Chapter 13 – Hufflepuff v Gryffindor.
Harry went down to the Entrance Hall to meet Ron and Hermione arriving back from their Christmas holidays. They had just arrived and were rummaging through Ron's things trying to find his wand.
"I'm sure I had it on the train!" Ron was shouting.
"Well then it's probably still there. Lets go look before it leaves, come on, drop your bags here, we'll pick them up later." Hermione was organising Ron's trunk, checking that he hadn't just missed it in a panic.
"Hi guys, have fun?" Harry walked up to them with a grin.
"Yeah, Harry would you mind helping us look through the train for Ron's wand? Only we can't find it so he must of left it there."
"Sure, no problem." Harry joined them in searching for it, glad to finally see them again. The three of them searched the train rapidly, before being asked to leave by the driver who had other places to be. They didn't find it but Ron felt something poking him in his robes, which was of course his wand.
Harry helped them carry their bags up, and tried to ignore Hermione's nagging to Ron because she had told him to check his pockets five times before he did. "Come on Hermione, give me a break! I've just got away from my mum's nagging, I don't need to hear it from you!" Ron insisted.
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Ron felt his stomach jolt as he flew up in the air as Madam Hooch's whistle went to begin the match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. It was his second match as goalkeeper and was still nervous about doing it properly. Harry was a bit uneasy too and still had thoughts about his talk with Dumbledore a few weeks before, he still hadn't heard from Sirius and was getting more and more anxious by the minute. The weather was rather dull, it had been raining non-stop all week, and had been lightly snowing since last night. Although Harry wished it would be called off, he knew that it would take more than just rain and snow to do so. The whole of the Gryffindor team seemed to be feeling the same, as Harry, but Hufflepuff were totally lively and already steaming ahead, looking as though they were going to score any minute.
Harry sat hovering on his broomstick above the match, and could easily see that Hufflepuff were the stronger team. He yelled out encouragement to his teammates, but they didn't seem to hear him.
"Come on Ron! You can do it!" He held up his thumbs to his goalkeeper. Hufflepuff had already scored three times, but Gryffindor couldn't seem to get past their goalkeeper, who was acting like he was the best goalkeeper in the world. "Come on Gryffindor! We can win this!" Harry throat felt sore. Hufflepuff scored another goal. And after about ten to fifteen minutes the score was Hufflepuff 50, Gryffindor 0.
Suddenly Harry heard someone sneeze just behind him. He whizzed around to find the Hufflepuff seeker with a cold, hovering in front of Harry. He flew up to try and loose him, but he flew straight down instead. Diving for the golden Snitch. Harry didn't know what was happening. The Hufflepuff seeker held out his arms to grab it, but lost control and had to hold on to his broomstick as he was flung to the ground, he landed on his head. This made a rather loud crash that caused Harry to turn around, instead of flying higher to get a better view. Just as he turned around he saw the golden Snitch fly into his face he grabbed it, still not knowing what had just happened and heard Gryffindor cheering for him. He had caught the Snitch and won the game.
After the game Harry and Ron walked up the staircase to the Common Room when Draco Malfoy called up to them "Nice catch Potter!" He snarled sarcastically.
"What do you want Malfoy!" He cried down the stairs. "We won the game didn't we?"
"Oh sorry! I didn't realise that you call Weasley boy letting in every gaol he could, and Potter being hit in the face by something that happened to be the Snitch is winning the game!"
"Well we're better than you'll ever be!" Ron called down to him.
"Yeah. And were Crabbe and Goyle, then? I thought they were your loyal companions. But it looks like they've done a runner! Couldn't wait to get away from you could they?" Harry yelled. Getting rid of a bit of stress that had been building up.
"Come here and say that Potter! Or are you too scared!"
"Well if you want it face to face then you should come up here!"
At that point Draco Malfoy sprinted up the stairs with a burst of energy. But then they felt a rumble and the stairs began to move. Harry and Ron remembered this happening to them in their first year. The three of them couldn't quite see were each stair was leading to, but Harry and Ron somehow got separated from Malfoy and ran into a corridor. Giving Malfoy a cheeking grin as they disappeared into darkness, leaving him totally gutted and confused about where he was.