The following Monday everyone was excited as on the upcoming Saturday the first Quidditch match would be held Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. Tensions were running high as friends found themselves on opposing sides. Take for example the silver foursome in their second year, Regulus, Dirk, Barty, and Letitia. Letitia couldn't very well cheer for Regulus even though it was his first match since she was a Gryffindor. As a result, Barty and Dirk did not know which side to cheer for either. After a fierce debate, they decided to cheer for Regulus except for Letitia who would cheer for Gryffindor during the upcoming quidditch match.
On that note, Sirius had taken to glaring at Regulus during meals giving Regulus a tummy ache. It wasn't though Regulus had gone and tried out for the Slytherin team just to annoy his older brother! Regulus was in fact a rather good seeker. But that did little to calm his nerves as his first match far too quickly approached.
On Friday, the sky had only been partially cloudy but Saturday morning it was simply storming with heavy rain and strong winds. At breakfast, Regulus had been rather pale, while on the Gryffindor side, Sirius beamed smugly with confidence accompanied by James. On the other hand, Pettigrew resembled Regulus, a pale sickly color.
Seeing the bad state of the weather reflected on the ceiling of the Great Hall, Rowan had half a mind to fake being ill in order to stay indoors. Glancing over at Regulus she felt a tiny smidgeon of guilt and pity at seeing his pale, sickly face. Still, it was Regulus's first match, and she could at least pretend to be excited for him.
See Regulus so downtrodden they all tried to cheer him up until Rowan finally couldn't take it anymore. "Are you any good, Regulus Black?" Rowan impenitently snapped.
"Captain Nott, says I'm the best flier she's ever seen," Regulus indignantly defended himself.
"Then prove it," Rowan firmly said. "That's all you're going to do today. Win or lose, show them what you've got."
For some reason, Rowan's words gave Regulus the comfort and courage he needed as he instantly perked up like a flower in the spring sun. The rest of those who were trying to comfort him remain entirely baffled by the reaction. That's exactly what they had been saying all along?! Maybe not in the same words, but it was the same message in the end!
Not long after the Quidditch team players left for the locker rooms as the rest of them chattered and waited until the last minute to trickle out into the foul weather. Umbrellas sprouted over the crowd like bright-colored flowers with some exotic ones thrown in the mix. The rain was just sleeting down as Rowan cleverly muttered a water-repellant charm over herself to keep herself dry. However, for appearance's sake, she wore a cloak with a hood as the water just dripped off her but did not get her face or any other part of her body wet as she remained cold but dry.
Each house sitting in its own stands, Terry is heard loudly muttering over the dampening effect of the rain and wind, "You think Regulus will be alright in this wind? I'd say, his weight will not be in his favor for the match but rather for the Gryffindor Quidditch captain as Regulus likely be blown off course by the storm-."
"Achoo!" Tiffany lets out a loud sneeze interrupting him as she loudly sniffs. Bethanie kindly hands her a handkerchief to wipe her nose as she valiantly holds onto her shared umbrella. Silvia, unlike the other two girls, merely wears a cloak with a hood, but her face and hair are rather wet already as she eagerly gazes out onto the field.
"I'd say, that is a distinct possibility," Severus drily said as he firmly held onto the hood of his cloak as his raven hair had already become plastered to his skull as all it took was a single slip of his hood to do so.
Rowan doesn't reply as she really didn't want to be out in this weather but doesn't have much of a choice. She idly wondered what would happen to someone who tripped while climbing up the stands. With all the slipperiness all around right now, an innocent fellow was liable to roll all the way down the stands resulting in many broken bones. And if she presumed correctly the odds were even higher for those who were going to be flying on a wet broom in the middle of a storm! Insane, the whole lot of them.
The lighter team members on both teams actually staggered sideways as they emerged onto the field. If the crowd was loudly cheering, they were only able to be heard as dull voices as the roar of the wind and rain dampened most of the sound. There was not much visibility as faintly through dripping wet binoculars Madam Hooch could be seen moving about on the field, before trying her best to be overhead over the storm. "Mount your brooms!" And loudly whistling for the game to start.
Despite the bad weather, the Gryffindor chasers grab the quaffle and begin to move in the direction of the Slytherin goal. It actually showcased how easily James and Pettigrew communicated with each other. Despite this being Pettigrew's first match, he showed no sign of faltering despite his obvious pallor. Quite nimble and fully being able to trust his teammate allowed James and Pettigrew to show off their skills on the field. Within mere minutes they scored the first goal!
Wilkes on the stands could faintly be overhead screaming about the goal, while the Gryffindor side rose to their feet to cheer. The Slytherin side oddly enough remained sitting beyond the usual boos. They weren't stupid enough to stand in this weather and get their seats wet only to sit back down in them.
Rowan yawned as she half dozed to the soothing sound of the rain. It wasn't until a sharp elbow nudge from Severus that caused her to startle awake. Unhappy, she growls, "What?!"
"Stay awake!" Severus hissed back.
"I was awake," Rowan stoutly defended herself. "I only had my eyes half closed; they were merely resting!" Severus rolls his eyes and turns back to the game as she slowly rubbed her aching ribcage with a frown. Annoying little brothers who can't mind their own business!
The match remained rather one-sided for the rest of the match as the Gryffindors led by 190 points to 20 points. In fact, the large difference could be solely attributed to the newest team members on the Gryffindor team. Sirius had a nose like a dog sniffing out where a potential weakness would lie. Effortlessly halting any pass or any attempt to score as he aimed perfectly at the Slytherin players. Strangely enough, he didn't send many at Regulus, but that could have been simply the fact that chances of Regulus spotting nor much less catching the snitch in this weather were slim to none.
Even if the snitch was caught this late in the match by Regulus, the Slytherins would still lose the match. Everyone waited for the whistle to be blown any minute now when the Slytherin side screamed at seeing the tiny figure of Regulus dive in the distance.
Time stood still in slow motion Madam Hooch reached for the silver whistle at her neck as everyone wondered which would come first. Smacking straight into the ground, everyone on the Slytherin side groaned as the silver whistle was blown. However, to their surprise, a tiny pale fist triumphantly raised his arm to show the golden-winged sphere fiercely fluttering its wings to escape from his clenched fist.
The Slytherin side burst into cheers despite having lost the game now by fifty points. The snitch had been caught in this foul weather by their latest seeker. That meant that for the next year, they had a fair chance of winning the Quidditch cup! Their loss had ultimately been redeemed in their eyes.
The Slytherin team rushed over with clear joy in their eyes as they tossed the slim figure of Regulus Black up in the air. Before hurriedly carrying him away to the infirmary. The mud had done a good job of softening the hard dive into the ground, but still, he was rather badly bruised.
The Gryffindor side was still wildly cheering as the Gryffindor team proudly flew before them. The Slytherin side quickly emptied the stands and made their way back inside to dry. The instant they stepped into the hall; Rowan found herself the source of attention. "Why aren't you soaking wet, Rowan?" Severus asked through narrowed eyes.
"A Water Repellant Charm," Rowan shamelessly replied back.
At her reply, Severus wasn't the only one with narrowed eyes as Severus says, "And why did you think not to share that little tidbit with us given the weather?"
"No one asked," Rowan's lips twitched with dark glee. Before anyone could pull out their wands to hex her, she quickly said, "I best be seeing how Regulus is doing," before rushing away.
By the time they reacted, Terry says, "Do you ever get the feeling that Rowan's pure evil at times?"
Everyone turns to stare at Terry as if saying, "You would know."
Wet and soggy, they all sighed as they made their way into chilling dungeons. Half-frozen by the time they got there, they found that everyone was either rushing to change or fighting for a hot shower. Not wanting to challenge the older years, they wisely just changed into warm clothes and huddled in bed.