Chapter 22: Transference and Quidditch

Chapter 22

Transference and Quidditch

Sage was trying to use the morning to finish some of his work. Ron and Hermione had been fighting so much over Scabbers' shady death that nobody had been able to have any peace and quiet. Thankfully, everyone was still asleep as it was a weekend and he was taking advantage of the silence. He was working on a new Dark Arts project for Lupin, which was never work he tried to avoid. Sage appreciated the Dark Arts just like his uncle and was a firm believer that he needed to know anything that could be used against him. Lack of knowledge of a huge area could be potentially fatal.

Suddenly, a door slammed upstairs and he heard someone yelling, "Don't worry, I'll get McGonagall!" A sixth year came pounding down the steps, hurdled a couch, and was out the portrait hole before Sage had a chance to ask what was wrong. He heard others stirring upstairs and figured that his time was limited. His silence would soon he invaded. He decided to pick up his stuff and shove off to the Great Hall to study for a little while longer before breakfast. The hall would surely be quiet.

Not long after he had began to study, a few students began straggling in for breakfast and plates of food appeared on the tables. Sage was in the middle of eating his eggs when Ron came running into the hall with Hermione. Each of them grabbed one of Sage's arms and insisted that he had to go with them. Reluctantly, he let himself be led away by the two of them.

Professor McGonagall was standing outside of the hospital wing with Harry, Alicia, Angelina, Katie, Fred, and George. They all turned and looked on his with wide eyes as if he were a big, expensive jewel.

The stands were full of admiring fans crowded in to watch the quidditch match: Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Headmaster Dumbledore was looking around for Professor McGonagall as the game was about to begin in about fifteen minutes. Lee Jordan was already in his seat preparing to announce for the game. Just as the teams were soaring out onto the field, Professor McGonagall sat down, quite out of breath.

Lee Jordan began commenting on Harry's new Firebolt, as the twins had told him that Harry was allowed to use it for the match. He was so busy commenting on Harry and getting a scolding for not properly commenting that he completely missed the other oddity on the pitch. He had just been scolded for the third time about talking about Harry when he noticed what was wrong.

"That's not Oliver Wood!" He exclaimed straight into the microphone.

Professor McGonagall began to whisper into his ear and his eyes shot open wider as he lifted up his omnioculars to better see. He lifted up his microphone as well.

"Professor McGonagall has just informed me that Oliver Wood has food poisoning and filling in for him is Gryffindor's newly acquired reserve Keeper, Sage Snape."

Severus bolted out of his seat next to Dumbledore and with surprising strength for such an old man, Dumbledore pushed him back down into his seat.

Lee was nearly quite excited as he said. "Sage Snape is the son of renown Keeper Jace Snape!...Who knew that...Professor Snape had a brother who played professional Quidditch..." The last bit he had not realized he had said into the microphone.

"Oh, sorry Professor McGonagall...Erm, and Professor Snape..."

Like a whisper you could almost make out Lee ponder, "I wonder which team he's rooting for..."

McGonagall scolded Lee Jordan again for not commenting on the match, which was underway. Snape was seething. Dumbledore held him down with one hand.

Lee ignored McGonagall. "As you all know Jace Snape was the owner of the Nimbus company and Gryffindor will be unbeatable with Potter on a Firebolt and Snape on a whatever that is!"

Finally, the boy began commenting on what was going on because Katie Bell had just scored the game's first goal. Sage was hovering by their goals, his sunglasses on, intently watching. Gryffindor managed to score six more goals in succession, but not one had gotten by Sage. In fact, he made blocking look very easy.

Ravenclaw was in possession again and flying straight for the goal. Sage watched intently as she came at him, trying to judge where she might be aiming for, then he saw a Beater come flying up next to her. He knew that a bludger would be coming his way soon and he had no sooner figured that out than a bludger came flying at his head. He was forced to dive down to avoid it and through the corner of his eyes, he was able to see the quaffle. As he pulled up, he put a foot up onto the mount of the broom, let go of it with his hands to get more reach. The crowd erupted with applause as he caught it with the pads of his fingertips and dropped back on his broom. He reared back his arm and sent the quaffle flying over two Ravenclaw Chasers to Alicia Spinnet, who took off with it.

"Wow, Gryffindor will be set for next year when Oliver Wood is gone. Pass to Alicia Spinnet is good and she scores. Gryffindor now leading 80-0."

Dumbledore patted Severus on the shoulder, the younger man was grinding his teeth and clenching his fists. "Having a heart attack Severus?"

Snape growled in response.

Back on the field, Sage saw Harry go into a dive with Cho Chang right behind, then he pulled up and headed down the field. Sage saw them before Cho did. Dementors on the field again. He had to do something quickly because Harry was right over the top of them. Harry did not need to have another fall, and they didn't need to lose another match. Sage took his hands off his broom and concentrated on Harry, he put his hand out. Just as he did that, Harry bellowed, "Expecto Patronum!"

A huge, silver stag came flying out of Harry's wand towards the dementors. Sage smiled and wiped his forehead concentrating back onto the game. Just as he look back down the field he saw Harry catch the snitch, but not before he noticed the fact that the dementors were none other than a bunch of Slytherins, his cousin Draco included.

In the stands Severus looked wide-eyed at Dumbledore and Dumbledore gave him the same look. It was not because of the Slytherins on the field, it was because of the extraordinarily big Patronus Harry had been able to conjure.

"Did you see that, Headmaster?" Snape asked quietly.

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, Severus, Mr. Potter had some help conjuring that Patronus. I believe your young nephew has just learned how to use a very strong form of magic."

"He jumped his powers onto Potter…"

Snape shook his head slightly in disbelief and looked down the field towards Sage. He had seen Sage let go of the broom and do something, and now the boy was smiling with relief.

"He could have hurt someone headmaster," Severus said.

"Yes, but he also could have saved someone's life. If those weren't fake dementors, Harry could have been badly hurt in another fall. He was very high."

Harry held up the snitch for all to see, and Lee Jordan commented on what a perfect, textbook game Gryffindor had played. Harry had caught the snitch in record time, Sage had played a clean game, and Gryffindor had scored plenty of goals.

Of course, nobody had any idea that Sage had anything to do with the Patronus that came out of Harry's wand. Harry did not even know that he had help. Sage was not going to tell him otherwise.

They had all landed and were being swarmed by other Gryffindors when Sage saw Dumbledore and Snape calling him over. He left the circle of crowding students and walked over to them, his broom over his shoulder.

"Well played game Sage, you have your father's talent, and your uncle's if I dare say," the Headmaster said.

Sage smiled slightly, "Thank you, sir."

"You could have done without the acrobatics, one score against you wouldn't have hurt when you were so ahead," Severus said.

"Uncle, you can't tell me that you or my father would have let that one go by. I bet both of you would have tried your hardest to get it too."

Severus scowled.

"Don't mind him Sage, he is just sour because he almost had a heart attack when you were in midair. But, that is not the issue we need to talk about."

Sage blinked. He knew what was coming. "You saw, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded. "That was a very complex bit of magic you did. You could have saved Harry's life had those been real dementors."

"Or you could have killed someone." Severus sneered.

Sage looked down and sighed.

"Sage, what your uncle is saying is a bit over-reactive but you must be conscious of the dangers of doing such spells. In the future, please do not let real life be your trial ground for magic you have not done before. Just as with other magic, you must practice continually first before you use it around others, it is very dangerous."

"Yes sir, I'm sorry, I just thought it was a life or death situation. I won't use it again until I've practiced more."

The headmaster patted him on the shoulder and walked away. Severus, however, glared at him.

"I am sorely disappointed, Sage. I have told you before not to do something so foolish, have I not?"

"Yes sir, you have."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I just thought-."

"No, you did not think. Headmaster Dumbledore may not think this to be a serious matter, however, I do. You can have two nights of detention and count yourself lucky. We'll be discussing improper use of magic later tonight. Next time, you will not be so foolish. Do not think so much of yourself that you forget the dangers of what you do. You are a Magi and you cannot afford to forget the seriousness of your powers."

"Yes, sir."

Severus stalked away. Not even a 'good game'. Sage sighed, to Severus quidditch would always come after studies and ethics no matter how well he performed.

Sage congratulated himself. He had not been scored on the entire game. His first game and his first clean game all in one. The smile on his face only faded when he thought about the fact that his father would have liked to have seen him play. His father would have been proud, even if Severus was not.