Bella and the Chamber (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty One

I didn't sleep well Friday night, I was too busy thinking about the upcoming Quidditch match and what will happen if we lost. So much pressure was on my shoulders and it made me realise why they didn't let anyone my age play the game, it was intense and dangerous. I knew we would all try our best, but even I know that facing the team with the fastest brooms was going to be tricky. 

Since I fell asleep late Friday night, I was up late Saturday morning. If it wasn't for my alarm blaring I would have missed breakfast for sure. I quickly got up, dressed in a simple jeans and T-shirt combo, brushed my hair and teeth and went down for breakfast. When I arrived at the Great Hall, I saw the rest of the Gryffindor team and Harry already down there.

I sat down next to Harry and helped myself to some pancakes. 

"You look as nervous as I feel," Harry muttered. 

I scoff. "That's an understatement."

We didn't speak much, we were too tense. 

Eleven o'clock quickly approached and the whole school started to make their way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air which made me nervous, hopefully, a storm won't come and ruin the game. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish me and Harry good luck as we entered the changing rooms. I pulled on my Gryffindor robes in the girls' area and put my hair up before sitting down with the rest of the team to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.

"Slytherin have better brooms than us," he began, "no point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -" 

"Too true," George muttered. "I haven't been properly dry since August"

Wood ignored him. " -and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team"

I nodded agreeing with him. The Slytherin team will be eating their pride when we win the game. Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Harry.

"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to"

I patted his shoulder. "So no pressure, Harry"

Harry looked nervous. I gave him a long side hug and he seemed a little more relaxed after that.

As we walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted us; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," Hooch said, "three...two...one..."

With a roar from the crowd to speed us upwards, we rose towards the leaden sky. I got into my place, making sure to keep Harry in my sights. I scowled when I saw Malfoy fly next to him and mutter something to him, I let my anger go on the Quaffle that had just been thrown in an attempt to score by Slytherin. 

Cheers were heard from the crowd when I stopped another Quaffle and Wood patted me on the back. As a I dodged another Quaffle, I noticed a Bludger change directions and head straight to Harry. 

"GEORGE!" I screamed pointing to the Bluder and George hit it towards Adrian Pucey.

I smiled in relief and kept my eyes on the Quaffle. But I felt as though something was wrong. When I looked up again, I saw the same Bludger head towards Harry but George hit it towards Malfoy. The Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head. I gasped.