The Girl Who Remembers

chapter 32: friday pt 3

Alicia grabbed my broom to join the others, I quickly exited the pitch before I could change my mind, and it took a lot of willpower for me not to.
I walked back up the hill I'd run down earlier, I quickly looked around since there was no one around. I ran the rest of the way up the hill and into the dungeons. Luckily, I hadn't run into anyone, so I arrived rather quickly, I knocked on the potions door before opening it. I walked in and looked around. The storage closet on the left side of the classroom was slightly ajar.
"Hello? Father?" I called out. He seemed startled when he heard me, but he smiled as he turned. Father walked to his desk and sat down some ingredients, before walking to me, "I didnt think you'd come right away," he chuckled, I shrugged and held up my hands, "Alicia was worried you would come to the pitch if I dawdled." father shook his head at me, "lucky for me then," he said, holding out his right hand, i place my right hand in his and he quickly looks it over before checking my left hand, he nodded seeming satisfied, he pulled me in a hug.
I giggled, "I'm fine dad," he released me, with a scowl on his face, "I can see that now, but you know very well you can get permanent scars from those boils, if the potions worked this well on you, I'm sure longbottom will be just fine."
I frowned, "Father, why were you so mean with Harry earlier? You know he grew up with those horrible people, so what was the point in the act?"
Father frowned, not at me but more like to himself, "At first, I was only trying to show he was smart, I never imagined he hadn't studied. I assumed he would have immediately started reading everything he could about our world. But the way he looked and acted, well, he reminded me of James. so I guess you could say my resentment towards your father got the better of me. I don't hate the boy, I want to protect him like I did you. I wanted you both to be safe, I don't think I'll ever understand Dumbledore's thinking." He sighed. "Was that last point also because of James?" I asked quietly. He shook his head, "No, that was because the person I wanted to really yell at already left, I'll retract the last one, but he deserves the first one."
"I was going to add a point to both Slytherin and Gryffindor for yours and Draco's perfect potions. I'll let you tell your classmates the points evened out." Father told me, I grinned and gave him a hug.
"Are you sure you're not upset about me being a gryffindor?" He shook his head, "i suspected it for a while now. You're just like your mother." He smiled before asking, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
I nodded, "Quite a few, actually. I've been having that dream again, nearly every night this week. It terrifies me the details I can remember in it, but every time I have it, I can hear mum." I frown.
Father pulls away from me, "I'll concoct a sleeping tonic for you. That should help you sleep. I'm afraid I don't know if it will help with the dreams or not, It didn't in the past." He frowned again. He went over to an empty cauldron he started adding a few things as he spoke more, "I know there is something else bothering you, what is it."
"Quidditch." I stated, I saw him flinch.
"What about it?" He asks.
"Why are you banning me from playing? You know I love flying, and I've been longing to play on an actual team since the first game I ever saw. So tell me why." I demand.
Father looked at me sadly, "I knew you'd be upset, but I wanted you to wait until next year. Quidditch is a dangerous sport, you know that. You must understand."
"What would waiting one more year do?" I grumbled, "the sport isn't going to be any safer just because I am a year older. Did you know I was the only one madame Hooch didn't have to correct yesterday? She praised my position." I mused.

"Yesterday?" He growled, "do you mean before or after you dislocated your shoulder trying to save that longbottom boy?" It could have been worse. What if it was a permanent injury? Like Minerva's, she loves the sport but can't ever play again." Father sighed and looked me over, "I am afraid to lose you too."
I opened my mouth but father spoke again, "You should get going it's almost time for lunch. I'll bring the potion to dinner with me."
He looked at me with sad eyes, "I will let you try out for the team, as long as you aren't a beater." He frowned again.
I ran over to him and hugged him, "Can I get that in writing?" I grinned up at him. Father quickly wrote he agreed to let me play but as anything other than a beater and only as a substitute for my first year. I grinned as I read it and hugged him again.
"Thank you, dad!" I exclaimed. He hugged me back.
"Now get to lunch." He told me, I nodded and ran out of the classroom and up the stairs.
I nearly bumped into draco as he was heading down. He looked to be in a fowl mood. "Hey, Dray," I smiled at him.
He glared at me, "What do you want? Here to gloat, I bet!"
I was surprised by this, "No, I mean since I ran into you I wanted to tell you the good news first but are you okay?"
Dray narrowed his eyes more before a smirk grew on his face, "You don't know, do you?"
"Know what?" I ask.
He glanced around the stairs, making sure we were alone. "Your brother is allowed to have a broom at school. You know what that means, right?" Draco looked pleased he knew before me.
"Harry is the new seeker?" I ask, stunned.
"That's right, and your father won't even let you try out, I'll bet that hurt's." He says.
"Not quite," I whisper, shaking my head, "I will be trying out. Father said I could as long as I stay as the second string, and I'm not a beater." I grin at Dray, "I'm happy for Harry. I'm just a little disappointed he hasn't told me yet. And that was the good news, by the way."
I walk past him as he stands there surprised and makes my way to the great hall.
As soon as I get there I look for Minerva, when I don't find her I look for wood. He is sitting beside Alicia, and it looks like he is scolding her. I smirked. Boy, was I about to save her some trouble.
I walked and stood directly behind Oli, "Hey Oli!" I chirped, startling him.
He turned seeing it was me he smiled, "hello Lia, what's going on?"
I grinned, "Father gave me permission to play look!" I boasted and held out the paper.
Wide-eyed Oli grabbed it as Alicia read it over his shoulder. She chuckled, "Like we would but Lia in instead of a human bludger? No offense, Lia." She said.
I smirked, "None taken, I know I couldn't replace either of them, but I figured this way if needed, I could play. And at least practice with you lot."
"Did you tell Mcgonagall yet?" Oli asked, I shook my head. Oli jumped up from the table, "I'll find Mcgonagall and let her know!" He took off and disappeared out of the hall before I could stop him.
"What has Wood so excited?" Freddie asks as George sat beside Alicia, who answered for me.
"Professor Snape changed his mind and said she could try out." Alica smiled as the twins hooped and hollered, Freddie high fived me grinning from ear to ear.
"I haven't tried out yet, I could be worse than you think." I told him.
"Right, and I'm really a toad disguised as a human." Freddie rolled his eyes.
I fake gasped, "Trevor? When did you get so tall?" And then we laughed as Freddie sat between George and I, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the hall together. Hermione was glaring at Harry and Ron. She still seemed mad, but I figured I'd ask her anyway.
"Hey Herms, will you come to tryouts with me?" I ask her as she sat beside me.
"But you're not allowed to try out. Why would you still go?" She inquires.
I grin, "With a few restrictions, I got dad's approval!"
Freddie spoke excitedly beside me, "Lia's basically a shoo-in for the team. Wood is talking to Mcgonagall now."
"You're going to be on the team?" Harry asks, surprised.
"Yeah, just like you," I wink at him across the table from me.
I can tell from the gasps I heard around me that the rest of the team, along with Ron and Hermione, already knew.
I smiled at Harry, "What? did you think I'd be upset? No way, I just want to know how you ended up on the team in the first place. First years usually never make the cut."
Ron eagerly told me what happened after i was carried away yesterday,
"So Hooch ordered us to stay on the ground until she returned, but while we watched you be taken away, Malfoy had found Neville's Rememberall and made a comment about him being fat. One girl, I think it was Pavarti. I tried to get it back, but he wasn't listening he actually teased her. That's when Harry stepped in, telling him to give it back, Malfoy had jumped on his broom. He flew up high and taunted Harry to fly up, I'm not too sure on what they said but Malfoy threw the Remembrall and Harry raced after it, straight towards a tower he caught it easily just before he reached the tower. It was amazing until Mcgonagall yelled for him that he was. Apparently, he had stopped right outside her window. All I could think about was how we were going to tell you he'd been expelled. Luckily, Mcgonagall decided he belonged on the team."
I frowned, I hadn't realized Dray had acted like that.
Worried, I reminded Harry, "That was dangerous Harry, it was your first time on a broom. If you hadn't stopped, both you and Professor Mcgonagall would have been seriously hurt. I hope you realize that. I'm glad you're alright, though." I smile gently at him.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to join your practice with Oli. It can serve as flying practice and quidditch practice at the same time." I grinned.
"Excellent idea, Miss Snape." Minerva's voice rang from behind me.
I turned to see her smiling as she stood next to a grinning wood.
"While I feel Professor Snape's, eh, requests are tedious. If it allows you to play, I'll accept them." She told me.
"And I'm sure Mr Potter would be much more comfortable with someone he knows with him." She paused for a moment, "and to clarify, both you and Mr Potter have been approved to be on the quidditch team." Then she walks away.
Oliver extended his hand towards me. I took it as he beamed, "Welcome to the team Snape, you don't need to come to tryouts now."
I nodded, releasing his hand, oli returned to his seat beside Alicia and continued his lecture from before.
I turned to Freddie, beaming, "I guess this means you're not a toad, pity you would have made an excellent one."
Freddie, George, and I burst into laughter, alicia grinned at me, granting her more scolding from oli. When I noticed the confused faces, I laughed harder. I shook my head at them, trying and failing to explain what was so funny.
Harry grinned, "You know Lia, sometimes you seem older than us, and other times you act our age."
My laughter subsiding I smile at him, "I mean technically I am only older than you by a couple of hours. But it probably seems that way because I spend most of my time with people older than me."
I turn and look at my friends at the gryffindor table, Oli is a fifth year, Ange, Freddie, George, and Alicia are third years, and Katie is a second year. Most of my friends in other houses are in the second or third years as well. I don't know most of the first years too well yet.
I turn back to Harry and notice the others have started eating. I add a small salad and a couple of pieces of ham to my plate.
Freddie frowns at how little is on my plate, so he adds chicken and a banana.
I sigh, but I don't complain he isn't wrong. I needed to eat more, I do infact eat most of what's on my plate while I look about the hall.
When I see dray, I frown in his direction, disappointed in his recent actions.
Harry called to me, "Lia, are you free at three o'clock?"
I think for a moment, then nod, "Yeah, I believe so. Why?"
Harry grins, "hagrid invited me to have tea at three and told me to bring you if I could."
I grin, "I'll be there, but you should fill up on lunch then." I giggle. I glance at Freddie, his face scrunched, "Not everyone is fond of those tea cakes hagrid makes."
Freddie's eyes widen in surprise as I wink at him he shakes his head and turns to his twin, who is staring holes in Ange again. Freddie sighs and elbows George, his head snaps around eyes wide as the realization hits him his ears start to turn red and excuses himself, after showing me a mischievous grin Freddie runs after George.
I shake my head and then rest my head on Hermione's shoulder, "Herms, what homework did father hand out? I forgot to ask him."
"For the groups who failed to make an acceptable potion, they have to write a parchment on why their potion failed and what they should have done instead." She frowned.

Harry sighed, "And next time we fail, we get a detention."

"That's unfortunate." I mumble, but then I remember what father told me. "Oi, Harry dad said he unfairly took that point from you earlier and canceled it. He also gave all correct potions a point." I grinned at him.
He gave me a small smile and looked at the clock. It was almost two.
Oli stood and called to Harry and I, "Lia! Potter! Meet me in the common room at seven for practice!" He ran out of the hall before we could respond.
I looked at Harry and laughed, "Oli gets pretty excited over quidditch, I think he loves the sport even more than I do."
Harry looks at me, worrying on his face, "what's wrong?" I ask him.
"Dad played on the house team when he was in school, Hermione showed us yesterday. What if I let them down?" He asks, looking down.
"Harry, I'm sure they are already proud that their son has gotten on the team. Anything else is just a bonus." I smiled at him.
Hermione nodded in agreement and whispered to me, "they'd be proud of you too."
I smiled at her and glanced around the hall. Most of the upper years had either left or were leaving now.
Ron was sitting beside Harry eating a tart while glaring at his closed potions book.
I smiled at his expression and asked, "Ron, would you like to play a round of chess?"
His eyes lit up as they move from the book to me. His excitement was clear, "I have my chess set in our room, I'll go get it!" He said, jumping up, ready to run off.
I chuckled as I stopped him, "Wait, I'll come with you, we can play in the common room." I stood picking up my bag.
Hermione and Harry followed us back to the portrait. When we all went inside, I sat at a small table and waited as Ronald ran upstairs.
Hermione sat a little away with our potions book. It looked like she truly enjoyed studying.
Harry pulled a chair over as he wanted to watch our match. He was hoping he would learn something.
Ronald hurried down the stairs and started to set up his board, I picked up a pawn and saw it was discolored, and the bottom was well worn as was the boards surface. I placed the pawn in its place, "I'll be black," I told Ron.

He nodded and made his first move. We spent thirty minutes on this match, it was a close one but Ron managed to take my king.

I sighed in defeat, "Good match." I shook his hand. He quickly packed up his board and took it upstairs.

I glanced at Hermione she was taking notes at the table now. "Herms, do you wanna come too?" I asked her.

She shook her head, "I think I need to study more. There is no way I would have gotten the potion right without you. Have fun, I'll come next time." She smiled quickly and then returned her focus to her book.

Once Ron had returned, Harry, Ron, and I headed to Hagrids hut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much for reading another chapter! And for waiting for it! As always, comments, complaints, suggestions, and questions are 100 percent welcome. The next chapter will be delayed for a couple of weeks, possibly. Maybe less, but I'll see you then!