Chapter 9: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin

Matthew rushed to McLaggen's side and pulled out a chocolate frog, tearing it from the box. He broke off a back leg and offered it to McLaggen, who stared straight ahead.

"Here, eat this."

McLaggen whimpered pathetically, blue eyes still staring blankly from his ghostly white face.

"This will make you feel better," he said, holding the chocolate frog leg to McLaggen's pale, chapped lips.

McLaggen ate it. It seemed his eyes refocused some and the color began to return to his face. Ten minutes and two frogs later he was able to sit normally again.

"Boot! McLaggen! What in the name of Morgana are you doing here!" Prof. Jones cried. Matthew turned around to see a group of teachers running toward them.

McGonagall reached them first, her thin lips pressed tightly together with a rim of white around them. "What happened here?" she demanded more than asked.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Matthew began.

"It was my fault," McLaggen interrupted. "I got bored of waiting and decided to go. I thought it was just rain. If Boot, here, hadn't followed me, I don't know what would have happened."

"You boys are very lucky. There are few who have seen a dementor storm and lived to tell about it. I don't know how you managed it. Perhaps this incident will teach you to trust your professors. We did not live this long charging headlong into danger. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

"But headmistress," Matthew attempted.

"Don't think you are off scott free, Mr. Boot. You should have alerted a teacher when you saw Mr. McLaggen had left. It is not for you to take matters into your own hands. Fifteen points from Hufflepuff."

"Minerva, come have a look at this," Flitwick said, probing the ragged gray ashes which has once been the dementor with his wand.

"You boys are dismissed. Boot, take Mr. McLaggen to see Madam Pomfrey. He'll need more than a few chocolate frogs after what he's been through. Oh, and Boot? Come see me in my office after you have seen to Mr. McLaggen." Prof. McGonagall waved them off. McLaggen leaned heavily against Matthew, his arm wrapped around Matthew's shoulder as the two boys staggered off with Matthew's bags divided between them. Matthew managed a glimpse back as they turned the corned to see McGonagall crouched before the strange ashes. He shivered.

They had walked for a few minutes before McLaggen spoke up.

"You cold?" McLaggen asked.

So McLaggen had noticed how badly Matthew was shivering. "Yes."

"So am I. I can't wait to get back to the fireplace in the common room in a nice flannel robe with my cat."

"You have a cat?" Matthew surveyed the other boy, incredulous.

"Of course I have a cat. A fat orange and yellow tabby, named Carbucketty. He's older than I am if you'll believe it. I've had him my entire life. Doesn't do much more than sleep these days."

"I would have figured you for an owl."

"I had an owl when I first came to Hogwarts."

"What happened?"

McLaggen's face darkened. "I heard the Carrows ate him when Cormac and I disappeared. I honestly never liked that owl, it always bit me, but I still would have preferred it not go that way. Anyway, Carbucketty is lots better. I never was an owl person. What do you have?"

"Just my brother's hoot owl, Tycho. He's got a bit of a stubborn streak but he's good in a pinch. He can find anyone. Does explain why he sent Tycho back a month early with a letter that said nothing more than to keep him home."

"Yeah. That move Terry pulled, standing on the table during dinner and telling everyone that Harry Potter had broken into Gringotts and escaped, that was something. It took a lot of guts. Wish I could have seen it."

They walked for a little in silence.

"Hey, thanks for taking the blame for me," Matthew finally said.

"It was nothing. Hey, do you play Wizarding chess?"

"The pieces won't work for me, I have to play muggle chess."

"What's muggle chess like?"

"Basically the same thing, but the pieces don't move."

"That sounds a bit boring."

"I'll give it's not quite as exciting, but it's still fun."

"Well, maybe sometime you can come up to the Common Room and you can show me this... muggle chess."

Matthew eyed him suspiciously. "Not to be rude, but why are you being so nice to me?"

"You can't do magic."

So it was pity. "Yeah."

"That death eater said you tried to use a patronus charm to defend me."

Matthew wasn't quite sure where this was going. "He did. I didn't know you heard him."

"I did. He thought you were just trying something too advanced, but you can't do magic and you know that. So you knew it would fail and you tried anyway when anyone else would have run."

"In all fairness, there were hundreds of dementors around, I probably would not have gotten far."

"Don't lie. You were trying to draw him off me by pretending to be a threat."

"So what if I was?"

"Gryffindors prize courage. Maybe McGonagall was right about you." McLaggen stared at the ground. "And maybe you were right about me. And maybe that's not the kind of person I want to be, anymore."

"McLaggen! Boot!" a rough voice boomed from just down the sloping green. It was Hagrid! "Minerver' jus' sent word ter meet yeh." Hagrid surveyed the two boys. With the much larger, much paler McLaggen leaning heavily against Matthew's spare frame, both sopping wet and shivering, they must look quite the sight, Matthew realized.

"Wha' happened ta yeh? I've seen drowned rats 'at looked bettern' the pair a yeh. Here, give 'im over." Hagrid eased McLaggen off of Matthew's shoulder.

"Dementors." Matthew answered.

"Dementors! But they're not supposed ter' - they're supposed ter be on the moors!"

"Seems someone forget to tell them," McLaggen attempted a wan smile at his own joke.

"The Ministry'll be in a right state when they hear abou' this! Dementors in Hogsmeade!"

Matthew attempted to straighten his clinging robes. "Well, they're gone now."

Hagrid was mystified, "Gone?"

"Yeah, I don't think they'll be coming back again any time soon either."

McLaggen gave a convulsing shake in Hagrid's arm.

"You okay, McLaggen?" Hagrid asked.

"Yeah, just a bit cold."

"We'd best get yeh both inside an' warmed up afore yeh catch cold."

Matthew almost had to run to keep up with Hagrid's massive strides.

Hagrid burst through the hospital wing door and into the room, accidentally upending a spindly silver table onto the bed of a student whose ears were three times the size they were normally supposed to be and causing Madam Pomfrey to have to quickly levitate the bottle and direct its contents back inside.

"Hagrid! How many times do I have to remind you to watch where you are going?" she said, crossly, as the bottle stoppered itself.

"Ah'm sorry, Poppy. We've had a dementor attack." Hagrid said, easing McLaggen onto an empty bed.

Panic flitted across Madam Pomfrey's face. "Dementors? Here?"

"They're gone now."

Madam Pomfrey bustled about McLaggen's bed. "Good heavens! You're soaked!" She waved her wand and steam rose from McLaggen's clothes. "Accio Chocolate." A monstrous chunk of chocolate flew across the ward. She pulled a small hammer and chisel out of her pocket and handed them to McLaggen. "Here. You'll need to eat the whole thing. And you," she rounded on Matthew.

"I'm fine, I had part of a chocolate frog."

Madam Pomfrey still insisted on giving him a once over. "You'd best change your clothes before you meet with the headmistress."

"Could you grab a change of clothes and a new robe for me as well?" McLaggen called out. "The password is 'magisterium.'"

"Sure," Matthew said, turning to leave.

"Hey, Squib!" McLaggen said. "Catch!"

Matthew spun around in time to catch a hunk of chocolate.

"You know you only had a leg. Now come on, eat the rest. You look as though your best friend ditched you."

"Thanks, McLaggen."

"Call me, Liam. See you in a few. And bring your chess set."

Matthew left the room, heading toward the Hufflepuff common room. He was fairly certain his expression had nothing to do with dementors. What was he going to tell McGonagall?


After he had changed into fresh robes he grabbed the box containing his chess set. It wasn't until he was walking up the second staircase that he realized he hadn't a clue where the Gryffindor common room was located. He knew that it was up high, in one of the towers. What he wouldn't give for Tip right now. A thought that was quickly followed by one detailing exactly the type of chaos Tip would wreak upon the Gryffindors were he to know their password. He could see it now, fireworks spinning about in a blizzard of itching snow.

And, speaking of chaos, there was Hector Boranos hiding, badly, behind a tapestry trying to stifle a laugh, and there was his sister, skipping down the hall toward him.

She grinned when she saw her brother. "Matt! Did you bring my stuff? Oh, just a moment." She waved her wand and the tapestry rolled itself to the ceiling with Hector inside it. There was the sound of a muffled explosion and purple smoke puffed out of the tapestry ends. The muffled sound of Hector coughing and gagging could be heard from above. Izzy peeked around Matthew, seeing the box she took it from him and opened it up gleefully but, finding only plastic chess pieces, she shoved it back into his hands. She glared at him with a disappointed pout. "Where are they?"

Matthew was so preoccupied with finding the common room he stared at her in confusion, "Where is what?"

"My candy! My toys! My presents! Where are you hiding them, Matt?"

Now he knew what she was on about. He smiled wryly at her. "When did I say I was bringing you anything?"

"You said you would. You promised!"

"I said I'd see. I never promised you anything."

"Yes you did!" She looked as though she might cry.

"Fine, fine. I must've left them in the Hospital Wing with McLaggen."

"McLaggen!" she gasped. "What's he doing in the hospital wing? It was that horrible Carrow girl wasn't it? She didn't blow him up like McCraig?"

"No, no - who's McCraig?"

"The boy the Carrow girl blew up. Everyone knows about him!"

"I've never even heard of him. You shouldn't believe every rumor you hear."

"But it's true! She's an evil dark witch and she wants to bring You know Who back from the dead and and..."

"She blew up some student you've never even heard of."

"Exactly!"

"Ceelee wasn't even in Hogsmeade. They had Quidditch practice. We got attacked by dementors."

"You got attacked by dementors? How are you alive? Did McLaggen fight them off?" She waved her wand in imitation, "Expecto Patronum!"

"First, dementors suck out your soul, they don't kill you. And second... well... close enough."

"That is so cool! Did he cast a full corporeal patronus? What did it look like?"

"Hey, he wanted me grab a change of robes for him. Could you show me where the Gryffindor common room is?"

Her eyes narrowed, "How do I know you aren't in league with Tip Walker? I know you two are friends."

"Yes, we are. But Tip already knows where the common room is. What am I going to do? Spread chess pieces on the floor and hope someone slips?"

"Well, why do you have that chessboard with you?"

"McLaggen asked me to bring - Look. If he hadn't sent me would I know the password?"

"Fine. What's the password?"

"Magisterium. Are you satisfied?"

Izzy smiled haughtily as though to say she was. "Its down two hallways, up the wooden staircase, go under the tapestry of Dawyien the Dour at the Fairy feast and then it's a right, a left, two more rights, go down the stone stairway, follow the hallway, make a right at the painting of cats playing parcheesi, then down that hallway and the next then go up the stairs and its down that hallway behind the portrait of the fat lady."

"So just go down the hall and take a left up the stairs?"

Her expression answered his question.

"Why do you have to be such a know-it-all?"

"Well, because you took all the magic. I'll see you later, Izzy."

"Wait! Can I come too? Liam McLaggen is so cool."

Matthew wasn't sure how he felt about Izzy thinking McLaggen was cool considering how he'd bullied that Slytherin kid only hours ago. He wasn't too keen on his little sister looking up to a bully. "Not unless you want to see Prof. McGonagall with me."

Izzy's eyes widened, "No thanks!" She quickly ran off in the other direction.

"Izzy!" Matthew called out.

She turned. "What?"

"Did you forget something?" He pointed up to the struggling mumbling tapestry.

"No."

"Izzy," Matthew said in his best imitation of their father.

"Fine." She flicked her wand and the tapestry unraveled, depositing a rather pungent Hector onto the stone floor as Izzy flounced away.


Matthew walked back to the Hospital Wing. He was still going over in his head what he could possibly tell the headmistress. How could he tell her what had happened without having to admit he had lied about what had happened in the woods? It was not as though he was much of a liar to begin with.

As it turned out, he did not have long to think of a story, for Prof. McGonagall was leaning over McLaggen's bed, her face still drawn and pale. She turned at the sound of the door creaking open.

"Ah, Mr. Boot. My office. Now." She turned and strode toward the door.

"Yes, headmistress." Matthew said, quickly passing the clothes off to McLaggen who nodded appreciatively. "Are you feeling better?" he whispered.

"Yes," McLaggen said.

"Come along, Mr. Boot, you will have plenty of time to visit with your friend after."

"Yes, ma'am."

She led him, without a word, to the stone gargoyle. "McGregor." she said, and the stone gargoyle jumped aside revealing a long spiral staircase. Matthew took a step onto it an was startled to feel it move beneath him like an escalator. The steps deposited him into a room filled with desks and papers and spindly legged silver instruments. Above him portraits of the former headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts whispered pointedly to each other. A large wardrobe sat in the corner with bluish light emanating from a crack between the doors. She sat down at her desk and opened up a tin. "Would you care for a biscuit?"

"No, thank you."

"Suit yourself. Now then, tell me what happened on the bridge. And do try to tell the truth this time."

"How did you know?"

"Do you honestly think I would believe two students could kill a dementor? You are very clever, Mr. Boot, but you are not that clever."

"It was my fault, it wasn't McLaggen at all. I left and he followed me. I'd probably be dead if it wasn't for him." And the entire story tumbled out from Matthew's lips. Everything. From meeting the Death Eaters in the Forbidden Forest to the way they had used their patronuses to kill the dementor.

"You say they were hunting the dementors?"

"Yeah, that's what it sounded like. They... they were looking for someone... a certain soul."

"A soul? Did they say whose?"

"No. But I know that dementor didn't have it. So they killed it."

"Did you recognize them?"

"No. They were wearing hoods. And they seemed to be very careful to not use their names. One of them, the biggest, has white hair, though, if that helps."

"It might." She shook her head, "I never thought there would come a day when I would feel sorry for a dementor. You may go, I have work to do."

"Is that it?" Matthew asked, bewildered.

"Oh yes. You will be serving two weeks of detention with Prof. Sprout."

"Two weeks? But what about Quidditch practice?"

"Perhaps next time you will listen more closely to instructions. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, headmistress," Matthew said, and he stepped on the staircase. Just as he did he noticed a strange flash of light from one of the portraits. He tried to see who it had come from but it seemed, that portrait, was conspicuously empty. Had they just left?


"Hey, you're back. How'd it go?" McLaggen genuinely seemed glad to see Matthew. The Gryffindor was sitting upright in bed, still working on the giant chunk of chocolate before him.

"Two weeks of detention. She knew you were covering for me."

"Yeah, there's no fooling her. But it doesn't mean you can't try. I got a week. And right before the big match against Slytherin! Creevey's going to kill me when he finds out. Or he'll have Boots Luna do it." He popped another piece of chocolate into his mouth and grimaced. "I never thought I could get tired of chocolate. Take another piece."

"No thank you."

"Come on, help me out here. Madam Pomfrey won't let me leave until this whole thing's gone."

"Fine, give me another bit."

McLaggen handed him a chunk. "Now, are you going to show me how to play muggle chess or not?"

They played for almost an hour. By the third round they had replaced the pawns with hunks of chocolate that you had to eat when you took one. Matthew had never checkmated someone with only pawns before.

"Winner eats all," McLaggen said with a triumphant grin.

"I thought that was the loser."

"Well then what have you won?"

"The opportunity not to eat anymore chocolate," Matthew quipped.

The boys laughed.

"Hey, you should come to a Knight's Club meeting sometime," McLaggen said.

"I think you're forgetting, I can't use magic."

"Yeah, well, you can still come anyway. I'm the leader, afterall, so what I say goes."

"Maybe, if I can find the time." Matthew popped a chocolate pawn into his mouth. "Declan has us practicing every free moment for the Ravenclaw match."

"Don't even talk to me about Ravenclaw." McLaggen put a hand to his brow. "Slytherin's bad enough. Have you seen them play? Matsumoto used to go to Mahoutokoro in Japan until he was ten when his father was transferred to London for work. They have the best Quidditch teams in the league - the school practically manufactures championship players. I heard they have entire courses devoted to Quidditch strategy. They didn't just win the cup last year, they crushed us. Just thinking about it makes me depressed." He took a chocolate pawn and ate it. He turned to the table where the chunk had been only to see a few crumbs and the little wooden hammer. "Oh. Looks like that was the last of it."

"Good." Matthew answered.

"Hey! Madam Pomfrey! I finished the chocolate! Can I go now?" McLaggen shouted.

Madam Pomfrey poked her head out of her office and glared at him. She waved toward the door.

"I think that means I can go."

"I'd wager so," Matthew said.

McLaggen got up and pulled on his robes over his uniform. "Thanks Squib, I'll see you around. You'll be at the match this weekend, right?"

"If I don't somehow manage to get any more detentions."

"Well try not to. You won't want to miss this. I can't wait to see the look on Carrow's face when Creevey gets the snitch."

Matthew's smile faltered, "Yeah. I'll be there."


Izzy was ecstatic with her gifts and quickly took to proudly showing them around the table to the early dinner crowd as the older students began to trickle in from Hogsmeade. Not wanting to answer questions from Shoshanna or his other friends, Matthew pocketed the chocolate frog meant for Holly and went up to the library, expecting to find her there.

He searched among the stacks but there was no trace of the pale little girl with the straw colored braids. Not seeing any other options, he decided to look in the place he had last found her. She was sitting alone this time, reading an over large, leather bound book without any distinctive markings on the cover, not even a title. It appeared terribly old. He sat down next to her, but she still appeared lost in her reading. He watched her for a moment. She was so intently focused on the words; it was hard to believe she was only eleven. He reached into his pocket.

"Hey Holly, I brought your frog." He produced the colorful box.

She started. "Matty! She cried with a huge grin. He passed her the box. "Thank you!" The way she held the thing you would have thought it were made of precious gems. She stared at the box admiringly, her finger stroking the smooth cardboard.

"Well, go on, open it. But mind the frog, they have one good jump in them."

She stared up at him with her glassy blue eyes. "I don't know if I should. I don't want to ruin the pretty box."

"Well, if you open it carefully, it should be okay. Come on, I want to know what card you got." He attempted to sound cheerful though, seeing the way she treated the gift, as though it were something unspeakably holy, cheerful was the last thing he felt. Had she ever gotten a gift before?

She carefully worked the corners until the package gave way. As she opened the lid an explosion of brown flew out.

"Woah! There it goes!" Matthew cried. "Better catch it."

Holly giggled as she scrambled after it, catching it just before it could make a bit for the Forbidden Forest. It turned solid again in her hand.

"Now let's see what card you got."

Holly pulled out the card. Instantly her visage contorted into a look of pure hatred and revulsion. Her eyes flashed with wrath. She threw the card on the ground beside her. Then, just as suddenly, her expression was back to normal as though it had never happened. Matthew rubbed his eyes. Had he really seen what he thought he had?

"Thank you, Matty." Holly hugged him and stood. "I'm going to take this to my room and eat it." She picked up her book and scampered away, leaving Matthew staring, bewildered, after her.

He leaned his back against the tree. It had been quite a day, he must have been imagining things - a latent effect of the dementor attack. Though he had never known dementors to cause hallucinations. But then, their effects on squibs were not well documented. He let out a deep breath, letting his hands fall beside him on the grass. He felt something strange under his right hand, something smooth and slippery, like paper. He looked down to see the discarded Chocolate Frog Card in the grass underneath his palm. He picked it up. He had seen the face hundreds of times - there wasn't a wizard in all of Britain who didn't know the untidy black hair, green eyes, and lightning bolt shaped scar of the young man who smiled back from the card. Underneath the picture read the words:

Harry Potter

The Boy Who Lived


The morning of the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin dawned chilly and bright, a crisp frost coated the grounds giving it an ethereal appearance.. Outside, Hagrid was at work defrosting the brooms and drying the seats. Matthew was eating breakfast when Debbie and Tip came down. Debbie was wearing her hair in two puffs, one on each side of her head, and each held in place by scarlet and gold Gryffindor clips. Tip was wearing a Gryffindor scarf. In fact, most of Hufflepuff seemed to be overtly supporting the Gryffindor team with not even a trace of green among them; even Shoshanna wore a Gryffindor tie around her neck.

Declan came in and looked toward the Gryffindor table. He sat himself across from Matthew, taking an apple from one of the giant golden owls filled with fruit. "Good. They're not here yet," he said, taking a bite of the fruit.

"Who's not here?"

"You'll see."

Suddenly there was the roar of a lion. All heads snapped to the main entryway where Jerry Card stood with a giant lion's head perched upon his head. It roared again, loudly. Jerry Card strode in followed by Dennis Creevey in full Keeper's kit, carrying his Firebolt in one hand. His mien was serious, as though he were marching into battle. Behind him were Boots Luna and Cass Weasley. Unlike Creevey, they appeared to be enjoying themselves immensely. Their white shirt tails hung loose from under their sweaters, as did their collars, which had been unbuttoned to the second button and opened wide. They had rolled up their left sleeves to the shoulder and each had their red and gold tie tied around their left bicep. They had a line of red painted beneath one eye and gold underneath the other. In their left hand they carried their brooms, and in their right, their beater's bats which they lifted to the applause of the Gryffindors, as well as a number of Hufflepuffs. Tip let out a wolf whistle as they passed. Then came the three chasers in their scarlet Quidditch robes with McLaggen in the lead, flanked by Ben Dorsett and Byron Wycliffe, each looking just as serious as their captain. In the rear was the keeper, Regina Prince, in full uniform and shoulder pads, Nimbus in one hand and helmet in the other.

Jerry Card stood at the empty end of the table where the others took their places and then sat as one while the lion roared one last time.

"Luna Lovegood's lion hat." Declan explained. "Ginny Weasley found it after she was kidnapped. I still remember the first time they came in like that. It was right after the Holidays. So many of the students had disappeared. The Creevey's had gone into hiding. The Carrows had spent half the year trying to tear Gryffindor apart any way they could. Spies, rumors, insinuations. And it was working - most of Gryffindor didn't trust each other. Ginny and Neville fought to keep it together as best they could. Back then the Carrows were still holding Quidditch matches, trying to pretend like everything was normal. Then Ginny walked in the morning of the match with that thing on her head followed by the rest of the team in full uniform, following her in solidarity, staring daggers at the Carrows as if challenging them to try and stop her. And then they just sat down in complete silence. You could have heard a pin drop. It wasn't just an act of defiance - it was revolution! The whole of Gryffindor united in that moment. The game was wild and when Gryffindor somehow pulled out a miraculous victory it just served as a rallying moment uniting the House once more. Since then it's become sort of a tradition for the teams to come in as a group on the morning of the game."

There was a strange hissing sound from the entryway.

"And here comes Slytherin," Declan said.

A cloud of silver smoke filled the doorway. A giant emerald green smoke serpent rose within it to full height, snapping at the air. It slithered along the floor, green and silver smoke flowing from it as it moved. It was followed by a young man in emerald chaser robes, a fifth year by the look of him. He had golden brown hair parted to the right. His face was handsome and open with a slight roundness about the cheeks. He neither looked serious nor particularly glad, but the expression he regarded the hall with was not entirely unpleasant. Still, there was something about him that left Matthew uneasy.

"Merlin's beard! It's Reginald Jenkins!" Declan cried, completely floored.

"Who?" Matthew asked.

"Exactly! He was only in the reserves last year! This is... What in the name of Morgan le Faye is going on!"

Matthew could tell Declan wasn't the only one left flabbergasted. Loud conversation had broken out at the Gryffindor table as well with Wycliffe standing and shouting that this could not be legitimate before Creevey pulled him down and assured him that it was.

"I don't understand, what's the problem? If he was just in the reserves doesn't this benefit us?" Matthew asked.

"Well it does and it doesn't. We prepared and trained based on who they might put up as Captain. We had a basic idea, given seniority and skill, who they might choose. And now all of that preparation is out the window. We've never even seen him play. It's like we're flying blind. We don't even know why he was chosen."

Clearly, Slytherin had hoped for this effect for Reginald Jenkins stood where he was, watching the tumult with a slightly bemused expression on his face, for a full minute before stepping into the room. Close behind him was a rather ugly young man with cropped black hair and a darkly pock-marked face.

"That's Darius Flint. We were pretty sure he would be Captain, his cousin was the Slytherin team Captain way back in '91. There's Kevin Nott behind them."

Matthew watched the procession as the Beaters, two gorilla sized sixth years, apparently twins by the look of them, passed by and then there was a gap in the line before the Keeper. It took Matthew a moment to realize there was no gap, he was simply looking too high up. There was Ceelee, tiny compared to her teammates (though he had never recognized her as such before), in full Seeker's kit, her expression dark as he had seen her when leading the Slytherins through the hall on the first day. The Slytherins sat down at the table as the smoke serpent dissipated around them.

Polly stood from where she was sitting at the other end of the table and came over to Declan.

"Did you see that? Reginald Jenkins!" She was so upset her Scottish brogue almost overcame her words. The two fell into feverish discussion, while Matthew attempted to keep up, but soon found himself lost in Polly's accent as she and Declan moved pieces of fruit and salt shakers as though they were players on a Quidditch field.

As he was just tucking in to a rather plump sausage, Matthew felt a blow to his back. He turned just in time to see Liam McLaggen grinning as he passed by. "Hey, see you at the game, Squib!" he called and let out a whoop.

Shoshanna reached for her wand, but Matthew stopped her.

"No, it's okay." Matthew said.

She raised her eyebrows at him but released the wand.


After breakfast they traipsed out into the grounds. Tip was intentionally walking on the grass rather than the path, his feet crunching on the frozen grass, looking back at his footprints in the frost with a child-like glee.

Donald whispered to Matthew, "He always gets this way. It's only his third real winter. Wait until the first snow. Last year he used magic to create a giant snowman as tall as Gryffindor tower. It looked like it was coming to eat them - he even gave it icicle teeth. Of course, there was no snow left anywhere on the grounds because of that..."

Declan waved them over to join he, Polly, and Adrian.

"Good morning, Hogwarts!" a voice boomed over the crowd. "Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the year. Gryffindor verses Slytherin! Two great teams with no love lost between them. I'm your announcer, Sean Brady."

Matthew's head snapped toward the announcer's booth where, sure enough, their new beater, Sean Brady, was seated. "That's Sean!" he gasped.

"Oh yeah, I suppose we forgot to mention that," Declan laughed. "Brady was one of the announcer's last year. He did such a good job they offered him the position when Connor Dell graduated.

"Here come the teams: For Gryffindor we have Team Captain Dennis Creevey playing Seeker. Co-Captain Boots Luna will be playing Beater. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her bat. Then we have Beater Cassandra Weasley." Cass walked out blowing kisses to the audience. They hollered. She pumped her fist in the air a few times before joining Boots Luna. "Always the charmer, Cass. Now we have the Chasers: Liam McLaggen, Byron Wycliffe, and the new acquisition Ben Dorsett. This will be Dorsett's first match, let's give him a warm round of applause." The crowd went wild, particularly the Gryffindors. Only the Slytherins booed. Matthew noticed the Gryffindor stands were full of waving signs, red and gold facepaint, and even one older boy who had decided to brave the cold and had painted a giant gold lion surrounded by red on his chest. "And finally, the new keeper, Regina Prince. Let's have a hand for her as well."

The Gryffindor players lined up on the side of the field, standing with their hands clasped in front of them, as though at-ease.

"And now for the Slytherin team. First up, in the role of chaser, we have Captain Reginald Jenkins. Reginald Jenkins is a surprise choice having been a reserve last year without having played a single match. This is a big gamble for Slytherin and we'll see if it pays off. Next up we have Co-captain Darius Flint and Kevin Nott, filing out the other two Chaser positions. Then we have Chris and Owen Sulkowski - don't let them fool you, they are faster then they look. Why, there was this one time when I swiped a muffin from their table-"

"A-hem!" Prof. McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Ah, right, get on with it. This year they are debuting a new Seeker, Celestina Carrow." The stands exploded with boos as Ceelee took the field except in the Slytherin stands where students cheered loudly, producing signs with pictures of a raven perched on the carcass of a lion. "And finally, we have Keeper David Fallon. Last year he proved himself a force to be reckoned with. Let's see if he's got it in him this year."

The teams took their positions on the field with McLaggen and Jenkins facing off. Madam Hooch blew the whistle, launching the quaffle up in the air.

"And they're off! Well, I think they're off. What is Jenkin's doing?"

Despite the whistle having been blown, Jenkins was still on the ground. McLaggen stopped for a moment and stared at him, stunned. Which had, apparently been just what Jenkins had expected him to do.

"Oh! that was a nasty hit to the back of McLaggen's head with the bludger. And he's dropped the quaffle right into Jenkin's hands."

Jenkins gave the dazed McLaggen a salute before kicking off from the ground. Shaking off the hit, McLaggen charged after him.

Declan swore. "I've never seen a play so dirty! Foul!"

"Jenkins passes it to Flint, Flint to Nott, and he's got the shot... Blocked by Regina Prince! Good show, Regina!"

Regina had managed a neat little spin where she knocked the quaffle away with the tail of her broom.

"And it's Dorsett with the save! He passes it to Wycliffe and oh! That was too close for comfort! Wycliffe drops the quaffle and it's recovered by Flint."

Nott and Jenkins had flown directly at Wycliffe, leaving only just enough space between them so as not to actually foul him as they passed on either side of him causing him to instinctively try to cover himself from the foul anyone would have been sure was coming and, in doing so, he lost his grip on the quaffle. Flint sped towards the goalposts when suddenly he was sent spinning out of control by a well aimed bludger.

"That was Cass Weasley with the hit! McLaggen has the quaffle now! He's taking it all the way and... GOAL! Gryffindor scores the first goal of the game!" The stands erupted. Matthew was on his feet cheering as McLaggen threw his fist in the air. But the celebration was short lived.

"And Jenkins has the quaffle..."

Matthew turned his attention to the sky where Ceelee and Creevey seemed to be in the middle of some strange ballet, circling around each other, yet always at a distance. It was almost peaceful compared to the scene below.

Gryffindor quickly racked up three more goals while Slytherin only managed one, being kept at bay by Regina Prince and the two beaters, who appeared intent to make the Gryffindor half of the pitch as inhospitable as possible. Still, Slytherin was debuting an impressive set of plays against the Gryffindor chasers. Declan was no longer shouting but staring with his mouth hanging open in horror as Jenkins and his team executed one play after another. Still, it seemed for every goal they managed to score Gryffindor answered with three. Dorsett had just gotten the quaffle when suddenly Brady's attention turned to the sky above.

"And Carrow is diving! Has she seen the snitch?"

Ceelee was doing a straight dive for the ground, cutting off Dorsett completely with Creevey after her. Matthew followed her line of sight. Was he just missing something? He couldn't see even the faintest golden glint of the snitch.

"It's the Wronski Feint," Tip whispered.

"No wait, she's pulling up!" Declan said. "Maybe she got scared?"

"No... she wouldn't be scared of that, what is she-"

Matthew didn't even have the chance to finish the sentence before Creevey pulled out of the dive, pausing for just long enough that Owen Sulkowski was able to catch Creevey in the side of the head with a bludger, making a terrible dull thud. McLaggen zoomed over to steady the Seeker who tottered for a moment on his broomstick, as though he might fall off.

"Oh, that was low!" Brady shouted. "That was the most vile, disgusting, repugnant-"

Prof. McGonagall cleared her throat again.

"But unfortunately still allowed by the rules," Brady finished. "Figures a Carrow would be in on something like that."

"Mr. Brady!" Prof. McGonagall's scolding could be heard.

"Sorry, Professor. Anyhow, Creevey seems to be alright."

McLaggen gave Creevey a quick pat on the back and the two broke apart with Dennis flying back up into the atmosphere. Jenkins had taken the opportunity to score two more goals while the Gryffindor team was distracted. Gryffindor managed to get the quaffle and score those two goals back in short order. Matthew scanned the pitch for Ceelee. She was way over on the Slytherin side, circling just beneath the goals as though searching for something. Perhaps she had seen the snitch, afterall.

"And that's another goal for Gryffindor. Jenkins with the quaffle, off to Flint. Better look out Flint, Boots Luna has you in her sight."

Boots Luna sent a bludger screaming from her bat into Flint's side, causing him to lose his grip on the quaffle.

It happened so fast Matthew scarcely had time to register it before she hit the ground. Nott had flown straight at Boots Luna's broom, not even slowing for a moment as he grabbed the front end and jerked it upward, still flying forward so that it flipped over in some sort of terrible arc. Boots Luna, who had just hit the bludger, had neither of her hands on the handle at that moment. She seemed to fall in slow motion, but it was, in reality, less than a second. Not even long enough for Madam Hooch to flick her wand. There was a ghastly crack as Boots Luna hit the pitch.

"TIME OUT!" Creevey screamed, zooming down to where Boots Luna lay motionless.

Declan cursed so loudly a few first years turned to him in terror, though it was nothing compared to the incomprehensible tirade Polly had launched into.

"Boots! Boots!" Creevey cried as Madam Pomfrey hurried from the sidelines. Before Madam Pomfrey could even reach her Boots Luna shifted, stiffly.

"Ugh." she groaned.

"Boots! Are you okay?" Creevey asked, trying to help her up. She slapped away his hand.

"I'm fine. Fine!" she said, repelling Madam Pomfrey. "I just had the wind knocked out of me."

She walked over to her broom very stiffly and mounted it.

"Are you certain you want to keep playing? Cass can handle it without you," Creevey said, Cass nodded in agreement.

"An eye for an eye, a life for a life. Vengeance is the way of my people. And I will have my vengeance." A fire burned in her eyes as she mounted her broom, bat in hand.

"NOTT! Out of the Game!" Madam Hooch shouted.

"And Nott is out of the game to be replaced by Morraine O'Leery."

"Alright, Gryffindor gets a shot on goal," Madam Hooch called out. McLaggen easily put the shot away. The score was now 120 to fifty with Gryffindor well in the lead.

"Hey, Declan?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah?' Declan said, not taking his eyes off the game.

"Doesn't Boots Luna bat right handed?"

Declan pulled his binoculars to his eyes, "Merlin's Beard! You're right!"

Boots Luna was holding the bat in her left hand, her right tucked against her side.

"She's got a broken arm," Declan said, stunned.

But that did not appear to be slowing her down in the slightest. She was hitting bludgers as though one possessed. She slammed a bludger at Darius Flint's face. It hit him squarely, smashing his nose almost flat. Blood gushed from the wound, forcing another time out. She was relentless, knocking out both O'Leery and one of the Sulkowski brothers. She got Jenkins in the spine, causing him to lose the quaffle for a goal by Dorsett. With Slytherin down two she called a time out.

"Are you alright?" Creevey asked, dismounting next to where she floated just above the ground.

"I'm fine," she said, dismounting. Her legs immediately gave way. Creevey sprung forward to catch her. "Just two broken legs and a broken arm is all." She attempted to smile but it was more of a wince.

"Oh, is that all?" Creevey said. "Well, you should be up and running before the end of the match then."

Madam Pomfrey rushed over to help Boots Luna onto the floating litter and escorted her off of the pitch.

"That was probably the bravest, maddest thing I have ever seen in a Quidditch match," Sean Brady said, sniffling. "You had better catch that snitch, Creevey!"

This time Prof. McGonagall made no objections.

The match began again with a quick goal from Gryffindor bringing the total up to 190 to fifty with McLaggen holding the quaffle when suddenly Brady broke in, "And Creevey's seen the snitch, he's diving for it..."

Creevey was indeed after the snitch which was flitting just ahead of him. He dove and turned and dove again, he reached his hand out, fingers outstretched to grab it when, from just in front of him, a hand reached out and snatched the snitch from his grasp. It was Ceelee! She had come up straight from below him to swipe it right from his fingers.

"And Slytherin wins the match 200 to 190!" Brady shouted, though without any cheer. "Bloody hell!" he cursed, throwing his wand down.

The Slytherin's were ecstatic, carrying Reginald Jenkins and Ceelee on their shoulders back toward the school. Creevey just stood there, opening and closing his hand.

Matthew and the others waited for Brady to come down before heading to lunch.

"That was a heartbreaker, wasn't it?" Brady asked as came down the nearly empty stands. "Only lost by ten points."

"I'll say," Declan agreed as they started back to the Great Hall for a late lunch. "At least we'll know what to expect now."

"That was the dirtiest playing I ever did see," Adrian said. "And I once saw Massachusetts play."

"It was dirty, alright," Declan said. "But it was all within the rules, except for that bit with Boots Luna."

"I thought she was dead." Polly interjected.

"Yeah, I don't think Nott's going to be playing ever again," Brady said. "You should have seen McGonagall's face. I'm surprised she didn't eject him from the match herself."

"Poor Dennis," Shoshanna murmured. And for once, Tip nodded in agreement without making fun of her.

"So that's why they chose Reginald Jenkins. Now that I think of it, I remember he was a hatstall," Donald said, thoughtfully. "Between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. It makes sense now."

"He probably wanted to get rid of Nott, that's why he had him do that trick," Debbie spoke up. "Nott's dumb as a pile of rocks, but he's the child of a Death Eater so they can't just kick him off the team. And he'd be too stupid to realize he'd get caught if he did something like that. What do you think Matt?"

Matthew, who had been lost in thought, going over the goals from both Gryffindor and Slytherin, was only half aware of what Debbie had been saying. He managed a weak smile at her, "I think you'll be a great Auror one day."

She beamed at him. "Thanks Matt. But I'll bet that's why Jenkins did it, to kill two birds with one stone."

"Well, right now, I don't care why he did it," Adrian said. "I just want some lunch." He rubbed his round stomach and they all laughed. "What are you laughing at? You wouldn't want me to waste away to normal, would you?" he said in mock offense.

As they approached the Great Hall they heard a clamor from inside.

"Everyone must already be eating," Declan said, pushing open the door.

Loud shouting greeted them the moment they opened the door. Ceelee and McLaggen were facing each other, wands drawn. McLaggen's face was bright red as the two shouted at each other surrounded by a crowd egging them on, many with their own wands drawn, looking like they might explode into battle at any moment. Professor Flitwick was pleading for order but it was clearly out of his hands. The first spell cast would unleash a powder keg of rage.

"-could've killed her!" McLaggen shouted, a large vein throbbing dangerously on his forehead just below his wiry blond hair.

"I had nothing to do with that!"

"No, you just lured Creevey into a trap!"

"I saw the snitch!"

"And why would I believe the word of a Carrow? You're just daddy's little girl aren't you! Who cares if a few Muggle-borns get hurt or killed? They aren't pure bloods anyway! Kill them by the thousands! You're just like your father!"

Ceelee held her wand to McLaggen's throat. "You take that back!" she said, menacingly.

"Or what? You'll hex me? Use the Cruciatus Curse on me?" McLaggen threw his arms open wide, exposing his chest. "Come on, Carrow! Let's see what you've got! I can take it!"

Matthew leapt in between the pair of them, his arms outstretched. "Stop it you two!" he shouted.

Everyone stared, stunned.

"Get out of the way, Squib, this doesn't concern you," McLaggen growled.

"Yeah, Squib, move it. Before you get hurt." Ceelee glowered at him.

"No. I'm not going to let you hurt each other." He lowered his voice so that only the pair of them could hear him, he turned to McLaggen, "You say you want to be a better man, then stop this. Walk away." McLaggen's arms dropped to his side. "And you," he turned to Ceelee, "do you want to prove him right? That you are just like your father?"

Ceelee lowered her wand. "I am nothing like my father," she whispered, and turned to walk away.

Seeing the fight had ended the students began to separate.

"Hey Carrow!" a voice shouted from near the entryway. Ceelee and Matthew turned toward the sound of the voice just in time to see Ben Dorsett pointing his wand directly at her.

"Confringo!" A blue light shot from the tip of Dorsett's wand.

Matthew didn't have time to think about what he was doing. It was almost as though some outward force directed his movements. Pulling his wand he spun to block the spell as one blocking the blow from a sword. The blue light struck the wand. Matthew felt the force of it. The Blasting Curse that had killed twelve muggles and led to the arrest of Sirius Black. Still he held on. He felt the wood of his wand expand, splinter, and then... nothing. The blue light was gone. The wand had absorbed it. It had absorbed the curse. The shock of what had happened only lasted an instant.

"She's mine!" McLaggen shouted, tackling Dorsett. Dorsett struggled to get free but between McLaggen, Declan, Adrian, and Prof. Flitwick he was subdued.

"That was for my sister!" he shouted as they dragged him out. "That was for you, Beatrice!"

Matthew felt a slight pressure on the crook of his elbow. He looked down to see a narrow set of fingers, pressed into his arm, Ceelee's thin face at his shoulder. "Thank you, Matt," she whispered. Then she turned and walked away as though she had said nothing at all.