Quidditch World Cup Match - India vs. Peru

The day of the Quidditch match between India and Peru dawned grey and chilly, with high-speed winds buffeting the pitch. The stands creaked and swayed slightly, many spectators wrapping their scarves more tightly around themselves and shivering. A few minutes before the start of the game, at one end of the pitch, the Indian team was still huddled, discussing strategy. The Peruvian team was nowhere to be seen. Finally, ten minutes after the game should have started, the referee decided to call it a forfeit.

However, at the last minute, six red-clad players rushed on to the field, followed by the final player, Reserve Keeper Reyes, who was pulling on Quidditch robes over Muggle clothes, clearly having been pulled from work at the last minute to play. They hastily mounted their Firebolts as the impatient referee gave an imperious hoot of the whistle and tossed the Quaffle up in the air, signalling the game’s beginning.

Chasers Kumar, Chatterjee, and Agarwal immediately swooped in, Chatterjee deftly snatching the Quaffle and streaking down the pitch towards the hoops, flanked on either side by Kumar and Aggarwal. Peruvian Chaser Torres was quick to intercept, only to be put off by a neat Bludger in the broom tail by Beater Mukherjee of the Indian team. The remaining two Chasers, Chasers Vargas and Mendoza swooped in determinedly and managed between the two of them to take possession of the Quaffle, turning around sharply and weaving through the other players as they reached India’s hoops and shot, only to be blocked neatly by Keeper Kapoor, who threw the Quaffle across the field into the waiting hands of Agarwal, who passed to Kumar - then Chatterjee - then Agarwal again, before scoring with no trouble against Keeper Reyes, who dove, only missing the Quaffle by a hairsbreadth.

Then the Peruvian Beaters Morales and Castro made a strong appearance, battering the three Indian Chasers with a constant rain of Bludgers as they attempted to score. Through this, Seeker Pérez squinted through the clouds, searching for the telltale metallic glint that revealed the snitch. Seeker Sudha, the Indian seeker, did less of this, instead making lazy circles above the pitch. Suddenly, the latter dove, breaking through the angry struggle for the Quaffle below her. Seeker Pérez followed suit, just in case she had seen something he hadn’t, though he doubted it.

The fans drew in a gasp of suspense – was this the famed Wronski feint? – when Sudha pulled up, six feet from the ground. Pérez, too close behind her, didn’t stop in time, barrelling into her and sending them both spiraling through the air. Behind them, Chaser Chatterjee scored four times against Keeper Reyes, before once again relinquishing possession. As Pérez flailed through the air, trying to stay on his broom, he glimpsed the very metallic glint he had been searching so hard for. In a final, suspenseful moment of decision, he let go of the broom, snatching the snitch out of the air before crashing to the ground, seven feet below him. There was a shriek among the crowd, but after a moment, he stood up, nose bleeding, raising his clenched hand victoriously.

The cheering was deafening, and the Peruvian team performed a victory lap before touching down besides their Seeker and raising him up on their shoulders in celebration. The Indian team touched down, shaking hands with the victors. The final score was 150-140, an extremely close match. Both captains declined to comment after the match, but they were seen congratulating each other warmly after the celebration died down. Overall, it was an excellent match, with suspense and sportsmanship all around.