[The match.squee!]





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Ch. IX: The Quidditch Match

Waking up early the morning of her second quidditch match of the year, Xanne felt calm and collected. She had nothing to worry about. There were no painful repercussions awaiting her if she failed, except the disappointment of loss, and she knew she wouldn't be feeling that. They were to finally play Hufflepuff. If they one the Hufflepuff game, they were one win away from the Quidditch final. She knew they would play Gryffindor then and there, and she looked forward to making up for the game they had lost to Gryffindor already. And after the game, she would go back to her dormitory and rest while the seventh years had their Christmas party. She had been informed only because she was a prefect, and she hoped that they all had a good time.

She stood in her mirror as she dressed. It was always sort of a head rush of pride when she put on her uniform. She loved everything about quidditch, and that's what made it so great. She loved the way that everything moved so fast and was controlled to the point where you never knew what was coming next. She loved the smell of a freshly polished broom as you carried it out through the underbelly of the stadium before breaking out and seeing everyone's faces cheering you on. But most of all, she loved the win. She could almost hear the Slytherins cheering at that very moment.

She pulled her green sweater with the silver stripe over her head; pulling her onyx necklace out and letting it fall onto the soft material. She pulled on her crisp white pants that were creased down the front. Next, she put on her dragon-hide boots, lacing them up carefully before strapping on her brown leather shin guards. The leather smelled almost as good as new, almost as nice as they had smelled when she played her first game. Soon, her arm-guards were strapped on and she pulled the leather gloves over her hands, they fit her with no room to spare. She flexed her fist a few times and rubbed her palms together with anticipation.

Then her eyes fell on the onyx necklace. Marcus had given it to her and she felt odd wearing it. Dismissing thoughts of him, she insisted to herself that the onyx had been personalized and it was simply hers.

Xanne picked up her favorite part of the uniform, the green and silver cloak, and pulled it over her head. It fit loosely around her; the wide hood was draped over her back. She tied it shut with the leather string that bound it before taking out elastic and pulling her hair back from her face. She looked over her in the mirror once more, grinning. The silver from the inside of the cloak peaked out and shone in the light of the dormitory. She picked up her broom from where it lay on her bed, pausing only to close the jar of polish and throw the rag she used back in her servicing kit. She was off to do what she did best.

*****

Terrence saw her coming down the hall, dressed impeccably in her green robes, clutching her shining Nimbus 2001 in her hand. She was grinning, grinning before she even saw him; it was the face of someone who loved quidditch so much it hurt.

"Good morning, star chaser," he said cheerfully.

"Good morning, captain," she said with his same chipper tone. Xanne looked down at his uniform, almost as perfect as hers, but minus the ironed trousers. She smiled at how similar the two were.

"Ready for the big game?" Higgs asked, feeling the excitement surging through his veins. It felt great to be playing quidditch again. After Flint had cut him for Malfoy, he assumed he would never touch a broomstick again, but at the moment, he was walking on air.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said, leaning on her broom. "You heading down to the pitch too? I know I was going to skip breakfast and take a few laps with the practice quaffle."

"You know, that's a good idea. I think I will actually," he grinned. She turned to walk away, assuming he was following and he called out to her. "Um.Xanne?"

"What?" She turned back to face him.

"I was wondering," Higgs began, brushing the fair hair behind his ear and hoping he wasn't blushing too badly. She looked curiously up into his blue eyes. "Would you like to go to the Christmas Party with me?"

"Er," truthfully, she hadn't given a thought about the Christmas party other than regards to the seventh years. Actually, it didn't seem like a bad idea, and since Marcus probably wouldn't be allowed to go, it was even more appealing. And going with Terrence, it wasn't really a date, she would get to see her seventh year friends like Callie and Percy and spend some time with them. "Sure Terrence, I'd love to go with you."

He sighed with relief and followed her as she turned to leave the common room. Halfway down the corridor, he blushed and asked her to wait for him, he had forgotten his broomstick in the common room. Once he had retrieved it, they walked through the halls and out onto the pitch, disturbing the dewy grass.

Once they were in the air, Higgs tried out the new grip she had taught him the previous day and found it much easier to steer with the quaffle. The Nimbus' were the best brooms in the school aside from the Firebolt; they were going to blow away the competition.

"I really hope we'll win," Xanne grunted out the last word as she hurled the quaffle through the center goal.

"Oh, we will win!" said Higgs forcefully, as he retrieved the quaffle and whipped it back to her. His eyes were determined and their benign blue was now squinted and looked darker than before. Xanne caught it in her hand and cradled it to her side, grinning; he surely was a Slytherin.

*****

Oliver marched up into the stands and went for the front row when he recognized a familiar face. Percy was sitting front row center. He smiled and sat next to his friend before pulling out his quill, some ink and a piece of parchment.

"Doing homework at a quidditch match?" Percy mused. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"I don't, unless you call strategizing 'homework.'"

"I see," Percy tightened his cloak around himself, it had gotten quite chilly. The temperature was rapidly dropping. He had been getting to like the warm weather, though it was December.

"Cold?" Oliver looked over at the shivering boy.

"No, I'm fine."

"Sure?" Oliver pulled out a red and gold Gryffindor scarf out of his bag and held it out to his friend. Percy took it gratefully and wrapped it tightly around his neck.

"This weather's very odd, don't you think?"

"Shh!" Oliver ordered. "The match is about to start."

*****

Higgs clutched his broom in his right hand, feeling the energy beneath his skin as he led the team through the passageway beneath the stands. He had walked this path many times, but never had he been in the lead. He was followed closely by Xanne who was followed by Pucey, Bole, Derrick, Malfoy and Bletchley. Montague had agreed to sit this one out due to the fact that Bletchley hadn't played a game in about a year. Since it was Hufflepuff, Higgs rationalized that it would probably be the safest game to allow him to play in. They stopped before the Slytherin banner that lead out into the open pitch and waited patiently.

"Good luck, team," Higgs said loudly. The other members muttered amongst themselves. With Marcus, it was always an unspoken rule that nobody spoke while waiting to go out onto the pitch.

Then, they heard the announcer call out Hufflepuff's name. The stands erupted in cheers and the Slytherin team awaited their name to be called as well.

"Slytherin!" was heard from the magical megaphone outside of the banner. It quickly rolled up and Xanne mounted her broom, Higgs closely followed and they led the team out into the open skies.

"I give you: Malloy, Pucey, Bole, Derrick, Bletchley, Malfoy aaaand Higgs!"

Xanne flew around the entire pitch; slowing up and doing loops and barrel rolls when she reached the Slytherin stands, earning admirable whoops and cheers. Higgs flew around, feeling kind of stupid as he waved to the Slytherins.

The crowd was filled with an aroma of roasted chestnuts, which almost every pair of hands was holding. They were bundled in their warmest robes, scarves and gloves. Each deep breath out of every mouth was a puff of steam.

"Lets here it for our new captain," a voice cried. He turned to see Xanne egging the crowd on. They looked at him and cheered louder than ever; he couldn't help but grin. The team wasn't cold like the spectators. Higgs assumed it was due to the adrenaline that pumped through their veins as they prepared for the match to begin.

She flew over to the Gryffindor stands and waved to Percy who waved back at her grinning. She was such a show off. Wood snorted next to him and Percy elbowed him in the ribs.

After a few moments, they took their places in the air. The Slytherins formed a semi-circle across from the Hufflepuffs. Their Yellow uniforms glinted in the sunlight as they looked innocently over at the Slytherins. Xanne looked over at Higgs and they put on their game faces along with the rest of the green-clad players. The Hufflepuffs looked alarmed at their insane grins.

Madam Hooch made her way out into the center of the pitch, carrying her own broom. She cast a look up at the teams, seeming a bit relieved for some reason or another. It could have been the absence of Marcus Flint on the Slytherin side. She then yelled something about a nice, clean game before she kicked open the trunk. Out zoomed the bludgers and the snitch. Higgs saw Malfoy's hand twitch as it came near him. Once the snitch had vanished, Malfoy flashed a demented grin across the sky to the Hufflepuff seeker Cedric Diggory.

Hooch took the red quaffle in her arms, bent her knees and sent it sailing straight up into the air. Pucey sped forward and the Hufflepuffs scattered, leaving room for Xanne to grab the quaffle. She tossed it up and punched it over to Higgs, who quickly changed the grip on his broom handle and cradled the quaffle in his arms, streaking off toward the goal.

Soon, the Hufflepuff beaters were upon him and he quickly passed the quaffle to Pucey. Xanne circled behind the goals and Pucey followed. When she was in the front and he was behind the posts, he hurled the quaffle at her and she spun, doing a 360, smacking the quaffle with her broom tail. It sailed past the outstretched arms of the Hufflepuff keeper, Orik Whitby, and through the right goal.

"Ten points to Slytherin," the commentator blasted over the crowd.

Whitby recovered the quaffle, scowling, and sent it soaring to one of the Hufflepuff chasers, Mina Everett. She caught it with ease and ducked a bludger hit her way by Derrick. She was getting awfully close to the goal and the Slytherin chasers were gaining on her.

Out of nowhere, Draco Malfoy dove in front of her; the quaffle flew out of her hands and landed right in Higgs' outstretched arms. Xanne looked quickly down at Malfoy, as did the Hufflepuffs, assuming he had seen the snitch. He was grinning, obviously he'd planned that. Higgs passed it over to her and she ducked a Bludger hit by the Hufflepuff beater McGill before passing to Pucey. Two of the Hufflepuff chasers had chosen to mark her, blocking her from any passes. Pucey passed to Higgs who looked for Xanne, but came up empty when she waved him on encouraging him. He flew to the right, and when Whitby followed him, he flung it as hard as he could towards the left goal and cried out in bliss when it went straight through.

"Slytherin: twenty, Hufflepuff: zero," the commentator sounded.

Higgs looked over his shoulder to see Malfoy and Diggory neck and neck about fifty feet from the ground. Diggory had a very determined look on his face and Malfoy wore a smirk. Diggory was heavier and that was an advantage, but Malfoy was incredibly light on his faster broom and he pulled ahead of the older boy. He pulled out of the dive holding the snitch high above his head. Fifteen minutes into the game and it was over, mercifully, the crowds cheered. It probably wasn't for the Slytherins, but for the comfort they would receive when they went back into the castle after this cold outing.

Xanne raced towards him and hugged him so tightly; his sleek blond hair fell into his face. Higgs flew in and she hugged him as well. The rest of the team came in, but recoiled at the notion of a hug from their only female teammate. She ruffled their hair instead before motioning to Higgs that he should lead them in a victory lap. The green clad team flew as fast as they could around the pitch, whooping and yelling, barely noticing the yellow players beneath them leaving in a very solemn line.

Xanne broke from the line and landed in the Gryffindor space, running over to Percy and hugging him. He smelled of soap and pumpkin juice.

"That was brilliant!" he said, grinning. Behind him, Wood scowled.

"Something the matter Oliver?" Xanne said, worried.

"Stomachache." He answered her simply. His brow was furrowed and it didn't take a genius to know that a stomachache was not what ailed him. She shrugged her shoulders before hugging Percy again and mounting her broomstick.

"I'll see you two tonight!"

"But you're not allowed," Oliver said loudly. "You're a sixth year, it's seventh years only."

"I have my ways," with that, she blew Wood a kiss and took off. He folded his arms and glared at the green player's retreating back.

"There's something about that girl," Wood grumbled before picking up his things. So far, all of the notes had been to watch out for everything Slytherin did. Their keeper was the only one who hadn't gotten any action the whole game; he just hovered there twiddling his thumbs.

"What, you fancy her?" he frowned at the other boy.

"Of course not," Wood insisted. "I already told you and her, she is not my type!"

"Well, enlighten me, Oliver. What exactly is your type? You keep saying the same old thing over and over again, I'd really like to know."

"It's none of your business Percy Weasley," he said, turning up his nose. The Head boy didn't look like he was going to leave without an answer. "Go.Run along Red."

Percy grimaced at the painful childhood nickname and grabbed the front of his friend's robes playfully. He brought his face up to the larger boy's and spoke very dangerously.

"Don't you ever call me Red, do you hear me Ollie?" Oliver froze; the other boy was so close to him, he could feel Percy's breath on his face. Percy released his robes and began to walk away, chuckling. "You look scared out of your wits. You're such a girl sometimes, Wood."

*****

"Professor?"

"I swear, If you ask me one more time about the bloody party, I'll make you polish the desks until you're blue in the face," Severus Snape was about to crack, he could just feel it.

"But Sir!"

"Fine.just leave me in peace! You can go to the bloody Christmas party, Flint! Just don't let me hear that there was any trouble."

"Of course not, sir," Marcus smirked slightly as he walked out of the dungeon and towards his common room. There would be no trouble, he only wished to attend the party like any other well behaved seventh year, was that too much to ask?

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[And yet again.Dun dun dun. Too much Xanne? Don't worry at least she's not a Mary-Sue. She's just like anyone would be if they found out that there would be a sport that involved flying and stuff like that. What's wrong with Oliver.and Percy, what's wrong with him too?]