Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter. Thisis a request for Jayficlvoer.
Starlytemint: Draco's going as Kaitou Ace from the Sailor V manga. He looks a lot like him. check out this Sailor V site: http/sailorv(dot)animehunters(dot)com
Hogwarts Secret Scandal 9
The Last Straw
"Ouch!" Serena winced as Snape pulled her along the corridor. "That hurts!"
"Quiet," Snape hissed.
"What's that you found there, my sweet?" asked a raspy voice.
Down the corridor was Mr. Filch with his cat Mrs. Norris. She was jumping on the balled up Peeves and knocking him around like a ball of yarn. He made muffled noises as she batted him around. When Peeves got a good look at her new toy, he let out a loud throaty chortle.
"Haha! Peeves, what have you done this time?"
"There, see?" Serena demanded, bringing her eyes up to Snape. "That poltergeist was throwing things at me and he pulled the rug underneath me! You expected me to just sit there and take it?"
"Still no reason to use magic in the corridors," said Snape.
Filch looked at Serena. "Ah, so you gave Peeves what was coming to him?"
"Mr. Filch, I know that magic in the corridors is against the rules," Serena said desperately. "It was just self defense. In my old school we were allowed to use magic on the poltergeists."
"You had more than one?" Filch asked, looking at Serena as if she were crazy. "Peeves is too much to handle and he's just one poltergeist!" he looked at Peeves as Mrs. Norris sat watching him, her tail moving to and fro.
"It was to keep the Muggles away," Serena said, "but sometimes they got bored and picked on the students. Hogwarts already has enough protection, what's the point of having this poltergeist here anyway? He's nothing but a nuisance!"
"He's to alert us of any students that are out of bed after hours," Snape hissed.
"Well, I'm not out of bed after hours!" Serena snarled, trying to pull her arm out of his grasp.
"Professor Snape," Filch began, "the girl does have a point."
"What?" Snape gasped.
Snape knew as well as anyone that Filch didn't like any of the students. Snape—besides perhaps the Headmaster—was the only teacher he would talk to. Being nasty was one of the many things the two men had in common.
"All Peeves does is make a nuisance!" Filch muttered. "He lets vermin in, smashes everything, writes dirty words and he even stole from a student during the Triwziard Tournament!"
"That wasn't Peeves," Snape said lazily. "That was Potter. He was there in his invisibility cloak."
"Even if it were Potter," Filch insisted, "Peeves would've have taken it. That pesky poltergeist has got to go!"
"Yeah!" Serena added.
"Quiet you," said Snape, "I caught you using magic in the corridor. I thought all the detention you've served already would have kept you in line!"
"If I had found her hexing Peeves," said Filch. "I wouldn't have given her detention."
"Is it too late to get me out of detention then?" Serena asked hopefully.
Filch sighed and looked at Snape. "She may have broken a school rule but it's because of the poltergeist. She wasn't attacking another student or trying to get somewhere she shouldn't be—were you?" he added warningly at Serena.
"Of course not!" Serena gasped.
"Let's take this to the Headmaster," Filch said, "Peeves has no business in Hogwarts. Half the messes I need to clean up are the ones he made, you know. That's why I can never get anything done around here!"
"Get to your work then!" Snape hissed.
"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" said a second male voice. It wasn't anything like Snape's or Filch. It sounded warm and polite, yet firm.
"Shields, I was just on my way to your office," said Snape.
"Oh?" Professor Shields said as he came closer. He spotted Serena blocked behind Snape. "Serena? Are you all right?"
"Look that poltergeist had it coming, okay?" Serena barked, stepping forward and wincing as Snape's hold on her arm increased.
"Professor Snape, you're hurting her!" Professor Shields exclaimed in shock and disgust. "Let her go. She's a student, not a criminal!"
Snape's eyes narrowed as he looked at Shields. "You certain of that? She hasn't been quite obedient since she's come to Hogwarts."
"I said let her go!" Shields commanded. "Where is she going to go?"
Snape removed his long fingers from Serena's arm. She stepped back and rubbed her arm, looking around at the three men.
"Now, what's going on here?" Shields demanded.
"I found Miss White here using magic in the corridors," said Snape.
"It was Peeves!" Filch and Serena said together. They were shocked that they answered at the same time. They exchanged glances and looked back at Snape.
"So," said Shields, "Peeves was being annoying as usual, and Serena just stood up for herself?"
"Yes!" Serena and Filch said in unison was again.
"I found what she did," Filch said, motioning at Mrs. Norris playing Peeves the Polter-ball.
Shields looked at the ball and smiled. "Ah, the Spirit Ball hex. Impressive."
"We have four poltergeists at my old school," Serena explained, "We were allowed to hex them if they caused trouble."
"Four?" Filch said, looking pale. "Four?"
Serena nodded.
"Who keeps them under control?" Filch asked.
"They sometimes listen to the Headmistress," Serena said.
"At least here the Bloody Baron can keep him in line," said Filch, "next time, just go to the Bloody Baron and he'll sort him out."
"I'll remember that," Serena said.
"Even so," said Snape coldly. "You broke the rules. This is not Salem Witches Institute, Miss White. This is Hogwarts and we do things differently here."
"I've noticed," Serena said bitterly.
"Shields," said Snape, "I told Miss White here that she will spend detention with you during the trip to Hogsmeade."
"That isn't fair," Shields gasped. "She's not even in your house. Let's take her to Professor McGonagall."
"Oh, I will when I find a good enough reason too," Snape said, glowering at Serena. "Something big enough that might get her expelled."
"Well, if Serena ever does do something that outrageous," said Shields coolly. "I sure hope you're not the member of staff that finds her."
Serena smiled. She felt mutual. Of course, she wasn't planning on doing anything stupid but if she ended up doing just that, she wouldn't want Snape catching her. Snape's lip curled as he looked at his old student. Filch looked somewhat confused.
"Right then," Shields said with a sigh. "You've found me and if you insist on her having detention, I suppose we'll get to it then."
"I've already got the potion ingredients she needed to makeup for," Snape informed. "She can help organize your classroom or something."
Snape whisked away. Filch looked at Serena and Shields, shrugged and walked off too.
"Come on, my sweet," he said to Mrs. Norris. "Let's see how well that ball can float."
Serena snickered and Darien stepped toward her.
"Is your arm all right?" he asked softy.
"It'll be fine," Serena insisted, pulling her sleeve up to check it. There was a red hand mark on her upper arm from Snape's grip. Shields shook his head.
"I'm very sorry about that," he moaned, "would you like to go to the hospital wing first?"
"I'm fine," Serena muttered. She didn't need him to turn into her mother or anything. It was weird how he acted around her all the time. He was a teacher for goodness sakes! "Look, let's just get to my detention, okay?"
"All right," said Shields, "let's go."
They didn't speak a word until they got to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Shields looked around for something for her to do.
"You may polish the desks," he said, wiping his finger on one of them. "Then you can put my decorations up."
He nodded to a box in the corner.
"Fine," Serena muttered. "Then what?"
"If you're finished with that," Shields stated, "you can arrange all the books by subject."
Serena rubbed the desks to the point where she could almost see her reflection in them. She cursed under her breath as she did her task. Was she ever going to get a break?
Professor Shields had a variety of decorations. Some pictures of famous dark wizard catchers which she put up on the walls. She put small statues by the windows and weird relics of dark items. As she moved things about the room, she noticed a framed drawing on the Professor's desk. The style seemed familiar. Where has she seen it? Of course! Those girl's drawings Mina showed her. On the drawing it said: "To Professor Shields, the best teacher in the world! From: Reenie Gray"
Serena smirked. All the girls loved Darien Shields, even the little ones. Serena didn't' though. Not a bit. Well, maybe just a bit. No, no not at all! He was a teacher for Merlin sake! Why should she get interested him in anyway? He was just a young and handsome teacher, with a good sense of humor and he was really kind. Just the kind of guy any girl of want. No, it was no reason for Serena to like him at all. She wasn't' going to join the Professor Shields fanclub no matter how good-looking he was.
Serena put these silly thoughts out of her mind and resumed her task.
"What do you think?" Serena asked, nodding to where she placed all his stuff. "Do you want me to move any of it?"
"Hmm," Professor Shields stepped over to observe his belongings. "Yes, I believe that will do. Good job, Miss White. You can continue on to arranging my books then."
He motioned toward a bookcase with a pile of books onto of it.
"I want it separated by subject, in alphabetical order. Werewolves with werewolves, Curses with curses. Understand?"
Yes," Serena muttered.
She couldn't believe all the books he had. They couldn't be all his. They had to have been used by all the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers before Professor Shields. There were a few that looked centuries old and some made funny noises when she picked them up. While she did this, a group of girls came with their arms laden with Honeydukes goodies and little treasures from the Hogwarts shops.
"Here Professor, we got you some Cauldron Cakes!" they giggled while straightening their hair and batting their eyelashes. Serena snorted and continued on arranging the books.
"Oh, you are all too kind," Professor Shields whispered. "Really, thank you."
The girls giggled again. One opened a box and held it out to him. "Here, have a chocolate, professor."
"Not now, Miss Vane," said Professor Shields. "Please, would you leave it on my desk? I'm a little busy at the moment."
Romilda looked a little put out but kept her smile. "Oh, sure, Professor." She laid it on his desk gingerly. "Have a good day!"
The girls put their presents on his desk as well.
"Yes, you too, girls," he stated and the girls left the room. Darien turned to Serena. "Miss White, you may leave that. Thank you for your hard work."
"Sure," Serena stated and she left the classroom without another word. The moment Serena was out of the classroom, Darien made all the sweets vanish. He suspected they were all spiked with love potion.
When she returned to the dormitories she found that she had a few presents as well. Apparently Mr. Filch had told anyone who would listen about Serena hexing Peeves and having to serve detention. They were so pleased they got her things from Hogsmeade she couldn't get herself: Oodles of sweets, a new quill, a Remembral from Dervish and Bangs and even her gown from Gladrags.
"We helped your cousin get the fabric," Parvarti said brightly. "I couldn't believe that the woman had one just like the picture!"
"You guys got this for me?" Serena inquired, taking her eyes off the gown and looking at Parvarti and Lavender.
"Yeah, well, since you couldn't go to Hogsmeade we got it for you," Lavender replied. "We couldn't risk someone else getting it, now could we?"
"Thanks," Serena muttered, "I just wish I didn't hex Peeves."
"Are you kidding?" Parvarti questioned. "That Poltergeist deserves all the hexing he could get!"
"Yeah, but I couldn't go to Hogsmeade."
"It doesn't matter," said Parvarti, "we got things for you."
"But it's not the same," Serena sighed.
"Harry didn't get to go to his first Hogsmeade visit," Hermione said, "so we had to get him things."
"Yeah, well, thanks anyway," Serena mumbled.
As touched as she was to be treated like the hero again, she still would like to have the Hogsmeade experience for herself. Was it going to be like this for all future Hogsmeade Weekends? Did she have to rely on others to get her stuff while she was serving detention?
Far away at Durmstrang, two girls were flying over the school grounds. Just like Hogwarts, they too were having a masquerade ball on Halloween.
"Who are you going with to the ball, Martina?"
The dark haired girl shrugged. "I don'' know. Constantine keeps asking me. He's had a thing for me since our first."
"You should go with him then," said Lavra.
"No way," Martina shook her head. "He's going to be providing the music, isn't he?"
"Well, he wouldn't spend so much time with you," Lavra winked. "He'll be onstage singing. You may have to dance with him once."
"Well, I don't know."
"Oh come on," Lavra said, "he's really cute and he's sweet. Any girl would love to be with him. Besides, you're the headmaster's granddaughter. You've got to have a partner."
"All the more reason for me to just go alone," Martina insisted. "Grandfather will keep asking if there's something between us."
"Suit yourself ."
"Who are you going with?" Martina questioned.
"Vasil Krum," Lavra replied with a grin. "Viktor Krum's younger brother. He's a genius, you know!"
"Hey, he didn't go to see Viktor compete in the tournament," said Martina, "even for the third task."
"Well, of course. Only seventeen year olds were allowed. I guess he could've gone to the third one if he wanted to, but he wanted to stay and work on his finals. He and Viktor always competed against each other. I mean, Viktor played in the world cup while he was still in Durmstrang. That's why Vasil doesn't play quidditch."
"That's a silly reason," Martina muttered.
"Yeah, so Vasil studies a lot instead," Lavra explained. "Playing professional Quidditch isn't the only thing."
"True," Martina nodded.
They zoomed around in silence for a while. Martina sighed and shook her head.
"It's a shame," she said.
"What is?"
"That Durmstrang has such big grounds and our castle's really small," Martina replied.
"It's bigger now that it's accepting Muggleborns," Lavra stated. "Your grandfather enlarged it."
"It's not just that," Martina said, "remember what everyone told us when they came from Hogwarts? They said their castle is huge compared to ours, but they've got small grounds."
"Well, I guess if they were allowed in the forest," Lavra said thoughtfully, "their grounds would be larger."
"I've got an idea," Martina smiled, "we should invite other schools here. I mean, it's just crazy that they didn't have the Triwizard Tournament here. Hogwarts and Beaxbatons would've had more room. I heard that for the maze they had to use Hogwarts' Quidditch field!"
"Martina, I think after what happed to the last tournament," Lavra said, "they wouldn't hold it again anytime soon. Maybe in a couple centuries after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is no longer a threat."
"No, not that, of course," Martina said, "but something! Maybe we can invite them for a Christmas feast. I've been having this weird dream of Durmstrang being packed during the Christmas holidays. But the students aren't all Durmstrang students. There are people there from Hogwarts and Beaxbatons too. It's so strange."
"Have you told your grandfather?"
"No, but I think I should," Martina said, shivering slightly. "Oh, it's getting cold. Let's go back."
"All right," said Lavra and the two girls looped around back to their school. While walking through the corridors, Constantine Medved lumbered over to Martina. His long brown hair swayed as he ran.
"Oh no," Martina muttered, attempting to run off.
"Where do you think you're going?" Lavra said teasingly as she grabbed her arm.
"Hey!"
"Hiya, Constatine!" Lavra said cheerfully.
"Martina, please come with me to the ball!" he said. "I promise I'll be on my best behavior and I'll sing my best songs. I'll sing all your favorites. You just have to come with me and maybe dance with me once or twice but I just want to go with you. Please?"
"I, er, well, I," Martina mumbled.
"Well, what do you say, Martina?" Lavra asked. "The nice young man would like to escort you to the ball."
Martina looked threateningly at her and sighed. "Oh, all right. I'll go with you."
Constantine grinned widely. Neither Martina nor Lavra could see the spark in his eyes hiding behind his overlong bangs.
"Oh, thank you, Martina!" he breathed, kissing her hand. "Thank you!" He walked off to the boys' dormitory.
"Why did you make me do that?" Martina asked Lavra.
"I didn't make you do anything," said Lavra. "See you in the dormitory. I believe you have something to say to our Headmaster?"
The two girls took separate paths. Unlike Hogwarts, Durmstrang didn't have houses. All the girls from first years and up were in the east wing while the boys were on the west. On the way to the girls' dormitory, Lavra found some students picking on Angelica. Lavra groaned. Some things never changed in Durmstrang. A lot of the purebloods were sill unhappy about Muggleborns coming to the school and they would tease the Muggleborns and take away their things.
"Hey!" Lavra shouted. "You guys stop picking on her! I thought I told you that yesterday. Now apologize or get lost!"
Angelica's tormentors didn't move or apologize.
"Well, I guess I'm going to have to teach you all another lesson, won't I?" Lavra demanded, pushing up her sleeve. "Just because Angelica's Muggleborn doesn't mean she doesn't have any skill. I've seen her wand reaction and it was one of the most powerful ones I've ever seen!"
"Yeah, right," said one of the bullies.
"Diffindo!"
"Oh no!" said the other bully. "My new bag!"
"Well, it's not new anymore, is it?" Lavra snapped. "Now beat it unless you want me to tear your robes up too!"
The bullies bumped hard into Angelica as they ran off. Lavra stepped up to Angelica to see if she was all right.
"They didn't' hurt you, did they?"
Angelica shook her head.
"Don't worry about them," said Lavra, "I guess there will still be idiots here, no matter how much it changes. But it's a lot better than it was when Karkaroff was here."
Angelica smiled faintly. "Thank you."
"Were you on your way to the dormitories? I'll go with you."
"Sure, I'd like that."
As they walked on, Lavra rubbed a bug bite she received from flying outside with Martina. "Darn bugs. Last time I go flying outside with any repellent on."
"Oh, here," said Angelica suddenly, "I can heal it for you."
"A bug bite?"
"Yes," said Angelica, "it's one of the things I've been able to do before I found out a witch. I can heal wounds. Let me see."
"Well, all right."
Lavra held out her arm and Angelica put her hand over the bug bite. There was a red-violet vibrating light from Angelica's hand flowing to Lavra's arm. The bug bite healed in a matter of seconds and the itching stopped.
"Wow," Lavra breathed. "See? You are gifted! You belong in Durmstrang just like anybody else."
Angelica smiled. "Thanks."
Serena did her best to prepare herself for the first match. She even transfigured one of her baseball caps red to show her house spirit. She tied her long blond hair into a braid and pulled it through the cap hole. At breakfast she could hardly eat. Harry and the others had to push her.
"I wasn't in the mood to eat on my first game either," said Harry, "but you will need your strength to throw that Quaffle."
"I'm afraid I won't keep it down," Serena said as she swirled her porridge. "Are you sure you don't want to choose someone else, Harry? I'm so going to cause Gryffindor to lose."
"No you won't," Harry insisted. "All you have to worry about is scoring goals."
"And we'll be helping you anyway," Ginny said, pushing sausages onto Serena's plate.
"Slytherin is a terrible team," Ron said, "Their Chasers can't aim, their Beaters will hit the other players instead of the Bludgers and Malfoy couldn't catch the Snitch if his life depended on it."
"Oh no, I forgot!" Serena moaned. "Mina doesn't know I'm the new Chaser! I'll have to play against my cousin!"
Serena looked up at her cousin spoon feeding Draco his porridge. Serena's already queasy stomach turned.
"Whatever does she see in that guy?" Serena grumbled.
Serena ended up going to the match on an empty stomach. She put on her Quidditch robes and tried to listen to Harry's speech.
"Harry, come on," said Ron, "don't turn into Wood on us."
"Well, this is our last year together," Harry stated with his hands on his hips. "It's because of me that Gryffindors been able to win the Quidditch cup and I'm going to make sure it's not taken away. Right, now let's get out there and tear those serpents apart."
"But my cousin's on the team, Harry," Serena mumbled, "I don't want her torn apart!"
"Oh, right," said Harry, "well, the rest of Slytherin then."
Harry led his team to the Quidditch Field. When they met the Slytherin team, Mina gasped.
"Serena, you're the new Gryffindor Chaser?" Mina demanded. "You?How come you didn't tell me?"
"Yeah," Serena said, putting on a smile, "I guess we'll be playing against each other, huh?" She pulled on her cap tightly to cover her eyes. Mina was going to be so furious with her.
"Enough," said Madam McCloud, "captains, shake hands."
The first time Draco offered to shake hands with Harry, he refused. Even on the Quidditch field Harry didn't' want to do it. Harry and Malfoy walked up to each other and grasped hands, shaking slowly.
"You're going down, Potter," Draco hissed.
"You wish, Malfoy," Harry grunted.
"The Gryffindor Glory days are about to end," Draco smirked, still shaking Harry's hand.
"In your dreams," Harry sneered, "I'm going to plow you into the ground."
"Oh, I think I'm going to feint!" Draco said in mock nervousness.
"You won't have a head to think with by the time the game's over, Malfoy."
"You can stop shaking hands, now," Madame McCloud stated.
"Huh?" both captains gasped.
Harry and Draco released hands. The teams mounted their brooms.
"You may remember Madame Hooch's words on the importance of a nice clean game," said Madame McCloud. "You turn Quidditch into a blood bath and I will see that you won't play for this school again."
She looked threateningly at Crabbe and Goyle. She took the Quaffle out of the chest and threw it in the air. Mina zoomed by to catch it.
"Mina Lovegood is the first to get to the Quaffle," said Luna in her dreamy voice. "She is a pretty good Chaser and I'm not saying that because she's my sister. But I must say she chases Harry Potter more than anything else."
Mina gasped and dropped the Quaffle. She sneered up at Luna. "Luna, you are embarrassing me! Do you have to say that every game?"
Ginny swooped down to catch the Quaffle, laughing. "Thanks, Luna!"
Noticing Ginny with the Quaffle, Mina groaned and zoomed after her.
"And there's Ginny Weasley," Luna said, "a very nice girl but you wouldn't want to cross her unless you want your face covered in bat-sized bogies."
Ginny tossed the Quaffle into the ring and scored a goal. Serena clapped and gave her a high five. The game was going all right. Serena had to hug her broomstick a couple of times to avoid Bludgers. It was hard to spot them with her baseball cap on her head but it kept the sun out of her eyes. Serena hung on for dear life and tried catching the Quaffle when it was thrown to her. It was hard with everyone watching, especially Darien. He was watching her like a hawk. He took in a deep breath and gripped his robes when a Bludger came near Serena or when she had to take both hands off her broomstick to catch the Quaffle. She had trouble keeping her balance on her broom but it looked like Serena had put a ticking Charm on her bottom to prevent her from falling to her death. There were some times Darien had to look away. He couldn't bear to see her get hurt. Yes, he was concerned for the safety of all the players but for some reason, he didn't think he'd handle it if Serena got seriously injured in the game.
"Go on, Serena!" Demelza shouted, tossing the Quaffle toward her. "You can do it!"
Serena gulped and held the Quaffle close to her body. "It's not a Quod, Serena." She told her self. "It won't blow up. You can hold it tighter."
Demelza and Ginny were on either side of Serena to prevent any of the Slytherin Chasers from getting the Quaffle. Serena tried hard not to make eye contact with Mina. She knew she was furious with her. How could Serena forget to tell her cousin about making Chaser?
The Slytherin Keeper was circling the hoops when she got to them. He looked huge and scary. How was she supposed to score a goal with a Keeper like that?
Then she remembered Ron's advice. "Imagine the other Keeper blowing up right when you throw the Quaffle."
Serena grinned slightly. "You're moondust—no—Gryffindor Dust!
The Slytherin Keeper did not look intimidated. He stayed centered in front of the center hoop, ready for Serena's throw.
Serena hurled the Quaffle with all her might. Luna was commenting on the speed. The Keeper had no time to stop it. It whizzed right passed his ear.
"GRYFFINDOR'S SCORE!" Luna declared and there was a roaring of her great lion hat. "Yes, that's my cousin Serena there! That, everyone is exactly why you wouldn't want to cross Serena! She likes to throw things and she's really good at it too!"
Serena felt a little strengthen. Yes, she was able to score a goal. Everything was doing just fine. Gryffindor was in the lead. All they needed now was Harry to catch the Snitch. Draco and Harry were looking around for it and Draco saw Coote hit a Bludger toward Mina, who had the Quaffle. A stupid yet brilliant idea struck him. He pulled out of position and hung in front of the Bludger Coote.
"Mina, watch out!" he warned.
"Huh?" Mina mumbled. "Draco!"
SMASH!
The Quaffle hit Draco right into his arm. He let out a scream of pain. He didn't expect it to hurt so much. Noticing her boyfriend in distress, Mina immediately ordered time out and crowded around Draco with the rest of the team.
"Out of my way!" she shouted, pushing her way through. She gasped and knelt down beside her boyfriend, lifting him up. "Dracikins! Speak to me!"
"I'm okay," he grimaced.
"Slytherin calls time out," stated Luna. "Draco Malfoy received a nasty hit from a Bludger. Good one, Coote. I wonder if my sister is going to kiss Draco's arm and make it better."
"Why is she always embarrassing me during the game?" Mina demanded, jerking her head to the commentator's box. She simpered as she touched Draco's arm. "Oh, Draco, you're such a sweetheart! You took that Bludger for me!"
"Y-yeah," Draco grunted, "yeah, I did."
"He took a Bludger for Mina?" Serena wondered out loud, staring at Mina and Draco. "He does care for her, doesn't he?" Serena sighed and shook her head. "I guess I underestimated him."
"Mina, I'm not going to be able to finish the game," said Draco with a wince.
"Don't talk like that!" Mina insisted, pulling on his robes. "You're going to be just fine!"
"I think the Bludger broke my arm," Draco explained. "I can't catch the Snitch like this."
"But…that means…Slytherin would lose!" Mina gasped.
"Not if you play," said Draco.
"Are you serious?" Mina gasped. "I can't play Seeker!"
"Yes you can!" Draco hissed. "Look, all you have to do is keep your eye on Potter. Follow him wherever he goes."
"You want me…to stay on Potter's tail?" Mina asked nervously, glancing over at Harry Potter. Draco was asking her to do the impossible. It almost made her heart stop to even be with him in a class. She couldn't' be following him so closely. But she couldn't let her team down either. What should she do?
"Mina, listen to me," Draco insisted, "you've go to do it. I know you can do it."
"But…I've never played Seeker before," Mina whispered. "And…they get hurt the most, don't they?"
"Crabbe! Goyle!" Draco said forcefully and winced. "Damn, it hurts! You keep the Bludgers from my girl, or I'm transfiguring all your clothes pink, you understand me?"
The two boys flinched and nodded a couple of times.
"You can do it, my lovely," Draco said to Mina, laying the charm as thick as he could get it. "Just follow Potter."
"He's got a Firebolt, Dracikins!" Mina said in a hollow voice.
"Well, you've got the Nimbus Two-Thousand and One I got for you," he said, "and the Firebolt isn't that much different. I've been able to get neck to neck with Potter on it. You're lighter than he is and I know you've got better moves. I've seen them."
Mina gulped but put on her best face. "A-All right, Draco. If you really think I can."
"That's my girl," he said with a grin.
"I'll do it for you," she whispered and kissed him on the cheek. She stood up and looked at the referee. "We can resume the game now, Madame McCloud. Draco Malfoy is too injured to catch the Snitch. I'll play his position for the remainder of the game."
Madame McCloud looked at her for a long hard moment and then sighed. "Oh, very well. Hurry up then. Mr. Malfoy, you can go to the hospital wing."
"Can't he just stay and watch?" Mina pleaded.
"I'm not—in—ah—that much pain," Draco winced as he tried to get up. He glared at Goyle and Crabbe. "Help me, you numbskulls!"
"Oh, right," Crabbe mumbled, seizing Draco's injured arm. Draco yelped.
"Idiot!"
Once on his feet, Draco staggered to the stands. Pansy Parkinson ran down to collect him and help him to a seat next to her. She flashed a grin at Mina.
"Oooh!" Mina groaned. "Parkinson, you get your hands off him!"
"Let's return to the game," said Madame McCloud.
Fuming, Mina got back onto her broomstick. Madame McCloud blew her whistle and the came continued. Instead of flying after the Quaffle, Mina hung in the air close to Harry.
"Wait a second," Luna said, "Mina, why aren't you playing Chaser? Ah, it looks like my sister has replaced Draco Malfoy as Seeker."
People in the stands gasped and shouted "she can't do that!"
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Mina mumbled, tightening her hands around her broomstick. She glanced at Harry a couple of times and looked around the field for the small gold flying ball. Where was it? She just wanted this game over.
"Another score for Gryffindor!" Luna announced and her hat roared again.
Mina lowered herself closer to the ground. She didn't see the Snitch down there. She looked up. It wasn't flying overhead either. Where the heck did the Snitch always go when it was let out of the chest?
While flying toward the goal posts to score a goal, the bill on Serena's cap prevented her from seeing anything above her. A Bludger came falling down and crashing into her left shoulder. Serena howled, dropped the Quaffle and grabbed her injured shoulder.
Darien jumped to his feet with his heart thumping in his chest. "Is she all right? Is she all right?"
A Slytherin Chaser laughed as he took the Quaffle away from her to score. Harry flew toward her and Mina reluctantly followed.
"Serena, are you all right?" he called.
"I—I think so," Serena mumbled. "We need shoulder pads!"
"Okay, I'll order some."
Serena gasped and pointed. "Hey, isn't that the Snitch?"
"What?" Mina flipped around and saw the Snitch flying around in the middle of the field. She zoomed after it with Harry right behind her. Mina dared not look back. She scooted up on her broomstick and made it fly at top speed. Harry came up on her side, his face determined.
Mina's ponytail swung and hit Harry's glasses off. Mina gasped.
"Oh!"
For a split second, she wasn't sure whether to apologize and see if he was all right or continue looking for the Snitch. Then she heard her boyfriend call.
"Mina, get the Snitch!"
"Right!" Mina gasped, sounding flustered. She looked for the Snitch, which was now heading down and toward her left. She followed it, muttering under her breath.
"Why won't this stupid ball say still?"
Harry caught his glasses before they hit the ground and he put them on just in time. The Snitch was flying between him and Mina. Mina gasped yet again. She could see Harry's green eyes from here.
"Don't look at Harry," she told herself. "Look at the Snitch!"
The two Seekers flew toward each other, their hands outstretched for the Snitch. Harry was getting closer. Then Mina's body did something she never knew possible. She pushed down on her broom and did a flip in midair.
"Wow!" Luna called. "I've never seen Mina do that before!"
Her arm stretched so far that she was about to fall off her broom, Mina came out of her flip and her hand seized the fluttering ball.
"I—I got it!"
A second later, Harry's hand grasped hers. Mina stared at him and froze. 'Harry's touching my hand! He's touching my hand!'
He looked just as surprised. Mina's hand didn't feel like the Snitch. He didn't get it? But he always caught it! He was the fastest Seeker of the century! How could he lose?
"Mina caught the Snitch!" Luna laughed. "But it looks like Harry caught her!"
"Potter, let go of Mina!" Draco yelled.
Realizing he hadn't caught the Snitch, Harry moved his hand away and slowly flew down. He was trying to replay what happened. He was so close. He was just a second late. Mina's flip kind of caught him off guard. Why was he staring at her when she did that?
Mina however, remained in the air, Snitch in hand. "Harry Potter touched my hand! Harry Potter touched my hand!"
"Slytherin Wins!" Luna announced to the cheers of the Slytherins and to the boos and the "what the hecks?" of Gryffindors.
"Slytherin One Hundred eighty points. Gryffindor Seventy points."
The Gryffindors walked over to their Seeker and Captain. Ginny patted his arm. "You tried, Harry. That was good."
"I've never lost before," said Harry, still in shock.
"Well, there was that time in our third year," Ron recalled, "when you fell off your broom."
"Oh, right," said Harry, "because of the dementors."
"Seventy points," Demelza stated, "that's not bad. We scored more than Slytherin."
"That's true," Harry mumbled.
Darien rushed out onto the field. Serena groaned. "Oh no, not him."
"Miss White, are you in any pain?" he asked, looking scared to death. "Do you want me to escort you to the hospital wing?"
"I'm fine, Professor," Serena hissed, stepping away from him. "I'm just going to go and—and be with my team."
"We can take you, Serena," said Ginny.
"No, I'll be okay," Serena insisted with a wince. "It's nothing. Just a bruise."
As the Gryffindor team trekked off the field, the Slytherins ran onto it and called at their sub Seeker.
"Mina, you can come down now, sweetheart!" Draco shouted, cupping his mouth with his good hand.
Hearing Draco's voice, Mina blinked and looked below. "Oh, Draco!" She waved rather stupidly. "Hi!"
"Hi yourself, get down here!" Draco cried.
"We won!" exclaimed Miles Bletchley. (Does anyone know what year Bletchley is in? Is he a year above Draco or under?)
"We did?" Mina mumbled and she felt something fluttering in her hand. She saw the silver wings of the Snitch sticking between her fingers. "Oh, the Snitch! I caught it!"
"Bless her," Draco whispered, "she's too much in shock to realize we've won."
Mina flew down to meet the team. She jumped into Draco's arms and he yelped.
"Oh, your bad arm, I'm sorry!" she frowned. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Oh, I'll be fine," he grimaced.
"Poor Draco," said Pansy. "I can take you to the hospital wing."
"He's my boyfriend," Mina shrieked, "I'll do it!"
"Oh, I can go on my own," Draco insisted. "You go onto the common room and celebrate. I'll show up as soon as Madame Pomfrey lets me."
"That's not the same arm that Hippogriff slashed, was it?" Pansy asked in shock.
Draco examined it. "Yeah, guess it is. That's probably why it hurts so much."
"Very good catch," said Blaise Zabini. He grinned at Draco. "She's a better Seeker than you, Malfoy. She should keep playing."
"Shut up!" Draco snapped. He kissed Mina on the lips and slouched off to the Hospital Wing. The Slytherin Team lifted Mina to their shoulders and Mina lifted the Snitch above her head. There were hardly any Gryffindors left in the stands. They had all gone to console their captain. The Slytherins were jumping and cheering. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws polity clapped.
As the Slytherins shouted, "Mina is our Queen! She is the witch that caught the Snitch!" all Mina could think was, "Harry Potter touched my hand! Harry Potter touched my hand!"
She really didn't care that she just gave her house a victory. Her mind was still on Harry Potter. She may never wash her hand again.
Serena couldn't bear to watch Harry sit in a corner looking pitiful and mumbling how he lost the game. Everyone was seated next to him with their butterbeers in food but Harry was too much in shock to eat anything.
"Mina was just showing off that flip," Hermione said firmly. "She knew it would throw you off guard."
"But—I should've just kept flying," said Harry. "And her hair threw my glasses off. I had to fly down to catch them."
"Her hair isn't that long," said Serena, "not as long as mine."
"Yeah," Ginny nodded.
"Oh, this is my fault, Harry," Serena moaned. "I didn't tell Mina I became Chaser. So she decided to show off a little bit. She's a better Quidditch player than I am. I'm terrible."
"No you're not," Demelza insisted.
"I bet you Malfoy planned this," Hermione grumbled. "He took that Bludger on purpose so Mina could replace him."
"But I thought—he was trying to protect Mina," said Serena.
"Yeah, that's what he made it look like," Hermione stated. "He knows that Mina likes Harry so she had her play against him."
"But if he did that," said Ron, "how would he know she'd win? I mean, she ignores Harry all the time."
"Exactly, Ron," Hermione said firmly and Ron looked even more confused.
"Women," he muttered.
"Well, there's still a chance we can play in the finals, isn't there?" Coote asked hopefully.
"If we're in the lead," Hermione answered.
Serena stood up and went to the girls' dormitory. She couldn't comfort Harry anymore. She tossed her baseball cap to the corner and pulled off her Quidditch robes. She went to the mirror to examine her bruised shoulder.
"This never would happen in Quodpot!" she said bitterly.
Serena's experiences in her new school were terrible right from the beginning. She had to keep serving detention. She couldn't stand any of her teachers, especially Snape and Shields. She had barley enough time to write to her old friends with detention and homework and Quidditch practice. Thinking of them, she picked up her photo album and flipped through it. She missed them so much. She couldn't stand it. She never should have left Salem. That was where she belonged.
Frustrated, Serena pulled on her Muggle clothes and shoved a few things in her bag. Hogwarts just wasn't the school for her. Her life was in Salem and she was going back to it.
"I've had it with Hogwarts!" she hissed, pulling her bag upon her shoulders and opening her window. "I'm leaving!"
Serena seized her broomstick and flew out into the cold night, leaving her Hogwarts robes and her memories of Hogwarts behind. The Gryffindors had no idea they were missing one of their house.
TO BE CONTINUED
:dodges thrown objects: Haha, sorry! I just had to make this one a cliffy. I put a bit of Durmstrang in this chapter for Jay. Guess who Constatine is! Before I read HBP I already had my mind made up on using Luna to commentate! I'm not joking! Really, I was. I wanted her to embarrass Mina. So I was really pleased to see her commentating on the Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor match! Only this time she talked more about the game. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. It'll be on the masquerade ball!