Chapter 11 – Quidditch

The longer Emma was at school, the more and more she felt at home. It was the first day of November and the mountains around the school had become icy grey and the lake was beginning to freeze over on calm days.

During break, Emma had gone down to the lake to see if she could walk on the ice, but it was still far too thin. Disappointed, she trudged back up to the castle. It was on the way back that she found Hermione, Ron and Harry standing around a bright blue flame-in-a-jar that Hermione had obviously conjured. They had their backs to the jar, so they didn't see Emma coming.

'Heya.' chirped Emma to the three of them.

They all jumped.

'Hello, Emma.' said Hermione, looking over Emma's clothes with a frown.

Emma knew what that look meant immediately. Emma had forgotten to wear her cold-weather clothes again. It's just, she never needed them so it never occurred to her to wear them.

'Mind if I join you, I'm freezing.' lied Emma, wrapping her arms around herself.

'Sure.' said Harry.

Hermione moved over a little bunching up with the other two to let Emma stand near the flame. It was a good thing too as moments later, Snape came limping across the Yard. Even though they were close together, they moved even closer to hide the flame. It was almost certainly not allowed, especially when Snape looked so cross. He saw their guilty faces immediately and came over to find a reason to tell them off.

It was lucky Emma had fed only two days ago and wasn't a risk because as soon as Snape was near, she could smell fresh blood. She held her breath, just in case.

'What's that you've got there, Potter?'

It was his book, Quidditch through the Ages that Hermione had leant him. He held it up.

'Library books are not to be taken outside the school.' said Snape. 'Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor.'

'He's just made that rule up.' muttered Harry angrily as Snape limped away. 'Wonder what's wrong with his leg?'

'Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him.' said Ron bitterly.

'It must be.' said Emma without thinking, breathing again. 'It's still bleeding.'

Ron and Harry looked at her quizzically. Hermione on the other hand had another frown on her face. It was with that look that Emma realised how stupid she'd just been.

'Didn't you see?' asked Emma, trying to be casual. 'He had blood on his robes.'

Harry and Ron shook their head, but they seemed to have believed her.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening, full of people chatting excitedly. Emma, Hermione, Ron and Harry sat together next to a window. They hadn't managed to get Emma's favourite spot as it was so busy.

'Could you check our homework, please, Hermione?' asked Harry.

'Which ones?' asked Hermione.

'Transfiguration and Charms'

'I'll check your Charms if you want.' said Emma.

Ron and Harry flinched. Emma was getting a little fed up with seemingly being invisible. They didn't look very happy about Emma offering to help. It was evident they'd rather have Hermione do it.

'Oh, let her look.' said Hermione grabbing their homework and passing the Charms ones to Emma. 'She's better than me at Charms anyway.'

Harry and Ron looked surprised.

'I wouldn't go that far.' said Emma, uncomfortable with the spot-light.

Emma started going over their work to try to ignore them. In fact, she was so absorbed in checking Harry and Ron's homework that she barely noticed Harry leave, saying he was going to ask Snape for his book back, and also barely noticed him come back. She heard the other three whispering about the three-headed dog, something being guarded and Snape but she didn't like eavesdropping so she ignored it. Just before they went to bed, Emma gave them their homework back. She'd noticed a number of mistakes that they'd have to fix but they were grateful for the help.

The next morning, Emma was still in the common room finishing her own homework when the other Gryffindors were heading down to breakfast. It was still fairly early though, especially for a Saturday, and she was beginning to wonder what was going on. She didn't have to wait long until Hermione came down the stairs into the common room and sat next to Emma.

'Morning, Hermione.' said Emma, still looking a little confused.

'Morning.' smiled Hermione. 'Have Harry and Ron gone down to breakfast yet?

'No, not yet.'

'Okay, I'll wait then.' said Hermione, looking at Emma. 'Are you alright? You look lost.'

'Oh, no, I'm fine. I'm just wondering why everyone's up so early.'

Hermione looked at Emma to see if she was serious.

'You don't know?' she asked. 'It's the first Quidditch game of the year today.'

'Oh.' said Emma, clearly disappointed.

'I thought you knew. We've been talking about it for weeks.' said Hermione, talking a little fast again.

'I don't like to eavesdrop. Besides, it's a sport, played on broomsticks! What's to like about it?'

'It's not eavesdropping among friends and I know you don't like sports, or broomsticks, but Harry will be playing.' laughed Hermione. 'You should come watch with us, for Harry.'

Emma tried protesting, but it was hopeless. By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. While the seats were raised high in the air, almost level with the goal hoops, some students had still brought binoculars.

Emma followed Hermione and Ron up to the top row of the Gryffindor section. She felt really out-of-place. Some of the other students had made a large banner which had Potter for President written on it and underneath was a large picture of a Gryffindor lion. Hermione had also charmed it so that it flashed different colours.

They didn't have to wait long before the two teams came onto the field. The Slytherin team, led by Marcus Flint, a brutish fifth year boy and the Gryffindor team led by a burly Oliver Wood, also a fifth year.

Emma stopped paying much attention to the game very shortly after it had started. As she was expecting, it was really just a few people flying around on brooms. She was actually having more fun watching the crowd and how they responded to the game. She did keep glancing up at Harry, just to see how he was getting on, but he didn't seem to be doing much. She wasn't even sure what Harry's role in the game was.

'Budge up there, move along.' said a loud voice, followed by a prod on Emma's shoulder.

'Hagrid!' cheered Emma, Hermione and Ron together.

He immediately started talking about the game though so Emma just went back to crowd-watching. She started paying attention again when a murmur ran through the crowd. Apparently the snitch had been spotted and Emma looked up just in time to see Harry go headlong into a dive toward one of the Slytherin players. Harry's opposite had seen it too and was following, but nowhere near as fast. Harry was sure to win.

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors. Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose nearly knocking Harry off and sending him off course.

'Foul!' screamed the Gryffindors.

Emma had no idea what was going on, but she was finding it incredibly fun watching how everyone in the stands changed emotions in synchronisation. She went back to alternating between watching the crowd and Harry, when she noticed Harry seemed to be going higher and higher.

'What's Harry doing?' asked Emma, still not sure what was going on.

'Dunno.' said Hagrid. 'If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... but he can't have …'

Very shortly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. Emma thought Hagrid was right. His broom seemed to be jostling him about, trying to throw him off. Only a few moments passed when the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now hanging on with only one hand.

'Can't have.' said Hagrid in response to something Emma didn't hear, his voice shaking. 'Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic – no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand.'

Emma immediately started looking over the whole crowd, face by face. Hermione seemed to have the exact same idea, grabbing Hagrid's binoculars. A small part of Emma's mind noticed that she didn't need binoculars to see the people in the opposite stands, yet Hermione did.

'What are you two doing?' moaned Ron, grey-faced.

'There!' gasped Emma and Hermione at once, pointing.

'Snape – look.' added Hermione.

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering non-stop under his breath.

'He's doing something.' said Hermione.

'Jinxing the broom?' asked Emma.

'Looks like it.'

'What should we do?' asked Ron, frantically.

'Leave it to me.' shouted Hermione, running off.

Emma wanted to help, but knew Hermione would be able to handle it. Instead, Emma tried thinking of spells to use in case Harry fell. The only one she could think of was the levitation charm, but that didn't work on people.

Emma needn't have worried though. Hermione had succeeded. Snape let out a yelp that even she heard from the opposite side. It was enough though. Snape had lost his eye contact and the jinx was interrupted.

Harry immediately clambered back onto his broom and dived toward the ground. Emma had no idea what he was doing until he hit the field on all fours and coughed up a tiny gold ball.

Apparently, that was it. Game over. Gryffindor won.

Together, Emma, Hermione, Harry and Ron went back with Hagrid to his hut for some tea, but the others just started arguing with Hagrid about Snape being the one who jinxed Harry's broom. Emma didn't like arguments so she just stayed quiet and fussed Fang until Hagrid all but kicked them out.