Quidditch
As November came, so did the frost. Every day, students could see Hagrid defrosting broomsticks and other equipment that for some unknown reason were not stored in the Castle.
The Quidditch season had begun and on that Saturday was Willow’s first game against Slytherin after weeks of training. Training that Oliver forbade anyone outside the team to see, in other to keep their ‘secret weapon' well… secret, even though the entire school already knew she was the new Seeker.
Their friendship with Gus came with some nice perks, mostly academic, as he would be more than happy to help them with their ever-growing pile of homework.
He also lent Luz, ‘Quidditch Through the Ages', which was a very interesting read. With it, Luz learned that there were 700 ways of committing a foul in Quidditch and that somehow all happened in a world cup match in 1473.
She also learned that, for some time, the game was played on a broomstick and not in Palismen, but it was changed because the game had become a matter of who had the fastest broomstick, not skill.
“It’s just me or is professor Clawthorne limping?” Luz asked when they saw Lilith taking a book from one Hufflepuff student. Apparently, when they said the library books couldn’t be taken outside the school they meant quite literally that you couldn’t read them outside the castle.
“Yes, she is” Said Gus when she walked away towards the library. They heard a very strange story that evening, a Gryffindor student, brother of the one Lilith took the book from, went to the staff room to get it back, there he found the leader of the ‘Kare-takers’ treating Lilith’s wounds and he heard her saying “How are you supposed to keep your eyes in all three heads?!” The boy was caught and Gryffindor lost 15 points for eavesdropping.
“I have a theory” Luz said “She is after whatever is that the dog is guarding, she was the one who let the troll in as a distraction and that explains why we saw her there” Gus shook his head “Come on, I know she is not the kindest person around, but she wouldn’t try to steal something Bump is keeping safe” He said defensively.
“Gus, to be honest, you think that all teachers are saints or something, I’m with Luz, but what it is the dog is guarding?” Willow said. That night the question buzzed Luz’s mind to the point where King slept before Luz and he would always stay a few hours awake looking at the moon and stars.
The next day was the match, Star and Gloria talked to Willow as soon as she woke up, wishing her fair winds and no Bludgers. Gus almost forced Willow to eat something though she couldn’t bring herself to do it, she was way too anxious.
11 O'clock came and seemly the whole school was out on the Quidditch pitch. Students brought binoculars because even though the seats were raised high in the air, it was still difficult to see the hat was going on sometimes.
Luz and Gus joined Star and Gloria up in the top row. As a surprise for Willow, the girls had painted a large banner on one of the sheets King had ruined, it said ‘Willow the winner'. “He does that with things he doesn’t like, he destroyed one of mom's dresses, it was horrible” Luz explained to Gus when he asked ‘why?’.
Madame O’Neill was refereeing the game, she flew down from the sky when the two teams came out of their locker rooms “Remember, nice and fair game, cheaters never really win anything and I’ll make sure to watch you all very closely. Now, mount your Palismen!” She whistled loud as lightning.
15 Palismen blasted off the ground. O’Neill flew around the pitch, observing if any foul play was committed.
“Good morning fans of sport! Hope you are all well for this incredible match between Gryffindor and Slytherin!” Amber Pilulip, a witch in the same year as the twins, was doing the commentary.
“Derwin Handelle is holding the Quaffle! And he is going straight for the point? Classic move, he dodged one chaser and another and… No, Marcus Flint, Captain of Slytherin is now the one with the Quaffle!” Her strangely cute voice did not match, at all, with the game, but she was fast and precise in her commentary.
“Flint dodges all three chasers in on move, he is as fast as he is dumb, and that cannot be denied” Gryffindor students and even some Slytherin chuckled at that comment “He goes for the point… But misses it! What a great defense by Oliver Wood, team captain, and goalkeeper of Gryffindor!” A loud relive sound was heard from Gryffindor’s side.
“Katya Shechire is carrying the Quaffle! She dodges Flint and… Ouch! Hit in the back of the head by a Bludger… Quaffle is taken by Slytherin. The chaser, Diana Caven --- Wow, one excellent throw from the Gryffindor beater Edric Blight” Amber seemed to have little problem keeping up with the fast pace game, even when Luz felt she needed two more eyes to keep tabs of who was where.
“Derwin is holding, once again, the Quaffle, he dodges one, two, and all three of the Slytherin chasers, and a Bludger sent by the beater! He prepares the throw and… It is 10 points to Gryffindor!!!!” Cheers from Gryffindor filled the cold air, with howls and moans from Slytherin.
“No sign of the Golden Snitch?” Hagrid had joined Luz and Gus, forcing the two to squeeze together to make enough space “No, Willow hasn’t done anything yet” Luz said, the girl had been keeping an eye on her friend. Willow was flying around the pitch, looking for the Snitch.
“Oh look, is the Golden Snitch” Said Amber casually “Diana drops the Quaffle distracted by the Snitch? Flint won’t like that. Willow Park and Terrence Higgs, Gryffindor, and Slytherin seekers dove to get it! Neck-and-neck they go, will this match end so quickly? The chasers seem to have forgotten what they were supposed to do!” The closer the seekers got to catching the Snitch the more intense Amber commented.
Luz leaned forward as she watched her friend fly through the sky after the tiny golden ball, Willow stretched her arm to catch the ball when Flint blocked Willow on purpose, and Clover span out of the course, Willow holding on for dear life.
“That is a foul from Slytherin! Madame O’Neil ordered a free shot at the goal post for Gryffindor! But the Snitch disappeared once again” Amber narrated. High in the stands, Luz shouted “Send him off refs! That is cleared a red card!” Gloria turned to her confused “This is Quidditch, you don’t send people off, and what is a red card?” Luz turned red in embracement.
“Gryffindor misses the free shot and the game continues! Derwin is yet again in possession of the Quaffle” The game continued when “Willow dives between Gryffindor chasers? Flint takes the Quaffle from Katya” Luz’s attention was taken away from the game to Willow.
Willow was flying strangely, she made abrupt turns, loops, and stuns “Weird” She said “It looks like Clover is trying to throw Willow off” Hagrid turned his gaze towards Willow “That’s impossible, even if the Palisman doesn’t want to fly, in staff form it’s conscience is repressed almost completely, Willow should be in full control… Unless powerful dark magic is involved…” He said getting worried.
“Give me that” Gus took the binoculars from Hagrid, but instead of looking at Willow, she looked at the crowd “I knew it! Lilith is doing it!” Luz took the binoculars from Gus, she found their professor in the middle of the stands opposite them, her gaze fixed on Willow and muttering non-stop under her breath “She’s doing something, jinxing Clover! What do we do?” Before anyone could say anything Luz disappeared.
Willow was now dangling from Clover; one hand separated her from a many meters fall. Edric and Emira flew beneath her, hoping to catch her in case she fell. Slytherin had scored 5 times without anyone noticing.
On the other side of the stands, Luz managed to get beneath the rows of spectators. She crawled her way until she reached Lilith. She pointed her staff to Lilith’s dress and closed her eyes “Come on, do something” She thought, she didn’t know any spell she could use, she just ordered her staff.
The red gem glowed and sparkles came out of it, they fell in Lilith’s cloth, setting a part of it on fire “You’re on fire!” One of the teachers sitting next to Lilith yelled. The Clawthorne stood up in shock, knocking several people around her down, like professor Chariot and Piniet. Luz crawled away and fought her way back to Gus and the others. Lilith put out the fire, but she would never know what caused it.
Up in the air, Willow was able to climb back to Clover “Willow is speeding down towards the ground, she claps her hand to her mouth? Is she sick? Willow hit the pitch on all fours… She coughs… What is that gold thing that just came out of her mouth? Is the Golden Snitch!?” Amber yelled confused.
The game ended 170-60 to Gryffindor; even though Flint didn’t accept it. Luz, Gus, and Willow celebrated their win in Hagrid’s hut with tea. Luz explained to Willow and Hagrid what had happened “It was Lilith; she was the one doing it!” Luz shouted “Non-sense, what would she gain with that?” Hagrid asked serving them the strongest tea they ever had in their lives.
Luz told Hagrid about Lilith trying to get past the dog on Halloween “How do you know about Fluffy?” Hagrid asked surprised “Fluffy?” Willow asked in disbelief “Yeah, he’s me dog, bought him off a Greek guy I met in the pub last year. I lent him to Bump to guard the--- ” The trio raised their eyebrows curiously.
“Don’t ask me again, it is top secret” The giant said “And Lilith is trying to steal it” Luz argued “Rubbish, Lilith is Hogwarts teacher, she would never do anything of the sort” Hagrid replied “Then why did she try to kill Willow?” Gus's mind about Lilith had changed from the events of that game.
“Yer don’t know that” Hagrid said “I know a jinx when I see one, I studied them, you need to keep eye contact and Lilith was doing it” Hagrid placed the iron kettle on the table causing a loud noisy “I don’t know why Clover behaved as it did, but I am certain that Lilith would never try to kill a student. Now hear me out, the three of yer, stop meddling in stuff that doesn’t concern yer, forget the dog and what he is guarding. That’s between Principal Bump and Nicolas Flamel…” He stopped when he realized what he had done.
“I shouldn’t have said that…” He groaned angrily at himself.