Fandom: Harry Potter
Relationship: Friendship – Fred Weasley II and Elizabeth Black
Warnings: alternate universe; original character (Elizabeth Black); mentions of het; and mentions of violence
Prompt: (Setting) Quidditch Game

Summary: It's the final Quidditch game of the school year – Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. The Quidditch Cup is on the line as Seeker Elizabeth Black looks for the Snitch.

To Love a Lion
009. These Moments

Shifting her weight, Elizabeth Black tried to make herself comfortable on her broomstick. It was these moments when she missed playing tennis. For the past hour, Elizabeth flew around on her broom, looking for the blasted Snitch.

The golden ball was no where to be seen!

Elizabeth felt her left eye twitch at the thought. Where was that blasted Snitch? The sooner she caught it, the sooner the Quidditch game was over.

Closing her blue eyes, Elizabeth formed herself to relax. She had an attitude problem and a short attention span. This wasn't the time to get distracted. Elizabeth couldn't afford the distraction. Today was the final game of the Quidditch season, and Gryffindor needed to win to keep the Inter-House Quidditch Cup for a third year.

When she opened her eyes, Elizabeth flew her broom above the pitch, looking for the Snitch. Her eye caught James Potter's uniform as he threw the Quaffle through one of the hoops, scoring another goal for Gryffindor.

"That's another ten points for Gryffindor thanks to James," Lucy Weasley announced, enthusiasm and excitement in her voice. Her energy hadn't waned in the last hour. "The brings the score to 210 to 170 in favor of Gryffindor."

Mentally bantering herself, Elizabeth resumed her quest for the Snitch as she continued to fly above the Quidditch Pitch. As she slowly circled the pitch, Elizabeth crossed paths with Jason Davies, the Ravenclaw Seeker. He looked as bored as Elizabeth felt.

"Fawley, you bloody cheat!" Lucy shouted.

"Ms. Weasley!" Professor Aurora Sinistra said in warning.

"Right, sorry, professor," Lucy muttered, her voice picked up by the microphone. "Lily sends a Bludger back at Fawley, clipping him in the shoulder."

Even after four years on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Elizabeth was still surprised by the number of Weasleys on the team. She was the only non-relative. Out of the six remaining players, four were Weasleys and two were Potters.

As Elizabeth scanned for the Snitch when she noticed a Bludger headed her way. She dodged by flying right before climbing in elevation. Below her, Fred Weasley II hit the Bludger towards Davies. He offered Elizabeth a wave before he sped off on his broom, leaving Elizabeth wearing a fond smile. Out of her teammates, Fred was probably her favorite. They were in the same year – along with James – and they both made the Quidditch team in their second year. Fred was one of Elizabeth's best friends, the other being Roxanne, Fred's twin sister and Elizabeth's roommate.

In her continued searched, a grin slowly formed on Elizabeth's lips when she spotted the Snitch flying near the stands holding the staff members. With an eye on the Snitch, Elizabeth maneuvered her broom towards the staff section. She didn't want to reveal the position of the Snitch before she was ready. While Elizabeth was a talented flier and she had the lean build to be an efficient Seeker, she rode an outdated broomstick. Elizabeth had a Nimbus 2050, which she bought used before her second year. Davies owned a Firebolt 360, the latest and greatest in brooms.

Petting the handle of her broom, Elizabeth scanned below, pin pointing the Snitch a foot above Headmistress Minerva McGonagall's head. This would be a risky endeavor, but it was a risk Elizabeth felt the need to take.

Exhaling, Elizabeth quickly entered into a steady dive with her blue eyes fixated on the golden Snitch as it buzzed around the headmistress' pointed hat. She tucked her knees in as she pressed herself against her broom. As she sped towards the Snitch, Elizabeth tuned the world around her out with her sole purpose to be catching the Snitch. As she neared the golden ball, she extended her left arm out.

Blue eyes narrowed as the Snitch zoomed from the headmistress to Professor Neville Longbottom. Nearing her destination, Elizabeth began to pull out of her dive. Urging her broom to go faster, Elizabeth felt her fingertips brush against the Snitch's wings before she snatched the golden ball. Below her, the headmistress and the Head of Gryffindor ducked in effort to avoid the chase between Elizabeth and the Snitch. With the Snitch in hand, Elizabeth smiled at Headmistress McGongall and Professor Longbottom as they composed themselves as they returned to their seats.

"And Black has caught the Snitch!" Lucy yelled, her voice ringing around the pitch. "With that, Gryffindor wins the game 360 to 170. Gryffindor wins!"

The Gryffindor section of the stands exploded into applause and cheers.

Steering her broom towards the pitch, Elizabeth joined in the celebration her teammates had started. She was hovering three above the ground when Fred pulled her into a hug.

"I knew you could do it!" he said, his breath warming Elizabeth's cheeks.

Elizabeth smiled, refusing to acknowledge her blush. Her crush on Fred was no one's business but her own – despite Roxanne and her big ideas of them becoming sisters when Elizabeth married Fred. Returning Fred's hug, Elizabeth ignored the way her heart skipped a beat – or ten – before pulling away.

Done with the hug, Elizabeth leapt off of her broom, landing on the grass below. She smiled as Gryffindor students poured onto the pitch to celebrate their victory – in both the game and retaining the Quidditch Cup for another year.

"Well done, Ms. Black," Madam Alicia Spinnet, the Flying Instructor and Quidditch Referee, said with a smile.

Elizabeth's smile widened as she held the Snitch out towards the woman.

Madam Spinnet took the Snitch with a wordless nod of thanks.

Watching as her teammates jumped around and were joined by their housemates, a sense of pride filled Elizabeth. It was these moments she loved playing Seeker and catching the Snitch. Quidditch was better than tennis.

This was written in response to Colors of the Rainbow Challenge from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.
Orange, Prompt 2: Write about a Quidditch game.

Words: ~1,000