The final match of the Quidditch season, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw, was to take place on the last weekend in May. Luna had traded out her roaring lion hat for what appeared to be a live eagle perched on top of her head.

Lee Jordan, who had been very dispirited since Fred and George had left, was commentating as usual. As the teams zoomed out on to the pitch he named the players with something less than his usual gusto.

"Johnston... Hewgly... Samuels...Chambers...O'Reagan... Davies...Chang," he said as the Ravenclaws walked out on to the pitch. Cho was discussing wind conditions with Roger, and Isabella took advantage of the moment to nod at a very green-looking Ron Weasley.

"Good luck," she told him. He gave her a petrified nod and Angelina flashed a smile at her. They mounted their brooms and kicked away from the ground.

"And they're off!" said Lee. "And Davies takes the Quaffle immediately, Ravenclaw Captain Davies with the Quaffle, he dodges Johnson, he dodges Bell, he dodges Spinnet as well... he's going straight for goal! He's going to shoot - and - and -" Lee swore very loudly. "And he's scored."

"So that's Ten-nil to Ravenclaw," Lee continued, sounding less than enthusiastic. "Gryffindor Captain Angelina Johnson takes possession of the Quaffle - she dodges a Bludger from Samuels - she's streaking up the pitch - she shoots - SHE SCORES! Ten-ten, tied!"

A great roar rose from the stands below them. Isabella zoomed forward and flew neck and neck with Peter.

"Chambers with the Quaffle," Lee announced. "O'Reagan flanking him - they're not taking any chances after their last match against Slytherin - Chambers moves in for the score - come on, Ron! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! I HONESTLY CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! Ron Weasley blocks!"

The see of scarlet below screamed with delight, nearly drowning out the Slytherin chorus of 'Weasley is our King'. Roger had been flying lower than Isabella and Peter, he caught the deflected Quaffle and tossed it up to Isabella, who swerved to avoid a Bludger from the Gryffindor Beaters.

She aimed for the highest post but, remarkably, Ron managed to dart in front of it and catch the Quaffle.

"Another blocked goal!" Lee howled in triumph. "Ron passes to Katie Bell - Bell heads up the pitch - she reverse-passes to Spinnet who prepares to shoot - YES! Twenty-ten to Gryffindor."

"Davies in possession of the Quaffle - he passes to O'Reagan. Hewgly and Samuels move in to flank her -" Isabella bent low over her broom, her eyes fixed on the clear shot she had across the field. Ron was bobbing in front of the goalposts looking nervous and expectant. Isabella feinted to the left and tossed the ball towards the right-most goal post.

Ron somehow anticipate her trick and had dodged to protect the right goalpost. He kicked the Quaffle away and the sea of scarlet shrieked with pleasure.

"Another block by Ron Weasley!" Lee shouted. "Angelina once more takes possession of the Quaffle - Bludger from Hewgly! -" Lee warned the Gryffindor Chaser, who rolled in mid-air. Isabella and Roger swooped in, hoping she would drop the Quaffle, but Angelina righted herself and sped away.

Roger and Isabella flew side by side, following the tail of Angelina's broom. She glanced back nervously and veered away, swooping low over the stands and around one of the towers.

Isabella split, leaving Roger to follow Angelina and circling the opposite way of the tower. When the Gryffindor Chaser emerged on the other side, Isabella blocked her way with her broom. Angelina swerved right, but Isabella followed her and blocked her way again.

"STOP DANCING AND PLAY!" Lee thundered. Angelina glared at Isabella and tried to pass the Quaffle to Alicia over the Ravenclaw's head. Isabella shot straight into the air and intercepted the ball.

Twisting upside-down in a loop-the-loop, Isabella pulled away and flew down the pitch back towards the Gryffindor hoops. She was too high to score, so she dropped the Quaffle into Peter's waiting arms.

"O'Reagan makes a last minute pass to team-mate Chambers," Lee observed. "He shoots - Weasley blocks!" Ron hit the ball from his goal-post, sending it flying away. Isabella and Peter dove after it, nearly colliding with Katie Bell.

It was a hard game. Ron seemed impassable, despite Roger and Isabella's best throws. During the time out, Roger changed the focus of the team to defense.

"I'm sorry," Cory blushed.

"No, you're doing great," Roger assured the Keeper, who was letting in every other goal. "We just can't get past Ron..." The Slytherins had stopped singing that annoying song, but the Gryffindors had taken the lyrics and adjusted them so that by the time Ravenclaw got back in the game the Gryffindor section of the stands was belting the words:

"Weasley is our King

Weasley is our King

He didn't let the Quaffle in,

Weasley is our King.

Weasley can save anything,

He never leaves a single ring,

That's why Gryffindors all sing

Weasley is our King."

"Back from our break, and the score is still Sixty-ten to Gryffindor," Lee's voice boomed over the singing.

The game did not improve for Ravenclaw. The Chasers could not seem to score any goals and the Gryffindors simply ducked under Nick and Jason's furious onslaught as they tried to defend Cory.

"O'Reagan takes possession of the Quaffle - she's heading up the pitch - WHAM! A Bludger from Jack Slope hits her - she looks okay - but drops the Quaffle..."

One of the Gryffindor Beaters finally managed to pull himself together and send a Bludger slamming into Isabella's stomach. Or, more likely, he had accidentally hit the Bludger and it sped off towards her by chance. Either way, Isabella's breath was punched out of her and she dropped the Quaffle.

"Bell catches the Quaffle - she shoots - and Johnston barely saves it!" Cory caught the Quaffle and fumbled, sending it tumbling into Alicia Spinnet's arms rather than passing it to Peter.

"What's going on at that end of the pitch?" Lee asked, drawing attention away from where Alica was ducking Hewgly's Bludger attack. "It looks like the Seekers have spotted the Snitch!" Isabella wheeled her broom around and saw Cho diving straight down wards. But Ginny Weasley, the Gryffindor Seeker, was coming in at an angle.

Ginny reached out her hand and snatched the tiny golden ball from under Cho's nose. The Ravenclaw blinked in surprise and pulled her broom out of its dive, her face white with anger.

Cho stumbled to a landing and tossed her broom aside. Isabella touched down, too, suddenly feeling heavy. The Ravenclaw team slowly moved towards where Cho was throwing a tantrum, kicking her broom and crying with anger.

Peter put his arm around Isabella and she patted Nick on the back. Jason ran a hand across his tired face.

"Where the bloody hell did that come from?" Cory asked, glaring as Ron was lifted onto the shoulders of the Gryffindors.

"No idea," Roger sighed. "Come on, team. Let's see if we can find some Butterbeer." They headed up to the castle, morose and silent. Cho was still crying angrily, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

The Ravenclaw Common Room had that same depressed air. No one greeted them as they entered. The team slumped onto the couches and armchairs surrounding the fireplace. Portia jumped up into Isabella's lap purring quietly.

Terry Boot was slumped over one of the tables, scribbling furiously. Isabella frowned, snuggling deeper into her armchair.

"Terry, did you even go to the match?" she asked bitterly. He blinked and looked up, stretching his stiff fingers.

"Oh, was that today?" he asked his eyes unfocused. He began to flip through his notes and Isabella scowled, standing up.

"You didn't even come down to see us lose?" she demanded angrily. Terry didn't look up from his notes.

"You lost? Why?" Terry finally found the page of notes he had been searching for and he began to scan down the page.

"Well, if you'd been there you would have seen!" Isabella said, her voice getting louder and angrier. The other members of the team were watching with a sort of horrified fascination.

"I've got my OWLs coming up," Terry protested, still not looking at her. "I've got to revise..."

"My boyfriend should have been there when we lost the Quidditch Cup!" Isabella was yelling now, still clutching a squirming Portia in her arms.

"Look, Quidditch isn't as important..." Terry began to shout, standing up too. Isabella let out a frustrated scream and pulled out her wand. There was a loud bang, after which Isabella ran upstairs, crying.

Terry was not the only fifth year concerned about his upcoming exams Ernie Macmillan had developed an irritating habit of interrogating people about their revision practices.

"How many hours d'you think you're doing a day?" he demanded of Harry and Ron as they queued outside Herbology, a manic gleam in his eyes.

"I dunno," said Ron. "A few."

"More or less than eight?"

"Less, I s'pose," said Ron, looking slightly alarmed.

"I'm doing eight," said Ernie, puffing out his chest. "Eight or nine. I'm getting an hour in before breakfast every day. Eight's my average. I can do ten on a good weekend day. I did nine and a half on Monday. Not so good on Tuesday - only seven and a quarter. Then on Wednesday -"

Thankfully, Professor Sprout ushered them into the greenhouse at that point, forcing Ernie to abandon his recital.

"Course, Terry Boot started about a week ago, but then -" Ernie tried to continue under his breath.

"Enough chitter chatter," Professor Sprout interrupted. "Continue where you left off!" Harry, Ron and Ernie moved to their trays of Fanged Geraniums. The flowers snarled as they approached and took a snap at Ron's hand.

"What happened to Terry?" Harry asked Ernie while trying to avoid the geranium's teeth.

"Didn't you hear?" Ernie asked in surprise. "He and Bella had a row. They were arguing and she pulled out her wand. Turned him into a dog."

"A dog?" Ron asked in surprised. He yelped as the flowers bit him and began to suck his hurt finger.

"Said he was acting like one," Ernie shrugged.

"Well, McGonagall or Madam Pomrey put him right, didn't they?" Ron asked, checking to make sure Professor Sprout wasn't watching before he clobbered the Fanged Geranium's with a watering can. They flowers hissed and cowered away.

"Madam Pomfrey couldn't!" Ernie said, awe-struck. "Professor McGonagall tried to make Isabella change him back, but she wouldn't!"

"Bet you she makes an Outstanding on her Transfiguration OWL," Ron muttered to himself, attacking the Fanged Geraniums with a pair of shears.