Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Liz's POV~

It was a cold winter morning, and I find frost on my bed. Peeves! He always managed to open the window by my bed every week without me noticing. I brushed off the ice and looked out the window. The wind blows out over the trees and almost seems to whisper in my ear. The snow thinly covered the ground and the lake was the bluest I had ever seen it. Everything was just so peaceful. I sit on my bed looking out at the beautiful scenery for a while. Yet something nags at the back of my mind. I lay back on my bed and rolled to the other side looking at the calendar. December 14. The day was circled in green and silver ink that shimmered a little. Under the date, in Serenity's multicolored inks, read:

Slytherin Vs Ravenclaw

"Slytherin," I hear myself predict without even thinking. "Dammit! Why'd I have to say that? Now they're gonna win."

"Who's going to win what?" Peeves asks, coming up behind me.

"Never mind," I sigh, turning towards the intruder. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. Just bored."

"Liar, but I'm not going to ask. I have better things to do," I state, getting off my bed and straightening it.

"I still don't see why you don't have any doors in this room," Peeves says, bouncing on the walls as if looking for a door while knocking things down in the process.

"To keep most annoyances out. Unfortunately, you can't take a hint," I answer while catching my used-to-be hung robes before they hit the floor.

"Oh, I'm hurt," Peeves says, putting on my hat and hiding his eyes.

"Yea, yea, yea," I roll my eyes and snatch my hat off his transparent head. "Look, I have work to do on the field before the game. I don't have time to mess around."

"Oh Quidditch," Peeves acts as if he were talking about sewage. "I don't see what's so great about that stupid sport, anyway."

"You're lying again," I respond, putting the robes over my shirt and sweat pants I had bought in the muggle world. "You loved the sport when you were alive. You forget. I was there."

But I didn't go any further on the matter. I put on my black hat and make a little wave of good-bye to Peeves then I apparate over to the Quidditch field.

The field was so beautiful in the morning. The grass shone with frost as the wind brushes it softly. I take a deep breath of the fresh air and then start off towards the edge of the field where I see shadowed figures. I walk over and meet the two house elves, Dug and Treg. Treg had his messy tan-brown hair covered one of his eyes, and Dug's golden brown hair covered both. They were both wearing tea cozies and picking up some trash that, no doubt, was left over from the Slytherin practice last night.

"How much is left?" I ask looking around, but they didn't need to answer. I see the whole top of the Quidditch poles on one end were rolled with toilet paper. The Slytherin team knew who had to clean the stadium up before the matches and went all out to make my life and the house elves lives a living hell. "Never mind. I'll tend to the poles."

"Thank you, Liz," Treg says gratefully as his eyes moved up the poles. They were just so high. "We can get the rest."

"Anytime," I float up to the first pole and looked at it. The paper was wet from the melted ice and really didn't look sanitary. "Yuck! I'm not touching that."

I put my hands together as if praying and closed my eyes. I picture the three poles and their papered design. Then, I picture them unraveling from the poles and back into rolls. "Reversarius."

I feel as a wave of some sort shot out of my hands and all my energy seemed to be gone with it. I slowly float down to the ground and open my eyes. I see the toilet paper unravel into rolls and drop to the ground next to me.

"It worked," I almost laugh as I sit up. I hadn't expected a wand spell to actually work without a wand, but it zapped most of my energy. I stood up slowly and picked up the three rolls smiling to myself. 'I guess you don't need a wand after all,' I thought as I walk back to the house elves and saw Dug staring wide eyed at me. "What?"

"Nothing, Liz. We appreciate your help."

"Anytime," I walk off the field to the school slowly. I walk into a side entrance of the Great Hall behind the Slytherin table. I spot Serenity at the end of the table dodging a cube of ice. I quietly move to the empty chair next to her and sit down.

"What happened to you?" she asks looking at my face. "You look like you ran around the school twenty times."

"I do?" I put my hand on my face and felt the sweat on my forehead. That spell really took it out of me! "I just cleaned up the field."

"And...." Couldn't fool her!

"I just used a difficult spell, that's all," I said not wanting to go into it lest a few certain ears were listening. I decide to change the subject. "You're sitting with your friends during the match, right?"

Serenity looks to the side where Draco and them were getting the hint, "Yes, with Lisa and Carita in the back. Can you sit with us?"

"I wish," I sigh. I was forced to sit on Slytherins' side during matches, and I knew Snape wouldn't let me sit with Serenity and her friends on Ravenclaws side. I left Serenity with her friends and headed off to the field alone. I hadn't walked far when I got pushed from behind. I was still weak from the spell so I feel and heard Malfoy's annoying laughter behind me.

"Ha, ha, ha," I laughed sarcastically as I got up and brushed some frost off my robes. "You guys are hilarious, really."

I saw Snape a little further back glaring at me as if I had pushed them. I didn't feel like getting him angrier. His leg didn't look so good. Harry had mentioned something about him going on the forbidden corridor, but I wasn't sure if Snape was that stupid. I knew about the three headed dog, Fluffy, and you'd have to have a death wish to want to go in there. I turned back to the field and headed off again, this time, a little faster. I went up the stands on Slytherins' side and sat in the back avoiding any eye contact with Snape or Malfoy.

After about twenty minutes the game finally started. Fourteen broomsticks went into the air and the Quaffle went into Slytherin possession. I could hear the Gryffindor commentator, Lee Jordan, faintly in the background making remarks about Slytherin every chance he got. No one could blame him. The team cheated in every way they could get away with. I toned out everything and just watched. The feeling that Slytherin was going to win became stronger. I watched as Flint and Warrington, two of the chasers, passed the Quaffle back and forth to each other through the Ravenclaw chasers easily. Then Montague came down out of nowhere. Flint passed it to him. Immediately after he caught it, he tossed it through the middle goal before the Ravenclaw keeper knew what happened.

"Another ten points for Slytherin," I sighed looking at the scoreboard. Slytherin now had 90 and Ravenclaw with 50. I put my hands over my eyes in disgust as one of the Slytherin beaters, Bole, hit the Ravenclaw seeker on the head "accidentally" with a Bludger. I was sick of watching this corrupt game. I heard screams of cheering from all around me and looked up. I saw Higgs, the Slytherin seeker, holding a golden object in his hands. The snitch. So that's why Bole hit the other.

I looked over the crowd and saw the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs arguing this case. I tried to spot Serenity but it was a hopeless search in all the confusion. In the end Slytherin won, 140 to 50.

I walked down the stands towards the exit and saw Serenity leaving with her friends. She was walking backwards so she couldn't see me. She was waving her arms around obviously arguing something and then she bumped into a guy next to her and knocked him on the ground. I walked over to group and saw shock on Serenity's face as she looked down at the guy. It was Malfoy.

"Great," I say sarcastically as Malfoy got up. He looks first at Serenity and then the others with her. I watch as his eyes looked out to where they had just come, the Ravenclaw stands, and narrow. Then his eyes fell on me and I could see an evil plot was creating in his mind. Then he looked back at Serenity and said, "You must be suicidal, Silverwing. Do you think you can get away with cheering for another house? Snape's going to kill you once I tell him. Maybe he'll allow Filch to use those chains. And on top of that you got my new robes dirty!"

"And messed up his hair," Goyle adds in his low voice and a few snickers could be heard from the crowd that had gathered, mostly Slytherins. Malfoy's face seemed to turn a slight pink for a second.

"Shut up Goyle," he snaps, elbowing Goyle in the gut slightly. I took the chance to look around the crowd. Most of the Hufflepuffs had scurried off and a few Ravenclaws. Gryffindors were around the outside and I thought I saw a patch of messy black hair near the right coming from the stands. All around us was Draco's thugs. We were completely out numbered. There's no way we could fight them all off. They seemed to be blocking all exits except.... except by an exit on the far left that practically led to the Forbidden Forest. Serenity's friends had started shuffling back into the crowd while trying to bring Serenity with them but she seemed to refuse.

"Glad to know freedom of speech is so well preserved." Serenity says with a suspicious glint in her eye.

I caught her eye and then nodded toward the left exit. She nodded slightly as Malfoy came back to the situation at hand, and Crabbe started cracking his knuckles. I watched as Serenity's hand was signaling. One..;

"Well Draco," Serenity was saying, " if you're going to beat us up 51; " Two..; "51; then you'll have to catch us first!" Three.

I raced towards the exit with Serenity right behind me. I couldn't hear Malfoy for a second. He must be in shock of a quick action like that. But a moment later he commanded, "Get them!"

We ran out of the exit at full speed and turned just before going into the edge of the forest. I looked back for a second and saw Gryffindors casually getting into Draco's way as he tried to follow us. I gave out a laugh and ran into Hogwarts with Serenity. We ran right through the main floor making sharp corners and running right through a shocked Bloody Baron, which wasn't pleasant. Ghosts are just so cold! We came to the back door and stopped to open it. Throwing ourselves onto the wet grass, we laughed and relaxed. Draco would probably be searching the school thoroughly enough but he probably wouldn't check the back just yet. We had time.

"So what did you guys do during the game?" I asked watching the clouds go by.

"Booed when Slytherin scored, cheered when Ravenclaw scored. The exact opposite of the Gryffindor and Slytherin match. I wish I had a friend in Gryffindor..; but I don't..; so I guess I don't really have a reason to try to sneak into the Gryffindors' side..; except for the Ravenclaw matches." Serenity answers, staring upward at something other than the sky.

I hear Serenity sigh deeply then lay back on the damp grass. It was a wonder how she could totally ignore the cold of the frost and air and be totally content to lay on the frosty ground.

"Ever wonder why we were put in Slytherin?" Serenity says, closing her eyes.

"I don't know about you, but the other founders didn't have a chance to get me. Slytherin snatched me up so fast it made even my head spin." I answer, laughing ruefully.

"I don't know about me either. I mean. Grand-pere Stephan was a Ravenclaw and Grand-mere Andrea was a Gryffindor, not to mention that Grand-pere Robert was a Hufflepuff and Grand-mere Claudia was a Ravenclaw. Where in there was Slytherin?" Serenity says, her face set emotionlessly but her voice quavered just the slightest. She always had that slightly annoying habit of calling her relatives by their French titles but I didn't complain. To each their own. I knew she hated the chases and the relentless harassing..; what choice did she have? The Sorting Hat said Slytherin..; There hasn't once been a re-Sorting of a student. There were always firsts but that would be one first that wouldn't happen for some time to come.

My thoughts were interrupted when I hear Serenity mutter something, not to me but to the sky.

"Please, Great Spirit. If you allow Diana to come to Hogwarts, don't send her down my path."

I didn't know how to respond so I kept my mouth shut but then I hear shouts coming from inside the castle.

"Let's go. Malfoy'll look here soon." I say. Serenity rose from the ground, the back of her robes amazingly free of frost, and stared at me with a mysterious glint in her eyes. The glint vanished as quickly as I had noticed it and it was replaced by a look of deviousness.

"Let 'em try to keep up with us." Serenity says, grinning maliciously and taking my hand and running towards the back door.

"Umm... shouldn't we be running anyway but where they are?" I ask as we enter the school.

"That would be the right idea if we had a place to go. We'll just have to make it to the common room and into the girls' dormitory. They can't go in there," Serenity says as we ran down a corridor leading down near the dungeons.

"That's your plan?" I ask in an exasperated tone. "And how do you plan to get past the goons that are probably guarding the door?"

"I believe you're the one with the fighting expertise," That mysterious glint appears in her eyes again as a smirk flashes on her face. We begin to slow down as we reach the end of the corridor. I strain my ears to any sound.

We were close to the common room now and soft voices could be heard near the entrance. Serenity stops and gives my hand a slight squeeze. I let go and float up to the ceiling. I turn my head around the corner and saw Flint and Bletchley, the Slytherin keeper, still in their Quidditch robes leaning against the wall talking about their victory but looking at every entrance that is around the area. They seem to almost know we were there but obviously didn't expect we'd be on the ceiling so they weren't looking up. I turn my head back and float down next to Serenity.

"How many?"

"Two."

"Who?"

"Flint and Bletchley," I sigh as I think about the odds. They were bigger and stronger, but they were dumber.

"I don't like the odds, Liz," Serenity whispers, thinking the same thing I was. " I don't think we can fight them and win."

"So we won't fight them," I say as pranks and old tricks start entering my mind. I concentrated on my room saying, "Accio marbles." I could feel energy leaving me but soon my little marble pouch came into view. I poured a few into my hand.

"You can't be serious," Serenity says, realizing what I plan to do. "That's the oldest trick in the book, Liz. They're not that stupid."

I look down at the bright golds, blues, and reds. I sigh and look at the dull gray, stone floor. Hmmmm.... "Well we're going to change the trick a little. Can you do the Camouflage Charm on these? I'm still not very good at wand spells."

I pour out the marbles in my hands as Serenity took out her wand. She mutters a few words, waving her wand around the marbles. I watch as the marbles began to change. They look like drops of water put under flashing lights. Then, as suddenly as they had started flashing, they turned a dull gray exactly like the floor.

I hand her half of the marbles and start placing them all over the floor. We quickly place them around and look at the finish product. You couldn't tell by first glance there was anything wrong. The trick just might work. I start floating over the marbles.

"Wait," Serenity hisses under her breath. "How am I supposed to get by?"

"Ever heard of stepping stones?" I hissed back. Then in a louder voice, "Don't worry, Serenity. We lost them."

I float around the bend and face the two guards at the entrance. I give a mock reaction of shock and say, "Never mind! Run!"

I float over the marbles and grinned as I heard Flint yell, "We've got you now!"

The two turned the corner at racing speed. They slid over the marbles, shock on their faces, and landed flat. Serenity jumps up bounced off Flint and Bletchley's backs with grunts from each. She lands clear away from the marbles and gracefully on the floor. She raises her hands in the air like a gymnast completing a floor routine. I laugh as she blows kisses to an imaginary audience.

I hear more grunts as Flint and Bletchley try to get back up. I jump up and kick both of their heads, "I don't think so."

They blanked out and fell back down. I took a deep breath and raised my hand. "Wingardium Leviosa." The marbles float up a little but then fall back to the ground. I shrug, "It was worth a try."

Serenity rolls her eyes and says, "Show off." She takes out her wand and says the spell herself. The marbles levitate three feet in the air, and I snatch them out off mid-air in a minute. "Thanks, Serenity."

"Let's get going before Malfoy comes around."

"Yeah."

We came up to the entrance sighing with relief. Home stretch! But as we passed through the entrance, we came face to face with Professor Snape.

"Miss Silverwing-" Snape started in his oily tone with a hint of irritation. My heart completely drops as I hear Serenity sigh. "-in my office, now!" He pauses for a second in thought and adds, "Liz, you come, too."

"Let me save you the trouble," Serenity started, raising her hand. In a lower voice she says, "Malfoy told me something interesting you two. You were cheering for Ravenclaw, Miss Silverwing. Detention for a week. You're a Slytherin. Start acting like one."

"And Liz," I started joining in. Oh well, we were already in deep trouble. "How dare you support this? You can join Miss Silverwing. Oh and by the way, imitating me will also give you another weeks detention. That's two weeks, the both of you!"

"We're sorry for dishonoring the house, Professor," Serenity drops her head guiltily. "We'll go up to our rooms now to reflect on what we've done. We await our punishment by owl. Have a good day, Professor Snape."

By now Snape's face had turned red and everyone in the common room was looking our way. All he could say is, "Three weeks detention. Don't do that again or I'll tell the Headmaster. Now get out of my sight."

We ran up the stairs of the dorm to Serenity's room. None of the other first year girls were inside.

"Do you think we should have taken that far?" Serenity asks looking out the window.

"Doesn't matter really," I answer lying on one of the beds at random. "I doubt Snape would ever admit to Professor Dumbledore that he can't control two students. But a three weeks detention. I'd say we had that coming."

Serenity gave a sigh but was smiling. "It was worth it. Did you see Snape's face get redder with every word? I didn't plan the day to be like this."

"Yeah," I lay there on the bed looking up into nothing. "Life's funny like that."

Disclaimer~ Serenity, Lisa, and Carita are Ani-Kami's. Liz and the elves are mine. Everyone else goes to the talented JKR!