Chapter Ten

Quidditch and Detention

The next Saturday found the Gryffindors on the quidditch field. Buffy sat nervously in the stands between Spike and Giles.

"Are you sure she'll be all right?"

"Yes luv, she'll hold her own."

"Spike, you've neglected to mention that people have died playing this game."

"People have died!"

"Way to go watcher." Spike muttered underneath his breath.

"She wants to play a game that can kill her?!"

"It's no worse than you patrolling at night, luv."

"Yes, it is. That's my destiny, I have no choice. Quidditch is not a destiny, she has a choice."

"You could choose not to patrol." Spike pointed out.

Buffy just glared at him.

"Relax Buffy." Giles said. "Nobody's died in years and Harry said she's an excellent flier. It only took her a week to stop falling off the broom."

"She fell!"

"Good job, Rupes. Give her another thing to worry about."

"Shut up Spike."

"Oh, here she comes. I'm still not sure if I like this."

Spike put his arm around her and kissed her temple. "You'll understand this better after you watch her play."

They turned their attention to the field where Professor McGonagall was explaining the try-out procedures.

"You will be divided into teams of beaters and you will be given a half-hour of playing time with the rest of the team. After everyone has had a chance to play, Mr. Potter and I will discuss some possibilities and then pair some of you again and have you play once more. We will post the new positions tomorrow morning. Any questions?"

When no questions were asked she called out the first team. "Miss Virginia Weasley and Mr. Dennis Creevey."

Ginny suppressed a groan. She couldn't believe Dennis was her partner. He was almost as clumsy as Neville and had a habit of falling into the lake. She was doomed.

The redhead resigned herself to her fate as she joined the rest of the team in the air.

Since Dawn wasn't in the first team, Buffy was able to relax slightly and watched with mesmerized eyes to game unfolding before her.

"This seems to be a fairly easy game to understand." Xander said from the other side of Giles.

"Yes it is, but there's a lot of strategy involved." Giles informed him.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Of course there is G-man. How hard can it be to get that one ball through the hoop and catch the little gold one?"

"If you would shut your trap whelp, you would see that the watcher is right."

Xander turned his eyes to the game and suddenly understood. The two balls called bludgers flew dizzyingly around the field causing the players to duck and swerve. He couldn't even see the golden snitch. Maybe there's more to the game than meets the eye, he thought.

"The Weasley girl is pretty good." Spike commented as she knocked a bludger into the path of one of the chasers preventing them from scoring.

"Her older brothers were the former beaters for the team. I assume they gave her lessons." Giles informed them.

All too quickly the half hour past and McGonagall stepped out to announce the next pair. "Miss Dawn Summers and Miss Natalie McDonald."

"Oh god! I can't watch." Buffy said, covering her eyes.

"Buffy. Luv. Relax, she'll be fine." Spike said, gently pulling her arms down. In all honesty, he was a bit nervous himself, he just didn't want Buffy to know, it would just make her worse. Dawn had refused any help from him over the summer, she had only wanted Harry to help her.

^^^^^^^^flashback^^^^^^^^^^^

"Spike, I'll be fine. Harry is a terrific flier."

"But I could...."

"When was the last time you were on a broom?"

If it was possible for vampires to blush, Spike would have done so right then. He had never been very good at flying and had avoided it at all costs. "I could at least watch."

"No Spike. I need to do this on my own, without you and Buffy waiting to catch me. Everybody has their own thing that they are good at. I want flying to be mine."

Spike nodded, he understood. So he had kept Buffy away from the field every time Dawn and Harry went out to practice.

^^^^^^^^^flashback over^^^^^^^^^

So Spike sat in the stands nervous and excited all at the same time. Nervous because he wanted Dawn to do well and excited because no matter what happened she had done it all on her own.

"Don't fall Dawn, please don't fall." Buffy chanted as Dawn rose in the air.

Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them.

Buffy's chanting stopped though as she watched Dawn zip by.

"Wow, she's good." Tara said. "Look at how quickly she made that turn."

Spike's heart leapt into his throat. He had never been more proud of his Bit than at that very moment.

Dawn laughed as she flew through the air. She loved flying, the way the wind blew her hair back, and the rush she got as she made quick dives and sharp turns. She enjoyed it much more now than when she had first started.

^^^^^^^^^flashback^^^^^^^^

Dawn had fought furiously with Buffy and Spike to do this on her own. But now, as she stood next to a broom, she began to have doubts. "Are you sure this is safe, Harry?"

"Of course, here let me show you." Harry quickly mounted his broom and did a lazy circle in the air.

"I don't know." She said skeptically.

"Here, try this." Harry said as he landed. He shifted slightly on the broom. "Sit in front of me."

"What?"

"Trust me. I think if you go up in the air once without worrying about steering or speed you'll see how fun it is and relax."

Dawn raised an eyebrow, but settled on the broom in front of him. She let out a soft squeak as they lifted off, but quickly relaxed. She began to understand what he had been talking about. She turned to tell him so and slipped off the broom. Luckily Harry had caught her before she hit the ground.

It took three days before Harry could talk her into getting on a broom again.

^^^^^^^flashback over^^^^^^^^

Dawn easily got into a rhythm and she and Natalie were able to provide lots of confusion on the field with the bludgers. One of her shots almost knocked Seamus off his broom and prevented him from scoring.

Buffy just sat there with her mouth hanging open in amazement. Dawn had told her that she was pretty good, but not this good.

Spike chuckled and gently closed her mouth. "Told you there was nothing to worry about."

"He's right, Buffy." Willow piped up. "I think she stands a good chance of making the team."

The Sunnydale gang sat for the next hour and a half watching the other hopefuls. Buffy fidgeted in her seat as she watched the current pair. The one boy was pretty good, as good as Dawn even. Her competitive side was showing as she decided then and there that she wanted her sister on the team and not that scrawny little boy.

They sat anxiously waiting after the last team landed. McGonagall talked to Harry then stepped forward and made a quick announcement. "We've narrowed it down to two possible teams. This round you will have fifteen minutes of playing time. After the second team plays you may return to your dormitory. The list will be posted first thing in the morning. Team one is Mr. Russell O'Conner and Mr. Ronald Masterson. Team two is Miss Virginia Weasley and Miss Dawn Summers."

The scooby gang sat on the edge of their seats watching the first team. Buffy chewed on her nails as she watched the boy from the last pair. If he beat her sister out of one the spots she was going to hurt the boy, badly. No, wait. Dawn wouldn't like that. Buffy spared a glance at Spike. I'll let Spike kick his ass.

It was Dawn's turn and she heard cheers from the stands. She smiled and waved at them, then turned an evil grin to Ginny. "Let's show them what a pair of girls can do."

Ginny returned the grin and they quickly took to the air. What happened next left all watching in awe. The two girls moved in perfect sync, one setting up a play and the other completing it, without saying a word.

"This is bloody amazing!" Spike exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "I've never seen a pair of beaters move this way. If I didn't know better I'd say they had a telepathic connection."

Willow closed her eyes and concentrated. "Nope. They're just moving on instinct."

And as quickly as their turn began, it was over and the headed back to the castle.

Buffy ran to catch up with Dawn and caught her in a big bear hug. "Dawnie you were absolutely amazing. I had no idea you could fly like that."

Dawn blushed with Buffy's praise. "Thanks. I just hope I was good enough to make the team."

"I wouldn't worry about it Bit. You were the best one out there."

**********

The next morning Dawn awoke to the sight of Ginny hovering over her with a huge smile on her face.

"We did it?"

Ginny could just nod.

With a squeal Dawn jumped out of bed and hugged Ginny. They danced about the room and down the stairs into the common room.

Harry looked up when he heard the noise and smiled as he saw the two most beautiful women he knew dancing around the room with joy. "I guess you guys heard?" He called out, interrupting them.

The two girls looked at each other then tackled him at the same time. Harry let out a surprised yelp and then laughter as the girls profusely thanked him by tickling him.

*******

The next month passed quickly as they settled into their new routines. Buffy and Spike continued their patrols but bound nothing to confirm the sense of dread they were feeling. The rest of the scooby gang had classes to teach and papers to grade. Hermione continued her research on the key with no luck.

Quidditch practice and classes began to eat away at most of their free time. So much so, that the students began to look forward to their evening training sessions to release steam.

However, the peace couldn't last forever.

Dawn just happened to be paired with Neville in potions class the day the calm ended. They were working on a complicated healing potion when Neville accidentally knocked the cauldron over.

"Mr. Longbottom, could you be more clumsy?!" Snape yelled.

Neville's eyes widened in fear, he knew what was coming.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor for your lack of co-ordination."
"Do you have to be so mean?" Dawn demanded, stepping up to Snape.

"Ten points for talking back!"

"He feels bad enough; you don't need to make him feel worse!"
"Another ten points!"

"You know, the students would probably respect you more if you weren't such an ass!"

"Forty points and detention!" Snape roared. "Should we continue Miss Summers?"

Before she could retort back she felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see Harry's green eyes pleading with her to stop. With a growl worthy of any vampire she returned to her area and helped Neville clean up his mess.

*********

Draco hated to admit it, but his new guardians were good teachers. Thanks to the slayer his quidditch game had actually improved. To think, a muggle technique could help a pureblood like himself. Not like he would actually confess that if anyone asked.

Spike actually scared him though. While the slayer was at least friendly towards him, the vampire shot cold looks at him and said little.

But did he ever know his stuff. Draco had learned more in the past month than the past five years. It was in Spike's class that it happened though.

He was sitting there taking notes on fyarl demons when he heard a grunt next to him. Apparently Goyle had found something funny. Draco gave the boy a questioning look and Goyle responded by placing a piece of parchment in front of him.

Draco's eyes widened in amazement as he read what was written on it.

"Is there a problem Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco's head shot up and all he could manage to do was shake his head.

Spike raised an eyebrow and crossed the room until he stood in front of the boy. "Then why the deer in a headlight look?"

Draco's look turned to one of confusion.

"Scared, you look scared." Spike said impatiently.

The blond student couldn't utter a reply and nervously flicked his gaze to the parchment in front of him Spike noticed the look and picked up the paper.

Draco swallowed nervously as Spike read it over. He saw rage build on Spike's face as he finished and turned back to Draco.

Spike leaned over until he was nose to nose with his charge and spoke quietly through clenched teeth. "This is one of the most insulting pieces of garbage I have ever read. Fifty points from Slytherin and you have detention."

Turning around he went back to the front of class to continue the lesson. Poor Draco was left sitting there wondering what exactly he had done wrong.