Into The Light (Golden Trio Era) {2}

Morning Roar

The morning of the match came and it seemed even the still air outside was anxious. Mikayla's stomach grumbled with a mix of hunger and uncertainty. Getting dressed, she felt her legs and hands shake, her palms sweaty, she brushed it off and decided she only needed breakfast. Ron and Harry were already hanging over their plates when she got to the Great Hall. Ron looked pale and clammy. Walking toward them, the majority of the Slytherin table shouted mocking phrases and noises, "Oi Black when are you going to the psych ward?" Malfoy yelled, Mikayla continued to her friends "You crazy nutter." Pansy yelled as the rest of Slytherin laughed, "Actually Pugsy, you're the crazy one if you think Slytherin has a chance against Gryffindor. Especially with that Ferret as your Seeker, he can't even catch a cold." The rest of the hall chuckled at Mikayla's response, Mikayla makes eye contact with Draco. "Flipendo" She smirked as Draco forcefully falls off the bench, Mikayla blew him a kiss and a wink before taking a seat with the boys. "They've been shouting at all the players." Harry informed her as she stacked toast on her plate.

"What's wrong with him?" Mikayla nodded toward Ron, who was slumped into his hands. "Freaking out about the game, says he's rubbish." "Hey, Ron, at my first match, I didn't think I'd be able to do it until I got on the pitch. You need to be in your element." She patted his shoulder. "Eat something, you'll hate to get hit in the stomach on an empty stomach, that pain just won't go away." A few minutes later Hermione and Ginny sat down with them plastered in red and gold. "How're you feeling?" Ginny asked Ron, who was now reluctantly eating while Mikayla glared at him to do so. "He's just nervous," Harry answered. "Well, that's a good sign, I never felt you perform as well in exams if you're not a bit nervous," Hermione said encouragingly. "Hello," said a soft and distanced voice, Luna Lovegood had drifted from her table with the Ravenclaws. She wore a large hat with a life-size lion's head shaped upon it. Many people were looking at her, pointing and laughing. "I'm supporting Gryffindor," said Luna, pointing at her hat as if they hadn't already noticed it. "Look what it does..." She reached up and tapped the hat with her wand. It opened its mouth and gave a great roar that was so realistic everyone near her jumped from fright. "It's good, isn't it?" she said happily. "I want to have it chewing a serpent to represent Slytherin, you know, but there wasn't time. Anyway... good luck, Ronald!"

"Hey Luna," Mikayla said, standing up quickly. "You think you can stand really close to the Slytherin table and keep making that thing roar?" Mikayla continued quietly. "Sure!" She smiled and bounced away. Not long after she returned to her seat Alicia hurried toward them with Katie tailing behind her. "When you're ready," she said, "we're going to go straight down to the pitch, check out conditions and change." "We'll be there in a bit," Harry nodded. "Ron's just got to have some breakfast." They tried to force and convince him to eat more before the match but ten minutes into trying it was clear that he wasn't going to eat anymore. "C'mon we'd better get going." Harry said, defeated. As they stood up to leave, Hermione got up too and took Harry aside. She whispered something, he nodded, then proceeded looking cautious. "What was that about?" Mikayla asked as he came back, watching over Ron anxiously. "She said not to let Ron read the Slytherin's badges." "Good luck you guys," Hermione said, fidgeting with her hands. She gave Mikayla a tight hug. Ron ambled over to them looking anxious and ready to give up. "Good luck, Ron," said Hermione, standing on her tippy toes to kiss him on the cheek and then headed away with other Gryffindors. As they walked across the Great Hall Mikayla could see Ron touching the side of his face where Hermione had pecked him, he looked both confused and pleased. And with his dazed state Mikayla took a moment to focus on the badges Hermione had so urgently warned Harry to keep Ron from seeing. Small crown-shaped badges were pinned to almost everyone's robes. In tiny etched letters they read: "W E A S L E Y IS OUR KING" she looked back at Harry who seemed to have read them too, they both could tell it meant nothing positive and would probably lead to Ron's lack of confidence mid-game.

Marching toward the Quidditch Pitch Mikayla could feel brittle blades of grass give way under her feet, a crunch felt almost satisfying. Mikayla couldn't feel a breeze and the sky was cloaked in pearly white clouds that covered and filtered the sun through. These were optimal playing conditions because there wouldn't be a glare to blind them momentarily, and they should have full control of our brooms. Alicia had already changed and was giving her own form of Oliver's infamous pre-match speeches when the three entered the changing room. They pulled on their robes while she spoke, Ron seemed helpless and spent more than triple the amount of time trying to fasten his robe, Mikayla huffed and went over to help him. The voices of countless conversations and cheers grew louder as more people filed into the stadium. "Okay, I've only just found out the final lineup for Slytherin," said Alicia, grimacing over a piece of parchment in her hands."Last year's Beaters, Derrick and Bole, have left now, but it looks as though Montague's replaced them with the usual gorillas, rather than anyone who can fly particularly well. They're two blokes called Crabbe and Goyle, I don't know much about them-" "Just terrific," Mikayla scoffed. "We do," said Harry and Ron together. "Well, they don't look bright enough to tell one end of a broom from another," said Alicia, pocketing the parchment, "but then I was always surprised Derrick and Bole managed to find their way onto the pitch without signposts." "Crabbe and Goyle are in the same mould," Harry nodded, assuring her that they wouldn't be a threat. The sound of thundering footsteps echoed out of the stands. There was also a faint singing with inaudible words, as much as Mikayla strained herself to hear, she couldn't. Her stomach turned nervously once again, Ron was staring straight ahead, clutching his stomach and looking as though he was going to puke.

"It's time," said Alicia in a low voice, looking at her watch."C'mon everyone... good luck." They stood up, some people grasped their brooms in both hands, others, including Mikayla, leaned them over their shoulders with one hand on the handle. They marched single file out of the changing room out to where the sun could hit their eyes and make them squint for a moment before adjusting. An uproar of cheers sounded when they came into view, lining up beside each other they squinted into the distance. There was still singing though the cheers and whistles masked it's words. The Slytherin team was already out on the pitch ostentatiously displaying their brooms. A small gleam of light on their chests hinted that they were wearing the same badges as the rest of the Slytherin house. The new Captain, Montague, was massive and brutish, Crabbe and Goyle lurked behind him swinging their beater's bats. Malfoy stood with his chest puffed out as if to get Ron's attention with the badge, maybe even aim it so it flashes sun in his eyes if Malfoy is desperate enough. "Captains shake hands," ordered Madam Hooch in a loud and pronounced voice. They marched toward each other with clenched jaws and shook hands, Montague looked like he was trying to crush her fingers, but she didn't wince. "Mount your brooms..." Madam Hooch blew hard into the whistle that hung around her neck and they kicked off the ground.