By the time Charlie finally came down from his Quidditch-hero high, exam season had arrived. The gang could be found in the library most days, poring over books and scrolls of parchment. Scabior was now well integrated into their group but still kept mostly to himself.
One such revision filled day of the Easter holidays found Charlie, Tonks, Buck, Don, Annie and Scabior holed up in the library. Their second year exams were only a few weeks away and they were all feeling tense. Charlie had read the same passage about Wendelin the Weird three times but kept being distracted by Don drumming his fingers on the desk. On the fourth attempt he'd had enough.
'Don,' Charlie huffed, crumpling his error-strewn parchment on his fist. 'For Merlin's sake, could you stop with the tapping? It's really off-putting.'
'Finally! It was driving me insane!' Buck exclaimed, slamming his Daily Prophet on the desk. Madam Pince scowled at him.
Don raised his eyebrows, brushing his fringe from his eyes. 'Oh really? What about Tonks morphing her hair every five seconds, does that annoy you too?'
'What?' Tonks jerked out of her daydream with turquoise hair.
'Yeah, it does actually,' Buck retorted.
'As much as Scabior saying "mate" at the end of every sentence?' Charlie added, throwing the ball of parchment in the air, catching it as it dropped.
'I do not!' Scabior insisted.
'You do, mate,' Annie giggled.
'Oh yeah? What about Miss Always-has-to-be-right over here?' Scabior pointed out.
Annie glared. 'There's nothing wrong with being correct.'
'Sure there ain't, mate.' He rolled his eyes.
'Sure there isn't.' Everyone groaned. 'Fine! What about Charlie always throwing and catching stuff?'
Charlie paused, mid-toss of his parchment. 'Hey, I'm a seeker!'
'Where's your broom?' Annie demanded.
Buck coughed, 'Well if you guys don't mind, I'd like to get back to this Charms homework.'
Tonks scoffed, 'Yeah, as if you'd actually do your own work.'
'And what's that supposed to mean?' Buck challenged.
'Just the last essay I let you "look over" happened to be remarkably similar to the next Charms essay you handed in.' Tonks glowered.
'Are you calling me a cheat?' Buck snapped, getting to his feet.
'I guess I am.' Tonks also got to her feet and squared up to Buck, jaw set.
'Fine, you want to take this outside? Let's go.' Buck reached for his wand.
Tonks' wand was already out. 'Like you'd stand a chance against me.'
Charlie had a sudden image of Buck as a bearded slug and decided it was time to calm things down, but before he could say anything Madam Pince had pounced and was already shooing them from the library.
'Wands out, raised voices! I'll not have it!' she squawked as they fled, robes flying behind them. She chased them all the way down the library corridor, charming their bags and books to hit them over their heads as they went, only leaving them when they reached the fourth floor landing.
'Nice one Cooper,' Scabior panted, rubbing the back of his head.
'You're blaming me for that?' Buck flushed angrily. 'It was her fault!' He jabbed a finger at Tonks.
'It was not,' Tonks exclaimed. Scabior nodded in agreement.
'It was both of your faults,' Charlie intervened, stepping into the rather small gap between Tonks and Buck. 'Both of you had your wands out.'
'She called me a cheat!' Buck complained.
'Because you copy everyone's work,' Tonks retorted.
'Hey hey hey!' Charlie spoke over both of them. 'Calm down, both of you. We're all friends here so let's not fight about something as simple as this.'
Tonks stared daggers at Buck who was glaring into the distance a little to Tonks' left. No one said anything.
'I'm not apologising to him.' Tonks told Charlie straight. Buck pulled a face.
'Buck, did you copy Tonks' Charms essay?' Charlie knew Tonks wasn't going to give in; he'd already witnessed how stubborn she could be regardless of the consequences. He also knew that Buck did often copy his work and it bugged him a little bit too.
Buck remained stony for a moment. 'Fine, whatever. Yes, I copied your Charms essay.'
Tonks raised an eyebrow at the blond Gryffindor.
Charlie motioned for him to keep going. Buck huffed. 'And I'm sorry I did it. It won't happen again.'
Tonks cocked her head at Buck. 'Alright then.' She smirked.
Annie breathed a sigh of relief, Charlie hadn't realised that she and Don had been silent throughout the whole argument. 'Now that's all sorted let's go out by the lake, shall we?'
Charlie stretched out on his robes on the grass beside the lake. He caught the eye of Ellie Limus, a Ravenclaw in his Defence class. His stomach did a weird sort of lurch as she smiled across the grounds at him. She had offered to help him with revision after he had grumbled a bit about not understanding any of the class-work because he was so tired out by Quidditch practice and detentions, now with Professor Sprout. The only thing was, Ellie didn't want him to tell anyone, not even his friends. He thought that was a bit odd, but on the other hand Charlie found himself wanting to spend time with Ellie, away from his friends. He couldn't really put his finger on what it was that made him want to do it. Maybe a bit of privacy? After all, they had been spending almost every day of the last two school years in each others' pockets.
Scabior's drawling voice brought Charlie out of his thoughts, telling Tonks about a possible prank that they could pull off in the next week. As he listened, Charlie made his decision.
He waited behind after Professor Birch's lesson and spoke to Ellie.
'Yes, I'd like you to help me with revision. I-if the offer's still on.'
She beamed at him, brushing her brunette fringe from her eyes. 'Great Charlie! Can you make tonight?'
He shook his head. 'I've got detention with Sprout.'
Ellie thought for a moment. 'Tomorrow? In the library after dinner?'
So Charlie found himself making up reasons to spend time away from his friends. At first, Charlie and Ellie had actually done work. Charlie marvelled at how Ellie could already have her revision notes written out so neatly when his consisted of scraps of parchment and scruffy titles. But as Charlie got back on top of his school work they mostly talked and hung out.
Things grew tense again as they entered May. Quidditch began to take over once more as Slytherin beat Hufflepuff, meaning that Gryffindor needed 210 points in their Ravenclaw match to draw Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup.
A complication arose when Barry Ryan, Gryffindor keeper, came down with an oddly severe case of flu. It was odd because it was now summer and the flu was also accompanied by green pus-filled boils. Foul play was suspected, but no one was caught. Kirley's sister, Meaghan McCormack, had instead taken over as substitute keeper.
'You'll do great,' Ellie told him the week before the match at yet another study session. Charlie blushed furiously as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and he blushed still every time he thought about it.
'What's up with you?' Buck had asked up in the Gryffindor dormitory, breaking off his conversation about the Australian National Team's win over host-side USA, putting them as favourites for the World Cup. 'You could fry an egg on your face it's so red.'
Charlie shrugged and made a fuss of yawning and going to bed. Buck glanced at Fergus who shrugged back.
It was only nine o'clock.
Charlie could barely stomach his toast as match day dawned. His legs were jumping up and down and he couldn't sit still. Even Buck looked peaky. After breakfast, Charlie resisted the urge to sprint out of the Great Hall down to the pitch, and instead walked purposefully out of the hall with the rest of the Gryffindor team amidst the cheers and jeers of the rest of the school. Down in the chilly changing rooms everything was tense. Gwenog paced as she delivered her captain's speech.
'Okay team. This is it – the final. We can either go down fighting or we can win the Quidditch Cup for the third year in a row. It doesn't matter if we win or lose this match. What matters is points. Ravenclaw need about 400 points to be in with a chance at that Cup. We only need 220 to win.' She stopped pacing and looked gravely at her team.
'Ryan's out of action, so McCormack, it's up to you. Your job is to get that Quaffle out to the chasers as fast as you can. Save shots where you can, but that's not what's going to win us the Cup.
'You three,' Jones fixed her gaze upon the chasers – Buck, Artie and Jon. 'No pressure but this whole thing is on you. Score when you can, whenever you can. Don't give away penalties that'll just slow down play. We need fast play, fast goal turnover. Tire out their keeper so he makes mistakes. We're relying on our strength and Ravenclaw's weakness to bag this Cup.' She was getting so passionate in her speech that her Welsh accent was becoming more and more prominent, so mich so that Charlie could barely understand what she was saying.
'Joey and I are going to be doing our best to force a change of possession. Whenever they've got the Quaffle we'll be launching a bludger their way. And Charlie,' She turned to point at him. 'Do not catch that Snitch until we're 70 points up at least. If it looks like Williams is going to catch it before we've got the points do whatever you can to stop it – including fouls.'
They heard the crowds cheer as the Ravenclaw team flew onto the pitch. 'Let's go.'
They filed into the tunnel, Charlie flying behind Gwenog this time.
'Mount up!' she called.
Myron's voice boomed. 'LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! HERE TO DEFEND THEIR CLAIM ON THE QUIDDITCH CUP, IN THE RED CORNER, PLEASE WELCOME THE GRYFFINDORS!'
Charlie shot out of the tunnel and into the blazing summer sunlight. The teams lined up above the starting circle and Gwen landed to shake the hand of Andrew Woods, Ravenclaw chaser and captain.
Then the captains were back in the air and the match began.
'Gryffindor take possession as the game begins!' Charlie soared above the pitch as McCormack rocketed back to the goal posts. 'Roberts has the Quaffle! Passes to Cooper, OUCH! Tackled by Griffiths! She passes to Morgan, Dent steals it! To Cooper, back to Roberts! Will Roberts make it past the keeper? NO! Hobday has saved it! He passes it out to Woods, to Morgan, to Griffiths, Cooper goes in for the tackle! She rolls to avoid, but Dent is there! He snatches the Quaffle, to Roberts! To Cooper! Back to Roberts! He shoots, HE SCORES! JON ROBERTS SCORES FOR GRYFFINDOR! IT'S 10-0! Gryffindor only need another 60 points and a Snitch capture to keep their hold on the Quidditch Cup!'
Charlie joined Jon in a celebratory loop of the stadium. Williams, the Ravenclaw seeker, was anxiously scanning the ground. He even looked a bit like an eagle, Charlie noted as he rejoined the other seeker in the sky, with his beaky nose and beady eyes.
'Nice day isn't it?' Charlie commented as Griffiths dodged Roberts to pass the Quaffle to Morgan.
'I'm not talking to you Weasley,' Williams replied stonily. Buck tackled Morgan and passed to Dent.
'INTERCEPTED!' Myron yelled as Woods snatched the Quaffle from the air, just as Roberts reached for it.
'Looks like you just did,' Charlie teased, drifting in front of Williams. Williams forced his broom in the other direction. Charlie flew above him and rolled. 'Not very talkative are you?'
'Griffiths with the long pass to Woods! Roberts with the tackle, tackled in return! Morgan takes the shot – and SCORES! Lovely shot through the right hand hoop!'
That brought the score to an even 10-10. 'Only another 390 points for you to win the Cup,' Charlie counted.
'Bullet pass to Roberts! Cooper, back to Roberts! Griffiths with the steal, Morgan, Woods, unloads AND HE SCORES! Ravenclaw are loving that right hoop today!'
Charlie milled around attempting to make small talk with Williams, enticing him into reacting. 'So how did your exams go last year? Only 9 O.W.L.s? My brother Bill's doing 12. I thought Ravenclaws were meant to be smart.'
No reaction.
Down below Jones launched a bludger attack at Griffiths, forcing her to drop the Quaffle and roll.
'Cooper picks up the Quaffle, quick pass to Roberts, volleys to Dent who kicks it back to Cooper, he shoots HE SCORES!'
It was 20-20. Gryffindor only needed another 50 points before Charlie could go after the Snitch and they would win the Cup.
'Of course it's all hearsay that Ravenclaws are brainy, it's really that you're studying so hard all the time because you don't actually know anything.'
Williams turned his broom sharply towards Charlie and was about to make a (probably rather witty) retort, but then his eyes widened and he leaned forwards on his broom.
'Williams has seen the Snitch!'
Without thinking Charlie swerved to block him, but Williams dived below and rocketed after the Golden Snitch, Charlie hot on his heels. Charlie just needed to block Williams and make him lose sight of the Snitch again until Gryffindor had 70 points.
The Snitch veered right, Charlie banked hard and Williams span out of control to avoid crashing into Charlie.
'He's done it! Young Charlie Weasley has foiled Ravenclaw's attempt at an early end to the game! Gryffindor are still in the running folks!'
The Gryffindor cheers drowned out the Ravenclaw and Slytherin boos and put a smile on Charlie's freckly face.
'That was a foul Weasley!' Williams spat, gaining control of his broom once more.
'Madam Hooch doesn't seem to think so,' Charlie called back over the roaring crowd. Buck was darting down the pitch, Quaffle in hand, as they spoke.
'Hobday saves it again! Oakden Hobday is in good form today!'
'Why do you even want to catch the Snitch?' Charlie asked Williams as he marked him closely.
'I'm a seeker Weasley, that's my job. Even you should know that seeing as it's supposed to be your job too.'
'Oh, clever.' Charlie rolled his eyes. 'I mean why do you want to catch it so soon? You won't win the Cup if you catch it before you're 250 points up.'
'True, but we can stop you winning the Cup.' Williams sneered at the angry look on Charlie's face.
'You'd rather see Slytherin win the Cup?'
'I'd like to see the smug look wiped of your face.'
'OH! Spleen launches a bludger attack! CONTACT! Roberts drops the Quaffle, and it's Ravenclaw in possession!'
Charlie couldn't find words to reply in his outrage that Williams would crush Gryffindor's shot at the Quidditch Cup just to beat Charlie.
'Cooper tackles! Long pass to Dent, is Hobday going to do it again? NO! GRYFFINDOR SCORE! That's 30 points to Gryffindor! If Gryffindor can double that score and get the Snitch they will draw for the Quidditch Cup!'
The two seekers drifted towards the centre of the pitch. A blue and silver streak darted down the pitch.
'Jones with the bludger! Morgan drops the Quaffle and Dent picks it up! Over to Roberts, over to Coop- INTERCEPTED! Griffiths with the pass, to Woods, to Morgan, to Woods with the volley! HE SCORES! McCormack almost got a hand to that one!' The points were equal on 30.
The score was 70-50 to Ravenclaw when Williams next spotted the Snitch. Charlie was marking him so close that the two seekers might as well have been sharing a broom when, suddenly, Williams dived for the ground. Charlie cannoned after him. Williams aimed a kick at Charlie who tried to grab at Williams' foot. Charlie's hand missed but Wiliams' kick connected with his outstretched fingers and Charlie howled in pain. The pair spiralled after the Snitch, Charlie trying to put Williams off once more.
Myron's commentary was lost in the wind that rushed through Charlie's hair. The Snitch was still a good half a metre ahead of Williams' outstretched hand. Charlie urged his broom onwards; if he could get ahead of Williams he could block him but-WHAM!
Out of nowhere a bludger rushed towards Charlie and caught him in the chest. The force of the ball lifted Charlie clean off his broom, all the breath was knocked from his lungs and Charlie's vision went black as he fell to the ground.
The last thing he heard was the wind whipping through his robes, drowning out the gasps of the crowd.
Once again, apologies for the delay - I'm in the middle of revision time so things have been very slow and I only upload when the next chapter is finished, so here you go!
I can't say when the next upload will be, but just keep reading and it'll get here eventually :)
Thanks,
LittleGuitar94
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