Chapter 225: Snitch and Bludger

After dinner, Chris, Colin and Ron took shower and sat with the rest in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione and Ginny gave them loads of sweets, they brought from Hogsmeade. Harry and Ron were trying to do some homework.

"So how was your trip with Padma?" Chris asked Harry.

"It was. . . nice," Harry replied.

"And what about the girl gang?" Chris turned to Ginny, Hermione and Luna.

"It was really cool," Hermione grinned.

"I really enjoyed it too," Ginny smiled. "How is Quidditch practice going?"

"It was a nightmare," said Ron in a surly voice.

"Oh come on," said Hermione, looking at Chris, "I'm sure it wasn't that —"

"It was kind of," Colin admitted.

"I couldn't see the Snitch in the rain," said Chris. "Angelina is really upset."

"Ron, you got to surprise people, you know," George said coming towards them. "Angelina thinks you can do it."

"Yeah, you haven't seen her looking at me, after the practice today." Ron snorted.

"Well, you can't expect the crowd to turn their backs and talk among themselves every time the Quaffle goes up, do you?" Fred said.

Ron went red and Chris elbowed Fred. Fred sighed.

"You know, Quidditch was about the only thing in this place worth staying for."

Hermione cast him a stern look.

"You've got exams coming!"

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"Told you already, we're not fussed about N.E.W.T.s," said Fred. "The Snackboxes are ready to roll, we found out how to get rid of those boils, just a couple of drops of murtlap essence sorts them, Lee put us onto it . . ."

"The point is. . ." George hesitated. "We really want Gryffindor to win, Ronny. You know you are not that bad if you try."

"Just don't expect everyone to turn away," Fred said. "You know, Quidditch is kind of in our blood."

"That explains why Percy never played," Ginny said.

Everyone stared at her for a second then they cackled with laugh, even Ron.

"But seriously," Hermione said after they stopped laughing. "You should at least complete your N. E. W. T. s, at least for your mother, you know."

Fred opened his mouth to argue but Hermione gave him a Hermione-ish glare and Fred shrugged then smiled.

"Here we go Ron, at least you're better than Percy," said Chris. "Even Fred and George know that."

Ron surprised looked at Fred and George who nodded with great effort.

"We do," Fred grinned clapping Ron on the back.

Chris knew this will encourage Ron a lot and she was right. Following Saturday, Ron looked rather cheerful and confident than other matches. Angelina looked utterly surprised by this when she gave a pep talk to the team. 

After a while, they walked out of the changing room. To ruin Chris' mood, Umbridge was sitting near Ginny, Luna, Hermione and Harry in the stands. Even far from there Chris could see Umbridge's venomous smirk and Ginny's tight fist. Chris and Colin exchanged worried looks and mounted their brooms.

Now that Cedric wasn't the leader of Hufflepuff Quidditch team, the team had chosen Zacharias Smith to be the new Captain. He and Angelina shook hands, then Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. All of the fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

Chris had nothing much to do now, Angelina asked her flew higher and looked for the Snitch and stay out of the way. She heard Lee's commentary to know what was going on, while gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

As usual, his commentary was closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, who had joined the team after a bitter incident at the last match — back to Johnson and — no, the Hufflepuffs have taken the Quaffle, Hufflepuffs Captain Smith gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Smith flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc–"

And that's when the Slytherin started singing their original "Weasley is our King", Chris looked at Ron but Ron was concentrated on the Quaffle. The song suddenly made him lose focus and — 

"Noooo. . . Hufflepuff scores, ten to zero Hufflepuff and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Smith, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Hufflepuffs — that's Henry Emmet speeding off toward the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by our new Gryffindor Beater Colin Creevey — good one Colin, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goalposts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Caspian dives — misses — GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air. Chris saw Ginny and Harry jumping in their seats. She smiled to herself and that's when she saw a tiny little movement near Ron's left hoop. She dived downward after the streak of gold. The Hufflepuff Seeker Summerby had seen her and followed her. There were lots of gasps and howls from the crowd. Ron looked shocked at first as he saw Chris speeding towards him. Before Chris could do anything else, Ron dived out of the way and in doing so he blocked the Quaffle coming towards the left hoop. Gryffindor cheered. Chris followed the tiny little Snitch, she extended her hand before Summerby could catch up with her Firebolt.

WHAM.

A Bludger had hit her, smashed into her shoulder. Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in her shoulder, Chris looked around and saw Colin soaring towards her and a furious looking Angelina standing over Kirke, apparently he had hit the Bludger. Taking advantage of this situation Smith tried to score but Ron — this time, himself — stopped the Quaffle. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

"Damn it, Kirke," Chris guessed her shoulder had broken but asked Colin to go back. "I'm fine, go."

Lee was still commentating.

"Hufflepuff in possession — Spinnet with the Quaffle — passes Bell — and Gryffindor score. . ."

The score was eighty to sixty when Chris again saw the Snitch but Summerby had already seen it. Miraculously Ron had saved five goals back to back and there was a new song sung by the Gryffindors. Chris ignored it and holding her Firebolt with one hand, she zoomed after Summerby. She wanted the Gryffindors to win, only because she didn't want to disappoint the team and Angelina. Also because she wanted to prove she could be great Seeker too.

Chris spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled, neck to neck with Summerby, who clearly hadn't expect Chris that fast. Slightly dizzy, Chris nevertheless kept her eyes wide open, she took her remaining hand off her broom and made a wild snatch before Summerby could extend his hand; Chris felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as she headed straight for the ground.

"WE WON!" Chris heard Angelina screaming before she collapsed on the ground.

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To be continued. . .