Chapter 9.5: A New Player
Selected Listening: The Middle- Jimmy Eat World
Anastasia did everything in her power to convince Hermione to call off the Polyjuice potion. It was way too complicated, and it required stealing more things from Snape's cabinet than was worth the risk.
"Malfoy already said he's not the heir," Anastasia explained again as they sat on the floor of the second-floor girls' bathroom around their cauldron.
"Oh really? When did he convey this to you exactly? I had no idea you were on conversation terms with Draco Malfoy," Hermione said pointedly, placing her hands on her hips.
"Look, it was after quidditch practice…we were just talking." Anastasia looked away and flipped one of her bangs behind her ear.
"Slytherin and Gryffindor have different practice times—"
"Okay, okay, I went there on purpose, but we had to talk about how to manage us both playing quidditch at the same time," she brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them.
Hermione's expression softened slightly.
"What did you decide?" she asked.
Anastasia took a deep breath. She still didn't know how to admit to Hermione that she had stolen from Justin.
"We'll make do," she finally said, "take it easy. His parents still won't fill the prescription."
Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"It's unlikely we'll both have to play at the same time anyway. It's only if Harry gets hurt or sick," she excused.
"If you haven't noticed, Harry's not exactly the herald of good fortune," Hermione said, adding more ingredients to the cauldron. They were making the base of the potion today with the ingredients they had, and the knotgrass-leech mix bubbled with fervor.
Anastasia squirmed nervously.
"So, there's no chance we can shut this operation down?" she asked, staring at the simmering pot. Hermione capped the lacewing flies and looked up at her.
"Even if I did, what would we tell the boys? Oh, Anastasia's best friends with Draco Malfoy now and he told her he wasn't the heir, so we can trust that," Hermione shot at her with vitriol.
"We aren't best friends," Anastasia said bitterly, "and yes, we can trust that, because he thought I was the heir! He's just as confused as we are."
"He thought you were the heir?" Hermione asked. "You're not Slytherin."
"The person might not have to be. It could be literally anyone. That's why I'm saying, this potion is a bloody waste of time."
"Malfoy could have lied to throw you off!" Hermione shouted, throwing the empty bottle aside. "Anastasia, I suppose you have to trust him with your condition, but I don't. And at a time like this, I would rather be safe than dead…wouldn't you?"
Anastasia squeezed her eyes tight in frustration.
"Fine, but if this backfires, don't say I didn't warn you."
Anastasia collected her things and walked out.
The morning of the quidditch game arrived. Too excited to continue sleeping, Anastasia dawned her uniform and went downstairs before most of the castle had woken. She ate her breakfast quietly in the lonely great hall, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching her from the corners of the room. She glanced upward to all her old hiding spots where secret tunnels lead out to the rafters, but there was no one there.
"Green." The voice startled her, and she jumped to find Minnie there with an encouraging smile and a punch to the air. "Take 'em down."
"I'm probably not even playing." Anastasia tried to be humble despite her growing excitement showing through her bright smile. "And I thought you weren't talking to me," she said softly. Minnie's face fell. "It seems like you avoid me in class, and when I answer a question, you don't make eye contact." This behavior of the professor's had only begun recently, following the message on the wall.
Minerva sighed. "I'm sorry if I've given you that impression. The truth is…there's a lot to worry about these days with that thing wandering the castle. I'm half-blood myself. A quarter of the teaching staff is somewhat muggleborn and so is half the student body. Another attack may very well close the school down. We don't know."
It was an excuse. Another worry lurked behind her gaze, or maybe two or three.
The professor patted her on the shoulder, then looking around and realizing no one else had arrived yet, she threw her arms around Anastasia and said quietly in her ear.
"I love you, my dear. Never forget that."
Then she resumed her professorial stance and walked to the teachers' table. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but it made Anastasia fear more than ever before.
Eventually, the rest of the school joined them for breakfast. Hermione on her left, and Harry on her right. Ron across from them. They ate in excitement, but Anastasia couldn't help but let the foreboding overshadow her joy. Something horrible was bound to happen soon.
At eleven o'clock the whole school tromped down to the quidditch pitch, Gryffindor and Slytherin cheering and jeering the loudest. Anastasia couldn't help but smile to herself as she and the rest of the quidditch team broke of from the crowd. Fred and George chanting about lions eating snakes and the rest of the team chanting the response. It was truly her first game.
Anastasia held two hopes in her heart. That the medication she gave Draco would hold out for the both of them, and that Gryffindor would wipe the floor with Slytherin.
Oliver gave them a rousing speech in the bleachers before they walked out. Their red and gold uniforms sparkled in the sunlight as they walked onto the field. Anastasia took her place on the sidelines, standing at the bench and gripping the handle of her Nimbus 2000.
She smiled as the crowd roared. Lee announced the players.
"Playing for Slytherin today we have Captain and beater Marcus Flint and fellow beater Peregrine Derrick, chasers Adrian Pucey, Graham Montague, and Elias Mitchell, keeper Miles Bletchley, and debuting as their new seeker Draco Malfoy! It's certainly not because they're carrying new Malfoy-sponsored Nimbus 2001s."
The Gryffindor crowd jeered and the Slytherin crowed barked at the announcer's box.
"Jordan, objectivity please," McGonagall chastised.
"Right, Professor, sorry about that. On the Gryffindor side, we have Captain and keeper Oliver Wood; beaters Fred and George Weasley; chasers Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell; and seeker Harry Potter!" The crowd roared again. "And joining for the first time is newcomer reserve player, Anastasia Green. Who knows if we'll get to see her play today, but if things get grizzly out there, she'll be in for her quidditch debut!"
She received a supportive cheer from her friends. Despite his previous reservations, she saw grandfather beaming proudly in the stands, along with McGonagall clap her hands together delightedly.
Anastasia looked towards the field and briefly caught Draco's eyes as he stood broom to broom with Harry. He gave her a smirk and said something to Harry that made him sneer.
"On my whistle!" Madame Hooch shouted, reaching the center of the field, "Three, two, one."
The teams took off. Slytherin caught the quaffle first, and Angelina began to chase them down. Anastasia saw Harry shoot off in search of the snitch.
But the game immediately devolved into chaos.
A bludger soared towards Harry. George tracked it down and gave it a good hit across the field, but the ball turned around and went directly for Harry again.
This went on for five minutes before Oliver called a time out. The team sailed down to the field, and they circled up.
"The ball's been fixed." George said. "It's going straight for Harry, and bludgers shouldn't track players like that. The Slytherins probably snuck in the night before and tampered with them."
"But how?" Alicia asked. "They've been in Madame Hooch's office locked away."
"It doesn't matter now." Wood said. "We can't call off the game, it will be considered a forfeit. What we don't know is how it's been cursed…if it's only linked to Harry, Anastasia can still play seeker without a problem."
"I'm not afraid of a little bludger!" Harry snapped. "I'm going to play as long as I can. I want to beat Malfoy."
Oliver and the other teammates looked at each other with strained expressions.
"Fine. You can play for five more minutes. Fred and George, flank Harry on both sides. Protecting him is your priority—"
"No. I'll be fine on my own."
"Don't be stupid Harry," George ruffled his hair hard to Harry's chagrin.
"Fine. Fred, protect Harry; George, cover the others."
The twins saluted, and Oliver turned to Anastasia.
"If the timer passes five minutes, and we're still having the same problem, duck in and perform the replacement maneuver. Make sure Harry is out of bounds before going after the snitch."
She nodded sharply. The timeout ended, and they flew off again.
In the next 4 minutes and 58 seconds, Slytherin scored three goals, and Gryffindor one, the chasers still trying desperately to fend off the last bludger hit towards them by Marcus. The other bludger viciously sailed towards Harry again and again, Fred and George fending it off with all their energy.
A knot began to form in Anastasia's chest. It was time.
She mounted the broom and kicked off the ground, speeding towards the site of the chaos. She felt her chest tighten more and her vision began to shift. She couldn't breathe. No! She thought. They were using too much energy.
"Stasia's behind you," Fred told Harry as he hit the bludger away again. The boy with the lightening scar had paused. He was staring straight down at Draco Malfoy, who clutched his chest trying to breathe from his broom below. A glint of gold above his head.
"Harry, go," Anastasia said, her vision almost faded completely black as she said it. Though she meant, get off the bloody field, Harry seemed to take it differently.
Harry shot towards Malfoy and the snitch. Anastasia shot after him. If he caught the ball while she was still in the field boundaries, it would be the same as forfeiting. The rouge bludger turned and now shot straight for Harry's outstretched arm.
It hit. Harry spiraled. Anastasia shifted her weight, booting him past Malfoy, out of bounds with the end of her broom. She watched her friend land in the sand below, and then she wheeled around. She hurtled past Malfoy, caught the glint of gold, and held the ball up for the stadium to see with a bright smile.
"Green has caught the golden snitch! One Hundred and Fifty Points to Gryffindor!"
The crowd roared. Anastasia looked over her shoulder to see Malfoy wide-eyed, distraught, clutching his sternum, but recovering. Anastasia looked forward again. Flash bulbs went off from the enchanted flying cameras of the Daily Prophet. The teachers ran down to tend to Harry. Grandfather destroyed the rogue bludger in a single firework spell.
Above all, she heard Lee Jordan's voice.
"In spite of it all, Gryffindor wins!"