No one at Hogwarts could believe the news when the team returned later that night. The next morning's sports section of The Daily Prophet carried a piece about the rambunctious upstarts from a crumbling school dressed in black garbage. It was the first good news printed about the school in years, and the article raved about the school's mysterious seeker. Surely his name couldn't actually be Shades McCallister? Soon everyone at school was calling him Shades. The third and final game of regionals would be a home game that Saturday, and Hermione had ordered the house elves to start preparing the quidditch field for its first public game in years. Lee Jordan came to the practice field to watch their scrimmages from afar. Students started to ask the team if they wanted to come to their parties.

Jerry told his teammates to refrain from partying this week, but even as he said it, he knew it was futile. The campus was going wild with quidditch fever.

Banners were being hung on the field and the homestand had sold out. A string of pretty girls kept stopping by Jerry's room, asking him what his plans were that night. One young woman came to the room having forgotten to wear a shirt.

"Happy accident," she told Jerry as she passed out fliers to a house party and jiggled out of the room.

Jerry stomped down the hall to Jarvis's room.

"That's it," Jerry said. "I can't take no more. Send some owls out and let the team know they can have a beer or two tonight, but no liquor — and be in bed by midnight!"

But Jerry should have known better. No one tells Sammy not to drink liquor, and at 2 a.m. she was encouraging her teammates to drink vermouth from her shoe.

"It's for good luck," she shouted at them.

She was a one-woman wrecking crew, with a karaoke mic in one hand and a bottle of gin in the other.

Jerry went to find Tanya, but Tanya had already joined Sammy for a game of Strip Twister in the living room. Jerry decided it was time to call it a night.

Inside, Sammy and Tanya tumbled over in each other's arms, laughing. Tanya propped herself on one arm and looked deep in Sammy's eyes.

"You know, Sammy," Tanya said. "You were the reason we won the quidditch match. The Raiders? That was genius. You don't get the credit you deserve."

"Aww, shucks, you," Sammy said, playfully jabbing at Tanya. "I'm just happy for this team… but if you say so!"

Sammy chuckled, but Tanya's words continued to roll around her head like marbles. It made her think of all the times she gave Jerry advice in the huddle, then watched him throw a game-winning touchdown pass. The team would lift Jerry up on their shoulders. Never Sammy.

"It's really not fair," Tanya said. "Sometimes I think the others feel like you're not even part of the team. Jerry said he wants to swap out you for MJ, he just doesn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Really?" Sammy asked. That didn't sound like Jerry. Years of second-string and junior varsity uniforms flashed before her eyes. "Well, I have been learning some magic from Hermione. Maybe one day, I'll be on the broom, too."

"Oh, honey," Tanya said, patting Sammy on the shoulder. "We all know about those 'Magic Classes.' Hermione is lying to you. The old wand under the desk trick? That's a wizard's trick to play on non-magics. Tut tut, Hermione. Seems to be an especially cruel trick to play as headmistress."

Sammy felt her head swimming. Hermione wasn't cruel. She whipped out the wand Hermione had given her. She thought of the most magical moment she could possibly imagine — pulling off Helen Mirren's bra and motorboating those gazoombas.

"Windgardium Leviosa," Sammy shouted with all the magic she could muster. She pointed her wand at an empty beer can on the floor.

Nothing happened.

She tried again. And again. But the empty can wouldn't even tip over.

"I swear I was levitating the wizarding encyclopedia last week with Hermione," Sammy said as she wound up to cast her spell again.

Tanya took hold of Sammy's arm.

"It hurts, I know. But Hermione's been lying to you," Tanya said. "There's someone I want you to meet. They can give you real power. But you'll have to trust me and swear yourself to secrecy."

Sammy felt anger welling up in her, like she had swallowed an old piece of ham and the rancid meat was roiling her insides. She gritted her teeth.

Sammy would do anything to have just a taste of magic, and Tanya knew it.

"Let's meet up after tomorrow's game," Tanya said. "Tell no one."