In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter CXXX: Where My Demons Hide

HARRY:

It was a relief to be able to head down to Quidditch practice that night. Hermione had been on edge ever since the lunch conversation, and when she was on edge, Ron was on edge, and when Ron was on edge, I was on edge. But Quidditch was the best release in the world, as far as I was concerned, even in the rain, so I felt lighter than I had in several days as I headed down to the Pitch. Lucy was back, Quidditch was back, and that was enough for that moment.

When we walked into the changing room, Fred and George were in the middle of a whispered debate.

"-but I bet she'd know what we'd done. If only I hadn't offered to sell her some Puking Pastilles yesterday..."

"We could try the Fever Fudge, no one's seen that yet-"

"Does it work?" Ron asked.

Fred nodded. "Well, yeah, your temperature'll go right up-"

"-but you get these massive pus-filled boils too, and we haven't worked out how to get rid of them yet," George finished.

"I can't see any boils," Ron said.

"No, well, you wouldn't, they're not in a place we generally display to the public," Fred muttered.

George grinned dryly. "They do make sitting on a broom a right pain in the-"

Angelina entered the room before he could go on. "Alright, everyone, listen up! I know it's not ideal weather, but there's a good chance we'll be playing Slytherin in conditions like this so it's a good idea to work out how we're going to cope with them. Harry, didn't you do something to your glasses to stop the rain fogging them up when we played Hufflepuff in that storm?"

I nodded and pulled out my wand, tapping my glasses. "Hermione did it. Impervius!"

"I think we all ought to try that, if we could just keep the rain off our faces it would really help visibility," Angelina said. "All together, come on — Impervius! Okay. Let's go."

All properly Impervius-ed, we headed out onto the Pitch in the pouring rain.

I knew it would be nearly impossible to see the Snitch in the downpour, but I did my best anyway. Even in the dark and the cold and the wind, I felt so much better in the sky. It was as if the problems on the ground couldn't touch me when I wasn't actually on the ground. That's why my first thought the night Lucy realized Malfoy knew about her, well, everything was to grab our brooms and a Quaffle and take to the sky. I thought — no, I knew — Lucy was the same way. That's why I was so concerned when all of a sudden she looked down and panicked. That had never, ever happened before. I'd seen her shoot up into the sky, I'd seen her nose-dive to the ground, Lucy wasn't afraid of flying, she couldn't be. Afraid of falling, though... I reckoned that might explain everything.

After about an hour of trying to practice, Angelina decided enough was enough.

I removed my glasses to towel off my face and attempt to dry my hair. Suddenly, my scar seared with pain, and I couldn't hold back the "OUCH!" that escaped me.

"What's up?" a number of people asked at once.

I slipped my glasses back on and glanced meaningfully at Ron. "Er, nothing, I just... poked myself in the eye, that's all."

"Wish that was my biggest problem," Fred muttered as everyone returned to their own business. "I think a few of mine have ruptured."

George grimaced. "Mine haven't. They're throbbing like mad and feel bigger if anything."

"Lovely," Ron remarked. "Say, Harry, have I shown you yet the new polish job on my broom?"

"Not yet," I replied, and the two of us pretended to look at his broom until everyone left.