It was the middle of June by the time Silverstone McLaren finally caught the Golden Snitch. Ravenclaw won the match by two million, eight hundred thousand and twenty points. McLaren was hoping to win by three million, but was told by Montague that if the Snitch wasn't caught soon, then there wouldn't be enough time to play the remaining matches, and thus she would not win the Quiditch Cup.
"I don't know why she seems so sulky about it" James muttered, when they were finally allowed to practise without the Ravenclaw beaters getting in the way. "If the Hogwarts Records Book is correct, then that is still by far the biggest victory a Hogwarts team has ever achieved in quiditch."
"Just winning isn't enough for her" Patricia replied. "She wanted to crush her."
"We were caught off-guard by her this year" said Benedict. "But next year, we know what to expect from her."
The Gryffindor team focussed all their attention on preparing for next year's rematch against Ravenclaw, as Slytherin were too poor for them to need to come up with a strategy for them. Even if the match did turn out to be a freak result, nobody had any doubt that Ravenclaw would win the Quiditch Cup. Their match against Hufflepuff was played first, and McLaren was riding on her Firebolt again.
"Never have I heard so much booing at the start of a match" commented Hugh Jordan.
James found it very hard to disagree, as even most of the Ravenclaws were booing McLaren, since they were all still angry at her for ruining their chances for the House Cup. Despite James' fears that the game would be played dirty, McLaren was in no mood to mess around. With her incredibly fast Firebolt, she caught the Snitch in around two minutes; before either side had any chance to score a goal.
"Let her have her fun now" said Patricia bitterly. "It will be all the more sweeter when we get our own back next year."
Hazel Macmillan tried to congratulate McLaren for her victory; but her kindness was rewarded by McLaren spitting at her, and laughing afterwards. Darren Crawford ran down onto the pitch, and gave McLaren a high five.
"They'll pay for this" he muttered.
Sebastian Gorren did not go and see the game, saying that he wanted some time to think. The rest of the team reported back to him in the common room after the match had ended. James thought Sebastian had aged fifty years since the start of the year. He was showing less and less of his old carefree self, and after the Darren's reveal, he barely talked to anyone.
"What's wrong with you?" demanded Patricia. "You look like you've been drunk on butter beer for weeks now."
"I am a devoted Gryffindor" said Sebastian. "You know that don't you."
"You can take your loyalty a bit far, but you do show a lot of love for your house" agreed Benedict.
"I thought for years now, the Slytherin threat was gone from Hogwarts" Sebastian went on. "I thought ever since Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort, Slytherin's reign of terror here has ended."
"Can we stop blaming everything bad that happens her on Slytherin" begged Benedict.
"But I was wrong" continued Sebastian, ignoring Benedict. "When I first came here at Hogwarts, I saw that empty Slytherin table, and thought to myself that justice is finally arriving."
"Right…" James muttered.
"But what has actually happened, is that the people who should have been placed in Slytherin are being put into other houses" Sebastian elaborated. "We have Slytherins in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and most disgustingly Gryffindor; how is that not messed up."
"What on earth are you on about?" Patricia demanded.
"I remember Darren Crawford's sorting" snapped Sebastian. "The Sorting Hat took forever to decide where he was supposed to end up."
"He said that it was between Hufflepuff and Slytherin" James explained.
"Do you really think that Crawford is a Hufflepuff" scoffed Sebastian. "Even if we ignore everything he did as the Traitor of Gryffindor, he was terrified that his football awards wouldn't make it into his dormitory. Would a Hufflepuff be so scared that they couldn't show off how great they were at sport?"
"You have a point" James admitted.
"Exactly" Sebastian shouted. "The Sorting Hat was going to place Crawford in Slytherin, but changed its mind because Crawford didn't want to make his allegiances so obvious."
"Sebastian, you're talking nonsense" stated Benedict.
"If I'm talking nonsense, then why did Crawford lie about what house he was considered for?" Sebastian argued aggressively.
"He probably heard some people talk negatively about Slytherin" theorised Patricia. "He probably overheard someone talk crap about them all the time, and didn't want to be bullied by those sorts of people."
"Regardless of the reason, these Slytherins must be stopped" declared Sebastian. "Next Saturday is our final match. It's about time someone puts Slytherin in their place."
"Realistically, anyone can do that considering how rubbish their team is" smirked Corner.
"I don't just mean on the pitch" said Sebastian. "Next Saturday, I will ensure that no Slytherin dares to confront Gryffindor ever again."
"Is he talking mad?" asked Jackson during breakfast the following morning.
"He still thinks that Slytherin are behind everything" James sighed with astonishment. "God knows what he's planning for the final match."
"Looking forward to your last match Potter?" sneered Silverstone McLaren who had just walked up to the Gryffindor table.
"Yes I am actually" replied James. "I'm sure the crowd are looking forward to a match between two respectable sides."
"Just a shame that neither of them are any good" McLaren taunted.
"Sit back at your own table please McLaren" ordered Professor Longbottom, who had rushed over before any fighting broke out.
McLaren blew a kiss at James, then went back to her table.
"I feel so bad for Silverstone" said Darren cruelly. "To be fancied by someone like you; it's insulting really is it."
"It's a good job then that the Ministry of Magic has made it illegal to have relationships with blast ended skrewts" Jackson replied loudly.
Darren snarled, and returned to his porridge before he could accidently insult McLaren any further. A few minutes later, the owl post came flying down. James didn't receive anything, but Jackson received a letter with the Gringotts seal on. The last time James saw an envelope like that, was when Teddy Lupin was told that his access to the Lestrange vault was removed.
"This must be the result of Gringotts' investigation over your birth" James explained.
"Hurry up and read it" begged Bella.
Several other peopled realised what was going on, and were gathered round Jackson to hear about the news. This included Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley. James knew that their hearts would have stopped beating the moment they saw the seal.
"Dear Jackson Michael Lestrange. We regret to inform you that despite the most in depth investigation ever conducted by the Wizarding Ancestors Department, we were unable to trace your family tree. All of the know Lestranges have had their family trees examined, and we cannot find any proof that you are related to any of them. We can therefore conclude that your surname is merely coincidental, and you will not be granted access to the Lestrange family vault."
Teddy Lupin was trying very hard to both sigh with relief, and act sympathetically at the same time.
"I'm sorry about the news" he said to Jackson.
"No, it's fine" Jackson replied back. "Honestly I decided ages ago that if I did win the vault, I'd give it all to you."
"How long ago was ages?" asked Bella suspiciously.
"About a minute" teased Jackson. "In all seriousness, I'm happy that you and Victoire can go on your around the world trip."
"Thanks Jackson" replied Teddy. "Just so you know, if you ever need some help…"
"I'm not going to take money out of your vault" declared Jackson.
"In case you need help buying school supplies for your future" said Teddy. "Orphans aren't usually very rich. I was lucky to have been distantly related to a rich death eater."
"And dad" James butted in. "Don't you think that you got through Hogwarts solely because of Bellatrix."
"Maybe Harry did have a small input" Teddy grinned.
"Thanks for the offer Ted" said Jackson.
"Jackson Lestrange" Sebastian Gorren shouted from across the table. "Come over here, I want to tell you something."
"Just when I thought my day was going well" muttered Jackson, and left his seat to meet Sebastian.
He walked back about a minute later, looking confused and slightly dazed.
"What did my cousin want?" asked Bella.
"He's giving me a chance on the team" gasped Jackson. "He's going to give me a shot to see what I can do against Slytherin. Not in a seeker role" he added briefly, as he saw James look slightly worried. "No, I'm replacing Patricia for one match."
"What were you saying about Sebastian being mad earlier?" asked James slyly.
"Screw you" Jackson grinned, and he, James and Bella all started laughing together.
By two o'clock in the morning, almost all of the Gryffindors were fast asleep. Collins, one of Gryffindor's beaters were still awake, and was sitting next to the fire. He was told after breakfast to wait until everyone else had gone to bed, but annoyingly a sixth year couple decided to spend some after midnight hours embracing each other, before returning to their respective dormitories.
"About damn time" muttered Collins quietly, as the doors finally shut. "I was hoping to be in bed by twelve."
"I'm sorry about the delay, but I can't talk about this in public" hissed Sebastian.
"What's this about anyway?" asked Collins.
"It's about our revenge against the Slytherins" Sebastian replied quietly but gleefully. "We both know that Silverstone McLaren is a Slytherin who got placed in Ravenclaw by accident."
"I thought the Slytherins hated McLaren" muttered Collins. "She was the one who bribed Bletchley by snogging him."
"I can assure you that the Slytherins were laughing when Potter got beaten up" argued Sebastian. "McLaren and Crawford may have been punished for it, but it was all done in the spirit of Slytherin."
"Are we going to get to anything important?" moaned Collins. "I'm getting tired.
"I'm actually going to punish Slytherin for what they've done" explained Sebastian. "They may have beaten up Potter, but it will be Gryffindor who'll have the last laugh."
"How do you plan on doing that?" asked Collins curiously.
"An eye for an eye" answered Sebastian. "Or in this case, an eye for an even bigger eye. They beat up Potter; I'll beat up a Slytherin back. I'm going to put Patricia on the bench for a game, and I will take her place as second beater."
"I don't like the sound of what you're planning Sebastian" said Collins. "But even if I did, how can you possibly repeat what McLaren did. McLaren gave James a broomstick that didn't work, and had two professional beaters to rebound the Bludgers off his back."
"Who said anything about Bludgers?" asked Sebastian. "I'm going to be using the old fashioned method. A metal club with a disguise spell on it, to make it look like a proper wooden one."
"Carrying a metal club will get us disqualified" protested Collins. "And using any club to hit a Slytherin player will just give them a penalty."
"Haven't you heard what I told you a few days ago?" said Sebastian darkly. "We have Slytherins leaking into other houses. People who should be in Slytherin, have made their way into Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and sadly even Gryffindor."
Collins had to stare at Sebastian for several seconds, before realising what Sebastian's plan was.
"Lestrange" he gasped.
"Now you understand" Sebastian grinned.
"Sebastian, this is insane" shouted Collins, no longer caring if he wakes anyone up. "Jackson Lestrange is a Gryffindor."
"Jackson Lestrange is a Slytherin in disguise" argued Sebastian. "He was on the train with Darren Crawford when they came to Hogwarts. I see it now, it was him who corrupted Crawford, and manipulated him to become the Traitor of Gryffindor."
"Don't be stupid Sebastian" Collins begged. "Jackson's just a twelve year old kid. Do what you're planning, and you'll just be as bad as McLaren."
"Do not compare my actions with that of a Slytherin" Sebastian yelled. "They started it when they beat up Potter; I am only providing the justice that I know he wants."
"Slytherin had nothing to do with this, and you are trying to convince yourself that they did" stated Collins. "I'm going to speak to Professor Longbottom about this first thing when I wake up."
"I had a feeling this might happen Collins" sighed Sebastian.
"Goodnight" said Collins angrily.
"There's a Collins on the Ravenclaw team too is there not" said Sebastian.
Collins was about to get up from his seat, but froze when he heard his brother being mentioned.
"Leave my brother out of this" he ordered.
"You are in your final year" Sebastian noted. "But Ravenclaw Collins looks a lot younger, and I still have one more year to go."
"Are you threatening him?" asked Collins.
"I do know some rather unpleasant spells" replied Sebastian. "And I do know how to cast them without being seen."
"Sebastian, you bastard" Collins snapped.
"I don't want to hurt your brother" explained Sebastian. "And I'm not asking you to join me. Just that when the time comes, you stay out of my way."
Collins was gripping the arm of his chair so furiously, Sebastian was worried that he'd crush it. He was about to tell him that his threat was nothing personal, when the door to girls' dormitory opened, and Victoire Weasley came inside dressed in her pyjamas and dressing gown.
"What the hell is going on down here?" she demanded crossly. "It's way past midnight, you should both be in bed."
"My apologies Victoire" said Sebastian. "We were just discussing quiditch tactics for the Slytherin game."
Collins didn't say anything, but glared at Sebastian with a clenched fist.
"Get back to bed both of you" ordered Victoire. "You can discuss your quiditch tactics in the morning."