Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter……End of discussion…..
(A/N: Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry for not updating when there's a cliffie… Sorry…..)
Harry Potter and the Ring of Fire – Chapter 4 – The Quidditch Matches
Cho looked up and saw the crescent moon shaped light come towards her. She did not even move an inch and a clear thin shield appeared in front of her, reflecting the spell and bouncing it back from where it had started, towards Ginny. Ginny screeched and did what the Hufflepuff girl did. The flash of light zoomed towards the Slytherin table, flying just over the Slytherins' heads.
BANG!
The spell crashed into the brick wall behind the Slytherins. The spell finally stopped, but caused a large indentation on the wall, like a scar on someone's back. Students gathered around it.
"Are you alright Cho?" Harry asked as he ran over to Cho
"I'm alright," Cho replied and stood up, "but I'm not sure about those people." Cho ran passed Harry and to the Slytherin table, to look at what the spell did to the wall.
"You alright, Draco?" She asked and helped a blond haired boy up
"I'm stronger than you think, Chang," He said and coughed.
Harry was sort of jealous.
"Cho helping Malfoy up?! Malfoy not insulting Cho?! What has the world gone to?!" Harry thought
"What in Merlin's beard is this?!!?" A voice yelled from the crowd. She pushed her way into the semi-circle. It was Professor McGonagall. "Who did this? Show yourself, I will not deduct points."
Ginny stepped out from the crowd. "It was me Professor," Ginny spoke in a quiet voice and hung her head, "I didn't mean to do this. I was just practicing my spells and it missed the target and shot straight towards students."
"Minerva, it was an accident. She's sorry for what she has done." A kind gentle voice spoke behind the crowd. Harry knew it was Dumbledore. "Now children, breakfast is nearly over. I suggest you pack up your things and head for class."
Students headed back to their tables.
"How'd you do that?!" Harry asked Cho
"Do what?"
"Make a shield without taking out your wand. In fact, not even moving!"
Cho shrugged. "Well, see ya Harry," she said and quickly ran off.
Harry minded was clouded with thoughts on Malfoy and Cho during History of Magic. He kept on staring at Malfoy, wonder what does Malfoy have that he doesn't.
Time pasted quickly, Harry often ran into Cho in the Make Out Room, both of them just studied. It was weeks later, and the Quidditch season started, starting with a Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff match.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat on the benches, watching the game. Angelina took her job as captain very seriously, just like Oliver Wood, the old Gryffindor captain. She took notes as how the teams played. The crowd cheered as both teams flew onto the field. Harry could see Angelina quickly scribble notes on the Ravenclaws' new brooms. Madame Hooch walked onto the field, carry the chest which contained the Quaffle, the Bludgers, and most importantly, the Snitch.
"Players, mount your brooms," Madame Hooch said as she put down the box, "I want a fair game, no rough stuff."
Madame Hooch opened the box lid and the Bludger and Snitch flew out, then followed by the Quaffle. The chasers on both teams swarmed to get it.
"And they're off," Lee Jordan's voice blasted on the speakers, "Ravenclaw has the Quaffle, Chaser Christian Shanks heads for the Hufflepuff goal post."
Harry looked around, trying to search for the Snitch, practicing his eyesight for the Slytherin game. Cho was above the match, avoiding Bludgers and the players. The Hufflepuff Seeker was doing the same thing but watching Cho in the corner of his eye, seeing if she found the Snitch. Harry watched the game for around 10 minutes before a movement of the Seekers. Cho suddenly made a dive towards the Hufflepuff goal post, dodging away from a Bludger a Hufflepuff Beater sent to Cho, the Hufflepuff Seeker followed Cho. Nearly reaching the three posts, Cho quickly made a sharp turn and flew in high speed close to the ground, to the other end of the field, where a glint of gold flew around. Cho had seen the Snitch.
"Ravenclaw scores!" Lee shouted as a Ravenclaw Chaser put the Quaffle through one of the posts.
The Hufflepuff Seeker turned around, and quickly sped towards the Ravenclaw side too.
"Ravenclaw leading by eighty to zero. The Ravenclaw Team, led by the very attractive…(McGonagall glared at Lee Jordan.) ..er…I mean led by their Seeker, Cho Chang changed a lot of stuff in the team. The Chasers and the Seeker were given a broom upgrade, all to a Nimbus 2001. But that still would not beat a Firebolt, ladies and gentlements." Lee looked up to the Gryffindor benches, where Harry sat. The Gryffindors roared knowing they still have a chance of beating Ravenclaws in Quidditch.
On the field, Cho lost track of the Snitch and pulled up back to her normal spot, above everyone. The Hufflepuffs just got their first goal past the Ravenclaw Keeper.
Harry spotted a gold object circling around the foot of the Ravenclaw Keeper. Cho spotted it also and dived again, closely followed by the other Seeker. A Ravenclaw Beater hit a Bludger to the Hufflepuff Seeker, which stopped in order to avoid the Bludger. Cho sped towards the Keeper, dodging players as she went. Cho took one of her hand off the broom, swiped it in the air and pulled up, just in time. Cho flew above the game, the crowd as silence, even Jordan who kept his mouth shut after being yelled at by McGonagall again. Cho opened her hand, and there laid a golden ball, the Snitch.
The crowd roared, especially the Ravenclaws on the benches. The players flew down to the ground, the Ravenclaw team congratulating Cho.
At dinner, the students at the Ravenclaw table cheered as the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team entered. Cho smiled at Harry as she took her seat. Harry smiled back, feeling kind of warm inside. He and Cho have become friends during the past weeks, since they often met each other in the Make Out Room.
"Past the potatoes, Harry," Ron said with his mouth stuffed with chicken and peas.
Harry did what Ron told him.
"I don't think I'm in the mood for eating tonight," Chaser Alicia Spinnet said and pushed her plate away from her.
"It's alright, Alicia," Fred said, "I'll eat it for you!"
Angelina scoffed and rolled her eyes; "I think what Fred meant is that you'll need the energy for tomorrow's game."
Angelina pried the plate of food from Fred's hands and placed it in front of Alicia again.
"Slytherin is rough, but not that good. Malfoy can never beat Harry, not even if he had a Firebolt himself." Ron said and stuffed a giant piece of steak into his mouth. "Don't worry, Harry. Tomorrow's game is going to be like a walk in the park."
But Harry had a bad feeling about the game.
The Great Hall as full of chatter, mostly about the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin today. Harry did not feel like eating, but he gobbled up his breakfast for the strength. Harry stomach had butterflies in them. He feels that something is going to happen today, something wrong. Harry got on to the field with his Firebolt on his left shoulder; the teams were already warming up by flying around the pitch.
Madame Hooch blew her whistle. Both teams took their position. Harry was in front of Malfoy; Harry was glaring at him. Malfoy was grinning back.
Madame Hooch gave her normal 'Clean Game' speech to the teams. After, she opened the trunk; the Bludgers and Snitch flew out, then the Quaffle. Slytherin tried to get it but Angelina was too fast for them. She grabbed it at once and dodged through the Slytherin Chasers, heading for the Slytherin goal posts.
"Chaser Angelina Johnson has the Quaffle. Zooms through Slytherin Chasers. Oo! Whacked with a Bludger sent from Beater Robin Oxley of Slytherin." Lee Jordan commented over the loudspeaker. Harry swore that he heard Jordan mumble afterwards: "That's going to tick Fred off." It did.
When the game was sixty to fifty Gryffindor, Fred knocked a Bludger towards a Slytherin Chaser who had possession of the Quaffle. The Bludger hit him in the face causing him to drop it and Katie Bell to catch it and score. Harry still hasn't spot the snitch yet, neither did Malfoy. He too was floating above the game, watching Harry at the corner of his eye.
Suddenly, a large gust of wind nearly knocked both Seekers off their broom. Harry got steady on his broom again, continuing his search for the Snitch, but his concentration was disturbed when someone from the crowd yelled, "DRAGON!!!"
(A/N: Review! C'mon, Review! Don't you want to know why there is a Dragon on Hogwarts grounds (and no, its not Norbert)? Just one review and it'll get you closer to the answer…)