Lumos

10| Markings

Madam Hooch blew the whistle, signaling the start of the game. I was up in the sky, green robes fluttering behind me. I was number four, written in silver on my back. I lowered my goggles onto my eyes for protection.

I saw the quaffle soaring across the field. Ron Weasley looked surprised to see me in front of him, trying to knock the quaffle in. He scowled as Blaise tossed me the ball. Spinning, I tried knocking it in, but Weasley blocked it. He was doing great without realizing there was no Felix Felicis coursing through his veins; it was all him. I grinned, giving him a thumbs up.

"Steele! Whose side are you on?" I heard Malfoy shout from above me. He was looking for the snitch. Blaise hit the quaffle. It flew in, slightly discouraging Ron.

"You can do it," I snapped my fingers, zooming past him. "Focus!"

"STEELE!" Malfoy hollered. "What's the matter with you?"

It was ten to twenty, Gryffindor in the lead. I swooped, grabbing the quaffle and flew towards the hoops on my Comet 290. I pretended to throw it in, Ron flying towards it, and then smacked it with the end of my broom in the opposite direction. It flew in. The quaffle was thrown back in the center, Katie Bell catching it.

"ELVIRA STEELE. THE QUAFFLE IS BEHIND YOU."

"DRACO MALFOY. GET OFF MY BACK! I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING."

Twenty to twenty. I turned to look for Malfoy, but he and Harry were gone. The snitch was probably sighted. I looked up to see them swooping down. Malfoy shoved against him, and he fought back, bumping against him.

Harry was amazing. He did a complete nosedive, grabbing for the snitch. What I didn't see, though, busy admiring the seekers, was the bludger heading straight towards me. The green section, and the red, let out a gasp as the bludger crashed into the front of my broom, sending me spiraling in the direction of the rings. My neck jerked, and I held on for dear life. The next thing I knew, I was falling off the broom towards the ground.

Well, this was going to be painful.

I braced myself to hit the hard floor, when suddenly I was flying again. I opened my eyes to see the ground coming closer, but not as fast as it had been before.

"Thanks," I said, to whoever had saved my life. I was too embarrassed to see who it was. When I reached the ground I hopped off, brushing off my Quidditch robes. I turned. "Thanks again. I-" I froze, all the blood draining from my face. It was Malfoy. I'd been wishing for Harry all along. It would've been more romantic, with a slight wink and thank you's. I groaned.

"Shut up," he hissed, grabbing my arm and giving me a shake. "Look what you did. I didn't get the snitch." Sure enough, Harry was zooming around in the air, waving the little gold ball.

"Why didn't you just go for it?" I pushed back, annoyed. "Madam Pomfrey could've nursed me out my coma in no more than a week. Or two."

"We can't only have one chaser on the team, Steele, or we're going to be disqualified against Ravenclaw." His face was red. He seemed really, really angry.

"I'm sorry."

"Why weren't you paying attention? The whole time you were encouraging that . . . that Weasley. Before, I was pushing you when I asked what side you were on just for the sake of your background," he waved his arms around, frustrated. "Now I really mean it. Steele, what side are you on? Get your head in the game!" He turned, stomping away. I gripped my broom, seething.

* * *

"You were amazing for someone who hasn't touched a broom in ages," Tracey said as I walked back, still furious. "That throw . . . amazing, Steele. And the end?" she giggled. "Saved by the snake, am I right?"