Charlotte Weasley

Chapter 35 - The Final Quidditch Match

The mysterious stranger, of course. I tried to think back to anything he said, anything he had done that could hint at his true idenitity.  He had said something.. "May I have this dance?"

It wasn't enough to tell me anything. Well that he was a man of course. But as I just learned he could have just as easily been some random warlock from the street. 

The hospital wing was eerily silent and lonely. Britt had left an hour ago to finish her project and had said that she would return but she never did. Waiting cooped up in bed was not a fun way to spend my Saturday. 

I slipped out of my bed, my legs sore and weak from sitting down for a week. I walked over to the little mirror on the wall and shrieked. 

The face that looked back wasn't mine. 

Miss Chang rushed from her office and saw me standing in front of the mirror, prodding my cheeks and pulling at my hair. 

It wasn't that different, I still had the same face shape but my hair was goldenish blonde and my eyes blinked back at me a warm hazel. 

"What is happening!" I cried to Miss Chang who swept a comforting arm over my shoulders. 

"The shock, like I said, was big. Sometimes with metamorphmagi, great shocks can take away your powers. So this is what you actually look like." I hated her tone of voice, it sounded like she was comforting a small child, telling them something that she doubted that they would comprehend. 

I put my face in my hands and then looked back into the mirror. I was actually quite pretty, but I didn't care. I felt almost... naked without my power. It was something special of mine taken just like that. 

I stormed out of the hospital wing, ignoring Miss Chang's calls after me. I knew that what I was doing was very childish but I didn't care, I needed fresh air to think it over.

I ran outside into the warm spring air, taking a deep breath. The breeze was cool on my arms and I ran to the beech tree next to the lake. Surprisingly enough, no one was there.

I didn't care, I ran into the lake, barefoot until I couldn't go any further or risk getting my shorts wet. The water was cool but not icy, but cold enough that your toes began to tingle.

I stood out there for a while before deciding to go back inside. On my way in, Professor McGonngal stopped me.

"Charlotte, what were you doing outside?"

I sighed, "I just need some fresh air, I was sick of being inside in the Hospital Wing."

Professor McGonnagal gave an understanding look, "I assume you don't know then. There have been more rules added. No students are allowed to go outside without a teacher chaperone.The latest incident with Miss Susan Jones has not gone unnoticed."

I frowned and was about to argue back that they should be able to go outside, "This rule is only in place for the rest of the month while we strengthen security around the grounds. Oh and I am sure you are wondering, I am prepared to let you play in the match today, as long as you promise to follow the curent guidelines."

"Fine," I said, I didn't care what I would have to do, all I wanted was to get on my broom and win.

I ran inside to find Adora and the rest of the team and found them in the Great Hall eating lunch with the rest of the school.

Dirk saw me first and called me over. "Okay so are you going to be able to play today?" He asked worriedly.

"Professor McGonnagal says that I can!"

The whole team cheered and a few patted my shoulders.

"Okay so eat a good lunch and we are all going down to the changing rooms in half an hour."

I ate quickly, not wanting to be late and hold up the team, then ran down to the changing rooms with Adora.

When we got there, Cornelia was already pulling on her Quidditch clothes. "Oh Charlotte I am glad that you can play!"

I smiled. I was also relieved that no one brought up my change in appearance.

When the entire team was ready we all met on the field with the Slytherin team. The stands were full, and I smiled when I saw that a lot of the Ravenclaws waved red and gold banners, they had no doubt heard about Susan.

The game started and I flew up into the air, blocking out what was happening below. In the distance I could hear screams and whoops but I ignored it.

I had to wait until we were fifty points ahead of Slytherin so that would ensure that we win the house cup. 

I kept my eyes peeled for any glitter of gold. And there it was, fluttering far far below close to the Slytherin seeker.

I dived, the Slytherin seeker had seen it and so I had to catch it now or lose the game. The scores said, 30  50. 

We were winning only by twenty points. But if I didn't catch the snitch now we would lose.

I flew straight towards it, the other seeker right next to me. We looked at eachother briefly and then I turned back to the fluttering snitch.

Reach..

And then I felt the cool circular ball in my hand. 

I had done it but in the pit of my stomach I felt guilt that we had also just lost the house cup. 

When I landed my team and the Gryffindor supporters swarmed around me and they all chanted, "We won! We won!" I thrust my hand high into the sky, the gold snitch glinting in the sunlight. Some people lifted the entire Gryffindor team onto their shoulders and carried us back to the castles. 

Adora was a few feet away from me so over the roar of the crowd I called over to her, "But we had to win by two hundred points!" 

Adora shook her head and smiled, "Do you really think that they wouldn't award you any points for saving Susan?" 

I smiled and felt pure happiness wash over me. I let the crowd of supporters carry us into the school and back to the Gryffindor Common room for an after party.

The day was perfect.