Quidditch

It cannot be said Celena was indifferent to her fiancé's betrayal, but she didn't experience the hollow, terrible feeling of total loss she thought she was supposed to feel after her initial shock about being betrayed died away. But strangely, she was just sick to her stomach whenever she thought of it, quick to convey her mind to other venues. And even more peculiarly, the excitement of the memorable night when she brewed Reviving Potion for Angela was like balm to her wounds.

Timothy Whitechapple was a brilliant, talented young wizard with a glorious future ahead of him, but maybe he wasn't such a great catch after all, Celena reasoned, if he found it possible to get engaged to another woman without bothering to explain anything first.

Celena didn't read the social column again after that day, so she didn't know whether Timothy already married Alexa. Frankly, she didn't want to know, and she didn't try contacting him either. She didn't want to think what would happen if she received an owl from him one of these days.

She was happy she had enough on her mind to keep her going. Her lessons were becoming more challenging now that her younger students have mastered the basics, and she had plenty of essays to read through and rate every night. She also continued giving private lessons to Dennis Creevey each Monday. She found it pretty much pointless at first, because Dennis almost always achieved top grades for his homework; but during their one-on-one sessions she noticed Dennis was indeed very slow when it came to practical work, although sometimes she almost got the impression he was faking it.

- Now, Dennis, - she said one evening, trying to keep frustration away from the tone of her voice when once again, the Jaded Jelly he was supposed to make looked like a mix of sand and mud, - I know you can do it properly, I saw your work in class today –

- I – I don't always work entirely on my own in class, - Dennis replied, rather guiltily, - sometimes Martin gives me a hand when I'm having a hard time. But I know I need to work on my own.

- Well, then, let's try once ag – Celena started, but at that very moment Dennis knocked his cauldron over and semi-liquid mess splattered the floor.

- You know, Dennis, I think we'll have better luck next Monday, - she said exasperatedly, cleaning up the dirt with one wave of her wand, - tell me the truth, did you prepare for today's lesson at all?

- Not much, - Dennis admitted quietly, avoiding looking at her, and added hurriedly, - I mean, I did a bit… I know it's no excuse, Professor Costello, but we have Quidditch practice four times a week now, and tonight we even skipped dinner to be able to stay longer –

- That explains it, then, - Celena said firmly, - you are just hungry, aren't you? How would you like to have a bite to eat with me, Dennis?

- Thanks a lot, Professor Costello, - he said, the tips of his ears going red, - the truth is that I'm starving. But we won't eat here, right?

- Of course not, - Celena smiled, - Dobby!

The elf appeared out of thin air with a loud "crack".

- You is wanting something, Miss Costello? – Dobby asked in his high-pitched little voice, staring at her adoringly.

- Yes, Dobby… I wondered – could you bring some tea and sandwiches up to my office?

- Dobby will do anything for Miss Costello! – Dobby said, puffing up his hairy chest, - Dobby is hearing about Miss Costello's bravery, and Dobby says, I is always knowing Miss Costello is noble and kind to all creatures!

- If you mean what happened to Angela, Dobby, that was my duty as Master of Potions in this school, - said Celena. She rarely flushed brighter than now. Dennis stifled a little laugh he disguised as a cough; Dobby wore odd socks and three hand-knitted hats, one on top of the other.

- Miss Costello is as humble and modest as she is noble! I'll have your tea brought right away, - he added, bowed so low that his long, pencil-like nose almost touched the floor, and disappeared with another "crack".

- Oh, he's always like that, - Celena shrugged, trying to sound matter-of-fact, - come on, Dennis, or the tea will get cold before we go upstairs.

Dennis only looked up when he finished his fourth sandwich, and Celena was halfway through her buttered crumpet.

- Thanks a lot, Professor Costello, - said Dennis, draining his teacup in one huge gulp. – I wouldn't have lasted until breakfast. We have been training really hard all week.

- Playing against Slytherin next weekend, I've heard? – asked Celena, adding sugar to her tea.

- Yeah, - Dennis brightened, - we'll show them!

- Surely, - Celena smiled, - and even though I'm not supposed to take sides, as a teacher, since this is a private conversation I feel I can tell you I will be definitely supporting Gryffindor. …When Dennis arrived in the common room that night, he found Martin and Melissa doing their homework by the fire. Samantha had already gone up to bed. Both of them had running noses from the long and rainy Quidditch practices they had all week. Dennis was the team's captain and Keeper; both Martin and Melissa played Chasers. Dennis slumped into a comfortable squashy armchair next to his two friends, and stretched his legs with a look of utmost satisfaction on his face.

- Hi there, - said Melissa, - are you hungry? Your brother and his friends were nice enough to save us something from dinner.

- It's awfully sweet of Collin, - Dennis said slowly, the expression of extreme smugness etched all over his features, - but I'm not hungry. I just had tea with Celena.

He was grinning so broadly he didn't even notice Martin blotched his piece of parchment because he was shaking with silent laughter.

- Oh, - said Melissa, raising an eyebrow, - how did your lesson go, then?

- Well, she calls me Dennis now… - he said dreamily.

- Did you get that trick of the Jaded Jelly this time? – asked Martin.

- … And she knows we're playing against Slytherin next week, and she said she will definitely support Gryffindor…

- Of course she will support Gryffindor, - said Melissa, sounding almost as exasperated as Celena not long ago, - I mean, she's alright, isn't she? And she's a friend of Hagrid's.

Dennis suddenly sat very upright in his armchair.

- A friend? A close one? – He demanded.

- Don't be stupid, Dennis, - snapped Martin, - if you asked me, but I know you never will, I'd tell you to drop these ridiculous private lessons and stop calling Professor Costello Celena and knock everything over whenever she's around…

- No, you wait, - Dennis cut across him mid-phrase, a manic gleam in his eyes, - you just wait till you see what I'm planning for Christmas!

…

Melissa Hanson was quite right, of course. Celena, indeed, hoped Gryffindor would win the upcoming Quidditch match because Hagrid was her friend, and because – although, as she kept trying to tell herself, as a teacher she was supposed to be unbiased – she couldn't help disliking most of the Slytherins and tried to avoid being near their Head of House, the hook-nosed, surly Professor Snape, as much as possible.

So next week on Saturday morning, she wrapped a red scarf around her neck and pinned a crimson and gold rosette to the front of her robes, and then went down to the Quidditch pitch with beaming, excited and nervous Hagrid. She noticed about three-quarters of the spectators – nearly everybody who wasn't in Slytherin, in fact – were wearing this or another red garment. They found seats in the front row. Snape was sitting at some distance from them, upright and stiff, wearing green-and-silver gloves and a rosette of matching colors.

Celena was pleased to see the Gryffindor team was clearly better trained – they acted like one being rather than like seven separate minds. Seeker Samantha Gardner was light, agile and speedy and mastered her broom like it was part of her body.

It wasn't that the Slytherin team was bad, either; but it was clear that the two most important people on the team were the two fierce Beaters, Wilkies and Darthy, who swung their clubs menacingly, looking rather like a pair of trolls.

This particular Quidditch game was neither long nor too nerve-wrenching. For about half an hour, the crowd enjoyed watching Martin and Melissa trying to score while dodging the Bludgers aimed at them by the Slytherin Beaters' blows; but the score was only forty-twenty in Gryffindor's favor when Samantha Gardner caught the Snitch and the red and gold crowd erupted in cheers and applause, while the team landed, all of them in a many-armed hug, although the face of Dennis Creevey could have looked happier after such a spectacular win. Samantha was patted by everyone on the back, Hagrid cheered louder than anyone, Celena clapped until she couldn't feel her hands anymore – the first Quidditch game she watched in many years! Snape looked more unpleasant than ever. When Celena passed by him, she distinctly heard him saying to the Slytherin Seeker: "Pathetic, Davenport, you had it right under your nose!"

… - She could have caught the Snitch some minutes later, - murmured Dennis as he walked back to the castle with Martin and Melissa, Samantha lingering behind in her circle of fervent admirers, - I mean, we all know Samantha's brilliant, but I didn't even have the chance to save anything.

- You're raving, mate, - Martin said seriously, - even if Samantha knew what this was all about, she would never risk losing a game just so you could impress Celena…