*  *  *

TO VALERIE GRINDELWALD, a thoughtless decision was a faulty decision. The girl never abandoned her sense or logic, but desperate times called for desperate measure. Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the simple persuasion of a friend, that drove her to saunter over to Marcus Flint and dauntlessly ask his offer from last year still stood. But, when he nodded and kicked Lucian Bole off the team without any hesitation, she finally remembered why she never acted on impulse.

"This was a mistake," Valerie groaned, staring into Millicent Bulstrode's full-size mirror. She grimaced at the green and silver Quidditch robes that hung loosely around her figure.

"I agree. You don't even how to play," Pansy snickered, muttering something along the lines of how her attire resembled that of a Christmas stocking.

"I think it's fascinating," Tracey mused, her eyes never leaving the pages of her book. They all turned to her, as the girl rarely ever chimed in on a conversation. Valerie wondered what exactly she was referring to, if she was commenting on the situation or what lied inside the chapter she read. Tracey Davis was a puzzling one.

Valerie strapped on her shin and arm guards, trying to take her mind off things, "Are any of you planning to try out in the future?"

Pansy and Millicent exchanged looks, before bursting out into high-pitched laughter.

"We like watching the players," Millicent told her, "But the game itself is so... filthy."

"My parents say a proper lady should focus on the important things; studies, and of course, her appearance," Pansy agreed, pushing Valerie aside to look at herself in the mirror.

"That's rubbish!" the usually soft spoken Daphne Greengrass snapped, before realising what she had said. Pansy and Millicent crossed their arms, while Valerie sent her a small smile.

Daphne looked down, fidgeting with her fingers, "I-I just mean it's incredibly prejudiced. Intelligence shouldn't be labelled. What gives anyone the right to say what makes a proper lady?"

Valerie grinned as the other two rolled their eyes, going back to gossiping about some pudgy Hufflepuff who had slipped on his way to class. The Grindelwald girl tied her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail, before reaching for the door. Before leaving, she turned to Daphne, "You'e alright, Greengrass."

Making her way down the dimly-lit halls, Valerie eventually walked into their Common Room, where the team was already in huddle.

"Grindelwald!" Marcus Flint called, before quickly tossing her a lofty, narrow package. Valerie caught it with surprise, unwrapping it curiously. Inside was an ebony-wooden broomstick, its surface unscathed and its tail neatly polished. It was a Nimbus 2001, a newest and frankly most expensive model to date.

"Stunned, Grindelwald?" Before Valerie could make any inquiries, Draco Malfoy approached her smugly. All her questions were answered. Of course, they were from Lucius.

"A little," Valerie answered, eyeing the modish broomstick, "Thanks, by the way."

"If I had known you would be on the team, I would have asked father to cancel the deliveries," Draco scoffed.

Valerie raised her eyebrows at him, "Why's that, Malfoy? Am I that threatening?"

Draco sneered, "Please, you barely know how Quidditch works. I reckon you've never even gone over the handbook."

Valerie tilted her head at him, "Well, then it's a good thing this team doesn't play by the rules."

She walked away from the irksome boy, following the Quidditch players out of the dungeons. Draco caught up quickly, a scowl now plastered on his face. The two second-years lingered by the back of the lines as they headed towards the pitch, slowing as they reached the courtyard.

Oliver Wood stood in front of them with narrowed eyes, the entire Gryffindor team in tow, "Where do you think you're going, Flint?"

"Quidditch practice," the Slytherin confidently replied.

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today."

"Easy, Wood," Marcus smirked, shoving a piece of parchment into his hands, "I've got a note."

"I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new seeker and beater," Oliver read aloud, before tauntingly asking who they were.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked, but his eyes went wide at the girl beside him, "Valerie?"

"Hey, Harry," she greeted, smiling awkwardly at him. That was what she had forgot. Being on Slytherin's Quidditch team meant going against Harry, and being a beater meant aiming rock-hard bludgers at him.

Draco rolled his eyes before stepping in front of her, "That's not all that's new this year," he spun his burnished broomstick into his other hand.

"Those are Nimbus 2001s," Ron Weasley stated the obvious, shock laced in his voice, "How did you get those?"

Flint didn't miss the chance to boast, "A gift from Draco's father."

"You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best."

Valerie leaned over, whispering to Harry, "It's a shame money can't buy better personalities."

The Potter boy cracked a smile, shifting his eyes back to the scene at hand.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent," Hermione sassed, and Valerie swore Draco's cheeks flushed beet red.

But, it was only for a second, as a raged expression crossed his features, "No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little mudblood."

Valerie's lips parted slightly, knowing the gravity of the word. Harry, on the other hand, cluelessly furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy," Ron pulled out his wand, "Eat slugs!"

There was a flash of bright green light, and suddenly the Weasley was sent flying backwards, hitting the ground with a thud, prompting the Gryffindors to rush to his side. Valerie made to follow, only to be blocked by Marcus Flint.

"Whose side are you on?" he glared.

Valerie wasn't one to talk back to a fifth-year, but this one was making her incredibly inclined to. Just as she was about to open her mouth and say something she regretted, Harry passed in front of her, with Ron's arm slung around his shoulder.

"Come on, you lot," Flint ordered, leading them towards the Quidditch Pitch. He glanced at the girl sorely, as if challenging her choices. Valerie sent Harry an apologetic look, before following her teammates out of the courtyard.

Valerie was gone before Harry could ask if she was coming, and he couldn't help but notice how it wasn't the first time this had happened.

*  *  *

"We'll start off with some flying warm-ups," Marcus declared, zooming off towards the center of the pitch, "Five laps."

Flying wasn't something Valerie thought she would enjoy so much, but the strong wind blowing through her hair brought an inevitable smile to her face.

"You look like an idiot," Draco laughed, before effortlessly dashing past her.  Valerie shook her head, staying her pace. Her eyes drifted to the near-empty bleachers, landing on their sole audience.

Theodore Nott frantically flailed his arms in the air to garner her attention, and Valerie sheepishly grinned back at him. Over the year she'd been friends with Theodore, she learned that embarrassment came as a package deal with him, but surprisingly he was worth it. She'd never tell him that though, as she also learned that his head was far too big for any compliments.

Valerie finished the five laps somewhere in the middle, watching as Draco Malfoy strutted about the stadium floor as if he'd won some award. The only award he would win was for arse of the century, in Valerie's mind at least.

Marcus unlatched the equipment box, instructing them to grab what they needed and get in position. Valerie took a bat after Peregrine Derrick, the other beater on the team. He hadn't spoken a word to her, then again she'd heard that he was one of the snottiest people in their already snotty house.

Peregrine finally turned to her, "Do me a favour. Don't screw up."

"Thanks," Valerie said slowly, "I'll keep your pep talk in mind."

Peregrine spun on his heel and shooting high up into the air, swinging his bat back and forth for practice. Valerie whizzed after him, trying to get a feel of the foreign object in her hands. She had never held a beater's bat before, but she did have experience with hitting annoyingly incessant articles, Draco Malfoy's head being one of them. She could build on that.

Marcus let the bludgers fly loose, and soon enough Valerie found one blasting her way. If she didn't move it would knock her off her broom, and with that she grasped her hand around her bat, swinging it clean at the bludger's surface. It was sent right back down across the pitch, and it would have hit her Quidditch Captain square in the head if he hadn't ducked.

Instead of cursing her like she thought he would, Marcus nodded curtly in approval. He turned to the other beater, "Rookie's got aim."

"She's alright," Peregrine spoke nonchalantly, before sending off another bludger with a one-handed swing.

Valerie's jaw went slack, "Could you teach me that?"

Peregrine only flew off to the other side of the pitch. He looked at her over his shoulder, "Teach yourself."

Valerie scoffed, before she was shocked back into the game, hearing the whoosh of a bludger in her direction. Peregrine Derrick was smirking from afar, and she knew that he was the one who had sent it her way. Not having enough time to think, she swung her bat with her left hand, watching as it went spiralling back, narrowly missing the sides of Peregrine's tousled brown hair.

"Bloody hell, Grindelwald!" Peregrine cursed, a livid expression on his face.

"Sorry, Derrick!" Valerie shouted back, tilting her head at him, "Rookie mistake."

Marcus yelled that practice was over, before pulling Draco aside and trying to figure out a way to ask him to focus more, without getting his father to withdraw their bonus broomsticks. Valerie sped back down with her bat in hand, jumping off to the ground.

"That's my friend!"

Valerie's eyes went wide as Theodore ran down to the pitch, chanting those three words over and over, earning strange stares from her teammates.

Theodore didn't seem to care, sending them mocking looks back. He skipped his way over to Valerie, "You were awesome!"

She narrowed her eyes at him, before shaking her head with a smile,"Thanks, Theo."

*  *  *

Valerie was running as fast as her feet could carry her. It was just after changing back into her uniforms, that she realised how insensitive she had been earlier that morning. No wonder neither Ron nor Hermione took a liking to her.

Recalling what Harry had said a few hours prior, she made her way to Hagrid's Hut. Knocking on the misshaped door, it was quickly answered by the half-giant himself.

"Valerie!" Hagrid happily greeted, "What'er ye doin' down here?"

"Hey, Hagrid," she breathed out, still panting from the run, "Is Harry in there?"

"Jus' left, I'm afraid."

Valerie's shoulders sunk, her eyes drooping in defeat, "I feel awful."

Hagrid invited her in for a cup of tea, and Valerie found herself seated on a log as she told him all about what had happened.

"Yer not a bad person, Valerie," Hagrid told her, friendly warmth glistening in his dark-brown eyes, "Ye just need ter remember the sequence o' things."

"Sequence of things?"

Hagrid cleared his throat, before pouring Valerie another cup of tea, "Think of it as a list o' things that matter ter ye. Now, this is the tricky part. Think o' what comes first."