Miracle

She walked away, still sniffling, leaving the older boy sitting on the floor baffled. Meadow's head spun as she walked down all those steps towards the dungeons. She didn't really know why the troll scar bothered her so much. Was it the way it looked? The embarrassment from being the only one caught and hurt by the troll? Either way, Meadow did know that she hated that scar with a burning passion.

Chapter 12: Prolonged Anger

When Meadow got back to the common room, it was relatively empty. Most students had gone up to bed, there were only a few stragglers up finishing homework or talking amongst themselves. Meadow was just about to head up the stairs to her dormitory to call it a night when Terence caught her eye. He was sitting in the corner chairs hidden by the staircases.

"Terence?" Meadow questioned.

The boy with light brown, taper faded hair jerked up. "Meadow, how are you? You look upset."

Meadow sank into the armchair across from him, sighing loudly. "Could I tell you something? Something you can't tell anybody."

"'Course," Terence said, puzzled. "What is it?"

"Earlier today, I went to the staffroom, to try and get a book back from my father," Meadow started, meeting Terence's dark eyes. "He was talking to Filch and Filch was handing him bandages and salve potions." She paused, letting the scene pop into Terence's head. "My dad, he said 'How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?' I think he was trying to get passed whatever's on the third floor on the right-hand side. His leg was all bloody and managed. . . he's been limping since Halloween."

"Hmm," Terence grunted, "That certainly is weird."

"He also threw the book at me, like he lost his temper," Meadow added, astonished.

Terence frowned, "Well, it's not like Professor Snape really holds back when he's not impressed by something."

"He's never blown up at me like that though," Meadow said, shaking her head. "I just don't understand. Why would he lie to me? Why would he try to get passed whatever it is with three-heads? Why wouldn't he just go to Madam Pomfrey to get fixed up right away?"

Terence got up and sat on the armrest of Meadow chair, putting an arm around her, "Sometimes, good people do bad things."

"Don't try and pretend that my dad's a good person," Meadow said hotly. "I used to believe that. But after this, how could I? You and Draco said yourselves, all our families aren't innocent. I'm sure my dad used to be a Death Eater as well."

Terence shuffled uncomfortably. "I'm not sure," he said finally after a pregnant pause. "I knew of some, but it's been a long time. . . most of us try to forget about it, to adapt into the world now. One without You-Know-Who."

Meadow nodded, grim and the feeling of hopelessness inked through her veins, forgetting that Terence once said that the War was far from over.

"Don't feel too bad about it," Terence said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Meadow leaned into him, happy for the closeness and support he was providing her. "I'm sure Professor Snape has his reasons."

"Maybe," said Meadow slowly. "It's just difficult to see that there's this whole part of his life that I don't know about." It was one the first time of many that it hit Meadow that her father wasn't just a father and teacher. That he was once her age and he had a life before Meadow was born. It wouldn't be the last time that this information would sink in either.

"Maybe your Mum might know something," Terence's arm pulled her closer and she put one arm around him, letting her hand rest on his abdomen.

She moved over in the armchair and Terence slid down, squeezing next to her. Thankfully, the two were small enough where they both fit in the chair together. Terence put his chin on top of her head, holding her softly in his arms. Meadow grew lucky knowing that she was able to take a proper shower this morning before she left the Hospital Wing, not just a sponge bath that Madam Pomfrey had been giving her.

"Maybe," she muttered quietly. Although she couldn't owl her mother like a normal student, Terence's innocent comment did give her an idea to visit her mother and ask her about her father's past. In the meantime, maybe there would be something in that book she received on her birthday about it. . .

Meadow always did enjoy being close to someone. She loved when Daphne would braid her hair. She loved the feeling of being hugged and giving hugs; it gave Meadow euphoria over the familiarity. Not moving away, Meadow asked "Are you ready for the Quidditch match tomorrow?"

"Not at all," Terence said quietly, his jaw moving on Meadow's head. She didn't mind at all, in fact, the two leaned back in the chair. Meadow propping her head on Terence's shoulder, and his arm was around her shoulders, resting his hand on her left upper arm.

"How come?" She asked, equally as quietly, enjoying Terence's grasp around her. She felt at ease around him, like she could trust him despite not always being with him. It wasn't quite the same feeling Meadow had with Shane. Meadow thought of Shane as a brother, and she knew he thought of her like a sister. But it also wasn't the same feeling as she had with George Weasley—the butterflies in her stomach and her heart racing when she'd see him. It was different. It was nice. Like it was a place she belonged. The first time she felt that since she was sorted into Slytherin.

"Flint's been breathing down my neck about catching the snitch," Terence's voice was soft, as if he was nodding off. "Since Potter's been named the Gryffindor's Seeker."

"When did that get let out?"

"Just this week, suppose it may just be a rumor, but given Wood's face when he heard about it. I suspect it's true," Terence responded, his head growing heavier on hers.

Meadow's fingers laid on his chest and she wiggled her hand a bit, "You should head up to bed. . . Big match tomorrow."

"I wish I could sleep," Terence said, suddenly more alert, and he moved his head off hers. "I've been down here trying to get a bit more tired. Flint sent us all to bed early to get rest. . . I was wide awake in bed. This was the first time I felt even a little tired all night."

Meadow wasn't sure how to feel, knowing that she also had the same effect on Terence as he did with her, relaxed and not at all on edge or guarded. She lifted her head slightly and noticed the common room was completely empty now. Meadow swung her legs up, over Terence's lap and rested them on the armrest. She pushed away from him slightly, looking into his dark eyes with a pointed look upon her face.

"Still," she mumbled, "We should get to bed." Her mind still on that old leather-bond book.

"If you insist," Terence said, though he didn't move a muscle, allowing Meadow to be the first to adjust and stand.

"You really should sleep in your bed tonight," Meadow said pointedly as she swung her legs back over and onto the floor and made a face at the chair he was sitting on. She adjusted the sling on her arm, awkwardly standing up before offering a hand to Terence. He grabbed it and pulled himself up. "Good luck tomorrow," her voice was soft.

"Thanks," Terence's face was rather close to hers. "It's good to see you're out of the hospital wing; gave your friends quite a fright." He pulled her into a hug before disappearing up the boys' staircase.

"Good night," Meadow whispered after him before she, too, climbed the stairs to her own dormitory pondering what could be inside that book. She played with her necklace absent-mindedly as she watched him disappear up the boys' staircase.

Excitement and anxiety rushed through Meadow's body. That tingling in her chest grew, unsure if it was from the exchange with Terence, or remembering her birthday gift. Once she got up to the dormitory she'd immediately dropped next to the chest at the end of her bed and unlatched the buckles.

Except, something distracted her from her task at hand. A small, brown box with a green ribbon and a messy bow upon it sat on top of her trunk. Meadow eyed it suspiciously before deeming it must be alright since it made it this far into the castle. Undoing the bow, the ribbon fell off and Meadow opened the box. A pair of extralong, forest green arm sleeves sat on top of tissue paper. There was no note or indication of who they were from, but she knew it must be her father who bought them. The sleeve matched the Slytherin green house color, and Meadow immediately rushed to put one on. It had a thumb hole, which Meadow used to cover up her wrist even more. The material stretched across her arm like a glove. It was tight where it wouldn't cause any distraction of another sleeve waving away in the air. But it wasn't too tight where it felt like it was suffocating and stopping the blood from flowing down to her fingers.

The gift was clearly from her father. Granted, he would have never bought it for her if he didn't feel bad about something. And that something should be that he'd been lying to her for ages about Merlin's beard what. Meadow knew he wouldn't ever admit he was wrong about anything, but she knew this was his way of apologizing for throwing a book at her. It didn't sit right with Meadow, but the sleeve felt so nice on her skin, covering up her blemishes she was so ashamed of.

Leaving the one sleeve on, Meadow changed as quickly as she could—it still wasn't very fast, but it was improvement. Her mind switched back to the gift she had received for her birthday, 'Your Mum and I talked a lot about this day when you were a baby. . . I was hoping it was something we never had to give you. . ." There it laid, amongst the extra quills, ink, and parchment. The old, feeble box that held the book. Gently, Meadow picked it up and pulled off the top; she pushed away the tissue paper to reveal that old, dirty brown, leather book.

Dropping the box back into her trunk, Meadow didn't even bother to notice that Tracey was peaking her head out of the curtains, watching her. Meadow plopped down on her bed, shutting her green curtains around her, and pulled out her wand. Curious if she could perform the spell, to prove to herself that she wasn't as hopeless as she felt lately, she whispered loudly, "Lumos!" while waving her wand in a loop. It was one of the spells in their Defense Against the Dark Arts. Granted, Professor Quirrell never let them practice, as he was firm on teaching the class in theories.

The light was dim, and then grew brighter in Meadow's excitement. And then suddenly went out. It didn't matter to Meadow, however, as she was too excited that the spell worked. Very quickly, Meadow grabbed the lantern from her nightstand to use instead of her wand. She opened the book, the first page was a family tree, detailing her parent's parents and siblings, and their parents' parents. Well, that was on her mother's side. In small scrawled handwriting it read from bottom of the page up, so Meadow could find the relation of these people to her:

Meadow Lilium-Beckard Snape

Her own name written on the right page on the righthand side with a space next to her name, as if the book was waiting for another name to be put there. Above her name were her parents:

Severus Prince Snape & Sadie Constance Beckard

Above her parents' names, Meadow recognized those names at her grandparents, her Grandma Eileen, Grandfather Tobias, Grammy Lil, and Papa Jack. Grandma Eileen had died around the time she was four or five years old. Grandma Eileen's portrait at Meadow's home on Spinner's End looked at her disapprovingly. It might have been from Meadow's inability to pronounce Eileen, and therefore, called her Grandma Eli. Though, from what Meadow remembered, Grandma Eileen wasn't horrible, but wasn't nearly as nice or fun as Grammy Lil. Meadow's Grandfather Tobias, well, he was a scary man. Taller than Severus, Grandfather Tobias was very strict, and would always yell at both Severus and Meadow for one thing or another during their visits to him. There was a line from her father's name connecting to:

Eileen Raven Snape (née Prince) & Tobias Aeron Snape

Grandma Eileen always seemed disapproving of Meadow, but she didn't know why. Grandfather Tobias seemed to really hate her, still she was unsure of why. Quickly, she moved passed their names to her mother's side, where she had more pleasant memories of her childhood.

Lillemor Evangeline Beckard (née Taylor) & Jack Carter Beckard

Grammy Lil, a kind and sweet woman was very much like a mother to Meadow on the few occasions her father would take a trip and go visit Sadie's parents. But their visits were short, and fewer and farther between the next. Papa Jack was a kind man. He would sneak Meadow's little chocolates with a wink of his blue eyes and a smile upon his thin lips. Of course, Meadow didn't realize that those trips took a toll on her grandparents. Sadie was, after all, in a coma to the Muggle world. And unlike Meadow and Severus, Grammy Lil and Papa Jack could not speak with Sadie. They were Muggles. Neither which fully understood magic or the wizarding world. Both very willing to learn and be open-minded to it.

Neither one of her parents had any siblings. Of course, her grandparents all had lines and names above them, and the family tree continued for quite a bit. Names upon names were splattered across the pages, all which Meadow had never met, never realizing how large her family was. It would be interesting to go through all the names, but right now, it's not what Meadow was looking for.

Well, Meadow didn't exactly know what she was searching for. Evidence that her father was a bad man? Perhaps. However, as she started to turn the page, the book's pages turned all on their own, and Meadow was emerged into her mother's story.

Sadie Constance Beckard, born to Muggles, Lillemor and Jack Beckard, on May 20, 1961. Sadie was an only child, her name meaning princess from a Hebrew origin. Constance is from the Latin word "Constans" meaning constant or steadfast. Lillemor and Jack picked these names due to their struggles with Lillemor's difficulty of becoming fertile. They wished for a happy and healthy baby, and when Lillemor was confirmed to be pregnant by Muggle doctors, it was a miracle. During Sadie's childhood she shown she had a magical core from a young age of two. The first time she produced magic, it was very small and unnoticeable. Sadie made a hairbrush fall from a dresser.

The next time something unexplained happened to the Beckard family was during the summer when Sadie was seven years old. Jack was cooking burgers on the grill when a fire broke out. The fire was becoming larger before Sadie raised her hand and it immediately went out. This caused some confusion between Lillemor and Jack as they looked at their child. However, it all started to come together when Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly presented the three Beckards with a letter of acceptance and a long conversation to help Lillemor and Jack understand that their daughter was special.

September of 1962, Sadie boarded the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ with the rest of the Hogwarts students. She was sorted into Hufflepuff due to her personality and values. Sadie showed strong dedication to her studies and friends at Hogwarts. She became friends with siblings Amelia and Edger Bones, Winkus Oddpick, and Ted Tonks during her years at Hogwarts. Though, she was not unknown to have friends from other houses, these were the four Sadie would be seen with more often. Sadie was a Chaser on the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team since her second year. She later became the Quidditch Captain and a Prefect.. Scoring high marks in her O.W.L.'s, Sadie prepared herself to pursue becoming a Mediwitch.

A Mediwitch, Meadow analyzed the word again. Her mother wanted to become a Healer for St. Mungo's. Well, sort of. A Mediwitch was a bit different. Mediwitches and Mediwizards were trained for being out on the field rather than being in a hospital. They applied critical and time-restrained care and treatment on the spot. The usual situations being Quidditch Games, Magical Tournaments, or other Wizarding Events. Meadow traced her index finger upon her mother's name. Information Meadow never knew about her mother until this point. She drank it up, feeling closer to her mother more than ever.

Sadie was someone who wanted to help people. To save people from their injuries. And now, Sadie was trapped in her own injury. Meadow turned her eyes back to the pages and read on:

Upon graduating from Hogwarts, Sadie received her N.E.W.T.'s in Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Her highest score was in Defense Against the Dark Arts, having received an Outstanding and top of the class in that exam. While Sadie was studying to take the initial exam to enter a Trainee Healer apprenticeship, she also worked at the Beckard's family pub and inn, Beck's Pub and Inn. Most often, the customers and guests at the business were Muggles. There were a few exceptions, including Severus Snape, whom she later started a relationship with shortly after meeting him.

Meadow stared in awe at the book. Despite only being a year younger than her father, her mother never met him until after Hogwarts. The school itself had a number of students, but most knew of each other. At least, that was how Meadow felt. She knew almost all the Slytherins' names that attended Hogwarts, most of Gryffindors', and a large portion of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw despite not interacting a lot with those houses.

Meadow went back to continue reading, but the old book snapped shut, refusing to open again. It was as if had a mind of its own. Sighing, she looked at the book with a frown and flopped it over a few times. She tried to pry it open one last time before giving up for the night. She set the lantern on the nightstand. Carefully, she pulled her legs out from under the covers and tip-toed over to her trunk. Meadow replaced the book into the box and shut her trunk again.

When she got back into her covers, Bee jumped up and rubbed her head against Meadow's cheek. The girl's eyelids became heavier as she pet her kitten. Bee had grown over the last few months, still fluffy from her baby fur and curious as ever. She curled up next to her owner, listening to Meadow's breathing turned heavy with sleep.

-.-.-.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match. Meadow watched the students around her as she yawned into her tea.

The Slytherin Quidditch team was all together, eating their breakfast with very little chatter. Terence had bags under his eyes, looking very pale and sick; he had barely touched his breakfast. Across the hall, Harry was picking at his breakfast, which looked as equally untouched at Terence's. The Weasley twins were laughing with Lee Jordan, all decked out in Gryffindor colors. Most of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also sporting Gryffindor colors, most likely borrowed from a Gryffindor friend.

Meadow looked between her friends in Gryffindor and Slytherin, remembering she was torn between who to cheer for while she was dressing. Of course, it turned out, she had a bit of a competitive side that won. And Meadow had dressed up in her Slytherin colors, using layers to keep herself warm in the cool air that hit her face as she, Daphne, Theo, Gabriel, and Bhu headed out of the doors and towards the Quidditch pitch.

As much as Meadow wanted to head over towards the Gryffindor table to wish Harry good luck. She pressed that feeling down, staying still at the Slytherin table.

By eleven o'clock almost all the school was out in the stands that surrounded the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The stands were raised up in the air, but it was still difficult to see the match at times.

Although Meadow chose to stick with Daphne and the rest of the Slytherins, she did smile at the large, painted banner a group of the Gryffindor first years were holding. It said Potter for President with a large Gryffindor lion underneath. The paint flashed different colors, illuminating Hermione, Shane, Ron, Neville, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas.

The crowd grew quiet as Madam Hooch walked out to the field; she was refereeing. As she stopped in the middle, she held her broom firmly, waiting for the two teams. The Slytherins walked out first and Meadow erupted into cheers along the other Slytherins. Flint walked out with a large, sinister grin. Miles and Adrian walked next to each other, looking grim. Next came the third Chaser, Cassius Warrington, and two beaters, Niles Darker and Stuart Vanity. And finally, Terence, the smallest of the group of boys trailed after. The seven made a half circle around Madam Hooch and waited for the Gryffindors to come out of the locker rooms.

As they did, Oliver Wood led the group. Followed by Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell, the three Chasers. Next came Fred and George Weasley. Lastly, Harry walked out, clutching his Nimbus Two Thousand with white knuckles. The Gryffindors filled in the remaining half of the circle.

"Now, I want a nice, fair game, all of you," her voice was hard and her eyes laid upon Flint. "Mount your brooms, please."

Once all the players were in position, Madam Hooch gave a loud blast of her silver whistle. She threw the Quaffle up in the air as fourteen brooms rose up.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor—what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too—"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor!"

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was commentating for the match, monitored closely by Professor McGonagall. Meadow watched as the Snitch and Bludgers were released from the Quidditch Chest and at last Madam Hooch also took to the air.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good friend of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve—back to Johnson and – no, Slytherin have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes—Flint flying like an eagle up there—he's going to sc—no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and Gryffindor takes the Quaffle—that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice drive around Flint, off up the field and—OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger—Quaffle taken by Slytherin—that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger—sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which—nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field and off she goes –she's really flying—dodges a speeding Bludger—the goalposts are ahead—come on, now, Angelina—Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

The Gryffindor supporters loudly filled the air with cheers as Meadow and the Slytherins howled and moaned in frustration.

Meadow watched as Harry and Terence circled around the pitch from a higher altitude, scanning for the Snitch. When Angelina Johnson scored, Harry did a few loop-the-loops to show his support for his team, but Meadow's eyes were trailed on Terence.

"What's between you two?" Daphne whispered to her.

Meadow shrugged. Her and Terence's talk last night was great. It was comfortable. And relaxed. "I—I don't know. It seems like he's a good friend, but other times, I wonder if it could be more. He is a bit cute—"

Laughter roared in the air. Meadow and Daphne looked around. Pansy, Millicent, and Tracey were standing behind them. "That's got to be the best crack I've heard!" Pansy howled, tapping both Millicent and Tracey on the arms before doubling over in laughter again. The two girls joined her. "Terence Higgs? Oh please. He's not interested in you!"

Pansy's high-pitched voice immediately irritated Meadow, who cracked her neck to gain some relief from the annoyance. "And why are you to say he's not?" Meadow shot back; her lip curled up.

"Everybody knows that Higgs is just using you!" Pansy said, matter-of-factly, before acting surprised and putting a hand over her mouth. "Oops, well, now everyone knows." She let out a short cackle, "Terence is just getting close to you, so he'll get on Professor Snape's good side. Honestly," Pansy paused, trying to add a dramatic flair. "Why else would anyone be friends with you? You do know that no Gryffindor would ever be friends with a Slytherin unless there was some sort of benefit. Why else would they be friends with a Slytherin? Granted, not many here think of you as a true Slytherin."

As the flame of anger grew inside Meadow, she turned around, looking back towards the game. Trying to do good on her promise to Dumbledore: to walk away from Pansy. Although, it wasn't quite walking away, Meadow did turn her back on the girl, showing that she was done with the conversation. Her ears rang with anger, and everything Pansy Parkinson was doing became about ten times louder.

"Slytherin in possession—Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the –wait a moment—was that the Snitch?" Lee Jordan's voice boomed across the stadium. "Gryffindor Seeker Harry Potter—a very talented first year, Gryffindor predicted to have the best team this year—"

"JORDAN!"

"—Sorry, Professor! Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs both dive for the ball— Seeker Higgs being taken over by Seeker Potter—"

Flint flew in front of Harry, causing Harry's broom to be knocked off course and spinning Harry out of control.

"FOUL!" The Gryffindor supporters screamed enraged at the cheap shot.

Lee Jordan was dancing in the stands, just out of reach from Professor McGonagall as he was yelling obscenities into the microphone at Flint for being a cheat. Madam Hooch was angrily pointing and speaking to Flint.

"Looks like Madam Hooch is scolding Flint—as he should be ashamed of himself!" Lee Jordan said. "Free shot for Gryffindor against Slytherin! So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating—"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall growled, after giving up trying to take the microphone from him.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul—"

"Jordan, I'm warning you—"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Pansy's voice entered Meadow's ears, "It's so funny how she thinks anyone would like her. The only reason anyone talks to her is for her daddy." Millicent's low laugh joined Pansy's high one. "You don't find that funny, Tracey?" Pansy said.

"I do—"

"Don't lie!" Pansy shrieked at the girl. "What did you say the other day?" She pushed Tracey.

"Will you just drop it!" Daphne turned around, anger seething from her. "We're trying to watch the game!"

"You want in on this too Ice Princess?" Pansy mocked her using the nickname the Slytherins had given Daphne due to the girl's ability to narrow her eyes and stop a conversation. "Please, tell me about why you befriended Snake—I mean, Snape."

"Sure," Daphne responded harshly. "Meadow's my best friend because she's not a wretched, spiteful, bloody mess of a person like you!"

"What's going on with Harry's broom?" Meadow yelled out suddenly, pulling Daphne's attention back to the Quidditch Pitch.

Harry's broom was trying to buck him off. It was zig-zagging through the air and making violent swishing movements which almost unseated him. But Harry was holding on with all his might, Meadow grabbed a pair of binoculars from Bhu.

"Slytherin in possession – Flint with the Quaffle – passes Spinnet – passes Bell – hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose – only joking, Professor – Slytherin score – oh no..."

Everyone around Meadow erupted into cheers, as she watched Harry's broom rise higher and higher, jerking and twitching as it went. "What is he doing?" Meadow groaned to herself.

"Who? Potter?" Draco's voice said next to her, his eyes dancing with delight. "Can't even control his broom. Serves him right."

"What are you doing?" Meadow snapped at him. "Harry's broom was fine earlier in the game. Do you think something happened to it when Flint blocked him?"

"No way," Theo said darkly. "Nothing can interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic." His eyes grew almost black in color. "No student here could do it, unless they wanted to get caught of course."

At these words, Meadow used Bhu's binoculars and scanned the stands. Immediately finding Professor Quirrell staring up at Harry with unblinking eyes, his lips moving. Meadow rolled her eyes, Professor Quirrell was the DADA teacher, he was probably just trying to save Harry from whatever jinx was being used on Harry's broom. She continued back on her search and didn't have to look very far. Not five feet away from Professor Quirrell, her father was one row up, eyes not blinking and lips muttering under his breath.

"Why am I not surprised," Meadow exclaimed, her anger rising higher. She looked back at Harry, who's broom gave a massive, wild jerk and Harry came tumbling off it, barely managing to hold onto his broom with one hand.

"You shouldn't be," Pansy's voice said, which snapped something in Meadow as the other girl continued. "Honestly, why did you even get sorted into Slytherin? You should have been in any other house then here."

"Excuse me?" Meadow asked, her eyes blinking as Pansy wasn't making any sense.

"Let me spell this out for you: YOU. DON'T. BELONG." A smug look was plastered upon the girl's face as she crossed her arms over her chest, believing she 'won'. "You're just a traitor."

"Wow, that's rich coming from you," Meadow snapped at Pansy and stood up on the bench, so she was level with her. "Is there anything you're actually good at? As far as I can tell, you're only good at one thing: making a fool of yourself. How many times do you think about me, envisioning an argument in your head?" She shook her head. "It's pathetic, Parkinson."

"What's even more pathetic is you believing that Higgs would even want to date you," Pansy responded angrily.

"The Weasley twins are trying to save Potter—" Lee Jordan's voice yelled frantically across the stadium. "But Potter's broom keeps getting higher and higher! Best to drop back—ah and they did!"

Meadow laughed, coldly and harshly. "What's lower than pathetic? Oh, that's right, you are. Bloody hell, Parkinson. Can't you get a hint? Stop talking to me. Stop trying to make me look like the bad guy here. Just stop. This is absolutely ridiculous. You have no idea how to insult people, let alone bully people. Do you have any idea how many people think you're a blathering idiot?"

"I'm a blathering idiot?" Pansy shrieked. "You should hear what people say about you behind your—"

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" bellowed Meadow as she whipped out her wand. "Shut the bloody hell up or I will do it for you!" There was only one spell that Meadow knew of, Petrificus Totalus, a full body-bind curse that she read about in the DADA book. But it would do if Pansy stopped talking to her and Meadow could get back to watching Harry hang onto his broom.

Pansy paled at the sight of Meadow's wand, she turned on her heel and disappeared. Millicent and Tracey followed her. Meadow turned back around to watch Harry's broom continue to try and buck him off. She glanced through the binoculars at her dad again and saw Hermione's bushy hair shove passed Professor Quirrell, who went headfirst into the front row. Suddenly, a fire broke out by her father, who looked away from Harry. The next moment it was gone. But it was enough to break the eye contact. Meadow caught sight of Harry, he swung up to his broom and took off towards the ground.

In the blink of an eye, Harry clapped a hand to his mouth, as if he was about to be sick—hit the pitch on all fours—his broom darting off before landing a good twenty feet away—Harry coughed – and something gold fell into his hand.

Harry shot his hand up, firmly grasping the Snitch, and waved it above his head. "WHAT IS THIS?" Lee Jordan's voice screamed excitedly. "Potter caught the Snitch! One hundred and seventy points to sixty! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" The game ended in complete confusion. The Gryffindor supporters cheering and going wild and the Slytherin supporters screaming in protest.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it!" Flint howled at Madam Hooch, begging her to change her mind on the matter, still nearly twenty minutes after the game was called. However, the referee didn't budge, and sent the Slytherin Quidditch team off the field. Terence's head hung. Meadow used the binoculars to spot where the Gryffindors went off too, she wanted to congratulate Harry on his first game. She watched as Harry, Hermione, Shane, and Ron headed off with Hagrid towards the little hut on the edge of the forest.

"Blimey, Doe," Daphne's voice was small. "I didn't think you'd pull your wand on her."

Meadow sighed, expecting to get reamed from her friends. "It was bloody brilliant," Theo said. "Wow. I mean seriously. Parkinson finally got what was coming to her."

Meadow looked at him incredulously. The next few minutes passed by in a blur, until she reached Hagrid's hut where she knocked.

Shane opened the door and peaked his head around. "Oh, Meadow. Good—we were just wondering if you'd show up."

"'Course," she responded. "I had to come congratulate Harry." Meadow stepped inside the small hut. She and Shane joined the other four at the large table. "Nice job on handling that broom!" She said to Harry. "I can't believe you managed to hang on. Granted, it was quite stupid to try and jinx a broom during a match. As if the other Professors wouldn't have stepped in."

"It was Snape," Ron blurted out, eyes wide and on Meadow.

"Rubbish," Hagrid said. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

The group looked around at each other before Harry's eyes landed on Meadow, he nodded. "I overheard him last night," Meadow said, and everyone's attention snapped to her. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween. It bit him. . ."

"We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding," Harry added.

Hagrid dropped the teapot with a loud clatter. "How do you know about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?"

"That thing has a name?"

"Yeah – he's mine – bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year – I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the –"

"Yes?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," Hagrid said gruffly. "I shouldn' have said that. That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it," Hermione insisted.

"Rubbish," Hagrid said again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So, why'd he just try and kill Harry?" Meadow cried and Hermione was nodding along frantically.

"Exactly," Hermione added. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" Hagrid replied hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all five of yeh – yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel –"

"Aha!" Harry exclaimed jumping up. "So, there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself. "Out now, all of yeh! I shouldn' have said that," he scolded himself. "I shouldn' have said that." He opened the door and ushered them out of the cabin.

As the group walked up to the castle, they discussed what just happened. Meadow quickly found out that Ron was pulled into this madness as well. Which, after being saved by him from the troll, Meadow wasn't too upset about it.

"I swear I've heard of Nicolas Flamel before," said Harry as they hiked up the hill towards the stone circle and bridge.

"It does ring a bell from somewhere," Meadow mouthed over.

"I can't remember where I read it from," Hermione added.

The three looked over at Shane and Ron who were whispering to each other about something. "Don't worry, we don't have a clue," Ron said with a shrug and Shane nodded with a grim look upon his face.

"Clearly it's something important though," Meadow replied. "Did you see the look on Hagrid's face? He was furious with himself for letting it slip."

"Whatever it is," Harry said finally and sternly, "We have to protect it from Snape."

The other four nodded in agreement. "We should figure out what exactly it is," Hermione said. "Otherwise, how else are we supposed to protect it?"

This was true. Whatever it was that Meadow's father was trying to steal, it had to be important and dangerous.

-.-.-.

Meadow bid farewell to the Gryffindors as they split off at the Grand Entrance, going up the staircases to the seventh floor while Meadow headed down the stairs to the dungeons. Upon entering through the sliding wall, Meadow was met with a gloomy atmosphere from the loss of Slytherin. As she walked further into the common room, she saw it mostly empty apart from a few glum-looking students in front of the fire. And then Meadow's eyes found one of the people she didn't want to see. Her father.

"Miss Snape," he drawled. "If you will follow me back to my office, there is an incident we must talk about."

Meadow narrowed her eyes at him. She lost any sort of trust she had left in him after today's match. But he didn't wait for a response as he walked past her, back through the sliding wall and into the corridor.

Begrudgingly Meadow followed him. They walked in silence as Meadow glared at the back of her father's head. It was not a very far walk, as being Head of House, their bedchambers had to be nearby their respected common rooms. It was just luck that her father had his office attached to his room.

"What's this incident about?" She said as the two entered his office. It was a quite large room. It had a cold fireplace, despite the fire being lit; beside it were two chairs. A large, dark stained, oak desk sat in front of a line of shelves that held bottles of what seemed to be random clutter. One shelf across the whole back wall contained a row of large glass jars filled with bits of animals and plants floating in potions of various colors. There were many other little glass jars filled with smaller bits of plants or just potions. On the left-hand wall, there was a door leading to his own private stock of Potions ingredients. On the right-hand wall, there was a second door leading to his private bedchamber and lavatory. There was also a round table with two chairs pushed against the corner closest to the office door.

"You pulled your wand on another student," Snape said seriously, looking cross with her. "Dueling and fighting are against school rules."

"I didn't do anything to her!" Meadow exclaimed. "Besides, Parkinson provoked me! Kept saying I wasn't a true Slytherin and anyone who was friends with me was to get onto your good side! Said I should go join the Gryffindors since I'm so chummy with them and that I don't belong in Slytherin."

He raised his hand. "Enough," he growled out. "I already talked to your friends, as they were very eager to jump to your defense."

"Then why am I here?" Meadow spat out hotly. Her face grew warm with anger. Anger from this conversation. Anger towards her father. Anger towards Pansy Parkinson and her tattle-tail, stupid face. "If there is no reason to punish me, then why am I here?"

"You cannot threaten another student!" The eldest Snape roared, placing his hands on his desk and leaning towards her, his face twisted in fury. "You will serve detention with me for the next week. And five points from Slytherin for your complete lack of understanding basic rules."

"BASIC RULES," Meadow screamed, crossing her arms over her chest. "And what of Parkinson? Does she get detention to for BULLYING?"

"Miss Parkinson is none of your concern," Snape spat out. He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, he was annoyed. Meadow knew that from his body language. He would always pinch his nose in frustration.

Meadow watched him, seething on the inside. "I don't want to serve detention with you. I'd rather face that three-headed dog that bit you," she finally snarled before turning on her heel and marching out of the office feeling like she won a price.

-.-.-.