A gong sounded and the teams started marching into the quidditch pitch. The announcer started to speak, his voice magnified by sonorous.
"And here enter the Montrose Magpies who are playing their first game against the Wimbourne Wasps this season!
"First is Captain and Chaser, Hamish MacFarlan!
"With him are the other Chasers, Clifton Alfson and Ferdy Osbourne!
"They are closely followed by Beaters, Alister Brekinridge and Cameron Ewart!
"Behind these two hefty men are two beautiful, slim girls! Keeper, Jeanette Gibson and Seeker, Maisie MacLeod!"
Two young women stepped out onto the quidditch pitch. One was blushing heavily and the other staring straight ahead.
The announcer started again:
"Now come the Wimbourne Wasps, with Seeker, Emmet Heath as Captain!
"Behind him are the Beaters, Grier Morse and the legendary Ludovic Bagman, known to his fans as simply Ludo!"
A tall man with blond hair and a gleaming smile stepped onto the pitch. Even the opposing team's fans caught their breath for a moment as they remembered all the matches which had been said to be won mainly by Ludo Bagman.
"Here come Chasers, Keiran Summers, Karl Simpkin and Lyndon Watkins! Finally, of course, last but not least, and certainly the most charming, Keeper, Dayna Kirkland!"
But the cheering they received was not as loud as it had been for the other players. After Ludo Bagman no player was as good.
"Captains shake hands! And may the best team win!"
Ludo Bagman looked up to the announcer. "Well, of course my team is the best! It's got me on it!"
Laughter was heard from the stadium which the announcer tried to ignore.
"Players mount your brooms. Five, four, three, two, begin!"
Fourteen brooms flew up into the air.
"Osbourne has got the quaffle! He is about to throw it! Oh, what's this? Bagman is batting a bludger towards him! But Ewart is right behind and he sure wants his team to win! He bats a bludger right into Bagman's head! Owwwwww… Looks like he might have a concussion, what do you say Healers?"
Two Healers that were bent over Bagman's prone form nodded.
"You may be right, Madison," one said.
The Healers took Ludo off the field and started murmuring a spell over him.
"Well, the game must continue!" the announcer said. "Now that the Wimbourne Wasps' best player is off the field, they have to start playing a better game. Let's see how well they fare! Players, up!'
Thirteen players rose into the air.
"MacFarlan has got the quaffle! But Morse bats the bludger at him and he has to duck, letting go of the quaffle!
"Now Summers has the quaffle! He throws into the hoops…Gibson catches it…0-0 all!
"Oh, look! It seems like MacLeod has seen the snitch! Wait…noooooo….
"But she has seen the quaffle! And so has MacFarlan! He's got it…he's throwing it…it's in!"
Ludo Bagman, now awake and drinking a potion, yelled at his Keeper. "Darn, Kirkland, if I hadn't had this stupid injury I could have saved that quaffle!"
The Keeper looked down at him. "Yeah, right," she called.
"And while Kirkland is replying to Bagman's boast the quaffle goes straight in! 20-0 to Montrose!
"Simpkin has got the quaffle! He throws it to Watkins and Watkins throws it into the hoop! Gibson catches it, fumbles and it's in! 20-10!
"Oh, gosh, MacLeod is flying somewhere and it looks like she knows where. Has she seen the Snitch? Yes! Heath is behind her, but it doesn't seem like he'll be able to catch up!"
"Blast it, Emmet, fly faster!" Ludo yelled.
"I can't!" the Captain replied.
"MacLeod is about to catch the snitch, but it flies away and hovers next to Heath's ear. He could catch it, but he's too busy talking to Bagman! MacLeod catches it and the game ends 170-10 in favor of Montrose!"
"I could have caught that snitch!"
"If you're so good at everything," said Ludo's captain testily, "Why don't you join England's National Quidditch Team?"