"Entering is the Teachers team." Lee Jordan announced.

The grass was crisp under his boots. The people were cheering and for a moment Severus was certain he was a student again. He forgot how much he had loved this. He felt McGonagall's hand on his shoulder. He shifted his dark green robes away from his shoulder. She smiled.

"Damn Slytherin." She joked.

He snorted. "Still jealous my House held the title for all those years?"

"No, still angry you had to gloat."

He shrugged. "I'm a Slytherin. It's my nature."

"We have two heads of Houses playing today: Professor Minerva McGonagall will be playing Chaser and Professor Severus Snape will play Keeper. Madam Hooch is also playing Chaser. Professor Astra Sinistra is playing Seeker. Professor Vector fills the last Chaser spot and the Beaters are two past teachers: Gilderoy Lockhart and Remus Lupin."

Lockhart was in true fashion, enjoying the attention. He was waving, bowing and blowing kisses to the crowd unaware that Lupin had turned his hair a bright orange.

"Chasers for the students are Alicia Spinnet, of Gryffindor, Eugene Montague, of Slytherin, and Susan Bones of Hufflepuff."

Severus glanced at Susan and nodded. She smiled back at him. She was probably the only child he was nice to but for a darker reason. He was the reason she didn't have grandparents.

"Beaters are Draco Malfoy of Slytherin and Terry Boot of Ravenclaw. Also of Ravenclaw is Keeper and Captain, Roger Davies and Gryffindor's own, Harry Potter as Seeker. And now a word for our Headmaster and Referee Albus Dumbledore."

Harry Potter watched as the Headmaster took the field. He touched his throat with his wand and then spoke clearly.

"Not three months ago we watched as two of our own competed against themselves and others to win a cup to prove their worth on this very field. This event was suppose to be an occasion of friendly competition and good natured fun, but sadly this was cut short by a darker occasion. Had not been so, a Hufflepuff would easily had been Captain of this team. This game is to honor Cedric Diggory and now please allow a moment of silence."

Harry glanced around the stadium, heads bowed in unison and he saw a few wipe tears away. He swiped at a few of his own. He looked up through his bangs to see Snape lingering away from everyone else. There was something rare in Snape's stance...he looked almost human. There was something strange in his eyes, he looked completely out of place. Harry caught Snape's eyes and nodded. The Potions Master sneered and Harry smiled. He would have been relieved to see Snape back to his old self, had Harry not been terrified of Snape.

Dumbledore raised his hand, placing the whistles on his lips. With one swift movement, he kicked open the box, releasing the balls and blowing his whistle. The teams kicked off and the game was on.

"And it is Spinnet quickly takes possession of the Quaffle tosses it to Montague who takes a shot a goal..."

Snape swept down and threw it out of the way.

"Straight to McGonagall who passes Hooch, Malfoy sends a Bludger towards and narrowly misses...Hooch had passed it back to McGonagall, she zooms pass Davies...ready to score and-" Jordan groaned as the first shot swept clean through. "Teachers score. 10-0, Come on kids! They can't give you detention!"

Harry caught sight of Sinistra spiraling away. He couldn't see what she was after but he trailed her.

Snape smiled, his eyes following the Snitch hard. He turned his head and barely caught a second attempt by Montague. The boy cursed under his breath and he enjoyed a fierce sneer. Montague backed off slowly, bumping into Bones. She dropped the Quaffle and it was quickly recovered by Spinnet.

"And Professor Lupin sends a Bludger towards Potter which causes the Seeker lose his grip, come on Potter you can do better then that...and meanwhile Lockhart is..."

Lockhart hearing his name looked up and smiled genteelly. The group of sixth year girls he was flirting with smiled and swooned at the sight of those pearly whites. He wasn't paying attention to the flying Bludger that Lupin sent speeding towards him.

Snape laughed so hard he almost fell off his broom, allowing Susan Bones to score the first goal for the students. It didn't seem to matter to the teachers, however, considering most of the teachers (and a few students) were happily thanking Lupin for his move.

Lee Jordan was on the floor, rolling.

Professor Vector pulled off a move that would make even the professionals swoon. He slammed the Quaffle into the goal only to be followed a moment later by a goal made by McGonagall. "And the score is 30-10, teachers"

Snape glanced back at Sinistra who when Lockhart kissed a Bludger had lost sight of the Snitch. But so did Potter so the game was still anyone's. Malfoy turned out to be a better Beater then he was a Seeker. Or maybe, Snape thought, he just liked to throw heavy balls at teachers. Snape smiled. So would he.

"Venting hostilities young Malfoy?" He asked the air. "Why no, Professor, I'm just trying to prove I'm good at something because I'm a snot nose little prick, like my father before me. But at least I can come out and say I'm in love Mr. Potter unlike my father who went into a marriage bed with a woman he didn't deserve instead of professing his undying love for..." Snape searched for a name for his macabre little story. "Peter Pettigrew." He swooped down and threw back the Quaffle. "Venting hostilities Mr. Snape?" He chuckled. "Why yes, yes I am."

"Snape talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity?"

He glanced at Lupin who had zoomed past him. He considered calling out to him but thought better of it.

"And as for Mr. Lupin, he is totally in love with McGonagall...come to think of it Dumbledore is the one who scares me. Him and Hagrid are always in that little hut, especially late at night..." Snape shivered. "Um, no."

"Severus, head up!"

Too late. The impact caused Snape to fall off his broom and take a dive towards the floor. He didn't have time to think as the green grass came closer...and closer and...

"Fuck!" He spat.

Dumbledore was by his side. "You alright?"

"Peachy fucking keen, Albus. I try and dislocate my shoulder every so often just to keep my senses up to par."

"Behave Snape."

"I bloody behaving if I wasn't, Flitwick would be a Bludger, Harry would be a Snitch and I would be plaster off my bum with a nice Brandy."

Dumbledore laughed and helped him back on the broom. "Lets play!"

Snape smirked and flew back to his post. He smirked. "He likes Hagrid." He glanced at the score board. 70-20 students. He wondered briefly if the Chasers were so afraid of him, they tried to stay away. He looked up and let Bones score again. "Now lets see...does Harry like Hermione or Ron?"