Chapter Twenty-One: Gryffindor versus Slytherin

Stepping out from the changing room tunnel, the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams walked into a virtual waterfall of rain. Again Harry stumbled, but this time where his feet caught in the mud. Against the lightning that now flashed through the sky he wouldn't have been able to tell if he was still seeing things or if there was a figure lying on the ground near him.

Up in the stands, Dumbledore watched Harry waver then stand resolute and felt a hint of reassurance as the boy surveyed the pitch before him. 'Got your eye on someone?' Jenks asked, from his cheeky perch on the arm of the chair Dumbledore sat in.

'Everyone deserves to be watched,' Dumbledore replied, the twinkle in his eye causing Jenks's whiskers to rise in a feral smile. 'Where is Julian, I would have thought he might have been interested in this game?'

Leaning in towards Dumbledore, Jenks's eyes swivelled around before he replied, 'He thinks something's going to happen today, he's watching though - he told me you might worry.' To his satisfaction, Dumbledore nodded in approval. 'I'll find him after the match though, no one could try something in a place this packed.' Dumbledore made to reply, but was interrupted as the wind increased, and the magical megaphone hummed over the stands.

'For the final time this year,' Lee Jordan yelled over the storm, 'we present the Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams!' there was a massive cheer as neither house wanted to boo their own teams. 'On the Slytherin team, Terrence Higgs the captain has gone for his usual starters, with his brother Stephen replacing Marcus Flint.'

'He's good,' Angelina said to Katie and Alicia, 'but we're better.' In her voice there was a steely undertone as well as inspiration for the whole team.

'And on the Gryffindor team, we have only the one change from the cup winners of two years ago, with captain Angelina Johnson's new Keeper; Ron Weasley!' The crowd cheered again, and to Harry's satisfaction he could not hear the booing that escaped the mouths of the Slytherins. 'And here to start the match, Madam Hooch!'

'Keep it clean,' she said sternly to both captains as they met in the middle, but the glare between Angelina and Higgs told her not to expect it. Nodding to both teams, she let them mount their brooms, then blew her whistle sharply, sending players, brooms and balls up into the air. Immediately, Harry found the rain plastering his robes to his skin, but it did little to detract from the normal feeling he got from flying, quelling his jittery stomach.

'And it's Slytherin in possession of the Quaffle, that's Warrington speeding up the - ouch! Bludger to the elbow and the Quaffle falls to Bell of Gryffindor. She's speeding up the pitch - that's a good pass to Spinnet.but it's intercepted by Higgs the Chaser, astonishing flying there and he's in on the goal! ASTOUNDING SAVE BY RON WEASLEY! And the Quaffle with Johnson now, really flying today - Bludger! - no, she's around it and Montague! Clear on the post and SHE SCORES! An early lead to Gryffindor!'

Circling high in celebration, Angelina twisted round as one of the Slytherin team attempted to knock her broom, dodging the blow with ease. 'Not this year!' she shouted at them as they went past.

'Slytherin in possession, that's another good pass through to Higgs, but he's lost the Quaffle - a sound Bludger hit by one of the Weasleys - it's fallen to Montague though and he's past Bell! Up to the posts - no! Stolen by Bell for Gryffindor! She's halfway up the pitch, looks clear - OI!'

Lee's objection coincided with an uproar in the crowd as the new Slytherin Chaser clipped her arm with his broom, sending her dangerously close to the stands. 'I said no contact!' Madam Hooch yelled angrily, signalling for a penalty to Gryffindor. Katie put it away with ease, despite the almost constant (and loud) criticism of the Slytherin team by Lee.

Flying overhead, Harry was grateful to Hermione's charm on his glasses, but despite the fact they remained free of water, it did not change the fact that it was sleeting down all around him. Looking behind him, he saw Malfoy experiencing the same problems, his face beaded with raindrops. Turning back, Harry twisted violently to avoid a Bludger that looped towards him from Bole's bat. Unfortunately, it continued looping and so missed Malfoy as he trailed Harry by a few feet, his broomstick shaking as Harry's did in the high wind.

'Johnson in possession, good pass to Bell - intercepted by Montague! Taken back by Spinnet though - no wait, lost to Higgs! It's a battle out there for that Quaffle!' listening to Lee's description, Harry risked a quick glance at the match. Higgs was dispossessed of the Quaffle just a few seconds later when Alicia spun through a whirl of players to snatch it from his hand, only to find herself speeding into the path of a Bludger.

Spinning around she let the black ball take the Quaffle instead, hurling it back into the mix of Slytherin and Gryffindor chasers. Target lost, the Bludger spun off on another course as Montague emerged from the whirl of players with the Quaffle. Speeding up the pitch he was in time to meet the other Bludger as it hit him square in the chest, flying behind it, Fred let out a cry of delight at his work. Still spinning around, Alicia grabbed the Quaffle again and began flying towards the Slytherin goal posts, the other players untangling themselves and then chasing after her.

'GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL FOR GRYFFINDOR!' Lee's yell was so loud that Harry heard it over the clap of thunder which crashed over the stadium. Punching the air victoriously, Alicia let out a cry of pain as Bole brought his club down on her arm. He opened his mouth to protest the inevitable whistle, but George's vengeful Bludger smacked him in the teeth before he could mutter a word. Whistling angrily, Madam Hooch signalled for two penalties, both of which were quickly put away by the Chasers on each team.

'And so after that load of -' but McGonagall had the megaphone before Lee could voice the protest, having learnt from the previous few years what to expect. Receiving it back with a glare he continued under her watchful eye. 'The score is thirty-ten to Gryffindor, but here come Slytherin on another attack! Higgs is flying like a professional out there - he's around Bell and Johnson and through on the goal!'

Harry stopped searching in time to see Higgs send a scorching shot at the middle post, while Ron tried to out-fly the first legal Bludger shot of the game. Diving down as it got too close, Ron swerved around the post as splinters of wood shattered over him. The Quaffle had not gone through the hoop, or rather it had but in a hundred pieces as the Bludger had pulverised it. 'No points, new Quaffle!' Madam Hooch shouted, ignoring the cry of protest from both Higgs players on the Slytherin team.

Using the moment to pause, Harry saw Fred fly up from the ground carrying a white patch that he stuck to Ron's forehead, covering a gash from the Quaffle shards. 'Looks like your whole team will be a bunch of scarheads soon,' Malfoy sneered, floating up beside Harry. Glaring back, Harry settled for ignoring Malfoy's jibe and watching Madam Hooch summon a new Quaffle that shot to her through the sheeting rain.

Harry felt a punch on his arm and turned to face Draco again. 'They won't be the only ones with scars after today,' he hissed. Before Harry could do anything Draco flew off again, becoming a blur in the deluge that swept over the pitch, and the game began again as Angelina swooped in to snatch the Quaffle. He was so distracted that George had to shove Harry sideways so he didn't club him in the face as he diverted the Bludger that had been swooping towards Harry's head.

'Stay focused Harry,' he said quickly. 'Don't let that little ferret distract you.' Flying off, he swooped to join Fred who had started protectively circling the three Chasers as they shot towards the Slytherin goalposts. Nodding half to himself, half to George, Harry began trailing Malfoy around the pitch, carefully keeping his Firebolt back behind the Nimbus 2001 that Draco flew on.

'Forty-ten to Gryffindor!' Lee said exuberantly as the spearheaded formation shot through the Slytherin goal area. 'Pucey in possession for Slytherin now.passed to Montague who's around Bell! Passed onto Higgs and he's making another run on the Gryffindor goal! No! A double Bludger attack from the Weasleys! Spinnet with the Quaffle now - but there's the Snitch!'

Flitting in the rain, Harry and Malfoy saw the Snitch at the same time, both speeding towards the walnut sized ball as it hovered, unaware of their presence. Lying flat against his broom Harry easily outpaced Malfoy as they shot towards the Snitch, but the small ball had one last surprise and exploded into movement as Harry made to grab it. He found his hand closing on thin air as the Snitch flew back underneath him, swiftly followed by Malfoy as Harry struggled to turn his broom in the storm.

Spinning under a Slytherin Beater, Harry completed his turn and started chasing after Malfoy who was having his own problems flying into the wind. Pulling almost alongside him, Harry made sure to keep an arm's length away from Malfoy, not giving him the chance to grab his broom again. Speeding up higher and higher they followed the Snitch as it climbed towards the roof of the stands. Trying to concentrate as rain poured over him, Harry almost missed the Snitch as it suddenly dove straight down towards the floor of the stadium.

Diving down, Harry and Malfoy were buffeted by the wind, their elbows smashing together as they tried to stay on a line with the Snitch. Halfway down the dive, Harry suddenly felt a sharp pain against his chest, which cooled quickly, freezing him to his soul. Blinking back water that had crept round his glasses, Harry realised only a second later that they were tears that were flowing down his face. A shove from Malfoy snapped Harry back from the distraction, and he noticed the Snitch was starting to slide towards him as they dove.

Pushing Malfoy back, Harry made sure he kept the Snitch in front of him, blocking Malfoy as he tried to move into Harry's path. Trying to ignore the chilling feeling in his chest, Harry urged the Firebolt on, increasingly aware of the ground as it sped towards the two of them. Closing his eyes, Harry willed the tears away and opened them to find the Snitch darting into his hand as Malfoy slammed into him again.

Closing his fingers over the Snitch, Harry pulled up suddenly, letting Draco continue towards the ground with a shattering thump as his broom grounded there. Almost immediately Harry found the team mobbing him, even Ron managed to unsteadily make his way down to the pitch's floor as the mass of Gryffindor players slowly descended.

As they landed, the rest of Gryffindor house spilt onto the field, surrounding the team, and Harry felt the thumps on his back from Dean and Seamus, saw Neville's grin as they celebrated. Off to his left Ron and Hermione embraced one another, but Harry ignored all of this, digging deep beneath his robe and pulling out Ginny's Liefgema. Looking around, he caught sight of Parvati on the edge of the crowd and fought his way to her.

As she opened her mouth to say congratulations, Harry frantically put a hand to his lips and shook his head. Without needing to explain he put the gem in her hand, and Parvati's eyes unfocused as her fingers closed. After what seemed like years but was just a few seconds, she opened them, and Harry saw the fear in her eyes as she gasped for breath. Grabbing Dean, they were both in time to support her as she stumbled, looking up at Harry she whispered to him. 'The forest, they're in the forest.'