With all the Quidditch practice and detentions spent doing inventory in the dungeons, the next chance Tanwen got to speak to Blair was the following weekend. She had asked her friends if any of them wanted to come, but a large majority of them had a Muggle Studies project due in on the Monday and were hastily completing it, which left Lou, Cassie, Mark and herself. Cassie and Mark elected to spend some time together and so it was just Tanwen and Lou who made their way down to the dungeons.
The game was much louder and more exuberant than the last time, with students using it to relieve their stress caused by ever increasing work loads. By the end of it they were all covered from head to foot in a vast array of paint.
Tanwen sat down, clutching at her sides in laughter as Blair slipped on a wet patch of paint, arms wind-milling and colliding with Lou. They landed in a coloured puddle on the ground, both grinning.
"Graceful!" Tanwen commented with a wicked grin as she held out a hand to each of her friends.
A sharp tug from Blair made her tumble on top of them and they sat in a heap on the ground, grinning stupidly at one another.
Lou grinned shyly and said, "So who won then?"
Blair opened his mouth to reply, then realised that during their little scuffle the others had headed off to wash off the paint. "Oh, well I guess we win by default," he replied, wiping a spot of red paint of her nose.
"Default?" Tanwen said, in a mock scandalised tone, untangling herself from the other two with effort.
"You'd better let her win," Lou said softly, a half smile playing on her lips. Blair grinned at her. Tanwen laughed,
"I feel like I'm being ganged up upon here!"
"Maybe you are," Blair retorted good humouredly, getting to his feet and helping Lou up, "you never can tell with these things," he added sagely with a wink.
She raised an eyebrow and tried to wipe off the wettest area of her face with a clean patch on her sleeve. "Well, I've had enough of being covered with paint, plus I only have," she glanced at her watch and exclaimed loudly, "Twenty minutes? Twenty minutes! Oh scrud buckets! I'd better go, Snape will not be a happy bunny if I turn up to detention covered in pink, purple and green paint!"
"I'll see you later," Lou said, "I told Blair I'd help him clean up."
"Right," replied Tanwen, hurrying to the door, "catch you later you two." Then she pelted out the door towards the Tower, blowing a kiss to an amused looking Cedric as she passed the Hufflepuff team headed out to practice. It wasn't until she was climbing into bed, rubbing aching arms that she realised she hadn't spoken to Blair about Sirius. Not that she knew what she was going to say to him anyway.
She barely had time to think over the weeks leading up to Easter and while she harboured constant intentions of speaking to Blair, every time she saw him the thought went clear out of her head. And it wasn't until she actually fell asleep during a Charms lesson that she realised just how tired she was getting.
As Cassie shook her gently awake she said solicitously, "Maybe you should speak to Oliver about taking a break from practices. I know what he's like about the Cup, but you're not going to be any good to him if you fall off your broom with exhaustion!"
Tanwen yawned, "It's alright, I guess I'll just…just…" but she couldn't think of anything to cut back on. Her detentions had mercifully finished, but she still had loads of work. She was struggling in Potions and had been assigned an extra credit project to try and boost her grades. Combine that with practices every day and it left little time for anything else. She already had hardly spent any time with Cedric, and was missing him much more than she had expected. Of course he had work too so it was doubly hard for them to spend time with one another.
During the Easter break they studied together in the library, which meant that they could take their breaks together. They commandeered the same spot in the corner of the library near the Potions books each day and more than once she had awoken to find herself resting on Cedric's shoulder, his arm round her to support her while he scribbled away with his other hand, noting down the various attributes of poisonous vines.
But with his help she gradually got a hold on her work, and caught up on sleep. By the time the week of the match against Slytherin came round, she had completed her extra credit project and felt ready and impatient for the match. She had spent so much time in the library over the last few weeks that she was surprised by the tension that had seemed to spring out of nowhere between the two houses. But of course it had been building for a while.
As they came out of Transfiguration on Wednesday they were stopped by a menacing looking group of Slytherins. Tanwen felt Mark and Jon move closer to her and was caught between flattery that they wanted to protect her and annoyance that they thought she couldn't defend herself.
"Move, Flint," Jon said tersely.
"Just wanted to come and see how Gryffindor's star chaser was feeling about the upcoming game," a tall, burly looking boy with small eyes said coolly.
Tanwen made a show of looking over her shoulder, "I'm sorry, I don't think I can see Angelina, but I'll be sure and let her know you're looking for her when I see her."
And she walked forwards to pass them. An arm shot out, baring her way. She raised an eyebrow.
"Back off, Bole," Mark told the Slytherin beater, narrowing his eyes.
"You'd better less us pass," warned Marcia, pushing her way past Dom and Dave.
"It's alright," Tanwen replied evenly, "we'll see if he's still so full of himself come Saturday evening."
Bole tensed and for a second it looked like he was going to hit her before another boy grabbed his arm and looked at Tanwen a disconcerting glint in his eyes.
"You know, you should watch out for yourself until then, Gray. It would be a terrible shame if anything were to happen to you."
"That's it!" Jon cried, his temper snapping, and drawing out his wand.
The Slytherin drew his in the same moment and there was a loud explosion of green and white smoke as the two spells collided midair. Coughing, Tanwen sat up from where she had been knocked down and looked around as she heard a shrill voice.
"What is going on here?" A thin lipped McGonagall appeared amid the smoke, conjuring a fan that blew the smoke out of a window that opened along the hall.
Looking round she spotted Jon and clapped a hand over her mouth, as much to stop herself from laughing as in shock. He had sprouted leeks from his ears, glancing about she saw that she same fate had befallen the sixth year and she did laugh at that. Her laughter was joined by others as McGonagall commanded the two surly looking boys to the hospital wing. She walked in between them as Jon and the Slytherin cast belligerent looks at one another.
The night before the match the atmosphere in the Gryffindor common room was so tense that Tanwen could barely sit still. Indeed it affected everyone, all usual pursuits were abandoned and not even Hermione was able to carry on studying. It was incredibly noisy. Fred and George were coping with the pressure by being louder and even more exuberant than usual and the other chasers were sat laughing rather hysterically at their jokes. Wood was in a corner, crouched over a model of a Quidditch pitch, prodding the figures with his wand. Harry sat with Ron and Hermione, trying to keep out of the centre of things, but Tanwen could tell from the way he was wringing a piece of parchment in his hands and the strained look on his face that he was feeling the pressure just like everyone else.
The number of times that Oliver had gone on to Harry about not catching the Snitch before they were up fifty points she wasn't surprised if he was feeling the pressure even more than the rest of them. She knew it hadn't been Oliver's intention to make Harry even more stressed about things, but she couldn't help feeling that he should have gone easy on him.
"Sit down," Mark said, "you're making me dizzy!"
She bit her lip and sat down, "Sorry." She realised that she'd been pacing up and down.
Jon laughed, "Come on, Miss Grey, deep breaths. In…and out…"
He grinned and she punched him in the arm, "Shut up, leek boy!" She retorted before clasping her fists tightly in her lap and clenching and unclenching her jaw.
"Come here, you silly thing," he laughed, pulling her over to take the seat next to him. Flipping her ponytail out of the way he placed his hands on her shoulders and started to gently kneed the tensed muscles.
Swallowing an inappropriate noise in her throat she closed her eyes, trying to block out the sight of the tightly wound Gryffindors.
Suddenly Wood stood up shouting, "Team! Bed!"
She jumped and almost bit her tongue and glared at him, although it was rather a relief to escape the tension in the room.
"Thanks, Jon," she said, giving his arm a quick squeeze before running up the stairs to try and get some sleep.
Surprisingly she soon fell asleep and woke the next morning revelling in the warmth of her bed before remembering that the match was today. Then she felt as though she'd eaten something that definitely hadn't agreed with her. This feeling continued all through breakfast and she could barely make herself eat a piece of toast despite Oliver's constant urging, resisting the urge to point out that he hadn't eaten anything himself.
Walking out onto the pitch Tanwen gripped her broom tightly and tried to smile encouragingly at Harry. As she walked over to her starting position she spotted her friends waving from the stands and felt a little heartened. Looking ahead as she mounted her broom she tried to ignore the menacing stares of the other team. As Flint and Wood had a hand crushing competition she had a feeling that this match wasn't going to win any good sportsmanship awards.
The whistle went and they all kicked off hard, Tanwen catching the Quaffle deftly as it was thrown to her and began to streak up the pitch. She looked to the side, catching sight of something out of her left eye and felt the Quaffle snatched from her grasp from her left.
Snapping her head back round she saw Warrington drop the ball as a speeding Bludger caught him on the arm, Angelina swooping down from underneath to catch it. Winding under and over the other Slytherin chasers Angelina narrowly avoided a Bludger to throw it through the second hoop.
Tanwen let out a whoop and punched her fist in the air, flying over to congratulate her team mate. Suddenly Marcus Flint collided heavily with Angelina and she swerved violently, just missing the ground. Tanwen didn't bother to hide a grin as George threw his club at the back of Flint's head.
Madam Hooch blew shrilly on her whistle awarding penalties to both. As the Quaffle was tossed to her to take it and she moved into position, Tanwen thought they couldn't afford to give away many more penalties. Pushing a stray lock of hair out her eyes she took careful aim, going over in her mind where she was going to shoot. Then she feigned a throw to the right, swinging her arm round as the Slytherin Keeper dived sending the Quaffle soaring through the central hoop.
"Yes!" She grinned enthusiastically and couldn't resist raising a taunting eyebrow at Bole.
Flying back to make way for the Slytherin penalty taker she crossed her fingers, silently willing Oliver to save it, breathing a sigh of relief as he pulled off a spectacular save.
And then they were off again, streaming off the pitch, catching the Quaffle in her right hand, Tanwen yelled out one of their practice formations and flipped upside down, throwing the ball to where she knew Katie would be waiting for her. Tanwen righted herself in time to see Montague grab Katie's head. She cartwheeled over, only just managing to stay on her broom.
Tanwen flushed with anger, and started to shout furiously at the Slytherin, speeding towards Katie and catching her arm. She stopped her tirade to turn to Katie, an anxious frown on her face, "Are you alright?"
She nodded, her face pale, "This is turning into one of the dirtiest matches I've ever seen- let along played!"
Tanwen nodded in agreement, "Go on, it's your penalty," she urged Katie on and flew over to side next to Angelina, who was glaring daggers at Montague.
"Filthy cheating scum!" She muttered angrily as Tanwen pulled up alongside her. "There is no way we're letting them win this!"
"Right!" Tanwen replied with conviction.
They both whooped delightedly, hands slapping together in a high five as Katie put the Quaffle deftly past the Slytherin Keeper.
"Good job, Katie!" Angelina called, grinning encouragingly at the Chaser.
Tanwen glanced up for a second as normal play resumed, spotting Harry hovering like a bird of prey above them, before a shout made her turn back. Flint was streaking up the pitch, his arm tightly round the Quaffle. She swore and tore after him, wind wipping back her robes and stinging her eyes.
But it was no good, Flint scored and the Slytherin crowd erupted in a sea of green.
There was no time to pause, Slytherin had possession again. Leaning low on her broom she flew over Montague, Katie and Angelina swerving up either side. She rolled upside down and watched for the second he looked to one side. His head turned as Katie made a feint at the Quaffle and she let go with both hands, legs tightly round the broom as she snatched the ball out of his grip.
Speeding towards the other end she barrel-rolled out of it and focused on the nearing hoops. She spotted Bole out the corner of her eye, closing in, but the Bludgers were nowhere to be seen so she ignored him.
Smack!
Tanwen felt the Quaffle slip from her fingers as a sharp, dizzying pain shot through her head. Her eyes teared and she blinked them back, one hand going to her head.
"What the?-" she mumbled, feeling a hand on her arm.
"You alright, Tanwen?" Angelina asked anxiously, and dazed or not Tanwen could hear the barely restrained anger in her voice.
Her vision cleared as a Bludger shot down out of the sky, thumping into Bole.
"Take that!" George shouted viciously, his face flushed with rage.
Two more penalties were awarded, Angelina scoring again and Oliver performing a vital save to make the score forty- twenty.
Taking advantage of the Slytherin's dismay Tanwen, Katie and Angelina, quickly pulled off another set piece culminating in a fantastic goal from Katie. Fred and George swooped down, clubs raised as if to dare the Slytherins to attack her, Bole and Derrick taking the opportunity to aim both Bludgers at Wood.
He doubled over, winded as Madam Hooch blew furiously on her whistle yet again, "You do not attack the Keeper unless the Quaffle is within range!"
Another penalty to Gryffindor, Angelina scored, giving her a hat-trick. She beamed gleefully as she was joined by the other chasers.
"Right girls," she said, with a grin, "How about a twenty seven?"
Tanwen and Katie nodded, speeding away up the pitch to their positions. Tanwen dropped back, a few broom lengths behind Angelina as they both sped up the pitch. Warrington came careening towards them and Angelina dropped the Quaffle into Tanwen's waiting hands, zooming up and avoiding the Slytherin. He swerved sharply, heading for Tanwen who threw hard to Angelina who pelted up the pitch, making a quick switch with Katie.
Then as the Slytherin Chasers sped towards the pair Tanwen streaked away up the pitch, arms preparing to grab the Quaffle when it was thrown to her. She hated this set-piece. It meant catching the Quaffle at high speed and trusting that it would be thrown at exactly the right moment. They had spent a whole practice on this one manoeuvre.
But suddenly Warrington had the Quaffle. A Bludger sped past her, Tanwen hot on its tail ready for the Quaffle as it dropped from his hands when the Bludger hit. She seized it, snatching the red blur out of the air. Elation coursed through her as she lobbed the Quaffle towards the hoop, knowing that the Keeper was too far over to save it.
"SHE SCORES! Seventy-ten to Gryffindor!" Lee's cheer echoed through the stands.
Tanwen realised that she'd barely heard a word all match, she looked up again, eyes searching for Harry. They were sixty points in the lead now, if Harry were to catch the Snitch now they would win!
Suddenly he put on a huge burst of speed. Tanwen felt her heart leap and she stared breathlessly upwards. Malfoy threw himself forwards, wrapping both hands round the tail of Harry's Firebolt, pulling it back.
Tanwen's voice joined the others' angry cries, shaking with rage. Of all the underhand- dirty, cheating-
"Tanwen!" She caught the Quaffle in surprise as it was thrown to her. "It's your penalty."
She wished it weren't as she took up the position, she was absolutely livid and shook with rage. The nerve of him! She threw, her shot going wide by several metres she was so angry. Frowning with dismay she tried to pull herself together, but she just couldn't shake her irritation.
The rest of her team were also suffering similar struggles, Slytherin taking advantage of their loss of concentration as Montague scored.
Tanwen shot up the pitch after Warrington, trying to out fly her anger. She made a vicious snatch as she went past and quickly soared up, out of his way. Two bludgers came speeding towards her and she lobbed the ball to Angelina as she swerved both, the second narrowly skimming her arm as she turned.
She watched as Angelina streaked up the pitch and was startled to see the whole Slytherin team rushing up the pitch to block her. Tanwen put on a burst of speed, but she wouldn't get there before- a red dart sped past her like a bullet, heading straight for them. They scattered as Tanwen realised it was Harry and Angelina zoomed through easily scoring.
It was as she span round from her victory celebration with Katie that she saw Harry and Malfoy locked in a tight race, both hurtling towards the ground. Malfoy was at the front, but Harry was gaining. Her heart in her throat, she grasped her broom tightly,
"Come on Harry!" She willed.
He surged forwards, grabbing his hands round the struggling Snitch and pulling out of his dive, fist raised victoriously in the air!
The stadium erupted. Tanwen yelled in delight, throwing her arms round Katie who was shrieking excitedly.
"We won! We won!"
In wordless consent they sped towards Harry, who had already been engulfed by Oliver, Fred and George. Seconds later Katie, Tanwen and Angelina joined them yelling,
"We won the Cup! We won the Cup!" Somehow returning to the ground in a jubilant many-armed hug.
The minutes passed in a noisy red and yellow blur, Tanwen being joined at some point by her euphorically happy friends as they almost crushed her in an enthusiastic hug. Laughing and jumping with them she was pulled away by a sobbing Wood a few minutes later and joined the team as they mounted the steps to collect the Trophy.
Angelina beamed proudly at her and Katie as they hugged one another, "Great game, ladies!"
Tanwen could only grin back, sharing in Katie's enthusiastic hopping up and down. She untangled herself to give Harry an incredible tight squeeze, half knocking his glasses off before letting him go to receive the Trophy from an emotional Wood. The Chasers took it from him as a group, raising it up between them, yelling and shouting with joy.
As Tanwen clattered down the steps, full of exhilaration she spotted a sulky looking Bole. And even though she knew it wasn't very sporting or gracious, she couldn't resist an incredibly satisfying, "Ha!"
A/N: Hmm that was quite fun writing that. Thought I'd have a go at writing a match from the point of view of someone other than a seeker ;) I think it wasn't bad, thoughts anyone?
I think some people might have got the wrong idea last chapter, I'm not abandoning this story, in fact I've finished it, minus one or two finishing touches, about 3 more chapters to come. As for Tanwen's next few years I won't be doing one story a year, that would take way too long to write, most likely I'll try and speed up the story.
Cinammon- I'm not going to change canon where I can avoid it, I'm really picky about that kind of thing. In terms of GoF and OotP I may or may not veer from them, haven't decided yet, kinda don't want to have to remember to include details from the books. Maybe I'll just cop out and do one of those common author tricks like, 'and all too soon it was Tanwen's last year at Hogwarts..' hehe.
Dakana- Yes Blair is just odd like that, it's one of his oddities, he doesn't mind telling people he thinks Sirius is innocent, but neither does he particularly care about him so no-one seems to mind him publicising his theories since he doesn't seem the type to do anything about it.
A lot of people keep taking about Jon, which I am deliberately ignoring, not going to say anything about where his character's headed, I have to keep one or two secrets from you guys, right? But I do love him, he's such a sweetie- and he's mine! Mwahaha!!
clears throat embarrassedly
Right…anyway, next chapter is called 'A Plan', expect it in about 2-3 weeks, off on holiday on Sunday but will try and update asap when I'm back. Hope you're all enjoying your summers