Chloe Cullen - A Harry Potter and Twilight Crossover

Chapter 7: Halloween

Hermione and I have no interest in talking to Harry or Ron, nor do we have any interest in finding out what that dog is guarding. All I'm focusing on is the fact that my Quidditch training is getting closer and closer, and according to Fred and George, so is Quidditch season. It's been a week since the dog incident, and Fred, George, Lee and I are talking about Quidditch when the mail delivery comes. Everyone's attention is caught by two long, thin packages each carried by six large screech owls. I'm amazed when one of the packages drops in front of me. I catch it before it lands on the table. They hardly flutter out of the way when another owl drops a letter on top of the parcel. I open the letter first and with the three boys looking over my shoulders, I read the letter:

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contain your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you and Mr. Potter tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor M. McGonagall

    I can hardly contain my excitement. "A Nimbus Two Thousand?" Lee whispers excitedly. "They're the fastest model yet" Fred whispers. "I've got to go put this up. See you guys later" I say. I quickly get up and race out of the Great Hall. Unfortunately, Harry and Ron are in front of me. I ignore them as much as I can. Then, we're stopped by Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. Malfoy seizes Harry's package and feels it. "That's a broomstick," he says and throws it back at Harry. He looks at me. "You've got one to. You'll be in for it this time, first years aren't allowed them." "It's not any old broomstick," Ron says, "it's  Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grins at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus." "What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snaps back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

    Before Ron can answer, Professor Flitwick appears at Malfoy's elbow. "Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaks. "Potter and Cullen have been sent Broomsticks, Professor," says Malfoy quickly. "Yes, yes, that's right," says Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry and I. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances. What model are those?" "Nimbus Two Thousands, sir," I say, smirking at Malfoy's face. He looks as though his birthday was cancelled. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that we got them," I add. Despite their disliking of me, they laugh as we walk out of the hall. I race ahead of them to put my broom away and go to class.

    It's hard to focus on the lessons. I keep thinking about Quidditch and the broom that's waiting for me in my dorm. After class, I race through dinner and make my way back up to my room and unwrap my package. Hermione follows me ten minutes later. "I can't say I approve of how you acquired that broom. I've got to admit though, it is a nice broom" Hermione says. Fred and George told me how to tell apart a good broom from a  bad broom, and this is an excellent broom. It's sleek and shiny with a mahogany handle and the twigs are straight and neat. At six-thirty, I head down to the Quidditch field. I find that Harry is already there, flying around. I look and see that the Quidditch stadium has hundreds of seats that are raised in stands around the field so that the audience are high enough to see what's going on. At either end of the field are three golden poles with hoops on the end. Wood follows shortly after me. "Hey, Potter, come down!" He's carrying a large wooden crate under his arm and Harry lands next to him.

    "I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."  He opens the crate. Inside are for different-sized balls. "Right. Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers. Cullen, one of them is you" I nod and watch him take out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball. "This ball's called the Quaffle. The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?" I nod. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?" Harry asks. I roll my eyes. "What's basketball?" asks Wood. "Never mind," says Harry quickly.