Lily Potter and The Harming Potion

Christmas Eve - 15

Lily woke to the smell of pancakes and bacon wafting into the room. She looked around groggily. Everyone else was already in the kitchen. She sat down around the large table and poured syrup all over he pancake. Hogwarts food was good, but she couldn't help but miss Grandma Weasley's cooking. 

There was a loud bang as Hugo slid across the floor and bumped into the table. "It's Quidditch day," was his only explanation. He shoveled food into his mouth and ran downstairs as quickly as he came. Lily finished eating and changed into her Quidditch gear. It was the one day all of the cousins looked forward to for the holiday season. The annual cousin Quidditch match. Lily had played in it since she was old enough to understand the game.

Lily grabbed a broom from the shed outside. There were plenty of used brooms. Over the years, the shed had accumulated more and more. She took her father's old Firebolt and headed out to meet the rest of them in the makeshift Quidditch pitch. She flew around to warm up. Lily hadn't flew since their last flying lesson, which was in November. 

Finally, the rest of her cousins came outside. It was 10 in the morning, but some of them looked like they had just woken up. Victoire and Teddy were the captains, as usual. They were both keepers, so the only positions they could pick were seeker, chaser, or beater.

"I'll take James as a beater," said Victoire.

"I have Fred then." The two went back and forth until they had teams of six. On Victoire's team was James and Molly as beaters, Rose and Albus as chasers, and Dominique as the seeker. Teddy had Fred and Hugo as beaters, Lucy and Roxanne as chasers, and Lily as the seeker. It seemed like Teddy had the disadvantage, but Lily was determined to reverse that. 

Lily zoomed around low to the ground playfully. Dominique shook her head and searched for the snitch. She was more serious about the game than Lily was, but Lily did't mind that. Although Dominique wouldn't admit it, she knew that Lily was the better seeker. Dominique was built like a chaser, but no one else was a decent seeker.

Lily's father and her Aunt Angelina watched the game and kept score. Lily searched for the snitch. Just a glint of gold, somewhere in the white landscape. Victoire's team continued to score. Lily was even more anxious to catch the snitch. She flew around, hoping for a glimpse of the wings. And then she saw it.

It was flying near one of the goal posts, unnoticed by Victoire, who was focusing on blocking the quaffle. Lily zoomed past, distracting her for the half second they needed to score. By the time Lily looked around, the snitch was gone. She searched desperately. It was there, and then it wasn't. She looked around and saw Dominique diving for something, her arm outstretched. Lily followed, flying side by side with her cousin. They were red streaks going after the same goal.

"Just kidding!" Dominique said. She moved her broom upwards. Lily attempted to do the same, but it was too late. She tumbled to the ground, thankfully landing in the soft snow. Lily rolled over and swung back up on her broom. Dominique was back up in the air, looking yet again for the snitch. Meanwhile, things were looking up for Teddy's team. Lucy and Roxanne had scored more points and the score was sixty to eighty. Her eyes darted across the pitch. Nothing. There was no sign of the snitch anywhere that she could see. Finally, she looked down and saw the snitch flitting around her ankle. Lily did a flip in midair and held it up in he air. She touched down and her team hugged her. 

Inside the kitchen, there was tea, hot chocolate, and sweets for them to eat. They had spent so long in the cold, Lily couldn't even feel her toes. Everyone's cheeks and noses were red. She curled up in a blanket and wrapped her hands around a warm cup of tea. The adults put on a little show for them, with fireworks bouncing around the room. George showed them the new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. It was a tradition. Ever since Lily was a baby, she had always loved the cheerfulness of the holidays. 

Later that night, after dinner, the family congregated in the living room. Since Teddy's team won the Quidditch match, they got to pick the music. Teddy let Lily pick because she had helped the score for more than just catching the snitch. She picked muggle Christmas music. It was her favorite to listen to during the holidays, even more than the magic ones. James and Fred started a conga line around the Christmas tree during Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. Lily joined in. She couldn't stop laughing and smiling. Teddy changed his hair to green and red and changed his face to different holiday related things, like Santa Clause and jingle bells. It was the perfect time to spend with her family. 

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If you write, what music do you like to listen to while writing? I like TOP and listening to the Harry Potter soundtrack. Happy reading!