Blood of Enemies, Blood of Friends
Chapter 16 - Quidditch
The first quidditch game of the new school year was scheduled for the second weekend in October. The house teams scheduled to compete were Gryffindor and Slytherin.
Dawn, Shannon, Ginny, Harry, and Ron met with the rest of their teammates in the Gryffindor common room early the morning of the game. They had a light breakfast together and headed to their locker room to change into their team robes. While they were waiting for the game to start, Harry and Ron noticed the looks of fear on Dawn's and Shannon's faces.
"You both are going to do just fine," said Harry, as gave Shannon's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah, there is no reason to look so scared. I've seen you fight vampires, and you didn't look nearly this scared then," added Ron
"I can't help it," answered Dawn. "I can't stop thinking about our whole house counting on us to beat the Slytherins."
"The whole world counted on you to save them, and you did that. This is just a game," said Ron.
"A game, I might add, that you two are incredible at playing," added Harry.
"I am sure we will be fine once the game actually starts," said Shannon unconvincingly.
****************
The Scoobies and their friends were sitting with Andrew and Hermione.
"Giles, explain this game to me again," Buffy asked.
"Buffy, we have been through this several times already. If you didn't understand it before, you aren't going to understand it now. You just have to see it, which you will in a few more minutes," replied Giles in a rather exasperated tone.
"Sorry, Giles, I am just really nervous. Are you sure it is safe for Dawnie to be flying around on a broom?"
"Actually, Professor Summers, no one has died playing quidditch in quite a few years," said Hermione, in the hopes of calming her professor.
"Died?" Buffy went white and turned to back to Giles. "You never said anything about anyone dying."
"Buffy, Dawn will be fine. From what her friends have told me, she and Shannon are naturals at the game," said Giles. Andrew and Hermione nodded their heads in agreement.
"But she could still get hurt," added a worried Buffy.
"B., calm down already. The kid faced those ubervamps and bringers and did some serious damage on their sorry asses. I'm sure she can handle a little flying on a broom," said Faith.
That actually did make Buffy feel better. She turned to Faith and mouthed a 'thank you.'
"Look," Xander practically yelled, "the game is starting."
The Scoobies and their friends watched both teams walk out onto the field, the Gryffindor team in their red robes and the Slytherin team dressed in green.
****************
As the Gryffindor team walked out onto the field, Harry gave Shannon's hand a final reassuring squeeze.
Dawn glanced around the stands until she saw her friends. She waved to her sister. Buffy found herself holding her breath, as the teams mounted their brooms and ascended into the air.
The game began and the Slytherins immediately gained control of the quaffle. Their chasers passed the ball back and forth as they dodged other players and neared the goal.
Dawn saw a bludger hit by one of the Slytherin beaters coming in her direction. She flew quickly toward it calculating the necessary angle of impact. Dawn swung her broom around and hit the bludger hard with her paddle. The bludger flew directly toward the Slytherin chaser who was about to make a goal. As the chaser threw the quaffle, he had to dodge to miss being hit by the bludger. The dodge caused a poor shot with the quaffle, and Ron was able to easily catch it.
As Ron threw the quaffle to Ginny, Buffy finally let out her breath.
"Damn, B., the kid is good," said Faith.
"I told you it would be ok," Giles whispered in Buffy's ear. Buffy smiled broadly. Her sister really was a good quidditch player.
As the Gryffindor chasers moved the quaffle toward their goals, Dawn and Shannon covered them. The two girls blocked each bludger sent their way.
As Ginny prepared to throw the quaffle through the goal, Shannon aimed a bludger at the Slytherin keeper. The keeper moved out of the way of the bludger, giving Ginny a clear shot at the goal. The crowd cheered as Gryffindor received the first points of the game.
Throughout the game, Gryffindor managed to stay a few goals ahead of Slytherin.
Twice, Harry and Draco had spotted the snitch, but both times a bludger prevented them both from catching the snitch.
The game continued for another hour. Shannon and Dawn made several saves with well-placed bludgers. Ginny made two more goals for Gryffindor, and Ron prevented several Slytherin goals.
Harry and Draco had spent most of the game on the outskirts of the field watching for the snitch. Suddenly, Harry spotted the snitch and flew toward it. Draco quickly caught up to Harry. They flew neck in neck after the small golden ball.
Shannon and Dawn both saw that at any moment, Draco may gain the upper hand. Unfortunately they both realized that there was no way to help. Shannon saw a bludger coming in her direction, but would not be able to turn quickly enough to send it in Draco's direction. Dawn was in perfect position, but there were no bludgers near her.
Shannon made a snap decision and dove toward the bludger as she yelled Dawn's name. Dawn realized what her best friend was planning. Shannon hit the bludger straight at Dawn, who hit it straight at Draco.
Draco had inched ahead of Harry and was about to grab the snitch, when he saw a bludger coming directly at him. Draco had no choice but to swerve out of its way, leaving an opening for Harry to catch the snitch. Harry caught the snitch and the crowd cheered for the Gryffindor's victory.
****************
That evening during dinner in the Great Hall, Draco walked over to the Gryffindor table. "I just wanted to congratulate your newest team members on a job well done," said Draco very diplomatically. He never would have done something like this in the past, but he was amazed at how well Dawn had performed on the field. He could have watched her all day. In fact, he had almost missed the snitch because he was paying more attention to her than the game. If Harry hadn't distracted Draco by flying through his line of site, Draco would have suffered a much more embarrassing defeat.
Dawn smiled a thank you to him, while Harry and Ron shot Draco dirty looks. "What is your problem, Potter, Weasley? Already beginning to fear the rematch," smirked Draco
Ron started repeating softly over and over, "Harry is the better seeker," in a rather annoying singsong fashion, while Harry was shooting dirty looks at Draco.
Dawn could see the anger in Draco's eyes. She was angry herself. Her friends knew that she liked Draco, and it was an insult to her for them to tease him so mercilessly with no regard for his or her feelings.
"That is it," yelled Dawn. "If you want to get technical, in this game Draco was by far the better seeker. He got ahead of Harry all on his own. The only reason that Harry got the snitch and won the game is because the Gryffindor team has two damn good beaters."
"I'll toast to that," said Shannon, as she raised her glass of apple cider. She had been oblivious to the looks being shot across the table, as she reveled in their victory.
Harry figured that it was best to keep the peace, even though he had just been insulted. "Me to," he said hesitantly as he raised his glass.
Draco grabbed a glass from an empty place setting. Raising his glass, he said, "If only you were the beaters on our team." Dawn and Shannon laughed, and another altercation was averted.
Chapter 16 - Quidditch
The first quidditch game of the new school year was scheduled for the second weekend in October. The house teams scheduled to compete were Gryffindor and Slytherin.
Dawn, Shannon, Ginny, Harry, and Ron met with the rest of their teammates in the Gryffindor common room early the morning of the game. They had a light breakfast together and headed to their locker room to change into their team robes. While they were waiting for the game to start, Harry and Ron noticed the looks of fear on Dawn's and Shannon's faces.
"You both are going to do just fine," said Harry, as gave Shannon's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah, there is no reason to look so scared. I've seen you fight vampires, and you didn't look nearly this scared then," added Ron
"I can't help it," answered Dawn. "I can't stop thinking about our whole house counting on us to beat the Slytherins."
"The whole world counted on you to save them, and you did that. This is just a game," said Ron.
"A game, I might add, that you two are incredible at playing," added Harry.
"I am sure we will be fine once the game actually starts," said Shannon unconvincingly.
****************
The Scoobies and their friends were sitting with Andrew and Hermione.
"Giles, explain this game to me again," Buffy asked.
"Buffy, we have been through this several times already. If you didn't understand it before, you aren't going to understand it now. You just have to see it, which you will in a few more minutes," replied Giles in a rather exasperated tone.
"Sorry, Giles, I am just really nervous. Are you sure it is safe for Dawnie to be flying around on a broom?"
"Actually, Professor Summers, no one has died playing quidditch in quite a few years," said Hermione, in the hopes of calming her professor.
"Died?" Buffy went white and turned to back to Giles. "You never said anything about anyone dying."
"Buffy, Dawn will be fine. From what her friends have told me, she and Shannon are naturals at the game," said Giles. Andrew and Hermione nodded their heads in agreement.
"But she could still get hurt," added a worried Buffy.
"B., calm down already. The kid faced those ubervamps and bringers and did some serious damage on their sorry asses. I'm sure she can handle a little flying on a broom," said Faith.
That actually did make Buffy feel better. She turned to Faith and mouthed a 'thank you.'
"Look," Xander practically yelled, "the game is starting."
The Scoobies and their friends watched both teams walk out onto the field, the Gryffindor team in their red robes and the Slytherin team dressed in green.
****************
As the Gryffindor team walked out onto the field, Harry gave Shannon's hand a final reassuring squeeze.
Dawn glanced around the stands until she saw her friends. She waved to her sister. Buffy found herself holding her breath, as the teams mounted their brooms and ascended into the air.
The game began and the Slytherins immediately gained control of the quaffle. Their chasers passed the ball back and forth as they dodged other players and neared the goal.
Dawn saw a bludger hit by one of the Slytherin beaters coming in her direction. She flew quickly toward it calculating the necessary angle of impact. Dawn swung her broom around and hit the bludger hard with her paddle. The bludger flew directly toward the Slytherin chaser who was about to make a goal. As the chaser threw the quaffle, he had to dodge to miss being hit by the bludger. The dodge caused a poor shot with the quaffle, and Ron was able to easily catch it.
As Ron threw the quaffle to Ginny, Buffy finally let out her breath.
"Damn, B., the kid is good," said Faith.
"I told you it would be ok," Giles whispered in Buffy's ear. Buffy smiled broadly. Her sister really was a good quidditch player.
As the Gryffindor chasers moved the quaffle toward their goals, Dawn and Shannon covered them. The two girls blocked each bludger sent their way.
As Ginny prepared to throw the quaffle through the goal, Shannon aimed a bludger at the Slytherin keeper. The keeper moved out of the way of the bludger, giving Ginny a clear shot at the goal. The crowd cheered as Gryffindor received the first points of the game.
Throughout the game, Gryffindor managed to stay a few goals ahead of Slytherin.
Twice, Harry and Draco had spotted the snitch, but both times a bludger prevented them both from catching the snitch.
The game continued for another hour. Shannon and Dawn made several saves with well-placed bludgers. Ginny made two more goals for Gryffindor, and Ron prevented several Slytherin goals.
Harry and Draco had spent most of the game on the outskirts of the field watching for the snitch. Suddenly, Harry spotted the snitch and flew toward it. Draco quickly caught up to Harry. They flew neck in neck after the small golden ball.
Shannon and Dawn both saw that at any moment, Draco may gain the upper hand. Unfortunately they both realized that there was no way to help. Shannon saw a bludger coming in her direction, but would not be able to turn quickly enough to send it in Draco's direction. Dawn was in perfect position, but there were no bludgers near her.
Shannon made a snap decision and dove toward the bludger as she yelled Dawn's name. Dawn realized what her best friend was planning. Shannon hit the bludger straight at Dawn, who hit it straight at Draco.
Draco had inched ahead of Harry and was about to grab the snitch, when he saw a bludger coming directly at him. Draco had no choice but to swerve out of its way, leaving an opening for Harry to catch the snitch. Harry caught the snitch and the crowd cheered for the Gryffindor's victory.
****************
That evening during dinner in the Great Hall, Draco walked over to the Gryffindor table. "I just wanted to congratulate your newest team members on a job well done," said Draco very diplomatically. He never would have done something like this in the past, but he was amazed at how well Dawn had performed on the field. He could have watched her all day. In fact, he had almost missed the snitch because he was paying more attention to her than the game. If Harry hadn't distracted Draco by flying through his line of site, Draco would have suffered a much more embarrassing defeat.
Dawn smiled a thank you to him, while Harry and Ron shot Draco dirty looks. "What is your problem, Potter, Weasley? Already beginning to fear the rematch," smirked Draco
Ron started repeating softly over and over, "Harry is the better seeker," in a rather annoying singsong fashion, while Harry was shooting dirty looks at Draco.
Dawn could see the anger in Draco's eyes. She was angry herself. Her friends knew that she liked Draco, and it was an insult to her for them to tease him so mercilessly with no regard for his or her feelings.
"That is it," yelled Dawn. "If you want to get technical, in this game Draco was by far the better seeker. He got ahead of Harry all on his own. The only reason that Harry got the snitch and won the game is because the Gryffindor team has two damn good beaters."
"I'll toast to that," said Shannon, as she raised her glass of apple cider. She had been oblivious to the looks being shot across the table, as she reveled in their victory.
Harry figured that it was best to keep the peace, even though he had just been insulted. "Me to," he said hesitantly as he raised his glass.
Draco grabbed a glass from an empty place setting. Raising his glass, he said, "If only you were the beaters on our team." Dawn and Shannon laughed, and another altercation was averted.