Disclaimer: The characters of the Harry Potter books are not mine they belong to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter one
Oliver paced back and forth before the board with a frantic air about him. There had been too many surprises this early in the season and if he wanted to win the Quidditch Cup before he graduated it had to be this year. He had just gotten finished crafting yet another of his elaborate strategies. The rest of the team sat there in front of him, waiting for him to speak. Fred and George watched in amusement. They knew exactly what their captain was all worked up about. Finally he stopped pacing and spoke.
"As you all know, our first game of the year is against HufflePuff. The first game is crucial since it sets the tone for the rest of the season. Also I just found out that HufflePuff has a new beater as well as a new seeker. Now, we've played HufflePuff many times and won against them many times, but this new beater represents the unknown, so we must plan for it....."
Oliver continued to expound upon his latest plan, but neither Fred or George were listening they were too busy planing their next prank. Wood was too wrapped up in his own brilliance to notice. He was obviously taking this whole "new beater thing" way too seriously. Everyone was relived when he finally let them go.
"For heaven's sake", Fred laughed as they headed upstairs to the boys dormitory, "you'd think with all this fuss he's making that Hufflepuff had acquired some sort of new secret weapon."
"I wonder who he is? Wood made such a big deal about it and he didn't even mention his name." George snickered.
"I don't think he even bothered to find out, too busy thinking up another plan to look into such an insignificant detail. Perhaps we should just ask Cedric."
"I'm sure Wood would find the information useful."
******
The twins encountered Cedric, the Hufflepuff captain, the next day as they were walking down the hall.
"Oi, Cedric" Fred shouted
Cedric turned to see who had called to him. "Getting ready for the game?" he asked when he saw that is was Fred and George.
"You know it," George replied, "Hear you've got a new beater."
"Sure have. Worried?"
"Nope, just curious. Wood in all his plan making frenzy forgot to mention his name."
"Not a him it's a her. Renee Henderson, the only girl to try out, made the team."
"Wow those other guys must have been pretty pathetic to be beaten by a girl!" George smirked.
"Actually, you'd be surprised." was all Cedric said before he headed to his next class.
"What was that all about?" Fred asked as he and his twin continued down the hall.
"What was what about?"
"That last remark that you made, you ought to know by now, girls can play Quiddich just as well as guys. I mean you have daily proof in Angelina, Alica, and Katie, who by the way would have all slapped you if they had heard you just now. And of course lets not forget Cho the Ravenclaw seeker.
"Yea, but that's different. Those positions require mostly speed, accuracy, and agility. Being a beater requires much more strength."
"There have been professional woman beaters George." Fred informed him, troubled by this unexpected attitude in his twin.
"Yea, but none of them were real girls, I mean they were girls, but they didn't act like it. Sometimes they didn't even look like it, what with those huge body builder muscles and all. I know for a fact that none of the HufflePuff girls are like that."
"Whatever" was all Fred could say, obviously nothing was going to convince George, they just have to see at the game.
******
Renee took her Quiddich broom out of her trunk. It was the latest Clean Sweep model. Her father had given it to her as a good luck present this summer. She'd tried out for the team for the past three years and hadn't been able to make the team until this one. She was ecstatic that she would actually get to use it, she'd been training for this ever since she had learned how to fly. She was in love with the game and it was a dream come true to be able to play it, and as a beater no less.
Her father had been so proud of her when she had written and told him. He had been a beater for Hufflepuff when he had gone to Hogworts. That was one of the reasons she had wanted this particular position so much. When she was a little girl he used to tell her blow by blow accounts of his Quiddich matches for bed time stories. She had gone to sleep and dreamed she was the one smacking those bludgers and defending her team mates.
Renee looked, as George so elegantly put it, like a real girl. She had strawberry blond hair that went to down to the middle of her back and green eyes. She wore make up like other girls and she was fairly pretty by most people's standards. She was rather short, and a little slight, but with wiry, well defined arm muscles. Her father had helped her train, lending her his considerable expertise. They'd practiced together since she was ten. She smiled to herself as she put the broom back. It was the best feeling in the world to have gotten something she had worked so hard for.
******
Renee waited with the rest of her team mates for the game to begin. She was nervous, it was her first game and they were playing Giffindor. She didn't want to have to write her father and tell him she'd lost her very first game. He'd understand of course, but.... She didn't have time to finish that thought because the signal was given and they mounted their brooms and flew out on to the field.
George stared across at the HufflePuff team. The new beater was most definitely a girl, no doubt about that. Her green eyes were actually quite pretty, too bad he'd have to embarrass her with his superior skill as a beater.
The game was intense. Between the storm and the new beater George was kept busy. Much to his surprise she was good, better then the other HufflePuff beater. It was all George could do to keep up with her, though keep up with her he did. Bluggers sailed back and forth across the field and he pushed himself to his limits, he wasn't going to let a girl make a fool of him. Fred was left to concentrate mostly on the other beater. The game was going well and Griffindor was up fifty. That was when Cedric spotted the snitch.
Renee didn't see everything that happened. She was too busy managing the bludgers and battling the wind and rain to notice the dementors entering the stadium. One minute Cedric and Harry were neck to neck after it and the next Harry was on the ground and Cedric had the snitch. Shocked she joined the other players who were gathering around Harry.
They'd won, but somehow it didn't feel good. She never wanted her first game of Quidditch to end this way. She just hoped he wasn't dead. She just stood and stared as Dumbledor took charge of the situation, running the dementors off and whisking Harry off on a stretcher. There seemed to be noting to do but go back to the locker room and get changed. As she left the field she heard Cedric demanding loudly for a rematch.
In the girls locker room she meet up with the Griffindor chasers. "That was a great game." Angelina told her as they put their equipment. "Yea, you kicked some serious butt, I've never seen Fred and George have to hustle so hard before." Alica agreed.
"Thanks", Renee accepted the compliment with a smile, "you guys were great too. I'm sorry about Harry, if it hadn't been for him getting hurt you guys would have won."
All three girls smiled and replied at once "We know."
As the Griffindor chasers left the locker room to see Harry Angelina came up to her. "Hey the twins and I are going to Hogsmead in a few weeks and I was wondering if you'd like to come with us. You seem pretty cool and I'd like to be friends."
Renee agreed happily. She'd never had any friends outside her own house before. Even more then that, here was one of the best Quidditch players in the school wanting to be her friend. This year looked to be the best so far.
******
"All right I admit it, she's good." George looked at his twin sourly.
"More then just good, she's as good as we are." Fred pointed out.
Not wanting to talk about Renee anymore George changed the subject. "So do you plan on making any moves this weekend? It's about time you let Angelina know you fancy her."
"I'm just biding my time, letting the Weasley charm work it's magic." Fred informed him
"Yea, well don't you think it's been working for long enough? You've fancied her ever since the first year we joined the Quidditch team. She should be ready to fall madly for you by now."
Now it was Fred's turn to change the subject. "So are you ready to execute stage one of our prank?"
"I got a hold of the blue hair dye, what about you?"
"Snape keeps his shampoo bottle on the top shelf in his private rooms."
"So when do you want to do it?"
"Well we have a break in our classes just when he's teaching first year potions."
"Perfect."
******
The next day in potions class Renee had trouble not laughing. Snape entered the class room, his usual dignity marred by the fact that his hair was a brilliant blue. When everyone saw the temper he was in, however they quickly wiped away their grins. Renee knew, as did everyone else whose handy work this was. George and Fred Weasley had struck again.
George and Fred stood before Professor McGonagall receiving the usual lecture and dole of detention. They tried to talk their way out of it by explaining that they were just doing an experiment to see if Snape actually washed his hair, but for some reason it didn't work. They would have to serve detention with Snape, who was sure to come up with something extra nasty as repayment for the hair. Really, they didn't know why he was so upset, it would wash out in a day or two.
Please send me reviews. No flaming please, lets keep it polite.
Chapter one
Oliver paced back and forth before the board with a frantic air about him. There had been too many surprises this early in the season and if he wanted to win the Quidditch Cup before he graduated it had to be this year. He had just gotten finished crafting yet another of his elaborate strategies. The rest of the team sat there in front of him, waiting for him to speak. Fred and George watched in amusement. They knew exactly what their captain was all worked up about. Finally he stopped pacing and spoke.
"As you all know, our first game of the year is against HufflePuff. The first game is crucial since it sets the tone for the rest of the season. Also I just found out that HufflePuff has a new beater as well as a new seeker. Now, we've played HufflePuff many times and won against them many times, but this new beater represents the unknown, so we must plan for it....."
Oliver continued to expound upon his latest plan, but neither Fred or George were listening they were too busy planing their next prank. Wood was too wrapped up in his own brilliance to notice. He was obviously taking this whole "new beater thing" way too seriously. Everyone was relived when he finally let them go.
"For heaven's sake", Fred laughed as they headed upstairs to the boys dormitory, "you'd think with all this fuss he's making that Hufflepuff had acquired some sort of new secret weapon."
"I wonder who he is? Wood made such a big deal about it and he didn't even mention his name." George snickered.
"I don't think he even bothered to find out, too busy thinking up another plan to look into such an insignificant detail. Perhaps we should just ask Cedric."
"I'm sure Wood would find the information useful."
******
The twins encountered Cedric, the Hufflepuff captain, the next day as they were walking down the hall.
"Oi, Cedric" Fred shouted
Cedric turned to see who had called to him. "Getting ready for the game?" he asked when he saw that is was Fred and George.
"You know it," George replied, "Hear you've got a new beater."
"Sure have. Worried?"
"Nope, just curious. Wood in all his plan making frenzy forgot to mention his name."
"Not a him it's a her. Renee Henderson, the only girl to try out, made the team."
"Wow those other guys must have been pretty pathetic to be beaten by a girl!" George smirked.
"Actually, you'd be surprised." was all Cedric said before he headed to his next class.
"What was that all about?" Fred asked as he and his twin continued down the hall.
"What was what about?"
"That last remark that you made, you ought to know by now, girls can play Quiddich just as well as guys. I mean you have daily proof in Angelina, Alica, and Katie, who by the way would have all slapped you if they had heard you just now. And of course lets not forget Cho the Ravenclaw seeker.
"Yea, but that's different. Those positions require mostly speed, accuracy, and agility. Being a beater requires much more strength."
"There have been professional woman beaters George." Fred informed him, troubled by this unexpected attitude in his twin.
"Yea, but none of them were real girls, I mean they were girls, but they didn't act like it. Sometimes they didn't even look like it, what with those huge body builder muscles and all. I know for a fact that none of the HufflePuff girls are like that."
"Whatever" was all Fred could say, obviously nothing was going to convince George, they just have to see at the game.
******
Renee took her Quiddich broom out of her trunk. It was the latest Clean Sweep model. Her father had given it to her as a good luck present this summer. She'd tried out for the team for the past three years and hadn't been able to make the team until this one. She was ecstatic that she would actually get to use it, she'd been training for this ever since she had learned how to fly. She was in love with the game and it was a dream come true to be able to play it, and as a beater no less.
Her father had been so proud of her when she had written and told him. He had been a beater for Hufflepuff when he had gone to Hogworts. That was one of the reasons she had wanted this particular position so much. When she was a little girl he used to tell her blow by blow accounts of his Quiddich matches for bed time stories. She had gone to sleep and dreamed she was the one smacking those bludgers and defending her team mates.
Renee looked, as George so elegantly put it, like a real girl. She had strawberry blond hair that went to down to the middle of her back and green eyes. She wore make up like other girls and she was fairly pretty by most people's standards. She was rather short, and a little slight, but with wiry, well defined arm muscles. Her father had helped her train, lending her his considerable expertise. They'd practiced together since she was ten. She smiled to herself as she put the broom back. It was the best feeling in the world to have gotten something she had worked so hard for.
******
Renee waited with the rest of her team mates for the game to begin. She was nervous, it was her first game and they were playing Giffindor. She didn't want to have to write her father and tell him she'd lost her very first game. He'd understand of course, but.... She didn't have time to finish that thought because the signal was given and they mounted their brooms and flew out on to the field.
George stared across at the HufflePuff team. The new beater was most definitely a girl, no doubt about that. Her green eyes were actually quite pretty, too bad he'd have to embarrass her with his superior skill as a beater.
The game was intense. Between the storm and the new beater George was kept busy. Much to his surprise she was good, better then the other HufflePuff beater. It was all George could do to keep up with her, though keep up with her he did. Bluggers sailed back and forth across the field and he pushed himself to his limits, he wasn't going to let a girl make a fool of him. Fred was left to concentrate mostly on the other beater. The game was going well and Griffindor was up fifty. That was when Cedric spotted the snitch.
Renee didn't see everything that happened. She was too busy managing the bludgers and battling the wind and rain to notice the dementors entering the stadium. One minute Cedric and Harry were neck to neck after it and the next Harry was on the ground and Cedric had the snitch. Shocked she joined the other players who were gathering around Harry.
They'd won, but somehow it didn't feel good. She never wanted her first game of Quidditch to end this way. She just hoped he wasn't dead. She just stood and stared as Dumbledor took charge of the situation, running the dementors off and whisking Harry off on a stretcher. There seemed to be noting to do but go back to the locker room and get changed. As she left the field she heard Cedric demanding loudly for a rematch.
In the girls locker room she meet up with the Griffindor chasers. "That was a great game." Angelina told her as they put their equipment. "Yea, you kicked some serious butt, I've never seen Fred and George have to hustle so hard before." Alica agreed.
"Thanks", Renee accepted the compliment with a smile, "you guys were great too. I'm sorry about Harry, if it hadn't been for him getting hurt you guys would have won."
All three girls smiled and replied at once "We know."
As the Griffindor chasers left the locker room to see Harry Angelina came up to her. "Hey the twins and I are going to Hogsmead in a few weeks and I was wondering if you'd like to come with us. You seem pretty cool and I'd like to be friends."
Renee agreed happily. She'd never had any friends outside her own house before. Even more then that, here was one of the best Quidditch players in the school wanting to be her friend. This year looked to be the best so far.
******
"All right I admit it, she's good." George looked at his twin sourly.
"More then just good, she's as good as we are." Fred pointed out.
Not wanting to talk about Renee anymore George changed the subject. "So do you plan on making any moves this weekend? It's about time you let Angelina know you fancy her."
"I'm just biding my time, letting the Weasley charm work it's magic." Fred informed him
"Yea, well don't you think it's been working for long enough? You've fancied her ever since the first year we joined the Quidditch team. She should be ready to fall madly for you by now."
Now it was Fred's turn to change the subject. "So are you ready to execute stage one of our prank?"
"I got a hold of the blue hair dye, what about you?"
"Snape keeps his shampoo bottle on the top shelf in his private rooms."
"So when do you want to do it?"
"Well we have a break in our classes just when he's teaching first year potions."
"Perfect."
******
The next day in potions class Renee had trouble not laughing. Snape entered the class room, his usual dignity marred by the fact that his hair was a brilliant blue. When everyone saw the temper he was in, however they quickly wiped away their grins. Renee knew, as did everyone else whose handy work this was. George and Fred Weasley had struck again.
George and Fred stood before Professor McGonagall receiving the usual lecture and dole of detention. They tried to talk their way out of it by explaining that they were just doing an experiment to see if Snape actually washed his hair, but for some reason it didn't work. They would have to serve detention with Snape, who was sure to come up with something extra nasty as repayment for the hair. Really, they didn't know why he was so upset, it would wash out in a day or two.
Please send me reviews. No flaming please, lets keep it polite.
