Chapter 19: The First Quidditch Match
It was the morning of the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. The stands were packed with fans of both teams. We sat in the locker room waiting for a last minute pep talk. The team was in various states of nervousness.
"Okay, team let's get out there and have some fun. Fly like you've never flown before." Colby started.
"Well, that would be a disaster." I cut in.
"What do you mean?" Colby asked sharply.
"Well if you've never flown before, it's got to be your first time on a broom. And I wasn't too brilliant of a flyer when I first mounted a broom. What about you?" I replied looking like it was obvious.
"What? Oh, right. Fine, fly better than you've ever flown before. Is that better, Potter?" Colby said in a mock angry voice.
"It was much better, Seaworth." I replied in a business like tone. "We are all very proud of your change towards correct wording."
Rolling his eyes, Colby turned back to the rest of the team. "Okay, fly like you do at most practices, and we're good to go. Is everyone ready? Okay, let's do this! And, Potter, catch the snitch slowly, okay. Don't get over excited, we do want some points."
"Okay, okay, I guess I can do that." I replied, rolling my eyes. "Let's just go fly, alright?" And I led the way towards the door, red Quidditch robes billowing behind me. I stepped back to let Colby go onto the pitch first.
We entered the pitch to loud shouts of support, and a few loud boos from the Slytherins. But, hey, you can't win them all. Colby shook hands with the other Capitan, Desiree Jones. Then Madam Wingston blew her whistle and we were off. I tailed the other Seeker. He wasn't built like most Seekers though. He was a big and burly 6th year with wide shoulders. Most Seekers are small, light, and able to change directions in the blink of an eye. Rather than look for the snitch I decided to tail him, after all Colby said to wait awhile before catching the snitch.
"GRYFFINDOR'S NEW CHASER, SPENCER WOOD, TAKES POSSESION OF THE QUAFFLE. HE PASSES TO ANGIE WATKINS WHO PASSES TO KATHLEEN SMATTERS, SMATTERS GOES FOR THE GOAL, SHE SHOOTS, AND SHE SCORES! 10-0 GRYFFINDOR!" A Gryffindor 5th year was commentating the match. "AND NOW HUFFLEPUFF CHASER ERIC KINGSLY HAS THE QUAFFLE. HE PASSES TO JOHNSON WHO PASSES TO KNIGHT. KNIGHT PASSES BACK TO KINGSLY, OHH NICE BLUDGER BY GRYFFINDOR FIRST YEAR, LAURAN WEASLEY, OR IS IT CELESTE WEASLEY, OH WELL ONE OF THEM ANYWAY." And so the match continued.
I tailed the other Seeker. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed because he kept forgetting what he was doing. He'd stop and start to watch the game below then turn to look at the stands, finally he'd remember where he was and what he was supposed to be doing and go zooming off in search of the snitch but lose interest again and make anther full circle. Like I said, He's not the sharpest tool in the shed. I listened to the commentary and waited until Gryffindor was up by 40 points. Then I started to look for the snitch, keeping an eye on the other Seeker.
I spotted the snitch in less than a minute near the ground by the Hufflepuff goalposts. I didn't think at all but just dove for the snitch. I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. It was the Hufflepuff Seeker, I guess he wasn't as dull as he seemed. He dove, but was way too far behind me to be much of a threat yet. I could go faster and also had a head start. I dove almost straight down, narrowly avoiding the Hufflepuff Keeper. I was feet from the snitch, now inches; I reached out my hand, and nabbed the snitch. I pulled quickly out of my dive centimeters above the ground. Gryffindor had won the match!
I dismounted my broom to loud applause. Six red figures hit the ground around me and I found myself in a pile of happy Gryffindor Quidditch players.
"Nice dive Potter! You really pulled it off."
"Wow, I wish I could fly like that!"
The praise hadn't stopped since the end of the match. I was the star of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Go figure. I was the Seeker, the only team member who could end a game.
"Hey, Potter, when did you start looking for the snitch?" Colby asked me. We were eating dinner in the Great Hall. The whole Quidditch team was in the center of the table.
"Um, let's see. Less than a minute before I caught it. I thought that other Seeker must be daft. There was one time it fluttered around the Gryffindor goalposts that I was sure he couldn't miss. But that was only a few minutes into the game. You said to wait until we had scored some." I replied. Only a few people around me heard though. The whole school was buzzing about the match.
"Nice job, Riley. You flew great. I only wish you were in Hufflepuff." Olivia said as she walked out of the Great Hall. "Hey, I haven't seen you in Detention lately. You were starting to disappoint me. But then I saw you fly. It's amazing!"
"Yeah, well, I do try." I replied, "I'm scheduled to make some trouble around Christmas, you should watch out."
"I'll keep that in mind," Olivia said laughingly as she walked away. "Oh, and Potter, watch your back. That sister of yours is giving you the evil eye."
Lily didn't fancy me being the center of attention when she wasn't. She's very egotistical… and just plain doesn't like me. Oh, well you can't win them all.
Chapter 20: Ball Plans
It was almost Christmas. I decided not to go home for the holidays. Celeste and Lauran couldn't go home because their brother, Greg, was very sick. Spencer couldn't go home because his parents were off at his dad's Quidditch training in the USA. I just didn't want to go home.
"What's that got to do with anything? Sure we're first years, but I think we're old enough to go to a ball!" Julia Johnson complained to Professor Delacour. They were holding a Christmas Ball the day before the train took everyone home for the 2nd years and up.
"It wasn't my decision; I wanted to let you go Miss Johnson. Don't complain to me. I know why they aren't letting you go, though. A few of the first years," she looked pointedly at me in the back of the room, "have a habit of leading other first years," here she looked at Celeste, Lauran, and Spencer, "astray. There have been a few disciplinary problems this year with your fellow first years."
I raised my hand, "So, basically, these, ah shall we say, juvenile delinquents, have ruined it for the rest of us. That's not fair. And, if you meant me to be a 'ring leader' delinquent, I apologize for ruining, not only my, but my peer's chance of going to this Ball."
The class laughed. I had gotten into trouble on several occasions, but was still pretty much liked on the whole. And, it was true, that I was somewhat of a 'ring leader' because I frequently dragged my friends into trouble with me.
"No, I was not hinting in any way that you are a 'ring leader' delinquent, Miss Potter," I detected a hint of sarcasm in Professor Delacour's voice, "However, there are some of you that may cause trouble at a large school event like this. Especially siblings, who, heaven forbid, do not like each other."
"Ah, it's such a pity that kind of people exist. The world would be a much better place if everyone got along, wouldn't it Professor?" My voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Anyway, the Ball will be held this Friday. First years will be permitted to go if asked by an upperclassman. I expect some of you to try and sneak into the Ball, but please be on your best behavior. I assure you there is no point in trying to sneak into the Ball because you will not succeed. Please don't pick Friday night to go gallivanting around the school in your pajamas, or anything as ridiculous."
"Um, I don't know about you, but how do they think that they can keep all the first years out of that Ball? I'm going even if you're too chicken." I said quietly at dinner on Wednesday night.
"Riley, I really don't think that it's the best idea. The place will be crawling with teachers. We could get in serious trouble." Spencer pointed out the obvious.
"We won't get in trouble if we don't get caught. Anyways, Celeste is going. We can't leave her all alone." I grinned mischievously.
"What do you mean I'm going? Why would I go? Riley is there something you're not telling me?" Celeste demanded.
I took my jolly good time answering. I cherished every second of it too. "Well a certain person, who shall remain nameless," here I gave a loud cough that sounded suspiciously like 'Seaworth', "pardon my cough please, has asked me my thoughts on taking another someone to the Ball. He/she was afraid of how she/he may react, mainly that she/he'd outright refuse to go with him/her, this person being very outspoken."
"Wait, Colby Seaworth is going to ask me to the Ball. Yeah, right. Look at all the pretty girls over there flirting with him. Why would he ask me?" Celeste said disbelievingly.
"Well, not that it is necessarily Seaworth, but I should think it's because of your, ah, good-tempered nature and non-hardheadedness." I said sarcastically, "And, you aren't supposed to know, that is if you guessed right, so you better start practicing looking surprised because here he comes."
"Um, er, Celeste, erm, dyouwantagototheballwithme?" Colby said very quickly. I am assuming that he asked her to the Ball but I'm not entirely sure.
"Uh, run by me what you said one more time. Oh, and a bit slower please." Celeste said, trying not to laugh.
"Oh, sorry," Colby Seaworth was, by this time, almost crimson from blushing, "I said Do… you… want… to… go… to… the… Ball… with… me…" He seemed determined not to mess up this time.
"Um, sure, that'd be great. I'm sure it'll be fun." Celeste said, turning red from all the blood rushing to her cheeks, or maybe it was from lack of oxygen from trying not to laugh. I, however, was rolling with laughter on the ground. Colby could be such a nerd when he was nervous.
"That was the funniest thing I've ever heard," I said gasping for breath. "Way to go Celeste, we're 11 and you're already going to a Ball with a guy. Looks like you've got it made."
"Aw, crap, I don't have dress robes. What'll I wear? What'll I do? Riley, I need help! Don't just sit there, HELP ME!" Celeste entered full on panic mode.
"CELESTE, CALM DOWN," Lauran ordered, "listen, you don't have dress robes, yet. We'll get you some, and I need some too. I can't let you go by yourself; Riley looks as if we're going after all."
"Um, you aren't going by yourself either Lauran. Um, that guy, you know the friend of Colby's um, oh yeah, Dean Kingston, he's going to ask you." I said guiltily.
"What, you mean, the hot one? Riley, don't be stupid! How could you joke about…"
"Hey, Lauran, would you go to the Ball with me?" Dean Kingston called down the table.
"Okay," came Lauran's high pitched answer.
"Cool, see you later!"
"I told you. Anyway, it looks like I'm going to be flying solo on this one, since Spencer's a chicken!" I shot at him.
"Uh, no, I'm not letting you go alone." Spencer jumped at this last remark. "I'm no chicken!"
"Good, one thing at a time now. Celeste, Lauran, you need dress robes. I know just where to get them too."
"What about you?" Lauran said confusedly, "Don't you need dress robes?"
"I guess I probably should. I had some old ones of Mum's, but they were ugly, so I, um, disposed of them. They took a trip through a mud puddle before I left." I said grinning.
Chapter 21: Dresses & Panic Attacks
"What color of dress robes do you want?" Lauran asked Celeste excitedly after dinner that Wednesday.
"Um, lavender, no, no, that deep purple color, those right there!" Celeste was having trouble making up her mind.
"I'm going for the light blue ones," Lauran said finally, refusing to look at any more robes for herself, "What about you Riley?"
"I'm not going to tell you." I said grinning sheepishly, "Though I was thinking about those lime green ones."
"No, you're not. You wouldn't," Celeste trailed off. "If you did wear ones that color, I'd never be seen with you again."
"Don't worry, I'm getting these ones," I pointed to the prettiest robes on the page, an emerald green color.
"Oh, I guess I can be seen with you then." Celeste said, "Hmm, I'm going to get these ones, the pale lavender color."
"Nice choice. Now fork over the money, I can't buy them all you know. That's one Robin's Egg Blue pair, one Lavender Mist pair, and one Emerald pair." I said, filling in the order form.
"Okay Zandra, fly like the wind, I need a new pair of dress robes." I said as I let my owl go out the Owlery window. "There, the order's been placed, no more changing your minds."
Friday came all too soon. Classes stopped at noon so everyone could pack and get ready for the Ball that evening. Our dress robes had gotten there early that morning. Celeste had been dying to try them on all day.
"Look Lauran, do they look okay on me? It's not too late to alter them." If Celeste sounded anxious then Lauran sounded hysterical.
"Yes, you look pretty. What about me, do I look decent in this? I'll be satisfied with decent as far as looks go."
"Would you two shut up?" I said coming out of the bathroom, having just changed into my robes. "You both look stunning. There I said it, now shut up and think of something else to talk about."
"Riley, just wait until Spencer sees you in that! You look…" Lauran trailed off.
"She's right you know. That emerald is definitely your color!" Celeste turned away from the mirror to get a better view of my robes. "I wish I looked as good."
"Oh, please, you look so much better than I ever will. Now, are you two going to practice dancing at all? Those robes are a little bit different than party dresses." I pointed out.
"Oh, shoot, I can't move that fast. I won't be able to dance properly with Colby," Celeste had now entered the hysterics stage.
"You, my robes are fuller than yours are, I'll trip over Dean's feet! I'm a total klutz already." Lauran was worse than Celeste.
"You both worry too much, calm down." I rolled my eyes as the comical scene unfurled.
"Don't step on…"
"Ow, gerrof me!"
"You put your foot on mine one more time…"
Celeste and Lauran ended up in a muddled heap on the floor. Their limbs were intertwined with each other and they looked quite rumpled. Neither was a particularly great dancer.
"Here," I said helping them off the floor, "you have to let your date lead. Otherwise you'll make a fool of yourself."
"Oh, if you're so great at it then you dance with me." Celeste said she wasn't in the best mood, so I decided not to argue.
"Ok, I'll lead though." Celeste and I danced around the room without tripping. I was a bad dancer, but I knew you couldn't both lead. I tried that one time at a school dance, it wasn't pretty.
"C'mon, it's time to go. You don't want to be late." I pushed them out the door and they started down the stairs slowly.
We were going to the Ball!