✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

9 | IDYLLIC

IDYLLIC
(adj.) extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque

TESSA WAS EXHAUSTED. Oliver was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. Tessa's muscles were aching and her body was sore from all the practice.

     "Wood," Angelina Johnson had said during one rainy practice. "A storm's coming up, maybe we should continue tomorrow."

"No, it'll be alright," Oliver refused with a shake of his head.

Alicia Spinnet had scowled. "Catherine Valentine was a professional player and she was nearly struck by lightning. I think we should stop."

Tessa had frozen up as the entire team swiveled in their brooms to look over at the girl. Oliver coughed awkwardly. "Okay, let's finish up tomorrow." This was new information to Tessa. She never knew that her mother was nearly killed during Quidditch. Was it during practice or a game? Who helped her afterwards? Was it one of those men she saw in the Mirror of Erised?

Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Oliver gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms despite Tessa's light chastise towards them.

     "Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George fell off his broom, Tessa nearly toppled over hers as Fred held her upright. "Snape's refereeing?" George spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too. "He hates me, Oliver," Tessa grumbled. "I bet he'll ignore every goal I score."

Oliver sighed. "It's not my fault," he said. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."

The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry pulled Tessa with him and headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room. "Slow down." She chuckled lightly. "What are we doing?"

"We need to tell Ron and Hermione," Harry explained as the two entered the common room to find the above mentioned duo playing chess.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," Ron said instantly as Harry sat next to him. "Tessa, help me. I need to concen—" He glanced at Tessa and Harry's dreaded expressions. "What's the matter with you two? You look terrible."

"Why, thank you, Ronald Weasley," Tessa muttered.

Ron sent her a look. "You know what I mean."

"Snape wants to be a Quidditch referee on our next game," Harry said mournfully.

"Don't play," Hermione said instantly.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.