The next day, Maleficent sent a note to Remus and Sirius, asking them to meet her that evening by the greenhouses. After dinner, she headed out to the arranged meeting place. The boys joined her shortly and she quickly told them everything that Severus had just told her. They listened carefully to everything. After Maleficent was finished, Sirius asked, "But it doesn't make any sense. Why would this Voldemort guy want to get rid of all the Muggles and half bloods?" Maleficent shook her head and said, "I don't know. But I promised Severus I'd stay out of it. It bothers him that I agreed to help you. I know he's just looking out for me but I think that there's something more to all this than any of us know." Remus said, "Well, we'll work on Pettigrew and see if we can figure out anything." Before anything else could be said, the castle's front door opened and Severus emerged, apparently looking for Maleficent. She turned and headed toward him.
"Maleficent, I've been looking for you everywhere. There are a couple of open spots on the Slytherin and Gryffindor Quidditch teams. Our Seeker and one of our Beaters have decided to quit the team. Gryffindor's Seeker graduated last year. Potter's been selected as Gryffindor's new Seeker. I've signed up on the list Professor Maxwell put in the Common Room for people who want to try out for those open spots on the team. Why don't you sign up too?" Severus asked. Maleficent thought about it. If she and Severus both got on the team, then they could use their telepathy to give them an advantage in the matches. It was perfect! She agreed and signed up on the list as well. No one else had signed up yet but she was sure that more would sign up later. By the end of the week, a small handful of people had signed up for the tryouts. That weekend, Madam Hooch and Professor Maxwell would hold the tryouts and choose the new team members. Maleficent slept soundly the night before the tryouts. After all, she really wasn't that good on a broom. On the other hand, Severus wanted more than anything to be the new Seeker and to show Potter up on the field.
The morning of the Quidditch tryouts dawned bright and sunny. The small group of Slytherins got up, ate breakfast, and headed down to the Quidditch field to get ready. Severus had bought the newest broom on the market that week, so he would have a bit of an advantage over the others. His new broom was the sleek and shiny, brand new Comet 570. This broom had the reputation for being the fastest yet and easier to handle than most others. Maleficent, who did not have a broom of her own, borrowed Severus's old broom, a Silver Arrow 200. It wasn't a bad broom but not quite in the same league as the newer ones that most people had. The group all mounted their brooms and flew a little around the field, just waiting for the tryouts to begin. Maleficent watched Severus zoom around the field on his new broom with his shiny black hair flying out behind him. She smiled, knowing that he was ready for this. Finally, Professor Maxwell and Madam Hooch arrived. They separated the group into those trying out as Seekers and those trying out as Beaters. Severus and two other guys headed off with Madam Hooch for the Seeker tryouts while Maleficent and five others went with Professor Maxwell for Beater tryouts.
Professor Maxwell took the group down to the end of the Quidditch field and opened a box which contained two bludgers. "Now, you will go two at a time and try to fend off the bludgers from our three chasers. When I've seen enough I will call you back down and send the next two up," he said. He had gotten the three chasers from the Slytherin team to agree with this. They flew around passing the Quaffle, just waiting. Professor Maxwell said, "All right, first up are Hawkins and Lestrange." David Lestrange and Kristina Hawkins shot up into the air and Maxwell released the bludgers. They flew around, swatting at the bludgers, trying to keep them from hitting the chasers, who were tossing the Quaffle back and forth while trying to dodge the beaters and bludgers. David was doing pretty well but poor Kristina was having a terrible time. She always missed the bludger and even hit a chaser a couple of times. Finally Maxwell blew his whistle and said, "Morgan and Johnson, you're up!" David and Kristina headed back to the ground while Stan Johnson and Dean Morgan took to the air. Their tryout turned into more of a show than a success. Neither one ever managed to hit a bludger. The poor chasers were flying everywhere, trying to avoid the bludgers, which pelted down on them like rocks. After a couple of minutes, Maxwell blew the whistle and said, "Enough, boys. DuGall and Walker, you're last." Maleficent mounted the broom and flew up toward the bludgers. Emily Walker was doing a splendid job of tackling the bludgers. She would beat one back and let the chasers get away before rounding on the other one. It was very impressive. However, Maleficent wasn't doing too bad herself. One came hurtling toward her. She raised the club and smacked it hard. It turned and rounded on her again but she held it off. Both girls were doing very well when Emily suffered a bit of bad luck. She slapped at a bludger, slipped sideways and slid off her broom, landing in a heap on the ground. She jumped up quickly and said, "I'm not hurt. Can I go again?" Maxwell wasn't listening though. He was watching Maleficent. Both bludgers had rounded on her. She was beating them back with ease. She had a little trouble staying on the broom but didn't fall off. Once, she slipped and did a loop, which helped her get settled on it again. Finally, Maxwell blew the whistle and Maleficent flew to the ground. The chasers rounded up the bludgers and returned them to their box. Maxwell said, "The results will be posted in the Common Room this evening after dinner."
Maxwell turned and headed off toward Madam Hooch, who had just finished with the Seekers. They conversed quietly as they walked back to the castle. Severus ran over to Maleficent, grinning broadly. "I saw you with the bludgers. You were great!" he exclaimed. Maleficent turned a pale shade of pink and said, "Oh. Thanks." He smiled at her and said, "Did that broom do okay for you?" She nodded and said, "I really like it. It's way better than the old school brooms." Maleficent held it out to Severus to give it back to him. But he said, "If you like it then it's yours. I won't be needing it now that I have a new broom and I think you would do well with it." Maleficent's face lit up. "Really?" she asked. Severus nodded. "Oh thank you, Severus!" she exclaimed and flung herself in his arms. He hugged her back and said, "You're welcome." They headed up to the castle to get cleaned up and find out the results. Dinner couldn't pass quickly enough for the Slytherins. They all wanted to know the outcome of the tryouts. Finally dinner was over and they all dashed to the Common Room and waited for Professor Maxwell to post the results. He finally entered the Common Room and simled when he saw that the whole House had turned out to see the results.
Professor Maxwell said, "I think it's great that you have taken pride in our Quidditch team this year. Let's meet the team as it was before the tryouts. Our Chasers are Karin Franz, Thomas Wright, and Christopher Stewart, who serves as Team Captain. Our Keeper is John Scott. And one Beater is Roger Masterson. Now, to meet the two new members. Our newest Beater is.....Maleficent DuGall!" The room cheered and a surprised Maleficent joined the other team members at the front of the room. "And," Maxwell continued, "our new Seeker is.......Severus Snape!" The room cheered again as Severus joined the group as well. Maleficent beamed at him and mentally said, "Congratulations, Severus. I knew you could do it." With his mind he replied, "And I knew you could." After Maxwell left, someone crept down to the kitchens and stole some food and the Slytherins held a grand party, celebrating the new additions to the team. They were sure that this year they would take the Quidditch Cup and looking forward to the start of the season.
"Maleficent, I've been looking for you everywhere. There are a couple of open spots on the Slytherin and Gryffindor Quidditch teams. Our Seeker and one of our Beaters have decided to quit the team. Gryffindor's Seeker graduated last year. Potter's been selected as Gryffindor's new Seeker. I've signed up on the list Professor Maxwell put in the Common Room for people who want to try out for those open spots on the team. Why don't you sign up too?" Severus asked. Maleficent thought about it. If she and Severus both got on the team, then they could use their telepathy to give them an advantage in the matches. It was perfect! She agreed and signed up on the list as well. No one else had signed up yet but she was sure that more would sign up later. By the end of the week, a small handful of people had signed up for the tryouts. That weekend, Madam Hooch and Professor Maxwell would hold the tryouts and choose the new team members. Maleficent slept soundly the night before the tryouts. After all, she really wasn't that good on a broom. On the other hand, Severus wanted more than anything to be the new Seeker and to show Potter up on the field.
The morning of the Quidditch tryouts dawned bright and sunny. The small group of Slytherins got up, ate breakfast, and headed down to the Quidditch field to get ready. Severus had bought the newest broom on the market that week, so he would have a bit of an advantage over the others. His new broom was the sleek and shiny, brand new Comet 570. This broom had the reputation for being the fastest yet and easier to handle than most others. Maleficent, who did not have a broom of her own, borrowed Severus's old broom, a Silver Arrow 200. It wasn't a bad broom but not quite in the same league as the newer ones that most people had. The group all mounted their brooms and flew a little around the field, just waiting for the tryouts to begin. Maleficent watched Severus zoom around the field on his new broom with his shiny black hair flying out behind him. She smiled, knowing that he was ready for this. Finally, Professor Maxwell and Madam Hooch arrived. They separated the group into those trying out as Seekers and those trying out as Beaters. Severus and two other guys headed off with Madam Hooch for the Seeker tryouts while Maleficent and five others went with Professor Maxwell for Beater tryouts.
Professor Maxwell took the group down to the end of the Quidditch field and opened a box which contained two bludgers. "Now, you will go two at a time and try to fend off the bludgers from our three chasers. When I've seen enough I will call you back down and send the next two up," he said. He had gotten the three chasers from the Slytherin team to agree with this. They flew around passing the Quaffle, just waiting. Professor Maxwell said, "All right, first up are Hawkins and Lestrange." David Lestrange and Kristina Hawkins shot up into the air and Maxwell released the bludgers. They flew around, swatting at the bludgers, trying to keep them from hitting the chasers, who were tossing the Quaffle back and forth while trying to dodge the beaters and bludgers. David was doing pretty well but poor Kristina was having a terrible time. She always missed the bludger and even hit a chaser a couple of times. Finally Maxwell blew his whistle and said, "Morgan and Johnson, you're up!" David and Kristina headed back to the ground while Stan Johnson and Dean Morgan took to the air. Their tryout turned into more of a show than a success. Neither one ever managed to hit a bludger. The poor chasers were flying everywhere, trying to avoid the bludgers, which pelted down on them like rocks. After a couple of minutes, Maxwell blew the whistle and said, "Enough, boys. DuGall and Walker, you're last." Maleficent mounted the broom and flew up toward the bludgers. Emily Walker was doing a splendid job of tackling the bludgers. She would beat one back and let the chasers get away before rounding on the other one. It was very impressive. However, Maleficent wasn't doing too bad herself. One came hurtling toward her. She raised the club and smacked it hard. It turned and rounded on her again but she held it off. Both girls were doing very well when Emily suffered a bit of bad luck. She slapped at a bludger, slipped sideways and slid off her broom, landing in a heap on the ground. She jumped up quickly and said, "I'm not hurt. Can I go again?" Maxwell wasn't listening though. He was watching Maleficent. Both bludgers had rounded on her. She was beating them back with ease. She had a little trouble staying on the broom but didn't fall off. Once, she slipped and did a loop, which helped her get settled on it again. Finally, Maxwell blew the whistle and Maleficent flew to the ground. The chasers rounded up the bludgers and returned them to their box. Maxwell said, "The results will be posted in the Common Room this evening after dinner."
Maxwell turned and headed off toward Madam Hooch, who had just finished with the Seekers. They conversed quietly as they walked back to the castle. Severus ran over to Maleficent, grinning broadly. "I saw you with the bludgers. You were great!" he exclaimed. Maleficent turned a pale shade of pink and said, "Oh. Thanks." He smiled at her and said, "Did that broom do okay for you?" She nodded and said, "I really like it. It's way better than the old school brooms." Maleficent held it out to Severus to give it back to him. But he said, "If you like it then it's yours. I won't be needing it now that I have a new broom and I think you would do well with it." Maleficent's face lit up. "Really?" she asked. Severus nodded. "Oh thank you, Severus!" she exclaimed and flung herself in his arms. He hugged her back and said, "You're welcome." They headed up to the castle to get cleaned up and find out the results. Dinner couldn't pass quickly enough for the Slytherins. They all wanted to know the outcome of the tryouts. Finally dinner was over and they all dashed to the Common Room and waited for Professor Maxwell to post the results. He finally entered the Common Room and simled when he saw that the whole House had turned out to see the results.
Professor Maxwell said, "I think it's great that you have taken pride in our Quidditch team this year. Let's meet the team as it was before the tryouts. Our Chasers are Karin Franz, Thomas Wright, and Christopher Stewart, who serves as Team Captain. Our Keeper is John Scott. And one Beater is Roger Masterson. Now, to meet the two new members. Our newest Beater is.....Maleficent DuGall!" The room cheered and a surprised Maleficent joined the other team members at the front of the room. "And," Maxwell continued, "our new Seeker is.......Severus Snape!" The room cheered again as Severus joined the group as well. Maleficent beamed at him and mentally said, "Congratulations, Severus. I knew you could do it." With his mind he replied, "And I knew you could." After Maxwell left, someone crept down to the kitchens and stole some food and the Slytherins held a grand party, celebrating the new additions to the team. They were sure that this year they would take the Quidditch Cup and looking forward to the start of the season.