Corvie woke up the next morning feeling awfully nervous.
"Corvie, you'd better get downstairs!" squealed Lisa, pouncing on her friend. Corvie shot up, her eyes wide. She scrambled out of bed, getting tumbled up in the blankets and sheets and falling in a heap to the floor. Extricating herself from the mess of limbs and laundry, the girl quickly got dressed and hurried downstairs.
She grabbed her Cleansweep on the way down to the common room, where several of the upper-year Ravenclaws were doing a bit of studying for their exams ("It's still the beginning of the year!" protested an outraged Padma).
Corvie shot past the Ravenclaws and Slytherins, who all cheered when they saw their newest Quidditch Team member.
Corvie shifted halfway to the locker room, and he quickly shrugged off his bra and set it onto the bench next to the showers.
"ALl right," said Roger, nodding at his Chaser as he sat down, trying to hide the bra behind his skinny frame. "We've got our first game in less than a minute. I just wanted to have a quick word with you all before the game starts. We're up against Gryffindor. Now that they've got a new Seeker, they're better than ever. My scouting reports have told us that much. Corvie–we need you to work perfectly with Alyssa and Sara. I know that they're both older than you–and definitely out of your league, so don't try anything–but you need to get to know them during this match. You get me?"
Corvie nodded.
Roger clapped her on the back, and then led the team onto the field.
"And we've got the Ravenclaws," shouted Lee Jordan. "Most Gryffindors would boo them, but I happen to know several Ravenclaws very well, and don't really see where the prejudice comes from. And then, here they are, the last-placers from last year's House Cup–GRYFFINDOR!"
Corvie and the Ravenclaws waited until Oliver Wood and Roger Davies had shook hands, and then shot up into the air.
Corvie shot forwards, tailing Harry before dropping off to catch the Quaffle. Alyssa checked Spinnet so hard that the other girl nearly fell off of her broom. Corvie snickered, brake-checking Bell and sending her catapulting off of her broom. Corvie spiraled towards the center hoop, then faked out Wood, scoring in the left-hand hoop.
The Ravenclaws all cheered, and Corvie smirked. Cho and Harry were flying in opposite directions; a Bludger nearly unseated Corvie as she searched the stadium for her brother.
"That's thirty-ten, thirty-ten, Ravenclaw!" shouted Lee Jordan finally, after three more goals were scored–once by Spinnet, and twice by Alyssa. "Wait–Potter seems to have seen something!" shouted the commentator.
Corvie spun around, and saw Harry reaching out towards the sky, Cho right next to him. She suddenly rolled up above Harry, snagging something out of the air and screeching to a halt. Harry landed, grounding his teeth, while the Ravenclaws, Slytherins, and Corvie's Gryffindor supporters all roared with pleasure.
The Ravenclaw Quidditch Team swarmed around Cho, lifting her onto their shoulders. "And so ends the first match of the Quidditch Season!" shouted Lee Jordan over the roaring.
Corvie was walking towards Charms when it happened.
She heard Finnegan behind her. "Fractos," the boy snarled. SOmething broke in Corvie's ankles, and she yelped, falling flat on her face and breaking it.
The Gryffindors behind her all laughed.
Corvie felt someone pick her up–it was a second-year Gryffindor by the name of Cormac McLaggen. Corvie signed in relief. McLaggen had been relatively nice to her. "Don't worry, I've got you," said the Gryffindor.
Corvie didn't see what was wrong at first. Then something stirred in her stomach. Corvie looked around, not recognizing her surroundings.
"Aren't we going to the hospital wing?" asked Corvie. Cormac's face showed brief annoyance, and his grip on her arm tightened.
"Where are you taking me?" Corvie asked, fear creeping into her voice.
"Somewhere," Cormac said.
They turned around a corner and came to an empty corridor. There was a deserted, unused classroom.
"Get in," said Cormac, his voice suddenly rough and bracing. Corvie staggered into the room, and then gasped as something struck her back, paralyzing her.
Corvie panicked, squirming as she heard the door lock. "This couldn't be happening to her! What was going on?!
Then she felt Cormac's hands slip underneath her cloak–and down her pants.
Corvie tried to wriggle away, but his hands groped and reached everywhere. Corvie felt herself unfreeze, and then she heard the door banged open.
"What's going on–MCLAGGEN!"
Cormac jumped back, and Corvie fell to the floor, sobbing. She knew she had stood there for hours; she felt the air on her bare skin, and heard footsteps.
It was Professor Snape. He looked livid. Corvie sobbed into her hands. Lisa and Padma were behind her.
"Where–where are they?" Snape hissed. Cormac muttered something, and Corvie felt Padma, Sue Li, and Lisa handing her her cloak and things again.
"Thank–thank you," Corvie said.
"What is the meaning of this?" shouted Snape angrily.
"I wasn't–wasn't doing anything, sir!" shouted McClaggen.
Corvie whimpered. "Then why is she–nevermind. Miss Potter, come with me."
Corvie sat in Madam Pomfrey's office, taking a draught of calming for her nerves. Theo and Padma sat next to her, Daphne and Sue Li on her other side. Lisa and the twins sat on the front of her bed.
"Are you okay, Corvie?" asked Padma silently.
Lucas looked uncharacteristically dark. "When I get my hands on that prat," he growled. "Relax," Corvie said shakily. "I'm fine!"
"You're pale and your hands are still shaking!" Lucas protested.
"What happened with McClaggen?" asked Padma softly.
"He got–a year's worth of detentions, among other things," said Daphne. "How do you know that?" asked Theo suspiciously. "I know these things," said Daphne said. "Just because you're too much of a twat waffle to know where the best sources of gossip are doesn't mean I am."
Corvie snickered, her heart lifting slightly.
"Thanks, guys," the girl said.