Draco was braced for questions when he went to breakfast, after all, Neville and the rest of the dorm surely would have noticed them not being there last night. They had and asked a few questions over breakfast, which Harry explained- it was mainly his news to tell, after all. Then the Daily Prophet arrived. The daily arrival of over one hundred nearly identical owls was no longer a shock to anyone, but what they carried certainly was.

BLACK INNOCENT

the main headline read. Underneath it was an article explaining the events of the previous night, albeit heavily abridged, and saying that Sirius had been awarded a full pardon, those estates of his that had been confiscated were to be returned and his funds unfrozen. The stunned silence that was across the hall was soon filled by a frantic whispering, like the fuse of a time-bomb waiting to go off. Then Harry, who had just finished his breakfast stood up. The effect was instantaneous. Across all four house tables, heads shot up from the nearest paper and looked at Harry. It had said in the article, which Draco was still reading, how Harry had proved Black's innocence- no mention of his own dealings with that rat!-and everyone knew it. Thousands of shouted questions assaulted them from all sides. Harry couldn't answer them- after all he couldn't even hear them over the racket.

A crowd of people were rushing them from all sides, everyone apparently determined to get their questions answered.

It took all of the teachers a good five minutes to clear the hall and it was only when Dumbledore offered to give a full explanation that peace finally returned to the hallowed halls of Hogwarts. Even Dumbledore's retelling of events was insufficient to sate the curiosity of the gossip-hungry student body and in the next few weeks everyone was asking the four of them who had been there all about it. The Slytherins even forgot their enmity with Gryffindor House to ask questions, since Professor Snape had been unable to give them much information and had refused to do so.

The questions died away, however, with the onset of exam season.

Hermione was going into overdrive. Lessons may have been concentrating on revision, but she was even more so. Whenever anyone saw her, she seemed to have a book in her hand. After all, she had taken a lot of classes, hadn't she? An awful lot. Some might say an impossible amount, at least, anyone who had looked at a Hogwarts timetable would. The thought stuck in Draco's head. How was she doing it? How had she kept it secret? He knew that she was two-timing on him in arithmancy, which was on at the same time as Care of Magical creatures on Monday mornings. How could she be in two places at once? A twin? No, that couldn't be it, he'd have noticed discrepancies. No one could be in two places, at least not at the same time, could they?

Same time? What if she wasn't there at the same time? Slowly Draco's mind brought a memory to the surface, a memory long ago made, and little understood. He had seen it a good five years ago. The minister of magic had been talking to his father.

'Well, Cornelius, it can be arranged, but I'm afraid that I simply do not have the time required to do everything. I am sure you understand me/'

'A time turner? Yes, I'm sure that can be arranged.'

Could that be it, a time turner? What was a time-turner? There was only one way to find out. Library.

Draco didn't run to the library, there was no need, but he wasn't exactly walking slowly either. AS he walked, he thought. Time turners. Where would I find out about them? Potions, no. Charms, maybe? Worth a start there, but to be honest...

The first book Draco found was useless, so was the second. The third, entitled Time Magic, turned out to be a study of the effects of the phases of the moon on a wizard's power. No good either. The fourth however, did at least mention them.

The time turner is a rare device able to transfer the user through time. Its use is highly restricted by all governments.

That was it. That was what Hermione was using. What to do about it? Well, nothing. She must have gotten it from McGonagall or Dumbledore or something, so it was probably perfectly legal. There wasn't anything to worry about, except for the exams.

In the weeks before exams, Draco began to do less and less work, whilst everyone else was doing more and more. He felt that he'd put the work in throughout the year and so he'd be okay.

In the event, he was.

The first exam was transfiguration, in which Draco was asked to turn a teapot into a tortoise. Draco pulled it off admirably, with a giant one appearing on Professor McGonagall's desk, which groaned under the strain before breaking. The conversation in the common room that evening was a bit odd.

'I think I did okay- was it still supposed to be breathing steam?' asked one.

'Mine still had a wicker pattern on the shell, do you think that will count against me?' asked another.

Hermione was duly complaining of her lack of perfection. 'I think it looked more like a turtle than a tortoise, really. Do you think she'll hold it against me?'

'No chance. I managed to whack out a Galapagos tortoise.'

'But they're huge, aren't they?'

'Yep. One moment McGonagall has a teapot on her desk, the next moment a giant tortoise sitting in a pile of splinters. Hermione, if you think she'll hold it against you for making a turtle, what do you think she'll do to me for breaking her desk?' They all had a good laugh over that, before Hermione cajoled Harry and Ron into doing some work.

The next exam was charms, in which they had to cast cheering charms, Draco pulled his off neatly, leaving Hermione smiling. Hermione's own spell left him feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Again, he cracked a broad smile. Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly and told them to send the next pair in.

In Potions, Draco nearly ran out of time to brew his confusing concoction, which he had made perhaps a little strong, certainly Snape raised his eyebrows when he saw the intensity of the colour.

Nonetheless, Draco found he had passed all of his exams and passed them well , so it was with a great deal of confidence that he began to enjoy the remainder of the term. It was not however, an unbusy time. Lee had stepped up cricket practise after the exams, since the first match was now close.

The match against Slytherin started in style, with Lee losing the toss and being out in to bat.

The commentary team for the cricket season was led by Professor Dumbledore himself, with the expert summarizers being headed by Argus Filch. The commentary was broadcast throughout the school, so that people could still carry on doing what they were doing without missing any of the action, for at Hogwarts, they played the three-day version of the game.

'Well, it's the start of the Hogwarts quidditch season once more, and we are here at the school ground, sitting at the Castle End, waiting for play to begin. The umpires walk out into the centre of the field and the fielding side follows. The umpires today are Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. Gryffindor lost the toss today and were put in to bat by Slytherin captain, Alexander Blishwick. Here come the Gryffindor opening bats, two of the three brothers on the team, Percy and Fred Weasley. Percy is taking the strike and has taken his guard, middle and leg by the looks of things. An unusual guard to take, isn't it Filchers?'

'Oh yes, Dumbles, I haven't seen anyone take that guard in School Cricket for a good forty years. An unusual strategy.'

'And Peter Brewer of Slytherin is coming in to bowl. He's bowling left arm over the wicket and Percy Weasley's blocked him. They don't take a run and the score remains nought for nought. Can you remember the last time that we had two members of the same family opening the batting for a house?'

'No I can't, perhaps Veckers might know.'

Professor Vector looked up from her scorebook and consulted her books.

'The last time that two brothers opened the batting in a match was 1741, when they were playing for different houses, however the Hufflepuff team of 1789 consisted of seven brothers batting between three and ten.'

'Thank you Veckers, whilst we have been looking up the past, the first over has been completed, with Gryffindor taking a single bye. The score is one for nought as Xavier Atkins comes in to bowl. I must say, it's a bit unusual to have put the spinner on so early. Do you think this means Slytherin have given up hope?'

'No. There's no way that you'd put a spinner on so early in the match unless you've got something up your sleeve, the track has simply got nothing in it for them yet. If this was the third day, then it might be worth a shot, but now?'

'Yes, I quite agree Filchers, I simply can't work out why that might be myself. But perhaps we might be able to tell as he bowls to Percy Weasley who leaves it be. The ball goes straight to the keeper and that's that. Nothing particularly threatening there, do you think?'

'Nothing that I can see, Dumbles.' Filch replied.

'Well, perhaps we might see something in the next ball. Professor Sprout calls a no ball as Atkins' foot was well over the line when he bowled that. Weasley's smacked it, but it's gone straight to a fielder.'

'It's good to see him playing a bit more positively.'

'Yes, and as Atkins bowls the next ball WEASLEY'S GONE! HE'S GONE! HE'S OUT! CLEAN BOWLED. Well, I don't think I've seen middle stump been knocked so far out of the ground by a spinner before, I think he was guilty of playing down the charms corridor when the ball was going down the transfiguration corridor, but the replay will show us what happened. Yes, he played down the wrong line and Percy Weasley is out, the score is now 2 for 1, and the Gryffindor captain is coming in. Lee Jordan takes his guard from Professor Flitwick and Atkins comes to bowl again. Jordan plays the forward defensive and the ball stops at his feet. A good start, would you say?'

'Well, from one ball it's a good as start as any I suppose. Now I'm going to have a few words while McGonners takes over the commentator's chair. This is proving to be an exciting game, with the Gryffindor opener out so early, but then anyone, no matter how great, can easily make a mistake while they are yet to play themselves in and I suspect a case of pre-match nerves may be the likely culprits here, don't you agree,?'

'Oh yes.' The curt tones of Minerva McGonagall stated as she took over the air waves for the next forty-five minutes.

'Well, at the end of that spell, Gryffindor have taken thirty runs for the loss of one wicket, which was the opening bat, Percy Weasley to Atkins. Despite a near run out captain Jordan has managed to steady the ship and the second partnership seems to be settling down for the long haul. AS we go to the first drinks break, Dumbles will be returning to the commentary box, and then Filchers will be substituted for Sluggers. Dumbles, have you had any of the chocolate cake yet? It really is excellent?'

There was a brief silence.

'Yes thank you McGonners, I just had some in my mouth then as you well know. Well, it really has been an exciting morning's cricket so far as we enter the drinks break. Ahh, Sluggers, my dear old thing, how are you doing?'

'Well thank you Dumbles. I must say, this is an exciting match isn't it. I've been watching it from the boundary and I feel that some of the cricket has been really excellent, don't you agree?'

'Oh yes, quite so. The four from Fred Weasley was particularly elegant.'

'Yes, exquisite sense of timing that boy has, perhaps it comes from his beater training in quidditch?'

'Perhaps, but as the drinks carriers in their fluorescent yellow bibs go off of the field, play resumes with Matthew Broderick taking up the ball for the first time from the Pavillion end. Broderick is a seam bowler, right arm round the wicket, and he runs up and he bowls to left hander Lee Jordan, who. MY WORD WHAT A SHOT. He's cut him for six over long leg's head. That really is a great way to start off a new spell, putting doubts into the bowler's head before he's begun.'

'Yes, I never could stand it when I got tonked for six when I was bowling, and to have it so early on in the over is bound to affect the young man's concentration unless he takes a wicket very soon.'

He didn't nor did any of the other bowlers.

'Well, it has been lovely talking with you Sluggers, but as we go into the lunch break it is time for our regular lunchtime slot, where today I shall be interviewing our very own Rubeus Hagrid about the fauna of the Forbidden forest.'

Draco hadn't been listening to the radio broadcast, which was kept out of the dressing rooms and the pitch by powerful enchantments. He was however concerned when Lee Jordan came back in, and gave the team a quick briefing on the conditions.

'It's getting a lot faster as the pitch is drying out in the sun. Should be great for bowling, but first we have to get a decent total, we've made a reasonable start, but to be honest with you, 79 for 1 really isn't anywhere near where we need to be right now. They've been stopping us from scoring as we want. After lunch, we'll have to start playing a lot more positively.' Jordan said.

After lunch they did start playing more confidently and the wickets began to fall. Before long Draco was in.

'And as the wicket of Henry Parker falls, Gryffindor's youngest player is coming in. Draco Malfoy, the number five batsman, is a relative unknown, although I hear that in the nets he's supposed to be devilishly tricky to bowl.'

'Yes, but there's really no substitute for time out in the middle and he hasn't had any of that. There's been some real quality bowling today as well, the ball that claimed the scalp of Fred Weasley was a notable one, really fast.'

'Yes, I quite agree Filchers, but we shall have to see how the young man, who has apparently been given the nickname of "The Immovable Object " lives up to it. Brewer comes into bowl for the first ball after lunch and Malfoy plays a forward defensive at it Wow! Did you see how fast that came of the bat? Malfoy has played a forward defensive and the ball has just shot straight through the legs of mid on and into the crowd of pigeons near the boundary where it is picked up by Ian Bole of Slytherin, who tosses it in to the bowlers end, no chance of a run out though, Both batsman are safely back within their ground having run three. Fred Weasley on strike now to face the next ball. Brewer comes in off of his long run up and bowls, now that ball really moved off of the pitch, I do believe we have seen our first swing of the day.'

'Yes, it looked like that ball swung to me, that is great news for Brodwick who really likes swingy condition, Dumbles.'

'Yes, that ball goes wide of the keeper's gloves, but is stopped by a running third man. Nothing exciting there really, just some standard fielding for Higgs, who really is excellent at the groundwork. Now we shall see what happens next.'

HOWZATTT!

'Hang on, Slytherin have appealed, presumably for LBW, as that last ball from Brewer strikes Weasley on the pad. If Flitwick thought that was going on to hit the stumps then he is out. Flitwick is looking over to Sprout at square leg, she can't help him of course, not for an LBW decision. Flitwick has raised the finger. HE'S OUT!'

'Yes, he scored 37 runs there and the fall of his wicket brings the score to 89 for 5.'

'Thanks Veckers, the Gryffindor ship is really beginning to wobble now, with only one more recognised batsman due in before the tail is exposed to one of the finest bowling attacks at Hogwarts. Here comes Quentin Andrews.'

Andrews and Draco managed to see Gryffindor round to the tea break, with Draco taking 47 runs off of twenty exacting overs. In the dressing rooms, Draco vigorously towelled the sweat off his back before downing a small cake and a large bottle of water.

'Keep it up guys, just play for time now and keep on scoring as you have been, you're doing brilliantly.' Lee encouraged them, 'If we make our innings go on to the last couple of overs we should have a bowl at them in the poor light, which will help against their openers. We might even have enough runs by then to give them something respectable to chase. Now see to it guys, but don't take risks. You know what will happen if we do that.'

They certainly did. You took risks, you got out. It was as certain as the results of the last quidditch season. After another two hours, the light was beginning to fade and the batting began to become trickier. There were only seven overs left in the day now, Draco reckoned. How would they go? In the commentary box, Professor McGonagall was glad of the break that came when Dumbledore relieved her, a chance to get some water after yet another marathon session of commentating.

'Well, we'll see you later McGonners, but now Higgs is bowling an over, presumably so Blishwick can change the end that one of his bowlers is bowling at. Mind you, it could just be to give the proper bowlers a break, they must be getting very tired now at the end of a long day's play.'

'Yes, and it won't be helping them that they haven't had any wickets since just after lunch. This partnership is really looking settled now, neither batsman look like they are going to be dislodged.'

'Yes, Sluggers, they really do look almost comfortable out there. That can be dangerous though. Malfoy's nearing his century and the big question for Slytherin is does he suffer from the nervous nineties? Well, it seems like he doesn't as he is now on 98 not out, and Andrews is on 76, making this the highest scoring partnership of the match so far. Shriver comes in to bowl to Malfoy and he's skied it, it's going straight to long on. Surely he is going to be caught. No! He's been dropped! Malfoy put down on 98,that could prove costly, as Malfoy gets put down on debut for 98. He's looking relieved and it's nice to know that even the immovable object suffers from the nervous nineties to some extent. Shriver again bowls to Malfoy, who drives this one nicely through mid wicket. Is it going to reach the boundary? There's a fielder chasing it and he might. No It's gone for four! Malfoy has made his century on debut for Gryffindor!'

'That also makes him the youngest player to get a century on debut for any house. Just four days younger than the previous holder of the record, Isaac Willis, who has held the records since 1842.' Professor Vector informed the listeners.

'And that's the end of the over. Blishwick is having a chat with the keeper, and throws the ball to Zabini, another newcomer to the Slytherin team, and by no means a bowler. Well, if you're desperate for a breakthough you do tend to try anything don't you , Sluggers.'

'Oh yes. I was playing a match in '69, when..'

'I'm sorry to interrupt you, Sluggers, but Zabini has just bowled Andrews! Andrews in a terrible misjudgement left the ball and it took out his off stump. The keeper Crabbe caught the bails to add insult to injury and Andrews is on his way. This changes everything.'

'Yes, the Gryffindor tail is now exposed to the Slytherin bowling attack and there's no way they're going to last long save for some miracle. The only question left is will Gryffindor send out the night-watchman or not?'

Lee sent in Richards, the number 7, not wanting to disrupt his order. In these conditions though, he had no chance to play himself in before he too was dispatched. All of a sudden there was a panic on, and a Gryffindor collapse seemed inevitable. Draco stood at the bowler's end as the final four wickets fell in quick succession. As it was now too late for Slytherin to go in, the umpires knocked the bails off the stumps and called a halt to the day's play.

Play resumed at eleven O'clock the next day with Gryffindor bowling to Slytherin. What would happen now? They had a target of 289 to draw level with Gryffindor, but with two innings a side to get through to avoid a draw, one side would have to do phenomenally well do get a result.

Dumbledore resumed the commentary where he had left off, with Argus Filch by his side.

'Welcome back to the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, listeners,the weather is looking good for today and we shall need it to stay like that if we are to get a result, with Ryffindor having batted all day yesterday to score 289 runs leaving Slytherin 90 runs to get to avoid being asked to follow on. That should be achievable, don't you think, Filchers?'

'Oh, yes Dumbles, With all-rounders Brodwick and Shriver in their line up, Slytherin have a very deep batting order, with the true tail end only consisting of two batsmen. Ninety runs shouldn't present too tough a target for them, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll make it, after all, batting collapses have been known to happen- just look at Gryffindor last night after the fall of Andrews.'

'Yes, that was a quick collapse, but the result of today's play really can only be guessed at, with all results still possible, though a draw is perhaps the firm favourite. Now, Alicia Spinnet is opening the bowling attack for Gryffindor from the Castle end and she's got a lovely shiny new ball in her hand. Spinnet was a new find for Gryffindor last year, and she proved to be utterly devastating against right handed bats so as she starts her run up we can now watch the first ball of the day which Blishwick carefully plays into the ground. That was a lovely ball well defended. The commentary team would like to thank Madame Rosmerta for the excellent chocolate cake she sent us yesterday, it really was quite delicious. Spinnet bowls again and Blishwick has skied it, it is going straight to the fielder at deep mid wicket, who I believe is Draco Malfoy. WE haven't seen much of his fielding yet, I wonder if he is, yes! He's caught it! There was a bit of a fumble there, but Malfoy caught it before it dropped to the ground, Blishwick is out. What an excellent game young Malfoy is having to be sure, following an excellent stand with the bat with a good start in the field. Now from the pavilion we can see Higgs coming on to the field, rolling his shoulders and swinging his bat, he's normally a very aggressive player, keen to get after the bowlers, and he's never really happy until he's into double figures at least. We may see some adventurous play here. Spinnet comes in again and bowls, the third ball of her over, that was lovely and Higgs is forced to play a backwards defensive to a short ball that really was quite nasty. Spinnet clearly trying to intimidate the batsman here, before he gets a chance to do anything. What is going to happen next is anyone's guess, as spinet bowls her fourth ball. Higgs plays and misses and the ball is taken by Richards, the Gryffindor keeper. WE are not seeing Higgs' usual adventurous game going on here, has he adopted a new mindset or has the bowling got the better of him. We'll soon find out as Spinnet bowls the penultimate ball of her over and Higgs glances it to third man. He's itching to go but Zabini yells no and they don't run. Higgs looks rather annoyed at that, he can't stand being on zero and who can blame him? Spinnet bowls the last ball of her over and Higgs plays a Chinese cut! The ball's gone straight through his legs to square man but Higgs has set off! What is he doing? The ball comes swiftly in to the keepers end and there's a run out! But who was it? Had the batsmen crossed when the bails left the stumps? A nice bit of fielding from Roach has cost Slytherin a wicket. Here we go, the umpires are having a conversation in the middle, they can't tell who was out either. But it looks as if they have made their decision, Sprout raises the finger of doom to Higgs and he's on his way back to the pavilion, out for a duck, making that a double wicket maiden for Spinnet. Now that has changed the face of the game.'

Dumbledore concluded.

'Yes it has, at the beginning of the over we were asking ourselves whether there would be a result, now it looks as if there will be, unless the Slytherin middle order can really dig themselves out of a hole here. We've also got the added factor of pressure, Zabini may be half used to coming in without a score on the board as an opener, but the number four most certainly won't be. Pressure can do funny things to people's minds. They can try too hard to get off the mark and end up being out, just like Higgs was there. There's something I always do, which is add two wickets to the scoreboard and see how the game situation looks like then. 0 for 4 is not a comfortable place to be at all.'

'No it isn't Filchers, Gryffindor are bringing on George Weasley, a demon fast bowler who relies on pure pace to beat the batsman, which of course is helped hugely by his height. As George Weasley comes in to bowl we say goodbye to Filchers as Sluggers is joining us for the remainder of the morning session. Morning Sluggers!'

'Good Morning Dumbles, and it is a delight to be watching the cricket this morning, it really is some of the finest I have seen for a good long while.'

'Yes it is, Weasley comes in and Zabini plays a loose cover drive and the ball goes tearing away to the boundary, bringing Slytherin off the mark with four.'

That was the beginning of a long partnership, if a slow scoring one. Whilst the Gryffindor bowlers had managed to keep the scoring down and the pressure up, by Lunchtime, Slytherin were on 52 for 2.

As Dumbledore interviewed Sirius Black about his time in Azkaban for some Lunchtime entertainment, Lee was giving the team yet another pep talk.

'Right, we're doing a good job here, keeping the pressure nice and high. With the run rate so low we know we've got them on the run, but we need wickets to stop them playing for the draw. We're going to go for a change of bowling attack for the first few overs, they seem to have gotten used to you lot.' Lee gestured towards the Gryffindor bowlers, 'so we're going to bring on Draco for a spell, see what they make of that, and from the other end I want Alicia to bowl.' Right let's go and enjoy a nice bit of grub and then get our minds back in the game.'

When play resumed, Draco was bowling from the Pavilion end.

'Well, this is a surprise, Jordan has brought Malfoy on to bowl an over.' McGonagall commented, 'He really seems to be at a loose end to break this partnership, which seems to be settling the Slytherin team in much the same way that Malfoy and Andrews did yesterday. Malfoy comes in to bowl right arm over the wicket and HE'S YORKED HIM! Zabini is out to a ball that was considerably full of a length. '

'A good Yorker can be devilishly tricky to play, Minerva, there really is no easy way of doing it and that was just lovely.'

'Yes it was, wasn't it Argus. Anyway, Ian Bole is coming in now, he's been sitting in his pads for a while and the score is 52 for 3. Malfoy comes in to bowl at Bole. That's a huge appeal. The ball has struck Bole on the pads and the entire Gryffindor team has gone up for it. Sprout has given him out, quite right too, it was plum LBW. So Malfoy is suddenly on a hat trick, the question now is will he be able to take it? Gryffindor really beginning to make progress now as the fourth wicket falls after lunch for a duck. Next in is Crabbe, the Slytherin keeper. He joined the team last year and has excellent reflexes, able to take a good many sudden catches, but he hasn't had a great go with the bat yet, his average must be in the low teens.'

'Yes, quite so McGonners, his average is 13 and he has been out three times to right arm bowlers'

'Thank you Veckers, this really is most exciting. Malfoy is on a hat trick and he's come in to bowl to Crabbe. HE'S GONE! MALFOY AHS BOWLED HIM! This is truly remarkable, the first hat trick at Hogwarts that I can remember.'

'The last Hat trick was in 1912. There have been two hat tricks before that in 1817 and 1911.'

'Now Goyle is in, another powerful hitter who usually can send the ball flying over the boundary. The Slytherin ship is really rocking now, as it looks like a collapse is inevitable. Malfoy bowls and Goyle misses but so does the keeper and the ball goes to the boundary for a four, bringing the Slytherin score up to 56 for 5. That really is not a nice place to be. Do you think that reopens the question of the follow-on, Filchers?'

'Well, not really, there would have to be a remarkable session of play for Slytherin not to manage to get thirty four runs for the loss of the next five wickets, but that's the excitement of cricket isn't it? Anything can happen.'

Alicia bowled a maiden over and Lee put Draco back on to bowl. Three runs went off the over, before he was once more bowling to Montague.

'Montague is beginning to look quite settled now as he takes a quick walk to one side, killing time before the drinks break, which is going to happen at the end of this over. There's just enough time for a few short words from Argus whilst Dumbles takes over the commentary and I go and grab some lunch.'

'Thank you McGonners, Malfoy is bowling to Montague in a very confident manner, only two balls left in the over which is now reduced to one ball left as Montague plays the ball straight to square leg. Malfoy seems to be signalling the dressing room, someone is coming out with a helmet and leg pads. Malfoy is changing his field. He's getting rid of the deep extra cover and is bringing Towler in to silly mid on. That really is close, so there's no wonder that the helmet's wanted, any ball coming straight off of the bat could really do some damage at that distance. Malfoy comes in to bowl and Higgs is looking uncomfortable, the three slips and a gully are all making him feel very claustrophobic.'

'Yes, I quite agree, perhaps Malfoy has got a new strategy for getting Montague out? He comes in to bowl, the final ball of the over and Higgs has sent the ball flying over the top of the close fielders in a lovely cover drive that is going out to where Towler used to be. But who's that standing there now? Captain Lee Jordan is standing in the gap, where he had placed himself unnoticed by anyone, including the batsman. Jordan takes an easy catch and Montague is dismissed for 3. A good knock, but possibly not enough to save the match. Goyle and Broderick are now in, Goyle will be on strike after the drinks break.'

'Yes, I've been wondering about the Gryffindor strategy, that was an excellent wicket, with some cunning field placement, but surely with the ball getting old it must be time to bring the spinner on? The pitch is really beginning to have that nice bit of wear that will provide the grip that Towler needs, and he really is an excellent bowler.'

The Gryffindor team was thinking the same thing, and the first over after the drinks break was taken by Towler, who soon claimed the scalps of Broderick, Shriver and Goyle cery cheaply. The score was now 84 for 9, with only Atkins and Brewer left. One wicket would see the end of the innings, before tea as well, which would be brilliant news. Draco came on to bowl the last over of his spell. A devilish ball that went straight down the pitch saw Brewer play a leave and the ball sailed passed the batsman to take out the off stump. The innings was over. Gryffindor had a definite advantage.

'How do the bowlers feel? Asked Lee, definitely including Draco in this category.

'Not too tired, thinking of the follow on?' George replied.

'Absolutely, if we can bowl them out cheaply we might win. There's no way I want to risk them catching up with a declaration, so it's that or likely a draw. You up for it'

'YEAH!' a resounding roar was Lee's only answer.

'Good, I'll pop round and ask Blishwick to follow on now.'

Draco took another two wickets as Gryffindor brought the Slytherin team crumbling down for a second time before the end of play. Gryffindor had won the match, by an innings and 72 runs. Draco found himself a hero in the common room that night, as the man who had won the match with his exquisite batting and bowling performances. That night Draco wrote to his uncle, to tell him about how the match had gone before heading to bed.