Thick Of It

The stands of the Quidditch pitch roared with anticipation as Ravenclaw faced off against Hufflepuff. The sky was a brilliant blue, with the golden hoops glinting under the sun, but the tension was palpable. It was Jason's first match as a starter .

Fred: "Welcome to today's match, folks! It's Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff, and we've got a debut to watch out for. Jason Bourne, the Ravenclaw rookie, is playing"

George: "Indeed, Fred. they're calling him very good Let's see if he's all broom and no Quaffle or the real deal."

Professor McGonagall leaned into the magical megaphone. "Let's focus on the game, gentlemen."

The whistle blew, and the game was on. The Quaffle soared into the air, and Jason immediately shot forward, dodging a Bludger that had been sent his way by a Hufflepuff Beater.

Jason intercepted the Quaffle cleanly, the leather ball slipping into his hands with ease. He scanned the pitch, his sharp eyes catching Randolph Burrow making a run toward the goalposts. With a flick of his wrist and a calculated curve, Jason sent the Quaffle sailing in a perfect arc. It landed precisely in Randolph's path, who grabbed it mid-flight.

Fred: "And there's Bourne with a pass so accurate it might as well have been delivered by owl post!"

George: "Except Randolph fumbled it! Keeper Amelia Greenwell denies the attempt! Someone's going to owe Bourne an apology after the match."

McGonagall, muttering to herself, "That was a beautiful setup. Shame about the finish…"

Jason wasted no time lamenting the missed opportunity. He swooped low, dodging a rogue Bludger, and intercepted a misjudged Hufflepuff pass. The crowd gasped as he spun mid-air, holding the Quaffle with one hand while scanning for options.

He spotted roger streaking down the left flank. With a sharp feint to the right to mislead a pursuing Beater, Jason launched the Quaffle in a slicing trajectory. It was as if time slowed—the ball whizzed just past a defender's fingertips and landed directly in Roger's hands. he tucked it close to his chest and bolted toward the goals.

This time, there was no mistake. The crowd erupted as Roger smashed the Quaffle past the Keeper and into the hoop.

Fred: "What a pass! Bourne's playing like a Seer up there—he's predicting moves before they even happen!"

George: "Absolutely clinical. He's got more precision than Snape grading an essay."

McGonagall: "Focus, boys. This is a textbook example of teamwork."

The game continued with a back-and-forth intensity. Jason was everywhere—intercepting passes, shielding his Chasers from Bludgers, and creating opportunities that seemed impossible.

At one point, he received the Quaffle from Duncan Inglebee, dodged two Hufflepuff Chasers, and sent a no-look pass backward to Randolph, who soared in for a goal.

Fred: "Did you see that? A no-look pass! He's playing like he's in a league of his own."

George: "Someone get that kid a chocolate frog card already."

Hufflepuff wasn't backing down. Their Chasers were relentless, scoring two goals in quick succession. Jason adjusted his play, dropping back to provide support for the defense. He intercepted another pass, this time from a Hufflepuff Beater, and immediately launched it into a high arc toward Roger, who barely missed.

George: "Bourne's passes are flawless, but someone needs to tell the Chasers to actually score."

Fred: "Maybe he should just do it himself at this point."

With the score tied at 40-40, the pressure was mounting. Jason hovered near the center of the pitch, his eyes darting across the field. He spotted an opening and bolted forward, catching the Quaffle mid-air. Two Hufflepuff players closed in, but Jason ducked under one and twisted around the other.

He feigned a pass to Roger, drawing the Keeper out of position, before sending a perfectly timed pass to Randolph, who slammed the Quaffle through the unguarded hoop.

Fred: "GOOOOAL! Bourne fakes out the entire Hufflepuff team! Did you see that deception?"

George: "He's playing chess while everyone else is playing Gobstones."

As the match drew to a close, Jason's presence had transformed Ravenclaw's play. His ability to orchestrate attacks and dictate the flow of the game kept them in control. With the score at 80-60, the Snitch appeared. Both Seekers dove after it.

Fred: "And there's the Snitch! Seekers are in pursuit!"

Jason, still focused, intercepted a Hufflepuff counterattack, sending the Quaffle into Randolph's hands for one final goal. Just as Randolph scored, the Ravenclaw Seeker caught the Snitch, sealing the victory.

The stands erupted in cheers as the whistle blew.

Fred: "Ravenclaw takes the win! Final score: 140-60!"

George: "And let's not forget the man of the match—Jason Bourne. What a debut!"

McGonagall, clapping enthusiastically: "Exceptional passing. Truly a game-changer."

As Jason landed, his teammates swarmed him, shouting congratulations.

Randolph: "Mate, those passes—how do you even see those openings?"

Jason: [grinning] "It's just vision, Randolph. And maybe a little magic."

Roger: "A little? You were orchestrating like you know what huffelpuff would do !"

-------

Jason and his group walked into the hospital wing, the mood a mix of concern for Harry and quiet chatter about the day's events. Harry was sitting up in bed, his arm heavily bandaged, though he looked slightly less pale than before.

Jason: "So, Harry, how's your health, mate?"

Harry: "Good... but it could be better," he said with a slight grin, though the wince that followed gave away the pain.

Hermione: "Oh, shut it, Harry. I saw you grimacing earlier when Madam Pomfrey made you drink that potion."

Vik: "What potion, Hermione?"

Hermione: "Skel-Gro. Madam Pomfrey's using it to regrow the bones in his arm. It's excruciatingly painful."

Tobi: "Wait... bones? As in the ones Lockhart vanished?"

Harry: "Sadly, yes. I tried to tell him not to fix it, but he didn't listen. Ended up making it worse."

Jason: "See? I told you guys he's not a good teacher. But Hermione here wouldn't listen."

Hermione: "What could I do? He's got all those awards, and his books are really educational."

Jason: "Well, the books are decent. That I'll give him."

Simon: "Ron, did you know Jason played Quidditch today?"

Ron: "No! What? Are you serious?"

Jason: "Yep. Today was my debut."

Ron: "You didn't even tell me?"

Jason: "It was a last-minute thing. No time."

Talia: "We were actually on our way here to see Harry when Roger stopped us and said one of the Chasers had stomach trouble."

As the group laughed and shared stories, a voice cut through the noise. Jeremy Stretton, who had been lying behind one of the hospital curtains, stepped out and strode toward them.

Jeremy: "It's you, Jason."

The group turned, startled by his sudden appearance.

Jeremy: "It was you who spiked my drink with that potion!"

Jason: "What?" He blinked, his voice calm but firm. "Why would I do that?"

Jason: "What are you talking about, Jeremy?"

Jeremy: "So you could take my position! Admit it!"

Jason: "Jeremy, I had no desire to do such a thing. I would've gotten that spot next year anyway."

But Jeremy wasn't convinced. His face twisted in anger as he grabbed Jason by the collar.

Jeremy: "Liar! If you didn't do it, why aren't you denying it properly? All you're doing is making excuses!"

Jason : "I didn't do it , now what?"

Jeremy : "again lies."

Jason : "I would like if you let go my collar Jeremy . you are not in your right mind."

Jeremy : "or what are you goining to do , this time poison me ."

The group froze, the tension thick in the air. Hermione gasped, and Ron immediately stepped forward, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Jeremy.

Ron: "Let him go. Now."

Behind Jason, Vik, Simon, Tobi, Josh, and the girls stepped closer, forming a protective wall. Jeremy hesitated for a moment, his grip tightening before loosening entirely.

At that moment, Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, walked in. He paused, taking in the scene.

Roger: "What's going on here? Jeremy, get your hands off him!"

Jeremy muttered something under his breath but obeyed, letting go of Jason's collar with a sharp tug.

Roger: "Jason, are you alright?"

Jason: "Yeah, I'm fine, Roger."

Roger: "Forgive him. He's in a bad mood. This match was important to him."

Josh: "Bad mood or not, that doesn't give him the right to threaten jason."

Roger: "Look, don't make this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Let's all cool down."

Jason gave Roger a tight nod but didn't look entirely convinced.

Jason: "I'm not playing alongside him anymore, Roger."

Roger: "Jason, don't be like that. Let's just take some time and talk this through later."

Jason turned to Ron, who still had his wand in hand.

Jason: "Thanks for standing up for me, Ron."

Ron: "No need to thank me, mate."

Vik, Simon, and Tobi exchanged guilty looks, clearly feeling they should have acted faster.

Hermione: "Are you sure you're okay, Jason?" Her brow furrowed in concern.

Jason: "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks, Hermione."

Padma leaned over to Freya, whispering quietly but audibly enough for others to catch.

Padma : "See? I told you Jason's different."

Jason turned back to Harry, whose gaze was flicking between the group and Jason.

Jason: "You get some rest, Harry. We'll check in on you again tomorrow."

Harry gave a small smile, and as the group began to leave, the room's tension slowly dissipated. Outside, the chatter resumed, but Jason remained quiet, his mind racing as he replayed the confrontation.