Chapter 11
Quidditch
As we entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Mina could be seen from the upstairs windows, defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit-fur gloves and enormous beaverskin boots.
The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, I would be playing in my first match after weeks of training: Lion-Heart versus Snake-Eyes. If Lion-Heart won, we would move up to second place in the House Championship.
Hardly anyone had seen me play before the first match because Cane had decided that, as our secret weapon, I should be kept, well, secret. But the news that I was playing Seeker had slipped out somehow, and I didn't know which was worse – people telling me I'd be brilliant or people telling me they'd be running around underneath me, holding a mattress. My first Quidditch match was the scariest thing I'd ever experienced in my eleven years – read on to find out why.
It was really lucky that I now had Sian as a friend. I didn't know how I'd have got through all my homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Cane was making us do. She had also leant me Quidditch through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.
I learnt that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.
Sian had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Chris, Chrissie and I had saved her from the mountain troll and she was much nicer for it. The day before my first Quidditch match the four of us were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured us up a bright blue fire which could be carried around in a jam jar. We were standing with our backs to it, getting warm, when Triphorm crossed the yard. I noticed at once that Triphorm was limping. Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I moved closer together to block the fire from view; we were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about our guilty faces caught Triphorm's eye. She limped over. She hadn't seen the fire, but she seemed to be looking for a reason to tell us off anyway.
"What's that you've got there, Pride-Lander?"
It was Quidditch through the Ages. I showed her.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Triphorm. "Give it to me. Five points from Lion-Heart."
"She's just made that rule up," I muttered angrily as Triphorm limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with her leg?"
"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting her," said Chrissie bitterly.
The Lion-Heart common room was very noisy that evening. Chris, Sian, Chrissie and I were sat together next to a window. Sian was checking mine, Chris and Chrissie's Charms homework for us. She would never let us copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, we got the right answers anyway.
I felt restless. I wanted Quidditch through the Ages back, to take my mind off my nerves about the next day. Why should I have been afraid of Triphorm? Getting up, I told Chris, Sian and Chrissie I was going to ask Triphorm if I could have it.
"Rather you than me," the three of them said together, but I had an idea that Triphorm wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.
I made my way down to the staff room and knocked. There was no answer. I knocked again. Nothing.
Perhaps Triphorm had left my book in there? It was worth a try. I pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met my eyes.
Triphorm and Match were inside, alone. Triphorm was holding her robes above her knees. One of her legs was bloody and mangled. Match was holding Triphorm's bandages.
"Blasted thing," Triphorm was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"
I tried to shut the door quietly, but –
"PRIDE-LANDER!"
Triphorm's face was twisted with fury as she dropped her robes quickly to hide her leg. I gulped.
"I just wondered if I could have my book back."
"GET OUT! OUT!"
I left before Triphorm could take any more points from Lion-Heart. I sprinted back upstairs.
"Did you get it?" Chrissie asked as I joined them. "What's the matter?"
In a low whisper, I'd told them what I'd seen.
"You know what this means?" I finished breathlessly. "I think she tried to get passed that three-headed cat at Hallowe'en! She's after whatever it's guarding! And I bet my broomstick she let that troll in, to create a diversion!"
Sian's eyes were wide.
"No – she wouldn't" she said. "I know she's not very nice, but she wouldn't try and steal something Ma is keeping safe."
"Honestly, Sian, you think all teachers are safe or something," snapped Chris. "I'm with Kiara. I wouldn't put anything past Triphorm. But what's she after? What's that cat guarding?"
"I agree with Chris," said Chrissie. "I mean, who knows what Triphorm's looking for, but to go behind Ma's back, limp and pretend that she's not doing anything wrong? Nah, she's definitely up to something."
I went to bed that night with the same thoughts buzzing in my mind. No matter how hard I tried to sleep, I couldn't. I tried to empty my mind – I needed sleep, I had to, my very first Quidditch match was just a few hours away – but the expression on Triphorm's face when I had seen her leg wasn't easy to forget.
The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.
"You've got to eat some breakfast."
"I don't want anything."
"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Sian.
"I'm not too hungry."
I felt terrible. In an hours time I'd been walking on to the pitch – sorry I'm talking like I'm there, but sometimes I'm getting too caught up in my past for me to remember that I'm not there.
"Kiara, you need your strength," said Chris. "Seekers are always the ones to who get nobbled by the other team."
"Thanks, Chris, that really helps," I said, watching Chris pile ketchup on my sausages.
By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The stands might be raised high in the air but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.
Chris, Sian and Chrissie joined Nikita, Zara and Dena the netball fan up in the top row. As a surprise for me, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Claws had ruined. It said Pride-Lander for President and Sian, who was good at drawing as well as spells, had done a large Lion-Heart lion underneath. Then she performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours.
Meanwhile, in the changing rooms, me and the rest of the team were changing into our scarlet uniform (Snake-Eyes were playing in green).
Cane cleared her throat for silence.
"OK, women," she said.
"And men," said Chaser Andrew Johnstone.
"And men," Cane agreed. "This is it."
"The big one," said Tanya Fang.
"The one we've all been waiting for," said Geri.
"We know Olivia's speech by heart," Tanya told me. "We were in the team last year."
"Shut up, you two," said Cane. "This is the best team Lion-Heart's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."
She then glared at us as if to say, "Or else".
"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."
I followed Tanya and Geri out of the changing room and, hoping my knees weren't going to give way, walked on to the pitch to loud cheers.
Sir Turner was refereeing. He stood in the middle of the pitch, waiting for the two teems, his broom in his hand.
"Now, I want a nice clean game, all of you," he said, once we were all gathered around him. I noticed that he seemed to be speaking particularly to Maria Spark, a fifth-year. I thought Spark looked as if she had some troll in her. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Pride-Lander for President over the crowd. My heart skipped. I felt braver.
"Mount your brooms, please."
I clambered on to my Scoot-Zoomer Two Thousand.
Sir Turner gave a loud blast on his silver whistle.
Fifteen brooms rose high, high into the air. We were off.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Andrew Johnstone of Lion-Heart – what an excellent Chaser that boy is, and rather attractive, too – "
"JONES!"
"Sorry, Professor."
The Fang twins' friend, Leah Jones, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor Darbus.
"And he's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Aaron Spinnet, a good friend of Olivia Cane's, last year only a reserve – back to Johnstone and – no, Snake-Eyes have taken the Quaffle, Snake-Eyes captain Maria Spark gains the Quaffle and off she goes – Spark flying like an eagle up there – she's going to sc – no, stopped by an excellent move by Lion-Heart Keeper Cane and Lion-Heart take the Quaffle – that's Chaser Keith Ball of Lion-Heart there, nice dive around Spark, off up the field and – OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger – Quaffle taken by Snake-Eyes – that's Alicia Puckey speeding off towards the goalposts, but she's blocked by a second Bludger – sent her way by Tanya or Geri Fang, can't tell which – nice play by the Lion-Heart Beater, anyway, and Johnstone back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off he goes – he's really flying – dodges a speeding Bludger – the goalposts are ahead – come on, now, Andrew – Keeper Bletch dives – misses – LION-HEART SCORE!"
Lion-Heart cheers filled the air, along with the howls and moans from Snake-Eyes.
"Budge up there, move along."
"Mina!"
Chris, Sian and Chrissie squeezed together to give Mina enough room to join them.
"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Mina, patting a large pair of binoculars around her neck, "but it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"
"Nope," said Chrissie. "Kiara hasn't had much to do yet."
"Kept out of trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Mina, raising her binoculars and peering skywards at the speck that was me.
Way up above them, I was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of mine and Cane's plan.
"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Cane had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."
When Andrew had scored, I had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let out my feelings. Now I was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once I caught sight of a flash of gold but it was just a reflection from one of the Fangs' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting my way, more like a cannon ball than anything, but I dodged it and Tanya Fang came chasing after it.
"All right there, Kiara?" she had time to yell as she belt the Bludger furiously towards Maria Spark.
"Snake-Eyes in possession," Leah Jones was saying. "Chaser Puckey dodges two Bludgers, two Fangs and Chaser Ball and speeds towards the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch"
A murmur ran through the crowd as Alicia Puckey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over her shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed her left ear.
I saw it. In a great rush of excitement I dived downwards after the streak of gold. Snake-Eyes Seeker Tina Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck we hurtled towards the Snitch – all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hang in mid-air to watch.
I was faster than Higgs – I could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead – I put on an extra spurt of speed –
WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Lion-Hearts below – Spark had blocked me on purpose and my broom span off course, with me holding on for dear life.
"Foul!" screamed the Lion-Hearts.
Sir Turner spoke angrily to Spark and then ordered a free shot at the goalposts for Lion-Heart. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.
Down in the stands, Dena was yelling, "Send her off, ref!"
"This isn't netball, Dena," Chris reminded her. "You can't send people off in Quidditch."
But Mina was on Dena's side.
"They oughta change the rules, Spark coulda knocked Kiara outta the air."
Leah Jones was finding it difficult to take sides.
"So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating – "
"Jones!" growled Professor Darbus.
"I mean, after that open and revolting foul – "
"Jones, I'm warning you – "
"All right, all right. Spark nearly kills the Lion-Heart Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Lion-Heart, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Lion-Heart in possession."
It was as I dodged a Bludger which went spinning dangerously past my head that it happened. My broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, I thought I was going to fall. I gripped my broom tightly with both my hands and knew I'd never felt anything like that before.
It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck me off. But Scoot-Zoomer Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. I tried to turn back towards the Lion-Heart goal-posts, I had a mind to ask Cane to call time-out – and then I realised that my broom was completely out of control. I couldn't turn it. I couldn't direct it at all. It went zig-zagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements which almost unseated me.
Leah was still commentating.
"Snake-Eyes in possession – Spark with the Quaffle – passes Spinnet – passes Ball – hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke her nose – only joking, Professor – Snake-Eyes score – oh no …"
The Snake-Eyes were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that my broom was acting strangely. It was carrying me slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.
"Dunno what Kiara thinks she's doing," Mina mumbled. She stared through her binoculars. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's lost control of her broom … but she can't have done …"
Suddenly, people were pointing up at me all over the stands. My broom had started to roll over and over, with me only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. My broom had given a wild jerk and I swung off it. I was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.
"Did something happen to it when Spark blocked her?" Chris whispered.
"Can't have," Mina said, her voice shaking. "Can't anything interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic – no kid could do that to a Scoot-Zoomer Two Thousand."
At these words, Sian picked up her own binoculars, but instead of looking up at me, she started looking furiously at the crowd.
"What are you doing?" Chrissie moaned, grey-faced. Chris looked round at them both, pale-faced, his eyes wide with terror.
"I knew it!" Sian gasped. "Triphorm – look!"
Chris and Chrissie grabbed the binoculars. Triphorm was in the middle of the stands opposite them. She had her eyes fixed on me and was muttering non-stop under her breath.
"You see, she's doing something – jinxing the broom."
"Jinxing the broom, what should we do?" Chrissie gasped.
"You two leave that to me. All you have to do is keep an eye on Kiara, and that's an order."
"But Sian – "
"Order!" she yelled, and before Chris or Chrissie could say another word, Sian had disappeared. Chris turned the binoculars back on me. My broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for me to hang on much longer. The whole crowd were on their feet, watching, terrified, as the Fangs flew up to try and pull me safely on one of their brooms, but it was no good – every time they got near me, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath me, obviously hoping to catch me if I fell. Maria Spark seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.
"Come on, Sian," Chrissie muttered desperately.
Sian had fought her way across to the stand where Triphorm was sitting. As she drew near she whipped out her wand and crept as quietly as she could and pointed her wand at Triphorm's robes. "Lacarnum Inflamari!" she whispered, and a burst of flame leapt onto Triphorm's robes. She quickly ran from the scene, looking horrified at what she had just done. I knew all this stuff, for they told me about it on a later date, just so you all know.
Triphorm, meanwhile, was still muttering to herself until someone behind her said, "Fire! You're on fire!" Startled, she jumped up, knocking over Professor Quarrel out of the way, trying to fight the flame.
It was enough. Up in the air, I was able to clamber back on to my broom.
"Nikita, you can look now!" Chris said. Nikita had been sobbing into Mina's jacket for the last five minutes.
I was speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw me clap my hand to my mouth as though I was about to be sick – I hit the pitch on all fours – coughed – and something gold fell into my hand.
"I've got the Snitch!" I shouted, waving it above my head, and the game ended in complete confusion.
"She didn't catch it, she nearly swallowed it," Spark was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference – I hadn't broken any rules and Leah Jones was still happily shouting the result – Lion-Heart had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. I heard none of this, though. I was being made a cup of strong tea back in Mina's hut, with Chris, Sian and Chrissie.
"It was Triphorm," Chrissie was explaining. "Sian, Chris and I saw her. She was cursing your broomstick, muttering, she wouldn't take her eyes off you."
"Rubbish," said Mina, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to her in the stands. "Why would Triphorm do somethin' like that ?"
Me, Chris, Sian and Chrissie looked at each other, wondering what to tell her. I decided on the truth.
"I found something out about her," I told Mina. "She tried to get past that three-headed cat on Hallowe'en. It bit her. We think she was trying t steal whatever it's guarding."
Mina dropped the teapot.
"How do you know about Cutesy?" she said.
"Cutesy?"
"Yeah – she's mine – bought her off some Greek chap I met down the pub la' year – I leant her to Crighton to guard the – "
"Yes?" I said eagerly.
"No more questions, don't ask any more questions," said Mina gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."
"But Mina, whatever that cat's guarding, Triphorm's trying to steal it."
"Rubbish," said Mina again. "Professor Triphorm's a Dragon Mort teacher, she wouldn't try to steal it."
"So why did she just try and kill Kiara, then?" cried Sian.
Evidently, the afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her attitude towards Triphorm.
"Look Mina, Dragon Mort teacher or not, I know a spell when I see one, I've read all about them. You've got to keep eye contact, and Triphorm was not blinking!"
"Now you listen ter me, all four o' yeh!" said Mina hotly. "Yeh're meddlin' in things that aren't ter be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that cat's guarding is strictly between Susan Crighton and Nicola Fleming – "
"Aha!" I said. "So there's someone called Nicola Fleming involved, is there?"
Mina looked furious with herself.
