A couple of weeks later was the first Quidditch match of the year, between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Marisa's efforts to persuade the team had not borne fruit just yet, and it was still Draco who was playing Seeker against Harry Potter. Marisa fully expected Slytherin to lose: Draco was good, but he wasn't as good as Potter.
As Draco was otherwise occupied, she was sitting next to Leo, watching as the teams mounted their brooms and the whistle blew.
Immediately a Bludger flew towards Potter, who dodged neatly. To Marisa's surprise, it spun in mid-air and flew back towards him again.
At first, she thought that it was just a coincidence, but five minutes later it was still headed at Potter. The Gryffindor Seeker had yet to be hit, but Marisa knew it couldn't be long before he was.
"Do you think it's been tampered with?" asked Leo.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" replied Marisa. "Of course it has!"
Leo glared at Marisa, who had leaned forward to watch the game.
"Hang on," she said quietly, "is that – by Draco's ear – "
It was, and she could see that Potter had spotted it too and was trying to work out how to get closer without alerting Draco.
"What?"
"The Snitch," she said, "idiot."
"Should we shout for Draco?"
"Honestly, Leo, what has happened to your brain today? We most certainly should not. Because," she went on impatiently, "if Draco misses this, Flint will be absolutely furious with him. Possibly even so furious that he'll kick him off the team…"
"And?" asked Leo, looking blankly at her.
"And a certain someone might be chosen to replace him."
"Who?"
"Okay," said Marisa, "you are definitely faking this. There is absolutely no way you'd be that clueless in reality."
Leo threw up his hands. "You got me. Did you really think I was serious?"
"No!" said Marisa, even though she had for a moment or two. She continued watching: the Bludger had just slammed into Potter's arm, and looked to have done some pretty painful damage, but he flew directly at Draco to catch the Snitch anyway.
However, having now lost his grip on the broom, Potter fell and hit the ground hard. As people rushed towards him, Marisa remarked dryly: "What is it about Potter, Quidditch and being sabotaged?"