บท 156: Quidditch Final II
The stands on the Quidditch pitch were packed. The whole school was watching the game expectantly.
The Gryffindor and Slytherin stands were chanting and cheering like never before. Today's match was the most important of the season.
Before going out onto the pitch, Professor McGonagall the head of Gryffindor House gave them a motivational speech. It is very rare to see a stern and demanding professor.
Both teams walked out onto the pitch and were greeted by many cheers. Instructor Hooch began to talk to the Gryffindor and Slytherin captains, who looked at each other with unfriendly faces.
"Oh my god," Sirius muttered, looking at the whole crowd shouting and whistling. In the professor's stand, he could see a big silver cup that everyone was wishing for. Imagining that the big cup could end up in the hands of the Slytherin students made him more nervous.
This was the third match he had played, but he was more nervous than ever. This match had much more serious implications.
If they lost they would be sad and dejected as ever. They would be the disappointment of all Gryffindor. Slytherin would taunt them for a long time. He doesn't want that.
"Relax. Your new broom will carry us to victory," James said, patting Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius achieved his goal with the school paper. He managed to buy the new Nimbus thanks to his business. No need for his mother's money.
"I hope so. Catch the snitch as soon as possible," Sirius said, gripping his new broom tightly. They couldn't miss.
"Mount your brooms!" shouted Hooch. Seconds later, she blew her whistle, and they all took to the air. Commentator Murphy McNully began his enthusiastic account of the match that would decide this year's champion.
James was flying his trusty old friend Nimbus 1001. He could have bought the new Nimbus, but he didn't want to. The Nimbus 1001 he bought with his grandfather. He would keep this broom until he couldn't anymore.
While he was looking for the snitch he paid attention to the batters. He had to dodge a Bludger or two. It was easy. It was harder to dodge hits from enemies that wanted to murder you like the Ice Knights or the Golem.
Most of the eyes in the stadium were on James. In the previous match, he used a very difficult and almost unseen technique to get rid of the opposing seeker. Everyone wondered what he would do today.
The opening minutes of the match were quiet. The snitch was out of sight, which allowed the Slytherin team to reach 50 points. Now they could breathe easily.
From this point on the air was more tense. Whoever caught the snitch would win the game. The score was tied 70-70. The game was getting close and tense.
"Damn!" growled Gideon as he was tricked by an opposing chaser.
"Watch out, James!" shouted Fabian. Neither of them expected that the three chasers would use a tactic to intercept them.
This allowed the Slytherin batters to hit the two bludgers and send them toward James at great speed and aiming at different parts.
To the surprise of the entire stadium, James dodged the Bludgers with great prowess and without changing his expression. At no time did he get nervous.
"Did you all see what I saw? Gryffindor's seeker, James Potter performed a perfect Tailrek Twirl!" shouted Murphy excitedly and jumped to his feet. The entire Gryffindor stand applauded James, and the Slytherins were disappointed that he didn't dive.
The Tailrek Twirl was an advanced flying technique, where the player rolls their broom more than once to avoid Bludgers. It is difficult to do as you need great skill, speed, and reflexes.
James was attacked by Bludgers thrown by his father, grandfather and uncle. Adult Quidditch fanatics who showed no mercy to anyone. So it wasn't hard for him to dodge the Bludgers from the Slytherin students.
"Well done, you little monster!" shouted Gideon, sighing in relief.
"This will never happen again!" shouted Fabian angrily. Because of him they almost lost their star seeker.
'Little monster...?' thought James with a strange expression without saying anything. He kept looking for traces of the snitch.
Finally, he found it. The bad thing was that the Slytherin seeker also saw it and started a race. The whole stadium had its eyes on them. The other members of each team also wanted to support their seeker and stopped paying attention to the Quaffles.
The snitch felt the threat of being caught and began to rise higher and higher into the sky. Way up. James and the rival seeker followed it without losing speed. The people in the stands looked smaller and smaller, like black dots.
The higher they went, the harder it was to breathe, and the more difficult it was for the brooms to reach new heights. From one moment to the next the snitch began to descend at breakneck speed.
Both seekers began to descend at a great and dangerous speed trying to catch the snitch.
As they got closer and closer to the ground the Slytherin seeker began to slow down. It would be dangerous to maintain those miles per hour and then not be able to stop. Which would cause him to crash into the ground.
However, James did not slow down. On the contrary, he increased his speed using inertia and his broom. He began to spiral downward, gaining even more speed past the Slytherin seeker.
He was hurtling towards the ground like a bullet, metaphorically speaking, which provoked gasps and cheers from the crowd. Many closed their eyes at the impending crash into the hard ground, many others kept their eyes on James.
Thanks to his blazing speed he managed to catch the snitch. The bad thing was that to stop and not break several bones in the attempt he had to be fast and precise.
He managed to slow down, but not stop completely. Knowing that his fate was sealed he jumped off the broom to roll and not fall on his face. Also so that his Nimbus 1001 would not suffer serious damage.
He rolled on the ground kicking up dirt and feeling pain in all his joints. He gripped the snitch tightly. Finally, he stopped. The stadium was silent. Gwen had stood up, fingers crossed over her mouth. She couldn't believe why James was so extreme at playing quidditch.
James stood up spitting up some dirt and being watched by hundreds of eyes. He held out his arm with his fist in the air. He then slowly opened it revealing the golden snitch.
The silent Gryffindor crowd erupted in cheers and applause at the sight of such a scene. They started shouting champions and more things that James didn't understand because of all the shouting and headaches from the hit. He had a big bump on his forehead.
Before James could see the state of his broom several hands pulled him was the rest of the team, who were shouting in jubilation.
"We won!" bellowed Sirius.
William, Gideon, Fabian, Annabeth, and the rest of the substitute team were bursting with joy as they surrounded James lifting him into the air.
'It hurts...' thought James without saying anything so as not to stop the team's celebration. Although he was sure that with the euphoria they had they wouldn't hear him.
After catching the snitch the game was over. The award ceremony was held. Where Dumbledore himself handed the Silver Cup to Captain William.
The walk back to the Gryffindor hall was more animated than this morning. The team members were surrounded by a very noisy scarlet and gold crowd. The silver cup was being passed from hand to hand among the team members.
Sirius took the cup climbed onto James' shoulders, and raised the cup as high as he could while being cheered by everyone.
"Let's crush those damn snakes!" shouted Sirius, as he continued to insult the noble house of Slytherin that his mother was so fond of.
The party in the Gryffindor common room was the craziest and longest that James and the marauders have experienced since they have been at Hogwarts. It lasted all day and into the night. After dinner in the large dining room which was very noisy on the Gryffindor side, they continued with the party.
The Prewett brothers didn't want it to end and continued it until many fell asleep on the couches and the floor. James didn't even have time to take a bath and go to the infirmary because of the bruises he received from the fall.
The next day James met Gwen on the balcony in hiding. Although their relationship was no longer a secret, it was the best place to talk with nice views and undisturbed.
"That last move was very dangerous," Gwen said as she sipped her tea elegantly.
"That's the third time you've told me that already," said James, taking a bite of a rich chocolate dessert.
"I'm telling you again because you don't seem to make a big deal out of it," said Gwen.
"Next time, I won't do something so dangerous..." said James, giving up. If he didn't they would continue this conversation that was going nowhere.
"Fine," said Gwen with a smile. She didn't care that her house had lost the quidditch cup. She was happier that James had won it, as she knew he loved quidditch.
"Have you been studying for exams?" asked James. It was just a short time before the week of exams was about to begin which made many students nervous and stressed.
"Of course I have. It will be easier since we don't have a DADA exam. Since I have you for a professor, I don't care that we don't have that exam," Gwen replied.
"I'm glad you find my lessons useful," said James with a slight smile. At this last time, he showed Gwen the room of requirements, and they started practicing together. Since there were two vaults left it would be good for Gwen to increase her power in combat which was already very good.
"You are doing well with your study? I can help you with something if you want," said Gwen, willing to help James in his study.
"Mm... I'll need some help with Astronomy," James said. Even though he knew he'd pass the help wouldn't hurt, and he could spend more time with Gwen.
"Fine. I'll help you," said Gwen with a smile. In this way, she accomplished her mission. She could spend more time with James.
"After exams, you should have your talk with Emily. My parents are already ready for her to come with me to Potter Manor," James commented.
"Yes. I don't know how she will react..." said Gwen, worried. She didn't want to force her sister, and if for some reason she refused she won't be able to do much.
"Don't worry. We'll convince her. I'm sure she'll be happy she doesn't have to go back to your crazy mother," said James, realizing at last he called Gwen's mother crazy.
"It doesn't matter. Yes, she is crazy," said Gwen with a chuckle, noticing James' expression who was about to take back that last sentence.
'That's two people already who consider their mother crazy' thought James. He was referring to Sirius and Gwen. In his past life might have considered his mother crazy, albeit in a different way. Since Elizabeth was in control of everything, she wasn't a screaming or thrashing madwoman like Gwen's and Sirius' mothers.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง