Metamorphmagus Hufflepuff Beater

Chapter 9:

As the rest of the year went on, Paige and I kept practicing (me still wearing Emma's chosen look), Paige and Ella fought over Hufflepuff traits, Paige and I grew more and more worried for our O.W.L.s, I still wondered what my career should be, and now, the Hufflepuff Quidditch team was preparing for our next match against the Slytherins.

"Alright Badgers! Next week is the last match of the season. It is our last chance to prove ourselves. Next week, we can stick it to the Slytherins and show them that we Badgers can always overpower them, the snakes." Diggory was shouting. He was really trying to get us pepped up. But we knew that if Gryffindor could win by just the right amount, we'd lose the Cup. "Chasers, I believe you can score many goals. And our Keeper can save more goals that the Chasers can shoot." I held back a malicious laugh. The Keeper had been getting worse and worse as we practiced. "Beaters, I know you can protect everyone with your skills. And I'll catch the Snitch, winning us the match."

I don't know how he could believe this reality he dreamed up was real. The only thing I believed could be true was mine and Paige's skill. That's definitely true.

We started practicing. Paige and I hit the Bludgers with ease, but the Keeper could not save a single goal. I looked over to the twins in the stands. Emma looked like she was calculating whether or not she would play in the next match. I could see her thinking how much poison it would take to get the Keeper sick a few days before the next match and until the match was over. Ella, meanwhile was trying to engage Emma in conversation. It was not going well for her.

About an hour and a half later, but it could've very well been two hours, Diggory called us off the field for the end of practice. Before going off to the locker rooms, he told us when our last practice would be, which would be two days before the match was.

When Paige and I walked out to go back to the common room ten to fifteen minutes later, we found Ella and Emma waiting outside.

"Can I pretty please make that Keeper sick a few days before the match so I can play?" Emma pleaded.

"That's not a smart idea. And it wouldn't even work anyway because he'll ignore the sickness until the match is over." Paige answered.

Emma huffed and then mumbled low enough so that Paige couldn't hear it, "But I'm already ruining his so-called 'future career' by doing what I have been."

___TIME_SKIP_TO_MATCH_AGAINST_SLYTHERIN___

"Alright, this is our last moment to shine. Let's give it all we've got out there. We-hey, are you all right?" Diggory asked the Keeper.

"Perfect. It's the last Quidditch match of my years at Hogwarts. I just have the jitters." The Keeper responded. I could tell he was lying; and this could only be Emma's doing.

Diggory continued with his pep talk. I was only half-listening. I was distracted by the noises coming from the stands. I felt sick, but at least I wasn't pale green with nausea.

We walked onto the field. I put on a brave face; a confident one. I forgot about our low chances to win. I looked to Paige, who looked back. We looked up to the stands, looking for the twins. I found them, and I looked back. We traded looks of ferocity.

Diggory and the Slytherin captain shook hands. I thought of having intense eyesight that never missed a thing. The whistle blew. We rose into the air. I found a Bludger and went for a Slytherin Chaser who was trying to steal the Quaffle from one of our own Chasers. He was knocked off course, leaving my teammate a clear route to the goal. Then Paige swooped in, blocking a Bludger from the Chaser. The Chaser kept going, but I saved another Chaser from another Bludger, knocking it towards the Slytherin Seeker.

The game went on. We were trailing by too much. Even if Diggory did end up catching the Snitch, it wouldn't be enough. I just wanted this over with. We couldn't win the Cup anyway; we'd lost horribly to Ravenclaw to bring ourselves back. But, if we did win, maybe we'd be able to clear the way for Gryffindor. I'd rather them win than Slytherin.

The match went on. I knocked Bludgers where they needed to be knocked. I protected my teammates. Then, the Slytherin Seeker was chasing gold, with Diggory right behind him. Diggory's arms were about as far as the Slytherin's arms were.

Then, a Bludger whooshed right by my ear and straight into Diggory's nose. I recovered the Bludger, aiming for the Slytherin Seeker. But it was too late. The whistle was blown while I was mid-swing. But I was so happy to see the Bludger hit him right in the back. I hoped he'd not be able to play against Gryffindor when the time came.

Diggory tried to give us an uplifting speech for next year, congratulated the Keeper on a "great" last season, and sent us back to the locker room. If he was upset about the loss, he didn't show it.

Paige and I dragged our feet back to the locker room. We bathed and got back into our robes. We walked out of the locker room, greeted by Ella and Emma's crestfallen faces.

"Sorry guys, I really thought you had this one." Ella soothed.

"It's fine. I wasn't expecting much of a win anyway." Paige replied.

"That's why I got the Keeper sick." Emma explained. "I thought, I knew I could do better. I should've listened when you said he wouldn't give up, especially for his last match."

"Emma Grace Brink!" Paige screeched, ready to give a ranting lecture. I'd seen this before; it got ugly.

"Ella helped!" Emma blamed. I could see why.

"Ella Hope Brink!" Paige screamed. "You both lied to me! What the bloody hell did you do to the Keeper?"

They explained how they'd used 'Confundus' on the Keeper multiple times and gave him a Draught of Dizziness potion this morning in his goblet. I walked away from where Paige yelling loud enough for the floor above to hear. I was getting a migraine.

I entered the common room and checked my homework. It looked well enough. I waited an hour longer until Paige finally came in, guilty looks on the twins' faces.

Paige walked up to me and asked in a hoarse voice, "Did you know?"

"I had my suspicions. And Emma now has to pay me back for protecting her from your wrath after the first match." I replied. "I see you've lost your voice again."

"Yes." Paige whispered. Then she turned to the twins and whispered, "Go to your dorms. I will be writing to Mum."

The twins sulked upstairs, but I could tell Emma had gotten into more trouble than Ella, but Ella still had the blame.

"Calm yourself. I checked your homework. There's something you should definitely fix for your Potions essay." I sat her down, put a new parchment and quill in front of her and told her where she'd messed up.