Disclaimer: Um, who's even in this chapter, now? Oliver Wood belongs to JK Rowling.

A/N: So, as I predicted, the last chapter was very controversial. Some people said I was being too hard on Snape; others said I was being too easy on him. Yes, Tonks was being unprofessional (and Harry wasn't thinking of the consequences), but I argue that was in character for them. Meanwhile, I'm very aware that book!Snape (especially Book 3 Snape) is an extremely nasty person, and there's ample reason to cut him down to size, especially during a reading of Book 3. The criticism is deserved, even in the method is not ideal.

Anyway, this chapter of the original book includes two pretty large continuity errors that don't fit in with the rest of the story. First, if you do the math, it seems to suggest that Charlie Weasley was eleven years older than Harry rather than seven years. And second, it says there were two hundred Slytherins in the Quidditch stands, which is almost certainly too many. There are some really contrived ways to make either of these work, but for the purpose of this story, those continuity errors simply don't exist, since they would call into question the authenticity of the books as a whole.

Also, I promise I didn't cut this chapter short to save myself the writing. It just felt like the natural thing for Snape to do in the last chapter.

Chapter 15 and 1/2: Bragnam

The Quidditch Final

As the Great Hall was calming down after Snape's outburst (which Tonks hadn't helped), Professor Bragnam began reading what was left of the next chapter: "It was a few seconds before Harry remembered that the match hadn't taken place yet, that he was safe in bed, and that the Slytherin team definitely wouldn't be allowed to play on dragons…"

"Wow, was that a dream you had, Harry?" asked Dean Thomas. "That was cartoon logic, there."

"At least we know you can outfly a dragon now, right?" Ron offered with a grin.

However, the first thing that happened, before the match, was that Harry saw Crookshanks out wandering the grounds in the middle of the night, and seemingly befriending a large, black dog that looked suspiciously like the Grim. But he couldn't wake Ron up before they disappeared, and he had no idea what it meant.

The next morning, everyone was ready for the Quidditch final, and everyone was so excited at the prospect of Slytherin being defeated for the first time in years that even Cho Chang was on his side after he'd beat her in the last match.

"'Good luck, Harry!' called Cho. Harry felt himself blushing."

Oops, he'd missed that bit, Harry thought. But at least it wasn't as embarrassing as the other parts.

The match began, and Harry was pleased to see Bragnam was at least as good at Quidditch commentary as Kingsley, emulating Lee Jordan about as well as could be expected from someone who hadn't heard him.

Harry's own reading last night and this one again today had reminded also him of how insane that match had been. It was still the dirtiest game of Quidditch he'd ever seen (well except for the "Weasley is our king" bit from this year). It reached the point of almost literal aerial fistfighting within the first two goals, and it didn't let up after that.

"'THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING—'

"'Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way—!'

"'I'm telling it like it is, Professor!' Wow, Quidditch has certainly got more exciting since I was a student," Bragnam commented.

"I stand by that, too!" Lee called out from the Gryffindor Table, to general laughter.

The commentary certainly kept the Great Hall entertained, especially the younger students who hadn't seen it for themselves. Harry spotted the Snitch when Gryffindor was up by the requisite fifty points, but he was foiled in catching it.

"Harry put on a huge burst of speed; the wind was roaring in his ears; he stretched out his hand, but suddenly, the Firebolt was slowing down — Horrified, he looked around. Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and was pulling it back. Merlin's beard!"

That move was so scummy that McGonagall didn't even tell Lee off for swearing, as she was too busy shouting at Malfoy herself (though Harry hadn't heard what she was saying).

"Goodness! I'd forgotten about that," the real McGonagall said from the High Table. "That's all the more reason to have that broom looked over. Potter's lucky that Malfoy didn't damage it." She looked down, and she must have seen Harry's face because she added, "And don't look so worried, Potter. It will go much faster this time with someone from the company looking it over, especially as we know there was no dark magic used on it."

Harry turned red as his teammate stared at him with uncertain expressions.

But soon enough, the Harry in the book caught the Snitch, winning the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor. Even the students listening in the Great Hall erupted into cheers on hearing that, although they quieted down much faster than the crowd in the book, where Oliver Wood was openly sobbing, and McGonagall herself was sobbing even harder.

Harry himself sighed, looking back on that day. It had been the highlight of his year at the time, and he hadn't had many—maybe any—days as joyful since then. Still, he had the hope that Dumbledore would be as good as his word and end the war quickly, so that he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore soon enough.