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BOOK FIVE: CHAPTER FIVE

 "Alright team, let's huddle up quickly please!" Veronica waited for her team to gather around her in their tent before continuing. "Now, listen up. I know this broom situation is far from ideal, but we have no choice but to make it work and give it our best shot. That's really all I can ask of any of you is to just do your best. Alright? Now, I want everyone to fly low until you've got your broom under control and have figured out how to use it. Don't worry about the Slytherin team flying above your head. Just make sure you're low enough that you're out of the way so that you don't get hurt. Once you've gotten control of your broom well enough to play, fly up and start playing in your positions. Don't wait for anyone because the Slytherin team definitely won't be waiting for us. Just start playing the best you can, and hopefully it won't be long before the whole team is good to go. Does that sound okay to all of you?" Veronica received nods from each of them, but she could tell they were nervous. The school brooms were all banged up and broken and in no shape to be used in a game, but they didn't have a choice. There was no way to get them all new brooms on such short notice, and Quidditch games were never canceled or postponed for any reason. So the show had to go on.

"Cap, these brooms are so shitty. What are we going to do if some of the team aren't able to control them?"

"We'll cross that bridge IF we get there, Reg. For now, let's just hope for the best."

***

As soon as Madam Hooch threw the Quaffle into the air to signal the start of the game, the chaos began. The Slytherin team had flown up and immediately began scoring into the Ravenclaw goalposts while the Ravenclaw team stayed low just as their Captain had instructed. Despite struggling a bit at the beginning, Veronica quickly gained control of her broom and joined the game, using her Beater's bat to hit the Bludgers at the Slytherin Chasers. She hoped that would slow them down until the rest of her team joined her.

It hadn't been long before Reggie and Simon figured out their brooms as well, and Veronica instructed them to play their positions while she would play as Chaser until one of the three joined them. This had worked quite well, and Veronica was very pleased with the way the three of them were playing. Simon had done a great job blocking goals, and Veronica had even managed to score a few goals herself despite being a solo Chaser thanks to Reggie's Bludgers. However, they were already so far behind that it almost made no difference; even if Maribelle caught the snitch, they would still lose. They would need a miracle to win this game.

"Shit, Simon, watch out!"

Veronica spun in time to see Simon getting knocked off his broom by a Bludger and falling to the ground. Frantically, she abandoned the Quaffle that she was seconds away from throwing into the Slytherin goalposts and rushed over to Simon, catching him inches from the ground. Laying him down gently, she waited for Madam Pomfrey to take him off to the Hospital Wing before rejoining her team. While Annie and Mary continued to have no luck controlling their brooms, Maribelle and Kate had joined Reggie, so Veronica knew the four of them had a chance to pull it back. She quickly called them over. "Mar, I need you to play Chaser with Kate. There's no point in having you looking for the Snitch when catching it will only make us lose anyway."

"What? Veronica, I can't play Chaser. I-"

"Yes, you can. And you will. You're used to catching the tiniest of all the Quidditch balls. Trust me, you'll have no problem catching the biggest. And you have good aim. Just throw the balls into the goalposts, and follow Kate's lead. You'll be fine. If we get to the point where we've gained enough points for you to be able to resume your Seeker duties, then I'll let you know. But for now, we need you as a Chaser more. Now go, both of you. Start playing." Maribelle took a deep breath and nodded reluctantly before flying off with Kate. "Good. Reggie, you're obviously my Beater. I need you to protect Kate and Maribelle as much as you can, and give them as much of a chance to get goals as possible. Aim for the Slytherin Keeper and try to get him out. I'll play Keeper for us and defend our posts as best I can. Don't worry about me, okay? I'll have my Beater's bat, and I'll deal with any Bludgers that come my way. I'll also try to keep an eye on their Seeker. If I notice that he's found the Snitch, I'll shout to you or try to toss a Bludger or two at him until he's lost it. We need to make sure that he doesn't catch the Snitch. It is imperative that Maribelle catches it, but only when we're ready. Got it?"

Reggie smiled softly and nodded at her. "You got it, Cap. We can do this."

Veronica chuckled, "I don't know about that, but what I do know is we will not go down without a fight."

And fight they did. But despite all their efforts, the four-man team didn't stand a chance. The Slytherin Seeker caught the Snitch, and the game was over.

Back in the changing room, Veronica addressed her team. "Listen up, everyone. I want to start by saying that I don't want anyone to be upset today. It's okay to be disappointed in the outcome of this game and to wish that things had gone differently, but I don't want any of you to dwell on it for too long. Do not let this ruin your day. The past is the past, and we can't go back and change it. All we can do now is practice our butts off to make sure the next game is our best one yet so that we never have to feel this way again. Is that understood?"

"But Captain..." Veronica turned her eyes to Annie, and for the first time, she noticed just how tiny this second year girl was. The Captain couldn't help but wonder if she herself had looked that small and timid when she first joined the team? If so, she had certainly come a long way in three years. Raising her eyebrows with a silent nod, Veronica gave the young girl the floor to speak. "What if I'm never able to gain control of the school broom? My parents... they can't... I won't be able to get a new one..."

Veronica's heart broke. She had been lucky to have grandparents that were well-off and had left everything to her. She never had to worry about money again. However, she always made sure she remembered how it felt when she was living with her parents and they refused to give her money for things she needed, let alone wanted. She never wanted to forget that feeling; it made her appreciate what she had so much more. And now, looking at this little girl, she was reminded of her younger self... and she was also reminded of the Weasleys and that broke her heart even more. To top it all off, the thing that made this situation so much worse was that Veronica had been the reason the brooms were destroyed. She knew for a fact it was Archie and nothing could convince her otherwise. So she knew she had to make it right. So, getting on her knees in front of Annie with her team surrounding her, she made sure to emphasize each word. "Listen to me, Annie. I don't want you to worry about that for one second, okay? I'm going to take care of it. You just let me know which broom you want, and it's yours. You don't have to tell me now either. Think about it and send me an owl." Looking around at the rest of her team, she addressed them all. "That goes for all of you, by the way. You don't have to let me know now in front of the whole team, but if anyone needs help getting a new broom, whether or not your parents have the means to get you one, don't hesitate to talk to me about it or send me an anonymous letter. I don't care what your reasons are, and I won't ask questions. I just want to make sure everyone has a new broom before the next game. Okay?" After getting nods from everyone, she stood up and rejoined the circle. "Alright. See you all on Monday."

Reggie waited for the rest of the team to leave the tent before turning to his Captain. "You know you didn't have to do that, right? It's not your responsibility to get them new brooms."

"Usually, I would agree with you, Reg. But in this case, it is. It's my fault their brooms were destroyed."

"Veronica, you don't know that for sure. I know you think-"

"No. I don't 'think'. I know it was him. There's literally no other explanation."

"Either way. You didn't ask for this to happen. You don't owe them anything. It's not your fault Archie's crazy."

Veronica shook her head and turned away to grab her things from the bench. "Doesn't matter, Reg. I feel responsible. And I won't be able to stand by and do nothing. So as long as I have the means to help, I will." Turning around again, Veronica noticed Reggie watching her with a smile. "What?"

"I'm just really proud of you, V. You've come a long way since the start of the year. Your leadership during this tricky game was amazing to watch, and the way you encouraged and reassured the team just now... I'm just so lucky to have the chance to watch you come into your own as the Captain of this team. I know Emily would have given anything to get to see it. You're doing a wonderful job."

Veronica pulled Reggie into a hug so that he wouldn't see the tears welling in her eyes.