My heart skipped a beat as the photo came to life. There we were, Jacob and I, jumping up and down and grinning at Mom. She must have thought it was because we were excited. Mischievous, giggling, and making silly faces at each other. Little did she...
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I replayed that memorable evening in my mind: the vivid streaks of blue and green crisscrossing the Quidditch pitch, the relentless Bludgers, and Penny's enthusiastic cheers echoing from the stands. It proved to be quite challenging to be still while watching my teammates dart around, tracking the Quaffle. But, those were the rules now, as I had become...
"And another incredible save by Gelider, the new Ravenclaw Keeper! Expertly foils Slytherin Chaser's attempt!"
...the newly appointed Keeper, filling the role left vacant by our previous Keeper, who had graduated just last year. The past year had witnessed significant changes in our Quidditch team: our Keeper had graduated, Bin had successfully tackled her academic hurdles and returned as a Beater, and I... yet again, I had found my footing in this new position.
Moreover, Skye and Rath, Slytherin's Beater, had finally reached an uneasy truce. At least now, any friendly match didn't culminate in heated arguments and mutual glares that could provoke even the Bludgers into a frenzy. At the start of this year, I had hoped that the first friendly would lay to rest their longstanding rivalry. And, of course, there was also...
Whoosh! I could barely keep up with deflecting Quaffles and swiftly passing them to Skye.
She was on top of her game, knowing her father was watching from the Commentator's box. I could have sworn that even Murphy was putting in extra effort, diligently analyzing every move we made and providing commentary on the fly.
"Parkin intercepts the Quaffle, but Slytherin is hot on her tail. The game is finally picking up pace! There's a 76.4% chance that Ravenclaw will score in the next minute!"
Ethan Parkin's rapturous shouts resonated through the microphone. I squinted, trying to spot Skye, who was skillfully passing the Quaffle back and forth with Orion.
Then, out of nowhere, it happened. A sudden, thunderous crack pierced the air as the Bludger unexpectedly veered off course. Bam! Orion's fingers locked onto his broom as he clung to it.
Time seemed to slow, and a collective gasp rippled through the spectators. A chill coursed through me. Orion — off his broom? N-no! I watched helplessly as the Bludger soared further away, and Rath tensed, realizing the gravity of her accidental strike.
In mere moments, Orion was hurtling downward, towards the green blot of the Quidditch pitch. The world hushed in suspense. Just a little more, and...
"Do you think Madam Pomfrey would allow us in?"
The memory ended as abruptly as it had begun. I shrugged absentmindedly, then pushed open the doors leading to the Hospital Wing. Skye entered first, and I followed suit. The overwhelming scent of mint assaulted my senses, stinging my eyes and burning my lungs.
