Hi guys, sorry it's been a while! This chapter isn't as long as intended but I'd thought I'd upload something once it was chapter-ish lengh. A couple (more) canon characters appear here, I'm trying my best but sorry if they appear a little OOC.

Thanks to reviewers and readers! Enjoy.

Chapter Eleven

The oddest thing that came out of that night was the overwhelming sense that it had never happened. It seemed to have existed apart from all tangible space and time, and stood alone, a product of the fear that had seized the castle that evening. As the dawn turned into the morning and the students began to sweep out of the hall it seemed that both Wood and I knew one thing. Nothing Had Changed.

The reason of this could possible to do with Quidditch. Anything that had been floating around that evening had been put aside as the real world reminded us that beyond anything else we were rivals. The reminder was particularly strong for Wood, whose first match was approaching at rapid speed, and his mood wasn't being helped by the news, only a few days before the match, that they would be playing Hufflepuff instead of planned opponents Slytherin. I confronted Flint the day the news was announced.

"Flint" I said, in a steely voice. We were standing in the entrance hall, about to head into lunch

Flint stopped walking and turned to glare at me "What do you want?"

"Why aren't you playing against Gryffindor?" I knew it didn't really concern me, but somehow the unsporting quality of it still angered me.

"Our seeker. His arm's still injured."

"Oh don't give me that rubbish Flint" I snapped "it might have worked on Hooch but you aren't fooling anyone else. Malfoy's arm is fine."

Flint just shrugged "I don't see how what you think makes any difference Alvic" he sneered at me

"You don't want to play because you're worried the weather will ruin your chances." Flint just smiled smugly at me. He knew that no matter what I said, I couldn't actually do anything. I knew that too, it just wasn't stopping me getting annoyed.

"You disgust me Flint" I continued, practically snarling now "and if you want my advice, you'd be better off playing without your seeker. He's useless anyway."

Flint just gave me a pitying smirk and began to stalk into the Great Hall "you should be ashamed!" I shouted after him.

"I heard that" a cold voice said behind me, I turned to see the aforementioned Malfoy standing in the doorway, flagged by his two pet trolls.

"Oh it's you. How's the arm" I sneered.

Malfoy simply produced his wand, I looked at him coldly. "You're going to regret that comment" he said, stepping closer, and raising his wand in front of him. But before he had time to begin to speak the incantation, I had shouted "leviocorpus" and he was dangling from his ankle in the air.

His two cronies rushed forward. "I don't think so" I told them "not unless you want him to land on you." They stopped, and stood staring stupidly at the suspended Malfoy.

"Now, while your just hanging there" I said, beginning to circle the dangling body "maybe I should just let you in on a few facts. Number one, I will say whatever I want about you, I don't care who you or your daddy are. Number two, I know, and everyone knows, you're lying about your arm, and guess what, it's starting to annoy me. Number three, and this is the important one, you're a third year, I'm a seventh year. I'm Quidditch captain and even if I wasn't I'm still your superior. You better start showing some respect, or I'm going to show you precisely what we learn in NEWT Charms." I let him drop to the ground. "Got it?"

Malfoy hurriedly picked himself up. "My father will hear of this" he snarled at me

"I'm sure he will." I replied "Now, you better leave before I practice my transfiguration on you."

The three of them backed away down the corridor they had appeared from. Which was probably in their best interests as I been struggling with transfiguration recently and really had no idea as what they would have ended up as.

"Elizabeth Alvic!" I froze as the piercing voice of Professor McGonagall echoed behind me. "What do you think you are doing? You are supposed to be setting an example."

I turned meekly, and promptly withered under her gaze, I attempted to apologise but the words came out as a sort of squeak.

"You are not a prefect, you have no authority to deliver punishment of any kind. Let alone magical" I shrunk down a little further in my boots.

"But" I began, no louder than a whisper

"But nothing." McGonagall continued, "Detention. Report to my office at 6pm tonight. I need not say I expected better of you."

She swept into the hall, leaving me standing there, six inches tall, but thankful no one had witnessed my chastising. Leonard squeaked on my shoulder.

"Fan-damn-tastic" I muttered to him. I didn't feel like lunch anymore, I had a pile of chocolate frogs back in my room that seemed much more appealing. Shuffling back towards the stairs I couldn't help thinking that this was the second detention I achieved on behalf of the Gryffindor keeper.

I returned to the common room and was almost halfway through my confectionary when Henry walked in.

"Healthy alternative" he said, raising his eyebrow at the packaging on my lap. "You weren't at lunch."

"It's comfort food." I said, pathetically "I have detention."

"Again? Riza we're a matter of weeks into term and you've already got two detentions. What did you do this time?"

I chucked a chocolate frog into his waiting hand and explained my run in with Malfoy and McGonagall.

"It's just unfair" I finished, "students jinx each other all the time."

"Yeah, but not in front of the teachers. Honestly Riza, what did you expect her to do? You know McGonagall, she's strict but she's not unfair."

"You know sometimes" I said, biting a frog's head off aggressively "sometimes, I would like friends who are capable of a little bit of pity."

"Riza, you are perfectly self-pitying enough as it is. You don't need me to help you."

"Just shut up" I snapped at him "I'm in a bad enough mood as it is without you pointing out all my flaws to me."

Henry seemed shocked by my outburst, his expression changed to one of concern and he came over to me. He placed his arm round my shoulder, I shrugged it off non-committedly.

"What's this really about Riza" he asked soothingly "it's not like your any stranger to detention. Come on, I'm sorry. You know you can talk to me." He put his arm back over my shoulders and this time I didn't push him away.

"I'm just stressed I guess" I told him "I mean, I've got Quidditch and work and I still have no idea what I'm going to with my life." I looked up at him "How do you stay so composed?"

"Natural charisma" he smiled at me, and as if to prove his point I smiled back. "You'll be fine" he told me "you're a Ravenclaw, how can you be anything but extraordinary."

I relaxed my shoulders, "you're right." I told him "I am just being self-pitying. How on earth do you put up with me?"

"Extremely strong medication. Come on, time for class. What have you got next?"

"Transfiguration. Which proves that life is not also unfair, it also has a morbid sense of humour"

Henry pulled me out of my chair, "Come on sunshine. No slowing now."

I followed him out of the common room, acutely aware of how lucky I was.