Quidditch
Excitement filled the air as it always did on match day. During breakfast, The Great Hall was noisy and students of all houses wore the colors of the two teams playing: Gryffindor and Slytherin. The Gryffindor table was being especially noisy, as the captain of the team, in his red Quidditch robes and straw hat, ate everything he could get his hands on.
“Damn it, Luffy, leave something for the rest!” shouted the big green-haired beater trying to save his breakfast from his mate.
“I neef enferfy fof thi gem”, answered the young captain, “I’f to gef thes snidgdt”.
“Don’t speak with your mouth full in front of the ladies!”, said the blond and second beater of the team as he waved at a group of giggling girls. The team was quite popular among the feminine sector of the school and any excuse was good to come and wish them luck. Sanji loved the attention, but the stern looking green-haired guy sitting in front of him didn’t share his enthusiasm. In his opinion, those annoying girls were only distracting them from the match. Suddenly, the boy stiffened as he felt a soft hand running through his hair. He didn’t need to turn to know whose it was. She always knew how to drive him to the edge.
“What do you want, Nami? ” said Zoro, trying to look indifferent to her play.
“Ready to lose?”, said the mikan haired girl dressed in green and silver. “ I bet some galleons on today’s match and I always win… By the way ”, she added with a smile on her lips, bending until she was at the level of Zoro’s ear, “ you still own me some gold”.
A shudder ran down his spine. “You know I don’t, witch!”, shouted the beater, getting up from his seat to face her.
“Watch out your mouth, Marimo! Don’t be rude to the lovely Nami-chan!” spitted an angry Sanji.
“Shut up, swirly! This is between she and me!”
“Calm down, boys, it’s just business. Zoro knows it” , winked the red head. “ See you later!”
“Bye, Nami!” said a cheerful Luffy. Although they were very competitive during the games, they were all good friends.
When the students started to move to the Quidditch pitch, a little Hufflepuff accompanied by a long-nose housemate came close to the three guys. Both of them were wearing big lion hats and a flag with a lion with a straw hat. The excitement could be seen in their eyes.
“Good luck, guys!”
“Thanks Chopper, Ussopp!!!” shouted Luffy.
“And be careful! We heard Smoker is the referee…”, said Ussopp with apprehension.
Smoker was one of the most severe teachers at school, and his dislike of Luffy’s older brother and chaser of the Gryffindor team was public. When they entered the dressing room, they saw Ace sleeping in a corner.
“Ace!” greeted Luffy. Ace woke up and kept doing whatever he was doing before falling asleep. He looked at Luffy with a grin.
“Hey, Little Brother. Ready to beat Slytherin?”
“You bet!” smiled Luffy.
“Only if that pervert manages to control himself. Last time he nearly hit us because he couldn’t stop fawning”, said an annoyed Zoro looking at Sanji. The Slytherin team had some of the hottest girls in school (including Nami), and the blonde always found problems concentrating on his task.
“Do you want to fight, moss head?”, replied Sanji with a dangerous look. Zoro took his three bats, prepared to hit. However, they were interrupted by Ussopp’s voice announcing the start of the game. The team took their brooms and positioned themselves to enter the field. After introducing the Slytherin team, an enthusiastic audience greeted Ace and the other two chasers, followed by the keeper.
“They are tough, they are manly, they’re everyone’s favorite beaters… Welcome the deadly couple, Sanji and Zoro! ” shouted Ussopp and the public went crazy. Zoro, with a bat in each hand and one in his mouth, looked at the commentator and thought he would kill Ussopp later for introducing them as a “couple”. “ And last, but not least, the king of the field, Seeker and Captain of Gryffindor team… MONKEY D. LUFFY!” As usual, Luffy did a big entrance and the school chanted his name. Even Boa Hancock, the stunning captain of the Slytherin team, had joined the chant and was waving at Luffy. At the sight of her, Sanji started drooling and his flight became erratic.
“Concentrate, you idiot!” said Zoro while he eyed the rest of the opposite team. He stopped when he spotted Nami, her long orange hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, smiling at him and remembering his debt. “ That witch ”, he thought, but he couldn’t help but smile back. He loved challenges, and this was one. Luffy would have to catch the Snitch fast. Slytherin was a strong team and with Smoker as referee they couldn’t let Ace act very freely.
“Teams ready?” said Smoker. Both Boa and Luffy nodded and the game started. One of Gryffindor chasers took the Quaffle, but Nami stole it in a blink. Damn, she was good.
“10-0 to Slytherin”, announced Ussopp.
“You rock, Nami-chaaan!!” shouted Sanji. Zoro hit one Bludger that was after Luffy and directed it to one of the opposite beaters, although he had been tempted to send it against Sanji.
Ace started the counterattack and soon the scoreboard was tied. The match continued and things started to get more and more violent, so Smoker had to interfere a couple of times. Sanji and Zoro managed to knock out the Slytherin beaters, but after a move by Boa, Sanji was left out of the game.
When the game was 70-90, Luffy saw the Snitch and flew top speed to chase it. His arm stretched as if it was made of rubber, but when his fingers could touch the cold ball a strange fog surrounded them and Nami’s scream could be heard loudly. The redhead had lost the control of her broom and was hardly holding to it. When her fingers slipped and she fell, the crowd shouted alarmed. The girl closed her eyes, but instead of the hit against the ground, she could feel a strong hand grabbing her. When she opened her eyes she could see the green haired as he positioned her behind him on the broom. She surrounded his waist with her arms and held to his robes as they descended safely.
“What happened?” asked Zoro, worried. Nami was an excellent flier.
“There was something in the fog. My broom didn’t respond”, answered the girl. Although they had already landed, she was still grabbing his robes.
“Should we stop the game?” Zoro liked to win, but fairly.
“Late, I think Luffy got it,” smiled Nami looking above them.
“GRYFFINDOR WINS!” shouted Ussopp. Recovered from Nami’s fall, the crowd cheered the winners, and all the players joined the pair.
“NAMI-CHAAAAN!!” Sanji came running, tears in his eyes. “ Are you all right?!”
“Yes, thank you, Sanji. Well played, guys. Good match!” congratulated the mikan haired.
“Come to celebrate it with us, Nami! We know how to get food, shishishi” said Luffy, the Snitch still in his hand and ready to party.
“Sure! But first I have to take care of some things… See you later!” said Nami as she turned and left the lion team celebrating their victory. Zoro stared at her back while she was leaving, her broom in his hands. He had a bad feeling, but his worries had to wait for the moment, his captain was already running to the castle, looking forward to the long party waiting for them.