Forever... Always

Year 3 - Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff

It is finally May, meaning that we only have this month and the next left before summer. We have our final quidditch match today. We aren't going to win the quidditch cup even if we win against Slytherin. I look forward to playing one last time with Marvolo and Vale. There's going to be a celebration whether we win or not for the two of them.
I woke up before sunrise again to perform my incarnation.
"Amato Animo Animato Animagus." I whispered, as Amber is still sleeping.
I thought nothing would happen because nothing has until this point, but I felt a second heartbeat. I was super caught off guard and then I remembered that that's supposed to happen and that I need to go tell McGonagall.
I rushed getting my uniform on, shorts, skirt over top, blouse tucked into my skirt and then I put my tie around my neck without tightening it. It was still early, but I knew that I had to get out of the common room before our team started to head to breakfast. I headed out of my dorm and through the common room in the fastest tiptoeing possible. I snuck to McGonagall's classroom, careful to not be seen by Filch.
"Shouldn't you be in the Great Hall having breakfast before your match today Dutchman?" She said as she let me into her classroom.
"I felt a second heartbeat Professor. I did the incarnation and felt it!" I exclaimed, still trying to keep my voice down.
"That's wonderful dear. I'm glad to hear it. We'll still continue until a storm comes, but it seems it won't be too much longer. There's supposed to be an electric storm next week." She said looking joyful.
"That's excellent!"
"You best be off to breakfast now, the team will be showing up any minute now and we'd prefer they aren't asking many questions." She told me.
I left and was heading for the Great Hall. I got there just as the team was sitting down at our table.
"Hey, where were you this morning?" Lora asked. "We waited for a bit in the common room for you, but then I went to your dorm and Amber told us you were gone before she got up."
"Nevermind where she was." Marvolo shot in. "She's here now and that's all that matters. Now, let's eat! We've got a match today!"
I'm glad that he interrupted because I'm not sure what I would have said. We ate while laughing about past mistakes and every other memory we shared. I wish I could say it was all great, but it was bittersweet. This wasn't just having a fun chat about the past, this was a goodbye. I could tell that no one wanted this to be the end. Vale handed me a list of spells to make snacks with watery eyes. Marvolo joked about his first call as captain with his arms around Thornton and Linden. Lora was rather quiet, though she made sure to try not to show sadness on her face. Cedric and I finished eating and gave them all warm smiles. It's times like these that we can tell that this is a family.
"Let's go out with a bang!" Marvolo said as he stood up. "Let's show Slytherin what we're made of."
We walked to the pitch together, still laughing. We entered the change room and got our quidditch robes on. Lyptus got me to make a small pre-match snack. I used one of her spells and seven small bowls of blueberries appeared.
"Glad to see you're a quick learning Dutchman." She told me. "I may be leaving this year, but my snacks will live on." She chuckled.
"I was worried I'd never get frozen yogurt again." Raywood joked.
"No worries, that spell is on the list." Lyptus assured him.
"Just how many students are out there?" Rivers asked.
"Sounds like more than the amount that attends Hogwarts." Diggory added.
"Grab your brooms everyone. Match is about to start." Draper instructed.
Everyone headed towards the pitch, brooms in hand. We got on our brooms, flew around the pitch and the crowd roared. We gathered around Madam Hooch as she released the Bludgers and the Snitch. She blew the whistle, threw the Quaffle and the match began. In flashes of canary yellow and green, Draper, Diggory and Lyptus performed a Parkin's Pincer. Rivers narrowly saved me from a Bludger that was coming for the back of my head. I saw Everglade block the Quaffle as I flew up above all the actions to get a better view. I caught sight of the Snitch, but I could see the Slytherin Seeker watching me so I bolted away from the Snitch. He chased after me and I swiftly turned around and leaned forward to gain speed. I doove after the Snitch as it plummeted towards the bottom of the pitch. I pulled up, following it into the action of Beaters, Chasers and Bludgers. Raywood knocked a Bludger into the other one that was heading for me. I continued the chase, gaining on the Snitch. I was now close enough that if I stood and reached, I could get it. I stood quickly, maintaining my balance and reached my arm out and grabbed the Snitch. I lifted my hand with the Snitch in it to let everyone know I had it, when someone hit me hard in the back. I let go of the Snitch to possibly be able to grab my broom before I fell, but I missed and fell to the ground.
                    ***
I heard a bunch of voices. I couldn't make out who was who, but I could hear what they were saying.
"Dirty Slytherins again! Such sore sports." A boy said with anger in his voice.
"They could have killed her!" A girl said worriedly.
"Who did this to Rayne?" A much younger sounding boy asked.
"Sage Cassowary did." A much older boy stated in a deep, gravelly voice.
"THAT BITCH!" A boy yelled.
"George, calm yourself." A girl and boy replied.
"Language Georgie." I said while opening my eyes to find Vale, Marvolo, Thornton, Lora, Linden, Cedric, Fred, George, Amber and Neville all standing around me.
I took a look around and quickly realized I was in the hospital wing.
"You're awake!" A girl's voice said, a voice I could now recognize as Amber.
"What happened?" I asked.
"What do you remember?" Vale asked me.
"I remember uh- someone hitting me after I caught the Snitch. I tried to grab my broom, but I missed. All I remember after that is falling."
"You must have fainted from the shock. It's probably better that you weren't awake when you hit the pitch." Linden told me.
"You've broken your leg and wrist." Lora told me.
"So... Sage was the one that hit me?"
Everyone looked at each other, hoping someone else would answer the question, until finally, Marvolo decided to answer it.
"Yes. Snape and Dumbledore are talking about her punishment as we speak."
"Her punishment aside from getting kicked off the quidditch team." Freddie told me.
"Professor Sprout told Dumbledore to kick her off the team for endangering another student's life." Thornton said.
"She thought Snape would oppose." Neville started.
"But he agreed that she was much too reckless to be on their team." Cedric added to Neville's comment.
"She's getting another punishment on top of that?" I asked as if I hadn't heard.
"Of course she is! She could have killed you!" George shouted.
"I heard you Georgie, don't you worry about that. I've just got a couple broken bones, I haven't gone deaf."
"Time to let her rest. Out! All of you!" Madam Pomfrey called at everyone around my bed.
"Thank you all for coming." I told them as they left.
Dumbledore himself came in not too long after to tell me about Sage's punishment.
"I know that your friends have already told you that Sage has been kicked off the Slytherin quidditch team. We decided to send an owl to her parents as well as ban her from Hogsmeade trips." He told me.
"Are you sure that it isn't too harsh? After all, I'll be fine in only a week or two. Madam Pomfrey already used Ferula on my leg and wrist. It's really not as bad as it looks. She also used Brackium Emendo on my leg so that I can walk sooner."
"Rayne, I do believe that endangering a student's life deserves the punishment we've decided on. I'm glad to hear that you'll be better soon." Dumbledore got up to leave. "Don't you worry about Sage, if she tries anything further she'll be expelled. We've made her aware of this. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Professor."
Madam Pomfrey came by one last time to tell me that Monday I'd be able to walk fine. She told me that because of where the break was on my leg, it was easily mended. My wrist wasn't so easy though. I am supposed to be in a split and bandage for a few weeks, possibly even till the end of the school year, which now is only about a month and a half away.
I'm rather glad to be able to say that all I got from my fall was a broken leg and wrist, apparently it looked horrible. I'll have to stay in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend, but it could have been much worse. I'm very lucky.