Hogwarts '06/7

[choki]

Arven managed to mount her broom with the help of Lilly and just in time before Dinas blew the whistle. She reassured Lilly everything was alright for now before she flew back to guard the goal post. McKay was fast approaching.

[GodrictheGriffon]

Lilly braced herself, determined not to let it in again.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"Too easy," Mortin shook his head.

It'll be down to the capture of the Snitch though, he thought. It always is in our games...


McKay had strolled into the Goal Area for the second time. He'd missed once - he gave this shot some extra power and turn.

The Quaffle soared...

[Q.Araignee]

The roar from below was too loud to ignore- Rowena looked down and almost cried out as the Quaffle curved in the air, passing by Lilly's fingertips by the right hoop and skimming through the centre.

With the score now at 30-10 to the Slytherins, Rowena was beginning to panic. It took a few seconds for her to calm herself down enough to return to scanning the scene below her.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

The crowd roared as the Quaffle skimmed through the centre hoop.

But why is Gryffindor joining in? Dinas thought. Then he saw it: the Snitch was hovering just above the ground. The Slytherin Seeker had seen it and was diving at full speed toward the glittering golden object.

The race was on...

[choki]

With a quick, swift pass from Charlie, Arven grabbed the Quaffle and headed straight towards the Slytherin post. The Slytherin beaters tailed behind her closely. She had fully realised she was the target right from the start. Determined not to lose the match, Arven spotted an opening and quickly passed the Quaffle back to Charlie while she rosed sharply up to avoid the bludger.

[Q.Araignee]

With a sharp gasp, Rowena dived at the glimmer of gold skimming across the pitch. Sharpe was just ahead of her, but not by more than a few inches- and of course the Snitch wasn't just going to stay still let itself be captured.

When it streaked off towards the Slytherin goal hoops, Rowena pulled out of her dive slightly quicker than Sharpe- and inched ahead. Silently thanking everyone she could for her Firebolt, she used her advantage and began to close the gap between her and the Snitch- ignoring the Slytherin right on her tail.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Sharpe flicked his head around and took a glance at Rowena. She was gaining, slowly but noticeably. He bent further down on his broom, and swore under his breath. He needed a faster broom; the new Cleansweep was lighter and faster than any of the earlier models, but against even the old Firebolt it was outclassed for pace. They could see the glint of gold ahead of them.

[choki]

The crowd paid close attention towards the Slytherin goal area where the two seekers were engaged in their game along with the fast approaching Gryffindor chasers.

Charlie quickly swerved left and threw the Quaffle towards the goal.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Sharpe heard a cheer from one section of the crowd, but he was flying so fast and not concentrating on anything other than the Snitch, so he wasn't sure of whether the Quaffle had gone in or not - he would find out later.

The Snitch was only a metre away, and turning at sharp angles that he and Rowena had to react to at lightening pace to keep up. His outsretched arm begged for him to stop chasing... it cried out in agony. This was by far the most furious Snitch chase he had been involved in, it seemed much faster than normal.

Rowena appeared to be thinking the same thing... neither of them were used to that level of intensity. The whole crowd was watching them anxiously... The team that won this game between Gryffindor and Slytherin, could, going by history, say that they had one arm on the Quidditch Cup already.

Sharpre edged closer and close to the Snitch.

There would be a Quidditch Cup this year at Hogwarts, even if the majority of top players in the school wouldn't be allowed to compete because of their entry in the Tournament.

The Tournament itself would be at the International Quidditch Stadium of Britain, where the Quidditch World Cup was held 12 years ago. Sharpe had gone to this year's Quidditch World Cup on the outskirts of Paris. The host nation France had made the semi-finals and then lost to a Japanese side quickly gaining fans and a reputation for success. This reputation was rather cemented when they became the first eastern country to win the World Cup in over 200 years. There had been national mourning in the streets of France for a week when they lost. England had only just made the top 8, Sharpe sighed.

The Snitch was so close, and Rowena was almost flying on top of him so she could get past him easier. He would only have one opportunity to catch the Snitch... and it was now.

His outstretched right hand swung around, and was so wild that it almost made Sharpe fall off his broom and Rowena dodge to get out of the way.

The Snitch had plenty of time to get away, and it flew sharply to the left...

... right into Sharpe's left hand. It never failed; it certainly hadn't in the World Cup Final. The move, perfected by the Toyohashi Tengu, the most celebrated Japanese club team. It was the Tengu Twister; the one Seeker's move that was intended not to dummy the opposition Seeker, but the Snitch itself.

The green and silver crowd cheered as another 150 points were added to Slytherin's total. In all the confusion, Sharpe realised that he had no idea whether Gryffindor's last scoring attempt had been successful...

... he turned around to take a look at the scoreboard.

[Q.Araignee]

Having had to swerve right to miss being knocked off her broom by Sharpe, Rowena turned to see him clasping the Snitch in his left hand. Her heart sank as she heard the commentator in the distance- something about the Keeper staying on the right hoop while Charlie had scored in the left, but that the final score was 180-20 to Slytherin.

A spark of anger that Sharpe had only made her miss her chance at catching the Snitch by almost unseating her flared in her chest, overridden for now by the numbness that had taken hold of her. Completely unaware of herself, Rowena gently descended and landed on the springy pitch. As she dismounted and headed to the Gryffindor changing rooms, she felt cold and shaky- barely noticing the rest of the students around her walking up to the Castle, nor the rest of her team ahead of her.

[GodrictheGriffon]

Lilly wasn't feeling good as she walked back up to the tower. She felt numb, cold, and sick to her stomach. She could hardly believe that she had let in so many goals. But everyone else could. She was the worst keeper Gryffindor had seen in a hundred years. Maybe a thousand. For the first time in her life. She half-wished that she had been a Slytherin.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Misty was a bit upset about loosing the game.

But the team was new. She wasn't expecting to win, but she didn't expect to have so many injuries or mistakes made.

I can't be too harsh on them, I didn't play my best either

She arrived last up to the common room and saw that most of the team was in the Common Room.

"Hey guys, good job. I know we lost. But we're a new team. I'm sure we'll do better next time." MIsty smiled. But was upset when she looked at the faces of her team mates.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Dinas retreated back to his office. The game hadn't lasted very by quidditch standards, but the 180 points would be very helpful to Slytherin's Quidditch Cup cause, especially seeing as they would be missing their top players for the rest of the season.

[Q.Araignee]

It was only when she set her broom down on the cool bench in the changing rooms that Rowena noticed she was alone. Everyone else must have gone up to the common room she thought miserably.

Regardless of that fact, she stepped into the showers- still in her robes as the hot water cascaded over her. She didn't know how long she stood there, or when she started singing quietly to herself, but Rowena was more than happy to let both the music and the water wash away the match.