Chapter 10:
When you need a place to run to,
For better for worse,
I got you.
-Leona Lewis
During the next week everyone seemed to be trying to figure out how Sirius Black had made it into the castle without being seen. Classes flew by for the fifth years who were buried under a pile of work while trying to find time to study for their OWL practice examinations before the holidays. Even Fred and George could be found studying in the library many times a week.
Thursday night was the last Quidditch practice before the match against Slytherin on Saturday. Rain had been pouring all week and it seemed to get worst every day. The entire team was sitting in the locker room ready for Quidditch drills and waiting for Wood.
"I can't believe Wood is late for our last practice!" Alicia said to no one in particular.
"Even Oliver can't always be on time." Nora answered as she yawned.
"Alright there sleepy head?" Fred asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I just want this year to be over." She said sighing.
"Will you finally drop a class?" George asked.
"Maybe...I'm actually considering it." She said as Wood burst through the doors seeming enraged.
"I just spoke to Flint. We're not playing Slytherin, we're playing Hufflepuff instead." He said angrily.
"What?" The whole team yelled at the same time.
"Flint says that their seeker hasn't regained full function of his arm." Wood said shaking his head. "It's obvious they don't want to play in a thunder storm!"
"But Malfoy is fine! He's been faking it." Harry said full of anger.
"I know that. But there is no way to prove it. And we've been training to play against Slytherin when Hufflepuff play an entirely different way." Wood said sighing. "Their new captain and seeker is Cedric Diggory and he's put together an impressive team."
"But don't worry Oliver, last time we played them Harry caught the snitch in less than ten minutes!" Fred said trying to reassure their captain.
"But we aren't prepared to play them! And their new team is very good! I was afraid you'd react like this, we can't relax this is a very bad thing! We need to win this!" Wood said furiously.
"Calm down Oliver. We're taking Hufflepuff seriously." Nora said soothingly.
"Seriously." Fred and George added with a grin.
"Alright then we have an hour to find a strategy and two hours to practice. It's going to be a very difficult match so we need to work hard." Wood said.
"Don't worry so much Oliver, Harry's is our little secret weapon." Erik said.
"You're underestimating Diggory, he's an excellent seeker." Wood retorted.
"And no offense Harry you're bloody brilliant. But Cedric might actually have an advantage in this weather seeing as he is pretty much twice your size and he'll be more stable on his broom." Nora said to Harry with an apologetic look.
"None taken." Harry said gulping. He knew that Nora was right and it frightened him.
"Alright then let's get started." Wood said seeming on a mission.
The practice was longer than any of them had expected and the weather was brutal. Rain kept pouring and they could barely fly straight because of the wind. As they made their way back to the common room drenched in water, Wood ordered everyone to bed.
"But Oliver I have some homework to finish. I'll go to bed in an hour or so I promise." Nora said.
"Nora. You will go to bed now. Until the match, you will all go to bed when I say so and not argue. All your personal problems can wait. We need to win this match. Have I made myself clear?" He asked.
"Crystal" She said frowning as he went up to his dorm.
"Wood is now officially the Quidditch nazi." Alicia said.
"He's bloody mental! Goodnight everyone!" Nora said.
"You're actually listening to him?" Fred asked surprised.
"Yes! He'll murder anyone of us if we don't. And I don't want to be the first. So goodnight everyone!" She said laughing.
"Night Freckles!" They all answered.
After a day of long and difficult classes the Gryffindor students kept talking about the upcoming Quidditch match. The members of the Quidditch team were rather quiet during diner seeing as they were busy worrying about the game they would play the next day.
"You should really eat something Nora." Nataleigh said.
"She's right you know." Wood said.
"Aren't you two sweet gaining up on little old me?" Nora teased as Nataleigh blushed slightly and Oliver smiled.
"So are you all ready for tomorrow?" She asked.
"Well of course we're ready Nat!" George said.
"Have you ever known us not to be? And it's only Hufflepuff!" Fred said with a grin.
"I've told you many times do not underestimate Diggory's team!" Oliver insisted.
"Don't worry Oliver I promise we're taking them seriously. I want to win this as much as you do." Erik said.
"I don't think that's actually possible." Fred whispered to Nora who laughed and choked on her pumpkin juice.
"Try not to kill my fellow chaser before the match." Alicia said laughing.
"Why so dramatic Leesh?" George asked ruffling her hair.
"I'm kind of freaking out about tomorrow." She said biting her bottom lip.
"Don't worry! We'll protect you from those nasty bludgers." George said.
"You better!" She said nudging him.
Everyone finished their meal and decided to head back to the common room to calm down before tomorrow's big game.
"Aren't they going to postpone the match if it keeps raining this much?" Aveline asked as they went up the staircase towards their common room.
"Absolutely not!" Erik said laughing. "We've played in worst!" He added with a hint of pride.
"Where's the fun in that?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Trust me there's no fun in playing in these conditions. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow." Nora said looking at the rain pouring outside.
"Don't worry Freckles! We're all going to be fine and we're going to win!" Fred said putting his arm around her shoulders casually.
"You're way too optimistic." She said shaking her head.
"And you're neurotic and stressed out. So cheer up!" He teased.
"What if I don't want to?" She asked defiantly.
"We'll have to use drastic measures then." He said with a large grin.
"And what might those be?" She questioned jokingly.
"This!" He said as he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. Nora shrieked in surprise as the others burst out laughing.
"Fred put me down now!" Nora said trying to get out of his grip.
"Nope!" He said grinning.
"You're going to drop me on the stairs!"
"Oh how you underestimate me Freckles." He teased.
"Fred! I'm serious! I swear if you don't put me down I'll..."
"You'll what? Freeze me? Because if you do you'll fall for sure. And you wouldn't blow me up because you like me too much." He said grinning as they entered the common room.
"Frederick Gideon Weasley put me down!" Nora said authoritatively.
"As you wish!" He said as he dropped her on a couch.
"Remind me again why I'm your friend?" Nora asked as she sat up properly.
"It's scary how much you sound like mum when you use his full name." George said as he fell back into an armchair.
"Very scary." Fred added as he sat down next to Nora who was frowning.
"I do not sound like your mother!" Nora said rolling her eyes.
"You do. You use our full names whenever you get really pissed off just like she does." Fred said ruffling her hair.
"It has more impact." She said shrugging her shoulders.
"Always the drama queen Norabel Adrienne DeBordeaux." George teased.
"Actually my full name is Norabel Adrienne DeBordeaux Montgomery. It's even longer." She said laughing.
"Adrienne?" Aveline asked.
"Hey! I like it! It's better than Norabel!" Nora said chuckling.
"No! I find it really nice. It's loads better than my middle name!" She said.
"Now you've got to tell us Ava." George said with a smirk.
"You first!" She said.
"My middle name is Fabian. Your turn now!" He said.
"But none of yours' are bad." She said looking away from them.
"Come on Ava! Fred's middle name is Gideon! It can't be much worse." Nora said grinning at Fred.
"Don't mock my name Norabel." He said teasingly.
"Fine...My full name Aveline Millicent Dympha Carter." Aveline sighed.
"Well that's quite...umm... unique." Nora said trying to suppress a laugh.
"It's fine you can all laugh." Aveline said as she chuckle and the others burst out laughing. "My parents weren't really thinking when they named me."
"Who cares?" George said as his laughter subsided. "It's only a name."
"True." She said nodding. "But a crappy one." She added with a grin
"What are you lot laughing about?" Erik said as he fell into an armchair.
"You're whorish behaviour." Nora teased with a grin.
"You wound me so Satan." He said as he put his hands dramatically to his heart.
"They were laughing at my full name." Aveline said.
"I guess my whorish behaviour is more fun then." He said jokingly.
"Manwhore." Nora coughed.
"Attractive manwhore." He corrected with a smirk. "You said so yourself."
"And you won't ever let me forget it will you?" She asked rolling her eyes.
"Absolutely not Satan." He said with a grin.
At that moment Angelina Johnson entered the common room and walked towards the group of Gryffindors.
"Hey Fred! How was your day?" She said with a smile.
"Great you?" He asked looking around at his friends nervously.
"It was alright. Good luck for tomorrow." She said turning around.
"Angelina? Are you doing anything?" Nora asked getting up.
"No." She said eyeing her curiously.
"Would you like to join us? I'll move you can sit with Fred." She said with a smile.
"Oh. Thanks." Angelina said returning the smile and sitting down next to Fred who seemed rather uneasy.
"Scoot over Erik!" Nora said as she stood in front of the seventh year.
"You can sit here." He said raising an eyebrow suggestively and patting his lap.
"Just move." She said rolling her eyes.
"Only if you admit you find me attractive." He said with a smirk.
"You're really full of yourself aren't you?" She said shaking her head. "Forget it. I'll sit on the floor."
"Don't get your fancy knickers in a knot Nora." He teased as he moved to let her sit.
"If you weren't such as ass I wouldn't." She said as she sat down and smacked his shoulder playfully.
"But you love me anyway." He said putting his arm around her shoulders as she rolled her eyes at him.
"Sure." She said dismissively as everyone fell silent for a moment.
"So are you two together?" Angelina asked trying to start a conversation.
"Who us?" Nora asked pointing to Erik as George and Aveline laughed.
"She can't get enough of me." Erik said teasingly kissing the top of her head.
"In your dreams Manwhore." Nora said shoving him lightly. "And no we're most certainly not together. He's well...Erik. And I'm happily single." She added to Angelina.
"Well that's nice. Oh! I remember! Diggory left you. I guess some people like being alone." Angelina answered.
"That girl does not like you whatsoever." Erik whispered in Nora ear as she shushed him.
"Well. It was nice talking to you Angelina. But I'll head to bed. We've got a big match tomorrow." Nora said getting up.
"I'll come with you." Aveline said still suppressing a grin.
"Goodnight everyone!" They called from the stairs.
"Angelina officially hates you." Aveline said as they entered their dorm. "That comment about Cedric was low."
"I don't really care much." Nora said dissmissively as she went to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
"But you two seem to be on speaking terms now." Aveline said a few minutes later.
"With Ced or Angelina?" Nora asked as she came out of the bathroom with her flannel pyjamas.
"With Cedric." Aveline said with a grin.
"There's not much to talk about." Nora said as put her things away. "Well maybe a little."
"Come on Nora! You're my best friend! Spill!" Aveline ordered teasingly as she sat on her friends bed.
"Fine." She answered with a smile. "Do you remember last week when Black was in the castle and prefects had to patrol?" She asked.
"Of course!" She said completely invested in the conversation.
"Well Ced and I were patrolling together and we talked." Nora sighed. "He told me that it wasn't him that started the rumours about Fred and me and that he tried to clear things up with his friends."
"Well that's nice. What else happened?" Aveline said smiling at her friend.
"Niko told him I was disowned." Nora said quickly. The words came out before she could stop them and she sighed again.
"What happened?" Aveline asked with a concerned look.
Nora took a deep breath before continuing."Well he asked me when it happened and we talked about his birthday. And then he told me he was sorry about all of it...And that he wouldn't have left me if he had known."
"I'm so sorry." Aveline said taking her friend's hands in her own.
"Don't be." She said with a sad smile. "It's pretty much my fault."
"Why? He left you."She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. But he also asked if I wanted to get back together and I said no." She whispered full of regret.
"Oh. Was there a reason?" Aveline asked looking sadly at her friend.
"I just thought that things were too complicated. And I need some time to figure everything out." Nora said sadly. "You know what the pathetic part is? I wish I'd said yes. Because now I'm alone." She added as tears filled her eyes.
"Well you're not alone. You've got me." She said hugging her friend.
"You know what I mean Ava." Nora chuckled and wiped away tears that were threatening to fall.
"But still. You're not alone." She repeated with a smile.
"Thanks Ava. So how are things with Roger?" Nora asked trying to change the subject.
"They're kind of boring actually. He's almost too nice. It's kind of weird." She said laughing.
"Too nice? That actually exists?" Nora asked chuckling.
"Trust me it does!" She answered laughing even more. "He treats me like I'm fragile and it kind of annoys me."
"I get it." Nora said with a smile. "But he's not bad on the eyes."
"That he isn't." She chuckled. "But then neither is Erik but I wouldn't date him. Even though he is insanely hot." She added laughing.
"Ava has a crush on Erik? Don't ever let him hear that. He'd enjoy it too much." Nora teased.
"It's not a crush! He's just eye candy. And a manwhore. You can't tell me you've never considered...going there at least once." She questionned with a grin.
"Well after hearing all the rumours a girl can't help but be curious." Nora said shrugging her shoulders innocently.
"You dirty girl." Aveline teased shaking her head disapprovingly.
"We can't all be saints like you Ava." She chuckled.
"I'm not a saint. I'm just waiting for the right guy. But you should go have all the fun you want with whoever you want. You are single after all."
"That's true. But I'm not going to have sex with our favorite Manwhore. I'm not that desperate." Nora said laughing.
"Yet." Ava teased.
After the girls talked for half an hour, Alicia entered the dormitory.
"Well we better be off to bed because you two need your sleep!" Aveline said laughing. "Goodnight Quidditch girls!"
"Goodnight!" They both answered as they tried to fall asleep without much success.
At breakfast the next morning, everyone was overjoyed about the Quidditch match. Everyone except the members of the Gryffinfor Quidditch team who seemed quite nervous.
"This one isn't going to be easy." Oliver said looking at his plate but not eating anything.
"Don't worry you'll be brilliant." Nataleigh said while rubbing his shoulder soothingly.
"A little rain isn't going to stop us." Nora added reassuringly.
"Have you even looked outside? I wouldn't call that..." Fred said but he was interrupted by Nora nudging him and silencing him with a glare."Right...A little rain." He corrected suppressing a grin.
"We should get going." Wood said still looking down at his plate.
"Sure." The entire team gulped nervously as they got up.
"Good luck." Nataleigh and Lucy called after them.
After changing into their Quidditch robes they all waited in the locker room for Oliver's usual speech.
"How the hell are we supposed to play in this weather?" Fred whispered to Nora.
"I have no idea." She said pulling her already wet hair into a high ponytail.
"I take back what I said yesterday. We haven't played in worst." Erik added.
"Is Wood going to say anything?" Harry asked looking at their captain who was pacing while muttering to himself and shaking his head hopelessly.
"Probably not." Alicia said sighing as Wood gestured for them to follow him.
As they made their way onto the field the force of the wind made them stagger sideways. Cedric and Oliver shook hands before Madam Hooch yelled for them to mount their brooms. They could barely hear the whistle over the rolls of thunder. As they kicked off from the mud, they were already soaking wet. Erik caught the quaffle as they made their way towards the Hufflepuff hoops while avoiding bludgers and trying to see where they were going. Erik passed the quaffle to Nora who scored Gryffindor's first ten points.
A while later, Madam Hooch yelled for a time out and everyone huddled under a large umbrella near the locker room.
"What's the score?" Harry asked while wiping water from his glasses.
"We're up 50 points." Nora said.
"But we'll be playing all night if you don't catch the snitch soon." Oliver added shaking his head.
"I can't see anything with my glasses!" Harry said hopelessly.
"I know!" Nora said taking out her wand as Harry handed her his glasses. "Impervius! They'll repeal water now." She said handing his glasses back.
"You're amazing!" Erik said kissing the top of her head.
"Brilliant!" Wood said. "Ready?" He asked.
"As we'll ever be." Fred and George answered as they kicked off into the pouring rain and violent winds.
"Find the bloody snitch Harry." Nora muttered to herself as she scored another goal after what seemed like hours of flying in the rain. She was completely drenched in water and she could feel her hands go numb despite her thick gloves.
The next moments seemed to go by at an insane speed. A scream came from the entire audience as Harry fell through the sky while dementors were coming after him. Nora took her wand out and repelled the dementors as Dumbledore slowed Harry's fall. As she put her wand back into her pocket she was hit by a bludger and fell off her broom. She hit the muddy field shoulder first and felt a sharp pain radiate through her lower back as Madam Hooch's whistle rang ending the match which meant that Cedric had caught the snitch and Hufflepuff had won. Fred and George rushed to Nora's side as she tried to get up without any success.
"We're so sorry! We didn't see the bludger!" Fred said panicked. "Can you get up?"
"I don't think so. I fell on my shoulder and my back is killing me." She said wincing at the pain.
"I'll carry her. Go check on Harry." Fred said to his brother as he picked her up easily and headed towards the castle.
"Can't you heal yourself or something?" Fred asked as he breathed frantically.
"Nat and Niko can do that not me. And breathe Fred I'll be fine." She said not entirely convinced by her own words as the pain in her back kept getting more intense.
A few minutes later they arrived at the infirmary and Madam Pomfrey shouted some orders to her staff about Harry's care and ran towards them.
"Put her here." She said gesturing to an empty bed. "What happened?"
"A bludger hit her in the back and she fell on her shoulder." Fred answered without taking a breath.
"Letting students play Quidditch in these conditions." She muttered furiously. "The shoulder is definitely dislocated." Madam Pomfrey stated after a quick glance. "Can you turn to your right so I can examine your back?" She added as she conjured a screen.
"I'll try." Nora said but she shrieked in pain as she tried to turn to her side.
"It's alright I'll take care of it." She said handing a potion to Nora. "This will help with the pain. Mr Weasley will you help me turn her? Careful with the shoulder. Slowly on my count. One, two, three."
"Oh bloody hell." Nora said cringing.
"Thank you Mr Weasley. You may leave I'll examine her back."
"Don't!" Nora said as she caught Fred's hand.
"I'm right here." He said attempting to smile at her.
"Alright then have a seat on the chair. Norabel where is the pain exactly?"
"My lower back. I've already had two herniated discs." She said looking at Fred who rubbed the back of her hand soothingly.
"Well that's what I suspect again. Quidditch injuries? I don't remember you coming in for those." Madam Pomfrey asked as she palpated Nora's back.
She flinched at the pain and squeezed Fred's hand harder. "Figure skating." She stated.
"Sorry for the discomfort. I'll put the shoulder back and I can do a spell for the herniated disc but it will be sensitive. You won't be playing Quidditch for at least ten weeks." Madam Pomfrey said as she pointed her wand to Nora's back and whispered a spell. "Ready for the shoulder?" She asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be." She sighed as Madam Pomfrey popped her shoulder back into place.
"Alright. Rest up. I need to check on Mr Potter. Mr Weasley get me if anything changes." She said as Nora grimaced and simply nodded. "Drink the rest of the potion it will help."
"You're awfully quiet." Nora told Fred after regaining some composure and drinking the rest of the potion.
"You gave me quite a scare Freckles." He said sighing.
"Sorry." She said with attempting to smile.
"I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't see the bludger." He said rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.
"Don't be. We couldn't see anything out there! And I'm going to be fine." Nora reassured him. "Maybe not actually once Wood learns I can't play for ten weeks he'll murder someone." She chuckled.
"Already cracking jokes? Is the potion kicking in?" Fred asked laughing lightly.
"Maybe a little." She answered with a smile. "Stop the neck rubbing Freddykins. I'm fine! Don't fret so much!" She teased.
"I'm entitled to a slight bit of fretting after what happened alright?" He chuckled. "You really did scare me Nora." He sighed looking into her gray eyes and moving a strand of wet hair from her face.
"I promise I'm fine." She said looking back into his chocolate brown eyes as she squeezed his hand affectionately. He quickly went back to rubbing the back of his neck as he turned a light shade of pink.
"You better be." He smiled.
A/N: I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I promise I have a valid explanation! My dear boyfriend forced me to spend four days in the hospital after I started coughing up blood (courtesy of the whooping cough). I'm better now and I've been home for a week while he's taken 10 days off of work to make sure I stay in bed and do absolutely nothing which sounds adorable, but we're kind of driving each other crazy, which is what we do best. I finally have a few hours alone so I'm updating my beloved story! I already started the next chapter and I have rough drafts for the next three so I should update more often. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! PRETTY PLEASE if you have a minute review, it really means the world! If you have any comments or suggestions or questions I'll be more than happy to answer them! Also, I have pictures of the characters on my profile so give them a look and tell me what you think! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and added to their favorites or put the story on alert! I love you all! XOXO
To Niikkii95: Thank you so much! It means a lot! I hope you keep enjoying the story!