Chapter 9 – Last Minute Substitutions
The mood in the locker room was sombre, to say the least. It was the morning of the last Quidditch game of the year. The championship game. The team assembled at the lockers to get ready and talk strategy. Yet, there was a noticeable empty spot next to Katie where the Gryffindor seeker should've been. The twins were joking around as usual, trying to cheer everyone up, but their hearts weren't in it. Katie, Angelina, and Alicia huddled together, though the empty spot felt glaringly obvious. Oliver was nowhere to be found.
The identity of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was centred around teamwork. The chasers could almost read each other's minds, on and off the pitch. They could synchronise passes and plays with as little as a look. Such a synergy was borne of close bonds of friendship. The less obvious yet still pivotal piece of the chasers' success was their seeker. Harry was small and lithe. Too small to hit yet too fast to avoid. His interference plays were second only to his prowess in catching the snitch. The chasers had come to depend on their seeker to bring their playmaking capacities to new heights.
Angelina Johnson would never say this to her close friend and fellow chaser, but Katie simply didn't measure up to Harry's ability. He was able to pivot between searching for the snitch and helping the chasers with an ease that Katie simply couldn't match. And she was sure that Carl Hopkins knew he wasn't even close to as good a chaser as Katie.
As lead chaser, it often came down to Angelina to drag her teammates kicking and screaming across the finish line. She would call plays and adaptations, and her teammates would look to her for inspiration. That was why she kept a brave face even though her gut feeling told her that there was no way this roster would be able to take that trophy home.
There was a good half hour left till the beginning of the match, and Oliver was still holed up in his office. She stood abruptly, receiving odd glances from her teammates, and stalked to the captain's office. She twisted the door open, just in time to hear a guttural howl and get pelted in the nose with a wad of parchment.
She yelped as she rubbed her nose. "What the hell, Oliver?"
"Sorry, sorry, I didn't see you open the door," Oliver said weakly. Angelina took a proper look at him. His hair was dishevelled, and he was slumped forward in his chair. His face was drawn taut with stress, and his eyes were red. She'd never seen Oliver like this before. She shut the door behind her, standing opposite him.
"What's wrong?"
He gestured to the parchment on the ground. She picked it up and unfurled it. It was a note from Hopkins saying he couldn't make the game. He got himself detention for calling some Slytherin a 'dirty toerag' in front of Snape. Angelina sighed heavily and slumped into the chair opposite Oliver.
"Now what?" She rubbed her temples. "Do we forfeit?"
"Tell Katie she's back on chaser," Oliver said with a stony expression. "We play as six. If we stay 150 ahead of Ravenclaw today, we can win even without a seeker. That's our best bet."
"Got it," she nodded. He was right. Staying 150 points ahead of the Ravenclaws was unlikely even with their proper chaser line up, but it was their best chance of winning even though Ravenclaw would inevitably catch the snitch.
She spared him a glance. There seemed to be something deeper than just the loss of Hopkins that was bothering him. She opened her mouth but hesitated and turned to the door.
"That offer to talk still open?"
"Yeah, of course," Angelina said, turning to face him. "This about Clearwater?"
Oliver shook his head with a watery laugh. "Not entirely. Sure, it bloody hurts that she's dating my mate, but it's not something I can hold against either of them."
He took a deep breath. "It's all of this," he gestured around the room at the trophies and the pictures of red-robed players. "The burden of leadership. It feels too much sometimes. You ever get that feeling like you're going to fall apart, but you've got to pull yourself together for everyone else?"
"All the time," she said softly.
"How do you fix it? How do you stop feeling like that?" Oliver asked desperately, and Angelina struggled to reconcile this Oliver with the calm, composed older boy who'd taken her under his wing two years ago.
"You don't," she shook her head. "It's not something you can fix. You just learn to share the burden. If you fall apart, you let other people help put you back together."
"But it's so hard," he mumbled into his hands. "I just feel like I have to be strong for all of you, you know? I need to set the bar high for the rest to follow. Why would any of you trust me to help you if you knew I couldn't even help myself?"
"Oliver, you're our captain, and we all look up to you," Angelina paused, both surprised by her words and the truth behind them. She thought carefully about what to say next. "But you don't have to be perfect for us. There's strength in showing weakness, you know? We won't think any less of you for it."
"I guess," he said. "It's just so hard sometimes to talk about my problems. I always think I could be helping someone else instead of complaining."
"It's not complaining, Oliver," Angelina chuckled. "You help us so much that I'm sure any of us would be willing to return the favour. Just give us that chance to help. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here."
"Thank you," Oliver croaked, and Angelina smiled. "I think I needed to hear that."
"Anytime," she stood. "I'll go let the team know about Hopkins. I'll get them ready for the game. You – take your time and come out when you're ready."
He nodded gratefully as she shut the door behind her. She broke the bad news to the rest of the team. Katie looked happy she'd be playing her actual position, even if they were most likely going to lose.
Oliver came out of the office a few minutes later. He looked the same as always, with an easy grin and relaxed posture. He still spoke enthusiastically about the match and seemed unfazed about the disadvantage they were going in with. Now that she knew to look for it, she noticed the way Oliver's shoulders would slump when he thought no one was looking. There was a weight to his steps as if each was laboured. It was subtle, but it was there, and once she'd noticed, it was all she could see.
The team geared up together. Knee and elbow pads were strapped, beater's bats were swung, and practice quaffles were tossed. Despite the missing player, the remainder resolved to do their best to win.
Meanwhile, in the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey left her office and walked to her sole patient.
"Potter, I think you're feeling well enough to leave," she approached his bed, which had curtains drawn around it. She knew Harry was fully able and assumed he'd grabbed them to get changed. She'd checked him over earlier this morning and he was fully recovered. "I would tell you to take it easy for a few days, but I know you'll want to watch today's match. As a reward for your good behaviour, I'll even let you play."
Pomfrey paused. She really thought that would have elicited a much larger reaction than utter silence. Her eyes narrowed and she pulled the curtain aside.
The bed was empty. There was but a note tied to a chocolate frog.
Sorry, but I need to play this game.
I hope you accept my apology frog.
Thanks for healing me.
Pomfrey snorted at the note before shaking her head. She really should've seen this coming. The boy was so much like Lily that she forgot that James' blood also ran through his veins. She shrugged and happily bit into the chocolate frog before heading down to the pitch. Now that she was free of patients and the entire school populace would be at the match, she felt safe in going and watching it herself. If he was going to sneak out of her care to play Quidditch, then Harry Potter better be damn good on a broom.
Back in the locker room, the fully geared-up team sat and waited to be called onto the pitch. Katie stood by her locker, fiddling with the strap of her goggles. Oliver and Angelina were going over plays and formations, muttering amongst themselves. Fred and George were playing rock, paper, scissors, except neither twin used rock, paper, or scissors. Alicia sat on her bench with her eyes closed and breathed evenly.
"Boo!" A voice came from right in front of her. She jumped slightly and opened her eyes. Standing before her was a grinning Harry Potter. Except it was only his head suspended in the air. She let out an unholy shriek.
The rest of the team turned and looked at her, alarmed. Katie screamed and Oliver let out a string of rather colourful words.
After a moment of shock, her brain caught up with her. Alicia gripped the air just below Harry's head. Her fingers latched on a smooth fabric, and she pulled. The rest of Harry appeared, and a silvery fabric appeared in Alicia's hands.
"Is that an invisibility cloak?" Katie asked in amazement.
"What are you doing outside the hospital wing?" Alicia asked at the same time.
"And yes, it is," she added for Katie's benefit.
Harry looked sheepish. Alicia's eyes narrowed.
"Harry, did you sneak out?"
"Madam Pomfrey said she'd discharge me soon anyway," he tried.
"But she hasn't yet?" Alicia raised an eyebrow.
"Uh…"
Alicia crossed her arms. "If Madam Pomfrey hasn't said you can play, you can't play."
Oliver made a sound of outrage but was silenced by Alicia's glare. Harry gaped at her.
"But –"
"But nothing, Harry," Alicia said sternly. "I don't want you exerting yourself if you're not supposed to."
Harry looked over Alicia's shoulder and snickered. She turned around to see Katie standing behind her, holding Harry's gear. His goggles were perched on top of her head, over her own.
She grinned unrepentantly at Alicia's glare.
She leaned forward, with the pile of pads and guards in her arms teetering dangerously. She offered the goggles to Harry, who plucked them off her head with a wide grin.
Alicia saw the gesture for what it was – an olive branch. The two wore identical grins, and she thought it was the closest the two had looked to their pre-dragon-incident selves. It almost made Alicia let him get geared up. Almost.
"Nope, gimme that," Alicia gestured to the goggles and Harry reluctantly handed them over. "No Quidditch for you until Madam Pomfrey clears you."
"Well said, Ms. Spinnet," Madam Pomfrey said from the door. Harry blanched and Alicia whipped around. "Indeed, Potter will not be mounting anything until I say so."
The twins laughed and Oliver snorted. Alicia glared at the redheads, and Angelina swatted Oliver over the head. Katie blushed and Harry just looked around, confused.
"Madam Pomfrey, I can explain," Harry started. The nurse looked at him expectantly, and he fell silent. He really hadn't thought he'd get that far.
"Well, Potter, I must say I'm rather disappointed," Pomfrey tutted, and Harry wilted under her stare. "I thought you took after your mother. I'm sad to say that your father's penchant for troublemaking did slip through." Her tone was rather light as she reprimanded him.
"Please, Madam Pomfrey," Harry pleaded. "I need to play today."
Harry had made a promise after his first match. He promised himself that he would catch the snitch every time for his team. For his friends. He couldn't miss this game. Not when he knew what was at stake.
Not when they'd given him their friendship. Not after they'd visited him in the hospital wing even though he might have jeopardised their chances at the cup. Not after Oliver had said he was just as much a part of the team as anyone else. Not when Alicia had listened to him recount killing Quirrell and being targeted by Voldemort and had still stayed by his side.
He needed to do this. They'd proven the Dursleys wrong. They had stayed. He wouldn't let them down.
He wouldn't say all this. That would require telling them about the Dursleys. That wasn't something he was ready to do. But he pleaded with his eyes, trying to convey everything he couldn't say out loud. Madam Pomfrey looked at him and her gaze softened.
"All right, all right, I'll let you play," Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "You were to be discharged today anyway."
The twins cheered, and Oliver and Angelina joined them a moment later. Katie, who was still holding his gear, dropped it into his arms with a grin. Alicia too was smiling now.
"Welcome back, Green Lightning," she ignored his groan and handed him his goggles back. "We missed you."
Madam Pomfrey left the locker room as Madam Hooch's voice announced they would go out in five minutes. Oliver squawked in surprise and ran to tell the referee about the roster change. Harry nearly sprinted into the boys' changing rooms and came out wearing his Quidditch robes in record time.
Katie, who was a little rusty on the chaser role, got some throwing practice in by tossing his protective gear at him. Harry, in turn, got some catching practice by catching each item and strapping it on. The two youngest members of the team ended up stopping when a thrown knee pad sent Harry's glasses flying. He took the opportunity to replace them with his goggles.
Harry stashed his glasses in his locker and joined the team huddle that was forming near the exit. He slipped in between Alicia and Fred. Oliver looked at the team and grinned.
"I had a speech prepared today about how we can win despite not having Harry. That we were good enough to bring it home with a sub. That we've got to do it for him. But we've had something of a miracle," Oliver nodded at him. "We're here as a full team, with everyone playing their intended roles. I'm not usually one for divination, but I'm going to take that as a sign."
Oliver surveyed the team intently. "I know I used to say this a lot, but this one here? It really is the big one. The best chance Gryffindor has had for the Cup since Charlie. The best team that Gryffindor has had in the five years I've been here. And I get to lead you all into this last hurrah. It was the honour of a lifetime even when we thought we would lose. But now? Victory is certain, so let's go out and grasp it like a golden snitch."
Harry whooped.
"You're so dramatic, Ollie," Katie laughed, though there was a fierce determination in her eye that was mirrored by her teammates.
Lee Jordan's voice began announcing the players on the Ravenclaw team. Harry picked up his Nimbus 2000 and grinned as electricity shot up his arm. His nerve endings tingled pleasantly as the magic of the broom finally recognised him as its master.
"And fresh out of the Hospital Wing is Harry Potter! Bring us that trophy, Harry!" Lee announced. Harry steadied the nerves in his gut before kicking off. He needn't have bothered because the nerves vanished as soon as he felt the wind in his hair.
Harry activated his mage sight in mid-air. The magic of the broom now pulsed fully red, white, and green. The magic in his fingertips crackled and intertwined with the magic in the broom. It reached out to him, and his magic responded in kind. Harry turned his broom and found he had more control than ever before. It seemed to read his next move before he could even think it, turning at the slightest prompt and accelerating at the softest push. His broom felt like an extension of his body, entirely his to command.
Harry leaned forward and whooped as the broom accelerated in a split second. He rocketed past the chasers before spinning and turning in the air. These aerial tricks had never felt easier.
The team assembled at the line of scrimmage, and while Hooch went on her usual spiel about clean games, mentioning that this one was for the championship, Harry focused on his Ravenclaw counterpart.
The Ravenclaw seeker was a short, weedy sixth year. He was still significantly larger than Harry, which told him he would be disadvantaged in close snitch chases. Unless the chasers stepped in to help him, the other seeker would easily body Harry out of the contest. His best chance would be to outfly the other seeker or catch him with a feint.
At the referee's call, Harry shot high into the sky, working off his nervous energy with flips and cartwheels, much to the joy of the audience. He floated high above the pitch, surveying, hunting. He would catch the snitch. He would win his team the cup. It was the only way he knew to repay them for their kindness and friendship. There could be no other outcome.
Failure was not an option.
Meanwhile, Angelina Johnson floated above the line of scrimmage, with Katie on her left and Alicia to the right. She watched the Ravenclaw chasers intently. The large, stocky chaser on the left – Davies – was holding his broom with his right hand and stretching his left. Davies was the highest scorer on the Ravenclaw team and most likely to go for the contest. He was also an egotistical prat, which made him doubly as likely. Angelina turned to Alicia, gestured to Davies, and patted her left arm. Alicia nodded and turned her gaze to her opponent. She signalled Katie, and the two girls swapped places.
The chaser in the middle – Burrow – spoke at length to his fellow chasers, who listened intently. Angelina knew that he was her counterpart, the Ravenclaw lead chaser. He would be calling the shots, and she would have to keep an eye on him. She pointed at him and jerked her thumb at herself, in the universal sign for 'he's mine'. Her teammates nodded. The third chaser was a smaller, wiry fourth-year named Stretton. Katie shouldn't have too difficult of a time blocking him.
Angelina looked one last time at her teammates before turning her focus to her opponents. Gone was Alicia's sarcastic smirk, replaced by cold, hard determination. Katie's perpetual smile too was gone, replaced by a focused frown. Her teammates were competitors through and through, and she couldn't be prouder to call them her best friends.
Katie and Alicia deserved the cup. She recalled Oliver, looking broken and vulnerable in his office. He had done so much for them. He deserved it too. She would do everything in her power to bring it to them. She would drag them across the finish line kicking and screaming if she had to.
Failure was not an option.
On the far end of the pitch, Oliver Wood circled the Gryffindor hoops nervously. This was it. The championship game.
Oliver shook the nerves off and went over his notes in his head. From their previous games against Hufflepuff and Slytherin, Oliver knew that the Ravenclaw offence preferred focusing their beaters on the keeper as soon as they were within ten meters of the penalty line. Fred and George had been instructed to protect the chasers and scatter the beaters in such a scenario. He had full faith in Alicia and Angelina's defensive capability, so he would happily be the target if it allowed those two to block the play uninterrupted.
He knew Davies preferred his left arm, and consequently preferred the right hoop, though he was known to sometimes feint and shoot for centre. Very rarely would he attempt a shot on the left hoop.
Burrow was the opposite, and almost always circled back to the left hoop, so Oliver felt pretty confident he could block him.
Stretton was the strategist and supporting player. He preferred to defend and distract and rarely took shots unless he was wide open. When the quaffle was in his hands, Oliver expected it to be passed to a teammate, not scored.
He felt he had a good read on the matchup going in, but only time would tell whether it would be enough. He hoped it would be. He didn't want to fail. He couldn't, not when he was this close.
Failure was not an option.
Closer to the ground, Fred and George Weasley surveyed the chasers. They discussed the most likely flight paths that the opposing team would take, and the most effective ways to scatter them.
The Weasley twins, despite being infamous around Hogwarts for their mischief, were probably the lowest-rated members of the team. Criminally, but not surprisingly, so. Such a thing is inevitable when you have the scariest and most well rounded chaser trio to grace Hogwarts in a long time, an infamously fanatical keeper-slash-captain, and Harry bloody Potter as your seeker. Fred and George weren't bothered by it though. Their friends, their teammates, knew their worth and that was ultimately what mattered.
The twins, sometimes endearingly and sometimes fearfully called the 'human bludgers,' weren't called that just because of their chaotic personalities. No, it was because of the unique style in which they played the game. Fred and George weren't your average beaters who hit the ball at the enemy (though they could do that too, with precision borne of sheer desire for chaos).
What set them apart from the rest was their willingness to throw themselves into the fray. Where most players on the Quidditch pitch try to pick the path with the least resistance to their destination, the twins preferred to cut right through the thick of the chaos. They were the type to intentionally fly in the middle of a Ravenclaw formation on their way to a bludger. The scariest part of playing the twins was that you had to deal with four bludgers instead of two, and two of them only targeted your team.
"D'you reckon they'll try to get Burrow the quaffle instead of Davies?" George asked. Fred scrunched his eyebrows.
"It would be smart," Fred said thoughtfully. "I know Angie would be focused on Davies; they've got bad blood. He'd be a perfect decoy."
At the beginning of the year, Davies had made a snide comment about Katie only getting onto the team because she was Oliver's cousin. Katie and Oliver had shrugged off the comment, but the protective Angelina had taken it personally.
"Burrow gets the first bludger of the day?" George grinned at his twin. Fred nodded.
"Mhmm, you take the shot, I'll play to defend the girls from the other bludger."
"Yeah," George frowned. "Is it weird that I really want to win this game?"
"Not really," Fred shrugged. "The team's been pretty good to us. Plus, poor Harry's been through the wringer. I think he needs a win."
"So, we're actually trying to do well at something school-related?" George snorted. "Must be a first for us, methinks."
"Quidditch doesn't count," Fred grinned. "Plus, imagine Charlie's face when he finds out we've got the same number of Quidditch Cups as him."
George cackled. "Now that is priceless. You've got me sold, brother of mine."
Failure was not an option.
The chasers were assembled in the middle of the pitch. They waited with bated breath for Madam Hooch to release the quaffle and officially start the match. Alicia breathed deep and steady. She hadn't felt this nervous about a game since she'd subbed into a game for the first time last year. But she continued her breathing regardless. In. Out. In. Out.
Madam Hooch's shoulders tensed, and Alicia held her breath. Any moment now. There was the shrill sound of a whistle blast as the quaffle was released into the air. The Gryffindor chasers flew straight for the quaffle. Alicia veered off to intercept Davies, who was reaching for it. She threw her arm out in front of the blue-clad chaser, blocking his vision of the ball.
Davies smirked at her, and she turned around to see Burrow make off with the quaffle. There was a sharp crack as an early bludger was sent right into Burrow. He just barely ducked under it but dropped the quaffle in the process. Katie tried to grab the quaffle but was blocked by Stretton. She strafed to the side, away from Stretton and the quaffle, just in time for a scarlet blur named Fred Weasley to fly between them. Katie slipped past a disoriented Stretton, grabbed the quaffle, and made a break for it.
Alicia broke free of Davies and followed Katie, with Angelina joining them soon after. They formed a tight Hawkshead formation, with Katie at the head and Alicia and Angelina on her wings. A bludger whistled toward them, but George appeared and snapped it behind them. Judging by the startled cry, the shot rang true.
The girls approached the penalty box, and Katie feinted a head-on goal before passing to Angelina.
"BELL SHOOTS – NO, IT'S A PASS TO JOHNSON, WHO PASSES TO SPINNET. SHOT ON GOAL – NO ANOTHER PASS BACK TO BELL WHO SHOOTS FOR THE RIGHT HOOP – IT GOES IN!" Lee's amplified voice rang through the pitch and was promptly drowned out by the cheers from the students. "TEN-NIL GRYFFINDOR."
The girls took their victory lap, slapping hands with each other. Harry swooped down from his perch and exchanged high-fives with the chasers. Wood cheered loudly from the end of the pitch, and the twins gave matching salutes with their bats.
The Ravenclaw chasers made their own attempt at a Hawkshead formation, blitzing down to the line of scrimmage. A diving Harry split Burrow from the pack, and a well-placed bludger forced Stretton to dodge. Alicia flew at Burrow, keeping him distracted long enough for Angelina and Katie to double-team Davies and wrest the quaffle from him.
Davis and Stretton were in hot pursuit of Angelina and Katie, and the scarlet-clad chasers passed the quaffle back and forth on the way to the hoops. Katie received a pass from Angelina and ducked under a bludger. She glanced to one side and saw Stretton. Assuming she was getting double-teamed, Katie lobbed the ball to Angelina, but Davis, who'd been trailing in Katie's blind spot, lurched forward and stole the quaffle.
She swore loudly as Davis turned around. He reared his arm back and threw the quaffle to Burrow, who used the change in possession to break free of Alicia's guard. Burrow made a break for the other end of the pitch, with Alicia in hot pursuit. The Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw entered the penalty zone.
Oliver narrowed his eyes as he watched Burrow approach him. The lead chaser veered out toward the right hoop, but Oliver didn't bite. He knew the Ravenclaw was just trying to throw off Alicia. He turned and swung for the centre hoop. Oliver saw his eyes flit toward the left hoop as he turned sharply. As soon as Alicia was out of intercepting range, Stretton made his shot with a snap of the wrist. Oliver turned sharply back to the left hoop. He reached out his arms and snatched the quaffle clean out of the air. The Gryffindor stands stomped their feet thunderously.
He tossed the quaffle to Katie, who instantly sent it rocketing to Alicia, who'd moved upfield. And so, the play resumed. Alicia and Angelina passed the quaffle back and forth, dodging the Ravenclaw chasers' attempts to steal.
Meanwhile, Harry scanned the skies for a flash of gold. Twice now, he'd gotten distracted by the golden pin in Alicia's bandanna. He couldn't bring himself to ask her to take it off, though. He loved that she wore his Christmas present all the time. He just kicked himself for not buying her something made of silver instead.
He saw Alicia and Angelina struggle with the Ravenclaw chasers just outside the penalty area. Harry dove, collecting momentum before flying between Alicia and her mark, veering wide to the left and making the Ravenclaw chaser come with him to avoid a collision.
Between them, Alicia and Angelina were able to lose the last chaser and enter the penalty zone. Harry retreated to his perch above. The Ravenclaw crowd cheered as the keeper saved a shot on the right hoop from Angelina, and then the Gryffindor crowd erupted in cheers as Alicia caught the rebound and sank it into the left hoop.
The chasers did their victory lap, and Alicia pumped her fist in the air as she passed the Ravenclaw section. Angelina mock saluted a blonde girl in the Ravenclaw stands that Harry vaguely recognised as one of the prefects.
Despite the strong start, the game turned into a stalemate quickly enough. The Ravenclaws began targeting Katie, noticing that she seemed to be a little rusty compared to the other chasers. Burrow was constantly on Katie, not letting her breathe for even a second. The Ravenclaw seeker, Samuels, also seemed to have realised the effectiveness of Harry's interception strategy and began imitating him, swooping and diving at Alicia, leaving Stretton and Davies to double team Angelina. The Ravenclaw seeker also constantly dove and feinted, keeping Harry's attention, not allowing him to interfere with developing plays. The Eagles seemed to have figured out team Gryffindor's game plan and were countering masterfully.
The Ravenclaw chasers double-teamed Oliver, scoring for the fourth time in a row when the Gryffindor captain called a time-out.
"What's going on out there?" Oliver yelled over the wind as the team landed on the grass and huddled together. "We're getting slaughtered!"
"I can't lose Burrow," Katie said angrily. "He just bodychecks me whenever I go for the quaffle. Their defence is too good."
Harry nodded. "I can't help her either because their seeker is always feinting, and I can never fully discount his dives. And whenever they're on offence, they focus me with the bludgers."
"Samuels is always on my arse," Alicia grumbled. "I'm flattered and all but take me to dinner first. He's done everything short of ripping the quaffle right out of my hands."
"So, they're using our strategy against us," Oliver summarised, to nods from the players. He thought for a moment. "All right, this is risky, but we can pull it off. Harry, I want you to double down on the interference. Get Burrow away from Katie. Alicia, keep Samuels close to you. If the snitch shows up, distract him long enough for Harry to get involved. Fred, George, I need you two to focus bludgers to free up Angelina. We're sacrificing Alicia so we can keep Harry in the play."
"Wow Wood, you really know how to make a girl feel appreciated," Alicia snarked.
Oliver snorted. "We've got this. This is our cup."
The team nodded fiercely and the captain held his fist to the middle of the circle. Everyone joined him.
"What are we?" Oliver chanted.
"Gryffindor!"
"WHAT ARE WE?"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
They threw their hands into the air and flew back to their posts. Harry flew high above everyone else but stayed within a quick dive of Katie. He watched Burrow trail her as she approached Angelina with the quaffle. Alicia flew right next to the play and made a sharp left turn. Samuels, who'd been right behind her, knocked right into Davies. A split second later, a bludger caused Stretton to duck. At the same time, Harry dove, aiming for the tiny gap between Katie and Burrow. He pulled on the back of his robes, letting them flare out behind him. It created more resistance but also allowed him to obscure Burrow's vision. By the time Harry passed, Katie was long gone, receiving a wide-open pass from Angelina.
Angelina and Katie were halfway to the penalty line, with only Stretton and the Ravenclaw beaters providing any resistance. Fred and George defended the girls from their counterparts, forcing Stretton to dodge and weave the bludgers flying at him, rendering him effectively useless.
Alicia caught up with the play, with Samuels close behind her. Katie passed the quaffle to Angelina and trailed behind, where Stretton caught up to her. Angelina held the quaffle and reared back to throw. Harry recognised the play and grinned when Katie looked up and smirked at him. Harry dove between Stretton and Katie as Angelina swung her arm at Alicia. Samuels flung himself at his mark. At the last moment, Angelina flicked downward with her fingers, sending the quaffle straight down, right into Katie's waiting arms.
The wild card rocketed past the others, right into the penalty box. Alicia laughed her way past the penalty zone, where Samuels couldn't follow. The two chasers double-teamed the Ravenclaw keeper and scored the easiest goal of their lives.
Harry was cheering for the passing chasers when Fred's frantic voice cut through the pitch.
"SNITCH!" he yelled, pointing at Samuels, pressed against his broom, rocketing toward a distant glint of gold.
Harry pressed himself flat against his broom, and it propelled forward without prompting. This was the first real chase in this match, and he was beginning to realise how much better his broom felt to use.
He stared down the glint of gold as he approached it, sparing the occasional glance at his counterpart. He mentally thanked his teammates for the goggles as the wind batted harmlessly against his face without stinging his eyes. He gained on Samuels, and the two were quickly neck and neck. Where Harry had the advantage in speed, Samuels had the upper hand in size.
Try as he might, Harry couldn't pull ahead. He was in a constant shoving battle with the older boy, and he wasn't winning. This was the exact scenario Harry had hoped to avoid. He tried to shove back, but the larger boy only laughed as he didn't even budge.
Harry clenched his knuckles around his broom as a particularly rough shove forced him to recentre. A bludger whistled toward Harry, and he ducked. So did Samuels. The bludger flew past both their heads, and Harry tried to gain more space, but it wasn't enough to escape the Ravenclaw. Once again, the two seekers were neck and neck.
"This has got to be the best chase I've had all year," Samuels yelled over the wind. "You're pretty good, Potter."
Harry smiled and inclined his head, eyes not leaving the snitch.
"And even the flattery ploy doesn't work," Samuels said. "So focused. I'm half tempted to just give you the win."
"Please do."
Samuels laughed, then stopped when a shadow fell over him. Harry glanced quickly above the other seeker to see Angelina looking down from a few feet above with a feral grin. Harry heard swishing robes to his left and imagined Samuels also heard the same on his right.
"Same as last time?" Asked the person on his left.
He nodded and he could almost hear Alicia's grin.
Harry accelerated as hard as he could. The chiselled wood vibrated under his fingertips as it was pushed to its limits. Samuels swore and flattened against his broom to keep up.
The snitch was just out of reach. His first instinct was to try to grab it. Do it all himself. But then he looked at Samuels, who was having the same idea. It was a head-to-head that he wasn't sure he could win alone.
But he wasn't alone.
He glanced at Alicia, who was watching him, waiting for him to make his move. It was a gamble, but he had to trust his team to pull through for him. They wouldn't let him down.
Harry pulled back on his broom, and his robes flared behind him like a parachute. Samuels watched in shock as Harry conceded the chase. Shock turned to glee, as he thought he'd won before the three Gryffindor chasers closed on him. Alicia pushed Samuels to the side, forcing him away from the snitch. Angelina and Katie boxed him in from above and below.
The wind pulled at Harry's hair as he tried to steady himself on his broom. He quickly stabilised and leaned forward again, barrelling towards where he'd last seen the snitch. He saw it again, glinting near the Ravenclaw stands. He swerved out of the way of a bludger and continued on the path. He was nearly there. Only a couple of meters away.
He heard a startled cry and heard a swearing Samuels trailing behind him. Harry was too fast; the older boy wouldn't be able to catch up in time.
It was just Harry and the golden snitch.
The ball zig-zagged erratically, and Harry followed each turn, surprising even himself with the broom's control. It was only a few inches away now. He could almost feel the wings beating against his fingertips. The ball switched directions, trying to slip past him as Harry lunged forward and gasped as he nearly fell off his broom. He braced with both arms on the handle.
Suddenly, Harry couldn't breathe. There was something lodged in his throat. He gagged once, then twice, then with a painful heave, something fell out of his mouth and into his hands. Something tiny and golden.
Harry stared in disbelief as the snitch unfurled in his palms.
He held it up, and the crowd exploded with chants of his name.
"POTTER! POTTER! POTTER!"
His feet touched the ground, and he stared in shock as scarlet-clad players landed around him.
"POTTER! POTTER! POTTER!"
He saw Alicia grin at him as her feet met the grass.
"POTTER! POTTER! POTTER!"
Oliver barrelled into him, knocking him to the ground. The older boy hugged him as tears flowed unashamedly down his cheeks.
Harry's elation was so intense that he didn't even process the hug enough to be uncomfortable.
He laughed. It was a laugh of disbelief. It hadn't quite settled in that he'd won. He'd caught the snitch. They were champions.
THEY WERE CHAMPIONS.
Harry and Oliver stood up, just to be tackled again by Alicia. She hugged him and he didn't hesitate to hug her back. The other chasers followed, sending them tumbling to the ground. Fred and George jumped on top of them with an incoherent war cry.
Harry was being poked and elbowed and jostled, but he'd never been happier.
The party in the common room was absolutely mental. The twins had pulled out all the stops. Lining the walls were barrels of butterbeer, pumpkin juice, and the unidentified drink Harry was forbidden from trying, right next to a long table full of every snack and treat he'd ever heard of. Loud muggle music blasted through a magically amplified wireless.
Like the last time, the twins handed Harry an unhealthily large slice of treacle tart before running off to cause mischief. He sat squished between Angelina and Alicia, who argued whether ketchup was fruit juice.
"A tomato is a fruit, though," Alicia said passionately. "If you're going to blend it, you make juice. Ketchup is a fruit juice."
"But you can blend cranberries to make cranberry sauce," Angelina countered. "That's not a juice, that's a sauce. So is ketchup."
"But you cook cranberries to make cranberry sauce. If you don't cook it, it's a juice," Alicia said smugly.
"You cook the tomatoes when you make ketchup, you absolute doughnut," Angelina yelled. Alicia huffed and smirked petulantly.
"Why do you two always get into these silly debates?" Harry shook his head. He looked at Alicia. "Especially you; you always lose them."
"Oh I know I'm wrong," Alicia whispered conspiratorially. "I just like watching her get riled up."
"How's it feel to be out of the hospital AND a Quidditch champion, Harry?" Angelina asked with a grin. Harry returned it.
"Bloody fantastic."
"What's the deal with you and Katie now?" Alicia asked Harry softly. Angelina looked taken aback by the sudden turn in conversation.
"Whaddya mean?" he asked, perplexed.
"I know you've been on eggshells since the dragon stuff," Alicia said. Harry nodded but didn't deign to elaborate. "I'm asking because she keeps looking at you like she wants to talk to you but doesn't really know where to start."
Harry followed Alicia's gaze to where Katie sat off to the side, chewing on a liquorice wand and sifting through a magazine. Occasionally, she'd glance up at Harry guiltily and look away before he noticed.
"Do you still want to be friends with her?" Alicia asked. Harry was surprised by the bluntness of the question and the lack of judgment with which she asked it.
Harry thought about it. He was afraid of being left behind. When Katie stopped talking to him, it had cut deep, bringing up all the 'lessons' he'd received from the Dursleys. They cherished telling Harry he was alone and always would be.
He'd almost forgotten all about it until Katie brought it back with a vengeance. A part of him wanted to abandon her like she'd abandoned him.
But she'd tried to make amends. That was more than anyone else had tried in the past. She'd apologised. She'd come to the hospital wing to see him – she was one of the first there. She'd told him he wasn't a freak and said it so surely that he almost believed her.
She was a good friend, and he wouldn't let one misunderstanding ruin that.
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"Then go talk to her," Alicia pushed him gently off the couch.
Angelina grinned. "'Licia doesn't want to see her two adoptees fighting."
"Her what?" Harry rubbed his ear to make sure he heard her right.
Angelina snorted. "Don't worry about it." She shoved him in Katie's direction, and he sat across from her awkwardly. Katie put her magazine down and smiled.
"Hey, Green Lightning," she said. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Hey Katie-kat."
Her gaze sobered. "It's been forever since you called me that."
Harry frowned. "I'm sorry," he said.
"You've got nothing to apologise for," Katie said stubbornly. "I should be apologising. I thought about it, and you were right. I ignored you just because people said I should. They said I shouldn't associate with troublemakers, and I didn't stop to ask if they were right. I just did what they told me to."
Katie looked down in shame. "I'm really sorry, Harry. I was a terrible friend. I hope you can forgive me."
Harry could only gape at her. He was pretty sure this was the first time he'd received such a sincere apology. She stared at him, confusion written all over her face. Her eyebrow quirked.
"Harry?"
"Uh, yeah," he stammered, unsure how to respond. "I forgive you. Honestly, it's all right. I should've told you and the others. I should've trusted you and the team."
Katie smiled brightly. "No more secrets?"
Harry nodded with an equally bright smile. "No more secrets."
A/N: WE'RE SO BACK WITH THE QUIDDITCH
Final game of the season, and the team gets their first cup. The Beginning of a Dynasty, if you will. Sorry about the late upload btw, I'm currently in Finals week, and I should probably be studying, but - and I'll channel my inner Oliver here - Quidditch waits for no man. Next week's chapter will prolly also be late but it is what it is. One more chapter left before we're done with Harry's first year. Things get a lot crazier very soon...
Also, I do appreciate all the review's I've been getting. Thanks everyone for all the kind words, it really does mean the world to me. Keep 'em coming, I'll be waiting for the notifications while I try to learn double hashing and breadth first searching in three days TT