A Master Of Mischief ~ George Weasley Love Story ~ Book 1

Chapter 18

**Maddie's POV**
                                

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
I squeal as Fred and George jump around on my bed, flinging me into the air. Fred grabs my arms and hauls me to my feet.
"BREAKFAST!" Mrs Weasley calls from downstairs. We all look at each other, then race for the door, pushing and shoving each other, trying to be first downstairs. At the top of the last lot of stairs, Fred trips, knocking into George and I. We all tumble down the stairs and land in a heap, laughing.
"Oh, you three!" Mrs Weasley says, but she's smiling, "come and eat, then we'll open presents together!"
I climb to my feet and stretch, testing for any injuries. All good.
"Thanks, Mrs Weasley," I say, tucking into the pancakes she hands me.
"You're welcome dear," she replies affectionately. As sson as everyone has eaten we dash back upstairs, collect our presents and head to the living room.
"PERCY! HURRY UP!" Fred calls up the stairs, "WE'RE WAITING!"
Percy comes walking downstairs looking impatient.
"You couldn't have waited just-"
His words are lost as everyone begins tearing into their presents.
"Wow!"
"Brilliant!"
"Oh, now way!"
I stop opening presents and look around at everyone. This is the first Christmas I've ever had without Remus. I shiver as I think of how he'll be spending his Christmas night...
"Open yours!" George says, pulling his jumper on. I open the present from Mrs Weasley and find the usual black jumper with the Gryffindor crest on it - "In honour of your being a prefect, dear" - as well as some delicious fudge.
"Thanks so much," I tell her earnestly.
The rest of the holidays fly past and soon we're back at Hogwarts.
"Fred! George!"
I almost collide with Harry as we both emerge from our dormitories.
"You got one too!" I exclaim, looking at the Firebolt in his arms and holding out my own, "did it say who it was from?"
"No," Harry shakes his head, "it didn't have a note."
"Mine neither," I reply, trembling with excitement, "wait until the Slytherines see!"
"I don't think you should rides those," Hermione says, frowning. We both turn to her.
"Why?" Ron demands, his eyes gleaming almost as much as ours. Hermione bites her lip and looks at me.
"You think my father sent them," I say, "and cursed them?"
"Well, it's possible!" Hermione says, blushing, "I just think you should be careful!"
"Well, we can't ride them tonight," I sigh, "but we have practice two nights from now!"
"Harry!" Oliver climbs through the portrait hole, "have you got a new- Is that a firebolt?"
"Maddison and I both got one," Harry says. Oliver looks over at my, his mouth hanging open.
"This is great!" he cries, "the Slytherines have no chance against these! I mean, the Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones are good, but compared to the Firebolt..."
"Harry," Hermione says. Harry turns away.
"Umm, so..." I look up at Oliver, unsure what to say.
"Look, I'm sorry about how I behaved," he says honestly, "it was really stupid. I've said sorry to Fred and George too."
"Why Fred?" I ask. He shrugs.
"I don't know which is which, so I thought better safe than sorry," he tells me. I can't help laughing.
"So, we're good?"
"Yeah," he grins, "we're good. Especially if you score us extra points in the next game."
"Extra?" I laugh.
"At least one hundred, from you alone," he says seriously.
"Done," I grin. He chuckles and claps me on the shoulder as he walks off. George comes over looking unsure. I reach up and give him a kiss.
"OOOO!!!" Angelina cries while Lee wolf-whistles and Fred laughs. I pull away, blushing.
"Wow!" George laughs.
"What?" I ask. He holds a strand of my hair up so I can see it. It's deep pink.
"COOL!" Alicia yells, rushing over.
"Not cool!" I groan. I close my eyes and change it back.
"Maddie, I love your necklace!" Angelina says. I glance down and look at it. It's blazing red. I smile at George.
"Thanks," I tell Angelina, "it's the best thing I've ever owned."

"This is it," Oliver says nervously. We're all jittery. This is the final of the Quidditch season. If we win by more than two hundred points we get the cup. If we don't... Slytherin do.
"Remember Harry, only-"
"Catch the snitch if we're up by more than two hundred points," we all recite. Oliver nod seriously.
"Let's go," Angelina says, leaping to her feet. We all follow, feeling numb.
At Madame Hooch's whistle I mount my firebolt and kick off. I look down, waiting for her to throw the quaffle up to start the game. I try to slow my heart rate down, but it keeps pounding against my chest. Madame Hooch throws up the Quaffle and I feel a rush of adrenaline. I'm the first to reach the Quaffle and I snatch it out of the air. A Slytherin chaser flies towards m, but I dodge him easily, feint to the left and-
"GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" Lee yells joyously. I chase the Slytherin chaser and knock the quaffle out of his arms. Alicia catches it. I turn to fly after her, but someone collides with me.
"FLINT!" Madame Hooch yells, "penalty to Gryffindor!"
The match quickly becomes dirty. The Slytherines constantly slamming into the Gryffindors or, at one stage, throwing thier beater's clubs at us, although, to be fair, George had done the same thing.
"GO HARRY!"
I spin around and see Harry speeding towards the ground. The croud gasps as he pulls out of the dive sharply, holding his arm high. For a second I feel completely numb, then overwhelming joy hits me. I zoom over to him and slam into him at the same time as Fred, George and Oliver. Two more thumps join us in yelling and, in Oliver's case, sobbing.
"WE WON THE CUP!" we cry. Somehow, and I can honestly say I have no idea how, we make it back to the ground. The whole of Gryffindor house has charged down onto the pitch and for a moment we're just a seething mass of bodies. Then the team is dragged up on to a stage and a nearly hysterical McGonagal hands an overly hysterical Oliver the Quidditch Cup.