I Can See You

Quidditch

"He's not worth crying over," Natasha told Kathleen.

"Leave me alone."

"Stop moping over him!"

"That's easy for you to say, Nat. You have your wish now. You have Lupin and I still have no one!"

"You would have found someone long ago if you didn't set your sights on Sirius Black the player."

"You don't understand!"

"Of course I do! Think on the bright side, Kate. It's good that you finally discover what a jerk Black really is. You're attractive and I'm sure lots of guys in Hogwarts are dying to go out with you. It's time to get over Black and get a life!"

"Thanks, Nat. But I'm not you. I don't have the guys tripping over one another to get to know me."

Natasha laughed. "Are you saying that I do?"

"Jason, Seth and Lupin, just to name a few."

"I'm flattered that you think so highly of me. But you've your fair share of admirers too. I dare say Dominic is one of them."

"No way."

"No way that it's true or do you mean to say he doesn't stand a chance?"

Kathleen did not reply but Natasha was relieved to note that her friend did not look as upset as before.

"Tell you what. I'll fix you up with someone. Someone way better than Black. He'll have the looks, brains and the right family connections." Natasha was soon caught up in her little plan. "Do you prefer a Quidditch player or a prefect? No...a Quidditch player is not good enough. Black is one too. I should get you a Quidditch captain."

"Like Jason?" Kathleen asked, cracking into an amused smile at last.

"Quidditch captains are no good? Alright, we'll shortlist from the prefects then."

Kathleen rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Nat. I really appreciate your good intentions. But I'm not that desperate for a guy. And I'm not about to go on a manhunt."

"That's the best way to get over Black, silly!"

Kathleen pondered. That was definitely an incentive. Sirius made a fool of her. He was mercilessly taking advantage of her feelings for him. It was time to move on. Or at least, it was time to make Sirius believe that she had moved on. It would be a good distraction in any case. Perhaps a new relationship would let her forget momentarily about the Gryffindor. It was time to show Sirius that she could do better. She would get over him. Even if she did not succeed, no one must ever know.

"You're right," she told Natasha. "I'll not let Sirius or anyone humiliate me again." It hurt to even utter his name.

"That's the spirit, girl!" Natasha cried in approval. "Now, is there a prefect whom you fancy?"

Kathleen shook her head woefully. How could she have even noticed any guy besides Sirius? "I'll let nature take its course. If someone comes along, that's fine. If there is none, that's fine too."

Natasha snorted. There was no way she could waste time waiting. It was time to act.

*

It did not take long into the game for Sirius to realize that something was wrong. The two Slytherin Beaters were hitting the Bludgers his way and they were doing so with a vengeance.

James soon realised that too. For the first time in a Quidditch match, he could weave freely in and out in the air, concentrating on just the Quaffle and not need to worry about a single Bludger.

This was not lost to those at the stands either.

"...is that another goal from Potter? YEEEEEEEEES! Gryffindor scores! Thirty points, Gryffindor, Twenty Slytherin!"

The majority of the crowd cheered, while the Slytherins jeered.

"Good save by Briana Lilian of Gryffindor! That gal's brilliant!" Miguel Lewis, the commentator said excitedly. It was no secret that the sixth-year Hufflepuff had a crush on the Gryffindor Keeper. "And look! Gryffindor chaser Black with the Quaffle! Is that another Bludger coming his way? Courtesy of Slytherin Beater Strauss! Remind me never to offend - Argh! Black dropped the Quaffle!"

The jeers from the Slytherin stands were loud.

"Look! Curtis sends another Bludger his way! Good dodge by Black!"

Remus, Peter and Lily stood up in anxiety. It was fortunate that they were in the last row, so no one complained.

"What do they think they're doing?" Peter cried anxiously.

"They're totally ignoring James and going after Sirius' blood," Lily spoke half to herself.

Remus was watching Sirius like a hawk. His friend was doing a good job avoiding the Bludgers, but he wondered how long Sirius could last. Sirius' only hope might be for the Snitch to surface soon.

Suddenly, the crowd roared. The Slytherin supporters screamed for joy while the other Houses jeered.

"Brilliant goal by Slytherin captain and Chaser Jason Lindow! That brings Slytherin and Gryffindor to a tie! Thirty all! What a close match!"

James cursed aloud when Jason scored. He was finding it harder to concentrate on the game. James stole another glance in Sirius' direction and his concern mounted. The Slytherin Beaters were obviously taking the opportunity to settle their vendetta with him,

James watched his friend closely and froze in midair as he saw...

"...powerful swing by Strauss! The Bludger is going Black's way again! Can he dodge it? Yes! That's some awesome flying from Black! Wait! There's another -"

Sirius felt a sharp pain shoot up his arm as the Bludger smashed into him. The impact was so great that it caused his broom to do a full-circle spin.

Kathleen cupped a hand to her mouth in a silent scream as Sirius lost control of his broomstick and plunged to the ground.

There was a sudden hush in the stands. Everyone was standing to take a better look at what happened while the Gryffindor players sped to the ground and crowded around Sirius.

Kathleen choked back tears as she hovered near the ground, frustrated as the Gryffindor team was blocking her view and she could not tell if Sirius was all right.

Of course he's not alright! He fell, thanks to you!

Before she registered what she was doing, Kathleen pointed her Shooting Star downwards and a rush of air met her. Throwing her broomstick aside as soon as her feet made contact with the ground, she rushed to the Gryffindors, squeezed through them till she reached Sirius and knelt beside him. She gasped when she saw that his eyes were closed.

"Sirius! Sirius!" she shouted his name and started to shake him.

To her surprise and relief, Sirius' eyes flew open. "Ouch!" he winced. "Stop rocking me, will you! I think your Bludger just caused me to break my arm."

Before Kathleen could react, Madam Pomfrey had taken over and ordered the students to stand back. She mumbled an incantation, pointed her wand at Sirius' arm and healed it.

"Get up, Mr Black. I hope to see no more mischief from you."

Sirius threw the school nurse his best injured look. "It wasn't me this time. It was that bloody Bludger and you're blaming me?"

The school nurse suppressed a smile. "I apologise. Old habits die hard, you know." She began to depart before changing her mind and left Sirius a parting shot, "mind your language the next time, Black. I'll pretend I didn't hear the word!"

*

When play resumed moments later, James and Sirius were on a roll. Kathleen made sure that James received his fair share of the Bludgers, by directing most of them to the Chaser.

"...Ted Reeds dropped the Quaffle!" Miguel's amplified laughter ceased abruptly when he caught the glare from Professor McGonagall. "Gryffindor in possession. Look! Sirius Black is speeding towards the Slytherin goalpost! Can Ken Follett stop him? YEEEEEES! What a magnificent goal by Black! "

The crowd roared. Some Slytherin girls also joined in, earning them angry words from their fellow housemates. Sirius had always been the one most girls would pledge their support for, in and out of the pitch.

"Yes, Black! Teach them a lesson for messing up -" Miguel felt his professor's firm hand on his shoulders and whimpered. "James Potter has the Quaffle! Is he...Oh No! Another Bludger coming his way! Potter throws the Quaffle to Sirius Black! Good pass! Is Black going to make it happen again? Another Bludger from Strauss - neat flying by Sirius Black - Ken Follett on standby - can he stop - GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

The crowd went wild once again.

"Slytherin Captain Jason Lindow has the Quaffle! He's making his way to the - wait! A Bludger from Greta Johnson of Gryffindor - good dodge! Another one coming his way from Matthew Anderson! Can he - yes - Jason Lindow makes his way to - Briana Lilian coming forward to cover - is that a - SLYTHERIN SCORES! Gryffindor eighty, Slytherin fifty!"

Jason played well and hard, but he was the only one on the Slytherin team who was scoring. James, Sirius and Gryffindor's third Chaser Jeffery Deaver soon made sure that Gryffindor pulled ahead by a large margin.

"Potter scores again!" The Gryffindors in the stands shouted with joy. "Gryffindor a hundred and sixty, Slytherin seventy!"

"There's the Quaffle in the air - no takers - Black and Lindow heading towards the Quaffle from opposite directions - will they collide - yes! Sirius Black gets hold of the Quaffle - wait a sec - Lindow bangs his Nimbus 1000 into Black! Black's still holding on to the Quaffle - Bludgers sent their way and force them to split up - is Black going for - yes! Another ten points for Gryffindor! Jason Lindow has the Quaffle now - he's zooming towards the other end of the pitch - can he score another for Slytherin? They look like they need - hold on - is that a - yes, it is - Slytherin seeker Dominic Brutus is speeding towards Keeper Ken Follett - there it is - the shiny - Gryffindor Seeker Simon Colson coming their way too - two Bludgers sent his way - good job, Strauss and Curtis! Brutus is flying away - what's happening? We saw it, didn't we? The Snitch disappeared? Charlotte Radford of Slytherin trying to sneak in a goal amidst the distraction - brilliant block by the talented Briana Lilian! Gryffindor's Jeffrey Deaver in possession now - where is Ken Follet? GRYFFINDOR A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY, SLYTHERIN SEVENTY!"

The crowd was getting out of control. The Slytherins were stomping their feet in frustration.

"The Snitch! Seekers Dominic Brutus and Simon Colson on their way. Will we see another collision? Brutus gaining speed. Is that Lindow? Lindow gaining on Colson. Ouch! That must hurt! Colson is regaining his balance now. Dominic Brutus reaches out at - is that it? Does he have it? YEEEEEEEES! Dominic Brutus has the Snitch! SLYTHERIN WINS!"

The Gryffindor players stopped mid-air in their brooms in disbelief. They were leading! How did Slytherin beat them?

"We did it! We did it!" Natasha shouted elatedly and made her way towards Dominic Brutus and gave the Seeker a fierce hug.

*

Natasha and Kathleen collapsed on their beds, exhausted.

"It doesn't pay to be too soft-hearted, Kate. I can't believe you went easy on Black after he feigned the injury."

"Sirius did not fake it. He broke an arm," Kathleen corrected, as a thought struck her. "Do you think his arm still hurts? I mean, Madam Pomfrey healed it, but does the pain disappear immediately or gradually?"

Natasha snorted before burying her head into her pillow. "How would I know? I've never broken my arm before."

Kathleen let out a low sigh. Then she heard the faint tap and looked up to see a tawny owl at the window. Curious, she quickly went to the window, let the owl in and removed the parchment from its beak. The owl lingered, obviously waiting for a reply.

Kathleen unrolled the parchment. The note was indeed for her.

Katie,

Meet me under the oak tree after dinner tonight.

Sirius

She frowned and considered for a full minute. Then she took a quill and scribbled two letters: N-O.

It seemed like only five minutes had passed when the same owl returned.

Katie,

See you later

Sirius

Kathleen picked up her quill again.

Which part of NO do you not understand? And for the last time, stop calling me Katie.

Curtis

She did not have to wait long for his reply.

Katie

Meet me and I promise never to bother you again.

Sirius

Sirius' words sent a chill down her spine.

***