Scars

Chapter Nine-The Dive

Another week passes with no word from Remus or the boys and it's time for our first quidditch game. Sirius and I don't look at one another as we line up and head out into the pitch to a screaming crowd. For once, it's easy to find Lily because of Hagrid just beside her with red and yellow ribbons in his beard. A genuine smile lights my face and I spare a moment to wave at them before taking my place. Sirius and I meet eyes and he nods to me, an agreement to do whatever it takes to win this game despite our personal lives, and I nod back. We're against Ravenclaw today, so we'll need a strategy to win.

"Alright, I want a clean, fair game!" Coach announces before she points her wand at the chest in the middle of the field. My hands squeeze my broom a little harder. The stadium is quiet for a moment as she casts the spell to open everything, but it bursts at the same time the case does.

It's mayhem as all the chasers smash together in competition for the quaffle, but as soon as the head chaser of Ravenclaw emerges with it I'm hitting a bludger her way. "And almost instantly there's a solid hit from the beautiful Arell Ackley to Barnett which puts the quaffle back into Gryffindor's hands!" Creary's familiar voice comes over the intercom and I smile at his inappropriate use of adjectives. I hadn't realized I'd missed him. "I've heard there's a little trouble in paradise with the Gryffindor beaters, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare-" And the feeling's gone.

"Mr. Creary, this is not for gossip. Keep to quidditch." I'm thankful for McGonagall intervening although there are a few boos from the crowd.

"It was about the players who are playing quidditch, professor, doesn't that count?"

"No."

I'm pulled away from their conversation when I see our captain being bombarded by Ravenclaw chasers. I look for Sirius, but he's busy batting bludgers away from our keeper. It'll just be me then. My uniform whips and snaps as the winds plays with it behind me. I square up my shot and whistle. Connelly glances to me and I barely have time to flick my chin up before the bludger is whizzing at me and I've got to swing. Just in time, Connelly pulls up and the bludger hits the player blocking her from the side which knocks him into the other player that was on her right. They tailspin into the nearest tower while Connelly makes a goal.

"The first goal goes to Gryffindor! Ten points made by the incomparable captain Connelly with a little help from beater Ackley!" Sirius seeks me out after he hears my name and I nod to him so he knows I'm alright. He nods back and we continue on our own separate ways.

It's fifty to seventy with Ravenclaw in the lead when the snitch is sighted and the tension in the air is palpable. A catch would end the game and grant either team a win. "And Brightly, the Ravenclaw Seeker, is instantly on the snitch! Shocking since you'd think reading books in the dim library would have damaged her eyes-"

"Mr. Creary!"

"but obviously not! Gryffindor seeker Kaur is just behind, so it looks like we'll have a race!" Creary shouts into the mic before McGonagall tugs him back by the scruff of his robes. I slam a shot at Ravenclaw's keeper which she dodges just in time for James to get a goal, but it won't mean a thing if that snitch is caught. My mind is racing as I think of what to do to help. My eyes reflexively go to Sirius only to find the Ravenclaw beaters hovering around him.

"Oh shit." I breathe and forget everything about the game while going as fast as I can towards Sirius. The beaters aim and fire, two bludgers now head towards Sirius at breakneck speed. He can handle one, but there won't be enough time to handle two. There won't even be enough time for me to get to him and swing my own bat. "Sirius!" I shout and he looks my way before noticing only one of the bludgers and turning his back to the other. "No!" I push my broom to go faster and just have a slice of time where I throw myself between him and the other bludger.