Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Thanks for the reviews mmelbear, Starsmiles Just so there's no confusion, this is the Quidditch GAME and not the practice.
Chapter 18 - Fall
Ron kept his eye on the Quaffle and the Hufflepuff Chasers. Hufflepuff was being mauled even more brutally, perhaps, than Slytherin last time - the Chasers simply could barely even get NEAR the goalposts, much less score on Ron. All in all, Ron was having a fairly restful game. As was Harry, Ron thought to himself. Harry was flying around in circles, looking like a hawk for the Snitch, but it hadn't even surfaced. Ron had noticed with amusement earlier that the Hufflepuff Seeker was often looking worriedly at Harry more than actually looking for the Snitch - Ron got the feeling that he was really no match for Harry and the Seeker knew it too. Ron focused on the Quaffle again - it could shoot up this direction again, he shouldn't be lazing about. A Hufflepuff Chaser - the captain, as a matter of fact - had broken away from the pack and was coming rapidly towards Ron. He was really the only decent Chaser on the team, Ron reflected, so he won't pass it off. No one to pass too anyway, Ron noticed. Ron narrowed his eyes on the Chaser. He looked as if he was about to feint left - Ron lunged the opposite way and caught the Quaffle, looking for a possible opening. He found it in Ginny, who was waiting eagerly to get it past the Hufflepuff Keeper. Ron hurled it towards her, and she caught it quickly before hurling it at top speed towards the goal, causing another goal.
"ANOTHER Goal for Gryffindor, everybody - looks like Captain Harry Potter may have a shut-out on his hands if Ron Weasley keeps his performance up - the score is 110-0."
Ron smiled to himself. It had been about nine years since the last shut-out, and he was eager to break that streak. He watched the Chasers with renewed vigor. Wait, what was that feeling?
Harry looked around curiously everywhere for the Snitch, reminding himself that Hufflepuff could still win if they caught the Snitch. The Chasers are too good, Harry thought with a smile. They're making me lazy.
Suddenly a gasp was heard from the crowd, and Harry turned his head towards Ron. Ron's broom was bucking strangely, moving in weird motions...almost like it was trying to get him off the broom. Harry's mind quickly flashed back to his first year, when Quirrell had been cursing Harry's broom to buck similarly. Harry recklessly raced towards Ron, who was desperately hanging on with all his might. Just like Harry's broom had done, though, Ron's started rising away from anybody who came near. Harry called a time-out to Hooch and then gestured for Parvati and Seamus to come over - he had an idea.
"Alright guys, let's circle around below Ron. He falls, and we catch him with wandless magic and lower him to the floor together. Got it?" Parvati and Seamus nodded before doing as Harry instructed. Ginny looked on fearfully while Dean wrapped an arm around her. A seventh-year Hufflepuff even went to circle under Ron to help, as he was in N.E.W.T. Defense also and could use wandless magic well. Ron continued to buck crazily, but he bravely held on. The broom had now rotated so that Ron was upside-down. Ron was using his well-built arms to hold him up, but he probably couldn't hold on much longer. Clinging on the broom with his legs wouldn't work much either. The broom bucked again, and one of Ron's feet slipped. He hooked the remaining foot on, and started to lift himself back up.The broom bucked and then rotated again, causing him to be upside-down again. Ron's arms were in agony.
Harry watched Ron worriedly - if nobody did anything then Ron would soon fall off, causing Harry's plan to be put in action. Harry thought it was a fair enough plan under pressure, but he wasn't sure of their ability to even slow a plummeting Ron, even with four of them. Where was Dumbledore? What was he doing? Ron finally started slipping, now hanging on solely with the tips of his fingers. He desperately started grappling at the broom, but it finally gave a last lurch and Ron started to plummet. Harry focused all of his strength on slowing Ron down, desperately hoping this would work. Ron started slowing down but it wasn't happening quickly enough. The fall would still be nearly fatal. Harry concentrated even more, putting all his efforts into slowing Ron down. Still, the four's combined efforts wasn't quite enough to make the fall harmless, and Ron hit the floor with a sickening crunch. Madame Pomfrey immediately rushed out, carrying a stretcher. Harry and the other three flew down to the ground, Harry looking for Dumbledore, but he was nowhere in sight. As Harry hit the ground, his vision started flickering in and out before it finally all faded to black.
Hermione rushed onto the field, sprinting at a speed possessed, bulling anyone else in her way. Who had done this? Was it Park? Harry had said he was related to Quirrell, but even so...Most of her mind was still solely on the thought of Ron, though. Hermione finally reached the center of the crowd where Ron was.
"Ron!" Hermione cried out upon seeing him. It was clear upon sight that Ron probably had a broken leg and arm. Pomfrey also appeared to be saying to McGonagall that he had also pulled quite a few muscles in both arms too and likely dislocated his shoulder. Ron's face was an expression of pure agony, particularly since he was still awake. He finally saw Hermione.
"Hermione," Ron said in a hoarse, painful voice. His eyes were tearing from the pain.
"Oh Ron," Hermione cried tearfully to him. The last thing Ron saw was a sobbing Hermione and an equally sobbing Ginny behind her before his vision faded to black too.
Sorry for the short chapter, but this felt like a good ending point, and it had a lot of action in a short time. Anyway, hope you like it!
Thanks for the reviews mmelbear, Starsmiles Just so there's no confusion, this is the Quidditch GAME and not the practice.
Chapter 18 - Fall
Ron kept his eye on the Quaffle and the Hufflepuff Chasers. Hufflepuff was being mauled even more brutally, perhaps, than Slytherin last time - the Chasers simply could barely even get NEAR the goalposts, much less score on Ron. All in all, Ron was having a fairly restful game. As was Harry, Ron thought to himself. Harry was flying around in circles, looking like a hawk for the Snitch, but it hadn't even surfaced. Ron had noticed with amusement earlier that the Hufflepuff Seeker was often looking worriedly at Harry more than actually looking for the Snitch - Ron got the feeling that he was really no match for Harry and the Seeker knew it too. Ron focused on the Quaffle again - it could shoot up this direction again, he shouldn't be lazing about. A Hufflepuff Chaser - the captain, as a matter of fact - had broken away from the pack and was coming rapidly towards Ron. He was really the only decent Chaser on the team, Ron reflected, so he won't pass it off. No one to pass too anyway, Ron noticed. Ron narrowed his eyes on the Chaser. He looked as if he was about to feint left - Ron lunged the opposite way and caught the Quaffle, looking for a possible opening. He found it in Ginny, who was waiting eagerly to get it past the Hufflepuff Keeper. Ron hurled it towards her, and she caught it quickly before hurling it at top speed towards the goal, causing another goal.
"ANOTHER Goal for Gryffindor, everybody - looks like Captain Harry Potter may have a shut-out on his hands if Ron Weasley keeps his performance up - the score is 110-0."
Ron smiled to himself. It had been about nine years since the last shut-out, and he was eager to break that streak. He watched the Chasers with renewed vigor. Wait, what was that feeling?
Harry looked around curiously everywhere for the Snitch, reminding himself that Hufflepuff could still win if they caught the Snitch. The Chasers are too good, Harry thought with a smile. They're making me lazy.
Suddenly a gasp was heard from the crowd, and Harry turned his head towards Ron. Ron's broom was bucking strangely, moving in weird motions...almost like it was trying to get him off the broom. Harry's mind quickly flashed back to his first year, when Quirrell had been cursing Harry's broom to buck similarly. Harry recklessly raced towards Ron, who was desperately hanging on with all his might. Just like Harry's broom had done, though, Ron's started rising away from anybody who came near. Harry called a time-out to Hooch and then gestured for Parvati and Seamus to come over - he had an idea.
"Alright guys, let's circle around below Ron. He falls, and we catch him with wandless magic and lower him to the floor together. Got it?" Parvati and Seamus nodded before doing as Harry instructed. Ginny looked on fearfully while Dean wrapped an arm around her. A seventh-year Hufflepuff even went to circle under Ron to help, as he was in N.E.W.T. Defense also and could use wandless magic well. Ron continued to buck crazily, but he bravely held on. The broom had now rotated so that Ron was upside-down. Ron was using his well-built arms to hold him up, but he probably couldn't hold on much longer. Clinging on the broom with his legs wouldn't work much either. The broom bucked again, and one of Ron's feet slipped. He hooked the remaining foot on, and started to lift himself back up.The broom bucked and then rotated again, causing him to be upside-down again. Ron's arms were in agony.
Harry watched Ron worriedly - if nobody did anything then Ron would soon fall off, causing Harry's plan to be put in action. Harry thought it was a fair enough plan under pressure, but he wasn't sure of their ability to even slow a plummeting Ron, even with four of them. Where was Dumbledore? What was he doing? Ron finally started slipping, now hanging on solely with the tips of his fingers. He desperately started grappling at the broom, but it finally gave a last lurch and Ron started to plummet. Harry focused all of his strength on slowing Ron down, desperately hoping this would work. Ron started slowing down but it wasn't happening quickly enough. The fall would still be nearly fatal. Harry concentrated even more, putting all his efforts into slowing Ron down. Still, the four's combined efforts wasn't quite enough to make the fall harmless, and Ron hit the floor with a sickening crunch. Madame Pomfrey immediately rushed out, carrying a stretcher. Harry and the other three flew down to the ground, Harry looking for Dumbledore, but he was nowhere in sight. As Harry hit the ground, his vision started flickering in and out before it finally all faded to black.
Hermione rushed onto the field, sprinting at a speed possessed, bulling anyone else in her way. Who had done this? Was it Park? Harry had said he was related to Quirrell, but even so...Most of her mind was still solely on the thought of Ron, though. Hermione finally reached the center of the crowd where Ron was.
"Ron!" Hermione cried out upon seeing him. It was clear upon sight that Ron probably had a broken leg and arm. Pomfrey also appeared to be saying to McGonagall that he had also pulled quite a few muscles in both arms too and likely dislocated his shoulder. Ron's face was an expression of pure agony, particularly since he was still awake. He finally saw Hermione.
"Hermione," Ron said in a hoarse, painful voice. His eyes were tearing from the pain.
"Oh Ron," Hermione cried tearfully to him. The last thing Ron saw was a sobbing Hermione and an equally sobbing Ginny behind her before his vision faded to black too.
Sorry for the short chapter, but this felt like a good ending point, and it had a lot of action in a short time. Anyway, hope you like it!