Chapter Five: Quidditch For The Overaged
"Blimey, mate. Is there a reason why those two professors are playing for both teams instead of those bloody gits?"
One Ravenclaw rolled his eyes without looking at his friend. "Justin, those two seekers turned out to be idiots and thought Professor Potter was the Golden Snitch. They got caught the other night fighting over who should be going out with the guy while they were having their practice." He felt the need to fill him in with the details of what had actually happened that led to the sudden changes in the recent game.
"Wow. That's bonkers." The one who inquired blinked his eyes in astonishment. No wonder the tension going on between the Gryffs and the Puffs have gotten worse. Although it looked quite the opposite from the audience yelling and screaming in the stands. Nearly all the students and staff members have left the castle to watch. Their defense professor looking quite unhappy with his new cheering squad.
Harry looked up and noticed a few girls from the house of Badgers raising a huge streamer with his photo in it. His eyes flashing, winking at them occasionally. At least, he wasn't wearing naked, the man grumbled to himself. He bawled at the sight of his opponent on the other side of the pitch, flexing his muscles, taunting him naughty smirks.
Great! Harry felt his insides squirm. The bastard knew how attractive he was and he's using it to his advantage. Charlie wriggled his brows to annoy him even further.
"This must be the first time a professor plays Quidditch on behalf of the team, huh." The boy who goes by Justin commented.
"Who cares? They're known to be the best seekers in Hogwarts' history in the past decade."
"Seriously? How did you know about all these?"
The Ravenclaw sneered, eyeing his friend irksomely. "Try reading the latest version of Hogwarts, A History, or Quidditch of the New Millennium. They're more reliable than those rumors that are completely ridiculous."
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry, I didn't know. All I've known was Victor Krum and his incredible stunts."
"Now, you know there are a few more others. So, better be quiet and watch the game!"
Both boys peered down and saw each team captain exchange menacing glares. Behind the Hufflepuff keeper, Harry wrapped his dragon-hide covered hands around his broom. His fingers fumble on the tip playfully as his ears were set on high alert waiting for the commentator's signal for them to take off.
He couldn't hold his excitement. Well, it's been a while since Harry stood in the center of the pitch – not as an audience but to play the actual game. With all the excitement from the crowd, yelling and cheering for their home team, the hustle, the blood rush, and the surge of adrenaline pumping in his ears as he swings his broom in the air with those life-threatening tricks he had learned from his past escapades.
Charlie was no better. His experience as Gryffindor's team captain and seeker when he was still studying in Hogwarts brought back great memories. His tandem with Wood was incredible, earning their title as 'the Dynamic Duo' back in school. They became unstoppable consecutively five years in a row. Gaining a good reputation in the sport. Plus, his years of tending to dragons added to the merit. Flying and dragon handling never sets apart from each other. Meaning, with everything he had in his pockets, Charlie's confident he wouldn't go unmatched against his younger opponent.
Of all these people, the headmistress was the most excited. She was seated next to the commentator consisting of two second years. One Hufflepuff and one Gryffindor. She couldn't wait to see both gentlemen who played for her team over the years. Harry being the youngest seeker in a century while Weasley was the so-called 'Stray Bullet'. Minerva couldn't be more ecstatic.
To the former dragon handler, not only had he found a chance to face the best flyer he had met. Why? Charlie had seen Harry fly back in the Tri-Wizard tournament. And he could say the boy is a born natural unlike the others. But today, facing the young Potter Lord is his way of showing his worth. It's a draconic custom for a male to impress his mate by beating her into a match. A battle for the right to claim their mate to a betrothal contract. Their lifetime partners. And victory will seal his fate to the young Potter boy himself.
Charlie doesn't want to be distracted with the way Harry bore his looks. He swallowed a lump in his throat when he saw him bending down to fix his boots. It rose slightly above the knee covering the length of his breeches. The sight of those tight-fitting lower garment makes his mouth water. An obvious distraction he was almost sure. If he hadn't known him better, he'd think this was Harry's plan to get an upper hand in this game the dirty way.
Who would have thought he would owe this opportunity to two blasted seekers who got themselves into detention out of their idiosyncrasies, eh?
"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the Quidditch Season's preliminary match." The commentator cheerfully announced. "It was Ravenclaw against Slytherin the last time. The serpents winning fifty points ahead of the ravens. Now, it's Gryffindor against Hufflepuff!"
The roar of screams from the crowd drowned his voice that has been magnified by a Sonorus. The audience cheering dutifully to support their respective houses.
"I don't know with you, Ted but today's match makes me twice more than just excited." The other announcer nudges to his pair which the latter returns with a hearty simper.
"Oh, ho-ho. I would be damned excited myself since today's game is quite different from the other matches we have had in this school."
"That's true. Imagine playing with two of the best seekers in Hogwarts history. Merlin! I've never heard anything like this since I started playing Quidditch." Both boys turned to McGonagall who welcomed the short interview to answer a few of their inquiries.
"Professor McGonagall, as chief adviser for overall Quidditch team. How did you come up with such a brilliant idea?"
The headmistress held out a blush as she felt like a celebrity herself for being asked of her opinion to the said match. She cleared her throat whilst trying to gain composure before she spoke, "well, for one thing, due to the recent events that had happened, the game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff should have been forfeited. However, as per Professors Potter and Weasley have suggested, we decided to pursue it on the condition that the players involved in the said incident be placed under detention. Meanwhile, both teachers will be taking their place instead."
"Wow. That's incredible! But considering both professors came from the same house which is Gryffindor, how did they come to agree on which house to take on?"
Minerva smirked, recalling how clever they managed to sort out the minor problem. "We sought the help of the sorting hat who gladly offered his assistance to our predicament."
"Bloody brilliant!" One of the announcers chimed. "An excellent method to exercise fairness in getting into the game. There you go, ladies and gentlemen." He said, turning his attention back to the audience. "Our headmistress has explained the changes to this once in a lifetime event. Now, we see Professor Malfoy, the head of the house of Slytherin to stand as referee walking into the center of the pitch."
"Hey, isn't he also a seeker back in their Hogwarts years?"
"Yup. It's a game of veteran seekers, the way I see it, mate."
All eyes are drawn into the field as they watched the blonde young man holding the box that contained the three Quidditch balls. Draco gestured for both opposing parties to come closer. Harry and Charlie behind them while their captains shake hands.
"I want a nice and fair game." He warned them all. His eyes glaring sternly at both seekers in particular.
"Speak for yourself, Draconis." Harry rolled his eyes.
"We'll see about that, Potter." He sneered back. "Mount your brooms, please!" He drawled the command.
Harry clambered onto his Thunderbolt, while Charlie, onto his infamous broom, the Siberian Arrow.
Draco gave a loud blast on his silver whistle.
Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.
"Ready are you, Potter?" the red-head called out. He and the other seeker hovered on higher mid-ground. They both agreed not to chase after the snitch until the score reaches to a hundred.
"Ready whenever you are." Harry taunted back. He willed his body to straighten at a calculated movement. They waited as each team's chasers start to gather as many points as they can while the beaters distract them with those flying bludgers every now and then.
"And there you go as the Quaffle is taken immediately by Finley of Gryffindor." The commentators began to exchange their broadcast of the game. "Wow! Nice pass to Natalie Carter, that one. Back to Finley and oh! the badgers made a fine steal. What a cunning move! Elijah Armstrong manage to gain the Quaffle and off he goes! Armstrong flying like a swift falcon up there. He's going to – uh-oh. Stopped by the Gryffindor keeper Jenkins. And the lions take the Quaffle back with Chaser Finley on the line. There go those beaters distracting their way. WHOA! That was an impressive blow from Tracey Abbott of Hufflepuff. Quaffle taken by the badgers. Bryan Lloyd is now heading with it toward the goal passing it on to Armstrong. Gryffindor keeper missed and – HUFFLEPUFFS SCORE!"
The cheers among the students wearing yellow scarves filled the cold air. Harry's massive poster whooping throw a hand in the air.
"Mate, aren't you wondering what those two seekers are doing up there? They're not moving at all. They're just staring at each other." Ted asks his co-announcer.
The boy looked up watching them hovering in the air. "I don't know, Murphy. That must be some kind of strategy they have come up with." The others followed as the only thing they observed was those two young men sizing up the other while exchanging evil smirks.
McGonagall schooled the same feral grin. Her lip curling upwards looking triumphant observing their gazes. Oh, she knows that stunt. It's something Oliver Wood had originally designed during their time.
Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, his eyes not leaving the handsome red-head across him doing the same thing. His peripheral vision could somewhat catch a glint of gold flashing here and there but he chose to ignore it until it's time to end the chase.
"Keep out of the way until you catch the snitch." He remembered Wood yelling it to him the first time he played. But a little bit of a show wouldn't hurt, would it?
"Hey, Weasley." He called out to the former dragon-keeper. "What do you say we spice things up a bit? Same rules. It's pretty boring up here, though." He proposed.
Charlie's face broke into a wolfish grin. He likes the idea of a little thrill. He looked down to check on the scores. They haven't even reached fifty yet. "Yeah? How about we add a little more distraction as human bludgers to these kids?" He yelled back to the brunet.
Harry smiled and nodded. "Why not? Let's make it one hell of a game for them, then." At the count of three, both seekers dived into the pit. More than half of the audience gasped as they raced downwards without any signs of fear of hitting the ground with their heads. Then suddenly, their eyes widened as soon as Harry and Charlie pulled out before they crash themselves at ten feet soaring their way back upwards.
"GREAT SCOTT! I've never seen such Wronski Feint done so perfectly!" The Gryffindor announcer exclaimed in disbelief. "Have you seen that, Harvey? That was bloody fantastic!"
The boy beside him could only shake his head in amazement. "I have almost missed that if I tried to bat an eyelash. It was done very fast." He commented.
"I have to agree with you, Harv. Now we know these two earned their titles for a reason. Oh, I'm so glad these teams' seeker went out for a short break or I could've missed half of my life seeing these two men fly in action."
"That's Lord Potter Black and Professor Charles Weasley to you, alright."
"Merlin! People are gonna talk about this for months!"
Minerva chuckled in her seat as she listened to these two boys talking endlessly about both men as they fought to catch the snitch. Well, they weren't really fighting over it – yet. It was more like they just follow it around wherever it goes around the pitch. She remembered the first time she saw Harry fly and thought she'd never seen anyone that good in her entire life. Thus, resulting to her abrupt decision of placing him to the team or he would face detention under the caretaker's mercy, Argus Filch.
Charlie has gathered more of his subtle techniques due to flying with dragons over the years. Not to mention, he was naturally skilled as it runs in the Weasley blood that can match that of Harry's who had that purely in-born instincts for flight.
"That's it, Potter. Show me what you've got." Taunted the red-headed wizard.
"Still not impressed, eh? Ooh, you're going down. Down, down, Weasley." Harry sneered. He made a sharp turn and then zoomed into the other direction like a rocket.
Charlie's grin widened at the sudden change of his movement. He stirred the handle of his broom as he followed closely behind the young brunet.
"What are they doing? Are they trying to distract the other teams?"
"I don't think so. More like they're trying to distract their own teams for some unknown reason."
Ted gave his co-announcer the look. If this wasn't an actual game, he'd thought he's being delirious. But the more he observes the strange movements between those two, the more he realizes the guy's guess was perhaps, true.
"Blimey, I think you're right. They're trying to prolong the game." He mouthed. Eyes widened.
"Nope. They're enjoying it so they're playing the game to their hearts' content. Look at the way they chase after the snitch without even catching it. They deliberately soar across the others like they were human bludgers themselves. Oh! This is getting exciting. I guess, I'm getting how those two wanted this game to end."
Blinking his eyes, the Gryffindor announcer turned to look back at the two seekers. They were flying like two honeybees fighting over a rare nectar. Even the audience couldn't help but watch with their heads moving in synchrony as the two zoomed from one direction and then soared invisibly towards the other. It makes them feel dizzy just watching them buzzing in the air.
"How many points do they have yet?" Harry asked as he slowed down his pace a bit to catch a short conversation with the red-head.
Charlie looked over his shoulder. "Still at eighty. Want to end this game sooner?"
His bright teeth showing under his flying goggles, Harry yelled, "no way! I'm enjoying this yet. What? Tired so soon, Weasley?"
"No way in hell." Soon, they went back to their constant bickers in the air. It made it more enjoyable for those two with those bludgers threatening to knock them off their brooms along the way.
Charlie took an ample time in relishing the beauty he found in the other guy. Harry looks attractive the way he mounted his broom in between his thighs. A soft groan of want escaped his mouth as he observed the agility in his stunts. His square fit arse screaming seductively as if begging for his touch.
Shaking his head, clearing his throat, the older Weasley held his broom tighter to catch up with the young Potter Lord. He looked down below to check on the scoreboard and it's going ninety, close to a hundred. It's about time they catch the snitch to end this game. How he wished he could've spent longer with him until the day ends.
He had fun. Charlie had to admit. He's not even going after winning, although it doesn't mean he wouldn't give this game his best. Harry was the better opponent, it was obvious. Merlin! Looking at all those people watching them in awe, he knew they have put up on quite a show. One last dive and as the score card flashed that one and two zeros, he clung onto his broom to watch out for that fluttering husk made of gold.
There, he saw it. One of the chasers was too busy aiming the Quaffle to their goal that he failed to notice the flash of gold that had passed his left ear. Harry noticed it right ahead. In a great rush of excitement, he darted his way to it like a stray bullet, Charlie diving on top of him to catch the snitch himself. But as he had predicted, the young brunet beat him to it. Harry caught the snitch with such little additional length and then soars out into several loops wearing a triumphant grin on his face.
"AAND, Professor Potter caught the snitch earning two hundred and seventy points for his team! Hufflepuff wins!" The commentators announced joyously.
As if a breakout in an asylum has occurred as cries of victory roared among the crowd. McGonagall, despite being the head of the winning team's opponent, couldn't be more proud. She was chuckling heartily the moment Harry's adopted teammates picked him up and carried him in their shoulders, showing him the rightful honor worthy of a king. A smiling Charlie remained behind him, shaking his head in an amused state.
Soon, a sea of robes with yellow scarves made their way into the grounds, rushing to join the celebration among their fellow Hufflepuffs. A cheer of yelling "Potter" many times over and over becomes louder until everyone gets tired and slowly made their way back into their dorms, with a false promise to join them for a victory party once he's done taking care of some affairs of his own. Harry had a hunch those kids are going to head into the kitchens in the late hours.
Well, he can give them a leeway for today to make it up for his 'unintended' absence later.
"That was a good game, Harry. I enjoyed it." Charlie beamed at him sincerely. There are now a few people left hanging around the pitch. Most are those from Gryffindor team who look quite disheartened.
"Same here, mate. Same here." He responded. And then, with a concerned look in his gaze, the guy whirled around to face the glum-looking students. "Hey, what's with the long face?" He asked them.
It was Bradley, their captain who answered miserably. "This is the first time we got beaten for the last three years." His eyes looked close to bursting into tears.
Harry raised his brows. Curious. The boy reminded him closely of Wood. That strong determination in his undefeatable looks. "Come on, it's not that bad. Sometimes, by losing a battle, you find a new way to win the war." He said in a tone of great wisdom. "Besides, this is only the preliminary match. You still have a game to play against the ravens, do you?"
The sixth-year boy nodded. His cheeks looked brighter. Must've felt a bit better. And then, he straightens himself. This time, he seemed much more determined. "Actually, we realized after playing with the both of you in this game, we have to train harder to somehow reach more than a fraction of your skill level."
A roar of laughter coming from Harry filled the air. "We know, kid." He meant to tell it to all of them. "We decided not to pull you out of the game despite your seeker being placed on detention to show you how far you need to go more. I'd say with how Professor Weasley here had been with you in this team, you made very good improvements in the last few weeks of constant training." He beamed at Charlie who was there behind him listening.
"Thank you, Professor. And we will strive to do a lot more, practicing and training to become better players." Bradley said, puffing out his chest.
Harry waved his hand, shrugging the gratitude off. "Nah, nah, not today. Take a break you lot. Who says only the winners can go out and celebrate?"
"I don't think there's a need to, sir." The team's captain shakes his head. The others behind him nodded in agreement.
"Why not? Say, how about I give a free access to the pool bar? Just for tonight only though." The defense professor offered, clapping his hands together. "My treat. Drinks and all. Err… just don't tell McGonagall anything or she'll kill me tomorrow for sure." He raised a hand sheepishly to rub the back of his head.
All of their eyes widened. Including Charlie who's jaw nearly dropped into the ground. They have heard about the rumors of those hidden amenities found within the castle. Merlin! They'll have a chance to see the King's Royal Suite for once in their lives. It's going to be awesome! Who would have thought that after losing big-time, this is going to be their reward?
"Re-really, sir? You'll allow us in your quarters?"
"Just for tonight. Now, hurry up. Go get some spare clothes. You can bathe in the pool later. Chop! Chop! Before I change my mind."
The scrambling of feet among a group of excited Lions followed. Harry turns his back and caught Charlie sneaking out.
"And where do you think you're going, Weasley?" He sternly asked.
"Err… heading back to my hut?" The red-heat replied, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"You're not exempted from the invitation, Charlie. You should be there too." This time, Harry's smile at him was more genuine. His handsome dimples showing. "Besides, I need an extra adult to look after those kids. Couldn't handle them on my own, see." He added.
Charlie looked as if he was considering it. But then, with a playful smirk, he finally conceded. "Alright. Be with you in a minute. Need to get some spare clothes, you say?"
His face wearing a wolfish grin, Harry wound his arms around the red-head's shoulders, dragging him along into the castle. "Nuh-uh. No need to worry about that. I got a few spares that I can lend you some."
Charlie gulped. The thought alone of wearing one of Harry's tight boxers makes him getting hard down there.
Oh, dear… this is not good. He grumbled worriedly to himself.
-Next Chapter-
Sunday Family Dinner