𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 ;𝐑.𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

"It's not over yet."

The next day was the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Hermione had to very literally drag Rachelle out of the warmth of her covers to go watch Harry play. "It's cold." she whined, putting on a jumper Mrs Weasley made for her in their first year.

She pulled on a scarf and tucked her hair into a maroon beanie. Rachelle and Hermione went to borrow an umbrella from Rachelle's father, then proceeded to joined Ron in getting a quick breakfast and the three went off to the Quidditch pitch.

It was sad to say that they were soaked within five minutes of leaving the castle. Even with the umbrella they had borrowed from Professor Lupin.

Hermione looked very tempted to use a sticking charm to stick the umbrella into Ron's hand when it kept trying to escape his grip.

It wasn't very easy to see what was going on, and Rachelle was convinced that most of the players weren't throwing the ball to each other, but the ball was merely slipping from their grasp and luckily someone from the same team caught it.

"How the bloody hell is Harry going to see the snitch in this weather?" Ron cried over the sound of the wind.

With the first flash of lightning came Mdm Hooch's whistle. The spectators could vaguely make out the yellow blurs and red blurs separating and going to different points at the edge of the field. "C'mon." Hermione grabbed Rachelle and dragged her off to meet the team.

Harry was waving his glasses around in exasperation, clearly complaining about how they didn't help him see the snitch.

Hermione popped out from behind Harrys shoulder, beaming. "I have an idea. Quick, give me your glasses."
Harry handed them to her. "Impervius."

"They'll repel water now." Rachelle supplied from behind her friend, her scarf over her head against the wind and rain.

Wood looked like he could kiss Hermione. Fred was looking at Hermione like he was seeing her for the first time. Rachelle noticed George nudge Fred in the ribs lightly with a sneaky smirk.

Rachelle flashed the team a smile and her and Hermione left, disappearing into the crowd.

They returned to Ron's side, who was still wrestling with the rogue umbrella. The game resumed.

There was the distinct sound of Wood screaming across the pitch at Harry, and another red blur—Harry—shot off, chasing after another yellow blur who they guessed was Cedric Diggory.

"They've seen the snitch!" Ron screamed unnecessarily.

The trio watched as the Harry flew closer and closer to Cedric, but something odd was happening. The stadium was slowly falling quiet, the wind was quietening, as though it was forgetting to roar in their ears.

And then a wave of cold enveloped the school.

Students looked around, Professors whispered amongst themselves.

Rachelle looked around. Dementors were swarming around the pitch, sucking out the happiness of the stadium and making everyone miserable. The girl could hear faint screams from her memories and she fought to keep them back.

Then Harry fell.

Girls screamed, boys yelled, Professor Dumbledore waved his long wand and Harry's fall slowed. He ended up on the ground with a soft thump. Students consisting mainly of Gryffindors crowded around him, including Ron, Hermione and Rachelle as well as the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Dumbledore waved his wand once more, and sliver wisps shot out of it, forcing the Dementors back. They left immediately, and Rachelle recognized the spell as the Patronus Charm.

Dumbledore looked absolutely furious, an expression not many had seen before. He magicked Harry onto a stretcher and walked back into the school with him floating on it.

•••

"Lucky the ground was so soft." George was saying.
"I thought he was dead for sure." came the dismayed voice of Alicia Spinnet.
"But he didn't even break his glasses." contradicted Hermione.
"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

The whole team and Harry's friends was crowded around Harry's bed, the team splattered with mud from head to foot and the others soaked in rain, looking like they just emerged from a swimming pool. The only one absent was Wood.

"Harry!" Fred exclaimed, looking extremely white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"

"What happened?' he said, sitting up so suddenly that everyone gasped.
'You fell off,' said Fred. 'Must've been – what – fifty feet?'
'We thought you'd died,' said Alicia, who was shaking.

Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.
'But the match,' said Harry. 'What happened? Are we having a replay?'

No one said anything.

'We didn't – lose?'
'Diggory got the Snitch,' said George. 'Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a re-match. But they won fair and square ... even Wood admits it.'

'Where is Wood?' said Harry, suddenly realising he wasn't there.
'Still in the showers,' said Fred. 'We think he's trying to drown himself.'

Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly.
'C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before.'
'There had to be one time you didn't get it,' said George.

"It's not over yet,' said Rachelle. 'You lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and you beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin ...'
'Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points,' said George.
'But if they beat Ravenclaw ...'
'No way, Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin lose against Hufflepuff ..."
"It all depends on the points—a margin of a hundred points either way."

After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave him in peace.
'We'll come and see you later,' Fred told him. 'Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had.'

The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to Harry's bed.

'Dumbledore was really angry,' Hermione said in a quaking voice. 'I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium straight away ... he was furious they'd come into the grounds, we heard him –'
'Then he magicked you onto a stretcher,' said Ron. 'And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were ..."

Harry was looking around. "Did someone get my Nimbus?"

His friends exchanged looks.

"Er –'
'What?' said Harry, looking from one to the other.
'Well ... when you fell off, it got blown away,' said Hermione hesitantly.

'And?'

'And it hit – it hit – oh, Harry – it hit the Whomping Willow.'

Harry's face paled. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree which stood alone in the middle of the grounds.
'And?' he said, already looking like he was dreading the answer.
'Well, you know the Whomping Willow,' said Ron. 'It – it doesn't like being hit.'
'Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came round,' said Rachelle in a very small voice unlike her own.

Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside-down and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.

a/n: i think i surprised everyone including myself with this update.
i might even update again tomorrow since i'm trying to get to the more action-ish parts of this story.

have a nice day/night y'all's!!!
-cheyenne❤️