Chapter 25 – Fire in the Sky
The first day of March dawned bleak and overcast. It looked like rain, and a lot of it.
"Couldn't have picked a better day!" James mumbled sarcastically at breakfast. "It would have to rain the day we play Ravenclaw!"
"Better them than Slytherin," Maria put in, helping herself to more pumpkin juice.
James looked at her dolefully. He chose not to respond, instead picking up a platter of sausages and tipping more onto her plate. "Eat up. Get strength. Swing club."
"And so James reverts back to the language of the cavemen," Remus whispered to Lily and Noel, who giggled.
Maria rolled her eyes and stabbed a sausage. "So, where's my partner-in- beating?"
James frowned. "I woke him up."
"Yeah, I heard it all the way in the common room." Noel added.
"Well, I'll go get him. I need to grab my broom anyway," Maria said. She got up and trotted out of the Great Hall.
James kept looking between Maria's rapidly retreating figure and her abandoned plate. Then, he yelled, "Maria, wait! Your sausages!!"
Sirius rolled over in his bed, clutching his head. 'I feel so weird,' he thought, 'like there's someone inside my head.....I'm supposed to be somewhere.....I can't remember......'
The dormitory door opened. "Sirius?"
Sirius' eyes shot open. 'That voice.....' he struggled to remember, finally regaining his senses. "Maria!"
She opened the door fully and stepped inside. She was dressed in her scarlet Quidditch robes and carried her broomstick. "Hey.....are you okay?" she edged closer.
It came out of nowhere – the sudden urge to hurt her. Sirius, bewildered, pushed it away. "I'm fine."
Maria shifted her broom to her other hand. "Okay. Well.....we're all waiting for you in the Great Hall. D'you.....want me to wait on you?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, it's okay. You go. I'll be down in a sec."
Maria nodded, backing out of the room. As soon as the door shut behind her, Sirius ran to the bathroom, heaving-
-at the same time, Noel doubled over in pain, barely containing a cry of surprise and agony.
Her friends immediately crowded around her.
"Noel, are you alright!?" Lily asked.
"His.....his body is rejecting it....." Noel whispered. She blinked several times, as if coming out of a trance.
"Whose body? Rejecting what?" Remus asked.
Noel looked at him, seemingly uncomprehendingly. "What are you talking about? Sirius....."
"Sirius?" James repeated.
Noel started to speak, then spotted Maria. She ran to her. "Maria! Where's Sirius!?"
"He's still up in the dorm. Why, is something-"
"The charm! It's in effect!" Noel looked past Maria. Sirius was striding into the hall. He stopped next to them.
Lily, Remus, and James also joined them.
"What's going on?" James asked. "Sirius, mate, are you alright?"
Sirius stared at James unblinkingly. "I'm fine. Just.....hadn't been feeling well, that's all. I'm better now."
James stared back, apparently trying to gauge whether his best friend was telling the truth or not. "Well, alright. If you say so, I believe you."
There was no further discussion on the matter because they were joined by Frank Longbottom, Mark Wood, and Sabin Westside, the sixth-year who would be replacing Troy.
"All right, James?" Frank said.
"Hey, Frank. You guys ready?"
"Better than ready!" Mark grinned. "This year, we will be the best! We can win!" Sabin nodded in mute agreement, smiling.
"Okay, then. Let's head to the locker room." James turned to Lily, kissing her forehead. "Watch me play, Lily!" he said childishly.
Lily smiled. "Yup. Good luck."
Maria hugged Remus before leaving. "Wish me luck, Remmie," she breathed.
You don't need luck, my Maria. You're the best." He responded, his voice smooth and comforting. "But good luck anyway, sis."
James shut the locker room door behind his team, watching them take seats on the benches. "This is just a stepping stone along the way to the cup, guys. Let's make it a good one." He beckoned them toward the field, seeming like an unreal being with a tantalizing secret.
"There they are!!!" Luke Jordan was once again commentating. "Go, go, go, guys!!! With one new to their number, here once again – Longbottom! Wood! Black! Ravenwood! Potter, Potter, and Westside! As if anyone could forget! Replacing the late Chaser Troy VanArc is sixth-year Sabin Westside, and excellent man, excellent! Now, let's all bow our heads to Troy, and to Jennifer Carlson!"
The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws all bowed their heads. The Slytherins looked disdainful.
After a moment, Luke picked it up again. "And here from Ravenclaw – Diggory! Butler! Almasy! Clearwater! Hasler, DelColetti, and Ashford! Pretty fair team – Diggory's picked up some new blood in Hasler and Ashford, but-"
"Luke," Professor McGonagall broke in, "they've started. How about telling us what's going on?"
"Of course, Professor.....anyway, it's Gryffindor in possession, Potter passes to Westside, their own new blood, Westside shoots.....he scores! Chaser Sabin Westside scores the first points, and only minutes into the game!!"
Maria and Sirius cheered, high-five-ing with their clubs. As Maria smiled at him, Sirius had that nasty urge again. He raised his club – and hit a Bludger heading straight for her head.
"Thanks, Siri!" Maria called, zooming away to defend Sabin.
"Don't mention it," Sirius said to the air. What was happening to him? Every time he went near her.....
"Sirius, pay attention!" Noel chided as she gilded past, her quick blue eyes searching for the tiny Snitch.
"Right....." he decided to stay as far as possible from Maria for the time being. It was safer that way.
"Alright, pretty slow game so far. Gryffindor lead, thirty-zero. Ravenclaw in possession, Chaser Almasy heading for the goal. That's seventh-year Mark Wood there, wonderful guy, Quidditch fanatic, going on to play in the-"
"Luke, get on with it!" McGonagall rolled her eyes.
Luke rolled his, too. "Chaser Almasy passes to DelColetti, he shoots," Luke's voice faltered, "he scores. So, that's Gryffindor, thirty-ten. Still a good lead....."
Meanwhile, Sirius had stopped, hovering in midair. He was clutching his forehead. At the same time, Noel slid a little down her broom. Her head was aching fir to burst. "Sirius," she whispered, "what's wrong.....why are you in pain?" But, as suddenly as the pain came, it was gone. Noel looked up. Sirius was gliding over to block a Bludger from hitting Frank. She shook her head – and caught a glimpse of shining gold, near the Ravenclaw goals. Butler, the offending Seeker, saw it, too.
"Looks like the Seekers have spotted that Snitch! They're going for it-"
"AHHHH!" Noel jerked back, and in that crucial moment, lost the Snitch. But she didn't care – something was happening up above.
"Sirius, what are you doing!?" James bellowed.
But Sirius ignored him. He seemed intent on Maria, and only Maria. He had a slightly twisted grin on his face, hand reaching out for her wrist. He didn't seem to be himself.
Noel felt another jolt of agony in her head. 'Is my brain on fire?' she wondered dazedly.
Maria was trying to jerk her wrist away. "Sirius, stop this! Please stop it!!" She sounded panicked.
Sirius grinned wider. "It's for your own good, Ravenwood! I've waited so long for this!!" He raised his club.
"What is going on up here!?" Madame Gomes shouted from below, starting to fly up.
But she was too late. Sirius brought his club down hard on the back of Maria's head. He let go of her, watching as she slumped forward. At the same time, James shot towards her. They collided in midair and started their long, spiral descent downward, Noel's and Sirius' agoinized screams following them into darkness.
The first day of March dawned bleak and overcast. It looked like rain, and a lot of it.
"Couldn't have picked a better day!" James mumbled sarcastically at breakfast. "It would have to rain the day we play Ravenclaw!"
"Better them than Slytherin," Maria put in, helping herself to more pumpkin juice.
James looked at her dolefully. He chose not to respond, instead picking up a platter of sausages and tipping more onto her plate. "Eat up. Get strength. Swing club."
"And so James reverts back to the language of the cavemen," Remus whispered to Lily and Noel, who giggled.
Maria rolled her eyes and stabbed a sausage. "So, where's my partner-in- beating?"
James frowned. "I woke him up."
"Yeah, I heard it all the way in the common room." Noel added.
"Well, I'll go get him. I need to grab my broom anyway," Maria said. She got up and trotted out of the Great Hall.
James kept looking between Maria's rapidly retreating figure and her abandoned plate. Then, he yelled, "Maria, wait! Your sausages!!"
Sirius rolled over in his bed, clutching his head. 'I feel so weird,' he thought, 'like there's someone inside my head.....I'm supposed to be somewhere.....I can't remember......'
The dormitory door opened. "Sirius?"
Sirius' eyes shot open. 'That voice.....' he struggled to remember, finally regaining his senses. "Maria!"
She opened the door fully and stepped inside. She was dressed in her scarlet Quidditch robes and carried her broomstick. "Hey.....are you okay?" she edged closer.
It came out of nowhere – the sudden urge to hurt her. Sirius, bewildered, pushed it away. "I'm fine."
Maria shifted her broom to her other hand. "Okay. Well.....we're all waiting for you in the Great Hall. D'you.....want me to wait on you?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, it's okay. You go. I'll be down in a sec."
Maria nodded, backing out of the room. As soon as the door shut behind her, Sirius ran to the bathroom, heaving-
-at the same time, Noel doubled over in pain, barely containing a cry of surprise and agony.
Her friends immediately crowded around her.
"Noel, are you alright!?" Lily asked.
"His.....his body is rejecting it....." Noel whispered. She blinked several times, as if coming out of a trance.
"Whose body? Rejecting what?" Remus asked.
Noel looked at him, seemingly uncomprehendingly. "What are you talking about? Sirius....."
"Sirius?" James repeated.
Noel started to speak, then spotted Maria. She ran to her. "Maria! Where's Sirius!?"
"He's still up in the dorm. Why, is something-"
"The charm! It's in effect!" Noel looked past Maria. Sirius was striding into the hall. He stopped next to them.
Lily, Remus, and James also joined them.
"What's going on?" James asked. "Sirius, mate, are you alright?"
Sirius stared at James unblinkingly. "I'm fine. Just.....hadn't been feeling well, that's all. I'm better now."
James stared back, apparently trying to gauge whether his best friend was telling the truth or not. "Well, alright. If you say so, I believe you."
There was no further discussion on the matter because they were joined by Frank Longbottom, Mark Wood, and Sabin Westside, the sixth-year who would be replacing Troy.
"All right, James?" Frank said.
"Hey, Frank. You guys ready?"
"Better than ready!" Mark grinned. "This year, we will be the best! We can win!" Sabin nodded in mute agreement, smiling.
"Okay, then. Let's head to the locker room." James turned to Lily, kissing her forehead. "Watch me play, Lily!" he said childishly.
Lily smiled. "Yup. Good luck."
Maria hugged Remus before leaving. "Wish me luck, Remmie," she breathed.
You don't need luck, my Maria. You're the best." He responded, his voice smooth and comforting. "But good luck anyway, sis."
James shut the locker room door behind his team, watching them take seats on the benches. "This is just a stepping stone along the way to the cup, guys. Let's make it a good one." He beckoned them toward the field, seeming like an unreal being with a tantalizing secret.
"There they are!!!" Luke Jordan was once again commentating. "Go, go, go, guys!!! With one new to their number, here once again – Longbottom! Wood! Black! Ravenwood! Potter, Potter, and Westside! As if anyone could forget! Replacing the late Chaser Troy VanArc is sixth-year Sabin Westside, and excellent man, excellent! Now, let's all bow our heads to Troy, and to Jennifer Carlson!"
The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws all bowed their heads. The Slytherins looked disdainful.
After a moment, Luke picked it up again. "And here from Ravenclaw – Diggory! Butler! Almasy! Clearwater! Hasler, DelColetti, and Ashford! Pretty fair team – Diggory's picked up some new blood in Hasler and Ashford, but-"
"Luke," Professor McGonagall broke in, "they've started. How about telling us what's going on?"
"Of course, Professor.....anyway, it's Gryffindor in possession, Potter passes to Westside, their own new blood, Westside shoots.....he scores! Chaser Sabin Westside scores the first points, and only minutes into the game!!"
Maria and Sirius cheered, high-five-ing with their clubs. As Maria smiled at him, Sirius had that nasty urge again. He raised his club – and hit a Bludger heading straight for her head.
"Thanks, Siri!" Maria called, zooming away to defend Sabin.
"Don't mention it," Sirius said to the air. What was happening to him? Every time he went near her.....
"Sirius, pay attention!" Noel chided as she gilded past, her quick blue eyes searching for the tiny Snitch.
"Right....." he decided to stay as far as possible from Maria for the time being. It was safer that way.
"Alright, pretty slow game so far. Gryffindor lead, thirty-zero. Ravenclaw in possession, Chaser Almasy heading for the goal. That's seventh-year Mark Wood there, wonderful guy, Quidditch fanatic, going on to play in the-"
"Luke, get on with it!" McGonagall rolled her eyes.
Luke rolled his, too. "Chaser Almasy passes to DelColetti, he shoots," Luke's voice faltered, "he scores. So, that's Gryffindor, thirty-ten. Still a good lead....."
Meanwhile, Sirius had stopped, hovering in midair. He was clutching his forehead. At the same time, Noel slid a little down her broom. Her head was aching fir to burst. "Sirius," she whispered, "what's wrong.....why are you in pain?" But, as suddenly as the pain came, it was gone. Noel looked up. Sirius was gliding over to block a Bludger from hitting Frank. She shook her head – and caught a glimpse of shining gold, near the Ravenclaw goals. Butler, the offending Seeker, saw it, too.
"Looks like the Seekers have spotted that Snitch! They're going for it-"
"AHHHH!" Noel jerked back, and in that crucial moment, lost the Snitch. But she didn't care – something was happening up above.
"Sirius, what are you doing!?" James bellowed.
But Sirius ignored him. He seemed intent on Maria, and only Maria. He had a slightly twisted grin on his face, hand reaching out for her wrist. He didn't seem to be himself.
Noel felt another jolt of agony in her head. 'Is my brain on fire?' she wondered dazedly.
Maria was trying to jerk her wrist away. "Sirius, stop this! Please stop it!!" She sounded panicked.
Sirius grinned wider. "It's for your own good, Ravenwood! I've waited so long for this!!" He raised his club.
"What is going on up here!?" Madame Gomes shouted from below, starting to fly up.
But she was too late. Sirius brought his club down hard on the back of Maria's head. He let go of her, watching as she slumped forward. At the same time, James shot towards her. They collided in midair and started their long, spiral descent downward, Noel's and Sirius' agoinized screams following them into darkness.