Today is finally the day of the final Quidditch match, and everyone is ecstatic. The game is scheduled for later in the afternoon close to dinnertime, so the students get to wander around the halls in their spirit clothing the entire day. There's nowhere you can turn without seeing the colors red, gold, yellow, and black.

The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws are sporting the red side of the school while the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins are wearing yellow. The Slytherins will do anything they can to root against the Gryffindors, while the Ravenclaws know that if Gryffindor wins, they still have a shot at beating them in the overall house points. Even most of the teachers are dressed up for the festivities.

The halls are crowded with pumped up students. The group of seven second years have a hard time walking through the school without accidentally ruining someone's red and gold firework spell. After they finally get through the parade, they find a table and settle down in the Great Hall like always for some breakfast.

"I'm nervous, but the excitement is overtaking everything! This is so much better than when I first tried out." Agnes has no trouble eating this morning. Her stomach is able to digest basically everything, almost completely forgetting what nerves are.

The doors suddenly burst open, and Jeff and Kyle run inside. Their faces are painted half red and half glittery gold with some of the paint getting in their hair. It's more noticeable with Kyle because of how light his hair is. Kyle also has his shirt off with a big, red 'G' over a very detailed lion painted on his chest.

"Fraternizing with the enemy!" Kyle jumps behind Agnes and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her out of her seat.

"AHH!" Agnes squeals as she is lifted into the air. Her face turns beat red when her arms are pressed against Kyle's chest. "KYLE, WHAT THE HECK?!"

Jeff and Julia exchange glances with wide eyes, not really knowing what's going on. Maria speaks up to hopefully save Agnes. "Woah, hold on! Alana and I are cheering for you guys today."

"Says as you wear Hufflepuff colors," Jeff mumbles.

Julia elbows him roughly in the side and growls, "Not helping!"

"Fine, but I'm watching you. If you sabotage my Seeker, I know where your common room is!" Kyle reluctantly puts Agnes back down onto her feet, but her legs for some reason are complete jelly and she falls back into her seat.

"Mr. Crown, please put a shirt on!" Professor McGonagall stands just inside the Great Hall under the doorway. "As much as I appreciate your house spirit, there are still regulations on - Mr. Miles! Take your wand out of Mr. Davis's nose!"

McGonagall turns and runs back out of the Great Hall, earning a laugh from the group. Jeff pats Julia's shoulder and looks between her and Agnes. "Game at 5, be there at 4:30, and don't forget!"

"LION ROAAAAR!" Kyle yells and sprints outside before he can be yelled at again. Jeff sighs, shakes his head, and jogs after him. He can't have one of his team members getting in trouble right before their big game.

"That guy is insane." Agnes shakes her head, now fully composed. She swings her legs back over the bench, but then pauses and gasps. "I left my new Quidditch goggles in Professor Sprout's room!"

"The ones you got from Christmas? Why were they in there?" Lauren asks, concerned for her friend.

"Yeah, I was testing them in outdoor environments to see how they would hold up yesterday. I have to go to the greenhouse before a Slytherin finds them and curses them with something! I'll be right back." Agnes checks to see if her wand is still on her belt before rushing out of the room. Everyone wants to follow her, but they know it would be a hassle for them to navigate through the crowded hallways. Instead, they stay and eat their food.

Agnes runs into a bunch of Gryffindors who roar at her when she passes, and she gladly roars back. She also passes some Slytherins who hiss, but she pays them no mind. She quickly passes through the courtyard to get to the other side of the castle with ease. The courtyard is empty because it's pouring rain, but Agnes doesn't mind. When she gets inside again, she's completely soaked in her short sleeved Gryffindor shirt and jeans. She knows when her hair dries, it'll be a lot frizzier than normal.

"Okay... greenhouses are this way," Agnes says to herself quietly. She starts walking down the hallway where there's only a few stray students. Almost everyone is occupying the other half of the school right now because they want to be around each other.

There's a flash of lightning and thunder booming loudly outside. Agnes stops and turns to look out at the courtyard. Another flash of lightning triggers her memory, making her think of Diagon Alley. Her memory trails back to what Katie said: There was a flash of light and a loud booming sound.

Agnes's ears perk up when she hears faint mumbling cutting through the raindrops. She looks to her right, but doesn't see anyone. Agnes forgets all about her goggles and her main mission, and starts walking silently toward the voice. She turns a few corners, the mumbling getting clearer, and when she gets deeper into the castle she spots someone.

The Gryffindor makes sure to keep her steps muffled and to keep a certain distance away from the person. When she turns the next corner, she is surprised to see its Professor Knisely, but something else makes her breath hitch. His robe at the bottom is torn, and looks like it's missing a piece.

Thank goodness her shoes aren't squeaking from the rainwater, or Agnes would have been caught five times already. Professor Knisely moves quickly, seeming to know exactly where he's going. Now that she's close enough, Agnes can hear what he's mumbling. "Gotta know. He has to tell me. It's my task. Tell me. I'll force him. I'll make him tell."

Heart beating uncontrollably, Agnes puts one of her hands over her mouth as she follows Knisely, not daring to make a sound. On his last turn, Agnes sees that she's in a somewhat familiar part of the school. The hallway with a giant, golden bird statue at the end of it. Agnes watches as Knisely stomps up to the statue, says the password, and rides the stairs up to Dumbledore's office.

From what she could tell, Knisely might be looking to hurt, or possibly torture Dumbledore. She has to hurry and warn Professor Dumbledore before Knisely does something drastic to him!

Agnes sprints up to the staircase before it could lower back down and climbs up to the top. The door is shut, but she finds that she can hear perfectly fine through it. Knisely doesn't seem to care how loud he's being, not thinking someone can overhear him. "Albus, now is not the time to meddle about and do nothing! I heard you talking with Minerva last week. I've said it once and I'll say it again, tell me who has it right now!"

"Lucas, calm yourself." Dumbledore's voice is gentle, and Agnes can almost see him raising his hands to make sure Knisely doesn't lash out again. "I have been forbidden to speak on the subject. You're not part of this, you must trust me."

"It's her, isn't it." There is a very long pause, and Agnes's heart beats out of her chest. She can feel it in her throat. Finally, Knisely asks again, "She has it, doesn't she? I'm not an idiot, I can put two and two together."

"Ms. Higgins will-" Dumbledore is about to explain, but Knisely cuts him off.

"She has no idea! It's not enough! Albus, if you don't tell me, I'll be forced to take matters into my own hands," Knisely threatens. There is another, shorter pause, but this one somehow seems less tense. It feels like Dumbledore has this under control.

"Lucas, there is only so much I am allowed to tell you..." Dumbledore sounds like he's pleading with Knisely at this point. Agnes leans closer to the door.

"Fine, but know this, her blood is going to be on your hands!" Knisely yells. Agnes can hear loud footsteps coming toward her, so she quickly makes her grand escape, only tripping down a few of the stairs. When Knisely opens the door to the office, he looks around, knowing something is off. He takes a step forward and steps in a puddle, which he finds a bit strange.

Agnes is on edge the rest of the day until it's prime time for the game. Julia tried to ask her what's wrong, but Agnes can't seem to talk about it. All she can think of is Knisely's claim: her blood will be on your hands. He was talking about herself, she's sure of it. What's going to happen? What does she have that he wants? The only time she stops thinking about it is when she's on the field, facing the Hufflepuff team.

"Higgins, Copper, Miles, Crown, Alkin, Miles, and Miller take to the skies! The Hufflepuff team is hot on their trail, gaining the ball first. However, none of that matters as Julia Copper dives in mid-throw to snag the Quaffle and throw it straight past the Keeper! Ten points for Gryffindor, and no sign of the Snitch!" Amy has let Alana announce this entire game, and so far she's owning it.

Agnes wasn't able to find her goggles, so she had to use some of the old ones from the Quidditch shed. Even with the goggles on, she can barely see anything through the thunderstorm. How is she going to be able to spot the Snitch in this weather? She is currently hovering above the Slytherin stands, and she can hear them all yelling insults at her. Of course they'd be the furthest away from the teacher's stands.

"Well, if you can't find it, then fly around." Agnes remembers the rule Jeff taught her during one of her later practices. She felt really bad for missing so many practices before, and decided to have a one on one practice with him to improve.

Agnes swoops between Chasers from both teams and flies lower to the ground. The Hufflepuff Seeker follows her closely, believing she found the Snitch. Agnes glances behind her to see how close the other Seeker is to her broom, but her eyes widen when she sees something even more valuable. A golden ball with wings flapping quickly, buzzing right by the Hufflepuff Seeker's feet.

The Gryffindor hoists her broom upward, making her do a backflip in the air. This makes the other Seeker very confused and he doesn't know where to go. Agnes was his leader. Before he can run into the stands, the Seeker is forced to make a hard left turn. Agnes reaches forward and tries to grab the Snitch, but a Hufflepuff Beater whacks a Bludger at her head. Agnes ducks, but the side of her goggles get grazed by the ball and become lopsided on her face.

It feels like her eyes are rolling around her head and she can't see straight. Agnes's long hair clings to her neck from the rain, and when she shakes it to clear her thoughts, it sticks to her face too. Kyle flies up to her and yells, "Oi! Higgins, you okay?"

"Fine... just twisty." Agnes tries to take a deep breath, but ends up inhaling a few drops of rain.

The wind picks up and Kyle has to yell louder in order for her to hear him. "Don't focus on the other players! We are up 50 points! Either hold out for as long as possible, or catch the Snitch! Hufflepuff's only hope is to catch the Snitch before we can be ahead of them by 150 points!"

"Okay, sounds like a plan!" Agnes yells back and takes off flying. Kyle follows her back into the arena, gripping his bat.

Great, now she's lost sight of the Snitch. She spots the Hufflepuff Seeker and is content upon seeing him also at a loss. At least he doesn't know where it is either. The game goes on for another hour it seems, Gryffindor struggling to stay ahead by more than one hundred points. The Hufflepuffs were able to put some numbers on the board and the score is now 210 to 130 with Gryffindor in the lead. Agnes has been staying low to the ground to help against the harsh wind, but hasn't seen the Snitch since she almost caught it.

Agnes peers above her to see the sun starting to set when she finally sees something golden flying right in front of the horizon. Alana jumps in her spot, gripping her microphone with two hands and shouting, "It looks like Agnes Higgins has found the Golden Snitch!"

The Snitch taunts the Gryffindor. When she gets close to it, the ball speeds away. Agnes anticipates the movement, and makes a gentle turn to speed after it. Cutting through the rain, Agnes slowly gains on the flying sphere. She doesn't care about how cold the droplets are against her face because she knows the victory will warm her right up. If she can just reach the Snitch.

"AGNES HIGGINS HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Alana throws her hands up in the air and the microphone slides out of her hand. It's tossed behind her and crashes down between Dumbledore and Snape's seats. Professor Dumbledore chuckles and claps, but Snape scoffs and stands up to head back inside.

Still going remarkable speeds, Agnes holds the Snitch up with one hand and flies around the stands. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws go nuts when she passes them, reaching up to high-five her other hand.

No one is able to change into their pajamas yet because they are all ushered into the Gryffindor common room for a party. Agnes puts her hair up and snuggles into the pile of blankets the older Gryffindors threw on her when she walked through the portrait. Kyle jumps onto a couch to be above everyone else and raises a golden goblet above his head. "To the Gryffindor Quidditch team!"

The common room cheers and Kyle downs the red liquid that was inside the cup, some of it spilling down his chin. The entire party is chaos. Julia, Joel, and Tyler pass around small pillows across the entire room while people try to jump and catch them midair. Lauren, Alana, and Maria went to the kitchen, which is right by the Hufflepuff common room, to get a bunch of food. Even though their team lost, Maria and Alana are more excited for Julia and Agnes winning their first finals game. None of the Gryffindors seem to mind either, just as long as they're not in the Slytherin house. The three strays spend half their time in the Gryffindor common room anyway, so it would be even more weird if they didn't attend the party.

Giant pints of Butterbeer that are about the size of Ethan's forearm clink together throughout the common room. The younger Copper child is having the time of his life, not knowing what he would do if he was stuck at home during all this excitement. Hannah hangs out with him during the party, knowing this type of setting isn't for her. By the time everything dies down, Julia has a massive migraine and rests a cold glass that used to hold Butterbeer on her head while she lies on the couch. Agnes, Hannah, Ethan, Lauren, Maria, and Alana are spread out on couches as well despite everyone having gone to bed already.

"Ugh, gross. I have detention tomorrow with Knisely." Agnes flops onto her stomach and drones out her complaints, giggling at the end. She may have had a bit too much Butterbeer for her stomach to process.

"Good luck with that." Lauren chuckles from her seat. She lets Julia rest her head on her lap and she rubs her hair to help her headache.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. He's a professor, it's not like he can do anything while you're in the school." Hannah tries to help Agnes feel better.

"Anyway, you were pretty good out there. Both of you." Alana picks a few empty glasses up off the floor and stacks them on a table.

"Well, you're the best announcer ever. I've never heard someone so passionate and energetic in their voice as you did today." Agnes smiles, half of her face still squished from the couch cushions. Alana turns to her and smiles, genuinely too happy to say anything back.

"That game was so much fun. All three of you were excellent." Maria tiredly opens her eyes and looks at Julia, Agnes, and Alana.

The other Hufflepuff stretches and yawns, finishing stacking up the glasses. "I'm going to go to bed. See you all in the morning."

"But, Alana! All nighter!" Agnes whines, not wanting her friend to go back to the Hufflepuff common room just yet.

"Nah, you know me, Aggie. Sleeping on couches is not my thing. I'll wake up bright and early tomorrow so we can hang out before your detention." Alana gives Agnes an awkward hug and says goodnight to the rest of her friends. She makes sure she has everything before leaving the common room to go to her own.

Agnes and the others stay awake for a bit longer, talking more about the game. Julia laughs, her headache dying down. "How do you think Peeps feels after watching you snag that Snitch?"

"I'm sure Agnes is going to hear it from him tomorrow!" Lauren rolls her eyes with a smile on her face. "He never shuts up. In Herbology once, he kept flicking the wrong soil around and it was getting into the pots."

"Ohhh, nothing gets past prefect Lauren!" Agnes straightens her posture, a gesture she usually does whenever she mocks someone playfully. "There was a smudge on that first year's shirt! He must go to detention! Oh, what horrors!"

"So what if I am a prefect when I become a fifth year?" Lauren puffs out her cheeks and flicks her head so that some of her hair flies behind her shoulders.

Maria stretches out on a couch and smiles. "Then you'll be the most law abiding prefect this school has ever seen."

"Says as she helped in making a secret potion," Ethan says, making everyone laugh.

Hannah comes up with a better joke. "Says the one who knew a child broke into Hogwarts and didn't report him immediately."

"Lauren, you'd be the most rule breaking prefect this school has ever seen! And it's only our second year!" Agnes chuckles, making everyone laugh at how loopy she is.

The friends talk for a few more hours, but as they stay awake, their bodies grow even more tired. Despite their plans to stay awake all night, everyone falls asleep on the couches of the Gryffindor common room.

Agnes wanders the darkly lit hallways, only faintly recognizing where she is. There are knight armored statues along the walls and torches that give some light. She holds her wand out in front of her, pointed forward. Agnes's voice echoes through the hallway as she says in a shaky tone, "Show yourself, coward!"

"So brave. Not unlike that night in the village." Agnes freezes in her place, recognizing the voice. It was the chilling voice of the man who attacked her at Hogsmeade.

"What do you want?" Agnes blinks, the room seeming to glitch around her. Voices echo in her head, but she can't make out what they're saying. They are all speaking at the same time, making it sound like gibberish.

"WHERE IS THE MAP?!" The man hollers, not caring if he wakes up half the school. Agnes can't hear what she says next, but a moment passes and the cloaked man points his wand at her. Agnes's body seizes up as a flash of green light washes over her, and she falls to the ground, her heart not beating.

"AHHHHHH!" Agnes yells and sits up rapidly. Her quick breaths help her mind process that she's in the Gryffindor common room, still on the couches beside the fire. Her pajamas cling to her body because of how badly she's sweating.

Her scream wakes up Maria, Ethan, and Julia who were sleeping closest to her. Julia bolts awake and looks out the window, seeing it's still dark. "Agnes, what happened?"

"I had a... it was..." The three become very concerned and more awake when they see Agnes's state. They wake up their other friends and Agnes tells them her nightmare. "I don't know why, but I have a strong feeling like it was the future or something. Come on, we have to go there... to the hallway."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Maria feels a lump form in her throat and her fingers play with her sleeves.

"We have to! In the dream, I was alone. That means if you all come with me, then it won't happen. I'm telling you, it happens in the future. Maybe tomorrow night when I have my detention!" Agnes stands up and grabs her wand just in case.

Seeing that no one can talk her out of not going, the friends all follow her out of the portrait and into the castle halls at night. Lauren holds Julia's hand, whispering things like, "We are going to get in so much trouble..."

Agnes leads everyone across the castle. Her, Maria, and Hannah cast Lumos with their wands to make sure they can see the paths ahead of them. Ethan stays close to his sister, a bit frightened at the dark and empty halls. They luckily don't run into any teachers. After a while of walking, Agnes leads the group across the courtyard and into another hallway. After getting further into the castle, Agnes starts to recognize where they are. This hallway has torches lining the walls just like in her dream. She points her wand light to the walls, but sees no armored knights.

The Gryffindor takes a left instead of a right only because of a gut feeling. Now in another corridor, this one has torches and armor along the walls. Agnes's steps quicken, and everyone follows her to the middle of the hallway. When she gets to about where she saw herself in the dream, Agnes stops and turns back to her friends. "It was right here, I think. I was facing this way, and the man was in front of me there, just past that suit of armor."

Lauren breaks away from Julia, casting the Lumos charm with her wand as well. She starts looking around, trying to find any clues. Hannah steps from one foot to the other and says, "I still don't like this. I don't think we'll find anything anyway."

"Yeah, shouldn't we come back when it's daytime?" Maria is starting to get really creeped out by the darkness and the silence, so she huddles by Julia and Ethan.

"No, I just... guys, I'm telling you, I have a feeling that we are missing something. Maybe something from my dream." Agnes puts a hand on her chin and tries to think of anything that can help.

Lauren gasps and takes a step backward, her wand pointed at the ground. "Agnes..."

"What?" Agnes and the others turn to where Lauren is staring. They can't see anything that well, so they walk closer to her in order to get a better look. Ethan and Maria squeeze Julia's hands, their mouths open in horror. Hannah drops her wand, its light going out when it hits the ground. No one can say a word as they stare down at Alana's lifeless body.

Agnes falls to her knees. She has never screamed more loudly in her life.