Quidditch
Soon enough the weather turned cold and frosty. Ella had always loved the look of winter but often wished she wasn't so cold in the weather. She would sit in the window sill alone for hours just staring out at the grounds through the frosted panes. To her the days were ticking until the first snow graced the ground with its presence. Hagrid would be out in his moleskin coat often defrosting the brooms and Quidditch field to be ready for the games to begin. The first game would be on Saturday, the match was Gryffindor against Slytherin. Ella couldn't be more afraid.
The match would mean Harry being put in potential danger while Ella was being put in a position where she could be hurt again. Lee decided she would be next to him in the announcer's area so she wouldn't have to be alone. Her friends had completely understood why she avoided telling them about her dreams and neither of the girls had uttered a word about the curse. She couldn't stand being in Defense Against the Dark Arts anymore knowing that the man teaching it was playing a lie. She wanted to tell Dumbledore, but she didn't know how evil he was or whether her dreams were being misleading. She was dreaming about so many things now that it was hard telling one event from the other. At least she was no longer dreaming about the troll; that event was over with and it seemed like Ron and Harry were now friends with Hermione. Her dreams now revolved around the Quidditch fiasco, the blurred animal dreams, and Snape being rude to Harry, something that was certainly new.
Sure, Snape wasn't her favorite professor, but he's the one that had come to her aid when she needed the escape. He told her that she was a witch. She had the faint impression of dreaming something complex about him before, but she couldn't remember any of it. All she knew was she had a feeling deep down that he was good.
While going to the library Ella saw the trio sitting up against a small jam jar filled with an enchanted flame. It seemed like a rather brilliant idea, but Professor Snape noticed the guilty looks on their young faces and made his way over to them. He was limping which made Ella wonder what he had done. She stood frozen in the cold, watching the teacher and the first years.
"What's that you've got there, Potter?" He asked Harry with an extra hint of ice in his voice she had never heard him use to any other Gryffindor.
Harry held up the book in his hands. It was Quidditch Through the Ages.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor." Ella's eye brows drew together in thought. She had never heard of that rule, but apparently she wasn't the only one who thought it was fake.
"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily and Ella felt he was mad for a good reason. That teacher was certainly out of line and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. She decided to go pay the Head of Slytherin a visit and ask what Harry ever did to deserve such ludicrous behavior.
When she arrived at the dungeons she decided it'd be best to at least pretend she was there for a less meddling reason. She figured that she might as well act like she needed help with a homework assignment. She knocked on the door to his office and listened for his reply to come in.
"Oh Miss. Worthington, to what do I owe the please?" He asked sarcastically. Ella wrinkled her nose not liking how he treated the kids in her house. He seemed like a nice person before she was sorted, he even told her he liked the name of her owl for goodness sake.
"Professor, why are you so rude to Harry Potter?" She asked him without using any of the original pretext she once thought of using. She had long forgotten her story about not knowing how to complete an assignment.
The professor raised his eye brows, "That would be none of your business, now wouldn't it?" He had her there. "If that was all then I think you should go back to your Common room before it gets late."
She really was about to go but a thought occurred to her, "The dog, it got ahold of your leg. Didn't it Professor? That's why you've been limping; it got your leg."
"How do you know about the dog?" Snape asked her amazed and furious all the same. Ella was quite shocked as well. The idea just came to her. She hadn't dreamt about any three headed dogs, but right in her mind came the image of the dog. She knew it was true.
Looking up at the man who was shocked she said, "You wanted to check on whatever's in vault 713, I dreamt there was something in there. I told Dumbledore to have it moved and I was there the day of the break in. I don't know what it is, but I think he wants it too. You don't trust him either- do you Professor?"
Snape knew who the girl was thinking of and was as astounded by her abilities now as he was the first day he met her. She was always proving to know things and see things others never saw. He knew his limp was obvious, but the reason for his limp was not.
A knock was on the door and Snape told the mysterious girl, "That would be Mr. Filch."
In the seat she was silent for a moment then whispered, "I know." She got up and left the room without any answers. She had tried being as vague as possible, but she felt a slight stomach ache. She went to the dorm room for a restless night of broom dreams knowing that the next day could possibly be worse than anything she had ever imagined.
It was indeed stressful to wake up and act cheerful with the rest of the school when you knew something no one else did. Ella ate a bite of toast, wished all her Quidditch playing friends good luck, and followed Lee out to the stadium. They got into the stands and sat down waiting for the game to begin. It was a chilly morning and Ella couldn't help but watch the teacher's section nervously. Professor Snape and Quirrell were there.
Madam Hooch was the referee who stood in the center of the field as the teams came out of their locker rooms. The sight made the crowds hush a bit. All you could see was the clad of green emerging from one end and then the group of red on the other side. Ella forgot her fears for a moment and felt the excitement take hold.
"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she was obviously talking more to the Slytherin team, but it was a fruitless attempt. "Mount your brooms, please."
"This is it," Lee whispered to her. She barely heard him. Her heart was pounding as she watched the match begin. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her whistle and the match began. Lee was right with it.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-" Ella giggled at the remark. Angelina was pretty and she knew Lee didn't feel that way towards her, but he couldn't resist making the crowd laugh.
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry, Professor." Lee apologized to Professor McGonagall who seemed to not care for Lee's antics as much as the school. She always watched him very closely but Ella could tell she liked the humor better than dull commentary any day.
"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve- back to Johnson and- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle and off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle up there- he's going to sc-no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and- OUCH- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes- she's really flying- dodges a speeding Bludger- the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina- Keeper Bletchley dives- misses- GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"
Ella screamed and cheered along with the other Gryffindors while the Slytherins groaned. The game was already going in their favor. Ella watched her friends swoop and soar around the stadium and she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She wished she could play, but she had to admit they made an amazing team as they were. Fred and George were amazing Beaters and even she had trouble telling who was who in the air. Ella always prided herself on being the only one who knew whether it was Fred or George, but when they were in the air she was as clueless as everyone else.
"Slytherin in possession- Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the- wait a moment- was that the Snitch?"
The crowd all turned to try and see a flash of gold that had sped by Lee's line of sight. Ella caught sight of it passing by Harry's left ear. For a moment she assumed he was going to catch it and end it right there so she wouldn't have anything to worry about. Luck never seemed to be with her though as she watched Harry and the Slytherin Seeker speed down towards the ground after the Snitch. Lee and Ella stood up to watch the dive, it seemed as though everyone had stopped to see it. All but Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint that is.
"Foul!" Screeched Ella and the Gryffindors as Harry was blocked by Flint. He held onto the broom as it spun around. Madam Hooch ordered a free goal for Gryffindors, but even that wouldn't satisfy the fuming Gryffindor crowd with their angry bellowing.
Lee was trying to stay neutral, but failing miserably.
"So- after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"
"Jordan," McGonagall growled at him. She seemed angry, but Ella thought Lee was spot on. The Slytherins practically disgraced the sport by using such vile ways to win.
He tried to describe it again, "I mean, after that open and revolting foul-"
"Jordan, I'm warning you-"
"Alright, alright. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
All the cheering stopped coming from Ella as she felt a tug in her heart. Her eyes immediately sought out Harry and she saw his broom lunge forward nearly bucking him off. She shook her head 'no' and watched in horror as the Nimbus 2000 lurched forward again. Ella seemed to be the only one who noticed Harry's broom flying around without Harry commanding it because Lee was still commentating the game.
"Slytherin in possession- Flint with the Quaffle- passes Spinnet- passes Bell- hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose- only joking, Professor- Slytherin score- oh no…"
The Slytherins cheered but Ella couldn't watch that. She was preoccupied with the charmed broomstick. A quick glance to the teacher's section told her that two of the teachers, Snape and Quirrell, were watching Harry intently. Snape murmured under his breath and she elbowed Lee hard in the side.
"Ouch! What was that for?" He hissed at her surprised by her violent action. All she did was point at Harry and by that time the crowd began to do the same. No one knew why his broom was doing that or how to stop it. The broom began to spin and Harry miraculously held on, but after a wild jerk he was left with only one hand still on it. Everyone watched in terror as the broom continued to shake the first year off of it. The Weasley twins flew up to try and take Harry off of it and put him safely on theirs but the closer they got the higher the broom went. Finally George motioned to Fred and they dropped down to wait for Harry to fall so they could catch him there. Ella was ready to be sick, but not from any curse.
Suddenly Harry was able to get back on the broom. Ella had no idea what had happened, but there he was climbing back on and being perfectly fine. Soon though he zoomed towards the ground and clapped his hand to his mouth like he was going to be sick. Ella groaned thinking that whatever jinxed it was still working to kill him.
The first year landed on the ground on all fours and spit something gold into his hands. Ella couldn't help but cheer as she realized it was the Snitch. The entire arena was erupting with cheers from the Gryffindors. Ella jumped up with Lee and gave him a huge hug as the jumped up in down screaming 'we won!'
"I've got the Snitch!" He yelled to everyone who looked at the kid like the hero they'd been waiting for. It was like the broom fiasco was completely forgotten; all anyone could think of was winning a match.
"Gryffindor wins by one hundred and seventy points to sixty!" Lee shouted in the enchanted microphone barely being heard over the crowd's excitement. To Ella it was as though she was just a normal student in the school who had simply watched the game and had no idea what had happened. She would remember the joyous feeling for the rest of her life.
A/N: I think I'm on a roll! :) These chapters have been coming much easier than before! Keep reading please and I love your feed back, so answer this- What do you think the animal dream is telling her?