November 1991, 1st year
The weather was getting increasingly colder as October gave way to November and Lynea grew increasingly excited for winter. Unlike most of her fellow classmates, who huddled into their cloaks, Lynea loved the cold.
"It's bloody freezing outside," Draco complained on their way to Herbology one day. "They shouldn't be allowed to send us outside in this weather at all."
Lynea laughed. "You're just a Frostbeule, a nesh."
It was a word her great-grandmother-by-blood liked to use a lot.
Draco huffed loudly. "Harry is shivering more than I am and yet I never see you criticizing him for it."
"Well," Lynea said, looking at Harry, "unlike the heir of the Malfoy family, our little Boy Who Lived doesn't have the right clothes for this weather. We really ought to do something about that."
"I'm fine," Harry said. "I'm used to it, really. No need to trouble yourselves for me."
"Nonsense," Draco said. "Your wardrobe is simply atrocious and needs to be burned. But we can't have you walking around naked, now, can we?"
"It's okay," Harry said. "They're just my cousin's old clothes."
Draco frowned. "All the more reason to buy you new ones. If this is about money, don't worry – we have more than enough."
"I think Harry has enough money for his own," Lynea said. "How does this sound: We'll do the shopping and you can decide whether you want to pay for yourself."
Harry sighed. "I really don't need new clothes. I don't want to be a bother."
"But you're not a bother, Harry."
They pestered him during all of Herbology until Harry finally gave in and allowed them to take him shopping someday. Draco immediately perked up at that and started making plans for the right date and logistics, while Lynea fondly smiled at them. Harry had been in a depressed mood ever since Samhain. Draco had even confessed in a quiet voice that Harry was having nightmares, but he didn't want them doing anything about it. At least, he seemed to be slowly regaining his happiness through his interactions with them.
The first Saturday of November was what finally did it.
The day marked the beginning of the Quidditch season with the first match being Gryffindor versus Slytherin and most of the school was buzzing with excitement by the time Friday rolled around.
Lynea didn't quite understand the hype, but at least Harry seemed to be happy again.
"I'm on Lynea's side," Hermione said. "It's just a sport and the rules don't even make any sense. The scoring system, for one, could really be improved. I mean, if the Snitch alone is worth a hundred and fifty points and scoring a goal is only worth ten, then –"
"Hermione," Harry said with fond exasperation, "please stop."
The Ravenclaw pursed her lips, but remained silent.
They were outside in the courtyard (at Lynea's request) and Hermione had conjured some Blueball Flames in a jar for practice (at Harry's request) around which she, Harry, and Neville huddled for warmth with Lynea standing a bit to the side.
Being in the courtyard made it easier for the four of them to hold a proper conversation than the quietness of the library offered or the odd looks they would receive in the Great Hall for sitting at a different house table. The Hufflepuffs probably wouldn't have objected, but neither of them was in Hufflepuff. The courtyard was also more comfortable than the eery hallways and echoing corridors were.
"Uhm, guys?" Neville said in a quiet voice.
"What is it, Neville?"
The Gryffindor pointed across the yard where Professor Snape was making his way to one of the doors.
"Is Snape limping?" Harry asked and immediately shut his mouth when their potions professor noticed them and started to come over.
He was definitely limping.
"Well, well," he drawled. "What do we have here?"
Neville whimpered slightly and took a step behind Hermione, who had quickly hidden her little jar of Bluebell Flames.
"We're enjoying the weather," Lynea said pleasantly.
Snape narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "In this cold?"
Lynea smiled. "It is very refreshing compared to the stuffy Great Hall and the common rooms." She waved a hand, seemingly nonchalant. "Fires aren't the best method to warm up a room, after all. Besides, I personally like the cold and my friends here are kind enough to indulge me."
Professor Snape watched them for a moment longer, his eyes narrowed and his lips set in a firm line. Then he gave them a curt nod and limped away.
The four of them let out a collective sigh of relief.
"He was in a bad mood, wasn't he?" Neville said. "I usually can't tell, but even S-Snape isn't usually like that."
"He was definitely out for blood," Harry agreed. "I wonder what's wrong with his leg."
"Probably whatever put him in such a foul mood," Lynea said.
o
"Do I have to?"
"Yes, Lynea," Draco said and rolled his eyes. "Everyone is going to see the game. You can't just hole yourself up in the library all day."
"But it's just some boring Quidditch game."
Draco sighed and then turned to Harry. "Please talk some sense into her."
"Uhm," Harry blinked. "Please? For my sake?"
"Fine," Lynea said and dramatically threw her hands in the air. "Fine. But don't expect me to shriek in happiness whenever someone scores a goal or something."
"As long as you don't bury your head in a book," Draco said, eyeing Theodore, who was doing exactly that right now.
"I'm not going to take it with me," Theodore said absentmindedly.
"Is everyone ready?" Pansy asked as she and Daphne descended the stairs to the dormitories, both of them dressed in thick winter cloaks and wrapped in green and silver scarfs.
"We were only waiting for you two," Millicent said dryly.
Pansy grinned, but didn't say anything.
"Oh, Harry," Daphne said. "Are you sure you won't be cold in that?"
Harry ducked his head and mumbled something that sounded like "I'm fine".
"Here, let me just," Pansy took Lynea's scarf and wrapped it around Harry, then grabbed her wand "Calesco. There. All warm now."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Pansy."
Pansy grinned some more, then turned to face the others. "Alright, let's go."
"Will you be fine without your scarf?" Harry asked as the Slytherins made their way up the stairs to the Entrance Hall.
Lynea gave him a reassuring smile. "I didn't need it in the first place, don't worry."
They made their way across the grounds to the Quidditch pitch and then climbed the stairs to the stands on the east side, where most of their house had already assembled.
"Do the Gryffindors even stand a chance?" Millicent asked.
"Only if they've got a good seeker," Draco said. "According to Flint, our captain, they didn't fare very well ever since that Weasley left."
Blaise snorted. "Which one?"
"Does it matter?"
"Isn't their captain involved with a Weasley?" Daphne asked.
Pansy excitedly clapped her hands. "That's right! I caught them snogging in the dungeons just a few days ago. They were quite sloppy, if I may say so, but I'll give them points for their enthusiasm. They didn't even notice that I was watching them for several minutes."
Some of the Slytherins grimaced.
"We really don't need any details, Pansy," Lynea said.
"Shush," Millicent said. "The game is starting."
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson," the commentator said.
"Is that a Gryffindor?" Blaise asked.
Theodore looked towards the commentator stand, where a boy with dread looks was standing next to Professor McGonagall. "I think that's the Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan."
As if to prove him right, Professor McGonagall loudly shouted "Jordan!" to reprimand the boy for some unnecessary comment about Johnson's attractiveness.
"You really do know each and every student of this school, don't you?" Pansy said, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Theodore shrugged. "I'm good with names."
"Careful," Blaise said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Pansy is about to rope you into her little schemes to get the juiciest gossip."
"Could you be quiet for a moment?" Draco asked irritated.
"Sorry, darling," Blaise said, sounding not at all apologetic.
The chasers of both teams were still passing the Quaffle back and forth and Lynea supposed it didn't look all that boring, but she had rather liked listening to the light banter of her housemates. It seemed as if only Pansy, Daphne, Theodore and Blaise were of Lynea's opinion, while the rest watched the match with rapt attention, never taking their eyes off the game.
"The Gryffindor beaters aren't bad," Millicent commented. "Must have something to do with twin telepathy."
"If that's true we should try getting our hands on a pair of twins as well," Tracey said.
Millicent snorted. "Vince and Greg could try out. They're basically twins, aren't they?" She turned her head slightly, so that the pitch remained in her field of vision "Aren't you, boys?"
Vincent and Gregory grunted in approval and Lynea huffed in amusement.
"GRYFFINDOR SCORE!" Jordan yelled and Lynea flinched in surprise.
There was loud cheering from the Gryffindors and booing from the Slytherins. The Quaffle passed a few more hands and then Jordan spotted the Snitch.
"What are they doing?" Draco said when Pucey dropped the Quaffle and all the chasers turned to watch the two seekers race after the little golden ball. "The game is not finished yet."
They were all so busy watching the two seekers that only Theodore's shout of "Watch out!" warned them in time to jump out of the way as one of the Bludgers rammed into the spectator stands, right where Harry and Draco had been only moments before.
"What the hell?" Draco hissed. "They're not supposed to – Harry!"
Draco grabbed Harry's robe and pulled him to the side as the Bludger returned.
Lynea fixed the offending object with her eyes and reached for her wand. "Does anyone know some spell to destroy it?"
"I do," an unfamiliar voice said and Lynea saw an older Slytherin step in front of them, her wand raised high. She waited for the Bludger to come at them for the third time – and it did – then said "Reducto!" and made short process of it.
A shrill whistle rang through the air.
Lynea brought her attention back to her surroundings.
"And now they've destroyed the Bludger, clearly trying to distract us from the fact that Flint blocked the Gryffindor seeker in an obvious attempt at cheating," Jordan was saying.
Draco narrowed his eyes. "Oh for –"
"Watch out for the other one!"
The game had been put on hold, but it seemed as if the second Bludger was out for Slytherin blood, as well. Luckily for the first-years, several more students had come to stand in front of their little group by now and reduced this one to ashes before it could hit them.
Chaos erupted.
The Gryffindors were accusing the Slytherins of cheating and sabotaging the game on purpose. The Slytherins were accusing the Gryffindors of attacking them with the Bludgers. Lee Jordan was commenting loudly on how the game couldn't continue without two of the most important balls – never mind that there were only four in total – while Professor McGonagall tried to make him shut up. Madam Hooch was fiercely blowing into her whistle and the two Quidditch teams were hovering in the air, looking unsure on how to proceed.
Incompetent idiots, the lot of them. And this was supposed to be 'the best wizarding school in the world'? Honestly.
In any case, the game couldn't continue without any Bludgers, so they had to wait for Madam Hooch to go and retrieve another pair and then they pretended as if nothing had happened. At least these ones didn't try to murder anyone – no one from the spectators, anyway.
Higgs, the Slytherin seeker, eventually caught the snitch, but there was only half-hearted applause and soon the spectator stands were emptying out.
"The nerve of these people!" Pansy hissed. "No respect for our safety! These Bludgers had clearly been hexed and they did nothing. Nothing! Instead, they accuse us of intentionally trying to harm on of our own. I can't believe it!"
"Pansy," Lynea said quietly. "Not here. I know you are upset, but we can't let the other houses see."
"So you want me to be pretend everything is fine?!" Pansy growled.
"She's right, Pansy," Draco said and put a hand on her shoulder. "This was a serious incident and we will not let this slide. But for now, we need to get back to our common room immediately." He turned his head. "Harry, don't trail behind, stay in the middle."
"What?" Harry asked, clearly distracted.
Draco sighed and grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him along.
"Bludgers shouldn't exist in the first place." Daphne shook her head. "They are way too dangerous."
"It makes the game exciting," Tracey said. "And wizards are also really stupid, I suppose."
"Belladonna," Lynea said and the wall opened to allow them entry into the common room. She looked around to make sure their Head of House was nowhere to be seen, before ushering her housemates to a group of chairs. "We all saw it, but I'll say it out loud anyway: That was an obvious attempt on Harry's life."
"What?" Harry whipped his head around. "How do you know that?"
"Because those Bludgers were targeting you," Draco said. "Everyone could see that."
"But … why? Who would want to attack me?"
"I saw both Quirrel and Snape chanting," Theodore said. "One of them must have been culprit while the other tried to save your life."
"That leaves the question why Quirrel would be after Harry's life," Lynea said.
"Uhm," Harry averted his eyes. "Wouldn't Snape have more reasons to try and murder me? He hates me."
"Nonsense," Draco said. "He might not like you very much, but uncle Severus would never do such a thing. Besides, you are a Slytherin, he has to protect you no matter his personal feelings."
The others nodded, but Harry didn't seem very convinced. "I just think that between the two of them, he would be the more obvious one."
"All the more reason why he isn't," Lynea said. "No Slytherin would ever be that obvious."
"But why would Quirrel be after my life?"
"That's what we need to find out."
"There's another possibility," Daphne said. "Maybe they were both chanting the counter-curse. After all, there were hundreds of people around – who's to say there wasn't someone else chanting and we didn't see them?"
Lynea tilted her head. "Most of those people were students and I don't think a student could have done that."
Daphne shrugged. "It's still a possibility."
"Until we find out who was responsible and why," Draco said gravely, "Harry shouldn't wander around alone under any circumstances."
"I can look after myself," Harry protested.
"But you shouldn't have to," Lynea said gently. "And Slytherins always protect each other."
AN
Snape. It was definitely Snape. No way Quirrel could have done it. Nuh-uh.