Black Rider
By Mae Noelle and Ducky
Disclaimer -- Nothing is ours, I promise. Never has been, never will be. Gasp! Can you believe it?
AN - Ah, I love this fic now. Which means it will come along faster then the others. reviews make stories my favorite, by the way. *wink*
And to whoever doesn't like my Unicorns name, too damn bad. I do.
And! By the way, 'Sere' is pronounced 'Sair' . S + air. Yay for you.
*cough* please review! *cough*
~2 -- Race Day -- 2~
Severus stood rigidly, his right hand grasping the cold iron railing, which fenced in all the spectators of the race. Behind him noisily sat what seemed like the entirety of the wizarding community, all of which sat impatiently in the stands, looking around the stadium and turning to their neighbors for small talk.
Turning a quick glare to someone who had shoved past him, Severus leaned forward, now gripping the railing with both hands, and looked down onto the dirt track, which lay four feet at most from the lowest point of the stands.
He sighed slightly, looking over the edge and waiting impatiently for the race to begin.
He couldn't explain why he was here every race day, nor why he still wanted to come back the next. He told himself it was because it was a sport, and the competition, and maybe the gambling - but a certain rider always floated to the top of his mind.
He realized he had slipped off into his thoughts when he heard the stadium around him cheering wildly. He snapped his head to his left, where all the riders and their unicorns were walking out of the large rider entrance caved into the side of the audience stands and onto the track. The Unicorns stopped at the starting point (well, all but one, who seemed to be having trouble with it's rider), and from around the arena a voice boomed.
"Wizards and Witches! Warlocks and Sorceresses! Goblins and Hags! From the years after the wars, when the races were first introduced, nine years ago, blossoms the most loved wizard sport of our age! Today, I welcome you to the Saturday Unicorn Race!" Severus tightened his grip on the rail as the crowds blasted their cheers behind him, nearly deafening him.
One day I will go deaf from these races, he mused. Which might be considered a good thing, considering all the things he had to hear.
"Now for the rules-" The audience sighed in impatience. Severus himself could recite the rules word for word, but today was Saturday, which meant that there would be a special rule that only came in effect today. The Saturday before, the special rule was that each rider could use one (approved) magical ability, and the week before it was that there were dust bombs hidden in certain spots around the track.
The commentator continued. "As with every race, anything goes. Knocking fellow riders off of Unicorns, hitting, kicking, stealing other unicorns, anything - EXCEPT for MAGIC. There will be no usage of magic during this race, or any other race, by the riders - or audience! Unless otherwise stated. First to complete fifty laps, or last one on their Unicorn, wins!" The audience, along with the commentator, dramatically paused. Severus felt himself leaning forward waiting for the announcement. "And now for our special Saturday rules. Decided amongst the judges of the races, are as follows: Audience members are for today, today only, allowed to interfere with the races! Bring out your wands, wizarding community, and let's see what we can do! Anything goes!" With that the entire crowd whipped out their wands in one solid, fluid motion, and cheered immensely. Severus, however, did not reach for his wand. He wouldn't meddle with the race - he wanted to watch every moment of it. "However, death is frowned upon. Remember, Unforgivables are 'Unforgivable' for a reason!" Then there were some grumbles. "Make sure all your bets are in place, because after the race officially begin, no more will be taken tonight. Now, riders."
Severus raised an eyebrow. This was the most interesting Saturday Special he had come across so far, and it would undoubtedly be an interesting race.
With an air of impatience himself, the commentator continued, "Make sure all your bets are in place, because after the race officially begins, no more will be taken tonight. Now, riders."
Severus unfolded his arms, his eyes focused on the black rider, who was leaning forward, whispering to her Unicorn.
"On your mark!" Everyone silenced in a moment. "Get set!" No one moved a muscle, though their wands were all raised. "Let the races, begin!"
There was a loud bang, and the Unicorns with their riders took off, with much cheering of the crowd.
Severus momentarily wondered who the spectators curses wand spells would affect - the black rider would surely be the target of anyone who appreciated a challenge, just so they could turn around and boast to all that they had beaten down the Black Rider; but most bets were on her, so most would be trying to protect her. But then there were all the poorly dressed women that the men would be protecting (or trying to further undress), though the women in the crowd would be working with all their might to blast out of the arena.
He leaned further over the railing, propping his arms up and resting his chin on his folded hands. His eyes were going in circles around the track, following the Black Rider as she raced besides the more amateur riders. She wasn't in first, but he wasn't worried - she always made it to the end before anyone did. In fact, so far as he knew, she had only lost five races out of the hundred she must've competed in, and was a living legend for it.
~*~
Hermione held tight, hoping to God she could keep dodging the oncoming spells as well as she had in the past two minutes. Around her she could vaguely hear the commentator screaming out phrases like, "McKullkan has been screwed by an incoming albino monkey! How crazy will these spells get? Will our riders even make it to ten laps?" and "The Black Rider has managed to dodge most of the spells so far - looks like she's not looking for trouble, or for help!"
It was crazier then any Saturday she had ever competed in - matched maybe only by the magical monsoon that was created over the arena a few months ago, or maybe when the judges were allowed to throw spells down themselves.
A woman wearing what appeared to be a flashy purple robe artfully hacked into pieces with flashy underwear underneath sped up to Hermione. Hermione looked over quickly, trying to watch ahead at what looked like an incoming spell threat. The girl to her right was almost tinted blue, along with her unicorn.
The woman reached out with her left hand and made a grab at Hermione's arm.
Hermione whipped her arm away, and tried to move Sere over to the left, away from the girl, but not before receiving an electric shock - the woman's blue shell was a force field! Hermione mentally noted to find out who it was who threw that charm down, and to pulverize them.
The woman was again making mad reaches at Hermione, attempting to shock her off her unicorn, and Hermione's arm was beginning to throb. She tried to urge Sere onwards, as she could do nothing to the girl with her force field but dodge.
Fortunately, 'Finite Incantato's were thrown into the arena occasionally, stopping all spells - and this was one of those lucky times. The electric woman stopped grabbing, and began to slow down, suddenly afraid of Hermione.
Hermione smiled to herself, and quickly Sere circled around, reading Hermione's thoughts. The woman had already slowed down dramatically, but Hermione wasn't about to let her go - she rushed forward - which was now facing all the oncoming Unicorns - and bee lined straight for the not-so- electric-now woman, scaring the riders around her as they dove out of her way.
The woman, suddenly realizing what danger she was in, tried to spin her unicorn around, but not before Hermione came to her side and lifted her leg and aimed a well placed kick in the woman's side, knocking the woman clear off her Unicorn. Hermione nearly lost balance and fell backwards herself, but recovered and steered Serendipity around the fallen woman and her Unicorn. Hermione stopped and glared down at the woman, who looked up from the ground, horrified, scrambled to her feet and ran off the track and out of the arena.
"Too easy," Hermione mumbled. She looked up to the crowd, to about the place where the 'Finite Incantato' had issued. "Come, Sere." She cooed, to start her running again, when out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure in black, leaning on the railing. She turned her head, and saw a man with his arms folded over the railing, a wand held loosely in his right hand, staring straight in her direction, unmistakably at her.
"Snape?" She said to herself, almost leaning off Serendipity.
Suddenly from behind something hit her back with the force of an iron baseball bat. She lurched forward, cringing at the burning sensation tingling her skin, and at the sudden thought of the bruise that would develop out of that.
She snapped her head up dangerously narrowed her eyes, and with a little nudge to Sere they were speeding in the direction of the two riders that were battling it out in front of her. They will probably kill themselves off, she thought to herself. But I want to take a shot at them first.
Before her eyes she watched the woman on the left heave something across the gap between her and the other rider and knock the other woman clear off of her Unicorn, sending her flying over the track.
Hermione let out a little shriek as Serendipity dove to the right to avoid the other Unicorn and her rider, almost sending Hermione herself to the dust. Hermione held Sere tight as they raced up to the victorious woman, Obviously the one that had hit her.
After she had gotten close enough, Hermione realized that this woman was one of her serious competitors - Arianna Flasts, who had apparently been hit with some sort of engorgement charm on her arm.
"That HURT," Hermione screamed into the air being whipped around her face, catching the attention of Arianna.
"I keep forgetting you are a woman under all that bulk!" Arianna yelled back, half smiling as she waved her massive arm in the air like a block of wood. "Why don't I knock off your hood, and find out for sure? And then knock you off your Unicorn completely?"
"Ari!" Hermione yelled back, hoping no one in the audience could really hear their loud conversation. "I always win! What makes you think this time's any different?"
"This!" Arianna yelled, and with seemingly enormous effort, swung her arm back over at Hermione, who leaned to her right so far that she was only saved from falling by Sere's own dive out of the way. "Well, there's been times you've lost, don't pretend to be invincible. It's when you claim to be invincible that you usually fall!" Arianna sped up momentarily, and swung around the front to Hermione.
Hermione gasped as the arm flew in front of her, and instinctively tightened her legs, and brought up her hands, and caught Arianna's arm, which knocked her back a foot and knocked a lot of wind out of her.
Before Hermione could convince Sere to turn right, Sere was pulling away. Hermione tried to yank at the massive arm, trying to yank with it Arianna. But Arianna and Noelle, her Unicorn, moved sharply with them, and through turns and slides they remained locked.
"Ow!" Arianna cried, as Hermione resorted to pinching her arm. "Let go already, and figt like a real woman!"
They turned sharply around the corner, as they were bee-lining straight for the stands. Hermine was flung into Arianna, who slapped her away, as Hermione tried to take advantage of the situation and push Arianna off.
In a last effort move, Hermione flung Arianna's bat-like arm over Arianna's tilting body, and the weight of it and her being obviously unprepared for it caused her to tilt even further sideways. Hermione gave one last push and punch and watched as Arianna tumbled off, and stared behind her as she rolled in the dust, only to sit up scowling a second later.
Hermione now found herself half on Serendipity, and half on Noelle - if either of them moved away from the other as they ran she would immediately fall in the dust, with her luck be trampled, and end up rolling in the dust back with Arianna. Of course, Sere realized this, and stuck herself to Noelle as they ran, but Noelle was moving completely wild.
"No! No! Please, no, wa-a-a-ait, no-" Hermione whispered urgently, trying to pat Noelle. "Just stay still a moment longer-"
Noelle made one last jerk, and Hermione felt herself falling. She bent her knees to keep her feet from catching anything and making the fall worse.
Once on the ground, face down, she breathed in, feeling the comfort of not moving. Then, she reluctantly stood and moved over out of the way of the unicorns, and dusted her now brown clothes off, muttering curses under her breath.
When she looked up again, above her in the stands stood her old potions professor, staring down with a surprised look on his face (along with quite a few other spectators).
She couldn't help but stare back.
Before it could even set on her that the look in his eye was as none she had ever seen on him before, the booming voice echoed through the arena, drawing all attention to it.
"And, people, it looks like the Black Rider has won once again!" It startled her, not only because of her quiet revere, but because of the mention of her winning.
She glanced at the race track - she hadn't seen or heard anyone go by, but she was a little too preoccupied to notice. Looks like everyone had fallen off their unicorns for one reason or another before she had.
A man came running out of an entrance hole in the stadium, with people from the daily prophet. Hermione sighed. Each race they came, hoping for her name, for her face, for a word, and a glimpse under her hood. every time they never got it.
"Black Rider! Black Rider! You have just won! Would you like to say anything to the Prophet? Can we get your picture? Can you take off your hood?" A woman with obviously fake yellow hair stuck the end of a quill in her mouth, and sucked on it momentarily. Hermione snapped her head to this person. "Answer me, if you would be so kind - in your own words, would you say your childhood was, 'happy'?"
"Rita Skeeter?" Hermione said incredulously, startling everyone around her, the woman most of all. "I thought I-" She cut herself off, wanting to smack her forehead, and the woman began to speak, shooken up herself.
"Excuse me?" She said, her quill grasped tight in her hand. "My name is Polly Shorebanks." She pointed to a little badge on her shirt. She then narrowed her eyes. "Why would you say that?"
The balding man, with his own badge labeled 'BUR Judge', ignored all and bustled in front of the reporters. "Ah, well, at least you sound female! As I was confident with our magic specialist that no rider had any enchantments at all on them, I was beginning to think that maybe we actually had a male rider on our hands!" He took Hermione's hand and thrust a little red ribbon in it.
Why would they think that? Hermione asked herself. "I told you years ago to just keep these damn things-" Hermione tried to shove the ribbon back into the man's hand, but he had run back to the entrance.
"Could you say a few words to the public about your stunning victory today?" 'Polly' asked, doing the blockade dance as Hermione repeatedly tried to step around her, though she remained in her way.
"No." Hermione said bluntly. Then, just as wands were being raised at her for several reasons, Serendipity nudged her in the back. Hermione smiled to herself, scooted backwards, and leapt onto Sere and sped away.
Once inside the stables, and into the semi-safety of their private room, she removed the saddle and put out extra food, as a reward for winning.
"Once we reach enough ribbons, we will be able to sell them all for a lifetime's supply of Unicorn treats," Hermione said dryly, shrinking the ribbon to 1/10th it's original size, then throwing it in the corner, onto a gigantic pile of shrunken, colorful ribbons. (She had gotten bored one day, when races were postponed, and had to resort to creativity with them)
Pulling off her hood and veil, she crouched down and placed her hands in the enchanted stream that ran through Sere's part of the room, and splashed her face. She walked out of the gate, closed it, and fell backwards onto the soft grass, and closed her eyes, relishing the comfort.
"Oh CRAP!" She yelled, sitting up stiffly, suddenly remembering her meeting with Harry and Ron that night. "Thank GOD the race ended so early!" She murmured, putting back on her hood and veil.
With one last pat and a 'good-bye' Hermione dashed out the door, locking it with a special touch, and began to dash out the hallways.
When turning the last corner, Hermione barely stopped herself before running into another rider.
"You know, Black," She said, smirking. "I am going to get you one day."
"You already have," Hermione said, masking her voice as much as she could. "Last year, around March, I think." She backed away towards the door. "I figured I had lost today - the special was absolutely horrible. Interesting and entertaining, no doubt, for others to watch and take part in..." She willed Arianna to magically go away. She was someone to chat with when you were bored and waiting or the start of the race, or in line behind a juvenile that got busted when entering the magic detector machine. Not someone she preferred. In fact, Arianna reminded Hermione of Malfoy - which wasn't pleasant at all.
"The next time, though, I will get off that damned hood in front of the whole arena! That reporter back there, the one with the weird hair and glasses, just signed me quite a few galleons just to get a name out of you!" She grinned. "How about you just." She reached over to Hermione, "Just take off your hood-" Hermione swatted her hand.
"Not now! So sorry about that. I must be going."
And with that Hermione left the flustered girl behind and began dashing through the streets of the underground town.
People stared as she dashed madly about, making for her preferred exit, when turning she ran straight into another pedestrian.
"Oh!" Hermione cried, as she fell back.
The person she had run into grabbed onto her arms, keeping her from smashing the back f her head on the pavement.
Hermione opened her eyes, and realized two very, very bad things - one, this person was Severus Snape. And two - she could see him without the usual dimness of her veil.
She immediately went to shield her face with her hand, and felt for her veil - which was slipping past her nose.
"Sorry about that," She said as huskily and out-of-voice as she could. She broke his strong hold and dashed away, trying to tuck back her veil, wondering why she hadn't done this properly back in her forest room.
Severus stood, surprised, though more so at the fact that he recognized something about those eyes, then at the fact that he had almost bulldozed over the Black Rider.
~*~
So. how do you like? What would you like to happen? Tell me your ideas, and especially idea's for 'Saturday Special' rules, and I will probably use them. ^^
By Mae Noelle and Ducky
Disclaimer -- Nothing is ours, I promise. Never has been, never will be. Gasp! Can you believe it?
AN - Ah, I love this fic now. Which means it will come along faster then the others. reviews make stories my favorite, by the way. *wink*
And to whoever doesn't like my Unicorns name, too damn bad. I do.
And! By the way, 'Sere' is pronounced 'Sair' . S + air. Yay for you.
*cough* please review! *cough*
~2 -- Race Day -- 2~
Severus stood rigidly, his right hand grasping the cold iron railing, which fenced in all the spectators of the race. Behind him noisily sat what seemed like the entirety of the wizarding community, all of which sat impatiently in the stands, looking around the stadium and turning to their neighbors for small talk.
Turning a quick glare to someone who had shoved past him, Severus leaned forward, now gripping the railing with both hands, and looked down onto the dirt track, which lay four feet at most from the lowest point of the stands.
He sighed slightly, looking over the edge and waiting impatiently for the race to begin.
He couldn't explain why he was here every race day, nor why he still wanted to come back the next. He told himself it was because it was a sport, and the competition, and maybe the gambling - but a certain rider always floated to the top of his mind.
He realized he had slipped off into his thoughts when he heard the stadium around him cheering wildly. He snapped his head to his left, where all the riders and their unicorns were walking out of the large rider entrance caved into the side of the audience stands and onto the track. The Unicorns stopped at the starting point (well, all but one, who seemed to be having trouble with it's rider), and from around the arena a voice boomed.
"Wizards and Witches! Warlocks and Sorceresses! Goblins and Hags! From the years after the wars, when the races were first introduced, nine years ago, blossoms the most loved wizard sport of our age! Today, I welcome you to the Saturday Unicorn Race!" Severus tightened his grip on the rail as the crowds blasted their cheers behind him, nearly deafening him.
One day I will go deaf from these races, he mused. Which might be considered a good thing, considering all the things he had to hear.
"Now for the rules-" The audience sighed in impatience. Severus himself could recite the rules word for word, but today was Saturday, which meant that there would be a special rule that only came in effect today. The Saturday before, the special rule was that each rider could use one (approved) magical ability, and the week before it was that there were dust bombs hidden in certain spots around the track.
The commentator continued. "As with every race, anything goes. Knocking fellow riders off of Unicorns, hitting, kicking, stealing other unicorns, anything - EXCEPT for MAGIC. There will be no usage of magic during this race, or any other race, by the riders - or audience! Unless otherwise stated. First to complete fifty laps, or last one on their Unicorn, wins!" The audience, along with the commentator, dramatically paused. Severus felt himself leaning forward waiting for the announcement. "And now for our special Saturday rules. Decided amongst the judges of the races, are as follows: Audience members are for today, today only, allowed to interfere with the races! Bring out your wands, wizarding community, and let's see what we can do! Anything goes!" With that the entire crowd whipped out their wands in one solid, fluid motion, and cheered immensely. Severus, however, did not reach for his wand. He wouldn't meddle with the race - he wanted to watch every moment of it. "However, death is frowned upon. Remember, Unforgivables are 'Unforgivable' for a reason!" Then there were some grumbles. "Make sure all your bets are in place, because after the race officially begin, no more will be taken tonight. Now, riders."
Severus raised an eyebrow. This was the most interesting Saturday Special he had come across so far, and it would undoubtedly be an interesting race.
With an air of impatience himself, the commentator continued, "Make sure all your bets are in place, because after the race officially begins, no more will be taken tonight. Now, riders."
Severus unfolded his arms, his eyes focused on the black rider, who was leaning forward, whispering to her Unicorn.
"On your mark!" Everyone silenced in a moment. "Get set!" No one moved a muscle, though their wands were all raised. "Let the races, begin!"
There was a loud bang, and the Unicorns with their riders took off, with much cheering of the crowd.
Severus momentarily wondered who the spectators curses wand spells would affect - the black rider would surely be the target of anyone who appreciated a challenge, just so they could turn around and boast to all that they had beaten down the Black Rider; but most bets were on her, so most would be trying to protect her. But then there were all the poorly dressed women that the men would be protecting (or trying to further undress), though the women in the crowd would be working with all their might to blast out of the arena.
He leaned further over the railing, propping his arms up and resting his chin on his folded hands. His eyes were going in circles around the track, following the Black Rider as she raced besides the more amateur riders. She wasn't in first, but he wasn't worried - she always made it to the end before anyone did. In fact, so far as he knew, she had only lost five races out of the hundred she must've competed in, and was a living legend for it.
~*~
Hermione held tight, hoping to God she could keep dodging the oncoming spells as well as she had in the past two minutes. Around her she could vaguely hear the commentator screaming out phrases like, "McKullkan has been screwed by an incoming albino monkey! How crazy will these spells get? Will our riders even make it to ten laps?" and "The Black Rider has managed to dodge most of the spells so far - looks like she's not looking for trouble, or for help!"
It was crazier then any Saturday she had ever competed in - matched maybe only by the magical monsoon that was created over the arena a few months ago, or maybe when the judges were allowed to throw spells down themselves.
A woman wearing what appeared to be a flashy purple robe artfully hacked into pieces with flashy underwear underneath sped up to Hermione. Hermione looked over quickly, trying to watch ahead at what looked like an incoming spell threat. The girl to her right was almost tinted blue, along with her unicorn.
The woman reached out with her left hand and made a grab at Hermione's arm.
Hermione whipped her arm away, and tried to move Sere over to the left, away from the girl, but not before receiving an electric shock - the woman's blue shell was a force field! Hermione mentally noted to find out who it was who threw that charm down, and to pulverize them.
The woman was again making mad reaches at Hermione, attempting to shock her off her unicorn, and Hermione's arm was beginning to throb. She tried to urge Sere onwards, as she could do nothing to the girl with her force field but dodge.
Fortunately, 'Finite Incantato's were thrown into the arena occasionally, stopping all spells - and this was one of those lucky times. The electric woman stopped grabbing, and began to slow down, suddenly afraid of Hermione.
Hermione smiled to herself, and quickly Sere circled around, reading Hermione's thoughts. The woman had already slowed down dramatically, but Hermione wasn't about to let her go - she rushed forward - which was now facing all the oncoming Unicorns - and bee lined straight for the not-so- electric-now woman, scaring the riders around her as they dove out of her way.
The woman, suddenly realizing what danger she was in, tried to spin her unicorn around, but not before Hermione came to her side and lifted her leg and aimed a well placed kick in the woman's side, knocking the woman clear off her Unicorn. Hermione nearly lost balance and fell backwards herself, but recovered and steered Serendipity around the fallen woman and her Unicorn. Hermione stopped and glared down at the woman, who looked up from the ground, horrified, scrambled to her feet and ran off the track and out of the arena.
"Too easy," Hermione mumbled. She looked up to the crowd, to about the place where the 'Finite Incantato' had issued. "Come, Sere." She cooed, to start her running again, when out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure in black, leaning on the railing. She turned her head, and saw a man with his arms folded over the railing, a wand held loosely in his right hand, staring straight in her direction, unmistakably at her.
"Snape?" She said to herself, almost leaning off Serendipity.
Suddenly from behind something hit her back with the force of an iron baseball bat. She lurched forward, cringing at the burning sensation tingling her skin, and at the sudden thought of the bruise that would develop out of that.
She snapped her head up dangerously narrowed her eyes, and with a little nudge to Sere they were speeding in the direction of the two riders that were battling it out in front of her. They will probably kill themselves off, she thought to herself. But I want to take a shot at them first.
Before her eyes she watched the woman on the left heave something across the gap between her and the other rider and knock the other woman clear off of her Unicorn, sending her flying over the track.
Hermione let out a little shriek as Serendipity dove to the right to avoid the other Unicorn and her rider, almost sending Hermione herself to the dust. Hermione held Sere tight as they raced up to the victorious woman, Obviously the one that had hit her.
After she had gotten close enough, Hermione realized that this woman was one of her serious competitors - Arianna Flasts, who had apparently been hit with some sort of engorgement charm on her arm.
"That HURT," Hermione screamed into the air being whipped around her face, catching the attention of Arianna.
"I keep forgetting you are a woman under all that bulk!" Arianna yelled back, half smiling as she waved her massive arm in the air like a block of wood. "Why don't I knock off your hood, and find out for sure? And then knock you off your Unicorn completely?"
"Ari!" Hermione yelled back, hoping no one in the audience could really hear their loud conversation. "I always win! What makes you think this time's any different?"
"This!" Arianna yelled, and with seemingly enormous effort, swung her arm back over at Hermione, who leaned to her right so far that she was only saved from falling by Sere's own dive out of the way. "Well, there's been times you've lost, don't pretend to be invincible. It's when you claim to be invincible that you usually fall!" Arianna sped up momentarily, and swung around the front to Hermione.
Hermione gasped as the arm flew in front of her, and instinctively tightened her legs, and brought up her hands, and caught Arianna's arm, which knocked her back a foot and knocked a lot of wind out of her.
Before Hermione could convince Sere to turn right, Sere was pulling away. Hermione tried to yank at the massive arm, trying to yank with it Arianna. But Arianna and Noelle, her Unicorn, moved sharply with them, and through turns and slides they remained locked.
"Ow!" Arianna cried, as Hermione resorted to pinching her arm. "Let go already, and figt like a real woman!"
They turned sharply around the corner, as they were bee-lining straight for the stands. Hermine was flung into Arianna, who slapped her away, as Hermione tried to take advantage of the situation and push Arianna off.
In a last effort move, Hermione flung Arianna's bat-like arm over Arianna's tilting body, and the weight of it and her being obviously unprepared for it caused her to tilt even further sideways. Hermione gave one last push and punch and watched as Arianna tumbled off, and stared behind her as she rolled in the dust, only to sit up scowling a second later.
Hermione now found herself half on Serendipity, and half on Noelle - if either of them moved away from the other as they ran she would immediately fall in the dust, with her luck be trampled, and end up rolling in the dust back with Arianna. Of course, Sere realized this, and stuck herself to Noelle as they ran, but Noelle was moving completely wild.
"No! No! Please, no, wa-a-a-ait, no-" Hermione whispered urgently, trying to pat Noelle. "Just stay still a moment longer-"
Noelle made one last jerk, and Hermione felt herself falling. She bent her knees to keep her feet from catching anything and making the fall worse.
Once on the ground, face down, she breathed in, feeling the comfort of not moving. Then, she reluctantly stood and moved over out of the way of the unicorns, and dusted her now brown clothes off, muttering curses under her breath.
When she looked up again, above her in the stands stood her old potions professor, staring down with a surprised look on his face (along with quite a few other spectators).
She couldn't help but stare back.
Before it could even set on her that the look in his eye was as none she had ever seen on him before, the booming voice echoed through the arena, drawing all attention to it.
"And, people, it looks like the Black Rider has won once again!" It startled her, not only because of her quiet revere, but because of the mention of her winning.
She glanced at the race track - she hadn't seen or heard anyone go by, but she was a little too preoccupied to notice. Looks like everyone had fallen off their unicorns for one reason or another before she had.
A man came running out of an entrance hole in the stadium, with people from the daily prophet. Hermione sighed. Each race they came, hoping for her name, for her face, for a word, and a glimpse under her hood. every time they never got it.
"Black Rider! Black Rider! You have just won! Would you like to say anything to the Prophet? Can we get your picture? Can you take off your hood?" A woman with obviously fake yellow hair stuck the end of a quill in her mouth, and sucked on it momentarily. Hermione snapped her head to this person. "Answer me, if you would be so kind - in your own words, would you say your childhood was, 'happy'?"
"Rita Skeeter?" Hermione said incredulously, startling everyone around her, the woman most of all. "I thought I-" She cut herself off, wanting to smack her forehead, and the woman began to speak, shooken up herself.
"Excuse me?" She said, her quill grasped tight in her hand. "My name is Polly Shorebanks." She pointed to a little badge on her shirt. She then narrowed her eyes. "Why would you say that?"
The balding man, with his own badge labeled 'BUR Judge', ignored all and bustled in front of the reporters. "Ah, well, at least you sound female! As I was confident with our magic specialist that no rider had any enchantments at all on them, I was beginning to think that maybe we actually had a male rider on our hands!" He took Hermione's hand and thrust a little red ribbon in it.
Why would they think that? Hermione asked herself. "I told you years ago to just keep these damn things-" Hermione tried to shove the ribbon back into the man's hand, but he had run back to the entrance.
"Could you say a few words to the public about your stunning victory today?" 'Polly' asked, doing the blockade dance as Hermione repeatedly tried to step around her, though she remained in her way.
"No." Hermione said bluntly. Then, just as wands were being raised at her for several reasons, Serendipity nudged her in the back. Hermione smiled to herself, scooted backwards, and leapt onto Sere and sped away.
Once inside the stables, and into the semi-safety of their private room, she removed the saddle and put out extra food, as a reward for winning.
"Once we reach enough ribbons, we will be able to sell them all for a lifetime's supply of Unicorn treats," Hermione said dryly, shrinking the ribbon to 1/10th it's original size, then throwing it in the corner, onto a gigantic pile of shrunken, colorful ribbons. (She had gotten bored one day, when races were postponed, and had to resort to creativity with them)
Pulling off her hood and veil, she crouched down and placed her hands in the enchanted stream that ran through Sere's part of the room, and splashed her face. She walked out of the gate, closed it, and fell backwards onto the soft grass, and closed her eyes, relishing the comfort.
"Oh CRAP!" She yelled, sitting up stiffly, suddenly remembering her meeting with Harry and Ron that night. "Thank GOD the race ended so early!" She murmured, putting back on her hood and veil.
With one last pat and a 'good-bye' Hermione dashed out the door, locking it with a special touch, and began to dash out the hallways.
When turning the last corner, Hermione barely stopped herself before running into another rider.
"You know, Black," She said, smirking. "I am going to get you one day."
"You already have," Hermione said, masking her voice as much as she could. "Last year, around March, I think." She backed away towards the door. "I figured I had lost today - the special was absolutely horrible. Interesting and entertaining, no doubt, for others to watch and take part in..." She willed Arianna to magically go away. She was someone to chat with when you were bored and waiting or the start of the race, or in line behind a juvenile that got busted when entering the magic detector machine. Not someone she preferred. In fact, Arianna reminded Hermione of Malfoy - which wasn't pleasant at all.
"The next time, though, I will get off that damned hood in front of the whole arena! That reporter back there, the one with the weird hair and glasses, just signed me quite a few galleons just to get a name out of you!" She grinned. "How about you just." She reached over to Hermione, "Just take off your hood-" Hermione swatted her hand.
"Not now! So sorry about that. I must be going."
And with that Hermione left the flustered girl behind and began dashing through the streets of the underground town.
People stared as she dashed madly about, making for her preferred exit, when turning she ran straight into another pedestrian.
"Oh!" Hermione cried, as she fell back.
The person she had run into grabbed onto her arms, keeping her from smashing the back f her head on the pavement.
Hermione opened her eyes, and realized two very, very bad things - one, this person was Severus Snape. And two - she could see him without the usual dimness of her veil.
She immediately went to shield her face with her hand, and felt for her veil - which was slipping past her nose.
"Sorry about that," She said as huskily and out-of-voice as she could. She broke his strong hold and dashed away, trying to tuck back her veil, wondering why she hadn't done this properly back in her forest room.
Severus stood, surprised, though more so at the fact that he recognized something about those eyes, then at the fact that he had almost bulldozed over the Black Rider.
~*~
So. how do you like? What would you like to happen? Tell me your ideas, and especially idea's for 'Saturday Special' rules, and I will probably use them. ^^