Chapter 38 – Not a Keeper
Lizzie prepared the team for the match against Hufflepuff and ignored McLaggen completely. Now that he wasn't an alternate, he insisted on adding input to everything she had to say. After their final practice, he took the liberty of giving unsolicited advice to Demelza and the beaters. Dean and Ginny tugged on Lizzie's arm to get her attention on it.
"Listen!" She shouted at the rest of the team. "I don't want you confused on our tactics. Take the play notes and follow my instruction only. McLaggen, I don't want input. Not implying I know all there is to know, but most of my team has only played a single game, and even though I think them brilliant, conflicting instructions might as well be poison. You got it?" She said aggressively. They nodded and headed back to get some rest before the game.
Lizzie made her way to the hospital wing to see Ron. He was doing considerably better but wasn't up and walking around much yet.
"I'm going to kill him," Ron grumbled, no doubt having caught wind of McLaggen.
"Save your energy, Hermione might get him expelled tomorrow," Lizzie said with a weak smile.
"Game look promising?" Ron asked.
"Well, sure. I'm not too worried about Dean, he can hold his own. McLaggen is a good keeper, but he's got to get off his high horse. Hufflepuff's team isn't terrific this year, at least their seeker isn't. We should be alright," Lizzie explained.
"Any news I've missed?" He asked.
"Well, I think Malfoy is escaping to the Room of Requirement. I'm trying to figure out a way to get in where he's getting in... but I'm not sure it works that way," Lizzie said.
"You be careful if you do get in. Did you try asking it to give you the room he's accessing? 'I need to get into the room Malfoy is in,' something like that?" Ron asked.
"Not in those words, but I'll give it a shot," she said. "I think Katie is coming back in the next week or two, I want to know if she saw anything," she added.
"Well, good luck tomorrow, hopefully I'll be out of here in about a week too. Poppy has me on a strengthening potion. That poison did a number on my heart apparently. Out of breath really easy and it beats erratic. She said it'll go back to normal though..." he explained.
Lizzie put her head on his chest and squeezed his hand. "My heart nearly stopped at the thought we lost you. Could still cry with relief you know?" She said. Ron rubbed the top of her shoulder reassuringly.
"Not going anywhere, nobody can kill a Weasley if you're around, right?" he said with a chuckle. Lizzie kissed the top of his head before she left and they nuzzled fists fondly.
Lizzie pulled out the map on her way up to Gryffindor Tower noticing Draco heading up to the seventh floor. She took a detour with the cloak and followed him, he had just disappeared through the door when she caught up.
"I need to get where Malfoy is," she muttered in front of the door. Nothing.
"I need to see what Malfoy wants inside," she said again, nothing.
Lizzie pulled off the cloak and tried the same requests. Nothing. She groaned and muttered profanities for a moment before she stalked off back to the common room.
It was a cold day for a game. Lizzie placed a charm on everyone's uniforms for insulation and was met with a round of approval once they pulled them on. Lizzie pulled over her dad's sweater and stuffed her hands into the gloves Charlie had gifted her. She smirked at the memory and was pleasantly surprised by how much slack the dragon hide gave the gloves.
They took off onto the field after a pep talk. She decided not to be threatening about it considering two players had in fact almost died recently.
Lizzie stared across at Ellie Cattermole, fourth year Hufflepuff, who looked like she already decided she was going to lose. Most people had a sliver of hope they'd beat Lizzie, but Ellie lost to Cho Chang miserably. Cho was probably Lizzie's most consistently formidable rival, but Cho had still yet to beat her in the years they both spent on the pitch.
One of the reasons Lizzie loved Quidditch was that her affinity for playing in no way came from powers she inherited from Riddle. Those seemed to give her or amplify most every other ability she had. Quidditch, however, was her talent alone, inherited as things should be inherited, from a loving and talented parent.
Lizzie's thoughts were interrupted abruptly by Hooch's whistle and the game started with great intensity. Throughout the match, Lizzie was distracted easily by McLaggen yelling at the other players. He was giving advice against her warning, and worse it was advice the other team could easily manipulate.
Lizzie sped up and stopped next to him. "Shut up, now," she growled. "Let them play, it isn't helping. Hufflepuffs have ears too if you didn't notice," and then sped off toward the snitch she caught sight of, she wanted to end the match as quickly as possible.
Ellie didn't respond very quickly to Lizzie's movements and trailed considerably behind her. Lizzie followed the snitch as it stayed just out of reach and nearly had it in her outstretched fingertips when a bludger hit her square in the side of the head.
McLaggen had been trying to give advice to Jimmy Peakes and snatched a bat to demonstrate. He was possibly trying to hit or deter Ellie, but when he swung in their direction, it struck Lizzie instead.
Lizzie hit the ground hard from about forty or so feet up and the stands gasped as she skid across the floor of the pitch. She was semi-conscious and clutched the snitch close to her chest. Everything around her was just blurred light and shadows.
"Lizzie!" She heard Dean run up first, his voice was like a strange echo, followed closely by Ginny and Hooch.
"Her skull is cracked, get her to Pomphrey!" Hooch yelled as more feet could be heard running toward her.
McGonagall summoned a stretcher and got her up. Lizzie weakly flashed the snitch. "She caught it!" Ginny yelled and Gryffindor erupted in applause. Hooch blew the whistle that the game was over and the team followed her to the hospital wing.
She was set down in a bed next to Ron. "Bloody hell!" He yelled, trying to get up too quickly. Ginny pushed him lightly back down and shook her head.
Dean, Jimmy, and Richie shoved Cormac out of the hospital wing despite his insincere apologies after catching the look of boiling rage on Ginny's face.
"Lizzie, honey, squeeze if you can hear me," Poppy said, clutching her hand. Lizzie squeezed weakly.
Hermione, Neville, and Seamus came in shortly after and sat down next to her.
"It's cracked badly," Poppy said, examining the blow closely and left to retrieve some serums.
"She's going to be alright?" Hermione asked. Poppy nodded, "it's Lizzie dear, she's been in here for far worse than this," she added.
"I'll get her out of here quickly actually. It hit... well this section of her brain already looks mostly dead, it's not even bruised... it wouldn't have done more damage. Just need to repair the skull. The more common the injury, the quicker the remedy," she explained.
"Already dead?" Seamus asked.
"Atrophied. When the cells die. I think hers has been that way most of her life. I just don't understand how it has managed not affect her cognitive qualities all this time," Poppy said. "Serves her well in this case though, or she'd probably be a vegetable with a crack like this."
Poppy mended the crack with her wand and Lizzie let out an involuntary whimper at the pain. She dropped several drops of dittany serum and wrapped her head with something cold.
When Lizzie started to stir shortly after, she was given something to drink which cleared up the fog and the internal bleeding. She couldn't make out the surroundings well at first though.
"I can get you out of here later tonight, honey, just try to relax," Poppy said.
Lizzie grimaced at the pain. She wasn't sure who tried to touch her face but she smacked their hand away hard as a reflex.
"I feel horrible," she mumbled. Poppy laughed.
"What happened?" Lizzie asked hoarsely.
"Cormac tried to hit a bludger at Cattermole but it hit you," Ginny said bitterly.
"Why would he hit a bludger at her? I had the snitch and that's a dirty move," Lizzie asked indignantly. "Why did he even have a bat?" She added harshly.
"Snatched it from Jimmy, thought he'd save the day," Dean said with contempt.
"Fucking Christ," Lizzie muttered. "Did I lose the snitch?" She asked.
"No, you'd just grabbed it actually," Neville chimed in happily. Lizzie smiled weakly but it still hurt too much to laugh.
"Oh good, I won't be cutting off his hands then," Lizzie muttered, the others chuckled.
"Off with you all, let her sleep while the potion works, she'll be up later," Poppy said to shoo them off. Ginny and Hermione lingered. Ron fist bumped her from the other bed and she dozed off for several hours.
Lizzie entered the portrait hole later that night with her head still lightly wrapped. The room broke out in applause at the win but she gestured her hands down to lower the noise which hurt considerably.
"Lizzie - I'm really sorry, I wasn't aiming for you," Cormac tried to say as she made her way toward a table of butter beer.
"Anyone have whisky...or maybe arsenic or something?" Lizzie asked, ignoring him. Butter beer wouldn't cut it. Dean headed down to the kitchens to grab liquor.
"Lizzie... I'm really sorry," Cormac said, but she could tell he wasn't sincere.
"You're off the team, McLaggen," she snapped harshly. "Not even an alternate," she added with malice.
"Lizzie, really?" He protested.
"You aimed a bludger at another player, opposing team or not, that's a dirty fucking move I'd boot you from the team for anyway," she berated.
"Lizzie, I wasn't trying to hit her, just catch off guard, the twins used to..." he said defensively.
"The twins knew how to aim perfectly. They never blindly hit a bludger toward anyone!" She yelled.
"Lizzie..." he said, trying to plead with nothing left in his arsenal.
"Bless your heart, thanks," she whispered to Dean when he came back and handed her a bottle of whiskey. She poured out a glass and downed a couple quickly knowing she wouldn't sleep again that night without something strong.
"Look, Cormac, you messed that up. Ron should be back for the next game anyway, give it a bloody rest," she said.
"Lizzie, let's be real here, you're not upset about the game, are you?" He asked, referring to their other abrasive encounter.
"What do you know what I am and am not upset about, McLaggen? I for one know damn well this apology is insincere and don't you dare lie to me and say otherwise," she snapped.
"Just let me make it up to you. You know I'm a better Keeper than Weasley," he said and Lizzie cringed at the premise.
"It's my fucking team, Cormac! You're off of it. There will be no making anything up to me. You are not a better Keeper than Ron. You should be glad you hit ME actually, because if it had been ANY one of the other team members, I'd be ripping your bloody head off your shoulders and using it as a quaffle in the next match!" She shouted and it shut him up. Lizzie downed another glass and headed up the tower to her bed. The pain was numbing quickly and after she fumbled her way into a pair of a pajamas, she drifted back to sleep.
Her dream was blurry and incoherent for the most part. "I've decided on the Longbottoms, I think you're correct in your assessment that he would fit the prophecy," she heard a snake-like voice explain to someone who was too blurred to have a face and too muffled to have a voice.
Then she saw a picture being lifted off a shelf, it looked like her but it wasn't, it was an older photo, before her time but not well before it. The girl was about ten or eleven but it was hazy. "Who... Is this?" He asked. The room swayed and panic picked up either from him or her, she couldn't tell. "No... actually...I've changed my mind. If they give her to me, and he joins our ranks, I will let them live. You can relay that message," he hissed and set the frame back down on the shelf before disappearing.
Lizzie woke up in a cold sweat in the early hours of the morning. Her head hurt too much to think too hard but she got most of her dream scribbled down in a journal.
Lizzie sat up and undid the bandage on her head. It was sealed completely but she could trace the scar from the crack with her finger. The sun was barely rising, it made the sky her favorite shade of blue of purple that she never enjoyed since she never woke up this early. Lizzie got dressed in a maroon pullover cardigan, warm tights, and a black skirt. She pulled on her denim jacket and scarf, and retreated out to wander early when most everyone was asleep. She stopped at the kitchens for a coffee and an overdue chat with Dobby.
The castle was especially beautiful to her in this early morning light, the crispness in the air at this hour helped ease the pain of a mild hangover and the head injury. She looked out over the wood bridge at the lake, and popped in on Hagrid unexpectedly.
Lizzie was sitting with Witherwings catching him up on happenings since she scarcely got down to the hut anymore. He nuzzled her fondly and she had a rising sense of melancholy for Sirius.
"Lizzie?" Hagrid grunted when he emerged to feed some of his creatures.
Lizzie smiled and headed over to him for a hug. "I'm so sorry it's been ages," she said. "They have me on a tight leash," she added.
He patted the top of her head and ushered her inside for warmth.
"You ok?" He asked pointed to her head. She nodded dismissively and sat down while she removed a jacket layer.
"What's new Hagrid?" She asked, politely sipping tea he made even though she didn't like his tea… or tea much in general.
"Oh... nothing much. Miss you in class, Dumbledore already assured me you tried to add it, it's perfectly alright," he said reassuringly.
"I did... I miss your class," she said sadly.
"Charlie is coming out in a month or two to bring Norbert for a dragon lesson, better get yourself down here to see him," Hagrid added.
Lizzie grinned ear-to-ear, "absolutely," she said and giggled. She caught him up on a few things, but he had business to attend to, and explained how Aragog wasn't up to par anymore. Lizzie gave him a hug goodbye and headed back up to the castle shortly after.
Dueling Club was later that day, since quidditch games pushed it to Sunday. She didn't feel up for joining but figured she'd go observe, or at least leave the ranking rosters she'd put together. She entered the smaller meeting room they kept materials in that was just off the Great Hall and posted the rosters on the bulletin.
She rummaged through the records, since Snape had shoved the player in the room and didn't permit music. She pulled out a Joni Mitchell album she'd forgotten about and adjusted the needle of the player. Lizzie sat down at a desk in the corner to look over her dream journal now that her head had cleared some. She couldn't place the picture he would have been holding.
The door opened and Snape strolled in, he paused at the sight of her and the sound of the music rolling.
"Potter," he said to catch her attention.
"Oh um, sorry... I was just posting rosters... I don't think I'm up for dueling personally today," she said pointing to her head. He nodded in understanding.
"That's fine, nobody is going die without you," he said with a snide undertone.
"My thoughts... exactly," she said condescendingly.
He turned off the record player and Lizzie got up to put away the vinyl possessively, not wanting it to get lost because it was one of her mum's.
"Yours I take it?" He asked, looking at the box of vinyl records.
"Most of them were my mums actually... Remus gave them to me when he was here. Few were Cedrics," she explained. "If you want them out of here, please let me know first and I'll move them. They're priceless to me," she asked. He nodded with his eyes.
"Are you improving at occlumency?" Snape asked.
"We haven't been focusing on that... actually... other things have surfaced that have taken priority," she explained. He gave her a cold look but said nothing.
Lizzie retreated to leave and gave him a polite obligatory goodbye, relieved that their interaction didn't escalate.
Snape moved about the room and noticed the open journal on the desk. Lizzie's handwriting filled most every page and he sat down apprehensively to read through it. It was enough to piece together the basic gist of nearly everything she'd uncovered.
When he came to the last entry, he paused as though a long-held mystery had just become crystal clear to him. He looked up at the door Lizzie had left from and closed the journal deep in thought. Dumbledore hadn't told him that Lizzie was one of many.
She had joined an early crowd for breakfast and chatted with Neville over eggs and toast. He was surprised to see her up early. "You and I both. I slept most of the day yesterday though," she explained. Lizzie put a hand on top of her bundled up jacket and realized her journal was missing. In a quick surge of panic, she ran back toward the meeting room and noticed Snape was gone. The journal was closed on the desk, and she let out a sigh of relief. She noticed when she went to grab it that it was face down, a position she scarcely left a book in, and wondered if he'd seen it. The thought gave her pause but there was no way of knowing unless she mustered the nerve to ask him.