Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Sixteen: Overheard Conversations

"Took you long enough," Imelda called to me as I raced onto the pitch, one of my boots still untied, broom slung over my shoulder, and drawing large amounts of air into my lungs. I was clutching the stitch in my side as I reached her, giving a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, Imelda- Professor Weasley wouldn't stop talking."

It was half true. Professor Weasley had been speaking to me, but it wasn't my conversation with her about my less than attentive attitude towards her class that kept me. It was the conversation I'd over heard her having with Professor Sharp after leaving her office that kept me planted to the spot.

"Have you spoken to her? The curriculum she's chosen this year is unheard of!"

"It's going to have a negative effect on students. I can think of a trio of Slytherin's who are going to have a particularly hard time with the lesson plans." Professor Weasley's voice was concerned.

"Sallow and Gaunt have been through enough family troubles for a lifetime, both with Unforgivable's and other powerful forms of dark magic. But Crane has had a particularly rough go since entering this castle."

"I am fully aware, Aesop. That poor child has witnessed enough tragedy. I haven't talked to Dinah yet to discover what she's hoping to gain with this, but I will."

I'd only forced myself to rush away when I heard Sharp stand and start his limp towards the office door. He'd taken his leave and I had needed to get out of there before either of them saw me.

I grinned at her sheepishly before turning to see the onslaught of Slytherin students gathering in the middle of the pitch.

"So how do we go about this?"

"I figure we let them play a game. We have enough here to make two full house teams, and we only need five more. So they play, we observe and see who's best."

A small bit of satisfaction trickled through me that I wouldn't have to get on my broom in my distracted state. I also had only ever played Imelda one on one. So to get to see a game played -however poorly it might be depending on the skill set of our hopeful classmates- would help me immensely.

Propping my broom to my side, I nodded. "Do you want to call it to order, or should I?"

A wicked grin split across her face and I once again was reminded of her ferocity on the Quidditch pitch. Whoever we played against first this year would surely be up for a fight if she was this competitive about her own team.

"Alright you lot," she shouted over the din of the Slytherin's all clutching their brooms in anticipation. There was the same gaggle of boys we'd played with that first day standing in the front of the group. Everyone fell silent.

I locked eyes with the boy from the Black family- Arcturus, if I was recalling correctly- and he gave me a slimy grin. His dark hair was curly, eyes almost black. He nudged his friend next to him and they both sniggered. I turned my nose up at him, giving my best glare while my skin seemed to crawl.

"We will be watching you all closely. Divide yourselves into two teams and Abbi will start the game once you're all in the air."

I retrieved the case containing our Snitch, Quaffle and Bludgers from the locker room. By the time I had returned, a small crowd of Slytherin students had gathered in the stands to watch. I found myself searching for a familiar freckle covered face, and was disappointed when it wasn't there.

I marched myself to the center of the pitch, sun starting to set and waited for a minute more for everyone to mount their brooms.

"I want you all airborn in two seconds!" I shouted as some second years were slowly trying to mount their brooms.