Year 4 Chapter 4 (POV Cas)

Lee is in commentator's heaven: first match of the season is always the biggest for multiple reasons- first off, it's the first of the season, so everyone comes out for it; it's also Slytherin against Gryffindor, the biggest rivalry in the school. To top it all off , now Lee has a viable excuse for making as many inappropriate sexual remarks as he wants, because two Gryffindor players made absolute fools of themselves flirting during a dueling club meeting. One of those two players was, of course, Jo; the other, her newly beloved, Oliver Wood. I wretch just thinking about it.

Of course, I can't say much about looking ridiculous for a number of reasons including the fact that Lee and I look like the Christmas kids wrapped up in our House colors crammed in the commentator's box together even though it's only November; also, I may have been a little too passionate during my own duels at the meeting…I'm not going to go there right now. Instead I focus on the match.

I have to say, for once, I'm not completely sure I want Slytherin to absolutely annihilate Gryffindor- I don't know much about Quidditch, but last time I checked, you're supposed to get a spot on the team because you're talented, not because you buy the entire team state of the art brooms. However, the team captain, Miles Mathers, obviously disagrees with this logic, because I'm currently watching the Malfoy boy whizzing around the pitch as Slytherin Seeker, while everyone else, including Fred, whizzes around on brand new brooms.

I don't know how Fred feels about the whole thing- he's had it rough ever since he got sorted into Slytherin, but recently things just keep getting harder- his sister was sorted into Gryffindor this year, confirming he's the only Slytherin in the family; he also recently came to the realization that he may or may not be able to speak to snakes. I mean- he said it wasn't clear, and that could either be truth or just fear and prejudice talking, but I think he might just have the gene in him. I'd kill to have it, which is a relatively unpopular opinion, but talking to snakes? That would be a cool party trick.

"Aaand- The shot is blocked by Wood! Yes! To Pollick- ooh! Not only does Zocchi have the Keeper's heart- she also has the Quaffle! GO GO GO!" Lee screams into the mic. I take the liberty of hitting him, saving McGonagall the effort. He laughs me off and keeps the commentating and the sexual harassment of the players coming.

I change my focus from Slytherin to Gryffindor for just one second, and I almost regret it immediately. It's not hard to find George, between the orange hair and the giant bat he's waving around, but it's even easier to see Lee's last comment made him miss a beat, setting off a series of events culminating in Slytherin scoring again. Wood clears it, screaming at George and everyone else about keeping their heads in the game. He's so angry he can still be heard over all of Lee's remarks.

So now Gryffindor is on the offensive, and they're moving fast. My eyes involuntarily flick to the goalposts; to Mathers. I still have a huge bruise from where he stunned me on the arm, not to mention plenty other cuts, scratches, and bumps from our not so little encounter. He really didn't show me any mercy. Good. I didn't want his mercy. I stick my tongue out at him, even though I know he can't see me.

Fred and George haven't left my side since the duel, and Fred keeps telling me to watch out- apparently he thinks Mathers has it in for me. Was glaring or something when me and George had finished our duel and George was helping me back towards Fred. I told them both they were being paranoid idiots, which is ironic considering they usually say that about me, but my stomach dropped when they first told me they noticed Mathers noticing me. I mean, I got lucky in our duel that it was relatively relegated by Snape and Lockhart, but I can't imagine taking him on outside of that setting, and if Fred and George are as stupid as I know they are, they'll say something or do something to piss him off. I really don't need that right now.

What I need is to get Jo away from Oliver and back with George- well, I guess I can't say 'back', considering they've never technically been a thing. George is messing everything up- we've been getting closer and I know for a fact it's messing with Fred, but it's also psyching me out. If I didn't know better I'd think he was into me, but I do know better. I think. Damn both of them- all of them, in fact. Friends are stupid. Lee is the best I've got, and we're still on thin ice after my little incident last year. We haven't quite cleared it up yet, but he's back to being chill around me, which I think is a pretty good sign. He's the last string of hope I've got in the benefits of friendship.

A Gryffindor chaser is going in for a goal, so Fred rightfully sends a bludger his way; George is prepared for it and in a moment of the sheerest and most painful stupidity, he deflects the bludger…

…at Miles…

It nails him in the side and he slams into the goalpost with a horrible noise- a mixture of bones cracking and his breath leaving his lungs. I can't believe it- he didn't- he can't. I can't look- no, I can't look away. I stop myself from jumping, but I can't help but gasp his name, "Miles!"

Lee turns at me, shocked for half a second, but this actually needs to be reported- Miles regained control of his broom and is waving people off- he's going to keep playing. It's a stupid decision, but he's the best keeper we've got. The match continues but it's only after Gryffindor scores again that Lee regains that edgy humor of his.

"And Mathers lets another one by! He can't catch the Quaffle, but seems to have caught the heart of my good friend Cas here. He better step up his game if he wants to hold her interest- or that ass- anytime soon."

He did not. I'm frozen in my seat, can't even turn to look at Lee, let alone slap him silly. It's official- no more friends. Never again.

"What's the matter, Cas?" Lee whispers to me, "Look- it was mean to be funny- the crowd loved-" I hold up a hand and he stops. I bite my lip in anger but say nothing. He just laughs, and I'm about to find it in me to punch him when he nearly chokes trying to make an announcement-

"That bludger- it's dogging Harry Potter! Rogue bludger!" He's not lying- a bludger is chasing Harry, as if it's got some mission to bring him down. And then it does- Harry's rolling in the dirt and the thing is trying to slam down on him. The ref intervenes and there's a lot of hustle and bustle on the pitch.

Thing is- Harry did the unthinkable two years in a row- he caught the bloody snitch. Sacrificed his body for the victory. The match is technically over- Gryffindor won, again. The staff is clearing the roaring crowd out of the stadium as fast as possible while a few Professors go to Harry's aid. The Gryffindor players are all descending and huddling around their fallen teammate, and the Slytherin players are retreating out of the stadium slowly in defeat. All but Mathers.

Lee jumps out of the box to go see Harry- they've gotten friendly in the past year, and I'm left alone. Miles flies over and hovers a few feet away from me, glaring down. I lock eyes with him, and he mouths something. I gasp as I feel all of my muscles contract- I'm paralyzed and getting hung upside down magically.

"How the tables have turned, Miss Walker," he says with a bestial smirk. My heart is pounding, which is made worse by all of the blood rushing to my head. I try to move, but I can't. My wand is tucked away, but I can't get to it, and I'm nowhere near ready to try casting spells without it. I'm trapped.

"That was quite a rude remark that commentator made, care to explain?" He asks.

"I'm trying to shake my head, but apparently I'm immobile," I snap.

"Not so fun when you're the one upside down, is it? Let's see what we can do about that," he whispers the last part with a glint in his eyes, and I brace myself as best I can. He floats in close to me as graceful as anything, even with a broken rib, and kisses me softly; biting my lip just a little bit before he pulls back.

"Guess the secret's out," my boyfriend whispers in my ear before letting me down.