The Clean Sheet
The first games of the Quidditch season were on the weekend of April 30th-May 1st, 2011. Gryffindor played Ravenclaw on Saturday; Hufflepuff played Slytherin on Sunday. The Lions, flying at their typical blinding pace, overwhelmed the Eagles defense and stymied any attacks. Gillian, communicating with her Chasers telepathically, made quick, no-look passes that awed the crowd.
Gryffindor was up 220-0 when the snitch was spotted. Alma Krauss gave chase, but it was Sadie Thompson, in her first start for the Eagles as Seeker, who snatched the golden ball out of the air. The final score was a somewhat respectable 220-150.
Blake Ellsworth, Slytherin Captain, brought a completely new team to the game against Hufflepuff. Rhiannon MacDougal at Left Chaser was the only hold-over from the previous season. Fifth Years were installed at Beater and Keeper. Ellsworth took the Center Chaser position while Spencer Osgood held the right wing. Umberto Calais was the Seeker.
Ellsworth was confident of a Slytherin victory. “The Badgers’ victory last year was a complete fluke,” he said. “There’s no way they beat us twice in a row. Mac will score her goals and Calais has got just as good a broom as Harkenborough.”
If he thought calling Rhiannon by her nickname would win her over to his point of view, he was mistaken. “That was no fluke,” she said. “Wren had the Badgers ready to play. And he’s bringing back the very same team this year. This is their second season playing his system. They are going to be tough to beat.”
“If they get rough, we’ll be rough right back to them,” said Ellsworth. “And then we’ll have Calais, our secret weapon.”
Rhiannon gave a dismissive snort. “Calais may be flying the same broom as Hark, but he hasn’t had it for as long. Philip flies like a sparrow on his broom. Calais hasn’t got a chance.”
“Some help you are,” pouted Ellsworth. “I was hoping for a vote of confidence.”
“I’ll get my goals against Wren,” said Rhiannon. “That will be more than you and Osgood will be able to say. But I fully expect the Badgers to win in the end.”
Philip and Pauline sat together during the Lions/Eagles match. Philip was ecstatic when Sadie caught the Snitch. “Krauss let her have it,” said Pauline. “She was being nice to her friend. Besides, the Lions were so far ahead it didn’t matter.”
“I thought Sadie flew very well,” said Philip. “She deserved that Snitch.”
“How about the match tomorrow?” asked Pauline. “Shall we make a friendly wager?”
“We can’t bet money,” said Philip. “That’s against the code of conduct. You’ll get me in trouble even suggesting something like that.”
“I’m not talking about betting money, silly,” said Pauline. “This is just between you and me. If Hufflepuff wins, I will give you an extra special something down in the secret room. And, if you win, you give me something extra special. And I don’t mean candy or jewelry.”
Philip shrugged. “It’s a moot point. We’re winning tomorrow. You can give me anything you like as a reward, and I will give you all that your heart desires, any time you ask.”
“You’re no fun,” said Pauline with a pout, but then she laughed, a sound that still swept the air out of Philip’s lungs.
The Badgers ate a quiet Sunday luncheon before heading to the pitch. Their stern faces reminded the Slytherins of the looks the Hufflepuffs had during the confrontation on the stairs the night Pauline was attacked. Liam and the others emerged from the dressing room to thunderous applause, not just from the Hufflepuff supporters but from the Gryffindors as well. Liam gave a wave to the crowd as he walked to the center of the pitch for the coin toss.
He shook hands with Ellsworth. Madam Hooch tossed the coin. Ellsworth guessed correctly and chose to have the ball first. Liam chose his preferred set of hoops. The teams took to the air, and the game began.
Rhiannon’s predictions soon proved correct. The quick-handed Hufflepuff Chasers forced Ellsworth and Osgood into turnovers. On the attack, the Badgers’ speed and clever feints flummoxed the inexperienced Slytherin keeper. Stephanie and Stacy both scored goals. Only Bell was stymied, as Rhiannon intercepted Stacy’s pass intended for the young winger.
When Rhiannon had the ball, she was unstoppable. With a firm elbow and a burst of speed from her father’s Firebolt, she fought through the Badgers’ double-teams. With a flinch, she sent Liam flying to the center hoop, and then hurled the Quaffle through the open left hoop before Bell could get into position to defend.
Hufflepuff scored on their next possession, making it 30-10. Ellsworth insisted on running the plays they had rehearsed during practices, but this only led to another turnover and another quick goal, this time from Bell, who moved into the center of the pitch to avoid Rhiannon.
Rhiannon demanded the ball on the next possession, and she scored again, bursting through the Badgers’ Berlin Wall and scoring on a feint. When Liam pulled his defenders back, she merely fought through the double team again and pushed the ball through the hoop at point blank.
The Serpents defense, though, was like a sieve, and the Badgers quickly scored again. Rhiannon tried again to bully her way through the Badgers defense, but this time, Liam charged her. After a tussle, Liam forced the ball from her and hurled it to Stacy, who fired up field to Bell, streaking forward on the counter. Bell corkscrewed through a Beater shot and then fooled the Keeper with a 180 spin before firing the ball through the right hoop.
The score was now 70-30. The Serpents last hope was that Umberto would catch the Snitch. The two boys were on equal brooms, but Philip had two advantages over Umberto – he was the more experienced Seeker, and he was taller. The two boys spotted the Snitch at about the same time. They raced towards it, with Umberto on the left and Philip on the right. It looked like Umberto might pull off the upset. He maneuvered himself so that he was between Philip and the Snitch.
Philip, though, would not be denied. When the Snitch flicked to the left, favoring Umberto, Philip quickly switched hands. Clutching the broom with his right hand, he leaned out and stretched his left arm towards the Snitch. Umberto tried to drive Philip off with a bump, but he could not push the taller, heavier boy off his line. With a swipe of his left hand, Philip snatched the Snitch out of the air. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the stadium erupted in cheers. Hufflepuff had prevailed, 210-30.
Stacy, Stephanie and Bell flew to Philip to give him congratulatory hugs. Liam offered the Quaffle to Rhiannon in a show of respect for her three goals, and the two shook. “Good game, Mac,” he said.
“I knew you were going to beat us,” she said. “You better beat Gryffindor, too.”
“I plan to,” said Liam with a laugh.
True to her word, in the evening after the game, Pauline brought Philip to the secret room for his special reward. What they did, Philip would not disclose. When asked about it later, he would only smile and blush.
It was the first time since Cedric Diggory’s day that Hufflepuff had won the first game of the season. That was also the last time the Badgers had beaten Gryffindor. Expectations were high for the Badgers match against the Lions, held on Sunday, May 15th.
In the Saturday game, the Silver Serpents were back to their winning ways. Rhiannon feasted on the passive Eagles defense, scoring 7 goals in the contest, and Umberto outraced Sadie for the Snitch. The final score was 240-0.
Sunday at 1pm, the crowd filled the stadium, eager for a competitive match. Umberto was quiet, but on his face was what Gillian would have called “his Cheshire cat grin.” He and Gordon sat on the end by the Hufflepuff hoops. Near them sat Terrill, Aiden and the Little Coven.
The Lions played at their usual blinding pace and frequently fought through the press by the Badgers defense. Yet, each time a Chaser broke free and faced Liam one-on-one, Liam made the save. No feint could throw him off balance. He even leapt forward and snatched a pass from Gillian to Larry Mullen on the left wing. The crowd clapped in appreciation of the decisive keeper.
“How’d he do that?” asked Alyssa. “He was moving before she’d even cocked her arm!”
Umberto’s grin had only grown wider, and his eyes were wide with excitement. As Gordon watched Liam ignore Adam Clayton’s feint and gather in his fourth save, he finally understood.
“Wren’s done it,” he said in awe. “He’s cracked the Lions’ telepathic network.”
“Another way to think about it,” said Umberto, “is that he’s always been a part of it. Liam has always been able to communicate with Gillian telepathically. And since they have grown closer these last few months, I imagine that connection is only stronger.
“If they had scrimmaged with the Badgers, they may have caught this mistake early on and fixed it, but Wren has kept closed practices, and he scrimmages only with his second team. He is determined to beat Gryffindor and take the Quidditch cup this year. And now here we are. Roycester and company cannot make a single move without telegraphing their intentions to their opponent!”
“And thanks to you, Madam Hooch has already ruled that it’s legal!” said Gordon.
Alyssa, eavesdropping on the conversation, said to Umberto, “Calais? I have an idea. Let’s give the Gryffs a taste of their own medicine.”
“How so?” asked Umberto, intrigued.
“Like this ….”
In another part of the stadium, Sadie was watching Liam’s moves on her omninoculars and came to the same conclusion Gordon had. “The Lions have flown right into Umberto’s trap,” she muttered. Ellie Boissard was sitting with her during the match. Sadie quickly explained what was happening.
Gillian too, had come to the realization. The next time that Gryffindor had the Quaffle, she signaled Madam Hooch for a time out. Larry and Adam flew to her side. Dave Evans came from his Beater position, and Keeper Paul flew over as well.
“What’s going on?” asked Paul. “You guys haven’t scored yet. Wren’s made four saves.”
“He’s in our heads,” said Adam. “He can hear the plays that Gillian is sending out telepathically.”
“It’s worse than that,” said Larry. “He’s reading our minds. He knows what’s a feint and what isn’t. He knows what hoop we’re targeting every time.”
“I can’t believe he’s doing this to me,” said Gillian, bitterly.
“All’s fair in love and Quidditch, Jill,” said Paul. “What are you gonna do about it?”
“Here’s what you’re going to do,” said Dave, sternly. “Clear your head. Don’t think. Forget about set pieces and formations and just go out and fly. Keep passes and communication to a minimum. Once you’re in the attacking third, it’s radio silence. Wait to the very last second to make your decision on which hoop to throw to. Whoever doesn’t have the ball, keep alert for the crossing pass. You won’t know if it’s coming or not until it’s in the air. Got it?”
“Sounds like a plan,” said Paul. “It’s playground Quidditch, just like we used to do in grade school. Now go out there and score some goals!”
The Lions were already down 30-0 at this point. Bell had two goals and Stephanie one. On the next Gryffindor attack, the chasers swirled from side to side, crossing each other again and again. Bell wanted to chase whoever had the Quaffle, but a stern command from Stacy sent her back to her side of the pitch. The Badgers kept to a zone defense, challenging anyone who came near them, but letting the Chaser go when they moved into the next area. The defense drifted backwards, keeping the action in front of them.
Finally, Larry swooped in for the attack. He swept from the right side to the center, attacking the middle hoop. Stacy blocked his path and slowed his approach just enough for Liam to recover. With a hard punch from his left hand, Liam knocked the ball from Larry’s arm. Stacy recovered and tossed the ball quickly to Bell. The Badgers leapt onto the counterattack. A quick back and forth between Bell and Stacy pulled the Lions defense out of position, leaving the right hoop open for Bell to fire another goal home. 40-0.
Gryffindor took the ball into the Hufflepuff side of the pitch, and then, it started: a single voice at first on the Slytherin side, it grew in strength as more Slytherins joined in: “wren. wren. Wren. Wren! WREN! WREN!” Alyssa Pitchfork was in the front row, swinging her cloak over her head, leading the chant.
Aylie Covenshire, on the opposite side of the bowl, leapt to her feet. “They’re cheering Wren!” she cried. “Let’s join them!” She began swinging her cloak in the air in perfect mimicry of Alyssa. The Hufflepuffs, usually reluctant to join in group chants, jumped right in. “WREN! WREN! WREN! WREN!”
The Slytherins were on one side of the hoops and the Hufflepuffs on the other, and they were shouting in unison. To the Gryffindors, so used to being the heroes, the champions, it seemed like the whole stadium had turned against them.
The Lions pressed forward on the attack. They changed tactics again, this time flying straight at the hoops. Gillian held the ball as long as she could before passing to Adam. Liam roamed to his left, watching Adam’s broom tip and body language. Adam kept his mind blank, holding back his decision until the last second. When he saw Liam was in position to block the left hoop, he made a sudden turn towards the center. Stacy swooped down to block him, while Bell tried to strip the ball away from behind.
Adam fought through the press and hurled the ball back towards the left hoop. Liam had drifted back towards the center, but when Adam turned and fired, he shot back to the left and made the save.
On and on, the crowd chanted, “WREN! WREN! WREN! WREN!”
Gillian forced Bell into a turnover and came at Liam herself, this time to the right hoop. Stephanie guarded the right hoop and Stacy the center. Liam was between them, ready for any movement. Gillian feinted towards the center and then fired to the right hoop. Liam bit on the feint but then corrected. The shot glanced off his hand and careened into his face.
“WREN! WREN! WREN! WREN!”
Stacy quickly called time out and flew to her captain’s side. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” he said. “She’s mad at me. We’re beating her.”
“The crowd is loving this,” said Stacy.
Liam was suddenly aware of the chanting. “You know, I hadn’t even heard them. I’ve been focused on the game.”
“You’ve got a clean sheet so far,” she said. “They’re giving you good luck.”
He tossed her the ball and she brought it up the pitch. Gillian, playing with anger, forced a turnover again, and quickly moved to the attack. Liam’s face was swelling from the blow of the Quaffle, but he played on. Bell tried to get the ball back from Gillian, but the older girl broke free from the press, dodged a bludger and let fly towards the left hoop. Liam, watching the play unfolding in front of him, shot like a bullet to make the interception. He snatched the ball out of the air just an inch from the hoop.
“WREN! WREN! WREN! WREN!”
Liam tossed the ball to Stacy and then raised his arm in salute to the Hufflepuff fans cheering him on. A few minutes later, he made a save on the right hoop and acknowledged the cheering Slytherins with a wave.
Bell had scored twice more, and now it was 60-0. Liam was confident that Philip would get the Snitch, but there was always a nagging fear: Their luck could always turn; the Snitch could fly right to Krauss. The game was never over until the whistle blew.
There was no time to pause and see what was happening with the Seekers, as Gryffindor was on the attack again. He watched their eyes, their body language and broom tips while the crowd on either side chanted his name.
Larry had the Quaffle. Stephanie was between him and the hoop, while Stacy floated into the passing lane, cutting him off from Gillian. While Larry hesitated, Liam charged forward and knocked the ball from him with a solid punch. The Quaffle squirted away, but Gillian swooped behind Larry to scoop it up. Stephanie challenged her but she fought through the attack. Gillian was clear of the defense – the right hoop was hers – but Madam Hooch blew a shrill whistle. Foul! Gillian’s elbow had caught Stephanie in the nose, and she was bleeding.
Liam called an injury time out. They brought Stephanie to Lara for healing while Bell converted the penalty shot. 70-0. The whistle blew again, and the game resumed.
The Lions’ attack was fierce and unrelenting. Liam took another Quaffle to the face, splitting his lip. He jammed his fingers making another save. His knuckles were skinned from punching the ball free of the attackers’ arms. The Badgers couldn’t get the ball out of their own end. The Lions kept forcing turnovers.
Adam, the Quaffle tucked under his arm, charged towards the center hoop. Stacy cut him off and Liam knocked the ball away with another punch. Gillian picked up the Quaffle, and the attack quickly shifted to the right. Liam bolted towards the right hoop as Gillian strove to elude Stephanie’s defense and Michael’s bludger blast. She feinted towards center and then pirouetted to the right. She reared back to throw, but then stopped. The whistle had blown again, the three long blasts marking the end of the game. Liam scanned the pitch. At the quarter-pitch flag, Philip had his arm raised. The scoreboard read “Badgers 220 Lions 0.” Both the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins cheered. The game was over. For the first time in over a decade, the Badgers had beaten the Lions in Quidditch.
Liam flew to Stephanie first. “Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “I hope I don’t look as bad as you do.”
“Not by a long shot,” said Liam.
They floated to the ground. The Hufflepuffs were streaming onto the pitch, cheering and chanting, “WREN! WREN! WREN! HARK! HARK! HARK!”
At the center of the pitch, the Lions waited. Liam, Stacy and Bell went to them for the handshake.
Usually, the captains shook hands first, but Gillian stepped in front of Paul and said to Liam, “I can’t believe you of all people would use my powers against me.”
“I had to make every one of those saves,” said Liam coldly. “I had the advantage for the first few, but then you adjusted, and I was on my own. My team earned this win. I earned my clean sheet.”
“You set us up!” she snapped. “You and Calais must have had it all figured out. You played dumb and let us walk right into it.”
“I didn’t have anything to do with it!”
“You cheated!” shouted Gillian.
Anger rushed to Liam’s face, but he held his tongue. He glared at Gillian for a moment and then turned and walked away.
Stacy and Bell turned with him. Stacy slipped his arm around him. There were tears in her eyes. “My god,” she said. “That wasn’t fair.”
“Nobody yelled at them when they creamed us last year!” shouted Bell. “They run roughshod over Ravenclaw and it’s fine. We beat them and we’re cheating? That’s bullshit.”
The other Hufflepuffs quickly surrounded them, cheering, giving hugs and backslaps. The crowd had missed, for the moment, the bitter exchange between Liam and Gillian.
Lara emerged from the mass. With a touch of her hand, she healed his lip, and the swelling of his cheek. She reached up on her toes and kissed him quickly on the mouth. “Go shower,” she said, “and then we’ll celebrate.”
“Yeah, we will,” said Liam.