The crowd was roaring. The wind was sharp, biting through the chilly air as you soared on your broom, the golden snitch flashing just ahead of you. The game was intense, and the stakes were higher than they had ever been. This was more than just a Quidditch match; this was about proving something—yourself, your skill, your worth. And in that moment, nothing else mattered.

Not even Lily.

The ball was flying, the other team closing in, and you could feel the eyes of the entire school on you. You heard the shouts of your teammates, the jeers from the opposition, but all you could focus on was the snitch, twinkling in the distance. Lily, usually your constant support, was calling out from below, urging you to stay alert, to remember that the match wasn’t the most important thing. But you couldn’t hear her anymore.

You dove toward the snitch, leaving Lily’s voice behind. The game was about winning. The match was almost over, and if you caught that snitch, it would be over. You could feel the adrenaline pumping, your heart racing, ignoring the nagging feeling in the back of your mind. This was your moment.

But in your pursuit of victory, you missed it.

The other team, playing aggressively, cornered Lily, knocking her off her broom in a way that should have never been allowed. It all happened in a blur—the crash of her fall, the collective gasp from the stands, the panic as she struggled to get back up.

But you... you didn’t stop. You didn’t look. You kept your eyes locked on the snitch, and in doing so, you left her behind.

You caught the snitch, winning the match, but when you landed, the celebration was muted. You rushed to find Lily, thinking that everything would be fine now, that you’d just celebrate your victory together like always. But you found her in the locker room, her face a mixture of hurt and fury, her eyes blazing with a fire you’d never seen before.

—“What the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded, her voice breaking through the haze of victory. "I thought we promised… I thought you promised you’d have my back no matter what, that I’d never be alone out there."