☞ 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟔

"We'll crush them." These are the last words our captain, better known as Mattheo, said to us last night as we wrapped up our final Quidditch practice before the game tomorrow. Tomorrow meant a lot to the team, as not only is this Slytherin's first game this year, but it's the first Quidditch match altogether this year. How tomorrow will play out will determine the tone, intensity and determination of the team and the school. Losing was not an option in their egotistical narrow minds, and it wasn't in mine either.

I woke up in a chaotic bedroom, a silent room. No one was here, but you knew they had been here with the absolutely atrocious mess they left in their wake. The room looked like it had been ransacked, even my small corner had fallen victim. Glancing across the room at the small clock that hung onto the wall, I could see it read five o'clock... in the morning. The sun hadn't even risen!

Reluctantly, I dragged myself out of bed, groaning away my exhaustion. Just as I began to stretch my arms up and back, the boys returned, quietly entering the room. Blaise slowly pushed his head in, telling the rest to be quiet. "Oh never mind, she's awake." He smiled with relief, before swinging the door open allowing them to file into the room.

"Good morning." I smiled at the group as they threw off their quidditch uniform and began to run the shower. "Have you guys been practising? It's five in the morning!" I glance between them with concern. It's maddening that someone willingly gets up this early...

"Good morning," Mattheo replies, a tired smile barely reaching his eyes. He takes a seat on the side of his bed, facing me. "Yes, we woke up quarter to four and made it down the pitch for four to get another hour of practice in." He sighed, taking off his shirt and falling onto his bed.

Beside him, Theo lit a cigarette, taking a long drag before letting it hang between his fingers. "I barely slept." He shook his head, taking a seat at the end of Mattheo's bed, sitting beside him. Mattheo takes the cigarette from Theo, also taking a drag. I shook my head at the two of them, not only are they ruining their lungs and depleting their energy before an important game!

Draco then came out of the shower, calling Theo in. "I think your time would've been better spent sleeping." I spoke, turning away from Draco, giving him some privacy. Blaise chuckled, agreeing with me.

"Absolutely not, we are not being beaten by the Ravenclaws. I'd rather pitch myself off the top of the tower." Draco angrily muttered, dressing in his fresh quidditch robes. I turn to face him, now that he's decent, and glare at him.

"If we lose, which we won't, but if we do it will be a fair and honest fight that is well deserved on their part. I've seen them work as a team, they don't just play quidditch, they fly like it's an art." I smile, remembering all the times I've had the chance to watch the Ravenclaw team in action. Miles and I would often watch the other teams practice, not for malicious reasons, but rather to learn from them. It's been a very enlightening hobby.

"Yeah, sure." Blaise tutts, rolling his eyes in amusement. "That and maybe the new Ravenclaw captain will finally ask you out." He smirks as my face drops. Confused, I demanded to know what he was on about. "Don't you know?" His brows furrowed as everyone shook their head, including Theo that just come out of the bathroom. "He has been speaking of asking you out since term began. He's utterly infatuated with you, Y/n." Blaise explained.

"What." Mattheo spat, his face completely deadpan. I glanced between him and Blaise, utterly confused and slightly disgusted by what I heard. Roger Davis. Not a bad-looking fellow, but the type of guy that is utterly infatuated with a girl, and breaks her heart a month or two after she finally decides to give him a chance.

Ginny was one of these girls last year, she hadn't intended to give him a chance at all, however, he showered her with gifts, leading her to believe he was serious. After a month he left her, saying he was bored and never was that interested. She was devastated! "The audacity of that foul boy." I huff, snatching up my quidditch robes from my trunk.

I strutted into the bathroom, slamming the door. "As if I'd ever- the sheer audacity I can't believe- he's done. I'm taking him down." I yell throwing on my uniform. I had made some modifications to the traditional uniform, as the Slytherin team rarely has women they aren't exactly designed for us. So, I added a mini black leather corset around my waist and knee-high lace-up boots to match.

However, in my fury, I struggled to lace up the corset. I was rethinking the fashion choice when a gentle knock interrupted my thoughts. "Hello, are you alright?" Mattheo smiled, peeping around the corner of the door. I sighed, allowing him to enter. I began to explain my dilemma, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Mattheo just softly chuckled, a reaction that sent my heart pounding, and came behind and began to lace up the clothing for me. "Did you add these?" He asked, looking between my corset and my shoes. Sheepishly, I nodded, not saying a word as he finished tying. "You look good." He whispers as he leans in, his breath warm against my skin. My cheeks turned pink as I quietly thanked him, gathering my belongings.

Quickly, I left the bathroom as Mattheo hopped in the shower. Soon it was Blaise's turn and everyone was quickly ready for the game. We all walked down to the common room where Adrian Pucey, Miles and the rest of the team waited.

"Y/n!" Miles smiled, punching his fist out for a fist bump. Our knuckles collided as the group began to walk. "Are you ready for the game?" He asked with a bright smile, Miles had put his heart and soul into training for this match. I nodded, sharing his enthusiasm.

"You better be ready, Snape." Adrian butted in, looking at me from over his shoulder. He was walking at the front of the group, Mattheo and Draco at his sides. "I'll be damned if I let a girl onto this team, just for her to be the reason we lose because you're too emotional to get a bit roughed up." He laughed, his eyes scrunching close. Adrian and I, although we weren't that close, still had this odd way of communicating that meant we just absolutely annihilated.

Suddenly Mattheo took a firm elbow to the boy's stomach, causing him to clutch his shirt in pain as he violently coughed. "Leave her alone." Mattheo muttered, glaring a murderous look into Adrian's eyes. Adrian, who saw his life flash before his eyes, began to wave his arms around saying that he didn't mean a word, that he was just messing around! Mattheo didn't believe a thing that spluttered out of his mouth.

"The only thing that will cost of to lose today, Adrian, are those scrawny twigs swinging at your sides you all arms." I laughed, walking up to the boy and patting him on the back, letting him know I understood he was joking, and forgiving him. "Oh and Mattheo," I smiled at the boy, who seemed confused. "Don't elbow my mates." I laughed, elbowing him in the exact spot he had hit on Adrian. Mattheo just laughed it off, although he still seemed off put by what happened.

I suppose there were still some things that they all had missed when we all stopped being friends for a while, I forget that happened.

Eventually, we gathered around the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, filling up in the warm food provided by the house elves. That and some teammates were throwing foul looks at the Ravenclaw team that had not long entered the hall after us, however, the looks were being returned so I didn't think much of it.

While making conversation with Miles, Adrian and Mattheo over game predictions, strategies and overall confidence boosting, something soft struck the back of my head. "Fuck!" I exclaimed, looking down at what had hit me. "A croissant?" I muttered, looking down at the pastry. Then my eyes wandered up, seeing the mischievous grins of two ginger twins and an embarrassed look on the faces of those who sat around them. I muttered to the group that I wouldn't be long, sliding out of my seat and picking up the croissant.

"This yours?" I smile, throwing the croissant at Fred's face. They laughed, explaining that they only wanted to get my attention. "You could've just called my name." I laughed, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone.

"We did!" George gasped, shaking his head. "Several times." He and Fred said in harmony, their laughter blending together afterwards. "Anyways we just all wanted to wish you good luck." Fred added as the rest of the group joined in, raving on about how well they knew I'd do.

"Oh please, I'm not so sure." I comment, the pressure of the situation finally beginning to collapse in on me. I've never played in a real match before, only the odd games during the summer months spent at the Weasleys, and training her at Hogwarts. Would I be okay? Would I have what it takes when the moment calls for it? Would I be able to shove someone else aside, or dive right into danger, for the chance to nab the ball?

"You'll do amazing, Y/n. You've been kicking Harry, Fred and George's arses for years while they've been on the quidditch team!" Ginny laughs, pulling me into a side hug. "Not to mention Ron, who's just joined the team also. The only person you'll really have to worry about when playing is me!" She states rather cockily, although it is the truth. Ginny jokingly flips her hair, as we all burst out in laughter.

"I think what Ginny is trying to say is, if you can beat all these idiots on a broom, Ravenclaw will be no match for you." Ron adds once the laughter begins to die down. I smile brightly, feeling the weight of the world lifting. Tears began to form as I pulled them all into a tight squeeze. These people are my family, and despite being the group of misfits we are, they always have my back and know exactly what to say to make the world seem that much brighter.

I thanked them all, saying that they had no idea how much this conversation helped me. As I walked back to rejoin my teammates, I could hear Hermione talking to Ron, saying how impressed she was with what he had said to me. In classic Ronald Weasley fashion, he became a stuttering mess and tried to play it off as if what happened was just another casual Tuesday. Nice going, dumbass.

"You're back!" Adrian exclaimed, clapping his hands as he pumped himself up. "We are heading down to the pitch for one final meeting. Are you ready, Snape?" He asked, looking at me with dead serious eyes.

"Fuck yes."

Before we knew it, we were huddled up in the sweaty Slytherin boys changing room, with Mattheo standing in front of us glazing over our final plan for the game ahead. "Five minutes!" We heard Madame Hooch could be heard yelling outside, and suddenly we were filled with thrilling anxiety.

"Now, as part of Y/n's request, we have to play fair." Mattheo continues his speech, making many of the boys begin to groan, Draco included. I rolled my eyes at them, unsurprised by their reaction. "Now, I'm only agreeing to this because of two reasons. One she threatened to leave the team if we didn't, and she's one of the most talented players we've had in a while and we can't afford to lose her. Two is that she collected an excessive amount of data that proves that 80% of the time when Slytherin lose it's because of those cheap tactics and I couldn't argue against that." Mattheo stated with a small smile, amusing himself slightly at the memory when I cornered him in the corridor with a stack of papers and these exact demands.

"Two minutes!" Madame Hooch could be heard once more, suddenly my fingertips were numb and my palms were heated and sweaty under my leather gloves. Mattheo then stated one last time that we must play fairly if we want to win, and that anyone who breaks those rules will be removed and replaced from the team. Well, I didn't expect him to say that.

"Let's give them hell!" One boy yells as we stand to enter the pitch. Another two joined in the yells, chanting as we readied on our brooms, preparing to fly out.

"You'll do amazing, Y/n." Mattheo muttered from beside me, his eyes warmly gazing down at me. My cheeks flushed as I thanked him. I was then tasked with trying to calm my racing heart and focus back on the game in hand. I took a deep breath and then kicked off the ground.

Suddenly my ears were flooded with the sounds of cheers from the stadium as Kee Jordan enthusiastically yelled down the microphone. "Here come the Slytherins, along with their first female teammate, Y/n Snape, who's made some changes to the uniform! Looking good Sna- okay sorry..." I laughed, waving over to the boy as a thank you. "With Riddle returning as Captain and a new player at his side, who knows what this match will be like." Lee finished, as we formed a triangular shape in the sky, soaring above the crowd like a family of birds.

The school cheered below us, I could particularly pick out the screams of Hermione, Ginny and Luna. Hearing them sing my praises warmed my heart. We lazed about in the air for a moment until the Ravens dispersed. "Here come the Ravens in blue! Will their seaker, Cho Chang, have what it takes to face up against Riddle after last year's hurling defeat? With Roger Davis leading the way, I bet the team has hatched an ingenious plan for this year!"

Lee enthusiastically spoke down the microphone, making everyone cheer and smile. Some say he takes quidditch commentary too seriously, I say differently, as he fans the flames of passion between houses and adds to the electric atmosphere by bigging up the crowds.

The Ravens finally met us in the middle of the pitch, hovering a foot or two above the grassy terrain. Chasers and beaters faced each other, while the seakers flew a little higher above, the keepers readily positioned at their respective goalposts. I glanced up, finding that both seakers eyes were on me. I smiled up a Cho, giving her a determined yet taunting look, only to receive the same mischievous grin. I had long forgiven her for what had happened last year, with the DA and Umbridge. Although she chose not to return this year, something that deeply saddened a certain young scarred boy.

My eyes moved to Mattheo, who was looking down at me with an unfamiliar expression on his face. I smiled up at him, any hint of mischief had left my mind and I was overcome with comfort. His beautifully complex eyes dilated and pooled with deep and pure emotion I couldn't grasp. Strange.

My attention was drawn away from him as Madame Hooch spoke out. "I want a fair game, cheating and deception of any kind will not be tolerated." She sent a pointed look towards Mattheo, Draco and Adrian. Suddenly, Madame Hooch blew her whistle, and time froze before my eyes. The quaffle slowly rose between us two teams, its leather skin twirling around mid-air. My vision zoned on to the ball as everything blurred around me. My hearing became impaired and all I could hear was the swoosh the ball made as it passed my face.

As the ball reached its climax, and began its descent, I lurked forward, throwing myself in the ball's path before I could even register what I was doing. My fingers wrapped around its cold shell. I tugged the ball into my chest, spinning on my broom to avoid the grips of the Ravenclaw chasers as I soared towards their goalposts. All three of the Ravenclaw chasers were hot on my trail, with Draco and Blaise not far behind.

"Formation Phoenix!" I yelled, hoping they would hear me, if we wanted any chance at scoring, I needed them at my sides. Besides, I've seen how Ravenclaw play, they watch and observe, changing their tactics based on how we play. They are incredibly quick-witted and widely intelligent people, never to be underestimated. This is why we must strike early, before they learn how we tick as a team, and use it against us.

Blaise and Draco dove down, flying close to the ground before flying straight up, like a Phoenix rising from its ashes. Just as we practised, Blaise and Draco managed to make it through the split-second gap they had to fly between myself and the Ravenclaw chasers, throwing them off course and forcing them to divert. If the boys were a millisecond too slow or too fast, the whole plan would be thrown off, and we would've broken a rule or two.

"What the-" Lee yelled down the microphone while the crowd gasped before erupting with wild cheer. "That was absolutely insane! Chasers Zabini and Malfoy pulled a daring yet risky move, forcing the Ravenclaw chasers to divert their chase after Snape!" He cheers, his words breaking as he struggled for air. "Snape is closing in on the Ravenclaw's goalpost! Will the chasers recover from that stunt?" He finishes, finally catching his breath.

Fwoosh! A bludger flew past my head, followed by a string of curses from one of the Ravenclaw's beaters. The crowd gasped in despair, either unhappy I had almost been hit or unhappy I hadn't been hit. I had no time to react or take a look at who tried to hit me for revenge later, as I was nearly at the posts. The Raven's quidditch captain, Roger Davis, was their keeper.

His elbows bent down, pulling himself closer to his broom as his blue robes flapped behind him. Our gazes locked, each being more deadly, determined and dangerous than the other's. Slowly, my eyes moved towards the leftmost goalpost as my hand that clutched the quaffle rose to aim. As the ball left my fingers, I watched as Davis threw the back of his broom left, prepared to swat the ball away with the bush of his broom.

"Snape scored! Ten points to Slytherin!" Lee cheered and the crowd went ballistic. The Slytherins began to chant my name as I watched Davis' face drop in horror. I scored in the right-hand hoop. His face scrunched in anger as I sent a small wink his way. I looped around him and his goalposts before heading towards the other end of the pitch.

It was now Ravenclaw's ball, and it was time to go on the attack.

Before I could spring into action, the sound of a sharp whistle pierced my ears. My head shoots to the right, where at the top of a tower, where all the staff sat, was my father, beaming up at me. I waved proudly at him, and I watched as his shoulders shook with laughter. "I'm so proud of you, my dear. Give them your all!" He yelled, making me tear up. I let out a small laugh, nodding at him. I love my father so much, I'm eternally thankful for him and everything he's done.

My robes whipped behind me as I raced to reach the Ravenclaw chasers, one of their chasers broke formation, flying high with the quaffle. Draco and Blaise immediately followed, assuming that the girl would take a chance to dart for the goalpost. As I was further back, I suddenly clocked the manoeuvre they were attempting.

The Porskoff Ploy. Named so after the Russian Chaser Petrova Porskoff. Where one Chaser carries the Quaffle upwards, leading opposing Chasers to believe that he or she is trying to escape them to score, but then throws the Quaffle downwards to a fellow Chaser waiting to catch it beneath them.

Another Ravenclaw boy flies beneath them, signalling to the girl he is in position. Well, so was I. I darted towards the space between the two Raven's, the hall falling into my hands. I swivelled around, holding on tight to not fall off the broom. The crowd cheered as Lee Jordan once again began to yell his enthusiasm down the microphone, leaving the Ravenclaw's baffled.

Once again I found myself at the goalpost and managed to score another shot. I turned to face the crowd, and found Mattheo