Dark

Chapter 59

Draco
“And it’s Johnson, Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I’ve been saying it for years but she still won’t go out with me –“
“JORDAN!” McGonagall yelled.
I rolled my eyes. Leave it to the Gryffindor to be too busy fawning over the girls to properly commentate a match.
I zipped up over the stadium, taking a place near the Slytherin end and looking out amongst the commotion of the game. There was no way I was letting Potter win this match, and judging by the look on his face at the sight of his sister, he was going to be sufficiently distracted.
“- dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludge – close call, Alicia – and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what’s that they’re singing?”
I looked down, surprised that the Slytherins had gotten started so early into the match, but proud all the same. Our second secret weapon was deploying in the stands:
Weasley cannot save a thin,
He cannot block a single ring,
That’s why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our King.
Weasley was born in a bin,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win,
Weasley is our King.
I caught the horrified expression on Potter’s face and smirked as he turned and saw me. Potter was distracted with one thing, and Weasley would be distracted with another. A perfect plan to foil their efforts in the match.
“- and Alicia passes back to Angelina!” the Gryffindor shouted. “Come on now, Angelina – looks like she’s got just the Keeper to beat! – SHE SHOOTS – SHE – aaaaaah…”
I watched as Bletchley saved the goal, throwing the Quaffle to Warrington. At that same moment, a bludger came flying toward him, directed no doubt by one of the Weasley twins. Before Warrington even caught sight of it Eleanor rushed in and smacked it across the field. My eyes trailed it as it nearly collided with Potter. He shot Eleanor a glare before shooting off toward the other end of the field.
Weasley is our King,
Weasley is our King,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley is our King.
I returned to looking for the snitch, changing positions in the field every few minutes to get a new angle to look from.
“- and it’s Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal, he’s out of Bludger range with just the Keeper ahead –“
Another great swell of song rose up from the Slytherin end of the stands:
Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring…
I listened to the commentary as I kept scanning the field for that speck of gold that would bring us victory.
“- so it’s the first test for the new Gryffindor Keeper, Weasley, brother of Beaters, Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team – come on, Ron!”
There was a scream of delight, but it wasn’t coming from the Gryffindors.
“Slytherin score! So that’s ten-nil to Slytherin – back luck, Ron…”
WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN…
“- and Gryffindor back in possession and it’s Katie Bell tanking up the pitch –“
WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN,
WEASLEY IS OUR KING…
The next time I looked up I found Potter getting berated by his team captain. I couldn’t tell what she was saying to him, but she was absolutely livid. Potter then zoomed off to a new portion of the field and though I saw him start to look for the snitch, his eyes quickly darted to Eleanor again, watching as she tore up the pitch to intercept another Bludger with a sickening crack of her Beater’s bat.
WEASLEY IS OUR KING,
WEASLEY IS OUR KING…
I started singing along, amused by the horrified expressions on the Gryffindors faces both on and off the field.
“- and it’s Warrington again, who passes to Pucey, Pucey’s off past Spinnet, come on now Angelina, you can take him – turns out you can’t, but nice Bludge from Fred Weasley – and Potter intercepts again – Montague with the Quafle, and he’s off up the pitch, come on now Gryffindor, block him!”
WEASLEY CANNOT SAVE A THING…
I saw Pansy take a stand at the front of the Slytherins, acting as though she were conducting the choir.
THAT’S WHY SLYTHERINS ALL SING:
WEASLEY IS OUR KING.
Montague threw the Quaffle and the Slytherins erupted into cheers again as it went soaring through the left hoop.
Then my stomach dropped as I saw Potter dive hard and I immediately leaned into my broom, speeping up as fast as I could. The snitch changed directions and suddenly I was closer to it. I leaned in harder, picking up as much speed as I could and leveling out just a solid three feet above the ground. The snitch was only feet from me and I reached out my hand only for Potter’s to appear right next to me. Our fingers closed at nearly the same moment but I found mine scrabbling at the back of Potter’s hand. He had stolen the snitch right out from under me at the last possible moment.
I pulled hard on my broom and nearly fell off as a bludge went zipping past me.
WHAM!
A Bludger hit Potter square in the back. He fell forward off his broom, at the same moment that Madame Hooch’s whistle rang out through the pitch.

Eleanor
I huffed loudly as it became obvious that Harry had caught the snitch, and not Draco. If my Bludger had been just a second faster, I could have unseated him in time for Slytherin to win.
“Chill out there, Potter.”
I turned to find Urquhart coming to a stop beside me.
“You did great out there,” he said, “definitely made the right choice. You’ll be sure to be just as brutal with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw too, though. Right?”
“Well I’m certainly not planning on going soft on them,” I answered.
Urquhart laughed at this and we made our way to the ground, dismounting not far from everyone else.
“Did you like my lyrics, Potter?” Draco was saying loudly. “We wanted to write another couple of versese! But we couldn’t find rhymes for fat and ugly – we wanted to sing about his mother, see –“
His lyrics?
“- we couldn’t fit in useless loser either – for his father, you know –“
It seemed that Fred and George had just realized who Draco was talking about as they turned to glare at him, matching Harry’s own defensive stance.
“That’s enough, stop this,” I said, stepping forward and hoping to descalate things as much as possible.
Harry stepped forward like he was going to approach Draco and I got in between them, holding him back with my broom held out.
“- but you like the Weasleys, don’t you, Potter?” Draco continued. “Spend the holidays there and everything, don’t you? Can’t see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you’ve been dragged up by Muggles even the Weasleys’ hovel smells okay –“
I had to physically push Harry back as he tried to pass me on his way to Draco. This wasn’t going to end well, and Draco didn’t understand when to just shut up and walk away. I shoved Harry back a bit and turned to glare at Draco myself. Why did he have to insist on causing problems?
“Or perhaps,” Draco started again, a manic glee in his eyes. “you can remember what your mother’s house stank like, Potter, and Weasley’s pigsty reminds you of it –“
Without even thinking I fully turned toward Draco again, beating Harry and the Weasley twins to him. I had my broom held tight in both hands and shoved it up into his face. There was a nasty Crack! and blood spurted everywhere, covering both Draco and myself. Then I flipped the broom over in my right hand and swung it at him as hard as I could. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his side with one hand and his nose with the other.
Suddenly there were more people around us. George and Harry had just reached us, lunging at Draco as I heard other members of the Gryffindor team shouting at them. I was suddenly pulled from the fray by the sleeve of my Quidditch robes. I caught sight of Fred trying to join Harry and George, but being held back by Angelina and another Gryffindor chaser.
I was turned around roughly and came face to face with Urquhart. “What the hell were you thinking?” he yelled at me.
“IMPEDIMENTA!”
Harry and George were immediately slowed by the spell and the rest of us turned to find Umbridge standing nearby, a sickly smile on her face as she eyed us each in turn.
“That will be quite enough, now.” She simpered.
“Weasleys, Potter, my office, now.” McGonagall said, storming her way toward us.
“Urquhart, why don’t you bring that one with you too, and meet me at Professor McGonagall’s office.” Umbridge said, pointing at me.
“You’ve really done it, now,” Urquhart grumbled as he took me by the arm and led me up to the castle. “Pucey, get Malfoy taken care of.”

Harry
I was seated across from McGonagall, Fred and George beside me. She was absolutely fuming. If it were possible, I image there would have been steam issuing from her flared nostrils.
“Well?” she said. “I have never seen such a disgraceful exhibition. Two onto one! Explain yourselves!”
“Malfoy provoked us,” I said bitterly.
“Provoked you?” McGonagall shouted, slamming a fist onto her desk. “He’d just lost, hadn’t he, of course he wanted to provoke you! But what on earth he can have said that justified what you two –“
“He insulted my parents,” George snarled. “And Harry’s mother.”
“But instead of leaving it to Madam Hooch to sort you, you decided to give an exhibition on Muggle dueling, did you?”
“Eleanor gave more an example of that than we did,” I argued stiffly.
“Have you any idea wat you’ve –“
“Hem, hem.”
We all looked toward the door of McGonagall’s office. Umbridge was standing there, the Slytherin captain beside her with a grip on Eleanor’s arm.
“May I help, Professor McGonagall?” Umbrdige asked in her most poisonously sweet voice.
“Help?” she repeated in a constricted voice. “What do you mean, ‘help’?”
“Why, I thought you might be grateful for a little extra authority.”
“You thought wrong,” McGonagall countered.
“Well, actually, Minerva,” Umbridge said, “I think you’ll find that what I think does count for more around here. Now, where is it? Cornelius just sent it…I mean,” she gave a giggle as she rummaged in her bag, “The Minister just sent it…Ah, yes…”
She pulled a piece of parchment from her bag and unfurled it.
“Hem, hem…’Educational Decree Number Twenty-five…”
Not another one!” McGonagall exclaimed.
“Well, yes,” Umbridge smiled. “As a matter of fact, Minerva, it was you who made me see that we needed a further amendment…You remember how you overrode me, when I was unwilling to allow the Gryffindor Quidditch team to re-form? How you took the case to Dumbledore, who insisted that the team be allowed to play? Well, now, I couldn’t have that. I contacted the Minister at once, and he quite agreed with me that the High Inquisitor has to have the power to strip pupils of privileges, or she – that is to say, I – would have less authority than common teachers! And you see now, don’t you Mierva, how right I was in attempting to stop the Gryffindor team re-forming? Dreadful tempers…Anyway, I was reading out our amendment…hem, hem…’The High Inquisitor will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions, and removal of privileges pertaining to the students of Hogwarts, and the power to alter such punishments, sanctions, and removals of privileges as may have been ordered by other staff members. Signed, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, Order of Merlin First Class, etc, etc…”
Umbridge rolled up the parchment and put it back into her handbag, still smiling.
“So…I really think I will have to ban these three from every playing Quidditch again,” she said with a nod toward Fred, George, and I.
I felt the snitch still clutched in my hand fluttering madly against my fingers, as though it also wanted to escape the situation.
“And Miss Potter, then? Are you intending to hold your own House’s teammembers to the same standard?” McGonagall asked, her eyes narrowed at Umbridge.
“I felt that we might hit this snag, Minerva. I’m afraid that you may have not seen the events on the pitch as clearly as I did.” Umbridge smiled widely.
“Excuse me?” McGonagall said.
“Mister Urquhart, can you please explain to us all what happened on the pitch?” Umbridge turned her smile to the Slytherin captain and he looked at her a moment before he opened his mouth.
“Well…Professor…High Inquisitor, I mean…” Urquhart started slowly, as though trying to decipher what Umbridge was wanting from him. “Malfoy said something and Potter was trying to separate him and the Gryffindors.”
“Yes, Mister Urquhart, and after that, did you see Miss Potter do anything other than try to prevent this brawl?” Umbridge said with a raise of her brows as though suggesting something.
Eleanor scoffed at the same moment that Urquhart responded, “No, ma’am. She was trying to keep them apart and then the Gryffindors attacked Malfoy.”
“That is an absolute lie,” Eleanor roared at Urquhart. “What in the hell is wrong with –“
“That is enough Miss Potter,” Umbridge cut her off.
“No, it is not enough!” Eleanor yelled, starting to take a step toward Umbridge before Urquhart pulled her back again. “If you’re banning them, then you have to ban me too!”
“And whatever for, Miss Potter?” Umbridge simpered. “Why would I ban a student who attempted to prevent a fight?”
“Oh, fuck you!” Eleanor roared.
“That will be quite enough, now,” Umbridge said, her lips pressed tightly together as she stared down Eleanor for a moment. “Mister Urquhart, please escort Miss Potter back to the common room, it seems she could do well with some rest.”
“Fuck that, and fuck you!” Eleanor yelled again as Urquhart pulled her from the room.
The door slammed shut with a loud Thud! It wasn’t enough to drown out the sounds of Eleanor still yelling in the corridor, this time at the Slytherin captain. Her shouts slowly trickled away as they seemed to move further and further from McGonagall’s office.
“Yes, I think a lifelong ban ought to do the trick,” Umbrdige said, turning back to us again. “I will want their broomsticks confiscated, of course; I shall keep them safely in my office, to make sure there is no infringement of my ban. But I am not unreasonable, Professor McGonagall,” she continued. “The rest of the team can continue playing, I saw no signs of violence from any of them. Well…good afternoon to you.”

Astoria
“Well what did you expect her to do?” I said to Malfoy, who was sitting on one of the Slytherin couches, a pack of ice pressed to his face.
“I don’t know,” he hissed, “but not that, that’s bloody well sure!”
There was a lot of noise happening around us. Most of the common room was full. People were either busy talking about the match, continuing to recite verses of “Weasley is our King,” or speculating on Eleanor’s fate. We had all seen her being marched away with Urquhart and Umbridge. Surely, that couldn’t be a good sign.
“It had nothing to do with her,” Malfoy grumbled.
“Until you insulted her mother,” I retorted.
“Eleanor hates her parents, what difference does it make to her?”
“You are an absolute idiot, Malfoy,” I started, “I can’t believe that you actually think that she doesn’t -“
A silence suddenly settled over the room and I turned to see Eleanor entering, Urquhart quick on her heels telling her that she was overreacting. With a crazy speed, Eleanor had already crossed the room, reached the couches and grabbed hold of Malfoy by the front of his robes. She pulled him up from the couch and pushed him.
“How dare you!” she screeched.
“How dare I wh-“ Malfoy started but was immediately cut off.
“Don’t you even think you get to open that stupid mouth of yours right now, Malfoy!” Eleanor hissed.
“That’s enough,” Urquhart was saying.
“It’ll be enough when I say it’s enough!” Eleanor shouted, and multiple people in the room flinched or backed away from her.
With a vicious expression she turned toward Malfoy again.
“What the hell were you thinking?!” She roared.
“I don’t know what you’re so worked up over,” Malfoy shouted back. “So I insulted the Weasleys, what do you care?”
“You didn’t only insult the Weasleys!”
“Oh, you’re right,” Malfoy yelled, taking a step closer to Eleanor, his expression livid. “I insulted the parents that gave you away, too, huh? So what?”
“So what?!” Eleanor yelled, actually looking taken aback.
“Yeah, so what?” Malfoy continued. “What the hell does it matter if I insulted the people who couldn’t even be bothered to give a damn about you?!”
Eleanor froze. If I had to guess, this is not where she expected this to be going. Eleanor reeled her arm back and, so quickly I nearly missed it, she sent her fist colliding with Malfoy’s cheek. I watched Malfoy fall backward, his hand coming up to his face as he winced deeply in pain.
“Alright, nothing to see here,” Urquhart called out to the room. “Potter, with me.”
“No,” Eleanor said harshly before stomping off toward the dormitories.
“Fine,” Urquhart sighed exaperatedly, “Malfoy, with me.”
Urquart held out a hand and helped Malfoy up before pushing him out of the common room.
I looked around, and everyone seemed surprised. I don’t think this is how anyone expected the first match to go.