Dragon Wings

Dragon Wings

Chapter Three - Don't Trust Your Expectations

"It's weird. Day by day nothing seems to change, but pretty soon, everything is different." -- Calvin and Hobbes

"Ten more points to the Whales, they're approaching the Mermaids score of fifty points, and still no sign of the Snitch," said Mrs. Hoogendyke once again.

The Mermaids were winning, fifty points to forty, but the Whales were too close, and Sebastion had to prevent every Whale attempt to score.

The five Octopus students, Douglas, Richard, Octavia, Justin and Aidan, were in the seats watching the game.

"I would like to play for the Octopus Quidditch Team," said Octavia watching the game attentively.

"You would? It's our dream since the very first day we arrived at the academy," replied her older brother Richard, "but so far we have had no success..." he added.

"But I have a chance. Next year there will be several positions open in the team," said Octavia, her brother wouldn't change her mind.

"Yeah. We also thought that we had a chance this year, but none of us got the position, and Douglas is the only one of us that is a reserve player."

"I'll try next year anyway," Octavia said and stood up from her seat cheering and screaming.

"Ten more points to the Whales," said Mrs. Hoogendyke, the caretaker, "earned by Luis Silva."

Sebastion, who failed to block the Quaffle that had been thrown through the hoop, flew to the central post, where he could go to either of the other two if needed. He had fallen with his broom several meters down, but didn't fall on the grass. When he was going back to his position, a Bludger flew in his direction. He noticed that it had been sent by the Whale Beater, Alex Porto, and he had to move quickly away from it. When he returned to the central hoop, Margarida Gueyer, a Whale Chaser, was throwing the Quaffle towards the left hoop, but Sebastion was quick enough to catch it before the goal.

"Great job," said Douglas in the seats. Richard looked at him angrily but then smiled and tried to look like he was agreeing with what had been said.

"Octavia," Justin called, "isn't Margarida Gueyer your friend's sister?"

"Yes," she said, "in their family everyone was in Octopus except Margarida who decided to be a Whale. Her sister thinks she might have some unknown reason for doing it, Margarida isn't a fickle person..."

"She's a very good Chaser, the Whales must be proud of her," said Justin looking up at the girl who almost scored again.

"Yes, and so is Luis Silva, he's scored several times; they're a fantastic pair of Quidditch players," said Octavia, while Mariana Tabus, a Mermaid Beater, threw the Bludger in Margarida's direction.

"Not only during Quidditch games," said Aidan, "I heard that they have been dating this year. He's very lucky to have such a beautiful girl be interested in him."

Octavia grinned, "Don't start describing her! I don't like that kind of chat."

All of them grinned with Octavia; she wouldn't care if they chatted about how beautiful Margarida was, but her tone resembled Professor Shayra Stormdsky's so much that it was very funny.

In the air, Pedro Walfonder, a Mermaid Chaser, was adroitly avoiding a Bludger that had been sent in his direction by the Whale Beater, Alex Porto. Then he was followed by Luis Silva but he managed to escape and John Albucen, the Whale Keeper, had no chance of defending.

"The Mermaids score once more and are winning, sixty to fifty. The Whales, however, are too close and are still able to change everything," said Mrs. Hoogendyke.

In the seats, an exotic dressed woman was excited with the game. Her Brazilian accent was perfectly noticeable in her words, which made her speech much more amusing. She hadn't watched a Quidditch game for years and it was a relaxing moment that she really needed.

"I see that I chose the right thing to do this afternoon," Gilbert said when Aline sat down in her seat after applauding vividly the player move, "you're quite happy."

"Yes," she agreed in her Brazilian accent, "there isn't a better thing to do today. I'm enjoying this. Look, the brown-haired boy with blue clothes-"

"The Whale Chaser?" asked Gilbert.

"Yes, he's very good! He might have a position on the Portuguese Quidditch Team."

"Isn't that too much for him? Let's consider that there's also the Braga Brommfleets."

"That is the Portuguese team from Braga in the European competitions right?"

"Yes, they are known for having very good Chasers, since their founding," said Gilbert, following the blue uniformed boy with his eyes while he tried to gain the control of the Quaffle. He wasn't successful and the Mermaid Chaser Regina Canthis continued to the goal post, yet not scoring because the Whale Keeper was quick enough to get the Quaffle right before it passed through the post.

"YEAH!" Aline screamed, applauding the Whale Keeper.

"How many games do they play?" she asked when she sat back beside Gilbert. "There are so many Houses that it must be difficult to watch every game."

"Yes, there are quite a few. But it is also a way to have fun every weekend in spite of the Dark era and everyone's problems and fears. You know, this is kind of a school tradition and people have what can be called 'weekly joy'. Well, not every weekend. The Academy's Quidditch Cup was suspended two years ago when Colegio Ingarnal was destroyed. It was a problematic situation for Portugal and, although we are far from the continent, it was most to be by their side."

"There is another wizarding school in Portugal? I didn't know."

"Yes, there is. Colegio Ingarnal was founded much earlier than Lusitania academy. I would have liked to go there, I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten expelled because there would be no Death Eater's son to betray me," he said looking down and remembering his school times, many good things that he had done there in that fields.

"Oh Gilbert, I'm sorry I made you remember about that, you've told me how it happened and I understand that your pain recurs when you remember it. C'mon, we are here to have fun, let's forget that," Aline said, trying not to let Gilbert be sad and angry with himself, "YAY!" she screamed getting up in her seat when Mrs. Hoogendyke awarded ten more points to the Mermaids.

***

"What are you doing?" Hector asked the gray centaur.

"I'm writing a letter. Don't you have anything better to do than spy on me?" she replied without looking at him.

"I have read every book I brought back. I have to get some more," he said.

"Then go for more," she stated.

"I don't want to go now, I'll go in the evening," he said. His idea was putting those books back from where he had gotten them and bringing new ones. But he couldn't let Elektra know that he would be returning the books-- she would kill him.

He approached her cautiously and saw what she was writing, that they had left Etamin Island, and he couldn't restrain himself from speaking.

"But we aren't leaving this place, are we?" he asked innocently.

"Did I give you permission to see what I was writing?" Elektra asked him angrily, as if she was going to eat him for breakfast. "You must learn that my affairs are none of your business."

He stepped away and sat down on the rocks while Elektra tied the letter on a white owl's leg and let it fly away.

When she turned, she finally replied, "No, we are not leaving but others must not know we are here."

***

A big white owl with blue eyes and soft green feathers on its wings soared in the sky near a castle tower.

Horatius Heathcote, who captains the Octopus House, noticed his owl near his office window and left his seat without explanation.

The academy felt dead because the only beings in there were the ghosts, and they had died long ago. However, Captain Octopus wasn't scared with the scenario because he was used to it.

He walked upstairs and opened his office window. The owl made its way inside to its post where it would rest for a while.

"How was the journey, Moggy?" he asked his owl while he untied the letter from the owl's leg. "I know it's hard to fly from England to this island but you did it well."

He opened the letter and noticed his owl hadn't come from England but from Etamin Island -- that would explain why she wasn't as tired as he expected.

Captain Octopus,

I'm glad you have considered that Hector could attend Lusitania Academy in three years. I am thanking you for your gesture but I am proud to announce that he has refused your proposal and that he'll be taught by another qualified person. We just left Etamin Island and I'm sending you this letter from far away, so the only thing you can do is to accept our decision.

By the way, today someone related to the Potters will die. Beware.

Elektra

He glanced at the Quidditch game through the window and murmured, "It won't be as easy for you this way, Hector, but I see you had no choice in the matter. God damned Elektra, she's always in the way, she and her overbearing personality."

Captain Octopus left the letter in his desk and went downstairs to see the end of the game, thinking about who would die that day.

***

Thirty minutes later, the Mermaids were winning, ninety to sixty, when Andrew Stormcloud, the Mermaid Seeker, saw the golden Snitch.

He tightened his hands around his Nimbus 1001 - Special Design and came down with his highest velocity. Suddenly Miguel Bizantio, the Whale Seeker, noticed that Andrew was going down very quickly, which meant that he had seen the little flying ball. He did the same and followed him. The two Seekers were now moving in the Snitch's direction, although Miguel hadn't seeing it.

"Wow, the two Seekers seem to have seen the golden Snitch, is this game going to end now? Look," Mrs. Hoogendyke continued, "Daniel Pessoa has just scored, ten more points to the Mermaids. They now have one hundred points, while the Whales have sixty. Everything can be decided by the Seekers..."

She was right. Now Miguel also glimpsed the Snitch, flying calmly to the left side of the pitch, near the Whale's goal posts that were being guarded by the Keeper, John Albucen. The winged ball was levitating near the grass.

Andrew looked back and saw Miguel right behind him. He had to be fast.

Andrew handed his broom with a tight grasp and looked in front to the small ball; it was just a few meters away, it would be easy now.

When Miguel Bizantio was despairing, since he thought he wouldn't get the Snitch, the small ball moved up, vertically, flying to the sky slowly, but it was enough for Andrew to be too far away. Miguel changed his trajectory up to the Snitch's direction and, before Andrew could react, Miguel got the winged ball and dropped off of his broom, falling in the grass. It wasn't too high, so he didn't get hurt.

"The Whales win this Quidditch game: Miguel Bizantio caught the golden Snitch and he adds one hundred and fifty points to their score. Whales win two hundred and ten points to one hundred. What an amazing game, no one got hurt!" Mrs. Hoogendyke finished her speech with a rare smile, and the people started going back to the castle.

***

The Whales were so happy that they walked to the castle with everyone else, commemorating. The Mermaid team, on the other hand, couldn't believe that they had lost the game. The Whales were known as one of the weakest Quidditch team, and many players thought it would be an easy win.

"You should have defended some more goals, Sebastion, that is your role in the game," said Andrew Stormcloud, the Seeker.

"And you should have caught the Snitch when it was time. You could decide everything too, it wasn't Sebastion's fault," Regina Canthis, a Chaser, said in defense of Sebastion.

"C'mon guys," Daniel Pessoa intervened, "it was our fault, do not make it personal."

"Daniel is right," said Mariana Tabus, "it's the entire team's fault, we're as one, we are a team. You should know what that means, Andrew."

Andrew turned and went up to the castle without replying, but he knew she was right. He just couldn't accept that he had been beaten by Miguel Bizantio, he couldn't stand it. How would the people see him now? He was like a hero for them, especially the girls. And if it wasn't for Quidditch he wouldn't ever be popular.

The other six stayed at the pitch for a while, trying to remember what had gone badly.

"Luis Silva and Margarida Gueyer are our problem," said Daniel. "I tried to get the Quaffle from them and it was almost impossible."

"Yes, it's true," Regina agreed. "The same happened to me."

They both looked at the other Chaser, Pedro Walfonder to see what he had to say.

It seemed that he hadn't heard them; he was looking down and living in some other world. He finally noticed that they were looking at him and reacted, "What? Ah, yes, I also couldn't stop them."

"I think it's because they're in love," said Mark Quartz. "I sent the Bludgers in their direction several times and they escaped every time. They seemed to be protected."

The others grinned with that, it was not a real explanation, but it was funny.

"I have to go inside," he said, "sixth year is difficult and I have papers to do. See you at dinner."

"I've done my Transfiguration paper," Regina declared, "I think I can stay for a while longer."

"I'll go with you," said Pedro Walfonder, who was also a sixth year. "See you," he said and both went to the castle.

Sebastion hadn't said anything for a while, which Regina noticed.

"What are you think about?" she asked him.

"It may have been my fault," he said.

Mariana interrupted him, "Sebastion, we've agreed that it was everyone's fault. It was also your fault but not only yours, okay? The only thing we can do is try to understand what our problem was and solve it."

"I think I know," Sebastion said.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"I think we thought it was too easy to beat the Whales. I mean, most of us. I didn't though. But many of us didn't train as hard as if it was another team. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes," Mariana said, "you may be right. I confess that I thought that this game would be easy."

"I noticed that," Daniel said, "and although I tried to train harder, the others didn't follow me and I couldn't help."

"Andrew thought it would be too easy, and he saw this week's training as a waste of time," said Regina. "I don't agree with many things he does, but we know he's regarded as the boss."

"Yes, it's true. But it had been this way for quite awhile, and now it's difficult to change him," replied Daniel.

"It's difficult, but we can try," Mariana declared. "The team is not just him, the team has seven people and we can do something about it. If we always think we aren't that good, things won't ever change. I'll advise him in the next training myself."

"You'll have problems," Sebastion said.

"Of course I will," she agreed, "and you will, too, as long as you are with me. But we are stronger together, we can't be torn apart."

"I am with you," Regina smiled.

"Me too," said the boys in unison.

They were decided. They would do something.

***

Rodrigo Zagalo invaded Captain Octopus's privacy once more, his head above the fire.

"Rodrigo?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm here again," he said.

"What happened today?"

"I thought you'd like to know... Peter Pettigrew was killed with twelve Muggles, although his body wasn't found."

"Pettigrew? But why? Who?"

"No one knows why, we only know that it was Sirius Black."

"S... Sirius Black?" He couldn't believe it.

"I can't see why he would do that," Rodrigo said, "They both were the Potters' most trusted men, along with Lupin. Here in England people are in shock because they thought that, with the Dark Lord gone, there wouldn't be any more murders. They are panicking because they think they might be next. The Daily Prophet made a special edition. People don't understand why this is turning dark again, without You-Know-Who."

"I... Elektra wrote to me this afternoon," Captain Octopus said.

"What? Where is she?"

"She thanked me for inviting Hector to attend Lusitania, but he didn't accept. She said that they were leaving Etamin Island where they have been staying. They were so nearby and we didn't notice..."

"Elektra did that? She must be crazy! I knew she didn't fear us but... what else did she write?"

"She also said that someone related to the Potters would die today."

"Then she knew Pettigrew would be killed," Rodrigo deducted.

"Yes. Do you think I should tell the Academy he's dead?"

"It's up to you. Perhaps the Death Eaters here might start to feel scared and go away."

"I don't think so. But I can see the reaction they have when they hear this..."

"Okay, then, see you soon," Rodrigo said, and vanished.

Captain Octopus went down for dinner. He would only have to wait until the exact moment to activate the bomb. Then he would only have to sit back and see how some professors would react.

***

After having a bath in their dormitory's bathroom, the Mermaid Quidditch Team was reunited in the common room. The other students were certainly doing other things, or didn't want to face them; no one else was there.

Andrew was missing too, but Mark told them that he was in the dormitory and would be down soon.

Sebastion was sitting on the sofa, Daniel, Mariana and Pedro were in three wooden chairs in front of the sofa, and Regina and Mark were standing up; they were all waiting for Andrew, the Seeker.

They waited a moment without speaking, but Andrew was taking a long time to come down and Mark went to look for him.

Regina was tired of standing up and lay down on the sofa, her head on Sebastion's thighs. He was touching her long, black hair when Mark appeared.

"He is not in the dormitory," he said.

"What?" asked Mariana, "He isn't there? He doesn't want to face us then, which means that he knows he is wrong."

"So, what now?"

"Now we'll go upstairs and have dinner, it's time and I'm hungry," she said.

***

The Great Hall was already full of students when they appeared, right on time. They took their places at the Mermaid table, some of their house students stepping away from them and looking at them with disgust.

Captain Mermaid, Sabrina Pitinus, stood up in her seat at the Professors' table and spoke.

"Your attention, please," she asked.

The students calmed down a bit and she started, "I want to say two things. First, congratulations to the Whale Quidditch team, this afternoon they showed us that they were very good and that they deserved the victory. I also want to let my students know that the Mermaids had a very good and fair game. The most important thing is that none of you, nor any of the Whale team, got hurt and that, above all, fair play was always followed. And I think everyone had fun playing or watching the game this afternoon, and that's what matters. Thank you."

At the Octopus table, Richard was about to say something against Professor Pitinus's speech, but then he noticed that Douglas agreed with her and shut his mouth.

Captain Octopus stood up in his chair. This was the right moment.

"I ask your attention once again, please," he said.

The students looked at the professors' table one more time and waited for him to speak.

"I have been told of news that you should know," he started. The students paid attention to his calm expression because news meant Dark issues, and that was interesting for them.

"Today, while you were watching the Quidditch game, a mass murderer killed a wizard and twelve Muggles--"

In the room, sounds of surprise and disapproval could be heard.

"This date will be remembered for many years, because the Muggle community noticed our presence and twelve dead Muggles are a big problem for us. You must be asking what really happened and I will tell you. Mr. Pettigrew was murdered by an old friend - who seems isn't his friend anymore - his name is Sirius Black."