There was nothing she could do. She was trapped like a butterfly caged, fluttering her wings hopelessly against the invisible prison. He hadn't done anything illegal, he hadn't even really violated her person, as his hands had remained above her robes. But there was still that feeling of disgust that permeated her bones. There was nothing she could do. Maura adjusted her robes and refused to even look at the trunk that held her corset. She would not give in.
Maura leapt back onto the school's broom that had been hovering patiently outside the window. She tossed back her hair and straightened her shoulders, then raced back to the Quidditch fields.
Keith raised an eyebrow at Maura's return. "Where'd you go?" He asked in concern.
"I…I was seeing how fast I could go." She lied. He looked at her hard and long, his summery eyes trying to slice through the composed mask on her face. He failed.
"If you're sure…" Maura smiled, closing her eyes.
"I'm fine." She looked at Lotty, who was clinging to the handle for dear life. Eve's face was contorted with laugher as she darted around poor Lotty, helping her maintain her balance. Maura laughed.
"Maybe we should lend the amazing bird-girl a hand" she waved Keith along with her. "We can race, if you like…"
Quidditch Trials Friday, Quidditch Trials Friday. The news burned in her brain like a headline. Quidditch Trials Friday. Keith was thrilled, of course, but he'd looked a little puzzled when Maura asked him what they involved.
"Well, uh, according to Herr Hahnchen, the team captain decides who gets on the team, and has you run some drills, play a scrimmage maybe? Why do you want to know?"
Maura laughed a little. "Have you gone blind? Didn't you see me up on my broom? I love these things! I might as well try out for the team. We're just first years, so what have we got to lose?"
Keith looked startled, like someone had spilled water over his head. "Maura," he began slowly, "I don't mean to sound chauvanistic or anything, but, well girls can't play Quidditch." Maura frowned.
"What do you mean, Keith? We girls were scooting up around on our brooms pretty well." He looked uncomfortable under Maura's withering gaze, scuffing his toes around.
"Well, it's just…Quidditch is a contact sport. You could, you know, get hurt. And, you know… the way girls sit. With their robes…"
"You mean on the side? It's how we ride horses. Why should a broom be any different? I managed quite well, I think, without my hands." Maura glared. Keith threw up his hands in defense.
"I'm not attacking you Maura! Don't be angry, please. I'm just saying that no female has ever played Quidditch at Hogwarts or any other school." Maura thought this over. Keith had a point. And there was no reason to be angry with him. She bit her lip.
"Well, there's a first for everything, isn't there?" she asked softly. He grinned. She thought for a second, then added "We've got a handful of days until Friday. You can teach me the rules, and the technique, and…all that good stuff. Please?" Keith looked at her hard.
"All right" he agreed, "we'll make you the best Quidditch player your side of the gender barrier."
"One more, come on Keith, one more" Maura begged. Keith sighed tiredly and tossed her the Quaffle. In silent camaraderie they threw the large red ball to each other, trying for accuracy and speed. Keith was understandably much better at first, but Maura was a quick learner, catching on to a few of the tricks. In fact, her sideways seating, once she got her balance, was easier to maneuver from, with sharper, more controlled turns possible. Maura had already almost fallen once; however much easier to turn it was, it was far harder to catch and throw.
Maura was continually amazed at the mental bond she'd formed with Keith. Each seemed to know precisely where the other was, at all times. Their passes rarely flew off the mark. Finally, bone-tired with aching arms and hips, Maura nodded that she was ready to go in.
"You were amazing today, Maura," Keith wearily shook her hand, bowing in mock subservience. Maura laughed, and the two friends headed back towards the castle they deserted.
Coming in with Keith from their practice that evening, Maura met Jonathan in the hall. He was lugging along his Transfiguration book in the direction of the library. "Jonathan," Maura teased him, "you're the smartest person in the class. Professor Bramble loves you. Why are you studying?" He looked up from hollow, darling eyes.
"You can never know enough, Maura dear" he whispered, moving off. Maura followed him with her eyes, smiling.
"I don't like him," Keith announced, "He gives the rest of the boys the creeps." Maura rounded on him. Keith stared back at her squarely. "He always mopes around, reading that dumb Transfiguration book and telling the rest of us we ought to pay more attention in class. I thought he was a nice kid coming over on the boat, but…yeesh." Maura took a deep breath.
"Maybe he just cares a lot about his studies. Remember he said his sister was talented at Transfiguration?" Keith just shrugged.
"If it suits you."
Maura was ready to scream. No matter how hard the young, nervous Professor Binns tried, he was still hideously boring. It probably wasn't his fault. The History of Magic was a monotonous subject. It was all she could do to stay awake. One Hufflepuff though, a small boy named Mark Timmid, seemed infatuated with the class. "Its so fascinating, though" he whined to Maura when she voiced her complaints in the corridor. "All those dates and numbers…" He laughed like a rock breaking. Maura smiled politely and escaped into conversation with Lotty.
"So you're going out for the team?" she asked with that foxy grin of hers. Maura nodded. "Just so you know—"
"I know, I know," Maura interrupted, "Girls don't do Quidditch." Lotty blinked.
"Actually, I was going to tell you that there usually aren't any first years picked for the team. You have to be really, really, good. But you're right. Girls don't do Quidditch. But you can try, right? You were spectacular on the broom yesterday, it'd be a shame if they didn't let you on the team because of some technicality about your sex." Maura smiled at Lotty.
"Who's the team captain for Gryffindor, anyway?" She asked as an afterthought. Eve shrugged.
"We met him that first day. Head boy…what's his name? Bobby. That's it." Maura grinned widely.
"Bobby McCaffry is the team captain? That is great news, Lotty, absolutely fabulous!" Maura skipped down the hall to spread the word to Keith.
Maura wiped the rain out of her eyes and shook her hair, spraying water all over the common room. Thunder burst into the room seconds after it was illuminated by the blue lightening. The storm had caused Keith and Maura to bring it in early, as being roasted by electricity was a bad idea for two wannabe Quidditch players. She flopped onto her bed, drenching her sheets quickly. "Oops," she muttered, rolling off the bed. "I guess I'm in for a wet night." Eve laughed and shook her wand at Maura's bed.
"Evapora" she murmured, and the sheets quickly dried themselves out. Maura gave Eve a funny look.
"How do you know so much?" She asked. Eve blinked and looked at the tip of her wand.
"I don't really know. It all just sort of comes to me and makes sense. Evapora…from evaporate, right? It just…I don't know. I haven't really thought about it much." Eve examined her wand again, a concerned look gradually spreading across her face. She shrugged.
"You ought to duel, Eve. You're so gifted." Maura said as Eve laughed, "no, really," she insisted, "Professor Jade is in charge of the dueling club, and you saw the posters." It was impossible to miss the flashing posters that advertised the club. According to general consensus, the matches were rather exciting, seeing as you never knew who'd get hexed into a toad. Lotty raised an eyebrow from her bed where she was pouring over the latest issue of Witch Weekly.
"Maura, dueling is like Quidditch. Smoking club only."
"What?" Maura was confused. Lotty sighed and smiled regretfully.
"Females aren't seen as duelers. Dueling is…warlike. That isn't our position." Maura frowned.
"Aren't we allowed to have any fun? First Quidditch and now dueling? What are we supposed to do? Sit and brew love potions and charm our hair?" Lotty shrugged and raised the cover of Witch Weekly. "21 Foolproof Love Potions!" It said beneath a picture of a glamorous-looking witch. Maura leapt onto a chair.
"This is entirely ridiculous. Ladies, now is the time to revolt. I say we play Quidditch and duel and leave love potions to the rest of them!" Lotty sat up, lilting her head as if to say, I understand, but what can we do? "I refuse to sit by and watch my life become duller and duller by the day," Maura proclaimed, waving her wand for emphasis. Eve remained silent, but her eyes spoke volumes of agreement. "We're the Gryffindor girls, and we're going to change the way this school thinks!" Maura, caught up in her speech, lost her balance and fell to the floor with a thud. Eve offered her a hand up and smiled.
"I think, Maura, that you will make a good politician."
A/N: Oh geeze. I just read through this and realized how short it was…sorry! I promise I'll write more, but I'm leaving for vacation Saturday. I'll try to post little bits at a time, but I don't know how much I'll be able to do. Here's wishing everyone lovely holidays (I hope you're all on break, now!) and I'll get back to Maura and company for a nice long chapter when I get back (in about two weeks).
I also just realized I've never posted a disclaimer. Oops. Well, if you've never seen it before, it's mine. I think the only person I didn't invent is Professor Binns, actually… I'm not trying to make money, etc… you know the spiel.
Love and a Peanut Butter Sandwich!
Aroo!
Meitora
