The Hybrid Child: Year One - Harry Potter Fanfiction

-Chapter Eight- Hufflepuff Versus Ravenclaw

The Quidditch matches had been delayed this year so it was in the first week of December that the Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw match was scheduled. Tensions ran high. The Hufflepuff first years acted coldly towards the Ravenclaws and the Ravenclaws made snarky comments to the Hufflepuffs. In the common room at night, the Ravenclaw team were either seen scribbling on pieces of parchment and reading Quidditch based books or not in the common room at all but out on the Quidditch pitch. It would normally be seen from the windows but in December, the light of the day was no more. Night drew upon them at three in the afternoons.

Their homework piled up while the anticipation for the match continued. Finally the first weekend of the month was the Quidditch match. Lena and Marcus joined the other Ravenclaws in the Great Hall. The Ravenclaw team were already there. They all looked pale. Lena spooned cereal into her mouth while she scribbled a couple of paragraphs for her Potions essay. Marcus was eating toast and watching the Hufflepuff team closely who also looked quite pale. The Ravenclaw team finally stood up and left to change. Lena joined the rest of the Ravenclaws in applauding them. Some of the members smiled and nodded whereas the others looked like they were trying not to throw up.

When the Hufflepuff team followed, the Ravenclaw table booed. Lena finished her cereal and shoved her homework into her bag. Marcus and Lena then walked into the Entrance Hall where they met with Joshua.

"You want to take a little bet?" Josh asked them as they braced themselves for the biting cold. It was snowing and the white flurries were falling steadily and sticking to the ground.

"I'm not betting against my own house!" Marcus said in surprise as he lifted his blue and bronze scarf higher to cover his nose.

"Well, Hufflepuff's team is looking good this year. I saw one of their practices." Lena rubbed her gloved hands together.

"I suppose we'll see." She said. They took a seat in the stands. The Gryffindors had divided themselves up to support either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. The Slytherins weren't supporting anyone much but came to watch the match play out and understand who was their biggest competition. Lena kept a hand on her school bag. She itched to finish her Potions essay but knew she would have no chance once the match started. She didn't have to wait long either. The snow was falling thicker as the teams came out onto the pitch. Lena gave up on the thought of work and joined in with cheering on each of her house's members. The Ravenclaws were blue robes and the Hufflepuffs in yellow so it would be easy enough to see who was who even against the snow.

The whistle was blown and the players were off. Lena listened to the commentary as she watched in anticipation as Brody grabbed the Quaffle and shot it straight into the waiting hands of Ellie who zoomed a bit closer to the scoring hoops and aimed at Isaac. Isaac caught it, just, one of the Hufflepuff chasers (who the commentator said was chaser Evan Carter) almost caught it and missed by the edge of his fingertips. Isaac shot the Quaffle into one of the hoops but it was saved by the Hufflepuff keeper. Lena groaned at how close it had been. The Quaffle was now in the possession of another Hufflepuff chaser (Andrew Kennedy) dived between the chasers of the Ravenclaw team and then dropped the Quaffle when Nicholas aimed a bludger straight into his head. Andrew dropped the Quaffle and fell off his broomstick. His teammates dived for him as the crowd gasped in shock. Meanwhile, Ellie grabbed the falling Quaffle from out of the air and shot it into the hands of Isaac who scored. In the time it took for the Andrew Kennedy to be on the ground safely and for all of his teammates to be back in the air and on their guard, Isaac and Ellie had between them scored four more goals. The Ravenclaws were ecstatic, now they could get the Snitch. Eyes were on Miaa who was small and slight. She was flying high above the pitch and Lena knew her eyes would be scanning everywhere for the Snitch. Meanwhile, the Hufflepuff, still one man down, had managed to score three goals. Suddenly the Hufflepuff seeker flew upwards at incredible speed. Mia was right behind him, every eye was watching them and the Hufflepuff chasers scored yet another goal but it went nearly unnoticed as Miaa and James Morgan went head to head, both hands reaching for the clouds. It was over quickly then, James looked down and Miaa had grabbed the Snitch. Lena screamed in delight, pulling Marcus into a hug and then Joshua. Yells and whoops of delight filled the air and Lena almost forgot to be cold as Miaa streaked back to the pitch. Ravenclaws had overtaken the Gryffindor team by ten points, Slytherin was losing. There was much to celebrate.

The common room had a huge party that lasted until nine at night when everything calmed down. They drank and ate; Butterbeer, cakes, sweets, pumpkin juice and more snacks. When nine eventually came, the majority of the house went to bed, including the team members. So when Professor Flitwick checked in on the house at ten, it was to see various groups and individuals still awake and working quietly at various tables. This included Lena and Marcus who were completing their Potions homework. Professor Flitwick laughed quietly and squeakily at the scene and they all stared up at him. He caught them staring and shrugged at them.

"It's never too much of a party in this house." He smiled, shook his head and left.

Marcus and Lena continued to work until eleven at night when eventually they called it and parted ways for the night.