Chapter 2

The First Quidditch Game

The rest of the class had finished their potions. Holly unfortunatly was still brewing, thanks to the interruption by both her friend and family member. Though potion brewing was like taking her hand and giving somebody a thumbs up, it took nearly forever and an interruption is the last thing somebody brewing needed.

" Holly, what was that all about? " Snape said after taking a laddel and scouping up some of the greyish-green muck known as a potion, to make sure it was being made properly. Though he was abit disappointed, he couldn't help but smile at her progress.

" I'm so sorry dad. I am.. Shade had passed me a note and I had to re-- "

" But you know that this class is more important than what your little friend has to write.. correct? " He cut her off with abit of a glare, if her hearing was anymore sensitive, she could of sworn of hearing him snarl.

" Yes father.. I'm sorry.. How's my potion? " She said, kind of used to being talked to in this tone of voice at home because of several slip ups she had made before.

He ignored what she had asked. " Holly your first Quidditch game is tomorrow. Would you stop diving after the snitch if Ms. Stalker had throw you a note? "

" No.. I'm sorry,.. can I go? "

" Your potion is fine by the way. Yes you may go. And dear, practice is straight after lunch. "

" Great. " Holly shut of the flame, took her cauldron to the sink and dumped the potion down the drain. She washed it out and placed it back under her desk to grab her things, hug Severus and walk out briskly. He couldn't help but smile and shake his head, then return to his desk to mark her grade on parchment.

Lunchtime. Holly had her broom with her as she walked into the Great Hall to sit at the Ravenclaw table with her friend Jeremy. " Bloody hell he has to be so evil with me. "

" What happened? " Jeremy had just come back from Transfiguration, one of his favorite classes and was showing some people he knew how to turn something into a small squid.

" Shade passed me a note and I, tuh, I get in trouble for it. Naturally I read the note and he comes over telling me I had to stay after class so he can bother me about it more. " She said, sounding annoyed while spooning herself some food.

" You know I might of been right. Slipping up with your 'friend', Holly. You know how he takes potions class with students.Especially if one student happens to be his....daughter. " Jeremy always had something to say to make sense but kind of reminded Holly of her mother.

" You're right.... " She sighed and paused to pour herself some pumpkin juice. " And when has he ever steared me in the wrong direction in potions? He has always cared.. Hm.. "

" So are you going to bloody up Marcus again? " He said hopefully.

She couldn't help but start laughing, " No.. Hootch'll be supervising. Which is kind of a drag seeing as I had a good reason to end up kicking him in the side. "

" What reason was that? "

" He's an idiot. " She said laughing again slightly, he chuckled and poked the squid he made in it's sticky head. " Quite useful this spell is you know. If you want, I can make Flint a squid." He grinned.

" No. That's alright. I think kicking and clawing at him is fine enough." She smiled and began to eat, having loved practice most days when a class or two didn't go how she had planned. Flying was her favorite thing to do, whether it was at home in her basement, or outside of Hogwarts where nothing could stop her. She felt free and careless while flying. It was one of the only things she liked about going to practice. She finished her lunch, took a final swig of pumpkin juice, grabbed her broom and ran outside.

" Holly! Your late. " Flint called down to her with some scars on his face.He looked uglier than usual with a black eye and a scar running down his nose. She ignored him, seeing Hootch nearby, mounted her broom and made her way up to the circle of Slytherins.

" Alright, now you know your first game is tomorrow against Gryffindor. I called together the former players for Slytherin house. In order for you to get the realization of a game.. you have to get the experiance of one. Aaah, here they are. " She smiled and dived down to great the former Slytherins who were in their maybe early twenties now. One of them happened to be the seeker Holly replaced because his last year had passed.

" We're playing with professionals? " She said, kind of shocked and a little thrilled there would be a challenge involved in practice.

" Professionals for you, they've been going here for a while now, Holly. " Commented Flint.

" I was kind of aware of that when Hootch said we'll be playing with former players from this house. Sack of potatoes." She said growling, now not caring if her and Marcus would get into another arguement and end up being suspended from the team for a month.

" Alright students. Incase your wondering how we can fit this practice into an hour, we're not. This practice will last maybe two and a half classes, depending on how fast we finish and how well we've played.. " Madam Hootch flew back up, the older team members following behind her. The seeker recognized Holly's position right away and gave her a sort of smile. She smiled back and started grinning, wondering if he was as good as she was, and now wondering if he noticed her fangs. " Holly, take your position next to Michael Green, the old seeker for Slytherin. " She did so and his smile grew wider.

" What are you smiling at? It makes you look stupid.Not to mention ridiculous seeing as I have no interest in you whatsoever. " said Holly, kind of irritated that boys had tendencies of smiling at her for no good reason.

" No reason. Just glad to see a female seeker, espically one as yourself. " Michael finally came out of his smile-trance and spoke to her in his thick Irish accent.

" What do you mean, one as myself? "

" You're the youngest seeker i--"

She interrupted him, " The youngest seeker in a century. No. Second youngest. I heard Harry Potter is the Gryffindor seeker. Don't try to butter me up with your nonsense. Trust me, I get enough of it from my cousin. And one more thing, BLUDGER! " She dove and spiraled as a bludger approached them, he on the other hand, shrieked and fell off his broom. She flew up, and chuckled, "Lasta lalaithamin. " Which was a simple saying in Elven. A language she learned from her mother who was an elf. She flew around, zipping past those faux balls giving the former players a look at her skill for a beginner.

" She always shows off. Never gets in trouble too. She's a teacher's pet. " Groaned Flint, throwing some fake quaffels into the makeshift hoops with his partner who he had known for a while. " Not long ago we got into a fight, I had to serve a detention, she got away clean. "

" That doesn't make any sense at all, Marcus. " said David, his partner. He grinned slightly showing the rest of his remaining teeth, because he had gotten many knocked out due to bludgers. " Watch this. " He spun around, smacking a bludger in Holly's direction. Direct hit. Right in the side. She let out a long screech of agony, clutched her side tightly and lost her grip and balance, falling 20ft to the ground. Marcus was in tears with laughter, David was too. Madam Hootch came to the rescue and picked up the limp Holly.

" Holly! Are you alright? " Hootch said. She let Holly stand but kept an arm around her for support.

" I.. I think I am.. didn't hit me that hard.. " Holly smiled, trying to hide her pain, but looked a little paler than normal and reopenned the cut on her lip. She looked up at Flint and Hoolinotch who were doubled over on their brooms, laughing hysterically, tears dropping from their beady little eyes. " I swear, I'll get back at you someday.. somehow... "

" Aww, how sweet, she's threatening us. " Commented Flint with a chuckle and a snort.

Just then, ignoring Madam Hootch and the other students around her, Holly pulled out her wand, aimed in David and Marcus's direction, " SERPENSORTIA!! " she yelled. A green stream of light shot from the tip of her wand and a snake formed from the light, flying up and landing on their brooms, having to wrap it's beautiful coal scales around the sticks; hissing and spitting, the snake's saphire eyes flickered and glared, waiting for Holly's command. Which came. Holly closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, slightly full of pain and anger, she spoke. A loud hissing emmited from her throat, it lasted about five minutes but to the snake, it was a simple sentence.

" Holly!!! You.. you!! You're a parselmouth!!!! How?! Your father..he can't.." A random student wailed and clutched her face in a horrified scream.

Holly didn't say a thing, she stood there and smiled at the snake. He took her command. Being the only person around was the snake who knew what Holly said, she could of said anything. Everyone was horror stricken. Because a wizard who parselmouthed is a wizard.... who was related somehow, to the birthgiver of Slytherin House. Salazar Slytherin.Who was into the Dark Arts and who was evil. The snake advanced on Marcus and David. It flicked it's long, black, forked tongue and hissed. Holly stood there smiling. The snake moved up the arm of Flint, coiling around his neck, then moving onto Hoolinotch's shoulder, doing the same and suddenly vanishing into thin air. Holly knowing she didn't do anything wrong, she smiled and limped off, Hootch holding her for support.

" Holly!! " It was Jeremy and Shade. They ran into the Hospital wing, having pushed Madam Pomfrey, the nurse into a soiled bedding sack. They arrived at Holly's bedside. Holly looked as if she was going to throw up. Her face was a little green, but it could of been grass stains, her yellow eyes seemed grey and misty. " Whoa. " commented Shade, " You look horrible. "

" Gee thanks. " She said with a groan, noticing Jeremy, she smiled at him. " Hi.. "

" Hey. " He sat down and patted her leg for a minute.. " What happened? "

" Flint's friend, which I swear he must fancy, hit a bludger and it hit me in the side. Stupid David. They think I have a ruptured kidney or if I broke a rib. Whatever it was, it hurt like hell.. "

" Oohh, can I see your bruise when it takes form? "

" Oh shut your gob, Stalker. " Holly said, growling deeply from her throat.

" Fine be that way. " She swore in a nasty way and walked out. Leaving Jeremy and Holly alone.

" That's Shade for you. " Holly sighed and Jeremy smiled slightly at her.

" So.. I guess you're stuck in here until they find out what's wrong, huh? "

"....Yeah.. Kind of disappointing, isn't it? Why can't they just use a spell or something? "

" You are expecting Madam Pomfrey to do something," he purposly paused to think of the word."...Intelligent? " They both laughed.

The next day was the first Quidditch game of the season. Holly was nervous like anybody else, she sat at the Slytherin table this time with her team members. She was the only female on the Slytherin team and playing with a group of guys was easier than she thought. All except for Flint. Who kept bugging her about bludgers and how he would threaten to send one into her other side. She casually ignored him and ate lightly, exchanging glances between Severus, Jeremy and the Gryffindor seeker, Harry. He was younger than her, but a first year as well. His black hair was always messed up with stringy bangs that fell over his black circle-framed glasses and that lightning bolt scar on his forehead. " So Holly. Heard you were in the hospital wing all night, what happened? " It was Parvati. Another Slytherin who Holly had side conversations with once in a while. She was nice but not the type Holly prefered to be long term friends with.

" Your friend,...Flint. " She said, downing her third goblet of orange- pineapple juice, pouring herself one more goblet. " He and his friend decided to attack me with a bludger yesterday during practice and I had to stay at the hospital wing until they figured out what was wrong. Luckily, it was nothing. But Pomfrey decided to sing to herself and hug a picture of some wizard named Gilderoy Lockhart. Man, what a spaz. " Holly rose and wiped her mouth off. She grabbed her cloak and left with the Slytherin Team, having Gryffindor walk by their side. The captains not speaking a word to each other.

" Good luck, Holly. " Harry spoke, having been as nervous as she was.

".. Thanks.." She replied, " Same to you. " They nodded and split apart as the teams took seperate hallways to the locker rooms.

" I'm so nervous..... I felt fine during practice yesterday but... but..." Holly approached the gates with her team dressed in the Quidditch robes, carrying their brooms.

" You can't help but get that gut feeling,.. huh? " It was Josh Grien, one of the beaters for the team with his brother Nathan.

" Yeah.. So.. how can you remain so calm? " Holly asked, now turning a slight shade of pink.

He smiled, " Once you've played several games, you get used to the pressure, the crowds, the bludgers and quaffles. It's really all quite simple.. but that's only my position.. You are a seeker after all, I can't even imagine how hard you're job is."

" Thank you. Thank you for not saying you understand!! THANK YOU!! " She said, full of relief after hearing so many people who don't even play Quidditch compare the things they do to being a seeker and saying that it's harder. He smiled at her, she smiled back and the gates opened. " Well...... Here we go. "

" Just concentrate on the snitch, no need to worry about bludgers, Nathan and I will protect you. " He mounted his broom as well as the rest of the team. Holly nodded, turned a little more pink, and they flew off onto the field.

The Quidditch boxes were filled with students in colors of green, white, yellow and maroon. They were cheering on their house until they were hoarse. The field was a beautiful green with sand pits near the three 50ft rings were on each end of the field. Slytherin and Gryffindor flew around showing their talent in the air, loving every moment of attention they recieved.They gathered around Madam Hootch. " Now. I wish the best of luck to you all. And make this game clean, first game and you know first years need good impressions. "

" Ladies and Gentlemen!! Welcome to the first Quidditch game of the season!! Today's match! Slytherin verses Gryffindor!!! Slytherin and Gryffindor both have new seekers this year! On the Slytherin team, Holly Snape!! Gryffindor with Harry Potter!! The quaffel and bludgers have been released!! Followed by the golden snitch which is worth a hundred and fifty points and the win to the team who grabs it first!!! " The commentator shouted enthusiastically with the teachers sitting in their special box behind her. Snape who had the same miserable look on his face was rather amused to see his daughter play her first Quidditch game. He leaned back and folded his arms across his chest with a smirk on his face. " THE GAME BEGINS!! "

They flew off. The students roared. Holly smiled and spiraled around for a little. " Flying. Free from class, free from teachers, free from... YIPE!! " She jumped and ducked a screeching bludger. She looked up when it was safe and noticed the Gryffindor beater, George Weasley. He grinned, tossed his club up and caught it, then flew off. " Stupid Weasely. " She flew after him and spiraled somewhat, not going to let this one slide by. " Hey George!! Look out below!! " She kicked upward into his stomach and dived as he nearly fell off. For quite sometime, Holly went around kicking the Gryffindors and taunting them, keeping a look out for the snitch. There it was. " Come here my little golden ball.. I'm not going to hurt you......much... " she followed the snitch in all it's crazy patterns which were trying to throw her off. Harry caught a glance of the snitch and Holly closing in on it, he really had to work fast as he spun in a dive and flew as fast as he can to her.

" It seems Harry Potter has caught glance of the Golden Snitch!! Though will he be able to catch it in time? Rumor has it that Holly trains at home in her spare time in her basement to easily grab the snitch within the first few seconds of it's arrival infront of her eyes!! Let's ask her father, potions teacher Professor Severus Snape! " The commentator took the microphone off the hook and handed it to Severus. " Professor! Tell us, do you really push your daughter like that? "

Severus took the microphone, opened his mouth to speak, then stuck the microphone in Professor Quarrel's face who let out a loud squeek that echoed, followed by laughter emitted from the crowd.He chuckled slightly and gave the microphone back to the commentator.

"...Ok then. Back to the....WOW!! In a mere matter of seconds! Harry Potter has caught up with Holly and now they are both side by side moving towards the snitch!! "

" Back off Potter! I'm warning you,...." Holly growled, having set aside the nice side of herself and put on a more competitive attitude. But Harry didn't respond as he kept a steady eye on that rechid little ball. They moved back and forth, spiraling and diving, rising and falling. But still, both didn't get even a finger on the snitch. This was frustrating Holly and Snape very much.

" Holly still hasn't caught the snitch...Nathan." Josh said, twirling his club and looking around for bludgers and watching the two seekers. " Think we should help them out? "

" But wouldn't that be cheating? "

" ...George tried knocking Holly off her broom by smacking a bludger at her.. If we could just time it right..."

" Josh you're mad..."

" If we don't do a thing soon, the Weasely twins might do what we're plotting first and could injure Holly. Why loose our seeker to let them win when they could loose their seeker for us to win?! "

" Nathan........I'm not sure if that made any sense at all.. but I'm going to have to go with you on this. " They raised their clubs as as two bludgers approached. After getting the right timing, they sent their clubs down, knocking the bludgers back down towards Harry and Holly.

Holly turned and noticed the bludgers, then Nathan and Josh." Go ahead Harry. You can have the snitch! " Holly stopped and watched him fly ahead of her, followed by the bludgers which hit their target in the leg and broom, breaking them both and causing him to fall. " Niiiicee.. " Holly continued on, still having the image of the snitch right infront of her implanted into her mind.

" Oohh!! That had to hurt. Potter has taken a nasty spill due to two bludgers, leaving Snape to catch the snitch for Slytherin to win!...But.. waitaminute...Holly isn't going after the snitch at all.. She...she's not going after anything!! "

Unfortunatly for the Slytherins, the commentator was right. Holly was chasing after an image. So where was the snitch? Pomfrey and Wood came over to aid Harry. " C'mon Harry. Speak to me. Are you ok? " Asked Wood eagerly. Harry opened his eyes and let out a wince due to his leg. But he opened the palm of his hand which was holding..... the snitch.

" HE DID IT!! GRYFFINDOR WINS BY 180 POINTS BY CATCHING THE SNITCH AS HE FELL OFF HIS BROOM!! " The commentator, and the Gryffindors, exploded with joy and cheers. Holly fell off her broom at sat there stunned and speechless. Her team ran over, absolutely furious. She didn't say a word to them until she felt the prescense of the one she didn't want to have to deal with now. Her father.