Chapter 139: New Brooms Sweep Clean (4)

The Gryffindor Quidditch team gathered in the changing room, the roar of the crowd outside growing louder by the minute. Dressed in her red and gold robes, Catherine quickly took a sip from Peter's mom's Tonus Elixir, feeling the nausea disappear and her spirit soar. The events surrounding the Halloween Ball had completely occupied her mind, leaving little time to think about her first game. Consequently, all the anxiety slammed into her that morning when the entire Gryffindor table cheered their team as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Do you feel alright?" – James asked, sitting next to his friend.

"Yup!" – she answered, perhaps a bit too joyfully – "At least I won't throw up from my broom on top of the whole school!"

"Sounds kind of fun, not gonna lie!" – Sirius laughed.

"What is wrong with you?" – Catherine inquired, her voice a mixture of desperation, disgust, and amusement.

"Quite a lot of things!" – the wizard stated with a huge grin, adding with a wink – "Maybe you should try to fix me."

"I can definitely fix you if you don't shut your mouth!" – Greg snapped, casting Sirius a glance over his shoulder.

"Come on lads and lasses! We have a game to win!" - Marvolo Wood called out, standing in front of the team – "It's the first match for Scarlett and Catherine, but we're all here to support each other and beat the shit out of Ravenclaw! Are you ready?"

"Born ready!" - Scarlett Porter shouted enthusiastically, jumping to her feet and accidentally stepping on James' foot in the process – "Oh, sorry!"

Catherine couldn't help but smile at the funny face the tiny brunette made as she apologised profusely to James. Truth be told, the new Gryffindor Chaser was incredibly clumsy on the ground, which contrasted oddly with her speed and grace in the air. The three Chasers shared a similar flying style, and they worked seamlessly together, leading fans to believe this was the best state the team had been in for years.

As the seven players entered the Quidditch pitch, thunderous applause and shouts welcomed them. The Ravenclaws were already waiting, their captain and Chaser, Lysandra Ogden, staring at the clear sky above. Madame Hooch brought the four balls to the centre, and before long, fourteen brooms flew into the crisp November sky, accompanied by the cheers and jeers of the crowd.

Catherine immediately caught the Quaffle and sped towards the Ravenclaw goalposts. She passed to Sirius, who dodged a Bludger sent his way by Magnus Talon with practiced ease, before handing off to Scarlett. Scarlett maneuvered around the fellow Chaser, Odette Edgecombe, and scored the first goal. The stands erupted with cheers.

As the game progressed, Gryffindor maintained a slim lead. Sirius and Scarlett showcased their coordination, weaving through Ravenclaw's defences and scoring consistently. Catherine used her impressive speed to distract Zephyr Sterling who was usually quite a good Keeper.

Twenty minutes into the game, just as Catherine intercepted a pass intended for Archibald Smith, a wave of dizziness hit her out of nowhere. Her vision blurred, and the stadium seemed to spin around her. She wobbled dangerously on her broom, her grip loosening on the Quaffle. The crowd gasped as she teetered, and for a heart-stopping moment, it looked like she might fall. Sirius, always vigilant, noticed immediately and darted towards her.

"Catherine!" - he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring crowd. He managed to catch the Quaffle just as it slipped from her fingers and supporting his friend while she managed to regain her balance and waved reassuringly to Madame Hooch who was ready to stop the game.

The match continued, uninterrupted, but Gryffindor's lead was slipping, and Ravenclaw capitalised on the momentary disruption. The score was now neck-and-neck, with both teams fighting fiercely for every point. Catherine, determined not to let her team down, shook off the dizziness as best she could and rejoined the fray. She managed to execute a daring feint, diving towards the left hoop and drawing Zephyr Sterling out of position. At the last second, she twisted her broom sharply and passed the Quaffle to Sirius, who threw it with all his strength. The Quaffle soared through the air, narrowly dodging a Bludger sent by Alaric Thistlewood, and passed cleanly through the hoop. Gryffindor scored, pulling ahead by ten points.

The crowd went wild, but there was no time to celebrate. Ravenclaw immediately launched a counterattack, their Chasers flying in a tight formation. Marvolo and Dominic, armed with their bats, intercepted a Bludger aimed at Scarlett, giving her the chance to steal the Quaffle mid-pass. She sped down the pitch, ducking under Archibald Smith and handing off to Sirius, who executed a spectacular Sloth Grip Roll to evade another Bludger.

Sirius then passed the Quaffle back to Catherine, who, despite feeling lightheaded, pushed forward with determination. A well-timed Bludger from the Gryffindor's captain cleared her path. With a final burst of speed, the young witch steadied herself and hurled the Quaffle straight through the centre hoop, securing another ten points for Gryffindor.

Suddenly, a flash of gold caught the eye of both Seekers. The Snitch had appeared near the centre of the pitch. James, accelerated in a steep dive, closely pursued by the Ravenclaw Seeker, Ava Donovan. The crowd held its breath as the two raced neck-and-neck, but James was faster and his reckless plunge caused Ava to pull up sharply in order to avoid crushing with the ground. James seized the opportunity and reached out, snatching the Snitch just mere centimetres from the ground.

The final whistle blew, and the Gryffindor stands erupted in triumph. Gryffindor had won with a final score of 300 to 140. Catherine, despite her exhaustion and lingering dizziness, beamed with pride as she touched down. Sirius and Scarlett flew to her side, their faces alight with joy.

"We did it!" - Sirius shouted, hugging Catherine tightly.

"We flew like pros up there!" - Scarlett yelled, her eyes shining.

The black-haired girl smiled, feeling the warmth of victory. The team descended to the pitch, the cheers of their housemates ringing in their ears. Catherine couldn't stop smiling as they headed towards the Changing Room.

"You did so great, Flame! Did you get dizzy?" – asked James, tossing his arm around the young witch's shoulders.

"A bit, but I I'm fine now!" – Catherine responded happily, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins.

"I'm glad! Of course I knew you were going to be brilliant!" – James laughed – "Let's shower first, then, we'll get some treats from our secret supplier and then we…"

The young witch glanced at her friend, waiting for him to finish his sentence, but he suddenly froze in the middle of the corridor. His mouth was half-open, and his hazel eyes were filled with horror and anger. Catherine quickly followed his gaze and almost groaned when she saw her brother kissing Lily at the very door of the Changing Room.

"James, no!" – she screamed, attempting to grab the wizard by the back of his robes. However, she was not quick enough. The boy roughly shoved Greg McMahon away from Lily. The young aristocrat, caught by surprise, lost his balance and fell to the ground, his wrist cracking ominously.

"How dare you!" – Lily yelled, her green eyes filling with tears as she saw her boyfriend getting back up to his feet.

Catherine's jaw tightened. She was furious at James for hurting her brother. The next moment, she saw Greg's eyes glowing threateningly, and she knew things were spiralling out of control. Trusting her gut, the girl jumped between James and Greg, her lips forming a silent 'please' as she looked at her sibling.

"You're actually quite fortunate, Potter!" – Greg sighed, his eyes returning back to normal – "You can thank your lucky star because the only reason I'm not going to put you in your place is Catherine. Be grateful that she's your friend!"

"The Hell!" – Sirius shouted angrily, staring at the fifth-year.

Catherine ignored Sirius. She approached Greg and gently closed her hand around his wrist. The blond boy hissed in pain but didn't flinch. Soft blue light engulfed their joint hands, and in less than a minute, the bones were completely mended.

"This is remarkable magic!" – Greg exclaimed with a bright smile, moving his wrist freely to check the mobility – "Thank you, Flame!"

"Thanks, Daisy!" – Lily said gratefully, ignoring James who was grumbling angrily – "I'm glad that at least one of you has some common sense! Maybe it's better if you change and shower in the dormitory, Greg?"

"Yeah, it's probably for the best." – the boy agreed, and they turned to leave.

"Wait for me!" – Catherine shouted, dashing after them.

"Flame?!" – Sirius called in disbelief after her.

"What's wrong with girls, mate?!" – James mumbled angrily, heading straight to the showers, his mood from the victory completely spoiled.

***

The next two days were tense. The Gryffindor victory celebration was awkward, with many team members not speaking to each other. Catherine was furious that James had attacked her brother. James was mad at Greg, not only because the fifth-year had kissed Lily, but also for being condescending and insinuating he was the stronger wizard. Additionally, James was also angry at Catherine for defending Greg and generally taking his side. Sirius was annoyed at Greg, confused once again about the relationship between Catherine and the Gryffindor Keeper. Finally, Greg was ignoring both Potter and Black, secretly pleased that his sister defended him in front of her friends.

The mood didn't improve as the new week began. Catherine was sad to realise she was now not speaking to both Remus and James. With Sirius also sulking, she had few options for conversation, which pissed her even more. On Tuesday morning, she demonstratively went to have breakfast with Mary, Gwyneth, and Lily.

They had just started eating when Greg joined them, surprising everyone by sitting next to Mary. Catherine smiled with satisfaction when she saw her friend blush but bravely hold her end of the conversation. Many in the Great Hall noticed this unusual setting, wondering why the heir of Hogwarts would be interested in speaking to someone like Mary MacDonald, who was considered a social outcast after the incident with the pictures.

Happy with the initial success of the mission to help her classmate, Catherine headed outside into the chilly November morning, making her way to the Greenhouses for her double Herbology lesson. Professor Sprout directed the fourth-years to the area around Greenhouse Three, where they were instructed to prune a row of Flutterby bushes. It was a daunting task, as the thin branches constantly moved.

Fifteen minutes into the class, Catherine was already hot and sweaty, with a small scratch on her cheek, and was seriously considering setting the bush on fire. In an attempt to get a better grip on the plant, she almost fell headfirst into the Greenhouse window. Swearing under her breath, she leaned against the wall and casually glanced through the glass. She threw the loppers to the ground and quickly approached Sirius and James, who were working on the nearby bush.

"The Mandrakes are almost ready!" – she whispered, gesturing towards the window – "I believe we can get the leaves before the Christmas break."

"Fucking finally!" – exclaimed James, forgetting he was not speaking to Catherine.

"The only thing is that since we can't take them during class, it's best if we do it after dark when nobody's around." – the young witch states contemplatively.

"When has that been a problem!" – Sirius laughed – "We'll use James' cloak and go whenever we want."

"Don't be daft!" – Catherine snapped, irritated – "Do you think Sprout just leaves this Greenhouse unlocked and unprotected? We have to find what spells she uses so we can sneak inside. I don't exactly want to be caught stealing Mandrake leaves."

"Can't your Hufflepuff friends help? She's their Head of House after all." – James asked, casually glancing over his shoulder to check if someone was eavesdropping.

"I doubt it, but I'll try to ask them discreetly." – the girl replied, adding with a smirk – "I thought you weren't talking to me."

"Nonsense!" – said James, looking a bit embarrassed – "This knobhead McMahon stole my future girlfriend; I'm not going to let him steal my best friend too!"

"Stop obsessing over, Greg." – Catherine sighed, resting her head on the boy's shoulder – "He's certainly annoying, but he's not bad. Actually, we have much more things in common than you'd think."