Draco Malfoy was feeling smug. Smugger than usual, that is. And after all, why should he not feel smug? Here were the Slytherin Quidditch team, fresh out of tryouts and effectively owning the pitch during this practice session. It was the first one they'd had this year but most of the players knew exactly what they were doing and were extremely adept at flying their Nimbus Two-thousand-and-Ones. The only ones that were under-performing were Crabbe and Goyle - his own personal flunkies who had only just taken up the positions of Beaters on the team for the first time.
But they were getting to grips with it much faster than they did with most other activities. But then again, their role on the team involved smashing things and that was one of the things they both knew and liked to do best. All they needed to work on were their flying skills but anything that allowed them to pelt Bludgers at people seemed to be a crucial skill for them and they were really applying themselves to it.
And the reason for Malfoy's smugness was because of just how badly the Gryffindor Quidditch Team had done yesterday on the pinch. Especially the Weasley boy in his year - Ron. Oh God, that had been beyond hilarious watching him dropping the ball or damaging his own players with it when it was his turn to throw it! What a useless oaf he really was.
"Oi, Malfoy!" suddenly the new team Captain who had taken over now that Marcus Flint had left, Montague, pulled up alongside him and smacked him lightly on the arm. "Pay attention. I know what you're thinking and I won't deny its hilarious, but the fact remains Potter is a better seeker than you need to sharpen up your skills in finding the Snitch. We ain't just got this in the bag cos Weasley's a terrible Keeper."
Malfoy bristled slightly, fuming at the thought that Harry Potter could possibly be better than him at anything. But he knew better than to retort. Instead, he just cracked a smirk and said, "Yeah, yeah, fine. But you know, I was thinking of writing a little song for our house to sing during the match. Something to help throw Weasley off his game even more. And, with any luck, it would even distract Potter a little. You know, cos he'll be watching his friend's reaction rather than the Snitch."
Montague snickered. "I like the sound of that, but that still doesn't change the fact that Potter is better and he has a faster broom so don't leave it to chance, alright?"
"Yeah, I got it," Malfoy rolled his eyes.
But just as he was about to resume the search for the Snitch, they were hailed from the other end of the pitch by the Slytherin Keeper, Miles Bletchley.
"Hey, Montague!" he waved his arm. "Looks like we've got ourselves some extra spectators too!"
Slytherin play came to a stop as all seven of players looked down to the entrance of the pitch. Aside from a few extra Slytherin house members who had turned up to sit in the stands and egg the practice on, there were now two girls standing down on the grass below.
"Oh dear lord, it's that Loony girl from the year below me," Malfoy sneered as he recognised Luna. "Always hanging out with that Weasley girl. Total weirdo that one."
"Well, who's that with her?"
"…Dunno. Don't remember seeing a girl with blue hair in the school before."
"Well, either way, we sure as heck aren't having little spies watching our new techniques," Montague muttered as he pulled around and zoomed down towards the spectators. Malfoy snickered and followed suit, the rest of the airborne players slowly following on.
Wendy waved as they approached but when she noticed the ugly look on Montague's face she slowly lowered her hand and looked suddenly much more wary.
"Hey, get lost, Loony," Montague barked at Luna, who was watching a ladybird crawling over her hand absent-mindedly. "Why don't you go stick yourself in a bin where you belong. A Loony Bin."
"Oh, a bin," grinned Malfoy. "I might use that one in the song about Weasley."
"Go ahead. Now buzz off, you metal little weirdo."
"My father says that those who feel the need to bully others are actually very insecure about their personal status amongst their peers," Luna looked up and said conversationally to Montague. "Are you worried that your team won't take you seriously as the new captain?" she nodded towards the bright captain's badge pinned on his lapel. "Because if you are, I'm sure that a nice sit-down and an inspirational speech would do a better job than yelling at a girl three years younger than you."
Wendy blinked as she stared at Luna in amazement. To most people that would have sounded like an attempt at a comeback, but Luna said it in a manner that implied she was just making an observation and trying to be helpful about it.
Montague, on the other hand, didn't take it very well and dismounted his broom. "You wanna repeat that girl? Or should I just sweep you up like the garbage you are and find that bin for you."
"I don't think you'd actually be able to sweep a human being with a broomstick," Luna replied.
"No, but I could still raise a lump on the back of your head with it! I said get lost!"
"Hey!" Wendy objected and stepped forwards, glaring up at the boy that she guessed was probably around the same age as Natsu or Gray. "You leave her alone. She just came here to let me see the people riding on the broomsticks! You don't have to be so mean!"
"And who are you supposed to be?" Montague sneered down at her. "What the heck is up with your hair, puny one?"
"There's nothing wrong with my hair," Wendy huffed.
"Hold on a moment," Malfoy suddenly strode towards them and used his broom to poke Wendy in the stomach quite a bit harder than necessary. "You're not a student. You can't be, with those weird clothes and stranger hair. You're not from this school, are you?"
"No… no I'm not," Wendy replied. "But…"
"Then that means…" Malfoy whipped out his wand and pointed it right at Wendy's face. "You're trespassing. What are you, a Muggle girl? Oh, please tell me you are. Can you imagine the look on Professor Umbridge's face when she finds out that a Muggle got past the Hogwarts wards? She'd have a field day."
"I'm not a Muggle, I'm a Mage," Wendy glared at him.
"A Mage?" Malfoy laughed. "Who do you think you're talking to, girl? You think I'd be so gullible as to believe that?"
"What's a Mage?" Crabbe asked, interrupting the conversation.
Malfoy rounded on him to glare at him for asking what he considered a stupid and pointless question, but Wendy answered him anyway. "Mages are magic users that specialise in certain areas of magic, although they can learn other kinds. And this one's telling you to leave her and Luna alone."
"This is quite an odd sensation," Luna added. "I don't usually have people that defend me from the bullies except for Ginny."
"That's because that blood traitor is as stupid as you are," Malfoy retorted. "But since you came all this way to see us play, why don't we give the both of you the best possible view? I say we hang them by their underwear from one of the Quidditch posts and Miles has to stop us from hitting them with the Quaffle."
"But then I wouldn't get a turn to do it," Miles snickered. "And I wouldn't get in any practice because I'd be hoping you hit them."
"True, but I still say we should try it," Malfoy sneered. "Teach this little brat not to tell lies to us before we hand her over to Umbridge."
"I'm not lying!" Wendy glared, her wind picking up around her slightly but not really enough to notice. "Why are you being so mean? We've not done anything to you."
"It's probably because of the way they were treated by their parents," Luna nodded sagely. "They've probably been extremely bullied themselves by their families so they don't know any better."
"…Are you insulting my father, you little guttersnipe?" Malfoy suddenly growled and stepped forwards.
"Oh, it looks to me that the Seeker has taken over as the leader for the taunting," Luna observed. "Maybe that inspirational speech won't be enough after all, team Captain."
"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Montague shouldered past Malfoy and seized Luna by the shoulder, practically throwing her backwards hard to come to land on her back painfully. "Well, I happen to think that right there was funny…!"
There was laughter from the Slytherin team and spectators both at this, but it suddenly died in all their throats when they noticed Wendy's hair was now flapping around wildly and dust was rising from the ground around her as a small whirlwind seemed to have sprung up out of nowhere around her.
...
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