𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙎𝙤 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 ―𝐣𝐬𝐩

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐒𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧

James

The match had been brutal. We were sweat-soaked and bruised, but none of it mattered as we locked into the final seconds. The Quaffle was in my hands, and I streaked toward the Ravenclaw goals, feeling my team fall in formation behind me. With a sharp feint to the left, I hurled the Quaffle past Ravenclaw's Keeper. The Gryffindor stands erupted. But before I could even celebrate, I saw it—Martha, in a dead-drop dive after the Snitch.

Nate's voice was breathless with excitement, "And here we go, folks—my very own sister, Martha Aurum, plummeting straight for the Snitch with Jennifer Anderson on her tail! Come on, Martha!"

My heart was in my throat as I watched her dive lower and lower, almost skimming the ground. Jennifer was closing in fast. Just when it looked like Martha might not make it, she leapt off her broom, rolling across the ground as everyone gasped. The whole pitch fell silent as she lay motionless, her number 10 jersey torn, streaks of grass staining her skin. Nate's commentary stopped abruptly, and he sounded ready to bolt from the box.

"Emmy—" he muttered, too quiet for anyone but us to hear.

"Come on, let's go," I said, already diving down toward her with Louis, Freddie, and Merthin following close behind. We landed around her, all of us crouched, when Martha suddenly sprang to her feet, fist clenched in the air with the golden Snitch shining between her fingers.

She's so golden, she fucking shines.

"YES!" Nate's voice was louder than ever, the Gryffindor stands exploding in wild cheers.

Freddie and Merthin whooped, running at me and tackling me in a hug. Louis nearly picked me up, laughing and slapping me on the back. Luke, red-faced and grinning, leaned down and kissed Roxy—who immediately grabbed me, pulling me into the group hug.

Then Martha came running toward us, her jersey torn, golden hair wild, and a bright, triumphant grin on her face. She held up the Snitch and, without warning, grabbed my chain, yanking me down and kissing me. And not just a peck—she kissed me hard, like we'd been doing it forever.

The Gryffindor crowd screamed.

My heart screamed too.

"Martha!" Nate was laughing, his voice cutting through our cheers. "Aurum, you absolute legend! Not only has she caught the Snitch—she's apparently snagged herself a Potter in the process!"

My hands went to her waist, partly in shock, and partly because it just felt right to keep kissing her. But I barely had time to enjoy it when I heard someone clear their throat behind us. We broke apart, both of us breathless, and turned to see Gwenog Jones herself, arms crossed, smirking like she'd just caught us sneaking out of the castle after hours.

Gwenog raised her eyebrow, looking between me and Martha with a bemused expression. "Well, Ginny, looks like your boy's found himself a keeper—or in this case, a Seeker," she said, nudging my mum.

Mum, eyes wide, looked completely shocked. "I, um—yes, Gwen. I—I had no idea..." She trailed off, blinking at Martha as if trying to process the fact that her son had been kissing the girl she'd always assumed he bickered with nonstop. Dad, who'd just appeared behind Mum, was smirking in a way that made my ears burn.

"Hi, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter," Martha stammered, realizing too late that they'd just seen the whole thing. She immediately ducked behind me, her hands on my back like I'd somehow shield her from view. "Uh—could you not, um, tell my parents?" She peeked out around me, face flushed. "Please?"

Mum blinked at Martha, and I could almost see her mind whirring, connecting dots that I'd desperately wanted left unconnected. "Well, Martha, dear, that depends on what exactly it is we're not telling them," she said, shooting me a look so sharp it could've taken out a Bludger.