It had been three weeks since the term started and Rose had been tirelessly working with the team. They'd been putting in as much effort as they could, preparing for the year ahead.
Rose was determined to win the quidditch cup this year after they had lost it by mere inches last year.
The first game of the year was set in three days, they would be facing Slytherin. Their team was rumoured to be better this year, their captain was implementing new training techniques that Rose didn't dare employ.
Even so, Rose consumed herself in quidditch books and learned new techniques, drilling them all into her team. They were winning it this year
After the practice Rose showered and was off to the common room with Lily who waited for her and Marlene after practice, they were supposed to study for their next potions class.
On their way into the castle, James and Sirius caught up with them.
"Hello, beautiful. Couldn't keep your eyes off me during practice?" James asked Lily, squeezing in beside her.
"Actually I could. You were flying like a first year. And if you'll excuse me, I have something worthwhile to be doing," Lily retorted, picking up her pace as she went.
Rose and Marlene laughed, giving pouty eyes to James.
"You'll get her one day, Prongs," said Sirius, ruffling James's hair.
"What's with the nickname?" Rose asked the boys as they neared the common room.
Sirius snickered. "Wouldn't you like to know, Rosy," he said, using her nickname.
"Not that important anyway," Rose replied, grabbing Marlene's arm and sitting down with Lily in the common room.
They opened their potions textbooks and within minutes Marlene was whining and on the verge of a breakdown, even after Rose and Lily both tried to explain the concept of an Amortentia potion.
"It's simple, Mar. To make it you use Ashwinder eggs, rose thorns, peppermint, powdered moonstone, pearl dust, rose petals, and-" Rose tried once again to explain but was cut off.
"I don't care about this stupid love potion! I don't care what's in it, however many stupid times you have to stir with what stupid rod. My bed and I have a date and I don't intend to miss it," Marlene excused, closing her book with a sigh.
"Fine. Severus is free, isn't he? We'll go study with him, then," Lily commented as she picked up her books, beckoning her sister to do the same.
Usually, they'd deal with Mar and her whining but tonight James had decided to sit beside the three girls and bother Lily. He continuously complimented her and asked her out and by that point, Lily was fed up.
"Come on! Where are you going? To see Snivellus and his death eater friends? You girls are too good for him!" James called, using the nickname he and Sirius had come up with.
Both twins scowled at the boy. "You don't get to dictate who we hang out with, especially when we're choosing to hang out with him over you," Lily retorted, pulling her sister out of the portrait hole and toward the library.
"Burn!" They heard Sirius exclaim as the fat lady closed the entrance. Rose shook her head, suppressing a smile.
In the library they found Severus seated in the corner, looking through one of the books from the restricted section.
They sat down with him and pulled out their potions book, opening it to the next chapter.
"Surprised you had time to study with us, Sev," Rose said, referring to his new friends.
"Hey! I have other friends too! You both are hanging around those idiots anyways," Snape defended, closing his book.
"Not all of them are idiots. Just some. Besides, our friends aren't trying to figure out ways to join Voldemort," Lily said in a whisper, looking up at their childhood friend.
It was no secret who Voldemort was and what he stood for. Every year more and more kids were pulled from school out of fear and others pulled out of class to be informed that their parents had been murdered.
And if that wasn't bad enough, it was a guessing game of who was trying to be a death eater and who wasn't. Sometimes you couldn't trust your own classmates, people you had grown up with.
Severus's face turned paler. "They aren't seriously trying to join him... they're just scaring the muggleborns," he said, trying to defend himself and his house. He was careful not to use mudblood.
"But that's the problem. They don't like us, they do think people like us should die. And you not saying anything to them reinforces that. We could be killed, Sev," Rose told the boy seriously.
"You won't. I promise you won't. And I promise I'll try and talk to Avery and Nott," he responded, giving the girls a nod. They trusted him.
***
Soon enough the first quidditch match of the year was upon the young Gryffindors and it was against Slytherin.
If they wanted a chance to win the cup, they needed to defeat Slytherin today, at any cost.
The team was getting prepared in the locker room, each member putting on their robes and shining their brooms.
James and Sirius were fooling around with each other, their nerves came out as ego, confidence was oozing off of them.
Marlene, on the other hand, who was usually a loud and proud girl, was sitting quietly on the bench, twirling her broom in hand.
Rose sat down beside her friend, knowing she was nervous.
"Are you sure I was the right pick for this? I mean there has to be somebody better than me that can go out there..." she began, rambling.
"Hey! You are the best pick for this team, I know you are! I've seen you play, Marlene. We've put so much work into this and you look so good out there. Don't think about it, just play your best and I know we'll win," Rose assured, squeezing her shoulder.
After reassuring her friend, Rose stood up and walked to the middle of the locker room, looking around at her team.
"Alright! This is our first game of the season against one of our biggest rivals. I have some info that says they're good. But we're better," the boys in the locker room cheered loudly at that, raising their brooms.
"I know all of you are amazing players and over the last few weeks, we've worked hard. So let's put that to use today and win this game. Everyone, stay calm and collected and focus on your job. Let's do this and work as a team," Rose finished her pep talk and gathered the team, cheering once more as a team before it was time for their walkout.
"And introducing team Gryffindor! Playing Keeper we got Malcolm Palrus!" The crowd cheered loudly.
"For chasers, we got good old James Potter, Ramez Oliver, and new chaser, Unoria Rhamey!" Again, the Gryffindor students in the crowd went wild as the three walked out confidently.
"Beaters for Gryffindor are once again Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon!" Sirius walked out and chest bumped with James, the two boys looking confidently at the Slytherin team already on the pitch. Marlene pushed her nerves down and smiled at the crowd.
"And last but certainly not least, seeker and captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Rose Evans!"
Rose walked out of the locker room smiling, waving to the others in the crowd before joining her team on the pitch.
After announcements, Madam Hooch forced the two captains to shake hands. Reluctantly, they did. It was well known that beyond pure skill, Gryffindor and Slytherin were rivals.
"Now I want a fair and clean from both of you, understand?" She commanded, both teams nodded, though they knew that was a fat chance.
Hooch ordered them to mount their brooms and take flight, which they did with ease. Each player took their positions, the chasers in the middle, seekers above, Keepers in front of their hoops, and beaters to the side.
On her whistle, the quaffle was thrown into the air and the bludgers were released, the game had started.
James immediately took hold of the smaller ball and was off toward the Slytherin Keeper.
Rose looked around for the snitch quickly. She spotted it as it flew from the bottom of the pitch and then just as she'd seen it, it disappeared. Game on.
The seekers flew high above the other players, focused solely on the small golden orb that they needed to catch for their team.
Rose was vaguely aware of the score, they were leading thanks to some good flying by the chasers. But not leading by much.
Slytherin seeker, Khan Hansberg, was known for playing dirty. Madam Hooch was focused on the action by the stands and not what was happening above it, such gave him room to nudge and hit whoever he was playing against.
Rose knew this, however, and was prepared to play against it. She kept a tight hold on her broom as he sideswiped her once again, shaking slightly.
But as he hit her, she saw a glint of gold and wasted no time, shooting off toward the small ball, expertly dodging the other players in her path, her lavender hair whipping behind her.
The announcer caught wind of this and began describing her flight toward the golden snitch.
"It seems as if Gryffindor seeker, Rose, has spotted the snitch! Khan tries to keep up but is no match for the way she rides that-" he's cut off by Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry. Rose weaves through the other players, she seems to be getting closer!"
The snitch was flying away from Rose, dodging and weaving between the others on the pitch.
She followed hastily, making the same manoeuvres. As she snuck a glance behind her, she realized that Khan was far behind because he attempted to knock her off.
As she approached the escaping snitch, she reached her hand forward, trying to catch the thing.
By the announcer's voice, she knew Khan was catching her.
At all costs.
Rose took the risk and moved up on her broom, standing with her knees slightly bent.
She could hear the crowd gasping and cheering as she stretched. Her fingertips were right there.
Just as her hand was about to grasp the snitch, a sudden presence sent her spinning.
Khan had finally caught up to her and in an attempt to stop her from catching the small snitch, he rammed his broom into hers as she was standing.
The audience screamed as Rose spun and lost her balance. She was panicking as she felt her feet go out from her.
Before she could plummet to the hard ground, Rose had enough sense and control to reach out and take hold of the broom with one hand. The girl ended up dangling off of the broom with one arm.
Although she was still hanging on, she wouldn't be for long. And as she thought she was going to fall, someone came to her rescue.
Marlene was right there behind her, lifting Rose back up and onto her broom.
The crowd cheered for the two as Rose got situated once again, ensuring she wouldn't fall.
"Thanks!" Rose yelled to her friend, nodding.
Marlene gave a short nod back before flying back to the game, trying to keep the bludgers away from her team.
After the Evans girl was back up and flying again, she realized the snitch was gone.
The hit had stopped Rose from grabbing it but it also sent Khan off course and he was now looking around again. Rose sent him a glare as she flew back above the playing field, watching the penalty throw's for Gryffindor fly into the hoops.
Gryffindor was up by 40 when Rose spotted the snitch again. Slytherin was about to score again and she knew she needed to catch the thing this time.
Pulling a trick from her sleeve, she shot downward, toward the pitch. Khan, predictably, followed her. But Rose kept her eyes above her, on the snitch.
Just as they neared the grass, she pulled up abruptly, heading toward the actual snitch.
She went faster this time, leaning forward as much as she could and within seconds, she had the snitch in her hand.
The crowd was quiet for a moment before she raised her open hand to reveal the now calm snitch.
Gryffindor students and Hufflepuff students alike erupted into cheers, watching as both teams realized who had caught the snitch.
As Rose celebrated, Khan bumped her once more, a scowl settling into his face.
"Hey! What's your problem? Sore loser?" She taunted the boy. He was about to respond when someone yelled at them.
"Khan! Watch out!"
They both looked to where the voice came from but Rose was a second too late.
There was a bludger flying for Khan. All he had to do to avoid it was move sideways. But now it was coming straight for Rose and she couldn't move out of the way.
It sailed straight into her face with a thud. Dazed, Rose went limp and slipped from her broom.
None of the teachers could do anything as she fell, it all happened so fast.
The girl regained feeling a second later to realize what was happening. The crowd gasped.
She shrieked and in a frenzy, put her hand out to stop her fall. A mistake.
A deafening crack and scream filled the pitch.
Everyone looked to the grass to see Rose sitting there, blood flowing from her crooked nose and her arm hanging at an unnatural angle.
Madam Hooch was beside her immediately, holding the arm.
The rest of her team flew down as well, surrounding her. Their triumph vanished, replaced by worry for their captain.
Rose's eyes watered. From the pain of both breaks and partly from embarrassment.
"Whichever Slytherin Beater hit that-" the referee began but was overtaken by the captain of the Slytherin team.
"It wasn't us! Black did it! He was trying to hit Khan," he defended, looking accusingly at Sirius.
Rose turned her head to look at the boy, tears and blood mixing as they ran down her face. Sirius returned her gaze with guilt. That idiot! She thought, knowing she was going to chew him out later.
"We'll deal with you, later, Mr. Black. Right now Miss. Evans needs to get to the Hospital Wing. One of you help me, will you?" Hooch asked if her team.
Black stepped forward. "I will, here-"
"No!" Rose ordered, forcing him to stop in his tracks. She didn't want his help.
"I will!" Marlene volunteered hastily, taking the cloth that Madam Hooch conjured. She held it up to the broken nose as the two helped Rose stand.
"Congrats. Go have your party," Rose commented, her angry voice muffled by the towel up against her nose. Sirius opened his mouth to say something, apologize, but the three were off already.
Lily was on the pitch to replace her sister, marching right up to Black. "You asshole!" She yelled. Everyone there was shocked, she never cursed.
"You had to have the last laugh, huh?" Lily taunted, tempted to slap the boy.
"He had been pushing her and playing dirty! I was just trying to help her!" Sirius defended, unable to believe that he had hit Rose with his bludger. He never missed.
"She didn't need your help. Rose can handle herself just fine. And now look what you've done! Gone and broken her nose and arm. Stay away from her!" Lily called, running to follow her sister to see Madam Pomfrey.
"Nice one, Padfoot," James commented after a moment, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Oh, shut up prongs,"