when i met you

99

As the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, drew nearer, their D.A. meetings were put on hold because Angelina insisted on almost daily practices. The morning of the match dawned bright and cold. Lexi and Alicia had Angelina shaking them awake at first light and dragging them down to the breakfast.

The Great Hall was practically empty when they reached it, Lexi and Alicia slumped in their seats, attempting to fall back asleep as Angelina encouraged them to eat. Time went by and the Great Hall filled up with chatter and excitement, the rest of the team soon joined them, as did Cedric and Amber.

"No way in hell I'm supporting Slytherin," grumbled Amber when she'd sat down.

Lexi grinned at her boyfriend as she noticed he was wearing a Gryffindor jersey in her support. Cedric had given her his Hufflepuff one a couple of years ago but he was bigger than her and wouldn't fit the small jersey she had been given as a part of the team.

Ron sat down between Harry and Alicia, "I must've been mental to do this," he said in a croaky whisper. "Mental."

"Don't be thick," said Harry firmly, passing him a choice of cereals. "You're going to be fine. It's normal to be nervous."

"I'm rubbish," croaked Ron. "I'm lousy. I can't play to save my life. What was I thinking?"

"Get a grip," said Harry sternly. "Look at that save you made with your foot the other day, even Fred and George said it was brilliant —"

Ron turned a tortured face to Harry and they whispered between themselves.

Hermione and Ginny sat down with the group, wearing red-and-gold scarves, gloves, and rosettes—just like a majority of the hall.

"How're you feeling?" Ginny asked Ron.

"He's just nervous," said Harry when Ron didn't reply.

"Well, that's a good sign, I never feel you perform as well in exams if you're not a bit nervous," said Hermione heartily.

"Hello," said a vague and dreamy voice from behind them. Some of them looked up to find Luna Lovegood with a giant lions-head hat.

"I'm supporting Gryffindor," said Luna, pointing unnecessarily at her hat. "Look what it does..."

Lexi had then been entangled in a conversation by Rolf, who'd popped out of nowhere. Rolf was a charming young man with none of the nervousness that his famed grandfather had, in fact, Rolf was rather out-going and jumped into things that discluded him. This was what Lexi admired about him

"When you're ready," Angelina said some minutes later, "we're going to go straight down to the pitch, check out conditions and change."

Alexis and Alicia got up with Angelina, Katie, and the twins, she kissed Cedric's cheek before departing with the majority of her team, who'd all finished eating. Harry and Ron stayed back.

"You'll do great!" Cedric had shouted after her.

"What he said!" agreed Rolf.

The team changed easily and quickly, preparing themselves for the speech Angelina was bound to give as captain. Ron attempted to do his up back-to-front for several minutes before Alicia took pity on him and went to help.

"Okay, I've only just found out the final line-up for Slytherin," said Angelina, consulting a piece of parchment. "Last year's Beaters, Derrick and Bole, have left now, but it looks as though Montague's replaced them with the usual gorillas, rather than anyone who can fly particularly well. They're two blokes called Crabbe and Goyle, I don't know much about them —"