Chapter thirty!
Quidditch!
This one is going to be fun, especially because instead of focusing on the seeker position, we get to focus on the chasers.
As I've written before, Merlot is a bit of a flying prodigy, but she can still stand to get better. Her development as a quidditch player will progress over time, eventually having her rise into the spot of a professional quidditch star. But for now, we're going to have her first game.
—0—
It was a beautiful day in autumn, the leaves still cling to the trees and the sky was the clearest blue. A bit chilly, but not bad enough to require heavy cloaks, unless one was moving at high speeds.
A small breeze blew over the green hills, picking up a few fallen leaves and causing them to drift across the rolling waves of the black lake. At the edge of the water, dressed in yellow and black robes, stood Merlot Scortwit.
She was dressed for quidditch, with the robes displaying the Hufflepuff badger across her back. The leather quidditch mits that Charlie had bought her many years ago were on her hands, fitting perfectly around her white skin. The girl's hair was tied back, as a recommendation from Cedric. He said it would help her focus on flying more if her hair was out of her face.
A pair of shiny black boots peeked out from the hem of her robe, glistening as the light struck the polished leather surface.
The waves quietly struck the shore, creating a calm atmosphere as the breeze blew across Merlot's skin, the chill causing her cheeks to go pink.
"Are you ready?"
Merlot watched her reflection in the water as Cedric Diggory walked up behind her, his face distorted on the shifting surface of the water.
"Nervous."
"You're going to do fine." Cedric smiled. "As long as you play like you did in tryouts, we're going to smoke the Gryffindors."
Merlot nodded. "I'll do my best."
Cedric placed a hand upon Merlot's shoulder. "I know you will. Now come on, the match starts in a few minutes, I have a few things to talk to you about."
Cedric raised his and and called his broom to his side, before mounting it and looking at Merlot. "Come on, get the jitters out."
Merlot nodded and grabbed her broom, mounting it as Cedric kicked off. The young witch swiftly joined the seeker up in the air, looking out over the black lake as the wind picked up more.
"I need a favor from you, Merlot." Cedric spoke over the gusting zephyr. "I've seen McLaggen on a broom. I watched their tryouts. There's no doubt in my mind that he is more talented than I am."
Merlot blinked at her teams seeker as he spoke.
"But I have much more practice." Cedric continued. "I have a feeling that the Gryffindor team will send bludgers at me."
"You want me to take over if you go down."
Cedric looked into Merlot's eyes, nodding in confirmation. Still, there was a lot of confidence in his eyes.
"Fred and George Weasley are killer beaters. I once saw them curve a bludger around and through a goal hoop to block a shot. I have faith in my skills as a seeker, but if both of them start gunning for me…"
"I understand." Merlot nodded.
Cedric slowly hovered over to Merlot's side. The girl drew in a quick breath at the closeness of the boy.
"I want you to do whatever is in your power to win this. Chasers have a lot of restrictions. They can only fly so far outside the pitch. They can only tackle a person so hard. Still, if you can interfere without causing a ruckus, if you can keep a bludger off of a teammate, do it."
Merlot gave a quick nod and followed Cedric as he turned towards the pitch, his seekers robes flowing gently on the wind.
"Let's go."
—0—
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! BOYS AND GIRLS! WELCOME TO THE FIRST MATCH IF THIS YEARS HOGWARTS QUIDDITCH CUP! I'M THE NEW ANNOUNCER THIS YEAR, LEE JORDAN! TODAYS MATCH IS BETWEEN THE BRAVE TEAM OF GRYFFINDOR, AND THE LOYAL HUFFLEPUFFS!"
Merlot hovered on her broom in the center of the teams starting formation. Alden was behind them, guarding the goalposts. Malcolm and Tamsin were on either side of her, while Cedric hovered above. The two beaters, whom Merlot didn't know the names of, were halfway back, stretching as they prepared for the match to begin.
The Gryffindor starting formation mirrored their own. Merlot narrowed her eyes as their team captain, Oliver Wood, gestured something to Fred and George, whom Merlot recognized from the Hogwarts express.
"I want a good and fair game." Madam Hooch spoke as she released the snitch and the two bludgers. The brown cannonball like items soared up into the air and began to circle the perimeter of the pitch. The snitch flitted up and zipped around Cormac McLaggens head, before stopping and hovering in front of Cedric's face.
"THE GOLDEN SNITCH IS UP. WHOEVER CATCHES THE SNITCH FIRST GAINS THEIR TEAM AN EXTRA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY POINTS, AND ENDS THE GAME! MAY THE BEST SEEKER WIN!"
Merlot saw the glint of gold zip away as Cedric shifted his sight to Cormac. The younger wizard smirked at the Hufflepuff seeker, his eyes giving Cedric a wordless challenge.
Madam hooch blew her whistle and tossed up the quaffle. Merlot quickly dove down and raced under Angelina Johnson. Much to the young witches amusement, the Gryffindor team seemed to be so focused on the quaffle that they hadn't noticed her slipping underneath their ranks as Tamsin took the quaffle and sped to the right.
Angelina Johnson and Katie bell closed in on the Hufflepuff chaser, who quickly glanced back before speeding up.
"AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE HUFFLEPUFF TEAM IS ON THE OFFENSIVE RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE! TAMSIN APPLEBEE TAKES THE QUAFGLE AND MAKES A BREAK FOR IT, WHILE MALCOLM PREECE GOES LEFT FOR THE RECIEVE!"
Merlot skimmed along the bottom of the pitch as she kept an eye on Tamsin. The girl looked down and flicked her hand, giving Merlot a quick signal for their opening goal. Merlot nodded and approached from below as Tamsin and Malcolm sped towards Oliver Wood from the left and right.
As Fred Weasley hit a bludger at Tamsin, the girl lobbed the quaffle to Malcolm and quickly dodged. Preece swung himself up and kicked the quaffle towards the goal as Merlot accelerated. The girl rose up quickly and leapt from her broom, spiking the quaffle left as Oliver Wood dove right. The quaffle went through and-
"AN AMAZING SHOW OF TEAMWORK FROM THE HUFFLEPUFFS! IN THE FIRST THIRTY SECONDS THEY'VE STOLEN THE FIRST GOAL!"
"Good work!" Tamsin gave Merlot a thumbs up as she flew back to their side of the field. Malcolm followed and gave a nod.
Oliver Wood was given the quaffle and immediately passed it to the first open chaser, Katie Bell. The girl tucked the hall under one arm and sped off towards the Hufflepuffs side of the field.
Tamsin quickly tacked the girl and stole the quaffle, passing it to Malcolm who ducked under a tackle from Angelina Johnson only to be smashed by a bludger to the face.
"AND GEORGE WEASLEY CREAMS PREECE WITH A WELL AIMED BLUDGER! That's going to leave a mark…"
Merlot and Tamsin quickly landed by the fallen chaser, who raised a hand weakly. "I can keep going…"
"Oh no you don't. You're out of this game, Preece." Madam Hooch said, quickly waving her wand and putting the boy to sleep.
"It's down to the two of us Scortwit." Tamsin said as she took the quaffle. "The Weasley twins are gunning for us, I expect you or I to be next."
Merlot nodded. "I can shake a bludger."
"I know you can." Tamsin smiled. "Let's get this done for Preece."
The two kicked off from the ground as the crowd roared in approval. Malcolm was levitated off the field as Tamsin sped up and flew towards the Gryffindors goal posts.
Two of the Gryffindors gave chase while a third arched left, hoping to swing around and cut the girl off. Merlot noticed and soared upward, flying above her teammate as the Gryffindors closed in. Tamsin saw what the other team was planning and looked up to see Merlot giving a nod. As Katie Bell cut her off she tossed the Quaffle to Merlot, who flew over the Gryffindor and broke away from the other chasers,
"SCORTWIT AND APPLEBEE WITH SOME AMAZING COMMUNICATION. SCORTWIT MAKES THE BREAK AND SHOOTS, SHE SCORES! TWENTY TO ZERO HUFFLEPUFF!"
The yellow section of the quidditch pitch roared while the red and gold of the Gryffindors seats boo'ed. Merlot soared back to Tamsin side as they prepared for the next set.
"Watch it, the Weasleys are moving." Tamsin pointed out.
The two red haired beaters were indeed moving, approaching the bludgers and taking aim as Wood passed the quaffle to Alicia Spinnet.
"Dodge!"
Merlot rolled out of the way as both Weasley twins aimed for them. Tamsin broom was clipped, but she recovered fast. Unfortunately, the Gryffindor chasers had broken through their front lines.
"GRYFFINDOR TAKES THE OFFENSIVE! SPINNET PASSES TO BELL, LOBS THE QUAFFLE AND- SHE SCORES! TEN POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Alden gestured to Merlot, who got open on the left side of the pitch. The quaffle made its way into her hands and she sped off.
"SCORTWIT'S OFF LIKE A ROCKET! That's the fastest girl I've ever- McGonagall are you seeing this?"
Merlot grinned at the hushed commentary. It only added to her sense of excitement as she tore through the air. She could hear the shouts of the Hufflepuffs warping as she approached a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour.
A bludger came from her left, but Merlot did a quick corkscrew, dodging it as she rapidly closed the distance to the Gryffindor goal posts. Merlot shot the quaffle left as she had done in practice and scored another goal on their side.
"INCREDIBLE! SCORTWIT RESPONDS TO THE GRYFFINDOR ATTACK WITH AN ATTACK OF HER OWN, SCORING ANOTHER TEN POINTS FOR HUFFLEPUFF!"
"GEORGE! WE NEED ANOTHER OF THEIR CHASERS DOWN!" Wood shouted.
The beater nodded and instantly hit a bludger at Merlot while Wood passed to Katie Bell. Tamsin yelled a quick warning, but the bludger still hit its mark, glancing off of the back of Merlot's head and causing her vision to waver.
"Are you okay Scortwit?" Tamsin flew over.
"ANOTHER TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!"
Merlot looked up and pulled the band from her ponytail. With a wince, she tossed it aside, allowing her black locks to fall to her shoulders. "I'm not going to let that happen again."
Tamsin nodded. "Alden's got the quaffle. I'll take it this time, watch my back."
Merlot nodded as the quaffle was passed into play once more. Tamsin made her break for it as the Gryffindors charged. Merlot shook her head to loosen her hair and quickly sped off.
Katie bell stole the quaffle as the second Hufflepuff seeker was thrown from her broom by a bludger. Merlot landed beside her as Hooch blew her whistle.
"Double tackle." Tamsin mumbled, trying to get up. Oof… I'm not going to be back in I think…"
"So that leaves me." Merlot said.
Tamsin nodded as Hooch took the quaffle and handed it to Merlot. "That's a foul, so you get the ball. Are you up to flying dear?"
Merlot blinked as she held the red ball. Tamsin looked up into her green eyes and nodded.
"I've got this Applebee. For you and Preece."
Merlot mounted her broom and kicked off as the Hufflepuffs cheered. Madam Hooch helped Tamsin off of the field before blowing her whistle. "Possession of the quaffle is given to Hufflepuff. I'm sure you won't make another mistake like that again."
The Gryffindors paled and Merlot rose up into the air.
"Begin!"
"AND IT'S BACK ON! SCORTWIT IS THE ONLY CHASER FOR HUFFLEPUFF NOW, BUT SHE SEEMS TO BE HOLDING HER OWN, OUTSPEEDING THE OTHER CHASERS AND- SHE SCORES!"
Merlot flew back and prepared herself as Wood hot the quaffle again. The Gryffindor keeper passed to Angelina Johnson who took off as a bludger was shot at Merlot. The other two chasers followed in a defensive formation around Angelina as she flew towards Alden.
Merlot saw the bludger coming and shot towards the Gryffindor goals. The bludger turned and shot after her as she turned around. Unable to turn as quickly as the young chaser, the bludger veered off course and slammed into Oliver Wood, knocking him to the ground.
Merlot was already racing for the quaffle. The two Hufflepuff beaters were doing their best to stall the Gryffindor chasers, despite only having one bludger. Merlot giggled as she dipped down low, the feeling of a challenge causing her heart to flutter.
The three Gryffindors looked around like hawks as Merlot swooped underneath them. With a gentle hand she stole the quaffle and turned yet again, racing back to the Gryffindor hoops as Wood struggled to mount his broom.
"SCORTWIT SNEAKS AWAY WITH THE QUAFFLE AFTER AN INCREDIBLE DISPLAY OF MID AIR ACROBATICS! She's getting closer and… SHE DOES IT AGAIN! THE SCORE SITS AT FIFTY TO TWENTY!"
"Atta girl." Cedric grinned, looking down from his position hundreds of feet skyward. A flash of gold caught his attention at the Hufflepuff goal post and he dove, blitzing towards the snitch as he watched it flint up and around one of the viewing towers.
Meanwhile, Merlot had taken the quaffle yet again and was laying the pressure on thick. Wood failed to block another shot as he caught sight of the diving seeker. "FRED! GEORGE! CEDRIC!"
The two twins nodded and took aim, smacking the bludgers at the seeker as he pulled up and began darting around one of the viewing towers.
Merlot saw this and as Wood passed the quaffle, she broke off and blitzed across the field.
Cedric followed the snitch closely. McLaggen had caught onto him now but he was too far ahead of the Gryffindor seeker. The sound of a bludger found its way into his ears so he flattened himself against his broom and pushed himself faster. The snitch veered down and into the main field of the quidditch pitch. He could see in the corner of his eye Merlot falling into formation next to him.
"You've got two bludgers on your tail!"
"I'm too close!" Cedric replied, eyes on the snitch as it flew as fast as it could. "I won't be able to take the time to shake them!"
"I know!" Merlot shouted back. They were gaining speed, shooting through the pitch like a rocket. "That's why I stole the quaffle before getting close!"
Cedric continued to focus on the snitch as he processed what Merlot was planning. Before he could say anything, Merlot slowed down a bit and veered away, taking the bludgers with her.
Merlot frantically pushed her broom. She could outrun a normal bludger, but the longer they were on a persons tail, the faster they got. She quickly began doing every maneuver she could to shake them.
"SCORYWIT FLIES IN AND CAUSES THE BLUDGERS TO FOLLOW HER INSTEAD OF DIGGORY! THE HUFFLEPUFFS SEEKER IS CLOSING IN ON THE SNITCH, BUT BOTH OF THE HOSTILE BALLS ARE PURSUING THE OAST HUFFLEPUFF CHASER! IF SHE GETS KNOCKED OUT BEFORE DIGGORY CATCHES THE SNITCH, ITS ALL OVER!"
Merlot gritted her teeth as she shot up into the air. Cedric was only an arms length away from grabbing the snitch, she needed a few more seconds, so she went for it.
The bludgers growled as they sped after the girl, who dove down towards the Gryffindor goalpost. Katie Bell tried to slow her down but Merlot spun on her broom, dodging the chaser and losing a bludger as it collided with the other girls shoulder and veered away.
"AN INCREDIBLE DISPLAY FROM SCORTWIT! SHE SHAKES THE BLUDGER AND CONTINUES TO THE GOAL POSTS!"
The air whistled by as Merlot dove, pushing her silver arrow faster, faster than she ever had before. She felt that the speed was surpassing the comet two sixty and approaching what she assumed was the speed of a nimbus two thousand. It didn't help her excitement that Lee Jordan was shouting the same thing.
"HER SPEED IS NUTS! WHAT TYPE OF BROOM IS THAT? IT HAS TO BE A NIMBUS! There's just no way that-"
Merlot let the boys voice fade out of her mind as she focused again upon the game. There was still one bludger on her, and she was still going for the goal.
Merlot straightened her broom and shot towards the goalpost. Katie Bell sped in from the left for a tackle, but Merlot wasn't having it. She stood up as her broom sped towards the goal post and bent her knees, before jumping and hurling the quaffle into the left goalpost just as Cedric's hand closed around the snitch.
Cedric raised his hand in victory and turned just in time to see the second bludger smash into Merlots legs, causing her to flip over and over as she fell down onto the ground, landing with a sickening crunch.
Cedric quickly landed and ran to Merlot, clutching the snitch in one hand. Madam Hooch was already at the girls side, her wand out as she cast quick healing spells.
That wasn't good.
"She's crushed the left side of her rib cage with that fall. Bloody thrill seeker."
"She was winning us the game!"
Oliver wood flew over and landed along with Alden Summers. "She got hit before Diggory got the snitch, right?"
"Wood…" Rolanda spoke in a warning tone as Alden fumed.
"You took out all three of my chasers you arse!" Alden shoved Wood. "And you put my newest one in critical condition! You're worried about whether or not you won?"
Wood pushed Alden back. "She knew what she was getting into when she joined. That's quidditch."
"She's a first year!"
"There are rules about that for a reason!"
"WOOD!" Madam Hooch snapped, quieting both captains. "Summers is right, you're out of line."
"But-"
"No buts! I am trying to keep this young lady from dying and you want to make sure you won! Well you didn't. Diggory landed seconds after I did, and we both know that even with his skill, he isn't that fast. Victory isn't important right now."
"But-"
"Another word and I will give you detention. Mr Diggory, help me move Miss Scortwit to the hospital wing. I have faith that Poppy will have her recovered by tonight." Madam Hooch spoke.
Cedric nodded and helped Madam Hooch levitate Merlots now unconscious body. Oliver Wood glared as he turned and stormed to the Gryffindor locker rooms.
From the stands, a few students watched silently as Nerlot was carried away, with a certain headmaster watching with interest.
"Something the matter Albus?"
The headmaster raised an eyebrow as he turned to McGonagall. "Hm? Oh, no. She's just a very gifted chaser."
McGonagall nodded. "Indeed."
"Don't be too mad at your lions now, Minerva." The headmaster twinkled.
"I'm only frustrated with Oliver. He should know better." Minerva frowned.
"Hm. He has passion. Just remind him that his passion must also come with every day human conscious."
Minerva nodded and turned to leave the stands. "I will keep it in mind, Albus. See to it that Miss Scortwit does not become afraid of her flying skill from this."
"I assure Minerva, she will have little trouble."
"Hm." The transfiguration professor nodded curtly. And with that, she took her leave.
Albus nodded as he watched everyone filter back into the castle, the troop being lead by Cedric and Rolanda, who carried Merlot slowly and carefully.
"Hm… perhaps we will take it easy on the magic tomorrow."
—0—
Chapter thirty!
I didn't want Merlot to completely destroy everyone, even if she did a bit of that… I thought it would be a great way to show that she still has a long way to go. Sure, she's playing really well in a school beginner level, but she still got clipped by bludgers and was kinda destroyed a bit by one.
There will be more quidditch in the future, of course. But for now we're going to get into some plot stuff.
Remember to leave a review, and until next time.
Adios.