"You're ENGAGED?"
By jegan
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, themes, places, names, etc., from JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.
Last Chapter:
Lily watched him go, her fingers pressed to her lips which had just touched his. It was chaste and gentle. A part of her thought to retort, to push him away as she had been so accustomed to doing these past years, but a greater part of her chose to cherish the moment. A fleeting secret kiss for luck and for love.
Chapter 9 – Gryffindor verses Slytherin – Part Two
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to quidditch at Hogwarts!" the Ravenclaw commentator's voice rang throughout the stadium. "Tonight the Gryffindor lions meet the Slytherin serpents in the air. It has been predicted to be the Match of the Season. On the Gryffindor team we have James Potter as Captain…"
The commentator went on to list the players of both sides, with clear favoritism to the Gryffindors. Slytherin had beaten Ravenclaw in a tense match full of penalties and Ravenclaw were still sore over it.
The two captains, James and Murray, came forward. They shook hands under the watchful eye of the flying instructor who was refereeing the match. The whistle blew. The balls were released.
The game had begun.
All players were in the air. The quaffle passed from hand to hand. The two bludgers swung dangerously around trying to knock players off their brooms. The snitch had already disappeared.
"And the game is off to a fantastic start. Gryffindor has the quaffle, MacCready passes to Fletcher. Fletcher feints back to Creedy but speeds ahead. She passes to Potter. POTTER SCORES. The first goal of the match goes to Gryffindor by Potter."
The stands roared with cheering and applause. Lily hurried up the stands to sit by her family, Selene and the Marauders. The goal had momentarily abated her fears. She joined in the applause and was pleased to note her father also acknowledging the goal. His cheeks were red and chafed from the wind and the grin he wore lifted them up. He clapped his hands enthusiastically.
Lily placed two fingers in her mouth and blew. The whistle rang out across the pitch louder than any sound. Her father turned to look at her with pride and slung his arm around her shoulders. He too whistled beside her.
On her fathers other side stood Cameron with his mother. He looked on with a disapproving eye. The last thing he wanted was Mr Evans and Lily bonding over sport. He despised sport and this hatred had always been a shortcoming in Mr Evans eyes as Cameron knew all too well. James Potter's aptitude at sport posed a threat to Cameron. It had the potential to ruin his chances for marriage with Lily. But Cameron had it all sorted. He would tolerate no rival. He watched the game with malicious anticipation.
"Yes! Nice save by the Gryffindor keeper, Reilly! Gryffindor in possession, Fletcher, MacCready, Potter, Fletcher, swerve! Swerve dammit! Fletcher hit by bludger! He drops the quaffle. Its caught by Slytherin Captain Murray. He belts towards goal posts. OUCH! Foiled by a bludger! I hope it broke his arm… just joking professor. And Potter has the quaffle. He's streaking down the field. Passes to Fletcher, passes to MacCready, back to Potter. Oh fudge! Caught by the Slytherin Keeper. – what's that? Nasty! Slytherin Beater belts Potter with a bludger! He's swaying. Can he stay on the broom? Can he?"
James ignored the blood pounding against his temple. He ignored the dizziness and nausea that threatened to overcome him. He strengthened his grip on the broom handle and righted himself. He checked the scoreboard. Still Gryffindor 10; Slytherin 0. So that last shot hadn't gone in. He cursed under his breath.
The Slytherin Keeper smirked at him. James took it in his stride and continued with the game. Slytherin Chaser Anna Barker had the quaffle. He chased after her swerving the bludgers that were continuously pelted at him. Sirius flew alongside him batting them away.
"Sorry about that last one mate," he called. "Didn't see it coming. You almost scored there."
"Almost," James was dissatisfied.
The two bludgers were speeding simultaneously towards him. Sirius beat off one but missed the other. It hit James shoulder with a fierce power. He jolted in the air and was almost knocked off his broom. But he wasn't Captain for nothing. He held on for life.
Meanwhile, Slytherin scored. The game was even on ten points each.
The wind whipped up around them and it began to rain. The droplets fell heavy upon the players, soaking their clothes, weighing them down, blinding them. Gryffindor scored two more goals. One was by Fletcher, the other by James, but only just. He was continuously assaulted by bludgers.
James called a time out. The referees whistle blew and the players descended from the air. They hurried out of the rain. James hurried about his team and cast drying spells upon them all. He cast further advanced spells to stop them from getting soaked and to help them see. Then he turned to Sirius.
"Prongs, there isn't much more I can do," Sirius complained. "The Slytherin beaters have it out for you. Chester and I can't both protect you. He has to look after the rest of the team. I'm doing my best. Hang in there mate."
James nodded resignedly. Indeed it seemed that the Slytherin beaters had done nothing but pelt the bludgers at James and the Gryffindor beaters were powerless to halt the assault. Suddenly he realized. This is what Cameron had arranged with Murray: for James to be beaten to a pulp. It was working. He rubbed his shoulder and other wounds apprehensively, wincing at the touch.
"Okay," he began resolutely. "The Slytherin beaters are forcing me out of the game. Fletcher, MacCready, its up to you to score. You've been doing fabulous so far, but I know you can do even better. It's windy and raining, so short sharp passes. Be precise and be wary of Slytherin chasers stealing the ball from your hands.
"Chester I want you to cover them, on the off chance the bludgers go after anyone but me. Also, try and keep the bludgers away from the Slytherin beaters. Hit them in the opposite direction. Make the beaters work to hit the bludgers at me. Sirius, cover me. I wanna live through this game.
"Compton it'd be really great if you could catch the snitch really soon. I know its raining, I know it's hard to see, but we need to win this. The sooner this game is over, the better. Kay Gryffindor, go out there and do your best!"
James' speech finished with a grim smile and firm look.
"We can do this!"
The team joined hands and cheered, revving each other up. They ran back onto the field, mounted their brooms and kicked off into the air soaring high above the grass. James relished the feel of the rain against his face and smiled as the wetness dissipated leaving his skin dry and his sight clear. Sirius stuck beside him. The two marauders were side by side, together as always in life's battles.
The whistle blew. Play resumed.
Gryffindor team followed James' instructions play by play. But as he had foreseen, it was difficult to score with only two chasers against three. A third of an hour after play had resumed and Slytherin were already up by 20 points. James' bruises were multiplying, as were Sirius'. Protecting his friend came at a high price.
"Why doesn't Madam Higgle call them up?" Lily asked furiously. "They're deliberately hurting him!"
"She doesn't know that. He is Gryffindor's star player. They're just stopping him from scoring."
Selene tried to comfort her.
Meanwhile, in the air, James had a brief respite from the onslaught to catch the quaffle. He had a chance to close the gap in the scores. He streamed down the pitch as fast as he could go. Sirius flew above him beating off the bludgers. One skimmed past his ear, just missing him. James aimed and threw.
"GRYFFINDOR SCORES! And Potter is back in the game. Nice goal! Just one more goal and the score will be even. Come on Gryffindor!" the commentator yelled. The stands cheered, but for Slytherin whose booing was drowned out by the overwhelming support for Gryffindor.
Suddenly, one of the Slytherin beaters swung their bat too close. Hard wood met flesh. Bone cracked. James spiraled downwards at fatal speed. He met the grass with bang that made the audience gasp and scream. Sirius flew down beside him. Lily and the others ran down the stairs with concern.
"POTTER IS DOWN! FOUL PLAY!" cried the outraged commentator. "That evil Slytherin git! That was deliberate. It wasn't enough to pelt him with bludgers. They want to kill him. Argh! Bloody Slytherins!"
"Foul play!" called Mr Evans. "Red Card! Red Card!"
But there is no red card in quidditch so play continued. Gryffindor was awarded a penalty shot which Fletcher took and won, bringing Gryffindor and Slytherin to equal points. Compton flew high above the pitch, peering desperately through the rain for a golden glimpse.
He dived.
"Compton has seen the SNITCH! He dives. He catches. GRYFFINDOR WINS! HURRAH! But Potter may be dead! We are awaiting Madame Pomfreys arrival on the pitch and diagnosis. Such brutality on a quidditch pitch is reminiscent of quidditch's early days. Shame it weren't Murray lying half dead on the grass. Bloody Slyth-"
At that point Professor McGonagall had truly had enough. She silenced him with a wave of her wand.
James lay face down in the grass unconscious. Green became red as thick blood oozed from a head wound. Sirius rolled him over cautiously.
"James, Prongs," he called. "Wake up, mate. It's me, Padfoot."
There was no response. The spell he had cast earlier began to fail. The wet seeped into his clothes, his boots, his hair and splattered his face with cold droplets. He was unreceptive.
Lily's tears fell with the rain. She threw herself beside him, racked with sobs. She brushed his dark wet hair aside from his closed eyes and gently kissed his forehead. Her fingers to his neck she detected a small fluttering pulse that came and went sporadically and was inconstant.
Across the grass she saw a pair of shiny black shoes. A still calm came over her, determined and deadly.
"You," she cried at Cameron. "You're responsible. I saw you with Murray. You made this happen. How dare you hurt him?"
Lily stood and strode accusingly towards him. Behind her, Sirius had his wand out. He was furious.
"I am sick of this. I am no child, to be seen but not heard. Hear me now. No more charades. I do not love you and I will not marry you. Stay away from James and stay away from me."
Lily shoved Cameron to the ground with a violent angry thrust.
The air cracked and burned as though lightening had struck, but there had been no thunder.
In Lily's place stood a small girl in a red dress with her auburn hair in two long pig tails tied with red ribbons. She looked about her confusedly and hugging herself against the wet. Through the sheets of rain she glimpsed the tall Mr Evans and ran towards him hugging him around the middle.
"Daddy!"
