The first week of March had come. After the Ravenclaw and Slytherin match had occurred, the houses endlessly speculated what the matchup would be like between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

"Are Rollie and Oliver going to be a good matchup?" was a question I overheard all too much.

"I can't wait, it's going to be a good one!" was another I heard.

And finally, "Oliver is going to crush Hufflepuff. He's going to take out all his rage on them."

"With all the buzz going on through the halls about the match, aren't you nervous, Rollie?" Bran asked one evening at dinner.

"Nah, not really," I said. "Back at Huntshrow, there would be conversations like this all the time with my matches. If anything, it just gets me more pumped up."

"Aren't you worried about Oliver playing with some extra intensity? You know, since he saw you holding hands with Magdalene?" Daphne asked. "Because as your teammate who will be sharing the field with you, I'm a little worried."

"Yeah, me too," Edna said.

"I mean, maybe a little, but it'll be a good match. Should be fun and competitive," I said.

"But I'm also worried about those birds. What if it happens again and they attack you?" Edna said.

"Everything turned out all right in the end. Besides, they didn't come out for the Slytherin-Ravenclaw match," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but they didn't come out for the Slytherin-Gryffindor game either," Edna said. "Only for our game."

"It's not like we have much of a sample size, only three games." Daphne shrugged. "You think a Slytherin was behind those birds coming in?"

"Very possible. They have some real troublemakers in that house. Don't forget, Leon conjured a massive troll last year,” Brand mentioned.

Daphne shook her head. "No. Let's not speculate on rumors. I'm sorry I brought it up. I just have a natural curiosity about it, that's all."

Bran and Edna lifted an eyebrow at Daphne, but I understood where she was coming from.

***

The morning of the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Quidditch match, Oliver rounded up the whole team in the common room while everyone else already left to go to the field. Magdalene walked to the stands with a friend, but she wanted nothing more than to stand in the Hufflepuff section and root for Rollie and his teammates. She would feign excitement for any Gryffindor successes.

"This is an important match today, everyone," Oliver boomed. "Every game is critical, but this one is special. Let it be known that the dirt-bag mohawk punk on Hufflepuff stole Magdalene away from me. Yeah, that's right. This match means something. If you miss a play, not only are you letting down Gryffindor, but you're letting me down. I drive this team, and I will, for the next two years. Get used to it. We're not going to lose today. It's just not possible. We're going to be celebrating after our match. Let's go out there and claim our victory!"

All of Gryffindor roared with delight and sang a fight song in the common room before they skipped out into the halls. Although on the way to the field, chatter broke out among the teammates. They had no idea Rollie had stolen Magdalene away from Oliver. Looking back, his outburst in the Great Hall had made so much more sense. No one could even remember seeing Rollie and Magdalene together, but their captain was never wrong. They owed him a victory.

***

In the Hufflepuff locker room, Daphne assembled all of us together with our gear on.

"We had a strong start to the season with Ravenclaw. Let's keep that going with a winning streak, something Hufflepuff hasn't done in years! Let's honor Helga, Sprout, and all the other Hufflepuff students and alum. Let them look at this season as one of the greatest in Hufflepuff history. We have a tough opponent today with Gryffindor. They're undefeated ever since Oliver hit puberty at the start of year three, but don't let that frighten you. We've done well in practice this past week. If we stay focused and play hard, we can win this game. But you have to give it your all! Now, let's go out there and make Hufflepuff proud!"

We all cheered and threw in our fists for a chant, and then we stormed the field with our brooms clutched at our sides.

Agatha Hart’s voice droned out through the speakers on the field. "Welcome, everyone. Are we ready for another riveting display of aerial athleticism and a parade of unchecked egos?”

"Agatha!" McGonagall snapped, her voice bled through to the microphone.

I couldn't help but chuckle. Staring across the field, the army of burgundy and gold glared forward.

"I'm not sure how I said anything offensive." Agatha sighed. "But McGonagall scolded me. Let's focus on the game. Can they get it started already? What's the holdup? I'm not getting any younger up in this booth."

Down on the ground, we all shared one last intense stare. Oliver scowled at me, and I gave him a smirk. Madame Hooch blew a whistle, and we all lifted up off the ground, flying like shooting stars up and down the field. Edna was cutting through the air, hogging the quaffle and taking it into the Gryffindor territory. She threw it to Clark, and he shot it through one of the hoops.

"Ten points for Hufflypuffy," Agatha said. "That's first blood, baby. How will the Gryffindors respond?"

I was proud of them and took a moment to clap as the quaffle came back into play. Oliver scolded his teammates. I studied Oliver first before searching for the snitch. Then he locked eyes with me, many yards away. We stared at each other, floating in midair.

Stolen story; please report.

The snitch flew up just a few feet away from him.

Unbelievable.

Oliver swiped, but the snitch buzzed away, and Oliver lost his balance for a moment but recovered and tailed after the snitch. I couldn't be bothered by the action in the air except for Agatha's monotonic voice, "Daphne punched the quaffle away with an uppercut. Hufflepuff hangs onto the lead."

I was in hot pursuit behind Oliver. He was going above the speed limit, no doubt, but I surpassed him.

Madame Hooch blew a whistle, and Oliver threw his elbow into my side, and I got knocked slightly off-balance, but I steered back into his broom, smacking him into a tailspin.

The whistle screeched again.

"Wow. Look at the bollocks on mohawk boy," Agatha announced.

"Agatha! You say something inappropriate one more time, and you'll never be able to announce a game again!" McGonagall hollered.

I halted my speed and watched Oliver regain control of his broom. Madame Hooch flew over to both of us.

"Each of you drew a penalty so they'll cancel each other out, but under no circumstance is that behavior going to be tolerated! You can't go over the speed limits, and you certainly cannot hit each other! If it happens again, you'll both be tossed out, and you might even be banned for the rest of the season."

Oliver laughed. "You wouldn't do that."

"Try me, Rheinholt. Just try me."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Sorry."

"Won't happen again, sorry," I said.

Madame Hooch glowered as she flew back over to the center of the field and blew her whistle.

"All right. The one interesting thing happened already. Can someone find the snitch soon, please?" Agatha announced.

Don't worry, Agatha, I'll wrap it up soon.

I focused through the landscape for a moment and spotted the golden twinkle zipping back and forth. Without looking back at Oliver, I jetted to the opposite side of the field, hanging close to the stands. The snitch was speeding away from me, and then I heard someone's uniform flap louder and louder from behind. Oliver entered my periphery, but I didn't take my eyes off the snitch. We both lunged our hands forward at the same moment, just as the snitch floated in between us. I never grasped harder into grabbing that stupid metal ball. I reached so far, I fell off my broom, and so did Oliver. In the split second of our reach, I had no idea if I had it or not. But something was in my grasp.

Was it Oliver's fist? Or was it the snitch?

I couldn't tell as I plummeted down below. My eyes were fixed on the ground, and I was worried I would break my neck. Any moment Madame Hooch or someone would save us. Right?

Just as we were about to make impact on the ground, I noticed we slowed down just enough to crash but not break any bones.

Thump!

My body ached all over.

I groaned, but my hand was still tightened into a fist. I held it to my eyes and unraveled my fingers. The golden ball winked at me with its shine.

My jaw dropped, and I chuckled to myself.

"Thank you very much, Rollie, for wrapping up the game in a quick manner," Agatha said. "Hufflepuff has the snitch and has won the match. Hufflepuff is now 2 and 0. Congrats to them, since they've been used to a culture of losing for so long."

The crowd roared with cheers and clapped like fireworks.

"Get up, yankee!" Oliver screamed.

I turned around, and Oliver marched his way over to me, rolling up his sleeves and hurling his pads off to the side.

I didn't care at that moment. I was going to drop him with a right hook just beneath his eye. The sweet spot I always found to deal the most damage and hurt like none-other.

I grinned once we were a couple feet apart.

I knew how to fight. I would throw the first punch. My body was on fire, and I had to make a statement that I was the stronger man.

Just as I was within arm's reach of him, I stopped.

Grandpa is up in the stands.

The whistle blew.

Oliver pummeled my face with a bone-crushing strike, and I collapsed. He nailed me right on the eye.

The whistle screeched.

The crowd of students and teachers gasped.

The whistle wailed.

Oliver launched his leg like a catapult into my abdomen. Then another.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Madame Hooch shouted, and Oliver stiffened up like a statue. She waved over a few Gryffindors. "Take him to the locker room! Now!"

They carried Oliver away with his leg cocked back, reminding me something out of a muggle cartoon. Edna landed on the ground next to me and reached out her hand to help me stand back up.

"Thanks," I said, dusting myself off.

"You have a black eye, Rollie." Edna pointed and chuckled. "But more importantly... You found the snitch!"

All of my other teammates came flying down and nearly tackled me. They all beamed and sang:

"Oh Hufflepuff the Just and Loyal!

Always patient and unafraid of toil!

Through life may we always beee

Virtuous in our victoryyy

Forever may we cherish the yellow and black

The colors that have always had our back

Thank you Helga for uniting us all,

For when we win we'll have a ball!"

I was taken to the hospital wing by Madame Hooch where Madame Pompfrey would take care of my black eye.

"That's okay. I'd be down to keep this here." I smirked.

"Mister Magpie, you may think you look 'cool' having this bruise, but it's my responsibility to remedy it."

"But the black eye helps get girls. What am I supposed to do now?"

"I don't find this banter amusing." She held up her wand to my face, and it glowed a bright yellow. "Good news. I was worried you had a mild concussion, but you're fine. You may leave whenever you want. Looks like you have some visitors, though. By the way, nice game, Mr. Magpie."

My grandpa patted me on the back and said, "Oh Rollie, you're a natural out there. You make me so proud, you have no idea," his voice grew shaky. "Well, if you're all good to go here, I'm happy to take you and your friends to Hogsmeade for some butter beers."

"That'd be great." I turned around, and there was Daphne, Bran, and Edna. Each of them beamed at me and screamed with glee.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

"What's up y'all?" I chuckled.

"You have to come to the common room, Rollie! Everyone is waiting for you. We're losing our minds in there!" Bran yelled.

"Yeah, I'll be right there. Grandpa, do you mind if we wait before we go to Hogsmeade?"

"Not at all! Go have your fun. I'll go and visit Hagrid in his hut out on the grounds. Always nice to visit an old friend of mine."

I invited my friends to join my grandpa and me at Hogsmeade, and they all happily agreed. We raced down into the common room where every Hufflepuff stood in a circle. They pointed and yelled as soon as I walked in.

"He's here!" the Hufflepuffs shouted.

That's when they started singing "We Are The Champions" by Queen.

I couldn't help but crack up. At the end of all of them singing the chorus, I hollered, "But we aren't champions yet! We can't sing that song!"

"No," Clark shrugged. "But! You know what? We beat the champions from last year and the year before, and the year before that one too! So, yeah, it feels like we're the champions today!"

They all roared in celebration. While it was amazing to be the Hufflepuff hero for a day, all I could think about was how I wanted Magdalene by my side.

Gosh, she must be so uncomfortable right now, secretly celebrating the Hufflepuff win.

As we finished singing, I left the common room with Daphne, Bran, and Edna, and right outside in the hall, Magdalene was sitting up against the wall. Her face lit up.

"I told Magdalene to meet us here after the game!" Bran said.

"Hey, that was a pretty amazing match!" she ran up to me and clutched me in a hug.

"Thank you so much," I squeezed her back.

I invited her to join us for dinner at Hogsmeade with my grandpa. We all went and had a marvelous time. My grandpa made Magdalene laugh multipled times in our lighthearted conversations. It was relieving how well Magdalene fit in with everyone. We also bonded over our music taste. It was a picturesque evening. Better than any night I'd ever had back in the U.S.