FHB: Chapter 12

Lucius did not want to do it, but the grip he was losing on the banner forced him into action.

“Tanya!” Lucius shouted, hoping his words could cut through the deafening crowd. And to his surprise, it did.

Tanya swerved her broom towards his direction and hesitated for a few seconds before coming to his aid.

“What on earth are you doing here?!”

“Wild bludger. I need your help,” Lucius replied as he struggled to hold on.

“Why should I help you? You’re not my friend,” Tanya said, turning her broom away.

Lucius was in shock at her response but he still managed a few words. “Please, I could die!”

“Why don’t you call your friends for help?”

It wasn’t the right moment to make a point but it was the perfect moment. Lucius was starting to think of descending by himself when the question caught him off guard. No matter who he was or how influential he became, Lucius did not have friends. It was the way he did things that put him above his housemates but made him alone.

As he shook his head in reply, Lucius felt his sweaty palms slipping from the banner. When he realized what was happening, he was already sliding down with his hands barely gripping onto the cloth.

“I can’t die like this!” Lucius thought out loud.

Just as those words escaped his lips, Tanya swooped down and reached for the back of his cloak. She was not strong enough to pull him up and her broom began tilting to his side.

“Grab the broom!” Tanya yelled.

Lucius flailed his hands and managed to grip onto the broom with one hand, but that did not stop them from the fall. As Tanya struggled to pull him up and control her broom, Lucius’ attempt to climb up made it worse.

“Stop! Just hold on!” Tanya said.

For once in his schooling life, he listened to another student and halted his attempts. Tanya tilted her body to the other side and slowly descended towards the black lake. When Lucius’ legs touched the waters, the drag pulled them both in.

 As the two of them pushed their heads out of the water, Tanya said, “Great! We’ll lose the game now.”

“You can still get back in,” Lucius replied.

“And what? Leave you here for the giant squid?”

“He’s quite docile,” Lucius said.

“I’m not that kind of a person,” Tanya simply replied and reached for her broom that was hovering above the water.

As she climbed on, she said, “Come on, I’ll get you back on solid ground.”

Lucius did not need to think twice about following her orders and he pulled himself up. He did however, hesitate on holding her waist but when they took flight there was no hesitation left.

When they finally landed in a school courtyard, Lucius awkwardly thanked Tanya for saving his life. Tanya merely responded with a nod before disappearing into the sky. She had a game to get back to, and when Lucius heard that the match dragged on for another hour, he didn’t feel so bad about the handicap he caused Ravenclaw briefly.

Strangely, when he found himself feeling sorry, he did not stop himself. He used to shut out thoughts that would alter his judgement, but he could not bring himself to do so that day. The thought of almost dying or being at risk to death made him think about his life. Maybe Lucius really needed friends after all? Maybe they were more of a help than a liability?

As the match ended and the news of Slytherin’s victory reached Lucius’ ears, he decided not to gloat over it. And during dinner that night, Lucius kept to his own promise.

The Slytherins were having a celebration, while the Ravenclaws tried not to look too upset. There were still a few more games to go so neither Gryffindor nor Hufflepuff felt the sting of the win. It was a pretty ordinary night in the great hall, except for the occasional cheers.

When dinner was over, everyone headed back to their common rooms in a not so orderly manner. Lucius neglected his prefect duties again and decided to have a talk with Tanya.

“Tanya, wait up,” Lucius called out when he saw Tanya monitoring the Ravenclaws.

“I’m on duty, you should be too,” Tanya pointed out.

“Just one second.”

“You don’t owe me alright, I don’t keep tabs when I help someone,” Tanya replied.

“No, that’s not what I wanted to say,” Lucius quickly said.

“Then?”

“I just wanted to say thank you, again. And you’re right, I don’t have friends.”

“You’re welcome. Maybe you should start making some.”

Lucius gave an awkward chuckle. “It doesn’t work that way for me.”

“Right, because you’re a pureblood and all that.”

“No. It’s just not the way I was brought up. My father always said that friends would do me more harm than good.”

“No offense to your bloodline, but your father is wrong.”

“Maybe…” Lucius trailed off as he recalled his father’s story about the Dark Lord while he was in Hogwarts.

“You know what, let’s prove your father wrong. Do you want to be friends?”

Lucius was not sure if he heard her right, as he last recalled Tanya hating him. Was she really offering her friendship? There was an internal tug-of-war, and Lucius could not believe it was such a difficult question to answer.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should say yes or no to Tanya’s offer!)

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FHB: Chapter 11

Lucius got out of bed the next morning so close to forgetting about Severus’ little problem.  It was only until he witnessed the bullying himself did he act on it.

It was right after breakfast. Students were heading to their classes and Lucius was heading to his. As he walked past a small garden within the school compound, he spotted three boys standing by a tree.

Curiosity struck him as he walked towards them.

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” Lucius asked.

The boys spun around immediately, and behind them was Severus sitting against the bark of the tree.

“Oh yes, we should get going,” the boy with messy black hair said as he signalled his friends to follow after him.

Though they took big strides, they did not manage to escape. Oddly, it was not Lucius who stopped them but Ms Evans.

Ms Evans walked up to them and demanded, “Apologize.”

“For what?” the boy replied.

“Apologize, Potter,” Ms Evans repeated.

The Potter boy chuckled and said, “I did nothing wrong, Lily. Why should I apologize?”

Ms Evans seemed to be struggling in holding in her anger, and when she gave up, she swung her hand right across the boy’s cheek.

Severus scrambled to his feet at the sound of the slap. The Potter boy said nothing while his friend turned to Lucius and said, “She hit him! She should be punished!”

Lucius had no problem punishing them both, after all, it was Gryffindor losing points.

“Fifteen points from all four of you,” Lucius said, and before the boys could question why, he continued, “Fifteen points for bullying a fellow student and fifteen points for physical violence.”

“That’s sixty points from Gryffindor!” the Potter boy finally spoke.

“You count well, Potter. Next time, think before you act,” Lucius merely said before ushering Severus away from the scene.

When Severus tried to protest, Lucius held on to his shoulder and led him away.

Lucius brought Severus to class before heading to his, but the day was not over. During lunch, Lucius invited Severus for a walk and he intended to give a pretty good lecture.

“Do you know why those boys keep bullying you?” Lucius asked.

“Because I’m weird?” Severus replied.

“Well, partly. I think they bully you because you need a girl to stand up for you,” Lucius pointed out.

“Lily was just helping me. She’s a good friend-”

“She’s not worthy to be your friend. In fact, you don’t need a friend like her. She’s a mudblood after all,” Lucius interrupted.

“What’s wrong with mudbloods? They are just like us,” Severus asked innocently.

“They’re not. They are outsiders hoping to take what is rightfully ours. They don’t deserve it. Your friend, Lily, doesn’t deserve it.”

“But I can’t leave her,” Severus almost whispered his words.

“Make new friends Lucius, then you can leave her,” Lucius advised.

As Lucius left Severus pondering, he began to wonder. Why did Severus need Ms Evans? What kind of a friendship did they have? Was it something so inseparable that the thought of parting ways sounded impossible?

Lucius never had a friend that meant that much to him. He didn’t like being tied down. He was the lone ranger who preferred working by himself, and that worked well for him all these years.

Friend, who invented that word anyway? Lucius silently asked himself.

As Quidditch season started drawing in, Lucius noticed Severus taking his advice. Severus stopped hanging out with Ms Evans as much as he used to, and started hanging out with other Slytherin boys. He also started using the word ‘mudblood’ when Ms Evans wasn’t around.

Lucius had a feeling that one day, a slip of a tongue would end Severus’ ties with Ms Evans altogether. Now wouldn’t that be something to celebrate? Lucius smiled at the idea.

But that was one celebration he would reconsider in due time.

One sunny morning, the match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw began at the blow of a whistle. Lucius enjoyed watching a Quidditch match, but he never liked the idea of playing it. Let’s just say he wasn’t a big fan of heights.

As the quaffle changed hands and the bludgers shot at unsuspecting players, something unexpected happened.

Lucius was climbing up to the professors’ watchtower when a wild bludger crashed into the wooden structure. It rammed against the stairs and the inner pillars like a loose cannon, and it cut through Lucius’ path. Immediately, Lucius scrambled for his wand but before a spell could be cast, the bludger hit him in the stomach and forced him through the supposedly thick wooden panels.

The bludger free itself from him and swerve back into the Quidditch field while Lucius madly waved his arms and grabbed onto the Ravenclaw banner around the tower.

When he finally had a firm grip, Lucius braved himself and took a look down. He was dangling high above the dark waters of the lake, and his heartbeat rose almost instantly. When Lucius tried calling for help, the loud cheering students had their back against him and he was completely out sight.

Nobody knew he was there, not even his ‘friends’.

He thought of climbing back up to the platform or lowering himself to the lake, but while he tried to rationalize both options he saw a Ravenclaw player swerving around a nearby watchtower. Without having to squint much, he knew who it was.

What should he do? Lucius would rather save himself, but a broom ride to solid ground was much more safer. If only that player wasn’t Tanya, he wouldn’t have to contemplate so much.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should save himself or ask for help!)

Round Draw

“So, you wanna join the team eh?” Jacintha Wadcock narrowed her eyes as she asked. Her navy blue robes, emblazoned with two crossed golden bulrushes, was all the new recruits were staring at.

“You are not getting yourselves these robes if all you can do is stare,” she added. Immediately the group of fresh graduates closed their opened mouths and tore their eyes away from the blue robes to her face.

“Ah, finally some respect!”

Murmurs of apologies filled the Quidditch field immediately. Oh, how much she dreaded running the tryouts as millions of hopeless candidates think they are good enough. Thankfully, it was almost the end. These 14 candidates standing in front of her were all that was left, possibly worthy of making the reserve team.

“What we are going to do today is a friendly match. You have each been given a cloth, all reds in one team, all yellows in the other. We will be looking out for the player that has skill and good teamwork. You can elect your own captain if necessary. The game will start in ten minutes,” Jacintha ended and headed to the stands, where a long table was set up and a few people were seated.

She watched as the newbies quickly got into their teams and discussed on their strategies. When they finally had the cloth around their wrists as they faced each other in the center of the field, Jacintha merely waved her hand, and the game began.

Just as they took off into the sky, a player caught her eye. He blocked off every quaffle, that attempted a goal through the three posts, swiftly. He was well balanced on his broom, and there was something in his eyes that told her he was serious. The score was now 20-0, 20 for the yellow team in which the boy was in. Sadly, all of them had the same standards and beating each other was already too difficult.

“Ugh, they are barely up to standards,” her fellow judge said as he reclined in his chair and shut his eyes.

“Call the game off Jacintha, these kids are not ready,” another judge, who was older and with more authority, said as she got up and left.

With a wave of her wand, Jacintha ended the match. The confused faces of the new kids made her feel pity for them, but Puddlemore United deserved the best, and these bunch weren’t the best.

“Look, you kids aren’t ready. I would suggest you try again next year,” Jacintha said as she addressed the 14 close-to-tears faces.

But before she could leave, a wave of pleading and begging came from the group as they were hoping for a second chance.

“You got your chance and you blew it. Come back next year when you’re ready.” Jacintha burst their last hope as she hurried off the field. Slightly relieved that she didn’t have to see those bunch of wannabes any longer, she was disappointed when one called after her.

“Ms. Wadcock! Ms. Wadcock! Can I have a word with you?”

“Ugh, what?” Turning around, she found herself looking at the young boy who played keeper earlier.

“You have to give me a second chance!” the boy pleaded.

“Like I said, you had your chance, and you blew it.”

“I’m versatile, I can play any role, and I would not give up until I make the team!”

Jacintha merely laughed. This boy was living in a fantasy. “And you have seven years of Quidditch experience, am I right?”

“Yes, and-“

“So does everyone who applies. But it’s sad to say, those seven years are useless when you’re playing in school.”

“I can get a recommendation from Ludo Bagman!”

“Go ask the Wimbourne Wasps to take you into their team then. Look boy-“

“Challenge me! You’re a chaser, and if you can score five out of ten goals while I’m keeping, I’ll be on my way.”

The boy caught her by surprise. He was challenging the daughter of the great Jocelind Wadcock. Did he know what he was doing?

“Fine.” Jacintha smiled. And the moment she did, she knew he started to break sweat.

The boy was stationed at the goal posts while Jacintha swerved around the field with a quaffle in hand. She had 10 goals and she knew she could beat him flat out. As she shot straight towards the goal, she sent the quaffle into the air and gave it a whack with the back of her broom. Too quick, the quaffle flew through a post.

“One nil.” Jacintha smirked.

Three more goals and the boy was panicking. She could see him nervously clutching his broom as he eyed her like an eagle eyeing its prey. This last goal would end the challenged, and as she confidently threw the quaffle at the post, the boy blocked a score.

He smiled nervously as he said, “Four to one.”

Four more attempts and he blocked all her quaffles. Now she was breaking sweat. How could she lose to a newbie?

Finally, it came down to the last quaffle. And when she gave her last shot, the boy missed, so narrowly that she could have sworn he might have just caught it.

“I won!” she screamed immediately at the sight of her victory, more so at the relieve of not losing to the newcomer.

The boy heaved a sigh as he gave a weak smile. “It was a good game.”

As they finally dismounted their brooms, Jacintha patted him on the back and said, “Try again next year.”

“Why next year? This boy was brilliant!” a familiar voice spoke from behind them.

“Mother?” Jacintha choked.

“What’s you name boy?” Jocelind Wadcock asked.

“Wood, Oliver Wood.” The boy couldnt help but smile like a Cheshire cat.

“Well Oliver, we could really use you on our reserve team, do you care to join us?”

“Yes!” the boy shouted enthusiastically as he shook her mother’s hand vigorously. And then turning to her, he simply said, “We’re teammates now. Isn’t that something!”

(Best Seller Teen requested a story on Oliver Wood. This was the best I could come up with:))

Chapter 14:

Joanna had decided to lie about the book, telling him she would look for it but saying she had not found it the following day. The weeks that followed after were filled with practices that she no longer had time to help Tom, and he didn’t seem to mind.

She was slightly afraid that he might have already started planning on making the horcrux, but she constantly told herself not to worry as she had noticed how Professor Dumbledore had been watching him more closely since she had joined the Quidditch team.

She had a feeling Professor Dumbledore knew they were up to something, and maybe his recommendation was to get her away from Tom as soon as possible. If so, his plan worked brilliantly.

Soon, February came and the final match was scheduled to be taken place on the second week of the month. The house cup was so important to the Hufflepuffs that training doubled up. And as time flew swiftly as a snitch, Joanna soon found herself trying to swallow down some food on the morning of the match.

“Eat up!” James said to everyone on the team.

They gobbled down as much as they could and then headed to their tent near the quidditch field.

After getting ready and listening to James’ pep talk, they were ready to take off. As they strode to the center of the field, Joanna spotted Abraxas Malfoy, looking rather grim. She knew their false friendship will not spare them from losing.

A handshake followed by a whistle and into the sky they went. Joanna hovered above the other players, trying to stay out of their way as she searched for the snitch. Below her, she could hear the commentator booming over the microphone, and it was a very tight match.

Slytherin was in the lead with 20 points and Hufflepuff was about to score another goal. That was when a loud thud echoed throughout the stadium as one of the bludgers, sent by a Slytherin beater, had knocked one of their chasers off her broom. The crowd gasped and James called for a timeout.

“How is she?” Annoria asked, looking over at their teammate who was sprawled on the ground.

“She’s fine. She’ll be up soon,” James said quickly. “Anyway, we don’t have time to waste. Joanna, you need to get the snitch before Slytherin widens the gap between our points.”

Joanna nodded. And they were off into the sky again.

She circled the field over and over again, trying to find the snitch. Malfoy was also occupied, watching her instead. But his focus was diverted when a sparkle caught his eye. Immediately, he shot towards it. Joanna who was right behind him, followed after, trying to catch up.

Joanna kept her eyes on the snitch when she noticed how close Malfoy was from it. His right hand was already outstretched, reaching for it.

It was now or never, Joanna thought. Slowly bending forward and shifting her weight, she stood up and stayed low. Her broom picked up speed as it gained on Malfoy. Malfoy who had caught sight of her through the corner of her eye, took a quick glance and panicked.

She had gained on him and was now overtaking, with a hand reaching for the snitch. Just then, she saw Malfoy make a sharp left swerve downwards, and before she knew it, a bludger hit her straight in her thigh, sending her off her broom.

Joanna must have been pretty high up as she had managed to see Malfoy catch the snitch before everything dived into darkness.

She didnt know how long it was but it seemed like days later when she woke up in the hospital wing, recalling how Hufflepuff lost.

The hospital wing was dark, and it took her a moment to adjust when she saw a figure standing by the foot of her bed.

“Er… who’s there?” Joanna asked, squinting her eyes.

“It’s me,” Annoria said.

“Oh. What are you doing?”

“I was just waiting for you to wake up.” Annoria walked towards the side of her bed when Joanna noticed what she was holding in her hands.

“Where did you get that?” Joanna immediately asked.

“Where did YOU get it?” Annoria asked in reply, still holding on to Tom’s diary tightly.

“I was holding on to it for him,” Joanna quickly answered. “Can I have it back now?”

“Have you read it?” Annoria asked, in a voice unlike her usual.

“No, why?”

“Because I have, and we need to turn this in.”

“What? The book is protected, you can’t read its contents!” Joanna was surprised, as she remembered seeing it blank.

“I found it fully written.” Annoria flipped the book open and words were scribbled across the pages.

Joanna recalled the night she tried to read the book, and immediately felt a sinking feeling that her spell might have actually worked. She was just too tired to notice.

“Give it to me, I’ll give it in.” Joanna tried to reach for the book but Annoria pulled it out of her reach.

“No you won’t, you’ll give it back to Tom.”

“I’ll give it to Dumbledore!”

“I don’t think you would. I know you like him.”

“I do not like him,” Joanna retorted.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll be handing it in tonight. Just thought I should let you know, in case the Professors ask you about it,” Annoria said and hurried towards the exit.

Joanna had the urge to go after her and get the diary back. By the way Annoria acted, she knew it contained really bad things, and what if Tom had mentioned her as well? But if she didn’t go after her, maybe Tom can be saved after all. If he was caught, he wouldn’t play around with the dark arts anymore.

To be continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Joanna should go after Annoria or let her turn the book in!)

Chapter 13:

Joanna sat in library that evening, thinking if she had just made a mistake. She had agreed to join the team after they gave her excited looks, making it harder for her to burst their bubbles.

But the idea of flying again seemed so surreal. Being on a broom itself reminded her of what had happened, as though it was just yesterday.

“Right. So when I give the thumbs up, you go for it,” Joanna addressed her seeker, Kevin, and he nodded in reply.

“I can’t wait to show our seniors how much better we are!”

“They’ll hate us!”

Her team was rushing with adrenaline. It was their first match as the youngest team. They were the best in their classes and Joanna, who excelled in most of her classes, was appointed captain. This year, they were going to be playing against their seniors. It was not the prize that came with the victory that they wanted, it was the pride. Being the youngest team and being the best.

It was with that goal in mind that Joanna taught the whole team how to broom surf. It was dangerous, yes, but it was worth it. Or so everyone thought.

As they walked out into the field and started the match, everything went well. After they had bridged the gap in the points between them and their seniors, Joanna gave a thumbs up to Kevin, who had spotted the snitch moments earlier.

Within seconds, Joanna watched as Kevin stood on his broom, speeding up and reaching for the snitch. But before he could grab a hold on it, a bludger came right at him, hitting him from the back and sending him off his broom.

His fall broke with a loud crack and the screams coming from the crowd was deafening. Joanna stayed on her broom, hovering in the air as she watched the Professors hurrying Kevin to the in-house hospital.

Moments later, she was standing with her team in the headmaster’s office, being questioned.

“Whose idea was it?!” her Seeking Professor yelled. “I believe I did not teach any of you such a dangerous stun!”

“I did,” Joanna softly answered. She knew she couldn’t let the whole team take the blame when it was her idea to begin with.

“I thought better of you Joanna. Do you know what you have done?!”

Joanna gulped at the thought of seeing Kevin in a casket.

“Kevin will not be able to walk for the rest of his life! Do you like that on your conscience?!”

Kevin was paralyzed and she felt horrid. She wanted to hide away in her room and cry but she was given no chance, as one professor after another came to yell at her. They finally came to a conclusion to bring this matter up to the school board to decide on her punishment.

But what was worst than that was the looks everyone in school was giving her. Her team stuck with her, but everyone else shunned her.

It was high time that the board had decided for her expulsion and when it was her father’s turn to yell at her, she had grown numb. Numb enough not to care anymore. She was tired of explaining and tired of being interrupted with disgraceful looks.

That was when she decided that her dreams were completely gone and that she wasn’t going to bother staying in a school any longer than she could.

But Hogwarts seemed to be different. She had a chance at Quidditch once more, she had new friends, and she had a feeling she wanted to stay till she graduated.

Maybe it was a good idea after all.

Her thoughts were cut short when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Heard you made the team,” Tom said as he took a seat next to her.

“Yea.” Joanna couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s the final match for the year. It’s going to be a big game,” Tom added.

“Yea, so they told me.”

“Did you catch the last few matches?”

“No, I was helping YOU, remember?” Joanna did not fail to point out.

“Oh, right. Well, I’ve heard that you’ll be playing against Slytherin.”

“Oh…”

“I don’t care really, I don’t even like Quidditch. But just so you know, Malfoy is a pretty good seeker.”

Malfoy, right, Joanna thought. He had been rather nice to her lately, but she doubt he would be the same on the field.

“Anyways, can I have my book back?” Tom asked.

“What book?” Joanna briefly forgot about Tom’s diary, that even the mention of it did not ring any bells.

“The book I asked you to hold on to last night?”

“Oh, that book,” Joanna recalled.

Joanna had not even read it yet and he was asking for it back. Should she give it back to him or should she attempt to read it again?

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Joanna should return the diary or lie about not having it!)

Chapter 12:

Joanna pulled out her wand, trying to recall what her cousin had taught her. It seemed pretty simple when he did it, then again, he started deciphering the art of deception since 5.

“Alright, pervilous… no, pervilius… shit.” Joanna groaned and slumped into her bed. Her brain was too tired to recall her lesson with her cousin.

Sliding the diary under her pillow, she decided to try again after some sleep.

Joanna woke up, what felt like minutes later, with Annoria nudging her hand as she hovered over her.

“Wake up!” Annoria repeated.

“What? Why?” Joanna muttered.

“I need your help,” Annoria said in a hurry.

“What help? Wait, you’re back so early?” Joanna forced herself to sit up.

“Yea. James called for more practices. He says it’s best when the other team isn’t around.”

“Oh. Well, have fun.” Joanna wanted to drop back into her soft pillows when Annoria stopped her by grabbing onto her shoulders.

“Wait. You have to listen to me.”

Joanna groaned and Annoria continued, “Right. So our seeker, Cathy, you know her right? Well, she broke her legs a few days ago and she’s unfit to train, let alone play for our final match.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Well, James spoke to Professor Dumbledore and he said you attended a Quidditch school for 3 years.”

“So?” Joanna was too tired to see where this was going.

“We need you in our team.”

“What? No. I may have attended Quidditch Academy for 3 years, but I have also not played for 3 years.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Can’t you find someone else?”

“Professor Dumbledore said you would make a good edition to the team. And James trusts him.”

“He has not even seen me play!” Joanna was wide awake now, as though she had just downed a bottle of wide-eyed potion.

“It doesn’t matter. Please Joanna, we need a new seeker!”

“Did Dumbledore also tell you I was expelled from that Quidditch school?”

“He must have thought that was not important. Look, just come down to the field and show us what you do not have. And if you really suck like you think you do, we’ll find someone else.”

“I can just say NO right now.”

“Yes, but what would Professor Slughorn say when we tell him you were sneaking around in his office.”

Joanna shook her head in disbelief. “Fine.”

Annoria squealed in excitement as she dragged Joanna down to the Quidditch field.

It was about 10 in the morning and the entire Hufflepuff Quidditch team were already assembled in the field.

“Hi, I’m James,” James, the year 7, Hufflepuff Team Captain, greeted.

“Hi.” Joanna shook his outstretched hand.

“I assume you dont have a broom, so Cathy has offered her Silver Arrow for you to use,” James said as another player handed her the broom.

“You might want to change into the Quidditch robes as well.” James pointed to a locker room and Annoria ushered her there.

She was given a set of yellow and black robes, which she quickly put on and headed back to where the entire team was.

“Even though Professor Dumbledore has recommended you, we still need to see what you can do. If you don’t mind just fetching the snitch for us?”

“Er, ok?”

“It’s already released,” James casually replied.

Joanna sighed, mounted her broom, and kicked off into the sky.

The cool morning breeze swept through her hair, reminding her of how much she missed flying. Three years ago, when she was expelled, she thought all her dreams of flying were crushed. Never again would anyone take her on the team, and she lived with that thought. But today, the rush of the wind resurrected her dead dreams.

She was nearly 50 feet in the air when she saw the snitch, sparkling under the morning sun. But before she could attempt at chasing after it, a bludger flew right above her, narrowly missing her head.

“What the?!”

“Annoria said you have not played for 3 years, just wanna see how you fair with bludgers in the air!” James shouted from below, as though he had heard her question.

Before she could shout back at him, another bludger came flying right at her. Joanna barely escaped it as it brushed against her robes.

No longer hesitating, she took a sharp swerve to her right and headed for the glistening golden snitch. Picking up speed as she leaned lower, Joanna kept her eyes out for the mad bludgers that constantly came flying at her.

5 feet away from the snitch, Joanna had the craziest idea. Three years ago, she taught herself a new skill, and she might as well give it a go.

Slowly lifting herself up right on her broom, she moved her right leg forward and her left leg further back. On the count of three, she stood up and bent low.

It was what she called surfing. Or at least a term she stole from what she saw on muggle TV, where muggles did the same thing but on a board in the ocean waves.

The broom sped up closing the distance between her and the snitch. As her hand was almost closing its grip on the snitch, a buldger came knocking the end of her broom, forcing her off her feet and onto her stomach as the broom went spinning sideways.

Joanna struggled to sit up right as she steadied the broom. Slowly heading down towards the group of cheering Hufflepuffs, Joanna released her grip on the snitch, which she had caught in time. It shook its wings violently before it tucked it into its sides.

“That was some stun,” James said in amazement.

“Yea,” Joanna shrugged. It was some stun alright. The same stun that got her expelled.

“Welcome aboard then!” James patted her on the shoulder as Annoria ran up to hug her.

“Wait,” Joanna quickly interrupted the excited team, who went silent waiting for her to complete her sentence.

She didn’t know if it was a good idea to be playing Quidditch. She wasn’t sure if it was a good time either. She had promised to help Tom, but the idea of playing was so hard to turn down.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Joanna should join the Quidditch Team and play for the finals or not!)