Entanglement

4. An Idea

TW: verbal abuse, mental illness

My head wouldn't stop pounding no matter how I tried to halt it while I disrobed my quidditch gear. I tried to focus on the way the locker tapped against my knuckles as I placed my things inside.

We had lost the match not long after Mirren's injury happened. She had spent the remainder of the game keeping her other teammates out of harm's way, and even though she had needed to slow down because of her busted hand, she still heavily impacted a few of the last plays. When their seeker, Serranus Puck, had caught the snitch we simply didn't have enough points to win.

I had been struggling to breathe properly since I had watched Mirren effortlessly evade my one good shot. As I attempted to take the gloves off my aching fingers, I was reminded of what I had done to hers. Surely Madame Pomfrey would have her fixed up in a heartbeat, since it only forced her to pull out just long enough for a quick healing charm. She would return to play another day, and my heart skipped at the thought of having to share the pitch with her again.

While no one could deny that she was an incredible beater, I was quite sure I was one of only a couple Slytherins that truly thought she was magnificent. Her skills were unmatched and the idea that I really believed I could best her, was just folly.

As I removed the last of my gear, there was a sudden boom from a fist that slammed directly into the side of the locker and next to my head. The speed at which it happened made a slight breeze and I felt my stomach drop out of my arse. I didn't dare turn to look at the person attached to the arm in sheer terror.

"You had one fucking job," Blaise hissed in my face as I made the most desperate effort to not let his berating words affect me and I refused to move. "You had the shot. Colobiri set you up perfectly and you fucking choked."

My vision blurred as I prepared to be kicked off the team. Quidditch was a huge part of my life. I certainly couldn't pull off any of the stunts Mirren had showcased, but I wasn't a bad player. I tried to convince myself that he wasn't angry with just me, but damn was he making that difficult.

"Oh, shut it," Andre piped in from the other side of the tent. I sensed Blaise moving from me as he pulled away and the air began to feel less thick. "She made an impossible effort," Andre's voice shook ever so slightly as he challenged our abrasive captain. "It's not her fault that that, prodigy is better than we could ever hope to be." He spoke with feigned disgust as he advanced his interference. A tear escaped and ran down my cheek as my best friend pulled the object of all my emotions, good and bad, away from my personal space.

"You seem to think that I was joking when I said you two only have one job," I dared to turn my head ever so slightly to watch Blaise size up our other beater. "You will find a way to trip her up before the next match. A broken hand does me no good," I felt the other teammates in the tent looking at me nervously. Blaise was terrifying. He wore his anger on his sleeve like a trophy and did not hesitate to use his height to intimidate. "Any means to achieve the end," he lowered his face to Andre until they almost touched. My friend bravely held his ground as he accepted the consequences of his outburst. "And I do mean, any." I gripped the side of my locker as I tried not to think of what other sort of means Blaise might concoct for us.

I waited, scared into submission, until he ended his criticisms, and I couldn't hear his footsteps outside after he left the tent. I brusquely grabbed my pack before rushing towards the school.

I didn't bother to try stopping the tears this time. I was just happy to play another day.

- · ~ • § • ~ · -

"Wait up," A friendly voice called to me as I used my sleeves to wipe my face dry. Andre ran up next to me and matched my stride as we made our hike back to the comfort of the castle. He carefully tapped my upper back in an attempt to bring up my spirits. "I really believed we had her." The pity at the edge of his tone made me feel sick.