James was pleased that Jackson was given an opportunity to play for the Gryffindor quiditch team, but he couldn't help but feel that Sebastian's plan was rather odd. He placed Jackson as a chaser, but placed Patricia on the bench who was a beater.
"You've never played as a beater in your life" she complained.
"We've already lost the Quiditch Cup" Sebastian explained. "This is all about giving a young talent some experience for the next season."
"But Collins is in his final year" argued Patricia. "He's not going to be in next year, put me in his place."
"Sorry Patricia, but I'm sticking to my guns."
A lot of the team weren't convinced about Sebastian's explanation. James especially noted that Collins wasn't speaking to Sebastian at all, and at times appeared to be glaring at him angrily. James was looking forward to the final match, but couldn't help but feel that something was up.
"Is something the matter" James asked Collins the night before the match.
"Be prepared" replied Collins, before he left for bed.
James ate the following breakfast with great suspicion. He noticed Sebastian giving Jackson his spare broomstick to borrow for the match, and Collins breathing heavily as they joked to one another.
"Something isn't right" he muttered to himself, as Jackson returned to his seat.
About an hour later, the Gryffindor team went to the changing rooms to prepare for the match. Patricia was swearing furiously about being put on the bench. After Benedict finally persuaded her to at least listen, Sebastian began his final match prep speech.
"Today is going to be a very important game" he spoke. "One that none of us hear will forget for the rest of our lives."
"That isn't necessarily a good thing" snarled Collins.
"Well that depends on the person" grinned Sebastian. "I can guarantee that there will be at least one person here today who's going to be in for an unpleasant surprise."
"At least one?" gasped Jackson. "You mean all the Slytherin team."
"Almost" said Sebastian. "The entirety of Slytherin house will know after today not to mess with Gryffindor."
The whole team lined up in single file as they prepared to enter the pitch. James tried to stand behind Jackson, but Collins shoved him out of the way.
"You could have said pardon" James scowled.
"Don't think about the game" he heard Collins whisper to Jackson. "Just stay on the ground, and pretend you have a stomach ache."
"Thanks for confidence in me" Jackson replied sarcastically.
"And here come the Gryffindors" Hugh Jordan announced as they all walked onto the pitch. "Captain Sebastian Gorren has made a single change to the line-up, replacing Patricia Muggs with first year student Jackson Lestrange. James Potter is returning as seeker, and I speak for everyone when I say it's great to see that he wasn't deterred from Silverstone McLaren's diabolical actions in his last match."
James heard almost all of the stadium chant Potter over and over again. He smiled; it was pleasing to know that a lot of people had his back.
"Oswald Cannon has had his work cut out this year, losing badly to both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw" continued Jordan. "Kevin Bletchley is making his return to the team this game; I'm sure the Slytherin supporters are hoping that he hasn't been dating Tulip."
"He most certainly has not" Tulip protested to her team, whilst the stadium's crowd mostly laughed.
James was surprised to see that Bletchley was making a reappearance. He guessed that since Slytherin was already so low on potential players, and that McLaren was now seen as the villain behind their Ravenclaw match, Cannon had no choice but to give Bletchley his former position back.
"Captains, shake hands" ordered Montague.
Sebastian and Cannon glared at each other, and their handshake more closely resembled a contest to break the other's fingers.
"Now there's a surprise" Jackson continued his sarcasm, as Montague was forced to break the pair apart.
"What have I told you about hand crushing" Montague scolded them. "If you're going to do it, get one of your mates to distract me first."
"I'm sure you used to practise it a lot" said Sebastian rudely.
"Aye; shake Roger Davies' hand, get Warrington to fight Cho Chang, wait for Madame Hooch to turn her back, then tighten the grip" grinned Montague. "Davies could never prove his injured hand throughout that game was because of me."
"That's enough" said Cannon. "Let's do this."
Both teams began mounting their brooms. James was fully prepared to take off, but Collins next to him was standing in such a way that when they launch, he would only take off by about a foot.
"What's up with him?" he muttered to himself.
Montague unleashed the Quaffle, and the Gryffindors cheered with excitement, as Jackson Lestrange got to it first. He made a charge to the goal posts, easily avoiding the Slytherin chasers.
"This is an excellent opportunity for an early lead" shouted Hugh Jordan over the megaphone.
"Come on baby" Jackson shouted to himself.
James held back for a moment, wanting to see if Jackson could score his first ever goal. Bletchley was prepping himself to make a save, whilst Sebastian was flying towards Jackson.
"Sebastian looks like he's forgetting what position he's playing in" chuckled Hugh Jordan. "The Bludgers are both on the other side of the pitch."
Jackson stopped flying to take aim for the shot, but then out of nowhere, Sebastian Gorren smashed his club into his back. Jackson screamed, dropped the Quaffle, then went flying out of control.
"What the hell" gasped James.
"What is Sebastian doing?" asked Jordan.
"Ha ha ha ha" Sebastian cackled, amplified by a high volume charm he placed on his self.
Jackson regained control of his broom just before he hit the ground. He stayed at ground level for a few moments, rubbing his hand against his badly injured back. James flew towards him to check he was alright, but Sebastian got there first. He raised his club, and smashed it into Jackson's hand. Jackson screamed again, and was forced to fly higher to escape.
"What's going on Sebastian?" demanded James.
"Don't focus on me" Sebastian said calmly, though his voice was still amplified. "I'm just doing what's best for Gryffindor. You focus on the Golden Snitch."
"Sebastian don't…" James warned, but Sebastian ignored him and flew off.
Jackson was struggling to fly, as the last attack had broken his wrist. Sebastian was catching up to him effortlessly, and Jackson had to use every evasive manoeuvre he learned in his short time of flying to hold him off. Both sides had completely stopped playing, and were just staring in disbelief at Sebastian's assault. At long last, Sebastian was able to smash his club into Jackson's head; causing him to spit blood from his mouth. Benedict and Tulip both flew at Sebastian, but then he swung his club at them too. Both of them had to bail out of a rescue attempt before they got hit themselves.
"Do something" Corner ordered Montague.
"It's technically not a foul to beat up your own teammate with a club" replied Montague, though he was also trying to fly as close to Jackson as possible in case he fell.
"Collins, do something" begged James. "You have a club, you can attack him."
"Sebastian told me that if I tried to stop him, he'd curse my little brother" replied Collins. "I'm so sorry James."
"You have nothing to be sorry for" said a returning Benedict. "Sebastian is resorting to tactics used by the people he hates most."
"Sebastian Gorren" Professor McGonagall bellowed over Hugh Jordan's megaphone. "Cease your baseless attacks on your teammate at once."
"Baseless?" shrieked Sebastian. "This is anything but baseless. This is punishment that Slytherin deserve."
"You are talking nonsense" argued McGonagall. "Return to the ground at once, before your punishment gets more severe that it's already going to be."
"Gryffindor deserves its justice" roared Sebastian. "Slytherin have spent centuries killing and torturing muggle-borns; and now they're smuggling themselves into other houses. The world needs to be shown, that their plan will not work. Slytherin will pay for the Traitor of Gryffindor, and they will pay by having son of their idol be beaten by me."
"He's completely lost it" squealed Tulip.
"Why aren't any teachers or Montague doing anything?" demanded James.
"Because we're still technically in a quiditch match" Benedict explained begrudgingly. "You can't send players off in quiditch; it was how McLaren was allowed to keep playing after she assaulted you."
"That's so stupid" said James. "And to think I thought football's red cards were dumb."
"Please don't tell me that you lot actually believe his crap."
Oswald Cannon and the rest of the Slytherin team had gathered round the Gryffindor team. To James' pleasant surprise, they didn't use Sebastian's attacks to their advantage.
"Sebastian has gone insane" Benedict explained. "We need to stop him."
"But how?" asked Travis Gant, the Slytherin seeker. "He'll attack anyone without a club they get too close, and our beaters aren't as good as he is."
"I have an idea" piped up James. "If we can't attack Sebastian, then we force him to abandon Jackson."
"And how are we going to do that?" asked Tulip.
On the other side of the pitch, Sebastian kept on trying to hound Jackson; cackling malevolently as he did. Jackson had gotten better at avoiding Sebastian's swings, but he still got hit by some stray bones. He reckoned that his wrist, arm, leg and skull all had some broken bones.
"What's the matter Lestrange?" taunted Sebastian. "Feeling tired? Well unfortunately for you, I don't have anyone to sub in for you; so I suppose you'll have to live with it."
Sebastian charged at Jackson, and was able to land a strike to the one arm Jackson was grasping his broom with.
"Sebastian Gorren, you will be expelled from Hogwarts after this match ends, if you don't stop now" McGonagall warned.
"I'm protecting all that is good and honourable about Gryffindor" Sebastian argued. "I swear if Dumbledore knew that you were all trying to stop me from beating up a Lestrange, he'd look down on you with shame."
"And Slytherin have scored the first goal of the match" Hugh Jordan announced, taking the megaphone back from McGonagall.
"Lucky goal whilst everyone was looking at us" Sebastian muttered to Jackson. "Typical Slytherins; ignoring their own in favour of their success."
"And Slytherin have scored again" shouted Jordan. "Twenty nil to Slytherin."
"What's going on?" demanded Sebastian, realising something was up.
"Thirty nil to Slytherin" Jordan cried out. "At this pace, it doesn't matter if Gryffindor catches the Snitch or not."
"What the hell is happening?" Sebastian roared.
He turned round quickly on his broom in order to see the Gryffindor goal posts. Montague threw the Quaffle back to the centre of the pitch in Benedict's hands. He then passed the Quaffle to Tulip, who then passed it to the Slytherin chasers, who then passed it to Oswald Cannon. Cameron Corner was flying well above the goal posts, so all Cannon had to do was score the goal, and Montague would throw the Quaffle back to Benedict to repeat the process.
"No" shrieked Sebastian. "Benedict, the goal is this way."
They Gryffindors all ignored Sebastian. Slytherin soon scored their fifth goal in less than five minutes, and Sebastian was beside himself.
"Stop this at once" he ordered.
Jackson saw that Sebastian was distracted by his own team fighting back, and saw that now was his best opportunity to escape. He flew downward as quickly as possible, before Sebastian could chase after him again. He didn't have time to land cleanly, and collapsed onto the grass the moment his feet touched the ground. Fortunately however, Professor Longbottom and Madame Pomfrey were very quick to reach him, ensuring the Sebastian could hurt him no more.
"The last time Slytherin beat Gryffindor in quiditch, Harry Potter wasn't even at Hogwarts" said Jordan. "It would be an incredible upset if Sebastian Gorren were to become the first post Harry Gryffindor captain to lose to Slytherin."
"No" screamed Sebastian.
He prepped his broom to charge after them, but before he could take off, Kevin Bletchley flew in front of him from his goal posts.
"Like what we just did?" he asked. "You can thank Potter for it."
"No Potter would ever side with a Slytherin like you" spat Sebastian.
"Ask him yourself" said Bletchley, pointing at Sebastian's left.
Sebastian looked in the pointed direction, where he saw James Potter charging right at him like a bull seeing red. James Potter smashed his broom right into the side of Sebastian, causing him to barrel roll out of control until he hit the stands. Upon the impact, Sebastian fell from the sky. James thought that he would break his legs from the fall, but fortunately for Sebastian, Montague flew below and caught him before he landed.
"How does it feel to be saved by a Slytherin?" he smirked.
"Let me go" screamed Sebastian.
"Alright then" shrugged Montague.
He dropped Sebastian, who proceeded to fall onto the grassy pitch. The fall was no longer large enough to break any bones, but Sebastian still screamed in agony when he landed.
"And while Sebastian shows us how to do some fine sausage rolls, Travis Gant has caught the Golden Snitch" shouted Jordan.
James now convinced that the threat was over flew back down to the ground to see Jackson. To his surprise, Jackson was back on his feet, looking like he had never been attacked at all.
"Are you ok?" asked James.
"Never been better" grinned Jackson. "Great thing about the wizarding world, is that you can mend broken bones and bruises in a snap."
"That's good news" James sighed with relief.
"Ramming Sebastian's a bit overkill isn't it" said Jackson, pointing at Professor Longbottom and Montague, who were both trying to apprehend Sebastian.
"Maybe" James muttered. "I didn't think you'd be able to fly back down on your own, so I thought I had to take him out."
"Haven't you learned anything from our first flying test?" teased Jackson. "Just because you can't fly a broom when you were crippled, doesn't mean I can't."
"Fair enough" chuckled James.
"How?" Sebastian cried. "How could I lose to Slytherin?"
"I think we could do with a chat to dear old Sebastian" said Jackson.
"Yes" agreed James.
They both walked over to the devastated Sebastian, passing by the celebrating Slytherin team as they went. Sebastian was bound by the arm by Montague, and was trying to break free until James arrived.
"James" Sebastian cried out. "Did you not see that I was there when you were hunting the snitch?"
Jackson opened his mouth to say something back, but James held up his hand to stop him.
"When I first met you Gorren, I thought you were cool. You had a real respect for my dad, and I was delighted when you gave me the opportunity to play for Gryffindor."
"I'm glad you felt that way" said Sebastian.
"I guess my early respect for you was the reason why I ignored how horrible you were" James continued. "All year you were hating Slytherin for no reason, and I just ignored it."
"I wasn't hating Slytherin for no reason" Sebastian protested. "Slytherin fought against your father; they were responsible for the Traitor of Gryffindor. Everything I did today was trying to avenge you. I was punishing Slytherin for what they did against you."
"Have you forgotten that McLaren was a Ravenclaw?" asked James. "You weren't avenging anyone; you just saw an opportunity to bully a Gryffindor with a surname you don't like."
"Attacking and discriminating people based on their family" said Jackson. "Remind me James, was that not what the Death Eaters used to do."
"Don't you dare compare me to a Death Eater Lestrange" barked Sebastian.
"That's right Jackson" replied James, ignoring Sebastian. "To try and kill a person for sharing the surname with someone he isn't related to is the most Death Eater thing I've ever heard."
"How dare you" hissed Sebastian, though it was still loud due to his voice enhancement charm. "You dare compare me to a Death Eater?"
"Yes" replied Jackson. "You're a hateful, arrogant and ultimately stupid piece of scum."
"Damn you Lestrange" Sebastian screamed. "You've corrupted Potter; I'll never forgive you for it."
With all his energy, Sebastian forced his arm out of Montague's grip. Longbottom was distracted by observing his own team congratulating the Slytherins, and was therefore unprepared for when Sebastian got out his wand, and aimed it at Jackson's heart.
"Avada Kadavra" he shrieked.
A flash of green light shot out of his wand, and hit Jackson in the chest. Jackson fell over backwards, landing head first on the grass.
"Jackson" James screamed.
Professor Longbottom cast a spell, and Sebastian was bound in ropes; but Sebastian, believing Jackson to be dead just laughed.
"I should have done this when I first saw him" he muttered. "But better late than never."