It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. They were both so angry at each other that Gwen could not see how they'd ever make up.
Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks' attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered keeping a close enough eye on him and was still trying to pretend that Scabbers was innocent by suggesting Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, fiercely maintained that Crookshanks had not eaten Scabbers, that he had no proof, that those ginger hairs were probably 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.
Gwen, however, was so sick of being stuck in the middle, that she made no attempt to try and get them to talk to each other. She and Harry had been playing peace makers since the beginning of the year, and Gwen wanted nothing more to do with it. She tried to split her time evenly between Harry and Ron, and Hermione, but it was very difficult when Ron and Hermione would spend almost any free second tearing her ears off about how the other was wrong.
She, Gwen, personally believed that it was likely Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers. He was a cat, everyone knew cats hunted rats, but Gwen had not made the mistake of mentioning this to Hermione. She knew she'd chosen best not to when she walked into the common room the next evening to see Hermione shouting at Harry that he always sided with Ron.
Hermione did, however, feel extremely guilty. She cried to Gwen that night before bed that she honestly didn't know if Crookshanks would have eaten Scabbers. Gwen comforted her, telling Hermione what she wanted to hear, but in truth, Hermione didn't need to be a genius to know that the likelihood of Sccabbers' demise was due to her cat.
Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard.
'Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was,' said Fred bracingly. 'And he's been off colour 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?' He looked at Gwen and Harry.
Gwen nodded, shaking Ron's shoulder brightly. 'Yeah, he did.'
'Yeah,' Harry said, 'that's true.'
'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 effort to cheer Ron up, Harry managed to persuade him to join him, Gwen, and the rest of the Gryffindor team to their final practice before the Ravenclaw match, on the promise that he could ride the Firebolt after. That did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment, so, with a slight spring in his step, he set off for the Quidditch pitch with Gwen and Harry.
Madame Hooch was still overseeing their practices, and was as impressed with the Firebolt as everyone else. She took it in her hands for a solid ten minutes into the practice, admiring it at every angle and comparing it to old brooms. Gwen, Katie and Angelina spent the time weaving around each other, practising several group manoeuvres as Fred and George defended them from the wild Bludgers, until Wood finally cleared his throat and Madame Hooch gave back Harry's broom.
The team came back to the ground, gathering around Wood as he gave a quick briefing.
'Harry, I've found out who the Ravenclaw Seeker is,' he explained. 'It's Cho Chang. She's a fourth year, pretty good... I really hoped she wouldn't be fit, she's had some problems with injuries...' Wood scowled at the displeasure that Cho Chang has made a full recovery. 'On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt.' He briefly went over some of the manoeuvres and techniques they'd be practising that evening, and then, at long last, they mounted their brooms.
As soon as he was in the air, Harry was a blur. He easily outsripped all of them, weaving in and around them all as he chased after the Snitch, catching it every time within a minute. The team were elated by the end of the practice, despite Harry zipping past all of them so quickly he had nearly knocked all of them off their brooms at several points.
Ron had watched the entire practice from the stands, cheering them all on, and when they all touched down, exhilarated, he vaulted the fence at the stands and ran back onto the pitch, ready to have his go; Madame Hooch had fallen asleep in her seat.
Gwen waited behind with Harry, watching as Ron sped across the pitch at lightning fast speed, his laughs and cheers echoing around the darkened sky. When he finally put his feet back on the ground, grinning from ear to ear, he held the Firebolt out to Gwen.
'Are you sure?' she asked, turning to Harry. He shrugged, nodding.
Gwen took the broom. It was light to hold and was perfectly balanced in her hand. She mounted it and took off, the speed instantly exhilarating her. The Firebolt turned with the gentlest touch, seeming to obey her thoughts rather than her grip. It sped across the pitch at such speed that the outlines of the stands below her blurred into the dark ground. The stars became long, white lines, glinting as she shot upwards, then down, pulled off a loop, dove and then, inches from the ground, she lifted up expertly into the air.
When she finally dismounted, she wanted a Firebolt of her own.
As they turned back to leave the pitch, Madame Hooch woke with a start, scolded the three of them for not waking her, then shooed them back up to the castle.
Harry shouldered the Firebolt, and he, Gwen and Ron fell into animated discussion about the broom, its superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration and its pinpoint turning. They were halfway towards the castle when Harry stopped dead, staring to the left.
'What's the matter?' Gwen said, following his gaze. Her heart stopped when she saw a pair of gleaming eyes staring at them through the bushes.
Ron lit the end of his wand, and a pale beam of light scattered the lawn, hit the bottom of a tree and illuminated its branches. There, crouching amongst the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.
'Get out of here,' Ron hissed, and stooped down to seize a stone lying on the grass, but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks disappeared with one swish of his long ginger tail.
'See?' said Ron furiously, chucking the stone down again. 'She's still letting that thing wander about wherever it wants-- probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now...'
• • •
When Gwen joined the rest of the Quidditch team at breakfast the next morning, the whole school were crowded around the Gryffindor table, peering over each other's shoulders to get a look at Harry's Firebolt. She managed to squeeze her way through, taking a seat beside George, who sent her a cheerful grin. Gwen started on her toast, trying not to feel too overwhelmed by the crowd; when she glanced back at the Slytherin table, the only house who hadn't really come over, and saw the Slytherin Quidditch team looking thunderstruck.
As Gwen settled into her breakfast, several other players of other house teams came over, except the Slytherin team, of course. Her brothers, Eddie and Felix came to admire the broom and share their congratulations to Harry's latest investment, and Ciara Murphy, as always, was on Felix's arm, smiling her gentle, sweet smile. Cedric Diggory came over too, extending his congratulations, and Penelope Clearwater, Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, asked if she could hold it.
'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 Firebolt down, thanked Harry and went back to her table.
'We're legends,' Gwen told George, the crowd around the Firebolt seeming to grow.
'Legends, and winners,' George said. 'With that Harry and that broom, we're winning every match.'
Gwen nodded, eyeing Oliver Wood's prideful look. 'I want to win for Oliver more than anything.'
As George went to reply, the loud, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy caught her attention. He, Crabbe and Goyle had come to examine the Firebolt.
'Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?' he said coldly. Gwen rolled her eyes.
'Here comes trouble,' she murmured to George, their faces very close.
'Yeah, reckon so,' Harry said casually, eyeing Malfoy.
'Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?' said Malfoy, his eyes glittering maliciously. '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.'
The whole Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed and they watched him stalk away, rejoining the Slytherin team who, at his arrival, all put their heads together.
'Probably checking to see if it's a real Firebolt,' Fred said, turning his head away.
At quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the changing rooms. The weather couldn't have been any 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 Gwen, though slightly nervous, was beginning to feel the excitement brew in the pit of her stomach. They had it, the Gryffindor team. They had been practising for weeks, all of them essentially experts of their craft, and with the Firebolt, they'd win by miles.
As Gwen joined Angelina and Katie in the girls' changing rooms, she remembered, suddenly, the Dementors. She didn't want to hear Tom again, and she certainly didn't want to be saving Harry from a near death fall, so she slipped her wand into the pocket in her scarlet Quidditch robes, a pocket she had tailored herself when she had first received the uniform.
She could only hope she would have no need for her wand.
'You know what we've got to do,' said Wood, as they prepared to leave the changing rooms. 'If we lose this match, we're out of the running. Just-- just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be OK!'
Gwen caught Harry's eye, and they shared a quick smile.
They walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the pitch. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on the team, and Gwen caught her smiling at Harry as the teams' captains faced each other. Gwen shot a look at Harry and did not miss the blush that crept up his neck. Cho was, in fact, very pretty.
'Wood, Davies, shake hands,' Madame Hooch ordered briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw captain.
'Mount your brooms... on my whistle... three-- two-- one--'
They were off. Gwen caught the Quaffle instantly, weaving between the Ravenclaw Chasers and ducking under a Bludger that came straight for her head. As she passed the Quaffle to Angelina, rolling under a Ravenclaw Beater as she did so, she was aware of Lee Jordan's commentary.
'And they're off!' He announced. 'And the big excitement of this match is the Firebolt which Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship--'
Gwen was barely aware of McGonagall telling Lee to focus on the match. She shot between the Ravenclaw Chasers, lining up in defence as Katie, who was now in possession, got into position as they had practised. Gwen reached her left arm out, headed straight toward a Ravenclaw Chaser and dived at the last second, a Bludger being whacked from her path by George as Katie hurled the Quaffle in Gwen's direction-- Gwen caught it swiftly, whirled past the Ravenclaw Keeper, caught him off guard--
'And Gwen Everill scores the first goal of the match! That's ten points to Gryffindor!' Lee hollered over the wild cheers of the Gryffindor side of the pitch. Gwen flew back toward the centre of the pitch, high fiving Fred as he flew past in the opposite direction.
As the Quaffle was thrown back onto the pitch, Harry dived, streaking by Gwen so fast she wobbled on her broom. She turned herself back around, Ravenclaw were in possession, she and Angelina lined up side by side, speeding down the pitch, shooting past the Ravenclaw Chaser with the Quaffle so fast that he dropped it-- Katie swooped in below and took the Quaffle.
There was a great 'Oooh!' from the Gryffindor stands, and Gwen could only assume Harry had lost sight of the Snitch. With Fred and George whacking the Bludgers that kept heading for Katie, Angelina swooped in, caught the Quaffle, and aimed--
'Gryffindor are twenty points up!' Lee yelled.
The game continued, Gwen, Angelina and Katie managing to keep possession of the Quaffle for almost the entirety of the time that they had been on the pitch. Harry continued to dive and speed around the pitch, Fred and George were whacking Bludgers like it was their last day on Earth, and Wood was manning the goalposts, the few times that Ravenclaw had had possession being swiftly diverted by Wood every time they shot on target.
Soon enough--
'Gryffindor lead by eight points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now. See it turn-- Chang's Comet is just no match for it! The Firebolt's precision balance is really noticeable in these long--'
'JORDAN!' Came Professor McGonagall's voice-- Gwen had the Quaffle-- 'Are you being paid to advertise Firebolts?! Get on with the commentary!'
George had barely managed to stop a Bludger from knocking Gwen clean off her broom. She'd thrown the Quaffle to Katie, who would have caught it, had it not been for a Ravenclaw Chaser darting past and taking possession.
Ravenclaw now had thirty points, and Gwen could think of nothing than scoring more goals. She, Katie and Angelina were buying Harry time, but he kept getting headed off by Cho Chang every time he saw the Snitch.
Gwen and Katie scored two more goals each. Next, Ravenclaw scored three, then Angelina scored two more. The cheers from the crowd gave them the confidence to keep going, made them play harder than ever so that Harry had the time he needed to catch the Snitch--
Harry dived past Gwen, she snatched the Quaffle from a pass between Ravenclaw, aimed toward the goals--
'Merlin!'
The shout from one of the Ravenclaw Beaters distracted her. She looked down, and there, three Dementors, three tall, black hooded Dementors, were looking up at the players.
Gwen didn't stop to think. Taking her free hand off her broom, she plunged her hand into the pocket of her robes, whipped out her wand and shouted, 'Expecto Patronum!'
Something silver white, something enormous, erupted from the end of her wand. At the same time, a second, silver white, enormous creature darted downwards in the air, and Gwen didn't even stop to look-- taking advantage of the Ravenclaw Keeper's distraction, she scored another goal and then--
Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor side of the stadium, wild, deafening cheers, and Gwen looked up.
There, in the air, Harry hovered on the Firebolt, holding the Snitch high above his head.
She flew up to him, without even thinking, and, still holding her wand, she threw her arms around him. He hugged her back, and the rest of the Gryffindor team ascended onto them, grinning, cheering and almost crying with joy.
'That's my boy!' Wood kept yelling, Gwen, Angelina and Katie had all kissed Harry in turn, and Fred and George were gripping Harry so hard, the skin on his neck blushed as scarlet as his robes. In complete disarray, somehow, the team managed to descend to the ground, dismounting their brooms and, as they steadied themselves on the grass, they looked up to see an army of Gryffindor supporters, led by Ron, descending onto the pitch.
'Yes!' Ron yelled, yanking Harry's arm into the air. 'Yes! Yes!'
'Well done, Harry!' Percy shouted, looking delighted. 'Ten galleons to me! I must find Penelope, excuse me!'
'Good on you, Harry,' roared Seamus Finnigan.
'Ruddy brilliant!' boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.
Gwen threw her arms around Harry once again, and he hugged her back with his free arm. She felt ready to cry with happiness, the grin plastered so heavily onto her face she felt that it would never leave.
'Those were quite the Patronuses,' a voice murmured beside them.
Gwen and Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.
'The Dementors didn't affect me at all!' Harry said excitedly. 'I didn't feel a thing!'
'Me too, Professor,' Gwen said hurriedly. 'It was amazing, I couldn't hear him!'
Professor Lupin smiled awkwardly. 'That would be because they, er, weren't Dementors. Come and see--'
He led Gwen and Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the pitch.
'You both gave Malfoy quite a fright,' said Lupin.
Gwen and Harry stared. Gwen had never even imagined Malfoy to stoop so low. Lying, crumpled in a 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! A shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make now mistake! Ah, here he comes now!'
Gwen couldn't help grinning. To top the icing on the Gryffindor winning cake, this was the best thing. Roon, who had fought his way through to Harry and Gwen, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside.
'Come on, guys!' George shouted, fighting his way over. 'Party! Gryffindor common room, now!'
Gwen said goodbye to Professor Lupin, and, feeling happier than she has done in ages, she and the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.