When classes finished up on Friday, students from each house went down to Hogsmeade, which sounded enticing, but I had a Quidditch practice I couldn’t miss. Our first game of the season was tomorrow. I showed up to practice wearing my denim jacket with patches, since the weather got colder, I needed the extra layers. Strolling through the corridors, I was afraid someone would say something, like when Professor Hawthorne saw me, but I got away with it, entering the locker room to put on my pads.

"I have an announcement for today," Daphne said, standing in front of everyone. "Zita will be joining us for this practice, which is always an honor and quite exciting. For those that are new on the team, no, she doesn’t play per se, but her shade does."

My eyebrow lifted. "What does that mean?" I asked.

"Zita is so powerful she can produce a shade, a clone of herself that can interact with the world as if she's a person, but the shade can't perform any magic. It just acts as a vehicle for her to do other things since she's not as nimble and athletic as she used to be."

Then it dawned on me, was that Zita's shade that saved me from going to the Forbidden Forest the first night I got off the train?

"Anyways, it should be a good practice! She's going to play seeker for one portion, as keeper for another, and finally as chaser. Any questions before we get started?"

No one in the locker room raised their hands.

"Good! Let's get out there and show her what we've got!" Daphne beamed.

Out on the field, the team got on their broomsticks and soared into the air. Madame Hooch released the bludgers, the quaffle, and the snitch. Zita was already waiting at the other side of the hoops, looking much younger, wearing a dark purple plated suit, tightly fitted.

The practice was exhausting. First, Zita found the snitch with relative ease, and then she rifled the quaffle at the hoops more than I would have thought possible. Daphne got the best practice of her life, and impressively, she blocked 90% of the on-target throws. When the keepers got a chance to throw the quaffle on Zita, no one could get it through the hoop, except for Edna. She was the only one to toss it through once.

In the locker room, Edna was practically bouncing off the walls. "I can't believe it! I can't believe I actually got it past Zita!" Edna beamed.

"Yeah, that's impressive," I said, and I meant it too, but it came out in a dour tone.

"What's the matter, Rollie?"

"I only got one chance to get the snitch, and I failed."

"It's alright, Zita's shade is super-witch, forget about it and focus on tomorrow. Is your grandpa still planning on coming?"

I smiled. "Yeah, he should be there. I just hope I can make him proud."

"You will, I'm not worried about that," Edna's lips curved up.

***

Clank clank clank clank

I woke up in the Hufflepuff dorm in a fit of rage. What could possibly be making that horrible sound so early in the morning?

"Wake up everyone! It's here, it's the day, it's Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw!"

I tossed the blankets off my head, ready to throttle whoever was being so obnoxious, but once I clambered out of bed, I realized it was just an overexcited Clark. Two pots clapped together in mid-air, controlled by Clark's wand. Half the kids were up, dancing behind him, and the other half groaned awake. At first, I was annoyed, but once I saw everyone in such good spirits, I couldn't help but smile.

"Come on come on! We only get three of these days a year! It's a celebration!" Clark hollered. I got dressed and walked down to the common room where everyone else was excited and bursting with smiles; dressed in their Hufflepuff scarves, hats, and robes.

Clark belted at the top of his lungs, "Let's sing the Hufflepuff victory song!" he started, and all of the other students joined in.

"Oh, Hufflepuff the just and loyal!

Always patient and unafraid of toil!

Through life may we always beee

Virtuous in our victoryyy

Forever may we cherish the yellow and black

The colors that have always had our back

Thank you, Helga, for uniting us all--"

"Shut up!" Daphne roared from the top steps of the girls' dormitory. "We haven't even won yet!"

Clark and the rest of the students stared at the ground, embarrassed.

"It also kind of doubles as a fight song, no?" Clark uttered.

"We have a lot to focus on, I just don't want any premature celebrations. We haven't sung the song in over a year because we haven't won in over a year!"

"We just thought it would be fun," Bran stared down, twiddling his thumbs.

"Well, let's make a reason to sing it today!" I voiced. "Now, let's get some breakfast in the Great Hall!"

Everyone froze, staring at me with mystified wonder. The room let out a big cheer, we all rushed out of the door together, through the corridors until we were inside the Great Hall feasting on another breakfast of eggs, beans, and ham. Many dirty looks were exchanged between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. I couldn't wait to play.

***

We were all outside while everyone from Hogwarts filled up the stands. Being out on the field gave me goosebumps. The weather was crisp and cold, but comfortable enough when the sun was out.

"I think if we play like we've been practicing, I think we'll do excellent today. Remember, victory is never guaranteed, and we have to go out there and fight for a win. Try your best, and most of all, have fun. When you have fun, you play better too!" Daphne stated as we stood together in a huddle before the match started. "Let's bring our arms in and yell Hufflepuff on three, one two three, Hufflepuff!"

We all echoed the battle cry and raised our fists in the air.

"Players, mount your brooms!" Madame Hooch announced.

From the enchanted speakers up above, I heard the announcer talking on the microphone.

"Yes, hello, everyone," a dull, apathetic voice said. "My name is Agatha Hart. I know what you're thinking. Isn't that the chappette from Ravenclaw? Won't her announcing feel skewed? Well, you're not wrong in thinking that. But let it be known, I'm one of those rare folks in the magical world who doesn't care much for the sport. In fact, I find it rather loud and obnoxious. If my team wins, I'll be irritated because of how happy and boisterous everyone will be. But if my team loses, it will only make me dislike Hufflepuff more, but I can't stress enough how much I don't care. Therefore it makes me the most impartial person to take over the announcements from the usual chipper and annoyingly confident, Charlie Dunne."

"Agatha!" I overheard McGonagall snap.

"Sorry about that. Can we get this game over with now?" Agatha uttered.

"We will begin the match on my whistle. Rise up!" Madame Hooch hollered.

We all ascended up to the sky, right in the sight-lines of the hoisted stands. The whistle screeched, and the balls flew up, everyone broke away, flying like erratic bugs. I froze up in the air, distracted by a flock of birds that appeared a quarter-mile away from the field. If it wasn't for Edna zooming past me with the quaffle tucked in her arm, I don't know if I would've snapped out of the daydream.

Scanning the field, Layla was already flying after something. Her pigtails made her stand out (so did my mohawk), but I couldn't tell where the snitch was. I followed after her, still trying to figure out what she was chasing, but I couldn't see anything. Even when I tailed right behind her, she just flew around in erratic patterns.

"10 to 0. Hufflepuff takes the lead from a score by Edna Lyptus. Surprising. They never got the first points on the board last year," Agatha said with disinterest.

After I spotted a golden gleam on the other side of the field, I caught on to Layla's plan. She was trying to fly forward with confidence to fool me while trying to get to the snitch first.

"Let me know when you find it!" I hollered at her with a grin, and I took a slower pace to the other corner of the field where the snitch was buzzing back and forth. Layla glanced back at me and scowled underneath her giant brown goggles.

Arriving at the other side, a blackbird flew directly into my shoulder, knocking me slightly off balance.

"Well, this is more intriguing than the game itself. It appears a flock of blackbirds have invaded the field. First time I can recall something like that happening at a Quidditch match," Agatha announced.

It was just the one blackbird that was harassing me, but a bunch of others swooped in and squawked as they pecked and poked at me. The pinches from their beaks started to break skin all around my body. I couldn't see anything in front of me except a flurry of feathers.

"Help! Help! Help!" I screeched, trying to bat them away with my flailing hands and arms. My broom speed increased unintentionally, zig-zagging in different directions.

"It would appear that this would be a good time to take an intermission, or at least stop the game for a moment, no? Oh, okay, we're still going, I guess," I could hear Agatha in the background still announcing amidst the screeching birds.

I couldn't tell if the game was still going on or if everyone had stopped. The zipping from the brooms came to a halt.

A glowing silver lynx came flying through the air, causing the birds to squeak and shoo away. I glanced up at them, noticing a dark purple aura emitting from their bodies, then as I regained control of my broom and tucked my head down, the snitch was in front of me. With a swipe of my arm, I had caught it, and then I screamed, I saw my arm for the first time. It was covered with blood and cuts—all the color drained from my face, and my vision tunneled. My mouth was so dry I was dying for water.

"Wow. With a bizarre finish, Hufflepuff has won? But their seeker Rollie Magpie is, literally, a bloody mess," Agatha said.

A boom of cheers and applause rang out through the stadium, which was the last thing I remembered before falling off my broom.

***

When my eyes opened, I was staring up at a tall arched ceiling. My grandpa, Daphne, Hagrid, and another older woman stood by my side.

"He's awake!" Daphne was the first to say.

Footsteps shuffled over, and I saw Professor Sprout, Professor Shacklebolt, and Zita lean their heads in.

"We're so glad you're up," my grandpa hugged me and smiled.

"Rollie, how are yeh? How d'you feel?" Hagrid said.

"Good, I guess," I felt a pocket of warmth at my side.

"Yeh have someone who would like ter say hello," Hagrid said.

I lifted my head up, and it was Jolly, the silver jackalope, leaning against me.

"What happened?" I said as I petted the smooth fur of the magical creature.

"Remember when tha' bird attacked yeh? Well, a flock o' 'em came at yeh during the game, but yeh still won the match fer Hufflepuff," Hagrid said.

"I also used my Patronus to get rid of them," Professor Shacklebolt said. "I'm sorry that had to happen to you. We still don't know what's going on. We're just glad you're okay."

"I would like to thank Hagrid," Zita said. "He was the one that suggested we take you to the hospital wing and have Jolly give you a visit. Miraculously, Jolly healed all of your wounds. Usually, Madame Pomfrey tends and mends our students, but Hagrid insisted on bringing Jolly."

"Wow, thank you all," I was flooded with emotion. The kindness and care in each of their faces was a foreign experience.

"You have some friends that would also like to see you. Unless you'd like some rest?" my grandpa said.

"No, that's okay, I would love to see them."

All the people that surrounded my bed smiled and took a step back. A flood of kids came skipping into the hospital wing, adorned with their Hufflepuff scarves and robes. Clark was leading the pack with Edna as they loudly sang:

"Oh Hufflepuff the Just and Loyal!

Always patient and unafraid of toil!

Through life may we always beee

Virtuous in our victoryyy

Forever may we cherish the yellow and black

The colors that have always had our back

Thank you Helga for uniting us all,

For when we win we'll have a ball!"

"Congratulations, Rollie! You led us to our first Hufflepuff victory!" Edna beamed as they all crowded around the foot of my bed. "We even brought you some flowers and a card in hopes that you feel better! Even if you didn't catch the snitch, we still would have done this for you."

There was nothing more I wanted to say than thank you, but the words couldn't come out. My voice was too thick and choked up as tears tumbled down the side of my face.