"Good luck, everyone!" called Hermione as they filed out.
They all changed into their scarlet playing robes. Harry couldn't find the nerve to give a pep talk. He was having enough trouble keeping his eggs down; he was so keyed up. Everyone was giving everyone else little titbits of advice and cheerful words. Even Ron broke his imposing persona for a moment to clap Harry on the back.
The team marched onto the pitch. Cheers rang in their ears, and Harry saw Hagrid waving to them. He smiled weakly, and stepped to the middle of the field as the Ravenclaws joined them. Cho looked extremely nervous, but (as always) very pretty. Harry found that he didn't really care how pretty she looked today. Most of his focus was split between his apology to Ginny and winning the match.
"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.
Harry extended his hand, as did Cho. She turned red, but Harry did not. He couldn't really place why. Harry felt his heart pound as he mounted his broom. The whistle sounded, and his nerves left him in the thrill of flight. Lee Jordan's commentary filled the stadium.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Chaser Katie Bell of the Gryffindor team. She's got it, she's got it - streaking down the field at lightening speed - she's going to score! She's going to sc - no! Stopped in mid-air by Keeper Thomas Lade of Ravenclaw. The Quaffle is dropped.caught by Chaser Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor. Go, Alicia! She's really got it, now.passes to Bell, Bell passes back, avoids a Bludger, she's really taking risks here - she scores! GRYFFINDOR SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry blinked in the afternoon sunlight around for the Snitch, but it was nowhere to be seen. He circled the field high above the action, looking everywhere. He watched Cho carefully in case she took notice of it.
"Ravenclaw in possession - Chaser Rowena Portnova dodges Spinnet, Bell, heads for the goalposts - she's nearly there - Ron Weasley's an excellent Keeper, though, very hard to get past.YES! HE'S SAVED IT! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! Gryffindor in possession - Bell headed up the field - blocked by Chang! Chang nearly kills Bell! The Quaffle is caught by Spinnet, passed to Johnson, go, come on now, Angelina - no! Stolen tactfully by Portnova. Johnson is right behind her though - YES! Angelina got the Quaffle! Passes to Bell, back to Spinnet, ready for the shot - YES! GRYFFINDOR SCORES AGAIN! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers from the Gryffindor side erupted. Harry saw Hermione jumping up and down, clapping.
"Gryffindor has taken the Quaffle. There goes MacKernin, passes to Portnova - no! Caught instead by Johnson! Johnson passes to Spinnet, passes to Bell, OWCH! Hit hard by a Bludger! The Quaffle is gone - Ravenclaw in possession, Portnova going at light speed - hit by a Bludger, too! Amazing Beater work by.one of the twins, I don't know which one. Anyway, nice block. Spinnet takes the Quaffle again and passes to Bell. Bell's really flying now, going as fast as she possibly could! Potter taking a few risky dives - did he see the Snitch?"
But he couldn't see the Snitch anywhere. He had been doing some dives in hopes to throw Cho off the scent of the Snitch so that he would be free to look for it himself, but Cho was slowly circling the stadium, looking very determined. The score was twenty to zero.if he got the Snitch now there would be no chance for Ravenclaw to overtake them. He watched Ron make another spectacular save - thirty-zero.
"Spinnet passes to Johnson, passes to Bell, passes back to Spinnet. Taken by Portnova, passes to MacKernin, and - SCORE! Thirty-ten in favour of Gryffindor! NO! Ron Weasley's doing some fancy flying now, YES! HE BLOCKS ANOTHER GOAL! Quaffle is taken immediately by Spinnet. Passes to Johnson, passes to Bell, back to Johnson - NO! Taken by Ravenclaw Chaser Hart! Hart's really been keeping to himself this game. But it looks like he's going to score - NO! HE SCORES! NO! UNFAIR!"
"Jordan, COMMENTATE IN AN UNBIASED WAY!" shouted Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor, sorry. Where was I? Oh, right. Hart back in the game, streaking up the field yet again. He's going to score again! He's - NO! HA! Stopped by Chaser Bell of Gryffindor. Potter still diving around, Chang still circling. She stops! Has she spotted the Snitch? She may have seen the Snitch! Anyway, Bell nearing the goal post, getting closer, closer, almost there, duck, Katie, that's a Bludger! She's almost there - SCORE! YES! SCORE! FORTY-TWENTY TO GRYFFINDOR! Quaffle taken by Johnson, and they're off."
Harry was still circling and diving, hoping to see the Snitch. It wasn't until another minute or so had passed that Harry saw that Cho was mouthing something soundlessly, looking terrified. Was this a trick to get him off the trail of the Snitch? Harry considered this for a few moments, then decided that she looked genuinely frightened. He furrowed his brow, then streaked towards her.
"Are you okay?" he shouted.
She didn't answer. She was white as a ghost. He became vaguely aware that people in the stands were screaming in fright. Looking wildly down, he saw at least fifty hooded figures below.
"COME ON!" he yelled at Cho, grabbing her wrist and diving, diving faster than he ever had before.
He stopped inches from the ground, pulling Cho off her broom. Everyone, except for the teachers, was running for their lives. He and Cho landed and ran, leaving their brooms behind, and got their teams together. Harry saw Katie trip and fall. He doubled back to get her, but she couldn't walk. It seemed that she had sprained her ankle. He held her under the arm and ran as fast as he could with everyone else, Katie hobbling alongside him. He heard screams and sobbing, and things exploding. He felt bits of wood falling onto his head and eyes. The Death Eaters were advancing on them. Green light was flashing everywhere, but it didn't seem to have hit anyone yet.
He saw Hermione inside the pitch. She had tears pouring down her face, but was running very fast. He didn't have time to catch up with her, though. He could hear yelling, screams, and explosions from the stadium. The Dark Mark was rising rapidly in the sky over the forest. They reached the castle and joined the panicked crowds running towards their common rooms for safety. The Fat Lady was open, and Harry, still helping Katie, scrambled through it. He set Katie down in an armchair and went back out into the corridor to see about his friends.
"Hermione! Ron! Where are you?" he had lost them in all the confusion.
"I'm here!" said Ron loudly.
Harry swung around. Ron was running towards him.
"Where's Hermione?" he said in a frightened voice.
"I dunno - Hermione!" Harry shouted again.
"I'll check the common room, you look in the corridor," said Ron.
But she wasn't there.
They all changed into their scarlet playing robes. Harry couldn't find the nerve to give a pep talk. He was having enough trouble keeping his eggs down; he was so keyed up. Everyone was giving everyone else little titbits of advice and cheerful words. Even Ron broke his imposing persona for a moment to clap Harry on the back.
The team marched onto the pitch. Cheers rang in their ears, and Harry saw Hagrid waving to them. He smiled weakly, and stepped to the middle of the field as the Ravenclaws joined them. Cho looked extremely nervous, but (as always) very pretty. Harry found that he didn't really care how pretty she looked today. Most of his focus was split between his apology to Ginny and winning the match.
"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.
Harry extended his hand, as did Cho. She turned red, but Harry did not. He couldn't really place why. Harry felt his heart pound as he mounted his broom. The whistle sounded, and his nerves left him in the thrill of flight. Lee Jordan's commentary filled the stadium.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Chaser Katie Bell of the Gryffindor team. She's got it, she's got it - streaking down the field at lightening speed - she's going to score! She's going to sc - no! Stopped in mid-air by Keeper Thomas Lade of Ravenclaw. The Quaffle is dropped.caught by Chaser Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor. Go, Alicia! She's really got it, now.passes to Bell, Bell passes back, avoids a Bludger, she's really taking risks here - she scores! GRYFFINDOR SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry blinked in the afternoon sunlight around for the Snitch, but it was nowhere to be seen. He circled the field high above the action, looking everywhere. He watched Cho carefully in case she took notice of it.
"Ravenclaw in possession - Chaser Rowena Portnova dodges Spinnet, Bell, heads for the goalposts - she's nearly there - Ron Weasley's an excellent Keeper, though, very hard to get past.YES! HE'S SAVED IT! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! Gryffindor in possession - Bell headed up the field - blocked by Chang! Chang nearly kills Bell! The Quaffle is caught by Spinnet, passed to Johnson, go, come on now, Angelina - no! Stolen tactfully by Portnova. Johnson is right behind her though - YES! Angelina got the Quaffle! Passes to Bell, back to Spinnet, ready for the shot - YES! GRYFFINDOR SCORES AGAIN! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers from the Gryffindor side erupted. Harry saw Hermione jumping up and down, clapping.
"Gryffindor has taken the Quaffle. There goes MacKernin, passes to Portnova - no! Caught instead by Johnson! Johnson passes to Spinnet, passes to Bell, OWCH! Hit hard by a Bludger! The Quaffle is gone - Ravenclaw in possession, Portnova going at light speed - hit by a Bludger, too! Amazing Beater work by.one of the twins, I don't know which one. Anyway, nice block. Spinnet takes the Quaffle again and passes to Bell. Bell's really flying now, going as fast as she possibly could! Potter taking a few risky dives - did he see the Snitch?"
But he couldn't see the Snitch anywhere. He had been doing some dives in hopes to throw Cho off the scent of the Snitch so that he would be free to look for it himself, but Cho was slowly circling the stadium, looking very determined. The score was twenty to zero.if he got the Snitch now there would be no chance for Ravenclaw to overtake them. He watched Ron make another spectacular save - thirty-zero.
"Spinnet passes to Johnson, passes to Bell, passes back to Spinnet. Taken by Portnova, passes to MacKernin, and - SCORE! Thirty-ten in favour of Gryffindor! NO! Ron Weasley's doing some fancy flying now, YES! HE BLOCKS ANOTHER GOAL! Quaffle is taken immediately by Spinnet. Passes to Johnson, passes to Bell, back to Johnson - NO! Taken by Ravenclaw Chaser Hart! Hart's really been keeping to himself this game. But it looks like he's going to score - NO! HE SCORES! NO! UNFAIR!"
"Jordan, COMMENTATE IN AN UNBIASED WAY!" shouted Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor, sorry. Where was I? Oh, right. Hart back in the game, streaking up the field yet again. He's going to score again! He's - NO! HA! Stopped by Chaser Bell of Gryffindor. Potter still diving around, Chang still circling. She stops! Has she spotted the Snitch? She may have seen the Snitch! Anyway, Bell nearing the goal post, getting closer, closer, almost there, duck, Katie, that's a Bludger! She's almost there - SCORE! YES! SCORE! FORTY-TWENTY TO GRYFFINDOR! Quaffle taken by Johnson, and they're off."
Harry was still circling and diving, hoping to see the Snitch. It wasn't until another minute or so had passed that Harry saw that Cho was mouthing something soundlessly, looking terrified. Was this a trick to get him off the trail of the Snitch? Harry considered this for a few moments, then decided that she looked genuinely frightened. He furrowed his brow, then streaked towards her.
"Are you okay?" he shouted.
She didn't answer. She was white as a ghost. He became vaguely aware that people in the stands were screaming in fright. Looking wildly down, he saw at least fifty hooded figures below.
"COME ON!" he yelled at Cho, grabbing her wrist and diving, diving faster than he ever had before.
He stopped inches from the ground, pulling Cho off her broom. Everyone, except for the teachers, was running for their lives. He and Cho landed and ran, leaving their brooms behind, and got their teams together. Harry saw Katie trip and fall. He doubled back to get her, but she couldn't walk. It seemed that she had sprained her ankle. He held her under the arm and ran as fast as he could with everyone else, Katie hobbling alongside him. He heard screams and sobbing, and things exploding. He felt bits of wood falling onto his head and eyes. The Death Eaters were advancing on them. Green light was flashing everywhere, but it didn't seem to have hit anyone yet.
He saw Hermione inside the pitch. She had tears pouring down her face, but was running very fast. He didn't have time to catch up with her, though. He could hear yelling, screams, and explosions from the stadium. The Dark Mark was rising rapidly in the sky over the forest. They reached the castle and joined the panicked crowds running towards their common rooms for safety. The Fat Lady was open, and Harry, still helping Katie, scrambled through it. He set Katie down in an armchair and went back out into the corridor to see about his friends.
"Hermione! Ron! Where are you?" he had lost them in all the confusion.
"I'm here!" said Ron loudly.
Harry swung around. Ron was running towards him.
"Where's Hermione?" he said in a frightened voice.
"I dunno - Hermione!" Harry shouted again.
"I'll check the common room, you look in the corridor," said Ron.
But she wasn't there.