The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 33 - End of Term

With another Hogsmeade weekend sacrificed and the next Quidditch match nearly two months away, the end of the year seemed to crawl by. The monotony of classes and homework was only broken by two full moons, and of course the periods of recovery that followed.

The friends did come to one decision, however. They would wait until the following term to begin their Animagus process again. Too many false starts and botched attempts had left them discouraged and they agreed that a mental break would benefit in the long run.

With little else to distract them, they easily shot to the top of all their classes. Not that they had been very far behind. It was only their "extracurricular" activities that had occupied their energetic minds and distracted them from the occasional assignment.

With nothing else to divert them, they applied their zeal to schoolwork, surprising most of their professors with their achievements. McGonagall, however, had a knowing look in her stern eyes every time they turned an assignment in on time. Pomfrey had informed her dear friend that the monthly visits to her ward had morphed into intense study sessions. Branwen especially soared beyond her classmates as she benefited from the experience of the older boys.

Finally, year-end exams were within sight, as was the last Quidditch match of the season.

There were perfect conditions the day of the match. Not so hot as to be uncomfortable, but warm enough for the students in the stands to relax in short-sleeves and casual attire. Remus was the only exception; his school robes were enough to start him sweating, but they covered his scars and he refused to take them off.

The match was set to be a difficult one for the Gryffindor team. Ravenclaw's youngest player was in his third year and with the majority in their fifth or sixth years, they used every ounce of their experience against the younger Gryffindors. Their age gave them only one disadvantage.

Ravenclaw Seeker Amelia Bones was in her fifth year and as tall as she was ever likely to become. Compared to Branwen's lithe, adolescent form, Bones was almost cumbersome in her ability to make turns and put on speed.

Ravenclaw's Chasers though, started scoring on Keeper Alex Jordan almost from the first blow of the whistle. Loud cheers and boos following every score. It wasn't long before the score stood 50-200 in favour of Ravenclaw.

Branwen cruised the pitch, growing worried. If she caught the Snitch now, her team would only tie with Ravenclaw. If Ravenclaw caught the Snitch though, they would soar to an outstanding and embarrassing victory.

So when she spotted the Snitch zipping above the heads of the Slytherin students, she leaned forward and put as much speed as she possibly could into chasing the tiny orb.

Bones was quick to react. She knew to keep an eye on the opposing Seeker and was on Branwen's tail in a fraction of a second. Despite her heavier frame, she still managed to fly within a few feet of Branwen's broom. Branwen hesitated. She was nearly within reach, but a tie would hardly help them in their chase for the Cup. Come on, James, she thought. Score just one more.

Whether it was sibling telepathy or mere coincidence, Branwen heard an uproar from the Gryffindor stands. The cheers and whistles told her it was a goal for their team. Knowing now that the Snitch would secure their victory, she put on a final burst of steam, inching as far forward on her broom as she dared without upsetting the balance. When she thought she couldn't stretch her arm any further, she leaned and stretched just a little bit more. The next thing she knew, the cold metal of the Snitch was resting the palm of her hand and she was nearly deafened by the screaming roar from the crowd. With this victory, they had secured the Quidditch Cup.

The last night of the term featured the end of the year feast where it was revealed that Gryffindor had won, not only the Quidditch Cup, but also the House Cup (in spite of the numerous points lost by the two Potters and their friends).

Nevertheless, Branwen was subdued. She had packed earlier in the day, so after the feast, she joined the boys in their dorm. Dangling her head over her brother's bed, she flipped through one of Peter's copies of "The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle," sighing with every turn of the page.

"Why the long face, Junior?" Sirius flopped on the bed beside her, his trunk barely half-packed. "You're leaving for America tomorrow. The land of the brave....or so they say," he shrugged.

"That's just it," she frowned. "We're leaving tomorrow from Hogsmeade instead riding back with you on the train. I'm going to miss you all so much," she sat up and threw her arms open wide, encompassing all the boys.

"Don't worry, Bran," Remus folded his final jumper into his trunk before settling his textbooks alongside it. "You're going to have lots of fun. You'll get to see Ilvermorny and the Magical Congress of the United States and the memorial at Salem."

"Forget that boring history stuff," Sirius waved a hand, "you have to play a game of Quadpod while you're there. And wrestle a Hodag."

She sighed. "It just won't be the same without my boys."

"You can always write to us," Peter smiled before the sound of Gobstones rolling across the floor elicited a loud groan.

Branwen brightened. "I will! And you boys write to me too. But send it to the house. I don't know how well the post operates in America."

"No offence, Bran," Sirius patted her shoulder, "but you probably won't be getting any letters for me. Even if my mum wasn't censoring my mail during the summers, writing for recreation isn't really my thing."

"Me either," James laughed. "I can guarantee you aren't going to hear from me until September."

"Would you boys even talk to each other if it weren't for me?" Branwen rolled her eyes.

Remus closed and locked his trunk with a wave of his wand. "Don't worry, Bran. I'll write back."

Sorry this chapter is kind of lame. I was getting bored of this year and I have a lot plans for the next one, so I wanted to wrap it up. Look in the next chapters for Branwen's take on the magical community in America.