Chapter Ten: A Quidditch Match

As November passed, Rose continued her frantic search through old books, trying to find the reason for her and her friend's crazy magic and attempting to trace back her muggle family tree. Hope helped her research the magic and Al assisted by supplying cookies. But SS was swamped with his homework and Quidditch practices every other night. He was exhausted every night but knew that Roxy was right to push them. The first game arrived right before everyone left for Christmas, in late December.

"Alright team, listen up!" Roxy yelled as she paced the floor in front of her team in the locker room. The first Quidditch game of the season had arrived and everyone was excited for the traditional match of Gryffindor vs. Slytheirn. "We've put in the hours! We've put in the sweat! And we've put in the energy! There is no doubt in my mind that we are able to win! So let's go beat some snakes!" The rest of the Quidditch team cheered and raced out onto the field and got into position.

"I want a clean match, alright?" Coach Campbell, the bald flight instructor told the team captains as they shook hands. James walked up to receive the tip off as Roxy flew back to the beater position. Coach Campbell blew his whistle and everyone took to the skies.

James caught the Quaffle and flew towards Slytherin's goals. As a beater swung a bludger at him, James tossed to ball up to Louis who grabbed it and put on a burst of speed, desperate to get to the goals. The chasers in green flew out to meet them and caused Louis to drop the ball. SS reached out to catch it but James swooped in and stole it, causing SS to veer off course to avoid being hit. James sped towards the goals and tossed the Quaffle but Slytherin's keeper caught it and tossed to the other side of the pitch. The Slytherin spectators roared and SS could hear Hope screaming along with them.

James, Louis, and SS took off after the Slytherin chasers who moved as one unit, their movements perfect. Roxy smacked a bludger at them, causing the team to scatter. She zipped past SS and held up four fingers. She wanted the chasers to try maneuver four. SS nodded and flew below his fellow chasers.

"Four!" he yelled up at them. Louis gave nod up but James just sneered and sped up. They maneuver was supposed to be that Louis and James would fly on either side of the chaser with the Quaffle while SS swooped in front of him, startling the player. But James seemed to be taking alpha position, flying high above the middle Slytherin chaser. Confused, SS tried to fly towards him to ask him what he was doing. But James just flew faster. Louis gestured for SS to take James's spot. So he flew on the left side of the chaser, slowly closing in. Louis mimicked him on the right. The other Slytherin chasers realized what was happening and started to fly to their teammate.

SS and Louis continued to close in on the chaser when James suddenly dived. But he was too far left. The Slyterin chaser veered away from him and James nearly smacked into SS. Louis tried to fly after the chaser in green but he couldn't do it alone. The chaser flung the Quaffle and scored. The green section of the stands screamed in delight.

"James, what the heck was that?" Roxy yelled as she flew over to the chasers. SS glared at his fellow chaser. The red head glowered as he flew up to his cousin.

"SS was going to screw up! I had to do something!" James protested. Roxy clenched her jaw and began to resemble her mother.

"We practiced that move five million times! SS is the best diver out of all the chasers. He would not have screwed it up!" Roxy retorted.

"It's his first game. He has nerves," James responded.

"James, so help me, if you do something like that I'll clobber you with my beater bat!" Roxy threatened then turned to SS and Louis. "Try a wedge maneuver to break their chasers' formation. And SS will take the lead!"

"Got it!" Louis replied and did a mini salute. James looked like he wanted to say something but he kept his mouth shut. The rest of the team flew off to their posts and SS flew up to Coach Campbell for the tip off.

"Alright, let's go!" the bald man yelled and threw up the red ball. SS caught it and began to streak towards the Slytherin goals. Louis was below him and James was above, warding off the other chasers. Roxy and Freddy kept the other beaters at bay. They were getting close and the Gryffindors held their breath in anticipation.

Suddenly, James dove in front of SS, causing him to abrupt halt. Everyone shouted in surprise but SS could care less. He continued towards the goals, not caring what the stupid Potter was doing now. But then he heard the cries of outrage coming from the crimson section of the fans. SS glanced down and saw that James was chasing the golden snitch.

"What the?" SS gaped. The Slytherin and Gryffindor seekers were on his tail, shouting at him. SS swallowed and threw the ball to Louis. Then he hurtled towards his teammate.

SS's broom raced towards James who was following the ball higher and higher into the air. Suddenly the ball began a sharp dive. James and the seekers followed. SS flew up to James's side.

"Get out of here, Malfoy!" James yelled, eyes intent on the tiny glittering ball.

"What are you doing, James? Only seekers can catch the snitch. You're going to get us in trouble! We'll have to forfeit the game!" SS screamed into James's ear. The Potter growled and flew faster. "What are you trying to prove?"

"I said get out of here!" James hollered and shoved SS. The blond fell off his broom and the entire crowd gasped. But strangely, SS felt no fear. Time seemed to slow down. SS seemed to know exactly what to do. He stretched his limbs so his Quidditch robes spread out and slowed his fall. SS turned his head and spotted his broom falling towards earth. He reached out, wrapped his fingers around its woody handle, pulled it close to him, and mounted it again. In SS's mind this seemed to take minutes but in real life it only took mere seconds.

"James!" SS cried out as he sped after the red head. Knowing the boy wouldn't listen to reason, SS tried for a more physical approach. He flew straight down and slammed into James. The two of them fell off their brooms and tumbled ten feet through the air and landed painfully on the ground. SS felt a zip of pain shoot through his ankle. James was spitting out wads of grass, his leg bent at a funny ankle, when they heard shouting behind them. SS turned and saw Gryffindor's seeker, Grace Miller, holding the snitch high up in the air, her strawberry blond ponytail swinging. Gryffindor had won!

"We did it!" Grace yelled in triumph. Louis patted her on the back then went over to help James. Then Roxy landed. SS took a step back, her eyes shown so bright with anger.

"What. On. Earth. Were. You. Trying. To. Do?" Roxy demanded, her brown eyes spearing James as Louis helped him stand. Her voice was steely calm, like a volcano just before it erupted.

"I was trying to win the game," James muttered and glared at SS. "Before he knocked me off my broom and broke my leg."

"SS saved our team! If you had caught the snitch, we would have been kicked out of the match!" Roxy yelled, letting her temper erupt. "What on earth were you trying to do? I have no idea where your head has been lately, James! As of now you are no longer on the Gryffindor Quidditch team!"

"What? Roxy, you can't do that!" James protested.

"I'm captain! I can do what I want! Emily Ashley will be replacing you," Roxy retorted. Then she spun on her heel and left the pitch. The rest of the team followed, except for Louis who helped his friend to the hospital wing. SS tried to feel bad for James but all he felt was the pain in his ankle. He felt nothing for James.