I do not own any Harry Potter Characters.
Chapter 20:
September rolled around and Severus Snape was soon announced as the headmaster of Hogwarts. Each day the radio would announce wizards who had been arrested for not being pure blooded. Katie was at her dad's house. With the new bans towards muggles, Theodore had decided to end things with his long-lost love. He had only recently confided in Katie. Telling her the truth about who he had been seeing.
"So, you going to be starting in the first match?" Theodore asked her.
"Yeah, the roster just got announced yesterday." Katie said happily.
"That's impressive, you got me a seat for your game, right?" He teased her.
Katie laughed handing him his ticket, "I'll see you after the game." She kissed her father's cheek, then hugged him goodbye.
Kate felt uneasy as she stood in her Quidditch gear with the rest of the team. They were all lined up ready to run onto the pitch once they were called. "The moment you've all been waiting for, The Falmouth Falcons" The announcer shouted through the microphone. The team started to run onto the field leaping on their brooms as they went. Katie stood frozen, feeling worried. They were playing against Puddlemere in their first game, and Katie dreaded to see Brenton.
Katie was frightened to face him. Marcus turned around, seeing her stuck in place. Shaking his head he walked up toward her, placing a hand on her shoulder, and rubbing it lightly. "Let's go Bell, don't be nervous." She was startled into meeting his eyes. Nodding his head to the exit, he turned from her and ran out onto the field, soon soaring on his broom. Katie followed reluctantly, getting on her Firebolt she rocketed around the pitch.
"I know the fans are really excited between this opening match between The Falmouth Falcons and Puddlemere. I'm sure no one has forgotten their last match." The male announcer stated.
"In this match we shall see whether Puddlemere can get their revenge from last season, or if The Falmouth Falcons can continue their victory for the league cup." The female announcer replied.
"Let's go over a few highlights from their last match." The male announcer said before reading off key points from the last match. Katie continued to fly around for a while, the referee got everything ready. She zoned out what the announcer was saying until she heard, "something else exciting, the new starting chaser on The Falmouth Falcons is star chaser Marcus Flint's ex-girlfriend, Katie Bell." The female announcer giggled. Katie did her best to hold her flinch, reminding herself that it's just gossip. Once the game started it would be over.
"Yikes, that's got to make practice awkward." The male announcer joked. Katie tensed up looking towards Marcus, who sat on his broom stiffly.
"Fans are loving the drama between them." Katie felt anxious as the crowd watched her, wishing the announcer would stop talking about her already. "I have a feeling that Bell seems a little nervous." Katie glared over at the announcers. Why had they picked her out from everyone else? Why couldn't they just leave her alone?
The male announcer asked. "Do you think it's because she's the only female player on the pitch right now?"
"It's possible" The female announcer replied. "Or it's because Bell is playing against her other ex-boyfriend Brenton Allen!" Katie gripped her broom tightly, her knuckles turning white. Marcus noticing Katie's change in demeanor, flew over to her. "Ignore them, we're going to win this." He said encouraging her.
The Falmouth Falcons played a beautifully brutal game. As falcon's beaters Albert Lamb and Adam Fletcher controlled the pitch. Or bludgers. Puddlemere players were lucky to leave with their bones and brooms in one piece. Puddlemere lacked harmonization between their beaters, and especially their chasers. Falcons played a solid game, Puddlemere only scored ten goals to Falcon's forty goals. Puddlemere fans in desperate attempts to encourage their team began chanting "Beat Back Those Bludgers, Boys, and Chuck That Quaffle Here" their team's cherished anthems. However not even that would help Puddlemere. As the Falcons chasers forged ahead, scoring remarkably.
Brenton sent a powerful bludger, hitting Katie hard in left shoulder, knocking her shoulder out of place. The blow sent her off her broom, Albert Lamb their beater, fortunately caught her just in time. It wasn't long after that, that Albert and Brenton got into a Bludger blood bath with each other, the two powerful beaters hitting each other with everything they had. Only to be ended by Brain Davies catching the golden snitch and ensuring their team with a hard-earned victory for the Falcons. Vanquishing any hope that Puddlemere might have redemption.
The highlight of the game was at the end when the teams were instructed to meet in the middle of the pitch and shake hands. Whether it was the Puddlemere defending their hurt beater Brenton, or the Falcon's injured chaser Katie, no one could be sure. When the fight started Katie was pulled away from the other team by Marcus. Making sure she was a few feet away, he watched as Albert Lamb got hit by a powerful blow, sent by Brenton. Running over Marcus reared back and punched Brenton right in the face, blood spewing everywhere. Brenton went to charge Marcus resulting in him flipping him over, pinning him to the ground with a knee in the middle of his back. The fight continued for a bit before it was split apart.
A week later they were up against the Appleby Arrows. As the players flew across the pitch before the match, Jenson Barnett Appleby chaser chatted with Hardy Barnes their beater. "Did you see Bell? She's attractive." Jenson said in a thick German accent as he watched her fly past.
"Welcome everyone, to an overly exciting game. Today we have Falmouth Falcons against Appleby Arrows." The announcer greeted. "My name is Arthur Campbell, and my lovely cohost is Victoria Mitchell."
"Hi everyone!" She greeted.
"Falmouth Falcons have been making quite a name for themselves recently, haven't they?" The male announcer said. "That brawl after their last game was sure intense!"
"I know, but the true drama was when Falcons Chaser Marcus Flint, made sure Katie Bell was out of harm's way before punching her ex-boyfriend Brenton Allen in the face, and pinning him to the ground! Talk about embarrassing for Allen" The female announcer gossiped. Katie turned red as a tomato.
Lucius and Marcus flew over to Katie. "Calm down, Bell." Marcus said, he gave her a searching glance.
Silence descended as they waited for her answer. "How am I supposed to calm down with what they are saying?" Katie hissed.
Marcus looked around, his eyes falling on the announcer, then back to Katie. "Pay attention to the game, every time someone steals a quaffle from you it's a thousand laps around the pitch. Two thousand laps if it's taken from you twice. Three thousand laps for thrice." Marcus threatened. Lucius snorted. "That goes for you too." That shut Lucius up quick.
When the match started Marcus got possession of the Quaffle, Lucius and two of the Appleby's chasers tailing after him. Katie flew across the field, but no matter what she did Jenson Barnett would not leave her alone. Shoving into her hard, several times. Even though she didn't have the Quaffle. "What tactic is that? Have you ever seen that before?" Victoria asked.
"No, I've never seen that before." Arthur stated, confused as well. "Falcons Marcus Flint makes the first goal for his team!"
The Appleby Arrows now in possession of the Quaffle, rocketed across the pitch. Justine McNee was in possession passing it back and forth between Scotty Moore. Marcus and Lucius hot on their heels. Katie tried to make it over to the other side of the pitch, but Jenson kept knocking, and shoving into her. Circling her, instead of helping his teammates with the Quaffle. "He's there again? Seriously?" Arthur expressed bewildered.
Katie flew off away from her team, just trying to get away from the chaser. "He's causing Bell to retreat, instead of helping her teammates. Falcon's Flint steals the Quaffle from McNee, before passing it to Paddon. It's as if Barnett has no intentions of playing." The announcer continued.
Katie gripped her broom tightly as Barnett shoved into her again. Marcus from the other side of the field noticed what was going on. Lucius flew next to Marcus, asking him, "What is he doing"?
"I don't know." Marcus replied before scoring.
No matter what Katie did she couldn't shake this guy. What was his problem? When he flew back towards her Katie gripped her broom tightly. Flying towards her teammates. "Can she escape this time?" The female announcer asked. Katie saw Lucius flying toward them, when he got close, he rammed right into Barnett. Barnett struggled to maintain control of his broom. "Paddon arrived just in time to help Bell! Barnett had no choice but to back off." Arthur cheered.
The game continued; Katie unable to get free from Jenson Barnett. She still hadn't even so much as looked at the Quaffle let alone touched it. "What's wrong with Appleby's chaser today? Why does he keep going after Bell instead of helping his team?" The male announcer asked no one in particular. "The game only just started yet he hasn't left her alone for a minute."
"Jenson Barnett was a recent transfer from Germany." Victoria said. Katie tried get away from Barnett by faking him out, but it didn't work. "It seems that Katie Bell is having a challenging time today." Victoria continued, "if this keep going on Bell is going to be completely useless in the game." That's how Katie felt. Useless. Her teammates had scored all the points so far. "What kind of strategy is this? Bell must have really made Barnett angry." Lucius flew to Marcus after scoring a goal.
"I hope she can hold on." Alicia whispered to Katie's dad, from where they watched.
"No, she's about to lose her temper." Theodore said with a laugh keeping his eyes trained on his daughter.
Katie flew alongside Marcus, who passed the Quaffle to her, noticing Barnett approaching she passed it back to Marcus. Barnett moments later shoved into Katie who no longer had the Quaffle. "Barnett went after her despite Flint being right next to her!" Arthur commented.
"What the fuck, why are you following me! What's your fucking deal!" Katie seethed using the opportunity to slam her right shoulder into between his ribs, causing Barnett to retreat. Katie looked over at Marcus, "He ignored the Quaffle just to attack me."
He shook his head, mildly catching her anxiety. "Stop getting mad Bell, concentrate." Marcus said in a chiding tone.
"If he comes near me again, I'm going to flip out."
"Calm down." Lucius advised her, but he didn't seem irritated. Lucius cleared his throat, and Katie looked around to meet the eyes of Marcus.
"I'm boiling with rage. You hear me. Rage." Katie fumed, taking a deep breath. Marcus knew any further attempts to reassure her were likely to do the opposite. In the meantime, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
"See I told you she'd lose her temper" Theodore commented from the stands.
Katie flew off, staying close to Lucius who had the Quaffle and Marcus. When Barnett approached them, Marcus rammed into him hard. Barnett tried to go around Marcus to get to Katie, only to be rammed again, violently. "Barnett is having a tough time. Marcus is chasing Barnett!" Arthur cried out. There was a moment Katie felt bad for the chaser, being on the opposite team from an angry Marcus, was horrifying.
"Paddon scored for the Falcons, 110 to 30. The Appleby's are having a tough time out there." Victoria announced. "Katie finally scores for her team!"
"Flint has gone after Barnett again! That one is going to hurt tomorrow" Arthur called out. As Marcus shoved into Barnett, almost knocking him off his broom. "Looks like Flint is avenging Bell!"
"Brian Davies caught the snitch! The game is over!" Victoria cried out in excitement. Katie felt relieved.
When the teams went down to shake everyone's hands, Marcus lined up behind Katie. As they went down the line Katie reached Jenson, who grasped her hand tightly. "You are really cute." He said cheerfully, Katie just looked side to side at her teammates, unable to pull her hand away.
Marcus grabbed Jenson's forearm tightly saying, "Drop her hand." Jenson willingly let go of Katie's hand, ignoring Marcus as he watched Katie walk away with fascination. Albert was next to shake Jenson's hand jokingly saying. "What about me?" Both teams couldn't help but laugh.
The following night after practice the team went out for dinner at a local restaurant. They sat around the table for a while chatting, when Katie noticed someone walk through the door. "Oh no." Katie groaned, sliding down in her seat. Confused the team looked around and then spotted Jenson Barnett. The team erupted in laughter catching the attention of the chaser. Spotting Katie he ran over, taking the empty seat across from her, but next to Brian. Smiling he just gazed at Katie not saying anything.
"Brian trade seats with me." Marcus called out from the other end of the table standing up. Though his voice was soft, it was a command. Brian looked up at Katie and smirked; winking at her he grabbed his plate switching seats.
"You played really good yesterday, not many girls are beautiful and talented like you." Jenson flirted. Katie gaped at him bewildered. He gave her a charming smile that, did nothing to warm his eyes, she noticed.
Looking over to Lucius who was sitting next to her she whispered. "I think he's flirting with me." Katie felt awkward. This dinner was uncomfortable to say the least. Lucius patted her on the head, most likely to irritate Jenson.
Lucius whispered back not so quietly, "You think so too." Albert laughed uncomfortably unsure of what was going on.
Marcus had a look on his face as if he found a solution to a problem that had been troubling him. "Lass sie in Ruhe. Sie ist meine Frau." Marcus spoke in Russian to Jenson. Marcus gave him a look, and Jenson lowered his gaze. Since when did he speak German? What did he say? Jenson looked between Katie and Marcus with a bewildered expression.
"Ist das wahr?" Jenson asked looking back at Marcus in a softer voice.
She glanced sharply at his face. "What did you just say?" Katie asked Marcus who just shook his head, kicking him abruptly under the table with a huff. Marcus couldn't help the smile that formed on his face.
"He said he was sorry." Marcus said amused with himself, smirking as he took a sip of water.
She'd taken a mouthful of food and had to swallow hurriedly to ask, "What did you say to make him apologize?" she glowered up at him, and he answered her stare.
"Does it matter? He won't bother you anymore." Marcus said giving Jenson a stern look, as if to say, 'I dare you.' Katie glanced over at Jenson who adverted his eyes. What did Marcus say? Lass something, something. When dinner was finished Katie and the team headed out, Jenson and Marcus staying behind.
"Is it true that you are dating her?" He asked, his face grim.
"It doesn't matter, she doesn't want to be with you." Marcus said flatly, gritting his teeth. Marcus got to his feet, smirked, and watched the smugness drain from Jenson's face from his confidence.
It was silent for a while. "But I could take care of her and love her." Jenson said enthusiastically, his whole face lighting with delight.
"What about all the girls you left broken hearted in Russia?" Marcus asked, his eyes narrowing.
He hesitated, "she's different, I wouldn't do that to her. She was so adorable when she got angry during the game."
"I've already said it once, she's mine. Please, stay away from her." Marcus concluded, unable to eliminate the fury that sent his voice down an octave. The 'please' was only a curtesy, Jenson knew it was an order. He saw a flash of fear on Jenson's face but didn't do anything to alleviate it. After all terrifying people helped him be a better Quidditch player.
When Marcus joined up with the team, Katie walked up to him asking, "Did you just threaten him?" There was so much satisfaction on Marcus's face that Katie had to suppress her grin, not wanting Jenson to think she was laughing at him.
He looked at Katie. "Why would I threaten him?" Marcus said innocently enough, folding his arms across his chest. She didn't believe his innocence for one second.
"He's fleeing. You must have said something." She observed Jenson retreating. Marcus smiled at her, a real smile, but he didn't say anymore.
Katie felt distraught, her dad had been brought in for questioning for the suspected association of a mud blood. Katie had tried to go with him, but the Ministry denied her requests, saying that since she wasn't a witness, so she wasn't allowed to testify. Instead, she was in a dressing room with her team, waiting for the reporter from The Daily Prophet. Since they were on a winning streak the newspaper wanted to run an article.
"Hi everyone, my name is Sarah Willis, I'm going to be doing your interviews today. Here is a list of questions we will be asking everyone." The brunette older woman handed out papers to the team. The room was silent as they read the questions.
"Do you guys see these questions?" Lucius asked. All the questions on the list were personal ones, nothing to do with Quidditch at all. Katie looked around at her teammates bewildered.
There was a pause. "Flint, have you seen them?" Brian asked concerned.
"Let me see." Marcus grabbed the paper reading the first question aloud. "If you could snog any female quidditch player, who would it be and why?" There was a thread of uncertainty as Marcus read the question.
"I don't feel comfortable answering any of these questions." Katie stated, tossing the paper on the table in front of her, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance.
The room went quiet, "is there any way we can change these questions?" Brian insisted.
"We already had a team come up with questions, you expect us to rewrite tons of questions on the spot?" Sarah said snidely. "It's inappropriate to suddenly want to change things last minute, don't you think?" She snapped.
"I'm sure we can change some of these questions." Marcus said flatly. Katie couldn't tell by the sound of his voice whether he was upset by the reporter's hostility or not. His face and tone remaining calm, and unreadable.
"Why can't you just ask us questions about Quidditch?" Katie persisted, doing her best to hold back her temper. She didn't sign up to be asked sexual and personal questions. It had to be a joke.
"We were all paid to work, don't act like you're nobler than the rest of us. If you are so unwilling, then don't come. Are all Quidditch players so high maintenance or is it just this one?" She remarked cruelly referring to Katie. "Maybe my article should be about how pompous your chaser really is." Katie stiffened.
Katie cast a frantic glance at her team, then her stare hardened on the reporter. "Are you threatening, me?" Katie stood up from her seat, as did the reporter, both glaring at each other only a couple of feet apart. Katie was miserably aware that this was not going to end well.
"Who threatened you?" Sarah asked in a shrill voice, putting her hands, on her hips. Everyone tensed unsure of how to stop this fight from escalating.
"Hey, why don't we calm down." Lucius stated resting a hand on the reporter's arm. She slapped his hand as hard as she could, screaming "Don't you dare touch me." Katie stilled. How dare that woman hit her friend. She wanted to punch things. She was angry and irrational, not thinking clearly.
"Lucius, are you okay?" Brian asked running up to him.
"Why would you hit him!" Katie bellowed before shoving the reporter, the woman fell on her side with a thud.
"How could you hit me!" Sarah shrieked from her spot on the ground.
"What? Are you going to black mail me?" Katie yelled making a rude gesture as Marcus dragged her away.
"You all saw her hit me." Sarah cried out. Her assistants attempted to pull Sarah out of the room while, Marcus kept Katie in the corner of the room.
"Let me go!" Katie said fiercely at Marcus; with all the authority she could muster. It wasn't impressive. He was only standing in front of her blocking her path to the woman, he remained silent but wouldn't touch Katie. Only staring down at her and moving in the way when she tried to go past him. She met his eyes. They were a dark emerald, heavily lashed, striking beneath his dark brows, daring her to try and pass him.
"How can you be a pro Quidditch player" Sarah called out as she was leaving the room. "You like to hit women huh?" The woman broke from their grasp running up to Katie, as she swung her hand Marcus turned around grabbing her wrist. The room went silent.
Marcus frowned asking the woman, "are you done?" She nodded her head. He released her.
Her assistants brought her out of the room, it was silent for a while. The team all stood around unsure of what to do, waiting for Marcus to say something. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Katie he said, "I want everyone in the interview room now, except for you Bell."
Lucius and Albert looked at her sympathetically before running out of the room, the rest of the team following. Katie looked up at Marcus and he looked back. There was tension in the air. He shook his head. "Stay." Was all he said before walking out of the room, leaving Katie alone. If she had been ten years younger, she would have stamped her foot by now.
When the article was released the next day, the headlines read. "Katie Bell Attacks Reporter Before Interview." The article read that she had been brutally attacked by Katie. When Katie arrived at the Falmouth Falcon stadium, the team members were nowhere to be seen. A woman that worked there spotted Katie, walking over to her swiftly the woman said, "The team is upstairs, Follow me." Leading Katie to a Floo that brought her to the upper floor. Katie was lead past a glass room, seeing her team inside she expected to join them. However, she was brought into a separate room where the Manager of the Falmouth Falcons sat behind a large wooden desk. He was an older man, his forehead covered in deep wrinkles, bushy grey eyebrows, which gave his face a grim expression. His rounded face was framed with short thinning hair, dressed in an expensive grey suit.
"You're Katie Bell, correct?" He asked in a gruff voice.
"Yes." Katie replied nervously, picking at the hem of her shirt.
"We haven't met yet, I'm Barry Fletcher." He nodded his head in greeting, Katie did the same, timidly. Opening his desk drawer, he pulled out the Daily Prophet slapping it down on his desk. "Falmouth Falcons new chaser Katie Bell is a Diva, and arrogant."
"I'm sorry sir." Katie apologized.
"You will be, I'm deducting one month's pay from your salary, and you will be benched in the next game. I expect you to make a formal apology. If you want to fight someone, then do it on the Quidditch pitch." He said sternly. "Leave my office."
Authors note: The story is defintely going to shift more towards Quiditch for a while. Please review and let me know what you think and if you have any questions!
Thinking about bringing Marcus's father into the story, let me know what you think! Also my writing speed has definitely picked up, so expect two to three chapters a week for a bit. C:
thank you so much Ginny blue for the German translations.