A Different Halloween

Chapter 57

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Match of the Day in the Great Hall was an instant and massive success. Every student, and most of the staff, were present to watch the screen being used for the first time. That the muggleborns were also having to explain the rules of the game to their friends was also good for integrating a different point of view to people who barely knew this side of the world existed.

Remus was there for the inaugural use of their screen and the board of PMP were all very worried at this runaway success. It was the age old question that followed phenomenal success, how the hell do you follow that?

"We've just made a rod for our own backs tonight. These kids are watching the BBC's broadcast of a sport that they've been covering for decades, they will expect our future Quidditch matches to be up to this standard."

Remus could see what concerned James and pretty much had to agree with his friend. The same thoughts had been running through his head, along with the realisation of just how big a job they'd undertaken here. "The BBC have multiple cameras, action replays, slow motion and extreme close-ups along with a full commentary team to explain to their viewers exactly what's happening. What the hell possessed us to think we could match up to that? You practically need omnioculars to really see what's happening during a Quidditch match. Our coverage is going to look like coloured dots dancing around the screen, it's gonna look like shit compared to that!"

Sirius hated to be the bearer of more bad news but it was time to get all the problems out in the open. "Not only that, their sport has strict time limits set. You know when a match will end, and it's not when someone catches the snitch. We might need to have people taking it in shifts to film some of the longer matches, who's got eight hours spare to sit and watch Quidditch when about seven of those hours are practically guaranteed to be as boring as hell?"

James took a deep breath. "Ok guys, let's work on the problems one at a time."

The three marauders sat there working out the future of broadcasting in the magical world, Remus was going to consult with Dan to see if there were other solutions to some of the stuff they had no idea about.

While Saturday night was unquestionably a success, Sunday lunchtime managed to eclipse even that. The nature programme concerning a family of meerkats had even the watching staff on the edge of their seats. This saw the penny drop that the students were not only being entertained, they were being educated at the same time. James and Sirius were soon being approached about what type of programmes were available to broadcast, especially after it became known that Aurora planned to show an Astronomy series on it. Being on top of the Astronomy tower in December or sitting in the Great Hall with a hot chocolate and seeing the stars on the big screen was not a hard choice to make.

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After dinner that Sunday night, Minerva called the Quidditch captains of Slytherin and Gryffindor forward for a word. Both James and Sirius were there too but had already agreed the decision was going to be left up to their captains.

The headmistress attempted to put the two worried students at ease. "I have a proposition for you gentlemen, please take some time to think about it before giving me your answers. PMP have approached me and asked if they could film the first Quidditch match of the season. This would allow them to test their equipment and techniques at a live match, and we could all watch it again later that evening."

Both captains were eager to say yes but the headmistress wasn't finished yet. "There is a downside to this proposal, they would like the game moved forward to as soon as possible. Now the upside, league officials and probably representatives from the teams would be coming to Hogwarts to watch the match with us. I will not consent to moving this match though if it hands an advantage to one of the teams. What are your thoughts gentlemen?"