｡+.*𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗜𝗥*+｡ [𝘿. 𝙈𝘼𝙇𝙁𝙊𝙔]¹

XII. TRUDY THE TROLL

Slytherin Beater.

Out of all of the positions that exist in the sport of Quidditch, that was the last one I expected to end up playing.

(and, while Harry's the youngest Gryffindor Seeker in a century, I'm the youngest female Slytherin Beater in--ever).

Flint had me hitting Bludgers for hours, all to ensure that I could maintain the kind of energy required to relentlessly smack them at the enemy team no matter how long a game runs on.

It would likely be a regular occurrence while I build up my arm strength, endurance/stamina, balance, etc.

Not that I minded; it was strangely cathartic.

According to Flint, who had a creepy grin on his face for the rest of the afternoon, I'm like a "wolf in sheep's clothing"; an outwardly harmless "little first year girl"...with a fiery temper and a mean swing. Even better, not only am I lethal with a Beaters bat, but the Gryffindors--and the rest of our opponents--would lower their guard and not take me seriously just like he did.

Then I'd swoop in and knock them off their brooms.

The benefits of being underestimated.

--infuriating though it is.

Craig Walsh, the heavy-set boy that leant me his bat, is my Beater partner--while the prat that said that me being pummeled by Bludgers would be "fun to watch" lost his position on the team.

I would've felt bad if he wasn't a massive twonk.

Not that Walsh is much better.

During our first official practice together, he told me to "stay out of his way" and he'd "stay out of mine" and made it clear that, while he had no choice but to accept that I don't suck and Flint wants me on the team, he isn't happy I replaced his friend--or that a little girl was his new Beater partner.

The Slytherin Keeper, Mr "A bit of entertainment before practice--good thinking, Flint", is a mean-spirited prick named Miles Bletchley. He was...well, a prick, but his snide little remarks had nothing on Malfoy's--and weren't nearly as creative. It was pretty easy to make a smart comment to shut him up.

Wit wasn't exactly one of his strong points, after all.

Something about that was almost disappointing.

The third Chaser(alongside Pucey and Flint), Isaac Dhar, is a tall sixth year boy with a dark complexion and longish black hair.

We don't really interact that much but he doesn't seem to mind me.

He sorta keeps to himself, but he's a decent enough flier.

I got on the best, overall, with Pucey and the team Seeker, Terence Higgs--which isn't really saying a lot, considering my relationships with everyone else(and Higgs not being comfortable watching a first year girl get beaten to death mid-air by Bludgers doesn't exactly make us BFF's or anything).