✓ | Constellations; Fred Weasley [Book One]

Chapter 18

Lions Versus Snakes

The Easter holidays were nothing but a blur to all the fifth years. With their OWLs coming up, their teachers had given them thrice the amount of homework to do. Venus and her best friends had pranked Malfoy and his cronies on the last day of second term and after that, none of them had the time to plan new pranks. Venus had her face stuffed in a book almost all the time, so did the twins and Lee, but only when the twins were not in Quidditch practice. With the Quidditch final coming up the first Saturday after the holidays, Oliver had been making them practice more often.

This match was as important to the whole school as it was to the teams participating. Slytherin had a winning streak of six years in a row and Gryffindor had not won since Charlie had been Seeker. The morning of the match, the entire school was enthusiastic. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was surrounded by a crowd of chattering people, all in scarlet and gold. Most of the students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were supporting the Lions. Even Venus ditched her usual blue tshirts for one of the twins' scarlet tshirt instead.

Immediately after wishing the twins and Harry goodluck, kissing each of their cheeks for extra luck, as George had joked, Venus joined Grace, Cho, Ron and Hermione on the stands, the banners with slogans like 'GO GRYFFINDOR!' and 'LIONS FOR THE CUP!' floating above their heads. Some other Gryffindor supporters held flags with a lion on it, which Grace and Venus enchanted so that it roared.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" Lee, who was the Quidditch commentator as always, yelled, "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best side Hogwarts has seen in a good few years-"

A wave of 'boos' were heard from the Slytherin end of the pitch.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by captain Flint. He's made some changes in the line-up and seems to be going for size rather than skill-"

The Slytherin crowd booed even more. Soon the two captains shook hands and at the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle, the players lifted in the air.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no - Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the pitch - WHAM! - nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by - Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina - nice swerve around Montague - duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! - SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Venus and all the students around her cheered loudly as the lions on their flags roared. Marcus Flint, from Slytherin smacked against Angelina, nearly throwing her off her broom. The Lions' supporters booed at him. In the blink of an eye, Fred had hurled his bat at the back of Flint's head. The latter's nose smashed into the handle and began to bleed. This cost penalties to both of the teams for deliberate attacks.

"Come on, Alicia!" Lee yelled as the girl went to take the penalty, "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Another wave of cheers came from the students in scarlet and gold.

"'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee continued as it was Flint's turn to take the penalty, "Superb! Very difficult to pass - very difficult indeed - YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

By then, the Gryffindor supporters had started chanting their slogans aloud.

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession - no! - Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the pitch - THAT WAS DELIBERATE!" Lee yelled as Montague, a Slytherin Chaser had grabbed Katie's head instead of the Quaffle in her hand, making her drop it as she tried to stay on her broom, for which he had gotten a penalty. After a minute, Katie had scored another ten points for Gryffindor.

"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING-"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way-" Minnie interupted Lee. Everyone knew that Lee, being a Gryffindor was always slightly biased.

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

"Bole and Derrick are after Harry with a Bludger each. Here it goes - YES! Ha haa! Too bad boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, Johnson takes the Quaffle - Flint alongside her - poke him in the eye, Angelina! - it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke - oh, no - Flint in possession, Flint flying towards the Gryffindor goalposts, come on, now, Wood, save-"

However, Flint had scored the first goal for Slytherin and the team's supporters cheered loudly. This made Lee swear so badly that Minnie reprimanded him again.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten and Gryffindor in possession. Bole after Spinnet. DUCK ALICIA! THAT'S A FOUL!" Lee yelled as Bole hit Alicia with his bat. George reciprocated by elbowing Bole in his face, which earned both teams penalties.

"YES! FORTY-TEN TO GRYFFINDOR! Come on now, Wood - SUPERB! HE'S SAVED IT! Gryffindor in possession. Bell with the Quaffle. AND SHE SCORES! FIFTY-TEN! ANOTHER FOUL!" Lee shouted in the magical megaphone as Bole and Derrick shot both Bludgers at Wood.

"Gryffindor penalty! Come on, Angelina. YES! SIXTY-TEN TO GRYFFINDOR! Slytherin in possession - Fred with the Bludger - the Quaffle is knocked out of Warrington's hands - Gryffindor back in possession - Alicia with the Quaffle. AND ANOTHER TEN POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR! Harry after the Snitch! THAT'S A FOUL!" The match was the dirtiest that Venus had ever seen. Malfoy was grabbing onto Harry's broom, which earned Gryffindor another penalty.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM! YOU FILTHY, CHEATING BUM!" Minnie had not bothered to reprimand the commentator as he continued swearing at Malfoy.

"Oh, no. Alicia misses the shot! Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal - Montague scores - Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor," Lee groaned, "Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON! All the Slytherins trying to block her - Harry on his Firebolt and he clears the way for her! SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES!"

"Gryffindor leading by eighty points to twenty. Malfoy zooming towards the Snitch - Harry just behind him. Duck! That's a Bludger! YES! YES! HE'S CAUGHT IT! HE'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS! LIONS FOR THE CUP!" Lee was yelling.

The stadium exploded in cheers and roars. The Gryffindor team were tangled in a group hug, yelling. All of their supporters left the stands for the pitch. It was chaotic. Hands were patting their backs in pride and congratulations. Venus, too ran down to the pitch and jumped into the twins open arms. Lee soon joined them. The quartet jumped up and down, as tears rolled down their cheeks. After so long, they managed to break Slytherin's winning streak. Even Minnie was sobbing alongside Oliver. The team walked towards the stands with pride, where Dumbledore handed them the huge Quidditch Cup.

As Venus stood in her scarlet tshirt, watching the twins and Harry smiling and laughing as the younger boy held the Cup in the air, she swore that it was the happiest she had ever seen them and she knew that she would give anything to preserve that happiness.