ONLY LIGHT. harry potter

╰➢ the final match

Then he hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.

"Goodluck, Nic." Cedric called out while his hands were around her shoulder. Nicole felt herself blush for a tiny moment, but forced herself to stop.

"Okay — no wind to speak of — sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it — ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff—"

Wood paced the field, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn.

"Locker rooms," said Wood tersely.

None of them spoke while the rest of their team changed into their robes. Since Nicole had already changed into them in advance, she spent her time taping Harry's glasses into his head to ease her nervousness.

"Okay, it's time, let's go —"

No one needed to be told twice.  They 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 brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP."

Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

What surprised Nicole the most though, was the fact that instead of being with her housemates, Aurora was in the Gryffindor stands with Cedric Diggory, wearing a bright red.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Hwang, Potter, Bell, Johnson, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —"

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of 'boos' from the Slytherin end.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"

More boos from the Slytherin crowd.

Nicole giggled, looking at the Slytherin team. Malfoy was the smallest one out of them.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..."

As usual, Nicole got a hold of the quaffle  first. But it seemed like the Slytherins were already expecting this, so the two chasers clashed towards her direction.

Suddenly, a bludger came in her way so she dove down to avoid it. Instead of hitting her, it hit the two Slytherins which made her rush up towards the hoops and shoot the ball in.

Nicole punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight.

"OUCH!"

Nicole was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

"DIDN'T SEE ME?" Nicole questioned, gripping onto the broomstick. "DIDN'T SEE ME?" she questioned once again, and was about to attack him until Fred beat her to it. He 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.