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Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously and hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.
Harry sided with Ron, believing that Crookshanks killed Scabbers which upset Hermione even more.
"Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" She yelled shrilly. "First the Firebolts, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Just leave me alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!"
Celeste suddenly felt glad that she intended not to take a side and stay very far from this drama.
Ron was taking the loss of his rat very hard indeed.
"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly. "And he's been off-color for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly -- one swallow -- he probably didn't feel a thing."
"Fred!" said Ginny indignantly.
"All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," said George.
"He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember, Harry and Celeste?"
"Yeah, that's true," said Harry.
Celeste just nodded her head. To be honest, she can barely remember what she had for breakfast most days.
"His finest hour," said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"
In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, Celeste and Harry persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a ride on the Firebolt after they'd finished. This did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment, so they set off for the Quidditch field together.
Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on Harry and Celeste, was just as impressed with the Firebolts as everyone else had been. She took Celestes Firebolt in her hands before takeoff and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion.
"Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it's a slight list to the tail end -- you often find they develop a drag after a few years. They've updated the handle too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows -- a pity they've stopped making them. I learned to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too..."
She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, "Er -- Madam Hooch? Is it okay if Celeste gets her Firebolt back? We need to practice..."
"Oh -- right -- here you are, then, Lupin-Black," said Madam Hooch. "I'll sit over here with Weasley..."
Madam Hooch and Ron left the field to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.
"Harry, I've just found out who Ravenclaw is playing as Seeker. It's Cho Chang."
Celeste liked Cho, she was a very sweet girl with a big heart. She didn't understand how some girls at school made fun of her for her demeanor. After all, girls support girls.
"She's the fourth year, and she's pretty good...I hoped she wouldn't be fit, she's had some problems with injuries..." Wood continued and scowled his displeasure that Cho Chang had made a full recovery, then said, "On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt." He gave Harry's broom a look of fervent admiration, then said, "Okay, everyone, let's go --"
And at long last, Celeste mounted the Firebolt and kicked off from the ground.
It was better than She could ever imagine. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch, almost like it obeyed thoughts rather than grip. It sped across the field at such speed that Celeste could probably do 10 laps around the pitch in 5 seconds. Celeste could hear Alicia scream as Harry took a sharp turn. She could tell he was also enjoying the bliss of his Firebolt. She grabbed her quaffle and flew down the pitch to make a goal. It easily passed through due to shear force and the confusion the broom's speed gave the keepers.
"Harry, I'm letting the Snitch out!" Wood yelled causing everyone to watch. The team turned e outstripped it easily, saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood, and within ten seconds had caught it tightly in his hand.
The team cheered madly. Harry let the Snitch go again, giving it a head start, before tearing after it, weaving in and out of the others. Celeste felt it lurking underneath her knee, then looked up to see Harry racing toward her.
"I swear to Merlin if you hit me..." Celeste muttered out in fear. But surprisingly Harry looped around her easily and caught it again.
It was the best practice ever. The team, inspired by the presence of not only one, but two Firebolts in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time they hit the ground again, Wood didn't have a single criticism to make, which, as George Weasley pointed out, was a first.
"I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" said Wood. "Harry and Celeste, you've both sorted out the Dementor problem?"
"Yep! All set and ready to go!" Celeste said excitedly.
"Yeah," Harry said, a little less enthusiastic.
"The Dementors won't turn up again, Oliver. Dumbledore would go ballistic," said Fred confidently.
"Well, let's hope not," said Wood. "Anyway -- good work, everyone. Let's get back to the tower, turn in early."
"Harry, Ron, you two coming?" Celeste asked the two boys as she swung her Firebolt over her shoulder.
"I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Harry said to Celeste while the rest of the team headed off to the locker rooms.
"Okay, I'm gonna go back to dorms and meet up with Hermione," Celeste said to the two, waving goodbye to the two.
When Celeste got back to her dorm, she found Parvati and Lavender sitting together and talking happily. Celeste quickly waved and smiled at them before finding Hermione on her bed reading.
"Have a good practice?" Hermione asked Celeste with a wide smile on her face.
"Yeah, it was amazing! Oliver reckons that we're going to win with the two firebolts," she replied happily. "What's got you so happy?"
"Just planning for tomorrow," Hermione smirked as she spoke with an ominous tone.
"For the game?" Celeste was confused about what the girl had meant by planning. Hermione's jaw dropped.
"Are you serious? You do remember it's your birthday tomorrow, right? The one you usually tell us months in advance." Hermione said as if she was oblivious.
"Huh, I guess I must have forgotten about it with everything that has been going on these last few months," Celeste said like it was not a big deal.
"Well, you better get to bed then. You have a game to win and a surprise to wait for!" Hemione smiled softly at her.
Celeste climbed into her bed that night with a wide smile on her face. Before she knew it, she fell into a deep sleep.
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February 5th, 1994: Celeste's 14th birthday
Celeste went down to breakfast the next morning with Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati all giving her birthday wishes. She carried her firebolt over her shoulder and could her others swoon over the magnificent broom. when she entered the Great Hall she could see her Pa at the front table and the rest of the Gryffindors all sitting at their table. Students all came up to Celeste to tell her good luck on the game, wish her a happy birthday, swoon over the broom, or a mix of them all.
"I'll be right over. I'm gonna talk to my Pa." Celeste said to all the other girls and walked up to the head table.
Celeste could see the Professor looking over at her and when. she started to walk over, he began to stand. The second she got to him, he pulled her into a hug.
"Happy birthday Cub!" Remus Lupin whispered to his daughter. This was the first time in twelve years that he was able to celebrate his daughter's birthday. Well, at least with her there with him. He kissed her on the top of her head before releasing her from the hug.
"I love you Pa!" Celeste smiled up towards the tall man.
"I love you too! Now go sit with your friends and win the game today." He practically shooed her away at these words.
Celeste joined her friends over at the Gryffindor table where she was swarmed with birthday wishes. She got them from Ron, the twins, Ginny, Neville, Dean and Seamus, and the rest of the quidditch team. But, there was one that meant the most.
"Happy birthday Star," Harry whispered into her ear. "I know I don't deserve to be forgiven, but I just want you to know that I love you so much and I will wait however long it takes."
Celeste felt her cheeks flush red and a smile creep on her face. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Harry looked shocked but found himself squeezing back.
Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry and Celeste on having acquired such a superb replacement for their nimbuses and wished Celeste a happy birthday. Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could hold their Firebolts.
"Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt closely. "Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"
Penelope put the Firebolts down again, thanked Harry and Celeste, and went back to her table.
"Harry -- make sure you win," said Percy, in an urgent whisper. "I haven't got ten Galleons. Yes, I'm coming, Penny!" And he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.
"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter? I'm sure you can't Black." said a cold, drawling voice.
Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe, and Goyle right behind him.
"Yeah, reckon so," said Harry casually.
"That's a laugh, coming from you. And for your information, it's Lupin-Black." Celeste scowled at her greasy cousin.
"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously at Harry and Celeste. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute in case you get too near a Dementor."
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.
"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."
"Your daddy may have gotten you on the team, but you must have forgotten that you need to be qualified for the job," Celeste smirked.
The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether Harry and Celetes broom were Firebolts.
At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time, and Celeste was starting to feel the excitement only a quidditch match could bring. They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. Celeste started stretching and warming herself up. She was extremely happy because her Pa had promised he would be in the stands for the game.
"You know what we've got to do," said Wood as they prepared to leave the locker rooms. "If we lose this match, we're out of the running. just -- just fly as you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be okay!"
They walked out onto the field to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the field. Celeste saw Cho and waved happily at her. Cho waved back as well with a smile on her face. Cho was the only girl on their team, but she was the most talented. Celeste could see Harry blush as he stared at the Ravenclaw. Celeste felt a feeling in her stomach that didn't settle right.
"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain.
"Mount your brooms ... on my whistle ... three -- two -- one --"
Celeste kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom. She got into position with Angelina and Alicia as they tried to access the pitch and plan their strategy. listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan.
"They're off, and the big excitement of this match is the Firebolts that Harry Potter and Celeste Lupin-Black are flying on for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt is going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship --"
"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.
Celeste laughed as she plowed down the pitch, finding herself an open spot for Angelina, who had the quaffle.
"Right you are, Professor -- just giving a bit of background information -- the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and --"
"Jordan!"
Angelina signaled to Celeste to be ready to catch. Celeste signaled back and Angelina tossed the quaffle.
"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Celeste Lupin-Black of Gryffindor, heading for goal..."
Harry streaked right past Celeste in the opposite direction, winking at Celeste on the way. Cho was hot on his tail. Celeste sped to the hoops and made her aim. She there the quaffle and succeeded, scoring the first goal of the match. The Gryffindor end of the field went wild. Celeste could see her Pa cheer from a teacher's box. He was cheering with a look of pride.
There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters. Celeste looked around to find the cause but was cut short when a bludger clipped her in the shoulder. Celeste groaned in pain and her teammates shouted. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it. Angelina and Alicia tried to talk to her and make her take a break, but Celeste refused. The three continued to play, scoring goal after goal.
"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at those Firebolts go! Potter and Lupin-Black are putting them through their paces now, see it turn -- Comets are no match for it, the Firebolt's precision -- balance is noticeable in these long --"
"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"
Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead. The Gryffindor girls were now really going full out. They raced up and down the pitch, not stopping unless Harry had caught the snitch
"HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Celeste could hear Wood roar as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"
Oliver was bright red from anger. This was the team's final push. They promised him that they would win this year. They would not be breaking that promise no matter what.
He accelerated; so, many feet below, did Cho. He was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second -- then --
"Oh!" Cho suddenly screamed, catching everyone's attention. Everyone looked down toward the pitch.
Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at him.
Celeste could see Harry stick his hand down the neck of his robes, whipping out his wand and roar, "Expecto patronum!"
Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. It had shot directly at the Dementors but Harry kept charging towards the snitch. Harry stretched out the hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.
Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Celeste cried a shout of victory. The rest of the team raced down towards the ground. In the next moment, the whole team was hugging each other so hard, they all thought they might have passed out. Down below he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd.
"That's my boy!" Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina, and Celeste were all kissing Harry. Harry flushed bright red when the latter kissed his cheek. George was hugging Celeste, shaking her with pride. A gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the field, Ron in the lead. Before he knew it, they had been engulfed by the cheering crowd.
"Yes!" Ron yelled, yanking Harry and Celeste's arms into the air. "Yes! Yes!"
"Well done, Harry!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me --"
"Celeste, you were phenomenal!" roared Seamus Finnigan.
"Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.
"That was quite some Patronus," said a voice near Celeste and Harry.
The two turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.
"Pa!" Celeste jumped into her fathers' arms making him quickly wrap his arms around her so he didn't fall.
"I am so proud of you! You are one of the best quidditch players I've seen in quite some time." Remus said with a smile on his face.
"The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"
"That would be because they -- er -- weren't Dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see- "
He led Harry and Celeste out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field.
"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin.
Harry and Celeste stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders. Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.
"An unworthy trick!" she was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"
If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this. Ron, who had fought his way through to Harry and Celeste's side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside it.
"Come on, you two!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"
The two felt happier than they had in ages and with that, the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.
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It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.
"How did you do that?" squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.
"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred muttered in Harry and Celeste's ear.
Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.
"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and Celeste.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Hermione disappeared into the crowd for a few seconds, returning with a few presents and a large card. Fred and George tailed behind her holding a large cake.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CELESTE!" Everyone in the common room loudly yelled. Hermione gave her the large card in which hundreds of messages and names were signed. Hermione must have spent a few days getting all the signatures. The gifts were little things from everyone. Hermione got her little earrings, the Weasley gave her homemade treats Mrs. Weasley had sent, and Harry gave her a little silver ring. It was very simple, which in Celeste's eye was perfect.
The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning, to insist that they all go to bed. Celeste and Hermione went to bed with the other girls. Celeste felt so at ease that the second her head hit the pillow, she fell into a light sleep. She felt like she was floating on water. Everything was perfect until-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The girls woke as suddenly as the loud noise that came from the boy's dormitories.
"What's going on?" Lavender groaned from across the room."
"I don't know but we better see," Celeste said to the other girls.
They all scrambled out of bed and raced into the common room. All the fourth-year boys were already down there. They could hear more doors opening behind them.
"Who shouted?" Celeste asked calmly
"What're you doing?" Another girl asked.
The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. It was deserted.
"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"
"I'm telling you, I saw him!"
"What's all the noise?"
"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!"
"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly as he came down the stairs.
"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.
"Perce -- Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"
The common room went very still. Celeste hoped that he was lying, that her father had not ruined a good moment once more.
"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron -- had a nightmare --"
"I'm telling you --"
"Now, really, enough's enough!"
Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.
"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"
"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare --"
"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"
Professor McGonagall stared at him.
"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"
"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw --"
Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"
"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.
There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.
"You -- you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But -- but the password!"
"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"
Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.
"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"
There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.
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A/N: Happy Birthday, James "The Ally" Potter!!!