Chapter 3
The Quidditch Match
Harry woke up in his room, nearly screaming. Throwing off his shirt, he noticed there was no injury of any kind. There were no scars, or any other evidence of what he thought had happened. Samor... Maybe it had been just a terrible nightmare?
After getting dressed, Harry went downstairs to the Common Room. Hermoine, Ron, Fred, George, and all the other Gryffindors all looked very depressed.
Do you think he might still be here? Ron asked his fellow Gryffindors. With all the ghosts at Hogwarts, he half expected Harry to float into the Common Room, and join them.
Who might still be here? Harry asked as he stepped into the room.
Hermoine shouted. Running over to Harry, she expected to pass through him in her attempt to hug him. Needless to say, there was quite a surprise to them all when she knocked Harry over, instead.
The painting door opened, and a very unhappy Sun Wolf tromped in. All eyes were on him as he marched up to his room. Coming back down, Sun Wolf held his Samor board under his arm. As he stepped through the painting door, he regarded it one last time, before surrendering it to Professor McGonagall.
Will I get it back? Sun Wolf asked McGonagall. It's been in my family for centuries.
It will be returned to you when you leave Hogwarts, McGonagall assured him. she warned him, if this game comes back with you when you return, you will be expelled from Hogwarts without question.
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The next two months went by painfully slow for Sun Wolf, but in time he managed to get back in the good graces of his fellow Gryffindors who had finally accepted Sun Wolf's claim that the Samor incident had been an accident'.
For Altashir, the weeks flew by. When he wasn't breezing through classes, he was practicing for the Quidditch season. He had made Seeker, and was very proud of his position.
It was the night before the first game of the season. Altashir was getting in a few last runs with the Golden Snitch before tomorrow's game against Gryffindor. It was too bad the thing was so slow. For a mortal, the snitch would have been extremely difficult to see, let alone catch. Altashir on the other hand, found it to be child's play. The game would be Ravenclaw's. Or at least, that's what Altashir led his teammates to believe.
After making sure the Quidditch equipment was all put away, Altashir headed for his room. He was greeted by his fellow Ravenclaws, as he entered the Ravenclaw Common Room. Altashir bid them all good night, went up to his room, and closed his door behind him. Altashir pulled his personal spellbook out of his little silver box, and began leafing through it.
Altashir thought. Yes. This spell will do. He'll never know what hit him!
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The next day, the Quidditch teams for Gryffindor and Ravenclaw met on the field. The stands were packed with spectators from both houses. Sun Wolf was sitting with Ron, Hermoine, and Hagrid, who were all doing their best to explain Quidditch to him.
The three Chasers try to score by gett'n the Quaffle in ter one of those three hoops over there, Hagrid explained.
Three Chasers try to score, got it, Sun Wolf said, trying to absorb all this information.
And then there's the two Beaters, Ron added. They're my brothers, by the way.
What do they do? Sun Wolf asked.
They protect the other players from the two Bludgers, Ron told him.
Three Chasers, two Beaters, and two Bludgers, Sun Wolf said. I'm guessing the Bludgers are the offensive players. Is Harry a Chaser, or a Bludger?
No no no, Hermoine tried to correct him, the Bludgers aren't players, they're balls. They've got minds of their own, and attack the players.
Sun Wolf said, So five players and three balls, so far.
The Keeper guards the goal ter keep the other team's Chasers from scoring, Hagrid pointed out.
Got it, Sun Wolf answered, proud of understanding that.
And the last player is the Seeker, Ron told Sun Wolf. Harry's our team's Seeker. His job is to find and catch the Golden Snitch. A Quidditch game is only over when the Golden Snitch is caught.
How long is a Quidditch game? Sun Wolf asked.
Depends on the Seekers, Hagrid explained. Like Ron said, it's only over when the Snitch is caught. I've seen some games go on fer months before the catch was made.
Sun Wolf magnified his vision to see Harry. There was a Ravenclaw across from him. Both were above the other players, so Sun Wolf deduced that they must be the Seekers. The Ravenclaw Seeker looked somewhat familiar. Sun Wolf took another look at him.
Sun Wolf announced to the others. The other Seeker is Rubicant!
The others looked through their binoculars. Sure enough, they saw the first year student they had met on the train. There was no mistaking that long crimson hair.
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Madam Hooch started the game, and the players were off. Altashir kept an eye on the Snitch, but stayed where he was. Biding his time, he waited for Harry to spot the Snitch. It wasn't long before Harry saw it.
Both Seekers chased after it. Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand may have been the fastest racing broom this low magic world had ever seen, but the Master of Magic and Wisdom's broom was of his own design. As Altashir passed Harry, it was clear that Ravenclaw would win the game.
The Snitch made a sudden turn, and now Harry was closer to it than Altashir. The two Seekers came neck and neck, and Altashir rammed into Harry hard enough to knock him off his broom. Harry kept hold of his broom, and rammed Altashir back.
The two Seekers fought it out for control, and Harry lost sight of the Snitch for a moment when it turned without warning. Altashir chased after it while Harry tried to find it again. Altashir drew close to the Snitch, and invoked his Poisoned Apple' spell. The Golden Snitch was surrounded by a strong black aura. The aura seeped into the Snitch, and disappeared. Altashir slowed his pace.
Harry had caught sight of the Snitch, now. Racing past Altashir, he grabbed it out of the air. As he held it up in triumph, and Gryffindor was declared the winner, the Poisoned Apple spell took its effect. Harry slipped from his broom, and fell. He was dead before he hit the ground.