Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Thirty-Five - The First Years' Quidditch Game

By this point it was very clear who the good players were: James was the best, hands down. Inkwood was very good too, and had made a few scores for Gryffindor. Sirius made a pretty decent Beater. Those three were definitely the best out of the Gryffindor first years. On the Slytherin side: Mulciber and Bulstrode were both strong Beaters, while Rosier had made most of Slytherin's goals. Urswick was probably a decent Keeper but James was a better Chaser.

Pretty much at this point everyone in the stands were waiting for the Seekers. They didn't have to wait long: Lily suddenly went into a dive. Remus watched her hurtle towards the ground and his stomach rose up into his throat as she got way too close to the ground, then she pulled herself up one handed, and had a Snitch in her other hand. The Gryffindors watching erupted into cheers as the scoreboard changed.

200-110.

Remus hooted and hollered (since he didn't dare clap) while Lily handed the Snitch over to Hooch, then returned to the skies, face full of triumph. "G-g-good job!" he called and Lily gave him a thumbs up.

"That was exhilarating!" she said back then flew closer. "And a little scary, don't tell anyone."

"I w-was so scared you were going to crash," he said.

Lily laughed. "Me too!"

"Hey!" They both looked up as one of the Slytherins came over, Remus expecting it to be one of the Beaters; it was Snape. He glared at Remus then flicked his gaze over to Lily. "You were incredible," he said.

"Thanks, Sev! You've been doing really good too!"

"Thanks," he mumbled, sounding awkward now. While Rosier had made seven of the goals, Snape had made three of the other four. "I should, er..." He trailed off then returned to the game.

About five minutes later Remus saw the other Snitch and tried to go for it but when it headed to the ground, he couldn't follow very well. His dive was too slow, too shallow, and Jacknife and Nott both ripped past him, followed shortly by Lily. Remus started to pull up, miserable with himself, when pain exploded in the back of his head, he saw a burst of light, and everything went black.

*

Remus woke up on a stretcher, Pomfrey floating it alongside as she walked. He heard other people around so he just closed his eyes, pretending to still be unconscious until she got him to the hospital wing behind some curtains. His whole body was hurting and itchy. As soon as he heard the curtains shut, he opened his eyes again, sitting up. The pain was fading, but it still felt like stabs all over as he moved.

"What h-happened?" he asked softly.

Pomfrey gave him a fierce look. "Apparently one of the Slytherin Beaters 'mistook' your skull for a Bludger. He insisted he saw a Bludger however..." She shook her head angrily.

"Wh-which one? Bulstrode or Mulciber?" He doubted it was one of the girls, Crabbe or Alexander.

"Mulciber," Pomfrey replied, furious. "I told Rolanda not to use real Beater bats but she never listens to me."

"Least it was me and not, you know, someone who would a-actually be seriously h-hurt..." Remus tried to smile but Pomfrey's fury made him just shrink back.

"You fell, and probably broke all the bones in your body. Rolanda managed to slow you at the last second however you still hit the ground very hard."

"Did I die?" Remus asked.

Pomfrey froze, her eyes going rather wide. The question had sent her completely off balance. "Of course not," she finally said.