Blood Brothers
Written by Christina E Lupin
Notes: Congratulations to Future-Little-Mrs.-Teddy-Lupin for being Blood Brothers' 300th reviewer. This chapter is dedicated to you and it will be filled with all kinds of Quidditch goodness. And thanks to all of you for reviewing for the last chapter. It makes me happy knowing what you think of the story. Now, I present to you the Quidditch Cup with a few extra surprises thrown in. I will be expecting some angry fans.
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Quidditch Final
The Gryffindor Quidditch team fell silent, too nervous to say another word. Harry felt his stomach twisting, churning inside him and he hoped that he would not be sick. He had never felt this nervous about a game ever, not even that time in third year when they played in the storm.
"It's time," Angelina announced, snatching her broom from where it leaned on the lockers.
The seven team members followed her out onto the field, where Lee Jordan was shouting out their names to the overexcited crowd. The Slytherins were already on the field, their Nimbus Two Thousand and One brooms at their sides. They glared maliciously at the red-robed team across from them. Draco Malfoy smirked at Ron, who clutched his broom tightly and glared back.
"I want a clean game from all of you," Madam Hooch was telling the teams. "I do not want to be taking pieces of you back to the hospital wing to be put back together. Captains, come forth to shake hands."
Angelina and the Slytherin captain gripped hands and Harry had a feeling that they were trying to break each other's hands, as they both were Chasers and their hands were very valuable. They broke away and waited for the signal from Madam Hooch. The hawk-eyed woman walked over to the beat-up trunk that held the four Quidditch balls and opened the hatch. The trunk began to wobble from the force of the Bludgers, eager to unseat the fourteen teens. She reached in to grab the red ball known as the Quaffle, holding it beneath her arms. "Mount your brooms."
The Gryffindors and Slytherins never took their eyes off each other as they got on their brooms. With the sound of a whistle they kicked off and hovered twenty feet above the grassy field. The Chasers moved forward, creating a circle above Madam Hooch. The Beaters were behind the Chasers, the Keepers went to their separate sides to guard the three hoops that served as goals, and the Seekers floated somewhere in between.
"And there goes the Quaffle!" Jordan shouted as Madam Hooch launched the Quaffle up in the air, the Chasers diving to grab the ball. "It's Slytherin in possession, Warrington zooming toward the Gryffindor goals. Get ready, Ron! Ooh, nice Bludger work by Fred! Warrington drops the Quaffle, which is caught by Alicia Spinnet, who passes to Katie…"
Harry half-listened to the commentary, his eyes scanning the air for sign of the Snitch. Malfoy was tailing him, looking for any sign that the Gryffindor Seeker had seen the Snitch.
"OH COME ON! Slytherin Beater Goyle delivers a Bludger to Katie Bell's face. That is a penalty which is awarded to Gryffindor. Alicia takes the Quaffle and puts it in the rings. It's ten-zero to Gryffindor!"
Below the players, the crowd cheered and hissed. Ainsley Townshend smiled and lifted her binoculars, scanning the players. She was never one to play Quidditch but she loved to watch. It took her back to when she sat beside Lily Evans and Alexandra Price, cheering on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Her favorite memory was back in seventh year, when the Gryffindors went against Slytherin for the Cup. Lily was cheering for her boyfriend and Alex had her eyes set on Sirius Black, who was a Beater for the team. Ainsley smiled sadly and shook her head of the memory to watch the current game. Her binoculars skimmed over her godson, hovering ten feet over the action. He was very much like his father, she thought, except he lacked James' overconfidence and large ego.
"Montague tears up the field toward the goals, dodging Bludgers from the Weasley twins. C'mon, unseat him! Sorry, Professor," Jordan apologized to McGonagall, who glared fiercely at him. "Get ready, Ron! Montague shoots… and WEASLEY SAVES! Nice try! Weasley launches the Quaffle to Alicia, the score still ten-zero!"
Harry started to fly lazily above the players. There was no sign of the golden ball and he was beginning to become bored.
"Lost the ability to see the Snitch, Potter?" Malfoy taunted, smirking.
He chose not to reply, gritting his teeth instead. He was even more tired of Malfoy's insults. For once, he strongly wished he could hex the blond. Maybe that would shut him up. A flicker of gold caught his eye and he saw the Snitch fifty feet below, zipping here and there. He tilted his broom down and rushed toward the ground, Malfoy behind him.
"And Potter's seen the Snitch! Look at him go! Malfoy's Nimbus Two Thousand is no match for Potter's Firebolt! Meanwhile, Katie scores another goal to make the score twenty-zero."
The Snitch dove out of sight and the two Seekers had to swerve to miss impacting the ground. Adrian Pucey, Slytherin Chaser, swore as a red blur passed inches from him. Crabbe, who was not too far away, sent a Bludger toward the Gryffindor Seeker. Harry hissed when he felt the Bludger hit the small of his back.
"Another penalty given to Gryffindor," Jordan growled, glaring at Crabbe. "And the score is not thirty-zero, with Pucey in possession of the Quaffle."
"You okay, Harry?" George asked, pelting the Bludger away toward the Slytherins.
"Fine," Harry replied. "Lost my breath there."
"Good man." George flew away, batting away a Bludger from hitting Katie.
"Pucey puts the Quaffle in, giving Slytherin ten points." The Slytherins cheered but they were drowned out by the hisses from the other students. "Alicia takes the Quaffle…"
The game continued, with Gryffindor still in the lead. The Slytherins began to use dirty tactics to stop Gryffindor from winning, which only awarded the Gryffindors several penalties. The Snitch appeared every now and then, teasing the Seekers mercilessly.
"This has to be the slowest Quidditch game I have ever seen," Ainsley remarked to McGonagall. "And the dirtiest," she added, wincing when Montague slammed into Katie, making her drop the Quaffle in her hands.
"One of the few," McGonagall agreed. "I have seen worse. In one game, when I was here as a student, several team members were sent to the hospital wing. The game was postponed for several days until the players were better."
"I don't know how witches and wizards want to play this game, when you get hurt a lot," the younger witch said, shuddering.
McGonagall opened her mouth to reply but she shut her mouth as she watched the Gryffindor and Slytherin Seekers dive again.
"The Snitch is spotted by Potter and Malfoy!" Jordan shouted excitedly. "If Gryffindor catches the Snitch now, they would automatically win the Cup! Come on, Harry! Catch the damn thing!"
"JORDAN! NO SWEARING!" McGonagall yelled at the student next to her.
"Sorry Professor," Jordan replied sheepishly.
Ainsley chuckled but kept her eyes on the Seekers, who were pushing each other as they chased the Snitch around the field. Malfoy gave a particular hard shove so Harry drifted away a little. The Slytherin Seeker reached to grab the small ball but Harry intercepted him.
"Looks like the Seekers are going all-out just so they can get the Snitch," Jordan replied. "Meanwhile, Angelina scores another goal, taking the score to fifty-twenty, Gryffindor in the lead!"
Suddenly, the Snitch dove, sending both Seekers into a dive as well, broom to broom.
"Give up, Potter," Malfoy growled. "You'll never get the Snitch this time."
"You wish," Harry growled back and he propelled his broom faster, surpassing Malfoy easily. He reached out a hand and felt the cool metal and tiny feathers brush his palm. He smiled and pulled out of the dive, holding up the small golden ball.
The crowd roared in approval.
"GRYFFINDOR WINS THE CUP!" Jordan shouted, standing up and dancing in his spot.
McGonagall grinned happily and she too got up and danced, much to the amusement of the staff. Ainsley laughed and joined her former professor.
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"Congratulations!" Hermione squealed, throwing herself into Ron's arms, squeezing tight.
Ron blushed deeply and he squirmed in her embrace. "It was nothing…"
She let go of him and went to Harry, hugging him as well. Harry hugged her back, grinning.
"Well done," Ainsley replied, smiling at the scene in front of her. "You fly as well as your father did, Harry. He would be very proud of you. Your mother, however…"
"She would have grounded him for life for scaring her," Remus said, walking toward the teens.
Ainsley tensed and met his eyes, amber meeting golden brown. She felt the familiar pain in her heart when she saw him, looking a little worn but not any different than he was. Her gaze went to behind the man and glimpsed a familiar black dog with a rat perched on its head.
"Remus," she greeted coolly.
Remus winced at the tone of her voice. "Ainsley…" he replied.
"We will talk later, Remus," she said. "Let us congratulate the pup for his win. I believe this is the second win the Gryffindors have had, am I correct?"
"We won in third year," Harry said, grinning. "Last year we had the Triwizard Tournament." His smile dropped.
"We understand, cub," Remus said hastily.
"So you came to watch the game?" Hermione asked her former professor.
"We did, yes. We would never miss an opportunity to watch our… cub play." The werewolf winced at his almost slip-up, knowing Ainsley hadn't known about the Blood Brothers bond the Marauders shared.
Ainsley narrowed her eyes at her former boyfriend. He was hiding something from her and she would find out. She could only hope that she could keep her own secrets from him. It would not do to tell him that she was pregnant with his son years ago.
Harry could feel the tension in the air between his light-haired father and his godmother. He tried to say something but his vision was becoming blurred. His legs felt like rubber and before his vision blackened he could feel himself falling, falling…
"Tell me about the prophecy."
"I will never tell you," said the woman's voice. "You can continue to torture me, but you will never get me to reveal it to you."
Harry let out a high-pitched chuckle. "Oh, you will reveal it to me. I can guarantee it."
The woman on the floor screamed as he cast another Cruciatus curse on her, the sound of her screams filling the silent room.
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End of chapter
Hehehe…. Another cliffy. Who is that woman Voldemort has and how does she know the prophecy?