Chapter 43: Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff
"Don't look at us in that manner." Shannon said as he eyed the four Gryffindors who were giving them threatening looks. "We're going to win the Quidditch cup fair and square."
"We're going to beat you this time." James said confidently. I'm so much more confident in winning the Quidditch cup again this year. We're going to win!!
"Don't say too soon." Xavier said. "The match is still a week away."
"We'll definitely beat Hufflepuff this year." Sirius said boldly. We trained at least ten times harder than before. I don't see how we could lose this match.
"Well, see you guys at the Quidditch pitch." Malcolm said before Lewell started shoving the three Hufflepuffs towards their next class.
"Until we meet." Remus said and continued walking at the opposite direction of the Hufflepuffs.
"Wait till the match and we're going to wipe of those smirks on their faces." James said, grinning.
"Who did they think they were?? Quidditch champions??" Sirius said, with an expression showing great dislike.
"Well, we won't know for sure until the match ends." Remus said, trying to calm a rather worked-up Sirius.
"We're going to win them." Sirius said. "I've this gut feeling."
"I don't usually trust Sirius' gut, do you??" James joked with Remus and Peter.
"Oei!!"
"Let's give a short introduction of this two fantastic Quidditch teams." Daniel Thomas, a sixth-year Gryffindor and prefect announced over the Quidditch stadium. "From Gryffindor, we've a hunky Andrew Spinnet as Captain and Chaser along with gorgeous Lily Evans and beautiful Arabella Figg. James Potter is our new Keeper for this year while Sirius Black and Remus Lupin as our Beaters again. This year we've the petite Stefanie Black as our Seeker."
The Gryffindors cheered loudly from the spectator stands. Some of the Ravenclaw
cheered for the Gryffindor.
"For Hufflepuff, we've the four exchange students in the team. Amos Diggory, the Keeper, is the Co-Captain along with Shannon Daoming who is the Chaser along with Xavier Ximen and Barty Crouch. Malcolm Meizuo and Ludo Bagman as Beaters. Lewell Huaze is the Hufflepuff Seeker."
"Now, I want a nice fair game from all of you." Madam Hooch said. She was the resident referee for all Hogwarts official Quidditch Match. She stood in the middle of the pitch with her broom in her hand, waiting for the two teams to gather. "Mount your brooms, please."
The fourteen players clambered onto their broomsticks. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle and instantly, fifteen brooms rose up, high, high above the stadium.
"Potter stopped the Quaffle in time – Beater Sirius hit the Bludger towards Daoming and nearly knocked him off the broom – Quaffle back to Evans – nice pass to Figg – and nearing the goal post – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!! Sixty to thirty." Daniel Thomas yelled over the pitch. The match was getting more and more excited as the time passed. Lunchtime was long over before anyone even realized it.
"Good pass from Ximen to Daoming – ouch!! Meizuo nearly knock Spinnet off – nice dive Spinnet – Crouch going to score – no – stopped by an excellent move from Potter – Lupin hit a Bludger at Ximen – but missed and hit Diggory instead – Great pass from Figg to Evans and she's about to sc – no – stopped by a Bludger from Bagman -" Daniel announced on and on and soon, more than five hours had passed since the match started. It was getting less exciting for both the players and spectators. Night was falling and the snitch was not caught, though being spotted several times. Lewell had nearly gotten it but Sirius had aimed the Bludger at him in time. Gryffindor was leading two hundred to one hundred and seventy.
"Time-out!!" Madam Hooch shouted in a tired manner. The fourteen brooms landed on the ground with the listless players on them. "Reserve player up. Rotate in eight hours time if the Snitch is yet to be caught."
Most of the audience who were mainly supporters of the Marauders or the Flower Boys were either up in the air continuing the game or returned to their dormitory for a night sleep. Andrew had given them a quick encouraging talk and sent them back to the castle while he remained at the pitch to watch the reserved team playing.
"What a game. I'm totally drained!!" Lily said tiredly.
"Eight hours. The final match seems to be getting longer." James replied in an exhausted tone.
"We've got to be up there at the eighth hour rotation. The team needs us to win." Sirius said. The idea of winning the Hufflepuffs by hook or by crook seemed to give him some invisible energy.
"I think we better sleep at the common room tonight." Arabella said with barely any enthusisium.
"We need to grab some food from the kitchen for dinner and breakfast." Remus said, leading the group towards the kitchen instead of the tower.
"We need to take our at three in the morning!!" Stefanie cried out.
"WAKE UP!!" Remus and Stefanie shouted as four pails of icy cold water emptied its content onto the sleepyheads in the Gryffindor common room couches. Both of them were the early birds and could always wake up on time.
"Ahh.. So fast??" Lily muttered sleepily.
"I haven't even had enough rest." Arabella said.
"James, don't you dare to say five more minutes or we leviate you down to the pitch." Remus threatened.
"Please leviate us down to the pitch. We need to conserve our energy." James said.
"Get up all of you. Gryffindor is now losing with five hundred to five hundred and eighty!!" Remus yelled at the four sleepy Gryffindors.
"Let's get down to the pitch now!! The Quidditch cup must be ours!!" Sirius said and he grabbed James' hand with Remus to pull him off the armchair.
"Ok ok. I'm able to walk down myself. This is going to be a long long match!!" James said.
"I don't doubt that. It had already lasted for sixteen hours." Lily commented.
"I don't believe it!!" James exclaimed.
"The match with Hufflepuff is still on. Did anyone spot the Snitch??"
"I did!! But Lewell blocked me from catching it since he wasn't able to catch it." Stefanie said sourly.
"We already hit Hogwarts record by playing for five consecutive days. I already forgotten how many times were we rotated??" Lily commented.
"I think at least six. We played twice initially then once every day when they found seven more players." Remus counted.
"The person who is under the most stress is still Andrew. He had been napping at the changing room for the last few days." Sirius said.
"Let's hope the Snitch gets caught soon. We're leading by two hundred points, with three thousand two hundred and ten to three thousand." Arabella said.
"Let's hurry up, we need to take our the
eight players before they faint or something." Lily hurried the group.
"The only plus point is that lessons are cancelled until the match ends." James said, grinning.
"Seriously I would prefer lessons over Quidditch, at least we get some decent sleep at night, unlike now." Lily pointed. The six of them were leaving the castle to continue the game at eight in the evening.
"I can't agree with that anymore. Quidditch is great. But there's a limit of playing." Remus said.
"We gotta win. Stef, we're counting on you." Sirius said, looking at his sister.
"I've been trying my best. I will try to catch the Snitch this time." Stefanie said with a new air of confidence.
"GRYFFINDOR WINS!! Seven thousand six hundred and fifty points to seven thousand and two hundred points." Daniel Thomas announced the moment Stefanie caught the Snitch. The whole stadium broke into cheers because the longest Quidditch match in Hogwarts history had finally came to an end.
"WE WON!!" Sirius shouted the moment they landed.
"We WON!!" Lily jumped in joy, hugging Arabella and Stefanie.
"I'm so tired." Stefanie said, clasping tightly to the struggling Snitch and fainted in Lily arms.
"Stef!!" Lily shouted. The rest of the team quickly gathered around Stefanie, trying to help her up. Remus, without saying anything carried Stefanie up and dashed towards the castle to the Hospital Wing.
"Let's go with Stef and Rem!!" James told Sirius, Lily and Arabella. The four of them excused from the crowd and left the pitch.
"I think I might faint too." Lily said, suddenly she was seeing stars around her.
"Lils!!" Arabella shouted at the fainted Lily.
"Let's go!!" James said as he scoped up Lily into his arms and rushed towards the Hospital Wing.
"Accio Broomsticks." Sirius said and six broomsticks followed them from behind as they run up the castle.
"Madam Pomfrey!!" Arabella called out while the nurse was examining Stefanie.
"Put her on the other bed." Madam Pomfrey instructed. "Out you go. Get a shower first and take some rest."
"What happened to them??" James asked.
"They just faint from exhaustion, must be the Quidditch matches." Madam Pomfrey said as she shook her head, examining Lily now.
"We'll come and see them later." Arabella said as she took a last look at her two best friends. "Guys, let get going back first."
"Wow!! What a spread!!" Lily exclaimed as Arabella and the Marauders came into the Hospital Wing with bags of food.
"You two need more nutritious food." Arabella said.
"Thanks!! I'm kinda getting tired of the plain potato and chicken mayo here." Stefanie said gratefully.
"I love creamy chicken linguine!!" Lily said and started helping herself with the packed lunch.
"There's no need to hurry. Pomfrey won't be back so soon." James said.
"How did you know??"
"Dumbledore asked to see her."
"Do you guys instigate that??"
"Of course not!!"
"Our pranks can never trick Dumbledore!!"
"We met her outside."
"She knows you guys brought us food??"
"Nope, we hid it until she left."
"Thanks anyway."
"Can't wait to get out here."
"You two faint from exhaustion. I doubt she'll let you off only after three days!!"
"We're perfectly fine now."
"Pomfrey's idea of fine and our idea don't exactly tally."
"We know. Anyway it's nice to escape from lessons for a couple more days."
"Nah, I'm supposed to be bring the homework to you."
"But did you??"
"Yes, here they are!!"
"Oh no!!" Lily and Stefanie groaned in unison as Arabella took out the parchments from her book bag. All of them laughed at their response to homework.
