The children who lived, Fought, and Loved

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The Marauder's Map

(Not edited)

[As the screen opens up there's a rumble of thunder and a stitch of lightning as it strikes one of the golden quidditch rings and the clouds bloom with icy blue light.]

"Why are they even playing quidditch in this type of weather!?" Lily shrieks,

Far below, in the stands, rain lashes the sea of umbrellas. As one flies free, soaring end over end into the sky, the Crowd explodes, and two Quidditch squads.

Gryffindor in Scarlett, and Hufflepuff in yellow shoot into the air. Twin Bludgers fire skyward, and the match is on.

"Go Gryffindor!!"

The screen cuts into Harry, who is rising like a rocket through the mist, his robes thrashing violently in the wind as he flies, rain falling like needles before him, every dark cloud concealing potential danger.

McGonagall shallows harshly as Euphemia whispers "This won't end well."

Beaters crisscross his path. A bludger whizzes past, then a second rockets directly at him.

Harry quickly ducks and watches the Bludger Shatter the Broom of a Hufflepuff Beater.

James looks like he's about to cry, "that poor broom."

Marlene stares at him, "What about the poor kid?"

James blinks, "what about him?"

The Beater goes into the wild spiral and vanishes in the mist.

Peter frowns, "I hope they're okay."

James narrows his eyes at him. "You traitor."

Primrose who is decked in both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor gear squints upward, the players look like little Streaking Blurs from her vantage.

Lucius makes a tsking sound, "What a disgrace to Slytherin, wearing Gryffindor gear."

"Say another word about her again and it will be your last." Lily threatened.

A stitch of lightning strikes the tail of Angelina Johnson's broom. As it bursts into flames, she plummets to the pitch. Primrose looks down at her Hand. In the highly-charged air, the hair above her knuckles rises.

In the sky, Harry flies fearlessly, searching for the Snitch as Bludgers pierce the clouds above him and Chasers flit In and out of view far below.

Suddenly, in the stands opposite, a Black Umbrella flies from the hand of a Ravenclaw girl.

For a moment, it sails wondrously
through the heavy air, then it abruptly picks up speed, spinning like a Hatchet. Harry Ducks once again and turns, watching it disappear into a bank of clouds. Then something Glimmers: the Snitch.

"Go catch it, Harry!" Sirius cheers

Instantly, Harry jets off closing fast on the tiny, glimmering ball, chasing it through one cloud then another, and another until
he breaks into a clear patch of sky only to find the Snitch is gone.

"Come on!" A few groans.

Angrily, Harry whips the Nimbus back
around, searching the horizon frantically, when he spies something: In the stadium's highest tower, something enormous
flickers briefly in silhouette, then is obscured by a veil of mist. He turns.