A/N: Here's a super long chapter for you! Enjoy!
Fallen & Risen 14. Quidditch: Gryffindor vs Slytherin
Previously…
"Draco, you never win against Harry Potter in Quidditch…"
'He really didn't need to put it so bluntly!' Draco's eyebrow twitched.
"…and you lost the chance to challenge him again because of his death. Bur here's a chance for you!"
". . ." Draco waited, his interested picked, weither he wanted it or not.
"What do you mean?"
"You can challenge Harry Potter's female version in Quidditch as Seeker!"
Draco's eyes widen.
"Don't tell me that…"
"…that Gryffindor Seeker is Heley Potter? Yes!"
". . ." Inside Draco, a flame burst up, the desire of challenge waking up.
"She is as good as Potter on the broom! Oh! The next Quidditch match against Gryffindor sounds so exciting!"
". . . "
'Heley Potter…'
'Heley Potter…' The picture of the green eyes Gryffindor flashed Draco's head as he wore his glove. 'What is it about her? Why does she stirres so much my interest?'
But now, it wasn't the right time to try solving the mystery about her. Something more important demanded his attention. He grabbed his broom and turned around to face his Quidditch team mates.
"Let's go," Draco told them.
"Ooooh!" the six players in green cheered. Following Draco's example, they grabbed their broom in their hand and left the Slytherin changing room.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Seamus bellowed in the magical megaphone, "welcome to Hogwart's first Quidditch match of the year. On this sunny Sunday afternoon, not too chilly or too warm, bla bla bla… And who cares about the weather anyway when something more exciting is coming? Today, IT'S GRYFFINDOR VERSUS SLYTHERIN!"
"WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!" the crowds in the towers of the four houses cheered. Gryffindors and Slytherins were louder than the two others. The lions and the snakes were shouting, chanting and waving their banners to support their players.
"Now, please first welcome the Slytherin team," Seamus continued. Seven players dressed in green dashed out in the stadium. "In the head, Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Captain and Seeker, followed by Jimmy Krumpet, Keeper. Next are Blaise Zabini, Andrea Phillips and Karl St-Clair, the Chasers. And lastly, the Beaters, Annie Stevenson and Stear McLean."
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Slytherin tower errupted, enthusiastically supporting their players.
"BEAT THE LIONS, SLYTHERIN!"
"THE VICTORY FOR US!"
"Next, please welcome the Gryffindor team," Seamus continued. Seven flying human in red flew made their entrance in the pitch. "First, Ron Weasley, Captain and Keeper. Next after him are the Chasers, Demelza Robins, Ginny Weasley and Christopher Williams. Followed by Dean Thomas and Martin Pickott, the Beaters. And lastly, Gryffindor Seeker, Heley Potter!"
"YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!" It was the turn of the red and golden tower to errupt in excitement.
"GO GO GO GRYFFINDOR!"
"VICTORY FOR THE LION!"
The two teams gathered in the middle of the pitch. In front of Madam Hooch, Draco and Ron advanced to stand face to face to each other.
"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hooch commanded. Ron and Draco obeyed.
"Let us have a good game," Draco said.
Ron gasped at Draco's words. But what surprised him the most was that Draco didn't seem to have any maliciousness in his voice. The only answer Ron could give to Draco was a nod of knowledge.
"Mount your brooms!" shouted Madam Hooch. The fourteen players climbed on their broom. "Three… Two… One! Whizzzzzzzz!"
Fourteen blurs of red and green rose into the air.
So far, the game went quite well. There were a couple of hard hits and nudges from the players of both sides, but nothing to be severely condemned. Everyone was expecting the Slytherins to pull out some dirty tricks, but nothing had happened. It felt like Slytherin wanted to throw bomb at everyone with a fair game, especially with Draco Malfoy as Captain. Eventually, people forgot about their suspicion about Slytherin fairness and turned their attention to the game itself. Gryffindor scored the first goal, making it 10-0 for them. Next, Slytherin scored twice in a row, bringing the score to 20-10 in their favor. Gryffindor took revenge with 40-20. Slytherin replied back with 40-40, then 50-40 for them. Progressively, the two teams kept climbing up and down the ladle.
Meanwhile, the Seekers had yet to the Snitch. Or it should be said that the Seekers on the both sides seemed to purposely wait for their teams to score a higher range before seriously searching for the tiny wing ball. Yet, that didn't stop them from running their eyes everywhere on the pitch in hope to see a glint of golden somewhere. At the same time, Draco and Heley were also testing each other's strength and ability on the broom. A silent dual took place between the two Seekers. Up, down, backward, forth, swirl, wide and short twirls; no one fell off their Firebolt. Looking at them, people would think that they were having a dancing competition in the air. While Heley was like a light and graceful scarlet swan, Draco was a composed and powerful green water snake. One would say it look like the dance of a phoenix and a dragon in the Chinese mythology.
'She is not bad at all,' Draco admitted. 'In fact, as Blaise said, she is very good.'
'He has become more skill than before,' Heley thought.
Meanwhile, the game was getting more and more exciting. Slytherin was leading with 10 points ahead of Gryffindor, with a score of 110-100.
"Christopher Williams from Gryffindor is in the possession of the Quaffle. He's heading toward Slytherin goalposts." WHOOOSH. A Bludger hit Williams and he dropped the Quaffle. "It's St-Clair of Slytherin who's in the possession of the Quaffle now." WHOOSH. A Bludger from Pickott to St-Clair. "Ooooh! Gryffindor Robins took the Quaffle back. Zabini and Phillips chased after her, joined next by St-Clair. And-…! WHAT? Robins is not heading toward Slytherin goal, but toward Gryffindor goalpost? What the-…!"
Zabini, Phillips and St-Clair stopped in mid-air to exchange a questioning glance, dumbfounded. Did the female Gryffindor Chaser have such a bad sense of direction? But seeing Robins not stopping in her trajectory, they decided to tail her anyway. After all, Demelza was making thing easier for Slytherin to score again. Why refusing such a nice service? The three Slytherin Chasers charge after Demelza inside Gryffindor scoring area.
"That's it, Robins is heading straight toward Gryffindor goal with all the three Slytherin Chasers after her," Seamus continued. "She is coming faster and faster. Zabini and St-Clair are getting closer to her." WHOOSH. In the intention to help Karl St-Clair get the Quaffle, Annie Stevenson hits the Bludger at Demelza to make her drop the red ball, but Demelza holds a firm grip over it. "Too bad, St-Clair! Robins is still in the possession of the Quaffle. Robins speeds up. She gets ready. She aims the Quaffle… into Gryffindor goalpost? Ah! Wait! Bravo! Ron intercepted the Quaffle and kicks it far away… into nowhere? Ah! No wait! It's Christopher Williams who caught the Quaffle! Williams is alone. He is heading straight toward Slytherin goalposts with the Quaffle. The Slytherin Chasers give up hunting Robins and are now after Williams. But Williams is too far away from them. Thomas and Pickott joined Williams by his sides, their clubs up." WHOOSH. WHOOSH. "Good shots from Thomas and Pickott!" WHOOSH, from McLean. "Williams ducks a Bludger. He dives, speeds up, dives again, aims…" TOCK! Pickott sent away a nasty Bludger from Stear McLean.
Suddenly, in mid-air, Christopher turned on his broom to face the Slytherin Chasers. Taken by surprise, Blaise, Andrea and Karl stopped. Then, Christopher grinned and raised his two arms over his head. He no longer had the Quaffle with him. The Slytherin Chasers realized too late that Christopher was only a decoy. Blaise jolted on his broom and bypassed Gryffindor decoy Chaser to see Ginny Weasley with the Quaffle. Dean and Martin were now by her sides. Ginny was grinning ear to ear. Slytherin scoring area was empty, except for the Keeper. Perfect chance.
WOOSH!
Ginny ducked the Bludger.
"…Ginny speeds up," Seamus continued to comment. "She dives, dives again, aims, dives, swerves and… GOOOOOOAAAAAAAL!"
"WOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA!" Gryffindors cheered, making the wave. Demelza and Christopher high five.
"Splendid! Extraordinary! Magnificent! Brilliant strategy! Gryffindor is now leading with 120-110 with a goal out of the scoring area!" Seamus bellowed into his megaphone. (A/N: A goal in the scoring area earns you 10 points. Then, out of the area would be 20 points. Okay, I made up this one.) "Ah! Ginny, look out! A Bludger! Ouch!"
"Ahhhhhhh!" Ginny yelled as she fell off her broom.
"Ginny/Weasley!" her team mates screamed. Luckily, someone, who was flying underneath, caught Ginny.
"Oomph!" Ginny oomph-ed. However, Ginny's savior was the last person she expected to be helped from: a Slytherin.
"Oh wow! Lucky! I caught a fallen angel!" Blaise shouted. Examining Ginny, he grinned all his teeth to her. "Hey, I never knew red haired angels are that pretty!"
Ginny blushed redder than her hair.
"Err… Thank you," Ginny stuttered, embarrassed.
"I was sincere with my compliment," the brown hair, half Italian added, winking. Ginny blushed even more.
"I meant… thank you for catching me…" Ginny muttered.
"I know that," Blaise chuckled.
Fshhhhhhhhh!
Ginny had the impression that her brain just died from too much blushing.
"DRACO MALFOY AND HELEY POTTER ARE AFTER THE GOLDEN SNITCH!" Seamus shouted in his megaphone.
The whole stadium switched their attention onto Heley and Draco. They two of them were flying neck and neck. The Golden Snitch led the spiral of red and green blur straight into Gryffindor scoring area, toward the middle goalpost. An inch from the post, the two Seekers dived around the goalpost loop, Heley to the right side, Draco to the left, just in time before banging into the goalpost. The Snitch crossed through the loop of the middle goal. Heley and Draco immediately span around in the air and curved back to the goalpost. Their eyes solely glued on the Snitch, they hands extended their hands toward the golden ball, speeding up faster and faster. Then,
SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!
Their hands joined around the Snitch, palm to palm, behind Gryffindor's middle goalpost loop. Gryffindor's and Slytherin's Seekers caught the Snitch at the same time.
WHIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
Madam Hooch blew in her whistle. The game was finished.
"THEY CAUGHT THE SNITCH! THEY CAUGHT THE SNITCH! DRACO MALFOY AND HELEY POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH AT THE SAME TIME!" Seamus excitedly shouted, dancing up and down with this megaphone in hand. The Gryffindors and the Slytherins were excitingly jumping up and down on the seat, waving their banners and flags. "Both Gryffindor's and Slytherin's Seeker caught the Snitch. But who caught it first? Who wins? Gryffindor or Slytherin?"
In the middle of the excitement of the whole stadium, Draco and Heley didn't move. They kept their hands plastered together around the Snitch, looking directly into the other's eyes. Emerald orbs fiercely glaring into mercury ones. They pressed their hands over the Snitch even harder. Neither wanted to break eye contact, just as neither wanted to give up the victory to the other. Madam Hooch appeared between them on her broom.
"Malfoy, Potter, release the Snitch," Madam Hooch said.
Slowly, Draco and Heley detached their hand around the tiny golden ball. Madam Hooch took it. With her wand, Madam Hooch muttered something to activate the flesh memory of the Snitch. She waited for a moment. After a few second, a name appeared on the Snitch. The Snitch had Heley's signature in his flesh memory. Being smaller than Draco, Heley was lighter, thus faster than him. Her hand connected to the Snitch 0.1 second before Draco's. And thus, the Snitch engraved her signature in its flesh memory. Madam Hooch raised the Snitch over her head.
"Gryffindor wins!" Madam Hooch proclaimed loudly.
"WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Gryffindors joyfully jumped up and down on the bench, screaming victory and happily waving their golden and scarlet banners and flags.
"We won! We won! We won!" Christopher and Martin screamed, their arms on the other one shoulders.
"You did it, Heley!" Ginny and Demelza squealed, pouncing on Heley and squashing the black hair girl in their arms.
"Oupfff!" Heley choked.
"Yay!" Ron and Dean slapped their palms in a guy-ish victory signature.
Next, four other scarlet phantoms clutched themselves around the girls. They embraced and hugged/choked Heley as they took their time to return to the ground.
"Way to go, Heley!" Dean happily shouted.
"That was nicely done, Potter!" Christopher and Martin joined in.
In the middle of the excitement, Heley had yet made a comment because they didn't let her catch enough air to breath. From where could she get breath to speak? The only thing they allowed her to catch was their joy for winning the game. And well, Heley too felt incredibly good for catching the Snitch. Then, someone interrupted their moment of unbound team joy.
"Weasley."
Ron looked up to see Malfoy standing in front of them. Along side of Draco stood all his team mates. The seven Gryffindors gathered themselves around Ron, each of them facing one Slytherin. The whole stadium dropped into a heavy silence to watch the two teams facing each other. They stopped screaming and jumping and focused all their attention on the two rival Captains. Ron stood up face to face with Draco, looking straight into Draco's eyes. He waited for Draco to make the first move and prepared himself to reply back. After a long staring contest, Draco finally spoke.
"Nice game, Weasley," Draco said. And he extended his hand to Ron. Ron stopped himself from gaping like a fish, even if the need was huge. It was so huge that it froze all the muscles of his jaw. Ron brought his eyes to Draco's hand. The tension in the air could be cut through with a knife. Many of them expected Ron to refuse the offered hand and to come up with some harsh remark. But alas for them, Ron didn't start a fight. He took Draco's hand.
"Nice game too, Malfoy," Ron replied. The two Captains shook hands.
"Ya, very nice catch, Potter," Blaise complimented Heley, giving her his hand. Though taken back, Heley grabbed his hand nonetheless.
"Err… Thank you," Heley muttered.
"Not to mention a very impressive strategy," Blaise continued. "You really had us fooled!" He addressed Ginny.
"'T was Neville's," Ginny muttered, becoming red under the stare of the half-Italian Seventh year Slytherin.
"Hum, I didn't know Longbottom is that bright, considering his clumsiness," Blaise commented without malice.
After Blaise, all the Slytherin players imitated their Captain and offered their hands to the Gryffindors. Demelza and Ginny exchanged a glance with each other first, then grabbed the offered hands too. Dean, Christopher and Martin imitated them.
The two sides civily exchanged comments as "Good game", "Same for you", "That was fun!", or "Hope to play again with you soon", or "Let's meet for the final" to each other.
Up in spectators bench, everyone was watching them, gasping. There were expecting something, but not this! In Gryffindor benches, Hermione stood up and clapped her hands, smiling. Next to her, Neville stood up and did the same thing. Then, Seamus imitated them. Followed next, all the Gryffindors stood up one by one and joined Hermione, Neville and Seamus. Soon, they were joined by the Slytherins, then Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.
The two red and green teams down in the pitch look up around them. Everyone in every Houses were clapping their hands. Ron brought his eyes to Draco, fixing his gaze at him. And he too brought his hands up and clapped, no smug expression on his face. Heley imitated him and was soon joined by Ginny and all the Gryffindor players. It was Slytherin Quidditch team's ovation. Slytherin players might have lost the game, but they won something much more valuable: the esteem of all the four Houses.
Professor McGonagall appeared next to them, a very happy expression in her eyes. Her thin lips curled up into a smile.
"Mister Malfoy, I'm very please to see this example of sportsmanship. Therefore, I reward Slytherin 50 points," the Headmistress said.
"Thank you, Headmistress," Draco said.
It was a first. Hogwarts history never saw rival Quidditch teams shaking hand after a game. Yet, this year, Slytherin Quidditch Captain, Draco Malfoy nonetheless, gave birth to the event. And to think that it was Slytherin who lost the game. This must be - would be - recorded in Hogwarts History.
Night time. Gryffindor common room.
It was the party for Gryffindor victory against Slytherin. Dennis Creevey had recorded the game in a magical filming box. With Seamus' and Dean's helps, Creevey had set up a 3D magical theater and projected the game in the middle of the room for everyone who wanted to watch it again. All the players were like little hologram flying dolls. They could magically rewind or forward the game, making it slower or faster as they wished. They could also choose to see only a part of the game instead all of it. The Quartuo was at their usual place near the chimney with Ginny , sipping in their drink. Heley wasn't paying attention to the magical video, but was just happily warming herself with her Butterbeer. Neville was watching carefully the game and noticed something particular. More specifically, it was Heley's flying style which caught his attention.
"You know Heley, you fly just exactly like your cousin Harry does," Neville said.
"Pffffft!" Heley spurted in her Butterbeer.
'Since when Neville is so observant?' Heley wondered, coughing and hitting her chest. Everybody around forgot about what they were doing and turned their attention to Neville's words.
"Err…" Heley muttered, not knowing what to say. Neville just made up a very good connection between her and Harry Potter. Ron rewind-ed Heley's picture on the magical film. They watched the mini-Heley twirling on her broom along side with Draco Malfoy.
"It is true what Neville said," Ron agreed. "The speed, the diving, the flying style, they are all very much like Harry's."
"But Heley is lighter and faster than Harry," Hermione commented.
"Well, duh!" Seamus exclaimed. "She's a girl and smaller than Harry. Of course, she would be lighter and faster than him!"
"And look," Ginny froze mini-Heley in the air and enlarged the picture. "You have a Firebolt like Harry," Ginny said. Ron examined the broomstick more carefully and popped his eyes out of his head.
"Not only that!" Ron said. "Heley, your Firebolt IS the same as Harry's. It has the same series number!"
'What? Not you too Ron! Since when do you pay attention to such small details?' Heley wondered, her lips pursing, conveniently forgetting that Ron Weasley was a huge (maniacal) Quidditch fan. She must come up with a plausible explanation of why she had Harry Potter's Firebolt in her possession. And fast.
"Err, well, I inherited all of Harry's belongings," Heley explained.
"But the flying style…" Ginny said, cocking her eyebrow. "It's kind of rare to find one as good as Harry's…"
Heley gulped.
"Flying must be a gift in the Potter's blood," Dean hypothesized, trying to come up with an explanation much to Heley's relief. "James Potter was the greatest Seeker in Hogwarts history. Harry was the youngest in the century. And Heley is a Potter. That says everything."
"Ah! That makes sense," Seamus said. The others nodded, accepting the explanation.
'Pfiou!' Heley inwardly sighed in relief, happy to see that her secret was still safe. 'But I better have them change the subject of the conversation. It's getting too dangerous for me!' she thought.
"It's not as impressive as the strategy you came up, Neville," Heley said, truly impressed, but purposely driving everyone attention away from her. "It was brilliant!" And everybody blindly fell in her trap. They happily switched their conversation about future strategies for the games. At Pitckoot's idea, Ron encouraged Neville to think about a flying formation including the Chasers and the Beaters. No one saw Heley sigh in relief when they jumped into the trap she set. No one.
Excepted one person.
Hermione.
Hermione silently watched Heley, her eyebrows fused together.
'There is something about Heley that I cannot put my finger on,' Hermione thought. Hermione was sure that she didn't know Heley as much as she thought she knew. Sure, Hermione knew Heley wasn't a bad girl, but…
'I am sure… that she is hiding something from us…'
Then she stopped.
'Why am I having doubts about her? She didn't do anything wrong and I've known her for only a short period of time.'
Hermione preferred to shut down her doubts far behind her head and enjoyed the party with her friends.
For now.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the castle.
Draco stood in front of a window located in the west side of the castle. He liked this window because it had a nice view over the lake. Sunset and moon gazing were beautiful from his window. But right now, he wasn't interest in the lake nor at the moon. He was more interested in staring at his hand, the one that almost won Slytherin the game against Gryffindor, the one which had connected palms with Gryffindor's female Seeker. Draco still could feel the warmth of Heley's hand through his skin.
'Her hand is so small compare to mine,' Draco thought.
'And very soft and pleasant to touch too,' his mischievous inner voice added.
Draco felt his blood rush up his face, but immediately cooled down and shut the delinquent voice quiet. However, his more mature inner voice spoke up.
'You have to admit, it didn't feel that bad you touched her hand. In fact, you liked the feeling. You didn't immediately remove your hand from her. You wanted to prolong the contact with her more than wanting to keep the Snitch for yourself.'
Draco looked at his palm. He remembered very well that, for an instant, he wanted to lace his fingers with the Gryffindor female Seeker's ones. His hand was big enough to completely cover her hand in his.
'Yet, I don't understand why I felt that desire,' Draco thought. 'She is a Gryffindor after all. And now my rival.'
Nothing answered to him. Deciding to give up the idea of searching for a plausible explanation of his actions, Draco turned on his heels and headed back to his room, despite the beautiful moon outside.
A/N: For those who know the signification of the phoenix and the dragon in the Chinese symbol, bravo! For those who didn't, make a guess! *wink*;) By the way, how many of you know the meaning of symbol of the phoenix and the dragon in the Chinese mythology? What do they mean?
Post on Friday January 29, 2010.