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chapter thirteen | what a match

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RON PROMISED he did not mean to get Maddie Jordan involved with Buckbeak's appeal - but, look, he was running out of options, and he needed the help.

At first, when taking it on himself to reduce Hermione some stress, he thought it'd be easy - just a simple task that would be added to his list of things to do, like an extra homework, or something.

It was the Easter Holidays, and for some reason, everyone was piled up with so much homework - despite the fact that, like Seamus had roared at the common room one afternoon, the exams were ages away.

Hermione was piled up with tons of work to do thanks to her taking so many bloody lessons, even though she had stormed out of Divination. She was last to leave the common room at night, and first to enter the library the next morning. She had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes and seemed constantly close to tears - Ron couldn't blame her, he'd cry if he had that much homework, too. Just the essays from Snape were enough, let alone all the other lessons.

Harry was busy with Quidditch practice - which meant being forced to go to train almost everyday, not to mention Oliver Wood, the Quidditch Captain, having endless discussions with him everyday about tactics.

So really, Ron was the only one who really could work on Buckbeak's appeal out of his friends - and well, as he'd mentioned, it was too difficult to work on alone.

Plus, Ron didn't exactly go looking for help. Maddie was the most nosiest person Ron had probably ever met, and she never once thought that perhaps she should dial it down. So, on the first day back after the Easter holidays, packing away from Potions - after discussing Hermione's exit from Divination yet again, and listening to Maddie express her thoughts on the matter - which were pretty much only focused on her, anyway, ("Well, if Trelawney predicted Lavender's rabbit dying, and Hermione ditching the class, then I want to know where the hell my unexpected gold is!"), the girl caught sight of one of the enormously thick books hanging out of Ron's bag.

She didn't think anything of it - but, this is Maddie we're talking about, so of course she was going to find a way to take the piss out of Ron for it.

"What's this?" She snorted, catching sight of The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology sliding out of the top of his bag. "You planning on making friends with the Hippogriffs, or something? Thinking of expanding your little trio?"

"It's nothing," Ron said, pulling a face that implied he was slightly pissed at himself for letting the book in Maddie's sight.

The girl cackled. "Ron, I know the teachers are making exams a way bigger deal than what they are, but I honestly don't think befriending the things are going to make you pass Care of Magical Creatures-"

"It's not for Care of Magical Creatures," Ron said quickly without thinking, feeling a slight irk of annoyance at the young Jordan's nosiness. She raised an eyebrow. "It's... I'm just interested in Hippogriffs,"

"Yeah, alright, and Snape's my favourite teacher,"

Ron sighed. Merlin, there was no getting past this girl, was there? And she wasn't even insanely clever, or anything, she just knew when people were lying.

"Look, you can't tell anyone, okay? I don't wanna make a big deal of it," Ron said, a little more quietly now.

Every time each word left his mouth he felt the regretful feeling grow that he shouldn't really be telling Maddie this. The ginger glanced behind him towards Malfoy to ensure he wasn't listening in, but the bleach haired boy was currently in what looked like a heated argument with Diana Silverstone, anyway.

"It's for Buckbeak's appeal. We're trying to help Hagrid with it, so I'm just using these books to see if they're of any use. Hermione's got loads of homework and Harry's got the Quidditch final coming up, so it's down to me, really, to do the appeal - don't go shouting about it, if Malfoy finds out, it's over,"

"Alright, I won't," Maddie said, putting her hands in a surrendered position, before lowering them yet again. "Buckbeak's appeal?" she repeated. "Shit, Ronnie, that's gotta be hard,"

The boy gave a half shrug in reply. He wasn't sure what to say.

"It's against the Malfoys, though?" She said with an interested tone and expression. Ron frowned slightly, wondering where this was going.

"Er, yeah?"

She grinned. "Then I wanna help!" the girl said brightly.

"What?"

"Yeah, fuck 'em! Oh wouldn't that be just the best? Hermione punches Malfoy and their stupid sentence to Hagrid's Hippogriff gets a clear - oh my god, Ron, you better let me help,"

Ron was standing still with a baffled look on his face. This certainly wasn't where he'd thought this was going.

"You wanna help... because it's against the Malfoys?"

The curly haired girl nodded enthusiastically.

"I mean..." Ron said, unsure of what to say. He thought about what Harry and Hermione might say, and apart from the fact that Maddie might perhaps let the whole thing slip, he couldn't really think of a reason to say no - not to mention, he did kind of need the help.

But, as much as he felt the slight feeling of dread grow once agreeing with the girl, he didn't have the heart to tell her she probably wouldn't keep her mouth shut. So, he took a risk that he probably shouldn't have, and said, "yeah, if you want?"

Maddie was beaming. "Cool," she said. "Let me know when you're working on it, or I'll just come over in the common room, I dunno. I'll have to go to the library and find some shit... Jake'll have to show me where it is, I've never been there before,"

"You've never been to the library before?" Ron pulled a face. "What about all the homework we've been given for the past three years?"

Maddie looked at him as if he were an idiot.

"Actually," he shook his head. "Never mind, that was a stupid question,"

"In my defence, I did do some Transfiguration homework, once!" Maddie said. "But I did it in the common room. And I copied Jake,"

"You're so gonna fail our exams," Ron said, letting out a laugh.

"And so what?" Maddie said. "We're only in our third year,"

"You're like the polar opposite of Hermione, it's scary,"

"Yeah, I know," Maddie said, as the class was dismissed and everyone began to head towards the door. "That's why I wonder why Jake actually hangs around with me, considering-"

She realised what she was saying and shut herself up.

"...Considering what?" Ron asked confusedly.

"Nothing, I'm waffling, ignore me,"

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"So... why is Maddie helping us?" Harry asked Ron, as they headed back to the common room for the night. Ron shrugged.

"I dunno, really," he said. "She saw one of the books I've got, about the Hippogriffs, and I tried to lie and stuff when she asked about it, but she's so nosy and she could tell I was lying, so I just... told her..."

Harry could not have looked more confused.

"And then when she realised it was against the Malfoys, she wanted to help," Ron said. "So I think it's just because she hates Malfoy..."

"Oh... yeah, that makes sense," Harry said, blinking, as they reached the portrait. "She was fighting with him and Pansy Parkinson, earlier. Probably Quidditch related..."

It was true - tensions were extremely high at the moment between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Even small scuffles had broken out in the corridors. Ron had found them quite amusing at first, until a nasty incident occurred where a Gryffindor fourth-year and Slytherin sixth-year both ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears. Then they just made him practically fear for his life.

Of course, it was mainly Harry getting all the shit. Ron didn't fail to notice several Slytherins trying to trip his best friend up on the way to lessons, and Crabbe and Goyle were definitely waiting to try and find the perfect moment to give him a hard time. Wood had even given instructions that Harry should be accompanied everywhere, in case the Slytherins tried to put him out of action. The whole Gryffindor house took up this challenge enthusiastically, and so Harry was surrounded by a crowd of swarming Gryffindors every time he left to go to a lesson. Maddie had found it hilarious, naming them the 'Potter Protection Squad'.

The night before the match, all usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room - even Hermione had put down her books, much to everyone's surprise. Apparently she couldn't concentrate on working, which couldn't be blamed.

Fred and George were dealing with the pressure of the upcoming game by being even more loud and exuberant than usual. Both of them, as well as their friends Lee Jordan and Milo Jontel, were happily jeering boisterously and making Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell laugh at their jokes.

There was a great deal of noise - and that was before the younger Jordan entered the common room. After that, it was just... mayhem.

"Mads!" Lee called over to his younger sister as she entered in high spirits.

"Loser-Lee!" The curly haired girl greeted, striding over to her brother and his friends alongside her own, wondering what it was he wanted this time.

"Alright, Mads?" The Weasley twins greeted.

"Frederinus!" Maddie said, giving the first a high five, before turning to the second and receiving a fist bump. "Georgini!"

"You're chirpy," said Lee.

"Well, tomorrow, gents, is the final game in which we will confirm the winner of the Quidditch Cup, which will obviously be the wondrous group of people that make up the house of Gryffindor," she said brightly. "Unfortunately I have to listen to my older brother's whiny voice over the top with his big fuck off megaphone-"

Fred and George laughed.

"-but I'm willing to let that slide as long as I get to witness the pretentious pricks that call themselves the Slytherin Quidditch team get absolutely crushed,"

"Your wish is our command, young Lee," Fred nodded.

"I'm nothing like Lee, what are you talking about?" Maddie pulled a face, casting her brother a dirty look.

"You're a lot like Lee,"

"Yeah, you're a lot like Lee,"

"Well then, fuck you all," she said. "I'm gonna go and talk to some decent people instead, like... Potty and Carrot-Top,"

"And I wonder who on Earth they could be?" Fred said sardonically.

"You'll have to figure that out yourself, Fred the Red," Maddie said, before backing away and heading over to the small trio by the fire.

"You lot alright?" she greeted, sitting herself with her back to the fire, immediately feeling the heat almost as soon as she sat down. "Lost your books, Hermione?" she added, jokingly.

"I can't work, I can't concentrate," said Hermione, nervously.

"That's what I always say," said Maddie. "It's a top tier excuse, I'd one hundred percent recommend, you even fool yourself,"

"Thanks for helping out with Buckbeak, though," the bushy haired girl said, her face brightening.

Harry seemed thankful the topic of conversation wasn't about Quidditch, at this moment.

"S'alright," Maddie smiled back. "I'm bored anyway, I could do with something to occupy me,"

Hermione restrained herself from mentioning the fact that they had exams soon.

"Plus, it's against the Malfoys, of course I'm gonna help bring down the blonde twats,"

Harry laughed.

"I haven't actually done anything yet, but I'll go to this library we apparently have and try and find some books. I've never been in there before but I doubt it's that hard trying to find books on Hippogriffs,"

"...Yeah, I'll help you," Ron said, pulling a face. Maddie was underestimating the size of the school library.

"Cool,"

"Alright?" A voice sounded behind them, and Maddie turned to see Jess and Jake joining the group. She'd wondered how long it would be until the blonde boy realised she was sitting and chatting with Hermione.

Jake sat down on Maddie's left, because that was closest to the bushy haired girl, whilst Jess perched herself on the edge of the sofa Ron and Harry were sprawled out on.

"You all set for Quidditch tomorrow?" Jess asked the Potter boy, and his face suddenly became very pale at the reminder.

"You're going to be fine," Hermione told him, though she looked positively terrified.

"You've got a Firebolt!" said Ron.

"Yeah..." said Harry, his stomach writhing.

It wasn't long then before Jess' older brother shouted for the Gryffindor team to go to bed, and so many students decided to follow in suit.

Maddie and Jake had been making a sign to hold up, and so decided to finish that off before making their own way to the dormitories - and well, despite being excited, all the effort gone into this particular sign caused the girl to practically fall asleep just as her head hit the pillow.

Which meant that she did not see the strange figures drifting across the grounds from the dormitory window, that particular night.

Ones that looked awfully like a cat and dog.

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"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled the oldest Jordan.

Maddie and her friends were currently amongst the stands, wearing their Gryffindor scarves. Maddie and Jake were holding a sign that printed 'UP THE LIONS' and Jess was holding two small flags with the Gryffindor lion printed on it.

"Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years-"

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of 'boos' from the Slytherin end.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill-"

Maddie snorted. Quidditch was one of the only times she could tolerate her brother.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly - it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Go on, Ollie! Gie it laldy!" The youngest Wood cheered.

Sometimes Maddie forgets Jess is Scottish, despite her accent. But then she sits next to her in a Quidditch game, and she starts saying stuff Maddie doesn't understand.

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three...two...one..."

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Maddie cheered loudly alongside everyone else in the crowd.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no - Quaffle intercepted by Ezra, Jaeden Ezra of Slytherin tearing UP the field - WHAM! - nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Ezra drops the Quaffle, it's caught by - Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina - nice swerve around Montague - duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Maddie, Jess and Jake all roared in delight, the two shaking their sign with excitement as Angelina punched the air, soaring around the end of the field.

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"What the fuck?!" Maddie shouted, the crowd alongside her booing.

"Sorry!" said Flint. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

Maddie cackled.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" Fred howled, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Flint, still bleeding freely, flew forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.

"Come on, Ollie!" Jess shouted.

"Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Maddie's brother told the crowd (as if they didn't know it already - she knew it was just because he liked the sound of his own voice). Flint was waiting for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass - very difficult indeed - YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

Harry was zooming about the pitch, gazing around for the Snitch.

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession - no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field - THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.

"What kind of fuckery is this?!" Maddie yelled, as if anyone was going to hear her amongst the outraged crowd.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING SHITS-"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way-"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

It looked as though Harry had seen the Snitch around the Slytherin end, as his broom sped off towards the posts, Malfoy immediately catching on and following.

"But he can't catch it, yet!" Maddie said. "We're not more than fifty points up! We'll lose!"

"Oh, Mads," said Jake. "If only you knew as much about Potions as you did about Quidditch,"

"I'd be Snape's favourite,"

"...Probably not, but I love the enthusiasm,"

One Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The two Slytherin Beaters were closing in on him, however he turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.

"Ha!" yelled Lee as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle - Flint alongside her - poke him in the eye, Angelina! - it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke - oh no - Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save-!"

But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end.

"FUCK!" Lee yelled, causing Professor McGonagall to try and tug the magical megaphone away from him. "Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession-"

It was turning into the dirtiest game Maddie had ever watched - and therefore the most entertaining.

Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger.

"Twat," Maddie had said.

George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.

Malfoy was still keeping close to Harry as he soared over the match, looking around for it once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead...

Katie scored. Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.

"Come on, Ollie!" Jess yelled to her brother.

"PENALTY!" Maddie shouted. "That's a penalty to us!"

Madam Hooch was beside herself.

"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"

And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Ezra, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands. Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal - seventy-ten.

The Gryffindor crowd was screaming itself hoarse - Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. All eyes were on him as he soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Malfoy speeding along behind him.

"Come on, Pots!" Maddie shouted, clasping her hands around the banner she and Jake were holding due to stress.

Harry put on a huge burst of speed and stretched out his hand - he must've seen the Snitch. But he began to slow, for Malfoy threw himself forward, grabbing hold of the Firebolt's tail, and pulled it back.

"For fucks sake!"

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee howled into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING BASTARDS!"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously. Maddie knew she was her favourite teacher for a reason.

Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal - Montague scores-" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor..."

"Come on, Lions!" Jake and Maddie chorused.

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"

Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper - they were all going to block her.

Suddenly, Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins.

They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty points to twenty!"

Harry, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.

And Maddie began screaming in hysterics because Malfoy was diving with a look of triumph on his face - there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, golden glimmer. Harry noticed this, as well, and urged the Firebolt downward. But Malfoy was miles ahead.

And still, Harry managed to reach him. He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and...

"YES!"

He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Maddie yelled so loudly she thought she might lose her voice - but she didn't care. Harry soared above the crowd, the tiny golden ball held tightly in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.

Wood was sped towards him, half-blinded by tears. He seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder.

"Wimp," said Jess, however from the look on her face, she was undoubtedly over the moon for her older brother.

Fred and George thumped Harry on the shoulders, as Angelina's, Alicia's, and Katie's voices, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" chorused, the team tangled together in a many-armed hug.

Maddie, Jess and Jake could not wait any longer, as they all joined the crowd of Gryffindors now spilling onto the pitch, rushing forward to share their excitement with the rest of the team.

What a match.

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A/N: I'm so excited to get to the end of POA! Plus I just realised how much I love Oliver Wood omg bless his soul 🥺

I just wanted to say happy new year! Let's hope this year is better for all of us after the shit show that was 2020 <3

I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought!