CHAPTER TWENTY: WEASLEY IS OUR KING

Five days had passed and it was the morning of the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Fred had endured more rigorous training along with his team mates and they were ready to go.

George plonked himself down next to his brother Ron that very morning with a sigh, he already donned his Quidditch uniform ready for the match just like Harry.

"Where's Fred?" Ron asked, munching on breakfast.

"Good morning to you too," George rolled his eyes. "I don't know, he wasn't in his bed when I woke up."

"Huh," Ron shrugged his shoulders.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and stopped her spoonful of porridge on its journey to her mouth. "He's been rather absent recently, as has Lucy."

George glanced up at her from his breakfast. "What're you saying, 'Mione?"

"Well those two have always been pretty close," she shrugged.

"There they are," Harry nodded in the direction of the doors to the Great Hall.

Everyone turned to where he was looking and there were Lucy and Fred making their way into the hall. Like George, Fred was already dressed in his Quidditch uniform and was talking to Lucy animatedly.

"They sure look happy," Ron observed.

"Do you think they — " Harry began.

"Hi, everyone," Fred interrupted and took a seat. Lucy sat next to Hermione.

Everyone mumbled their greetings and Lucy turned to Hermione. "Are you coming to the Quidditch match?"

"I've got study—" Hermione began but was cut short.

"Great! I'll see you there."

Hermione looked at Rom. "Ronald, you really should get dressed in your Quidditch robes, everyone else has."

"Breakfast comes first, 'Mione, you should know that by now."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

*

When breakfast had been depleted and Ron had gotten changed, they all headed down to the Quidditch pitch.

"Good luck," Lucy smiled at Fred before they parted.

He saluted her. "Thank you, my lady."

She tried to pull a face at him but couldn't help but laugh. Fred, George, Harry and Ron all headed onto the pitch while Lucy and Hermione found a seat in the already busy stands. Hermione looked at Lucy with an excited look on her face, as soon as they sat down she erupted in excitement:

"If you and Fred aren't dating by now then I'm going to ask him out for you!"

"Goodness, where's this all come from?" Lucy frowned and played oblivious.

"Well you've clearly been spending a lot of time with him, George says he's been missing for a while and you have too so tell me!"

Lucy peered over her shoulder, then to her left and then to her right to ensure her father wasn't in the vicinity. "Alright, fine we have been spending some time together — " (Hermione looked delighted. "But you can't tell a soul, of it gets back to dad he'll freak."

Hermione placed a hand on her heart. "Scout's honour."

"What?"

"It's a muggle thing," she shook her head and before Lucy had chance to respond Lee Jordan began to yell into the microphone:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the first Quidditch game of the season; Gryffindor versus Slytherin!" He paused briefly to let the applause erupt. "I give you — the Slytherin's!"

There was a collective mix of disappointment and cheering as six green blurs zoomed from one end of the stadium out into the air for all to see. Hermione and Lucy merely clapped for the rivals.

"And now for the Gryffindors!" Came Lee Jordan's voice again.

Six red and gold blurs made their entrance on the other side of the stadium and stopped in the air so they were opposite the Slytherin's. Hermione clapped politely while Lucy stood and gave an almighty cheer, it encouraged those around her to cheer even louder. She'd always helped lead the spirit of the Gryffindor's from the very beginning which came as a shocker to many as she was the Potion masters daughter after all.

Then the balls were released, the whistle was blown and the game began. Lee Jordan, as per usual, was shouting frantically in an attempt to cover all the action. Lucy wasn't sure the commentary on Hogwarts games would ever be the same without him:

" — Johnson with the Quaffle now! And she narrowly misses a bludger! Careful now, Crabbe's a good shot..."

But his voice was drowned out by the chanting of the Slytherin's watching the game:

Weasley is our king!

He always lets the Quaffle in!

Ron, who was now near where Lucy and Hermione sat turned as red as his hair. It has clearly thrown him off his concentration, as before he could get to the goal posts the Quaffle was thrown in:

"Slytherin scores!" Lee Jordan tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible for the opposing team. He lazily clicked a button so the score declared that Slytherin now had ten points.

'Come on, Fred,' Lucy thought to herself. 'Show the Slytherin's what you've got.'

As soon as the thought crossed Lucy's mind, Fred whacked a bludger with his club and it headed straight towards Draco Malfoy. He ducked just in time and Fred swore under his breath in defeat.

WEASLEY IS OUR KING!

HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN!

The Slytherin's chanted louder this time, the Gryffindor's looked disgruntled at how inconsiderate they were being. But it fuelled Fred into action, he ducked a bludger then held up his club and it went heading towards Goyle. It caught him on the shoulder and threw his balance off of the broom. He righted himself but it gave George the opportunity to smack it in his direction again, this time it knocked him off of the broom. He fell to the ground but luckily didn't suffer much of a fall as he was so close to the ground.

"Those boys are vicious when they want to be," Hermione watched on in awe.

Lucy nodded silently in agreement.

*

"AND HARRY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" Yelled Lee Jordan after what felt like forever.

Hermione and Lucy searched for Harry and then they saw him with his arm triumphantly in the air. Draco was crestfallen and Crabbe and Goyle weren't pleased either. Fred zoomed over to Harry on his broom and gave him a high-five:

"Nice one, Harry! It was starting to get rough out there."

"You're right especially with the Slytherin's — "

"Do you like our chant, Potter?" Malfoy smirked as he headed towards him, apparently not defeated enough to return to his usual conniving ways.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry glared at him.

But was Draco was already satisfied he'd got a reaction and went to fly down to the pitch when Fred grabbed hold of his robes before he got chance, pulling him back.

"What was that all about? Spreading the word to all your Slytherin friends to purposely distract our team?" Fred was livid.

Draco tried to ignore Fred's grip. "We were just showing our support that's all."

"I'm not stupid, Malfoy, I know what you were doing — "

They heard a pretentious cough below them and saw Umbridge standing on the pitch, she was joined by a few teachers including Snape so they could break up any fighting if it happened to occur.

Fred gave one last glare at Malfoy before they both landed followed by George and Harry.

"Yes, Professor Umbridge?" Malfoy asked, knowing his track record was clean.

But she was already looking at Fred. "I suggest you make your way down to my office, Mr Weasley — " she peered behind him at George. "And you as well."

"But I didn't do any — " George began.

"You were there and you were involved, now don't dawdle, please head to my office." She began walking away leaving Fred and George to stand there in shock.

*

Fred slammed the door to Umbridge's office and headed out of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, George stormed alongside him.

"Kicked off the team for reprimanding the golden child," George scowled. "I can't believe it."

"And yet I can," Fred was equally as angry.

"Fred! George!"

They both looked up to see Harry, Hermione, Ron and Lucy all running towards them.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"We've been kicked off the team," George shrugged and handed his broom to Harry who took it with wide eyes, Fred did the same.

"What?" Ron was astonished. "Angelina will kill you!"

"What's done is done," Fred shoved his hands in his pockets. "It was nice being your teammates , we've enjoyed the ride."

"But Umbridge decided our time was up."

Everyone was crestfallen. Including Lucy: "So you're not going to fight back?"

"It's our last year anyway," George muttered and politely excused himself, too upset for chatter.

"I'll be the one to break it to Angelina, it'll be better from someone else," Harry said and headed off.

"We'll come with you for moral support," Hermione said.

"But I want to—" Ron started.

"Come along, Ronald!" Hermione barked and grabbed a hold of his arm, pulling him out of the corridor.

"I'm so sorry, Fred," Lucy looked up at him sympathetically.

"It's okay, we had a good run," he admitted.

Lucy reached up and kissed him on the lips. "I've always admired your passion for Quidditch."

Her kiss was so unexpected, it lifted his spirits a little and he couldn't help but return it.

He'd face Angelina's wrath later.