Entanglement

Quidditch

As they entered November, the weather turned cold. Every morning the ground was covered in frost.

Quidditch season began. On Saturday, Elena would be playing her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up to second place in the House Championship.
Hardly anyone saw Elena play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Elena should be kept, well, secret. But the news that she was playing Beater had leaked out somehow, and Elena didn't know which was worse– people telling her she'd be brilliant or people telling her they'd be running underneath her, holding a mattress.
It was lucky that Elena now had Hermione as a friend. She didn't know how she'd have got through all her homework without her, with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do- plus, with as much as Elena loved Rons company, he was good at distracting her. She had also lent her Quidditch through the Ages, which turned out to be an interesting read.

Elena learned there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

Hermione had become a bit relaxed about breaking rules since Elena and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll. The day before Elena's first Quidditch match the three were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire which could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Elena noticed Snape limping. Elena, Ron and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.
"What's that you've got there, Potter?"
It was Quidditch through the Ages. Elena showed him.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."
"He's made that rule up," Elena muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"
"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.
"You're horrid," Elena giggled, then looked down, "but I agree."
*
The Gryffindor common room was noisy that evening. Elena, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Ron's Charms homework for him. She would never let him copy- "How will you learn?"- but by asking her to read it through, he got the right answers anyway.
If it were just Ron and Elena, Elena would tell him the answers one by one.
Elena felt restless. She wanted Quidditch through the Ages back, to take her mind off her nerves about tomorrow. Why should she be afraid of Snape? Getting up, she told Ron and Hermione she was going to ask Snape if she could have it.
"Rather you than me," they said together, but Elena had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

She made her way down to the staff room and knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Nothing.
Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? She pushed the door ajar and peered inside– and a horrible scene met her eyes.
Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.
"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"
Elena tried to shut the door quietly, but–
"POTTER!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Elena gulped. "I just wondered if I could have my book back."
"GET OUT! OUT!"
Elena left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs. "Did you get it?" Ron asked as Elena joined them. "What's the matter?"
In a low whisper, Elena told them what she'd seen.
"You know what this means?" she finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him– he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet he let that troll in, to create a diversion!"
Hermione's eyes were wide.
"No– he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."
"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Elena. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"
Elena went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Elena couldn't sleep.
*
The next morning it dawned bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.
"You've got to eat some breakfast."
"I don't want anything."
"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.
"I'm not hungry."
Elena felt terrible. In an hour's time she'd be walking on to the pitch.