Dear Coral, we lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Soleanna. Execution date to be fixed. Volt has enjoyed Knothole. I won't forget all the help you gave us.
Big
Silver read this over multiple times, he couldn't believe it "They can't do this. Volt isn't dangerous!". Coral wiped her eyes "Rutan's father frightened the committee. You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed". Razor stepped forward "Yeah, it will. You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Coral. I'll help" "Oh, Razor". Coral suddenly flung her arms around Razor's neck and broke down in tears. Razor looking quite terrified patted her on the head. Coral finally drew away "Razor, I'm really, really sorry about Wacky" she sobbed. Razor rubbed the back of his neck looking very guilty "Well… he was pretty useless. Mum and Dad might finally get me a Flicky this time".
With all the new security measures it was close to impossible to visit Big that evening. Instead they waited till their next Care of Magical Creatures Class. When they finally spoke he seemed numb with shock "S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Coral. An' then Clutch stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em". Razor had found a new confidence "There's still the appeal. Don't give up Yet, we're working on it!" "S'no good, Razor. That Committee's in Clutch's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Volt's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that". When class finished Big escorted them up to the entrance hall then turned and left with his face buried in his hands "Look at him blubber". It was Rutan laughing with Rough and Tumble "Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher". Silver and Razor made moves to attack him but before they could *Smack*. Coral had got their first, she had slapped him across the face with all the strength she could muster. Rutan staggered back as Silver, Razor, Rough and Tumble stood flabbergasted. Coral raised her hand again "Don't… You… DARE! Don't you say anything about Big!". Razor slowly stepped forward "Uh… Coral?" he tried to take her hand but she shook him off and took out her flute. Rough and Tumble looked to Rutan for instructions "C'mon!" he yelled and the three of them disappeared into the school. A few of the Shinobis patted Coral on the back on their way in. Once it was just the three of them "Coral… That was…" Razor Said both stunned and impressed. Coral kept clenching her fists "You better beat him in the Sky Chase final, Silver. You just have to. I won't be able to stand it if Raiju won" "You got it" Silver said, "C'mon we better get to Charm" Razor said. They hurried up the staircase to Chuck's classroom "You're late, boys. Come along, quickly, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs". Silver and Razor sat down at there desks and then realised "Where's Coral gone?". Silver looked around, she wasn't there "That's weird. She was right behind us".
Coral never turned up for class. It was a bit hard for Silver and Razor to care though, the cheering charms left them with a feeling of great contentment. It wasn't until lunch did they finally realise they hadn't seen her "You don't think Rutan did something to her?" Razor said worried. They went up to the Commo Room and found Coral sleeping at one of the tables with her head resting on her Arithmancy book. Silver prodded her awake "Coral?" "Huh, what? Is it time to go. What lesson have we got" "Uh, Divination but we've got twenty minutes. Coral, why weren't you at Charms". Coral gasped and let out a great sigh "Oh, no, I forgot Charms. I don't believe it. Was Charles angry?" "Uh, no. But how did you forget? You were right behind us" "Oh, I was just thinking about Rutan". Razor looked at the pile of books with great concern "Coral, I think you're cracking up. You trying to do too much" "No, I'm not. I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Charles and say sorry. I'll see you in Divination!".
The three of them sat together at Divination at a table that had a crystal ball on it "I thought we weren't doing these till next month" "Shut up. This means we've finished palmistry. I'm sick of her flinching every time she looks at my hands". Pyjamas did her usual dramatic entrance "Welcome. I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned. The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice". Coral let out a snort "She sets the exam. What an amazing prediction". Pyjamas thankfully didn't hear her "Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art. Do not expect any of you to see when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class". They began, Silver felt quite foolish just mindlessly staring into a ball. It didn't help when he was supposed to keep his mind clear that Razor kept whispering things to Coral that made her giggle. Pyjamas appeared behind them "Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb" "I don't need help, it's obvious what this means. There's gonna be a lot of fog tonight" Razor said. Coral and Silver both laughed annoying Pyjamas "Now, really. You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!".
Undina and Lyco both looked scandalised. Pyjamas approached the crystal ball "My dear, it is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr-" "Oh for goodness sake! Not this again!" Coral yelled. All heads turned to them now. Pyjamas stared at Coral with unmistakable anger "I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane". Silver never thought he'd see the day but Coral sprung to her feet "Fine!" she shoved her books into her bag "Fine! I've had enough anyway!" and she angrily barged out of the classroom. It took a few minutes for some to say something "Oh, Professor, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!" Undina said. Pyjamas anger left at once and she smiled "Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Coral would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs... The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know" she moved over to Undina's table. Razor for the second time today was in awe of Coral "She's having quite the day" "Yeah" Silver agreed. He was looking back at the ball hoping Pyjamas was lying when she said she saw the Grim. The last thing he needed was a near fatal accident when the finals were coming up.
The Easter holidays weren't much fun, the third years had never had so much homework. Antione looked close to collapsing and Larry one night yelled "They call this a holiday!?". Coral was the worst, even without Divination she still had so much homework. She looked close too tears almost every day. Razor even offered to do the research on Volt's appeal alone just to take some of the weight off her. Silver mean while had Sky Chase practice almost every day. Khan kept reminding him of the same thing, Raiju were ahead by 200 points so he couldn't catch the Ga when they were over fifty points up "We'll win the match but lose the cup if we're under that. Remember, you've got to catch the Ga-" "I KNOW KHAN!" Silver yelled after the 20th time he was reminded. Everyone was excited about the match. Shinobi hadn't won since Rotor years ago. But no one wanted Shinobi to win more than Silver. Rutan had been especially petty recently, not forgiving the mud incident and Silver wanted to make him pay for what he said about Big. The atmosphere around the school was getting very charged. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Shinobi fourth year and a Raiju sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears. Silver was having a particularly bad time. He couldn't walk to class without Raijus sticking out their legs and trying to trip him up. Rough and Tumble kept popping up wherever he went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw him surrounded by people. That was Khan's doing, he had given instructions that Silver should be accompanied everywhere he went, in case the Raijus tried to put him out of action. The whole of Shinobi House took up the challenge enthusiastically, so that it was impossible for Silver to get to classes on time because he was surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd. Silver was more concerned for his Psychic Wave's safety than his own. When he wasn't flying it, he locked it securely in his trunk and frequently dashed back up to Shinobi Tower at break times to check that it was still there. All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Shinobi common room the night before the match. Even Coral had put down her books "I can't work, I can't concentrate". Silver had to admit he wasn't feeling good. Every time he thought about the match he felt something trying to escape his stomach "You'll be fine" Razor told him. Finally when Khan was done staring at a small model of the stadium he stood up "Team, bed!" it came as a relief.
Silver woke up int eh middle of the night having a bad dream he was being chased by Rutan riding a dragon. He got up and went to a jug of water by the window. He poured himself a glass and stared out the window. It was still earlier, the grounds wee still and quiet and the weather had no sign of trouble for the match. But then he saw it the same red lizard, the Grim was prowling near a tree with "Aquarius". Indeed, Aquarius was with the Grim but if Aquarius could see it how it is an omen of death. The two animals disappeared from under the tree.
Silver didn't get anymore sleep, he just waited until it was time to go down for breakfast. He was relieved to see that Rutan and the other Raiju looked just as nervous as the Shinobi. He was also happy to see Yagyu and Gossamer cheer them on as they entered the Great Hall "Good luck, Silver" Amy Rose told him. Silver felt himself blushing. Khan was urging everyone to eat even though he was so stressed that he didn't eat himself. He then forced them all down to the pitch ahead of the rest of the school. He began pacing and talking about the weather "Okay, no wind sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it". They eventually went into the locker rooms and changed, Silver wondered whether the rest of the team felt the same way he did. In no time at all Khan said "Time to go out". They walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd was wearing green and silver rosettes, waving green and silver flags with the Shinobi chameleon eye upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO SHINOBI!" and "SHINOBI FOR THE CUP". Behind the Raiju goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing yellow thunderbolt of Raiju glittered on their flags, and Professor Infinite sat in the very front row, wearing yellow like everyone else, and a very grim smile. "And here are the Shinobis!" yelled Manic, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Silver, Lara-Su, Cocoa, Perci, Mighty, Ray and Khan. Widely acknowledged as the best team Soleanna has seen in a good few years" Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Raiju end. "And here come the Raiju team, led by Captain Konor. He's Made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill" more boos from the Raiju crowd. Silver, however, thought Manic had a point. Rutan was easily the smallest person On the Raiju team; the rest of them were enormous. "Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Longclaw. Konor and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers. "Mount your boards!" said Madam Longclaw. "Three... two... one..." the sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen boards rose into the air. Silver felt his hair fly back off his forehead, his nerves left him in the thrill of the flight, he glanced around, saw Rutan on his tail, and sped off in search of the Ga.
"And it's Shinobi in possession, Cocoa Spinner of Shinobi with the ball, heading straight for the Raiju goal posts, looking good, Cocoa! Argh, no. The ball intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Raiju tearing up the field and WHAM! Nice Thunderball work there by Ray, Warrington drops the Ball, it's caught by Perci, Shinobi back in possession, come on, Perci… Nice swerve around Anton. Duck, Perci, that's a Thunderball! SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO SHINOBI!" Perci punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of green below was screaming its delight "OUCH!". Perci was nearly thrown from her board as Konor went smashing into her. "Sorry!" said Konor as the crowd below booed "Sorry, didn't see her!". A moment later, Mighty chucked his Beater's club at the back of Konor's head. Konor fell and smashed his nose smashed into front of his board and began to bleed. "That will do!" shrieked Madam Longclaw, zooming between them "Penalty hot to Shinobi for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Raiju for deliberate damage to their Chaser!" "Come off it, Miss!" howled Mighty, but Madam Longclaw blew her whistle and Cocoa flew forward to take the penalty. "Come on, Cocoa!" yelled Manic into the silence that had descended on the crowd "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO SHINOBI!". Silver turned the Psychic Wave sharply to watch Konor, still bleeding, fly forward to take the Raiju penalty. Khan was hovering in front of the Shinobi goal posts, his jaw clenched. "'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Manic told the crowd as Konor waited for Madam Longclaw's whistle "Superb! Very difficult to pass… Very difficult indeed. YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!". Relieved, Silver zoomed away, gazing around for the Ga, but still making sure he caught every word of Manic's commentary. It was essential that he hold Rutan off the Ga until Shinobi was more than fifty points up. "Shinobi in possession, no, Raiju in possession- No! Shinobi back in possession and it's Lara-Su, Lara-Su for Shinobi with the Ball, she's streaking up the field… THAT WAS DELIBERATE!". Anton, a lizard Raiju Chaser, had swerved in front of Lara-Su, and instead of seizing the Ball had grabbed her head. Lara-Su cart wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her board, but dropped the Ball. Madam Longclaw's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Anton and began shouting at him. A minute later, Lara-Su had put another penalty past the Raiju Seeker "THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING-" "Manic, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way…" "I'm just telling it like it is, Professor!" Manic was having his same disagreements with Echo.
Silver felt a huge jolt of excitement. He had seen the Ga it was shimmering at the foot of one of the Shinobi goal posts, but he mustn't catch it yet and if Rutan saw it. Faking a look of sudden concentration, Silver pulled his Psychic Wave around and sped off toward the Raiju end. It worked, Rutan went haring after him, clearly thinking Silver had seen the Ga there *WHOOSH*. One of the Thunderballs came streaking past Silver's right ear, hit by the gigantic Raiju Beater, Derrick. Then again *WHOOSH*. The second Thunderball grazed Silver's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in. Silver had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward him, clubs raised. He turned the Psychic Wave upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch. "Ha haaa!" yelled Manic as the Raiju Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Psychic Wave And it's Shinobi in possession again, as Perci takes the Ball, Konor alongside her, poke him in the eye, Perci! It was a joke, Professor, it was a joke. Oh no, Konor in possession, Konor flying toward the Shinobi goal posts, come on now, Khan, save…". But Konor had scored, there was an eruption of cheers from the Raiju end, and Manic swore so badly that Professor Echo tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him. "Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Shinobi in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Shinobi in possession…". It was turning into the dirtiest game Silver had ever played in. Enraged that Shinobi had taken such an early lead, the Raijus were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Ball. Bole hit Cocoa with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Thunderball. Ray elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Longclaw awarded both teams penalties, and Khan pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Shinobi. The Ga had disappeared again. Rutan was still keeping close to Silver as he soared over the match, looking around for it once Shinobi was fifty points ahead. Lara-Su scored Fifty-ten.
Mighty and Ray were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Raijus were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Mighty and Ray's absence to aim both Thunderballs at Khan. They caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his board, completely winded. Madam Longclaw was beside herself "YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE BALL IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Shinobi penalty!" and Perci scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Mighty pelted a Thunderball at Warrington, knocking the Ball out of his hands; Cocoa seized it and put it through the Raiju goal, seventy-ten. The Shinobi crowd below was screaming itself hoarse. Shinobi was sixty points in the lead, and if Silver caught the Ga now, the Cup was theirs. Silver could almost feel hundreds of eyes following him as he soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Rutan speeding along behind him. And then he saw it. The Ga was sparkling twenty feet above him. Silver put on a huge burst of speed; the wind was roaring in his ears; he stretched out his hand, but suddenly, the Psychic Wave was slowing down. Horrified, he looked around. Rutan had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Psychic Wave's back, and was pulling it "You!". Silver was angry enough to hit Rutan but he might lose balance. Rutan was panting with the effort of holding onto the Psychic Wave, but his eyes were sparkling maliciously. He had achieved what he'd wanted to do, the Ga had disappeared again "Penalty! Penalty to Shinobi! I've never seen such tactics" Madam Longclaw screeched, shooting up to where Rutan was regaining his balance "YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Manic was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor Echo's reach "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING Bast…". Echo didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her fist in Rutan's direction, shouting furiously. Cocoa took Shinobi's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Shinobi team was losing concentration and the Raijus, delighted by Rutan's foul on Silver, were being spurred on to greater heights "Raiju in possession, Raiju heading for goal. Anton scores" Manic groaned. "Seventy- twenty to Shinobi..." Silver was now marking Rutan so closely their arms kept hitting each other. Silver wasn't going to let Rutan anywhere near the Ga "Get out of it, Hedgehog!" Rutan yelled in frustration as he tried to turn and found Silver blocking him. "Perci gets the Ball for Shinobi, come on, Perci, COME ON!" Silver looked around. Every single Raiju player apart from Rutan was streaking up the pitch toward Perci, including the Raiju Keeper, they were all going to block her. Silver wheeled the Psychic Wave around, leaning so low he was practically kneeling. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Raijus. They screamed and scattered as the Psychic Wave zoomed toward them, Perci's Way was clear "SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Shinobi leads by eighty Points to twenty!".
Silver, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field. And then he saw something to make his heart stand still. Rutan was diving, a look of triumph on his face. There, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, red glimmer. Silver urged the Psychic Wave downward, but Rutan was miles ahead "Go! Go! Go!" Silver urged his board. He was gaining on Rutan. Silver ducked as Bole sent a Thunderball at him. He was at Rutan's ankles. He then got next to him. Silver threw himself forward. He knocked Rutan's arm out of the way and "YES!". He pulled out of his dive and held up the Ga triumphantly. The stadium erupted in cheers. Khan half blinded by tears seized Silver around the neck. Then Mighty and Ray joined, then Lara, then Perci, then Cocoa "WE WON!" "WE WON THE CUP!". The ball made out of Shinobi players sunk to the ground with their voices going hoars. A wave of people came running onto the pitch and hoisted them all onto their shoulders. Now with a good view Silver saw Big "Ya did it, Silver. Ya did it! Wait till I till I tell Volt!". Then there was Hamlin jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Echo was sobbing harder than Khan, she was wiping her face with one of the flags. Then there was Razor and Coral who were lost for words, they simply beamed as the team were brought to Locke who was waiting with the Sky Chase Cup. He gifted it to a sobbing Khan who without hesitation handed it to Silver. He raised it up high, he wished a Prelate showed up, he could have produced the world's greatest Patronus.
