Chapter 51: Snake in the Grass (2)

"So, he just leaves you alone to read a book?" – asked Remus while he and Catherine joined Peter who had saved them two great seats among the red and gold crowd, buzzing on the Quidditch stands.

"And take notes." – added the girl – "I'm really confused what's his end game there."

"Maybe he had realised he made a mistake?" – suggested the Gryffindor boy.

"I doubt he's capable of such personal growth, plus if he did realise, he had made a mistake why didn't he revoke the detention?" – the young witch stubbornly tossed her hair back.

"I don't know, but he didn't bother you during the last class, did he?" – Remus replied.

"Yeah, he completely ignored me." – laughed the girl – "Apparently, he just can't do anything in moderation when it concerns me. Anyway, it's about time for the match to start."

Almost like taking her cue, the Gryffindor and the Hufflepuff teams appeared on the field, prompting the students to erupt in cheers. The Quidditch pitch was lively with anticipation because the outcome of the game was about to determine the winner of the Quidditch Cup and most likely the winner of the House Cup. 

The weather was perfect – bright, sunny, and clear, setting the stage for an intense match. The players from both teams were ready to perform at the top of their abilities, especially the Gryffindors, for whom the stakes were the highest. Patrick Blackwood shook hands with the Hufflepuff's captain and one of their Beaters, Caradoc Dearborn, before Madame Hooch's whistle signalled the beginning of the match.

Sirius didn't waste much time and swiftly got hold of the Quaffle, weaving through the opposing team's defence with breathtaking precision. He sent the big red ball soaring through the left goal hoop, completely outplaying Keegan Macmillan, the Hufflepuff's Keeper, and earning Gryffindor their first ten points.

In the skies above, James Potter was playing a game of cat and mouse with Hufflepuff's Seeker, Bennett Thornfield. Their broomsticks whizzed through the air, performing daring dives and barrel rolls as both of them pretended they were chasing the elusive Golden Snitch. The crowd below were getting agitated and excited after every sharp turn, very few people actually able to notice if the small golden ball was indeed anywhere nearby. 

At this time, Greg McMahon was showcasing his extraordinary reflexes, blocking shots with a combination of nimble manoeuvres and strategic anticipation. Gryffindors erupted in cheers as he executed a gravity-defying mid-air save, preventing Hufflepuff from closing the point gap.

Twenty minutes later, the game intensified and Hufflepuffs finally managed to score some goals, mainly due to the remarkable synergy between Owen Spinnet and Daisy Diggory who were splendid Chasers and even better when playing together. Shortly after, Sirius orchestrated a perfectly timed series of passes between him and Marigold Weasley, creating a dazzling display of teamwork in their turn. The synchronised manoeuvres left the Hufflepuff Keeper bewildered and Gryffindor supporters roaring with approval.

After another twenty minutes, the score hung in the balance. It was then when James Potter spotted the glint of the Golden Snitch near the Hufflepuff hoops. The problem was that Bennett Thornfield apparently saw it too. The two boys darted towards the Hufflepuff field. James' flying, however, was better than his rival's. The Gryffindor executed a breathtaking corkscrew spin to dodge a Bludger, sent towards him by Edgar Bones, narrowly avoiding a collision with Bennett. With lightning-fast reflexes, James closed his fingers around the elusive Snitch, securing victory for Gryffindor.

The stands were all silent. Everyone was trying to calculate the necessary points for Gryffindor to win the Quidditch Cup. Then, slowly, and painfully came the realisation that the Snitch had been caught before Gryffindor reached the crucial 100-point lead. The Quidditch Cup slipped from their grasp, resulting in Slytherin being crowned the final winners. 

Catherine saw how the crowd, dressed in green and silver, despite their team not even participating in the match, roared in delight. The young witch decided to leave the stands as quickly as possible, throwing a last glance back at Slytherins who were now carrying some of their Quidditch players on their shoulders. The platinum blond hair of Valeria Malfoy was clearly visible among the sea of her peers, making the black-haired girl physically sick.

'I guess, I did become too involved in Quidditch and House rivalry.' – sighed the girl, averting her eyes from the Slytherins. 

*** 

Sirius Black was standing silently under the ice-cold water pouring from the shower. He didn't even move a muscle. His teammates had left long time ago, except for James who was still in there as well, judging from the occasional loud curses. 

'What the fuck happened? We had the best team this year! Everyone was great, even Greg bloody McMahon… And yet, we've lost the Cup.' – thought Sirius and slammed his fist at the wall, finally finding the strength to get out of the shower and face the inevitable reality of their collective failure as a team. 

The boy took his towel from the hanger, and glanced towards the sound of running water, coming from the last shower cabin.

"Come on, James! No point in spending more time there, mate. Let's face it – we've screwed up." – the boy shouted. 

The water stopped abruptly. James Potter emerged, angry and flushed. He grabbed his own towel and kicked the innocent laundry hamper left there by the school's house-elves. 

"I'm the only one who screwed up, Sirius, and I did it spectacularly! If I had been able to distract Thornfield, we could have won the Cup, but since he had seen the Snitch, it was already over."

"I know this, mate!" – Sirius said empathically – "It was either win the match but lose the Cup or lose the match and lose the Cup. You did the right thing."

"Why do I feel like a complete loser then?" – asked James bitterly, heading towards the lockers. 

"If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way." – sighed Sirius, following his best friend.

"See, Moony? I told you there would be a party… a pity party, but still counts!" 

The two boys heard Catherine's laughter, and almost simultaneously looked up to see her seated comfortably on one of the long benches in the locker room, leaning her back against Remus who was also sitting there and smiling gently. 

"How very funny!" – said James sulkily. He went to his locker to grab his clothes. 

"All Catherine's trying to say is that it was a great game and none of you have any reason to be ashamed, even though we didn't win the Cup." – Remus tried to mend the situation. 

"Yeah, but at the end of the day, we've lost, and we'll be hearing about this from Slytherins perpetually." – groaned Sirius glumly.

"Big deal, they always find something to mock and tease us about. If it's not that, it would be something else." – shrugged Catherine. 

"But this time they have a legitimate reason. We've lost because we were not playing as a team. We have such great players we became way too cocky after that first match, and we thought the Cup was as good as ours!" – moaned James, disappearing behind the opened door of his locker, in order to dress up. 

"Well, now that you realise what the problem was, you could fix it next year." – suggested Remus.

"If we even make the team again." – groaned Sirius, pacing around. 

"Of course you're going to make the team!" – said Catherine confidently – "Both of you are truly amazing and it had only been your first year playing."

"If we indeed do, I assure you that, it's going to be very different this time. For victory, I'm even ready to work with Greg McMahon." – Sirius nodded decisively.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it appears you're actually growing up and getting smarter!" – Catherine chuckled, winking at Sirius. 

"Don't hold your breath." – warned James, emerging behind the locket's door fully dressed – "This determination will shatter the moment we're back on the pitch training."

"It won't!" – protested Sirius.

Something about the boy's facial expression made Catherine giggle. He looked like a puppy that had been caught chewing the sofa and trying to show its remorse by just being cute. 

"Come on, James, let's leave so Sirius can get dressed and head back to the Common Room. You'll see that nobody blames you and people did appreciate the team and the efforts you put throughout the year."

"Oh, you can stay if you wish." – said Sirius cheekily – "It appears that you've developed a habit of sneaking uninvited into the Changing Room and it's not that you would see something you haven't seen already."

Remus and James burst laughing, and Catherine turned her head away, trying to ignore the heath radiating from her now completely red face.