The Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match had been scheduled for the first weekend of May. The Monday before it was Artemis' birthday, and being May Day, all classes were cancelled, leaving Artemis free to spend the day as she pleased.

She had planned to have breakfast in the Great Hall with her friends, and then spend some time with Barnaby, but all of that changed when she arrived at the Hufflepuff table to see almost everyone she knew - not just her usual friends, but Hagrid and the Quidditch team, too - all gathered around a suspiciously broomstick-shaped parcel, grinning from ear to ear.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, placing a hand on the parcel. "Is that a broomstick?"

"No, it's a book," said Rowan, completely straight-faced, and everyone laughed. Artemis stuck her tongue out at her best friend, who smiled coyly. "Just open it, Artemis."

Artemis didn't need telling twice. She ripped off the wrapping paper to reveal a polished wooden handle and sleek twigs. She rolled the broomstick over and read the gold lettering on the handle: Comet 260.

"But this... This is even better than the one Skye was going to give me," she frowned. "It's top of the range! It must have cost loads!"

"Well, we all put in what we could," Penny explained, beaming at Artemis. "Even Mr Hagrid and Madam Rosmerta helped, and Bill wrote to your Aunt and Uncle to get a bit of money from them, too, and Charlie and Jae managed to get hold of some antiques to sell, so that made up the rest of the cost."

"Technically, you helped find the antiques, so half of that money did already belong to you," said Charlie, with a shrug. "I hope you don't mind that we spent it without asking you."

"I don't mind at all. You didn't spend all of it, though, did you?"

"No, I've got enough left to buy some new Quidditch gloves, and a set of dress robes."

"Good," Artemis nodded. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so widely. "Thank you. All of you. I... Thank you."

"Aye, yer welcome, hen," Skye rolled her eyes. "Let's not flap about. What's the point in having a new broomstick if yer not gaun tae take it out for a fly?"

"Oh! That's a wonderful idea, Skye!" Penny clapped her hands together excitedly. "You should should play a friendly game of Quidditch!"

Artemis looked up at Barnaby. She was meant to be spending the morning with him, not playing Quidditch, but she really did want to try out her new broomstick. There was a flicker of disappointment in Barnaby's eyes, but he gave her a resigned looking smile and nodded his head.

"We can go for a walk this afternoon instead," he said, and Artemis wrapped her arm around his waist.

"You can be on my team, if you like?"

The Hufflepuff Quidditch team was separated into two groups, and the rest of the players for the two teams were made up of Artemis' friends. She ended up having Barnaby as a Beater, Andre as a Keeper, and Tulip as a Chaser, while on the other team Tonks wielded a Beater's bat, Bill and Penny played as Chasers (despite Penny's fear of heights), and Charlie played Seeker. Rowan, Ben, and Jae sat behind Murphy in the commentary box, and were later joined by Chiara Lobosca, who took a seat next to Jae and watched the match in silence.

For the first time in her short Quidditch career, Artemis failed to catch the Golden Snitch, but she didn't care. They weren't playing to win; they were playing for fun.

She and Barnaby spent the afternoon walking the Crups around the schoolgrounds, and the evening watching the sunset in Hagrid's garden - although they didn't get to see much of the sunset - before she returned to the Common Room to play Exploding Snap late into the night with Rowan, Tonks, Penny, and Chiara.

By the time she drifted off to sleep, Fergus purring away on her feet, it was way past midnight, and no longer her birthday at all. It was a shame, really. This really had been the best birthday she'd ever had.

Saturday came around faster than expected. Before the start of the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match, Artemis met her fellow chaos creators under the Quidditch stands.

"Wotcher, guys," Tonks rubbed her hands together. "What's the plan?"

Jae handed out a box to her, Tulip, and Barnaby.

"Once the match ends, we release these into the stands," he said. "That should cause a bit of mayhem, send people down to the pitch."

"Where you two" - Tulip pointed to Artemis and Badeea - "will be on hold ready to cast the falling star spell."

Once the others had left to go to the stands, Artemis turned to Badeea, who was standing quietly at her side, her perfectly mascara'd eyes blinking.

"Thanks for helping us out, Badeea," she said. Badeea smiled at her, showing her straight white teeth.

"You're welcome. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out."

"You've not tried the spell yet?"

"I have in a painting." Badeea must have seen the confused look on Artemis' face, because she added, "I always try my new spells out by painting the scene, then casting the spell on the canvas. Spell creation can be dangerous if you're not careful."

"Right," Artemis nodded. "So, what's the spell we are meant to be using for the falling stars?"

"The incantation is Cometa Cascadia."

"Cometa Cascadia, got it. And the wand movement?" Artemis copied the movement Badeea made with her arm. "Do you know how to reverse weather spells?"

Badeea shook her head, the fabric of her scarf brushing her shoulders as she did. Artemis demonstrated, before the two girls returned their attention to the Quidditch game. It was strange watching from the ground rather than the stands, and harder to see what was going on. Luckily, Murphy McNully's commentary gave them a clear indication of what was happening.

"The Quaffle goes towards the Gryffindor goalposts, good save from Wood there, the score remains ten-nil to Slytherin."

The game was a low scoring one, with only two goals being scored in almost an hour. Artemis found herself hoping that someone would catch the Snitch quickly, so that the game could finish. It was another twenty minutes - and three further failed attempts to score goals - before she got her wish: Charlie took a steep dive, flying so fast he became blurry, his red hair and Quidditch robes billowing behind him and making him look almost like a comet himself,  and pulled out of it with the Snitch in the palm of his hands. Above them, the stands erupted with applause.

"They should be releasing the boomerangs any second now."

Badeea was right. The noise overhead grew louder, and suddenly the stands began to shake with the sound of hundreds of feet running down the stairs.

"That's our cue," Artemis said, drawing her wand. "Cometa Cascadia!"

The two girls called out the incantation in unison, and the sunny spring sky grew a dark red colour, lightening to a vivid orange. Moments later, jets of bright light descended from the heavens, blazing  as they trailed downwards. Artemis stared at them, transfixed, as they reached the ground, hitting the pitch. At each spot where a comet hit the ground, a billow of smoke rose upwards. The Quidditch players ran off the pitch to find cover under the stands.

"Artemis," said Badeea, nervously, "there weren't this many in the painting."

Her big brown eyes were wide with fear. Another comet hit the grass of the Quidditch pitch, narrowly missing a Slytherin beater as she ran across to the nearest stands. Artemis swallowed. This plan was more dangerous than she had anticipated.

"Well, well," said a high pitched voice behind her left ear. "Isn't this fun?"

"Peeves!" Artemis wheeled around to face him. "Look. Absolute chaos. Happy now? Can I have that portrait?"

"Little Hexy wants the portrait, Peevesy has the portrait. What else can Peevesy make Little Hexy do?"

"I've done plenty, Peeves. You asked for a mischief masterpiece, I gave you one. Now you need to keep your end of the deal."

"A deal is a deal, but it isn't ideal..."

"Peeves! Give me the portrait so we can stop the shooting stars!"

"Not fair," Peeves sighed, loudly, dramatically. "Peevesy gives up his portrait, and Hexy stops his fun. Hexy gets to keep Peevesy's portrait forever, but poor Peevesy is left with just memories."

"I can get you a new portrait, if you like," Badeea said, still watching the comets with a look of alarm. "I practised the spell on a painting of the Quidditch pitch. There are still shooting stars on that one. You can keep it if you like."

"Yeah," Artemis agreed. "A portrait for a portrait. What's fairer than that?"

Peeves looked thoughtful for a moment, then held his hand out to Artemis. She went to shake it, and he moved his hand away, pulled an egg out of thin air, and cracked it on her head.

"Hexy and her friend are good eggs," said Peeves. "Yes, Peevesy likes this deal very much, so he does."

Artemis and Badeea shared relieved glances, before pointing their wands skywards.

"Meteolojinx recanto!"

The stars stopped falling from the sky, which turned yellow, then green, then blue. Students started emerging from the stands, all of them looking a bit shellshocked, and started to mill about, looking at the blackened areas on the pitch where the comets had hit the grass.

"Come on, then," Artemis said, vanishing the egg from her hair. "Let's go and exchange these portraits."

The sound of a throat being cleared made Artemis and Badeea turn around. Standing behind them was Professor Dumbledore. His face was calm, but his blue eyes held a deep, bitter disappointment.

"I can explain, Professor," she said.

"I think that would be an excellent idea, Miss Hexley. Shall we go to my office?"

Artemis followed Dumbledore to his office in silence. When they reached the top of the stairs and entered the tiered, portrait-lined room, Professor Rakepick was already there waiting for them.

"I hope this meeting will be quick, Dumbledore," Rakepick said, standing up from the wall she had leaning against. "I have research to attend to."

"I shall try not to waste too much of your precious time, my dear Patricia," Dumbledore smiled, but the stern look in his eyes didn't fade. "However, I do feel the need to address the events of this afternoon. Miss Hexley, the star shower on the Quidditch pitch was your doing, was it not?"

Artemis nodded. There was no point in lying.

"Yeah," she muttered, looking across at Rakepick, who merely blinked. Artemis frowned; Rakepick had promised to help her avoid getting into trouble. Why wasn't she saying anything? "I made a deal with Peeves, you see. He had something we need to get into the Cursed Vault, and he wouldn't give it to me unless I did something to cause utter chaos."

"I see," Professor Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Did you authorise this, Patricia?"

Rakepick said nothing. Artemis felt her heart sink. It looked like Rakepick was going to break her promise. Eventually, her mentor spoke.

"I told Artemis to take whatever action she deemed necessary."

Dumbledore looked up from Artemis, and across at Rakepick, who arched an eyebrow at him and smiled coldly. Dumbledore bowed his head.

"I didn't realise it would be that dangerous," said Artemis. "Honest!"

"I have no doubt that your intentions were honourable, Miss Hexley, but your actions placed your peers in danger, and Madam Hooch is quite distressed about the state of the Quidditch pitch," the headmaster looked at her over the top of his half-moon glasses. "If Professor McGonagall were here, I dare say that she would forbid you from playing in your next match."

"No, Professor, please-"

"Fortunately, I am not Professor McGonagall, and I shall do no such thing. Personally, I think that playing Quidditch would be beneficial for you."

"You would?" Artemis couldn't tell whether she was more confused or relieved.

"I would, indeed," Professor Dumbledore nodded. "I am concerned that you are becoming far too invested in your search for the Vaults, Miss Hexley."

"But, sir, you said that I have to find the Vaults."

"I did, however, you are not the only person that could have negotiated with Peeves," Dumbledore stared at Rakepick meaningfully. In response, Rakepick pursed her lips and said nothing. "Miss Hexley, the Vaults are an incredibly complicated riddle. They have a way of driving those who attempt to solve the riddle to near obsession. Professor Rakepick here is an experienced Curse-Breaker. Although you may have the necessary natural aptitude to open the Vault itself, it is not wise for you to be engaging in every aspect of the Cursed Vaults. Therefore, instead of banning you from Quidditch, I am banning you from curse-breaking."

That elicited an immediate response from Professor Rakepick, whose eyes narrowed and back straightened.

"You cannot be serious, Dumbledore," she said, her voice laced with indignant anger.

"I am entirely serious, Professor Rakepick. Artemis is not a Curse-Breaker. She is a student at this school, and her main focus should be on school life."

"You know as well as I do that the curses need to be broken, and that-"

"I am fully aware of the pressing nature of our predicament, Patricia," Dumbledore smiled, and his eyes twinkled. "Be that as it may, we spoke earlier this year about what means are justified by the ends, did we not?"

Artemis' stomach churned. She could guess what had prompted that discussion between the headmaster and Professor Rakepick. She remembered everything Professor Snape had taught her about Occlumency, and pushed the memory of what had happened in Borgin and Burke's out of her mind.

"It was most irresponsible of you to suggest to Miss Hexley that she should act without consideration of the consequences those actions may incur," continued Professor Dumbledore. "I fear that your influence on Artemis in this situation has been detrimental. Therefore, I think that the best thing now would be for her to redirect her energy into something more productive."

"I hardly think that playing Quidditch is a productive use of time," Rakepick snapped. Dumbledore smiled.

"Perhaps not, but Miss Hexley has her O.W.L. examinations in a month. She is a student, she should be studying. Especially if she wishes to follow in your footsteps and become a professional Curse-Breaker herself. Therefore, until the exams are over, there will be no more curse-breaking."

Rakepick looked as if she wanted to protest, but there was a such a strong tone of finality to Dumbledore's voice that she didn't. Professor Dumbledore's eyes travelled from Artemis' own to the door. She was dismissed.

The final Quidditch game of the year was between Hufflepuff  and Ravenclaw.

"It's the deciding match of the season," Murphy McNully told Artemis in Arithmancy class the day before the game. "You see, Ravenclaw lost against Gryffindor, but only by twenty points, and then they smashed Slytherin. We beat both Gryffindor and Slytherin by a fair margin, but nothing like that."

"So what does that mean?" Artemis asked him, frowning.

"Our two wins have given us a lead of three hundred points overall. Ravenclaw beat Slytherin by two hundred and eighty points, but of course you have to account for the twenty they lost to Gryffindor-"

"Murphy, you've lost me. Who is winning?"

"No one yet. But we are in the lead by forty points."

"So if we win the match, the Cup is ours?"

"Yes, or if we lose by thirty points or less," Murphy nodded. It sounded like good news to Artemis, but Murphy wasn't smiling. Seeing the confused look on his face, he explained. "Ravenclaw beat Slytherin by two hundred and eighty points, Artemis."

"And they lost to Gryffindor, who we beat," Artemis responded.

"Yes, but both times those matches were decided by the Snitch being caught. Which means that the pressure is going to be on you," Murphy gave her a very pointed look. "As will their Beaters. And when it comes to Beaters, Ravenclaw is... well, unbeatable."

"And Erika Rath has it in for you already," muttered Rowan, who had been listening to the conversation whilst poring over her extensive revision notes. "Penny said that Talbott overheard Andre telling Victor in the owlery, or something like that. I wasn't really listening that closely, I'm afraid."

"That's alright," Artemis sighed. "I knew already. She thinks I was the one spreading the rumour about Skye's broomstick. Looks like I'll be keeping an eye out for Bludgers as well as the Snitch tomorrow."

Murphy must have shared his doubts with Orion, because as the team got changed into their robes the next morning, he approached Artemis individually.

"The eagle is a swift and powerful predator, and merciless in its pursuit once it has eyes on its prey," he said to her. Half-understanding what he was talking about, Artemis nodded. "Their eyes are sharp, but the cleverest animals know how to hide themselves in plain sight."

"What do you mean?"

"Fly amongst the Ravenclaw Chasers. It will make it harder for them to make accurate passes, and the Beaters will find it hard to target you without putting their own players at risk," he raised his eyebrows. "After all, the safest place for the rabbit to hide is within the twisting tunnels of a warren."

"I can't play Quidditch underground," Artemis replied, and Orion chuckled as he took a position in front of the others, ready for his vivification speech.

"The time has come for us to face our final opponents," he told them, his hands pressed together, "and although they may be powerful, I truly believe that we can beat them. Our balance is sound, and our bonds are strong. That is what separates us from the others: they may be teams, but we are a family, united by one common passion. There is a fire burning within each of us, and when we fly together, we set the sky ablaze."

"Let's nae set the sky ablaze today, Amari," muttered Skye, grinning at Artemis. "I've only just managed tae get the smell of smoke out of ma hair after last weekend."

"Be that as it may," Orion continued, ignoring Skye, "I do not wish to talk about victory today. This is not only our final match of the season, but it is my final match at Hogwarts. As your Captain, I wish to use this time to tell you how proud I am of what we, as a team and a family, have achieved this year. I do not know what the stars hold for this match, but I know that regardless of whether we win the Cup or not, it will be an honour to play one more game with you all."

The others were quiet for a moment, before Skye spoke once more.

"Naw. Sorry, Amari, but we are getting our hands on that Cup. Ye want tae be proud of us, we are gaun tae make ye proud of us."

There was a murmur of agreement, and Orion bowed his head, smiling to himself. Outside the tent, the noise of hundreds of students could be heard from the stands.

"It's time."

On the pitch, they met the Ravenclaw team, all clad in blue. Artemis made eye contact with Andre, who winked at her, and Orion shook Erika Rath's hand. The Ravenclaw Captain's grip on Orion's hand was vice-like, and she glared at Artemis rather than looking at him. Artemis raised her chin and looked straight back at her.

As Madam Hooch blew her whistle and threw the Quaffle into the air, both teams soared into action. Skye immediately took possession of the ball, passing it to Lizzie, who sped off in the direction of the goalposts, two Ravenclaw Chasers in hot pursuit. Artemis weaved in and out of the two of them, not staying still for a single second. Be a moving target, she told herself. Use them as obstacles.

Lizzie passed the Quaffle to Orion as a third Chaser flew towards her. Orion caught the Quaffle, and in the corner of her eye Artemis saw Erika Rath raise the arm holding her Beater's bat. She flew between the Ravenclaw Chasers once more, and instead of her, Erika sent the Bludger in Orion's direction. A moment later, David Willows hit the Bludger away from the Hufflepuff Captain, who threw the Quaffle to Skye, who caught it, swerved out of the path of a second Bludger and-

"Parkin shoots, and she scores!" Murphy McNully's voice echoed across the pitch, over the sounds of cheers from the Hufflepuff stands. "That's ten points to Hufflepuff already!"

The Quaffle was passed back out into play, and taken up by the Ravenclaw Chasers. Again, Artemis flew among them, attempting to intercept their passes as much as she could, until a black ball came hurtling through the air towards her, sent by the bat of a red-headed Beater in blue robes.

"HEXLEY, LOOK OUT!"

Artemis dodged the Bludger, and flew straight into the Ravenclaw Chaser who was holding the Quaffle. She dropped the ball to grab hold of her broomstick with both hands and swore loudly. Skye picked up the Quaffle, but before she had time to pass it to another player, Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and gestured to Skye, Artemis, and the Chaser who Artemis had inadvertently flown into.

"That was a foul," she told them, when they flew down to meet her. "Blatching."

"It was an accident!"

"Aye, she was just trying tae dodge a Bludger."

"I didn't mean to-"

"Of course you didn't," the Ravenclaw Chaser rolled her eyes. "Just like you didn't start all those rumours about Erika."

"I didn't!"

"Whatever, Hexley."

"Ye listen tae me, Adler, ye wee-"

Madam Hooch blew her whistle again, and the three girls fell silent.

"Fouls are fouls, I'm afraid," she told them. Skye made an angry noise and Artemis glowered at the Ravenclaw Chaser as she took back the Quaffle.

"Ravenclaw is awarded a penalty after Hexley flies into Adler," Murphy announced to the grumbling crowd, as Adler flew towards the Hufflepuff goalposts, Quaffle in hand. "Adler shoots... and Gwithers saves!"

Alex Gwithers caught the Quaffle and tossed it to Orion. Artemis flew back into the midst of the Ravenclaw Chasers, as they followed the Hufflepuff players back across the pitch.

"Amari to Jameson, Jameson to Parkin, Parkin back to Jameson, Jameson to Amari, and... GOAL! Hufflepuff lead twenty to nil!"

Artemis clapped as Skye hi-fived Orion, before setting off in flight again. Hufflepuff were doing well. Another saved goal by Alex Gwithers, one saved by Andre, and another scored by Lizzie, and they were up thirty to nil. The Ravenclaws were looking increasingly frustrated. Given that they needed to win with a decent point margin to take the Cup, things were not looking good for them at all.

"Ravenclaw take possession of the Quaffle, Parkin attempts to intercept a pass there, but no, Ravenclaw still in possession..." Murphy announced. "Adler shoots again, and Gwithers - OUCH!"

As Alex Gwithers reached for the Quaffle, a Bludger soared towards him. It hit him square in the chest, and he plummeted to the ground. A time out was called, and Orion flew down to see how badly the Keeper was hurt.

"He's okay, but he has broken an arm," Orion told the rest of the team. "A change in the winds means a change in direction. Skye, you have played Keeper before. I'm trusting you to make sure that we have a decent defence. Artemis, I'll need you to start looking for that Snitch. Jean, David, keep your eyes on Rath and Cassiopeia."

Five heads nodded their assent, and five broomsticks flew back into position. Artemis flew high above the action, looking for the Snitch. Below her, she watched as Orion and Lizzie set off in pursuit of the Quaffle, and Skye hovered near the Hufflepuff goalposts, ready to defend them if needed.

Orion was right. The winds had changed. Two Chasers against three wasn't favourable, and although Skye wasn't a bad Keeper, it wasn't her usual position. Over the next hour and a half, Ravenclaw took eleven shots at the Hufflepuff goalposts, and scored eight goals. Meanwhile, Andre saved three of the four goals that Orion and Lizzie aimed at the Ravenclaw goalposts.

"Ravenclaw score again," Murphy announced, as the Quaffle flew past Skye once more. "The score is now ninety to forty. Hufflepuff's good start might have been too good to be true!"

It wasn't just the Chasers that were struggling. The Snitch was nowhere to be seen, and with the Ravenclaw Beaters both determined to take Artemis out of the game, Jean Bean and David Willows were having a hard job keeping the Bludgers away from her. As Ravenclaw scored yet another goal, both Rath and her fellow Beater used the force of their two bats at once to send a Bludger in her direction with more force than Artemis had ever seen before. Both the Hufflepuff Beaters reacted at once, Bean hitting it away from Artemis and Willows taking a second swing at it, sending it off in the direction of the Ravenclaw goalposts, where Andre deftly swooped out of its flight path.

Lizzie and Orion quickly took advantage of Andre ducking away from the goalposts. Lizzie passed the Quaffle to Orion, who zoomed towards the empty hoops. But with both Beaters busy with one Bludger, the other was sent into action unguarded. With a mighty swing of her bat, Erika Rath hit the other Bludger towards the Hufflepuff Chaser, who had just stood up on his broomstick like a surfer.

"Rath's Bludger heads straight for Amari, who accelerates, and - NO!"

Orion had sped up to avoid the Bludger, and so it missed his body, but instead it caught the tail of his broomstick, causing it to lurch and spin on its own axis. Orion, standing upright, with no hands on the broom, was thrown completely off balance.

There was a loud gasp from the crowd, as Orion fell  out of the air. When his body hit the grass, still blackened in patches after the star shower the week before, a hush fell over the stadium. Then, one by one, voices began to shout across the pitch.

"TIME OUT! We want a time out!"

"Only Captains can call for time out!"

"Our Captain just got knocked off his broomstick, we will call a time out if we want to!"

"Aye, stuff it, Rath!"

The entire Hufflepuff team flew to where Orion lay on the ground. He was heavily bruised and looked a little dazed, but conscious. Madam Pomfrey was already examining him, her face hard.

"Minor concussion, bruised ribs, sprained wrist," she said. "You'll be alright."

"So, I may still play?"

"Not today, boy," she shook her head. "Not with a concussion."

Orion protested, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't budge. Eventually, Orion bowed his head.

"Naw," Skye shook her own. "We cannae play with two Chasers and no Keeper! They'll bloody batter us!"

"Unfortunately, we cannot argue with the fates. The stars have ordained that-"

"Perhaps he's more concussed than I thought," muttered Madam Pomfrey, lighting her wand and shining it in Orion's eyes.

"Naw, he's always havering like this. He's nae concussed, he's just doolally."

"Parkin," Orion said, holding one hand out to Skye. "An ocean is made of a multitude of drops. You can take water from the sea, but the crash of the waves will be as powerful as ever. You can still change the tide, even without me."

"Aye, but how?"

"However you see fit," Orion removed his Captain's band from his arm and pressed it into Skye's palm. The two of them shook hands. "You're the Captain now."

Skye nodded, sniffed, and rubbed her eyes with her sleeve, before turning turning back to the rest of the team with a determined expression on her freckled face.

"What are yous standing around for?" she asked them. "We've got a Quidditch Cup to win, ken?"

Skye mounted her broom and started to shout out orders to the rest of the team. The players took to the air, the two remaining Chasers flying to the goal posts, ready to defend, the Beaters in the middle of the pitch, bats raised and ready, and Artemis, high above them all.

They may have been two players down, but they fought tooth and nail to prevent the Ravenclaws from scoring. But, Ravenclaw still had the advantage, and playing defence meant that every time they managed to get past Lizzie and Skye, the score racked up further in their favour, and the Hufflepuff Chasers were now tiring. Meanwhile, Artemis had yet to see the Snitch even once.

"And that's another goal to Ravenclaw," Murphy announced, "The score is now two hundred points to forty. Hufflepuff are putting on a good show, but they can't keep this up forever. With a lead of one hundred and sixty points, Ravenclaw will win even if Hexley catches the Snitch!"

Artemis groaned. Why didn't they just call it quits, then? They'd lost, they might as well-

"But," Murphy continued, his voice interrupted her thoughts, "Ravenclaw need to win by a margin of forty points or more to take the Cup!"

Of course! They could lose the game and still win the Cup, but Artemis would have to find the Snitch, and find it fast. The problem was, the Beaters knew this, too. She flew higher above the pitch, further out of the way of the action to get a better vantage point.

And then, she saw it.

It was flying fast, flickering in and out of her vision as it flitted between the Ravenclaw Chasers. Orion had been right before; it really did make it harder to be seen.

She thought about what to do next. She was so high up that taking a sudden dive would alert everyone to the Snitch's whereabouts, and with moving obstacles in her way, she'd struggle to catch it there. She was going to have to flush it out into the open, and subtly, too, Godric help her.

Her eye still of the flickering flash of gold amongst the blue-clad Chasers, she flew back into the fray. Pretending to do what she'd done earlier in the game, she - like the Snitch - started to weave in and out of the Chasers. It was as if the Snitch knew what she was doing, because it sped up, as if to overtake Adler, aiming for the goalposts, and so did she, accidentally blocking the Ravenclaw Chaser as she did.

"Another foul! Penalty to Ravenclaw!"

"What did ye dae that for?" Skye shouted at her, but she wasn't listening. Her eyes were on the Snitch, which had ducked down below the action.

"Adler shoots, and - Hexley's seen the Snitch!"

The second the Quaffle passed through the hoop, Artemis zoned in on the Snitch, moving her hands forward, accelerating, and zooming off after it. She knew that the Ravenclaw Seeker was following her, but she didn't care. Her Comet was faster than Tonks' Cleansweep, and she had a head start.

"Hexley in pursuit of the Snitch, and she's gaining! Hufflepuff might just take the Cup, after all!" Murphy's voice was getting louder with each word. "But, what's that? Rath swings, and takes aim! Yes, she's sent  the Bludger straight for the Hufflepuff Seeker!"

Even without Murphy's commentary, Artemis knew what was happening. Behind her, she could feel the unmistakable rush of air of a Bludger heading straight for her. She could have ducked away, but she was so close. She couldn't give up, not now. So, instead, she did what Orion did. She sped up.

The Snitch was now within arm's reach, and she took one hand off her broom to catch it quickly, before the Bludger caught her. She opened her palm, fingers extended, and felt the soft feathery wings tickling her fingertips...

SMACK.

Something hit her at the base of her rib cage, and the impact sent her and her broomstick off towards the edge of the pitch. She hit the soft fabric covers of the stands and tumbled down to the ground, her eyes screwed shut in pain. When she opened them, Madam Pomfrey was standing over her, and Skye stood just behind her.

"Broken ribs," Madam Pomfrey said. "No more flying today for you either, Miss Hexley."

Artemis was expecting Skye to put up a fuss, but instead, she just looked resigned, and called the others down.

"We're forefeiting the game," she told them. "Hexley's out. We dinnae have a Seeker, and they're only two goals away from taking the Cup anyway. There's no way we can dae it now."

"But, Skye-"

"Dinnae fash yerself, Hexley. It's not yer fault."

"No, Skye," Artemis shook her head, and held her arm up, an intense pain splitting down her side as she did so. "The game's over. Look."

She opened her palm, and Skye's eyes grew wide.

"Naw," she murmured, before shouting at the top of her voice. "IT'S THE SNITCH! MADAM HOOCH, WE HAVE THE SNITCH!"

Madam Hooch swept across the pitch, and stopped five metres away. She blew her whistle, and gestured to the five remaining Hufflepuff players, huddled at the base of the stands.

"What are the chances?" Murphy called out. "Hexley has taken a Bludger, but caught the Snitch, and Ravenclaw have taken the game, but lost the Cup! The final score is two hundred and ten to Ravenclaw, one hundred and ninety to Hufflepuff, but Hufflepuff are this year's overall champions!"

The stadium erupted in a burst of noise and colour, as the Hufflepuff team made their way, limping, staggering, and triumphant, to the centre of the pitch. Madam Hooch handed the Cup to Skye, and Orion helped her lift it into the air, a proud smile on his face.

The spectators were running in, too. Rowan, Penny, and Tonks were all squealing, and Chiara Lobosca was behind them, smiling wider than Artemis had ever seen before. And Barnaby was with them, clearly having watched the match from the Hufflepuff stands, and by the Gryffindor stands she could see Bill, Charlie, Ben, and Jae, all cheering. Even Andre and Tulip were smirking a little.

"I've organised a victory party in the Great Hall," Penny called out across the rabble. "Right now! Everyone is welcome!"

Artemis laughed, despite the pain it caused her to do so. Trust Penny to prioritise a party over broken ribs. Still, she wasn't complaining. Right now, she couldn't think of anything in the world to complain about.