Chapter 12: Winning and Losing
Disclaimer: I only own Pyxis. The rest are all J.K. Rowling's.
Pyxis
I felt like my heart was crumbling to tiny little pieces. Too tiny that it's almost impossible to fix it. First Sirius. Then this. I can only take so much so I stood up and ran back to the dormitory. I didn't reach that far though because I bumped to Pansy causing me to stumble. We couldn't be seen because I know we were surrounded by Slytherins.
"Ouch! What the bloody hell is your problem?" Pansy yelled at me. I'm in no condition to even answer this so I got up and tried to avoid her. TRIED. But she grabbed my arm a little too forcefully.
"Look. Not because you have a Firebolt and from that French school, you can act like this, girl. You just got here and you have no right." Now I know everyone is staring at us. She let go of Draco and pulled me to a whisper.
"He's mine. You got that? Not that he was ever yours." She pushed me making me fall on the floor.
"You should be careful in walking, dear." I looked at her and she was smiling. She dragged Draco with her after that and I stood there frozen. What she said hurt me so much. But what hurts the most is that Draco just stood there without doing anything.
I felt tears sprang out of my eyes and I began walking back to the dormitory. But when I turned the corner outside, I bumped to someone taller.
"Isis." I didn't even look up and I just sank to the ground and cried. I don't care who's in front of me right now. I just really need to get all of this out. I heard footsteps behind us but I ignored it. I just cried and cried... For I don't know how long, while the mysterious person just stroked my back. When I got a hold of myself, I wiped my tears and looked up and found out that it's none other than Cedric Diggory.
"What happened, Isis?" I looked behind me and found the Golden Trio and the twins.
"How long have you all been there?"
"Since you started crying."
"I'm so sorry about that, Cedric."
"No. It's fine.
"The Slytherins are blocking the scene earlier, what happened?" Hermione asked looking concerned.
"You know, the usual. I bumped to her, I didn't apologize. She just hates me." I lied but unfortunately, Cedric seemed to have heard everything.
"That's not true. She was angry about Malfoy." I just looked down.
"What?" They all exclaimed.
"But why didn't he defend you? He was there." Cedric asked.
"That prick. Wait 'til I get to him." Harry said and was about to go in but I surprisingly got the strength to get up and pull him.
"Isis! He just let you get hurt. I won't let him get away with that."
"Yeah and I'm joining Harry. We'll beat him up." Ron said trying to make my grip to Harry loosen.
"And make us lose house points? No way!"
"This isn't about the house points now, Isis." The twins said to me.
"You're what matters here." 'Mione said. I was really touched and that lifted up my spirits a little. I think I could trust these five about who I really am.
"Thank you guys, and thank you Cedric."
"It's nothing." He replied, always the modest one.
"I'll be fine. Sorry for involving you here." I smiled.
"No need to thank me. That's what friends are for." He smiled and went in the Great Hall. I turned back to the five.
"Do you guys want to hear my story?" I said trying to look lively. I know they didn't buy it, but they acted like they did and followed me as cheerfully as they can. We all went to the common room and retreated to one corner.
"It all started when I met this girl at school..." I told them little by little of how I got here. How I ended up with the Malfoys. I left out some parts of course, but they got the point.
"You mean, you're from the future?" Ron asked with wide eyes.
"But that's impossible!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I'm not really sure about that either. It's impossible, but that's the only probable way on how I got here."
"Once you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true." I grinned at Hermione.
"Sherlock Holmes." We said at the same time.
After answering a lot of our questions, I went to bed. But I was still awake when Hermione got up.
"Can't sleep?" She asked.
"Yeah."
"You're thinking about him aren't you?" She sat on my bed. I sat up.
"Why do you think he didn't do anything?" I asked her. She stared at me.
"Maybe he has his reasons, if he is like you said." I didn't answer.
"You really like him." She smiled and stroked my hair.
"I hope this passes. I know it's just a stupid crush."
"It's more than that, Isis. I know it's way more than that." I sighed and lay back down. She pulled the blanket up to my chin and tucked me in.
"You should get some sleep. You have Quidditch practice tomorrow." I followed her advice.
Before I drifted off completely, I remembered what she said.
"It's more than that, Isis. I know it's way more than that."
I hate to admit it… But I think she's right.
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Third Person
The next day, Hermione came to the common room after lunch, crying. She handed them Hagrid's letter about losing Buckbeak's trial. But because of the heightened security, they're not allowed to wander around and they only got the chance to talk to him after their Care of the Magical Creatures class. Though their conversations mostly involves crying.
The day isn't also going well for Pyxis, who got a serious case of flu, but she still went to all of her classes. Including her Occlumency classes.
"This will be your last night of classes. You may start." The black-haired girl sighed and looked relieved that she doesn't need to spend more time with the younger Malfoy. She vowed to herself that night not to cry again. Not for him, not for Sirius. Time to live up to the Gryffindor name.
She began setting up her barriers and concentrating hard. They started their routine and Draco remained emotionless the whole time. But somewhere in the middle of their practice, a memory came to Pyxis. The memory of what happened last Christmas.
This caused her to lose concentration, thus making her vulnerable. Draco was about to stop but her memories are already flashing to him.
A younger looking Pyxis is walking to what he supposed was her school. She's wearing a green skirt and a green v-neck vest over a white blouse. Her hair is still in its usual braid that falls to her left shoulder but her hair was braided in a more complicated manner here. Then she was tripped by two taller girls and no one bothered to help her.
""Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there, freak."" The other girl said. Draco thought she was going to cry but she did the exact opposite. She stood up, put her head high and continued walking.
A different memory came.
She was being shoved by the two girls.
""How dare you! How dare you humiliate us like that!"" One screamed.
""I was just telling the truth!"" Younger Pyxis yelled back. The other older girl lost her patience and slapped her so hard it left a mark on her pale cheek.
It changed again.
Pyxis was running towards a man.
""Daddy!"" She jumped to the man's arms. He caught her and carried her to some sort of transportation- it's called a car, he remembered Raine telling him about it.
""Happy birthday, Princess."
""Can we go there, daddy? Please."" She said.
""Sure, fasten your seatbelt first. Ok. Let's go."" The thing they're riding moved from streets to streets, the little girl smiling and singing on the way. They were, however, stopped by another car
A masked man got them out. One held Pyxis and another pointed something to her dad. Pyxis was struggling to get out of the masked man's grasp and succeeded by biting his hand. She managed to run to her father but she was kicked away by the one holding him. The man pointed the thing at her.
""Don't hurt her. She has nothing to do with this." The next second, her father was laid on the pool of his own blood. Pyxis screamed but the man covered her mouth and put her in the car.
Then to another memory.
A slightly older looking Pyxis is in one corner hugging her knees to her chest. Her hair once long hair was cut short, barely reaching her shoulders. A blonde woman is looking at her with pure loathing.
""It's your fault he's dead."" She shouted at her.
Another memory.
Pyxis is holding a knife. Draco's eyes widened. She isn't planning to kill herself, is she? She held the knife to her stomach.
Then Draco was back in the dark Potions classroom, Pyxis was breathing heavily with and she held the chair for support.
"Did you- did you do it?" Draco asked her.
"Why do you suddenly care, Malfoy?" She yelled at him and walked out of the room. He just sank on one of the chairs and sighed. Professor Snape came in the room and raised an eyebrow at him.
"She's sick." Draco simply said. The potions professor dismissed his remaining student to which Draco gladly complied and went back to their dormitory. Blaise was immediately on by side when he entered their dormitory.
"Have you told her?" He asked him. There are no other people in their dormitory. Draco just changed and went straight to bed.
"Draco. You can't do this to her." Still no reply.
"Dra-"
"Damn it, Blaise! It's not easy!" The blonde yelled bolting up his bed. "It's not easy to tell her that she's going to be killed if she stuck with me! It's not easy to be the son of Lucius Malfoy! And it's not easy to be best friends with the girl the death eaters have been searching for!" He laid back down on his bed again and put a pillow on his head.
Blaise, meanwhile, was not surprised his best friend broke down like that. He received a letter a week ago from his father telling him to avoid the 'filthy Gryffindor'. Someone told Lucius and Blaise bets it's Pansy. He tried talking to Draco about changing his plan of avoiding their friend but he says that it is the best way to save her. Blaise could tell her about it, but he chose not to. It wouldn't end well for both of them.
He stood by his friend's bed and was about to turn off his lamp but something caught his eye in Draco's slightly open drawer. A silver velvet box. He turned to Draco, who was now breathing slowly and deeply, a sign that he's asleep. He opened the box and found a very simple necklace with a very beautiful butterfly pendant. The butterfly pendant has a diamond lining, its body is ruby red and its wings emerald green. He returned the box and went to his own bed.
He smiled. Draco does like her, maybe, even if it's too early to say it, even love. And he's sure his best friend will find a way whatever it takes.
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Third Person
It's just a week before the Quidditch final and everyone is very excited. Harry hasn't been getting to classes on time because he was always surrounded by his fellow Gryffindors. He cannot get to his classes without anyone trying to trip him, so Oliver ordered the Gryffindors to be with him always, which they all took enthusiastically.
Pyxis' flu has gotten worse, driving the whole Quidditch team and their head of house crazy when she fell off her broom, and was barely caught by George, in the middle of their practice. Oliver talked to Hermione about this and they all found out that she hasn't been getting any sleep, and if she does she will be woken up by a nightmare.
"What! You can't do that! We've prepared for this. I've prepared for this." The sick chaser pleaded when Professor Mcgonagall told her that she shouldn't play against Slytherin.
"I know, Pyxis. But you're sick. We're all worried for you." Oliver told her sympathetically.
"I will get better." She said with determination visible in her eyes. The professor and the captain gave in to her plead and let her play if she swore to take care of herself.
The night before the big game, they are all in the Gryffindors are all in the common room doing their usual thing. But the team is very out of it. Harry can't stay in one place, Oliver is reviewing their tactics, the Weasley twins are letting out their nervousness by being extremely noisy. Angelina and Katie are laughing to the twins' jokes while Pyxis is with Hermione, who is not doing anything for the first time.
"Don't worry. You'll do well tomorrow." Hermione encouraged Pyxis and Harry, who sat beside them. She too was nervous about the game.
"Yeah. You two have Firebolts! You can do it." Ron added looking up from a book about Hippogriffs.
"Oh. You alright now, Isis?" She nodded. Hermione felt her forehead.
"Still have a little fever." Then no one spoke again. Harry was glad when Oliver yelled at the team to go to bed.
A huge round of applause erupted when the Gryffindor team entered the great hall the next morning. Harry can't help but smile because even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws are cheering for them. But Pyxis noticed that the Slytherin team is a little pale. When her gaze landed on him, she was shocked to see a bruise on his cheek. She didn't get to ponder on it more when they sat at their seats.
Oliver urged them all to eat breakfast but touched nothing himself. They all barely ate anything and just proceeded to the field. Another applause was heard when they left.
"Good luck, Harry!" called Cho when he passed making him blush a little.
"You can do it, Isis." Cedric said smiling to her. More 'good lucks' and other words of encouragement flew around the room. Especially to Harry and Pyxis who became very known since the last match because of their patronus.
"Good luck, butterfly." She turned and found Blaise smiling at her.
"Back off, Zabini." Harry said glaring at him.
"Easy there, Potter. I came here in peace." Pyxis smiled and gave the Slytherin a hug before following the team to their locker rooms.
No one spoke as they changed to their scarlet robes. At no time at all, Oliver was saying: "Okay it's time. Let's go."
They went out to a tidal wave of noise. Three-fourths are wearing red and holding banners with "GO GRYFFINDORS" or "LIONS FOR THE CUP." The other end of the field was occupied by the Slytherins with Professor Snape in front.
"And here are the Gryffindors! Potter, Bell, Johnson, Steller, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood." Lee Jordan yelled.
"And the Slytherins headed by Captain Flint."
"Captains, shake hands." Flint and Wood shook hands but looks like their trying to break each other's fingers.
"On my whistle. Three, two, one." The sound of her whistle was drowned by the roar of the crowd. Harry sped up and saw Malfoy did the same.
"Here goes Steller with the quaffle... Looking good there Pyxis- Oh the quaffle intercepted by Warrington... Nice bludger work there by George Weasley! Warrington drops the quaffle and caught by- Johnson! Gryffindor back in possession and SHE SCORES! Ten-zero to Gryffindor!
Angelina punched her fist in the air but Flint suddenly slammed to her she almost fell of her broom.
"Sorry! Didn't see her!" He yelled.
Fred then slammed his club to the back of his head making him bump to his broom and his nose to bleed.
"That's it! Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack to their chaser. Penalty shot to Slytherin for damage to their chaser." Madam Hooch whistled and Pyxis flew forward.
"Come on, Pyxis!" Lee yelled in the silence. "SHE DID IT! SHE BEAT THE KEEPER!" Flint took the penalty shot of Slytherin but Oliver caught the quaffle.
"Gryffindor in possession. Oh, Slytherin in possession. No. Gryffindor back in possession. And its Katie Bell! Katie Bell for Gryffindor. She's streaking the field and - THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"
Montague, a chaser, instead of getting the quaffle, grabbed her head. Katie did a cartwheel making Montague let go of her but she dropped the quaffle.
Madam Hooch whistled and Katie got the penalty shot.
"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT YOU CHEATING-" But Lee stopped because Professor Mcgonagall gave him a pointed look.
Harry then saw the snitch, a few feet below. But he shouldn't catch it until they are 50 up. And if Malfoy sees it... So he faked a look of concentration and dove opposite the direction of the snitch. Malfoy followed him but the bludger grazed his elbow. He glanced to his sides and saw the two Slytherin beaters on their way to him. He waited for the right time and flew up making them bump to each other.
"Haha! Too bad boys! You can't beat the Firebolt like that. And it's Gryffindor in possession again. Angelina with Flint alongside of her. - Poke him in the eye, Angelina!- it was a joke professor- Oh no. Flint got the quaffle- Wood save-"
But Flint scored. Cheers erupted from the Slytherin end and Lee swore so loudly that Professor almost took the Magical Megaphone to him.
"It won't happen again, professor." This game of Quidditch, Harry thought, was one of the dirtiest he played. Bole hit Pyxis in the arm with his club saying he thinks she was a bludger. George elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. They were both given penalties and Oliver did another spectacular save making it forty-ten. They pelted a bludger to Oliver and Gryffindor got another penalty.
"Fifty-ten to Gryffindor!"
Katie scored. Sixty-ten. Fred aimed the bludger at Warrington making him drop the quaffle. Pyxis seized it and scored. Seventy-ten.
The Gryffindor crowd was screaming to hoarse- If Harry caught the snitch now, they would win. Then twenty feet above him, he saw it. He flew to it but the Firebolt is getting slower.
Horrified, he turned and saw Malfoy holding his broom.
"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee shouted while dancing out of Professor Mcgonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY CHEATING B-"
Professor Mcgonagall isn't even stopping him. She too was shouting at Malfoy.
"Gryffindor penalty!" Angelina took it but missed by a several feet because of her anger. The Gryffindors are losing concentration at what Malfoy did but the Slytherins looked encouraged.
"Slytherin in possession. Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor."
Angelina has the quaffle but the Slytherins, even the keeper, are closing on her. Harry zoomed fast and in their direction making them clear Angelina's way.
"Eighty-twenty to Gryffindor!"
Then Harry saw something that made his heart stop. Malfoy was diving down with a triumphant look. Down the grass was the snitch. He zoomed at a neck-breaking speed but Malfoy was so far.
"Go! Go! Go!" He was gaining speed and soon enough he and Malfoy was side by side. Malfoy was reaching out but he shoved his hand and got it.
"Yes!"
Then Oliver came and hugged him, sobbing to his shoulder. He felt two more hug him. Fred and George. Katie, Angelina, and Pyxis were cheering "We've won the cup! We've won the cup." They all went down and was surrounded immediately.
Professor Mcgonagall was sobbing harder than Oliver. Percy was jumping up and down like a maniac, dignity all forgotten. And Ron and Hermione who are now with Pyxis fought their way to him. They just beamed at him. Oliver passed him the Quidditch cup and he lifted it to the air.