Chapter 20: The Snape Quidditch Heir

Chapter 20

The Snape Quidditch Heir

The cool November air nipped at Sage's cheeks as he walked out to the quidditch field with Harry and Ron. It was a splendid day with the sun shining in the sky and only a few clouds freckling the blue. Resting on his shoulder was his broom, the prototype Nimbus, reflecting beads of sunlight off of it. Ron was still gaping at its form and the way it's color was metallic black. This was the first day that Sage would practice with the team and after Hufflepuff had defeated them, they were all ready for a long, hard practice. .

Angelina was the first to come up to him and rap him on the shoulder, saying that she hoped he was only partly as good as his father was and the entire team would be thrilled. Sage smiled as much as he ever did smile, which was only slight, but his eyes conveyed his happiness about playing quidditch and not doing work. Katie stared at his broom, which none of the girls had seen yet, while Alicia eyed him quizzically. .

As Ron walked up to the stands where Hermione was already perched, Oliver Wood started talking about what they would start off with. .

"We'll do four on four today so that we can get a complete scrimmage in, thanks so our extra player." He gestured to Sage. "Plus we'll get to see how good he is. There will be no snitch, so it'll be keeper's challenge. Which ever team loses, will clean that other team's brooms.".

"Sounds good," Angelina offered. "How about you, me, Katie, and George against Sage, Alicia, Harry, and Fred.".

Wood smiled, he knew that the team stacked against Sage would be the stronger one since Harry had never played chaser, and that would make it apparent how good Sage was. "That's exactly what I was thinking. Harry, you'll have to play chaser for your team with Alicia. We will even be gracious and let your team start out with the quaffle.".

With that said they all took to the air. It had been so long since Sage had been on his broom that he forgot how exhilarating it was too speed around on it. The Prototype was so tuned to him that he almost didn't have to turn it or manuver it. It responded to the smallest changes as he shifted his weight around. He settled down in front of the three rings at his end of the field and watched as Alicia started with the quaffle. .

Before long it had become quite clear that Sage could play, and play incredibly well. The score was already 30-10 in his favor. Only one had gotten by him and that was because George had sent a bludger flying at his head at the exact same time as the quaffle, and even so he was only a few inches from stopping it anyway. He pulled up after his dive to avoid the bludger and watched as Harry went speeding down with the quaffle pocketed under his arm. Angelina and Katie were coming straight at him and if he had blinked he would have missed Angelina grab it right out from under his arm and come flying back toward him. To his left he saw Fred and George chasing the bludger, each trying to get to it first to either knock it away from Sage or knock it into him. He split his focus easily, concentrating equally on what was going on with the bludger and where the quaffle was. He narrowed his eyes in determination not to let the bludger interfere with another play. .

He tipped himself upside down as the bludger came flying at his head. It soared over his broom with him safely hanging underneath. Before he had even turned right-side up, he was bolting toward the quaffle. Just as he flipped back up, he reached out for the quaffle and grabbed onto it, two feet in front of the hoop Katie had aimmed for. He heard clapping from the stands, and smirked. He reared his hand back ready to throw the ball back into play, when Harry yelled to him..

"Hey, there's Snape. I think we need to call a time-out or something. I don't think he came to watch us practice!".

Sage tucked the quaffle back under his arm and looked down. Sure enough he could make out the black billowing robes of his uncle, splaying out in the wind. He could also make out Ron and Hermione staring at him from their place in the stands, he was nearly right underneath them. All eight players were soon on the ground. Sage landed a few feet from the professor and propped his broom up against the stands..

"How long have you been here, sir?" he asked, not too out of breath. Then he noticed that Snape was holding something wrapped in silver paper, he eyed it both curiously and suspiciously..

"Long enough," the man answered him. Sage swallowed, his uncle was in one of those moods. Then Severus continued, "Long enough to know that you carry the family's quidditch skills." Sage's mouth popped open ever so slightly in shock at the good mood.

"But uncle, you should know that already," he teased.

It was Severus' turn to smile slightly and say, "Knowing what a horrid Chaser I make, my not being able to score against you is not saying much. Even then we didn't play often. This is the first time you have played with a full team and you've done well. Your father would be pleased."

It was difficult for Sage to swallow all of this at once. Severus had begun to make a turn towards him and it seemed so different to Sage. He had never felt that the man had been cold toward him, but he had always been pretty cut and dry. Not that he was exactly being warm now, but for being Severus he was being warm.

"You aren't a half bad Chaser, sir, just much better at Keeper." Sage gave him a lopsided grin. "Not to be rude, but you didn't just come out here to tell me I was talented, did you?".

"No, I wanted to remind you that I want that paper tonight. Quidditch practice or no.".

Sage's smile faded. Apparently there was a limit to how benevolent Severus could be at once. "Sir, I finished it last night. I promised my work wouldn't suffer if I played and I meant it. It's even longer than you asked. If that's all, then I shouldn't really interrupt practice anymore."

He turned away from his uncle but was caught by the sleeve of his robes by the taller man.

"I'm not done with you yet."

Sage turned back around.

His uncle continued, "I thought now would be a good time to give you your birthday present.".

Sage's breathing staggered and his mouth popped slightly open again. Shocked would have been an understatement of what he was feeling. His uncle came all the way out here to give him his birthday present. Sage had nearly forgotten it was his birthday. It never felt like a pleasant time to him so he conveniently tried to ignore it most years. Finally he accepted the package that Severus was holding out to him. .

"Pocket the card though, you can read that later.".

Sage eyed the package and started into it. Under the fitting silver paper was a box. He opened it and found a brand new pair of high tech quidditch sunglasses. Under those were some well worn black Keeper gloves, shin guards, and forearm guards. He looked at those in confusion and then looked up at his uncle for an explanation..

Severus cleared his throat, "They were your father's when he was your age, and he passed them on to me, and now they belong to you. Those have never lost a game. I special ordered the sunglasses. They are charmed to adapt to whatever conditions there are on the pitch.".

His voice was lost and he couldn't find it. Sage tried to move his lips but they did not move. He was speechless. His uncle was staring at him now, looking strangely pleased with himself. Severus had never really given him a present that wasn't a book of some sort. He had certainly never given him such a fitting gift.

Snape pat him on the shoulder and said, "You can thank me later tonight when you find your voice.".

Sage watched him retreat back towards the castle with his robes spreading out behind him gracefully. Suddenly Harry came up to him slamming his hand into Sage's back. The entire team was soon around him and Ron and Hermione came down off the stands.

"You didn't tell us it was your birthday, Sage!" Hermione said shaking a finger at him..

"Yeah mate, what was that all about?" Ron added..

Harry took the sunglasses out of Sage's hand and put them on. "WOW, cool.".

Sage was still speechlessly holding the box in his left hand, his right hand still in the position as if it were still holding onto the sunglasses. Hermione waved a hand in front of his face. Ron stood in front if him, knees bent, looking at Sage's frozen face..

"Snape, earth to Snape!" He said, now waving his hand in front of Sage's face like Hermione had.

After Sage had showered, he went directly to the dungeons to find his uncle. He had managed to stammer out a thank you without losing his composure too much. His uncle had always said never to betray his emotions, that he should always try to keep them hidden. Severus had said that it was too easy for people to read you when you let your emotions have free rein over your actions.

Now they were walking together to go to dinner. They were talking about some of the positive uses of Dark Magic that Sage had come up with. Sage had come to the conclusion that there was no such thing as Dark Magic, because all magic was, was a force or a power, the user was the one that made the magic good or bad depending upon what they used it for. It was one of Severus's favorite philosophical arguments on magic and his opinion coincided with Sage's. .

As they rounded the corner to dinner, Severus saw the one person he always tried to avoid at all costs. Sibyl Trelawney.

"Dear gods," he said.

She was headed straight for them and she never ceased to try and read Snape's palm. He was also one of her favorite people to predict the death of. She stopped right in front of them and smile at Severus. She opened her mouth to say something before she looked at Sage and stopped.

"My dear! Do you have a strong aura about you."

Sage's eyebrow went up skeptically. He looked at Severus who had his eyes shut and his hand on his forehead.

"Is this your nephew Severus?"

Snape growled as he exhaled, "Yes. Sage, this is Professor Trelawney."

Sage suddenly had a look of comprehension on his face. This was the crazy woman his uncle had always told him about. The fraud Seer.

"Oh, I must read your palm," she said, grabbing his hand. She let out a series of ooohhhhhs and aaahhhs. "There is great power inside of you."

Snape snorted. Of course there is, you twit, he's a Magi.

"And great mystery," she continued. "You are a Scorpio, no?".

Sage looked at Severus and then back a Trelawney. It could have been a good guess. "Today is my birthday."

"Yes dear, of course. There is a great cloud surrounding you. I feel that your magic will one day be like the scorpion's tail. You are quiet and calculating. Strong but sensitive. Your future is very unclear, all I see is great power."

Snape snorted again.

"Dangerous, dangerous," she finished. "You Scorpios are difficult. Just like your uncle." She shot Snape a dirty look.

Severus finally managed to save himself and Sage from the woman. She just never gave up. Great power inside of him. Doesn't take much Divination to figure that out!