Ancient Magician (Severus x Reader)

Chapter 32:The Rogue Bludger

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𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 32:𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳

"𝘛𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘰"

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The roar from the stands was deafening as the whistle blew, launching us into the air like arrows loosed from a bow. Fourteen brooms surged upward toward a slate-gray sky, clouds churning above like restless beasts. Rain hadn't started yet, but the air felt heavy with the promise of it. My fingers tightened around the handle of my broom as I soared higher than anyone else, searching for even the faintest glint of gold. The Snitch was out there somewhere—I could feel it.

"All right up there, Scarhead?" Malfoy's voice rang out below me, smug and slicing through the wind as he zipped underneath me with deliberate flair, trying to show off the speed of his broom.

"Never better, Blondie," I shot back with a smirk of my own.

He looped around, flying back into view, his face full of exaggerated mockery. "I see you and your ragtag team got your hands on the Nimbus 2001. Didn't know charity extended to Gryffindor now."

I rolled my eyes, keeping my gaze on the sky but not missing a beat. "I didn't know you lot handed out bribes with monogrammed envelopes. Daddy write the cheque himself, or did Mummy gift-wrap it?"

That wiped the smirk off his face for half a second.

"My father could buy your entire house," he sniffed, voice sharp.

"Yeah?" I said sweetly. "Well, tell your dad I'm richer than him. FYI."

His mouth opened to retort—he never could leave the last word alone—but a sudden whistling tore through the air. My instincts screamed at me, and I veered left just in time. A black Bludger shot past my ear so closely I felt it disturb the strands of hair near my temple.

"Bloody—!"

I dove fast, heart hammering, and caught sight of George zooming up on my right. He raised his bat and took a mighty swing. The Bludger spun away through the air—but it didn't stay gone for long. Moments later, it curved back around like it had a personal vendetta and came barreling straight toward my head.

"This thing's gunning for me!" I shouted, my voice barely audible above the wind and the roar of the spectators.

I ducked again, pushing my broom into overdrive and streaking across the pitch. The Bludger howled behind me like a cursed missile. That wasn't normal—Bludgers were meant to fly at everyone, not focus on just one target.

Fred appeared to my left, his face tight with concentration. "Keep it steady—try to climb!"

I banked upward, shooting into the storm-dark sky. Fred raised his bat and swung. "Gotcha!"

But he didn't. The Bludger, knocked off its course for only a heartbeat, twisted unnaturally in the air and came hurtling after me again.

"What the hell is wrong with this thing?!" I shouted, glancing back.

"It's like it's locked onto you!" George yelled, following closely as he swatted at the second Bludger trying to aim for Katie Bell.

The rain started then—hard, icy drops that blurred my vision and drenched my robes. I had to wipe my glasses on the sleeve of my robe, but it barely helped. I had no idea how the rest of the team was doing until Lee Jordan's voice, muffled by the storm, blared over the enchanted microphone.