(1) Lux Brumalis (R. Weasley)

Chapter Forty-Two

The rest of January and the beginning of February passes by without too much of an issue. Pixie keeps meditating. She keeps tinkering. Harry gets more and more nervous as the next Quidditch game draws near. She knows he's worried about Severus refereeing the game. He doesn't tell her, because they are trying to keep her out of that stuff, they don't say things about him with Pixie around, and whilst she is grateful that they are trying, she can't help but feel a little left out because of it. But if this works, then she's all for it. And before they know it, the Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor quidditch match is taking place. The whole school walking out of the castle and to the quidditch grounds on site. Packing the stands. With even Dumbledore arriving to watch. Pixie meanders her way through the stands towards where Neville is standing alone pulling off his gloves to shove them into his pockets.

"Neville" Pixie greets, he smiles at her as he makes space next to him for her.

"Hello, Pixie" He offers and then nods behind her, she turns to find Hermione and Ron right behind her, moving through the seats.

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione tells Ron as he slips his wand up his sleeve, moving to join Pixie and Neville on the stands.

"I know, don't nag" Ron complains and rolls his eyes, moving to Pixie's side, placing himself between her and Neville to get some space from Hermione. He should have asked Pixie for help practising the leg-locker jinx instead. "Make her stop" He whispers and Pixie smirks a little. She is used to Hermione, she reminds her a lot of Tony when he's working so for her, it's not annoying, but she knows that it can be a bit full-on for the others. They watch as the two teams march onto the pitch towards Severus standing in the centre of the pitch waiting for them. "I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron offers and even Pixie has to agree that Severus looks tense, a lot more than he did at Christmas. He's been short with her a few times before he realises, when she's been using his classroom, when she's been meditating. She knows he doesn't mean to do it, it just happens, and he appears apologetic after doing it, so whatever it is that is going on, it's getting to him. "Look....they're off. Ouch!" Something pokes Ron in the back of the head. He turns around to find Draco standing there.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there." Draco comments, smiling widely at Crabbe and Goyle flanking him, as usual. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Stark?" Pixie ignores him as she watches Severus award Hufflepuff a penalty. Hermione's eyes are focused on Harry who circles around the game, waiting for the snitch, her fingers crossed tightly in her lap. "You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Draco continues a few minutes later, as Severus awards the Hufflepuffs with another penalty. It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money....you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains." Neville flushes bright red but still turns to face Draco.

"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," Neville argues causing Draco, Crabbe and Goyle to burst into laughter. Pixie turns a glare on them.

"You tell him, Neville." Ron agrees, not taking his eyes off of the game.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something." Draco counters.

"I'm warning you, Malfoy..." Ron starts. "One more word..."

"Hey" Hermione states, getting her friends' attention, the three of them snapping their heads around. "Harry" She points out.

"What? Where?" Ron asks, leaning forward to look for him. They watch as Harry suddenly drops into a dive. Hermione rockets to her feet as Harry races towards the ground.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Draco sneers. And it's just enough to cause Ron to snap. Suddenly, the redhead is on top of Draco, wrestling him to the ground. Pixie and Neville whirl around to see what's happening. Neville hesitates before he clambers over the back of his seat to help. Pixie's eyes widen because she didn't think Neville had fisticuffs in him, but she's actually rather proud of him. But he's decided his first fight will be with both Crabbe and Goyle. Pixie groans a little but climbs over her own seat to help him.

"Stark, you...house-traitor!" Draco yells when he sees her punch Goyle in the face.

"Better than being a bully" She counters as she grabs the front of Goyle's robes and pulls him into a headlock. "Or a pasty-faced loser" She laughs and grinds her knuckle into Goyle's hair and head. Hermione remains oblivious to the fight behind her as she focuses on Harry.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione cheers, watching as Harry suddenly pulls up and out of the dive, arm raised to show the snitch clasped in his fingers. The stands erupt into applause and cheering. "Ron.." Hermione turns a little and then frowns. "Pixie...Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor are in the lead!" She then jumps up and down, hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front. Pixie yelps when a fist collides with her nose, she's not sure which one hit her but Ron is suddenly there and throwing a punch back.

..........

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaks as they move towards Harry when he appears, having been rather a distance behind the rest of the team by some time in leaving the Gryffindor changing room.

"We won! You won! We won!" Ron shouts in victory, now sporting a split and bloodied lip and a darkening bruised cheek. Harry raises an eyebrow at him and then at Pixie at his side, her nose has stopped bleeding but it is bruising too, and there is dried blood on her philtrum.

"What..?" Harry starts to ask them what happened to get them all beat up like that.

"I gave Malfoy a black eye and Pixie winded Goyle...and Neville tried to take on Crabbe too...single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right...." Ron rambles out, adrenaline still pumping through him. "Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens"

"Never mind that now, let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this..." Harry then stops and looks at Pixie who sighs, understanding.

"It's about Snape" She realises, he nods back at her. She knows where she stands with this, and she is not going to get involved in the conversation. She'll distance herself from it. "It's fine...just...I'll go"

"Pix" Hermione starts.

"It's better this way" Pixie defends and it is. She doesn't want to hear whatever it is they are accusing him of now. She wants to remain oblivious and loyal. "I should go and see Pomfrey about my nose anyway...check on Neville. I'll see you later" She turns and heads back towards the castle. Whilst they feel bad, Pixie is right, if they want to be friends and without forcing her to break that family loyalty, keeping her out of anything that involves them talking about Snape, is best.