Can Things Change

CHAPTER ELEVEN Quidditch

“YES!” James hollered. He jumped up and started doing a jig. “I’ve been waiting for this”

“I’m excited to read about it as well,” Lily smiled. Quidditch might not be her favorite thing, but she did enjoy flying, and it was obviously something that her daughter loved, and she would support her no matter what.

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost.

Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Aurora would be playing in her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

“They are going to win,” Barty said, drawing a short glare from Regulus and Severus, before Regulus sighed and nodded.

“Probably,” Regulus said, “Aurora sounds amazing on a broom.”

“Oh she is,” Fred promised.

Luna giggled, and Ginny snorted. “You would know,” they said.

“So would Cedric,” Amice added.

“Stop it!” Sirius complained. “I don’t need to hear this about my daughter!”

“Remus, please continue,” Aurora said, looking threateningly at Fred to keep him from continuing.

Hardly anyone had seen Aurora play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Aurora should be kept, well, secret. But the news that she was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Aurora didn’t know which was worse — people telling her she’d be brilliant or people telling her they’d be running around underneath her holding a mattress.

“Probably could’ve used it,” Ron and Neville mumbled, causing James and Lily to shoot them a dark look.

It was really lucky that Aurora now had Hermione as a friend. She didn’t know how she’d have gotten through all her homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent her Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.

“It really is an interesting book,” Lily agreed.

“You find something about Quidditch interesting,” James exclaimed. 

“I find all books interesting,” Lily replied. “And figuring out different ways that I could use to make your life miserable used to be one of my favorite pastimes.”

“You wound me Lily-Flower!”

Lily leaned over and gave him a swift kiss, “I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

Aurora learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

“How many times have you almost died playing Quidditch Ro?” Amice asked slyly.

“Hey! Those were not the fault of the game, but outside interference!” Aurora defended. “I don’t ask for people to try and kill me, or maim.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO KILL YOU!” Lily, Alice, Molly and Andromeda all shouted.

Aurora looked to her friends for a moment, before putting her face in her hands heaving a giant sigh. “They explain,” she mumbled, pointing to the book currently in Remus’ hand.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Aurora and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Aurora’s first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Aurora noticed at once that Snape was limping. Aurora, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn’t be allowed. 

“It’s a gray area in the rules because while you aren’t allowed to cast outside of classes, if it is a portable spell you may use it,” Flitwick said. “I’m assuming though that you did not cast this in class, but as there is no proof, I will just say well done Miss Granger, that is excellent charms work.”

Hermione blushed and murmured a thank you.

Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape’s eye. He limped over. He hadn’t seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

“What’s that you’ve got there, Potter?”

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Aurora showed him.

“Library books are not to be taken outside the school,” said Snape. “Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor, from each of you.”

“Severus Tobias Snape!” Lily shouted, “That is not a rule and you know it. Furthermore taking 15 points from Gryffindor for that is beyond excessive.”

Severus looked down shamefully. 

“He’s just made that rule up,” Aurora muttered angrily as Snape limped away. “Wonder what’s wrong with his leg?”

“Dunno, but I hope it’s really hurting him,” said Ron bitterly.

“While I understand that you are coming from a place of unfairness,” Fabian said.

“You should never wish for someone to be in pain,” Gideon finished.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Aurora, Neville, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Aurora and Ron’s Charms homework for them. Aurora would never ask to copy, and Hermione would never let them (“How will you learn?”), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway. 

“That's a good way to do it,” Columba praised. “She’s not doing your work for you, she’s just editing what you’ve already written.”

Aurora was very good with the practical side of charms and transfiguration, but when it came to theory, and to homework, everything seemed to get jumbled in her head and she had a hard time putting things down on parchment in any way that made sense. 

Aurora felt restless. She wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take her mind off her nerves about tomorrow. Why should she be afraid of Snape? 

“Because he’s a mentally abusive ass hole,” Neville muttered softly. Luna placed her hand on his knee and leaned her head on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

Getting up, she told Ron and Hermione she was going to ask Snape if she could have it back.

“Better you than me,” they said together, but Aurora had an idea that Snape wouldn’t refuse if there were other teachers listening.

She made her way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again.

Nothing.

Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. She pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met her eyes.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. 

The Marauders gasped dramatically.

Snape was holding his robes above his knees. 

“We didn’t know you swung that way Snivvy,” Peter laughed.

Aurora snapped her head towards the rat, “What did we say about calling him that!” 

“I am not a poof,” Severus snarled.

“And you!” Aurora turned her glare on Severus, “we don’t judge others or use derogatory terms to describe another person. My god you would think you would have learned that lesson in your fifth year!”

Severus glared back at her until she mentioned his fifth year then he turned his glare to the ground.

“Ro,” Fred said, reaching out to his girlfriend, trying to calm her down.

“NO!” she whirled on Fred. “I’m tired of all the bullying and the pranking and fighting and the war! IT GETS US NOWHERE! All it does is keep repeating the same cycle and I’m tired of it!”

Sirius got up from his seat and went over to Aurora, who seemed to be bleeding magic, the area around her was so thick with it. “It’ll be ok Rory,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “That’s why you’re here.”

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. She had missed hugs from Sirius so much. He was also the only person other than Cedric who was allowed to call her Rory. “Thank you daddy,” she whispered as she let go of him and sat back down next to Fred.

“Anytime kiddo,” he whispered back, trying to subtly wipe the tears from his eyes.

“Now that we know that there will be no more name calling, shall we continue,” Amelia said. She was worried about Aurora after that outburst, she had had too much burden placed on her at far too young an age.

One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

“Blasted thing,” Snape was saying. “How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?”

Aurora tried to shut the door quietly, but —

“POTTER!”

Snape’s face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Aurora gulped.

“I just wondered if I could have my book back.”

“Already got caught, might as well try what you were there for huh Aurora,” Regulus laughed.

“GET OUT! OUT! ”

Aurora left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. She sprinted back upstairs.

“Did you get it?” Ron asked as Aurora joined them. “What’s the matter?”

In a low whisper, Aurora told them what she’d seen.

“You know what this means?” she finished breathlessly. “He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That’s where he was going when we saw him — he’s after whatever it’s guarding! And I’d bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!”

“Should have taken that bet,” Ron grumbled, crossing his arms moodily.

Hermione’s eyes were wide.

“No — he wouldn’t,” she said. “I know he’s not very nice, but he wouldn’t try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe.”

“Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something,” snapped Ron. 

“I was cured of that rather quickly.”

“I’m with Aurora. I wouldn’t put anything past Snape. But what’s he after? What’s that dog guarding?”

Aurora went to bed with her head buzzing with the same question. Lavender was snoring loudly, but Aurora couldn’t sleep. She tried to empty her mind — she needed to sleep, she had to, she had her first Quidditch match in a few hours – but the expression on Snape’s face when Aurora had seen his leg wasn’t easy to forget.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

“Slytherin versus Gryffindor is always a good match,” Barty announced. “A little brutal at times, but always the best match to watch.” Several of the others nodded in agreement.

“You’ve got to eat some breakfast.”

“I don’t want anything.”

“Just a bit of toast,” wheedled Hermione.

“I’m not hungry.” 

“First game jitters,” James sighed.

“They happen to all of us,” Sirius agreed.

Aurora felt terrible. In an hour’s time she’d be walking onto the field.

“Aurora, you need your strength,” said Seamus Finnigan. “Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team.”

“Wonderful advice there,” Frank scoffed.

“Thanks, Seamus,” said Aurora, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

By eleven o’clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch.

Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean, the West Ham fan, up in the top row. As a surprise for Aurora, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

“Thank you guys,” James and Lily smiled at Ron, Hermione and Neville. It warmed their hearts to know that their daughter had such good friends.

Aurora had a surprise waiting for her outside the locker rooms. Cedric was waiting for her. Forgetting for a moment how awkward she had been around him since finding out that he had a girlfriend, Aurora threw her arms around him in a big hug. “What are you doing here?” she exclaimed, although very happy to see him.

“Nothing new there huh Ray,” Amice laughed.

Hugging her back tightly, “I just want, um, just wanted to wish you good luck in your first game.”

Pulling away when she heard George clear his throat, sticking his head out of the locker room to remind Aurora to hurry up. “Thank you Ced.”

“You’re going to great today Rory,” Cedric said, ruffling her hair a little, making it even messier than normal, she was going to have to redo her plait again.

“I hope so,” Aurora replied, softly, looking down. “Everyone keeps saying that I’m going to fall off my broom.”

“They wouldn’t have bent the rule to allow you on the team if people didn’t think you were going to do awesome.” He paused, looking over his shoulder, as if he heard someone say his name. “If you ever need any help though, feel free to ask me. I’m seeker for Hufflepuff.”

“Thank you,” Aurora sighed, giving Cedric another hug. She felt safe wrapped in his arms.

James and Sirius huffed, displeased. While Fred wrapped his arm around Aurora, pulling her close to him. “Do I make you feel safe too?” he questioned.

“Of course.” Aurora replied, sad that he even felt the need to ask. “Only person safer was Sirius.”

Fred just nodded, a soft smile on his face. There was no getting between a daughter and her daddy.

“Let’s go Cedric, Marietta is waiting for us,” a pretty girl with long, shiny dark hair, and Ravenclaw robes yelled, coming closer to the two. “The little firstie needs to get ready for her game.” There was nothing rude about the words that she said, but her tone of voice was very off putting, and something about the girl rubbed Aurora that wrong way.

“I take it that’s the girlfriend?” Marlene and Narcissa both asked.

“That’s the cow,” Amice confirmed.

“AMICE!” Aurora scolded.

“Sorry, sorry,” Amice said sheepishly. “I meant that’s Cho.”

“I’m coming Cho,” Cedric said. “Good luck again Rory.” He then turned around and grabbed the girl's hand, her name apparently Cho, and lacing their fingers together they walked away - this must be his girlfriend. 

Putting Cedric, and Cho, and her feelings aside, she quickly undid her hair, and walked into the locker room.

In the locker room, Aurora and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

Wood cleared his throat for silence.

“Okay, men,” he said.

“And women,” said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

“And women,” Wood agreed. “This is it.”

“The big one,” said Fred Weasley.

The Fred in the room spoke at the same time as Remus read the line.

“The one we’ve all been waiting for,” said George.

Aurora said George’s line.

“We know Oliver’s speech by heart,” Fred told Aurora, “we were on the team last year.”

“Shut up, you two,” said Wood. “This is the best team Gryffindor’s had in years. We’re going to win. I know it.”

He glared at them all as if to say, “Or else.”

“Right. It’s time. Good luck, all of you.” 

Aurora followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping her knees weren’t going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers. Fred reached back, grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

“Had to get her attention back on you after Cedric stopped by huh Fred,” Fabian and Gideon teased their nephew.

He just scowled at them in response. He didn’t want to let them know that he spent Aurora’s first two and a half years trying to get her to look at him instead of ‘Pretty Boy’ Diggory, then a year and a half pining over her while she dated him. He then spent most of her fifth year helping her heal from his death.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

“Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you,” she said, once they were all gathered around her.

The Gryffindors snorted.

"Hey!" Regulus shouted, "We play fair!"

"Maybe in this time, but in the future? It's a race for the other seeker to get the snitch before a Slytherin player plays dirty," informed Blaise.

Aurora noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Aurora thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. Her heart skipped. She felt braver. She had people that believed in her, and thought that she could do this. It was such a foreign feeling to her.

James, Lily and Sirius sighed once again at how Aurora had no one with her as she grew up to tell her that they believed in her and that she could do anything she set her mind to. Lily was also mentally cursing out her sister for making her daughter feel that way.

“Mount your brooms, please.”

Aurora clambered onto her Nimbus Two Thousand.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

“How much does someone want to bet that something is going to go wrong,” Ted asked.

“That’s a fool's bet,” Lucius drawled. “It is already apparent that Aurora has horrendous luck.”

“I bet that even if something goes wrong, Rory still catches the snitch,” Sirius said, full confidence in his goddaughter.

Barty looked at Aurora for a moment. “Five galleons.” He and Sirius shook on it, giving their galleons to Andromeda to hold.

“And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —”

“JORDAN!”

“Sorry, Professor.”

The Weasley twins’ friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

“She watches closely over Moony too,” James laughed.

“Sometimes people need to be reminded to behave,” McGonagall smiled.

“And she’s really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood’s, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he’s going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that’s Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that’s Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he’s blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can’t tell which — nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she’s really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!” 

The Gryffindors in the room all cheer. Those from the future laughing at the antics of everyone else in the room.

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

“Budge up there, move along.”

“Hagrid!”

Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

“Bin watchin’ from me hut,” said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, “But it isn’t the same as bein’ in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?”

“Nope,” said Ron. “Aurora hasn’t had much to do yet.”

“Kept outta trouble, though, that’s somethin’,” said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Aurora.

Way up above them, Aurora was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of her and Wood’s game plan.

“Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch,” Wood had said. “We don’t want you attacked before you have to be.”

“That’s a good strategy,” James and Sirius said.

“Especially as this is your first game ever, never having even seen the sport before outside of team practice,” Regulus added.

When Angelina had scored, Aurora had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off her feelings.

Now she was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys’ wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Aurora dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

“How did you know it was him?” Xenophilius asked. 

“I told you, their magic feels different,” Aurora answered.

“But in such a fast paced game?” Amos wondered, very curious.

Aurora shrugged. She couldn’t really explain it. Fred had just always felt different to her.

“All right there, Aurora?” he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

“Slytherin in possession,” Lee Jordan was saying, “Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?”

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Aurora saw it. In a great rush of excitement she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch. 

Aurora was faster than Higgs — she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead — she put on an extra spurt of speed — WHAM! 

Remus yelled the word, causing many of those in the room to jump.

A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below — Marcus Flint had blocked Aurora on purpose, and Aurora’s broom spun off course, Aurora holding on for dear life.

“Foul!” screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

“I see what you mean about playing dirty,” Regulus said, frowning. There were better ways to stop the chase for the snitch than to foul the other player.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, “Send him off, ref! Red card!”

“What are you talking about, Dean?” said Ron.

“Red card!” said Dean furiously. “In soccer you get shown the red card and you’re out of the game!”

“But this isn’t soccer, Dean,” Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean’s side.

“They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Aurora outta the air.”

“That’s a good idea,” Lily stated. She did not like hearing about her daughter being almost thrown from her broom because of a foul.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

“So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —”

“Jordan!” growled Professor McGonagall.

“I mean, after that open and revolting foul…”

“Jordan, I’m warning you—”

“Aww, come on Minnie, he’s just telling it like it is,” Sirius whined.

“Not like Moony,” James joked. “He’s always so unbiased.”

“All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I’m sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession.”

It was as Aurora dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past her head, that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She’d never felt anything like that.

“And that would be the something going wrong,” Ted sighed. He had really hoped that he would be wrong about that one.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Aurora tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal-posts — she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out — and then she realized that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn’t turn it. She couldn’t direct it at all.

It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her.

Lily let out a whimper, before clutching onto James’ hand once more.

Lee was still commentating.

“Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — A no…”

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Aurora’s broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

“Dunno what Aurora thinks she’s doing,” Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. “If I didn’ know better, I’d say she’d lost control of her broom… but she can’t have…”

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Aurora all over the stands. Her broom had started to roll over and over, with her only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Aurora’s broom had given a wild jerk and Aurora swung off it. She was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

Everyone leaned forward in their seats, all their attention on Remus, who was picking up the pace as he read, his fear leaking through.

“Did something happen to it when Flint blocked her?” Neville whispered.

“Can’t have,” Hagrid said, his voice shaking. “Can’t nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand.”

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid’s binoculars, but instead of looking up at Aurora, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

“What are you doing?” moaned Ron, gray-faced.

“I knew it,” Hermione gasped, “Snape — look.”

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Aurora and was muttering nonstop under his breath. 

“He’s doing something — jinxing the broom,” said Hermione.

“What if he’s doing a counter curse?” Lily asked, hope in her voice. “They would look the same.” She desperately wanted to believe that her former best friend would never try to kill a child, but especially her child, no matter how much he might have hated said child's father.

“What should we do?”

“Leave it to me.”

Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Aurora. Her broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for her to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Aurora safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good – every time they got near her, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath her, obviously hoping to catch her if she fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

All the Slytherins in the room frowned. There was wanting to win and then there was being unsportsmanlike, and Flint had crossed that line again, in just this one game.

“Come on, Hermione,” Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn’t even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. 

Aurora winked at Alastor, knowing that with that one sentence the man had figured it out. Alastor winked back, and sat back in his seat, arms crossed, looking as gruff as ever, though as he still had his eye and leg, and was missing a lot of his scars that he would receive in the next couple years of the war, he wasn’t as imposing as his future self.

Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape’s robes.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row — Snape would never know what had happened.

“I know now,” Snape drawled, sounding so much like his future self that all the time travelers started. 

“Can ghosts travel through time too,” Ron whispered in Aurora’s ear.

It was enough. Up in the air, Aurora was suddenly able to clamber back on to her broom.

“Neville, you can look!” Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid’s jacket for the last five minutes.

“I was so worried about her,” Neville muttered.

“We all were,” Frank said, soothing his son, who appeared to be distressed even now just hearing about it.

Aurora was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw her clap her hand to her mouth as though she was about to be sick — she hit the field on all fours — coughed — and something gold fell into her hand.

“I’ve got the Snitch!” she shouted, waving it above her head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

“YES!” James, Sirius, Regulus and Lily all shouted. The others in the room applauded, amazed at the win, and the fact that she hung on to her broom through all that as well.

“She didn’t catch it, she nearly swallowed it,” Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference — Aurora hadn’t broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Aurora heard none of this, though. 

Ron, Hermione and Neville were ushering her to Hagrid’s hut. On their way, Cedric stopped them, Cho still with him, Amice on his other side, “Well done up there Rory.”

Aurora smiled, “Thanks Ced. Wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold on though.”

“Guess you might have needed one of those mattresses then,” Cho chimed in, her voice almost sickly sweet.

Cedric blushed, “Right, Cho, this is Aurora. Rory, this is Cho Chang. She’s a second year Ravenclaw.”

Despite how jealous the idea of Cedric and Cho as boyfriend and girlfriend made Aurora feel, she would still like to get to know this girl, for if Cedric saw something in her, she couldn’t be a bad person. “It’s nice to meet you Cho,” Aurora said, sticking her hand to the other girl.

“You are far too nice of a person,” Marlene said.

“She really is,” Amice agreed. “Cho is an absolute cow.”

“She’s really not that bad once,” Aurora defended.

“Yea well after…” Amice trailed off.

“She was hurting,” Aurora whispered.

“You were hurting more,” Amice grumbled.

Cho looked confused for a moment, before her smile became more genuine, and she shook Aurora’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you too. Cedric talks about you a lot.”

Aurora blushed up to her ears, “He’s a great friend.”

“Anyway, let me know if you want to go flying together sometime,” Cedric said, smiling widely. “It looked like you four were headed someplace, so we’ll catch you later.”

As they walked away, Amice joining the four of them, Hermione was staring at Aurora as if she had never seen her before. “I knew Cedric was a friend of yours, but you were just flirting with the school’s ‘Golden Boy’ in front of his girlfriend!” Amice started laughing loudly, she really didn’t like Cho, and thought she was all wrong for her brother, but she was nice enough at times, as long as you didn’t interrupt her time with Cedric.

Aurora tried to hide the blush that was now spreading down her chest by undoing her hair. “I wasn’t flirting with him,” she tried to deny, causing Amice to giggle more, “beside’s I’m only eleven, and he’s fourteen. He wouldn’t be interested in me at all.” 

“Exactly, she’s only eleven. No boys!” James huffed. Sirius was nodding his head in agreement enthusiastically. Lily, Marlene and Remus smiled at the two of them.

She sped up to walk next to Neville, laying her head on his shoulder as they walked, and he wrapped a comforting arm around her. 

They finally arrived at the hut, and soon enough she was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid’s hut, with Ron and Hermione.

“It was Snape,” Ron was explaining, “Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn’t take his eyes off you.”

“Rubbish,” said Hagrid, who hadn’t heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands.

“Why would Snape do somethin’ like that?”

Aurora, Ron, Neville, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Aurora decided on the truth.

“I found out something about him,” she told Hagrid. “He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it’s guarding.”

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

“How do you know about Fluffy?” he said.

“Fluffy?” Pandora asked, while the professors all groaned, “Oh, Hagrid.”

“Fluffy?”

“Yeah — he’s mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las’ year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —”

“Yes?” said Aurora eagerly.

“Now, don’t ask me anymore,” said Hagrid gruffly. “That’s top secret, that is.”

“But Snape’s trying to steal it.”

“Rubbish,” said Hagrid again. “Snape’s a Hogwarts teacher, he’d do nothin’ of the sort.”

“So why did he just try and kill Aurora?” cried Hermione.

The afternoon’s events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.

“I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I’ve read all about them! You’ve got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn’t blinking at all, I saw him!”

“A counter-curse is the same way,” Lily pointed out.

Hermione sighed, “The book didn’t mention counter-curses. Ro told me later, and showed me in one of her books.”

“And we might not have suspected him as much if Ro hadn’t gotten control over her broom once he noticed the fire,” Neville added.

“I’m tellin’ yeh, yer wrong!” said Hagrid hotly. “I don’ know why Aurora’s broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn’ try an’ kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin’ in things that don’ concern yeh. It’s dangerous. You forget that dog, an’ you forget what it’s guardin’, that’s between Professor Dumbledore an’ Nicolas Flamel —”

“Aha!” said Aurora, “so there’s someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?”

Hagrid looked furious with himself. 

Dumbledore just chuckled.

“That’s that chapter,” Remus said.

Columba held out her hand, “May I read next?”

Remus passed it over to her and she read, "Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised."

Aurora looked at her parents before shifting her gaze back to Columba. “You are probably the best person to read this chapter,” she muttered.