Eleanor, Lilly, Sirius, Peter, and Remus all crowded onto a bench at the very top of the stands in the Gryffindor crowd. Each had painted their face red and yellow and waved a Gryffindor banner. On the ground, Ally, James, and the rest of the team were listening intently as Madam Hooch gave the rules of the game and brought her whistle to her lips. Ally looked over all of the Slytherin players. All of them were boys except for the seeker, Browne, who was a pale girl about her age with long dark brown hair tied back into a bun. She smirked as she met eyes with Ally and kicked off quickly as the whistle was blown. Ally kicked off, feeling the cool winter air blowing through her hair and robes. She shivered slightly, but didn't led it effect her. She sped off after the Quaffle which had landed int he hands of a very surly looking Slytherin boy. Reaching his side, Ally reached out to attempt to push the Quaffle out from under his arm. He turned his head, his face set in an evil looking glare. He kicked out at the tail of her broom, sending her into a spiral downward. She steadied her broom and heard Madam hooch blow her whistle. "Yes!" She grinned, catching the Quaffle as it was thrown to her. The other players backed off and she flew for the Slytherin goal. flying faster and faster, the Slytherin Keeper started to get worried. She was headed straight for him. He gave a holler and moved to the side. She threw the Quaffle through the hoop and pulled up just in time to miss the hoop. The crowd went willd. "And Hudson puts the Quaffle through, putting Gryffindor ahead ten to zero. The players take their positions...the whistle was blown...oh! Longbottom of Gryffindor is in possesion! He goes for the Slytherin goal...oh no, Bludger to the head. He's okay...He's fine...he's back on his broom." Harry Jordan called through the magical megaphone. "What's this? Slytherin in possession? COME ON, GRYFFINDOR! HUDSON, GET OUT THERE! Whooo! Yes, NICE steal by Hudson. Beautiful girl, absolutely gorgeous. Ya know...I was going to ask her to the Yule Ball, but-" "Harry!" The charms teacher hollered. "The game, if you please! "Oh yes, sorry Professor." Jordan cleared his throat. "Slytherin in possession. Oh, Fake, that was a dirty thing you did...horrible manners, hitting a la-" "HARRY!" "Slytherin scores! Gryffindor and Slytherin now tied, ten to ten." In a matter of minutes, Slytherin was ahead 60 to 10. Eleanor put her head in her hands. "Oh, I can't watch!" "No, Nell! Look! James! He's found the snitch!" Lilly shrieked. Eleanor quickly pulled her hands from her eyes and looked up at the sky. Indeed, James was in a dive toward the ground with the Slytherin girl right on his tail. "Go, James!" They all hollered. The crowds went wild. And after what seemed like an eternity, James held his clenched fist in the air with a beaming grin. The crowd's cheers were deafening. Harry Jordan's voice boomed over all. "GRYFFINDOR WINS! JAMES POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS THE CUP! 160 to 70!!!" Everyone headed down to the fields to congratulate the Gryffindors. The Slytherins were all looking rather sulky, not leaving their stands. Sirius grabbed James and, along with Remus, they carried him on their shoulders around the field. Eleanor and Lilly grabbed Ally, parading her around. They carried James and Ally all the way back to the Gryffindor common room, after collecting the Quidditch cup, where there was about twenty tables set up filled with food and pumpkin juice. "PARTY!" James and Sirius hollered. Everyone cheered. The party lasted well on through the night until their head of house, Professor Frizzle, came in to holler at them and send them all to their dorms. In the morning, they all head down to breakfast and took their seats at the Gryffindor table. Each wore a huge grin though there was nothing but sleepiness in their eyes. Each had only gotten about five hours of sleep. After eating in silence and listening to snippets of conversations around them, they realized that the Quidditch game was all in the past. The new buzzing excitement was about the coming weekend- the Yule Ball. "Oh, I can't wait!" Ally exclaimed once the girls made it back up to their dorm. "Me either...my dress is going to be incredible." Lilly added, plopping down onto her bed. They had at least an hour before Transfiguration. Eleanor just sat down on her bed and looked out of the window toward the Forest. Ally and Lilly must have sensed the hurting silence because they both walked over, one sitting next to her, one sitting across from her on the next bed. "You're still going, right?" Ally asked, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I don't have a date." "So? Lots of people don't have dates." Lilly shrugged. "You'll find someone once you get there." "You don't want to miss this...it doesn't happen often. And this is your last year! Live a little!" Ally added. "And you have a week. Someone can still ask you." Eleanor shrugged and gave a sad smile.