Hey, look, two chapters at once, woot! Actually, you can thank my internet which has been spotty here lately. Best finish this out while I can, hope that you all enjoyed this story. It is not the only one. I'm working on their second year, which I wanted to skip but there were some scenes from the second year I wanted to write. Also, every Dr. Who fan knows you don't skip the different seasons.

So I'll be honest, this chapter was a bit harder to write; specifically writing to Athena's age in how she should talk. If she seems too grown up, that's because I wasn't sure how to 'dumb' her down so to speak. Athena is a smart girl, so she might speak the way she does…so that's what I'm going with.

A/N: don't own the Harry Potter.

Chapter Seventeen: And the House Cup goes to…

I will never criticize Harry about not eating before a Quidditch match ever again because I all could do at breakfast was to push my food around my plate. Last night had been bad. I'd gotten to bed late because Wood insisted he go over the playbook with me until my eyes started to blur. I did kick him in the shin and growled dangerously at him when the Quidditch Captain tried to stop me from heading up to my dorm room.

Sleep had come quickly but did not stay. Quirrell's nightmare plagued me again until I gave up and went for an early morning run around the castle to clear my head, the first one I'd taken all year. I was going to have to get back in the practice of running, my muscles remembered the actions but my body was lacking the fitness it had when I had been living with Fraser.

There was still time for a two hour nap when I returned. That was nice for I did not dream or at least I don't think I did before Angie and Hermione were shaking me awake. I was to shower, dress in my new Quidditch robes and equipment, then get myself downstairs for breakfast.

Thus, I was currently and aggressively prodding hash browns around on my plate. Angie had tried to give me oatmeal but the stuff's gross without flavoring and loads strawberries in it; Jubilee hadn't been putting fruit out now that it was getting close to the end of the year.

"My boots are rubbing my heels and it hurts." I muttered unhappily

Wood, who was sitting across from me, drew his wand "right," he nodded with smile and leaned back so he could aim at my feet. I have no idea what spell he used but the boots suddenly fit better and the pressure on my heels vanished "sometimes players like to break their boots in the muggle way but there is a charm on the boots to make them supple and broken in for your feet. Just have to remember to activate them."

"Thanks." I said darkly and went back to attacking the fried potatoes.

Angie took my plate away then "I think that's enough savagery, little lion, save it for the game and eat this," she handed me an apple "or else I tell your grandmother."

The dark skinned girl just laughed when I glared at her. I should have kept my mouth shut about that, felt like Hagrid when all he could say for a while was 'I shouldn't have said that, why'd I say that?', but at least Fred came away with a good ten gallons over the whole deal.

When the apple had been consumed and washed down with water, Angie grabbed me by the back of my red and gold robes and pulled me from the table. She handed me a hair tie, a red band, and had me put my shoulder length hair up into a pony tail. Then she thrust my broom into my hands and ordered me to follow her.

Neville and Hermione ran to catch up as the rest of the team took their time getting away from the Gryffindor table; the two first years walked happily beside me and repeated already used words of encouragement. They also kept me from turning around and heading back towards the castle. Tried it but Neville's hand on my shoulder stopped further attempts to escape.

The two first years aka my honor guard left me at the door to the Gryffindor locker room and went on their way to find the usual seats. Angie sat me down on a bench in front a giant chalk board that had the pitch drawn on it; the x's and o's were moving about throwing a red dot and dodging two blue ones. I whimpered, I forgot about the bludgers.

Katie sat down next to me and nudged me with her shoulder. She could tell that I was watching the blue colored bludgers fly around the drawing board. The brunette chaser just smiled at me as she put her arm across my shoulders.

"They're not as bad as you'd think," she assured me "just remember to watch your surrounds. Wood will give you some drivel about how he wants this game to go but the most important is that you don't take what he says seriously," Katie was adamant about that "this game is a game of points. If we can get at least a 280 points then we can tie with Slytherin for the Quidditch cup, anything above that and we win. Still lose the house cup," she shrugged "but that's the way it goes."

We stayed that way as the rest of the team started to arrive. Fred sat down beside me and tried to cheer me up by making funny faces behind Wood's back, stopping when Wood would turn around and doing it again when the captain would turn back to the front to rant on about getting as many points as possible. The funny faces didn't stop my knee from bouncing anxiously or from trying to devise an escape route.

When it was time to take the field I tried to make a break for it but Fred and George caught me under my arms and dragged me backwards on to the pitch. The stands went wild but the most laughter came from the Gryffindor section as the boys set me in place and Katie handed me my broom. Madam Hooch raised her eyebrow questioningly at me as the three Gryffindor chasers straightened out my robes and made sure the knot on the laces in front were secure.

"Right," Hooch called, she'd yet to amplify her voice. She eyed each of us with those fierce hawk eyes before kicking the ball box she'd been resting a foot on open, the snitch flew out and buzzed both teams before vanishing "take to your brooms and lift off," she called waiting until all fourteen of us were in the air before tapping her throat with her wand "I want a clean game from all of you lot," another kick and the bludgers were released, oh holy iron balls…I whimpered from where I was hovering and Hooch must have heard me because she looked up at me before shouting "begin!" and tossing the quaffle straight up to be caught by Katie.

I rose above the action, trying to remember what Harry would do during matches. This meant not staying static, keeping an eye on the Ravenclaw seeker (bloke was a fifth year, didn't know his name) and helping the chasers. Like now! I drove as the Ravenclaw chaser caught the quaffle mid-pass between Katie and Alicia.

Streaking across their flight path was enough to kill their momentum and to trick that Ravenclaw seeker to follow me, so I kept flying as hard as I could towards the ground. Seen a New Zealand seeker do this to a Russian seeker once; Fraser called it a Wonski Faint or something.

I pulled up about ten feet off the ground and used the momentum to rocket me upwards above everyone to where I had started. Looking back I so totally expect to see that Ravenclaw on the tail end of my broom. Instead, he was still lying on the ground, sprawled out.

"I did I kill him?" I asked George, who was close by

He laughed and shook his head "he just rolled, he's fine!"

I glanced at the scoreboard while Hooch called a time out to check on the blue and bronze seeker still on the ground. Gryffindor was up by forty points. Quick bit of math and I frowned, we'd have to be up by at least 130 if I caught the snitch to have any chance of getting the cup.

The game started again when Hooch determined that the Ravenclaw seeker was fine and getting back on his broom. I waved goodbye to George and started doing that thing Harry did where he made random circles around the stadium. Ravenclaw got the quaffle again, I groaned not sure if it'd work a second time but I streaked across their path.

This time I had to dodge a bludger, leaning away over I had one hand out stretched. Looked like I was playing an electric guitar. However, just as I was closing my hand to make a fist to try and right myself, I felt something cold and hard slap my palm as I closed my hand. The bludger shot past me and I rolled the broom over to get it under me again.

Then I just sat there, hovering just under main play and gawked dumbly at the snitch in my hand. Hooch blew her whistle loudly and I heard Lee Jordan's voice but honestly I hadn't been paying attention to him at all. What…when did that….how did that…where did that….damn, we'd only gone up another twenty points. Won the game but lost the cup.

Angie flew over and gaped at me as I said "I didn't meant to catch this, it just hit my hand."

The older girl face palmed herself as she shook her head. Alicia and Katie helped Angie and me back to the ground where the twins were waiting. They both gave me comforting pats on the shoulders when I told them I'd caught it by accident. Wood was still hover up by his hoops in obvious disbelief like most of the stadium was in, expect Slytherin; they were ecstatic.

Back on the ground Madam Hooch just patted the top of my head before she took the snitch from me. I wasn't quite sure what should happened now, did I just leave the stadium or did I go to the locker room? It was the twins who took pity on me and lead me back up towards the castle with a hand on each shoulder with Hermione and Neville jogging to catch up.

"I didn't mean to do that," I said, still in shock and staring at my left hand. The culprit in this debacle "it just came out of nowhere. Came upright on my broom and there it was. Wham-bam, there ya go!"

George just sighed "could have been worse," he said honestly "could have gotten our backsides handed to us."

"Yea," Fred added "besides that's the best catch I've seen besides Harry trying to sallow the snitch his first game."

…..

Gryffindor tower was very subdued that night after the game. At dinner, Katie pointed out that the Quidditch Cup, which Slytherin had won on points, would be awarded before the House cup was given out. I had asked because it had been a bit confusing about when what would be handed out and when we all hopped the train back to London.

The next day had eased some of the Quidditch teams' cup loss. Wood hadn't been able to drown himself in the showers, not for a lack of trying though. Angie still trying to figure how I'd caught the snitch the way I did and Ronald refused to even look at me (that last one was alright with me).

Neville kept reenacting the look that had been on my face just after I caught the snitch, he and Hermione kept giggle at his impression. Hermione was still standoffish with me and as this was probably the proper response to what I had told her about rethinking our friendship; it still felt really weird and was very disheartening.

I felt like we could be close friends again, well…that's what I hoped for anyways. Would have to see what happened over the summer. With Aunt Andy and Mrs. Granger being such good friends, I had the feeling that I'd be seeing a lot of Hermione over the summer. That seemed like a double edge sword. My musings were interrupted when Neville nudged me and smiled at me; made me wonder what Neville was up to for the summer.

….

Harry woke two days later, the day of the end of term feast and two days before we were to head back. We found him near the Great Hall when we'd headed down for lunch. Hermione ran to him and about strangled him in a hug. Ron and Neville shook his hand and I hung back because I wasn't sure if I wanted to kill him or what.

"You apologize Potter and I'll hit you," I said with my arms folded across my chest when Harry got to me and I saw the words forming on his lips "I will only forgive you if you promise that I will never be stuck in the position of playing reserve seeker again. I caught the damn thing by accident and lost the bloody cup!"

Harry blinked at me before smiling and nodded "right, never again," he promised before dragging me into a hug and whispering "thank you for coming to help us…me, I don't know what would have happened. Never thought it that far through."

I chuckled and hugged my friend back "that's what friends are for, Harry. No matter what they do to you, you're there for them."

…..

That night the Great Hall was bedecked in green banners that sported a twisting silver snake. I was happy to see that the Slytherins, Draco in particular, looked very pleased with themselves over this. If one was to put house rivalry aside then one could say that the Slytherins deserved this win. They had won points with good grades, one would assume acts of decency every now and again and they kept out of trouble unlike some. I caught Draco's eye as I sat down and gave him a thumbs up; the gesture made him smile bigger.

Once the food part of the feast was over, the fun began. I made those around me through various means (kicking under the table, nudging with an elbow) clap and cheer for the Slytherin team as Flint accepted the smaller, silver cup that sat on a table near Dumbledore's podium from Snape who got it from the headmaster. It was good sportsmanship after all, wasn't that the point of fair play?

The wizened headmaster just grinned as he waited for the cheering to die down before he started his speech for the winners of the House cup "now for the house cup," he held up a hand for peace when a cheer rose through the room, the Gryffindors were more subdued than the other tables "after a long year, in last place is Gryffindor with 312 points," yea…I was getting a lot of glares from the whole length of the table "in third place with 352 points, Hufflepuff and in second with 426, Ravenclaw," more cheers rattled the high windows "and in first place with the highest amount of points is Slytherin with 472 points,"

The Slytherin table went berserk. Stomping on the floor and slapping on the table, there were whistles and shouts. The pandemonium trickled to a stop when Dumbledore up his hand again "however, because of new happenings I feel that I must award some last minute points," there was buzz amongst the hall and I just shook my head "for a cool and collect sense of logic when faced with deathly odds, I award 50 points to Hermione Granger," fuck…that bastard all to hell, why couldn't what happened just go away "for the best game of chess, 50 points to Ronald Weasley," Gryffindor table was cheering while I felt a coldness settle in the pit of my stomach but the old man wasn't done "for an act of pure friendship and outstanding courage I award 50 points to Harry Potter."

There were gasps all down the table as I gritted my teeth. This put Gryffindor just ten points behind a now nervous and disbelieving Slytherin house; the old man wasn't done. I glared at him when his eyes flicked to mine, a white and bushy eyebrow rose a fraction as he started speaking again "and for pure and selfless bravery I award Athena Black, 10 points," that cold turned hot like my temper that was flaring as Dumbledore smiled and looked about "that would tie Gryffindor with Slytherin does it not?" he asked rhetorically and drew breath again, wasn't this ever going to be over "and finally, it's one thing to stand up to your foe but another to stand up to a friend. 10 points to Neville Longbottom for bravery."

The old man chuckled as Gryffindor held their breath "I think a change of color is in order," he said and snapped his fingers causing the banners over head to turn from green to red.

Gryffindor table went nuts and I didn't care. I stood from the table, much like the others had, but I marched with fists clenched out of the Great Hall. Not sure if it was noticed or not but I left before something bad happened.

….

It was funny that I found myself back in that same abandoned classroom overlooking the lake. Purple flames hovering near me but no Tiberius this time. I hugged my knees to my chest and tried to get certain images out of my head. To combat them I was humming the theme song to 'The Pink Panther', really catchy tune that once in your head it NEVER WENT AWAY!

"I see your control of the spell has increased, Miss Black," I growled when I heard Dumbledore's smooth and calm voice behind me "especially to use it to overcome Professor Snape's enchanted flames."

"Must not have been impressive on Snape's part if a twelve year old can outsmart his challenge," I smirked at him "or maybe you wanted a bunch of first years to get passed it."

Dumbledore tilted his head at me "why would I want that?" he asked

I shook my head at him, angry tears blurring my vision "vault 713, Gringotts bank. Under some of the most powerful wards and yet it's broken into. How many people can pull that off? Hmm?" I asked angrily "why not give the stone back to Flamel? Or destroy it like Harry says that Flamel's doing now? Instead you put it in a school with children!"

The headmaster just folded his hands in front of him, his head still tilted "I felt it would be safe here."

I sneered "and tell me how could you have not known about Quirrell?" I demanded "I suspected him from that first Quidditch match, from Troll Night! You, Albus –too many damn names- Dumbledore! The greatest wizard since MERLIN!" I screamed "you had to have known something was wrong with him or you don't deserve all those fucking titles you hold! If you'd done something then I wouldn't have had to kill him!"

Dumbledore nodded then "that's it then?" he asked "you regret placing your life above his? You did what you had to."

"If you would have done your job and not endangered this school, I wouldn't have had to!" I roared through clenched teeth "you're not the one who has to see his face in your dreams, you're not the one who has to watch him die, over and over again!" my whole body was trembling with rage now "he was a person no matter what co-habited his body! You trivialized that loss by giving points for it, you make it less by rewarding the breaking of the rules! You diminish it and Slytherin who deserved that win!"

He nodded slowly and said "I see that you have learned a great deal in the time you spent with Blake Fraser," his head tilted again as he eyed me thoughtfully "such respect and understanding for the dead is uncommon for one your age."

"You try dealing with witch doctors and voudon priests of both light and dark aspects and not come away with respect for it," I snapped "they don't tolerate disrespect."

Surprisingly Dumbledore let me walk out of the classroom right then. He let me walk past him and out the door with not a word or movement on his part. Now I had another reason to be upset. I had almost, successfully, repressed those events that happened in Haiti. Never going back there and New Orleans, Louisiana was a big NOPE as well.

….

McGonagall let me sleep on her couch after I arrived there late in the evening. It was the Grey Lady of all people, or ghosts, who got me there when I took a wrong turn and gotten lost. She'd been floating down the hallway and before she could vanish I told her I'd gotten lost.

The ghost, as she is famous for, said nothing but motioned for me to follow her and outside of McGonagall's office she vanished. When McGonagall opened her office door, she was in her tartan dressing gown again, she blinked at me before ushering me in. I didn't ask permission as I went to the portrait of the standing stones and spoke the password.

I planted myself in front of her fireplace, there was a low fire burning, and retook the posture I'd had in the abandoned classroom. After some time, McGonagall sat down beside me in a more comfortable position. Her time as a cat animagus had kept her limber.

"Did Fraser ever tell you about an apprentice of Marie Laveau that we encountered in Haiti?" I asked, my stomach feeling very unsettled

McGonagall frowned, she recognized the name of the Voodoo Queen "I'm not sure he ever mentioned it."

"Old woman keeping herself from aging through dark rituals," I said "the apprentice not the Queen," I clarified "the apprentice had amassed a cult to follow the dark spirits. One of them didn't like me. I didn't have enough respect for the spirits or the dead so she taught me a lesson. That was one of the reasons why I thought I could lead the others in the ritual with Binns. Why I thought he just needed the afterlife instead of the whole exorcism."

McGonagall's frown deepened "what 'lesson' did she teach you?"

I glowered at the fire "from what I remember of it, the woman ripped my soul from my body and introduced me to several souls she'd captured for about an hour. This was after she'd kidnapped me from Fraser while Kaylee had returned to the States for a wedding or something," I didn't look at McGonagall "she did return it, obviously, and then Fraser did something to lessen the trauma of it so Kaylee wouldn't notice but she did. She didn't leave me alone with Fraser for long periods of time after that. Come to think of it, this could by why Peeves doesn't mess with me;" I mused "shitty thing is that I had almost forgotten it."

McGonagall didn't move for a long while before she just threw her arms around me and pulled me to her body. Her tears soaked into my hair as she promised that she'd to get me a good mind-healer. I'm not sure if it was the weariness or the fact that I felt safe with her, but I fell asleep while she was holding me.

The End