Life and Love After Voldemort

Could we really do the impossible? thought Harry. One week after the Chudley Cannons went on the road and dispatched the Ballycastle Bats in the league semifinals, play was about to start between the Cannons and the defending champion Tutshill Tornadoes. What was normally a neutral site match had turned into a home affair for the Chudley faithful, as the match was to be held at Old Chudleighton Stadium. Harry later learned that it was none other than Bagman's doing; he had suggested the site for its large capacity and the complete unlikelihood that Chudley would be in the mix for the title.

Harry had avoided Ron for the past week for two reasons. First, Ron's superstitions were running wild. He'd had Luna attend a Cannons practice to check the players for infestations of mythical creatures that the Quibbler had categorized as unlucky. Then Ron had tried to have Hermione run an extensive background check at the Ministry on the person portraying Chudders because Ron felt the mascot had exploded closer and closer to Ron's goal with each passing match. He'd also intended to wear his uniform 24 hours a day lest someone tamper with it as they had with his wand, until Hermione said she wouldn't go near him if he went through with it. Second, Harry didn't want to be near Ron if and when someone uttered the most feared and dreaded word around Chudley's pitch: KRUM.

Tutshill's side had been outstanding all year, but their management knew what a juggernaut the Cannons had become, and they pulled off a blockbuster transfer for Seeker extraordinaire Viktor Krum from the European Quidditch League's Vratsa Vultures right before the playoffs had started (which ironically was a move made possible by Bagman's rule change that extended the transfer deadline to the last day of the regular season). No one living could rouse raw rage in Ron more readily than Krum could, and no one knew whether that would be a good or bad thing come game day.

Before they left the suite for the pitch, Harry decided he'd check Ron's frame of mind. "What do you say, Ron; does the King have another regal performance in him?"

"Guess we'll see, won't we," answered a subdued Ron.

Urgh... That's not what I wanted to hear. One quick pep talk coming up. "Come on, that's no way for the team captain to be! We're going to knock these clods into next week and take home the Cup that they said we'd never come within spitting distance of!"

Ron stared at the orange carpet. "Yeah, well... What if it goes the other way? Who am I kidding, anyhow. I'm good and all, but Krum... I don't stand a chance."

We're not talking about Quidditch anymore, are we, realized Harry, who kept the conversation on the subject of the match. "Well, what about Krum? He's not your worry -- he's mine. And he's not as invincible as you seem to believe. Last time we saw him play, his team lost to Connie and Quig's side, didn't it?"

"Yeah, but Krum pulled off a Wronski Feint that finished with Aidan Lynch hitting the dirt face-first and ending up with 32 teeth in the top of his mouth, didn't he."

"Let me worry about that, Ron. And remember -- whoever wins the match, Hermione's going home with you. If you can be certain of anything, it's that, no matter what our Bulgarian adversary does or doesn't do. You've won the most important battle, and if you doubt that for one second more after everything, I promise I'll flatten you. Are we clear?"

The look of resolve that Harry had been counting on shone though Ron's eyes. "We're clear. I've come too far to blow it now."

My thoughts exactly...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry took up residence in Connolly's wake seconds after the Quaffle was released. He couldn't afford to let down his guard for a second, not even to admire Ginny's handiwork. Harry had gone as far as to have Ginny tie her comely and distracting tresses behind her head before the match as the two bandied about last-minute tactics. They knew a single misstep would surely be capitalized upon by Krum, who was circling near Harry and scanning intently for the Golden Snitch. Most Seekers Harry squared off against had relatively predictable search patterns, but Krum was famous for making very believable fakes that left his opposing Seeker unable to discern before it was too late whether or not Krum had seen the Snitch. I probably won't be able to overtake Krum if he spots it first, so I need to catch the first glimpse.

To that end, Harry had added the task of reporting the current score to whatever Cannon Harry passed by during the match. Unlike at Hogwarts, pro Quidditch leagues permitted an announcer to be heard only by the crowd and not the players (achieved by a pre-game Muffilato charm administered by league officials), mostly because hometown announcers had a history before the 1749 rule change of giving inaccurate scores at times to induce the other team's Seeker to try for the Snitch too early. Harry's plan allowed him to concentrate solely on locating the Snitch and not endeavor to steal glances at the scoreboard. It was a small adjustment, but if Harry had learned anything from his Auror training, each small improvement could make a big difference.

As it turned out, neither team could open up more than a 30 point margin on the other, and the lead changed hands several times. Harry stuck to his plan of non-stop scanning rather than the popular tactic of baiting the opposing Seeker into a destructive mistake. In addition to Krum's well-known Snitch tracking skills, Harry knew that the Vultures played an extremely aggressive style of Quidditch that relied on forcing action to happen rather than wait for ideal situations to develop and then act upon them. Harry hadn't had much time to scout Krum's recent matches, but Ron's reminder of Viktor's pro-activity in the Quidditch World Cup that took out the Irish Seeker solidified Harry's strategy in his mind. Krum had thus far failed to engage Harry with his patented staredown, so Harry hoped it was a matter of time before Krum tried something and took himself out of position on the Snitch in the process.

It wasn't long before a loud cheer went up, as Krum had broken towards the ground. Harry included the area that Krum was streaking towards in his scan, but maintained his position and his search. Meanwhile, Krum was confident he'd snookered Harry into following him, for the Tutshill Seeker had seen in his peripheral vision a figure clad in black and orange break to follow him after Viktor had made his move. At the right moment, Krum jerked his Broomstick upwards and escaped his nose dive, fully expecting to hear a bone-crunching thud caused by the great Harry Potter hitting the turf. Instead, he saw that the figure had pulled up as well and was flying beside him.

"'Ello, 'ello! Lost a Snitchie, have we?"

It's that damn Veasley girl!!! Den ver is Potter?!?

Harry was far above the pitch, having zeroed in on the Snitch mere moments after Krum had attempted his Feint. Instinct, desire, and experience did the rest, and a deafening roar was unleashed from the crowd as Harry closed his hand around the fluttering sphere.

WE DID IT!!! Harry closed his eyes and soared higher to take in the moment, narrowly avoiding decapitation from an exploding Chudders. Constant vigilance, Potter... Harry told himself as he returned to earth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Harry had touched down onto the pitch (which had been sealed off with a charm that created an invisible perimeter the instant the match ended to keep the players from being trampled by euphoric fans), he spotted a orange, black and red blur hurtling in his direction. Harry threw open his arms to welcome Ginny, but it was another Weasley entirely that bowled over Harry and squeezed him tighter than a thatch of Devil's Snare.

"THAT WAS BLOODY BRILLIANT, MATE!!!" screamed Ron from his state of sheer, uncompromising, and unadulterated ecstasy. "We're the champs, Harry! THE CHUDLEY CANNONS ARE THE SODDING CHAMPS!!!" Once he caught his breath, Harry shared Ron's enthusiasm, whooping and hollering along.

"Ahem." Ginny stood above them, smiling but tapping her foot impatiently. It was clear to Harry that Ginny's vision of this moment didn't include the Chudley Keeper.

Oblivious to Ginny's wishes, Ron pulled the Right Chaser to the ground. "And you were bleedin' terrific yourself, sis! You give your brother a hug!" exclaimed the team captain. Harry used Ron's blindside of his sister to buy enough time to struggle back to his feet.

A dour Krum made his way over and shook Harry's hand firmly. "Good verk, Potter. I feel no dishonor in our defeat."

Harry complemented Krum's play and wished him well before steering him in the direction of Viktor's teammate on the Bulgarian national squad, Clara Ivanova. Harry watched Clara greet Viktor energetically just as the Chudley Seeker was abruptly yanked around by the front of his robes.

"Ahem," Ginny reiterated. "I believe we have a standing engagement."

"What other sort of engagement can we have with all these people around, honey?" needled Harry as he brushed dirt from Ginny's cheek and pulled her hair free of its tie.

"Let me show you, wise guy," Ginny said with a jubilant grin as she led Harry back to the grass and showered him with victorious kisses, which Harry eagerly returned in kind.

I LOVE me some Quidditch...