1 Prologue

The Ilvermorny Quidditch Cup Final July 4th, 1991

Score: Thunderbird 70 - 70 Pukwudgie

Ladies and gentlemen, This has been an Ilvermorny Quidditch Cup Final for the ages. Thunderbird and Pukwudgie are currently neck-and-neck. Neither side is giving an inch here in one of the most exciting and intense Ilvermorny Quidditch Cup Finals in American history! Thunderbird is still seeking its third Quidditch Cup in a row! The Quaffle is in Pukwudgie's possession but slick defense from Goode and McCool has so far prevented them from scoring. Captain Emaline Goode, Ishizaki, and McCool are relentless, ducking, and weaving as they try to find a way past the Pukwudgie Beaters. Thunderbird Seeker Ariel Singleton is hot on the trail of the Golden Snitch with Tatsuki Kurosawa, the Pukwudgie Seeker, not too far behind. - An excellent interception by Pukwudgie Chaser Tomasz Krotoshinsky and Pukwudgie is streaking towards the goal – thrown to Baker – ouch! Even the Thunderbirds groaned in sympathy there as a Bludger hit Shirley Baker hard in the throat. She drops the Quaffle, which is caught by Emaline Goode. Thunderbird is back in possession! Emaline shoots...GOAL!!

And Thunderbird is back in the lead! It's 80 to 70!

Goode and Ishizaki are successfully disrupting the Pukwudgie Chasers, preventing the formidable trio from scoring a second goal, but Pukwudgie is relying far too much on their defense and their last touch of the Quaffle resulted in a drop and fumble by McCool. No sign of the Snitch so far.

Tomasz Krotoshinsky breaks through the Thunderbird defense and...he equalizes! Eighty all!

A sudden burst of quick-fire Quaffle passes has resulted in a brace of goals for Pukwudgie, whose Chasers are tearing up and down the pitch. Krotoshinsky has scored twice more and Baker once, taking the score to 120-80. Thunderbird is making too many careless mistakes and needs to take the offensive. Pukwudgie looking by far the stronger team at this point.

THE SNITCH HAS BEEN SIGHTED! With the score standing at 120-80 (following goals one minute apart from Krotoshinsky and Baker) a flash of gold near the Pukwudgie hoops leads Singleton and Kurosawa into a breakneck chase – Beaters and Chasers scatter – Singleton is ahead but narrowly misses a capture – as the Snitch soars upwards, both Seekers appear to be dazzled by the brilliant Massachusetts summer sun – the Snitch has disappeared again! The sun is about to set.

Moments after Krotoshinsky lengthens Pukwudgie's lead – 130-80 – Beater "Mighty" Melissa Murphy hits Ariel Singleton hard over the head with her bat. The referee is examining Omniocular footage to determine whether a foul has been committed. The game has been paused.

No foul! Referee Maximus Brankovitch III concludes that Murphy did not mean to hit Ariel Singleton around the back of the skull with her Beater's bat. Singleton signals that she is fit to continue and play resumes!

Mere seconds after play resumes, Singleton and Kurosawa are rocketing suddenly upwards – five thousand Omnioculars follow the pair into the dazzling Massachusetts sun –

Kurosawa and Singleton are in a breakneck dash for the Snitch, which Kurosawa sighted first – he is four feet ahead of Singleton as both rise almost vertically –

Singleton is gaining on Kurosawa but will it be enough...? They are neck and neck!

IT'S OVER!! Singleton has the Snitch! Thunderbird has its third! The fireworks are going off! The band is playing "Stars And Stripes Forever"!

The crowds are going crazy – after two and three-quarter hours in the cool Massachusetts night, Thunderbird has won its third straight Ilvermorny Quidditch Cup Final and the veteran Seeker Ariel Singleton has her third in a hugely popular win here in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Thunderbird Captain Emaline Goode is in tears as she wins her third straight title – but hearty commiserations to Pukwudgie - who have worked so hard to get here. They led almost all the way, and in the end, it was Ariel Singleton, the 17-year-old Seeker, and United States International from Tooele, Utah, who defeated them. A stunning display of sportsmanship here, as Singleton and Tatsuki Kurosawa, from Forks, Washington, embrace –

Minutes after Thunderbird won, a boy came up to Emaline, who was celebrating with her teammates. It seemed all too familiar. It was from Hogwarts. She opened it and read it...