I stepped out onto the quidditch pitch and took a deep breath through my nose. The smell of manicured grass and woods filled my senses, making me automatically smile. Blaise was already there, waving at me from the other end of the field. He held two brooms in his hands, and I jogged over to meet him. The padding I was wearing was quite heavy, but it was all that we had to work with. The school only purchased custom padding for the players after they had made the team.
"Glad you could tear yourself away from your schoolwork, finally." Blaise teased, and she smiled at him.
"I'm not that much of a dork, Blaise. I do know how to have fun, you know." I said, squaring my shoulders.
"Sure you do. Here, this is my broom. It's a Nimbus 2001. I'll use the school's broom today." He said.
"Blaise, no! I can use the school's. I don't want to take your broom." I said, and Blaise shook his head."I'm trying out with no one going against me. You need the better broom to show your skills. Er- do you want to warm up?" He asked, grabbing a quaffle from the ground next to him. He held it out to me and I grabbed it eagerly. He mounted his broom.
"I'm going to go get in front of the goals. Try and get it past me, then." Blaise said, wiggling his eyebrows challengingly. I narrowed my eyes at him, grinning. He kicked off and placed himself in front of the large hoops. I kicked off too, hovering even with him about 30 yards away.
"Come on, Lizzie. Do your worst." he called.
I tucked my feet up as close to the broom as I could and leaned forward. The speed from the broom was exhilarating. I was shooting like a comet toward the goal posts, the quaffle tucked under my arm. I threw it right at the hoop-
-and Blaise shoved it away with his hand. My jaw dropped open, and he cackled.
"You're going to have to do better than that, Lizzie. I could read you like an open book." He said, and I felt frustration take over my body. I dived to the ground and scooped up the quaffle again, this time watching Blaise and not the hoop.
Blaise was flying back and forth in front of the goal, almost like a shark. His eyes were on me, and he was waiting for me to strike. I observed him for another heartbeat, and saw my opportunity. When he flew to the right, he always flew a little too far, and left the goal behind him momentarily unguarded. That was my key.
I flew quickly up to meet him, feigning to the left. It drew him off of his pattern just enough for me to get an opportunity. I whipped passed him and threw the quaffle for the ring, this time whooping in delight as it went through. Blaise looked at me, mildly impressed.
"Alright, Lizzie. Game on." he said, a wicked smile stretching across his face.
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Making the quidditch team had been the highlight of my year so far. Blaise was right, no one else tried out for the keeper position, so he got it by default. I beat out a particularly sour 5th year for the last available chaser spot, and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face.
Before stripping out of the pads, I scrawled a quick note to Remus, asking if he would send my broom with Squidge and Hercules whenever he got the chance.
"You coming back up?" Blaise asked once I had changed back into my regular clothes and robe.
"No, I'm going to head up to the owlry. I need to send this letter to my godfather before curfew." I said holding up the small note. Blaise gave me a smile and left.
I trudged up the many stairs to the owlry. I got up there and looked around for Squidge. Suddenly, Hercules came flying through the window, a note hanging from his ankle. He screetched and landed on my shoulder and I untied the note.
YOU ARE READING
Silence is Deafening
FanfictionRunning from darkness has never been easy, but Elizabeth Clarke seems to have it down to a science, now. The orphan child of two Aurors responsible for the capture of many Death Eaters, Elizabeth has always been a target for malice. After transferri...