Chapter 28 – The Quidditch Final
"You will not save them all. They have been captive for these three years, and soon it must end. One will die and one will live, but you must choose which one it will be. You must choose correctly, or the Dark Lord will kill all of you. There are those that will help you, but you must let them. One will die and one will live, but you must choose which one it will be."
The words of Professor Trelawney had rung loudly in his ears for three weeks now. He had tried to think of an explanation, any explanation, anything that would explain it away, but there was none. He had finally decided that he had actually heard a real prophecy, and from the one person in the world that he would have never have expected to make one. Professor Trelawney had always been seen as a fraud by the majority of her students, and Darren had always taken the class lightly. He had done well in it every year, but he only tried because he didn't want to get a bad grade in what was to him such a truly easy class.
Now the Quidditch final was coming up the next Saturday, three days from then. He had been practicing almost every day for the game against Hufflepuff and his schoolwork and sanity were suffering. Five days a week with Quidditch practice after a full day of classes, then homework in the late evening and then getting up in the morning to do it all over again. Gryffindor was trailing Slytherin by two hundred and thirty points for the over all lead. That meant they had to not only win the match on Saturday, but score two hundred and forty points or more to win the Quidditch Cup. And winning the Quidditch Cup would push them even closer to the House Cup and Darren desperately wanted to be on the opposite side from Slytherin and see Snape and Malfoy's face when Slytherin had glory pulled out from under them by Gryffindor once again.
That was what was on his mind for most of the last three weeks, that and the information that Ron was apparently the weakest of Harry's friends when it came to resisting the Imperius Curse and that had peaked his interest. If only he could get Ron alone at some point and have a chance to use the spell on him. He was sure that Ron would be able to tell him what he needed to know. But it would be very difficult to get him alone because he was always around Harry and Hermione. Hermione he was sure he could handle, but he was no fool when it came to Harry's abilities. Harry would beat him undoubtedly and that would end his chance to get his loved ones back. Therefore, he would have to find some way to get Ron alone, but how?
On Friday afternoon during Quidditch practice he finally got the chance he needed. Ginny was flying fast and low and he took the opportunity to try to hit her with a bludger. He hit the ball and led her with it and it homed in on her like a missile. With a loud sickening sound the bludger hit her square between the shoulder blades and her broom flipped end over end and her body with it. Practice stopped and a hush fell over the players as Harry and Ron rushed to her aid. Darren stayed on his broom and only tried to get close enough to hear what they said because he honestly had not tried to hit her that hard. He only wanted to provoke Ron into a rage so he could do what he had to.
"Ginny! Ginny! Are you okay," Darren heard Ron screaming as he got close to his sister.
Ginny was lying still on the cold ground and not moving. Darren felt his heart jump into his throat at the thought that he had hurt her badly. Ron was now next to her and he was holding her head in his arms and Harry landed next to him. He and Ginny had been going out all year and he could see the concern on Harry's face.
Seamus flew up to Darren and with a look of pure rage on his face. "What the fuck is wrong with you Darren? You asshole, you hurt her, and for no damned good reason!"
"Piss off Seamus and mind your own fucking business," he said testily.
Seamus gave him one last angry look and turned to fly down to join the rest of his teammates. They were all surrounding Ginny, who was barely moving now, and Hermione had come over as well. Darren stayed his distance, but he circled around them to try to get a good look at what was going on and he could overhear small snippets of conversation between those on the ground.
"…just hit it right at her. I don't know what he was thinking Ron," Seamus said.
"…she hit the ground hard; I hope she's okay…"
"Let's get her to Madam Pomfrey and let her check her out."
Harry had picked her up and was carrying her by himself. Hermione was walking with him, but Ron made a straight line for Darren, who was still hovering a short distance above the ground.
"Get down here Clarkson, you son of a bitch!" Ron screamed. His face was as red as his hair and his hands were twitching in anger.
Darren landed and when he got off of his broom Ron was already on him. Ron threw a punch that Darren almost didn't see but he dodged it at the last second. Ron's body was off balance and Darren landed a thrust to his rib cage that out him on the ground. That brought everyone but Harry and Ginny running to their goaltender's defense and Darren suddenly found himself surrounded by the entire team. Seamus helped Ron up to his feet and Darren readied himself for another attack, but it didn't come.
"What the hell is wrong with you Clarkson?" Seamus demanded.
"What are you talking about Seamus?" Darren replied calmly.
"You and whatever your problem is! That is what I am talking about Darren! It's only practice for God's sake!" Seamus screamed at him.
The rest of the team was demanding to know why he had hit Ginny and he had to come up with something that sounded at least to be somewhat reasonable.
"You're right, it is only practice, but Chasers need to practice dodging bludgers, don't they?" Darren asked with a calm voice. "Besides, I didn't mean to hit her that hard (which was true after all) and Madam Pomfrey will make sure everything is fine, so what is the big deal anyway?"
"The big deal?" Seamus yelled as he threw his broom to the ground. "The big deal is we can't beat Hufflepuff if we don't have a complete team, that is what the big deal is Darren."
Seamus was coming towards him and he looked like he wanted to fight Darren along with Ron.
"Stay out of this Seamus, it has nothing to do with you at all," Darren warned.
"Bullshit it doesn't Darren, she is my teammate!" Seamus yelled. He was really mad now and Darren was unprepared to face both him and Ron, who had his breath back and was standing next to Seamus, at the same time.
"Look Seamus, back off and leave me alone, trust me," Darren said in warning.
'Trust you? Who the hell on this team can trust someone like you now? You come here from Slytherin, and other than the fact you hate Malfoy, you really haven't seemed too much different from the Slytherins to me," Seamus told him acidly.
Darren raised his eyebrow in surprise at Seamus' accusation, but he held back what he really wanted to say.
'Well, if that is what you think, then that's your problem Seamus, but just so you know, I really don't give a shit one way or the other what you fucking think about me."
Seamus was furious now. He was being held back by Ron who seemed to want to let Seamus go and then join in with him in the act of pummeling Darren senseless.
"Stay out of it Seamus, that's the last time I am going to warn you. If Ron wants a piece of me, he can meet me alone here after it gets dark and we can settle any differences we have then."
Seamus looked shocked at Darren's challenge, but he said nothing. Instead he turned and looked at Ron who seemed to be a bit surprised at Darren's boldness.
"Come alone, if you have the guts Ron, because I won't need anybody to help me."
With that he turned and left his two teammates standing dumbfounded in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. He was not certain that he had taken the best course of action. If Ron came alone, he would probably be able to use the Imperius Curse on him, but if Harry came with him, then his chance would have evaporated. What he was counting on was Ron's sometime inability to control his anger and to lash out without thinking about the consequences. He had had no intention of hurting Ginny, or any of his other teammates for that matter, but he could not think of any other way to get Ron alone.
Seven thirty. That was the time by Darren's watch when he heard someone coming across the Quidditch pitch to where he was standing. He could see a dark figure getting nearer with every step and he was soon able to see that it was Ron Weasley's outline, and that he appeared to be alone.
'Good, that makes it easier then,' Darren thought to himself just before he saw the figure raise his wand.
"Stupefy!" Ron yelled and Daren barely was able to cast a protective spell to block Ron's stunner.
Ron ran at him full force as his spell rebounded into the night and he hit Darren square in the chest. Darren had not expected a physical attack, only a magical one, but he was able to get to his feet before Ron, who had tumbled several feet past Darren when he had landed on the ground.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Darren cried as he aimed directly at Ron's chest.
Ron went stiff and toppled over onto his back. His body made a loud thump when it hit the ground, and Darren ran over to make sure he had not hit his head or hurt any other part of his self. As eh stood over him, Darren saw that Ron was fully awake, but unable to move. Only his eyes, eyes that burned with rage, were moving.
Darren knelt down to whisper to Ron. "I'm sorry I hit Ginny, truly I am, but you have to understand that what I must do is imperative for me. I never meant for anybody to get hurt, but I have to do this and I am sorry for it, truly I am."
Ron's eyes were rolling around in their sockets like spinning marbles. He was terrified. He had no idea what Darren was going to do, and he was unable to defend himself. Darren stood up and pointed his wand at Ron and Darren thought that if Ron could have screamed he would have.
"IMPERIO!" Darren said, and Ron's face went slack and his body seemed to go limp, even though he was still under the Full Body Bind Curse. Darren stood next to him for a moment, unsure whether he wanted to continue or not. Finally he got up the nerve to ask Ron what he knew about the prophecy concerning Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.
"I only know that it was in ball that was on a shelf in the Department of Mysteries, and that it got broken later that same night."
"You don't know what it said?" Darren asked, even though he was sure of the answer he would receive.
"No, I don't," Ron told him honestly.
"What about Hermione, does she know anything at all?"
"I don't think so. Every time Harry tells us something, he tells both of us, so I doubt he told her either," Ron answered lazily.
"Does Harry know what it contained? Did he hear it when it broke?"
"I don't know. I wasn't there when it got broken, so I can't say if he did or didn't."
Darren wearily rubbed his eyes out of sheer frustration. His task was beginning to look impossible and he was running out of ideas on how to get what he needed. His last, and from his point of view only, chance was to keep Ron under the Imperius Curse and order him to tell him anything Harry might reveal about the prophecy. The only problem was that Ron might be more able to fight off the curse now that he was two hears ago, and if that happened, he was finished.
Darren knelt over Ron so he could be heard clearly.
"Ron, you are to tell no one of what happened here tonight. You will however tell me anything that Harry says regarding that night in the Department of Mysteries, especially about that fucking prophecy. But, you will only tell me when I am alone, not when anyone else is around. Do you understand me?"
Ron answered groggily. "Yes."
"Good, now I want you to lie there until the body bind wears off and then I want you to stand up and keep perfectly still because there is one other thing I want you to do before we go back to the dormitory."
Darren sat on the ground next to Ron to wait for the curse to wear off. He figured it would take about ten more minutes for the effects to wear off, and about eight minutes later Ron started to get to his feet. He was a bit wobbly at first, but Darren led him over to the stadium and sat him in the first row of seats until he regained his equilibrium.
"Are you okay Ron?" he asked after about five minutes.
"Yes," Ron answered wearily.
"Good. Now, I want you to listen to me, and listen very carefully, do you understand Ron?"
"Yes, I understand Darren."
"Good. I want you to act as if we had a fight tonight, and that you won. I want everyone to think that you got the best of me, got it?"
"Yes."
"And, when you talk to Harry and Hermione, or anyone else for that matter about this, you will tell them that you hit me in the face and I went down and stayed down."
"Okay, I will tell them that."
"Now, what are you to do if Harry tells you anything about the Department of Mysteries?"
"I am to tell you, but only if you are alone."
"Correct Ron. Now, one other thing and then you can go back to the dormitory."
"What is that?"
"I want you to ball up your fist and hit me in the face as hard as you can."
Darren felt Ron hit him full on the chin and went down like a sack of potatoes. He had not expected Ron to act so quickly, or to hit him as hard as he had, but he knew it would have the desired effect, which was to have a bruise to convince the rest of the students that he and Ron had indeed gotten into a fight. As Darren shook the blow off, he got back to his feet and saw Ron walking back to the school. He had followed his orders to the letter, and that made Darren hopeful that he would get him the information he needed in the very near future. Otherwise, it was all over, and he knew what that meant.
Saturday morning came more quickly than Darren had expected. He had gotten up and left the dormitory with Neville before the rest of the boys had even awoken. As he walked quietly past Seamus' bed he suppressed a bit of anger at the comments that Seamus had made in the days following the fight between Darren and Ron. Comments about how Darren had gotten what he deserved and how Seamus would be the next one to put him in his place the next time he stepped out of line. And then there had been the whispers that he overheard in the corridors from other students.
"I heard Ron Weasley really beat the crap out of him."
"Well I heard that Ron beat him in a wizard's duel and then hit him in the face."
"No, no, no, Seamus said that he and Ron both got him, that's what happened."
The last comment had made Darren laugh out loud. The third year that had said it had jumped and run from him when he realized that Darren had heard him, but Darren just ignored him, and the rest of the people that wanted to stare at the dark bruise that was on his chin. It had struck him as odd hat of all the students to make some sort of comment about it, Malfoy had kept quiet. Of course the fact that Neville had been the one to make Malfoy beat himself up with a spell several weeks back, and the fact that Darren had witnessed it, was probably what was keeping Malfoy so quiet.
'Whatever the reason is, it is fine with me,' Darren had thought to himself as he had gone down to get an early breakfast.
He and Neville had sat quietly and then left for the pitch. The rest of the school was filing in for heir morning eggs and sausages and he really didn't want to sit and let everyone look at his chin, even if he had ordered Ron to do it. At the pitch, he had sent Neville to the Gryffindor section of the stands to sit and wait for the game, while he changed into his Quidditch robes. He had already seen Ron alone in the hallway the previous night and told him to make sure he played as if he would normally, but to remember that if Harry or Hermione told him anything, anything at all about that night in the Department of mysteries that he should find Darren as soon as possible and tell him what he had learned.
Twenty minutes later and the rest of Gryffindor's Quidditch team had arrived in the locker room. None of them looked at Darren. In fact, they all seemed to be going out of their way to avoid him at all costs. That was not surprising to him since none of them had really talked to him ever since that practice when he had purposefully hit Ginny with that bludger. Instead of waiting around and being ignored Darren got up and went outside to wait for Harry to start the pre-game meeting. He sat on the ground outside for several minutes and was starting to believe that they had started the meeting without him when Harry stuck his head out of the locker room and asked him to come back in with the rest of the team. The meeting lasted only a few minutes. Harry told them that he was going to try to keep the Hufflepuff Seeker away from the snitch until they were hopefully more than one hundred points ahead on the scoreboard. Darren and Seamus were given instructions to hit the bludgers hard and often, and to keep them away from their own teammates. This drew a sneer and a comment from Seamus that Darren didn't quite catch but he decided to let it go and just ignore it.
Finally, they were ready. Darren took up his broom and followed the team out to the pitch where he mounted it and flew into the stadium with the team. The crowd roared at their entrance. The Slytherins booed the Gryffindors loudly, as expected, but Darren thought it odd that the Ravenclaws seemed to be booing him specifically as well. That was unusual Darren thought and then he had the thought that they were all mad at him for what he had done to Cho.
'Oh well, they don't know the whole story.'
The whistle blew and Madam Hooch motioned the teams to take their places around the central circle for the release of the balls. The case was opened and the quaffle was released and Darren saw Ginny dart through the Hufflepuff Chasers as she caught it and streaked low to the ground and headed towards the goalposts. Thirty seconds later and Gryffindor was up 10-0 and the game really became fast and brutal. The Hufflepuffs had never played the way they had that day. They seemed more determined to win than they had been the entire time Darren had been at school. Hufflepuff House had not been this close to the Quidditch Cup for over a century, and their play told the Gryffindors that they were determined to not be denied that day.
Darren had been working with Seamus to keep the bludgers off of their teammates and Ron had been able to stop all but nine of the Hufflepuff shots on goal. The score after two hours was 120-90 in Gryffindors favor when he saw Hufflepuff score a quick goal on Ron.
Darren flew up to Ron and said, "I want you to play like you have never played before Ron. You are to play to your utmost to not let Hufflepuff score again, understand?"
"Yes," Ron answered and then flew back to take up his position in front of the goalposts. He was amazed at her strategy.
Twenty minutes later and Gryffindor was up 220-120 and Darren saw that Harry had seen the snitch and was going for it. The score was in Gryffindor's favor and if he got it, they would win the Cup. But something else got his attention. A Hufflepuff Chaser had the quaffle and was in the open and bearing down on Ron who had slipped out of position on his last save, and the Badger player was able to put the ball through the far right hoop as Ron dove desperately to try to stop it.
"Dammit," Darren shouted. He could see that Harry and the Hufflepuff Seeker, who was flying with incredible daring, were banging into each other and trying to fight for the snitch which was dodging and darting as it tried to avoid the two players. They did not stop as the quaffle was put back in play and Ginny took it with a fantastic corkscrew move. She got under all of the other players and that gave her a natural barrier from the bludgers which would home in on the closest person on a broomstick. He kept watching her as she dodged the Hufflepuff Beaters and tried to get position to take her shot. The score was too close for them to win the Cup and he wondered if Harry had seen the scoreboard during his battle with the opposing Seeker. Darren assumed he had not and made his decision to help Ginny.
Not one of the Gryffindor Chasers had caught up to Ginny yet; she was on her own. A bludger was starting to bear down on her and Darren made to cut it off before it got to her. He threw himself down on his broom and got as low as he could in order to gain more speed. He could see that Ginny didn't see the bludger coming from behind her and to the right and it was rapidly catching up with her as Darren flew faster than he had ever gone in order to at least try to make up for hitting her the other day.
Faster and faster he went as he gradually narrowed the distance at an angle. The bludger was right on her now as well as three Hufflepuffs. None of the Gryffindors could get to her and she was too well covered by her opponents to be able to pass without the quaffle being intercepted. She was looping and making tight turns that he had only seen Harry pull off before and then finally he caught her. He barreled through the three Chasers that were right behind her and sent them twisting and twirling out of the way. The bludger was right on her and she turned back to see how close it was and then she saw Darren. A look of what could only be fear crossed her face when she saw the look of determination on his face. He was bearing down on her at high speed and had his bat raised high over his head. She was looking over the wrong shoulder now. The bludger was on the opposite side and it was only inches from the back of her head now, about to take her down and possibly cost Gryffindor the match and the Cup.
"DUCK GINNY!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
She ducked her head instinctively as Darren took a powerful swing at the bludger that was behind her. It careened off and Ginny was free to maneuver. She pulled up high in order to confuse the Keeper and just when he reached the top of the goalposts, she made a tight inverted turn and dove under his reach. The quaffle sailed true and split the center goal perfectly. Gryffindor was now back up by one hundred points and Darren was now after a way to help Harry, but there were no bludgers near him that he could use. The one he had hit to save Ginny was now after a Hufflepuff player but Darren saw that Seamus was about to hit the second one to keep it away from Ron and out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry still fighting to get the snitch..
"Seamus, hit it at me, NOW!" he yelled across the pitch.
How Seamus heard him he would never know, but thankfully he did exactly what he had been told to do. He hit it directly at Darren who instead of turning to hit the bludger at the Hufflepuff Seeker, turned and flew with the bludger on his tail. He could hear it behind him and he felt his heart pounding as he laid his body low on the broomstick.
"Come on…come on…just a little further…just…a…little…further…" he was saying to himself as he got nearer to Harry. Harry was almost directly in front of him and coming straight at him when Darren screamed at him.
"Sloth Grip Roll Harry!"
He saw Harry glance at him as he still fought for the snitch and Darren screamed at him again, this time with a very authoritarian tone.
"DO IT, NOW!"
Harry seemed to catch on at the last second. He threw his body to the left of his broom and caught his right hand and foot on the handle. As he hung there in mid-air, Darren screamed over him and then pulled up at full speed. He could feel his broom stick starting to break from the pressure of the turn but the plan worked. The bludger lost track of him when it had two targets and then it homed in on the Hufflepuff Seeker, who had no chance to get out of the way. The bludger hit him full in the chest and he went flying at an awkward angle. Darren managed to look back and see Harry back on his broom and bearing down on the snitch at incredible speed. Darren could only see a gold and scarlet blur as Harry flew, but a second later and it was all over. Harry had it, and Gryffindor had the Cup once more.