Harry Potter and the Girl Who Never Died

Chapter Twenty-Three: Quidditch

On Sunday, by eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Hermione joined Neville, Ron and Draco in the top row. As a surprise for Camellia, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Isolt molted all of his fur on and had supposedly been thrown away. It said Riddle for President, and Neville, who was good at drawing, had done a large Slytherin Snake underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours.

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Camellia and the rest of the team were changing into their emerald Quidditch robes (Gryffindor would be playing in red).

Flint cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Camellia.

"And women," Flint agreed. "This is it."

''Let's win this year as well!''

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you!''

Camellia walked out, her shoulders square, broom held with pride, and she walked onto a field, greeted by cheers.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Camellia noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the their Captain.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Camellia clambered onto her Nimbus Two Thousand, watching, as her twin did the same.
Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor -- what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too--"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve- back to Johnson and- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle up there- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and -OUCH- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes- she's really flying- dodges a speeding Bludger- the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina- Keeper Bletchley dives -misses- GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

''GO ON CAMELLIA!!!'' The four friends yelled at the same time.

Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.

"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."