Chapter 15 Quidditch

"This is it," James breathed deeply. "The big one, the one we've all be waiting for. This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

Harry looked at his teammates. He was amused to see that only one person was really listening, 7th year Andrea Wood.

"That was good," she said in awe of the speech. "I'm going to tell that to my nephew, Oliver. He loves quidditch."

'So that's where that speech came from,' Harry mused. 'And here I thought that Wood was being original.'

The team walked out onto the pitch and met the Slytherin team in the center. The teams stared each other down as the captains shook hands and Madame Hooch did her customary "keep it clean" talk.

The game was harsh. Tension was at an all-time high between the two houses. Deatheater attacks had grown even more common over the past couple of months. The beaters were furiously hitting the bludgers towards their opponents. Everyone was sporting injuries. "And now it's tied up at 90-90 as Sirius Black scores for Gryffindor." The announcer called out. The match dragged on for quite a few hours. Everyone was playing at the top of his or her game. The keepers had quite a job at trying to stop the quaffle every time it came soaring close to the rings. There was no sign of the snitch.

Then, Harry felt a fluttering by his ear. Without even looking, he used his quick reflexes and grabbed. He held his fist in the air and everyone stopped. He had caught the snitch. The Slytherin beaters in a fit of anger both aimed the bludgers at Harry's back.

The last thing Harry felt was immense pain as he tumbled off his broom and fell 40 feet.

"He could've died!" A girl shrieked tearfully.

"He didn't though. He's going to be okay," a boy replied patiently.

"Those slimy Slytherins deserve more than a month of detention!" another boy yelled.

"Will you all shut up? You're going to wake him," hissed yet another boy.

"I'm already up," Harry said, groaning as he moved to sit up.

"Oh no dear," Lily said. "Lay back down. You took quite a hit."

"What happened?"

"After you caught the snitch, the Slytherin beaters both aimed the bludgers at you. They hit you in the back and you fell off of your broom," Remus said.

"Did we win?"

"Yes!" Sirius beamed. "Great catch, Harry."

"How can you think of winning at a time like this?" Lily exclaimed. "I thought that he had died!"

"But he's fine," Remus pointed out.

"It really was a pretty wicked move," Sirius said. "Back me up James."

"No," he said a bit shakily. "I think that I agree with Lily."

Everyone stopped and stared. James cared more about something than quidditch?

"NO!" Sirius said dramatically. "Where's the James I know and love gone off to?"

"I think," James said slowly. "He may have grown up a bit."

Harry was allowed out of the hospital wing for the victory party. Everyone was in the best of moods. Sirius had his regular fan club following him around. Alice and Frank were busy flirting with each other off in a corner. Harry and Remus were sitting around talking when they saw something astonishing.

It was Lily. It was James. More precisely it was Lily and James. And they were snogging.

"I guess they're finally releasing some of that sexual tension," Remus said.

"Ew! Oh god ew!" Harry choked. "Do not use the word sexual when referring to my parents."

Lily and James broke away from each other looking dazed. Lily's look quickly turned to horror. "Oh my god! What did I just do?" she said before fleeing the room.

James walked over to Harry and Remus. "She'll realize it soon."

"What?" Harry asked.

"That she is madly in love with me and that she can't deny it."

"Well, it's good that you're so confident," Remus told him.

Harry snorted. "More like arrogant."