Chapter Seventeen: Fools Don't Win the Cup
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. :)

A/N: Please see the note at the bottom of the chapter.


April Fools was always an interesting time at Hogwarts. Reagan walked with Josie up the stairs towards their Arithmancy class having just left Cal at the base of the stairs. As they walked to class they passed younger students playing practical jokes on each other, yelling "april Fools!" in the end.

"I wish Professor Lupin would have shouted 'April Fools!' after he wrote all that homework on the board," Josie said. "I almost fell off my chair when he said it was due next class."

"He has a sense of humor," Reagan said. "Its just a bad time for him right now. He's tired... and grumpy."

"Grumpy people can still say 'April Fools!' after they dish out a load of homework," Josie replied.

Reagan shook her head, laughing to herself, and a ghostly image of Josie falling flashed before her eyes. Reagan ignored it. Since her three day stay in the Hospital wing after fainting in her dormitory almost a month before she had been having random flashed of the horrible image. She didn't tell Josie this, or anyone for that matter. Reagan didn't know what it meant, and if it was nothing then she didn't want to make anyone worry.

She also knew that if she fainted again she's be sent back to the hospital wing, and Madame Pomfrey had told her that if she saw her again for the rest of the year, she would not allow her to play Quidditch anymore. As it was she had not been allowed to return to practice for ten days after her three day nap.

"Did your brother call a practice for tonight?" Josie asked.

"No, he had too much homework," Reagan replied. "And he must have had a lot for him to cancel a bonus practice."

"Its probably a good thing that we don't have to practice tonight," Josie said. "We can start on Lupin's thirty six inch long list of homework... Do we have to go to Arithmancy?"

"Yes we do," Reagan replied. They had approached the door to their classroom, stepping aside to let some of the other students pass through while they had their usual debate about Arithmancy.

"I'd rather be flying than sit though Professor Cantra's lectures," Josie stated.

"flying?" Reagan asked. "In this?" She glanced towards the nearest window which showed the Hogwarts grounds in a late season blizzard .

"Yes," Josie replied. "Even in this."

"Well, its lucky for you that we have an exam today so Professor Cantra won't be lecturing. And you won't freeze your knickers off."

"I am grateful," Josie replied, rolling her eyes. Reagan grabbed onto her friend's shoulder and lead her into the classroom.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was also on this day that Reagan got a pleasant surprise when she walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts. After Arithmancy, she was a bit tired, and she didn't believe her eyes when she saw at the head of the classroom not a sour faced witch, but an energetic blond wizard tapping the chalk board with his wand.

"Professor Lockhart!" Reagan cried as she came into the room. "You're back!"

Professor Lockhart smiled. "So I am!"

"When did you get back?" Josie asked.

"Last night, actually," he replied. "I was very anxious to get back into my classroom, and even more anxious to get you all away from Professor Elierson."

"She was a troll," Josie said immediately.

"Josie, that was a bit harsh," Reagan whispered.

"I've heard worse about the woman actually," Professor Lockhart said. "But I'll explain more about her later."

"Professor, if you're back then does that mean that my father came home too?" Reagan asked.

Professor Lockhart paused. "No, Reagan, he didn't, actually, he had to stay behind with a small group of Agents. Our mission was essentially completed, however he stayed behind with a few to clean up and secure the situation."

"Oh," Reagan said and sat down.

"He'll be all right, Reagan," Cal said to her.

"He always is," Josie added.

Reagan nodded and folded her hands over her book bag, laying her head upon them. She waited quietly as the rest of class came into the room, all buzzing with the same excitement as they saw Professor Lockhart.

"All right, settle down please," Professor Lockhart called over the chatter of the class. "Now, I want to know what you all thought of Professor Elierson." No one spoke, most to afraid to say what they really thought of the woman.

"She's a delightful woman, don't you think?" Professor Lockhart asked. "I bet all of you are wondering what Professor Elierson was and why I chose her to fill for me while I was gone. Now part of me is sorry that you had to deal with Lane Elierson, however, it got you exposure to another magical creature."

"Professor Elierson wasn't human?" Bolton Stumps asked.

"Professor Elierson was half human," Professor Lockhart replied. "She was also half-Nauthron."

"Half-Nauthron?" Lane asked.

"Yes, Miss Caldwell," Professor Lockhart said. "Does anyone know what a Nauthron is?"

Josie took a side glance at Reagan. Reagan ignored her and slowly raised her hand.

"A Nauthron is a being who can read minds, in a way. They are basically a filter. They are very aware of what other people are thinking. They hear everyone's voices in their heads."

"Very good Miss Potter," Professor Lockhart replied. "Now as they grow older, Nauthrons are able to block other thoughts out, turn the volume down in a way. Sometimes, though, especially when there are a lot of people in the room, and that person is overwhelmed, their guard can be down, and your thoughts could penetrate into their mind. Yes Miss Malfoy."

"These Nauthron sound more like magical creatures," Josie said. "What do they have to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"I was just getting to that actually," Professor Lockhart replied. "Now when I left, there were three half- Nauthron that I asked to fill in for me. Lane Elierson was the only one that was able to. Now half- Nauthron are an asset to both sides, the good and the bad, for obvious reasons. There are also a few other magical creatures that both sides will have. Does anyone know what these others may be?"

"Werewolves."

"Giants."

"Kneazles."

"Goblins."

"Vela."

"Excellent!" Professor Lockhart replied. "It is important to know what your enemies weapons will be. It make the game more equal. Yes Miss Kikiston?"

"Would that mean magic as well?" Liliah Kikiston asked.

"Yes, it would," Professor Lockhart replied. "Some wizards and witches don't think that the Dark Arts are something that need to be studied by the good guys. Now does anyone know why that doesn't make sense? Mr. Morris?"

"If the bad side knows good and dark magic, and the good side only knows good magic, then there are tons of things that they cannot prepare for. They won't know what they are up against, or how to ward things off or anything. They would be defenseless."

"Exactly, five points to Gryffindor," Professor Lockhart replied. "That the exact reason for this class. To teach and prepare you for the worst."

"But Professor," Damien Stone began. "There hasn't been a war in over twenty years. Why would they still have this class in the curriculum if there was no need for it?"

"There is always a need for this class," Professor Lockhart said, his face turning serious. "As long as there are people in this world who want to harm other people there will always be a need for this class. Yes Miss Potter?"

"Professor," Reagan began. "I know that there will always be a need for this class, to prepare us for the worst. And I know how useful this class can be when a wizard is faced against that worst. But couldn't a danger come from a less obvious source?"

"Certainly," Professor Lockhart replied. "It could come from anything, anyone, anywhere."

The words "Constant Vigilance!" came to mind as she continued. "For example, Professor Elierson. Since she was able to hear our thoughts, she could be a potential threat."

"How so Miss Potter?" Professor Lockhart asked.

"Well, even though she was only half- Nauthron, she still had the ability to hear our thoughts. And she was basically able to turn her ability off an on, though not as well as a full blooded Nauthron would be able to. This ability would still be a potential threat. If someone were cheating on an exam, should might be able to hear them as they thought about cheating. That could get them into trouble. Or it could be something bigger. If someone was a secret keeper and she passed by someone in a shop, she might be able to hear that thought as well. She could pose as a potential threat. If anyone who comes into contact with her has something they don't want to be known, she might find that something out.

"Its a small chance, I know," Reagan continued. "However, the threat is still there. And since we are able to ward ourselves against dark jinxes and hexes, there would need to be a way to block her out as well, even if she is on the good side."

"Why would we need to block her out if she were on the good side?" Stacie Perrot asked.

"Because," Reagan answered, turning towards the Slytherins. "She would be a potential threat. Say you and your family went into hiding and I was your secret keeper. If I bumped into her at a shop, your location might pop into my head. If you needed a Secret Keeper, then there would be a threat from a Dark witch or wizard and each possible person that I saw on the street could be a potential bad guy. So your safe location pops into my head. She didn't make me tell her, and its innocent enough that it popped into my head. However, all magical creature, no matter how pure blooded they may be, all have to be registered. Its quite easy to get hold of a registration list and a bad guy could just look her up, track her down and find out what random thoughts she has in her head. It also would be hard to put her under the Imperious Curse and make her follow me around, hoping to hear what I know.

"So there would need to be a way to guard myself from that. A way to not let my thoughts wander like that," Reagan finished. "Don't you agree Stacie?"

"I guess so," she replied. "But you are basically asking for a way to shut off your thoughts, to basically close your mind to any outside eyes. That's impossible."

"Maybe," Reagan replied. "But then again maybe not."

"Miss Potter does make an excellent point," Professor Lockhart cut in. Reagan was about to tell Stacie exactly how to shut her mind, her mouth and where she should shove all her stupid comments and questions. "Now in your books there is a wonderful chapters on the defenses against magical creatures. Read it and write me an essay. Give me any ideas you may have about the topic, you can include and expand on what Miss Potter has just brought up, or if you have any ideas of your own, those are more than welcome as well. This is an easy grade I'm handing you. Read the chapter and write twenty four inches about it. There are no wrong answers here."

Reagan was still grumbling about Stacie Perrot later that night as she worked on one of her essays for Lupin. Sitting in the library with Trevor made things a little better, but Reagan was in a horrible mood.

"Reagan, she's just a nasty little girl," Trevor said. "You can't let her get to you."

"So now I'm a little girl?" Reagan asked.

"No, not you, her... she is a little girl."

"Trevor, we're in the same year. We are the same age. How can she be a little girl and me not be one too?"

"Because you don't act like her," Trevor explained. "I've seen her in the common room. She acts more like a second year than she does a fourth year. Besides, I'm pretty sure she turned fourteen at the beginning of last summer. You're almost fifteen, Reagan."

"Oh yes, and I have to act my age, don't I?" Reagan spat, ripping a page of her book and she turned the page. Glaring she waved her wand and repaired the damage.

"Reagan you can act however old you want, just don't take it out on me," Trevor said.

"I'm sorry Trevor," Reagan apologized. "She just put me in a bad mood."

"Some Slytherins have a way of doing that," Trevor said.

"Unfortunately most of them can change my mood for the worst."

"Most of them?" Trevor asked. Reagan rolled her eyes and flipped to the glossary of her text book.

"There are a few I don't mind."

"Okay," Trevor replied. "So speaking of your birthday, what would you like?"

"Excuse me?" Reagan asked.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Trevor asked. "Is there anything you want? Anything you need?"

Reagan sighed. "What I really want if for my dad to come home."

"He'll come home, Reagan," Trevor said. "He'll be all right."

"I know, I know," Reagan replied. "I just have this really bad feeling about it. Like something horrible is going to happen."

"Maybe its just nerves," Trevor offered. "You do play Ravenclaw soon."

"In two weeks," Reagan replied. "I don't know. I know what nerves feel like. This is... this is different."

"Is there anything else you'd like? You know, incase I can't get your dad home?"

"Trevor you don't have to get me anything," Reagan told him.

"I know I don't. What about candy? What's your favorite kind of candy?"

"Chocolate toffees," Reagan replied. "But Darenn or James usually get me those. They always have. I don't know, Trevor. If I think of anything I'll tell you."

"Fair enough," Trevor said. "In the meantime I'll ask Darenn or Cal and Josie if they have any ideas."

"Fair enough," Reagan replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thirteen days later Reagan stood in her Quidditch robes near the entrance of the locker room. Josie was tying and retying her boots; Lane had her eyes close, lip bit and was mentally going over each offensive and defensive play they had. Her cousin, Paul, was bent over a model of the Quidditch pitch, prodding the figures with his wand, making every possible scenario happen in miniature. Denley Thompson, their seventh year Beater was staring straight ahead, face as white as chalk, grinding his teeth, while Logan Wood was flat on his back on the floor, eyes closed and was tossing a Quaffle up and down. Darenn, having already given his pre-game speech was three lockers away from Reagan skimming over a play book he and James had created in a previous summer. Reagan seemed to be the only calm one on the team. They were moments away from starting their match against Ravenclaw, which could win them the House Cup.

"Its just another game, just a regular match against Ravenclaw. We've beaten them in pervious years, we'll beat them again," Darenn had said minutes earlier before he turned them each loose to to whatever it was they did to prepare for a match.

For Reagan it was watching everyone else get nervous.

"Its time," Darenn announced and everyone looked at one another. They moved towards the stadium doors, in their tight formation, Paul and Josie in front, Darenn and Denley in the next row, Lane and Logan in the third row, and Reagan at the end in a row all by herself.

"We could look a little livelier," Reagan said to them. "Come on, look excited, we all like Quidditch. You all look like someone is going to die."

"She's right, team," Darenn agreed. "Put some energy into it. Can't you hear our fans? They're fired up, we've got to get fired up too. They came to see us win! Lets not let them leave disappointed!"

"Yeah!!" came a triumphant cheer from the team.

"That's what I like to see!" Professor Lupin said from behind them. "I'm glad to see you guys pumped up for the match. Good luck!! Gryffindor for the cup!!"

"Yeah!!" came another triumphant cheer. Moments later the door opened and they each mounted their brooms and shot off into the stadium.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The match started off well. Lane scored, then Reagan scored. Denley hit a Bludger which knocked their Keeper off his broom. He recovered and missed the next Quaffle Reagan threw in. Then Ravenclaw scored twice, and their Seeker almost caught the Snitch, and almost means she was inched from it before she smacked her nose on her broom and in the commotion of her bloody nose the Snitch was lost again.

However, that was an hour ago.

Reagan ducked as a Bludger came towards her out of nowhere. She rolled to the right, the Quaffle clutched tightly beside her. She wove her way through the Ravenclaw players towards their goal line. The score was 120 to 130, Gryffindor, and neither Seeker had spotted the Snitch in a good thirty minutes. Reagan passed the Quaffle to Lane who's pass was caught by the Ravenclaw Keeper, a fellow fourth year, Parker Osborn. Reagan liked him well enough but she wished that he would stop catching their throws.

Reagan fell back behind Lane and Logan as they flew off towards their own goal posts. Sixth year Chaser Leo Mathews had the Quaffle and was streaking an incredible speed towards the Gryffindor Keeper. Reagan crossed her fingers as he threw it, and Paul missed. Reagan hung her head as a loud gong echoed through the stadium and a voice cried, "Ten points to Ravenclaw!"

Reagan turned around as Lane came towards her with the Quaffle. Reagan stayed a few feet ahead of her to catch the Quaffle if she passed her and threw it.

"Ready?" Lane called and Reagan nodded. Reagan dropped her altitude a bit and slowed as Lane flew over her, dropping the Quaffle. Reagan easily grabbed it as it fell and hurried towards the goal posts. She had a liking for the middle post, but she went for the far right one this time, faking to the middle then throwing to the right.

"And Osborn misses, a great fake by Reagan Potter! Ten points to Gryffindor!" the announcing voice said. "If any time was a good time for a Seekers catch, now would be the time!"

"No kidding!" Reagan said under her breath as she flew back towards the Ravenclaw side. "Come one Josie!"

"Reagan brake!" Josie screamed and her and Reagan stopped immediately, which was a second soon enough as Josie and the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cayenne Piers, a tiny seventh year, streaked past her. Josie was gaining on the Snitch, her hand stretched out towards it. Reagan turned her broom, watching them chase after the Snitch. They rounded the bottom wall of the stadium, racing towards the Ravenclaw goal posts. It seemed that a few other players had stopped playing and were watching the Seekers fly, all hoping that it would soon be over.

Josie and Cayenne were neck and neck now, both hands stretched out, fingers wiggling trying to get to the Snitch before the other. The Snitch dove, the two Seekers dove after it. Neither one looked at the other, their focus stayed on the Snitch. However, they should have been paying attention at how fast the ground was approaching because both of them smacked into it straight on.

Instantly Reagan was off to that end of the field, her ears thumping in the cold. When she go to the mess of robes and bodies that was Cayenne and Josie she found what she wasn't expecting.

Both girls were laughing, trying to separate themselves from each other. Josie's robe was over her head, her blond hair poking out from the sides. Cayenne's dark hair was a mess, with bits of grass entwined in it.

"Josian Malfoy you crazy girl!! DID YOU GET THE SNITCH??!!" came Darenn's voice from behind Reagan.

Josie stood up, pulled her robe off her head and raised her hand into the air. Clutched tightly in her hand was a small glittering Golden Snitch trying to get loose.

The stadium erupted in cheers. It was deafening. Reagan practically jumped off her broom and tackled Josie in an enormous hug. Darenn was soon an the ground beside him, both his arms around his sister and her friend. Paul jumped off his broom, landing on top of them, and they all fell to the grass. Lane and Logan came running towards the pile of Gryffindor players and Denley has tears running down his cheeks.

"GRYFFINDOR WINS!! 290 TO 130!! A SPECTACULAR CATCH BY GRYFFINDOR SEEKER, JOSIAN MALFOY!! GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!!"

By the time the Gryffindor team got to their feet, the Quidditch Cup had already made it the entire way across the field to them. Most of Gryffindor House was on the field with their team, cheering and congratulating them on their victory. Darenn took the Cup, handed it to Josie, and their House lifted the entire Gryffindor team onto their shoulders and carried them off to the castle. Reagan caught a glimpse of Trevor, walking with a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff up to the castle. He waved at her with a huge smile spread across his face. Somehow Reagan was able to get off the shoulders of some seventh year and ran to Trevor, throwing her arms around him.

"Congratulations!!" he cried into her ear.

"Thanks!" she replied. "I'm sorry, I'm all sweaty and I smell like grass, but I had to come see you!"

"Reagan, you smell fine!" Trevor laughed.

"I bet!" Reagan replied, half laughing. "I've got to go, Darenn will kill me if I don't hit the showers when everyone else does."

"Reagan, go," Trevor said. "I'll see you at dinner."

"Oh food sounds so good right now!" Reagan groaned. "And so does a hot shower!"

"Go!" Trevor laughed pointing towards the crowd of Gryffindors nearing the castle doors. She nodded and with a grin took off into a dead run after her housemates.

"She had to come see you, did she?" asked Trevor's Hufflepuff friend.

"Oh stop," Trevor said. "Reagan and I are just--"

"Friends," the Gryffindor supplied. "We know, you've told us. Though you and Reagan Potter seem to be very good friends, very close friends."

"Regular friends," Trevor replied.

"She's got a lot to get through to get to her, Trevor," the Gryffindor said.

"Yes, yes, I know," Trevor said. "I've met her father, I've met both of her brothers. I'll be okay!"

"Its your head," the Hufflepuff said.

Trevor sighed. "She's worth it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reagan walked into the Great Hall later that evening with the rest of her team. The entire Gryffindor table stood up and applauded, along with the Hufflepuff and the Ravenclaw.

"Didn't we just beat them?" Reagan asked Josie as they sat down. "Why is Ravenclaw applauding us if they just lost to us?"

"Same reason Cayenne and I were laughing," Josie replied, taking a piece of bread. "The Ravenclaw team decided that were were the only team that was worthy of loosing to them. Not only because of our talent, but because of the people we had on our team, and the quality of our team on and off the field. We played fair and we played right. We worked for what we got, and we don't cheat."

"Then why were you and Cayenne laughing?" Reagan asked.

"Because after we landed she asked I had the Snitch and I said I did. She laughed and said good because she was hoping it wasn't my handing moving around on her butt for the fun of it. She said she wouldn't think to ask if it was a Hufflepuff or a Slytherin's hand, but since I was a Gryffindor, she didn't think I'd be that grotesque."

"I see," Reagan giggled.

"Speaking of Slytherins," Josie said, glancing over Reagan's shoulder. "Something wicked this way comes."

Before Reagan could turn around a note was dropped into her lap, and Trevor whispered in her ear, "For your eyes only, for reasons of absolute secrecy." Reagan nodded and glanced at him as he walked away.

She opened her note, and in silvery loopy letters it read:

Meet me in the Entrance Hall at noon, tomorrow. I've okayed it with Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin, both your brothers and your mother. Its time for Moussey and Sammy to have some fun. ~TD

"What's it say?" Josie asked.

Reagan grinned. "Nothing."


Author Note: In Latin Nauth means thought, and Lathron means listener. So a Nauthron is a thought listening. Bit a stretch huh?? Okay, so not really.

Sorry about the long wait (again). This chappie and the next one were finished but I to rewrite most of both of them to get me to like them.

Okay, I hope that by now all my reader have seen the new HP PoA trailer. And its weird to say, but I liked the singing. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea. And I had to add the line in there, so "Something wicked this way comes," is not of my own invention.

I am a bit uneasy about what Alfonso has done to the movie though. New ties? New robes? Sadly the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw them was "The Weasleys will all have had to go and buy new ties and robes and they can't afford to do that!" Then I shook my head and found something more practical to complain about. Like Hermione's cute rainbow belt, well I think its a rainbow. Regardless, I'm not sure if that was in style in 1993. I think my problem with it is that she looks more like Emma Watson than Hermione Granger

I hope you all enjoyed the massively long chapter, I enjoyed writing it and rewriting it. Its tough writing one Quidditch scene, and I think this was my third. And its also challenging because there are few scenes in all fan fiction from a Chaser's POV, and since Reagan is a Chaser... well you know, thats the POV I needed to use. And I love Gryffindor too much to have them loose to Ravenclaw.

Trevor and Reagan... hummmmmmmm. Don't get too excited, though, there is still an entire story left till the decide if they are going to stop being "just friends."

I am warning you now. Something bad is going to happen. Something so horrible that I shocked myself when I decided to do this. My husband is shocked that I would even dream of doing this. I hope I am not giving it away by saying that there have been a few hints throughout the fic about what is going to happen. If anyone has any guesses, EMAIL ME and I will let you know if you're right or wrong. Please don't put it in a review, in case someone else doesn't have a clue. Again, you have been warned.

The end is near, folks! We're looking at five more chapters and an Epilogue. And then... well, then we're done, till I decide to post the sequel, the last fic of them all, the fic to end all fics, and it shall be called... The Return of the Reagan Potter... or maybe not, I think I'm just a little excited about 'Return of the King.' Ahh, Legolas. Thank goodness 'Pirates of the Caribbean' comes out first.

Okay, so I have a thing for Orlando Bloom. So what?

Read and Review please!!!

~Erica Evans