(A/N: Well this is it. The first Quidditch match I've ever written. I hope it's good.)

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, you know the drill.

Chapter 12: First Match

"Nervous?" asked Harry.

"A little." Danny replied.

"You'll do fine." Harry assured him. "I felt nervous about my first game, and I won. In fact, I only lost two games. And they were for unfortunate reasons. Come to think of it, in all of my first six years something happened to me."

"Why, what happened?"

"Well my first year, someone jinxed my broom and I lost control over it. I nearly swallowed the Snitch, but I still technically caught it.

"My second year, Dob… someone tampered with a Bludger so it went only after me. I broke my arm, and then, in a failed attempt to fix it, had the bones removed and I had to regrow them.

"My third year, dementors came to the game and I passed out. I nearly died from the height I fell from, and my broom crashed into the Whomping Willow. That was the first game I lost.

"My fourth year, the matches were canceled due to the Triwizard Tournament. But I still got to fly against a dragon.

"My fifth year, I got banned for… carrying out justice.

"And in my sixth year, I was Captain. First one of my Chasers was cursed and sent to Saint Mungo's. Then my Keeper, your Uncle Ron, was poisoned. Then my replacement Keeper tried to demonstrate the proper way to hit a Bludger, and hit me with it, cracking my skull. That was the second game I lost. And finally, after a magical accident, I got detention on the day of the final match and couldn't play, but we still won."

He looked at his son, who was looking even more nervous.

"That's not very encouraging, Dad."

Harry smiled. "Just do your best. You'll do great."

And Harry walked off to join the other teachers heading for the Quidditch field. Danny felt like he was going to be sick.

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"Relax, Danny." said Jamie. "You look so pale. Just chill out."

"Easy for you to say." said Danny. "After what Dad told me, I'm just glad I haven't wet my pants yet."

"Just as long as you get the Snitch, I don't care." said Jack.

The team headed out onto the field. They were greeted by applause. The team was facing Ravenclaw, the team that won the cup last year.

Danny mounted his Nimbus 3000, the latest broom model, and soared up into the sky. He looked down at the commentary stand. Josh was giving the commentary since he couldn't play.

"Alright everyone, it's the first Quidditch match of the season, and we're all looking forward to an excellent game." Josh cried into the magical microphone. He decided to do the commentary since he couldn't actually be on the team. "The Quaffle is released, starting the game. It's seized by Sirius Lupin of Gryffindor. Everyone remembers him from last year. He paces it to Jamie Weasley. She may be new, but she's quite good. See how she dodges that Bludger. She- oh, has the Quaffle snatched from her. Now it's Ravenclaw with the Quaffle, held by David Zaspare. He's going for the goal. He shoots. And Captain Jack Weasley saves it. Nice dive. He hands it off to Brian Fooder, another new team mate. He's heading for the Ravenclaw goal. He's heading straight for a Bludger. He's saved by Beater Jane Tutor. Almost there, and… he shoo- no he pass- GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

Brian had aimed for the left hoop. While the Keeper dove after it, Jamie intercepted, flying in the opposite direction of the Keeper and scored in the right hoop.

"Well played!" cried Jack.

"Ravenclaw in position. Captain Isabelle Minskins with the Quaffle. Look at her go flying around the players. She passes it to Alison Becker. Alison is moving down the goal. Alison is - oh, I think unconscious from that Bludger. Brian with the Quaffle. He passes it to Jamie. She passes it back. It's passed to Sirius. I don't see where they're going with this. They're just- oh now I see."

The three of them had lured the remaining Ravenclaw Chasers into the center of a circle, which Mexter and Tutor aimed Bludgers at.

Minskins was hit in the stomach and back by both Bludgers, and she went spinning to the ground.

Danny hovered over head, searching for the Snitch. He half expected to feel his broom buck him off or for some dementors to appear over the horizon. He was only half listening to the commentary.

"A bit brutal, but effective." cried Josh. "So it's 10-0 to Gryffindor and Ravencaw is down two Chasers. However the remaining one, Steven Donamin has control has the Quaffle. He heads for the goal. He shoots. Jack dives- ouch, he'll feel that tomorrow."

As Jack dove for the Quaffle, he was hit with a Bludger sent by a Ravenclaw Beater, allowing Donamin to score.

"We'll now the Gryffindor team has lost their Keeper." Josh announced. "That's not good. Even with just one Chaser."

Josh was right, and Danny knew it. He had to find the Snitch, and fast! He scanned the field, trying to find the small gold ball. After about a minute of searching, he spotted it. Hovering by one of the goal posts.

Putting on a burst of speed, he flew to the Snitch. When he was level with it, he saw something that made his insides go numb. He was right behind the Snitch, but coming from the other direction, straight for him, was a speeding Bludger. Danny prayed he could catch the Snitch in time to swerve out of the way.

He reached out for the little gold ball. His fingers were an inch away from it. Then everything went black.

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Danny woke up. He was laying in a rather comfortable bed. He sat up and looked around. He was in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey saw he was awake.

"About time." she said.

Danny reached for his glasses. "How long have I been here?"

"Four days." Madam Pomfrey replied. "That was the worse Quidditch injury I have ever seen. Really, I don't know what you were thinking."

"How bad could it have been?" Danny wondered out loud.

"To be honest." said Madam Pomfrey. "You bore a resemblance to You-Know-Who."

"What!" cried Danny. He had seen pictures of Voldemort, and didn't like what he saw. His hands began feeling is face.

"Calm down, Potter." said Madam Pomfrey. "I mended you in a heartbeat. But that was still a terrible injury."

Danny breathed a sigh of relief. He laid back down against his pillow. He closed his eyes as a terrible thought occurred to him.

"How much did we lose by?" he asked.

Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows. "Lost? My dear boy, you won."

Danny sat up again. "What?"

"You caught the Snitch. A second before you were hit by that Bludger. You were holding onto it so tight, we had to magically pry it from your fingers."

Danny laughed. So he hadn't failed after all. Besides being unconscious for four days, he thought his first game went rather well.

"I almost forgot." Madam Pomfrey said suddenly. "Your father asked me to give this to you when you woke up."

She handed Danny a note. Danny read it and laughed at the message.

See, I told you you'd do fine.

(A/N: Wow, my first Quidditch game. How did I do? It's a lot harder than I thought it would be to write it.)