a winterbluegreen star

Harry, it turned out, was thrilled with the chocolate Snitch.

'Look! It flies!' he said excitedly when he got it out of the box.

'Until you bite the wings off, I expect', said Remus with a smile. He'd been worried it was a bit of a silly choice and was pleased it had gone down so well.

Harry was watching the Snitch, hovering just below his nose. Very carefully he leant forwards and took a bite out of the back of it. It dipped slightly, but did not fall. He grinned up at Remus, his mouth full of chocolate.

'Very clever,' Remus chuckled.

'First time I caught a Snitch in a match, I almost swallowed it,' Harry said cheerfully.

'Really?' Remus replied, 'Why?'

Harry paused, 'Well, my broom had gone a bit haywire - the Defence teacher that year turned out to be possessed by Voldemort? Assume you heard about that? And he cursed my broom and so I sort of fell off it with my mouth open, and luckily-'

'Luckily you weren't killed.' said Remus, suddenly serious. 'Merlin, Harry, that sounds terrifying.'

'Yeah, I guess,' said Harry, 'I mostly just try not to think about it.'

Remus looked at him, wondering if he should offer to counsel him, but Harry looked about as uncomfortable as he felt.

'You know, if you do want to talk about it...' Remus wasn't sure what he was offering, really. It's not like you're an expert at processing trauma, he thought to himself.

'Thanks.' said Harry quietly, looking fixedly at the hovering Snitch, ‘I’ll let you know.’

Remus cleared his throat. 'So, how's the training for the final going? Planning on catching the Snitch with your hands this time?'

*

By the time the day of the match arrived, Remus felt he was almost as rehearsed as the team must be. He was no stranger to listening to Quidditch tactics over and over, and what he would’ve found highly irritating 15 years ago, he now almost enjoyed. Harry’s nerves were also infectious, and Remus had woken even earlier than usual.

He rolled out of bed and began his usual routine: sliding his feet into his slippers, he made his way across the room to put the kettle on. As he passed his desk, he tapped the map and murmured the required phrase. Tea made, he returned to his chair to begin his morning inspection of the castle and grounds. Remus rubbed his eyes and shook his head slightly. How many times had he done this now? Every day for months, and yet still no… he stopped. Sirius’ name was moving along the edge of the forest on the other side of the castle. Remus watched for a few seconds, hesitating. Should he grab his cloak and run down there right now?

‘What are you doing, Sirius?’ he whispered at the map.

Sirius continued along the tree line and then turned, not into the forest as he had done last time, but towards the school, across the lawn. That was enough for Remus.

‘Accio shoes,’ he said, as he pulled his cloak over his pyjamas. He grabbed them with one hand as they soared across the room, pulling the map off his desk with the other, and then he was running. He dashed down the corridor as quietly as he could, shoving his shoes on one after another on the stairs, which he took two at a time. He emerged at the top of the main staircase, and then changed his mind, veering right along another corridor and then down the back stairs that led behind the kitchens. He reached the small door usually used by House Elves taking deliveries, unlatched it carefully and ducked through it, out into the cool morning air. Back to the castle wall, he unfolded the map. It had taken him a minute - maybe two - to get out of the castle and in that time… there! Sirius was still there, crossing the lawn heading for… the tree! Remus began running again, as fast as he could, bent low, praying no one was looking out of a window. He rounded the corner of the castle and there was the tree, frozen still, as it was when someone pressed the knot on the trunk. Remus had just made to move towards it when it awakened, branches creaking through the air, he glanced down at the map. Sirius was gone.

Remus stood, rooted to the spot. He could go after him, he could levitate something to press the knot again, he could go down into that tunnel and shout Sirius’ name. He could run back up to the castle and tell Dumbledore what he had seen. He could…

Just then an owl screeched overhead. Remus looked up and saw a window opening high above him, reaching out for the newspaper tied to its leg. He suddenly felt very exposed. What on Earth had he been thinking, running out here in his pyjamas, his laces untied, after a known murderer? Idiot. He backed quickly up to the castle wall, suddenly terrified someone had spotted him, he looked around furtively and then retreated, back the way he had come, back to his room, where his own owl was tapping impatiently at his window.

*

The weather was good for quidditch, or so Minerva had informed him as he had taken a seat beside her in the stands. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw seemed to have resolutely picked a side and Remus gazed out across the stadium thinking about how much James would have loved the sight of so many Gryffindor banners.

The teams were announced, the captains shook hands and they were off. Still shaken from his early morning dash through the castle, the nerves of the crowd had an intense effect and Remus found himself instantly on the edge of his seat, hands gripping the rail in front of him. It became clear quite quickly that his anxiety was not unwarranted. The game was dirty: Slytherin, so desperate to stop enough points being accrued to validate a win if Harry caught the Snitch, were taking every chance they could to get in the way. On Minerva's otherside, Lee Jordan was struggling to remain impartial in his commentary.

‘THAT WAS DELIBERATE!’ Lee screamed as Montague, a huge Slytherin Chaser, grabbed Katie Bell’s head instead of the quaffle. Needing both hands to avoid falling from her broom, she had dropped the ball, and was immediately awarded a penalty.

‘THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING –’

Bastards, thought Remus. Just as Minerva put her hand over the megaphone.

‘Jordan, if you can’t commentate in an unbiased way –!’

She was distracted by Harry, suddenly on the move, speeding towards the Slytherin end of the pitch. Surely he wasn't going to catch it yet though. Remus knew, from their many, many run-throughs that he needed to wait until they were 50 points up. In a moment he had pulled upwards, causing the Slytherin Beaters who had been closing in on him to collide violently. A feint! Remus thought smugly, impressed both at Harry's skill and his own recall of an actual Quidditch term.

‘Ooo wasn't that good,’ Minerva whispered in his ear, whilst also re-covering the megaphone to muffle Lee’s victorious laughter.

The match was moving fast. Possession changing so quickly that Lee only had time to shout a player's name before the ball had moved on. Goals were scored on both sides, but soon, Gryffindor had the lead they needed. Remus was watching Harry who was circling, high above the pitch. He was doing an impressive job of ignoring the presence of Draco Malfoy, who was tailing him closely. Suddenly, he dived. Remus felt himself rise, involuntarily out of his seat, just as everyone else did the same. He leant over the side of the stands as Harry flew past, a red and gold blur, he was reaching for it… there was a collective intake of breath and then…

‘YOU CHEATING SCUM!’ Lee was roaring into the megaphone, quite luckily, Remus would think, afterwards, when he remembered just what Minerva had said when she had seen what was happening. Malfoy had stretched forward and grabbed the end of Harry’s broom, pulling back with all his might, stopping Harry from ending the game. Remus was so furious he found that his hand had curled around his wand. Rolanda was blowing her whistle and screaming at Malfoy. Gryffindor took a penalty but missed.

‘Come on, come on!’ Remus found himself growling in frustration, his knuckles white on the handrail.

The play was getting dirtier. Harry was now marking Malfoy viciously. The boys were moving as one, drifting this way and that as they scanned the pitch. Far below them, Angelina Johnson had the Quaffle and was heading for the goalposts…

‘Oh no you don't!’ Minerva screamed, furiously. Remus turned to look at her in alarm and when he looked back at the match, Harry was already speeding towards the hoard of green bodies which had surrounded Angelina. They scattered and she scored as Harry came to a screeching halt just in front of Remus. The look on his face was one of complete concentration, more like James than ever, and Remus felt a sting in his chest, but then he was gone, back to the centre of the pitch and then streaming towards the ground.

The crowd was holding its breath, Remus was leaning so far over the railing he was almost upside down. Minerva was yelling something incomprehensible beside him, drowned out by the roars of the students. Harry was a blur, and then…

‘YES!’ yelled Lee, the megaphone emitting an ear splitting squeak as he bellowed into it. ‘YES YES YES!’

Harry was pelting upwards, his fist in the air, the Snitch clenched tightly in it. He was visible only for a second before the rest of his team descended on him, creating a huge red mass that drifted gently, robes rippling, towards the ground.

‘YES!!!’ screamed Remus, on his feet, arms in the air. He was sobered only slightly by Minerva hugging him without warning. She was cheering too, tears streaming down her face.

The crowds were pouring onto the pitch, and Harry was no longer visible. Remus could just see Hagrid, towering above the frenetic figures of the students, and Dumbledore, tall and thin, emerging with a huge silver up. The crowd parted as he made his way to the centre of the pitch, the Gryffindor team finding themselves pushed forwards, and then Oliver was lifting the trophy above his head, before passing it to Harry who did the same.

‘Theyve won!! We've won!!!’ Peter was shouting so loudly, Remus ducked away from him, trying to protect his ears. Peter grabbed him, jumping up and down as he hugged Remus, jiggling him about.

‘We’ve won!!’ he shouted again, eyes wide in excitement.

‘I know,’ said Remus, ‘I heard.’

‘Well come on then!’ said Peter, grabbing the sleeve of his coat, and pulling him towards the staircase. ‘Let's get down there!’

They emerged onto the pitch, what looked like the rest of Gryffindor house pouring out of the stands behind them. The team was now on the ground, punching each other's arms and grinning. Peter dashed over and launched himself at James, who laughed and hugged him back.

‘Alright there Pete?’ he said, ruffling his hair.

‘He’s quite pleased about the win,’ Remus said, catching up.

‘Well, yes, that is the correct attitude,’ said Sirius, coming forward, Beater club under one arm. ‘Why are you not running and hugging?’

Remus blushed slightly. ‘I’m obviously pleased too.’

‘Obviously,’ said Sirius, chuckling at his discomfort. ‘Come on then, come on boys, group hug!’

Sirius pulled him in, Peter and James putting their arms around them too, and soon the whole team had joined them.

‘Did you watch any of it?’ Sirius whispered to Remus inside the tangle of bodies.

‘Yes,’ Remus whispered back. ‘You were amazing. Obviously.’

*

‘I had to go up there six times last night!’ Minerva told Remus at breakfast the next morning, rubbing her temples. ‘I honestly don't mind a party, but the noise! I had to keep checking that all the shouting was still in good fun.’

‘Well,’ said Remus, ‘they did win the Quidditch Cup. I would've said that was probably worthy of a top level party…’

‘Ah yes, well you'd know all about those, wouldn't you,’ she said and Remus squirmed a little internally. ‘Yes, I'm not really complaining. I'm just going to have to go to Poppy for a potion I think. I wonder how many of them will turn up for breakfast. It's a good thing it's the weekend!’

As she got up to leave, Remus looked across at the Gryffindor table. Aside from a smattering of sleepy looking students, shovelling cereal into their mouths, heads lazily resting on arms, it was empty. He suspected most of them wouldn't emerge until lunchtime.

‘Anyone for breakfast?’ James called loudly across the room. He had been clattering around for the last half an hour, in and out the bathroom, looking for his socks. Remus groaned and buried his head further into his pillow.

‘Pete, you coming? Come on, it's Sunday, there'll be bacon.’ James crossed the room and pulled back the hangings on Peter's bed. ‘Come on sleepyhead, just shove a jumper on and we're good to go.’

Peter was mumbling something, but Remus heard the hangings move again and a soft thump as he slid out of bed.

‘Sirius?’ James said, pulling Sirius' curtains back. ‘Where is he?’

Remus suddenly tensed and opened his eyes, staring around him in horror. Sirius was lying beside him, eyes already open, a grin on his face. He raised one finger to his lips, mouthing for Remus to stay quiet.

‘Maybe he's already gone down?’ said Peter, sleepily.

‘Not bloody likely,’ said James. Remus thought he could hear the eye roll. ‘I’m sure he'll turn up in some bed somewhere… Remus?’

'Just a sec!’ said Remus, trying to keep his voice normal. He sat up and shoved a cushion over Sirius' stupid, beautiful grin, and stuck his own head through the curtains. ‘I’m feeling pretty grim,’ he said, ‘I’m gonna shower and I'll catch you up.’

‘Ah, ok yeah, probably a good idea,' James said, with a slight grimace.

They left, and Remus dropped back onto the pillows. Sirius’ appeared, laughing softly.

‘Do I really look that bad?’ Remus asked.

‘No,’ Sirius replied, ‘you look amazing. Obviously.’

*

‘And then, I saw it, and I knew he hadn't seen it, but it was too early, so I pretended I'd seen it at the opposite end of the pitch, and he fell for it and followed me, and then - did you see when -’

‘I did see, Harry, I was watching.’

‘And then, I saw it again and I almost got it and he grabbed my broom! How unbelievable was that! I've never felt anything like it, I was nearly there and then I was going backwards! I wanted to smack him but I couldn't reach!’

‘Understandable,’ said Remus, putting the kettle on ‘although I should probably pretend I didn't hear that.’

‘And then! They were all trying to knock Angelina off her broom! And then Malfoy saw the Snitch and I had to fly so fast, I don't think I've ever flown that fast.’

Harry took a deep breath, as if he was about to say something entirely shocking, ‘and then, we won! And wow! Oliver was crying! It's his last year. Apparently Professor McGonagall was crying!? I felt amazing. It still feels amazing. It was amazing!’

Remus smiled at him. ‘It was.’