Heredity vs. Solidarity (S. Snape)

Chapter Eleven

The sun was setting low on the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of reds, pinks, blues, and purples. The Black Lake reflected the dazzling hues, the surface shimmering in the dying light.

High up in Ravenclaw tower, the floor was covered in a midnight blue carpet, arched windows were curtained with blue and bronze silks, and a domed ceiling above was dotted with stars. Fine furnishings were scattered about the room, and an exquisite statue of Rowena Ravenclaw greeted the students whenever they would make their way up the stairs to their dormitories.

Though currently most students were already curled up in their beds preparing for the morning, one student remained, and judging by how harshly she scribbled out her words she was not exactly having a good time. Her blue eyes were rimmed with red, dirty blonde hair pulled up in a bun, and her mouth tugged down into a frustrated frown.

She pressed her quill hard into the parchment, and suddenly, a hole was being torn through it. In intense aggravation, Selena through her parchment down, her eyes returning to her book as she read several paragraphs over thoroughly. Returning to her parchment, she was about halfway through her essay when she was lost once more.

Unable to finish it, she brought it up to her room, deciding to finish it the following day.

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The weekend was promising tons of sunlight, mild temperatures, and good Quidditch playing conditions. The stands were filled high with spectators, and though the game hadn’t even begun yet, there were already plenty of cheers and screams from the crowd.

Selena, though not one for watching Quidditch, was dragged unwillingly to the Pitch by none other than Marcy. However, Selena figured this was only because Matthew Smith was both Captain and Seeker on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Regardless, knowing Marcy wanted her to come – more for moral support, and to not be a loner – she reluctantly followed the over-excited Ravenclaw friend.

“He’ll be great!” she gushed. “I just know it! He’ll show those Slytherins what –“

“What did you say?” Selena questioned, hesitating on the House name.

“Slytherins. That’s who we’re up against today – didn’t you know?”

“No,” Selena frowned. “I didn’t. You know I don’t pay attention to these things… and neither did you, last time I checked. You’d always be in the library during games, but I suppose now that you know that Matthew will be playing, you have to be his cheerleader?”

“Not – no…” she blushed, “not his cheerleader! I’m here… to support our team! Go Ravenclaw!”

Her scream was drowned out by the other screams within the vicinity, and as Selena rolled her eyes at her friend’s poor attempts of hiding her true reasoning’s, they managed to push their way into the stands in a rather good area. Closest to the Ravenclaw side.

Marcy – as well as the others surrounding them – screamed louder as the two teams began walking out onto the Pitch. In their Quidditch attire, Selena couldn’t help but admit – silently – that most of them did look pretty good… even some of the Slytherins were quite good-looking… but she quickly shook herself out of it, and her mind snapped back to the Pitch.

“This match will be Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin!” Madam Hooch exclaimed, with piercing eyes and a hawk like face. “No cheating. From any of you.” Her eyes quickly darted to the Slytherins, whom she eyed warily before stepping up to the small, rectangular box before her. Bending down, she unlatched several handles, and as the Bludgers and Snitch flew off, she threw the Quaffle high into the air. “Let the game, begin!”