Like A Flower Blooming

Chapter 14

Days later was my first Quidditch match. I was hyperventilating as I dressed in my Quidditch uniform. I looked at me in the mirror. My hair was French-braided and the goggles were balanced on my head perfectly. 

The uniform was tight flexible gold pants, a baggy scarlet raincoat with POTTER and a big 1 on it, a thick sweater and a turtleneck underneath. I put on the boots which reminded me of riding boots and grabbed my broom.

I couldn’t eat when I was downstairs. I took some corn flakes and once I took the first bite, I felt like I was going to puke. I pushed the bowl away and Wood thumped me on the back.

“ You’ll do great, Ari. Now eat. You need your strength for the game.” I nodded and took some bites of the corn flakes and my sausages. I bit into an apple and tried not to think about it. 

I walked down to the field with the whole team. I was sweating hard and gripping my broom extra hard.

“ You’ll do fine, Ari. You’re an excellent flyer and a fast learner. Just remember what I taught you and stay up high and look for the Snitch. Avoid collisions and keep an eye out at the Slytherins. They like to cheat.” 

I smiled at him and tried to settle my nerves. I heard cheering and the team lined up. 

“ Ari, you’re behind me, the Captain,” said Wood.

“ You’ll do fine, Ari. I’m just as nervous as you. It’s also my first game but I guess you have a little more responsibility but yet also less,” said Katie who was a year older than me.

“ You’re a Chaser. All you have to do is weave around people, catch a ball and score. All I have to do is weave around everyone, catch a ball that no one can see before the other Seeker does,” I groaned.

“ 1-2-3, take off!” yelled Wood. I mounted my broom and kicked off. I flew through the air following Wood. The Weasley twins were showing off behind me doing flips off and on each other’s brooms.

“ Fred Weasley and George, STAY ON YOUR BROOMS!!” screeched McGonagall’s voice from the loudspeaker. 

One of them stood up on their broom.

“ Fred Weasley or George Weasley----whoever you are---- SIT YOUR A** DOWN” 

I hid my laugh behind my hand. We circled around, landing and I stared defiantly into the Slytherin Seeker’s eyes. 

“ Madam Hooch, can we forfeit the game and give the win to us? With a team like this, they don’t have a chance. Especially if they have a Seeker that small? I THOUGHT first-years weren’t allowed to play on the teams. The Gryffindors haven’t gotten that memo apparently,” said the Slytherin Captain, sneering at me.

“ Yes, can we but to us? At least then they don’t have to suffer the humiliation of being beaten by such a ‘ small’ first-year and the Gryffindor team in five minutes,” I said, sarcastically.

There were laughs and I felt some thumps on the back and pats on my head. Wood was smirking in plain sight and he put his hand on my shoulder. 

“ Don’t underestimate her, boy. If she’s the daughter of James Potter, she’ll have inherited the Quidditch abilities. The Potters have always been good Seekers. James Potter is the reason why Gryffindor won the Cup for four years in a row. Now, I want a nice, clean game from ALL of you,” said Madam Hooch, winking at me. She was staring at the Slytherins as she said that and I felt a lump in my throat. 

“ Now, shake hands you two and 1-2-3, go!” She blew her whistle and we kicked off. 

I was glad immediately that I’d braided my hair because the wind was strong, very strong. I flew up and up and hovered there, watching and scanning the field for threats.

Katie caught the ball and was about to throw it in the goal when one of the Bludgers hit by a Slytherin Beater hit her in the back. 

“ Foal!” screeched Hooch. 

“ Ari!! Look out!!” yelled George... or maybe it was Fred. I really didn’t know. I saw a Bludger spiraling towards me. I moved out of the way before it hit me. 

It was a strange game. The Slytherin team used all the tactics they had to cheat to try to score and disable the players. Every time Madam Hooch blew her whistle and called a foul. Every time we scored against their Keeper. 

I tried to remember how Harry had won the game. Mom had read us the books when we were little and we’d watched the movies after. I vaguely remembered Harry or Daniel Radcliffe choking and catching a Snitch in his hands. 

“ GRYFFINDOR SCORES. The score is 90-70, people!!” called out Amy Jordan who was commenting the game. I shook my head and saw a glint of gold. I moved excitedly but it was just Fred’s-or George’s- watch. 

I was seriously getting bored, circling around the pitch, looking for the Snitch. I ducked under another Bludger and then I saw it. The Snitch. I zoomed quickly after it, feeling my excitement. 

“ POTTER’S SEEN THE SNITCH!! PEOPLE, SHE’S SEEN IT!!!” yelled Jordan. I followed it carefully, reaching my hand out to catch it when all of a sudden, my broom quivered. Before I knew it, it had rolled over and left me dangling with only one hand tightly holding on. 

“ WOAH, POTTER’S BROOM HAS FLIPPED HER AND IT’S DOING A LOT OF CRAZY STUFF!” yelled Jordan again.

My broom was doing weird stuff. As I clung desperately on, it did its best to get me off like somersaults, flips all the while moving higher and higher. When people tried to get me onto their broom, my broom would freak out and move away and put me in more danger. I got my other hand on and tried to pull myself up. I did a somersault and I was clinging on with one hand that was getting really sweaty, making the broom slippery. 

I’m going to die, I thought suddenly. All of a sudden, it stopped shaking and I got myself on. What the hell just happened?

I pushed it to the back of my head and zoomed towards the Slytherin Seeker who was chasing the Snitch. Luckily, I had the faster broom and he had really bad catching skills. I caught up with him and we sped towards the ground at blinding fast speed. He chickened out a few seconds before hitting the ground and pulled away.

I pulled up just in time. Remembering this scene from the movie, I stood up on my broom and reached out for the Snitch. I inched closer on my broom and hurled myself forward. Landing uncomfortably on the grass, I felt the Snitch go into my mouth. The field was eerily quiet. I thrust my arms into my stomach and spat out the Snitch. I caught it as it fell out and there was cheering.

Thirty minutes later, the Slytherin Captain was yelling how I hadn’t caught it but had almost swallowed it but I hadn’t broken any rules so this was a win for Gryffindor!! 

In the common room, there was a huge party with kids ruffling my hair every five minutes. I managed to find Ron and Hermione who were talking intensively.

“ Hey, guys. Why aren’t you guys partying?” I asked and took a drink from my Butterbeer. This stuff was REALLY good. 

“ Ari... your broom. Snape tried to KILL you,” said Hermione with deep concern. The bottle dropped from my hand.

“ How do you guys know?” I asked in deep shock.

“ We saw him. He was muttering words while staring at you and your broom. Hagrid says that only Dark Magic can tamper with a broom. Then I lit his cloak on fire and then the broom was fine,” answered Hermione.

“ Thank you, you two. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you two. This party would have been a funeral if you guys hadn’t done something. I guess Hermione you’re smart and brave,” I said, giving them a hug. Ron’s ears went bright red.