Reading Between The Lines ~ Remus Lupin

chapter 32

Saturday, 19 February 1977

Gwen stuck out like a sore thumb in the Hufflepuff Quidditch stands as she stood with Lena, Ava, and Maggie. Everyone was wearing out in yellow, despite the fact that the Hufflepuff was not playing, except for Gwen. She was decked head to toe in green. Even though her entire house was shunning her, Gwen was proud to be a Slytherin. She was proud to be resourceful, cunning, and determined. And there was nothing wrong with those qualities. It just matters how they were used. Lena knew Gwen would use them for the right reason.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Maggie shouted over the cheers.

"Don't look at me. I never know who to look at during the match," Lena said.

"It's hard to say," Ava commented. "Ravenclaw's Keeper is great and so are its Beaters, but their Seeker is crap."

Gwen nodded in agreement. "Regulus is a great Seeker and our Chasers are pretty good. But, Selwyn, one of our Beaters, is pretty shit and we're using our reserve Keeper, Rosier, who's absolute rubbish."

Lena grinned. "So if you were the Beater, Slytherin would definitely win."

"Exactly," Gwen said, pride in her voice.

Lena glanced at Gwen. "I didn't realize that you and Re- Black were friends."

The pride in Gwen's voice went away and was replaced with a sad tone. "Regulus has always been nice, even if he doesn't always seem that way though. He wasn't being an arsehole to me like the others. He's just... a bit misguided."

Lena smiled to herself. If Gwen only knew.

Lena looked across the stands and searched for Layla. Her blonde hair was peeking out under her blue knit hat and there was a smile on her face. Lena wondered who Layla was rooting for, her boyfriend or her house.

Probably her boyfriend.

Lena tore her eyes away from Layla and focused her attention on the game. Lena couldn't agree more with Gwen that Rosier was a terrible Keeper. He was barely able to block any of the shots Ravenclaw was throwing, putting Ravenclaw into a staggering lead of 190 points compared to Slytherin's measly 70 points.

Regulus and Simon Matthews were flying around in search of the Golden Snitch. Albert Nott, one of Slytherin's Chasers, managed to intercept the Quaffle from Ravenclaw as it soared through the air. The Beater for Ravenclaw, Nina Carter, hit one of the Bludgers in the direction of the trio of Slytherin Chasers flying towards the Ravenclaw goal posts. Aidan Cunnigham, the decent Slytherin Beater, hit the Bludger to Sebastian Selwyn before it could ruin the Slytherin formation and force them to drop the Quaffle.

The stands went wild as Regulus dove into the sky. He had spotted the Golden Snitch.

Matthews followed Regulus and the pair began weaving over one another in the air, giving a dance-like performance. They were approaching the Ravenclaw goal posts. Regulus contorted his body, making him more aerodynamic, and flew faster. Regulus extended his arm. The Snitch was within reach.

Someone, Layla, let out a blood-curdling scream and soon the whole stadium was gasping and screaming.

Regulus was hit square in the chest by a Bludger and had fallen completely off his broom.

"Did you see that folks!" the commenter, whose name escaped Lena, shouted. "Selwyn accidently passed the Bludger to Ravenclaw. Nicholason then aimed the Bludger directly at Black. Black's gone down."

Lena couldn't feel her hand as Gwen squeezed it tightly.

Regulus was still falling.

The crowd erupted into cheers suddenly.