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~*hermione*~
Chapter 7
The Fatal Quidditch Match
The next day after morning classes Professor McGonagall called the Quidditch team to her office. "This year, since Oliver Wood has left us, we will be appointing a new Captain. It was a very hard decision and I hope that no one gets their feelings hurt but the new Captain is...." It's not going to be me. I don't have enough experience. I hope it's Fred or George. Or Angelina, Katie, or Alicia. Harry thought. "Katie Bell," Professor McGonagall said. Katie let out a gasp of surprise. Everyone cheered for her. "I'm counting on you to lead us to another victory, Miss Bell," she continued. "But we have more good news," she said and everyone stopped talking. "We will of course need a good Keeper. This person was recommended and I was watching him during the summer. I'm not sure if he can quite fill Wood's shoes but he is very good. His name is Robert Dickstein and he's a 6th year." Harry had never heard of him before. It seemed that the others didn't know him either because they all looked at each other. "After dinner tonight we will come back here and I will introduce you to him. Then you may go back to your common room and celebrate this good news," she said and smiled at them. "Now I suggest you go eat a quick lunch and get to classes." She smiled again and they left.
Harry walked to the Great Hall with Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. The three girls were talking about how great it was that Katie became the Captain. Fred, George, and Harry were all silent until George said, "You guys ever heard of him?"
"Nope," Harry said. He had a feeling that both of the twins were worried about how good he was. "But we'll be starting to train as soon as Katie gives the word so I guess we'll see how good he is then."
"Yeah, I guess," said Fred. When they went into the Great Hall Harry sat down next to Ron and Fred and George next to him.
"So, what's up?" asked Ron.
"Well, we've got a new Captain and Seeker. Ever heard of Robert Dickstein? He's a 6th year," said Harry.
"Nope," said Ron his mouth full of chicken.
"I have," said Hermione quietly.
"How do you know him?" asked Fred leaning over the table to get a better look at Hermione.
"Well, last year when Malfoy put that curse on my teeth I went to the hospital wing, and I met him in there."
"Oh," said Fred sounding slightly disappointed.
"He's really very nice," said Hermione.
"Do you know if he's any good at Quidditch?" asked Fred.
"Well, no."
"Okay, then," said Fred. "We gotta go back and get our stuff. We'll talk to you tonight, Harry. Oh, and if you've got a minute would you mind asking Katie if we can start training really soon?" asked George.
"Sure," laughed Harry. He didn't see why they were so worried. Professor McGonagall surely got someone good. She wanted Gryffindor to win as much as the team themselves did.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione left a little while after Fred and George. They had Transfiguration next. All during the lesson Harry just couldn't keep his mind focused. He kept thinking about Quidditch.
"Mr. Potter," said Professor McGonagall. Harry jumped. "I suggest you start working on the assignment, and don't worry about the new Quidditch player," said Professor McGonagall so that only the three of them could hear.
After Transfiguration they had Care of Magical Creatures which was another lesson on the Milichias. Harry was daydreaming again which was bad because his Milichia kept disappearing and he'd have no idea where it went.
Finally after dinner the team rose and went to McGonagall's office together talking excitedly. "Do you think he's good?" Angelina asked.
"He'd better be," said Fred. Fred and George looked very anxious. Harry however was pretty confident that this Robert Dickstein would be good. They entered McGonagall's office. She was talking to a boy that Harry could only assume was Robert. He was tall with dark hair, and hazel eyes. He smiled as they entered.
"Team, this is Robert Dickstein your new Keeper. Rob this is Harry Potter the Seeker, Fred and George Weasley the Beaters, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet the Chasers. Katie was just appointed new Captain this afternoon. He nodded toward them.
"So how long have you been playing?" George blurted out. Professor McGonagall glared at him but Rob smiled.
"I've been playing since I was old enough to get on a broomstick. I've been in second place for the position of Keeper ever since my second year right behind Oliver Wood, and finally it's my turn to play." They all just nodded.
"Well, I think it's time for all of you to get back to the common room and start the celebration," Professor McGonagall said and shooed them out of her office. They walked back to the portrait of the fat lady in silence. But when they said they password and climbed through the wall it sounded like a bomb had gone off. Everyone was coming up and congratulating Katie and Rob.
Everyone talked about Quidditch and how they were going to kill Slytherin next year until midnight. Finally Professor McGonagall came in and told them to go to bed. Harry climbed happily into bed and dreamed nothing that night.
They next day Katie announced to the team that Quidditch training would start that day after dinner. Their first match was in two weeks.
Harry felt so good to be playing Quidditch again. He missed it very much last year, and it the sensation of flying felt even better than it did at the Weasley's because he was at Hogwarts, with his team, on his field. Katie trained them exactly the way Wood did until the very last day. At the end of practice the day before the big match against Hufflepuff she called down the team and made a little speech.
"Now I know tomorrow's game is going to be hard on us, especially Harry, because it's against Hufflepuff but we just have to remember what we've been working on all week and we've got this in the bag. Now I want everyone to get a good night's sleep," she said and they all left.
As Harry walked up into the dormitory, dressed, and got into bed his nerves finally hit him. He was always nervous before a Quidditch match but it was worse because it made him remember Cedric and that awful night last year. But in no time Harry was asleep.
The next morning he woke up early and dressed. He picked up his Firebolt and took it downstairs with him to breakfast. He hardly ate anything. Katie was trying to make them eat like Wood used to but he, and everyone else, had no appetite. Katie told them it was time to go to the field and they all got up. The Gryffindor table cheered but Harry could hear all of the Slytherins hissing and booing. He didn't care.
They dressed silently in the locker room and then waited for Katie to make her speech.
"Now I know most of us have Oliver's speech memorized by heart because we've heard it so many times. Well, I don't want to mount up everyone's nerves like he always did, so I'm just going to say good luck, and do your best." They all gave one last cheer and headed out onto the field. The crowd roared for them. The Ravenclaws were clapping politely for both teams while Slytherin was all for Hufflepuff. It was a known fact that the Slytherins that Hufflepuffs were stupid gits but they would cheer for them over Gryffindor any day.
Harry heard Madam Hooch say, "On my whistle. Three....two...one...." Harry kicked off the ground and rose faster than anyone else on the team. He was already looking around for the Snitch. Lee Jordan, of course, was commentating.
"Bell has the Quaffle, to Spinnet, back to Bell, to Johnson, and SHE SCORES!!!! GRYFFINDOR HAS SCORED THE FIRST POINT!" The Gryffindor side of the stadium cheered so wildly that Harry felt like he was going deaf. The match went fairly quickly. They scored another tree goals while Hufflepuff scored two. Then Harry saw a little sparkly above his head. He started up towards it but something strange happened. The sky got very dark with clouds and people started screaming. Harry looked down and saw that the outskirts of the field were in huge flames. He was about to go down to the ground when a voice whispered in his ear.
"Die, Harry Potter!" it laughed and Harry felt himself being pushed off his broom. No one was around him but still something was pushing him off. They kept pushing with an almighty power until Harry was clinging to his broom for dear life underneath it. He felt his fingers being pried off of the broom. He tried to hold on but it was too late. He was falling, falling, falling, and then something grabbed his wrist and he felt a jerk. George had tried to hold on to him but at the speed he was going he pulled George off of his broom. Now George was holding on the very end of his broom with one hand. Harry could see the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff team circling under him.
He felt George loosing his grip on his wrist. Hold on! Please hold on to me! Harry thought frantically. But it was too late. George's hand had slipped off his wrist and her was falling once more. Someone would catch him below though. But the invisible someone pushed him to the side so that no one would get there in time. He hit the ground with a light thud and opened his eyes. He heard someone screaming of anger and pain. But then he blacked out.
A/N:
~*hermione*~