Chapter Eleven
The weeks carried on quickly. I was officially the Slytherins Team Referee and Blaise was officially crazy making me wear not one but two, TWO, padded helmets. My public service started to get more public on my third week in. I had always wondered why a young teen would waste there time selling newspapers in the ministry; now I know. I didn't have much time to hang around with anyone lately. My grades came first, but Draco would still try's to send a note or two during classes through-out the week. Our whole sitting arrangement was moved around again; only this time it was teachers were deciding that the houses needed to mix. So I was left sitting beside Potter; who stares at me full of pity(because I'm wandless), Boot; who I kissed one time under a missile toe at Christmas(so I think he feels awkward), Smith; he's alright I suppose, just a normal bench partner and Parkinson; who makes me feel fat(bitch). I still get Draco for Potions and Divination. Which is properly for the better since we can talk during potions and in divination Draco really needs help.
It was my forth Saturday of public humiliation when the Minister of Magic made an appearance. He admitted that he spoke with my father and decided that I could have Saturdays off but I had to come to the ministry at seven am on a Sunday and leave at seven pm instead of leaving at five pm like usual. I had agreed without a second thought. And he gave me the next day off, my first Sunday off. As he was walking out of the office where I had been typing up notices for the ministry when he smirked at me and said "I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future Miss Maguire" Which was odd but I assumed it was just about the public service; that made my hope about getting a new wand a Christmas curl up and die I spent half of Sunday in bed asleep really needing the extra hours.
Yawning I stirred my soup, I didn't want chicken soup for breakfast I wanted cereal and stronger coffee but it was half one and I didn't have much of a breakfast options at Lunch. Today was a game day; I hadn't missed none of the Slytherin games shockingly since yesterday's weather had a unpredicted (even with Trelawney on standby- shocking I know) storm and the game was called off- which I wouldn't have known about because I was locked up in a windowless prison cell called a office all day yesterday. The weather was supposable unplayable in which I assumed pissed off the lads. But when the seven of them walled in wearing their gear they seemed to be anything but pissed that they got to fly on such a lovely Sunday; the sun was out again and the country side looked peaceful. Blaise was shocked to find me in our usual seat. Pulling Draco and Theodore with him they sat with me.
"Morning" I greeted running a hand threw my frizzy hair.
"Afternoon on my watch" Theodore chuckled, as Draco sat next to me and I felt my hair smoothen from his quiet spell. I smiled at him thankful.
"Are you coming to the victory party in the Three Broom Sticks later? Team members only" Blaise asked, with a wink.
"Is it officially happening or is it under the radar?" I asked, Draco then chuckled.
"Officially, Granger over there got permission from McGonagall ages ago that if you're 17, nearly 18 at this stage because of the repeat year we can leave on the weekends" Theodore huffed "Good things she's Head girl not Pansy or I swear we'd never her the end of how her badge makes her feel empowered because having her as prefect for two years was hard enough and on top of that the only thing she'd get us is a ball or something at the end of the year" Blaise winked of me, as if he invited me again to a ball- not going to happen.
The boys chuckled while I grabbed a slice of bread. "How did you not know that?" Draco asked me confused.
"Because I don't like to drink?" I shrugged. Blaise chuckled at that, I frowned at him. Hoping that the warning was enough for him to keep his gap shut.
"Any more, she meant to add at the end there" He chuckled "she used to blow things up, melt solids, harden liquids, change stairs to slides, levitate stools, heat up rooms, take off people clothes, dance on tables, sing in bars, tease old men, scream at bartenders, kiss coat hangers, break glasses, spill drinks and flirt with strangers but it's ok because she doesn't drink anymore." The two other lads laughed "Bars are a much safer place because of it" Draco was still chuckling.
While Theodore stared at me shocked "Dance on tables?!" he asked. I frowned at him.
"What?" I snapped "I used to have a figure" I declared, Theodore just laughed at the thought of be dancing on a table.
"You still do" Draco stated seriously, I felt his breath on my ear and I felt his hand on my knee for a second before he went back to eating his salmon salad. "So you coming or not?" I nodded once at the group; I needed a break from my shite reality.
"Might as well, but Blaise will make sure I don't drink more than three firewhiskeys anyway" Blaise winked and shook his head.
"I think your more dangerous weapon is gone for now so I don't think I'll monitor your drinking anymore" I thought of my wand and that made me angry that Blaise was about to let the most nosey man in Slytherin know about it "Amazing was a little maturity can to for a girl" he teased. I laughed, Blaise wouldn't betray me like that.
Standing in the Parents & Teacher Stand I was doing commentating for the Slytherin V Ravenclaw Match, it was the second official match of the year(Hufflepuff&Gryffindor had played a friendly). I found out on our walk down that being the teams Referee actually is something. Lee Jordan was that last one on recorded; hence why he got to do commentating at every match apart when he was in detention or sick. Sitting in the stand beside Professor McGonagall I smiled at the thoughts of Lovegood commentating a Gryffindor V Ravenclaw match back in our earlier days of Hogwarts.
I started to think about messing it up; knowing my luck I'd end up telling the whole of Hogwarts that I thought Draco Malfoys arms were made of solid muscle or the time Blaise and I snuck down to Hogsmead so he could get new quiddage gloves. I let my fingers play with themselves nervously as I stared at Madam Hooch in the middle of the field; she'd referee all the games before Christmas but then flying lessons were called off till the warmer weather and she wasn't needed on the school grounds..
"You'll be fine Miss Maguire" Said Slughorn's voice "I'm sure the boys will laugh now and regret it later" he chuckled.
"Whatever do you mean Horace?" McGonagall asked a little sharply, I turned to look at the overweight old man as well.
"Well off course I must commend Miss Maguire's great school work this year but I hardly doubt a girl of seventeen; who's never played a game herself can actually commentate an official Hogwarts game. At times these games are more entertaining that the World Cup qualifiers" Slughorn explained in his usual happy voice. "Besides which I'm sure that the boys where playing some prank while assigning you to the teams official players"
"Thank you for the compliment professor but, how about we place a little wager" McGonagall frowned at me for a second before shaking her head; we were all adults here.
"Do go on Miss Maguire I haven't had a good bet in quite some time" He grinned.
"I believe that I can commentate better than your expectations" I explained "And I'll do such a good job that I'll be invited to your party at the end of the term" Slughorn chuckled with a nod
"Well I wager than your ability may be good but aren't great Miss Maguire so I wager forty five Slytherin points that you're not going to exceed my expectations" he stated holding out a chubby hand. Shaking it once I heard Sprout laugh at the pair of us. I grinned hiding the fact I was scared I could lose all them points for my house; the house Slughorn is the head of!
"We know it's quiet childish Pomona" McGonagall chuckled with Professor Spourt
"Oh I'm not laughing at the silliness of it" She assured "I'm laughing that the blindness of Horace" she leaned over to us girls to whisper secretly while Slughorn was humming happily to himself behind us with Professor's Vector and Flitwick on his sides "I've heard you sometimes coach the boys from the greenhouses in the evening Miss Maguire" She grinned "I do believe that learning the rules and regulations could have been a part of your summer internship"
I blushed at her, she smiled while McGonagall chuckled "Well then I do believe if Slytherin win this game they will be moved from third to first place" I grinned glanced around the stands. I spotted Potter and Granger looking up at the teacher stands gazing at me and the two female teachers laughing.
In the distance the crowd heard the school's grandfather clock chime 2pm, and the crowd went wild. The game was about to begin; and I was sure Slytherin was going to win. I pulled the classic harmonica microphone towards me with a grin on my face, no question about it in about seven seconds every face in Hogwarts would be wondering why. McGonagall had charmed it earlier to only project my voice and not echo of the crowd behind me.
"AFTERNOON HOGWARTS!" I called out and the crowd rumbled with excitement "I'm Mellissa Maguire and I will be commentating the second official quiddage game on this glorious day!" the crowd jumped and roared. The Ravenclaw gates were opening "And here come our Ravenclaw team" I announced "First out is FRANK GREEN; captain and keeper of Ravenclaw he's be on the team since his 3rd year no amount of booing is going to but him under pressure slytherin but continue if you wish" I joked "Out next is the team's Chasers JENIFER DORNY, LISA TURPIN and BENJAMINE BRADLEY a trio which have never been together on the field before so this will be interesting to see if they really do have a bond or if they're just skilled single players, sneaking out behind them is the seeker and newest addition to the team as Mary Lynch has called out sick MANDY BROCKLEHURST" the Ravenclaw went wild "And what I'm sure all you teens have been waiting for the Ravenclaw tanks of beaters are out last holding two of the just in 'Killer' bats NILE BELBY and OLIVER WIGWORTHY" the team zoomed around the pitch while the stand cheered and clapped and stomped their feet; Ravenclaw had the crowd. "A little fact many of you may have guessed about the Ravenclaw team" I called out "their teams average school grade is a B+, imagine being a skilled quiddage player and a cupboard genius" I heard Slughorn chuckle behind me making me grin even more "The only thing this team hasn't got is a wild branch of experience, and I do just mean quiddage" Hooch was watching the players with hawk like eyes.
The Slytherin gate was blushed open "NOW TO WELCOME SLYTHERIN TO THE FIELD!" I announced, the cheer wasn't as loud, hardly half a magnificent but Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass had sent off fireworks either end of the field giving the whole field a shower of silver and greens. "Slytherin team is a mix match or experience vs new comers. Team captain is DRACO MALFOY" There was a shockingly loud Boo from the pitch "and one of the school best Seeker has been playing since his 3rd year" I added louder than the boo's "And once again I will mention that experience player won't feel the pressure of the crowd so do keep your mouth on lockdown" I said a with a little giggle "Aside from that, the teams beaters are the muscle machines THEODORE NOTT and GREGORY GOYLE." There were a loud cheer from around the pitch "Nothing seemly is going to be taking Goyle down, beater since his fourth year he is not a man to mess with. While Nott is in his first year of quiddage with Slytherins team. Zooming around the field faster than lightening it seemed is the teams chasers LUNCIAN BOLE" I paused while there was a cheer "BLAISE ZABINI" again there was a cheer only is seemed slightly louder, "AND VAISEY TALKALOT! And all though they have been a trio on the field since their 4th year, quiddage was amiss last year so practise was impossible for any of the teams so it will be interesting to see if they still have some tricks up there old quiddage uniforms" there was a chuckled threw the stands "And finally not forgetting one of the most important players of a team, the keeper MILE BLETCHLEY is finally out of the hospital wing and onto the field; having fallen from his broom the first week of November he was out cold but thankfully he is back in the game and 3rd year Paul Smith will just have to wait for next year to try out again." The stands where on edge watching the teams zoom around Madam hooch gives me a nod.
"Players assume position in the middle of the field, tensions are much higher than they were in the Gryffindor V Hufflepuff match earlier on in the year, Our Referee today is Madam Hooch. She lets the snitch and bludgers out of the box" the stand quietens down slight to hear the warnings.
"Any acting out will result in 5 minute cool downs, any unnecessary fouls will result in point deductions and any injuries will be dealt with Madam Pomfery, you are in safe hands" She shouted "NOW! I want a nice game, a clean game, a entertaining game form both sides!" here yellowish eyes seem to glint in the bright sunlight standing in the middle of the field she watched the players from the floor.
"Madam Hooch takes position, warning are said, precautions are set. The Quawffle is in the air and the GAME BEGINS!" I announced "Bole get the ball and from the look of that hold he's not going to be letting go as he goes blasting down the field on his Nympus 4000 he's down at the Ravenclaw hoops before Green has time to shout quiddage. Players and forcing their broom to give all they got to catch up with the Slytherin chaser, but it's too late Bole fakes left and scores right ten POINTS TO SLYTHERIN!" the cheers and boos were terribly loud, I could see students running down the field late not wanting to miss a minutes more of the game "With Slytherin stealing a quick lead. Let's see what the new Ravenclaw trio can do with the quawffle now. Bradley to a ready and waiting to Dorny, who fakes it to Turpin, good job too because she is strongly marked by Talkalot, a bludger blasted by Goyle and Turpin dodged it barely, dropping the quawffle Bradley missed the drop, Zabini receives an easy ball but Wigworthy got the good end of Goyle's ball and hammered it to the Slytherin chaser using his blind spot. Nott deflects the bludger half way and hit his target; Ravenclaw Seeker Brocklehurst is now spinning sixty-five feet in the air. Zabini zoomed towards the hoops passes to Bole, deflected by Bradley who wasted no time waiting for his partners to zoom down the field to the awaiting Bletchley who fly's between hoops. Bradley dodge a well-aimed bulder by Nott leaving him to choose quickly which hoop, he goes for the middle. Bletchley go for the left hoop ten points for RAVENCLAW!" the crowd went wild, I caught my breath "I think it's fair to say this will be nothing less than an interesting game" placing a hand over the microphone I turned to Slughorn who was off his seat with excitement "want to give me them points now or later professor?" he chuckled and shook his head ridiculously. The game continued like this for a while, ten points to one team then they win it back, Turpin was knocked out and out of the game by Nott's bludger, Bletchley had a broken arm form Belbyy but then forty-six minutes into the game… "Malfoy seems to spot something on the lower field…" the game seemed to slow down as I described it, Draco diving and weaving through player, dodging balls and pushing Brocklehurst harshly out of his way; making her loose balance and slow down, him diving five more feet, then he was only a foot from the ground. The little gold ball took a leap up rocketing for the sky with a serious speed, Malfoy was on its tail. Wigworthy passed ball was too slow, Zabini caught it and scored ten more points leaving the game 80:60 to Slytherin. Dead centre almost where Draco had flown at the beginning of the game he caught the snitch in his right hand. The crowd cheered; it was an amazing catch, a picture moment. Slytherin had just won the game "SLYTHERIN WINS!" I roared through the old styled microphone my heart bounding wight eh cheers "WE WON" I cheered with the rest of the crowd. Sparks of Green, Black and Silver blasted from all ends of the pitch, Vaisey and Talkalot nearly got blasted by three wild fireworks causing chuckled to emerge from the pitch. Laughing myself I couldn't believe we had actually won. Blaise flew up to the Teachers standing and held out a hand. I took it and hopped onto the back of his broom with out a second thought.
"five points from Slytherin MISS MAGUIRE!" I heard McGonagall's startled voice echo over the field but no one seemed to care we just won our first game of the year. Landing with the rest of the team in the middle of the pitch I hugged Draco first, his hands went a little lower on my back than I would have liked but I was too excited to care.