A/N This is for serenelunaelf. Enjoy
I'm also not the author of HP
The next week or so was difficult for the four Gryffindor first years, as the news got round that they were the ones responsible for the huge drop in in rubies in the Gryffindor hourglass. The other Gryffindors refused to speak to them, although at least Victoire and Isaac Jordan had put a stop to James' gloating, by threatening to make him wash every house's dirty Quidditch kit if he didn't shut up.
The worst part though, was the taunting of some of the older Slytherins – the sudden drop in Gryffindors standings had put Slytherin in second place for the cup.
It wasn't all bad though – Nat and Minna had both assured Mouse and his friends that they weren't cross – and Rose noticed something as they were sat in the library (they had taken to spending most of their time researching and avoiding their angry house mates) the day before the Gryffindor v Slytherin match.
"Is it just me, or has the drop our losing 150 points caused seemed to have gone up awfully quickly?" She asked, looking up from the huge, dusty book she was reading.
"Maybe..." Becky sucked the end of her quill, resting her chin in her hand. "Aren't we about level with Hufflepuff at the mo'?"
Scorpius sneezed as Albus shut the book he was reading suddenly, causing a cloud of dust to rise up.
"Blimey Al," he said eye watering. "I think you're right Rose, unless..." Mouse trailed of as a thought occurred to him. "They wouldn't, would they?"
he said, an incredulous grin appearing on his face.
"No idea what you're talking about mate." Albus said, raising one eyebrow in bemusement at his friend.
"Nat and Min – Professor Carter and Professor Grey."
"What about them?" Becky asked, frowning slightly
"Oh!" Rose exclaimed. "They've been giving points for stupid stuff, haven't they?"
"You what?" Becky and Albus chorused, neither of them having noticed particularly. Then Becky laughed, as she realised that Mouse and Rose were right.
"They have and all– not to us four like, I guess they thought Professor Longbottom or Hendricks might've noticed, but like yesterday, Professor Grey gave Cal and Freddy points for picking up stuff she dropped, didn't she?"
"Oh yeah..." Albus said realisation dawning. "And the day before that, Professor Carter gave Chloe ten points just for handing out diagrams, when he normally only gives five."
"And I bet it's not just us," Mouse, finished, grinning. "Nice one Rose."
She flushed at the compliment.
"It wasn't much, really - now, who wants to read what they've got?"
The resulting 'no!' that followed Rose's question was enough to get the evil librarian, Madame Pince threatening to hang them from their ankles if they didn't leave now.
The next day the Great Hall's ceiling loomed threateningly, and the candles seemed overwhelmed by the reflection of the filthy weather outside.
"Bet you're glad you're banned today lads, aren't you?" Becky said, trying to cheer up her friends. It didn't work. Scorpius simply looked up from his plate of scrambled eggs, his expression wounded, whilst Albus was too busy staring miserably at his brother's laughing team mates, standing out in their scarlet robes.
"Oh come on!" Rose scoffed. "You can't seriously be upset that you're not flying today – it's going to be bad enough in the stands."
"And it's not like you'd have been flying anyway." Becky pointed out practically. Scorpius looked up again, and sniffed woebegonely, pushing the eggs around his plate.
"It's the principle of the thing." he said, haughtily, causing the girls to snigger.
"Girls wouldn't understand." added Albus , who had ceased staring at the Gryffindor team and was currently mutilating his bacon.
Rose raised her eyebrows.
"This coming from a boy who's mum used to play for the Holyhead Harpies, and who is currently the top Quidditch reporter for the Prophet." she said to Becky, dryly. Albus, looked as if he were about to protest, when as if following some unseen signal, the large majority of those breakfasting in the Hall stood up and made their way to the Quidditch pitch.
The four of them made their way down to the pitch, skirting the older Slytherins, but greeting Marius Nott and Wolf 'don't call me Wolfang' Selwyn, a pair Scorpius had known forever, and with whom Albus had started to get on surprisingly well.
"Alright Nott, Wolf?" Scorpius called
"We will be when we marmalise Gryffindor!" Wolf shouted back, jokingly.
The pitch loomed out of the mist, the goal hoops looking unearthly through the white. Albus, Rose, Becky and Mouse climbed to the highest point – and Albus was glad for his dad's old omnioculars – with the weather, and the way Slytherin played, he was going to need them.
"So the game ends when the Seeker catches the Snitch, which is worth 50 points, right?" Becky, asked, ducking as the Scamander twins unfurled a home-made banner, which was emblazoned with a large, moving, growling lion.
"Yup." Mouse said turning to glower at Lorcan, or possibly Lysander, who had just knocked him on the back of the head with the huge banner. "Now shut up, they're about to start" he joked.
The two teams made their way onto the pitch, although the Slytherin team seemed reluctant to swap their warm changing rooms for the cold, wind and rain.
"Good morning and welcome to this...fine...day, and to the first match of the Hogwarts Quidditch season!" the commentator joked. The dark haired boy was a 3rd year Ravenclaw Scorpius thought was called Alfie Boot.
" First off we have last years cup winners, the red and gold warriors of GRYFFINDOR!" A deafening cheer echoed around the stadium, as the team stepped forward, James looking up and grinning to his friends. " Not much new blood, this year, but Gryffindor's new Chaser, James Potter, looks set to follow his parents in the Hogwarts' Quidditch Hall of fame. He joins Captain of three years, Isaac Jordan, fellow chaser, Alyssa Robbins, Brutal Beater brother-sister duo Seren and Owain Jones – let's see if they can get through this year without too many injuries, keeper Feliks Rutkowski – we didn't see too much of Feliks last year, thanks to illness, and finally last but most definitely not least – Seeker Ellie Woods!" A second, louder cheer went up as the legendary seventh year Seeker stepped forward, beaming, her black ponytail bobbing merrily.
"And facing them, their long-time rivals – they're lean and mean in silver and green iiit's Slytherin!"
Again, a cheer echoed around the pitch, although this time there seemed to be a few boos interspersed with the cheers.
"Again, not many new faces this year, although Amir Shafiq and Lyra Fawley were only reserves last year – will their inexperience lose Slytherin yet another match, or will a shake up leave Slytherin victorious against Gryffindor for the first time in ten years?"
There was more booing, although this time it came from the Slytherins, rather than directed at them.
"Get your facts right Boot!" a voice yelled from the Slytherin stand.
Alfie continued, unfazed by the catcalling.
"India Fortescue makes up the triumvirate of the Slytherin Chasers, a real star in the making, and rumour has it that she's been scouted for the Harpies!"
Almost every eye in the Gryffindor stand turned to Albus, expecting him to clarify the claim – Albus who had no idea, could only shrug helplessly, and the rest of the Gryffindors turned back to watch the start of the match, Alfie Boot just finishing the round up of the Slytherin team.
Isaac Jordan stepped forward to meet his opposite in the Slytherin team – wiry dark Seeker, Idris Griffiths.
Madame Hooch stepped forward, her yellow eyes flashing warningly.
"Now, I want a clean game, the both of you."
Isaac and Griffiths stepped forward, each of them trying to crush the other's in their handshake, neither of them willing to show signs of pain.
Despite Madame Hooch's warning, neither team seemed to listen to it, and their were nasty fouls on both sides.
" And the Jones siblings determined break their last year's record of 6 broken bones all year in one match! That's a lucky miss for Fortescue oh, she shoots, and she scores! Slytherin score the first goal of year – 10-0 to Slytherin!" Alfie announced, amid cheers from the green and silver stand.
But it wasn't to last – as if spurred on by the challenge Slytherin had given them, the Gryffindor team threw themselves into the match, oblivious to the foul weather.
"And Alyssa Robbins passes to James Potter – who dodges a potentially nasty Bludger hit by Lachlan Stuart – passes back to Robbins – nice avoidance of Lyra Fawley there, and Robbins scores! Within 10 minutes Gryffindor have fought back to draw!"
Scorpius had to admit – whilst he didn't get on with Albus' elder brother, James Potter's confidence (which some might have said bordered on arrogance) wasn't misplaced – he flew with steely determination and an almost suicidal lack of awareness for risk.
Typical Gryffindor he supposed. As the match progressed, Scorpius's admiration for the James as well as the rest of the team increased – the Jones siblings flew like Bludgers themselves, whilst Feliks Rutkowski, after that first allowed goal seemed determined not to left another past him,
"And has Ellie Woods seen the Snitch?" Alfie's voice rose in excitement as the slight seventh-year plummeted to the ground, followed by Idris Griffiths. A groan went around the stadium as she suddenly pulled up at the last minute, leaving Griffiths nearly driving the end of his broom into the turf. "It seems not – classic example of a Wronski Feint there folks, but nice recovery by Griffiths."
Albus let out a breath he didn't realise he been holding, and watched the replay in his omnioculars.
"Becky." Scorpius said in a rather strangled voice. "Can I have my arm back please?"
"What? Oh – sorry!" she hastily let go of Mouse's forearm, which she had been holding in a vice-like grip as the two seekers had plummeted towards the earth. She blushed as she returned to the game.
"Madam Hooch is giving a penalty to Gryffindor – a Foul by Tristan Avery means that James Potter will take the shot - and he scores – 160-10 to Gryffindor!"
The Slytherins were booing once again – they thought the foul had been uncalled for, whilst Chloe Dixon and Becky were demanding that he should be sent off.
Then all of a sudden, Idris Griffiths shot like an arrow towards the Gryffindor goal – Feliks blanching as the brooding Slytherin captain came barrelling towards him, with EllieWoods hot on his heels.
"And Idris Griffiths has definitely seen the Snitch, no doubt about it, Ellie Woods is close behind but will her acceleration be enough to catch up with Griffiths – no! I don't believe it! Griffiths had got the Snitch and Slytherin...no! In a last ditch attempt James Potter shot and scored for Gryffindor,making the score 170-160 to Gryffindor – Gryffindor win! Oh my God that's amazing!"
The Slytherin stand was in uproar shouting at the injustice, whilst the noise in the red and gold stand was incredible, stamping, cheering, wolf whistling. The Slytherin team on the other hand had headed almost as one towards Madam Hooch, protesting James' last minute goal, to no avail.
James himself was doing a victory lap, the huge grin on his face exultant. At least, until Lachlan Stuart hit one of the Bludgers at him post match. It collided with the back of James' head with a dull thunk, and the older Potter boy fell unconscious towards the earth.
A/N Welcome to Hogwartsandhorses244 - new followers are always welcome. AS ARE REVIEWS, hope you don't hate me for this cliffhanger too much. What am I saying it's far too amusing imagining people freaking out. MUHAHAHA! Ahem. How's the Quidditch? I found it VERY hard to write, so I hope it's good.