𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐈𝐄 | 𝓔𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓱 𝓟𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻

039~𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓭𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓼

The sky splintered with a resounding crack of thunder, announcing the onset of a fierce storm. Lightning slashed through the gloom, its brilliant tendrils seeking out one of the Quidditch arena's gleaming golden rings. The clouds erupted in a blaze of icy blue light, illuminating the darkened sky. The air crackled with electricity as the storm descended with fury, drenching the Quidditch pitch in sheets of rain.

Below, the stands were a chaotic sea of umbrellas, buffeted by the relentless torrent. Spectators huddled together for warmth and protection, their faces pale and etched with worry. The scarlet-clad Gryffindor team and their canary-yellow Hufflepuff rivals burst into the stormy air, determined to play despite the tempest.

The wind howled, and the rain lashed down with such intensity that visibility was severely compromised. The match roared to life as twin Bludgers rocketed skyward, adding to the chaos of the storm.

Elizabeth shot upward like a comet, her braided hair streaming behind her, her robes whipping wildly in the gale. Her heart pounded in her chest as she scanned the turbulent sky for threats. Rain needled down, every shadow hiding potential peril. Beaters crisscrossed her flight path, their bats swinging with deadly precision. A Bludger zipped past her, followed closely by a second one hurtling straight toward her. She ducked just in time, watching as it exploded against a Hufflepuff Beater's broom. The Beater spiraled out of control, vanishing into the murk of the storm. Lightning scorched across the tail of Angelina Johnson's broom, sending her plummeting in flames toward the pitch. Elizabeth gasped in horror as Angelina leapt clear just in time, narrowly escaping disaster.

Elizabeth's gaze snapped to her brother, Harry, who was cutting through the clouds with reckless abandon. Bludgers pierced the darkness around him as he hunted the elusive Snitch. He darted through one cloud, then another, until he vanished from sight. Fear clenched Elizabeth's heart as she rocketed upward, soaring higher and higher into the tempest, determined to find her brother.

A dark shape flitted across her vision, sending a shiver down her spine. It was reminiscent of her first Quidditch match, when a dark figure foretold her downfall to darkness. But she pushed the fear aside, focusing on finding Harry.

Another silhouette appeared, then another. The pitch was filling with a chilling army of Dementors.

A scream pierced the air, growing louder until it became almost unbearable. It was her mother's scream.

"Lizzy... Lizzy..." The voice whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine.

Then she saw him—Harry's black hair, stark against the stormy clouds.

"Harry!" she shrieked, but he didn't flinch. She closed in, her broom bucking wildly beneath her as she sped toward him. Harry's broom pitched away violently, and he began to plummet. Elizabeth's terror was a living thing. She screamed his name again, swooping in on her broom, flying with all her might. She was a heartbeat away from catching him when she stretched out a hand, magic jolting through her to halt his fall. She eased him down gently, then landed beside him with a thud. She rushed to his side, shaking him desperately.

"Harry. Harry. Please, wake up," she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Wake up!"

~~~

"He looks a bit peaky, doesn't he?" Ron asked, eyeing Harry with concern.

Fred retorted, "Peaky? What did you expect him to look like? He fell fifty feet."

George chimed in, "Yeah, come on, Ron. We'll chuck you off the Astronomy Tower and see how you land."

Suddenly, Harry's eyes flickered open. The first thing he saw was Elizabeth's chocolate brown hair, her face contorted in fear as she clung to him.