Faith .|. H. J. POTTER ✔

Chapter forty-nine

Angelina had already changed when the three fifth-years entered. Everyone was chatting with each other whilst putting on their robes. Ron tried his best to put them on correctly but he kept trying to do his back-to-front until Faith decided to help him. It was obvious he was very nervous, and now with those badges from the Slytherins, it was not going to get better.

"OK, I've only just found out the final line-up for Slytherin," Angelina said, grabbing a piece of paper from her robes. "Last year's Beaters, Derrick and Bole, have left, but it looks as though Montague's replaced them with the usual gorillas, rather than anyone who can fly particularly well. They're two blokes called Crabbe and Goyle, I don't know much about them -"

"You have got to be kidding me," Faith muttered at the mention of those names.

"We do," Both Ron and Harry said.

"Well, they don't look bright enough to tell one end of a broom from the other," Angelina said, "but then I was always surprised Derrick and Bole managed to find their way to the pitch without signposts,"

"Crabbe and Goyle are in the same mould," Harry told her. 

From above them, they could hear footsteps and cheers which meant the stands were filling up. A lot of them were singing but Faith couldn't really hear what song it was. 

"It's time," Angelina said after a look on her watch. "C'mon everyone ... good luck," They all stood up from the benches, grabbed their brooms and followed Angelina out of the dressing room into the sunlight. They were greeted by roaring spectators, all excited for the game to start. 

The Slytherin team was already waiting for them, all of them wearing those badges too. Malfoy smirked at them, made eye contact with both Harry and Faith and tapped the badge on his chest. 

"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hooch said loudly. Faith saw the strong grip Montague had on Angelina's fingers as if he was trying to crush them, but Angelina held a strong face. "Mount your brooms ..."

She blew the whistle, the balls were released and all fourteen players shot up in the air. Faith immediately flew to Angelina's side who had caught the Quaffle first. 

"And it's Johnson - Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me -" Lee Jordan's voice rose above all the loud cheers and singing. 

"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall shouted. 

"- just a fun fact, Professor, adds a bit of interest - and she's ducked Warrington, she's past Montague, she's - ouch - been hit from behind by a Bludger from Crabbe ..." Faith had to dive to for her to not get hit by the Bludger but it brought her away from the Quaffle which Angelina dropped. It was caught by Montague. Faith quickly tugged on the end of her broom to spin around and to fly under Montague, Katie by her side. 

"Montague catches the Quaffle, Montague heading back up the pitch and - nice Bludger there from George Weasley, that's a Bludger to the head for Montague, he drops the Quaffle, caught by Katie Bell, Katie Bell of Gryffindor ..." Katie passed the Quaffle to Angelina who flew away with Faith on the other side. They were trying to meet just a couple of meters from the Slytherin goalposts. 

"- dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludger - close call, Angelina - and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's that they're singing?" Lee paused to listen to the song that was sung. Faith was too busy to keep her eyes on Angelina to be listening but she caught bits and parts.

"He cannot block a single ring ... Weasley is our King ... lets the Quaffle in ... Weasley is our King ..."

That was horrible. It made Faith think of how Ron was doing, all alone by the goalposts, probably distracted by the song. But Faith had to keep her head in the game, to help Ron prove them wrong.