Chapter Six: The Ice Queen
The days leading up to the first Quidditch game of the year were punctuated by Ginny's dreams and her memories of the things she did in her second year at Hogwarts. She could see herself standing in the Chamber of Secrets with Riddle, writing in the journal and etching the messages into the wall warning the enemies of heir.
Ginny awakened from a restless sleep the Saturday of the first game and made her way down to the girl's lavatory for a quick shower. The warm water cascading over her body did wonders to wake her up and by the time she headed to breakfast she felt like she could actually play this game, though she didn't know why she was helping Slytherin win the cup.
She strolled the hall rubbing the last bit of sleep out of her eyes when McGonagall's voice broke the air. "Good luck today," she said.
Ginny turned to face her. "Oh, thank you—how did you know I was on the team?" she asked.
McGonagall gave a short laugh. "Are you serious? It's all people were talking about. Said you were some kind of prodigy," she said.
"I'd hardly say that," Ginny said blushing. It seemed odd that people were this impressed with her for Quidditch, it was just something that hadn't happened much before.
"You're just being too modest," said McGonagall. "I meant to ask you, will that uncle of yours be at the game?" she added the question to the end and something told Ginny this had been her real reason for speaking.
"I'm sure he will," Ginny said with a smile.
McGonagall was twirling her finger in her hair now. "That's…good, there's something I need to talk with him about," she said smiling sheepishly. "I'll see you later, Ginny!" she said backing down the hall a little ways before she turned to run off.
Ginny rolled her eyes before turning to make her way to the Great Hall. She went to the very corner of the Slytherin table to sit by herself and eat. She loaded her plate down with eggs and bacon, as she was pouring a glass of pumpkin juice she felt a hand at her back. She glanced up to see a tall handsome boy with a ruffled head of dark hair standing over her. His green and silver tie was almost touching her face. "I remember you," he started. "You're the girl who walked in on our meeting a while back."
"Yeah, Ginny—" she paused. "—Potter."
He leaned down on the table. "I'm Norris Lestrange," the surname made Ginny cringe. "Riddle claims you're quite the Quidditch player. Hope you don't let us down out there today."
Ginny looked back to her plate and held her eyes there as she ate. "I'm not really in the business of doing that," she said plainly.
Lestrange laughed. "Riddle also said you were a bit of an Ice Queen," he said.
With a sideways glance at him she sighed. "I guess it really just depends who you ask," Ginny said.
Amy pressed in beside Lestrange with her hands clasped in front of her. She tilted her head, shooting a seductive glance at him over the top of his nose. "Excuse me," said Amy. "I just came to tell my little sister good luck," Amy rubbed the top of Ginny's hair in playfully and headed for the staff table at the front of the room.
"She's your sister?" Lestrange asked. "The Teacher Assistant from Muggle Studies?"
Ginny nodded. "She's a Squib—had to live amongst Muggles, I guess it's gone to her brain or something," she said with a shrug.
"I see," Lestrange said. "I guess I will see you on the Pitch."
A thick fog had settled in over the Pitch by the time that the game. The Doctor and Amy made their way up into the towering stand boxes. Most of the staff was housed in a box near the middle of the Pitch. Amy leaned out over the side of the railing to try and spy the grassy field she knew to be below.
The crowd was already in a fuss, first game of the season and the first game with a brand new student who seemed to be the only thing on people's minds. As the Doctor glanced side to side at to the other boxes, Amy listened in on the conversation a few rows back between a bearded old man in a high, pointed hat and Dippet.
"This should prove an interesting event, I haven't heard this fuss about a player in a while," said the bearded man.
Dippet cleared his throat. "I had the honor of talking to the girl personally outside of class, she was quite remarkable for her age, very mature witch," Dippet said. Amy got the idea that Dippet was a bit slow, he always stared at her as if he'd lost what made him human long ago, he was just running on habit until he kicked it.
"I have heard she has family on staff," said the other man.
"Oh yes," Dippet said. "Dear girl—miss Potter, if you please!"
Amy hesitated, she didn't want to seem to be listening that close.
"Miss Potter, Amy Potter—"
Amy turned with a flash of red hair, brushing the tendrils aside. "Yes, Headmaster Dippet?"
"Professor will be fine, my dear," he spoke in a modest tone. "Have you had the pleasure of meeting Professor Dumbledore yet?" he asked.
Shaking her head Amy parted her lips to speak, but Dumbledore was staring at her. His blue eyes seemed to be burrowing into her, she could feel them in her chest. She put her hand to her heart and cleared her throat. "No sir, I think I've heard he's the head of Gryffindor House, right?" Amy answered.
Dippet nodded.
Finally Dumbledore spoke, his tone was slow and stern and Amy figured that no one else but her noticed his widening gaze and his voice. "It's nice to meet you Miss Amy Potter," he said.
"Pleasure is all mine, Professor Dumbledore," she said averting her gaze.
"Dumbledore here is actually in line to be the next Minister of Magic," said Dippet with a short chuckle.
Amy and Dumbledore kept their eyes locked together. "Have you had the pleasure of seeing your sister play Quidditch?" asked Dumbledore.
"Not nearly enough," Amy said. "She's amazing."
"I'm sure," Dumbledore said as he glanced to Dippet.
"See there!" the Doctor cut in suddenly. He was pointing at Professor Slughorn climbing into the stands with McGonagall. "That man's wearing one too, I have to say something!" Slughorn took his seat behind the Doctor with McGonagall at his side. She smiled down at the Doctor as he glanced back and he waved politely before turning his attention to Slughorn. "I just wanted to tell you that is a magnificent bowtie!" he said pointing to the green and silver knot at Slughorn's throat.
"Thank you, Professor Pond!"
The Doctor nodded with a huge smile before leaning over to Amy to speak. When his lips neared her ear she rolled her eyes. "Don't say it—I just don't want to hear it right now," she said.
"I told you," the Doctor started, "bowties are cool."
Out over the Pitch the fog was lightening up and just in time for the players to take the field. The Hufflepuffs poured out in a triangular formation and made a lap around in front of the stands. Amy hung onto the edge of her seat, amazed the speed and efficiency with which they flew. She glanced to the Doctor. "What's this Quidditch game like?" she asked as quietly as she could, trying to hide the amazement in her eyes.
"Wizard Soccer, mixed basketball, stunt plane flying and roller derby—with just a touch of Quek'tlaxian Death Ball," said the Doctor pinching his fingers at the air to insinuate the touch.
The part about Death Ball made Amy cringe slightly, but she couldn't take her eyes away from the Pitch. Ginny and the rest of the Slytherins made their way around the field waving and pumping their fists into the air. On the back of a broom Ginny looked truly at home, there was a kind of grace about her that wasn't normally there. The Slytherin team took to the center of the field where the Hufflepuffs waited and the stands for both houses exploded into applause.
Amy couldn't help but cheer too.
For the first time, Amy noticed a case in the center of the field. It juggled and jumped with excitement and when the referee popped it open she could see the cause. Three balls rested in the case with something sparkly near the top. Two of the balls were released to fly about alone and the third was lifted and tossed up between the two teams.
Ginny darted through the center of the group, whipping her bird side to side and grappling the ball up into her arms. She rammed another player aside and made for the other end of the field. The rest of the players jostled in behind her except for four, the two assigned to guard goals and the two who hovered high up watching the field for something.
Two of the opposing team rushed Ginny and she knocked into the side of one, rolled herself under and dove for the ground. She was upside down when she pulled back up and she corkscrewed to right herself as she neared the trio of goal posts and tossed the ball right past the goalie.
Amy stifled a cheer, but the thunderous applause around her covered it. She glanced back at Dumbledore sitting just above her. "See, I had told you she was amazing," she said.
Ginny felt Tom watching her from his perch as he waited for the Snitch to make its appearance. The other teams Seeker chuckled and quipped loud enough for her to hear as she passed. "Keep your eyes on the Snitch and off your Chaser's perfect arse!" he yelled.
Blush warmed Ginny's cheeks and she pulled her hair around to hide it. She chased the ball back to the other end of the field and fought to break through t he pack. She was small but made up for it in speed and if she could avoid being blocked, they couldn't stop her. One of the large boys hit her like he wanted to take her off the broom.
She leaned back onto the broom to recover and grabbed at her shoulder. The hit still stung, despite her pads. Ginny shook it off and focused her sight back on the Quaffle, the Keeper had just knocked it away from the goals and she might have a chance to steal it. She shot a quick glance to Tom Riddle, he hadn't moved and there was no sign of the Snitch.
A large player bumped Ginny on her already injured side. She grunted, pushing back against them to fight them off. He was much bigger and he was sending her broom off course while causing her to slip sideways. Ginny leaned in and tugged the head of her broom upward but she was caught on the other player.
With a great WHOOSH the assailant dropped away and his broom clattered aside. Off to her side Ginny saw her team's beat saluting at her with his small club and pointing up to where the huge, crazed ball had bounced to. Ginny waved her thanks and put her attentions back on the Quaffle.
The Doctor watched the game with a quiet fascination, following the ball from side to side as it traversed the field. He remembered his one time playing soccer only years before and it made him smile. Maybe he'd have a go at Quidditch some time? Ginny stole the ball from another player and crossed over to pass the ball back to one of her teammates and duck a bludger.
Applause erupted from the crowd as the ball passed through the side hoop and scored the second goal for Slytherin. Someone touched the Doctor's shoulder gingerly and tapped their fingers over his jacket in sequence. "Professor Pond?" came a soft voice. "It's my duty to inform you that there's some ill-intentioned shenanigans taking place under the commentator's bleacher," said McGonagall.
The Doctor turned with a smile, thought of telling her to get her head of House. Then he thought the better of it. "Show me where they are," the Doctor said. "You'll have to excuse us, Amy," he said.
McGonagall led him down the steps that wound their way around the bleacher box tower. When they reached the damp grass below, McGonagall pulled her wand, held it aloft and spoke an incantation. "Lumos!" brilliant light poured from the wand tip as she lead the Doctor into the partly wrapped base of the tower. There was only just enough room for them to slip in. "This way," she said tugging the Doctor down between the cross hatched lumber that made up the base of the stands.
There was another burst of applause from the crowd. "Where are they?" asked the Doctor over the boisterous cheers above.
"It's dark," said McGonagall. "Bit hard to see further up…" she trailed off.
The Doctor pushed her wand down lightly. "Put your wand away," he said as he delved his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a large battery powered tube florescent light. It was much too large to have fit inside his coat, almost half his height. "Not going to see anything with that tiny bit of light," he said.
"Indeed," McGonagall said with a growing smile.
Searching around with the huge light, the Doctor sighed. "They've left then? Maybe they heard us coming?" he turned back to McGonagall and he was slammed back into the scaffolding. He flailed his arms rapidly in protest as McGonagall pinned him and kissed him viciously. He tried to work a hand between himself and her and pry her off.
"I've been waiting all week to do this…" she said. "…all those times you're up there teaching about Muggle headwear…or this television invention…all I'm thinking about is kissing those perfect lips."
"Minnie no!" the Doctor wrenched his head from between her hands and turned to avoid her next barrage of kisses. But she kissed his neck instead. "Miss McGonagall!" he shouted. She jumped against him, wrapping her legs around his torso.
"Oh come on Professor Pond, it's just kissing," she said. "Unless you want it to be more
The Doctor pushed her face away. "Why does this keep happening?" he asked in a panic.
"You don't want to?" McGonagall asked as she uncoiled her legs from around him to stand up.
"You're a beautiful girl, very beautiful—but this is wrong and illegal and you've no idea how old I really even am. I'm older than I look, you know?" the Doctor said.
McGonagall sighed and glanced off to the side where the Doctor had dropped his light. She picked it up and handed it back to him, pushing the dark hair away from her face. "You're really turning this down, aren't you?"
The Doctor nodded. "But it's not to make you feel bad—I'm just never in one place long and, well it's hard to explain…" the Doctor was interrupted by the sight of something across the school grounds. He thought he saw it, gray body, positioned just over the rise of a hill. It was frozen there and the next second when his gaze came back it was gone.
"Professor?"
"Let's get back to the stands, Miss McGonagall," the Doctor said.
Ginny rushed the Hufflepuff Seeker and feinted him off target so that he missed the Snitch. He turned off and the small golden ball sped off into the distance and in the moment of distraction Slytherin scored another point. As Ginny raced after the Quaffle she caught Tom Riddle dropping down in front of her with something golden and small racing away in front of him. The entire area of the field where he chased after the Snitch was open and he outstretched and arm to grasp the tiny ball.
Standing on edge, Ginny waited as he raced the Snitch down and closed his hand around it. The stands exploded into cheers and screams. The announcer at the top of the stands called out. "And just like that, the game is over Witches and Wizards. The final score is two hundred and twenty to ten—SLYTHERIN WINS!"
"That's all you, Ginny!" shouted one of the Slytherin Beaters.
"We're just getting word that Ginny Potter's going by the nickname Ice Queen—and with that cold, rough and rumble playing style we have no reason to make an enemy of her," said the announcer.
Tom led a rousing cheer of "All hail the Ice Queen," that left Ginny red in the face. Slowly the teams brought their brooms down to the ground. It was starting to rain lightly now. The stands were emptying out before long and everyone was filtering back toward the castle. Ginny walked amidst the cheers of her teammates.
"Well, Riddle caught the actual Snitch, even if he had done it earlier we still would have won," said Ginny modestly.
"Oh come on! Look at that, she's beautiful and modest," said a voice that she knew as Lestrange's.
"Not to mention she knows her way around a bloody broom!" another boy who wasn't on the team, Avery said.
"Thanks, everyone," Ginny said.
Up ahead Ginny spotted the Doctor and Amy marching through the rain toward the castle, she cracked a smile as she noticed McGonagall chasing after the Doctor as he went. As they reached the hill top, Ginny broke away from her group of admirers and paced down a hall toward a girl's bathroom. She pushed her way inside to hear something stirring, movement inside of the walls.
Ginny paused surveying the wall and listening for any other signs of movement. There were none.
When she stepped out into the hall after she was finished, Myrtle was waiting opposite the lavatory doors. "Hello, Ginny!"
"Myrtle, how are things?" Ginny asked nervously.
"I just came to tell you that I saw you play and it was fantastic," Myrtle sniffled slightly. Her eyes were red and puffy and it was apparent she'd just been crying.
"What's wrong Myrtle? Why were you crying?" asked Ginny. "People bullying you?"
Myrtle shook her head. "It's me dad, or I should say step-dad. He's just a bit brash, you know?" she asked.
"Your mother remarried?"
"Dad died in an accident a while back and she just kind of drifted along till she met this new bloke, he's nice most of the time, it's just…" Myrtle sniffed. "Well, you know?" she started to cry more openly and Ginny rushed to hug her.
Ginny pulled back slightly to speak. "If you need to talk to someone, when you're ready to talk about it, I can listen," Ginny said.
Myrtle nodded. "I don't know what to say, he just makes my mum so upset."
"Sometimes people in love do that," Ginny said as she rubbed Myrtle's back reassuringly.
It was quiet and a moment later a violent scream broke the air. Ginny turned toward the sound and broke away from Myrtle. "What was that?" asked Myrtle.
"This way," Ginny said pulling her wand and rushing off. Myrtle followed close behind her but they reached the site in time to see that there was no need for wands. A Ravenclaw girl was standing over the body of a petrified boy whom lay in a few inches of water outside of the bathroom door.
The boy's body was ridged like stone and the look on his face was all too familiar. Ginny's eyes traced a path up the wall to the red writing and she read aloud, already feeling the guilt swarm over her.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE!
Author's Note: Kind of wandering at this point what people think so far. It's kind of mesh between the canon and Doctor Who and this time travel thing, I'm keeping it as close to the canon events as possible while adding a little flare to it. Hope you enjoy!