After Christmas the Quidditch season returned. Ron was still the Seeker for Gryffindor team and Mika and Niamh had finally gotten their chance to play (or at least Niamh as Mika was a reserve Beater). Ginny as well was getting a chance as she was the only Seeker Slytherin had left.
“I’m so nervous I’m shaking,” said Ginny as they sat in the girl’s locker room before their first game.
Niamh laughed and went over to the younger girl. They were the only two girl’s on the first string team, though when Harry returned Niamh would be the only one.
“Same here,” said the dark-haired girl. “Look.” She held up her hands, which were both quivering slightly.
Ginny chuckled.
“We’re silly, aren’t we? So nervous before the game.”
“Hey, image how Harry felt! He was the reserve at first, remember? He just got pulled into the game!”
“And became the first string Seeker because Terrence was injured.”
“Hey!” came a voice from beyond the door. “You two ready? Its time to go!”
“Coming, Mik!” called both girl’s in unison.
“C’mon,” said Niamh, slapping Ginny’s knee. “Let’s get out there and show what we can do.”
Ginny grinned in response and grabbed her broom, tossing Niamh the one that sat beside it. The dark-haired girl caught it instinctively then stared at it.
“Gin…I – I can’t use this.”
“Sure you can,” said Ginny with a smile. “Harry wouldn’t mind. And that Cleansweep you’ve been using is as slow as a turtle.”
Niamh stared at the Firebolt, running one hand idly over the name etched in gold on it. She then noticed something smaller carved into it. Bringing it up to her face, she read: Harold Jamison Snape – Slytherin Seeker. There was a little crude carving of a snitch at the end of it.
“Oh, Harry,” she murmured, clutching the broom close. Then she looked at Ginny and said, “Let’s rock and roll.”
As she marched out of the locker room, Ginny frowned and said to the empty room, “’Rock and roll?’”
“Gin!”
“Coming!”
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand here we are again, professors and fellow students! The first Quidditch game of the season: Slyyyyyyyyyyyytherin versus Gryffindooooooooooooooooooooooor!”
Cheers exploded from the stands as Lee Jordan’s voice rang through the stadium.
“And here comes the Gryffindor team! Weasley, Weasley, Weasley, Johnson, Bell, Spinnet, and the new Keeper for this year – LONGBOTTOM?!”
“NEVILLE?!” exclaimed Niamh and Ginny at the same time.
“Now for the Slytherin team! Malfoy, Baddock, Warrington, Ymber, O’Feir, Adick, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Weasley!”
“Let’s go!” yelled Warrington, who had been unanimously elected captain of the team since he was the eldest member on it.
Niamh let out a whoop and leapt onto Harry’s Firebolt, kicking off. She did a barrel roll as she flew out, grinning wildly as she discovered why Harry loved this broom.
Well, besides the fact that Sirius had given it to him…
It was so much fun to ride!
She flew up to her position beside Thomas, who was one of her fellow Chaser’s, bobbing in place in excitement. After a moment she glanced upward to see Ginny and Ron glaring at each other.
Fred and George waved at her and she grinned feraly at them.
The whistle blew then and the Quaffle soared up into the air.
The game had begun.
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
“And it’s Ymber with the Quaffle – now O’Feir – there’s a Bludger! – and O’Feir dodges and passes to Adick! – interception! – Bell has the Quaffle – passes to Johnson – watch that Bludger Angelina! OOO!”
The crowd echoed Lee as a Bludger hit by Malfoy slammed into Angelina’s side. She dropped the Quaffle and Niamh swooped down to catch it deftly in one hand. A maniacal grin on her face, she headed towards the Gryffindor goals.
Neville, to the amazement of many, held his ground before the wild visage of the Lady Hex. And caught the Quaffle too.
Niamh shook her head and gave him a thumbs up before she launched back into the game. Neville didn’t know whether to grin or wonder if she should really be congratulating him.
“Bell has the Quaffle – passes to Johnson – passes to Spinnet – watch out, Alicia! – back to Bell – and an interception by Adick! – he passes to O’Feir – SLYTHERIN SCORES! 10-0 Slytherin!”
Cheers went up from the green section of the stadium and Snape smirked in the teacher’s box.
“Sorry, Nev!” yelled Niamh as she circled back around the golden hoops.
“No problem!” he yelled back, grinning.
“Ymber has the Quaffle again – oo, that had to hurt! – Bell catches the Quaffle and heads for the Slytherin Keeper. I hope Warrington’s ready for her!”
“You okay, Tom?” called Niamh to Thomas, who was clutching his shoulder.
“Fine!”
“Right.”
Niamh ducked low to the Firebolt and shot towards Angelina, who now had the Quaffle. She dove under the older girl and came up on her left side, tapping her on the shoulder. When she looked, Niamh swooped under her to her right side and snatched the Quaffle with both hands. Laughing madly, she pulled the Firebolt up using only her legs and shot back down the field.
“What a steal by O’Feir! Amazing – there go Weasley and Weasley! The Seekers have seen the Snitch!”
Niamh considered glancing at Ginny to see if she was ahead of Ron but she could see Katie Bell coming up on her right side and dropped it. She turned her head to grin at Katie then dove. The Gryffindor Chaser followed and Niamh laughed.
She pulled up inches from the ground and heard the crunch of something hitting the ground behind her. Still grinning, she zipped around the Gryffindor goals and faked a shot into the one nearest here. Neville dipped towards it and she slammed the Quaffle home into the far ring.
“SLYTHERIN SCORES! 20-0!”
A second later there was a triumphant cry from Ginny.
“I GOT THE SNITCH!”
The Slytherin stands exploded with cheers and whoops. Niamh and Thomas, both screaming happily, swooped over to Ginny and enveloped the younger girl in a bear hug.
“Our first match together and we win!” exclaimed Niamh.
Thomas grinned and yelled, “That’s a good sign, if any!”
Ginny laughed, happy tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’ll vouch for that!” she yelled as she waved the captured Snitch proudly.