Chapter Two: The Quidditch

"We have a good chance of winning this game, provided we stay focused" said the Gryffindor team captain, Matthew Spinnet. The match was an hour away from starting and they were preparing tactics and plans in the dressing room. "Hufflepuff have a new Keeper. I don't know what he's like. We'll see. Same Seeker, of course - do your best, Harrison" he told Suzanne Harrison, the Gryffindor seeker who had sleek blonde hair and a cute smile. "James Potter, work your usual magic" he gestured to James, who nodded and grinned his usual, toothy grin. "The team, to clarify, is..." he pointed at a chalk board.

J . Potter

V . Weasley L . Jones

P . Smith M . Spinnet F . Creevy

S . Harrison

The team, who were clutching onto themselves and each other in order to keep warm, collectively gave a small nod of recognition. Although it hadn't snowed during the night, and wasn't snowing now either, there was still ice on the ground and a fog covered the entire pitch. "Isn't it gonna be cancelled?" asked Lesley Jones, Beater, whose shivers were shaking the entire cabin. "One doesn't simply cancel Quidditch!" said Matthew, incredulously. "No, no" he said. "I've played in worse conditions that these. You can use 'Impervius' to see better"

After getting changed into their Quidditch robes they heard Madame Hootch's whistle sound, meaning they and the opposing side were to enter the pitch for the 'warm up'. None of the crowd had arrived yet, only a couple of teachers were there. This was the usual routine. After warming up they would go back inside until the match was to start. James looked above him at the Hufflepuff Seeker zooming around with perfect speed and precision. Focus, James told himself. After a few minutes a second whistle sounded, their cue to go back inside and wait for the crowds to arrive, the most nerve-wracking part. James peeked through a gap between two pieces of wood that held the changing rooms together. He could see the crowds arriving, mostly a sea of red and yellow. The noise of the crowd grew louder and louder until Matthew told them it was time to line up and head out onto the pitch. They stood in their usual formation, with James at the back, and then proceeded to mount their brooms. James kicked up off the ground, and he was flying. All his troubles, his nerves, were gone. He was free. He did a few tricks as the crowd collectively 'awed' before making his way towards the three posts he had to protect in order to win them the game.

Once both teams had taken their positions, Hootch gave her usual speech of 'a nice clean game', blew her whistle, and they were off. James squinted his eyes to see what was going on, as all the action appeared to be going on at the other end of the pitch, which meant they were playing well. "Spinnet to Creevy" shouted the commentator, whose voice echoed around the stadium. "Creevy has the ball! He's flying past the Hufflepuff defensive line, look at him go!". The crowd 'ooh'ed and 'aah'ed. "Creevy passes the ball back to Spinnet, and it's in! Middle hoop! Ten-Zero to Gryffindor!". James punched the air, still concentrating. Hufflepuff were approaching. "Abbott in possession, will he try and shoot?" shouted the commentator. James switched between the three hoops, looking to see which Abbott would shoot towards. And before the ball had even been released, James could see a mile off that he was aiming for the far left. He flew in front of it and waited until he was able to clear the ball. The audience cheered. "What a save by Potter!" yelled the commentator. "He hasn't lost it!". James flew back to the middle post to stand his ground. His team were, once again, holding up the opposition in their opponent's half. Peter Smith wound his way in and out of the defence, the three chasers passing the Quaffle between them with ease. Without thinking about it, James drifted from the hoops, as he usually did. He noticed a Bludger heading towards the Gryffindor end of the pitch. He dodged out of the way just in time for Lesley Jones to smack the ball towards the Hufflepuff keeper, who also dodged by just an inch.

An hour into the game, it was thirty each. James had missed a couple of saves that he could and should have gotten to but he, like the rest of the team, was mostly on form. Hufflepuff were tiring and one of their beaters had just been injured, so there was a ten minute time- out. "No sign of the Snitch?" asked Matthew.

"Nope" Harrison replied. James nodded in agreement.

"Well, keep looking. Doesn't look like their guy has either. Victoire, Lesley - fantastic job. Same to the rest of you, really. Just keep it up - they're tiring and we can take a big lead."

Fifteen minutes after the time-out Gryffindor had scored a following thirty points, making it sixty-thirty. Harrison had spotted the Snitch first and chased it around the pitch, followed closely by the Hufflepuff seeker, who had more speed and a better broom with which to show it off. "Come on!" James muttered as Harrison came within inches of closing her hand around the Snitch before it took off in another direction. Harrison turned her broom using all her power and took after the Snitch again, this time with a short head-start against the opposing Seeker. The Snitch was gaining height, along with the two of them. They were now amongst the fog and were almost impossible to see. The audience started shouting various encouragements. 'Come on, Harrison', 'Catch the Snitch'.

The commentator was silent, not knowing what was going on, like the rest of the crowd. Play had virtually stopped so James gained a bit of height, but saw nothing. After about ten minutes, the two seekers came down again, Harrison cheering and smiling, the Hufflepuff Seeker slowing down towards the ground. Harrison held up the Snitch and the crowd cheered. "SHE'S GOT IT!" yelled the commentator, barely heard amongst the cheering Gryffindor supporters. "GRYFFINDOR WINS TWO HUNDRED AND TEN TO THIRTY!". The audience gave an almighty roar, not dissimilar from that of a lion. James flew towards the ground and joined the celebrations. "Great one, Harrison" James shouted in her ear, the only way to be heard.

"Suzy Harrison, the hero of the game. What a great performance from the entire team. But are they worthy of the cup this year?" James heard the commentator say before the sound was wiped out by a stampede of screaming Gryffindors dressed in red and gold running towards the team in order to celebrate on the pitch.

When they were eventually cleared from the pitch, the team and supporters made their way to the Gryffindor common room where, for many hours, the win was celebrated and much fun was had. It wasn't until two in the morning, once half the students had gone to bed and those who hadn't had started to feel tired anyway, that James saw Albus, with Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy, sneak from the common room and into the corridor outside.