mystery player

James was just about to reply when he spotted a figure flying towards them. "Lucy" he smiled as he recognized her. After greeting him, the Slytherin inquired if he wanted to train with her. Before answering, he glanced at Sydney. He really longed for an opportunity to improve his flying abilities, but he felt bad about leaving the Ravenclaw alone. Fortunately, Sydney finally accepted to stay and watch them play. He gave her a thankful grin before turning to Lucy.

"All right, let's go then." James jumped to his feet and grabbed his broom with excitement. He still remembered Lucy's nearly spotless performance during their flying lessons when they were in their first year. "I have to warn you though, I'm still not fully confident on a broomstick. But I guess this is an opportunity to get better." he added with a smile. "So, how should we do this? Do we give the Snitch a few seconds to get away and then try to catch it?"

As soon as it was released from Lucy's hand, the tiny golden ball spread its silver wings and darted away from them. It moved at tremendous speed, changing directions so fast that James would lose sight of it for a moment before spotting it again when it paused and hovered in place. How on earth am I supposed to catch that? he wondered with concern, aware that staying on his broomstick was already challenging enough for him when he didn't have to worry about the Snitch.

Glancing at Lucy, he caught a glimpse of her focused expression as she prepared to take off. Determined not to let her perceive his doubts, he tightly gripped the handle of his mount. "Deal." he smiled when she proposed a bet, his tone more confident than he truly was. "On three?" he inquired, excitement and apprehension equally present in his thoughts.

As soon as Lucy gave the signal, James stomped the ground and felt his feet leave the grass. A gust of cold wind swept his face, and the frisky evening breeze crawled into his robes. His hands slightly trembled as he rose higher, and his heart was pounding, but he couldn't tell if it was from thrill or fear. Perhaps the two went hand in hand. He loved that about flying, along with the sensation of boundlessness it procured. The sky spread infinitely before him, a dark shade of blue, speckled with heavy grey clouds.

Glancing at Lucy, he saw that her long hair was all over her face, covering her eyes. Slowing down, he waited for her to put it away, as he didn't want to gain an unfair advantage. When she had, they exchanged a hasty smile, and both darted towards the minuscule golden sphere.

His broom slightly vibrated from the speed, yet the Snitch was brisk and agile, and every time he believed they were getting closer, the little ball would suddenly vanish and reappear out of their reach. James had eyes only for his target. He didn't dare look down, or any other direction. He just fixed the Snitch, utterly concentrated on his task.

Just as they cruised around the hops, he risked a glance to his right. Lucy was there, a few yards away, level with him, her hair blowing in the wind as she slid gracefully through the air and her eyes focused on the prize. This is not going to be easy. he told himself as they dashed side by side.

There was no place in James's mind for anything beside the Snitch. He had always had that determination and uncommon focus, whether it be when brewing a potion or flying a broomstick. He would just utterly concentrate on the task ahead, and be oblivious to everything else around him. Yet despite his effort, Lucy seemed to be gaining the upper hand. With every twist and turn the lighter and more agile Slytherin moved closer to the target. At one moment, the ball was within her reach, yet as a little yellow bird fleeing from mighty predators, it eluded her grasp and stormed in the other direction.

They kept dancing relentlessly throughout the field, spinning and bolting in pursuit of the unreachable golden sphere. James couldn't tell if the race had lasted for minutes or hours when he felt the touch of cold droplets against his skin. Before long, they turned into heavy drops that lashed violently on his face, perturbing his vision. He glimpsed at Lucy, yet the same determination animated the girl's eyes. Giving up did not seem to be an option.

Suddenly, the snitch took a sharp turn and plunged towards the ground. Without stopping to think, the two seekers instantly followed it. It was only when he saw the distance separating him from the grass that James realized how high they had been flying. His heart jumping a beat, he clutched the handle of his broomstick to avoid falling off. His hands began shaking as the little ball pursued its dive. The ground grew dangerously close, yet it still continued without any sign of slowing down.

We are going to crash, he thought, but then the Snitch abruptly shifted. Without even knowing how he did it, James managed to straighten up his broom at the last moment. Yet Lucy proved more adroit, and she was closing in on the golden sphere, which now darted parallel to the ground. James urged his mount to go faster as the edge of his toes skimmed through the grass. He was catching up with her, but her hand was now only a dozen inches from the snitch. Putting all his weight on the front of his broomstick, he extended his own hand. Come on, just a little more, he encouraged himself, feeling the blow of the tiny wings against his palm. However, the moment his fingers finally grasped the cold metal surface, he felt his other  hand sliding from the handle and the world around him turned to utter chaos. 

The next thing he knew, he was sitting on the lawn, his broom laying motionless a bit farther. He glanced at Lucy, who sat opposite him. Her long hair was soaked and her school robe covered in mud, yet James imagined he wasn't in a much better condition himself. It was only then that he realized his hand was still on the snitch. But so was hers. He remained silent for a moment, confused. "Looks like we'll both have to buy something when we go to Hogmseade." he chuckled.