The Collision Theory | Remus Lupin

61. Snitches Get Stitches

"Breathe." Bronwin pats my back, and I realise that I've been holding my breath.

The noise as we step out is almost overwhelming, and I try my hardest to look straight forward as Sirius' voice echoes around the pitch, "And out step the Gryffindor team! Captivating Captain Bronwin leading the little lions out!"

A roar of cheers drown the hissing and boos, adding to my confidence a little, and James laughs, "Just you wait for what Sirius has in store."

"How reassuring."

"And oh! A new face! Seeker Aylin Novak in sixth year making her return," Sirius gaps audibly over the speaker, "a rather wonderful young lady...when she's not snogging Remus Lupin's face off."

I'm going to kill that boy.

Bronwin and the Slytherin captain shake hands, and Hooch demands a clean game before allowing us into the air. She lets the snitch go, at which Sirius goes absolutely mental, "Aww yeah! Snitch is out! Novak, I allow you to punch Reggie!.. Oh come now Professor, that was a joke."

The whistle is blown, but by the time everyone takes their position, the snitch is out of sight. I scoot over to the left, out of the way; Bronwin didn't want me in play until we get at least fifty points.

"Oh and Greengrass has the quaffle-" Sirius gasps, and then cackles, "but Lao has sent the bludger hurtling towards Greengrass who drops the quaffle! James snatches it like the sly bastard he is!"

I laugh as James blows a kiss towards the commentators stand, narrowly avoiding the bat of a Slytherin beater. He passes to Irene, who shoots through the middle hoop, and Sirius all but cries with happiness.

"Novak, duck!" Scott Angelo's cry is barely audible over the crying and booing, but as soon as I hear, I drop against the broom, feeling something brush over my back.

I turn to see Scott hitting a bludger full force towards one of the Slytherin beaters, "Thanks!"

"Not a problem!" He nods, before zooming off to Maisie's side.

I'm about to go back to my place when I see something odd: Regulus Black making a sharp hairpin turn around one of the goalposts. My heart skips a beat when I realise why. The snitch.

"Things are getting interesting, and we're not even forty points in," Sirius' barking laugh echoes around the pitch, "I bet ten galleons that this game will end quickly."

Bronwin lets out a multitude of curses as she almost drops the quaffle while distracted by Regulus and me. He's only ten meters or so in front of me, though it's almost impossible to keep up as his flight is almost as sporadic as a cursed bludger.

"BUGGER BUGGER BUGGER!" I yelp as as the snitch decides to go straight back down towards the ground. My outburst makes Regulus look over his shoulder, costing him two metres worth of leeway.

We pull up just around two metres from the ground, coming neck and neck, the snitch flying tauntingly a metre or so ahead. Regulus risks a smirk in my direction, "Fancy setting you here, Novak."

"Lovely day for a game, isn't it, Black?" I urge my broom to go just a little faster, but I can feel it beginning to strain.

The crowd cheers at something above us, and Regulus has to shout, "Who d'you think got the point?!"

"I expect it's your chaps," I don't take my eye off of the snitch, my heart hammers against my chest as we inch ever closer towards the snitch, "I think I can hear your brother crying."

"He's always been a sore loser-" Regulus takes a moment to look in my direction, and in a burst of adrenaline, I get the craziest idea. Instead of reaching out to the snitch, I dive under the Slytherin's broom, "MERLIN'S BALLS!"

He yanks his broom upwards, and in a matter of nanoseconds, I've snatched the snitch out of the air.

"SHE HAS IT HOLY GUACAMOLE GRYFFINDOR HAVE DONE IT," Sirius cries over the microphone, causing most of the crowd to go deaf, "GRYFFINDOR NOW TIE WITH SLYTHERIN ON THE LEADERBOARD! LIN, YOU'VE MADE ME PROUD!"

I dive back to the ground, feeling rather breathless and winded by the trauma that was the quidditch game. James literally jumps off of his broom two metres in the air in his haste to get down, and lifts me up into the tightest hug of 1977, "You're crazy! You're a psycho! That was brilliant!"

"Thank you! Thank you! And thank you!" I laugh, hugging back. When he lets go, I swear I can feel a few ribs out of place. I turn around just in time to see Bronwin landing, and my smile drops, "Oh shi-"

"What did I say about waiting?" She marches over towards us, and I can already feel myself shrinking into oblivion.

"I-well I just-"

She takes me by full surprise at that moment. Bronwin closes in, and my whole body tenses, but the next thing I know, she has her arms around me. Make this the tightest hug of 1976, "Thank you."

"You're- you're welcome," I pat her awkwardly on the back. People are full of surprises.

The Slytherin team descend, liking slightly downtrodden, but with a determined look in all of their eyes. We shake hands with all of them, but Regulus keeps a firm hold of my hand, with a smirk and a sparkle in his eye, "That was a dirty trick, Novak."

"Really? It's not a foul." I counter, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh no, I'm not condemning you," he chuckles, "I was just going to ask for permission to use your move."

I laugh, "Why yes, of course, Mr Black."

"Good game, Miss Novak."

"Good game, Mr Black."