Pull out
Usually, Daphne wouldn‘t dare move at the weekend before 9 am.
However this weekend wasn’t the usual weekend.
It was the first Quidditch game of the season, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw.
The rule was never spoken out, but attendance was mandatory. At least for everyone who was Slytherin.
It was an obligation to ridicule Gryffindor and if you were in the same year as Draco Malfoy, you didn‘t have a choice really.
Therefore, Daphne showered, brushed her teeth and whatnot until it came to the her outfit.
In the end she chose her Black skirt with the Slytherin crest and black leggins underneath, a white cardigan and her neutral white scarf.
As she climbed into the stands which were already stuffed to the brim, the players were just getting announced, Ravenclaw was already done.
“And last but certainly not least,“ Lee Jordan‘s voice boomed through the stands, “Our number seven,
HARRY POTTER!“
The cheer of the crowd was deafening.
A shiver ran down her spine.
There he was, Harry Potter, the number 7.
It wasn‘t the best of matches if one were to count the number of spectacular events, but it was undoubtedly of high quality.
Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had arguably the players with the best technique and finesse of Hogwarts and their tactics were extraordinarily complex.
It was a close game, the one never letting the other get too far away.
It was a game that the seeker would have to decide.
Even there, the houses had arguably the best matchup.
Cho Chang was an incredibly talented seeker with a slim built and she was as quick as they came.
And Harry Potter, well, you needn‘t even talk about him.
There were scouts of several Quidditch teams sitting next to Professor McGonnagal who were clearly there for him.
Even that Durmstrang student, Viktor Krum, seemed impressed by his casual showcase of flying as if the broom was a very own limb of his.
Chang tailed him the whole game.
The pretty seeker was good, very good, but not that good.
She didn‘t have the same skills in terms of vision that Harry had, although he wore glasses.
Her chance was that she could somehow overpower him in a direct race for the snitch with her agility.
it was impressive how Harry always managed to lose Chang for a few seconds by weaving in and out of the chaser‘s formation.
It didn‘t get him enough time though.
Chang was on his tail again too quickly.
As he flew over the stands searching for the snitch, Chang right behind him, she caught his eye.
A determined look was plastered on his features.
His form got smaller and smaller as he rose higher and higher into the air, in search of the snitch.
The both of them were hundreds of feet above the chaser‘s game now.
And that was when it happened.
Harry spotted the snitch.
He dove down vertically, in reminescence of a peregrine falcon.
He reached a similar velocity as well.
Like a goddamn bullet he shot towards the ground, Chang right behind him.
Daphne held her breath. Just like everyone else. It was eeriliy silent.
Everyone‘s eyes were on them.
They approached the ground faster and faster.
They were so fast and the ground was getting closer.
The first people awoke of their stupor and began shouting, until the whole stadium screamed.
“PULL OUT! PULL OUT!“ Daphne screamed at the top of their lungs, not that anybody could hear it.
She never thought she would use these words, especially not like this but it was getting very serious, just like you know when.
They flashed past the chasers and beaters only sixty feet off the ground.
fifty, fourty,
they were going to die,
thirty,
and then Harry pulled out of the dive with an impossible aerial control.
It was as if he was master of the winds.
He swiftly evened out at the fastest of breakneck paces, grazing the blades of grass with his feet.
Cho wasn‘t that skilled.
She hit the ground with a sickening crunch, having tried to brake as hard as possible, but the crash was inevitable.
Madam Pomfrey ran on the field while the crowd howled with rage, admiration, or both.
The game continued.
It was only minutes before Harry caught the snitch swiftly.
The Gryffindors erupted and everyone except for the Slytherins stood up and applauded.
Even the Ravenclaws.
This was too impressive a move to deny him a standing ovation.
Even Viktor Krum clapped enthusiastically, smiling all the while.
Harry was already on the ground checking if Cho was alright.
That she was certainly not, but Madam Pomfrey had it under control and Chang was being transported to the Hospital wing.
Never in her life had Daphne witnessed such an intense Quidditch game.
She could still hear her heart pumping in her ears.
“Pure luck, I‘m telling you!“ She heard Malfoy shouting from somewhere behind her.
Not even the Slytherins believed him.
If anything ever was not luck, that was.
It was such a calculated and perfectly executed move that it was almost scary a human could perform it like that.
The Grffindors seemed to agree, since Harry was carried on their shoulders, certainly heading to their common room where they would get sloshed.
Their eyes met just as she was leaving the stands.
he winked.
That was the last the she saw of him as Fred and George Weasley carried him out of the stadium.
“Knew you wouldn‘t die Harry!“
“Lose a leg,“
“Or an arm,“
“Packing it all together,
“NEVEEER!!“
Luckily, because otherwise he would have spotted a faint blush covering her cheeks.