Claimer/Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters, places, things, etc. I do own the new American characters.
Ch. 14- Quidditch!
The dance finally ended some time after midnight. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the crowd back to the Gryffindor common room. However, it was a few more hours until the common room was empty enough for them to talk.
"So, 'Mione," said Ron, "what'd you make out of that prophecy?"
"Well…" She moved away from where Neville and Ginny were talking to their favourite chairs by the fire. "Here's what I interpreted. It's about you, Harry, just like every other prophecy Gemini and Trelawney have made. It seems like they're your personal Seers," she added with a wry smile. "As for the part about spies sent 'to keep safe a cub of the lion and to watch a dragon ling for his interference,' it sounds as if there are people spying on you, Harry."
"Me? People are spying on me? Again? Well, how do you know that they're spying on me?"
"Think about it, Harry. 'To keep safe a cub of the lion.' It obviously is referring to someone in Gryffindor, and who in Gryffindor is constantly in danger? You are," she said folding her arms.
Harry scowled, his temper rising. He desperately tried to restrain himself from blowing up. "Go on," he said between gritted teeth.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, and then continued. "Okay, 'and to watch a dragon ling for his interference.'"
"None of the House mascots are dragons. The closest thing to a dragon is the Slytherin snake…" said Ron.
"Exactly. And who in Slytherin is the biggest dragon we know?"
"Malfoy!" said Harry and Ron together.
"Good, you two aren't as big of gits as I thought you were."
"Thanks!" said Ron. "Hey! Wait a minute…" he added frowning.
"Don't worry, Ron, I was only joking," smiled Hermione.
"Oh… yeah, I knew that."
"Keep going," said Harry impatiently.
"Okay, now to conquer the part about the watchers…"
"The transfer students!" exclaimed Harry.
"Precisely," said Hermione. "Who else? And did you notice that they only got sorted into Gryffindor and Slytherin? Now to figure out which two are in league with Voldemort…" Ron winced at the sound of the evil wizard's name. "Honestly, Ron! You hear the name often enough, when are you going to get used to it?" Ron's ears turned crimson. "Okay, let's think of the different groupings of four and two that we can make…"
"Well, they're already divided into four and two," said Harry.
"Yes, but really, Harry, can you picture either Gemini or Taurus as evil?"
"No, not really."
"I think Blaze is evil," said Ron. "He gives me the creeps."
"Well, yes, he is a tad intimidating at times, but I think it's a bit of an act, really. He seems quite nice when he's with his friends. Besides, I think he's smarter than he let's on. You've seen the stuff that he and Taurus have made."
"Ron might be on to something," said Harry. "Blaze and Jewel seem to be a little… apart from the others."
"Perhaps… but I suspect Eve more. I mean, she's downright unpleasant if you ask me. And what about Chris? She seems to be leading the group lately."
Harry's head ached. He glanced around the common room. Neville had gone to bed, but Ginny was still up. She was sitting in a chair gazing out the window. Suddenly, she turned and their eyes met. She smiled, and Harry gave a small grin before quickly looking away.
"Hey," he said to Hermione, "you forgot about the part that said one of them was taken by force."
"Yeah," said Ron.
"Hmm… I'll have to think about this for a while… We really ought to get to bed now. It's almost three in the morning."
"You're right, Hermione," said Ron yawing. "C'mon, Harry, you're going to need your rest for practice tomorrow. You too, Ginny," he said calling over to his sister.
"Me too what?" she said coldly. Evidently, she hadn't forgiven Ron yet.
"You need to get your rest. I've got the pitch tomorrow from three to six, and you know how much we need practice before Saturday's game."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," said Ginny getting up, "for once."
"Well, goodnight all!" said Hermione brightly.
"Goodnight," mumbled Harry.
"All right everyone!" yelled Ron the next day at practice. "Mount your brooms. Hey, Taurus, will Gemini be able to make it?"
"No, Madame Pomfrey won't let her fly yet."
"Will she be able to play in the game?"
"How should I know?"
"I guess we'll have to bring in a sub…" said Ron scratching his head. "Do we even have a substitute chaser?"
"You're asking us?" said Colin. "Aren't you the captain?"
"Never mind. Harry, do we have a substitute chaser?"
"Er…I dunno… Colin how's your brother at Quidditch?"
"Dennis? He's just about the worst chaser at Hogwarts. Plus, if he played, who would be the announcer?"
"Well, start brainstorming… there must be someone…"
"Could I try?" asked a familiar voice. Harry and Ron turned around to see Hermione standing with a Cleansweep.
"When did you start playing Quidditch? And where did you learn how to play?" asked Ron in a confused manner.
"I borrowed the broom from Madame Hooch, and Ginny taught me how to play."
Ron leaned over towards his sister. "Is she any good?"
"She overanalyzes things a bit, but she's okay. Nothing on Gemini, though."
"Well, 'Mione," said Ron, "let's see how you do. I'm sure Madame Hooch will approve you as a sub."
The next Saturday the Gryffindor team sat lined up on the right side of the Quidditch pitch.
"Well, it certainly is a wonderful day for a little Quidditch," announced Dennis. "And it's definitely going to be a good game today. The diverse Gryffindor team is playing against the all-seventh year Slytherin team. Though, I'm sure that the Slytherin girls are glad that Captain Draco Malfoy finally broke the all-male team trend. Am I right ladies?" There was an appreciative cheer from all the Slytherin girls. "Here's the Gryffindor line-up: Gryffindor Captain and Keeper: Ron Weasley (there was cheers from the Gryffindors), Seeker: Harry Potter (there was another outbreak of applause), Beaters: Taurus Evans and my dear bro, Colin Creevey, Chasers: Ginny Weasley, Euan Abercombie, and substituting for Gemini Evans, Hermione Granger." When Dennis had finished, the Gryffindors cheered loudly.
"What! They're letting that mudblood play!" Harry heard Draco say to his team.
"Here's the Slytherin line-up: Seeker and Captain; Draco Malfoy, Keeper: Eve Ngoasi (several catcalls came from the Slytherins), Beaters: Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, Chasers: Christina…"
"IT'S CHRIS!"
"Er, right…sorry… Chris Evans-Oppenlander, Jewel Isadar (more catcalls), and Blaze Porter."
Madame Hooch walked to the middle of the pitch. "Players, mount your brooms!" Everyone got tense and waited for her whistle. She blew it and Harry soared up in search of the snitch.
"And it's Isadar with the Quaffle… Isadar… and she passes to Porter… he's headed towards the goal… and he passes back to Isadar… Get it Ron!... Awww, and Isadar scores. Ten-nothing, Slytherin."
Harry turned to look at Ron for a second. His ears turned pink, but he kept a determined look on his face and stayed focused.
"Whoa! Looks like the Slytherin Captain saw something… he's diving towards the far end of the pitch."
Harry started to panic and quickly dove after Malfoy, they were neck-and-neck, but Harry didn't see the snitch… Suddenly, Draco pulled out of his dive and Harry copied him.
"An attempt at a Wronski feint by Malfoy… fortunately for Gryffindor Potter was able to pull out of his dive quickly. Oh, and a nice goal by Ginny Weasley just now. That makes the score 10-10."
Harry resumed his search for the snitch. He did a couple of dives, and frantically searched the pitch.
"Evans-Oppenlander with the quaffle…Evans-Oppenlander….oh…. she swerves and misses a bludger sent her way by Evans-Evans… it's Evans-Oppenlander… Evans-Oppenlander… Evans-Oppen- oh forget it! Chris still has the quaffle… and she scores! Twenty-ten, Slytherin."
The wind started blowing hard and Harry struggled to control his broom. Then he saw it. The snitch was hovering right next to Crabbe… In a flash Harry took off towards it. He saw Malfoy on his right and put some extra speed on his broom.
"Looks as if Potter has seen something…. And there's Malfoy right on his tail…. Oh... and it's Granger with the quaffle… and Granger drops the quaffle…."
The snitch started zooming around, trying to avoid both Harry and Malfoy. It was about two feet in front of Harry when Malfoy started to gain on him. Soon they were neck-and-neck, each of them reaching towards the small, golden ball. All of the sudden, Jewels flew right past Harry and smacked into Malfoy, sending both of them hurtling towards the ground. Harry took advantage of the situation and seized the snitch.
"And Potter catches the Snitch! Looks like the Slytherins just took a blow from fate. So that's a win for Gryffindor!"
Harry landed on the ground and was joined by his ecstatic team mates. Malfoy and Jewels were being tended to by Madame Pomfrey. Despite the large amount of pain both of them must have been in, they could still be heard roaring at each other from across the pitch.
"You made me miss the Snitch! You're screw up just cost us the game!" Malfoy yelled.
"I was hit by a bludger! What was I supposed to do? Fall the other way!"
"That would've been nice!"
Jewels got a rather scary look on her face. She got up, and walked past Madame Pomfrey over to where Malfoy still sat on the ground. "You have to be the most unreasonable, thick-headed, slimey, spoiled little bully of a mama's boy that I have ever had the misfortune to meet in my entire life!" she screamed in his face.
"Well, you could've leaned the other way…." Malfoy said as she turned to leave. She immeadiately swung around, punched him in the nose, and then turned on her heel with a smug look on her face.
"Women!" Malfoy spat. "I knew I should've stuck with an all-male team!"
Harry fought a grin. He turned to see Ginny and Hermione silently laughing and Ron wearing the biggest grin imaginable. After a few, very long moments Ron cleared his throat.
"Nice job all. Okay, let's hit the showers."