Prologue
The Year That the Quidditch Cup was returned to Gryffindor:
Katie Bell stood on the muddy pitch, torrents of rain pounding about her and the wind howled around her. The very same blue sky had committed treachery, and had opened up in a downpour. The rain pounded on her light brown hair, and it had since turned dark in it's sopping wet state. Her scarlet Gryffindor quidditch robes billowed about her as she held her broom out.
"What's the matter, KB?" Fred called, from his place on his hovering broom. Across the center of the pitch, the Hufflepuffs did the same. Getting ready for the toss-up, floating opposite the other team's players.
Katie just shook her head and planted her broom into the mud. "It's so windy." She said simply, shouting to be heard, raising a hand in the air, trying to get a feel for which way the harsh wind was blowing. For whichever that was, she would have to over-compensate by flying the other way.
Alicia spoke up. "Oh, Katie. You've flown in wind before." She kicked her feet impatiently, dragging them across the grass.
Katie shook her head. "Never wind this violent." She pivoted around on her toes, looking for a break in the dark grey clouds. "Never like this."
"Get on your broom, Bell!", Wood barked, giving her a superior glare. "This is Hufflepuff! We can't forfeit because you're afraid of a little storm." At his statement, two things had happened. The Hufflepuffs had become hostile looking, glaring at the back of Wood's head and muttering amongst themselves. And the wind kicked up.
Katie looked hurt and torn. "Wood, Just give me a second!" She planted her feet and hopped up and down a couple of times, judging the wind speed and if it hampered her own ability.
BELL!", Wood growled, as he tumbled off his own broom. "GET ON YOUR BLOODY BROOM!" His face began to turn red. "I AM NOT GOING TO FORFEIT THIS MATCH!" His seventh year glare caught Katie off guard, as Oliver looked murderous. "Just fly! That's all you have to do Katie! You don't even have to score! Just keep the quaffle away from the over sized canaries!" He shot a menacing glare towards the aggressive looking Hufflepuffs. His face became sympathetic looking.
"And so what if you have to fall a couple dozen feet? Gryffindor will win the bloody cup!" Oliver's eyes gaze glazed over, even as he thought about it. Snapping into reality, Wood grabbed Katie's shoulders and shook her. "This is my chance Katie!"
Katie blinkned a couple of times, before shoving the manic boy away. Looking cautiously in his direction, she held out her broom rather like a shield. "I know Oliver. I never said that I wasn't going to fly. I just needed a minute."
Mounting her broom rather unsteadily, she grasped George's arm for support. "The boy's mad, I tell you", she whispered into his ear before regaining her balance.
The red-head regarded her with a humorous and concerned look. "He's always been this way. You okay, Katie?" George grabbed the front of her broom to keep Katie from toppling off of it.
Katie nodded. Wiping off the handle of her broom so she could have a better grip, she clutched it in a death grip. Her wet hair whipping her cheek. Nodding to Wood in what she hoped was a confident way, she noted him give a signal to Madam Hooch.
Tugging George's strong hand from her broom, she gave it a squeeze and a brave smile before dropping it at her side. "I just don't want to die playing something that I love so much."
"I just don't want to get hurt. I just don't want anyone to get hurt." Katie gave George a friendly slap on the back. "So you watch those bludgers, or you're the one getting hurt!" She made a fist and laughed.
The shrill whistle of Madam Hooch's sounded and the quaffle was tossed in the air. Two sets of players kicked off the ground towards it.
And still it rained, the downpour washing away all doubts of hurt. And the storm still howled, drowning out all noise except the shouts of team mates.
And still fourteen people lived their dream. Uninterrupted by the thought of tomorrow. Victory only on their minds. They knew of nothing else.