Wronski
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland, 15th January 1953
The Polish landscape looked like it had come straight out a fairytale – rolling hills dotted with tiny gingerbread-like houses which were dusted with snow. In the middle of what would look like a field to any normal Muggle, crowds of wizards cheered as the Grodzisk Goblins sauntered onto the Quidditch pitch, brooms in hands.
Apolonia Mazur … Feliks Kaminski … Lucja Nowak … Krzysztof Kowalski … Gwidon Lewandowski … Elzbieta Wisniewski … and Jozef Wronski!
Jozef was famous, and he knew it. He waved, grinning at the thousands of fans that screamed his name. He and the other Goblins would flatten the opposition – the Warszawa Wanderers. And with that match, they would win the season.
Snow was falling lightly as the players mounted their brooms (this was a common occurrence in Polish Quidditch matches). The referee blew the whistle, and …
They're off! Mazur … Nowak … an interception from Baran, to Kozlowski … ooh, a close hit from a Bludger there – he drops the Quaffle, and its caught by Kaminski …
The visibility wasn't great in the snow, and Jozef found himself shivering every now and then in the cold. All he had to do for now was keep the Wanderers' Seeker, Zofia Lisiewicz.
… And Kaminski scores! That's Ten-Nil for the Grodzisk Goblins …
Where was the Snitch? It had been thirty minutes now, and Jozef was getting impatient. The crowd seemed to be getting a little bored, too. Wait; he had an idea. It would be just what they wanted … a little bit of excitement. Now – this would be interesting.
… And what's happening over there? Has Wronski spotted the Snitch? He shoots down, Lisiewicz hot on his heels. Ooh, this is a dangerous move for the famous Seeker. His fans won't be pleased if he gets hurt! This is a close one … he's only a few feet from the ground, is he going to fall off … no!
He pulls out quickly from that vertical dive, just in time, as Lisiewicz falls onto the ground! Ouch, that must've hurt. The Healers are on the pitch, is the poor girl alright? Phew, she is …
The crowd went wild for Jozef – they loved it when he did something special. It was what made him famous, after all.
Wait … was that the Snitch? He zoomed away, reaching out, preparing to grab the tiny golden ball. His fingers closed over it …
And the Grodzisk Goblins have won the game!