The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 23 - Seeker vs Seeker

 The day of Branwen's first match dawned cold and clear. The sun shone in the sky as if it were a mid-summer day, but the ground was stiff with frost. A bone-chilling breeze swept bits of decaying leaves through the grounds and rattled the window panes. It sent a shiver through to Branwen's bones as she followed James and Sirius to the Gryffindor locker rooms.

Once in the girls' changing area, she slipped on her brand new red game robes. "Potter" was stitched in gold over a large number 7 on the back. When she and Bailey Fairchild were finished dressing, they rejoined the boys.

"All right," the team gathered around their captain, "it's the first game of the season. I don't have to tell you how much is riding on this. Last year, we came embarrassingly close to losing the Quidditch Cup to Ravenclaw. That's not going to happen this year. And, uh, Black....I didn't want to tell you this before. Didn't need you brooding over something during practise. But, uh, Slytherin has a new Seeker this year too. It's your brother, Regulus."

Sirius' eyes narrowed, but other than gripping his broom tighter, he showed no more emotion.

Bailey nodded. "Well, that's all then. If you haven't learned it in practise, it isn't going to do you any good now. Just go out there and win. Hands in."

The team huddled together and stuck their hands out. "Gryffindor!"

Remus and Peter were waiting to meet them outside the locker room. Peter was shivering despite being wrapped in what looked like a dozen coats with a scarf tight around his neck and a hat tugged past his ears. Remus, however, was unaffected by the freezing wind even though he wore only a thick red jumper under a shabby overcoat two times his size.. Both boys had the numbers of their friends painted on their faces: 3, 5, and 7.

Branwen beamed at their show of support, but Sirius shoved his way between the two, swinging his bat above his head.

"Wh-what's with h-him?" Peter's teeth chattered.

"Regulus is the new Slytherin Seeker," James filled them in.

"What's wrong with that?" Remus asked.

"Hopefully nothing," Branwen glanced over to her friend who was still wildly swinging his bat around.

"Well, tell him I said good luck," Remus shoved his hands into his pockets. "Good luck to you too James. And Bran....well, you don't really need luck I guess. You're probably the best of them all."

She laughed and threw her arms around his shoulders, planting a chaste kiss to his blushing cheek, then ran off, carrying her broom.

"Come on," Peter grabbed Remus' arm when his friend stood fixed to the spot, staring after the number 7 running onto the pitch.

The two boys found a seat in the tall bleachers beside Lily and her friends Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, and Jemma Miller. Even though Jemma was in Ravenclaw, she had joined her friends in painting their faces in Gryffindor red and gold. They held a banner between themselves that read "Gryffindor" and had a charmed drawing of a lion that actually roared.

"Evans," Remus greeted her as he sat.

"Lupin. Think your little friend is going to win us the match today?"

He shrugged. "She's the best I've ever seen."

"Better be," she murmured.

He chuckled. "You really get into this Quidditch stuff, huh? Even though you don't play?"

"Well, I apologise for being a muggle-born and not growing up with a broom, like the rest of you. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sport now though."

"Sure, sure. I didn't mean to offend."

She smiled softly. "It's okay. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just....being muggle-born....some people...."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I get it. Some people just can't look past their prejudices."

She glanced sideways at him, a question on her lips, but before she could speak, the drawling voice of the match's commentator resounded through the stands. "Good morning, students of Hogwarts."

The Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff stands echoed with groans and boos. Lucius Malfoy was far from an expert on Quidditch and his upper-class enunciation always left him a beat behind the action. They knew it was only through his position as Head Boy that he had snagged the extra title of game-day announcer.

"Today will see the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams face off. We have an interesting setup today. Siblings James and Branwen Potter will be playing for Gryffindor, while brothers Sirius and Regulus Black will be battling on opposite sides. Today will show us which Pureblood family will come out on top.

"Captains Bailey Fairchild and Tarquin McTavish are now meeting in the middle of the pitch for the traditional and completely non-binding handshake of good sportsmanship. Madam Hooch releases the balls and the game has begun.

"The female Potter rises above the pitch as her brother takes first possession of the Quaffle. Potter passes to Bones who passes to Fairchild, back to Potter who is blocked at the Slytherin goal with a beautiful manoeuvre from Keeper Dante Shore.

"Quaffle now in possession of Wilkes but Shacklebolt sends a nasty Bludger in his direction causing an unfortunate fumble.

"Quaffle now picked up by Potter. He's back down the pitch and this time Shore can't move his lazy arse fast enough. Ten points to Gryffindor."

The teams found themselves nearly equal in skill; at the end of an hour, the score was 70-70. Branwen and Regulus were drifting around the pitch, circling the goalposts and the stands. The snitch was no where to be seen.

Sirius had been kept busy with Bludgers darting left and right, but as Kingsley was capably handling things for the moment, he reclined on his broom above the Gryffindor crowd. The sharp autumn breeze whipped his hair back attractively and several of the girls whistled.

"Sirius! Sirius!" It took him a moment to realise that the voice calling out was male and another moment to realise that it belonged to Remus. His friend was jumping up and down and pointing behind Sirius. Sirius spun around on his broom.

Branwen and Regulus had spotted the Snitch simultaneously. It had been hovering over the Ravenclaw stands and now was zig-zagging, first skimming the ground, then leaping in amongst the crowd. The two Seekers were racing each other from opposite angles. If they continued their trajectories, they would crash head-on.

Sirius raised his bat to cheer on Branwen, then saw it. There was a Bludger coursing straight for Regulus, who was completely oblivious, the wind and crowd roaring in his ears. If the Bludger connected, Regulus would be unseated, Branwen would have the Snitch, and the game would be Gryffindor's.

But Sirius found himself racing toward his brother. As soon as he was in arm's length, he stretched out his bat and sent the Bludger flying. Regulus ignored the motion beside him and in a second had the Snitch flapping in his fingers. He held it up, grinning to Slytherin cheers, but the majority of the crowd was gasping and booing.

Lucius' voice broke through the confusion. "Gryffindor Black saves his brother from a run-in with a Bludger and hands the win to Slytherin, shamefully taking out his own teammate in the process. It seems the errant Bludger has collided with the female Potter. Yes, and down she goes."

Branwen was on the ground before any of her teammates could react. There was a near riot amongst the crowd. Remus and Peter were among the first to leap from the stands. They raced onto the pitch (Peter stumbling to catch up after he tripped in a low-hanging banner). They joined James, Sirius and the rest of the Gryffindor team surrounding Branwen's still body. Her arm was snapped at an awkward angle and her nose was askew, pouring blood down her lips and chin.

"Get out of the way!" Remus growled and shoved at the growing crowd of onlookers.

"Come on. We have to get her to hospital." James had his sister's broken body cradled in his arms. He followed in the wake of Remus and Peter who were pushing students away left and right. Sirius was nowhere to be seen.