Chapter seven: Halloween
Zabini couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Dove, Draco and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. In fact, by the next morning Dove, Draco and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. In the meantime, they couldn't stop talking about the trapdoor and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.
"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.
"Or both," Dove thought.
Hermione didn't show the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor- and was now refusing to speak to Dove and the boys. She was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. Lucius and Narcissa had heard about them bending the first year rule for her to play, and promised to be at her first game. All Dove and the boys really wanted now was a way of getting back at Zabini, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.
As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Dove was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it in front of her, knocking her bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Dove ripped it open excitedly, recognizing Severus' handwriting, his elegant handwriting he only used for special documents and grading, interweaved with Remus' commentary. (Severus' writing is in bold, and Remus' writing is underlined.)
Do not open this at the table, and do not gloat or it will be confiscated. Severus! Don't listen to him, Prongslette. No one is going to take your broom. I thought the whole point of this was for it and her joining the team to be a surprise? It was your idea. Surprise? It's a bloody six-foot-long, thin package. Did you expect her to think we sent her a new set of quills?You know, I didn't ask you to be here. Shouldn't you be somewhere else? You have a home, go to it. Aren't you touchy today? Is it that time of the month? Dove got the idea there was a long pause after Remus said this before Severus continued on. Anyway, please open this somewhere private. You may bring the boys to my office tonight for dinner if you think you can wait that long to open it. Yes, the wolf will be here. Though why I'm not . . . Why can't we be friends, Severus? I did apologize for that- I just don't think that's a good idea. I shall see you tonight, Dove.
Remus had, with an unspoken acceptance from Severus, been staying on Severus' couch for the last week since Minerva had called him for assistance. They had begun to move around each other in sync, finding that after the summer of seeing each other and Dove every day that they didn't like going back to before. Of course, Severus still got to see Dove in class every Friday, but he still rarely got to see her and Remus never did. The two even kinda sorta enjoyed each other's company. Remus had indeed apologized to Severus for everything from their school days and expressed a wish to become friends. Severus outwardly refused of course, but couldn't explain or justify to himself why. He did like having the wolf around though, even with the impending full moon.
That evening at five after six, there was a knock at the door. Remus went to answer it as Severus had taken it upon himself to cook Dove's, and ironically Remus', favorite food- shepherd's pie. Dove, Ron, Draco, Fred, and George filed into the sitting room and Remus couldn't help but chuckle at this. He had no doubt there would be enough food, as Severus had the same habit as Molly Weasley- making ten times more than was actually necessary. However, Severus would no doubt be bitter about so many in his private chambers. Dove hugged Remus tightly.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him with a smile, the still wrapped broom in her hand.
He smiled back. "Just haven't worked up the motivation to go home, I suppose." In truth, he didn't want to be alone anymore. He'd been alone since that awful night those years ago, losing all of his best friends in one dreadful night, and now that Dove was back and Severus had more or less forgiven him, he didn't want to be. He saw no reason for it. Severus didn't seem to object to his presence too strongly, or really not at all, so why not?
"Did you have to bring everyone?" Severus asked, leaving the kitchen to hug Dove.
She smiled. "You did say I could bring the boys, it was you who failed to specify which ones or give a limit."
"Just go set the table," Severus complained in jest, before addressing the twins. "And you two. Should I find myself at the opposite end of any sort of prank, I shall know who was responsible and the two of you will wish I only owled Molly. Am I understood?" Their faces went pale and they hung their heads guiltily. "Now, come eat."
After everyone was stuffed to the gills, they all took seats in the sitting room to watch Dove unwrap her broom. Remus and Severus sat on the loveseat together, looking natural next to one another, Draco, Dove and Ron sat around the package on the floor with the twins behind them. Severus took a sip of his tea before motioning for her to get on with it. She opened it eagerly, throwing paper to either side of her with an animation they hadn't really seen yet. This was her first broom. When it was bare of its wrappings she and the boys goggled at it in shock. A moment later Remus and Severus had a combined lap of girl as she hugged them almost to the point of asphyxiation.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She rushed out. Then she went to examine it more with her friends.
"It was a good idea." Remus complimented him once everyone had gone back to their dorms.
"You're the one who picked it out, all I did was come along and pay. You did the hard part." Severus and Remus looked at each other. "You know, you've been here a week. And you were over all summer nearly everyday and- "
"And you want your place back. I didn't mean to impose."
"No! No, that's not what I mean. I mean, you aren't as hard to live or get along with as I originally thought." He paused. "I have been thinking about selling my house and moving. I just never had a real reason, but now I have Dove and I'm not sure Spinner's End is the best place for her to spend her summers. I haven't made any decisions where, or any specifications other than at least two bedrooms and somewhere for a lab and garden. Maybe, I can look for somewhere you can come along? You would get to see her more often, I know both of you would like that, and I could use some help with her. Just in case I can't deal with something or she doesn't want to talk to me. You understand her better. Of course, that's only if you want."
"I would love that." He whispered, though why he wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't think it right to not to. "Not just for Dove either. I-I think- I don't know. But we aren't enemies anymore."
"No," Severus agreed. "Not enemies anymore." They stared at each other for a moment, tension rising, before Severus blinked and let out his held breath. "I should probably get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." And Remus was alone.
Dove and Draco and Ron snuck out almost every night to practice her flying with the two boys, and occasionally the twins, throwing golf ball sized objects for her to get. They had decided not to mention the broom to anyone until her first game, not that people didn't ask, but it was amusing to see Zabini's face. He wanted to know, but refused to lower himself to ask. Oliver Wood was so happy he almost danced when he watched her fly on her new Nimbus 2000.
On Halloween, the castle woke to the aroma of pumpkins baking, and even better that Professor Flitwick seemed to think they were ready to make things fly, something they couldn't be more excited to learn. He paired every one off to practice. Dove was more than happy to have Seamus Finnegan when you consider that someone had to get Neville. She had nothing against Neville of course, he was very nice, but that didn't mean she wanted to fail almost every assignment with him. Especially when she didn't know what she was doing either. He usually paired off with Hermione Granger, who in this instance was paired with Ron. Dove couldn't decide who was angrier at this, Ron or Hermione, of course the latter hadn't spoken to them since Dove got her broom.
"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."
It was very difficult. Dove and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it – to which Dove couldn't help but laugh loudly as she put it out with her hat.
Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
"You're saying it wrong," Dove heard Hermione snap, groaning inwardly. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."
"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.
Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"
Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Dove as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor on the way to Draco, "she's a nightmare, honestly. "
Someone knocked into Dove as they hurried past her, knocking her into Ron. It was Hermione. Dove caught a glimpse of her face - and was startled to see that she was in tears.
"I think she heard you."
"She's probably realized it was true," Ron defended, but his face was screwed up in guilt.
Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Dove and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of his head- but not Dove's. She wrung her hands until she stood up and went to find Hermione and apologize.
"Hermione?"
"Dove?"
"Hermione, please, come out and talk to me. I'm sorry about what Ron said, and I'm sorry I haven't really been all that nice to you. Please, come down to dinner. Sit with us."
"No, I just, he was right. I don't have any friends, I never have."
Dove nodded to herself before she stood on the counter she'd been sitting on and climbed over the stall, jumping down next to Hermione who had been standing. She held her hand out to the crying girl. "Now you do. Hi, I'm Dove Potter."
"I'm Hermione Granger."
"Well Hermione, what do you say you and I- "Bang! Hermione and Dove yelped as something crashed into the bathroom. Dove pulled Hermione down and shushed her as she looked under the stall at enormous feet. "Hermione, what's that?" She whispered.
"I think it's a troll." She replied, searching her mind for the books she had read on Magical Creatures. "Mountain Trolls are the most dangerous of their breed, best to be avoided."
"Just give me the highlights, Mia." Hermione smiled at the nickname.
"Bald with pale-grey skin, up to twelve feet tall, weighing over a ton, um, troll whiskers can sometimes be used as wand cores, sheer strength, destructive tendencies. Found in mountainous country sides."
"Follow me." Dove crawled underneath the stall to the sinks with Hermione right behind her just as the troll crashed through the wood with his club, splinters shot out everywhere, cutting both girls. The troll then shattered a sink that the girls barely avoided. Hermione screamed as a larger sliver of porcelain imbedded itself into Dove's side.
"Dove, Hermione!" Draco and Ron rushed into the bathroom.
"Confuse it!" Draco said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall. His heart pounded with the creature so close to his sister. The troll stopped a few feet from the girls. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Draco. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.
"Oy, peabrain!" Ron shouted as he threw a pipe at the troll. The troll didn't even notice it, but it did give Hermione time to rush away from it. Dove, however, was stuck flat between the large thing and the wall, her face dirty and streaming with tears- terrified.
"Draco! I'm stuck." She pointed to her foot pinned under a piece of wall. "I can't move!"
Draco ran to her and tried to pull the wall off of her, but it barely budged. Hermione shouted for him to just pull Dove as hard as he could toward the door- which worked, if hurting her foot more. At least she was free to move. Hermione helped her out of the way, the shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.
Draco then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Draco hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Draco's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.
Dove facepalmed and groaned. "That is so gross."
Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Draco clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.
Ron pulled out his own wand -not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The club then rose into the air—up, up, up—and then down with a hard crack onto its owner's head. The troll stumbled before falling in slow motion to the floor with a loud thud. Draco climbed down, breathless. Ron looked between his wand and the fallen beast with an enlightened expression as Draco went to pull his from the nose. A trail of greenish slime followed it and he tried flicking it to get it off. The others all grimaced as it got all over everyone.
"Like I said, gross."
"Seriously, mate? Why would you do that?"
Hermione launched herself at Draco and Ron, hugging them both. "Thank you, guys, so much, and you, Dove. I mean it, I- "
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Minerva had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Severus and Remus, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. Remus crouched to Dove's side, but she cried out when he touched her side.
"Severus! She's hurt." Severus joined them and smoothed her hair.
"What happened here?" Minerva asked with cold fury, her lips were white and none of them had ever seen her so angry. "You could have died. You'd better have a very good explanation as to why you are not in your dormitory."
Hermione took a step forward. "It's my fault, Professor."
Dove moved to cut her off. "No! Hermione, wait. Minerva, please, there's an explanation I promise." She groaned at her side and foot.
"I went looking for it," Hermione continued. "I've read about them, and I thought I could handle it. Dove came after me to talk me out of it, and Draco and Ronald came to save us when it was too late. Without them I'd probably be dead."
"You foolish girl!" Minerva said, surprised as everyone else. Hermione Granger straight out lying to a teacher? "Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. And you three, five points each, for sheer dumb luck."
"Yes," Severus said. "That's all well and good, but we need to get Dove to the hospital wing." He went to move her, but she screamed.
Remus held onto her. "Severus, we can't move her until we get this out of her side. I'll hold her, you pull." Severus grabbed hold of it sticking out. "One, two, three!" He pulled it out and she screamed again. Hermione covered her mouth, upset she got her first friend hurt. Remus picked her up to carry her and everyone else followed.
"Her side is going to be fine, it missed anything too important. Her foot is broken, but it should be fine by tomorrow if I can get some more Bone Mending Potion. I am also going to need more Blood Replenishers." Severus nodded, kissing Dove's forehead and looking to the werewolf.
"I'll watch over her, you go ahead." Remus nodded. Severus and Remus locked eyes for a moment before Severus left to his private lab.
Hermione had slivers of all sizes pulled out of her face and arms, Draco only had a few scratches and a sprained knee, Ron only had scratches.
"I can't believe you lied for us," Draco said in the chair next to Hermione, beside Dove's bed.
"Well, you guys did save my life." She said shyly. "And Dove's my friend. But, now she's hurt because she came after me."
Dove grabbed Hermione's hand. "It's okay. Looking back, I mean, we took on a mountain troll. What did you say? 'Most dangerous of their breed and best to be avoided'? We still did it and came out relatively unscathed."
"Unscathed?" Remus asked. "Your foot is broken, there was a seven inch piece of porcelain sink sticking out of your side, and I have never seen Severus so upset in my life. You will always have these scars."
"At least we won't forget each other any time soon." Ron pointed out.
Remus ignored him. "And what do you mean you lied? What really happened?" Hermione blushed and he smiled. "Remus Lupin, nice to meet you. I was a close friend of Dove's parents. Now tell me."
By the time they finished their story, Severus was back and Dove was half asleep. He sat beside her and Remus and moved her hair out of her face. "Hey you," he whispered. "Just like Lily and Potter, rushing in to play the hero without any concept of the danger you could be in. Why didn't you use your portkey?"
"Portkey?" Remus asked teasingly. "Would that be an illegal portkey you made without the Ministry's approval?"
Severus glared at him. "It's for emergencies." He turned back to Dove. "Which this was an emergency! Why didn't you use it?"
"I didn't know it if would take both of us." She replied. "I couldn't just leave her there, Daddy, she's my friend. It was our fault she was there in the first place. Ron said something awful and she was there because of it. I went to bring her to dinner when the troll got there."
Severus nodded and looked at the other students. "Thank you for helping her. Ten points each."
Remus smiled at the other man's actions. "You all should probably get some sleep. Madame Pomfrey said she'd let you go in the morning. It was nice to meet you Hermione, truly."
As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots. The students had heard about the troll incident and asked questions about how they survived, but none of them answered any. Dove, Draco, Ron, and Hermione were friends from that moment on and Remus and Severus saw them together constantly, to the point Dove invited her to dinner with the two adults. Aunt Cissa sent Draco a letter telling him how proud she was that he had gone to help Dove. And then the Quidditch season began. On Saturday, Dove would be playing in her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.
Severus was looking forward to it, even if he had to root for Gryffindor. Remus would obviously be in attendance. The Malfoy's were planning to come watch. Dove couldn't be more nervous. No one was to know she was on the team as the had agreed it would be a huge surprise. Thank God for Hermione and Draco, the only reasons Dove got any of her homework turned in on time.
Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Dove's first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. Hermione had convinced Dove to read Quidditch through the Ages and she was learning a lot. Draco had apparently read it already, but not even Quidditch could convince Ron to read in his free time. He did, however, listen to the things she learned. That was when Severus limped through and Dove remembered their conversation about Halloween.
"What's wrong with your leg?" She had asked. Remus and he shared a look as Remus was bandaging it the best he could.
"Nothing, just tripped."
"Don't lie to me, Dad. You're the most graceful person I've ever met."
Severus furrowed his brow. "Graceful? I'm not graceful."
Remus nodded in agreement with Dove. "You actually are pretty graceful. Always have been. It's in the way your robes move with you."
"What happened?" Dove asked again. "It was the dog wasn't it? On the third floor?"
"Why were you on the third floor?" Remus and Severus asked simultaneously. Dove blushed and took a sip of her pumpkin juice.
"It was an accident. Zabini challenged me to a duel and Draco kind of accepted on my behalf. I couldn't back out! But then when we got there, he had told Filch that we would be there. We ran and somehow ended up in front of Cerberus!"
The two men stared at her unblinkingly with open mouths and she took another long drink from her glass. "Quirrell was trying to get through it." Severus said mechanically, still giving her a surprised and confused look. "I went to stop him."
"How did it get you?" She asked incredulously, ignoring Remus trying to give her the cutoff signal.
"Damn thing!" Severus said in an angry outburst. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at the same time?"
Dove couldn't sleep that night. She stayed awake staring at the ceiling and wishing the next day would just get itself over with. When morning finally came it was cold, and try as she could she couldn't convince herself to eat anything.
"You've got to eat some breakfast."
"I don't want anything."
"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.
"I'm not hungry."
"I am," Ron mumbled through a mouth full of food. Dove grimace and thought she might be sick.
"I can tell."
"Cheer up, little bird," Fred told her with a charming grin. "George and I will be there to watch out for you. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." She smiled back at him and took a very small bite of toast.
By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes. Ron, Draco, and Hermione sat in the stands together with Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas who had welcomed Draco as an honorary Gryffindor, and by this time almost all of the Gryffindors knew Dove would be playing Seeker. The crowd was buzzing.
Meanwhile, Dove was in the locker rooms changing into her scarlet uniform and trying to swallow that lump in her throat. She held onto her locket and kissed it for luck as Oliver Wood cleared his throat for silence.
"Okay, men," he said.
"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.
"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."
"The big one," said Fred Weasley.
"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.
"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Dove as he squeezed her hand for encouragement, "we were on the team last year."
"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it." He glared at them all as if to say, 'Or else.' "Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."
Dove followed the Weasley twins out to the pitch, though really, they nearly had to drag her. Madame Hooch stood there to referee, her spiky hair particularly spiky today. "Right," she said in her firm voice. "I want a good clean game from all of you." Dove noticed that she, and everyone on the Gryffindor team, was almost glaring at the Slytherin Quidditch Captain, Marcus Flint- a sixth year who was looking at Dove with a sick grin like he had just been handed his heart's desire on a platter. Fred and George moved in front of her slightly as if to tell him to back off. Dove's heart skipped and she felt braver with her friends there. She could do this.
"Mount your brooms." Dove seated herself with ease, just as she'd been taught, and when Madame Hooch blew her shiny whistle fifteen brooms rose high into the air. And they were off.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry, Professor."
The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Minerva.
"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle -that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses -GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"
Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.
Dove was, to be completely honest, bored. She hovered there, squinting for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Dove dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.
"All right there, Dove?" he had time to yell, worried, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.
"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the -wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"
A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.
Dove saw it. In a great rush of excitement of actually doing something, she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.
Dove was faster than Higgs - she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - - she put on an extra spurt of speed -
WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Dove on purpose, and Dove's broom spun off course, Dove holding on for dear life.
"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.
Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.
Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides. "So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating
"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.
"I mean, after that open and revolting foul
'Jordan, I'm warning you -"
"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
It was as Dove dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past her head, that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She'd never felt anything like that.
It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Dove tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts- she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out- and then she realized that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her.
Lee was still commentating.
"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet -passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no...
The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Dove's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.
"Severus- "
"I know." Severus interrupted Remus as he tried to counter whatever Quirrell was doing to her broom. Remus watched carefully, not sure what else to do. Lucius helped Severus counteract it as well, his wife clutching her purse tight.
"Dove!" Remus heard Fred shout. People were pointing now at Dove's broom and it jerking almost to the point she couldn't hold on. And then it was all she could do as she hung from the broom, her sweaty fingers slipping. One hand slipped off and she couldn't grab back hold.
"Let go, Dove!" Fred shouted from below her. "I've got you. Let go."
Hermione, who'd seen Quirrell from her binoculars, climbed the stairs to the teacher's box. Whipping out her wand she muttered her spell and Severus' robes caught on fire. She groaned, meaning to get Quirrell's, but the blue flames made such a stir it broke everyone's eye contact as Dove let go of her wild broom. There were screams, including one from Narcissa, and she landed in front of Fred on his. Dove laughed almost hysterically as Fred wrapped his arms around her to steer.
"You okay?" He asked.
Dove nodded. "Uh huh. Look! The Snitch." She pointed just a few yards away and he moved his hands for her to take over. She sped towards it, and coincidentally the ground, in a moment of déjà vu. Fred held onto her tightly and closed his eyes as she outstretched her hand, dangerously close as a high speed. She moved up on the broomstick and Fred took control back as she leaned over more and fell, tumbling in a roll before coughing something gold into her hand.
All around the stands and over the intercom was an uproar of cheers and hollers, as they all flooded the Quidditch Pitch. Fred spun her around before she was tackled by Draco, Ron, and Hermione- the latter of which was breathless and almost in tears. Remus hugged her, but Severus hung back.
"He wants you and your friends to come by later. He wishes he could be right here." Remus told her when he caught Dove looking at her guardian's distance. She nodded.
That evening, Dove brought everyone by just as Remus said. Severus lunged at her as soon as she passed over the threshold, looking over her, asking if she was okay, and finally embracing her tightly.
"I was so worried, oh thank Merlin you're okay. That last thing, what were you thinking? You could have hurt yourself! You could have hurt your friend! All for a stupid game?" He hugged her tighter. "I can't believe I let you all talk me into this insanity. And you!"
He approached Fred with Dove still in his hold, and held out his hand. Fred took it hesitant, and obviously nervous about doing so. "Thank you for saving her." Fred stood up straighter and shook the older man's hand.
"I'll always be there to, sir."
Severus then turned to Hermione, though Dove wasn't sure why. "Miss Granger. That was some impressive spellwork. Am I right in assuming it was meant to ruin someone else's set of robes?"
Hermione blushed before nodding. "I'm sorry, sir. I thought they were his."
"Think nothing of it, however, should I find myself on fire again I shall know who to find for it." She paled and nodded, everyone giving her strange, or in the twins' case admiring, looks. Draco's parents gestured to her and she hugged them both.
"Watch your back," Lucius told her seriously. "This summer we will have to teach you a few defense spells, yes?"
"Okay. I love you guys." They hugged her again, hugged Draco, and went home.
Fred and Dove walked back to the Tower together, side by side.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I was so scared and I didn't know what to do and then you were there. I don't know what I would have done without you."
"I meant what I told Professor Snape: I'll always be there when you need me to catch you- or crash with you." She laughed at the reference to King's Cross when they went through the barrier.
"I'll see you in the morning," he promised when he saw her walk up to her dormitory after Hermione.
"Good night, Fred."
Hey guys! So if you haven't already noticed, yes. Blaise Zabini has replaced Draco Malfoy as the antagonist in almost every way. I am always open to suggestion and if you ever REALLY want to know something ahead of time, don't hesitate to message me. If I have an answer I will answer it if it is what you really want- but no spoiling it for the others. Hope you enjoyed it! -Skye