CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: SLYTH VS. GRYFF
Saturday, 20th March 1999
The Scoobies had gone back to Sunnydale on the Tuesday afternoon, leaving Buffy at Hogwarts. After a long and drawn out discussion between Buffy, the Scoobies, her Watcher and her mother, it had been decided that Buffy could stay at Hogwarts until after the Quidditch match. None of the Sunnydale people could bring themselves to ask her to leave before the game when she seemed so excited to be asked to play. They'd been given a portkey by Dumbledore that would activate on Saturday at one am to get them to Hogwarts for nine in the morning with the time different between the two countries.
The Scooby Gang, minus Joyce who had adamantly refused to even try and watch a game played fifty feet in the air that involved her daughter, and minus Angel who hadn't been enthusiastic enough to volunteer to be burnt to a crisp, were waiting in the stands beside Blaise and the rest of the Slytherin students.
The entire school had turned up at the match, all of them wanting to see the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match that usually ended up becoming incredibly violent between the two teams. It was always the most exciting game of the year, and none of the students wanted to miss it.
Most of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had donned the Gryffindor colours for the day, but the Scoobies had dug out anything they could find in green and silver and wore Buffy's house colours to show their support.
Giles felt a little odd wearing the Slytherin colours when he himself had been a Gryffindor student, but he was willing to make the sacrifice for his Slayer.
They watched the warm-up session with interest, watching as Buffy manoeuvred the broom she had borrowed from (strangely enough) Pansy Parkinson. The Scoobies had been a little sceptical about a sport played on broomsticks, but seeing the two teams warming up, they could tell that the match was definitely going to be exciting.
When the stands were full, and the players were warmed up, Madam Hooch assembled the Players in the centre of the pitch, the two teams staring at each other, many of the players glaring at their opponents. Buffy looked up to where the two Seekers hovered above all the other players as the Snitch circled their heads and flew away.
Draco and Harry were glaring at each other, both of hem holding onto their brooms tightly, their knuckles white from gripping their brooms so hard. The whistle blew, the Quaffle was thrown into the air and the game began.
"Gryffindor in possession," commentator Jeff Michaels, a Sixth-Year Hufflepuff said, his voice amplififed magically. "Chaser Lara Penn weaving in between Slytherin Chasers Clayton Banks and Buffy Summers. Summers intercepts the Quaffle!"
A roar broke out from the Slytherin stand. Buffy kept the ball tucked in close to her body, not wanting to have it taken from her so early in the game. She dodged a bludger that a Gryffindor Beater had hit towards her and flew towards the end goals. She faked left, threw right and scored in the centre goal, Gryffindor Keeper Glenn Wood cursing under his breath.
"First goal of the match to Slytherin as their new Chaser Buffy Summers, also known as the Slayer plays in her very first match," Michaels said. "Now, before you start getting shirty, Buffy Summers has given her word as the Slayer that she won't be using her 'special skills' to play in this game."
The Slytherin sectio boo-ed at the news, upset that they wouldn't be able to use Buffy's superior strength and skill as an advantage.
The Quaffle was passed to Gryffindor, and Seamus Finnigan passed straight to Dean Thomas, the two boys passing back and forth as they flew their way down the field, managing to outfly both the Slytherin Chasers. Buffy managed to catch up to them just as they reached the goalposts, but Seamus threw the Quaffle towards the goals just before Buffy could reach him. Noah Jackson, the Slytherin Keeper managed to intercept the ball and keep the Gryffindors from scoring.
"Nice try Finnigan," Michaels said. "Slytherin back in possession. Banks throws to Summers who passes to Chaser Alex Saunders. Saunders throws back to Banks, and ouch! Banks takes a Bludger to the shin. That's gonna smart come morning. Finnigan intercepts the fallen Quaffle and throws to Thomas. Thomas throws to Penn, who throws – wait! Slytherin back in possession. Summers intercepts and passes to Banks. He shoots….he scores! Another ten points to Slytherin, who lead twenty nil."
The Gryffindors in the stands were groaning their dismay, and the players in the air were scowling angrily. Buffy glanced up to see Harry and Draco in a shoving match as they flew around the stadium searching for the snitch. She rolled her eyes at their antics, wondering if they would ever be able to get along. She doubted it.
Twenty minutes later, the cheering was louder, and the stands were vibrating with noise.
"Slytherin lead sixty to fifty, Summers with the Quaffle. She dodges a Bludger, ducks beneath Finnigan, fakes a pass to Banks and scores. Seventy to fifty, Slytherin in the lead."
Buffy was having the time of her life. She suddenly understood most everyone's passion for the game, and knew why Ron would have been so depressed when informed her could no longer play if his grades were as low as they were.
It was beyond exhilarating. She knew what adrenaline could do to you, but this was an all-new high. Not only was it a challenge to beat the other team, but the amount of things that you needed to be able to do was keeping them all on their toes. They needed to weave in and out of the other players, trying to keep the Quaffle in their own possession, whilst staying on their brooms, whilst keeping an eye out for Bludgers that the Beaters kept aiming them at the opposition.
"Malfoy's seen the snitch!" Michaels yelled. "Seeker Draco Malfoy in the lead, Gryffindor Seeker Harry Potter on his tail and rapidly catching up."
The crowd was going crazy, all four houses yelling the words 'Gryffindor' and 'Slytherin' in barely a barely decipherable way. The Gryffindors made the mistake of watching their Seeker try to catch the Snitch, and Banks managed to score a goal.
"Slytherin lead eighty to fifty, Malfoy still in the lead, Potter frantically trying to catch up."
The Gryffindor sections chants changed from 'Go go Gryffindor' to 'Catch the Snitch', which the Slytherins soon began to subtly change. Whenever there was a pause for breath in the chant 'Catch the Snitch', they would scream 'Malfoy'.
"Slytherin Chaser Saunders in possession of the Quaffle, passes to Summers, who throws to Banks, back to Saunders. He shoots…saved by Keeper Glenn Wood."
Draco could feel his heart beating frantically in his chest. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw Harry's determined expression as the Gryffindor tried to catch up with Draco. But the Slytherin Seeker was determined that he would win, just once against Harry. The Slytherins hadn't won against Gryffindor in the six years that Harry had been a Seeker, and Draco was determined to change that. Not only did he want to prove once and for all that he was just as good a Seeker as Harry, but he wanted the Slytherins to win the Quidditch Cup while Buffy was still at Hogwarts. Draco knew that this game against the Gryffindors would be the only Quidditch match that Buffy would ever get to play, and he wanted to ensure that they won, for her sake.
The Snitch suddenly jerked upwards, and Draco pulled his broom up, the two Seekers having to weave in and out of the other players as the Snitch decided to go higher. Draco ducked a bludger, but Harry hadn't seen it in time. His only choice was to completely pull back or be hit, and he flew off course. With Harry now a lot further behind him, Draco was breathing a little easier. He looked down at the game below him and grinned as he saw his girlfriend score another goal.
"Slytherin lead ninety to fifty!"
The Snitch began diving down, but Draco had had enough. He managed to get the broom to speed up and reached out his hand. His fingers clipped the golden wings of the snitch, and he grabbed hold of the tiny ball. It struggled for a moment before settling. He grinned widely and moved his broom into a dive, holding his hand up victoriously.
"Malfoy catches the Snitch! Slytherin win!! For the first time in seven years against the Gryffindors, the Slytherins have come out on top!" Michaels announced.
There was a mixture of chants from the stands, the Slytherins cheering was almost deafening.
"Slytherin win two hundred and forty to fifty!"
The Slytherin team congregated on the pitch, each of them yelling victoriously and exchanging hugs. Draco pulled Buffy into his arms and was kissing her enthusiastically, the Snitch still firmly in his hand. They pulled apart, and Draco was still grinning ear to ear.
"We won," he said.
Buffy just laughed. "I know!"
"No, Buffy…we won!" he yelled.
Buffy grinned and kissed him, wondering whether or not she'd seen anything so adorable as Draco Malfoy being so completely excited.
"You did it," she said happily. "You caught the Snitch."
Draco just grinned. He kissed her again, but was ripped away from her by the other members of the team grabbing Draco and hoisting him to their shoulders. The other Slytherins raced down from the stands to congratulate the team, Blaise pulling Buffy into a hug. Pansy Parkinson was even grinning from ear to ear.
"I think it's fair to say that the best person one," Pansy said, shaking Buffy's hand. "In Quidditch and…in other things."
Buffy glanced at her grinning boyfriend and nodded.
"Friends?" Buffy asked, looking back at Pansy.
"Let's not go that far," the other girl replied seriously.
Buffy looked at her, slightly taken aback. Pansy then grinned and laughed, and the two girls shook hands, not quite up to hugging stage at that moment.
Buffy's attention was then caught by the five Scoobies, all of them in assorted colours of green and silver, each of them grinning, except of course for Oz, though it did look as though he was about to crack an expression.
Willow pulled Buffy into a tight hug. "That was awesome!"
"Pretty exciting stuff Buff," Xander agreed.
"Thanks," Buffy said, still grinning widely. "And thanks for coming by the way."
They all shrugged it off and Giles stepped forward.
"That was most impressive," he said.
"So, was as I good as you used to be?" Buffy asked. "I heard you were quite the Quidditch played yourself."
The Scoobies all turned to look at the tweed-clad Watcher in shock.
"You played Quidditch?" Cordelia asked.
Giles glared at his Slayer and removed his glasses. Buffy just laughed, biting her lower lip, realising how much she'd missed her friends and their idiosyncrasies.
The Watcher coughed uncomfortable with the Scoobies scrutiny. "Enough about that," he said briskly.
The Scoobies all grinned at each other. There was something fascinating about making Giles squirm.
Draco, finally down from the other team members shoulders, came up to stand behind Buffy, his arms automatically snaking around her waist, and allowing Buffy to lean back against him, kissed Buffy's shoulder softly.
"We're heading back to the Common Room to celebrate," he said. He looked to the Scoobies. "You're all welcome to join us, if you'd like."
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So…four chapters to go. Nearly finished this thing. Huzzah. Happy belated Christmas to you all!
Toodles.
DKG.