Chapter 8

Quidditch

Hermione POV

When the others went to do the interviews with Umbridge, Harry, Ron and I talked quietly over breakfast.

"Do you think she knows?" Ron hissed at me over the table for the third time.

"This can't be a coincidence!" Harry bemoaned. "She knows!"

"I'm telling you, she can't!" I explained, for the third time. "There's no way she found out! Who would have told her?" Ron raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth to speak, but I already knew what he was going to say. "Zacharias Smith would not have told! he may not have liked you, but if someone told her, we'll know." I smiled, thinking of the jinx I'd done.

"What?" Harry asked. "How will we know?"

"Well, let's put it this way," I paused, revelling in the moment. "It'll make Eloise Midgeon's acne look like a couple of cute freckles." I said, referring to a sixth year hufflepuff who had gotten so frustrated with her pimples she tried to curse them off her face, and accidently blown her nose off.

Ron laughed from pure shock, just as Wendy came up beside us.

"What's funny, Ron?" She asked softly.

"Wait, just wait." He said. "You'll see."

We watched the rest of the students trickle in, waiting to see if anyone looked spotty. While we were watching, Levy, Lucy, and Natsu all joined us. I figured the old toad must have been doing the interviews by age, instead of by any logical means like alphabetically. If she had dones that, either Natsu or Erza would have been first, depending on if it was by first or last name, but probably last name, considering how likely that woman would refer to anyone by anything but 'Miss' or 'Mr'.

I was so deep in thought, I didn't even notice Angelina until she started speaking. Something about how the decree referred to Quidditch teams as well, and how Harry couldn't get any more detention or they wouldn't get permission.

By this time, we had everyone (Even Gajeel. Somehow he managed to slip under the teachers' radar and eat at the Gryffindor table) but Jellal. When the guy finally showed up, he looked a little upset. He didn't even come into the hall. He just looked at Erza from a distance, before turning away.

I looked at her, and she stood up, her eyes full of sympathetic pain for her boyfriend (Were they dating? It's not like it mattered, they may as well have been).

"I'll see if he's alright." She said, her voice cracking from emotion, and walked swiftly after him. Damn. That girl kept her emotions bottled up so tight, that when she did show them, they just came pouring out. I wonder if something happened to her as a child that psychologically prevents her from showing emotions most of the time. Whatever it is, it's also probably the reason she always wears armor.

"Natsu," I asked, turning towards him. "Do you know why Erza does that?"

He paused eating his scrambled eggs and looked at me. "Does what?"

"You know, not show any emotion and then get really emotional about something."

"I dunno. That's just what Erza's like." He shrugged, and went back to his breakfast.

"It has to do with something that happened to her when she was little." Levy explained.

"She doesn't like to talk about it." Lucy added.

"So don't ask either of those two about their childhood." Gajeel said, referring to Erza and Jellal.

OKAY I DUNNO WAS THAT EMOTIONAL WELL ANYWAYS LINE BREAK

Down in the dungeons, waiting for Snape to arrive, we overheard Draco boasting, loudly.

"Yeah, she gave the Slytherin Quidditch team permission to continue playing straightaway. I went to ask her first thing this morning. Well, it was pretty much automatic, i mean, she knows my father really well, he's always popping in and out of the Ministry… it'll be interesting to see whether Gryffindor are allowed to keep playing, won't it?"

I turned to see Harry and Ron gritting their teeth. "Don't." I whispered, grabbing their arms. A little to the right, Natsu, Gajeel, and Erza were being restrained respectively by Lucy, Levy, and Jellal. Wendy was whispering into Natsu's ear.

"I mean," Malfoy raised his voice even further, as if we hadn't heard him already. "if it's a question of influence with the ministry, I don't think they've got much of a chance… from what my father says, they've been looking for an excuse to sack Weasley for years… and as for Potter, my father says it's only a matter of time before the ministry has him carted off to St Mungo's, apparently they've got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic."

Malfoy made a face, with his mouth sagging open, and his eyes rolled back.

Something hit Harry, and and he was knocked out of my arms. "Neville, no!" Harry exclaimed, rushing forwards to grab hold of Neville's robes. "Ron, help me!" he said, keeping the flailing Neville away from the Slytherins.

Ron brushing me off, and went to help Harry. Just then, Snape appeared from the Potions room.

"Fighting, Potter, Weasley, Longbottom?" He said in his cold, sneering voice. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Release Longbottom, Potter, or it will be detention. Inside, all of you."

Once we were all sitting down, Snape started talking. "As you will notice, we have a guest today." He spat out, gesturing towards the back of the room. Somehow I had failed to notice her in her bright pink outfit. Umbridge was standing proudly, clutching her clipboard.

She glanced sideways at us, with her eyebrows raised, with a slight smile. Her expression soured when her gaze moved to the others.

Our attention was snapped back up to the front when Snape started speaking again. "We will be continuing with our Strengthening Solution today. You will find your mixtures as you left them last lesson; if correctly made they should have matured well over the weekend - instructions-" He waved his wand again "-on the board. Carry on."

The pink princess spent the first half of the lesson making little notes in her corner. Harry kept watching for Umbridge to start questioning Snape, so I had to keep reminding him about ingredients.

Umbridge started pacing around the classroom, looking at various cauldrons, before turning to Snape.

"Well, the class seems quite advanced for their level." She commented briskly. "Though I would question whether it is advisable to teach them a potion like this. I think the Ministry would prefer it if that was removed from the syllabus."

Snape stiffly looked at her.

"Now… how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" She asked, her quill poised over the clipboard.

"Fourteen years." Snape replied, his expression unfathomable.

"You applied for the regularly for the Defence Against the Dark Arts post since you first joined the school, I believe?"

"Yes." Snape replied, barely moving his lips.

"Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has consistently refused to appoint you?" She asked, seemingly unaware of Snape's anger.

"I suggest you ask him." Said Snape jerkily.

"Oh, I shall," Umbridge said sweetly.

"I suppose this is relevant?" Snape asked, his black eyes narrowed.

"Oh, yes." She said. "Yes, the Ministry wants a thorough understanding of the teachers' - er - backgrounds." She turned away, and with that, the lesson ended.

Over the next couple weeks, Umbridge continued to interview teachers (Some went well, others went horribly), the Gryffindor quidditch team continued to practise hard, despite not getting permission back from Umbridge to play. Harry did his best to act like an angel whenever she was around, so she didn't have a reason to not give permission. Eventually, enough was enough and Angelina went to Professor McGonagall about it, who got them permission immediately.

On the day of the Gryffindor vs Slytherin match, we all went downstairs sporting Gryffindor colours. As we walked past the Slytherin table, they all applauded, flashing silver crown shaped badges. They had words written on them that I couldn't make out.

I gave them a look, and then sat down in between Harry and Ron, across from Erza and Jellal, who were talking quietly.

People were coming into the Great Hall, most dressed warmly for the game, but some, including Luna Lovegood, who was wearing a giant hat the resembled a lion, were dressed festively.

Suddenly, Erza turned to me. "Hermione, do the Slytherins usually do something like this during events like this?"

"What?" I asked.

"You know, making a whole joke meant to patronize a person or team they don't like when they are stressed anyway." Jellal said.

"Like last year when they made badges saying Harry wasn't a real triwizard champion." Erza suggested.

"And now, with whatever it is they're doing with those crown badges and clapping for us!" Harry exclaimed. He turned around to look at them. I looked as well, and Malfoy sneered at us.

Ten minutes later, Harry and Ron, along with the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team as well as the Slytherin team traipsed down to the little shack where the teams changed for games.

Until the rest of the school went down, I chatted with Erza and Jellal. The tension slowly and steadily rose between the tables donned in red and gold and green and silver until Professor Dumbledore made the announcement.

Sitting in my seat, in between Lucy, who was next to Natsu, and Levy, who was next to Gajeel (The two guys had some stupid quibble, and were too immature to talk to each other, something about metal and fire?), I heard a buzz of excitement from the other side of the pitch, where the Slytherins were all sitting.

As soon as the match started, so did the Slytherins. At first I wasn't sure what it was. It sounded like a strange ritualistic chant, like a cult trying to raise someone from the dead. Then I realized it was a song. Slowly, as they got louder and louder with each reiteration, I started to hear words.

Weasley cannot save a thing,

He cannot block a single ring,

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin

He always lets the Quaffle in

Weasley will make sure we win

Weasley is our King.

Lee Jordan was speaking louder than usual over the speaker in an attempt to drown out the hateful song. In response, the green and silver section sang louder. One of the Slytherin chasers had the quaffle and was zooming toward Ron, who looked ready to throw up. As he did so, the Slytherins chanted even louder.

Right before Ron either saved or let in the quaffle, I hid my face so I didn't have to see it. Unfortunately I couldn't drown out the cheering from the other side of the pitch or Lee announcing ten points to Slytherin.

I decided to spend the rest of the game like that, listening to the song, gaining volume as time went on, as well as Natsu, Gajeel and Erza shouting cheers and encouragements, while Levy and Lucy comforted me nonverbally.

Finally, it ended with an enormous eruption of cheers from our side. I looked up to see Harry lying on the pitch with Angelina leaning over him, checking his consciousness. In Harry's hand was something small and golden. Harry caught the snitch! Gryffindor had won! Unfortunately, not everyone was happy about the outcome of the game. Malfoy was yelling something at the Gryffindor team. I couldn't hear exactly what was being said, but Harry and the Weasley twins seemed pretty angry about it. Somehow None of us noticed a certain pink-haired fellow rushing down to the field. Suddenly there was an outcry of "HARRY! GEORGE! NO!" And then Harry, George and Natsu were upon the little blond brat. I don't know how he did it but Natsu's fists appeared to be on fire. Next to me, Lucy made an inhuman noise and muttered something under her breath. Fred was still being restrained by Katie and Alicia. Within seconds the three were pulled off by McGonagall (thank god) and dragged off by their ears.

None of us had any news from those three until later in the evening, when the trio slouched into the common room.

"What happened?" I asked them as soon as they plopped down, where the remainder of the team, and all the others were sitting.

"George and I are kicked off the team." Harry said glumly. "And so is Fred."

"But, but McGonagall wouldn't have-" Angelina spluttered

"She didn't." George cut her off. "Umbridge did. She's also confiscating our brooms.

"And all my classes are being switched so I don't have any with you guys!" Natsu exclaimed.

I was shocked. Did Umbridge even have the power to do that?

"I highly doubt someone in her position would have enough leverage to do that to a student!" Erza said, laughing humorlessly.

"Ok, I exaggerated. I won't have Potions, DADA, or Divination with you guys, but those are my worst!" Natsu slumped into a cushy red armchair half occupied by Lucy. "Also, we all know Trelawney's gonna get kicked out soon anyways and the new teacher will probably be one of Umbridge's minions."

"Look, Natsu, I'll make you a deal." I said, almost not wanting to say it.

"What?" He asked, still moping.

"If you behave yourself in class and manage to not get into fights with your professors or new classmates, I will help you with your homework." I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Are you for real?" He asked, brightening up. "Thank you so much!"

"Oh, lah, dee, da!" Angelina said. "Don't mind me! I'm missing half a team and our next game is in a month and a half!"

GAH I JUST HATE UMBRIDGE BUT DON'T WE ALL LINE BREAK

The following week, Angelina held tryouts for the open positions on the team. Everyone went to watch, except Erza for some reason.

At the very end of the tryouts, Angelina seemed to have picked out the new team members, but was only happy about one. Then, just as she was about to leave, two long haired redheads ran on to the pitch, one with a bright orange mane, and the other with a scarlet one.

On one side of me, the twins and Harry gasped "Ginny?!" and on the other side, Natsu, Lucy, Levy, Gajeel, and Jellal groaned "Erza!"

Long story short, Ginny flawlessly caught the snitch seven times without faltering, and Erza gave out two broken ribs, a black eye and a bloody nose with just a bludger. They made the team.

A/N: Okay so this was a lot of fun to write, and also yay! Erza's on the quidditch team! Won't that be exciting? On the other hand, Natsu's going to have new timetable with sucks alot. Okay see you in a week, and please give us concrit and general feedback! We always love to hear it!

-Lindsay