The Sinner and the Traitor

The brisk air was swirling around Ron, Hermione and I as we sat in the courtyard looking over our notes trying to figure out where to start with an essay that Snape had given us. I looked up briefly to see the Gryffindor Quidditch team heading out past us. Harry, Fred, George, Alicia, Katie and Angelina trail Oliver Wood through the courtyard, toward the distant Quidditch pitch. Several other students were outside, studying as well.

I looked back down at my notes about ready to burn everything when I heard a moan and a curse. Hermione and I both looked at each other as we noticed that crossing the courtyard from the other side were seven boys in green flowing robes, also carrying broomsticks. At their lead was Marcus Flint, the total trollish block for a head Slytherin Captain.

“Uh-oh. I smell trouble.” I said watching as one particular person caught my attention. I set my things aside and stood up to go over to them. I knew this wouldn’t end well.

“Clear out, Flint! I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today.” Wood said with a glare at his rival team.
Flint only smirked and I grimaced at his crooked and unappealing smile. “Easy, Wood. I've got a note.”

As Wood snatched the parchment from Flint's hand, Ron and Hermione come up to join the others with me hanging back slightly. I tried to stay away from the Slytherin’s as much as possible these days. You would think after a whole year and a summer they would let go of the fact that I was in Gryffindor, but no. It was like it got even worse and Malfoy was always egging it on with that lopsided smirk of his.

“'I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.'” Wood looked up. “You've got a new Seeker? Who?”
As he pushed his way to the front I felt my face scrunch up in disbelief and disgust. You have got to be kidding me.

“Draco?” Harry said stepping forward completely baffled.

“That's right.” He smirked and looked towards us near the back. His grin grew as he laid his eyes on me. “And that's not all that's new this year.”

As one, the seven Slytherins held out seven brand-new gleaming broomsticks. The Gryffindors look stunned. So he had his daddy buy his way onto the team. Classic Malfoy move. Always using money to get what they wanted. Too bad money didn’t buy talent along with it. Or class.

“Those are Nimbus Two Thousand Ones.” Way to sound impressed Ron. From the looks on the Slytherin’s face they had noticed as well.

“A generous gift from Draco's father.” Flint’s monotone was like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Draco looked smug. “That's right, Weasley. You see, unlike some, my father can afford to buy the best.”

I took a step forward but was stopped by Ron as he held his hand out to stop me. I looked at him waiting for an explanation but he had eyes only for the boys in front of us. Hermione was the one who spoke up and said what we were thinking.

“At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent.” The way she said it was almost as good as if she had slapped each of them individually in the face. It was bloody brilliant.

Draco wasn’t having that though. “No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood.” Everyone reacts as if Malfoy has said something truly horrific, everyone save Harry, who looks puzzled. My mouth dropped open in shock and I tried to lung for Draco but Wood had grabbed me and pulled me back. I was beyond shocked and pissed that he would even have the nerve to say something like that to anyone. Instantly, Fred and George fly for Draco's throat as well as the girls hold them back.

“Save it for the match.” Wood yelled at them keeping his arm around me so I wouldn’t do anything stupid. I was glaring with so much venom at the blonde headed git that I was sure I could have poisoned him with that one look. He was grinning with friends at what he had accomplished in saying for a retort. He looked at me and his smirk didn’t even drop. I tried going for him again but Wood held me back, now tighter against his chest. Why did Wood have to be so much stronger than I was?

“You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!” Ron whipped out his broken and mangled wand. I instantly moved back into Wood willingly afraid of what would happen. There was almost always a sure chance of something going wrong with Ron using magic these days. “Eat slugs!”

Ron pointed his cracked wand at Malfoy. There was a bolt of green light that scissored out the wrong end, hitting Ron himself in the stomach. As he dropped to the grass, Hermione run to him. Wood and I looked confused at each other before looking back at Ron. We didn’t move towards him, afraid of what would happen next.

“Ron! Say something!” Hermione yelled at him. Ron opened his mouth and…belched? Hermione drew back, and watched a trio of slugs dribbled out of his mouth. The Slytherins screech with laughter. Angrily, Ron rose, only to belch again. Fascinated, Colin Creevey ran up with his camera. Great, this was just what we needed at a time like this. This kid was annoying.

“Wow! Can you hold him still, Harry?!” He asked pulling his camera up and I knocked it out of his hand to the floor with a glare. He looked up at me frightened but I didn’t care.

“Get lost you little twerp!” I growled at him.

“Get out of the way, Colin!” Harry said as she shoved past the petite child. To Hermione, “Let's take him to Hagrid. He'll know what to do.”

They started dragging Ron away and I watched them go, pulling myself from Wood and rounding on Malfoy. He was still laughing with his group of friends that he had to buy to even get.

“That was low, even for you.” I was sure if looks could kill he would be dead. Malfoy merely shrugged with a grin.

“I suggest you associate with better families next time, Beyer.” Flint said crossing is arms like he was all big and bad. I busted out laughing at him darkly.

“Oh you mean like your families? I’m okay. I would rather hang out with people who like me for me and not someone I have to buy.” I looked at Malfoy with this this. His grin dropped slightly and he turned red.

“You dare-.” He started before I stopped him.

I raised my wand before anyone could stop me. “Immobulus!”

His mouth snapped shut and he fell to the ground, stiff as a board. The other Slytherin’s pulled out their wands and pointed them at me but Wood and his team had already done the same back towards them. Malfoy was face down in the dirt and no one was moving to pick him up. The silence was beautiful. I needed to use that charm more often.

“I don’t know Malfoy, I kind of like you better like this. Oh? What’s that?” I bent down and put my hand to my ear like I couldn’t hear him. He couldn’t talk even if he wanted to. “Sorry, I guess I don’t listen to bigoted wankers.” I raised my wand and pointed it at Flint as he took a step for me. I didn’t even raise my head. “Sod of Flint before I rearrange your ugly face even more.” I looked up at him with a glare as I stood up slowly. “Don’t think I won’t.”

He took that one step back and I finally turned to leave but Wood stopped me. He looked a little concerned for a minute before he finally spoke up. “Are you alright there, Beyer?”

I held up a hand to stop him. “Please call me Vanessa. They only call me Beyer because they know I hate it.” I sighed before I tried to smile for him. “But yes, I am okay. I wanna punch them in the face but other than that I feel great.”

He chuckled. “You’re kind of scary when you’re angry.”

I shrugged. “I can get a little over the top,” Okay a lot. “But hey, I have to go see how Ron’s doing. I’ll catch you later?”

He smiled. “Hey, before you go, what were you working on?”

I grumbled and knew I looked like a child throwing a temper tantrum. “Snape’s making us write an essay on this thing called Polyjuice Potion that we haven’t even gone over yet.” I knew I was whining and this was funny to Wood.

“I could help you out, if you want I mean.” He was blushing and I tilted my head to the side to see if he really was embarrassed. I was surprised he was talking to me really. People were still nervous around me but they were opening up. As I looked at Wood’s face I realized he was kind of cute. He was growing out of his little boy looks this year and he had gotten taller. Not to mention he was older since he was in his fifth year. I knew I was only 12 but I also knew I was very mature my age and the boys my age were too immature and stupid. It would last a few weeks before I would realize his only topic of conversation was Quidditch, the house cup, and more Quidditch. I looked at him once more before smiling and agreeing to the help before heading off to Hagrid’s.

I opened the door just as Hagrid sat down and began talking to the trio. “Better out than in. Who was he tryin' ter curse anyway?”

“Malfoy.” I said with venom dripping off the name. Hagrid looked at me oddly as I sat down next to Hermione on the other side so she had to sit by Ron. I didn’t want to be near him if slugs were coming out.

“He called Hermione, well, I don't know exactly what it means.” Harry said looking around for us to explain. I didn’t want to do it honestly. I was too angry at that little prat and I might say something that would concern Hagrid enough to tell McGonagall.

“He called me a Mudblood.” Hermione said quietly and I saw the tears forming in her eyes. I held her hand with a soft smile and gave it a squeeze.

“He didn'!” Hagrid gasped and I could see he was angry as well. Harry still looked confused because no one had explained it to him. Sometimes it sucked having to explain everything to him. Hermione glanced at him, then away, obviously pained by this.

“It means dirty blood. Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who was Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me. It's not a term one usually hears in civilized conversation.”

I explained further. “There’s pure bloods, half-bloods, and muggle born witches and wizards. He’s insulting her and degrading her because of something she can’t help. It’s an ugly and despicable word.”

“Yeh see, Harry. There are some wizards -- like Malfoy's family -- who think they're better than everyone else 'cause they're what people call pureblood.”

“That's horrible.” Harry looked at us with a slightly pale face. “Aren’t you pure blood, Vanessa?”
I nodded. “So is Ron. It’s not as common though as it once was. Pure bloods have been marrying half-bloods and Muggle borns for centuries now which is why the ‘Pure Bloods’ think they’re so high and mighty these days.”

Ron belched forth a slug right after that. I felt my face scrunch up in disgust. “It’s disgusting.”
“An' it's codswallop ter boot. Dirty blood. There's 'ardly a wizard today that's not half-blood or less. If we 'adn't married Muggles we'd've died out long ago. Besides, they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can't do.” He grabbed her shoulder. “Don' you think on it, Hermione. Don' you think on it fer a minute.”

She smiled at him as a tear slipped out. I stood up and walked over to her, pulling her in for a hug. She squeezed me back and I just kept whispering to her that she was the most amazing person I had ever met and she should never be ashamed of who she was.

It was in that moment her and I really bonded and came closer to each other like the boys did.