263Chapter 14: The Quidditch Final
Chapter 14
The Quidditch Final
Harry, Ron, and Hermione just climbed up into Divination class. Hermione was fretting that she missed Charms class, even though Harry couldn't see how as she was right behind him and Ron as they entered.
"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby. The small tables each held a crystal ball full of pearly white mist.
"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."
"Good day to you!" Professor Trelawney said as she made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. "I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," she sat down with her back to the fire. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."
Hermione snorted.
"Of course the fates informed her, she makes the exam!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Harry and Ron chocked back laughs. Professor Trelawney continued as if she did not heard Hermione's remark.
"Crystal gazing is a particually refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes"—Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise—"so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will See before the end of the class."
Harry felt ridiculous staring at the white fog in the orb. He and Ron stared blankly until Hermione hissed, "This is such a waste of time. I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms—"
Professor Trelawney rustled past. "Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within the Orbs?" she muttered over the clinking of her bangles.
"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."
Both Harry and Hermione burst out laughing.
"Now, really!" Professor Trelawney said as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. Harry felt his heart sinking. He knew what was coming.
"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered. "Something moving… but what is it?"
"Let me guess, it's the Grim," Hermione said sarcastically.
Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surverying Hermione with unmistakable anger.
"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."
There was a moment's silence. Then—
"Fine!" Hermione said suddenly, getting up and cramming her book back into ther bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and knocking the crystal ball off of the table, the glassy orb rolling away from the classroom and down the open trapdoor. "I give up! I'm leaving!"
Hermione followed the orb down the trapdoor to the class's stunned amazement. It took a few minutes for the class to comprehend what just happened. Then, Lavender shrieked suddenly. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving didn't you? Didn't you Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago Professor!"
James Potter was fretting over the house. Harry would be coming home for one day during the Easter holidays, he told his dad in a letter that they needed to talk. James already knew that Harry would be coming out to him, but he did not know how to react or respond to it. His son, gay, loving a boy, James could wrap his mind around it, but for some reason he couldn't comprehend or understand no matter how much he wanted to. He looked again at the empty portraits of his mother and father. It has been weeks since they visited him, and James was half-relieved that they were away. He knew that if he saw them, there would be a shouting match. "Even when they're dead they haunt me," James muttered to himself. He looked at the calander on his desk. Three days. Three days until Harry visits. He has three days to mentally prepare himself.
The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous breakdown, and he wasn't the only one.
"Call this a holiday!" Seamus roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"
But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin-Black's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.
Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal, Draco helping any way he could without Hagrid knowing. While Ron and Draco were on a shaky neutral ground, Draco and Harry were both sure that Hagrid, though kind-hearted, would not care so much for the Malfoy. When Ron wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology. Draco meanwhile continued to write letters, looking over similar books as Ron.
Harry meanwhile had to fit in his homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to with the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.
The only saving grace was that Harry was going home for one day, but he didn't feel completely relieved to come home. He somehow knew that his father have seen the photo of him and Draco kissing. He also told his father that there was something very important he needed to tell him, so when Harry flooed home for the day, he decided that the best thing was the get it over with.
He found his dad in the kitchen making lunch. "Dad, I'm home," he said. James turned around and smiled. "Harry! Come here."
James pulled his father into a strained hug. Harry relaxed a bit in his dad's arms and looked around. "Where's Snuffles?" he asked.
"Walking around somewhere," James shrugged. "Can you do me a favor and get me the cat food in the cupboard?"
Harry nodded and walked towards the cupboard, thankful for the small distraction. He pulled it out and opened it, pouring the food into Snuffle's bowl. "So, how's Quidditch going?" James asked.
"Good," Harry said. "The final is the Saturday after Easter break. Us against Slytherin. Slytherin's up two hundred points so I have to catch the Snitch only when we're over fifty points, as Wood told us constantly."
James chuckled and called for their cat. Snuffles bounced into the room, going immediately for his lunch. "Well, good luck I'm sure you'll beat them perfectly. Two hundred and ten to zero," James chuckled. Harry nodded and watched Snuffles eat. He looked at his dad and sighed. "Dad, we need to talk."
James sighed and nodded, looking down at his son. "I know. … Come on, let's go sit down somewhere more comfortable."
They walked into the living room and they each sat down in an armchair. "Dad," Harry began awkwardly. "There's um something I need to tell you. I err know that there's a picture taken of me… and it's … it's…" –Harry took another breath, his cheeks flustering as he stumbled over his words. "True," he finally said. "I'm a poof. I'm gay and dating Draco Malfoy."
Harry waited for his father's reactions. His breath shortened and heart quickened as he looked at his father, waiting anxiously for his reaction. The room's atmosphere was tense, and the longer the silence, the more Harry dreaded his dad's reactions. "Dad," he said questionably after the silence became too much for him. "Dad say something."
"It's true…" James said quietly to himself. "A fag in the family. …" Harry looked up at this word, his heart breaking. He opened his mouth to say something, but James beaten him to it. "I think… I think you should go back to Hogwarts," he said. "Good luck with the final. I'll see you during the summer."
Heartbroken, Harry nodded and stood up, walking stiffly towards the fireplace and taking a fistful of floo powder.
When Harry left, James returned to his office. Needing to write a letter. He pulled out the letter and wrote quickly under the dears,
I know it's been a long time. There is something I need to tell you. I need your help.
James
He went to get his owl the Ministry have given all workers and tied the letter to him. He watched as the owl flew out of the window and returned to his office, where he saw his mother and father. "Oh, there you are," he said spitefully.
"You dare talk to your parents like that James?" his father said.
"You're not my parents, they're dead. You're just portraits," James sighed. "But you act and think exactly like them."
"What does that mean?" Fleamont asked, looking down at his son. "What you grumbling about now James?"
James glared at both of them. "Harry came," he began.
"And you didn't tell us?" Euphemia said. "It has been ages since I've seen my grandson. What did he say? Did he find a girlfriend?"
"No mother, not exactly," James said. "Harry came out to me just now. … He's gay."
Both his mother and father shared a look, both looking disappointed. Euphemia sighed and looked at her husband. "Told you there would be a fag in the family," she said.
"I know, just thought it wouldn't be our grandson!"
"Better than our son."
James growled angrily "Enough!" he roared at them. He took out his wand and pointed it at the two portraits. He breathed heavily, staring at the portraits as his parents simply watched him. Angrily he pocketed his wand and said, "Go away. I don't want to see you two for a long time."
"Hmpt, and I thought we got all past this," Fleamont grumbled as he walked into his wife's portrait. He helped her up and the two walked away. James glared angrily at the two empty portraits before taking his father's off the wall. He kicked open the doors as he went down to the basement, Snuffles following him curiously. At the basement, James just leaned the portrait against the wall before doing the same with his mother's.
When he returned to his office he looked at the bare wall. He was still angry, yet he also felt a bit more relieved as he stared at the blank wall, before the anger returned. Anger towards his parents, and himself. How dare he treat Harry like that, James needed to do something, anything to make up for it. But he didn't know how.
When Harry returned to Hogwarts, he still felt heartbroken. Harry didn't know how he finished his homework and completed practice, but before he knew it the Quidditch Final was right around the corner.
Draco was severely distressed over the case's lost. He and Harry were sitting close together in the courtyard. It was the day before the Quidditch final. "I should've done something," he complained.
"It's not your fault Draco," Harry said. "You did your best. It's your father's fault for not listening."
"My father…" Draco repeated. He looked towards Harry and frowned, "You know what my father did? He sent me a letter."
"What did it say?" Harry asked, leaning on Draco's shoulder. Draco wrapped an arm around Harry and said, "Basically that I was being a shame to the family. He knows about our kiss, and he is truly and deeply ashamed of it. He… he wants us to break up immediately."
"Never," Harry said.
Draco nodded. "Don't worry Harry, I'm never going to break up with you."
Harry looked at Draco and smiled. "I told my dad," he said. "About us."
"How did he take it?" Draco asked.
"Not good," Harry frowned. "He said… that there was a fag in the family after all."
"Oh Harry!" Draco said. He pulled Harry closer and kissed him fully on the lips. "How do you feel Harry?"
"Fine… hey, I have an idea," Harry said. "Something that'll cheer us both up."
"What is it?" Draco asked as Harry stood up, pulling Draco up with him.
"You'll see," Harry said with a playful smirk. He needed a distraction from his father, as well as Draco, so this was the best he could think of. They walked down the empty corridor and up towards the seventh floor. "I've been in your common room, it's only fair," he said as Harry saw the realization on Draco's face.
They went up to the Seventh Floor and Harry told Draco to stay out of the Fat Lady's sight as he told her the password. As her portrait swung open Draco caught up with Harry and they both walked inside. "Everyone should be out," he said as they entered the empty common room. Draco looked around and scoffed. "Everything is so red and gold," he said.
"Compared to your green?" Harry laughed. He pulled Draco towards the spiral staircase that led towards the boy's dormitory. When they reached the fourth year boys, he opened slowly and poked his head in. "Nobody here," he said as he opened the door fully.
They walked into the dormitory and Draco closed the door behind him. He locked it and turned to Harry, "What's going on Harry?"
"Just sit down and watch," Harry said, pointing to Ron's bed next to his. Draco did and watched curiously as Harry sat on his bed.
Harry shouldered his cloak off and laid it on his bed before starting to unbutton his shirt. "Just sit and watch… I want to do this for you," he said as he unbuttoned his last button, reveal his smooth, skinny body to Draco for the first time. Draco watched with bated breath, his pants slowly tightening as Harry slipped out of his shirt and kicked his shoes off, pulling his pants and boxers down with one go. He stood there, naked and completely hairless. Before Draco got time to appreciate Harry standing in front of him, Harry sat down on his bed and laid on his back. Harry began touching himself, his eyes closing as his fingers brushed against his sensitive nipples. His back arched as his fingers danced across his nipples, squeezing and pulling as they hardened, becoming plump. Draco felt the need to shift his pants. He watched as Harry's small cock began to harden, standing in full attention for Draco.
Harry's hand traveled further down his body before he reached his dick. Instead of jerking off as Draco thought he would, however, Harry grunted and lifted his legs in the air, bending them towards his body and giving Draco perfect access to his virgin hole. Harry hooked one arm expertly around his legs and held them in place. Draco watched transfixed as Harry took his other hand and brought it to his hole. Harry circled his hairless, smooth, pink hole with a finger before thrusting it in, the digit penetrating his body. Harry moaned and Draco's eyes widened as Harry started going faster and faster, before pulling the finger out and licking it. He made the finger slick with his spit and started again, thrusting himself over and over, making sure Draco can see all.
Draco couldn't resist the temptation anymore, and pulled down his pants, revealing his hard member. Draco gripped his cock and started pulling, tugging, masterbating to Harry's thrusts. Harry too gripped his dick and they didn't last long before they both started coming, Draco in his hand, and Harry's flying to his chest. Flustered and out of breath, both boys cleaned up before grinning at each other. "Better?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, loads. Were you always so showing?" Draco asked.
"Only for you," Harry said. He looked around and said, "Come on, we better get out of here before anyone sees us. They'll think I'm conspiring with the enemy or something."
Draco chuckled and followed Harry out of the Gryffindor common room. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the fifth floor. Draco turned to Harry and kissed him. "Good luck tomorrow Harry. May the best Seeker win."
"I plan to," Harry smirked. He kissed Draco and they went their separate ways, knowing that tomorrow they'll be enemies again, if only in the field.
The grounds were still and quiet the next morning. No breath of wind disturbed the treetops in the Forbidden Forest; the Whomping Willow was motionless and innocent-looking. It looked as though the conditions for the match would be perfect. The Gryffindor team walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three-quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or branding banners that cheered for Gryffindor.
Harry and Draco gave each other knowing smirks as they both walked onto the field, Lee Jordan yelling their names. Madam Hooch called for them all to mount their brooms after Wood and Flint shook hands, Harry noticed that they were both glaring at each other with a hatred he had never saw before.
The sound of Madam Hooch's whistle blew Harry out of his thoughts as he and the other thirteen plays flew into the air. Harry felt his hair fly back off his forehead; his nerves left him in the thrill of the flight; he glanced around, saw Draco on his tail, and sped off in search of the Snitch.
"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffinodr with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no—Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field—WHAM!—nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on Angelina—nice swerve around Montague—duck Angelia, that's a Bludger!—SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR! TAKE THAT YOU DIRTY—"
"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall yelled.
Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was scraming in delight—
"OUCH!"
Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.
"Sorry!" Flint said as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"
A moment later, George Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.
"That will do!" Madam Hooch shrieked, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"
"Come off it, Miss!" George howled, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.
"Come on Alicia!" Lee yelled into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry turned the Firebolt sharply to watch Flint, still bleeding freely, fly forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched and fists tight.
"Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass—very difficult indeed—YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"
Relieved, Harry zoomed away, gazing around for the Snitch, but still making sure he caught every word of Lee's commentary.
"Going a bit slow Potter?" Draco called out from behind him. Harry looked around and smirked at Draco.
"You wish Malfoy!" he called out, edging his broom to go faster. The two spend around as their teams continued playing. He and Draco flew around, both looking for the Snitch as Harry tried to shake his boyfriend off. Gryffindor scored again during this chase, leading thirty to zero. Then, after Harry shook Draco off his tail, he finally saw it. The Snitch! He felt a huge jolt of excitement. The Snitch was shimmering at the foot of one of the Gryffindor goal posts—but he mustn't catch it yet—and if Draco saw it—
Faking a look of sudden concentration, Harry pulled his Firebolt around and sped off towards the Slytherin end, it worked. He saw Draco racing after him, clearly thinking Harry had sen the Snitch there. …
WHOOSH.
One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again—
WHOOSH.
The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.
Harry had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward him, clubs raised—
He turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch. Flint got control of the Quaffle and chucked it hard at Wood, Wood caught it easily but was almost smacked off his broom from the impact, as if Flint was aiming for Wood and not scoring.
It was turning into the diriest game harry had ever played in. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-zero to Gryffindor. The Snitch disappeared again. Draco was still keeping close to Harry as he soared over the match, looking around for it—once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead—
Katie scored. Fifty-zero. Harry, free to get the Snitch, turned all his attention to finding it. Then Angelina scored soon afterwards. The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse—Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. Draco was right on Harry's trail as they shot towards the stands, then there was a quick golden glimmer and both boys smirked. Draco dived first, with Harry following.
"Go! Go! Go!" Harry urged his broom. He was gaining on Draco—Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him—he was a Draco's ankles—he was level—Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Draco's arm out of the way and—
"YES!"
He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, an odd ringing in his ears. The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.
Then Wood was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's, Alicia's and Katie's voices. Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.
"Wood!" Flint yelled out. It was hours after the match, both teams showered and dressed in their regular robes. Oliver Wood and George Weasley were celebrating privately in the courtyard. They both turned to watch the Slytherin march up to them. There was a venomous look upon him as he stormed at them.
"What do you want Flint?" Wood asked, standing in front of George, who also stood.
"What's mine!" Flint growled. "The cup and Weasley!"
"I'm not a thing you beast!" George screamed. "Besides we won the Cup fair and square, unlike you cheating lot."
Flint pulled his wand out and aimed it at them. "Say that again," he warned.
Oliver and George quickly pulled their wands out and trained them on Flint. The three glared at each other. "You've already lost the Cup and the boy," Oliver smirked. "What more you want to lose?"
Flint looked at both boys and snarled as he pocketed his wand. "He was a stupid fuck anyway," he said. He smirked at Oliver and said, "Enjoy having my second fucks Wood. Least I have that over you."
And with that, Flint left the couple alone. George and Oliver looked at each other, confused but relieved. "Guess he's gone for good," George said.
Oliver nodded and easily lifted the Beater up. "Guess so, now where were we George?"
"I think you were about to put that big thing in my mouth Oliver," George smirked. Oliver returned the smirk and said, "Right… well, get to it."
A/N: Hope you enjoy this filler(ish) chapter! Next time… next time things will happen!
Sasuhinas fan: Yay I made you ship! Cedric make you hurt?
AriCMpie: I hope the wait was worth it.
OUATLover02: wow?
SkyiMello: I'm loving how you're loving this! As for what happened to James… all will be revealed NEXT TIME!
Littlesprout: thanks!
Love-of-all-Anime: now when you say all anime… and thanks!
Isis: Oh right! Need to keep doing that, oops. And what do you mean? There is no Sirius, only Snuffles (which again will be explained next time lol)
Kigen Dawn: There will be a split for Ron, and well… you'll see. And what hints are you talking about? I am completely innocent.
Ern: Me too. It's good to have friends
Jokul Frosti: Okay… James is James. And Blaise may have Ron's friendship, but will he get his heart?
David-El: Ohh so close! Next time my friend! Also Innuendo: In your end tho. Couldn't resist.
Super MKatR: Baby steps for everyone. And next time everything will make sense if you haven't figured it out already.