Wood was clearly agitated about the upcoming match, if our recent and gruelling practices were to be evident of anything. If we won we'd overtake Slytherin in the lead for the first time in seven years, so there was a great deal of pressure, and most of it rested on Harry. On the morning of the match against Hufflepuff, he looked like he was going to be sick. Wood didn't help, telling him that it would be helpful if he could catch the snitch early, which only made him look worse so I sauntered over. "Alright Harry? Don't worry about anything, you'll do great. Only this time, try not to swallow the snitch when you catch it." I joked, clapping him on the back and this at least earned a smile, the boy taking a deep breath in order to calm down.
Turns out, none of us needn't have worried. Of course everyone was keeping half an eye on Harry to see if his broom would try and throw him off again, but barely five minutes into the match, Harry pulled out of a spectacular dive with the snitch in his hand, and that's even with Snape refereeing. Basically, today couldn't have gone better. The night ended with a brilliant party with food we'd snuck up from the kitchens, then went to bed after we were told off by McGonagall still jittery with the fantastic catch form Harry.
The rest of the year went on as normal. Everyone had exams of some degree, all of which I passed at the top of my class without too much effort, however at the very end of the year, something unprecedented happened. Everybody was talking about it, how Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone down into the dungeons from the third floor in the forbidden corridor and had passed through numerous challenges only for Harry to end up facing You-Know-Who, who happened to be attached to the back of Quirrell's head.
It was stomach turning, and after a moment or two to think once Fred and George told me the story, a thought came to mind. "So You-Know-Who was really on the back of Quirrell's head under the turban?" They nodded, looking grim faced and worried for their brother, though they'd never admit it. "So…when we charmed those snowballs to follow Quirrell around…we were actually hitting You-Know-Who in the face?" At first they were horrified by the thought, but then we all broke into roars of laughter, because of course that was the most hilarious thing I'd ever heard of in my life. The greatest Dark Wizard of our time, and we'd hit him with a snowball in the face. That has to go down in the memory book somewhere.
Anyway, plenty of people were sending Harry gifts whilst he recovered in the hospital, though the twins had to explain to me the joke when they'd tried to send him a toilet seat they'd blown up, and that was also pretty funny. After a miserable defeat of Ravenclaw, we lost the chance for the Quidditch Cup, much to Wood's – and even McGonagall's – despair. Still, next year. We'll get it next year. In any case, on the last day the feast we were all sitting waiting for Dumbledore to announce this year's House Cup winner, which of course would be Slytherin again. One day, I'd really love to rub some manure under all their noses, see if their scrunched up faces changed at all or if those really were their normal expressions.
Harry was back on his feet and looking better than ever. He'd apologised to Wood for not being there for the team, but Wood was kind enough to say that it wasn't his fault and that Harry had had more important things to do, like stopping You-Know-Who from getting some magic stone, the Philosopher's Stone, of all things. With the points given, Gryffindor were dead last and Slytherin in the lead with four hundred and seventy two points. Only the Slytherins seemed happy about this, even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff rolled their eyes until unexpectedly, Dumbledore continued. "Yes, yes, well done Slytherin, however! Recent events must be taken into account." Immediately the entire hall went silent, everyone waiting with baited breath.
"No…he isn't…" I murmured quietly then shot a look down to Ron, Harry and Hermione as the twins frowned at me. "I'll bet you everything I own he's going to award them points." Eager now and focusing, I'd never seen Fred and George pay so much attention in all the time I'd known them.
"I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see…yes. First, to Mr Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points." Everyone exploded into applause and cheers whilst Percy rather proudly announced to anyone who would listen that Ron was his youngest brother and had beaten McGonagall's chess set. "Second, to Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points." Blushing and burrowing her head into her arms in order to hide the fact that she was most probably crying, I patted Hermione heartily on the back. "Third, to Mr Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house…sixty points."
Calculating quickly in my head, I suddenly leaped up with the rest of those who had counted to bellow our approval as we came neck and neck with Slytherin and, fully convinced that we were going to draw with them for the Cup, Dumbledore held up his hand once more and silence followed in tense trepidation, everyone on the edge of their seats. "There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to…Mr Neville Longbottom."
All at once everyone was on their feet, standing on the benches to thunder our victory in the faces of the now grim and ashen Slytherins as Neville blinked in total disbelief. It was thanks to him that we had finally won the House Cup, and I was fairly certain that this would mean no one would dare pick on him ever again in our house, or at least that's what I hoped. I'd seen the plump boy around, often with a sad, lonely expression with someone teasing him or jinxing him in some way. Usually it was that sour faced brat Malfoy, and more than once I'd sent a hex back his way and rescued Neville from whatever torture he'd been enduring.
All that was in the past now, as Fred, George and I grabbed one another and jumped up and down, the banners overhead turned from silver and green to the vibrant gold and scarlet of our house. I'm fairly certain McGonagall looked as if she were going to cry, and through the mass of robes and bobbing heads, I saw her dab a little at the corner of her eye. As the Cup was passed into McGonagall's possession, a number of us raced up to the top table to shake Dumbledore's hand fervently, our smiles, laughter and cheering carrying on past the Great Hall and throughout the castle, causing all the ghosts to come and see what the fuss was all about.
Everyone lifted up Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville, putting them on our shoulders and parading them around as we crowed at the Slytherins, where even Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were clapping their approval as we rubbed it in that we'd won. We wouldn't settle down for a good long while, until finally the cheering died off and Dumbledore chuckled with amusement, inviting us all to return to our seats so that we could commence with the banquet.
This was the best end of the year so far and when we arrived at King's Cross station, mum and dad insisted on taking a commemorative photo in order to celebrate our victorious return, so I dragged Fred, George, Ron, Hermione and Harry into the mix, grinning as they held up the camera whilst Ginny stood in front of me, all of us eagerly grinning. Fred managed to drag Percy in at the last second, all of us clustered together where the rest of the parents and students politely gave us room until with a bright flash, the photo was taken and I promised to send everyone copies once they were developed.
Still smiling despite the ache in my jaw, I eagerly told my parents everything that had happened from beginning to end, even if I was repeating things I'd already told them. Mum was particularly interested in Harry Potter, and when we caught sight of Harry's uncle, aunt and cousin, she agreed that they looked a very unsavoury lot. Before they could pack Harry into the muggle car, I rushed on over and gave him a hug, much to his surprise. His uncle, already purple in the face, looked as if he were about to explode as he stared at me with a bristling moustache. "Write to me if you need anything at all, Harry, I'll get Fred and George on the case too. You know how we love to cause mayhem. If we hear you aren't being treated well, we'll be sure to stop by and set off a load of dungbombs in your house." I told him loudly so that his family would hear, and this so called Uncle Vernon turned a worrying shade of mauve as he spluttered. "If they give you any trouble, you could always just turn them all into pets. I recommend pigs, they're good for eating."
In the car I saw the aunt and cousin turn a deadly shade of white, gaping at me as I grinned at them all. Not even bothering to introduce myself, I pecked Harry's cheek with a little kiss so that he turned a cute shade of pink then skipped off, leaving him suddenly grinning as Uncle Vernon then politely requested him to get in the car. My mission successful, I went home feeling bubbly and eager to return next year to Hogwarts. My fourth year already, I could hardly believe it. I wonder what mischief and mayhem will happen then?