Despite the superior Gryffindor tactics, the fight was rather evenly matched, even with Slytherin being one man down. However, they had the advantage of most of their players being in their NEWT years, with Wood being the only NEWT student on Gryffindor's side.
...
Watching the spells fly backwards and forwards, quite a few of which he couldn't recognize, but most of the spells appeared to be more about disarming and disabling than harming, based off the regular flashes of orange and red impacting shields. The Twins were surprisingly effective with their combo-style fighting, and their usage of prank spells and jinxes were used to devastating effect as one of their opponents got hit with a slug-vomiting hex and a laughing jinx at the same time.
"Unlucky bugger," he thought with a wince, watching the guy try to cancel the dual ailment, but failing to due to the effects of the spells. His suffering only ended when one of the Slytherin Beaters fired a Finite spell, canceling them. In return, the Beater was hit by a Hair Growth Jinx for his efforts, blinding him to the next barrage of spells from the twins.
As the five-minute mark approached, neither side appeared willing to back down. He really was tempted to cast his own series of stunners and disarming charms into the mix to help break the deadlock into Gryffindor's favour. Since Slytherin were clearly gaining the advantage from having older players despite being two men down, he felt it was only right.
His wand halted as he began deciding whether he could get away with breaking a couple of the Slytherin team's broomsticks without being noticed by either side. After weighing the odds, he decided not to; there was just too much risk. Besides, the other three Houses would have new brooms as well, removing Slytherin's advantage in the upcoming matches anyway.
Turning his attention back to Neville, he noticed the boy was panting heavily from exhaustion, whether from magical or physical effects, before he was in turn hit by a Banishing Charm after his attempted shield failed to hold. "Trained and powerful, but lacks endurance," he surmised.
By the ten-minute mark, it was clear that Slytherin had the advantage, and the Lions were willing to call it quits before they lost outright. It was now a four-on-five fight in the snakes' favour since two of the three Gryffindor chasers had fallen alongside Neville.
He couldn't tell which ones from his position, but he was sure one of them was Katie. As the teams separated, he finally saw one of the Slytherin chasers get around to awakening their fallen Seeker, who clearly wanted to carry on the fight while the rest of the team clearly wanted to sit down. From his vantage point, he just quietly watched, renewing the eavesdropping charm as it started to fizzle out.
"Interesting fight," someone behind him said.
Recognizing the voice as Daphne's, he didn't even bother turning around. "Indeed, the twins were devastating. I actually felt sorry for the guy who got hit by the slug-vomiting hex and laughing jinx at the same time," he commented offhandedly.
"I missed that part," she admitted, moving up to stand next to him. "See anything important?"
"Not yet, but learned a bit more of Longbottom's abilities. Draco was dispatched within two spells before he could even cast a shield spell. Neville is powerful, but lacks endurance. He tired very fast," he noted, giving her a summary of the fight.
"Always good to know," she demurred before staring down at Draco. "I'll spread the story of how fast Draco got dispatched. I'm sure by the end of the week, the whole school will know what happened."
Grinning at Daphne's statement, looking at her for the first time since she spoke, he sent her a grin. "Well, I'll leave it in your capable hands," which gained him a small smile. "So what brings you out here? I doubt it's to watch the Slytherin team."
Smiling at him sweetly, she replied innocently, "Why wouldn't I? I'm all for supporting my House team. The question is, why are you here? Spying on my team?"
"You know why I'm here. Scouting out my competition," he scoffed, waving his hand down at Draco. "As lightly as I can use that term..."
"Besides, you would do the same in my position. Knowledge is power, after all," he said to the heiress. "Is Pansy still having indigestion problems? After all, bad gas is to be expected when you have a poor diet."
"Well, I'm grateful I share my room with Tracy," Daphne admitted.
"Lucky. I wonder how long until the issue is resolved?"
"A couple more days. Any more and people will start to suspect some type of prank was involved," she said with mock innocence. "I don't suppose that you happen to know anything for one's skin? She's awfully pale."
"I'm sure I can find something," he said with a grin. "You got anything worked out for the apes?"
"No, I don't see the need for it."
"Alright," he replied, not really wanting to get involved in the Slytherin power struggle any more than was necessary. "Maybe the cat clubs should receive some of their own medicine?" he suggested, referring to the second-year Gryffindors.
"Perhaps."
"So what was it you wanted to discuss?" he inquired, moving away from the door because he seriously doubted it was Pansy's gassy condition.
"Oh, nothing major, just wondering when whatever scheme you're cooking up recently is going to happen," Daphne asked while looking out the door. "After all, in the last couple of weeks, you have regularly met with all three Heads of Houses, and Madam Hooch, so obviously it's something to do with Quidditch."
"Been spying on me then, have you?" he said playfully, showing no concern, but was actually a bit alarmed that she had been monitoring him so closely.
"No, but Draco is," she clarified, looking down onto the field. "He's got a couple of other students following you. I know he'd try to bully Tracy too, but he got a stinging hex for his trouble, from both of us, last time he tried. Blaise made some comments that Draco was stalking you, which seemed to dampen his enthusiasm."
"Well, that's interesting... and a bit disturbing," he said slowly, wondering if Snape or the boy's father had set him the task. "And for the record, I prefer girls, at least as far as I can tell for being 12 years old," trying to lighten the conversation.
"Good to know. Otherwise, I think half the girls in our year would be disappointed. I think Hannah has a crush on you, by the way."
"Abbott? Susan's friend?" he asked, remembering the sly blonde at Susan's birthday party.
"Know any other Hannahs?" she replied, in her 'you're being stupid' tone.
"No," he admitted, unless she was referring to a couple of mundane ones from his primary school. "Not attending Hogwarts at least."
"You also might want to know I saw Chang following you as well, but I don't think it has anything to do with Draco. He's too arrogant and cocky to believe he would need anyone else, especially someone not in Slytherin," she expressed, confirming what their shared opinion of the boy was.
"So I have two stalkers then. Just what I needed..." he grumbled, privately wondering what their games were.
"At least one is a girl," Daphne offered.
"There is that. It won't be too difficult to avoid them, I suppose. Eventually they'll grow bored," he commented before turning to watch the Slytherin team run drills, his mind mulling over the problem.
The pair of them silently watched the pitch, comfortable in their silence as they both schemed and plotted, before Daphne broke the silence as Draco unleashed the snitch. "Which one are you more concerned about?"
"Chang," he answered after a moment of considering their motives. "I can guess Draco is acting on behalf of his father, due to the events of this summer. After all, I took a title from him, a title he believed would have been his come Sirius' death. Then I'm also the one responsible for his family losing quite a bit of its influence. If I was him, I would have an axe to grind.
There's also that agreement with Professor Snape, making a rather large fool of him in front of the other Heads of Houses, and the goblins. So Draco probably has been encouraged by his father and godfather to cause me some grief, just to cause problems and make my life more difficult. Notice how Snape's been lashing out at Ravenclaws in Potions far more this year?" he pointed out casually, like he was discussing the weather for the day.
"Chang? Chang I can guess is after me because I beat her at Quidditch. I just don't know what she wants to achieve beyond the Seeker position, or her methods. She's a random element."
"And Draco isn't?" his Slytherin friend probed.
"No, his power has always been his name and, more importantly, his father's influence. Both of which means he needs to be more careful who he starts fights with now. But I doubt he'll consider that, since he's been brought up on the belief that he's at the 'top of the tree.' He has to be shaken a bit before he accepts that he isn't. Snape is currently in disgrace with the other professors and can't really touch me directly, making that advantage moot. I just have to watch my back for any ambushes in the corridors. As we've just seen, Draco isn't much of a fighter, so he'll fight dirty."
"You make it sound so normal, as if it were a day-to-day event," Daphne stated.
"I've always had to watch my back," he said, his eyes roaming the pitch, spotting and tracking the snitch, wondering how long it would take for Draco to locate it.
"I suggest then you do a better job. I managed to sneak up on you, Mr. I-Watch-My-Back," she said seriously, before smiling a smile that seemed to promise discomfort. "Next time I manage to sneak up on you, I'll jinx you for letting your guard down. I'll tell Tracy to do the same."
"Is that really necessary? I was distracted by the entertainment on the pitch," referring to the fight, not really wanting to go around school for the foreseeable future watching his back from both Daphne and Tracy.
"Tell that to an assassin," she countered.
...
Hey guys I really need some power stones to Elevate the ranking :)
...
if you want to read ahead of the public release you can join my p atreon :
p atreon.com/loveran