Chapter 7
Quidditch
About two weeks later, it was the first Quidditch game of the season. Harry was so tired and sore because the captain, Oliver Wood had been making them practise every morning and every night before dinner. He was so tired that he actually fell asleep in his favourite class, Defence, and had to be shaken awake by Ron. Harry also fell asleep in Astronomy, and Sirius woke him up by lightly slapping him in the back of the head.
"Harry, what's going on? From what Hermione and Ron have said, you're falling asleep in every class, and you had to serve detention for Professor Snape the other day," Sirius asked quietly, during a class.
"Wood has us practising all the time. Once before breakfast, a little during lunch, once before dinner, and once after classes before we go to bed. I've also been up all night so I can finish my homework. That's why my marks might be dropping," Harry answered as he wrote something down after looking through his telescope.
"I've been wondering about your marks. Remus said your marks have dropped immensely in Defence. When is this training going to end? It's affecting your school work and marks too much," Sirius wondered aloud.
"After today's match. As soon as the match is over, I'll bring all my marks back up. Except Potions because my marks are like this all the time. Are you and Remus coming down to the match?" he told his godfather, while he looked through the telescope and wrote something else down on his paper.
"Here, Professor. I'm done," Hermione gave Sirius her paper which definitely was completed.
"Thank you, Hermione. Just read chapter five in the book we started last week," Hermione nodded and went to her seat, taking out a book: Astronomy for Third Years."Here. So will you two come to the match?" Harry gave Sirius his paper as well.
"Of course we will, but after the match, you have to get your marks up," Sirius eyed him.
"I will. I swear," Harry nodded putting his telescope away.
RRIINNGG! The bell rang, signaling the end of classes.
"All right. For Monday, I want a thirty-two inch paper on Uranus, its moons, and what is special about its rings in the wizarding world. Have a good weekend," Sirius called to the class of students. "See you at the match," he added to Harry.
"See ya. Hermione, Ron. I'll see you at the match. I need to get ready or Wood will lecture me. Bye," Harry said quickly, grabbing his bag and running out of the classroom.
"Welcome to the first Quidditch game of the season. Today's match is Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor," Lee Jordan spoke into the magical microphone.
In the change rooms, Harry was nervous. It was pouring rain outside; Hermione put a spell on his glasses so they would stay dry.
"Harry, the Seeker for Hufflepuff is Cedric Diggory. He's very good so you'll have to watch him," Oliver Wood told Harry.
"Oliver, I'm going to have a hard enough time seeing the bloody Snitch," Harry slightly glared at his team captain.
"Let's go," Gryffindor Chaser, Angelina Johnson stated and the team mounted their brooms and flew into the Quidditch pitch. Everyone in the crowds was in rain coats and was cheering loudly.
"Today's team for Gryffindor is Potter, Wood, Weasley, Weasley, Bell, Spinnet, and Johnson. Hufflepuff has Preece, Macavoy, Applebee, O'Flaherty, Derrick, Fleet, and Diggory," Jordan informed everyone. "The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game," the flying instructor, Madam Hooch walked into the middle of the field and stopped beside a box. She opened it and three balls flew out and around the pitch.
"The Bludgers and Snitch are released. Remember, the Snitch is worth one hundred fifty points. The Seeker that catches the Snitch ends the game," Jordan's voice echoed over the cheers. Madam Hooch picked up the Quaffle and threw it in the air. "The Quaffle is released...and the game begins!" All the players flew around doing what they were meant to do.
"Angelina Johnson scores! Ten points to Gryffindor," all the Gryffindors clapped and cheered as Angelina scored on Hufflepuff. The game went on for another half an hour. Gryffindor was ahead by only twenty points and Harry hadn't seen any sign of the Golden Snitch.
"Hufflepuff scores! Ten points! That leaves Gryffindor ninety to eighty," Harry sighed knowing if he didn't catch the Snitch soon, they might lose the game. Just as he was looking around he saw a glint of gold flying around. Harry knew what it was and he flew towards it. He chased the Snitch all over and Cedric Diggory had begun to follow. Harry followed the Snitch so high that he and Cedric couldn't see the Quidditch field. Harry stretched his arm out to grab the Snitch but then his broom almost stopped moving. He looked behind him to see Cedric holding the end of his broom, pulling him backwards. Cedric gave one last pull and it was so hard, Harry lost his grip on the wet handle and fell off his broom. As he was falling all consciousness slipped from him and everything went black.
Harry woke up on a bed and many people sitting around him, talking with each other.
"He looks a bit peaky," Harry heard Ron say.
"Peaky? What do you think, he fell over a hundred feet," one of the Weasley twins stated.
"Yeah. Come on, Ron. Let's throw you off the Astronomy Tower—" Fred or George said.
"—see what you look like," the other twin finished.
"Probably a slight better then he normally does," Harry smiled sitting up, Hermione gave him his glasses. Harry saw that many people were around his bed in the Hospital Wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team; Oliver Wood, Fred and George Weasley, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell. Ron, Hermione, Sirius, and Remus were also there.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, brilliant. Sort of anyways," Harry answered smiling.
"You gave us a good scare there, mate," Wood stated.
"What happened?" Harry asked, not remembering anything.
"You fell off your broom while you were a hundred feet in the air," Sirius informed his godson.
"Why did I fall?" Harry wondered, trying to remember himself.
"Apparently, according to Diggory himself, he was pulling on your broom and you lost your grip. Cedric caught the Snitch but it didn't count," Remus explained and Harry's eyes grew wide.
"You mean we won the match?" Harry asked hopeful.
"Yep, but there is some bad news. Ron," George answered and Ron stepped forward, carrying a blanket with something in it. Whatever it was was in many pieces.
"When you fell, your broom, it sort of blew into the Whomping Willow, and...well..."Ron picked up a piece of what previously was Harry's Nimbus 2000.
"You have got to be joking? We still have one more match against Ravenclaw, then it's the Quidditch Cup and it's against Slytherin. I don't have a broom. What am I supposed to do?" Harry cried taking a piece of his broomstick.
"There is one thing you can and probably have to do," Hermione told her friend and Harry looked at her with a blank look. She looked at everyone then whispered something in his ear.
"No way. I said I'd only use that for the Quidditch final," Harry exclaimed.
"You don't have much of a choice, Harry. You're lucky you have it," Hermione shrugged.
"Fine," Harry sighed. They talked for five more minutes and then Madam Pomfrey got all the students to leave.
"You all right, Harry?" Sirius stated after everyone had left.
"Yes, I'm fine. I already told you that when I woke up," Harry grinned.
"There's no harm in asking again. You could have been lying before," Sirius smirked.
"When have I ever lied to you? Anyways, so it seems I have no choice and I have to use my Firebolt," Harry sighed.
"At least you have a broom. You might have been stuck riding a Comet 140," Remus pointed out.
"Good point," Harry laughed.
"We should go. Madam Pomfrey might tell us off for staying. See you in class tomorrow," Sirius stated and he and Remus left to go to dinner. Harry lay back while looking at the remains of his Nimbus. After about half an hour, Harry fell asleep again.
