Disclaimer: I do not claim credit for any names associated with or related to Harry Potter, Quidditch or any other relations. The credit goes to J.K. Rowling.
"I don't care how cliché it is, fish and chips is the best meal you could ever have."
As usual, Hermione was going off on one of her rants. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the rest of us, just nodded our heads and pretended to agree with everything she said.
"When I was in grade school, I did a report on fish and chips. Did you know that Joseph Malin was the first person to pair Jewish-style fish and chips, and that…?"
"Hermione, that's int'restin' an' all, bu' we don' care." At least Ron had the guts to say what we were all thinking. "We all know you got a brain like a sponge, you don' gotta remind us."
Thmp! A piece of deep-fried cod went flying across the air and hit Ron in the head.
"What'd I do?"
"Hmpf," was all Hermione could manage to say.
I was trying to stay as uninvolved as I possibly could, which didn't last long. "Becky, will you please tell the immature baby to apologize?"
I didn't feel like making her anymore mad, so I did what she asked, "Ron, please apologize."
"Why should I?"
"Because I don't want any hostility, we have potions nex…" As I was talking, Dumbledore stood up in front of the great hall to make an announcement.
"Ahem… I regret to inform you that, due to an exceptionally unfortunate explosion in the dungeons, all potions classes have been hereafter postponed."
A flood of laughter arose from the Gryffindor, while simultaneously, the Slytherins shouted out boos.
"Thank you, that is all," Dumbledore returned to the staff table.
"Well, since we have some extra time, we should go to the library and…" The glares turned straight to Hermione. "…or not." Her face had become as red as Fawkes' feathers.
"Let's play Quiditch!" Ron enthusiastically suggested.
"That is an interesting idea," said a dreamy voice from somewhere behind him. "How about we make it interesting, boys versus girls?" It was Luna "Loony" Lovegood. "I have free period after lunch today anyway."
"I'm game," I chimed in, "but only if Hermione will play."
"I wouldn't miss the opportunity to make boys look inferior."
"Then it's settled," said Harry. "Girls against boys Quidditch game will begin at 2 o'clock today. You girls are responsible for gathering together a team of at least 7 students, us guys will do the same."
The boys headed off right away to talk to Fred and George, while the girls stayed at the tables to figure out whom else to ask to join.
"Let's see, we have Becky, Luna, and myself."
I came up with asking Ginny, who, in turn, suggested Cho Chang, who suggested the Patil twins. Everyone agreed to play.
At 2 o'clock, the girls showed up at the pitch to find Harry, Ron, Neville, Fred, George, Dean, and Seamus. They had also convinced Madam Hooch to referee. The game could then begin.
Boys Girls
Seeker | Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood
Keeper | Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley
Beater #1 | Fred Weasley, Hermione Granger
Beater #2 | George Weasley, Becky Roth
Chaser #1 | Neville Longbottom, Cho Chang
Chaser #2 | Dean Thomas, The Patil
Chaser #3 | Seamus Finnigan, Twins
The Players were decided as above.
Everyone mounted their brooms, retreated to their posts, and waited for the whistle.
It was a right good show. The quaffle was constantly switching teams, the snitch was still nowhere to be seen, and the bludgers were attacking anyone they possibly could. Everyone was having loads of fun. That is until Cho got knocked off her broom by a bludger.
It was no sooner than she got hit that Madam Hooch's whistle was blown. Everyone hurried to her side to make sure she was okay. Much to Madam Hooch's dismay, Cho refused to go to the medical wing, and insisted on staying in the game. So once again the whistle blew and everyone started playing again.
Harry and Luna raced around the pitch searching for the snitch. Dean, Seamus, Neville, Cho, and the Patil Twins kept passing the quaffle back and forth, and back and forth. Ginny and Ron weren't allowing any points to be scored. In fact, the score was at the time, Girls-30 to Boys-50, but the girls hadn't given up hope yet.
While the Weasley twins and Hermione and I kept the bludgers from injuring anyone else, Harry and Luna were still in an epic race to find the snitch. At last someone had spotted it. Harry raced toward the ground, but not before Luna could zoom past, reach out her dainty hand, and snatch the snitch. The game was over, the girls had won.
"We want a rematch," Ron complained.
"Hello, we won fair and square, thank you very much," I informed him.
"Whatever," all the boys headed back to their dorms mumbling the whole way.
"That was fun," Luna's musical voice chimed.
"Maybe we should give them their rematch just so we have an excuse to play again," suggested Ginny.
"That actually isn't a bad idea."
"Well I don't know about you girls, but I am exhausted from all this fun, I am going to bed," I really was tired, "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," everyone replied and walked off towards the castle.
Before I left the pitch, I thanked Madam Hooch for refereeing and helped her put away the equipment. That day will stay in my heart for a long time. We had spent 3 hours playing quidditch with the boys, and came out on top.
I guess that proves that gender has nothing to do with skill, or does it?
