me, quickly.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him around Madame Pomfrey as she bustled about making me a potion.



"You're welcome," he said, returning my smile and leaving hurriedly.

As I watched Oliver Wood's back turn the corner, Madame Pomfrey bustled over to me forcing some foul scented drink into my hands. I stared at the cup as it doubled, tripled, then focused. That must have been some hit on the head.

I noted to myself to make Flint pay at some later moment in time. I started to form ideas on what exactly I would do to Flint when I realized that someone was tapping their foot in front of me. My eyes shifted focus from the mug to the feet. Shoes, no high heal, flat, and the same I had seen at St. Mungo's. Quickly realizing what the tapping feet where waiting for I dipped my head back slightly, and held my nose as I chugged the potion. As I thought: flavor was definitely something between barf and toe jam.

"Now Miss Sutherland if you don't mind, please lie down. You will require a good few hours of rest at least," a pair of white shoes from the floor said to me.

I obeyed the request of the shoes and had a lie in. As I rested, my thoughts traveled back to my first visit to St. Mungo's or what little I remembered. I was only three at the time, and although I could see my parents chatting up the nurse about something, I really had no clue as to what was going on. It had something to do with one of my older cousins.

Eventually I had tired of the adults jabbering back and forth in what seemed to be a foreign language at the time, and I wandered into the room. My cousin was strapped down to the bed with thick leather belts. Some were so tight they might have been cutting off circulation.

Curious as any other three year old could be, I wandered closer. He was covered in all sorts of nasty marks, but the one I would never forget was the one that ruined my family's name, and marked death in our world.

I recalled staring at it, and almost touching it, until my cousins head snapped towards me and he started spewing words, and drool everywhere. I laughed thinking it was a game until he grabbed my wrist and started squeezing it. My head had pounded and everything had gone blank.



I still wonder to this day what might have happened to me if my parents had not saved me, or if it had been my parents at all. The only other memory remaining from that day was a voice singing me to sleep. That was the problem I saw with it being my parents. It was a woman's voice, and my mother could not sing. Regardless that incident had marked my terror of being in a hospital bed.

The few days after the event produced my life's goal: I wanted to be a healer of sorts. However, I knew I could not work my days in the dreaded white rooms and beds of the hospitals. No, the job would have to be on the field. That is when my father introduced me to Quidditch. I loved the sport. However, I was not talented at it. Therefore, I worked hard and practiced until I got on the school team.

During the first game Quidditch I went to, I witnessed what I wanted to do as a healer. One of the players had taken a nasty blow to the side of the head, and the team healer was called out. I decided that is what I wanted to do.

My parents had taken this goal as a light in the dark, even though they did not know what I wanted to be a healer of. The decisions of my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins could be repaired by me. They decided I had to get perfect grades and become a healer that cured multiple diseases in the wizarding world. Needless to say, I was not entirely interested in working at a hospital all my life, especially without any patients. No, I wanted to be a healer for Quidditch players. I enjoyed the sport plenty, but playing it as a means of income would ruin the fun in it. I still wanted to travel and work with a team though, and I had always wanted to help people. Therefore, being the smart little witch I am, I put the two together. However, I still have not told my parents of my plan, but I still had another year to do so.

It was sometime around planning the idea of telling my parents that I passed out. I was not sure what to expect, only that it wouldn't be good. Surely when I awoke, Roger would be there. And he would raise hell. Nonetheless, I slept and I slept well.