.And.Katie,.can.t.you.do.something.about.that.nosebleed?..
.It.s.just.getting.worse!..said.Katie.thickly,.attempting.to.stem.the.flow.with.her.sleeve..
Harry.glanced.round.at.Fred,.who.was.looking.anxious.and.checking.his.pockets..He.saw.Fred.pull.out.something.purple,.examine.it.for.a.second.and.then.look.round.at.Katie,.evidently.horror‐struck..
.Well,.let.s.try.again,..said.Angelina..She.was.ignoring.the.Slytherins,.who.had.now.set.up.a.chant.of..Gryffindor.are.losers,.Gryffindor.are.losers,..but.there.was.a.certain.rigidity.about.her.seat.on.the.broom.nevertheless..
This.time.they.had.been.flying.for.barely.three.minutes.when.Angelinas.whistle.sounded..Harry,.who.had.just.sighted.the.Snitch.circling.the.opposite.goalpost,
.pulled.up.feeling.distinctly.aggrieved..
.What.now?..he.said.impatiently.to.Alicia,.who.was.nearest..
.Katie,..she.said.shortly..
Harry.turned.and.saw.Angelina,.Fred.and.George.all.flying.as.fast.as.they.could.towards.Katie..Harry.and.Alicia.sped.towards.her,.too..It.was.plain.that.Angelina.had.stopped.training.just.in.time;.Katie.was.now.chalk.white.and.covered.in.blood..
.She.needs.the.hospital.wing,..said.Angelina..
.We.ll.take.her,..said.Fred...She.‐.er.‐.might.have.swallowed.a.Blood.Blisterpod.by.mistake.‐..
.Well,.there.s.no.point.continuing.with.no.Beaters.and.a.Chaser.gone,..said.Angelina.glumly.as.Fred.and.George.zoomed.off.towards.the.castle.supporting.Katie.between.them...Come.on,.let.s.go.and.get.changed...
The.Slytherins.continued.to.chant.as.they.trailed.back.into.the.changing.rooms..
.How.was.practice?..asked.Hermione.rather.coolly.half.an.hour.later,.as.Harry.and.Ron.climbed.through.the.portrait.hole.into.the.Gryffindor.common.room..
.It.was.‐..Harry.began..
.Completely.lousy,..said.Ron.in.a.hollow.voice,.sinking.into.a.chair.beside.Hermione..She.looked.up.at.Ron.and.her.frostiness.seemed.to.melt..
.Well,.it.was.only.your.first.one,..she.said.consolingly,..it.s.bound.to.take.time.to.‐..
.Who.said.it.was.me.who.made.it.lousy?..snapped.Ron..
.No.one,..said.Hermione,.looking.taken.aback,..I.thought.‐..
.You.thought.I.was.bound.to.be.rubbish?..
.No,.of.course.I.didn.t!.Look,.you.said.it.was.lousy.so.1.just.‐..
.I.m.going.to.get.started.on.some.homework,..said.Ron.angrily.and.stomped.off.to.the.staircase.to.the.boys..dormitories.and.vanished.from.sight..Hermione.turned.to.Harry..
.Was.he.lousy?..
.No,..said.Harry.loyally..
Hermione.raised.her.eyebrows..
.Well,.1.suppose.he.could.ve.played.better,..Harry.muttered,..but.it.was.only.the.first.training.session,.like.you.said…..
Neither.Harry.nor.Ron.seemed.to.make.much.headway.with.their.homework.that.night..Harry.knew.Ron.was.too.preoccupied.with.how.badly.he.had.performed.at.Quidditch.practice.and.he.himself.was.having.difficulty.n.getting.the..Gryffindor.are.losers..chant.out.of.his.head..
They.spent.the.whole.of.Sunday.in.the.common.room,.buried.in.their.books.while.the.room.around.them.filled.up,.then.emptied..It.was.another.clear,.fine.day.and.most.of.their.fellow.Gryffindors.spent.the.day.out.in.the.grounds,