𝕭𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝕾𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖘 || Fred Weasley

20

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as a commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years— "

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end.

Cassie walked with the team onto the pitch. She looked up at the stands. Three-quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP!"

Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill— "

Cassie and Draco were easily the smallest people on the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one... "

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Cassie saw the Quaffle fly up into the air. She reached for it, but Montague had shoved her trying to grab it as well.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Montague, Montague tearing UP the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Montague drops the Quaffle, it's caught by Mal— wait no — Johnson snatches it, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Malfoy — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her. Cassie, who was on the other side with the Quaffle, almost dropped the Quaffle as Johnson bumped into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

A moment later, Fred Weasley had chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"Serves you right," Cassie muttered before managing to score a goal.

"Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-TEN TO GRYFFINDOR!"

"I'm doing it," said Cassie stubbornly.

"Give me the Quaffle," Flint argued.

"Seems like there's some tension over there," Lee Jordan commented.

"Move over." Cassie bumped him aside and she flew up to the posts.

Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.