-Chapter Nine-

Gryffindor versus Slytherin

November fell upon Hogwarts and brought with it cold weather and Quidditch season. Meredith wrapped her red Gryffindor scarf tighter around her neck.

It was the day before Harry's first quidditch match. Meredith was sitting with Harry in the courtyard as he read the copy of Quidditch through the Ages that Hermione had gotten him from the library. Meredith had had to tell him to shut up when he started telling her about how many different ways you can get a foul. There were seven hundred.

The four friends now spent all their time together. Hermione managing to get them all through their homework made her Meredith's favourite of the group, otherwise she'd have been sent home shortly after Halloween for her poor grades.

Another thing Meredith loved Hermione for, was her little blue fires that she made for them all to warm their hands.

"Ron, stop hogging all the heat," snapped Meredith.

They saw Snape making his way across the yard. Hermione sweeped up the small flame, closing it into a jar and tucked it in her robe.

"What's that you got there," remarked Snape with his low nasally voice.

Harry showed him the book.

Snape tutted. "Library books are not meant to be taken outside." He snatched the book away.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Potter."

"Is that even a rule," muttered Harry, too low for Snape's retreating figure to hear.

"Did you notice his limp?" Harry continued, "I wonder what's wrong with his leg."

"I don't know but I hope it hurts like hell." said Ron bitterly.

That evening the four of them sat around the fireplace, Meredith working through her charms homework with Hermione, peeking at her scroll to see Hermione's essay. The noise in the common room was at an all time high and Meredith was finding it difficult to concentrate.

An escape came when Harry stood up, saying he was going to get his book back from Snape. Meredith decided this would be a great way to not only spend time with Harry, but also try and find Mafalda. She missed her sister.

"Your funeral, mate," Ron said, pulling over Hermione's scroll- which she promptly pulled back.

"I'll come with you, Harry," Meredith said, "I need a break from all this noise."

They exited the portrait hole together and walked towards the staff room, it was halfway towards where Meredith suspected the Slytherin dorms were.

"Is this really a good idea or are you just too restless and can't stop thinking about tomorrow?" Meredith asked slyly.

Harry sighed, "I do want my book back but yeah tomorrow is pretty terrifying to me."

"You'll do great!"

"Thanks Meredith I-"

"Just don't fall off your broom and plummet to your death," she finished sweetly.

"Thanks," groaned Harry, voice dripping with sarcasm.

They got to the corridor leading to the staff room.

"I'll see you later, Harry- I'm going to try and find Mafalda."

Harry looked at her with sympathy, knowing how difficult she found it to speak with her sister.

"Good luck," he said.

Meredith went deeper into the castle, wandering around the dungeons aimlessly.

She was just about to give up and head back to Gryffindor tower when she heard a voice go:

"Meri?"

Mafalda stood at the end of the corridor with Theodor Nott. She sent him away and walked closer.

"What are you doing down here?" she asked incredulously.

"I wanted to see you!" Meredith said lightly, trying to pretend that things were as easy between them as it used to be.

"Oh… right- well, was it for something specific? Did mom write another letter?"

"I just thought we could… hang out?" said Meredith lamely.

Mafalda looked skeptical but to Meredith's surprise she didn't automatically turn away, instead she led Meredith to an empty classroom and sat at one of the benches.

"Alright then," she said promptly, "let's hang out."

Meredith rolled her eyes.

"So you're friends with the famous Harry Potter now?" Mafalda enquired.

"Yeah, I'm guessing you heard about the troll?"

"Everyone heard about the troll."

"Well, we've been friends since then." Meredith smiled.

"That Granger is your friend too," Mafalda sneered, "Malfoy said she's a mudblood."

"Malfoy shouldn't say things like that," Meredith said crossly, "and neither should you."

Mafalda ignored her. "I've also heard things about our cousins. Did you know that they're looked down upon by a lot of the Wizarding community?"

"So? They're our family." Meredith was getting increasingly unhappy with the direction of this conversation.

"So, I've been trying my hardest to be accepted in Slytherin but it's difficult when not only are we related to the Weasleys but our father is a squib and our mother is a muggle." Mafalda had started pacing the classroom. "For the first couple months I was stuck between being friends with people to them debating whether I was technically a half-blood or a mudblood. And being your sister doesn't make it any easier for me."

"Me? What have I done- you should have told me what was happening!" Meredith stopped Mafalda from pacing another lap, trying to catch her eye.

"You're in stupid Gryffindor! And you fawn after Potter all the time. I can't exactly be all buddy buddy with you and be a loyal Slytherin."

"You're saying that you choose Slytherin over being my sister." Meredith blinked her eyes quickly, holding back tears.

"If you want to put it so bluntly- yes, I guess I do choose Slytherin."

Meredith didn't know what to say. Mafalda seemed to be waiting for a response and once she realised that Meredith wasn't going to give her one she turned to leave.

She paused at the door and said, "I'll always love you, Meri- you're my sister- but at school maybe we can just give each other space. It's just easier that way."

Meredith felt the tears slip down her cheeks, and she turned away from her sister.

"I love you too," she said, but it was too late. Mafalda had already left.

The next morning Meredith woke up with sore eyes and a headache. She struggled to sleep all night, thinking not only about Mafalda, but also the information Harry and the gang had told her when she'd gotten back to the tower. She had made sure to have dry eyes and a smile when she went back in so they didn't hesitate to tell her that Harry heard Snape say that he tried to get past the three headed dog but got bitten. Meredith had forced herself to listen enthusiastically but at the time all she wanted to do was curl up somewhere and feel sorry for herself.

"You look terrible," said Hermione, as they got dressed for the Quidditch Match. "What's the matter?"

"Couldn't sleep. I had nightmares about a three headed Snape," lied Meredith.

She didn't feel like talking about last night yet, no matter how much it would help. They went down to breakfast together, Hermione shooting concerned looks at Meredith every so often.

They were both easily distracted by how nervous Harry looked. He was staring straight down at his toast, seemingly unable to eat anything. Ron was currently trying to convince him to just take a bite.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get nobbled first."

"Thanks Seamus," Harry responded, staring vacantly as Seamus drowned his sausages in ketchup.

Meredith punched Seamus on the shoulder. "What a stupid thing to say, idiot."

He rubbed his arm and gave Meredith a dirty look.

Eleven o'clock meant the team had to get up and make their way down to the pitch.

"Good luck Harry!" Hermione yelled.

A few moments later the rest of the hall started making their way outside, everyone wanting a good seat for the match.

Meredith, Hermione and Ron were walking down the lawn to the pitch when Neville slid up next to Meredith.

"Hey Meredith," he said hesitantly.

Meredith smiled in response, not willing to engage too much in case he went back to following her around again.

"I just wanted to tell you that I heard some of your conversation last night with your sister and-"

"Neville!" Meredith stopped and pulled him off the path, waving for Ron and Hermione to keep walking. "That was a private conversation. What were you even doing down there?"

He blushed. "I saw you and Harry and I wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything dangerous… and then when you went in the room with your sister, I worried that she'd hurt you because…"

"... Because she's a slytherin," sighed Meredith, finishing his sentence. "I don't appreciate being spied on Neville, even if you thought you were just being a good friend."

"I know," he said glumly, "the reason I wanted to tell you was because I wanted to say I'm sorry that she treated you that way and that I… ah… think you're great."

Now Meredith was blushing alongside him. She forced a smile.

"Thanks Nev," she said, ready for this conversation to be over. "Let's go find space near Ron and Hermione- oh, and don't mention this to anyone else, yeah?"

He nodded enthusiastically, promising to not say a word. They made their way up to the stands together and found that Hermione had saved them a seat. Meredith ignored the inquisitive look Hermione gave her and Ron ignored them all- he was too busy talking to Seamus and Dean about the game.

From either side of the pitch, Gryffindor and Slytherin made their way to Madam Hooch in the centre of the field. The captains shook hands as Madam Hooch warned them to play a clean game and then she blew the whistle. The two teams took to the air in a blur of red and green. Meredith watched Harry pace back and forth on the pitch, searching for the snitch.

"'Scuse me- budge up there," Meredith heard a voice say, barely registering that it was Hagrid over the cheering voices. Gryffindor had just scored.

"Hullo Hagrid!" yelled Meredith happily as he sat behind her and Hermione.

"Good day for a match, innit?" he gruffed in greeting. "Still no sign of the snitch?"

"Not yet," responded Ron distractedly.

Way up above them Harry still slowly zig zagged his way around the field, making sure to avoid other players. Fred flew up there to stop a bludger from hitting him, and Ron roared an insult at the slytherin beater who hit the bludger at Harry.

Suddenly there was a rush of silence as Harry saw the snitch and dropped rapidly towards it. Meredith had her hands over her mouth as the Slytherin seeker, Terence Higgs, joined Harry in his descent. It was looking like Harry would catch the snitch when- WHAM!- Flint, the Slytherin Captain, blocked him and Harry's broom flew wildly off course.

Meredith joined Ron in his cursing at Flint.

"Foul!" yelled the Gryffindors.

"Give him a red card, ref!" Dean Thomas yelled. "Send him off!"

"That's not a thing, Dean! This isn't football," reminded Ron.

Hagrid agreed with Dean though.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda killed Harry with a move like that."

Meredith heard the twins friend, Lee Jordan- who did the commentary for the match, go on a tirade against the Slytherin captain.

"Now after such disgusting-"

"Jordan!" McGonagall's angry voice came through the microphone.

"Sorry Professor- after that shameful and revolting-"

"Jordan I'm warning you!"

"Alright, alright. After nearly killing the Gryffindor seeker- which can happen to anyone, I'm sure- Gryffindor gets a penalty. Which Spinnet lines up to take - she moves forward and - GRYFFINDOR SCORE! And we are back in play…"

Meredith watched the game continue, groaning along with the other Gryffindors when Slytherin managed to score a few moments later.

The Slytherins cheered loudly. Meredith looked up at Harry and frowned, he seemed to be losing control of his broom.

"What's Harry playin' at,'' Hagrid said, just as confused as Meredith. "If I didn't know any better I'd say he'd lost control of his broom."

People all over the stands started to notice Harry's weird behaviour. Hermione screamed when the broom did such a violent jerk that Harry was left hanging off of it. The broom continued to buck and roll, Meredith just waiting for the moment it threw Harry off completely.

"What's wrong with it?" gasped Meredith, hand clutched over her chest. "Did it happen when Flint blocked Harry?"

Hagrid shook his head. "Only powerful Dark Magic can tamper with a broom- no kid could do that."

Hermione grabbed Ron's binoculars and started frantically looking through the crowd.

"Snape!" she crowed. "Look at what he's doing!"

Ron grabbed the binoculars back. Snape had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering in a constant stream of words.

"It looks like he's doing something- jinxing the broom." Hermione explained.

"What do we do?"

"Leave it to me," she said and she pushed through the stands.

"Be careful!" Meredith yelled at her back.

Hermione made her way over to where Snape was sitting, a few other teachers in the stand too.

Meredith lost sight of her when she saw Hermione drop down to her knees. She didn't manage to see Hermione set Snape's robe on fire, which caused the whole stand to have a moment of panic- with students and teachers alike bumping into each other. Meredith would have laughed at Quirrell almost toppling over the seat in front of him if she hadn't been worriedly staring at Harry.

But Meredith needed not worry because it seemed that Hermione's plan had worked. Harry climbed back onto his broom and went into a dive, speeding towards the ground. Meredith watched Harry as he reached forward and rolled off his broom. He sat up and coughed once, looking happily at whatever he'd spat into his hand. Then he raised his fist and the crowd saw the tiny, gold snitch fluttering in his grasp.

The Gryffindor's went wild- Meredith even squeezing Neville in a tight hug. Hermione ran back over to them.

"That was mental, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.

"Well," she said proudly, "don't say I never do anything nice- but please, never let me set a teacher on fire again."

Meredith pulled Hermione into a tight hug.

They laughed and cheered with their housemates as they went and congratulated Harry. His first Quidditch match and it would be the most talked about game of the century- The Boy Who Nearly Swallowed the Snitch.

After a lot of back slaps and hugs, Harry and the gang went to Hagrid's for some tea. Meredith listened raptly as Harry went over and over the game with Ron and Hagrid- Hermione already having gotten bored, was sitting on the floor petting Fang.

Harry finally got to the part where his broom went rogue.

"I'd never felt anything like it," he said.

"It was Snape," Ron explained, "We saw him. He was jinxing it, muttering under his breath, and he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish!" scoffed Hagrid, "why would a professor jinx a student's broom."

The four of them shared a look. Silently debating if they should say something.

"I know something about him," Harry said hesitantly, "I know he tried to get past the three headed dog on Halloween. It bit his leg and that's why he was limping. We think he wants whatever the dog is guarding."

Hagrid dropped the tea pot.

"How do you know about fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?" laughed Meredith, "that's really not a fitting name, Hagrid."

"He's mine- I won him off a Greek fella I met in the pubs las' year- I leant him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"I ain't saying anymore," Hagrid said gruffly, "that's top secret, that ii."

"But Snape's trying to steal it!" said Meredith.

"No he wouldn't- he's a Professor."

"Then why did he try to kill Harry!" cried Hermione.

She had clearly changed her mind on what a Hogwarts teacher would and wouldn't do.

"I'm tellin' you all now- Snape didn't try ta kill Harry. You lot had best listen, this is none of ya business and you would do well to just leave it be- you're meddlin' in things that are dangerous. You forget that dog and you forget what it's guarding. That's between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel-"

"Aha!" said Harry. "So there's someone called Nicholas Flamel involved then."

Hagrid looked furious with himself- he looked likely to throw them all out.