Redamancy (Harry Potter x Fem!Reader)

Dementors and Defeat

this is a rougher rough draft. i'll edit it later, but i wanted to go ahead and get it out now(:
- - -

Though the weather was getting worse by the day, the Gryffindor Quidditch team continued their long evening practices. Practices were still gruesome, but (Y/N) had gotten used to them enough that she wasn't sore every morning after. The Friday before their first game, Oliver Wood gathered all the players after breakfast, looking incredibly angry.

"We're not playing Slytherin!" he fumed, pacing back and forth. "Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."

"Why?" asked (Y/N). She was in a bit of a sour mood; she could hardly sleep the night prior due to the thunder rolling through the hills.

"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances..."

(Y/N) wasn't looking forward to playing in the strong wind and heavy rain, either. They had practiced rain or shine, but never in a storm as vicious as the one that had sat over Hogwarts for the past few days. In fact, she thought it was rather clever of the Slytherins, though she'd never admit it aloud.

"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" said Harry. "He's faking it!"

"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly, "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory —"

Angelina and Katie giggled.

"What?" Wood frowned.

"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.

Katie nodded, smiling. "Strong and silent,"

"I don't know why you're worried, Oliver," Fred said impatiently. "Hufflepuff is a pushover! Last time we played them, Harry caught the snitch in about five minutes."

(Y/N) nodded, remembering how impressed she'd been with him that day. "It's true!" she added; unhelpfully, it seemed, for Wood was still livid.

"We're playing in completely different conditions!" he shouted. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"

"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."

Wood spent the next fifteen minutes giving Harry tips to counter Diggory, and then suggesting that (Y/N), Angelina, and Katie should get to the pitch a half hour early to practice flying in the storm (they all shared a look – they would not). He talked until Harry realized he and (Y/N) were ten minutes late for their first class, and she was glad for a reason to go. Wood shouted pointers after them as they raced down the corridors.

They skidded to a stop outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Harry hauled open the door, and they dashed inside.

"Sorry we're late, Professor, we—"

But it wasn't Professor Lupin who stood behind the podium.

"Snape?" (Y/N) blurted.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor." His sharp eyes pierced them both. "Each. Take your seats and turn to page 394."

There were only two free seats left, both of them behind Ron. He had an empty seat beside him, but (Y/N) assumed that it belonged to Hermione and that she'd gone to the bathroom. She hurried to sit down, keeping her glare on her shoes so Snape didn't have a reason to take more points away.