"Where's Professor Lupin?" Tori whispered to Angelina. Snape was standing in the center of their Defense Against the Dark Arts class instead of the new well liked teacher on Friday afternoon.

"Professor Lupin says he is feeling too ill to teach today," Snape said with a twisted smile. "Now, all of you sit down and turn to page three hundred and ninety-four."

The class did so solemnly, realizing he was teaching them about werewolves. Tori raised her hand, "We've already learned about werewolves last year, Professor. We were about to start hags—"

"Then take this as a review, Miss Silvers."

"But sir—"

"Five points from Gryffindor. Now. Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" Snape asked the class.

Everyone sat in motionless silence, trying to remember. "Anyone?" Snape said. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between—"

"We told you," said a Slytherin girl suddenly, "We haven't gone back to werewolves yet, we're on—"

"Silence! Professor Lupin hadn't left anything about your lesson plan, so you will be silent unless I ask any more questions."

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.

"Very poorly explained... that is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia... Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three..."

When the bell rang, at last, Snape held them back. "You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand."

"Git," Tori muttered under her breath as they left the class. "He portrays them so terribly, I sort of feel bad for werewolves." Alicia sighed. "I'll see you guys. Good luck at the match."

Just before she entered the changing room, Tori saw Dove with Malfoy, laughing and pointing at Harry from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium. Tori rolled her eyes, wondering why they had to be so mean.

The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.

The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the pitch. If the crowd was cheering they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder. Tori was already soaked from being out there for five minutes.

The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the pitch, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Cedric smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded.

Tori saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." She pulled her right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over her broom, eyeing the quaffle in Hooch's hand like it was gold. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant— they were off.

Tori could hear Lee screaming over the howling wind as the match started. "Great weather for Quidditch, ain't it Professor?! The game is off! Chaser Silvers snaps past Chaser Retiz and soars off through the pitch. She passes to Chaser Johnson, who grabs that easily. Chaser Johnson takes it through, passing it to Chaser Bell, who scores! Ten points to Gryffindor."

There was a loud rumble of thunder as the rain continued to come pouring down. Tori was splashed with mud after trying to wrestle the quaffle away from one of the Hufflepuff chasers. She ended up falling off her broom and onto the field.

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Tori could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing the team to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.

"I called for a time out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here—"

They huddled at the edge of the pitch under a large umbrella. Tori could hardly hear anything. She squeezed out the end of her cape, letting the water soak the field.

"What's the score?" Harry asked, wiping his glasses on his robe. "We're fifty points up," Wood said, "But unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."

"I've got no chance with these on," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.

At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder, she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.

"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!" Tori shared a smile with her, understanding what she was doing.

He handed them to her and, as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"

"There!" She said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!"

Wood looked as though he could have kissed her. "Brilliant!" He called hoarsely after her, as she disappeared into the crowd. "Okay, team, let's go for it."

Tori mounted her broom, tearing through the crowd. Lee was screaming back into his microphone, but Tori could hardly hear him with the roaring wind.

Her heart was racing as lighting struck down next to her, nearly hitting the back of her broom. Fred managed to get next to her, screaming out to make her hear him.

"YOU OKAY?!"

"FINE!"

"Beater Weasley swoops off, taking a crack at a nasty bludger. Both Seeker Diggory and Potter head up into the clouds... I can't see them! Chaser Davies heads towards the hoops and oh! Are those dementors? Dementors! Potter! SOMEONE STOP HIM!"

Tori glanced over her shoulder to see Harry falling through the clouds. She immediately stopped what she was doing, turning around quickly. Her heart stopped, "Harry!" She whispered.

Dumbledore stood up, shooting his hand out. "Aressto Momentum!" He bellowed, slowing Harry down. Lee was still screaming for someone to catch him, McGonagall had to rip the microphone out of his hand. Tori could hear her praying.

Tori zoomed past the other players who sat there staring up at Harry. He was getting closer to the field despite his slow pace. Her mind was screaming at her, "CATCH HIM! CATCH HIM! CATCH HIM!" Tori timed it well, managing to grab the end of his robe.

Harry was a lot heavier than a quaffle, so Tori went down immediately, trying to pull up on her broom. She felt a spiking pain in her shoulder as she got off her broom, holding his unconscious body upright. Madam Pomfrey was on the pitch with a stretcher, taking Harry off seconds later.

Tori finally felt herself breathe once again, only to hear Cedric talking. "Please Madam Hooch, I didn't know! It's only fair for a rematch!"

"You caught the snitch fair and square, Mr. Diggory. I'm sorry, but that is how it has to be."

cedric's just trying to be a good sport 🥺😭