Once in a Blue Moon

CHAPTER 11

The final Quiddich match of the year had been, everybody agreed, an unqualified disaster. Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff was never going to be spectacular, but nobody had expected the sad tally of injuries.

By the end of the game three-quarters of the players were in the hospital, and nobody could find any reason for the bad play.

In the library, Madam Hooch, Pilar and Remus were rapidly becoming frustrated.

"Not a bloody thing," said Madame Hooch, putting aside yet another book. "Nothing to explain it. They are all good fliers - why should they suddenly be so inept?"

Pilar made a face and pushed away a pile of old scrolls she had been leafing through. Both she and Remus agreed that there was dark magic at work - but neither had been able to sift out exactly what.

"I hate to say this," Lupin said, "But has anybody asked Severus Snape if he knows of anything?"

Pilar nodded. "He's checking his references," she said wearily.

"And found nothing," said the voice of Snape behind them, entering with Dumbledore.

Pilar grinned suddenly. "Has anybody asked that girl - Granger?"

"Heaven forbid," said Snape.

"As much as I like young Hermione," said Remus, pointedly giving her name, "The thought of asking her something like this does not bear thinking of. The girl is far too clever for her own good."

"Prejudiced?" asked the Headmaster.

"No," said Lupin, "Just determined that for once we keep those children out of trouble. Not give them a written invitation to involve themselves!"

Dumbledore nodded. "Have any of you thought that the hex on the game today is just a general hex, designed to divert our attention from something bigger?"

The rest of the staff there looked at him. That idea had honestly not occurred to them. They had grown accustomed to attacks on the school, and had not felt that these attacks might be merely distractions from something bigger.

"I have had word," said Dumbledore, "that a major attack is being planned on Hogwarts. The aim is to kill or capture both young Harry and myself. The enemy feels that with us out of the way, the defences here will be in disarray."

Snape shook his head. "Not once realising that such an attack would merely cause the ranks to completely close."

Pilar stood up suddenly and walked away from the table. "I don't want this," she exploded. "I'm not any good at this sort of thing."

"What nonsense," said Madam Hooch, "I've seen you - you are excellent."

"No. I'm good through years of hard work. I hate doing this. I hate teaching. All I want is to be a wife and mother."

Dumbledore looked at her. "Have you thought that without you doing this, the chances of you being a wife and mother are greatly reduced," he said.

Pilar looked at him, anger in her eyes. "More than they were 17 years ago?" she asked pointedly, and stalked out of the library.

In her rooms, however, she carefully stretched and began the same workout she had been doing for the past eight years. A workout her younger sister had shown her - one designed so that not only her physical but mental and magical muscles would be ready when needed.

She did not regret what she said - but she knew she had a job to do. One that she hated. One that she never wanted to do.

One that she had promised to carry out.