Author's note: This series follows the books but will include details from the movie series for drama. Please note that the major events of the story remain true to the series and will be summarized into small sections to help progress to the story's love interest. I do not want to be claimed for plagiarizing but the original story line is needed to explain the changes in character development.
M rating for sexual content anticipated in year 4.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter series. Thank you to J.K. Rowling for bringing us the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The Doting Rival
Chapter 12
The morning of the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw finally arrived. Adelyn had only five days of practice with her new broom, but she felt more than prepared. The Firebolt was better than she could have imagined. It was in sync with her thoughts rather than her grip, needing the faintest of touches to turn. The speed caused the stadium to turn into a green-and-gray blur. She quickly learned she could actually sneak up on Fred; he was not an easy guy to startle and she found herself doing it a lot.
It was customary to sit with the rest of the team for breakfast the morning of a match. But Adelyn had most of the boys in the dormitory escorting her, as if the Firebolt needed a body guard. Heads turned in her direction and there was a good deal of excited murmuring.
"Look at their faces!" Fred nudged Adelyn to point out the Slytherin's at their table. "This is brilliant!"
Wood was basking in the excitement. "Adelyn, put it here." He had prepared a space in the center of the table to place the broom. Adelyn obliged him and he turned it carefully, ensuring the name faced upward.
The team had wide grins, confident in a victory. They reveled in the attention from the other houses. Fred couldn't contain his own excitement, fully embracing Adelyn. He was much taller than she, her head falling into the crook of his shoulder and his arm cupping her entire head. "There's nothing to stop us today!"
"Agreed! Ha ha!" George firmly pat Adelyn on her back, lurching her forward with the force.
The team settled in around the broom. Students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were coming to have a look.
"Congratulations, Adelyn."
Adelyn turned to the chiseled handsome face of Cedric Diggory. She couldn't help being caught off guard. He was tall, dark, and handsome; every girl in school swooned at the sight of him. Add on the continued kindness, he was a package waiting for the taking.
"Thank you, Cedric."
Percy Weasley interrupted with his girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater. "Can I just hold it, Adelyn?" she asked, using her boyfriend as connection.
"Sure."
"No sabotage now," Percy remarked. He whispered to Adelyn, "Be sure to win. I have ten Galleons against her."
Adelyn chuckled as they left. "Your brother is very amusing," she casually said to Fred.
"Can't be as amusing as George and myself." He leaned against her raising his eyebrows.
Draco had just about enough of watching Fred hang all over Adelyn. He walked with purpose between the tables to where they sat.
"Nice broom, Adelyn," Draco said with a smirk.
The team turned in response. No other Slytherin had approached the table.
"Jealous much, eh Malfoy?" Fred threw his arm over Adelyn's shoulder.
Draco took the action as an attempt to claim Adelyn as his own. "No," he scoffed. Not of the broom, anyway.
"Fred. . ." Adelyn quietly scolded him, elbowing him in the side.
Draco smirked at Adelyn's reprimand. He looked back at her. "Good luck, today."
"Thank you, Draco."
As Draco made his departure, Fred asked, "What was that for?" He rubbed his side dramatically.
"Maybe you're NOT as amusing as your brother. . ." Adelyn playfully shrugged.
"Ouch! That hurt, Adelyn." He gave her a pitiful attempt at puppy dog eyes.
She laughed, "Come on. We got a game to win."
The team entered the Quidditch Stadium to a roaring crowd of students. There were few things that made Adelyn as excited as a Quidditch match. And today was a beautifully clear day compared to the last one. Not a single dementor in sight either.
They met the Ravenclaw team with Madame Hooch in the middle of the field. The only girl on their team was Cho Chang. She was a bit smaller than Adelyn, an advantage as a Seeker. But her Comet would not have the speed the Firebolt had.
The captains shook hands.
"Mount your brooms," Madame Hooch instructed. "On my whistle . . . three – two – one -"
They were off! Adelyn's Firebolt kicked off higher and faster than any other broom on the field. She immediately circled the stadium, squinting in search of the Snitch.
"Gryffindor in possession," Lee Jordan echoed from the speakers. "Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for the goal. . ."
Adelyn was heading in the opposite direction, searching for a glint of gold. She noticed Cho Change tailing her closely. She kept cutting Adelyn off, forcing her to change direction.
"Show her your acceleration, Adelyn!" Fred yelled as he shot past her in pursuit of a Bludger.
Adelyn heeded his instruction, whooshing around the Ravenclaw goal posts just as Katie Bell scored another goal for Gryffindor. Then she saw it – the Snitch flitting near one of the barriers.
As Adelyn dived, Draco abruptly stood up to lean over the railing. She was known for her dives, but his stomach lurched as he saw her drop. The last time it happened, she ended up in the hospital wing. He was not taking his eyes off her this match.
A Bludger came pelting at Adelyn when she was about ten feet from the Snitch. She veered off course to avoid the impact, loosing view of the Snitch in the process.
"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero. And look at that Firebolt! Chang can't keep up with the precision-balance -"
"JORDAN! Get on with the commentary!" Professor McGonagall scolded.
Ravenclaw had finally scored some goals, putting Gryffindor only fifty points ahead. If Cho got the Snitch before Adelyn, Ravenclaw would win. Adelyn scanned the field frantically until she saw the Snitch glittering around the Gryffindor posts. She accelerated, eyes fixed, when Cho appeared right in front of her, cutting her off.
Adelyn lost sight of the Snitch. Cho was grinning at her; she decided to mark her rather than search for the Snitch herself. Alright, then. If Cho wanted to tail her, she would have to face the consequences.
Adelyn dived again. Cho followed suit, thinking she saw the Snitch. Adelyn pulled out of the dive very sharply, causing Cho to hurtle downward. Adelyn rose up and saw the Snitch for the third time on the Ravenclaw end. She took off in pursuit.
Draco was standing against the rail of the stadium. It was the only way he could watch Adelyn in her dives. He smirked as he saw her deceive Cho into believing the Snitch was near the ground. Nice move, Adelyn. She continued on, shooting straight towards his bleachers. She was fixed ahead, fully concentrating at the task at hand.
Draco saw it now, the Snitch, fluttering a short distance away from him, almost eye level. His heart began to race with excitement. From his position, it felt like he was the one racing against Adelyn toward the Snitch. He wished desperately that he were on his broom, to be in the air competing against her.
Adelyn was nearly there. The Snitch moved last second, heading straight for the stadium tower. She stretched out her hand, willing the Firebolt to urge forward just a smidge more.
The students got nervous and began to sink into their seats with the anticipation of possible impact. Draco stood his ground, grinning as Adelyn closed the distance between them.
Adelyn leaned towards the edge of her broom and managed to close her fingers over the struggling Snitch. She pulled up instantly, halting only an arm's reach from the beaming face of Draco Malfoy.
"Brilliant play, Adelyn!" He exclaimed. Adelyn was breathing heavily, whisps of hair stuck to her face, cheeks flush pink from the exertion. Even in Gryffindor colors, Draco found her to be extremely pretty.
Her eyes met his and she responded with a massive, full mouth grin. Cheers filled the entire stadium. In a matter of moments, Adelyn was bombarded by the rest of her team.
"That's my girl!" Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina, and Katie kept hugging her. George clasped her arm so tight she felt it may go numb. Fred grabbed her face in both his hands and kissed her forehead forcefully. She was a bit disoriented from the swarm, barely able to keep track of who had just interacted with her.
"Come on, Adelyn!" George tugged her arm to lead her towards the Gryffindor towers. "Party! Gryffindor Common room!"
Draco seethed at the sight, his adrenaline causing him to clench his fists. He couldn't stand watching another guy with his hands all over Adelyn. She CAN'T be dating Fred Weasley. He marched off in frustration as the team made their way to the ground.
As Draco descended the tower stairs, he recounted the various times he saw them together. Fred was always so physical with her. Touching her hair. Throwing his arm over her shoulder. She never seemed to mind. Never pushed him away. But she didn't push me away either. His heart was still racing. No longer in anger, but in excitement. Excitement at the thought of Adelyn being as comfortable with him as she was Fred. That's when he realized. I like Adelyn Potter.
The party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George provided armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and bags of a variety of Honeydukes sweets. Everyone was flabbergasted at how they were able to provide so much on such short notice.
"A little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred whispered in Adelyn's ear while handing her a butterbeer.
The only person not partaking in the festivities was Hermione. She was in her usual corner reading what she stated had to be finished by Monday. No time for rest or play, it seemed.
It wasn't until one in the morning when the party was brought to an end. Professor McGonagall showed up in her full-length cotton night gown and matching hair turban to insist the students go to bed. There was some resistance, but in all honesty, many were exhausted. They just didn't want to be the ones to say so and leave first.
Adelyn fell asleep with ease. She dreamt of her Firebolt, the rush of the acceleration. She was flying over a forest and got distracted by a silvery glow in the trees. She investigated, tried following it. But the faster she went, so did the glow. Whatever she tried, Adelyn couldn't catch up to it.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Adelyn bolted up in her four-poster bed at the sound of one of the boys screaming. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up. She had already torn back her hangings. Some of the other girls were peeking through theirs. Adelyn charged for the door, wand at the ready, to head downstairs. As she opened her door, she heard the boys' slam. She saw nothing when she reached the common room.
Adelyn could hear fumbling from the boy's dormitory. Two second years scurried down the stairs in fright.
"What's happened?" Adelyn urged from them.
"Ron has been attacked!" one of them replied.
"What?!" Adelyn didn't hesitate, bounding the staircase, skipping every other step.
"Ron? Ron!" She came to a halt in the full room. Ron had the look of utmost terror on his face as he sat up in the bed holding his blankets up to his chin.
Adelyn approached his bed to find the hangings torn. "Ron. . . what's wrong?" She said out of breath.
"Ron, are you sure you weren't just dreaming?" Dean Thomas asked.
"Look at the curtains! He slashed them with his knife! I tell you; he was here!" Ron was in hysterics.
Adelyn had no doubt he was telling the truth. She just didn't know one thing. "Who, Ron? Who was here?"
"Black! Sirius Black!" Ron was frantic, eyes wide in shock.
The other boys scurried out of bed. Adelyn was the first to return downstairs. Save for two girls peaking around the staircase from the girl's dormitory, the common area was empty. Many of the boys followed downstairs as well.
"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?" Dean Thomas asked.
"I'm telling you! It was him!"
"Excellent! Are we carrying on?" Fred asked as he and George arrived on the scene.
"No! No," Percy intervened, pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajama top. "Professor McGonagall said we were to go to bed. Everyone back upstairs."
"Perce- Sirius Black! He was here. With a knife. In the dormitory." Ron was clutching his older brother's sleeve, trembling.
"Nonsense. You've had too much to eat. You must be mistake -"
"I'm telling the truth!"
"Honestly!" Professor McGonagall had appeared through the portrait. "I understand you are all excited about winning, but this is getting ridiculous!"
"I did not authorize this, Professor," Percy pipped up. "My brother, Ron, just had a nightmare and -"
"I DID NOT HAVE A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "Professor! Professor, I woke up and SIRIUS BLACK was standing over my bed with a KNIFE!"
Professor McGonagall stared at him a moment in disbelief. "Come now, Mr. Weasley. How could Sirius Black have got through the portrait hole?"
"I don't know! Why not ask him?" Ron pointed to Sir Cadogan. "Ask him!"
Professor McGonagall exited through the hole to confront him. The whole common room crammed through the narrow space to get a good ear shot.
"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter the Gryffindor Tower?"
"Certainly, good lady!" he replied matter-of-factly.
"What?" Professor McGonagall was stunned. "But - the password!"
"He had 'em, o'course!" Sir Cadogan replied. "Had the whole week's. Read 'em off a piece o' paper."
The students scurried back into the common area as Professor McGonagall slowly pulled herself back through the portrait hole. She was wide eyed and chalk white.
"Which person – which foolish person – wrote down the week's passwords and left them lying around?"
The room was eerily silent. Many of the students had made their way down from the dormitories by this point and were looking amongst each other for an answer. Shakily, Neville Longbottom raised his hand into the air.