THE GRYFFINDOR QUARTET SAT ANXIOUSLY IN THE GREAT HALL THE NEXT MORNING. Harry was stabbing at his pancakes and Gemini was scarfing down bacon.
"Take a bit of toast, mate," Ron encouraged, "Go on." Harry glanced at him wearingly. "Ron's right, Harry. You're gonna need your strength today," Hermione tried to reassure him. Harry shook his head, "I'm not hungry." Ron and Hermione looked at Gemini expectantly. The girl rolled her eyes before saying, "Harry. If you eat something I will give you a kiss on the cheek, I promise. I want to win my first match," Gemini said in between munching the bacon. The reaction was instantaneous. All of their heads snapped in the direction of Harry shoveling the pancakes down his throat rapidly. "Merlin, Harry," Gemini exclaimed, "I said eat something! Not eat too much to the point of throwing up." Harry gave her a sheepish smile, a bit of syrup dribbling down the corner of his mouth. Ever since the shared hug a couple of days ago he wanted an excuse to get close again.
Gemini sighed loudly, and then quickly pecked The-Boy-Who-Lived's cheek. Passing his crush off as meaningless flirting; she turned back to her breakfast and missed Harry's reaction to the fast gesture. However, Ron did not miss how Harry nearly choked.
Snape appeared. For some reason, he turned towards the Golden Quartet. He drawled out, "Good luck today, Potter. You as well, Black. Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you both...even if it is against Slytherin." He limped towards the head table. "It is Lupin-Black!", Gemini corrected towards his retreating figure, "Honestly, the amount of time we spend together nowadays and he still hasn't properly learned my name. No wonder he doesn't have a partner."
"That explains the blood," Harry mumbled. Gemini looked at him as though he was crazed, "Blood?" Harry nodded in her direction, and their other friends leaned in. Harry looked around before he said,"Listen. Last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that three-headed dog. But, he got himself bitten. That is why he is limping." Gemini considered his words. "Why would anyone go near that dog?", Hermione questioned. "The day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. He said it was Hogwarts, business; very secretive. I believe that's what the dog is guarding. That is what Snape wants," Harry said in a hushed whisper.
The sound of owl's screeching caught their attention. Harry's owl, Hedwig, and a school owl appeared. They carried very large and long parcels. They dropped them off in front of Harry and Gemini. "Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Hermione wondered out loud. Harry stuttered out, "I-I never get mail." Gemini felt a pang of guilt at those words, and tried to remember to tell her dad to send Harry her next shipment of muggle candy. She chose to ignore his words though, because she was sure he didn't mean to say them out loud. "Let's open them," Ron exclaimed enthusiastically. All four of them tore the wrapping paper apart, and threw it in haphazard directions. "They are broomsticks!," Harry happily observed. Ron let out a gasp before saying, "Those aren't just any broomsticks, guys! They are Nimbus 2000's!" Harry wondered out loud, "Who would send these?" Gemini gingerly touched her broomstick handle. She loved her Dad dearly, but she knew he would've never been able to afford something like this on a teacher's salary.
Harry and her both looked up at the head table where Professor McGonagall sat. She smiled at them both and gave a quick nod. "I LOVE YOU, MINNIE!", Gemini yelled out boisterously.
Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy watched the exchange heatedly. That only added to their joy.
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Inside the Quidditch tower; the Gryffindor team marched toward the starting gate. Upon reaching it, they stopped and waited patiently behind a closed double door. "Scared, Harry?," Wood asked quietly. Harry nodded, "A little bit." Wood then turned his attention to the young chaser who had found herself trapped in both beaters embraces. "What about you, LB? Nervous?," the girl being questioned smiled mischievously at him. "Not a chance, Wood. I know what I am made of," and she started to laugh from something one of the twins had whispered in her ear.
Harry started at her longingly. "It is alright to be scared, Harry," Wood started out; catching the boy's attention, "I felt the same way before my first game." Harry looked at him in curiosity, "What happened?" The teenager side eyed him before he said, "Er, I don't really remember. I took a bludger to the head two minutes in. I woke up in the hospital a week later." Harry prayed that whatever confidence oozed through the girl of his dreams had somehow passed on to him during that kiss.
The doors opened. They all mounted their brooms and zoomed out onto the enormous pitch. "You look exceptionally good on a broom, Love," Harry yelled over the loud cheers whilst looking at Gemini. The girl simply turned and shot him a wink in acknowledgment, and that action alone made Harry feel even dizzier. The commentator, Lee Jordan, began to speak. "Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game is Slytherin versus Gryffindor," the combination of his voice and the microphone drowned out all of the cheers below. The players then get into position after the announcement is made. Gemini sneaked a glance at Harry to see him already looking her way; she gave an assured nod before letting a determined mask slip over her features. Lee's voice called out, "The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out on the field to begin the game." The woman herself looked at all of them sternly before she stated, "Now, I want a nice, clean game...from all of you." When she finished her statement she looked at the Slytherin's specifically.
She kicked the trunk and the bludgers zoomed out. Gemini could see Fred and George tense in front of her. Lee commented, "The bludgers are up...followed by the golden snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the snitch ends the game." Gemini glanced towards the tent Lee resided in; she was positive he said that as a reminder to the new recruit. The snitch flew mockingly around both seekers hand. Hooch finally grabbed the quaffle, and Gemini leaned forward slightly on her broom.
Lee exclaimed, "The quaffle has been released...and the game begins!"
"Gryffindor takes possession of the ball and Chaser, Gemini Lupin-Black, zooms past the snakes. She reaches their goal and throws the ball. What an arm! She scores," the sound of a ding rings throughout the pitch before lee continues, "Gemini LB scores! 10 points for Gryffindor." Gemini smiled brightly as she heard the cheers sent her way, but no one was clapping louder then Harry Potter himself. This was a true adrenaline rush. A bludger rushed past the new seeker stopping his clapping as he regained balance on his broom.
"Slytherin takes possession of the quaffle. Bletchley passes it to Captain Marcus Flint. Flint doges people and makes a throw towards the Gryffindor hoops. Captain Oliver Wood whacks the ball away with his broom! Angelina Johnson regains possession of the quaffle, and she makes a pass to Gemini LB. She takes the shot, and once again Gemini Lupin-Black scores," Lee Jordan said excitedly. Ron and Seamus could not stop yelling. "Go Gemini," Hermione yelled out in support as her best friend flew by.
Gemini could then tell that the Slytherin's had started to get messy. They were desperate for just one score. Flint tried to score another time, but once again Oliver Wood had blocked it easily. Angrily, Flint grabbed ahold of one of the beaters bats and sent a bludger right at Oliver. The nasty thing hit him square in the stomach and he fell to the ground. Gemini gasped dramatically and "Boo" rang out loudly from the crowd. Everyone was so shocked and busy with the Slytherin's playing dirty; that a majority missed the issues Harry had started to have with his broomstick.
Hermione looked through her binoculars at Harry, and then the dragged to Snape who was suspiciously muttering words. Hermione turned quickly to Ron, "It is Snape! He is jinxing the broom." Ron continued to look at Harry in concern," Jinxing the broom? What do we do?" Hermione handed her binoculars to Ron and stated, "Leave it to me." Harry is then knocked around, and was dangling by one arm from the broom. Gemini zoomed up to him quickly and help him get situated, "Alright, Harry?", she rushed out. "Yeah, I am fine. Focus on the game, gorgeous!" She didn't need to be told twice. Hermione had hurriedly made it up the tower, and appeared beneath Snape. Touching his cloak with her wand she whispered, "Lacarnum Inflamarae." A spark ignited and Snape's cloak instantly caught on fire.
"Fire! You're on fire," a man yelled whilst he had a finger pointing at Severus Snape. "What?", Snape exclaimed, "Oh!" Snape knocked the man away from him and the man fell into the lap of Professor Quirrell. Once Snape is able to bat out the fire he acts as though nothing happened. This disturbance had allowed Harry time to gain control over his broom. Just in time, too. He spotted the snitch.
Harry rammed into the slytherin seeker and is then butted out. "Come on, Harry!", Gemini yells as she flied by him; quaffle in hand. Harry returned to the battle, and he smashed the opposing seeker again as the snitch dove. The slytherin seeker backed out, and Harry slightly pulled up his broom as he followed the snitch. Harry then decided to stand up; he reaches a hand out to grasp the small ball , but he had went too far. He toppled off of the broom, with a yelp, and tumbled onto the ground. Getting up...he lurches. Watching the scene; Gemini mumbled, "Oh Merlin! I will never force him to eat before a match again." The crowd gasped at his sickness, but instead of vomit the golden snitch popped out of his mouth! It landed in his hands, calmly.
Lee Jordan yelled out, "He's got the snitch! Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the snitch!" Hooch blew her whistle and then said, "Gryffindor wins!" The sea of maroon and gold cheered loudly. They all rushed down to the pitch to congratulate the players. When Gemini's feet touched the ground she was immediately pulled into a warm embrace. She was about to fight it, but the scent of chocolate gave it away. "Dad," she exclaimed happily. Remus Lupin held his daughter tightly. Bloody hell, it was terrifying seeing her roughly play in the air. Sirius didn't have as many people coming after him. Remus Lupin looked down upon his daughter, "I am so proud of you! One of the youngest quidditch players in over a century. You are also doing magnificent in your school work, but what is this I hear about fighting a troll?!"
Gemini's smile was the brightest it had been in a while whilst she reconnected with her Father.