Note: There are several new characters in this chapter, so I feel the need to say this: This story is a work of fiction (fanfiction, even). Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and unintentional (except for those people who asked me to be in the story, they are quite intentional).

Now that I've said it, enjoy the chapter! I updated the characters list, as well, by the way.


The Founding of Pigwarts III Chaos Is Served

Chapter 29: All is fair in...

Ginny had been right. The game could not have started without Ron's presence, because it was his responsibility to start it with a short speech. This time he had been forewarned about it, and then reminded a few dozen times. He had even sat down behind his table, grabbed a few lime drops, and made a couple of attempts on writing it, before he got bored and decided to go with the least crumpled one. He had showed it to Harry, who had approved, and to Hermione, who had told him to rewrite it on a proper sheet of parchment in a legible handwriting. Ron had done something better - he had memorized it.

"Good morning to you all!" he addressed the crowd of listeners, and non-listeners. (He was allowed to use a Sonorus Charm, which some people found really unfair at the moment, but wisely kept their mouths shut.)

"Let the game begin," Ron continued.

"Thank you," he finished, sitting down.

"Good speech," Ginny grinned, "don't you think so, Hermione?"

"Hush, they are coming out any second now," her friend was too captivated with the game to pay much attention, it seemed.

And they did. Marvin and Eliza went on to introduce the teams, sounding much more subdued now than before. Hermione went on gripping the railing in front of her, watching with a frenzied expression and sharp gaze, as if trying to determine from this distance whether all her House players were fine, ready, and in a good mood.

They weren't.

--

"Do I really have to play against that?" Kalisha Ferdinand, a fifth year Chaser said, pointing to the object of her animosity and apprehension, although it was rather embarrassing to admit that she feared a first year brat, even if it happened to be this particular brat. "I thought they were joking about taking him to the team. I hoped they were."

"You think it's bad for you?" the Seeker responded wryly. "I have to play against him."

"Oh come on," Christopher flew closer to the other two. "Are you telling me you are letting that little kid scare you away?"

"This little kid, Chris, equals a lot of trouble," Kalisha said with such certainty that he couldn't but glance towards the youngest member of the Malfoy team, who was smirking with a promise of nothing good and confidence of making it happen. Suddenly Chris had to suppress a shiver of his own. But he collected himself fast; whatever his team mates were saying, Ambrose Gwynne was just a little kid.

"Think how good it'll feel to wipe off his smirk and crush his confidence," he said, feeling slightly evil speaking these words.

"Just a little kid?" Brennan Wright, the third year Seeker, repeated incredulously once Chris had left them.

"That lucky bastard," Kalisha shook her head. "How in Merlin's name has he escaped Gwynne's notice for so long?"

"I have a feeling he won't for much longer."

He didn't.

--

"Yikes! That was a close call for Christopher Robinson, the Granger Chaser!" Marvin exclaimed, back to his enthusiasm now that the game was on. "To lose grip on his broom like that, in such heights, it might have been very dangerous."

"Good thing for him our wonderful referee, the Professional Quidditch star Dean Thomas was in the neighbourhood to catch him," Eliza remarked. "This goes to show that we still have a lot to learn, some more than others."

"The game is on a temporary pause while they fetch his broom and help him back on, save the Seekers still circling the pitch. I wonder, are they seeing something we aren't?"

"If so, we'll find it out soon. In the meantime, there is Christopher's broom, flying towards him. I guess the rest of the game can now continue, let's hope he won't relinquish his grip so easily the next time."

"Yes, and... wait, what's that? Thomas is holding the broom, he seems examining it, is there something wrong? I'm not quite sure, but he seems to be frowning."

"I think he is. Let's hear what he's saying... a charm? A lubrication charm? Someone has cast a spell on his broom. Sounds like sabotage."

"Or he might have done it himself to give his team a moment to rest, although I don't know if he's smart enough for that."

"Of course he is, he's a Granger. They are supposed to have brains."

"Oh, I see. Well, that does explain your mental abilities, or the lack thereof," Eliza quipped.

"Yours as well, dear," Marvin replied, taking no offence. "But back to the game. It seems the referee couldn't determine where the charm had come from, but has appointed a free throw to Granger."

--

"Lubrication charm. Ah, figure that," Ginny remarked. "I wonder if it's the same me and Harry used when--"

"Ginny!"

"What? I was simply telling that--"

"La-la-la, I'm not hearing you!" Ron announced, hands on his ears.

"Idiot.''

On her other side, Harry hadn't even blushed at her words, mostly because he hadn't heard them. He had been watching the game, but he had also been watching Hermione watch the game, a more rare and unbelievable sight to see. She was still gripping the railing in front of the Professors' Special Seating Area (or whatever it was called) so tightly as if it was the broom she was sitting on, following the course of the match without ever taking her eyes off the players, at least not while he had been observing her.

He was in awe of this new, Quidditch-loving Hermione, half-wishing she had been like that when they had been playing. But then she would have joined their pre-game panicking instead of sending puzzled glances at them, and making remarks like, "It's just a stupid game."

Now she was focusing all her attention on the game, as if nothing else existed. He knew it well, he had made a couple of remarks to her, none that she had actually heard. This made him just a little bit anxious for some reason. Probably because it was so damn incredible.

--

"He's flying rather well, your cow," Blaise muttered to Daphne.

"Hah."

"He has a big important game coming up soon. It's a miracle he found time for this."

"Hah."

"I think I'm going to see that game."

"Hah."

"Want to come with me?"

"Hah."

"Great. I'll count you in then."

"Hah."

"Nice talking to you, Daphne," Blaise sniggered.

"Hah."

--

For a while the game continued in full swing, dart, catch, throw, and glare, with the occasional loud curse exclaimed by either commentator, who once again were using their words rather liberally. Nothing too bad, thought.

But then a Beater of Malfoy managed to collide with a Beater of Granger, and one thing lead to another, and soon the two were engaged in a heated bat fight. The other two Beaters hurried to the scene, either to break it up or join in, but on their way bumped into Malfoy's Chaser, who dropped the ball right onto the head of Granger's Seeker, who, sinking sideways from the blow accidentally escaped a Bludger, which then hit a Granger Chaser with such force that he knocked into the Malfoy Chaser beside him, who lost her balance and in panic grabbed hold of Christopher's broom, who didn't miss his chance to announce a foul.

Which followed was lots of yelling; the players were yelling, demanding their right, Dean was yelling, demanding their attention, and much of the crowd was yelling, demanding justice and punishment; or in Ron's case, a snack.

Marvin and Eliza were probably the loudest, yelling at each other, proving Daphne's point that two people could argue much better than just one. It had started with laying the blame – Marvin was sure the initial collision had been a foul, while Eliza insisted that while the bat-fight had to be broken off, Chris had shouted a foul that didn't happen. Somewhere along the way they managed to discuss their most favourite players and who they would love to go out with, even though Marvin had no chance with the Malfoy Chaser while Eliza could entice half the Granger team (the male half). In the end, however, they were content with the simple yells of ''You're the idiot!'', ''No, you're the idiot'' and ''No, you're the idiot. And a moron, too.''

Some people were not yelling – they were rubbing their heads, elbows, sides, or still gripping someone else's broom and trying to figure out what the hell was going on, or thumping their bats together.

Granger Keeper noticed something and said, ''Look, there's the Snitch,'' but there was no one near enough to hear her.

The chaos didn't end before Dean realized that the whistle round his neck wasn't there just to emphasize his fair complexion and bring out his beautiful blue eyes, mostly because he didn't have either. So he picked it up, brought it to his mouth and blew with all his might, which resulted in every single person, including himself, drop whatever they were holding and press their hands onto their ears.

Even Hermione, who had maintained her immobility throughout the whole screaming phase including Ron's complaining phase, did it, muttering something under her breath that Harry understood, reading her lips, as 'the idiot, it's a magical whistle'.

But it took care of the situation pretty well, he had to admit it. All the fighting and screaming brought to a (painfully) screeching halt, Dean was able to admonish the wrong-doers and continue with the match. Harry noticed he was being quite easy on everybody.

Then he noticed that Ron was fishing lime drops out of his ear, and had no choice but to keep staring at him, his mouth hanging open. Naturally, Ron got the wrong idea.

''Oh, you want one?'' he offered generously.

Harry politely declined.

Apparently, Ron hadn't bothered with dropping the drops before pressing his hands to his ears. He probably hadn't wanted to waste them. Or time.

--

'I have an idea,'' Kalisha announced, zooming next to Christopher.

''So do I,'' he replied, taking a sharp turn to follow the Malfoy Chaser currently in possession of the Quaffle, mildly disappointed and somewhat awed that she managed to stay next to him through all the evasive action he took, mostly to lose her from his tail. He had nothing against Kalisha in general, or in specific, even though he was a bit annoyed by her diamond belief that not only was the little kid Ambrose responsible for the spell that almost made him fall from his broom, but he was scheming on, planning to remove the almost from the equation. He just preferred action over chatting, and didn't feel it was the best time for a little conversation. Kalisha, however, seemed to disagree.

''I have an idea that will help us win,'' she continued, both tailing him and talking to him. ''There's just this one little thing you have to do to give us an advantage.''

''I know. It's called scoring, and you have to do it, as well,'' Chris gave a witty reply.

''I can get the Quaffle from Lenore with no trouble if you'd just distract her a little,'' she said, referring to the Malfoy star Chaser who had scored just a moment ago.

''She won't give it up that easily,'' Chris shook his head.

''She would if you smiled to her.''

''If I smiled?'' he asked incredulously.

''Surely you've noticed the way she's looking at you,'' Kalisha said, winking. ''She likes you.''

''She doesn't!'' Chris stated hotly, turning a bit pink.

''But she was giving you these looks...''

''She was looking at me to get the Quaffle from me, nothing else.''

''If she wanted the Quaffle, she could have taken it,'' Kalisha explained, grinning. ''I have a feeling she wanted something else from you.''

''No, she didn't! She doesn't!'' he protested.

''Then you shouldn't mind smiling at her.''

''I have a better plan,'' Chris growled. ''How about you leave the gossip for your girlfriends and do some actual Quidditch playing while we're here on the pitch? Lenore scored again while you were busy grinning and teasing me.''

''If you agreed to grin and tease her, she wouldn't be scoring that much,'' Kalisha snapped, and flew away, much to Chris' delight.

--

Ambrose was circling the pitch, looking for the Snitch, and generally minding his own business when someone slammed into him from the side.

''Hey, watch it!'' he protested and was about to call a foul when he noticed that it was none other than Mia von Trap who had so brutally collided into him.

Of course, Mia had collided brutally into him before, in fact, she had to tried to push him into the Duck Pond in their common room whenever there was an opportunity and sometimes also when there wasn't. Judging by the amount of ducks he had found from his bed, he could guess she had plans dumping the Pond onto him if she couldn't dump him into it. And all that for tripping her sister into it the first night.

His brother wasn't at all this protective about him. Ambrose had always had to take care of those who annoyed him by himself. Not that he minded.

But at the moment they were high in the air and there was no Duck Pond near. The Jellyfish Pond was on the other side of the Castle, and a bit too far for reach, even if Mia was doing the pushing. Besides, they needed him to catch the Snitch and win the game, didn't they?

Ambrose opened his mouth to tell the silly girl off, but the silly girl just muttered ''Sorry, didn't see you'' in a rather insulting tone and flew away. He debated chasing her, but decided against it. He was bound to meet her in the common room anyway, and there he could corner her better. Better corners there.

And so Ambrose went back to circling the pitch, looking for the Snitch, and generally minding his own business, but when he went to draw his wand to hex that Granger Chaser again, he realized it wasn't there! His wand wasn't there! And he'd just come up with a brilliant hex!

Oh, forget the corners, he was going to face the little bitch here at the pitch. Perhaps he would fling her into the Jellyfish Pond. After all, they had three Chasers, they could spare one. Especially with that fifth year girl, Lenore, who protected the Quaffle as if it were her new-born baby.

With these delightful thoughts, Ambrose broke his circling, shooting right across the field, creating mistaken excitement as his move was misread as his glimpsing the Snitch. Brennan, the Granger Seeker was fooled, as well, accelerating after Ambrose and hoping with all his might that he wouldn't arrive too late.

--

''We all thought the young Seeker had finally sighted the Snitch,'' Eliza remarked in an amused voice, ''but apparently Ambrose Gwynne was after something entirely else. Ah, young love! Isn't it simply wonderful?''

''If you say so,'' Marvin replied diplomatically, ''of course, some might point out there are better times and places for that kind of thing--''

''Broom closets,'' Eliza cut in helpfully.

''-- but we can't say for sure it's wasn't all a clever plot from Gwynne to mislead Wright. If so, it was quite brilliant and executed with style.''

''Oh, what do you know of style,'' she quipped, but in a friendly manner. ''Was what it was, the lovers have been separated now, and next time, do try a broom closet. There's one on the second floor, at the end of the right wing corridor. True, I've only been there once, and that was just to take a quick peek, but it looked comfortable enough. There were even a few chairs there, I think, and maybe even a bed... you know, now that I think about it, I'm not sure it's a broom closet at all. There weren't any brooms in it, for one thing. But it looked comfortable anyway.''

''Let that be a lesson for the Professor who forgot to lock his door,'' Marvin smoothly took over the commentating. ''Back in the game, however, the Malfoy Chaser Lenore Corbeau has scored another goal, making the score 70-30, Malfoy leading. She's superb at it, I haven't seen anyone taking the Quaffle from her, while Granger Chasers have lost it to her on more than one occasion. Just a second ago, Corbeau took another shot at the hoops, but that was a beautiful save from the Granger Keeper, Jenna Hare, and she hops like one, too. No offense, Jenna. It was a brilliant save, really.''

''Translation: Marvin is afraid Jenna will come to kick his butt after the game,'' Eliza spoke. ''You can do it, Jenna, but it's not really worth much. He fights like a girl, and runs away like a coward.''

''Yes, Jenna, it would be a lot more entertaining if you beat up Eliza instead.''

''On those subjects, Malfoy seems to be doing the beating in today's match. Granger Chasers are having trouble keeping the Quaffle, we just saw their Chaser Kalisha Ferdinand lose it, as the other Chaser Christopher Robinson was throwing it to her. Ouch, that much have hurt, to miss such an easy throw. But all the better for the Malfoy Chaser, Mia von Trap, who is now speeding towards the goal hoops, and neither Robinson nor Ferdinand hurry after her, they both seem stupefied by such events, but you can't freeze up in this game. So you better get over it soon, or there won't be much entertainment left in this match.''

--

''You heard her, Kalisha,'' Chris said, trying to cover his disappointment with encouraging words. ''Let's get back in the game and show these Malfoy bastards how real Quidditch is played.''

Normally Kalisha would have winced at this sorry excuse of a pep talk. But she didn't. She was sitting motionless on her broom, staring at front of her with wide eyes, as she couldn't quite believe this.

''Come, Kali,'' Chris patted her on the shoulder, ''you missed a throw. That's not such a big deal. It could happen to anyone.''

When she still didn't react, he started to get a little worried. The were in the middle of the match, they were losing it, and they needed every help they could get. They couldn't lose Kalisha now, not because she made one stupid mistake.

''I'll smile at Lenore,'' he tried another kind of tactics. ''We still have the chance to win.''

''I didn't miss it,'' Kalisha finally spoke.

''You didn't?'' Chris asked, frowning in confusion.

''No, I caught it.''

''You caught it? Never mind. We have to go. Keiran can't do it all on his own, however talented he considers himself.''

''Chris,'' she said, turning her head to give him the sort of meaningful look that even frightened him a bit.

''What?'' he couldn't but stupidly inquire.

''I caught it. I caught the Snitch.''

--

''They better catch the Snitch soon, or they're finished,'' Ginny muttered.

''That blonde Malfoy, who is that?'' Ron inquired. ''She plays well.''

''I take you refer to their star player, Lenore Corbeau?'' Blaise, sitting in the second row and right behind him, replied. ''She's the daughter of a famous French Quidditch player, Pierre Corbeau. Apparently his father has taken the time to train her. The Malfoys are very lucky to have her. Most points they have got are thanks to her.''

''Are you saying the rest of my team sucks?'' Draco raised a brow, joining the conversation.

''The rest of your team wasn't trained by a professional Quidditch player,'' Blaise said. ''Of course they pale in comparison.''

''Why are you being tactful?'' Draco wondered. ''It doesn't suit you.''

''He bet on your team,'' Daphne spoke from between the two men. ''He can't say very bad things about them, in case they come true.''

''Divination is your area, dearest,'' Blaise mocked.

''Does that mean Milla bet against me, or are you predicting the scores?'' Draco asked.

''Nobody bet against you, Draco,'' Blaise smirked. ''Except for our little resident Seer who will be owing both of us a favour soon. Don't worry, Daph, mine won't be half as horrible as Milla's.''

''How comforting,'' Daphne rolled her eyes. ''Must I remind you the game isn't over yet?''

''If those two Chasers keep chatting for much longer, it is. Even catching the Snitch won't save them then.''

''Poor Hermione,'' he added after a moment of thought, ''to lose her first game, and to lose it to you. She needs some comforting afterwards. She's been really following the match, like a true fan. Hey, maybe I'll ask her to come with me to Dean's next game?''

''Keep your perverted mind away from her,'' Draco muttered, but not very angrily.

''Can't promise about the mind, but I'll let you offer your shoulder to her tonight. And some other parts, perhaps.''

''Don't you start with the hints and smirks,'' he warned. ''Daphne is doing more than enough of it.''

''And I'll continue until you stop being such a wimp and take action,'' she promised.

''Hmm, action,'' Blaise smirked, applying his perverted mind.

''Oh, shut up, both of you,'' Draco growled in real irritation.

''Yeah, let's watch the game,'' Daphne said. ''It isn't over yet until the stupid cow whistles.''

''Sweet Circe, I hope he won't do that again.''

--

''But you're not the Seeker!'' was Chris's first reaction to such news.

''I know that,'' Kalisha glared at him.

''Then why did you...''

''I didn't mean to! I was reaching for the Quaffle when something small hit my arm. I grabbed it out of reflex, only then noticing what it was. I don't know if I'm even allowed to catch the Snitch. Am I?''

Chris had to admit that he didn't know it either.

''Let's go ask the referee,'' he suggested, ''he should know.''

''But the game!'' Kalisha wailed. ''We are going to lose it anyway if she keeps scoring like that.''

He had to admit she had a point. The gap between the scores was already 70 points and growing.

''All right, we'll do this. I'll go back to the game to help us score some. You go speak with the referee.''

''Okay.''

''Kali...''

''Yes?''

''If it is allowed, you catching the Snitch... well done!'' he said, smiling at her.

He had expected her to tell him to save the smile for Lenore, but she just gave him a strange look and flew away.

Chris almost paused to ponder this, but then Marvin announced another goal for the Malfoy team, and he realized he had bigger problems right now.

--

''It looks like at least one of the Granger Chasers is back, Christopher Robinson has come to help Keiran McEwan, and not one moment too early. It has to be said, though, that McEwan was doing a wonderful job all alone against three Chasers. Let's hope that now that Robinson is back they can actually start scoring again.''

''Kalisha Ferdinand, however,'' Eliza said, ''seems to be flying next to the referee. Has there been a foul we didn't see? If so, we didn't see it, but I'm sure we'll soon hear about it. Perhaps with a slightly less murderous whistle, Marvin looked close to fainting during the last one.''

''No, that was you,'' Marvin corrected. ''Now, let's hear what is going on between Ferdinand and Thomas – and no, Liz, I was not referring to anything like that so spare us the witty comment. Yes, the game has been called to a stop. Let's see if we can hear... it seems that... what? Did I hear what I think I heard?''

''Probably not. But apparently there has been no foul, at least not in the normal sense of it. And... do we have a confirmation? Yes, we do. I won't keep you of the lesser eyesight or slower mind in torment for much longer. The thing is... Marvin, what are you...?''

''Let's just say someone better tell those two Seekers that they can stop seeking since someone else got there first. I'm not sure if this has happened before, but according to our famous referee it has and it's therefore quite allowed. The Golden Snitch has been caught, but not by a Seeker.''

''No!'' Eliza shouted. ''It was caught by Kalisha Ferdinand, the Granger Chaser! The final score is 180-130, and the Granger team has won the match!''

''Go Grangers!'' Marvin yelled, and the crowd joined him, although some of them were yelling something else.

--

''It's not fair!'' Jimmy protested with indignation. ''She's not the Seeker, she can't catch it.''

''Apparently it's not against the rules,'' Lynn Saine thought to mention, but in a voice that only he heard; she didn't know his friends well enough to anger them yet. Jimmy was okay, though, she could anger him.

''Damn right it is,'' he argued. ''Or at least it should be. What will happen if everyone thought they could go and catch the Snitch, who cares about scoring goals? It only gets you 10 points while the Snitch gives 150. Everyone would be looking for the Snitch, like some silly version of hide-and-seek.''

''I suppose,'' Lynn shrugged, not really caring that much. Her House hadn't been playing today.

''I suppose it is a little unfair,'' she admitted after a moment.

''Damn right it is. We were winning, dammit. We should have won.''

''You win next match, I'm sure,'' she tried to cheer him up. ''With a Chaser like Lenore, you are bound to.''

''Yeah, we are playing Potter next. We are not going to lose to them.''

''What's wrong with Potter?'' Lynn wanted to know, catching the note of disdain in his voice and not liking it very much.

''Nothing. Are you a Potter?'' Jimmy asked with suspicion and narrowed eyes.

''No! I'm a Weasley!'' Lynn exclaimed, wondering what the hell, she already had a fake name, why not have a fake House, as well.

''There's nothing wrong with Potter. We are just not losing two games in a row. That would be pathetic.''

''Oh.''

--

''Hermione?'' Harry asked, gently poking her shoulder. He had expected her to remain motionless, and was thus slightly surprised when she turned to look at him and spoke,

''Is it really allowed? For a non-Seeker to catch the Snitch?''

''According to Dean, it is,'' he said. ''Personally, I have no idea.''

''So it's true? My House won? I won?''

''Yes, Hermione, you won,'' Harry smiled.

''I won... sweet Circe, I won!'' she exclaimed, jumping up to throw herself at him, hugging him tightly and laughing.

She hadn't felt this good for a long time. She had won. Her House had won. All that careful planning, and talking to the players, and watching their practices, and worrying about their well-being... all that and now they had won. They had won. Merlin, Circe, Salazar, Becca Jo, they had won. She felt so happy and so proud of her House, so very proud of those students of hers who had not got good grades for their homework, but had won this wonderful game. They had won. Her House had won. Oh, she loved her students, loved them all so much. They were her children, her students, and they were all wonderful. They were so wonderful. Everything was so wonderful.

''Mione?'' Harry said breathlessly, ''think you can let go of me now? Before I suffocate?''

''Oh, Harry!'' she exclaimed, let go of him and burst out laughing again. She felt so light, so happy, so ecstatic. She could float, she probably did. She wanted to jump up and down while giggling stupidly; the only reason she didn't start doing it was that she was already doing it. She wanted to hug someone. Harry was hugging Ginny, so she didn't disturb them. But there was someone sitting on her other side, was there? Well, not sitting anymore, as they had all stood up and started clapping at a certain point, or in her case jumping up and down and giggling uncontrollably.

She turned to grin at her other neighbour; it was Terry, and he was smiling back. This was all the encouragement she needed, not that she actually needed it, and with a cry of, ''Oh, Terry!'' she jumped at him. He caught her, a tiny bit awkwardly, and held her in his arms, not once complaining like the silly Harry had done. Hermione giggled, laughed, grinned, and giggled some more. She wasn't planning to let him go any moment soon, so it was a disappointment when he actually pushed her away after a while. She looked at him and pouted.

He looked right back into her eyes. She smiled, and he moved closer to her. About to get her hug back, she released a little happy sigh and leaned towards him.

She was so totally unprepared for what happened next that when she finally regained her bearings, Terry was lying on the floor with a bloody lip, Harry was clutching her arm, and people around her were shouting things.

Things like ''What the hell?'' and ''What happened?'' and ''You damn got your damn action, damn Daphne!'' and ''Get back here, Draco, and finish what you started!''.

It was at that point that Hermione realized that something had somehow gone very wrong.


End Note: I'd like to say a few things about this chapter. You don't have to listen/read, though.

1) Don't start hating Terry. I know that people are sometimes inclined to hate those characters who come between the hero and the heroine of the story, but I like Terry, and I don't want you to start hating him. I'm going to be evil enough to him in the future.

2) I don't know if it's fair for anyone else than the Seeker to catch the Snitch. I thought about football first, how any of the team can make a goal. But then when I came to Jimmy's protests, I started to doubt, because it made sense, too. So I really don't know. And I actually think Malfoy deserved to win the game, even with the tricks of that little kid, Ambrose.

3) Happy New Year!