The Forgotten Girl

Chapter Fourteen: And The Truth Is Spilled

Chapter Fourteen: And The Truth Is Spilled

Monday night Angelina had the team out on the pitch the minute they had all finished their lessons. She was determined to win the house cup and would stop at nothing to get it. Alison came into the locker room and changed into her robes quickly. It was raining and the pitch was muddy.

“We’re gonna get soaked.” Ginny said peaking out the door, her broom over her shoulder. Angelina came strutting out of her office, “You’ll get soaked and like it.” She said shouldering her own broom and leading her protesting team onto the pitch. Angelina stopped in the middle of the pitch and turned to face her team. It wasn’t the team they had started out with this season, but it would do. Angelina gave a weak smile, “Alright, Ali, get the quaffle. Slopper, let out a bludger, Ginny, release the snitch. We’re practicing till it’s too dark to see, got it?”

The team groaned. Everyone mounted their brooms but Alison, Ginny, and Slopper. Alison opened the ball crate and grabbed the red quaffle. It felt familiar in her hands, but she had no hope of them winning on Saturday. She put the quaffle under her arm and mounted her broom. She flew up to where Angelina and Katie were waiting. The bludger went flying out and they started.

The three chasers passed the quaffle back and forth. Alison, Angelina, Katie, Angelina, Katie, Alison, Angelina, Alison, Katie, shoot, and score. Alison suppressed a groan and dove to catch the quaffle. She turned on her broom and caught sight of Fred and George hidden in the stands. They started passing the quaffle again. This time Alison shot it and Ron caught it. But when he noticed people looking he fumbled and dropped it. Angelina was starting to get frustrated. Alison could see it on her face. A bludger came whizzing past Alison’s left ear, missing her by inches and Angelina went off her rocker.  

“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO HIT THEM AWAY FROM YOUR TEAM!” she screamed at Kirke down the other end of the pitch. Their practice continued this way for the next three hours. When Angelina finally called them to the ground they were soaked and covered in mud. Angelina was nearly in tears. 

Alison trudged into the locker room with Ginny and Ron. Angelina came in last and went right into the captain’s room. She shut the door and didn’t come out. “I think she’s channeling Wood’s spirit.” Alison muttered. Katie giggled softly and together the team made their way to the castle. Alison, Ginny, and Ron sat down across from Harry at the Gryffindor table. Not even thinking Alison grabbed every dish in front of her and piling food onto her plate.

“How was practice?” Harry asked looking up from what he was reading.

“Bloody brilliant.” Alison said in a flat sarcastic voice. Ron mumbled and agreement through his mouthful of food.

“It couldn’t have really been that bad.” Harry said looking to Ginny. Ginny nodded her head, “Angelina was nearly in tears. She is probably crying in the captain’s office now.”

Alison cleared her plate and took a swig of pumpkin juice, “I think I’m going to take a shower. It’ll take weeks to get this mud out of my hair.” She stood and left, Ginny trailing behind her.

“There’s no way we’re going to win on Saturday.” Ginny said as they climbed the marble staircases. Alison nodded, “No way at all.” She agreed.

Sure enough the match on Saturday was like murder. It lasted only twenty-two minutes but it was perhaps the worst twenty-two minutes of Alison’s life. Kirke and Slopper couldn’t keep up with the bludgers and more than once Alison had to dive out of the way to doge them. This in turn caused her to drop the quaffle a number of times. Though they only lost by ten points it felt like they had been pounded by the Hufflepuffs.