Chapter Three

Draco hurried out of the dorm with his new robes still in his hand. Judging by the slamming sounds and the footsteps outside the dorm the rest of the team had already left. Draco cursed inwardly; if the team had already left then that meant he was late. That would make a great first practice and uphold the honor of the Malfoy name.

After he had almost flown down the stairs, Draco threw his robes on in the common room before bolting out the door. Then suddenly, it felt as if someone had wrapped a giant rubber band around his legs. Draco fell forward onto his face. Someone had used the leg-locker charm on him.

He tried to get up and perhaps catch a glimpse of the person responsible for this but as he got halfway up lost his balance and fell forward again.

Draco dragged himself over to the giant leather sofa and used it to help pull himself up. He grouped around in the pockets of his quidditch pants for his wand but realized he had left it back in the dorm for practice. Without any other means Draco started hopping forward determined to get to the quidditch pitch.

Meanwhile in the locker room, the six older players of the Slytherin team sat around the giant whiteboard that Marcus used to explain plays and whatnot. The new seeker wasn't here yet and it was almost time for practice to begin. Marcus glanced at his watch again.

"So where is he," Elle asked. Her curly blonde hair was pulled into a loose bun at the back of her neck and she looked irritated. "He said he'd be here."

At that moment the door opened and Draco hopped in with his legs still bound by the leg-locker curse. The team stayed where they were and merely stared at him.

"Can someone help me?" Draco asked. He felt disgusted for having to ask for help but at least it was better than this awkward situation. Elle pulled her wand gracefully from her pocket, pointed it at Draco and muttered the counter curse. His legs sprang apart and he walked over to the bench so Marcus could start practice.

"These," Marcus said motioning toward the seven sleek black Nimbus two thousand and ones behind him. "Are a gift from Lucius Malfoy. Draco is our new seeker."

Silence followed this little speech. After waiting several seconds Marcus decided to continue.

"Ok, down to business. Last year's defeat of Gryffindor was stunning. Without Potter they're not worth anything. But that means Wood's going to go extreme this year and we need to stay one step ahead of the competition. We're better than them even with the little Backstreet Boy, so let's get out there and drill."

So the team shouldered their new brooms and headed out toward the pitch. Marcus leaned over to pick up a few things before he left but Elle stopped him.

"Wood's out there," she said.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Marcus hissed. He peered out the small window out onto the pitch. Sure enough seven scarlet blurs were flying around the pitch. Elle reached into the pocket of her emerald robe and withdrew a scroll. Marcus took it from her.

"I took care of them," she said silkily. Marcus smirked and put the scroll into his own pocket.

"We would be so screwed without you," Marcus said as he and Elle made their way down to the pitch.

Sure enough when they got there, the Gryffindor captain Oliver Wood, came pelting down to the ground followed loyally by his teammates.

"Flint," Wood barked. "I reserved the pitch for Gryffindor today. You can clear off now."

"Yeah" Elle said smartly reaching into Marcus's breast pocket and withdrawing the scroll she had given him earlier. "We've got permission from Professor Snape to be here."

She threw the scroll at Wood, who took it and read it aloud.

"I, Professor Severus Snape, hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today owning to the need to train their new seeker," Wood read. He rolled the scroll up, threw it back to Elle and crossed his arms. "You've got a new seeker? Who?"

The Slytherin team stepped back letting Draco have a small bit of glory. He smirked and said. "That's right and that's not all that's new this year."

"Those are Nimbus two thousand and ones," the youngest Weasely said. He was still wearing his Hogwarts robes. "How did you get those?"

"A gift from Draco's father," Marcus said his expression unreadable to the Gryffindors but Elle knew that he sounded bitter.

"See Weasely," Draco sneered. "Unlike some, my father can afford the best."

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," the other girl standing next to Weasely said. "They got in on pure talent."

"No one asked your opinion," Draco spat back. "You filthy little mudblood"

"You'll pay for that one Malfoy," Weasely said drawing his wand. "EAT SLUGS!"

There was a burst of light and the Weasely child was thrown backward. He landed on his back and slid a few feet. The Gryffindor team encircled him asking if he was alright but he didn't answer. Instead when he opened his mouth, a slimly green slug slid out onto the grass.

The Slytherin team was in hysterics. They laughed as Potter and the girl dragged the Weasely away as he burped slugs up everywhere.

"No but seriously," Elle said rounding on Wood when the Gryffindors had finally returned their attention back to the pitch issue. "Get off"

"No we're not," Wood said firmly. Marcus sighed and fought his way between Wood and Elle.

"I'm willing to negotiate," Marcus said gently forcing Elle back to the rest of the emerald clad Slytherin team.

"You get off the pitch," Wood said bluntly.

"That part's non-negotiable," Marcus said. "It's in the fine print. You see we have permission to be here you don't so either you leave and come back or we just stay here and practice. Either way we're getting the pitch."

"Come on Oliver," the blonde chaser said taking Wood's arm. "Let's just go."

"Wise move on your part, Bell," Elle said coldly. Katie cast the opposing Slytherin chaser and icy glance as the Gryffindor team cleared off leaving the Slytherins alone on the pitch.

"First order of business," Marcus said clapping his hands together. "Beaters, bludgers and bats, Matheson and Warrington, grab the quaffle and start firing at Bletchley; I'll join you in a few. Malfoy…"

"Yes sir," Draco asked.

"Fifty," Marcus said taking off to join his fellow chasers.

"Fifty what?" Draco asked confused.

"Drop and give me fifty," Marcus bellowed his voice echoing around the stadium. Draco dropped to the ground and started doing a girly pushup with his knees on the ground.

"Should we tell him fifty real or make him do it again the right way," Bletchley said as the four of them watched Draco do his push ups.

"Let's tell him when he's done," Warrington said evilly. "It's more fun that way"