Goddess

The Quidditch Match

Even though Perse had decided to let go of the mystery for a while. It was physically impossible for her.

She spent all her free time in the library researching and at night she snuck into the the restricted section. 

However the one thing that could distract her was Quidditch.

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountainsaround the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel.

Everymorning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from theupstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled upin a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skinboots. 

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, would be the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match.

Perse couldn't wait for Saturday.

Rose was just happy  that her best friend had stopped living  in the library.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of thedelicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone lookingforward to a good Quidditch match.

Rose was standing beside her brother to make him eat something. Perse was standing with her best friend looking like she'd rather be anywhere but there.

"You've got to eat some breakfast." Rose insisted. "But no pressure. I don't mind if Gryffindor loses. " she added quietly so that only Perse could hear. She snickered.

 "I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione. 

"I'm not hungry." Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field. 

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers arealways the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on hissausages. 

"I'm out." Perse said before going back to her table with Rose.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around theQuidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raisedhigh in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes. 

Perse was on the stands beside Rose and Draco, her dark black hair left open.  She had wrapped her scarf tightly  around her neck and her blue-green eyes stood out due to her pale complexion.

Some Gryffindors had made a banner  for Potter which said, ' Potter for President.' It had a lion drawn below the captions and it flashed different colors. It was was partly ruined, but Perse thought it was really sweet. 

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. 

"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." The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for thematch, closely watched by Professor McGonagall. 

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, agood find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and— no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flintgains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he'sgoing to sc– no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Woodand the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindorthere, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must havehurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by theSlytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goalposts, but he'sblocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley,can't tell which — nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnsonback in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she'sreally flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goalposts are ahead —come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses —GRYFFINDOR SCORE!" Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with boos from theSlytherins. "

But Perse didn't hear it. She was busy peering  through her binoculars looking for the Snitch. "Any sign of it yet?" Rose asked wringing her hands anxiously.

"Nah, not yet." Perse said.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey duckstwo Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — waita moment — was that the Snitch?" A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, toobusy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

 Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after thestreak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck andneck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to haveforgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair towatch.Harry was faster than Higgs — he could see the little round ball, wingsfluttering, darting up ahead — he put on an extra spurt of speed —WHAM!

A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below — MarcusFlint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course,Harry holding on for dear life. "Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at thegoalposts for Gryffindor.

 But in all the confusion, of course, the GoldenSnitch had disappeared from sight again.  Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides. "So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —" "Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall. "I mean, after that open and revolting foul —" "Jordan, I'm warning you —" "All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which couldhappen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, whoputs it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Potter dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerouslypast his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. He gripped the broomtightly with both his hands and knees. It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off.But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Potter tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goalposts — Perse realised that his broom was out of control.

"What's with Potter's broom?" she asked, concealing her worry perfectly.

Itwas zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violentswishing movements that almost unseated him.Lee was still commentating. "Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet —passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose —only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — oh no . . ." 

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry'sbroom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away fromthe game, jerking and twitching as it went. 

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broomhad started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on.Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harryswung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.  His broom was vibrating so hard, it wasalmost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was onits feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harrysafely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good — every time they gotnear him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circledbeneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint seized theQuaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing. 

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back onto his broom. 

Perse frowned and saw the commotion in the teachers' stand. She zoomed in with her binoculars and found a certain brunette walk away hidden. 

"Granger." she muttered.

Potter was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap hishand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick — he hit the field on allfours — coughed — and something gold fell into his hand. "I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the gameended in complete confusion. 

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twentyminutes later, but it made no difference — Harry hadn't broken any rules andLee Jordan was still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won byone hundred and seventy points to sixty.

After the game Perse was telling, "I'm telling you, Rose. I swear I saw Granger. I know she's the one who set Snape on fire."

"Fine, but why would she?"