CHLOE WAS GOING to be expelled, she just knew it. All she wanted was to get Neville Longbottom's Remembrall back, but she let herself get a little carried away. She desperately wanted to say something to defend herself, but there seemed to be something wrong with the Potter girl's voice.
Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at Chloe; she had to jog to keep up. Now she'd done it. She hadn't even lasted two weeks. She'd be packing her bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when she returned?
Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still McGonagall didn't say a word to Chloe.
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The stern head of Gryffindor wrenched open doors and marched along corridors, with the Potter girl trotting miserably behind her. Perhaps she was being taken to Dumbledore. Chloe thought of Hagrid, who had been expelled but was thankfully allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps she could be Hagrid's assistant. But her stomach twisted as she imagined it, watching Hermione, Daniel, Ron and all the other students she knows becoming witches and wizards whilst she stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.
McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the classroom door, poked her head inside and asked, "Professor Quirrell, excuse me, excuse me. Could I borrow Wood for a moment, please?"
Chloe was left bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on her? But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Quirrell's class looking just as confused as Chloe.
"Follow me, you two," said McGonagall. She, Chloe and Wood marched on up the corridor, with Wood looking curiously at the Potter girl who only responded with a shy smile for the older boy.
"In here." McGonagall instructed. She pointed the Gryffindors into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was writing rude words on the blackboard. "Out, Peeves!" McGonagall snapped.
Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two Gryffindors. "Miss Potter, this is Oliver Wood." She introduced. Wood nodded to Chloe, with a small smile. The Potter girl did the same.
"Wood, I have found you a Seeker!" McGonagall revealed, with quite an elated look. Right away, Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight. "Are you serious, Professor?" He asked her, which promptly revealed his Scottish accent.
"Absolutely," said McGonagall, crisply. "The girl's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Miss Potter?"
Chloe nodded, silently. She didn't have a clue what was going on, but she was just glad that she didn't seem to be getting expelled. "She caught that thing in her hand after a fifty-foot dive, Didn't even scratch herself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it." McGonagall informed Wood, who was looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.
