Chapter Seventeen

LION VERSES SERPENT

Kit sat quietly in his chair reflecting on the events of the past few weeks. There had been no more Death Eater attacks on his troops since they had put the charred remains of the two Death Eaters back in the woods, but no information about Voldemort's whereabouts other than the usual rumors, and he needed a slightly more solid information base before they could begin operations on that. Unfortunately he could not rationalize a reason to have Umbridge shot, so she still remained alive, along with Draco and pretty much all of the Slytherins. But on a slightly lighter note, from what Hermione had told him was that the D.A. meetings were going very well. Neville had managed to disarm Hermione, Colin Creevey had mastered the Impediment Jinx after three meetings, and Parvati Patil had reduced the table carrying all of the Sneakoscopes, with an excellent Reductor Curse, to dust.

Meetings were kept to a random night, mostly to accommodate three different Quidditch teams' practice. Though it was probably a good thing, since it would be harder if someone were trying to establish a pattern to see where they were going, and exactly where and what time.

And Kit remembered, with no small measure of pride, when Hermione told him that she had made fake Galleons to give out, that would show them the date and time of the meeting. When he had asked her how, she replied that she had placed a Protean Charm on Harry's Galleon and when he changed his that all the others would change to reflect his. If it had been anyone else telling them that they had produced a Protean Charm, he would have laughed, but knowing Hermione he had no doubts, regardless of the fact that a Protean Charm is N.E.W.T. standard.

Kit had been slightly more busy than usual as he had spent the last couple of months getting everything ready for the next D.A. meeting after the first Quidditch Match as he had something very important planned, and required Dumbledore's assistance to have it done. Kit sat there going over the plans in his mind when he was interrupted.

'Sir?'

Kit looked up from the papers on his desk.

'Yes?'

'Quidditch match starts in an hour, and we're getting the birds prepped right now, and we'll be ready to move out in half an hour.'

'Very good, dismissed.'

The soldier saluted, and Kit returned the salute. He went over all the plans for the mission in his head. Six Black Hawks would be orbiting the Quidditch Pitch for the entire game, with four Littlebirds, and two additional Black Hawks standing by. Hermione had been given a small earpiece and a microphone that she could cup in her hands, that way she could talk to them without arousing any suspicions, as it was slightly chilly outside.

Forty-five minutes later Kit was announcing to the entire task force, 'Remember anyone, post-match of course, who's actions indicate the possibility of aggression to either Harry, Fred, George, or Ron, will be taken out. Anyone who attempts any possible, even the slightest act of open hostilities towards Captain Granger, at anytime during, before or after the match will be taken down on the spot, but on that note make sure you have a clean shot. If you don't think you can take the shot without risk to hitting Captain Granger tell me and I will have it dealt with. If you take the shot and it hits Captain Granger in the slightest possible way, I will kill you myself. And also Captain Granger will be on the radio, and she has the full authority granted to her by her rank as Captain and any order she gives will be obeyed without question. Now with that out of the way, enjoy the match and let's do our job right.'

Hermione sat in the stands; she knew that right now there were at least six Black Hawks orbiting the Quidditch Pitch, waiting for something to happen. In her hands she cupped a small microphone in which she could communicate with and if necessary give orders. In her right ear she had a small speaker that allowed her to hear any communications between the Black Hawks.

Fifteen minutes later the two teams walked out onto the Quidditch Pitch. The two captains shook hands, and then Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the balls were released and fourteen players shot upward.

"And it's Johnson, Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me —"

"JORDAN!" yelled Professor McGonagall.

"Just a fun fact, Professor, adds a bit of interest — and she's ducked Warrington, she's passed Montague, she's — ouch — been hit from behind by a Bludger from Crabbe…. Montague catches the Quaffle, Montague heading back up the pitch and — nice Bludger there from George Weasley, that's a Bludger to the head for Montague, he drops the Quaffle, caught by Katie Bell, Katie Bell of Gryffindor reverse passes to Alicia Spinnet and Spinnet's away —"

Lee Jordan's commentary rang through the stadium and Hermione listened as hard as she could through the noise of the crowds and the constant chatter from the speaker in her ear, and the singing of the Slytherins.

"— dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludger — close call, Alicia — and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's that they're singing?"

And as Lee paused to listen the song rose loud and clear from the sea of green and silver in the Slytherin section of the stands:

Weasley cannot save a thing,

He cannot block a single ring,

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin,

He always lets the Quaffle in,

Weasley will make sure we win,

Weasley is our King.

"— and Alicia passes back to Angelina!" Lee shouted, attempting to drown out the sound of the singing. "Come on now, Angelina — looks like she's got just the Keeper to beat! — SHE SHOOTS — SHE — aaaah…"

Bletchley, the Slytherin Keeper, had saved the goal; he threw the Quaffle to Warrington who sped off with it, zigzagging in between Alicia and Katie; the singing from the Slytherins grew louder and louder as he drew nearer and nearer Ron —

Weasley is our King,

Weasley is our King,

He always lets the Quaffle in,

Weasley is our King.

"— and it's Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal, he's out of Bludger range with just the Keeper ahead —"

A great swell of song rose from the Slytherin stands:

Weasley cannot save a thing

He cannot block a single ring…

"— so it's the first test for new Gryffindor Keeper, Weasley, brother of Beaters, Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team — come on, Ron!"

But the scream of delight came from the Slytherin end: Ron had dived wildly, his arms wide, and the Quaffle had soared between them, straight through Ron's central hoop.

"Slytherin score!" came Lee's voice amid the cheering and booing from the crowds below. "So that's ten-nil to Slytherin — bad luck, Ron…"

The Slytherins sang even louder:

WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,

HE ALWAYS LET'S THE QUAFFLE IN…

"— and Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell tanking up the pitch —" cried Lee valiantly, though the singing was now so deafening that he could hardly make himself heard above it.

WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN,

WEASLEY IS OUR KING…

'Hermione, how are things looking? Is Ron holding up?' Came a voice in her ear.

Pulling her hands up as though to warm them she said, "Ron, let one in — oh, no… Slytherin has the Quaffle now and… Ron's let two in now. Still no sign of the Snitch."

Ron let in two more goals and Hermione was starting to worry.

"— and Katie Bell of Gryffindor dodges Pucey, ducks Montague, nice swerve, Katie, and she throws to Johnson, Angelina Johnson takes the Quaffle, she's past Warrington, she's heading for goal, come on now Angelina — GRYFFINDOR SCORE! It's forty-ten, forty-ten to Slytherin and Pucey has the Quaffle…."

Hermione cheered along with the rest of the crowd and Luna's lion hat roared amongst them.

"— Pucey throws to Warrington, Warrington to Montague, Montague back to Pucey — Johnson intervenes, Johnson takes the Quaffle, Johnson to Bell, this looks good — I mean bad — Bell's hit by a Bludger from Goyle of Slytherin and it's Pucey in possession again…"

Hermione ignored the swelling of the song as she watched Harry dive down towards the ground. Harry and Malfoy were neck and neck. Flying only five or six feet above the ground Harry had just lifted up his closed hand that held the Snitch. Hermione and everyone else stood up and cheered. But seconds after Harry had lifted up his hand he was hit in the back of the head by a Bludger and he was sent careening off of his broom to the ground. The reaction was immediate.

'Six-one, six-one Hotel Papa down.'

'How?'

'Bludger to the head, hit by Crabbe after the game.'

'Should I take the shot?'

'Affirmative.'

Hermione broke in, "No, Madam Hooch will take care of Crabbe, do not fire."

'Roger that.'

Hermione looked down on the pitch to see Harry and George, or Fred she couldn't tell from this distance, racing towards Malfoy. Harry lunged and tackled Malfoy to the ground before proceeding to pummel Malfoy.

'Who's got a shot on Malfoy?'

'Six-four's does.'

'Roger that six-four the second you have a clear line of sight on Malfoy take him down.'

'Affirmative.'

Harry rolled off of Malfoy after being hit by a spell.

'Clear shot!'

'Take the shot!'

"Do not take that shot!" cried Hermione, her yells unheard by the people around her as they were all yelling onto the pitch.

'Take the subject out!'

"No! Do not open fire!"

'I am ordering you to take that shot!'

"I am countermanding that order, do not take that shot!"

'This is Kit, stand down. Very good Hermione, you passed. See you at the next D.A. meeting. Okay boys, let's head back to base.'

Hermione was thoroughly confused by what just happened.

"Banned," said Angelina in a hollow voice, late that evening in the common room. "Banned. No Seeker and no Beaters… What on earth are we going to do?"

It did not feel as though they had won the match at all. Everywhere there were disconsolate and angry faces; the team themselves were slumped around the fire, all apart from Ron, who had not been seen since the end of the match.

"It's just so unfair," said Alicia numbly. "I mean, what about Crabbe and that Bludger he hit after the whistle had been blown? Has she banned him?"

"No," said Ginny miserably; she sat beside Harry. "He just got lines, I heard Montague laughing about it at dinner.

"And banning Fred when he didn't even do anything!" said Alicia furiously, pummeling her knee with her fist.

"It's not my fault I didn't," said Fred, with a very ugly look on his face. "I would've pounded the little scumbag to a pulp if you three hadn't been holding me back."

A silence broke out in the common room that lasted for a few minutes before Angelina broke it when she said, "I'm going to bed. Maybe this will all turn out to have been a bad dream…. Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and find we haven't played yet…."

She was soon followed by Alicia and Katie. Fred and George sloped off to bed some time later, glowering at everyone they passed, and Ginny went not long after that. Only Harry and Hermione were left beside the fire.

"Have you seen Ron?" Hermione asked in a low voice.

Harry shook his head.

"I think he's avoiding us," said Hermione. "Where do you think he — ?"

But at that precise moment, there was a creaking sound behind them as the Fat Lady swung forward and Ron came clambering through the portrait hole. He was very pale indeed and there was snow in his hair. When he saw Harry and Hermione he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Where have you been?" said Hermione anxiously, springing up.

"Walking," Ron mumbled. He was still wearing his Quidditch things.

"You look frozen," said Hermione. "Come and sit down!"

Ron walked to the fireside and sank into the chair farthest from Harry's, not looking at him. The stolen Snitch zoomed over their heads.

"I'm sorry," Ron mumbled, looking at his feet.

"What for?" said Harry.

"For thinking I can play Quidditch," said Ron. I'm going to resign first thing tomorrow."

"If you resign," said Harry testily, "there'll only be three players left on the team." And when Ron looked puzzled, he said, "I've been given a lifetime ban. So've Fred and George."

"What?" Ron yelped.

Hermione told him the full story. When she had finished, Ron looked more anguished than ever.

"This is all my fault —"

"You didn't make me punch Malfoy," said Harry angrily.

"— if I wasn't so lousy at Quidditch —"

"— it's got nothing to do with that —"

"— it was that song that wound me up —"

"— it would've wound anyone up —"

Hermione stood up and walked over to the window, away from the argument, watching the snow swirling against the pane.

"Look, drop it, will you!" Harry burst out. "It's bad enough without you blaming yourself for everything!"

Ron said nothing but sat gazing miserably at the damp hem of his robes. After a while he said in a dull voice, "This is the worst I've ever felt in my life."

"Join the club," said Harry bitterly.

"Well," said Hermione, her voice trembling slightly. "I can think of one thing that might cheer you both up."

"Oh yeah?" said Harry skeptically.

"Yeah," said Hermione, turning away from the pitch-black snow-flecked window, a broad smiling spreading across her face. "Hagrid's back."