The Big Four at Hogwarts: Years 1 & 2 Nightmare Land

Chapter 16

After the weeks of training and practicing the quidditch teams had to endure, Hogwarts has its first quidditch match. It was Hufflepuff vs Slytherin.

"Good luck, you guys," Hiccup said to them.

"Aye. You're going to do great, Punzie," Merida said, purposefully not saying Jack's name.

"Thanks. I'm excited to play my first game," Punzie said.

"Yeah, well be prepared to lose your first game too," Jack teased.

"You're on. Just because we're the nice house doesn't mean we'll go easy on you," Punzie challenged. They ran to their own teams and Hiccup and Merida went and sat down in the bleachers. Then, both teams took to the sky.

"And the teams are off! It's the first game of the year. Who do you think will win?" Anastasia, the announcer asked her co announcer Anna.

"I don't know about you, but personally I'm rooting for Hufflepuff," Anna said.

"You always go for the underdogs, don't you?" Anastasia asked.

"No. It's just that they're my house," Anna said.

"Look! Hufflepuff has the quaffle! The chaser throws it towards the goal, and oh! Hufflepuff has drawn first blood!" Anna crowed. The Hufflepuffs grinned as they listened to the announcers.

"Nice one, evil stepsister. But, I won't let it happen again," the Slytherin keeper, Flynn said.

"Don't count on it," Anastasia said (this one is Cinderella's sister, not the one from the movie Anastasia like the announcer) and flew towards her teammates who congratulated her. The quaffle got passed around somewhere, mostly between the older chasers on the Hufflepuff team. They threw it to Punzie a few times, but she only managed to drop it or let it get stolen, shaking up Punzie's confidence. Punzie didn't let it get in the way though. As long as her team was doing well, she didn't mind being in the background. Although, she did feel bad about being of no use to the team, not that they seemed to need her. They were slightly ahead, but the game changing golden snitch was still nowhere to be seen.

"Crane! Pay attention you idiot!" another chaser, Anastasia (Cinderella's sister this time), yelled at Punzie, when she accidentally let the quaffle get stolen after she had thrown it to her.

"Sorry," Punzie apologized.

"Don't let it happen again," Anastasia said, glaring at her before she flew off. Punzie's smile turned upside down, her self doubt filling her mind with thoughts of uncertainty.

"Don't let her get to you. She's just mad that everybody on the team already likes you more than her. You're doing great," Wilbur said, giving her a reassuring smile  and patting her on the shoulder.

"I don't know," Punzie said.

"Hey. We accepted you on the team over a whole bunch of other people, so you must have some skill," Wilbur said. Punzie smiled and they flew towards the quaffle. Then, Wilbur got the quaffle.

"I'm open!" Anastasia said, waving her hands. Wilbur looked at her and then threw it to Punzie. Punzie blinked, catching it.

"Go to the goal!" Wilbur yelled.

"No, pass it to me!" Anastasia said. Punzie looked between them for a moment and then she saw the bludgers fly past her head, feeling wind from it pass her.

"Darn. I missed," a Slytherin beater, Ruffnut said.

"C'mon sis, I thought you had better aim then that. All well, I guess I'll just have to do it," the other Slytherin beater, Tuffnut said, about to swing his bat. He stopped though, the Hufflepuff chaser was already gone. The moment the bludger had passed her, Punzie flew into action, racing towards the goal. She flew towards the goal, and then threw the ball in with all her might. Flynn flew towards it, but it passed in.

"Yeah! You did it, Punzie! Is it okay if I call you that?" Wilbur asked. Punzie nodded, laughing.

"Nice one, Newbie," Anastasia said. Punzie smiled at her nicer words. Suddenly, the Hufflepuff seeker, Honey Lemon dived down toward the ground.

"And the golden snitch is spotted! Who will reach it first?" Anna said. Jack saw Honey Lemon and followed after her. Her team was in the lead at the moment, but if the Hufflepuff seeker caught the golden snitch then the game would be over and they would
definitely lose. He raced neck and neck with Honey Lemon.

"You're their new seeker, huh? You don't seem as fast their old one," Honey Lemon said and darted ahead of him.

"You're not getting away that easily," Jack said, following after her. This was his first game, and he wanted to start it off with a bang. Honey Lemon laughed. The golden snitch was just out of their reach. Jack reached out, he almost had it, and then he heard someone booing. He looked back to see Merida standing up in the stands and booing at him, causing his broom to wobble a bit by the distraction.

"Boo! You can't catch it, Jack!" Merida yelled at him.

"Merida! Be quiet," Hiccup said, forcing her to sit back down again. They were getting stares and glares from all of the Slytherins and even a few people from other houses.

"Sorry. I shouldn't place all my anger on all of the Slytherins when it's really only Jack," Merida said. Hiccup rolled his eyes. It had been almost two months since they had fought, and it just seemed like they were just getting angrier. Jack continued pursuing the golden snitch. He edged out on his broom and strained his arm out. He lunged forward as a last ditch effort and managed to catch the snitch. He wobbled at the very end of his broom and fell off. Everybody gasped in surprise and Jack looked down to see the ground rushing towards him. He shut his eyes, ready to hit the ground. Maybe he'd survive this. Probably not likely. Then maybe he'd have an instant death. Or maybe he'd have a slow agonizing death. He wasn't ready to die, not yet. Suddenly, he felt somebody grab his hand and stop him from falling. He looked up to see who saved him.

"Are you... an angel...?" Jack asked softly. The girl laughed and Jack shook his head clear. No, it was just the Hufflepuff seeker, Honey Lemon.

"Don't worry, second year. I've got you," Honey Lemon said, flying down to the ground with him. Jack sunk to his knees the moment his feet reach the ground.

"Thank you," Jack said. Everybody else flew down, too.

"No problem. It gave me a chance to show off my amazing flying skills, even with you catching it," Honey Lemon said. Both of the teams flew down to the ground and ran over to Jack. They asked him if he was okay and the Slytherins congratulated him on catching the golden snitch.

"That was amazing! I'm so proud of you!" Mavis said, hugging him. Over the last couple years, Mavis had become something of a big sister to Jack.

"Thank you for saving him!" Mavis said to Honey Lemon now, hugging her too.

"Well, it's not like I was going to let him die. Us seekers have to stick together," Honey Lemon said.

"Jack! You're alive! I'm so happy!!" Punzie said, running too him, and hugging him.

"That was amazing, dude!" Tuffnut said.

"Yeah! Was it fun falling from the sky?" Ruffnut asked.

"It was... interesting," Jack said, slowly. He was unsure of what to say, he was just happy he was still alive and that his team had won the first match.