Chapter 11

My visitor turned out to be slimy, Draco Malfoy. "Didn't mean to hurt you!" Draco said as he approached the bed.

"Tell that to my four cracked ribs." I said with a sneer reminding myself slightly of Severus.

"Honestly it was an accident! I was just trying to have fun and then your brother…"He stopped not wanting to continue. "You fly really well. Well enough that you could play seeker on the house team." Was Draco actually trying to be sincere?

"Um thanks." I said awkwardly. "You'd make a fine beater." I reassured.

"Too bad Professor Snape won't let either of us play." He looked down at his shoes.

"Yeah." Madam Pomfry told me I was free to go and warned Draco and I about flying unsupervised.

"Here I'll carry your bag." Draco said, taking my back pack from my hands. "You'll have bruises for sure from those ribs." Why was he being so nice? Wasn't this the same boy who only yesterday was threatening my brother? The same boy who only an hour ago had cracked four of my ribs by flying into them? As we headed to the dungeon I stopped him.

"What are you getting at Malfoy?"

"What do you mean Allison?"

"Yesterday you told my brother that he ought to be careful or we'd go the same way as our parents, and then you punched him in the face! And cracked my ribs, and stole Neville's things. Now you're carrying my books and apologizing?" He thought for a moment.

"yYou're angry with me for apologizing?"

"Yes! No! I'm angry because I don't know what to think."

"I'm sorry for what I said to your brother. I have a bit of a temper, I get it from my father." He looked at his shoes again. "But I'm not sorry for punching him. He looked at his shoes again. "But I'm not sorry for punching him. He was meddling in my business."

"Well when you're business involves stealing from his friends. I can see where he would want to intervene."

"I didn't steal it. Longbottm left it on the ground." We reached to Dormitory entrance by now. "Pure blood" Draco muttered as we waited for the door to appear he continued. "Look I saw what you did for your brother today, and I realized you might not be so bad, and that maybe I had judged you unfairly. I was hoping we could be friends." I considered this for a moment.

"Friendship is earned Draco. But I don't see why we have to be enemies." I said smiling offering him my hand. He shook it in agreement. He handed me my bookbag and I headed to my dorm. When I got there I was greeted, and practically choked, by a giant hug from Mary and Emily.

"Oh my god we were so worried! What happened! We didn't see you in charms…" Mary started.

"And when you didn't show up for History of Magic we thought for sure you'd been expelled." Emily added. I told them about my detentions with Draco, and meeting up with him in the hospital wing, and then our new found alliance. What really sparked a conversation though was when I told them that Professor McGonagall thought I should try out for the house team.

"That's so exciting!" Emily said. "I've never heard of a first year being recommended for the team."

"Yeah, too bad Professor Snape won't let me play." I said.

"But Professor McGonagall is the deputy headmistress right?" Mary asked.

"Yeah so?" I questioned not understanding what she meant.

"Can't she override Professor Snape's decision?"

"I think you might be right!" I exclaimed. "Should I go talk to her though? She seems very no-nonsense. What if she agrees with Professor Snape?"

"If she agreed with him would she have recommended you for the team?" Emily asked.

"I suppose not." I thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll go ask her!" I headed out of the common room and went to speak with Professor McGonagall. When we were done it was time for dinner so I headed over to the Great Hall. Emily and Mary had saved me a seat next to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Draco I talked to Professor McGonagall and she said she would override Professor Snapes rule about not letting us play."

"Really? I'm sure she figures a month of detention with the old bat is enough."

"Most likely. But she gave me a waver form that our parents have to sign, saying that it's ok for her to go over Snape." I explained.

"I'm sure my father will gladly sign mine. Do you think Professor Lupin will sign yours?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, we haven't really talked about the whole flying thing yet." Draco wished me luck as we started to eat dinner. I hadn't quite figure out who I was going to get to sign my paper yet, after all who do you get to sign your forms as a guardian when the papers are agents your guardian? But Draco had given me an idea. Severus was only my godfather as far as the ministry was concerned. Remus was my legal guardian. So all I had to do was convince Remus to sign them. After dinner I told Draco I would meet him at detention, and headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room.

"I don't really know Alice. Severus was really upset with Minerva for even suggesting it, if I sign those papers it'll be like declaring war on him. We are supposed to be raising you together, as a team." We were alone together in his office; but we kept our voices low so that we could not be overheard by Sirius, who was working in the classroom just beyond the door.

"Does Severus ask your permission every time he makes a decision regarding me?" I asked.

"Well no but.."

"Well that doesn't seem like a team to me. Taking away quidditch isn't going to teach me a lesson. I know I shouldn't have been flying without Madam Hooch but I was trying to help my brother and his friend doesn't that count for anything?"

"Well yes, but rules are rules." He suddenly raised his voice so that Sirius could hear him." I'm sure Professor McGonagall punished Harry just as severely, right Sirius." Sirius poked his head into the office, grinning from ear to ear as usual.

"No actually. Minerva gave him detention for a week and he has already been made Gyffindor's seeker."

"Well perhaps Professor Snape is being a bit too harsh…"

"Come on Remus let the girl play." Sirius pushed.

"Oh alright." Remus tossed his hands up in the air. Satisfied with his job well done, Sirius went back to working in the classroom. Remus' voice dropped again. "But when Severus is furious with you don't come crying to me." I smiled.

"Uncle Remus have I told you today that I love you?" I gave him a huge hug as he signed my papers.

"Yes, now please head off to your detention before you are late and give Severus another reason to hate me." He handed me back my forms and I bounded out of the room making a mental note to thank Sirius later for his help. After two hours of cleaning Severus dismissed Draco and I promising harder work the next day.