1 Chapter 15 – Gryffindor v Ravenclaw
"Harry. Can I talk to you?" Ron asked, catching up with Harry as they walked out onto the field and up towards the Quidditch pitch.
"Yeah sure, what's up?"
"It's about Hagrid."
Harry stopped. "What about him?"
"You know…" Ron paused "What he said about him and Madam Maxime."
"Oh, what about them?" Harry said, gaining speed in his walk.
"Don't pretend you don't know." Ron rubbed his head "Who could they go off and find that would really help you that much? Why couldn't Dumbledore get someone else to do it?"
"Ron. Can we stop talking about it know? We can talk later, but right now all I care about is the match. If we win now then we'll have won the Quidditch cup. No doubt. How can you be worrying about Hagrid at a time like this!"
"Sorry." Ron said as they walked onto the pitch.
School pupils who were waving their scarves and cheering surrounded them. Harry looked up to the Teachers stand to see Professor Snape glaring at him with hatred. If Gryffindor won this match they would win the cup, and Slytherin would go second. But if they lost then Gryffindor would go second and Slytherin would win. Harry shuddered at the thought.
Madam Hooch held the whistle near her mouth and shouted; "Mount your brooms!" The crowd went silent and then she blew her whistle. There were screams and cheers as the fourteen players flew up into the sky and the balls were released. Harry zoomed up as high as he could go so that he could see clearly what was going on. Ron looked extremely nervous. He was obviously still thinking about Hagrid, trying to work out the truth behind what he had said.
Harry shouted over to him; "Ron! Keep your mind on the match! Forget about it until later!" Harry turned away to watch Fred and George knock past the Ravenclaw beaters to the two bludgers that were bashing themselves at anyone who got in their way. He suddenly heard the cheers of Ravenclaws and the sneers of the Slytherins, because Ron had just let in the first goal of the match, 10 – 0.
"Ron!" Harry shouted. "Don't worry! Just keep your mind on the match and you'll be alright!" Ron gave him a weak, doubtful smile to show that he had heard him. Harry turned back to Fred and George, who were throwing the balls very brutally at the Ravenclaws. Madam Hooch blew her whistle, "Fred and George Weasley! Stop it this instant! Penalty to Ravenclaw!" She shouted. Gryffindors were booing the other team as everyone prepared for the penalty. Every penalty that Harry had ever seen in Quidditch had resulted by a goal. He shouted encouragement and advice over to Ron again, but it didn't help, 20 – 0, Gryffindor were loosing terribly.
After the match had started again, Fred and George zoomed past Harry with the beaters in their hands. "Sorry Harry!" Fred cried, "Yeah, Didn't mean any harm!" George yelled before flying back down to pick up the beater he had just 'accidentally' dropped on the head of the Ravenclaw seeker. Luckily, Madam Hooch wasn't looking.
Harry took this opportunity to fly over to Ron. "Hey. I told you to stop thinking about it." Harry said, peering round to check that the Snitch wasn't anywhere to be seen. "We'll loose if you don't stop. We can't play without you." Harry noticed a Quaffle heading this way, and a load of players zooming after it. He flew up into the air and shouted back "You can do it!" to Ron. He saved the Quaffle and threw it back to Angelina, who took the opportunity of everyone else being gob-smacked at Ron, to shoot into the hoop. Finally, Gryffindor had scored. The score was Ravenclaw 50, Gryffindor 10.
Just as Ron seemed to be getting back on track, a bludger flew past his ear, causing him to do a summersault in the air. Then it came back and hit him in the face. His eyesight went blurry, but as it was coming back to normal, Ravenclaw scored again. Harry went over to check that Ron was OK, but then had to go again when he saw their seeker dive down, heading for the Golden Snitch. Harry chased after him but failed to catch up. Then the Ravenclaw seeker flew straight into the pole of one of the goals. He hadn't seen it because he was concentrating on catching the flying ball. Harry picked up speed and flew right past him and caught the Snitch. The match was over.
Gryffindors were screaming with joy. They had won the Quidditch cup! The final score was Ravenclaw 60, Gryffindor 160. Harry flew up to Ron and helped him fly back down. Ron joined the Ravenclaw seeker in walking up to Madam Pomfrey's Office to sort out their wounds.
Harry met Hermione in the Entrance Hall and they walked together up to the Office to find Ron. On their way, Draco Malfoy knocked past them, but surprisingly shot no insulting comment at them, just walked off up the stairs to Slytherin Tower. Harry was too tired to shout something up at him, and thought that he would save it until later.
"Harry. Can I talk to you?" Ron asked, catching up with Harry as they walked out onto the field and up towards the Quidditch pitch.
"Yeah sure, what's up?"
"It's about Hagrid."
Harry stopped. "What about him?"
"You know…" Ron paused "What he said about him and Madam Maxime."
"Oh, what about them?" Harry said, gaining speed in his walk.
"Don't pretend you don't know." Ron rubbed his head "Who could they go off and find that would really help you that much? Why couldn't Dumbledore get someone else to do it?"
"Ron. Can we stop talking about it know? We can talk later, but right now all I care about is the match. If we win now then we'll have won the Quidditch cup. No doubt. How can you be worrying about Hagrid at a time like this!"
"Sorry." Ron said as they walked onto the pitch.
School pupils who were waving their scarves and cheering surrounded them. Harry looked up to the Teachers stand to see Professor Snape glaring at him with hatred. If Gryffindor won this match they would win the cup, and Slytherin would go second. But if they lost then Gryffindor would go second and Slytherin would win. Harry shuddered at the thought.
Madam Hooch held the whistle near her mouth and shouted; "Mount your brooms!" The crowd went silent and then she blew her whistle. There were screams and cheers as the fourteen players flew up into the sky and the balls were released. Harry zoomed up as high as he could go so that he could see clearly what was going on. Ron looked extremely nervous. He was obviously still thinking about Hagrid, trying to work out the truth behind what he had said.
Harry shouted over to him; "Ron! Keep your mind on the match! Forget about it until later!" Harry turned away to watch Fred and George knock past the Ravenclaw beaters to the two bludgers that were bashing themselves at anyone who got in their way. He suddenly heard the cheers of Ravenclaws and the sneers of the Slytherins, because Ron had just let in the first goal of the match, 10 – 0.
"Ron!" Harry shouted. "Don't worry! Just keep your mind on the match and you'll be alright!" Ron gave him a weak, doubtful smile to show that he had heard him. Harry turned back to Fred and George, who were throwing the balls very brutally at the Ravenclaws. Madam Hooch blew her whistle, "Fred and George Weasley! Stop it this instant! Penalty to Ravenclaw!" She shouted. Gryffindors were booing the other team as everyone prepared for the penalty. Every penalty that Harry had ever seen in Quidditch had resulted by a goal. He shouted encouragement and advice over to Ron again, but it didn't help, 20 – 0, Gryffindor were loosing terribly.
After the match had started again, Fred and George zoomed past Harry with the beaters in their hands. "Sorry Harry!" Fred cried, "Yeah, Didn't mean any harm!" George yelled before flying back down to pick up the beater he had just 'accidentally' dropped on the head of the Ravenclaw seeker. Luckily, Madam Hooch wasn't looking.
Harry took this opportunity to fly over to Ron. "Hey. I told you to stop thinking about it." Harry said, peering round to check that the Snitch wasn't anywhere to be seen. "We'll loose if you don't stop. We can't play without you." Harry noticed a Quaffle heading this way, and a load of players zooming after it. He flew up into the air and shouted back "You can do it!" to Ron. He saved the Quaffle and threw it back to Angelina, who took the opportunity of everyone else being gob-smacked at Ron, to shoot into the hoop. Finally, Gryffindor had scored. The score was Ravenclaw 50, Gryffindor 10.
Just as Ron seemed to be getting back on track, a bludger flew past his ear, causing him to do a summersault in the air. Then it came back and hit him in the face. His eyesight went blurry, but as it was coming back to normal, Ravenclaw scored again. Harry went over to check that Ron was OK, but then had to go again when he saw their seeker dive down, heading for the Golden Snitch. Harry chased after him but failed to catch up. Then the Ravenclaw seeker flew straight into the pole of one of the goals. He hadn't seen it because he was concentrating on catching the flying ball. Harry picked up speed and flew right past him and caught the Snitch. The match was over.
Gryffindors were screaming with joy. They had won the Quidditch cup! The final score was Ravenclaw 60, Gryffindor 160. Harry flew up to Ron and helped him fly back down. Ron joined the Ravenclaw seeker in walking up to Madam Pomfrey's Office to sort out their wounds.
Harry met Hermione in the Entrance Hall and they walked together up to the Office to find Ron. On their way, Draco Malfoy knocked past them, but surprisingly shot no insulting comment at them, just walked off up the stairs to Slytherin Tower. Harry was too tired to shout something up at him, and thought that he would save it until later.