Chapter Four: Qudditch: Slytherin V. Gryffindor
In early October the day that everyone had waited for arrived. The first Quidditch match of the season. Kai had been working non-stop to keep his grades up and train hard for the game. The Slytherin team promised a challenge, a challenge the Gryffindors were eager to meet. Kai was, however, more worried about his sister, she had told him in a letter that she was being followed by for third years that seemed unstable. He knew she could take care of herself, but that didn't make the worry go away. He had seen her at work in the library, and seen her shrug off the snide comments of her older house-mates, and he knew she wouldn't take their bullshit forever. There would be a moment when she snap and strike out at them. They were all just waiting for it.
On the day of the first match all classes were let out early and the stands of the stadium began to fill. Shaddi herself could be found at the top of the Gryffindor stands still in her school robes just waiting for the game to begin. The Gryffindors that were filling in gave her odd stairs but she gave them her smile and said nothing. James Potter came over to her with a confused look on his face.
"Might I ask what you're doing in the Gryffindor stands Ravencroft?" Sirius Black and two others Shaddi had seen but failed to remember the names of were also there.
"My brother is playing and it's much easier to see from here. Besides I'm trying to prove a point, I have no one to cheer for in my own house, so why not cheer for my brother's?"
"She has a point." One of the other boys said, he was tall, thin, had grey eyes, and light brown hair. She looked at him in such a way that he knew she was waiting for an introduction. He smiled and stepped forward. "Remus Lupin." He shook Shaddi's hand before looking at his friends. "How about we don't give her a hard time. There is no rule that says she can't sit here, and besides she has a good reason for being here. How about we just go have a seat, the game will be starting soon." He nodded to Shaddi and walked away, the rest following. He was right, the game started not long after they left.
The two teams walked onto the field the Slytherin robes outlined in sliver making the team shimmer, the Gryffindors contrasted greatly with the emerald grass and Slytherin robes. The fire red and gold seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. Shaddi picked her brother out of the Gryffindors, his ash blonde hair paling in comparison to his robes golden trim.
The captains shook hands and then separated, backing up and staring daggers at each other, they mounted their brooms and with the sound of the whistle they were off. All fifteen brooms in the air. Shaddi spotted her brother as he flew over, his broom almost the exact color of his robes, he searching the stands looking for an offending bludger. He saw one and shot it toward the Slytherin beater. Shaddi had never seen Qudditch quite like this; it was exciting to know that it was her brother out there protecting his team trying to beat the crap out of her own house.
"Slytherin possession, Gryffindor position. Nice swing from the Gryffindor beater. And Slytherin scores!" The commentary went as the game intensified, the Gryffindors now wanting a score. One of Kai's bludgers collided perfectly with a Slytherin Chasers chest knocking him from his broom, the whistle sounded and there was a time out to ensure the players safety. When it was found that the chaser would not be returning to the game, the Slytherin's were furious with the Gryffindor beater, because now they were down one chaser. The game turned nasty as the Slytherin beaters tried to get even by sending both bludgers straight at Kai, one after another. He ducked avoiding the first but took the second to the face. There was a great "Ooooo" in the Gryffindor end. Kai's broom wavered for a moment as he shook his head, blood flowing from his nose and mouth, Shaddi refusing to remove her eyes from him. "Get back in there." She whispered, he looked around in time to see another bludger he dropped his broom stick a few feet avoiding it before setting off in chase, just time too, he hit the bludger and it collided with one of the renaming chasers as he was about to shoot for the Gryffindor goal. The chaser dropped the quaffle only for it to be caught by an awaiting Gryffindor chaser.
"Gryffindor possession, Noym, Grysim, Noym, Gerald, Gryffindor scores!" The score was now tied 10/10 and the Gryffindors were shouting, the game was getting very nasty. Both seekers were circling high above Shaddi looked up in time to the Syltherin seeker dive the Gryffindor one right behind him. The commentator said something about what they were doing but Shaddi didn't hear it. She was watching as they dove. They came together she saw the Slytherin seeker punch the Gryffindor seeker but it didn't matter because the Gryffindor had his hand out and then the whistle sounded. "Gryffindor catches the snitch! Gryffindor Wins!" The Gryffindors were jumping and screaming, as the team in the air also cheered. Shaddi ran past James and the others and toward the field.
"Kai!" She shouted as he landed on the ground. He drew her into his arms dry blood on his face from his nose, and his mouth was still bleeding and his jaw was angled oddly, it looked dislocated if not broken.
"We won!" Everyone around them was shouting. Shaddi was looking over Kai's face getting an idea of what had happened.
"Come on Kai, we've got to get you to the hospital." She dragged her brother away him still getting pounded on by his house mates congratulating him.
"Shaddi we won!" He said; as they walked up the grass toward the castle, his voice slightly off because of his now swelling jaw.
"You were brilliant!" She said her brother was still glowing in the light of his victory. They smiled all the way to the hospital wing. The medical witch tutted as she reviewed Kai's jaw.
"Second boy in here today because of this silly game." She said as she poured a steaming blue potion into a goblet. "Drink." She demanded, this proved difficult for him but he managed. "No hold still and brace yourself." Kai griped the edges of the bed he was sitting on and the nurse took hold of his jaw. With a violent snap she put his jaw back into place. Shaddi winced, Kai waivered his eyes watering. "Trust me that will hurt a lot more later, but you're fine, go. Nothing but liquid for dinner though."
Kai raised himself from the bed and Shaddi followed him from the wing as they walked down the hallway Kai massaged his jaw. "Ow!" he moaned.
"Just think, if she hadn't given you that potion you would probably be hurting even more."
"Yeah, you're probably right." He said, smiling through the pain. They headed off toward the great hall to dinner. Of course everyone would be excited about the game and egger to talk about it. Shaddi wasn't, she really didn't care about the thugs of her house, but that didn't make her egger to join them after her defiance during the game. And walking with the Gryffindor wouldn't make things any easier. She smirked just thinking about it.
"So how have you been doing anyway? We don't talk all that much anymore." She knew he was trying to get her to talk about her house-mates bullying her, but she wouldn't.
"You know, just staying busy with school." Well that certainly was true she had already risen to the top of her house and quite possibly the entire first year. Her brother, it seemed, wasn't fooled.
"Come now Shaddi, as much as you studied this summer, you can't be that busy. If anything you are ahead, and lying to me." He said smoothly with a raised eyebrow. Shaddi sighed.
"I should have known better that to try to fool you." She smirked up at him. "A few of the older Slytherin boys have been giving me a hard time, it's nothing though."
"Why are they on your case?"
"Well," she didn't want to say it.
"What?"
"It's because of you."
"Me?" He asked surprised
"Well yeah, basically they think I'm a traitor for hanging around with you for any reason, what with the reputation of our houses and all." He nodded but said nothing.
"Don't worry about it, they won't do anything, they are those kind that are all talk." She said with an all knowing kind of look.
"Alright, but you know you can always come to me if you need any help, right?"
"Of course." They had just entered the Great Hall, and there were cheers as Kai walked by.
"I've got to go, but you should be careful." He said hugging his little sister. When they were separated his friends pulled him away. The Gryffindor table was already very loud and Shaddi could only imagine the party that would be coming on later that evening. What she didn't know is that many of her own house mates were watching her as she sat down at the end of her own table. They had not failed to notice her presence at the Gryffindor end during the game, or that she escorted the Gryffindor beater to his feast. And they were not happy about it.