Chapter 19:Quidditch

"Mum! Dad!"

Hermione almost catapulted herself out of her chair in the Lord's Box as Joan and Ron Granger entered. Hugging them, she led them to the three chairs that she had reserved.

"Lord Potter." Ron said formally. "Thank you for inviting us."

"Well, if Hermione was going to sit through a match, I thought that she may as well have someone to complain to." Harry joked, earning an exasperated glare from Hermione. "Today we have the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, historically the most hotly contested one, although the Ravenclaw/Slytherin seems to be getting there."

As Joan sat down next to her daughter, Ron looked over the balcony, then he stepped back and looked at the fencing before returning to look over the edge.

"That's weird." He stated after several moments. "The fabric's invisible from the inside."

"It's so that we can see the game but still have at least some privacy." Frank Longbottom said from where he was sat with his family. "This box is only used for special guests, so normally the fabric is pulled up to hide this area. Heck, I don't think most of the students even knew that this was here."

"I didn't." Neville agreed. "Did you, Harry?"

"I knew that there was something here, it just never occurred to me to find out what and why." Harry admitted, then he looked up. "Ah, I think that I just heard someone pick up the microphone."

The small speaker set in the corner buzzed for a moment, then it burst into life.

"Welcome, ladies and Gentlemen, to the Hogwarts Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch match…"

.

"Damn those MACUSA bastards!" James snarled as he stepped out of his tent. "One hour! If we'd got here one hour earlier…"

"I know! You keep saying that!" Mark grumbled. "We failed to save him, whoever he was. Now give it a rest, dammit!"

"Children!" Gellert interrupted their argument. "We have something you should see. Diana?"

Diana's tear-streaked face popped out of her tent. "Yes?"

"Come with me, please. I know it's late, but you might find this interesting."

The three children exchanged confused glances, then followed Gellert into the third tent, the one that they hadn't been in before. All three of them looked round curiously as they entered.

"Why's it so empty?" Mark finally asked. "Our tent has loads of bookcases with books for us to learn from…"

"So does mine." Diana interjected.

"…but you don't have any bookcases, just those trunks… and a really strange table."

"It sorta looks like a soccer pitch… but what's with the baskets?" James asked, his earlier anger temporarily forgotten.

"Oh, you'll like this." Peter chuckled as he entered the room from the kitchen, wheeling a trolley filled almost to overflowing with popcorn, fizzy drinks and other snacks. "Quidditch is like nothing you've ever seen before."

"I agree." Voldemort agreed as he walked in from the dining room, a small rack of models in his hands. As Barty followed him in with a second rack, Voldemort placed the rack into a specially-designed depression on one side. "Gellert, the radio, if you would be so kind?"

Gellert tapped his wand to the radio in the corner as Barty placed the second rack, then to the astonishment of the children, the model figures rose off the racks and started flying out over the model pitch.

"That one there, the most detailed one, is Draco Malfoy." Voldemort pointed to one of the figures that was moving into position. "He is a trusted ally and my agent in Hogwarts. He also plays as one of the Slytherin Chasers and once he comes of age, he will take the mantle of Lord Malfoy."

The model of Madam Hooch flew towards the center of the pitch as the radio finally burst into life.

"…and here come the teams! First is Slytherin led by Marcus Flint.

Although he graduated last year, he remains at Hogwarts since

he is studying advanced Broom design under Madam Hooch. In

flanking positions are the Beaters Peregrine Derrick and Lucian

Bole, followed by the Seeker Terence Higgs, the Keeper Miles

Bletchley and the Chasers, Draco Malfoy and Adrian Pucey.

The Gryffindor team now enter the field led by their Captain and

Keeper Oliver Wood with the Seeker Percy Weasley by his side.

The twin Beaters Fred and George Weasley are next, followed by

the Chasers, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Ron Weasley.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's four siblings on the same team!

Madam Hooch lands and places the box on the ground.

The captains have landed and, as Madam Hooch watches, they

shake hands… and they mount their brooms.

Madam Hooch opens the box and releases the Golden Snitch!"

"That's the smallest of the four balls, smaller than your fist." Gellert explained quietly as a golden speck appeared, then vanished. "It's the Seeker's job to catch it, doing so ends the game and earns a hundred and fifty points."

"The Bludgers are released and Madam Hooch takes hold of the

Quaffle. She throws it up into the air… and Malfoy swoops in and

snatches it before Spinnet can get it! He passes to Pucey, over to

Flint, back to Puce… no! Ron Weasley does a Hawk From The Sun

and intercepts, sending it straight to Spinnet, who ducks a Bludger

and passes to Johnson! Back to Spinnet, pass to Weasley who dives

under Flint and rolls past Pucey. He's closing in on the hoops, but a

classic one-two from Derrick and Bole force him to break off. Malfoy

closes in… Malfoy breaks off and climbs towards Johnson… who has

the Quaffle! A perfect Ghost Pass, I have no idea of when they did it!

Johnson shoots, but Bletchley alerted by Malfoy and blocks the shot!

Quaffle to Flint, passes to Malfoy, pass back to Flint who drops it for

Pucey to grab. Pucey evades Spinnet and… Weasley does a perfect

grab and plucks the Quaffle out of Pucey's hands! Pass to Johnson

who charges forwards, shielded by a Bludger Barricade by the Twins!

Johnson shoots… ten points to Gryffindor!"

.

"The twins are really on their game today." Harry noted as the red-headed boys in question performed a perfectly-synchronised turn to return to their own half of the field. "Malfoy's doing well too. He's obviously been training hard."

"Will that be a problem for you?" Ron asked curiously, then he blinked as both Hermione and Neville burst out laughing. "I'll take that as a no."

"His first match, Harry not only blocked every shot made, he also managed to block both Bludgers so hard, there was nothing left of them other than twisted bits of metal embedded in the turf."

Both of Hermione's parents stared at Harry in amazement, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"Flint takes the Quaffle and swings wide. goes low to avoid the Bludgers.

Malfoy loops over as Pucey flanks Flint… Weasley blocks and Flint passes

to Pucey… Johnson intercepts! Johnson feints left, curves right, passes to

Spinnet but Malfoy takes the Quaffle back and makes a run for the hoops,

Weasley in hot pursuit, moves to block… and Malfoy sneaks a shot past him!

Malfoy equalizes and the score is now ten-all!

Wood looks annoyed as he retrieves the Quaffle and passes it to Spinnet

who passes it to Weasley… Percy Weasley dives with Higgs in hot pursuit!

Weasley and Higgs slicing through the game, heading for the left side of

the pitch… near-collision between Higgs and Flint, but he gets through…

There's the Snitch! Percy closing in and the Snitch goes evasive, but Percy

closing in on it… but he's forced to dodge a Bludger fired by Derrick! Higgs

closes the gap… the Seekers are almost neck-to-neck as they close in on

the Snitch… and a Bludger forces them to break off!

The Snitch vanishes and… Wood blocks a shot by Malfoy! Weasley takes

the Quaffle and loops up and over…"

.

"This is intense!" James exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement as he tracked the purple glitter of the Quaffle. "I wanna learn to fly like that!"

"My Lord… I could buy some Broomsticks and teach them." Barty offered. "They are magical, so they should be able to…"

"Approved." Voldemort nodded. "We'll have to find a quiet area… and the sessions will be short since tomorrow, we are heading for the next Obscurial."

"How did he do that?" Diana burst out, watching agog as Malfoy managed to spiral past Wood and score another goal.

"Malfoy is remarkably gifted on a broom." Voldemort said in approval.

.

"Malfoy is very good." Harry noted as Malfoy swooped past.

"His father was almost as good." Augusta agreed sourly. "He did have a tendency to cheat, though, which is why he ended up being banned. Malfoy seems to be avoiding that trap."

"He's a very good shot." Harry agreed. "I have to work to block him."

"Harry plays as Keeper for our team." Hermione explained to her parents. "He hasn't let in a single goal in the last two years… even in training!"

"Impressive." Ron noted and Harry blushed slightly at the unexpected praise.

.

"Not a single foul so far." Minerva said approvingly from the Teacher's Box. "I remember when Slytherin would have sent at least two of the other team to the Infirmary by this point."

"But none of them were able to make a career in Quidditch." Sirius noted from where he was sprawled across his chair. "What? I checked."

"It is good to see that my House has finally learned the value of true cunning." Severus agreed. "By proving their skill and ability to play by the rules here, they become far more likely to be recruited by the professional teams."

Sirius gave his fellow professor a long look.

"You seem surprised, Black."

"Just… amazed by how things have changed since I was a student here." Sirius admitted. "Before, it was all about trading favors and threatening those who were weaker…"

"Yes. For all his skills in potions, Horace Slughorn wasn't very good at showing the true nature of being Slytherin." Severus sighed. "Admittedly, his Slug Club was useful for those with the wit to use the opportunities that it offered…"

"Such as yourself." Black interjected.

"Such as myself." Snape agreed.

"And my brother." Sirius sighed. "Poor Regulus. Sacrificing himself to try and take down Mouldyshorts."

"I… was unaware of that." Severus admitted. "He was a superior Seeker… He could have become the lead Seeker for any professional club…"

"Except the Harpies."

"…except the Harpies, for obvious reasons." Severus managed not to roll his eyes at Sirius' joking comment. "What did he do?"

"Locket." Sirius supplied and Severus nodded.

"I see."

"Shouldn't you be paying attention to the game?" Remus asked from behind them.

Sirius and Severus exchanged glances, then turned to face the Quidditch field once more.

.

"…and Malfoy makes another shot, sneaking it past Wood, putting them

thirty points in the lead at one-forty to one-twenty. Wood retrieves the

Quaffle and passes it to Spinnet… Percy Weasley rolls and dives! Higgs is

caught totally unaware as Weasley races past him and… Weasley has the

Snitch! Gryffindor wins, two-seventy to one-forty! What a match!"

"Slytherin lost." James said disbelievingly.

"It was a well-fought game, though." Gellert mused. "And an interesting lesson, too. Sometimes, events beyond your control can cost you more than you expect, even when you're winning."

"It was a cool game, though." Diana shrugged as she fought back a yawn. "I wonder what Draco looks like."

The other two boys stared at her and Gellert gave her a gentle smile.

"I am sure that you will meet him sooner or later, my dear." He said. "However, I do believe that you should all get some sleep. As I got a nap earlier, I'll start driving us to our next destination while you get your rest."

.

"A well-fought game." Severus noted as he stood up. "My congratulations to Mr Percy Weasley, Septima."

"I'll relay that to him." The Head of Gryffindor smiled as she too rose from her chair. "And my respects to Mr Malfoy, he showed great skill. Not many can sneak the Quaffle past Wood."

"He is far better as a Chaser than he would have been as a Seeker." Severus noted. "Draco Malfoy was intelligent… and cunning… enough to realize that. I have high hopes for him, now that he has demonstrated that he can avoid making decisions purely on his ego."

"I know, I know." Sirius waved his hands defensively. "You don't have to say it."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Lord Black." Severus smirked as the others all tried to muffle their laughter.

"Suuuuuu-uuuuuuure you don't." Sirius rolled his eyes as he rose to leave the box, passing by Severus as he did so. The other teachers followed suit, leaving Severus standing at the front, looking out over the pitch as the audience slowly filed out. Glancing round, he rolled up his sleeve slightly.

"Jorel, I wish to leave a message for Lord Potter…"