Chapter nine
It was the day of the big game and Annabella was playing chaser. Annabella sat down next to Icarus at breakfast with the rest of the girls at her side. If she was nervous she wasn't showing it unlike Frida who looked worried for her friend. It probably didn't help that Mrytle was retelling the tragic events of Elmus Moppyly, the most brutal death recorded in magical history. Icarus squeezed her hand.
"don't worry Tristan, Elwood and I will look after you, but don't except Buggs to his more the point and laugh at your misfortune kind of guy." she yanked her hand free whacking him up the back of the head. "ouch!" he mocked.
"bite me." she snapped. So maybe she was a tad nervous after all. He grinned.
"don't tempt me."
The raven claw team sat nervously in the change room, today they were facing Griffindor.
Elwood was jumping up and down with excitement while Buggs and Tristan sat in the corner lost in a conversation. Lucas Tessenger was plucking at the tail of his broomstick and Icarus stared moodily at the ground as Cohen blurted out their game plan. Annabella had never been so bored or felt so out of place in her life.
She was playing chaser along with Elwood and Tessenger. Their captain was the keeper. Icarus and Buggs were the two beaters which left Tristan in his new position of seeker.
As they entered the pitch a mixture of cheers and boos were yelled in a blurr.
They mounted and took off in to the sky. Seconds later the whistle sounded and they were in play.
The Griffindors had the quaffle and suddenly Elwood jumped a foot snatching it clean out of the red players arms. He pelted down the pitch passing it off to Tessenger who through it to Anna who scored.
As the game got going the scores were favouring Ravenclaw.
Annabella chucked the quaffle pausing momentarily to see all four beaters from both teams arguing whacking the bludger at each other oblivious to the game at hand.
Potter snatched the quaffle mid pass. Annabella cringed as she heard their captain Cohen screaming black and blue from his end of the pitch.
There was a crack echoing out behind Anna like thunder but was to close for that, she spun around seeing Icarus slip side ways off his broom falling to the ground at an alarming speed. Her and Buggs dived down after him getting a hold of him only meters from the ground. Icarus hovered between the two brooms and suddenly Annabella was aware of the blood pouring down his face from everywhere.
Black swung his leg over the back of Annabellas broom climbing on behind her. Buggs pointed his wand at Icarus's face.
"amenda." he said. " that will hold it for a while."
"thanks Buggs. Now did either of you see where my broom went?"
"cohen has got it for you." he nodded.
Annabella flew them down to their keeper and Icarus climbed back onto his own broom. It was plain to see Icarus was in a lot of pain the bleeding may of slowed but he looked a mess.
Suddenly a almighty cheer went up and they looked over to see Elwood jumping and ya-hooing Tristan who was holding the snitch.
"what a bloody first game." their captain said shaking his heading still smiling despite it all.
Just then Buggs's repair job undid and Icarus's nose and just above his eye began to bleed. Half blinded by blood Anna lead him to the ground.
Instantly the team was jumped on by their house who were ready to celabrate.
Nathan the ex-star of the team glared at Tristan growling. "I could of caught that snitch ten times over."
"whatever Nathan." Tristan rolled his eyes as his girlfriend jumped into his arms.
"at least when I was playing the team wasn't going to die of blood lost."
Besides Anna Icarus swayed slightly. Annabella grabbed his arm tugging it over one shoulder and little Elwood took Icarus's other side. They together walked him up to the hostipal wing.
"well I am off. I love you man but theres gonna be a party, you understand right?"
"later Elwood." Icarus said laying back on to the bed as the nurse came to tend to him. She tutted and walked to the cabinet on the far side of the room.
"you ok Black?" Anna asked sitting on the seat by his bed.
"fine, get going didn't you hear theres a party on." he offered.
"do I look like or seem like the type to party?"
"no I guess not but you don't have to hang around here."
"I want too." she dropped her broom setting in as the nurse came over.
"off you go girly this is going to be painful." Annabella scowled.
"can't she stay please?" begged Black. Anna gave him a curious look she thought he would of been above begging but apparently not.
"oh alright your girlfriend can stay but that's it no ya-hooing fans." she tutted muttering about how dangerous sport was while putting on some werid goo and then forcing him to drink something that smelt like vomit.
Annabella looked at Icarus for a long moment. He hadn't bothered to correct the nurse about calling her his girlfreind, she sighed but neither had she.
"is that Dalson?" Icarus asked sitting up slightly looking at the bed next to his. Anna nodded.
Half the ward was full of frozen bodies. Every day more people fled the school in fear of the chamber monster. And every day there was a new victim frozen solid.
It was beginning to feel like a cloud hanging over the place damping everyones mood.
Half the population had cleared out. Even Frida's parents were talking off moving her out. Across the room laid three new victims from today and as the number mounted the more frightened people became.
"hey Anna."
"yes?"
"I, will you, would you…" he stopped. They were hearing bangs in the hall just outside the door.
"honestly I said sneak not trample around like a hippogriff." Greta's voice sounded out from the other side of the door.
"I can't help it." moaned Frida.
"could you two possible talk louder?" growled Myrlte.
Annabella looked guiltily at Icarus.
"I guess that's your queue to leave. I'll see you later Anna." he smiled as three heads popped around the door.
"OUT!" screeched the nurse. Annabella cringed turning back to Icarus.
"catch you later." she whispered ducking out the door after her friends.
