Chapter Six-The Quidditch Match

"What is Quidditch!?" Harry can still remember naively asking a few weeks ago. Now, as he nervously stood getting ready to play, with the other contestants standing next to him; each of them eyeing each other, trying to mentally psyche each other out.

Quidditch (formerly known as Kwidditch and Cuaditch) is a sport played on broomsticks by the wizarding community. It is indeed the most popular and well-known game among wizards and witches. It is the equivalent in popularity to Muggles passion for football.

Harry learned that the object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points and catching the Golden Snitch is worth one-hundred and fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or when an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Games could even go on for a matter of days if the Snitch was not caught. According to the book, "Quidditch Through the Ages," (Which Harry borrowed from Hermione in order to brush up on his Quidditch knowledge); the longest Quidditch match lasted for six months, with the Quidditch apparently not having been caught by the even by the end of the incredibly long and extensive game.

The game getting ready to take place is the opening match of the season. The teams are Gryffindor against Slytherin. "Of course, it is against Slytherin." Harry thinks. Harry was appointed as seeker a few weeks ago when Minerva McGongail witnessed him performing a spectacular dive to catch falling Rememberall during an interruption to his flying lesson. The next Friday, she sent him a Nimbus 2000 broomstick to ride during Quidditch matches, but requested that he keep his position, and new broomstick a secret. Although Harry later brushed up by reading about Quidditch, the game was initially explained to him by the captain of the Gryffindor team, Oliver Queen. Oliver also helped Harry to practice each day over the last two weeks. Oliver would awaken Harry extremely early to practice.

"Wha….whassamatter?" Harry would groggily ask.

"QUIDDITCH PRACTICE!" Oliver excitedly said. "Come on! Get up!"

Harry squinted at the window. There was a think mist hanging against the pink and gold sky. Now that he was awake, he couldn't understand how he was able to sleep through the racket that the birds were making outside.

"Oliver, it's the crack of dawn." Harry said.

"Exactly! Early birds always hit their mark!" Oliver replied.

"Perhaps I'm more of a nocturnal creature." Harry retorted.

"You will have to learn to be both Harry. Now get up!" Oliver commanded.

Harry was awakened by Oliver many mornings like that, but this morning was different. This was the morning of the match. Harry was feeling incredibly nervous. In fact, he was so nervous he could not manage to eat anything for breakfast at first, but several of his friends and teammates encouraged him to eat something. He was glad now that he did, for he will need his strength! By 11:00 he and the other players had gathered at the Quidditch pitch and were listening to an intense speech from Captain Oliver Queen intended to motivate them and get them fired up for the match.

Then it was time. The large door in front of the players raised and Harry along with the other players began to swiftly fly their broomsticks high into the air past and around the team flags to the applause of the large crowd that was in attendance. A young announcer named Lee Jordan then began speaking into the microphone which was amplified through speakers for all to hear.

"Hello and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Todays match…Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!" The crowd cheered even louder.

Harry flew up even higher and then looked down in disbelief. This was all too much to take in.

The players then landed and began to take their positions with Madame Hooch set to begin the game as the referee. Madame Hooch reminded all the players that she wanted a nice, fair game, speaking especially to Slytherin Quidditch Captain Slade Flint. She then proceeded to ask all their players to mount their brooms. After the players had taken off, she released the Quaffle, which was immediately taken by Gryffindor chaser, Kathy Kane Johnson. Kathy then passed it to fellow chaser Yvonne Spinnett. Yvonne passed it back before the Quaffle was taken by Slade Flint. He tried to score, but Captain Queen blocked the Quaffle, which was taken by Dinah Bell.

Dinah was hit by a Bludger and lost it to Slytherin player Arthur Pucey, but he in turn was blocked by the second Bludger, which was hit at him. Kathy Kane Johnson regained possession of the Quaffle, and with a clear field, dodged another Bludger, shot the Quaffle past Slytherin Keeper Roman Bletchley and scored Gryffindor's first goal! The crowd went wild!

By this time, neither seeker had seen the Snitch, and Harry was tactfully staying out of the way as part of his game plan. Fred Weasley (one of Harvey and Denton's older brothers) beat a Bludger away from Harry and at Slade.

Shortly after, Arthur Pucey was once again in possession of the Quaffle, dodging two Bludgers, when suddenly both seekers noticed the Snitch. They soared downwards, the rest of the match frozen to watch; Harry was faster than Slytherin Seeker Drury Higgs and nearly caught the Snitch, but Slade rammed into him, fouling him and losing the Snitch. Hooch gave Gryffindor a penalty shot and Yvonne Spinnett scored making it 20 to 0!

When Harry dodged a Bludger that nearly hit his head, he noticed that he nearly lost control of his broomstick. Thinking that he was falling, Harry grabbed it tightly with his hands and knees. It was trying to buck him off, zig-zagging wildly through the air!

Eventually, the spectators began to notice the odd behavior of Harry's broom; he was thrown off of it when it gave an almighty jerk and was left hanging from it with one hand. "What's going on with Harry's broomstick?" Hagrid shouted. Hermione Kyle, using Hagrid binoculars, noticed that Severus Crane was maintaining eye contact with Harry and muttering an incantation. "It's Crane! He's jinxing the broom!" Hermione declared. "What are we going to do!? Harvey asked. "Leave that to me!" Hermione replied.

Meanwhile, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Harry to hang on to his broom. Fred and George tried to pull him onto one of their Cleansweep Fives, but failed to do so; Slade Flint scored five goals without anyone noticing, making the score now 20 to 60. On the ground, Hermione had a sudden vision and could foresee what she had to do next. She had reached Crane, knocking over Professor Quirrell in the process. She conjured Cat Scratch Fever onto his cloak, meant to enable Harry to climb back on his broomstick, but….Crane was ready! Crane had already muttered the counter spell to Cat Scratch Fever; Hair of the Dog that Bit Me! He completely ignored Hermione and did not even show that he knew what she was trying to do. He knew however, that inside the little know it all was completely frustrated that her spell did not work. Yes, it was true.

"I don't understand," Hermione thought. I could actually visualize the spell working and saving Harry. Almost like it had already happened or like it was something I had already done or was meant to do. But then it just…didn't happen. I just don't get it. I don't know how, but somehow I know….that was not the way that was supposed to go."

Hermione indeed seemed to have some sort of sixth sense that even she did not fully understand. Plus, what was going to happen to Harry? She had not managed to save him and she could see his grip slipping more and more from his broomstick.

Indeed, Harry was slipping. Was this it? Harry did not think he would survive a fall from this height. Plus, the Snitch was there below in his view, if only…..

Suddenly, Harry's face changed from fear to determined. The bat birthmark on his forehead started to glow. Then, from Harry's back a black energy started to form. It was a free-flowing shape at first but it eventually expanded and protruded upwards into the shape of giant bat-wings. Harry let go of the broomstick and started to glide downwards by the power of these wings that he had somehow created.

The spectators watched in confusion as Harry dove towards the ground, only to clasp his hand to his mouth as if he was being violently sick the instant he landed. In actuality Harry had caught the Snitch in his mouth, as it was lodged in his throat he needed to remove it by coughing. His capture of the Snitch ended the match, thus Gryffindor won and scored 150 points and winning Gryffindor the match 170 to 60!

Harry was a hero for winning the game. "Amazing job Harry!" Oliver said. "Your aim was true!" When Hermione asked him what spell he used to create the magical bat-wings he replied by saying he did not use any spell which of course completely baffled Hermione. Harry thought about the time at the nocturnal animal enclosure when he somehow made the glass panel disappear and in-turn, freed the bats. He remembered the way that the bats seemed to be in-tune with him and protect him. Or more like they were a part of him.

To be continued….