Emily Lily Lupin-Black

2. Chapter 20 Mudbloods and Murderers daughters

Harry spent a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sightwhenever he saw Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor.Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorizedHarry's schedule. Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say,"All right, Harry?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back,however exasperated Harry sounded when he said it.Hedwig was still angry with Harry about the disastrous car journey andRon's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morningby shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old ProfessorFlitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boilwhere it had struck. So with one thing and another, I was quite glad toreach the weekend. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were planning to visit Hagridon Saturday morning.  however, I was shaken awake several hoursearlier than I would have liked by Oliver Wood, Captain of theGryffindor Quidditch team. 'what in merlins name, Oliver. ' i half screamed at him and pulled the blanket to my chin. "Whassamatter?" said Harry groggily."Quidditch practise!" said Wood. "Come on!"I squinted at the window. There was a thin mist hanging across thepink-and-gold sky. Now that I was awake, I couldn't understand how Icould have slept through the racket the birds were making."Oliver," I croaked. "It's the crack of dawn.""Exactly," said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at themoment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm. "It's part ofour new training program. Come on, grab your brooms, and let's go," saidWood heartily. "None of the other teams have started training yet; we'regoing to be first off the mark this year —" Yawning and shivering slightly, I climbed out of bed and tried tofind my Quidditch robes."Goodman and women," "wait why are you even up here Emily," said Wood. "Nevermind. Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes."When we'd found our scarlet team robes and pulled on my cloak forwarmth, Harry scribbled a note to Ron explaining where we'd gone andwent down the spiral staircase to the common room, his Nimbus TwoThousand on his shoulder. we had just reached the portrait hole when therewas a clatter behind him and Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiralstaircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and somethingclutched in his hand."I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry! Look what I'vegot here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you —"Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing underhis nose. I chuckled at the photo not awake enough to say anything. A moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Harryrecognized as his own. He was pleased to see that his photographic selfwas putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As Harrywatched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge ofthe picture."Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly."No," said Harry flatly, glancing around to check that the room wasreally deserted. "Sorry, Colin, We're in a hurry — Quidditch practice —"He climbed through the portrait hole."Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!"Colin scrambled through the hole after him."It'll be really boring," Harry said quickly, but Colin ignored him, hisface shining with excitement."You were the youngest House players in a hundred years, weren't you? Weren't you?" said Colin, trotting alongside him. "You must bebrilliant. I've never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is that thebest one there is?" "colin one rule though." i said and he nodded his head. "you have to shut up." i didn't even look at him from then on. "I don't really understand Quidditch," said Colin breathlessly. "Is it truethere are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock peopleoff their brooms?""Yes," said Harry heavily, resigned to explaining the complicated rulesof Quidditch. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on eachteam who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred andGeorge Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters." I finished for him "And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a coupleof steps because he was gazing open-mouthed at Harry."Well, the Quaffle — that's the biggish red one — is the one that scoresgoals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and tryand get it through the goalposts at the end of the pitch — they're threelong poles with hoops on the end.""Your a chaser ain't you And the fourth ball —" "— is the Golden Snitch," said Harry, "and it's very small, very fast, anddifficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do because a game ofQuidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whicheverteam's Seeker gets the Snitch earns his team an extra hundred and fiftypoints.""And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe."Yes," said Harry as they left the castle and started across the dew-drenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goalposts.That's it, really."But Colin didn't stop questioning Harry and me all the way down the slopinglawns to the Quidditch field and Harry only shook him off when hereached the changing rooms; Colin called after him in a piping voice, "I'llgo and get a good seat, Harry!" and hurried off to the stands.The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the changing room.Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and GeorgeWeasley was sitting, puffy-eyed and tousle-haired. My fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning sideby side opposite them. I went and sat on Georges lap. "There you are, Harry, Emily, what kept you guys?" said Wood briskly. "Now, Iwanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field,because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, whichI really think will make all the difference. . . ."Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on whichwere drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different-coloured inks. Hetook out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle overthe diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about hisnew tactics, I think i ended up sleeping on George because I was shaken awake when wood spoke. "Is that clear? Any questions?" "I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start."Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"Wood wasn't pleased."Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We shouldhave won the Quidditch Cup last year. We're easily the best team. Butunfortunately — owing to circumstances beyond our control —"Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. He had been unconscious in thehospital wing for the final match of the previous year, meaning thatGryffindor had been a player short and had suffered their worst defeat inthree hundred years.Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat wasclearly still torturing him."So this year, we train harder than ever before. . . . Okay, let's go and putour new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick andleading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, histeam followed.They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was upcompletely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in thestadium. As Harry and I walked onto the field, We saw Ron and Hermione sittingin the stands."Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously. "Haven't even started," said Harry, looking jealously at the toast andmarmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall. "Wood'sbeen teaching us new moves." We mounted our broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up intothe air. The cool morning air whipped my face, waking me far moreeffectively than Wood's long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on theQuidditch field. I soared right around the stadium at full speed, racingFred and George."What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled aroundthe corner.Harry looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highestseats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangelymagnified in the deserted stadium."Look this way, Harry! This way!" he cried shrilly."Who's that?" said Fred."No idea," Harry lied, putting on a spurt of speed that took him as faraway as possible from Colin. "What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the airtoward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. Hecould be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new trainingprogram.""He's in Gryffindor," said Harry quickly."And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," I said."What makes you say that?" said Wood testily."Because they're here in person," said George, pointing.Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticksin their hands."I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field fortoday! We'll see about this!"Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to inhis anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and Georgefollowed."Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practicetime! We got up specially! You can clear off now!" Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollishcunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."Angelina and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls onthe Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing theGryffindors, leering to a man."But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "Ibooked it!""Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here fromProfessor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permissionto practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train theirnew Seeker.'""You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh,smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy."Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy withdislike."Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the wholeSlytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generousgift he's made to the Slytherin team."All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished,brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the wordsNimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses inthe early morning sun. "Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly,flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips theold Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the oldCleansweeps" — he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were bothclutching Cleansweep Fives — "sweeps the board with them."None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for amoment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced toslits."Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on."What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? Andwhat's he doing here?"He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes."I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly."Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."Ron gaped, openmouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front ofhim. "Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindorteam will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You couldraffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid forthem."The Slytherin team howled with laughter."At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," saidHermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered."No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat. I tried to lunch myself at Malfoy but the twins were quicker thinking and picked me up. Alicia shrieked, "Howdare you!", and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand,yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously underFlint's arm at Malfoy's face.A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot outof the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sendinghim reeling backward onto the grass. Fred dropped me and we all ran to ron. "Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he gavean almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up,hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours,banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered aroundRon, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want totouch him."We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Hermione,who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms. I was going to go beat up Malfoy when George grabbed me and tried to drag me away. "oh look dogs on a leach." Malfoy howled with laughter again. George let go of me on purpose and I ran up to Malfoy and grabbed something out of my pocket. it was the pocket knife I found in Lucius' office with my dad's initials on it. I grabbed the Malfoys collar and pressed the knife close to Draco's neck. All of the Slytherins froze in fear. 'just wanting to remind you who I am. Emily Lupin-BLACK, the daughter of a mass-murder if you come to hurt of coming close to my friends you will pay.' I told him. 'and if you can't remember what I am, well I'm a freaking werewolf, want to fight me now.' i whispered in his ears so only he could hear. I took away the knife and walked to hagrid's hut. I walked in and hugged Hermione with all my might. "I am so so so sorry, mione."