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𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 was the first qudditch game of the year. And hopefully, it was going to be a good one. Marina had never lost a game and was one of the fastest chasers at Hogwarts. But she had three wonderful fans to thank for her winning streak. Pavarti, Lavender, and Ginny. The three happened to be always in the front row of the stands with her initials painted red on their faces and large banners that had been charmed to move.
As Marina munched on her porridge, the quidditch team and her friends sat with her.
"It's going to be a tough one," said Oliver, who wasn't eating anything.
"Well we're gonna win. We always do." Marina told them with confidence.
"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Katie Bell soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."
But it was definitely more than a bit of rain. Something that Marina was cursing for. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. As Marina and Harry walked to the locker rooms, they spotted Malfoy and his goonies snickering at them under a large umbrella.
"Go fuck yourselves!" Marina screamed as Harry held her back.
The Gryffindor team changed into their red quidditch robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come
. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.
The wind was so strong that Marina saw Ginny fall sideways in the stands, next Lavender and Pavarti (who were holding a large MARINA sign) as she walked onto the field. But Marina wasn't never nervous, she never was. Quidditch was in her blood, literally. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder.
"Do you know what a handkerchief is Harold?" laughed Marina, making Harry smile slightly as rain was splattering over Harry's glasses.
The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood (and Marina; who winked back) but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded.
Marina saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount Your brooms."
Marina pulled her right foot out of the mud with a splash and swung it over her Comet Two Sixty. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant — the game begun.
