𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔞 ✩ 𝔰𝔦𝔯𝔦𝔲𝔰 𝔟𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨

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CHAPTER TWELVE

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Pastel blue was the colour of the clear sky, humble and pretty, it took on subtle changes as the day progressed, an ever-evolving palette of beauty. Ever glowing, the sun shone bright upon the horizon, causing a sense of warmth and wonder to wash over the day.

Marlene had been up all night, tossing and turning with anxious anticipation, stressing immensely over her future role on her beloved team. The bet with Dorcas clearly stated, that whoever loses, has to resign from their house team immediately. Desperately, she looked for a loophole, but to no avail.

Despite all she said regarding her hatred towards the pretty Ravenclaw, beginning was she to regret the rash decision she had made almost a week prior. Neither she nor Dorcas had any piece in their body which didn't adore the game with all the hearts and souls.

Neither wanted to resign. Neither would back down without a fight.

Marlene did not eat breakfast either, in defiance of the strict orders of the all mighty Quidditch captain, James Potter. Lily practically had to force a cold glass of Pumpkin juice down her throat, to give her a slight hint of added strength.

Now she was striding onto the field, fuelled by faux confidence, determination and the knowledge that this could well be her last match ever whilst at Hogwarts.

Watching above like an angel, Ariadne's golden hair fluttered in the simple breeze, glittering in the daylight. Happy were her eyes, twinkling as they matched the colour of the sky above.

Wrapped around her neck was a scarlet and golden scarf, gifted forcefully to her by Marlene, who insisted she wear it to the game that day, as to show her support. Sirius reiterated this unequivocally, lending her his first ever Gryffindor Quidditch team jersey, unsurprisingly she received rather threatening looks from her fellow housemates as she walked through the common room.

Sat was she in the stands with the fellow lion supporters, who glared intensely at the stand directly opposite, which was filled to the brim with those dressed in blue and bronze.

Staring around the beautiful pitch, she nervously fiddled with the sunflower necklace which Sirius had gifted her when they were ten, never once had she taken it off. Matched were they with her earrings, gold with little sunflower's on them.

"I'm so nervous for Marlene," Alice murmured lightly, "She'll be so upset if she loses."

"She won't lose," Lily stated, "Gryffindor could beat Ravenclaw any day of the week."

"Only because James is captain though, right Lily?" Remus claimed, neither of the three girls had noticed him or Peter who had recently snuck up behind them.

"Oh, shut up, Remus," Lily mumbled.

"James was up all night," Peter chimed in, "Studying plays. He is very dedicated to the team."

Lily merely shrugged in response, acting with a lack of care regarding the Potter boy.

Only a few minutes had passed, but after Madam Hooch had sounded her whistle, the game had begun. Fourteen players flew rapidly around the pitch, throwing and catching the quaffle, whacking the bludger and avidly searching for the golden snitch.

Marlene had all of her friends' eyes on her, her hair was tied neatly away from her face in a loose plait, and she weaved between all the other players with the red leather ball tucked under her arm. The next moment she had shot it perfectly through the left hoop.

Just like that, Dorcas and her fellow eagles were incensed with rage: furious having conceded just moments after the matched had commenced.

Ariadne was never quite one for the sport, but watching Marlene, circling the pitch from above like a hawk, intercepting many a pass from the opposition created a sense of pride from within her. She would be lying, nonetheless, if she said that her eyes remained on Marlene throughout the entire game and did not flit repetitively towards a certain beater. Deny she could not that he didn't look ever so much more handsome in his Quidditch kit.

Not that she would ever admit it, for he would never let her live it down.

Gryffindor were in the lead, 110 to 30, and the crowd was alive with passion, exhilarating the players. Lacking were those in blue and bronze, their hope further diminishing as the lions repeatedly attacked and scored.

Oh, how things could change so dramatically in such a split second. Racing was Marlene across the pitch, determined to heighten her team's lead and increase her chances of winning the bet.

Suddenly, before her beaters could react, a bludger was pelted menacingly at the girl from the opposition and as she turned to shoot, it slammed her forcefully off her broom. Her bloody face hanging limply to her body, as she fell, fast.

Abandoning his position on the wing, where he had previously been waiting to assist Marlene in her pursuit of a goal, if need be, James shot like a bullet towards his fallen teammate.

Begging was he in his mind, that he got to her before she hit the ground at full force... thankfully he received his wish. Catching her just a few metres of the ground, a sharp pain echoed throughout his arm, the weight of her unconscious body awkwardly snapping it backwards.

Blood pooled around her head, and again James prayed, this time though that it was from his arm not from her surely concussed head - this would not be the case.

In all the confusion, and the abandonment of the game from the two best chasers on the pitch, no one except for the Ravenclaw seeker noticed a small whoosh of gold flickering around the Slytherin house's stand. It was snatched in an instant, held victorious over the seeker's head - Ravenclaw had won the match.

Dorcas had won the bet.

Despite this, she felt nothing like a winner, for she had been distracted from the game also, her eyes fixated on the falling and then thankfully caught Marlene McKinnon. The racing in her heart was nothing of the kind enemies felt.

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Ahhhh, another update. How are you guys, it feels like it's been forever since I last published a chapter. Please let me know what you think and what you'd like to see next.

Am I rushing Marlene and Dorcas' relationship? Do you want me to slow it down a bit?

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I love you to the stars.