Authors Note: This story does go along with the Prisoner of Azkaban timeline but a few things have been changed. Such as the first game Gryffindor plays against is Slytherin and Katie is dating Oliver. Just small things like that, nothing major.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters except for Nicole, Courtney and Sophie.


Chapter 1

Thunder and lightning clapped over Hogwarts causing Alicia Spinnet to awake with a jolt.

She sighed to herself as she rolled over and fumbled for her watch. 10:30. Good. It was Saturday. Plenty of time to relax in bed, why she didn't have to move at all if she didn't want to. Alicia smiled with contentment at the thought of spending the whole day-

SMACK.

The sound of palm contacting with skin could be heard and Alicia felt a sharp stinging on her back. "What the hell?!" she shrieked.

"Rise and shine!" Angelina said brightly, poking her head around the curtains.

"Was it necessary to hit me so hard?" Alicia grumbled. She blinked in the dark room. Despite it nearly being midday, the clouds hung over the castle casting a shadow over their room.

"To get you up? Yes," Angelina shrugged. "First game of the season, remember? Don't want to be late, otherwise Wood will have a fit".

Alicia realised with horror that Angelina was already dressed in her Quidditch uniform. "I don't want to play in this weather!" she moaned.

"Get up lazy bones!" Angelina smirked. "When we win the match, you can sleep all you like."

Grumbling and grouching, Alicia forced herself out of the comfort of her warm bed and pulled on her own Quidditch uniform.

"Excellent," Angelina smiled. "The-"

An angry shout drowned out the rest of her sentence.

"Thayer! Will you get your stupid cat off my bed!" Nicole Steel demanded. Nicole was, without a doubt, the girls' least favourite dorm mate. With blonde hair and blue eyes, she was the perfect stereotype of every males fantasy.

If only her inner beauty was as wonderful as the rest of her. She was cold, cruel and just plain rude. The curtains on the bed to her left pulled open and Sophie Thayer blinked at her.

"What are you on about?" she asked, her voice heavy with sleep. Alicia couldn't help but smile at Sophie's messy bed hair which in contrast to Nicole's perfectly straight hair, looked like a black mop. With that being said though, Alicia found she'd much rather be in the company of friendly and caring Sophie than Nicole.

"Your cat is on my bed!" Nicole snapped as the black and white cat stretched out, yawning as it did so.

"Oh my goodness!" Sophie gasped, placing a hand over her heart. "I'm so sorry! Is your bed OK?"

Nicole ignored the sarcasm and glared at the girl.

"Get the cat off!" she growled.

Sophie simply smirked at her. "Here Daisy," she called, opening her arms wide and looking at her pet. The cat flung her tail up at Nicole before stretching lazily and with a tired 'meow' she jumped off the springy bed and leapt into Sophie's waiting arms.

"Keep that thing away from my bed," Nicole warned, pointing her finger at the kitty.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry," Sophie mock-apologized, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I hope your bed will survive! I mean-"

"Oh shut up, Thayer," Nicole hissed.

"Will you be QUIET?!" a voice roared, causing all heads to turn. The curtains of the final bed in the room were ripped open, revealing Sophie's best friend and Nicole's other arch enemy, Courtney Price.

Tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear and glaring at Nicole through her pale blue eyes, she emitted a yawn. Courtney was not at all a morning person and the last thing she enjoyed seeing so early was Nicole Steel.

"You have the most annoying voice!" Courtney groaned. "Daisy wasn't hurting you."

"Excuse me," Nicole said stiffly "but there are boundaries and-"

Courtney snored dramatically and fell back against the pillow rolling her eyes, causing a gargle of laughter to escape Sophie who shook her head at her and placed Daisy down at the foot of her bed.

Angelina and Alicia laughed too, watching the way Nicole gave an annoyed 'humph' and strutted into the bathroom to get ready. Once she was gone they both shared a look.

As much as Alicia and Angelina wanted to stay and see another fight between the girls, they were already running late and so, not wanting to be yelled at by their dear old captain, they hurriedly left the fifth years dormitory and wishing longingly they could still be in a comfortable bed just like their roommates.


Upon stumbling into the Great Hall, Alicia and Angelina saw that the rest of the team were already wide awake.

Oliver pounced on the pair as soon as he spotted them.

"You're late!" he cried angrily, rounding on them and stomping down the aisle towards them. "Where were you? No! Don't answer! Just eat! Hurry up!"

He looked hysterical, almost verging on manic as he started pacing up and down the aisle.

The team all watched him, although nobody said anything until Katie put down her spoon and swallowed her mouth full of cereal. "Oliver," she said tiredly. "Will you relax?"

"Relax!" Oliver scoffed. "How can I? We're playing against Slytherin! The most brutal team in conditions we haven't properly trained for because you lot have gotten sloppy over the summer! And to top it off, my Chasers turn up late, my Seeker looks as though he hasn't slept in days and my Beaters won't stop mucking around!"

"I'll oo alm own?" Fred said through a mouthful of bacon. Everyone stared at him and George sighed.

"He said will you calm down," he translated.

"I just said no!" Oliver cried, practically ripping out his hair.

"Merlin man, breathe!" George said. "You're obsessed."

"Obsessed!" Oliver echoed "I'll give you-"

But he broke off as Fred shoved some bacon in his mouth.

"'ave ome acon ate," he said cheerfully.

"Have some bacon, mate," George clarified as everyone turned to him for help to understand his twin. Most of the school finally made their way down and the rest of the breakfast passed by in a rush, Oliver urging and pleading for his team to hurry up. He breathed a sigh of relief when finally they were done.

"If only the weather was better," Katie said miserably, looking out the window at the dreary weather.

"Don't let a little rain get you down, Kates," Angelina winked.

"That's the spirit, Johnson!" Oliver said cheerfully. "Now come on! I want one hundred percent from the lot of you"

"Aye aye Cap'n!" George saluted as Fred bowed.

Alicia laughed as she trailed behind her team, the rain coming down in sheets. She ran a hand through her hair as she thought of how rough this match was going to be. She was at the Entrance door when suddenly her view was blocked by a pair of hands covering her eyes.

"Guess who?" a cheerful voice sung in her ears. She knew who it was instantly.

"Give me a clue?" Alicia teased.

"Well," the owner of that laid-back tone started. "He's incredibly handsome, very funny and has quite a way with the ladies."

Alicia giggled and shoved Lee's hands away. "Is he also a compulsive liar and has a knack for getting on McGonagall's bad side every single Quidditch match?" she turned to face him.

Lee waved a hand idly. "Those are minor details," he smirked. "People usually skim over those when they stare into my deep brown eyes."

Alicia snorted. "You're an idiot," she chuckled.

Lee pretended to look hurt. "Straight through the heart," he gasped before grinning. "So tell me Leesh, gonna win for once?"

Alicia gritted her teeth. She hated that nickname and he knew it, funnily enough though, Lee was the only one who got away with calling her that.

"It's Alicia!" she snapped.

Well, most of the time.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's Leesh," Lee chuckled as she glared at him.

"Do you want to die?" she questioned.

"Ah, no not really," Lee said. "You see, I'm at the prime of…of…my..."

Lee trailed off as Nicole strutted past.

"Hi Lee," she winked, a coy smile playing at the corner of her lips. Alicia mimicked vomiting as Lee continued to stare open-mouthed after Nicole.

"Earth to Lee," Alicia said fighting a mad desire to laugh at the look on his face. "Hello Lee!"

She waved a hand in front of his face and clicked her fingers but it didn't work, it seemed he was paralysed. Alicia rolled her eyes before grabbing one of Lee's dreadlocks and giving it a hard tug.

"OW!" he cried, pushing her away. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"I had to get your attention somehow!" Alicia shot back. "A drooling commentator is not what we need".

"I wasn't drooling," he protested, quick to argue. "I was merely observing a very pretty girl".

Alicia rolled her eyes again. "You could do so much better," she sighed with a shake of her head.

"Why?" Lee said eagerly. "Do you know someone?"

Suppressing a third eye roll, Alicia patted Lee on the back. "Come on Casanova," she said. "Let's go before Oliver kills me."

She jogged ahead on the soppy grass and Lee watched her for a few seconds before coming out of his daze. "Hey Leesh!" he called after her. "Who's Casanova?"

Alicia didn't reply and he heard her laugh again as she headed towards the locker room, leaving Lee frowning in her wake. When she opened the door and snuck in she found Oliver standing in front of the board by the lockers and everyone gathered on or around the surrounding benches.

"Right," Oliver said, pointing to a very detailed diagram of a play he'd drawn meticulously on the board. "OK, now.."

They all stared at him. "Oliver?" Harry asked timidly. "Are you feeling alright?"

Oliver sighed. "This is my last year to win!" he said in an almost pleading tone. "It's my only chance to get the cup! So, please, just-"

"Play our best?" Katie offered.

"Play better!" Oliver corrected.

"Calm down, Olly old boy," Fred soothed.

Oliver glared at him. "This is serious!" he implored, throwing his hands in the air. "Don't let me down!"

"Have we ever?" Angelina smirked. Oliver didn't answer.

It was then they heard the crowds in the stands above them roar and begin their cheering, and over the sounds of clapping and chanting they heard Lee begin his commentary.

"Guess that's our cue eh?" Katie remarked, standing up off the bench and picking up her broom.

"Indeed it is m'lady!" George exclaimed, standing up too and holding out a hand for his twin. "Shall we Fred?"

"We shall!" Fred agreed, slinging his broom over his shoulder once George had helped him to his feet. "Our audience awaits!"

Angelina and Alicia shook their heads at them and followed Harry out the door and into the tunnel.

As the cold air encircled them and horizontal rain blew in through the tunnel opening, Alicia couldn't help but think back to her soft cozy bed.

"This is going to be a long match," she muttered to herself as they reached the pitch and stepped out. Her robes were drenched even before they'd reached the centre of the pitch, and the water dripping into her eyes made it hard to see much. She squinted against the rain to look up at the applauding - and equally soaked - spectators. The sea of red and green really popped against the dark, rainy backdrop high above her head, and she pulled her goggles on to stop herself from blinking so much. "This is going to be a really long match," she groaned again.

If only she realised, it was going to be much, much shorter than she would ever have thought possible.


Alicia traipsed over to the centre of the pitch, dodging deep puddles as she went. Once she reached it she mounted her broom and kicked off lightly, so that she was hovering alongside her teammates.

Everyone's eyes were locked on Madame Hooch and the two glaring captains in the centre of the circle.

"Captains, shake hands," Madame Hooch shouted over the downpour. Oliver and Flint scowled at each other before extending their hands and giving each other the quickest handshake Alicia had ever witnessed.

"Mount your brooms!" the flying coach yelled again, looking to see if both Captains were doing as they were told. Angelina winked at Alicia as they mounted their brooms. Once Oliver was mounted and had flown over to his Goal Hoops and Marcus was with the other Chasers she nodded approvingly, and gave them all one last lingering look before blowing her whistle.

The game had begun.

"And they're off!" Lee bellowed into the megaphone, huddling under his umbrella with McGonagall in the teachers' box.

As much as Alicia wanted to listen to his commentary, it was damn near impossible in this weather. Not only was the rain falling hard, hitting off her body and making her ache with the sheer force of it, but she could barely hear Angelina or Katie calling to her in-between passes. Coupled with the fact that it was ridiculously impossible to see anything, she knew she didn't have the luxury of listening to Lee. She had to concentrate.

"KATIE!" she roared to the blonde soaring up above. "PASS!"

She was shocked that the Chaser had even heard what Alicia had said, but grinned nonetheless when the blonde skilfully dropped the Quaffle into Alicia's waiting hand as she flew onwards towards the Slytherin Goal Hoops.

Alicia let out a frightened squeal when the leather ball almost slipped out of her hands. Trying desperately to keep a hold of it she tucked it under her arm protectively, having to squint against the rain to make sure she was heading towards the right go-

"OOF- What the-"

The wind was practically knocked out of her as something hard hit her right shoulder, punching the Quaffle out from underneath her arm and grabbing a hold of her broom to knock her off-course.

"MONTAGUE- ARGH!" she grunted as he aimed his elbow into her side and she attempted to kick him away.

He backed off just as Alicia heard a high-pitched whistle over the sound of the wind.

"-And yes as I thought that's TWO Fouls to Slytherin for Cobbing and Blagging!" Lee announced from his post. "HOW FUCKING DARE H- Oops sorry Professor," Lee said meekly as McGonagall swatted him over the head. He cleared his throat before continuing on, having to focus hard to make out the names on the back of the players robes. "And they're off again!"


Ten minutes later and they'd made no progress. Of course that depends on what you'd define as 'progress'.

If you were a Slytherin player, you may define it as earning one more foul in the space of five minutes, aiming a Bludger at Katie - which she only avoided due to Angelina's quick reflexes -, scoring a goal which Oliver swore was Haversacking, and generally playing like the scum of the Earth that they were, then yes. Slytherin were making excellent progress.

On the other hand if you were a Gryffindor player like Alicia you would say the complete opposite. In all honesty she thought Oliver was going to smash Derrick's face in for aiming that Bludger at Katie, but he needn't bother. Fred promptly aimed a Bludger directly at him, earning a foul for Gryffindor on the basis of Bumphing, but no one really cared.

Compared to how Slytherin were playing, Fred was positively angelic.

The three Chasers in red and gold swooped and dived around the Slytherin players, disorientating them enough to swipe the Quaffle out of Warrington's slippery hands.

As Katie tossed the Quaffle back to Angelina, who then passed it to Alicia above her she couldn't imagine a worse time to play Quidditch. Making them play in this weather was just pure torture.

Every drop of rain that hit her hands numbed her skin. Her hands could have been made of ice for all she knew right now, and her knuckles were turning white in a desperate attempt to keep a hold of her broom.

Alicia struggled to see through the downpour and barely knew what was going on around her.

Multiple times, she nearly crashed into Harry who zoomed past her searching for the golden winged ball, and briefly she caught a glimpse of Malfoy hot on his tail - his ash blonde hair stood out against the darkness. Her voice was going hoarse from the countless times she had shouted her apologies at the players.

Just as she pulled her hand back to take aim at the goal hoops, a flash of lightning ripped through the sky over head, blinding her momentarily. By the time she came to and swung her arm forward, the Quaffle was gone. She growled menacingly when she saw that Flint was already halfway back across the pitch with it.

She took off after him, completely losing track of everything. There was no way for her to know how many points they were winning or losing by, or to communicate with her fellow Chasers, and the rain had deafened her to the point where she couldn't hear Lee's albeit hilarious commentary of the match.

Though she thought she did hear McGonagall yelling at him through the microphone and had to fight a giggle.

Any loss of concentration would cost them the game.

She stalked Flint from above like a hawk, never letting him out of her sight. And she gripped her broom handle even tighter as she prepared to dive.

Completely unaware that somebody else was watching her, stalking her every move too.

"ALICIA! LOOK OUT!"

She heard the petrified yell, but with the frigid droplets numbing her body it took her longer than it should have for her to turn and see what was coming towards her.

By that time it was too late.

CRACK.

Katie let out a horrified yelp as she saw the Bludger hit her friend hard, and she covered her mouth were her hands as she tried not to cry.

It was intentional!

Bole bounced his Beaters Bat to his other hand to high-five Derrick whilst the other sneering Slytherins congratulated him on his 'wicked aim'.

Angelina could hardly believe what she was seeing, only really registering what happened when she heard her scream ringing in her ears.

There was nothing she could have done to stop it as the Bludger smashed into Alicia's head, and she watched in horror as it collided with her with a sickening thud resounding through the air.

Alicia didn't know what was happening.

Where was she?

Why was she on a broom?

Was it raining?

She no longer felt the icy droplets pelt off her skin.

She no longer cared that her body was freezing cold.

All she could feel was the sickening pressure at the back of her head, willing her eyes to close.

Desperately she tried to shake the feeling away, but to no avail.

Slowly but surely, her hold on the wooden broom handle began to slacken and her eyes drifted shut.

And then she felt weightless.


Katie let out a piercing scream as she watched her friend topple off her broom and fall through the air like a rag doll would, at the same time Angelina bellowed out her name.

Their screams seemed to draw the rest of the teams attention to her and countless eyes followed their gaze to Alicia's limp figure.

Lee could be heard through the speaker as McGonagall stood up and watched her student hurl towards the ground.

"Someone catch her!" Lee yelled out, pointing to Alicia as she neared the sodden ground.

Oliver remained frozen momentarily, along with Fred who felt George plunge forward beside him in an attempt to catch his friend.

Nobody took notice of the Slytherins who carried on playing.

Fred was shaken out of his frozen state at the same time Katie, Angelina and Harry followed George in his frenzied attempt to catch her.

None succeeded as an ear-splitting thump met their ears signalling her limp body had met the ground.

For a moment there was silence.

"No," Oliver gasped, hearing Katie burst out into tears by his side and Angelina let out a whimper.

"ALICIA!" Lee bawled, shoving teachers aside to make it to the stairs of the stands. He had to get to her.

"Leesh!" George cried, kneeling down at her side and shaking her heavy shoulders.

"No, no, no ALICIA!" Angelina whimpered, crouching down on the other side of George and fussing over her friend.

"Out of my way!" Lee barked as he elbowed George aside to reach her. His heart broke at what he saw. There was no expression on her face. No movement behind her closed eyelids.

Nothing.

"Someone take her to the hospital wing!" he yelled over the rain, not bothering to cover up the hurt all over his face or the panicked tone in his voice.

"Oh my god," Katie whispered into Oliver's shoulder. She couldn't look. "Oh my god!"

"Would you believe this?" Oliver said looking up, one arm wrapped around Katie as he gestured to the sky with the other. "The Slytherins are still playing!"

"Who cares?!" Katie screeched at her captain. "What about Alicia?"

Fred and George continued to work over Alicia, trying to revive her somehow as Lee and Harry stood back a bit in horror.

She lay on the ground, her hair mixing with the blood that wept from the gaping wound in the back of her head. Her left leg was bent at an unusual angle and there was a large purple bruise already forming on her right cheek. The sight of her arms looking as though there were no bones in them gave Harry a chill as he remembered having bones removed from his arm the year before.

"Damn!" Fred whispered just as Dumbledore and McGonagall reached them.

The twins moved aside as the Headmaster bent down beside the fallen player and examined her gingerly.

He was grave as he stood back up and looked at them. "She needs the hospital wing, immediately."