As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground wasa covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs window defrosting broomsticks on the Quiddich field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.
The Quiddich season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.
Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that as their secret weapon, Harry should be kep, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know which was worse-people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a matress.
It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd gotten through all his homework without her, what with all the last minute Quiddich practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quiddich Throughthe Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.
The day of the Quidditch had arrived in a blink of an eye. Harry woke up, excitement filling his veins. He got up, shaking Ron awake.
"Ron, it's the first day of Quidditch. Wake up!" shouted Harry. Ron got off the bed and the two of them went down to the Common Room, where they found Fred and George waiting for them.
"Oi, Harry, you ready for the match?" grinned Fred.
"Ready as ever!" exclaimed Harry. The four of them got down to the Great Hall, but before they entered it, they were blocked by Draco Malfoy and his cronies.
"Potter, I hope you don't fall off your broomstick," drawled Draco,"Perhaps, a mattress is required to be under you at all times?
"Shove it, Malfoy," said Harry, quietly. In a flash, Draco pulled out his wand and pointed under Harry's nose. Harry had to go crosseyed to stare at the wand properly. Behind him, Ron and the Twins also had their wands out.
"Everyone, drop your wands now! Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus!" shouted a voice behind Harry. Professor McGonagall strode into view, with an angry expression on her face.
"I'll be speaking with Professor Snape about this," said Professor McGonagall. "Leave." and they all complied, entering the Great Hall, where Harry, Ron and the twins went over to the Gryffindor table while Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle went over to the other one.
Harry sat down next to the Twins.
"Harry, stuff yourself with as much food as you can. You'll need the energy. There won't be lunch." explained Fred.
"Also, just enjoy the match alright?" said George,"Quidditch is meant for enjoyment."
Harry laughed with them.
By eleven o' clock the whole school seemed to out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many of the students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.
Ron split apart from Harry and the Twins and sat down next to Hermione and Neville and other Gryffindors. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, one of the other Gryffindors, had done a Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky charm so that the paint flashed different colors.
Meanwhile in the locker room, Captain Oliver Wood was standing in the middle of the a circle formed by the other players.
"Everyone, Ravenclaw has a very good team this year." said Oliver, "They are a team to beat."
"We'll crush them!" yelled Harry.
"That's the spirit!" said Oliver, grinning at Harry.
Everyone cheered as they head out of the locker room. They reached the door to the Quidditch field and Oliver opened it. Harry could hear the roars and cheers of Gryffindors and he marched to the center of the field, waiting for the other team to appear.
And another door opened, and another group of students marched to the center of the field. They were led by a tall muscular boy in red robes. Both teams stood in the center of the field.
The referee, Madam Hooch, stood in a foot away from the Captains.
"Captains. shake hands!" barked Madam Hooch. "Let us have a good and fair game!"
"Good luck, Davies," said Oliver to the other Captain.
"Good luck to you too," said the Ravenclaw captain.
Madam Hooch kicked off the ground and shot up into the sky. A gentle breeze of air hit him. He soared higher and higher, until he was above the rest of the players.
"HELLO, AND MY NAME IS LEE JORDAN, COMMENTATOR OF THE QUIDDITCH GAMES," said a magnified voice. On the ground, stood an a boy with dreadlocks."OFF WE GO!"
"ANGELINA WITH THE QUAFFLE!" boomed Lee Jordan. Harry watched from above the Chaser Angelina Johnson flying on her broomstick. She flew towards the the Keeper, feigned left and threw the Quaffle at the right one. The Quaffle sailed through the air and went through the hoop.
"10-0 GRYFFINDOR!" said Lee Jordan.
Harry returned his attention to the Snitch. The opponent's Seeker was following closely, not even attempting to look for the Snitch herself. An idea formed in his mind. He lurched downwards, and his broom gave a burst of speed towards the ground. He kept gaining speed, and he was aware that the opponent was following him. At the last moment, he pulled out of the dive. His follower, however, wasn't as lucky. When he saw Harry pull out of the dive, he tried to do so but was bucked off his broom, skidding on the ground.
A whistle blew, tellingthe players to pause.
"Are you alright?" asked Madam Hooch.
"Yes, I'm alright," said the Ravenclaw Seeker, climbing back onto his broom. The whistle was blown again and they were off into the air. Harry lazily flew in circles, looking for the Snitch. Suddenly, he saw a gleaming mechanical eye, followed by the rest of the man connected to it.
Gilles Rochefort stood here, grinning, with his wand in his hand. Rochefort raised his wand, and Harry fished his wand out of his robe.
"STUPEFY!" screamed Harry, pointing his wand at Rochefort. He saw him parry the spell aside and saw a gleaming green jet of light towards him. He dived, and he heard screaming from the ground. A sudden blow hit his head and he suddenly became dizzy.
He turned around to see that he was still on his own broom but was merely inches from the ground. He looked back at the stadium and noticed Rochefort was gone.
He flew back into the air, seeing that the game was in play. He saw the Ravenclaw Seeker was still following him and Harry decided to fly in circles once again and dove down. He saw a Bludger coming towards him and swerved to avoid it.
He continued his descent down and saw the Ravenclaw Seeker was hot in pursuit. Centimeters before he touched the ground, he pulled off from his dive, zooming again into the sky. The other Seeker saw it and pulled just in time.
Dang it, thought Harry. He shook from his own thoughts when 2 bludgers flew straight at him. He swerved to dodge one of the them and nearly jumped off his broom to avoid the second one.
He began to climb onto the broomstick before his broom gave a sudden jerk, nearly making him let go. He tried getting back onto the broomstick when it gave another lurch, and slowly beginning to rise into the air.
"Wha' is Harry tryna do?" grumbled Hagrid.
The broomstick began bucking wildly, making Harry let go. Harry began falling.
"Bloody hell, he's falling!" said Ron, getting up. "Hermione, do something!"
Hermione fished her wand out of her robes and shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" but it was too late. The spell missed Harry and soared out of sight. Harry hit the ground with full force and blacked out.
